Chapter 51: Midoriya Izuku XLVI

A/N: And here we are with another chapter! Plus, thankfully with not as large a gap of time like there was between the last two chapters. Anyhow: Alas! The eve of the training camp incident! Enjoy!

There's a bit of a slump in the days preceding Yuuei's planned summer trip for hero classes 1A and 1B. If anything, smuggling Spinner out of the lab and sending him back to Stain a few days prior was the most exciting thing to happen over the course of the past week.

After all, there isn't much really to do, with Izuku having the operation all planned out and the League's roster being filled out for the foreseeable future.

Mustard and Compress are the closest to what Izuku had imagined: individuals capable of following orders, standing in line when told to, and holding skills and expertise in areas that made them useful from the get-go.

The latter applied more with Mr. Compress, of course. A former stage magician, and the great great grandson of the infamous Peerless Thief of Japan. An eccentric man that thrives in the art of masquerade and presentation, Atsuhiro Sako spares no expense when it comes to following in his ancestor's footsteps, and has already made a name for himself if his extensive history of high stakes robberies is anything to go by.

As for Mustard, well, he has none of that. He's someone from a much humbler background. A budding villain, a mere former student who had been in school and living with his parents not too long ago. However, he holds a drive within him that reminds Izuku of himself. A boy early in his grievances against society, and someone whose first illegal outing had been right alongside the infamous Whisper. A mind easily moldable, and fit to be made into a willing and valuable teammate.

Compress and Mustard are the outliers, however. Considering their fellow compatriots, it only goes downhill from there.

Magne comes as a close third to the idealized teammate in Izuku's mind. A woman only seeking to live in a world that wouldn't bar her from living free and without discrimination. An admirable ideal to live by. But Hikiishi Kenji's rather brutal and cruel traits more often than not take over in the heat of the moment. Not quite somebody he's willing to send on more sensitive missions.

Then there's Dabi, disgraced son of a certain fire-themed hero, who shares Izuku's goal of causing said fire-based hero's death. A man after Izuku's own heart — if only his narrow minded and rather selfish ways didn't take up the forefront of his methods. He'd take down anyone in his way if it helped him get what he wanted, with no qualms over camaraderie or friendship.

Izuku hopes to change that, of course. And if he succeeds, then he could introduce Dabi to Shoto. Maybe. Izuku's still not sure if it's a good idea. Todoroki Touya is a sociopath, after all.

Twice… Well. The man's mental insecurities are a huge risk. He seems somewhat stable at first glance, but any prolonged conversation with the man proves otherwise. And not to mention his quirk. Bubaigawara Jin, a powerful and dangerous man held back by his illness, and yet one Izuku can't help but feel sympathy for. Maybe being surrounded with like-minded individuals in a judgment-free environment would do good for him.

Then there's Moonfish and Muscular, who both are inherently unhinged and unstable. One seeks after human flesh to satiate a sick hunger, while the other seeks the thrill of battle and relishes in the crushing of bodies underneath his blows. People that should be rotting away in Tartarus, and rightfully so — if it weren't for Tomura's hand at things.

As for Toga… Well, Izuku was already intimately familiar with everything flawed with her.

All in all, not quite the team of elite and professional lawbreakers that Izuku had envisioned when he set out the initial call of recruitment.

Though, Izuku knew that such prospects were him being disgustingly hopeful at the time, so he wasn't really disappointed. After all, everyone he would've wanted was already well-established and with their own teams — or otherwise following their own ideals as lone wolves.

He could barely could Stain and Spinner as is: they sure as hell wouldn't be joining up in any official League business anytime soon, that's for sure.

Though, Izuku supposes that his team of wistful misfits and s-class threat contenders aren't useless. Every movement and organization begins from a small set of aspirants aiming to change the world, so why would Izuku's be any different?

Of course, reading up, researching, and scrutinizing somebody through a computerized screen and through various scattered reports is wholeheartedly different from living with said individual under the same roof.

Dabi and Magne had finally moved in. The former with a few eyerolls and dismissive scoffs at the atmosphere and gathered outcasts — citing that not having to 'incinerate random punks who found his place to sleep that night' would do better for his sleep schedule.

As for Magne's arrival, it was a Toga-fueled clusterfuck of a commotion that woke the whole bar up. Izuki was glad he was in his room for that one.

Twice still has his own apartment out in Nagano and is still comfortable there for now, justifying his decision by saying that he isn't exactly 'famous' yet. That doesn't stop him from coming over everyday to hang out with his 'new friends,' as he calls everyone.

And both Muscular and Moonfish are holding out in the same warehouse they've been at since their breakout. Which Izuku is entirely fine with — in fact, he's hoping one of them actually ends up killing the other, if he's to be honest.

It's not like either will be much of an asset when the time comes for them to contribute to the mission, after all. Them killing themselves off would take the burden of casting them out from Izuku, and relieve himself of any of Tomura's cries of outrage being aimed at him.

So that's where Izuku finds himself now, surrounded by an assembly of like-minded and reckless criminals all cooped up in a dingy bar in the middle of the slums. There isn't much of any team cohesion with anyone, minus his working relations with Kurogiri and Mustard (and yes, there's no way he's counting Tomura, despite how many years they've known each other). That's likely to change once the operation reaches its end, but in the meantime…

"And thus, we arrive at the current end of my saga!" Compress emphasizes with a gesture of his hands. "The basis of how I came to adopt my style: coat, cane, masks, and all. Of course, my decision to adopt my interchangeable masks came much later. I was enjoying a day off whilst I reminisced over a little bout I had with Gentle Criminal. Suffice to say, his sense of style inspired me to spice things up with a bit of a personalized flair. But alas, that's a tale for another time."

"Wow!" Toga gushed, leaning over the table within the booth the listeners to Compress's story had gathered around. "I really liked the part when you threw those manhole covers at the police!"

"Yeah! I remember hearing about that! I wish I hadn't! Some of those things were still covered in muck! Disgusting! Kudos to you for sticking it to the man!" Twice exclaimed, enraptured by the story just as much as Toga had been.

"It was rather impressive, even from what little the media allowed to air," Izuku admits from his own spot away from the booth, finally contributing to the conversation. "Though, of course, it gets even better when you get to the stuff that they purposely kept out of the news."

Toga's eyes light up in gleam. "Oh? Like what Whispy? What! What?"

Izuku leans back in his chair, a smile on his face. "Well, from what I saw when I was digging through the police department's files…" He looks over to Compress, whose mask bears the kanji of a simple greeting, no doubt as a sign of good fate and first impressions to his new team. "There was something about a ruptured septic tank?"

Toga lets out a gasp as her head swivels towards Compress. "You didn't!"

Compress shrugs, giving out a noncommittal hum. "What can I say? I found the sad little thing while scouting out a potential target just a month prior. I suppose it may be hard for a billionaire to notice a dysfunctional septic tank when they have about a dozen more. So I nabbed it right then and there. And well, I was already using sewage related items? Might as well stick to the theme, hmm?"

"Well, I say fuck 'em!" Magne exclaims. "Serves those fuckers right! They deserve to be put down a peg every now and then! You did the right thing, while enjoying yourself! The ultimate goal!"

"I would've just burnt the little shits when they got there," Dabi chimes in. "Why waste time leading them on a chase across town?"

"You clearly don't understand that Mr. Compress here enjoys the thrill," Mustard chides. "Surely there's something that excites you when you're out doing your thing?"

Davi huffs. "I don't know. Burning my father alive in front of the whole world might just do it though."

Toga lets out a giggle. "I get what you mean!"

Mustard shakes his head. "Of course you would."

"Now now," Compress calls out before Toga can retaliate. "No need to start something now. We're all having fun here. How about somebody else share? Miss Magne, perhaps?"

Magne grins at being called upon. "Sure thing, cavalier. Let's see. What would be the most amusing? That time with the mongoose and cobra heteromorph pair or that one with the pissed off detective… Or perhaps the—"

*RING RING* *RING RING* *RING RING*

Izuku blinks, his gaze going towards his pocket. He, of course, ignores the fact that everyone's gone silent and the fact that all of their gazes have gone in his direction. Their loss if they don't want to listen to Magne's stories. From what he's read, they're quite the spectacles.

Anyways. Without a moment to spare, Izuku reaches his hand into his pocket and takes out his phone, his face betraying his confusion.

Who's calling me? I'm not expecting anything from Giran, and nobody else has this—

{ Hatsume Mei }

The digital words stare back at him, mocking and mirthful.

How did she get this number? This is my 'work' number! That scheming gremlin!

"Sorry," he announces to the group, his left eye flinching every so often. "I've got to take this; it's important."

Izuku takes a breath, readying himself before accepting the call and raising the phone to his ear.

[ Michi-kun! Michi-kun! Michi-kun! ]

Izuku flinches, berating himself for not placing the volume to a much lower level beforehand. He does just that before slowly raising the phone back up to his ear.

"Yes…?"

Izuku can't quite say Hatsume's name. Nor should he hold up a sound nullification bubble. That would be rude to people he's trying to gain the trust of. And one of the others could maybe read lips. Digitized reports could only give him so much, after all.

"Wait, before you say anything. Er, look. Can you save it for later?" Preferably when I'm alone. "I'm kind of busy right now."

"Hell yeah he is!" Magne calls out. "We're in the middle of storytime!"

[ Storytime? Really? ] The amused disbelief in her voice couldn't be more clear.

"Yes," Izuku responds. "Why?"

[ Nothing~ Sounds like you're having fun, though. You made some new friends? ]

"I did not," Izuku says, his tone flat. "They're just my… colleagues?"

"Is he talking to a civilian?" Mr. Compress asks aloud to the group, though keeping his voice light to ensure it isn't picked up over the line. "Because I must admit, it does sound as if he is."

"Hmm." Mustard taps a finger to his chin. "He did specifically avoid calling us out on what we are. So the chances are decent that he is."

[ Colleagues? You mean like that dry guy from the mall? ]

Izuku lets out a chuckle at Hatsume's nickname for Tomura. "Yes, like him." He shakes his head. "But enough about that. You called because…"

[ Well, I wanted to check up on you! ]

"That's all…?"

[ Well, no, Duh! Actually, you see, a couple of my inventions are done! The ones you gave me the schematics for on the plane! Really really abstract schematics, by the way. We need to work on your engineering skills if we want this relationship to continue. But no matter! I was able to power through nonetheless! ]

"Already?" Izuku feels a little smidge of hope inside of him dying. "I mean, I know that you work fast. But still. It's barely been over a week! No offense, but after our trip, I kind of need a break from having to constantly worry about something exploding in my face. Couldn't you have like… I don't know. Slowed down a teensy bit?"

"I don't know kid," Dabi suddenly calls out. "Constant explosions sound fun to me. Mind hooking me up with your pyromaniac?"

[ Slow down in my babymaking? As if! Besides, I know that tone. Don't deny it! You know you love the time we spend together making babies! ]

Izuku lets out a sigh, deciding to ignore Dabi's remark. "What do you need, exactly?"

[ Well, if you have the time you should come down to the lab! We'll do some experimenting and some testing! They're partially your babies too, after all! ]

Izuku wishes that he wasn't wearing his mask, if only so he could massage his face in his exasperation.

"Alright scrubs!" Tomura's voice suddenly echoes throughout the room. Izuku had noticed the man getting up from his corner of the room, of course, but he thought nothing of it. He thought Tomura had paused his game to get a glass of water or something. Not… this.

"Everyone gather up!" Tomura exclaims. "We're going to discuss our plans regarding our raid party for those ungrateful brats!"

Izuku begins to regret his decision in not setting up a nullification bubble, considering Tomura's voice was loud enough for Hatsume to hear.

"Err…"

[Ooh! That was your dry friend, right? Sounds like he's really into MMORPGs!]

"I…" Izuku's face scrunches up in confusion. "You know about those?"

[ Mhm! ]

"Huh. I would've thought that, uh, video games wouldn't really be your thing?"

[ Well, duh! Course not! It's just that my brother just doesn't stop whining about his lost MoM time when I enlist his help. ]

"Oh. Right. I forgot about that. What was it, three brothers?"

[ Stalking me, are ya? ]

Right, she hasn't actually told me that. "Err…"

[ Don't worry! I do the same with you too! Shame it's so hard to find stuff on you, you did a good job erasing yourself, you know? ]

Izuku pauses. "Well, that's not comforting at all when you pu—"

"Oi!" Tomura suddenly calls out, sending a heated glare towards Izuku. "You gonna join in or you going to be a rude little shit?"

Izuku stifles a laugh. "Look who's talking!"

Tomura growls. "Hey! I'm the one taking this whole thing seriously while you're off babbling with your girlfriend!"

Oh no he fucking didn't the little bastard shi—

"I already told you, she's not my girlfriend!"

His retort echoes across the bar. He knows that the act was a futile one, however. The damage has already been done.

"Oh? The twig has a girlfriend does he?" Dabi calls out from across the room, a sly grin adjourning his suddenly gleeful eyes. "Can't say that I expected him to be able to score a girl."

"I— 'Twig?'" Izuku sputters. "The hell is that supposed to mean? We've barely interacted for more than five minutes!"

Dabi shrugs. "Your scrawny frame is telling enough, pipsqueak."

He barely has the willpower to note down the pattern of Dabi's apparent tendency for mischievousness before a blur appears before him. "What was that about a girlfriend, Izu?" Toga whispers into her ear, a certain edge to her voice.

Note to self: Make sure Hatsume and Toga never come within at least a mile of one another.

Izuku doesn't hesitate when he flicks a finger to Toga's head, causing her to back off. "None of your business."

…Wait. Shit. That implies—

"Man, a girlfriend would be nice. Like hell it would!"

"I wasn't aware that he had time for such activities…"

"I don't know. The little man certainly has the charm for it."

"Regardless, I feel like congratulations are in order, no? No often that people in our situations can find the proper time for—"

"Will you all shut up?"

Izuku's outburst does shut everyone up, but it doesn't seem to stop the offending party from showing off their amusement. Even those who are wearing masks — he can hear them smiling, after all.

[ Well! They certainly seem like a lively bunch. So, you coming down or what? I'm just dying to test these babies out! ]

Motherfu—

"Whisper? A moment, if you will?"

Izuku takes a breath. "I'm going to have to call you back, alright?"

[ Sure thing! See you soon! ]

"You too." Izuku places the phone back into his pocket before turning towards the voice. "Yes, Kurogiri?"

"The Master requests for your presence."

Izuku scoffs. "Okay. Now I know he's doing this on purpose. You know what? Sure, portal please."

"Chin up, Izuku. Look on the bright side."

Izuku narrows his eyes, glaring at the sitting form of Sensei. He takes his mask off before he starts to speak. "Bright side? Of what? Of getting my reputation ruined in front of my future team?"

"Nonsense! Besides, you have nobody to blame but yourself. That's what you get for answering a call from your girlfriend in the middle of a villain's headquarters."

Izuku buries his face in his hands. "Not you too."

"Yes, me too. Anyhow, think of the net gain. You want a nice interconnected team. But the fact of the matter is that your coldness and standoffish nature was stifling and only put distance between yourself and the others. You're stubborn, like me, so you wouldn't admit that your own hang-ups are still influencing you."

"They aren't!"

Sensei places his arm on his throne's armrest, moving to rest his face on his hand. "I've had years of experience influencing the masses, Izuku. You don't think that I can see where you're setting yourself up to fail with just a simple glance? I only wish to see my pet project flourish."

Izuku takes another look at Sensei. "You're oddly chipper today. And you're even buttering me up, too. What do you want? Or rather, what is it that's making you all excited to get your greedy hands on?"

Sensei smirks. Suddenly, all his mirth is gone, replaced with an air of elegance and superiority. Just another reminder to Izuku that the man in front of him — no matter how injured he is — is somebody not to underestimate.

"Well," Sensei begins, "I know about your plans for those little tykes being taught by All Might, of course. And, quite frankly, I have a favor I want to ask of you. And no, this doesn't have to do with any of the hero hopefuls you seem so protective over. Rather, I want Ragdoll."

Izuku blinks. "Ragdoll? But she's — the Pussycats — they're a rescue team — you can't! They're actually some of the good ones!"

"Izuku." His name comes out from the man's mouth menacingly, and yet Sensei's smile never leaves his face. "You seem to be forgetting that our views don't precisely align. Where do you think all of these came from?"

An explosion of tentacles suddenly sprouts from Sensei's back, writhing and bathed in inky darkness. The temperature of the room grows unbearably hot, the lighting turning into reds and golds. From Sensei's unoccupied hand a blue orb forms into existence, crackling with untold energy. Horns begin to grow from his scalp, summoning a ring of fire that swirls above his head. The room shakes, cracks forming along the floor and walls as little hands reach out, grabbing and grasping at nothingness.

Suddenly Sensei seems bigger than life, his figure an encompassing mass of apotheosis, the feared and respected boogeyman known as All For One.

"You believe that all of these quirks came from villains? There's a reason that villains become villains; you know this, Izuku. Is it not sensible that many heroes have fallen to my hand?"

Izuku takes a breath. "No, of course. It's just… You've been holding back on your quirk for so long now. What's with the change?"

Suddenly, from one moment to the next, everything's gone. The walls are back to normal, the air feels normal, and Sensei appears to be his normal self.

"Things are changing," Sensei says. "I have the feeling that I'm reaching the culmination of this… conflict, if you could call it that. So I need to move things along; it's only a matter of time until the big blond oaf realizes his error in my supposed death."

"That…" Izuku steels his expression, looking directly at where Sensei's eyes would be, if he still had them. He's held on for this long, he won't stop now.

"That's no excuse," Izuku admits. "At least, not for me. Like you said yourself, we have different ideologies. And so, I won't do it. Not for you. I won't go against my ideals."

There's silence. And then:

A huge, booming laughter fills the room, Sensei's body shaking in uncharacteristic giddiness.

"An admirable sense of will as always, Izuku! Every meeting we have you come and surpass my expectations! It truly is a sight to behold!"

Sensei's laughs die down, his mask of formality locking back into place. "Tell you what, Izuku. I'll give you a boon; you deserve it after today. I'll leave Ragdoll alone for now."

The surprise and doubt could never be clearer on Izuku's face. "I… really? You'd do that?"

"Just don't expect me not to jump at the chance to take her quirk for myself if the opportunity presents itself in the future."

"That's more than I can ask," Izuku mumbles begrudgingly.

"I'm glad that you see that. Besides, I don't need Search anymore. Something else has taken my interest."

Izuku has a feeling that he'll regret, but he opens his mouth regardless. "And what's that?"

"Let's just say, I look forward to seeing just how long you can hold out. Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, you'll last longer than even I had."

A/N: And that's that. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I felt as if I sped through the events of this chapter a bit too abruptly and fast. Nothing I can do about it for now though, this is the most free time I've had in a while to be able to write. So, hopefully it isn't too noticeable? Nevertheless, that's all for now. Next time: An Interlude!