Izuku slid his last knife into his knife vest, shooting himself a smile in the bathroom mirror. It looked more like a grimace, but he figured that was good enough and slid his shirt over the vest in one smooth motion.
A knock sounded on the door behind him, and he rolled his eyes, already knowing who it was. "Are you done yet?" Toga asked from behind the door, still knocking. "I've gotta pee."
"You don't need to pee, you just want to see my scars," Izuku shot back, picking up the two strips of cloth he'd left crumbled on a pile on the counter.
"Fine," she admitted. "You're totally right." There was a pause as Izuku wrapped the first cloth around his left forearm. "Pleeeaase," she whined, scratching at the door like she was some sort of cat.
Izuku sighed and tied off the end of the cloth, tucking the loose ends into the rest of the wrap. "Whatever." Reaching out, he unlocked the door, and it fell open, depositing a surprised Toga onto the floor of the tiny bathroom.
Raising an eyebrow at Toga as she smiled up at him hungrily, he held out the second cloth. "You can do the right one. I have a hard time doing it properly anyway."
She jumped to her feet and grabbed the cloth with one hand and his wrist with the other. The feel of her gaze raking up and down the exposed underside of his wrist sent unpleasant chills up and down his spine.
"Don't even think about it," he warned, already knowing she was going to attempt to lick him. "Hurry up, I can't be late."
"Must suck, pretending to be a hero all day." Toga made a face and traced one of her long fingernails against his wrist, and Izuku shuddered, his hand subconsciously closing into a fist.
"I've been doing that my entire life anyway." Izuku shrugged, unwilling to admit that he was finding it more and more difficult. He couldn't have anyone thinking he was unable to do his job, especially not Toga.
Toga sighed and began to wrap the cloth around his forearm, a little too tight for his liking, but it would do. "So, are you going to be there?" She raised her gaze from his arm to his eyes, her fangs gleaming as she smiled.
"All For One forbid it," he responded.
"That's not an answer."
"Of course not," he amended. "I wouldn't dream of defying his orders."
"Are you sure?" Toga's eyes gleamed. "You seem like the rebellious type. Besides, who would want to miss such a spectacle? Today is the day we're going to kill All Might, you know."
Izuku's jaw clenched, but he didn't reply. Toga tsked softly as she aggressively knotted the cloth around his arm, and he hissed sharply as pain spiked up his arm. She smirked, and Izuku scowled and retracted his arm.
"Well, just in case you want to, it's going to be in the USJ. After lunch." Toga twirled and backed off from his personal space, much to his relief. She leaned against the doorway, peering at him through one open eye. "I would love to see you there, Izuku."
He avoided her gaze as he tucked the ends of the cloth against his skin, his mind racing. He knew Shigaraki planned on attacking UA today, but as All For One had forbidden him from attending, he hadn't been privy to the exact details. He had been expecting to have to figure it out himself, so Toga's words were helpful. And yet, he couldn't let her get the wrong idea about his loyalty.
"I think you're forgetting," he began, his tone so dark it made her stiffen, "All For One saved my life. I owe him everything, and I would certainly never disobey him." He raised his gaze to meet hers and narrowed his eyes, channeling the negative energy he had perfected long ago. Even Toga, as crazy and blood-thirsty as she was, would be unable to withstand his aura now. "You, on the other hand, have no tie to him. I'm the one who brought you here. Don't give me a reason to get rid of you." They both knew All For One respected and trusted Izuku far more than the two recruits he'd brought to the League of Villains with him.
To his pleasure, she began to shake, and even though she no doubt tried to hide it, her eyes reflected the terror she felt inside. Izuku internally thanked his mentor for helping him master the art of intimidation.
"Yes, Midoryia," she finally muttered, lowering her head. "I'm sorry. Of course you would do no such thing. I shouldn't have suggested it."
"And you shouldn't have told me Shigaraki's plan. He would kill you for less." Izuku raised a finger to catch her attention and smiled brightly. "But I like you, Toga, so I'll keep this between us just this once." He winked, knowing exactly the effect that would have on her.
Her cheeks flushed a bright red, and she grinned widely as her stance shifted to a more relaxed position. "I like you too, Izuku." She stuck out her tongue, winking slowly as if to ensure he would notice.
"Don't push it," he warned, his tone now flat. She simply giggled and pranced out of the bathroom, her skirt bouncing with her movement. Once she left, Izuku spun to the mirror and grinned lazily as he brushed hair out of his eyes.
Manipulating her is almost too easy. Now she owes me, even though really she did me a favor. Izuku loosened the wrap she'd tied, wincing as he did so. I love it when things go my way.
—
"Midoryia," Shinso's soft voice touched Izuku's ears, and his head snapped up, eyes wide as he fought to process what was going on. "You were zoning out again," Shinso noted.
"Oh, sorry." Izuku rubbed the back of his neck and smiled brightly at the boy. They stood together in the rocky interior of one of UA's many training grounds. Shinso had been testing out his new Persona Chords on Izuku in an attempt to prepare himself for the Sports Festival. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind today."
"Is anything wrong?" Shinso asked, unclasping the Persona Chords and letting them fall to his neck. Though the boy attempted to seem indifferent, Izuku could see the hint of concern on his face.
Izuku frowned and rubbed his scar. "No, nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking about the Sports Festival. Uraraka and Ida said they had two students there on recommendation in their class. They will be your main competition. I need to figure out what their quirks are and how to defeat them."
Shinso's eyebrows rose. "I never would've thought about that."
"Most of the gifted don't. They're too used to focusing on improving their quirks. But the key to winning doesn't lie within you or your quirk, it lies within your opponent's weaknesses and how you can exploit them." Izuku shrugged. "It's easier to figure that out when you don't have a power to rely on."
"The gifted?"
Izuku blinked and rubbed his eyes. I guess that might sound a little condescending. "People with quirks," he corrected.
"I see." Shinso turned to look at their teacher, who was speaking with another student. It was almost time for lunch, and the closer the bell came to ringing, the more jittery Izuku felt.
In reality, he hadn't been thinking of the Sports Festival at all. No, he was pondering how he was going to get out of class and get to the USJ without arousing any suspicion. He could fake an injury, but if it wasn't too bad Recovery Girl would simply fix it, and if it was too bad, his mother would find out about it.
At least I won't have to worry about missing anything important. After lunch, General Studies was once again meeting up with the business course. Luckily, at the end of the Sports Festival, the General Studies students could choose which course they would like to focus on for the rest of the year, which meant Izuku only had two weeks of listening to the dry instructor drone on about finances and responsible decision-making, or whatever it was that he was teaching.
"Izuku?" Shinso asked, and Izuku's head shot up, surprised at the use of his first name. At Shinso's quizzical face, he suddenly realized he must've been trying to get Izuku's attention for a while and resorted to his given name as a last resort.
Izuku sighed and smacked the right side of his face lightly. Get it together. "Sorry, can you repeat that?"
Shinso's lips stretched in the ghost of a smile, only to fall a moment later. "Do you resent us?"
"Who?"
"The gifted."
Izuku blinked, the answer an immediate, resounding, yes! But could he say that? After all, resentment wasn't the trait of a hero. Izuku was supposed to be enamored with the heroes, desiring only to assist them. How could such a person resent the very people he was to serve?
"Yes," Izuku finally admitted, and Shinso's gaze snapped to his, eyes widening. Clearly he hadn't been expecting that response. "Sometimes I hate them so much it hurts." He pushed his clenched fist against his chest, desiring to smother the tightness now gathered there. "I would've given anything to have a quirk, but none of you ever had to try . . . freely given the very thing I would've killed to obtain. It's not fair. I would've been an amazing hero." He angled his face away from Shinso to hide the snarl written clearly across his face. Sniffing, Izuku rubbed his closed fist against his dry eyes before dropping it to his side.
"Midoryia," Shinso started, but Izuku held up a hand to stop him. He took a moment to smooth his face back into earnest kindness and sucked in deeply.
"But," Izuku started, raising his head to fix Shinso with a sincere stare, "I'd never let my anger get in the way of my values. I've accepted my position, and I've met some of the greatest people I've ever known here. You, Uraraka, and Ida are my best friends. And honestly, when I think about all the good you'll do with your quirks . . . That makes all of this worth it." Izuku put on his most charming smile and tilted his head, knowing his aura was practically sparkling now.
Shinso's hand brushed the back of his neck, and he stared at the ground. "You're a better person than me, Midoryia."
Izuku shook his head and raised a finger. "Not really." At Shinso's questioning glance, he elaborated, "Don't you hate them too?"
Shinso's jaw dropped as if he'd been struck, and he shuffled a step back, seemingly subconsciously. "I . . ."
"I mean, all those people who told you you'd be better suited to being a villain. That brainwashing wasn't a hero's gift. Don't you hate them, even if it's just a tiny bit?" Izuku pinched his thumb and forefinger together in front of his eye to demonstrate just how small that hate could be.
Shinso stared at his hand for a very long moment before he clutched the Persona Chords, staring at them almost dismally. "I suppose you're right. I do . . . kind of . . ."
A triumphant grin flashed across Izuku's face, but he managed to mask it before Shinso looked at him again. "Then you understand," he finished, spreading out his hands as if he was shrugging.
The bell rang, and both of them looked at the ceiling. Suddenly, all of Izuku's nervousness came back to him, and he patted his chest, assured to feel the firm knife vest under his shirt. "Lunch, then?" he asked Shinso, who nodded. They went to the locker rooms together and changed back into their school uniforms. In the lunchroom, they sat with Ida and Uraraka as they had the day before.
Izuku pulled out his lunchbox, staring at the shiny metal surface. "So, Ida, Uraraka, how did class go?"
"Ida got elected class representative!" Uraraka crowed, smiling brightly at the blue-haired boy.
Ida grinned and slammed his fist onto his chest. "I promise to do my best!"
"Very nice," Izuku remarked, opening his lunchbox and resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"You do seem the type. Congratulations," Shinso acknowledged.
Exactly what I was thinking. Izuku directed his attention to his food, lost in thought, the issue of how to get out of class weighing heavily on his mind.
"Izuku is super good at combat! Maybe he can teach you," Uraraka's voice interrupted Izuku's rumination, and he looked up, surprised to see everyone staring at him. His mouth opened, but he quickly closed it again once he realized his cheeks were still stuffed with half-chewed food.
"Is that true, Midoryia?" Shinso asked, his thin eyebrows drawn over his deep-set eyes. Something about his expression seemed off to Izuku. Was he . . . disappointed?
"I saw it myself." Ida nodded solemnly, pointing a flat palm in Izuku's direction. "He took down one of the zero-point robots during the entrance exam."
"And saved my life," Uraraka added.
I did not. The teachers wouldn't have let you get hurt, Izuku thought, but he couldn't say that out loud. He quickly swallowed his food, but he immediately began choking, preventing him from interjecting.
"It was awesome! The way he swung through the air, it was almost as if he flew!" Uraraka waved her hands expressively in the air, her face turning red as her excitement grew. Shinso watched with no expression, but his fingers tapped rapidly against the tabletop.
"Indeed." Ida nodded, adjusting his glasses with one finger. "He is truly skilled. I believe he uses knives."
"Not just any knives. They're specialized!" Uraraka crossed her arms and pouted. "Of course, I didn't get to see them up close, but I bet they're awesome."
Hold on, you can't talk about this. Izuku pounded his fist on the table, drawing everyone's attention. Clearing his throat, he struggled to speak. "What are you talking about?" He silently cursed his brain, so easily distracted. I always have to be on guard around these people! How could I let this conversation get away from me?
"I was telling them that I need to train my martial arts skill in order to make up for how non-combative my quirk is." Shinso lowered his head, frowning softly. "I'm pretty sure you're the one who told me that."
He's offended that I didn't offer to train him, Izuku realized. "Look, I put away my knives once I got into UA. I'm not a hero, I'm tech support."
Ida hummed, his hand over his chin. "I'm sorry, Midoryia. I remember you telling me you didn't want to fight anymore. We shouldn't have volunteered you without your permission." Uraraka nodded enthusiastically, clasping her hands over her chest.
Izuku felt like cursing loudly in all of their faces, but he instead gripped his chopsticks so hard he could feel them bending under the strain. Staring at his lap, he struggled to recover his easy-going air. He couldn't very well tell them that he didn't offer to train Shinso because he couldn't risk having any of his moves recognized in battle.
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Shinso muttered, his eyes on his food, frowning deeply. Izuku could feel all of his hard-earned progress slipping through his fingers, and he squeezed his eyes shut, cursing as loud as he could in his head.
"No," he finally managed to get out through gritted teeth. "I can. I just . . . I didn't think you'd want to learn from someone . . . like me."
"Like you?" Shinso asked, his emotionless eyes now on Izuku.
"Quirkless." Izuku sighed and laid down his chopsticks, his appetite entirely gone. I hope Shigaraki kills them today. "I'm sure you'd rather be trained by someone who has a quirk."
"I don't care about that," Shinso responded immediately, his lips twisted into a grim line. "In fact, you'd be a better teacher than any of the gifted. My quirk isn't useful in full-on battle. I'm practically quirkless myself when it really comes down to it."
No, you aren't, Izuku snapped. He almost said it out loud, but he managed to bite down on his tongue at the last moment, squirting blood into the back of his throat. "Right. I know that. I guess I'm just used to . . . no. I'll train you." He smiled wanly.
Shinso's eyebrows furrowed. "You really don't have to. Don't feel obligated. I can find someone else."
"I promised you I'd help you win the Sports Festival." Izuku clenched his fist in front of him, allowing his eyes to fill up with determination. "I should've offered a long time ago. I'm sorry that I assumed the worst of you." He smiled, raising his shoulders as he did so.
Shinso smiled briefly, the second time he'd done so that day. "Okay. Thank you."
Uraraka clapped her hand, smiling brightly, although her eyes seemed exquisitely sad for some reason. "I'm glad that worked out. Shinso, you really couldn't ask for a better teacher. Izuku is amazing."
Izuku stared at his bent chopsticks, his stomach churning with anger, and it took all of his self control not to frown. Now I have to find someone else who can train Shinso, someone even better than me so I can reasonably excuse myself from it without seeming like a jerk. His head began to pound, and he rubbed his scar absentmindedly. Being a hero is absolutely exhausting. I wish I was back with Master . . .
"Oh, right, did you hear that some reporters snuck into the school earlier today and triggered the alarm?" Uraraka leaned forward conspiratorially. "Aizawa was seriously annoyed that he had to deal with them."
"I cannot believe they'd dare trample onto school grounds. These are hallowed halls of learning, and should not be subjected to such disrespect." Ida pounded his fist into his other hand, earning an amused smile from Uraraka.
Izuku blinked and placed his chopsticks back into his lunchbox, buckling it tight. That's right. It doesn't matter how much I hate it here. I'm here for a reason, and I won't let it all go to waste.
Just as Izuku was placing his lunchbox back into his backpack, the alarm began to ring, red flashing lights filling the cafeteria. The loud sound was ear-splitting, and he winced, covering his ears with both hands.
"What's going on?" Uraraka yelled, straining to be heard over the alarm.
"Someone's breached the campus! We have to get out," Ida responded, standing and motioning for everyone to follow him. "Leave your things behind. Your lives are more important."
Izuku followed him to the exit, noting that everyone in the lunchroom was rushing to do the same. They managed to make it to the hall outside of the lunchroom, but there they stopped, stuck there by the large mass of students pushing against each other.
"Where do we go?" Uraraka yelled.
"There are set exit plans! Weren't you paying attention—never mind, just follow me!" Ida motioned forward, but even he couldn't push through the crowd.
"I just had a thought," Izuku started, his voice loud enough that the other students nearby could clearly hear him. "What if the reporters earlier weren't actually reporters? What if there are already villains in the school?"
Murmurs immediately spread throughout the crowd, the students around him repeating his words. Although he had already been stretching reality with his initial statement, the more students his speculations passed through, the more drastic they began, like a twisted game of telephone.
This is even better than what I had planned. Izuku grinned softly.
"Midoryia!" Ida scolded. "That's not what we need right now. We need to stay calm and get to the exit."
Actually, that's the opposite of what I need, Izuku thought. "Sorry," he said out loud. Ida turned back to the exit, and Izuku allowed himself to be moved through the crowd until he was separated from them.
"I won't stay here! I won't let myself be killed!" he yelled desperately, clawing at the people near him. He pretended to trip and slam into a big boy standing next to him, almost toppling them both over.
"Hey, watch it, twerp!" The boy shoved him off. "If anyone's getting out of here, it's me."
"They'll go after the weakest ones," Izuku continued, moving to a different section of the crowd, stepping on as many toes as he could and pushing people when they weren't looking. "Only the strong survive!"
The grumblings in the crowd increased, and Izuku thought he could hear Ida yelling somewhere in the crowd, but he couldn't make out the words.
"I'm going to make sure those villains know not to mess with my quirk!" he called in a different section of the crowd. Nearby, he heard a scream as someone used their quirk to push through the crowd.
Izuku grinned and stopped in place, the crowd increasingly becoming more and more turbulent. Now he didn't even need to say anything, as the students themselves became more and more desperate to get out of the school at any cost. Soon, the shouts of "What's going on?" became replaced with screams of pain and commands like, "Get out of my way!"
Izuku dodged out of the way of someone with a speed quirk bowling through people in the hall, leaving injured students in their wake. He smirked and raised his arms to the ceiling, allowing the sound of chaos to wash over him. He'd successfully created a mob of some of the most dangerous people in the world.
Truly an amazing thing, how easy this was. Izuku's smirk transformed into a full-blown grin, and glee brewed in his stomach and spread to his lungs. Their screams are music to my ears.
"Midoryia!" Someone grabbed his shoulder, and Izuku spun, one of his knives in hand. He blinked when he saw it was Shinso who had grabbed him, and he quickly slipped the knife back into its sheath, relieved the hallway was so hectic his knife hadn't been noticed.
"You got separated from us. I—Uraraka was worried."
Izuku would've smirked, but he didn't have time. "Watch out!" he screamed, pushing Shinso out of the way when someone with an abnormally large head charged between them. The boy's head rammed into Izuku's shoulder, carrying him across a large expanse of the hall before he finally fell to the ground, only to be trampled by a crush of panicking students.
Izuku winced from where he lay on the ground. That dislocated my shoulder, he acknowledged. Could've been worse. How embarrassing though. He closed his eyes and sighed. It was necessary.
Without thinking twice, he popped his shoulder back into place before curling onto his side, trying his best to ignore the feet pounding across his entire body.
"Izuku!" he heard Shinso's voice from nearby, and he peeked out of his cocoon to see the frantic boy pushing through the crowd, his normally calm demeanor completely in disarray. His eyes moved erratically as he scanned the crowd. "Izuku, where are you?" he yelled again, cupping his hands around his mouth.
"Over here!" Izuku responded, his voice somewhat soft. He raised his left arm, and Shinso's eyes caught the movement, relief darting across his face. It took a few minutes, but the boy eventually managed to push through the crowd to Izuku's side, where he helped him stand.
Izuku winced. "I think my arm is broken," he whispered, barely loud enough to be heard over the noise.
"That idiot. What was he thinking, charging through a crowded hall like that?" Shinso shook his head, his jaw clenching as he glared at the students around them.
"He was just trying to save himself. I understand . . ." Izuku's face drained of blood, and he sagged against Shinso's shoulder, barely holding himself up. "My ankle," he hissed.
"Just hold on, all right? We're almost out." Shinso's eyes lit up when he saw Ida nearby. "Let's get with the others. Do you think you can handle that?"
Izuku nodded and straightened, clenching his jaw tight as he shuffled alongside Shinso. After a minute, they arrived back at Ida and Uraraka's side.
Uraraka gasped and immediately went to Izuku, touching his arm. He yelped in pain, and she drew back. "What happened?" Her voice reached an octave Izuku hadn't been aware she could reach, and he winced at the sheer power behind the screech.
"Some idiot ran into him while using his quirk. I think the fall sprained his ankle or something." Shinso look down as Izuku balanced on one leg, his head sagging forward.
"This is disgraceful." Ida glanced around before doing a double-take. "Wait, look!" He pointed out of the windows to the front lawn of the school. "There are reporters!"
"What does that mean?" Shinso snapped, sweat dripping down his face.
"It means that they're the ones who set off the alarms. There are no villains." Ida glanced around widely. "We have to let everyone know. That will help get the situation under control."
Izuku, his face covered by the shadows from his hair, twisted his mouth into a grin. Good catch, Ida.
"Midoryia, can you . . ." Ida's face fell when he turned to Izuku. "No, of course not. How . . ." Ida only took a moment to think about it before he smacked his fist into his palm. "Of course! Uraraka, can you make me float?"
"Of course, but why?" she asked, although her hand was already halfway extended toward him.
"I'm going to boost myself over to the top of that exit sign." Ida pointed to the sign above the opening that led to the rest of the school. "I'll tell everyone that there are no villains and restore order."
"Good plan, Ida!" Uraraka laid her five fingers against Ida's arm, and he immediately began to float. He activated the engines on his legs, shouting something, although Izuku didn't care to hear it. A moment later, Ida's strong voice echoed over the hall, and everyone went silent as he explained to them that there were no villains, and they were completely safe.
Soon, everything quieted, except the cries of those who had been injured. Ida returned to the three of them, taking Shinso's place in helping to support Izuku. "Now, we need to get all of these people to the sick bay . . . Although there might not be room."
Izuku didn't miss the concern in Ida's voice, and he almost scoffed. I'm too good.
Soon, teachers began filing into the hallway, directing the non-injured students to class and helping the injured to the sick bay. The line extended out of the room where Recovery Girl practiced, and Izuku sat against the wall, waving goodbye to his friends. As soon as they were out of sight, he stood and brushed himself off, walking away from the med bay hallway without a backward glance. He was sure he gathered no attention. Many students milled around, helping their friends to sit on the hard floor. A few who had healing quirks went to those who were severely injured in an attempt to help ease their pains. No one would notice one supposedly injured student leaving the scene.
Went off without a hitch, Izuku noted, grabbing his backpack from those left behind in the cafeteria, which was empty for the time being. He exited the school and practically skipped in the direction of the USJ, the screams of the students echoing in his mind.
He twirled in the privacy of the woods, opening his arms to welcome the warm sun as it fell across his face. "It's like a lullaby!" he yelled, a choked laugh erupting from his throat. "The suffering of the blessed." He lowered his arms and clutched at his chest, where his heart thudded deep in his rib cage with excitement.
"And that's not even the best part," he muttered to himself, setting off through the grounds once again. "It's bound to get much, much worse." He dropped the backpack at the base of a tree and shucked off his shirt, revealing his knife vest. The vest was mostly black and hugged Izuku's body tightly. The best part, in his opinion, was the red thread that depicted a depraved smile, blood pouring from the eyes and mouth. The insignia was placed on the back of the vest, proudly grinning at anyone who dared approach him from behind.
"Today, there will be blood," Izuku declared, fishing out his mask from his backpack and fitting it over his face. It was styled in much the same way as his vest, with a large metal grin and two eye holes covered in black mesh, all set into a blood-red metal. Next came the hood, black with two almost ear-like appendages. He pulled it over his head and attached it to his mask and vest with the built-in clips, ensuring it wouldn't fall off and reveal his hair.
He changed into his black plants and clipped on his utility belt, which of course both included weapons with more variety than the knives strapped to his chest. Within a few minutes, Izuku's costume was complete as he pulled on his red gloves and combat boots, which of themselves had a few hidden weapons stored inside.
He hid his backpack in the branches of the tree and set off once again toward the USJ, running full tilt this time, his sturdy boots making the journey much easier than his tennis shoes.
If we have any luck, Izuku continued, many of them will die today. He smiled, his grin almost matching the one etched onto his mask. As they deserve.
—
He's not here. Disappointment washed over Izuku like a wave, and he dropped to his knees. Below, within the confines of the wall he sat atop of, the students of Class 1-A spoke with Eraser Head and the hero Thirteen. Should I let Shigaraki know? Izuku scanned what he could see of the USJ, not seeing a trace of the villains, although they would probably choose to teleport here using Kurogiri's quirk. No, I can't. I wasn't even supposed to be here.
A moment later, darkness appeared on the platform at the front of the USJ, and from out of the void stepped Shigaraki and quite a few other villains, although Izuku didn't recognize any of them. As a grand finale, Shigaraki's Nomu stepped through the portal and stopped next to Shigaraki, towering far above him.
Izuku had never seen a Nomu before, and it looked even worse than he thought. Kind of like a giant bird, he thought before sighing deeply. What's the point of all this when All Might isn't here? That was the whole goal of the mission.
Some talking ensued, but then Eraser Head jumped into action to attack the group of villains. Izuku watched closely, interested in how Eraser Head intended to fight off all the villains by himself. The scarf he wore around his neck suddenly came to life, keeping the villains at bay and attacking when an opening was provided.
No doubt he's erasing their quirks as well. I'm not entirely sure how that works. Izuku frowned, his mind kicking into overdrive. Wait, how is he controlling that cloth? That's definitely not a part of his quirk. Does that mean anyone can do that? Even someone without a quirk?
Izuku looked down at his knives, wondering how useful it would be if he could control their movements even after throwing them. Well, I suppose I can ask him. I doubt Shigaraki will kill him, as his quirk would be useful for All For One.
Glancing back at the battle, Izuku noticed that Kurogiri had separated the students, teleporting them and several other villains into different spots in the USJ. Ida and Uraraka were both left behind to face off against Kurogiri along with a few of their other classmates and Thirteen.
I don't know if Uraraka will survive. Her quirk isn't offensive, and I can't imagine she knows martial arts. Izuku shrugged. Oh well. Zero Gravity probably isn't interesting enough to warrant keeping her alive for All For One.
Screams from below caught his attention, and he peered over the edge again to see Thirteen fall to the ground. Kurogiri cackled, and Izuku smiled. He used Thirteen's own ability against the hero through his portals. That's exactly why he's Shigaraki's protector.
A flash of movement caught his eye, and Izuku blinked as Ida revved up his engines, sprinting toward the exit. Izuku tensed and sat up a little, his hand slipping into his utility belt to ready himself. Will he make it to the exit? He eyed the distance between Ida and the exit dubiously. Of course, Kurogiri could teleport to him at any time, but if the other students found his weak spot . . .
Kurogiri roared with frustration, and although Izuku couldn't really see what was going on, he figured the villain had been successfully stopped. Did I jinx him? Izuku wondered, turning around to swiftly descend the chain he'd used to climb up the wall in the first place. Don't worry Kurogiri, I will fix your mistake.
About halfway down the wall, Izuku turned to see Ida barely squeeze out of the USJ doors, his face red with exertion. Right. Raising a collapsible blowgun to his mouth, Izuku breathed in deeply, concentrating on the blur that was Ida. Now, he thought, exhaling quickly through the tube.
Izuku lowered the narrow tube, watching with narrowed eyes to see if he'd been successful. Ida slowed, then fell to the ground in a tumble of limbs, rolling forward a couple times before finally stopping, his face mushed into the dirt. Nailed it. Izuku smirked and climbed down the rest of the wall before skipping over to the hero.
Tilting his head, he observed the unconscious student, his face dirty and scuffed from the fall. Out of the back of his neck sprouted a tiny dart, the source of his sudden sleepiness. Izuku reached down and plucked the dart from his neck, tucking it back into his utility belt for reuse later. Due to the nature of Ida's costume, the only exposed skin was his head and neck, which would've been a problem for anyone else, but Izuku had perfect aim, a result of many months of practice with the best mentor he could've asked for.
I'm glad he wasn't wearing a helmet. He nudged the boy's face with his boot. If he had been I would've had to confront him directly, and I'd rather avoid any witnesses. Placing his foot on the back of his prey, he turned back to the USJ, eyes narrowed in thought.
What do I do now? There was no doubt in Izuku's mind that the League of Villains would win the fight, likely killing many of the students. But that wasn't the point. The point was to attack All Might in an area where he would be unable to call for help.
So I need to get All Might here. Izuku turned in the direction of the main school building. But the rest of the staff would get involved as well, and that would cause unnecessary problems. His eyes suddenly widened. But wait! All Might is a "true hero." If he finds out his students are in trouble, he'll come rushing over here without any backup. He's faster than the rest and sure to arrive first.
Izuku straightened and kicked Ida in the side. "Guess I didn't need to take you out after all. But then again, I think it's better if I do this myself." Leaving the boy lying there, Izuku took off for the main school building, concentrating on running as fast as he could. All we need is for All Might to face off against that Nomu. With his injury, he doesn't have a chance of winning against All For One's creation. Izuku's eyes narrowed. I'll do whatever it takes to get rid of him.
—
Izuku crouched in the bushes outside of the window of class 3-B, eyes narrowed as he observed the students inside. The class was smaller than he would've expected, although some of them might be injured or helping clean up the disaster that took place after lunch. He's not here, he thought, ripping off the leaves of the bush he hid behind to vent his frustration. Gah, why is nothing going right all of a sudden?
Just then, a tall blond-haired boy entered the room and smiled at everyone, raising a big thumbs up. His classmates crowded around him, and Izuku almost shouted from excitement. There you are. Raising one of his pre-picked rocks, Izuku threw it toward the glass.
Mirio Togata, look over here, Izuku willed, throwing another rock at the window. Mirio's gaze shot from his classmates to the window, but unfortunately, so did a few others. Izuku stayed still until everyone's attention was off the window before trying again, with much the same result. It took a few throws, but finally Mirio walked toward the glass and motioned for his classmates to address something on the whiteboard.
Mirio stared out the window, his blue eyes squinted as he scanned the shrubbery. After assuring himself that no one else was looking, Izuku popped up from his hiding spot, earning a small jump from the other boy. Izuku stared at him for a long moment before motioning for Mirio to follow him and walking deeper into the forest, disappearing out of sight from the window.
Izuku leaned against a nearby tree and scratched at his arms, waiting for the arrival of his quarry. Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Mirio asked, coming out of the shrubbery with his fists already held high.
"Calm down, I'm not here to hurt you." Izuku raised his hands to show his empty hands, although he longed for nothing more than to stab the boy right between his brightly colored eyes.
"Your costume would suggest otherwise."
"You can believe whatever you want." Izuku lowered his hands. "Villains have invaded the USJ. They're looking for All Might. They'll kill the students there if he doesn't get there soon." Izuku turned to walk away but stopped when Mirio's hand landed on his shoulder. He's fast.
"What? How do you know?" His grip on Izuku's shoulder tightened. "Are you one of the villains? Is this a hostage situation?"
"I know because I was watching." Izuku shrugged off Mirio's hand. "And no, I'm not one of them."
Mirio was silent for a long time. His jaw clenched, and he looked back toward the building. Izuku could tell he was debating between pressing for more answers or immediately going for help. Leave, Izuku urged, but it was no use. "And why are you telling me? Why wouldn't you tell a teacher or a hero?"
"You and All Might are close, aren't you?" Mirio's face automatically reddened, and he opened his mouth, no doubt to deny the claim, but Izuku had already seen enough. "I mean, since you work under Nighteye, who used to be All Might's sidekick." Mirio's face relaxed, and Izuku scowled at him under his mask. "Besides, you're the first person I've seen that I recognize. Can you tell me why most of the classrooms are empty and there are no teachers in sight?"
Mirio frowned. "That's right, they're all in the sickbay or combining with other classes. But what do you mean, I'm the first person you recognize?"
"You're one of UA's Big Three. Nighteye's intern? Ringing a bell?" Izuku shook his finger in Mirio's face. "Surely you aren't as dense as you are talented."
"That still doesn't answer my question. Why don't you go to the principal's office and tell him yourself?"
"Listen." Izuku sighed and brought his fingers up to press against his mask. This kid really isn't panicked enough given the situation. "I don't belong here, all right? I broke in. I can't just walk into the school. I'll be arrested for trespassing, or they'll think I'm part of the villains attacking the school. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd rather not go to jail for a crime I didn't commit." He tilted his head. "Although I guess I did trespass, but I'd rather no one knew that." Pressing his pointer finger against the smile of his mask, he said, "So please don't tell anyone, all right?"
"If you aren't a villain, who are you?"
"I was hired by a news network." Izuku held up his hands when Mirio's mouth opened once more. "I'm not going to say which one, for obvious reasons, but I was supposed to get reporters through the school's defenses. I did that, but then I got curious. That's all, honestly."
Mirio stared at him for a long moment before nodding. "All right. I guess I have no choice but to trust you."
"Right. Your classmates are probably dying as we speak." Izuku tilted his head. "Well, good luck!"
"You aren't going to help?" Mirio frowned, almost as if he couldn't think of anything worse.
"Did you not hear what I just said about trespassing and getting arrested?" Izuku waved a hand. "Besides, once you tell All Might, he'll sort it all out. He's the best hero ever, right?" Izuku grimaced underneath his mask as he shrugged. "I did my part, and now I'm going home." Without waiting for a response, he ran through the woods, his attention focused on the tree where he'd left his backpack. Mirio didn't attempt to follow, and Izuku hoped he had gone to get All Might himself.
After a few more minutes, Izuku stood under the tree where he'd hidden his backpack. Sighing, he slid the mask off his face and let his hood fall from his head. "Dang. I didn't get to see anyone die. I guess Thirteen was injured." His shoulder hunched, and he found himself unable to raise his gaze from the ground. "How disappointing." He kicked a small rock, smiling when it exploded on impact, although the euphoria quickly wore off and left him more upset than before.
No matter how fast Izuku was, there was no way he could get back to the USJ before All Might did. And surely the rest of UA's staff would follow close behind, which meant if he went back to watch the fight, he'd no doubt get caught. What he had said to Mirio was true enough. Izuku had no desire to be arrested.
Now back in his school uniform, Izuku trudged back to the school, headed toward his classroom. He figured he would pretend Recovery Girl had healed his arm and ankle and sent him back to class. Shortly before entering the building, he turned around and stared in the direction of the USJ, where he thought he could see smoke on the horizon.
Show that "hero" who's stronger, Shigaraki. Izuku clenched his fist in front of him, wishing desperately he could be there to help. Kill him dead.
—
Hopefully you liked this chapter! I'm trying to be a bit faster at updating. If you liked it, please comment, vote, or whatever you do on this platform. I read every comment even if I don't respond!
-Sally