"W-what are you talking about?" Were the very first words out of Midoriya's mouth. "Why do you care about my quirk?"
The unidentified man sitting before him gave out a slight chuckle before responding. "I'm interested in hearing about how you've acclimated to it. That 'telekinesis' of yours is a particularly tricky one to master."
"I-I…don't understand." The boy countered. "Who are you? And what do you want from me?"
Under normal circumstances, All for One would've had a little bit of fun toying with the boy for a few more minutes. But the elderly man decided to have mercy on the child today and get straight to the point. After all, there were more interesting things to get to.
"Before I answer your questions my boy, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"W-what?"
"Your memories from the time you left home. Are they still a bit foggy?"
"How did you-"
If there was a state beyond confusion, then that is exactly what Midoriya was feeling right now. Who was this guy? Why was he acting so familiar with him? Why did he ask him about his quirk? And how exactly did he know that his memory about his time away from home wasn't all there.
Just like he told Tokage a while ago, a lot of that time is still one giant blur. It was something that he could never recollect, no matter how hard he tried. Obviously this man sitting before him had something to do with it. Or he was connected with it somehow. But what role did he have to play in this?
"Once again I have to apologize for deceiving in such a way, my boy. I simply didn't want to run the risk of anyone finding out about my hideout at the time. However, I supposed that now is a good time to put the missing pieces back together for you."
"Who…are…you-"
Without warning, a single black tentacle shot out of the man's hand and wrapped itself around Midoriya's head. Just when the boy was about to try and remove the appendage from his body a jolt of electricity surged through his veins. In an instant, it felt like a fog was lifted from his mind and the world around him suddenly became blank.
Life truly wasn't fair….
These were the words that repeated themselves in young Izuku Midoriya's mind, over and over again like a broken record scratching away at his sanity. It was a fact of reality that he learned at a very early age but tried to fight as much as he could. Everyday he would wake up with just the slightest bit of optimism that this one was going to be better than the last, only to have his expectations crushed immediately after. And today was no different.
What started out as a normal day quickly went from mediocre, to bad, to worse. All in the span of a couple of hours. A dramatic series of unfortunate events finally culminating into having his soul absolutely crushed by the one person that he looked up to most.
There was an old saying about never meeting your idols, and apparently it was true. In all honesty, it was an answer that Midoriya was expecting to hear. But that didn't stop him from hoping that maybe the "hero of heroes" was different from everyone else.
In the grand scheme of things, All Might's words were just the final straw that broke the camel's back. It wasn't even the realization that his dream will never come true. It was a lot more than that….
It was the laughter, the jokes, the pitying stares, the snide remarks, the less-than-stellar treatment. It was the realization that he was truly worthless in a world where people like him were obsolete. Becoming a hero wasn't even the least of his worries, being able to find a job and live a comfortable life might as well have been a far off dream for him. All because he lacked what eighty percent of the world did not, a quirk. An in-born trait that granted individuals special abilities far beyond that of a normal human being. Something that determined one's value as a person. Or his case, one's lack of value.
To Midoriya, today could easily be considered the second worst day of his life. Only after the day that he was officially diagnosed as quirkless.
The boy doesn't really remember what happened after his talk with the number one hero. His body had switched to autopilot and his mind became clouded. He briefly recalled something about an explosion happening nearby, but that was in the opposite direction in which he was travelling. But there was one thing that was absolutely clear in his mind...he needed to get away.
It was all too much. He just couldn't take it anymore. School, home, life, it was all just a repetitive cycle of pain and agony that he just couldn't go through any more. Maybe he was finally starting to lose it. Maybe his childhood friend turned bully telling him to jump off the roof of the school made a little too much sense. Maybe it was the look on his mother's face each and everyday as he lied to her to keep her from worrying about him. Maybe it was the growing number of scars on the right side of his abdomen that symbolized his steadily deteriorating state of mind.
Maybe all of these were the factors that contributed to his brash decision to run to the train station and board the first train that he could to get away from everything. It didn't matter to him where it went. As long as it was far away from where he was now, then that would be more than enough.
~Saitama Prefecture~
A little over a week had passed ever since that fateful day. And in that time the reality of the situation had already set in for Izuku Midoriya.
His brash and impulsive decision to leave everything behind was not one that he fully considered before taking the plunge. But in his mind, there was really no other way. To Midoriya, continuing on with his mediocre existence just wasn't an option. And against his better judgement he chose to stick with his choice.
The first couple of days weren't too bad. He managed to get by sleeping in the train station and using what little money he had on him to keep himself fed. But things quickly took a turn for the worst, especially in the last three days.
With the last of his money completely dried up, Midoriya found himself resorting to dumpster diving and hiding out behind restaurants in hopes of finding something to eat for the day. And if that wasn't bad enough, finding a relatively comfortable place to sleep was just as difficult. The only real positive out of this entire situation was the fact that he could spend a good portion of his day at the public library before being told to leave at closing time. There he would use his time to read some books and charge his cellphone. Which currently had over two hundred missed calls and text messages from his mother.
As much as it pained him to put the green haired woman through all of this, he knew it was for the best. Eventually she'll forget about him and finally live the life that she deserved. One free of having to deal with raising a defective son that had no use to the world. Or at least that's what he hoped.
-(o)-
On one particular night Midoriya found himself rushing to find shelter from a torrential downpour that seemingly came out of nowhere.
The quirkless boy had just lucked out and found a white, hooded sweatshirt that someone left in the nearby park. The article of clothing even had about five hundred yen stuffed into its main pocket. He tried to use the money at a local convenience store but was kicked out due to his less-than-stellar appearance. It had literally been days since the last time he showered and even he could see the thin layer of dirt starting to cover his body and clothes.
With the rain coming down harder and harder with each passing second, Midoriya finally found a small ray of hope in the form of an abandoned looking building a little further down the street. He had passed by the place a couple of times during the last few days and noticed how there was pretty much no activity either in or outside of it. Even now, not a single soul could be seen near the premise.
Seeing as this was his best option to stay dry, Midoriya quickly padded the wet ground over to the building and began searching for any possible ways inside. He scoured the perimeter for a good two minutes as he tried to find some type of opening.
'Maybe I should just try and go in through a window.' He thought to himself. Only to immediately shake away the thought. Although it was tempting, breaking through a window was a bit further than he was willing to go right now. He was hoping for the possibility that maybe one of the doors was unlocked, but that didn't look like the case.
For a brief moment, Midoriya paused as he squeezed himself underneath a shallow door frame in an attempt to minimize his exposure to the rain. There was only enough space for him to stand, which forced him to lean up against the uncomfortable concrete wall.
As much as he didn't want to admit, he was just about at his breaking point. These last few days living on the streets had been rough. Sure there were probably other people out there who were in way worse positions than he was right now. But that didn't stop him from feeling terrible about himself.
The quirkless boy took this time to think back to how he ended up here. Wet, hungry and alone while trying to shield himself from the elements. His mind flashed back to all the ridicule and torment he had suffered each and every day. And no matter how much he tried to keep to himself and lay low, people would find any excuse in the book to make his life hell.
If he was being completely honest, Izuku Midoriya hated his life. He hated it with every fiber of his being. Each and every day he would wake up disappointed that whatever deity was out there decided to plague him with another sunrise. He tried to be optimistic about things, but there was only so much that could handle. Especially when your value as a human being and your very existence was constantly called into question.
He hated how unfair the world was to him, simply for something that was completely out of his control. Meanwhile people like Kacchan, someone who was not a nice person by any stretch of the imagination, were put on a pedestal and praised for having been born lucky. It was times like this where Izuku truly wondered if he was paying off the sins of some previous life of his. Or if he might have actually been cursed.
Yeah…cursed, that was probably the most appropriate word that he could use. He was a defective boy cursed to be powerless in a world where power was everything. Condemned to a life of mediocrity and guaranteed hardship simply for something that was out of his control.
Midoriya's mind further descended into this line of thinking as time went on. With each passing second becoming more painful than the last. Eventually, he used what little willpower he had left to shake the water out of his hair and wipe the tears from his face.
"I can't stay here or else I'll get sick. I need to try and find somewhere dr- Blegh!"
All of a sudden, some foul smelling black liquid erupted from his mouth. This random occurrence immediately caused the green haired boy to panic. Unfortunately for him, Midoriya didn't have enough time to try and get himself out of this situation before he was consumed by darkness.
-(o)-
Just as quickly as it came, the darkness around Midoriya vanished. Whatever it was that came over him left an absolutely horrendous taste in his mouth. And the sudden shock of it was enough to force the frail teen to his knees and begin coughing.
"Well...what do we have here?" A voice suddenly said from not too far behind him.
Once the initial shock finally passed over, Midoriya immediately turned around in the direction that he heard the voice. And for a split second he was able to take in his surroundings. The boy found himself inside of a dimly lit room with large tables and filing cabinets along the walls. But what stuck out to him the most was right in front of him. There, on the opposite wall sat a person. Someone with a large frame who appeared to be dressed in a nice suit.
"W-w-who are y-you…." Midoriya didn't even get a chance to finish his inquiry before an overwhelming amount of fatigue came over him and the world around him faded to darkness.
"It appears that we have a visitor." The man whose features were covered by a dark shadow said in an amused tone to Kurogiri and the Doctor.
"Do you think that he could be a spy, sir?"
"He was snooping around the building for the last few minutes. I find it hard to believe that it was just a coincidence."
Spy or not, the man known as "All for One" didn't take kindly to unwanted guests poking their noses around his current hideout. From his seat, he looked over the green haired individual for a couple of seconds. He was young, thin, and judging by the backpack that he was wearing he might be a student of some kind. But despite his plain and innocent appearance, decades of experience told the man that he should never judge a book by its cover. Especially when that book could be aiding your enemies.
"Doctor, search his bag and see if there's anything of value in it. Kurogiri, place him on that table over there so that I can search his memories." The man ordered.
Like two well trained dogs, both men complied with the order without a moment's delay. The unnamed doctor quickly began rummaging through the boy's belongings while the humanoid mist set him on top of the nearest table that was next to a large tank. All for One had no clue who this person was or what he was doing poking around his hideout, but he was going to find out in a matter of seconds.
The elderly man stood up from his chair and began walking towards the boy's unconscious body. He was merely a few steps away when the doctor suddenly spoke up.
"Interesting…"
"What is it, Doctor?" Kurogiri then asked.
"This notebook…it appears as though the boy has an interest in heroes and their quirks. This book contains information on heroes with rather impressive detail."
"Is that so?" All for One said in a curious tone. His suspicions were low before, but now they were slightly elevated. "Let me see that."
The doctor complied and placed the item into his master's hand. Despite not having an actual set of eyes anymore, the elderly man still possessed an echolocation quirk that he acquired some time last year. When focused, this specific ability allowed him to read. So long as the words were written down on the page, he would be able to see them.
For about a minute he scanned over the pages and a slight smirk appeared on his face. Right in front of him was valuable information on many top ranked and local heroes that would normally take years to acquire. There was even a section on Endeavor's patrol habits depending on the weather.
'Interesting indeed….' He thought to himself before handing the book over to Kurogiri. "Scan this and put it into the doctor's server. We'll verify whether or not the information is true once I'm done with him."
Without so much as a word, the mist-man gave a slight bow before disappearing to complete his given task, leaving the All for One to begin his investigation. The man wasted no time in hovering over the boy's body and placing a hand atop his head.
"Chronicle." He spoke as the world inside of his mind began to change. Forming a pathway into the boy's memories. In times like this it was best to start with the most recent events and work backwards. And something told him that this boy had quite the interesting story.
Images of this child's life began running through vision like a film reel. What All for One hadn't expected was for him to be a common street vagrant. It was a rarity for someone of his age to be living such a life, but nothing that he hadn't seen before. As the days went by, All for One made a point to take note of anything that he deemed important. Movement patterns, habits, communications. Anything that could be used as valuable information.
It didn't take long before the man grew bored of this. Apparently, his hunch was wrong and the boy was nothing more than a middle schooler who ran away from home. Just when he was about to release the effects of 'chronicle' something caught his eye. Actually it wasn't something, more like someone. And that someone was a person that he recognized all too well.
'All Might.'
As if he were operating a remote control to a television, the man paused and played the scene at normal speed, making sure to analyze every moment of the encounter. There he watched his foe effortlessly save this child from certain death by the hands of some low-level thug with a transformation quirk. He wondered what kind of condition the blonde haired man was in following their last battle, and here he was getting a firsthand account of it.
Then he saw it, all of it. He watched the number one hero deflate like a balloon and then reveal that he was only able to maintain his hero form for a paltry three hours a day. He watched the boy ask the hero in a skittish tone about his chances of becoming just like him. He witnessed the heartbreak as the boy watched the blonde haired man give him some "words of wisdom" before walking through the door at the top of the building.
Although he wasn't actually able to discern what the boy was thinking, he could still sense the emotions that he was feeling during that time. And all of them were pointing to one thing…despair. Hatred, disgust, agony, distress. All feelings that one achieves when they've reached the bottom of the abyss. Ones that could easily be manipulated if nurtured properly.
It was something that he had seen countless times amongst his followers over the many years that he had lived. And it was something that could be exploited given time and patience. Deciding to delve a little deeper, All for One went further into the boy's memories to gather more information. And as he did so, a brilliant idea came to mind. One that would prove to be most entertaining for him.
"Sir?"
"Well Doctor, it appears as though fate has smiled upon me once again..."
-(o)-
When Midoriya finally came to, he found himself in a dramatically different place than he was before. His surroundings were replaced by a lavish looking room with antique paintings and decorations one would only find in a museum.
'What the hell happened?' He asked himself as the blurriness faded from his vision.
"Forgive me, Izuku Midoriya. I do apologize for having to knock you out. But you can never be too careful these days." The same mechanical voice from before spoke to him.
Out of instinct Midoriya jumped back, only to find himself sitting on a comfortable red sofa next to a wall. He then lifted his head up to get a look at who was addressing him. Sitting directly across at a large desk was quite the peculiar sight. It was the same man from before. Except now he was able to fully take in his appearance. He was tall, well built and sporting a mask with multiple pipes running through it.
"No need to be afraid, young one. I guarantee that no harm will come to you here."
"W-who are you?! Where am I?!" Midoriya blurted out in a frantic tone.
"I should be asking you the same thing, child. After all...you were the one lurking around my property in the middle of the night."
Midoriya bit his tongue before responding. The man sitting in front of him had a point. He was poking around somewhere that he shouldn't have been. Of course he had no clue that anyone was occupying the building. But that didn't take away from the fact that he tired breaking into the place.
"I-I'm sorry!" He apologized, more out of reflex than anything else.
"Don't worry, my boy. I'm not angry at all. Oh...where are my manners? Would you like some tea?" The man politely asked as he began pouring a cup from the pot on his right side.
"U-um...y-y-yes." Midoriya nervously nodded before accepting the offer. Something in the back of his mind told him that he shouldn't drink it seeing as he had no clue what was in it. So for the time being he simply held the cup in his hands.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself, my name is Yamamoto. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Midoriya wasn't a skeptical person by nature, but he doubted that was the man's real name. Yet given the situation that he was in, he wasn't dumb enough to call him out on it. "It's n-nice to meet you too, sir."
"So...would you care to explain why a young man like yourself is wandering the streets at this late hour? It's rather dreadful out there."
"I-I...I was looking to get out of the rain. I'm sorry, I d-didn't know that anyone lived here."
"As I said before, it's no trouble at all." All for One told him. It was painfully clear that the boy was the nervous type, you didn't even need to peek into his mind to come to that conclusion. However, this would only benefit him more. In situations like this it's best to make a person as comfortable as possible. Not enough to where they would completely let their guard down. But enough to where they would be more willing to engage in conversation.
"You see, I don't get many visitors these days. I guess you could say that I'm somewhat of a recluse. My current condition prevents me from interacting with people as much as I would like."
"Oh…" The boy simply nodded.
"Now that you're finally awake Midoriya, I have some questions that I would like you to answer."
"I don't…h-how do you know my name?"
"Ah yes, I took the liberty of searching through your belongings when I brought you in here. You had your student card on you."
"Oh…"
There was an awkward silence between the two that lingered for a good thirty seconds. Midoriya really had no clue what to think of this situation. Here he was, in some opulently decorated room sitting across from some weird man who was giving off a rather intimidating aura. As the boy tried to figure out exactly what he should do next, the man decided to strike up a new conversation.
"You're free to leave anytime you'd like. However...the rain is still coming down rather forcefully and doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon. Would you care to entertain an old man in the meantime? Something tells me that the two of us have a lot to discuss."
"I...w-what do you want to t-talk about?"
Instead of verbal response, the man held up the charred remains of his "Hero Analysis" notebook in his hand. The same one that his bully torched the day that he ran away from home. "I stumbled upon this while you were asleep. And might I say...it's a very impressive piece of work. I'm a quirk researcher myself, and your observations are top class."
"Thank you..."
"Your insight into potential uses and applications for quirks is rather remarkable. I'd even go so far to say that you'd put most university students to shame."
"You...think so?"
"Why of course!" The man smiled. "I've been studying quirks for a long time you see. When I read through your work, I was pleasantly surprised at the level of detail in your writings. It's obvious to me that you possess quite the brilliant mind."
"Thank you." The boy simply said. It was clear to All for One that the praise he was giving the boy was making him more comfortable. Which is exactly what he needed. And now that he had him right where he wanted, it was time to turn things up a bit.
"I'd love to pick your brain about a few observations that you've made. It's not often that I get the chance to engage in conversation with someone who shares my passions. Especially one as young as yourself."
"That's fine, I guess."
"Excellent…" All for One smiled.
Over the next hour or so the two engaged in rather titillating conversation centered around quirk research and theory. Although he was reluctant at first, Midoriya found himself becoming more and more comfortable as time went on. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but there was something about this man that sparked his interest. Enough so that his earlier concerns seemed to vanish as time went on.
For All for One, something like this was childsplay. Over his many years he developed a skill for making himself more endearing to the object of his interests. And it was clear to him that this boy was so starved for attention that he didn't even realize it. However that was only one part of the equation.
Simply put, the boy was brilliant. A hidden gem that had fallen right into his lap. His knowledge on quirks was impressive by itself. But he could see the seeds of a budding intellect yet to reach its full potential. All for One truly was a lucky man, even in his current state the universe had blessed him with another tool to achieve his goals. One that would be most useful if guided properly.
'This boy should prove to be quite the valuable ally to Tomura in the future.'
Eventually the conversation died down and All for One was ready to enact the next step of his plan. One where he would make the boy an offer that he'd be foolish to refuse. Given what he saw inside of Midoriya's memories he knew that the boy was desperate. Desperate for a chance to change the course of his life. To find a purpose in a world that shunned him so ruthlessly.
"Tell me Midoriya, what are your plans for the future? A bright young man such as yourself must have some lofty aspirations that would put your talents to good use."
"I…" Midoriya paused for a moment. He knew exactly what he wanted to say, but there was something deep inside that prevented him from letting the words come out. "I...d-don't know."
"Really? With the passion in which you talk about heroes and quirks, I assumed that you wanted to become one yourself."
"I...c-can't become a hero." His demoner immediately fell into one of sadness.
"Why not?"
"B-because….because I-I don't have a quirk. People like me can't become heroes. It...it's impossible."
"And what fool told you something like that?" All for One asked, already knowing the answer.
"Someone that I used to look up to." Those words were accompanied by a slight tense of his muscles and a clench of his fists. Something that All for One was quite pleased to see.
"I see. Well, whoever this person was, they were a fool to tell you something so ridiculous. Even now, I can tell that you'd become a marvelous hero."
All Midoriya did was stay silent. As happy as it made him to finally hear those words he had to take them with a grain of salt. To him, no matter what he couldn't achieve his dream.
"If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to become a hero? Is it fame, or even fortune?"
"No, nothing like that." He shook his head. "I just...I just want to help people. I know it sounds silly, but I just want to be able to do what I can to make sure that people are safe and don't have to be afraid."
'Hmmm...he reminds me of my brother.' All for One mused. He could practically feel the sincerity in the boy's words. Although he himself could never truly understand the sentiment. The sheer thought of living one's life in the service of others was childish to him. But nonetheless, it was something that he could use to his advantage.
"My boy, what if I told you that there was a way for you to achieve your dreams? A way for you to gain a quirk, one that would allow you to save countless lives."
"That's impossible." Midoriya immediately countered.
"Impossible is a word used by those with small minds and weak wills. After all, we live in a world where the impossible happens on a daily basis."
"What do you mean?"
All for One gave the boy a smile that sent a chill down his spine before responding. "Young Midoriya, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Would you like to know what my quirk is?"
"What is it?"
"I have quite the miraculous ability. My quirk allows me to bestow quirks onto others. I won't go into details because the explanation is rather...complicated. However, if you so desire I can endow you with a quirk that would give you more than a fighting chance." He explained, leaving out the parts that the boy didn't need to know.
"What?!"
"It's the truth, my boy. I've done so many times before, it would be as easy as drawing a breath."
To say that Midoriya's mind was now reeling would be an understatement. Did a quirk like that really exist? One that could give power to others? That couldn't be true. Quirks themselves were genetic, the only way they could be passed down was through blood. There was no way that something like that could exist. If it did….
"You're lying!"
"I assure you, I am not. I've had many friends over the years who I've blessed with this power. And something tells me that you would benefit greatly from my generosity."
Against his better judgement, Midoriya decided to humor the man and his ramblings. A part of him knew that he was lying. But another was also curious. Curious enough to see if what he was telling him actually had some merit.
"If...if t-that was true, w-what kind of quirk would you give me?"
All for One stayed silent as he contemplated his response. He took a good look at the green haired teen and considered the possibilities. In his collection were a myriad of quirks that he had accumulated over the years. Ones powerful and useful depending on the situation. However, there was one that seemed to be the best fit.
'Tornado's would be quite interesting to see.' He thought.
It had been almost two years since he acquired that woman's quirk. And as much as it annoyed him to admit it, he himself didn't have much use for it. Due to the damage that his body sustained during his fight with All Might, operating that particular power was troublesome. The strain on the parts of his brain that it activated used up too much stamina and caused migraines after only a few seconds. He briefly considered transferring it into one of his Nomu's, but those creatures lacked the higher level brain function to actually use it. At least the ones that were currently available.
But now that he thought about it, Midoirya might be a good candidate for it. Quirkless people were like stem cells, their bodies were equivalent to blank slates that could easily be molded into something spectacular. His mother possessed a low-level telekinetic quirk. And if his hunch was correct, Midoriya should be able to adapt to it relatively easily. If not, then he could easily reclaim it. Or he might even be able to offer up the boy as a subject for the doctor's new "High-End Nomu Project".
With his mind made up, All for One stood up from his seat and began approaching the boy.
"Now listen well, my boy. What I plan to give you is quite the blessing, many people out there would give anything for a power of this magnitude. As such, it comes with a price."
"A price?" Midoriya unknowingly retreated further into the sofa.
"Don't worry, it's nothing major. All I ask is that you return the favor to me someday. Think of it as a transaction in which you will one day repay my kindness."
"You're...y-you're serious?"
"Why yes, what would I gain from lying to you?"
"I...I don't know what to s-say."
"Well, do you accept? This is the opportunity of the lifetime I am offering you."
Paranoia and doubt were the only things that Midoriya was feeling at this moment. Could he be serious? Was this man really offering him a quirk? The one thing that he had been wishing for his entire life. No, there was no way. It just didn't seem possible. Something like this was way too good to be true.
"The favor!" He blurted out for reasons unknown to him. "What's the favor?!"
"I simply ask that when I call upon you, you help me out in any future endeavors that would require your assistance. Someone like you would prove to be a valuable ally for my goals."
Maybe it was the stress of the situation. Or possibly even the fact that he was more desperate than what he realized. But all Midoriya could do was nod his head. If what this masked man was saying were true, then how could he not accept the offer? It was as if an angel had descended from the heavens to grant him a lifelong wish.
"Excellent." All for One smiled. "And I know exactly what power would suit you the best."
"What-" Midoriya was cut off when the man placed his hand on the top of his head.
"I'll admit that even I have a difficult time controlling this one. But it should serve you quite well."
"What is-"
"Don't worry my boy, you will feel no pain. Go on and achieve your dream. And you'd do well to know that if you ever chose to return to me, I am here...for you."
At that exact same moment, Midoriya felt a surge of electricity rush through him. It was if every cell in his body had been lit on fire and ignited with an energy that he couldn't really describe. Just as quickly as it came the feeling passed, leaving him dazed and slightly dizzy.
All the boy could do was look back up the man in confusion. He definitely felt different, in a way that he couldn't put into words. But for some reason, his mind felt lighter.
"Now…" All for One spoke. "It will take some time for you to get used to that new power of yours. So be sure to train hard and work diligently. I have faith that you will become an excellent hero...and an even more extraordinary ally."
"Ally? What do you…." Once again, the world faded to darkness before the boy finished his sentence. And just like before, he was out cold in a matter of seconds.
With his plan now in motion, All for One walked back over to his desk and pressed a button on the underside of the table. And in an instant, a well-dressed Kurogiri appeared before him.
"Master?" The humanoid mist looked to the man before noticing the unconscious teenager on the sofa to his right.
"Take young Midoriya and drop him off somewhere dry. I've adjusted his memory to where he won't remember our little talk for now."
"What do you intend to do with him, sir?"
"The boy needs time to develop his quirk. As he is now he wouldn't be of much use. It will be some time before I'll need to reclaim him, so for now I'll allow him to roam free." He answered in a matter of fact tone.
"Yes sir, I have some business on the other side of the prefecture. I'll drop him off along the way."
"Thank you, Kurogiri."
The mist man simply bowed and used his quirk to create a portal around the boy. He himself knew not to ask too many questions when it came to his master's schemes. Whatever he was planning on doing to this boy, it must've been important if he was so gracious enough to keep him alive.
With his servant now gone, All for One took a moment to admire his handiwork. He truly enjoyed when things worked out in his favor. Especially when it happened in such an unexpected way.
'I have to thank you, All Might. You've provided me with quite the tool.'
What Midoriya didn't know however was that All for One took the liberty of making a few changes to his memory prior to Kurogiri taking him away. Nothing truly significant, but enough to further cement his plans in quite the interesting way.
-(o)-
"If you want to help people there are plenty of other ways to do it. Become a police officer. They get crap because the heroes capture most of the villains. But it's a fine profession." The now deflated form of All Might said to Midoriya as he made his way to the door.
"It's not bad to have a dream, young man. Just...make sure your dreams are attainable...and realistic, understand?"
The next words that came out of the hero's mouth were truly the nail in the coffin for Midoriya's sanity.
"I know that you probably don't want to hear this...but there's just not a lot of things that quirkless people can do in today's society. Becoming a hero is just one example of that. I'm sorry, but that's just the way that the cookie crumbles, kid. Opportunities for people like you are limited and they're not that great. You're obsolete. In this world, power is everything. And those without power don't really have a lot of options. It'd be best for you to just accept that and stay out of people's way."
And with that, All Might closed the door behind him. Leaving behind a boy with a hollow mind and a now broken spirit.
The sudden rush of information was a little too much for the boy's mind to handle. It was as if the missing piece of the puzzle had finally been put into its proper spot. Patching up the incomplete fragment of his mind that plagued him for the last year. As the appendage uncoiled itself from his head, Midoriya quickly looked up at the man he now fully recognized.
"Y-you…"
"Like I said before, I apologize for having to do that to you."
A flurry of emotions washed over the boy's body and the only thing he could do was drop his knees.
"M-my quirk….you g-gave me my quirk…."
"Yes, and as I said before it was a power that would help you realize your goals."
"I...don't...I don't k-know…"
"Pick yourself up off the floor, my boy. A man of your brilliance doesn't look good on his knees." All for One said to him in a tone that would consider "soft".
Words failed Midoriya at that moment. He had no clue where to even begin. Standing before him was the man that gave him another chance at life. Someone who granted him a blessing that one could only dream of. Except this man, he was working for the 'League of Villains'. No...it was the exact opposite. The group of criminals was working for him.
"It would be a shame if you got mixed up with Tomura's plans for the time being. So instead of having to deal with him, I've decided to let you spend some time with me."
"W-why?" He questioned.
"It's as I said before. The two of us have some catching up to do. And I'm particularly interested to hear about your progress…."
~Tokage House~
It had barely been a full day since the attack on the camp and Tokage was arguably in worse condition than she was before. After being released from the hospital and giving her testimony to the police, the girl and her family returned to their home so that she could relax. Except relaxing was the absolute last thing on her mind.
There had been no updates on the situation concerning Midoriya and things didn't bode well. In her mind, the boy was being subjected to unspeakable tortures at the hands of those villains and there was nothing that she could do about it. All she could do was sit and wait. Hoping that any minute now she'd get some kind of alert that the green haired boy had been saved.
Tokage looked at her still regenerating left arm and the images of last night flashed before her mind. Those villains were more than willing to kill if given the chance. Her own injuries were enough proof of that. The man with the fire quirk was enough trouble as it was. But that psychotic blonde who stabbed her particularly rubbed her the wrong way. And the possibility that Midoriya couldn't use his quirk made the situation even more precarious.
'Ugh...this is fucking killing me!' The girl internally groaned as she threw herself back onto her bed.
All of a sudden the door to her room opened, revealing her aunt. The woman paused for a second as she took in the sight of his youngest niece. Without a word, Kayama walked over and sat herself down on the edge of the girl's bed.
"How are you holding up?" The "R-Rated" heroine asked in a soft tone.
"I'm doing great!" Tokage said sarcastically. "I'm stressed out, missing a third of my arm, oh...and my boyfriend got kidnapped by some villains who are probably torturing him as we speak!"
Kayama fell silent as she tried to find the right words to say. It pained her to see her niece in such a state. She herself was used to situations such as this, being the experienced hero that she was. But this was Tokage's first time ever dealing with these kinds of hardships.
"Listen to me Setsuna, everything is going to be just fine." She scooted a bit closer and patted the girl on the head. "Midoriya and Bakugou will be fine, I'm sure of it."
"And how can you know something like that?! Those people are crazy! We don't even know what they wanted them for in the first place."
"I know how you feel, honestly. But in times like this it's best to keep a level head and trust that the heroes are doing everything that they can to bring them home safely. Think about it, would those villains really go through all that trouble just to hurt them?"
"Probably not…." The green haired girl conceded. "But that doesn't make me feel any better."
Once again, the heroine took a moment to consider her next words. She was accustomed to doing everything that she could to pacify someone in times of crisis. But it was a whole different story when a person you care about is the one who's been hurt. Against her better judgement, Kayama decided to relay some information that would put the girl's mind at ease.
"I doubt it would. But listen...I'm not supposed to tell you this, but the heroes are planning an operation to get them back tonight. If everything goes well, we'll have Midoriya back in a few hours."
"What?!" The girl shot up and stared directly into her aunt's blue eyes. Was she serious? They were going to get Midoriya back tonight? This was the best thing that she's heard all day.
"Since I'm not part of the operation, I don't have all the details. But All Might is going with them. And they'll have more than a few heavy hitters to make sure that they bring him back safely."
A sense of relief washed over Tokage's body after hearing this information. She trusted her aunt's words more than anything. So if she was certain that they'd be getting her boyfriend back in one piece that was more than good enough for her. For now at least….
"But it won't do you any good to just sit in here and mope around until then. Come now, Urie is almost done with dinner and you need to eat so that your arm can finish regenerating. We're having an extra big helping of yakitori."
"Fine…" The girl sighed as she willed herself out of her bed to join the rest of her family in the dining room. But even with the knowledge that she had now, she couldn't help but worry about how her green-bean was doing.
'God...I hope he'll be okay.'
~A few hours later.~
With the confirmation from Ragdoll concerning the whereabouts of the two students, the operation to retrieve Midoriya and Bakugou was already underway. Time was of the essence with this and everyone knew the stakes. Even with the limited information that they had to work with the heroes and police had put together a surefire plan that was both quick and efficient.
Team Alpha, consisting of All Might, Blizzard, Edgeshot, Kamui Woods, Gran Torino, Tsukauchi and a few other officers were going to assault what they believed to be the 'League of Villains' main base of operations. Which was an unassuming building where Bakugou was currently being held. During their brief scouting mission, Ragdoll and Tiger were able to spot a man who fit the description of the one known as Dabi, along with another who they knew as Twice.
While on the other end of the equation Team Bravo, whose ranks included Endeavor, Best Jeanist, Tiger, Gang Orca, Mt. Lady and their own unit of officers were going to make a move on another building in the factory district of the ward. This was where Midoriya was being held. And thanks to earlier reports they were able to identify a few of the Nomu creatures in some sort of stasis tanks. The original plan was to have All Might and Endeavor on the same team, but due to the number two hero's protest he was switched out with Blizzard.
As the group of heroes were mere seconds away from making their move Best Jeanist waited for the signal to begin. And luckily, he didn't have to wait long before giving the green light to Mt. Lady to destroy the outer wall.
Inside the building, All for One was more than ready for their hasty attack to begin. The security cameras he placed all around the block had alerted him to what was going on outside. And he was admittedly impressed with how quickly his foes had sniffed him out. He would've preferred to have a bit more time with his pawn, but the rest of their conversation would have to wait for later.
"It seems that we have some visitors." The man spoke as he put the finishing touches on securing his respiratory mask to his head.
"What's going on?" A now recovered Midoriya looked at the man in confusion. Even with his injuries now healed thanks to one of the man's quirks, the boy was still wary of trying to break out of his prison. Especially since he had no clue as to where he was.
"We'll continue that little discussion of ours later, my boy. But for now...I require your assistance."
"What do you mea-"
Without any warning, All for One placed his hand on the boy's head and Midoriya's mind suddenly became clouded. It was almost as if someone plunged his brain into a bucket of ice cold water.
"Obedience!"
In the blink of an eye, the outer wall of the building came crashing down thanks to Mt. Lady. The pro heroes on the scene were quick to round up the Nomu in the area and immediately began searching for their objective.
"Keep those things under control and get the transport ready!" Endeavor ordered. "That boy has to be here somewhere!"
"These things are disgusting." Mt. Lady scrunched her face at the sight of the ugly creatures she was holding within her grasp.
Suddenly, the air around them grew stale and the sound of footsteps steadily approaching them caused everyone to tighten up and get into their fighting stances.
"My, my, you heroes sure have created quite the mess here. It's going to take quite a bit of time for me to clean this up." An ominous voice spoke to them.
"Are you with the League?" Gang Orca questioned the shadowy figure.
All for One didn't respond. Instead, he kept on walking towards them. And with each step the air grew colder.
"Stop there, don't move!"
Deciding not to wait for an invitation, Best Jeanist quickly sprang into action and activated his quirk. In a fraction of a second, the tall figure was trapped within a binding made from his own clothing.
"Who are you?!" Endeavor shouted.
"How troublesome." All for One said in a calm tone that almost sounded amused. "As easy as it would be for me to break these constraints myself, I think that I should let my young friend here stretch his legs a bit. He's got quite a bit of pent up aggression and it would be good for him to blow off some steam"
"What are you talking about?!"
After the words came out of Tiger's mouth another figure appeared right next to the first. Unfortunately for the heroes, their brief hesitation at the sight of this newcomer would prove to be a costly mistake.
"Hellstorm!"
Author's Notes: There's quite a lot that I want to say about this chapter. But for now I'll just let you guys come to your own conclusions.
1. Yes, AFO did alter Midoriya's memories about his meeting with All Might. That's going to come up later when this whole debacle is finished. The two won't have a lot of interactions after that. And a lot of you might not be pleased with the outcome of their conversation. Fair warning….
2. I won't give too much away about what's going to happen next. But here's a little hint: Midoriya vs Fubuki part 2 (Full Powered Versions).
Like always, thank you for reading and don't be afraid to drop a comment/review. I'm always interested in seeing what you guys think about this story.