Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Please bring this letter to the police.

Hi. I… don’t actually know how to start this off. Wait. Yes, I do.

I never wanted any of this to happen. One day, I was a happy little boy from Musutafu with a loving mother and an absentee father. The next, I was a quirkless little boy from Musutafu with a sad mother and an absentee father. The next, I was a kidnapped little boy from Musutafu with a terrified (I assume) mother and a (probably still) absentee father.

My name is Midoriya Izuku and I am scared. I am so very scared.

I want to go home.

Midoriya Izuku

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I promise I’ll explain more. I’m labelling these with numbers so you know what order they’re in when I drop them and someone finds them and hopefully brings them to you, the police. Please don’t call a search for the letters. He’ll find out I’m writing them if he hasn’t already.

He thinks I’m on his side, I think. I’m not. Please tell Mama I’m not on his side. If she thinks I am, that I’ve been bad, she might not give me dessert when I come home and I really want dessert when I come home.

I am ten years old. If I’ve been counting right, at least.

I promise I’m being as good as I can.

Midoriya Izuku

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I don’t know if anyone is finding these yet. I don’t know if anyone is taking these to the police. And I want to think that they are, but I don’t want to give myself hope for a rescue that isn’t coming.

I’m not alone here. There’s another boy. He’s fifteen, I think? All for One, the scary man that apparently wanted me, he calls him Shigaraki Tomura. When I first got here, though, people called him Shimura Tenko. He has blue hair and a disintegration quirk.

If this letter makes it to the police, can you put a blue dot on the sign on the convenience store on Main Street in Musutafu? Just to let me know my letters are being seen?

Please, someone tell my mama I love her.

Midoriya Izuku

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I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry He hurt All Might I know he did and he’s still alive hes still alive is All Might alive I didnt know I didnt know he was going to go after All Might if I did I would have said something please you have to believe me I didnt know

Midoriya Izuku

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Shouta doesn’t know why he started picking up random pieces of paper off the sidewalk. The one labelled ‘1’ was trampled beyond belief, soaked from the rain shower earlier that day, and stuck together by something. He stuffed it in his pocket, unable to drop it back to the pavement and move on. When he got home, he stuffed it to the back of his dresser, shoving it out of his mind.

The one labelled ‘2’ is in much better condition. It brings Shouta’s thoughts back to the other piece of paper, and he can’t help but wonder if there are more. No one just stops at two, right? During his lunch break, Shouta gently unfolds 2, scanning the paper. His eyes widen as he reads before settling on the last thing written on the page. “Midoriya Izuku”

They thought he was dead. Too much time had passed for there to be any reason to believe he wasn’t. They called off the search. Where has he been all this time? Is this even him? Shouta grabs his phone and starts dialing, tapping his foot impatiently and growing tenser with each ring. He has to believe this is him. That his nephew is still alive. “ Hello, Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa. ”

“Detective, it’s Eraserhead. I need you to open up a cold case. Six years ago, the kidnapping of Midoriya Izuku. I think I have evidence that he’s alive.”

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Dear police.

I don’t think I’ve given any info on myself. Anything to prove that I am who I say I am. Which I am, I swear.

My mama has a quirk that lets her pull little things to her and my dad had a fire-breathing quirk.

Mama’s name is Inko I think.

I had a really good friend I called Kacchan. We were gonna grow up to be heroes together. We both really liked All Might. I wonder how he’s doing. Kacchan had a really cool explosion quirk! I don’t remember his real name, which makes me sad. I hope he remembers me. Kacchan and Izuchan! I miss him a lot. He learned kanji really fast but didn’t listen to the crosswalk signs.

My favorite food is katsudon.

Mama cried when the doctor diug dyag diyag diagnoz told me I was quirkless.

I couldn’t read or write really well when they took me. I had to teach myself erevything I know. I think I’m doing pretty good, but sometimes the letters move around. I don’t like it when that happens.

I’m sorry there isn’t more. I don’t remember much else. My hair and eyes are green. He didn’t make me change my hair color, but he doesn’t let me or Tomura cut our hair. Tomura will still cut his with a knife, but I won’t.

He hurts me when I do bad things. Not bad bad things, but bad he-doesn’t-like-them things. He gives me things then takes them away and it hurts every time and I dont know why he does it why is he so mean?

Will someone please save me?

Midoriya Izuku

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Police.

He took Tomura away. He took Tomura away three days ago. I haven’t seen Tomura in three days. Where is he? I don’t want him to be gone.

I don’t want to be alone.

Midoriya Izuku

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The first letter was unreadable. The water damage smeared whatever it was written in too much to get anything from it. Eraserhead was very upset about that. Naomasa put word out to heroes, not to the public, to look for more. Like Midoriya’s letter said, if the public knows, whoever has him will know, too.

Naomasa has tried to keep Toshinori in bed as long as he can. His fight with All for One wiped him out quite a bit. He almost died, yet he wants to go back out there and do the hero thing. He all but destroyed his relationship with Sir Nighteye because of this, the stubborn oaf.

For once, he’s actually glad for the hero’s recklessness. “I found numbers three and five,” he announces as he enters Naomasa’s office. Naomasa takes the letters, scanning through them before looking up at Toshinori. All for One? “That’s just about my expression when I read them,” his friend points out.

The detective snatches his phone from his desk. “Eraser, I don’t want to bring his mother into this just yet. Not until we’re sure it’s really him. Were you around enough before Midoriya was taken?”

“ More letters? Because I have number four. It’s… concerning, to say the least. ”

“He gave some information on himself. Can you come to the station?”

The door to his office opens, revealing a notably worse Eraserhead. He looks like he’s been running himself ragged. He probably has, considering the nephew that’s been missing for years has suddenly reappeared in a series of mysterious letters. “I’m already here,” Eraser says, hanging up. “Give me the letters.”

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I saw the dot! I saw the dot on the sign! Thank you, whoever got these to the police. Thank you so much.

Tomura hasn’t come back yet. It’s been a week. I don’t think he’s coming back. All for One wants me to call him ‘Teacher’ and he wants to show me something ‘spetial’. I don’t like it. I don’t like him. I don’t know what All Might did to him, but he looks like a turnip now. He’s still really mean, but he’s getting nice again. He’s scarier when he’s nice. When he’s nice, he tries to make you think you like it here when you really don’t and you just wanna go home I wanna go hope please let me go home I want Mama and Kacchan and I wanna go to school with real teachers and not a creepy ‘teacher’ that wants to show me something ‘spetshal’ I don’t wanna see the spesial thing the special thing sounds bad bad bad bad bad where’s Tomura?

It’s cold. My insides are cold. He gives and he takes when I’m bad. I said it before but it hurts. He has a lot of them. I don’t want them. If having a quirk hurts that much, I don’t want one. I’ll stay quirkless please.

Midoriya Izuku

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Please bring this letter to the police.

He showed me the special thing (I couldn’t spell that one before but now I can) and I was right. I really really really really didn’t like it. It was Tomura, but not Tomura. It was in pain but it couldn’t feel anything. It was bad bad bad bad bad bad I don’t like it.

All for One said it was just a test. Am I going to be a test soon? I don’t want to be a test. I wanna come home before I become a test.

Kurogiri likes to pretend Tomura never existed. I asked him once but he just said that Shigaraki Tomura was never here. That there was no such person as Shigaraki Tomura. I won’t forget Tomura. Just like I won’t forget Mama and Kacchan. I’m sorry. I haven’t had to do nothing yet, but I think he might start to make me do things soon. He might make me do bad things. Please don’t tell Mama if he does. It would hurt her and she’s already hurting enough.

Did she give up on me? Does she think I’m dead?

Please tell her I’m alive. You can even lie and say I’m happy. I miss her. That one isn’t a lie.

Midoriya Izuku

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To the police please.

He made me do something bad. I didn’t want to do something bad but he said he would hurt me if I didn’t. He didn’t actually say it but he said it without saying it and I’m really sorry if anyone with a plant-based quirk got hurt by something in the air.

You have to believe me. I don’t wanna hurt people. I promise I don’t. And it was selfish and maybe I should have let him hurt me but I didn’t want to and what if he does the test on me? I don’t want the test done on me! I miss Tomura. He was mean but he was funny and he made me smile sometimes when we were alone. I don’t smile much anymore.

What if All for One knows about these letters? What if that’s why he hurt Tomura? Why he’s making me hurt people.

I’m sorry. I can’t. No more letters. If nothing changes, if nothing gets better when I stop, I might start again. But if it gets better, I won’t start again. I don’t want people getting hurt because I want to go home. I’m sorry. Tell Mama I love her and Kacchan I miss him.

Midoriya Izuku

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Shouta knocks on Inko’s door a few times, pacing on her porch before knocking again and repeating the process. Tsukauchi said he could tell her. Open the door, open the door, open the door.

His sister pulls open the door, clearly concerned. “Shou? What’s the matter? Come in, please!”

He walks in, making a beeline for the coffee pot and pouring himself a mug before sitting on the couch. His leg bounces anxiously. This extra caffeine probably won’t be doing him any favors, but he doesn’t care.

Inko puts her hand on his knee, stilling his jitters. “What’s wrong?” she demands, voice much more stern than it was previously.

“Izuku’s alive.” Inko freezes in surprise before bursting into tears, clinging to her brother for dear life. “He says he loves you and misses you and that he’s being as good as he can. We’re doing our best to look for him, but he hasn’t been able to give us much.”

The woman takes a few deep breaths, trying to pull herself together. “Is he safe?” she forces out. “Shouta, is he safe?”

All he can do is shake his head. “I’m sorry. He’s not. Not in the least.” He won’t lie to her. She deserves more than a lie.

His sister looks up at Shouta with wide, watery eyes that still hold a flicker of hope. “He’ll come home,” she assures. Isn’t he the one that’s supposed to be comforting her?

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Bring me to the police, please.

It didn’t get better. It’s been a month since I wtore last and nothing got better. And I’m sorry. I don’t know if anyone will find this soon enough, but they’re planning an attack on the Hosu government building on the first of July. That’s two weeks away from when I’m writing this.

It’s almost my birthday.

Midoriya Izuku

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To the police.

I don’t get as much time alone anymore. My letters are going to start coming less freek freak freekwent often because All for One is trying to keep me close and I don’t like it. He’s creepy and he can’t see but he still sees and I don’t like it.

I don’t know where I am. He doesn’t let me leave normally. Kurogiri has a portal quirk. He’s how I leave.

I think All for One wants me to be something for him. If he wants it, it can’t be good. He doesn’t want good things. He wants to hurt people. He wants me to hurt people.

He asks me to analize quirks and I like doing that but he doesn’t want me to help the quirks get better. He wants me to find ways around the quirks. I don’t have a choice because it hurts. If I don’t listen, he’ll give me a quirk then take it away. He gives me ones that hurt and then leave them for a while. He watches to see what happens to me. The mutant ones hurt the most.

I don’t want a tail again. That wasn’t a fun one.

Midoriya Izuku

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Police!!!

Tsubasa. The boy with the wings. He was one of mine and Kacchan’s friends. I didn’t remember his name till the doctor said something. He’s missing and I know he is. He’s here. Not like me here. He’s not nearly as safe as me. I saw him and then I heard the screaming and I don’t think I was supposed to be near the door at that time but I heard it then All for One showed me another test and it had wings it had wings I think it was him I think it was the boy

I don’t think he wants to make me a test. I think he would have done it already if he was going to. And he seems like he wants to keep me safe. He’s having someone teach me to fight and he got angry when someone got angry at me. He hurts people he’s angry with. I’m gonna not talk to people or be around them. I think I can keep people safe like that. They’re not good people that he’s hurting, but he hurts them more that they deserve to be hurt.

I can’t keep them safe but it feels like I should be able to. All for One listens to me sometimes. He might just be indulging me, though. Trying to make me like him more.

I don’t like him at all.

Midoriya Izuku

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Bring to police immediately.

It isn’t All for One, but another group. Terror attack. They’re planting bombs at the train stations throughout Kamino. They’re going to set them all off on the fifth. Please, keep everyone safe.

Midoriya Izuku

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Bring this to the police, please.

Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday, dear Izuku. Happy birthday to me.

Twelve doesn’t feel any different than eleven or ten. Maybe it’s such a slow change that I’m not noticing it as much. Like getting taller.

Thank you for reading these and leaving little things that show you got these. It makes things easier, knowing I have contact with people outside of this place. He can’t mess with my mind as much.

I would be starting junior high in the spring, right? If I get out of here, will I know enough to go?

Would it be safe for me to?

All for One has me learning to fight. All the time. Always learning. I’m not safe. Never safe. I don’t wanna hurt people. What if he messes me up? What if he breaks me and when I get out- not if. When- I can’t be around other people because I accidentally attack them when they move too fast?

I don’t wanna think about that. That’s sad stuff and birthdays aren't for sad stuff. Happy stuff.

I remember my fourth birthday. A little bit, at least. I remember it was All Might themed. And Kacchan was there. He… I don’t remember that much about him anymore. I think he had blond hair. And he was loud but he had a really big smile. Mama was there too. I don’t… I miss Mama. Mama was really pretty with pretty green hair and really kind eyes. They were green like mine, I think.

Are they okay? I don’t remember anyone else. I don’t Plea Are they safe? Are they alive? Do they miss me?

Do they even remember me?

Don’t answer that. I don’t know if I would be able to hold on nearly as well as I am now if I thought they didn’t remember me. They remember me and they can’t wait for me to come home.

I’ll come home someday!

Midoriya Izuku

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Take this to the police.

I’m tired. I’m so tired. I have been fighting since two days after my fourth birthday. I am now almost thirteen. I don’t want to keep fighting. I’m trying to stay good. Keep my morals. But it’s so hard. It’s really really hard and I just…

What if I stopped? I just stopped fighting?

I don’t mean give in. I will never give in to that monster. I promise that much. I will not help him any more than I have to.

I mean… What if I gave up? I stopped fighting back. I stopped in the middle of one of Kurogiri’s portals as it was closing. I didn’t put up a guard when sparring against someone with a dangerous quirk.

I’m not going to! I swear, I’m not! I don’t want to die!

I’m just starting to wonder if dead is really worse than this place.

If I’m dead, I can’t hurt anyone.

But I’m not going to die. I can’t do that to Mama. I’m going to stay alive. Don’t worry about that much.

Midoriya Izuku

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Shouta found the eighty sixth letter and read it before bringing it to Tsukauchi, which was, in all honesty, a mistake. As he walks with the paper burning a hole in his pocket, Shouta is filled with a hollow cold that just makes him want to recede into himself.

He wants to scream.

Or cry.

Or punch something.

He wants to go in and take that boy from whatever hell he grew up in that would make him think that way. This isn’t something that cropped up out of the blue.

Izuku has thought about it enough that he knows multiple ways to do it.

A hero’s supposed to help people, right? Then why the hell can’t Shouta do a thing for his own nephew?

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To the police.

This feels like some sort of milestone. ‘Congratulations, kidnapped child! You’ve written 100 letters in the hopes that someone would save you! It’s been almost three years and no one has!’

You know, there’s a certain level of cynicism that comes with this kind of childhood. A certain disregard for the safety of either yourself or others. I apparently chose myself to disregard. Because I honestly can’t say I give a shit about my personal health or safety that much anymore.

AFO, because the full thing is annoying to write every time I wanna talk about that moldy potato, gave me a quirk yesterday. Instead of crying tears, I cry blood. He has yet to take it back. And I want nothing more than to stab him where his eyes should be. See how he likes crying blood.

I said I’d stay good. I’d keep my morals. I’d do my best not to hurt anyone. I’m trying to stay true to that, but if given the chance, I will happily make mashed fucking potatoes out of this creepy fuck with a thing for stealing quirkless children.

If I die in the process, so be it. I stopped caring a while ago. One way or another, I’ll be out of here.

Midoriya Izuku

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Police, please.

As a fourteen year old, I should be worrying about what high school I want to go to. Not the best way to kill a man with a fucking pencil.

I don’t know when I stopped being scared and started being bitter. I don’t even know what I’m longing for at this point. I don’t know what middle school is like. I don’t know what school is like. I just know it has to be better than this.

I could be friendless, constantly bullied, beaten the living shit out of, and it would still be better than this bullshit. Because I’d actually have a choice. I finally got to cut my hair. Yeah. Ten years without a damn haircut. My head feels so free now! Ten years of hair is a lot of hair!

Maybe this is AFO trying to offer me a little bit of freedom. Make me trust him more. Fat chance of that. I’m sorry, but you kidnapped me. You took me from my home . And you think that finally allowing me to cut my hair, a thing that you forbade, is going to make me like you?! Fucking kiss my ass, veggie boy!

Fuck you and and your throne of mind games and lies.

Midoriya Izuku

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To the police.

Fun fact: I think these letters are the only reason I still remember my real name. AFO insists on everyone calling me Midoritani Hisade. And I have to just go with it or suffer the consequences. Those being receiving a quirk that just hurts.

A memory cropped up from when I was in a hard stop spot. I had plans for how to die. I guess I blocked that letter out for a bit, and I’m sorry if I worried anyone. I should have said something earlier, but I’m not likely to do something that might get me killed. Yeah… I really should have said something a few letters ago. Look at me, being a royal dumbass and not saying shit before now. Mama, are you proud? Your boy’s an idiot. Your boy grew up t

I don’t remember what Mama looks like.

Why can’t I remember what Mama looks like?

She [water drops made the ink bleed too much to read] home. I can’t remember her face. Even if I forgot her voice, I thought I’d always remember something .

She was the one connection I had to home left. I can’t

Mama. She was nice. Right?

Midoriya Izuku

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This is for the police.

He’s planning something. I know my letters haven’t been coming as frequently, not since somewhere around 160, and that’s because he’s planning something. He keeps asking for my insight.

He knows All Might is going to teach at UA this year. He’s going to have me break in and look at his schedule. If you arrest me, he will hurt you all. He will hurt everyone you love. He will break you apart piece by piece until there is nothing left but allegiance to him or another body to hide.

I’ve watched that happen far too many times. Please don’t make me watch it again. He might try and have me help this time.

Midoriya Izuku

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Shouta is forced to watch as his nephew hacks through the front gate, letting in the press. He is forced to watch as his nephew breaks into the data room, looking at All Might’s schedule. He is forced to watch as his nephew scrawls out a note and leaves it under the keyboard before signing “I’m sorry” to the security camera. He is forced to watch as his nephew walks back through a dark portal, disappearing.

What does the note say?

183

For once, not to the police. To whoever on the UA staff finds this.

Please cancel the field trips to the USJ. I don’t want the students getting hurt.

In another life, maybe they’d have been my classmates.

Again, I’m sorry.

Midoriya Izuku

Nedzu doesn’t cancel either of the trips.

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Shouta will never understand the way Nedzu’s mind works. “He said to cancel the trip,” he says, voice cold.

“I’m aware,” the principal replies, stirring his tea with a nonchalance that makes Shouta want to smash the tea cup.

“Then why are you not canceling the trip?” His teeth clench, his frustration wrapping its claws around his lungs and heart.

Nedzu sets his spoon down, picking up the drink and holding it in his paws. “For one, it would likely clue whoever is holding your nephew prisoner in on the fact that someone let us know, which would put the boy in more danger. Secondly, this face-to-face confrontation would give us a chance to evaluate the state of the boy. Third, Midoriya will likely do his best to keep anyone from getting seriously injured.” He takes a sip, not a care in the world. “Lastly, if any of the students can’t handle a simple villain attack, they don’t belong in the hero course.”

“Nedzu, sir-”

“You may bring other heroes along, if it makes you feel any better. Present Mic and Midnight shouldn’t have much going on tomorrow.” Shouta forces himself to leave the room before he does something he might regret.

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“Hisade, my boy,” All for One croons in what’s meant to be a calming voice that does nothing than send chills up Izuku’s spine. “Come here, won’t you?”

Nodding, Izuku shuffles closer. “Yes, Teacher.” God, that face is repulsive. It isn’t even a face anymore. Just a pile of melted flesh that haunts Izuku’s nightmares.

The villain places a hand on Izuku’s shoulder when he gets close enough. “Are you excited? You’re finally getting your chance to kill All Might!” He chuckles lowly and the boy suppresses a wince.

Izuku plasters on a smile. “Of course I am! I’m just… worried.” He wrings his hands by his waist, taking the opportunity to look to the ground and away from his captor. “What if the Noumu isn’t enough to kill All Might?”

“You’ll think of something. You always do. What you lack quirk-wise, you more than make up for in intelligence.” All for One’s voice takes on an echoing quality as he continues. “However, I’m always happy to set up some sort of contingency for you.” The voice fades to the edge of Izuku’s awareness and his world goes dark.

When he regains control, he’s back in the bar and his mind scrambles to remember the dark period. What… What did he do to Izuku this time?

-

Let us get there and let it be empty. Let us get there and let it be empty. Izuku repeats this mantra in his head over and over and over as the grunts file through the portal. He puts his mask in place. It’s just a surgical mask because his bangs already cover his eyes. All for One allowed him to pick what he wore, claiming it was a ‘special day’. He clearly has a different definition of ‘special’ than Izuku does. To go with his mask, Izuku chose a black t-shirt that has ‘villain costume’ written in white across the front. He has also been armed with a knife and a quirk. Tomura’s quirk. All for One must have scavenged it from the failed first test. Izuku hopes he doesn’t have to use it. Let us get there and let it be- Jesus Christ. Can… Do they not know how to read over at UA? God damnit. Time to put on that shitty act.

“Oh, hello, UA students!” Izuku lilts, stepping forward. He hates it. He hates this forced side of him. He hates everything he brought with him. The Noumu- the one of the first successful tests- next to him. Built to take down All Might. He can’t stand looking at it, seeing it. It was once human. He instead crosses his arms and juts out a hip, doing his best to give off an air of petty annoyance. “Is All Might not here? How rude! I took the time to set up this nice show for him, and he doesn’t even attend the opening night! Whatever. Maybe hurting a few of his precious students will teach him not to be so rude about accepting gifts. I’m sorry you have to settle for such cheap props, Noumu.”

“Thirteen, get them out of here!” the black-haired man shouts. Izuku thinks that’s Eraserhead. He jumps into the sea of thugs, taking them down as quickly as he can. He has to know his fighting style isn’t suited for that, right?

The other hero, Thirteen, tries to get the students out, but Kurogiri gets in the way. He starts sending students and possibly more heroes to different areas of the USJ after taking Thirteen out with their own quirk. That’s got to hurt.

Izuku purposefully didn’t look at the kids’ quirks. He didn’t want to put them in anymore danger than he had t- Spiky blond hair fills Izuku’s vision and Izuku can see the red eyes clearly in his memory. The boy looks so much angrier about everything than he ever did in the past, but he’s… it’s him. Kacchan . Izuku doesn’t realize he’s holding his breath and staring till the blond disappears from sight.

Eraserhead holds his own rather well. Better than Izuku was expecting. “Eraser, dearest, do you even care about these children? If it were me, I would have cancelled this trip after the break-in, but no! UA prides itself on its ability to fuck things up for its students, huh?” the villain goads. It hurts to say this. He doesn’t believe it. He doesn’t think that. He swears he doesn’t.

Most of what he’s thinking of in the moment is about how there is a hero so close. He is so close to being able to get out of that hellhole. And he can’t do a thing about it. It makes Izuku want to scream or cry or hurt the villains that came with him.

Something about Eraserhead feels vaguely familiar. And this, combined with something in Izuku’s chest and the voice in his head telling him to do something, to help someone for once in his pitiful life has him whistling and waving his grunts back. “I can’t let y’all have all the fun, can I?” he says with some dark humor in his tone. Cool and vaguely threatening. Just like All for One’s general tone.

Eraser regards him coldly, goggles over his eyes hiding his full expression. “You.”

“Midoritani Hisade, at your service!” Izuku greets cheerfully. “I must warn you, though. I’ve never been one to play nice.”

“What a coincidence,” the hero deadpans. “Neither have I.”

A shift in the water has Izuku turning toward the edge of the plaza. There he sees three kids peering over the edge, a red one starting to climb out of the water. “Nuh-uh,” Izuku reprimands. “Good kiddies wait their turn. Noumu, be a dear and keep them from interrupting without hurting them, would you?” His monster rushes over, standing wordlessly between the students and their teacher. “Where were we? Oh, yes. The opening act in hopes that the headliner will show up before the curtains close. What do you say, Eraser? Wanna have a little fun?”

The hero widens his stance and adjusts his grip on his capture weapon. “I won’t let you hurt my students.” I don’t want to hurt them. I don’t want to hurt anyone.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Izuku pulls a knife from his hip. “So be it.” He weaves through the scarf as it tries to grab him, feet flying around in an intricate dance as he forces a laugh and encroaches on his target. “That can’t be the best you can do!” he jeers as he comes to stand in front of the hero. He knows Eraser let him get this close.

“It’s not.” Eraser grabs Izuku, flipping him over his shoulder. Izuku swings his legs around when he lands, sweeping Eraserhead’s out from under him.

He flips the hero onto his back, kneeling with one knee on his chest and holding his knife to his throat. The boy pulls down his mask just enough to reveal a sneer as he leans in close. “ I’m so sorry, ” he whispers. “ My name is Midoriya Izuku. I- I never wanted this. I’m so sorry, especially if anyone gets hurt. ”

The hero nods minutely. “ I know, kid. Just hang in there. We’re doing our best. ”

“ Thank you. And I’m really sorry about this, but it’s the only way to keep you from worse injury. ” Izuku tosses his blade aside, grabbing the hero by the front of the jumpsuit and shifting his leg so he’s straddling the man. He slams Eraser’s head into the cement as tears shine in his eye just as the blood glimmers against the ground. I’m so sorry. Luckily, the hero stays down. Izuku slips a small piece of paper into the hero’s jumpsuit before getting up and glancing toward the children. “Noumu, bring me the red one. Don’t hurt him.”

“Kirishima!” The girl with green hair cries as the Noumu grabs the boy by the collar, walking him over to Izuku.

The boy squirms until the monster sets him down. “What did you do to Aizawa?!” the student demands. “What do you want?!”

Izuku puts a comforting hand on his chosen child’s shoulder, keeping his pinky up. “Relax! He’s just taking a little nap. I don’t want to kill anyone here. You see, all I want to do is kill All Might.” He grins behind the mask, just in case anyone can read his expression. “It’s the only way to start over, dear Kirishima. From the high rises of Hosu to the slums of Kamino, there is corruption. Can’t you see that I just want to fix things?” Kamino. Izuku is almost positive he’s being kept in Kamino. He knows saying this will probably do nothing. That Kirishima won’t understand or the police won’t ask the right questions.

That doesn’t mean he won’t try.

“Do you think All Might is going to show up, Kirishima?” Izuku asks in a gentle voice.

His legs feel frozen. He can’t move. That would be because they’ve been encapsulated in ice. “Let him go,” a cold voice orders. The source? A red and white boy glaring at him from the edge of the plaza.

Blinking a few times, Izuku dramatically lifts his hand from Kirishima’s shoulder before disintegrating the ice block that reaches his knees. “Hello! From the ice and your wonderful color scheme, may I assume you’re the Todoroki heir?” He walks closer to the newcomer, a slight skip in his step as he dances around the ice shot his way. “I’m terribly sorry about that. And about that scar. Tell me, is Endeavor as bad of a father as he is a hero?”

Todoroki’s gaze hardens, which Izuku has to raise an eyebrow at. He didn’t think the boy could look more pissed. “Shut your mouth,” he spits. “You don’t know the half of it.”

I don’t, but I could take a wild guess, Izuku thinks dismally. “There were no breaks. Every moment of every day, you were liable to be attacked. You learned to walk quietly, as to not spur on another ‘lesson’ just by merely existing. He probably took your main source of comfort away at a young age, and any other source you had you hid because you’d lose your mind if you didn’t have that thing. Todoroki, you and I are more similar than you might think.” But it seems your abuser wants you to be a hero. Mine is molding a villain. Todoroki stands frozen, blinking as if a stranger just told him his entire life story upon their first meeting. Oh, wait. Izuku glances back at his lackeys, all standing around with no orders. “Incapacitate them all. Only hurt the Todoroki. He’s weak-willed and it pisses me off. If any of them die, I kill all of you. Clear?” Walking past Todoroki, he whispers, “ You likely have the highest pain tolerance. I’m sorry. ” He wrenches one of the boy’s arms behind his back, slamming him to the ground. “ If I don’t do this, he’ll find a way to kill you all. I’m so sorry. ”

Thugs come over, taking the student from him. Izuku opts to sit on the edge of the fountain, pretending to be enjoying the show. Because it’s just a part. ‘Midoritani Hisade’ is just a character in a play. He’s just an actor. He’ll only ever be just an actor.

“ You, ” someone growls, spurring Izuku to swivel in place. It’s…

“Kacchan,” Izuku breathes, accidentally breaking character for the first time.

The blond’s eyes widen with shock before narrowing. “Who are you? How do you know that name?”

Izuku’s heart shatters on the spot. He doesn’t remember me. He- He doesn’t… Izuku feels his mask soaking with tears. “You…”

Kacchan brings a hand up next to his head, popping with explosions. “What are you here for? What do you want?”

The tears just start falling harder as his facade crumbles. “I wanna come home,” he whimpers. “I just wanna come home.” He waves off his minions, who look rather interested in protecting him from the apparent danger. “Kacchan, it’s Izuku. I-Izuchan?”

The doors to the USJ slam open, revealing All Might in all his glory. Showtime.

Chapter Text

There are no two ways about it. All Might looks absolutely pissed. “ I AM HERE! ” the hero announces, face completely devoid of his signature smile as he fumes at the top of the stairs.

Pushing to his feet and gliding forward a few steps, the forced-villain swings his hand out to point at the man. “Noumu!” he cheerfully commands, bringing back his mask of villainy. “It's time for your debut!”

The monster rushes for its chosen prey and Kacchan, leaping at Izuku from behind, roars, “Call it off!” Izuku wants to do nothing more than call it off. Not just the Noumu. The entire attack. Call all the thugs off. Keep everyone from getting hurt.

But he can’t. All for One would kill them or make them wish they were dead. He’d cram the last eleven years of Izuku’s life into a single year or shorter. He’d take their quirks or make them into monsters and he’d make Izuku watch, knowing he could have prevented this if he’d just done his damn job.

It’s fine. He can… It’s okay. Just get through this. Pray the Noumu is too weak and try not to kick himself too hard if it isn’t.

Grabbing Kacchan’s gauntlet, Izuku watches wordlessly as it crumbles. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about your classmates than the number one hero?” he asks, voice empty of all emotion, all energy, allowing it to rattle out quietly with a hollow quality. Maybe if Izuku gets tired of Midoritani Hisade, he can try out for the part of the Tinman in the next installment of The Wizard of Oz. “All Might has a better chance against my monster than your friends do with the cronies. I gave orders for no deaths, but we all know how well lowlifes like them like to listen.”

It’s as if this is the first time Kacchan has watched something disintegrate before his very eyes. He stands stunned for a moment before lunging at Izuku with a scream. “I won’t let you hurt-!”

This is a very delicate situation, if Izuku says so himself. The wrong twitch, a poorly executed grab, and Kacchan dies. So Izuku does it… relatively well. He grabs Kacchan’s other gauntlet and the back of his costume, swinging him into the fountain. It isn’t until Kacchan cries out in pain and Izuku sees the bleeding from his arm that he realizes what happened. I hurt Kacchan. I- I hurt… The quirk must have chewed through his gauntlet and into his arm. Izuku feels a pit in his stomach, which he does his best to ignore. Stalking forward, Izuku places a combat boot against Kacchan’s chest, letting his hand hover over the blond’s face as he leans in close. “You don’t understand. The only one that has to get hurt is All Might,” Izuku pleads with only his tone, face impassive. “All Might has to fight that thing. None of you have to fight. We can all get out of here relatively okay if All Might fights the Noumu. Please.”

On the outside, Izuku steps off Kacchan, kicking him across the face with his hands in his pockets. On the inside, something rips Izuku from control with cold tendrils of power, chaining him to the walls of his mind. No! Not again!

-

Izuku comes back to himself in the bar and he wants to throw up. Blood. There’s so much of it and he doesn’t know whose. The Noumu is gone. Did All Might kill it? Did he kill it? None of his thugs are there either. He hopes that they all got arrested. “I’m going to go analyze what we saw today. Do you think Teacher will let me go shopping? I’m almost at the end of my notebook,” Izuku rattles off mindlessly as he retreats to the back room.

No one died today.

Izuku has to believe that.

-

The villain with the green hair kicks Bakugou in the face once. Then twice. And again. Over and over and over till his face is a bloody mess and he stops moving. He’s just unconscious, Tsuyu assures herself. Just unconscious.

His mask has a splatter of blood on it and Tsuyu can’t make herself look away from it. Not even as Todoroki grunts in pain as the other villains kick him or punch him and just be horrible. Not as Mineta cries out in fear as the head villain grows near. Her eyes remain as stuck to the villain as her body is stuck in place. One of the attackers has a paralysis quirk.

Crouching down to meet Mineta’s eye, Midoritani grabs the shorter student’s chin, careful not to touch his pinky to Mineta’s skin. He unhooks his medical mask from around one ear, letting it hang down from the other to reveal a sneer. “You bother me,” he explains with a hint of disgust. “There’s just something… off about you. Why do you want to be a hero?” Mineta starts mumbling a bit as Kirishima squirms as much as he can, trying to attack Midoritani. “I can’t hear you. And, Sharky? Do not distract me. It will not end pleasantly for anyone involved.”

“I want to be cool so girls will like me,” Mineta mutters, glancing up at Tsuyu in fear, getting a little sidetracked just south of her eyes. Really? A life or death situation and that’s what you’re going to focus on?

Midoritani tuts at the boy. “And, Kirishima, how would you describe the actions of this one? You’re next, girlie. And I will not be pleased if either of you attempt to lie or keep something from me.”

Kirishima gives Tsuyu a scared look, one Tsuyu is almost positive she’s mirroring. She feels as if this is more than just curiosity.

Another villain steps slightly closer. “Boss, didn’t you sa-”

“Shut the hell up,” Midoritani growls, glaring at his underling without letting Mineta go in the least. “ I call the shots here, got it?” His attention then returns to Kirishima and Tsuyu. “So?”

“He uses his quirk very creatively,” Tsuyu supplies, trying to avoid her classmate’s perverted side. Sure, she hates it, but that doesn’t mean it’s worth whatever this villain has planned.

Needless to say, the leader doesn’t buy it. “Come now, doll. I know you’re hiding something. Why don’t you just tell me? Candor!” The villain who tried to ask Midoritani a question steps forward timidly. “Use your quirk on her.”

The lackey nods, placing a hand on Tsuyu’s shoulder. “Yes, Boss.”

Something feels wrong almost immediately. Tsuyu’s mind goes fuzzy and her joints relax slightly. She feels more like a puppet than a person. Her mouth opens of its own accord and her mind floods with thoughts of Mineta’s inappropriate actions and comments toward their classmates. “He is a per-” vert, a sleaze, he sexually harasses every girl in school- Her mind keeps going even when the truth quirk stops.

A sinister smile creeps onto the head villain’s face. “Scratch that. I promised consequences, so consequences we will have.” He pulls Mineta close for a moment before dropping his pinky, chuckling as Mineta’s face starts slowly flaking away and the boy screams. And screams. And keeps screaming. Tsuyu doesn’t know if she’ll be able to get that noise out of her head. When the pained screams stop, Midoritani throws Mineta- or what’s left of him- away, turning his attention to Todoroki. “Now, you just be a good little punching bag, y’hear?” he commands gently, brushing hair from Todoroki’s face. “Give my boys a good bit of fun.” He pushes up to his feet, twirling with flourish as he does so.

He seems like a kid. He acts and looks like one at least. Maybe Tsuyu’s in shock. That would explain why she’s more focused on Midoritani than she is the corpse of her classmate just a few feet away.

It seemed like a switch flipped inside his head. One moment, he at least wanted everyone to survive. He threatened to kill his own men over it just to get his way. Then he just… Tsuyu retches, dry-heaving.

Not thinking about that. Not thinking about Mineta. Not about how close she was. Not about how she should have been able to save him. Not about how it was her inability to hide things that got him killed. She lets her mind go carefully blank as she waits for more help to arrive.

No one else is going to die today.

Chapter Text

Toshinori finds the paper that falls from Aizawa’s jumpsuit as he gets carted off. Unfolding it carefully, the man tries to stuff down his reaction even as he deflates behind Cementoss’s wall.

184

I’m so sorry. I asked you not to go through with this.

I wrote this mainly to say I might not be able to write letters as much anymore. I think I’ll be a lot closer to the public eye from now on, so at least anyone who cares will know I’m alive.

I don’t know what’s going to happen today, but whatever does, I’m so sorry. I wish I could have stopped it. I should have been able to stop it.

Midoriya Izuku

The hero glances at the body of the dead student, trying to reconcile the person who did that with the one he knows from the letters. He can’t.

Chapter Text

Bring this letter to the police, please.

I know Kacchan forgot about me. And that’s fine. I wouldn’t exactly want to be in his shoes when he realizes his childhood friend just attacked him and his class. When it’s safe to do so, can you please tell him I’m sorry about his arm? And for kicking him in the face? I mean, if I’m not there to do it myself.

Also, Endeavor is abusing his family. At least, that’s what it feels like, from my little interaction with the youngest, Todoroki Shouto. I asked if Endeavor was as bad a father as he is a hero (you cannot deny that his body count is atrocious). Todoroki said that I didn’t know the half of it. I took a guess, just based on my own training. He has to go through what I do, if his reaction was anything to go by. A pro hero is treating his own son the same way a villain treats the child he kidnapped at age 4. Apologize to Shouto for me, too. I kind of threw him to the wolves because I thought his pain tolerance would be highest.

I’m so sorry for the entire attack. That I couldn’t do anything to stop it. That I couldn’t even stay present long enough to make sure no one died.

I really hope no one died.

Midoriya Izuku

Chapter Text

That night, Izuku pulls the covers up around his face. As his eyes fall shut, a scene plays against his eyelids. The short boy’s chin in his hand, the fear in the girl’s eyes. The screams.

His laugh.

It makes him sound like he was enjoying it.

The tears start to fall silently, his eyes jumping open as he buries his ears in both his pillow and blanket, doing his best to make it stop. His ears ring with the nameless kid’s screams.

“ No matter what, one of the heroes will die. ” All for One’s quirk-laced voice echoes in Izuku’s memories. “ You will make sure of it, won’t you, Hisade? ” His body is stuck in a trance, swaying listlessly, only held in place by the villain’s hand. His head nods and All for One smiles. “ Good. Now, why don’t you go back? You have a big day ahead of you. ”

Even as he cries without so much as a sob, Izuku quietly chuckles to himself. The bastard used a quirk on me. He should have known. He should have assumed.

Chapter Text

To the police.

Im sorry Im so sorry I killed him I killed him I killed that boy and its my fault I didnt mean to I didnt want to Im sorry Im sorry please I didnt want to fuck I just he I [scribbles]

Do I even deserve to be saved anymore?

I killed someone.

He’s dead.

And it’s my fault.

I’m sorry.

AFO used a quirk on me. Physical contact makes him able to code a person with ‘if/then’ commands. If it rains, put a thing of salt in the fridge. If you run out of milk, kick a puppy.

If it looks like All Might might beat the Noumu, kill one of his students.

I promise I didn’t want to kill him.

Midoriya Izuku

Chapter Text

The villain at the USJ did nothing but confuse Shouto. And let his henchmen break Shouto’s arm, but that was fixed by Recovery Girl almost immediately. The way he tried to justify his actions, like he didn’t want Shouto to blame him for telling his lackeys to beat the living shit out of him. The way he inquired about Shouto’s home life. The way he declared that no students should die despite it being an attack.

Then there’s that switch. Whatever he was trying to do, whispering to Shouto, ordering his people not to kill any of the students, it all went down the drain in a moment. It unnerves Shouto, especially because he can’t decide which was his real personality.

When the students are allowed to return to school, the first place he goes when he has a free moment is to Aizawa during lunch. While Shouto isn’t a huge fan of authority figures, Aizawa is most likely to have any information on the villain. It seems, however, Shouto isn’t the only one who wanted this conversation. “Todoroki, a word?” Aizawa says as Shouto approaches his desk.

This is unexpected. “Yeah? What is it?” Frankly, the teacher looks like shit. Worse than normal, which is pretty bad to begin with.

Aizawa glances around the room, not speaking until some standard is met. “Todoroki, I have reason to believe your father is hurting you. Is this true?” Broken half-words and sentence fragments fall from Shouto’s mouth, most generally expressing his confusion before Aizawa silences him with a tired look. “Please just answer the question.”

The whisper pries itself from the confines of the boy’s throat, jumping out from between his lips. “Yes.” A single word. It’s all it takes for the course of Shouto’s life to change forever. “How… How did you know?” He doesn’t think he’s done much to show that. Besides not using his left side, but no one has actually pointed it out. And it might be hard to connect that to… that.

“Anonymous informant,” the teacher says quickly. “Do you have any relatives you can stay with during the investigation?”

“Investigation?”

“Yes. Investigation. We have to look into reports of abuse such as this. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get you out of his custody. Until then, you have to be under the care of someone else to ensure your safety. Do you have a relative you can stay with?” Shouto shakes his head, still processing. “Alright. You’ll be staying with my sister and I for the time being. Whatever you need from your house, we can grab later.” Aizawa folds his hands on the desk in front of him. “Any questions?”

Several, actually. But none of them ever have the chance to leave Shouto’s mind. “Thank you,” he murmurs instead. He almost thinks he might cry. He’s getting out.

-

As Izuku tries to analyze the motives and movements of the Hero Killer, one thought keeps cropping up in his head. I’m never getting out.

Chapter Text

Police.

No more letters unless I have to warn you of something bad. AFO is starting to get suspicious of how quickly I go through notebooks compared to how much he actually sees. I’m sorry. I was right in assuming he’d put me out into the world more now, though, so you’ll know I’m alive.

I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done and anything I’ll be forced to do.

Midoriya Izuku.

Chapter Text

Floored, Shouto stops mid-step when he catches sight of the woman. She looks so… The green hair, the face shape, hell, even their voices are similar. Everything about this woman brings Shouto back to him . “Todoroki, is something wrong?” Aizawa’s sister asks, a concerned edge to her voice.

Everything in him tells Shouto to both get away and stay to figure out what’s going on. It’s like his body wants to split right down the middle and satiate both urges at once. “Todoroki?” Aizawa says this time, gentler than Shouto usually hears him. “Are you alright?”

Pulling himself together, he nods. “Fine,” he replies, unable to take his eyes off the woman. There’s no connection, right? There can’t be. That’s-

His teacher glances between Shouto and the woman a few times before he sighs. “She looks like the USJ villain because that was her son. My nephew,” he explains in a tired tone.

It takes a few tries for Shouto to get his voice to work. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” the boy mutters.

The woman shakes her head, retreating further into the house. “I’m just happy he’s alive.” She sighs before glancing back. “Call me ‘Inko’, dear. No need to be formal. Would you like something to eat?”

-

The top news story is about the abuse case being brought up against Endeavor on behalf of his children and wife. Maybe Kurogiri will believe the act Izuku puts on about being so glad to get the number two hero out of the way without having to lift a finger. He’s just happy at least someone got out, even if it wasn’t him.

Chapter Text

To the police.

I know I’m risking it by writing this letter but oh well.

Thank you for making the case against Endeavor. We’re not planning to attack the sports festival, so feel free to not have UA cancel that. Like they would listen if I told them to cancel it. That worked so well when I told them to cancel the USJ.

I can’t help if no one listens to me.

Midoriya Izuku

Chapter Text

Kacchan’s real name is Bakugou Katsuki. He’s much different to the boy Izuku used to know. He’s just so… angry. Violent. In the one-on-one fights, he is ruthless. He beats the living shit out of Kirishima to the point that the latter’s quirk stops being able to protect him. He seems almost happy as he takes out the bird boy. The girl… That fight isn’t terrible. She puts up a good fight and it’s clear he has to fight for every inch as he pushes steadily for victory. She almost wins, too, but Kacchan catches her trap before it’s put in full swing.

The fight with Todoroki, however. It’s mostly screaming, from the looks of things. Kacchan’s mouth doesn’t stop moving. Not as he blasts through ice layer after ice layer. Not as he slams an exploding fist into Todoroki’s jaw. Not even as his opponent falls unconscious.

He ends up needing to be restrained and muzzled for the awards ceremony. As soon as the muzzle is removed, he goes right back to fighting, going so far as to try to bite All Might.

So, naturally, Izuku pulls on a bloodthirsty grin and pauses the TV before pointing to the screen. “Bakugou Katsuki,” he drawls with feigned interest. “I want him.” It’s what’s expected of him.

“Are you certain, Midoritani Hisade?” Kurogiri asks

Izuku’s gaze slides to his keeper. “Of course! Don’t you see? He’s perfect.” He stands, dancing around the room with excited gestures as he explains, “His quirk is powerful and he has the drive to do whatever he sets his mind to. Imagine his strength if we channeled that into the right thing! I’m sure Teacher has a few quirks on the back burner he’d allow me to borrow if Bakugou refuses to cooperate.” The boy pushes himself up so he can sit on top of the bar. “Would you fetch the Hero Killer for me? He should still be in Hosu.”

Chapter Text

“Stain,” Izuku greets cheerfully. “Sit, won’t you?”

Though scowling, the man does as asked, taking a seat at the far end of the bar. “Who are you and where am I?”

Drumming his fingers against the bar, Izuku tilts his head from side to side a few times. “Midoritani Hisade, head of the League of Villains. As for where… not important.” His gaze falls casually to his guest, an easy smile on his face. “I have a proposition for you, Hero Killer.”

The killer glares. It seems anger is his way through confusion. “You’re a child,” he spits out.

“And you look like someone took ‘got your nose’ a little too seriously. Are we going to keep pointing out the obvious or can I continue?” He slides off the counter, pouring himself a drink.

Of juice. Izuku doesn’t drink alcohol. First of all, he’s still a kid. Secondly, he can’t afford any of the haze that would come with drinking or getting drunk.

When Stain begrudgingly nods, Izuku continues with his sales pitch. “Our goals aren’t terribly different, Stain. We both want to fix this society, to save the public from the heroes unfit for duty. Would you join me in my endeavors? We could do so much more if we fought side by side.”

The killer regards him with skepticism. “You attacked children,” he grumbles, as if that was enough reason for him to decline Izuku’s oh-so generous offer.

Izuku shrugs, carefree. “They were in the way of my mission. As if you wouldn’t do the same.”

“I wouldn’t,” the man grits out, pushing to his feet. “And I won’t join you.”

No matter. Doesn’t actually make a difference to Izuku. “Just keep telling yourself that you wouldn’t hurt a bothersome child, Akaguro Chizome. Just thought I’d extend the olive branch. Kurogiri, take him away.”

Before Stain can open his mouth to question Izuku’s knowledge of his name, Kurogiri warps him from the bar. “That didn’t go as planned. Do you have anything else in mind?” the portal-generator asks.

“Of course I do. If he won’t join us, he’s just in the way. I’ll just take care of him, as one would any piece of trash.”

Chapter Text

“Get out of here!” the hero before Chizome cries, turning the anti-hero’s attention to the end of the alley. There stands a person in armor similar to Ingenium’s, anger visible despite the helmet.

Before the man can announce his intentions, Chizome lunges, flicking the headgear off and cutting his cheek lightly in one smooth motion. He licks the blood from the blade, sending the newcomer crashing to the ground. “Another fake?” the killer mutters to himself, catching the man’s hateful glare. Regardless, Chizome raises his blade above his head, then it hits him. The guy looks like a kid. It doesn’t matter, though. He’s a kid that’s trying to get in the way of his mission. That means he has to g-

“ Just keep telling yourself that you wouldn’t hurt a bothersome child, ” Midoritani croons in his head. “ That you’d never attack a kid to complete your mission. Just keep telling yourself that, Akaguro Chizome. ”

The blade stops inches from the back of the boy’s neck. Bastard. “Look away,” the anti-hero growls, nudging the boy’s face to the side with the toe of his boot.

Chizome turns to the hero, prone against the wall. “Sto-!” the boy tries to cry out, but he’s silenced by the pained scream that comes when a sword impales the man on the ground. The killer withdraws his blade, silently walking out of the alley. Damn villain kid.

Just as he leaves, however, something slams into him, trapping him against the side of the building. It holds his arms so he can’t grab a blade, its grip too strong for him to break free, no matter how hard he struggles. The thing lets out a blood-curdling scream, drawing every living hero within at least two blocks.

A few kill the monster while the rest detain Chizome, putting an end to the Hero Killer. Green hair shining in the moonlight atop a building across the street sets Chizome on edge. The figure on high waves before stepping out of view.

-

“That’s better,” Izuku drawls as he steps back from the edge of the roof. “He won’t bother us anymore. Kurogiri, take me home.” Stain didn’t kill the boy. That’s what matters most in Izuku’s mind currently. Only one person died tonight.

Chapter Text

Giran. He always sets Izuku on edge, but he brings useful information for a price. “Followers of Stain’s teachings,” the sleazy man rasps, gesturing to his two companions. “Thought you might be interested, since you were in cahoots with the poor bastard.”

The guy, scarred and darked haired, raises an eyebrow at Izuku before turning to Giran. “I thought you said you were bringing me to the guy in charge,” he grumbles.

“I did,” the info broker grins, cigarette hanging out of his mouth. “So I did.”

Knock-off Molotov glares, throwing a finger out at Izuku. “That is a child.”

The girl smiles in an almost hungry fashion. “I think he’s adorable!” she squeals. “I wonder what he’d look like covered in blood!”

Great. He’s collected Captain Obvious and Barbie’s bloodthirsty sister. “My name is Midoritani Hisade, head of the League of Villains. Can I get your names?” he asks as nicely as he can, which means he barely doesn’t sound like he wants to smash one of Kurogiri’s good whiskey bottles over his own head.

Bouncing up and down on her toes the girl raises her hand enthusiastically. “I’m Toga Himiko!” she chirps, still eying Izuku up. “Won’t you let me join you, Hisade?” It’s official. She’s a creep.

Rolling his eyes, the guy scowls at Izuku. “I’ve been going by Dabi lately.”

“Interesting and valid,” Izuku says gently, a smile playing on his lips. “Toga, we are so not on a given-name basis yet. Take about twenty steps back there. And Dabi? Gonna need a real name.”

“Too bad,” Dabi antagonizes. “You’re not getting one.”

Crossing the room, Izuku comes to stand directly in front of the new recruit. “Don’t worry. I’ll get it. One way or another, I will find your real name.” What quirk does he have currently? Probably one of the information ones, seeing as Giran is here. All for One likes him to have an info quirk when Giran’s here. Only one way to find out.

Izuku grabs Dabi at the neck, forcing him back into the wall. Documents and reports start flickering across Izuku’s vision. Strength and information. Not bad. He focuses on one document in particular. A birth certificate.

He steps away as Dabi tries to deep-fry him. “Damn. I was hoping you were the Todoroki kid. Either way, that is not the right way to treat your new boss,” the boy leers. “I’ll take them both.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Giran replies, walking out through one of Kurogiri’s portals.

Dabi rubs his throat as he glares. “Don’t I get a say in this?”

Izuku smirks. “You lost that right as soon as you set foot in this bar. You’ll get used to it.” As soon as Izuku explains just how things will work around here, Toga and Dabi both leave, as well. Dabi will soon learn his place. It’s just a matter of time.

Chapter Text

“Are you Todoroki Shouto? You were so cool in the sports festival!” The voice has Shouto turning around, meeting dull, tired green eyes with his own heterochromatic ones.

Despite his hammering heart, Shouto lets a small smile form on his face. “I am.” A moment passes before the hero-in-training speaks again, though not exactly on purpose. “Thank you for what you did, Midoriya,” he whispers.

A tiny bit of light reenters those sad eyes. Like he’s happy someone even knows his name. “I’m supposed to be pretending to threatening you, Todoroki. Demanding why Stain is so popular and I’m not,” he hisses. “You making me cry won’t help my cause.”

“I’m staying with your mother and your uncle. Neither have given up on you. Don’t give up on yourself.” It’s all he can do. He can’t stop his mouth from running, from saying everything he needed to hear when he was in Midoriya’s position. That there are people on his side.

Midoriya chuckles lowly, palming at the water rolling down his cheeks. “Yeah, I think I’m going to have to attack you now,” he says with an unhinged grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. A knife flashes out of his sleeve as he lunges for Shouto, slashing open his shirt and causing a superficial cut to split his chest. He grabs what’s left of the shirt and Shouto’s forearm, throwing him into the crowd. The other mall-goers part, some calling out that it’s a villain attack.

At this point, it’s just an act. Look like he’s fighting as to not blow Midoriya’s cover. Sounds weird, doesn’t it? Shouto sends a flash of ice at the forced villain, catching his ankle. This doesn’t matter much, though, as the boy falls through a hole in space, casting an apologetic look at Shouto as he disappears.

All Shouto wants is to help this boy that attacked him and his classmates. Is that too much to ask?

Chapter Text

It only stands to reason that if Izuku is going to be forced to do something he hates, he’ll have to do it surrounded by people he hates, too. He doesn’t even understand why he has to do this. The attack on the summer camp is just to make All Might fight All for One again. All All for One has to do to get that to happen is leave his stupid lair.

So far, Izuku has collected a lizard, a cannibal, a chick with a magnet, a guy who speaks like he’s putting on a stage show, a guy who speaks like he’s putting on a one-man show, an asshole with one good eye and too much self-importance, the third teen of the team, and the first two to walk into the bar.

Simple. This will be simple. Giran brought Izuku the location of the training camp. He just has to send in his men, grab Kacchan, and run. All for One wanted Ragdoll for some reason, but it should be fine if he can’t grab her. Just get Kacchan so the heroes will attack and All for One gets his rematch and either dies or kills All Might and, by extension, One for All. It’ll be fine.

Toga bounces about the room, pestering Mustard and begging him to let her cut him. The teen responds by threatening to gas her. Meanwhile, Dabi threatens to spit-roast Spinner while Twice holds him back and Spinner hides behind Magne. This… It’ll be a miracle if this works in the least. Which is a good thing.

“Kurogiri!” Izuku commands, steeling himself and shoving down the sudden wave of panic. “Let’s go!” A swirling mass of black opens in the middle of the room, and Izuku steps through first, finding himself deposited on top of a cliff overlooking the forest the hero students are training in. “You all know what to do,” the boy says with an ominous grin, making himself at home on top of the cliff, legs swinging over the edge. “Bring me Bakugou Katsuki.”

Chapter Text

Kacchan is still unconscious and Ragdoll is with All for One’s doctor when All for One requests Izuku’s presence. “Hisade, you know what comes next, right?”

The boy paints on a vicious grin. “Of course! You’re gonna kill All Might and we can watch as the heroes and their stupid social order crumbles at their feet!” He laughs in fake glee.

“Not quite.”

-

Midoritani Hisade shrieks in pain, his voice echoing into the hall from behind the door Kurogiri stands beside. It tears at the man’s ears and curdles his blood, making the mist on the back of his neck squirm in discomfort. But Kurogiri doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t move to help the boy in any way.

All for One is already giving him the best help available.

Chapter Text

“Good morning, Bakugou!” a voice with a gravelly undertone chirps. It grates against Katsuki’s ears, yet draws him closer, the familiarity forcing him to relax a little. He blinks a few times, eyes adjusting to the light before green fills his vision. Tired, pale green eyes with dark circles that look almost like bruises framed by ratty green hair. A soft smile with a sharp edge sits below a smattering of freckles. “Did you sleep well?”

Heart plummeting, Katsuki tries to jump back, only to find his arms and legs have been bound to the chair. “You-”

The guy nods. “Me. I know I attacked your class. I’m sorry we couldn’t have met on better terms.”

Teeth bared, Katsuki glares at his captor. “You called me ‘Kacchan’. How do you know that name?” he demands, the back legs of the chair screeching against the floor as he lunges forward. He doesn’t even know how he knows that name. Someone… Someone always used to call him that. ‘Kacchan’ this and ‘Kacchan’ that. ‘Kacchan, isn’t this hero so cool?’ and ‘Kacchan, wait for me!’ Who the hell is ‘Kacchan?’

The villain cocks his head pensively. “‘Kacchan?’ I don’t think so. I can call you that, if you want, though!” He doesn’t. The green-haired teen pulls a chair from a table, turning it so the back faces Katsuki and straddling it to face him. “My name is Midoritani Hisade. I’ll be frank with you. You’re strong, Bakugou. I would like you to defect. Join the League of Villains.”

Katsuki takes the path of low survival because he has no impulse control. He laughs in the villain’s face. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he leers, spitting at the guy in front of him. “Fuck you and your stupid fucking girl scout troop!”

Midoritani keeps sending his gaze toward the wall, barely sparing Knife Bitch a thought as he waves her off, away from Katsuki’s side. “I didn’t expect much else.” He sounds almost disappointed, getting up from his chair with a depressed aura. He grabs the arm and back of Katsuki’s chair, dragging him slightly further into the bar. Black goo starts bubbling from Katsuki’s mouth as the wall shatters right where Katsuki was, revealing All Might. The same goo starts flowing from all the villains’ mouths besides Midoritani’s. “He’s at the warehouse. Good luck,” the green villain says curtly before the black overtakes him, as well.

Chapter Text

Loud, loud, loudloudloudloudl oudloudloudloud. Why is it so loud?! Izuku hums quietly to himself, trying to drown it out without drawing attention to himself. The black spits him out into the ruins of the Noumu factory. He sees a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. Todoroki and three others hide behind the remains of a wall, according to Ragdoll’s quirk. God, he hates this quirk.

“Come here.” All for One’s voice breaks through the static of the boy’s mind as he waves him close. Izuku rifles around in his head, searching for an adequate quirk. He lands on telekinesis, scribbling a note in the dirt on the other side of Todoroki’s wall.

Bakugou will be safe. Please leave. -Midoriya

Hopefully Todoroki can convince the others to leave. It seems like he trusts Izuku a little, for whatever reason. Izuku stops in front of the man that has made his life Hell for the past ele- twelve. Twelve years. You can end it all. Right here, voices whisper in his head. “Take the warp quirk, Hisade, my boy,” All for One invites, extending his hand, eyes on the sky, waiting for All Might.

Izuku takes the hand gently, quickly finding the warp quirk inside the man beside the the other quirks he kept. The ones keeping him alive. This quirk, his quirk, it feels far too natural. Do it. He tugs lightly at the warp quirk, feeling it come loose. Do it. The threads holding it in Do it place unravel as h Do it e pulls. Then he…

Well, he grabs the entire quirkmass still in All for One with the first true smile he’s had in years. “My name isn’t ‘Hisade’, you fucking bastard,” he growls as he rips the remaining quirks from their place in the villain.

His head screams with the weight of the added quirks. “What did you…?” All for One’s croak trails off as he starts fighting for breath, crumpling to the ground. Despite the villain having been the one to keel over, Izuku’s the one who feels like he’s dying, being torn apart.

Fingers tugging at his hair, trying to relieve some of the tension in his head, Izuku’s eyes squeeze shut before an ungodly scream rips from his throat. At least one of his new quirks activate, but he doesn’t know which one. He’s barely lucid enough to keep it from hurting anyone, forcing whatever it is up into the air. No one else will die. Not by his hand. Not anymore.