Plans

As Nick got home he went straight to his room. His dad had finally settled down from the recent attack he was involved in and had gone back to practically living at work. His mum was already in bed. Quickly reheating some of the leftover pizza they had in the fridge he ate that as he went up to his room.

Sitting at his desk he opened his laptop. Securing his laptop and making sure that he had all his defences running to keep himself hidden and safe he went to the site that he normally used. Smiling to himself he saw that all three of his targets had been found. Nodding his head he looked at the time, he had enough time to find maybe one of them. One was close as well, it wouldn't be hard.

Grabbing what he needed he climbed out of his window and made his way towards his first target.

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Having changed his form when he left to something random then once more changed it to Andrew as he got into the nightlife of the city. Luckily for him, the first target was in Musutafu, being so close by he hoped that he could at least entice him to go to the clinic tonight.

He had a game plan, as long as people stayed loyal to him then he wouldn't mind doing what he could improve their bodies, but he would put backup measures in there. Something that would force them to stay loyal to him, at least something like that.

Hearing the loud crash of music, every low beat matched the timing of the flashing neon lights that blared throughout the street. The chattering of hollering of groups of older teens filled the air as they made their way through the crowd. Andrew who stood well over most people's heights simply walked through the crowd that divided around him. Not caring about the looks he was getting. They didn't matter.

Seeing his target standing before the doors of the club he just leaned against the wall opposite the bouncer. Staring at him from across the street.

Looking at the man he saw the bags under his eyes, the lack of sleep. Probably being forced to work hours that he could barely keep up with in a dangerous job such as this. He felt pity for the man. He knew that he had resentment towards those that abused him in the past, but he didn't know what that story was.

Waiting for a while longer he saw someone else come out and pat the man on the shoulder. Saying something in his ear over the loud crash of music. As he went inside the building Andrew made his way around the side and down one of the back allies. Seeing a couple passed out by a bin with vomit running down their chins he just shook his head.

Getting around the back of the building after hopping a fence and getting rid of a wall in his way he was soon in the small back 'smoking' area of the club, an alley that had its entrance bricked over. It wasn't hard to get in once he had known the layout.

Hearing the drone of the music echoing throughout the alley dully he felt the reverberation of the low notes through his hand on the wall. He had never been one for clubbing, he didn't get the charm of being deafened… but then again he didn't have any friends in his old life…

After waiting for a moment soon the back door opened. The heavy clang of metal slammed into a hard frame as it was thrown close aggressively. A heavy sigh sounded through the alley echoing off the brick walls just barely audible over the thrum of music.

Leaning against a wall mostly in shadow Nick just tilted his head to the side waiting to be noticed by the clearly exhausted Yo Hojo.

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Hojo took out a cigarette from the crumpled pack in his pocket. Honestly, it just was another thing on top of the already massive pile of shit he was dealing with. Trying to straighten the thing out somewhat he could do nothing but sigh as he threw the pack aggressively at the floor. Why did everything have to be so hard. Taking out the lighter he flicked it a few times, the flame dancing and making the otherwise dim alley briefly wash with a warm glow.

Seeing something out of the corner of his eyes he quickly turned his head getting in a defensive position as he saw the flames ignite the features of a reedy man, his hair a dull purple maroon and his eyes a dull orange. Putting the lighter down he backed away, despite the man's thin appearance he could see the developed muscle. This man held himself as if he could fight.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Hojo demanded as he bit down on the end of his cigarette, hard. Why did this have to happen to him? He just wanted to have a small break, a moment to himself. Feeling his rage and annoyance start to bubble it dissipated as fast as it had come.

"My boss wants to give you a job, a new chance. Something better than here." His voice was deeper than Hojo expected.

"Why should I trust you? How did you even get in here?" Hojo said, he wanted to believe that this was real, but he had no reason to. He needed to ask more questions.

"You don't need to trust me, but what do you have to lose? My boss can make you much stronger than you are now. Give you a purpose, something to strive towards. That is why I joined him because he helped me with something I thought was impossible. He showed me that I could be more than a 'monkey in a cage' as some people have put it." Walking forward as he spoke the man held out a piece of paper.

"Be here at 12 if you want an opportunity. Even if it is not tonight, whenever you can. The doctor will always leave a spot open for you." Finishing what he had to say.

"Wait… how… how can I trust you, what if this is a trap?" Hojo responded, trying to find a reason not to, he didn't know why. Maybe he just didn't want to have hope that it could all get better.

"I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but who would want to trap you? You have nothing from what it seems, hell you were about to break down because your cigarettes were crumpled." The man said as he reached into his pocket and took out a pack, shaking it and holding it out to Hojo.

Looking at the clean white rolls he couldn't help but feel his throat tighten. No one had offered him something in such a long long long time. Reaching out shakily he took one of the offered cigarettes. Raising it to his lips he lit it as he felt the warmth of the foul-tasting smoke enter his mouth.

Walking past him the man took the pack and closed it before putting it in the man's pocket carefully. Hojo didn't even try to stop him, he had nothing to pickpocket if that was what the man was going for. "I hope you'll be there tonight. You're stronger than you think, and the doctor can make you even stronger. Strong enough to get back at whatever this place has done to you. He can help, he will help. So give us a chance to give you a place to belong."

Nodding his head slowly he watched the man keep on walking past him and to the brick wall. Jumping the man cleared it in a single bound. Standing on the bricks as he said, "Have a good night Mr Hojo." His words were almost sympathetic as with a few more bounds he climbed up onto the roof and was soon gone from sight. Standing there watching where the man had faded from he just stood where he was. The dim light that his cigarette was giving off danced across his features and through the coiling smoke.

Hearing the voice of someone calling him inside he wondered if he could really escape this place. What would happen to his debt? To the people that were in charge of him?

The Marionette wouldn't be happy if he left… but could a difference really be made? He wasn't on late tonight so he might as well go… it wasn't far from where he lived either.

Sighing he pocketed the paper as he took the last drag of his cigarette then made his way back into the harsh lights and loud music. Once again ready to do his job but feeling not so… hopeless…

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On his way to the forest, Nick had changed from Andrew to a random appearance. Then from that, he turned into the Doctor as he faded into the floor. Become less than smoke as moved through the streets small barely noticeable eyes guiding him, letting him see where he was going as he travelled through the ground. It was a bit past 12, 2 hours from when he had met up with Hojo.

Getting to the clinic he saw the three people gathered inside. Yomi, Kendo and Hojo had come. Seeing this he smiled as he waited on the ground. Listening in with a constructed ear. "So Andrew met with you huh? My sparing partner acts as a recruiter. This doctor better be strong enough to justify using my friend as he is…" Kendo said as he grumbled something.

Moving out of the floor a thin mist of particles formed in the air. Everyone in the room looked at it as the doctor came into the room. As the particles condensed down only Yomi wasn't shocked as the plague mask of the doctor formed first, his body condensing down behind it as he came into the room. Eyes a dull crimson glow.

Forming he looked at the members of the room as he let out a small sigh, he was too far in to back out now.

Seeing Yomi stand a little taller he looked at the man, the mask he was wearing seeming to give him confidence, that much was clear. "Doctor," Yomi said in greeting as he nodded his head respectfully.

"Yomi, I am glad to see you came. And you two, thank you for coming as well, I had hoped that Andrew would be persuasive enough." Walking out into the room he said to all of them. "I am sure you are all wondering what my goals are, and why I am doing this?" His voice was as bland as he could make it, he didn't want the doctor to be known apart from when he was healing or meeting new members for the first time.

"I have been thinking a lot about my goal, what I want from doing this." He said, his voice cutting off Kendo who was about to speak up, his gaze settling on the man causing him to fall quiet.

He had, he had been thinking about those that he would heal with this business, first off, he didn't want to only heal villains. He wanted his service to be open to all that and had enough money, Heroes being cheaper. While he had been thinking about how he would do that he figured he would have two clinics, this one for villains with enough power. Since he wanted to gain information and have a foothold in the underground, enough that if or when All for One came back to power he could have either a way in or a way to help the Heroes from the inside. He knew the future, he should at least try and use that knowledge.

But he would admit, he wasn't used to this world, he would need help, someone a lot smarter than him.

He should have started by asking them but honestly, he only thought about it once he really started to consider this plan and had already talked to Yomi.

"First off I am not certain that this will happen as I am planning. But I want to start with healing Heroes, which will be the main focus of this business, but it will not be in this clinic but another. Second, those who have enough money or influence. And lastly… Villains. Only those that are strong enough for me to be interested in them. But enough to have some influence in the underworld."

He couldn't explain his reasons for wanting to have a say in the underworld to them. But he could at least make his goal clear enough. "I want to have influence, over both Heroes and Villains, I want to help Heroes, and I want to know what villains are up to. The front that I will be portraying is that I simply heal those that I want and can pay enough for it. So. That is my goal."

Staying silent it was clear that there was some hesitation from all but Yomi. Speaking up Kendo said, "I only came because I wanted to fight you, Andrew said you were strong, so I will leave if I can beat you, but if I cannot I will work for you until I can beat you."

Nodding his head in acceptance the doctor faced Hojo, "Why? What do you gain?"

"Do I have to gain anything? I have seen how people in this world suffer, from the actions of those that would do harm… are you not familiar enough with that yourself Yo Hojo? I will end small crime groups like the one that has trapped you. Do I have a reason not to? Also, I do gain something, I gain influence and control over this world. To keep me and the place that I call home safe. That is all I want in the end." The doctor said, he didn't know if he was being persuasive enough, but he hoped his goals were clear enough.

Nodding his head slowly Hojo responded, "If you can free me and help Heroes see the smaller problems, then I will stand by your side doctor." His voice firm, it was clear this was enough for him.

Looking at Kendo the doctor spoke, his voice amused as he said. "Come at me whenever you are ready then Rappa."

Looking around Kendo said, "Here?"

"It does not matter where, you will not have time to damage anything around you." The Doctor said.

Scoffing Kendo just stared at the doctor before dashing forward. Swinging the fastest fist that he could he felt it start to impact the doctor but then there was blinding pain and he was suddenly on the floor.

To those that were watching, they watched Kendo punch at the doctor before exploding into threads. The threads then weaved back into the man who lay paralyzed on the floor.

Looking at this Nick had one more thought. Aizawa, Nezu and All Might knew about his healing prowess. It was unlikely but they might link it to him. He could also use some guidance in his actions. While what he was doing he was trying to do it for a good reason, wanting to both heal Heroes and also keep an eye on villains, as well as maybe put fail-safes in some of the more dangerous ones once he could safely. He needed to make sure that his actions were not going to backfire.

He was going to talk to Nezu, he knew the principal also had a more sadistic side, and Hawks had acted as a double agent. Maybe the mouse could help him, keep him on the right path and give him someone to talk things over with. Also, stop him from doing the villain side of things in case it was truly a bad idea.

For the most part, he would stay as the doctor in a separate organization to stay separate from Nick. So that Nick wasn't bothered by people that constantly wanted him to heal because 'it would be what a Hero does.' Looking at the three in front of him he crouched down and said, "Feel free to attack me anytime you want Kendo. Anytime."

Standing up he looked at the three of them as he took some plague masks from his belt and said to them all. "Consider yourself employees if you want, stay safe and hidden for now Yomi and Hojo. Hojo, allow me to make sure that you are okay as well, that nothing has been planted in you."

Walking forward he felt through the man's body and felt that he was badly hurt, with multiple old scars, back problems, an incorrectly healed arm from when it was broken badly… And smokers' lungs. Closing his eyes he deconstructed Hojo and reformed in healing the injuries as well as hardening the muscles and bones a bit. He also removed whatever trace was planted in his mind… the Marionette…

He would have to deal with her soon enough.

And he would talk to Nezu tomorrow… He hoped that it was the right idea… He hadn't done anything alright so he would frame it as an idea. And if Nezu thought it was too dangerous then he would simply just heal heroes with his persona. He liked Nezu, he trusted the mouse, and he also saw what having friends was like, he wanted to trust more people. He wasn't alone in this world.

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Thanks for all the support! I hope this chapter clarifies some of the goals and reasons Nick has for wanting to be 'the doctor.' He wants to try and help, he is just not sure the best way around it. I think that the direction that I am going with the story is one that I am happy with. I think that Nick wants to do more than just help people from being a Hero, if he can plant fail safes into some villains he has no reason not to. Even if it means that he has to heal some.

Reviews and comments are always more than welcome, and thank you for all those that are still interested in the direction of the story.

Special thanks to Risk6666 for some of the points that they brought up as well. Hopefully I have addressed them well enough.