Chapter 15: Pay Your Friends Back
Hizashi was driving his way to the mall for groceries and shopping that week, at least that's the excuse he's going to give to one kid. He didn't realise it last week when he helped that random kid but there's a good chance that he's connected to Izuku, or rather that's what his wishful thinking hoped.
It doesn't mean he wouldn't have done it either way. He still remembers that purple haired kid who looked so determined to pay him back, even though a kid his age shouldn't even have to think about paying anyone back.
On top of that the kid was clearly being neglected. Both by his own admission and the fact that he was at the mall alone. Who lets their seven year old kid go to the mall alone, even if the place was safe?
Once parked, the man headed in and waited at the hobby shop he found the kid before. They said they'd meet at ten and Hizashi made sure to arrive early to not keep the little guy waiting. Once the time came, he was afraid that the kid wasn't coming until around a couple minutes later he could see the fluffy purple haired child head up to him.
Hizashi waved and the kid seemed unsure what to do and just did a small wave back. "Hey little listener! Ready to fulfil your end of the deal and help me with my shopping?"
"Yeah." he nodded, not enthusiastically but more determined. He was clearly in a better mood than last time he saw him.
The two went around the mall, gathering food and a couple other things Hizashi needed for the house. He didn't want to jump right into questioning, he's learned that from Izuku, so he decided to ask a few questions here and there that are mostly used to fill the air and get more information from him.
"Hey, so did your friend like the gift?" Hizashi said, putting some eggs in the shopping cart at the in mall grocer.
Shinsou seemed to light up a little at being asked that. "Yeah! He's planning to use it on something new he's building."
"Great to hear! Guess you got a good gift after all." he smiled.
Shinsou looked a bit down after him saying that. "Hey what's wrong? Did I say something?"
"No! No." the kid shook his head, purple hair swooshing. "It's just he also got me something as well."
"Oh why? Thought it was his birthday."
"Yeah but, I had mines a few weeks ago and he wanted to get me something then but didn't have the chance." he explained.
"What'd he get you?" the blond wondered.
"A cell phone."
"A cell phone?!" Hizashi squawked and he had to immediately cover his mouth as his quirk just slipped out slightly. The boy clutched his ears slightly and there were a good few people looking over at him.
Hizashi bumbled a little. "Uh, let's go to the vegetable section."
On the way Shinsou looked confused so Hizashi explained his quirk to him a little and the kid seemed to get it. After that he decided to ask about that later and instead focus on keeping the kid comfortable and not feeling like he's being interrogated.
'But still, a cell phone? Is his friend really Midoriya? I can't imagine him being able to afford that… unless he stole it.' the pro hero thought, not liking his theory.
After the groceries were done, they moved onto some window shopping. Hizashi didn't say he was doing that but he really didn't have anything left to get, at least until he actually spotted something he wanted. A funky looking cat tower that hung upside down.
When he went to look at it and consider buying it, Shinsou spoke up. "Do you have cats?"
"Oh yeah!" the blond exclaimed. "Two! A black and white called Dot and a ginger called Pepper."
The kid's eyes sparkled at that and Hizashi had to bite his tongue to fight a squeal at how adorable that looked. He has always considered having kids, maybe much later down the line if Shouta ever warmed up to the idea but this kid was making him reconsider that. He should really look into fostering.
"Here. Want to see some pictures I have of them?" and the man took out his phone to find some pictures of his cats, including that time Shouta had to come back from a patrol early because Pepper had hidden away in his scarf somehow.
Shinsou looked at them and seemed to love the pictures as much as he did. With even a few 'awws' to accompany them.
"Hey, do you want me to send some to you?" Hizashi offered.
The kid looked up at him smiling and alarmingly oblivious. "Sure!"
And just like that, Hizashi now had the kids phone number. In case the kid really was connected to Midoriya and he needed to arrange another meeting so that the two could talk more and of course for the kid in general. Hizashi was worried about him and having his number in case he needed help gave him peace of mind.
The two spent some more time window shopping before deciding to stop by the food court, Hizashi convincing the kid to have lunch as a bonus for how good of a job he did. He almost immediately regretted it when the boy asked for coffee. He knows what caffeine addiction does to a man, and though he loves said man in question he knows that coffee is too much for a child his age.
Though now that he thought about it, Shinsou's eyes always looked heavy and he was definitely slighter thinner than a kid his age should be. It only helps to encourage him to look into foster care and get this kid away from what is probably a bad home. He knows he shouldn't judge when he hasn't seen it all but by god he's going to do it.
"Have trouble sleeping?" he asked.
"No, but it's alright. My friend always buys me coffee before school." the boy clarified.
Okay it seems this kid is already a lost cause. And also how much money does this friend have? If it is Izuku then whatever he is doing to survive must be good enough to support someone else's kid.
"Does your friend do a lot for you?" Hizashi questioned, keeping his tone casual.
Shinsou seemed a bit taken back by that question. He didn't look shocked in the way he was accused of something bad but more like he was surprised someone knew something about him he hadn't said yet. There was a moment of thought going on behind his eyes before he spoke.
The boy nodded. "He's done a lot. He buys me breakfast and even dinner sometimes. He's also helped a lot with school."
"Are you having a hard time with school?" Hizashi asked innocently, aware that there's something wrong with Aldera.
"Mmm." he agreed. "I had a hard time at the start. All of the teachers didn't like me or how smart he made me."
"Is your friend a teacher?" Hizashi wondered.
"No. He's my age." Shinsou clarified.
Hizashi took a drink of some delicious tasting lemon soda. "So why did the teachers not like you?"
The kid seemed to go quiet at that and Hizashi knew why. He checked his file and found out that his quirk was one a lot of people would call 'villainous', the name certainly didn't help. He wanted to hear it from the kid though.
"Y-yeah. It's because of my quirk." he admitted. "It's called Brainwashing and I can take control of people's minds if they answer my q-question."
The poor thing wasn't looking up at him, probably scared of Hizashi being weirded out or frightened or even angry. He wasn't though. "Sounds to me they aren't good teachers."
Quirk discrimination is something that Hizashi is all too knowledgeable of, both his own experiences and his husband's. When he was born, his parents gave him up for adoption, not wanting to deal with a kid who could shake the foundations of the house every time he got hungry or had a tantrum.
Thankfully he never had to experience the difficult hell that was the fostering system as he was adopted fast by a nice couple, one of which, his mom, had a quirk that made a room soundproof. It was certainly lucky but that didn't stop as he got older and kids kept away from him because he was too noisy.
Eventually he became mute for a while, just so he could hang out with other people even though they didn't like that he was too quiet. Same for teachers too. It wasn't until UA and he met Shouta for the first time that he could finally come out of his shell and not be afraid of speaking anymore.
Shouta on the other hand was a different story. His quirk is a lot more special with how it can cancel out other quirks so he's always been feared on the playground. When you have a society that looks down on others for having weak quirks, someone who leveled the playing field was treated like a rule breaker from the get go.
It didn't help that Shouta never hesitated to punch another kid when seeing someone get treated wrongly over their own quirk. According to Nemuri, who knew him vaguely in middle school, he always got into fights and almost couldn't go to UA in the first place because of his record. Thankfully, the UA Sports Festival made it possible for him to be a hero.
Of course with the help of a certain teacher, now principal.
Though he can't say he relates to Shinsou's own life exactly, he can certainly say that theirs rhymes.
"Why would they not like you over that?" Hizashi asked casually, pretending not to know.
The kid looked up at him and almost sputtered but kept calm. "B-because it's a villain's quirk. I could brainwash you!"
"Kid, you asked me questions about my cats. Did you use your quirk on me once?" he asked.
"No…" he answered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Then I guess it's not a villain's quirk." he said with a shrug.
Shinsou just looked at him or maybe up. The way he saw him right now made him almost think that this kid has never had someone say this to him in his entire life and it was making Hizashi want more and more to just take this kid home with him right now.
He opened his mouth to speak but before he could, Hizashi intervened. "Does your friend not like your quirk?"
"N-no!" he countered, maybe a bit too loudly. He shrunk a little when he noticed some people were looking at him. "He said it can be amazing for hero work."
Hizashi gave a gentle smile at that last sentence. "Do you want to be a hero when you grow up?"
Shinsou nodded slowly, as if it was something he wasn't allowed to admit. "He said it can help a lot of people."
"It certainly can! Do you have anyone to help train for the entrance exam? I know it's early but it's never too early to prepare!" the blond said with a smile.
"My friend said he was going to help me, even though he's already done so much." he said a bit glumly.
"You feel bad about that, don't you?" Hizashi guessed.
Shinsou nodded once more, but this time it was something that was more shameful than scared. "He's given me so much and I haven't really given him much back. I can't help but feel like…"
'A burden.' Hizashi thought.
The boy never finished that line but Hizashi got it. It can be hard to have a friend who does so much for you and you can't do anything back. It makes you feel useless. Whilst Hizashi can't relate he can say he sort of got the feeling. All the way up to middle school, he got sad whenever his mom had to use her quirk in his room. He knew it made her more tired and he couldn't help feeling responsible for that.
Every time her birthday or mother's day would come around, he'd try his best to go above and beyond for her. Now that he thinks about it, maybe that's why he approached Shinsou in the first place. He saw the boy staring hopefully but worried through the glass window of the shop and saw the times he did that.
If he could tell himself then what he knew now, he'd say…
"Shinsou, you can never be a burden. A kid like you shouldn't be." he stated.
"But he's a kid too and he has so much going on as well!" he bursted, clearly having held it in for a while.
"Like what?" Hizashi wondered, still keeping things from feeling interrogative.
"He lives alone, he doesn't go to school and I don't think he even leaves his house." the kid listed.
Hizashi cringed a little. It seemed more and more likely this friend was Izuku, but that wasn't his focus right now. His attention was on making Shinsou feel better because a hero always prioritises helping who they can immediately.
"I think you do a lot more for him than you think." Hizashi stated and before the kid could counter or ask he continued. "It sounds to me he's lonely and probably needs a friend, someone he can talk to and who will listen. Seeing how much you've told me about him, it sounds like you listen a lot."
Shinsou just looked at him, mouth open slightly as if he wants to speak but Hizashi doesn't let him.
"If you want to pay your friend back, give him something only you can. Your friendship. 'Cause it sounds to me, he values it a lot."
The boy's eyes teared a little and Hizashi was quick to grab a napkin and offer it to the kid. He took it and wiped his eyes before giving the most teariest smile he's ever seen. "Okay."
It was so low and quiet but it sounded like the boy needed to say it. Hizashi just smiled back, waiting for him to finish before they started talking again.
"What's the name of your friend? Out of curiosity?" Hizashi questioned.
The boy sniffled. "Izuku."
Hizashi smiled. "Well Izuku is lucky to have you as a friend."
- - -
The two wrapped up their shopping trip and parted at the entrance to the mall. He offered a ride but the kid said he could make it back on his own. Hizashi understood, it was light out enough that he didn't want to argue anyway and risk his… the kid, running away.
'Not yet Hizashi. Not yet.'
On the drive home, he just kept thinking about Shinsou, at least for a little while longer until his mind tackled the confirmation of Izuku being his friend. He really wanted to just take that kid and give him a home where he doesn't have to worry about being treated differently or like he's a villain or anything of that nature.
He knows Shouta would like him, heck he even has that same cheshire smile the two have. It's practically a match made in heaven. On top of that the kid wanting to be a hero was something both adults could get behind. Shouta and him recently got an offer from Nedzu to teach at their old highschool, UA, and were expected to start teaching next year, so helping this kid learn would also help themselves.
Hizashi let out a sigh.
Now there was Midoriya. A kid probably in a similar situation to Shinsou. He didn't know him well enough but given his mom was gone and his dad is a known murderer and criminal, he'll probably be put into the same system as Shinsou, or maybe even something like juvenile detention seeing as he committed vigilantism at the very least. He wasn't sure how things would go down should they ever catch him but, here's hoping.
Once home, Hizashi told all of this to Shouta, who was waiting on him getting back as he too was hoping that Shinsou and Midoriya had a connection. When he gave the good news, Shouta let out a sigh of relief, then when Hizashi said about his determination to become fosters for Shinsou, his response was lukewarm.
After he told him about what he's facing, the man seemed to agree somewhat that they should look into his foster parents and see if there's a problem with them, which is good enough for him for now. He'll wear down his husband with pictures of the kid and he's sure just one chat would be enough to convince him that Shinsou is a good kid.
"So Midoriya and him are friends, and close enough to share their birthdays." Shouta summarised.
"Yeah but it doesn't seem like they talk in person, from what he was saying." Hizashi stated.
The black haired man slumped down on the sofa where Dot immediately hopped on to cuddle with his scruffy face. "Must be using his quirk, just like when you last saw him."
"Maybe we can shadow Shinsou and whatever he is meeting with and follow that back to Midoriya." the blond suggested.
"That sounds good. But it's summer now. The kid won't have a normal schedule until nearly September." the man commented.
The blond sat next to his spouse, who was still slumped down and turned his body to face him as they spoke. "Should we wait then? 'Cause I don't want to."
"Wasn't planning on it. You have his number right? Maybe you can arrange a meet up. Offer to help him and his friend train to be heroes." Shouta offered.
"That doesn't sound bad. What if Izuku refuses to meet with me?" Hizashi worried.
"If it comes to that, we can always attach a tracker to the kid's phone and see where he frequents." Shouta responded and after seeing his husband's face furrow at that he added, "It's logical."
Hizashi was a bit conflicted on that. He didn't want to put a tracker on a kids phone but given how high a priority it is to find Izuku and get him safe and off the streets, it was something he's going to have to compromise on.
"Alright. I'll ask him and see if he accepts." he hoped as he leaned into his husband, scratching Dot's ears. He didn't know where Pepper was but that was something expected from that cat.
"What's wrong?" he asked, not in his usual deadpan but in a softer tone, knowing something was eating at Hizashi.
"Shinsou said he thinks Midoriya never leaves his house." Hizashi uttered. "I can't help but think I might be the reason behind that."
Last time Hizashi saw Izuku, he thought he was with someone else. He didn't realise he was alone until after so he can't help but feel that when he ran it was entirely his decision and almost entirely Hizashi's fault. Especially when he saw how spooked that kid was, like he was going to hurt him.
The fact no one has heard of him till now, probably because he has not left whatever hiding spot he's curled away in, Hizashi can't help but continue to blame himself. He wants to make it up to the kid but he doesn't want to try himself in case he just makes things worse again.
Shouta knew all about this, Hizashi confessed it, and the two have been thinking about how he could've done things differently. Maybe his husband was right and it would be nice to have kids if only to make sure they were safe and not in danger. He certainly knew Midoriya's power was dangerous, his ribs still creak a little from a couple nights ago.
Shouta wrapped an arm around Hizashi and pulled the man close. He wasn't sure about having kids mostly because he didn't think he'd make a good dad but also because he just didn't like them in general. He says this as he's set to teach a class next year but maybe Hizashi was right about this being a way he can learn to be more friendly with children.
The two men cuddle with their black and white cat. The little feline lapping up the heat as they both think about what could happen should they ever find Izuku and foster Shinsou.
Chapter 16: Metal Giant
Izuku was in the warehouse, sorting through some junk with Ana as he thought about how he'd make the new doll. He was planning to meet Shinsou at some point and he'd rather have something to protect him than Ana. He knew they needed to be more flexible than the long armed monster but still as stealthy so it could hide away.
He also wanted it to be able to take a few hits. He was planning to have Hitoshi use it as a practice dummy to train on and having it be capable of surviving punches was important.
Eraserhead's kicks were deadly. The one in the chest nearly shattered the driftwood whilst the one to the head almost snapped it off and the camera inside. He needed harder material than wood and it needed to be easy to get.
Izuku tried a few different materials to see how they react to his quirk and there were certainly some important things to realise. Firstly, anything organic, besides wood and fibres, didn't accept his quirk well. While it did animate it, it was nowhere near as good as moving other materials.
He did want to try it on a living thing but, well, you know it's kind of hard to do that in his state. Speaking of, he had been getting weaker. He's been having a hard time moving and needing Ana more and more to carry him. He didn't mind it, it's not as if he's going anywhere but it is messing with his mind.
He looked it up and apparently it's a byproduct of not eating enough but honestly, Izuku's fine. It's not as if he needs to move much, all he needs is his hands and to move and everything is alright. Ana can handle everything else.
Despite that though he was still getting more and more terrified at what was happening to him.
Away from that and back to the important task at hand, he decided that he would have a mix of metal and plastic be whatever his combat doll was. He needed a weapon for it, probably sharp to scare anyone away, and needed to be able to mask itself like Ana.
It was certainly a lot but he was going to try. He has plenty of cash saved up and if this comes out right, maybe he could have it take over deliveries for Ana or maybe even participate in some fighting rings. He read about those online when he first started looking into different ways of getting cash but went with the delivery work as it was safer at the time.
After some research he decided on something close to a mechanical endoskeleton typically used for robots. It would be expensive but that's only with the wires and stuff included and for Izuku, he needed none of that to get it moving.
It would still be expensive though so he looked for the best one as it needed to be strong enough to resist blows but also flexible enough to dodge and hide. He eventually discovered one that was skeletal and had a nice sheen to it that made it look nice.
Next he needed to plate it with something. He had a lot of scrap metal so he could weld it on with the help of Ana but that too was going to take from his coffers. So maybe that'll be hard but what he did have was hammers and a tireless doll, so with a lot of persistence he hammered the metal into a shape that could be drilled on with a hand drill which is much cheaper. Maybe down the line he could weld it on for better durability but that was for later.
The 'claws' of Behemoth, the knives, were salvaged and broken apart to make them shorter and less clunky. He put them on the hands and even the feet for more grip when climbing and fighting. As for a proper weapon, Izuku was split between something blunt or sharp and in the end he found a simple pole would be good enough.
It wasn't likely to be used much, the fists of this thing being good enough to crack concrete after an attempt but it's always good to have a backup.
Finally for the head, he made sure the metal was shaped properly to make it a proper dome and had enough room inside to hold a camera and the speaker. He wasn't sure what he was going to use that soundbox for but he wasn't planning on giving it to Ana anytime soon so it would go with the new doll for now.
Once all was said and done, he painted the whole thing using Hitoshi's gifted paints. He wanted to make the metal doll look more intimidating so whoever threatened Izuku might possibly run instead of fight. He used red on the metal teeth and eye holes so they'd appear almost visceral and used black to make tears that almost made the thing look like it was bleeding oil all over it.
All in all, the thing looked like a deformed tin toy, with sharp hands, rustic twisted flesh and a skull like head.
Unlike the Behemoth and Ana though, it took days to fill it with enough fluid for it to move comfortably. The weight was a lot but with the amount of duct tape he has keeping the fluid in, it should be able to do a lot better than the monster.
Speaking of fighting better, Izuku had gone over the Eraserhead fight multiple times in his head. How he moved, how he struck, how he pivoted his feet. It was honestly fascinating to get a direct perspective on a fight with a hero, despite how terrified he was. Of course this fighting doll wasn't going to be able to move like him so Izuku looked into other heroes to draw inspiration from.
All Might was his first thought seeing as how they had the same body structure but he knew immediately that the doll wouldn't be able to move as fast as him. It had heavy slow punches and would likely use a lot of grabbing and throwing. It wasn't ferocious and needed to be ruthlessly efficient with its attacks.
'Gang Orca' Izuku realised.
The hero was a brawler and used a lot of punches and swings to fight and though he used his quirked sonic blasts, the combat doll could get a close second by screeching. Izuku spent time between filling up the doll, researching the pro hero and every fight he's been in, tracing the attacks with Ana and using some dolls to practice some of his moves.
Once he was done, he raised the doll and it moved rigidly but it almost looked more human that way. Ana's arms moved fast and still but the combat dolls arms were moving, like it breathed, the sounds of metal creaking sounding like growls.
"Now, let's test you out." the boy whispered.
- - -
In a distant alley, a man stood in front of a door. He was tall, almost six four and was broad. The typical bouncer in every sense of the word. He didn't even seem phased at all when he watched the lumbering, over seven foot creature, move towards him accompanied by a smaller figure, more human sized. They donned huge black cloaks that covered every inch that seemed to have been once the bedsheet of a queen sized mattress.
They stopped in front of the man and the two held their ground, until the bouncer spoke. "What are you doing here?"
There was a silence for a moment, before the cladded giant spoke in a rough mechanical voice. "I am here to fight."
"Is this your first time?" the bouncer asked. The giant nodded slowly and intently.
The man looked the cloaked thing up and down. "Do you know the rules here?" Another nod from the giant.
"Then let me tell you, so there's no excuse if I have to kick you out. No violence that isn't allowed by the Theatre. No asking questions if no one wants to answer them. No saying anything about this place, the people you see inside or the things that happen. Violate any of that and you'll never see the inside of the Theatre again, got me?" he explained.
"Yes." the giant answered.
"Great. Welcome to the Darkest Theatre." and the door opened to a corridor which stretched downwards with no stairs, instead being a slope.
The giant bent down to fit through the door and walked in, head just barely avoiding the roof. The other figure stepped in after, with the door shutting behind once they were confidently inside. The hallway had wooden panelling for its walls and the floor was an unclean checkered marble that reminded Izuku of those fancy old theatres.
Soon enough, that is the sight he comes across, or at least a part of it as the theatre was dishevelled and crumbling but despite its state it certainly wasn't abandoned. There were all kinds of people around the place. Some wearing hoods, others not really caring who sees them, confident that no one would risk angering the most neutral of neutral territories.
The Darkest Theatre is an underworld hotspot, where info brokers were reached from, arms sellers found buyers and thieves pawned off stolen goods. Underground heroes only knew of this place of course, and kept it that way due to how valuable it is as a source of information. It also had a fighting ring which is exactly where Izuku was heading towards.
He knew his options for fights were going to be limited. He couldn't exactly have the doll remove the metal if armor wasn't allowed but he made sure to check if there were some fights where it didn't matter what you had. Indeed there was, and it was mainly meant for those with physical quirks or mutagenic ones, making it perfect for testing the doll.
Of course he didn't send the combat doll alone. Ana was with it and though it was risky sending her here, he needed someone to collect the combat doll should they fail their test. It was hard controlling two dolls at once, like counting to ten whilst clicking your fingers off beat. It was a lesson in multitasking.
As the duo made their way deeper in, some eyes were following them, especially the giant. Whether to eye them up or simply acknowledge that they were here, Izuku didn't have the people skills to tell. They found a desk where a plain looking man in a suit sat at, seemingly unperturbed by who was approaching him.
"You're new." he said. He was reading a newspaper and hadn't even looked up yet.
The machine voice came through. "I am looking to make money."
"Jobs?"
"Fighting."
The man finally looked up from his reading and looked the giant and Ana up and down. "Quirked fights are in an hour. What's your names?"
- - -
Both Ana and the giant sat down near a wall table and kept glancing around the room. Obviously neither needed to communicate so there wasn't any conversation to be had, at least to the other patrons of the Theatre. There were many people coming in, Izuku even recognised some of the underground heroes from the police files. Especially one that almost made him jump out of his chair when he saw him.
"Eraserhead." the boy muttered behind the screen.
It seemed he was after information if the conversation between him and the plain man was any inclination. Maybe it was for him or maybe it was for a different case he had, either way there wasn't any fear of exposure unless he watched the fight.
Suddenly a different man approached their table and dragged a chair to sit up with them. He looked sleazy with short silver hair, stubble and a missing front tooth. He had a smile which made Izuku shift even though he wasn't even there.
"Hello there! Couldn't help noticing you're new. Just arrived in the neighbourhood or?" he trailed off, waiting for them to respond.
"Arrived." the giant answered, feeding false information.
"I see. Wait, where are my manners? I am Giran." he said with a short bow from where he was sitting. "And you both are?"
"She is Zoe." the giant pointed to Ana. "I'm Brutus."
"Well, definitely foreign with those names." Giran noted. "Mind telling me what brings you here?"
The whole conversation, Ana made sure not to lose sight of Eraserhead, the fun perk of having two sets of eyes.
The giant stated. "I am here to fight."
"I see. Quirked or quirkless?"
"Quirked."
"I guess that makes sense. Can't see under that… cloak you've got but I can tell you're not normal looking." he mused.
The three sat there, quiet for a moment until the man smiled. "I have to say as well, that's an interesting voice. Trying to hide something?"
"Neither of us can speak without a speaker." Brutus clarified truthfully.
"Oh so you're both mute. Well if-"
"Why are you still talking to us?" the giant said aggressively, the robotic voice sounding more threatening somehow.
Giran's smile fell a little before creasing back up. "I like to check out any new arrivals and let them know if they need anything, support items, information, anything like that then to come through me."
"Support items?" the cloaked doll uttered.
"Yes, one of the few blackmarket makers in Tokyo," he explained. "And I've got them on speed dial so if you need anything, be sure to reach out."
At that point the time was drawing near for the fight. "We have to get ready."
"Oh sure, sure. I'll leave you be. I'd love to see how you fight." Giran said with that still sleazy smile.
The man stood up and left the two there. Meanwhile Erasaerhead had sat down at one of the Theatre's bar room tables and was waiting. That put Izuku on edge. If, no, when Brutus gets injured and he notices the 'blood', he'll know it's him. He knows the two dolls are safe here by the rules of the establishment but he'd rather not reveal himself at all if he can help it.
They could be followed out of the building and back home where Izuku could do nothing to stop him. It was a fear he needed to take into account now that he's hurt a hero, especially this one. He still didn't know how his quirk would react to him and he didn't want to find out on the field.
Soon it really was time to fight and both dolls stood up to head down to the ring to prepare better for it. It was a cage naturally, but despite how that might obscure things, the holes in it were quite open, giving plenty of room to peer in and see the action.
There were a few fighters set up there already, a lot of them looking to be quite experienced if their scars are anything to go by. Izuku was starting to feel pretty nervous. What if the doll collapses on the first strike? What if something leaks out of a crack? Actually he had an answer to that. Ana had a little doll repairing tool kit he put together for her to use if Brutus ever got injured.
Still, even with all that preparation he was still second guessing coming here. It hadn't even been an hour and someone possibly quite influential was already checking him out and every second of that felt like he was exposing himself. Hopefully once he's started to fight proper he might get some confidence in his work back.
When Brutus' name was called out as the first fight, Izuku almost jumped right there in his chair. He was hoping to watch a few first before he went in but it seemed he was going in the deep end.
As the doll clambered up and entered the cage, on the other end was a thin, lithe but undeniably muscular man. His skin was grey and stony and he had a cocky grin on his face which worked in making Izuku feel afraid for his doll.
"Big fellas like you always tend to be full of air the second you get punched." he mocked as the two waited for the bell to ring.
Brutus made no reply back, just waiting to act under Izuku's orders which seemed to stir the other man a little. "Nothing to say? Guess I'll beat some noise out of you."
The bell rang and the man darted forward fast and swung a fist into the stomach of the giant before Izuku could react. The metal clanged and the man shrunk back, nursing his knuckles.
"What the hell? Are you wearing body armor under there?" says the man with a stone hardening quirk.
He dove in again to land more hits, this time to the face but now Izuku was ready. In a swipe the doll grabbed the man's arm with one hand whilst the other immediately went for his throat, grasping them, his metal nails digging into flesh.
The man croaked and struggled in the grasp, punching at the giant's face to no effect, even cutting his knuckles on some of the jagged skin. He even tried to kick the groin but of course that did nothing either. The doll was unfeeling and emotionless, holding the man up easily.
"What the hell are you made of?!" he shouted, his thrashing getting more severe.
The doll then let go of his arm, held the man up by the neck and threw him into the wall of the cage, earning a groan as the metal bent a little. The crowd cheered a little at that and Izuku was starting to feel a rush of adrenaline now that he could see that Brutus was more durable than expected.
The man began to pull himself up but was grabbed like a kitten by the back of his neck and lifted up on his feet only to be punched in the stomach by Brutus. The man's eyes widened and Izuku was sure he heard countless cracking of bones and stone as his face paled and he keeled over, coughing red on the floor.
A small smile curled on Izuku's lips whilst watching this, a small bit of glee at clearly winning and grabbed the man again, except this time hoisting him up and preparing to throw him. The audience cheered at that and gazed in wonder as Izuku launched the man onto the other side of the ring effortlessly.
The man was struggling to get up from the ground so Izuku helped him by hoisting him up again by the neck and holding him there, his feet dangling. The man's eyes were desperate and full of fear, his nose bloody from the last throw and a large red bruise now forming where the giant punched him.
"P-please," he choked.
As Izuku stared into his eyes through the screen a part of him had this crawling excitement at seeing someone else be afraid and scared. He always had that level of sadism with Behemoth in him but right now a part of that was egging him on to push it further, to break this man. The claw around his neck tightens ever so slightly and the man's face blanches further, almost to the point of tears.
There was a moment where everyone watching held their breath just like the man lost his. His desperate face turned from white, to blue and then purple. Everyone was expecting something. A crack or a punch or maybe even another throw because for a moment the audience was convinced that the man was going to die.
But something in Izuku let the man go.
With just enough willpower to hold himself back from doing something actually evil, he drops the man to the ground but not before letting out a screech in his face to make sure he wouldn't dare get back up. The crowd was silent at that but then thundered into cheers and shouts whilst the man sputtered and gasped on the floor, helpless and trembling.
The fight was declared over and the giant walked off, the other man helped by some people. Now that Izuku could focus less on one doll, Ana looked around and noticed that Eraserhead was indeed watching the fight. Whether or not he saw anything was something he couldn't tell yet.
The two were paid for the fight and it was a sizable amount. Much more than a week at working deliveries. Ana looked over Brutus for any leaks and there didn't look to be any, the metal held up really well and it seemed that there wasn't much loss of fluids during the fight.
Honestly, it seemed Brutus could fight more and Izuku wanted to but that moment when the man's face went purple was sticking in his mind longer than expected. He didn't understand why but that image made him no longer want to fight. He didn't want to see something like that, not until he calmed down a little.
The two were about to head back up to the main foyer when they were stopped by Giran.
"A great fight there! Not that I had any doubts." he said like he knew for sure Brutus would win. "Let me guess. A pain nulling quirk? A durability one? Oh, maybe even a voice quirk?"
The dolls didn't respond, merely staring at the man.
"Alright, alright. Keep your secrets. I'll figure it out sooner or later." he chuckled as he left, knowing where there was no conversation.
The two made their way to the exit. Sure they could fight more but Izuku didn't want to stick around with Eraserhead here… which he lost track of.
"Hey." a low voice said behind the two.
Both dolls swung around to see the man he was fearing standing before them. Face half covered by his scarf and two black eyes trained on both of them.
"What." Brutus said in an almost demand due to the tone of the mechanical voice.
The man's eyes narrowed at the giant. "That scream you did. It sounded familiar."
'Oh' Izuku thought as he realised that the screech he used on the man was the same one he used on Eraserhead when he attacked Behemoth.
"So?" the giant responded crassly, trying to sound more intimidating.
"Do you know anyone by the name of Midoriya Izuku?" he questioned and every part of the boy shrunk a little when he heard his name said.
"Never heard of someone like that." the giant responded fast, maybe faster than he should've.
The man kept his eyes trained on the giant and Izuku was almost sure he was going to attack out of instinct until the man just sighed and shrugged.
"Sorry. Must've misheard it. Thanks anyway." he said with a sigh before he walked off.
The boy too sighed as the man really did leave, the two dolls not spending a moment more there before commanding them to leave. Once out they double checked every corner to make sure they weren't followed all the way until they went home. The whole time, Izuku's heart nearly beating out of his chest.
Chapter 17: No Matter What
Shouta didn't like going to the Theatre often. Even though it was quiet most of the time it was noisy in other aspects. From the eyes that watch you, both from the patrons and the staff. The suffocating sense that everyone around you has probably done awful things and there's nothing you can do about it. The feeling that one wrong move and the whole building goes red and you'll have to run for your life.
But he needed to go there for a lot of things. Police networks weren't always capable of getting the information needed and pro heroes know this. It's why a place like the Darkest Theatre remains untouched even though it's a hotbed of criminal activity. It knew it too. A symbiotic relationship in a short way it is.
Tonight he was there to look for anything on Midoriya. He knows it's unlikely, which is why he chased after the Behemoth name instead, hoping anyone would bite and know. Even a sighting could be useful in finding out where the kid was. Unfortunately there's nothing, either meaning no one was telling or the kid was just that good at keeping in the dark. Seeing as how it's been a year since anyone's gotten hide or hair of him, he'd say the latter is true.
It doesn't help that the kid's quirk basically made it so he never had to leave his comfort zone. It allowed him to send out whatever he wished and never have to risk himself getting caught except maybe if someone followed his monsters back home.
He really needs to find this kid. He can't imagine what's going on with him and if what Shinsou, the kid whose Midoriya's friend, was right, his life was on the verge of becoming a complete shut-in; if not already.
Whilst he was at the Theatre though, someone caught his eye. A duo who seemed to be new if that info broker chatting to them was any proof. One was normal size and the other was tall, both wearing cloaks. He couldn't see their faces but he got the feeling the entire time that they were watching him, and not in the 'checking out' way but like they were cautious of him.
People didn't know Eraserhead much. He was still only a few years on the job and an underground hero to boot so he hadn't built up anything much in these circles so it was all the more off-putting when he got the feeling they were staring at him. Then they went down into the cage and that was when things got stranger.
The big guy, Brutus as the announcer said, dominated his fight. There's no denying that. He didn't flinch no matter what the other guy did and was practically playing with his food with how much he tossed him around. Shouta almost thought he was going to execute, not kill, execute the man there but they dropped him, screaming in his face.
The smaller one though was more interesting. The entire time he expected them to be as excited as the crowd but they just stood there like a statue. Staring at the cage. Shouta almost thought they were dead but once the giant left the ring they sprung back to life.
And then there was the scream. It sounded exactly like the one Behemoth made. It wasn't too long ago since he heard it so it was still fresh in his mind and it was identical to when it screamed at him. That's when he knew he needed to check out who they were, just in the off chance that they were more of Midoriya's puppets.
He didn't know the extent of the kid's quirk, no one did except him so there probably is a chance he was controlling both of them. The only way to find out though was to check.
After they 'chatted' with the broker again, he stopped them and talked. Asked them if they knew Midoriya and the way they responded was clearly by some kind of AI text-to-speech voice. Just like the one Midoriya probably used when speaking through the monster and his earpiece.
What caught his eye more though was the small stray drop of a clear liquid that fell from the big guy. It could've been sweat, but then again he didn't seem to break any during that fight so…
It had to be Midoriya, maybe, but the odds were there. He doesn't know why they just showed up to the Theatre now but he didn't want to think too much about that now. He could have thrown the hood off, seeing if they were just a mindless puppet but he also could be wrong and gotten beaten up and kicked out.
Either way, he needed to play it safe. If it was the kid, he needed to learn more and knowing where they're going to be was useful.
He made sure to get their names from Giran. At a small price of course but he needed the names for next time. Zoe and Brutus. Foreign sounding and out of towners too according to what they said but for a kid, Midoriya seemed smart. Had to be if he's survived on his own for this long.
He couldn't tail them tonight. Too difficult, so he'll do it once they've settled. Because by god he wasn't going to sit back and watch a kid blindly walk down the path to villainy.
- - -
Hitoshi's home life was still much the same, even though school has been much better since the 'Fright Night'. The substitute teachers don't seem to care about quirks and just get their jobs done. Maybe there's a bit less enthusiasm but honestly it wasn't as if that passion was meant for him.
Not only that but they gave him compliments on his test! He's never had that done before except by Izuku. The other kids were still annoying though. They still shoved him in the corridors and even kicked him in the back of the leg once. He didn't want to risk disturbing this new found peace though so he hasn't reported it. Maybe if they actually punch him he would.
Izuku, though, has been helping him with that. During the weekend he started working on doing runs with Ana. Even though the doll didn't need exercise it helped encourage him to go further beyond his limits.
His friend has already set up a full training regimen for him though it'll be difficult seeing as he can't really control his diet. He's also planning to show Hitoshi that new doll he made, the scary one, to train with. He still wasn't sure how scary Izuku's 'scary' was but he knew that when he becomes a hero, he'll have to face monstrous villains every day.
Besides that he's also gotten something else from his newer friend(?) Yamada. He wasn't afraid of Hitoshi's quirk and even offered to train him and Izuku! Even though his friend can't really show up in person. He's still working on that.
YamadaHizashi: Hey there lil' listener! I wanted
to let you know I'm free on the Sunday at two!
ShinsouHitoshi: Okay, I haven't told my friend
yet so I'll ask him soon.
YamadaHizashi: *thumbs up*
…
TrollDoll: Hey Izuku, are you free on Sunday at
2?
CursedDoll: Sorry! I'm busy that day. Have
need to test out the doll one more time.
TrollDoll: lol what are you testing it on?
CursedDoll: Swinging, running, jumping, blocking.
TrollDoll: Ok
…
ShinsouHitoshi: Can't make it. He's busy with
something
YamadaHizashi: Alright then! Where do you want
to meet up?
ShinsouHitoshi: There's a park me and my friend
frequent. Zanawa Park.
YamadaHizashi: Got it! See you then!
…
With those arrangements done, truly everything was going well for Hitoshi. So good he can't remember when he felt this safe. Yeah his foster parents were still neglectful, they even stopped getting him dinner but he hasn't told Izuku that, it was better than them being abusive in the physical sense.
The rest of the weekdays with Izuku went well with the two heading all over the place doing a bunch of stuff Hitoshi never thought he could ever do. He's gone to the cinema, more cat cafes and today he was going to the arcade!
Of course Izuku paid for all of it but after that chat with Yamada, he realises that he doesn't have to feel guilty. Okay, he still does but he knows there's a lot he's doing for his friend, especially as he gets to know him more and more.
Case in point, he knew that Izuku didn't eat much even though he had no reason not to. Hitoshi doesn't know why but he doesn't want to question him in case it was a touchy subject, even if it felt like it wasn't. He didn't want to make his friend uncomfortable, especially when they're currently on the train going to the more techy side of Tokyo.
On the way, they even spotted a distant hero fight. It was a giant villain who got taken down by a guy who could sprout trees from his body.
"Do you ever want to be a hero Izuku?" Hitoshi said to the doll as he watched the fight finish up. The train wasn't crowded today so they didn't feel insecure about talking/signing aloud.
The doll seemed to contemplate that answer before signing. "Maybe. I don't know. I've always liked heroes and yeah I've always wanted to be one but I'm not sure I…"
"You what?"
The doll shook her head. "Nevermind. Our stop is here."
Izuku always changes the topic every time he gets asked questions like that. Not being a hero but the future in general. He wasn't sure except maybe his friend doesn't know what he's doing. He can only hope that he does want to become a hero, after all it means they could go to UA together when they're older!
Indeed though it was their stop and the two got out to head to where they were planning to go. They could've gone to any old arcade but the one Izuku was taking Hitoshi to was super popular. Apparently the owner has a quirk that makes projections and makes the games pop out of the screen like they were real.
It was hard getting there though. Both him and Izuku hated mingling with people. Hitoshi was a natural introvert whilst his friend didn't want his doll to be exposed because that'll cause complications for him. Thankfully they didn't have to rub shoulders for long as they finally reached the building.
It was massive and colourful and everything inside was just as Izuku said it would be. Though they did get some looks, well Ana got some looks, when the two were playing together but they probably chucked it up to a big sibling treating their younger brother at the arcade.
There were all kinds of games. Shooters, car driving and even a built in bumper car ride that the two rode in. Honestly it was the time of his life and it seemed it was the same for Izuku too. He ate some chocolate that was bought at a convenience store and had some melon soda that was just perfect.
They even won at a bunch of claw machines, Ana always going for the cat ones that both of them adore. His friend tried to give them all to Hitoshi but he insisted that any prizes he won, Izuku could take home with him. It was kind of adorable seeing them hold this yellow dog plush they got in her hoodie, head poking up from under the doll's chin.
He was at the pinball machines, watching Izuku try and get a high score, when he realised he needed the bathroom badly and headed there, letting his friend know he wasn't going to take too long.
After he was done he stepped out of the toilets and on his way back he bumped into the last people he wanted to see today. Pangaki, Tsubasa, Shiosho with the salt crystals on their shoulders and a kid he remembered seeing in the other class. Bakugou.
The blond haired boy was the one who he bumped into and the flare in his eyes made every ounce of joy Hitoshi had five seconds ago completely evaporate.
"Watch where you're going, freaky hair!" Bakugou yelled.
"Hey wait! It's Shinsou! That guy we told you about!" Tsubasa pointed out.
Hitoshi felt compelled to run at that moment but Shiosho must've noticed that and had already grabbed him, painful crystals from their quirk digging into him. "You're not running this time, villain."
As he thought of ways maybe he could break out the blond kid got angry. "Why the hell should I care about him?"
"Because we told you, his quirk is bad. Not to mention he hangs out with that weird monster." Pangaki explained.
Hitoshi knew that the other kids saw Ana. When school was on she walked him up every morning with the same outfit she wore from when she first scared them away. It helped stop the bullies from following him to the park as they didn't want to go anywhere near that 'freak face'.
"Monster?" Bakugou said and the kid nodded back in response. "I don't care."
The blond brat really didn't seem to care much about him and just walked off, leaving his friends behind with Hitoshi. The boy hoped that would get them to go away but it didn't as the trio still smiled a sickly grin and began to drag the boy further into the arcade despite his protests.
He couldn't make noise due to the building's ambience and because he was taken all the way to a room of the place where not a lot of people go, with a bunch of broken machines lying around. He was thrown to the tile floor as the other kids stood above him, leering down.
"What the hell does a villain loser like you think you're doing here? You don't deserve to be in a place this good." Pangaki spat.
"Yeah! Someone like you shouldn't get the good places when all you'll be is a villain with a creepy quirk." Tsubasa added, wings flapping.
Hitoshi felt afraid. Very afraid as all the kids, except for Bakugou, just insulted him and inched closer. He just wanted it to stop somehow, he hoped at least they wouldn't start hurting him. But of course, if he was hurt already….
Shiosho with a smile said, "A freak like you should know your place."
They raised their hand up, small salt spikes growing in their palm as they grasped Hitoshi's arm and the pain was instant. The stinging pains and the salt digging into wounds as he let out a pained shout. The flesh almost sizzled slightly as the brat pressed harder before they let go, Hitoshi immediately nursed his arm as he slinked back and layed under a broken arcade machine.
The viscous grins they gave made the boy feel even more like screaming and he almost did but he didn't want to give them anything. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction of making him truly scared.
So to push down his fear, he did what he always did when he was afraid. He deflected and pretended he was fine. That he was stronger than he looked. That he really was the bad guy who wasn't phased by anything.
"Y-you know. Heroes don't typically t-torture villains." Hitoshi said shakily.
"Heh." Pangaki chuckled. "What does a loser villain like you know about heroes?"
"N-not a lot but apparently more than you, y-you fucking bully!" Hitoshi sneered and it seemed to make the kid more angry at him as he gave a kick to Shinsou's leg.
"Shiosho, pick him up." Pangaki commanded and the tall kid grasped Hitoshi by the arm, then by the back of his neck as they pulled him up.
Hitoshi could swear he could taste the salt, as small crystals pierced his skin and stun like acid as he grasped the other boy's hand to try and pry it off with little success. Meanwhile, Tsubasa was giggling and Pangaki got close to look him in the eyes.
"I want you to listen here and listen once," he snarled, "'cause from now you're going to get taught through pain just what you'll always be. A loser villain. Someone who will just do bad and get beaten up by heroes because that's all you'll ever be with that quirk. No matter what."
Tears started to brim in his eyes from the pain and the words that both stung more than anything. But he didn't want to give in.
"I won't be a villain. I'll become a hero and when I do, I'll make sure to put guys like you in jail!" he growled, trying desperately to not break down.
Pangaki gave a little chuckle before he just punched Hitoshi in the stomach, winding the boy and causing his legs to go weak as he struggled to keep up, only aided by Shiosho's grasp.
"You really think you could be a hero?" Pangaki laughed. "You'll never be anything! Except a lonely," a punch, "freaky," punch, "villain," punch, "for the rest of your life!"
Hitoshi felt like he was going to throw up. Every punch felt harsher than the last and he so badly just wanted to cry already. He wanted to, he really did. And maybe he would've a few months ago. He would've begged for someone to come over and save him because he didn't have the courage to stand on his own fully but now…
Yamada thought he could be a hero. Izuku knew he could be a hero. And most of all…
"You're wrong…" Hitoshi groaned. "Because… because…"
He took a breath.
"I will become a hero no matter what anyone tells me!"
And before anyone could react, he stretched his arm over ripped a salt crystal off of Shiosho's shoulder, crushed it and then threw the salt into the kid's eyes. He let out a yelp and dropped Shinsou who charged towards Pangaki and punched him hard in the face, sending the boy to the floor where he screeched.
He ran past a panicking Tsubasa and out to the rest of the arcade where he limped to where he last saw Ana. She wasn't there so he kept running until he stumbled upon her at a whack-a-mole game and grabbed her leg immediately. He held on tightly as he heard the kids shout behind him.
Ana turned to look at him and saw his state and looked to the kids who were chasing. Pangaki had a bloody nose that he was nursing and Shiosho's eyes were red from the stinging salt. Tsubasa was behind them, blundering as they caught up to the kid.
Ana pulled Hitoshi behind her as she crouched into a stance, Izuku on the other end probably seething as the kids immediately stopped upon seeing her, their faces blanching.
His friend didn't need to know what was going on. He just saw his clearly hurt friend running from some kids so of course he was going to stop them from getting to him. The doll raised her arms and Izuku stared down the brats through the lens so hard he swore they felt it and they backed away immediately.
"T-this isn't over mindfreak! I'll tell my mom and everyone about what you did!" Pangaki shouted as he and his friends scurried away, leaving the doll and the boy alone.
Hitoshi relaxed immediately when they ran and the adrenaline was now starting to crash down and the pain along with it, his stomach aching and his limbs in pain from salt scratches and a kick respectively. He looked up at the doll, who was still staring out in case they came back but once Hitoshi's grip slackened Ana immediately looked down at him with a snap.
She immediately scooped him up and carried him out of the arcade, taking him to a small pharmacy where she bought some stuff to help his bruises and cuts.
They hadn't said anything but that's probably because of the urgent matter of making sure he's safe before anything else. Thankfully Hitoshi had a lot to think about.
He fought back. He never fought back at least with violence and he even didn't need to use his quirk! He did it all on his own, without Izuku, his quirk or anyone whatsoever. He stood up for himself and for once in a long time he was proud of himself.
He picked up his phone and texted Izuku, too pained to speak without his stomach hurting.
TrollDoll: they punched me in the stomach
and burned my arm. But I punched them back!
CursedDoll: why?
TrollDoll: they're from my school. They were
the same guys who were bullying me the day
we properly met.
CursedDoll: did you punch that grey haired
guy in the face?
TrollDoll: hell yeah
The doll looked at him and he could feel the smile behind the camera, no doubt just as proud of his friend as he was. He couldn't help but give that cheshire smile of his back as his friend kept tending to his wounds. Apparently the spikes on Pangaki's knuckles pierced his belly a bit and there was some blood seeping out hidden by his black shirt.
It hurt but with some painkillers it faded slightly and the doll made sure to bandage the cuts after sterilising them with alcohol swabs. His phone began to vibrate again.
CursedDoll: i can carry you home if you want.
TrollDoll: please
The doll knelt down, intending to give Hitoshi a piggyback ride as the two took off. Not wanting to hang around anymore seeing how bad Hitoshi was hurt. They headed to the train station and then back home.
All the while Hitoshi was beaming. Yes he was beaten and battered, yes he was hurt. But he stood up for himself and what he wanted to be. No one was going to stop him from being a hero, he'd like to see the world try.