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The trial went… poorly. No amount of unbeatable optimism would change that, nor would any amount of evidence, apparently. Toshinori wouldn’t claim he knew his way around the legal system perfectly, but it was less maneuvering and more of a slaughter. To think he’d never thought twice about Endeavor, never truly questioned by no one ever saw the man’s family... it was shameful of him. He was there to support young Midoriya, mainly, although the boy was shaking with what Toshinori first thought was fear. Endeavor tended to bring out the worst in people, fiery rage in villains, and civilians who cowered, praying they wouldn’t get burnt to a crisp by the hero’s often uncontrolled flames. Endeavor made his way to the top through sheer force and by default, after Toshinori had been forced to step down, the world knowing the truth behind their symbol.
And yet, he still couldn’t stand the thought of the man. Endeavor, who was powerful, and, in theory, a very effective hero. Numbers didn’t tend to lie when it came to such things, and Endeavor always had a high capture rate, and it was rare he ever lost against... anything, really. Some villains smelled the smoke and would turn themselves in, others would fight but still fall to Hellflame, often badly burnt. Numbers said he deserved to be Number 1 now, that he’d earned his place in the sun.
Numbers were not charisma, nor the feeling of safety. Toshinori would not claim to be perfect, but even he understood the value of a smile and the feeling that everything would be alright. It wasn’t common for heroes to be rude, not usually, although they were still human. A long day of getting beat up for a living tended to make people irritable, but Toshinori understood how to act like nothing was wrong, and then escape as quickly as he could. Endeavor, on the other hand, was rude outright, a temper that flared easily. How people were such raving fans, Toshinori would (privately) admit he never understood. He’d done his best to stay out of the hero politics, because it was so messy. There had been scandals before, heroes who’d fight and claw to the top fifty, using dirty tricks to do it. Putting fellow heroes out of commission, refusing less flashy jobs, going out of their way to cause more destruction so the cameras could see it better, Toshinori had heard it all. He’d kept an ear out for all of it, but he’d been caught up in his own goals to notice, really. Shameful, shameful, shameful.
In any other circumstances, the way Endeavor’s lawyers (the best money could buy, of course) carefully placed the blame on Todoroki Rei, on her mental instability caused by her husband’s abuse, would’ve been an art form. Toshinori refused to be impressed, although it was hard not to be, in a horrified way, the same way someone looks at a car wreck with fifteen cars all piled up and crushed into bits, a morbid sense of greatness, so terrifying it was impossible to look away. Young Todoroki and his older sister were both crying softly, the young woman (so young, so young, dammit) hugging her brother close as he hid his face in her shoulder, hunched over with his own shoulders shaking. Todoroki Natsuo was blank-faced, like he was in shock, still trying to process. Todoroki Rei wasn’t even present. Her doctors had worried about her seeing her husband again, and truly, that should’ve been enough proof. The very sight of her husband sending her into a downward spiral of terror and trauma, but no.
Young Midoriya, he eventually noticed, wasn’t shaking in fear, fists clenched tightly. No tears streamed down his face, just pure hatred radiating from his being. Toshinori had never seen him glare like that, not against any villains before. Endeavor’s smug look only worsened it, even when his smirk faltered slightly. Toshinori wasn’t focused on the flame hero, however. His gaze was glued to young Midoriya.
Perhaps it was the furrow of his brow, the scar that now marked the side of his face, the way his lips curled in disgust, like he was looking at something less than worthy of existence. Perhaps it was the frozen anger and hatred that Toshinori could feel, radiating from the normally smiling boy across the room from him. Or perhaps it was the way his eyes seemed to flash red, just for a single second, contrasting the bright and cheery green normally there.
No matter the answer, though, Toshinori saw one terrifying thing.
He could almost swear, for just a single, heart-stopping moment, that All For One was there, standing in place of his successor.
~
“Guys, I think Nine is going to do something… stupid. Dammit, Toshi, stop him!”, Seven hissed out.
“(Yeah, but what are we going to do about it?)” Six asked.
“And can you blame the kid?” Five asked back.
“[I know, but what can we really do? Five is right, we can’t blame him,]” Four mumbled.
“I can’t find it in me to hate the idea. The man is practically getting away with murder. He might be, for all we know,” Three admitted.
“{You and I both know how slippery a slope that is, Three. Even if I agree,}” Two spoke.
“We can’t stop him now,” First said, final.
~
Toshinori looked harder after that. It killed him to do so, to be so suspicious of his own successor, but it had to be done. All For One was still alive, after all, and Toshinori wouldn’t put anything past that monster, whether it be manipulation or something more direct. Toshinori could never claim to be nearly as well versed in Quirks as someone like Midoriya (and that was another damning piece of evidence, wasn’t it?) but surely, with the amount of Quirks All For One had stolen over the past two hundred years, there could be something.
And yet, young Midoriya was still alive. What good did it do that fiend to keep him as such, other than to steal One For All? And even then, to take the Quirk from a teenager would be easy, really. There were plenty of control Quirks, at least one at U.A. itself, that All For One could use. The boy had a high pain tolerance, but he couldn’t take on All For One right now. Torture would be simple but effective, as much as the thought made Toshinori sick to what was left of his stomach. So why not kidnap Midoriya and be done with it? If the boy was already under his control somehow, it would be laughably easy to do so. No, there was something else. Todoroki was his friend, so it could’ve been anger on his behalf. Toshinori would not claim to understand something quite like that, but in theory, he understood. Anger at the lack of justice.
It was merely a shock to see his normally bright and sunny successor to glare, to look at where Todoroki sat and clench his fists where the others couldn’t see it. Midoriya had been so idealistic when they’d met, and even after Toshinori had destroyed his dreams so callously, he didn’t hold it against him. Anyone else would’ve snapped after being told they couldn’t do what they’d wished to be their entire life. But Midoriya just let it be water under the bridge, moved on. They were both lucky, in the end. Toshinori could admit to himself that most of his heroic career was based on luck. Not his ambition to become the Symbol of Peace, but the fact that Nana had even found him in the first place, that she’d even agreed to train a Quirkless kid with practically no muscle on him. The fact that Midoriya hadn’t held it against him when he shattered the boy’s dreams. Luck was always a factor in heroics, good or bad.
Luck was on Endeavor’s side. It was not on his son’s.
It was a shame, of course, but there was nothing to be done. The whole trial was closed, no media to report what Endeavor’s team of lawyers had done. No witnesses besides those who were present, and few would contradict the Number 1 hero. And in some awful ways, there was nothing that should be done. In Japan’s current state, with people already questioning heroes, having the Number 1 be accused of something as terrible as abuse would destroy the last scraps of faith citizens might have in heroics.
Endeavor, the man who had torn his family apart, needed to be kept right where he was. The thought made Toshinori’s stomach turn, and yet, he knew it was for the best.
At least the students were in the dorms. Young Todoroki could be kept outside of his father’s (brutal, big and brutal and oh gods, this man is a hero) hands, and could flourish. It wasn’t ideal, certainly, but it was perhaps better than the alternative. Japan could not afford to lose another Number 1, not so quickly.
For the greater good, sacrifices must be made. Toshinori knew that all too well.
~
Anger wasn’t an emotion he liked to feel. It was… wrong. Even after Kacchan pushed him down, burnt him, treated him like the dirt under his shoe-
Well. None of that made Izuku angry, per say. It made him more sad than anything, to know that his friend didn’t like him anymore. But Kacchan was getting better, mostly thanks to Aizawa-sensei forcing him into therapy. He hadn’t apologized, really, but Izuku wasn’t actually expecting him to. Kacchan would never say sorry, not outloud. He couldn’t, and Izuku wouldn’t force it out of him. Never would, actually, because it might actually kill Kacchan, and it wasn’t his fault he’d been raised to think that everyone else around him was just a stepping stone in his path to the top. Izuku never faulted him for it, and it was simply easier to make himself the better target for his anger, so whoever happened to get in Kacchan’s way could escape. It was what made him a hero, even for a brief moment. And Izuku was going to be a hero. Kacchan was too, once he learned to save his anger for people who deserved it. He would not be the next Endeavor, even if Izuku knew he had the potential to be. Kacchan wasn’t like that. Izuku knew he wasn’t like that, would do literally everything in his power to make sure Kacchan didn’t end up like that. Kacchan wanted to be Number 1, but he wasn’t a monster.
But something about Todoroki Enji made his blood boil, made his anger simmer under his skin, made him angry, angry, Angry why did they ignore justice like that-
And the trial, oh gods, that trial…
The thought made his hands curl into fists, made him shake with anger, the fantasies of what he could do against Endeavor. He wasn’t particularly powerful, not right now. One For All was strong, sure, but Izuku couldn’t control it well enough. An insane suicide attack would work, maybe, but All For One was alive. One For All could not die yet, not until he was taken care of. Endeavor just happened to be a far more tangible target for his anger. A monster, who used everything around him as a stepping stone, and for what? Some little number next to his name on tv?
Izuku blamed himself, partly, for how poorly the trial went. He should’ve known that Endeavor would’ve turned the entire thing on its head, that his lawyers would be smart enough to brush past the abuse and instead focus on Todoroki Rei, throw the poor woman under the bus. Izuku had even been the one to suggest a trial, and once Shouto’s older sister was on board, he figured it would be easier. With the addition of Shouto’s brother, it should’ve been cut and dry. Three testimonies should’ve sealed Endeavor’s fate, should’ve meant he could never be near another one of his children or his wife ever again. But instead, his lawyers (those shark-toothed, smirking lawyers) weaved their way around all of the charges, convinced the judge, smiled so convincingly, sounded so sympathetic, told the judge Rei shouldn’t be charged, she was already institutionalized, wasn’t she? Surely, that was punishment enough, and as long as her children stayed away from her, they’d be fine.
Izuku hoped Shouto didn’t hate him too much. It was his fault now that he couldn’t even see his mother. Izuku had tried to help, tried to go through the only legal way he could think of, and that had only made it worse. Anger sat heavy in his stomach, and Blackwhip came out, covering his arms in ropes of black mass, entwining on his arms like black veins, making his hands seem pitch black with long, sharp claws. It was an interesting feeling, to use Blackwhip without blacking out from pain. It hurt, still, but he was in control of it. His room was slowly covered in darkness, blotting out all the lights. A nest of black veins covered him, coming from everywhere, even out of his mouth, and yet he didn’t feel like he might choke on it.
A deep breath later, and it disappeared. His limbs were shaky, sure, but nothing was broken. The anger wasn’t gone, really, but Izuku had calmed down. If Shouto hated him, there was little he could do about it. And it would be perfectly justified, Izuku figured.
That didn’t make the thought easier to stomach.
~
Toshinori was… not relieved, really, but settled, when school was back in session. Young Midoriya didn’t have that angry look in his eyes, didn’t have that spark of red. Any resemblance to All For One was no longer obvious, no longer clear. Toshinori would prefer to keep it that way, thank you very much, because the thought of his successor turning into a monster like that…
He shuddered to think of it. Midoriya was smart, smarter than most, even if the boy himself couldn’t see it. Not like he’d been told anything positive about it, if young Bakugou’s behavior towards him was any indication. Toshinori hoped that Midoriya had worked past such things by now, that he was more confident. Partially, he was. He was louder, now, smiling brightly. Even when he fell in training, he got right back up. Confidence was important, especially for someone who was likely to be a spotlight hero. Toshinori was glad to see it in someone he saw as so timid, like Midoriya. He was going to be a great hero, and so what if he occasionally got angry? It was his right to do so, he was only human. Anger at injustice was a good trait for a hero, anyways, as long as he didn’t do anything rash.
Everything was going well, until it suddenly wasn’t. Training had started out so normal, at first. Stretches, fighting forms, simple punches and kicks. Laying down the ground rules so that no one got too hurt. Recovery Girl was very convenient, but she wasn’t a fan of healing a bunch of teenagers when their classmates didn’t understand how to hold back. And getting too hurt wasn’t exactly productive to heroics, no matter what young Midoriya seemed to think. But he’d been doing so well, and Toshinori…
Well, Toshinori had always tried to believe in the best of people. Perhaps that was foolish, in a game as ruthless as heroics, but if you only ever thought the worst of people, they would always find a way to meet those expectations. To say that he thought everyone had the greatest intentions for their fellow man was a lie, but he knew that few truly had malicious intent. Even villains had their reasons.
So, really, it was his fault when everything went wrong. Very wrong. He’d thought Midoriya was no longer as angry as he was. Something that had carried over, sure, Toshinori could understand. But the anger he’d seen at the trial, surely, it would’ve fizzled out slightly. He never knew his young successor to hold onto any anger, not after everything he’d witnessed between him and young Bakugou. If everything that happened between them didn’t make Midoriya angry, surely nothing else would. And Endeavor’s trial truly didn’t affect him. Sure, Midoriya was a rather empathetic child, but even after everything, Todoroki’s father couldn’t harm him directly. He could be there for his friend, even with Endeavor free.
With that in mind, he made the mistake of letting young Midoriya partner up with Bakugou. He should’ve stopped it. They weren’t even meant to be partnered, but Hound Dog had apparently made huge strides with Bakugou, and felt that an exercise that wasn’t too violent in nature would be perfectly fine for them to be partners. They couldn’t avoid each other forever, and it was an excellent opportunity to get them used to working with the other again. Bakugou didn’t have his gauntlets, and knew the consequences of using too much power. And besides, Midoriya had asked to partner with him. Toshinori checked it over with Aizawa, who’d approved it instantly before zipping himself back into his sleeping bag. He should’ve known.
~
“{“When the laws fail to serve us, we must serve as the law”, correct? I have a feeling Nine might take that to heart,}” Two said.
“You can’t just take the law into your own hands, now can you? And Japan will fall apart without Endeavor, as cruel as it is,” Seven said, resigned.
“You were a legal hero. If the law refuses to protect the youngest Todoroki, Nine will,” Three refuted.
“And hopefully not destroy anything or anyone in the process,” Five spoke.
~
Everything was going well. Kacchan wasn’t as aggressive as he normally was, and Izuku wasn’t going to just lie down and take it anymore. He had faith that Kacchan could handle anything that was thrown at him, even while Izuku could feel anger simmering under his skin. He was still mad. Something was still screaming at him, screaming and bashing it’s head against the wall, demanding justice be served to Endeavor. Not that Izuku could do anything about it, not right now.
Legally hadn’t worked. He couldn’t be taken to court again, lest he do the same thing. Physically, there was little Izuku could do against him. Endeavor was a fully trained hero, and had been a hero for longer than Izuku had been alive, if Shouto’s age was anything to go by. If hundreds of villains couldn’t do it, there was no way Izuku could. Not alone, and there was little chance he would be able to convince anyone else to take on a pro hero, let alone Number 1. That didn’t mean Izuku wasn’t angry about it. It wasn’t fair, and the system had failed as what it was designed to do.
He still hadn’t seen Shouto. No one had, actually, because he wasn’t in class at all. Izuku’s worries over what might’ve happened made his gut roll. It was his fault for thinking Endeavor wouldn’t play dirty. Why wouldn’t he? Why did Izuku think he would just let his family be free from his suffocating grip? Why did he think justice would be served?
He could hear Kacchan coming closer, screaming about something, the sweet smell of nitroglycerin in the air, and something inside Izuku just… snapped. Maybe it was because Shouto wasn’t there, maybe it was because he knew it was his fault, maybe it was-
Justice must be served.
Blackwhip came out, and he didn’t mean for it to happen but it did. The anger that boiled in his chest couldn’t be held back forever, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Nothing Izuku could do about it, the way he could feel the whips of energy spring forth, latching onto Kacchan’s arms, apparently content to try and pull him apart. The whole room went silent, some kind of indescribable horror that settled into everyone’s bones, and Izuku barely heard the scream of his name over the blood rushing in his ears. Kacchan was frozen in fear, but Izuku couldn’t see, couldn’t tell the difference between him and Endeavor who was going to pay. The feeling of power overtook him, his anger and determination to make justice happen was going to destroy Kacchan, and Izuku didn’t want to hurt him but-
Blackwhip disappeared into his skin, along with One For All, and Izuku felt like a bucket of cold had been dumped on him, falling to his knees. He took in several gasps of air, trying to reorient himself. The world felt like it was spinning, but Izuku tried to stand up, limbs shaking. The entire class was silent, staring at him. Aizawa-sensei’s hair floated, eyes flashing.
Kacchan broke the silence.
“Deku, what the fuck?”
~
“Well, at least he’s not hurt,” Seven mumbled to herself.
“{Nothing is going to change until Endeavor is dealt with. We can’t allow Nine to destroy himself or his classmates. And at least Endeavor is a deserving target for his anger,}” Two said.
“I don’t think he’ll agree with the whole ‘greater good’ thing either. I barely do, myself,” Five grumbled.
“He’s going to bring justice, no matter the cost.”
~
Toshinori looked even harder after that.
It felt cruel to punish Midoriya, and yet, the boy agreed to it easily. Losing control wasn’t uncommon for a bunch of teenagers, but most Quirks weren’t quite so… destructive. And out for blood. Aizawa agreed to watch over his detention, although Toshinori could see the tension in his shoulders. Part of him wondered if Aizawa had only offered because he wanted to make sure he could erase One For All again, if needed. Toshinori couldn’t find it in himself to blame the other man, not after what they’d both witnessed. He’d barely opened his eyes in time, otherwise Bakugou would’ve been dead, pulled apart limb by limb. Midoriya had been practically catatonic, and the teachers gathered to figure out what to do. Hound Dog had blamed himself, partly, evidently figuring that Bakugou was the reason for Midoriya’s outburst. Aizawa had agreed, although he did mention that it didn’t justify Midoriya’s actions.
“I know they have a history. I know that Bakugou’s attacked him before, and I know that he hasn’t made up for what he’s done. But Midoriya could’ve killed him.” Aizawa’s eyes flashed, and Toshinori tried not to think of that first battle trial, when Bakugou had been aiming for Midoriya, and how he wasn’t punished. And how, that time, Bakugou had done it on purpose.
He shook those thoughts from his head. Bakugou was working past it now, and Midoriya had seemed fine with him earlier, so what happened? The only significant event that Toshinori could even think of was Endeavor’s trial-
He should’ve known it would come back to that. All For One never seemed remorseful for any of his actions, just fake pity and thinly veiled jabs at Nana’s failure. Midoriya at least seemed horrified when he realized what had happened. And yet, that look just before Aizawa activated his Quirk, the gleam in his eyes… It might’ve been the fact that Midoriya was finally growing more into his face, with a stronger jawline and defined cheekbones, but something about it unsettled Toshinori, shook him to his core. All For One was cruel, yes, and calculating and wanted to destroy heroic society as it stood, but Toshinori was far more caught up in his grief over Nana to think about what his motives might be. He’d gone on and on about serving justice, about how unfair the hero system was. Toshinori, on some deep, deep personal level that he’d never say out loud, agreed. Heroics was unfair, unforgiving.
Not that it mattered. Seven souls had fought before him and seven souls had lost. Toshinori was the only hero, up until Kamino Ward, who’d seen All For One and lived to tell the tale. There was no one else he could ask, no second opinions, not really. Nedzu was just about the only other person (creature?) who had any frame of reference. Naomasa, perhaps, but truly, this was not the detective’s problem.
More likely than not, it was merely his mind playing tricks on him. All For One was safely tucked away in Tartarus, and any resemblance was merely Toshinori’s own paranoia.
~
Shouto still wasn’t back. Izuku almost didn’t want to know.
No one else knew about the trial. No one else besides All Might, and he wasn’t nearly as angry at the injustice. Not from what Izuku could tell, and all it did was fuel his anger. How could he be so blind? Why didn’t anyone else hear what Shouto and Fuyumi and Natsuo and Rei’s doctors said and think that Endeavor didn’t deserve to be brought to justice? How could everyone just ignore it?
Facing Endeavor head on wasn’t an option. Legally or through physical means. That left Izuku with very little to work with, besides his own analysis skills. He couldn’t turn the public off of Endeavor, not really, but he could make plans. Izuku was good at that, he preferred it over blind action. Better to know your opponent well enough to take him down easily rather than relying on your own brute strength.
Aizawa-sensei had let him write during detention, watching as Izuku rummaged around in his bag and pulled out a notebook, before going to sleep. Or pretending to, anyways. It was always obvious to Izuku that he wasn’t sleeping. He was making them let their guards down around him, so he could catch their weak points. A smart move, but it didn’t make for the most attentive teacher. Oh sure, Izuku knew he cared about his students, but to what extent? He was willing to bleed for them, during the USJ, willing to nearly die for them then. But how far did it really go?
Izuku crossed his name out with a vengeance. There was no guarantee Aizawa-sensei would believe him. He had no reason to, after all, and the same went for the rest of the teachers. No one else was at the trial. No one else saw what Izuku saw, heard what he’d heard. No one else had Shouto confide in them after years of fear and abuse, praying not to be judged. They couldn’t understand. They wouldn’t be able to, really, and Izuku would not place his faith in them. He couldn’t. Teachers doing something to protect their students… that was too rare for Izuku to rely on. He couldn’t drag his friends into this. Mom couldn’t help, as much as he wanted her advice, and dad-
Well, dad hadn’t been home in years. If the man didn’t come back after Izuku had nearly destroyed himself or died numerous times in highly public events, he probably wasn’t coming back at all. The thought didn’t sting, not like it used to. If he wanted to be in their lives, he would’ve been, a long time ago, not leaving mom to raise him by herself. Money was one thing, presence was another, and Izuku knew which he preferred. Would’ve preferred, actually, because now, he didn’t think he wanted anything to do with the man.
The point was that he was on his own. Villains would be his only allies, and he wasn’t going to work with them, not unless his hand was forced, and he was cast out. If that happened, then sure, he’d have no choice. But Izuku wasn’t exactly planning on getting caught, not so soon, and not where there was anything anyone could do about it. If villains were the only ones who could take on Endeavor, then they would be the only ones to do so. If Izuku happened to give out some plans to help them… well, that was neither here nor there, was it?
In his notebook, scribbling furiously, he wrote everything he knew about Endeavor: Weaknesses, strengths, possible emotional manipulations, what might be considered precious enough to make him let his guard down.
Endeavor: Quirk: Hellflame
-Prefers quick battles, overheats easily
-Not completely fireproof, but is resistant to high heats
-Costume likely modified to account for overheating but isn’t indestructible
-Brute force is unlikely to work, need someone with high endurance over high strength until he’s too tired to use his Quirk
-Ideally happens somewhere around civilians, in order to force him to keep them safe
-Cares more about image than job, but will uphold image to ends of the earth as long as there’s cameras
-Best way would be to use someone good with evasive maneuvers, or some sort of illusion Quirk
-Easier to take out once exhausted, but would still be skilled in Quirkless combat
-Would need a team, preferably with several people to switch out during battle, or to keep other heroes busy
-Would need to check who Endeavor would call for reinforcements, in order to counter them as well
-Sidekicks are mostly fire-based, so anything that can counter fire Quirks would be ideal
-Little attachment to family, so hostages unlikely to work
-Packs a big punch, but if one were able to erase his Quirk either through a Quirk of their own or through the last few bullets made by Yakuza it would make things easier
-Willing to kill, and will be backed up by justice system if he does
-Another solution is an isolated area to prevent other hero interference, but would require jamming of all cell signals
-Cameras would be ideal, as he’d likely hold back in order to preserve image until cameras gone
-Could also force him to use all the oxygen in an area? But would require someone to lure him there who either doesn’t need oxygen or could find a non-bulky solution to get some, and a way to seal off an area completely airtight
-Cannot be taken down alone
There wasn’t much else he could think of, nothing that wouldn’t put Shouto at risk at least. Holding him hostage would force Endeavor’s hand, but Izuku was doing this for Shouto. Telling someone that a way of getting to Endeavor was putting him in harm’s way was stupid, undid what he’d done. Justice would be served to Endeavor and Endeavor alone, because he was the one to break the law and still get away with it.
Izuku forced himself to take a few deep breaths. Getting angry right now didn’t actually do anything, except maybe get him into more trouble.
He spent the rest of his detention scribbling, biting his lip so he wouldn’t mumble.
~
“Good lord. That kid is way too smart for his own good.”
“Are those murder plans?” Five asked.
“{They appear to be, yes,}” Two responded.
“He’s more like my brother than he knows.”
~
That night, sitting at his desk, Izuku felt conflicted. He could post his entry onto the internet, only to have it taken down in a heartbeat. Dark web would work best, but even then, Endeavor was Number 1. It was highly likely they had people working to prevent the very thing Izuku was doing. Standard process, if Izuku’s theories were correct. Top Ten heroes were huge targets, no matter their personality, and he’d be amazed if no one else had ever thought of this exact same thing. If they didn’t at least try to sort through forum posts and what the dark web might suggest, there’d be a lot of dead heroes. Villains weren’t generally well connected or organized, but they could pool their funds. In the case of someone like All For One, it would be quite easy to, in fact. The man, from what All Might had told Izuku, was likely over two hundred years old. That was plenty of time to make money, legally or not. And with the way he’d likely gotten many minions (back when Quirks were rare, it would be a godsend to have someone who could take them away) wouldn’t have been through monetary gain. Nowadays, yes. Before, though, it was likely that people would’ve bent over backwards for him if he’d gotten rid of their Quirk, or given them one. Izuku would be lying if he didn’t say he didn’t read the old legends, things that were only whispered about, and wonder if it might be worth it. All Might and One For All were a fluke, a major one.
But that all distracted him. The problem was this: he would be considered a villain, and a very dangerous one at that. With someone like Nedzu in their corner, it was a matter of when, not if, for Izuku getting caught. Anonymous only did so much, and it would be considered a criminal investigation, so anything that needed to be torn apart to get to the culprit would be, property or privacy be damned. U.A. was too dangerous to post anything around, and so he’d have to either get some sort of untraceable computer, make one, or find another way, possibly in person. None of those options seemed particularly wise, but there was one person who might be willing to make him something he needed…
Hatsume Mei was always up for a good challenge, although an untraceable computer was likely below her skill level. Izuku wouldn’t be able to bribe with money, but he was willing enough to test things for her. She was always in the market for a test subject, but she’d leave a trail. No, she likely wouldn’t tell anyone, but she would also likely spill if pressed. Not that Izuku could blame her for that, she was ambitious, and nothing was going to stop her. If she felt that her success in creating support items was threatened, she’d do anything to stop that threat.
Izuku put the idea on the back burner. Maybe it was stupid to do anything right now. Shouto would be back tomorrow, with any luck. Izuku would not approach him until Shouto decided to do so, and that might not be ever again. Izuku wouldn’t blame him, not in the slightest. Was it Izuku’s fault? Not really, but he still felt responsible for it. And he didn’t want to be a villain. If he posted it and Endeavor ended up dead, that would legally make him a villain, even if morally, he knew he was in the right.
He still kept the notebook on him, just in case.
~
Toshinori wasn’t so proud he couldn’t admit when he was wrong. Young Todoroki wasn’t burnt or bruised, but he seemed… tired. Blank, perhaps. Midoriya was silent, staying away from him best he could. Todoroki didn’t seem inclined to bridge the gap either, but he wasn’t talking to anyone at all. Even Uraraka and Iida couldn’t get through to him, no matter how much they tried to start up a conversation. The silence felt oppressive, hanging over his head. A weight waiting to drop, a rope around his neck waiting for him to slip. The staff were at a loss. Even half asleep, Aizawa noticed it.
None of them could ever know why. Midoriya was calmer, now, but there was still something skimming the surface that terrified Toshinori. He never quite saw All For One’s shadow again, but it never fully disappeared, either. It hung over him, a taunting ghost that sat upon Midoriya’s shoulders.
The tension that surrounded them had to snap eventually. Toshinori just prayed that no one innocent would be caught in the crossfire.
~
Izuku wasn’t calmer, because he couldn’t be, but he was… resigned was likely the best word for it. He couldn’t put out plans to murder Endeavor just because the man had done something awful. Not inherently because Izuku felt he should let off, but because Izuku was not a villain. He couldn’t be a villain, not after he’d worked until he collapsed to have the chance to become a hero.
It was with this in mind that he kept his notebook close, made sure it wasn’t out of his sight. He slept with it under his mattress, it was constantly in his bag, and most of it was in code. Nothing obvious, but he didn’t exactly say what he meant in there. He didn’t destroy it. He couldn’t bring himself to, the knowledge that it was in case of emergencies preventing him. Endeavor had a violent temper and an even more violent fighting style. If anyone ever found out, U.A. and Izuku’s heroic career were doomed.
He still couldn’t burn it, even if he wanted to. Something whispered in his ear, a paranoid thing, that said he should hold onto it. Just in case.
Mom wanted him home for the weekend, and Izuku couldn’t refuse that. After everything he’d gone through this year, it was the least he could do. Dad wasn’t coming back, hadn’t called in years. She was isolated, after years of people treating her as “the mother of that weird Quirkless kid” rather than Midoriya Inko. The Bakugou’s were it, and even then, Izuku didn’t trust them. Kacchan didn’t get the idea of violence against Quirklessness from nowhere, although he likely got it from teachers rather than his parents. That didn’t mean Izuku had to trust them with his mother.
Home was the same as it had been before. Before the trial, before Izuku realized there was no justice to be found. He’d already taken down all his Endeavor posters after the Sport’s Festival, once he’d heard Shouto. He’d believe him a thousand times over, even without the bruises and burns Izuku saw in the locker room.
Why can’t anyone else see this is wrong?
Mom was on the phone with someone. Izuku was glad, actually, that she was finally talking to people again. The stress of raising him alone had done a number on her, and it was difficult to not feel guilt when he saw her sometimes. Izuku didn’t listen into the conversation, knowing that he probably wouldn’t care to hear about it. It was probably just gossip, and Izuku didn’t actually care about hearing it from anyone else besides mom. She deserved to be able to talk to him, now that he was stuck in the dorms, and he wanted to hear her talk. There was always something going on at the hospital where she worked, new drama or something that she could tell him, no matter how vague.
Boredom struck as she talked, and Izuku found himself scrolling through his phone idly, responding to messages with one thumb the best he could. A soft buzzing made him look towards his notifications. Hero News, because he’d always had those notifications on since he got a phone.
Breaking News! Hero Nitro Faces Criticism for Using Too Much Power; Three Civilians Wounded!
Izuku hadn’t been completely caught up on newer heroes. He’d been too busy, between internships and the training camp and dorms and getting punched in the face over and over again by life. He tapped the notification, scrolling silently. Nitro, Quirk: Projectile Sling. He could slingshot anything around him that didn’t weigh too much and send it flying at high speeds, as long as he could touch it. He wasn’t a particularly popular hero, not yet, seeing as how he’d only been one for a few years. It would be easy to use too much force behind a Quirk like that, although Izuku still didn’t like it. He scrolled as far down as he could, reading the comments underneath.
themnvnt: seriously? why are ppl acting like its such a big deal civilians get hurt all the time
-vampqueenie: he almost killed ppl did u read the article
stwabewies: dude the kid just stole a soda why he gotta do that to him
-gaylol: i knw right? its a teenager not a national threat goddamn
spacey: okay but why the fuck would the kid steal something tho. theres a hero right the fuck there
-mothman: yeah but he didn’t need to maim him and several other people. hes a hero isn’t he supposed to control himself?
Minnie: It’s terrible to see something like this. And I’ll bet they won’t do anything about it either. People will just forget. And civilians are meant to be top priority, aren’t they?
nordy: ten bucks say they charge the kid with something insane to make nitro look good
Izuku scrolled back up, saved the article, then screenshotted it for good measure. Some random teenager stole something small, and Nitro had lept in, causing more chaos than a stolen soda. There was one picture of the teenager, automatically censored. Izuku tapped on it, and almost regretted it. He was beaten, bloody, and bruised. His arm was broken, and there was blood dripping from the top of his head and his nose. His eyes were closed, Izuku noted. “Maim” didn’t even come close. It was like Nitro was trying to kill him. He was fourteen, barely a year younger than Izuku.
Dinner tasted like cardboard that night.
~
Nitro had killed someone. The teenager was dead, and some sort of elaborate cover up was made. Said he was some sort of underground informant, that Nitro had made the right choice, a life ended for dozens more to continue.
Izuku walked into Hatsume’s workshop, and asked for a favor. She was willing, grinning like a cat that had caught the canary, promising an untraceable laptop on the downlow in exchange for Izuku testing out some of her babies. It was an easy choice, of course.
Nitro: Quirk: Projectile Sling
Nitro would be easily taken down from long range, or with someone sturdy or agile enough to take or avoid hits. Over-reliance on Quirk makes him an easy target up close. Media hungry, would be easy to pose as a reporter of some sort and lead into isolated area for attack or ambush. Gets overwhelmed easily, and requires ammo for Quirk. If one were to lead him somewhere isolated and cleaned out, or to find a way to bind his hands, he would go down easily.
Villany wasn’t the same as heroics. But maybe that line tended to blur, Izuku thought as he hit the submit button. Nitro wouldn’t have the same amount of protection as Endeavor, if any. As long as no one was an idiot, he’d be easy to take down. Hatsume didn’t even get too much soot in his hair, and didn’t question it too hard when he’d asked for a flame so he could burn his notes, claiming something about typing them up.
~
“Fuck.”
“God dammit, Nine.”
“He’s more like my brother than even I thought. Perhaps One For All and All For One will be reunited soon enough.”
“{You say it like that was the goal.}”
“It was for my brother. What, you really think that Nine seeing that article was a coincidence?”
~
Nitro was dead. It took less than forty-eight hours. No witnesses, stabbed through the neck in a back alley. No one found him until that night, a patrol that happened to see a strange lump in an alley and thought to investigate. No chance to save him, not after so long. He likely wouldn’t have even seen his attackers. The family of the teenager he’d killed all had alibis, thank god, either at work or school. People mourned him, and news stations held vigils for the fallen hero.
Izuku felt a curl of something in his gut, equal parts pride and nausea.
Good to know justice would always find a way.
Good to know he’d fallen so far.
~
Toshinori would’ve been lying if he’d said he didn’t suspect something. Midoriya seemed… lighter, somehow. He’d gone home for the weekend, so that could certainly be it. He was attached to his mother, talking happily about seeing her, not that Toshinori could blame the boy. They rarely saw one another, what with the dorms, so it made sense that his successor would be happy to see her, happy to put the Endeavor business out of his mind.
But something in Toshinori’s gut told him otherwise. There was nothing he could prove, nothing he could say he knew for sure. That didn’t mean he didn’t trust his gut, nor did it mean he would go blindly with it. This was too delicate to bring up if he didn’t have something concrete, and too dangerous to be left alone. Midoriya was a hero already, his actions had proven that, time and time again. But Toshinori had watched some heroes become jaded, angry at the system. They struck out, often violently. Those who tried to bring up issues of corruption with peace didn’t make it too far, quickly smothered and silenced.
It was always an issue, something that no one liked to bring up. Heroes did fantastic work, saving lives and defending the peace. Collateral was always expected, but at what point was it an acceptable loss? If the death of five men, four innocent and one guilty, meant the life of a dozen others, was it always worth it?
Toshinori wasn’t too sure anymore.
~
“Your brother always gets his way, doesn’t he?”
“He tends to, yes.”
~
Shouto’s bruises got worse, and Izuku didn’t know what to do. Something still burned in his gut, whispering to him in anger.
They still hadn’t talked. It hung over them both, a silent weight. Izuku couldn’t tell if Shouto was angry or exhausted, and he wasn’t sure which was worse.
~
It all happened so fast. There was nothing anyone could do against it, no pattern, no prediction that could’ve seen this coming. It had always been a possibility, the idea that a teenager who was training to be a hero might snap from the pressure. Normally, a breakdown wasn’t too horribly dangerous, not with someone like Aizawa on staff. Paired with Midnight, or in extreme cases, Snipe, it was generally easy to subdue a student. There were always contingency plans, even if Toshinori found them depressing. Nowadays, there wasn’t anything he could truly do. Oh sure, he could certainly still handle himself in a fight if his hand were forced, but he’d likely get in the way more than he’d help.
Which meant that if anything happened, he just had to run. Had to hide, get other students out of the crossfire if he could, run and get help. He felt like a coward even thinking about it, but there was little to be done. Unless little Eri got her Quirk under better control pretty quick, he was stuck in the emaciated form he was in now, and would be until his death. It didn’t make running easier. Made it harder, in fact, which was to be expected when you were missing some vital organs, but physical was not Toshinori’s concern. He was used to pushing his limits far past what he should. No, it was that cowardly feeling of running, even if he knew there was nothing he could do, essentially a helpless civilian without One For All.
Running had been damn near impossible when he saw who was having a breakdown, a mental snap.
They shouldn’t have let Endeavor on campus in the first place, but being Number 1 held a lot of sway. Toshinori knew that firsthand. Endeavor demanded to oversee part of his son’s training, and U.A. was in no position to refuse him, even if Nedzu and Aizawa were keeping close eyes on him. They couldn’t stop him, not without causing a scandal, and U.A. couldn’t let it’s reputation slip any further. Faith in heroics had already been shaken, it couldn’t be torn any further, for fear of destroying it completely.
And like fools, they let Endeavor in. And like fools, they were more concerned about their reputation than a student’s safety, no matter what Nedzu said. And like fools, they let Midoriya see Endeavor raise a hand to his youngest son before anyone else could stop him.
Aizawa’s capture scarf was already moving, the youngest Todoroki already bracing for impact, arms above his head, shielding himself. Making himself a smaller target, because what else could he do?
Aizawa wasn’t fast enough. But the hit never came, never connected.
~
“Shit.”
“(That’s one way to put it, yes.)”
“[Well, there goes any sympathy I might’ve had for him.]”
“If Nine doesn’t kill him, I’ll find a way to come back and do it myself.”
“I have a bad feeling you won’t have to.”
~
A whip of energy clutched Endeavor’s arm, pulling him back. Midoriya was dead silent, eyes burning red. Endeavor wasn’t afraid, it seemed, merely inconvenienced, but Blackwhip didn’t recede. It refused to, until it petered out from Erasure. The scarf locked onto a new target, but Midoriya simply caught it, wrapping it around his hand, yanking Aizawa towards him. The hero grabbed his knife, but Midoriya bridged the distance anyways, a hard punch to the gut to force Aizawa to close his eyes, then a kick with One For All behind it. Aizawa stumbled back, but Midoriya had already raced forward, knocking him out with a punch to the head.
Nedzu couldn’t fight, not without help. Todoroki Shouto was still on the ground, looking to Midoriya in a terrified awe.
“Young Todoroki, run!” Toshinori cried out, and it seemingly snapped the young man out of the daze he’d been in. He picked himself up, sprinting away, hopefully to get help. Endeavor was merely glaring at Midoriya, flames still licking his face. Toshinori sprinted forwards, grabbing Midoriya by the arms, pinning him against his chest. He thrashed, trying to break Toshinori’s grip. Endeavor looked on, a sneer on his face covering his fear. Green lighting surrounded Midoriya’s form, even as Toshinori pinned him.
“Young Midoriya, stop this!” But he wouldn’t stop kicking, practically foaming at the mouth in anger, and yet somehow still silent. It was more unsettling than anything else. Midoriya wasn’t the type to talk very much during battle, not when he got particularly focused, but that one mindedness was not a reminder Toshinori needed or wanted.
“What the hell have you been teaching them?” Endeavor asked (demanded). Toshinori wasn’t even sure where to start. Midoriya slowly went limp in his arms, shaking slightly.
‘You aren’t exactly helping,’ Toshinori thought but refused to say. Instead, “He must’ve gotten hit by a Quirk of some sort. I’m going to take him to Recovery Girl.” Toshinori met Endeavor’s eyes. “You should go.”
But at the mention of Endeavor leaving, Midoriya came back around, clawing at Toshinori’s arms to try and escape. “Midoriya, you need to stop-”
“Are you completely unable to control your students?” Endeavor bit out, and Toshinori winced at the accusatory tone. He opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off when Midoriya wrenched back his elbow, hitting him in the left side. Hard.
Reflexively, he dropped Midoriya, coughing up blood. His successor sprinted towards Endeavor, green lighting surrounding his form. Endeavor merely scoffed, raising his fist, flames curling around it.
“Prominence Burn!” Smoke pooled all around them, and Toshinori held back another series of coughs. His side ached, but he still stood, trying to see the figures amongst the smoke. The other teachers came storming in, Todoroki leading them, only to find the cloud of smoke and ash.
“Yagi, what’s happening?” Mic called out, still running towards the smoke cloud. Toshinori didn’t even know how to respond. “Todoroki said Midoriya tried to attack Endeavor, but-”
“He must’ve gotten hit by a Quirk,” ’Please tell me it’s a Quirk’ “He just started attacking him, I’m not sure why!” The youngest Todoroki nearly getting hit was why, Toshinori knew. He just wasn’t sure how to communicate that, and if Todoroki would even want him to. If Endeavor made it out alive, there would be consequences. For everyone.
“When would that have even happened?” Toshinori wasn’t sure who asked it, he wasn’t paying attention to that.
A voice rang out amongst the smoke, loud, clear, and angrier than Toshinori had ever heard it. It was a chorus of rage, eight voices screaming at once:
“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?”
Toshinori could only watch as Blackwhip shot out, grabbing Endeavor’s arms and legs, evidently hell bent on pulling the man apart. With Aizawa down for the count, it was up to Snipe or Midnight to try and subdue Midoriya. The youngest Todoroki was still staring at Midoriya, a mix of fear and awe on his face. Toshinori himself felt frozen, the knowledge that his successor, the innocent and idealist child he trusted with One For All, was doing this. If his face in the courtroom reminded Toshinori of All For One, then this was something worse. A corruption that ran down the length of Midoriya’s arms, infecting him from the inside out. There was no smile on his face, merely disgust, hatred, like Endeavor was a blight on the earth that needed to be destroyed.
How had Toshinori missed this? How could his successor, an idealistic child who was bright eyed and full of hope and wonder, turn into this?
Two gunshots rang out, although not before Midoriya had succeeded in bashing Endeavor into the ground as hard as he could. Blackwhip receded, and Midoriya fell to his knees, and it was only Mic’s fast reflexes that prevented him from cracking his head open.
“What- what just happened?” Toshinori wasn’t even sure who asked. He wasn’t even sure how to answer.
“I wish I knew,” He said instead, dread building in his bones.
~
They told Izuku that it had been a Quirk, one that heightened aggression. Izuku knew he hadn’t been around anyone with a Quirk like that, and he knew what he’d done. What he’d been doing.
He didn’t bother to correct them. All Might wouldn’t look him in the eye. Aizawa seemed to be a mix of pissed and proud of him, although he’d never admit it. Everyone else viewed him with wary eyes, and Shouto didn’t seem to know how to react. Izuku wasn’t sure how to either.
“Oh god, I almost killed him,” he whispered to himself one night. You already killed Nitro, didn’t you? He didn’t want to think about it too much, but it haunted him. He didn’t even really want Endeavor dead, so to speak, but… brought to justice. If Izuku had to be the one to bring it, then that’s what he had to be. But brute force clearly wouldn’t work.
Izuku was not a villain. He refused to be one. He fought for justice, and justice alone.
That didn’t mean he could be a hero. The system was far too broken to fix, too ingrained to be molded into anything else. Heroes were human, yes, but they were somehow elevated above consequences. Innocent people died while they rose through the ranks, somehow completely untouchable, and for what? Heroes kept Japan safe, but if the way crime rates skyrocketed after All Might was forced to retire was any indication, it was a temporary hold. Without any type of rehabilitation programs backed by government funding, it meant an endless cycle of crime and violence.
With that in mind, he pulled out his notebook. The notes on Endeavor stood out in scratchy handwriting, a code Izuku knew by heart.
Justice didn’t come in the form of courtrooms or convictions for someone like him. It came from coded notebooks and the sound of a pencil scratching on the paper.