To all those who lost their lives in the Kyoto Animation Arson Attack.
May you rest in peace.
To all those who were injured.
Have a swift recovery.
To all those who are grieving for their losses.
Stay safe.
Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia
Hades: Shita's Office
Shita's office was the equivalent of a tailor. He had sowing machines, shelves with different fabrics and materials, mannequins with different outfits on them, and a large wardrobe filled with outfits he had designed.
Despite not having fully recovered from Shiro's speech, Tenya's jaw dropped the minute they entered. His eyes cast around the room at its layout and the different outfits.
"You made all these," Tenya finally managed to say.
Shita nodded proudly. "Yup, this floor is divided up into three parts based on the structure of the building. This is the men's clothes section; the room from my right is the women's section, and the room to my left is the support section where I design and make support gear for members. I like to keep things separate for the right environment."
"Wow, just wow," was all Tenya could say.
"I know right," Hayai exclaimed. "Of all the things you'd expect Hades main base of operations to have this wouldn't be one of them. I mean seriously, why would villains need to be stylish?"
"It's important for everyone to dress their best, villains included," Shita calmly retorted. "Besides, if heroes can save the world and look great while doing it, then why can't villains do the same? As I keep telling everyone."
Hayai knew it was pointless to argue with Shita on this. The boy was a beast when it came to fashion.
"After all, heroes and villains are two sides of the same coin, and if that's the case then doesn't it stand to reason that their style of clothes should match their image," Shita lectured them. "A hero costume is a symbol of who a hero is, their personality, and what they are capable of. The same can be said for villains. Take All for One for instance; his villain costume was a tailor-made suit accompanied by a black mask, which helped display a sense of sophistication as well as give off an aroma of power and authority he had over the League of Villains, all while adding an element of mystery to his character."
Tenya considered this for a moment. Shita did kind of have a point though he had never considered it. However, there was something he said in his speech that piqued his curiosity.
"That thing you just said about heroes and villains being two sides of the same coin, that's a belief Best Jeanist follows," Tenya remembered having heard it from Tensei. "Are you a fan of his perhaps?"
Shita chuckled. "You could say that. Enough about me though. Your outfit isn't going to make itself."
"What did you have in mind?" Tenya asked politely.
Shita walked up to Tenya and examined him from top to bottom before stepping back and putting one thumb and finger together like a camera and started pondering over the different possibilities. He then went over to his desk and took out some measuring tape.
"I have a few ideas," he admitted. "As far as villainous goes, I've got an idea for one that will make you look intimidating and at the same time handsome. I'll need to take a few measurements first."
"It's definitely going to be better than what you usually wear," Hayai chimed in. "No offence but that whole knight in shining armour outfit really doesn't suit you."
Tenya felt a little offended at that. That costume had been part of his family since the age of heroes began.
"What do you mean it doesn't suit me. That costume has been in my family for generations. My brother wore it, my father wore it, my grandparents wore it," Tenya argued. "It's the signature and symbolic image of the Turbo Hero Ingenium."
"A mantle which you're supposed to take up now," Hayai interrupted.
Tenya nodded with a defiant look in his eyes.
"Look Iida, it's not a bad costume, but like Hayai I don't think it's one suited for you," Shita explained, much to the student's confusion. "The armour, from what I can tell is light and reduces wind resistance, but that's all it does. Most of it is for decoration, except for the boots which I'm assuming have components built in to enhance your quirk and abilities since your quirk is in your legs."
Tenya's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Shita to know so much about his hero costume.
"Also, there's the matter of your brother," Shita continued. "What if his accident never happened? What then?"
Tenya tilted his head in confusion.
"What do you mean? He would still be a hero obviously," Tenya declared. "He would be out rescuing people and making sure no one got hurt or worse, die."
"In other words, he would still be Ingenium, right?" Hayai asked.
Tenya nodded his head in confirmation.
"Then what would that make you?" Hayai asked much to the boy's confusion. "Just his little brother? The fan that copied him?"
"Iida I'm not an expert on this sort of thing but, I don't think there could be two Ingeniums at the same time," Shita pointed out. "You couldn't be Ingenium because your brother already was."
Tenya felt his entire body go numb as realisation struck him like a giant wrecking ball. A feeling of idiocy crept over him like a wave.
"If your brother was still a hero, you'd have to pick a different hero name, though I'm not sure if you actually thought of one," Shita said.
Tenya didn't say anything, he wasn't sure how to respond.
"Look Iida, it's nice that you want to follow in your family's, or more specifically Tensei's, footsteps and be a hero, however, I think you should become one on your own terms," Hayai explained earning Tenya's attention. "Be the hero you want to be with your own image, name, and values. Don't copy them, be your own hero."
"Be my own hero, the hero I want to be," Tenya repeated slowly.
The idea of being a hero that didn't match up with his family's image seemed bizarre and abnormal, yet at the same time, appealing.
He had never even considered the idea of being a hero that was separate from the one his family embodied.
For him, it had only been Ingenium, and nothing more. But perhaps there was another path he could take; one he had not noticed until now.
Hayai could tell he was seriously considering it, which was a good thing. He had nothing against heroes or their families but just because someone came from a hero family didn't mean they had to be the exact same hero like them.
"I don't know if it's possible, but I'd like to at least try," Tenya admitted. He then turned to face Shita. "Could you make me something that would help with that? For this outfit, I don't want anything metallic, unless it's boots that will assist with my quirk. And, while I'm not too sure about a helmet, could I get goggles? There will still be wind when I run, and I don't want it to affect my vision. Also, regarding the colour, could you make it navy or black? I just thought I'd try something different for a change if that's alright?"
Shita beamed at the request. "Of course. It's always good to try something different."
"Unless it's not," Hayai joked, earning him a look.
From Hayai's perspective, Tenya was adapting to his new environment better than he hoped. While he was curious about the relationship between him and his brother he would wait until Tenya wanted to talk more about it.
"That reminds me, we need to tell you about Deku," Hayai realised.
Shita glanced at him. Tenya took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Please tell me everything," he requested. "From start to finish."
Itsuka Kendo
Kendo was walking back to her friends, albeit rather slowly. She was still depressed and shocked at what had happened earlier, both to Ibara and with Uwabami.
"Shiozaki," she murmured softly. "She must be traumatised after what happened."
She was concerned for her friend's well-being and decided to go and see her at the hospital later since she doubted Ibara would be returning tonight.
The vine haired girl was going to need therapy to help her recover. Kendo only hoped that such a person existed in this place. Hades had doctors, why not therapists as well.
Her mind then wandered to Uwabami, causing her to growl.
In addition to being sad, Kendo was filled with rage over what had occurred with both Uwabami and Kyo.
Kyo had broken her friend and made her feel helpless and powerless beyond all levels.
And Uwabami, after seeing her for what she truly was had destroyed whatever faith she had in heroes and forced her to face the hard truth, the only way they were ever going to escape Hades, or at least survive it, was to do it themselves.
She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts she failed to notice someone in front of her while walking. Leading to a collision.
"Ow," the person she bumped into groaned. "Hey, watch where you're going!"
"Sorry," Kendo apologised quickly. "I'm a little distracted today."
She took a moment to examine the person in front of her. It was a boy, roughly around thirteen, wearing a black gakuran school uniform, with short, wavy brown hair, and sky-blue eyes.
"Obviously," he snapped. "What's with y-" That's when he got a good look at Kendo and his eyes widened in recognition. He stepped back and pointed his right index finger at her. "YOU! What are you doing here?"
Kendo blinked. Did she know this person? She couldn't remember ever meeting him. Maybe he knew who she was from the Sports Festival, though that was a long shot considering how little she stood out during the tournament.
"I'm sorry but, who are you?" Kendo asked trying to figure out his identity.
Several tick marks appeared on the boy's head. He was really upset now. This girl had the audacity to forget him, despite what he had done. Well, he would gladly remind her.
"Seriously, you don't know who I am," Kendo shrugged. It wasn't like she had a perfect memory. "Ugh, I guess you can't expect someone attending a prestigious school like UA to bother remembering someone as insignificant as me. All that pampering they do to you can go to your head."
Kendo blinked. Those words and that condescending attitude sounded familiar. She knew it, she just couldn't think of where.
"You'd think you'd remember someone who shot at you and your friend," the boy continued.
The second he said that something clicked inside Kendo's mind. She remembered during the training camp when she and her classmates were attacked by the League of Villains.
There was a villain wearing a gas mask that unleashed a poisonous fog rendering most of them unconscious. That was until she and Tetsutetsu stopped him. That fight hadn't been easy, especially with that psycho using a gun that nearly killed them both.
That same villain was now right here in front of her.
"Now do you remember me?" the boy asked in a mocking tone.
Kendo remained silent and motionless for several seconds.
Mustard was beginning to wonder if she remembered, though the look on her face made him think that she did.
Without warning, Kendo tightened her right fist and punched square in the jaw. Mustard, who was a little but not entirely surprised at her reaction, staggered to the side. Kendo didn't stop. She grabbed him by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall, with her elbow right to his neck.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Kendo demanded. "Aren't you supposed to be in prison or someplace?"
Mustard groaned. "Nice to see you too."
"Answer me!" Kendo demanded already getting irritated with him.
Mustard shot her a bored and unimpressed look. Raising his finger, he pointed to the collar that was around his neck.
"You're a slave here?" Kendo asked incredulously while keeping him pinned against the wall.
"No, I just happen to be passing through that's all," Mustard responded sarcastically. "Of course, I'm a slave. What do you think this collar is for? You think I'm wearing it for show."
"Alright sorry, I was just surprised that's all," Kendo replied still irritated.
The two looked each other in the eye, neither blinking nor breaking the silence.
Mustard was genuinely surprised that Kendo was here. Yesterday he heard about some new arrivals from Umi, but he was too busy to ask about them.
He'd spent the night at Rika's lab where he provided her with a significant dose of sleep gas from his quirk so that she could make sleep grenades for Hades' members.
The process of which involved him stepping into a tank with a gas mask on and unleashing his quirk where the air vents then sucked it away and stored it in a container.
His quirk was the reason Shiro wanted him in the first place, the reason Shiro broke him out when he was being transferred to prison.
Under normal circumstances, he would have felt flattered that someone saw value in his abilities. However, the whole electrocuting/exploding collar that symbolised that he was no longer a free man kind of dampened the mood.
"Okay, would you let me go?" Mustard requested. "I promise I won't hurt you or use my quirk. If I did do that then I would end up falling asleep too, so there's really no point."
Kendo hesitated briefly before releasing him. During her fight with this guy, Tetsutetsu pointed out that the reason he was wearing a mask was that he wasn't immune to his own quirk, so she could tell he wasn't a major threat to her, for the moment.
"Thank you," Mustard said as he caught his breath. "It seems you're intelligent enough to know I'm telling the truth. Guess attending a prestigious school has made you a little smarter, despite how much they pamper you for the world of heroes."
Kendo rolled her eyes. He hadn't changed a bit since the last time she saw him. Then again it had only been a few weeks.
"Maybe," she murmured softly. "Maybe we are pampered, maybe a bit too much."
Mustards eyes widened. He hadn't expected her to agree with him.
"Can I ask you something?" Kendo asked Mustard.
Uncertain and confused by her behaviour, Mustard just nodded his head in confirmation.
"Attending a school like a hero UA, and graduating from the hero course, do you believe that automatically makes someone a hero?" Kendo asked in a soft, yet depressed voice.
Mustard was taken back by her question.
"Honestly, no. To be a hero, you first have to act like one. That means you need to save and protect others, and it must be because you want to. Not because you want to be famous, or because you want money, although I will admit that heroes do need money to survive like any other citizen. You do it because you want to and nothing else. Simply attending and graduating from a place like UA or any other hero school doesn't automatically make someone a hero unless they fulfil the other requirements," Mustard explained. "At least that's what I believe."
Kendo stared at him dumbfounded. Even though she asked the question she hadn't expected such a serious and well-defined answer from him.
Thinking about it carefully she realised he was right. That was what made someone a hero. Fame and wealth (though necessary to survive) shouldn't have been part of it.
"Okay, what the hell happened to you?" Mustard demanded not liking her attitude. "You've become a much different person than when we first met. You're agreeing with me, and you're asking me about what makes someone a hero. Either you've got brain damage, or you went through some messed up shit that caused you to lose faith in heroes. So, which is it?"
"The second one," Kendo muttered quietly.
Mustard stood back in surprise. That was way too blunt and honest for his taste.
"What the hell happened?" he asked again.
At this point, Kendo couldn't hold it in any longer. She was sad and depressed, but she was also extremely angry, at Kyo, Uwabami, Shiro, but most of all she was angry at herself for her stupid beliefs and how useless she was when there was danger.
"YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? FINE! REALITY! THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! REALITY CAME AND BITCH SLAPPED RIGHT ACROSS THE FACE!" Kendo shouted letting all her emotions out. "I WAS COMPLETELY USELESS WHEN MY FRIEND WAS ALMOST RAPED AND THEN I LEARNED THAT HEROES DON'T REALLY EXIST! JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND CALLING THEMSELVES ONE! WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S NO ONE COMING TO HELP US! SO, IF I AND MY FRIENDS WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES!"
Kendo panted heavily after her rant. Mustard kept his distance from her and remained silent in fear that he might set her off.
He understood what she said but he didn't understand the context of it. The things she said had very different meanings.
Also, he didn't understand why but he sympathised with the way she was feeling. When he was a child no one ever helped him. He was made feel helpless and weak every day by people because his quirk was deemed dangerous and better suited for a villain. They took advantage of the fact that he couldn't, or rather wouldn't, fight back.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but, do you want to talk about it?" Mustard offered.
Kendo stared at him with both surprise and suspicion. She didn't see a reason why she should tell him anything. Then again, she didn't have a reason not to tell him since the entire city would likely hear about it later.
"Fine," she finally answered. The two of them sat down near a wall, their legs folded into their chests. "It started like this…..."
And so, Kendo explained everything that happened. From Kyo's attempted assault on Ibara, her confrontation with Uwabami, and what Shiro made her realise.
Mustard listened patiently, never once interrupting her. To say he was shocked was an understatement. Death and violence weren't uncommon here, but rape, that was expressly forbidden.
He never would have guessed Kyo was that sort of individual. Mustard had met Kyo two or three times, but the man always rubbed him the wrong way, he couldn't exactly explain it he just knew.
He was surprised that Uwabami was in Hades but not so much at what Shiro said about her. Most heroes were that way, though there were, albeit rarely, a few exceptions.
"Wow, that's, wow," was all Mustard could say. "You've had it rough, and it's only your first day."
"No kidding," Kendo responded dully. "I just feel so weak from all this. Furthermore, I'm so angry and frustrated right now but I don't know what to do with it all."
"You could try hitting something," Mustard suggested, causing Kendo to look up at him. "From what I've heard, a good way to deal with anger is to punch something so you let out all your frustrations. I don't know if it works or not but it's just a suggestion."
Kendo considered this for a moment. Maybe punching something would relieve her of her stress. Though what or who would she punch? There were several people she knew she wanted to do it too. Uwabami, Shiro, the members who ran this place, there were so many individuals.
'Wait a minute! Wasn't there a place in the North Section where that sort of thing is possible?' Kendo remembered. 'That's right. Umi and Utada took us there, and we got an angry response from a certain hot-headed individual.' The more she thought about it, the more appealing it sounded. It could also be considered stupid and reckless, but she didn't care right now. 'Let's try it. It's not like my life can get any worse, right?'
She stood up and started walking, with Mustard following her.
"Where are you going?" he asked curiously.
"To do what you suggested hit something or rather someone," Kendo answered honestly.
"And who would that be?" Mustard asked fearing the answer.
"I don't know. Whoever's currently fighting in the Pit in the North Section," Kendo stated.
Mustard stopped dead in his tracks.
"WHAT! Are you serious?" Kendo only nodded at his question while she paced forward. Mustard ran to catch up with her. "Look, erm, Kendo, was it? I know you're upset and all but, going there is a bad idea. The fights in the Pit aren't like the ones in the Arena. They are far more brutal because unlike the fights in the Arena, you aren't allowed to use your quirk, only your natural fighting ability."
"Fine by me," Kendo interrupted. "My quirk isn't the only thing I rely on. I learned how to fight long before I joined UA."
"You know there's a high chance that you'll come out of this either covered in blood, broken bones or missing teeth," Mustard warned her. "Are you really willing to risk it?"
Kendo gave a sad yet determined stare.
"Every second I'm in this place, my life is at risk. If I don't do this, then how can I even hope to survive," she explained. "You don't have to come with me, but I am going. And let that be the end of it."
Kendo walked towards the North Section with determination with Mustard following her. Despite not liking the idea, he also wanted to see where things went.
Izuku Midoriya
Izuku, having recovered from his previous ordeal the other night was taking out his classmates' trash as a way to distract himself and because he had nothing else better to do.
Hitoshi had returned to his own dorm when morning came, though he promised he would be by to check on Izuku later, something the latter felt okay with. Hitoshi had a feeling his own classmates would be wondering about where he was.
Unlike most individuals at this school, his classmates were tolerant of him and his quirk. While they were afraid of him at first, they gradually got used to his presence. Elena had also helped with improving their opinion of him.
That didn't mean they were friends; Elena was the only one who fit into that category.
Still, they were better than most of the assholes that attended this school.
Izuku continued towards the garbage dump at UA to dispose of what he was carrying. While walking his thoughts wandered back to yesterday.
'I think it's safe to say that was an eventful day, or perhaps that's an understatement,' Izuku pondered. 'Shino and Blade though. I wonder if Shiro counted on them failing. That man is unpredictable in so many ways. He always shows up when you least expect it. I wonder what else he's got planned. Now that he knows about the heroes plan to invade Hades and rescue the kidnapped victims he's sure to put up a strong defence. Things are about to get loud. Of that much I'm certain.'
He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice someone near to him in the wall, literally. A boy with blonde eyebrows and blue oval-shaped eyes, who was smiling as Izuku walked past.
Only when he came right next to him did Izuku notice him from the corner of his eye. The second he did, the other boy's smile widened.
"Trash am I right?" the boy asked politely.
Izuku blinked, clearly confused at what was happening.
The boy in the wall continued to smile as he brought his arm out and pointed in a certain direction.
"What are you doing? You know you can," he didn't get a chance to finish that sentence.
Acting on instinct, Izuku dropped the bags (which surprisingly didn't burst open), spun on his right leg and delivered a reverse turning kick to the persons face. Surprisingly his foot hit the wall, and there was no trace of the boy. Izuku rubbed his temple in frustration.
"I think I'm going crazy, though given everything that's happened I'm not surprised," Izuku lamented.
"You're not crazy," the boy reassured him, his face now appearing from the ground. "A little stressed maybe, but not crazy."
Izuku eyed him warily. Who was this guy? Was he an enemy? Did Shiro send him? Did Atrocity send him? And why did he seem so familiar?
"Who are you?" Izuku demanded getting into a fighting stance.
"Hmm, I'm not sure I should tell you since you'll be seeing me later," the boy admitted. "I'm sorry I startled you, even though it's what I was aiming for. From what I can tell though, you've got a fighting spirit."
Izuku glared at him. 'Fighting spirit huh? I'll show him fighting spirit.'
Izuku tried to stomp on the boy's face only for him to dodge. Then, for the next minute, a violent game of whack-a-mole ensued where Izuku constantly tried to hit his enemy while failing at each attempt.
"Who sent you? Shiro? Atrocity?" Izuku demanded while he stomped.
"Hahaha, those are some interesting questions," the boy laughed. "Your quite determined aren't you villain kid?" Izuku flinched. So, this guy knew who he was, which upped the boy's threat level. "Surprised I know. I've heard a lot about you, and I must say you've caught my interest. Don't worry. I'm not here on anyone's orders. I'm here of my own free will."
Izuku stared at him, not quite believing him.
"Could you at least tell me your name?" he requested.
"Sadly, no," the boy answered still smiling. "Don't worry my friend, you'll find out who I am soon enough."
He then disappeared beneath the ground leaving Izuku alone with the trash.
Izuku scowled. "Don't call me friend."
Inko Midoriya
Inko wasn't sure what to expect when she had been called into the school suddenly. She knew it was something related to her son. She wondered if it had been anything to do with what happened yesterday.
All those people, including the students at UA, had just vanished without a trace.
Even Katsuki had gone missing which concerned her. While it was true, she was furious at him for what he put Izuku through, but she didn't want anything terrible to happen to him.
She was concerned about Mitsuki and Masaru and how they were taking it. She would have gone around yesterday but she had been forced to return home.
She arrived at the gates to UA and proceeded inside using the special pass she received from Principal Nezu. Upon entering she headed towards the main building where someone was waiting for her.
"Greetings Mrs Midoriya. My name his Sekijiro Kan, aka Vlad King. I'm currently one of your son's homeroom teachers," Vlad introduced himself politely. "Please follow me."
"One of?" Inko asked quizzically. "Isn't Shota Aizawa, aka Eraserhead, the homeroom teacher of 1A?" Then she remembered he said currently. "Are you perhaps the homeroom teacher of class 1B? I heard they were caught in yesterday's awful incident and went missing as well."
Vlad raised an eyebrow. She was an observant woman, that much was obvious. It was clear where Midoriya got his observational skills from.
"That's correct. I'm the homeroom teacher for Class 1B," Vlad confirmed. "However, due to the recent events Class A and B have combined since a few students from A escaped and one from B was away yesterday. Now, if you would please follow me."
The parent followed the teacher through the school, all while taking the time to admire the establishment. Growing up, Inko had always heard tales of how amazing UA High School was. It was the number one Hero School in Japan, as well as one of the top hero schools in the world. Despite not wanting to be a hero herself, Inko always possessed a certain interest in hero schools.
"Is this your first time in the school?" Vlad asked suddenly.
"I've only been to the dorm to see my son so yes," Inko admitted. "I must admit, the school is really something. UA's reputation proceeds itself." Vlad didn't answer; this was the reaction most people had to UA. "Do you mind if I asked some questions about the place?"
"Sure, if I can answer them," Vlad responded.
Inko nodded and started speaking.
"There are four courses at UA: Hero, General Education, Support, and Business," Inko listed off. "I've seen them from the Sports Festival. With the exception of the Hero course, the other three have three classes for each year. Why does the Hero Course only have two? Wouldn't it be more balanced and produce more heroes if you had three?"
Like any normal citizen, she watched the UA Sports Festival because it was one of the biggest events of the year. While she did cringe a little at the fights, she didn't turn away.
Vlad contemplated his answer for a moment.
"Good question. The reason there's only two is that it's a law implemented by the government. No Hero School is allowed to have more than two Hero Course classes per year," he answered honestly. "This is to limit the number of heroes produced each year because UA isn't the only hero school. There are several. It's not a well-known law but it does exist."
Inko was surprised since she had never heard of it.
"Given that there are thirty-three classes altogether that means you must have thirty-three teachers. Are all of them heroes, or are some ordinary citizens?" Inko continued.
"Most are heroes but there are some exceptions," Vlad said. "Most of those teachers would be for either the Business or General Education courses."
"Hmm, given that several teachers are heroes, I take it you underwent some sort of training before being officially employed here," Inko guessed.
Vlad turned to face her with an amused, and curious look.
"What makes you say that?" he asked, deliberately testing her intelligence.
Inko stared at him with a calm expression. She considered her answer briefly before explaining.
"Hero and teacher are two very different professions, but they are professions, nonetheless. Both require training and study to be qualified as one. Regardless of how great a hero you or anyone else is, you would need to undergo some form of training to be qualified as a teacher since I doubt it would be allowed for someone with no experience and no qualifications to teach students," Inko answered. "They're different, but they are both big jobs that require proper qualifications. Am I wrong?"
Vlad was both stunned and impressed. Inko Midoriya might not have looked it, but she was very observant.
Like her son, she could analyse things and make accurate assumptions based on them. It was obvious where Izuku his mental skills from.
"Not bad," Vlad admitted. "You're correct Mrs Midoriya. While we are handpicked by Principal Nezu himself we are required to attend a training course before being officially recognised as teachers. It's a requirement. Hero school aside, UA is still a High School, so most procedures are still followed."
Vlad was grateful she didn't ask any questions about Izuku. They would likely be asked when they arrived at Nezu's office which they just had.
Inside the office was Nezu, Eraser, Mic, Hound Dog, All Might and Tsukauchi.
Inko felt a little intimidated at being in the presence of so many heroes but managed to keep her nervousness hidden.
"Hello Mrs Midoriya," Nezu greeted. "It's a pleasure to see you again. I believe you are already familiar with Aizawa and Detective Tsukauchi."
Inko nodded.
She had met Nezu and Aizawa before. During the time when Izuku was in the process of being transferred here they came to her apartment to discuss where he'd be staying, the type of accommodation being provided, and visiting hours and days. She also had to provide a brief account of his medical history in case he had any recurring illnesses.
"I'm sorry about what happened to your students," Inko apologized suddenly.
"Thank you Mrs Midoriya," Nezu said. "It is actually yesterday's incident for why I called you in here."
Inko blinked confused. Why would she be called in for that?
"I'm sorry I don't understand," she admitted. "What do you mean that's why you called me in? I thought something may have happened to Izuku. Has something happened to him?"
There was an uncomfortable silence between the teachers and detective. They had called Inko in to explain things to her, but it didn't make it any easier. Nezu had even asked Naomasa to allow him to speak here, even though it would just be video chat. Of all the people that would get the point across, he was the best choice.
"Believe me Mrs Midoriya, they are all related to your son, and not in a good way," Nezu revealed.
Inko stared at him with a worried expression, not liking where this was going. That's when Aizawa stepped forward.
"During the raid yesterday, three students escaped and returned here where they were given medical attention. Upon returning to the dorm, they met with Izuku, and he asked for descriptions of the attackers. When they mentioned the leader's name, he recognized it," Aizawa explained.
Inko's eyes widened in disbelief. Izuku knew these people. How?
"That's not the most shocking part. It's the way he reacted when he recognised him." Inko held her breath at what she was about to hear. "Izuku started breathing rapidly and had a panic attack. I tried calming him down but to no avail and he collapsed as a result."
The colour from Inko's face drained. She struggled with breathing until she managed to calm herself down.
"I'm sorry but, I must have misheard you," Inko said slowly. "You said"
"Your son had a panic attack and collapsed," Aizawa interrupted. "That's correct, unfortunately. I was there when it happened alongside Mic here."
Despite understanding him, Inko was still trying to process what she just heard.
"There's more," Vlad commented. "During the meeting between the heroes and police two assassins working for the group that kidnapped our students and several civilians invaded UA." Inko was surprised someone had broken into UA. It had happened once this year but still. "They were targeting Izuku specifically; trying to kidnap him on orders from their boss."
At this point, Inko couldn't take it anymore.
"Stop, just stop," Inko ordered suddenly. "None of what you're saying makes any sense. They were after my son? Why? How did they even get in here? Isn't your security supposed to be top-notch?"
The teachers looked down in shame. They had only gotten security improvements yesterday, but they had been bypassed within a couple of hours.
"We performed security improvements yesterday but apparently Hades has a skilled hacker who managed to infiltrate the system," Nezu admitted. "I'm not proud of it, honestly it's embarrassing and disgraceful for our school, but it still happened."
"Hades?" Inko blinked.
"That's the name of the group that launched the raid and attacked Izuku," Nezu explained. "Their leader goes by the name Shiro. Up until now their name has been kept out of the media."
"Why were they after Izuku?" Inko asked. "How does he factor into all of this?"
There was an uncomfortable silence that followed her question. This had been the part they were most nervous about. This did not go unnoticed by Inko, the bad feeling from a few minutes ago returned. Eventually, Naomasa decided to answer.
"From what we've learned, Izuku has a past with them, and not a good one," he said softly. "Several months ago, Izuku was held captive in their base as one of their slaves. I don't know what kind of work he did but several times he was forced to fight in their underground fights. This went on for about a month when one day, for reasons currently unknown, he was forced to participate in a match against Shiro, during which he managed to escape with the woman who trained him."
Inko stared at the detective blankly, still trying to process this new information. Her son had been held against his will, and she hadn't even known about it.
'Why didn't he tell me?' Inko wondered.
It was the only thing that didn't make sense to her. She was his mother. She wanted to help him. Izuku had told her at the hospital about the bullying, and his time with the League. Why not this?
Naomasa and Nezu both guessed what she was thinking.
"It might be better if he explains it to you," Naomasa told her.
Inko glanced at him confused. She wasn't the only one. The rest of the staff were the same.
"He was there when it happened, so he can tell you," Nezu added.
The small projector on his desk and moved back when it lit up. An image appeared on the screen, or rather someone. It was an individual even Inko recognised.
"I believe you all know Mr Dabi here," Nezu introduced. "If not personally then by name and face."
Dabi was wearing his usual attire. He was sitting in a large chair, not handcuffed to anything, although he was wearing quirk inhibitor bracers to ensure he didn't try anything.
"Just Dabi is fine," Dabi responded in a dull tone.
He scanned the room to see who was in it. He wasn't surprised to see the principal, detective or Inko here but he was surprised at the presence of the other heroes, All Might in particular. It's not every day you meet the No. 1 hero.
'The first time doesn't really count since I was knocked unconscious,' Dabi recalled. 'So, this is the League's, or should I say Shigaraki's, main target.'
"I requested that he speak here to provide us all, especially you Mrs Midoriya, a better insight on what Izuku went through and what he's going through now," Nezu explained. "And also, to provide a small description of what we are up against. So, without further ado, Dabi, if you would please tell us what you know."
Dabi glanced at him. He'd explained it to the police already yet here he was explaining it again, albeit this time it was for the purpose of helping Inko understand the situation. Not that he was against it or anything.
He liked Inko compared to most people. She was a good woman who kind of reminded him of his own mother.
"Mrs Midoriya," Dabi addressed. "I told you about the first time I met Deku. Do you remember?"
Inko nodded. "Yes, you said it was at that bar where the League of Villains hideout was situated at."
"That was our first real meeting," Dabi confirmed. "However, that wasn't the first time I had seen him."
Inko's eyes widened.
"You mean," she started.
Dabi nodded in confirmation.
"It was at Hades when I first saw him, fighting against Shiro in the Arena," he said.
"The Arena?" Inko exclaimed confused.
"It's where most of the fights between members, slaves or not, and outsiders take place," Dabi explained. "There's also an area called the Pit where fights involving only hand-to-hand combat because quirk usage is forbidden, take place. I've fought in both these places against different members, and let me tell you now, they're quite brutal. Some are lucky enough to come out with just scars and bruises, though broken bones aren't uncommon. And before you ask, yes, death's do occur during these fights. Sometimes intentional sometimes not, though it really depends on the participants."
Inko felt sick to her stomach. Her son was really made to participate in these events. The heroes felt the same knowing this was what their students were going through now.
"Why were you participating in these fights?" Inko suddenly asked without thinking. When she did realize she frantically tried to apologize. "I'm sorry! That was rude and it came out of nowhere. I shouldn't have asked, sorry."
Dabi gave an amused smirk. The way she was trying to apologise for something so trivial was too funny to resist.
"It's fine really," he assured her. "If you must know, I was doing it to get stronger, both in body and quirk. As for why I needed to do this, I'd rather not say. All you need to know is that I have a certain goal I'm working towards, and I need to be as strong as possible for when that time comes."
His voice and expression darkened when he said this, because he meant it, every word. He had trained extensively for that moment and when it arrived, when he confronted 'that man', he would show no mercy.
He would punish him for the sins against him, his mother, and his siblings. And he would revel in every torturous moment of it.
"Could you tell us about the fight that took place between Izuku and Shiro?" Naomasa requested. "How did it go down, and why were they fighting at all?"
Dabi bit his lip. His gaze wandered to Inko. Considering what she felt about her son she was likely to get sick at his description. What he saw that day wasn't pleasant.
"There's not much to say. The fight didn't last long, though it felt long. Shiro brutalized Deku, literally. He beat him with both his fists and threw him around the Arena like he was some sort of ragdoll. Deku tried to fight back but Shiro never gave him the chance," Dabi explained. "He was bleeding, mostly from coughing up blood or being punched in the face, and there were burn marks from Shiro's quirk."
Inko's blood went cold. Izuku really went through that!? Just what kind of nightmare had he lived during the year he went missing?
Ryo was mentally recording all of this for their next counselling session. Judging by Dabi's description, and Izuku's previous behaviour, it was obvious the boy was suffering from a form of PTSD. He would need to tread very carefully when talking with him, otherwise, he might just end up re-traumatising Izuku. And that wouldn't end well.
"For the fight, he was made wear an All Might costume, as a way to punish him more," Dabi continued.
"Wait, what?" All Might interrupted confused.
He wasn't the only one. Everyone else in the room was confused. They couldn't understand why that would be a punishment. As matter of fact, they couldn't understand why he was made to do it at all.
Dabi guessed what they were thinking and decided to explain.
"Deku used to look up to All Might, right?" Dabi motioned to the pro. "Growing up as a child, long before he joined the League, he idolised him and wanted to be a hero like him."
All Might looked down at the floor in shame. He was fully aware of the fact that he had been the one Izuku looked up to growing up from that time he spoke with Inko at the police station. He gave that boy hope to hold onto when the entire world was against him for being quirkless. And then, when he met him in person, he shattered his dreams by telling him he couldn't be a hero.
It was completely sick and hypocritical of him. He, a former quirkless person, telling another quirkless person that they couldn't become a hero when he used to be in the same position.
He may have been a hero, but he was a flawed one. Of that, he could admit.
What was worse was he was the final nail in the coffin for Izuku when he said those words. He sent him off to his death without realizing it. Him, the Symbol of Peace. Granted he hadn't known Izuku at the time or what he was going through, but it was still wrong.
'What would Nana say if she saw me?' he wondered. Then his thoughts flashed towards something else. 'Maybe AFO did the right after all by taking him in.'
All Might would never say this out loud but, he was grateful towards his former nemesis for what he had done for Izuku. AFO had saved Izuku from certain death, taken him in, made him stronger, and gave him a purpose in life.
Even if he had turned the boy into a villain, even if it was to further his own cause, he had been a much better person to him than anyone else was.
"The costume was used as a reminder of what his life was like before he joined the League," Dabi continued. "Back when he was bullied repeatedly by society for being quirkless, for dreaming of something they deemed impossible. In other words, it was a twisted form of irony to end him in the most humiliating way possible, because that costume was a reminder of how weak and helpless, he once was."
This time it was Inko who looked to the ground in shame.
'Weak and helpless? Whose fault is that I wonder?' she sarcastically thought.
While she knew that Izuku's peers had been the ones to damage him she held as much responsibility as they did. She hadn't done anything to help when he needed it, and then he dropped to the point where he tried to kill himself.
While they had heard from Izuku that Shiro was ruthless, they were starting to get a better idea of his sadism.
Nezu worried about his students and if they would fall to the same fate though he hoped not. At the same time, he began to sympathise with Izuku even more.
He knew exactly what it was like to be broken, to be humiliated, both physically and mentally. Atrocity had done more than just hurt him. The monster presented him to his subordinates as his mascot, as a symbol of what he did to people (the blood and scars were a huge indication).
To add insult to injury, he did it to remind Nezu that he was nothing more than a plaything for his own amusement. That his place was to serve humans beneath them, not as their superior or equal. Even now the memories of the torment made his blood boil.
"This might seem like an odd question but, does Shiro normally participate in these underground battles?" Aizawa asked sternly.
Dabi blinked. "Not normally no. Rarely when he's punishing someone or making an example out of them."
Aizawa frowned and stared at the wall in deep contemplation. Something about Dabi's statement sounded off.
"Something on your mind Eraser?" Vlad asked.
"Something about what you're saying is bothering me," Aizawa turned his attention back to Dabi. "You said Shiro only does this when punishing or making an example out of someone. Yet the time of this fight was when Izuku escaped, not arrived, meaning he was there for a month by this time." All eyes were on him now, seeing where he was going with this. "What exactly did Midoriya do to warrant Shiro's fury?"
Now that was something everyone wanted to know. Izuku was a smart boy. He wasn't in the habit of making enemies (intentionally), least of all one like Shiro.
Dabi narrowed his eyes at the pro. He knew this question was coming up. He knew it. He still wasn't comfortable with it.
Dabi's discomfort did not go unnoticed.
"Dabi," Nezu said softly. "What did Midoriya do?"
Dabi remained silent, unsure of how to answer.
"What did he do?" Aizawa pressed wanting answers.
Dabi remained silent for another minute before, after careful deliberation, decided on his answer.
"I don't know," he stated.
"Bullshit," Vlad snapped. "If that were true you would have said that first. Tell us the truth."
Dabi inwardly scowled. That had backfired.
"I am," Dabi argued. "I really don't know."
The people in the room didn't believe him, unfortunately.
"You're a poor liar," Aizawa declared.
"Please tell us the truth," Ryo begged. "We won't be able to help him otherwise."
That was the wrong thing to say. The moment Ryo said those words, they triggered something in Dabi.
"Help him? Help him?" he whispered in a dark tone before exploding. "YOU THINK YOU CAN FUCKING HELP HIM!"
The people in the room were startled by Dabi's outburst who was now glaring at them with pure rage.
"You fucking heroes are all the same," he growled. "Always talking about helping and saving someone when you can't do shit." He was really fuming now. "How exactly do you plan to help him, huh? By talking with him. By moving him to a separate facility?" There was silence, causing Dabi to scoff. "That's what I thought. You can't help him, not after everything he's been through."
Dabi was shaking in anger. The memories of his own childhood, and the time Izuku had a panic attack were resurfacing.
"Tell me something. Can you save someone from depression?"
"Can you save them from despair? Despair they feel from being bullied. Despair they feel from being beaten and humiliated every day."
Can you save them from the trauma that is their life? Trauma that started from people, heroes even, physically abusing their families without anyone knowing," he was practically shouting now.
"Trauma that started when they were made see and experiences the vilest and cruel things on this earth. Trauma that started because they were made to feel like they were less, like they were nothing, as though they weren't worthy of being alive."
The entire room was listening in shock. Dabi made very genuine claims. How could they save someone from those things?
The heroes were alarmed at the thought of other heroes beating their own families, behaving like they were villains.
Did really happen? They, All Might especially, didn't want to believe it.
Nezu on the other hand did. He still remembered Recovery Girls report on Shoto Todoroki, and how it made fully him realize what was going on in that house. He had his suspicions before, given how Shoto acted, and Endeavor's attitude towards his son.
Inko, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, believed all Dabi's claims. She couldn't say for certain but, perhaps one of Dabi's parents was a hero. He had mentioned in their first meeting his father was abusive.
"You can't save everyone," Dabi finally said. "You can try, but that doesn't mean you always will. There will always be someone out there suffering. Waiting for a rescue that will never come. And if by chance you do save that person, the trauma of what they endured will remain forever. Broken bones will eventually heal, but psychological scars, that's a different story."
There was complete silence. No one was able to answer that, despite how much they wanted to.
Dabi wasn't wrong. There would always be someone that couldn't be saved. It was unfortunate but, as much as they tried, they were only human, and they had their limits.
What he said about mental scars was also true. They could be healed, through time, however it was very, very, very difficult.
Naomasa had been at many crime scenes where he'd encountered traumatised witnesses and victims.
"You're absolutely right in every sense," Nezu admitted. "There's always someone suffering, unseen by many, heroes included. People die, people suffer, without anyone's knowledge. I know first-hand what it's like to wait for a rescue, for a reprieve from torment, that never came."
Nezu stared down at his paws.
"I endured the torture of the worst kind from the worst person alive. Every day he would brutalize me in the most creative ways."
There was a hint of disgust in his voice.
"Most days I wished, prayed, for someone to come save me. I didn't care who. I just wanted someone. When no one came I wished for death, because it was a much better Option than what I was experiencing."
Everyone's eyes were locked on Nezu, some with shock, others sadness.
"In the end, I was forced to rescue myself from my own personal hell. One day, while the tormentor was away, I jumped at the opportunity to escape. And when I did, I did whatever I had to ensure it."
Dabi's eyes widened. Those words held different meanings, including killing. Could the principal of UA really have done such a thing? Not that he would judge him or anything. He would probably do the same thing in his situation.
Nezu's eyes locked with Dabi. "And I never got over it either. It continues to affect me every day even as I work. So Dabi, you are right. Broken bones will eventually heal, but psychological scars are a different story. They far longer to recover from, and though they might heal to a certain extent they will never be permanently gone."
Most of the staff were surprised. They knew Nezu had been treated very cruelly by humans in the past, but it was very rare for him to speak about it, and such detail.
All Might had heard the full details once. It both frightened and sickened him that one of his colleagues had gone through such an ordeal. It was also the first time he had heard of Atrocity and what a vile individual he was.
He even believed he was worse than AFO in certain aspects.
Dabi was dumbfounded by the small principal. He hadn't expected any of them to agree with him, much less have a true, definite understanding of it.
Since it had come to this he finally relented.
"I told you I don't know what he did, but in truth, I don't know for certain," Dabi admitted. "I only heard rumours, and what a couple of kids were screaming from the sidelines."
"There were children at this fight," Inko exclaimed aghast.
Dabi nodded. "They were shouting things like 'let him go', 'it wasn't his fault', and 'he was just protecting us."
"Protecting them from what, or who?" Naomasa questioned.
Dabi bit his lip. "I don't actually know. I just heard it was a higher up there."
Naomasa furrowed his eyebrows. A higher up? Did that mean Izuku assaulted someone in the defence of others? Or was he defending himself?
'If that's the case, then what condition was this person left in when he attacked them?' His eyes widened in realization. 'Condition!' There were multiple scenarios for what he was thinking, but only one came to mind. 'Could he have actually?'
"Dabi, this higher up," he gulped on what he was about to ask. "Did Midoriya kill him?"
The entire room stared at the detective. The implication of his question fully sinking in. Inko was the first to speak.
"W-W-What? M-M-My I-Izuku k-k-k-kill," she stuttered. "I-It's not possible."
"Actually, it is," Dabi corrected her. "I don't know for certain but the rumours I heard said Deku was involved with the death of one of the higher-ups. They didn't say whether he had done it, just that he was involved."
"That's absurd," Inko argued angrily. "Izuku would never kill anyone."
"I have to agree," All Might piped up. "During my battle with AFO, he told me one of the conditions for young Midoriya joining the League was that he wouldn't have to kill."
"Have to!" Aizawa pointed out. "That doesn't mean there wouldn't be a time when he was forced to. And in case you've forgotten, this occurred when he was away from the League. For a whole month, he was with Hades. Anything could have gone down there."
Inko glared at him. She then turned towards the door and started to walk.
"Mrs Midoriya, where are you going?" Naomasa asked.
"To speak with my son," she declared firmly. "I don't believe he killed anyone, so I'll ask him myself."
The second she said that, however.
"NOOOO!" Dabi shouted at the top of his lungs, causing Inko to freeze. "Of all the things you do, don't do that."
"Why?" she asked incredulously.
"Whenever certain topics about that place come up, it triggers Deku," he explained in a serious voice. "He may have been fine last night, but that's because he had a panic attack earlier that day. The shock had worn off."
Dabi stared down sadly. "When I asked him, I had no idea. I didn't realize he would react that way."
Flashback
Dabi was at the bar with just Deku and Kurogiri again today. Shigaraki had recently come up with a plan that involved kidnapping a student from UA as a potential recruit for the League.
Katsuki Bakugo. First-year, winner of the Sports Festival, explosive in both his quirk and his personality. While he hadn't met him, Dabi already disliked him. Something about the boy, his behaviour, his quirk, and most all his attitude, reminded him of his father.
That said, he was enjoying his time at the bar, mostly because he didn't have to deal with the louder and more annoying members of the League. He was also speaking with Deku again.
In recent weeks he and the teen had been speaking more. About topics like Stain, which heroes were selfish jerks, quirks, the League, and what was wrong with society. He didn't say it, but Deku was his favourite member. He felt like he could relate to him, which wasn't easy.
"Hey Deku, are you sure we've never met before?" Dabi asked without warning.
He didn't know why, but he felt he knew Deku from somewhere. He couldn't shake the feeling, he just knew.
Izuku eyed him uncertainly. "I don't think so. I don't take part in League activities except for what I'm supposed to do. It's possible you saw me when I was out, but I find it hard to believe since I'm normally covered when I go out. I don't think we have met though. I think I'd remember someone with your….features. No offence."
Dabi shrugged. "None taken. I get that a lot."
Still, the thought lingered. Dabi's thoughts were interrupted by a live recording of one of All Might's battles taking place. Apparently, he was fighting a villain who could manipulate light in whatever way they desired.
The villain, however, was surprisingly holding his own well against All Might. He used light like it was a whip to ensnare the Symbol of Peace and toss him around.
"Another fight that will end same, wearing the same stupid costume he always does," Izuku muttered bitterly. "Ugh, it's so annoying. I can't believe I used to wear that thing when I was little."
Dabi didn't say anything. He knew full well about Deku's former admiration for the number one hero. How he looked up to All Might growing up, and how that same man shattered his dreams when the boy met him years later.
Dabi pictured Deku wearing an All Might costume fighting against that same villain. That would surely be something to see. The only time he could remember a fight that was similar was when he was in Hades. There was this kid fighting in an All Might costume against Shi-
Dabi's blood froze. He stared at Deku like he couldn't believe his eyes.
'Is he? No, he couldn't be,' Dabi thought alarmed. 'He was the one who fought against Shiro!'
He looked hard at Deku and tried to remember that fight again, this time focusing on the final moment.
It was when the boy's hood had finally come off. He was on the ground with Shiro standing over him preparing to finish him off when an explosion occurred. Shiro was distracted, but Dabi remained focused on the fight. He watched as the boy's hood fell revealing his face, as he held a knife and drove it into Shiro's eye.
He focused on that image of the boy, he had green hair, but his face, he remembered now. It was Deku's.
'I heard he escaped but I never thought I'd meet him here,' Dabi thought.
"Dabi, are you alright?" Izuku asked concerned. "You were staring at me spaced out."
Dabi blinked. He hadn't meant to be so obvious about it.
"I'm fine, it's just," Dabi started. He was hesitant to ask but brushed it off. "Deku, can I ask you something?"
Izuku nodded looking confused.
"Deku, did you, fight a man named Shiro wearing that same costume?" Dabi asked a bit too bluntly.
Izuku stared at him, wide-eyed.
SMASH!
Dabi turned to see Kurogiri had dropped a glass and was now staring at him in horror.
"You, YOU FOOL! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" he screamed.
Dabi was taken back by Kurogiri's temper. However, a crash to the floor brought his attention back to Deku.
Much to his horror, the boy was thrashing around on the floor as he breathed rapidly and uncontrollably.
"NO, no, no," Izuku panted out. "No more, no more. PLEASE SHIRO STOP. I'M TELLING YOU I HAD NO CHOICE."
He didn't speak again after that. Kurogiri tried calming him down while he held him down but to no avail.
In the end, he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Later that day
Izuku was resting in his room while currently, Dabi was in the bar with Tomura, Kurogiri, and AFO (via monitor).
Tomura looked annoyed.
Kurogiri was angry.
However, AFO was furious.
"I have heard from Kurogiri however I would like to hear an account of what happened from you Dabi," AFO exclaimed in a calm, yet angry tone. "Explain to me how you knew about Deku being at Hades, and then caused him to have a panic attack."
Dabi wasted no time in answering. While he would usually give some sarcastic remark, AFO was not one to be taken lightly, especially when he was pissed off.
He explained how he was a competitor in Hades underground battles, how he came to witness Deku's fight with Shiro, and how he used that opportunity to get out before things could get really crazy.
"I see," AFO murmured. "I will have Kurogiri send you to me so I can confirm it myself." Dabi didn't really understand why but he didn't question it. "Also, I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but I'll do it anyway. What happened today was an accident so I won't punish you, however, if something like this happens again, I will do it, and without mercy. Deku is a valued member of the League, one I value, and if any harm comes to him well, I think you get the idea. So, no mentioning Hades or Shiro from now on. Understand?"
Dabi nodded. There was still something on his mind.
"If I may ask, how is Deku okay most of the time? If he's that traumatised, why is he only triggered when he hears anything related to those subjects? Shouldn't he be inactive?" Dabi questioned.
AFO hummed. "That is something I shall explain shortly. Kurogiri."
The mist villain opened a portal and Dabi travelled through to meet the leader.
Flashback end
Everyone in the room was staring at Dabi in shock.
Aizawa and Mic were particularly stunned because it sounded much worse than the last panic attack he had.
Inko's horror had only increased at what her baby went through.
"So now you understand. Try not to push him about topics related to Hades, it will only trigger him," Dabi explained. "It needs to all come back to him slowly."
"What do you mean by that?" Mic asked.
"Obviously, most of you find it strange that a boy traumatised so badly he breaks down into panic attacks would still be active in the field, and would have no issue with fighting individuals like Bakugo and Nomu?" Dabi pointed out.
There was an exchange of glances. He had a point. How would Izuku still be active after something like that? It was as though it had never happened.
"The reason being is that his memories of that place are repressed," Dabi stated. "He doesn't remember what happened there. Not unless it's brought up."
The teachers exchanged glances. They had only suspected
"AFO," All Might murmured. "It appears you were correct Hound Dog. He did possess a quirk to alter memories."
Dabi was surprised they already knew.
"He did. AFO helped suppress Deku's memories so he would still be active," Dabi confirmed. "The quirk has been useful so far, and it really has worked. However, it isn't perfect, it has its limits."
"Such as," Vlad interrupted.
"It isn't permanent, it has to be reapplied," Dabi said. "AFO would have sessions with Deku to make sure the quirk stayed in effect. Otherwise, it would all come back. That's also the problem now."
No one needed Dabi to explain further. It was obvious.
"Ah, I see. AFO is dead, so there's nothing to stop his memories from coming back," Nezu declared.
Dabi nodded. He turned his attention back to Inko.
"I understand if you want to know the truth but try to avoid asking him about it if you can," he urged her.
"I will," Inko agreed. "I won't bring it up until everything is sorted."
The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her child.
"Now that that's out of the way, there are a few other things we need to mention," Naomasa said.
Shiro
"You wished to speak with me master," Kioku announced.
"Yeah," Shiro confirmed. "I'm gonna cut to the chase Kioku. I'm assuming you've heard about the incident with Kyo by now."
Kioku simply nodded. All of Hades had heard it.
"I want you to do a full scan of Hades for any traitors, or offenders," Shiro declared. "I know this will take a while, but I still want it done."
Kioku nodded again. "I've been hoping you'd ask me to do that for some time now."
Shiro blinked in surprise. Kioku didn't really use her power unless ordered but it was rare for her to want to use it on this scale.
"Ever since the incident with Deku I've wanted to examine everyone's mind. I know it makes you angry, but did you ever consider that he was telling the truth, that he truly did kill Graphene in self-defence of those children?" she asked.
Shiro said nothing. He had considered it, but he didn't care. He was too angry at losing one of his strongest members.
While he didn't look down on quirkless people, he found it hard to believe that Izuku had managed to kill someone like Graphene on his own.
"Look into it if you want but find out what I'm looking for first," Shiro informed her.
"UGGGHHHRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
A loud roar was heard in the distance. Just then Cerberus rounded the corner and headed towards Shiro. He looked like the one in the legends, a large, black, three-headed dog with sharp teeth.
"Ah my hound, you've returned," Shiro welcomed. "I take it you dealt with the intruders."
Just then, Cerberus shrank and transformed into a black, single-head Dobermann.
Cerberus was one of the unique cases of an animal developing a quirk. What's more, he was incredibly loyal to Shiro.
The dog barked at his master who smiled in return.
"I'll take that as a yes. Good, because things are about to get intense. We've got some guests coming."
Children's Section
The students and children finally returned to their safe haven where most of them collapsed on their own beds. They were exhausted, more mentally than physically. They still hadn't recovered from the recent events. Some children were still crying.
"For the rest of the day, we'll be staying here," Utada announced. "So don't go wandering off without my permission."
There was no reply, though didn't surprise her. She then turned to call Umi just to see how things were going at the hospital, although she had a pretty good idea. That girl, Ibara she thinks her name was, she was going to need some serious therapy from Kana.
The students lay on their beds with defeated expressions. They had felt helpless when they arrived, but that, witnessing one of their own almost violated while restrained by a collar, that dealt a blow they didn't know if they'd ever recover from.
What was worse, it made them fully realize whose control they were under without any way of fighting back.
They didn't seem to realize that Kendo was missing.
Shoto got up to go down to where he and Umi trained before. He needed something to take his mind off what happened.
Mezo had a similar idea and proceeded to where Lobo trained him.
However, they were both stopped by a dark purple haired boy, wearing a yellow t-shirt, red trousers, and yellow sneakers. He was Shoto's height and looked to be around fifteen or sixteen.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked casually. "Utada told you to stay put."
Shoto scowled. "To train to get stronger. What's it to you?"
"Just curious that's all," the boy responded. "Most people would generally be in shock after what you just saw."
The two student's eyes widened.
"You know," Mezo whispered.
"Everyone in Hades knows," the boy shrugged. "News travels fast around here. I'm Haru by the way, Haru Katagaki."
Haru examined them thoroughly.
"So, your Midoriya and Bakugo's classmates," he murmured. "You look like you'll survive down here, though looks can be deceiving."
Haru restrained himself from laughing at the surprise on their faces.
"Do you know them?" Mezo asked.
"We have a personal history, though I doubt Bakugo remembers me," Haru explained. "To him, I'm just another extra for him to use as a steppingstone."
The language he used convinced the pair that he was telling the truth.
"If you want to go and train, release your frustrations on the first thing you can find then by all means do," Haru encouraged. "You'll be living here from now on and believe me stress is easy to build up, so you may as well get used to it."
"Don't be so sure," Shoto challenged.
"Whatever you say," Haru shrugged it off. "Just don't get your hopes up, especially when the heroes fail at their rescue attempt."
Shoto couldn't help but note the confidence in his voice. Haru truly believed what he was saying. Just how long had he been here?
"We'll keep that in mind," Mezo assured him. "Thank you."
Haru shrugged and turned to leave. However, he stopped with his back still turned to them.
"Mind if I ask you something? Izuku, how's he doing? Is he okay?" he questioned.
The two were growing more curious about this boy's relationship with Midoriya by the second.
Shoto was the one who answered since Mezo didn't know Izuku that well.
"He's doing fine. A little defensive, but otherwise alright," he said.
Haru hummed and started walking.
Shoto and Mezo headed to their respected training areas to vent their frustration.
Izuku Midoriya
Izuku was currently in the classroom with the others. Classes were cancelled (for obvious reasons) but the hero class was still going ahead. The teachers felt they needed to prepare them for the future now more than ever.
And so, Class 1AB (he didn't know what else to call it) were gathered in the main classroom.
Neito wasn't entirely happy, but he wasn't mad either. Surprisingly he had pulled no insults yet.
Aizawa entered with his usual tired expression, with Vlad following him. They glanced at Izuku to see if was fully recovered after last night.
He looked fine, but Aizawa could tell otherwise. The meeting about him had concluded peacefully.
Inko had agreed to keep quiet for the time being, much to their relief.
"Morning," the two teachers greeted.
"I understand that you're all still recovering from yesterday, however because of that, we need to prep you for the event when something like this happens again," Aizawa stated.
"Please come in," Vlad motioned to the door and three figures came in.
There was a blonde with a goofy look, a bluenette wearing a cheerful expression and a dark-haired individual who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. Izuku's eyes widened when he saw the blonde. It was the same man from earlier.
"To help you understand, we've invited individuals who've had first-hand experience dealing with villains from internships," Aizawa continued.
Izuku was slightly curious about these internships but was too focused on the blonde who was now grinning at him.
"The three third years at UA who stand above all UA students," Vlad informed them.
"Also, known as the Big Three."
Izuku stared at them briefly before switching to a serious expression.
"Well, this could be interesting."
Hi there. What did you think of that? I did not intend for the meeting to go on for that long, but it just happened while I was writing. I bet you didn't expect to see Mustard in this fic. I thought he might be a nice addition. Also, you kept asking for the big three so here they are.
I bet you're wondering about Haru. He's sort of an OC but at the same time, he isn't. I won't spoil anything though.
I'm sorry I took this long to update. My parents made me stop fanfiction to focus on my resits, which thankfully I have passed and am now abroad. Seriously though, this has been the worst summer of my life. I've had to constantly study to pass, and I was working part-time as well.
It's been two years since I started this story, and I'll probably still be writing it in two years.
I know My Hero Academia wasn't produced by Kyoto Animation, and I know it was two months ago, but I still wanted to do a tribute for it in this chapter. Kyoto Animation produced some of my favourite anime (Violet Evergarden, Free), and what happened to them was shocking and awful. May those who lost their lives rest in peace. May those who were injured recover. And may their families and friends stay safe.