Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

... (T.W. ⚠️)

Birds soared through the brightly lit sky, chirping and singing.
The sun sat overhead, noon. The busy noise of the city could be heard. Cars honking loudly, people's endless chatter- it filled the air.
The city was like a hive, constantly busy, constantly buzzing.
Constantly talking.

A small radio spoke in the background of a psychiatrist's office, "Izuku Midoriya is a very influential hero of our time..."
It trailed off in the background, though hardly listened to.
A greater matter was at hand...

"Kill yourself"
He slid a knife across the wooden coffee table with a gloved hand, gesturing for the magenta haired hero to pick it up. It sat there for a moment, like a force of nature... It radiated with an energy so sinister, like it wasn't the first time it's sharp edges had been used to take a life.

"What..."
The hero choked, looking down at the ominous blade before looking back up at him.
However the man only stared with a cold expression, completely serious- yet completely detached from the situation. Like he were just trying to get another task checked off the to-do list...
Almost as though he were waiting for the inevitable...
And then... Without autonomic choice, the hero picked up the knife. He firmly grasped it with his hands,as though he was confident in the decision he was making.
"Why are you doing this...!"
He cried, his body disobeying his mind as he slowly pressed the cold blade to his neck. The warm crimson slowly trickled down his neck, seeping into his white collared shirt. The pain was sharp and stinging, but only grew deeper from there...

"Nothing personal."
He commented, taking a sip of coffee from his mug as he watched the magenta haired hero slice open his own neck.
"*So noisy*"
He slipped out of the chair, the knife flying out his hand and slamming on the ground, sliding on the hardwood floor. His blood gushed out and seeped into the white carpet decor below his seat, leaving a stain the floor below was familiar with.

The man sighed, standing up and turning off the radio. He put his mug of coffee down on his littered desk- with newspapers and magazines all on the same person.

Izuku Midoriya.
He was a world renowned hero, known for his simple yet effective villain captures.
He had climbed through the ranks rapidly after his debut, and currently sat ranked #5 in all of Japan.
But that wasn't the only cause for his popularity- he was also a hero psychologist, doubling also as a therapist. But that wasn't all, he would also give out many lectures regarding his work- many people tuned in! And one of the greater factors pushing his fame?
His age. He was only 23! And still in hero school at that!

His career began building at UA high, many people were in awe of the aspiring hero! So when he graduated and confirmed he was going to continue with the UA program, many people were beyond joyed!
He spent 4 years at the UA college institute, graduating near top of his class! And now he had moved along to the 2 year hero school program to further solidify necessary foundations before he could be truly accepted as a full fledged hero.

Those in hero school were still allowed to practice as heroes and received hero rankings, but they were limited to fighting crime and saving civilians. No personal investigative work that the other heroes participated in, nor could they open up their own personal agencies.
They could only be invited to join investigations or be a part of another hero's agency.

So in the meantime, Midoriya built his career as a hero-psychologist! Having become fond of the idea during college and deciding to double major! The decision was heavily pushed by the Hero Commission, fond of the idea that a hero wanted to help not only the people of Japan but other heroes!

Heroes would come to him for both evaluations and help with decompressing after a long day of fighting villains.
It wasn't easy witnessing deaths that could've been prevented if they were just somehow fast enough, and over time that took a toll on their mental state.
The Hero Commission, the biggest hero organization in all of Japan, noticed the growing issue and pushed for more heroes to go to therapy to better help manage their stress.

The man looked out of his window, overseeing the city below.
All people could do was talk, they knew nothing else. Anything that came out fresh from the news, chatter- anything they heard of through social media... Chatter.
It was a never ending echoing box of chatters.

He took a deep breath in, slowly shutting his eyes and holding the breath for a moment.
He then exhaled, opening up his eyes again.
"*Okay... Pro hero Magent is out of commission.*"
He glanced back at his body, which sat in a warm pool of blood- mostly soaked up by the carpet.

After receiving an unsavory call, the man did what he knew was expected of him. At this point, it was habit- something he had grown easily accustomed to.

"*And later I'm expected to attend another conference...
I'll have to get my office cleaned up by then, if one of the cleaning staff were to walk in on this I wouldn't have a choice but to make them join his fate*"
He mumbled quietly to himself, turning away from the window and looking at his desk.
A pair of emeralds eyes stared back, full of joy and aspirations.
It was back when Izuku Midoriya was a teenager in highschool! A news article was doing a full report on all of his growth since then.
The man formed a small smile, oddly reminiscent.

Approaching footsteps echoed in the hall, coming straight for the office.
But the psychologist paid no mind, just quietly staring at the door.

Knock knock, the door sounded.
"Come in"
The man said, welcoming another person without any restraint.

The man slid inside, carefully shutting the door behind him.
His eyes glanced over the dead body, before looking back at the psychologist who just stood there eerily calm.

He sighed, shaking his head. This was clearly not the first time he had stumbled into a scene like this, though he wished it would be the last time.

"Another order again,
Midoriya?"

Notes-
Hello Everyone! This is my first time posting to AO3, so I'm still adjusting. I primarily write on Wattpad(same Username if you want to check out my page- there are more works there).
please note that "*text*" is a thought, not verbal. the * is what ill be using to indicate that.

Chapter Text

...

"Another order again, Midoriya?"
He sighed, shaking his head.
"Next time give me a warning, what if I brought company?"

Midoriya's face remained stoic, unchanging, "well I already knew you didn't."
He said plainly, rolling up his sleeves to begin the clean up process.

There was then a moment of silence, social conversation wasn't either of their strong suits. So put them together and then no one would know what to say.

Midoriya walked over to the body, "so what're you here for?"
He asked, wondering if it had to do with his hero job or psychologist job or his status as a classmate.

"Oh. We couldn't reach you on your phone. Our classmates wanted to grab celebratory dinner for Bakugo, you know- with how he recently climbed the ranks and became the #1 hero. Of course it'd have to be after class."
He explained. He was thrown off by the body earlier so it had slipped his mind.

"Right. Well I guess it was a good thing they sent you, anyone else and I'd have quite the predicament"
Midoriya said, a small grin tugging at the corners.
"Granted. I already knew it was you that was coming."
He pointed to the computer on his desk as he kneeled down towards the body. "Surveillance cameras. Can't kill without caution. That's why my phone was shut off.
Even if the commission does cover it up pretty well"
He explained, his gaze locked on the corpse.

Corpses were silent, they couldn't talk nor think.
They couldn't defy. But, they couldn't exactly be controlled either.

"Need some help?"
The man offered.

"Yeah, do me a favor and burn this carpet."
Midoriya pulled the blood soaked rug from beneath the corpse. Their body rolled off, flopping on the cold wooden floor. Blood dripped from the open wound time to time, pittering and pattering, though oddly enough- not seeping into the wood.
As though the floors were made for the perfect crime.

Midoriya handed the carpet to the man, a generic white carpet- forever ruined by the stain that wouldn't come out.
But there would be more like it, there always were.

"I have to deal with the body before I can clean up"
He muttered to himself, walking over to his supply closet. He unlocked it with a key and pulled out a duffle bag.
From there, he walked back over to the body and stuffed it inside, careful not to get any blood on his clothes.
He then zipped it up and left it by the garbage chute before pulling out his phone and sending a message.
"It's done. Tell me when someone is ready"
midoriya texted.
He wasn't the one to dispose of bodies, he was only the killer. Small technicalities were left to other people, those who had quirks necessary for the job.
"5 minutes"
A following text read.

Afterwards, he walked back over to the closet and grabbed a spray bottle of bleach and a roll of paper. The blood wouldn't clean itself up, and he couldn't leave a trace.

Burning iron singed the air, mixed with the toxic fumes of polyester. And joining the in on the suffocating, bleach- which filled the air intensely.

The ashes fell slowy fell to the ground, gliding down and cooling just enough to avoid leaving burn marks on the ground.

Midoriya wiped off all the blood, the floor reflected back on him- like nothing was ever there.
He grabbed the bloodied papers and threw them into the duffle bag before grabbing the knife that had slipped on the ground earlier.
He cleaned it up as well, before putting it back into the locked supply closet alongside the bleach and paper towels.

He turned around and looked at the room. Besides the missing carpet, all looked normal.
Like the atrocities committed there never happened.

"Thanks for sweeping it up, let me put the ashes in the duffle bag. You're not wearing gloves."
Midoriya offered, taking the dustpan of ashes and stuffing it into the bag.
Afterwards, he lifted up the bag without much struggle and sent it down the chute.
He knew someone would be there to receive it.
He then sent down the gloves, getting rid of the final piece of evidence that any crime could've been committed there.

"Yep.
So are you going to come to the class dinner or should I tell them you're busy per usual."
The man asked, watching as Midoriya walked over to his desk.

"I have a conference in an hour."
Midoriya looked at the clock, "3:30... I'd be done at 4:30. Class is at 5.
Dinner is at?"
He looked back over towards the man, asking as he had no idea.

"7:40pm. But it's supposed to be a surprise dinner so the class was hoping you'd help, considering he's your childhood best friend."
The man explained, checking when the planned time was on his phone.

"Hm."
He looked at his calendar
"Well it looks like my schedule is free. I'll help, I don't think any of you all would be able to lure him to his own surprise dinner anyway.
He lightly chuckled.

The other man let out a small chuckle as well, "you know Bakugo."
He then walked over to the door, "we're going to be set up at Izakaya. The one on 8th, not on 56th.
Bring him in at 7:55 to 8, by then we should all be done setting up"

"How'd you all plan this without him finding out?"
Midoriya asked, surprised as even he didn't hear of the plan til now.

"Separate group chat."
He waved his phone.

"I see- so separate that not even im in the chat"

"No.
You're there, you just never check your messages"

"Oh.."

There was that momentary pause again, one that crept in when no one knew what to say as the conversation came to an end.
It was the second worst part of a conversation, the first worst being getting the conversation actually started.

"Well then im going to head out.
See you then-"
The man went to exit but was quickly stopped.

"I wouldn't do that, Todoroki."
Midoriya warned with caution, confusing him.

"The commission is still lurking outside, taking care of the body"

_________________________________________

His feet walked smoothly on the ground, pit patting. Holding his head up high and adjusting his tie one last time, he took a deep breath in and made his way out to stage.

Quiet murmurs for a big crowd could be heard waiting outside, the were all full of energy which came exploding out upon his entrance.
The crowd roared, cheering and flashing millions of photos.

"It's pro hero Zero!!!"

"Izuku Midoriya takes the stage!!!"

"Woah!!"

Cheers from the crowd echoed intensely throughout the room, Midoriya flashed a bright smile and waved as he walked over to a podium calm and collected.
Though, no matter how cheery the smile seemed to be, it never reached his eyes.
His cold, always calculative, eyes.

"Thank you all for the warm reception"
He began, speaking into the microphone. He rested his hands comfortably on the podium, using them to support his posture. His voice filled the room, silencing the crowd as they all tuned in to listen.
Multiple cameras panned towards him, a lot from the crowd, and 2 from his own stage.
One sat a couple feet ahead of him, recording him center stage.
Another one, to his side. Capturing both him and the crowd.

"Hero work is a very fulfilling job, with many of us happy to help the civilains of Japan. Though it does come with its hardships.

Everyday some heroes come to me, guilt ridden.
They tried their best to save everyone but it's near impossible to avoid casualties in our day in age of quirks.

So I try my best to help them understand that the variables they can't control shouldn't be something they dwell on.
And that is what I want you all to take away from this lecture by the time I'm done."
Midoriya said, his voice calm and relaxed, opening up the lecture with an introduction that previewed what the rest of the lecture would be about.

The lecture was broadcasted to many channels and news stations across Japan and even the world.
His face was everywhere, from people's phones, to their TVs, to even the large display screens in public.

Many people listened, finding his words to be simple yet meaningful. Very easy to understand and agree with. After all, nothing of which he had been saying was objectively wrong.
It was true, people really shouldn't hurt themselves by wallowing on something that was completely out of control.

But that was difficult to take in as a simple statement, like a hard to swallow pill. So Midoriya made sure to thoroughly explain through abstract situations and methods to get the idea across.

By the end of his lecture, almost all the people walked away with his intended message in the way he had exactly planned..

"And that's why what's out of your control stays out of your control.
Nothing you could've done differently would've changed it."
He concluded, looking straight into the camera ahead.

The audience cheered, it was a nice hour long lecture- almost like a free therapy session.
People soon began shuffling out, on their way to continue their lives with the new information fresh on their minds.

Midoriya smiled for as long as the camera was on him, but it wasn't long til they were finally cut off.
His smile mellowed out, fading into a small grin as he stared at the last groups of people finally exit from the podium.

Drip...
A drop of blood bounced off the podium, slowly sliding down.
Midoriya's eyes slightly widened, letting out an annoyed sigh, he grabbed a handkerchief and pressed it to his nose.
"Tsk"
He clicked, using his free hand to wipe the blood off the podium before it for far with a tissue he had in his back pocket.
He pulled the handkerchief away from his nose and stared at it.
His own blood stared back, like it was sorry for its betrayal. Midoriya let out a drawn sigh,

"*Must've over done it*"

_________________________________________

The engine of the car hummed, noticeable but calm. The air conditioner took up most of the silence, pushing out air from available vents, it was a bit too loud for Midoriya's liking.
But then again, without it, he'd have to open up the windows which was arguably worse. The bloodied napkin sat stuffed in his back pocket, hidden out of sight.

"Class starts at 5, if I drive at a reasonable pace I should get there right on time"
Midoriya muttered to himself, glancing at the clock.
It was exactly 4:30, and he only had 30 minutes to drive to the UA hero school.
Unlike UA's highschool and college, the hero school operated differently.

For one, there was only 1 class per weekday which spanned an hour. It was set up that way to allow the students to continue growing their career without being slowed down by the institute, while also helping them to become full fledged heroes. Secondly, the classes weren't just lectures. A lot of the time they were interactive, helping solidify their strength both mental and physical.
Some days they'd have training drills, others they'd have to manage paperwork- similar to that of what an investigation or a hero agency would have.

After a quick 25 minute drive, Midoriya pulled into the parking lot of the school and parked his car.
It beeped as he locked it, walking over to enter the building.

"Midoriya! Wait up!"
A familiar voice shouted in the distance.

Midoriya turned around, smiling towards his fellow classmate.
"Hey Kaminari, just in time huh?"
He said, slowing down to let him catch up.

"I lost track of time when working my shift.
Can't say I didn't break some speeding laws to get here on time..."
Kaminari nervously chuckled, still in hero uniform.
"But it looks like you're just coming from your conference! Still suited up haha"
He pat Midoriya on the shoulder, entering the building.

"Good thing we made it on time"
Midoriya lightly laughed, but he already knew he was going to be on time.

"You know how Aizawa sensei is about tardiness"

Chapter Text

...

"You know how Aizawa sensei is about tardiness"
Midoriya sighed with a calm air as he made his way to the lecture hall.

"You don't have to remind me"
Kaminari shivered, thinking back to all the cruelties of Aizawa.

Aizawa was their UA teacher back in highschool, but he also doubled as an instructor in the hero school.
Because it was only 1 hour per day after the highschool day, it was feasible. He also got paid generously for the position, with already being acquainted with the students, it was too golden of an opportunity to skimp out on.

Midoriya slid the large door open, all eyes turning to him and Kaminari as they entered the room.
The class was made up of more than just former class 1-A, it also included many other hero course students from UA and some general class students who pushed themselves hard to land a spot. This included students of other grade levels.
They all stared with a friendly gaze, but among them was one student who couldn't stand the sights of Midoriya.

Aizawa stood there, looking at his wrist watch, a terrifying aura about him.
"4:59.
A minute later and you'd be late" he said, his voice silently threatening.

"Sorry, I had a conference just 30 minutes prior"
Midoriya smiled, pointing to his attire- it was self explanatory.
However everyone already knew he had a conference, he was on several screens not long ago.
Saying it aloud was almost redundant.

"We already knew that much, Midoriya.
But what about you? Kaminari? What made you cut it so close?"
Aizawa asked, though upon getting a better look at him he noticed his hero attire.

"Sorry! I didn't realize how late it had gotten while working"
He nervously smiled, scratching the back of his head.

Aizawa sighed, "well you two aren't technically late.
Take your seats"
He said, releasing the tension.

They nodded their heads and made their way to their seats, sitting beside known friends.

"Ha what happened Deku, aren't you always punctual?"
Bakugo sneered, not speaking louder than a whisper to avoid Aizawa's wrath.

"I am. I wasn't late"
Midoriya replied, settling into his seat.

"Yeah right"

Deku, it was a name Bakugo had given them when they were kids. Even though it originally meant useless, Bakugo didn't intend the name to be insulting.
Instead, when he was four years old, he wanted a shorter name to call Midoriya by a came up with it using the letters already in his name- not knowing it was an insult.
But by the time he found out, it was already too late. The name had stuck, clinging onto his tongue.

"Hello class.
Let's keep this part of the lecture brief, today is physical conditioning day. Today we'll reinforce team working efforts while maximizing quirk output. While I usually prefer you all train your physical muscles, the curriculum has it that we need training sessions that are quirk focused.
We'll make our way to the training facility, the simulation should already be set up.
I'll allow you all to form your own teams as that's more realistic of the real world. But do consider branching out of your usual comfort zone, everyone in this room is someone you'll eventually have to work with"
Aizawa explained, looking over the course schedule.
Everyone just silently nodded their heads, waiting for instruction.

"Make your way to the outdoor portion of the facility.
We'll have a 10 minute intermission so those of you who need to change into more..."
Aizawa paused, locking eyes with Midoriya.
"Suitable attire. Have the time to do so"

A couple quiet chuckles echoed in the room as they shuffled on out.

As Midoriya passed Aizawa, he made a small comment.
"Today's lecture topic.
It was good, you did well in making people understand"
He said stoically, having watched the lecture while grading student assignments.

Midoriya smiled, still moving with the crowd, "thanks, glad you liked it"
He made his way to the changing room provided within the school. There, his old hero costume remained.
It was more convenient to leave something he could change into rather than haul his actual hero outfit back and forth.

He quickly changed, leaving his suit in the same changing room, as he made his way out to the facility.

"I guess it was a good thing I came straight from patrol"
Kaminari smiled, chatting it up with his friends.

"You got lucky that's for sure"
Kirishima laughed, stretching his arms.

Midoriya entered the facility. It was a very large space, and a good portion of it was outdoors. Large city structures filled an area, but all empty from actual human life.
His eyes caught the two, chatting on the street, and so walked over towards them, wearing his old hero outfit.
It consisted of a long sleeved green armored vest with darker green army grade pants material.
Paired with it, steel souled boots and black supportive gloves that made it half way up his arm to provide muscle support.
He also had a belt with gear, it held general support items that made up for his lack of offensive ability through his quirk.

"Hey everyone"
He smiled, attempting to join in on conversation.

Kirishima and Kaminari scanned around, wary,
"Did Todoroki tell you about the s-u-r-p-r-i-s-e dinner?"
Kaminari whispered, worried Bakugo would somehow hear.

Midoriya nodded his head

"So...? Are you coming or..-"
Kirishima asked, trailing off.

"Of course. Didn't Todoroki let you all know?"
Midoriya chuckled, watching as Todoroki approached.

"Let them know about what?"
Todoroki said, startling both Kirishima and Kaminari as he had been in their blind spots.

"The dinner"

"Oh, I forgot to mention it. Yeah Midoriya is going to help bring-"

"Oi! What're you all quietly murmuring about!?"
Bakugo shouted, announcing his presence as he strutted on over.

Kaminari and Kirishima fell silent, practically choking on air, they couldn't let him find out or the surprise was ruined.
Todoroki just stared, he didn't know what to say either.

Midoriya sighed, "we were just talking about my lecture. No quiet murmurs here"
He said, staring at Bakugo with his usual smile. Bakugo scowled, highly suspicious.
"Tch! Whatever. All you do at those lectures is state the obvious anyway! If you put in more effort you'd probably rank higher as a hero!"
He playfully mocked, he was prideful of his rank- the first #1 hero to have achieved that status without yet being a fully fledged hero.

"Woah what's with all the noise"
Sero laughed, walking on over to his friends.

"Just Bakugo being Bakugo"
Todoroki said plainly, earning a side eye from Bakugo who would've shouted if it wasn't for Aizawa's entrance.

"Form your teams."
Aizawa announced.

The 5 locked eyes, "I think we're set"
Kirishima said, confirming what they already thought.

"Let's kill those bastards"
Bakugo grinned, smoke puffing off of his hands.

"I don't think we're doing any killing, Bakugo"
Todoroki said bluntly, earning another side eyed scowl.

"For the purpose of this exercise you're going to be facing off against other teams in a capture the flag esq style."
Aizawa began.

"I'll determine which teams face off against eachother.

You'll all get your own section of the city, it is up to your teammates to strategically place and guard the flags while also trying to steal the opposing teams flags.
The only way a flag is successfully considered captured is if you can bring it back to the labeled 'safe zone' of the base.
In the safe zone, no one can attack or retrieve stolen flags.
As I mentioned in class, this is quirk heavy. So use your quirks, don't rely on just your physical capabilities for this exercise.
Sound simple enough?"
Aizawa explained, it was a fairly easy procedure.

There was a collective yes amongst the 50 students.

"When you get to your sections you have 5 minutes to set up, afterwards you begin.
The round ends once one team loses. Aim for at least 3 rounds.
I'll be watching."
He clarified some minor details. "Okay then. send a representative so I can determine who's the opposition. Afterwards, make your way to the section I'll assign."

"I can go-"
Kaminari was cut off by an entitled Bakugo, "like hell! If anyone represents the team it's me.
I'll go."
He said, walking over to Aizawa without giving the others room to argue.

"I see you haven't changed with rank"
Aizawa sighed, noticing the interaction.

"Ha why would I?"

"Doesn't matter.
You'll be facing off against Shinsou's team"
Aizawa declared.
"Take section 2A. The flags are already there in crates"

Bakugo nodded his head and walked back over, "we're in section 2A. Let's get moving, we're facing off against Mr.Eye bags over there"
He scoffed, pointing at Shinsou's team which was made up of Monoma, Tokoyami, Tetsutetsu, and Iida.

"What! But Aizawa sensei knows how much he and Midoriya don't get along!"
Kaminari groaned.

"That's probably why Mr. Aizawa did it"
Todoroki said, a small smile tugging his lips, the situation a bit humorous.

"Only more of a motivation to destroy them! Right Deku!?"
Bakugo grinned, flashing his pearly whites- though with how he smiled, he looked like a gremlin.

Midoriya shared the sentiment with his own grin, "yep. Let's get going"
The 10 heroes made their way to their assigned section, though all the sections looked pretty much identical.
Midoriya could feel a pair of angry eyes searing into the back of his head, but the feeling was somewhat mutual.

Upon arrival they found 2 crates, one with red flags and one with blue flags- each containing a total of 5. The crates also contained earpiece comms for communication.
Bakugo grabbed the red ones, leaving the blue ones for the other team.
With the flags were corresponding buildings, one clearly labeled red fort and the other labeled blue fort.

"Let's assign roles"
Todoroki suggested as they headed into the building.

"Good call. Since it's quirk focused, we should follow a structure that would maximize quirk use"
Midoriya added.

They stood in the designated safe zone of the base, having scouted it out to understand the structure of the building they were in.

"I hate plans"
Bakugo said through forced teeth, but he also knew that logically he had to listen to whatever ideas his teammates had.
Even if he didn't end up following it, it at least gave him an idea of what they'd be doing.

"Tokoyami's quirk is weak against light.
So he'd have a hard time against Todoroki, Kacchan, and Kaminari."
Midoriya began, giving his teammates an ear full. But with how long they knew him, it was beyond expected.
"Tetsutetsu matches Kirishima, they'd be a good match.
Iida is fast so I'd say either Kacchan or Todoroki are a better match. Monoma can copy quirks so I'd say anyone of us could take him on"
He continued on rambling, pausing as he came to talk about who would be best to take on Shinsou.

"And Shinsou?"
Kaminari asked, a bit nervous.

Midoriya smiled, "obviously I'd be the better match. His quirk fails to work on me."

"It sounds like a good plan, but Midoriya I think you sidelined yourself a bit. Your quirk can really help us win this!"
Kirishima smiled.

Midoriya chuckled, "I wasn't making plans on who should fight who, I was just noting the general pairing.
In terms of an actual plan for the game-

2 people guard, 3 steal.

I'll oversee from the rooftop of the building, acting as both a guard and retriever. For second guard Id argue Kirishima works, kind of like a wall.
The rest of you three have offense based quirks, optimal for charging in and fighting."
He said, finishing off the plan.

"Alright then! Sounds solid!"
Kirishima cheered, pressing his hardened fists on each other.

"Tch I didn't need to hear all of that just to be told to go fight Deku"
Bakugo groaned, rubbing his ear as though it was sore from listening.

"We have 2 minutes left, we should go hide the flags"
Todoroki concluded.

And from there the team split up, each taking a flag and hiding it somewhere they thought was smart.
Then they took their positions, Kirishima near the main entrance, Midoriya on the rooftop, and the other 3 outside of the building ready to charge in.

"Testing testing, can you all hear me?"
Midoriya asked, using his comm.

"Loud and clear"

"Yep"

"Good."

The 5 minutes were then officially up, it was show time.

Bakugo wasted no time, blasting off with full speed and bursting through the front doors of the other building.
He was immediately met by Tetsutetsu who was playing guard.

"Out of my way!"
Bakugo shouted, sending out a massive explosion.
Tetsutetsu struggled behind the force, ultimately unable to keep his grounding.
He flew back and slammed into a wall as Todoroki and Kaminari made their way inside.

At the same time, Iida, Tokoyami, and Monoma were rushing out as well, 2 caught in battle with Todoroki and Kaminari.
Iida was the only one who swiftly got out and was making him way to steal.

Midoriya watched from above, pair of binoculars in hand. "Looks like everyone is in motion"
He muttered to himself, scanning the ground.
Iida caught his eyes, he was running with explosive speed.
Midoriya cleared his throat, his gaze sharp on the hero. He was rushing over fast, and it wouldn't be long before he attacked Kirishima.
He stared at him coldly, but went unnoticed.
But Iida would be forced to notice him.

"Freeze"
He said, and in that instant he stopped dead in his tracks- tipping forward from the force of his speed and falling flat on his face. Midoriya's eyes had a black spiral formation in midst of his green irises, one that hadn't been so noticeable prior.
Iida couldn't move at all, barely able to get his eyes to move to look at Midoriya.

"Mi... Dor... Iy... A..."
He forced out, trapped in his own body.
It wasn't a great feeling.

"Hey!"
'Kaminari' shouted, though logically it made no sense that he could be heard so clearly within the blue fort.

Midoriya looked straight ahead, noticing Shinsou on the opposing roof.
He had his vocal mask on, and had been attempting to trick him.
"Using Kaminari's voice? You already know your quirk doesn't work on me"
He shouted in response.

Shinsou grit his teeth, "that damn quirk of yours...
It's just a copy of mine!"

"Your quirk? You mean the lesser version of mine?"
He coldly chuckled, resisting all brain washing attempts from Shinsou.

Izuku Midoriya
Quirk- Controller

His quirk has 2 forms.

Active control form-

His quirk allows him to directly manipulate a target! As long as they are within sight, anything he says will be abided by against the receivers will!

Passive control form-

A much trickier portion of his quirk, it allows him to build control over time.
Through his voice and words, people around him unconsciencely start willingly listening to him. The more they agree with what he says, the more entangled they become with his quirk. And the effects remain even when the quirk is inactive. In short, he can manipulate them to do what he says without having to force them to do it. But it takes much longer.
It can affect multiple people in large quantities!
People are impacted differently, with some being more or less susceptible to his control.

Weaknesses -
The passive form doesn't work on people with strong mental resilience or people who ignore him.
Someone can free themselves of the passive control if they begin disagreeing or not listening to what he says.

Overuse of the passive form can result in nosebleeds and minor headaches.

The active form uses slightly more energy, and can be forcefully applied to anyone- but the more resilient they are the harder.

Overuse of the active form can result in temporary muteness, lasting for up to 5 minutes.

When the active form is in use, black spiral form within the eyes.
However, no one knows when the passive form is in use except for the user

If audio from the user is recorded with the passive form active, it still works.

The User also knows how much people are impacted by the passive form when in use, appearing as a percentage on receivers' foreheads.

Below 40%: minimal to no compliance

40-65%: some compliance, relatively equivalent to that of a close friend

80-90%: strong compliance, with some resistance to commands that could threaten life.

Above 90%: complete compliance. Including commands that could be self destructive.

No one knew of Midoriya's passive form, only ever having seen his active form in action.
But with how his quirk worked, the only way anyone could ever find out about the passive form was through direct communication of its existence.

Shinsou could hear his teammates struggle through the comms, calling for backup against Bakugo's explosive attacks.
He grit his teeth, his voice cutting through the air,
"Your quirk hardly works on me either! Don't act all high and mighty"
Shinsou snarled, growing annoyed by the second. His attempts didn't work, yet again.

Midoriya couldn't be brainwashed by Shinsou, due to how similar their quirks were- the both of them were mentally resilient. As a result, Midoriya also had a hard time using his active form on Shinsou.

Midoriya let out a soft sigh, his eyes still spiraling, "I just don't like wasting the energy."
He locked eyes with Shinsou,
"but for this exercise...

we're supposed to go all out."

Chapter Text

...

"We're supposed to go all out"
Midoriya said, his voice becoming increasingly threatening. The spirals in his eyes twisted, forcing Shinsou to comply.

Shinsou groaned, "No! I won't allow it!"
He twisted and convulsed, feeling as Midoriya's quirk took over his control. It was like a back and forth fight between who could take command of ship, and Midoriya was winning.

"I usually hate wasting energy, but if it ensures our win I'm willing to make the sacrifice"
Midoriya smiled, his sprials slowing to a stop. Shinsou sat on the rooftop frozen, unable to move, as he lost control of himself.
He grit his teeth, clenching his jaw, "you bastard!" He spat.

"Now, go retrieve your flags and deliver them to kirishima"
Midoriya looked down at Iida, "both of you"

Without much a choice, the two moved from their positions and returned back to base.
Inside, Bakugo could be seen ravaging the base in search for the well hidden flags while Tokoyami and Kaminari duked it out.
Tetsutetsu was frozen stuck in some ice, alongside Monoma.
The 3 had total control of the fight, but couldn't find the flags at all.

Midoriya had known this as he could hear Bakugo screaming through the comms.

"How's the situation look? I haven't done anything"
Kirishima spoke up into the comm, hoping someone would be able to respond. To his luck, Midoriya had the perfect view and could see inside with the use of some binoculars through the large panel windows.

"Bakugo is searching for the flags, so is Todoroki. Kaminari is fighting Tokoyami but it won't last long."
Midoriya stated like he was giving a report.
"I've sent Shinsou and Iida to go get the flags themselves, expect a speedy delivery"
He said, no longer able to see where they moved within the base. But because he had yet to release them from his control, they still followed his command.

"Wait- Shinsou..!? I thought you couldn't control that guy!"
Kirishima shouted in surprise, earning an annoyed look from Midoriya. Though he wouldn't have been able to see it.

"I can. I'm the stronger one after all. I avoided it most of the time because I've never had a reason to."
Midoriya sighed, Kirishima could practically hear the callousness of his voice.

"Glad to know you're really putting effort into this exercise!"
Kirishima warmly chuckled, squinting to look through some of the large panel windows.
He could see Iida bolting towards him, and following not very far behind- Shinsou.
Both of them had been wearing an expression that betrayed their physical actions.

Iida stared at the blue flags in his hand, his chin trembling. He couldn't do anything and was about to be apart of the very reason his team lost.
Shinsou could be seen trying to fight against the control, his jaw clenched and eyes clearly strained. But regardless, he still held out the blue flags and ran to kirishima.

"Looks like the delivery is here"
Midoriya commented, mockery evident in his voice.
"Todoroki, you can stop searching for the flags-
And get Kacchan to stop too.
Iida and Shinsou are dropping them off as we speak"
He said over the comms, staring at Todoroki from a glass window.

Todoroki stopped, looking out the window as well. "You managed to control Shinsou?" He asked, slight surprise evident in his voice as well.
He completely missed the part where he asked him to get Bakugo to drop searching.

"Yeah, he was getting annoying- kept trying to use his quirk on me-
Do you mind getting Kacchan to stop? He's so loud"
Midoriya asked again, Bakugo's aggressive screams screeched through the comms, making it harder to communicate.
He himself couldn't even hear what the two had been saying because of his own explosions.

"Right"
Todoroki replied, running towards Bakugo who had already flown down the hall and back 12 times.
He held out his hand, "we can stop searching"

"Huh!?"
Bakugo screamed once more, coming to a skid bounced stop.

"Shinsou and Iida are handing over the flags to Kirishima as we speak."
Todoroki explained, pointing at the window.
"See?"
In the distance, Shinsou and Iida could be seen handing Kirishima the flags and walking away.

Bakugo scoffed, "I guess Deku went all out" he laughed, watching Shinsou's face continuously contort.

Todoroki nodded his head, but was cut off when Kirishima shouted over the comms, "all flags secured and delivered the safe zone! We won!!"
In that instant, Shinsou and Iida fell to the ground, freed from Midoriya's control.

Midoriya didn't waste a second, he hated depleting his energy after all.

"Guess it's time to prepare for round 2"
Todoroki commented.
"let's go"

The two walked down the hall, towards Kaminari, who was having a hard time convincing Tokoyami that the fight was over.
"Come on man! Our victory was just announced over the comms! Let me go!"
He whined.

"How do I know you're not lying?"
Tokoyami asked, suspicious it was an attack tactic.

"Because we won, bird brain"
Bakugo sneered, pointing to Shinsou and Iida who were making their way back in defeat.
In the meantime, Todoroki got to releasing Monoma and Tetsutetsu from his ice.

"I see..."
Tokoyami let out a sigh, releasing Kaminari from dark Shadow's grasps.

From there, they all regrouped. Bakugo's team gave back the stolen flags and from there they started the second round.

The training exercise continued on like that, with Bakugo's team undefeated.
The combination of offense, guard, and control, was difficult if not nearly impossible to work around.
But the purpose of the exercise was not to win, it was to strengthen their quirks, so ultimately it didn't actually matter.

Kaminari let out a drawn yawn, "man I am so tired. Class immediately after patrol is no joke!"
He said, tears of exhaustion stinging his eyes.

"That was fun though! Glad we changed up the strategy after the first round, otherwise I would've been stuck doing mostly nothing!"
Kirishima laughed.

Class had been dismissed, and everyone was heading back to their usual lives.
The sun hung low in the sky, slowly but surely setting, as they made their way to the parking lot.
Most of them had driven there, except for a few people who didn't own cars- or were too impatient to use them when quirks existed.

"See you guys around!"
Kirishima smiled, waving his hand.
And in a split second that Bakugo looked away, he threw some hand signals to remind Midoriya and the others of the plan.

Midoriya nodded his head, reassuring kirishima silently that he had it handled.

"Yeah I've got to go too! I forgot to... Walk my fish"
Kaminari said, running off to his car before anyone could question what he said.

"Did that idiot just say 'walk his fish'??"
Bakugo remarked, watching as Kaminari sped off in his car.

"You know Kaminari."
Todoroki replied, brushing it off. He already had figured it had to do with the surprise dinner party preparations.
"Where's your car, Bakugo?"
He asked, looking around the lot. Todoroki himself had not brought a car, opting for public transportation. It didn't always work well with the fame attached to his appearance, but he sometimes preferred it over driving as he didn't have to focus on the road.

"I flew over"
Bakugo scoffed, as though he were proud to have avoided traffic.

"...and you plan on doing that again?"
Todoroki asked further. After the training exercise, everyone was fairly tried from all the strain.

Bakugo hesitated for a second, feeling the soreness of his arms. His house was an hour walk, but a 25 minute drive. Though with his quirk, it was about as quick as he wanted it to be- never exceeding 5 minutes on a good day.

"I can drop you off"
Midoriya offered, noticing the opportunity which had presented itself to them. "Both of you"

"No."
Bakugo refused, unable to accept help from others- even if it was his childhood friend.

"Thanks Midoriya."
Todoroki accepted the offer, not in the mood to deal with a swarm of people.
The two looked at Bakugo, the dinner plans hovering in mind.
"You're tired, you might as well accept the favor"
Todoroki argued.

"Not doing it"
Bakugo said, but the two could also see the dread on his face as he tried to mentally figure out how he would explode with enough speed to get home fast without exhausting himself further.

"Consider it pay back for the time you dropped me off at one of my lectures when my car broke down"
Midoriya said, reminding him of his past good will.

Bakugo scoffed, shaking his head, "fine. If you idiots insist."
But relief was spelled out on his face.

Midoriya and Todoroki lightly chuckled, annoying Bakugo who hated favors.
Midoriya grabbed his keys, clinging and clanging, unlocking the car as he headed towards the driver's seat.

"Shot gun"
Bakugo called out, walking over to the passenger seat. He hated sitting in the back, it felt too cramped.
Todoroki didn't care, just glad to have a form of transport.

Midoriya drove out of the driveway and made his way to the main roads of Japan.
And just like himself, hundreds of other people had done the same...

His car inched forward, only getting a couple feet before the light returned back to red.
Bakugo let out an annoyed groan, "this is why I hate driving!"

"No one likes traffic. But it beats getting crowded in public"
Midoriya said, Todoroki shared the sentiment- nodding his head.

"That's why I usually skip both"
Bakugo grit his teeth, watching the long line of cars only move foot by foot.

Midoriya chuckled, "well we're here anyway. Say, what's it like being the new #1"
He asked, being the first to mention it out loud.
Everyone knew but avoided it, not wanting to take away from or even possibly hint at the surprise dinner.

Bakugo scoffed, a grin distorting his face, "I always knew I'd be #1."
He replied.

"Well, Mr. #1." Midoriya paused, taking on a tone Bakugo immediately recognized... his psychologist tone... "You're due for your 4 month evaluation at my office.
Over due actually. It won't be long til the commission starts pestering the both of us"
Midoriya stated stoically, earning a drawn groan from Bakugo. It was worse than the traffic,
"You already know how much I hate them! Can't you just say I did it!?"
He glared out the window, contemplating whether or not to jump out to avoid the conversation.

"I already did you that favor last time. It won't be long til the commission notices. you know, they monitor who comes in and out of my office with their own clerks at the front desk"
Midoriya sharply exhaled, he hated evaluating Bakugo as much as Bakugo hated being evaluated. But with the nature of his job, he couldn't let any hero slip through the cracks.

Bakugo sat in dread, leaning his head on the window with an annoyed expression contorting his face.
"Fine!
Let's get it over with."

Todoroki just sat in surprise, Midoriya had easily found an opening to stall long enough get Bakugo to the surprise dinner.
He wouldn't have known what to do himself, Bakugo's personality was difficult to manage for surprises.

"Great. We'll drop Todoroki off at his house?"
Midoriya glanced back, wondering if he actually needed to go to his house or else where for the surprise, before looking back at the road.

"If you could drop me off at the grocery store down by 8th Street that would be appreciated."

"8th?! That's in the opposite direction icy hot!?"
Bakugo shouted, earning an annoyed look from Midoriya who hated loud noise.

"I really need groceries. Natsu and Fuyumi have already given me enough problems for just eating cold soba."
Todoroki sighed, shaking his head as he thought about the ear full he had gotten from his siblings.

"But why the one on 8th..??!"

"Natsu works close to there, so we can go home together afterwards"
Todoroki replied, thankful to have come up with an explanation on the fly.

Bakugo grit his teeth aggressively, "you should've spoken up sooner"
He scowled, annoyed that the detour Todoroki had sprung on them would cost an additional 30 minutes on the road.
They had already been driving for 10 minutes...

Midoriya changed lanes, he needed to make a u-turn and it wasn't possible from the right lane.
After verifying the opposing road was clear, he successfully u-turned and began heading in the direction of the grocery store.
They were lucky that the road was much clearer than the road they had previously been on, with less people driving in their general direction.
It made sense though, as the road they were now on drove in the opposite direction to that of an even larger road.

After a quick 5 minutes, Todoroki was successfully dropped off.
But now...
Midoriya was back in line, behind a long chain of cars.

He glanced at the clock, "6:48. We should be at my office at 7:20 according to the GPS."
Midoriya commented, to which Bakugo just silently nodded.
"We won't take long, we both hate this process after all. 20 minutes tops."

Bakugo turned to face him, surprised, "you can do that??"
Usually it took a minimum of 30 minutes.

"Yeah, same way I could fake your last evaluation.
This time it's much less likely to get caught. Not that the other one was caught, but better safe than sorry"
Midoriya explained.

Bakugo let out a sigh of relief, "Thank God.
Those evaluations are so stupid, I don't know why the commission forces us to get them."
He complained, looking straight ahead.
The sun blinded him, forcing him to squint before pulling down the visor.
"But you probably enjoy the business" he scoffed, but then suddenly became a bit puzzled.
"Say, who do you go to when you have to get your own evaluation? Or do you evaluate yourself?"
He asked.

"Technically, psychologists aren't allowed to evaluate themselves"
Midoriya replied, but his sentence was incomplete. Like it was missing an incriminating detail.

"Technically...
But what do you do?"
He asked again.

Midoriya shook his head, "the commission allows me to"
He replied bluntly.

Bakugo let out a sharp chuckle, he could tell when Midoriya had been withholding part of the truth. "You used your quirk.
You got someone to sign off on the permission, didn't you"

"No, that would be illegal. Look- me and the commission have a deal worked out. That's all you get to know"
Midoriya laughed, surprised Bakugo thought that he would go to those lengths to avoid an annoyance.

"Fine. I don't blame you."

The drive continued from there, with the two talking from time to time about random things like hero work, common annoyances, and what to eat for dinner later.
But when they weren't talking there was a comfortable silence, one that could only be shared by longtime friends that understood the silence wasn't awkward.

Eventually, they made it to his office.
Midoriya checked his watch "7:20."
He commented, a satisfactory grin tugging his face. He liked it when things followed a schedule.

Bakugo took a seat on a chair, noticing the bare ground. "You aren't worried about scratching your floors?"
He asked, watching as Midoriya grabbed a clip board and pen.

Midoriya glanced back, "*right, I never put down a new carpet*"
He thought to himself, walking over to Bakugo and taking the opposite seat. "I had to get the carpet washed, you know- messy clients and their drinks"
He replied, clicking the pen in hand.

"Right"
Bakugo sighed, still annoyed by the evaluation that he had to go through.

"Hey, how about after this we grab a bite. We never got to finish the conversation on how All Might is doing in the car."
Midoriya suggested, slipping in the most perfect plan to get Bakugo to go to his own surprise dinner.
It combined two things Bakugo had a hard time refusing, food and talking about All Might.

Bakugo hesitated for a second, he wanted to refuse but just couldn't. He was hungry after all the work and didn't feel like cooking dinner, while talking about All Might with another fan he grew up with was also enjoyable.
He shook his head, "fine! But only because I'm too tired to cook"

Midoriya smiled, it worked- exactly as expected.
"Fine by me"

Chapter Text

..

"Fine by me"
Midoriya smiled, clicking his pen once more.
"But for now. Lets begin the evaluation."

Bakugo slouched in the chair, his eyes looking to the ceiling in annoyance.
"Get it over with" he groaned.

"Okay then.
Have you recently found yourself under a lot of stress?"
Midoriya began, his smile fading out as his psychologist persona crept in.

"Nope. Just the usual amount"
Bakugo said through forced teeth.

"How do you typically handle stress? Any substance use?"

"I don't use substances Deku. You already know this!"
Bakugo scoffed in annoyance.

"I know but it's for the sake of the evaluation. Don't think of me as your friend for this"
Midoriya sighed, dreading how he was going to get through the next page of questions.

Bakugo grit his teeth, "no substances. Heroes need to be in good health. I handle my stress by working out"
He explained.

Midoriya scribbled away on a notepad, noting both what Bakugo said and his demeanor.
"Have you ever witnessed an unethical action by one of your fellow heroes? If so, what have you done in response?"

Bakugo's eyes widened, barely able to stifle a chuckle, "Nope. Unless you count dodging evaluations because you're already a psychologist"
He sneered, Midoriya just shook his head in response.

"Are you effectively communicating conflict with the other heroes on field?"
He asked, letting the remark go unwritten.

"Yes."

"Describe how you communicate"

"Walkie-talkie."
Bakugo strained, he hated answering tedious questions

"Have you ever acted impulsively during times of great anger or distress?"

"No. Everything is thought out.
I didn't become #1 by being an idiot"
Smoke practically spiffed off of his palms, the longer he talked the more he felt himself lose patience.
It didn't help that he was hungry and generally impatient to say the least.

The evaluation continued on that way, with Midoriya asking questions that gauged Bakugo's forms of coping with stress, team work, ethics, and more.
He continuously wrote on his notepad, capturing details of the entire discussion during the 20 minute duration.

Then he eventually got to the last step of the evaluation.
Midoriya's stomach slightly twisted, it was the worst part of all evaluations he had to do on people he considered friends.
The part of the evaluation that he would have to lie about to keep some safe...

Midoriya lifted his head from the notepad, staring at Bakugo inquisitively.
"*29%. Yeah that checks out, his mental resilience is no joke.
But to avoid red flags from the commission...* "
He looked back to the notebook and scribbled down a different number, one much higher than 29, but still within a safe and realistic range for who Bakugo was.
52%, the paper read. Both high and low enough to fly under the commission's radar.

Midoriya clicked the pen, placing on the clipboard before checking the time, "and we're done. 20 minutes, like I promised"
He said, pointing to the clock that read 7:40.

Bakugo shot out of his seat, "Finally! I'm starving!"
He groaned, his stomach's loud growls supporting his statement.
"Let's go!"

Midoriya stood up, walking over to his desk and sliding the evaluation into a safe drawer.
"I'll send these out tomorrow. Not enough time right now"
He said, grabbing his keys from off his desk and leading the way out.
Bakugo did not visit the office enough to know his way around.

They eventually made it back over to the car, though unlike earlier, it was dark outside.
The sun had set a while ago, and with it, a cool chill set across Japan.

"Bringing the target of surprise."
Midoriya quickly sent out a message before entering his car, warning his classmates of their future arrival.

Midoriya drove through the streets, they were much emptier than they had been earlier.
Street lights glowed orange, leaving the hue painted on the streets below. Bugs buzzed around, attracted to the light.
There was a nice calm of the night, even with people walking around and other cars sharing the road, it wasn't as chaotic as the day time rush.

"Where we headed?"
Bakugo asked, not recognizing any of the familiar roads they had taken when having gotten food together in the past.

"I wanted to try out this new place. It's a 15 minute drive considering there's no traffic."
Midoriya explained.

"Well as long as they have spicy ramen, I don't care"
Bakugo huffed, crossing his arms comfortably in the passenger seat.

"It has a pretty diverse menu so it's probably there."
Midoriya said, checking the estimated time of arrival.
"*Exactly 8:00pm. We'll be right on time*"
He mentally noted, driving at a relaxed pace.

At the same time, heroes paced around the restaurant.

"Midoriya and Bakugo are on the way!"
Kaminari shouted, the back of his head slapped by Iida.
"Owe what was that for!"

"We're in a fancy restaurant, have some decorum."
Iida sighed sharply, a stickler for rules even in his adult life.

"We have the entire place reserved, I don't think anyone minds"
Todoroki chimed in, glancing around the room.
All was set.

There was a table full of gifts near the entrance, a place they could place anything they'd like the #1 hero to receive. It was decorated with some orange and black balloons, fitting Bakugo's color scheme.

Also by the entrance, a banner. It spelled out the word "Congratulations" in fancy writing.
And all around the room, there were decorations set up that made it feel like a celebratory dinner party.

Balloons, streamers, party favors, dishes, etc.

With the restaurant also being on the high-end scale, it was naturally quite fancy.
Crystal glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the floor was made of a natural white marble- carpeted with a complimentary black walking rug.

"Everything is ready"
A restaurant served said to the three.

"Great, we're just waiting for our guest of honor to show up"
Kaminari nervously chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Do we have an estimated time of arrival? So we know when to ensure the meals are ready?"

"Yes, 8:00pm."
Todoroki replied, certain that Midoriya could bring Bakugo at that exact time without having been told as that was the time he had asked Midoriya to bring him.

"Great. We'll dim the lights at 7:55"

Todoroki pulled out his phone, checking the time.
7:53, it wouldn't be very long til Midoriya and Bakugo arrived.

"Everyone, I recommend taking your positions!"
He lightly shouted, glancing around to the people who had arrived to celebrate Bakugo's achievement.

It consisted mostly of his classmates, but a couple special guests were there too.

Todoroki walked over to his seat, all that was left was the waiting game.

Midoriya drove down 8th street, increasingly closer to the restaurant.
Bakugo's spidy senses were going off, but not for reasons he could place his finger on.
"Huh this is where we dropped off icy hot"
He muttered to himself, watching as Midoriya pulled into a parking lot of a known high-end restaurant.

"...This is the new place? What- did you get bumped up a pay scale?"
Bakugo sneered, following Midoriya to the front door.
But upon getting there, it was dark.

"I've always wanted to come here, heard they had good steak."
Midoriya replied, still not breaking character. He checked the time, 8:00pm. It was time.

"You sure it's not closed?"
Bakugo asked, he couldn't see inside at all.
Midoriya grabbed the door handle, "only one way to find out" he entered, leaving Bakugo to follow behind.

Midoriya quickly moved to the side, standing beside a table, allowing all attention to go to Bakugo.

He entered, slowly closing the door, "what the- I can't see. Where'd you go Deku-"

Bakugo was cut off when the lights suddenly flicked on, blinding him immediately as confetti cannons went off.
"Surprise!!"
Everyone shouted in unison.

Confetti slowly sprinkled down, landing in Bakugo's hair.
He stood there, in shock, looking around.
His eyes landed on the large banner, "congratulations..."
He muttered under his breath. He then turned his head to his side, noticing the table full of gifts just for him.

He then looked at Midoriya, who through it all was wearing his usual smile, "you set me up!"
He shouted, but a smile broke through his aggression.

His peers erupted into laughter, watching as Bakugo shook his head and reluctantly found his way to his seat.
Midoriya followed behind, sitting besides him and all his friends.

Now that the guest of honor had arrived, the party could officially start.

"I can't believe you idiots went through all this trouble"
Bakugo commented. But despite his words, he was greatly amused. It was written all over his face. looking around the table, There was only one person he didn't recognize, and he was sitting right beside him with his back turned.
The rest of the table was cracking up, hardly able to contain their reactions.
"Who are-"
Bakugo was cut off when the golden haired man turned around wearing a cheery bright smile.

"Congratulations young Bakugo!! You've managed a feat that not even I pulled off!! Ha ha ha!"
A haughty voice laughed.

Bakugo's eyes widened further, "All Might?! What're you doing here!?"
He shouted, even louder than before- excitement and joy clearly prevalent in his voice. It sparkled in his fierce red eyes, no matter how much he would hate to admit it, he was over joyed.

All Might had been enjoying retirement, last anyone heard from him, he was in the United States. So for him to now suddenly show up was beyond shock.

"Well when I heard that Pro hero Dynamight shot through the ranks with explosive speed, I had to show up for the celebratory dinner party that was obviously imminent!!"
All Might replied.

Bakugo scratched the back of his head, "you guys seriously went through a lot of trouble. I don't know how I'll ever pay this back."
He said, barely glancing back at the rest of the table.

"Just enjoy the moment!"
Kaminari cheered, eyeing the food that he could see being prepared in the distance.
He had purposely skipped out on lunch in preparation for a great feast.

"Yeah! We're recognizing your achievements!
Not just anyone can be called #1 hero at the young age of 23"
Sero added, sharing Kaminari's sentiment.

Bakugo looked over to Todoroki and Midoriya, "you two knew about this.
This is why you convinced me to take up your offer on a car drop off-"
He paused, thinking back to when Todoroki suddenly asked to be dropped off.
"Why you suddenly made us detour!" He accusatorily pointed at Todoroki. "And why you decided today of all days- despite our exhaustion, would be a time for evaluation?!"
He pointed to Midoriya before face palming, dark smoke rising through the separation of his fingers. "I should've known something was off!"
He shouted, though the corners of his lips were curled into a smile- one he fought to keep hidden but simply couldn't.

Aizawa, who too had showed up for the celebration, cleared his throat.
"They had to"
He said. Kaminari and Kirishima nodded their heads, with Sero humming in agreeance.

"Eh?"
Bakugo said in confusion.

"No one else would be able to get you to your own surprise dinner otherwise."
Midoriya concluded, earning a jab to the shoulder from Bakugo.

"You idiots"
He smiled, though in his restraint it came out looking gremlin like. "Too much effort."
He remarked, watching as the food was then brought out.
Being the person celebrated, he was served first, and then followed his table and everyone else.

The server lifted the metal dome to reveal a large bowl of Bakugo's favorite.
Spicy ramen.
His eyes widened, mouth instantly watering, as his stomach growled demandingly from the sight.
"Down to my favorite meal??!"
He rejoiced.

The table laughed alongside him, sharing the joys of celebration with one another.

The happiness was carried throughout the entire room, every person could feel the warmth from the hug of joy around their hearts.
There was nothing better than a successful surprise, the wholesome reactions were unbeatable.

More heroes, some even retired, approached Bakugo to give him a proper congrats, including Hawks, who ranked in second place.

He begrudgingly listened to it, hardly able to withstand the embarrassment that it was to be the center of attention. While he was used to it in his line of hero work, it didn't compare to actually having to sit and listen.

Most of the time, the attention he received from being a hero, was from random civilians. That was far less awkward than receiving it from people he personally knew.

Midoriya glanced around, his eyes stuck in analysis. Even in moments where he could be present, he couldn't help but mentally wander.
"*A lot of heroes are here, Including the number one hero.
If anyone gets wind of this, whether they be good or bad, it won't end well.*"
He thought to himself, noticing the guards now posted up at the door.
He took a bite from his meal, only half-way through.

"So Bakugo do you think you'll open up an agency in the futur-"
Hawks was cut off, all conversation came to a halt.
Their phones buzzed, blaring a small alarm throughout the room which echoed for all to hear.

"Oh come on, we haven't even gotten to the main course!"
Kaminari cried, though his complaint was cut short when a loud explosion could be heard in the distance...

There was an attack...
A villain attack.

"Well."
Midoriya chuckled, standing up and fixing his sleeves as the other heroes quickly took a last bite and started moving into action.

"Whoever this villain is,
They couldn't have picked worse timing"

Chapter Text

..

"They couldn't have picked worse timing"
Midoriya lightly chuckled, watching as heroes rushed out the door.

Bakugo was the first one out, the moment he heard the alarm his body moved before he could realize what was going on. His bowl of ramen sat there, steam slowly rising off.

Midoriya started to walk out, confusing All Might who watched.
"Shouldn't you move with more urgency, Young Midoriya?"
He asked. Being retired, he couldn't rush out to help like he would've liked. Even when his hero instincts were screaming to get him to move.

Midoriya smiled, "with all the fastest heroes already rushing to scene? That'd be a waste of energy"
He commented, looking down at his phone.

"I suppose that's right"
All might warmly laughed, reminiscing on the days where he was like Bakugo- moving before he could think.

"Yeah. Besides, I work best from a distance.
Out of the way, with a clear view of the scene"
Midoriya said, flashing his binoculars and heading out. All Might sat there alone, so he watched what happened from his phone.

Midoriya climbed onto the restaurant's rooftop through the emergency fire escape.
He had a bird's eye view, perfect for his style of work.
"*Kacchan's already engaged in battle. Hm, seems like multiple people are attacking too. But they don't look like they're apart of any known gang affiliations so what's with the random act of terrorism?*"
He thought to himself, watching as around 7 people tried their best to evade and fight the top heroes of Japan. Surprisingly, they were doing a good job despite being out numbered.

"*Someone must have some kind of reflex quirk that's able to be applied to multiple people.
Otherwise it makes no sense how they're dodging Hawks's feathers and still delivering attacks of their own.*"
Midoriya analyzed. One of them had been sending off explosive fireworks straight into domestic buildings and using the force as propulsion to get away from the heroes.
Another one of them had been dodging so fast they were practically a blur, while the others were dodging at somewhat similar speeds.
The other 5 were causing overall chaos and destruction by running in opposing directions, splitting up the heroes and making it much harder to get them to stop.

Bakugo had been chasing after mr.fireworks, and he had gained up on him fast but the reflexes he had were too much for him as Bakugo was already exhausted from the long day of training.

Midoriya sighed, putting down his binoculars, he had finally gotten a better look at the 'villains'.
"Teenagers"
He scoffed, shaking his head. "Courts are going to have fun with this one"
His eyes began spiraling, capturing the 7 destructive teens under his control.
"Stop the attacks and sit down by the curb with your hands on your head"
Midoriya commanded, jumping roof to roof to get to the scene.

"What the-!"
One of them said, watching as his own self stopped firing off his quirk in attack and instead maneuvered away to go sit by a curb.

"Where do you think you're going!?"
Bakugo screamed, following closely behind.
His eyes widened as he saw the masked villain take a seat alongside all 6 of the other villains with their hands on their head.
As though they were politely waiting arrest.
"Eh-"
He said, slightly confused before he saw Midoriya's casual approach.

"Decided to join the fight?"
Bakugo cackled, watching as Midoriya leapt from the rooftop and approached the 7 teens.
He shot down besides him as some other heroes quickly arrived at scene. A much larger amount of the heroes were helping the civilians who were caught up in the attack.

It was pure gold to the paparazzi and civilains who were in terror not too long ago, they quickly began snapping photos- avoiding getting to close as to not interfere with their work.

"Good going Zero."
Hawks chuckled, swiftly making a landing beside him and Bakugo. "If you put in any more effort into hero work, I'd probably lose my spot as the fastest hero"
He retorted, noticing how even in Midoriya's fast capture he still took his time.

"Well you won't need to worry about that any time soon"
Midoriya said, a yawn escaping alongside.

"Now who are you damn bastards!?"
Bakugo shouted, explosions still popping off his palms.

"Remove your masks"
Midoriya instructed, assisting with their identification.

Upon pulling down a mask, a slight gasp was shared amongst all the heroes- minus Midoriya who already knew.

"Teens?!"
They all said, shocked that they had gone bad so young.

"You mean to tell me some delinquents caused us all this trouble?"
Hawks asked, he wasn't buying it.

"Is it possible one of them has some kind of illusion or age manipulation quirk active?"
Todoroki spoke up, noticing Hawks's suspicion.

Midoriya shook his head, "no, not possible. Aizawa's been cancelling their quirks since earlier" he explained, pointing to Eraserhead who had been steadily approaching.
He had been cancelling their quirks from the moment they sat down on the curb, unable to do so earlier as he could never get his sights on them.

"see? Teens."

"Gone wrong at such an early age!"
Ashido yelled, her voice echoing the nearly loudest- second only to Bakugo.

"You delinquents are gonna pay for all the trouble you've caused!"
Bakugo shouted, his explosions becoming more intense.
They sat there silently, staring at the heroes with panic and fear evident in their eyes.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Kaminari scolded, beyond annoyed that dinner was interrupted.
Strained muffles escaped their lips, confusing the heroes for a moment before looking over at Midoriya.

"Zero put them on mute"
Hawks chuckled.

"He always did hate noise"
Aizawa commented, nodding his head as he shared the sentiment. His classmates nodded their heads as well, well aware of Midoriya's dislike.
It all the more confused them back in highschool when they noticed he was friends with the loudest teenager in Japan- since they were children at that. If anything, Midoriya should've gotten used to it by now- but nope. He couldn't stand it, even scowling at Bakugo during his loidest moments.

Midoriya just sighed, shaking his head, he had subconsciously done it again. He muted his captives.
"Do we have a total on casualties yet?"
He asked, trying to shift the subject and figuring that with so many of the heroes out that there had to be a number.

"According to Uravity- currently no one's confirmed to be dead but many are in critical condition from getting struck by a stray firework. A total of 30 buildings have been damaged, and a total of 246 civilians hurt to varying extents."
Aizawa said, anger evident in his voice, as he read off the active total report submitted by Uraraka. It was subject to change as more and more people were uncovered from damages.

"Sounds like a massive lawsuit and possible prison time to me"
Hawks sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. Whether or not they went to prison depended on their age, otherwise they'd be locked up in juvie instead.

"Can we charge them with interrupting dinner?"
Kaminari groaned, he hadn't even gotten a third of the way through his meal before the attack.
The heroes around chuckled, agreeing with the sentiment to an extent.

"We'll let the courts decide. Our job here is done"
Midoriya concluded, watching as police cars quickly pulled up.
They all stepped back, allowing police officers to run in and handcuff the teenagers who had no choice but to give up.
The moment they were officially apprehended, Midoriya released then from his control. They squirmed and struggled, but it was ultimately their loss.

The heroes then slowly made their way back to the restaurant,one by one as they finished dealing with the casualties. With the sudden interruption, there was a slight awkwardness to the situation.
They shuffled back in, finding their seats.

"Now our foods gone cold!"
Bakugo shouted, finding his sadly cold ramen, hardly even half eaten.

"No rest for heroes. We should be glad it was only some problematic teens"
Todoroki sighed, reheating his food with the use of his quirk.

"Can't we just go one day without interruption- or at least long enough to finish a celebration dinner?"
Kaminari whined.

"It's a good thing Midoriya was able to join us- imagine if we had to deal with them without his quirk"
Kirishima groaned, thinking of how annoying it was to chase the teens with exceptionally amplified dodging skills.

"We'd still be out there"
Sero laughed, others joined in.

Midoriya just shook his head, "you guys would've been fine without me"
His eyes caught the approaching fast servers.
Everyone was able to notice their slightly panicked demeanor, as though they had something urgent to say.

"We wanted to thank you all for catching those terrorists-
Right in the middle of dinner"
One of them spoke.

"We understand your food has gone cold, so we're offering to remake it free of charge!"
The other offered.

"Woah that's so generous!"
Kaminari said in surprise.

"Consider it our gift!"

They all exchanged glances, there was no reason to decline and they were all still decently hungry.

"We'll accept! Thank you so much!"
Kirishima smiled, his stomach growling in the background.

"Sorry- if you don't mind me asking."
Midoriya interrupted, catching them before they bolted off to prepare the food.
All attention returned to him,"do you know how long it'll take? I am on a bit of a tight schedule"
He asked, his smile stuck only to his lips, his eyes were wide and stuck in clear analysis.

"What's the rush? Another lecture?"
Bakugo sneered. The rest of the table chuckled as well, Midoriya always seemed to be busy.

"Nothing you would care to hear about about, got a meeting early in the morning so I need to be asleep at a reasonable time"
Midoriya explained, it was a perfectly plausible reason.

"We started remaking all your meals the moment you left! So it should be done any moment now, I'd say 10 minutes tops!"
One of the servers explained.

Midoriya looked at his watch, "*8:38pm. 10 minutes for them to bring it, another 12 to eat. Another 2 to wait for Kacchan be get ready so I can drop him off.
Expected time to leave, 9:02. It'll be a 15 minute drive to his house and then another 20 minute drive to where I have to be.
That spares me 23 minutes, a reasonable amount of cushion time if anything were to delay*"
He smiled and nodded his head, "works with me then"

"Great! We'll be quick!"
The servers quickly left, wanting to help ensure the meals are prepared as soon as possible.

"Hey Midoriya have you ever tried just going with the flow?"
Kaminari chuckled, noticing his momentary pause as when stared at his watch. It was a cue that all his friends recognized, Midoriya had mapped out his time schedule.

"Going with the flow is too disorderly. That mentality is why you're always late"
Midoriya joked back, redirecting the attention to Kaminari's chronic tardiness.

"Midoriya has a fair point, sticking to a schedule is the best way to remain organized"
Aizawa commented, appreciating Midoriya's time management skills.

Conversation naturally flowed from there as they brushed past the minor attack and mentally returned to enjoying dinner.
Their meals were brought out, fresh and cooled the perfect temperature for consumption.

As 9 approached, people began preparing to leave. Everyone of them had busy lives, so staying out late wasn't really an option.
Before leaving, they each left a generous tip to the staff- inspired by the American way of thanking. The meals had already been pre-paid for, a combined effort from everyone minus Bakugo. So they could leave whenever they wanted without worrying about the tab.

9:02 Midoriya's watch read. And like clockwork, Bakugo was done and ready to go.
He stood up, his chair slightly screeching from the sudden movement.
Midoriya stood up as well, ready to head out.

Bakugo looked at them all, an unreadable expression present on his face.
He let out a sharp sigh, scratching the back of his head, "this was nice.
Thank you for the celebration"
He forced out, though it sounded very robotic coming from him- he wasn't used to giving thanks.

"Woah rare moment, Bakugo says thank you"
Kaminari laughed as the table erupted into a shared laughter.

"I take it back! Never thanking you idiots again!"
Bakugo scoffed, but he too was slightly laughing.
He pushed his chair in, "see you in class"
He grumbled, waving his hand as he took his exit.

Midoriya lightly smiled, "I'll head out as well."
He waved them off, following behind Bakugo to his car.

Bakugo yawned, "I'm late to my own sleep schedule"
He groaned, taking his seat in the passenger section.

"Now look who's talking about schedules."
Midoriya sneered, driving out of the lot and starting the road to Bakugo's house.

"Tch, I'm not like you- the only two schedules I care about are my sleep and work schedule."
Bakugo scoffed, staring at the passing road.

"What do you think my schedule consists of?"
Midoriya questioned.

"Whatever!"

There was a momentary silence as the two mentally zoned out, processing all that had happened within a span of a few hours.
It was quite the busy day, especially for Midoriya.

"Why do you think those teens attacked?"
Bakugo asked, realizing he never got to hear why they did what they did.

"Probably just bored problem children. Though I guess they didn't realize they'd get caught and ruin their lives.
But we'll officially find out through the news soon enough"
Midoriya replied, but mentally he wondered if it was something else that he didn't know about.

"Yeah or the police department calls you to evaluate them psychologically"
Bakugo cackled, seeing his street approaching in the distance.

"Or that.."
Midoriya said with a slight groan, it was something else he had to worry about fitting into his schedule.
He eventually turned in to Bakugo's block, driving up to his house.

Bakugo exited the car, "thanks for dropping me off.
See you on field"
He grumbled, waving Midoriya off and heading over to his house.
The two of them had similar hero shift hours, lots of overlap. It was useful when it came to situations like the one earlier, or apprehending criminals during a hostage situation. Bakugo's explosive strength paired with Midoriya's distant control made for a terrifying duo against villains and criminals across Japan.
Of course, Bakugo would never admit that himself- believing he was sufficient enough alone.

Midoriya waved him off, driving in the opposite of the expected direction. Though Bakugo didn't notice, he had already gone inside to hit the hay.

Midoriya sharply sighed, his eyes slightly heavy from the back to back quests.

"Time for the last task of today"

Chapter Text

...

"Time for the last task of today"
Midoriya sighed, shaking his head as he focused on the road and began his drive.
The streets of residential homes were quiet, it was late enough into the night that people were mostly shut inside their homes after a long day of work.
The light hum of the street lights was overshadowed by the loud chirps of the crickets in the area.

Midoriya took some back roads, wanting to avoid being seen by the cameras of the main roads.
"*I should park 20 minutes away and just walk the remaining distance.*"
He thought to himself, making a turn that lead to some abandoned, hardly managed, buildings in Tokyo.
He didn't drive there for long, instead he left his car parked in a dark shadow behind a building.

Midoriya opened up his glove box, grabbing both a zip up hoodie, gloves, and a mask for disguise.
He wore the green hoodie over his suit, it was an odd combination but he wasn't aiming for style. Just discretion. He slipped on his mask, then his gloves, before pulling up the hood of his hoodie.
Then, before exiting his car, he grabbed a switchblade which he kept hidden in the coin slot area.
He stuffed it in his pocket and locked his car, making his way down the secluded back alleyways of Tokyo.

It was a long walk, but the weather was pleasant so he didn't mind it. The air had the faintest chill, it felt nice and cooling through all the layers.
"*Finally. Some peace and quiet*"
He thought to himself, only able to hear the sound of his own breathing and the pattering of his own steps. Not even insects dared to make noise, the only creatures other than humans that were bold enough to were the rats and mice. They flourished in the abandoned area, feasting on anything that dropped.

And with the high crime rate of the area, they assissted in the cover ups of many bodies.

"*This meeting shouldn't be long, he isn't a man of many words.
Well- until something makes him ramble.*"
Midoriya thought to himself, looking at the time.
"*I should be 3 minutes earlier than the anticipated meeting time.
Good, I expected that much.*"
He continued on walking, keeping a steady pace which was neither too fast or too slow.
But as he walked, his mind wandered further. He was cautious of the surrounding area around him, "*I shouldn't be in any trouble because of my quirk but if I end up killing anyone in defense I might get this hoodie bloody. And if my car is somehow caught on footage, the murder can be linked to me which wouldn't be good for my career. Granted, the commission has too much use for me to let it be something that ruins me- but it would become black mail and I wouldn't want to give them that upper edge*"
He thought to himself, getting closer and closer to his destination.

Eventually he arrived.
Midoriya knocked on the back door of the dirt alleyway, the moon's light hardly made it through, leaving the area very darkly lit.

The metal door scratched the cement ground as it creaked open.
Midoriya made his way inside, the scent on freshly brewed tea filling his nose.

"Hello, Kurogiri"
Midoriya said, entering the base and shutting the door behind him.

"Hello, Zero. Care for some tea?"
Kurogiri asked, hardly looking up from his cup as he poured some for himself.

"Just came from a dinner. But maybe later, after the meeting with AFO is done."
Midoriya replied, his expression unreadable behind his mask.

"Yes, AFO did mention he'd be meeting you today.
Cutting it close aren't you?"
Kurogiri asked inquisitively.
Midoriya looked at his watch, "I gave myself exactly 3 spare minutes. He wanted me here by 10, it's 9:57"
He explained.

"Well, he's waiting for you."

Midoriya nodded his head and made his way through the base. He opened up a door towards the back of the base and entered.
He walked through a small hallway before ultimately finding himself standing before another door.

The door was large, made up entirely of metal. It didn't have a regular door handle, rather it had a wheel that had to be spun.
However, because someone was already inside, it was cracked open.

Midoriya took a deep breath in, letting out a drawn sigh before he knocked on the door.
He didn't want to be there, but AFO was a factor he had to control.

"Come in"
A voice replied from inside.

Midoriya slid open the door and entered, slightly squinting his eyes as he readjusted to the light.
The room was brightly lit, and heavily smelled of different chemicals.
Light reflected off the white tile floors, calming down near the gray walls.

Cases of odd creatures could be seen in the very back, behind a clear glass window which had numerous screens and computers nearby on a couple different counters.

Though besides the evident lab set up was a spot similarly set up like Izuku's office space with differing furniture pieces.
1 couch and 1 chair, the couch was pushed up against a wall and the chair sat 7 feet in opposition with a coffee table between the two.

Sitting on the couch was a man with almost no face, the only thing that remained was a mouth.

Midoriya walked over, taking his seat in the minimally cushioned chair.
"Hello, AFO"
He said, tone stoic per usual, as he sat down both comfortably and alert as he slid down his hood and pulled down his mask.
The villain already knew of his identity, so there was no point remaining in disguise.

"Greetings, Zero. Have you noticed the time?"
AFO chuckled, pointing to a clock.

"Yes, it is exactly 10:00pm. The time you wanted the meeting to begin"
Midoriya replied flatly.

"I guess you will always be precisly on schedule. Never early never late"
AFO chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.

"Let's cut the chat, I have a busy day tomorrow. What did you need?"
Midoriya asked, attempting to cut off the useless convo.

"You know I listened to your lecture today.
Don't you find it ironic? Telling everyone to stop worrying about what they can't control?
And yet all you do is look for control?"
AFO laughed, earning a glare from Midoriya.
He sighed, "fine. But maybe take your own advice sometimes.
I called you today because it's time for the next steps of our plan"

Midoriya nodded his head, "I figured that much."

"Yes.
The first thing we need is influence over the people, I know you already have that much covered with your quirk.
How much of Japan is within reasonable levels of control?"
AFO asked, though he didn't know if Midoriya could actually provide a number.

"Most of the people are approaching the upper range, currently they're at 64% with some outliers here and there"
Midoriya replied, he had figured it out through random selection sampling over multiple large crowds of people from multiple areas of Japan.

"I guess the lectures are doing their job then.
Good, once there's more stabilized control we'll begin creating distrust in heroes. It'll be subtle at the start, too many villains causing damage and escaping.
But later we'll begin to amp things up by directly attacking the place that shapes most heroes.
UA. "
AFO grinned.

Midoriya nodded his head, intently listening to the conversation.

"If we can drag UA down, the commission will be forced to act. There will be strong doubt in hero abilities, if they can't protect one school how could they protect the city? You'll likely be used to console the mass distrust.
But it won't matter by then. We'll have already moved on to the part where you destroy all the trust the people have in the commission."
AFO explained, giving a rough outline of the plan.

"So what do you need me to do?"
Midoriya asked, nothing he had said was a pressing matter to him.

"I failed to implement traitors into the class so I have no way of getting information. However I also understand you don't have a direct way of getting information."
AFO paused, his smile growing, irritating Midoriya as he could figure where he was headed with the conversation.

"But what you do have is fame, fame that could cause disorder and chaos if you just so happened to visit UA for a day to give a personal lecture.
And during that chaos, I'd have Tomura slip in and out."
AFO explained, concluding with a bright smile.

Midoriya sighed, "this could've been a coded letter."
He said, shaking his head.

"Maybe, but face to face conversations are necessary every once in a while so we can ensure we're on the same page."
AFO replied, he wore a friendly grin, one usually shared between people who have an established partnership, but the tone of his voice suggested otherwise.

"More like ensure you can keep tabs on me"
Midoriya thought to himself. While the two did share the same goal, they had different versions of what they envisioned control to be.

AFO smiled, "when two people are aiming for the same thing, a lot of conflict can arise.
Though, you already know that. That's why you sought me out."
He explained.
"The good news is we can agree to the same things.
Otherwise, we'd be in competition"

"Yes that would be the obvious."
Midoriya replied blankly, an uninterested look on his face. "When do you need the distraction? So I can figure out my schedule?"
He asked.

"The sooner the better, just let me know when you're able to schedule it and I'll figure out the rest on my end"
AFO said, shifting the responsibility back onto Midoriya.

"Okay then"
Midoriya look at his watch, "is that all you wanted to discuss?" Only 5 minutes had passed.

"For now."
AFO chuckled, knowing it agitated Midoriya.

Midoriya stood up, sighing as he took a quick glance at AFO's forehead.
"See you at the next scheduled meeting."
He stated, waving his hand and walking out.

Kurogiri took a sip of his tea, reading a newspaper before Midoriya caught his eye.
"Done already?"
He asked.

"Typical meeting, nothing out of the expectation"
Midoriya replied, slipping on his mask and hoodie.

"Considering you put your mask on I assume you don't care for tea"
Kurogiri said, taking another sip of his own.

"Sorry Kurogiri, busy schedule"
Midoriya said with a small smile, but it wasn't visible behind his mask.

"Maybe next time then"

Midoriya nodded his head and walked out, officially done with his last physical task of the day.
"*AFO was at 40% compliance. Exactly on the line between hardly any control to some control. If I could just figure out what it is he agrees with, I can get that percentage up*"
He thought to himself, chewing on his inner lip.
"*If it wasn't for the fact that he's useful I'd have him killed.*"
He quickly got in his car and drove off, rushing off as though he were late to get home.

_________________________________________

"Heroes surge the scene!
In what seemed to be an attack on Tokyo, top heroes of multiple ranks took them down!
They struggled, the villains had quite the speed! But one of our heroes was faster!
Pro hero Zero! He quickly apprehended them, putting the other heroes' speed to shame! But that's not a surprise! The heroes then split up! Some helping with casualties and the others apprehending the villains-
Who were later identified to be teenagers! Pro heroes Dynamight, Zero, Hawks, and more were seen together questioning them! A rare sight to see all high ranking heroes working together to detain these criminals. Footage can now be seen..."
The news rambled off in the background of the dimly lit living room. Midoriya let out a drawn yawn, walking over to his couch in his PJs with a cat trailing behind him.

He sat down, shutting off the TV as he grabbed his phone. His cat curled up beside him, her collar jingling as she got comfortable.
"Time to call, isn't that right sapphire?"
Midoriya asked, though the cat was clearly logged out mentally.

He never intended to get a cat, he enjoyed the solitude of living alone, but one day she randomly showed up at his door and hasn't left since.

Midoriya dialed a number into his phone, sending a call to someone in particular.
After a few seconds of the brrr, the person picked up.

"Hello Izuku!"

"Hey mom"
Midoriya replied, a warm smile growing onto his face.

"Great job today! You're all over the news! But that isn't new I guess, haha! How is everything!"
She cheered, her voice cozily old.

"Everything is fine, same old same old. Hero work, psychology work, class, and everything else. How about you, any plans with aunt Mitsuki?"
Midoriya replied, sinking into his couch.

"Everything is great here, retirement is fun. Yes I intend to go out for brunch with her later this week! But speaking of meeting with people, when am I going to see you?
It's been forever since you last visited, I understand your busy but come on- find some time!"

Midoriya's smile wavered, "I'll try. But I can't promise any time soon, sorry"
He said, a slightly sad air about his voice.

"It's fine Izuku, I know you're working hard. Just make sure to take a break sometime. Working all the time isn't great for your health, and if you want to live a long time you need to prioritize yourself!"
Inko said, her voice taking on her usual motherly tone.

Midoriya chuckled, "I understand. Anything I can do for you besides visit?"
He asked.

She yawned, "no nothing dear, but I am really sleepy. I can't believe you're just getting home! I don't know how you manage."
She replied, her voice clearly lethargic.

"Then I won't take up much of your time, go to sleep."
Midoriya sighed, grabbing the planner which sat in his coffee table.

"Sorry we couldn't talk for long, I tried staying up late so I could catch you but I usually would've been asleep an hour ago!"
She apologized with a chuckle. "Have a good night dear, don't stay up late"

"You too, see you later"
Midoriya put down his phone, ending the call. His smile faded, and for a couple moments there was a long silence.

"*Sorry mom. But for your own sake, I can't visit anytime soon*"

Chapter Text

...

"*Sorry mom. But for your own sake I can't visit anytime soon*"
Midoriya sighed to himself, opening up his planner.
Inside was a detailed outline of everything he had planned for the next couple of months, with everyday having something on it.
"I need to find an opening so I can squeeze that UA visit in"
He yawned, scratching the back of his head.
That day was a particularly long day of tasks, so he was much more tired than he usually would've been.

"I have a meeting with the commission before my hero shift, then a couple more things at the agency before I head to my office. So nothing available in the morning of tomorrow. Hm but I'm not scheduled for anything on Thursday morning besides the regular hero shift. So I could go then."
Midoriya let out a drawn sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. His eyes were heavy, "such a long day" he groaned.

"*AFO wasted my time. I could've been home an hour ago. But if it means keeping him in check, I guess it's somewhat worth it. Even if he thinks he's actually the one keeping me in check*"
Midoriya thought to himself, putting a star on the time window available on Thursday. He continued on looking at the planner, his eyes hanging on days with empty slots perfect for a dinner hangout.
He shook his head, "I'll meet with her one day. But not this month or next month. But soon enough..."
His grew heavier, "I wanted to figure out what my plan was going to be" he mumbled to himself, the words of the planner blurring together.

"But that'll have to wait til later. I need sleep"

_________________________________________

Cars zoomed down busy streets, honking as people slowed down for no evident reason.
Loud voices filled the air, a lot speaking of the hero turn out from the day before.
But the noise didn't make it through the thick walls of the commission, especially not in a room several of hundreds of feet above ground.

"Report what happened in yesterday's meeting with Magent"
An older voice said coldly.

Midoriya stood there, alone with the commission boss in his office.
The room was sterile, the scent of bleach and cleaning products lingered in the air. Everything had been freshly wiped down, no dust, no fingerprints, on any of the surfaces. Even the floor had been mopped clean, practically reflecting like a mirror.

Light shone in through the large panel windows behind the desk of the office. the entire city could be seen, yet hardly heard.

Midoriya cleared his throat, "it went as you had instructed. His percentage had decreased to 20% since the last time I had seen him. And after his session it had only increased to 28%. So I did what was asked and killed him"
He explained.

"And you ensured no DNA evidence that could be linked to your office was left behind?"
The commission boss inquired,his voice sharp.

"None. Everything was thoroughly disposed of in the bag I sent"

"Good. I know you're an expert in your field but it never hurts to be cautious.
He's been declared missing as of this morning, he didn't show up after his 'shift' so his family put out a report."
The boss pointed to a wall of posters. There, all the heroes who had gone missing over the years sat in posters. The most recent addition being pro hero Magent. And even then, the wall didn't include everyone that mysteriously disappeared... The wall mostly consisted of heroes with families and friends.

"And what excuse did you give the family? Is there anything that could be linked to my office?"
Midoriya asked, having his own worry for caution.

"His phone was checked for any messages that could be linked to your office. Luckily he hadn't told anyone that he was headed over, not over text or call. We also had someone watch him for 24 hours prior to meeting you, and there was no one he had verbally spoken to regarding a visit."
He paused, taking a sip of coffee. Midoriya just stood there stoically, listening to the report.

"As for his family, we told them we'd do our best to find him and that it seems he had gone missing in the middle of his hero shift."
He let out a soft breath, Midoriya was lucky to have been standing far enough away to not smell the humid coffee smell.

"And what's the course of action regarding the investigation? The police are to have heard about it by now, and it won't be long til they start asking around"
Midoriya inquired further.

"You worry too much. I already told you I have it handled and your only job is to kill the heroes out of line."
He scolded, slightly annoyed by all the questions.
"But I guess with your nature, these questions would be expected from you."
He shook his head, it was like this everytime he gave Midoriya a task.
"I have people within the police department the same way I have you in the hero department. They won't get far with the investigation, anything that could be tied to your office was already either prevented or destroyed.
All street cameras were disabled from 12:00pm to 5:00pm for 'maintenance'. That's not only for your safety, but for the safety of the disposers.

However you should already know of all of this, so why do you ask every time?"
The boss asked, confused that a person like Midoriya would ask every time.

"If there were any changes or sudden discrepancies it would be good to know. By making you recall the steps, you'll remember anything that could've possibly gone wrong that you may have forgotten to note.
That would allow me to plan around the mistake, if any occured"
Midoriya explained.

"You're meticulous, Zero. Too meticulous. But it's a good quality for someone like you so I'll allow it."
The boss said with a chuckle. His eyes traveled to Midoriy's hands which held a familiar file. "What's that?" He asked.

Midoriya dropped the file onto his desk, "Pro hero Dynamight's evaluation. Figured I'd deliver it since I had to come in anyway."
He replied, stepping back away from the desk.

"Good, that one hates the evaluations. I was just getting ready to send out a reminder. "
He smiled, "anything amiss?"

"Nope, standard evaluation with a percentage of 52. Nothing out of the ordinary for him"
Midoriya replied, his expression unchanging.

The boss paused for a moment, staring intensely at his face. But nothing about his expression or mannerisms indicated any lie, "alright then.
That'll be all"
He said dismissively.

Midoriya nodded his head, glancing at his forehead swiftly. "Until next time then" he said, turning around and heading out.
He approached the door, getting close before he was suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Remember. It's a deal we have.
You get the control you wanted, we get the control we want."
The boss said loudly, but the noise hardly echoed off the sound proofed walls. Midoriya turned his head slightly, only enough to get a good look at the boss.
He nodded his head silently.

"And you get a good bonus.
We'd never do anything to jeopardize the deal so stop worrying."

"I understand"
Midoriya replied, exiting the room to begin his shift.
"*63%, but he doesn't know that. His percentage is much higher than AFO's.
Granted he agrees a lot with what I say both in person and in the lectures, so it makes sense.*"

_________________________________________

"Midoriya! Nice seeing you, it's been a while!"
A joyful golden haired hero cheered, slapping Midoriya on the back.

Midoriya smiled, "nice seeing you too, Mirio. Anything I missed in my absence?"
He asked, adjusting the vest of his hero attire.
He and the others had just come back from their hero shifts, just regular patrol to ensure the general safety of Japan. Though it was the first time in a week Midoriya had shown up to the agency, he was busy and had requested some time off.

"Nothing besides what you already knew. We're still working on the same case Nighteye assigned us, but we were hoping your analysis would maybe lead us in a better direction, we're lost"
Mirio replied, stretching his arms as they both entered the large conference room space.

The room could be described with two words, organized chaos.
There were stacks of papers in binders, stacked on eachother haphazardly on the large table. Heroes, police, and sidekicks sat around, discussing numerous cases. Each assigned their own.

Heroes who had yet to be fully fledged worked at other agencies to build experience necessary, a required assignment in the hero schools. After Endeavor retired, the highest ranking hero agency became Nighteye's.

All eyes turned to the two heroes who entered, both quite high ranking individuals as Mirio was the #3 hero.

"Woah long time no see, welcome back Midoriya!"
Kaminari smiled, practically cheering for his return.

Todoroki just waved, acknowledging his existence.

"What took you so long?"
Bakugo groaned, office space investigation was not his strong suit and brought him great annoyance.

Shinsou let out an annoyed exhale, his week of peace was over.

"Thank God you're here, we need a new look at the cases"
Sero sighed, stressed with the amount that was piling up.

Midoriya let out a sharp sigh, "let's get started then"
He said, feeling the weight of the assignments fall burden on his shoulders. He mentally scanned the boards, getting a grasp of how far along they were on their cases.

With the UA hero school being the most prestigious, many of the students were easily accepted into the top agencies of Japan. Agencies were allowed to take in as many as they liked as they were not the ones who paid them for their work, it was the commission.

Midoriya grabbed a seat at one of end of the head of the table, despite being ranked #5, he was a key asset in the investigative work done at the agency.
Without him, not a lot of progress was made anywhere.

He grabbed a binder, "where are we on the Akira case?" He asked, opening up the binder and flipping through the pages.

"So far all we have are a couple suspects, but no compelling evidence. Nor do we have anything that could point to her actually being murdered"
Todoroki explained as Midoriya refreshed his mind on the details.

"Right, the only thing we found was signs of a struggle and some of her blood in the last place she was seen before she was declared missing.
Do we have the suspects in custody? Now that I'm here, we can figure out pretty fast if they're guilty or not"
Midoriya asked, earning a scoff from Shinsou.

"What's your problem with him, man. he's just doing his job"
Sero groaned, Shinsou was always the one to start the issues.

"Just listening to him is annoying"
Shinsou replied, he was sick of all the way everything seemed to orbit around him. As though without him they weren't capable.

"Just ignore him"
Midoriya said dismissively, waving his hand flippantly, "how about the suspects?"
He asked again.

Shinsou scowled, but ultimately couldn't do anything.

"Yes we have them in custody but not for long. If you don't ask them within the next 2 hours they'll be dismissed"
A police officer replied.

"Okay, let me get a look at the other cases and then I'll go down. It shouldn't be long"

"Thank you, Zero. We wouldn't be able to do this without you"

Midoriya smiled, "just doing my job" the faint sneer was easy to miss, but not my Shinsou who knew it was a personal jab.
"Next case"
He said, grabbing onto the next binder.

He continuously worked like that, coming up with solutions to all of their road blocks.
It wasn't that they hadn't made any progress without him, it's that they made enough but then found themselves stuck and unable to make the next steps.

From not being able to get confessions to having evidence but not being able to figure out how it points them in a direction, Midoriya was able to solve it all.

No one understood how he did it, they just knew he was an indispensable asset.

"Thank you so much Midoriya! These cases were breaking our minds!"
Kaminari cried, grateful that most of the pile had been figured out.

Midoriya chuckled, "it was nothing much" he stood up, but at the same time Nighteye walked in which wasn't like him.
Most of the time, he left the fledgling heroes to work on the smaller more manageable cases while he worked on the bigger cases with some of the other heroes- sometimes involving a few of them when things got tough.

So for him to have been walking in, holding a massive binder especially, was a red flag.

Midoriya stared, his eyes glued to the binder. There was a label, one that made his stomach drop.
"Missing heroes"
He read, feeling the blood drain from his face.

Shinsou stared at him for a minute, noticing his odd reaction to the binder as Nighteye walked to the opposite end of the table and put it down.

"I'd like to have your attention"
Nighteye announced, his voice grimm.

Midoriya could feel his heart pounding through his chest, "*didn't the commission say they had this handled?? This is why I can't leave everything to them...!*"
His fists tightened, but he maintained composure.

"A case was brought to my attention by the police department, a newly appointed lieutenant more specifically.
Recently, pro hero Magent has been reported missing."
Nighteye paused, taking a breath.

Midoriya clenched his jaw, "*of course it's because of some new detective.*" He sat back down, needing that sense of security.

Nighteye continued,
"But here's the thing...

He isn't the only hero that's gone unexplainably missing.

Over the course of 2 years, 97 heroes have disappeared"

Chapter Text

..

"Over the course of 2 years, 97 heroes have disappeared"
Nighteye announced, his voice heavy.

The room fell silent, as though the weight of what he said pushed the air out of the room. They all just stared, wide eyed. Some with clenched jaws, others with tightened fists, most with hearts hammering against their ribs.

"97...?"
Todoroki asked, the first to break the silence.

"Yes, 97"

"How the hell do 97 heroes go missing and we don't notice at all?!"
Bakugo shouted, standing up from his seat in clear frustration.

"Yeah!? That isn't a small number!"
Kirishima added, slamming his clenched fist onto the table.

Midoriya just stayed silent, it was no time to speak, he needed answers.

"I understand you're all upset but we need to calm down and assess the situation. Here are the facts"
Nighteye sighed, but even he was greatly upset.
"All the heroes who've gone missing are below rank 100— low enough for the public and media to not notice them.
Secondly, they were all investigated. The police and detectives searched all they could but nothing turned up, so the cases went cold."
He explained, it made sense hearing it aloud.

"But why 97 heroes later...? Shouldn't have this been noticed way earlier?"
Sero asked, it was the one thing he couldn't mentally grasp.

"A newly appointed lieutenant, formerly known as detective Tsukauchi, was the one to notice after pro hero Magent's disappearance.
In the past, the missing cases were buried since they went cold. So he didn't know about it til the new report came in. While reviewing the files, he uncovered a lot of similar disappearances and concluded we're dealing with a serial hero abductor, and pushed for the reopening of all of these cases."
Nighteye paused, releasing a disappointed sigh. It hung in the air, contributing to the weight of silence.

"It took so long because it was overlooked. The police department is slammed with hundreds of cases everyday, cold cases like these end up getting buried and forgotten in the system."
Nighteye concluded, hardly able to say the words himself.

"But the commission- shouldn't they have pushed for more investigative work to be done on missing heroes..??"
Shinsou asked.

Midoriya felt his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at Shinsou with animosity never once seen before- though to everyone else he just looked like an attentive listener who agreed with what he had to say.

"The commission pushed at the start, before any of the individual cases went cold. But after the police department couldn't find any leads, they accepted that they were gone.
Lieutenant Tsukauchi tried to get them to reopen the case in his department but they dismissed it calling it a lost cause.
But he didn't give up, he came to me— knowing I wouldn't be able to refuse."
Nighteye placed his hand on the large binder, looking at the rest of the heroes tenaciously.

"So now this case is ours, and he'll be assisting directly"
He declared, pointing to the door as Tsukauchi walked in.

Midoriya took a silent deep breath in and slowly released, the situation couldn't get worse than that.
"*The detective Tsukauchi - now lieutenant- is the one working the case?? The one who pushed for it..! He's the best in Japan, he's uncovered everything...!
if there is even one thread that can be linked back to me.. - no.
I can't let that happen...*"
He thought to himself, picking at the skin near his nails.

"Midoriya I understand you were getting ready to head out but-"
Nighteye was cut off.

"No no, my office can wait. This is far more important"
Midoriya said sharply, "let me just make a quick call"

"Understandable, we'll wait for you to return"
Tsukauchi said, allowing Midoriya to get on passed him to make a call in the hallway.

"Woah Midoriya putting a delay on his schedule?"
Kaminari commented.

"I mean this case isn't like the others, we need all the brainpower we can get"
Sero added, earning a couple nods of agreeance.

"Even if he wanted to go, I'd strongly advise against it."
Nighteye sighed, folding his arms.

Shinsou just scowled, even in a high profile case regarding 97 missing heroes, Midoriya was still at the center of it- as though they couldn't do anything without him.

Midoriya stepped into the hallway, his breathing slightly rapid, mouth dry. He could feel a cold sweat making its way out, that's why he had to step out of the room.
"*I need to maintain composure. Any slip ups now can point in my direction.*"
He took another deep breath in, slowly releasing it as he mentally reset.

"*Okay. The commission messed up, it happens.. Tsukauchi is an ambitious man, but he can't make evidence appear out of the blue. On top of that, they don't even know the heroes have been killed.
Enough precaution has been taken- no evidence can trace back to me.
I have nothing to worry about. All I have to do is control the case, show them that there's nothing that could lead us to finding the heroes.

That way, the case goes cold again, buried never to see the light of day again.
Everything will be fine*"
He thought to himself, pulling out his phone and calling his secretary. He received calls from heroes and set Midoriya's schedule as a psychologist.

"My apologies but something urgent has come up in the agency so I'm going to be late"
Midoriya said, his voice now much calmer than before.

"Alright, the good news is that it doesn't seem like you have anything time-sensitive on schedule. No meetings today, and no scheduled hero meet with anyone except for..."
The secretary scanned his schedule, "Hitoshi Shinsou, it says he's overdue for an evaluation. But he's not scheduled for another 2 hours so I think you should be fine."

"Thank you. I'll be in as soon as possible"

"Oh. But you do have a task that's sooner rather than later- you were asked to psychologically evaluate the teenagers from last night. But it can be delayed"
He said, noticing the note he had taken to remind Midoriya.

Midoriya let out a sharp sigh, "okay, I'll deal with it as soon as I come to the office"
He said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He ended the call, "*just another task, it's not as important. I need to focus on this case*"
His hand slid back to his side as he mentally locked in. "*The commission boss has a lot to hear from me after this blows over*"
He made his way back into the room, his face regularly stoic— as though nothing was wrong, just business as usual.

"All's been handled, let's begin"
Midoriya said, making his way back over to his seat.

"Okay, I'm passing down a list of all the heroes who've gone missing. Besides them all being heroes and below rank 100, try to see if you can find anything else that links them all. Physical characteristics, quirks, etc. anything that can allow us to figure out why they've been targeted"
Tsukauchi said, signalling to Nighteye to open up the binder and pass around the paperwork.

Midoriya grabbed the paper, his stomach twisting in knots, "*the only thing that links these heroes together is that they scored low on their evaluation... But that kind of information shouldn't be accessible to us. Good.*"
He thought to himself, scanning all of their faces.
He remembered every single one of them, their last harrowing moments as they took a knife to their throats, some to their chests, and ended their own lives without a choice.

The fear that was painted all over their faces, the sound of panic and despair in their voices, tears, their final breathes...
And the clean up after all of it was over, it all flashed through his mind.

But he remained unfazed, not a drop of remorse in his blood.

Everyone stared at the heroes, and after a very long moment of silence, they found themselves stumped.

"... Lieutenant, besides what you've already said. Nothing is linking the heroes together"
Todoroki said, breaking the silence once more.

"Icyhot is right— it looks like a random selection of heroes"
Bakugo groaned, scratching his head in frustration. he hated detective work as is- but now there was an even greater gravity to the situation that he couldn't ignore.

Tsukauchi sighed, "I was hoping you'd prove me wrong.
I had noted the same thing when overlooking the case myself."

Midoriya cleared his throat, "have we tried contacting their families? Any details about the days leading up to their disappearance?"
He asked, professionally taking lead.

"Investigators who worked the individual cases left notes, and among them they did question families. According to them, most of them were normal.
Just going to go work their hero shifts, some even had plans for afterwards. But they never came back from their shifts"
Tsukauchi explained.

"So whoever this is only targets heroes on active duty, not when they're regular civilians."
Midoriya noted, only taking them a step further from his office. "*This makes it seem like they went missing on the streets of Japan while On active patrol, not when they took a small break to go to my office*"
He thought to himself.

Tsukauchi's eyes widened, "that's a good point, the abductor isn't getting heroes when they're off shift- only on shift."

Midoriya hummed, "and do we have a timeline of how often the disappearances occured? How long the abductor waited before stricking again?"
He asked further.

"We do but it seems to be completely random. Some days they wait months, sometimes they abduct twice in a month.
Their behavior doesn't seem to have any timely expectations so we have no way of knowing when they'll strike next— or even who they'll strike next"
Tsukauchi sighed in frustration.

Midoriya nodded his head, hiding the slight relief he was feeling calm down his stomach.
"So to organize what we do and don't know.
The abductor kidnaps heroes on active duty, doesn't have a known MO, and has been doing this for at least 2 years.
Nothing connects the heroes besides them all being low ranks, and they all led normal lives."
He said, making the heroes realize they were quite literally stumped. There were no obvious next steps from there...

"*And now to instill doubt*"
He thought to himself, letting out a soft exhale.
"And we're certain this person is only going after heroes? With there being no known MO, we could just be looking at a serial kidnapper.
Maybe the heroes fell witness to their actions, and to cover it up, kidnapped them too"
He said, leading them even further away.

"Do you think it's possible?"
Tsukauchi asked, not liking the sound of it.

"I'm not sure, it's just a possibility with so many unknowns.
To ensure this person solely focuses on heroes, let's check if any other disappearances occured the same day the heroes were reported missing. If there's a connection then we might be looking at something beyond just heroes"
Midoriya said, his voice calm and calculative.

"That would be smart... Ensuring the focus is entirely on heroes..."
Tsukauchi mumbled, others also nodded their heads, agreeing with the next course of action.

Except for one person.

Shinsou cleared his throat, "what he suggested is good n all but have we done the obvious yet??"
He asked, all attention turning to him.

"And what would that be?"
Nighteye asked.

"Checking their devices for their last known locations? Are the disappearances specific to a city or is it all over Japan."
Shinsou sighed, though a part of him was glad to have thought of it before Midoriya had.

Midoriya stared at him for a second, feeling his blood pressure rising. "*This much should've been covered by the commission... Right?*"

Tsukauchi shook his head, "that was part of the initial investigation. For some unexplainable reason however, their devices seemed to be on a fritz. It showed their last known locations to be in some very random countries like Germany or Romania."
He said with clear frustration in his eyes.

Midoriya felt another wave of relief hit him, unnoticed by the others.

"But. We do know one thing for sure- now that you mentioned it.

All of their last known locations were in Tokyo"

Chapter Text

...

"All of their last known locations were in Tokyo"
Tsukauchi declared, having been able to figure out that their last shifts all took place in Tokyo.

Midoriya felt the stress hit him again, "whoever it is must have some kind of quirk that can mess with location tracking. Otherwise why would Germany and Romania show up?"
He asked.

"That's a good point to consider as well, whoever it is has a way to mess with their device locations. But the good news is that we know they were last seen in Tokyo, so we're not going to search those countries at all"
Tsukauchi replied, steering them away from the idea.

Midoriya felt his chest slightly tighten, "well that means we can isolate the investigation to Tokyo.. check for any missing people in Tokyo who went missing around the same time as the heroes.
Sound good?"
He asked.

Everyone found themselves listening, and he was right— that was a good next course of action.

Even Shinsou found himself listening, which was something he hated doing.

"Yes that's a good place to start."
Tsukauchi concluded. "I'll head on down to the station and start from there. Nighteye should be able to give you all access to all the missing peoples reports."
He said, glancing over to Nighteye who was nodding his head.

"Good call, Midoriya. This way we can really narrow down the scale— or get new leads if it ends up being right."
Nighteye added, walking over to the door.
"We can handle the rest, it's just checking missing dates for now. If you need to head on over to your office you're free to do so"
He said, barely glancing back as he exited the room with Tsukauchi to begin the investigation.
After all, the longer they stalled, the more likely the abductor would get away with the kidnapping of Magent and all the others.

Midoriya let out a small sigh of relief, not noticeable to others.
"Well then. Sorry you all, I'll have to abandon ship for now."
He said, standing back up again and grabbing his stuff.

"It's understandable"
Todoroki commented.

"You already did the heavy mental lift! All that's left is following suit"
Kirishima reassured, not wanting Midoriya to feel bad for being generally busy.

"Yeah yeah, let us do the tedious stuff"
Bakugo scoffed, earning a jab to the shoulder from Sero and a couple chuckles from Kaminari.

"You're not needed here anyway"
Shinsou retorted, earning a silent stare from the others who couldn't stand how it seemed like he was always the one picking the fight.

"Yes.
And neither are you. Report to my office in 2 hours, you're due for an evaluation"
Midoriya partially sneered, walking out with much confidence.

Bakugo pointed at Shinsou and laughed, earning a scowl from him as he sat there in his anger.
The both of them shared a mutual hate for evaluations, and Midoriya had practically weaponized it against him.

Midoriya made his way down the hall, his face netural but vaguely glad.
"*Great, I have them chasing a red herring. People go missing in Tokyo all the time, there's going to be some overlap. But not enough...

For now, I'll deal with some other tasks*"

_________________________________________

A clock ticked in the silence, filling the silence of a dimly lit room alongside the hum of a light bulb.
There was a coolness of the room, one that instilled a natural discomfort. One where layering was too hot but wearing just a shirt was still too cold.

"State your name and your quirk"
Midoriya said coldly, crossing his hands and placing them on the metal table. His eyes were spiraling and staring back at him, a teenager. He was wearing an expression of unease, but without a choice responded to his prompt.

They were in an interrogation room, one where the walls were made of brick and the floor purely of cement.

"Kuro Haru. And my quirk is multi reflex.
I have very fast reaction time and can apply it to others"
He explained, his lips betraying his mind.

Midoriya nodded his head, noting down what he said, "and why did you attack the city alongside the 6 other teenagers yesterday night?"
He asked.

"We thought it would be fun to use our quirks without restraint... Because it's illegal to do so in our society and we just wanted to let loose. We attacked because that was the only idea we had of fun"
He explained, and while his words were calm and cool, the panic in his eyes told an entirely different story. He was under Midoriya's control, and couldn't lie even if he wanted to.

"Do you understand that hundreds of people were injured yesterday, with some declared dead as of this morning? What do you have to say for yourself?"
Midoriya said bluntly.

Tears streamed down the teenager's face, regret evident in his eyes, "we didn't mean to kill anyone. We just thought it would be fun to damage some property. Had we known people would've gotten seriously hurt, we wouldn't have done it." His words sounded entirely robotic.

"Many people are angry and hurt because of your poor attempt at fun."
Midoriya sighed, releasing the teenager from his control.

Kuro fell forward, his face immediately contorting as tears and regret sprawled all over. He let out choked cries, grasping his chest in pain.
"I helped kill people...!?"
He cried.

Midoriya noted down his reaction, "*that would be the normal way to react to accidental murder.*"
He thought to himself, noticing just how much regret the kid was feeling. It was the one thing he couldn't fully understand as he didn't regret his own murders. To him, they were a necessary evil to maintain control.
He stood up, "we're done here. Good luck with the courts, people won't care for your reasons"
Hardly glancing at the kid, he walked out of the interrogation room.

"*And that settles that. Now I prepare for Shinsou's evaluation and figure out what I can tell Aizawa to allow him to give me lecture to his class.
But before that- the commission*"
Midoriya thought to himself, mentally preparing for the road ahead.
Literally as well, he had to drive back to his office.

After a short drive, he made his way into his office.
He went over to his desk and sat down, his mind still racing after what happened at the agency.
"*I've steered them the wrong way, but when notice the discrepancies they'll notice the hero focused pattern.
I've only managed to buy at least a weeks worth of time- going through 2 years worth of missing cases and checking if they coincide with the missing heroes will take some time but there's enough people that it'll be fast enough.
It's okay though, in a week I'll have another path waiting for them— far away from my office.*"
He thought to himself, pulling out his phone and sending a call.

"Hello, Zero? What seems to be the issue?"
The commission boss asked.

"Your newly appointed lieutenant is the problem.
Why didn't you inform me??"
Midoriya replied, his voice sharp.

"Wait- don't tell me he pushed for the case to be opened through Nighteye's agency..."
The commission boss groaned.

"He did."
He said flatly.

"Zero you know that we never
intended—"

"Your intentions don't matter, there's a problem because of the way you dealt with that tenacious bastard."
Midoriya sighed, scratching the back of his head.

"Relax. There's a reason we didn't take him seriously.
He won't be able to find anything even if your help or all the heroes in Japan's help."
The commission boss said dismissively.

"You're certain nothing can be linked to us or my office, right?"
He asked.

"Yes, we ensured of it. Just ride the wave and wait for it to blow over."
He reassured.

Midoriya sharply exhaled, "I'll be taking measures to further ensure we aren't caught.
If I even get the feeling he's close, I can't guarantee I allow his survival"
He said, though it was pretty much a threat.

"Do as you see fit. We trust your judgement. If you need any help with cover up, you know who to call"
He said, ending on a friendly yet assured tone.

Midoriya ended the call and let out an annoyed groan, adjusting the collar of his shirt.
"*Dismissive bastard, this is why I have to do everything myself.*"
He readjusted himself in his seat and placed his head in his hands, recollecting himself with calm and paced breaths.

He could feel his once rapid heartbeat slowly begin to settle into a steady beat, his mind clearing of his stresses, "*frustration and other emotions alike will only cloud my judgement.
Let's focus on the immediate factors I can control*"
He grabbed his planner, noting the star he left for the coming Thursday.
"*I'll catch Aizawa after class. I shouldn't have a hard time convincing him, he's at 63%.*"

Midoriya began to do his usual set of work in wait of Shinsou's inevitable visit.

_________________________________________

"How are we ever going to get through all of this..."
Kaminari groaned, looking at the massive stacks of paper that filled the conference table.

The papers consisted of everyone who had gone missing over the span of 2 years, all focused on Tokyo.

"Seriously... These are a lot of missing people—
They're all still missing??"
Sero asked in disbelief.

"There's a total of 589 cold missing cases, the reason there's so much paper is because each person has at least a second sheet of details."
Nighteye explained.
"So yes, these people are still missing"
He sighed, realizing they had a problem beyond just missing heroes.

"...and they're all individual? Nothing connects them..?"
Shinsou questioned further, feeling the weight of the situation practically punch his gut.

"There could be some connections, but right now the main connection we're searching for is the hero connection."
Tsukauchi replied, reminding them of the priority.

"589 people, 7 heroes- not including Midoriya right now- 3 sidekicks, and a detective. With Midoriya, a total of 12 people.
That's around 50 missing people per person, this is going to take a while"
Todoroki said, doing some rough calculations in his head.

"Yes it's why I couldn't do it alone. I'd ask the police station but they took orders from the commission to just drop it. "
Tsukauchi said, shaking his head.

"It's around 8-15 hours of work per person, varying based on how fast you can check 1 date against 97 people. This won't be done in a day, I'd say a week at least. "
Nighteye said, clicking away at his on hand calculator.

"And that's assuming Midoriya isn't busy"
Todoroki added.

"I think this takes a little more priority over his psychologist work or stupid lectures"
Shinsou scowled.

"Not when the commission has his evaluations as top priority."
Nighteye sighed, he understood Midoriya was a busy man and gave him much leniency.

"Speaking of evaluations, you won't even be able to work for too long. You have to leave in less than an hour"
Sero pointed out, making Shinsou let out a dragged groan.

"I mean I don't think any of us are going to be able to get much work done today"
Mirio lightly chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.
"It won't be long til some of us have to start our hero shifts. Me, Bakugo, Midoriya, and Todoroki already did our morning shifts. But the rest of you need to get going"
He commented with a slightly sad tone.

"You're right I totally forgot!"
Kaminari faced palmed, the new case had completely taken over his mind.

"Yes Mirio is right. Half of you only have an hour left before you need to go. And then not too long after that, you'll have hero school.
But it's okay, today we're just getting started. We'll really focus in tomorrow"
Nighteye explained. A lot of their time had been taken looking at other cases, discussing the new case, and then printing out over a thousand papers to search through.

And so they began, doing what they could for the small time window they had.

After a short hour, Shinsou reluctantly got up. "Stupid evulations" he grumbled, scratching the back of his head, annoyed as one could be

"Time to get this over with"

Chapter Text

...

"Time to get this over with"
Shinsou groaned, but hardly anyone looked up from their papers.

"Good luck Shinsou!"
Kaminari barely got out, waving him off.

"Yeah you'll need it"
Bakugo sneered, moving paper and grabbing another.

Shinsou let out an annoyed sigh and exited the room, every step feeling like 10 pounds were strapped to his legs.
After dragging his feet, he made it over to his car and drove to the psychologist's office.

Standing before him, a long hallway. And at the end of it, Midoriya's office. It was brightly lit, hardly any shadows casted, and oddly clean. The painting hung up on the walls were pristine, clearly wiped down. Not a spec of dust could be seen on the baseboards, nor could any shoe prints be seen on the shiny wooden floors.

Shinsou felt a chill of disgust run down his back, "feels like a hospital.."
He mumbled under his breath, reluctantly walking over and standing before the door.
With much hesitation, he raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in"
Midoriya said from the other side of the door.

Shinsou opened the door, and immediately noticed just how ridiculously clean and tidy the office was. It made the hallway look normal...
"This dump hasn't changed" he remarked, walking further inside.

"Id recommend withholding your comments, neither of us want to do this"
Midoriya sighed, practically glaring at Shinsou.

"Yeah right."
Shinsou scoffed, taking his seat across from Midoriya.
"Say, why is it that you and the commission are just so intertwined..?!"
He began. It wasn't something new, he always brought it up whenever he had to come for evaluations.

"I'm simply doing my job-"
Midoriya tried to remain cool.

"Trying to do your job-!
You and the commission orchestrated this! Heroes arent allowed to work unless they get an evaluation! And it has to be done by you!
Isn't that strange!? I don't understand why anyone else is so complacent!"
Shinsou rambled, gripping the arm rest of his seat. He could feel his anger increasing as all of his thoughts erupted at once.
"And you! You give me the creeps! How sterilized your office is- how everything has to be on schedule, in exact timings! You get noticeably irritated when things don't go your way!"

Midoriya's gaze hardened, "Shinsou calm-"
Shinsou interrupted. Midoriya could feel his anger simmering behind his mask of calm.

"No! I'm sick and tired of this! The way everyone finds themselves listening to you!? How it seems everything revolves around you...! That's not normal!
We may both share a similar quirk- but you embody con-"

Midoriya's voice cut the air, "silence" he hissed.

Shinsou found himself choking on air, he grabbed his neck, finding himself silenced without Midoriya having even moved a muscle.

Midoriya's eyes twisted in spirals, "I told you to calm down. If you don't comply, I'll fail your evaluation, making you unable to legally do hero work."
He held up 2 fingers, Shinsou just glared at him in a silent rage.
"So what'll it be, you comply or fail?"
He released him from his control.

Shinsou gasped for a breath, "that's another thing about you- you can't stand noise!
You're hiding something! Otherwise you wouldn't find the need to control everything!"
He shouted in his usual fit of anger.

Midoriya silently stared at him, his eyes burning with a fury that was beyond just Shinsou's outrage.
Shinsou felt a cold chill run down his spine, his stomach twisting in a knot.
"*What the hell is that look in his eyes- this is beyond his usual disdain towards me...
It's... Malice*"
He thought to himself, unable to figure out just what it was that Midoriya was contemplating. He subconsciously understood he took it too far, but at the same time he didn't care. If no one was going to say anything, he was.

"*Should I just kill him? He's given me enough problems as is...*"
Midoriya shook his head and took a deep breath in, "*calm.. can't kill him. Everyone knows he came for an evaluation, if he turns up missing - everyone will know I'm the culprit. And it won't stop there*"
He let out a sharp exhale and attempted to recompose himself, looking straight at Shinsou's forehead.

"What crazy bastard? Did I hit a nerve?"
Shinsou nervously remarked, but even he felt like something was terribly wrong.

Midoriya stared for a solid minute, letting the silence do all the talking for him.
"*3%. He shouldn't even be someone I contemplate leaving alive, if it wasn't for his rank...*"
He clenched his jaw, struggling to wear his mask of calm. "*Irritating bug.
I'll leave him unable to do hero work, that'll force him to stop for now*"
He cleared his throat, breaking the silence.

Scribbling on his clipboard he stated,
"You have scored low on your evaluation and are thus, unfit for hero patrol.
Your lack of compliance for a simple questionnaire, inability to work with others, and hostility towards a fellow hero, deem you ineligible."
Midoriya said coldly, closing his notepad as he stood up and put his clipboard away inside his desk drawer.

"What?!—"
Shinsou choked.

"You will be on temporary suspension until you pass the supplementary classes the commission will provide and a next evaluation."
Midoriya stated, his voice in his 'business as usual' tone.
His face was back to its usual calm and stoic demeanor, like his seething rage had completely faded away.

"You can't do that?!"
Shinsou hissed, standing up in a fit of anger.

"I already warned you. You made your decision the moment you decided to continue screaming."
Midoriya replied, sitting down on his desk chair and opening up his laptop.
Shinsou stood there, a vein practically popping out of his forehead. His hands were balled up into fists, as though he were getting ready to throw a punch.

"Get out of my office"
Midoriya said sharply, "Before you do something you'll regret"
He looked at his computer screen, he had to send a file over to the commission after all.

"You'll regret this!"
Shinsou shouted, storming out of the room and slamming the door shut.

"Yes..." He trailed off "I'll regret not being able to kill you."
Midoriya muttered under his breath, typing up a report on Shinsou to send to the commission.

Because he failed the evaluation, he would no longer be allowed to work his hero shift. Only being allowed to work at the agency and going to hero school instead.
In the time slot that would've been dedicated to hero patrol, he would have to attend classes based on his failure.

After a short while of working, there was new knock on his door.
Midoriya raised his brow, "come in" he said, though he didn't know who to expect and didn't have his cameras pulled up either.

Todoroki entered, "hello Midoriya, this a good time?"
He asked.

"Oh it's just you."
Midoriya let out a sigh, "yeah it's fine. I was preparing to get ready for hero school anyway"
He replied.

Todoroki entered and shut the door, walking on over to his desk. "The hero investigation.. aren't you worried?"
He asked.

Midoriya shook his head, "everything is under control. And nothing ties back to me. I already talked with the commission and I was given free reign to do whatever necessary to keep from getting caught"
He explained.
"But how is the investigation going? Anything happen while I wasn't there?"

"No, everything went pretty much how you set it. Everyone has around 50 missing people to look at, it'll be around a weeks worth of work."
Todoroki explained, giving Midoriya the details he missed in his absence.

"Good, that buys me time. I have a couple other things to worry about too, AFO's task being among them"
Midoriya replied.

"Makes sense. How's everything with the league? Dabi?"
Todoroki asked further, curious.

"I haven't heard from dabi, nor did I see him. But if you want to directly contact him, I can make that arrangement"
Midoriya offered.

"No.. not yet. I don't think I'm ready to face him."
Todoroki hesitated.

"Okay then."
He checked the time, "we should get ready for class"

_________________________________________

Quiet chatter echoed throughout the lecture room.
Class was back in session, and the fledgling heroes were waiting on Aizawa to arrive to start.

Shinsou entered the room, his eyesbrows furrowed, jaw clenched. Everyone could tell something was upsetting him, but they didn't know what.
He glared at Midoriya, who sat beside his friends and chatted away. As though everything were completely normal, like he hadn't just put a mark on his career.
Bad evaluations left stains...

"Shinsou, I didn't see you on shift today"
Monoma noted as he sat down beside him.
While Monoma worked at a different agency, his shifts still had overlap with Shinsou's so they often worked together.

Shinsou let out a loud scoff, capturing everyone's attention, "maybe you would've seen me on shift if someone didn't put me on suspension!"
He shouted, earning a loud gasp from everyone in the class minus Midoriya, who barely acknowledged his comment.
Whispers quickly circulated the classroom as they looked to see what happened next.

"Woah Midoriya what happened!"
Kaminari asked, surprised their disagreements had gone so far.

Bakugo laughed, "he clearly must've done something, eh Deku. He's picking a fight right now so might as well tell us what he did"
He sneered, instigating a bigger fight.

Midoriya shook his head, "I don't engage in childish taunts. He failed his evaluation, he was suspended as a result. End story."
He replied, Bakugo practically deflated in his seat.
They had obviously fought, and he wanted the details.

"But it takes a lot to fail an evaluation!"
Kirishima jumped in, attempting to push for more details.

"Yeah! Just what did you do Shinsou!"
Sero added, turning the attention back onto him.

Shinsou scowled, "I told him what he didn't want to hear! He then abused his power."
He retorted.

Midoriya furrowed his brows, "don't twist the story."
He intercepted. Bakugo and the others practically popped up in their seats, if they had popcorn they'd be intensely snacking away.
"You arrived at my office shouting about how you didn't like the evaluations. Then began insulting me.
I gave you 2 options, to either comply or face the consequences of your actions."
He continued.
"You picked the latter"

"That sounds about right knowing Shinsou"
Kaminari said, thoughtfully nodding his head.

"Always picking a fight."
Sero groaned.

"But Shinsou, why do you have such a strong disdain for Midoriya?"
Ashido chimed in. She had always noted their animosity, it had started way back in highschool. But she was never informed as to why it was there.

Monoma chuckled, with Kaminari, Kirishima, and Sero joining in. Even Bakugo laughed.
"You want to know why?
This goes all the way back to the sports festival"

~~~~~~~~~

The crowd roared with excitement, cheering on the students in their battles.
It was fight after fight, they had reached the 1v1 last round of the festival. The round that determined just who won!

"And now!!!
Izuku Midoriya from class 1-A!!
Vs
Hitoshi Shinsou from class 1-C!!
Between the two mind controllers, who will win!!"
Present mic loudly announced as the two competitors stepped up onto center stage.

Shinsou glared at Midoriya, whereas Midoriya just stared at him calmly.

"Someone like you doesn't deserve to be in class 1-A!? What separates you from me!?"
Shinsou shouted, aiming for a response from Midoriya.

Midoriya chuckled, "I have the better quirk. I don't need a reaction to gain control"
He replied.

Shinsou momentarily smiled, "got you-"
He tried to use his quirk on Midoriya, but found that it practically bounced off of him.

"No you don't."
Midoriya stated, clearly confident.
"You see when 2 similar quirks clash, the stronger one wins"
Midoriya held out his hand, his eyes spiraling.
"Walk out of bounds"

Shinsou contorted, feeling the attack on his mind.
He convulsed, trying to maintain control, which only pushed Midoriya to work harder.

The crowd watched confused, unable to tell who was winning or what was even going on. They let out discombobulated cheers, but not directed at either opponent as it wasn't clear just who'd win.

Midoriya let out a cough, "walk. Out- of bounds"
He strained, he had never once faced an opponent that was hard to control.

"Never!"
Shinsou shouted, struggling as he attempted to charge at Midoriya.

He was getting closer and closer, Midoriya clenched his jaw and pushed past his limits.
"Freeze"
He shouted, coughing up some more.

Shinsou froze, completely incapacitated.
"Damn it!"
He forced out of clenched teeth.

Midoriya smiled, coughing up a little into his arm, "now, walk out of bounds"
He instructed.

And without any choice, Shinsou turned around and started his walk out of bounds.
He struggled, trying to fight against the control. His face twisted, his eyes screaming in terror as the boundary became closed and closer.

The crowd gasped, watching as Midoriya had completely taken over the round.
Every step closer to the boundary was a step closer to his win.

"... And....!"
Present mic shouted, Shinsou was a step away from being completely out of bounds.

"No!"
He shouted, but it was too late. Because there, in front of all of Japan, he lost the battle and stepped out of bounds.
Ensuring his loss, and guaranteeing Midoriya's win.

"Izuku Midoriya wins this round!!"
Present mic shouted, the crowd roared alongside him.

Shinsou stood there in his defeat, his heart hammering against his ribs. He had just pathetically lost, and everyone saw. He could feel the veins on his forehead practically about to burst, anger had sky rocketed within him.
Midoriya released him from his control, allowing him to turn around and face him.

"There's no way..!-"

Midoriya smiled, "see the disparity?"
He sneered, earning a scornful glare from shinsou.

"Your quirk is the weaker version of mine.
That's why I won, and you lost"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Woah it started from there??"
Jirou commented, surprised that resentment could be held on to for so long.

"I mean it's pretty embarrassing when you think about it"
Ashido added, nodding her head in understanding.

"I can't even blame him, I'd be upset too"
Kaminari chuckled.

"Yep, it only got worse from there"
Monoma laughed, earning a solid punch to his shoulder from Shinsou who was embarrassed all over again.
It was a memory he hated, one he often thought about. One he wished he could burn out of existence.

"Talk about a sore loser"
Bakugo sneered, only adding fuel to his rage.

"You would've been one too if you didn't subdue Midoriya as fast as you did"
Kirishima noted, earning a scowl from Bakugo.

"Can we just move on from the topic? There are better things we could be discussing"
Midoriya sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Midoriya has a point, we're only making the problem get worse"
Todoroki added.

"Fair point"
Sero said, and everyone fell silent regardless...

Eyes traced back to the door, steps echoing nearby. A strict energy seething through the air, clearly angry about the noise he was able to hear from the hallway.

Aizawa entered the room, all eyes locked onto him. The silence was deafening, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

He glared at them all,
"what was with all the ruckus"

Chapter Text

...

"What was with all the ruckus"
Aizawa asked, his eyes scanning the room. He glanced at Midoriya and Shinsou, having been able to hear the topic of the noise while approaching.
"Anything you have to say, Midoriya?"
He asked.

Midoriya let out a sharp sigh, "no sir, Shinsou caused the noise as a reaction to the suspension I issued him."
He replied.

"I did no-!"
Shinsou partially shouted.

"Silence, did I give you permission to speak?"
Aizawa groaned, his voice sharp. Shinsou scowled, silenced one more.
"I trust your professional judgement in issuing a suspension.
However, if it was done out of spite I suggest removing it. It'll only worsen the problems you two have"
He suggested, unable to actually interfere with Midoriya's course of action.

"Had you been there you'd understand it wasn't spite. Thank you for the suggestion"
Midoriya replied cooly.

"Yeah teach, even Bakugo hates the evaluations but that's never gotten him suspended-"
Kaminari added, earning a glare from Shinsou.

"I didn't ask for your input Kaminari"
Aizawa warned, "I suggest you leave your problems at the door. You're adults and should act as such in professional settings"

"Yeah Shinsou"
Monoma whisper sneered, Aizawa shot him down with a stare.

"Moving on, let's begin today's lesson"

The rest of the class session passed by a bit tense, with an awkwardness shared between the students.
It didn't help that the class session was to be in the classroom that day as they were learning about a paperwork aspect, processing investigative requests in a hero agency.
If they had a physical lesson that day, the awkwardness would've naturally dissipated.

But on another end, they were grateful it wasn't a physical lesson day, with how angry Shinsou was, it could only spell out disaster.

As the hour passed, Midoriya's mind wandered.
"*I've figured out what the lecture will be about, considering the target audience. Now I just need to catch Aizawa after class to pitch the idea, but I already have a feeling he's going to want to talk to me anyway*"
He thought to himself, only able to pay attention to the lecture half of the time.

Eventually, class came to an end. Shinsou was the first person out the door, his anger clearly still simmering in his blood.
He didn't even give his friends a chance to catch up, he was gone.

Midoriya on the other hand was back to neutrality, having already calmed down from his earlier stresses of the day.
After all, everything was in control.

"We should all spar. You all versus me!"
Bakugo grinned, having been reminded of the sparring from the mentioning of the sports festival earlier.

A toothy grin formed on Kirishima's face, "yeah!" He added.

"Sounds like it could be fun, count me in"
Kaminari joined in.

Todoroki stared for a moment, "isn't it highly unfair for us all to go against you?"
He asked.

Bakugo scoffed, "what! As if I'd ever lose to you extras!" He laughed.

"A combined force of extras, we could probably beat you with Midoriya's plans - let alone his quirk"
Sero remarked.

Midoriya felt a chill run down his back, "leave me out of this. I'm busy"

"Always busy!? Hey you need to train as well! You can't always rely on that control of yours!"
Bakugo grumbled.

"I do train, we have class days dedicated to it"
Midoriya sighed, making his way down a small flight of stairs towards Aizawa, who stood there watching their bickering.

"That's not enough for the #5 hero"
Kirishima lightly chuckled.

"Yeah if you don't stay strong, someone can take that position from right under your feet."
Kaminari added, practically poking at Midoriya.

Midoriya shook his head, "I'll consider it."
He said, earning a surprised gasp from them.
"When did you want to spar?"
He asked, figuring it would be the easiest way to get them to leave him to talk with Aizawa.

"Now! Why would we delay!?"
Bakugo shouted, heading towards the door. He paused in his steps as he noticed Midoriya lingering behind, having stopped for some reason unknown to him. The others did the same.

Midoriya checked his watch, "and I assume this would take place in the gym of this place?"
He asked.

"Yep"
They all said in unison.

"..fine. I have nothing on schedule. you guys can go along ahead, I'll catch up"
Midoriya said, reluctantly agreeing to their spontaneous plans. He hated plans like those, but he also didn't have anything on schedule that would prevent him from training so he didn't have any real excuse.

"Hahaha!"
Bakugo laughed like a gremlin, making his way out. He knew with Midoriya, the spar would be a greater challenge. It was exactly what he was looking for.

"See you soon"
Kaminari said, walking out with his hands on the back of his head.

"Glad you could join us!"
Kirishima smiled brightly.

After a few seconds, the classroom was empty of most people.
Except for Midoriya and Aizawa.

Aizawa raised his brow, "how'd you know I'd want to have a small chat with you?"
He asked. He had been waiting for Midoriya to attempt an exit before asking him to stay back— as he always did that with all of his students. Teacher antics.

"I figured you would after what happened at the start"
Midoriya replied, turning to face Aizawa.

"Perceptive. Well then, if you could, what did Shinsou do to earn a suspension?"
Aizawa asked, he really just wanted to know out of curiosity and knew he could use his position to ask. He was no better than the students.

"He was screaming in my office, insulting me, his usual rant about how he hates the evaluations. But then he took it too far and I told him that he could either stop and do the evaluation or receive a suspension.
He chose the latter through continuous screaming"
Midoriya explained, sparing him the details of what it was he exactly said.

"Strange, it seems his anger towards you grows by the day."
Aizawa commented, shaking his head in disappointment.

There were a few seconds of silence, one where the topic of their conversation faded out, allowing for the introduction of a new topic.

"Well while I have your attention, I had a request"
Midoriya smiled, shifting the subject.

"If it has to do to making Shinsou miserable, no can do"
Aizawa lightly chuckled.

"No no"
Midoriya chuckled alongside him, "it has to do with my next lecture"
He began.

"Hm, what is it that you need?"
Aizawa asked.

"I was thinking about doing a personal lecture at UA. Directed towards the hero course students"
Midoriya said, planting the first seeds of the plan.

Aizawa put his hand to his chin, "any particular reason?"
He asked.

"It's befitting of the topic, I wanted to talk about my heroic feats when I was their age. To inspire them of course.
I thought doing it at UA brought it back full circle"
Midoriya explained, his smile casual.

"Id have to check with principal Nezu but I'm pretty sure he'd have no objections.
What day were you looking to do it?"
Aizawa asked, there wasn't any reason Midoriya couldn't do a lecture at UA. Other heroes did it every once in a while too.

"This Thursday if possible"

"I'll let you know by tomorrow."
Aizawa vaguely smiled, hiding how proud he felt for his student's success.

"Great"
Midoriya smiled, but his eyes didn't crease.
"*Now I let AFO know that this Thursday is the most likely lecture date.*"
He thought to himself.
"Catch you later Sensei. I have to go deal with a sparring match"
He sighed.

"It's a good thing you ultimately decided to go, I was contemplating intervening and strongly suggesting you do.
Your friends aren't lying when they say you need to constantly train, especially with your rank"
Aizawa said, his voice returning back to its stoic tone.

Midoriya just nodded his head, "I understand. That's why I decided to go."
He waved his hand and made his exit.

"*After this, I finally get to go home.*"

_________________________________________

The days leading up to Thursday were normal.
Nothing out of the ordinary: hero shift, agency investigation with an angry Shinsou, psychologist work, hero school, and any other small tasks before ultimately heading home.

Midoriya received the green light to give a lecture at UA, so the plan was officially in motion.
He did his part in informing AFO and mentally prepared for what he'd say at the lecture.

It was a bright day in Japan, no cloud in sight.
With a chilly breeze every once in a while, the weather was excellent. Neither too hot nor too cold, the right middle where one could dress nicely without breaking a sweat.

Midoriya adjusted his tie, standing outside of a large classroom at UA to give a lecture dedicated to the hero students.
Both class 1-A and 1-B comfortably fit in the room, and there was still additional space for equipment set up to help with the national broadcasting.

"Thank you for deciding to come here to do this"
Nezu smiled, almost startling Midoriya who hadn't expected the tiny principal to show up.

"Of course, it only makes sense"
Midoriya replied, smiling back at him.
"*Sorry, this is just the distraction*"
He thought to himself.

Because Midoriya had decided to do his lecture at a highschool, everyone somehow found out. It was chalked up to chatty teenagers, but Midoriya knew that was only part of the reason.
Paparazzi and fans stood at the gates of UA, demanding to be let inside to record and ask questions.

Present mic let out a dragged sigh, "it hasnt been this bad since the first year All Might taught here"
He groaned struggling to reason with the crazy people.

"No kidding... At this rate they might trigger the security system"
Aizawa replied, partially worried it would get in the way of the lecture.
"Think you can hold them off on your own?"
He asked.

"I should be fine, I'll call for backup if anything."
Present mic said, glaring at the reporters.

"Okay, if anything changes give me call.
I'm going to head over to the lecture to make sure the students aren't disruptive"
Aizawa stated, waving present mic off.

"We both know it's because you want to listen to the lecture yourself!"
Present Mic chuckled, Aizawa didn't respond and instead walked away.

He made his way back inside and found Midoriya standing outside the room full of hero students, clearly mentally preparing for what he was going to say.
"Your fans are causing us a lot of trouble"
Aizawa said, a hint of humor in his voice.

"My bad"
Midoriya replied with a chuckle, "hope they don't cause any issues"

"It'll be fine, present mic has it handled. What're you waiting for?"
Aizawa asked.

"The signal from the camera crew"
Midoriya said, pointing to the people who were doing some final adjustments on his microphone and cameras.

"Alright. I'll make my way inside then. Good luck, the kids might have questions"
Aizawa said, heading inside the room.

Midoriya just nodded his head, "*everything is set. There is a lot of chaos outside, exactly what AFO needed. im going to get through half of the lecture before he triggers the alarms, which will cause even greater disorder and give Shigaraki a chance to steal the information necessary. All I have to do is act normal*"
He took a deep breath in and slowly released it, the camera crew had finally given him the signal.

Midoriya opened the door and made his way inside, greeted by the cheers of 40 students alongside some staff. Aizawa, Nezu, and anyone else who had the ability to watch, had made their way over.

He walked over to the podium, slightly squinting as bright lights flashed from the student's phones.
He smiled, "Hello students of UA and everyone watching"
Midoriya waved his hand, speaking into the microphone.

Everyone quieted down, it was time to actually listen to what he had to say.

"Today's lecture topic features my first heroic moments as a student, and so I thought there would be no better place than here to discuss. "
He looked out at all of the students, his smile not reaching his eyes.
"*54% 48% 68%, most of them already listen to my lectures. But then again, who doesn't?*"
He thought to himself.

Midoriya looked to his camera,
"Last lecture I spoke about finding peace in the things you can't control.

However, in today's lecture, I'm going to speak about taking control when you can.

How even in the most chaotic, hopeless, situations— you can take lead and help as a true hero"

Chapter Text

..

"You can take lead and help as a true hero"
Midoriya said, his voice taking that of a motivational speaker.

Everyone found themselves listening— absorbing his words. They couldn't zone out even if they wanted to, something about the way Midoriya had been speaking had drawn all of their attention.

Midoriya continued, "when everything around you is falling apart, when the situation seems hopeless— that's when taking control matters, because a true hero isn't fearless— no. It's someone who takes lead through their fear. "
He paused, allowing the words to simmer into their minds as he let his vocal cords momentarily rest for the story he was about to tell.

Midoriya took a deep breath in, his mind going back to his first year at UA. "*Time for the main portion of the lecture. This'll keep them distracted*"
He thought to himself, looking back at the students.
"I learned that through my very first heroic experience here at UA.
Some of you may have heard of the wild wild kitty cats camping incident which happened many years ago. But most of you have probably never heard of it from the perspective of someone who was there.
Allow me tell you all the story of how I saved a little kid, Izumi Kota, from one of Japan's most heinous villains, Muscular. "

~~~~~~~~~

"You can now enter the forest in your pair ups! Remember, the objective is to capture the flags and make your way out! But watch out for class 1-B! They're waiting to engage in battle!"
Mandalay shouted.

"Let's kill those bastards!"
Bakugo grinned, explosions popping off of his hand.

"Wouldn't it be more efficient to just get the flags and escape? That's the whole objective"
Midoriya said, deflating Bakugo's excitement.

"Tch, still gonna destroy them"
He remarked, entering the forest alongside Midoriya.

The forest was dimly lit, and the smell of earthy grass was pungent in the air.
An occasional breeze passed by, leaving the temperature a nice cold.

"Where are the flags..?"
Midoriya questioned, noticing that even having walked halfway through the forest trail there were still no flags in sight.

"Yeah and those class 1-B idiots.. it's like the trail is completely empty"
Bakugo commented, looking around with his hands in his pockets.

Singeing the air, a potent dry smell of smoke filled the area. Alongside it, an unidentifiable pink mist.

"Kacchan. Above"
Midoriya stated sharply, ducking to the ground and putting his arm to his nose.

Bakugo's eyes widened, "what the hell"
He ducked down as well, panic slightly striking his core.

"Listen..."
Midoriya pointed out. In the distance, a crackling of fire could be heard alongside the muted screams of fellow classmates.
"We're under attack"

"Crap! We need to do something—!"
Bakugo was cut off when intercepted by a telepathic message.

"*Everyone! The league of villains is attacking! Do not engage in battle unless you absolutely have to! Escape the forest and make your way to the student cabin!*"
Mandalay shouted to everyone in the vicinity.

"We don't know what the path ahead is like— we should go back the way we started"
Midoriya suggested, standing back up and starting to run.

"No need to explain the obvious damn Deku!"
Bakugo screamed, running alongside him.

The air burned their lungs, a shirt filter wasn't all too efficient in stopping poison and smoke from entering the lungs.
But they prevailed without choice.

But before they could get far, a blast of ice shot from the ground up and blocked the path.

"What are you doing half n half bastard?!"
Bakugo screamed, stopping dead in his tracks as Todoroki panted and hardly dodged another attack.

"Can't you tell??"
Todoroki replied, putting up a small ice shield as blades of teeth charged straight for him.

"Stay back"
Midoriya said, holding out his hands as his eyes began to spin in spirals.
"Freeze"

The villain attacking suddenly dropped from the sky to the ground, crashing hard into the ice.
Not a peep was let out as he sat there completely incapacitated.

"We need to keep running, are there any other villains?"
Midoriya asked, watching as Todoroki melted the ice quickly.

"He was the only one attacking me, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were more up ahead"
Todoroki replied, running away towards the entrance. Bakugo and Midoriya ran too, there was no time to waste.

"Where's your partner?!"
Bakugo shouted, noticing how he was alone despite the fact almost everyone went in pairs.

"Partnerless, my partner had to go to the additional class in the cabin— he failed the exam"
Todoroki explained, using his ice to propel himself forward.

"Duck!"
Midoriya shouted, dropping to the ground and rolling.
Without being even able to process what happened, the other two ducked as well, barely dodging the scorching blue flames which had surged above.

They scrambled to their feet, glaring at who stood before them.

"That was a good dodge.
But let's see if you can keep up"
A man with piercing blue eyes and black hair chuckled as he attempted to send out another barrage of flames.

Before he could, Todoroki sent out another attack of ice as Bakugo charged forward and blasted the man to a crisp.
"DIE!"
He screamed, leaving the attacker unable to fight back.

When the smoke cleared, the man was revealed to be trapped in ice— which he quickly began melting away before he was caught by Midoriya.

"Freeze. Who are you and what do you want"
Midoriya asked, his eyes spinning in intense spirals of green and black.

"Dabi."
The man said, clearly shocked that his mouth had moved without his permission. "And we're here to kidnap Katsuki Bakugo and Izuku Midoriya"
His eyes widened, clearly angered by the fact he just revealed the plan without a choice.

The three exchanged glances, "they're here for us..?"
Midoriya spoke first.

"Those crazy bastards"
Bakugo said through grit teeth, a vein popping up from his forehead.

"We need to prioritize your safety, the sooner we get to the cabin, the sooner we stop the villains"
Todoroki said, starting to run away.

"Why the hell do they want to kidnap us!"
Bakugo shouted, running with Midoriya and Todoroki.

"Didn't think to ask why, We'll probably find out by the next attack!"
Midoriya yelled in reply, leaving Dabi stuck in the ice.

"We're getting close! I can see the e—"
Todoroki's hopes were cut short when another villain intercepted their escape.

"And where do you gentlemen think you're going"
A masked man laughed, appearing seemingly out of the blue. He held out his hands, ready to strike.

"Out the way bastard!"
Bakugo screamed, firing off explosions and landing back besides the other two.
But when the smoke cleared, it revealed the man to be unscathed.

"Compression sure is a convenient power.
You must be wondering how I evaded that-"

"Don't care."
Bakugo sneered, noticing Midoriya already jump into action

"Freeze"
Midoriya said. The man found himself frozen in his own body, nothing listened to him.
"why are you trying to kidnap us"
He groaned, slightly coughing. He had already used his quirk a bit, and the smoke in the air made it hard to breathe.

"We need you two as bait to kill
All Might. He will save you two if we hold you hostage. "
The man replied robotically, his jaw betraying his mind.

A panicked look sprung into Todoroki and Bakugo's face, whereas Midoriya stayed somewhat calm.

"We need to warn the others"
Midoriya said, starting to run again.

Bakugo and Todoroki ran alongside him, leaving yet another villain stuck in control, unable to move.

They shot out of the forest, gasping for air.
But there was no time to rest, villains were still attacking.

"Where's Kota!"
Pixiebob shouted, struggling in a battle with a lizard like man.

Midoriya's eyes widened, "*Kota? He's missing? No...he's probably at that secret spot of his-
And he isn't safe*"
He thought to himself. Midoriya had a slight soft spot for children, they were trusting and impressionable.
Easy to control.

"I don't know!"
Mandalay's eyes were caught by the three who were standing there, clearly stuck between fight or flight.
"You three! You need to escape!"
She shouted, evading an attack by another villain.

"Mandalay. They're trying to kidnap me and Kacchan. They're trying to use us as bait to kill all might.
You need to tell everyone to avoid getting captured!"
Midoriya shouted, gaining the attention of the villains who were attacking Mandalay and pixiebob.
In that momentary distraction, the two heroes were able to successfully deliver temporary knock out blows.

"How do you know??"
Mandalay asked, running over to the three. Blood dripped down her forehead, she had sustained terrible injuries.

"I had the villains talk. They're stuck in the forest but I can bring them out"
Midoriya explained, pointing back to the firey forest they barely escaped out of.

Blue flames rose to the sky, engulfing more trees in flames. Even with the flame villain incapacitated, the fire he had started still continued to spread. Distant screams sounded throughout the forest, and with no one to help, students could only rely on their own ability to get to safety.

"No right now you three seriously need to get to safety — especially since you're the targets.
The cabin is that way!"
Mandalay shouted.

But in that moment, Kota flashed through Midoriya's mind. He couldn't just leave him for dead... In the direction opposite of the cabin, the ground rumbled and cracked.

At the same time, the villains were slowly starting to get back up.

"No...
Kota— he's going to get hurt. I'm the only one who knows where he is!"
Midoriya began running in the opposite direction, towards the mountain side. A part of him just couldn't let the kid die, even if it was partially illogical to run away from safety.

He left them all behind, confusing Bakugo and Todoroki while making the two heroes panic.

"You need to get to safety!"
Pixiebob shouted, distracted by the student's disregard for his self.

"Wait up Deku!"
Bakugo screamed, chasing behind him.

"No! You're in danger!"
Mandalay shouted, but she was immediately dragged back into battle alongside pixiebob.

Todoroki just stood there, conflicted. On one end, he wanted to help his friends, on the other— he wanted to get to safety and warn the heroes.

"Get to safety!"
Pixiebob shouted, breaking him out of his frozen state, she needed the message to reach at least one of them.

Todoroki stared at Bakugo and Midoriya who were getting further by the second before reluctantly going in the opposite direction towards safety.
"I'll send the heroes to you"
He muttered to himself, gliding away with his ice.

"Where are you going Deku?!"
Bakugo shouted, having quickly caught up to Midoriya with his explosions.

"Kota, he's in danger"
Midoriya replied through choked pants, running up hill was not easy. The ground shook below them, growing more and more intense as they for closer.

"You mean that black haired little crap? The one that blasted me with water?? How do you know!"
Bakugo asked, almost up hill.

"They were trying to find him—"
Midoriya was cut off when he saw the terrifying sight.

A large muscular man, destroying parts of the mountain side as he chased after a little boy.

Kota cried, tears streaming down his panicked face. This was it... He was going to die... To the same man that killed his parents at that.

With the forest below clearly on fire, and a horrific villain chasing him, there was no escape...

"Please... Somebody..-"
Kota's cries fell short when the sky lit up in bright eyes of orange and red.
He fell to the ground, his eyes sparkling with hope as he hit the ground hard— watching as someone came in for the rescue.

"Die!"
Bakugo screamed, not delaying a single second as he charged into battle.
He landed between the villain and the child, acting like a wall.
Midoriya was further back, closer to the escape.

"Kota! Safety is this way"
Midoriya shouted, trying to get him away from the battle.

Kota scrambled to his feet, trembling as he quickly ran over to Midoriya.
"That man... He's trying to kill me..."
He cried, hiding behind Midoriya.

"Don't worry.
We have it handled from here"
Midoriya's gaze hardened as he locked eyes with the villain, who was getting ready to attack Bakugo.

"Well well! What do we have here! Wannabe heroes!? Your deaths will be honorable!"
Muscular shouted, his muscles growing intensely.

"Yeah?! Not if we kill you first!"
Bakugo screeched, firing off multiple blasts.
But the villain... Was unaffected.

He sent out a flying fist, strengthened by intense muscle fibers, delivering an attack straight to Bakugo's side.
Bakugo let out a pained cough as he crashed right into the side of the mountain, blood pouring out of open wounds as rock and dirt exploded on outwards.
"Haha! One hit! You're next!"
Muscular screamed, charging straight for Midoriya who through it all wore a face of no panic.
But despite his calm demeanor, his heart hammered on his rib cage intensely. There was no telling if the man was mentally resilient, and if by any chance he was, it could mean great danger to them all.

"Freeze"
Midoriya commanded coldly, his words escaping out like a pulse wave. He didn't take any chances and struck with all the strength he could exert. He coughed, grabbing his scratchy throat in slight pain.

Muscular's eyes widened as he found himself crashing straight into the ground, landing right before Midoriya.

Midoriya let out a partial sigh of relief before glaring at Muscular who couldn't move not even a single fiber of his muscles.
"You may be able to withstand physical attacks.

But your mind on the other hand...

Susceptible to even the weakest of attacks."

Chapter Text

...

"Susceptible to even the weakest of attacks"
Midoriya sighed, staring at the villain who had clear rage in his eyes.
He lifted his head back up, "Kacchan, are you okay?!"
He shouted, noticing as he struggled to move.

"I'm fine!"
Bakugo coughed, spitting out blood , "worry about your own damn battle"
He groaned.

Midoriya shook his head, looking back down at the villain. "You're going to help us.
Get up, and help him"
He instructed, pointing at Bakugo.

Without any choice, muscular stood up robotically and walked over to Bakugo.
He kneeled down and pulled him from out of the rubble, and while his actions were clearly helping, he wore a terrifying face of great anguish.

"What the hell Deku"
Bakugo forced out, watching as muscular assisted in helping him stand.

"You've been injured and the safe cabin is still far.
It'd be convenient to use him as fast transportation"
Midoriya explained, scooping up Kota and walking over to the two.
He glanced at Muscular, who's jaw was clearly clenched.

"You... Damn... Controlling... Bastard.."
Muscular said through grit teeth, Hardly able to get the words out.
Bakugo grinned through the pain, "you're going to be useful"
He commented, hardly able to stand on his own. The impact of slamming into a solid rock wall had left him injured, withsome injuries noteably being a broken shin and a partially fractured femur.
They weren't life threatening but did make walking difficult. Accompanied by the pain the rest of his body was feeling from other injuries, he wasn't having the best time.

"We should be able to cut through the forest and get to the cabin in under 5 minutes"
Midoriya said, turning to face muscular.
"Let us climb into your back, and use your quirk to give us stability"
He commanded once more.

Muscular let go of Bakugo and kneeled down, allowing them to climb on.
Bakugo grimaced in pain, unable to stand.
Midoriya helped him up after placing Kota up on Muscular's back.

"It'll be a turbulent ride but you can handle the pain right?"
Midoriya asked.

"Don't worry about me damn Deku, I'm fine."
Bakugo strained out, climbing onto the villain's back with great struggle. Pain shot through his body with every movement, leaving him nauseous.

Muscular had used his quirk to expand the size of his back, comfortably giving the three space to sit.

Midoriya was the last to climb on after ensuring the two were securely placed. After he was on, Muscular created a seatbelt with his muscles- creating a large back bag with his quirk.
The three were secured, unable to fall.

"I'll kill you!"
Muscular screamed behind locked teeth, he would've never imagined he'd ever be in a position where he'd be helping people...

Tears streamed down Kota's face, not once did he ever imagine using a villain to get to safety...

"Silence.
Take us to the safety cabin as fast as possible"
Midoriya commanded, feeling strained. "*By now our safety is guaranteed. I'll release the other villains so I don't overexert myself*"
He thought to himself, the metallic taste of blood staining his tongue. He released the distant villains, figuring that by now the villains were at a loss.

Muscular felt his throat tighten as his lips pursed shut. Now he couldn't even scream, he was stuck entirely in spectator mode, as he watched his body move on its own.
The ground beneath him caved as he jumped off with full force, flying over the burning forest.

"Brace for impact"
Midoriya warned, watching as the ground approached fast. Kota held onto Midoriya's arm, fearful he would somehow fly out of the muscle bind.
"This is gonna hurt"
Bakugo grimaced. And he was right...

Upon the impactful landing, he felt a ripple of pain shoot throughout his entire body. "Ow!" he painfully yelled, though he was also lucky. With how muscular had them stabilized, he couldn't move. Which meant he couldn't worsen injury, but still felt the pain of each and every single one.

Muscular leapt up again, leaving craters in his wake. He covered hundreds of feet of distance per leap, but also left Bakugo in crippling pain.

"We're almost there, stay conscious"
Midoriya said, they had finally cleared out of the forest and were sprinting straight for the cabin up ahead.

"Trying my best"
Bakugo forced out, dry heaving over muscular's shoulder.

They ran past Pixiebob and Mandalay, confusing them to say the least. But after remembering how Midoriya's quirk worked, they understood they were actually safe- safer than anyone else.

After a quick uphill run, the four found themselves outside the safe cabin.
At the same time, Todoroki and Aizawa had run out.
Before aizawa could even process the situation, he shot his quirk out at Muscular-
Resulting in the three falling out of the muscle bind.

Bakugo fell hard on the ground, Midoriya slid off and held onto Kota to keep from a fall.

"OW!"
Bakugo screamed, unable to move from the ground.

"Bakugo?? Midoriya??"
Aizawa said, disconcerted.

Midoriya patted himself off, "he's under my control"
He explained, pointing to Muscular as though he weren't a strong villain.

Aizawa's eyes slightly widened, he would've never thought Midoriya would use a villain to escape the villains. It wasn't a possibility that even crossed his mind.

"What happened to Bakugo??"
Todoroki asked, running over with Aizawa.

"He attacked Muscular to save the kid.
But ultimately his attack didn't work"
Midoriya explained.

"Hey! I saved that kid from a fatal strike!"
Bakugo shouted, hardly able to move his arm to point at Midoriya.

"Bakugo stop screaming, if you have any internal damage you could be worsening it"
Aizawa sighed, looking around on guard.

"Did Todoroki explain why the villains are here?"
Midoriya asked.

"Yes- get inside immediately. I'll figure out your punishment for acting out alone later"
Aizawa sharply stated, kneeling down besides Bakugo to bring him inside.
"Todoroki, come help me.
And Midoriya, if you could leave muscular to guard the entrance that would be useful"
He instructed.

Midoriya nodded his head, "make sure no villains attack us. If they do, attack them and guard us"
He commanded, helping Todoroki and Aizawa move Bakugo inside.

Kota ran along ahead, grateful to still be alive.

After moving inside, Muscular stood at the door playing guard without any autonomy.
Inside, many class 1-A and 1-B students resided. Most of them had made a swift escape out of the forest when the attack first started, whereas others were already there from the start because of a failed exam. Only a few students remained outside...
But help was on the way.

Bakugo was placed gently on a flat table, he'd have to stay that way until paramedics arrived to safely transport him for treatment.
Blood dripped from the side of his head and arms, pain coursing through his veins, but despite that he was still in his usual gremlin character.

Kota clung onto Midoriya, feeling the most safe with him. Luckily the two hadn't sustained any injuries. Kota held his own through skillful dodges, evading all of Muscular's attacks. Though if Bakugo and Midoriya hadn't stepped in when they did, it wasn't likely he'd escape unscathed.

"What happened!"
Ashido shouted, panic written all over her face.

"Kacchan was hit by muscular."
Midoriya replied flatly, watching as Aizawa grabbed a basic medical kit to help with the bleeding.

"Hey it was to save that damn kid!"
Bakugo grumbled.

"Is it true the villains are here to kidnap you two..?"
Kaminari asked, his hands trembling and eyes stinging with tears.

"Yeah, but we're safe now. I have Muscular guarding the door"
Midoriya smiled.

"Huh!?"
The students said in unison.

"Yes and it's not without punishment. Midoriya shouldn't have acted out on his own when he had to prioritize his and Bakugo's safety. Especially considering they are the targets"
Aizawa scolded, wrapping up Bakugo's open wounds.

Midoriya sighed and pointed at Kota,
"If I didn't go no one would save him."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Aizawa Sensei was not fond of my actions at all and ended up placing me (and pro hero Dynamight) on house arrest upon moving into our dormitories"
Midoriya lightly chuckled. The class of students before him joined in, letting out chuckles and laughs as well.
Aizawa just shook his head, hiding a forming smile in his scarf.

A hand shot up to the sky, and while Midoriya didn't usually answer questions mid lecture, he figured it was okay given the setting.
He looked to the kid, giving them the green light to ask a question.

"What happened to the villains?"
She asked.

"Well Muscular was captured. He's in Tartarus prison to this day. As for the rest of the villains... They remain at large. For now, at least, they aren't considered a threat"
Midoriya replied.

"Woah so not only did you save a kid but you captured one of the most dangerous villains of Japan!"

"While also saving yourself and Dynamight!"

"And prevented being bait for All Might!"

The class cheered, thinking about the details he had left for them in the story.

"But where is Kota today!?"
One more voice asked.

"From what I know, he's in junior high training to be a hero-"
Midoriya's explanation was cut off when a sharp blare the school alarm sounded throughout the building.

"Security breach, front gates
Security breach, front gates
Security breach, front gates"
The alarms sounded.

Panic surged the air, adrenaline coursing through most people's veins before they could even process what was going on.

Aizawa sprung to his feet, rushing out the door alongside the other hero staff.
"Midoriya! Watch the students!"
He shouted before making his exit.

Midoriya nodded his head, glad that he didn't have to rush out.
"*I was wondering when he was going to strike*"

The students exchanged fearful glances, no one knew what was going on and it caused quite the panic.

"What if the villains are attacking...!"

"We should be safe... Right...!?"

"The #5 pro hero is keeping us safe, I think we're fine..."

Midoriya glanced around, "*it would be more appropriate to end the lecture here. There's no way to continue without it being discourteous.*"
He thought to himself, recomposing himself again before looking at the camera.

"My apologies, due to the security breach I must cut the lecture short today. I hope you all took away the intended message, taking control when you can"
Midoriya said, looking down at the podium to seem sincerely apologetic.

The broadcast was then cut from there, cameras were taken down and microphones disconnected.

A cold metallic trickle made its way down Midoriya's nasal passage, "*nose bleed, damn it.*"
He thought to himself, quickly pulling out a tissue and holding it to his nose.

"Are you okay?"
One of the students asked, noticing the blood soaking the tissue slowly.

"Just some allergies"
Midoriya smiled, reassuring them that nothing was wrong.
"Don't worry, it won't get in the way of my ability to protect you all"

"We know we're safe with the #5 hero!"

"Hey I don't even think it's a real security breach- take a look"
One of the students had gotten out of their seat and looked through the window.
Immediately after looking, a mob of reporters could be seen standing in a large crowd within school grounds.
"It's the paparazzi"

"*Yes that would be the distraction. After all, this isn't a real villain attack*"
Midoriya thought to himself, nodding his head towards the students.
"My apologies, I would've never guessed they'd go so far as to breach security"
He said, grabbing another tissue to blot his nose.

"It's not your fault, they should've known better"

"Still- thanks for coming to our school!"

"Yeah! It was great being able to witness your lecture in person!"

"I feel inspired!"

The students said, their stresses subsiding after realizing they weren't in any actual harm.

Midoriya just smiled, but in a way that was hardly genuine. His eyes remained unchanged, steady like his pace of thoughts.
"*A part of me should feel guilt for betraying their genuine trust.
But this is all part of a greater plan.

This is all for control after all, and besides, none of them will truly be hurt in the end.

Some may die, but..

Control is peace.
And if I have to bend the rules to keep it quiet... Then so be it*"

Chapter Text

...

"*Then so be it*"
Midoriya thought to himself, concealing his cold gaze. His nose shortly stopped bleeding, so he threw away the bloody tissues.

The alarms soon fell silent, after the hero teachers were able to confirm it wasn't a real threat they quickly sent someone to shut off the alarms.

"*To the office, plug this in, 2 minutes, Kurogiri warps me out. I don't have a lot of time before the principal starts making his way back*"
Shigaraki thought to himself as he sprinted down the hall. He had been disguised to look like a student, wearing the general class uniform. At first glance, he just looked like a panicked student,but if anyone stared at him for long enough they'd know he was actually a part of the league of villains.

He entered the office and shut the door behind him before quickly running over to the computer and plugging in a hard drive.
He began uploading all information, and while that uploaded he deleted camera footage of himself running into the office.
After a panicked 2 minutes, he unplugged the drive and made an escape from an open window. Successfully stealing the information without leaving too much of a trace. Kurogiri warped him away as soon as he was sent a message.

"Here."
Shigaraki groaned, placing the hard drive on the countertop of the league's base.
"And I'm never wearing this uniform again"
He said, running off to his room to change back into his more comfortable hoodie and sweat pants.

"Mission success"
AFO grinned, grabbing the hard drive and making his way over to the lab.
He pulled out his phone and sent Midoriya a coded message.

"The birthday surprise was a success"

Midoriya pulled out his phone and read the message, "*I guess Shigaraki's part is done.*"
He glanced over to the door and noticed an annoyed Aizawa making his way back inside.
"Everything alright? I heard it had something to do with the paparazzi"
He asked.

"You'd be right in that assumption"
Aizawa groaned, "they forced their way inside which activated the security system."
He explained.

"Figured much. I already ended the stream, decided it wouldn't be appropriate to continue even if it wasn't a real emergency"
Midoriya stated, pointing to the camera crew which had already taken down the cameras.

"Good call."
Aizawa glanced back at the rest of the class, "do any of you have any questions for pro hero Zero?"
He asked, deciding that it'd be a good opportunity for the students to have.

A couple students raised their hands, Aizawa called on them one by one.

"So how does your quirk work?"
One of them asked.

"The way you'd assume it does, I can take over the direct command of the mind. So anything I instruct with someone under my control happens"
Midoriya explained.

"So could you make me do my homework?"

A couple laughs sounded across the room, but it did leave people pretty curious.

"Technically. But it would still be filled out based on your own ability and knowledge."
Midoriya smiled, thinking about the implications.

"Oh! Are you going to come to the sports festival!"
Another student asked.

"Id have to check my schedule but most likely. "

The class continued on a back and forth, asking him questions with him answering.

No one noticed his half-genuine smile. The way he was only partially present, with his mind wandering elsewhere.

"*Now that AFO has the information, what's next? When does he intend to use the information to wage his attacks?
And the sports festival is coming up soon...
If I speak there, it'd reach a lot of
people— more people than I already reach. It's a golden opportunity*"
He thought to himself, answering another one of the student's curious questions.

"*It won't be long until I get control*"

_________________________________________

"Stupid supplementary classes"
Shinsou grumbled, sitting in the commission building.
He was in a room dedicated to additional classes heroes would have to take it they made mistakes on field or failed evaluations.
Not many other heroes were there, just him and a handful of others.

The room was brightly lit and clean, not as clean as Midoriya's office, but close. It gave Shinsou the creeps, "rooms this clean are always hiding something."
He thought to himself, watching as a commission worker entered the room and turned on the TV. It had a recorded video that they'd have to listen to in order to answer questions on a sheet of paper they were handed.

"Hello heroes. Today's lesson is on effective and respectful communication between fellow heroes"
A voice said, narrating a slide show.

Shinsou's eyes narrowed, "*no way.
That bastard made these lessons?!*"
He thought to himself, feeling his anger sky rocket as he was reminded of why he was there.
And despite not wanting to listen to a thing Midoriya said on the recording, he found himself following along without choice.
"*Why the hell am I following along?? It's like there's something forcing me to listen.*"
Shinsou thought to himself, feeling a chill run down his back as he filled out the sheet of paper before him.

"Being able to communicate with the other heroes is important to the citizens of Japan."
The recorded voice of Midoriya said, almost repetitivly.

"*He already said that... There's something fishy going on with him and the commission.*"
Shinsou scowled, his suspicion growing.
"*And I'm going to figure it out*"

_________________________________________

"This Tokyo Snatcher case is hard"
Kaminari groaned, getting through the last of the missing people stack he had to go through.

"Tokyo Snatcher?"
Midoriya asked, confused by the title.

"It's what we decided to call our hero abductor"
Sero explained, earning a confused look from Midoriya.

"More like what those idiots named it"
Bakugo scoffed, grabbing the last sheet he had to examine.

The hero friends were back in the conference room, getting through the last batch of missing people cases before coming to a verdict and continuing the investigation. A week had already passed since they started the investigation.

"Hey—lieutenant Tsukauchi liked it— that's what he's officially named our perp"
Kaminari said defensively.

Midoriya just stared, "*that's my name to the heroes now? How childish*"
He thought to himself, his face neutral.

"What do you think Midoriya?"
Kirishima asked, he himself thought the name worked well.

Midoriya shook his head, "a bit corny if you ask me."
He replied, clearly not fond of the name.

"That's what I said!"
Bakugo sneered, marking down an x on his notepad.

"I agree"
Todoroki added, hardly looking up from his papers.

"It's stupid, we shouldn't give a henious villain a name"
Shinsou scowled, he was against the idea of giving villains remotely 'cool' names, in a way it almost felt like praise for their actions.

"On that note—
Where are they hiding 97 heroes..? How are they keeping them contained?"
Sero mentioned, putting down the last missing person paper. He was finally done searching through his stack, as were a couple others.

"You're right— the heroes aren't exactly weak either. And 97 people don't fit comfortably in a room"
Kirishima noted, his face growing a bit disheartened at the thought of what could've happened to those poor heroes.

Midoriya lifted his head up, "well then maybe this person isn't working alone. Maybe they abduct the heroes and have people working with them to keep them separated in different buildings"
He said, taking lead of the investigative conversation.

Eyes turned to face him, listening to his words as though they were the most likely truth of the situation. Shinsou just glared, he hated how he took control of the investigation and how everyone listened to him.

"That's a good point... But why? Why these heroes?"
Todoroki asked, helping Midoriya guide the conversation in a way that was far from the truth.

"Hm"
Midoriya paused, pretending to think. In actuality, he had already planned the scenario— what he would say to send the heroes into another rabbit hole.
"Black market organ harvest?"
He said bluntly.

There was a momentary silence as they all collectively processed what he said, their faces contorting into mixed expression of confusion, concern, and disgust.
Shinsou's eyes widened, "*but if he thinks that— the entire case will probably get closed... There's no way to figure out the black market*"

"What"
The entire table said in unison, shocked at the thought of the possibility.

"Yeah think about it"
Midoriya began, guiding the conversation seamlessly. "They're all heroes in their 20s-40s. All healthy, young, and in top shape. But they also rank low enough that it wouldn't draw media attention. It would also explain why there's some overlap with some of the missing people but not all"
He explained, showing his notepad of the overlap. Not all the heroes had overlap with the regular missing people, but just enough did that Midoriya's reasoning was entirely plausible.

They all stared at the notepad, it looked similar to theirs. Of course it did, "*it's impossible for there to be no overlap*"
Midoriya thought to himself.

"But the black market is something not even the top heroes of the past and police could figure out...
If that's where our heroes are going, we have no way of tracing them"
Kirishima said grimly.

"It's just a theory, I'm not entirely sure yet myself either"
Midoriya replied, hiding the victorious gleam in his eyes.
His face remained neutral, but in a way that seemed serious to the others.

Shinsou just stared, "*they're treating what he said like it's the guaranteed answer. There's no proof yet—*"
He thought to himself. "Don't you think that's too soon to to chalk it up to something that has been an ongoing issue in the country?"
He interceded.

"Hm, what do you mean?"
Mirio jumped in, he was silently working through his final stacks of papers and had been just listening in on the conversation.

"We don't have any proof. And why would it be localized to just Tokyo? Shouldn't we see more disappearances popping up around the country?— the black market isn't region specific"
Shinsou explained, very skeptical. He stared at Midoriya, clear doubt in his eyes.

Midoriya sighed,
"I'm simply stating a thought I had, if you have any other theories I'm sure we'd be glad to hear them."
He replied, redirecting the attention to him. "*Even if you suggest a valid counterpoint, no one's going to take it seriously except for maybe Kacchan. And even then, he still probably won't because he likes to follow what the majority are agreeing on*"
He thought to himself, confident that the investigation would steer in the direction he wanted.

Shinsou felt his fist tighten, there was no winning with the power disparity they had.

"Yeah I don't think what Midoriya said is too far-fetched— like you said this isn't anything new to the country, neither are the abductions. They've been going on for at least two years now"
Todoroki added, backing up Midoriya's reasoning.

"Yeah what ideas do you have"
Bakugo scoffed, but he was also curious to hear new possibilities. While he trusted Midoriya's judgement, he knew it was important to consider everything.

Midoriya stared at Shinsou, wearing the perfect mask of investigative leadership. Though behind it, he hid a genuine grin.

"I'm not sure"
Shinsou mumbled, "but I do think if we don't consider other possibilities we could be letting a terrible villain get away with their crimes"
He explained.

"But I don't think Midoriya's black market theory let's them get away with it— it just switches our priorities to figuring how to stop the black market trade."
Sero retorted, figuring out what the next likely steps would be.

"Yeah, and you know it makes sense. Low profile heroes, good health, easy to catch outside on a schedule. They'd be ideal don't you think?"
Kaminari added, onboard with Midoriya's theory.

Shinsou just stared at them with a partially confused expression, something in his head was buzzing. "He only suggested the idea but why are you all so on board with it??"
He hissed, though it came off defensive.

"Midoriya tends to be right about these things, Shinsou. You may not like him but he is a good detective"
Kirishima replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah"
Bakugo chuckled in agreement. He'd never flat out compliment anyone.

"All of Midoriya's past hunches were right so I don't see why we wouldn't be on board with it"
Mirio chimed in, smiling innocently.

Shinsou shook his head,
"*Even if I suggested a good counter argument, they won't listen...*"
He looked at Midoriya, his face clearly confident. One that had an arrogant tone to it...
"*...but he knows that if we go down this black market theory, the case will likely be passed onto the police department to sort out— heroes don't focus on the black market.— Strange...
The commission also wanted to brush this case off ...*"
His thoughts trailed off, unable to understand both why everyone was convinced and why Midoriya wanted to lead the case that in that direction.
With everyone around him talking and keeping his mind distracted, he couldn't actively think to try and figure it out.

The back and forth chatter regarding Midoriya's theory died down as footsteps could be heard approaching the door.
Their eyes looked ahead, and shortly, Nighteye entered with Tsukauchi.

Nighteye took center stage, walking over to the head of the table,
"Where are we with the missing people cross reference?"

Chapter Text

..

"Where are we with the missing people cross reference?"
Nighteye asked, noticing how no one seemed to be working on any papers anymore, discussing theories instead.

"We're done checking as far as I know"
Midoriya replied, taking lead as he usually would.

"Good"
Tsukauchi said, walking over the the board. "Starting with Midoriya and going around the table, tell me if there are any patterns of overlap with the heroes and the missing people"
He instructed, grabbing a marker to take note.

They collectively nodded their heads as they looked at their notepads ready to share.

"Some overlap," Midoriya began "No real pattern— some days only civilians vanish, other days only heroes."
He explained, summarizing the notes he had taken.

"Similar results"
Todoroki said, figuring there was no point in repeating the same exact thing Midoriya had said.

They continued around the table, everyone noting similar results.
By the end of it, Tsukauchi had a board filled with just the same words in different forms.

He groaned, "this isn't enough to help us figure out whether or not the original theory is correct"
He pinched the bridge of his nose and stared at the board, hoping it would somehow give him answers.

Nighteye looked at the heroes, "what was it you all were discussing before we came in? I vaguely heard some theories"
He asked, glancing at Midoriya as his voice was the most prominent in the discussion.

Midoriya nodded his head, "I had raised the possibility that this may be a black market scheme. It would explain why there's some overlap and explain where the 97 heroes could be"
He replied.

Nighteye and Tsukauchi exchanged glances, clear worry evident in their faces.
"Explain"
Tsukauchi said, he needed more details.

Midoriya then explained everything they had discussed; the heroes' perfect health, the precision of the abductions, the impossibility of holding that many heroes captive without exposure. Every sentence fit into the theory, entirely logical— in a way that fit too cleanly. Like it was already solved, as though he already knew the details of the crime.

Tsukauchi scratched the back of his head, "...but why Tokyo?"
He asked.

"That's what I said"
Shinsou interrupted, a scowl evident in his face.

Nighteye glanced at Shinsou before looking back at Midoriya, "what do you say to that, Midoriya?"
He asked, wanting to see if there was anything that could actually explain how region specific the abductions were.

Midoriya hesitated, long enough to look thoughtful. "That’s the only part that doesn’t make sense" he sighed.
"Like I told Shinsou, it's just a hunch that explains most of the details. Logically, I don't know — it is strange it's all in Tokyo."
He explained

Shinsou's stomach twisted, something about his words made sense...— to him even... "*It's like those video lessons... Something about the way he explains things makes people listen—??*"
He thought to himself, glancing around to see if he wasn't alone in the feeling. But no one else seemed confused, rather they all seemed to be in agreement.

"That's a good point...
Midoriya do you truly feel like the black market is involved?"
Tsukauchi asked, a part of him hoping that it wasn't the case.

"I can't say for certain. After all, the fact it's centered in Tokyo is enough of a red flag to disprove the idea.
But.
If the black market isn't involved, I have no idea where the Tokyo Snatcher is keeping so many strong people contained— Especially if we think they're working alone"
Midoriya explained, watering the seeds of his success. "*Now the decision rests in your hand Tsukauchi*" He thought to himself, stepping back to allow Tsukauchi to make the ultimate decision.

"...the issue is the theory makes almost complete sense... If it weren't for the anomaly of it being Tokyo focused, I'd be completely on board...
But— if it is somehow the black
market— that's beyond our scope of reach. That's left to higher level police departments, nothing that we actually meddle in."
Tsukauchi paused, rambling on to himself.

Bakugo scoffed, "sounds like the 'Tokyo Snatcher' isn't our problem anymore"
He half chuckled, hoping that the case would get pushed onto someone else. If he had to go through another 50 page stack of people he'd lose his mind.

Tsukauchi shook his head, glancing to Nighteye, "what do you think?" He asked.

"Midoriya's theory makes sense considering all the details. But at the same time I'm worried we may be possibly overlooking something by shifting the blame to the black market."
Nighteye explained.

"That's what I was thinking"
Tsukauchi sighed, glad he wasn't alone in the thought process.

"I say we do more investigative work and if it gets us absolutely no where then we can comfortably say it's most likely the black market and push the case to the higher ups"
Nighteye decided, figuring it was the most logical course of action.

Midoriya nodded his head, his face neutral and in agreement, but mentally he was celebrating victory.
"*Exactly how I intended to push the investigation.
They'll continue searching, they'll find nothing, blame the black market, and the case is closed from there.
I'm safe*"
He thought to himself, scanning the room. Everyone seemed to be in agreement as well, even Shinsou.

"That's smart."
Tsukauchi said, "but... Where do we go from here?"
He asked.

There was a long moment of silence, they found themselves staring up a wall with no where to go.
There weren't any details on the heroes' disappearances at all— and with no connecting patterns to anything else in Tokyo, the investigation was at a dead end.

"How about this"
Nighteye said, breaking the silence.
"Tsukauchi, start the verification work on the black market theory. Plant security in known black market trade areas, increase surveillance on all heroes below rank 100, do the usual steps to ensure that it is most likely the black market.
Then, once we're certain this is beyond our scope of work, we send it off."
Nighteye suggested.

"There's nothing to investigate further— no details, no patterns, nothing. The perpetrator—or perpetrators— are skilled and left behind no trace....
Which only makes our current theory more believable."
He further explained, realizing that even if he wanted to investigate further— there was nothing...

Tsukauchi sighed, "you're right...
And it really does go back to Midoriya's point— it would explain why you thought this was the most likely theory"
He weakly chuckled, glancing at Midoriya who just watched them unravel.
"That's what we'll do. We'll switch to covering our basis, ensuring it is most likely the black market."
He wrote the word black market on the board before putting a red circle around it.

"That means the rest of us will go back to our regular investigative work, the case goes back to lieutenant Tsukauchi's hands"
Nighteye clarified.

A shared sigh of relief was let out by the young heroes, almost everyone feeling the relief from being freed of the burden some case...
Everyone except for Shinsou, something just didn't make sense...

Tsukauchi put the markers down, "I'll go start the procedure— but I would like one assistant if you don't mind"
He asked.

Shinsou raised his hand, taking up the position before anyone else could offer, "I can help, I have the most free time compared to everyone else since I can't work my hero shifts"
He explained, partially glaring at Midoriya.

But upon glancing, he noticed Midoriya had been staring at him too— with an expression that was unreadable... One that was familiar to the malice he had detected from him before being put on suspension. Yet to everyone else it looked like he was just listening attentively.
He felt a chill run down his spine before glancing over to Tsukauchi, who seemed to be grateful for the help.

"Then it's settled. We'll start the verification work, and if anything concrete shows up— which is unlikely at this point— we'll reopen the investigation here."
Tsukauchi concluded, grabbing the massive red binder and making his way out.

Shinsou stood up and quietly followed him out the door, ignoring any watchful gazes from his fellow heroes.

"*What's your game here, Shinsou. I've already spared you once, don't give me a good enough reason to risk making the Tokyo Snatcher a sensationalized case*"
Midoriya thought to himself, taking a deep breath in and slowly releasing it.

"Looks like your hunch was right Midoriya"
Kaminari laughed lightly, glad the case was finally taken off of their hands.

"Looks like it"
Midoriya replied, a small smile growing on his face. One that looked genuine enough for his friends, but was subtley suspicious to an outside observer.
"*I need to figure out why Shinsou is continuing the investigation.
There's something he must've picked up on— the passive form?
... it's not out of the realm of possibility, he's more sensitive to my quirk because of his own...
But still, that wouldn't be enough to trigger this response*"
He thought to himself, analyzing anything that could've made Shinsou oddly self-volunteer.

Nighteye cleared his throat, "with the case now out of our hands, we can focus on other cases. But it's getting late, so we can end early today"
He said, giving them the green light to dismiss earlier than usual.

"Woah nice!"

"Yay!"

"Freedom"

A couple of happy voices cheered, glad to be let go.
Midoriya checked his watch, "*I don't have to be in the office for at least another hour.
Maybe I can—*"
His train of thought was cut off by an excited Kaminari.

"Hey we should all go have an early lunch!"
He suggested.

"Good idea!"
Mirio chimed in.

"Sounds good, I needed a bite before my hero shift anyway"
Sero added.

"Fine with me"
Todoroki said, he had nothing else to do.

"Count me in!"
Kirishima smiled.

Bakugo went to respond, but before he could even get the words out his stomach growled loudly. They burst into laughter, leaving Bakugo in his own embarrassment.
Soon the laughter died down as they all looked to Midoriya, who had yet to respond.

"Come on Midoriya, it's still early— my treat! For solving the case"
Kaminari chuckled, wanting his friend to join them in their hangout.

"Hey the case isn't solved yet"
Sero noted, reminding them that they only had a strong theory.

"That's besides the point! Come on midobro"
Kirishima stated, sharing the sentiment with Kaminari.
To them, Midoriya worked too much and needed someone to force him to take a break— otherwise he never would.

Midoriya sighed, "fine. I have an hour to spare anyway"
He caved.

"Yay!"
Todoroki and Bakugo were the only ones who didn't cheer.

_________________________________________

"And this is my office"
Tsukauchi said, welcoming Shinsou inside to allow him to help him out.
"I'm still new to the extra space— back in my detective days my office was only half as large"
He chuckled, trying to make conversation with Shinsou.

Shinsou just chuckled along, but he was clearly mentally stuck in a loop.
"*Something is terribly wrong.*"
He thought to himself, walking over to a table and sorting things with Tsukauchi.

"The case stressing you out?"
Tsukauchi asked, noticing how lost in thought he seemed to be.

Shinsou scratched the back of his head, "you could say something like that." He brushed it off, still unsure of his own thoughts.
"*First... Midoriya and the commission are connected more than anyone else with the commission.
They give heroes mandatory evaluations that only Midoriya can do...
Then, if someone fails an evaluation... They have to sit through a lesson that Midoriya made. *"
He felt his blood pressure slowly rise, his stress building up.

"*...then... When it came to this case, the commission wanted to the case to be brushed off...
And now Midoriya basically closed the case...

And strangely enough when he talks, everyone, including me, feels compelled to listen...*"
Shinsou felt his stomach twist, things were connecting in a way he never could've imagined...

"Yeah it's most likely that the Tokyo Snatcher really is just people involved with the black market"
Tsukauchi commented, grabbing another box to put some files away.

Shinsou's eyes widened, his throat running dry. Tokyo rung in his ears, echoing and repeating...
"*Tokyo...

Midoriya's office is in Tokyo.*"

Chapter Text

...

"*Midoriya's office is in Tokyo*"
Shinsou thought to himself, and for that moment everything fell silent.
His heart thumped hard on his chest, a bead of sweat slowly made its way down his forehead, and it felt as though he could hardly breathe.

Tsukauchi raised his brow, "are you alright Shinsou?"
He asked, noticing how oddly panicked he seemed.

Shinsou turned his head to face Tsukauchi, still processing the string of thoughts he had put together, "I'm fine- sorry can I just use the bathroom really quick?"
He asked.

"Yeah, down the hall first door on the left"
Tsukauchi replied, watching as Shinsou quickly got up and left.

He sped down the hall and shut himself in the bathroom, his mind racing.
"*It's just a conspiracy theory- I hate Midoriya but there's no way he'd be the Tokyo Snatcher.
He's the #5 pro hero for hell's sake- he's saved countless lives. It would be insane, why would he kidnap 97 heroes?? Logically it makes no sense.*"
He recollected himself, his stomach slowly settling as he clutched onto the cold porcelain of the sink.

"*Yeah no... He's connected with the commission because he's a hero psychologist- there aren't that many around the country to begin with. And Midoriya getting the case closed is just typical- he always has those damn spot on hunches...
I sound ridiculous- thinking that in any shape or form he could be a villain...
He's annoying sure, but I shouldn't let my hatred for him make him jump to insane conclusions- he's not a villain, he's one of the top heroes of this country.*"
He shook his head, rinsing his hands with cold water and splashing his face.

He lifted his head up and looked at the mirror, "*there's no way that bastard is connected.
Impossible. He's a hero*"
Shinsou repeated to himself, unable to believe that for even a moment he thought it could be possible. He shook his head once more, "*I'll continue investigating- just to make sure there isn't something we all missed*"

_________________________________________

"So where should we go for lunch?"
Kaminari asked, standing in the parking lot of the agency with the others.

"We could just go to that one ramen spot near 5th"
Sero replied, not wanting to overthink lunch.

"Works with me!"
Mirio smiled, just happy to be hanging out.

"Fine with me"
Bakugo said, hiding the growls of his stomach.

"Anyone object?"
Todoroki asked.

No one objected, and so they moved on with the conversation.

"One small issue"
Kirishima chuckled, all eyes turning to him.

"What is it?"
Mirio asked.

"There's seven of us. We can't all take our cars over there, there's hardly any street parking available."
Kirishima explained.

"Ohh"
They said in unison, that was a small issue.

"Easy, we carpool."
Kaminari suggested.

"I don't trust half of your driving skills"
Bakugo scoffed, he hadn't driven his own car as he hardly ever drove. But he also couldn't trust the people who shared one braincell from time to time.

"I can drive"
Todoroki offered, figuring Bakugo's comment was targeted towards Kaminari, Kirishima, Mirio, and Sero.

"Woo! One car figured out. We need one more to be comfortable— or we could all try cramming into Todoroki's car but I don't think any of us want to do that"
Kirishima cheered.

Midoriya sighed, "I'll drive as well." He said.

"Alright! Let's split up!"

"Shot gun!"
Bakugo and Kaminari shouted at once before glaring at eachother.

"I'll go in Todoroki's car then"
Kaminari chuckled, walking on over to the passenger seat of his car.

"Tch"
Bakugo scoffed, walking over to Midoriya's car as well.

After a short few moments, they organized themselves and made their way onto the road to go get lunch.

Bakugo, Kirishima, and Mirio had gotten into Midoriya's car leaving Kaminari and Sero who went to Todoroki's.

Midoriya was mentally glad that two chatterboxes had gotten in his car rather than one, they could just talk with each other and leave him to mentally process.

"*Shinsou's definitely suspicious. But it doesn't matter.
Even if he decides to continue on with a personal investigation, he has nothing incriminating on me.
No DNA evidence, no camera footage, nothing on records.
So even if he has some remote suspicion, it's all circumstancial— nothing anyone would actually believe.
Especially not with the influence I have*"
Midoriya thought to himself, his stresses calming down.
With the case officially out of the way, his mood had gone considerably up.

"The sports festival is coming up! Y'all going?"
Kirishima asked, wanting to talk to everyone and not just Mirio.

"I know I am"
Mirio replied, the smile on his face radiating brighter than the sun.

"I have to"
Bakugo scoffed, "#1 hero hands out the medals."
He chuckled like a gremlin.

"Oh right! What about you Midoriya?"
Kirishima asked once more.

Midoriya hummed, "I'm pretty sure I'll go. With my status as both as a hero and public speaker, I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted me to do any commentary on the students as they played"
He explained.

"Woah do you mean up there in the booth with Aizawa Sensei and Present mic!"
Kirishima cheered.

"They haven't officially reached out yet but yes with them."
Midoriya clarified.

"That's so cool! You get the best view"
Mirio commented, psyched that was something Midoriya could even do.

"Yep, but do we have an official date on the sports festival or not yet?"
Midoriya asked, he hadn't had a moment to check if the date was announced.

"Not as far as I know, just that it's coming up"
Kirishima replied.

They continued conversation from there, with Bakugo throwing a couple arrogant remarks while Mirio and Kirishima did most of the chatting.
Midoriya allowed himself to fade into the background, only sometimes dragged back into conversation from time to time as he got closer to the destination.

Eventually they all made it to the ramen spot and enjoyed lunch, though with Midoriya reminding his passengers that he was on a tight schedule— they ate in a rush.

"*I need to get back to my office to make plans*"

_________________________________________

Midoriya let out a drawn breath as he looked outside his office window, the gears in his brain twisting intensely.

He looked down at his notebook, "*these heroes are all on the next most likely to be killed list*"
He thought to himself, reading off the hero name and percentage written down.
"*This guy is odd— I haven't come across a 0% since Shinsou.
But unlike Shinsou, I can actually kill this guy...* "
His eyes narrowed, his face only being able to be described as clearly annoyed.

"*Not for a bit though, not only is it risky with the investigation just having just been pushed aside— he isn't scheduled for an evaluation for a little while.*"
He shook his head, annoyed he couldn't get rid of the uncontrollable hero. He shut the notebook and put it back into his desk drawer, locking it until he'd next need it.
"*Todoroki still isn't ready for me to uphold my end of the deal.
Good, gives me more free time.*"
Midoriya walked over to his own couch and laid down.
Sometimes, even thinking too much became exhausting.

"*Shinsou won't find anything, that much I know.
AFO stole the information from UA, so he's going to strike at some point— we might even cross paths.*"
Midoriya paused, grabbing his planner from off the coffee table next to him.
It struck his mind that UA had a scheduled event with him and a couple other of the fledgling heroes.

He opened it up and held it over his face,
"*Yep... The week after on Wednesday, Me, Kacchan, and Todoroki were asked to help with their hero training.
The USJ.
AFO wouldn't want to strike if it was just Kacchan going, but with me there he actually might see it as the perfect opportunity for things to progress the way he wants...
Yet another thing to worry about*"
He let out an audible groan, there were so many variables to juggle— and he was doing it pretty much alone.

He could feel the weight of everything building up mentally, things were organized but not organized enough.

"*Okay let's map this out.
Shinsou- not a concern
AFO- USJ concern for that week, but he'll likely inform me before then.
What else?
Heroes I can't kill quite yet, and there's only a couple therapy sessions scheduled between this week and next with other heroes who aren't even on the kill list.*"
His brain began firing off, listing everything he was mentally carrying.

"*Mom...
She wants to meet and I keep brushing her off. I need to make a day for her.

And the sports festival- I need an official letter from UA asking me to do commentary, Nezu mentioned it in the past before but I don't know if he'll remember.— I'll remind him if it seems like he forgot*"
Midoriya sat up and placed the planner down back on the coffee table. His head felt heavy, even with everything organized.
"The sports festival is a good opportunity to progress my other plans"
He mumbled to himself, standing back up and pacing around his office.

Midoriya felt his brain fog up, like a window on a cold rainy day.
He could still see, things were still able to be processed, but not in the most efficient way— he could feel the drag, the need for a reboot. And there was only one way to reset for optimal processing.

"I need a break.
Like a real, personal break"
He shook his head, annoyed by the antsyness he could feel by sitting in his office.
He pulled out his phone and called his secretary, waiting a few moments for him to pick up.

"Hello Zero! What can I schedule for you?"
He asked.

"Is there anything eminent on my schedule today?"
Midoriya asked in reply, he had many schedules all in their own designated planner with one master planner that organized every single plan into a hourly day by day weekly schedule.

However, that planner was at home, and the planner he had just looked at was his hero planner— not his work planner.

Technically, he could've easily found out if anything was on his schedule by just walking over to his desk but he already needed to make a request so there was no point.

"You have no evaluations today, but you do have a therapy session with— pro hero carpetz.
Why?"
He replied, though a bit confused as Midoriya didn't need to make a call to find out.

"Clear my schedule, I need a personal day"
Midoriya stated, it wasn't like him to just take off for personal days but with everything he was juggling he needed the spontaneity of a random break. It would help him mentally regroup, and prevent burn out.
Not to mention, to Midoriya, hardly anything was truly spontaneous.

"Alright. Hope everything is alright, sending a message to Carpetz now"
The secretary said, clearing his schedule for him.
"You're going to be rescheduled to see him tomorrow at the start of your shift, is that okay?"

"Yep. I left that time slot available for reasons like this anyway"
Midoriya explained, he always gave himself breathing room for situations as such.

"Okay then! All rescheduled, have a good personal day"

Midoriya hummed in response and ended the call before glancing back at his office space. Everything was neatly organized and clean, not even dust could be seen floating in the air. He appreciated the cleanliness, it brought about mental peace when there was just so much to think about.
It was like one less thing on his plate.

"That hero was the only reason I'd have to stay for an additional hour— all my other work here is done.
I have class in a couple hours... Hm.
I could just not go— today's just a physical workout day anyway.
Aizawa would be more than understanding if I told him I needed a small personal break— he probably would want one too"

He found Aizawa's contact and made another call, deciding that skipping class was ultimately better for his future plans.
He would need his mind to be in tip top shape in order to balance his hero image, otherwise the mask could slip— and losing control of that mask was something he hated most.

"Midoriya?"
Aizawa said, confused why he was receiving a random call.

"Hello Aizawa Sensei, im just calling to let you know I won't be able to make it to class today"
Midoriya stated, albeit a little bluntly.

"Why, is everything okay?"
Aizawa asked, concerned for his student.

Midoriya let out a drawn sigh,
"Just need a personal day"

Chapter Text

...

"Just need a personal day"
Midoriya responded flatly, earning an understanding nod from Aizawa— but he didn't see it as it was a phone call.

"I completely understand, juggling hero work with psychologist work can't be easy"
Aizawa said, able to sympathize with his struggle. Just being a teacher and a hero became a lot at time.

Midoriya chuckled, "you don't even know the half of it"
He said, truthfully. "*Literally..*"
He thought to himself.

"Don't worry about it, today was a conditioning day— not an in class lecture.
You shouldn't miss them but I'll allow you this break, we all need them sometimes."
Aizawa sighed, slightly breaking his stoic nature.

"Thank you, Aizawa sensei. I owe you one"
Midoriya said, he would've been glad that he gave him permission had he not been expecting it— but he knew Aizawa wasn't going to deny him a day off.

"Just continue on being the hero society needs. That's enough of a favor"
Aizawa lightly chuckled, ending the call from there.

Midoriya held his phone out in front of him, staring at Aizawa's contact information as he processed what he said.
"*Society won't need heroes once I'm in control.*"
He shook his head and put his phone back in his pocket.
"Now I can really take a break"

Midoriya put his stuff away and locked up his office before heading out to his car. He didn't have a particular destination in mind, he just needed a changing background and no direct tasks weighing on him.

Clouds loomed over Tokyo, blocking the sun's rays. Midoriya drove his car through the streets, the low hum of the engine filling the air. The noise from outside was muffled by the car, he enjoyed the silence. It's why he refused to open up the windows.

After a while of driving, he found himself on a highway, "*huh looks like I'm headed to Musutafu. Didn't mean to go there*"
He thought to himself, shrugging his shoulders as he continued onwards. Muscle memory combined with his subconscious mind had guided him there.

Highways were always nice to drive on, hardly any traffic until it came to the exits.
It was the perfect place for quiet relaxing, as long as someone didn't mind how fast they were going.
Midoriya wasn't bothered by the speed, he knew he was in control of the vehicle and that as long as he paid attention, nothing too drastic could happen.

And so as he drove, his mind wandered. It thought about his current day, to his future plans, and then slowly began crawling back into the past.

Midoriya's eyes slightly widened as he pulled up to a neighborhood that was all too familiar, "*I drove to Mom's house*"
He thought to himself, looking at the worn down home at the end of the block.
He paused there for a moment, his mind conflicted.
"*I could surprise her with a visit. She's been wanting to see me...*"
He stared at his childhood home, the memory of homemade food passing through his mind like a ghost. He could feel himself longing to enter, to embrace his mom in a hug, to talk to her about life.

Midoriya shook his head, "no" he said to himself. "*It's too risky, not yet.*" He buried his emotions, clearing his head.
"*I should leave before I'm spotted*"
He thought to himself, seeing his old mom walking through her house from the open windows.
He sighed and drove off, "another day" he muttered, driving off away from the house.

As he drove away, he found himself passing by his childhood park.
"*It's so empty*"
He thought to himself, parking his car nearby and stepping out.

The park was hardly managed, rust eating away at old playground structures, coupled with rotten wood chips which littered the ground.
The kids that used to play there had all grown up, with some becoming heroes and another becoming a villain.

Midoriya sat down at a nearby bench and stared at the park, his mind wandering to his past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Smoke filled the air, blasting off the palms of a proud child.
"Forward march and here we go, members of the agency Ba-ku-go, sound agh—"
Bakugo slipped and fell off the small log, landing right into a passing stream.
His friends gasped, "Kacchan are you okay!"
Little Izuku shouted, jumping down to help his friend.

He held out his hand, his face filled with concern.
Bakugo stared up at him, glancing at his hand before glancing at his face.
He scratched the back of his head, "I'm fine"
He stood up on his own, refusing to accept help from his friend.
It was a trait he never let go of.
"I just slipped"
He chuckled, tagging Midoriya, "you're it"
He quickly ran off, the water splashing and sloshing beneath his feet.

"Hey!"
Midoriya shouted, chasing behind him.

"Catch me if you can!"

~~~~~~~~~~~

A small smile formed on Midoriya's face, though faint. He took a deep breath in, the cool air filling his lungs, as he got up and let out a slow exhale.
"*I'll take a walk*"
He thought to himself, leaving the playground and taking a stroll.

Past the residential areas, the streets still bustled with life. Much like Tokyo in that sense, loud and busy.

Midoriya scratched the back of his head, "so noisy."
He mumbled, pulling out a pair of small earbuds and putting them on to block out all the outside noise.

He continued walking, passing by an old arcade.
He paused, looking at his reflection in the tinted glass. "*This is where me and Kacchan spent most of our junior high years. It hasn't changed at all*"
He thought to himself.
The door bells jingled as two young teenagers made their way out, laughing and smiling while they ran.

"Race you home!"

"Easy win"

They ran past Midoriya, leaving a small breeze in their wake.
His eyes lingered on the two, reminiscent of his past. "*Some things never change.*"
He thought to himself, races home were a familiar past time of his.
His smile faded out, reminded of his present day.
"*If it's eventually revealed who I truly am.
Kacchan will be among the few who try fighting against me. If only he didn't have such strong mental resilience, we could've still been friends after everything.*"
He thought to himself, continuing his walk.
"*Oh well, that was within my expectations anyway*"
He mumbled, he always knew that when it came down to it— he and Bakugo couldn't continue to be friends. Their differences were too great.

Bakugo was too heroic, he had to stop villains no matter what. and Midoriya fit right into the category of people Bakugo hated, people he'd mercilessly fight to put behind bars forever.

As he continued his walk he noticed
nothing in the area had changed, everything was familiar.
The only change had been himself. He was no longer the young child that roamed around without a care in the world.

"*This is where Mom used to bring me*"
He sighed, stopping at his mom's favorite cafe. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and burned sugar lingered in the air around it, drawing in customers.
"Doesn't hurt"
He grabbed into the cold metal handle and made his way inside the cafe.

Midoriya walked up to the cashier, "hello—" he was cut off by a gasp.

"Pro hero Zero..!"
The cashier whisper shouted, shocked that the #5 pro hero had made his way into a local cafe.

"*Right. I'm not wearing any disguise*"
He politely smiled, not wanting to hurt the feelings of a fan— he had a reputation to uphold.
"Yep that'd be me"

"What brings you to our humble abode— aren't you usually in Tokyo??"
The cashier asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement— it reminded Midoriya of himself, how he used to be an All Might fanboy as a child.

"Just taking a trip down memory lane"
"*Not that I intended to originally*"
"Thought I could stop by, I used to frequent here as a child"
Midoriya explained.

"We're honored! What would you like, it's on the house"

"No no, I can pay. Don't worry about it. But if you could get me a plain black coffee with one sugar that'd be nice"
Midoriya said. To him it made no sense that celebrities, heroes, well known people with money, received things for free when they were more than capable of paying.

"Well if you insist. One plain coffee coming right up"
The cashier said, ringing up his order. "It'll be 500 yen"

Midoriya paid with his card and made his way to a seat in the cafe, sitting where his mom usually would.
The table was a bit grainy with spilled sugar, and the design was faded with time.

He stared out the window, leaves and dust breezing by.
The clouds seemingly grew darker, leaving it hard to tell if it was because of how late in the day it was or if there was incoming rain.

Shortly, his coffee was delivered. Because Midoriya hadn't specified to go or to stay, he received an automatic to go cup.
He took a sip, the hot coffee filling his mouth.
It partially burned, but it was tolerable.
The warmth descended down, spreading across his chest like a cozy hug. It was perfect for the chilly day.

After a couple more sips, he decided to get up and continue his walk, taking his coffee with him.

He exited the cafe, the bell jingling as he moved past the door.
Wind whipped his face, stinging his eyes, as he made his way down the street.

The wind continued to pick up, with it, small droplets of water.
"*Looks like it's going to rain*"
He thought to himself, lifting his head up. Before he could even look at the sky, his gaze fell upon a bridge...
A bridge that was all too familiar.

He froze in his steps, feeling a familiar rage burning in his chest. He felt acid rise up his throat, his stomach faintly twisting as old emotions rushed back.
"*...this is where it all began...*"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"ha! You? Be a better hero than me?"
Bakugo scoffed, entering an alleyway to take a shortcut home.

"Hey with my quirk, I don't actually need to waste time"
Midoriya rebutted, providing a valid point.

"Yeah but what if there's a bunch of villains attacking? You can only control so many people at a time.
Unlike you— my quirk is much stronger"
Bakugo sneered, he and Midoriya often engaged in rival banter— with both aiming to be the greatest heroes of Japan, it was only natural.

"The only difference between my quirk and your quirk is that yours is flashy. Besides, I could use the villains to fight the villains— ever think of that?"
Midoriya chuckled back, barely dodging an explosion from Bakugo.

"Time will tell who the better hero will be.
And obviously it'll be me—"
Bakugo fell silent when he stepped in some odd green sludge, "ew what is that" he hissed, dragging his foot back and across the ground to wipe it off.

"Finally!"
A monstrous roar from the sludge announced as it rose up from the sewer and formed into a large green slime.

Bakugo and Midoriya felt their hearts drop to their feet, before they could even react the sludge moved.
It encapsulated Bakugo, "I needed a new host"
It manically laughed.

Bakugo fought back, firing off a rapid fire of explosions which lead to the struggle being dragged out to the street.
Midoriya still stood there frozen, a part of him not knowing whether to get the heroes or to just step in himself.

"Let go of me!"
Bakugo screamed, firing off more explosions.
It wasn't long til a crowd of people formed to watch the fight, calling for heroes to do something to save the boy.

...but when the heroes got there they just watched.

"..we can't do anything without hurting the boy"

"What do we do..?"

The heroes muttered among themselves, but every second they wasted was a second Bakugo struggled against the sludge villain.
He could hardly breathe, the thing was trying to kill him to wear his skin.

The clouds above darkened, intense winds blowing away the dark smoke from his explosions.

Midoriya's stomach twisted as he stared at the supposed heroes, the same heroes who weren't doing anything to save his friend...
"*Why aren't they doing anything?! He's going to die if they don't step in soon*"
He clenched his jaw, looking back at his best friend who continued on sending off massive explosions.

He stood by the alleyway walls, his ears rung, heart hammered in pure rage and fear.
Anger at the heroes, who just waited for someone else to save the day... And terror at the thought that he was about to lose his childhood best friend to a villain.

It was at that moment he saw through the mask of hero society.

His eyes stung as they began spiraling intensely, his quirk acting before he could even figure out what to do himself...
He couldn't let his friend die— and the heroes were of no real help. He needed to do something— and fast.
"*I need to do something— if I don't step in- no one will!*"
... And before he could even control what he said, anger came out in its purest form.

"Die"

Chapter Text

...

"Die"
Midoriya blurted out, shocked at his own choice of words.
But before he could even react, the sludge villain did.

Bakugo was ejected from the slime, he flew across the asphalt into the crowd of watchers.
The sludge began expanding across the ground, stretching all over, but screaming in agony the entire time.

Midoriya felt his mouth run dry, choked— he couldn't say anything...
He had overexerted himself, and the active backlash was kicking in.
"*No..— I used too much strength because I was scared he might've been mentally resilient...! Its going to die..!*"
He paused, thinking about the weight of the reality he was in.

His eyes widened, hands partially trembling,
"*And... It'll be my fault.*"
his breathing hitched as he watched the consequence of losing control of his quirk unfold before his very eyes.

The crowd gasped, quickly moving to help Bakugo who had sustained minor injuries.
Heroes rushed in as well, finally finding the opportunity to move without hurting the teenager.

But upon a first strike...
The sludge exploded.

Green goop splattered everywhere, all over the buildings, over the heroes, all over the crowd, and... On Midoriya.

A dismembered eye splattered on the ground before him, staring up at him.
Midoriya's eyes had gone back to normal and were fixed back on it, extremely nauseated.
"*...It's dead...*"

They all fell silent, frozen in place. No one knew what was going on— except for Midoriy, who knew he had just killed someone.

But shortly, screams erupted from the crowd as they realized just what had happened.

"AAAAAAA"

"The heroes killed it!"

"No! It must've had some reaction to the boys explosion! And then the heroes accidentally killed it!"

"Are you okay young man?!"

Bakugo looked around, his eyes wide. He had been completely battered, with multiple gash wounds and bruises forming.
The sludge was everywhere... It looked like a paint explosion had taken place.
He wiped off his face, the green goop hit the floor.
"...what the hell happened?"
He asked, unable to understand the sludge's reaction— why it died the moment the heroes struck it.

"Do you have memory loss?"
One of the heroes asked, kneeling beside him.

"No— I remember what happened. That thing attacked me... No one helped...
But how did it die?"
Bakugo asked, getting up from off the ground. He didn't break any bones, so besides just general pain, he was able to walk around.

"Its not your fault— it started losing control and when one of our own struck, it ended up exploding. It's our fault, we should've managed the situation better"
The hero reassured.

Bakugo scoffed, "you damn bastards almost let me die! What took you so long?!"
He spat, dusting himself off, he could feel his rage come back to him as his brain caught up to everything that just happened.

"We were scared—"

"Really?!"
Bakugo scowled, "this is why I need to be a hero— you weak bastards are going to end up getting people killed"
He brushed past the hero and walked over to the alleyway where he left Midoriya, his hands trembling.

"Deku?"
He said, startled by Midoriya's appearance. Not only was he pale, but a lot of the sludge had landed on his school uniform.
Midoriya's eyes darted to Bakugo, breaking from the eyeball on the ground.

But before could even try responding, he vomited on the ground. Hurling, he held onto the alleyway wall and felt the content of his lunch make it's way back out.

"..you okay?"
Bakugo asked, he was partially shaken up by the whole situation too but not as much as Midoriya seemed to be. His terror had been consumed by his anger.

Midoriya shook his head, words still unable to form. "*I killed it...*"
He looked down at his own arms, but instead of trembling like he thought they would, they were actually rather steady— especially with how he just threw up.
"*Aren't I supposed to be more shaken up by this...? I just took a life to save another...*"
He wiped off the vomit and looked at Bakugo, who actually looked more shaken himself.

Bakugo's arms were trembling, in spite of the anger on his face. His heart still pounded hard against his ribs, a reminder that he survived the attempted murder.

Midoriya sighed, the nausea lingered but beneath it, a quiet relief...
"*no... Rather I think I'm glad it's dead...*"
The realization came in cold, in a way Midoriya would've never thought he'd admit to himself. He could feel his heart racing,
"*Those heroes weren't doing anything, they just stood there and watched...
If I didn't intervene, Kacchan would be dead.*"
He took a deep breath in, rationalizing all that had happened in the moment he lost control.

Looking at the situation behind the alleyway, he noticed...
"*... And it doesn't look like anyone actually knows it was me...*"
He thought to himself, feeling the backlash wear off. He cleared his throat, "sorry. I should've tried—"

"Why are you apologizing stupid Deku?? It's those damn heroes' fault! They should've done something!?"
He erupted.
"When I become a hero, I'm never going to just watch like a bystander."
Bakugo screamed, though some of his words trembled. It was as though he were still reacting to the situation, as though the sludge still had its grips on him.
His anger seared through the air, a clear disappointment in those failures of heroes.

"Right..."
Midoriya said, his voice a bit raspy. "*I killed someone...*"
The thought echoed across his mind, he couldn't believe it himself.
"Are you okay?"
He asked, concealing the storm brewing mentally. It was easier to talk than it was to face what he'd done.

"I'm fine! Villain bastards like it aren't enough to scare me. What? You think Japan's future #1 hero would get shaken from that?"
Bakugo laughed, but the way his arms still trembled revealed that he was far more shaken than he'd ever like to admit.

Midoriya chuckled, his stomach finally calming down a bit, "maybe not Japan's future #1.
That would be me. You on the other hand—"

Bakugo fired off an explosion, "Hey!"
He laughed, shaking off the fear a bit as he found himself slowly alming down from the adrenaline rush.

Midoriya smiled, "*...what I did was
right— if I didn't step in, he'd be dead...
And the heroes weren't going to do anything...*"
He thought to himself, he could feel the mental turmoil stirring his mind. The fact the heroes hadn't done anything— it repeated several times throughout his mind.

"Let's go home"
Bakugo sighed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, you need a shower after that— that thing came out the sewers"
Midoriya half chuckled, his eyes glancing back to the dismembered eye.
"*It was out of control anyway...
Society doesn't need bugs like that*"

"Why would you tell me that"
Bakugo groaned, feeling the gross grime of the sewers and sludge on his skin.

"Thought you should know—"
Midoriya replied, though he was cut short when a couple droplets of water began falling from the sky.

"Rain.. I hate the rain"
Bakugo groaned, he never liked rain growing up— it interfered with his quirk.

Midoriya held his hand out, "I think it's okay" but he wasnt responding to the real rain, he was facing a different storm.
"*if society were under control, things like this wouldn't happen*"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rain hit Midoriya's hand, just like it had that day. He was dragged out of thought, forced to confront the reality he was in.
The coffee soured in taste, leaving a palpable bitterness.
He let out a drawn sigh, his eyes still lingering on the bridge before looking at the alleyway where it all happened.

"*That day is what caused it all, the day that made me realize that the image I had of hero society was all false. The day my craving for control intensified*"
He thought to himself. Even as a kid, he always had a slight urge to be in control— a side effect of his quirk— but it was never so severe.

It wasn't just about making things go the way he wanted it to, it was the mental turmoil he'd face when things were out of his order— his jurisdiction. Everything felt chaotic, noisy...

He used to think it was normal, that everyone felt that way when things were out of their personal control. It was manageable as a kid.
But after what happened that day, his need for control whispered louder than reason itself.

He took another sip of his coffee before throwing it in the trash. It no longer tasted good.
"*It was from then on that the facade of a good society was shattered— I started looking into past incidents and realized that Kacchan's incident wasn't isolated to just him.*"
His mind raced to the memories of what happened after he went home that
day— the intense research, the sleepless nights, the growing craving.

"*Countless lives were lost to the failures of people known as heroes. Some even directly caused by them.
What if it had been Kacchan? Or me? Or mom..?*"
He shook his head at the thought, feeling the rage simmering in his heart— it was a quiet whisper, a reminder, of why he needed to continue.
"*That's why I need to be in control.
That way, no heroes or villains can hurt anyone.* "
Midoriya took a deep breath in, the chilly damp air filling his lungs. He looked up at the sky, droplets of rain pelleting on his face.

"*The only people that will die are the uncontrollable bugs*"
He released the breath and looked back at the alleyway. His old emotions had subsided, calming back down into his subconscious.

Wind breezed by, carrying the cold rain with it.
Midoriya felt a chill run down his back, "I guess I should make my way back now"
He mumbled, walking over to a shortcut he knew.
It was the alleyway of his origin, it was a short cut he and Bakugo had used a lot in their youth so he knew it well.

He hadn't stepped foot there in years, yet the air still smelled the same— like garbage and wet concrete.

He walked through the desolate alleyway, rats and mice scurried away, runnings into hiding.
"*This place hasn't changed either*"
He glanced at the corner, the same corner which he had thrown up.
"*The heroes never found out I had killed the sludge, they still blame themselves to this day.
It was all over the media too, they suffered pretty intense backlash.*"
Midoriya looked at the pavement, stuck in a vivid memory where he remembered the eye staring back.

In the sludge's final moments, all it could do was stare up at its murderer.

"*good riddance*"
He continued down the alleyway path, rain slowly growing in intensity.

The rain slowly spread across the walls and alleyway floor, refreshing old grime present everywhere.
Wind howled, bouncing off the walls and hitting Midoriya in the face.
He could feel the dullness of netural emotions return, his face shifting back to its usual stoic demeanor.

He ventured further down the alleyway, almost out. He wasn't too far from his mother's home any longer, having done a full loop around his familiar grounds.

"The rain is nice"
He said to himself, holding his hand out and staring at the sky.
Rain splashed on his palms before he closed them tightly.
Foot steps echoed throughout the alleyway, fast and steady.
He looked down the alley, noticing a masked figure making their way through.

Midoriya stared at them, reading off a percentage from their forehead.
"*15%*"
He paused, feeling an annoyance sting his heart.

"*an uncontrollable bug*"
He thought to himself, his gaze hardening.

The man noticed his glare, pausing in his step, "what?"
He asked, staring back at him.
His eyes partially widened, "hey aren't you the #5 hero?"
He asked, surprise evident in his voice.

The two stared at eachother, like time had frozen there.
The civilian couldn't get past Midoriya, and Midoriya wouldn't stop staring at his forehead.

Midoriya shook his head, "yes."
Breaking the silence. The man dropped his shoulders, clearly somewhat relieved that he had a run in with a hero rather than a thug.

"But that doesn't mean much to me"
His eyes began to spiral, twists of green and black in his eyes as he looked around the alleyway.
It was empty, not a single other person in sight.
And... There were no cameras...
"*Everyone would swat a pestering bug*"

"What do you mean...?"
The man felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead, Midoriya's eyes were radiating malice...
One he couldn't understand, he hadn't done anything to the pro hero.

Midoriya looked around one final time before he locked eyes with him, his face unreadable— but clearly calculating.
The man's heart pounded against his chest, something was terribly wrong— it felt as though something had infiltrated his mind... A dreadful feeling siezing his senses,
"Hello...?"
He asked, his voice wavering.

Midoriya glanced away, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked past the civilian. Rain bounced off the cement ground, and with one swift breath, he gave him a final order.

"Kill yourself"

Chapter Text

... (T.W ⚠️)

"Kill yourself"
Midoriya said bluntly, hardly even glimpsing at the man's face as he walked by.

"What—"
The man's heart dropped, his body began moving on its own, like it had been hijacked as he began searching for the fastest way to die.
"Hey, what're you doing...! Aren't you a hero...?!"
He cried, walking boldly towards the exit of the alleyway— headed for the road.

"I am."
Midoriya replied, his voice echoing throughout the alleyway walls.
"That's why I'm doing this"
His face relaxed, the annoying stinging in his heart subsiding.

The rain grew heavier, slamming against the ground like an open shower. The noise filled the air, drowning out the man's pleas.

"Please..! You can't do this—"
The man begged but it was useless, Midoriya had already made his decision.

"Silence."
Midoriya stated, not wanting the man to draw attention to himself in his last moments. He paused in his step and turned to face the man who had now exited the alleyway, and was facing the open road.

Because he was wearing a mask, no one could see how distraught he was...
The way his face had been twisted, it only showed through his eyes.

He froze on the sidewalk, waiting for the opportunity...

A car tore through the storm, easily surpassing the speed limit. Headlights cutting white through the rainfall.

The engine roared loudly, sending ripples throughout the walls and ground. The car left mini gusts of wind in its wake, And with the rain only picking up in intensity, the driver had no way of stopping in time...

The driver didn't notice the man, who's body got into a perfect jump position.

For a moment, it seemed the world came to a stop— raindrops hung midair, the roaring faded out...

The man jumped...

Then, the impact came. And the car didn't stop...

Not in time at least.

The driver slammed the breaks, sounding his horn in a panic...

Midoriya watched, the annoyance in his chest replaced with peace, as the masked man slammed into the car and launched off the ground, flying at intense speeds— his eyes following his movement as he landed skull first and skidded across the slicked asphalt ground.

His head had cracked wide open, portions of his brain turning to mush as large gashes formed on his body every second he continued sliding on the ground...

And

The car— not having enough time to react due to the intense speeds— ended up rolling over the body one last time as he slammed on the breaks and slid across the ground and right over his body.
Rain and speed were a terrible mix.

Midoriya's eyes returned back to normal as he continued down the alleyway, sirens blaring nearby as ambulances rushed to the scene.

"*Good riddance*"

He quickly went away, wanting to avoid getting drenched by the rain and seen by any bystanders.
After a short 5 minutes, he was back in his car.

Droplets of water dripped from his hair onto his face, a chill running down his back as he slowly warmed up again. The car's stillness comforted Midoriya from the chilly rain outside.
He grabbed a napkin and dried off his face, running it through his hair to dry off some of the water.

The sound of the storm was muffled by the car, Midoriya sat there for a moment, looking at the rain running down his windshield.
"*My head feels clearer..
Good, now I can focus on my plans again.*"
He thought to himself, the brain fog from earlier in the day clearing up.

The car's engine hummed quietly, Midoriya shifted the gear ready to drive away— but then his phone rang, breaking the pleasant silence with its loud vibrations.

Midoriya sighed, "*just when there was silence*"
He answered the phone, "hello?"

"Where are you?"
Bakugo asked, clearly irritated.

Midoriya glanced at his clock, "*5:52, 8 minutes left of class. I guess he couldn't call earlier*"
He thought to himself, noticing how much time had passed. "I needed a break so Aizawa let me skip class today"
He replied.

"Tch, at least let us know next time— those idiots were looking for you."
Bakugo snapped, "Do you know how annoying it was to deal with their pestering questions?? And check your notifications!"
He groaned, though a part of him was relieved that he only missed class to take a break— a part of him had worried that maybe something serious had happened to him or Inko. Otherwise, he couldn't figure out a real reason Midoriya would ditch.

Midoriya glanced at his notifications and noticed the ridiculous amounts of texts he had received from most of his friends. Kaminari had sent the most, with there being a staggering 82 text messages from him.
His eyes partially widened at the sight, "*excessive..*"

"You never miss class, so the first time that you do without warning—! everyone will think something happened!"
Bakugo grumbled, though he'd never admit he was apart of the group of people concerned.

"Well then next time I'll give a 24 hour notice if it gets you all to calm down"
Midoriya lightly chuckled, though he was obviously sarcastic.

"Is that Midoriya?"
A background voice of the call said.

"That's Midoriya!"
Another voice chimed in.

"Hey! My phone—"
Bakugo had his phone snatched from him, Kaminari and the others having taken it to talk with Midoriya.

"Midoriya!"
Kaminari shouted.

"Hey Kaminari"
Midoriya said, surprised they managed to take the phone from Bakugo.

"Where have you been?? Why don't you ever read your texts!!"
Kaminari complained.

"Training sucked without you!"
Kirishima shouted in the background, struggling as he held back Bakugo— who had been fighting to steal his phone back.

"As I told Kacchan, I just took a break. And you already know I hardly check my phone"
Midoriya sighed, opening up the chain of text messages. It was mostly repetitive.

"Let us know next time! We thought something terrible happened!"

"Why'd you jump to the worst conclusion?"
Midoriya asked, not understanding why their minds went to such extremes.

"You never miss class!!"
They shouted in unison.

Midoriya pulled his phone away from his ear,
"Okay— well look I need to start making my way back"
He rubbed his forehead, partially annoyed by the repetition.

"tonight! game night! Can you join!?"
Kaminari asked, his words cut short as he ran from Bakugo.

"..we already went out to lunch together just earlier today—"

"But it was rushed!"

"...game night... where? It's raining"
Midoriya asked, glancing at the rain which continuously poured.

"Raining? It's just cloudy over here— Midoriya, where are you?"

Midoriya paused for a moment, "*...Musutafu, around the same time someone committed suicide...
They wouldn't suspect anything, but the coincidence is too much. I'll correct the error*"
He thought to himself.

"Sorry— I thought the forecast said it was going to rain around this time, so I assumed so without checking"
He explained, the lie clean.

"Well it's not raining over here! so you should definitely join us!"
Kaminari said, brushing past his minor weather error.

"Maybe.
What time?"

"An hour from now!"
Kaminari smiled, excited that Midoriya was actually considering it.

"*An hour?? If I drive fast, I could probably make it— but I hate rushing...*"
Midoriya thought to himself, scratching the back of his head.
"I'll be a little late— have some small things to wrap up. But I'll join— where are we headed?"

"Alright!! Kirishima's place— he got a new gaming set up. See you—"

Explosions and scuffles sounded in the background, Midoriya silently listened, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Give me my phone back!"
Bakugo exploded in the background, snatching his phone back after getting past Kirishima and Sero.

"yeah. I can't believe they stole your phone from you— and kept it away"
Midoriya commented, noticing how he was only just getting his phone back.

Explosions sounded on the otherside of the line, replacing what would've been an audible response from Bakugo as he chased after the chaotic heroes.

"See you later Midoriya!"
Kirishima shouted in the background, running away from Bakugo.

Midoriya ended the call, letting out a drawn sigh.
"...time to go deal with that ..."

_________________________________________

A ceiling fan spun round and round, filling the silence of the room with its constant whirring.
Papers shifted and turned, circling around Shinsou who was a week into a personal investigation.

He scratched the back of his head, "it's like Tsukauchi said... Nothing connects them, their disappearances are clean..."
He muttered, biting his thumb in annoyance.

He had been in Tsukauchi's office space, after explaining to Tsukauchi that he wanted to take one more deep look at the case, he was given permission to continue investigating personally. Tsukauchi would help from time to time, but with him having been convinced that it was tied to the black market— he didn't give it much thought.

"*What could I be missing...?*"
Shinsou thought to himself, his jaw clenched and forehead muscles strained. "*Midoriya...?— No. I already put that besides me— there's no way he's involved with the Tokyo Snatcher. There's something else I'm missing, a minor detail that connects all of these heroes.* "
He grabbed their files again, deciding to look over at all the files from the start— again.
He had already done so over five times...

"I'm going to find that detail. No matter what"

_________________________________________

"*AFO is going to strike today*"
Midoriya thought to himself, stretching his arms and legs in his real hero uniform.
The USJ day had finally dawned upon him, another task to get off his to-do list.
Besides the break he took, nothing out of the ordinary happened within the span of a week and a half.

The usual hero-psychologist work, agency investigations, class, and everything else he managed.

He scanned the USJ, it hadn't changed one bit since his time there.

There were multiple biomes there, one area covered in sand, another area like a forest, and one area just like an ocean.

He looked up, the ceiling stretching endlessly from the ground. Light shone right through the dome glass ceiling, adding a bit of warmth to the area.

"Can't wait to give those brats a challenge"
Bakugo laughed menacingly, explosions spiffing off his palms.

"Aren't we supposed to be helping them?"
Todoroki asked, adjusting his wrist gear.

"Aizawa sensei hasn't exactly told us what we're doing yet"
Midoriya replied, looking around for him.
They were early, Aizawa and his class had yet to arrive.

"You'll be doing a couple things!"
A muffled voice said, partially startling the three who thought they were alone.

They turned around and found a short astronaut standing before them.

"Oh, hello Thirteen"
Midoriya said, partially smiling to seem polite.

"Hello Zero! Glad you three could join us today, the students are really looking forward to it"
Thirteen smiled back, though it wasn't visible behind the astronaut gear.

"*Yeah because they have no idea what's coming..*"
Midoriya thought to himself, thinking about what AFO had explained to him just a couple days ago.

~~
Midoriya adjusted in the hardly cushioned chair, it creaked beneath his weight.
Reading over a notepad, he was given the detailed plan of the USJ day.

"Members of the league and Nomu will arrive in the middle of class, when students are already divided.

Pro heroes Zero, Dynamight, Shoto, Eraserhead, and Thirteen will be the only heroes on the scene.
Not enough to save all the students.

Kurogiri will warp the heroes away from the students and split the students up further, ensuring an easier attack.

The more damage that is done, the greater hit UA takes"

The notepad read. "*It doesn't contain too many details, mostly just a summary of what he entails to happen...
But what does he want me to do?*"
Midoriya glanced back at AFO, his eyes narrowing.

"And what's my part of the plan?"
He asked.

"The plan doesn't hinge on your abilities."
AFO ominously chuckled with an air of confidence.

Midoriya raised his brow, "so nothing out of the ordinary hero work?"
He asked

AFO shook his head,
"No you do have one task.
with the opportunity presented,

get rid of some uncontrollable pests in the class."

Chapter Text

...

"get rid of some uncontrollable pests in the class."

~~

Midoriya shook his head, thinking back to what AFO said.
"*The only ones deserving of death are the ones I can't control.*"
He thought to himself, glancing back over to Bakugo and Todoroki who had seemingly zoned out after what Thirteen said.

The hum of a bus engine sounded softly outside the walls of the USJ,
"They should be here now!"
Thirteen smiled, breaking the silence.

They all looked over to the large entrance doors, watching as Aizawa and a herd of hero course students made their way inside.
They shuffled and formed a small crowd, looking around the large space in awe.

Then one of the students looked straight ahead, noticing the popular heroes who stood before them.
"Pro hero Dynamight?! And Zero!? And Shoto?!"
They shouted, star-struck.
The entire class gasped, the day couldn't get any better!

"Omg!! The #1 hero!"

"Woah they're helping us train!?"

"I'm so glad I got into UA!!"
Their cheers echoed throughout the dome, their excitement filling the space.

The heroes stood there awkwardly, watching as Aizawa guided the class closer.
After a short two minutes, they were within a comfortable talking distance.
Aizawa walked over to the four heroes and stood facing the students, ready to explain what class was going to be about that day.

"As you may have already noticed, Pro heroes are joining us today."
Aizawa began, his voice loud above their murmurs.
"These heroes were all once in your spot. Not many years ago either."
He hid his subtle smile in his scarf, not wanting to show anyone just how proud he was of his students.

Midoriya glanced at the students, scanning their foreheads. A small smile tugging at his lips, "*none of them are bugs.*"
He thought to himself, only half listening to Aizawa as he began explaining instructions.
"*There is only one kid of concern.*"
His eyes partially narrowed to one of the kids among the group, but he quickly relaxed again.
"*46%. Just above the bar.*"
He noted, noting how the other students' percentages were in the upper 60-70 percentile.

"*Looks like I won't be killing anyone after all.*"
Midoriya felt his shoulders comfortably drop,
"*Of course I wouldn't, they're still in the easy to influence age— killing them isn't justifiable.
AFO on the other hand— he won't let them go unscathed.*"

"You will all be split up, every group with one hero.
Your task will be to save a 'civilian' from the disaster, but the hero you're with will be playing the role of an active threat— a villain.
They won't let you get to the civilian easily, so you'll have to work together to figure out how to get past them and save the civilian"
Aizawa concluded his explanation, it was a simple enough task.
"Any questions?"
He asked, raising a brow.

a couple kids raised their hands,

"How are we supposed to win against the #1 hero!— or any of them— those three rank in the top 10!"
One of them asked, though it sounded more like a cry.

"The heroes will give you all one guaranteed opening, it's your jobs to find it and use it"
Aizawa explained.

"Who's going to be the civilian? One of us?"
Another asked.

"It'll be a heavy weighted dummy"
Aizawa replied.

"Are we all going to go to different biomes?"

"Yes, and I've already determined which group goes where and with which hero.
Don't worry, I made the selection based on many factors— the biggest factor being what would push you all the hardest.
Remember, treat this training exercise like it's a real scenario"
Aizawa reassured, but his reassurance only caused a greater stress in the students.

Midoriya nodded his head, listening to the instructions, "*I don't have any role in AFO's plan, so I'll just keep up my hero pretence.*"
He let out a polite smile, staring at the students he'd potentially have to go against for the training exercise.

"There are five heroes and twenty students.
Each hero will have a group of four students."
Aizawa began listing out the groupings, each person finding their teammates before bracing to hear which hero they'd have to go up against.
"Group A, you're with Pro hero Dynamight.
Group B, Shoto
Group C, Zero
Group D, Thirteen
And group E, you're with me."
He concluded.

Nervous cries sounded from the students, as much as they loved the pro heroes— they didn't want to have to be put up against them.

"How are we ever going to win against the #1 hero...!"

"At least you guys have someone you can fight against—! How are we going to fight pro hero Zero?!"

"Yeah!? He doesn't even have to move!"

"Zero would probably rival Dynamight if he wasn't slowed down by his psychology work!"

The students argued in their cries, debating who had it the hardest.
At the same time, the heroes watched.

"Tch these brats"
Bakugo grumbled, but even he knew they were right.
"Your quirk may be strong but I'm stronger"
He scoffed, explosions fizzing off his hands.

Midoriya chuckled, "I have no intention of taking the title of #1 Kacchan"
He reassured, but the sarcasm in his words stung.

"Ha! You couldn't take #1 even if you tried!"
Bakugo snarked back, suddenly reminiscent on their youth.
He laughed, "just like our junior high arguments— some things never change"

Midoriya shook his head, "I guess not, except for our goals that is."
His smile wavered for a moment, though it went unnoticed as he glanced back at the class— who just stared star-struck.

They knew the two pro heroes grew up together, but to see their friendship so casually was something new to them entirely.

Todoroki on the other hand just stood there, silently, waiting for the word to commence training.
He was strong too, but with Bakugo being the #1 hero and Midoriya having a quirk difficult to work around, he was in the middle— still a challenge to the students but not as much of a challenge when compared to those two.

"Settle down class."
Aizawa sighed, shaking his head. "I'll be listing the biomes you'll be training at.
Those with Dynamight are going to the desert biome. If you're with Shoto, the water biome. If you're with Zero, the forest biome."
Aizawa continued on listing them off, redirecting their attention.
"Now then, find your hero and make your way to your designated training area"

"*And so the splitting up begins.
I wonder when AFO intends to strike*"
Midoriya thought to himself, guiding four students alongside him to the forest biome.
It was a short walk, the forest biome was the closest to the exit.

"How are we ever going to beat him..."
One of the kids whispered.

"No idea— his quirk is impossible to work around"
Another whispered back.

"I'm pretty sure he can hear us.."

Midoriya chuckled, "yes I can hear you. Don't worry, we're required to give you an opening to save the civilian"
He reassured, entering the forest biome.
Not very far past entry, a ragdoll could be seen hanging from a tall tree.

"That's your civilian"
Midoriya said, pointing at it.
"Save it"
He said, standing on guard of the tree.

The four students exchanged nervous glances before mustering up courage and charging straight ahead.
Midoriya's eyes slowly began spinning in spirals, "*to give them an opening, I'll only control one student*"
He thought to himself, figuring out how to restrain himself.

One of the students charged straight for Midoriya, deciding to act as the distraction so that the other three could make an attempt to save the civilian.

Midoriya locked eyes with him, "I guess you'll be the target"
He said, hijacking his mind.

"Eh—"
The student felt as though he were pushed aside in his own mind, like someone else had taken control of his actions...

"Fight your teammates, don't let them get to the civilian"
Midoriya smiled, ordering the student to play guard.

"What the —"
He found his body moving on its own, chasing after his fellow classmates without any choice. They fought in front of Midoriya, unable to get past him and to the tree.

Midoriya watched, "*he's about to strike... Everyone is distracted, split. It's just a matter of time—*"
His train of thought was cut off when a warp gate opened before his very eyes— just a mere 5 feet away.
Emerging from the darkness of the portal, nomu...
Not just one, but three.

His eyes widened, "*I know he said it would be a large scale attack but this is overkill—?
these Nomu can easily eradicate half the class*"
His jaw tightened, "*right now, I'm playing hero.
And this is a villain attack*"
Midoriya cleared his throat, "we're under attack!"
He shouted, his voice echoing loudly throughout the forest.

The students froze mid-combat, their hearts dropping to their feet as they realized just what was going on.
They turned to face the menacing Nomu, their mouths running dry as their hearts hammered in their ears.
Everything in their being was screaming at them to run— but there was no outrunning the nomu.

Louder explosions echoed throughout the USJ, Bakugo— clearly in combat.
"DIE!"
His shout cutting through the air like a battle cry.

"Get behind me"
Midoriya instructed, releasing the student from his control to refocus his energy.
The four quickly scrambled behind Midoriya, but seconds later more warp gates opened up.

Surrounding the five, hundreds of thugs emerged from the warp gates.
Midoriya clenched his jaw, "really?"
He muttered to himself, his eyes spiraling intensely.

The nomu charged forward, alongside the thugs.
"You four need to escape, Now!"
Midoriya ordered, capturing the nomu under his control.

"How!"
One of them cried.

"This nomu will help you"
Midoriya redirected one of the nomu to scoop up the four students, swiftly escaping before the thugs could close the gap.

"*AFO— this isn't exactly on script.
He knows I can handle it— it's probably even why he sent three nomu, knowing that they have zero mental resistance. But why—? plausible deaths for any potential bugs?*"
Midoriya thought to himself, dodging a swift attack from one of the thugs who had pounced.
He counter, delivering a strong punch to the cavity of their chest and sending them flying back into some of the other thugs.
More launched into battle, aiming to take him out.

Midoriya sharply exhaled, "attack the thugs"
He instructed the remaining nomu, using them as guards so he could capture other thugs under his control.
"*Some of these thugs have pretty low percentages. Uncontrollable pests— maybe this is what he had been implying.

They can die. I'll use the nomu and some of the thugs to kill them, it'll be passed off as casualties of the attack*"
He thought to himself, capturing half of the thugs under his control. With a lot of them already having mid-range percentages, it wasn't difficult.

"Attack the thugs, go all out."
He commanded.
Half of the thugs switched from dodging the Nomus attacks to attacking alongside the Nomu.

"We should've known not to listen to Shigaraki..!"

"Zero is too difficult!"

"I don't have any control!"

The thugs shouted in frustration, hating how they were now a spectator of their own selves.

Midoriya coughed, "nomu, keep the thugs away and transport me"
He instructed one of the nomu.
The nomu walked over to Midoriya, shoving thugs away from him, as it scooped Midoriya up and took off with him.

It flew to the sky, wings sprouting from its back. Midoriya scanned the ground, the entire attack was visible from above.

Explosions fired off repeatedly, smoke choked the air. "DIE!!"
Bakugo screamed, firing off multiple attacks at nomu which chased him endlessly.

The students watched below, hardly able to keep their eyes open with the flying sand. He was doing everything in his order to keep the nomu from attacking them, and there was nothing they could do to help.

"Damn villain bastards!"
Bakugo grit his teeth, his arms pulsing in pain as he fired off another massive explosion. Mounds of sand shot up into the air, landing scalding on the nomu.

At the same time, Todoroki shot out a massive blast of ice into the water— effectively capturing hundreds of thugs before they could attack the students.
"Escape!"
He shouted at them, creating a solid ice path above the water.
Students slid off the boat and quickly sprinted away, heading straight for the exit.
But before Todoroki could even think about assisting Aizawa or Bakugo, who were nearby, a nomu charged at him.

Midoriya tightened his fists
"*Thirteen is out of sight— I can't help the students with her...
She'll just have to do her best to keep them safe—*"

The ground rumbled intensely, blood dripped from Aizawa's forehead and splattered everywhere, as his head was repeatedly bashed into the ground by a nomu.
But despite the pain and restraint, he still protected his students from a destructive attack.

His eyes glowed a bright red, locked onto a man with long silver-blue hair.
"Tomura... Shigaraki...!"
Eraserhead said through grit teeth, straining to keep his head held up— trying his best to keep Shigaraki from destroying the ground.

"You haven't changed, Eraserhead"
Shigaraki sneered, looking down at his hands. He was left without a quirk, unable to attack.
"But you're doomed. Even without a quirk, this place will be destroyed by the time I leave"

Aizawa struggled under the nomu, which used the strain against him to break another one of his limbs. He let out a sharp breath of pain, but he didn't shut his eyes.
"We will... Defeat... You..."
He said, reaching for his dagger only to have his hand crushed by the Nomu.
Blood pooled beneath his head, splattering every time the Nomu bashed it back into the ground.

Shigaraki laughed, "how do you intend to save your students? You're trapped and so are the others!"
He mocked, showing off all the chaos.

Aizawa felt his heart hammer against his chest, "damn it..! At this rate, the students will get hurt—!"
He could feel his stress levels skyrocket, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he tried to figure out just what he could do to save them.

He tried to move again, his eyes widening, "the nomu...—"
The nomu stepped away from Eraserhead and stared at Shigaraki.

Aizawa couldn't move, most of his limbs broken, but with the last of his strength he forced himself to roll to his side to keep at eye on Shigaraki.

"Eh?!"
Shigaraki gasped, a bit panicked, watching at the nomu slowly began approaching.

"Only one person... Is capable... of turning the tides like this."
Aizawa forced out, looking up to the sky.

A loud voice cut through the air, Shigaraki turned his head in fear, Aizawa looked up in hope.

There Midoriya appeared, in the air, using the Nomu as assistance. His gaze was sharp, spiraling intensely as he stretched out his hands and captured all the nomu within his sight under control.

He cleared his throat,
"Nomu.
Attack Shigaraki"

Chapter Text

...

"Nomu.
Attack Shigaraki"
Midoriya ordered, sending out all the nomu except for the one he had been using to stay in the air.

Bakugo landed before the students, kicking up sand as explosions still fired off his hands.
"I'll kill you —!"
He went to send out another massive explosion but found the nomu had completely shifted gears and ran away.
He let out a sharp breath, quickly understanding what happened, "tch, Deku.", he said looking up and noticing how he had been flying nearby. "Could've stepped in sooner!"
He shouted, clutching his wrists in pain.

"That was scary..!"

"We're saved..!"

"Did Zero take the nomu away??!"
The students murmured, sticking close to one another in fear.

"You four, get out of here— exit is up that way."
Bakugo instructed, pointing them in the direction of safety, but his eyes were locked on the Nomu.

"Thank you!"

"Defeat them!"

The students quickly ran off, attempting to make a swift escape.

"Stupid villains"
Bakugo grumbled, launching off the ground and flying straight over to Midoriya— keeping himself afloat with explosions.
"What's the situation!?"
He asked, scanning the area. His eyes widened at the sights of Aizawa who, despite looking to be a few feet away from death— still had his quirk active against Shigaraki.

"I have the nomu under control, thugs are apprehended.
There's only one problem— Thirteen, her group is out of sight"
Midoriya explained, his eyes continuously spiraling.

"On it"
Bakugo blasted off, not wasting a second.
He knew where they were, but like Midoriya had said— they were not visible, so no one knew if they were okay.

At the same time, Todoroki had run over. "Midoriya!" He shouted from the ground.

"The nomu are under control! Take Aizawa and guide the students to safety!"
Midoriya shouted back.

Todoroki quickly sprung into action, running over to Aizawa who seemed to be in critical condition.
With all the blood loss and clearly broken limbs, it was hard to actually tell the severity of his condition.

Shigaraki panicked, the Nomu were charging at him and he had no way of self defense.
He glared at Midoriya, "*what're you doing?!*"
His face practically screamed, Midoriya understood it.

Midoriya just nodded his head, swiftly signalling to Kurogiri who had been nearby.
The nomu stepped in closer, threatening injury Shigaraki as they had been instructed.
But before they could attack, Kurogiri warped Shigaraki and himself away— leaving the thugs and Nomu behind.

The nomu stood there, Shigaraki was no longer in their sights. With the command still being active, they went searching for him.
"Stand down."
Midoriya sighed.

The nomu froze, not knowing what to do any longer.
Midoriya glanced back to the forest, "*a good amount of the thugs should be dead. If not at least in critical condition.*"
He glanced back down at Aizawa, who was being carefully secured by Todoroki.

"I'm going to go assist Kacchan! I'll have the Nomu help you escort Aizawa, ambulances should be on the way!"
Midoriya shouted, instructing the nomu to help Todoroki and for the nomu carrying him to rush him over to Thirteen.

He flew through the air, Bakugo's explosions echoing in the distance. Midoriya narrowed his eyes, "*Thirteen isn't fighting...
Something happened*"
His gut twisted as he closed the gap and oversaw the situation from above.

The group had been sent to a mountainous forest...

There...
Thirteen was knocked out, her helmet shattered, head actively bleeding. Behind her, the students she tried protecting, all in similar if not worse condition.
Bakugo struggled in battle against two nomu, all the while dodging attacks from thug members.

Midoriya dismounted from the Nomu, capturing the other nomu and as many thugs as he could before landing a piercing kick straight to one of the thugs to break his fall.
He swiftly landed and looked around, his eyes widening "*their condition is worse than I thought*"
Midoriya thought to himself, noticing how the students and Thirteen were truly in critical condition.

"DIE!"
Bakugo screamed, blasting away the thugs as Midoriya took control of the Nomu and had them fight. Some of the other thugs who were in control also went to fighting the others, while some were sent to help the students and Thirteen.

As Bakugo fought, Midoriya stepped out of the battle circle and ran over to the students.
He carefully shifted them onto their backs, checking their pulses as he went.
"*Stable heart beat, but active blood loss from his leg.*"
He pulled out a rope he had on his utility belt and tied up the kid's leg, slowing down the bleeding.
The poor child was completely battered, blood dripped from his forehead, he had noticeable bruising, and a couple broken limbs.

Midoriya repeated the process on the other students, assessing their condition before doing what he could to reduce injury.
"*Those three are fine— but this kid doesn't look okay*"
He remained calm as he checked the final kid's pulse, but felt his heart drop after finding no heartbeat...
"*No pulse.*"
He quickly began administering CPR, his hands pushing against the kid's chest in an attempt to keep him alive. "*There's no telling how long he's gone without a pulse. He might be dead.*"
He thought to himself, hearing distant ambulances outside the USJ.

Bakugo released one final blast, his arms throbbing in pain as he wiped off sweat from his forehead.
He panted, but quickly ran over to Midoriya to help.
"The thugs are all out—"
His eyes widened as he found Midoriya performing chest compressions on the child, who's eyes were rolled to the back of his head and mouth hung partially open.
"No..."
He felt his blood run cold, staring at the seemingly lifeless kid. He grit his teeth, "damn it!"

"Kacchan, check on Thirteen"
Midoriya said, controlling one of the thugs to continue the chest compressions so he could guide the paramedics to the area.

Bakugo ran to Thirteen and checked for a pulse, "she's alive"
He yelled, relief evident in his voice.

"I'm going to guide the paramedics here, give us a clear opening"
Midoriya instructed, leaping onto a nomu and taking off. He had the remaining nomu follow along, they'd be useful in cutting travel time.

Bakugo nodded his head and began clearing the trees, bullets of sweat rolling down his forehead as he fired off massive explosions to create a clear path for the paramedics. "Damn it—! if only I was fast enough..."
He said through a clenched jaw, glancing back at the student who was still stuck receiving CPR from a controlled thug.

Midoriya made it to the doors, finding all the other students had safely made it out without much injury.
Todoroki helped place Aizawa on a carrier, helping the paramedics who had arrived.
"I need as many paramedics we have available, there are five injured"
Midoriya said, nomu trailing behind him.

"Lead the way"
One of the paramedics said, gathering all available people and resources.

Midoriya nodded his head and had the nomu carry them all, using them to get to the scene.

Upon arrival, they found a clear pathway that led straight to the injured and Bakugo leaning back on a tree— heavily panting, his chest heaving.
Midoriya guided the paramedics to the kids and Thirteen, letting them take lead on the situation.
From there, he tied up the remaining thugs and released them from his control to perserve energy.

Midoriya let out a sigh, walking over to Bakugo who looked horrible.
It was clear he had sustained some injuries fighting so many nomu head on, and had overexerted himself in attempts to protect the students.

"When you got here, were they already like that?"
Midoriya asked, crossing his arms.

Bakugo nodded his head, "a nomu... It was about to pummel the students into the ground— I jumped in, got a solid punch in the process"
He grimaced, holding the side of his rib cage. with the adrenaline slowly wearing off, the pain was starting to kick in.
"Is everyone accounted for?"

Midoriya nodded his head, "besides this group, everyone else made it outside safely.
Shigaraki escaped with Kurogiri, but they left the thugs and Nomu behind. Reinforcements are on the way but they're useless at this point"
He explained, having overheard the paramedics talking to Todoroki just minutes before.
"Six people total are in bad condition. These five and Aizawa"

"Tch, damn villain bastards. When I get my hands on them— they'll regret ever being born!"
Bakugo spat, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the paramedics quickly rushing the students away.
They couldn't use the nomu for transport, they had to be careful to avoid further injury.

Midoriya just silently stared, "*ten minutes. This whole attack spanned ten minutes. Judging based on the time Kacchan got here, that student might just be dead. His rate had stopped beating for at least a minute.*"
he shook his head,
"*What a shame, he had a 70%.
But AFO did want this to happen, all a part of the plan.
The amount of media outrage this will cause—
UA is about to take a devastating hit*"
He softly exhaled, part of him hoping the kid would live. It was well within his expectations that AFO would carry out a drastic attack, it was required for the plan.
"*A necessary evil I suppose. The kid's sacrifice won't go in vain*"

More vehicles could be heard pulling up, some police cars and others ambulances.
"You should get checked out, you might have internal damage"
Midoriya commented, breaking Bakugo out of his glaring daze. He had his eyes stuck on the injured, watching them get closer to the exit.

"I'm fine—"
Bakugo coughed, a little bit of blood coming up.

"I think that says otherwise"
Midoriya sighed, "come on, can you still walk?"

"I'm fine damn Deku. This injury is nothing"
He groaned, getting off the tree and attempting to walk it off.
Every step made pain shoot across his body, he winced every step.

Midoriya shook his head, "this isn't the time to decline help."
He brought one of the nomu over. "Get on its back, it'll take you to one of the ambulances outside"

Bakugo scoffed, "this is the camp incident all over again"
A weak grin tugged at his face, remembering how Midoriya had used Muscular in a similar manner back in the day.

"Same villains"
Midoriya scoffed, walking over to a nomu to use for faster transportation as well.

From there, they took off with the nomu, swiftly making it to the doors where Todoroki, the students, police, and paramedics awaited.

"Is Bakugo okay?"
Todoroki asked, noticing the blood dripping from the corners of his mouth.
He had just finished giving a report to the police and officially accounted for all the students after the injured ones were taken by the ambulances.

"Just internal injuries"
Midoriya replied, dismounting from the Nomu and handing them over to the police.

"I'm fine!"
Bakugo coughed as he got off the nomu, more blood splattering out.
Paramedics quickly ran over to him and placed him on a stretcher to be rushed to the hospital.

"Anyone left inside?"
A police officer asked.

Midoriya shook his head, "the league leader, Shigaraki, made his escape with Kurogiri. They left behind these nomu and some thugs.
The thugs are the only people left inside, otherwise everyone is here"
He explained, having brought all the nomu with him.

"We'll take it from here then. Thank you for your service"
The police officers quickly began restraining the nomu, putting them in full body cuffs to keep them from moving.
After they were all restrained, Midoriya released them from his control, coughing a bit.

"Are you injured in any way?"
A paramedic asked.

"No, no attacks landed."
Midoriya replied, he was the only one walking away completely unscathed.
Todoroki had sustained minor injuries from dealing with the nomu, and some of the students had minor injuries as well from being caught up in the battle.
But overall, no one else was in serious condition— only minor scrapes or burns.

"Glad to hear it"
The paramedic walked away, giving first aid to some of the students with noticeable minor injuries.

Todoroki sighed, "this was a serious attack."
He commented, glancing at Midoriya.

Midoriya nodded his head,

"The League is trying to make a comeback"

Chapter Text

...

"The League is trying to make a comeback"
Midoriya stated, scratching the back of his head as he watched Bakugo get taken away on an ambulance for treatment.

"Sounds like a headache"
Todoroki sighed, unease written all over his face.

Midoriya glanced at him, "*he's worried about having a run in with Dabi.*"
He shook his head, "we have nothing to worry about"
He stared, hoping the message would get across indirectly.

Todoroki, however, was a bit slow when it came to coded messages, so he didn't understand beyond surface level.

Midoriya mentally face palmed, "*I'll just explain later*"
He looked over to the students, who the entire time had been staring at him with awe.

"Pro hero Zero, that was amazing..!"

"You really saved the day!"

"Without you...
We might've gotten really hurt"
Their comments erupted to surface, finally speaking with the chance given to them.

Midoriya gave them a polite smile, "you all did good as well. Clean evacuation- and calling the police for help was excellent thinking. It's thanks to your efforts that you're all safe"
He said, redirecting their compliments back onto them.

They smiled, beaming with happiness, but it quickly faltered as they remembered their critically injured friends who didn't have the chance to escape.

"Will they be okay...?"
One of them asked.

Midoriya's face shifted, becoming much more serious, "I can't say for certain. But I know almost all of them should make a full recovery"
He said, trying to avoid the mentioning of the one kid who's heart had stopped.

"Almost all...?"

Midoriya sighed and shook his head, "one of them was in worse condition compared to the rest."
He said, looking away from the class and onto the distant roads. "*Judging based on the injuries, the nomu had to have struck him at least eight times before Kacchan showed up. A kid with hardly any strength, and clearly having already sustained some critical injuries from the thugs, realistically won't survive.*"
He thought to himself, thinking back to the condition of the student.

The class fell silent, their hearts slowly breaking as they understood what Midoriya had meant.
Some of them began to cry, shaken to their cores by the situation. While others felt anger burn in their hearts, frustrated there was nothing they could do.

Todoroki cleared his throat, "what should we do?"
He asked.

"We need to return to the school and inform Nezu what happened. I don't think the police made any calls to him- otherwise present mic and the others would've shown up by now."
Midoriya explained. "I'll call Nezu, get him to send us a bus"

Todoroki nodded understandingly as Midoriya grabbed his phone and called Nezu.
The students just stood there, with their teachers out of commission and being left with the two pro heroes, there was nothing they could do besides await instruction from them.

Midoriya's phone sent the call, brring as it waited for Nezu to pick up. After a few seconds, he did.

"Hello Midoriya, what can I do for you?"
Nezu asked, evidently uninformed of the situation.

"There's been a situation at the USJ, seven sent to the hospital. Me and Todoroki were left with the students and we need to return them to UA"
Midoriya explained, deciding to spare him the details.

"Oh no. I'll send a bus over immediately, please accompany them to act as a chaperone and to explain to me what happened"
Nezu said, panic stricking his voice.

"Will do"
Midoriya ended the call from there, looking back over to the students. "A bus is on the way, it shouldn't be long. If you're tired from standing, feel free to sit at the curb."
He said.

A couple students went and sat down, their hearts aching in pain. They would've never thought what was supposed to be a great day would turn out to be so traumatic.

Shortly a bus arrived and they were all escorted back to UA.
Class 1-A was sent back to their classroom, with present mic acting as a substitute before he knew what was going on.

Midoriya and Todoroki went to Nezu's office and explained the entire situation.

"So the league...
We haven't seen any movement from them in years.. why now?"
Nezu sighed, shaking his head in frustration.

"Looks like they came back stronger too, they sent a lot of Nomu to this attack"
Todoroki added, only increasing Nezu's stress.

"The media must've heard by now, I'll need to prepare to address them."
Nezu said, glancing at Midoriya. "I may need you to speak to them as well, being that you took charge of the situation- you know what happened best"

Midoriya nodded his head, "no problem. Let me know when the scheduled time is, for now I'm going to go to the hospital"
He replied, he needed to know everyone's condition- if that kid died.

"I'll call you as soon as I have the time.
Tell everyone I wish for their speedy recovery"
Nezu said understandingly.

"I'll go to the hospital too"
Todoroki stated, also curious to know the condition of the critically injured.

"Then I won't keep you here any longer.
Thank you for saving the students, if you all weren't there I can't imagine what would've happened"
Nezu looked down at the table, clenching his fists.

"It was our duty as heroes."
Midoriya replied, heading towards the exit of the office. "*And my fault it happened anyway*"
He thought to himself.

From there, the two heroes exited and left UA, driving off in Midoriya's car.
He had driven Bakugo and Todoroki to UA from the start, so there was only one car to begin with.

Todoroki let out a drawn sigh, looking out the passenger seat window. He was clearly bothered.
"Is the league really coming back?" He asked.

"It's mostly AFO. The league just listens to him. Don't worry about running into Dabi, I haven't seen him hanging around base.
AFO would've let me know if he intended to use some of the actual league members, but he hasn't so he's not thinking about it yet"
Midoriya explained.

Todoroki's face partially relaxed, "good.. I didn't want to fight him"
He replied.

"You know the longer you delay the more likely it is that one day in the future you'll have to."
Midoriya reminded, causing Todoroki's unease to crawl back up.

"I know- but not yet, I don't know what I'd even say to him."
Todoroki groaned, shaking his head at the thought.

"It's your decision."
Midoriya said, changing lanes to prepare for a turn.

For a moment there was silence, both deep within their own thoughts.
It was comfortable though, the hum of the engine filled the silence.

Todoroki broke the silence, "did you intend for there to be so much damage?"
He asked, curious as he thought about the gravely injured student.

"Personally, no. But AFO did, it was within my expectations."
Midoriya replied, pulling into the hospital parking lot and searching for a spot.

"Think next time you could warn me about a league attack? I was caught off guard"
Todoroki groaned, he had no idea that the League was even planning a return.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with your abilities as a hero, then yes"
Midoriya said, parking his car and shutting it off.

"okay" he replied as they exited the vehicle and made their way inside the hospital.

After getting permission to visit, the two made their way to the section where the seven injured were being kept.

The scent of cleaning supplies singed the air, bright hospital lights reflecting off the white tile floors.

In one large room, they all sat on their own beds, sections separated by curtains that weren't even drawn.

Aizawa had been completely bandaged up, head to toe, propped up by hospital gear.
His eyes were hardly open, they had pumped so much pain relief medicine into his system that he could hardly remain conscious.
When Todoroki and Midoriya entered, he couldn't even tilt his head to see who it was- figuring it was just hospital staff.

Thirteen was still unconscious, she was hooked up to a machine that kept track of her heart rate and oxygen levels and had an IV in to deliver medicine and fluids.
The students were all in similar condition as well, with only one not having anything at all...

Bakugo groaned, "took you damn nerds long enough"
He scoffed, seated on a hospital bed. He also had an IV drip placed into his arm and a machine monitoring his heart rate. He had no way of getting home, so the longer they took the longer he had to sit at the hospital.

"What did the doctors say?"
Midoriya asked, glancing around the room with his hands in his pockets.

"I'm fine. Doctors already dealt with the internal bleeding."
He sighed, his heart clearly heavy.

Midoriya's gaze landed on the only student who had no heart monitor or IV. His eyes widened, quickly understanding what it had meant.
"Did the kid...?"

Bakugo clenched his jaw, shaking his head, "...he didn't make it"
He forced out, hardly able to look at the student's corpse.

The air grew heavier, leaving everyone silenced.
Midoriya stood there, staring at the corpse of the student.
"*The media backlash is now considerably worse. AFO's plan to destroy trust in hero society is working.
Kacchan is torn up, he thinks the kid's death is his fault.
It's actually mine.
But it was a necessity, his death won't be in vain. A sacrifice for a better society*"
He thought to himself, glancing back at Bakugo who was completely choked up.

Todoroki sighed, "poor kid."
He said, breaking the suffocating silence. He didn't even know what to say.

Midoriya nodded his head, "what about everyone else? Are they stable or?"
He asked.

Bakugo let out a sharp breath, "everyone else is fine, just unconscious. They'll wake up sore, still in pain, but alive."
He replied.

Muffled sniffling could be heard, they all turned their heads and found tears streaking down Aizawa's face, soaking into the bandage.
He was still conscious enough to understand what they were talking about.

"Glad you survived sensei"
Midoriya commented, averting his gaze from the corpse.

Aizawa just stared, unable to say anything in response.
His mouth had also been wrapped up, he looked like a living mummy.

Breaking the silence, footsteps echoed through the halls, approaching the door.
They all glanced at the door, Recovery girl had made her way over.
Nezu had sent her over, her quirk would be most useful in healing the injured.

"Hello everyone"
She smiled, walking over to Bakugo as he was closest to the door.

"Hello recovery girl"
Midoriya replied, crossing his arms as he stepped aside to allow her to make her rounds to all the injured.

She went around, healing them as much as she could.
She couldn't heal all of their injuries, it could harm them- so instead she did as much healing that their bodies could withstand.

Bakugo sighed, watching himself glow green as all previous pain floated away.
He yanked out his IV and scooted himself to the edge of his bed, "I hate hospitals"
He said, forcing himself to stand up.
The fatigue hit him all at once, forcing him to grab onto the wall for support.

"What did I say about moving immediately after being healed"
Recovery girl scolded, moving on from Aizawa and making her way to Thirteen.

"I'm fine"
Bakugo groaned, forcing himself to properly stand.
He stretched his arms and legs, attempting to improve his blood flow.

"Maybe you should take it easy -"
Todoroki advised, but Bakugo hated advice.

"No!"
He hissed, his face clearly riddled with guilt.

Midoriya shook his head, "denying yourself rest won't bring back the dead"
He thought to himself.

Bakugo grit his teeth, fighting the urge to sit down.
He leaned on the wall instead.

A green glow settled in the room, rising from the injured heroes and students. Most of them had been almost completely healed, with only Aizawa still remaining with a couple broken bones.

Recovery girl then made her way to the last student furthest in the back.
Her eyes widened, her heart stricking against her chest in pain born from sorrow.
"Did he...?"
She could barely finish he sentence.

Midoriya nodded his head slowly, watching as tears began streaming down her face.
Bakugo just looked away, at the ground, his face tense while Todoroki just stood there silently.

"The league killed him"

Chapter Text

...

"The league killed him"
Midoriya stated coldly. There was hardly any remorse in his eyes, but no one could notice.

Tears began streaming down recovery girl's face as she walked away from the corpse, "he was such a lovely student— always injured because of how hard he tried in the hero course"
She cried, memories of the past flooding her mind.

Aizawa shook his head silently, tears stinging his eyes, some rolling down into his bandages.
His legs and face had been healed, leaving only his arms broken. But he was still in a full body cast so he couldn't say much.

They stood there silently, thinking about all that had happened within the span of a few short hours.

A doctor walked in, her face remorseful.
"Thank you for coming in recovery girl. We're sorry for your loss"
She began, her eyes glancing over to Bakugo who should've been seated but was instead standing.
"You need to rest. We haven't officially discharged you yet"
She shook her head.

"I'm fine."
Bakugo scowled, his eyes glued to the ground.

The doctor shook her head, "recovery girl, if you don't mind me asking, to what extent are they healed?"
She asked.

Recovery girl wiped away some of her tears with a napkin, "these four are almost entirely healed up, they'll just feel a bit sore and fatigued when they wake up.
Bakugo is completely healed but severely fatigued. And Eraserhead has everything except his arms healed, so he should be able to walk and eat but he won't be able to use his hands until he has enough energy for me to heal him again"
She explained.

The doctor nodded her head, "good. I'll send the cast specialists to remove his extra casts then"
She glanced at Bakugo, "and I'll prepare your discharge papers."
From there she left, getting to work.

Midoriya glanced around, everyone had been left silenced after the doctor left— all shaken by the death of the student.
"*Considering AFO's plan, only one dead isn't bad.
He wanted to get those other students killed too, and realistically wanted to kill at least one of the heroes.*"
He thought to himself, thinking over the details of the plan AFO had laid out. "*By now the police should have a number on how many pests were killed. Of course, they'll blame the nomu and I walk away blameless.*"
He felt a peace settle in his heart, glad the uncontrollable thugs were realistically dead.

Breaking the silence, Midoriya's phone buzzed.
He grabbed it and found a notification from Nezu.

"Press conference scheduled for 7:00pm"

He read the text, furrowing his brows, "*kind of late for addressing what happened but I guess he had to work around the highschool schedule and then my own schedule.*"
Midoriya thought to himself, sending a thumbs up before putting his phone away.
He glanced over at Todoroki and Bakugo, "we can start heading out if we have nothing left here"

Todoroki nodded his head, glad to finally escape the suffocating atmosphere.

Bakugo let out a sharp exhale, also ready to leave. If he stayed any longer, he'd start falling apart at the seams from the weight of guilt.

A nurse walked in alongside a couple cast specialists. She handed Bakugo his papers, one including instructions of rest.
Then they walked over to Aizawa and removed the body cast, leaving him with only his arms cast up.
He sat there in a hospital gown, unable to use his arms. But his face and legs had been freed which was better than nothing.

Before the three could head out, Aizawa stopped them.
"Hey.."
He said, his voice a bit hoarse.
They paused in their steps and turned around, a bit confused.
"I just needed to say... Thank you for saving the day.
If you three weren't there, the casualties would've been much worse. You fought well and did the best you could, it's because of your actions that we survived..."
Aizawa said, his voice low, clearly stricken with grief, but still glad. His gaze landed on the student, his jaw clenching.
"Continue on working hard. Japan needs heroes like you"
He concluded, shaking his head as he looked away.

Aizawa had to tell them, he could only imagine how awful they were feeling for not being able to save the one student.
He had to let them know that they did their best, he didn't want them torn over guilt.
Though, he didn't know that among the three only one was truly wallowing in guilt.

"Thank you sensei. We'll try our best"
Midoriya replied, exiting the room first of the three.

"See you in class"
Todoroki added, walking over to attempt to assist Bakugo.
Bakugo however, adamantly refused to accept help.
And so he forced himself to walk without any support, his body screamed in exhaustion every step of the way.

"Likewise"
Bakugo forced out in response, clutching the door frame as he made his way out.
Though he didn't make it far before a nurse spotted him and forced him into a wheelchair.

From there they made their way out to Midoriya's car.
"You're forbidden from any exercise today.
You will go home and rest. No movements except to eat or use the restroom"
A nurse instructed, his voice clearly annoyed by his defiance as he let him step out of the wheelchair and into the passenger seat of the car.

"Yeah yeah"
Bakugo groaned, adjusting in the seat and putting on his seatbelt.

"Recovery girl's quirk draws from your own energy and resources. If you try exerting yourself, we're going to end up seeing you again"
The nurse sighed, walking away after giving his final warning to Bakugo.

"I'm fine"
Bakugo grumbled under his breath, watching as Midoriya drove out of the parking lot and made his way onto the main road.

"Are you still going to come to class today, Bakugo?"
Todoroki asked, wondering if it was even possible in his condition.

"Tch, yeah!? Why wouldn't I?
I'll go home, eat, and take a nap. By the time class rolls around I'll be back in tip top shape."
He scowled in reply.
He couldn't rest, not after his own 'failure' was the reason a child died. He needed to be stronger, faster, and sitting around wasn't going to help him improve.

Midoriya shook his head, eyes glued to the road ahead, "you know it's not a good idea."
He commented.

"I don't care."
Bakugo replied, crossing his arms and looking out the passenger seat window.

"Bakugo, we know you feel guilty for not being able to save the kid but neglecting rest isn't bringing him back"
Todoroki said, far too blunt for anyone's comfort.

Bakugo fell silent, he didn't even know what to say to that.
Declining guilt translated to indifference but he hated agreeing. Todoroki had to be wrong.

"Todoroki is right, and it's why Aizawa sensei said what he said earlier. Everyone around you can tell how torn you are over this, but you need to accept it's not your fault"
Midoriya added.

"Tch! If I were stronger that kid might've survived. That's why I can't skip training. Not today, not ever."
Bakugo hissed in reply.

After that, they drove in silence. Mundanity felt wrong after all that happened, after a child's death. To presume regular talk, chat as though nothing happened, was wrong. But there was also nothing else to talk about, talking about what happened would only draw out more anger.
So they settled for the uncomfortable quiet.

Midoriya dropped them off at their homes before driving off to his office.

"*Okay I have class at five and then a press conference at seven. That gives me an hour after class to get ready. And that's if Aizawa chooses not to cancel class, there's a chance he does so that he and Kacchan get some rest.
But the two are similar, so he probably won't cancel class out of guilt as well.* "
Midoriya thought to himself, sitting down in his rolly chair at his desk.
He looked at his schedule, luckily there weren't many tasks that day.
"*AFO will find out about the damage from the news, I don't need to message him myself.*"
He glanced at his phone, shaking his head.
Tapping his finger on the desk, mind buzzing.
"It's just a waiting game from here"

_________________________________________

Concerned murmurs sounded around the classroom.
Everyone had heard of what happened, the news had spread like wildfire.
With the pending conference, the tension only rose.

Midoriya entered the room, all eyes landed on him.

"Midoriya! You're alive!"
Kaminari shouted, relieved to see him in good condition.
He had spammed Midoriya with text messages but he didn't reply, only fueling his concern.

Midoriya nodded his head and waved, finding his way to his seat.
Bakugo had yet to arrive, to everyone's surprise, so they still remained vastly worried for him.

"We heard what happened! Is everyone okay?? Todoroki?? Bakugo?? Aizawa sensei??"
Kirishima asked, all attention focused on Midoriya while they awaited the others involved to show up.

Midoriya sighed, "Todoroki is fine, he walked away with minimal injury. Kacchan and Aizawa needed to go to the hospital earlier but they're fine otherwise."
He replied, easing some of their stress.

"What about the students..!"
Sero asked, reminded of the cruelty the league had shown them during their time.

Midoriya fell silent, not knowing how to tell them that someone died. It would only cause turmoil, not something he wanted to deal with.
"Most of them are fine. That's all I'll tell you. Other details will be discussed in the conference."
He replied.

Panic struck their faces, Midoriya was far too vague.
But they couldn't ask any further either... So they were only left to speculate until their questions were answered by the press.

Stumbling into the classroom, Bakugo entered alongside Todoroki. They had run into eachother at the entrance.

Bakugo refused to stay home, and also refused to get any help. So Todoroki hovered by incase he fell.

"Bakugo!"
"Todoroki!"

Their friends shouted, glad to see them up and walking around.
Bakugo made his way to his seat, bumping into a couple of chairs and almost falling before he sat down.
Everyone noticed.

"Are you okay?? We heard from Midoriya that you had to go to the hospital"
Kaminari asked.

"I'm fine!"
Bakugo scowled, hating the sympathetic attention. It was the worst kind of attention to him— a reminder of his failure.

"How about you Todoroki?"
Kirishima asked.

"I didn't get too injured, just a couple hits here and there but otherwise fine."
He replied, showing the bandage on his arm.

"Wait—
Midoriya?? We didn't ask!? How are you??"
Kaminari asked, shocked by the fact everyone assumed he was fine.

"I didn't get injured."
Midoriya replied, trying to avoid the conversation.

"Wow! I guess that quirk of yours would prevent that"
Kirishima added, surprised that Midoriya managed to walk away from the incident without injury.

They continued the conversation, with them trying to get details and the three either vaguely replying or shooting down the questions.
But watching the conversation, the rest of the class listened in.

Shinsou furrowed his brows, "*I get his quirk would manage to protect him...
But isn't it hard to believe that he walked away completely unscathed? How come the villains didn't get a jump on him?*"
He thought to himself, suspicion bubbling in his subconscious. He had kept pushing aside his general suspicion, but it constantly resurfaced as he found himself stuck at a dead end of his investigation on the Tokyo Snatcher.
"*No, I just don't have enough details. Todoroki is almost completely fine too. And there's no reason to be suspicious of that*"
He thought to himself, deciding his suspicion was far too circumstantial to be valid.

The class continued on talking, throwing out questions in hopes the three would respond.

But with the weight of all that happened still on their shoulders, they couldn't speak much.

"Is Aizawa sensei okay though? You said he went to the hospital— but he's almost late"
Sero asked, noticing how class was supposed to start in a minute and yet their teacher hadn't arrived.

"He—"
Todoroki was cut off when all attention went to the doorway.
Entering the room slowly, with each step dragging, Aizawa made his way to the podium.
His arms were still wrapped up, held up by slings.

He could hardly walk, yet he prevailed through the fatigue.
Letting out a drawn breath, he cleared his throat and addressed the class.

"Quiet down.
I'm here and fine"

Chapter Text

..

"I'm here and fine"
Aizawa said, his voice heavy from exhaustion.
His neck strained, exhausted from being used to support the weight of his arms.
"I know that many of you may have heard what happened by now"
He began, his eyes bloodshot red.

The class listened silently, nodding along to what he said.

"Today, while taking class 1-A to the USJ, the league attacked.
It happened while we were all split up, so every hero had to protect their group of students.
The league deployed great strength, sending many thugs and Nomu to attack alongside Tomura Shigaraki.
Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugo were there— luckily for us. Had they not been, today would've been far more catastrophic.
They fought diligently, doing their best to protect every student— doing what me and Thirteen failed at"
Aizawa paused, his head lowering, gaze stuck in the podium.
It was at though his throat was full of thorns, he couldn't get himself to speak about what happened next.
But he had to...

"Thirteen had to deal with nomu and thugs on her own.
She was too far for any of us to reach while still dealing with our own attacks....
As you all know, the Nomu are as strong as All Might once was.
Midoriya did his best to flip the situation, controlling all the ones he could see.

However, Thirteen was out of sight. So he directed Bakugo to her while Todoroki saved me."
His jaw tightened, heart twisting in guilt.
The class felt their own heart rates increase, remorse flooding their conscious.
They could already tell where the story was going, it was written all over his face...

"When Bakugo got there, it was already too late...
The nomu had attacked alongside the thugs, completely overpowering Thirteen.
The students couldn't protect themselves either...
All five of them were terribly injured..."
Tears stung his eyes, he had been trying his best to control his emotions but it was impossible.

"Bakugo saved them from further attack, but ended up getting injured in the process.
Midoriya got everyone into ambulances.
Besides those four students, everyone else was able to return to UA without any harm to their being."
He fell silent, he couldn't bear continue any longer.
But he left everyone else concerned.

Kaminari raised his hand, fear written all over his face, "Sensei...
What happened to Thirteen...? And the four students...?"
He asked, speaking everyone's mind.

Aizawa shook his head, "Thirteen survived. So did three of the students...
But..."
A tear rolled down his face, dripping onto the podium.
Everyone knew what he meant, he didn't need to continue any further.

The atmosphere thickened, leaving them all struggling under the weight.
Their stomachs burned, knawing on their insides.
A student had died... and it was the league'a fault.

No one knew what to even say, it was like someone had pressed a mute button on a remote.

Aizawa cleared his throat, taking a deep breath in to calm his heart, "a student has passed.
And I tell you what happened to be transparent with you all.
As heroes, no matter how hard you fight to try and save everyone, there may come a time where there's someone you couldn't save."
He said, lifting his head back up to face them.
Solemn tears streaked down his stoic face.
Some students shared the emotion, tears stinging their eyes as they held back tears.

"Guilt doesn't change the past, but it can help us grow stronger for the future. And I want all of you to train for a better future in Japan."
He concluded, leaving the message to resonate with them.

Midoriya let out a soft sigh, "*the next couple days are going to be rough*"
He thought to himself, partially annoyed. His indifference made him feel more out of place than usual, as though it were an additional layer separating him from them.

After a few moments of silence, Aizawa continued with the plan of the day.
"Today is a quirk conditioning day. So make your ways to the training facility"
He instructed, keeping it brief.

The class shortly got up and began making their way over, only quietly murmuring in conversation about what happened.
Bakugo's legs wobbled beneath him, struggling to keep him standing.
He followed behind the class, his friends close by, exhaustion slowing him down. He could feel the strain all over his body, weighing him down. The world began spinning, but he refused to stop moving.

"Bakugo"
Aizawa called out, stopping him within the crowd as everyone else continued to exit.

Bakugo froze, refusing to turn around and face Aizawa. He already knew what he had to say, and he wouldn't accept it. Even if his body was screaming at him to stop.
His friends also stopped and listened, concerned for Bakugo.

"I understand you of all people want to train the most today.
And I can't stop you.
But, as your teacher, I have to tell you that training in your current condition will only set you back."
Aizawa advised.

"He's right Bakugo"
Kirishima added.

"Yeah you're not in good condition"
Kaminari commented, noticing how he could hardly keep his head up.

Bakugo let out a sharp sigh, his eyes heavy and vision fading out, "...damn it"
He collapsed, barely caught by his friends.

"Bakugo?!"
They all said in unison, Aizawa hurrying over as fast as he could without tumbling.

Midoriya just stared, he already knew he hadn't collapsed out of injury, he was even a bit annoyed that Bakugo let himself reach that point of exhaustion.

"Is he okay??"
Kaminari asked, gently lowering him into the ground.

"Someone check his pulse!"

"Someone call an ambulance!"

Concerned shouts sounded from the group of friends—
but all went silent when they heard light snoring.

Bakugo laid there, Zs practically rising from his head, as his body forced him to rest.
They checked his pulse and found that his heart was still beating, all fine and healthy.

They let out a sigh of relief, "he just fell asleep"
Kaminari said, his panic quickly settling.

Midoriya shifted, putting his hands in his pockets, "it was bound to happen.
He overexerted himself trying to attend class, he even nodded off while you explained what happened today."
He explained, the only one among the group to have not panicked when he passed out— he had practically expected it.

"Still, we should get him to the nurse's office.
He shouldn't have any injury considering recovery girl already healed him, but he needs a place to rest anyway"
Aizawa said.

They nodded their heads and helped get Bakugo to a place of rest, where he'd both be comfortable and monitored.

"He shouldn't have come to class if he knew it was this bad"
Sero commented, watching as the nurse placed a heart monitor on Bakugo.

"You know Bakugo. If he didn't pass out he'd still be adamant on participating in class today"
Kirishima nervously chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"He's ridiculous!"
Kaminari groaned, but he was glad that he was alright.

Midoriya shook his head in agreement, "well he's fine now"
He commented, walking over to the door.
"Let's go.
We still have class."

_________________________________________

Little footsteps paced anxiously, floor boards creaking below the weight.
Nezu paced around, getting rid of his press conference stress before going out to face the public.

Midoriya stared at him, watching how he processed stress. He on the other hand was rather calm, not only was he used to facing the public but he already knew this was well within the plan.
Backlash was inevitable.

He took a deep breath in, "*in a few minutes we'll step out and face Japan.
They'll ask about the incident, how it happened, and how we'll move forward to keep the students and civilians of Japan safe.
A police officer will speak of the people apprehended, maybe even talk about hospitalizations— but the media isn't concerned with him.*"
He thought to himself, adjusting his tie and fixing his suit.

"*The questions will be vicious. Especially after they hear about the student's death.
But that's within my expectations.
The commission thinks I'll use my quirk to alleviate the backlash. To an extent, I will— but only to expand my control like I would in my own lectures.*"
He slowly began to exhale, feeling himself relax into his media-trained conference persona.
"*Hero society is about to take a massive hit.*"

Midoriya stepped out onto the stage, face stoic, as bright lights flashed from several cameras that weren't doing any recording. Nezu and a police officer followed behind, all making their way to their chairs.

They stood there, facing the cameras, being both recorded and photographed, before taking their seats to officially begin the press conference.
They each had their own microphone, adjusted to their liking prior to the start of the conference.

Midoriya looked straight ahead, staring at the main camera broadcasting to all of Japan.
He had his hands comfortably rested on the table, "*keeping my hands hidden may make them subconsciously untrusting in my words*"
He thought to himself.

The main interviewer adjusted his microphone and stood on a smaller platform away from the stage.
He had a list of the main questions the media wanted answered and a few more general questions. After the main interview, the other reporters would be allowed to ask their own questions.

He tapped on his microphone, testing to see it worked, before speaking.
"Hello Japan, you are now watching the UA press conference."
He began, his voice loud.
The crowd of reporters fell silent, it was time to focus. Everything and anything they said would be important for their news.

"With us today we have Pro Hero Zero, also known as Izuku Midoriya, UA principal Nezu, and police officer Sansa Tamagawa.
As many of you may have heard by now, an incident occurred at UA today involving students.

The League of Villains attacked the USJ.
Tamagawa, could you please report all the casualties.
Who was captured? how many students were sent to the hospital? How many heroes were sent to the hospital?"
He asked.

Tamagawa cleared his throat, "a total of 251 thugs and Nomu were caught, though some thugs were fatally injured. Nomu present on the scene appeared to have attacked the thugs."
He began, cameras flashing brightly.
"Of the twenty students, four were seen at the hospital today. And of the five heroes, three were hospitalized as well."

"Have the student families been contacted?"

"Yes student families have been contacted. All are informed of the situation."

"Regarding the nomu and thugs, why is it that the nomu began attacking the thugs?"

"We speculate that the nomu are only trained to recognize league members and that anyone else is to be attacked."
Tamagawa explained, but he himself didn't know why either.

"Do we have an exact number on how many thugs passed from their injuries?"

"Yes, 47 thugs have passed. The rest remain hospitalized and will be arrested as soon as they're discharged"
Tamagawa concluded, that was all the information he knew.

"Thank you officer Tamagawa for the explanation.
Now we move on to principal Nezu."
The interviewer shifted the attention, guiding the audience to stare at Nezu.
"Why were the students at the USJ?"

"*Isn't that obvious?*"
Midoriya thought to himself, he hated when useless questions were asked.

"The students were there to simulate rescue as part of their curriculum in the hero course"
Nezu replied, his voice steady.

"And what heroes were present on the scene? Why were they there?"

"Pro heroes Dynamight, Shoto, Zero, Thirteen, and Eraserhead were present.
They were there to help with their training"
Nezu replied.

"Hm.
We'll come back to you, let's hear from someone who was present during the attack.
Pro hero Zero, Izuku Midoriya, what happened?"
The interviewer asked.

Midoriya cleared his throat, "we were in the middle of the lesson when the league began their attack.
Every hero had a group of students to protect"
He replied, planting the seeds for more harsh questions on purpose.

"Then how is it that four students still ended up hurt in the process?"
The interviewer asked sharply.

"As you may already know, the nomu are of equivalent strength to All Might.
So essentially, we all had to deal with at least one all might level villain alongside a group of criminals"
He explained, subtley informing them that the League had assets equivalent to their former symbol of peace.

"you were seen leaving the hospital alongside pro hero Shoto and Dynamight.
How were the students?"
The interviewer asked.

Midoriya let out a sigh, "*here comes the strike*"
He shook his head, wearing his mask of remorse.
"Three of the students are fine and expected to make a full recovery."
His eyes met the interviewer, who's face began to grow in shock.

"And what happened to the one student...?"
He asked.
Cameras flashed brightly, capturing the intense moment— they could only expect the worst...

Midoriya looked at the camera, tightening his fists to perfect the act.

"One of the students...

Has passed away from his injuries"

Chapter Text

..

"Has passed away from his injuries"
Midoriya said, his voice clear. His eyes remained unwavering, locked on the camera, his face one could describe as serious.

They momentarily fell silent, processing just what he had said, before erupting into a fury of hostile questions.

"How could UA fail to protect their students?!"

"The student died!? Has their family been contacted?!"

"How does UA intend to compensate?!"

Many of the questions overlapped, hardly distinguishable from one another.
Midoriya felt his chest sting in annoyance, "*so loud*"
He thought to himself, his eyes stinging from the camera flashes.

"Settle down everyone! You will have a chance to ask your questions afterwards!"
The main interviewer shouted, but he was just as outraged as they were and needed answers.
The crowd settled, their eyes viciously locked onto the three, as they awaited a response.
"Why did the League target UA? How did they bypass security?"

Midoriya took lead, unshaken by their outrage.
"Based on current evidence, we believe the League targeted UA to incite public outrage. They want the chaos"
He began, "they bypassed security through Kurogiri, a known league member who has a warping ability"

"Are you implying that we're doing exactly what the league would have wanted us to do?"
The interviewer's voice became a bit more hostile.

"Yes, that's their goal. With our past interactions with the league of villains, we know that their leader, Tomura Shigaraki, wants destruction of Japan. In order to combat them, we must stick together and work for peace"
He explained, shifting the blame away from the public and back onto Shigaraki.

"Hm. Understandable.
Back to the attack however. Did it appear that the student the league attacked was targeted?"
The interviewer's tone returned to normal, what Midoriya had said made sense.

"No, rather I think all the students were targeted. Sadly for him, he wasn't able to evacuate"
Midoriya said, his voice appearing to be remorseful.

"how did that student suffer fatal injuries when heroes were present on the scene?"
He asked, prying for answers.

"pro hero Thirteen was alone when she had to face nomu and thugs on her own.
We all were.
She tried her best, but ultimately the Nomu overpowered her.
We couldn't reach her as fast due to the fact she was the furthest and out of sight from the rest of us.
I had sent pro hero Dynamight to assist her after taking care of most of the nomu, but when he reached her the students had already endured traumatic injuries. He did his best to protect them from further injury until I was able to get there and apprehend the Nomu"
He explained.

"So it was pro hero Thirteen's fault! She failed to protect her group of students.
And the other heroes were too busy dealing with their own set of villains..."
The interviewer commented, inciting anger.
"Hm. But Zero, were any of your decisions responsible for the delay in reaching Thirteen's group?"
His question was sharp, clearly an attack.

Midoriya's face remained unchanged, "*Always searching for an error.*"
He thought to himself, his annoyance bubbling below the surface.
"No I would not say that any of my decisions were responsible for the delay. Infact, we all acted as fast we could to reach the group. And through Dynamight's help, I guided the paramedics to the injured without delay."
He explained, more camera flashes lighting up his face.

"But if heroes were there and students were still injured, how can we trust that UA will be able to continue to protect its students? Seeing that the League of Villains has attacked once, it would be no surprise if they attacked again"
He asked, the question was open for anyone to answer.

Nezu took lead, "UA will implement new security measures to combat the league. We only have the best interest for our students in mind."
He replied, trying to calm the crowd.

"We as heroes will also do our best to apprehend the League of Villains.
Seeing as how they are the main threat to the safety of UA students and Japan, we'll prioritize their capture.
Rest assured Japan, we'll all try our best"
Midoriya added, playing his role.

"Hm... "
The interviewer found that his rage had somewhat subsided. Infact, it had been replaced with hope. Many people listening felt the same hope replace their stress.
"Well you heard it from the #5 hero and principal Nezu themselves.
They will try their best to keep the students and rest of Japan safe."
He commented.
"Now then. I'll step down and allow the other reporters to ask their questions"

_________________________________________

Chatter bounced off the walls of a well lit diner. Floor boards creaked as people entered and exited, some opting to take their food and eat elsewhere while others decided to sit and watch the press conference from the comfort of the diner.

"Wow.
Midoriya sure knows how to handle the media"
Monoma commented, taking a bite of a sandwich as he watched the broadcast from a TV.

"Those lectures he always gives out would leave him prepared."
Tokoyami added, watching as Midoriya handled the rapid fire questions with ease.

"Disturbing"
Shinsou scoffed, feeling a chill run down his spine.
Something about the way Midoriya had been responding, his dead stare,
The way his responses seemed too correct, rehearsed almost... It was uncanny, and created unease in his subconscious.

The three had decided to get food together after class. Even though Shinsou and Midoriya didn't particularly get along, the rest of the class had no issues with one another and would often hang out with one another.
Tokoyami, Monoma, and Shinsou weren't terribly close— but they've had enough group work together that they didn't mind hanging out.

"While I cannot comment on your inability to get along with Midoriya, you have to at least admit that his abilities are formidable."
Tokoyami sighed, he didn't particularly enjoy partaking in bad-mouthed insults— especially considering he himself had no issues with Midoriya.

"His skills are average, anyone could do what he does. people just listen to him more because of his reputation"
Shinsou grumbled, feeling annoyed that he couldn't stop watching the conference himself either. "*It's just like those damn video lessons and when we worked together on the cases in the agency.
There is something that forces people to listen...*"
He thought to himself, feeling the back of his head itch with annoyance.

"How's your Tokyo Snatcher case going?"
Monoma asked, deciding it would be best to shift the subject before Shinsou ruined the calm atmosphere of the diner.

"Don't remind me of that terrible case"
Shinsou groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"It's a dead end. And Tsukauchi already passed on the case to the higher ups— I still have access but he's recommending that I just let them figure it out."
He explained.

"Tsukauchi makes good calls, if he says it's best for them to handle the case— maybe you should listen"
Tokoyami suggested, earning a scowl from Shinsou who didn't want to hear it.

"No.
I'm going to search again.
There's something I'm missing"
Shinsou said, his gaze landing on Midoriya who had answered yet another question with perfect politics.
"*He can't be connected...
Right..?*"

"Well good luck. If neither Tsukauchi, Nighteye, or Midoriya could find anything, I doubt you will"
Monoma sneered, finishing off his sandwich.

"Tch"
Shinsou scoffed, but he had no way of retorting.
Tsukauchi and Nighteye were highly experienced in their detective work, and he hardly scratched the surface compared to them. And Midoriya had solved almost every case he came across.
"*There's only one thing I haven't checked...
And it's if any of the missing heroes are somehow connected to Midoriya.
But there's no way, he's a hero. Why would he be the Tokyo Snatcher of all people*"
He stared at the screen, Midoriya's face was practically worn like a mask— serious but unreadable.
"*He seriously gives me the creeps*"

Shinsou shook his head and took a sip of his soda, trying his best to tune out the conference.
But with how compelling it was to listen, he found himself watching.

"Will the incident impact Thirteen's hero evaluation!"
One of the reporters shouted, implying the hero ranking.

Midoriya shook his head, "that is entirely up to the commission."
He replied, understanding the question likely didn't have to do with his psychological evaluations but rather where heroes stood in their rankings.

"*Evaluations tch.
...I still need to get re-evaluated before my suspension is lifted.*"
Shinsou's eyebrows furrowed, remembering the evaluation pending over his head.
He had already completed all the supplemental lessons, but he had been dodging the last step that would allow him to return back to hero work.
"*Strange.
Before Midoriya, the commission never required psychological evaluations— just regular ones.
Why is that? Why is it that he and the commission are so intertwined? Heroes arent allowed to be heroes without his approval—*"
His eyes slightly widened, chest tightening, there was something he realized he hadn't checked...
Something he had been subconsciously ignoring...

He stood up, his chair screeching, confusing Monoma and Tokoyami who had still been watching the conference.

"Where you headed?"
Monoma asked.

"I'm taking a walk...
This place is too loud"
Shinsou replied, trying to keep his voice steady as he pushed in his chair and exited the shop in a rush.

The cool night air rushed his lungs, slapping him across the face.
Midoriya's voice echoed through the streets of Tokyo, his face plastered everywhere— on every screen.
There wasn't a single person on the street who hadn't tuned in to listen.

Shinsou felt his heart hammer against his chest, "*I keep ignoring my suspicion—
Because there's no way it's true!
Why would he be involved with the Tokyo Snatcher?!*"
He clenched his jaw, looking up at a large screen where Midoriya continuously answered questions.
"You damn bastard"
He cursed under his breath, rushing down the street.

"*This case is driving me insane*"
Shinsou thought to himself, shaking his head as he made his way to his car and quickly drove off.
It was true.
Everyday he looked at the files, practically having memorized all of their faces and when they disappeared. Something had been screaming at him that they were somehow connected, that their selection wasn't random.
He wasn't convinced by the black market theory, but at the same time he couldn't find anything himself.

"*Midoriya isn't connected to them.
He's the #5 pro hero!
Then why are my instincts saying otherwise...?
...why do I feel like something horrible is happening right beneath our noses...*"
He drove through the streets, changing lanes as he rushed over to Tsukauchi's office.

There was one thing he had to check, one thing he hadn't thought to check before...
"*If anything, this will just clear up my suspicion towards Midoriya. Prove he's not connected.
But if I'm so sure of that— why is my stomach in knots.*"
He thought to himself, feeling a bead of sweat roll down his forehead.

"*I need to calm down...*"
He took a deep breath in and turned on the radio, hoping to distract his mind until he made it to the office.
But upon turning on the radio, Midoriya's voice came through, filling the silence of his car.
"Damn it!"
He slammed the button, shutting off the radio. "Silence it is then" he groaned, his eyes brows furrowed as he focused on the road.

After a short drive through the busy streets of Tokyo, Shinsou entered the parking lot of Tsukauchi's police department.
He parked his car and entered, confusing the police who hadn't been expecting to see him so late in the day.

"Rehashing the Tokyo Snatcher case— again?"
One of them asked.

Shinsou nodded his head, "there's something I need to check"
He replied, trying to keep his face calm.

"Here's the keys to the file room. You know the drill"
A police officer said, tossing him the keys.
Shinsou caught it, almost dropping them. He thanked them before heading over to the file room.

Papers sat in organized files and binders, put in multiple shelves organized by chronological order and cases.
Shinsou walked over to the red binder, his stomach churning with stress.

"...and if I do somehow find something...
How do I convince everyone else..?"

Chapter Text

..

"*How do I convince everyone else?*"
Shinsou thought to himself, his heart racing.
He could feel his palms grow sweaty as he grabbed the red binder and looked through the hero files once again.

Shinsou sat down on the cold tile floor, laying out some of the hero files in front of him.
He organized it by the oldest missing case to the most recent missing cases, going by random selection as he wouldn't have been able to place 97 files in front of him.
He stared at their faces, his heart tightening.
"*The only thing related to Midoriya in any of these files is the date they last received an evaluation— their health files"
He thought to himself, feeling his mouth run dry as he grabbed two random heroes from in front of him.
"So if there's a pattern...
Midoriya would somehow be related to the Tokyo Snatcher...*"

His hands trembled as he scanned the dates, he could feel nausea clawing at his insides...
He scanned the papers, looking at the dates of the last evaluation the heroes had ever received.
"*This... This date is four months before they went missing...*"
His eyes widened, face paled, and for a moment it felt as though time had stopped.

"*So is this one...*"
He looked over the next hero file, finding the same results.
The pattern he had been searching for had come to light, and it revealed the horror he didn't want to face.
He scrambled through the papers, looking at every single date of the evaluations.
With how many times he had looked at the cases, he already knew when all 97 heroes went missing. So all he had to do was look at the dates of their last evaluations and notice the four month difference.

"*All of them.
Every. Single. One...
They were all due for an evaluation before they went missing*"
Shinsou felt vomit rush up his throat, he stood up, dropping the binder, and ran to a trash bin, hurling his soured soda.

"*We didn't notice it before...
We never had a reason to look at the evaluation dates, why would we...?! It's such a random piece of information— Not to mention, the evaluations are on a separate file, not near the actual date they went missing— it was easy to overlook...*"
He stood up, his stomach painfully empty and still twisted up in knots. His heart raced, sweat beaded up on his forehead.
"97 heroes..."

He looked back over at the papers, some spilled from the dropped binder. Pro hero Magent's photo smiled back, staring at him through the paper.
His hands trembled, he couldn't believe it...
"*Midoriya is connected to the Tokyo Snatcher*"

_________________________________________

Camera flashes died down, reporters emptied the room.
Quiet murmurs echoed through the room, paired with the click and pat of shoes and heels.
The press conference was over, and people were returning back to their daily lives.

Midoriya let out a drawn breath, his face somewhat relaxing with the cameras off.

"Thank you for your help Midoriya"
Principal Nezu smiled, relieved the press conference wasn't terribly vicious.

Midoriya politely smiled back, "it was no problem."
He checked his watch, "but I need to get going, have a couple things to deal with"

"Of course"
Nezu said, practically shooing him away.
Midoriya nodded his head and began walking towards the exit, but he didn't get far.
"Oh wait!"
Nezu shouted, freezing Midoriya in his steps.

"Yes?"
Midoriya asked, trying his best to keep from showing his strain.

"The sports festival is coming up.
If you can, we'd really appreciate if you did commentary— or gave out a speech, whichever you want to do"
Nezu said.

Midoriya's face went from polite smile to real smile, "send me an official invite with the date, I'll put it on my schedule."
He said, glad that he remembered without having to remind him.

"Will do, Glad you're able to support."
Nezu said, finally allowing Midoriya to leave without issue.

Midoriya waved his hand and exited the room, shortly exiting the building and rushing into his car.
He sunk into his seat, sitting in the cold darkness of his car, as he pulled out his handkerchief and held it up to his nose.
Warm blood dripped out, its scent strong of iron.
He let out a drawn sigh, "tch"
"*I barely got out of there in time*"
He thought to himself, waiting for the nosebleed to run its course and go away before he drove off.

A small smile tugged at his lips, "*but with today's press conference, the percentages have shot up*"
He stuffed the handkerchief up his nose, soaking up most of the blood and applying enough pressure that the bleeding came to a slow stop.
"*The kid's death wasn't in vain after all*"

He started up his car, the engine smoothly humming in the background as Midoriya turned on the heater.
It wasn't particularly cold, but it was chilly enough that turning on the heater made the ride much more comfortable.
"*It's almost set.
Soon, the percentages will be high enough that I can take control with ease*"
His heart raced with excitement, his plan was close to fruition.
"*The sports festival will be the last piece*"

He turned on the radio, deciding to listen in on what the public was saying.

"Pro hero Zero reassures Japan! We're safe, and he'll do everything with the other heroes to ensure it. We have nothing to worry about, the heroes have us covered"
A radio host began, his voice clearly overjoyed.
"UA may have failed to protect their students, but at least we know the heroes will solve the issue before it festers."

Midoriya drove through the streets, his mind at peace.
He took his time, driving well within the speed limit and not bothering to change lanes to cut in front of slow drivers.

The radio host filled the silence, his words all in praise of Midoriya.
While Midoriya would've usually preferred the silence of his car, he found that he wasn't too bothered listening to how well his plan had been working.

But cutting through the host's voice, a loud ringing from his phone.
Midoriya sighed, "I was wondering when they'd call"
He muttered under his breath, answering the phone.

"Hello"
He said, his voice stoic.

"Zero."
The commission boss began. "You did a good job at today's press conference, made the people of Japan more reliant on the heroes."

"Thank you, just doing my part"
Midoriya replied, his smile fading out a bit. He didn't particularly enjoy conversations with the commission.

"Yes.
However, you didn't do much to sway public opinion in favor of UA. You do know UA is a great asset for the commission"
He criticized, annoyance searing through his voice.

Midoriya shook his head, "you know there's only so much damage control I can do. I couldn't do much for UA so I twisted it and made it work for the heroes"
He explained, his face back to its neturality.

"Hm.
It's a fair point...
Fine, we'll just have to amp up public favor through other ways."
The commission boss sighed. "But this isn't why I'm calling"

"Let me guess. Evaluation test"
Midoriya said bluntly.

"Precisely.
You know the drill, no need to rehash it.
Oh— and make sure to see Hitoshi Shinsou soon, he's already completed his supplementals"
The commission boss chuckled.

"Have the higher ups dropped the case on the Tokyo Snatcher?"
Midoriya asked, not wanting to redraw attention to the case.

"Yes it's all been handled internally. You can go back to your job without any concern"
He reassured.

"Hm. Fine then. Don't mess it up again"
Midoriya warned, his voice sharp.

"It was a one time error because of an ambitious lieutenant. Rest assured, it won't happen again"

"I expect no less from the commission boss."
Midoriya said, ending the call.

From there, he continued on with his driving until he made it home.
He parked his car and entered his home, his cat greeting him at the door with loud meows.
After doing his usual, minor chores and getting comfortable, he went and sat down on his couch with his master-planner. It contained all of his schedules; his hero schedule, his psychologist schedule, and a coded version of his 'villain' schedule— though he'd never call it that.
After all, he didn't think he was a
villain— he was just doing what he had to do for a better society under his control.

"*Okay.
Trust in UA has been shaken, enough for AFO to view this as a success. Though what he's really looking for is public distrust in the heroes, but there's too much of an impact on me if I follow through with his plan completely.*"
Midoriya thought to himself, seated on his couch looking at a the plans.
"*I'm only cooperating with him to maintain control over the villain aspect of society.
But once I'm in total control, he won't be needed*"
His phone buzzed, he grabbed it and found a new message from AFO.
"*Huh think of the devil*"

He viewed the notification.

"Plan success. But still needs some fixing in the roots"
The text read.

"*Code for the heroes didn't receive enough backlash*"
Midoriya thought to himself, replying back to the message in a similar manner .

"Couldn't do any trimming there."
He replied, knowing that AFO would understand what he meant.

"We need to discuss the plant competition"

"Schedule a date and time, I'll let you know if I'm available"

"*The sports festival.
What is he planning to do there?*"
Midoriya questioned. "*Nothing that should impact me— I'll make sure of it*"
He turned off his phone and went back to looking at his plans.
"*I have that list of heroes I need to potentially eliminate.
Especially that one hero with a 0%, that's bothersome. But there's also Shinsou, that buzzing insect that I can't kill.*"
He sighed, starring a couple days of potential evaluation tests.

His cat slept by his side, comforted by his warmth.
"*Hm. Besides the regular, my schedule is actually kind of open—*"
His train of thought was cut off when his phone rang— again.

"Everyone is looking for me, tch"
He groaned, checking who had been calling.
"Oh"
He relaxed, answering the phone without any hesitation.
"Hey mom"
He said.

"Izuku! Hellooo! How are you! I saw your press conference today, you handled everything well!"
Inko smiled.

"Everything is alright, just usual hero work. How are you?"
He asked in reply.

"I'm not fine"
Inko sighed, concerning Izuku.

"Why what's wrong?"
He asked, slight panic evident in his voice.

"I haven't seen you in forever! I understand you're busy but do you really have no time for your mom?"
She groaned.

Midoriya let out a slight breath of relief, worried for a moment that it had actually been something serious.
"Uh"
He glanced at his open schedule, there were many days he could pick from to choose to meet with her.
"*...it's not a good idea... But my plans have significantly progressed...*"
He mentally debated, not knowing whether or not to set some time to meet her.

"Come on Izuku, I'm not asking for an entire day. Just two hours, let's get coffee together"
She said once more.

Midoriya sighed, "fine."

"Really! Great!! So glad I get to see you!!
What day works for you?"
Her voice became ecstatic with joy, it had been so long since she had gotten to see her son.
The distance between Tokyo and Musutafu didn't help either.

"You can choose"
Midoriya said, a smile tugging at his lips. He too had missed his mom, but he had to stay away— for her own sake.

"No no I can't do that! You're busy. Pick a day and let me know!"

"Okay then. Are we meeting at the usual coffee spot in Musutafu?"
He asked.

"Yep! Our favorite spot"

_________________________________________

Shinsou stared at the hero files, his hands still trembling and legs still wobbly.
"*What do I do...?
I found the pattern, but it's the worst possible outcome I could've imagined...*"
He pressed his cold hand to his forehead, feeling his stress levels continuously rise.

"*I can't go to the others with this now...
I'd lose— he'd somehow twist it in his favor...* "
He clenched his jaw, closing the red binder and staring at the ground.

"I need proof.
Irrefutable evidence"

Chapter Text

...

"I need proof.
Irrefutable evidence"
Shinsou whispered to himself, realizing just the situation he found himself in.
"*Midoriya has too much power— the entire public trusts him, our friends trust him,— he's backed by the commission... there isn't anyone who'd believe me over him.
Especially with how everyone knows we're practically enemies— this entire thing can fail if I rush in to accusing him in front of everyone.*"
He thought to himself, looking over the dates again.
There was no doubt about it, every single one of the heroes had been due for an evaluation before they inevitably went missing.

"*...but what is he doing with the heroes..?
There's no way he'd guide us to the real Tokyo Snatcher if he's working with
them— so the black market theory has to be fake.*"
Shinsou pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling his stomach burn in stress.
"*And why...?
Why is he connected? What does he get out of getting rid of those heroes...?*"

Shinsou started putting the hero files back into the red binder, his hands slowly calming down as he reorganized his thoughts.
"*So...
Midoriya is connected to the Tokyo Snatcher. And he's been doing this for at least two years...
That means he has some fool proof method of not getting caught...
...does he have any accomplices?*"
His eyes widened, a devastating realization stricking his mind.
"*The commission...
They wanted this case closed. And Midoriya and the commission work closely together—
Wait...
What if...
Midoriya IS the Tokyo Snatcher...
And the commission covers up for him???*"
He felt acid burn his throat, struggling to grasp the reality he was facing.

"*There's no way...
Because if that's true this is beyond just Midoriya...
But why?! Why these heroes...!
I can't figure it out...*"
He shook his head, he couldn't even believe himself.

"*I need to think this over... I need to look at these files again, I need to make sure that there is truly no doubt that Midoriya is connected...
But he is... There is no doubt... But still—
...how dangerous would it become if he realizes I know...
I could easily meet the fate all these heroes faced.*"
He opened up the red binder again, the hero faces all staring at him. He knew only part of something the they all knew of Midoriya.
Something that would condemn him to their shared fate if he wasn't careful.
"*Am I crazy...? For suspecting this? He's the #5 pro hero... How come I'm the only one that's noticed...*"
He shook his head again, feeling a new resolve wash over him.

"*No.
If the commission is connected to Midoriya and Midoriya is or is at least connected to the Tokyo Snatcher then I need to tread carefully...
Clearly no one else knows, otherwise we'd all have revolted against them.*"
He took a deep breath in, calming his hammering heart.
"*I need to collect information. Anything that proves his guilt.*"
His gaze hardened, eye brows furrowed, as he stared at the innocent heroes.
"*If I stay silent, I'll be abandoning these innocent heroes... I can't do that. They didn't deserve this*"
His heart burned with anger, frustrated at his powerlessness— frustrated at how Midoriya had been playing everyone for fools, how he was able to get away with it for so long.

"*Midoriya and the Tokyo Snatcher.
I'm going to find undeniable evidence that connects them.
I'm going to investigate him myself.*"

_________________________________________

Cars honked and beeped, stuck in early morning Tokyo traffic per usual.
The sun beamed down on the streets of Japan, but its warmth didn't do much for the cool chill present in the air. Though it did enough that most people were comfortable in sweaters.

People talked, gossiped, laughed, frowned, everyone experiencing different emotions as they conversated with others. Some talked about their lives, future events, while others talked about the press conference which had occured a few nights ago.
And people talked everywhere, on the streets, in their cars, in the shops, and in their homes.
People loved talking.

"*So loud*"
Midoriya thought to himself, walking down the streets of Tokyo.
He adjusted his hero suit gloves, "*it's fine. Most of their percentages are high. Few outliers, but they can easily be dealt with*"
He climbed up onto a roof, deciding to get a better view.
He scanned the area, squinting his eyes as he tried to figure out if he saw a shadowy figure ducking into an alleyway or if his eyes had been playing tricks on him.

"*Climbing a roof?*"
Shinsou thought to himself, pressing his back on an alleyway wall with a slight pant, gripping a pair of binoculars.
He had been on foot, wearing a disguise to avoid being recognized by people on the street.
"*Did he see me...? I need to be careful*"
He felt his breathing halt to a stop, unease clawing at his heart.

"*Strange. It feels like I'm being watched.*"
Midoriya thought to himself, scratching the back of his head as he stared at the street.
"*Hm. Nothing to really be concerned about, people are always watching me*"
He shrugged his shoulders and continued on his way, hopping rooftop to rooftop as he patrolled his area.

"*Good, he didn't spot me*"
Shinsou let out a breath of relief, pressing his binoculars back to his eyes as he watched Midoriya continue on his way.
"*I need to keep close but stay far—*"

Loud explosions erupted, shattering the calm city noise as several alarms began going off.
"Die!"
A familiar voice screamed, exploding down a street as he chased behind bank robbers.
They had been making a getaway with a car, but using a quirk they had actually been flying above traffic.

Shinsou's eyes widened as he watched from the alleyway, unable to act as it would blow his cover.

"We know how to deal with heroes like you!"
The bank robber shouted, appearing from the trunk of the vehicle as he held out his hands and sent out an explosive blast of water.

Bakugo maneuvered, dodging the blast as he began closing the gap between himself and the robber.

Midoriya sighed, "almost a peaceful morning"
He commented, his eyes twisting in spirals as he watched Bakugo and the robbers race down the street, leaving gusts of wind in their wake.
"Freeze"
He said, and in that instant the vehicle came to a hard stop midair and the bank robbers could no longer move— slamming hard into the front of the vehicle.

Shinsou felt a chill run down his back, "*that damn quirk of his, it's oppressive...
If he catches wind of my investigation, I might fall victim to it*"
He thought to himself, clenching his jaw.

Bakugo grinned manically, grabbing hold of the vehicle and entering.
After some intense explosions, he dragged them out completely apprehended.

The previously panicked public cheered and snapped many photos, capturing photos of both Bakugo and Midoriya— who they knew had played a big role in the criminals' capture.

After the police showed up, Bakugo handed the criminals over and Midoriya continued his patrol from the rooftop.

"*Back to business huh. Like dealing with the criminals was hardly worth his time...*"
Shinsou thought to himself, following from a distance.

Bakugo exploded over to Midoriya, landing on the rooftop beside him with a grin.
"Small fries like that have nothing on me"
He scoffed, scanning the area alongside Midoriya.

Midoriya nodded his head, "*he's in a better mood, he must've noticed self improvement*"
He thought to himself. Bakugo had been in a bad mood for a couple days after the student's death, training himself past the brink.
"*He must be confident he won't make that mistake again*"
His eyes watched over Tokyo, but with extra caution— he couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes searing into the back of his head. But looking around, he saw no one.

"We should grab lunch before heading over to the agency"
Bakugo suggested, stretching his arms.

"Why not. Usual spot?"
Midoriya replied, shaking off the feeling but keeping his guard up.

"Yep.
See you then"
Bakugo exploded off, continuing his patrol on his end of the city.

Shinsou groaned, "*he's so casual about everything, no one would ever assume his connection with the Tokyo Snatcher.
To him, this is just another day...
And thinking about it— his connection to the Tokyo Snatcher would explain why he wanted this case closed.*"
He could hardly make out what the two had chatted about, only able to read a few words.
"*The only time I've ever noticed his reaction being off...
Is when dealing with me.
When he failed my evaluation his gaze was threatening... And then when I volunteered to help Tsukauchi he stared at me like...
He wanted me dead*"
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, his heart rate spiking as he came to realize how grave the situation really was.

"*He wanted to kill me.
That's what it was.
Both times...*"
A knot formed in his throat, realization after realization kept coming.
"*...and that's probably what the Tokyo Snatcher does...— no it is exactly what they do...
Kill the heroes and gets rid of them without a trace*"

After a long hour, the heroes decided it was time to shift gears.
Midoriya and Bakugo met up at their usual food spot, it was a ramen spot not too far from Nighteye's agency.

Shinsou peered from a nearby alleyway, watching the two heroes make their way inside.
Before Midoriya entered, he froze in his steps and tilted his head before turning around.
Shinsou's eyes widened before he quickly ran off, running before he could be completely spotted.

"*That same shadow.
I'm being watched*"
Midoriya thought to himself, staring at the alleyway before brushing it off and entering the food establishment.

"What's up?"
Bakugo asked, noticing how his eyes lingered outside.

"Nothing. Just someone watching me"
Midoriya replied, surprising Bakugo.

"Probably a fan, I get a couple of those everyday"
Bakugo scoffed, pointing at the window down the street. There stood a couple fans, snapping several photos of the hero.

"Hm. Probably. But why would a fan run away?"
Midoriya asked, suspicion easing into his mind.

"You're paranoid. You're too boring to stalk Deku."
Bakugo sneered, grabbing his bowl of ramen.

"Okay"
Midoriya lightly chuckled, but the gears of his mind were already twisting.
"*A fan wouldn't be scared of getting spotted...
The silhouette seemed familiar but I can't place my finger on who it is.
I'll just have to keep watch*"

Footsteps raced down an alleyway, echoing off the walls.
Shinsou panted heavily as he kept running and made his way to his car, driving off aggressively.
"*That was a close one— did he see me??? No... He shouldn't have— even if he did, in hiding all recognizable features...
What if he realizes it's me...
He wouldn't hesitate to make me disappear like the other heroes...— I need to calm down*"
He took in deep breathes, assessing the situation.
"*He doesn't know it me... I know that for sure... And I don't need to watch Midoriya when he's with Bakugo, he won't do anything suspicious with him around*"
He thought to himself, ripping off the disguise as he drove far away from the ramen establishment.
He took the long way to Nighteye's agency, figuring it was still too early to head in.

After a short thirty minutes, Midoriya and Bakugo made their way to the agency.

"Midoriya! Bakugo!"
Kaminari smiled, happy to see his friends come in on time.

"Hey dunce face"
Bakugo scoffed, taking his seat alongside Midoriya.

"Always with the insults"
Sero sighed, shaking his head.

"It's not Kacchan if he doesn't insult people in casual conversation"
Midoriya chuckled, feeling a pair of glaring eyes.
He lifted his head up and met Shinsou who had been blatantly staring with a scowl, his eyes narrow as he usually would when he knew he had to deal with Midoriya longer than he would've liked.

"Well I guess the commission gave you a call"
He sighed, figuring his evident disdain was coming from something they both hated having to do.

"Hm, what do you mean Midoriya?"
Kaminari asked, confused why Midoriya jumped to that conclusion.

"The commission called me recently."
Midoriya glanced over, explaining politely.
Shinsou felt a chill run down his spine, "*huh— do they know I'm still investigating...?? What does he mean—? Am I about to share the fate of all the other heroes???*"
He internally panicked, not understanding what Midoriya had been implying.
"Tch"
He said, playing it off, acting as though everything was fine and that Midoriya was right in his assumption.

Midoriya glanced back over at Shinsou, who had been trying his best to hide his stress— masking it with his usual annoyed glare.

He shook his head, not fond of what he had to deal with either.
"It's time for a re-evaluation"

Chapter Text

...

"It's time for a re-evaluation"
Midoriya explained.

"Ohhhh"
Kaminari said, finally understanding what Midoriya has meant.

Shinsou felt his stress drop in relief, "*I completely forgot— damn it I got stressed for nothing.
... but getting evaluated right now...*"
He slightly sank into his seat, his eyes brows furrowed but stomach churning and throat running dry.
His face didn't match his emotions.

"Mhm. It's the last step for his suspension to be lifted"
Midoriya continued, brushing off Shinsou's evident annoyance— chalking it up to his hatered for the evaluations.

"It's about time, it feels like he's been on suspension for forever now"
Sero laughed, others laughing with him.

Shinsou's heart hammered in his chest, the last thing he needed was an evaluation— not with the stakes of the situation.
"*I don't have a choice...
Delaying it only means causing suspicion...*"
He thought to himself, tightening his fists. He cleared his throat, "when can you squeeze me in?"
He said, but every word clearly strained.
They all just figured it was just Shinsou being Shinsou— angry at Midoriya's existence.

"Today if you want to get it over with."
Midoriya sighed. "Otherwise not until Friday, I have a couple other evaluations to do"

"You should just get it over with Shinsou, no reason to delay"
Kirishima commented, other agreeing with him.

Shinsou groaned, "fine whatever. Today works"
His hands slightly shaky, though no one noticed.
"*I need to act completely normal... I can't let him suspect me... He has sharp eyes, and he noticies things faster than most— if I act even the slightest bit off, he'll figure me out*"
He thought to himself.

"Anyways!
Great job catching those bank robbers earlier, we saw it on the TV"
Kaminari said, shifting the subject as he pointed to the TV mounted to the wall.

"Ha it was no sweat"
Bakugo scoffed, "if they had even half a brain give up before they started"

"Besides that, how did your shifts go? I feel like Tokyo has been pretty steady in terms of criminal/villain attacks"
Sero asked.

"It was fine, nothing out of the ordinary"
Midoriya replied, but his mind flashed back to the following shadow.

"Pfft except for the fact Deku thinks he has a stalker"
Bakugo laughed, piquing everyone's interest for more details.

Shinsou froze, his heart practically stopping. "*He knows— but not that it's me*"
He stared, watching to see how Midoriya explained.

Bakugo's laughing calmed down, his eyes glanced over Shinsou and froze for a moment.
"*He looks tense..? Eh Probably because he can't stand Deku*"
He dismissed it, Shinsou being on edge with Midoriya around wasn't anything new.

"Midoriya explain!"
Kaminari demanded, his mind racing with ideas.

Midoriya sighed, "it's only my suspicion. I noticed someone creeping around alleyways, maintaining a distance but likely following."
He explained.

"You're not someone worth stalking"
Shinsou scoffed, trying to react as he usually would've in the past.

"Ha that's what I told him"
Bakugo snickered.

"It's probably nothing. But maybe just keep an eye out?"
Todoroki added, finally deciding to join the conversation. He was distracted on his phone, only partially listening to the conversation.

"That's my plan"
Midoriya said, his eyes glancing to the door as Nighteye walked in alongside Mirio.
Everyone fell silent as they awaited command.

"Glad to see you're all chipper."
Nighteye commented, his voice stern.
Mirio took his seat, listening just like everyone else had been.
"It's time we discuss our latest issue.
Though it's really a resurfacing issue.
The league of villains"
He began, walking over to an electronic board.
"As Midoriya promised in his press conference not long ago" glancing at Midoriya as all attention went to him, "we heroes need to step in and deal with the league before they cause any more harm"
Nighteye declared, presenting the screen which had the league members' faces.

"There are seven known members, and we have speculation that AFO is their true leader. So Including him, eight.
We need to capture and arrest them"
Nighteye explained plainly.

The villain's faces stared at the heroes, their names written below their headshots with a description.

Midoriya glanced at Todoroki, who's fists had been tightened and face hardly hiding his discomfort.
"*This would be difficult for Todoroki. But I did tell him he'd have to face him one day or another*"
He thought to himself, glancing around the room. Everyone had been paying attention to Nighteye's explanation, memorizing the faces of the villains— though they were already familiar with who they were.

His eyes landed on Shinsou, who oddly enough did seem more tense than usual.
"*What's his deal?*"
He thought to himself, noticing his clenched jaw and fists.

Shinsou glanced over, noticing Midoriya's analytical gaze, struggling to hide his panic.
"*Did he notice something???*"
He thought to himself, glaring at Midoriya before returning his attention to Nighteye.

Midoriya shook his head, "*he must really hate evaluations.
Not like I like dealing with him either.*"
He thought to himself, continuing his general scan of the room.

"*He's suspecting something...
Damn it, I'm too tense. I need to relax*"
Shinsou took in a breath, but ended up choking on his own spit in the process. He let out pained coughs, cutting off Nighteye and drawing all attention to himself.

"Woah you okay Shinsou?"
Kirishima asked.

"What did you breathe the wrong way?"
Bakugo sneered, watching as Shinsou hit his chest.

"Someone get him some water"
Mirio lightly chuckled.

Shinsou let out one last cough, his eyes stinging with tears and throat all sore.
"I choked"
He sighed, embarrassed out of his mind.

"On what?"
Sero asked, it wasn't like he had eaten anything.

"My spit..."
Shinsou mumbled.

"Oh I hate when that happens"
Kaminari complained, sharing the feeling of annoyance Shinsou had to have been feeling.

Nighteye shook his head, "back to the main focus."
He said, redirecting their attention.
"We're going to begin patrol in areas with high crime rates, areas with known league member sightings.
If we can apprhened at least one of them, we'll be able to catch the rest"
He explained.

"Sounds easy enough"
Bakugo scoffed, resting his hands comfortably on the back of his head.

"That's the spirit Bakugo!"
Mirio smiled brightly, while he didn't approve of his arrogance, he admired his confidence and the fearlessness that came from it.

"Then it's settled from here. You'll dedicate an hour from your usual patrol times to check these known areas.
I've already communicated with other agencies and they'll be having the heroes there do the same— so you may run into them"
Nighteye concluded, brushing off Bakugo's comment.

From there, they continued on with their usual investigative work— dealing with cases assigned.
Midoriya helped and took lead as he usually would, suggesting logical ideas that could lead to capture or solving some cases entirely.

Shinsou watched, working on his own cases as well but far too silent for normal.
Usually he'd make snide remarks, pick at Midoriya...
But he was silent, diligently working with the other heroes around him.

"Is it a miracle?"
Kaminari commented quietly, his eyes wide.

"Is what a miracle?"
Sero asked also keeping it down to a whisper, confused why he randomly said it.

"Shinsou.
He isn't fighting Midoriya for once"
Kaminari spoke, still in a whisper, genuine shock on his face.

"You're right...! Maybe he doesn't want to fail his evaluation again..."
Sero chuckled lightly.

Shinsou felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead as he pretended to not hear what they said, "*damn it I'm being quiet because I don't want to die! I hope Midoriya hasn't heard them— but then again he should be too busy to notice*"
He thought to himself, quickly glancing at Midoriya.
He let out a sigh of relief, he was too engrossed in an investigation to have noticed the side conversation.
Or at least he thought.

"*Kaminari is right, Shinsou is quiet. Is it really just evaluation stress or is there more?
Hm, not like I care. I've been searching for this peace and quiet*"
Midoriya thought to himself, glad that for once Shinsou could keep his remarks to himself.

After the usual, Midoriya made his exit and went to his psychologist office to prepare for Shinsou's re-evaluation.

Upon his exit, Shinsou relaxed. His fists loosened, heart rate slowed, and breathing felt easier.
"*I really hate that bastard. Why the hell did he have to go out and be connected to the Tokyo Snatcher...
He's going to his office right now... That's where he determines heroes' fates...When is he going to strike next...? Who will his next victim be...?
I have to find out. Somehow*"
He thought to himself, his mind lingering on the office.

The fresh scent of cleanliness floated around the air, not a particle of dust in sight.
Midoriya entered his office and made his way to his desk.
"*I have to deal with Shinsou soon. He does seem a little off today, but like Sero said it may just be that he doesn't want to fail again.*"
He thought to himself, looking at his schedule.

"*And what was with that stalker? Is it related to AFO— or a member of the league?
No, it wouldn't make sense. He'd tell me. I'll figure it out, realistically not an actual concern— killing them is always an option.
And thinking about the league, Todoroki is going to have a hard time if we manage to catch Dabi anytime soon. He won't be able to have the conversation he wants, and will likely lose that chance forever.
I wonder what he'll do*"
From there, Midoriya went to working on some of his minor tasks and preparing for the re-evaluation.
Re-evaluations and regular evaluations were similar but had enough differences that it required a bit more thought.

Evaluations focused on the overall whereas re-evaluations did the same but asked questions more specific to the supplemental lessons.

After a bit of time, Shinsou made his way to the office.
He stood outside the building, staring up at the sky.
The building itself was massive, and Midoriya's office was located on the higher floors.
He took a deep breath in and shook his hands, the air cool on his sweaty palms. "*Don't get caught. Don't get caught. Don't get caught*"
He thought to himself, entering the building.
After greeting the receptionist, he made his way to an elevator that took him to Midoriya's floor.

"*Same creepy hallway*"
Shinsou noted, staring at the walls like they were covered in blood.
Despite the mental stain, the walls themselves were pristine.
"*I need to investigate this place too, note anything that seems suspicious*"
He made his way to the office, knocking before entering.

Midoriya sat on the couch, clipboard in hand, waiting for Shinsou to take his seat.
Shinsou's eyes looked around the room, absorbing as many details as he could, before sitting down in the seat opposing Midoriya.

"Hello Shinsou.
You're here for a re-evaluation. Though you are already aware.
Let's get started"
Midoriya began, a bit surprised there were no usual remarks.

"Okay"
Shinsou said, his throat tightening.

Midoriya glanced at Shinsou, "*noticeably sweating, tense shoulders and fists, no remarks.
All over the evaluation?*"
He thought to himself, confused.

"Are you okay?"
Midoriya asked bluntly, startling Shinsou who didn't expect that for a re-evaluation question.

"I'm fine. I just hate these damn evaluations"
Shinsou scoffed, trying to cover up for his unease.

"You sure it's just that? You're unusually tense."
Midoriya poked further, trying to see if there was really no other reason.

Shinsou felt his chest tighten, "*he's too damn perceptive!
I need to change the subject*"
He cleared his throat, "can we just get this over with?? Neither of us want to deal with eachother longer than we have to"
He hissed, glaring at Midoriya.

Midoriya stared for a moment, only causing Shinsou to mentally panic, before shaking his head, "I was only doing my job. No real concern for you"
He retorted, staring at his forehead.
"*1%, those supplementals did absolutely nothing.
I'd kill him if I could*"
He thought to himself, clicking his pen to get started.

Shinsou let out a slight breath of relief, "*looks like it worked.*"
His eyes glanced around the room, lingering on something he found a bit odd— though to anyone else it wasn't strange in the slightest.

"*A garbage chute? Aren't they supposed to be in the janitorial area?*"
He quickly glanced away, hiding his suspicion.
"*Why does he have a garbage chute in his office...?*"

Chapter Text

..

"*Why does he have a garbage chute in his office...?*"
Shinsou thought to himself, the thought knawing at the back of his head as he tried to refocus on the issue at hand- the re-evaluation.

Midoriya glanced up at Shinsou, having finished glancing at all the questions he needed to ask.
"Okay Shinsou. What would you say was the key take away from the supplemental lessons"
He asked.

Shinsou sighed, "that you need to work with other heroes no matter the issues you may have with one another, for the betterment of Japan"
He said, trying to appear normal— as though he weren't in mental turmoil.

Midoriya scribbled on his clipboard, noting what he said.
"What is the first thing you plan to do once your suspension is lifted?"

"Start hero work, immediately."

The evaluation continued that way, with Shinsou answering the questions quickly and briefly and Midoriya continuously asking.

"*It almost feels like I'm speaking to a robot*"
Midoriya thought to himself, noting how bizarre the change was. "*No remarks? No insults? This is hardly the Shinsou anyone knows, and it's not like the supplementals impacted him- the 1% speaks for itself- so then what is it?*"
He thought to himself, finishing up the last couple of questions.

"*I'm almost in the clear... Then I can get out of here- maybe even start my hero shift*"
Shinsou thought to himself, his heart rate having calmed down a bit when he got passed the first hurdles of suspicion.
"*Hm. The heroes all went missing in the middle of their hero shifts...
Evaluations happen either before or after a hero shift...
...are they going missing from here...?*"
He felt a chill run down his spine, "*there isn't anything that proves Midoriya is the Tokyo Snatcher...
But there also isn't anything that proves he isn't.
...if he is the Tokyo Snatcher, would that mean the heroes go missing from this very room...?*"

"And final question.
How do you intend to resolve issues you've faced with other heroes?"
Midoriya asked, breaking Shinsou's train of thought.

"The only hero I have issues with is you"
Shinsou scoffed, scratching the back of his head in paranoia.

"Yes that would be true. However in order to conclude the evaluation you do need to answer this question"
Midoriya said stoically, hardly interested in hearing how Shinsou intended fix anything.

"Tch..."
Shinsou's leg bounced from time to time, "*resolving issues with this bastard? Hell no.
But to get this damn evaluation over with...*"
He cleared his throat, "I guess I won't make unnecessary comments and will try my best to avoid you"
He forced out.

Midoriya nodded his head, "and that concludes the re-evaluation."
He sighed, glad it was finally over with. His chest had been stinging with annoyance, the 1% on Shinsou's forehead causing his blood to simmer. His hand tightened on his pen, a thought of using his quirk to have Shinsou drive it into his own neck flashed through his mind.
He couldn't help it, he already hated Shinsou just for who he was, but not being able to control him made it worse. And that 1% was a constant reminder of the bug he couldn't squash.

"Is my suspension lifted?"
Shinsou asked, standing up from the chair and standing behind it.

"Yes. I'll submit the paperwork with the commission but you are now allowed to return to your hero work."
Midoriya replied, standing up and walking over to his desk.

Shinsou watched as he pulled out some keys and unlocked a drawer, placed the clipboard, and then locked it up again.
"*It's his own office, no one else comes in here besides him...
So why does he lock up his stuff...?*"
He thought to himself, his eyes lingering on the keys for a moment too long.

Midoriya noticied, "do you have any questions?"
He asked, a bit confused as to why Shinsou hadn't taken his exit yet.

"Eh- no. No!
Leaving now"
Shinsou replied, startled as he quickly left the room.

Midoriya stared at the door, his eyes narrowing, "*strange.
Shinsou wasn't himself today, and even after I lifted the suspension he acted odd.*"
He thought to himself, sitting down at his desk to continue on with his usual work.

After a short while, another hero made his way inside for his own evaluation.
He sat down comfortably, Midoriya ready with another clipboard in hand.

"Hello Aizawa sensei"
Midoriya politely smiled, refreshed to see a higher percentage.

"Hello Midoriya"
Aizawa replied, a vague smile on his face.

"Glad you could make it in for your evaluation.
I won't take up too much of your time, I understand you're busy"
Midoriya began.

"Thanks, I have to prepare a lesson for class later today so I was hoping this wouldn't be long"
Aizawa said with a light chuckle.

Midoriya nodded his head, "*77%, just like other people in Japan. It won't be long til I take total control*"
He maintained a smile, one that was real for once.
"*There only remains a couple pests. But once everything is set, they'll be dealt with*"
He thought to himself, his mind flashing to the 1% present on Shinsou's forehead.

~~

Shinsou sat in his car, mentally going through everything he pieced that day.
"*He acts normal during his hero shift, normal at the agency...
But his office is his true self. Everything is neat, and he locks things up despite the fact no one should have access otherwise.
And there's an out of place garbage chute...*"
He thought to himself, scribbling down all of his thoughts into a notepad.
He needed documentation, something he could look back on when his thoughts were scrambled.
"*And when is he going to strike next...?
There haven't been any missing heroes since we began the investigation, but we also didn't go public with the case so the only way someone would know to lay low is if they were in on the investigation.
The only further proves Midoriya's connection...
But it's not concrete evidence*"
He let out a frustrated sigh, his eye brows furrowed.

He had been parked at the Hero School, having finished working his hero shift.
"*He won't leave his office until it's time for class.
And he won't be suspicious in class.*"

Shinsou rested his head on the steering wheel, mentally exhausted. "*That office is what leads to those heroes going missing.
So if I want to find concrete evidence, it would have to be there.
...he may lock things up, but every lock can be picked.
I have to break in. That way, not only do I get the evidence but I figure out when or who he's going to strike next*"
His gaze intensified, heart burning. He had to do this, even if it meant potentially getting caught and losing his life.

Eventually, time passed and it was time for class.
Shinsou stuffed his notepad into his glove box and made his way out, heading inside.
At the same time, Midoriya had also been making his way towards the door- and so the two crossed paths.

Shinsou scowled, but remained silent, while Midoriya just plainly stared- his eyes glancing to Shinsou's forehead.
While his face didn't show it, Midoriya had been greatly annoyed.

"Planning on heading inside?"
Midoriya retorted, moving past him and entering the building.
He didn't hold the door for him, letting it slowly shut before Shinsou grabbed it and made his way inside as well.

"*Villain bastard. I'm going to get you locked up in Tartarus forever*"
Shinsou thought to himself, his eyes burning into the back of Midoriya's head.

"*Hm, even when I make a snide remark he doesn't snap back.
This definitely isn't the normal Shinsou, he's hiding something.
But what?*"
Midoriya thought to himself, "*can't be anything too important that would concern me.
But I'll keep an eye out just in case*"

Midoriya entered the classroom, politely smiling at the familiar faces as he made his way to his seat.
Shinsou didn't lag too far behind, practically entering at the same time as him.
It shocked most of the class, Shinsou wouldn't ever miss out on insulting Midoriya but today he was silent.

"What you friends with Midoriya now? Where's the insulting remarks?"
Monoma sneered, earning a jab to the shoulder from Shinsou as he sat down beside him.

"I'd never befriend that creep. Im just tired today and didn't want to waste my energy"
Shinsou scowled, adjusting himself in the seat.
"*Damn it, if Monoma is able to notice I'm different then Midoriya has definitely noticed.
He's probably suspecting me at this moment- my change lines up too much with the stalker sighting for him not to put the two together...
I have to act fast*"
He resolved, watching as more and more people entered the classroom before Aizawa walked in and started the lesson.

The rest of the class period was able to pass by without any issues, luckily for Shinsou it was a lecture day so he didn't have to interact with Midoriya in class.
The more he interacted, the more people would notice his shift, the more likely it was Midoriya figured out what was going on and promptly nipped the problem in the bud.

When class ended, the stalking began again.
But this time, it would have to be done much more discreetly.

Though, Midoriya didn't leave immediately— having been forced into a sparring session by his friends.
So Shinsou waited his car until Midoriya eventually made his way out and left.

Midoriya drove through the streets of Tokyo, the moon slowly rising as the sun took its exit.
He had taken a while after class, a whole hour, before leaving. But Shinsou was patient enough.

There was some traffic, not so much that it was an annoyance but could be felt.
Cars honked from time to time, though that was normal in a busy city.

Following a couple cars behind, Shinsou tailed Midoriya.
"*If there's any time worth investigating it would be now.
When he has no hero or psychologist responsibilities.
Where does he go*"
He thought to himself, keeping an eye on his car.
To avoid being spotted, he kept a reasonable distance.

They continued down several streets, Shinsou increasingly growing nervous as he allowed cars to cut him off to keep him hidden from Midoriya.
But at some point, he could no longer follow Midoriya...

"*.. where'd he go???*"
Shinsou panicked, sweat rolling down his forehead.
He looked around the street, Midoriya was out of sight.
"*I was trying to maintain a safe following distance but now I lost him!
Damn it! What if he's going to meet with the Tokyo Snatcher??*"
He clenched his jaw and continued driving, looking down several streets in search of his car.
But after searching around aimlessly in the ever connecting streets of Tokyo, he couldn't find Midoriya and found himself lost instead.

He parked his car, staring at the road in total frustration.
"Damn it!"
He slammed his hand on the wheel, his heart burning in his chest.
"How did I lose him???"
Shinsou grit his teeth, trying to retrace how it happened.
It was as though Midoriya had done it on purpose, to shake off any cars or onlookers.
Shinsou couldn't follow directly behind without getting caught, and in trying to maintain a reasonable distance, Midoriya had completely disappeared.

Shinsou took a deep breath in, "*this could've been a right on the head nail hammering piece of evidence that I needed to get him put away— and I fumbled terribly..."
He let out a sharp breath, "but why did he do that...
He was driving consistently, predictably even.
And then out of no where he made twists and turns that were impossible to keep up with...—
Did he notice me...?!*"
He felt acid rise up his throat, burning him up. His heart hammered in his chest, palms growing clammy on the steering wheel.
"*If he's caught on... I can't waste anymore time...*"

He tilted his head back, taking in a calming breath that steadied his heart. His eyes narrowed, fists tightened.
"*Tonight.
Tonight I break into that office and figure this out once and for all*"

Chapter Text

...

"*Tonight I break into that office and figure this out once and for all*"
Shinsou decided, using a map to find his way. After having gotten lost in some random part of Tokyo, he didn't have much a choice.
"*It's too early to break in right now, too risky.
I'll go home and prepare everything I need.
At midnight, ill infiltrate*"

~~

Midoriya drove through the dimly lit streets of the desolate parts of Tokyo, enjoying the silence. He actually hadn't known he was being followed, he did his usual rounds of twists and turns to shake off any cars in general.
After all, with where he was going, he couldn't risk being recognized.

He parked his car as he usually would, in a hidden spot, before putting on a disguise and making his way out.
Darkness clouded the alleyways, Midoriya walked as though he were a shadow— hardly able to be seen or heard.
"*Todoroki called earlier, worried about running into his brother with our new investigation.
There isn't all to much I can do*"
He thought to himself, remembering the conversation the two had exchanged.
"*But maybe there's one last thing I could do to extend a helping hand*"

After his distant walk, he found himself outside the league's base.
He knocked on the rusty metal door, hearing a faint "come in" from kurogiri before entering.
The door scraped on the ground, scratching the cement and creating a cringe worthy noise before being shut again.

Midoriya looked around the base, surprised to find a couple more faces than he'd usually expect.

"Well if it isn't the fraud"
A rasp voice sneered, staring at Midoriya as he made his way inside.

Midoriya didn't acknowledge his statement, just plainly stared. "*Dabi, 55%. He has no idea his brother is aware he's alive and actively avoiding a meet up.
I wonder how he'll react.*"
He thought to himself, glancing back over at Kurogiri as he pulled down his mask and hoodie.

"If you're looking for the boss man he's in his lab."
Dabi yawned.

Midoriya sighed, "what're you doing here?"
He asked, making partial small talk as he waited for the signal from Kurogiri that he could enter. He didn't want to possibly enter in the middle of one of AFO's nomu experiments, or any of his experiments at that.

"Video games with me and spinner"
Shigaraki replied, showing off the game remote in hand.

Midoriya took a better look at the area, noticing the TV screen which was originally in his blind spot. He nodded his head, "okay then—"

"What was that back at the USJ?? I could've gotten caught??"
Shigaraki scowled, remembering the events which happened not too many days ago.

"Didn't AFO already explain?
I was playing my role as a hero, nothing personal.
I already knew you'd be able to escape, Kurogiri was on the scene"
Midoriya replied, looking back at Kurogiri who had finally given him the green light to enter the lab.

Shigaraki just shook his head in annoyance, not able to come up with much of a response.

"A life like yours must be exhausting... Hero and villain"
Spinner commented, wondering how Midoriya did it.

Midoriya shook his head and made his way to the lab, ignoring the comment and continuing on to the main objective— meeting with AFO.
After a short walk, he entered the lab and sat down in his usual spot.

"Greetings Zero"
AFO smiled, taking a sip of his tea.

"Hello AFO."
Midoriya replied, adjusting himself in the small cushioned seat, it creaked beneath his weight.

"Care for some tea?"
He asked.

"No, I have no intention of staying here longer than I have to. Let's discuss the plan"
Midoriya said, wanting to get straight into business.

"Fine by me.
Though I do have to say, you did a commendable job during the press conference.
That quirk of yours, I haven't seen this much hope in heroes since All Might's time"
AFO ominously chuckled.

"You know I have an image to uphold."
Midoriya sighed.

"I'm not saying what you did was bad for the plan. No, in fact it helps me quite a lot.
The higher they climb the ladder of hope, the harder they'll fall when all is shattered."
AFO explained, taking another sip of tea before putting the cup down.
"Besides, UA took damage. They're the first piece of the plan. Once they're out of the way, I can launch the attack on hero society."

Midoriya nodded his head, "you said you wanted to discuss the sports festival over text"
He redirected, not interested in his villain monologue.

"Yes.
You see, the sports festival is a internationally broadcasted event. Anything that happens there will be seen by the whole world. I assume you already have a plan of your own?"
He asked, wanting details.

"For me it's just another opportunity to expand my control. I'm intending to either be a part of commentary or give out small speeches. Maybe both, depends on what role Nezu gives me"
Midoriya stated, scratching the back of his head.

"That would make sense. I was considering staging an attack there but I'm not too sure.
There are far too many heroes present, the risk outweighs the benefit."
AFO rambled, Midoriya just watched bored.
"So I was thinking.
Rather than attack the stadium, I attack Japan."

Midoriya raised his brow, "what do you intend to do?" He asked.

"Similar to the USJ, but instead, on the streets.
It won't be anywhere near the stadium, that way the heroes won't be able to get to the civilians as fast. Though this time, more league members will be present"
AFO grinned, thinking about the casualties that were to come.

"Hawks, Dynamight, and some other fast heroes will still be able to close the distance fast. Do you have any plans for them?"
Midoriya asked further.

"Regardless of how fast they are, by the time they hear of the attack, enough damage will have already been done."

Midoriya sat there silently for a moment, thinking about his plan. "*It doesn't interfere with my final piece, and it would cause enough damage to make people want to listen to the most reliable. While I'm not fond of killing innocent controllables, if their lives pave the way for a better society, it's worth the sacrifice.*"
He sighed, "sounds like a good plan."

"Then it's settled.
You'll use the festival for the long term impact and I'll use the festival to stir up chaos. Neither of our plans should conflict with the other"
AFO concluded, his grin spanning across his face.
"Though I do have a question."

Midoriya silently stared in response, allowing him to continue with asking.

"Based on the last press conference, what percentage of control do you generally have?"
AFO wondered.

"Upper mid range, it hasn't changed much since last time"
Midoriya lied. "*It's best he doesn't know for now.*"
He thought to himself.

AFO nodded his head, "let's hope the sports festival can expand your influence further then"

Midoriya nodded as well, glancing at his forehead, "*whether you realized it or not, you too have subconsciously been influenced.*"
He thought to himself, withholding a grin. From there he stood up, preparing to leave.

"Until our next meeting"
AFO said, grabbing his cup to finish his tea.

"Yes."
Midoriya replied, ready to head out. But before he did, a thought flashed through his mind.
He paused in his step, glancing back at AFO.
"Before I head out.
Tell your league members to lay low. The heroes are launching a search in common areas they've been spotted"
He warned.

"Does it have to do with that promise you made during the press conference"
AFO sneered.

"In part, but it would've happened regardless of what I said since the heroes know you're back.
The heroes plan on closing in, and they're aware you're the true leader of the league.
If we want our plans to work, we'll need to remain on the cautious end"
Midoriya explained, slipping his mask and hoodie back on.

"The press conference was adequate warning enough. After what you said, it was very clear this was on the way.
I already issued a warning to the league members."
AFO said, waving off the concern.

From there, Midoriya took his exit.
"*That was about as much of a solid I could do for Todoroki in terms of helping him stall the meet with his brother.
The rest is up to him.*"

~~~

The moon sat high in the sky, sitting at its apex.
Clouds slowly moved by, blocking the moon's light from reaching the ground below.
A cool breeze flew through from time to time, sending shivers down Shinsou's spine.

"*I've never broken into a place, let alone a potential villain lair. What do I do??*"
He panicked, standing in a back alleyway of the large building in which Midoriya's office resided.
He adjusted his black mask and hoodie, scared he was somehow still recognizable.
"*I can't leave a trace...
Considering the building type, there shouldn't be any actual alarms on the rooms inside— just the entry ways of the building as a whole.
...so to bypass that, I need to climb*"
He felt a knot form in his throat, sweat clinging onto his gloves.
He shook his arms and jumped side to side, building up his courage.
"*This is for justice.*"

He took a deep breath in, the cold air filling his lungs, before slowly releasing it and looking up at the emergency fire escape ladders. The moon could hardly be seen behind the clouds, but it's light shone through in its stead.
His heart hammered in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins.
His throat dried up, tightening, but now was no time to be fearful.

He shook his head and stretched out his hand to the ladder, the metal cold on his hands.
His arms trembled, he grit his teeth, "this is a hero mission. Snap out of it"
He said, strengthening his resolve and moving forward.

He climbed up, the metal creaking beneath his weight as he sneakily walked on the platforms and made his way up level by level.
"*If I want to avoid being seen, I have to enter through a window.*"
He thought to himself, worried as he could begin to see the roof of the building beside him.
Without that building acting as a cover, he would be exposed to the street where anyone could see him and snap a photo.
Though, he still wasn't anywhere near Midoriya's floor.

He climbed one more level before stopping and kneeling by a window.
"*Please open without issue...*"
Shinsou thought to himself, attempting to slide the window up.
To his shock, the window opened up without the need to break in.
He mentally rejoiced and crawled into the room.

The room was dark, only vaguely lit up by faint glows from electronic devices in the room.
"*Looks like I'm in.*"
He thought to himself, feeling his stomach simmer in its stress.

Shinsou walked over to the door, making his exit.
The hallways were dimly lit by red exit signs, he made his way to the stairwell.
"*Using the elevator is far too risky... Damn it why'd his room have to be so high up.*"
He thought to himself, worried that if there were security measures in place that he'd be trapped in the elevator.

He climbed up the stairs, feeling the exhaustion in his legs.
Though, he was lucky to be powered by sheer adrenaline.
His steps echoed quietly in the stairwell, despite his attempt at silence.
Every step he grimaced in fear that someone would hear him, his face tensed.

Eventually, he made it to Midoriya's floor.
"*Almost there...
Then I'll find the damning evidence I need...*"
Shinsou thought to himself, opening up the door slowly.
To his shock, the hallway was brightly lit— a stark contrast to the rest of the building.
Another pair of footsteps echoed throughout the hallway, Shinsou felt his stomach drop.

"*A guard?! Why...!?*"
Shinsou panicked, shutting the door without making any noise to avoid getting spotted.
"*This is even more suspicious...! Why would his floor be guarded when the rest of the building isn't..??
He's hiding something and he has people protecting it..!
...the only way he'd be able to hire a guard would be through the commission..*"
He face palmed, stress eating away at his mind.
He took a deep breath in, calming his heart.

"*I've already made it this far. I can't back down now*"
Shinsou thought to himself, trying to come up with a plan around the guard.
It then hit him, a risky but promising idea...

"*I'll use my quirk*"

Chapter Text

..

"*I'll use my quirk*"
Shinsou thought to himself, bullets of sweat rolling down his forehead.
His heart rattled in his ribcage, if he failed, it meant potential death...

He cracked open the door up slowly and peered inside.
He had a clear view of the guard through the small slit opening. "*He's wearing a badge... His name is Hiroto...and he's huge— what the hell are they hiding in there...
If I call out his name with confidence, he'll respond and I'll be able to capture him under my control...
And if I fail...*"
Shinsou his thoughts trailed off, feeling his mouth run dry.
He cleared his throat, stress causing his head to grow itchy.

With one swift confident breath, he shouted, "Hiroto!" His voice echoing throughout the stairwell. He could feel the adrenaline rush throughout his body, leaving him nauseous.

The guard's eyes widened, "Who—?!"
Before he could even finish the question, he was captured under Shinsou's quirk.
His eyes went blank as he stood there robotically.
Shinsou took one more look around, ensuring there was no one else who heard him and no alarms somehow triggered, before entering the floor.

Shinsou let out a relieved sigh, "*it worked...*"
He thought to himself, slowly shutting the door behind him as he approached Midoriya's office.

The guard couldn't see or hear, or even remember what exactly happened.
He was trapped in his own mind, hardly conscience.
Shinsou had him close his eyes for further insurance, stressed that somehow his quirk would fail him.
From there, he had him steer clear of the door so he could make his entry.

"*It would be useful if that guard had keys, but that would be too convenient*"
Shinsou mentally groaned as he pulled out his lockpick kit from his pocket.
He kneeled down and began the process, at it for a couple seconds before he heard the clicks of unlocking grace his ears.
The door opened, partially creaking as Shinsou made his way in.

He looked around, shutting the door behind him to prevent any light from the hallway from entering the room.
He didn't want to be able to be seen from outside, not with the stakes at hand.
"*I have to leave this place exactly as I found it.*"
Shinsou thought to himself, deciding to take a look around the room before heading to his desk.

"*No cameras.
For a place with high security, it's strange the room that gets the most protection has no cameras inside it..."
His stomach twisted as he came to a nauseating conclusion.
"I don't think it's for patient privacy...
Something terrible happens here, so terrible he can't risk documenting it.*"
He mentally noted it down, adding it to the small pile of evidence he was building against Midoriya. Though again, it was purely circumstancial.

Shinsou found a locked up cabinet by the door, having decided to start there, "*suspicious. Not everything in here has locks...
So that must mean there's something he's hiding here*"
He lockpicked the cabinet, opening it up to see what it hid.
But on the shelves sat several cleaning supplies, all meticulously organized. He scanned it, looking for anything potentially suspicious.
"*Nothing special in here, just janitorial cleaning supplies*"
Shinsou thought to himself, but his stomach still twisted with unease. "*Why lock it up..?— actually, why does he even have that in his office to begin with? This is like the garbage chute— out of place.*"
Because of his unshakeable suspicion, he decided to take a picture and come back to it after further searching the room.

He continued the search, looking through everything trying his best to avoid leaving a trace.
"*With how clean this place is, if I as so much leave a hair he'll know I was here...*"
He thought to himself, stress crawling throughout his body.

"*Garbage chute...
What have you been used to dispose?*"
Shinsou questioned, carefully sliding it open.
The metal scraped, echoing throughout the chamber as wind breezed by his face.
He peered inside, using a flashlight to see if there was anything out of the ordinary.
"*No remnants of anything. But even that's suspicious, trash leaves its marks*"
He noted, but even part of him thought that was a bit of a stretch.

After looking around the rest of the room and not finding anything particularly out of the ordinary, he finally walked over to the desk.

His heart thumped, pressure building in his ears.
"*There's probably nothing here either...so far the office is pristine— too pristine, it only convinces me that there's something horrible happening here...*"
He took a look around the room, his eyesbrows furrowing as he stared at the seating area.
"*Was that white carpet there earlier today?*"
He questioned, unable to remember.

Shinsou shook his head as he clenched his jaw, looking back at the desk.
From the outside it looked completely normal, neat and tidy.
Shinsou sat down in the seat, trying to see if there was anything potentially hidden that he wouldn't have been able to see otherwise before attempting to get into the locked drawers.

He started with the top drawer, "*this lock is much more difficult to pick...*"
He struggled, feeling sweat roll down his forehead and get absorbed into his mask as he sat there for a couple minutes trying to get it unlocked.
After a bit of struggle, it finally unlocked.

The drawer slid open, Shinsou attempt to look inside, his stomach hurting from the adrenaline, his eyes squinted as he struggled.
He then caught a glimpse, his eyes opening as he felt both relief and slight disappointment calm his system.
"*Nothing yet, just paperwork. There might be evidence in them*"
He took a picture before picking them up, wanting to remember exactly how they were organized before shifting things around.
He then carefully removed them and looked through them one by one, filing through the papers in search of anything that could be incriminating.
But after looking through all of them, he found nothing out of the ordinary, "*just psychologist patient paperwork, everyone he's evaluated in the last couple weeks. I guess he stores then here before sending it off to the commission*"
He noted, having seen both his paperwork and Aizawa's.

Shinsou had skimmed over the files, but with the first few pages just being the responses to Midoriya's questions, he concluded there was nothing suspicious of them. Just his work.

He meticulously returned them back in order, using the picture he took as a guide. Afterwards, he locked up the drawer. It was much harder to lock than it was to unlock, but he didn't have a choice.

Then, he moved onto the second drawer.
"*What the— this is exceptionally more difficult*"
He struggled, sitting there trying to unlock it for far longer than he had the previous drawer.
The chair creaked beneath him, slightly rolling on the ground as he continued to try and pick the lock.
He slid off the chair and sat directly on the ground, picking at the lock until it finally granted him access.
"Finally!"
He let out a relieved breath, sliding open the drawer.

Shinsou looked inside, "*nothing special...just a notebook, some files, and what seems to be a planner. But looks can be deceiving, and if he didn't have a secret to hide he wouldn't have made this so hard to open*"
He thought to himself, taking a picture before moving anything again.
He grabbed the planner first, reading it's content.

"*This dates back to a couple months ago, and it matches what I've seen so far.
He did see me and Aizawa today*"
Shinsou thought to himself, noting how Midoriya had everything organized.
"*Who does he plan to see in the future?*"
He turned the pages forward, finding a couple names written down.
"*...some of these names are in red ink... Why is that?*"
He snapped pictures of the schedule, his instincts screaming that something was off.
"*If any of the heroes in red ink go missing...— but I can't let it reach that point, I need to catch him before more innocent lives are lost...
Damn it, this evidence isn't enough either. What about the other stuff*"
He scratched his head in annoyance, feeling the frustration beneath his skin.

He grabbed the files and attempted to make sense of them, "*this is some communication between him and the commission.
But it's oddly simple... No specific details at all... It might be a coded message, I need to decode it...
But how could I even use this as evidence...*"
He snapped several photos, deciding decoding it later would be much smarter than doing it at the moment.

Shinsou then opened up the notebook, his hands trembling a bit.
"*Hero Percentages? What does that mean?*"
He thought to himself, reading the first page.
He then flipped through the book, his eyes widening as he found a bunch of names with percentages next to them.
Not just one percentage, but multiple, with most of it increasing.
"*Why...?? What does it mean??*"
Panic surged through his body as he kept flipping the pages until he stumbled across discontinuities.

Heroes with low percentages began showing up, their names in red ink.
"*I... I recognize some of these names...*"
His eyes widened as he felt acid rise up his throat, dread settling throughout his body.
He began flipping through the pages more aggressively, finding more and more names in red ink.

"*Some of these heroes are among the ones who've gone missing...
But why are there other heroes here who aren't apart of the missing case but are also low percentages and in red ink*"
His throat dried up, his hands growing weak as though the book had grown heavier in his hands.

"*...if the names in red are heroes who've gone missing... The Tokyo Snatcher has taken more than 97 heroes...
If what I think is correct, it's well over a couple hundreds...*"
Tears stung his eyes as he choked, he found evidence...
But it still couldn't be used to prove anything.

His eyes widened as he recalled the planner, he shut the notebook and grabbed it again.
This time, instead of skipping to the present and future, he went back to previous schedules.

"*This date...*"
Shinsou found himself struggling to breathe, his vision blurring as he looked at the name of the most recent missing hero— pro hero Magent.
"*This is the day before he was reported missing...*"
Shinsou aggressively began flipping further back, finding more and more names in red ink— some of which had been apart of the list of 97 missing heroes, and some matching the red inked, low percentaged heroes in the notebook.
"*It takes 24 hours before someone can officially be declared missing.
And all of these days date to the day before all of them have gone missing...
The Tokyo Snatcher strikes the same day as Midoriya's evaluations...*"
Shinsou felt nauseated to his core, struggling to hold back as he snapped several photos of both the notebook and schedule.

He went back to searching the notebook, his eyes widening as he came across names that matched the future scheduled dates.
"*This hero— he's the only one with a 0%...
What the hell do these percentages mean...??? Why are the ones with low percentages getting killed??? How does this connect to the commission...?!*"
Shinsou clenched his jaw, another stricking thought flashing through his mind.

"*...the Tokyo Snatcher is going to strike this hero next...*"
He put down the notebook, his arms thrashing as he grabbed the schedule again, his fingers turning white beneath his gloves, as he flipped through the pages and found the future date.
"*Next week...
This hero will go missing next week—*"

His eyes darted back to the notebook, there were still some pages he hadn't searched.
He flipped through the notebook pages again... until he stumbled across a terrifying page which left him paralyzed in fear.

His name, in red ink, with low percentages.
But his name was the only one underlined. "*5% 2% 4% and now 1%...
What the hell does it mean??! Why am I underlined...!?
Does...
Does he plan on killing me too...??? Was it only a matter of time until I joined the missing heroes...!?*"
It was as though the wind was knocked out of him, he sat there, staring at his name, his heart hammering in his chest— so loud he feared it would somehow get him caught.

"This..."
He whispered to himself, hardly able to get the words out. Everything flashed through his mind, the notebook, the planner, everything he had been compiling over the days... It only lead to one conclusion.

"This is a kill book..."
He choked,
"...And Midoriya is the Tokyo Snatcher..."

Chapter Text

...

"...and Midoriya is the Tokyo Snatcher..."
Shinsou mumbled to himself, staring at his name.
He couldn't believe it.
He sat there for a moment, he didn't know what to do.

"*He was always going to kill me... Whether I found out he was the Tokyo Snatcher or not...— but then if that's the case why hasn't he...?"
Shinsou stared at the line beneath his name, it was dark and clearly redrawn a couple times— almost in a way that seemed like frustration.
"What separates me from the other heroes he's killed...?*"
He pondered for a moment, but it didn't take long before it all clicked.
"*My rank.
I'm the only one above the 100th mark. Meaning, if I disappeared, there would be too much attention on me.
Not to mention, we share friends that are all heroes— my disappearance would be impossible to overlook.*"
His eyes widened, his heart thumping with fear.

"*Doesn't that mean I'm safe? I'm untouchable? If he kills me, everyone would investigate..—
But they already have investigated... And we found nothing...
And Midoriya would get the case closed again*"
The realization snapped him back to reality fast, grounding him back in his anxiety.
"*...and even though I know all of this, I can't do anything...
This evidence isn't concrete— how could I tell detective Tsukauchi that I broke into his psychologist office and found this? He would call me crazy— and if he raised the concern with Midoriya he could always feign confusion and destroy this evidence....
And on top of that— I still don't know what these percentages mean, why lower percentages are killed and higher percentages are kept.
Maybe it's based on who he tolerates?*"
His jaw tightened as he flipped through the pages again, reading the names of everyone he knew and their high percentage marks.

But as he flipped through the pages he fell confused yet again.
"*Bakugo's precent is also relatively low compared to everyone else— but his name isn't in red.
So the percentages aren't based on how much he tolerates people... Damn it then what is it?
Is he keeping Bakugo alive because that's his childhood friend?
This single piece alone makes the notebook evidence crumble— he could always point to Bakugo's low percentages to claim the percentages have nothing to do with the missing heroes...
Hell— he could probably even explain the percentages in a way that makes him look completely innocent. If he just says the percentages are based on people who hate showing up to their evaluations, then not only does that clear him but it makes the missing heroes seem to be at fault for their own disappearance— they weren't fit to be on field and the Tokyo Snatcher took advantage of that...*"
He shook his head, snapping pictures of every page of the notebook.

Even though the evidence was strong, it was still on the circumstancial end.
And with Midoriya's reputation and backings, no one would believe Shinsou over him.
Especially with how he obtained the evidence...

Tears of anger stung Shinsou's eyes, a lump forming in his throat, "*damn it... Even though I know he's the Tokyo Snatcher, I can't do anything...
And he was always going to kill me...? I know we never got along but I never considered murdering that bastard...
...is that what he was considering during the previous evaluation before he suspended me...? When he glared at me like he was picking between two options...?*"
A chill ran down his spine, the realization of just how much danger he had been in settling into his bones.
He had been playing with his life the entire time, and had no idea.

*"I need to stop him.
He can't continue on like this...— and I have nothing to lose, he already wants me dead.*"
He looked at Midoriya's schedule again.
"*I already know the red ink and low percentages mean death for the next hero he evaluates.*"
His eyes skimmed over next week.
"*0%.
That's his next target...

I'll make sure it's his last target.*"

_________________________________________

Sun shone through the large panel windows, its golden rays of early morning warming the office floor.
Dust particles sat suspended in the air, slowly moving to settle on the ground.

Midoriya entered his office, making a quick pit stop before starting his hero shift.
But upon entering... Something felt off.
"... strange"
He scratched the back of his head and looked around.
Nothing was out of place, it all looked to be untouched.
But he couldn't shake off the annoying feeling as he made his way to his desk.

He froze, staring at his seat, "*was someone in my office?*"
He questioned, noticing how the chair was not exactly how he left it the day before.
It was lower than usual, and the cushion slightly lopsided.
The angle was also different, no longer facing the desk but slightly facing outwards.
Midoriya felt his stomach twist as he quickly knelt down and unlocked his drawer, opening it up in a bit of a worry.
He looked inside, letting out a slight breath of relief, "*nothing's missing and it's exactly how I left it.*"
He thought to himself, shutting it and locking it again.

He stood back up, "*not like anyone could've actually gone through my office, not with the guards the commission has posted up*"
His stomach rested a bit, but his mind still searched.

"*Yesterday's cleaners must've swept around my desk... Only plausible explanation*"

_________________________________________

The strong aroma of coffee swirled in the air, paired with the scent of freshly baked pastries.
Shinsou sat in a coffee shop, his eyes heavy and partially blood shot with dark eye bags that displayed his lack of sleep.
He took a sip of his coffee, the bitterness sharp on his tongue, as he let out a drawn exhale.

"*Midoriya has already perfected his act, I won't find anything by tailing him around.
At least I know he won't kill anyone until that evaluation day next Friday— and even then he won't kill anyone because I won't allow it.*"
He took another sip of his coffee, his eyes zoning out into the table.

"*I hardly slept last night, scared that I left behind anything in his stupid office...
But I shouldn't have— I locked everything back up and made sure to leave it exactly how he left it.
And then I snuck back out, releasing the guard once I was in the clear.
There's no way he noticies— and if he somehow does, he has no way of knowing it was me.*"
Shinsou's stomach twisted, and the coffee was no help to his bubbling anxiety.

"*Next Friday I'll have the final piece of evidence I need to have him locked up...
And questioning should reveal whether or not the commission is truly involved.
...if they are I don't know what we'll do...
But now that I think about it... How will I be able to catch him in the act..?
I'll have to wait outside until I hear something incriminating.
...or I break back in and set up hidden cameras...?
But that's too risky, I can't...*"
He shook his head in annoyance, he didn't know what to do. He knew what he had to do, but the process was the challenging part.
"*...and what if he decides to kill me alongside the hero...?
I can't fight back against his damn quirk.*"
His eyes slightly widened, more and more details flashed through his mind.

"*Someone else has to know.
Someone that's reliable and isn't a friend or influenced by Midoriya.
That way, if I disappear, they know who to stop...*"
His resolve solidified, knowing that he was a dead man one way or another.
Part of him wanted to run away, to save his life...
But he knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did.

"*Whoever it is that I tell, they can't know all the details.
Just enough that they know where to start their search*"

_________________________________________

"So the league is supposed to be hanging around these areas?"
Kirishima questioned, walking down some sketchy alleyways of Tokyo.

Midoriya nodded his head, "supposedly"
He replied, "*not really.*"
He thought to himself, knowing the league actually resided in a spot far off from where they actually were. But they didn't need to know that.

"Those bastards are going to regret coming back"
Bakugo scowled, explosions fizzing off his hands.

The three were doing their sweep, it was the last hour of their hero shifts and so they were doing as Nighteye had assigned the day before.

Rats scurried by, hiding in trash cans or running off into abandoned buildings.
Midoriya felt his skin crawl in disgust, "if they allocated more budget in fixing up these areas, the crime rate wouldn't be as high as it is"
He sighed, mentally noting it.

"Well you know how the city is, only so much money they can spend"
Kirishima added, lifting his head up to look at the rooftops.
Upon doing so, a spike was launched straight at him.

His eyes widened as he activated his quirk, tanking the attack as Midoriya and Bakugo lifted their heads up as well and found the attacker.

"Damn villain bastard!!"
Bakugo screamed, launching off the ground and full on chasing the criminal.

"Whoever that is— they don't know us very well, otherwise they would've sent the attack at me, not at someone who's a walking shield"
Midoriya stated, scanning the walls for a way to climb up to the rooftop.

"I'll launch you! Catch that guy!"
Kirishima shouted, running over to a wall and holding out his arms so Midoriya could launch off of them.

Midoriya nodded his head, backed up, and took a running start.
Kirishima lowered his arms and then sprung then up as Midoriya leapt up.
He sprung up the wall, grabbing onto the ledge and pulling himself up and over as Kirishima continued to chase from below.

Midoriya looked straight ahead, watching as Bakugo dodged or blasted the attacks launched by the criminal which continued on fleeing— leaping rooftop to rooftop at great speeds.
"*That's not a league member, so they're ultimately useless to the others.
Regardless, he's an easy capture*"
His eyes began twisting in spirals, capturing the criminal.
"Freeze"
He stated, his eyes locked on the target.

The criminal froze mid leap, barely landing on the next rooftop as he skidded on his shoulder and legs hard on the concrete.
"Bastard!"
Bakugo screamed, sending out one final explosion which left the criminal knocked out.

"I could've gotten him without your help Deku!"
Bakugo shouted, annoyed by the assist.

Midoriya shook his head, "we shouldn't waste time"

He walked over, jumping rooftop to rooftop until he made it. At the same time, Kirishima had climbed up with the use of an emergency ladder he found attached to the side of one of the buildings.

"Doesn't look like a league member"
Midoriya commented, watching as Kirishima flipped him over so his face was visible. The criminal had some scraps, a result from landing hard on concrete.

"Still, one less criminal on the streets"
Kirishima smiled, pulling out a pair of handcuffs and apprehending the guy.

"Tch, he distracted us from the actual search"
Bakugo grumbled, smoke rising from his palms.

Distant footsteps echoed below, partially startling the three heroes who quickly snapped their heads around to look, their minds leaping to the conclusion that it was another criminal.

"I thought I heard familiar voices"
Iida chuckled, waving his hand below.

"Iida! What're you doing here?"
Kirishima asked, surprised to see him wandering around.

"I was also assigned to this area, Tetsutetsu, Ashido, Hagakure, and Shoji are also searching around."
Iida explained.

"Nighteye did say we would run into some of the others in different agencies"
Midoriya reminded, looking around to see if he saw anyone else.
"But aren't there a lot of you working the morning shift?"
He asked.

"Shoji and Hagakure voluntarily decided to join in on the search"

"That makes more sense"

"Cut the small talk and let's get back to work!"
Bakugo exploded.

From there, they all continued their searching, with Iida deciding to join their group as searching alone was unnerving.

Midoriya glanced around, part of him left in unease. His eyes lingered in alleyway shadows, subconsciously in search, but not for a league member.
"*I wonder when yesterday's stalker will make an appearance*"

Chapter Text

...

"*I wonder when yesterday's stalker will make an appearance*"
Midoriya thought to himself, his guard raised.

"So how long have you all been searching this area?"
Iida asked, looking all around like an oscillating robot.

"We're around thirty minutes in, only another thirty to go!"
Kirishima replied, ready to end his hero shift.

"Interesting, I have only just started so it appears I won't be sticking around with you all for long"
Iida lightly chuckled, "how's Nighteye's agency?"
He asked.

"It's great! Though probably because a lot of my friends are there"
Kirishima said, thinking back to Nighteye's strictness. It was a stark difference to Fatgum, the hero he had interned with back in his highschool days.

"Can you damn nerds keep it down??? This is a stealth mission"
Bakugo hissed out through a clenched jaw.

"Fair point.."
Kirishima and Iida said, falling silent.

Midoriya sighed, "*a waste of time. Minus capturing that one criminal, there isn't any benefit of walking through this area*"
He thought to himself, mentally noting how there were no following shadows.
"*Yesterday is seemed they followed me for my entire hero shift, but no sight of them today? Was I just overthinking yesterday or have they just moved on to another target?*"
He questioned, ultimately shrugging it off.

The heroes continued with their search until they were officially done with their shift.
From there, they made their way to Nighteye's agency, leaving Iida behind to continue on with his work.

"Any league members caught?"
Kaminari asked, leaning back in his seat comfortably.

"Not today, but we did get a criminal"
Kirishima smiled, taking his seat beside him and Sero.

"Well it is only day one, and you guys were searching in the morning. Maybe us afternoon shifts will catch them"
Sero chuckled, earning a scowl from Bakugo.

"We'll catch them first- you hear me!"
He shouted, smoke rising off his hands.

"Woah Dynamight let's keep the enthusiasm down"
Mirio nervously chuckled, Bakugo only glared at him in response.

Midoriya and Todoroki shook their heads, "it's not about who captures them first, we just need them stopped"
Midoriya said, resetting the room as he adjusted himself in his seat. He scanned the room, a habit of his.

Todoroki nodded his head, hiding his unease. The others did the same, holding back some chuckles as they tried to take it seriously.
Bakugo just scoffed and crossed his arms in his seat.
The only person who's reaction was amiss was Shinsou's, who just sat there silently watching.

His exhaustion was evident in his face, but despite his clear lack of sleep, his eyes were wide open.
Sero glanced over, noticing both his silence and appearance, and fell shocked.
"Dude what happened to you?"
He asked, turning all attention to Shinsou.

Shinsou felt his stomach churn, his stress levels increasing.
He could feel Midoriya's gaze, a gaze that felt too dangerous- as though he were being hunted. He avoided eye contact, opting to stare at Sero instead since he was the one who asked.

"Couldn't sleep"
He replied, his voice rasp.

"That's obvious, have you seen yourself?"
Sero added, slightly chuckling.

Shinsou shook his head, "just a random insomnia episode. Happens"
He lied, his fingers twitching on the table as he uncomfortably shifted in his seat.

Both Midoriya and Bakugo noticed, their perception for lies too adept.
"*Strange.
He's been off since yesterday and now today he's avoiding even looking my way. And now the obvious lie?
What is he hiding?*"
Midoriya thought to himself.

"*The lie would've made sense if he wasn't so obviously nervous about it- he's been ridiculously tense since yesterday too. The hell is his deal?*"
Bakugo thought to himself, glancing over at Midoriya who he noticed also picked up on the same thing. A suspicious gaze washed over him, but he'd have to question later.

"Makes sense! You have always struck me as someone who's had sleeping issues"
Mirio lightly joked, the others joining in.

Shinsou scratched the back of his head, glancing at Midoriya for a split second who had clearly noticed his lie. It was obvious just by the analytical look on his face. His eyes shot elsewhere, "*he knows something...
He's going to kill me... I need to avoid him at all costs, just until next week*"
He thought to himself, looking down at his phone and pretending to check something.

Kaminari cleared his throat, "hey you know what we haven't done in a while?"
He asked loudly, redrawing all attention to himself.

"What?"
Kirishima asked.

"Hung out as one big group!
How about after hero class we meet up and go to the arcade?"
Kaminari suggested, having gotten bored of the same cycle everyday.

"You're right! We should!"
Sero said, quickly hopping onto the idea.

"Count me in!"
Kirishima added.

"Me too"
Mirio smiled, happy to be included.

"I have no issues with joining"
Todoroki stated in his usual monotone manner.

Bakugo grit his teeth, "tch, fine. Only as long as it's the one that has the battle arena"
He reluctantly agreed, though it was his usual known brute act. He loved going to the arcade as much as they did, but he'd never admit it.

"Midoriya? How about you?"
Kaminari asked.

"Hm"
Midoriya pulled out his phone and checked his schedule. "What time exactly?"
He asked.

"Right after hero school!"
Kaminari replied.

"And when would we be done?"

"Uhh...- any time we'd like...?"
He nervously said.

Midoriya hummed, "fine. I don't have anything on schedule anyway.
But I won't spend a lot of time there either, maximum two hours"
He decided, figuring it didn't hurt to hang out with his friends.

"Yay!"
Kaminari and Kirishima cheered, but they quickly glanced over at Shinsou who had yet to reply.
"What about you??"
They asked in unison.

Shinsou crossed his arms, "..I don't know..-"

"Come on Shinsou you're our friend too!"
Kirishima said, not wanting to make him feel left out.

"*Just when I said I needed to avoid Midoriya as much as possible?? This is going to be a difficult week...
How can I willingly stay around a serial killer...
How can any of them stay around him? How come no one's noticed- why am I the only one*"
Shinsou thought to himself, feeling the burden of the secret weigh on his mind like burning iron. He wished he wasn't alone in his discovery, that there was someone else who could share the burden of truth.
But there was no one, and he had to handle it all alone— watching as his friends trusted the very killer they were searching for a while back. The same killer who not only wanted him dead, but could theoretically turn on them at any given moment.

"Shinsou?"
Sero asked, breaking him out of his train of thought.

Shinsou sighed, "I'll think about it"
He replied, "I'm tired today, so I'm not sure"

"That's fair, if I were you I'd sleep once I had the chance"
Kaminari said with the shrug of his shoulders.

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, approaching the room.
They fell silent, knowing it was time to focus.

Nighteye entered the room, "enough chit chat.
Time to get to work"

_________________________________________

Neon lights buzzed, glowing in the arcade.
The floor was a mix of mismatched colors, standard for the place.
Lively voices filled the building, paired with the sounds of coins, game narrations, and more.

"Woohoo! Time to unwind!"
Kaminari smiled, running over to air hockey with the others.

"Shame Shinsou decided to go home, but it's understandable"
Kirishima added, joining him as well.

Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki stood back, watching them play as they figured out what game they were going to play. Air hockey was four players, and Mirio, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Sero already took off to play.

Bakugo scoffed, glancing at Midoriya, "So?"
He began.

Midoriya looked over, partially confused. "What?"

"What did you do to make Eye bags avoid you at all costs?"
Bakugo sneered.

Midoriya shook his head, "I don't understand-"

"Don't play stupid, he's been acting strange since yesterday.
What? Did you threaten to revoke his hero license if he didn't stop bothering you?"
Bakugo laughed.

"You can do that?"
Todoroki asked, surprised at the thought.

"What- no I can't, at least- I never tried to.
And regarding Shinsou, I don't know what his deal is. Maybe the suspension and supplementals forced his change. Not that I'm complaining either, the silence has been nice"
Midoriya explained, but he himself also hadn't been able to understand his change- only having been suspicious.

"Eh maybe he just hates you so much he can't stand the sights of you."
Bakugo said, shrugging it off after noticing Midoriya really was telling the truth.
"I know I'd be pissed if I was put on suspension because of a verbal argument"
He added, his eyebrows furrowing at the thought.

"Whatever his reason might be, I don't think it matters as long as we can all work together."
Todoroki said, glancing around the arcade. "It's unrealistic to expect everyone to get along just because we're heroes with similar goals."
He added, nodding his head wisely.

"Yeah, just like you with that bald-headed idiot from Shiketsu"
Bakugo scoffed. "Anyway.
To the battle arena!"
He said with a toothy grin, leading the way.

Midoriya followed but his mind was distant.
"*If Kacchan has noticed his behavioral change then it's more noticeable than I originally thought.
Shinsou is avoiding me. For reasons that aren't exactly clear cut.*"
He stared off into the distance, his mind thinking back to the strangeness that was the last two days.
"*His and Todoroki's explanation make sense...
But what if there's more to it?*"

_________________________________________

A printer worked in the background, printing out several sheets of paper and photos.
The large red binder and file sat near the printer, clearly there for organizing purposes, in the large office space.

Shinsou took another sip of his coffee, his stomach sour in pain.
He had hardly eaten that day, feeling too nauseous to keep anything down.
His eyes hardly remained open, his vision blurring as he struggled to organize the papers.

"*This binder and file will be important...
It's all the evidence I've collected on Midoriya; it'll be important to guide him if I go missing*"
He thought to himself, working through his exhaustion as he made small stacks of papers and labels before carefully placing each into the file.
Even his notebook of notes had been copied and printed, used to explain how the evidence made any sense.

With all of it being circumstantial, it didn't make any sense without the slightest bit of context.
Red ink, percentages, heroes, and a schedule, none of them seemed to connect.
But Shinsou knew they did, it's why he had lost so much sleep to begin with.

By the time everything was set and organized, over an hour had passed.
Shinsou stared at the red binder full of missing heroes and his file— the explanation.
His hands trembled beneath their weight, "*it's done...
Everything I have on Midoriya and the commission, explained in detail...*"
He clenched his jaw, clearly angered.
"*Damn it-! It just looks like a massive conspiracy theory.
This would convince no one...*"
He thought to himself, frustrated as he placed them down and slammed his hand on the wall.
"*He's the only one that I think will be able to understand...
His percentage isn't as high as the others— higher than Bakugo's but still in the middle zone.
If those percentages mean anything, I hope it's useful to me.*"
He let out a sharp sigh, coffee breath singeing his nose.

"*I can't tell him everything... Midoriya is smart enough to force me to tell him who else knows...
If no one else exactly knows, there's still a chance...

I can only tell him just where to find this... I trust that he'll be able to complete what I couldn't in the chance I go missing.*"
Shinsou grabbed the items and stuck them in a drawer before making his way to his room.
He crashed onto his bed, still in his work clothes, he was too tired to do anything else.
"*...I will stop Midoriya...*"

_________________________________________

And so the week passed by, slowly but surely. It was the usual work: hero shift, agency work, psychologist work, hero school, and then everything else.
Nothing out of the ordinary, besides a strange shift not only in Shinsou but slightly in Todoroki as well.

Shinsou tried his best to remain normal, but everyone noticed his blatant avoidance.
At the same time, however, they understood and chalked it up to his usual hatred for Midoriya.

Midoriya himself didn't bother questioning it, unable to find any details that could explain it besides the obvious. But in the back of his mind remained a gnawing suspicion, one he couldn't explain nor shake off.

Todoroki had been growing uneasy every passing day, though only Midoriya knew and had an explanation for that, as Todoroki explained it time and time again- His fear of running into Dabi...

And eventually...

The fated Friday was upon them.

Chapter Text

...

Friday...

The day started like every other, the sun rose over Japan, and everyone began starting their days.

Midoriya walked through the streets of Tokyo, a cool breeze ruffling his hair. He looked up at the sky, it was a gloomy day, thick overcast which the sun hardly shone through.
"Looks like it's going to rain"
He mumbled to himself, taking a deep breath in.
Civilains nearby stared at him in awe, snapping pictures as he walked by.
Though when Midoriya was on shift, he didn't waste time with fans, so he ignored them.

His stomach shifted in discomfort, a gnawing feeling burning in the back of his head.
Something about the day was off, something he couldn't explain. It formed like a pit in his stomach, weighing him down with its omnimity.
"*Am I nervous because today's the day I see Mom after so long? Am I worried that something will go wrong?*"
He questioned, unable to figure out his cause for his stress.
He shook his head and released a soft sigh, a small smile tugging at his lips as he thought of the long awaited reunion.

"*It'll be fine.
After I deal with 0%, I get to go hang out with her for a couple hours and then head back here for class.*"
He continued, glancing around the streets.

Bakugo's explosions could be heard in the distance, though they were steady, a clear indicator he was just patrolling from the sky rather than chasing anyone down.

It was a casual hero shift as it always was...
Until the inevitable happened.

A museum alarm blared loudly, shattering the peace.
Though no one could be seen fleeing the building, rather everyone seemed to be frozen in fear.

Midoriya and Bakugo ran to the scene, making their way inside.

"What's going on?!"
Bakugo shouted, running alongside Midoriya.

"I have no idea, we need people to evacuate"
Midoriya replied, ushering people to get moving.
But before he could get anyone to move, an ominous voice broke through the alarm.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you"
A masked man said, holding a gun to a civilian head.

Midoriya and Bakugo froze, staring at the clear hostage situation.

The man laughed, "everyone in here is my hostage!
And if you heroes dare try evacuate anyone then I'll blow their heads off!"
He shouted.

"Help me... please...!"
The hostage cried, struggling under the man's hold.

Bakugo grit his teeth, "you damn villain bastard!—"

Midoriya held out his hand, "what is it that you want?"
He asked, silencing Bakugo.

"We'll be quick, heroes.
You see the hostages are just leverage so you can't do anything! Our real objective are the jewels.
Let us leave with them unscathed and no one will get hurt"
He explained, pressing the gun to the hostage's head. Though something about the way he spoke felt off, like he wasn't speaking the truth.

Bakugo felt his anger skyrocket, "...these damn bastards..."
He muttered, trying to figure out what to do.

Midoriya sighed, "*I'm far enough that he won't be able to tell I activated my quirk. It should be enough time to save everyone and keep the jewels here*"
He thought to himself, activating his quirk.

His eyes began twisting in spirals, capturing the masked man under control.
"You bastard! You think I don't know how your quirk works?!"
He shouted, feeling as Midoriya intercepted his mind.

Midoriya's eyes widened, "Freeze—"
But before the command could be met...
A bullet went through the hostage's head.

The hostage died instantly, but was still held up by the man as he sat there frozen, his finger still pressing the trigger.

"I may go down but I won't let you have your heroic moment!"
The man laughed, the warm blood trickling down his arm.

Bakugo grit his teeth, "you damn bastard!!"
He screamed, charging forward.

Midoriya stood there, eyes wide, "*...the hostage had a high percentage...
He killed a perfectly good controllable...
...and I couldn't save him..?*"
He thought to himself, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.

"Everyone evacuate"
He said, his eyes twisting intensely.

The frozen bystanders walked out, all in uniform fashion.
No one understood how, they were all petrified with fear and could hardly bring themselves to move moments earlier.

Midoriya stepped forward, his eyes locked on the target.
"Where are the others"
He asked, his voice cold.

Bakugo had already exploded off to stop the robbery, knowing he had to continue moving forward even if the situation wasn't the best.

"There are no others."
The masked man replied, a grin forming on his face despite being forced to answer.

"What..."

"You heard me...
All of this was just for my entertainment.
I already have nothing to lose, and I always wanted to know what this was like"
The man laughed, sheer glee in his eyes.

Midoriya stared at him, his eyes glued to his forehead.
"*He's just a 20% bug...
I should kill him... He needs to die.
But I can't.
Not right now...*"
His anger blazed in his chest like a fire as he raised his arm and struck the man right across the face.

Bakugo had come back at the same time, "Deku! The others must've escaped—!"
He froze, watching Midoriya as he delivered the strike.
The man fell over, the corpse falling alongside him, a tooth rolling out beneath the mask.
He stared, eyes wide, "Deku—?"
He understood Midoriya's anger, sharing it as not only did he also fail to save the man's life but it also hadn't been long since he failed to save the UA student, but to see it was also completely... Off putting— like there was something else beyond the anger.
He felt a chill run down his spine, unsettled to his core.

"There are no others"
Midoriya said, lifting his head up, though his eyes lingered on the knocked out criminal.

"Huh?? What do you mean??!"
He shouted, running over.

"I forced him to talk.
He admitted there was no one else and he did this for the sole purpose of entertainment."
Midoriya explained, coldly monotone, coughing a bit as he released the civilains once they made it a safe distance outside.

Bakugo grit his teeth, "...damn bastard."
He let out an exhale, staring at the man's corpse.

Sirens wailed outside as police officers and a couple small time heroes rushed in, all armed.

"What's the situation!"
One of them shouted.

Midoriya turned around, "one dead, one criminal total and captured"
He explained.

They put their guns down as they quickly approached Midoriya and Bakugo.
They didn't question further, taking the apprehended villain and leaving the corpse for the others to transport it to the morgue when they had the chance.

"We have it handled from here. You two are free to go"
A police officer said.

Midoriya and Bakugo nodded their heads and made their way out, silent.
An innocent had died, despite being there to try and save the day...

His eyes continued to spiral, he still hadn't released the criminal from his control.

Bakugo shook his head, "...I'll go continue patrol."
He said, blasting off with guilt weighing on his mind.
Another person had died under his watch, despite his efforts...

Midoriya didn't respond just silently waving him off as he returned his attention to the murderer.
He walked off in the opposite direction, climbing up to a rooftop as he watched him get loaded away.
His eyes practically burned through the glass windows of the police car, watching as the criminal was unmasked.
The man smiled, missing a tooth and bloodied up, but still smiling.

Midoriya sharply exhaled, "when you get to your jail cell..."
He whispered, quiet enough that only he could hear it.
"Silently kill yourself..."
He commanded, his chest stinging in pure annoyance.
It wouldn't go away until that man was dead.

His eyes continued in their twists as he finished off his main shift as a hero before meeting Bakugo at the new location they had to search for league villains.

"Spiky hair's running late"
Bakugo said as Midoriya approached.

"No issue.
He'll catch up"
Midoriya replied monotonely, glancing down the alleyway.
Bakugo didn't notice how his quirk was still active, he only noticed how Midoriya's tone had shifted into something hardly recognizable.
He silently nodded his head and started walking , with Midoriya trailing slightly further back.

The silence was palpable, greatly uncomfortable.
Even Bakugo hadn't spoken a word, still partially shaken by what happened not many hours ago.
After a while of quiet, Bakugo decided to speak.

He cleared his throat, "you know it's not your fault"

Midoriya stared off into the ground, still not responding as he was stuck deep in thought, waiting for the command to be fulfilled.

"Avoiding casualties is impossible— we both know that."
Bakugo continued.

Midoriya again didn't reply, allowing him to speak.
If anything it sounded more like Bakugo was trying to calm himself down from the incident. The guilt of the death was clearly eating at him.

"Speak damnit. You already said it yourself in one of those stupid lectures that there are some things just out of anyone's control!"
Bakugo hissed, annoyed.

Midoriya sighed, the stinging in his chest subsiding as his eyes stopped spiraling. The command was fulfilled, and the world had one less bug to deal with,
"yes casualties are the nature of our job, and there is no such a thing as complete control" he replied finally.
"*But that's why you get rid of the uncontrollable*"
He mentally continued.
"We tried, but some deaths are inevitable"
His voice had returned back to normal, neutral rather than monotone.

Bakugo shook his head, "Tch." He thought back to all that happened,
"you know I get why you hit that bastard— I would've blasted him to hell— but you might get in trouble for use of excessive force if he decides to press charges"
He warned, still disturbed by Midoriya's earlier reaction.
There had been something on his face completely unreadable, but it exuded malice and almost...
Murderous contempt. As though if it were up to Midoriya, he'd have killed the man without remorse. But that wasn't the friend he knew...

"I'm not too worried"
Midoriya replied, though the sureness of his voice was unsettling.
"There's no way the law would side with him"
He continued, clarifying the thought. It would be far too suspicious when the news about the man's death reached the public to leave ambiguous.

"Bastards like him, tch—"

Loud footsteps stomped on the ground,
"Hey guys wait up!!"
Kirishima shouted in the distance, quickly running over and catching up to the two.
"Sorry for running late, I was on the otherside of town and a kid's cat had gotten stuck on a tree"
He explained, smiling as he usually would.

Midoriya and Bakugo just nodded their heads, completely throwing off Kirishima who expected to be somewhat scolded for his tardiness,
"What happened?"
He asked.

"Just a criminal capture gone wrong"
Midoriya sighed.

"A crazy bastard killed an innocent"
Bakugo explained further, there was no point in shielding the incident as he was likely to hear about it sooner or later.

"Oh...
I'm sure you guys tried your best..!" Kirishima began, immediately understanding why they were so off-put.
"If there's one thing I learned from your lectures Midoriya it's that there's only so much we can do, we just have to try our best and continue improve"
He said, attempting to cheer them up.

Midoriya just nodded his head, "*that would be one of the messages I intended for the people of Japan to take away.
It's easy to understand, and most people agree with it, the best way to get their percentages up. With most percentages already high,
all that's left is some extermination.*"
He thought to himself.

"We know spiky hair"
Bakugo scowled, his unease calming down.

From there, the three searched the area.
The silence was no longer suffocating, rather it seemed as though the previous issue had dispersed entirely. While Bakugo still felt the guilt gnawing at his subconscious, he was still able to operate mostly normal. Midoriya had also returned back to his usual self, calm and quiet. After all, he had already dealt with the bug in the system.

They were able to continue their patrol without any issues, returning back to the agency once they were done.

Midoriya sat in his seat, his face expressionless per usual.
"*Having him kill himself in jail was a bold move, but it's both common enough and befitting of his earlier attitude that there shouldn't be any suspicion on my end*"
He thought to himself, releasing an exhale.
He glanced at Bakugo, who for the most part, had returned back to normal— loud and explosive.

His eyes returned to the table,

"*It's fine, his death atones for the murder of the innocent controllable.
After I kill 0%, two pests will be gone.*"
His chest stung in irritation, his mind going back to the incident.
He couldn't stand it... the fact that he had lost control of the situation bothered him immensely.

His finger tapped on the table as he scanned the room, he paused at an empty chair.

"*Shinsou is absent today*"

Chapter Text

.. (T.W. ⚠️)

"*Shinsou is absent today*"
Midoriya thought to himself, questioning his disappearance. In all the time he had been enrolled at the agency, he never once missed a day. With how strange he had been acting leading up to Friday, it only made him much more suspicious.
"*One less bug to deal with*"
He thought to himself in partial relief.

"Anyone see Shinsou?"
Kirishima asked, pointing out his absence.

"No— but it's strange he isn't here"
Kaminari replied.

"He's usually never late"
_________________________________________

A light buzzed, filling the quiet with its hum.
Shinsou looked at his desk, his eyes lazer focused.
"*I'll leave these in my car, that way he has easy access.
I already gave him my warning and possible farewell...*"
He thought to himself, stacking the file and red binder on top of one another as he made a final account of everything he needed.

"*But I have no intention of going down easy.
I'll fight Midoriya before I ever let him silence me*"
Shinsou slung a loaded gun on his belt, his hands slightly shaky.
He let out a sigh, "...I wish I was wrong about this..."
He muttered to himself, grabbing a light jacket and wearing it over his purple hoodie.

"*He knows where to find my spare car key...
...if all goes well he won't even need it...*"
He grabbed the evidence stack, his heart thumping in his chest as though he were carrying a death sentence.
Because in a way, he technically was... Though who it belonged to had yet to be determined.

"*He doesn't know I'm going to see Midoriya.
He doesn't know about this at all, he only knows what to do in the chance I go missing...
That way, Midoriya won't find out someone else besides me knows*"
Shinsou confirmed to himself, feeling partly guilty for dragging the other person into this.
After all, he was essentially risking both their lives.
But the path of justice wasn't easy, and sacrifices had to be made for the sake of the greater good.

"*I can't take my car to his office.
It needs to be left accessible.*"
Shinsou strengthened his hold on the evidence and made his way out of his home office and to his car.
He entered, placing the red binder below the passenger seat chair and the file below the driver's seat.

Afterwards he sat there for a moment, letting out a cold drawn breath as he looked at the gloomy sky.
"*Looks like it's going to rain...
I really hope the wind is blowing in my favor...
I didn't go to the agency today... I didn't want to somehow give myself away...*"
A lump formed in his throat as he started up the car, the engine roaring to a start before calming down into a steady hum.

"*... there's so many things I want to do before I die...
Please... Just give up, Midoriya. Realize it's a pointless battle... Understand you've lost.*"
He drove off, his heart tight with fear.
Unable to bear the silence, he turned on the radio.

"In a hostage situation earlier today..."
The radio trailed off, though he wasn't the only one tuning in.

Midoriya drove through the streets of Tokyo, his radio playing in the background.
He had left the agency at his usual time, off to continue his work of the day.
He let out a drawn sigh, trying to calm his already irritated mind.
"*Just deal with 0% and then I get to see mom...
After that, my day will get better and I can go home and plan for the sports festival.*"
He mentally reassured himself, trying to get rid of the annoying pit in his stomach.
"*Hm, but there's a chance Todoroki decides to bring up the deal at some point these next couple days— with how his paranoia is progressing, i wouldn't put it past him.*"
He scratched the back of his head, "another thing to deal with... "

The radio continued, "after pro heroes Zero and Dynamight apprehended the criminal identified as Ryu Akira, he was taken to Tokyo police department.
However...
Moments after being temporarily placed in a jail cell, the criminal took his own life."

Midoriya let out a soft exhale, "good riddance"
He muttered under his breath, glad to have heard the confirmation.
While he knew he had died earlier, hearing someone else confirm it eased his mind.

Eventually, he drove into his office parking lot, exiting his vehicle.
As he approached the building, he looked up at the dark sky, "*mom doesn't like the rain.
Hope it's not raining in Musutafu*"
He thought to himself, entering the building and heading up to his office. As he entered his office, he couldn't help but feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise as a chill ran down his spine.

He let out a groan, "*why can't I shake off this feeling?*"
He questioned, shutting his office door and walking over to his supply cabinet.
He unlocked it, "everything I need is ready"
He commented, looking at the newly placed supplies.

He never kept post-murder clean up supplies stored in the cabinet until the day of the actual kill, he never wanted to risk it with the janitors roaming the area.
The only item of suspicion always kept there was the knife, but he kept that hidden well.

Midoriya grabbed a bottle of disinfectant and separated the top half from the bottom, revealing a secret compartment where he kept the knife.
He took the bottle to his desk, "*I don't have gloves on yet*"
He thought to himself, not wanting to contaminate the knife with his fingerprints.

"*It won't be long until 0% is here.
Its not likely his percentage will budge, so I have no intention of taking too long.
The commission is already aware of his scheduled time, so their usual preventive measures should be taking place soon*"
Midoriya thought to himself, sitting down at his desk and grabbing a pair of black gloves.
He placed them on his desk in preparation for the near future.

"*Soon, I'll have that insect squashed.
But in the meantime, I'll continue my work*"
He went to log onto his computer, but before he did, his phone buzzed.
He grabbed it, a notification from his mom.

"Hello Izuku!! Looking forward to seeing you today! Love, mom"
The message read.

A small smile tugged at his face, "see you soon, Love Izuku"
He replied, not comfortable with leaving her on read.

From there he got to work, filling the time with productivity.
In the background, rain poured from the sky.
Water showered the ground, rippling and dancing.
Intense wind blew by, slamming the rain into the walls of the buildings. Umbrellas were useless, the only way to avoid the rain was through seeking shelter.

After a while of working, Midoriya paused and checked the time.
"*5 minutes left.
Time for final preparations*"
He thought to himself, standing up and pushing his chair in.
First, he grabbed his gloves and put them on.
Then, he switched his computer screen to broadcast the cameras of the building.

On display in his screen, the main entrance doors camera, the elevator camera, and his hallway cameras, all delivering live video footage.
Midoriya watched, his eyes glued to the main entrance section as he awaited 0% to make his way into the building, like a hunter locked onto its prey.

Not very long after, the hero could be seen making a speedy way inside, running from the bullet like rain.
Midoriya nodded his head and grabbed the cleaning bottle, twisting it to reveal the sharp knife.
He grabbed it alongside his clipboard and made his way to the couch.

He slid the knife under a pillow next to him and left the clipboard on the wooden coffee table.
He then adjusted the guest seat to be positioned perfectly on the white carpet, "*another carpet for easier clean up*"
He thought to himself.

The trap had been set, and all he was waiting for was the insect to make his entrance.

Midoriya sat down on the couch, taking in a deep breath, "*...usually by this point my mind is clear and stress free...
But today, it's as though I can't shake off this feeling...
Why? This isn't like me*"
He thought to himself, sighing a bit annoyed.
Losing control of the earlier situation was one thing, but to not have his emotions under control was another.
Both caused him great frustration.

Knock knock the door sounded, Midoriya wore his psychologist persona, "come in" he said.

Seconds later, 0% entered the room.
"Hey Zero— or should I say
Dr. Midoriya—?"
He said, smiling as he made his way over to his seat.

"Either is fine"
Midoriya politely replied, his eyes glued to his forehead, "0%, why are you so mentally resilient?"
He questioned.

The hero shifted in his seat, partially uncomfortable by Midoriya's unreadable gaze.
"So...—"
He was cut off by Midoriya.

"Let's get started"

~~~

Shinsou ran through the parking lot, "*so much for a stealthy approach*"
He groaned, the cold rain drenching him as the wind blasted him.
He ran to the side of the building, avoiding the main entrance.
"*Using the main entrance is risky. There's cameras.
If I use the emergency backdoor, I should be able to get in without issue...*"
He thought to himself, sprinting over. His stomach churned, heart hammered, this was high stakes and he was scared of messing it all up.

He made it to the backdoor, peering inside through the glass window.
"*No one's back here... Strange...
If I go straight ahead there's a camera and the elevator.
Too risky, I'll have to take the damn stairs again*"
He thought to himself, gritting his teeth as he slowly opened the door and made his way inside.
He pressed his back to the wall, slowly inching and leaving a trail of water in his wake.

He ran to the stairwell and opened up the door, letting out a sharp breath of relief.
"*I'm in...*"
He looked up, an endless amount of stairs staring back at him.
"*Time to end this once and for all*"

~~~

Midoriya shifted in his seat, his hand sliding over to the pillow.
"What have you been doing to manage stress?"
He asked.

"Just the usual.
Working out"
The hero replied.

"And tell me"
Midoriya said, his eyes slowly twisting, "what is it that you don't agree with in my lectures?"
He asked.

"Huh? What're you talking about??"
The hero said, confused. He felt his stomach twist as Midoriya pulled out a knife from beneath the pillow and slid it on the wooden table.

"lets not waste time, I'm a busy person"
Midoriya sighed, his eyes fully spiraling.
"Kill yourself"
He said, gesturing towards the knife.

"...what"
The hero said, feeling his mouth run dry as he stared at the ominous knife.
"Aren't you a hero?! What're you doing!?"
He stood up, flinging the chair across the room. It slammed into the wall, toppling a couple books on a nearby shelf.

Midoriya's eyes widened, "*he's not supposed to be able to do that—*"
His stomach dropped, heart tightened, watching as the hero stared at him with fearful eyes.

"You're no hero! I'm going to report this!"
The man screamed, standing in a defensive position as he stared at Midoriya not knowing what to do.

Midoriya stood up, "I told you to kill yourself"
He repeated, his eyes twisting more intensely.

"The hell?! No!?"
The man shouted, watching Midoriya's growing impatience.

Midoriya's left eye twitched, his patience running flat, "Today... hasn't been a good day"
He said, grabbing the knife off the table.

The hero threw his arms up in defense, he wouldn't have enough time to make it to the door if he tried running, the best he could do was fight.

"Die"
Midoriya said, leaping over the table in aims to stab him.
The hero fought back, grabbing for the knife in Midoriya's hand.
They both struggled, wresting for the knife.

In the process, Midoriya ended up getting knicked to the face, warm blood rolling down to his cheek bone.
He grit his teeth, "you damn bastard" he hissed, freeing his arm and gaining the upper hand.
The hero's eyes widened, his heart hammered in his chest "No—"

In that swift second of control, Midoriya drove the sharp knife deep into the hero's neck. Blood splattering, dirtying not only the ground but Midoriya's suit as well.

He let out a choked breath, trying to push Midoriya's hand away but it was no use.
He lost all his strength and fell to the ground, blood slowly pooling.

Midoriya let out a drawn sigh, his hands shaking, "I usually don't do the killing myself..."
He whispered to himself, kneeling down and pulling out the knife before standing up again.

However...
In that exact second, his office door slammed open.

Midoriya's eyes widened as he stared at Shinsou, bloodied with a fresh corpse still on the floor.

Water dripped off of Shinsou's hair, bouncing off the ground, as he stared eyes wide, his hands shaking as he held out his gun towards Midoriya.
"You're...
You're the Tokyo Snatcher...!"
He shouted, choking on his own fear.

Midoriya stood there, knife still in hand, silent.
"*What is he doing here...
Why is he here...*"
He questioned, trying to keep himself calm.

Shinsou furrowed his brows, clenching his jaw as he stared at the fresh corpse.
"*I was too late... Damn it!*"
Guilt filling his conscience.
"It's over Midoriya...
I caught you red handed."
He forced out, aiming the gun straight.

"Shinsou."

"If you try anything, I'll shoot you!"
Shinsou shouted, cutting him off.
"This all ends today."

"You're misunderstanding"
Midoriya said, trying to regain control of the situation.
His heart hammered in his chest, his jaw clenched, "*this damn insect...
I should've killed him a long time ago*"
He thought to himself, gripping the knife in hand.

"There's no misunderstanding here Midoriya...
You're a serial killer!
You're the one behind all 97 missing heroes..!"
Shinsou shouted, his voice cracking a bit as a cold chill ran down his spine.

"Let's just talk—"
Midoriya forced out, blood dripping from the blade in hand. His eyes glanced to the computer screen,
"*...Who—*"

"There's no talking here Midoriya!
Turn yourself in!
Or I will shoot you!"
Shinsou threatened, his arms shaking but still locked on his target.

Midoriya fell silent, staring at Shinsou, "*I can't use my quirk, he'll be able to fire a bullet faster than I can take control...
What do I do...
There's no way it all ends here... Not when I'm so close to success*"
His mind raced in panic, adrenaline coursing throughout his veins.

Shinsou stared at him, his heart racing, "*I have him cornered... There's no way out...
It's over*"
His stomach churned, stressed beyond repair.

For a moment there was a stillness...
Water dripped from Shinsou's hair and coat, and blood dripped from Midoriya's blade and corpse.
They stared at one another, in a total stand still. No one dared to move... And both were trying to figure out what to do.

Midoriya's eyes widened, "Shinsou—" he stretched out his hand.

Shinsou flinched, clenching his jaw,
"No—!"

Bang

Chapter Text

...

Bang

For a moment there was total silence...
Midoriya stared, eyes wide, heart hammering in his chest as his grip on the knife loosened... His ears rung loudly, staring at Shinsou.

Shinsou's head tilted, leaning against the cold wooden door— slowly sliding downwards, water streaking in his descent...
as he fell to the ground...
Knocked out cold.

Midoriya let out a sharp breath, turning his head to meet another pair of eyes.
"Todoroki."
He stated flatly, though he felt relief wash over him, anyone else could've been detrimental.

Todoroki stared back, his hand still suspended midair from when he struck Shinsou, slightly shaking.
"I..."
He began, slowly putting his arm down.
"Wanted to claim my part of the deal.."

~~~~~~~~~~

Every passing day since the confirmed return of the league, Todoroki grew with unease.

He didn't want to run into Dabi, his older brother who was supposed to be dead. He couldn't bring himself to fight him, but at the same time, he couldn't even comprehend confronting him.

He wouldn't have even known that Dabi was his brother if it weren't for Midoriya, who had come to him with a deal a long time ago.
Long story short, Midoriya offered Todoroki the chance to meet his brother in exchange for acting as an informant among the heroes whenever Midoriya couldn't be there.
Though he also doubled as cover for whenever Midoriya was unexplainably absent or too busy to make it to anything.
The catch was, Todoroki couldn't act against Midoriya. So even if he saw something incriminating, he couldn't speak.
The bonus was that he didn't need to come in for evaluations.

For a short time period, he was conflicted, unable to believe his long dead brother had actually been alive and a villain— and that one of his friends was involved in something shady.
But ultimately, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to speak with his brother, and agreed to the deal.

Though Midoriya had expected it, his percentage had been high enough that he knew he could offer without worry...
On top of that, he also knew that Todoroki had been mentally destroyed by his father, so his morality sat on a gray line.

Now however, the league was acting boldly, and with the heroes searching for them, it wouldn't have been long until Todoroki had a confrontation with his brother unprepared.

"*I can't bring myself to fight him...
But with how the investigation is progressing, it won't be long until I run into him*"
Todoroki thought to himself, stress gnawing at his mind.
He had called Midoriya several times that week alone, trying to figure out what to do.
But each time Midoriya told him the same thing, that he could schedule a meet up when he was ready.

By the time Friday rolled around, he had already surpassed his breaking point.
"*That's it.
I've had enough, I'm going to confront him...*"
He decided, his stomach twisting at the thought.

"*I'll go to Midoriya's office.*"

~~~~~~~~~~

Midoriya sighed, "*Thankfully it was him who I barely saw on camera.
If he didn't come in when he did, I don't know what I would've done*"
He thought to himself, placing the bloodied knife on the coffee table.
"No issue. I always hold up my end of a deal"
He said.

Todoroki nodded his head, looking around, "what happened...?"
He asked, pointing at Shinsou.

"I have no idea.
Somehow he figured out what I do"
Midoriya replied, anger evident in his voice.

"...how?"
Todoroki asked further.

"I don't know...—"
Midoriya's eyes widened as he recalled the weeks that passed.
"...he was personally investigating the Tokyo Snatcher case...
There must've been something in those files that connected them to me"
He said, his voice straining as he realized the commission really failed him.
The day was only proving to be getting worse by the minute.

"But when we were investigating we didn't see anything that connected them.."
Todoroki said, still confused.

"How he found out is the least of our worries, we need to deal with him and this body first"
Midoriya said, walking towards the door.

"You're right..."
He paused, scratching the back of his head
"..is it possible I see my brother today..?"

Midoriya kneeled down, prying the gun from Shinsou's hands, "Don't worry.
You'll be seeing him very soon"
He replied, switching the gun to safety before placing it in his pocket.
"Help me move his body"

Todoroki nodded his head nervously as he and Midoriya dragged Shinsou into the room and shut the door.
From there, they placed him on a chair and bound him up in handcuffs and rope.
Water rolled down his chair onto the ground, slowly but surely.

"Id kill him... but I need answers first."
Midoriya tsked, his anger simmering.
"*How did he figure it out... What did I miss?? I shouldn't have wasted time, he should've been priority elimination- even if it was risky*"

"But you can't keep him here either so what'll you do?"
Todoroki said while opening up the cabinet full of cleaning supplies.

"You said you wanted to see your brother didn't you?"
Midoriya asked rhetorically.
"He'll be taken to the league's base.
I deal with him while you meet your brother, sounds like a win win to me"

Todoroki nodded his head, a bead of sweat forming, "okay..."
He walked back over, handing Midoriya some cleaning supplies.

"We'll deal with the body first.
Hopefully he's awake by then"
Midoriya said, walking over to the supply cabinet to pull out the body bag, Todoroki hadn't thought of it— he wasn't used to disposing of bodies.

Shinsou's eyes fluttered open, still in a cold daze.
He slowly lifted his head up, his vision blurry, water dripping down his face.
Then, all the memories hit him at once. He jolted in his seat, his eyes snapping open as he looked around.
Before him, he found Midoriya stuffing the hero's body into a body bag while Todoroki burned the white carpet to ashes.
"...what..."
He choked, trying to move, though he found himself completely bound up.
"What?!"
He shouted louder, tears stinging his eyes.
"I had your cornered— Todoroki...!? You're in on this!?"

Todoroki just silently stared at him, not knowing how to exactly reply.
Technically he was, but he never partook in any murder.

Midoriya glared at Shinsou, "it's in your best interest to remain silent."
He hissed, lifting up the body bag and leaving it by the garbage chute.

"But I had you at gun point...
...I had the upperhand...
How...— what happened?!"
Shinsou yelled in disbelief, tears stinging his eyes.
He looked over at Todoroki, piecing together what happened based on his memory.
"*...when Midoriya shouted my name he did it because he didn't want me to turn around...
He knew Todoroki was coming...?
No, no way... There was real fear in his eyes earlier...
Damn it...! I should've taken into account he's probably not the only crazy bastard involved! If he's working with the commission, who knows who else works with him*"
He clenched his jaw, tears streaming down his face as his heart pounded against his ribs.
"*I shouldn't have come alone...*"

"I said silence"
Midoriya scowled, walking over to a puddle of blood to start cleaning it up.

"You damn bastard...
Aren't you supposed to be a hero!?
Why are you doing this!?"
Shinsou screamed, thrashing in the seat.
"*I really didn't want to die... Damn it damn it damn it!*"

Midoriya's gaze grew more threatening, his eyes spiraling, "*what a waste of energy*"
He grit his teeth.

Shinsou struggled, trying to both fight for control and get out of the bind.
But ultimately he lost both battles.
His chair tipped and fell over, slamming him on the ground.
He let out a pained scream, some of his fingers crushed beneath his weight.

"Silence"
Midoriya commanded, his gaze threatening.

And before Shinsou could argue, he fell muted, unable to utter a single word.
His face twisted in pain as he rocked the chair in an attempt to free his fingers, but every movement sent ripples of pain through his arm.

Midoriya let out a breath, using paper towels to absorb most of the blood before using other chemicals to get rid of any trace that could've been left behind.
Then, he stuffed the paper into the duffle bag alongside the ashes of the burned carpet before wiping down his knife and hiding it in its usual spot.
From there, he sent his usual message to the commission and waited for the signal to send down the body.
"*They can't know about the league. This entire operation needs to be discreet*"

"Do you want to help him up..?"
Todoroki asked, a bit uncomfortable as he watched Shinsou struggle.

Midoriya glanced at Todoroki, "he'll be moved soon enough."
He replied sharply, opening up the garbage chute and throwing down the body after receiving the signal. He had no interest in making Shinsou's stay comfortable.
"I need to make a call."
He said, walking over to the door and exiting the room.

Todoroki stood there, watching Shinsou squirm as he waited for Midoriya's return.
His anxiety sent cold waves throughout his body, every moment he spent thinking about the impending meet the more he grew anxious.

Midoriya stood in the blind spot of the camera, not wanting to be seen bloodied up.
He called Shigaraki.

"What do you want"
Shigaraki asked drowsily, as though he were just waking up.

Midoriya sighed, "I'm bringing a hostage. Think you can have something set up before I'm there?"
He asked.

Shigaraki's eyes widened, "eh?? Springing this so randomly — not like you at all?? What going on—"
His voice was full of shock, one that only rubbed salt in Midoriya's anger.

"Look I'll explain the situation when I'm there."
He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fine.
Kurogiri will have a room set up. But I'm expecting details"
Shigaraki sneered.

"Good. And one more thing"

"...you're full of surprises today"

"Do I need to call AFO instead?"
Midoriya hissed, pacing around.

"No no— what is it this time?"
Shigaraki asked, as curious as ever, Acting like an annoying older sibling trying to avoid the involvement of a parent.

"Tell Dabi to be at the base. There's something I need to discuss with him"
Midoriya explained vaguely.

"...I'm going to need details on this later too— but consider it done"
Shigaraki said, this was beyond his level of expectations for Midoriya.
To him, Midoriya was someone who always planned in advance and informed them of plans weeks prior— so the sudden springing of demands left him shook.

"Good.
We'll be at the base in 40 minutes"
Midoriya said, ending the call before Shigaraki could say anything else that would annoy him.
"*I need to let mom know I'll be late*"
He thought to himself, sending her an apologetic text message before walking back into the room.

"That was fast"
Todoroki commented, watching as Midoriya walked over to his cabinet and pulled out a first aid kit.

"We need to be quick, I'm still on schedule and this is causing a delay"
Midoriya explained, wiping off the blood on his face and putting a bandaid on the flesh wound.

Todoroki sighed, "if upholding the end of the deal is an issue right now—"

"No.
I've already made the arrangement"
Midoriya said sharply, checking his watch.
"*Damn it, I'm already late*"
He clenched his jaw, annoyed that the one thing he had been looking forward to had to be placed on a back burner in the meantime.

Todoroki slowly nodded his head, the mental realization that he had reached the point of no return creeping into his system.

"Help Shinsou up"
Midoriya said, walking over to his desk and grabbing his coat.

"*I don't have a different outfit to change into— that damn insect, how the hell did he resist..? In all the time I've had this quirk, no one's been able to avoid my active form..."
He could feel himself slowly spiraling, distraught at the situation.
"... How can I greet mom like this?*"
He thought to himself, his chest stinging with frustration as he zipped up the jacket to hide the blood.
"*The coat can't come off.*"
He walked over to Todoroki, helping him unbind Shinsou.
Before Shinsou could even fight back, Midoriya gave him another command.

"Walk with us, no fighting. Hold your head low, no eye contact with anyone."
Midoriya scowled, his eyes still spiraling intensely.

"How do you plan on leaving here without anyone noticing?"
Todoroki asked, still unaware of how they'd be able to pull it off. The last thing he needed was to be a suspect once it was reported Shinsou had disappeared.

"I already have it covered.
We won't be getting caught"
Midoriya replied, shoving Shinsou out of the chair.

In the moment he had walked over to his desk, he disabled the building cameras, and because it was a kill day, the commission had already disabled all the street cameras within a five mile radius.

Midoriya placed the chair back in its spot before taking a look around the room.
The room stared back, all pristine. Not a single drop of blood had been left behind, and the only thing truly amiss was the missing carpet beneath the chair.

"*Okay...
Nothing incriminating left behind.

I need to deal with him fast, mom is waiting for me*"

Chapter Text

...

"*Mom is waiting for me*"
Midoriya thought to himself, looking back over at Todoroki and Shinsou.
"Let's go
"But before that." He paused.
"Your phones.
Shut them down"
He said, waiting a minute for them to grab their phones and power off the devices.

Afterwards the three of them made their way out of the room, though Shinsou's face continuously contorted. He was trying to fight against the quirk, but with how focused Midoriya was, it was near impossible.
Midoriya locked his office door, looking around the hall.
"We're taking the stairs."
He announced.

"Makes sense, less people we pass the better"
Todoroki replied.

"*Damn it... I'm going to die...*"
Shinsou thought to himself, tears stinging his eyes.
"*But why... Why does he kill heroes? What do those percentages mean..!*"
A lump in his throat formed, painfully. He couldn't cry or speak, so it just choked and burned him.
"*...I knew coming here was a risk... I knew I could die...
And I already prepared for that... But...*"
His heart hammered in his chest, his fingers throbbing in pain in a way that matched his heartbeat.
"*I don't want to die... I still have so many things I want to do...*"
Tears rolled down his face, sending a chill of frustration down Midoriya's back.

"*You chose this for yourself Shinsou.
No one told you to investigate. You should've dropped it.
This is what happens when you stick your nose where it doesn't belong.*"
Midoriya thought to himself, struggling to keep a stoic face. His jaw had been unknowingly clenched, his eyes spiraled intensely, and a vein in his forehead was clearly visible.
"*Granted.
I was always going to kill you.
You just expedited the process*"

They made their way down the stairs, quickly and swiftly. Midoriya didn't want to waste a second, as every second wasted was a second delayed from seeing his mom.

Shortly, they made it to the ground floor and took the backdoor exit.
Midoriya looked around, "I'm going to bring my car to the door.
Wait here"
He said, deciding it was too risky to walk with Shinsou to his car in the broad day light.

Todoroki nodded his head, standing there alongside Shinsou.
He glanced over, noticing his pained expression and glanced away, uncomfortable.
"*I never intended to help Midoriya with a murder...
But I'm too intertwined now... I have no choice but to see it through.*"
He thought to himself, cold wind whipping his face, carrying with it, rain.

Midoriya speed walked to his car, the rain pelleting like bullets.
By the time he sat down in his driver's seat, his hair had been mostly dampened.
He let out an irritated sigh, starting up his car.
"Today is panning out to be a terrible day"
He hissed under his breath, quickly shifting gears and driving over to the door.
Before he drove off any further, he shut down his phone— not having done so earlier.
"*Cant risk being tracked*"
He thought to himself.

Todoroki opened up the back door, allowing Shinsou to enter, before going to the passenger seat and sitting down.
"How do you intend to drive there?"
He asked.

Midoriya furrowed his brows, clearly irritated, "Todoroki I have this handled. Don't ask unnecessary questions" he snapped, driving out of the parking lot and starting the drive.

"Okay then.."
Todoroki said, able to sense Midoriya's frustration radiating into the air.
His stomach flipped with unease, unable to believe he was about to confront his brother in less than an hour...

"Open up the glove box. Inside, there's a hoodie.
Put it on"
Midoriya instructed, glancing at Todoroki's multicolored hair.
It was too much of a dead give away, if anyone caught a glimpse of it they'd know who he was.
"Shinsou.
When we exit the car, take off your jacket and place it over your head"
He continued.

"*I'll put on my mask, my hair is damp enough that the color is hard to make out*"
He thought to himself, his eyes locked on the street.

His wind shield wipers waved back and forth fast, gliding the water away, his engine hummed, but to Midoriya it was too loud.
Everything was.
Every drop of rain, every squeak of the wipers, every second of the engine's humming, the wheels driving over imperfections on the road, the honks of others cars on the road...
All made noise... Each hammering against his eardrums, sending ripples through his brain.
He felt his frustration grow across his chest, burning like a fire.

The world needed to be silenced.

Midoriya took a deep breath in, "*it's fine...
Everything is under control...
The earlier bugs are dead and dealt with, and all I have to do is deal with this one before I can go see mom...*"
He let out a drawn exhale, trying to regain control.
But with the continuous noise and his stress at an all time high, there was no true calming down, like an airplane facing turbulence.

He began his series of twists and turns, Shinsou watched, his eyes widening, "*this is how he lost me last time..— where is he taking me...*"
He thought to himself, hardly able to see. Nausea seized his senses, caused by both motion sickness and stress.

Midoriya made one final turn before parking his car and slipping on his mask.
"It's a twenty minute walk, but necessary"
He said, getting out of the car.

Todoroki pulled up the hoodie, hiding his hair, as he exited the car and opened up the door to allow Shinsou to exit.
The rain had slowed down a bit, though it still showered.

"Let's go"
Midoriya said, watching as Shinsou unzipped his jacket and placed it over his head.
With that, no one could recognize who he was.

Todoroki kept his head low, not wanting his face to possibly be seen by anyone.
But despite the fact it was day time, not a single person wandered the area— except for them.
People knew not to be spotted there, far too dangerous for the average person.

Midoriya walked fast, Todoroki and Shinsou struggling a bit to keep up.
Wind howled through the alleyway, the cold smacking them.
With the downpour, the cold seemed to stick.
Though, with how fast they were walking, they were warm enough.

After a speedy walk, Midoriya knocked on a door, the metal cool on his knuckles.

Todoroki felt as though he could vomit, "*this is it...
The thing I've been avoiding...*"
He internally panicked, feeling the stress practically choke him.

The door scraped open, Midoriya quickly entered, the two following behind.
They were greeted by the warmth of the base, a stark contrast to the cold outside.
Water dripped off of them, splashing on the hard wood floor.

Midoriya sighed, looking around as he shut the door behind him.

"Two hostages?? We only prepared for one"
Shigaraki said, trying to get a good look at their faces.
Though with how they had been hiding their faces, he couldn't figure it out.

Shinsou felt his heart drop, "*...I recognize this voice...*"
His mouth ran dry, "*...Tomura Shigaraki...
He's working with the league...!?*"
Anguish flashed through him, his heart hammering in pain.
There were layers to Midoriya's betrayal towards the heroes, and every layer proved to be worse than the last.

"There's only one hostage"
Midoriya said, glancing around the room.
"Is Dabi here yet?"
He asked.

"He's on his way, but he isn't exactly happy to be traveling in the rain"
Shigaraki replied, still trying to get a good look at their faces.
"If there's only one hostage, who's the other guy?"
He asked.

"He's here to speak with Dabi."
Midoriya replied as Todoroki slowly pulled down the hoodie.

Shigaraki's eyes widened, "Another hero???"
He almost shouted, shocked.
"if stain were still around, I don't think he'd have spared any one of you"
He commented, watching as Todoroki glanced away in discomfort.

"Where's the hostage room"
Midoriya said, returning to the main point.

"There"
Shigaraki pointed to a door towards the back of the base, "there's a metal chair in there"

Midoriya nodded his head, "okay then."
He walked over, Shinsou, without any choice, following behind.
Todoroki followed as well, not wanting to hang around the entrance door.

The door squeaked open, revealing an entirely cement room with one window and vent, and placed dead center, a large metal chair.
A single light bulb hung from the ceiling, giving the room an eerie white glow.

Midoriya had Shinsou sit down in the chair and lock himself up, only unable to lock a single arm— to which Midoriya then ended up locking.
Afterwards, he released him from his control— preserving his energy.

"You damn bastard!"
Shinsou screamed, his voice hoarse.
"The League of villains!? You've been working with them this entire time!?"
Tears streamed down his face, his words forced out through a clenched jaw.

Midoriya stared at him, irritated beyond what could be described through words.
"You put this upon yourself Shinsou. You could've lived if you didn't —"

"Liar!
I saw the notebook...
You were always going to kill me!"
Shinsou shouted once more.

Todoroki stared in confusion, "what notebook?"
He asked.

Midoriya's eyes widened, something inside of him slowly cracking, "Todoroki.
Get out"
He instructed, turning his head over, practically glaring.

Todoroki felt a chill run down his spine, quickly exiting the room before he angered Midoriya any further.
Upon exiting, he found a curious Shigaraki.

"Who's the hostage?"
He asked, figuring he could get answers from Todoroki.

"Shinsou"
Todoroki replied plainly, his eyes locked on the door, fearful of his brother's entrance.

"Another hero...? Did Zero get found out?"
Shigaraki asked, only able to jump to that conclusion.

Todoroki nodded his head, "Shinsou somehow found out."

"And what lead to this— how did Zero find out?"

"Shinsou confronted him with a gun"

Shigaraki's eyes widened, "is that why he's wearing a band-aid? A bullet grazed him? How did he maneuver his way out of his loss?"
He pointed out.

"...I.."
Todoroki paused, not wanting to disclose his participation.

Shigaraki furrowed his brows, "what did you do?"

Todoroki sighed, scratching the back of his head, "I intervened, stopping Shinsou"
He glanced back at the room, hardly able to hear anything, only the anger in Midoriya's voice creeping out.

"*That day when I felt like someone had been in my office..—
It was him?!*"
Midoriya's jaw tightened, "How do you know about the notebook?"
He hissed out.

Shinsou stared, "*...Seems like not even his allies know about the notebook....
I have an upper hand here..?*"
he realized, glaring at Midoriya "your office was easy to break into" he scowled.

Midoriya stared at him, his hands twitching, his heart hammering.
Everything had made sense...
But in the worst way.

"*...he's going to kill me*"
Shinsou thought to himself, practically able to see the seething malice radiating from Midoriya.
"*But not without a fight...
I won't let him get what he wants*"
His resolve solidified, accepting his fate.

There was a moment of silence, only the pattering of the outside rain, the hum of the night bulb, and the occasional drip of water from their clothes, could be heard.

Midoriya broke the silence first,
"What did you see in my notebook"
He stated, each word carrying with it a weight like poison.

"Heroes... All with unexplainable percentages...
And my own name along others written in red..." He replied.
"What do the percentages mean Midoriya..!? Why kill heroes?!"
He shouted, he needed answers.

Midoriya pinched the bridge of his nose, hardly able to keep what was left of his patience from thinning.
"What else did you see"
He asked.

Shinsou grit his teeth, "*if I want to keep control, I'll need to answer...
Otherwise he'll just force me to talk*"
He thought to himself.
"...your schedule, and the communication between you and the commission...
But Midoriya, you still haven't answered my question...! Why do you do this?!"
He answered.

"*That's how he knew I was going to kill 0% today.
But the communication between me and the commission— no way he decoded that*"
Midoriya thought to himself, dragging his hand down his face before placing it back down to his side.

"Answer me Midoriya!"
Shinsou yelled.

Midoriya continued to just stare at him, contemplating, "*there's no way he did this without a plan.
There has to be backup, he's probably told someone else.*"
He could feel his vexation rise beyond levels he thought was possible.
Without even consciously realizing it, his eyes began twisting.
"*I need answers...
Now.
No delay... If there's someone else, I need to get rid of them before they can do anything*"
He thought to himself, his ears ringing.

Shinsou convulsed, the hijacking of his mind almost physically painful.
"*He won't answer...
...I'm going to die without ever knowing why this bastard kills people!*"
His nails scraped the metal of the chair.

Midoriya's glare intensified, his eyes looming spirals,
"Shinsou.

Who else knows what I do"

Chapter Text

..

"Who else knows what I do?"
Midoriya asked, every word sharper than the last.

Shinsou felt his heart drop, panic surging throughout his body. "*I took the precaution in not telling him what it is I know... Who it is that I'm going after... I only told him to check my car if I go missing...
But is that enough to protect him?*"
He thought to himself, feeling as his vocal cords forcefully moved to produce a sentence.
"No one"
He replied, his eyes widening. His heart lurched, "it worked...! But does he take the bait..."
He controlled his reaction, not wanting to give himself away.

Midoriya blinked, hardly able to believe what he had heard.
"*No one? No... That doesn't make sense... There's no way Shinsou would come without a plan...*"
He scratched the back of his head, his frustration shooting throughout his veins.
He picked at his fingers, "*regardless... What he said it true.
No one knows for now...*"
beads of sweat formed on his forehead, "*I'm already an hour late to see mom...
Damn it!*"
He bit his finger, furrowing his brows.

"*Is he taking the bait...?*"
Shinsou thought to himself, his heart pounding against his rib cage.

"*It'll take 24 hours before he's reported missing.*"
Midoriya reassured, "*he'll be absent from class...
But I could always force him to send a text explaining it.
Mom is waiting for me, and I already cleared the most important questions...*"
He let out a sharp frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he glared at Shinsou.

"I know you probably figured out some kind of loop hole to that question.
But I don't have time right now"
Midoriya hissed out, checking his watch again.

Shinsou felt dread slam back into him, "*he knows it's bait... But he's also in a rush...
That should keep Midoriya away from him long enough to give him time to find the files later today*"
He thought to himself, hopeful.

"However, I have no intention of taking risk. I'm taking your phone."
Midoriya said, walking over and freeing one of his arms.
"Hand it over"
He said.

Without any choice, Shinsou reached into his pocket and handed Midoriya his phone before watching his hand get reshackled.

"What's the password"
Midoriya asked.

Shinsou struggled, wanting to bite his tongue, but it was useless. "102030" he replied.

"I'll be back later.
In the meantime, you'll sit here.
Don't worry, you won't be killed yet, I still need answers"
Midoriya scowled, rushing out of the room and slamming the door shut.
He found Todoroki and Shigaraki standing nearby.

"Is he dead?"
Shigaraki asked.

Midoriya shook his head, "not yet. Keep him in total isolation, no interactions from anyone."
He instructed, "*the more mentally exhausted he becomes, the easier it'll be to take control.*"
He thought to himself, having a reason to keep him in isolation.
"I have no intention of keeping him alive for very long, so no need to worry about giving him food or water either"
He continued.

Shigaraki nodded his head, "whatever, he's your hostage.
But how do you plan on keeping this under wraps? You think he hasn't told anyone"
He asked, only furthering Midoriya's anger.

"I know he has a plan, but as of today, no one knows except for him.
That buys me enough time— I need to go"
Midoriya said, practically pushing past them to leave the base.

"What has him in a rush"
Shigaraki sneered, glancing over at Todoroki to see if he had any answers.

Todoroki shrugged his shoulders, watching as Midoriya shoved the metal door open and took his exit.
"No idea..—"
he trailed off as at the very moment Midoriya had left ...
Someone else had entered.

Midoriya bolted through the alleyway, the downpour of rain back in full intensity.
Every drop was cold, sending chills throughout his body.
The air cut through his lungs, burning his nose. He cut what would've been a twenty minute walk to an eight minute run.

He sat down in his car, his chest partially heaving, as he started it up and drove out of there.
His tires screeched on the asphalt, leaving behind rubber burns, as he drove away from the area fast.

"*I need to optimize and get there as fast as possible.
My phone should be able to give me a route with the least amount of traffic.
But I can't turn it on yet— I'm still not out of this area*"
Midoriya thought to himself, placing his phone beside him.
He drove through the streets, speeding as fast as he could.

"*I just need this one part of the day to go well.
Just need to see her...
...This day has been horrible...*"
His chest tightened, beads of water dripped off his hair. The bandaid hardly remained stuck on, slowly peeling, exposing the fresh wound.

After getting far enough, Midoriya pulled over and grabbed his phone.
"*Finally. Now I just need the fastest route—*"
Upon his phone's activation he found that he had been bombarded with calls and notifications...

He felt his heart drop, stomach twisting, "*no...
Did they somehow find out about Shinsou...?*"
His mouth ran dry as he checked his notifications, finding a couple missed calls from an unknown number and several missed calls and text messages from Bakugo.
The hairs on the back of his neck rose, his hands partially trembling.
"*What's going on...*"
Water rolled down the side of his head, dripping down onto his jacket.

Without wasting time, he called Bakugo.

"Hello—"
He said, attempting to keep his voice steady.

"Deku?! We've been trying to reach you— where have you been!?"
Bakugo screamed, panic evident in his voice.

"Why what's going on..?"
Midoriya asked, his stress leeching into his words.

Bakugo let out a sharp sigh, clearly pained, "...look"
He began.

Though with the way Bakugo had spoke, Midoriya knew something was terribly wrong...
His face paled, and for a moment, it was at though everything came to a stand still.
Rain droplets sat suspended in the air, cars on the nearby road froze, even his own heartbeat had come to a total stop.

Bakugo continued, "your mom..."

_________________________________________

Todoroki stood there, his heart slamming against his rib cage as he stared at who stood at the entry door.

Dabi had walked in, slowly shutting the metal door behind him. He had yet to see the hero who stood by Shigaraki, though he was rather confused to have run into Midoriya leaving when he was the one who called him to base to begin with.
"Didn't Zero need to see me? Why's he running —"
He asked, glancing around the room.
His eyes landed on Shoto, who stood nervously beside Shigaraki.

Dabi froze, almost choking on his own words, as he realized just what it was that happened.
Midoriya hadn't called for him to speak with him, but had called him to speak with the person he had been avoiding this entire time.

For a moment, the two just stared at eachother, no one daring or even able to speak first.

Shigaraki stood there a bit awkwardly, not one for a clearly tense conversation. He didn't even know why the hero needed to speak with the villain, but figured it had to be important if Midoriya arranged it.
"I'll let you two speak then"
He said, the first to break the silence as he walked off to AFO's lab to tell him what happened.

Dabi stared, his eyes glancing to the door, clearly in debate as to whether or not to leave.
He shook his head, taking another step further into the base.
"...What's a hero doing in a villain lair?"
He asked, deciding to feign ignorance— as though the person before him held no significance.

Todoroki's hands tightened, he tried to speak but found himself choking on his words.

"Did Zero bring another traitor..?"
Dabi asked further, pretending as though he didn't know the hero.

Todoroki mustered up his courage, clearing his throat, "...I know who you are"
He said.

Dabi's eyes partially widened, this wasn't how he imagined his family confrontation to go.
"...do you now..."
He said, taking a step towards the counter.

Todoroki nodded his head, tears stinging his eyes as he struggled to remain composed.

Dabi let out a sigh, glancing away and looking at a nearby wall, "then why are you here."
He asked, his words sharp.

Todoroki's eyes widened, staring at his brother as though he had been stabbed by the words.
A couple tears rolled down his face, "...I..."
He choked.
"...couldn't bring myself to fight you..."
He murmured.

"Eh?"
Dabi replied, unable to hear below his mumbles.

Todoroki stared at him, noticing what looked to be a disinterested expression on his face, "...forget it"
He wiped off his tears and made his way to the exit, passing by Dabi who stared in confusion.
But before he could take his exit, he was stopped.

"Hold on..."
Dabi said, though a bit reluctant.

Todoroki froze in his steps, unable to turn around and face him.
He stared at the metal door before him, his hand trembling as he reached out, contemplating whether or not to leave.

"You know"
Dabi began, staring at the back of Todoroki's head.
"I didn't intend for our first meet up to go like this."
He slightly chuckled.

Todoroki partially turned around, staring at Dabi.
A bloody tear stung his left eye, slowly rolling down.
"You caught me off guard, Zero didn't give me any warning..."
He looked away, a poor attempt at hiding his tear.
"let's talk... Shoto"

_________________________________________

Rain continued to shower Tokyo, slamming hard on the glass of Midoriya's windshield.

His eyes twitched, a lump forming in his throat, hardly able to hold his phone to his ear.

Bakugo struggled, unable to deliver the news, "look... Just get to the main hospital of Musutafu..."
He said, ending the call on a heavy note.

Tears streamed down his frozen face, the day seemed to have gone against him...

First the bad hero shift with the criminal...
Then having to kill 0% with his own hands... something he never once did before...
Getting found out by Shinsou in the process...
And now his mom...

Every layer added weight, crushing something inside of him...

Midoriya placed his phone down, staring at the road ahead of him. It was as though he could hear something inside of him slowly cracking, and whatever it was had been holding back a lot of weight, like a dam...

"No...no no..." He mumbled, "This can't be happening..."
He choked, trying to hold himself together. He grabbed his phone again, his fingers trembling as he found the fastest route to the hospital.
Nausea choked him, and he could hardly see past the tears in his eyes, as he revved his car and sped through the streets.

He swerved past cars, changing lanes and cutting several people off.
Because he was in the highway, he was able to drive fast...
But not legally as fast as he was going.

He broke the speed limit law, going 80mph in a 60mph zone.
And with the low visibility caused by the rain, he was putting everyone at risk.

He zoomed past a police car, which immediately began chasing behind him.
The sirens wailed loudly, and the red and blue flashes swirled intensely.

Midoriya clenched his jaw, "damn it..!"
He cursed, looking at his rear view mirror.
His eyes spiraled, catching a glimpse of the police officers.
"Stop chasing me."
He forced out through a clenched jaw, continuing on with his reckless driving as he took the exit to Musutafu.
The police car stopped, continuing down the highway instead of following.

Midoriya made it to the city streets of Musutafu and rushed to the main hospital, parking his car sloppily and running into the building.

His bandaid flew off, carried away by the wind. water dripped off his hair and jacket as he rushed into the lobby.
He sprinted to the front desk, his shoes squeaking.

"Sir how may we help —"

"My mom, Inko Midoriya, what room is she in"
He asked, his eyes spiraling intensely.

"Room 502"
The technician replied, startled by the fact she didn't tell him willingly.

Midoriya bolted from there, sprinting up the stairs as the elevator would take too long for his liking.
His heart hammered in his chest, he choked on his own breath, tears stung his eyes...
He almost slipped going up, his shoes still slicked from the rain outside.

Every step closer, the more his stress grew.
Eventually he made it to the floor and dashed to her room.

Slamming the door open, he found Mitsuki and Katsuki standing silently, a pained expression on both of their faces.

Midoriya's heart throbbed in anguish, unable to keep it from showing on his face.
"Mom...
How... How is she..."
He asked, slowly turning his head to see her...

Katsuki shook his head, tears streaming down Mitsuki's eyes as she couldn't bear to deliver the news herself.

Katsuki let out a sharp sigh, staring at Midoriya,
"Deku...
...She's..."

Chapter Text

...

"Deku...
... she..."
But Bakugo didn't have to continue, Midoriya's eyes had already landed on the hospital bed.
Tears streamed down Mitsuki's face as she placed her head in her hands to stop from full on sobbing.

There inko peacefully laid, a thin white blanket placed over her body, with a plaque hanging at the edge of her bed.

Midoriya walked over, his legs trembling with every step, his face painted with a mixture of shock and anguish.
He stood by her, tears rolling down his face like an open tap.
"*No no...
This can't... No...*"
His eyes twisted involuntarily, moved by his grief.
His hand hovered over the blanket, twitching as he grabbed it and slowly pulled it down to reveal her face.
As pale as a ghost, there had been hardly any blood in her cold face.

Midoriya fell to his knees, unable to stand straight, hardly keeping himself up hanging on to the bedside.
Katsuki ran over, "hey-"

"How..."
Midoriya asked, his voice heavy and cracking.

Katsuki shook his head, looking away, hardly able to answer.

"...how!"
Midoriya asked again, facing Katsuki.
His eyes spiraled intensely, snot and tears drenched his face. Though, he had no intention of using his quirk on Bakugo, so he shook his head and looked away.
"*I'm losing control...
...I need to get my quirk back under control...*"
He thought to himself, trying to deactivate it.
The spiraling slowed a bit, but still slowly twisted.

Bakugo let out a sharp sigh, knowing he couldn't keep the information from him. And he was the only one who could actually tell him at the moment, and so he was left with the burden.
"...it was an armed robbery... Your mom...
She was caught in the cross fire..."
He explained, his own voice heavy with grief.
Inko was like an aunt to him, so when he received the panicked call from his mom regarding what happened, he flew over- despite the downpour.

"*An armed robbery...*"
The words echoed through Midoriya's mind, bouncing off the walls of his skull and increasing in intensity.
His breathing hitched, "who..." He asked.

Bakugo shook his head, "he's in police custody..."
He stretched out his hand, "here, get up" he said.

Reluctantly, Midoriya took his hand and stood up.
Mitsuki walked over, box of tissues in hand.

Katsuki took a step back, staring at Midoriya. His disheveled appearance, noticeable cut...
"*...where was he...*"
He questioned as memories of the entire ordeal flashed through his mind.

~~~

"Katsuki..!"
Mitsuki sobbed, shakily holding her phone.

Katsuki's face paled, "mom- what's going on-" he asked, having no context through the phone call.

"It's inko!
She's... She's...- Izuku won't answer his phone..! The hospital tried calling..!"
Mitsuki outcried, her words blending together.

His eyes widened, "what..?! What happened..!?"
He stood up, springing off the comfort of his couch.
What had should've been a small period of relaxation before hero school had turned into something near opposite.

"She... She was shot... Her heart...!
The hospital... They called me... Where is Izuku..!"
Mitsuki explained. She was Inko's emergency contact, and after Izuku hadn't picked up, she was called immediately after.

"I'm on my way."
Katsuki said, ending the call.
He quickly grabbed a coat, put on some shoes, and exploded out of his house. He called Midoriya's office, no response... Then called his cell phone...
Still no response.
"*Stupid Deku!*"
He took to the sky, deciding to go to the hospital and continue calling from there, cutting the distance from Tokyo to Musutafu within ten minutes-
Even through the difficulty of the rain.

He made his way to the hospital room and found his mom sobbing, and then he saw Inko...
Barely hanging on, the doctors had already done everything they could... But with the injury she had sustained, she was rapidly approaching her death,
mumbling the words "Izuku... Where is Izuku..." Faintly.

His jaw tightened, grief stricking his heart, as he grabbed his phone and called Midoriya again and again.
But even then...
He didn't pick up.

"*Damn it Deku!? Where are you?!*"

~~~~~

Katsuki watched as Midoriya accepted the tissues and wiped off his face, though it was useless as more tears surged out.
He checked the time, "*class starts in less than twenty minutes.
I'll call sensei and let him know it's not likely we show up*"
He thought to himself, excusing himself from the room and stepping out into the hallway.

"*Where did he get that cut...?
It wasn't there when we finished our hero shifts...
Does it have to do with why he wasn't responding to his phone?*"
Bakugo questioned, dialing Aizawa's number and sending the call.

"Hello"
Aizawa said, though his tone partially confused.

"Hello sensei"
Bakugo said, trying to keep his volume down.

"What did you need? It must be urgent if it couldn't wait until class"
Aizawa asked, questioning why he just didn't tell him in person.

"There's been a situation.
Me and Deku aren't likely to show up."
He said, trying to hide the grief in his voice. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a painful lump forming in his throat.

"What happened..?"
Aizawa asked, concerned by the evident grief.

"Aunt Inko- Deku's mom... She's..."
Katsuki struggled to get the words out, but he didn't need to.

"...I see
...thank you for letting me know. You two are exempt"
Aizawa said, quick to pick up on the situation.

"thanks.."
Bakugo sighed, ending the call.
Tears stung his eyes, Inko's last words repeating throughout his mind.
He felt the second hand guilt, it gnawed at his mind.
"*...all she wanted was to see Deku and he wasn't there...
Damn bastard...! What could've possibly kept him from answering his phone for so long!?*"
His jaw tightened, smoke rising off his hands.

Footsteps echoed throughout the hall, Bakugo lifted his head up and found nurses as well as police officers making their way to the room.

"pro hero Dynamight? Is Izuku Midoriya here?"
One of the police officers asked, pointing to the room.

He nodded his head, "he just got here. Why?"
He asked.

"We were going to discuss what happened and return belongings we found at the scene."
The police officer explained.

"Well he's there."
Bakugo sighed, putting his phone away.

The police officers nodded their heads and entered the room.
Midoriya sat beside Inko's bed, his head rested on her bed as he held her cold dead hands. Low sniffles could be heard, both from Midoriya and Mitsuki who had also been in the room.
They stood there, not knowing how to talk to the hero.

"Izuku Midoriya?"
One of them began.

Midoriya lifted up his head, his eyes swollen, nose stuffed, and face dirtied with snot and tears, though besides the obvious grief his face had become rather expressionless.
"..yes?"
He replied, panic siezing him a bit.
"*Did they track me down for speeding..?*"
He questioned.

"We're here to discuss the crime that took your mother's life.
And return her belongings to you"
An officer explained.

Midoriya nodded his head, grabbing a tissue and wiping off his face.
He cleared his throat, "explain" he said, needing to know the details himself.

"Around an hour ago Kenji Yuto attempted to rob a local cafe.
We were called immediately, but when we had made it, he had already shot a couple people including your mother.
We captured him before he could flee, and he has since been in our custody.
Paramedics and doctors here did everything they could...
Sorry for your loss"
The officer explained.

Midoriya silently listened to the information, "*Kenji Yuto...
I have to kill him.*"

"We found your mother's belongings on the scene as well.
Here, one of these items were specifically addressed to you"
Another officer said, handing Midoriya both a small ribboned box and Inko's purse.

He shakily took the items, his eyes widening as he held the small box in hand.
"*To Izuku, Love mom...*"

_________________________________________

Low chatter hummed throughout the classroom, fledgling heroes taking their regular seats.
Class was soon to start, only a few short minutes away.

"Where's Bakugo? He's usually early"
Kaminari questioned, noticing his absence first.

"Yeah and Midoriya, he's never late"
Kirishima added.

"Todoroki too...?
All three of them?"
Sero noted, pointing out how their friend group had been practically halved.

"It's not like them to be absent and not at least give us a heads up..."
Kaminari whispered, feeling unease creep up on him.

"They're not the only ones absent"
Tokoyami commented, spooking them as they hadn't expected him to suddenly join in the conversation.

"Who else is..?"
Kirishima asked.

"Shinsou. Look"
Tokoyami said, pointing towards the empty seat beside Monoma.

"Weird... He wasn't at the agency today either."
Sero sighed, scratching the back of his head.

Monoma glanced around, unease gnawing at his stomach.
"Shinsou is missing"
His eyes moved to the door, watching as Aizawa made his way in.

Aizawa looked around the room, "*looks like Midoriya and Bakugo aren't the only ones absent.
..it happens, especially on a rainy day like today*"
He scratched the back of his head, glancing at the fogged up window decorated with droplets of rain,
"*Todoroki and Shinsou will need to explain later*"

_________________________________________

A faint light buzzed above, small beads of sweat mixed with tears hit the cement ground.
Shinsou sat in the metal chair, his arms and legs bruised from thrashing around.
"*I'm going to die...
...and there's nothing I can do...*"
His hair stuck to his forehead, greased by the sweat and cold humidity.
"*...if only I could reason with Midoriya...
But that's impossible...
My only hope is that the plan I made is set in motion...*"
His arms and legs ached, the locked position leaving his knees in agony.
He looked at his hand, some of his fingers had been purple and bruised, evidently broken from the fall he had taken earlier.
He let out a sharp sigh, "it's over..."

His words faded out into the room, unheard by anyone except himself.
And just beyond the door, within the same base, the Todorokis sat.

Shoto sat in a sofa across from Dabi, a cup of tea in hand, courtesy of kurogiri.
His nerves had settled, and after a needed conversation, he felt a little lighter. Like the burden he had been bearing alone was finally lifted.

Dabi had his own cup of tea, sitting slouched, his head practically below his shoulders, on a different couch.
He too had finally settled, able to have a relaxed conversation.

"So what's the plan now..? You're already an accessory of murder."
Dabi asked, taking a sip of tea.
"And the heroes are searching for the league and well...
You know where we are"

Shoto sighed, "being a hero was never my dream, it was just a role I took out of force and expectations"
He began, staring at his reflection in the tea.
"Helping Midoriya with his villainy also wasn't in my plans either... I only helped as part of a deal.
But regardless, all I know is that I'm not fit to be a hero"
He explained.

"But that's your main source of income. It's not like you have anything else"
Dabi noted.

"I didn't say I would stop being a hero"
Shoto corrected, "I'm just saying that I don't intend on...
Getting in the way."
He paused, drinking some tea, "Its like I was never here" he continued.

"So you're basically saying you'll turn a blind eye"
Dabi chuckled, placing his cup down.

Shoto nodded his head, "that's all I can really do.
It's too late to pick a different path"
He explained.

"Eh, I don't blame you. In your position I'd probably do the same."
Dabi shrugged his shoulders.

"My only problem is...
I don't want there to come a day where I have to fight you"
Shoto shook his head at the thought.

"Then don't.
Deal with the other league members if our paths collide."
Dabi partially laughed, grabbing his phone and sliding it against the table.

Shoto stared at it, a bit confused, "what?"

Dabi faced palmed,
"Your phone number.
Today isn't a good day- but in the future, let's get Soba"

_________________________________________

Wind howled, rain poured...

The box sat cold in his hands, growing heavier and heavier every passing moment.
A metallic silver ribbon glimmered, holding the small box shut, with a tag attached to it.

Midoriya's hands trembled, his breathing practically cut off. For a moment, the silence was too much to bear.
Nothing could drown out the intense ringing, echoing in his ears, or silence his inner turmoil.

"*This...
This is... My fault...
If I had everything under control... If I didn't meet her until my plans were done...*"
Tears streamed down his expressionless face, flooding out with even greater intensity than before. "*If I just exterminated all of society's pests...

...None of this would've happened...*"

Chapter Text

...

"*..None of this would've happened...*"
Midoriya thought to himself, the thought cutting his mind cold. Tears dripped down his face, landing on the ground below.

The police officers stood there, uncomfortable.
One of them finally decided to break the heavy silence, "he will undergo trial but he's almost guaranteed to go to prison. Camera footage, eye witnesses, the weapon... We've already begun the process of obtaining it all.
Rest assured Zero, his crime won't go unpunished"
He said, his voice unwavering.

Midoriya looked back at the police officer, "...yes. It won't.."
He replied, "*because I won't allow it. He'll be dead before the first official hearing*"
He thought to himself, his heart burning in his chest.

Bakugo stared from the doorway, a chill going down his spine, "*it's the same expression as this morning.*"
He thought to himself, recalling how Midoriya had reacted to the museum criminal just earlier that day.
It was the same chilling anger... The same malice even... Though, of an even greater intensity.
"*...but his anger is understandable... His mom just died because of some bastard...
And a gift?
Was he going to meet with her today..?*"
His stomach twisted with remorse as the sad realization came through.

"We'll get going now.
Again, sorry for your loss"
A police officer concluded, signalling for the others to take their leave.
They shuffled out of the room, walking past Bakugo, and leaving them with the nurses.

Midoriya's eyes went back to the gift box, it was as though it had frozen him in place.
After another moment of weighted silence, he finally took a step.
He placed the box on a counter, alongside her purse.
Then, he looked back at her, more tears streaming down his face, to which he began wiping them off with the back of his hand. Trying to calm himself, he took in deep breath, but his chest heaved in jolts, the air choking him for a couple seconds.
Regardless, he continued trying to breath.
"*I need to regain control of my emotions... Losing control is never good*"
He thought to himself, breathing until the tears eventually slowed down.

He released one last breath, the corners of his lips still partially quivering in grief.

"Take all the time you need sir"
One of the nurses spoke up, breaking the silence.

Midoriya nodded his head, "it's fine...
What did you need to discuss with me?"
He asked, his voice off-puttingly monotone.

Some exchanged a nervous glance before finally deciding to speak about the next procedures.

"Her body will be sent to the morgue for burial preparation.
You can either select your own or allow the hospital to send her to our usual location.
We can give you numbers for funeral directors and an inheritance lawyer if necessary."
One explained.

Midoriya nodded his head, letting out a soft sigh, "send her to the hospital's morgue location.
As for a funeral director, yes I'd like their number."
He replied. "An inheritance lawyer won't be necessary, I'm the only heir"
He thought to himself.

"Okay then...
Do you wish to give your final goodbye before she's sent off?"
A nurse offered.

Midoriya nodded his head again, a lump forming in his throat restricting his speech again.

"Then we'll give you a moment alone. When you're ready, you can find us in the lobby"
The nurses began leaving, guiding Mitsuki and Katsuki to an area where they could wait.

Their footsteps faded out, leaving only the faint buzzing of the light and pouring rain to fill the silence.

Midoriya walked back over to his mother's body, sitting down beside her.
Tears stung his eyes before ultimately rolling down again, unable to be held back no matter how hard he tried.
He grasped her cold dead hand again, holding it with both of his hands and pressing it to his forehead.
"I'm sorry..."
He whispered, his tears dripping onto the bed.
"It's all my fault... I put you in danger... If I just hadn't been late..."
His hands trembled, nausea growing in his stomach.

"I should've visited more often... No... I shouldn't have allowed myself to see you until my plans were completed... That way... There would've been no chance you'd ever be in danger..."
He opened his eyes, staring at her expressionless face.

"...and now you're no longer here..."
He shook his head, unable to comprehend the fact that she was dead and there was nothing he could do about it.
"I should've been there... I should've protected you... If it just wasn't for..."
His jaw tightened, the events of the day flashing through his mind.
"*Shinsou... That bastard... I still have to deal with him... This is partly his fault too...
If he just didn't get in my way... And
I should've dealt with him sooner too...*"
He sighed, his chest heavy.

"Damn it... Please... Wake up... I never got to talk with you over coffee at our favorite cafe... You... You didn't get to hand me that gift yourself..."
The tears welled up, stinging his eyes intensely.

"I wish... I wish I could've told you everything... That way you'd understand I wasn't keeping away on purpose... I was just trying to keep you safe... And I failed."
He moved her arm away from his head, sitting up to face her.
His heart felt torn, grief forming a tight band around his chest.
He clenched his jaw, his gaze intensifying as his eyes slowly twisted again, tears falling once more.

"But don't worry mom... You'll receive justice...
And nothing like this will ever happen again... I'll make sure of it"
He placed her arm down beside her, staring at her for a moment longer before slowly standing up.

"I'll carve out a better world with my own hands... A world under my control..."
He grabbed the thin sheet, getting one last look at her.
"I'm sorry I was too late..."
moving the sheet back up, he paused as he stared at her face for the final time,
"...Thank you for everything... And I love you too, Mom..."

The sheet slowly descended, lightly landing over her head.
Midoriya stood there, staring at her, a part of him hoping it was all fake...
That she would move the blanket and laugh, even if it would've been a cruel prank.
The moment seemed to endlessly stretch, the rhythm of his own heartbeat echoing in his ears.
He turned his head to the window, it had been all foggy and covered in droplets of water.

Midoriya let out a heavy sigh, walking back over to the counter and grabbing her stuff before finally approaching the door.
Before he exited, he took one final look back. "I guess this is goodbye...mom"
He left, leaving her alone in the cold hospital room.

He wiped off his face, a couple more tears escaping in the process but coming to a forced stop.
"*...it isn't over yet... Kenji Yuto... You won't know a painless death...
...and there's still Shinsou to deal with...
I have to figure out what his plan was... Before it backfires on me...*"
He shook his head, his face growing cold as his eyes glanced to the gift box in hand,
"*Sorry mom, it seems I don't even have the time to properly grieve you*"

From there, he made his way back to the lobby where he found both Mitsuki and Katsuki waiting as well as some nurses.
He walked over, silent.

"If you need any help, don't be afraid to reach out"
An older nurse began, handing Midoriya some paperwork.
It consisted of the location of the morgue, funeral directors, therapy options, grief counseling, and more general support.
Midoriya nodded his head, "thank you" he replied solemly.

"Of course"
Her eyes glanced over to his cheek, which still had an evident exposed cut. She had noticed it earlier, but with the heavy atmosphere she couldn't do much.
"Would you like some anti-bacterial ointment?"
She said, her voice old and croaky, gesturing to the cut on his face, "it's looking a bit red, it can get infected if you don't treat it"

Midoriya's eyes partially widened as he touched the cut, "*the bandaid— when did I lose it..?*"
He thought to himself, the wound stinging a bit.
"It would be appreciated"
He replied.

"One second"
She walked away, though being old she didn't exactly walk fast.

Mitsuki wiped off her tears with her hands, "well... I'm sorry for your loss again, Izuku... Your mom was like a sister to me... No one can ever replace her.
If you ever need anything, we're here to help"
She said, tears still stinging her eyes.

Midoriya nodded his head, "Thank you aunt mitsuki.."
He replied shortly, hardly able to speak.

"...Then I have to get going... Get to Tokyo safely..."
She said, waving them off as she walked away.

Katsuki waved back before glancing back at Midoriya who just stood there, clearly lost in thought and grief.
"...are you even able to drive?"
He asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Midoriya glanced at him, "yes. I'll be fine.."
He sighed, watching at the nurse made her way back with the ointment.
She handed it to him, "apply twice daily until it's healed."

"Thanks again.."
Midoriya said.

She nodded her head, "of course. Feel better soon"
From there she left.

Midoriya let out another drawn breath, looking at the hospital.
There was no longer anything keeping him there, and yet he couldn't find it in himself to leave.

Bakugo shook his head, his own heart still heavy with grief, "Deku—"
His phone rang loudly, cutting him off.
Midoriya stared, watching as he grabbed his phone and answered, before zoning out again.

"Bakubro where are you!"
Kirishima sounded from the other side of the phone.
"And Midoriya!"
Kaminari added, his voice distant.

Bakugo pinched the bridge of his nose, "a situation came up"

"Is Todoroki there too?"
Sero questioned.

"Eh? No. Look I need to go."

His friends were able to notice the heaviness of his voice, the way he struggled to hide his grief.
It was obvious, Bakugo was hardly ever a calm speaker.

"okay then... Whatever's going on, hope it's nothing serious"
Kirishima said, giving the others room to speak.

"Yeah..! You know we always have your back"

"Good luck with whatever it is"

"Yeah.."
Bakugo ended the call, glancing back at Midoriya who had gone back to the depths of his mind.

Midoriya picked at the skin of his nails,
"*I still have Shinsou's phone... and Shinsou also wasn't in class.
That makes four of us... Everyone's noticed... If his plan involves anyone in the class, they would have noticed by now too...
I have to act fast—*"

"Deku"
Bakugo said once more, forcing him out of his thoughts.
"We should get going.
It's getting dark, and it's still raining"
He pointed out.

Midoriya put his hands in his jacket pockets, placing the gift inside, "yeah...let's go..."

From there, the two exited the hospital, the rain still pouring.
"*It would be a jerk move if I left Deku to drive alone— in his current state, it isn't safe either. But asking him to drop me off also feels rude*"
Bakugo thought to himself, a bit conflicted.

Midoriya looked up at the sky, the cold rain hitting his face, "*mom didn't like this weather.*"
He thought to himself, slowly lowering his head, he looked at his car in the distance,
"I'll drop you off... Your quirk doesn't work well in this weather"
He said, despite wanting to be alone.
"*I need to control my emotions.
but being alone? A guarantee for losing myself to my emotions, I can't have that...*"

"...thanks"
Bakugo replied, cold droplets of water landing hard on his scalp.

They quickly shuffled over to the car, entering.
The car muffled the noise of the outpour, offering a needed calm.

Midoriya moved the gift from his pocket to his cup holder, carefully moving it as thought it were fragile.
He started up the car, officially starting the drive back to Tokyo.

Though with the continuous rain, rush hour, and approaching darkness, it was going to be a long drive... Traffic.

It was a quiet drive, the both of them silenced by grief.

Midoriya's eyes locked on the road ahead, the continuous movement keeping his mind from lingering on grief for too long.
Instead, his mind drifted to the pressing matter he still had to face.
"*Shinsou's plan... Just who else is involved...*"
He thought to himself, his stomach twisting.

Bakugo looked out the window, leaning his head comfortably, it had been a long dreadful day.
And even after everything seemed to calm, his mind was still in disarray as all remained were unanswered questions...
"*...so many unknowns... why was he so late...
And where did that cut come from? Is it related...?*"

Chapter Text

...

"*Is it related...?*"
Bakugo thought to himself, glancing at the shallow cut.
"*Whatever it is... He better have a damn good explanation...*"
He let out a drawn sigh, tapping his finger on the arm rest.

The drive continued, both silent. Only the sound of the continuous rain, the tires driving over imperfections, the occasional honk, and hum of the engine spoke.

The questions bounced around Bakugo's head, suffocating him.
And with the silence and lack of distraction, it only bothered him more and more every passing moment.

It pressed on his mind, until he could no longer ignore it.

He glanced back at Midoriya again, who's eyes remained stead fast on the road, blood shot, with tears still stinging.
He cleared his throat, "...say, Deku..." He began, the first to break the quiet.

Midoriya's eyes still looked ahead, "what.."
He replied.

"That cut.
Where'd you get it from...?"
Bakugo asked, curiously concerned, though clearly bothered.

Midoriya felt his irritation spike,
"...does it matter right now?"
He sighed. He hadn't been prepared for the question, juggling too many issues.

Bakugo furrowed his brows, "if it has anything to do with being late and not answering your calls then damn right it does"
He didn't mean to be harsh tongued, but recalling Inko's last moments left him upset.

Midoriya shook his head, "work accident. Violent client. Happens"
He said, not exactly lying. But the blood just beneath the layer of his coat continue the story in a way he could never tell.

Bakugo stared at him for a bit, still in partial doubt, "...and you wouldn't have been able to answer your phone..."
He said, both in belief and disbelief.

Midoriya felt his patience run thin, he had already been dealing with enough as it was, and a mini interrogation was the last thing he needed,
"yes, when you're actively dealing with a violent client, you don't have time to answer the phone."

Bakugo sighed, "yeah yeah, makes sense.."
Though subconsciously, he remained slightly unconvinced, "*why wouldn't he just use his quirk..?*"
He thought to himself, feeling his doubt creep up.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, "*Deku has no reason to lie about that. And he probably feels the worst for missing his mother's last moments.*"
He thought, watching as another tear rolled down Midoriya's face.
"*He has to interview violent criminals all the time— his phone was probably out of reach.*"
He mentally continued, small embers guilt flickering through his mind. Midoriya's explanation was entirely plausible, and his moment of partial doubt left him feeling like a bad friend.

"You know"
Bakugo spoke up again, trying to shift the subject, "if you need help with the funeral arrangements, just let me know"
He said. in a way, it seemed like he was trying to make up for his error.

Midoriya let out an exhale, glad he dropped it but still irritated, scratching his forehead, "you don't have to help.. But if I change my mind... I'll let you know"

Bakugo just nodded his head, the both of them silenced for the rest of the drive.

Though despite Midoriya's outwardly collected appearance, his mind was like a ship in treacherous waters.
"*I have to get back to Shinsou.
I have to. This isnt my fault alone, he's to blame.
If it wasn't for him getting in the way...
Mom would still be alive.
I should've killed him sooner, that's my mistake...

One I won't repeat ever again.
And Kenji Yuto...
I need to kill that bastard too...
But he's stuck in a jail cell, out of sight and reach... But I have my ways.*"
He thought to himself, his thoughts muffling the noise of the outside.

After a long drive, they found themselves back in Tokyo.
The sun had mostly set, though not completely, but it didn't matter as it's rays didn't make it through the thick clouds.
The rain had also come to a slow, only lightly drizzling.

Midoriya drove to Bakugo's house, anxious. He needed to know what Shinsou's plan was, before it was too late...

Bakugo let out a drawn sigh, "..Thanks for dropping me off.."
He said, opening up the car door and stepping out.
"But if you need company..."
He continued, scratching the back of his head.
It just didn't feel right to leave him alone at his lowest point.

"I'm fine... But thanks for the concern..."
Midoriya replied, his tears finally having come to a stop.
"*Leave... I need to get answers now...*"
He thought to himself, struggling to keep patient.

"Alright.
Get home safely"
Bakugo said, shutting his door and waving him off.

Midoriya nodded his head and drove off, leaving Bakugo on the sidewalk of his home.
"*Now to deal with Shinsou... I need to know his plan... How much time do I have before it goes into action...*"
He thought to himself, picking up the speed as soon as he was out of Bakugo's neighborhood.

He didn't even give himself time to breathe, immediately heading back over to the league's base.
He did his usual routine of parking his car in a far off location before practically running to the base.

He knocked on the door urgently, pacing as he waited for someone to open it up.
His stomach twisted, heart squeezed, there wasn't a lot of time...
No one had heard from Shinsou the entire day, and with his absence both in the agency and class, people were bound to have noticed.
And if any one of them were involved with some sort of plan he had set up, it spelled bad news for Midoriya.
On top of that, he still had to deal with his mother's killer.

The door scraped open, Midoriya quickly entered, ignoring everyone else and heading straight for the hostage room.

"...well he seems stressed"
Dabi commented, still not having left the base.
The rain made it annoying to travel, and it wasn't like he had a car.

"That's not the usual Midoriya, something seems off"
Shoto replied, he had no way of leaving.
Midoriya had brought him there and didn't exactly give him a way of leaving without getting caught.

Midoriya couldn't even hear their comments, his eyes lazer focused on the door ahead.
He forcefully opened it, allowing himself inside.

There Shinsou sat, completely disheveled.
He didn't know how long he had been locked up, just that it had been a while. His stomach grumbled loudly, and he twitched in discomfort from time to time.
His eyes widened upon Midoriya's entrance, clearly able to see his face.

Midoriya looked terrible, his eyes were swollen and bloodshot, hair still damp. The cut on his face had grown red and slightly swollen.
And on top of that... He looked furious.

"You're back—"
Shinsou commented.

"Quiet"
Midoriya hissed out, standing before Shinsou.
He glared, his jaw clenched.
"I don't have time to waste.
So you're going to give me answers"

Shinsou's stomach bubbled with unease, "*damn it. He's going to force me to tell him my back-up plan...*"
He stared at Midoriya, noticing how disarrayed he seemed.
"*... something's wrong with him... It looks like he's been crying...?*"
His brows partially furrowed, trying to read Midoriya's face.
"*...regardless... I can't lose like this...
I won't let him take over... I can't allow it...
My plan has to work.*"
His resolve strengthed, his stare shifting to a glare.
"I refuse."
He spat.

Midoriya's eye twitched in anger, it burned across his chest like a raging fire.
"You don't have a choice"
He remarked, his eyes beginning to twist intensely as he took a better look at him, glancing at his forehead.
His stomach dropped, "*what... 0%...?
No... How... This is the second time I've seen it, ever...
And the first time...*"
His thoughts trailed off as his mouth ran dry, his heart hammering in his chest.
"*No... I will take control... He will tell me his plan*"
He shook his head, his spirals twisting faster than before.

Shinsou struggled in his seat, "*I can feel him trying to hijack my mind...but...*"
His eyes widened, hope blooming in his chest, "*it's not as strong as before...
I can fight back...!*"
He grit his teeth, opposing Midoriya's oppressive quirk.

"Shinsou. Tell me what your plan is"
Midoriya ordered, his eyes spiraling intensely.

"...no"
Shinsou replied, having successfully blocked him.

Midoriya stood there, picking at his fingers, almost drawing blood. His arms began to tremble, "no..."
His eyes began spiraling faster than before, "Shinsou.
Tell me your plan."
He demanded, his voice cracking a bit.

A weak grin formed on Shinsou's face, "*I don't have to answer to him...*"
The relief washed over him, "I said no"
He repeated triumphantly.

Inside Midoriya's mind, another crack formed, whatever it was couldn't handle anymore.
His throat tightened as he forced all output, "tell me your—"
He choked, coughing violently. He turned around, leaning on the cement, hunched over.
Red crimson dripped on the ground. Midoriya held out his hand, watching blood from his mouth drop onto his palms.

And at that moment, the dam broke.

"*I couldn't control Shinsou. I overexerted myself, and now I'm muted...
And I can't get the plan...*"
His chest heaved,
" *...I can't force him to tell me the plan...
Why... Why...! Why!?*"
His nails dug into his palm, grasping the blood, "*because of my emotional state?! Or did he solidify his mental resilience..!?
A mix of both?!
How!? Why?!*"
His jaw tightened as he slammed his fist on the wall repeatedly.

"*This is why I have to control my emotions...
If I can't control my emotions, I can't control others.
...there's no way I'm going to be able to get the plan from Shinsou before it goes into action...*"
The realization choked him further, the anger erupting but trapped with no voice.
"*Everything...
Just because I didn't kill this damn bastard earlier...
I... Lost...? No... Not possible... Not when I'm so close to victory...*"
He turned around, his eyes still swirling intensely. His gaze practically pierced through Shinsou, radiating a murderous contempt never once seen before.

Shinsou felt fear shock his core, "*damn it he's going to kill me...
...but I already knew that... At least I know my plan is set in motion...*"
He thought to himself, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead.

For a few minutes, there was nothing but silence. The atmosphere suffocated Shinsou, but he refused to give up.

Midoriya walked back over to him, staring at him intensely.
"*...there's no way I lose like this... Not to this pest.
There has to be another way... I won't allow all of what I worked for to come crashing down...*"
He cleared his throat, his words finally forming.
"I may not be able to use my quirk on you right now..."
He started, his voice hoarse.
"But there are still other methods to force you to speak."
He threatened, every word radiating contempt. Final reminents of blood dripped down the sides of his mouth, a side effect of his overexertion.

Shinsou grimaced, looking around in a panic, "*I need an idea... A way to avoid torture...*"
His stomach twisted at the thought, he knew there would only be so much he could handle before he eventually gave up...

"*...I have my own questions... We could trade... Of course, I won't tell him everything...I just need to buy time...*"
He clenched his jaw, not particularly fond of the situation he was in.
"Midoriya."
He began. "We both have questions we want answered...
If you answer some of my questions, I'll answer some of yours...
Sound fair...?"
He asked.

Midoriya paused, staring at him for another moment, reading him. Shinsou felt his heart hammer in his chest, hoping Midoriya would accept. Otherwise, he wasn't exactly in for the best time...

Midoriya wiped the blood off his face, "*...a genuine deal.
...and he's a dead man by the end of this...a cleaner method compared to torture...
All I need to know is some of his plan... How much time I have...*"
He let out a sharp sigh, his eyes brows furrowed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Fine, you bastard...
What is it"
He reluctantly agreed, feeling his patience thinning.

Shinsou's eyes widened,"*...it worked...!?*"
He felt another wave of relief ease his mind, the first question bubbling to surface immediately.

Midoriya waited, "*it's fine...
...by the end of this, I'll kill him...

But not without making it seem like it was entirely his choice.*"
His anger simmered, as much as he wanted to kill Shinsou at that moment, he had to be patient...

Shinsou stared at Midoriya, his resolve unwavering as he asked his first question of the trade, "Midoriya...

Why do you kill heroes..?"

Chapter Text

...

"Why do you kill heroes"
Shinsou asked bluntly, his voice unwavering.

Midoriya blinked, pausing for a moment as he stared at Shinsou.
His fingers twitched, a vein in his forehead protruded outwards. "Why do I kill 'heroes'...?"
He repeated, forcing each word out.

Shinsou nodded his head, "*... he's unstable right now...
If I play this right... I might be able to reason with him...*"
He thought to himself, hopeful of survival.

Midoriya shook his head, "*this bastard... I should just skip this, torture him instead...
But... He's agreed to answering some of my questions...
If I resort to torture, he can refuse to speak for who knows how long...
And time is limited...*"
His jaw tightened, struggling to keep himself composed.
He let out a sharp loud sigh, glaring back at Shinsou.

"They were a part of a larger problem."
Midoriya replied, far too vague for Shinsou's liking.

"...what larger problem...?"
Shinsou questioned.

"You can ask that after you answer my question."
Midoriya stated, crossing his arms.

"Tch"

"Who else is involved with your plan"
Midoriya asked.

"Like I'd tell you that, ask me something else."
Shinsou scowled in replied.

Midoriya furrowed his brows, "*of course this bastard wouldn't flat out tell me the full details of his plan.
But he did confirm that there is at least one other person involved...*"
His anger bubbled, "fine then.
How much do they know?"
He asked.

Shinsou paused, "*...it's a fair question and doesn't reveal who it is...
The more I cooperate the better the outcome..*."
He let out a sigh, "...your notebook, schedule, and how I figured you out..."
He replied.

Midoriya felt as though the wind was knocked out of him, "*so someone else knows everything...
Hm... But realistically, who would it be that Shinsou tells...? That believes him at that.
Everyone around has high percentages... no one in the police department would believe him, especially considering how he acquired the evidence, and no one at the agency would either...*"

He scratched the back of his head, trying to figure out the severity of the situation.
"*And whoever it is that knows realistically has some doubt, all his evidence is circumstancial. And coming from him, someone who already hates me, is suspicious enough...*"
He could feel his stress slowly drop.
"*And after I stage his suicide, whoever it is will have a hard time convincing anyone else*"

Shinsou watched, noticing how his eyes still slowly spiraled,
"Now let me ask another question"
He said.

Midoriya's gaze remained silently threatening, nodding his head to allow him to go on.

"Why are the heroes with low percentages killed.
What do those percentages signify..."
He asked.
"*This should explain whatever he meant by 'larger problem'*"
He thought to himself.

Midoriya let out a frustrated sigh, "if I tell you, what will you tell me"
He asked in return.

"I won't tell you who I told or how I did.
But I'm willing to give you information otherwise..."
Shinsou replied, stress gnawing at the back of his mind.

"Would you tell me what the plan was?"
Midoriya asked further, debating whether or not it was even worth it.

Shinsou paused, thinking about the implications.
He sighed, "yes— but with the mentioned conditions."

"Fine then."
Midoriya groaned, his eyes spiraling intensely. It was involuntary, a result of his skyrocketed stress.
"Those percentages signify who's worth keeping alive and who isn't..."
He said, his mind flashing back to all bugs that remained.
Anger burned in his chest, a raging fire he couldn't put out— only seemingly growing if anything.

Shinsou took in the words, his mind flashing to his own low percentage.
"*...worth keeping alive...? But... How does he determine that...
Bakugo has a low percentage... But that's his best friend...then again, he wasn't in red ink either...still...*"
His mouth ran dry, "so...
You're going to kill Bakugo...?"
He asked.