Entropy

by Imperium42

Midoriya Izuku didn't change overnight. The process was slow and gradual, the end result of a life filled with rejections and roadblocks- but everyone has a breaking point. Destruction brings renewal, and with the death of his old dream, Izuku has found a new one- one he intends to share. All orderly systems descend into chaos. No one is immune to entropy, heroes least of all.

20. Requiem for a Dream

Hi, everyone! I hope you're all enjoying Season 4 of the anime as much as I am- it's definitely been a major motivating factor for me to get this chapter done, despite all the insane things life has thrown at me this past month. Long story short, I started a full-time job at the beginning of October in addition to taking classes, so it's gotten considerably more difficult to find the time to write, unfortunately.

With that in mind, though, I'm going to make some adjustments to how I structure chapters, so that updates will hopefully get back to more than once a month- instead of 10,000+ worders, I'm going to shoot for shorter and more frequent chapter drops, between 4,000-7,000 words. This applies to both Entropy and Rhapsody in Green, which is still not dead (!), just suffering from a bit of writer's block on my part.

Anyway, enough from me- enjoy the chapter!

---

Chapter 20: Requiem for a Dream

"I'm here to see a patient of yours- room 914."

Kendo slid her provisional license across the counter and gave the receptionist a sheepish grin from beneath the raised visor of her motorcycle helmet, her eyes flitting back and forth across the crowded lobby to make sure no one had recognized her. As expected of her chronically terrible luck, the hospital entrance was currently packed to the brim; today of all days, over a month after his near-fatal confrontation with Synapse and his squad, Epicenter was being released from St. Luke's coma ward with a clean bill of health, and it seemed half the local press corps had turned up for the occasion. Now more than ever, any story involving the Syndicate was in high demand from both the media and the public- the saga of the group's heinous acts had turned into a drama on a national scale, so naturally the first hero to have fallen to the nation's new foes was guaranteed to draw a crowd of reporters. Yoroimusha and Shindo's girlfriend Tatami were present as well; it had been difficult to resist the urge to greet the Ketsubutsu graduate, who she'd run into on more than one occasion during her various internships. She'd had the foresight to hide her recognizable sidetail in her jacket, but in retrospect, wearing a full-face helmet inside a hospital couldn't exactly be called incognito- her look had already prompted a few confused looks, but luckily the Armored Hero was drawing most of the attention on the other side of the lobby, giving an impassioned speech about the bravery of his 'apprentices' in the face of evil.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but only authorized personnel are permitted to see… oh." The woman behind the counter hardly even glanced up from the screen of her computer at first, her expression deadpan and her voice monotone. All of that changed in an instant when she looked down at Battle Fist's license- her mouth fell open in disbelief, and as her wide-eyed gaze met Itsuka's own, Kendo held one gloved finger up in front of her mouth, then nodded in the direction of the crowd.

"Help me keep this visit quiet, okay? I don't want to steal the spotlight on someone else's big day."

"S-sure thing, ma'am. Got it."

Blushing profusely in embarrassment, the receptionist hurriedly handed over the necessary visitation and clearance forms, and a few minutes later, Itsuka was safely in the elevator- she shrugged off her helmet practically the moment the doors closed, to the shock and excitement of the doctor and nurses who'd gotten on with her. By the time the doors opened on the ninth floor, she'd signed autographs for all three of them, a wide, beaming smile on her face as she did her best to channel All Might's contagious energy. It quickly faded, though, when she stepped out and watched a group of surgeons rush past, pushing a bloodied hero on a stretcher. An oxygen mask was hooked up to the man's mouth, and his costume was torn in several places; she recognized him from his dented, beaklike mask as one of Hawks' sidekicks. Surprise and confusion spread across her face, and after a moment's contemplation she fell in step with the group of policemen trailing behind the doctors. It didn't take long to single out one she recognized- Kagari Soichiro, an older, mustached officer who had been one of Tsukauchi's direct superiors. Itsuka had seen him around crime scenes often enough that she felt comfortable approaching him, even if the situation didn't concern her directly.

"What's the situation, major? What happened to him?"

"Ma'am, I can't just… oh, Battle Fist- good to see you here." Unlike the receptionist, Kagari hardly missed a beat once he recognized Kendo; he nodded respectfully and adjusted his glasses before continuing. "Well, I won't sugarcoat it- he was jumped on patrol by a group of anti-Hawks 'activists'. They were all known participants in the protests that have been going on lately, but no prior criminal records exist for any of them. Somehow or other they got the slip on him, beat him pretty bad. Left this at the scene of the crime."

Soichiro pulled out his phone and opened a picture: above the crime tape that marked where the victim's body had been found, the word 'traitor' was scrawled across the wall of an alleyway in black spraypaint, and below it, the same angel wings and halo that she'd seen earlier during Edgeshot's report.

"God… that's awful." Kendo shook her head in frustration and disbelief. "I don't understand why so many people still believe he was a criminal, even after all the evidence we've given them to the contrary. It just doesn't make any sense."

"People believe what they want to. It doesn't matter how convincing our arguments are if they've already decided we're liars." They rounded a corner, and stopped short of the next set of double doors as the doctors hurried their patient into the operating room.

"But for ordinary civilians resort to violence like that, all based on the words of a coward and a terrorist..." Itsuka frowned, and shook her head. "The Syndicate's rhetoric, it's like a poison we can't flush out. And there's another thing I don't understand. Hawks' sidekicks are the best of the best, they always have been. How could ordinary people have managed something like this?"

"Numbers and quirks, that's how- they didn't even need to use any weapons. I'll tell it to you straight, Battle Fist- sometimes you heroes tend to forget how few of you there really are out there, compared to the rest of society. A full 80% of the population have quirks, and only one in a thousand go pro, if that. That leaves behind a whole lot of 'ordinary people' walking around with deadly weapons that we just have to trust them not to use every time they get angry or scared."

Kendo hardly knew how to even begin to respond to that, and lapsed into an uncomfortable silence before finally speaking up again a few moments later.

"Well… I hope you caught the ones who did it, at least."

"They tried to make a run for it, nearly got away too. But lucky for us, Endeavor was in the area- he delivered them to the station personally. He's been regaining more and more popular support, ever since that mess with the Stain trial finally ended. At this rate, I think he's going to make another run for the top spot in the next polls."

"Is that so?" Itsuka murmured, half to Kagari and half to herself. The next billboard rankings will the first ones I compete in as a professional. I'm have to make a strong first impression, just as strong as All Might, if I want to try and heal this country. And eventually, I'll have to outcompete both Best Jeanist and Endeavor, if I want to live up to his memory.

"…Do you really think he has what it takes?" She asked, once she'd drifted back to reality.

"In comparison to you and Jeanist? Who knows. All I know is that no matter which one of you ends up at the top, the number one's priority has to be taking down the Syndicate bastards who're behind all this." The major scowled, his tone noticeably harsher. A mentor to Tsukauchi and well-acquainted with Gran Torino, Kagari had been one of the dozens of officers drawn away from Tokyo Police Headquarters by false reports shortly before the events of the Black Day. Like the rest of the force, Soichiro bore an intense and bitter grudge towards the Syndicate in the aftermath. "Stoking suspicions and lying to the public, it's despicable. If I had my way, every one of them would be rounded up and-"

"Major Kagari."

A gruff voice sounded behind them, and Kendo pivoted to find the beagle-headed Tsuragamae Kenji waiting patiently for his subordinate's attention. Formerly Hosu Ward's Chief of Police, he'd recently been promoted to Deputy Commissioner for the Tokyo MPD following his predecessor's untimely death during the events of the Black Day, charged with the protection of the entire southern half of the capital, a full thirteen wards.

"Deputy Commissioner, my apologies. I didn't know you'd be joining us in person."

"Given the serious implications of this case, I thought it best to see things firsthand. I trust you have a report for me?"

"Of course, sir. If you'll excuse us, Battle Fist?"

Kendo bowed her head respectfully to the Deputy Commissioner before continuing back the way she'd come; the hospital's corridors were practically a maze, and even retracing her steps was a challenge. Five minutes later, she was finally going in what seemed to be the right direction based on the room numbers, and glanced down to check her phone. News of the attack on Hawks' sidekick didn't seem to have spread yet, but something in her gut told her it was only a matter of time before every news station and tabloid with an ear to the ground picked up on the scandalous headlines. I guess I know what I'm getting drilled about the next time a gaggle of reporters corners me. Her mind wandering, she was in the process of scrolling absentmindedly through her newsfeed when she rounded the next corner, and promptly ran into another young woman, equally absorbed in her own cellphone.

"Oh my god, fam, I'm, like, so sorry! I totes didn't see you there!"

"You're totally fine, that was my bad! I wasn't…" Pocketing her phone, Kendo trailed off midsentence when she looked up and realized who she was talking to, and suddenly her stomach began to tie itself in a knot.

Oh god, why have you abandoned me?

"Don't call the new Symbol of Peace 'fam', Glamourous. It's disrespectful." His arms crossed in annoyance, Shishikura Seiji, better known as the Sculpting Hero, Rodin, stepped up beside his former Shiketsu classmate, and tossed a half-sympathetic, half-skeptical glance in Itsuka's direction. "I apologize for my colleague's behavior, Battle Fist. Clearly, she still has much to learn about the discipline involved in professional heroics."

"Oh my god, Seiji, like, don't even worry about it! Kendo and I go way back, we met at work forever ago and totally bonded! Isn't that right, babe?" Camie Utsushimi flashed her a wide, beaming smile, complete with a peace sign, and it took all the energy Itsuka could muster not to black out from sheer shame alone when the older girl hopped forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. It was true that they'd gotten along well after teaming up on an assignment, and Kendo had even recommended Glamourous for her latest internship with Uwabami afterward- that fact only made the reality of the current situation even more uncomfortable. "It's like, so good to see you here! What are you up to?"

"That's her business," Shishikura muttered, massaging the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Do I need to remind you that we're back on the clock? Fraternizing on duty is beneath the caliber of Shiketsu graduates."

"It's alright, I won't tell on you," Kendo chuckled nervously as Camie took hold of her hands and began to inspect her nails, struggling to keep a straight face. "I'm just here to visit a friend. How about you guys? Tokyo is pretty far outside your neck of the woods."

"We were just visiting Gale Force, actually. He was transferred from a hospital back in Hiroshima to this one last week, to undergo a specific form of physical therapy they specialize in here." Seiji nodded towards the the opposite side of the hall, where Yoarashi's name was visible on the sign outside one of the doors. "I'd offer to take you by to see him, but he's with a doctor at the moment."

"Ah, that's nice of you! How's his recovery going?"

"As best as could be expected, given the nature of his injuries." Shishikura crossed his hands behind his back, and his tone grew curt and cold. He cut an intimidating figure in his black and red hero costume, and still wore a variant of the Shiketsu cap despite the fact that he'd graduated a year prior. "To be honest, I'm still surprised a group of villains were able to inflict such a defeat on him, given the sheer potency of his quirk. I personally hold Hawks accountable- despite his raw talent, it's clear that the man lacked any semblance of dignity, or other qualities necessary in a mentor, for that matter. It's preposterous that someone like him was ever able to rise so high as a professional in the first place."

"Ohmygoddd, can you quit being a buzzkill for, like, literally two seconds?" Utsushimi turned and pouted in her former classmate's direction, wrapping her hands even more tightly around Istuka's. "I'm trying to vibe with the love of my life here, and you're seriously harshing it."

"That's… a pretty severe outlook," Kendo replied quietly, as some of her embarrassment was quickly supplanted by shock and indignation. Wow, I'd almost forgotten what a total ass this guy is.

"Oh just ignore what he says, babe, Senpai's always rambling about something. Blah blah blah, dignity this, professionalism that."

"It's not funny," Shishikura snapped, narrowing his eyes. Half his face was hidden behind tufts of lavender hair, the back parts of which reached almost down to his shoulders by now, but the half Kendo could see was practically fuming. "We live in a society that has lost all respect for-"

"So anyway, like he was saying, we mainly came to visit Inasa," Camie proceeded to ignore Seiji entirely, a tactic that somehow succeeded in shutting him up after a few moments. "But he's looking to potentially start a hero agency in the area, and I take every chance I can get to come up here anyway, to see Katsuki."

The older girl smiled giddily, and the guilt and regret Kendo had momentarily forgotten surged back to the surface; she felt her cheeks go red at the mention of Bakugo's name, and played it off as a sudden fit of coughing.

"Aww, you okay, fam?" A sympathetic smile on her face, Utsushimi leaned over and began to rub gentle circles on Kendo's back, all while Itsuka struggled not to vomit in self-disgust. "Something go down the wrong way? That's, like, the worst!"

Oh god, I feel like I have to tell her. But is it even my place to? Bakugo might go ballistic if I do, and there's no telling what would happen if she leaked it to the press…

"It's, ah, nothing- don't worry, I'm good." Kendo straightened up again and forced herself to smile in Camie's direction, hoping against hope that she wasn't still scarlet from ear to ear. "Speaking of Bakugo, how, uh… how are things between you two?"

"Well I'm seeing him tonight, but just between us girls, let's just say that boo fucked up pretty bad last month- I didn't text him for like, a whole week afterward. Not to sound like a gold digger, but I'm expecting a lit makeup present when we meet later."

"I'm still standing right here!" Rodin protested weakly, but by now he'd mostly given up at trying to steer the conversation away from personal matters, and fell silent when he was ignored once again.

"But what about you?" Glamourous asked, before Battle Fist could even fit in a response. "You're, like, hella popular right now, I see you on TV all the time! I bet you have a whole harem of hotties worshipping at your feet."

"Ah, well you know how busy things have been lately…" She grinned nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. "I've had basically zero time for that type of thing, so no harem yet, unfortunately."

"Hmm… gotta be honest, I think you're lying, fam." Camie's suddenly skeptical tone set Itsuka's heart pounding in her chest, and she felt her mouth go dry.

"W-what? What do you mean?"

"You did a pretty good job at hiding it, but I'm a pro at spotting these." The older girl reached forward and tapped a knowing finger on Kendo's lower neck, where Tetsutetsu's hickey was peeking out from above her jacket's collar ever so slightly. "Wow, looks recent, too! You gotta tell me, babe, who's the lucky guy?"

"Well, I, uh…"

"Alright, that's enough. We have a patrol to make in thirty minutes, we're going to be late if we delay here any longer." His patience seemingly at an end, Seiji stepped forward and laid a hand on Camie's shoulder; Itsuka found herself thanking him internally as she reluctantly assented.

"You are literally the lamest… Guess I'll seeya, soon, babe! We'll have to pick this up again next time." Glamourous started down the hallway after Rodin, but turned around to listen when Kendo stammered out a reply, walking backwards with casual grace.

"Y-yeah, for sure! I might be busy, but just let me know if you want to grab lunch!"

"Busy with your new squeeze, huh? Have fun with your man, babe, just make sure not to steal mine." Utsushimi winked suggestively, then pivoted and passed out of sight, leaving Kendo to contemplate her final few words.

That was just a joke… right? He said he didn't tell her, so she couldn't know. There's no way she would've been so friendly… unless she was playing with me?!

Itsuka forced herself to stop worrying before she gave herself a headache in the process, and strode decisively back down the corridor, in the direction of room 914. That's enough detours. Whether she knows or doesn't, it makes no difference in the ends- I came here to do something a lot more important than worry about my love life. Before she knew it Kendo was standing outside the room in question, and staring down two burly police officers. Fumbling in her pocket for her license, Battle Fist hurriedly presented it to the guards, and was ushered inside within moments once they'd checked to make sure she was on the list of approved visitors.

Then they closed the door behind her, and Kendo was left standing alone in a room with Midoriya Inko.

The first thing that struck her was how deafeningly quiet it was. The halls had all been filled with chatter and the echoes of distant voices, but inside Inko's room, there was nothing but the faint, muffled beeping of a machine, and the beating of Itsuka's own heart. Even her breathing seemed noisy by comparison- she made a conscious effort to stifle it as she stepped forward, towards the bed.

Seraph's mother had been staring out the window when she entered, and didn't look away even as Kendo inched closer across the sanitized white linoleum floor. Like most of the room, her body was bathed in bright afternoon sunlight; on the other side of the glass, Tokyo harbor was glimmering white and gold in the far distance, past the vibrant spring colors of the Imperial Gardens.

"This room has a nice view," Itsuka said, taking a seat in a chair by Inko's bedside. I can't come out of the gate questioning her about Izuku. This has to be a natural conversation. "Have you visited the gardens before?"

"Just once." The older woman replied, after a moment's silence. Her voice was faint and distant, like she was talking to herself rather than to anyone else. "I went with Hisashi, just a few months before our wedding. It was such a long time ago, the memory is fuzzy now… But I remember that it was beautiful." She finally tuned her gaze away from the window, and gave Kendo a weak smile. "I know you, from the news. Are you here to ask me about my son, Symbol of Peace?"

Battle Fist swallowed, and took a moment of silence to search for the right words. She'd spent most of the ride over thinking of what to say, but now that she was actually here, all her planned phrases and questions had utterly abandoned her. Though she was trying her best to put on a happy face, everything nearly about Inko's appearance set off red flags in Ituka's mind. Even with all the hospital's equipment and medication, her skin was pale and clammy, and she had the noticeably haggard look of someone who had lost far too much weight in far too short a time. Her eyes sported prominent dark circles from a lack of sleep, and her greenish black hair looked greasy and unkempt, let down past her shoulders from her usual style.

"I… well, I…" Kendo's tongue refused to work properly, and after a few moments Inko glanced back toward the window, and the far-off gardens.

"They want me to divorce him, you know?"

"…Pardon me?"

"Hisashi's parents. They sent me a letter, last week- they say Izuku's conduct demonstrates that I'm a failure as a mother, and unfit to be a wife. They're trying to convince him to cut off contact between us." She chuckled softly, and wiped at her eyes with a hand that was bandaged from palm to elbow. "It's funny, because we barely talk regardless these days. I haven't seen him in almost two years- half the time, I'm not even sure where in the world he is. I think it's Singapore now, or maybe Jakarta. Then again, the Ministry of Defense may have already moved him to a safehouse, so who knows, at the end of the day?"

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Midoriya. I know this may sound presumptuous… But I think I know how you feel- at least, to a certain extent. My parents both work abroad. My mom's in Seoul right now, and my dad's… somewhere in Germany, I think. Or maybe Prague- it's tough to keep track of him, honestly. Years pass between the moments when they're home at the same time- it's been hard, going to school and looking after my siblings at the same time. Without my aunt and uncle's help, I honestly don't know what I would do."

"They've mentioned that, in the hero profiles they do on you." Inko met Itsuka's gaze again, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. The woman's eyes reminded her of Midoriya's, in a way: they were hollow and empty, like all the light and life had been drained out of them. "I've watched them all, ever since your debut last year, recorded every single one- just in case he came back someday, and wanted to see them. Even though he stopped looking up to All Might, I was sure that someday he would love to hear about his successor. In a way, I… I feel like I've known you for a while now. And to think that you two went to the same school… I think you would've good friends, if you'd had the chance. There's so much you could've talked about. So much you could've taught him."

"I'd… like to think so too," Kendo replied, a soft smile on her lips. "From what I've heard, he was a model student, enthusiastic in all of his classes, and social too, within a certain small group. He had perfect scores on the General Studies entrance exam, perfect grades for every course, even perfect attendance. The only infraction on his record is the detention that he received alongside Hatsume and Shinso- but I've only heard Eraserhead's side of that story. It must have been hard for him afterward, at home, dealing with that rejection. You said he stopped looking up to All Might… was that when it happened?"

She nodded almost imperceptibly, the smile fading from her face, and began to wring her hands together in a manner that seemed almost reflexive.

"Yes, it was. I'll never forget the sight of him carrying all his posters out to the trash, his bedsheets and comics and action figures too- I nearly fainted on the spot. I had to convince him to let me fetch most the most valuable pieces out of the dumpster so I could take them to secondhand stores to resell; his collection was worth tens of thousands of yen in total, he'd worked for years so save enough allowance for it all, but then one day he just wanted to throw it all away. Over and over again I asked him why, and all he would say is that he… didn't feel worthy of it anymore. I never understood what that meant. When I try and place the day I lost him, that's one of the first that comes to mind. He was never quite the same afterward, but looking back, I'm not so sure it was that sudden. I think it been happening bit by bit for a long time- I was just too oblivious to notice until it was too late."

Tears began to well up in Inko's eyes for a second time, and Itsuka reached out and took hold of her hand. Her palm was cold and clammy, but Midoriya didn't shy away from her grip, wrapping her fingers gently around Kendo's.

"No one could have known what he was thinking," Kendo replied, her tone firm. "But I can't help but wonder… what other days come to mind when you think back on that time? Were there any other moments like that, even ones that might have seemed insignificant? Changes in his behavior, or personal relationships?"

Inko's eyes dropped to the blanket draped across her lap, and Kendo felt her frail grip tighten ever so slightly.

"There was… there was also the day he took the hero course entrance exam. If you know about his detention, I'm sure you know about that too. He was inconsolable when I picked him up- he wouldn't come out of his room for days."

Itsuka nodded silently. Uraraka had told her everything about that particular incident: how he hadn't scored a single point, and how she'd seen him in tears afterward. To Kendo, it seemed like an important moment in Seraph's personal history, but surely he'd known what the likely result would be, going up against dozens of other applicants with powerful quirks.

"He knew he'd be at a disadvantage," Inko continued, practically reading Itsuka's thoughts, "but he was just so determined to go through with it, I couldn't possibly say anything to discourage him. He'd been training for months, working himself to the bone day in and day out- most days he'd go out on runs or to the gym the moment he got home, and fall asleep right after dinner. I was happy he wanted to be stronger, but… it didn't seem healthy. He was trying to progress too much too quickly- something about it was almost… desperate. I remembering worrying he was going to hurt himself, and then one day I got a call from the local hospital- his arms had given out while he was lifting weights. He dropped two hundred pounds right across his chest, broke his sternum and collarbone. He spent weeks recovering from that… it might've been even worse if Katsuki hadn't been there."

"Katsuki?" Kendo's eyes narrowed. "You mean Bakugo? They trained together?"

Inko's smile returned, and her expression grew almost wistful.

"When Izuku asked me to help him pay for a membership to the new gym in our neighborhood, he told me he chose it because it was the same one that Katsuki went to. He admired him so much… he even studied his workout routines, wrote them down in those notebooks of his. I don't think know if they were necessarily training together, but Bakugo was the one who pulled the weight off of Izuku when he dropped it on himself- from what the gym manager told me, he ran over the moment he saw, and threw it halfway across the room. They weren't as close as they used to be… but Katsuki still cared about my son. I know he did. Even more than All Might, he was the one Izuku was chasing after all those months."

Itsuka's brows furrowed in contemplation, as her conversations with Ground Zero played on loop in her mind. Nothing about this matches up with the way he talks about Midoriya.

"…And what happened afterward?"

"Afterward, I was still scared. He wanted to go back to weight-lifting right away, against the doctors' advice, so I threatened to take away his gym membership. I've never seen him so devastated, or so angry- he cried, screamed, yelled at me, even punched a hole in the door to his room. He told me he had to keep getting stronger, or he'd never be able to live with himself. It scared me even more, so I went to Mitsuki for help- I asked her to have Katsuki talk to my son. If he wouldn't listen to his mother, maybe hearing it from Kacchan would make the difference. I… don't know what exactly they said to each other, but he didn't protest anymore after that. He waited a month to start training his chest and arms again, just like our physician advised him. He was… quiet, those few weeks."

Now I have another question for our next conversation, Kendo mused. It felt like she slowly starting to put the puzzle together, but half the pieces were still with Bakugo.

"You say they weren't as close as they used to be. How close was that, exactly?"

"Inseparable," Inko answered, without a moment's hesitation. "For years, they were practically joined at the hip. They did everything together- he spent so much time at Katsuki's house that Mitsuki joked about adopting him at one point. It wasn't until around the end of elementary school that I started seeing Bakugo less and less, but even then, Izuku would still talk about him all the time."

"I see…" A glimmer of surprise must have shown on Kendo's face despite her best attempts to keep her expression neutral; Inko's fingers tensed almost immediately.

"Is that so hard to believe? You know Katsuki, don't you? I'm sure he still talks about Izuku. I'm sure he hasn't forgotten him."

Silence followed. Kendo sighed deeply before replying.

"…He does, yes."

"I knew it. I knew he still cared. He can still save Izuku. You can both still save him! Please, Itsuka, I'm begging you- you have to save him." The woman grabbed onto Kendo's wrist with both hands- her voice was growing more desperate by the moment, her eyes wide and frantic as tears began to spill down her cheeks. "I… I know he's done bad things. Things he can't take back. I know I failed him as a mother… I didn't listen well enough, I didn't see the signs. I wasn't there for him, not like he needed me to be. But please, don't let them kill my baby. I can't do it, I can't let him die."

Sobs wracked Inko's body as Kendo leaned forward and wrapped her in a gentle embrace, stroking her hair and back.

"Don't worry. It's okay now. I'm here. I'm here."

"I don't c-care what he's done…" Her breath ragged as she struggled to speak between her tears, Inko clung to the collar of Itsuka's jacket, her face inches from Kendo's own. "I j-just want to see my baby again, so I can tell him I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything…"

"It's not your fault. None of it is. None of it ever was."

Itsuka eased the older woman's hands off of her as gently as she could manage, then took a step back away from the bed, fell down to her knees, and placed her hands palm-down on the floor, her forehead pressed against the cool white tiles.

"Midoriya Inko, I swear to you, on my honor as the next Symbol of Peace- you will see your son again- alive and well."

"Please, no… G-get up, I… I don't deserve this kind of…"

"But you have to promise me something in return," Kendo declared, rising back to her feet. "You have to promise me that you'll still be here when that day comes." She sat back down on the bed and took Inko's hands again, nodding to the bandages on both her wrists. "You're not alone. I'll be here for you, whenever you need me to be. If you want someone to talk to, or just someone to be around… all you have to do is ask for me, and I'll come."

"I couldn't possibly trouble you like that…"

"Just think on it." Grabbing a pen from her pocket and a notepad from a table on the far side of the room, Kendo jotted down her phone number and set it on the bed. "That's all I'll ask of you."

After a moment of hesitation, Inko nodded confidently, and the smile returned to Itsuka's face.

"I promise I'll still be here."

"Good- I'll hold you to that. And don't worry, you won't have to stay in this cramped room much longer. Just between you and me, we'll be moving you and the rest of the Syndicate parents to a safer location next week, after U.A.'s graduation."

When Inko smiled again in reply, it felt genuine rather than forced.

"I'll be looking forward to it."

---

Deika City, Detnerat Tower

Later that Evening

"I'm just about tired of asking, shitheels. Now one more time, from the top- where is the Syndicate's base of operations?!"

"I swear to god, there isn't one!" Gentle cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Like I said, they don't have a main base, they just move from place to place when it suits them! They could be anywhere in the country for all I know!"

"He's telling the fucking truth!" Spinner added, through grit teeth. "Jesus Christ, haven't we been over this enough?!"

"We won't be done with it until you stop lying to me," Skeptic growled, his bloodshot eyes shining with rage beneath his heavy black bangs. "My satellites can see everything. I already know you're in Hokkaido and Yokohama, and that you abandoned your bases in Okinawa and Osaka. But there have to be more- I know there are more. So fucking tell me, why don't you?"

Tobita hung his head and took a moment to breathe, his breath escaping in ragged pants. For the past four hours, he'd been tied to a chair, back-to-back with Spinner, while a rotating cast of Liberation Army acolytes took turns interrogating them, Skeptic was the most brutal and impatient by far- no answer was good enough for him, no lie sufficiently convincing. From the moment he realized his situation, Danjuro had resolved to stay true to his new allies- he had just begun to earn his place among the Syndicate, and he had no intent of betraying them now- not when La Brava's safety was on the line. Spinner's motivations were less clear, but thus far he had been just as stubborn- though he couldn't see his fellow captive, Tobita's head was resting against Iguchi's; he could feel every time the other man shifted or tensed, and vice versa. Together the two had developed an unspoken bond over the past day, but there was a sinister tension too, hidden beneath every word they spoke: Who would break first? What would happen to the one who remained loyal? Neither had yet dared to find out. For as terrifying as their captors were, in the end, they both feared Seraph more.

"Why don't you tell me," Spinner retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "who's your stylist, you punk rock looking fuckboy? I've just gotta go to them for my next cut."

"Alright, another finger from this one."

With a cursory wave, Skeptic summoned one of his apelike puppets, who swiftly brought a pair of pruning shears to bear on Iguchi's hand. After a sickening snap, Spinner's scream echoed through the brightly lit, windowless room they'd been confined to; Gentle felt the other man writhing against him in pain as his blood dripped audibly to the floor, and drew in a deep breath. He'd already lost two fingers, the index and middle from his right hand- Spinner was at three now. For hours now he'd been reassuring himself that Overhaul could restore them when they were rescued, but at this point that felt more like a pipe dream than a certain fact.

"You seem like smart people," Tobita declared, trying his best to mask the fear in his voice. "You should know better than anyone that torture has been proven to be ineffective. The victim says only what their captor wants to hear, and the truth is quickly lost in the-"

Crack.

Pain lanced across Gentle's face as Skeptic drove his fist into his cheek- no puppets this time. Blood spilled from his lips, warm and coppery on his tongue, and he spat out half a tooth, forcing himself to continue in spite of the agony.

"My point is, if they're going to talk, they talk after the first finger! Why keep up this pointless charade?!"

"Because he gets off on it," said Iguchi, his voice hoarse. "His mommy and daddy never loved him, and he's got no friends, so he needs to take his anger out on someone."

Skeptic ignored Spinner this time, and grabbed hold of Gentle's face, digging into his bloodied, tear-stained cheeks with the tips of his fingers.

"I bet you think you're real fucking smart, you third-rate, narcissistic dropout. See, that little theory of yours presupposes that there are two types of people- ones who break and ones who don't. I happen to disagree- as far as I'm concerned, everyone has a breaking point." Skeptic's grimace twisted into a smile, and his grip grew even tighter, prompting a gasp of pain from Tobita. "Torture is just about pushing them closer and closer to the edge. It may take longer for some than others, but as long as you can parse the truth out from the slew of self-serving lies, it's worth it in the end. It's always worth it in the end."

"Any progress in here?"

The door swung open at the far end of the room, and Re-Destro strode through, flanked by Trumpet and Curious. Skeptic straightened up in an instant, releasing Gentle's face and bringing his thumb up to his forehead to perform the Liberation Army salute.

"We're getting there, slowly but surely. These two still think they're brave, but I'll reduce them to sniveling cowards soon enough."`

"My my, do we have some would-be heroes on our hands?" A gleeful smirk on her face, Curious crouched down and sized up Gentle's battered face, using her fingers as a picture frame. "I can see it now- 'From Dropout to Terrorist: The Story of the Gentle Criminal'. What a scoop! After the way your videos have taken off lately, the public's just going to eat this up."

"Hey, don't give him all the screentime," Spinner chuckled, straining at his bonds. "Trust me, I've got a face made for TV."

"Prisoners don't get to make demands." His expression livid, Skeptic turned back to face his captives and swiped one hand sideways in a vicious arc. Tobita felt the puppet's blow land on Iguchi, heard the pop of his ribs breaking as both their chairs vibrated as one and Spinner grunted in pain. "What a shame you're still too stupid to figure that out. Now let's pick up where we left off, before you black out from the internal bleeding - the locations of the other Syndicate bases."

"Actually, that line of questioning won't be necessary any longer."

A soft smile on his face, Re-Destro took a step forward and lowered his gaze towards Tobita.

"I just had the most productive call with Midoriya Izuku- Seraph, if you'd prefer to call him that."

Gentle's eyes widened, and behind him he felt Spinner stiffen up. Have they finally begun negotiations? I never know what that boy is thinking, but I'm sure he has a plan for this- he has a plan for everything.

"And do you know how that conversation ended?" Re-Destro continued, as his smile slowly grew into a leering grin. "Our two groups have officially come to an accord- a non-aggression pact, you might call it. We'll keep a healthy distance from each other from here on out, with a few added provisions about information-sharing and asset recruitment. All-in-all, a fantastic deal for everyone involved. To be honest, though, I wouldn't have been willing to make such a generous arrangement if he hadn't been ready to give me something of value. Do you know what that something was?"

"What, did he have Pandora cook you up a hair loss cream for that balding dome?" Spinner wheezed with laughter for a few brief moments, before Skeptic stalked over and broke his jaw with a single, swift jab. When he staggered back into Danjuro's field of view, his knuckles were torn and bloody, and his eyes were shining with rage.

"There, that should teach you to shut your fucking mouth."

"Try not to damage them too badly, Skeptic." Yotsubashi laid a comforting hand on his subordinate's shoulder, then turned back to Tobita. "They'll be part of the family soon enough. What Seraph gave us was you, Gentle Criminal- the both of you. In the end, he was willing to accept this… transfer of talent, for the greater good of the Syndicate and the Liberation Army alike."

"No," Gentle grit in reply, his eyes lowered to the floor. "You're lying. He would never."

"Are you so sure about that, Tobita? I understand that poor La Brava truly put up a valiant fight when it came to leaving you behind, but you know how… persuasive Synapse can be."

A pit opened up in Gentle's chest, and suddenly he found himself short of breath as he stammered out a reply. He wouldn't. He wouldn't. God, please tell me he wouldn't.

"Y-you're wrong. Seraph isn't like that. He may not show it, but h-he cares about us."

"What a pleasant delusion." Yotsubashi crooned, pity flashing across his face. It was gone just as quickly, though, replaced by gleaming confidence, as he turned and ushered Trumpet forward. Hanabata was holding a bottle of champagne and two elegant crystal flutes- Re-Destro let him fill both glasses, then took one for himself and held out the other in Tobita's direction.

"Shall we toast to the occasion? It's not every day that our cause gains two members of such extraordinary talent."

He nodded to Skeptic, who in turn motioned for his puppet to cute one of the binds on one of Gentle's hands.

"I'd offer one to you as well," Yotsubashi called, casting a glance in Spinner's direction, "but I'm afraid that Skeptic's overzealousness might have made that impossible. Trumpet, do see that our friend receives proper medical treatment, won't you?"

"Of course, sir. I'll make the arrangements right away."

Hanabata bowed respectfully before striding from the room, and Re-Destro pressed the champagne glass into Gentle's free hand while Spinner grunted angrily in the background.

"Now, let's put all this ugliness behind us, shall we? I wasn't lying when I told you I was your new best friend, Tobita. You're part of a family now, one much bigger than the Syndicate, and much more powerful." He raised his own glass high in the air, and gave Danjuro a beaming smile. "A toast, to new beginnings."

Gentle's eyes dropped to the floor, and silence reigned between them. For a fleeting moment, he felt the pull of temptation- of ending the pain now, and living out his days in comfort, without the fear of Midoriya and Overhaul, without having to kill again. But then he thought of La Brava, and what came next was easy.

"You paint a pretty picture." Tobita swirled the champagne around in his glass, a soft grin on his lips. "Too bad it's not my style." In one swift fluid motion, he jerked his arm forward and splashed the wine vindictively across Re-Destro's suit.

Silence reigned for a long moment afterward, though the smile never left Yotsubashi's face. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he downed his own champagne, patted Tobita on the shoulder, then turned on his heel and started towards the door.

"It truly breaks my heart to hear that, Gentle Criminal. But all families have their fights- try to make sure that he understands how we feel, won't you?"

"Oh, we'll do our best," Curious replied, her black-and-green eyes shining with delight. Once Re-Destro had left the room, she began to pace along the outer wall, one deliberate step at a time. "That temper of yours really can flare up at the right moments, can't it, Tobita? That's a fascinating new angle for my profile of you to cover- I'm sure it'll just drive the readers crazy, given how cool and collected you act online. But as grateful as I am for your outburst, I still can't let it go unpunished, can I?"

The lavender-haired woman was behind him by now, out of sight on the opposite end of the room- he couldn't see her, but he heard the snap of her fingers, just before the empty flute in his hand exploded in a flash of heat and bright orange light. Gentle cried out and screwed his eyes shut out of instinct as a hundred pricks of white-hot pain spread across his upper body, from his torso to his forehead. The shards of glass embedded themselves almost everywhere, but it was worst on his unprotected face and hands; the fragments had only barely missed his eyes, but a dozen tiny daggers were spread across his cheeks and nose and lips. Warm red blood began to seep slowly from every wound in unison, and Danjuro groaned in pain as Curious and Skeptic both made their way to the door.

"Since you're both so broken up about parting ways with the terrorist scum who abandoned you, I thought I'd be kind enough to let you say goodbye to your old family." Skeptic motioned forward with one hand, and two new puppets strode into the room. His vision obscured by blood and tears, Tobita couldn't make out any of their features at first, but as they drew closer, he saw, and his heart plummeted in fear.

One of the puppets was a spitting image of the Hero Killer Stain, his mask removed to reveal his terrifying, demonic visage. The other was modeled after La Brava, its every detail true to life, down to her heart-shaped earrings and bright red ponytails. The only difference was their eyes; their gaze was cold and dead and empty, and though he knew they weren't real, the sight still sent shivers racing up Gentle's spine. One for each of us, then.

"If you'll excuse us, it's about time we had some dinner," Curious called back to them with a friendly wave. "We'll be back by midnight- I'm sure you four will get to know each other quite well in the meantime."

"N-no, please, wait!" Danjuro cried, but to no avail. After one last vicious glare, Skeptic made sure to draw the door shut behind him, leaving them alone with the soulless facsimiles. At the drop of a pin, they both began to move forward, one to each prisoner. Gentle wanted to scream, to shout out in distress, but his voice had gone hoarse, and his tongue refused to work. All he could do as La Brava advanced toward him was look on in mute horror, shivering wordlessly in his own sweat and blood.

"Well, do you think they bought it?"

"Possibly. Though that's not really the important part, is it?" Yotsubashi sipped again at his champagne, his eyes roving out over Deika's skyline as a smirk played at his lips. "We'll let them stew on it for half a day or so, build up their doubt and their fear, all while they enjoy the company of those specially designed puppets of yours, Skeptic. Excellent work on them, by the way- we should look into using the Stain-models in combat for the sheer intimidation factor alone."

"Thank you, sir. As long as they help break the two of them psychologically, they'll have done their job well, as far as I'm concerned."

"Sir, if I may," Trumpet interjected hesitantly, "we should get that suit to the cleaners as soon as we can, or it may be soiled permanently."

"Oh, this old thing?" Re-Destro patted at the splotch of spilled wine on his dress shirt, and shrugged nonchalantly. At the back of his mind, he felt his Stress levels rising ever so slightly, but on the surface, Yotsubashi's smile never faded. Over the years, Rikiya had mastered the art of concealing his true feelings, a necessary skill for the double lives he was forced to live on a daily basis. Not much longer now, he reassured himself, as his gaze drifted up to the far horizon. Only one obstacle left until the curtain rises, and the charade can end.

"Still no news on our good friends in the Syndicate?" He asked, evenly, turning back to face his lieutenants. "They're truly breaking my heart, ignoring us like this. Here I hoped we'd all be dining on caviar together by now."

"I haven't had any luck at monitoring their cellular communications since we took those two," Skeptic replied, his words tinged with bitter frustration. "It seems that they took the proper measures quickly, and by now they've isolated themselves from Feel Good Inc.'s networks almost entirely. Pulling something like that off… that level of technical expertise could only come from La Brava. It seems she must have survived her wounds."

"We should've tipped the Americans off about them sooner, that day at Kadena." Hanabata frowned, and removed his glasses to polish them. "Just a few minutes earlier and they'd all be dead, or at the very least, out of our way."

"That was my decision," Skeptic snapped, a vein bulging visibly on his temple. "Do you have a problem with it?"

Chikazoku Tomoyasu had never been a welcoming man when it came to criticism, even from his own colleagues, and his decision regarding their first contact with the Syndicate was no exception. Yotsubashi had been tied up with vital corporate meetings that morning, and thus it had fallen to his subordinates to make the final judgement call on how to handle the appearance of their rivals in the midst of a sensitive intelligence-gathering operation. He looked on quietly as Tomoyasu defended himself, and sipped once more at his champagne.

"I followed protocol, reached out and tried to establish two-way communications with them. When they ignored me, I tipped off the Americans, but not to eliminate them- if I'd wanted to do that, there were a hundred opportunities over the course of the day. It was about testing their capabilities, and giving them a warning about ours."

"A wise and measured decision," Re-Destro responded, his glass raised in Skeptic's direction. "You were correct in assessing that they were valuable pieces- far too valuable to discard out of hand like a child tossing aside a toy. Exposing them with enough time left for the heroes to give chase put necessary pressure on them, even after they proved themselves capable enough to escape. They're backed into a corner now, and the trail that had gone cold after their little publicity stunts on the 'Black Day' is fresh again- the heroes have more leads to follow than before, and if we keep feeding them breadcrumbs, it'll only be a matter of time before the Syndicate is driven into our waiting arms." He chuckled, beaming with pride at the plan he and the others had crafted. "Just keep at the satellite monitoring, Skeptic- I know Kurogiri's meta-ability makes your job more difficult, but I have faith that you'll track down their remaining bases soon enough. Trumpet, Curious- any updates for me?"

"My apologies for questioning Skeptic's actions, sir." Hanabata bowed his head before continuing. "Everything is going as planned in the National Diet. Our messaging has been strengthened significantly by the Syndicate's actions and the governing party's perceived weakness- we've been quite successful at casting them as incompetent, lax on security, and too tightly wed to the hero industry. Pandora's warning about the economy couldn't have been better timed either- we've been attacking their policies for years, and now that she's given her doomsday prophecy about another bubble, people are finally starting to listen. I've been pushing for a general election this summer with every backchannel I have, and after Okinawa, we have the support we need. The government will call for one by June, July at the latest- they can't afford not to."

"And I, for one, can't wait to publish a tell-all biography about your career once you become the youngest prime minister in Japanese history," Curious added eagerly. "My readers are just going to eat it up, I know it! I should go ahead and start taking statements from you now, at this rate."

"Let's not count our chicks before they hatch, Kizuki. It's true that I've been whipping up support for this moment for years, but it's not over until the ballots are in."

"That part's easy enough with electronic voting machines," Skeptic interjected. "If Shinkyu falls short of an outright majority, I can always tweak the results, now that the government is finally contracting FGI for the equipment."

"As long as the numbers still look natural," Yotsubashi chided, wagging his finger in Tomoyasu's direction. "I won't have any reports coming out alleging foul play. If we go that route, we do it with the appropriate subtlety; I'd rather not have to arrange a series of convenient, fatal accidents among our nation's investigative journalists, if I can help it. But to return to our more immediate challenges- Curious, what is Devout's current status?"

"She's been making steady progress in her meetings with Toga Himiko," Chitoze replied, pulling out a notepad and flipping to the relevant page. "As far as we can tell, no one in the Syndicate is aware of her true allegiance, and they've continued to actively court her for recruitment. Carmilla still hasn't formally revealed her identity yet, nor has she introduced Devout to any other Syndicate personnel, but that's not a problem- we're trying to take things slowly but surely, in order to avoid arousing any suspicions by seeming too eager. At this rate, I predict she'll move ahead to the next phase by the end of the month, or possibly sooner if today's meeting goes well- I'm still waiting for her report."

"Very good. Continue to push forward on that front while we wait for Seraph to make his reply. I have full confidence in Devout's abilities; she's served us well as a soldier of Liberation for quite some time. If she's skilled enough to fool U.A., I'm sure the Syndicate will prove none the wiser."

---

Graduation Day

Tokyo, Roppongi Hills

"I don't get why we couldn't be doing this up on a scenic rooftop like last time," Twice complained, his arms crossed in impatience as Longshot continued to work methodically on Seraph's augmentations. "We got to do these epic, brooding poses during the sunrise, it was the best! This place is just depressing- so cozy!"

Jin's two voices reverberated grating off the room's unfinished concrete walls, and Midoriya closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying his best to remain calm and even-toned in his reply as his artificial fist curled in annoyance.

"As I explained during our last briefing, we have to avoid moving outdoors in this city whenever possible, thanks to our new friends from Deika- there are too many of Feel Good Inc.'s street cameras scattered around for us to get by without the risk of detection, ever since the municipal government signed that contract with them. The same goes for our base in Yokohama- it's clearly been compromised, seeing as there's been an FGI satellite pointed directly at it for the past few days. We're only keeping a skeleton crew of Overhaul's men there to keep up the impression that we haven't caught onto their tracking methods. It's tiresome, I know, but all these precautions will be well worth it in the end."

In all fairness, Seraph understood Twice's concerns, even if he took issue with the way they'd been raised. It was frustrating to be forced back into the shadows so soon after they'd emerged into the light; their advance squad was currently setting up shop on an empty floor of a half-completed high rise located in one of Tokyo's richest and hippest neighborhoods, with a perfect view of U.A. High School in the far distance.

"Why are we even going through with this plan when we're being watched by a bunch of scary, rich new bad guys?" La Brava muttered, her eyes fixed on the screen of her laptop as she nuzzled her head against Gentle's knee. Twice had made a clone of him to comfort her shortly after she awoke, and though the act had eased Aiba's mind enough for her to return to work, her thoughts were clearly still with the real Tobita. If only I'd thought of it sooner, Midoriya mused, watching as the duplicate patted her head and knelt down to give her a few words of encouragement. Perhaps it would have been best to lie to her about his kidnapping all along.

"What if they get angry that we've been ignoring them for so long?" Manami continued sullenly, finally casting her gaze in Izuku's direction. "What if they get impatient after seeing the news reports from today, and hurt my Gentle?"

"I'm quite certain that won't come to pass, darling," the double reassured her, a winning grin on his face. "I know myself rather well, and if I had to guess how the other me is faring, I'd say he's already well on his way to charming them over to our side, perhaps even sharing a pot of tea with that gangly CEO! And speaking of tea, would you care for another cup? Yours has gone cold, I see- a tragedy!" He held out a thermos in her direction, but Aiba kept her eyes locked on Midoriya.

"Our rivals are careful and calculating," he answered, "masters of patience and measured, intelligent deception. I may not have met them in person, but I can assure you that they aren't so rash and short-sighted as to kill a valuable hostage in a sudden temper tantrum. You ask why we haven't canceled or postponed the operation, given the Deika Group's sudden appearance? As far as I'm concerned, that would be nothing less than a capitulation, an admission that they have us cornered. They need to understand that they won't shape my actions, now or in the future- rather, it's the other way around. We'll force them to react to our moves, just as we've done with the heroes these past few weeks."

"Another day, another inspiring speech." Hatsume chuckled as she fastened on one of the last servos of the custom exosuit Seraph would be wearing today, and wiped the sweat and grease from her brow with the back of her glove. "I swear, there's no way you just come up with all of this on the fly. Is Momo writing them for you? I bet she is."

The sound of approaching footsteps drew Izuku's attention before he could reply, and he glanced up to find Mustard in the doorway, his mask's red eyes glowing menacingly in the shadows. "The perimeter is secure, sir. Dark Shadow is stationed by the elevators as you ordered, but we have all points of ingress fully locked down and monitored."

"What the kid said, basically," Dabi drawled, stepping up beside the younger villain with a bored expression. "Setsuno and his boys are still combing the upper floors. I don't know why you're so worried, no one's gonna be looking for us here."

"You know how I hate the thought of interruptions," Midoriya chided. "Especially when a task requires so much of my concentration. Is it all ready, Mei?"

"As it'll ever be! I ran a test drive last night and it worked like a charm! Isn't just the cutest baby?"

"As long as it's functional, the aesthetics are hardly relevant." Seraph flexed his arms back and forth, testing the strength of the motors. Fitted over his clothes, the metal exoskeleton was noticeably thinner than his usual bracers, with sensors at every joint as well as at his temples; rather than combat, it had been specifically designed to transmit his neural signals directly to the Baku implant in Uraraka's brain. With the two support items working in concert, he could be present on U.A.'s campus without ever setting a foot there, a convenient workaround of the school's heightened DNA security system.

Once he was sure it was working properly, he made his way to the center of the room, and stepped onto a circular treadmill platform around two meters in diameter that would allow him to move freely inside the limited space they had on hand.

"Alright, what's our timeframe?"

"Precisely thirty-one minutes until mission start!" Monoma proclaimed, one of his numerous stopwatches in hand as he strode confidently through one of Kurogiri's portals. "Everything is moving exactly to schedule! Carmilla and Mr. Compress have seamlessly infiltrated the crowd of reporters outside the gates, and the secondary vantage point is ready for you whenever you're done here, Longshot." Stepping forward as the warp gate closed behind him, Chaudron set his laptop on a nearby workbench, flipped it open, and began to scroll through his messages with a twisted grin. "And it seems our Recruits are all in place too! They've been keeping up with me so diligently all morning- the fireworks have all been set. All that's left for us to do is wait for the show to begin."

---

"So, as I was saying… my running theory is that this latest, um… 'transformation' is another aspect of the evolution my quirk underwent two years ago. So in the same way that my body evolved a second ability to help give me another outlet for the power in my hands, I think these tendrils are something along the same lines. Probably."

Kendo Itsuka had never been very good at lying, a fact which made explaining away her acquisition of One For All a near insurmountable task back when she'd first inherited it. It wasn't exactly a skill that had improved with time either, as her latest attempt to explain Blackwhip to a skeptical Aizawa clearly indicated.

"…I see," Eraserhead replied coolly, his arms crossed. His face, as usual, was an emotionless mask, but it seemed even he was hard-pressed to keep the disbelief out of his voice. "So let me get this straight, Kendo- you're telling me that you now possess a third quirk, on top of the miracle super-strength evolution you acquired during your first year?"

"…Are you going to be mad if my answer is 'maybe'?"

Silence, long and uncomfortable. Itsuka shifted in her chair, and popped her uniform's collar- though the sky was grey and cloudy, it was a humid, muggy afternoon, warm for early April. All day the weather had teetered at the brink of rain, but when Battle Fist glanced out the open window of Eraserhead's office, the sun was struggling to shine through overhead, and it looked as if the clouds might clear. After postponing their conversation about her new power since the day of the final exam, Aizawa had finally summoned her the day of commencement. As they spoke, she couldn't help but notice that Shota looked even more ragged and weary than usual; his dark circles were especially pronounced, and his unkempt stubble was darker and thicker. Has he been working more night shifts lately?

"Well I'm not much of a quirk scientist myself," Kendo continued haltingly once she'd collected her thoughts, "but to me this seems like a case of-"

"Answer me honestly," Eraser interrupted, locking eyes with her, "is this connected with All Might's death?"

"I… What do you mean?" Itsuka tried to keep the shock from her voice, but she knew full well that once Aizawa seized upon the trail, fooling him would be next to impossible. After all, she'd only managed to keep the charade up these past two years thanks to All Might's careful intervention on her behalf whenever the question was raised.

"Please, no more games. I don't have the patience for those anymore." Eraser closed his eyes and rubbed at the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "I'm not one to sing my own praises, Kendo, but at the very least I can say that I have a talent for observation- I can tell when someone's keeping a secret. You, All Might, and Principal Nezu- for the past two years I've been watching the way you three interact, and it didn't take long for me to realize that you all knew something the rest of us didn't- something about your power. It doesn't take a genius to put together the dots from there- your quirk miracle happened right when Toshinori started to take an interest in you, and now this third ability has shown up just weeks after his death. You can't expect me to believe that this is just a string of coincidences." Shota sighed deeply, rubbed at his bloodshot eyes, and took a long sip from his mug of coffee.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't be asking you this directly, not at such a critical time. I reached out to Nezu first; even more than Yagi, he was the one who stepped in whenever a reporter got too nosy about your special circumstances. But he's practically gone off the grid since his resignation, and I can hardly blame him. With the principal unavailable and All Might gone, you're the only one left I can talk to. So please, Battle Fist, I'll ask you one more time- for your own safety and everyone else's, tell me what's going on."

Another stretch of silence followed, longer than the first. At first Kendo's mind was racing to find a possible escape from the corner she'd been backed into, but the longer she reflected on Aizawa's words, the more a different solution began to present itself. 'You're the only one left'- he's not wrong. All that time I was following All Might's guidance, but I'm the sole master of this power now, and the circumstances have changed faster than anyone could have anticipated. There were only a few people my master considered worthy of knowing the secret, but now it's my turn to decide. I can make the choice.

Itsuka lifted her gaze back up from the ground to meet Eraser's, her thoughts drifting back to all that he'd taught her, all the times he'd fought for her, all the times he'd saved her skin. If I can't trust him, then who can I? At last she cleared her throat, and began to speak.

"The name of the quirk I inherited two years ago is 'One For All'."

---

It took a good twenty minutes of explanation to satisfy Aizawa, but in the end, he took the revelations as well as Kendo could have hoped, with patient understanding and a solemn vow to keep the information confidential.

"I'll need more time to process all the details," he was saying, glancing down at his watch, "but we're on a tight timeframe for today's events- you need to join your classmates and get into your cap and gown if you don't want to be late. We'll have more time to discuss this after the ceremonies."

"Aren't you coming down too?" She asked, when Shota didn't follow her to the door. Pretty sure they want all you teachers assembled soon too."

"I won't be on the stage," Aizawa answered curtly, turning back to the screen of his computer. "I've been assigned to security for today, along with Ectoplasm and Hound Dog. They'll be making perimeter patrols as usual, but I'll be working all the cameras and electronic systems from the security suite in this building, making sure they don't miss any hidden threats. After the Black Day, and all the negative press this school's accumulated over the past few weeks, we need this graduation to go well. It's the least we can do for the students and families who have stuck with us through all the hardships."

Kendo nodded quietly, her thoughts drifting to the opinion polls in the paper, and the growing majority who held U.A. responsible for the rise of the Syndicate, even for the death of All Might. A student was still missing, taken by the enemy, with two more severely injured and one scarred by her hostage experience.

"Aizawa-sensei…" Itsuka found herself lingering in the threshold, her grip tight on the doorframe. "What's going to happen to U.A., after this year is over? What's the next semester going to look like for the underclassmen?"

"I can't…" Eraserhead trailed off midsentence, and sighed again in defeat. "Well, I suppose I did just demand the truth from you. I'll return the favor, just this once, under the same condition- keep this between us, no matter what. What I'm about to tell you is from one hero to another, not from teacher to student."

"Understood, sir."

Aizawa shook his head almost imperceptibly, and for a moment she swore she saw genuine sadness flash briefly across his expression.

"It was a done deal the moment six former students introduced themselves as villains- we're just lucky that all our alumni in the government and Hero Commission were kind enough to give us through the end of the academic year. There won't be a next semester. Effective at midnight tonight, U.A. will close permanently."

---

"Oh man, these gowns are amazing- they're even more gorgeous than I imagined!"

Uraraka Ochako couldn't contain her excitement as she twirled back and forth in front of the bathroom mirror, letting the smooth, silky blue material of her graduation gown flow along behind her. Her heart had been pounding all morning, as reality finally began to set in: she was graduating from the school of her dreams, and in less than a week, she'd be starting as a sidekick in the office of a top ten hero. After all the pain and suffering she'd gone through in the past few weeks, all the hurt and betrayal, there was a light at the end of the tunnel after all. They tried to break me, but the joke's on them. In the end, I still get to be a hero.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and knew instinctively that it was Tsuyu even before she glanced back up to the mirror.

"You look pretty," Asui croaked, a smile on her face. Motioning for Ochako to sit down on their couch, she began to brush her roommate's hair as she spoke. "We've gotta hurry up, though, we're supposed to be assembling in the gym in less than ten minutes. Are your parents going to be here today?"

"Yep, and my grandparents too!" Uraraka beamed. "They saved up for half a year to make sure the whole family could come, and after the ceremony we're going out for yakiniku! I'm so excited, I've only ever had it once before in my whole life!"

"I wish you'd told me before that you like it- I would've treated you on your birthday or something, there are plenty of good places around here."

"No no no, there's no way I could've let you do that!" Ochako protested, her eyes wide. In her three years at U.A., she'd always taken special care to make sure her friends never felt obligated to pay for her on account of her family's financial situation. This had rung especially true since her rescue from Syndicate captivity; just days afterward, a group of Ryukyu's fans had tried to start a fundraiser for her, but she'd donated all the money to charities in the end.

"Will you still keep saying that even after you start making a real salary next week?" Asui countered inquisitively as she settled Uraraka's graduation cap on her head. "Or are you just going to save all that money like your internship stipends?"

"Well obviously I can't save all of it." Ochako smiled, and reached around behind her to wrap a hand around Tsuyu's. "I've gotta pay my half of the rent for our apartment."

They'd come to the final decision about their housing around two months ago, and were set to move in in just four days. It was a modestly sized studio in a modestly priced area, but centrally located enough that their work commute wouldn't be a nightmare. Asui's smile widened in the mirror, and one she finished adjusting her cap, Uraraka stood and wrapped her in a deep hug.

"Promise me you'll let me treat you to dinner at least once?"

"I'll think about it," Ochako answered with a grin, as Tsu rested her head in the crook of her shoulder. "I mean, I gotta see that paycheck for myself first, before I make any commitments!" Then she glanced over at the clock on their microwave, and hastily broke off the embrace.

"Crap, you were right, we really are about to be late! Let's go, before we get yelled at!"

"Sure thing, I'm right behind you!"

They burst out into the hallway within moments; thankfully, they still weren't the last ones leaving, and quickly joined Kaminari, Ashido, Ojiro, and Hagakure's group to head down.

"Yo, guys, hold up a second," Denki hissed once the six of them were alone in the stairwell, a wide grin on his face. "Check this out." He reached into the folds of his gown and produced a water bottle- at least, that was what it appeared to be until Mina grabbed it with a conspiratorial smirk, took a sip, and let out a whoop.

"Oh man, you're a lifesaver- no way I could make it through today sober. What did you put in this?"

"Gin and tonic, nice and simple- looks just like water too. You guys want some?"

"Whoa, are you for real?" Ojiro's eyes widened. "Drinking right before graduation? That's pretty risky, man…"

"Think of it as celebrating" Chargebolt replied, then took a sip for himself before extending the bottle towards Lightwave. "We're about to do something pretty amazing today, so I feel like we've earned this. Plus, I'm sure a lot of us will be with our families tonight, so we may not have a chance to go out together afterward."

"You make a convincing argument," Toru giggled, taking the bottle and gulping down a sizable amount before her boyfriend could object. "Here, you have some too, babe!"

"If you're sure it's okay," Mashirao replied, blushing intensely as she pressed it into his hands. He began to drink reluctantly at first, but quickened his pace with Hagakure and Kaminari's encouragement, and the bottle was half empty when he passed it along towards Asui.

"This is a pretty risky move, even for you," Tsu said evenly, staring down the liquid with an inscrutable expression. "I know it's our last day, but Aizawa won't hesitate to expel us if he catches us drunk at the ceremony."

"Well lucky for us, he's not gonna be there!" Piped in Mina, her expression and tone giddy- as usual she was a lightweight. "Denki overheard the teachers talking about how he's working security today, so he won't even be around to bust us! It's gonna be Present Mic and Midnight escorting us to the stage, and we both know neither of them cares."

"That doesn't make it okay… but I guess a little sip won't hurt." Froppy reluctantly took a drink, then held the bottle out in Uravity's direction. "Do you want some, Ochako? Don't feel pressured."

"No worries, I can handle it."

If even Tsu and Ojiro are drinking, what's the harm? She thought, lifting it to her lips and bracing herself for the taste. The drink was noticeably strong, but still smooth and sweet, and Uraraka found herself taking a longer draw than she intended before finally handing it back to Denki, nearly empty.

"Sorry, I meant to save more! You brought it, after all, and there's barely and left for you…"

"Ah, don't worry, I'm well prepared." Kaminari produced two more identical bottles, then concealed them back in his gown. "Don't worry, I've got more than enough for the rest of the class, if they want some. One is vodka soda, and the other is straight sake- I can't tell which is which, but I guess I'll just figure it out on the fly. It wouldn't be fair if only a few of us got the graduation booze, right?"

"That's awesome, you thought of everything!" Hagakure bounced up and down with glee, then let out a yelp when she checked the time on her phone. "Oh crap, we've gotta get moving, guys, we're already late!"

A few minutes of clumsy running-in-gowns later, they were nearing the main building's central gymnasium, but slowed their pace when they caught sight of the other students still mingling and socializing through the open double doors.

"Okay, maybe we're not screwed after all," Mina panted, straightening her lopsided cap before plunging inside and greeting Jiro and Kendo with a surprise hug. The others followed close behind her, and Ochako was about to join them when a shiver raced up her spine without warning, and her hairs began to stand on end. In an instant the sensation of being submerged overwhelmed her, like she'd just been plunged into a tub of water; despite how strange it felt, Uraraka couldn't shake a sense of uncanny familiarity, like she'd been through this before- in a dream, or a nightmare. Her breath quickened, and she tried to reach out, call to Tsuyu and the others, but suddenly her arms wouldn't move the way she wanted them to, no matter how much she strained. In fact, no part of her body was responding to her efforts- even her eyes were still fixed staring blankly forward, and her voice had vanished. Then a sudden jolt of electricity rushed through her, and all at once Ochako's body began to move again- her eyes blinked, her arms flexed back and forth, and her voice emerged in a quiet sigh. For a brief, fleeting moment, she felt a rush of relief- until she realized with creeping dread that the movements were not her own.

W-what? What is this? I don't understand! Her mind cried out in confusion, but to no avail- her body ignored her commands, and Uraraka could only watch, horrified as she jogged up to Asui and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm just gonna run to the bathroom before things start- my stomach's feeling kinda weird. Save a spot for me, okay?"

The voice was hers- the words, those of a stranger.

"Will do." Tsu replied, then turned around and continued towards the center of the gym, where the rest of their friends were waiting. Ochako wanted desperately to yell at her to stay, to get help, but nothing she tried worked- she was trapped in her own head, reduced to a spectator as her body turned and left the room. It has to be someone's quirk. I don't know of any underclassmen or staff members with an ability like this, so a villain is the most like explanation. Could it be Synapse?! I talked with the others the whole way over here- if he's hidden somewhere with his voice disguiser, maybe I accidentally responded to him at some point! The more she thought about it, the more Shinso's Brainwashing seemed like the likeliest culprit, but this level of control seemed far too precise; all the reports on his quirk clearly stated that he couldn't carry out commands as sophisticated as making his victims speak. Even if he'd conquered that hurdle, video footage captured from numerous incidents showed that Brainwashing always left telltale signs on the victims, such as a blank stare and sluggish movements. There's no way someone as perceptive as Tsu wouldn't have noticed! Could his quirk have undergone some sort of evolution since the Black Day?

The slam of a door dragged her back to reality- she was in a bathroom, but not the closest one to the gym, judging by the position of the window. This is the restroom on the third floor- why bring me here? Uraraka felt curiosity mixing in with her fear, and resolved to stay as alert as possible, so that she could include every last detail in her report once she escaped. All it'll take is a solid bump, and I'll be free. Even someone patting me on the back would probably be enough! I just need to be patient, until he slips up. Meanwhile, her body had moved to the farthest stall, and was crouched down, reaching for something behind the toilet.

"I'm sure you have a variety of incorrect theories about what's happening to you right now," her voice said aloud, as her lips twisted into a smirk. "Perhaps you believe a quirk is behind this- Hitoshi's would be the logical candidate, yes? Allow me to disabuse you of that notion."

Behind the toilet, her hand wrapped around something cold and metallic, and yanked it from its tape wrapping with a swift tug. It was a knife, long and sharp, gleaming in the dull light. Ochako felt her heart rate quicken at the sight, though in hindsight she wasn't certain whether it her own doing or the villain's. Rising to her feet, Uravity watched in shock as she dragged the blade along her own arm, opening a cut that spilled a steady stream of blood to the floor.

"Ah, there we are. Hopefully you're beginning to grasp your situation now, Ochako. This is not a quirk, something that can be undone by exploiting a convenient weakness. Hatsume and Chisaki spent a long time making sure this chip was foolproof- there is no escape."

Something about the deliberate cadence and mocking tone of the words set off an alarm in Uraraka's mind; she realized almost immediately who was controlling her body, and felt an immediate surge of revulsion at the thought. Oh, god. It can't be, not him…

But when she strode up to the mirror, there was no mistaking the twisted grin on her lips, or the dark glint in her eyes. Though the features were still Ochako's, it was Midoriya's face staring back at her, not her own.

"I know you're in there, watching, caged like an animal in your own mind. I must admit, I wish I could speak with you directly, just to listen to you realize how hopeless your situation truly is, bit by bit! But as tempting as it would be to give you back your vocal chords for a few moments, we couldn't have you calling for help, now could we?" He paused for a beat, as if waiting for her to reply, then chuckled and shook her head. "Old habits die hard, I suppose. But let me assure you- I'm thrilled that we can spend this quality time together. I never properly repaid you for your kind words of encouragement, after all!"

Izuku tore off a sheet of paper towels from the holder and wiped the blood from the wound on Ochako's arm- it had already stained her gown, but he paid that little heed.

"Now, let's not delay any longer- it's almost time." He twirled the knife elegantly in hand, then tucked it into her gown and strode confidently into the hallway. "We're going to have a wonderful time together, you and I. It's so lovely to be on campus again- what a rush of nostalgia! Who shall we visit first?"

---

And thus the second major Syndicate operation begins. This will likely be a 2-3 parter, just like the chapters covering the Black Day, although narratively, it isn't actually the Season 2 finale- that's going to come together in due time. Regardless, I tried to include a good variety of perspectives and events this chapter, featuring a Kendo-Inko heart-to-heart, a long-needed conversation with Aizawa about One For All, and an update from our two suffering MLA hostages! The Gentle and Re-Destro parts were by far my favorite to write (besides Camie's dialogue, of course), so among everything else, please let me know if you'd like to see more from the MLA! It's lit, fam.

Also, the Baku finally comes into play, and damn, I'd be lying if I told you that writing that scene from Uraraka's POV wasn't difficult- hopefully it was clear what was going on, even if the wording gets a bit tricky! What's on Midoriya's agenda now that he has full control of a U.A. student? All will be revealed in good time, but I always appreciate your guesses and feedback!

As I mentioned above, I'm going to be trying to transition to shorter chapters from here on out, to try and make sure I get content out on a more regular basis. I've learned my lesson on making promises on release dates, but my goal is to drop at least 2-3 total chapters in November, divided between Entropy and Rhapsody in Green. On a final note, if you were early in catching Chapter 19 last month, you may want to check out some edits I made a while back, particularly to Izuku and Momo's conversation, which I was feeling unsatisfied with after the fact.

Otherwise, happy Season 4, and as always, let me know what you think about the story in the reviews!