Chapter 36: Midoriya Izuku XXXII

A/N: And here it is, the first of the two chapters coming out this week! Hope that you all enjoy…

There's the split second of indecision that fills his veins the moment Nezu's feet touch the ground. One part of him wants to run; the other part of him wants to stand and fight.

The former, he knows, would be rather useless. If Nezu's here, then there's no doubt that the man has contingency upon contingency in place to ensure Izuku stays wherever he wants him to be. And even then, that isn't even considering the urban landscape, which would grant Nezu an edge in movement. Combined, Izuku would be down within a minute.

As for the latter, well… It's a completely stupid idea. For one, Nezu's in front of him. And Izuku was completely overpowered by the diminutive being in their last confrontation. And then there's Power Loader. His quirk won't do much if avoiding property damage is on his mind. But if not, what the man lacks in finesse he makes up for in raw power and destructive capability. And besides, if Hatsume suddenly decides to join in, making the confrontation a true three-on-one, well… He'd be unconditionally screwed, seeing as the contents of her luggage aren't completely known to him.

So if he decides to fight he'll lose… Unless he goes all out… But he'd rather avoid that for now. An ace up one's sleeve isn't as effective when known, after all.

So of course, he does the natural thing when caught in a situation akin to this, and freezes up. That gains a reaction out of Nezu — a small, derisive laugh, barely noticeable to the average human. Of course, to an individual like Izuku with a quirk like his, it's quite a simple feat. And, it just so happens that so is hearing the metallic tinge that enfolds every single movement the principal of Yuuei makes.

Thankfully, for Izuku's sanity, the principal seems content to stand still, at least for the moment. So Izuku takes advantage of the short calm before the storm, and analyzes.

Surprisingly, it isn't far into his observation before Izuku notices the discrepancies. For one, it's clear that the 'Nezu' before him isn't actually the real Nezu at all — it's a robot. Not that most, if anyone, would actually notice that fact, that is.

For some reason the robot is wearing actual fitted clothes, and even appears to have some sort of synthetic fur covering up its exterior plating and endoskeleton. The only reason he can even tell that it's a robot is because he can hear the servos and gears turning underneath its surface, the electrical currents working to move joints and replicate expressions and movement.

It's a near indistinguishable, life-like replication of the Nezu he knows — and as a result it's still as equally terrifying as the real thing.

It hadn't activated until Hatsume had found it, he's sure now. And without any signs of biological breathing, and with it being hidden within the enormous pile of Hatsume's stuff, its true nature flew right under Izuku's radar. And as a result he's been caught in the sights of one of the few individuals he truly fears.

It doesn't matter that the robot isn't the real Nezu. It doesn't matter that the form in front of him is metal and wires instead of flesh and bone. Izuku has no doubt that Nezu's piloting, that he's watching through the robot's lenses. For all intents and purposes, he's facing the real thing. If not worse, since he isn't aware of all the robot's capabilities.

Izuku takes a breath. And thinks.

Alright. First things first: don't panic.

"I assure you, there's no need to panic," the Nezu bot declares, wrapping his arms around his back. The grin it makes after it announces that stares right into Izuku's soul.

Izuku gulps, averting his eyes. And of course he can figure out my thoughts just by looking at me.

"But of course," Nezu says while giving a regal nod. "It's like the last time we have met, seeing as it seems you haven't practiced. Your microexpressions tell all there is to know."

Izuku's eye twitches in response. He then tries to rein in his emotions and facial movements.

"No point in trying to rid yourself of said expressions," the robot cheerily says. "To learn to do so at the skill of a master would take quite the dedication. And even then, to reach such a degree as to trick me? Essentially impossible, Michimoto-kun. So I suggest that you stop while you're ahead. For your own sake, of course."

Well… crap.

"Hey, uh, Nezu?" Power Loader interrupts — rather scantily, Izuku notes through the man's voice. "Maybe you shouldn't, uh, freak out the kid? I mean, he isn't even your student anymore."

"Oh, nonsense." 'Nezu' waves his hand in dismissal. "Michimoto-kun here and I came to an arrangement last we met. He quite enjoys our little game that we have going. Really pumps his veins full of adrenaline, you know?"

Adrenaline… Right. And what arrangement? That he wouldn't follow me?

It's at this point that Hatsume decides to slide down from her mountain of luggage. Unfortunately for her, her sense of balance doesn't seem to be quite up to par, seeing as she tumbles and falls to the ground face first.

Before Power Loader can move to assist her, however, she springs up to her feet, unharmed and mouthing off as if her fall never even happened.

"Wow! Principal Nezu! It's been a while! And now that I think about it, I haven't actually gotten the chance to thank you for what you did for me!"

"But of course," the robot says, nodding in Hatsume's direction. "When I had learned of your excitement that the support companies wished to outsource you under a provisional program, it wasn't a hard decision to allow as such."

"Of course," the robot continues, turning to face Izuku, "I'm not all there is to thank."

Izuku — or rather, Michimoto, chokes up, bringing a blush up to his face. "Oh. I mean, I didn't really do anything… I just—"

"Oh oh oh! But you've got to tell me!" Hatsume interrupts. She hastily crouches down and starts grabbing a hold of the robot's various limbs, squeezing and applying pressure where she seems fit. "Who did you get to make this nifty little robot you got here? I didn't notice it awhile ago when you were in my stuff, but I figured it out while you were talking!"

Seriously? But… how?

"And this is some high quality stuff right here!" Hatsume continues. She ends up going so far as to lift the robot up, turning it over and examining its every nook and cranny. "So huh? Tell me! Tell me!"

"Wait," Power Loader interrupts. "I was about to reproach you for manhandling the principal, Hatsume. But… are you telling me that that isn't actually the principal, but a robot?"

"Seems that I've been found out!" the robot says with a laugh. "Don't worry, Majima-kun. What you see before you is indeed a robotic replication in my likeness. I call it the Nezubot Mk. IV! And no, Hatsume-san. I won't be telling you the origins of this piece of equipment; personal secrets and all. Instead, I'll let it inspire you to make something similar. That being said, I would appreciate it if you would put me down, though."

"Alright!" Hatsume complies with the principal's request and sets his robotic counterpart down on the ground.

Nezu makes a show and dusts himself off — really? — before he speaks up once more. "Now, down to business."

"I'm a bit confused about that," Power Loader adds. "What business exactly are you referring to? I mean, I thought that you had wanted me to come here alone? If you wanted to tag along, why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

"Oh but you have! Come alone, I mean." Nezu lets out a chuckle. "After all, I am sitting in my office at the moment. Currently you are the only staff member of Yuuei there."

Power Loader sighs. "Right. Of course." He creases his nose. "And this business you speak of?"

"I wish to converse with Michimoto-kun about some private matters! He's been avoiding me, so I saw this as my best chance to catch him in a corner!" Nezu cackles, his robot form shaking in unbound excitement.

"Right. Of course." Power Loader clears his throat and then looks over to Izuku. "Good luck, kid."

Power Loader then quickly turns, pulling along Hatstume and leading her to her luggage. "Well come on Hatsume, let's get this stuff loaded into the truck that we had to go out our way to hire in order to accommodate all the stuff you're bringing!"

"Thanks for that by the way!" Hatsume exclaims. "I couldn't imagine not bringing any of this with me!" The teacher-student duo then get to work, sorting through Hatsume's stuff.

Meanwhile, Izuku is left alone with the Nezubot, the two left to stare at each other in silence. In those short moments, Izuku ends up learning that, even when fake, the robot's eyes can convey surprisingly expressive contents through their lenses.

He's so caught up in the robot's eyes that he can feel the way his heart leaps up in his chest when the Nezubot steps in his direction.

"No need to be so jumpy, Midoriya-kun. I'm just here to talk, after all."

And… he knows my name… Yeah… Expected that, honestly.

"Now," Nezu continues, "seeing as the ruse has been exposed." A hiss emanates from the Nezubot's chest cavity. Izuku, still cautious, immediately backs away and takes a ready stance, expecting the worst.

He isn't quite respecting a tea set, complete with biscuits, steaming tea, and all.

"Tea?" Nezu asks as he pours himself a cup.

"I…" Incredulous with the turn of events and the oddness of the scenario, he latches onto the first thing that his mind allows him to. "Were you not just jostled around a moment ago?" Izuku asks. "Shaken and turned over? And with… all that fragile glass inside you."

"I was." The Nezubot takes a sip of tea.

Izuku blinks. "And now you're drinking tea? As a robot?"

"Your point?" The robot makes a sound, as if it's clearing its throat. "Alright! Now, come. Walk with me; let's take a round around the building, hmm? I promise that I'm not luring you to an isolated location so that I can kidnap you for myself."

And his defenses are suddenly back up to full.

"That was a joke, you know."

"I'm sure that it was."

The two — much to Izuku's chagrin — begin to walk. Izuku ends up pouring himself a cup of tea, justifying that it likely doesn't have any sort of poison or sedative in it. Probably. But he needs something to soothe his nerves.

Even so, Izuku consciously finds himself distancing himself a bit from the Nezubot.

"It is!" Nezu retorts. "This iteration of my Nezubot has yet to have any kidnapping protocols installed. So you're safe on that front, Midoriya-kun."

"The fact that those are even in the works—"

"You know, I was sure that the moment I landed on the ground that you were about ready to call Kurogiri for a quick extraction. You surprised me a bit, however, with your self-restraint. Tell me, what was it? Hatsume-san being present? Power Loader standing just behind you? Surprise over my robotic, non-fleshy form?"

Izuku takes a sip of his tea. No strange flavors. So far so good. Though I wouldn't put it past the rat to use flavorless additives.

"Ah." Nezu giggles. "I see."

… Did he get something from me just because I decided to take a sip?

"I did."

Of course.

Izuku eventually finds it in himself to speak up. "Just here to talk, you say?"

"Unless you force my paw, that is."

Izuku ignores the modified expression and finds it in himself to continue. "Look. If you expect me to trust you, then you're barking up the wrong tree, Principal. I mean, you know me. Me me. The real me. Knowing you, you know everything there is to know about me — weaknesses and all. There's nothing that you've left unturned, and the only things even possibly about me that are safe from your mind are my secrets about the League. And even that's questionable. So if we aren't here to talk about threats: about what I can do with the information that I stole, or what you can end up doing to either Ibara or Todoroki, then I see no reason to be here. You're the enemy and—"

"I don't quite necessarily think that to be true, Midoriya-kun."

"...What."

"Don't get me wrong. The way I see it, The League of Villains is something that needs to be squashed down like you would an ant. They're only a catalyst for destabilization, not one of true reform. Not at all like you."

Nezu lets out a chuckle. "You. Me. Enemies? I suppose that we could go down that route if that is what you desire. It'd be quite the spectacle for everyone else. And I'm sure that with your skills you'd provide me an entertaining time — and that's not something that many can boast about, you know."

The robot takes another tea of tea. Izuku can hear as the liquid travels down into a pipe and into another empty cavity in the robot's chest. Izuku files away that fact for later, if just to further decipher the rat's inane tendencies.

"As is," Nezu continues, "I think we can actually work out something much more mutually beneficial instead."

"Bullshit."

"Please refrain from such foul language," Nexu chides. "My Nezubot is only a week old after all!"

That gets Izuku to freeze, if just for a moment. "This… isn't the part where you reveal that a Nezu A.I. has actually been talking this whole time, is it?"

"Oh no, no."

Izuku wipes away at a bead of sweat that had unceremoniously found itself on his forehead.

"That project is still a few years down the pipeline. After I figure out how to properly clone myself, of course."

"You're… not serious… Are you?"

"Am I? Am I not? Will you ever know?"

"I suppose I will in a few years." Izuku lets out another sigh. With the way Nezu's acting, he can see where this is going. He decides to stop things before they get too out of hand.

"Look," Izuku begins. "Trying to defuse the very tension in the air by bouncing around topics in an attempt to let my guard down won't work. But you've already gotten me into striking range, and likely in a position to take me out if things don't go how you want them to. So would you please carry on?"

The robot hums. "It's quite simple when you get to the very root of it. I know what it's like — just how savage and cruel and destructive society can be to the individual that doesn't quite fit in. What should you expect with me being an animal with a quirk? Alas, that's only a small taste of the truth. With the way things currently are, the world acts as a breeding ground not only for hero hopefuls, but for reluctant villains as well."

The Nezubot takes a nibble of a biscuit. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not speaking in general here. There are others who grow into their lives of true villainy over wanton selfish desire; be it power, greed, or money. There are those that might just be a bit sadistic or masochistic, or are plain ole misanthropes, narcissists, or sociopaths. Or even those with a little bit of everything mixed in. Like All For One, as I'm sure you know. Take your pick."

Izuku nearly chokes on the tea that he's currently drinking.

Meanwhile, the Nezubot takes another sip. "But at the same time, there are those who are unfortunate victims of circumstance. Either they see no other way out but to turn to crime, oftentimes results of poverty or hospital bills or debt. Or they are faced with a situation where they lose faith, whether by being ostracized for something they have no control over or because they have their worldview flipped right on its head. Oftentimes, said worldview pertains to the way heroes are involved in society. You're one of these, Midoriya-kun."

Izuku growls, but suppresses the urge to bite back. He goes for the much more diplomatic route instead. "Then why don't you do anything about it?"

"You think that a simple man — no matter how intelligent — would be able to change the world overnight? Of course not; to think so would be ludicrous. But I am doing something. What is it do you think my running of Yuuei is for? Raising a bunch of hyped up heroes-to-be with no experience and no goals other than to be popular and famous?"

"If you know how many—"

"Recheck your sources. I won't say that my system is flawless — doing so would be the height of foolishness and egotism. But I want you to go back and tell me how many of those heroes on your hitlist are actually from Yuuei. I'm sure that you noticed the discrepancy in your research, but your subconscious most likely prevented you from piecing together the thoughts. So, check again for me. You'd be so kind as to do that, hmm?"

Izuku tightens up his fists and exhales. He's right. I… don't actually know how many of them are from Yuuei. I… need to double check… But still.

"But what about Bakugou?"

"Oho? You mean your childhood friend turned tormentor?"

"Yeah," Izuku grumbles. "How can you be preaching that you're building the next generation's idols when someone like him—"

"I'm sure that you've seen him since your little fight at the USJ. Surely… he seems different? A bit more docile? Maybe a bit less aggressive?"

…

"I see you have."

Izuku decides to glaze over the Bakugou situation for now. "Fine. I admit that I may need to check my facts again to come to a consensus about how successful your system is. But what does this have to do with what you said earlier? About… not being enemies? Because I highly doubt that this is you finally revealing your truly despicable take-over-the-world tendencies after all this time playing the chaotic neutral known throughout Japan."

"You'd be right," Nezu agrees. "This is far from it. But that doesn't mean that I don't see the merits of your ideals. Even if your methods to attaining and reaching for what it is you strive for are a bit… extreme."

"I'll lay it out for you, plain and simple." The robot nods. "I received some info from one of my sources. Apparently, you're somebody important. Somebody… someone who makes enough of an impact that it'd be better to let you run free now rather than take you in. Whether it will be through your success or your martyr, or the myriad of things that can come about from your actions. You do matter."

Izuku narrows his eyes. "Nighteye."

"Bingo." The robot chuckles. "Now, I won't go into details. But… I'd like to see your progress."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean that I watch you. See how you grow. As it lies, what I can decipher is that you're using the League for all you can at the moment. Like a parasite, leeching on its host until the very last moment. That's why I want to wait. I wish to see where you can truly go without the shackles you currently have upon you."

Another bite of his biscuit. "And from then on, it'll be a sort of game. You steer yourself in the right direction, into something that I can approve of, then you're off the hook. At least from me, at least. On the other hand, if you delve too deep, lose yourself along the way, end up becoming the very scum that you wish to eradicate… Then the limelight heroes will be that last thing you'll have to be worrying about."

"I…" Izuku takes a breath. "You mean to say that you'd risk such a thing? Letting me free, out there in the world, despite the fact that you have every chance right this instant to take me in? You'd rather that I commit further bloodshed and destabilization? Lose the chance to take a prominent and influential figure off the streets, or maybe even find out more about All For One?"

"But of course!"

"But… why?"

Nezu titters. "I think that you may be forgetting just who you are talking to here, Midoriya-kun. I am an animal who was experimented on in a lab merely due to an oddity in my development. Due to my unstable upbringing I am cursed to live the rest of my days as a chimera. I don't quite hate it, mind you. But that doesn't change the fact that I am no human. With my origins I have no true companionship in this world — but that doesn't mean that I have no empathy. And while I may amuse myself with the machinations of humanity… I don't need to. But I do anyway."

"Why do you?"

"Why, because being a chessmaster is quite fun, you know!"

Izuku refrains from commenting upon that.

"So understand," Nezu continues, "I don't owe humanity anything. And yet I decided to supplant myself right into their society. Some may find it strange. But can one even hope to understand the motives of something so alien from themselves?"

A hidden blade suddenly unsheathes itself from under one of the Nezubot's sleeves. Izuku jumps a little, having been caught off guard again despite the fact that he shouldn't.

"Though," Nezu continues, "I will give you this: I do care for my students. With how things are they are an investment of sorts, if a bit more, being under my care and all. So understand when I ask: What are your intentions with my student? Is it mere curiosity and perspective interest, or… something more?"

He… must mean Hatsume.

Izuku takes a breath, making sure that his hearing and his eyes never leave the blade just across from him. He decides to go for the truth.

"I am honestly not all too sure myself, Nezu."

…

"Ohoho?" The Nezubot eyes the blade, turning his arm over and back as it examines it. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Hmph. I see."

Schlick

The blade retracts, hiding away back under the robot's sleeve. The Nezubot takes up a broad smile, camera lens eyes shining in amusement.

"Then I suppose that allowing you to accompany her will be alright."

Izuku blinks. "What—"

"Just try not to leave I-Island in too much ruin, you hear? I have quite a few investments there after all. It'd be a shame to see devoted effort flow down the drain."

Before Izuku knows it, they're back where they started. Both Hatsume and Power Loader are packing away Hatsume's luggage into the truck, the pile barely cut down in size.

"Better get to packing, Midoriya-kun," Nezu says. "Don't want to be late now, hmm?" He turns, walking off. "Say goodbye to Power Loader for me. And remember: I'll be watching."

A/N: And there we have it. Nezu and Midoriya having at it once again.