Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for the delay with this chapter. A lot of things have happened IRL recently, including me getting a new job. The job has been exhausting since I'm not used to being on my feet all day and all of the heavy lifting. Yesterday was a short day, so I got a lot of this done. Thank goodness.
I have a few announcements: first, this story will be a whole year old tomorrow, which is also my birthday. I can't believe I'm still working on this a year later. Second, I've started editing the earlier chapters, so if you noticed some changes, yeah, that was me.
Third, I want to reiterate that this story has significant changes from canon, including the Quirks of One for All. Before the war arc ended, I had ideas about the former wielders' powers. After a while, I got invested in some of what I have, so changing them won't be possible.
Lastly, I recently started a new story called Into the Fire. I hope to balance this and that story because it's a project I want to get through.
As always, your feedback is appreciated. Onwards!
I own the plot...and the Chaos King and the Discorders...and Abigail Winters.
U.A. Motor Pool, 0930...
The sun was barely in the sky when Deku and his younger self stood next to the school's assortment of vans. The duo went out for a morning run before starting the day, and after they had finished their workout, the two were the first ones dressed and waiting for everyone else to show up. While they waited, the two began to talk.
Midoriya had many questions about his future as a Pro Hero, including the other pros that he must've met. Deku smiled as he recalled the many faces he met throughout his career. He reminisced on his adventures throughout the Americas, Europe, and Korea. He talked about his missions, ranging from hunting escaped criminals (Deku didn't mention what prisons they escaped from), government and hero assassinations, and even smaller jobs, such as helping dissolute communities and getting street crime down to a controllable level.
After explaining what he could about future missions, Midoriya asked about the vestiges and their powers. Deku sighed as he felt his masters lean in their chairs, eager to hear what they had to say.
"Well...Yoichi is surprisingly knowledgeable on villain behaviors. Being forced to witness All for One's criminal exploits gave him some useful insight," he said. "For example, he can recognize the behavior of a villain planning on betraying another. All for One used others to do his dirty work during the old days, and more often than others, he made sure to have some extra insurance to make sure it all went well."
"Like how?" Midoriya asked.
"Well...some villains will go for the obvious, like close friends or family members. Use someone's mother or their significant other to gain the leverage over their victim," he said. "All for One was subtle. For example, say he hired someone to kill a hero or anyone for that matter. He would give them a Quirk to get the job done while also making it part of a payment. Well...when someone receives a Quirk from him, they won't notice if he slipped something else in, like a self-destruct Quirk."
"Damn..." Midoriya swore. "So if they failed, or something else happened, that Quirk would activate?"
Deku nodded. "Anyway, villains play dirty with other villains. "No honor among thieves" and all that. Yoichi helped me realize that and look for signs. Small shifts in body language, their tone of voice, involuntary reactions, like a twitch or a smile when the situation doesn't call for it," he said.
"What about the second and third users? You never mention their names," Midoriya asked.
"They're quiet, for the most part. We have differences in ideologies, so we don't talk much. Shinomori is also quiet, but we talk about things. Being in the wilderness for most of your life will disconnect you from the modern world and all its changes. He's taught me some meditation techniques, and they're useful, especially after a rough mission," Deku said.
Before he could keep going, more of the class started to arrive. "We'll talk later," Deku said.
Midoriya nodded. Besides Uraraka and Yaoyorozu, the young inheritor noticed that Mina, Iida, Jiro, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Bakugo joined them on their trip. The explosive young hero had his headphones on while Kirishima and Mina tried to show him something on his phone. Midoriya smiled as he watched his girlfriend talking to Yaoyorozu with a smile on her face.
Deku smiled as he followed his younger self's gazed. He chuckled as he turned back to the van. I miss my Rocket Girl... he thought.
"Midoriya...I was wondering where you were. I thought you were going to help me rally the class," Yaoyorozu said.
"O-Oh. Sorry, I had my morning run, and I completely forgot," Midoriya said.
"It's alright, although we need to coordinate more in the future. I'll need your help throughout this year," the Class Rep said.
Midoriya smiled. "I'll keep trying my best to be a good vice-Class Rep!" He said.
Bakugo lowered his headphones at that moment. "You being a bottom for Ponytail, too?"
Deku couldn't fight the smirk that appeared on his face. "T-That's uncalled for!" Midoriya shrieked.
"Who said he was a bottom?" Uraraka muttered, causing Yaoyorozu's eyes to widen. The everything hero glanced at her, and she only shrugged.
"Kacchan, I didn't know you were gonna come," Midoriya said. "What changed your mind?"
Bakugo shrugged. "What's it to ya?"
"Fair answer..."
Deku turned to the students. "Alright then...is this everyone?" He asked the group.
They all nodded. "Good...now, it'll be a 3-hour drive with traffic, so I hope your phones are charged and ready for the day," Deku said. "We should be there by noon, where we can get something to eat before beginning the day. You guys have your essentials?"
Everyone nodded. "Deku, I'm bringing your gloves...just in case," Uraraka said.
"Thank you," Midoriya said with a smile.
Deku smirked. "Good idea. I hope you guys also have some equipment handy, in case you're called upon to do some hero work," he said. "I've never left home without my Full Shield. Same with my car keys, even when I don't need them."
To emphasize his point, Deku pointed to the silver bands on his wrists. "Alright, pile in everyone. Yaoyorozu: you're in the front. You're navigator," he said.
The Class Rep nodded. "Let's get moving! I want to hit the road as soon as possible!"
"Yes, sir!"
To say that the drive was peaceful would be like saying the sky was green: it was nonsense.
Yaoyorozu sat in the front, navigating Deku through the highways and alternate routes, thanks to traffic jams. Behind them, Mina, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Jiro sat together with the rock n' roll young hero listening to her music. Uraraka, Midoriya, and Bakugo sat behind them, and Iida elected to take the far back to keep an eye on everyone.
Unfortunately for him, he could only sit and watch as things unfold.
Deku and Yaoyorozu watched and listened to Kirishima and Kaminari sand annoying road trip songs while Jiro shot deadly looks at the duo. Mina kept showing Yaoyorozu memes, earning a few "Why did you show me that?" and "That's disgusting!" comments. Bakugo was squished to the driver-side window by Midoriya and Uraraka, listening to music on a pair of earphones. The explosive young hero continuously yelled at his friends to stop singing, bursting his rival's eardrums whenever he could.
As for Iida, he was trying to stop Bakugo from yelling in both Midoriyas' ears. That resulted in more yelling, disrupting Midoriya and Uraraka's music break. "Kacchan, can you stop?"
"TELL THOSE DUMBASSES TO STOP SINGING!" Bakugo yelled.
"STOP YELLING IN YOUR CLASSMATE'S EAR! YOU'RE DISRUPTING HIM!"
"YOU'RE DOING IT TOO, DUMBASS!"
"THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO 'ROUND AND 'ROUND!"
"-And then you T-pose to assert dominance," Mina concluded an argument with Yaoyorozu.
"I'm not taking down a villain by T-posing," the Class Rep said.
"Aww, c'mon! It'd be fun! The villain would be so confused that a punch to the face would win the battle! And besides, imagine being known as the guy who got defeated by a T-pose! As a hero, you'd be legendary!" Mina argued.
"As humiliating as it might be, I still wo-why am I arguing this point?!"
"Because you're imagining it and liking what you see," Mina said with a smile.
Deku smirked as he kept driving. "Hey, Bakugo! I bet you could T-pose on a villain if you wanted to!" The acid-throwing young hero said.
"Yeah? WHY SHOULD I?"
"To humiliate them? Who wants to be that guy in prison?"
The explosive young hero rolled his eyes. Eventually, Mina dropped the subject and kept scrolling on her phone. At the same time, the wonder duo stopped their song and started a new one. "99 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL-"
"I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU!" Bakugo bellowed.
Deku's smirk disappeared. "Hey, Jiro?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you do me a favor and shut them up? You have permission to use your Quirk," he said.
"Finally..."
"W-Wait a minute; we'll stop!"
"I don't like that look on you!"
A flash of light later, Kaminari and Kirishima were slumped in their seats. Uraraka reached over and pulled the sleeping duo, so they sat upright. Bakugo sighed and returned his gaze to the window. Yaoyorozu sighed in relief and looked over at the future hero. "I think that stare-thing you have would've worked," she said.
"It would've, but a quick flash would've opened up my field of view, hitting everyone in the car and the people behind us. When I mean to use the power, I have to focus on the target before firing—the process used to be so time-consuming," he said.
Yaoyorozu nodded. "You seem to have a lot of variations of your Quirk. Black Whip was strange enough, but projecting fear in a glare is a massive stretch from super-strength," she said.
In the back, Bakugo and Uraraka eyed Midoriya from both sides. The young inheritor glanced at both of them, shrugged, and went back to his phone to play more music.
Deku smirked. I sometimes forget that they don't know about One for All...
"Yeah...it's always been a weird one. It takes a few more years for me to figure it out," he said.
Yaoyorozu silently nodded. With silence in the van, Deku continued to drive, unable to stop the memory of his earliest conversations with the Everything Hero regarding One for All.
Flashback, 10 years ago...
Deku was sitting in the teacher's lounge at U.A. when Creati knocked on the door. The young Deku, sporting an early version of his pro hero suit, sighed and hung his head. He didn't want to answer the door. He didn't even give verbal consent for anyone to come in. Of course, that didn't stop his classmate from entering, anyway.
The door opened, revealing the Class Vice Rep. She wore her school uniform while sporting a smaller ponytail. She had a few small band-aids on her cheeks, and her wrist was wrapped in bandages. She wore a reserved expression, and she kept her sight on her classmate. Deku didn't look up to acknowledge her presence. Instead, he kept his attention on the empty chair in front of him. On the table in front of the empty chair was a cup of warm tea. The steam was still dancing in front of the young hero.
Creati sat down next to the young hero, causing him to lean forward and cover his mouth. "M-Midoriya..."
Deku didn't say a word. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked him.
Deku's gaze dropped from the empty chair. "You think I'm a monster, don't you?" He asked.
"What? No! Of course, I don't think that!" Creati exclaimed.
Deku covered his head with his hands. "I am...I'm a monster. I couldn't control it!"
Creati wrinkled her brows. "I-I'll admit that it was hard to watch, but you had to finish the fight. All for One was going to kill us all..."
"Is that justification for what I did?" Deku asked. "I-I killed him. In front of everybody, too."
Creati sighed. "Midoriya..."
"All Might chose me to be a new symbol. A Symbol of Peace and Hope. When people see me, all they're going to see is...is..."
"Someone who had to go to extreme lengths to save them," Creati said. "He was going to kill anyone who even thought about being a hero. You saved countless lives and inspired the next generation to take a stand against chaos!"
Deku didn't say anything. "Look...I may not know you as long as Bakugo, nor am I as close as Uraraka, but know that you at least have me in your corner. You also need to know that you're no monster. The Third's power is terrifying, but you can grow from the war. I'm sure he'll want you to master this power and turn it from a curse into a blessing," Creati said.
The young Symbol of Peace nodded slowly. "H-He did warn me about the drawbacks. B-But are you sure-?"
"Midoriya, ever since that first combat practice with All Might, you've scared and inspired the hell out of me. Out of all of us, really. Remember: it's not the power that defines you," Creati said. She reached over, grabbed the young hero by his far shoulder, and pulled him in for a side-hug. "Though...you do owe us all an explanation into your power, One for All."
Deku smiled. "Yeah...you're right. Kacchan is shit when it comes to explaining this," he said. He reached over and held his hand on top of Creati's. "Thank you, Yaoyorozu. I needed this."
The Everything Hero nodded. "C'mon then. It's time for a debrief." She got off the couch and approached the door. She turned to see Deku stand up, stare at the tea, and walked out with her.
As they walked down the halls, Deku sighed. "Everything's changed now. I have a meeting with the Safety Commission tomorrow, we have graduation coming up, and Tokyo needs our help to rebuild," he said. "Not to mention-"
"We're going to be pretty busy, but take it slow. You've been running for so long, but now you need to slow down and focus on the task at hand. Worry about the class today, and worry about the Commission tomorrow. You'll need all of your energy for that," Creati advised.
"Yeah...you're right," Deku concluded.
"Do you want any of us to come with you tomorrow?" She asked.
Deku shook his head. "Hawks will be joining me...and a few others."
"You mean-?"
The young hero nodded. "Right then...damn."
The two eventually made their way out of the building and headed toward the 3-A Height's Alliance building. A crowd of students waited for them when they arrived, including Class 3-B, Shiketsu Academy hero course students and alumni, Ketsubutsu Academy, and their friends from another universe. Even their teachers were waiting for them.
Well...almost all of them.
Deku sighed. "My masters...all of those before me: be with me during these finals days," he muttered in a prayer.
When they arrived, he told his story.
Back in the present...
Deku parked the U.A. van in the public parking structure and groaned as he snapped his seatbelt off. "Alright, everyone, get out. Jiro: wake up the boys," he said as he stepped out of the van.
Jiro started shaking her knocked-out classmates. "I think I really put them out. Hey Midoriya, you got an extra bottle of water on ya?" She asked.
"Not a full one. What are you-?"
Jiro grabbed the water bottle from Midoriya's hand, opened the bottle, and sprayed the duo in the face. The sudden splash of cold water jolted them awake, causing Kirishima to sputter nonsense. "I'M FAT!"
Mina leaned over to the hardening hero. "You and I both know that ain't true," she said with a smirk.
Kirishima groaned. "That was one hell of a nap. Thanks a lot, Jiro!"
"You got annoying, so blame yourself for that," she said.
"I DON'T EVER WANT TO SIT NEXT TO YOU AGAIN, DEKU! YOU TAKE UP TOO MUCH SPACE!" Bakugo bellowed out.
"Oh zip it, Bakugo!" Uraraka said.
"YOU WANNA GO, CHEEKS?!"
"As soon as my ass wakes up, then yeah!"
Deku groaned. It's like Christmas back home... He thought.
He turned to meet the young heroes. "Alright, listen up!" He started, earning everyone's attention. "It's been 3 hours, and I barely had a decent bite to eat. There's a restaurant nearby, and we're all going. Once we're fed, you guys can go off and enjoy the day. But if I have to bail anyone out of jail, so help me, God, I will kick your ass!"
The young heroes all went wide-eyed. "Y-You don't mean that, right?" Kaminari asked.
"Stay out of trouble, and you won't have to worry," Deku said.
Midoriya sighed. It kind of sounds like he's said that before... he thought.
Yaoyorozu nodded. "Then let's go eat!"
"YEAH!"
With the van locked, Deku led the young heroes of the structure and onto the street. The city was fairly busy with a few heroes on patrol. One of them, wearing a skin-tight, blue and white suit with steam coming from his body, waved at them as he passed them. While Midoriya and a few others waved back, Deku smiled and nodded at him.
The class continued down the road, passing restaurants and other shops and markets. Down an alleyway, there was a farmer's market with civilians and tourists checking out the stands. Jiro noted an American couple trying to blend in by wearing traditional Japanese clothes. She looked down at her outfit and chuckled as she realized that a two-piece t-shirt and a tank top with "DEEP DOPE" didn't come anywhere close to what the couple was wearing.
As the young heroes started conversing among themselves, Deku scanned the area. He kept his eyes on the buildings around him, obviously lost in thought. I rarely come here, even after the government rebuilt this part of the city. It's hard to imagine the area looking peaceful without imagining the collapsed buildings, he thought.
When they arrived at the restaurant they were looking for, Deku booked a table and apologized in advance for whatever nonsense the building was about to hear. The hostess waved it off, saying that teenagers liked causing trouble.
That didn't reassure him.
Once they were all seated, they were quick to order their food. Uraraka was about to select the cheaper food options when Midoriya waved her off, offering to pay for her. This earned him a bright smile and a peck on the cheek from his anti-gravity girlfriend. Mina, sitting right next to her, started poking her sides and making snide comments at her. Comments that caused the anti-gravity girl to turn bright red before nudging her best friend with her elbow.
Not long after they ordered, the food started coming in. The young heroes were quick to say their thanks for the food before digging in, proving to the Symbol of Peace that they either skipped breakfast or had a small snack before jumping into the van. Even Bakugo was enjoying his food and the atmosphere. A fed Kacchan is a happy Kacchan.
While they were eating, however, a lone figure was watching them from the restaurant's bar. He wore a white button-up shirt and gray slacks. The man bared his red eyes and sharp teeth into a smile as he recognized Deku. He turned his back on them and pulled out his phone.
Boss...the green guy, is here. He sat down with a bunch of kids, and they're eating!
An instant reply appeared. Good. I have Governor and Technophobe executing the next phase of the plan. Don't engage until I say so.
Yes, boss.
The man took a sip from his drink. Out of the corner of his eye, he could still see the target.
On the other side of Japan...
Two villains, dressed in their Sunday best, exited the shuttle they road and approached the security guards guarding the entrance to a building. One of them, sporting a steel-gray face and blank eyes, led the other with blond hair and sharp, blue eyes. They both wore smiles, as they knew the next part of the plan was about to go off without a hitch.
The security guard in front of them held up his hand, stopping them. "Can we help you?" He asked.
The man with blond hair swiped his hair back and smiled. "We need to see the warden. We have orders to relieve you guys of a prisoner," he said.
The guard's brown eyes shined blue, forcing his posture to straighten. "R-Right this way, sir..." He said in a monotone voice. The guard turned around, leading the two into the prison.
The steel-gray man breathed in deeply through the nose and exhaled, extending his fingers in the process. The cameras that were watching them shut down, rendering them useless in identifying them. As they got closer to the prison, they found other security measures were shutting down, including a special Quirk-dampening field and scanner that the facility had.
The guard walked them through the front door, giving villains access to the Supermax prison: Tartarus.
The little bit of IzuMomo back there is more platonic than romantic because, in my eyes, those two would have a more sibling relationship than romantic. That doesn't mean I won't knock an actual shipfic of those two, and I've read some of them. Honestly, some of y'all are awesome in your writing.