The Musutafu police station lay emptier than usual that morning. With Tsukauchi's return to the precinct also came a speedy (but no less thorough) vetting and interior investigation of all officers. It was found that, due to the lack of any proper supervision, the majority of the police force had been cutting corners, delegating to inexperienced co-workers, falsifying reports or abandoning case files for the smallest of reasons. With some explanation from Nezu and Aizawa, the bug planted on a detective's computer seemed far less alarming, but the fact remained it should have been noticed immediately. With a heavy heart, he had no choice but to suspend a large portion of his force. For the next few days, the Musutafu Precinct would be working with a skeleton crew.
Inside a conference room, ex-market member Yuki Haro sat at a simple metal desk, to which she was handcuffed. Detective Tsukauchi slid a worn, dogeared beige folder across the table. "This is everything I've managed to gather about High Street over the years," he declared, flipping it open to reveal a paperclipped note found on a body, a handful of seemingly unrelated newspaper articles, and a red circle on a city map.
Yuki leaned over and scrutinised the details, before meeting his gaze across the desk. "There is nothing here."
Tsukauchi sighed. "It's all I could ever find. Most people refuse to believe in The Market, and given the lack of information, I'd be sceptical too."
"Then may I ask, why aren't you?"
Detective Tsukauchi leaned back, a contemplative look on his face. "I suppose there's no harm in telling you a little story. When I was younger, fresh out of the academy, I was assigned to work security detail for a visiting foreign dignitary. Some HPSC meeting with their European counterpart, it's not important. But it just so happened this took place the same day All Might was returning from America."
He casually propped a leg up over his knee, settling into the tale. "As you can imagine, the airport was in utter chaos. The crowd there for All Might was out of control, and most of my force was split between the job we were there for and calming down this growing issue. Unfortunately, others were taking advantage of the situation too... It shames me to admit, if that dying man hadn't literally fallen into my arms, I wouldn't have noticed him either."
Frowning slightly, Yuki remained silent, urging him to continue.
Tsukauchi went on, "Lie Detector isn't infallible, it only accepts as truth what people genuinely believe to be true. If I were to ask a deeply religious person for the one true faith, whatever they said would likely register as true. Over time, I've learned to recognize the signs of when someone is genuinely telling the truth or merely expressing their perception of the truth. Back then, I hadn't mastered that skill. So, when this man, a pale figure, grabbed my shoulders and claimed, 'The Market did this. High Street did this.' despite my quirk screaming at me… I didn't believe him."
There was silence for a beat, before Yuki asked, "What changed your mind?"
"Well, the man died shortly after that. I filed my report, including what he said to me. Initially, I assumed he was delirious. The cause of death was attributed to extreme heat stroke, after all. Maybe he was blaming his demise on the rise of the free market, I wasn't sure. But when we found out who the victim was, things began to seem far more sinister."
"Who?"
"He was an HPSC board member, a silent partner. The foreign dignitary I mentioned before was visiting the country to discuss new proposals for the Secret Identity Protection Act. Our mysterious man was to be a deciding vote. If he had made it to the meeting, SIPA likely wouldn't have passed. The vote was tied 50/50, and the deciding choice fell to the then-current head of the HPSC. The rest is history."
Yuki drummed her fingers on the desk rhythmically once. "The Secret Identity Act was a useful tool for The Market. Supplies that came to our headquarters could be purchased under secret identities, it was especially useful for falsifying quirk registries. The legal protections for identities made it so most people accept a name at face value, just to avoid any ramifications for challenging it."
Nodding once, Tsukauchi agreed. "It took a few months before we saw it become an issue for police work, but eventually, villains began to use the protections for their own ends. Mr. Compress vs. The City of Musutafu was national headlines. This man's death was far, far too useful for the criminal underworld."
Barely managing with her restrained hands, Yuki flipped open the folder once again and tapped twice on the note. "The Market doesn't typically leave messages for each other, it's reckless and arrogant. But this one was from within our ranks."
Lie Detector indicated that this was indeed the truth, prompting the detective to press for more details. "How can you be so certain?"
"In the past, The Market devised a standardised handwriting system. I was trained in it as a child before Barbershop digitised our entire operation. It's intentionally generic, a blend of the most commonly used handwriting elements. However, it's easily recognizable among members of The Market."
Confirmation at long last. "Do you recognise the name? Bistro?"
"No. I've never heard that name used, not even in passing. I believe..." Yuki took a breath. "I believe they are dead."
"What makes you say that?"
"They all are, Detective. The information found by the Midoriyas and myself inside the base confirmed it. High Street, Museum, and I are the only ones left. Everyone else is gone."
Tsukauchi blinked, holding his eyes shut for a moment longer than usual. When he opened them again and planted both feet on the floor, he spoke, "High Street killed them. But for what purpose?"
"High Street taught me that The Market's work was for the betterment of society. He believed that the lives we took would pave the way for a golden age of prosperity for all," Yuki said, bitterness lacing her words. "The man has a distinct vision for the future. You have to understand, Detective. It's not a future he thinks could happen. It's one he believes he must make happen."
Tsukauchi frowned, probing further, "Do you believe in his vision of the future?"
Her scowl deepened. "Not anymore."
"Miss Haro," Tsukauchi laced his fingers together and leaned back in his chair, "Do you regret the crimes you committed?"
Looking down at the folder in front of her, and the cuffs on her hands, Yuki replied evenly, "I am… Unsure."
"Oh?"
"The deaths I caused did have positive consequences. I killed corrupt landlords, politicians. Took the lives of people who had done far worse than I ever have. Criminal empires crumbled before they ever got the chance to begin, thanks to the efforts of The Market."
Tsukauchi lifted an eyebrow, "You don't sound unsure."
"But I committed those murders without hesitation. I never checked if what I was doing was… Was the right thing. I was told so, and obeyed without question. For nearly two decades of my life I have not been a person. I was a blunt instrument. If not for the Midoriyas I probably would have remained that way."
Looking at her with quiet sympathy, Tsukauchi asked, "If I were to release you from custody right this moment, what would you do? And remember, I'll know if you're lying."
Yuki breathed in and thought about her answer. "I would find High Street, and find out why he made me a killer."
"And then?"
"...I would kill him."
Tsukauchi smiled grimly. "You know I can't allow that to happen, but I can help you seek justice. You're as much a victim of that man as anyone, and as of this moment you're our best hope of tracking him down. You know him."
Extending a hand across the table, Tsukauchi posed a crucial question with a serious tone. "Here's the deal. You're going to jail. That's inevitable, no matter how noble your acts felt. But if you help me bring down High Street, it could be the most important thing you ever do. All the bad you have done in the past could help us do this one act of supreme good. Do we have a deal? Will you help us?"
Yuki raised her handcuffed hand as much as she could and shook the tips of the detective's outstretched fingers. Moments later, he unlocked her restraints.
"Welcome to the Anti-Market Task Force."
:::IZUKU MIDORIYA - - DEKU UPLOAD:::
33% COMPLETE
In a dimly lit pop-up laboratory, the elderly doctor scrutinised his patient's eyes, wielding a small torch between them and watching the pupils dilate. "How are your reflexes? Any shortness of breath?"
The heavy air hung with the scent of disinfectant, a feeble attempt to cleanse the room after High Street dismissed using his newly acquired quirk for such "trivialities." The flickering overhead light cast long shadows on the peeling linoleum floor of what was once, ironically, a barber's shop - High Street's latest acquisition following the death of one of his targets.
High Street seized the doctor's arm, diverting the probing light. "Doctor, I've never felt better."
"That's not an answer to my question. It was a wildly experimental procedure. If the quirk factor hadn't integrated correctly-"
Interrupting, High Street declared, "It integrated, Doctor. Your experiment was a grand success." He swung his legs from their reclined position, landing firmly on the floor, and rose to his full height. With an arm stretched above him, emitting a satisfying crack, he said through a grunt, "Which, ahh, brings me to my next point."
"More tests need to be run before we do anything more, particularly in regards to your taking quirks from corpses," Garaki mumbled, more to himself than to High Street, as he hurriedly packed his medical instruments into a worn leather bag. The check-up was meant to be quick—some blood work, respiratory checks, and then a swift departure. Hosu had plenty of vacant properties, but for each one, there were at least half a dozen nosy heroes in the city.
Undeterred by Garaki's hasty display, High Street continued, "Given that my personal information broker met a, hm," he examined his hand, rubbing thumb and forefinger together in thought, "...unfortunate end, I'm in dire need of new intel. I'm going to need your help to find someone."
This piqued the doctor's interest. "Your original quirk is operating as normal? Excellent. I have contacts we can leverage to locate whoever it is you're after."
Shaking his head, High Street replied, "Not a name from my quirk, not this time. I need your help tracking down an ex-employee of mine. As much as Barbershop grated on my nerves, his death can't go unpunished."
The doctor finished packing his bag, glancing at High Street from above his circular glasses. "Don't you think this is too personal? If Potential hasn't ordered it-"
High Street flexed his fingers and felt the knuckles crack, "My quirk does not control my actions, doctor. I have a few leads, but I'll need your contacts to dig a little deeper. We're going to turn over every stone until we find her, and when we do, Diner will know the price of betrayal."
:::IZUKU MIDORIYA - - DEKU UPLOAD:::
66% COMPLETE
Meanwhile, far from home, class 1A homeroom teacher Shota Aizawa settled into hour three of his cross-country road-trip to the last known location of Rosa Omasuba. He stared silently out of the side window, watching the white lines in the centre of the road monotonously flick past, over and over and over again.
What's that? No, don't worry, he's not driving. Shota Aizawa is well-known for his remarkable adherence to traffic law. This time his chauffeur was UA's resident hero law (and secretly, heroics) teacher, fan-favourite Toshinori Yagi!
"Are you sure you don't want the radio on? I can't get the FM channels, but there's always something good on HeroTalk around this time." Toshinori asked, gesturing with his head towards the radio knob. Also a stringent follower of the traffic code, he refused to remove his hands from the ten and two positions.
"No, it distracts me." Aizawa answered, resuming his riveting pastime of road watching.
"Right you are." his skinny companion nodded, before the pair resumed their awkward silence. Toshinori tapped a finger on the steering wheel rhythmically. Then did it again. "So uh… What happened to your car, anyway?"
"Meteor."
"Ah, right, I vaguely remember hearing about that…" Aizawa was proving to be an impenetrable conversational fortress. It was like trying to chat with a 33-year-old teenager. Toshinori thought hard about a topic of conversation that would pique Aizawa's interest. "Oh, did you hear? Nezu thinks they might have figured out a way to wake Midoriya! With any luck he'll be back in classes soon enough, isn't that great news?"
Aizawa blinked, utterly disinterested. "Next time, he won't be so reckless."
That did it. Toshinori, frustrated beyond measure, slammed his hands against the sides of the steering wheel (a lot harder than one might expect from a man of his stature) and promptly pulled the car to the side of the road.
"What are you doing?" Eraserhead finally lifted his head to gaze at the fiery determination radiating from Toshinori. "We've got a schedule to stick to. If we don't hurry, Omasuba could slip through our fingers."
Toshinori shot him a fierce look, suddenly appearing capable of conquering entire armies in the blink of an eye. "I would have preferred to avoid this conversation, but enough is enough. Aizawa. Why are you a teacher?"
"Seriously? Now? We've got more pressing matters to—" Aizawa began.
"Why. Are you. A teacher?" Toshinori repeated.
Aizawa sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to let this go. Averting his eyes from the probing gaze, he tried to find a suitable answer. Truth be told, for a long time now he had felt detached from his role as an educator. Once upon a time, he had real reasons. Not so much, anymore.
"I'm a teacher because it's necessary." He finally said, hoping that would bring an end to the conversation. But Toshinori only frowned, clearly unconvinced by the vague response.
"Necessary? That's the best you can do? There are children at that school who look to you for guidance, you have the capability to be one of the most important adult figures in their young lives, and the only reason you have this phenomenally important job is because you think it's necessary?" The disappointment and frustration on Toshinori's face could have burnt a hole through the car. "I've seen you with your class, Aizawa. You're an effective combat tutor, but it's like you're on autopilot. You could be a vital adult figure for these kids, but you're holding yourself back from them. Why? Why are your students afraid to come to you with their problems?"
Aizawa gritted his teeth, frustration evident in every clench. "Look, Yagi, not everyone can be the inspirational teacher type. Some of us take a different approach. These kids live in a world where villainy is around every corner, and not all of them come out unscathed. I'm preparing them for that reality, not coating it in false hopes."
"They need more than preparation for the worst." Toshinori said quietly. "They need guidance, someone to believe in."
"I'm not All Might. I'm not some symbol of peace," Aizawa retorted, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Frankly, I don't know who you think you are talking to me like this. You've been a teacher for less than three months, and the only reason you got the job is because of nepotism."
Toshinori clenched his fists. "Nepotism, huh? You think I don't know enough about the world of heroics, about the importance of our next generation of heroes?" He stared out the front window for a moment before declaring, "Get out of the car."
"Are you serious? If you're hoping to fight me, then I wouldn't bother. We both know how that would turn out," Aizawa warned, staying calm in his seat as Toshinori opened his door and stepped out, slamming it shut behind him.
Moments later, a much larger hand grabbed hold of the passenger side door, wrenched it off its hinges, and sent it flying into the distance.
"I'd say I know a damn sight more about heroics than you do, young man."
:::IZUKU MIDORIYA - - DEKU UPLOAD:::
99% COMPLETE
"Ms Midoriya?" Yamashita gently nudged the sleeping woman's shoulder, "Ms Midoriya? It's almost time." The hum of machinery filled the air, and the flickering screens displayed lines of code as the upload process neared completion.
"Oh, thank you, dear." Inko said, rubbing her eyes and sitting up straight. "Is everything still… alright?"
Yamashita looked over at Mei, her goggles on, furiously typing away on a keyboard and surrounded by a tangled mess of wires. Power Loader was meticulously lifting and twisting the robot Deku's limbs to check for any issues, while Nezu observed from a distance.
Mei lifted the goggles and perched them on her forehead. "We're almost there! A few more tweaks and we should be ready to activate Deku. Uh… Izuku. Dezuku?"
As the team made their final adjustments, Hana glanced over at the screen displaying the 99% completion status. She bit her lip, anxiety building up inside her. It was hard to believe that the person she admired so much was about to become a robot… Temporarily, but still.
The room collectively took a deep breath. All Inko could say was "Be strong, Izuku. We're all here for you."
Just as she spoke those words, the screen updated, displaying a new prompt:
[ACTIVATE DEKU UNIT?]
Turning to meet the eyes of her companions, Mei gave a nervous smile. "Well, hold onto your hats, folks. Activating… Now."
With a press of a button, the unlit LED eyes on Deku slowly began to fill with a green hue. Electricity sparked from the USB connection, causing the metallic frame to shudder for a moment, accompanied by a dramatic crackle of sparks before relaxing.
Then he sat bolt upright.
Slowly but surely, his vision came back to him, but it was like seeing the world through a camera lens that needed to focus. The once blurry outlines of the world surrounding him gradually sharpened, alongside the auditory hum of his newly activated robotic eyes.
"H-hello?" Izuku's voice emanated from the small robot, a bizarre blend of artificial vocals and Izuku's familiar tone.
Inko rushed forward, her eyes streaming. "Izuku, Izuku is that you?! Can you hear me, how do you feel?!"
The LED eyes flickered, and Izuku tilted his head, lifting the claw like appendages that would temporarily serve as his hands. He clacked them together a few times in experimentation. "I…I can hear you, mom."
With a heavy sigh, Power Loader wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. "It's good to hear from you again, Izuku."
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room, with Hana collapsing into a chair (swiftly and kindly summoned by Yamashita), and ran her hands through her hair to contain her emotions. Recovery Girl kindly offered her a sweet.
"How utterly remarkable!" Nezu exclaimed in delight. "Ladies, gentleman, I do believe we are witness to the first full integration of a human consciousness inside an artificial body. The single greatest scientific breakthrough of all time!"
Inko smiled and dabbed her eyes with a tissue, "It was worth the effort."
"The nobel prize will just be the icing on the cake." Added Yamashita.
Hana suddenly jumped up and threw a fist into the air, "Next time we'll help you even faster! Uh...not that we'll need to do this again, or anything!"
If Izuku had tear ducts right now, the room would be completely flooded. "You...You all went to so much trouble... for me..."
"Pshh, don't be such a crybaby," Mei said with a sniff, wiping her eye with the back of her hand, "We're not even halfway finished yet."
Power Loader nodded. "Mm. This was only the first step, and we better get cracking."
"Not so fast!" The authoritative voice of UA's diminutive doctor rose above all the others as she slammed her cane on the floor forcefully. "In case you all forgot, Midoriya's body is lying on a bed barely fifteen feet away, and nobody is doing anything until I've given him a clean bill of health!"
Collectively, everyone in the room gulped. Even Izuku himself felt a pang of guilt, before the oddly existential surge of concern for his fleshy prison.
"Sorrecovergirl…" Everyone murmured.
"What was that?" Recovery Girl said sternly.
"Sorry Recovery Girl…" The room answered, more clearly this time.
"I should think so!"
~~One medical examination later!~~
"He's perfectly healthy," Recovery Girl announced after a few minutes. "The body seems to be in a state of suspended animation, with no sign of any physical or mental deterioration. He should be able to return to normal once we reverse the process."
Izuku breathed a sigh of relief. Or the robotic equivalent of breathing a sigh of relief, which felt more like the end of a loading screen.
Recovery Girl finished by strapping her cane to her back like a sword, and saying "You may carry on with your 'scientific breakthroughs'. But be careful, we don't want to risk any complications."
"Understood!" Nezu said with a salute, before gesturing to the resident scientists of the room. "Shall we?"
"Aw, come on Izuku! You know I've always wanted to tinker around inside someone's brain!" Mei pleaded, holding a screwdriver in her hand. "I could give you the deluxe upgrade package! Faster reflexes! Super memory! WiFi!"
"Uh, no thanks, Mei." Izuku said nervously. "I think I'll pass. Besides, everything I own already has WiFi, so there isn't really much point is there?"
"Well either way I'm putting a GPS tracker in you…"
"You mean on me, right?"
"I said what I said."
Just then, Hana, who had been helping keep Inko occupied by showing her all the pictures she had taken at the sports festival, turned to Izuku and asked something that had been bothering her. "So, if Izuku is inside Deku's body now… What happened to Deku?"
Suddenly, the robot's eyes flashed from bright green to a dazzling blue. "I'm right here!" He said, in a completely different voice.
Reflexively, Izuku smacked the side of his head, and the LEDs returned to normal. "Oh, wow. Okay, that was weird."
"You think that's weird?! This guy's living in my head rent free! Literally! Heyooo!" Deku's voice said, accompanied by another change of colour.
Everyone just stared, emotionless, for a moment. "...Alright, yeah, let's hurry this up." Said Power Loader.
Yamashita frowned. "Do you think this is why God stays in heaven, because he too lives in fear of what he created..?"
