-Speech-
"quoted or custom name of something"
(-Hunt Or Be Hunted-) Time skip or change of prespective
Chapter 5 Beginings
It has been a long time, a year since he started training with Knuckleduster, and two since All Might's death and him passing his power to him. He couldn't believe it, he is already fourteen. Things were going as usual, he still hadn't discovered this untapped power that he supposedly got from All Might, and he still hadn't
stood up to his bullies and beaten Bakugo up. He has gotten better at dodging, he no longer stutters like before, and he is still socially awkward as he was before. Maybe it got a little better after meeting Knuckleduster's contacts in the underworld, but talking to Mei is like talking to a wall. A wall that is extremely
dangerous and blows up more often than Bakugo. And that is actually a pretty good achievement without having an explosion quirk or something. And then there is
Lurker, he is even worse in social interactions than him. He blurts out something from time to time, only when they are giving him junk from Takoba beach. And by the way, it is finally cleaned up.
Yes, we finally did it. The Takoba dump is no more. His mom actually cried when she found out they had done it. She told him that she and his father used to come
there very often when he was just a child. Even the local news got wind of it and made an actual article about the unknown group that cleaned the infamous beach. Now it shines again, after knuckleduster and him dragged out the foul sand that had soaked in various substances that shouldn't be in the sand. Now it looks like there
never was a dump there in the first place.
He is actually proud of himself right now; he is jacked, but not jacked like slightly better than before. He is sure now that his muscle is at least the same as
Bakugo's, but thanks to his shirts and baggy pants, nobody actually recognized it. Well, maybe Himiko did. She became more tamed over time he spent time with her.
They even came to watch some movies together. Though after the fifth time, they abandoned this idea after the police department stormed the building following her
sighting.
To this day, he doesn't know how she actually did it. When he asked her, she said she walked through the front door. Just like that. He was actually escorted with
the rest of the people, yet he couldn't see her in the crowd that way. Maybe she has an invisibility quirk? Or, as he speculated, her transformation quirk allows her to change into people she drank blood from. That is more probable. She talks a lot about wanting to be Mr. Stainy or him. From time to time, he gives her vials of
his own blood and from what he seen there were shrink in crimes with her modus operandi. He even checked the unofficial canals in the dark web.
Yeah, dark web. Thanks to lessons with Pop Step, he gained decent knowledge in navigating through the dark web or less pleasant sources. Some things he has seen
there... cannot be unseen, but it is still a resource he isn't willing to give up. This will surely help him when he becomes an underground hero. He is fourteen now, so he guesses there is one year left of this shithole and he will be done with it.
And he can finally realize his dreams and go beyond. Go plus ultra.
But first he needs to find someone who promised him something.
Wandering through the damp alleys of Hosu in the hopes of finding the infamous hero killer is something that someone might call a crazy idea. Hell, even his sensei said it would be stupid, and he has done crazier things than him. Now that Knuckleduster is back in action after the supposed return of some terrorist group, he is more well-known in town. What's even stranger is that Tsukauchi is actually helping him. He has an idea of who this terrorist group could be, but he can't point it out just like that.
Soon he hears a scream, and then a thud. He quickly runs up with his vigilante gear at the ready and sees...
Nobody else but Stain looming over a pro hero, Samson. The pro hero looks like a pro fighter with short pants and a bandana over his head. And he is screaming
bloody murder in rage while Stain stands on top of him. Izuku just watches, completely nonplussed by the pro hero's struggles and possible death. Yeah, that's what Mustafu does to you when you live at night as an apprentice of the infamous vigilante. Samson's skin turns red from rage and his muscle mass bulks up; that is his quirk, basically the angrier he is, the stronger he gets. But honestly, he chose a very bad name for himself. Stain just cuts off his hair with a scalp of his skin, making the pro hero yelp, and he deflates like a balloon, no longer bulked up.
-You know my weakness?! How?!- The moron asks. Stain just grumbles something unrecognizable and stabs him in the neck.
-You have a terrible taste in naming things, including yourself, you disgusting fake.- Stain says, looming above his head, speaking into his ear. - And using the words of God in such a way is truly despicable... for that alone, I would kill you, but that is not the reason I am here.- He speaks and shows a photo of something before the eyes of the gurgling pro hero. The pro hero's eyes widen, and then go blank as his life fades away from him.
Stain gets his blade out of the fresh corpse. -And you, why are you here.- Stain says in his voice that sounds like a husk.
-You promised something to me year ago Stain. - Izuku says stepping into the light. - And today I hold you on that promise.- He says in iron conviction.
Stain just stares at him like he is grass on the other side of the road. Completely disinterested. - Yeah... And why would I be? What is your conviction? Going
after your desires and goals without conviction does not have a meaning. So what is it? - He says while giving him a studying look.
Izuku stills his resolve and says, -I want to be a hero for all.- Izuku says, and Stain raises an eyebrow, or as much as he can do it with his mask on. - I want to be a hero for those that nobody came for. I want to be a hero that sets an example for the people, showing them how it can be, how it could be.- He clenches his
fists before himself. -I want to be a hero that will always be there to save people with a smile on my face, no matter who they are - a villain, hero, vigilante,
quirkless, quirked, with weak quirks, or even with a villainous quirk as they say. I do not care, I will save everybody, with a smile, as I said. A smile that is not cocky, but one that reassures that everything will be alright. BECAUSE I AM HERE.- Izuku screams the last words, and unknowingly to him, One For All powers it,
turning his voice more baritone and loud. And his eyes turn black with green irises for a moment, making Stain's eyes widen in surprise. But it was only a moment, and Stain still looks disinterested.
-Sure.- He says and jumps upwards, leaving the body behind. Izuku follows him, jumping on the dumpster and goes for the fire escape, following him. Stain is already a rooftop away, but Izuku doesn't stop and follows him even faster. Another roof, and faster. He is getting closer, but he is still far away, and faster. He doesn't know it, but One For All powers him up, making him not feel exhaustion at all. And faster. Soon he slams into another rooftop, scattering roof gravel all around.
He looks around and sees Stain is on the corner hanging on the edge like some decoration. He walks up towards Stain and his danger sense, or what he calls
intuition, warns him. He quickly catches knives thrown at him between his fingers, millimeters from his eyes. -You got the basics good- he says dryly, completely
leaving the fact that he almost killed him there. -If you were here without proper training, with me you wouldn't be ready like you said, and you wouldn't have
survived my training anyway- he says matter-of-factly.
Well, he cannot argue with that; he came here of his own volition. His mom would be worried again for not returning in the late hours, but what he would do for more training is another thing. She doesn't know about his vigilante acts yet, well, not vigilante because he doesn't have a quirk, and most of the laws regarding
interfering with police work in today's Japan are connected to quirks. So he guesses he is a law-abiding citizen like Knuckleduster. Even Tsukauchi would probably
frown upon it, but since the accident that happened year ago, he has toned down his scolding, seeing that he is now practically no better. In truth, most of the
things Knuckleduster and his Vigilante Alliance do are from contracts that Tsukauchi gives them.
Since his fight in court, which is still ongoing by the way, his reputation among the police and government has lowered to such a degree that they no longer trust
his lie detector quirk. Additionally, he is no longer an exemplary police man due to his dealings in the underworld. Thanks to him, Gators actually got disbanded by the way. He still doesn't know how he did that, but from that moment on, the city became somewhat calmer with him working with the Vigilantee Alliance. Yeah, it's a catchy name by the way. It was a knuckleduster idea. After the fiasco with the Naruhata Vigilantes and their unfortunate disbandment, he was forcefully retired by
the HPSC. He only landed safely with the help of Tsukauchi and All Might. And now, his sensei has gone so deep underground that he doesn't even see him at all.
Here he is now, standing in some sort of warehouse with Stain beating the crap out of him to test his resolve. The order was simple: to stand and take as much as he can, and he can take a lot from his encounters with Knuckleduster and Bakugo earlier. So it took a lot, but he finally fell down after a strike to the back of his
head, and he saw stars before his eyes. - Good, now I know what you need and how to train you properly. We have a similar body build, so I'm sure my experience and
knowledge can apply to you. The only issue is height, but we can work on it. You've picked up some bad habits from your training with Iwao. Maybe it's not too late
for you, kid. - He gives him an evaluation like some freaking doctor. He lifts himself up on his hands.
-Why do you kill people.- He says. And He almost feels Stain frowns behind him.
He turns himself around with some difficulty and looks Stain right in the eyes. -What is your conviction, Stain?- he asks, and everything turns silent. Not even a breath can be heard. Then he sees Stain, yes, Stain actually smiled. Wider, wider, and wider, until it looked like it split his head in half. It looked so psychotic and unhinged that he felt it would haunt him for years to come. But the worst were his eyes, shaking red eyes that bored holes into his soul.
The room darkens and his vision tunels and he stares at this thing... this demon standing before him, sneering with its pointy teeth exposed, it doesn't have a nose or ears or even lips. It is just it, insane sneer and wide shaking red eyes.
-Good question~...- It says
-But you are not ready to hear my answer yet...-
-Too weak... to weak willed...- It states its werdict and his world disappears into darkness.
And he loses conciousness.
-Hunt or be Hunted-
Izuku sits in his seat in his class with his braindead classmates cheering for something that he honestly doesn't care about. He thinks about the other day, the day he met Stain for the first time and his training or beating that he went with him, that power and conviction... it was suffocating. He needs to learn it, be like that, having such strong conviction would help him become the hero he wants to be. A hero that is needed, not one that just exists and waits for praise like most of those glory-hounding fools from the safety commission and their lackeys or chickens in the case of Hawks. He knows about Stain's ideals, though they are close to his own, disturbingly close. He cannot disagree with him that some heroes or people have to go. When many people think of him as an insane lunatic or a nutjob, in truth he is just like many of those before him, he is a mercenary.
Yes, a mercenary. From where do you think he got all of his gear or from where he gets his info on fakes? He has the internet like most people, but from what I saw, he probably changes his place when the week ends and goes elsewhere. Not a noble job and not a noble cause either, he does it for personal enjoyment and money. When he would want to change something, he would actually leave proof of misdeeds that his targets caused, but he doesn't do that. He thinks it's a waste of time and
naivety. He heard it enough from his many rants. Though Stain is an antisocial and softly spoken person, when you talk about fakes and conviction, he can talk for
hours or days. From what I learned about what Samson actually did, it appears he had very big anger issues and, in the meantime, he took it out on small-time
villains like purse snatchers, turning their heads to fine paste or killing them by ripping their limbs off.
Of course, commission covered everything like always, and the person who gave a contract on him was actually an old lady that he gave back the purse that was snatched. She apparently disliked how he traumatized her grandson, who from that moment on had problems with speech and became partially mute due to trauma. After that, Izuku didn't feel bad for him at all. He knew beforehand that that guy wasn't the best of heroes, but after what Stain told him, he felt actually glad he is gone. A maniac that killed and hurt people for fun was no hero. In truth, it reminded him of another villain, Muscular, who for the third time this year got out of prison and started another rampage. Stain said a lot of theories about why things are like that, including one that HPSC intentionally releases mad villains to keep the public in check and garner money, fame, and of course, donations from the government. To be fair, it all sticks together, but still... if it were true...
He shivered when he thought about such a possibility. Knuckleduster always said, "If it is bad, it could always be worse, and don't assume otherwise because most of the time it gets worse, and when it does, you will be ready." And that not only applies to fighting, by the way. He looked around the classroom and tuned in a little to hear what they were saying.
-Oh, and what do I see?- the teacher said disinterestedly. - Looks like Midoriya applied for U.A too.- She said, raising her eyebrows with some sort of amusement and a hint of mockery. The others instantly whipped their heads towards Izuku. He might have flinched, whimpered, and slumped down when he was younger, but now he was a different person. He was an apprentice to the most infamous and powerful vigilante that ever lived, so he doesn't need to give a shit about what his classmates say
about him.
Laughing and jeering and other stuff, just typical day with his shitty clasmates.
Then he sees Katsuki reach out for his notebook, and Izuku snatches it before he can do so. That's it, he has had enough of his bullshit. He stands up and walks
towards the surprised pomeranian. Izuku's face takes on a feral look. - Meet me at the school pitch, - Izuku grits his teeth and hisses out. Katsuki is momentarily
stunned, but then responds with an even more feral grin, tinged with insanity. But let's be real, Izuku has lived with Stain for the past week, so he knows that
Stain is far worse than Katsuki could ever be. - Better you be there.- Izuku says, surprising everyone as he looks around the classroom. Of course, the teacher
doesn't give a shit at all, and the bell signaling the end of the lesson rings out. Everybody scurries away to their school lockers, and by the time Izuku is
finished changing his shoes, half of the school knows about his fight with Katsuki.
Good, more of them to watch. Let's end this once and for all. School will soon end, and he will not need to watch their ugly faces anymore. -I have a fake to purge- Izuku says vindictively, so much that Stain would be proud. Actually, as he left the school, he saw a fragment of a red scarf vanishing in the corner of his eye. He snorts. Well, it looks like his audience is ready.
Though as he was getting closer to the designated spot that he pointed out on his own, unwelcome thoughts invaded his mind again. The times when Katsuki and his
goons beat him daily, leaving him red and blue, and the times he was powerless to stop them from harming him, his hands clenched into fists. He remembered the
humiliation and the loss of one of his hero notebooks for the future. Well, the knowledge he gathered was still in his mind, but it doesn't erase the trauma and
shame that haunt him sometimes. It is really strange that just when he was getting stronger, nightmares started attacking his dreams. What is even stranger is that he didn't have them when he was bullied and powerless. Maybe it was because he was still in denial at that time? And these are the consequences of his coping
mechanism that doesn't work anymore.
Doesn't matter, he arrived just in time to be met with rows of his classmates, and he was even sure the entire school was present here at the meeting. He heard the crowd chanting Katsuki's name like he was some sort of deity that graced them with his presence. When I look at it closely, I am pathetic, but those guys just find a new low in being pathetic. When you think you can't fall down any further, those guys are the ones that knock you from below to remind you that, in fact, you can be like them. In some ways, it was comforting, and in others, disturbing, that people can fall so damn low to kiss the ass of such a monster like Bakugo.
Great, now he has motivation to do the thing. Just as he arrived in the middle, between the crowd, Katsuki stepped out without his shirt, showing his impressive
musculature. He looked like a feral dog, a dog that he is going to put to rest today, or hopefully not. He still wants to be a hero, mind you. Katsuki lifted his
fist up in the air, as if this was some sort of show or concert.
-Come out of the way extras, I' am going to show this Deku his place- He said snarling. - And you...- He said locking his sight at Izuku.
-...Are you ready to die?- He asked and Izuku putted him backpack on the side and leaned towards longfingers.
-If this backpack gets moved an inch, you are dead.- Izuku says menacingly. Longfingers nods and gulps. Izuku doesn't know why he fears him. Maybe he saw him with
Stain on his escapades. He didn't really hide himself when he did it, which earned him a baseball bat on the head from Popstep. So maybe that's it, but he was still afraid of him long before. He can't put his finger on it. Heh, pun not intended, but he is sure this guy knows something about him that he doesn't know about himself or something. After dealing with Longfingers, he switches to his defenseless Deku persona.
-A-alright kacchan! Let's do it!- He says trying to capitalize on Katsuki's sense of superiority and god complex.
Seems it isn't very effective. Katsuki snarls. - And where are your earlier remarks nerd? I remember you year ago going feisty on me. Where is that conviction now
Deku?- He says unkwningly triggering inside him memories with Stain.
[Without conviction you cannot change the world, in fact you cannot change anything at all, and not even take a step forward in face of real danger...]
He felt Stain's words vibrating through his head like a mantra. Stain repeated himself many times, though his habits and sayings weren't wrong. In truth, it was based on his lifelong experience. He was a hero killer for at least 10 years, and long before that, he was a vigilante. Standhal, like a spirit of Christmas past. In some way, he was just like him, but Stain broke, and now he is a killer. He swore he will not be like him. He will not break, not by Katsuki, not by any other.
They both got ready with their stances and one of the first year girls dropped a tissue and when it hit the ground it began.
They both lunged at eachother tearing thorugh the air with suprising speed, Katsuki used his explosions to propel himself and Izuku just used his trained strength to launch himself.
He always starts with a right hook...
And he caught him mid-air by his wrist and launched him with the help of his momentum to the ground. Katsuki's face was twisted into a nasty snarl. He was as confident of his victory as ever, but when he grabbed him by the wrist, his expression was absolutely priceless. He made an 'o' with his mouth and quickly got slammed into the ground with force, eliciting a groan from him.
Everybody froze all around them. Izuku looked back, ready for the attack. Countless spars with Stain and Knuckleduster had taught him that. He quickly ducked before he got smashed with a fist to the head. It seemed like Katsuki needed to come to his senses after that slam. With a fit of rage, he launched himself with explosions straight from the ground, not wasting time getting up fully. His battle instincts were top-notch. It was not surprising, as when they were younger, Katsuki got into fights with older kids many times. Though he dodged the last lunge of Katsuki, his fists were trembling, but not from worry or tiredness. It was his trauma coming back to bite him in the ass. He didn't know why, but he had this instinctual feeling that if he fought back, it would just get worse. And to lie down like a Deku, he is. When he thought about the last sentence, his anger flared up again, and he managed to get himself together in time. In time to not get punched straight in the face.
He rolled sideways to avoid Katsuki punch, he extended his leg forward as he punched so Izuku took advantage of it and sweeped his legs from under him and got another satisfying yelp of suprise from Katsuki that got slammed to the ground again. This time Izuku lunged but get a nasty suprise in response.
-Stun Granade!- He says and mvoes his hands in particular pose before Izuku's face and before Izuku registers in his brain what he just heard it is already to late.
-Shit.- Izuku just has time to curse when he gets slammed to the ground instead and gets blinded by overwhelming light from an explosion point-blank, before he knows he got punched in the face two times and his nose is already bleeding and broken. Izuku's training kicks in, and he punches Katsuki in the face once while holding one of his outstretched palms. The crowd drowns in cheers at the sight of Izuku's battered face. He quickly scurries away from Katsuki after he lets go due to the pain and stands up while spitting blood to the side. He smears his blood on his arm, looks at it for a moment, blinks to refocus his vision, and gets it to work.
It doesn't work at all, and he is left with his other senses, and he already hears an explosion coming right at him, and cheers come to culmination like waiting for a swift end. Don't write me off yet! Damnit! He snarls and with still closed eyes lunges at Katsuki at the last moment. Just as he was about to connect his exploding palm to his face, he gets punched square in the cheek first. For a moment in Izuku's mind, flashes a battle, and he sees a man without a face in a suit getting punched by him in the stomach. He cannot place what this means, but the fist he is punching with certainly doesn't belong to him.
He returns to reality and is met with Katsuki still recovering from a punch to the gut, with him standing next to him. Katsuki leans backwards and vomits. The audience is stunned, and among the crowd, Longfingers clutches his face in denial, not believing what his eyes see. At this point, both of them look no better. Katsuki spits out the last bits of food, and he turns towards him with his signature snarl, turning more feral each second. -Like... I would let... a quirkless nerd like you... beat me- Katsuki rasps out, and Izuku's vision somewhat returns to him as he sees the blurry figure of Katsuki before him.
He launches at him with his right hook, and Izuku almost mechanically reaches for his wrist and moves him forward and headbutts him, not giving him time to recover. He instantly lunges over him and with a feral roar, he punches him straight in the face. Unknown to him, his eyes turn black and his irises glow green for a moment, and steam slips through his cuts that he sustained while rolling over rugged cement. He looms with another fist at the ready for another lunge, still dazed.
Smoke clears all around them, and everybody gasps. They are met with a scene impossible for them to believe: the fastest, strongest, coolest, and best kid in the class is lying on the ground, knocked out. And his assailant is towering above him, sitting on his stomach with one fist raised, waiting for Katsuki to wake up. Izuku blinks and furrows his eyebrows, not knowing what he is seeing.
-No way.- one kid says. Behind him, Bakugo's lackeys stand stunned, looking dumbly at Izuku with eyes as wide as dinner plates. Tsubasa nervously holds his hands to his mouth, biting his fingernails. The guy with the long neck knots his neck again and starts to suffocate. Longfingers is still frozen in place, with his hands over his head, peering at the scene between his fingers.
-Deku just fucked up Bakugo.- One of them said. And the hell broke loose they moved closer at the still dazed Izuku looking up closer at both of them.
-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHH- Izuku let out a guttural roar that made them all step back and flinch.
-Finally, I don't know what the hell I was so afraid of,- he said while moving away from Bakugo. This time, Izuku had Bakugo's signature snarl plastered on his face. He moved, and others dispersed like ants around him. He moved to the longfingers that looked traumatized and snatched his backpack from his hands. -Thank you,- he said and bowed sarcastically.
Then he returned to Katsuki and pulled the phone out of his backpack. - Say cheese, Kacchan! - He said, and a flash cemented the moment in Izuku's new page of life. He held the phone with the photo of beaten-up Katsuki on it, chuckled to himself almost as madly as Stain does, and loomed over Katsuki's unconscious body. - I guess you are Deku now... Kacchan. - He said and left the others swarming unconscious Bakugo. He didn't care it was the last day of school; he wouldn't arrive at the inauguration of certificates. He would just have it delivered to his home, and that would be it.
He has important things to do, like a date with Himiko for an example.
-Hunt or be Hunted-
Months later...
-And you think they would let you participate just like that- Himiko asks while making thinking pose nr 2 looking like this one scuplture from pre quirk era.
-I think so. The principal advertised that everybody should have a chance at participation. He even invited those like me, so I think it is a fair game. I cannot imagine why I couldn't participate and pass the exam.- He says confidently. Himiko gives him a pointed look and sighs, creating a puff of warm air that swirls through the night sky. It is terribly cold out there, yet after so many nightly adventures with Stain and Knuckleduster, he doesn't feel it at all. He has built up an impressive tolerance.
-Look- she says, suddenly changing her demeanor from a blushing psychopath to a tired woman who has had her fair share of life. He recognized that over the years, he has gotten to experience more of this side of her.-I don't want you to get disappointed- she continues -you know that out of all those who participate, 90 percent never pass even the first exam. And as the years go by, more and more of them drop out, failing the class. Effectively, only 5 percent of all those who finish the school, and that's not even specific to the hero course, but all courses combined!- He simply rubs his eyes and sighs.
-I do not know Himiko. It's not about what I can do or not. I need to, at least, try to get here- he says somberly while dangling his feet from the roof. -I would never forgive myself if I don't try it, even if it breaks me. I honestly cannot imagine myself sitting in some boring office job, stamping papers... Actually, I had nightmares like that. I never lived to see thirty in them- he adds quietly, the last part making Himiko hug him. When he was captivated by this beautiful moment, Himiko bit him in the neck like always. -You slick leech- he says fondly while playing with her hair.
Soon enough he will be ready, and he will show them he can, and will be a hero.
No matter what.
-Hunt or be Hunted-
In the fortified fortesss deep behind reinforced iron doors was a glass building with four towers each, in one of those towers was an office and inside of that office was a...
-I am a mouse? A dog? A bear? It doesn't matter! What matters is that I am a principal here!- says the enraged rodent while grinding his front teeth. And across from him sits a woman in a suit and glasses with a visibly bored expression. While the scene looks bizarre or funny, it is anything but. In truth, the atmosphere is deadly serious, and the commission has just cornered a dangerous animal in its cage.
- Mr. Nezu, we have offered you our compromises many times, and each time you have rejected every one of them. Now, we have no reason to listen to your demands anymore. - The woman said calmly, and the rodent identified as Nezu had a dangerous glint in his eyes. However, deep inside, he knew he had already been played. So, he slumped into his chair and drank his tea, which was already cold. Nezu never drank cold tea or waited for it to cool; that would be a blasphemy in his ritual of tea consumption. But today was different. His quirk, High Specs, allowed him to think faster and more complexly than any human ever could, but in the current situation, he could only wait for help from outside. And he knew that the commission only waited for him to make a single mistake. So, for now, he gathered himself for the fakest smile he had ever given in his life today.
-I know, I know, Ms. President, but I might assume that you didn't come here just to tell me this.- Nezu countered, waiting for the commission to slip up and reveal their cards. Like it always is in discussions with snakes like this woman, he needs to play his moves right; that is the only way. - Or maybe I must remind you of our non-interference policy that Hpsc agreed upon when this school was founded?- He says, revealing the obvious cards that he has and the ones that the woman already knows. Now he is waiting for a response. She smiled with a venom that could kill a thousand men.
- Oh, we are perfectly aware of our non-interference policy with schools, but it may be acknowledged that Hpsc is responsible for helping schools when there might be a safety issue. - She says, and Nezu already knew where she was going with this. You can't cheat the cheater, ma'am! - For example, there have been disturbing reports about your injury rates at school and material costs that have doubled compared to last year. - She says.
-Ah, yes, of course! We changed our program according to your earlier specifications, so you see, with the help of Cementos here, we were able to cut the cost. However, the safety commission unfortunately insisted on the realism of the training scenarios, so as a result, our injuries went higher than last year. Oh, and it just so happens that I have the necessary documents right here!- He says casually while contemplating their move. They came to checkmate so soon? After my dead body. He reveled in Witch's momentarily expression of anger. Oh, how he would pay to see her like that every day! It is almost better than tea! Almost.
-It's... understandable. - She said carefully articuling her words. - But this is important thing to do like every year to send observer for basical safety reasons.- She said trying to bite some for herself, this woman, she will not stop until she won.
Lets just give her a bone and be done with this already.
-That is understandable, though there is no proof of any of your help currently needed...- He said, making eye contact with her, giving her a sign that she has nothing to hold against him. - ... from our goodwill, I will allow one observer to observe the next entrance exam this year.- Nezu didn't know why, but he felt like he had made a huge mistake or... he changed the world as is known from this one sentence. He shrugged it off as just his animal instinct that shows from time to time.
-That is an agreement that I am ready to agree upon,- she said while giving him a pack of documents. He quickly unpacks it and reads it with his high specs while fueling it with his tea. He shuffled around the papers looking for a loophole they are waiting for; for now, he found at least one. If a minority student gets hurt during the exam by at least one robot, they have the right to give their verdict on the exam. He looked at the annotations and it obviously read 'quirkless' and 'with those with less than savory quirk.' He obviously knew what it meant, from the law that was settled two years ago when Endeavor became the number one hero. They passed a law that let them ban people with villainous quirks 'for the safety of them and the safety of the community' - type of bullshit if you ask Nezu. Honestly, it reminded him of times humans were experimenting on him and it made him disgusted. So, for example, people with poisonous quirks would never be able to attempt a hero exam and pass it when one of the commission lackeys is around. He will deal with that later, he needs to consolidate his power, before he goes for the head of the snake like humans like to say.
-Get out.- Nezu grits through his teeth as he signs the document with a look that could kill. The president says her goodbyes and leaves his office; he doesn't pay
attention to her at this moment. He jumps from his elevated position of his armchair and walks down towards the window overlooking the entire campus. Or rather, his cage. He remembers long ago when he was just a teacher, teaching his students lots of things in those halls. He remembers barely awake Aizawa, ever loud Hizashi, and Oboro, poor boy. In some way, he is glad he cannot see what it all turned out to be, and how his school is right now. He would hate it. He was a user of a non-combat quirk that let him generate clouds that he could ride on. Now, he wouldn't even pass the entrance exam. How mighty have fallen...
How could this happen? He examined the time that had led them all to this moment. And he came to a single conclusion. All Might. Or mainly his death, after that HPSC became bolder, and their power stretched so wide they now even have indirect influence on politics. Before he knew it, his safe haven became his golden cage that he cannot crawl out of, and from time to time between the spaces they poke out at him, like he is some lab rat, like he is there again.
His tea cup shattered.
He looks at the broken teacup in his hands and sighs. It was one of his favorites. But it is not time for moping. He throws out the broken teacup into the trash and walks up to a large portrait of himself. It is a smart tactic that he developed. Instead of focusing on why somebody would need such a large painting that covers
most of the wall, they focus on his supposed ego and treat him like he is some sort of egomaniac, completely forgetting the strangeness of this painting.
He clicks on the wall, and the painting is rolled up, leaving behind a clipboard with a spiderweb of threads that wander from topic to topic, all focused on two pictures in the middle. One picture is of a man with a triangular face and a long nose, while the other is a picture of a woman who left just a few minutes ago. He looks at the pictures and the notes arranged all around, some of which are even printed out documents. At the bottom, there are symbols of the Detnerat Support Company and symbols of the third party in the parliament, Hearts and Mind Party. He walks over to his favorite teapot and makes himself another cup of tea.
- And how do I get out of this mess? - He sighs and grabs a small ottoman, sitting on it and glaring at the arranged notes as if they hold the answers to the mysteries of the universe. His gaze wanders among Detnerat documents and the reports provided by Tsukauchi from his job. He could potentially get fired from that, but for now, he doesn't care at all since they don't trust him with his lie detector quirk. The corruption has truly reached far indeed. He takes a sip of his tea and contemplates the roots of corruption, shifting his focus from the Rikiya Yotsubashi photo to Ms. President, and finally fixing his gaze on Endeavor.
He snaps his fingers.
-A symbol, yes why didn't I thought about it earlier.- His whiskers move in a manner when he finally gets some genius plan. One of these ones that makes even Aizawa unruly hair stood on end. -He...he..heeeheh...ahahahahhaaaHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!- He laughs spilling his tea everywhere.
To get out of his cage he needs a key, and a person that will deliver it. He needs to wait for an ocassion, or maybe prepare one for himself.
Aizawa jerked awake in his office feeling like something terrible truly happened.
Hizashi was in the middle of his broadcast of his station when he caught up the same feeling. He stuttered a bit and gripped his heart.
-Oh dear.- He said quietly completly not in his style of speaking.
Recovery girl felt like she would get a major headache and she felt like she aged another one houndred years just by the minute.
-This damn rat is up to something.- She grumbled.
Hound dog was about to enter principals office to give his daily raport but when he heard maniac cackling on the other end he decided to chose life.
-Nope, not today.- He said in haunted voice.
Ms. President siting in her limusine felt like she just angered some all powerfull elderlich entity.
Deep inside a damp looking warehouse was a man connected to multitude of pipes and monitors with steady beeping. Suddenly he gripped himself by his heart.
-I felt... I felt a great disturbance in the force.- He says and from the darkness he is welcomed by short plump looking doctor that looks at him through his
googles with worried eyes. -Doctor, prepare Tomura for his Debut. The time is running short.-
Izuku Midoriya was doing push ups in his room just when sneezed and fell down on his face.
-Strange. I felt like somebody was talking things about me.-
He shrugged and returned to his exercise.
-Hunt or be Hunted-
