CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: JUDGEMENT
Shigaraki was not happy. Not the least bit with the situation that presented itself today. First the Yakuza was being stubborn and refused to meet with them. They were obviously playing the long game. Something that sensei taught him, these groups will sometimes put off meetings in order buy time or to make you lose your patience which in turn would cause you to make a mistake.
And on top of all that he had that brat Apotheosis here talking to him as if he was a child again. Something that irritated him to no end.
"Could you repeat that?" Tomura said dangerously.
"It's simple these two wish to join my department, so I'm taking them with me", Izuku shrugged nonchalantly from where he was sitting.
"You've gotten pretty cocky haven't you kid?" Shigaraki sneered at him.
"That tends to happen when one obtains a vast amount of power", Izuku smirked at the villain. "I don't see why your so upset Dabi and Himiko just want to try out other prospects. You've run out Nomus and you League is kind of at stand still right now", he told him the blunt truth. "You're not doing so well Tomura. Ever since Sensei was imprisoned the League of Villains hasn't really made much progress other than a few seemingly random attacks here and there", he gestured to the dark haired fire user and the psychotic blonde. "It's not like you're never going to see or use them again. If it helps you can think of them as a liaison between our two organizations"
"You've got some nerve Midoriya", Tomura Shigaraki glared at him through the fingers of his father's hand. "I remember when you were just a scrawny little quirkless nobody, helping petty scumbags and bank robbers perform small time jobs before Sensei and I let into our group. You were nothing before you joined us. Nobody was interested in you, even the police didn't start investigating you until the U.A. attack", Izuku frowned as he went on this rant. "Now you sit there with your little toy and think you can do whatever you want" Shigaraki stood up from his chair. "Get out. If I ever see your face again I'll turn you to dust", he spat as he turned to walk away.
"We're not done here Tomura, sit down", Izuku said calmly. Shigaraki ignored him and kept walking away only to freeze when a powerful force held him in place. "I said", the villain was lifted up in the air in front of all his subordinates and tossed back into the chair he occupied a moment ago. "Sit down!" Izuku's aura turned dark and menacing before it vanished as quickly as it came, returning to his warm, pleasant demeanor, which honestly frightened the members of the League.
"I don't think we're understanding each other", Izuku remarked. "Allow me to explain things", he paused as he looked to the villain across from him with a serious expression. "I don't think I made it clear before, but the only reason you and your league still exist is because of All for One. Sensei was kind enough to help me, to give me advice and a place to work in privacy. And because he showed me such kindness towards a quirkless nobody, as you put it, I decided to extend a similar kindness to you his successor Tomura Shigaraki", he then smiled again in that creepy way. "Without that I would have crushed the League of Villains by now and you and your members would be rotting in a cell"
"I should grateful? Is that what you're saying?" Shigaraki spat.
"No you should feel lucky that I still consider you a friend and look up to All for One as a mentor", Izuku explained. "So just be very careful with what you say and do towards me, because this", he gestured to the abandoned warehouse the villains currently occupied. "Could all end if I so desired", he stood up from his chair. "Now do we understand each other Tomura Shigaraki?"
"Yeah, I think I get it", Shigaraki growled out. He didn't like it, but his mind started plotting anyway for him to use this to his advantage. At the very least it seemed Midoriya was keen on letting them do as they pleased for now, but how long would that last? Now more than ever Shigaraki needed to get his hands on that quirk erasing weapon that the Yakuza was rumored to have in their possession.
"Great!" Izuku opened a portal. "We'll be seeing you then", he smiled as he stepped through. Toga of course didn't hesitate to follow him into it. Dabi however looked to Shigaraki and the rest of the league for a moment.
"Nothing personal guys", the patched up man said before stepping into the portal towards his new role. When they were gone Kurogiri who remained silent through the whole altercation finally spoke.
"I know you don't want me to say it Shigaraki, but we still need his friendship", the misty villain said. "He's probably the only thing keeping the heroes off our trail at this point"
"What does she see in him?" Twice murmured to himself, a little upset that Toga just left with Midoriya. "Probably the cute freckles", he was of course ignored.
"Kurogiri", Tomura removed the hand from his face. "Tell me about this weapon Sensei left for me again"
MEANWHILE
"Welcome to the temporary headquarters", Izuku gestured to the large portable trailer they were currently occupying.
"Where the hell are we?" Dabi asked as he looked at one of the windows and noticed a lot of construction going on outside.
"An island out in the ocean I created", Izuku told them as he sat down at the desk of his makeshift office. "I'm sure you noticed the tremors felt throughout the city recently"
"That was you?" Dabi raised a brow.
"Oh, he's only getting stronger", Toga gushed.
"This is where the main base of operations will be built", Izuku told them while ignoring the blonde girl's thirsty gaze. "It will serve as a home base, a training facility and as a factory for the Titan robots"
"You still haven't said what you need us for", Dabi noted. "Don't get me wrong things seemed to be stagnating in the hand man's league and I'm glad that you offered a better alternative, but why did you recruit us specifically?" Izuku merely smiled in response.
"I want you two because of all the members of the League of Villains, you two were the most reliable and willing to listen to me", the green haired teen explained. "I want you two to work with another agent of mine that I recently recruited. The three of you will be my eyes in ears in the underground world of villainy. I now have my hand on the heroes, but you three will be my black hand on the villains", Izuku needed them to keep the villains in line while he kept the heroes in line. Now it made sense to Dabi. Apotheosis never liked to leave too much to chance. If he was to succeed in his eventual absolute control over the society of heroes then he would need control over the dark society of villains too. There were other groups out there besides the League of Villains. Izuku wanted them to basically do the dirty work for him. Not that they had a problem with that.
"Who is this agent of yours?" Dabi asked.
"Where is he?" Himiko asked as she glanced around the office.
"He's busy", Izuku grinned. "I've been idle for a short period, but now while my base is being constructed I shall bring judgement swiftly down upon the false heroes. These next heroes on my list will serve as an example, just like Endeavor", now Dabi liked the sound of that.
LATER-CITY STREETS
"Thank you! You're too kind!" Mt Lady smiled at the adoring public. She had just successfully pinned down a villain who tried to rob a pharmacy and after the police took him away she stuck around for the reporters to take pictures and to sign autographs. It was great being a hero.
"Ahem!" Someone loudly fake coughed behind her. Mt Lady turned around in her normal sized form to see a tall man dressed in black armor, overcoat, and a strange black featureless mask that covered most of his head, leaving only one opening for his mouth. "Mount Lady, on behalf of the H.R.D, you are required to come with me to face evaluation", the mystery man said in a rehearsed fashion.
"Evaluation?" The female hero questioned.
"Yes evaluation, or sentencing if you prefer", the man repeated. "In other words the boss, Director Midoriya, wants to see you."
"And what does that little boy want with me?" Mt Lady asked in a mocking tone.
"Your one of the heroes at the top of his list", she could see his grin through the mouth hole of his mask. "You're on the chopping block Mount Lady, so come with me and face the boss's judgement"
"Just what sort of authority do you have? Who are you anyway?" She demanded.
"I work for the H.R.D that's all you need to know", he shot back. "Now are you going to come quietly? Please don't, because I have permission from the boss to use force if necessary"
"Just who does that little brat think he his!" Mt Lady didn't like being talked down to especially in public in front of fans and reporters, so she tried to rudely shove the masked man away. That proved to be a big mistake. In one instance the man had dashed behind her with shocking speed. The hero felt a shallow cut on her cheek and when she spun around the man was holding a combat knife stained with a few drops of her blood.
"You tried to harm an agent of the H.R.D, that's really not going to help your case when you're in front of the boss", the man chuckled darkly as a tongue came out of the mouth hole of his mask to lick the blood. In the next moment Mt Lady suddenly lost control of her body. In front of everybody she collapsed like a puppet that just got its strings cut. "Take her away boys", he ordered to someone she couldn't see from her position on the ground. A large metal foot entered her vision as something growled and bent down to grab her by the leg. The Titan robot dragged the hero over to an armored truck where it roughly tossed her into the back where the two other heroes were sitting not paralyzed as opposed to her, because it seemed they surrendered themselves peacefully unlike her.
"And that makes three", the man said as he checked off the third hero on the list he was given. Midoriya wanted these three specifically to make a big show out of. In the same way that he made a show out of Endeavor's humiliating defeat and honestly he couldn't wait to watch it. Stepping into the passenger seat of the truck the vehicle quickly sped off leaving a confused and somewhat concerned crowd of fans who quickly started uploading what just happened to social media.
The truck drove for about an hour until it stopped suddenly. By then the paralysis wore off allowing Mt Lady to move and look to see who else was brought in like her. To the left sat the snake hero Uwabami and across from her sat Gin Inochi also known as the hero/meteorologist Weather Dominator. Before she could ask them about how they the two of them were captured the doors to the armored trunk opened revealing three of those tall scary black robots standing there along with that masked agent.
"Get out", he ordered. "And don't try to run. You won't get far", they could hear the amused grin in his voice. The three pros cautiously stepped out of the vehicle keeping wary eyes and the Titan sentries. Looking around they noticed that they were outside the front entrance of the Hero Public Safety Commission's central office. Waiting for them at the steps was Izuku Midoriya himself with a line of his robots behind him. The boy smiled as the heroes approached. Cameras were set up around the area, televising this live.
"Uwabami, Mt Lady, and Weather Dominator do you three no why you are here?" Izuku asked the three who chose to remain silent. "Your here because the three of you have failed to live up to the idea of what a hero should be. Two of you…", he pointed to the women. "Care more about fame and attention than stopping villains or saving lives. You on the other hand", Izuku turned to look at Weather Dominator. "You disgust me more than these two combined. Using your quirk to create localized weather events so you can report them. Not only that, but extorting agriculturists for money"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Gin denied such allegations rather quickly.
"Really?" Izuku placed a finger on his cheek. "Because you're very wealthy for a low ranking hero and meteorologist"
"My mother left me a lot of money when she passed away", Gin quickly restated the excuse he always used.
"That's interesting considering your mother lives in a retirement home and is very much alive", Izuku smirked at him as he stepped closer to this corrupt man. "You think I didn't do my research on you Weather Dominator. You changed your last name when you became a hero so no one looked too deep into your lies", one of the robots handed him a large envelope. "Now this is especially interesting", he took out some photos he obtained awhile back. "Look at that it's you taking bribes from various agricultural businesses. Apparently you use your quirk so the crops get enough rain to grow, and the ones that refuse to give you money, you use your quirk to ruin their crops and destroy their business", he showed the cameras the incriminating photos so the whole world could see.
"Gin you didn't?" Uwabami said shock evident on her face.
"Oh like your one to talk you pompous media whore!" Gin snapped at her.
"You know you'd be surprised what people who have been oppressed will tell you when you extend a helping hand and a promise to end their troubles", Izuku confessed to where he originally got this information. A simple visit to these business owners and a few hidden cameras was all it took to expose this man's crimes. "Gin Inochi, you have been judged guilty of being a false hero and gross misuse of your quirk", Izuku flash warped forward before the man had a chance to react and grabbed his face with the gauntlet. Purple veins spread across his face and body as the hero screamed in pain as his quirk was extracted. The green haired teen released him when it was over letting his unconscious body collapse like a rag doll. The two female pros watched in horror at what just happened. Uwabami quickly realized that they were next and quickly tried to talk her way out of this.
"Now I know what you must think of me, but I-", the snake hero was cut off when a metal gauntlet covered her mouth.
"Nope. No excuses", Izuku said as he silenced her. "Your just a celebrity not a hero, so what I'm about to do is completely justifiable", he activated the soul stone as the woman's screams were muffled by the device covering her mouth. "At least you have your modeling career to fall back on", he scoffed as the snakes in her hair disappeared as her quirk was forcibly taken. After she fell to the ground green eyes turned to the last one left. In a panic Mt Lady tried to run only to blocked by a line of robots and the masked man. That hesitation cost her everything as Izuku warped behind her.
"Don't think because you're a new hero that you'll be given mercy", the director spoke. "You just started and you already think you're some kind of star. It's a shame that hero school you went to didn't do anything to curb that ego, but then again none of them seem to do that", without hesitation he reached out and grabbed the back of her head. It was over in seconds and she too was tossed to the ground like the other two. Izuku then turned and looked to one of the cameras, he raised his hand and pointed directly at it. "Your next", that was his warning to all the other corrupt and false heroes that he was coming for them before the cameras cut out.
"Wow", the masked man applauded. "You know I think I like your method better than mine", he chuckled.
"I told you it will be a far better punishment to have to live as quirkless nobodies for the rest of their lives than to simply die", Izuku smiled at him. "Live with the shame, rather than die as victims to your crusade is so much better isn't it Stain", the man took off his masked helmet to reveal the hero killer himself.
"I think I'll miss the groveling they usually do before they die", Stain said as he looked at the three unconscious bodies with disgust.
"Oh we're just getting started", the wielder of the gauntlet told him while creating a portal for them. "Come now, would you like to meet the two people you'll be working with? They're both big fans of your work", he gestured to the portal.
TODOROKI HOUSEHOLD
"Shoto, dinners ready", Fuyumi said from the doorway of her brother's room. Shoto took one last look at the black card that came in the mail this Saturday morning addressed to him, before pocketing it to think about later. "Father decided to join us and Natsuo is here too", she sounded nervous. Shoto nodded and followed his older sister to the dining room. Lately Enji Todoroki had kept quietly to himself. He probably had a lot to think about. What with losing his hero license, agency, the populations respect and his quirk in one fell swoop.
Shoto walked in and his father's eyes immediately zeroed in on him for a brief moment. The hot and cold boy sat down at the opposite end of the table while his sister Fuyumi sat to the left while Natsuo sat on the right as they usually did during these weekend dinners. The Todoroki family ate in silence.
"So how is your work study program going?" Fuyumi asked to break the awkward quietness.
"It's going fine", Shoto responded quietly. Seeing that there wasn't much conversation to be had there she turned to her father.
"How have you been father?" Fuyumi realized that was probably the wrong thing to ask as she asked it.
"I lost my quirk how the hell do you think I feel", Enji practically snarled at her. It seemed he was still quick to anger, that hadn't changed yet.
"Do not talk to her that way", Shoto glared at his father letting a few embers emerge from between his fingers. Father and son stared each other down until the quiet snickering of Natsuo interrupted.
"What's so funny?" The former hero snapped at his other son.
"It's just…you called the three of us failures, but in the end you're the biggest failure of all", Natsuo mocked. "And now you're whining about being quirkless, as if it's the end of the world"
"I will not be talked down to by a brat who couldn't even cut it as a hero", Enji growled at him.
"Says the guy that got his ass handed to him by a group of robots", Natsuo fired back. "But the true irony is that it was a quirkless kid that took everything you cared about. I only wish Touya was alive to see it, he hated you more than anyone", Enji slammed his fist into the table wishing he still had his quirk to put this brat in his place. His meal was suddenly frozen over stopping whatever rant was about to leave his mouth. Following the trail of ice it lead to the other end of the table where Shoto was silently eating his soba while keeping his bi colored eyes locked on to his father's.
"Calm down", Shoto finally said after he finished eating. "If you can't handle some harsh criticisms then Midoriya was right to rob you of your quirk and hero status"
"You agree with that punk!?" The former hero snapped at his son.
"Yeah. I wasn't sure about his methods but they are getting good results", Shoto said boldly. "You never deserved to be a hero. You only care about yourself and your ranking", his father was fuming at him now. "Midoriya was right, you should have stopped caring about this feud with Allmight. You should have just been a hero and been content with that, because it doesn't matter in the end if you're the best", having finished his meal and said his piece he stood up from the table and left the dining room. Natsuo looked at his younger brother with pride having stood up to the bastard while Fuyumi looked at him with concern. The woman stood up from her seat bowing apologetically to her family and followed after him.
"Shoto?" Fuyumi walked into his room to see him staring at a black business card in his hand.
"I'm going away for a while Fuyumi", Shoto suddenly spoke. "I've been offered a position in a new hero program and I've decided to take it"
"Just please make sure you do what you think is right", Shoto turned to face his older sister. "Whatever it is you plan to do"
"I will", he said quietly while turning to look at the letter that came with the card. A logo at the top resembling a closed armored fist with an eye in the center and the letters H, R, and D at the bottom.
Shoto Todoroki
You've been invited join the new Hero Regulation Department. I believe you'll make an excellent addition to the elite team bent on correcting this flawed hero society. As you probably imagined there are more people like Endeavor out there. People who like him don't take the role seriously and see at as a path to fame, glory, or wealth. I would like you and others to serve as an example of what a true hero should be. In the department you will be given exclusive training and benefits to help you become that hero. The offer is all yours, you can accept it or continue the slow trudge to heroism that U.A offers. I think you have great potential Shoto and I want to help you reach it. Call the number on the card if you wish to join.
Izuku Midoriya, Director of the H.R.D
P.S. There is no time frame attached to the offer. My door is always open for you.
The youngest Todoroki took a deep breath. He wanted to do this. He needed to do this. Midoriya understood what was wrong with the world and now had the power to fix it. Midoriya wanted real heroes and a real hero is what Shoto wanted to be. But could he trust Midoriya? That was the question. He had been thinking lately over everything that the dark green haired teen had done. He built a device that gave him nearly limitless power so people will listen to him and take him seriously. He exposed the truth about Allmight, beginning the process of people letting go of this ridiculous fake standard that the number hero represented. He then strong armed the prime minister into legalizing the purging of false heroes in the form of his Hero Regulation Department. Shoto had already heard the news concerning the three pro heroes and what happened. So it seemed that Midoriya was honestly trying to fix the problems using extreme methods but so far it looked like it was working.
With his mind made up Shoto Todoroki pulled out his phone and called the number on the card.
Short chapter, but we're keeping this moving at least.
So now we got Uraraka, Stain, Dabi, Toga, and now Todoroki. There's one more spot open, can you guess who's going to fill it? You'll find out next chapter, because we're getting the whole group together in the next chapter! Get excited!
Weather Dominator, that was a G.I Joe reference by the way. Gin Inochi a made up character, his initials were G.I, see what I did there?
INFINITY GAUNTLET POWERS
Space Stone-Blue: Creating Warp gates/portals. Flash warping only in short distances (Think flash step from Bleach, but leaves a blue glow). Locking things into a point in space. Epidermal shield, protects the wielder's body from most harm and can be focused on specific areas of the body at the cost of decreasing it from other areas.
Reality Stone-Red: manipulation of matter (moving it, reshaping it, changing its state, breaking it down, etc.) you could almost liken it to alchemy from FMA. Some gravity manipulation. Energy manipulation. Body levitation.
Time Stone-Yellow: Stopping time in a zone or area for a maximum of ten seconds. Anyone touching him or the gauntlet is unaffected. There is a cool down to this power that depends on how many seconds time was stopped in the bubble. Restoration, an ability that can revert all physical damage on the body back to its non-damaged state. It can also work on non-organic objects as well. Restoration cannot regenerate missing body parts, nor can it heal fatigue.
Power Stone-Green: One for All. Gives the user super strength, equal and potentially greater than Allmight. This stone can also be used to amplify the others when combined.
Soul Stone-Purple: All for One. Steals quirks and stores them in the stone to be used by the wielder of the gauntlet. Quirks stolen: Notice me not, X-ray Eye, Eye Stamp, Sludge, Energy Conversion, Vector, Quirk Multiplier, Hell Flame, Weather Dominator, Serpentress, and Gigantification.
Thank you for reading. I also want to thank the people who sent me fan art.