An Explosive Arbiter

Chapter 5: Venus!

The ship was uncomfortably quiet as their ship docked into the Federation-controlled station. None of the extras seemed particularly keen on Bakugo leaving. It wouldn't stop him. His goal, from the beginning, had been to get a new ship and steal back his old one with it, and nothing would get in his way.

Raccoon Eyes had woken up about an hour ago, parched and hungry but otherwise fine. He had told her his intentions, and something close to disappointment had flickered before her eyes before she simply nodded and looked away.

Bakugo refused to meet any of their eyes. He knew that he wouldn't find anything he wanted there.

Their ship was scanned for anything contraband, and after it was cleared, they docked.

A Federation station would be protected. It would be regulated, taken care of, and have its own economy, similar to a state back on Musutafu. Of course, this economy used the same money system as the rest of the galaxy, but that was a given. In order to do anything- upgrade your ship, build something, create new technology- you needed scrap. Credits simply were a representation of this. Five hundred credits was equivalent to one unit of scrap, or something along those lines. Credits were commonly accepted by shops and ship dealers, while scraps were more commonly accepted by those selling weapons or systems that could be installed.

His first stop was converting the scrap that he took into credits. His second was a ship dealer.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as simple as that.

It was a Federation station, and he was wanted by them. He was sure that his face was one of many plastered among the walls of the station. If that didn't tip anyone off, there were guaranteed to be at least three active heroes patrolling around who could recognize him at any time, not to mention the normal security.

He just needed to keep his head down. Nothing more, nothing less. No distractions this time, nothing to keep him from his goal.

The ship set down, and Bakugo heard the ramp opening. Slowly he pushed himself off of the wall.

The quiet tension in the room could probably only be cut by a very, very sharp knife.

Bakugo opened the door, and paused. He turned his head, looking at the three of them.

"Don't expect to see me again. I don't want you wasting your time chasing after me, alright? You won't be the first people to try."

Pikachu simply nodded, looking apprehensive yet accepting. Shitty Hair had an unreadable expression on his face. Raccoon Eyes looked like she wanted to say something.

And yet, there wasn't a single cry of protest as he closed the door behind him. He wasn't quite sure why the hell that annoyed him so much.

They'll find you again. His heart sang, and Bakugo grit his teeth.

If they do, I'll have to beat that strength out of them. They're too much of a threat if they do.

His head was quiet, and he slowly walked out of the ship, hands in his pockets.

The atmosphere in the ship was quiet and tinged with the lingering regret of a goodbye.

"Hey, I don't think we should worry about it too much. I mean, he said that he didn't want us to look for him, so…" Kaminari trailed off, quietly fiddling with his hair.

He didn't know how to help his friends. Kirishima had formed a fast friendship with the blond, joking around with him even despite his abrasive nature. Ashido, who he hadn't known for long and was honestly still a little wary of, had known Bakugo when they were in high school. Even he had a strange sort of friendship with the explosive man, and it felt disappointing to see him go, just like that.

Kirishima had said that Bakugo was manly, and he said it a lot. Kaminari couldn't agree more. Bakugo was strong, confident, and skilled, but he had an ego the size of Terra Ultima. It was hard to say that he liked the man, but he could definitely respect him.

That was why he felt that Bakugo should make his own decision, and that they should let him. However, he didn't know how to put that respect into words, didn't know how to assuage the sadness that permeated the ship, and, not for the first time, he cursed his lack of brains when it counted.

"I think...I think that Bakugo will be okay. And I know that we'll be okay, too. So we shouldn't spend too much time moping around, yeah?" Kaminari tried again, keeping a close watch on Kirishima's facial expressions.

The room was silent, and Kaminari felt like pulling his hair out at his own inadequacy.

Kirishima looked up, and something that looked like determination crossed his features. A flicker of hope flashed in Kaminari's heart.

"Yeah...I think you're right. Bakugo's a man, through and through. Someone like him will make it far. So we can't be left behind in his dust! Let's get some work done!" Kirishima said, rising to his feet and throwing his hand in the air, a determined expression etched into his features.

Kaminari didn't know how much of that hope that Kirishima suddenly had was genuine, or how much of that hope was caused by him, but in this moment, he was assured that Kirishima would be okay.

And really, that's all that he wanted.

Mina's tongue stuck out of her mouth ever so slightly as she configured the weapons systems from the inside as Kirishima and Kaminari installed the weapon from the outside.

The problem that they were encountering was that their ship wasn't built to have more than one primary weapon. It truly was, through and through, a civilian transport ship. They'd had to go out into the market and get a weapon installer just to get their weapon up and running, and that had been expensive.

Surprisingly, Bakugo had left a good amount of scrap. It was enough to cover the costs of the installer and a little more. She wasn't sure whether to coo at the fact that the unshakeable Bakugo had a heart or cry because all of that scrap was gone now and they still needed food and a shower.

Shaking her mind off of that depressing line of thought, Mina peeked at the console once more, praying that she was doing this right as she leafed through the manual.

The ship's weapon systems had to pick up on the fact that there was a weapon on the ship, which was the problem that she was currently going through. It was picking up on the fact that there was a weapon there just fine, but the problem was that it couldn't detect what weapon it was and she couldn't aim it.

That might be a problem on Kirishima and Kaminari's end, though. Her only option was to be patient and see where the problem was, exactly.

She just had to have faith, and everything would work out.

Kirishima wiped a bead of sweat from his brow as he checked the manual again.

Looking back and forth between the picture in front of him and the weapon, Kirishima's eyebrows furrowed.

Blinking once more, Kirishima's eyes widened.

"Hey, Kaminari! I think we put this part on backwards!" Kirishima called down to his friend, who was handing him tools.

The look that Kaminari gave him was nothing short of stricken, and Kirishima accepted the wrench that he was already holding.

"Why do we need another weapon, man…" Kaminari complained, to which Kirishima secretly agreed. They didn't really need another weapon, and it was a lot of work to get it on there correctly, but it would probably be worth it in the end.

Plus, once they did this the first time, it would be a lot easier to swap out for a new weapon. They would be much safer in general.

Still...I say that, but I'm only doing this to distract myself.

He still wasn't sure how to feel about the Bakugo situation. The man deserved to live his own life, but he was also a great friend that Kirishima would miss. He was disappointed that they didn't get to talk more. Bakugo was an incredibly interesting person.

The work filled his mind, preventing him from being bogged down by his emotions. If he simply focused and pushed that lingering regret to the side, then he was sure that the emotion would fade until he was able to manage the emotion.

He would be okay. Of that, he was sure.

The three stepped back, looking at their hard work.

Their new weapon- a Burst Laser, Mark II- was now fully installed and they had a proper weapons system up and running.

Kirishima felt something in his chest, something like pride. Their ship was better now. It had a solid, visible improvement.

The job was patchwork, done in a rush and with all the visual mistakes of those who hadn't quite done something like this before, but it was a weapon, and a real one. Civilian ships weren't even supposed to have weapons, so this was a big step for them.

All of this hard work, and yet, the one who made it possible wasn't even here.

Looking at what they did, Kirishima could imagine what Bakugo would say to it. He would call it awful, say something about him being able to do a better job in his sleep, and then grumble and go to sleep to try to prove his point.

Another small twitch of the heartstrings had Kirishima quickly clenching his hands to focus on the here and now.

"Alright, the Ground Zero is locked and loaded!" Kaminari cheered, finding energy from the smallest of places. Seriously, Kirishima had no idea how the other man did it. It was rare to see Kaminari despondent.

Ashido sighed and stretched. "I don't know about you two, but now that this is done, I'm looking forward to heading into the station and getting a shower."

Kaminari let out a short laugh. "I thought you would never ask! I think these clothes are about to get up and walk on their own!" He joked, and Kirishima let out a small chuckle as the three turned to move out of the hangar.

The trio continued to talk, laughing and joking all the way into town. As they moved, they looked around the small town that had formed around the floating station. It was colorful and bright, with plenty of people moving around with cheer in their faces. It seemed to be a much better atmosphere than the neutral station. If anything, it showed how much better the Federation made the lives of people under them.

Given what was going on around town, though, it may have also been a special day. Festive lanterns were hanging out and around the shops, and everyone seemed to be out and about in their best outfits.

The shop that the trio had gone into was purposefully close to the hangar. Most of them were; some ships simply needed to go in, restock, and leave while they were travelling, and so the merchants had set up shop close so they could sell more for higher. It was a solid business strategy, and it worked well. Because of this, none of them had actually seen this before.

As the trio walked down the cobbled pathway, they took note of how many people were laughing and talking.

"This place seems kinda...unnaturally happy." Kaminari said, a hint of unease in his tone.

"Well, isn't that a good thing? This place is run by the Federation, so it'd make sense if they didn't have to worry about the little things." Ashido said, reassuring him.

"Yeah, I get that, but doesn't all of this look a little too simple and happy? Half of the shops aren't even open, and the ones that are have no customers. This place doesn't feel right." Kaminari pressed, eyes shifting around warily.

Now that he brought it up, Kirishima could see what he meant. There were a lot of inconsistencies with what was going on around here. Even the basic medicinal shops were closed down. That couldn't be natural.

"Yeah, I noticed that too...but it could just be a holiday. We shouldn't let our guard down, but it could be simpler than it seems." Kirishima reasoned, trying to find a neutral stance on the matter.

The trio were quiet for a second, until Ashido suddenly spoke up. "Well, instead of wondering about it, why don't we just ask?" She suggested, already taking off and walking towards a couple who were holding hands and talking.

"Ashido, wait-!" Kirishima urged quietly, only to stop short.

Ashido had waved and said hello, and yet the people completely ignored her. They didn't just ignore her; they kept on walking and talking as though she wasn't there, completely oblivious to her presence. Ashido moved aside quietly as they passed, giving them a perturbed look. The pair gave Kaminari and Kirishima the same treatment- despite the stares that bored into them, the couple didn't so much as twitch.

Kaminari hesitantly reached a hand out to touch them, and after Kirishima didn't stop him, he did so.

No reaction, even as they were jostled.

Kirishima gulped, suddenly feeling a bead of sweat roll down his face. "O-okay, so I think we can agree that there's something wrong with this place." He suggested quietly to his two friends, who nodded in agreement.

"Let's just...find a hotel and hope it's not like this in the morning." Kaminari suggested.

"Don't you want to know what's going on out here?" Ashido asked, mouth creased in a worried line.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I'm willing to go investigating! There are heroes here; heroes who can and will deal with it if something's going on. It's not our job. We can actually get in trouble if we try to. I'm not going back to jail, and especially not for vigilantism!" Kaminari argued, a worried drive in his eyes. Ashido looked surprised, but understanding.

This was something that didn't sit right with Kirishima. Ashido had accepted that Kaminari had been sent to Tartarus with far too much ease. He didn't have room to judge, but it had seemed too easy. Either way, that wasn't the problem right now.

"Kaminari's right. It wouldn't be good if we caused a ruckus because we got suspicious." Kirishima hesitantly found himself agreeing.

"But...But what if these people can't do anything about the situation, and we're the only ones who can help? We could end up ruining their hopes!" Ashido made one final plea.

It pained Kirishima to watch as Ashido's expression turned to frustration. "I know what you mean, but…" Kirishima trailed off. He didn't have a defence.

He wanted to help, but that same feeling was offset by his fear.

If it was a Quirk, then it was strong enough to affect the entire town. As they had talked, no one had even batted an eye at the three. The Quirk was even strong enough to affect other races, including the famously mentally strong Slugs. So what chance would they really have if they fought someone like that?

He was stuck in a crossroads of being a hero and being sensible.

Ashido sighed, seeming to deflate. "I...guess that you're right. Let's just get settled down." She said, dejected.

Kirishima's heart panged as he watched the disappointment and worry on her face blossom.

With their decision made, the trio made their way further into town, the atmosphere heavy and tense. They, however, were not the only ones to be experiencing such troubles.

"IF YOU DON'T LET ME BUY A GODDAMN SHIP, I'LL KILL YOU AND LEAVE ON MY OWN, YOU BASTARD!" Bakugo roared at the man in front of him, who devolved into another series of giggles.

The last twenty minutes had been just this- Bakugo slowly getting more and more enraged as he tried to buy a ship. The man in front of him had just laughed at him the entire time and seemed to be just ignoring him at this point.

Finally, Bakugo snapped.

"I'll give you to the count of five, and if you don't answer me, I'll kill you." Bakugo growled, grabbing the merchant by the cuff of his shirt and raising him from where he sat to eye level. He let out a small explosion.

"One." Another explosion, slightly larger. His temper was beginning to spike, even as the man's eyes continued to be as glazed as they were a few second ago.

"Two!" Bakugo exclaimed, jostling the man in front of him.

Bakugo's heart skipped a beat, and he froze in his counting as dread overtook him.

Bakugo head turned sharply to look behind him. The streets were barren. That should have been his first clue that something was off.

Nothing visible yet. But it was there...somewhere.

Buildings were all behind him, but he was in a shop. There wasn't a good line of sight on him, was there?

...No, there was. There was one window. That one would be-

A flash of light came from that window, and Bakugo moved on instinct, throwing himself to the side and away from the man.

Just to watch as a laser impacted the chest of the man he had just been holding, right where Bakugo's heart had been a moment earlier.

There were several pro heroes on duty on this station. Aizawa Shouta wasn't one of them, and yet he was there anyways.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't be there. He wouldn't even consider going near the station as part of his normal routine. But, as it stood, he needed to refuel on the way to Tartarus, and this station was one of the most reliable.

Or, it should have been, but he had known that something was off the second that he had stepped foot on the station.

Call it instinct, call it a sense of foreboding, call it whatever you wished, but he knew that something was going on.

So, when he tried talking to some of the people around and got ignored completely, he knew it was going to be a longer day than it should have.

He had tested everything; activating his Quirk on the citizens, being rough with them, even stopping them completely. They had been completely vacant, looking past him instead of at him.

Aizawa had been here before. He knew that this place was well defended. So who, exactly, would go to such lengths to brainwash what appeared to be most of the interior of the station? And why? What logical purpose could it serve?

He had been exploring for a good half hour when he heard a familiar popping sound, a sound that set his mind alight with worry.

It was the sound of a sniper laser, silenced. It was nearby, but where had it came from exactly?

Glass shattering was his first hint on where the attack had taken place. He knew first aid; if the person wasn't dead, then he could reach them and keep them alive until he could get them to a hospital. He didn't know where the attacker was, although he could figure it out if he could get to the crime scene.

That settled it: his first goal was to give aid to whoever had been attacked. That also ran the risk of the attacker sticking around and waiting for first responders, but that was unlikely. Snipers tended to move around, refusing to stay in one spot. With this attack, they would probably try to leave the station as soon as possible, especially if they were a mercenary.

A flash of light came from a nearby window, and Aizawa's eyes widened. Had the man missed his first shot, or was he simply just trying to take out as many people as possible? Or was he trying to attack one specific target, and failing? There were several unknown variables right now, and if he tried to take an action without all of the information, then it could end poorly. Aizawa quickly pressed himself against the wall of a nearby building, out of the line of sight of the sniper.

And then, he heard it. A familiar sound that explained most of, if not all, of the current circumstances.

It was a series of explosions. Normally, this would be worrisome, cause for alarm. If Aizawa didn't recognize these explosions, he would be significantly more worried.

The main reason he recognized the explosions was the enraged yelling that came with them.

Following the source of the noise, Aizawa could see the cause of many of his headaches barrelling down the path towards Aizawa like a speeding bullet. With a slight deviation in said bullet's path, the next shot was evaded.

Then, the flying man reached Aizawa, and for a moment, Aizawa locked eyes with Bakugo Katsuki for the first time in years.

The boy's expression shifted from righteously enraged to surprised, and with a surprising amount of control, the boy fired off an explosion to move behind cover opposite of Aizawa, conveniently avoiding a bullet that was directly in his path.

"What the HELL are you doing here?" Bakugo spat, rage quickly overcoming his features.

Aizawa sighed. Some things really just didn't change.

"I came here to refuel and help find you. At this point, both jobs are complete, but it would be most logical if we took down this sniper first." Aizawa replied shortly, wincing as a shot passed through the building, just shy of Bakugo's head. The boy seemed unfazed.

"I don't need your help in taking down this shithead! Just go help the shitty old man back in the store. He took a hit." Bakugo said, waving down the path he came from.

"Why didn't you try to provide aid yourself?" Aizawa asked, mildly alarmed.

"In case you forgot, I'm being SHOT AT!" Bakugo roared, throwing his head down as yet another shot passed where it used to be.

Aizawa smirked slightly.

"You motherfucker." Bakugo muttered, before pushing away from cover with an explosion and firing off towards the enemy.

Aizawa sighed, throwing his capture rope upwards to get on top of the rooftops. Bakugo had a valid point; it would be best if they split their forces. Still...Even if he had dropped out and became something of a villain, the kid still had potential to be a great hero.

Had Bakugo truly turned from that path, he would have fought Aizawa the second he noticed him, or ignored the fact that the old man was in peril.

Aizawa, now on the rooftops, took a quick glance as Bakugo continued to use his explosions to weave his way through lasers and rapidly approach the building.

I'm counting on you, kid. Show me that potential that you displayed, all the way back then!

Bakugo shoved the Aizawa incident to the back of his mind as he moved his way through lasers. His mind felt distant, relying completely on instinct. It felt good to let loose, to be back at 100%.

He was watching intently, waiting for the moment when the shots would stop. He was close to the building, and the window wasn't too high up, two or three stories at the most.

He was almost at the base of the building. One final flash of light, one more dodge, and suddenly, Bakugo was at the bottom.

Bakugo glanced inside the window, looked at the stairs and the elevators, and placed his hands beneath him.

Why go through when you can go above?

An explosion cut loose from his palms, and Bakugo was soaring.

He reached the third floor window with ease. Right where the sniper was. With a fluid kick, he was flying through the window, glass shards digging into the jeans that he had borrowed from Shitty Hair.

His foot impacted with...nothing. Bakugo transitioned into a roll and stayed in a crouching position, palms to the floor, as his eyes quickly scanned the area around him.

"The sniper...was just a drone?" Bakugo muttered, looking on with confusion at the setup.

A gun clicked behind him, and something pressed into the back of his head.

Bakugo's eyes widened.

"Bakugo Katsuki. Finally caught you." A voice, male and gruff, came from the man behind him.

Bakugo rolled his eyes. The man was choosing to do his speech first. Typical.

"You know, there are a lot of people who say that you're invincible. That you can't be beat in a fight, that you're second only to Deku. If that's true, then what does that make me? After all, I outsmarted you, and with such a simple trick." The man continued, his voice growing a disbelieving tone.

Bakugo stayed quiet.

"What, no response? I heard that your tongue is as quick as your hands. No snarky comeback, no insults? I don't know whether to feel offended or proud." The man said, a more aggressive tone to his voice.

"You're not worth the dirt beneath my feet." Bakugo responded lowly, his tone as cold as his heart.

The man was silent for a long moment.

"You know, people will probably thank me for this. I'll be paraded around, showered in money, have a different woman every night." The man said, a hostile, yet docile, tone to his voice.

"The galaxy hates you, Bakugo Katsuki."

Bakugo closed his eyes.

"No one will miss you when you're gone. Not your 'friends', and certainly not your family." the man said, digging the gun into Bakugo's head.

"And I, Venus, shall be praised as the savior of the galaxy from the blight that is Bakugo Katsuki!" Venus said with a laugh.

"Venus? That's your villain name?" Bakugo asked, tone completely neutral.

"Tch- Yes. And to think, I didn't even need to bother the boss with you." The man said, a more giddy tone to his voice, although he seemed perturbed that his name had been revealed.

"I'll make sure the name makes it to your tombstone." Bakugo said, allowing himself to smirk.

The man behind him was silent for a short moment, before letting out a surprised "Wha-"

The ground below Bakugo exploded, covering almost the entire room with a thick cloud of smoke.

Throughout the entire conversation, Bakugo had been pooling nitroglycerin onto the ground, which could have been used for this exact purpose.

Bakugo moved instantly, closing his eyes to protect them from the smoke and moving his head away from the gun, which went off almost a second after he moved away. Instantly Bakugo had grabbed the arm holding the gun, and, by following that arm, grabbed the face of the man. Picking him up by the head, Bakugo forcibly threw the man down to the ground with a firm grip still on his head, and kicked the gun out of his hands.

In a single instant, the tables had been turned.

With one palm on the man's chest crackling with light explosions, Bakugo gave off an evil smirk as the smoke cleared.

Below him was what appeared to be a grizzled man, not quite old but certainly not young. He wasn't exactly attractive, either. He had a poorly trimmed beard, as well as hair that was far longer than it should have been.

"You'll tell me everything or I'll blow your ass to kingdom come." Bakugo threatened, voice low.

"Like hell I'll tell you- AGHHH!" The man screamed as Bakugo applied some of the strongest consecutive explosions that he could create, right over his chest.

"Tell me your Quirk, and I'll ease up. From there, the more you tell me, the lighter I go. You tell me everything that you know, and maybe you'll go to prison with just some broken ribs." Bakugo snarled, forcing even more power into his explosions.

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! I'll tell you! I'll tell you, just stop!" The man complained, tears starting to roll down his cheeks.

Bakugo slowed down on the explosions somewhat.

"What's your quirk, swamp-boy!" Bakugo asked, a mad glint to his eyes.

"I-Infatuation! I can make those who talk to me without ill intent float on the clouds with happiness, and make them completely ignore anyone who talk to THEM!" Venus screamed as Bakugo sped up with his explosions.

"How did you know where to find me?" Bakugo continued, smirking as his target squirmed.

"I-I don't know! I just get information from the boss! He said you would be here!" Venus said, shaking in pain.

Bakugo eased up on the explosions somewhat. Even he could tell that being too cruel would cause the man to lock up.

"You're doing good. A little more and your suffering will end. Now, who is your boss?" Bakugo pressured, placing his palm directly on the man's now-splotchy and somewhat charred chest.

"I-I-I don't know who he is, or even what he looks like! We just call him Jupiter!" Venus divulged, and Bakugo's eyes twitched.

He had had enough classes to know where this was going. They had something of a theme going on, didn't they?"

"How many of you are there!" Bakugo growled, feeling far more irritated than before and applying pressure as he activated another small stream of explosions on the man's chest.

"T-twelve! Twelve! Please, stop! I don't know any more!" The man begged, tears now running down his face full force.

"Who's after me next?" Bakugo asked, using his hold on the man's neck to his advantage by lightly strangling him.

"I have no idea! I swear that I don't! We're barely told anything!" The man swore, and Bakugo sighed.

He had strung out as much info as possible from this man. He looked broken, and was thus useless to Bakugo.

"So you guys are just lackies for the big boss?" Bakugo asked, stopping with the explosions.

"Y-yes...He's the strongest of us. He united us...gave us a place." The man muttered, refusing to lock eyes with Bakugo.

Bakugo snorted. That sort of idealism...It was useless, and utterly pathetic.

Bakugo slammed the man's head down onto the floor beneath him, and Venus was sent into unconsciousness.

He stood up, stretching his limbs. Damn, he hadn't interrogated anyone in a while. He might have been losing his touch.

A light sound echoed on the windowsill behind him, and Bakugo turned, arms raised for a fight.

He sighed when he saw that it was just Aizawa, but otherwise stayed at the ready. Aizawa sighed in just the same manner.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to talk to you." Aizawa said, not moving from the window. His eyes glanced down to below Bakugo, widened slightly, then turned back to Bakugo.

"I see that you subdued the villain." Aizawa said, moving in and past the now-deactivated drone.

"Yeah. Fucker called himself Venus." Bakugo said looking back down at his prey.

Aizawa frowned. "Like the planet?"

"The god, I think." Bakugo noted idly, nudging the man with his foot. He still didn't move.

"I'll call him an ambulance. Whatever you did seemed to have gotten the station back to normal." Aizawa informed him, to which Bakugo snorted.

"I don't give a damn. I just need to get out of here. Is the shitty old man alive?" Bakugo asked shortly, cracking his neck.

"He'll live, but he's going to be out of comission for the time being." Aizawa glanced around. "Follow me. This isn't the greatest place to be talking."

Bakugo sighed. "I don't have time for this…" He grumbled, but followed the man anyways. Out of anyone in the Federation, Aizawa was probably the one he was most worried to fight. Plus, the older man was smart, and would likely know that it would cause too much of a ruckus if they fought here and now.

The two set off into town, with Bakugo grumbling his complaints all the while.

Aizawa lead them to a cafe, where the man had ordered juice and Bakugo had ordered absolutely nothing because he didn't plan on staying, damn it!

Here, the two men sat- one nursing his juice and the other trying his damn hardest to control his patience.

Finally, Bakugo spoke up, voice gruff and demanding.

"What the fuck do you want, teach?"

Aizawa simply sighed, bringing the cup to his lips once more before setting it down on the table with a soft clink.

Bakugo's eyes twitched, but he did nothing.

"Why did you leave?" Aizawa asked, staring directly into Bakugo's eyes.

Bakugo blinked. "You already have all the information on file, don't you? Just look at that." He said, crossing his arms and throwing his feet up on the table.

"I know that the information is on file. I've looked over it twenty times in the past week. I want to hear the truth from the source." Aizawa said, tired eyes boring into Bakugo with a determination that surprised the man.

Bakugo sighed, bringing his feet down and resting his hands on his knees. "You really wanna know, huh?" He asked, despondent.

Aizawa grunted in confirmation, signalling for Bakugo to continue.

"I left because I got goddamn tired of everyone walking around me like they were on eggshells. I didn't fucking care that All Might died- he was a pathetic hero who let himself die over a single civilian. Deku then became insistent on being so like him that I was worried that All Might was possessing him from the grave just to tell me off one last time." Bakugo spat out some half-truth that he hoped would hold his old teacher over.

Aizawa's eyes flashed red for a small moment, before he took a long deep breath that encompassed his whole body.

"All Might was a man worthy of your respect, despite his flaws as a hero. Don't insult his memory and what he did for you by continuing down your path." Aizawa scolded, and suddenly, Bakugo felt like he was back in the classroom again. Then, he blinked, and the tired man in front of him suddenly seemed so much more bedraggled and sad, and he was reminded of reality.

Bakugo snorted, closing his eyes. "The only thing that All Might did for me was lose, and true heroes never lose. If he really wanted to help everyone that he could, then he would have won." Bakugo's eyes opened, and the cold indifference in his heart was matched by the fiery rage in his old teacher's eyes.

"You-" Aizawa started, almost fuming as he made to rise from his seat. After a small moment, he took another stabilizing breath, and sat back down in his seat.

"Is this what you've been reduced to? Insulting and pushing away those who aid you and mentally as well as physically scarring your enemies?" Aizawa lashed out verbally.

Bakugo's face was set in a neutral expression. "Aizawa, I've been around the galaxy three times now. I've learned that friendship will get you shot in the back and that anything but utter ruthlessness will get you killed. All Might was the biggest damn fool for not seeing that, and Deku even more so."

Something in Aizawa's expression shifted, and his anger seemed to drain away in front of Bakugo's eyes.

"It's been so long...I didn't even consider what you've been through. I suppose that your condition is partially my fault, as well. I was entrusted by your parents to watch over you students, and I have failed you the most." Aizawa said, his tone resigned and...pitying.

Bakugo's lips curled in an ugly sneer. "Are you fucking pitying me? Don't look down on me like that you fucker! I don't need that shit from you!" Bakugo spat, feeling his anger build even more as the look on Aizawa's face intensified.

Aizawa was quiet for a long moment.

Just when Bakugo was prepared to get up and storm out of the cafe, Aizawa spoke again.

"Are you aware that the space station Aeon was destroyed, just a few days ago?" Aizawa asked, his tone heavy and face burdened.

"What the hell is with that change in subject? And of course I know, bastard! I was there!" Bakugo exclaimed, folding his arms once more.

"And are you aware of where the Mantis fleet that attacked it originated from?" Aizawa continued, not even looking fazed at the information or acknowledging Bakugo's question.

"I don't give a damn." Bakugo spat, knowing that Aizawa was going to tell him anyways.

"It was a fleet defending a Mantis-controlled sector, one hundred strong. They were reduced to forty after attacking a Federation ship, which allowed them to escape without giving chase." Aizawa said, staring down into his juice.

Bakugo's eyes widened. The only ship strong enough to deal that much damage-!

"Are you telling me...that Deku let forty fucking angry Mantis ships get away without sending a single ship after them? He has an entire platoon of fuckwits with him, for fuck's sake!" Bakugo said, voice low and filled with anger.

"You're not the only one who had that reaction. As it stands, the Federation is teetering on the edge of a second civil war with the rebels." Aizawa said idly, still refusing to meet Bakugo's eyes.

Bakugo let out a strangled sound. "It's been less than a year since I was imprisoned! How the fuck did things get so bad so quickly?" He pressured, leaning forward.

Aizawa met his eyes. "It started when you were broken out of prison." He started, and Bakugo let out a short laugh.

"You're telling me that the galaxy has gone to shit in the span of a week because I broke out of prison? Isn't Deku supposed to be the new Symbol of Hope?" Bakugo taunted, watching Aizawa's expression.

Aizawa glared at him. "No, there's far more to it. Not everything is about you."

Bakugo snorted and let out a few choice words under his breath, but Aizawa pretended to not hear him.

"After you were broken out, Endeavor, the leader of the rebels, as I'm sure that you know, was in an uproar. Some of his best ships were guarding that prison, and there were none left standing. With Deku not responding to any of his calls and reports of an unsanctioned chase through Mantis territory, he was made furious. He's been threatening war for the past few days over it, but that station was the straw that broke the camel's back in this case. A neutral station was attacked and destroyed by Federation negligence, and he sees that as a personal attack on him. If Deku still refuses to answer him, then war will break out tomorrow." Aizawa explained slowly and methodically, tone speaking of a man who had seen too much in too short a time in his life and was now weary.

Bakugo was speechless for a long second.

"That's why I wished to talk to you. I was heading to Tartarus of my own volition to see if I could find you based on the security tapes there and through Earphone Jack's accounts." Aizawa said, locking eyes with Bakugo.

Bakugo's eyes hardened. "Aizawa. What the hell is going on here? Why the hell is Deku being so reckless? That damn nerd wouldn't normally fuck this up, so what the hell changed?" Bakugo asked, although he could venture a guess as to what he would receive as an answer.

Aizawa sighed, taking a long drink of his juice. It clinked on the table once more, now empty.

"All For One has been broken out of prison." Aizawa said, sounding hollow.

Bakugo didn't know how to respond. He wasn't sure what to feel, aside from dread.

"I fear that Deku has entered a rage, seeking revenge at all costs. He's following what he believes to be his only lead, when it could very well just be a red herring. I'm not sure how to get through to him, which is why I'm coming to you." Aizawa said, eyes dejected as he looked at Bakugo.

"And you think he'll listen to me?" Bakugo asked, disbelieving.

"I know that he'll listen to you. Did you know that he would often use you as a model for what he should do to reach victory? More than once, in a battle simulation, he would say to himself, 'Act like Kacchan.' Heh. If I had a credit for every time he said that..." Aizawa mused, a wistful expression on his face.

"He wasn't the only one, you know. When you left, everyone's combat prowess dipped noticeably. Your presence gave them a spark in their hearts that simply dimmed when you were gone. I'm sure that I wasn't the only one to notice it." Aizawa continued, ignoring the incredulous look on Bakugo's face.

"In this case, you're the only shot that we have of fully getting through to him. Normally, I would have captured you on sight, but in this case, you're more useful to me free." Aizawa finished, looking to Bakugo for an answer.

So, the fate of the galaxy rests on my shoulders, huh? Doesn't really seem like the proper place for it to be happening. I'm pretty sure that woman over there is breastfeeding her little shit, but that's really not something that I should point out right now.

Bakugo's lips curled. "What's in it for me?"

Aizawa's response was quick, practiced. He had clearly expected him to ask this question. "You do this, and I help you get a pardon from Deku, assuming it goes over well. I'll also let you go right now, no questions asked." He responded easily, a sour expression on his face.

Bakugo whistled. "You're really fucking desperate, huh? Fine, I'll do it. Hell, I'll do it right now." Bakugo said, digging out his comms system.

He had Deku's comm number in his comm. Deku had given it to him, so many years ago, right after telling him that he could use it if he was ever in trouble. Bakugo had sneered and yelled at him, but he kept the number, just in case.

Bakugo pressed the call button, and ignored the pit in his stomach as it began to dial.

Midoriya Izuku stared into hyperspace ahead of him, mind racing as always.

He had so many different ways to go about catching All For One, but how exactly should he go about it? When he finally found him, would he toy with the subhuman trash, or would he outright defeat him? Or would he lose? Would he even make it that far? How would he deal with the multitude of physical Quirks that the man had acquired, let alone the ones that he was unaware of? He was certain that he could simply plan around them, but was it possible to plan for literally every scenario?

"Sir, there's an incoming call for you." Their communications officer said, a mild tone of alarm in her voice.

Midoriya sighed. "If it's Endeavor again, hang it up. I don't want to deal with him." he said, despondent. Endeavor had been breathing down his neck for the last week or so, and the rogue hero was getting on his nerves.

"Actually, sir, it's an...unknown number. It doesn't match anything or anyone important in our database. Would you like me to hang it up?" She asked, sounding mildly concerned. By now, some heads were turning to watch the proceedings.

"Let me see it first." Midoriya commanded, interested. Who would be calling now, and how would they have gotten their comm number? It was supposed to be secure.

Midoriya frowned as he read the number. "Doesn't look familiar…" He muttered, reading it over again.

"Let me take it." Midoriya said, nudging his communications officer out of the way as he slid into the seat, putting the headset on.

He clicked the Accept Call button, slightly worried about what voice would be coming through the comms.

"Hello?" He called out, slightly nervously.

"Deku."

Midoriya froze.

"K-Kacchan!" Midoriya yelled, standing up before he could even process what he was doing.

By now, the entire bridge was paying attention.

"Trace this and you'll never see me again." Kacchan said, and Midoriya's hand froze from where it was moving. He let out a long sigh, pulling himself back down into the chair and motioning for one of the people on the bridge to bring him a notebook. Within seconds, one was pressed into his hands, alongside a pen.

"Listen up, Deku, because I'm only going to say this once." Kacchan said, voice slightly more tame than he expected. The notebook was already open, with Midoriya taking notes.

"If you're trying to be like All Might, stop now." Kacchan said, and Midoriya froze.

"K-Kach-" Midoriya began.

"Shut the FUCK up and let me talk, Deku!" Kacchan's voice rang loud and clear through the comm, especially the 'loud' part.

"Anyways, if you're trying to be like All Might, then you're already failing. All Might put the citizens of the galaxy before himself, and it got him killed. You seem to be taking a step in the right direction by not caring about the people that you're supposed to be watching." Kacchan's voice came through the comms, and Midoriya's blood ran cold. Was he-was he talking about…

"I was on that station, Deku. I heard the alarms, I heard the people panicking. Forty ships, Deku. Even you should have known not to let them go. You should have killed those bastards before they could even think about fighting back, let alone getting away." Kacchan scolded harshly. Midoriya felt uncertainty and guilt grip him again. Kacchan...he was saying exactly what Midoriya had thought to himself, so many times over.

"You know, answering calls will often make people less likely to want to fight. Were you even aware of what Endeavor planned on?" Kacchan asked, changing the subject suddenly, and for the third time that day, uncertainty gripped him like a stone dragging him down into a cold lake.

Kacchan took Midoriya's silence as confirmation. "Of course you didn't. You were such a nerd back then. Did that big ass head of yours go down the drain when you became number one? Did you forget that there's still work to do when you reached the peak? Why the hell do you think that Endeavor's been so insistent on calling you? If you don't talk to the bastard, he's going to declare war." Kacchan's voice rang through, sincere and clear, and Midoriya underlined 'WAR' three times before the meaning really stuck with him. He blanched.

"W-wait, you mean-" Midoriya started, but Kacchan continued as though he hadn't even started talking.

"It's been eight hundred years since the last civil war. Don't fuck this up, Deku." And with a single click, the call was terminated.

Midoriya's shaking hands dropped the pen that he had filled an entire page of notes with, simply titled 'Kacchan'.

The bridge was silent as they looked to Midoriya for answers.

His head drooped somewhat.

He didn't know how to lead these people. That much was glaringly obvious, He had lead so many people to death, and Kacchan had made that clear.

What use was he as a leader if he couldn't even protect those that he was supposed to be leading?

"Get Endeavor on call." Midoriya commanded, voice shaking.

This was the solution that would save the galaxy...right, Kacchan?

Bakugo hung up the comm channel dramatically, looking at Aizawa with a smug grin.

His old teacher simply raised an eyebrow at him.

"I've done pretty much all I can. Don't expect me to do something like this again." Bakugo said, shoving his comm back in his pocket, annoyed.

He hadn't ever wanted to consider talking to Deku again, unless it was after he kicked his shit in. This was the price of freedom, he supposed.

"You better come through on your end." Bakugo said, narrowing his eyes. He had gotten as close to a promise as possible from Aizawa, but the man could be tricky at times.

"I'll try, but you know how Deku is regarding you. Emotional, illogical, and still broken on the inside. He may simply refuse, and if he does, then there's nothing else that I can do." Aizawa said, looking dejected.

Bakugos sighed. He knew it couldn't be that easy. Not that a pardon would do him that much good anyways, since there was no way in hell he could become a hero or settle down. Even bounty hunters or mercenaries were considered to be vigilantes, and were arrested if someone noticed.

"Bakugo. Do you know what you plan on doing from here on?" Aizawa asked carefully, tone measured. Bakugo raised an eyebrow. Since when did he care?

"Dealing with those fuckers chasing me down, taking my ship back, and then…" Bakugo trailed off, eyes focused off into the distance.

"After I get my ship back, I'm going to kill All For One." Bakugo proclaimed, voice deadly serious.

If Aizawa was surprised, he didn't show it outwardly.

A long silence stretched between the pair as Aizawa seemed to judge him. His eyes looked like a parent's after discovering that their child had stolen from the cookie jar.

"To what end?" Aizawa asked, voice level.

"Deku's either going to fuck it up and try to fight him alone, or he won't kill him. No matter what, that bastard's going to get out alive. He's too old to fall for what Deku tries to pull, too experienced. That's the difference between them and him. He has age, wisdom, experience, where I have power." Bakugo admitted, his pride stinging. There was no two ways around it- All For One was crafty, even without using any of his Quirks. He was even worse than Deku. Hell, if Bakugo didn't know better, he would say that Deku was the hellspawn of the bastard himself.

"And you believe that you can beat him in this manner?" Aizawa asked, a slight edge to his tone.

Bakugo was quiet for a long moment, looking down, thoughts swimming around in his head.

"...Yeah. Yeah, I do. Whether or not I get there before or after Deku, I'm killing the bastard." Bakugo promised, his heart turning to stone.

Aizawa looked resigned, but nodded.

"I don't believe that you can kill him with your level of conviction." Aizawa said bluntly, and anger surged into Bakugo's heart.

"Who the hell do you think I am, huh? I'm gonna send that bastard to kingdom come! They'll have to scrape pieces of him off of the sidewalk!" Bakugo raged, earning him strange glances from those in the cafe.

And then, a small chuckle. Bakugo's anger fizzled out, and instead he was left to stare at his old homeroom teacher with a bewildered expression on his face.

"That's the type of conviction you need to kill him. If you're looking to win, you need to win with a resounding boom. But, you also have to keep in mind...All Might fought him, in his prime, and they had a draw, then again when he was at his end and lost. As it stands, could you beat the All Might you fought in the final exams?" Aizawa asked, mirth draining from his face to be replaced by a look of serious determination.

Bakugo was silent as he stared down his old teacher.

A scowl formed on his face.

"Without a shadow of a doubt." Bakugo responded, conviction seeping from every word.

This time, Aizawa did look surprised.

"In fact, if I fought Deku, even with his borrowed power, I would win." Bakugo continued, treating each word as an absolute truth.

"There's a difference between conviction and arrogance." Aizawa was quick to retort.

"I'm being serious, Teach. If Deku tried to fight, or All Might came back from the grave to try and kick my ass, then I would win. That's what heroes do." The words came tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"You're not a hero anymore, Bakugo." Aizawa reminded him, his tone harsh.

"Well, I'm doing a damn finer job than some of the best, now aren't I!" Bakugo retorted, a fire blazing in his heart.

"The best don't torture people for information, you arrogant child!" Aizawa fired right back, voice restrained yet weary.

"No, they just let people die under their watch!" Bakugo snorted, leaning back.

"I-" Aizawa started, but apparently thought better of it and looked down.

Bakugo sighed, massaging his forehead. Talking to Aizawa was proving to be nothing but a nightmare of a headache. Besides, it wasn't as though the hero industry were perfect. There were so many flaws, so much corruption and overgrowth that nothing short of a flamethrower could hope to fix it. He wasn't the only one to notice this, either. Countless forums had been posting about it, ever since All Might's death shined some light on the industry.

"You still haven't answered my question. To what end do you wish to do this? What purpose could you have for it?" Aizawa pressed, stern eyes gazing into Bakugo's soul.

Bakugo was quiet for a moment.

"...It's easier to dodge the Federation than average villains. Chaos is my fucking ballpark, but not when it's not organized. I prefer the heroes being in power over that shitty bastard.

Aizawa regarded him with a curious eye, but Bakugo refused to relent.

"Bakugo. I didn't address it earlier, but just how do you plan on taking your ship back?" Aizawa asked, massaging his temples as he changed the subject.

Bakugo snorted. "Easy. I buy a ship, get decent cloaking, sneak into the One for All, and take it back."

Aizawa stared at him as though he had grown a third head.

"Don't fucking look at me like that. I'm not telling you shit about my plans. Who fucking knows whether or not you're recording this entire conversation." Bakugo sniped, crossing his arms.

"I'm not, for the record. But how do you plan on buying a ship now that the dealer has been injured?" Aizawa asked, gauging Bakugo's reaction.

Bakugo froze, his eyes widening.

"Fuck!" He seethed under his breath.

It hadn't crossed his mind, with the whole situation with Venus and meeting up with Aizawa. The fact that he had never gotten a ship had completely slipped his mind.

But, if he didn't have a ship…

"I'm not the only hero here. If you wait until that store re-opens, then you're bound to get caught sooner or later. With the racket that you had made, you can be certain that people know that you're here, so you'll be searched for. It's the most logical course of action." Aizawa continued, unperturbed.

"There's nothing to worry about." Bakugo spoke up suddenly, an easy smile resting on his face.

Aizawa gave Bakugo a scrutinous look.

"I can get a ride. There are a couple layabouts that should still be here that can give me a ride." Bakugo said with absolute certainty.

Aizawa hummed, and Bakugo pulled himself to his feet.

He had done all that he could here. He had talked to his old teacher, and there was nothing else that he could say.

"Bakugo." Aizawa said, stopping him from leaving right that moment.

"Whatever it is you're planning, let me tell you this: A true hero isn't only measured by their strength, or their ability to save a person, or even how popular they are or how heroic their hearts are. There's more to it, and not even All Might had that quality. If you're looking to redeem yourself, the first step would be figuring out exactly what that is." Aizawa said slowly, eyes boring into Bakugo.

Bakugo paused, Aizawa's words rolling through his head. He snorted.

"Why would I care about any of that? I'm not looking to redeem myself. I've made my decision, and nothing that I could do would make me want to change that." Bakugo said, turning away from Aizawa.

"Keep yourself safe, you shitty old man. Don't need more people dying on my ass." Bakugo said quietly, unsure of whether or not Aizawa even caught it.

But he could have sworn that he saw a small smile on the old man's face as Bakugo left the building.

Alright, I feel like that's a good place to leave this chapter off on. Lots of plot going on here. I know that Kirishima and co's story was just kinda left open-ended, but that's gonna be dealt with as soon as next chapter starts.

First thing I want to address- the villains. Under normal circumstances, I would try to use the characters already established in the story. However, in this case, it's almost necessary to make a new set of villains. None of them will get extensive coverage, and very few of them will be important to the development to any of the characters. I know that very few people like OC's, and I can be counted among that number. I don't like them either. However, in order to keep a cohesive story, I have to create an outside influence, as the heroes will already have dealt with most problems in the story thus far, such as Overhaul.

So, Bakugo can't buy a new ship and is stranded, and Midoriya is making rookie mistakes. Really, they're in the same boat.

Anyways, this chapter was a bitch to write. Lot of changing viewpoints. I feel like it came out okay, though. I liked it.

Until next time,

Anonymuss45, signing off.