23

Tomura Shigaraki sat in the Mahjong bar looking at the TV in the corner and on every channel was something about Stain and his capture, not only that they were saying that his Nomu were a part of Stain's plan to frighten the city of Hosu. "This is fucking ridiculous!" Shouted Tomura throwing the remote and watching it shatter against the wall. Kurogiri sighed knowing he was going to be the one to clean that up as well as buy the replacement.

"Tomura you must calm down." Kurogiri said before Tomura rounded on him.

"You don't understand Kurogiri those were my Nomu that was my plan and now everybody thinks that the league of Villains works under Stain. I refuse to let that stand!" Tomura hissed scratching his neck fiercely before the door to the bar opened and through it stood the Underworld Broker Giran.

"Knock, knock I come bearing gifts." Giran said before stepping aside to reveal a girl and a young man. The girl had light blonde hair done into a pair of buns at either side of her head and glowing golden eyes wearing a large sweater nearly covering the navy skirt she wore. The boy was tall with black hair and blue eyes; his body was a patchwork of burn scars as he wore a white t-shirt under a long sleeve black shirt with a high collar and jeans with nondescript shoes.

"These are your newest recruits. They were moved by the Hero Killer and wanted to join the league. Well go ahead introduce yourselves." Giran said as the girl bounced forward a large grin on her face.

"I'm Himiko Toga nice to meet you Mr. Handy Man." She said excitedly practically vibrating with joy. "I want to join your league and meet Mr. Stainy. Come on please let me join, let me join!"

The boy in stark contrast to his compatriot spoke calmly in an almost lazy fashion. "I go by Dabi and are you really following the will of Stain?" Dabi asked. Tomura looked between the two before settling on Dabi.

"What was that, at least the psycho could introduce herself properly what's your real name Patchwork?" Tomura growled as Dabi rubbed the back of his head.

"I'll tell you that when you've earned my trust." Was Dabi's reply which immediately set Tomura off. He was already in a bad mood and having these two assholes show up in his bar going on and on about Stain hadn't helped matters.

"Tell me now." Tomura demanded getting to his feet. Dabi only stared at Tomura not even bothering to respond. Tomura growled. "That's it you two are done. I don't need people like you in my league!" He hissed.

Giran shrugged as he lit a cigarette. "It's whatever to me, as long as you pay my finder's fee." The Broker said stating his priority.

Tomura lunged forward as did Dabi and Toga each having their attack warped to a different part of the room. Kurogiri intervened seeing that communications had broken down rather quickly. "Tomura please we could use these two, just think about the future of the league for a moment." He said as Tomura pulled his hands from Kurogiri's warp.

"I'm over this, you two better be gone when I get back!" He shouted grabbing his hoodie by the door before walking through it and slamming it behind him.

"Oh man that was scary I thought I was going to die!" Tomura squealed happily.

"You're insane you know that right?" Dabi said to the girl. "He's all show there's no way someone like him was acknowledged by Stain." Giran having just put out his cigarette looked at Kurogiri.

"Are you sure he should be leading this group. He seems a little….immature for something like that." Giran said as Kurogiri looked at him.

"It is our master's will, and Tomura has come a long way evinced by his departure. He may not like it but Tomura knows what he must do." Kurogiri explained to Giran who shrugged.

"Like I said as long as I'm paid. I don't care."

Tomura wandered through the city gritting his teeth and scratching his neck as he thought about what had happened recently. This is all that kid's fault if he hadn't stopped me at USJ I wouldn't need to go to that asshole Giran to get more people. If only we had killed All Might! Tomura looked up seeing the mall in front of him. He hated malls it was nothing more than a gathering for idiots. The people coddled by the fact that heroes will always save them. Maybe killing a few people here will make me feel better. He thought before entering the structure.

As he walked around he caught sight of the object of his fury. There he was that kid just standing there in the middle of the mall not a care in the world. How easy it would be to kill him right here and now, but as Tomura approached Izuku a thought ran through his mind. This kid might actually have the answer to his question so instead of decaying him on the spot he wrapped his hand around the back of his neck and brought him to a bench by the fountain to talk. "I was going to kill you, still might actually, but there's something you might be able to help me with." Tomura rasped as Izuku glared at him his mind running a mile a minute to think of how to get out of this, but for now he'd just have to play along.

"Well what is it?" Izuku asked as Tomura scratched his neck.

"You see everybody's been on and on about the Hero Killer in fact they think my Nomu were a part of his plan to kill more heroes. Everybody's acting like what I did at USJ didn't even happen. Why is that? We're both just killing what we don't like so what's the difference, why is everybody so captivated by him!?" Tomura growled gripping Izuku's neck tightly causing the young hero to grit his teeth against the pain. "So what's the answer?"

Izuku had never planned to actually answer Tomura, instead hoping to buy time while Tomura droned on, but as he listened to the maniac he found that it was a truly legitimate question. What was the difference between Tomura and Stain? "Purpose I think." Izuku answered from his gut. Tomura looked at Izuku as if he'd spoken a different language.

"Purpose? Explain that." Tomura said as Izuku coughed gathering his thoughts.

"Everybody has something they don't like about the world, and most of them just accept it rather than change it, but when someone does fight to change it that resonates with people, even if they go about it the wrong way you can't help but respect them for it. Stain didn't like the way heroes act, and thinking that he acted to change it. It was a horrifying and monstrous solution, but even so he affected change, but you, you just want to kill and destroy for the simple purpose of destruction. You have no goal, even if you had killed All Might at the USJ you would have just moved on to another hero you didn't like. That's not a goal, you're just a dog chasing car after car." As Izuku explained this to Tomura he found this also held true for himself.

Right now Izuku was chasing after All Might's shadow, but what would he do once he caught it he had to have a purpose beyond just filling All Might's shoes. As Izuku found his own epiphany Tomura muddled over what the boy had said. A dog chasing cars am I? He asked himself. Affecting change, a purpose? What is my purpose? He asked himself and as he thought about it he came to a conclusion. Destruction is my purpose, I will continue to destroy everything I hate, and I'll use the Hero Killer's ideology to do so. How do you like that Stain, you'll help me the man you considered unworthy do unspeakable acts all in your name, first of all being the destruction of All Might!

Tomura laughed a little garnering the attention of Izuku who looked at the twisted smile on Tomura's face. "Thanks you really helped me out there. I thought there might be something wrong with my way of doing things, but it turns out I was just in my head too muc-."

"Deku?" Izuku tore his eyes away from Tomura looking at Ochaco standing there and his heart felt as if it stopped in his chest. Seeing her standing there just a few feet from Tomura it wracked his mind with thoughts of her death. Tomura hurriedly let go of Izuku.

"Sorry, sorry I didn't know you were here with your girlfriend." Tomura said aloud, but in a whisper. "If you follow me I'll kill every person I run across until you catch me. I'll leave a nice trail of mangled bodies for you to follow." He said standing up and walking away into the crowd. Ochaco ran towards Izuku gripping him tightly.

"Izuku are you ok, who was that?" She asked as Izuku continued to stare at Tomura's back.

"Shigaraki what is All for One planning?" Tomura without even missing a step or turning around responded.

"I don't know." As he disappeared into the crowd. Izuku coughed rubbing his neck he could still feel Tomura's hand there like a phantom limb wrapped around his neck.

Izuku stood with the rest of his class as the mall was searched by the police for any sign of Shigaraki, but that was all background noise as Izuku's mind was absorbed in one thought. How could I let this happen? I should have sensed Shigaraki, Master Splinter trained me to always be aware of my surroundings. What if Shigaraki hadn't come after me, but one of my friends or worse one of the girls!

Jiro who had been standing near Izuku looked over at him and felt her entire body go cold as sweat broke out over her at the look Izuku had on his face. His green eyes seemed completely black devoid of any kind of warmth or compassion he was known for. His mouth bore a deep frown that told a lot for someone who was fixated on always smiling. She didn't like that look and poked Izuku in the arm with one of her jacks in hopes of jerking him out of that state.

Izuku jumped rubbing his arm as he looked at Jiro. "What was that for Jiro?" He asked looking annoyed, but the look he'd had earlier was gone making Jiro wonder if it had ever been there to begin with. "Oh sorry about that I was just trying to get you out of your funk." She said rubbing the back of her head as Izuku nodded.

"Yeah sorry I have a lot on my mind." He said as a police officer came up to Izuku asking to speak with him. He waved at Jiro before leaving as the young girl wondered about the look Izuku had on his face and hoped she'd never see it again.

Izuku rode home in a cab with his mother as he thought about what happened today. Seeing her son in such a state Inko placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok Izuku these things happen, but I'm glad you're safe." She said as Izuku shook his head.

"No mom I let my guard down. I should have been more observant; I can't let something like that happen again. I need to be ready for anything." He said slapping his palm on his thigh as his mother shook her head.

"You can't be everywhere Izuku, you're not a god, you just have to do your best and I'm sure that'll be enough, and remember you're not alone anymore. I know you felt alone for a very long time growing up, but there are people who want to help you." She said rubbing his head as they rode home.

The next day Izuku was standing outside the bus at school as his classmates climbed aboard and after taking roll twice he climbed aboard last and took a seat next to Toru as the invisible girl grabbed hold of his arm pulling it against her side happily. Izuku felt a stinging sensation on his neck and looked back locking eyes with Mineta who mouthed the words. "Et tu Midoriya?" Izuku sighed knowing that would be a hassle to deal with later as the bus ride began.

"I wonder where the camp's at." Kirishima said.

"Hmm maybe it'll be at the beach littered with babes." Denki said as thoughts of bikinis rolled through his mind.

"Not even in your wettest dreams zap trap." Jiro said popping Denki's bubble.

As the children speculated for the trip the bus soon stopped at a cliff overlooking a forest. "Thank god finally a bathroom break!" Mineta screeched running off the bus and looking at an empty Cliffside. "Where's the restroom?" Mineta asked as a car pulled up next to the bus and out came two women. They both sported skirts and cat ears and paws.

"Hello children we are… The Wild, Wild Pussy Cats!" The two said in unison striking a pose for the students.

"Oh yeah I know these guys." Izuku said before going into a lengthy explanation of who the Pussy Cats were before Pixiebob grips his face.

"We're young at heart don't forget it." She hissed as Izuku nodded. Taking over for her compatriot Mandalay began to explain what this was.

"Well children welcome to your summer training camp, which is at the lodge at the base of this cliff. All you have to do is make it through our Beasts Forest, but know that if you don't make it by noon you won't get anything to eat. This land is owned by the Pussy Cats so you are free to use your quirks as much as you like." Mandalay explained to the nervous kids.

"Aww come on this is just a joke let's get back on the bus." Denki said starting to run towards the bus only to have Pixiebob shift the ground under their feet and throw them over the side depositing them in a dusty heap at the base. Mineta jumped up from the pile of bodies and ran into the forest.

I need to find a tree or a bush or something!" He shouted and just as he found a place to go he heard a loud growl and turning around came face to face with a large rock lizard. "I don't need to go anymore." Mineta said as the stone monster launched itself towards him its maw open wide.