Bab 13: A Talk With Inko

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

The last two days of his internship with Stain had gone by quickly. They had trained constantly, but did so while hiding. The police knew Stain was in Hosu so they were on high alert. Their battle with Nomu was all over the news (though Tenya had been left out of it). Neither of them were mad about Tenya though, he was following through on what he said.

The time had come for Izuku to finally return to the League. He and Stain arrived at the location where Kurogiri was supposed to pick him up, though it wouldn't be until a few minutes later when he did arrive. Before he did though Izuku and Stain had some things to say to each other.

Facing Stain Izuku bowed his head and said, "Thank you, for everything. I learned a lot from you this past week and I am truly grateful."

"It's no problem. I actually enjoyed training you," Stain replied. "It was refreshing from the usual going around and killing false heroes."

Izuku laughed.

"Razor trained you well it seems," Stain continued. "Languages, different fighting styles and pain endurance."

Izuku said nothing. While he was right there were other things Razor had taught him, values well beaten into him which he didn't want to discuss.

The two men said nothing for a moment. Awkward as they might have been at the start they had actually enjoyed their week together. Stain saw a lot of himself in the boy and the latter felt the same.

"If you don't mind me asking what's your name, your real name that is?" Stain asked.

"Izuku. Izuku Midoriya," the boy replied.

"Mine's Chizome Akaguro," Stain informed him.

No one said anything, but in that moment the two men had established a deep respect for each other. Before they could continue talking however a black mist appeared behind them and Kurogiri emerged to greet them. With his arrival Izuku and Chizome said their final goodbyes.

"Farewell Deku. I hope that the path you walk will give you the happiness you seek," Chizome said.

"Goodbye Stain. Thanks for everything and good luck with your crusade," Izuku replied as he disappeared into the mist.

At the bar

Razor was away on another job for Sensei, or so Kurogiri said. Izuku felt like she was avoiding him though. But that wasn't important. He still had something he needed to ask about.

"Tomura, Kurogiri, were either of you in Hosu a few days ago with a couple of Nomu?" he asked.

"Yes that's right," Kurogiri replied.

"I was going to use them to cause such destruction that everyone would forget about the hero-killer. However, two of them were beaten and one flew off," Tomura raged. "And in the end it wasn't the top story in the news. He was. Him, you and some vigilante defeating Nomu received full attention."

Izuku was beginning to see that Tomura was a childish individual that was just desperate for attention.

"Speaking of which why did you fight against Nomu anyway?" Tomura asked while glaring at Izuku. "Aren't you supposed to be our side?"

"I am," Izuku retorted angrily. "But that thing was trying to kill me. So the four of us, there was student with us also, had no choice but to defend ourselves."

Tomura went silent stared at Izuku in surprise. Kurogiri stopped doing what he was doing and stared at Izuku.

"What do mean it was trying to kill you?" Kurogiri asked. "Even if it attacked you how do you know you were its target?"

"Well it's like this," Izuku started.

And so he explained the entire event. How Nomu attacked him. How it rarely changed target unless threatened by another individual. All the while he was explaining Kurogiri and Tomura said nothing.

They remembered how the Nomu just took off suddenly and started flying around like it was looking for something. Sensei had told them that Viper couldn't find the reason why it acted the way it did. It had been functioning properly before. If it was trying to kill Izuku then it must have been under orders from someone else. Fortunately, they didn't need to narrow down a list of suspects. There was someone in the League who hated the quirkless, and this would have been the perfect chance to get rid of him. How Atrocity had done this, well that was something to take up with Sensei.

"Izuku you've had an eventful week. Why don't you rest for the day?" Kurogiri suggested. "I'll let Sensei know."

Izuku didn't argue. He was actually really tired, both physically and mentally, so he left the bar to get some sleep. As soon as he was gone Tomura and Kurogiri started talking again.

"You think Atrocity did this?" Tomura asked.

"Who else could have done this?" Kurogiri replied. "Anyway I'm going to let Sensei know. He is not going to be happy though."

Kurogiri left. Tomura shortly followed afterward. If Atrocity had done this then he was also the reason he hadn't gotten much attention. It really pissed him off.

Later that day at the UA staff room

All Might and Naomasa (who had finally gotten enough free time to come and visit) had just finished talking about the Nomu from the USJ Incident. While the part about him having multiple quirks from at least four different people was surprising Naomasa also mentioned that there was some sort of lingering substance inside him that affected his body. Though they still weren't sure what it was.

All might was furious however. The fact that Nomu had been given multiple quirks meant that this was the work of someone who could transfer quirks.

"That man. He's back," he whispered furiously.

All for One had returned. There was no other explanation. And he was leading the League of Villains. Sensing his friend's agitation Naomasa spoke up.

"That Nomu aside. I have something else to tell you about," he said. "Did you hear about the attack on Hosu a few days ago?"

"Briefly, I have been busy with work so I haven't been watching the news much. From what I did hear it involved several Nomu and the hero-killer," All Might replied. "Why did something else happen there?"

"It seems Deku was present also. He was fighting with the hero-killer, a vigilante and a student here against one Nomu," Naomasa explained.

That definitely caught All Might's attention. He had been thinking a lot about how Deku and that boy may have been one in the same. But why was he fighting against Nomu? They were both members of the League weren't they?

"According to the testimony we received it seems as though Nomu was trying to kill Deku. As to why, well I don't know. He could have betrayed them or someone within it could be out to kill him," Naomasa explained while All Might remained silent. "On a side note. You wanted to see that list of quirkless people well here it is."

All Might took the list and quickly looked through faces until he found the one he was looking for. Izuku Midoriya, so that was his name. His eyes were as he remembered them, green, just like Deku's. His age also matched the way his voice sounded.

"This boy," he said.

"You think he's Deku don't you?" Naomasa asked causing All Might to look up at him in surprise. "I'm a detective. When you requested to see this list after discussing the possibility that he may have been quirkless it wasn't hard to figure out."

All Might nodded in response. Naomasa looked at the picture and his eyes widened in recognition.

"Izuku Midoriya. I know him there have been reports about him since he went missing last year," he explained.

"Missing!" All Might repeated. "What happened?"

"It was about a year ago. According to his mother he went out for a walk late at night and never came back," Naomasa explained while All Might listened intently. "She didn't think much of it at first but when she went to the school next day to talk to the principal about her son only to discover that he hadn't shown up. It was later that she called the police and the search began. We questioned his classmates and teachers at the time but no one had any information they could give us. Other than them he had no known associates."

All Might gulped. A year ago, that was about when he had encountered him.

"Hey um this may sound strange to ask but when exactly did he disappear?" he asked nervously.

"Actually it was the day of the sludge villain incident," Naomasa replied.

All Might's eyes widened in horror. "If he disappeared on that day, then that means I, I did more than just destroy his dream," he thought terrified.

"Why do you know something I don't?" Naomasa asked noticing his expression.

All Might hesitated before answering. He hoped Naomasa wouldn't react badly to what transpired between him and young Midoriya. The man was quirkless himself.

"I met him that day," All Might started. "And I destroyed his dream of being a hero."

All Might explained about his encounter with Izuku. He even recited their conversation as though it were happening again. Naomasa said nothing.

"I'm not offended Toshinori," he replied honestly. "You were just speaking from personal experience. Also, you aren't wrong."

All Might was relieved Naomasa wasn't offended but he still had something else to say.

"I did think that," he admitted. "However, when Nezu explained to me about how quirkless people could be on par with quirked individuals I started to think it was possible."

Naomasa stared at All Might for a moment before smiling.

"Well it's nice that you think that," Naomasa replied. "But that's not important right now. Finding out if that boy is Deku is."

He then stood up and took out his phone to check something.

"Izuku's mother will be stopping by the police station in about an hour or so. She stops by at least once week to check in on our progress. If you want to know more about him then I suggest you come with me. As Toshinori Yagi though, not All Might," he explained.

All Might simply nodded and stood up. He took out his phone and texted Nezu to let him know he would be busy for the afternoon and would be out. He couldn't pass up this opportunity. He needed to be sure that Izuku was in fact Deku, and speaking with the boy's mother was the only way.

At the police station

Inko was sitting in a room all by herself waiting. She was quite tired. Every day she had gone out looking for her son but had no success. Either he wasn't in the city or the country she didn't know. Whatever the case was it seemed Izuku didn't want to be found. Since his disappearance a lot had changed for her. Her routine, her social life and her appearance (she had lost quite a bit of weight and looked exactly like she did ten years ago). And here she was today for another report on the search for her son. While she was annoyed with the police she also understood that they didn't have much evidence to go on. There were no witnesses, no sightings, no clues as to what he had done that night. There had been no sightings of him either.

Her thoughts were interrupted by two men, a blonde thin man and a dark haired man, who came in a greeted her. She in turn did the same. Then came the report where there were still no leads much to her frustration. She was about to get up and leave when the blonde man started to speak.

"Mrs. Midoriya if you don't mind me asking," Toshinori started. "Could you maybe tell me why your son went missing? It's just that I'm knew to this case."

Inko eyed the man suspiciously. If he was knew to this case shouldn't he have received a report about it? She had given a testimony after all.

"I don't know where this is coming from but if he wants to know I may as well tell him," she relented.

"If you really want to know I'll have to tell you from his childhood," she stated.

Toshinori nodded in understanding.

"When he was a child Izuku was quite happy and got along with other kids quite well. He looked up to heroes like most children too. All Might was definitely his favourite. He had action figures and posters of the guy," Inko told him. "He even watched that video of his debut a lot. It made him really want to become a hero."

Toshinori tensed at this. He thought the boy had admired him when he encountered him but he didn't think it was to that level.

"The trouble started when it was discovered that he was quirkless," Inko continued. "The doctor told him he couldn't become a hero and to give up on it, which of course he didn't. Unfortunately, things only got worse from there on out. When word got out that he was quirkless his classmates started to bully him because of it, one boy in particular, Katsuki Bakugo. You might know him from the sports festival and the Sludge villain incident. He used to be Izuku's friend until he was outed as quirkless. After that he started to use his quirk to torment him."

All Might froze at this statement. Bakugo and Midoriya knew each other. What's more Bakugo bullied him, All Might couldn't believe it. He knew the boy was aggressive but he never thought he'd do something like that to another person.

He thought back on the conversation Deku had with Kurogiri at the USJ. He had known exactly what Bakugo's quirk was when the other students stated the villains didn't know what their quirks were.

"Does that mean he was there that day to get revenge on Bakugo," All Might wondered. "If what Mrs. Midoriya here says is true then it does seem likely."

"Every day he would come home with new bruises or burns," Inko continued. "However he always made some silly excuse like he fell over. I didn't say anything because I knew it would upset him and he'd deny it. However I should have done something sooner. He was in pain and I did nothing."

She was really getting emotional now.

"What about his father?" Naomasa interjected. "I read that he no longer lives with you."

Inko's face became even sadder at the mention of her husband.

"Hisashi moved off to some other country shortly after it was revealed that Izuku was quirkless," she informed them. "Apparently he had been suffering ridicule at work for his son's status. He and I argued about it. He said he couldn't stand it anymore and said he was leaving. He doesn't hate Izuku but I don't think he could stand the fact that he was quirkless. He still sends money overseas to support us but that's it, other than that we've had no contact with him."

Since Hisashi left he hadn't been involved in Izuku's life at all. It was the reason why they normally told people he left after Izuku was born to work in another country. It was better than the real reason though.

All Might was shocked at what he was hearing. He knew quirkless people were looked down on but he never believed it was bad to the point where someone would abandon their own child. The prejudice had gotten much worse since his day. There was still something on his mind though.

"What about his high school years?" he asked nervously.

Inko sighed. There were tears running down her face now.

"They were even worse. He had no friends because he was quirkless, and possibly due to Katsuki who was in the same class as him. He continued to bully him, and shortly afterward others joined in. They all made fun of him for wanting to be a hero but he never let that stop him," she told them. "He was such a kind boy who wanted to become a hero so he could help others, not for the reasons most people want to be one."

All Mights didn't know how to respond. The description of Izuku's life he was receiving was horrific to say the least. Yet at the same time, from the way Inko described him, he sounded much like Nana Shimura, his predecessor. In essence, he was the sort of person he would have wanted as a successor. His thoughts were interrupted by Naomasa.

"Mrs. Midoriya this may seem strange to ask but does the name 'Deku' mean anything to you?" he asked.

Inko stared at him confused for a moment before suddenly remembering.

"Actually yes. It was a nickname Katsuki gave my son from the Kanji of his name. It's supposed to mean worthless though," she told them.

All Might's blood froze. In that moment, his worst fears about Deku were confirmed. There was no denying it. He and that boy, Izuku Midoriya, were one in the same.

"Why does that matter though?" Inko asked. "Where did you even hear that name?"

That was a nickname he was given, it wasn't his real one. There was no real way the police could know it.

"It's something Naomasa read from the interviews conducted with his school," All Might lied. "I believe Bakugo was the one who said it."

Naomasa looked at him surprised. All Might took no notice of it though. He didn't know why, but in that instant, every fibre of his body told him to lie. Part of him just couldn't tell Mrs. Midoriya that her son might be a villain.

Inko didn't look suspicious though. To her that sounded like something Katsuki would say.

"The day he disappeared," she continued. "I don't know what happened to him but it was clear that he had reached his limit. He came home acting like nothing had happened, like everything was okay. Later at 10.30 he said he was going out for a walk and that he would let himself back in. It was then that he hugged me and thanked me for everything. He told me he loved me for it and left. That was the last time I ever saw him."

Tears were streaming down her face now. She had been holding this in for so long she couldn't take it anymore. Naomasa handed her some tissues which she took.

All Might said nothing. He didn't even know what to say at this point. He felt a mixture of sadness, guilt and shame.

"He was hanging off a cliff of hope," he thought. "And I pushed him over the edge and into the abyss. He needed assurance, but I gave him despair. What kind of hero am I?"

Inko stood up ready to leave. She had wiped away her tears and stopped crying. She then bowed to the men in front of her.

"Thank you for listening," she told them. "It's been a long time since I opened up to anyone about this."

"Thank You for telling us," Naomasa replied.

All Might said nothing. He was still shocked at what he had just heard.

"Please," Inko begged them. "Find my son. Bring him back to me."

Naomasa nodded and said, "We will I promise."

It was then that Inko left and it was just the two men.

"Why did you lie to her?" Naomasa asked. "If we ever do catch Deku she'll find out then."

"I know but, until that happens, until this is resolved, this has to stay between us," All Might stated. "I caused this so I need to be the one to fix it. So please, for the time being, just keep quiet about this."

Naomasa looked at him in disbelief. He could tell Toshinori wanted to save this boy but with the hole he had dug himself in there may be no way to save him. The only things he had going for him were saving that student from being raped and stopping a Nomu. However, he had still attacked UA, worked with known criminals and committed an act of vigilantism. Basically he was still a criminal.

"I will let you try but don't expect things to go your way," Naomasa told him. "However, at least inform Nezu. He can be trusted."

All Might nodded.

Regardless of what anyone said he had caused this, so it was his duty to solve it. He wanted to save that Izuku, he needed to save him. Now more than ever.