Here's a chapter to cheer up darkness of the autumn. Depending where you are.

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Chapter 78: From Smoothing Rock to Even Harder Place

Izuku rotated his shoulders as he walked towards school gates in the middle of his training group, minus one. For someone that spent years alone and had more people around him than ever before it was strange to feel that hole of one, but he did.

Also Eijiro had turned out to be quite competent with shoulder massages. Strong-as-stone fingers were not only good for punching people or steel monoliths. Izuku did not need it quite like the others, but he couldn't refuse on that basis.

Izuku jolted as something else, something colder, squeezed his shoulders until he noticed black mass at the edge of his vision.

"Fumi says this helps you when you are, what was it called, sore," Dark Shadow said.

"Sure does, but I think Hitoshi needs it more. I might have twisted something not meant to be twisted."

"When wouldn't you," Hitoshi said. He reached one hand behind his head but stopped before reaching all the way. A small jolt made pain visible. "You know you are supposed to hold down the villain not pull their arm off. I sure hope you aren't imagining people pointing knives at us while training."

"Only when training with Eijiro or Dark Shadow," Izuku responded while the quirk in question moved behind Hitoshi.

"Are you sure about that?"

"You would know if I wasn't."

"Fair. Ouch," Hitoshi yelped as Dark Shadow squeezed his shoulder. "Oh yes, right there."

Izuku smiled.

"You'll be happy to know I'm not planning anything painful for rest of the evening, at least not new pain."

"I'll believe when I see it."

"I think we can trust his word," Shoto interrupted. "He is usually serious about these things. Not like he'd lie to us."

It wasn't the first time Shoto had shoved a giant icicle into Izuku's heart, but it was just as difficult to keep his face straight as before. And quilt trips did not end there as they arrived outside the gate where Izuku's car waited. Tenya stopped before they got in.

"I will see you later. I got to go to…"

"Get in," Izuku said with a soft smile. "We'll stop at the hospital."

"Are you sure! I don't want to waste everyone's time."

Izuku only responded with an unyielding 'you won't change my mind' -stare and nodded towards the car. Tenya yielded and entered first.

"And people complain about my mind control," Hitoshi whispered to Tokoyami just loud enough.

"There are benefits of not being a shadow in others' lives."

"And what is wrong with being a shadow?" Dark Shadow asked.

That was one trouble Izuku was happy to leave Tokoyami to sort out himself. Unusually he did not wait for others to get in the car before entering himself and settling between Tenya and the door.

Izuku tried to relax during the drive but was too excited and nervous. His head tilted towards Tenya wanting to spill the beans but Hitoshi kicked his foot.

At the hospital Izuku stepped out first then Tenya who turned towards Izuku.

"You don't need to wait for me, I can get my own ride back."

"Maybe, but they'll still need to wait for me," Izuku responded not making any moves to get back in the car. He took a few steps towards the hospital building and glanced back.

"You coming?"

"Izuku," Tenya's eyes got more serious but Izuku only responded with a smile, "what are you planning?"

"Something you are going to like."

Tenya stared at him for a moment, but his stare softened and he responded to Izuku's smile. Izuku Midoriya had many flaws even only counting those Tenya knew of, but if he said he had something you would like there was no need to doubt that.

Getting excited to see Tenya's reaction Izuku struggled to hold back and not rush ahead of him. The doctor Izuku had tried to keep out on his first visit scowled at him as they passed and others still recognized him, but this time Izuku did not care.

He still had enough self-control to let Tenya knock and open the door.

The good news were that Tensei was in wheelchair instead of bed and fully awake without machines attached on him or obvious signs of pain. He spun his chair around as Tenya entered the room.

"Hey Little T good news, I'm getting out of this place," he said and glanced past Tenya. "Oh good day Midoriya. It has been a while since your last visit. I hope there isn't a problem with Tenya's quirks."

"No I didn't come here because of those quirks."

It was getting harder to keep off a full-scale smirk.

"Izuku please," Tenya said, "what are you planning?"

The smirk got out bright enough to compete with Eijiro on an average day as Izuku faced Tenya.

"I got a new quirk, for Tensei."

"What?" both of the brothers said at the same time. Izuku tilted his head towards Tenya.

"Don't tell me you are surprised."

"I mean…" Tenya had some difficulty speaking, "I didn't think about that way."

"No, you were too focused on other things."

A dark hint got into Izuku's voice and both knew what he meant, but Izuku had already hammered the point in many times.

"So want to know what it is?" Izuku said changing tone.

"Yes," the brothers responded simultaneously again, though Tensei's expression turned more hesitant. "You know you don't need to do this. I chose to give my quirk to Tenya and unless you have a quirk that can regrow spines I'm doubt I can return to the field."

Izuku quietly swallowed at the mention of regrowing organs, but that was something he could not share.

"It might not be enough for that, well depends how. At least you can move more normally."

"Please," Tenya interrupted, "what kind of quirk is…?"

Izuku's feet left the ground and rose until they were about level with the bed. Then he slid forward through the air legs hanging lax like he was hanging from a vest around his torso.

"It is a floating quirk," Izuku revealed and turned towards Tensei. "I got it from old woman that used it to get around on her own. She was like second generation quirk user so it is not especially powerful but should help you a lot. The quirk only works about this high at jogging speed. Also slows you down if you ever fall from anywhere higher. Beats wheelchair at least."

"Sure does," Tensei responded and rolled around Izuku as if he was making sure it wasn't a trick. "Are you sure you don't need it yourself, especially with the quirk you have on your back."

"I'm getting better with it and I can wait for another one, maybe something that works higher up. The person who sold me this said her son has similar quirk that works even better. Depends how long he thinks he is going to need it. He is already 70."

Izuku landed back on the ground and sighed.

"Takes some concentration, really tenses my shoulders, but I have not really ever practiced on using it. It is yours if you accept it."

"I…"

"He will," Tenya said in excited loud manner more reminiscent of Eijiro. His face was more excited than ever since Sports Festival. "Do it."

"Hold on," a new voice said from behind Izuku. The old doctor they had seen during Izuku's last visit was there. "What makes you think you can mess with my patient whenever you want?"

"Only when he agrees."

"You are welcome to monitor me doctor san," Tensei added more politely.

"Of course I am. As if I'd let something like this go without proper monitoring and this time both of you," she said pointing at Izuku who shrugged. She dragged some electronic monitors and devices closer herding confused nurses to hurry 'before the kid gets impatient and ignores me again'. Izuku was too happy to watch Tenya almost hopping around Tensei happier than he had been in a while, happier than Izuku had even expected him to be considering Tensei still had his injuries.

It was even better after the transfer when Tensei hovered up from the wheelchair.

At least Izuku could do something right. He stepped out as the brothers were too focused on each other to notice. Tenya wasn't leaving here any time soon and others were still waiting. He stopped outside to glance back one more time before closing the door.

"It is miracle you know," the old doctor said, "what you can do."

Izuku nodded.

"Sometimes, it isn't enough."

He left before being questioned more.

"If you ever want your quirk properly studied you know who to ask."

It wasn't much compared to what he had just set up, but it was nice to have someone react like that rather than just jump out of arm's reach. Izuku waved his hand up in response.

His smile kept up even after walking through the whole hospital. Many things still weighed on him, but at least he had chipped away at one boulder.

He turned around the corner to where the car waited. The door was still open. Shoto was sitting head in his hands one leg hanging out and the windows around him were visibly frosted. Hitoshi stood outside leaning towards Shoto with arms held against chest trying to stay warm.

Izuku was already running so fast he almost crashed into the car trying to stop in time. He was already shivering from the cold front around Shoto and crouched down to be face to face.

The previous smile was gone and even Eijiro might not have been enough to correct that had he been there. He used one hand to hold Shoto's arm and after shivering a second longer held the other up with fires lit on it to warm Hitoshi and himself.

"What happened?" he demanded to know, but Shoto took time to get his breathing in a state where he could talk so Hitoshi did first.

"His, your, lawyers called him, The court or some authorities want to have a hearing of some kind outside the trial. Also," Hitoshi leaned closer to Izuku to whisper, "they said Endeavour is going to be there and things don't look good in stopping him from… taking Shoto."

"I knew it wouldn't work," Shoto muttered. "He has too much power. I've seen how people still talk about him, and you even after everything. They don't even want to know what he does outside what they see."

Shoto keep muttering in increasingly incoherent manner and started glancing around like looking for danger.

"He won't get to you," Izuku tried to assure, but Shoto wasn't even acknowledging it.

"I think it is a panic attack," Hitoshi whispered, "maybe we should take him inside for a doctor."

Shoto shook his head.

"He could get in there. They wouldn't stop him. What if they even told him I was there?"

Izuku got partially up and stepped into the car tugging on Shoto enough to make him turn to face himself. Izuku didn't break contact while talking to Hitoshi.

"Toshi, go to the ward where Tensei is. There is a older woman doctor there. Ask for her help. You can ask for the doctor that monitored Ingenium's quirk transfer."

As Shoto tried to look after Hitoshi Izuku tugged his arm making him focus on himself. At some point Tokoyami who had been sitting awkwardly on the other side of the car moved next to Shoto. Even Dark Shadow understood to remain silent even if he sometimes peeked over Tokoyami's shoulder. Then he slowly slid flattened against the backrest and ceiling to be between Shoto and the door.

Shoto was already calming down as Hitoshi got there with doctor to give advice, but that did not solve the real problem.

…..

A few days later Izuku found himself sitting in a negotiation room at a courthouse next to Shoto. Thankfully for both of them their emotional support boulder had also gotten there and was sitting on the other side despite being so absent recently. They were all in their UA school uniforms trying to look as clean and respectable as possible. Beside Izuku was Shoto's sister and on the other side two of Izuku's / dad's lawyers, the same ones that had put Bakugo family in their place. Even at around 100000 yen per hour for the two they could really be worth their price.

On the other side was Endeavour, his lawyers, and two of the police what were supposedly investigating him. Talk about a fair investigation. A judge sat at the end.

"Welcome," the judge stated. "We are here to discuss the kidnapping on Shoto Todoroki and alleged abuse his father is accused of."

"Your honour," Izuku's lawyer said before he could, "you mean the alleged and already dismissed kidnapping?"

"So you are alleging he has stayed at home since UA Sports Festival except when otherwise approved by his father."

"I am stating that young Todoroki is right here and has repeatedly expressed he has not been taken against his will at any point. Moreover his staying away from his father during relevant investigations and lawsuits has already been agreed to."

"He is underage. Where he lives is not his choice, and the agreement placed him with his older sister. To my understanding he has not spent a single night there, or day for that matter."

"Maybe if Endeavour stayed away like he was supposed to," Izuku muttered.

"I did not give you permission to speak kid. Actually, could someone explain why are there extra kids here? Ones that participated in the kidnapping."

"Your honour, the hero student," Izuku's lawyer emphasized the 'hero' at least, "is our employer providing legal support for young Todoroki. He and his friend are here to provide witness statement and more importantly emotional support to assist young Todoroki with panic attacks caused by his father's abuse and constant attempts of him and others trying to get at him. We can provide doctors' statement as to his mental state."

"Hold on," Endeavour's lawyer interrupted. "Even if the diagnosis is correct what basis you have accusing our c… his father for it. It is way more likely he would suffer panic attacks as result of being taken from his home kami knows where. This only highlights the need to return him home as quickly as possible."

"Exactly," Endeavour said loudly. "Look at him. He was never like this at home before or after training for his future, which they call abuse. It must have been caused by them."

The police next to Endeavour dared to actually nod.

"How about you look at him," Izuku seethed and nodded at Shoto who was leaning towards Eijiro who was sitting further from Endeavour than Izuku. Eijiro's arm had moved partially in front of him.

The redhead was not smiling. His stare was so intense Izuku could have imagined a spark of lightning zap between his hairs. He blinked. Must have been illusion with the light in the room. He had never given Eijiro a quirk like that and not like a lightning would be red.

"Does he look like he wants to return to anywhere where you are?"

"That is quite enough kid. If you cannot behave in an adult way you won't get to stay with us," the judge barked. "Stay silent until you are given turn to speak."

"Your honour," Izuku's lawyer cut in before Izuku got to give the judge a piece of his mind. "Considering Endeavour, an adult, just spoke in same manner without permission, as have several of us, there is no reason to target young Midoriya alone with such demands and threats. Moreover we are not at trial, this meeting, we were told, is supposed to be a negotiation or discussion. Age of those participating in the discussion should not matter."

The judge seemed grumpy, but did not respond in time.

"Unless you have other reason to prevent young Midoriya from speaking, but that would violate your position as judge, one who is meant to be neutral and objective."

"The reason is criminals should stay quiet unless they are confessing," Endeavour interrupted. Of course the judge did not berate him keeping his eyes on Izuku and his lawyers.

"See the justice system at work, doing the bidding of the famous and powerful," Izuku muttered mostly for himself and perhaps Shoto and Eijiro more than the others.

"You should show some respect kid," the judge said.

"Respect is earned not entitled to. A judge that is more focused on protecting abuser than doing his job objectively has earned none. Same goes for police that would literally side with person they are supposed to be investigating."

One of Izuku's lawyers got up and moved closer to lean over his shoulder.

"Midoriya san, I can understand your feelings, but we really need to be careful with the judge's sensitivities. He can cause us lot of trouble if angered," the lawyer whispered.

"That alone means we aren't going to get justice here. Sorry, I did not mean to make your job harder, but is there any chance with judge and police as blatantly biased as them. Is it possible to switch him."

"We have already been trying to, but it is not quite that simple."

"Keep doing, and get private investigators to do the police's job since they can't be relied on."

"Already done, but they are more limited."

Izuku could only draw a deep breath and try to think if he had any other options than relying on the so-called justice system. The only thing he could come up with was taking out Endeavour but that was a tall order and he had yet to deal with All Might.

"Are you done?" the judge asked.

"Yes," the lawyer responded.

"Good in that case he can leave."

"What?" Izuku couldn't remain quiet.

"There is no need for his 'emotional support' when Shoto Todoroki already has multiple family members present, and the other kid can stay if he can behave. If we need statement from him we will ask. Besides that he has no place in this meeting."

"You can't do that," Izuku seethed.

"I can. The officers will escort you out if you attempt to refuse."

The police officers stood up. Endeavour smirked.

"As a hero it is my duty to provide them assistance if they need any. It is quite an easy task compared to the hero killer."

"I recommend you do as the judge says Midoriya san," the lawyer whispered, but Izuku was still sitting his hand shaking. Air next to him was getting… warmer. He glanced at his hand but it was not on fire. The next to check was Shoto who was staring past him, not just at Endeavour anymore, but at the judge and the previous fear was tainted with anger. Eijiro's arm had moved closer to him to press against him almost as to hold him down, but his stare was not much better.

"If he leaves," Shoto said, "I will. Izuku, Eijiro and their friends were the first people to actually care about me enough to even risk getting in trouble to help me, help I needed from them because of people like you."

The lawyer's head spun between Izuku and Shoto.

"Please Midoriya san, Todoroki san. I know this is emotionally challenging and wrong, but it won't help your case. As important as your statements are they have no audience here. "

Izuku bit his teeth together and reached out to put his hand on Shoto's shoulder.

"You should stay. They might don't care but they should still hear your side. At least they won't get to pretend they didn't when they get exposed for what they are," Izuku looked past Shoto at Eijiro. "When one of you stays both stay."

In sign of the seriousness of the situation Eijiro remained silent only nodding. Izuku left the room resisting the urge to slam the door hard enough to break it off the hinges. He did wait for the corridor to be empty and punched the concrete wall hard enough to leave a mark on the surface.

He sat down massaging his forehead with his fingers.

'Stain!' he shouted in his mind. He could sense the surprise and pain he had unintentionally caused.

'What?' Stain responded.

'I got one more person you should investigate, a judge.'

'Not interested.'

'You better get interested. He is ruling on Endeavour case and just as rotten as him. Find out how and we can hurt Endeavour. Better if there was way to get him off the case.'

'Fine, but you have to stop drilling my head with how you hate him. If this quirk has done anything it is to show me how messed up you are in the head kid, and I am the serial killer here.'

'Just don't make me regret letting you live,' Izuku said.

'Then don't be late for tonight's training.'

Izuku cut the connection. Stain was increasingly irritated with it just like him and continuing could only have gone worse. Just sitting there waiting for what was going to happen was at least as frustrating though.

He had hoped that Izuku Midoriya could achieve at least something through courts and publicity, but with judges like this, what hope did he have. In this system Izuku Midoriya couldn't even save one friend that had been abused.

Maybe he was only good enough to solve problems that could be punched. Footsteps approached him, careful footsteps of someone hesitating to do so. He was better at being vigilant, noticing trouble, than actually solving them.

He raised his head before the steps got too close only to see detective Tsukauchi in his long jacket hat at hand. He expression was serious but hesitant and he stopped beyond arm's reach.

"And what kind of trouble are you bringing me today?" Izuku asked bluntly.

"Not immediate trouble for you to do anything about, I hope, but there are things I thought you should know and be aware of. It is about Katsuki Bakugo."

Angry disappointment and depression disappeared from Izuku's eyes replaced by just angry seriousness.

"What about him? You don't look like you found him. Then again with police like it is I wouldn't be surprised if you were sorry to find him."

"What… We have not found him, just what he has done. You should already be aware that he appeared to turn into vigilantism after his disappearance."

"Yes, though with less broken bones, burns and corpses than I expected from him being let loose."

"Not anymore. We have investigated three cases with one or more murders discovered after explosions were heard. Including one pro hero. Katsuki Bakugo is currently one of our main suspects for one of the culprits."

Those words took Izuku a moment to process. He wasn't truly surprised that Bakugo would fall to murder and felt like hypocrite for judging him on that alone, but if he really had killed things were a lot more dangerous. He frowned.

"One of the culprits?"

"Yes, while there were clear evidence of explosions in each case, in two cases people had also been burned, burned so badly into ash that is would not be practically possible except with a fire related quirk. The news might have been forgotten with the whole things with Stain."

"Bakugo doesn't work well with others, unless they follow him as his lackeys. Hard to see murderer doing that. Unless he gets along better with murderers. Why does that not feel surprising? Tell me you have an idea where he is?"

Tsukauchi shook his head.

"We have mapped areas he has been active in, even identified hostel and gym he used to go to but he seems to keep on the move and operate on cash so he is hard to track."

"How about where he gets the cash? Have you kept an eye on his parents. They might suck enough to…"

Tsukauchi shook his head again.

"We have but it seems he funds himself by taking whatever his victims have, even if most of them are thieves and other criminals."

"Why would those below him deserve to keep anything from him," Izuku muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Just trying to figure out what he is thinking. You don't know him like I do."

"Can you think anything that might help us?"

"Nothing good. I am trying to think where his limits might be, but I can't think of any time he would have held back for anything like that. Only external expectations and consequences have ever held him from going way too far, from risking his shot at UA. Too late for that to matter. If he has already killed, and thinks he can avoid being caught there aren't any limits left. He could do anything. Surprised he hasn't come after me already."

Tsukauchi remained silent for a moment.

"I understand. I'll let my people know."

He paused again.

"How are you doing here?"

"Witnessing how useless and corrupt both police and courts are," Izuku responded. "You aren't making a much better impression. If it wasn't Bakugo I'd suspect you didn't really try to catch him."

Maybe Izuku should take that into Shirokuro's hands. He had found the hero killer after all. Bakugo had to be at least a bit easier than that.

"We are working on it. Please stay safe and contact me if you hear about him."

Tsukauchi offered his hand for a handshake and Izuku actually accepted despite his quirk.

"If things come to that point you can just send a hearse and a mop."

Tsukauchi stared at him, then their hands probably to confirm his quirk was working. Izuku pulled his hand back. Tsukauchi stood there for a moment before leaving. Izuku gave it more than fifty-fifty chances he'd talk to All Might or Nezu, but the look on his face was almost worth it and maybe he would take Bakugo seriously now.

Izuku did not hold his breath. Tsukauchi left. Izuku stayed sitting with even more weight pressing him down like tensing a spring. Until the door to the cabinet opened and spring was suddenly standing up again.

Shoto walked out with such a brisk step Eijiro barely kept up even with Shoto holding onto his arm and Shoto's sister jogged after them. They locked onto Izuku and came to him. Shoto kept glancing back.

"Keep moving," Izuku said bringing a hand to Shoto's shoulder and ushering him forward. "Ei, talk."

"Eh, what?"

"Tell me what happened."

"Oh, well they talked a lot of how Endeavour hasn't done anything wrong and just tried to give Shoto what he needs to be great hero and they talked about him stopping Stain and how this thing risks his important work as a hero. I wanted to say something, but…"

"I know," Izuku growled. "Was anything decided?"

"Well, I'm not sure what they can really order since it wasn't actual court I think…"

"I would recommend you follow the judge's stipulations," one of the lawyers said from behind them.

"Which are?"

"I can't stay with Eijiro anymore, or you. If I don't stay with my sister they might take me. They say it is for my safety, but he could easily come to my sister's place. That is why…"

"Why you came to me in the first place. I know."

"I'm sorry," the sister in question said. "I tried to tell him to stay away but…"

"There is nothing you could do to stop the number two 'hero'," Izuku finished. "Even the police won't go after him."

"I can't stay there alone… sorry," Shoto apologized to his sister.

"In this case, I don't mind."

"Hey, it's not that bad," Eijiro said suspiciously cheery even if not as bright as usually. "I already figured out what to do."

"Tell us," Izuku said without wasting time. Eijiro grinned.

"They said where Shoto had to be. They did not say anything about where anyone else can stay," Eijiro looked at Shoto's sister. "I guess I should ask you but would it be okay if I visited for a while, at least for the nights? I'm kind of busy during the day."

She only took one glance at the hand holding onto Eijiro's arm.

"Anytime, if there is anything you can do."

"There is," Izuku interrupted, "but if Endeavour shows up it will be too much even for Ei. You realize you are taking a risk?"

"I know," Eijiro said looking more confident than Izuku expected. "I got it. I can be tougher than you think."

Izuku smiled at that.

"I doubt that, but it wouldn't be the first time you surprised me. Don't hesitate to get out of there if Endeavour shows up, both of you, please."

"Don't worry. We got this."

Intellectually Izuku knew Eijiro could not stop Endeavour but somehow facing Eijiro now he could not convince himself of that.