Matte Kudasai - King Crimson recorded in Discipline (1981)
"I cannot vanish,
You will not scare me,
Why did I do it?
Why did I do it?
I hate you, cruel world."
Damn. I ran out of cigarettes.
"Oi!" I yelled as I looked at the living room mirror. I was at my parents' house. "Dad, are you ready? I'm going to need to go now unless you want me to get there late. And I don't think it'll look good if I'm late."
I watched as Gekko rushed out of the bathroom with his head still wet as he passed me his car keys.
"Make sure you don't crash the damn thing."
"I've never had an accident in my two years of driving."
"True, but a villain also 'stole' your car."
Hm.
I sighed at that.
"Fair point. Are you going to work then?"
"I'm a doctor," Gekko replied with a grin. "Unlike Miwa or Hinata, I can't just take a day off from school or work. We're both on the clock today. Me with saving lives, and you with saving lives too."
"Eh, it's just a funeral."
Gekko snorted at that.
"Just a funeral, he says. Son, not even three months ago All Might's funeral was held here. In this city. Need I remind you what happened that day, or is your memory going to come back?" Gekko asked me with a grin. "It's never just a funeral with you. It's never just a peaceful day when it comes to your life. If it weren't for your Nimbus, I'd reckon your Quirk was having the shittest luck I've ever seen."
"Hey!"
"Kidding, kidding," Gekko laughed, ruffling my hair much to my annoyance. "You just keep safe, yeah? Katsumi should be in school right now, at the very least she was incessant on trying to get to school on her own today."
Huh.
"Really? That's…"
Gekko winked at me, placing his hand on my shoulder.
"You just keep on being yourself, and she'll warm up eventually. But there is no point in dwelling on that now. You have a job to do, people are counting on you, this city is counting on you," I heard him say to me. "And I couldn't be more proud. Really. Seeing you work day in and day out to help people is inspiring. That's why you became a detective, right? To help people?"
I flinched, refusing to meet his eyes.
…
"Y-yeah."
"Hah, I guess it just feels funny that before you went back to U.A. I was sort of thinking of accepting my promotion."
"Promotion?"
"My hospital… They want me to stop being a doctor and help run it. I declined. Sure, it would be more money, but I think I'd regret it. Yet, when I see you try your hardest, suddenly I don't regret my decision - I never went into this profession intending to make money, I just want to help people," Gekko said to me. "I just wanted to be kind to people since I grew up in an orphanage, the only kindness I had was those around me. And, well, you just want to help people too. I don't know what's going on in that case of yours, and I know you can't legally tell me any details about the case - It's just, ugh, I don't know how to say it-,"
I couldn't stop myself as I reached forward and hugged the man.
"Dad… Thanks."
"Haha, don't even thank me. You're still going to get hurt and put yourself in danger, it just proves how much of a horrible father I am-,"
"You're not. Really," I cut him off. "You and Mum, you two are the best parents I could ever ask for. You're there for me. You don't put pressure on me to be someone who I'm not, and you never once wanted me to become a mini-you. That's just what it means to be a great parent."
The direct opposite of my old life.
Of the old family, I was once in.
"...Well then, off you go," Gekko said, pulling away from me with a big grin on his face. "But you know, that's a pretty pathetic look you have on your face. What's got you so down in the dumps?"
"Huh?"
"Son, you never look that down," Gekko told me. "You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on that shoulders. Still, I suppose it's a conversation for another day. Don't want to get you late on an important day like this. Are you going to come back here after the funeral or are you going to go to the dorms with everyone else?"
I shrugged my shoulders in response.
"I don't know. I'll see how I feel. I'll drop the car back off, but it's looking like I'll go back to the dorms at least for tonight," I replied. "Still, if anything changes I'll let you know. It's not like anything is set in stone or something. Knowing them, they'll probably want to do some more on the case so I'll be forced to come along since technically I'm the 'leader' of this investigation."
Gekko sighed at that.
"Why'd they put you in charge? Not that you aren't skilled or deserve it… But you're not even eighteen yet. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth that everyone is trusting and hoping that you'll be their saviour," Gekko said to me. "It just leaves me frustrated. That as an adult, the other adults in your life that should be protecting you in positions of power either have their hands tied behind their back due to bureaucracy or they're the ones plotting schemes to put you in danger."
"Eh, that's how life works."
"But it shouldn't be," Gekko replied. "It really shouldn't."
…
"Well, there's nothing I can do about it but follow the script at my own pace. I'm not doing it for them, I'm doing it for myself," I told him, opening the door. "That's all any of us can do, Dad. No use crying over spilt milk. Anyways, I'll see you later."
I left the house, stuffing my hands in my pockets as I made my way to my Dad's silver sedan that wasn't parked too far away from us. It didn't take long for the engine to start running as I drove in silence, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel as the morning traffic slowly sucked me in.
It was deceptive.
The idea of traffic, or congestion really, was more of a time sink than people ever really understood. You slowed down because the roads were full, because there was no path ahead. And unless you crashed into the cars in front of you, there wasn't a path ahead for you to take without any risks. Without any consequences. So even as I sat patiently, waiting for my turn to leave the traffic and enter normal roads once again, I couldn't help but sigh.
I'm so glad I had some time before the funeral.
This was going to take forever!
Chapter
Seventy
Five
'The May Blues and The Lies We Tell Ourselves'
"Sir, you can't park here."
"Bro, I paid for two hours of parking! What do you mean I can't park here? Look at the sign next to you, I can park here!" I yelled angrily at the officer. "Look at my fucking badge too, you demented son of a bitch! HERE! I'm a detective, I'm literally on security detail for the funeral."
"But, sir-,"
"Listen, I'm not going to say it again. You touch this car, I'll chop off your hand with my sword," I threatened him, pointing at the chokuto that was attached to my waist. "You call for this car to be removed or fined, and I'll chop your arm off. Just walk away and you get to keep both arms. A win-win scenario."
"But, sir-,"
I sighed.
"Listen, I'm going to go now. You can either keep arguing with me and I'll take up with Commissioner Suwabe, wasting all of our time, or you can just do your job and pursue actual dangers to the funeral," I cut him off. "Listen mate, you seem like a good and dedicated officer. But there's a fine line from doing your job diligently to pissing everyone off, and right now you are crossing that line."
"..."
Reaching deep into my pockets, I threw a few notes of Yen at the guy.
The way his eyes lit up told me all I needed to know about him and his little 'job' that he was doing. Staring right in front of me was a pathetic man who went on all fours to pick up the money I had thrown at him, a grin on his face, it looked like a dog who had just caught their toy, and I couldn't deny it. The fact that this piece of shit wore the same badge as I did, that this asshole was stationed here the same way I was, and that we worked for the same people angered me.
"There. You want your fucking money to be kept quiet, have at it, you freakin' vulture," I angrily told him, shoving him aside. "Fuck. Tsk. Whatever, whatever. Just calm down, Sora. It's fine-,"
I winced as I caught sight of two very familiar kids.
They weren't hiding discreetly, especially in their U.A. uniforms.
"Hey. What are you two doing here?"
I watched as Katsumi and Sai's heads turned around at lightning speed to stare at me in surprise I sighed at the two of them standing next to a lamppost, staring at City Hall. They were supposed to be in school right now.
"Er… our train got lost?" Sai replied unconvincingly. "Yeah. Our train got lost."
"Delayed. Our train got delayed," Katsumi covered up for the two of them. "Nii-san, I suppose it's too much trouble to ask you to drive us back to school. And since you're an adult, it wouldn't be nice if you just ditched us, therefore you must take us with you to-,"
I opened my phone and called a taxi for them.
"Shut up. Seriously," I told them angrily. "I told you not to get involved with this. And you do it anyway. You know Katsumi, I'm glad you made a friend. Same with you Sai. But I don't need two kids who don't know anything about how this world works to try and help me. You haven't even attended U.A. for a month. You'll end up regretting it-,"
"So what!" Sai yelled angrily at me. "Even if I regret it, at least I would have helped! That's better than standing by and not being able to do a single thing! Isn't that the essence of being a Hero? Isn't that what you told me I should do?!"
…!
"I concur with his statement," Katsumi agreed. "You assume we do not know the true nature of this world due to our age, yet it is you who does not know the true nature of us two standing before your very eyes. We are well aware of our weaknesses and inexperience in this field, however, we are not asking to solve your case. We are asking to assist you in any way we can."
Katsumi's eyes bore into mine as I sighed.
"...Just go to school, have fun, and make memories that I never got the chance to create," I told them. "Memories that slipped past my hands. I'm not going to tell you again. And if you continue to try and meddle, I'll throw you in prison. Seriously. Sister or not."
"..."
We waited in silence before the taxi arrived, and even when it did, they reluctantly hopped in the back. I thanked the driver as I watched Katsumi pull down the window to stare at me intently, she was studying me.
"..."
"...Please, let me fulfil my duty-,"
"Let me fulfil mine first," I cut her off. "You've been through a lot. And don't you even try to hide it, we can all see how you flinch from a single hug - I don't want you to end up like me, or even Raiden. Let me be an older brother who gives a 're an innocent kid, Katsumi. And as your older brother, I have to keep you safe. I have to keep you happy. Else I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."
But Katsumi shook her head at me, sadness etched upon her face.
"Yet I am not as innocent as you may think."
"Huh?"
I didn't get an answer as the taxi drove away, and I couldn't escape the urge to smoke even though I had no cigarettes. Unluckily for me, even as I walked up the steps to City Hall, the place where the funeral was taking place, I was quickly crowded by a bunch of reporters which did nothing to improve my mood.
"Sir, would you mind answering a few questions for the-,"
"Hey, I know you! You're that famous detective kid from U.A.!"
"Right! Are you investigating ex-mayor Daguchi's murder?"
"Is there anything you can say about the current ongoing investigation?"
"How will U.A. respond to this? Will Deku be there to solve the case?"
I tried to push past but they kept on surrounding me, like a moth to a flame, I could barely even see where I was going as the reporters kept on shoving their phones in front of me, waiting for my comments.
"I-, I-,"
"Hold on, isn't that Rikiya Yotsubashi?!"
"Detrenat's made an appearance?!"
"What?!"
Everyone's attention, including my own, was stolen by the tall, middle-aged man who stepped foot out of his limousine in an expensive black suit. I looked at him in surprise as the reporters ran right to him, ignoring me and the questions they had previously asked as he gave everyone a friendly nod.
I could only squint my eyes, staring at the man as he answered everyone's question with ease.
"Yotsubashi-san! Considering how heavily you helped to support Daguchi and his redevelopment plan for Musutafu, how will this impact the plan and its ongoing constructions around the city?"
Rikiya smiled politely at the question.
"I assure you, Detrenat is still completely engaged in helping to rebuild this city after the magnitude of attacks it's suffered over the past two years, even with Daguchi's untimely demise, we remain committed to ensuring a better future for this city and it's denizens," Rikiya replied cordially. "...I for one will miss Daguchi. A dear friend of mine, and I wish to complete the project out of memory for him - A plan we had both agreed was necessary after the disastrous Overhaul Raid."
"Wow! I can't wait to write that down! Do you mind if we take a picture with you?"
"Sure, why not? I have time," Rikiya replied, boisterously laughing. "Gather round!"
…
I sighed at the sight of him taking pictures and answering more questions the reporters threw at him, my hands digging deeper in my pockets as I tried to find anything that would distract me.
"Need a smoke?"
I turned to my left to see Sero sitting down on the steps wearing his full costume with a cigarette hanging low from his mouth as he reached out to hold an unused cigarette with his other hand. I didn't reply as I sat down next to him, taking the only relief I could get from his hands, sending him a grateful look before I used my lighter to set fire to it.
Even as I inhaled, the stinging sensation wouldn't go away in my mind.
"You know, I hate that bastard. More than I hate you," Sero told me as he took a drag from his cigarette. "At least you're an honest guy most of the time. You're not malicious, and you do own up to your mistakes and try to rectify them. But that guy? Tsk, just looking at him pisses me off. He has everyone wrapped around his finger just cause' he's some big hotshot who has never struggled a day in his life. Some rich prink looking to step over anyone for his goals."
"...How's that make him worse than me?"
"You're not fake," Sero replied. "You're an easy guy to get along with, and even if I dislike you because of what you did back then, you don't allow it to treat me or anyone else differently. But that guy? Rikiya? He's the type of person that'll smile as he pulls the trigger to kill you. I don't trust him. I don't like him. I don't like rich billionaires like him who play up for the media, a prick with his agenda that he'll maintain till' his dying breath even if it spells disaster for the rest of us."
I shrugged my shoulders at that.
"To be honest, I don't trust him either, Sero. Though your strongest attribute was always the fact that you could read people so easily like a book."
"Why's that?"
"...Two months ago now, during the gang war that sparked up in this city, I asked Jiro and Kaminari to do some investigating for me. I was a bit busy at the time. Point is, when they came back to me they told me something really interesting," I said to Sero. "That the Osakan Yakuza run by Ryuji already had weapons and men shipped to this city. All under Detrenat containers through the port, and it had been going on for months."
"That's-,"
"Yeah, I know," I cut him off, taking another drag from my cigarette. "And then, just now, it occurred to me that of course, Daguchi's redevelopment plan for the city had to be bankrolled by a company. Just didn't realise that it was Detrenat of all freakin' companies. Hah. No wonder he had an unreleased phone, if his buddy was Rikiya Yotsubashi he probably had a bunch of shit that normal people could only dream of."
"...Huh?"
"N-never mind," I quickly told Sero with a grin. "Point is, I guess I now have another lead. Think if I corner Rikiya I'll be able to get some information out of him?"
"Dude, this is a funeral-,"
"Yeah, for a guy who cheated on his wife and kid, I don't care about his death all that much outside of the impact it's had on good people and this city," I told Sero honestly. "And don't pretend like you do. If he was kicking people out to the streets like you said for the project, then why give a shit? To be honest, it's starting to seem like he was a part of some shady shit, to say the least. First the Korean mafia, his little girlfriend on the side, and now even Rikiya. I just wonder how deep the hole is?"
Sero snarled at me as I said that, smacking my cigarette out of my hands.
I watched as it rolled down the stairs, snuffing itself out.
"...You know, no one brought it up because frankly they're too afraid to talk to you about it, but I'm not. What you did the other night was another betrayal," Sero whispered angrily at me. "Not to mention really fucking dumb. Not because you went to a club run by the Korean mafia with only Tokage as backup, but because you came back to our class to 'make things right' and then you go off and pull shit like that again. But that's your philosophy, right? Reaching for the truth no matter who you hurt? It's your fucked up way of being a do you do that? I'll never know. I don't even think you know why you just go and hurt others."
I sat in stunned silence.
"Fuck you, Sora. Really. You're turning eighteen in three days yet you're still acting like this, like you're still in our first year at U.A. and we're all friends. Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing. I get you have your scars, but at least trust Midoriya and Yaoyorozu who still believe in you," Sero sneered at me. "Change can't solely be made by brokering peace and lies at the same time. You're just the same as those smarmy politicians who lie to the public about helping them only for their actions to do the direct opposite. Honestly, just sitting here next to you pisses me off-,"
I leaned over to grab him by his collar.
Tsk.
Fuck this.
"Listen. I know you don't like me, but where the fuck do you get off from calling things that don't concern you out like that?!" I told him angrily. "I went with only Tokage because if I bought a bunch of famous Heroes to interrogate someone, how do you think that looks? Hawks was there, keeping an eye on me. Use the two brain cells I know you have, rub them together, and understand that I'm doing what I can to solve this case. If you're hurt because the person you actively don't like and make it vocally known that you don't like me didn't include you in a secretive operation, then here's my advice, Sero. Shut the fuck up and let me do what I do best."
Sero laughed.
"And what is it that you do best, Sora? Lie to everyone? Reject yourself? You keep staring at me with those eyes like you want to punch me in the face, so why are you holding back?" Sero taunted me. "Are you afraid that everyone in Class A is going to ditch you? They're going to ditch you anyway when they see that ultimately, deep down, just being close to anyone is going to lead to them getting hurt. That you have too many scars to love us properly. You can change everything about you, but you have a true essence that you're never going to get rid of. Trust us all you want, let us in every time you can, ultimately we'll get burnt because you can't control your emotions! Because you're just an angry boy lashing out at the world who hurt you the most!"
…
Sero smirked at that.
"..."
"You're just like a little kid, lashing out at whoever you can because-,"
Fuck this-,
Snatching his cigarette, I shoved him lightly as I got up from the steps and took a quick drag, slowly walking up the stairs. Tsk. Now I was in an even worse mood than before. That wasn't a good sign, especially when I walked into City Hall.
"Sir, I'm afraid you can't smoke in the building-,"
The funeral wasn't a sad affair.
Unlike All Might's funeral, this place was practically empty.
Not in terms of people, but in terms of decoration. A dab grey colour along with rows of benches were lined up in front of a small stage with a single portrait of Daguchi that wasn't any bigger than my head, if it wasn't for the fact that I had seen his body I wouldn't have thought this was a funeral for the man. It felt more like a memorial for a celebrity than anything, and even as there were drinks and food served by waiters that quickly changed to a social event.
Yet, as I walked down the crowded room I could see many famous politicians and businessmen alike sipping champagne as they mingled with each other.
From Rikiya Yotsubashi to Munakata Suwabe.
"Sora!"
I turned around to see Yuuya in a suit waving at me.
"Yuuya. What the hell are you doing here?" I asked him, a slow smile creeping up on my face as I took two glasses of champagne from nearby, handing one to him. "Do they even allow your kind in here? I thought they'd arrest ya' at the door, but I still have some cuffs on me. Want me to do the honours?"
"Boss, you wound me," Yuuya replied, bowing his head deeply. "It's nice to see you again. Anyway, I was invited because I am the current CEO of Tatsuya and Co. The company that owns the majority of the Millenium Spire, followed by multiple shell companies that the Kanto Yakuza run. The old man had a few run-ins with Daguchi-san, so I felt it was prudent for me to at least make an appearance. Not to ruffle a few feathers."
I nodded at that.
"Makes sense, makes sense. You didn't happen to overhear what Rikiya said, did you?" I asked in a whisper, sipping my champagne. It tasted like unwashed arse. Ew. As I recoiled in disgust from my first experience ever drinking champagne, Yuuya shrugged his shoulders at me. "Rikiya was just acting like a bastard as usual. He did say that he was friends with Daguchi, to be fair… I sorta' want to pull on the thread just to see where it'll end up."
"Boss… That's not a good sign. Still, maybe I'll take the champagne off you for the time being just in case," Yuuya said as he took my glass away from me. "But to answer your question, I did manage to catch some of his words on the matter of Daguchi's death. As well as his comments on… their friendship and involvement in the redevelopment plan. You know, it's sorta interesting."
"What is?"
"This redevelopment plan surely would have helped to cover the costs for finishing the Millenium Spire as well as the surrounding area, but it didn't," Yuuya told me. "The area most impacted by the redevelopment plan was the poorest parts of the city. Funny considering Overhaul's rampage largely left those untouched, and considering how you-, Aozora dealt with him on Dagobah beach, it's just a curious note."
Hm.
"I agree it's fishy," I said to him. "But, without getting close to Rikiya and asking him about it, we only have speculation. It's sort of fortunate that he's appeared here today. It's going to make it a lot easier."
"You're planning on interrogating him here?!"
"Well, no time like the present," I winked at Yuuya, smirking at his shocked expression. "Sometimes, you need to network a little. Even at a funeral. Don't mind me, I just don't trust the guy. I'm sure you've heard all the nasty rumours about him and the little city he made. As well as what organisation he secretly funds."
The Meta Liberation Front.
Of course, I knew this for a fact using my memories of this story in another world.
Yuuya had no way of knowing that.
But that didn't stop the theories from sprouting anyway from the internet, something I was sure was started by a fellow reincarnate being bored and wanting to cause some chaos. And I didn't even need to guess who it was, this seemed directly up Yozora's alley. If it wasn't for the fact that Nejire went to Italy to help with the reported sighting of him and Stain in Europe, I would have thought he would have been behind Daguchi's murder.
Seems on-brand for him.
"...Boss, no matter, I and the rest of the Tatsuya Clan have your back," Yuuya replied. "If you're going all guns blazing against Detrenat, then so will we. You're practically family to me considering every Friday your parents invite you over for dinner. I can't just stand you up if you're going to war against Rikiya."
I rolled my eyes at his exuberance.
"Dude. War? I just want a friendly chat with him, nothing more," I told him calmly. "But I appreciate it. You helped us with the case just two days ago too. I can't begin to tell you how much meeting with the Park guy helped out in the case."
"Yeah?"
"Turns out Daguchi wasn't the only influential person going to Club Escapade," I explained to Yuuya in a hushed voice so that only he could hear. "I don't know exactly who else would have joined him, but I have a few ideas. Even if Park wasn't too helpful and tried to lie for some reason, to me, it doesn't matter. Just another barrier I'll get over before I find the truth for myself."
Yuuya grinned at that.
"Hm. Maybe people like the Chief Prosecutor of the Public Prosecutor's Office might have been involved. I heard he was quite close to Daguchi, and he hasn't made an appearance in a week now," Yuuya told me. "Truth be told, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him here, today. I sort of need some advice from him on how to import products through the docks without it being illegal, nothing bad or anything. I want to launch a cheap supermarket in the city, something bankrolled by Tatsuya and Co. where we give out free essentials."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, tampons, mouthwash, just basic needs and stuff," Yuuya replied, flushing red slightly as he took a longer sip from his drink. "B-Boss, do you not approve? I mean, technically I'm the boss of the clan, b-but I'll do whatever you think is necessary! After all, Ryutaro-san trusted you over me-,"
"I think it's a great idea," I interrupted him with a smile. "I want to help. I do think that basic needs like that should be handed out for free, plus it'll boost the popularity of your new supermarket. I assume it'll be a shell company of Tatsuya and Co… Are you looking for any shareholders?"
Yuuya stood up straight at that.
"B-B-B-Boss! You're so kind, I'm so grateful to have you as the man I look up to!" Yuuya yelled loudly as he saluted me, attracting the attention of some of those around us. I simply awkwardly rubbed the back of my head in response. "You truly are the greatest man I could have ever met-,"
"I just want money, I'm not going to lie here."
I watched as Yuuya reached deep into his pockets and handed over to me a small cheque.
For fifty million Yen.
My eyes widened at that.
"If that's all you want, then simply ask, Boss! You deserve all the riches in the world, and if you're willing to support my endeavours to help this city we call home, then you're an even greater man than I thought you were," Yuuya said. "Still, I've taken enough of your time. You have a job to do. As do I. Now, if I were a Chief Prosecutor, where would I be hiding?"
I waved goodbye to Yuuya, pocketing the cheque.
Hehe-,
"Wipe that smug off your face, dumbass. You're looking more like a lecherous pervert than a detective," Tokage told me as she walked beside me, holding a glass of champagne. "You look like you just won the lottery. Did you sell that body of yours to the highest bidder or what? Frankly, I'm surprised even a pedo would want you considering how I've defiled you-,"
"Shut up. Not even you can ruin my mood."
"Why?"
"I just got a free fifty million Yen," I told her with a massive grin. "That's two hundred and fifty thousand Pounds! Oh man, think of all the cigarettes I can buy! The amount of lighters too! In three days I'm finally eighteen, I can buy as many cigarettes as I want and I won't have to turn to Aizawa anymore! Tokage, I just want to thank you and everyone else in my life."
"...For your nasty habits?"
"Yep! I'm in a dreamland right now."
"You're actually at a funeral," Tokage corrected me. "So I suggest you stop smiling like you're Scrooge McDuck, it's sort of creeping everyone around you but me. And I'd prefer my reputation not be sullied by a detective with dubious morals who takes easy bribes."
"I wasn't bribed!"
"Sure hon, and I'm a Princess," Tokage replied, rolling her eyes at me. "So, what's the play? Do we corner Rikiya now or what? By the way, your boss over there asked me to tell you if you've seen Yukimura."
I blinked at her in confusion.
"Who?"
"...The Chief Prosecutor. You and your 'cousin' were just discussing him," Tokage answered with a snort. "Do you have that much of a goldfish memory or what? Honestly. I'm surprised you manage to solve cases with how laid back and relaxed you are, it's like something goes through one ear and right the other."
"I'm focused. Locked the fuck in."
"Yeah, on your cigarettes, get your head in the game," Tokage said to me. "...Sero complained, by the way. Yaoyorozu and Midoriya are sort of annoyed at what happened, I think they want to speak to you."
"I'm busy."
"I noticed," Tokage replied, taking a swig from her drink. "That's why, as your partner of course, I'll distract them so long as you get to speak to Rikiya and find out some more truths on the matter. I can trust you to do that, can't I?"
I laughed at her, pointing my finger at my chest boisterously.
"Of course! Leave it to me!"
Walking over to the front of the hall, I was looking out for Rikiya and his flashy suit. It was sort of like a chase as I weaved between small groups of influential people. I couldn't remember the names of them as I made my way to the front of the stage. And it was there that I saw him. Rikiya in all his glory as he laughed loudly, the conversation drawing-,
Huh?
I blinked in surprise at the two other people who were engaged in a conversation with him.
A lady dressed in all black looked like she hadn't slept properly in a few days, and I didn't need to take another look at her to realise that she was Daguchi's ex-wife. The other man was someone I had become familiar with these past few days. I watched as Suwabe grinned at some of Rikiya's jokes.
…But they weren't who stole my gaze.
Standing next to his mother was a small boy.
I watched as he turned to stare at me, a blank look on his face. It was Daguchi's son, and for some reason, I couldn't help but be drawn towards him - Not in a weird way, rather our eyes locked for a few seconds that felt more like an eternity. He stared at me curiously as I stared at him, the boy who had his entire life turned upside down.
The boy didn't look any older than eight, and that roughly put him at the same age as Mashiro and Tomoya.
But again, it wasn't the boy that took my breath away.
It was the two kids standing nearby.
Mashiro and Tomoya.
Mashiro and Tomoya.
I watched as two very familiar kids dragged Dacguchi's son away, and it felt like my entire world had simply stopped moving. Mashiro and Tomoya. My younger half-siblings through Yukari's side.
Mashiro and Tomoya.
The kids who I stole their mother from.
This was the closest I had ever been to them, and in that moment I forgot all about Rikiya, Detrenat, Daguchi and his murder - In that moment, as I watched my two younger siblings smile carefreely, I forgot about everything. I could only stand and watch them from afar, stuck in silent contemplation as they played games in the corner of the funeral, keeping their voices hushed.
It didn't even occur to me why they were here.
Although, it was likely from their father.
All I could do was observe how happy Mashiro and Tomoya looked as they played with the boy who had his father ripped away from him brutally, and I was struck with an emotion I couldn't begin to describe. I didn't even spare a moment to check up on them after Yukari's death, even though I had promised her that I would make sure they were okay. I was keeping my promise, but not in the way she had probably wanted it.
Even as their game of tag drew closer to me, they didn't recognise me.
Bump.
Their childish laughter was paused as Tomoya, my younger brother, accidentally bumped into me, and I caught him just before he fell onto the floor, cracking his head open. My mouth felt dry as he turned to look up at me gratefully - And it was his eyes.
They were golden.
Just like hers.
Just like Yukari's.
But they looked just like mine.
"...Uhm, thanks police-san!" Tomoya thanked me brightly. "You saved me!"
"..."
"...? Hello? Police-san?"
"...It's… Denki. Denki Kaminari," I told him with a small smile. "Just call me Denki."
"Denki? But you don't look like you're electric."
"Tomoya! It's a fake name," Mashiro chided her brother, pointing at my badge. "His name is right there! Detective Yamazaki! Did you forget to read? Boo. I'm gonna tell Dad, and you're going to be in a lot of trouble~"
"Nu-uh! Please don't!"
I watched as the two of them bickered childishly, although it made sense. After all, they were children. There was about a ten-year age difference between us, and I couldn't help but laugh as Mashiro grabbed her brother's head and began to ruffle it, much to his annoyance.
"Huh? Yamazaki-san? Is something funny?"
"Never mind me, where is your Dad?" I asked them. "I'll escort you over to him. You know, it's not very safe to be running around and playing tag. Even when trying to cheer up a boy you don't know."
Mashiro pouted at me.
"You must be really smart, Yamazaki-san! I thought our plan was foolproof!"
"You're such an idiot, Mashiro! He's a detective, why wouldn't he be smart!" Tomoya said to her, sticking his tongue out at her. "Dummy! He's that famous detective guy I saw on the news once!"
Mashiro nodded at that.
"OH! Right! That Detective Dragon! Can you breathe fire?"
"No way! I bet he turns into a dragon or something super cool like that!"
"Tomoya, that's Ryukyu!"
"Ryukyu isn't cool!"
"She is!"
"No, she's a girl. Girls aren't cool, right detective?" Tomoya asked me innocently. "You're a boy, there's no way you think girls are cool like us! Everyone knows that girls have got the sickness!"
…
I laughed at the question, ruffling his hair.
"Girls are super cool," I told Tomoya with a massive grin. "I may be a detective, but the strongest person I've ever known was a woman, you know that?"
Tomoya blinked at me in confusion.
"...At first, I thought she was afraid of me. And maybe she was afraid of me, after all, I'm a bit of an omen for the people in my life, they get hurt by me," I told them. "So I thought she kept away from me because of that fear. But when I needed her the most, she let go of that fear and helped me out. The bravest thing anyone has ever done to help me, an action that's let me stand right here right now."
Mashiro grinned at that.
"See! If the detective says girls are cool, then they're cool!"
"...Fine," Tomoya replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I trust the detective, I don't trust you though. I think that you're not cool. But every other girl can be cool. Still, most boys are cooler. We have Aozora!"
Mashiro hummed at that.
"Hm. Aozora is cool."
"You like Aozora?" I asked them, a small smile appearing on my face. "Really?"
Tomoya nodded at that, pointing directly at me as he wagged his finger around like he was about to say something important. His brown locks were an identical shade to mine waving side by side as he stared directly at me, and I could truly see how alike we looked.
"Mummy always told us what a Hero he was! That he was a truly strong Hero to stand up and save everyone despite having such a bad start to life!" Tomoya passionately told me. "And whatever Mummy said must be true! She said I had to grow up and be just like Aozora or else she'll be dissa-, dissa-, disointed with me!"
"Disappointed."
"Sh-shush, Mashiro!"
…
I couldn't help but smile at that.
"You kids… Heh. You know, I-," I paused, watching as their faces filled with wonder stared at me. No. I couldn't tell them… Fuck it. I swallowed down any bile threatening to rise as I winked at them. "...So, do you think Aozora is dead?"
I bent down on one knee, watching as they leaned in.
"Mmh-mh. Mummy said he was alive."
"Yeah! There's no way someone as cool as him would die!"
"Well, you're right," I told them, reaching deep into my coat to pull out a broken mask I used to wear. A mask that was synonymous with Aozora. It was a memento, a keepsake from a life I couldn't get back. But now it meant nothing to me. I watched as their eyes widened as I waved the broken mask in front of their faces. "...I may be a detective now, but do you think you can keep a secret?"
"You're-,"
I watched as Mashiro covered her brother's mouth, their eyes widened filled with wonder as they were starstruck by my presence. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of it as I lowered my hand and gave the mask to them.
"Keep it," I told them with a wink. "If anyone asks who gave it to you, say it was a present from Aozora. You know… Did your mother ever tell you what she was doing before she died?"
"Sh-she s-said she was helping you!"
I nodded at that.
"She did help me," I replied honestly, placing my hand over my heart. "If it wasn't for your mother, I wouldn't be here right now. S-Sora Yamazaki, at your behest. I'm so sorry for not talking to you sooner. Now come on, I'm sure your father is worried sick about you."
"...Behest?"
"I don't think I know that word."
Ah.
I forgot I was always dramatic.
"Hehe," I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment. "Oops? I've been trying to use cooler words lately. I heard it makes me sound smarter."
"I think it sounds plenty cool!" Tomoya told me with a grin. "Man, I can't believe I got to meet Ao-,"
Thankfully, Mashiro covered his mouth once more.
"Tomoyo! Shush!"
I walked behind the two of them as I helped find their father.
Ignoring the looks Yaoyorozu and Midoriya gave me, I simply nodded at Tokage who had a massive grin on her face. I didn't even need to explain anything to her nor apologise as she raised a glass of champagne in my direction, her response was clear.
Don't worry about Rikiya, you just focus on them.
They are more important.
Eventually, we found their father.
He was a man who wasn't much taller than me as he wore an impressive tailored suit and had a thick head of black hair. He wore glasses and had a beard that suited his angular anything, he looked quite similar to someone but I couldn't exactly place my finger on it as his eyes widened when Mashiro and Tomoya came into his view.
I watched as the man ignored the conversation he was engaged in to rush over to his kids and hug them fiercely.
"Mashiro! Tomoya! Thank goodness, I thought you had escaped and were about to call the police," I heard him say before he studied me. "...Although, perhaps the police were on to the case before I could report it. Thank you so much, detective."
I waved him off.
"My pleasure, your kids are… great."
"Thank my late wife for that, detective," The man replied humbly. "They're only like this because of her influence. I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. Hiroshi Ryuichi at your service."
Huh?
"Ryuichi? As in-,"
"Yes, my brother is the famous Deputy prime minister of this country, working under Yamaguchi in office," Hiroshi told me. "I came here today on his behalf. And you are…?"
"Sora," I answered. "Sora Yamazaki."
The man's face went through various emotions as I told him my name, from surprise to acceptance as the corners of his mouth twisted upwards. I blinked at him in surprise, but he merely motioned to his ring finger where I could see he wore his wedding ring proudly although Yukari had died months ago.
Ah
He knew about me and what Yukari did.
"I assume it worked, but I didn't know if it worked," Hiroshi said to me. "And you're-,"
I nodded at him.
"Yeah. I haven't told them, and I want to wait for a little bit before I do tell them," I cut him off with a small smile. "...Maybe it's not what she would have wanted right now for us, but there are other things I need to do first. Things I promised myself. I'd rather not have them dragged into the mess that's my life."
Hiroshi nodded in understanding.
"Yeah. You know, Yukari talked a lot about you. About the man she had wished you had become, and now that you're standing in front of me, I think she would be more than just proud," Hiroshi told me with a grin. "You know, even if they don't know, I think it would be great to have you over for dinner now and then. Slowly ease them into the truth about you being their…"
…
"Y-You'd have me over?"
"Of course," Hiroshi told me, pushing up his glasses. "If I didn't, Yukari would come back from the dead and hang me. To be frank, I wanted to reach out ever since she passed. But I was afraid that you'd hate me or them for taking her away from you."
I shook my head at him, refusing to meet his gaze.
"No! That's-, I-, Never-,"
"Hehe, I'm sorry. Forgive me. Just the ramblings of a man that's seen someone that looks so much like his dead wife," Hiroshi told me, hiding the small tears streaming down his face. "You know, it's sort of funny. How much you look like her. See it's your eyes, they may not be golden like hers but that way it's shaped-, Heh. You really are her son."
"I… I don't know."
"Ah yes, I agree with you, Hiroshi-san," A voice came from behind him. The man he was speaking to before he had rushed over to his kids had come over now. My eyes widened at the tall blonde man with a scruffy beard who looked at me with a knowing smirk. Natsuki?! Azrael?! "As someone who knew your wife since I was a child, it pains me to admit how much Sora here looks like her. Yukari was a wonderful woman, and an even better scientist."
"Natsuki!" I yelled in surprise, my hand reaching for my sword-,
"Ah, ah, let's leave the family to speak to more people," Natsuki moved faster than I could have predicted, his soft hands preventing mine from reaching my sword. "You know, why don't we have a drink, Sora? I'll speak to you later, Hiroshi-san."
"R-right. It was good to see you again, Natsuki. Wish my wife could have been here to see you again," Hiroshi replied with a sad smile. "You should also come over for dinner one day, Natsuki. It's been years since we last had you over. You didn't even tell me what job you have right now? I thought you were going to be a paediatrician. Anyways, I'll take my leave."
I watched as Mashiro and Tomoya walked away, shooting small glances of confusion at me as they followed their father away from Natsuki and me. The man had a cruel smirk on his lips as he winked at me, slowly releasing my arm as a waitress carrying champagne walked past us.
"Here," Natsuki handed me a glass of piss that was counted as alcohol. "Surprised to see me?"
"Stay away from-,"
"Don't worry, if I wanted to harm your siblings I would have done so already," Natsuki cut me off. "I'm not that cruel that I'd hurt children. Never children. Nor innocents like Hiroshi-san, it was never my intention to hurt innocents. Not intentionally like that psychopath Yozora. You know, I heard he's off gallivanting in Italy, the nerve of that clown. I think he deserves to be taken a few pegs down and thrown in jail."
"Coming from the guy who experimented on children? Yeah right, say that to Eri."
Natsuki's smile faltered as he sighed at me.
"...You aren't wrong. I experimented on her. But I was contracted to do a job, and I always made sure that she knew what she was doing and if she didn't feel like being experimented on that day, she wasn't forced to do anything," Natsuki told me. "Overhaul had no power over me. If anything, my presence in her life led her to sacrifice her life for yours, or so I'm told. She found the courage to be a Hero in her final moments because of the small kindness she had been shown not just from myself, but many others. A far cry from the Eri we once knew, partly thanks to me and partly thanks to you and everyone else."
Tsk.
"So what? You were nice to a child while you tortured her. Well done."
"I never tortured her."
"Fine then, your boss did. Better?"
"Marginally, but why do you think it was so easy for me to ditch Overhaul?" Natsuki asked me. "I hated that spiteful man. More than you. I can't think of a better person to have deserved death, but I'm not here to talk about ethics - I came here today because of a funeral. To pay my respects to the mayor."
"...You're a villain."
"In your eyes. So what?"
"You mentioned throwing Yozora in jail, but what about you?"
"What about me? I'm simply doing what's required to rid this world of the corruption that's seeped into the system," Natsuki replied. "It was so easy getting into this event. It was so easy to do a lot of things that I've done. Manipulate Overhaul, manipulate Ryuji, and even you, Sora."
Huh?
"Surely you've figured it out, no? Tut, tut, I'm surprised, Sora," Natsuki said to me, shaking his head in disapproval. "I mean I did tell you, didn't I? Or rather, I told Kyoka Jiro. That my plans were going to start now. And they did. After all, I'm the one who lured Mayor Daguchi into that apartment just a week ago. And here I am attending his funeral, isn't that ironic?"
…!
"You-,"
"Me," Natsuki nodded. "Dagcuhi was murdered because of me."
"Why-,"
"Why? You found his phone, didn't you? You saw the pictures, you saw the club, right? There's a little case I want you to solve, and Daguchi's death is a piece. Tik tok, time is running out," Natsuki told me with a grin. "We both don't know the truth. We're both conducting an investigation. You keep on finding more pieces, and eventually, you'll get a greater understanding of what's going on. You're the one in the dark right now. So, detective, go and solve the case and maybe the world won't come crashing around you."
"What-, Why-, Hold on-,"
Natsuki shook his head, however.
"Time is of the essence, Sora. All the pieces are here in the city for you to solve, though I suppose you'll need a little more evidence that everything I've provided you, so here's another hint," I watched as Natsuki clapped his hands politely. But nothing happened. "Just wait, Sora. All good surprises take a few moments to come into play, that's something science has proven time and time again."
Boom.
Crash.
My attention was diverted by the sounds coming from the entrance of the hall.
As well as the screams.
Within seconds, the doors to the hall were busted open as a car driving faster than it should have barged into the funeral with no intention of slowing down. Multiple people were hit as they were flung backwards from the speed of the car before it crashed against a pillar, tipping over.
I stood in shock, turning to face Natsuki who had already disappeared in the crowd.
Damn it!
All the police converged upon the vehicle, their guns raised as the door slowly opened. Even I had my hand on my sword as I approached the vehicle, my teeth grinding against each other in anger as the door opened to reveal…
"Mmmhfhfhfhfhf?!"
A tied-up man crawled out of the car, his mouth shut with tape.
"Hold your fire!" Suwabe yelled. "That's… Yukimura? What's the Chief Prosecutor doing in that car-, Hold on! What's that strapped to his chest? Yukimura? Yukimura? What happened?! Who did this to you?!"
Yet as Yukimura slowly stood to his feet, everyone backed away from him.
"Oh, fuck."
You see, there was a bomb strapped to his chest.
And the timer that was counting down didn't help one bit.
"How long until the bomb squad is going to arrive?"
I held my head in my hands, an unlit cigarette hanging low from my mouth as we all sat outside of city hall. Yaoyorozu paced around the five of us, she didn't even try to hide the nervousness coursing through her body as she tried to calm herself down one bit. At the very least, Midoriya and Sero sat to my far right as they sat in silence.
"Maybe another twenty minutes," Tokage answered as she leaned against a nearby wall, smoking from her kiseru pipe. "The city's gone into lockdown practically. The police are on standby, no one is to enter the building in case… They're keeping a tight lid on the story. Not even the media wants to cover the story."
"Why not?" Sero angrily asked. "Isn't this their job?"
"Sero, we're talking about someone's life. If Yukimura dies… That's two of this city's most important officials dead in a week. The U.N. and the rest of this country are going to have a field day with this. I do not doubt that the murderer behind Daguchi's death is also behind this," Tokage told him. "I'm just curious as to why our resident detective is so quiet all of a sudden. I know you're not a fan of seeing people die, but Yukimura's still alive for the time being-,"
"It's not that, Setsuna."
"Then is it those children you were with instead of pursuing a lead on Rikiya?!" Yaoyorozu inquired, snapping at me. Immediately her gaze softened as I raised my head to stare at her. "S-sorry. I-, It's just frustrating you know. He was right there for us, the truth was practically dangling right in front of us when this happened. And instead, you decided to follow two kids for whatever reason - You do know how important this case is, right?"
"We don't know if Rikiya would have told us the truth," Midoriya replied. "Still, I do want to ask. Who were those kids, Sora? I don't think I've ever seen you so happy to be around kids before."
"..."
"Hey, answer their questions at least!" Sero yelled angrily. "They're not asking for much. If you still want to be friends with them, at least answer them! Don't be a coward and chicken out-,"
"Back off, asshole," Tokage stepped up, shoving Sero lightly as she sneered at him. "You think you're so high and mighty from your little tower. You don't know half the shit he has to deal with. You don't understand anything, so stop judging him when he hasn't done anything wrong - He doesn't have to tell you shit about why he followed those kids. That's something personal."
"Because he-,"
"You've made it abundantly clear that you don't want him back in your life. Unless you're being a hypocrite and you do want to be friends with him, then shut the fuck up, Sero," Tokage angrily berated him. "...The kids don't matter. I know that it's frustrating, but fuck whatever case, whatever truth we could have found by questioning Rikiya. We'll get another chance another day."
"But we won't, Rikiya is probably going back to Deika City by the end of today. You blew it, Sora," Midoriya said to me. "I'm not saying you probably didn't have a good reason. But even you knew you blew it. That's why you're not staring at us, aren't you-,"
I laughed at that.
"...They're my siblings, dipshit," I told them with a sardonic smile, using my lighter to warm up my hands. "...It wasn't a coincidence that I got my powers back a few months ago. Their mother - my biological mother - sacrificed her life to undo what I did. I was just surprised to see them here of all places. Then I remembered that all this time they must have been grieving the loss of a parent while I was off having a grand time with you lot."
Tokage snorted at that, kicking my shins hard.
"A grand time? You've been on death's doorstep multiple times since getting your powers back, I thought you got rid of your guilt-,"
But I shook my head at her.
"It's not guilt. I-, I don't know how to describe it," I told her, but I was speaking to all of them. "Something hot and sticky just flew through my body when I saw them. It stung. I don't know anything more than that, but staring at them just made me feel something I don't think I've ever felt before. An indescribable emotion. It made me think back to that kid - Daguchi's kid. How alone he must feel right now, and I feel the same thing toward him."
"...Empathy?"
I shrugged my shoulders at that, moving my lighter closer to my cigarette as I inhaled as much as I could, my shoulders relaxing as I stared up at the sky. Was it empathy? On one hand, I wanted to agree and say it was, but-,
It didn't feel like empathy.
No.
It felt like something worse.
"...I know who murdered Daguchi. And who put Yukimura in this position," I announced, my classmates' attention snapping to me. "The funny thing is, I should have seen it coming. It was practically right in front of me the entire time, I was just too blind or too stupid to have noticed it."
"Huh?"
"It was Natsuki," I explained to them. "He came up to me just before the car with Yukimura rolled in. He gloated it to me. I didn't get his motives other than he was doing this all for me in a sense. Natsuki's making this case for me to solve, or rather his investigation into whatever he's looking into resulting in all means whatever the truth is…"
It's something that Natsuki wants to be out there.
Everyone's faces fell at what was left unsaid, with Tokage sighing heavily as she sat down next to me. Ultimately, even when it seemed like we were one step closer to finding the truth, we were just pointed in the wrong direction. Maybe Suwabe was right - Maybe I was just a brat trying to solve this case for my pride-,
No.
I wanted to solve the case to get to the truth of the matter.
Tch.
I violently shot up from the ground, stamping out my cigarette.
There was no way in hell that I was going to let it end here!
"Sora…?"
"I have around twenty minutes before the bomb squad shows up, right?" I asked Tokage who nodded in confusion. "Which means, if I were to sneak in right now, I'd be able to have a private chat with Yukimura. Free from any prying eyes. Even if it's too late to get the information out of Rikiya safely, I can still go to the source of it-,"
"Absolutely not!" Yaoyorozu yelled at me. "That's breaking the law. Not to mention you could get killed-,"
"I agree," Midoriya nodded. "We're not risking your life or your freedom for a case. It is what it is, if anything when the police eventually catch Natsuki then we can help, until then all we can do together-,"
"I'm not sitting back, not doing anything as Natsuki kills more people! I'm not a pushover like that, and I don't care if I'm breaking the law," I told them. "I really don't care. Because I'm not protecting a friend here, I'm making sure that I'm saving lives. Natsuki told me himself, that he was not going to stop here. He's pushing to find whatever truth he's looking for no matter what, and I have to do the same if I have to save everyone! The sooner I can end this case, the sooner everyone else can come home-,"
"Don't make this about them, Sora-,"
"WHO ELSE IS IT ABOUT THEN?!" I snapped angrily, slamming my fist against the wall nearby. "Dagcuhi? Yukimura? Mashiro and Tomoya?! How many more people are going to be dragged into this?! What if the bomb had gone off right then and there? How many people would have died? I'm with the police, they have no idea what they're doing. Frankly, they are wasting time looking for a phone that's not even that important-,"
"We don't know if the phone is important or not-,"
"Even if it is important, you want to know something funny? There are so many other leads to pursue. Now we know who did this all we have to do is find Natsuki and bring him to justice, if I can figure out the pattern behind the murders, I can stop him from killing his next victim!" I replied. "I can bring all this to an end. Even if I have to teeter the line between what's legal or not, that's not what matters. If I bring Natsuki to justice, any crime I commit will be pardoned!"
Sero burst out laughing at that.
"Are you delusional?! Just because you are mates with the Prime Minister doesn't mean-,"
"...No Sero, he has a point," Yaoyorozu interrupted him meekly. "Sis would never allow you to get punished. Even if you killed Natsuki, you'd probably be heralded as a Hero. Not because of sis but because of how our society has evolved. You've seen it too, right? Think of all the tragedies this city has endured over the past two years, if someone like Sora could stop it even by committing a crime, they'd be outraged if he were punished."
"Huh?!"
Izuku sighed, shaking his head at us.
"Just because society may be angry at Heroes and their failings in the past doesn't mean that you can just do whatever you want," Izuku told me. "Because that's exactly what this is. Don't think I've forgotten what Natsuki did to you during the raid. He's the only person still not punished for the crimes he committed with the Shie Hassakai. It was Natsuki who forced you to fight your friend that led to his death."
"..."
I watched as everyone around me turned to stare at me with a mixture of emotions, even Tokage looked at me differently. I merely stuffed my hands in my pockets, however, summoning my Nimbus as I jumped on it.
"...Believe what you want to believe," I told them. "But I have a badge on my coat. It's one I'm proud of. I'm not doing this for revenge, and I'm not doing this for my selfish reasons to prove a point or anything. I genuinely do want to stop this, I do want to save people and put Natsuki to justice. To end this madness. I've always pursued the truth no matter what, and I'm not going to stop now."
I watched as Midoriya's fists balled up.
"Even if you become a villain?"
"...Yeah," I answered truthfully. "Even then. Especially then. I'm not lying to you guys, I swear. There's a reason I'm trusting you guys with this information. Because ultimately, if you disagree with me, then fight me. Prove me wrong. Because you know me - You know I'm not going to stop until I get to the end of this. For better or for worse, that's just who I am. A man that's not going to stand still when I have the power to save people."
I turned around, floating inside of City Hall despite the protests.
But at this point, it didn't matter.
I knew what path I had to take.
The easier path, the one where I sat back and did nothing and watched as I became a hypocrite to the very ideals that led to me getting my powers back in the first place. It infuriated me how close I was to becoming that same kid again who ditched his responsibility because it was the easier option, but that's what Class A did ultimately.
Wasn't that the lesson they learnt from me?
Wasn't that what this world had learnt from Aozora?
To take it easy and let the Heroes do all the work for them, to let someone like All Might protect everything on his back as the sole pillar keeping society safe. That was why their anger was justified in a sick and twisted way because all they had ever known was to gaze at the backs of those stronger than them - Never staring at the ugly truth for themselves.
Tch.
It pissed me off to no end how much they had rubbed off on everyone.
Gekko and Hinata taught me one thing.
To be kind.
No matter what.
If I just stood by and took the easy path, I'd be betraying them too. I'd be betraying everyone who sacrificed their lives to carve a path for me, I'd be spitting on the corpses of those that I could finally move past and accept that they weren't my fault, that was why I flew toward Yukimura. Because this was me, because for whatever reason my heart wouldn't take it.
Even though this was the thornier path, I'd take it over and over again without regrets.
Because that's what he would do.
Raiden.
"Yo!" I yelled to the man who sat by the car, drenched in sweat. I watched as he lifted his head in confusion to stare at me, the bomb strapped to his vest vividly staring back at me as the seconds ticked faster the more time I spent looking at it. "Yukimura, right?"
"Are you… the bomb squad?"
I got off my Nimbus, shaking my head at him.
"Nah. I'm just a detective."
I thought Yukimura would moan, probably tell me to go away for my own safety, but instead, the man's eyes lit up in recognition as hope filled his face. I watched in disgust as Yukimura crawled toward me on all fours, as if I was his only saviour, his only chance of ever coming out of this alive. He pulled at my trousers, sobbing loudly as snot ran down his face while he practically kissed my feet.
"You're the one he talked about! The one who can disarm this bomb!"
…!
"You mean Natsuki, right?"
Yukimura nodded at that, tears forming in his eyes.
"Oh, how foolish I was. I was just meeting with Sarina-chan when-,"
"Sarina-chan? Who's that?" I asked him, watching as his face fell. He scrambled to hide his ring finger which was unmistakably covered with a marriage ring. "...Huh. Let me guess, you got a message from your little affair partner to meet up. Instead of finding her, you find a criminal."
"Yes! Yes! You're such a smart detective! You're that Detective Dragon, right?" Yukimura hopefully asked me as he latched upon my jacket. "You can help me! Please, I'll do anything! Do you want money? Influence? Women? I'll make any problem you have disappear, just, please! I don't want to die! PLEASE!"
"...Get off me," I growled, pushing him onto the floor. "I-, I don't know anything about bombs."
"It's-,"
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
The buzz made Yukimura cower in fear, only for him to realise it was coming from his breast pocket. I gave him a look as I reached over and pulled out the phone that was receiving a call, slowly bringing it up to my ear as I opened the call.
"Hello?"
"Sora! I see you decided to pursue my evidence," I heard Natsuki's voice from across the line. "Put it on speakerphone. I'm sure Yuki-chan will want to hear what's being said, considering his life is on the line. Or, you could just leave him and speak to me some more if you don't care about uncovering the truth."
…
I sighed and did what he told me.
"Done. We can both hear you."
"Perfecto!" Natsuki yelled in glee. "Yuki-chan, do you know where we are?"
"C-C-City Hall."
"Right in one! This is your home, no? As the Chief Prosecutor of this city, you spend a lot of time here, no? Solving court cases, working with the law, helping protect the innocent… That is your job, no?" I heard Natsuki ask Yukimura who froze at the sound of Natsuki's voice. "...ANSWER ME! IS THIS NOT WHAT YOU DO HERE?!"
"Y-yes," Yukimura whispered in response. "I do that, yes."
I sighed at this.
"...How do I stop the bomb from going off, Natsuki."
"It's simple. Tell the detective the truth. Once he knows the truth, I'll disarm the bomb."
Yukimura's eyes widened as he shook his head at me and the phone, tears forming from his eyes. Was it that easy? Really? I couldn't believe it, and Natsuki didn't seem to specify nor did he sound like he was lying. Huh. I smiled softly at Yukimura, at the very least I'd be able to save his life-,
"I can't," Yukimura's voice cut through the tension like a hot knife. "I can't."
"...Huh?" I blinked at him in response, taking a step forward. "What do you mean you can't?! Are you stupid, your life's on the line! You have a wife, no? Maybe a few children. Are a few secrets worth never seeing again? Even if you betrayed them, at the very least you'll still be able to see them-,"
"It's not that. E-even if I tell you, I'll still die."
My face scrunched up in anger at that as I grabbed his shoulders.
"You're going to die either way! Just tell me whatever Natsuki wants to hear so I can save your life already! Don't be a fool!" I screamed at him. "...Why the hell did he kidnap you? Why the hell did he kill Daguchi? Hey, if you know the answers here, you better fucking tell me. I'm not kidding-,"
"I can't-,"
"What do you mean you can't?! He's going to kill you, do you understand that? Your kids and your wife are going to bury you in pieces if you're not smart here, do you really want that? Just how many kids are going to turn into scarred children for life because of everyone's actions?" I snarled, smacking him in the head. "Just tell me what Natsuki wants you to tell me, and I promise you I'll keep you safe. I promise you, you won't die. You'll live to see another day, so just-,"
Yukimura broke down in tears at that.
"Fine, fine! You know about the redevelopment plan, right?" Yukimura asked me. "The one Daguchi used to get into power a while back? One he used for his re-election recently after the Overhaul incident? It's a public fund of sorts, to help repair and improve this city. The electricity grid, the water supply, education, roads, buildings, tourist attractions, the whole lot of it."
"...What about it?"
"I-, I don't know the specifics. But a lot of people were involved in the running of it," Yukimura told me, my eyes narrowing at him. "F-from Daguchi to Rikiya Yotsubashi, to so many politicians and other businessmen in this city. They all pooled their money, you see, to buy out areas from the poorest part of Musutafu. They drove families out of their apartments, you know this, right?"
"...Yeah? Are you telling me the money is dirty?"
"N-no! NO! It's the opposite, the money is as legit as it gets," Yukimura told me honestly. "But they all met at some club in one of the poorer parts of the city. I don't know why, I wasn't invited. All I know is that it's some club run by the Korean mafia and Daguchi had some deal with them or something. I really don't know the truth, honestly! When I found all this out I confronted Dagcuhi but…"
"But?"
"But he was bribed to keep his mouth shut," Natsuki answered. "But, instead of talking about the corruption infesting this city, instead of digging deeper into the mystery of why powerful men and women all over this city ran a public fund meant to improve this city, it's clear to see that it was all a front. And this spineless coward kept his mouth shut and got rewarded for it. After all… Why do you think no one has found Daguchi's mistress?"
I blinked in confusion.
"Well, she probably fled the city after his death and the photos of them were leaked-,"
But Yukimura shook his head at me.
"N-no," Yukimura interrupted me. "She was a worker at the Korean club. Escapade. Your eyes tell me you know about that club at the very least. Dagcuhi was attached to her from the few times I went there. I know for a fact that they killed her after Daguchi's death, to tie up any loose ends. And after this, I know that they'll kill me too-,"
"And what about Sarina?" I asked him. "Are they going to kill her?"
A low chuckle escaped from Yukimura's lips.
"Are you an idiot? Sarina's probably already dead, I've been missing for a few days now," Yukimura answered solemnly. "But who cares about that whore. I'm glad she's it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here right now-,"
…
Tsk.
Something indescribable took hold of me as I smacked the man once more, watching as he fell to the floor in a pathetic thud. The red belching mark across his cheek must have stung considering his eyes started to water up due to the pain, and I couldn't help but grit my teeth at the pathetic man in front of me.
This was supposed to be someone representing this city?
And he couldn't even care less than an innocent had been killed?!
THAT IT WAS HIS FAULT SOMEONE'S SISTER-,
Miwa, Katsumi-,
SOMEONE'S DAUGHTER-,
Nejire-,
SOMEONE'S LOVER-,
Kyoka, Tokage-,
WAS DEAD?!
"You… You were passive in all this, in whatever's gone on!" I told him angrily, my hands balling into fists. "You took the easy way out! You covered up for Daguchi and his friends, didn't you? Whatever evidence you found of the redevelopment plan that made you suspicious and approach them is probably long gone and replaced with a forgery to make everything smooth. No. Looking at how pathetic you are, you confronted them so you could eventually take a piece of the pie! You never once thought about the gravity of the situation!"
Yukimura laughed at that.
"Do you think I care? About the families torn apart and left homeless? About this city? Who cares about this shithole," Yukimura replied honestly. "Don't tell me you're proud of this city of sinners. How many people die every month because some stupid villain decides this place is the best place to carry out their plans? And then you have stupid heroes like Aozora that go and ruin it for the rest of us! Because some Hero kid got sad he and Overhaul practically tore half this city apart! I don't know what Dagcuhi and his friends were involved in, and now they're likely getting rid of any evidence of their misdeeds. You're too late, detective."
But this time, I laughed.
"Really? And if I told you I had Dagcuhi's phone?"
Yukimura's face dropped at that, and even Natsuki went silent.
"How-,"
"I don't trust the police. Commissioner Suwabe has been acting fishy this entire time, he's more focused on the phone than preventing anyone else's death, so I assumed he was in on something I wasn't privy to," I answered. "Then when I visited the club, I was told that influential people from around the city came to the club. And now with your words, I'm practically assured in thinking that if I handed the phone to Suwabe any information that would lead to the truth would be wiped. And judging by the look on your face, even you want to know the truth that eluded you."
Natsuki cackled loudly across the phone.
"Sneaky, sneaky, Sora. You know, I didn't think you had it in you," Natsuki said to me. "I'm impressed. But still, you haven't uncovered the truth of this case yet. You know, I saw you with your sister-,"
"Keep Katsumi's name out of your fucking mouth before I stab your tongue out!" I told him angrily. "...I know I'm still far from solving this case. There's still a lot I don't understand. But it's the same with the redevelopment plan? What's even the point considering all they've done is buy properties in poor areas? And why are all influential people involved in it? I'll get to the bottom of it. Disarm the bomb, Natsuki. He told me everything."
Natsuki hummed in approval.
"That he did. And I am a man of my word," Natsuki replied, a single click deactivating the bomb as Yukimura took the vest off quickly, throwing it back in the car. "But… he didn't tell you everything you wanted to know. I never once said it was the truth I wanted to hear. After all, there are far more important things than the redevelopment plan, right Natsuki?"
Huh?!
I turned to stare at the man in confusion.
What?
"...I see, you were never talking about the redevelopment plan in the first place, were you?" Yukimura cryptically replied. "Hah. So it all comes down to this. Down to Death Arms and his investigation."
…!
My eyes widened at that.
"What do you-,"
"Save it, detective. It's no use," Yukimura interrupted me, a small ethereal pistol appearing in his hands. It must be his Quirk-, "Just looking into that thread is going to get you killed. I didn't realise that's what Natsuki was asking me about. They already killed Death Arms, I don't want to see a young kid get killed too. You know… It's funny, I guess it really doesn't matter in the end-,"
Bang.
Yukimura pulled the trigger, his brains splattered all over the floor before I could intervene, half of his jaw having been broken in half as jagged pieces of it littered the floor beneath my feet and a pool of blood was rapidly growing larger second by second.
And I could only stand there in shock.
"Hehe. I suppose now you're wondering what's happening," I heard Natsuki say, his voice the only thing keeping me from shutting down at that moment. I failed. Yukimura died. "For what it's worth, good riddance. He was a spineless and corrupt bastard who knew far too much important information that could have improved this country, but all he did was sit back and use it to gain money and women."
"...He didn't deserve to die."
"That's where we disagree, Sora," Natsuki told me. "This is the result of achieving power in a system that doesn't work. It didn't work in our last life - Japan might have been seen as a utopia, but it was far from that. You see, I was Japanese in my last life. And I thought that maybe the corruption and our government would have been fixed with the advent of Heroes and Quirks, but it was only made worse."
"..."
"You still have a case to solve, Sora. It's not over yet. Use that anger, use that rage, let it fuel and guide you to the truth," Natsuki added. "Because that's what I'm doing. I'm helping to clean up this world from the filth that inhabits it. What will you do? If you truly want to save everyone, just as I do, then you know what must be done. Until next time, Sora."
Bzzt.
The call cut out as I dropped to my knees.
My hands were stained with his blood.
What the fuck?
"...What did I say, Sora?"
The doors to City Hall were opened as he walked in.
Hawks.
"I told you, didn't I? I have my eyes on you."
"..."
"You're not going to say anything?"
I sighed, watching Yukimura's unmoving corpse be checked by the medics. It was no use, after all, the man was dead. I didn't need to be a doctor to know that, his brains were splattered all over the floor making a funny-looking picture if you looked at it from an angle - Or maybe that was just me trying to cope. Either way, it didn't really matter as I reached deep into my pockets and tried to flicker my lighter to life, yet the way the flame curled around my fingers only made me aware of how numb I had truly become.
"What's there to say?"
"A man is dead because-,"
"Because of me? That's where you are wrong," I cut Hawks off with a sardonic grin. "...A man died today because of his decisions. That's the truth of the matter. So you can keep on trying to investigate me, you can keep on trying to convince yourself that I'm the villain here. Just know, Hawks, when you get a chance take your best fucking shot. 'Cause if you miss me, I'll be coming for you."
Hawks laughed at that.
"You can try, Sora Yamazaki. Sooner or later I'll find out what you are hiding under those scars of yours. I'll know the truth no matter what. And whatever secrets and mysteries you're trying to keep me away from will have a light shone on them."
"By you?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. Can you afford it?"
I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
"At this point, I don't think it matters. You want to investigate me because I'm investigating the truth of this case, and since Midoriya is in on it, I'll bet you told him to keep an eye out on me," I told him. "So we have a little game of cat and mouse. Will you get to me before I get to the truth, right? You're what, doing this because if I fuck up and you aren't watching me an incident will happen?"
"An incident has already happened. You don't get it, Sora."
"Get what?" I asked angrily. "Get fucking what?!"
"What's happening to this city is exactly the justification the U.N. needs to forcefully insert themselves into this country's politics. I'm just trying to make sure we put a lid on it," Hawks told me. "That's my mission. To make sure whatever chaos is brewing is hidden away, you're the one determined to blow the gasket off this place. I can see it in your eyes, Sora, you aren't doing this because you want to help."
I scoffed, barging past the Hero.
We were now the same height, how didn't I notice that before?
"I can see your dark desires, Sora Yamazaki. I just hope they don't consume you."
…
Another important chapter!
Finally, the villain reveals himself! Sike, you thought this would be a brand new plot point (and it sorta is) but ultimately it relates back to Death Arms and his case of the missing ten billion Yen that was started all the way in Chapter 1 of Part 2!
Seriously, go back and reread it!
I will tell you all about that plot point in those chapters if you read carefully!
It was in front of you the entire time and only careful readers will have picked up on it, or maybe I was too heavy-handed and foreshadowed it a lot back then before it came into focus. Still, this is an ongoing mystery that ties all of Part 2 together, it won't be solved in this arc.
But you'll have an idea of its scope.
Another reveal this chapter gave you guys is the theme of this arc: anger.
But I'll let the story explain it all for you!
See you guys next time!