My Hero Academia: 180 degrees -
9. Where Hawks presents a theory about Todoroki's mother's kidnapping, and Bakugo trains at the gym.
Toshinori walked alongside Todoroki as they entered the police station. He glanced at the young man's worried expression, and though he wanted to tell him everything would be fine, he knew all too well that anything could happen during a kidnapping.
—I hope this is good news about my mother.
—They're good investigators, including your father.
However, just as Toshinori said this, the ground began to shake, and the door ahead of them burst into red flames, disintegrating completely.
—¡This can't be! ¡I refuse to believe it!— Endeavor shouted in rage —¡I know my Quirk when I see it, and Shoto's power is mine!
Both of them rushed toward the commotion and saw Endeavor standing in front of Hawks and the police chief on the other side.
—What's going on?! Is this about my mother?!— Todoroki asked anxiously —Don't tell me that...
—No. Calm down,— Hawks replied. —We haven't found her yet, but we've uncovered information that could be related to her kidnapping.
Endeavor growled, baring his teeth. Todoroki looked at him with utter disdain.
—They found information that could help us find Mom, and your first reaction is to yell?! You stupid old man!— Shoto was about to unleash his fire power, but Toshinori's hand on his wrist stopped him.
—No. Let's hear what they have to say first. The priority is finding your mother,— Toshinori tried to calm him.
Although still visibly angry, Todoroki nodded, reigning in his flames.
Hawks took a deep breath before speaking.
—As some of you know, I've been personally investigating the whereabouts of Tomura Shigaraki,— Hawks began. —Before his appearance at the mall, the investigation had reached a standstill. So I started going through old records from Dr. Garaki, trying to confirm whether All for One had any plans for Shigaraki in case he ever returned to his side.
—And did he?— Toshinori asked.
—I found something interesting,— Hawks said, handing over some blueprints and records.
—Sorry, but what does this have to do with my mother?— Shoto asked.
—As you know, All for One had a large following of loyalists who didn't hesitate to give him everything they had. However, toward the end, those resources started to run dry. I discovered that Dr. Kyudai Garaki was funding some of his research by offering a service to implant Quirks into newborns from wealthy families. And in those records, we found a signed authorization from your mother,— Hawks passed Todoroki a document, and Shoto took it with a shocked expression.
—The Quirk she authorized was a fire-based one,— Hawks continued, ignoring the furious glare from Endeavor. —Do you think your mother might have been desperate enough to give Endeavor a child with a combination of Quirks that she'd consent to something like this?
Shoto immediately remembered the distressed look on his mother's face as she talked on the phone, right before she threw boiling water at him.
—Yes. She probably would have done anything to make sure she didn't have to bring more children into the world for nothing,— Shoto admitted, and for the first time, Endeavor's expression shifted to one of deep regret as he closed his eyes.
Hawks exhaled heavily.
—Alright. It's possible that the person who kidnapped your mother knows about this and is trying to expose it as part of a smear campaign against Endeavor. But it's just a theory for now.
Todoroki looked down at his hand, remembering the flames he had once despised.
—So... does this mean my fire Quirk belonged to one of All for One's followers?
—More or less,— Hawks said, taking a sip from his coffee, his expression suggesting it was too hot.
—But a manifested Quirk can't be implanted into a newborn. Their body wouldn't survive it,— Toshinori noted.
The police chief stepped in then.
—Dr. Kyudai Garaki developed highly advanced, albeit monstrous, technology,— he tried to explain. —It's possible he found a way.
Shoto immediately sensed that something was being withheld.
—If there's still something you're not telling me, I need to know now.
Endeavor, though harsher, agreed.
—I agree. I don't trust you one bit!
Hawks sighed in resignation.
—I guess that's what I get for playing the double agent too well. And sure, Endeavor, you can review the investigation,— Hawks gestured toward the stack of papers on the desk. —As for any information we might still be hiding, there's only one more thing. But again, it's just a theory that's hard to verify.
—I want to hear it,— Shoto insisted.
—We believe that Quirks in newborns are like seeds that haven't yet sprouted. To implant one, they would have had to take the potential from one child to give it to another.
Shoto's face fell slightly as he wondered if his mother had known this when she agreed to implant a fire Quirk, possibly taking it from another child.
—Knowing how rare fire Quirks are, we narrowed it down to children born the same year, with at least one parent possessing a fire-based Quirk, but who hadn't yet manifested it.
Shoto furrowed his brow.
—After applying those filters, only one name came up in the system. And I believe you know it, Mr. Yagi,— Hawks said, handing over a sheet of paper with a name on it:
Izuku Midoriya.
Bakugo was working out on an arm machine, letting his most violent thoughts fuel his workout.
He started by thinking of useless Deku, who seemed to be getting more confident with each passing day. But Bakugo knew he could still crush him like a bug whenever he wanted. Deku was just a small pebble in his path, not worth worrying about.
In his mind, he crushed Deku's head between the armrests of the machine, relishing the thought.
Then there was that second-year student at UA. Sure, it might take a bit more time, but Bakugo was eager for the chance to humiliate him and prove that he was nowhere near being the number one.
He imagined punching that idiot's face into the boxing bag, each hit satisfying his competitive fury.
And of course, he hadn't forgotten about that guy who had the nerve to mock him at the entrance of the school. Bakugo had something special saved for him—he thought, grinning maliciously.
On the treadmill, he imagined chasing the guy down, using his explosions to propel himself forward, watching the terror in his eyes as Bakugo closed in.
Suddenly, the lights in the gym flickered and then shut off completely. Bakugo stopped his workout, irritation rising as darkness surrounded him.
—Hey! There are still people here! —he shouted angrily.
—Sorry, looks like there's a power outage —called out one of the gym staff.
—Tch, great —Bakugo muttered, annoyed.
A guy who had also been on the treadmills made his way over to where a lamp illuminated the fuse box.
—If you want, I can help —he offered, pointing to himself.
—Really? —the staff member asked, clearly skeptical— I already checked the fuses, there's no damage, but I don't get why the emergency generator didn't kick in.
—I can give it some power. Not to brag, but I have great control over my electricity quirk. I'm even aiming to get into UA.
Bakugo narrowed his eyes, watching closely, his brow furrowed. Another rival? It seemed like more would keep popping up if he didn't stay alert. And there was no way he'd let anyone get in his way of becoming number one.
Todoroki walked with firm steps toward the beach, his determined expression starting to worry Toshinori, who followed closely behind. The cool breeze gently blew, making Todoroki's two-toned hair flutter, while the sound of the waves grew closer with every step.
—I know you're a good friend, young Todoroki —Toshinori began, passing by a lit streetlamp—. And I understand you feel like you should tell young Midoriya about Hawks' suspicions, but remember that what's done cannot be undone, if it turns out to be true.
Todoroki stopped abruptly. His fists clenched, and a mix of frustration and anger crossed his face.
—To think that being a hero was Midoriya's dream... and my family took that from him because of my father's ambition to surpass All Might —he couldn't contain himself and threw a strong punch at the streetlamp. The metal vibrated, and the light flickered slightly under the force of the impact—. I'd understand if Midoriya doesn't want to speak to me again after this.
Toshinori observed him in silence for a moment, recognizing the heavy burden Todoroki was carrying.
—I doubt that —he finally said—. You know the kind and forgiving nature of young Midoriya. Plus, this isn't something you could have decided. I believe he'll understand if you choose to tell him.
The streetlamp continued to flicker, perhaps because of Todoroki's punch. A heavy silence fell between them, broken only by the sound of the waves crashing on the nearby shore.
Finally, Todoroki broke the silence.
—For some time, I've noticed you have a particular interest in Midoriya —he paused, his sharp gaze locking onto Toshinori—. That's why I want to ask you now...
Toshinori swallowed hard.
—¿Are you Midoriya's secret father or something like that?
Toshinori could finally breathe again, letting out a small, relieved laugh.
—No, we're not connected like that. I'm just his mentor.
Todoroki furrowed his brow, his expression growing more thoughtful.
—But you are very important —Todoroki reflected—. I've noticed that both my father and Hawks trust you greatly. They've talked to you about delicate matters, things that are usually kept secret. Hawks even allowed you to review the information he found about All for One's plans for Tomura Shigaraki. If I had to guess, I'd say you're hiding your true identity from Midoriya.
Toshinori looked at him, impressed. He hadn't expected Todoroki to pay such close attention.
—I didn't think you were observing so much, young Todoroki —Toshinori said, his tone growing more serious.
Todoroki turned to face him directly, his gaze firm.
—It's part of being Endeavor's son —he replied—. So, will you tell me who you really are?
Toshinori lowered his head, feeling the weight of the questions and the truth he carried becoming harder to hide. After a few seconds, he gave a small smile, a mix of weariness and acceptance.
At that moment, the streetlamp went out, leaving them both in darkness.
Author's Notes.-
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