It was a usual morning for Izuku- no, the Green Devil. Started off by beating the scum of Musutafu's underbelly. This one had an interesting little detail, though. He found a clipboard with a list of orders for. 'All For One? Who's that? A boss villain, no doubt.' He would make sure not to forget that name. After walking out of the shipping harbor warehouse, semi covered in blood, a tree branch seemingly attacked him.
"Halt, villain!" Kamui Woods appeared, wrapping his branch arm around the young vigilante. Izuku was about to burn through, but was stopped by a heavy blast of water knocking him off his feet. "Your reign of terror is over!" Backdraft yelled, having an infinite supply of water to counter the boy. The devil stood back up, steam erupting off of him. "Heroes..." he growled in annoyance.
Kamui Woods and Backdraft
The arbor hero stretched his arm to wrap around Izuku's torso and other arm. "Enough is enough, boy! Stand down." Kamui said while the hydro hero aimed his super soakers at the captured menace. "You can't beat two heroes. Give it up." Izuku analyzed the situation at hand. 'Kamui Woods has wide-range capture moves, but wood is a terrible match for fire. That's why Backdraft is here, to keep me from burning him. Not a bad match up...' Suddenly, flames emitted from Izuku's feet. 'But unwise nonetheless.'
He blasted off the ground with the speed and force they would've expected from Endeavor or Mirko. Kamui had the foresight to dig his feet into the concrete. He kept his hold while Backdraft got to work cooling the jets lit under his feet. An incredibly large wave of steam erupted. However... 'He's not losing any strength! The water should be extinguishing his heat!' Kamui thought. Eventually, the steam wave was gone but the flames were still there. He switched to cold flames that only go out when he chooses. Over his shoulder, he gave the heroes a glare of dismissal.
Suddenly, his flames picked up in strength, and he pulled away from Kamui even harder. "No you don't!" The arbor resorted to both arms, and pulled the green flame user back to him. That was a mistake. The bone-chilling flames were poured directly onto him, making his hold begin to loosen. "Dammit!" Izuku looked at the ground where Backdraft pointed his super soakers to the ground and used a heavy blast of water to propel himself up to the Green Devil's height. He readied his quirk to unleash a tsunami wave on the boy.
"You idiot."
"AAARRGGHHH!!!" Kamui Woods yelled in pain before Backdraft could attack. Both looked down to see a wave of green fire engulf the arbor hero, burning his upper half. It didn't come from the devil's feet, it was a new fire that came from the ground where he blasted off of. They ignored the lingering fire on the pavement, and focused on him so much they were open to anything. The arbor hero fell to the ground, charred and beaten. "Kamui, no!" Backdraft cried out.
The Green Devil burned his way out of the wood coiled around him. He controlled it enough that Kamui Woods' arms became completely black and fell to pieces. "Y-You... You monster!" Backdraft yelled with shaky legs and voice. He was clearly afraid. The Green Devil calmly hovered down. "Don't worry, they'll grow back." Backdraft held out his arms and blasted the emerald demon, who crossed his arms to block and engulfed himself in fire.
The biggest wave of steam yet took form around them. 'I'm tired of this.' Izuku thought as he slowly began walking towards the hydro hero. Backdraft was horrified by what he was seeing. He was giving it his all to quell this heat, yet the green inferno continued getting closer to him. 'No! This can't be!' Through the violent hissing of evaporating water, Izuku was close enough that his opponent could hear him. "You're water could be enough to put out Endeavor's fire, but my flames are much more resilient than his. Next time, try using ice."
That was the last thing Backdraft heard before a flaming fist struck his stomach and blew him back a few meters.
Mt Lady and Death Arms
The Green Devil was hovering in the dim alleys of Musutafu near a station. It was midday and he hadn't encountered much. Normally at this time, he would be in his civilian alter ego, Zu, but he wasn't quite ready to wear that mask. He needed to clear his mind before wearing the mask that reminded him of the girls he met who were kind to him. Including... Rei, who got hurt because she was looking for him.
"Need a hanky?"
Izuku's head jerked to the side where he saw the pro hero, Death Arms standing on the balcony of an apartment. He stood with a cocky smirk and fists pulled back. In an instant, Izuku put some distance between them, heading straight to the alley's exit. 'Weird place for him to patrol. It was the same with Backdraft and Kamui Woods. These heroes...' When he saw the light at the end of the tunnel, it was obstructed by a creamy and purple suit hugging a voluptuous figure. "Damn. Of course you're here."
The Green Devil didn't even bother to change direction, letting the titanic heroine push him to the ground and hold him down under her giant palm. "Sorry, kiddo, but you're joyride's over." she said. The impact didn't hurt Izuku in the slightest. He wrapped himself in dense cold fire that cushioned the blow, and was now standing up to push Mt Lady off of him. He slipped through her fingers and was met with a fist to his gut. 'You got here quick.' he thought as he went flying, feeling no pain or danger whatsoever.
Death Arms pinned the Green Devil to the ground and began punching him into the pavement. The green flame user had his arms crossed to block the attacks. Nearby citizens were watching and cheering as the pro beat the murderer into the ground. Mt Lady, not so much. "Hey, take it easy! Are you trying to kill him?" Death Arms continued swinging until the pavement beneath them cracked. "He's tough enough to take it! Aren't you, ya bastard!?" He continued punching. Eventually, he got the arms out of the way and was relentlessly striking his stomach and chest. This continued for several minutes until the pro broke an actual sweat. "How'd ya like that, punk?"
Death Arms felt assured of himself. Even if the boy wasn't unconscious, he would be too damaged to even move. So you can imagine the shock when he stood up out of the rubble without so much as a stumble. He just casually picked himself up and wiped off the dirt. Death Arms, and everyone around went slack jawed at the Green Devil's lack of apparent injury. The muscular hero backed up slightly. The Green Devil spoke in a cold tone. "Not bad. You might've even bruised me."
The now angered pro clenched his fists at his sides. "Why you little-!" He stopped when the devil suddenly appeared directly in front of him. He closed the gap in an instant with a hot fist cocked back. Before Death Arms could register it, a searing hot punch struck his chin followed by a heatwave that propelled him sky high. "Guh!" the pro groaned as his mouth bled and his chin smoked. He was launched high enough that Mt Lady was able to catch him.
On the ground, the people were looking at the scene in horror. The Green Devil completely shrugged off punches strong enough to break concrete and sent Death Arms flying with one punch. But Izuku didn't care about them. He had his sights on the muscle-bound hero. 'How obnoxious. Only a bully tries to solve his problems with brute force.' He thought as he flew up to a rooftop on equal height as the pros. Death Arms was very clearly enraged, veins popping and sweat rolling down his head as he glared at the emerald demon. 'And like any bully, you're far easier to tear down than you think.'
Mt Lady tried whispering words to calm her co-worker down, but it was overshadowed by two simple words from the Green Devil. "I'm bored." he said as he turned his back to them. Death Arms snapped. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, YOU HEARTLESS LITTLE SHIT!?" In spite of his rageful outburst, the Green Devil just turned his back to him and slowly walked. "I said I'm bored. You're boring me." That was the last straw.
Death Arms leaped from Mt Lady's hands and was poised to crush the devil. 'How sad.' Izuku just put his hand behind his head and unleashed a torrent of green heat. Death Arms was entirely engulfed and landed on the ground in a smoking heap. When he would regain consciousness, he would have to live with the fact that he wasn't taken seriously for even a moment by a vigilante child. That just left Mt Lady to deal with.
She tried to grab him, but she couldn't hold on without getting burned. As she blew her smoking palms, Izuku looked at her with pain in his flaming eyes. 'Takeyama. Forgive me.' He ignited his right arm and thrust it forward. A massive arm of moderately hot flames emerged and grabbed Mt Lady's face. The mountainous hero was caught off guard and was pushed to the ground in a surprisingly quick motion. The ground below shook with a small tremor, and the back of her head was now bleeding. When the blonde gathered her bearings, the boy was nowhere to be seen.
'That sure felt familiar...'
Kyoka Jiro (Not what you think)
The Green Devil stood above the rooftops of Musutafu, bathed in the orange light of the setting sun. He went to a district that wasn't too crowded. No police, no heroes, just the public going about their business. 'Just as I thought. The heroes are laser focused on me, to the point they neglect areas I haven't been seen or very active in. That leaves the public to fend for themselves while they're getting their butts handed to them.'
Right as he finished his thought, he noticed a young teenage girl trying to get rid of some punk her age. He was flexing, showing off his quirk to her, while she couldn't care less. His quirk that covered his arms in stone. Izuku's eyes narrowed as he realized that was one of his ex classmates from Aldera! And that girl with purple hair and aux cord earlobes... 'Kyoka!?' He was suddenly overcome with a blinding desire to kill the blockhead currently harassing the purplette. He moved in close enough to hear them while staying out of sight, and made a fire blade out of his right arm.
"Come on, babe. With a quirk as tough as mine, I could keep your delicate self safe." Kyoka just glared heartlessly at him. "How are you gonna protect anything with such a fragile-looking power?" The blockhead became aggravated at that. "What did you say!? My quirk's top tier compared to your freaky ears!" "Why don't we test that?" The girl's ear jacks shot straight at the boy's stone-covered arms and sent heavy vibrations into them, shattering the rock and rendering his arms limp.
The aux cord girl flipped him off before walking away. "Like I said, fragile." While the idiot was lying broken on the floor, the green-haired spectator from above had a wide grin on his face. He watched the once bullied girl he saved walk away confidently. 'At least I don't have to worry about her!'
As he was prepared to leave, he catches suspicious movement in the corner of his eye. A grown man checking his surroundings before disappearing into the darkness of an alley. He followed, and saw he was contacted by someone. Extending his hand, Izuku discharged small green embers to hover around the man, close enough to hear both ends of the call himself from a distance.
"How are the heroes doing?" "Just like you said, Demon Lord. So focused on the Green Devil, we can get away with pretty much anything!" the agent responded. 'Demon Lord? Sounds like a self-absorbed boss villain.' Izuku thought.
"Easy now, depending on how things go, that could change dramatically. I take it the preparations are going according to plan." "Yes sir. In just one month, it'll be ready for its first test drive." On the other side, the "Demon Lord" had a wicked grin. "Excellent, and I'd just like to say, thank you..." The agent smiled proudly. "It's been my pleasure to serve you, All For-"
"...For being such a good martyr."
As the villain leader finished speaking and hung up, the agent felt a chill running down his spine. 'No...' He dropped his phone and looked around himself. Green embers. 'No, he wouldn't...!' From above, a ball of green fire approached at alarming speeds. "Not like this!!" The desperate man raised his hands and emitted golden sparks of electricity, but they were useless against the boy's protective flames. The force of the attack carried through the man's body, and he fell to the ground unconscious.
The Green Devil picked up the man's phone and scrolled through the contacts. No incriminating contact ID's. Then he went to the call history and dialed the number. It was no longer in use. This villain covers his tracks, but he did leave one thing behind: his agent, which the police could interrogate. Izuku lit the alley in green flames, which someone would surely notice and call the police. As he fled the scene, something nagged at the boy.
'That was definitely All For One, the Demon Lord. If he can have a gang of criminals at his beck and call, he's definitely not someone to take lightly. Did he secure those drugs that blade villain used? And what's he plotting in a month?' The more he thought, the less sense it made for him to know all this so easily. 'This guy likes to operate in the shadows a safe distance away. He knows how to cover his tracks. He knew I was listening. He wanted me to listen, and what's going down in a month's time? All For One, what are you plotting?'
Ingenium and Best Jeanist
It's been one week since the incident with that agent, and learning about All For One's plot, one of them at least. But still, Izuku's in the dark about so much. That leaves at least another three weeks before his plan gets off the ground. Where is the Demon Lord hiding? What does he want with the Green Devil? How long has he been watching? How much does he know? These questions keep the young vigilante on edge, and he's even less willing to show mercy on villains and criminals because of it.
His thoughts were interrupted by his clothing suddenly becoming unbearably tight, to the point of immobilizing him. He found it nearly impossible to move without tearing his clothes. 'Best Jeanist!' While he couldn't move his body, he could still emit the flames keeping him airborne. Suddenly, Izuku sensed something hot and fast coming his way. He felt it was about to strike him, and tried to protect himself in his flames. He felt a powerful blow on the back of his head, and the heat of a radiator briefly contacting his quirk. 'Ingenium!'
The blow was enough to send him crashing into the ground. He could only jerk his now bleeding head to glare at the Fiber Hero and Turbo Hero. "Apologies for the rough methods, but even if you are a child, we can't let you continue tearing everything around you apart." Best Jeanist said, looking fairly strained. "It's over, no more running." Ingenium said. Izuku just growled and tried to ignite his quirk, but Best Jeanist tightened his hold on him, to the point he couldn't breathe.
"Resistance is futile. You may be a match for the local heroes, but we're highly regarded for a reason." The Green Devil didn't say a word, and put out the flames surrounding him. "That's better." Ingenium moved to grab the captured vigilante, but he suddenly keeled over, feeling an intense pain in his engine calfs. And smoke coming out of them!
"Ingenium, what's the matter!?" Best Jeanist's attention was split, and he loosened the bindings on the Green Devil. Quickly igniting his right arm in fire hot enough to incinerate his sleeve, he blasted the ground beneath him and launched off it. "Not so fast! Blackout Bind!" The intact fabric on Izuku's body tightened around him again, especially around his neck. He couldn't move or breathe, but this time his arm was free. He raised it high with the flames surrounding it burning hotter and brighter.
'Flashfire Fist: Hellspider!'
Flaming tendrils the size of the Green Devil's arm were released from his fingers. Best Jeanist looked in awe of the boy's display before doing his best to evade. 'That's Endeavor's move! But on a larger scale!' Best Jeanist had to limit his movements to keep his hold on the demon child while avoiding being burned alive, but Ingenium couldn't even get off the ground.
Izuku sent a fire tendril to the downed speedster, whom Jeanist had to quickly move out of the way. That gave Izuku the window he was looking for, and both upper pros were engulfed in hot flames. The viridescent inferno that scorched their skin was the last thing they saw before their target disappeared.
Central Hospital
"...I have no words." Tsukauchi said. Most of the heroes in this operation were on medical beds with their severe burns being treated. Best Jeanist, Ingenium, Death Arms, Backdraft, Kamui Woods and Mt Lady (who's hands and part of her face) were burned and beaten by the demon child. The only one's left were All Might and Hawks.
And to make matters worse, the Green Devil's friend has given them even more reason to be frightened. After looking through the man's memories, they saw brief flashes of a warehouse, test tubes, beakers, and green fire. They would have seen much more if the man weren't so adamant on not revealing anything. Even after betraying his pawns, All For One still commands such loyalty. Several heroes defeated, reason to suspect All For One is back in action, and the public losing faith in heroes. All of this brought about by one child!
"We need to bring him in, not just for the public's peace of mind, but everyone's good, him included. If that monster were to gain control of his quirk, I don't like our odds." Tsukauchi said at his desk. Hawks was with him. He looked to be distant. "All Might and I split up on patrol. We have communicators you can track and alert us if the other finds something." Tsukauchi looked at the young pro, wondering where he was going with this. "Cut us off. You can track us, but no alerts. I'll handle the Green Devil myself."
Tsukauchi looked at him as if he'd gone insane. "What!? How the hell are you going to do that!? Against an opponent who can burn your feathers, fighting him alone plays in his favor!" Hawks just rested his hands behind his head casually. "Yeah, and he probably knows that, too. I'd be screwed in a fight." This carefree attitude did not help ease Tsukauchi. "The kid's fast, has sharp eyes and reflexes, and after fighting all these heroes, he must've leveled up pretty considerably from the guy who almost killed Teleki."
Before Tsukauchi could genuinely ask if Hawks had gone suicidal, the wing hero looked at him seriously. "But this is better than having All Might with me. In fact, that's the scenario I want to avoid." Tsukauchi sighed. "I think I'm starting to get where you're coming from. All Might may not be..." "Concerned with peaceful methods? Not very fitting for someone called the Symbol of Peace." Hawks finished for him. "But that's one of the reasons I put you two together. You can rein him in if he loses himself to rage."
Hawks smirked at the detective. "Yeah, and as fun as it's been being the number 1 hero's animal companion, I've got a better plan in mind. Well, an idea. Okay, a gamble. The kid is nowhere near All Might's level. Let's keep it that way."
Hawks
The Green Devil stood triumphantly in the middle of an almost empty four lane road. The only vehicle was a flaming car down the road with unconscious thugs next to it. Suddenly, he had to roll out of the way of incoming projectiles aimed at his place on the ground. Displaying his agility, he back flipped into the air. He lowered his head, ducking an incoming red and yellow blur that landed on the ground. "Hey-yo!" Hawks called from below him, two large feather blades in hand.
'The number 3 hero...' He ignited their surroundings in a ring of green fire. Hawks didn't feel the temperature rise. 'He can go from cold to hot as easily as flipping a switch. He must know I'm in a bad spot, and this is insurance.' The wing hero looked up at the vigilante youth, flames alight in his hands. He pointed his blades at the boy, beckoning him to come at him. And the Green Devil did just that. He propelled himself toward the wing hero, ready to have fried chicken for dinner!
He unleashed a strong wave of heat from his left hand, which Hawks dodged. 'He went to my right side, why not above the flames and attack from my blind spot?' Regardless, Izuku took a shot at his right. Hawks was quick enough to dodge again. 'He could've used the flames already behind me to hold me down.' The two young men were analyzing each other, and came to a conclusion. 'He's holding back, studying me!' But here is where they differed. 'He must've heard from his friends how dangerous I am. So why bother with this when it'd be easier to just take me down?' Izuku wondered.
Meanwhile, Hawks was beside a roaring forest green blaze, ready to put his plan into action. "Get ready for this!" The Green Devil charged straight at him, bladed arm ready. And Hawks... threw his feather blades into the fire, he also sent a large amount of feathers, reducing his wings to just under half the size of them full grown. Izuku stopped in confusion. Hawks was already at a disadvantage, but now he's completely thrown the match. Why?
"Do you have a death wish?" he simply asked. Hawks just chuckled carelessly. "Naw, but I would if I was planning to fight you," The wing hero kicked his right foot over the left and put his hands behind his head. He couldn't look more laid back. "Fire and cramped spaces don't really work for me, and this flaming bird cage you made would make fighting you hell. You're a bright kid, you must know the ins and outs of my quirk." The Green Devil gauged Hawks carefully, reading his thermal energy to detect his emotional state. He's not exactly calm, but not buying time for anything. He wants to talk.
Against his better judgment, Izuku let his hand blade diminish. "Fierce Wings," he began. "Your feathers are tough, yet supple. You control each one, and pick up vibrations through them from a long distance. You have peerless speed and movement, but weakness to fire and power types. Categories I fall into." The wing hero clapped his hands. "Top marks, kid. You're up next." The ignited his fist in a large ball of fire. "I mean, don't you think it's fair. You know all the important stuff about my quirk, can't I know a little about yours?" The boy was silent and in a position to attack.
Hawks sighed and pulled out his earpiece and chucked into the fire. "No one's listening, I'm not expecting any back up, and I'm in no position or mood to fight you. Just a friendly chat." Izuku strained his senses to pick up even a hint of deceit from the young pro. Nothing. He was being completely honest, it frankly made Izuku almost want to talk. No matter how bitter and angry he may be, he still never had someone offer to talk quirks with him. Hawks knew he was making progress when the flames surrounding them became slightly weaker.
"Psycho Flames..." he began. "That's what I call it. They're flames that react to my emotional state. When I'm angry, they burn with intensity. But when I'm calm..." he held out his hand and blasted Hawks, who put up his arms to block, but felt no heat, despite being on fire. "My flames are cold, and cause my enemies' anxiety and fear to spike dramatically. With focus, I can control the temp regardless of what I'm feeling." Hawks patted down his sleeves. 'Huh, it's cold, but I don't feel afraid. Cautious, yeah, but not trembling like those criminals he's fought. So does that mean he doesn't see me as an enemy?'
"Neat, but there's a lot more to it than that, huh? Like, how can you negate telekinesis?" Izuku clenched his fist, and Hawks felt a small increase in the temperature. "My quirk has a lot of facets, I'm still figuring it out myself. One of them is pyrokenisis." He demonstrated by throwing a ball of fire in the air and spinning it around. "Whether it's my own fire or another's, I can control it with my mind, hence the term 'Psycho' in my power's name." Hawks had a quizzical look. 'He has telekinetic properties in his fire, that must've clashed against Teleki and caused the waves to cancel each other out.'
"I also have sensory enhancements." Izuku broke him out of his thoughts. "I can sense the heat of anything, give myself thermal vision and detect a person's emotional state by sensing their body temperature. Which is the only reason I've been talking to you this long. I can also see and hear through the fires I've lit, which I guess makes us alike." The boy was surprised to find himself growing closer to the bird. "Holy crap, man. What can't you do?"
Izuku looked down at the ground, and his flames weakened slightly. "...Go back to who I was." Hawks's smile was wiped clean off. 'Here it comes, the vulnerability. It'll only get tougher from here.' "Yeah, you've done some pretty messed up shit. You may be right, maybe you can't go back to your old life." The wing hero then took a step toward the vigilante. "But who says you can't make something better?" Izuku looked up at him in surprise, the fire in his hand snuffing out.
"I'm goin off my gut here, but for a stone-cold murderer, as the public are calling you, you've been a pretty calm guy to talk to. You didn't choose this path, you were pushed in a different direction. Am I right?" The boy didn't answer. He didn't need to. The weakening fire covering his eyes was answer enough. Hawks took another step closer, and the boy stayed motionless. "Why?" he finally asked in a shaky voice. He sounded fragile, like he wanted to cry. "Why are you going this far? You could just arrest me and be done with it." Hawks brushed a bang out of his forehead. "Yeah, that would be easier. But easy and beneficial aren't the same thing."
"You may not be a huge fan of us, but heroes do more than just hand out punishments." The flames on Izuku's eyes were extinguished, and the hair over his forehead flopped down into messy, dark green curls. "...That hasn't been my experience." His voice was choked, strangled, trying to hold something back. Hawks took three more steps to the boy, ready extend his hand. 'I knew it. Despite everything that you've done, you're just a kid who feels scared and alone.'
"I'm sorry, but there's no getting around it. You still took lives, both good and bad. Atone for your sins. Once you do that..." Hawks paused and extended a helping hand to the boy. "...I'm more than happy to help you build a better life." Izuku was speechless as he stared at the hand in front of him, and the man offering it. He was already dead set on walking the path of a ruthless vigilante, believing no one would help him. But looking back on it, was he really ready to live his life in blood? It sounded better than going back to having his blood be spilled, but he didn't dare entertain the notion of something better.
A single tear fell down his cheek and onto the flames covering his mouth, which slowly began to fade away too. Hawks could make out freckles and a scar. Izuku let his hand rise up to meet Hawks's. This path of atonement, he'd surely have to face his past. His family and friends. Abusers and deserters. But if that's what it would take...
"Hey, how long have we been talking?" Izuku suddenly asked, confusing Hawks. "Uh, couple minutes or so?" The boy quickly clad himself in green flames again, hiding his face much to Hawks's dismay. "And how long has there been a giant ring of fire in the middle of the street?" Before Hawks could answer that, he launched sky high by a cold pillar of flames. "No wait!!" the bird yelled as he was blown out of the fire ring. Once he was out, the flames grew taller and burned with intensity. 'Dammit! What the hell!? I thought I was getting through to him! He knows I was sincere from start to finish, so why!? What could make him... No... Please no...!'
On the ground, the Green Devil had tears in his eyes, but they turned to steam in an instant. 'I'm sorry, but this is for your own good. You don't have enough feathers to play support. From my embers rising in the sky, I had a bird's eye view of the area. He is here.' He dug his heel into the pavement, causing a volcanic eruption where he stood. The torn up pieces of road were carried by his flames into a dense sheild for the boy, but it only survived one hit with the red and blue blur that collided with it.
Hawks could do nothing but watch helplessly from above as the scenario he wanted to avoid became reality. Another could only watch with glee, happy that All Might was always so punctual when delivering his brand of justice. 'That was such a touching moment, Takami, I think I feel a single tear forming. Sadly, Izuku needs to be volatile if he is to truly make something better of himself.'
The Green Devil slid back, his arms throbbing in pain as the cushioned force still managed to damage him. He glared at the hulking mass of "justice" in all his glory. "At last, we meet..." his booming voice said as the dust settled. "Green Devil!" All Might finished without any trace of a smile. The Green Devil glared back with hatred. "All Might...!"
And grief. 'Dad...'