Chapter Text
Toshinori woke in a cold sweat, heart pounding frantically against his chest. He tried to suck in a deep breath, only to forget how to breathe temporarily. His hands reached up to pull through his hair, trying to get his mind to remember that he needed air. When his brain could convince his lungs to help him breathe, he let out a pathetic groan.
It was only two o’clock in the morning. He gazes at his wife, who is sleeping with their son’s favorite All Might Teddy bear. He felt a stabbing pain pierce his heart when he saw his wife curled up in a ball, holding their son’s favorite toy as if it were a lifeline. Dried tear tracks on her cheeks were visible underneath the moon’s light, showing how heartbroken Inko was over the situation.
“We will find them, Toshinori. We have the best of the best working on this case.”
The nightmare Toshinori had woken up from was a cruel, recurring nightmare. It has been occurring for the past few months since they received devastating news about their son.
He dreams of his green hair child, Izuku, being taken away by a shadowed figure. If his mind was especially cruel, the one stealing his child would be All for One. If his nightmares decide that it is All for One will be the one stealing his child, and the villain will taunt him. The villain would flash a wide grin stretching across his face as Izuku slept peacefully. If it were a shadow figure, it would grin as it bears its fangs.
He would reach an arm toward Izuku, desperately trying to reach for his son. When his hand was inches away from his son, the one snatching his child would conveniently put some distance between them. He would muster up the stamina to sprint miles ahead, leaving a trail of dust clouds. The vicious cycle would continue several times until his son wakes and begins wailing. When, not if Izuku starts crying, that’s when the nightmare becomes his personal version of hell.
They would run to a graveyard, whether it was an unknown figure or All for One. At this point, Toshinori would push beyond his limitations to gain some distance. He would try and try to catch up, but he would only get further behind. He calls for his son to say that everything will be fine and that his father will save him. Then, he would find himself standing in front of an unmarked grave without explanation. He would look around, wondering why he was standing in front of an unmarked grave.
Looking down at his feet, he sees his son's pale and still face.
Izuku has been missing for three months after his third birthday. On the first anniversary of their son’s disappearance, a grotesque package was sent to the Tsukauchi that will shatter the family life forever.
The first item Tsukauchi found was a crystal clear photo that showed the child’s face. The chubby cheeks, freckles, and wild green hair were the exact features of the couple’s missing son. The detective has a sinking feeling about what he will find in the package, but he must continue. If they were to get answers for Izuku’s disappearances, Tsukauchi needs to go through the package. It’s not for him but for his friends.
The second item he found was a zip lock bag containing hair clippings, specifically green hair. Tsukauchi fears for the child’s safety, praying that this won’t turn out like most similar cases he had previously dealt with. The only reason someone would send hair clippings was to prove they had the person in question in their grasp. It’s to point to the other person and grab their attention.
The third item caused Tsukauchi to bend over and throw up on the floor. He held a vivid picture of a mutilated corpse with Izuku’s face in his hands. The eyes of the corpse were dull and lifeless, void of any light that life provides. Dried tears could be seen in the photo, indicating that the child’s last moments were painful.
The last item was a letter addressed to the couple, mocking how much of a failure the couple was as parents. Most of the letter is dedicated to mocking Toshinori’s failure as a hero.
“Can you call yourselves parents? It was ridiculously easy to steal Izuku away I was disappointed by the daycare’s lack of security. Honestly, you should have chosen a daycare with better security and train personal. Not one worker stopped me when I held Izuku in my arms despite how much the child wanted to get away from me. All I had to do was provide a generous cash gift and a fictitious story about being the child’s uncle, It was effortless to walk away from the daycare from the child.
I expected more from you, considering that one is a hero and the other is a lawyer. I wonder if it would be more of a challenge if I abduct Izuku’s half-brother. Teenagers are always difficult to deal with, especially the ones in heroics. If I grow bored again, I may try to kidnap your son if he has not graduated by then.
Yagi, if you’re reading this letter, you should listen to my advice and retire from being a hero. Your inability to find and save your son indicates your abilities. Can you call yourself a hero if you can’t protect your flesh and blood? If a hero can’t protect their child, what qualifies them to save everyone else with a stupid smile? How many more children are going to die due to your incompetence? What will your failures cost you in the future? Another child's life? The life of an entire family? Casualties that reach up to the thousands? Who knows?
Izuku was an intelligent toddler who could have amounted to something great. It was such a waste that I had to dispose of him when I got bored of your lack of progress.
Many years later…
A green hair child stares at the gates of UA, ready to become the hero who once and for all takes down the one who robbed him of everything. His childhood, innocence, and the truth of his origins.