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Chapter Text

Bakugou was gone. One of the manliest guys Kirishima has ever met, his friend, was snatched up by villains and taken. The worse part was that everyone was sitting here and moping as if there was nothing they could do.

And Kirishima couldn’t accept that.

They had to do something.

Todoroki agreed. Kirishima wasn’t really close to the guy, majorly because his first impression was so standoffish to the class before he suddenly thawed out sometime after the tournament. He also started using a fire side of his quirk that Kirishima had no idea he possessed. Neither did Bakugou. 

Oh man, once Bakugou figured it out, things got really ugly. 

So when he and Todoroki overheard Yaoyorozu talk about her tracker…

Iida was against it. He overheard them talking to Yaoyorozu when he came to visit her and was furious at the thought. Kirishima knew he was right. They should leave it to the pros.

But he couldn’t call himself a real hero, or even a man, is he just stood there and did nothing.

The problem was that Kirishima didn’t know what to do.

Apparently, Todoroki did. Or rather, “Someone who can help.”

“Are you sure this is the place?”

Todoroki said nothing. Which was kind of a dickish move, since they had been standing here for the last 15 minutes in the middle of some random street late at night. So far only one person passed by, and it was a girl who quickly walked past them, obviously nervous. Kirishima couldn’t blame her. If he saw a bunch of teens idlily hanging under a poorly lit sidewalk looking around, he’d be wary too. Kirishima tried again.

“Is this person even coming?”

Todoroki tore his eyes from the rooftops with a slight frown. “He usually patrols in this area.”

“You didn’t contact him!” Yaoyorozu politely ignores the boys’ outcry.

“Patrol? Is he a hero?”

“Not quite.” Was the answer, which shocks Kirishima even more. How rebellious was Todoroki?

Iida looked ready to say something, or perhaps lecture Todoroki to kingdom come, but Todoroki stepped away from the group, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, “He leaves me no choice."

He pauses a good distance away, and with a deep breath, cups his fingers and yells “ALL MIGHT SUCKS!”

It echoes into the night, fading over Iida’s passionate rant about Todoroki disrespecting his teachers and that he should not be calling who Iida thinks it is or even be associating with them in the first place. 

Wait a minute…

“You know who’s coming?” Kirishima cuts off Iida’s rant mid chop. “You’ve met Todoroki’s fellow rebel?” Yaoyorozu too, waits for the answer.

Iida adjust his glasses, a frown slighting his face. “If it’s the person I believe it is, yes. I met him during the Hosu attack.  He’s a vigilante, and a close friend of Todoroki.” 

“Todoroki is hanging with a vigilante?!” Not that Kirishima really had anything against vigilantes, as long as they didn’t hurt heroes or civilians. But this was so surprising! What kind of double life was this guy living?

Metal clatters in the distance, and all four turned to the sound. It came from the alleyway diagonal to them, where a trashcan apparently tipped over. A raccoon pops out from the trash and freezes at the sight of them, and something smacks Todoroki in the back of the head.

“YOU TAKE IT BACK HEATHEN! ALL MIGHT IS-oh! Hi, Master Todoroki!” It takes Kirishima a second to realize that the voice is coming from a telephone pole near them. Or more accurately, a cloaked teenager perched on top of the telephone pole. Todoroki sits up from where he had fallen, grabbing the plastic water bottle that had hit him.

“Mighty, I told you not to call me that.”

The guy, Mighty, hunches a little into himself. Which also makes him look one breeze away from falling off. “Sorry, Master Shouto.”

Master? And first name basis too? What kind of guy was Todoroki?!

“That’s not what I meant.” Todoroki sighs, but there’s a fond smile on his face. He gets up from the floor. “Mighty, these are my classmates:  Kirishima and Yaoyorozu. You’ve already met Iida.”

“Oh my goodness! I get to meet more of my master’s friends! Heroes in training too! This is such an honor!” Mighty must have balance quirk or something, because there is no way he can jump up and down excitedly on that pole without falling off. But Kirishima’s having second doubts when they all start rising off the floor towards Todoroki’s friend, loose gravel and leaves along with them. The tipped over trashcan and other garbage scraps itself closer to the excited boy, and even the nearby buildings and lampposts creak and strain towards him.

“Mighty!” 

Everything pauses before they are dropped to the ground. Pebbles clatter and metal clanks onto the street. The ground rumbles as buildings return to their ground level, leaving the sound of car alarms and dogs barking in the distance. Kirishima watches a lamppost flicker one, twice, three times before staying on as before. How powerful was this guy?

“Sorry!” Mighty squeaks from above. “Are you guys okay?”

“We’re fine.” Todoroki brushes off a stray pebble, not at all concerned by just what happened. He cut straight to the point. “We need your help.” Yaoyorozu takes it as cue to relax.

“Yes, no need to worry.” She called. “It’s nice to meet you as well. Why don’t you come down and we can discuss why we came?”

The vigilante shakes his head. “I would love to, but I’m too tall.”

Kirishima scratches his head, because what? “Well, if you come down from the telephone pole..” Todoroki head shake makes Kiri sentence putter off. 

“It’s hard to get him on the ground in this state.” Was all he says before beckoning up to his friend. “Why don’t we meet you up there instead?”

“Master Shouto is so smart!” A blinding smile peeks out from the vigilante’s hooded face. He points up to a four-story building. “We can meet on that roof over there. Let me bring you all up.”

The tug is back, lifting them off the pavement and onto the rooftop where Mighty waits, perched hazardously on the edge with his hood off. When they are safely on the rooftop does the vigilante drop his quirk.  Now closer, Kirishima can see the guy’s features a little better. He’s got green eyes and a tangle of hair that twists out in all directions, along with a pepper of freckles trailing across his cheeks. It’s also less of a cloak that covers him and more of a huge ratty blanket swaddled around him and pinned with a giant button, stopping a little above the ankles of his bare feet. Honestly he looked as homeless as Aizawa-sensei, except more rugged and wild. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you all in person,” A sunny smile is lighting the vigilante’s face. “You all did so amazing in the sports festival, I couldn’t take my eyes off any of you! The way Yaoyorozu produces items so fluidly and effortless for any situation with such a calm manner, a reliable hero for any specialty! And Kirishima, so strong with a quirk both ideal in offense and defense, there is so much you can do with it. I have so many questions about all of your quirks…” Iida clears his throat, stopping the vigilante from his continued mutterings. Kirishima was glad, because as nice as the words were, he sounded so creepy.

“Right! Sorry, Iida.” The vigilante smiles sheepishly. “How is your brother doing?”

Iida was caught off-guard. “Yes, well… he is recovering. As soon as my brother adjusts, he plans to go back in the field to assists in any way he can.” Although, in his condition, he can’t…

Mighty claps his hands. “As expected from Ingenium!  I can’t wait to see him again on the field. Please tell your brother that I wish him a swift recovery.”

Iida nods, but his teeth grind even more. The vigilante’s words remind him of the earlier argument he had with the group. Of his frustrations and past mistakes. “I still do not agree with seeking the help of a vigilante or this plan.” He looks up with determination set in his jaw. “But as class representative, because I disagree, I had to come. To ensure our actions do not burden others!”

“And we won’t” Kirishima promises. He turns to Mighty. “Our mission is covert action! We’re going to save Bakugou without breaking the rules.”

“I see,” was what Mighty says after a moment. He stands and steps away from the edge.“U.A.’s reputation is already at stake, but you couldn’t just sit still…”  Mighty beats his chest, passion overflowing from his eyes. “I know you may not trust me as you trust my master! And I do not know Bakugou as you all do! But believe me when I say that I will do everything in my power to help you save him!  As a vigilante, I am not bound by the same rules of U. A.’s students. So please use me where your arms cannot reach!”

“Mighty,” Todoroki starts, but the vigilante shakes his head, approaching the teen.

“Your heart is so kind, Master Shouto.” Mighty gently grabs his master’s fingers, treasuring the reassurance it still brings in the pledge he made so long ago. “It’s one of the many reasons I chose to call you my master. But do not worry if something happens to me in order for you to complete your mission.” 

He let’s go of Todoroki’s hands and faces the others. “Top heroes have stories about them from their school days. Most have one thing in common: their bodies moved before they had a chance to think. I can see that you all will become amazing heroes, so I cannot allow anything to happen that will prevent you from reaching your goals!”

And Kirishima is moved by this. They all are. He can hear it in the way Yaoyorozu speaks. “I can see why Todoroki trusts you. Let me share with you what we have so far, so that we may work together to build a plan that benefits everyone without expendability. It would also hurt Todoroki to see any harm come to his friends.”

The vigilante’s grin comes back full force, tears wobbling at the corner of his eyes as Todoroki gives her a grateful nod. She smiles back and continues with telling the vigilante what has transpired so far, who follows intensely with occasion questions and commentary. It’s scary how quickly he picks apart the information, hungrily analyzing all that he can to accurately piece together what to do next. 

As the night goes on, Kirishima can’t help but wonder how life would be if Mighty was a hero student. He a good guy, with such a bright personality. And with such a powerful quirk…

“I need to know a little bit more about your quirks to get a good idea of what we can do, but its only fair that I share my quirk as well.”

“It’s called Inverse,” Mighty starts off. “I can attract objects to my person. The smaller and closer an object is, the easier it is for me to attract. I can attract many objects at once, but the amount depends on the size and the proximity. The bigger I am, however, the less powerful the attraction is. I can’t turn my quirk off, but with some practice, I can control how much of each state I exhibit.”

Oh, now it makes sense why Todoroki wanted to meet him on the roof. Even now, Kirishima can feel it. The hairs on his arms are all pointing in the vigilante’s direction. Pebbles, dirt, leaves, and other small objects cling to Mighty’s outfit like they were drawn by a magnet. If he could almost lift building at that height…

What heights did Mighty have to reach, to not attract anything at all?

Chapter Text

The plan to save Bakugou putters out when they find where the signal ended.

A secret warehouse, full of stasis Nomus. With no Bakugou or villains in sight.

There wasn’t much they could do after that.

But their feelings of despair jumped into shock when a giant foot came out of nowhere to smash the warehouse with a truck. Mighty gasped, stars in his eyes. “Mt. Lady! A giant like me!”

Kirishima glances at the shorter vigilante, who looks even smaller with the king-sized bedsheet they bought that swallowed his frame, a then at the giant pro. He glances at Todoroki but as always, his classmate didn’t acknowledge it. So he went back to listening what the heroes where saying as they rounded up the Nomus, which cemented how fast and efficient the pros can be. And reminded Kirishima how far away he was from their level.

Iida voiced the same thought. “See? The pro heroes were able to take necessary action faster than we could! We should leave now. There is nothing left for us to do.” 

“They mentioned All Might’s team,” the vigilante spoke up. “That must be where your classmate is.”

“That’s true,” Yaoyorozu nodded. “But if All Might is on the scene, then there is no reason for us to worry. Let’s go, quick.” She gestured towards the end of the alleyway. Iida was quick to move with her, the others following close behind. That is until Mighty stops. Kirishima pauses to see why, and he doesn’t have to wait long when a voice slinks out of the rubble’s shadows.

“Sorry Tiger, but I’ve had my eye on her quirk for quite a while…It was just too good…I had to have it.”

The pros are immediately on alert, but the voice, male, continues as if nothing was wrong. But Kirishima, like everyone there, knows something is wrong with the man behind the voice. The man who is too relaxed, too ready to address the heroes.

 And when Best Jeanist attacks the man, things do go wrong.

It’s like someone cut the air, ripping everything to shreds before spitting it out in a storm of dust and smoke. Somehow, miraculously, the flimsy alleyway wall between them and the destruction stays standing. The pros aren’t as lucky.

Clapping fills the air. “I see why you’re the #4 hero, Best Jeanist. That blast should have annihilated the lot of you. But you were able to manipulate everyone’s clothing and move everyone out in time.” Tall and proud is this man, this villain, as he observes the fallen heroes struggling to stand. “Quick thinking. Consider me…impressed.”

Best Jeanist, in response, sends a vicious attack towards the masked villain. In turn, the villain blows a freaking hole through the #4 Pro Hero’s stomach.

They should be moving to safety, all of them running, fueled by the consuming fear this villain creates. Yet none of them do. Kirishima wants to, but he. Can’t. Move.

He took out 3 pros, in an instant! Is what Kirishima’s brain screams, death flashing across his eyes. His body won’t listen.

He hears the sounds of retching next to him. It comes from Mighty, black sludge oozing from his mouth. But it doesn’t fall to the floor. Instead in swallows the vigilante whole, leaving nothing but thin streams in Todoroki’s outstretched hands.

“Mighty!”

Todoroki’s cry is lost to the sound of two people coughing on the battlefield, Mighty’s and another familiar voice.

“Damnit! Th-The hell?!”

 “My apologies Bakugou. Izuku.” The villain waits as the two teens regain their bearings.

“Huh?” Bakugou is immediately on edge, confused by this new location and enemy. Mighty however, knows exactly who this is.
“S-Sensei.”

Tomura and the other league members appear, complaining and coughing. Kirishima though, can’t take his eyes off the two. Bakugou doesn’t look injured, and that’s good. Mighty doesn’t look their way, eyes glued to the floor. 

Did he know this would happen? Was he a part of this all along?

“No,” Todoroki murmurs next to him, as if sensing his thoughts. It must also be Iida’s and Yaoyorozu’s as well, because they too turn towards the dual quirk user, waiting for an explanation. They don’t get it, silenced when Shigaraki begins to speak.

“Master.” The villain turns towards the League’s leader.

“So, you fail once more Tomura. But you must not be discouraged. You’ll try again. That’s why I brought your associates back with you. Even these children,” both Bakugou and Mighty tense. “The one you judged as an important piece on your gameboard, and the one you made an oath with long ago. Start over as many times as it takes. I am here to provide you with help. All of this, is for you.” Todoroki’s hands clench into fists.

“We need to save them.”

“Ah, there you are.”

Kirishima’s head whips back to the villains, terrified that they were discovered, but no. The villain is looking up at the sky. In the distance, a figure hurls towards the man. 

“I’ll have you return my student, All for One!” All Might collides with the villain, who holds him off with his arms.

“Have you come to kill me a second time, All Might?”

Their collision grows, neither side winning. So great that it explodes outwards like a supernova, tossing everyone back.

Well, almost everyone.

Because in those moments of buildup, those precious milliseconds of surprise, Izuku.

Grows.

The blanket that once shrouded Izuku now barely provides modesty as he grows taller. Taller than the buildings. Taller than Mt. Lady. Tall enough to grab Bakugou, to scoop the teens hiding in the alleyway, and toss them to safety.

Bakugou is the first to right himself, using his quirk to steer through the air and grab Kirishima. A jetpack bursts out of Yaoyorozu’s back and she grabs Iida. Todoroki uses burst of flames and ice, turning around.

“Izuku!” 

Tears rolled down the vigilante’s cheeks, dripping on a quivering smile. “Fly away quickly, my lord. It was an honor to-!” A pained scream rips from Mighty’s throat as giant tendrils, pulsating red, pierce into his skin. 

“So that is your master.” Streaks of lighting burst out of the tendrils and the vigilante convulses widely, unrelentless as the giant begins to shrink smaller and smaller. “What an interesting choice, however temporary.” Around them, the buildings begin to tremble.

“Get together!” Yaoyorozu orders, and Todoroki doesn’t hesitate. They link like the Calvary battle in the Sports festival, with Kirishima as the rider. Yaoyorozu amps the power in her jetpack while Iida activates his quirk, sending a burst of speed away from Mighty and the villains.

Good that they did, for Izuku was the now the size of a four-year-old, the age he received his quirk, the smallest he could go. The strongest Attraction could be.

Maybe it was because they were heavier together, or maybe because they were too far away. Maybe it was a combination of both, but the teens fought off the quirk’s hold. Even still, Kirishima lost his horns, and Todoroki his wig. The items fly behind them, joining the fallen buildings and upturned streets that are pulled to a speck far, far away.

“Maybe a few more enhancers next time.” All for One noted as All Might struggled to get up from the latest blow. The villain had to let go of his hold on Izuku when dealing with All Might’s interference, but there was no point of holding on when the UA students got out of range. The child had grown back to regular human size, but unconscious in every sense of the world. Good. Not that the boy wouldn’t obey him and go with Tomura if he was still conscious, but it is easier this way. “Get off the battlefield Tomura and take that child with you. Fill your part of the oath, and he will give you the same loyalty displayed towards that U.A. student. Kurogiri, warp them away.”

Magne freaks out when All for One uses the same quirk that knocked out the vigilante on their warp user, but Tomura doesn’t bother to listen to his master’s explanation. All Might is coming this way.

“What about you?” He asks instead when Sensei forcefully activates Kurogiri’s quirk.

“You’re not thinking Tomura,” All for One lifts himself into the air. “There is still room to grow.”

But still, Tomura hesitates. “Master…”

“Let’s go, Shigaraki.” Mr. Compress finishes marbling up the unconscious teen, Dabi already sitting safely in his pocket. “While our masked friend is keeping AM entertained.” The rest of the League hurries to jump in before the next collision. Tomura is last, grabbing Kurogiri, glancing up one last time at his Master, his mentor, his savior.

“Tomura,” All for One states calmly, watching as All Might speeds towards him. “You must continue the fight.

With that, All Might smashes into All for One, and Tomura is flung into the portal.

Days later, Tomura is sitting in a dirty warehouse, tossing a marble up and down. Careful not to catch it with all five fingers. He pauses to hold it between his thumb and index, staring at the object. If he holds it up to the light, he can see the teen trapped inside, curled in a blanket, still dead to the world.

Curled up in a blanket, Izuku looks up at the nine-year-old he leans on, who is occupied with a comic book held in special gloves.

“Tomura,” the four-year old’s stomach rumbles. “Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Oh.” After a while, Izuku’s stomach rumbles again. “Are you sure you’re not hungry, Tomura?”

“Stop asking me that!” Tomura snaps, whacking the younger on the head with the comic book. “It’s your stomach that’s grumbling, stupid. So why would I be hungry?”

“B-because,” Izuku whines, clutching his head. “You haven’t had lunch yet. A-and it’s bad if I eat before m-my Master! My daddy said so!”

“Well I’m not your Master!” Tomura growls. “So go eat and bother someone else!”

“No! You are my Master!”

“Says who?”

“Me! And Sensei agrees!”

“Sensei just says that because he’s so nice! You should follow him instead! Because he’s so nice and strong…and he doesn’t mess up like I do…” Tears well up in angry red eyes, and the toddler instinctively tackles the other into a hug. Tomura flops down on the ground, squeezing the younger tightly to his chest with full sobs. Gloved fingers digging into Izuku’s back painfully. Izuku doesn’t care.

“Y-you’re nice too. You want me to eat when I’m hungry, and you w-want me to have a good master to follow. A-and, yesterday, you destroyed that boulder I couldn’t lift. Not even in my giant form! You were super strong! You’re the best master!” The four-year-old instead cries into Tomura’s shoulder, hoping he understands. And Tomura does, a little. Enough to calm down to quiet sniffles.

“Like Sensei?”

“Like Sensei,” Izuku promises. “But better, because you’re Tomura! You’re my master!”

“What if I become mean and weak?” Tomura whispers, hands moving to claw instead at his own neck. “What if I become a bad master? What if you find a better master?”

“Oh,” Having another lord than Tomura? It hurts to think about. Izuku squeezes Tomura even harder. It sounds so wrong. 

“I-I think I would be very sad.” Izuku mummers into Tomura’s shoulder. “So that’s why Tomura will always be my master. Even if I get… another lord, even if they are stronger and nicer, if you show me that you’re still nice and strong I will come back. Because Tomura is Tomura, and I will always come back to Tomura.” The four-year-old let’s go, offering a pinky up to the older. Green eyes glisten with determination. 

“I promise.”

Tomura leans closer to the marble. 

“It’s time to come back, Izuku.”