Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A deafening crack echoed through the air.

Midoriya, Bakugo, and Todoroki had rushed toward the source of what was clearly Shigaraki’s decay. Todoroki was tailing the other two, shouting to the class that he would bring them back. Ida, Tsu, and Uraraka shared nervous glances with each other. They had expected their classmates to be back by now, but the silence from their comms was deafening.

"They are right in the middle of whatever is happening - ribbit”.

Iida clenched his fists. “They have been gone for too long".

The three of them continued to stare in the direction their classmates ran off to.

Uraraka had heard the reports leading up to the silence; the panicked voices of heroes. Now, all clues pointed to the mission literally falling apart and her best friend was trapped right in the middle of it.

Another particularly loud crack erupted in the distance, and a jolt of both panic and resolve shot through her.

"We can't just sit here."

Iida nodded. "It is our duty to protect everyone, even our fellow heroes.”

With a shared glance, the three of them communicated their resolve. Iida’s engines roared to life as Uraraka grabbed hold of him and Tsu, removing their gravity before all three of them burst forward.

As they approached, the trio of students watched the battle slowly come into focus. It revealed Midoriya and Shigaraki fighting violently in the air. Each punch released another powerful blast of wind pressure, clearly demonstrating Midoriya had no intention of holding back his quirk.

“Is he…flying -ribbit?”

They looked on in awe. Uraraka and Tsu had seen him at 100% when he fought Chisaki, but this was different. He was on a whole new level.

“…Midoriya…” Ida whispered to himself.

They were also painfully aware of the kind of damage his full power inflicted on his body, and their awe began mixing with a deep concern.

“Idiot!” Bakugo yelled as if on cue.

They approached Todoroki, Bakugo, and Endeavor who were also looking on in shock.

“He is going to get himself killed!” He growled.

Uraraka released her quirk so Tsu and her could stand, “Why is Deku fighting Shiguraki alone!?”

“At this point we have no way to stop Shigaraki on the ground without unleashing his upgraded Decay.” Endeavor explained, “but I have no idea what I am looking at. Does Deku have multiple quirks?!”

“That doesn’t matter right now.” Bakugo replied coldly, while also implying he knew what was happening. “All of Deku’s quirks are at play here, but it isn’t enough to take out Shigaraki. Now it is just a battle of endurance, and Deku can’t win against someone with a regeneration quirk.”

A chill ran through the group as they realized what Bakugo was saying.

“Deku is going to get his ass kicked, then Shigaraki is going to steal his quirk and finish him off.”

Bakugo yelled in frustration before he ordering Todoroki and Endeavor to hold onto him.

The remaining three watched them launch into the air. When Endeavor reached the battle there was the bright flash and extreme heat emanating from his Prominence Burn that could be felt even from where the teens were left standing.

It took a moment to be able to see again after the bright flash disappeared, but when they got their vision back they saw Endeavor and Bakugo falling from the sky as Todoroki struggled to catch them. Moreover, they watched in horror as a fully charred Shigaraki’s hand was on Midoriya’s face.

“No!” Uraraka screamed.

Another bright flash occurred, this one radiating different colors. It was followed by the image of both figures falling from the sky like two broken dolls. Uraraka and Iida exchanged a wide-eyed glance, the unspoken plan passing between them in a flash.

"Recipro Burst!" Iida shouted, grabbing ahold of Uraraka's hand as he shot forward, the roaring of his engines shifting into gear running in their ears.

Tsu had already sprung into action, helping catch Bakugo and Endeavor as Todoroki landed with the two injured heroes nearly falling from his arms. She used her tongue to set them both onto the ground gently.

Uraraka and Ida cleared the distance in seconds. When they were close enough, Uraraka sprang from Iida's shoulders toward a falling Midoriya. A pink glow enveloped her hands as she latched on to him about ten feet before he would have hit the ground.

They floated in the air for a moment as Uraraka checked his condition. Midoriya was unresponsive, his body covered in fresh injuries.

"Deku, can you hear me?” Uraraka asked as she gently shook his shoulder.

She checked his pulse and could tell he was alive.

“Release!”

They landed carefully, Uraraka placing Midoriya down gently on the cracked pavement.

She heard a sickening thud next to her as Shigaraki landed with a force that made her stomach flip. Ida stood next her and looked over at the charred form crumpled at an unnatural angle.

The area around them lit up suddenly as the electric-looking current of Midoriya’s quirk started blinking like a short circuiting outlet. She sighed in relief when it was clear Midoriya still had his quirk.

It was then that Gigantomachia appeared and picked up the charred body of his master.

Uraraka turned to Ida, “Let’s go. You should take him since you are faster.”

He nodded, “I will need a moment since my engines are stalled.” and slowly picked up Midoriya’s limp body. “We can still run though. Uraraka, can you-“

"G-get the boy... leave..." Shigaraki's lips barely moved, but the voice that came out wasn't his. It was the icy and disturbing voice of All For One.

Uraraka barely heard the raspy whisper from behind her.

"Ida, we ne-!" Uraraka’s yell was cut off when a glint of metal flashed in the air next to Ida and a sharp sword swung down at them. Ida reacted instantly, jumping aside to avoid the blow. There was the screech of metal on metal as the weapon slid across Ida’s armor. With his engines stalled, dodging quick attacks became difficult.

Uraraka quickly swept the legs of the attacker, knocking them to the ground and pinning him. She realized it was Spinner who had leapt from Gigantomachia's back.

Iida began to run normally, but he'd only made it a few more few feet before a fiery fist slammed into his back, sending him sprawling. Midoriya slid from his arms and rolled along the broken concrete like a ragdoll.

Dabi stood over Iida, a cruel smirk on his face. "Tch. Disappointing," he snarled. A small, blue flame ignited in his palm.

Uraraka realized she had no choice but to let go of Spinner and quickly rush Dabi.

Floating herself, she jumped up and tapped him on his shoulder. After flipping over him, she landed next to Midoriya. Dabi floated into the air, a look of surprise on his face, but he quickly used his flames to stabilize himself. However, it was just enough time for an unexpected blast of ice to slam into him from the side.

Todoroki flew in - a fierce look on his face.

"Go!" Todoroki commanded, his voice raw with fury as he stood between Dabi and his friends.

Spinner was also getting back up. He looked at Midoriya and back over at Ida. He ran toward Ida immediately, which surprised Uraraka for a moment, but it dawned on her that their attackers were targeting Ida to prevent an escape they could not keep up with. This had clicked for Ida too.

"I'll back up Todoroki!" Iida yelled, turning to face Spinner. Uraraka nodded, picking up Midoriya and sprinting away.

She ran toward where she had last seen Tsu.

“Now, now - it isn’t time for your friend to make his stage exit quite yet.” a voice chirped. She quickly dodged an attack from her side and performed another low, sweeping kick designed to knock her attacker off balance.

Compress, ever the showman, reacted with a dramatic backflip, easily clearing her leg. He landed lightly, his hands still in his pockets, a playful smirk on his masked face.

"A decent move, little hero, but you already tried that one on Spinner. We still have a whole second act prepared for the boy so it would be best if you just handed him over.”

Uraraka’s grip on Midoriya tightened. She realized that while holding him she would be at a major disadvantage in a close up fight. She turned and continued running.

A marble bounced on the pavement in front of her, transforming into a giant bus blocking her path, but she easily bounced over it. Using the bus as her stepping point she launched herself into the air, out of the villain’s reach.

“Oh, a bird act!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with mock disappointment.

Being out of reach I nullify his primary method of attack since he needs to touch his target. she thought. My greatest advantage here is my distance and mobility. If he can’t reach me he can’t touch me.

Compress’s eyes landed on a large, jagged piece of concrete and he strode over to it. With a theatrical flourish he touched the massive slab and the concrete vanished.

He caught the marble between his fingers and threw it directly toward her.

There was no sound, just a sudden, violent displacement of air. The compressed concrete slab exploded back into existence, a chunk of debris suddenly materializing in mid-air right next to her. She easily dodged the projectile only to realize the force of its instantaneous appearance created a wave of air pressure that was just enough to send her backwards.

That was when Compress released the second, hidden marble he had slyly tossed just behind her when she was distracted by the first. she crashed into the second slab of concrete, slamming the back of her head with a loud crack.

He had already compressed another slab on the ground and tossed it up with a trajectory that would have made them the filling for a concrete sandwich. She readied to try and remove its gravity at the last second.

She didn’t end up needing to when a long tongue wrapped itself around her and Midoriya, flinging them in the direction she was originally running.

"I got this one - ribbit. You keep going.” Tsu shouted.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, Uraraka continued her sprint, refusing to stop until she could no longer hear the battle field behind her.

As the terrain became less flat, she had to use her quirk to jump from one piece of large rubble to another. When the battle was finally no longer in view, she ducked between two large slabs of concrete so they were hidden.

She set down her friend and tried to wake him again.

“Deku. Can you hear me?”

No response.

She tried her coms again, hoping to request backup and an evac team, but they were still dead.

She was then pushed up against a wall before she had time to react. A crazed looking Himiko Toga pinning her with a knife to her throat.

“Ochaco, my sweet little hero," Toga chirped, her voice a sickly-sweet melody that sent a shiver down Uraraka's spine. "I've missed you."

“Toga."

“Isnt he just so cute when he is all beat up?” She giggled while staring at Midoriya. “You know, despite how beat up he is, he doesn’t seem to be bleeding nearly enough. I think we can fix that!”

Uraraka had practiced this knife scenario at her internship many times, so her mind raced, not with panic, but with calculated urgency. Her eyes flickered, taking in the Toga’s posture, the angle of the blade, the subtle tension in their grip.

She took a slow, deliberate breath, feigning a tremor of fear in her shoulders. Her right hand slowly began to slide down her attacker's arm. It came across to her opponent as a desperate plea, however her fingers were being placed in calculated spots.

Uraraka subtly adjusted her body weight, in a barely perceptible shift. "Please..." she whispered, her voice laced with a tremor.

Toga, momentarily distracted and delighted by her apparent fear, tightened her grip fractionally. It was all she needed.

In a burst of controlled energy, Uraraka's hips twisted violently to the left, pulling her body partially out of the direct line of the blade. Simultaneously, her right hand shot upwards, not grabbing, but slamming the palm of her hand with focused force into Toga’s elbow joint.

A sharp, audible crack echoed as the elbow hyperextended. Toga cried out, their grip on the knife loosening instantaneously. Before they could fully react, Uraraka's left hand drove upward in an open-handed strike to Toga’s jaw. The knife clattered to the ground.

Just as Uraraka was about to become out of Toga’s range, she felt a flash of pain in her thigh, causing her to fall to the ground. She looked down to see a second, even smaller dagger protruding from her leg. 

Toga picked up the knife that had fallen to the ground and started giggling.

"It’s okay Uraraka, you don’t need to be jealous. You can come with us too!" Toga started jumping up and down with excitement. “Then when Tomera doesn’t let me play with Izuku anymore we can play together! We can be best friends!”

"In what world do you think I would be your friend?!" Uraraka grunted. Her voice was firm despite the pain. "I could never befriend a monster like you.”

Toga’s face dropped into one of deep hurt.

“Monster?” She whispered.

“Wha-“ Uraraka was confused with her reaction.

Toga’s usual manic grin was gone, replaced by a cold, hard glare. “You’re just like everyone else aren’t you.”

Toga moved with a speed Uraraka hadn’t expected, pinning her against the ground. It was a quick, surgical movement. Not a wild, desperate slash, but a precise stab of someone who took careful effort with her prey. She took the original dagger she had dropped and slid into Uraraka’s shoulder. Uraraka, still in shock from the first wound, was unable to react in time to stop it.

Uraraka could feel the warm, viscous liquid of her own blood soaking through her hero costume. Her vision blurred.

Toga put her forehead against Uraraka’s.

“I’m not a monster.” She whispered.

Toga stood up and her eyes met Uraraka’s. They were angry, but also on the verge of tears.

“You’re the monster from where I stand.” Toga growled. “you think as long as you call someone a ‘monster’ that you can hurt them and the people they love.”

“I would never try to hurt someone.” Uraraka bit back, only for it to come out sounding tired.

“Never hurt someone?” Toga released a high pitched belly laugh.

When she finally collected herself again she added, “I doubt that with every fiber of my being.”

She walked over to Midoriya’s unconscious body.

"Look here, ‘hero’” Toga reached down. Her hands began gripping Midoriya's hair, a small, twisted smile returning to her face as she noticed Uraraka's look of desperation. "I'll make this easy on you." She pulled another knife from her belt, not in a playful way, but with a cold, sharp finality. Toga held the knife just a few inches from Midoriya's head.

“So you’re saying you wouldn’t try to hurt me if it was the only way to stop me?”

“Not if i could avoid it.”

“BUT WHAT ABOUT IF YOU CANT AVOID IT!?”

“Wha-“

“Those who say they wouldn’t hurt others to save those they love are either cowards or liars.” Toga made eye contact with Uraraka, “…and you are not a coward Ochaco.”

There it was. Toga’s plight resonating with her in a crushing moment. No, I would never abandon my friends if I knew they needed me, even if it meant breaking the rules Uraraka thought.

“You act all high and mighty, but you hide behind a stupid idea of morality that only applies to those who are like you. My friends' lives are only safe when we have the power to keep you heroes in line. And I would do anything to protect them.”

Toga began to drag Midoriya away.

The words echoed in Uraraka's mind. “…and you are not a coward, Ochaco."

The pain in her leg and shoulder was dizzying, but Toga’s cruel, backhanded compliment was the unexpected spark she needed. Toga was right, she would do anything to save people and see them smile.

“You’re right, Toga,” Uraraka said, her voice a low, steady thrum.

Toga paused, pulling Midoriya’s limp body just a little further, her head cocked. “About what, ‘hero’?”

Uraraka slowly and painfully stood up. She had one shot.

Toga, growing excited at the prospect of continuing their fight, dropped Midoriya. Uraraka braced herself, her weight shifting to her good leg, her arms up in a defensive guard.

“I would do anything to help the people I love,” Uraraka said, her eyes fixed on the villain. Her hand trembled as she reached for the dagger in her shoulder.

Toga, with a deranged smile, her eyes wide with a terrifying kind of delight as she ripped the blade out of her shoulder, tossing it next to Toga's feet. It was Uraraka’s opening.

Toga was so focused on the blade and her bloodlust that she left herself momentarily vulnerable. Uraraka, with a sudden, pained burst of speed, lunged forward. With a shout, she pressed the palm of her hand against Toga's lower torso, her fingers splayed wide.

Toga’s feet lifted from the ground, her balance gone. She flailed, her arms waving as her body floated 20 feet in the air.

Uraraka then released her quirk and Toga fell to the ground with a scream, the gravity hero collapsing next to her.

She climbed on top of Toga and pinned her arms behind her back, ensuring that she was incapacitated.

Uraraka took a huge breath. The world was spinning.

“Uraraka!”

She looked up and saw a blurry figure running toward her. She was losing too much blood and could feel her consciousness fading.

She tried and failed to ready herself for another fight, but as the figure got closer, she saw the familiar half-red, half-white hair. It was Todoroki.

He knelt beside her, pressing his hand to her shoulder to slow the bleeding.

"Don't worry," he said softly, his voice calm. "The League has retreated.”

"The others...?" Uraraka slurred, her eyes fluttering shut.

"They're okay. We'll get you all patched up," Todoroki promised.

"And Toga... help Toga, too," Uraraka whispered before finally losing consciousness.

Chapter Text

Gigantomachia finally fell, thanks to the combined efforts of Mirio Togata and Best Jeanist. The League of Villains, their leader and forces decimated, made a strategic retreat. Spinner, grunting with effort, dragged a comatose Shigaraki away, his once-distinctive features now a horrific mass of healing 3rd degree burns.

In a hidden safe house, the remaining members of the League licked their wounds. Twice, who had been knocked out in the fight, had his spirit shattered after learning of Toga's capture and Hawk’s betrayal. He paced in a corner muttering to himself.

“She's gone! Toga's gone! We have to save her! We can't just leave her! It’s all my fault!" he cried, his voice a chorus of despair.

Over the next few days, Shigaraki's body was in a constant mental battle. He was successfully suppressing AFO from taking over, but it took everything he had and his friends sat by helpless as he cried out in mental agony.

The team was gathered together to talk about their next move. Tomera was barely conscious and sat slumped in a chair.

Suddenly a tremor ran through Shigaraki's body, a spasm that made him stagger. His head snapped back, eyes widening as the familiar childish rage seemed to drain from him, replaced by a cold, calculating stillness that settled over his features. The others in the room, the League of Villains, froze, sensing the shift. This wasn't their leader anymore.

A deep, resonating voice, one that seemed to scrape against the very air, rumbled from Shigaraki's throat. It was All For One's voice, not the high-pitched snarl of a petulant child, but the chilling, deliberate cadence of an ancient evil.

"My new dawn is upon us," the voice said, slow and deliberate, a predator sizing up its prey. "For so long, a false peace has festered in this land, built on the brittle foundation of a hero society." A slow, unsettling smile spread across Shigaraki's face, a grotesque mask of glee. "But that is ending. We will tear it all down and from the ashes, a new Japan will rise."

Spinner clutched his swords, a look of confusion and fear on his face. "Tomura? Is that... is that really you?"

The chilling voice ignored him, its gaze sweeping over each member of the League. "This new world will be one of true power, where the weak are cast aside and strength is the only law. And you, my pawns, my instruments of chaos... you will be at my side."

Compress, Twice, and Spinner listened, their faces a mixture of confusion and growing resentment, while Dabi just smirked.

“A low, guttural growl rose from Shigaraki’s throat. It wasn't the sound of All For One, but something raw and desperate. His head shook violently, as if he were trying to dislodge a parasite. The grotesque smile on his face wavered, replaced by a contorted scowl of pain.

“No... get out!” he rasped, the words barely audible. His hands clawed at his temples, his body shaking with the force of the internal battle. The two voices, one a deep and ancient evil, the other a high-pitched cry of childlike defiance, fought for control.

"This is my body! These are my friends, not your pawns!" Shigaraki screamed, his eyes rolling back in his head. A final, convulsive shudder ran through him, a jolt that seemed to rip his very soul. He collapsed to his knees, his body going limp as he pitched forward, crashing to the ground with a thud. The chilling presence that had filled the room vanished instantly, leaving only the deafening silence of an incapacitated body.

"AFO doesn't understand," Spinner growled, his reptilian eyes narrowed. "He doesn't care about our cause. He just wants to destroy everything, including Tomera. You can’t tell me his ‘new Japan’ All For One speaks of will be one where heteromorphs are respected.”

Compress nodded, adjusting his mask. "And what about the wealth the heroes hoard? The power they accumulate? All For One just wants to trade one tyrant for another. That's not the world I want. I want to rid society of the very concept of a power-hungry elite."

Twice, tears streaming from under his mask, banged his fist against the wall. "And Toga! He doesn't care about Toga! He just sees her as a tool!”

Spinner's mind raced, a new path forming in his thoughts. "We have followers," he said, his voice gaining a new sense of purpose. "Don't you remember? The Meta Liberation Army! We have over a hundred thousand of them. They don't want to destroy Japan like All For One does. They want to reshape it, to give us a world with tangible goals. We can lead them."

The others looked at him, hope flickering in their eyes. A movement. That’s what they needed to fuel.

“…but what about Tomera?” Compress asked.

Spinner paused. “If there is anything I know about Tomera, it is that he wants us to do whatever the hell we want.”

The group nodded in agreement.

As they spoke, a chilling realization dawned on Spinner. The friend he had followed, the boy he had respected, was battling a parasite. AFO was attempting to use Shigaraki's body as a vessel for his own twisted desires, and wouldn’t stop until he claimed his prize. This was a dictator taking advantage of his friend to take a personal, violent, throne atop the world.

With a heavy heart and a newfound resolve, Spinner made his choice. He would not stand by and watch All For One corrupt their cause and destroy the one person who made him believe his life could mean something. He would do what was necessary to save his friend and continue his vision.

—

A few days had passed since the climactic battle that leveled Jaku Hospital. The air in the hospital was heavy with the sterile scent of antiseptic and the hum of medical equipment. In one of the private rooms, four of U.A.'s top students sat in a somber silence. The aftermath of the fight was etched onto their faces as they processed what had happened in just a matter of days.

Uraraka was curled up in a chair by the side of the bed, her gaze fixed on a comatose Midoriya. She was pale. Her left shoulder and leg were wrapped in thick bandages - a stark reminder of her brief, but brutal encounter with Toga. Iida stood by the window with just a few scrapes and bruises. Todoroki and Tsu sat in a pair of chairs at the foot of the bed. Todoroki was covered in bandages where Dabi had scorched his skin, while Tsu had managed to come out virtually unscathed. They were all talking, but their voices were low and flat - the kind of conversation that is just used to fill the space to hide the elephant in the room.

"I still can't believe it," Tsu croaked, "He was flying…and black whip…and that weird glowing energy… It was like he had more than one Quirk—ribbit."

"It's illogical," Iida stated, turning from the window to face them. "Midoriya has always been a beacon of strength, but to manifest so many abilities at once... it defies everything we know about Quirks."

Todoroki simply stared at Midoriya. "Bakugo’s explosions helped us get close, but the speed... the energy... it's like he was tapping into a power far greater than what we've ever seen before. He was like...”

Uraraka had seen the raw power Midoriya wielded many times before - it made her stomach churn thinking about all those different instances he had broken himself attempting to use it. She could always tell he was holding back his power, but this was different.

The door to the room opened and All Might stepped inside. His smile was gone, replaced by a grim, weary expression. He closed the door behind him and walked to the bed, taking a seat in the empty chair on the opposite side of Midoriya’s bed.

She couldn't hold back any longer. "All Might," her voice quiet but firm. "What's going on?”

All Might sighed, the sound heavy with the weight of a secret he had carried for years.

“I can't tell you.”

“Bullshit!”

Bakugo came barging (more like limping aggressively) into the room.

“If you think he can win this alone you’re fucking stupid.”

All Might looked at each of them and sighed.

“If you don’t fucking tell them, you might as well sign off on Deku’s death yourself.”

He looked struck, but swayed by the certainty in Bakugo’s tone.

“Are you all sure you want to know?" he asked the room, his voice low. "This could put you in even more danger. It could make you a target."

“We are his classmates.” Ida said “and from where I stand it seems like Midoriya is already a target. We can’t support him if we don’t know what is going on.”

“Tell us - ribbit.”

With another sigh, All Might reached over and gently took Midoriya's hand. "Young Midorita has a power that has been passed down for generations," he began, his voice barely a whisper. "One For All. It is a Quirk that stockpiles power, and it can be passed from one person to the next. I was the eighth wielder... and Young Midoriya is the ninth."

He told them about All For One, a power that could steal Quirks, and the endless war that had been waged between the two spanning lifetimes. Then he explained how One For All was destined to defeat All For One.

The room fell into a stunned silence. The four students sat, their minds racing as they replayed every memory they had of Midoriya with the context of this initial Quirklessness. His sudden and uncontrolled surges of power, the intense training, the broken bones. It all made a terrifying and heartbreaking kind of sense.

Iida broke the silence, his voice laced with a raw emotion they rarely heard from him. "He... he's been carrying that burden all alone."

Uraraka reached out and placed a hand on Midoriya's. "We are not going to let him carry it alone anymore.” her voice firm.

All Might's expression softened slightly. "That may be more difficult to achieve than you think," he said. "Young Midoriya is a hero through and through. There is a good chance he would rather sacrifice himself than put you all in harm's way."

“Then we shall do whatever it takes to convince him.” Ida retorted.

"Who else knows?" Tsuyu asked.

"Just Gran Torino, Principle Nezu, Recovery Girl, and Bakugo," All Might replied.

Todoroki, still staring at Midoriya, spoke quietly. "It's funny that Bakugo knew. No wonder he has been so much nicer recently.”

“I am not sure ‘nice’ is the word I would choose - ribbit.”

The room filled with tired, quiet chuckles.

—

Midoriya's dream was a tranquil field of green, the sun warm on his face. Standing before him, with a gentle smile and a kind face, was the seventh wielder of One For All.

"Hello, Midoriya.”

*Nana Shimura.* he attempted to say, recognizing her from the brief glimpses he'd seen of the previous users, but his mouth seemed to not work in this space.

“Yes. You can’t speak here yet, but I can hear you.”

Midoriya nodded.

“I am here to explain my quirk.” She sighed, a sad smile on her face. “My power is much more subtle than blackwhip. It's connected to emotion, sure, but while blackwhip is fueled by anger, Float is powered by your drive and vision.

She held up a hand, and a gentle, glowing aura radiated from her palm. "This power is the manifestation of an unwavering will to win. As long as you believe in your success, it will empower you - but the moment you begin to doubt yourself, it will fail you."

Confidence… Midoriya repeated in his head, his brow furrowed in thought.

"In the battle with Shigaraki," she continued. "Even when everyone was injured and the city was in ruins - when it seemed like there was no hope, your drive to save others was unwavering. Your will to win awakened this new layer of One For All."

He listened, the words sinking in. He had read a lot about her power through the notes All Might collected, but he never imgained it being tied to a different emotion. It made him think what the other quirks yet to manifest might be tied to.

Nana walked closer, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Look at me, Midoriya. Do you see a hero who never doubted herself? Do you see someone who didn't feel the weight of this Quirk?"

He looked into her eyes, and saw a person who had known fear, and loss, and the same doubts that had plagued him a thousand times over; the question of whether he is worthy of this power.

"The power of One For All isn't just the strength and speed," she continued. "It is empowered by your resolve. It's the will to keep fighting, even when you're beaten, bruised, and broken. It's the belief that you can and will save someone, no matter what."

He nodded, but there was a long pause like she had something else to say but didn’t know how.

“I also want to talk to you about my grandson...”

—-

Midoriya awoke to the soft light of dawn filtering through the hospital room window. He blinked, the white walls slowly coming into focus. He took a shaky breath; the pain in his body was a dull roar, but he supposed being able to feel pain was a good thing considering the circumstances. He was lucky to be intact at all.

The first thing he noticed was Uraraka. She was curled up in a chair next to his bed, sleeping. He could see her crutches leaning against the side of the chair, an IV connected to her wrist, and the unusual paleness of her skin from blood loss. All traces of pink seemed to somehow be removed from her face and bandages covered various parts of her.

Panic shot through him, unsure what happened to his classmates. He had watched three spikes go straight through Bakugo’s chest. Reliving the sound in his head - he cringed and started to feel nausea and anxiety take over. He then started to remember what happened to Mr. Asawa and Gran Torino.

He suddenly noticed Todoroki getting up from a chair by the door and walking over. He sat at the foot of the bed, turning to face Midoriya.

"Hey," Shoto said, his voice quiet as he gestured to avoid waking Uraraka.

“Are the other-?” Midoriya began asking in a whispered panic.

“Everyone is alive and stable.” he interrupted calmly.

Midoriya took a deep breath and felt his heart rate slow back down.

He took a closer look at his friend’s injuries. He had thick bandages wrapped around his forearms, over his face, and covering his neck. Midoriya knew from experience that such heavy wrapping meant significant burns.

It took him a while to notice Todoroki was staring at him intensely - like he was only just noticing something.

Midoriya had the sudden realization that Todoroki had seen him use Float causing his heart rate to shoot back up. He hoped Todoroki didn't bring it up now since Midoriya could barely process what happened, let alone come up with a convincing lie to protect his secret.

He must have shown his worry all over his face, proving the previous point about his inability to lie, because Todoroki responded with, "We know about One For All."

The words hung in the air.

Midoriya's eyes widened, a knot forming in his stomach. He had always known it would be a huge deal if someone found out, but he hadn't ever prepared for how his friends might react.

“Wha-?”

"Well, at least Iida, Uraraka, Tsu, and I know," Todoroki interrupted him again. "We had a long talk with All Might yesterday."

Midoriya looked over at the sleeping Uraraka. How did they all take the news? Were they mad at him for lying to them for so long? The thought made his chest tighten.

"I... I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I wanted to tell you. I just... I couldn't.".

Todoroki shook his head slightly. "Don't be. You have nothing to apologize for. I learned a long time ago how hard it can be to share your burden with others." He looked away for a moment, his expression distant. "It's... isolating. Holding onto something like that all by yourself."

Midoriya's eyes welled up with tears. "Todoroki..." He felt a profound sense of relief hearing his words. Feeling seen for the first time in a while, his reaction gave Midoriya hope his other friends would be understanding.

Todoroki gestured to Uraraka. "She has barely slept since we got here, and she still has injuries Recovery Girl is waiting to heal until her strength returns. Try not to wake her if you can manage it.”

A fresh wave of guilt washed over Midoriya and a lump began forming in his throat.

Todoroki started standing up. "Now, I'm going to grab some food for us and let the nurses know you're awake.”

Midoriya nodded, a million things he wanted to say catching in his throat. He watched as Todoroki walked to the door, his eyes falling on the limp in his gait. "Todoroki, wait."

Shoto paused, turning to face him. "Yeah?"

"Thank you. For... understanding. For still being here.” Midoriya's voice was barely a whisper, but the sincerity of his words still came through.

Todoroki just gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Don't mention it, Midoriya. It's what friends are for."

With that, he left the room.

Midoriya looked down at his own bandaged arms, the familiar ache of broken bones pulsing through his body. He knew he'd used too much of One For All, but it was all he could do to fend off Shigaraki and protect everyone.

Midoriya closed his eyes, replaying Todoroki's words.
*It's what friends are for.*

The simple phrase hit him like a punch. He had always seen this fight as one they had to take on together, his classmates standing with him - but he could never have predicted what seeing them injured would do to him.

It ached. An ache that penetrated deep to his core. He had been chosen for this fight, and here he is dragging all those he cares about into it like All Might had warned him not to. Was he prepared to watch his friends get hurt? Was he prepared to have them taken from him?

—

Harsh voices woke Uraraka up from her sleep. She blinked, her head foggy from pain medication. She saw Iida and Midoriya arguing.

"We are heroes, Midoriya!" Iida said, his voice laced with frustration. "That means we do everything we can to protect others. You are one of us! That includes protecting you!"

"But... look at you all!" Midoriya stammered, gesturing to the others. "You're all injured! You got hurt because I wasn’t strong enough to take on Shigaraki.”

"You honestly think that is the lesson here, Midoriya?" Todoroki chimed in. "You think keeping us away would have made this situation any better? Would it have been better if we had just left you to die at the hands of the league?”

Midoriya was silent, for a moment before responding, “…maybe…if it meant I knew you were safe.”

The room went quiet.

“Midoriya,” Tsu added. "You're our friend, and we'll always be there to help you whether you like it or not - ribbit.”

“You would never let me think such things, so how can you expect us to let you? We are friends, right?” Ida put his hand on Midoriya’s shoulder.

Midoriya tensed up, his body trembling slightly. He tried to find the words, the logic, that would make his friends understand - that would convince them to let him face this burden alone. But the words wouldn't come. He couldn't.

That’s when Kirishima came running in shouting, “Check out the TV!”

He scrambled to grab the remote and unmuted the TV.

The anchor was explaining how a famous hero network was about to air an unprecedented broadcast: a live interview with a villain. The kids in the hospital room watched the TV with the utmost attention. On the screen was Compress sitting across from the interviewer, his mask off, revealing a surprisingly handsome face.

He spoke calmly and eloquently, of his grandfather's legacy - how the events at Jaku and with Endeavor's son were just two of many reasons he and his party were challenging the hero status quo. He spoke of heroes hiding their flaws and corruption from the public to maintain a sense of trust. Compress made a compelling case, filled with ideas that spoke to society's unrest and dissatisfaction with the current way of things, the Hero Commission, the way Quirks were viewed and restricted, and the policies that bred discrimination against those whose Quirks had changed their humanoid form.

Outside the studio, the TV showed crowds of thousands of Meta Liberation Army supporters gathered to show their support. There were also heroes ready to arrest Compress once the interview ended. The crowd booed at the heroes, their anger palpable. When the heroes took Compress into custody, the crowd erupted into a riot.

The screen cut to a commercial.

In the hospital room, a heavy silence fell. The students all looked at the floor, the truth of Compress's words hanging in the air.

Midoriya broke the silence. "Shigaraki may be gone," he said, his voice quiet but firm "but he hasn't lost. The villains have a new face, a new voice, and as long as that's true, this fight isn't over."

—-

After a week, they were all released from the hospital, their bodies mostly healed, but their thoughts plagued with uncertainty. They returned to U.A., a school that now felt less like a sanctuary and more like a training ground for the war to come

Chapter Text

The air in the U.A. cafeteria had been filled with a rare sense of peace. It was a fragile normalcy that felt miles away from the chaos they experienced at Jaku. Lunch was drawing to a close, and the low hum of conversation was filling the space.

“We simply cannot afford to fall behind!" Iida announced, gesturing with his hands. "With the public's confidence in heroes at an all-time low, our duty is to be exemplary. Every ranking, every victory, every single act of heroism we perform is a statement against the Meta Liberation Front’s vile rhetoric!"

"Way to add the pressure Ida," Uraraka said with a laugh, taking another bite of her rice.

“We have to remember to have a little fun too.” Chimed Hagakure.

"She's got a point," Kirishima chimed in, nudging Bakugo with his elbow. "Hey, we should have a movie night tonight!”

"Shut it, Shitty Hair," Bakugo growled, a flicker of irritation in his eyes. "I have no interest in hanging with you morons."

"Ooh, Sounds like fun! I’ll make popcorn!” Mina said, bouncing in her seat. “And we can bring all our pillows and blankets into the lounge.”

"Alright, who else is in?” He responded. A chorus of afimritives and excited chatter broke out.

Midoriya quietly finished his meal, a small smile on his face as he watched his friends. Even amidst the growing tension and public scrutiny, their spirits remained unbroken. For a moment, everything felt right.

—

Ground Beta was thick with a layer of dust that was clinging to everything. It was a perfect recreation of a disaster zone, with collapsed buildings and piles of twisted metal scattered everywhere. Midoriya stood with Uraraka, Iida, and Shoji ready to begin their hero drill.

"This is not a combat exercise," Aizawa's voice rumbled through their comms, a low, dangerous command. "It is a defensive exercise. Your goal is to rescue the civilian and retreat. Your lives are on the line - don’t be reckless with them, even in training."

The group huddled together to form a quick strategy.

"I recommend we avoid a direct confrontation by scouting," Midoriya began, his voice low and tactical. "Iida, our speed makes us ideal for getting a lay of the land. We should spread out and get eyes on the villain. If we spot them, we can warn the others and even draw them away from the search zone. Shoji and Uraraka, you two can focus on finding the civilian. Your quirks are perfect for it since you can locate them efficiently and remove debris safely."

They all nodded in agreement.

The buzzer indicating the start of the exercise sounded. Iida took off in one direction, a blur of silver and white. Midoriya shot in the opposite direction, his body crackling with a low-level of One For All. The ground, a testament to UA’s hyper-realistic simulations, was a treacherous maze of broken concrete and rebar.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the far end of the street, followed by a series of unsettlingly slow, heavy footsteps. Midoriya ducked behind a wall, his green lightning flaring around him. A towering figure emerged from the dust: the "villain" was Hound Dog, UA’s head of student discipline.

"I have eyes on the villain - it's Hound Dog," Midoriya whispered into his comms. He immediately worked on recalling the details from his notebook. A heteromorphs quirk: super smell, super hearing, and night vision. Midoriya quickly moved to get downwind of the dog-like hero.

"I think I have spotted the 'civilian'!" Iida's voice chimed over the coms.

"Great," Midoriya responded. "Send us your location, and Uraraka and Shoji can meet you there. I'll keep my eyes on the enemy."

"Wait, we also found a civilian," Uraraka’s voice chimed in. "Does that mean there are two?"
The question hung in the air. A second one? Aizawa only mentioned one, but maybe it was another "logical deception"?

"Iida? Can you send us your location?" Midoriya asked, a sudden unease settling in his gut.

The comms were silent. A chilling, total silence.

"Iida? Can you hear us?"

"Look," Shoji’s voice said, sounding strained. "We almost have the other civilian free - Midoriya, are you able to watch Hound Dog until we're in the clear? I assume Iida’s comm just got damaged."

Midoriya trusted Iida to handle anything Aizawa would throw at him. He had to. Still, that gut feeling persisted. He noticed the wind shift in his direction, and Midoriya heard Hound Dog let out a sharp, panicked bark.

He assumed he had been caught and got ready to run, only to notice Hound Dog’s eyes fixed in an entirely different direction.

A low, guttural growl vibrated in the air as Hound Dog’s nostrils flared. "Blood."

With that single, grim word, the dog-like hero turned and bolted. His massive body moved with an alarming, almost primal speed, a dark blur against the wreckage. Midoriya didn't hesitate. Pushing his quirk to a slightly higher percentage, the familiar green lightning sparking around him as he launched himself into a stealthy pursuit.

"Hound Dog's on the move, be careful!" he called out into his comms, the wind whipping his voice away.

The chase came to an abrupt end. Hound Dog stopped suddenly, skidding to a halt next to a half-hidden pile of twisted metal. Midoriya landed beside him, his eyes scanning the debris. Behind a fallen pillar, a splash of familiar color caught his attention: silver and blue. It was Iida’s hero costume.

A flicker of relief washed over him.

But the relief was quickly replaced by a cold, sickening dread.

Iida was clutching his chest, his hands trembling. A black-handled knife was protruding from his stomach, just below his ribs. A slip of paper was pinned to the hilt, its white surface stark against the dark metal.

"I-Iida?" Midoriya's voice was a choked whisper.

The air around them grew still, the simulated wind and dust of the exercise suddenly nonexistent. The only sound was the ragged, gasping breaths of his friend. Iida's eyes, when he slowly lifted his head, were wide with shock and pain. They didn't even seem to register Midoriya.

Midoriya’s eyes fell to the note. On the paper was a single, chilling phrase scrawled in a jagged script.

For Izuku Midoriya.

Chapter Text

A somber silence hung in the infirmary as Uraraka and Midoriya waited. The low, rhythmic beeping of Iida's heart monitor was the only sound. The weight of their unsaid thoughts pressed down on them, their hands clenching and unclenching in frustration . Uraraka traced a crack in the white tile floor, trying to find the words, while Midoriya stared at the wall.

"It's not your fault, Deku," she said, her voice soft but firm, cutting through the haze of his self-reproach.

"How can you say that?" Midoriyas voice was a low growl, thick with self-blame. "He's in there because of me. The note... the knife…its poison…all of this... it's my fault." His head snapped around to look at her, his eyes raw with exhaustion and a deep, gnawing guilt. Tears were running down his cheeks.

"You can't just take all the blame on yourself.” She replied, “We agreed to take this on together, remember? We all know the risks.”

But Midoriya was too far gone in his self-condemnation. "He's not playing games, Uraraka! What if next time he isn’t satisfied with simply hospitalizing one of you?!”

Their conversation grew louder, fueled by exhaustion and fear. Uraraka listened to his pain, letting him vent before she spoke again. "Deku, listen to me.” she said, her voice dropping to a low, earnest tone. "We're a team. We all chose to be heroes. Putting ourselves in harm's way is something we are more than willing to do.”

"Well, maybe putting you all in harm's way is not something I am willing to do!" Midoriya insisted, his voice rising with a heartbroken despair.

“That isn’t your decision, Deku!”

“Why not!?!?” He yelled back. “You have no idea what cruel things he’s capable of!”

“BECAUSE WE WONT LET YOU DO THIS ALONE.”

A long, silent pause hung between them.

The anger gave way to a heartbreaking sadness, and more tears began to well in their eyes. The furious energy of their argument drained away, leaving them both hollow and tired. Midoriya was the first to recognize the futility of their fight and his own resolve crumbled. "I'm sorry," he whispered, the words barely audible.

“I know," she murmured, her voice laced with the same exhaustion that had consumed him.

“I yelled… you were only trying to-“

“I know, and I forgive you, Deku.”

There was another long silence.

“...Tell me then.” Uraraka whispered.

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me what he is capable of.”

Midoriya sighed.

“…the eighth wielder of one for all…she is the one who I got Float from.” He started, “He targeted her family - he killed her husband just to make her suffer - and forced her to give up her son for adoption - and eventually killed her. Then..” Midoriya paused.

“Then…?”

Midoriya sighed, “…then he tracked down her grandson, and raised him into…Tomura Shigaraki.”

Another long pause.

“That is horrible, Deku…”

“I just-“

“I know.”

“But I-“

“Hey. You're scared. It’s okay to be scared. You’re a hero, not a robot. I just want you to realize that’s why we want to be here.”

Midoriya sighs and that’s what makes this harder he thinks.

He stood up. “I'm going to get something from the cafeteria," his voice now a hollow whisper, he turned to leave.

“You know, Ida would agree with me if he were awake.”

A long, silent beat passed. "Yeah…he would.," he said, and then continued walking, leaving her alone with the silent beep of the heart monitor.

Chapter Text

Midoriya hadn't slept well since Iida was hospitalized. The rhythmic beep of the heart monitor was replaced by a phantom echo in his mind, and the sight of his injured friend replayed on a loop. He jolted awake, the lingering terror of a nightmare clinging to him.

Unable to go back to sleep, he slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.

He wasn't alone. Tsu was already there, sipping a cup of tea, her eyes puffy with sleeplessness. She offered a small, tired smile “I didn’t expect anyone else to be awake at this hour-ribbit.”

“Couldn’t sleep.” He sighed.

He didn't need to elaborate - they both understood what burdened him. They stood, leaning on the counter in the kitchen, the quiet hum of the refrigerator the only sound for a long while.

"When I was little, my parents taught me that when I can’t sleep I should think about a time when I was really happy and pretend I’m still in that moment -Ribbit."

"Oh yeah? What might you think about then if you were me?"

Tsu thought for a moment.

"Do you remember performing in the School Festival?" She asked, her voice soft and laced with a hint of nostalgia. She put a finger to her mouth in thought. "I was so nervous before the performance. My stomach felt like it was going to eject itself on its own."

A small, smile finally touched Midoriya's lips. "Yeah, I remember. I was backstage, and I thought my heart was going to pound right out of my chest. But then... then the music started, and everyone was cheering." He paused, his gaze drifting to a distant, happier place. "I couldn't believe we were actually doing it. That we, Class 1-A, had made all that happen."

"Exactly.”

"I remember how happy Eri’s face was when she saw the performance. Gosh, I don’t think I will ever forget that."

"For just a little while, everything was okay. We were all together, and it felt like we could do anything. Ribbit."

"Yeah," Midoriya agreed, the word a soft sigh. "It was like... everything else, all the bad stuff, just disappeared for a while."

The joyful memory hung in the air between them, a fragile bubble of a simpler time. The exhaustion that had been eluding him due to the adrenaline and anxiety began to make its way back into his body.

“Thanks, Tsu. I do feel better”

He picked up his water glass and Su picked up two mugs of tea to take back to her room.

—

Midoriya’s eyes snapped open. A sudden, sharp pain jolting through his head. He sat up abruptly.

"Something is wrong," he said out loud, hand rubbing the ache in his forehead.

Just as the words left his mouth, a deafening explosion ripped through the air, and the entire building shuddered. Alarms began to blare, their piercing sound echoing through the building. Midoriya was on his feet in an instant.

As he yanked his door open, a cloud of gray smoke billowed in from the hallway, obscuring the ceiling lights. The emergency strobes were a frantic, disorienting red pulse against the smoke. The dorm was filled with panicked shouts and the thunder of feet

He didn't need to be told what to do.

"Everyone! Head for the emergency stairwell! The one to the east wing!" Midoriya’s voice, usually timid, cut through the noise with an unexpected authority. "Stay low! The smoke is less dense near the floor!"

He pulled Kaminari back from a hallway that was now completely filled with smoke, shouting, "Don't go that way! The smoke is too thick and we won’t be able to breath.”

The sprinklers started activating from the ceiling.

He heard the explosive sound of a door being kicked open, and then Bakugo’s furious roar. "What the hell?! Some idiot's gonna pay for this!" But Midoriya noticed something else—Bakugo wasn't just yelling. He was herding students, his own angry shouts acting as a surprisingly effective guide.

As Midoriya cleared the second floor, a figure emerged from the stairwell. It was Todoroki, his left side coated in frost. "The smoke is too thick to take the stairs," Todoroki said calmly before blasting a giant hole in the wall. Midoriya noticed an impromptu ice slide appeared below the hole. “Everyone head out that way.”

Bakugo approached from down the hall with his angry strut.

“I checked all these loser’s rooms, this side of the building is clear.”

He then jumped out the window and projected himself with his quirk towards the girls side of the dorms.

Midoriya followed, jumping over to one of the balconies. He smashed open The locked window with a single, controlled punch. Fresh smoke rushed out, and the shouts of students became clearer.

Yaoyorozu had created a slide, similar to Todoroki’s, only hers was clearly one designed for air planes. Uraraka was standing at the bottom of the slide ensuring everyone made their way down safely.”

Bakugo appeared again after clearing the top floor.

“Hey nerd! Check this floor - I’ll check the last one. Don’t fucking miss anyone, you hear me?”

Midoriya began checking every room, every corner, until his lungs ached from inhaling smoke. Only stopping once he occasionally encountered a wall of flames. During one of these encounters he heard a shout and saw Mina yelling at the flames. He grabbed her without hesitation, kicking and screaming to the nearest window and jumped down to the ground.

Having finally exited the building, his classmates all standing together in a confused but safe huddle. He scanned their faces, counting them one by one, until a wave of relief washed over him.

Momo was already waiting, with a burn kit when he ran over.

Mina jumped out of Midoriya’s arms, and swung her arms around Uraraka, bawling her eyes out.

The class watched as a confused Uraraka did her best to reciprocate the hug without touching the fresh burns on Mina’s skin.

“Hey. Hey.” She cooned. “We are all accounted for, it’s going to be okay.”

Mina let something out, but it was still more blubbering sobs than words.

“Hey. Breathe. What is wrong?”

“I-I- thought-” she sputtered out “-the flames were coming from-from your room!”

More bawling ensued as Uraraka stood stunned into silence while Mina ugly cried into her shoulder.

“Wha-what?”

“I THOUGHT YOU DIED!”

—-

The class watched in silent horror as the Pro Heroes arrived and began to extinguish the blaze. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and the unspoken terror of their shared experience. An hour later, as the last of the embers were put out, the students were escorted to the cafeteria. On the way over, Midoriya noticed shojis ears twitching.

“They are saying it has to have been the spy.” Shoji whispered to his classmates.

The entire class was set up in the cafeteria with sleeping bags, a makeshift shelter for the night - in the morning they would move into a new dorm.

They stayed up late, too wired to sleep, whispering in hushed tones. Midoriya, however, remained silent, lost in his own thoughts.

Uraraka looked over at Midoriya - he refused to make eye contact with her. It was not hard to assume he was blaming himself.

She hadn’t really processed that her room had been targeted for attack. If she hadn’t spent the night in Tsuyu’s room - if she hadn’t admitted to her friend she wasn't sleeping well - she would have…

Her heart longed to chat through what was bothering Midoriya, but the adrenaline was wearing off and there was no way she had the energy, let alone the mindset, to reassure him.

With the quiet whispers of her classmates acting as a conforming white noise, she drifted to sleep the second her head hit her comforter.

—

A faint click of the cafeteria door opening jolted Uraraka awake. She instinctively tensed, ready for a fight, but saw Cementos guarding the door and was able to regain her calm. It was someone leaving, not arriving. She looked over to Midoriya's sleeping bag and saw it was empty. *He must be going for his morning run* she thought. It was how he processed things so it was probably a good thing.

Not wanting to wake anyone, she started to settle back down.

As she turned over, a small, folded piece of paper fluttered to the floor from her sleeping bag. It had her name on it, written in Midoriya's familiar, hurried scrawl. Her heart sank. She knew what it was. Without a second thought, she scrambled out of her sleeping bag, her movements light and quick as she floated over her sleeping classmates. Hitting the ground, she ran for the cafeteria door and burst into the night, desperate to catch him.

The night was dark and still. She ran a few steps, her eyes darting in every direction, but there was no sign of him.

“No.” She whispered

Then it hit her like a physical blow. She turned back to look at the cafeteria.

Bakugo was leaning against the outside wall, his arms crossed. He had his own note in hand.

"He's gone." he whispered, “He left."

Chapter Text

One week later, Japan looked no different than it had before Jaku, but it FELT entirely different. A low, constant tension hung in the air, a silent hum of fear and uncertainty.

Midoriya, his hoodie pulled up to hide his face, was just another body in the crowd as he carried groceries through the streets. He knocked on the door of a nondescript warehouse, using the rhythmic code they had practiced. Inside, the top Pro Heroes were gathered, discussing the latest on the Meta Liberation Army.

After the Jaku, the heroes had made him an offer: Midoriya could join them as they facilitated raids against the Meta Liberation Army. It was a way to keep him on the move and close to those who could protect him. He had decided to turn it down after the fight he had with his classmates in the hospital. …but things are different now, he thought.

The raids were chaotic, fueled by the fact that the villain Twice had made hundreds of copies of Compress and Spinner to facilitate them. This lead to simultaneous meetings all across Japan where the leaders would not even be present to capture.

Midoriya had attended several of these raids, and they were beginning to weigh on him. Unlike the League of Villains, many of the attendees at these meetings weren't criminals but ordinary people airing grievances. He listened to their stories, hearing critiques of the hero commission. He didn't agree with all their views, but rounding them up simply for attending the meetings and sharing their stories felt wrong. He hadn't seen signs of a violence until the heroes arrived, and the fear on the attendees' faces was something he just couldn't shake. This was a different kind of fight and was a new territory he wasn’t sure he was ready for.

Tonight's meeting was being led by a copy of Spinner. The crowd was mostly composed of heteromorphs. The copy passionately connected the restriction on Quirk use to the restrictions and animosity heteromorphs already faced. He argued that Quirk regulation was born from fear, and as long as it continued, so would the instinct to suppress and control anyone deemed "not human enough."We’re already disproportionately targeted by the Commission.” He warned that as their Quirks grew stronger, heteromorphs would only be seen more and more as a “threat” and therefore targeted by the hero commission.

Midoriya wove his way through the crowd, his eyes fixed on a familiar figure: Shoji. He stood silently next to his friend, a sudden wave of relief and conflict washing over him.

"Why are you here, Shoji?" Midoriya asked quietly, keeping his voice low.

"I could ask you the same," Shoji responded, his many arms crossed. "I find it rare to find gatherings of this many heteromorphs - it unnerves people when we are in too large of groups. I like to hear what people have to say - it is good to hear the uncensored version, don’t you think?" He turned to look at Midoriya.

"But... they're part of the Meta Army and the League.” Midoriya said, the words feeling hollow even to him.

"Sure.” Shoji countered calmly. "Many may identify that way, but when you look around, most people here are just folks who just want a place to feel safe. These people are desperate for change - enough to latch on tightly to any potential to shift our society.”

The speaker's voice boomed over them, and a few individuals began to take turns sharing their stories. Shoji listened intently, his posture unwavering. Then, he turned his head slightly toward Midoriya.

"Why are you here, Midoriya?"

Midoriya's throat tightened. He knew he had to be honest. "We're here to facilitate a raid."

Shoji didn't react. He just kept watching the speaker, his eyes betraying no emotion. "Are you going to go through with it?"

Midoriya was silent for a long time, watching the speakers and the people in the crowd. The fear on their faces wasn't there yet. It was replaced with a sense of community. "I'm not sure," he finally said, his voice barely audible. "About this, and a lot of things."

Shoji nodded slowly, an understanding passing between them without another word. "While you decide," Shoji said, "I think I will take my leave." He paused. "Do you want me to pass any messages to the class?"

"Just... tell them I'm okay," Midoriya said, the plea in his voice betraying the words.

Shoji looked at him, his gaze piercing. "Is it true, though?"

Midoriya was silent.

Shoji nodded, a small sigh escaping him. He then slipped out of the building, melting into the shadows of the night.

Midoriya was deep in thought, Shoji's question echoing in his mind. He didn't even notice when the raid began. Chaos erupted, and just like before, he hated seeing the fear on the faces of the attendees. The conversation with Shoji had hit hard. As the crowd stampeded for the doors, Midoriya noticed an elderly person slip and fall. Without a second thought, he ran over and helped them to their feet, limping with them out of the building. Once they were a safe distance away, he looked at them.

"Why did you come here today?" Midoriya asked.

The person looked at him, their face etched with confusion. "Because my community is getting a chance. A chance to speak out where it means something. I’m not going to stand by and miss it.”

Midoriya just nodded. “Thanks for your answer. Goodnight, and be safe out there."

He walked away, disappearing into the city. He would not regroup with the Pros that night or the nights after.

-

Bakugo was sitting on the dorm roof, the cool night air a welcome change from the stifling atmosphere inside. The door to the roof opened, and Uraraka walked out, her expression grim. She walked straight up to him, her posture rigid.

"We need to find Deku," she said, her voice leaving no room for argument.

They stood in silence for a long time, the unsaid determination lingering in the air. Finally, Bakugo broke the silence. "I know how to find the nerd." he muttered, his arms crossed.

Chapter Text

The screen glowed with an acidic green light, reflecting off the tired faces of heroes gathered in the common room. A disheveled reporter with a microphone jabbed his finger towards an image of a Pro Hero, his voice a venomous hiss.

"For too long, the so-called 'heroes' have paraded through our cities, basking in a glory they did not earn. We are told to revere them, to trust them with our safety, but recent events have pulled back the curtain on these power-hungry enforcers and their endless quest for fame and fortune."

A collective sigh of resentment filled the room. It was the type of broadcast they had become familiar with, just a different day. The media, once heroes' staunchest allies, had become their most relentless witch hunters. Every action, every rescue, became a narrative of self-interest and a misuse of power. A hero who saved a child was now viewed as a staged public relations stunt. One who stopped a bank robbery was vilified for causing property damage to low-income apartments in the process. The public, fueled by this constant negativity, had stopped looking past the things they used to. Most were looking for any chance to expose the heroes.

The public's animosity had a devastating effect. Suddenly, the allure of the hero's life faded into the harsh reality of thankless labor and public contempt. The long hours, the constant threat of injury, the emotional toll - all for a people who now saw them as the enemy. The hero rankings, once a source of pride, now read like a hit list.

Announcements began to trickle in, then flood the HeroNet forums. "Rock-Lock, a statement on his retirement…" a headline flashed. A few hours later, "Change of Pace:Fat Gum to open food bank." Hero agencies that once had waiting lists of interns were now hemorrhaging staff. The ranks of the Pro Heroes were shrinking at an alarming rate.

The sudden vacuum of power created a fertile ground for opportunists. Crime, which had been at a historical low, spiked dramatically. Petty thieves became emboldened, and organized crime, once hiding in the shadows, began to operate with a new arrogance. With fewer heroes on the streets, response times became dangerously slow, and often, no one arrived at all. When the public cried out for help, they were met with silence. The resentment grew, and it was a vicious cycle of blame.

The TV screen went black as someone switched it off. The teen heroes in the room looked at one another, a silent understanding passing between them. The fight against villains was hard, but the war for public trust was proving to be the larger fight to come.

—

All Might sat at a low table in the teachers' lounge in his withered form, an All Might-branded lunchbox resting between his hands. He had set up a quiet, one-on-one lunch with young Bakugo. He had noticed the distance growing between them since Young Mydoria left and wanted to reconnect. Truthfully, he also missed his lunches with Young Mydoria and didn’t see why he couldn’t continue the tradition with his other star pupil.

The lounge was deserted, which was perfect. He liked being able to speak freely about one for all and being alone gives him a chance to be more honest with the boy. Still, the topic of young Midoriya was one they’d been avoiding. A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

“Come in,” he croaked.

The door opened, revealing a scowling Bakugo. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his uniform pants and his head was angled down in its usual angst fashion.

“You wanted to talk,” Bakugo grunted, his voice a low rumble.

“Yes, young Bakugo! Have a seat,” All Might said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

Bakugo stalked to the table, but it was only then that All Might noticed he wasn’t alone. Young Uraraka followed in behind him, her fists clenched tightly at her sides in determination.

All Might froze. “Young Uraraka? I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

She stepped around the table, taking a stand next to Bakugo, who didn't even spare her a glance. “I’m here because we have something important to say.” She said lightly bowing.

“What is it?” All Might asked, a sense of dread creeping into his gut knowing who they probably wanted to talk about.

Uraraka looked him straight in the eyes, her expression unyielding. “With all due respect, You are making a mistake letting Midoriya work alone. We can’t just stand by anymore and watch our friend suffer while the Pros allow him to push himself beyond human limits in the name of defeating All for One.”

He looked from Uraraka’s determined gaze to Bakugo, who was now staring angrily at his phone in his lap.

“He’s been working himself to death. He doesn’t sleep. He’s running himself into the ground.”

“Young Midoriya is pushing himself too hard, I agree, but this is his fight. If he wants to take it on alone, I can’t say I am the right person to try and stop him.”

“Bullshit.”

All Might looked shocked.

“Look at this," Bakugo snarled, his voice low and tight. "Tell me this is a 'hero' you want the world to see."

The image on the screen was a still from a shaky video feed, clearly captured by a civilian. It was a close-up of Midoriya, but not the Deku they knew. Midoriya’s costume, once bright and vibrant, was a ruin. The green fabric of the suit was faded and stained with grime, torn in countless places. Jagged rips exposed the combat gear underneath, and the edges of the tears were frayed and blackened.

His boots were scuffed and the soles were peeling away in several places. The reinforced gauntlets on his forearms were cracked, with scorch marks snaking across the knuckles.

The article in question was from a popular hero blog, and was titled ’Vigilante or Villain? Mysterious Green Ghostly Figure Appears.’

Bakugo’s teeth were grinding in anger as he growled “He doesn’t need to shoulder all of this by himself. He never has. But you’re letting him. You’re letting him run himself ragged. You’re letting him take this on alone.”

All Might looked between the two of them. Uraraka’s eyes were filled with a fierce determination. He knew they were right. He knew he had made a mistake. He didn’t want to see it, but this plan he had agreed to was leading Young Mydoria down a path he never wanted his successor to take alone.

“I… I didn’t think…” he began.

“Of course you didn’t!” Bakugo said. “Because you are All Might. You’re used to doing everything alone. But Deku isn’t you. He needs us.”

All Might felt the truth of his words. He had let Midoriya down.

“I…,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “You’re-you’re right.” He stood up, looking them both in the eyes.

“Thank you sir, but what we need right now isn't your understanding, it is your help to make this right.”

“It sounds to me like you two might already have a plan on how we might do that.”

Uraraka looked over at Bakugo before turning back to their teacher and nodding.

Chapter Text

"Shigaraki," Spinner rasped, his voice a low growl. "Stop this. This…This thing, it's not you."

The figure turned, "He's not gone, Spinner," the voice of All For One echoed from within Shigaraki. "He's just… been improved."

Spinner's heart, one of simple loyalties, twisted in his chest. He saw the face of his first friend - the boy who had given him a purpose. He saw the scars, the vacant stare.

—

The rooftop air was cold and thin, biting at Ura's cheeks as she stared out over the city. Below, the streetlights painted the wet pavement in long, yellow streaks. Bakugo stood beside her, his shoulders tense. They had been at this for a week, running shifts day and night in order to follow every faint whisper that mentioned a mysterious boy dressed in green.

They had little in common, she and Bakugo, but they shared a single, unbreakable belief: Midoriya would run himself ragged - would break himself beyond what others might deem possible - before he let anyone he cared about get hurt.

Bakugo's relentless conviction that the pros wouldn’t see that until it was too late had gotten through to All Might, but they also knew it was futile to send in the pro heroes that put him in this situation in the first place to fix this. Nothing the pros could say would dissuade Midoriya from the path he was walking down. It had to be them.

A sudden shriek of sirens sliced through the rainy night. Then came the shouts, the sound of tearing metal, and the unmistakable rumble of a villain fight. Without a word, they were in motion, launching themselves off the rooftop and into the rainy night.

—

Bakugo's boots hit the concrete with a deafening smack, Uraraka landed softly beside him. The scene before them was of Midoriya, swallowed by a storm of villains, fighting with a grim desperation that was unlike him.

Midoriya moved with his usual lightning speed, but it was all wrong. Each movement was a struggle against gravity, a battle against his own exhausted body. His shoulders were slumped, his limbs heavy, and the immense bags under his eyes stood out even from a distance. The usual fiery resolve in his eyes was replaced by a hollow, tired focus.

Without a second thought, Bakugo shot forward, his boots propelling him into the fray with a series of powerful explosions. "DEKU! What the hell are you doing?!" he roared, a gauntlet-clad hand unleashing a massive blast that took out a handful of villains at once. The remaining villains scrambled to regain their composure, some turning their attention to the new threat.

Uraraka stepped in front of Midoriya, her hands raised. "Look, It'll be so much easier for everyone if you surrender."

A few of the villains laughed at her, but she was unphased.

One decided to take his chances and charge Uraraka.

He unleashed a powerful punch aimed at her head. Uraraka dropped low, her right hand reaching out and making contact with his forearm as she ducked beneath his blow. Her fingers, all five of them, made contact with his skin and, for a split second, the opponent felt the unsettling lightness of her quirk.

He stumbled, his punch losing its power as his body floated upward. Uraraka didn't hesitate. She hooked her left arm around his floating one, twisting it in a classic joint lock. She then used her body weight to send him to his knees where she could tie his hands behind his back with capture tape. She released her quirk and he let out a grunt of pain, falling face forward onto the concrete.
She looked back at the rest of them.

"As I was saying, you really don’t want to deal with a pissed-off Bakugo. He's had a long day, and I can’t promise anything he does right now will be particularly heroic. I can guarantee, however, it will be violent if you give him an excuse to blow off some steam."

The villains looked over at Bakugo and the mood shifted. The distinct sounds of Bakugo's explosions and his furious shouts in the background, making them flinch, lent weight to Uraraka's words and caused them to exchange uncertain glances. Midoriya, still in shock from the sudden arrival of his friends, knew to let Uraraka work. He watched as the villains slowly lowered their weapons. Soon, the last one dropped his weapon. "Good," she said, a gentle smile on her face. "Now, let’s get this all sorted out."

Bakugo had rounded up the remaining villains with his usual flair for violence. After, he looked over at the Uraraka’s surrendered villains with annoyance. "Psh. Cowards." he muttered under his breath.

The police arrived and took over from there.

"Oi, Deku.” Bakugo pointed at the exhausted form of his rival. “Let's go. We need to talk.”

—

The three of them land on a rooftop, the concrete slick with the relentless rain. Midoriya stumbled slightly as he landed. He wouldn’t meet Uraraka’s eyes. His gaze was instead fixed on the ground, and his hair was plastered to his forehead, casting dark shadows over his face.

Uraraka and Bakugo stood across from him, Uraraka in front and Bakugo a few feet behind.

"Hi," she says, her voice soft but clear over the drumming of the rain.

He responds with a hoarse, rattling sound, "Hi." It's a voice that sounds like it hasn't been used in days, rough and broken.

Uraraka takes a hesitant step forward, then another, until she is directly in front of him. Without a word, she pulls him into a hug. His body was stiff and unyielding, but she held on, her head resting against his shoulder. The cold rain was soaking them both.

"Idiot." she whispers into his ear, her voice thick with emotion.

He doesn't move. Slowly, though, his legs give out. He sinks to his knees on the wet roof, and she goes with him.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, the question a tired sigh.

"What do you think?," she says simply, still holding him in the hug.

He shakes his head, a slight movement against her shoulder. "I don't need help. But thank you." The last part is barely a breath.

Silence settles over them, the only sound, the steady downpour.

Finally, she pulls back just enough to look at him. "Dont you think this is what All for One wants?"

she asks, her voice low. "For you to be alone? For you to be too tired to fight?"

He stiffens. He grabs her shoulders and gently pushes her away, so they are kneeling across from each other. His face is still hidden beneath the curtain of his wet hair.

"Probably," he mutters, the word raw. "But it doesn't change what I have to do to keep everyone safe."

"And what's that?"

"Defeat All for One."

She nods. "Then it's a good thing we're here to help you.”

Midoriya goes silent. He stares at the ground between them, the rain pooling on the concrete. She doesn't push him. She just stays there, a comforting presence in the storm.

A sudden, heavy thump echoed behind them as Bakugo walked up to them.

"Do you remember what I told you back when I got stabbed?" he asks, his voice surprisingly gentle and quiet.

Midoriya finally lifts his head, his face exposed. It's more haggard than Uraraka has ever seen it, gaunt and pale, with deep shadows under his eyes.

“…No.”

“I said ‘stop trying to win this by yourself’.”

There was a pause.

“Our whole lives, I've looked down on you. You were quirkless and obviously way behind me, but somehow it always felt like you were ahead of me. I hated that. I hoped you'd disappear. I didn't want to accept you, so I bullied you to make sure you'd stay away. I had to reject you so I could feel superior. I needed to win, to beat you... and then we both got into U.A. Not a single thing has gone the way I wanted it to. Every day, I was forced to see how strong you were, and how weak I was.”

Midoriya’s tired eyes widened.

“Saying this out loud doesn't change a thing. But… Izuku... I'm sorry for everything.”

“Ka-chan…”

Bakugo kneeled next to the two of them to be at eye level with Midoriya.

“I can see what you're trying to do. You're trying to win on your own. But the path you are headed down will lead to your own destruction. If you want to surpass All Might… if you want to protect everyone... and win…you will need all of us.”

The tears in Midoriya’s eyes spilled over.

The deep exhaustion he had been suppressing gave way along with his body. He slumped forward, and Uraraka was able to support him before he landed head first onto the wet roof.

“…I-I’m sorry.” He whispers, barely audible before he passes out in her arms.

Chapter Text

The world came into focus with a gentle rocking motion. Midoriya blinked, looking down only to realize he was floating about a foot off the ground. He looked up and saw Bakugo and Uraraka walking ahead of him, Uraraka’s wrist wire attached to his costume and dragging him behind them.

Uraraka's head turned when she sensed his movement through her wire, and her eyes filled with relief when she noticed he was awake.

"Oh, you're awake! Good, we're almost there."

With that, she helped orient his body so his feet were under him before releasing her quirk.

Midoriya dropped softly to the wet pavement.

“Almost where?”

"Safe house.” Bakugo answered flatly, not looking back.

“Turns out Principle Nezu has a number of secret safe houses on retainer for emergencies.” Uraraka whispered. “But only he knows where they are. He gave us access to rotate between them as long as we don’t stay in any one location longer than a few days for safety reasons.” She looked at Bakugo, “ It was one of the conditions he had us agree to before allowing us go looking for you.”

They approach a generic looking apartment building. It was raining and the middle of the night so there was nobody around to ogle at three run-down looking heroes soaked to the bone. Bakugo approached one of the doors and scanned his thumb on a small, inconspicuous pad near the handle.

The door swung open to reveal a surprisingly normal apartment. The air held the stale smell of a place long unoccupied. Bakugo was the first to step inside. Uraraka and Midoriya followed, closing the door and plunging the room into shadow. Bakugo walked over and turned on a lamp.

A soft, yellow glow filled the space, revealing a simple, sterile one-bedroom apartment. A small kitchen area led into a living room with a basic sofa and coffee table. On the table, right in the center of the room, sat a duffel bag.

When they opened the duffle they found a bunch of UA branded t-shirts and sweat pants, along with basic supplies and energy bars.

"Looks like the mouse left us some supplies." Bakugo mumbled. “Hey pink cheeks, catch."

He reached into the duffel bag and tossed a small, rectangular object toward Uraraka. She caught it instinctively, and looked down to find it was a first aid kit.

"What's this for?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.

He ignored her, his eyes locked on Midoriya. "Look at the nerd’s shoulder while I get cleaned up."

Uraraka's gaze snapped to Midoriya, her brow furrowing. “Deku…what is he talking about?"

Midoriya was quiet.

“Idiots,” Bakugo growled. "Before, Dek- I mean I-Izuku made a point of not using his left arm while fighting, even for simple stuff that didn't need his quirk.” He turned to start addressing Midoriya “You weren't even using it to brace yourself or push off the ground.”

Both Bakugo and Uraraka’s gazes bore into him.

“The moron is injured and hiding it."

Uraraka's expression shifted from confusion to anger. She clenched her fingers around the kit in her hands.

"..is that true?"

“I-I-Um…”

She didn’t wait for his answer. She stepped toward him, her hand reaching out and lightly touching his shoulder.

Midoriya flinched in pain, a sharp intake of breath escaping his lips.

Uraraka's anger hardened.

Bakugo scoffed. "Look, listening to Pink Cheeks chew you out while you moan over a few scrapes is my idea of a personal hell, so I'm out. I call dibs on the bathroom first." With that, he grabbed a towel and some items from the duffle before he disappeared down the short hallway.

When he left there was just a quiet tension in the room as Uraraka’s anger buzzed around them.
Uraraka knelt on the floor, her movements precise and slow as she opened the first aid kit. She pulled out a pair of rubber gloves and snapped them onto her hands, her brows knit together in a deep, angry frown. The silence was thick, filled only with the faint sound of rain.

"What happened?" she finally asked, her voice a low, dangerous whisper.

"A shard of glass," Midoriya mumbled, his eyes fixed on the grimy floorboards. “I was reckless and it embedded itself in my shoulder when I went through a window.”

She remained quiet, gesturing for him to take off his shirt so she could see.

"It was a few weeks ago, but my stitches probably ripped when I was fighting." He tugged his tattered costume over his head with a grunt, revealing a deep, ugly gash on his shoulder. It was red and inflamed, the torn edges of the old stitches a testament to his previous statement.

Uraraka said nothing, but her hands went to work, cleaning the wound with a swipe of antiseptic that made Midoriya hiss in pain. Her touch was firm but gentle, her quiet fury more intimidating than any yell. She threaded a needle, her movements deliberate and focused as she began to re-stitch the wound using her first aid training. With each new stitch, Midoriya flinched, his eyes squeezed shut against the pain, but also the weight of his shame.

"I'm sorry," he finally whispered, the words barely audible. "I should have been more careful."
Uraraka's hands froze. She stopped stitching, her whole body shaking with a barely contained rage. She leaned in closer, her voice so low it was almost a growl. "Do you really think that's what I'm upset about?" she demanded, her gaze burning into his.

The tension in the room snapped as the bathroom door opened and Bakugo walked back in. He had traded his rain-soaked clothes for a UA branded t-shirt and sweats, a fresh towel still slung around his neck. He ignored the charged atmosphere, grabbing a bottle of water from the kitchen and scrolling on his phone, unbothered.

Uraraka's hands went back to work, her stitches tight and neat. She finished the final one, tying off the thread and cutting it with a pair of small scissors. She stood and faced Midoriya.

"I'm mad," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "because you keep trying to hide your suffering from us. You keep trying to face everything on your own like you don't have anyone to rely on.”

She stomped off toward the bathroom, mumbling, "I'm going to take the bathroom next."

"Thank you for fixing my stitches," Midoriya said quietly to her retreating back.

She didn't answer, just kept walking away.

The bathroom door slammed shut, and a heavy silence descended over the apartment. Bakugo walked over to the sofa and collapsed onto it with a weary sigh. He looked at Midoriya, who was still sitting on the floor like a kicked puppy, and shook his head.

"You're a real idiot.” Bakugo's voice was flat, devoid of its usual aggression.

Midoriya looked up, a shadow of hurt in his eyes. "Can't you be nice for even a single second? What happened to all the things you said earlier?"

"This is me being nice, you damn moron," Bakugo shot back, his eyes serious. "I told Pink Cheeks about your shoulder so you could see how much you're hurting the people around you. Playing the tough guy isn’t going to help you defeat All For One. It would've been way easier to just watch you screw things up on your own instead of showing you a truth you didn't want to hear."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "I am going to say this one more freaking time: remember what I said to you before?”

Midoriya's voice was barely a whisper. "Stop trying to win this by yourself."

Bakugo nodded. "Then stop being a moron and let people step up and help."

Midoriya finally looked up, meeting Bakugo's gaze. "I know I should," he said, his voice filled with exhaustion. "It's just... it's not that simple."

—

Midoriya blinked, and the darkness of the living room was a stark contrast to the glowing digits on the alarm clock: 4:00 AM. He hadn't been able to sleep. The events of the night before, Bakugo's blunt truth and Uraraka's quiet fury, had him lost in a deep loop of thoughts.

A soft clatter from the kitchen broke the silence. He heard the quiet hiss of a kettle and realized Uraraka was making tea. He got up and walked around the corner, his bare feet silent on the cold floor.

Uraraka's back was to him. She was pulling a second mug from the shelf. She turned, her eyes meeting his. They said nothing, but the anger from the night before had been replaced by something more tired. Midoriya walked to the counter and sat on a stool, staring at his hands, guilt-ridden.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Uraraka poured hot water into the teapot, her movements deliberate. She walked over and sat on the stool next to him, staring at her own hands.

"I'm sorry I tried to hide it…shielding others from pain, even my own, is just..."

Uraraka nodded slowly. "I get it, Deku. I do. You just have to promise me you won't keep us in the dark anymore. Or on the sidelines."

Midoriya was silent for a moment as he processed her request. He then shook his head.
"I don’t think I can, though."

Uraraka's face fell.

“…It's not that I don't want to. It's just... shielding people, especially the ones I care about, is so hardwired into me as a hero. I can't even begin to imagine what it looks like to untangle that. And I won't make a promise I can't keep, especially to you."

The tea timer beeped, breaking the heavy silence. Midoriya got up this time, pouring the liquid into the two mugs. He paused between the first and second pour, a deep thought etching his face. He finished pouring and set down the teapot, his hands still gripping the handle. He closed his eyes and said, his voice barely a breath, "All Might…is supposed to die."

Uraraka's head snapped up. Her quiet sadness vanished, replaced by confusion and alarm. "Deku, why would you say something like that?"

"N-Nighteye had a vision," he explained, his voice trembling. "It's supposed to happen this year…”
Uraraka just kept listening intently.

“I won't let it happen. I have to be stronger to save him.." He looked at her, his eyes welling up with tears. "I push you all away because I can't do this without you. If I lost any of you, it would shatter me. How can I even begin to believe I can save All Might, if I can't save my friends?"
Another tense pause.

"Oh, Deku," Uraraka said, her voice filled with sympathy. "I'm so sorry you've put all that on your shoulders; that you feel it's your responsibility to save everyone - even All Might.” She took a breath and stood up. "I understand why you push us away even more clearly now, but that doesn't change that you have to stop shielding us from this fight." She fixed him with a stare, and then, a mischievous glint in her eyes, asked, "Or do you think I'm not capable?"

"Of course not!" he yelled, his voice filled with his classic, fiery conviction. "You're the best hero I know!"

Uraraka's smile was soft and sad as she grabbed his good shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "Then you have to trust us, Deku. You have to trust us to fight with you."

Tears spilled over and onto his cheeks.

"You're right," he mumbled, his voice full of shame. "But I don't seem to be any good at it."

Her smile grew. "It's okay if you're not good at it now. Because if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you can practice a new skill until it's perfected - no matter how difficult… that’s what 'Deku' means, remember?”

He wiped the tears from his face before looking at her with deep admiration. She pulled him into a hug, whispering into his shoulder, "You're allowed to have a hard time letting us fight by your side. You just have to promise me you'll work hard to share what you are going through with us instead of running away. We're all heroes, after all, and danger is an occupational hazard."

Midoriya laughed, a watery, broken sound, and nodded into her shoulder. "I can promise that."

"Ugh. Get a room." Bakugo's voice boomed from the hallway, making them jump apart, flustered and embarrassed.

"I-It's not what it looks like!" Midoriya stammered, while Uraraka tried to explain it was just a hug.
Bakugo cut them off. "I don't care. I'm going to walk to the corner to grab some food before you two make me vomit.” They heard the front door open and close.

Midoriya turned, a faint blush on his cheeks, and nervously thanked Uraraka for the tea. He started to walk out of the kitchen, then paused in the doorway and looked back at her. "And... thank you for what you said, too."

She gave him a soft, sad smile, but said nothing as he disappeared through the doorway.

Chapter Text

They had been at this for weeks now.

Fortunately, Uraraka could already see the difference having Bakugo and herself by his side was making. The hollow-eyed exhaustion that had clung to Midoriya when they first found him was slowly beginning to faid and the haggard energy that had once defined him was giving way to something steadier.

The villains All For One had been sending to find Midoriya were child's play for the three of them working in sync. Bakugo's explosive force, Uraraka’s versatility, and Midoriya's unmatched speed were a perfect storm.

Though his new conviction was still fragile, Midoriya was demonstrating his ability to lean on them. They were a well-oiled machine, and for the first time in months, Midoriya didn't feel like he had to fight alone.

Despite all this, Uraraka had a nagging feeling in her gut. Like everything felt a little too easy. All for One had successfully targeted UA, one of the most secure facilities in the country, just to threaten Midoriya. She couldn’t imagine that a villain that sophisticated would go to all that trouble without a stronger plan for when Midoriya finally left UA.

A plan to tip that scale in the wrong direction had to be in the works.

—

The information had come from a quivering henchman the teens had captured. He had confessed, rather easily, that if Midoriya had been successfully captured he was to be brought to a specific location.

The decision to involve the top pros hadn't been an easy one, but the threat of Shigaraki showing up was too great to face alone. This resulted in Midoriya, Bakugo, and Uraraka being accompanied by Endeavor and Hawks .

Their mission brought them deep into the rain-soaked woods, far from the nearest city. The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves. After an hour of tense trekking, they approached a hidden mansion, its gothic design swallowed by overgrown ivy. Some quick research had identified it as the headquarters for a notorious anti-heteromorph group. The silence that hung over it was unnatural, though, so they weren’t sure what to expect.

Hawks led the way, his swift feathers sweeping the surroundings. "No signs of recent activity," he murmured, but his grip on his feather blades remained tight.

They breached the main entrance, the heavy wooden doors groaning open to reveal a scene of utter devastation. The mansion was a slaughterhouse. The decayed, twisted bodies of former clan members littered the floor and walls, all in various stages of grotesque disintegration. It was clear that Shigaraki had paid a visit. The stench of death hung heavy in the air, a sickening testament to the power of decay.

Endeavor's face, usually a stoic mask, contorted in disgust. "This is a massacre."

Hawks pulled out his comms. "We've located the target facility, confirming mass casualties. It looks like the clan members who used to occupy the building. We will need forensics and a full cleanup crew here immediately. No sign of survivors or Shigaraki. We're proceeding with caution.”

As they moved through the carnage, stepping carefully over the remains, they found themselves in what looked like a grand ballroom. In the center, a large, ornate television screen flickered to life. The static cleared, revealing the familiar face of AFO.

They knew it was a trick, since AFO was locked away in Tartarus prison at the moment, but whether it was a live recording of a double or a pre-recorded stunt was yet to be determined.

"My dear Izuku Midoriya," the voice purred, the sockets that once held his eyes seeming to bore directly into Midoriya's soul. "I'm glad you could make it."

He continued, "You see, I have spent so much time focused on All Might, I feel bad for having neglected our relationship. So consider this a formal declaration that I am no longer interested in your predecessor. I am now only interested in you." A cruel grin spread across his face. "Your friends, your family... trust that I have taken a special interest in each of them and am looking forward to getting to know everyone better."

A shiver ran down Midoriya's spine. He clenched his fists, knuckles white.

The casual tone he used to deliver the threat made Uraraka’s stomach twist. Her gaze met Midoriya's - their eyes both mirroring the same protective fury back at each other. His mind was having flashbacks to the events that made him run from UA - her mind was having flashbacks to the broken version of Midoriya she found after he had tried to fight alone.

Bakugo took a menacing step forward, small explosions crackling in his palms.

“Listen up, nutsack head,” the explosive teen’s voice a low, dangerous rumble. "The only thing you can look forward to is me blasting you into the next century. So go on, make your stupid threats. It just gives me one more reason to turn you into dust."

"As for hero society,” AFO continued as if he didn’t hear bakugo,” it seems as though I have already won. The people have lost faith in you heroes. They are no longer looking to you for answers. I have shown them the truth: that your so-called heroes are nothing more than false idols they have been worshipping for years."

“The people haven't lost faith in heroes," Uraraka’s voice gaining strength with each word. "They've lost faith because you exploited their fear and pain, but we will continue to earn their trust.”

It was clear once her statement also elicited no response that this was a pre-recorded message, a chilling declaration from a man who had planned out every step.

AFO’s face seemed to glow with excitement. "And you, Izuku Midoriya, your downfall will be the final nail in the coffin. I will make sure of that.”

“Shit. Coms are down.” Hawks spit out from the back of the room.

The comms in all their ears went dead. A cold wave of dread washed over the heroes.

“But first things first, I have little surprise for you… See you soon.”

The screen went black.

—

The deep, guttural groan of crumbling concrete was the only warning. Then, a massive section of Tartarus's outer wall simply disintegrated into dust, a cascade of gray powder drifting into the night air. Alarms blared, red lights flashed, and the entire prison shook.

Inside, in the maximum-security block, a figure stepped from the rubble, its silhouette framed by the flashing lights. All For One raised a hand. The sound of a thousand locks clicking open in unison echoed through the prison's vast halls.

"Now, my friends," the deep, chilling voice resonated, "it is time to enjoy your freedom.”

Panic erupted. The heroes guarding the prison, caught completely off-guard, were overwhelmed.

Toga busted down the door of her cell, her face a bloodthirsty grin. She picked up some sharp pieces of debris and growled as she sliced her way through an entire hallway of guards.

The heroes fought back with all they had, but they were outmatched by the escapees. This wasn't just a prison break; it was a carefully orchestrated slaughter.

—-

The chilling truth of All For One's game sunk in. This entire time, the endless skirmishes, the low-level villains, the constant running - it had all been a diversion. He was simply trying to draw the top heroes as far away from Tartarus as he could so they couldn’t respond.

He had done it. He had broken out of Tartarus and released every single A-list villain, including Toga.

The prison break sent shockwaves through the media, amplifying the public's anti-hero sentiment to a whole new level. Even the most hero-loving media stations were changing their coverage. Heroes were no longer seen as saviors, but as glorified celebrities who had failed to live up to the legacy of All Might. The faith in their ability to protect people was shattered.

Shizuoka Prefecture, where Tartarus was located, along with UA, saw a mass exodus. Cities, once vibrant and bustling, began to empty out as people fled to other parts of the country, encouraged by government officials to leave. The goal was to limit the number of bystanders at risk during the inevitable battles that would come. Japan wasn't in ruins, but the urban centers in Shizuoka Prefecture felt like ghost towns, their silence and emptiness obvious when walking through the streets.

The forced evacuation to temporary shelters outside the prefecture ended up being just one more reason to resent the heroes as they had yet another, very public, failure.

Chapter Text

A massive hand slammed down, pinning Uraraka's head to the pavement, which normally wouldn’t have been an issue if she still had her helmet on, but she wasn’t so lucky. The force of it was immense, causing Uraraka to cry out in a muffled gasp of pain.

“Uraraka!”

The villain in question, Muscular, was just the latest in a series of Tartarus escapees that were after Midoriya.

“Any last words, little girl?”

For Midoriya, Bakugo, and Uraraka, the stakes had been raised. These new bounty hunters were Tartarus escapees, not the mindless-goons Shigaraki had sent after them. These were villains who had been locked away for years and who had honed their quirks to a terrifying edge - many sentenced for grotesque crimes. 

The trio of exhausted teenagers were facing their third Tartarus escapee of the week. The purple bags under Midoriya's eyes were beginning to make a re-appearance. Even Bakugo was quieter and less angry than usual due to exhaustion. 

A barely-audible whisper escaped her lips. "…Release."

The only advantage the teens still carried against their opponents was a continued underestimation of who they were fighting - particularly of Uraraka. 

Muscular was about to deliver the final blow, but a sudden shadow fell over them.  Muscular looked up, his monstrous grin replaced by a look of confusion.

It was a cement truck - one Uraraka had subtly touched earlier in the fight without anyone noticing. Now, it was a projectile of a thousand tons. It fell through the air, completely silent, and descended with terrifying speed directly onto the villain’s head and her underneath him.

Muscular roared in surprise and pain as the immense vehicle slammed into him. The ground shuddered. There was a quick flash of green light as Midoriya zipped past him and grabbed Uraraka before the truck and Muscular’s large form crushed her. Midoriya put her down and looked at her with an expression that showed his concern.

"I'm okay," Uraraka said, wiping a small amount of blood from the side of her mouth. “Just promise me you won’t waste the opening I just made.”

Midoriya looked back at the villain, obviously dazed by the sheer, blunt force.

“On it.”

Midoriya sprinted, a blur of green lightning that mixed with furious explosions when Bakugo also surged forward. They moved with a desperate, synchronized ferocity that had been honed by countless recent fights.

“Detroit Smash!" Midoriya screamed, his fist connecting with a sickening thud against Muscular’s left side.

"AP Shot!" Bakugo roared, a spiraling explosion tearing into the villain’s right.

The two attacks sandwiched Muscular between a gale force of compressed air and a concussive blast of pure kinetic energy. The villain's massive frame crushed into an unconscious heap amidst the rubble.

With that, Midoriya and Bakugo tied the escapee up as best they could with some nearby materials while Uraraka assessed the collateral damage. They had to be more careful about damaging buildings than they used to since any misstep was now used as fuel against them in the media. Even small damage to residential buildings could result in outrage. 

It made what were already difficult fights increasingly challenging since the brute force Midoriya or Bakugo could normally apply had to be restrained and calculated.

Midoriya walked over to debrief with Uraraka. When he approached, he looked at her face where he could see a dozen tiny shards of glass embedded in her skin. The shards extended from her right cheek to her forehead where Muscular had pinned her face to make contact with the ground.

“Your cheek…”

She reached up a hand and flinched when she lightly made contact with the side of her face, clearly just noticing the injury. Midoriya grabbed her arm and gently pulled it down to prevent her from agitating the swollen skin further.

Bakugo landed next to them, “Nice job Pink Cheeks. I’ll deliver Muscle-for-brains here to the police. We should meet back at the new safe house.”

“You sure it shouldn’t be one of us?” Uraraka gestured to her and Midoriya “we both have quirks more suited for prisoner transfer.”

“You calling me weak, nerd?!”

“More like…inefficent.”

He growled.

“Fine. Truth is, if I have to spend one more hour with you two idiots without a break I am going to lose it.” Before any retort could be had, Bakugo grabbed Muscular's limp body and took off without a backward glance.

Midoriya watched him go, then turned back to Uraraka, his expression a mix of concern and relief. "He can be so...interesting sometimes."

Uraraka gave a small, tired laugh at Midoriya’s clear inability to call someone mean. Unfortunately it quickly turned into a sharp hiss. 

Midoriya shot up his hands in worry. “We should get that taken care of before it gets worse.”

Chapter Text

Midoriya picked the tweezers back up and continued working in silence for another moment as he recovered from his embarrassment. The plunk of a piece of glass hitting the bottom of the paper cup was the only sound.

“How do you think Muscular ended up the way he did?”

The question entirely caught Midoriya off guard.

“What made you think about that?”

“…I don’t know.”

Another long pause as Midoriya pulled out the last shard and began dabbing disinfectant on the wounds.

“Sorry, there are just so many villains that I have met lately who I can’t seem to stop thinking about. I just keep wanting to know why they became villians…It's weird, isn't it?"

Midoriya let out a soft sigh that was almost a chuckle. "Yeah, it’s weird," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "But I have been wondering the same thing…so I guess I'm weird too."

He put the final bandage on her cheek before leaning back to meet her gaze. "With Shigaraki, I can’t stop thinking about how AFO used him - took advantage of him in a vulnerable moment when he was only a child. It's hard to reconcile that with the monster he is now. It doesn’t change reality…but that truth is still there."

“Yeah…”

He looked at her, his green eyes filled with an understanding that went beyond words. "There's a lot of grey area in this world, isn’t there? More than we were ever taught in school."

“I am starting to feel the same way.”

Another long pause as they stared out at the sunset.

“It just… it keeps reminding me...” She whispered.

"Of what?"

"Of when I caught Toga back at Jaku," Uraraka confessed, wincing slightly. "I was willing to do whatever it took to protect everyone." She swallowed. "Sure, I've bruised a few folks in captures. Flung a few rocks during a fight. But I never considered that I would be willing to deeply injure someone to stop them." She hugged her knees tighter. "Something Toga said made me reconsider if being a hero made that kind of action okay."

She paused, recalling the aftermath. "When heroes use violence to stop our opponents, no one even batted an eye until now. We are often even praised for it."

“But you have done it to save people. To save me…”

A self-deprecating smile touched her lips. "...but…is that enough to make it okay?"

Midoriya was quiet.

"And the weird thing is," she continued, her gaze turning to her fighting hands, "even if I had been criticized for it, it wouldn't have changed my resolve." She looked at her hands, rubbing the calluses on her fingertips. "But if I choose violence as soon as things get hard, I can see how others could do the same for the things they care about."

"Being willing to make the hard choices in order to protect the people you care about... that doesn't make you a bad person.”

“Exactly… so what does?”