Thunder Hero: Baraquiel 14
"You want to do what, Toshinori?" Harry rasped in the staffroom. The Number One Hero was currently in his emaciated form, his Silver Age Skintight Costume looking like his Cousins castoffs on him."I want to see their potential in Hero vs Villains battle trials."
Harry sighed "Do I need to explain that 1-A, until I've managed to get the papers in order for a Proctologist, are not even remotely ready for Heroics. Did you read the psychiatric reports that I've included? Hell, have you even READ the reports that your colleagues have sent you." Toshinori Yagi paused "I have read the reports, I do have a teaching degree along with a few others. Potter-san, I have an idea of what I'm doing."
"An idea of what you're doing? It is because you have 'an idea of what you're doing' is why I'm informing you that I will be supervising the class. Not because I do not trust you, but rather, I do not trust your ability to teach or your ability to be biased for Midoriya-shounen. Since I can't seem to pursuade from doing Hero vs Villain trials, I will say this 'if I want the simulation to end, it ends' clear?"
Toshinori nodded, he hadn't met many fellow heroes who could intimidate him, yet here was one of them "Is this in any way shape or form, retaliation for my mismanaging of Midoriya-shounen when we met?"
Harry stilled "I…am not pleased with how you handled that. I really am not, however, I cannot throw stones. I've handled things far worse, I once told the man in charge of Heroics in Britain...that is a long story, one I don't wish to tell because I don't know all the facts. I told him and the press to 'go fuck themselves'. Best thing I ever did."
Toshinori nodded "Baraquiel, Potter-san, I...need your assistance."
"All Might, Yagi-san, I'll be glad to help. As long as you can work with me, I've been forced into the position of subordinate far too many times; I work WITH Nezu and the rest of the Staff because its far easier to work with than for someone."
It was then his phone-rang, the staff knew it was Fuyumi as no-one else had the old Metal Band AC/DC as their ringtone. Shoto's was Hot and Cold by Katy Perry and Midoriya's happened to be High Hopes. "Fuyumi?"
"Been a while, brother…Don't worry, Fuyumi's safe...slightly worried and scared." It was the rasping voice of Dabi.
"Dabi, I trust, everything can be handled...politely and civilly."
"It can and it will. I have probably screwed this up…Are you able to meet us?"
"Crossed Bottles; where we first drank together."
Dabi nodded and hung up.
(Siblings Todoroki)
Dabi hung up and handed the phone back to a slightly trembling Fuyumi "I'd say I apologise for this, but the name Todoroki leaves a bit of bad taste in my mouth."
Fuyumi looked at the scarred and stapled man in front of her; who at blue-flame point had confiscated her phone, then effortlessly cracked her pin-code and made a phone call. She paid attention, her curiosity and fear piqued when she heard him address her husband as 'brother'. That in itself caused tears to well in her eyes, she thought about her elder sibling Toya and what he'd be doing. "Is...it really you Toya? The last time we saw you, you were going with Endeavour to a training facility…"
There was a mirthless laugh "Yes, the Incinerator…a gift, from Infernal Hero: Ignition gifted to Endeavour in his will. Everything completely paid off; however, there is a bit more to it…" Dabi, no, Toya retorted.
"The HSPC; they had let themselves in to talk to Father, minutes before my husband turned up...He was my boyfriend at the time. He clocked them, and they had a stare down with one another and I was pretty sure the house was going to explode...I've never seen Harry that angry; even Turbo-arms and Vitality-leech whom we put away last night didn't anger him as badly as the HSPC." Fuyumi stated, she didn't agree with Harry completely about the HSPC; but as she and Harry got closer together especially during his NQTA, Newly Qualified Teaching Assistant, year. She remembered Aizawa and Yamada supporting Harry back to the house after a beat-down with HSPC rent-a-thugs.
Toya looked at Fuyumi then down at the pram "They look like him, got your eye."
Fuyumi giggled at the bad attempt at smalltalk "I'd say they looked more like Harry, and I will agree the heterochromia is rather entertaining. Hiroto and Nozomi, I want you to meet your Uncle."
Toya stopped "You…want me part of your family?" He was distracted and as a result didn't feel the build-up of ozone.
"Toya, glad to know my hunch was correct." Spoke Harry, startling the siblings.
"Harry, did you know?" Fuyumi asked bluntly.
Harry looked at his wife and dead but not quite dead brother in law "I...suspected. This is not the first time, I have crossed paths with your brother. The first time was just after the throwdown with the HSPC in your house…" He turned to Toya "Have you made a decision?"
Toya stared at them "You're willing to help me destroy your Father-in-Law? My own father? What sort of Hero are you?"
Harry looked at them "I'm an orphan. Every member of my family or someone I could associate as family was ripped away from me, either by villains or the meddlings of bureaucracy who saw me as nothing more than a living weapon. Todoroki Enji and Flame Hero: Endeavour are slowly separating into separate entities, but from what I've found and I suspect he's been pushed into a corner. As for the Hero, I am? I am Thunder and Lightning, I heed no-one's call save for my own agenda. I don't know what Hero, I am; I'll definitely say I am one that delivers a message." Harry looked at the eldest son of Endeavour "I can give you immunity from prosecution, if you need to build a reputation to attract Endeavour's attention; but I can't protect you if you decide to kill him."
Toya stared at him "You...can?"
Harry smirked "I covered an acquaintance of mine for getting busted with enough panzer chocolate and rush-supplies to kill a small American Town. All of that was smuggled into my school for our defence."
Fuyumi looked at him agast "You were a junkie?"
"Junkie, drunkard never both. I've gotten clean from one of those…"
"What's Rush?"
"What's the quirk-enhancement trash pandemic/epidemic that you had about fifteen years back?"
"Trigger." The curt response came from Toya. Hard Teal Blue eyes stared back into equally hard Emerald Green.
"Rush is a refined, purer, cleaner and safer version of Trigger. Longer lasting, but sixteen-fold more addictive." Harry shivered slightly "Due to British programmes to make a Captain Britain, British All-Might, they kinda gave all the entrants Rush. The results were...horrific, I believe Squad Six has evidence of all of us on Rush with…varying effects and potency." Harry sounded proud but also broken at the same time.
Fuyumi and Toya pulled Harry to them "You mentioned your school fight and you mentioned you fought like monsters. You never mentioned this." Fuyumi whispered.
"I never wanted to bring it up again…with everything that I'm reading, seeing I'm really, really praying that we're not going to have to see those days again." Harry commented "Now, let's go and get some drinks."
It took them ten minutes to reach the bar, they paid extra for extra service as Harry still had Hero Practise after lunch. "Interested?"
Fuyumi looked at her husband and said, "I dislike it. But I'll help you; but you're going to need a substantial amount of blackmail, capital and a crack team of lawyers if we're really going to do this."
Harry grinned wolfishly "I will. But I'm intending to do something far worse or better. I'm going to do a Jefferson in Japan, with hopefully no need for a Fawkes." Seeing their lost faces he swiftly elaborated "Jefferson said 'When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.' He also mentions the right to bear arms, but that's not the important thing...as for Guy Fawkes, supposedly the last man who entered parliament with noble intentions."
Fuyumi and Toya nodded the latter quicker than the other "You're going to crack the HSPC open using their own clockwork heroes; of which I was one."
Harry's eyes widened "Want to go on record with that? Can you give me names?" Toya's eyes glimmered with flames.
"Tamaki Keigo, Winged Hero: Hawks, Quirk: Fierce Wings...manipulates his feathers to do almost anything, likes to go fast. Ranked 3rd." The blue-flame user commented.
"Tokyo, you've got a problem."
The rest of the hour revolved around small talk. Harry was pretty sure that Toya would be crying with laughter if he hadn't burnt out his tear-ducts. Dabi couldn't help but grin and murmur thanks to Harry, after he'd informed the eldest Todoroki about how he'd accidentally whisked Fuyumi off her feet on their first meeting.
Unfortunately good things had to come to an end. For Dabi as he was left alone at the bar nursing a beer; it allowed him to think. His plan, the epic dramatic reveal to crush Endeavour at his lowest, was completely gone. "Todoroki Toya, Dabi; an Undercover Hero…all you have to do is do what you're doing and keep Baraquiel informed. Better than life for pointless murder…Oh my in law is good. Might have to do a few years for misbehaviour but a few years and protection until I can reveal myself to my father." Then a small genuine smile crossed his face "Father, you're going down in flames; the flames that propelled you to such great heights will be your downfall."
Then his phone went off.
You in the area tonight? Love, M.
Yeah, see you soon.
It paid to be related to heroes.
(UA)
"I can't believe this. I really can't." Fuyumi stated as they crossed onto UA grounds.
Harry had the decency to look ashamed "I honestly didn't know. I wasn't expecting him to even confront you; I mean Endeavour and I had to fight people off with sticks…I personally wanted to shoot some of the bastards but anyway. Dabi is your brother, I never knew."
Fuyumi's eyes narrowed at her husband "You're on the sofa for the next week, you're also doing the nappies, oh and before I forget I need you to help me prep two and a half days work for 3rd and 4th graders."
"Yes love, you also want me to deep clean the bathroom and the kitchen?"
Fuyumi nodded. Harry sighed "No more surprises then...not even if they're tickets for that Disturbed Harmonics gig?"
Fuyumi squeaked "You got tickets!"
"Yup; money talks and listens…I'm not exactly…I have had an idea. I don't want to be known for my heroics; I want to be known for reducing crime through teenage and youth hangouts." Fuyumi rested her head on his shoulder and handed him, Nozomi as she scooped up Hiroto. Harry packed away the pram, and they headed to their residence before Harry swore and vanished, shifting into his Hero Costume.
Fuyumi watched him streak across the campus, effortlessly dodging Midoriya Inko in the process. She'd get prime entertainment tonight, Harry would be analysing all twenty of the students and she was going to assist him.
(Training Ground Beta)
The assembled class of 1-A, in hero costumes, stood before All Might. Denki jumped as Baraquiel effortlessly blitzed through the door without breaking it "Sorry, I'm late…All of you are looking sharp. Bakugo, I…you know what, never mind. I am going to try and believe your bark is louder than your bite." Baraquiel stated. "I really, really, do not need this right now. Please; for my children, Kami...give me ONE day without me having to intervene any more than I have to."
"Baraquiel to Control." Baraquiel murmured into his earpiece.
"Control to Baraquiel. Send your message." Came the voice of Mic.
"Control, please record all Hero v Villain trials and send me a copy for analysis, over."
"Baraquiel, wilco. You sure? I mean it's not exactly in your remit."
"Control, do you honestly think I care? These wannabes have been put into mine and Eraserheads care and teaching…I want them to be better prepared than I was."
The conversation was taking part in English; thankfully the majority of 1-A had a basic grasp of the language. Unfortunately, Midoriya, Jiro, Bakugo and Shoto were more than understanding in the language, Todoroki and Jiro from their respective upbringings were able to keep a straight face; Midoriya and Bakugo not so much. Baraquiel finished the conversation to find forty eyes fixed on him "What? Never had someone actually say they're actively looking at your personal growth? Unlike some heroes, I can name but won't due to the societal norm of professionalism. One of the few things I will do in Hero circles. All-Might, the floor is yours."
Baraquiel watched, listened and observed; so far he would later admit he was wrong about Toshinori. He could teach, well he needed to get off the scripts, but the message and class objective delivery was clear; slightly long-winded but not bad. His method of choosing the Heroes and Villains, again not bad. Harry snorted; it was better than his which was free-flowing paired combat drills, under the nose of Umbitch. He'd picked up several highly unlikely but plausible excuses for injuries. It didn't stop Umbitch using her Quirk support tech as torture devices.
"Baraquiel, first match is Uraraka and Midoriya vs Bakugo and Iida."
Baraquiel nodded "Registered, I have a point to make. I personally think this is a bad idea; please also note that this might be extremely biased." All Might and the observing sixteen students nodded, Jiro who was a quiet studious girl made lining notes of bias and heroic bias. There was something about Baraquiel's language that unsettled her.
Her misgivings were founded. They'd thought the animosity between Bakugo and Midoriya was unfounded; but everyone watched as Bakugo actively and premeditatively sought out the green-haired teen "Deku, I'm going to kill you."
"Baraquiel to Bakugo, don't even contemplate…" Barauqiel began.
"Baraquiel, I am certain that Bakugo-shounen will not…"
"No-one read the fucking psychiatric reports...Bakugo, so help me, if you follow through with this you'll be lucky to have a spot in Gen-Ed here."
Bakugo snorted, looked at the camera "Rather un-educational of you sensei? Not letting your students…"
"There is a difference, Bakugo, between observed student brawl and murder. I gave you strict warnings on your equipment and you disobeyed; thus I am formally warning you."
"He'll be fine if he dodges." With that he pulled the pin.
And everything went white.