Chapitre 9: Espionage

Tomura was initially angry to learn that we hadn't killed Sir Nighteye. He had been aiming at Lemillion, using my warp gate to ensure the bullet hit close. However, a few hours online made Tomura much happier. The League hadn't killed Sir Nighteye, we'd done something better. We'd removed his quirk. True, we wanted to remove Lemillion's quirk but taking out All Might's sidekick is a good consolation prize. Especially the removal of his quirk.

When Sensei removed Ragdoll's quirk, the Hero's kept it quiet. It wasn't that hard with three other members of the team. The public knew something had happened. The Wild Wild Pussycats dropped dramatically in the rankings but that could have been due to simple injury. Thus, there's really only been rumours that quirk removal was possible.

The League proved it. And the League was feared for it. Ironic that it is Overhaul's legacy we are credited with. Theoretically removing Lemillion's quirk would have had the same effect. In practice, I think it wouldn't have hit as hard. Sir Nighteye is more known in the industry, has garnered more respect. Lemillion is new and it would possibly been written off as just another loss.

The only frustration Tomura had with the affair was how easily some members were defeated. Toga will have to train. As will Mustard. We need some fresh blood because our abilities are too well known. Giran has been quiet lately. He's still shipping supplies but he has to be circumspect. The Hero community isn't stupid. They have to know he's connect to us. Someway.

It means though, if we want to take out Overhaul, either they are going to have to be better, or we need more resources. The next Noumu isn't ready yet. They can't be made as fast as they used to be. Tomura is frustrated about that, and with the loss of High-End, even if that was the reason we avoided capture, it means one of our best Noumu's is gone.

We still have enough bullets. Tomura hasn't been wasteful with them, despite the missed shot at Lemillion. I think Tomura will save one for Overhaul, though Izuku has requested two. He assures us its for the businesses, not the Government, which means he probably wants to duplicate them. I don't like the idea but I think Tomura does. The concept of being able to get more, especially with the fall out from Sir Nighteye is attractive.

Dabi continues to meet with Hawks, who after this last incident appears to be more than eager to change sides. He's given us some information. Nothing very dangerous yet. Tidbits. He knows they are, and he knows we will check their veracity. It will be a devastating blow to lose another Number One Hero, especially since there is no heroic way to spin defection.

We need more resources, though Izuku is already giving us everything he can. The businesses Sensei left are profitable and that profit goes to us. But even so, it's a large war, one we have to continue to fight and one where both sides lose. We kill the heroes and they…

Perhaps there is a way to get what we want.

-afop-

"I think as a nation, as a world we should be ashamed!"

Nedzu listened to the speech. It was being given live and while he was not human, he appreciated good oration when he heard it. Imoku Kakurete was a first term Representative but he was a very good speaker. The man rat knew he was going to go far, despite Imoku's status as an independent. Nedzu could tell.

And that worried him.

"We have forgotten where we came from. We refuse to look back because we are afraid. And in that fear we are lashing out at those who remind us of that past. How else can you explain an 80% difference in suicide rates, not just in Japan, but globally, between those of us blessed with a quirk, and those who were born normal, without a quirk!"

There was something…

He'd only met Imoku Kakurete once. The man had been affable, pleasant, even when giving the news of the new assessments. He had been genuinely caring, just as he was now.

"Eighty percent more!" Kakurete was reinforcing his point. "Do we think we can just ignore it, that it will go away? Of course not! We forget, that not so very long ago, we were all quirkless. We don't like to hear it, we don't like to know it and we ignore that 20% of the population born today is not blessed with a quirk. Instead we persecute these people. We bully and belittle them.

"We try to pretend they don't exist." Imoku paused at that announcement.

Nedzu nodded slightly. This was a political speech given at a press conference and like all political speeches there would be fact checking done on it available to the public. UA's Principal already knew Kakurete's facts would be true. The politician was one of those who preferred to rely on truth rather than easily disproved lies. Such an earnest politician should be celebrated but perhaps that was the problem…

"Japan has a long history of ignoring what it does not like! Have we already forgotten our shame? Have we forgotten how insular we were? How we called those of mixed race not Japanese? We made a mockery of ourselves then. We forgot that there is no mixed race, there is only one race on this planet, human! But we were content to draw shallow definitions. We were content to push the issue aside, ignoring the pain it caused. Are we once again content that if it is not public, if it does not affect us, there is no shame? That forgets that an absence of shame is not the presence of honour! It forgets that ignorance, that deliberate dismissal is the very definition of dishonour!"

"Shouta," Nedzu said to the other in his office. "What do you think?"

Class 2-A's Homeroom teacher looked at the TV, his eyes focused on the politician who was speaking. "He makes a good speech."

Nedzu knew he shouldn't have expected much more. He gave the imitation of a smile. "He does," the Principal agreed. Aizawa couldn't keep up with his intellect but he was smart enough not to make himself appear dumb. "You've never thought about him?"

"Those who are quirkless, we consider beneath us. We don't notice when they disappear. We just look away. But we know where they are going. We've always known, we just choose not to know. We choose to look away as those who are quirkless are pushed to the edges of society. Are bullied, belittled, and discriminated against. We feel as if we do nothing wrong when they are turned away. We feel as if we can because they are somehow lesser!"

"Not really," Shouta replied.

Nedzu looked at the Pro-hero. "Perhaps you should," he suggested.

On the screen he could see the way several reporters were looking down at their phones. No doubt they were already checking Imoku's words. From the distasteful expressions the Principal could see, the reporters weren't liking what they found but since they hadn't interrupted, the rat-man already knew the reporters hadn't caught Kakurete in a lie.

"Those we deem quirkless, and even those with quirks deemed useless, gather in our slums and our ghettos. They have no other choice. Why? Are they less human? No! It is proof that our society has become skewed. Too often to we blindly worship those with strong quirks, and ignore others. Too often do we focus on that one aspect, the quirk, ignoring the man beneath."

The politician didn't name anyone but Nedzu was confident that even the most dense would understand the reference to Endeavor. Aizawa must have thought so too as he glared at the screen. Endeavor was still causing Heroes problems, even after the Hero Public Safety Bureau delisted him. The court cases were dragging on. Not as sensational as they had been but a constant grind, a constant mark against the work heroes were doing.

"We have forgotten compassion, and I will change that! As an elected representative of the people, all people, I am going to instigate a policy in my offices to try to counteract the injustices being done, to try to bring some balance back to the world. Where there are two applicants for a job, both equally qualified, no more will I allow discrimination against one who is quirkless. I will hire only quirkless people because I know that they are people too and I will treat them as the humans, with dignity and compassion that they have the right to!"

"Perhaps I should," Shouta agreed, as Imoku opened the floor to questions.

There was a barrage of noise as all the reporters cried out for attention. Imoku picked one and the others silenced. "Is that for your political offices or your business interests?"

Nedzu nodded at the question. It was a very good one. Imoku Kakurete had come to the public's attention as a director of quite a few businesses. The type of business that just ran and didn't cause problems. Very quickly though he'd moved into politics.

"As far as I can, all of my offices," Imoku replied with a smile. "There are a few positions in my various companies that benefit from specific quirks, so those will still be hired out. I view the quirk then as part of the qualification for the job unfortunately, but most jobs do not require the use of quirks, and I believe we have forgotten that in society's almost single-minded focus on them."

UA's Principal saw the way Aizawa's eyes narrowed. The lower part of the pro-hero's face was covered in his capture weapon but the gesture meant he'd probably resisted the urge to snort.

On screen Imoku gestured for another question.

"Is this part of any new legislation you want to get through?"

Another pointed question. Nedzu could see the way Shouta was becoming interested but the underground hero wasn't known for his optimism. If something, or someone, looked to good to be true, then it usually was. Aizawa had made his hero career looking into such things.

Imoku gave a pleased smile at the question. "Actually, it is," he said firmly. "I haven't quite got it written yet, because there have been more immediate issues, but I do want to introduce legislation to the Parliament that will make it illegal to discriminate against anyone on the basis of their quirk. We seem to have forgotten that quirk or not, humans are humans, and we all have the same basic rights. I find it sad that such a thing might need to be legislated but if that's what it takes, then that is what I will fight for."

"He's good," Aizawa murmured.

Even with his intellect it took a moment for Nedzu to realise what Shouta meant. Imoku Kakurete's words were good, but so was his acting. Inwardly Nedzu was pleased. If the underground pro-hero was thinking that, he'd go the extra in investigating, and the Principal felt that to learn anything of note about Kakurete, it was going to require a Plus Ultra attitude.

-afop-

The facility where they are holding the Noumus thankfully isn't Tartarus. But it isn't going to be easy to break into either. Dabi asked Hawks to confirm which Noumus were incarcerated. I think he was pleased to learn that his Noumu is still alive. As is the original Noumu created to kill All Might at the USJ. That news pleased Tomura.

I managed to remind him that we shouldn't retrieve any Noumu that wasn't conditioned to obey one of us. Sensei did have a few that obeyed only him. Tomura listened but dismissed my concerns. Those Noumu captured have been those who obey him. He is not concerned. I just hope there aren't any extras.

My reasoning is convoluted but perhaps I am reading too much into the circumstance. I am not convinced that Hawks truly wishes to defect. If he truly did wish to defect, he could simply go on a rampage and join us. That would send an appropriate message. He has not. Instead he remains the Number One Hero. It is good to give us information but thus far he has yet to give us anything truly useful.

Confirming the Noumus is useful but can be a double edged sword. He has confirmed the Noumus we know about. There may be others. I do not believe Dabi has asked, thus if we go, and find there are others, it could be we who are attacked by them. Maybe it is a pointless worry but I do not like the game Tomura is playing with the Hero. There is too much that can go wrong.

It is not an election year, but Imoku is giving speeches as if it is. The public is listening. That's a good thing for us. I think Tomura actually cackled when he saw the opinion polls. As a villain he doesn't have to pay attention to them, there is, after all, no ranking for villains but he does understand that Imoku needs them to be positive.

Toga looked happy as well. She seems to enjoy her weekly visit to Imoku and I assume she is proud of him. It is rather odd. She is as vicious as always, and quick with her knives but she does have a soft spot for Imoku. It is good. It means her act as his mother will be better.

One thing has bothered me recently though, even with Imoku's success. He has gotten in contact with his real mother. The woman doesn't know it but Imoku is using his own missing person's case. He is very eloquent about it but I was still surprised to see her standing there. He pointed out the differences in the way his case was treated, compared to another and was genuinely solicitous in his dealings with his mother. I think Toga was jealous when she saw the footage but she doesn't know the truth.

I will find time to question Imoku myself. I think on this, Tomura would overreact, and…

Imoku… Izuku knows, there is no turning back.

-afop-

"Kurogiri!"

The warp villain was pleased to hear the different tones in the greeting. There was surprise but also pleasure. It was reassuring given that he was dropping in unannounced.

"You are alone?"

Imoku nodded, not offended at the question. It was for his protection as well. "And here is secure," he told the bartender with a smile. Here happened to be quite a nicely appointed lounge room. There were two plush couches separated by a coffee table. A sideboard was against one wall, decorated with various knick knacks, that looked as if they'd been collected over a lifetime. "What brings you here?"

Kurogiri drew his essence in close, resuming his human form. It required a bit of concentration. He preferred to spread out but Imoku was not an enemy. "I think you know."

For a moment Imoku looked confused, but then he nodded. He didn't reply. Instead he rose from the couch he had been sitting on and went to the side board that was in the room. Kurogiri watched as Imoku pulled out two sniffers and a large bottle of whisky. He was pleasantly surprised to see that it was his favourite.

"You remembered?"

"I remembered," Imoku replied, bringing the glasses and alcohol to the couch. He put them on the table and again left, disappearing briefly. When he returned he had a small bowl of ice, tongs delicately balanced on the top and a jug of water.

The bartender watched as Imoku prepared his drink. The boy really had remembered, Kurogiri thought as he accepted a glass.

"I take it you disapprove," Imoku said after they'd both taken a sip.

Kurogiri sighed. "It is not my place to approve," he said diplomatically.

"But you do. What did Tomura say?" Imoku asked.

The warp villain shook his head. "He doesn't know."

Imoku snorted at that and gave Kurogiri an odd smile. "It has its dangers," the man admitted and while Imoku was at least 40 now, thanks to Sensei's quirk, Kurogiri saw again the fourteen year old he had been. "I can't say that I have never missed her," he added.

Kurogiri remained silent. He was thankful that Izuku was telling him the truth. And he knew from the way the boy was sitting that he was speaking with Izuku, not Imoku. He was sure that after Sensei's training Izuku could lie with the best of them but this was a hurt Izuku. This was the child the League had taken in and Kurogiri would listen.

"I do miss her, and I regret her pain," Izuku said, swallowing hard. "But-" With that single word his voice was hard. "I will make sure she is the last."

He wasn't sure what Izuku meant with that.

Izuku saw his confusion. As always the boy could read him. "Or at least, that's what I'd say if I was giving a speech. I know she won't be the last hurt this way, but maybe this way I can make her pain mean something, maybe I can give her something to live for."

Kurogiri nodded.

"And nothing I've said is a lie."

"Really?"

"Really," Izuku confirmed. "Sensei taught me that the greatest pain lies with the truth. That's what make it so sad. The police spent two days on my case. Two days and then they moved on. No leads, they said. Not worth pursuing. That makes me angry."

"You know it is true," the bartender felt obliged to point out. With Sensei involved, there never was going to be any leads.

"That doesn't make it right," Izuku was unexpectedly fierce.

"No, it doesn't."

"There was another case after mine," Izuku continued, ignoring his response. "A boy I once knew. He disappeared under similar circumstances."

Kurogiri felt a wave of apprehension at the words. Thinking back… which wasn't really that far back, he suspected he knew who Izuku was talking about. A couple of the League's associates had been questioned, which simply told the warp villain that someone in the winged boy's family had been involved with something very bad. He'd stopped thinking about it after that.

"The Police spent weeks on the case. There were no leads but somehow it was worth pursuing. The only difference in the case is that he had a quirk. Why did they give her neither hope, nor closure?"

The warp villain didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. Some might say they were sorry but what did he have to be sorry about? Nothing. This was society's failing. This was what they were trying to prevent.

"That's why the system has to change," Kurogiri eventually reminded Izuku.

"That's why the system has to change," he agreed. "And making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of a quirk is just one way I will change the system."

"And the others?" The bartender asked, referring to the removal of Heroes. That was their true goal.

"Baby steps Kurogiri. Baby steps," Izuku told him with a grin. "Once the world accepts that the quirkless are people too, it makes it easier to have them accept that the majority of villains aren't really villains. Besides, the Government is about to announce compulsory yearly assessment of active heroes, and they actually took it a step further, without my prompting," he added with a laugh.

"What have they done?" Kurogiri was intrigued both at the news and Izuku's mention of prompting.

"They are extending the assessment to immediate family."

Kurogiri was silent. Then he started thinking about the implications. They were huge. "What happens if someone fails?"

Izuku shrugged, making the transition to Imoku again. "Depends on how badly. Some heroes are already undergoing counselling, so they'll get off easier, since they are already taking steps to address the problem." Imoku didn't seem impressed with that but Kurogiri knew the Government couldn't be too harsh. They couldn't afford to lose any heroes at the moment. "It gets more complicated with the family. Though the idea to extend the assessments to the family came about after the court ordered assessments for all of Endeavor's family." Imoku grinned. "Forced, wrongful, long term incarceration of his wife has not done the poor dear any favours and his eldest children…" Imoku chuckled.

"But his youngest," Kurogiri reminded him. Endeavor's youngest was still enrolled in UA's hero course. His results, or at least an edited version had been released to the public to prove that despite everything little Shouto did want to be a hero for the right reasons.

"The foundation will crumble," Imoku shrugged. Shouto was just one more up and coming hero, nothing more.

"I imagine it will," Kurogiri agreed. He'd seen what that type of abuse did. It festered until it could be held back no longer.

They sat together in comfortable silence. Kurogiri let himself have the opportunity to enjoy his whiskey. There was so little time these days for just relaxing.

"I do have something for you this week," Imoku broke the silence eventually. "Tomura asked for it a while back so I was waiting to see Himiko but if you are here, I might as well tell you now. It's not that time sensitive."

The bartender tilted his head in askance.

Imoku put his glass on the table before he rose and disappeared. When he returned he was holding a sheaf of paper. He held it out for Kurogiri to take.

"You won't be surprised," the politician told him. "I'm sure you are suspicious already."

Kurogiri wanted to read the documents now but he knew it was best to wait. With Imoku's hints, he could only imagine how bad it might be for them. This did not bode well, and Kurogiri wasn't buoyed when a sharp grin spread to Imoku's features.

The laugh was pure evil. "I usually don't mind putting Tomura straight," Imoku said.

The warp villain's mind flashed through all the times Izuku and Tomura had had private talks, or where Izuku had explained something to Tomura… He tried not to gulp.

"I'm actually glad I don't have to tell him this."

Kurogiri suppressed a shiver. He really didn't like the sound of that.

-afop-

There are several things happening in the world that the League has largely ignored. Not because they are not important to us. They are. But because there are so many other things to do.

I am thankful that I read the information Izuku gave me when I saw him before I gave it to Tomura. Most of the documents were on official letterhead. They were the outlines of a plan. By itself it was bad. The Hero Public Safety Bureau planned to infiltrate the League. It was a surprisingly bold plan for them. But a plan is just a plan. It was the other documents that were truly dangerous. There were several corroborating documents containing texts and other information which confirmed that the plan was going ahead.

Again, that didn't surprise me. The League was now leading most of the underworld. The organised part anyway. There were a few Yakuza families who kept to themselves and there was always random thugs who thought they could make a quick buck or a name for themselves with their quirk. But the League was where most wanted to be. The original members were enjoying the notoriety but they were learning that it also took work.

So the fact that there was a plan from the HPSB didn't surprise me. What surprised me was the hero chosen to implement that plan.

Hawks.

The number one Hero. Though, looking at the documents, at the time the plan was proposed, he was only the Number 2, and it seemed as if Endeavor would cement his position in number one by sheer dint of solved cases, if nothing else.

To say Tomura was livid would be an understatement. Dabi was similarly angry. They were both ready to go out immediately and attack the hero. Thankfully it was daylight, and we have not yet properly settled from the last move. Tomura calmed but there is hatred burning in his eyes at the thought. He lashed out at the fire villain a bit too. It is Dabi who has been leading the way in getting Hawks onboard.

Dabi took some damage. Not a lot. He's more careful than that, but I think he's also aware that taking some damage was the best way to avoid taking more, in the long run.

He probably got away with so light a punishment because of the third set of documents in the folder. Izuku has always been interested in quirks. He had supplied an outline of Hawks', complete with official information, and notes on where he believed the information to be deliberately lacking. On the last page of handwritten notes, there was a battle plan, designed to take Hawks out. It required Dabi and several Noumu.

I have no idea how Izuku knew we'd be going after the imprisoned Noumu. It's possible he didn't know and his plan was his suggestion that we do. That would be a wise thing to do, actually. It would have given Tomura a subtle nudge in that direction while allowing him to behave as if he'd thought of the plan himself. He might still do that. I know the plan came from Izuku but the others don't and Tomura knows I will not contradict him.

In public. Which includes in front of the League.

Leadership rests on such fragile trust, after all.

It has cemented our plan to go after the Noumu. Tomura is planning it properly now. It has evolved from the 'break in and get them' into something approaching workable.

But that is our plans. It ignores the efforts of Izuku. I believe many of his plans are coming to fruition as well. Not everything but I can see the foundation.

The Government has implemented assessments on all Heroes. They are to be yearly but if a big event happens, then they are to be conducted in the aftermath, after a suitable healing time, of course. So far, no one has been tested. The HPSB is still setting up the schedule but it will be soon.

Knowing what I do of heroes, it will be amusing. They probably won't make the failures public but they will have to do something. That's one advantage villains have over the Government and Heroes. They have to play by the rules. We don't.

And when you have someone making the rules for you… Well, that changes the playing field in a whole new way. I don't think the heroes have noticed. I doubt anyone in the government notices either.

Why would they think about a first term representative hustling them? Especially when he gives them such good policies. Because Izuku's policies are popular, with the people. Until now the heroes have comforted themselves that those who have been failing the assessments were not suitable for life as a hero. They have been blind and short sighted but the public was supportive. That's what the Government saw. They saw the public approval at their care for the yet to be heroes. The Government saw the public approval for ensuring the mental health of future heroes. There is some petty acceptance there, I'm sure, from those with quirks too weak to be heroes and stupid dreams. They will be assured that they could have passed. They will be assured that it is a good thing.

The Government now sees public approval for ensuring the ongoing mental health of those who are heroes. They see the upturn from their electorates.

They fail to see the long term. They fail to see that sometimes for the benefit of all, one must be cruel. They fail to see how the heroes will fall, how in a few years time, even if nothing else is done, there will not be enough Heroes. I'm sure some see the problem. Others are focused on their opinion polls.

It's the little things that give a villain strength. I never thought I'd be thankful that we don't have opinion polls. For us things are much simpler. Either you succeed or you die.

We aren't dead yet. And that's all the assessment we will ever need.