Earth – 2020.688
Izuku Midoriya stood on the beach, looking out over the setting sun and breathing hard. He had spent all week moving the trash out of the beach, and was still no where near done. He was exhausted, having pushed himself already to his limits, and then tried a little further. It was what All Might had wanted for him to be the successor, but part of him wondered if this was the right way to go about it. He accepted the whole 'do public good and service for others', but wasn't this also about training the body?
'Can't help but feel like I'm being a glorified garbage picker.' He thought darkly, shaking his head. He pulled the gray hoodie closer and threw it back on over his shirt, before turning to leave.
He had made his way up the boardwalk, and was about to stay there, and wait for All Might to come back, when he saw a strange truck. Across the side was the words "Ararat Corporation", in Kanji and English. He had seen them a few times, they studied Quirk science and, research and trying to find new secrets to it. Of course, being the fanatic he was, that was something he was deeply interested.
'Heh, maybe I should ask them if they have openings,' He thought sardonically to himself. 'Coulda ended up working with them, for all I know.'
He watched them for a bit, before the back door of the loading truck slide up, two men, dressed in dark blue armor, ballistic armor over their chests, thighs, and shoulders. One was bald, with a goatee and mustache, the other clean shaven and hair slicked back, and holding guns aloft. Izuku ducked down behind some bushes, the two looking around for a moment, before a third came out of the passenger side seat. He was dressed in the same armor as them, with tanned skin, and spiked black hair. His face angular, and expression cold and unfeeling.
"Treece, what's the problem?" He demanded.
The bald man pointed with his thumb towards the back of the truck. "Cargo in there is gettin' whiny. Some of them want out."
"There is no out." The man growled, clenching a fist, before reaching behind him and pulling out a long knife. "Tell them, they signed the contract. Its too late to bitch and complain now."
"I've told him. Even smacked one in the nose with my gun," Treece replied, before shrugging. "They won't stop their bitchin'."
The other man nodded quietly, the two guards watching him, Izuku feeling his heart race and quicken. Finally, he gave a final nod, and indicated to the bus. "Give me a sec. I'll straighten em out."
"The Boss said to..." Treece began to protest in alarm.
"Yeah, bring as many back as we can," The other said, jumping onto the back, before climbing inside. "Losing one or two is perfectly fine though. Now make sure no one's around, got it?"
Izuku continued to watch, looking around, hoping someone would step in, or spot them. Should he do something? All Might had picked him because he was able to act when no one else would, and not be so caught up in letting Heroes do all the work.
'No, that's stupid, I'm not gonna walk up to two guys with guns,' He thought, shaking that thought out of his head. 'That's suicidal.'
Several screams sounded from inside the truck, going for several seconds before the leader's voice sounded. "Shut the fuck up! You all do as your damn well told and don't make a peep, or you're joining this sack of shit."
The man came back around, dragging a homeless man, who looked like his chest and neck had been carved open by a saber-tooth tiger, and tossed him off the truck. Treece and the other looked up at him in shock, but Treece's voice was more annoyed then horrified.
"What the hell?!" He snapped. "We can't just dump it here, Price!"
"Its a bum, they die every minute," Price remarked with a shrug, his expression unchanged, as he cleaned off his knife. "Now get back in and let's go, before any witnesses show up."
Treece shook his head, muttering something under his breath, as the two grabbed the corpse, threw it back in, like a sack of potatoes, before jumping back in, as Price jumped into the passenger seat. Izuku felt like his heart was going to explode. He was rapidly blinking as the truck began to start up, and slowly driving off. He looked around, no one around, All Might no where in sight yet. He thought about what to do, thinking he should wait. He tried to get a clear shot of the truck, only to find there was no license plate. Of course. It wouldn't be that easy. The company trafficking people, or the people using the company as a front, weren't going to make it easy for him.
'I could just follow them, and then...' He thought, before shaking his head. 'What is wrong with me?! Of course not! What would I even do if I got there? I could just end up shot!'
He took a few pictures as it left, then waited a little longer, before stepping out, brushing himself off and shaking off whatever leaves and whatever else was there. As he did, he heard the light steps of All Might behind him, or in his thin Toshinori Yagi form. Izuku turned, the heavily emaciated man almost nothing like the larger then life image he had projected to the public. Even beyond that, the way his back sagged slightly and expression looked, Yagi seemed tired most of the time, drained of a lot of energy.
"You training to be a Ninja there, kid?" He asked in a half-joking manner, smiling for a moment, before he saw Izuku's fearful expression. "You okay?"
"I...I just saw these guys murder someone." Izuku said, gesturing to where the truck had been. "It was from Ararat Corperation, and they had these..."
"Slow down. Show me where." All Might said sternly, laser-focused now, his attention completely focused on the student.
Izuku lead them, still breathing like he had just run a marathon, showing the spots of blood where the homeless man had been. All Might got down on one knee, grunting in slight discomfort, before looking over the scene, staring closely at the blood splotches for a moment, before nodding grimly.
"That is blood. The real deal." All Might said in dismay, before looking up again at Midoriya. "Young Man, are you sure it was Ararat?"
Izuku nodded vigorously. "Yeah. Saw the logo and words and everything."
All Might stood up, stroking his chin for a moment, chewing on his thoughts, before looking back down at him. "Tell ya what, after school, instead of this, we're going to do something a little different, got it? Tell no one."
"What about the corporation killing people?" Izuku demanded in a hushed tone.
All Might looked around, before quickly bringing a finger to his thin lips. "Careful! Ararat has a big reach in Quirk research and all. If they believe I'm coming after them, especially me, they'll tighten up and lock down anyway in. This has to be careful."
Izuku nodded in understanding, nervously rubbing his throat. This sort of thing felt way out of his depth. He thought just telling All Might would deal with the problem entirely, but now it felt like he was getting dragged into some Cloak and Dagger affair.
Yagi's voice softened a bit, as he put a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Just know, I don't doubt you for a second kid. You've got those Hero instincts and the drive. We just can't punch through life's problems, okay?"
He nodded again. "Yeah. I get it."
He nervously scratched behind his ear, as All Might looked at him with worry. "Are you okay? Should I get you a therapist? Between the whole Tar Villain thing, and then seeing that, that can put a lot of stress..."
"No, I gotta get home, mom is probably worried." Izuku said quickly, before running off.
All Might watched him leave, stroking his bony chin slightly, and considering everything carefully, before pulling out his phone and putting it on speed dial.
"Tsukauchi. Can you run some stuff for me about the Ararat Corperation?" He asked.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
The truck arrived at the destination, a large, upscale laboratory, clean and pristine white pillars and spires overlooking the harbor, though on the other side of the city from where Izuku had been training. It looked almost heavenly, even the front gates being far more refined then any other. They drove through the gate after being signaled through, down the ramp, and into the loading docks of the Ararat Corperation, out of sight of any snooping reporters or the like, and free to unload their "Cargo". The various homeless and riff-raff that had been grabbed up and signed their agreements were marched through the loading docks by Treece, Price and the other Security Teams.
They watched over them for a moment, before their earpieces buzzed. "Price, Treece, come to my office. Now."
The two nodded quietly to each other, stepping through a second door leading to the main laboratory. The place's halls were pristine as the outside building, numerous white, porcelain walkways and walls and pillars seemingly made out of marble. The whole place was almost sterile, not much art or character, just a cold professionalism that permeated the entire laboratory and clinic space. They moved past the scientists and other Security, before coming to the office of the one in charge of Ararat. He was a short, fat, older, balding man, dressed in a suit, his bushy mustache a graying blond, his eyes green.
The office itself was white color as well, with his desk and computer in the center, right in front of a window overlooking the city, and various pieces of lab equipment on one side. The other side, against the left wall, were 7 Containers, all containing strange, colorful liquid lashing and sloshing about within.
"So, did you get everything in order?" The man asked.
Price nodded curtly, voice cold, and professional. "Yeah. We had to kill one of them, send a message to keep the rest in line."
The man in charge folded his hands behind him, walking about for a moment, before nodding as he looked over the 7 clear, Plexiglas containers. They were long, durable cylinders, mechanisms clicked into place over both ends.
"Acceptable loses. No one saw you did they?" He asked quietly, glaring wearily at Price.
"No." He answered.
"Not for lack of tryin'." Treece pipped up, shooting an annoyed glare at the other Security member. "He wanted to dump the body in the streets."
Price opened his mouth to defend himself, before the Boss turned on his heel and held his hand up, stopping him immediately. "Lee, this isn't the Middle East anymore. You can't murder and dump bodies of those you dislike. There are laws here, the rules are different."
"What's one more dead bum?" Lee Price snarled in annoyance.
"A dead bum that can be traced back to us." The boss said, his voice quiet but authoritative. "The police, the Heroes, they can start asking questions, start poking where we don't want."
Price's jaw set, clenching then unclenching his fists repeatedly, as the Boss continued his lecture. "If you can't follow the rules, and become a hazard, the protection my own employer gives will vanish. You don't want Japanese authorities to learn of your service and criminal record, do you?"
Lee felt his stomach tighten at that prospect, as he silently shook his head. The Boss nodded. "Good. Bring the dead body to my secondary lab. Dismissed."
The two Security grunts nodded once, and moved out quickly, as another man was entering. He was in direct contrast to the man in charge, around the same age, but old and wiry, his features gaunt and almost skeletal. He wore a lab coat and black vest and pants, with a dark blue tie.
"Ah, Dr. Cathal. Come on in." The Boss said in a magnanimous voice, as he looked out the door carefully, to make sure the two were not coming back, before closing and locking the door. "Are the Symbiotes secured?"
"Symbiote subjects SYM-A0 1 through 7 are all accounted for and vital signs are good," Cathal reported, before looking at the man with a sideways glance. "But that's not what you really want, is it?"
The Head of Ararat toddled around his desk, and sat down on his seat with a grunt, before focusing on Cathal. "How are things on your end?"
Cathal folded his hands behind him, walking around, before coming to a stop in front of the containers. The shifting, surging masses of Symbiotes seemed to stop for a moment, before striking against the glass even further. "Our group has begun moving our assets to Japan, and preparing for the word from up high."
Cathal ran a hand over one of the cylinders, the Head of the Company glancing at him sideways, put off by his behavior, before the other man continued. "We have the our Cult, ready to move. We have your little pet projects, and soon, far more Symbiotes to join our cause. What is your Boss waiting for?"
The shorter man shook his head vigorously. "He is not yet ready to move until the pieces are in place for him. He has spent decades recuperating and healing. He is not in a rush to get back into the fight until he is fully mended."
Cathal ran his thin, bony fingers over his neck, give a curt nod. "The Cult of Knull is getting nervous, that's all."
"You mean Al'Hazred is getting nervous?" The Boss questioned.
"He doesn't want to be behind schedule. And with the Symbiote Imperium having now given us seven members of a strike team, he's right to be on edge." Cathal explained. "If the Emperor and his Council learn what we want with his servants..."
"My master has straightened out the details with the Emperor," He replied without worry. "He believes we are collaborators, and my master will continue to smooth out any wrinkles in the plan."
"Still, the lack of his appearing has Kitab on edge." Cormac remarked quietly.
"We are laying the ground work for him. We don't need him to babysit us." The Boss replied with a shrug.
Cathal nodded, before looking out the windows of the office. "I'll oversee the prepping of the subjects. Those with a useful Quirk will be... 'transferred' to Jaku General Hospital."
"Excellent. Thank you Dr Cathal." The man in charge replied with a slight bow of the head.
Cathal returned the gesture. "Same to you...Bob."
'Bob' chuckled slightly, as Cathal left. He leaned back in his chair, looking over to the seven cylinders, before nodding in satisfaction to himself. He spoke aloud, directed to the seven Symbiotes contained in the devices.
"Well, my dear friends, we're about to step into something greater then you or I," He said with a chuckle. "You had better all be ready."
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Izuku said hi to his mom, finished his homework, and went straight to bed. There was very little he had the energy to do, not after his workout and all the things he had been put through. He had just wanted to train and prepare to be All Might's successor, and now had to see a corporation doing the unspeakable. And based on how that Price guy was talking, there were probably more bodies scattered around this city without anyone even knowing. He sat stiffly in the bed, looking up, eyes focus on his ceiling, not at all sure how to process this. The whole thing was too much. He didn't know how to process any of this.
He got a text, his phone buzzing, taking out his phone and looking at it. It was a text from All Might.
"Kid, are you sure you're all right? I'm worried about you. Do you need to talk?"
Izuku shifted in the bed, blinking several times and slowly shaking his head. He had agreed to be the successor. That meant he had to get used to seeing dead bodies and people hurt. Him and Kacchan had almost ended up that way, after all. He took a deep breath, calming himself, before tapping away on his phone.
"I'm fine. Just want 2 figure this out."
He put his phone away and rolled over to get to sleep. His dreams weren't anymore pleasant.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Izuku got through class in a blur, not paying much attention to anyone else, finishing everything up, before practically sprinting out of there to get to All Might. Bakugou was surprisingly muted and reserved. He had been for a while, staying to himself and his pack of bullies, and generally not saying much of anything. Perhaps, for once, the near-death with the Tar Villain had knocked him down a peg or five. Izuku was much more focused on the meeting up with All Might and planning their next move. This was gonna be, in a way, his first Hero move. Taking down an evil corperation, or human smugglers and villain using their vans and trucks to do their evil business.
He checked his phone, making sure he had the location down pat, before running there. He couldn't keep his mind straight, so excited, it felt like his thoughts were jumping everywhere in a manner of seconds. He was barely able to stop himself at crosswalks or the like, too excited to get there. He finally arrived, to see All Might in his Toshinori form, sitting in front of the coffee shop, tapping away at his phone, with a cup in front of him. Izuku looked both ways, before running towards him.
"Al...Toshinori-Sensei, I'm here!" He said, almost too excited to contain it.
Yagi looked up, putting his phone down and giving a small smile. "Good. I'm glad you're ready for this."
He turned on the phone again, and slide it to Izuku, who looked over it. It was a detailed report on everything relating to the Ararat corporation. "Now, the people they've signed have been poorer and homeless, but according to their legal team everything is above board."
Izuku read over it, carefully taking in every letter he could, as Toshinori continued. "Issue is, there's a lot of...questions...about how they study people."
"It's just Quirk research right?" Izuku asked.
"Yes, and all of it by their CEO, Bob McFarlane. Studying the origin of Quirks, mutation and possibilities of heritability." All Might explained. "But for years, there's been questions over some disappearances and whether things are being done immorally."
"Well, what are we waiting for? You can take em down, right?" Izuku asked excitedly, eyes beaming with energy.
He held up his twig-like arm to get him to pump the breaks. "Hold it a sec, young man. Ararat's done a lot of good stuff to sort of...insulate itself from trouble."
Izuku slid the phone back to him, slowly nodding. "So, are you thinking about...infiltrating and getting info?"
"Exactly. I doubt every scientist there is some Frankenstein-wannabe," All Might explained. "I'm hoping if I go over there and signal during a tour my...willingness to help, it'll give one or two the courage to speak up."
Izuku nodded, before drumming his fingers against the table. "What can I do? I don't want you going there alone."
All Might chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I'm thankful, Midoriya Kid, but I'm a little far from needing you to babysit me. But, I got a job in mind for you too. Work with me here, and we might figure out this whole mess, alright?"
Izuku nodded, as Toshinori finished the coffee, before nodding to him, signaling for the two to leave and head to his car.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Bob McFarlane was giving a tour around the place to one of the premier businessmen of Japan, and possibly in the entire world of Quirks, Rikiya Yotsubushi. 'Bob' had been eager to get in cooperation with this man, and now he had the opportunity for a great business venture. The taller, leaner man looked over Ararat's equipment and testing facilities, all of it behind glass and walled off, so they could watch while Bob's scientists worked.
"We're paving the way for some truly stunning breakthroughs in Quirk science and prediction here," He explained to Rikiya. "In time, we could even create the conditions that allows Quirk mutation, and have such things no longer be a random surprise for us."
Rikiya's eyes widened slightly, nodding in surprise at that idea. "That is quite the goal, Mr. McFarlane."
Bob chuckled, patting Rikiya on the back of his shoulder and leading him further into the labs. "Well, it's all in the service of society of course. Random Quirks and us not being prepared for them can cause a great deal of harm."
Rikiya nodded, expression hard to read. "Indeed."
The two continued with the tour, as Rikiya straightened his tie and nodded to the balding, tubby scientist. "Well, I've seen all I need to. My legal team will contact yours, and we can work out an arrangement for both Deternat and Ararat."
Bob smiled, shaking the taller man's hand. "Excellent! I'm looking forward to it!"
Rikiya gave it a firm shake, before giving his suit a brushing off and a tug to straighten it, before speaking further. "You know, Mr. McFarlane, I have some friends in high places. A friend in parliament, Koku Hanabata, could use some support. Perhaps, a donation or two to his campaign will guarantee some further government assistance?"
Bob looked at him, stroking his chin as he gave a small smile. "Oh?"
"Yes. He's done much the same Deternat, no reason he can't help another friend of mine," Rikiya said with a cheerful smile, scratching the side of his forehead with one finger. "I could also arrange an interview with Shoowaysha Publishing's Chitose Kizuki."
"My, my, how generous." Bob remarked, studying Rikiya closely. It was clear he was angling for something, but what it was, he couldn't imagine.
"Well, I just want to make sure our partnership goes swimmingly. We're in for the long haul, right?" Rikiya asked, before Bob's ear piece buzzed.
He stiffened, holding a finger up to the CEO, before clicking it on. "Yes?"
"Um, sir. This is the front desk. We have...a Hero visitor here." The Secretary stated nervously.
"Tell them I'm not here." He remarked bluntly, shaking his head in annoyance.
"It's All Might sir." She replied.
He stopped, eyes widening, before replying. "I'll be right there, then."
Bob turned back to Rikiya. "I have some business to attend to, Vickie and Frankie will see you out. Take care."
They shook hands once more, as he hurried off. With him, came one of his chief researchers, Dr. Dora Skirth. The plain-faced, glasses-wearing scientist followed beside him nervously. He said nothing, merely trudging ahead, before exiting the labs, walking through a few more hallways and office spaces, and coming to the first level above the ground floor, and looking down. It was indeed All Might, with...No.
'What is that little Quirkless welp doing here?' Bob thought, clenching a fist. 'And what does he have to do with that grinning idiot?'
Skirth looked at him in confusion for a moment, brow furrowed. "Sir?"
He blinked looking to her and nodding quietly, putting on a cheerful smile. "Let's greet our guests, shall we?"
He lead the way, the scientist still looking at him with some apprehension, as they made their way down the stairs. As he stepped off the first flight, and stepped onto the landing towards the second, he spoke in a chummy, almost bombastic tone.
"Why, what does my company owe the pleasure of the Number 1 Hero being here?" Bob declared with a hearty chuckle, forcing a smile as he stepped down form the last flight of stairs.
All Might strode forward, now larger then life, his mighty, powerful form almost like a mountain of strength and vitality given form. He was in the tight white shirt and green pants, every muscle in his chest and abs shown through, as he chuckled in return.
"Greeting, Mr. McFarlane. I hope the surprise visit doesn't bother you any." All Might said in his usual booming voice. "I just have questions about your business and some others things."
Bob raised an eyebrow, blinking slightly. "Oh? Is that so?"
All Might shrugged slightly. "It's probably not you, but some witnesses think they saw something. I'm sure it's a mistake of some kind."
"And the kid?" He struggled to keep his disdain from leaking into his voice.
All Might looked surprised for a moment, playing at surprise and forgetting Izuku was even there. "Oh, this young man here was interested in potential work here."
"Is that so?" Bob asked, eyeing Izuku wearily, who also looked at him with a strange expression he couldn't read.
"Is that the kid that ran into the Mud Villain situation without waiting for a hero?" Dr. Skirth asked, looking at Izuku wearily.
"We had a talk, and this Young Man has quite the mind for Quirks," All Might explained in an easy tone. "I think he knows to use his skills to help people, just not in Hero Work."
"Dr. Skirth can take you around the place," Bob stated, something about his behavior not quite right, but All Might couldn't put his finger on it. "We have numerous positions for young men and women looking to help research Quirks."
Izuku put on an excited smile. "Oh, really? I've always been reading about Quirks, but mine's not quite there yet."
'Not quite?' Bob thought, raising an eyebrow, before gesturing to All Might. "We should go somewhere private to talk things over, Dr. Skirth, take Young Midoriya around around our labs, public parts only, of course."
"Yes sir." She replied demurely.
Izuku and Skirth walked away from the group, and took the stairs behind Skirth and Bob, heading for the labs, while Bob lead All Might away form the rest of the scientists and workers there.
"So, what lead you to coming to my labs?" Bob asked, his confusion genuine, now worried over being discovered.
"Oh, just yesterday, around, 6:30ish, some witnesses claimed to have seen a group of armed man with a dead body loaded into the truck." All Might explained, studying Bob's reaction out of the corner of his eye.
Bob's eyes widened, as he grabbed a handkerchief from his lapel, and dabbed it over his forehead. "Good heavens."
"Do you employ any armed groups in your security teams?" All Might asked, glancing around the main hall as Bob lead him around. "I know Quirk research can be dangerous, and there are certain extremist groups, so employing some PMCs and former Military..."
"No! We've never had threats or anything, we take every precaution with our test subjects here and ensure they and ourselves are safe." Bob said in horror, shaking his head gravely. "The few security guards we keep here are more then enough."
All Might stroked his chin, clicking his tongue slightly. "Well, this truck they had was one of yours, markings and everything. Is it possible some of your vehicles were stolen?"
Bob looked as if he was deep in thought, tapping his chin, before stroking his mustache, then nodding as if coming to the answer. "We do recently sell off some of the older trucks for scrap to Junkyards. It could be from one of them."
"Villain groups steal stuff like that, always looking for support gear and equipment in their battle against the law and we righteous heroes." All Might agreed. "I will need a full list of the trucks and the yards you gave them away at. License plates and all that included."
Bob nodded quickly to him. "Of course!"
They continued up into the normal set of stairs, before leading him. "Come into my office, we'll discuss this matter in depth."
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Izuku, meanwhile, was going through the labs, as Dr. Skirth explained everything they did at the labs, how they conducted tests, on and on. Even though this wasn't exactly his mission given to him by All Might, he didn't mind at all. This was all right up his alley, and he was absorbing every detail of what she said, even as he looked over the labs, trying to find anything out of the ordinary for him to report back to All Might. As expected, everything looked like a normal lab, room after room of test tubes, scanning equipment and everything else you'd expect from a lab.
"And there is where we isolate the genome factors and use our computer systems to use predictive analysis to try and...predict...what Quirk a subject could have upon birth," Skirth explained in a dry, matter of fact tone, not seemingly paying attention to what was going on.
She stopped for a moment, looking back at Izuku who was writing everything he saw and heard like a mad man, before speaking again. "What got you into Quirk science and research?"
"Oh, well, my Quirk is kinda useless right now, and I really want to help people, and be a hero," Izuku explained, before indicating his notes. "So I started just writing down every detail I could of Hero Quirks. After what happened a few weeks ago, All Might told me I should look into other ways to help people."
Dora looked at him for a moment, her expression murky, hard to read. He could detect the usual from other people he had met in the past, the pity, but the other was hard to read.
"I know what it's like to feel on the outside, struggling to find a place in a society that sees you as a genetic throwback," She remarked sadly, before turning to Izuku. "Are you sure you want a job here, though?"
"Isn't this place one of the leading Quirk research places...?" Izuku began to ask.
Skirth spoke, interrupting him, her voice low and quiet. "It is. But this place isn't the perfect job place it looks like on the surface. Look into other places, and make the right decision for yourself."
Izuku looked at her with some surprise. Why was she...bringing out so much onto him? This wasn't really the time or place for it, was it? He looked at, taken aback and not sure how to respond. She seemed to realize she unloaded too much onto a child, before indicating for him to follow her again.
"I'm sorry, it's just...this job isn't always what its cracked up to be." She explained with a tired sigh, as Izuku followed her further in.
After rounding a few corners and going past other sections of the lab, they came to her personal office. She swiped her keycard in, before pushing the door open, and leading Izuku in. She sat down behind her desk, clicking off her computer, as Izuku sat in front of her in one of the two chairs, looking around uncertainly. This was off the beaten path for what he was expecting when coming here. She clicked a few things off the computer, then turned completely towards him.
"If working here is what you truly want, and are willing to put in the work, then I can help advise you on somethings," She said, before taking a piece of paper, hunching her shoulders over it, and quickly jotting something down. "This is my number, for professional calls only. We can plan something out for your career and the future."
She slid the folded note across the table, in front of Izuku, who looked at it for a moment in slight confusion, before nodding and gently taking it in his left hand. He held it low, unfolding it slightly, and seeing written on it.
"This place isn't what it seems. Bob is lying about everything. TELL ALL MIGHT."
Along with it was her number, Izuku folding it back up and putting it in his pocket. He was hoping he looked completely natural now, and wasn't as outwardly nervous as he felt. A cold chill went up his spine, wondering if Lee Price or Treece had been there the whole time, watching him and All Might, potentially ready to kill them if he made one wrong move, or indicated he knew more then he should.
"I trust we'll be talking more?" She asked, nodding slightly to him, giving a silent signal, her eyes slightly desperate.
"Oh yeah, definitely. I am looking forward to it." He said with a firm nod, giving a shaky smile.
"Tell All Might hello for me." She said with a pleasant smile. Izuku nodded in return and bid his good-byes, before standing up and leaving.
He hurriedly made his way to the front office, not wanting to linger in case anyone asked questions. He'd just wait at the front desk for All Might, and tell him everything he had gotten far from the prying eyes of Bob and his company. And speaking of Bob, Izuku knew his face. He had never seen the head of the company, only heard of him in passing. He apparently didn't like to have his pictures taken or be seen in public much. He had said that he wanted his actions to speak for him, not press interviews or ticket-cutting parades.
'Bob doesn't like to have his pictures taken, but I know his face, and his voice,' Izuku thought, dread filling his chest, not knowing what to even make of that. 'That was my doctor from when I was a kid!'
Why would his Doctor put on some disguise to run a company? Why was it kidnapping people and killing them, seemingly to experiment on them? So many questions almost made his head spin. He had to bite his lip to keep from muttering, and forced a smile, eager smile on his face, hoping it would look natural and not have anyone notice that he was nervous and felt like he was sweating a gallon.
He made it to the front, near the front desk and the receptionist area, and waited, pacing slightly. This whole thing had him on edge. He wanted to get out of here as soon as possible and spill everything to All Might. Every minute he waited felt like he was getting closer to Lee Price and the other goons taking him into the backrooms of this place and disappearing him.
Finally, All Might's booming laughter and footsteps could be heard, Izuku looking up, to see him and Bob sharing a laugh, shaking hands with one another, before heading down the stairs. Izuku waited eagelry, as they reached the bottom, and All Might turned to the short, rotund man.
"I just want to thank you for handling my questions, and letting my young friend here get acquainted with your business here," All Might said in his usual jovial tone. "We'll get this all straightened out, and hopefully whoever was using those old trucks will be found."
"Thank you, Mister Might. With you on the case, I have no doubt things will straighten up soon." Bob said with a cheery smile, before turning to Izuku. "And I trust Dr. Skirth helped a great deal in getting your first steps into our business?"
He nodded, swallowing dryly as he forced a smile. "Yes. It's all been pretty great, from what I saw, sir."
Despite the warm smile, it did not reach his eyes, remaining cold and unfeeling. "That's wonderful. I hope if the Quirk doesn't come through, you'll be joining us soon."
Izuku nodded, as All Might gave a tip of the head in good, took Izuku by the shoulder, and lead him out. The two walked through the parking lot, all the way to the front gate, where a car was waiting for them. All Might opened the door for Izuku, hurried to the other side, and both got in. All Might instantly deflated, grabbing a roll of paper towels on the floor and covering his mouth as he coughed up blood.
"You okay All Might?" A voice called from the front.
"Wait...!" Izuku said in alarm, looking up at the front.
All Might held up a hand. "Hold it kid. It's alright. This is Detective Tsukauchi. He's a friend of mine. He knows about my...condition."
Izuku still bristled, even as the plain-faced officer nodded to him through the rear-view mirror, their car already reaching the highway. "Did you two learn anything?"
"Bob is claiming the trucks Izuku saw were decommissioned and sent to a junkyard. We have a number of plates we'll have to run." All Might said, producing the list.
"I'll be on that one." Tsukauchi remarked.
"And the Dr there, Dora Skirth, she gave me her number and a message for you All Might." Izuku said, pulling it out of his pocket, and handing it over to him.
All Might took it, reading over it a few times, before nodding. "That's what I was hoping for. They couldn't come to me directly, but this gives us a definitive in to work around Bob."
"There's one other thing that's been bothering me, All Might," Izuku said, thinking back to everything that had happened. "Did you tell that guy my name?"
"Bob? No. I just said a young fan." All Might replied.
"Because he knew it without me introducing myself." Izuku, looking at All Might with a slight look of fear now.
All Might furrowed his bro, thinking back over everything that had occurred leading up to them entering the place, before his eyes widened in shock. "Oh crap. This is serious. Are you sure his goons didn't see you?"
"On that day? No." Izuku answered, shaking his head vigorously. "But, the funny thing is, he looks like my doctor from when I was a kid, Dr. Tsubasa."
All Might, tapped his chin. Was this Bob guy using multiple identities across the country? To what end? What did that mean? "Tell me everything about this Dr. Tsubasa that you can. We need to piece together a picture."
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Bob had sequestered himself into his office, canceling any meetings and remaining inside for several hours, not saying or doing anything, until most of the employees began to clock out. This was the perfect chance. He hit a few keys on his computer, multiple holographic displays coming on. One was a shadowy figure, his body hidden in darkness, but machines hocked into his neck and wrists. The other was a short, cloaked figure, dressed in a black cloak and gray robes, his fingers also covered in gray wrappings, as was the bottom of his face. His yellow eyes were visible, the skin around them appearing black and scorched.
The last was the strangest, a gigantic, towering, humanoid reptile. A beak-like snout, with gigantic arms ending in five-fingered clawed hands, hardened scales over powerful muscle, and a row of triangular spines across his back, as well as a tail ending in four spikes. It was like a strange Stegasaurus turned into a humanoid being, but his eyes glinted with the intelligence of a full functional,sapient being.
"Doctor, this had better be important." The first figure said, leaning back in his seat.
"Master, we have a situation. A terrible one." The doctor began, rubbing a handkerchief over his bald forehead. "All Might visited my lab here at Ararat. Somebody tipped him off to the homeless experiments."
The first figure leaned back, mulling over his head words for a moment, as the last figure spoke. "Do we know who?"
"My Cultists could find the squealing rat and slit their throat wide open." The second man declared, grinning eagerly.
The Master held up a hand, silencing them as they both turned to him for confirmation or further orders. "Stegron, Kitab, hold your tongues. Now, doctor. Tell me everything that happened."
He started from the beginning, detailing his meeting with All Might, what they discussed, before concluding it. "And the strangest part, he brought Izuku Midoriya."
"Are we supposed to know who that is?" Kitab asked impatiently.
"He was one of my child patients, he 'supplied' a Quirk for our other...projects." Bob explained.
The Master leaned back in his seat, stroking his chin for a moment, before nodding slowly. "All Might must still be smarting from the maiming I gave him. I wonder if time is beginning to run out for my old friend."
"A Quirkless child could not handle the power of One for All." The Doctor said a contemptuous huff. "If All Might is using him as a Successor, he must truly be desperate and weak."
"If he is so desperate, perhaps I may hunt him?" Stegron offered, turning to the Master's hologram with a hopeful glint in his eye. "Let me assemble a pack of my warriors, and we will feast on All Might's flesh."
Kitab spoke up, holding a bony finger up to the group. "We should be worried about the boy! If he has the power you so desire, my Cultist strike teams can infiltrate near his home, grab him, and bring him to you. He will be Quirkless again, and exsanguinated, before his parents can even put his face on a milk carton."
"We will do neither." The master said in a louder, authoritative tone. "Tomura is not yet ready for his role. I will not have us reveal our hand to All Might or any outsiders until I am sure everything is in place."
The two bowed their heads slightly, and stepped back, as the Master reoriented himself, rolling his shoulders as he spoke. "Doctor, who did this...Midoriya, speak to at the lab?"
"Dr. Dora Skirth took him aside into the designated areas to show him how we did things," He explained calmly. "It was in the tourist spots. Nothing sensitive."
"Question her. Intensely. If she gives anything away about our links to the Nomu and Stegron's creations, the Symbiotes, add her to the list of all three for a potential test subject." The Master ordered, words focused and intent.
Bob nodded vigorously, as the Master continued. "And move forward with the tests for the Symbiotes. I want them prepared for what Al'Hazred has in store."
He pointed to both holograms. "You two are dismissed, but remain on stand-by, understand? We can't risk anything."
"Yes, All for One." Stegron stated, bowing his head.
"The Cult of Knull will await your word." Kitab added, holding his arms aloft and bowing as well, before both flickered out.
That left All for One and Bob, alone, in the darkened room. The Company head sat back for a moment, not sure what next to do for his master, before All for One spoke.
"This is a dangerous situation, but it was bound to happen sooner or later." All for One stated with a sigh. "Later would've been preferred."
"I don't know about this strange creatures you gather master," Bob replied, shaking his head in dismay. "If Shigaraki were to learn of them..."
"He won't. Make sure of it. He has to earn his place before he receives control of the Absent Throne." All for One said sternly, clenching a fist in annoyance. "Now, back to the subject at hand. You still have test subjects, yes?"
"Yes, multiple homeless and poorer individuals, who gladly signed their lives away." Bob responded quickly.
"Good. Extract any Quirks, and store them. Then, let the Symbiotes do as they please." All for One ordered calmly.
Bob nodded, before All for One continued. "The Silver One, Riot, is the most important. Ensure he doesn't die when testing. The others...well, make sure at least 4 are alive, understand?"
"Yes, master. I'll do my best with them." Bob stated with a firm nod, before his tone became darker. "But I think we should reconsider having Lee Price as an active commander."
All for One gave a small shrug. "That Arab and his little cult of soothsayers and rogue Symbiotes told me he'd be important to the eventual success of the plan. We'll have to endure his temper. Do you think he was the one that got us caught?"
Bob shook his head in disgust, narrowing his eyes. "Who else would it be. Treece is too professional to make such mistakes."
"Bring him in after this is done, and...remind him, of the delicate nature of this plan." All for One said, waging a finger at his compatriot. "If that's all, I'll leave you to this, Dr. Garaki."
"Yes, master." He replied, bowing his head to him.
The hologram flickered off, as 'Bob' turned his chair about, looking out the window. There was much to think about now. Not just the experiments with the Symbiotes and how they would effect the great plan with Tomura and whatever Villain power he gained. But Izuku Midoriya as well. Why was he here? Garaki had read about how he had rushed in to save a classmate of some kind from a villain, but was that all it took to impress All Might?
'A kid with no powers? There's no practical reason for it. No, someone with some power behind them is what he would go with,' He thought, shaking his head. 'A Quirkless brat like him is a waste of that power.'
Whatever the case, he would figure it out. Perhaps, after he had figured out how these Symbiotes interacted with Quirks and human biology, he could send a whole strike team equipped with them after the kid and anyone else he suspected. Maybe even lure in All Might for a quick, brutal end. But he was getting ahead of himself. He first must ensure that Dr. Skirth and the child had revealed or stumbled upon anything, then prepare his next steps accordingly.
\\\\\\\\\\
Izuku paced around his room as quietly as he could, still nervous and terrified as ever. This was so new to him. He couldn't shake the constant feeling echoing in his mind. Why was his pediatrics doctor masquerading as a businessman? What was he doing with all those poor and homeless people he was taking to Ararat?
'All Might told me to stay put, but how can I, when I'm in it so deep?' He thought, shaking his head in dismay. '
He pulled out his phone, and clicked it on, seeing the number of Dr. Skirth he had put in there before handing off the paper to All Might. He contemplated calling her, trying to get whatever he could, but decided against that. It was late at night, she probably had other things to worry about, including her boss if he was eyeing her for treachery. He knew he should do nothing, for the sake of everyone, but not doing anything, felt like being inactive and lazy. He had to do something.
He began to mutter to himself, about what to do, what he could do going forward, before snapping out of it shaking his head. Until he got whatever All Might had planned to make him a true and proper successor, he couldn't make any moves without risking himself. With a sigh to himself, he tiredly sat on the edge of his bed, looking down at his phone one last time, before putting the phone away and flopping onto the bed. He stared up tiredly, sighing again.
He had to do something, and not feel like a useless Deku anymore. So he could actually be a Hero for once.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Venom felt himself pushed out of the cylinder, the clean, pure air pushed out, the poisonous, rotted atmosphere burning his form. The Symbiote squirmed and slithered around, desperately trying to find something to bond to, the room enclosed, nothing but white walls and windows, with no living thing. Where they going to kill him here? Suddenly, one of the doors opened, and a thin, sacred looking man stumbled in, bald and pale. He looked down at the squirming, withering slime, before it began to surge towards. The doors closed behind him, sealed shut, as he turned and slammed his fists feebly into the wall, screaming for help, before Venom's mass shot forward, surging into his body and seeping in. The man's body spasmed and twisted, wrists flicking about, the man's eyes rolling in the back of his head.
Bob and the rest of the scientists watched in a mix of apathetic stoicism, fascination and horror, as the man's body twisted and turned about, before arms and head flopped downwards. Bob tilted his head slightly, studying the man for a moment, before his head suddenly snapped up, focusing in on the corporate head, eyes completely black, twirling and glistening like slime.
"Hello. You are a Symbiote, yes?" Bob asked.
"Yesssss," A deep, rumbling voice hissed, sounding like an earthquake on the verge of eruption. "Venom, of the Klyntar."
"Klyntar? Is that your species?"
"Yesssss." The voice repeated, the man's jaws moving in time with it, almost making the idea he was talking believable.
"You understand then, that we of the Absent Throne brought you here, with coordination from your Emperor, right?" Bob asked, eyeing the possessed body carefully, not sure what to make of the creature just yet.
"Commander Riot knows more, I am just a grrrrunt." The creature slurred.
"Yes, we are aware of the caste system at play with your kind," Bob said, folding his arms behind himself and walking back and forth. "You are the lowest ranked."
Venom growled, the man's lips curling back and revealing his teeth had now turned into fangs. He did not like being reminded of his status by a lower species. He was nothing to his kind, but to them, he was a conqueror, first and always. They needed to be reminded of this, sooner or later.
"I'm willing to experiment a bit more with you then the others," Bob explained, hands circling before him. "We have many more questions about what you can do. How you interact with our Quirks will be interesting indeed."
Venom did not let it show, but he was not surprised he was being used in such a way. It wouldn't surprise him, in fact, if Riot or Mayhem or another of the Strike Team had requested he be the one used as a lab rat first. That was his lot in life, to be at the mercy of the other Symbiotes and the experiments of the species before they were conquered.
"We will watch your bonding to the test subjects with great interest." Bob finished, nodding to his scientists, before turning and leaving out the door.
Venom retreated back into his host, saying nothing and not caring in the slightest for him. He thought he had scented a proper, Prime Host in the vicinity, but this lab was full of fleshy beings, and it seemed his senses had tricked him. Once more, he found himself with temporary hosts, the others able to take as they wished, while he had to scrape for whatever hosts he could find among the conquered. He forced his host to kneel and curl up in a corner, ignoring the mental screaming within. This was a flesh bag, to be consumed and left behind. All the dreams, the failed ambitions, the addictions contained within, just passing memories.
The bubbling resentment that had been building for so long came back again, Venom growling like a wounded animal in the corner, as the scientists wrote down and recorded everything.
'This world has infinite potential for powers,' He thought gruffly, sifting through the memories of this homeless fleshbag and the concept of heroes and villains among their kind. 'I could find one, build up my power, and finally be free.'
He had to do something, least he be left behind again. Least he be seen as the aberrant Symbiote who only barely hung onto life off the scraps the rest of the Packs and Warriors left behind.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Kitab stepped forward into the sanctum of their temple, pillars that resembled melted, forged raw flesh, formed into large columns that held up the ceiling. The halls were darkened and shadowy, barely anything on the walls or beyond visible. Every so often, a cloaked figure or two could be seen moving within the halls, watching and observing the Arabic man carefully, their faces and the rest of their bodies hidden in shadows. Al'Hazred carefully stepped forward, holding his cloak close and tight to himself, as he approached an elevated platform, swallowing nervously.
"My lord, the Symbiote strike force has arrived," He stated aloud, his voice echoing through the halls. "Seven Symbiotes, as predicted."
A figure on the throne above him shifted, before a pale man jumped off. He was thin and wiry, but all lean muscle, a wild mane of crimson hair and a gaunt, angular face, with clear green eyes. He spoke in a thick, country drawl. "It's about damn time, ain't it?"
The man stepped into the light, shirtless, a red spiral carved deep into his chest. "Daddy-o is here, ain't he? I can smell him in the Hive-Mind."
His voice was filled with absolute contempt and disgust, as Kitab nodded, speaking quickly and nervously. "Yes. Venom is in the strike force."
The man smiled, eyes shimmering red and black. "Perfect. It's about time we had a little family reunion. I've been dying to finish what we started, so long ago."
Notes
Well, this was a long time coming. I am proud of My Hero Academia:Lethal Hero, but as I refined my writing process and improved on things, I was left increasing dissatisfied with it. How closely I followed MHA's canon, the weird shit I put in there because I was just treating this as a silly little thing to pass the time. I decided, in the spirit of one of my favorite authors, Thuktun Flishithy, to go at this from the beginning, and do it right this time.
As far as other stuff goes, I will leave my side-stories untouched, with sequels on the way. The Shoto-Ghost Rider story will feature some Spawn, a proper, self-contained Godzilla crossover without derailing the Symbiote story, Bakugou as Sun Spider getting a continuation, and Momo-Venom 2099 facing off with Alchemax.
For those who disliked MHA:LH for being too by the numbers, following the OG story too closely, or the sort of randomness, I'll be starting fresh, and starting better, with a greater game plan in mind. I hope to see you around.