Sooooooooooooo... I goofed. Big time.
After rereading the chapter, comparing it to where I want the story to go, and after taking into consideration your comments, I decided to change a few things about this chapter.
It ain't much, the beginning is still the same, but yeah. I had to change that. If you already read this chapter, I beg that you reread the ending to avoid confusions in the future. If it's your first time reading, the just ignore me :v
Sorry about that!
Izuku jumped off the edge of the roof, the void beneath his feet and adrenaline pumping through his veins. He landed on the next building with ease, the weight of Toga's blood gear not enough to throw him completely off balance, and smiled. The sun was beating down on his skin, his legs ached and he was out in the open along with Stain; a wonderful day, if you asked him. A small feeling of nostalgia warmed his heart and his smile grew even wider. He felt at home, jumping from roof to roof next to his mentor.
The sound of shoes hitting the rooftops would have been barely audible to the untrained ear. The Hero Killer moved as silent as a shadow even in the daylight and Izuku had learned to move just as quietly with time. And now that they were out and moving, Izuku wished with all his heart that the van would never come back into his life. Maybe a tire would get slashed or something and then he'd never have to spend another minute stuffed inside the metal coffin. But not needing the van anymore meant getting rid of a woman they'd never even met, and so the teen shook his head to get rid of the hopes of never seeing the vehicle again. For now, he told himself, he would enjoy this little mission.
They had a good three hours to themselves before the time to meet Spinner and the others at the prearranged location came, and he intended to use every single moment to stretch out his body as much as possible. Well, that and he also liked spending time alone with Stain. He cared deeply for his friends -a small giggle escaped his lips as he realized that he could truly use the word 'friends' for the first time in his life- but he also really enjoyed watching Stain when he was in his element. And he truly was right now, eyes scanning the streets they passed in search of any viable target. He'd moved his new katana from his waist to his back but he'd surprisingly replaced his bandana for a simple man-bun. It'd been because the thing was used to remove those poisoned quills from Izuku's shoulder, but the teen liked to think that Stain was now paying more attention to his image and self-care.
Maybe now he'll sleep some more, Izuku thought cheerily, even when he knew the probability was slim.
They hopped from building to building like ghost rabbits for about another half hour, only stopping when Stain signaled for them to.
"This should be busy enough to get a target quick." Stain mentioned, already heading for the back of the building to keep watch without getting spotted. The smell of street food soon reached Izuku's nose and the teen's mouth watered. There must be some food stalls close by, but it wasn't like he could just go down there and casually get something to eat. There was no way of knowing if he'd be recognized by the general public, but he wasn't risking it no matter what. Besides, if all went well then Toga would be able to disguise herself once more and safely go to a supermarket or a konbini to get them something for the road.
Izuku settled next to Stain, the man crouching on the ledge of the building like a gargoyle on a church, and sighed.
Izuku poked at one of the many tubes lining the unfamiliar gear around his neck. The machine covered the lower part of his face and it made the air he breathed hot and stuffy. He was impressed that Toga could move around with this thing blocking part of her view.
Toga had barely managed to explain the functioning of the device in her current state, but he had a vague idea of how it worked. There was a small mouthpiece inside for when Toga would drink blood directly from the contraption, and there was a small motor somewhere in the back that would collect the blood and store it in the remaining cylinders. He was honestly very relieved to not have to use the mouthpiece, but he hadn't said anything at the time. With all the vials empty, the contraption wasn't too heavy, but the tubes entangling his body made him worry that one wrong move would rip something out and render the machine useless. But he hadn't mentioned any of that either.
"Are you ready?" Stain asked after about fifteen minutes, though his tone showed that he didn't particularly care about the answer. No, more like the answer didn't matter. Izuku nodded solemnly, his senses sharpening as Stain readjusted his position on the ledge so he could jump down. It was a bit far at first, but Izuku could make out the excited tones none the less; it was people asking for autographs and pictures. A pro, no doubt. His assumption was proven right when he caught sight of a neon blue cape turning the corner and the teen felt his skin prickle with anticipation. But then another soft sound reached Izuku's ears and he inched forward to whisper as close to Stain's ear as he dared get without looking suspicious.
"Sidekick to the right. On the roof."
"Nicely spotted," Stain sounded legitimately impressed and Izuku beamed. "There's another one down there. I'll leave the roof guy to you."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't get captured," Stain whispered, his eyes flashing as he took his usual leap of faith. Izuku caught sight of his teacher's elated expression, like a kid on a rollercoaster, and some of that energy transferred to himself. Seconds later, a young man with long claws attempted to strike Izuku non-lethally, but the teen swerved out of the way and slashed with his knife, nailing the person on the face. Unlike his opponent, the Disciple had no qualms with aiming for more sensitive areas and, as good as this other sham was, that difference placed them in completely uneven playing fields. The man tried to attack again, arm swinging to the right in a wide and dramatic arch. Izuku ducked under the attack, thinking fast and sending two of the syringes from Toga's gear towards his opponent. The first one missed, but the second one dug itself on the hero's stomach. The man hissed and Izuku almost felt sorry for him; He'd never seen Toga change the old needles for new ones. The man detached the needle with one hand, swiping again with the other one. The hit got Izuku on the arm, but it was barely a wound that deserved his attention.
The man growled and attempted to strike again. Izuku used the momentum of the man's arms to send the other off-balance, digging his knife into the man's thigh. With the knife hooking bone and muscle, Izuku lowered his center of gravity and used all of his strength to send the other guy over the edge of the roof. For a second, all was silent. Then the telltale sound of something hitting trash cans echoed below Izuku and the teen sighed contentedly. He looked down and smiled before jumping off himself, aiming for the much softer trash bags on his left rather than the metal containers his adversary had landed on.
"Not bad, kid." Stain said, his quirk making quick work of the hero still conscious. Toga had mentioned that her gear worked much better on living people, and Izuku was glad to notice that Stain had made sure to at least leave one person alive. When Izuku got one of the needles ready, Stain's smile disappeared. He wasn't happy about the whole blood business.
"Make it quick, okay? I wanna get out of here already." The Hero Killer said, watching as Izuku set to work.
"Maybe you should tell them we're already done," Izuku suggested as he stabbed one of the fakes on the arm, the motor of the machine whirring to life somewhere behind his neck. Thick red blood started traveling up the silicone tube and into one of the empty containers. The hero that was awake gave them both a confused look, words already spilling out of his mouth, but Stain knocked him out with a well-aimed kick.
"I'm not calling them." The teen hummed at the response, already moving towards the second person on the ground.
When Toga got the phone they used as a radio, she apparently got another one in case of emergencies. Both phones only had each other as their sole contacts, a texting app the only download, and she'd handed the second one to Stain before they headed out. The fact that Stain had actually placed the phone in his pocket rather than smashing it on the ground filled Izuku with an odd sense of happiness.
Baby steps, Izuku told himself.
Soon enough the five containers that were still intact were full of blood, leaving the gear a good two or three kilograms heavier than before. Izuku adjusted the machine on his shoulders carefully, killing the motor and giving Stain a thumbs up.
"This should last her for a while." He said cheerfully. Stain stared at him with an odd look, something akin to discomfort, but Izuku paid it no mind. "Come on, let's go."
They climbed back up the side of the small building, Izuku stretching in a satisfied way as Stain kept on analyzing him like a wild animal. For a while (about a solid forty minutes), they just moved in silence. Izuku felt satisfied with how things had turned out and the weight of the machine on his shoulders comforted him. The idea that he would be able to provide for his companions filled him with pride. But then he thought about Toga, probably curled up in a corner of the van as she waited for him to come back with her blood, and a pang of guilt struck him. He turned to Stain and called over his shoulder,
"Do you want me to call them?"
That seemed to do it. Stain grunted and motioned for Izuku to stop. Izuku expected the phone to be handed to him, but Stain only looked at him. He looked incredibly uncomfortable and Izuku started feeling anxious.
"Stain?"
"Why are you in such a rush, kid?" The man asked.
"Well, we're done. We can meet early and avoid the risk of getting spotted." Izuku explained. It made sense, right? He didn't sound weird or anything.
"It's because of her, isn't it?"
Izuku blushed madly, glad that Toga's gear covered the lower half of his face. Not that it was hiding much, but still.
"Stain, I swear nothing happened back at the house-"
"I get that!" Stain bit back, putting an end to that conversation before it even began. The man inhaled deeply, clearly trying to put his thoughts in order before he spoke again.
"You care about her," Stain started slowly. "More than you care about the others."
"That's not t-"
"If not more, then differently." Stain's discomfort turned into a sort of sad bitterness and that new tone hurt Izuku more than he cared to admit. "I can see how you look at her, Izuku. You give her your blood, you're hunting for her right now!"
"S-so what? She needs it." Izuku defended meekly.
"That's the point. She's never gonna change, Izuku. She's always gonna need more from you and she'll just take and take until one day you won't be there and she'll snap."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do."
"How?" Izuku defied.
"Because I know her type." Stain spit, emotion flashing behind his eyes and making his voice falter the smallest bit. That small hitch in his words felt like a slap to Izuku and the teen took a step back.
"I've lived with people like her, Izuku." Stain explained slowly, as if the words he spoke carried far too much meaning to be said without care. "And no matter how hard you try, they will always snap and once that happens they will attack anyone they have near. Even you. It's just a matter of time."
Silence reigned supreme for a long moment. Stain was half looking away, eyes seeing something that Izuku couldn't see, and Izuku was desperately trying to figure out what his mentor's words meant.
He'd gotten so used to the idea of the Hero Killer being this lonesome, unique creature that he'd almost forgotten that, for about fifteen years, Akaguro Chizome had been an ordinary person with friends and a family and people in his life other than himself. He had believed his obvious disdain towards the others was a general thing, but of course he'd expressed the most dissatisfaction towards Toga. How had Izuku not realized?
No. Why hadn't he just asked?
Stain's posture was nothing like usual, shoulders tense and head tilted to the side. Izuku was overcome with a feeling of anxiety, but he shook his head before it took a hold of him.
"Stain," The teen tried softly. "What- no, who are you talking about?"
Stain scoffed, some of his coldness returning to his demeanor.
"It doesn't matter, Izuku. You just have to trust me."
"I do. You know I do." Izuku stepped forward, meeting his mentor's eyes with some difficulty. "But I want to know."
"Why?"
"So I can understand." Red met green for a long moment, Izuku silently pleading for a response.
"You know the past has no place in the Hero Killer's work." Stain resisted and Izuku swallowed.
"I'm not asking the Hero Killer," Izuku choked, "I'm asking you, Akaguro."
Stain looked at Izuku with a wide mix of emotions. There was doubt and surprise and sadness and God knows what else flashing behind those red irises, but Izuku met the gaze with as much understanding as he could muster. It felt like an eternity, but eventually, Stain let out a long breath. His shoulders relaxed and Izuku felt as if a weight was being lifted off his shoulders.
"I never should have told you my real name." Stain chuckled and Izuku laughed a little himself. Stain took another moment to think before he started talking, words measured and calculated.
"I inherited my quirk mostly from my mother's side of the family. Compared to them, I got lucky becau-"
Stain's arms shot out even faster than the man could stop speaking. He shoved Izuku to the side and before the teen was even fully out of the way, something shot out and wrapped around Stain's arm from wrist to shoulder. Izuku lost sight of the situation as his body crashed on the roof, pipes crashing into his head and blood gear bending his neck in an awkward angle, but the sound of struggle filled his heart with dread. He scrambled to his feet, knife in hand, just in time to see his mentor being pulled over the edge of the building with his arm still tied up in some kind of bandage or chain.
"No!" Izuku screamed on instinct. Stain would probably be fine falling from a building this high, but that didn't quite register. He ran towards the edge and leaned over to try and find his mentor and sure enough, Stain was hanging from a fire escape, arm tied to the metal and leaving him hanging. Izuku was about to call out when something wrapped around his chest, constricting him to the point of squeezing the air out of his lungs, and he was pulled back onto the roof harshly. He landed on his back painfully and he was dragged a good ten feet before he stopped at the feet of some unknown man. His assailant was dressed all in black, a grey scarf wrapped around his shoulders and goggles hiding his eyes.
No, that wasn't a scarf. The man was holding one end in his hands, the other end tightly wrapped around Izuku's torso. If you added that to the goggles then…
Chapter changes from here on out.
"You… you're Eraser Head, aren't you? The Erasure Hero?"
The hero took no note of Izuku's words, dragging the teen another few feet to tie him to some of the lead pipes sticking out of the roof.
Izuku wanted to trash around like a wild animal, every instinct in his body telling him to fight against this threat and escape. But something deep in the more emotional side of his brain told him not to. The voice in his head almost sounded like Stain as he thought: Is this my normal target?
Eraser Head was barely known as a public figure. He had no contract deals, no publicity stunts, no flashy quirk to show to the masses, no merchandise, a plain outfit. None of the things that would usually make a target, well, a target were there. This man worked in the shadow, had been operating that way for about as long as Izuku had been alive, and showed no signs of changing. Of course, you can't know the future but you also can't punish people for faults they haven't committed.
But All Might is the only true hero, right? Right?
Izuku panicked when he realized he didn't really know the answer to that question. By the time the pro was tying him to the pipes, Izuku had no time left to struggle. He felt his bindings being pulled into a new knot, but then the line went slack.
The Erasure Hero jumped back and out of the way, impressively -if narrowly- avoiding getting slashed by Stain's katana. Stain landed over Izuku and stayed there protectively for an instant, his breathing heavy. What looked like grey cloth still hung from Stain's arm, the other end attached to a now broken pipe. Were the bindings strong enough to prevent them from being cut?
"Stain," Izuku hurried, already noticing how the villain's frame tensed in anticipation. "He can erase quirks."
"I know you, Erasure Hero." Stain ignored Izuku, instead talking to the other man. "I respect you enough. Back down now and no one gets hurt."
"I don't need nor want your respect, Hero Killer." The other man replied just as coldly. The fact that Izuku couldn't see his eyes unnerved him. There's no way of knowing what a person is thinking when you can't see their whole face. Stain chuckled at the response, teeth bared.
"So then you'll fight? Even though my cause is righteous? Even though you're no target of mine?" Stain asked.
A tense silence flowed between them and Izuku swallowed. He was so anxious about what would happen that he even forgot about the fact that he should be trying to free himself.
When Eraser Head gave no sign of answering, Stain exhaled slowly.
"I respect your ways and admire your actions, hero. But be warned, the only person allowed to kill me is All Might."
The Erasure Hero made a small 'tch' noise, his teeth flashing shortly in what seemed like disgust. He lowered his frame ever so slightly and Izuku braced for impact. Stain only eyed Izuku long enough to make sure that the teen was okay and then, like lightning, he sprung into action. Villain and hero collided with one another, both men moving with the pure intent of stopping one another. Stain moved fast as lightning, blade aiming for any vital points he could see since the other man wouldn't be affected by little cuts. Eraser Head wore no visible armor on his body, but his agility was comparable to Stain's. Add to that the masterful control he had over his capture tool and you would have no way of knowing who would win. Izuku only allowed himself to stare in amazement for a few seconds before he focused on his own predicament.
The grey fabric, which on closer inspection looked to be made of some sort of metal, was still tightly wrapped him, pinning his arms to his torso and leaving him with no way to defend himself. He pushed his arms outward with all his strength, but his prison didn't even budge. Even if he could grab his knife he was sure the bindings would be impossible to cut. It was awkward, but he had to turn around to try and find the end of the rope going away from his body to determine in which direction the wires twisted around him. A splash of blood hit the floor and Izuku started struggling even more. He felt ridiculous rolling on the ground, twisting and turning like a child stuck in a blanket, but he couldn't do anything until he could at least get his hands free. The sounds of fighting behind him only got more and more vicious, and he was afraid that every second that passed got him closer to catastrophe. He had to help Stain, they had to get out of there.
The bindings around his wrists and hip loosened a little and Izuku decided to just focus on that. He pulled and turned and cursed until his hands were free and he let out a small, nervous laugh when he was able to separate his elbows from his ribcage. He was doing it. He managed to rise to his knees and grasp the knife at his hip, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was almost there. He could do it, he just had to pull the rest of the fabric off his upper arms and shoulders, he was almost-
"Eraser Head!" A new voice hollered somewhere behind him and Izuku felt his heart fall to his feet. A weight crashed onto his back and pinned him down, and Izuku was left with an angled image of the fight that had been happening seconds before. Eraser Head had Stain's upper body tied up and a second hero was looking at Stain right in the eye, not a hint of fear in her face. Stain was frozen mid-attack, katana almost getting the newcomer, and Izuku watched in absolute despair as the new sham pushed Stain to the side, the Hero Killer falling like a stone statue.
No.
"Medusa," Eraser Head greeted the woman that had helped him and then, addressing the person currently stepping on Izuku's back, "Luminesce."
No.
"What have you here, Eraser Head? Did you plan on taking all the glory for arresting the Hero Killer?" The woman next to him said teasingly, her foot poking at Stain's petrified figure.
No, no, no.
"I was gonna call in reinforcements once I had them both immobilized." The man said in a low, raspy voice, his gaze turning towards Izuku's general direction. "But the help is always welcomed."
Nononononono
"You have quite the catch here, dear~" The woman stepping on Izuku's back purred. She removed her foot just long enough to grasp Izuku's hands behind his back to cuff them. "Mentor and protegé all in one hit."
"Are you taking them straight to Tartarus?" Medusa asked jokingly and Eraser Head shook his head. He reached for his phone casually, his goggles coming down to reveal small, black eyes.
"He's a kid, he won't end up in Tartarus. Besides, I need them both for questioning. The League hasn't been nearly as active and I still have someone else to find."
"Todoroki Shoto, right?" Limunesce said, tightening the bindings that Izuku had barely managed to undo. "Your student?"
Eraser Head didn't respond, instead unlocking his phone. Medusa reached forward to ask him something else.
"Why call for backup now? We'll help you-"
"NO!" Izuku's voice tore through the air like shattering glass, "You shams get off him, right now!" The teen demanded, mostly speaking to the newcomers but not giving a damn about how his words sounded for the moment. Stain had landed with his head facing him, and his red eyes focused solely on Izuku.
"You've got quite the bark, darling!" Luminesce complimented, walking away from Izuku to stand next to the other two heroes. The fact that he didn't need someone guarding him once he was cuffed hit right on Izuku's pride, but he didn't care about that right now.
For the first time, Eraser Head seemed to truly see Izuku. He examined the teen with a long, thoughtful look, taking in the pitiful form laying on the ground. Izuku in turn grunted as he attempted to get on his knees.
"You don't have to do what he tells you anymore, Midoriya." Eraser Head spoke with what sounded like pity and perhaps some understanding. Izuku's face contorted slightly. "You're free of the Hero Killer."
"I follow the Hero Killer's creed because I chose to. I left on my own. He helped me when no one else would, gave me a future where I had none. Why can't you understand that?! You're an actual hero, aren't you?!"
Emotion flashed behind black eyes, but what caught Izuku's attention were the mocking glances the two women were giving him. He felt his blood boiling.
"You think you know everything, but you don't understand anything! It's shams like you that only get here after all the dirty work is done that should never be called heroes! You two are no different from trash." Izuku spat at them, chest heaving. Medusa seemed quite offended at the world but the other woman just giggled, her bangs covering her eyes.
"You people are just afraid! You're afraid of the needed change that we bring because it renders you powerless! That's why you come here and flaunt about what you've done when you actually did NOTHING! You're scared people won't applaud you. But you can't stop change! We're getting the word 'hero' back even if we have to kill every single one of you pests and start anew!"
Stain's eyes were glimmering with some unspoken emotion; Izuku didn't know it at the time, but it was pure respect and pride.
Eraser Head looked at Izuku as you would a dog that just got hit by a car, his hand tightening around his cellphone. The other two heroes exchanged a look, one that reminded Izuku of the looks Dabi and Shoto gave each other, and then they separated. Medusa walked towards Izuku while Luminesce settled behind the Erasure Hero.
"Oh, Disciple, how could a quirkless thing like yourself bring forth any change?" The woman next to him said, her pink hair framing her face. Izuku expected the tone of her voice to be a mocking one, but it wasn't. It sounded serious.
"Don't you worry, little one. We'll bring that change..." She continued, her eyes glowing a blinding white. Izuku felt his whole body tense, paralysis setting in and rendering him motionless on his knees. "With your sacrifice."
He couldn't even gasp or widen his eyes, all the muscles in his body locked tightly in place. He could barely breathe, let alone speak, and so he couldn't see anything until Medusa moved out of the way. Behind her, Luminesce had her arms around Eraser Head, one hand on his face and the other by his stomach. Izuku had heard of her before, knew that her quirk could solidify light in any form she wanted, but he hadn't expected to see what he saw.
The hand over the man's face had produced a mask of white light that wrapped around his whole head, basically rendering him blind and mute, and the other hand held a shinning knife, the hilt sticking out of Eraser Head's ribs. The man grunted, dropping his phone in an attempt to get the mask away from his head to use his quirk, but the solid light particles stayed glued to his face. Luminesce stabbed once more before she pushed the wounded hero to the ground.
Izuku just watched in disgusted silence as the women exchanged a small smile, one of them reaching for her phone. They'd been tricked. All of them had, even the sham that had tried to capture them first had been betrayed by this lowlife, scum fakes. Even Stain looked offended at the betrayal.
Curious has heroes on her side as well as villains. We never stood a chance, Izuku reflected bitterly. All along, the woman had been toying with them. She'd had them all in the palm of her hand all along, hadn't she?
"Yep, we got him," Medusa said into her phone happily. She looked rather proud of herself and Izuku wanted to spit on her face. "Get up here and take him already." And then as she hung up, she turned towards the other woman.
"Is he dead?" She asked, pointing at the fallen hero as if he were roadkill.
"I think so," The Light Hero said, kicking the body on the ground and earning a grunt. "No, never mind. I got it."
"Can you make a katana?" Medusa asked her partner. The sound of someone else joining them on the roof made Izuku shiver -well, he couldn't even shiver, but he still felt the chill run up his spine. "It would look more realistic."
"Sure thing, sugar!" Luminesce replied. The knife in her hand dispersed, the light held together by her quirk releasing back into the air around them. In its place, a long white katana appeared. The woman was rearranging her position to strike the final blow, her hands amateurishly pointing the sword straight down as if she were gonna dig it into the ground, when Izuku's body got lifted into the air. He was placed over someone's shoulder as if he were nothing more than a sack of potatoes and he was turned around and away from the murder taking place.
But more importantly, away from Stain.
The teen couldn't be sure, but he could have sworn that Stain's eyes reflected anger and panic in equal measures as he watched Izuku being take away. But maybe that had been a reflection of Izuku's own emotional state.
He wanted to scream and cry and kick and hit just for a chance to get back. He didn't want to go, not yet. Not ever. The risk of arrest or death had always been a reality for them, but this was different. It was far too cruel and meaningless for Izuku to just accept it. But he was powerless to do anything. He was taken to the edge of the building and then unceremoniously tossed off as if he were nothing. He felt his stomach rising up his throat in fear, but all too soon he'd been caught in the alley bellow by someone with, in the very least, six arms. The person carried him behind a car and then tossed Izuku inside the trunk. He could see multiple people standing around the car, but he recognized none of them.
Just before they enclosed him in darkness, Izuku started hearing shouting from the top of the building. The people around him started talking in angry voices, a few of them rushing up the side of the building. The sound of conflict started mixing with the sound of just outright screaming.
"Just take him and go." One man said, a metal bat in his hands. The car started and, before Izuku could think of anything else, the top of the bat hit him roughly in the side of the head, knocking him out cold.