Chương 2: Education
Sensei picked up a new kid today. Fourteen. Quirkless. I got a room ready for him and have already adjusted the bar's shipping manifest. Going to need more juice and milk now with a minor here, though Sensei says he won't be here for long.
Sensei seemed to be expecting him. All for One doesn't have many tells but when things go exactly the way he planned, there's a small smile on his face of satisfaction. He wants this kid for something. Something different than what he has planned for Tomura. The kid isn't fighting though, not screaming. He seems slightly wary and uncertain, and a bit sad but not afraid, so he's here because he wants to be. That's good, though I shouldn't be surprised. The kid's here, which means he's not some experiment, he's not meant to become a Noumu.
Tomura disintegrated two controllers when the kid came in. Sensei talked to him about something and that settled him. I hope the new kid isn't as high maintenance.
=
Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi looked at the class. Their teacher had introduced him and they were somewhat quiet in his presence and a few of them looked at the desk that was empty. He knew who that desk belonged to. Izuku Midoriya. Age 14, quirkless.
The current theory was that he'd run away but his mother insisted that he wouldn't. Except all parents did that. Even so it was the main theory, though currently even the Chief had to admit he didn't know why. Routine investigation into Midoriya's home life indicated no reason there. His mother was genuinely distraught at his disappearance. Tsukauchi knew that was the case. She had no idea why he would run away and she genuinely believed he hadn't.
So that's why he was here, looking over the class. If it wasn't home life, then maybe there was a reason here Midoriya had run away. He wished he could talk to them one to one, then he'd be able to know if they were telling the truth but there just wasn't enough time and with no ransom note and no other information…
"As you are aware, your classmate has gone missing," he started. They were all aware of that. "It is important for you to come forward if you know anything about that," he continued. These weren't primary school children. They were 14, almost 15, they knew what missing meant. He didn't have to take it quite as softly as he would have if they were younger.
There was a snort from the back. Tsukauchi felt his eyes shift to the speaker. He was blond and it looked as if the scowl was a permanent feature. "What's Deku done now?" The brat demanded.
Naomasa resisted the urge to sigh. He assumed Deku was some kind of nick name, though with the way the kid said it, it didn't sound as if it was one of friendship. "Izuku Midoriya has gone missing," he said, as if talking to a kid far younger than the one here, though his mind was analysing the situation. There was nothing at home to cause Izuku to run but maybe there was something there. He cast an eye at the teacher. The man didn't appear surprised at the attitude, so this was normal.
The boy rolled his eyes. "Attention grabber," he muttered.
"Do you know anything?" Naomasa pressed.
"As if I'd know anything! Deku will show up in a few days. He just wants the attention."
"That may be," Tsukauchi replied, "but we are looking for him now." He cast his eyes over the rest of the glass. "If any of you know anything, I ask you to tell me."
Silence greeted his request. He figured he wasn't going to get anything this way. "If not me, then tell your teacher who can pass the information on to me," he added.
The kids just stared at him. He didn't expect anything but he had to try.
For Izuku's sake.
=
I must admit to some mild surprise. The kid hasn't been that much trouble. He's stayed inside. Sensei's orders, he said and Sensei confirmed that. It's not hard to see why with the attention. Green hair, green eyes, and no quirk. The kid's wanted, and not in the way we are wanted. Missing person, Izuku Midoriya.
Though it is interesting. If the kid's genuinely quirkless, he would make a good addition to the Noumu program. It usually takes the addition of two to three quirks to break someone, then adding the rest is easy. And Sensei sculps them to be somewhat recognisable.
That's all part of the plan, obviously. But I wonder, if the process was applied to a quirkless individual… how many quirks would it take to break them? One, because they aren't meant to have them… or many, because the lack of quirk means they can accept them all?
Still, if the kid was going to be a Noumu, he wouldn't be here and that's all I need to know. I've amended the ordering schedule for the bar to account for an extra person living here full time. Thankfully the kid isn't picky about food.
Izuku has played a few games with Tomura. Tomura won and if the kid lost deliberately, he had the sense not to make it obvious. Mostly he's been reading his tablet. Even in the bar, the few times he's come out from his room. From what I've seen, he's reading political news, both for Japan and around the world. Some of the articles are old but he's studying them anyway. I think Sensei is testing him on them.
The kid asked for some notebooks. They are on the next order for the bar. Giran looked surprised when it was phoned in. He usually has to get console controllers. Tomura has been good lately. I'm not sure if it's because he has someone who will actually play against him and genuinely try to win but can't or something else. While Sensei did say something to Tomura about Izuku, I don't know what, and given the length of the conversation, not much could be explained.
=
"Kurogiri?"
The mist bartender turned at the question. It was Izuku. He looked uncertain and was carefully looking around the bar to check how many people were there. Tomura was playing a game in the corner and some drunk was passed out at one of the tables but that was everyone. It was a little early for anyone else to have come in.
"Do you need something, Izuku?" Kurogiri asked. Dinner wasn't for a little while.
The kid looked uncomfortable and uncertain. It wasn't an expression Kurogiri had seen on Izuku's face before. It was one he should have seen but the kid was one who didn't look back once a decision was made.
"Could you arrange to get the paper in a week?" The counter question wasn't one the bartender expected.
"The paper?" he asked, his own confusion entering his tone. The bar had a standing order for supplies and the paper wasn't one of them. By the time they got it, it was out of date.
Izuku nodded. "The paper for a week from today," he said carefully.
Kurogiri thought, wondering what was so special about that paper. He couldn't think of anything. Papers were still printed but they had a very small circulation. They were mostly classifieds, births, deaths and marriages and the occasional governmental announcement. Most people got their news from the net. "I can get it," the warp villain confirmed. "Why do you want it?" He couldn't help the curious question.
Izuku smiled at him, relaxing slightly. "The High School results," he chirped.
Suddenly the desire for the paper made a lot more sense. While most High Schools notified those who passed their entrance exams directly, there was a public listing of positions published in the paper for those curious. It was sort of like a government announcement. "Did you apply?" he asked.
The boy gave a quick bark of laughter. "No," he shook his head, his green curls moving slightly. His hair had gotten longer since he'd been here. "I want to see who got into UA."
Kurogiri blinked and then he reinterpreted the answer. Izuku didn't want to see who got into UA because most of the names would mean nothing to him. He was looking for a specific name. The request was somewhat comforting now that Kurogiri knew that. It meant Izuku hadn't just materialised. He did have a life before coming here, though it appeared to be a life he was willing and able to give up.
"I'll get the paper," the bartender assured him.
Izuku smiled again. It was his genuine smile. The one that said he was pleased. "Thank you," he said and Kurogiri could tell the words just weren't a formulae. Izuku really did mean them.
Kurogiri wasn't sure what this meant but he would get the paper, and then he'd watch Izuku some more. It could be revealing.
=
Sensei told me to amend the bar order again. High protein, high calcium, high calorie foods. Plus an assortment of multivitamins and some pretty hefty painkillers. Enough for one. It's not for him. If it was, the Doctor would get them. Giran will just have to cope. We are paying him, after all.
The kid is spending at least an hour a day talking with Sensei. It's safe for him to be seen in the bar. The search for him was over pretty quick. No one said it but the conclusion is simple. The poor quirkless boy went off to die somewhere, or just went… No great loss to society and the world moved on.
Tomura is getting angsty about the time Sensei is spending with Izuku but he's focusing on UA. With All Might teaching there, we have a chance to test the Noumu. Tomura thinks it will be enough. I suspect it won't. All Might may be weakening as Sensei indicates, but he hasn't kept his position as Number 1 Hero because he is weak, and the tabloids and 'net do not have even a whisper of weakness.
Even so, I am watching Tomura. Izuku is getting special treatment from Sensei and that's going to cause issues.
=
Kurogiri looked at the poster. The corners were lifting and the wind was tugging at it but the image and writing was legible. It was a black and white picture of a happy looking teenager. The letters under it were large 'MISSING'. There was a phone number under a basic description of Izuku. There was no mention that he was quirkless.
He felt non existent lips quirk. It was almost as if Izuku was a puppy. He was pretty sure if he peeled back the posters on the wall, he could find at least one for a missing pet. Though it was curious. This wasn't a good part of town, and it wasn't close to where Izuku used to live. How had the poster gotten here?
"Please?" A voice came from the side.
Kurogiri was surprised. Someone had snuck up on him. That usually didn't happen. He turned, standing tall before looking at who spoke. The voice had been tentative and not aggressive. It wasn't an attack, though the thugs around here knew better than to attack him.
A woman stood there. She was simply dressed in a plain straight skirt, a shirt and a cardigan. She looked like a housewife. She was slightly plump and her green eyes were... eerily reminiscent of Izuku's.
"Ma'am?" Kurogiri questioned.
The woman sniffed and nodded. "Please, have you seen him?" she asked, her hand trembling as she pointed out the poster.
Kurogiri noted the satchel she was carrying. The flap was open and he could see a sheaf of posters in there, along with some glue. Understanding filled him. This was Izuku's mother. Izuku looked very much like her. "You shouldn't be here, Ma'am. It's not safe," he told her.
She shook her head. "Please! Have you seen him?" Her question was desperate.
The mist villain looked back at the poster. "I'm sorry Ma'am, I haven't," he lied to her. It was easy when you were mostly incoporal to lie.
The woman sniffed, almost hiccuping. "You shouldn't be here," Kurogiri repeated.
Again, she shook her head. This was a bad area, and it wasn't like she was dressed richly. On clothes she wouldn't stand out but she lacked a certain hardness that all natives to the area had, and that would mark her as an outsider.
"Let me walk you to the station," he pressed.
"But I…" She wiped tears from her eyes with one hand as the other reached for her posters.
"This one is still here," Kurogiri said kindly. "And shouldn't the police-"
There was a flare in her green eyes that Kurogiri recognised. Sometimes Izuku's would look like that. He knew better than to press, though now he knew where Izuku got some of his stubbornness from. "I will make sure it remains here," he said instead.
"Thank you," the words were genuine. Kurogiri was surprised. "I just," she sniffed again. "I just want my boy home," she said.
Kurogiri nodded. She wasn't going to get her wish. Izuku was with the League now but, he could sympathise. He wouldn't act of course but he could understand her desire. In a world where they didn't exist, Izuku would have stayed with her.
"Let me walk you to the station," he repeated. Izuku had never spoken about his family. Kurogiri knew from the news reports about him going missing that he lived with his mother and it was nice, in a way, that even after the police had given up, she hadn't. Izuku had a good mother. He should make sure she got home safely.
The League owed her that much.
=
The high protein, high calorie, high calcium food is for Izuku. It's the first time I've seen him show some reaction towards food but he ate it, and drank the shake. He's been taking the vitamins as well. He's been getting chubby as a result but doesn't stop taking them. Sensei has told me to keep ordering them as well. That we will need more. I don't know what for.
Beyond that, Tomura is both predictable and vicious. Vicious is a good trait to have in our line of work. Sensei never berates him for anything. Predictable is far less desirable but perhaps I see it because of familiarity. Case in point, the information about UA's Heroics 1A class interested him for a while, but he remained fixated on the bigger issue. Izuku and the attention Sensei is giving him.
As with all things with Tomura it came to a head quickly. Another game controller gone, and I swept today but that was just the start. Tomura has yet to learn subtlety, has yet to learn diversion. I suppose that's an aspect of the way his quirk manifests. If anything does cause him problems, then all he has to do is touch it and it disappears. He deals with people in the same way. If they annoy him, then they die.
Izuku hasn't done anything much to annoy him except for his interactions with Sensei. That's enough. It made Tomura jealous and his reaction was both vicious and predictable. Predictable: he attacked Izuku. Vicious: He was going for the kill.
Until Sensei spoke. I thought I was going to have to attempt to warp Izuku away, which is difficult when Tomura is gripping him but Sensei intervened. Tomura still listens to him.
Tomura dropped Izuku. The boy remained standing. It was a good effort but he gripped at his throat, rubbing it gently. Sensei told Izuku to explain to Tomura.
The boy nodded but what I found interesting was the way he peered around the bar, checking who was there. There was no one. Just him, Tomura and I. Izuku nodded.
Then he explained. The gist of it was simple. Sensei is leaving everything to Tomura. Shigaraki already knew that. What Tomura, and I must admit I, have never thought about was that everything includes the mostly legitimate businesses. Sensei's empire is more than just the underworld. The underworld generates cash but the legitimate businesses clean it, and provide their own. They provide the cover for everything. They fund the bar. With Tomura's ability to disintegrate everything… including potential customers, income wasn't that great. Tomura would get everything, including Izuku.
The boy didn't appear uncomfortable when he said that. Izuku's place was to control Sensei's legitimate businesses. He will run the business empire, while Tomura over saw it all.
It makes sense. Tomura doesn't have a head for business. Though Tomura does have a head for reality. The kid is too young. He's fourteen. No one is going to accept him as a business leader. Sensei just laughed. He had thought of that. He announced that he'd start tonight.
Izuku looked surprised but nodded. Tomura doesn't know what is going on.
Neither do I.
Next day
I know what is happening now.
It's… It takes one type of person to become a hero. It takes another to become a villain.
And it takes something else again to be a lynchpin of change. Sensei will give Tomura everything but Izuku is the lynchpin upon which it all rests.
I was ordered to transport Izuku to Sensei last night. Then he ordered me to stay.
The room was bland. There were no cupboards, no windows, shelves or tables in there. There was only one chair, a dentist's chair in the middle of the room. It had straps on it. Thick, reinforced mesh straps. Izuku put himself in the chair without hesitation. Sensei ordered me to make sure the fastenings were secure.
Izuku smiled at me.
Then Sensei came over to Izuku. He said nothing before he raised his hand and placed it over Izuku's forehead. Sensei is a large man. Izuku is a small boy. His hand completely covered his face.
I'd seen that gesture before. It was the one Sensei used when he was going to take a quirk. Except Izuku didn't have a quirk. I wondered for a moment if he was going to get one, but that didn't explain the restraints.
Then I knew what they were for. Izuku stiffened. I think he would have screamed but his throat was as stiff as his body. The restraints were pulled tight. He strained against them. He's quirkless so he couldn't break them but I could see them digging into his pudgy flesh, biting into the fat that had accumulated with the diet he'd been eating lately. It stained the skin around them red. Not with blood, they didn't cut him, but the strain made the skin red and angry.
Then as I watched, Izuku seemed to change. His limbs, which had been carrying fat grew longer. The fat disappeared as his body altered. Tears ran out from under Sensei's hand and I could hear Izuku gasping for air.
Sensei explained. He reminded me that everyone focuses on the fact that he can take quirks and that he can give them. But mixed up in that focus is the view that he only takes strong combat quirks.
I had an inkling then. It was the feeling that you get when you know the future, and you know what is about to be said even if you've never thought about it before. Sensei was known for taking combat quirks but Sensei had been alive for centuries, he has taken other quirks in that time.
He pulled his hand away from Izuku. I looked at the boy. His eyes were wide. The green orbs were unfocused and he was gasping for air. His face was different. Older. It was the same as his limbs. He was older now. Only a few years, Sensei assured me. About sixteen Izuku said later before he confirmed he'd be there next week, if all went well.
And that was when I knew the plan. Tomura was right. Izuku was too young to run the commercial empire Sensei controlled. But by the time Sensei was finished, he wouldn't be.
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