An Unpleasant Talk

Several days later after starting your work studies... you, Izuku, Eijiro, Horikoshi, Ochaco and Tsuyu were called in. At first, you thought of it as just a coincidence. However, when you all went to the same station, got on the same train, went in the same direction, and turned at the same corner, it couldn't be called a coincidence anymore. You met The Big Three at the building you were all called to meet at. The pro heroes you were doing your work studies with weren't the only ones who were there. To your surprise, Gran Torino, Mr. Aizawa (Eraserhead) and several other pro heroes were also at the meeting place. It's soon revealed that the gathering is about the investigation on The Shie Hassaikai. 

Everyone entered the meeting room and Bubble Girl began to speak about the investigation. 

"Since about two weeks prior, we at the Nighteye Agency... have been independently observing... a certain villain group... known as the Shie Hassaikai!!"

"What was the hook?" A pro hero asks.

"There was an accident involving a thief gang known as The Reservoir Dogs. The police cleaned everything up as just an accident, but there were many points that made no sense and we began to track them."

A couple pro heroes did remember the accident and you recalled hearing about the accident from Sir Nighteye. Centipeder, Sir Nighteye's other sidekick, steps forward.

"My name is Centipeder. As Sir Nighteye's sidekick, I have been conducting the tracking and observation. Within this one-year period that I have been investigating, there has been a rapid increase in contract, both between members of the underground organization, as well as people outside the group." A projector screen suddenly comes down next to Centipeder. "They appear to be an organization moving with the intent to expand and accumulate funds. Also, shortly after the commencement of investigation..." An image pops up on the screen. The image is of Chisaki talking to Twice, a member of the LOV, who is wearing casual clothes and his mask. "He made contact with one Jin Bubaigawara. Villain name: "Twice". They were particularly cautious of being followed and I was unable to continue tracking them, but here I was able to cooperate with the police. They were able to confirm that during this meeting some kind of skirmish had occurred."

"So it's related to the League of Villians..." Said Gran Torino. "That's why you called me and Tsukauchi."

"Gran Torino, where is Tsukauchi now?" You asked the elderly pro hero as you raised your hand.

"He's checking out information from eye witnesses. I owe you and Midoriya an apology. I never thought it would come to this... you've both been dragged into quite an annoying situation..."

"No! We don't think any of this is annoying!"

"We want to help in any way we can!" Izuku adds.

"You know each other?!" Togata questions you and Izuku in astonishment. 

"Yeah. Gran Torino is a friend of my parents and Izuku did his Internship with him."

Sir Nighteye glances at you and Izuku, then at Gran Torino for a moment.

"... Continuing on." Nighteye halts your conversation with Togata and Izuku.

"Uhhh, we have this kind of process!" Bubble Girl continues. "We wanted to request everyone's cooperation on HN."

"You can skip that." Centipeder says.

"Okay!"

Neither you, Tsuyu, nor Ochaco understand what "HN" means.

"That's short for the Hero Network!" Hado cleared up your confusion. "It's an internet service that only people with a pro license can use. They say you can see activity reports and apply for help from heroes with useful Quirks nationwide!"

"Hey, even if they're UA students, what's with the brats?" Rock Lock comments. "Can't talk with them around. We're burnin' daylight just getting to the real issue of what they're plotting."

The BMI Hero: Fat Gum suddenly stands up, which sends his chair flying, and stretches his arm towards Tamaki Amajiki, Yuko Horikoshi and Eijiro Kirishima. 

"Don't say that! These three 'ere are super important witnesses!" Fat Gum declares. Eijiro looked up at his mentor in bewilderment, Horikoshi timidly blushes as she lowers her head, and Amajiki hung his head down in discomfort. "Besides, I think there's a ton of people who're meetin' for the first time, so better get to it! The name's Fat Gum, pleasure to meet y'all!"

You, Ochaco and Tsuyu beamed at how cute and cuddly the pro hero looked. Fat Gum then offers each of you some candy.

"We have reason to believe that the Shie Hassaikai... have made the dispersal of unlicensed goods part of their livelihood." Sir Nighteye said. "As such, I have requested help from heroes familiar with that line of work."

Fat Gum's expression became serious as he held three candies in his hand.

"Long ago, we smashed those kinda things to pieces! Then, yesterday, in Red Riot's debut battle!! Tamaki and Horikoshi were shot by somethin' new, the likes we ain't never seen!" Fat Gum crushes the candies in his hand. "A drug that erases Quirks."

Almost everyone rose to a clamor upon hearing the shocking information. 

"What?!" Togata snapped his head towards his childhood friend in concern. "Tamaki, you both are okay, right?!"

"Yeah... After sleeping, it came back."

To prove his claim, Horikoshi opened a small portal to her room and pulled out a cute cat pen while Amajiki shows everyone his forearm which is now a splendid cow hoof.

Guess that means he had beef bowl for breakfast!

"If it recovers, no need to worry. Nothin' fatal." Rock Lock states.

"No..." Nighteye disagrees. "I'll leave that explanation to Eraserhead."

"It's a bit different from my erasure." Your teacher points at his eye. "That's because I'm not attacking the Quirk itself. A special mechanism, "Plus Alpha", is added to a basic human body. That is a Quirk. These "Plus Alpha" are collectively called the "Quirk-Factor". Ultimately, I can only temporarily halt that Quirk-factor. I can't cause damage to it."

"Right afterTamaki and Horikoshi got shot, we took them to the hospital to get a look-see... both of their Quirk-factors have taken damage!" Fat Gum informed. "Luckily, they recovered naturally and have returned to normal now."

"And the analysis of the thing they were shot with?"

"There were no other abnormalities in Tamaki's body, nor Horikoshi's! It was only, and I mean only, the Quirk that was attacked! Not a peep from the gang that shot them! The gun's in pieces, too!! Plus, they didn't have no other bullets in their possession 'sides the ones they fired! However..." Fat Gum glances at Eijiro. "Thanks to Kirishima riskin' 'is life to deflect the bullet, we were able ta obtain da contents of that one shot!!"

"Wha- I did?! That came outta nowhere!!" Eijiro exclaimed in bewilderment as he points to himself.

You and the girls praise your fellow red-haired friend for such an accomplishment. Fat Gum then scowled as he continued. 

"As for what was inside... something truly sickening came out... It contained human blood, and human cells."

You and the other UA students are in complete shock. This new information sounded like something out of a horror story.

"In other words... that effect is derived from a person... or a Quirk." Dragoon Hero: Ryukyu states in a serious tone. "A Quirk to destroy other Quirks..."

"Uhhhh... I'm afraid I've not really been seeing it for a while now, but how is this linked to the Hassaikai exactly?" A pro hero questioned.

"The guy Kirishima captured! And the illegal substance he was usin'. That drug's distribution web's real complicated. It's gotten curtailed heavily nowadays, but it's sold wholesale across all levels by many different people, groups and organizations. And now we can finally reach the source of it all! There's no evidence the Hassaikai themselves are dealing the stuff, but there's been contact between them and a middleman organization selling it."

"That's it!?"

"Recall the clash between villain groups that Ryukyu and her team cleaned up a few days ago." Nighteye brings up Ochaco and Tsu's mission with their mentor. "The boss of one of those gangs was with one of those middleman groups."

"One of the villians who gigantified only maintained it for a short while." Ryukyu briefed. "They must have been inferior goods."

"I guess that of the acts of organized crime that have been on the rise lately, the lion's share... seem to be traceable back to the Shie Hassaikai if you think about them in that light." Another pro hero reads out a report. "The connection's still a little hazy, though... It can maybe be construed that we're twisting things to make the Hassaikai culprits at any cost. I wonder if there's anything more conclusive to clinch the link?"

"The Quirk of the leader, Chisaki, is named "Overhaul". It's a power that can disassemble and reassemble any target. A Quirk that can dismantle... to destroy and repair at once. That, along with the bullets that can destroy Quirks."

After hearing Sir Nighteye's explanation on the Overhaul Quirk, your mind flashed to the innocent girl you met. Her trembling body, the bandages on her arms and legs... your blood ran cold as the sudden revelation hit you, Izuku and Togata...

"Chisaki has a daughter... though one without a birth certificate, so the particulars aren't clear. When these three encountered her, her arms and legs were wrapped in a great many bandages."

The room became tense.

"It can't be..." Ryukyu frowned. "To do something so hideous..."

"Whaddya expect of this world of superhumans?" Gran Torino remarks in disgust. "All it takes is the thought and any son of a bitch can do anything."

"What are you all talking about.....!?" Horikoshi became more uneasy.

"See? We don't need any damn kids around." Rock Lock comments. "Slow on the uptake much...? Put it simply, we're saying that they're probably making the bullets out of her body."

Eijiro, Tsuyu, Horikoshi and Ochaco's eyes widened in horror once they realized the gravity of Eri's situation. 

"We don't know if they're trafficking them for profit." Nighteye adds. "At their current stage of development, they're not very close to completion. Be that as it may... if, hypothetically, they were using them as a testing phase... and using them as samples for presentations to gather comrades... there's no definitive proof. However, say they gathered allies all across the country and amassed the funds---- what if the completed bullets could take Quirks themselves and completely eradicate them...? Many dark, dark ideas spring to one's mind."

"Just imaginin' it makes my blood boil with rage!! C'mon, we gotta search their hideout!!" Fat Gum barked.

"So you're saying that if these three had been able to take the girl under protection, then this whole problem would've been resolved right then and there!?"

Rock Lock is right!! How can I be a hero when I can't even protect one little innocent girl that's pleading for help!

You began to hate yourself for letting that Overhaul bastard take Eri away. You aren't the only one with guilt and regrets. You know that Izuku and Togata are as equally frustrating as you are. 

"I take responsibility for all of it, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't put the blame on them." Nighteye came to you and your friends' defense. "Even though they didn't know about her predicament... they tried their best to save her. Midoriya and Hikari stuck their necks out and tried to protect her there, while Mirio made sure to think ahead... in order to secure her safety at a sounder juncture... the ones who are most frustrated here and now... are these three."

You, Togata and Izuku sprung up from your seats, knocking them down, and looked your mentor right in the eye.

"We'll get Eri away from him this time... and we'll protect her!!" You said the first part by yourself, but the last part was a vow declared by the three of you together. 

"Yes, and that will be our goal."

This time around, we'll definitely save Eri!

"Tch." Rock Lock clicked his tongue. "It's fine and all that the kid's alive, but... if one were to guess, that Chisaki guy would want to hide the girl, who's the core component to his plan, right? And after all that trouble, she somehow makes it outside! And on top of that, to be spotted by these little brat heroes! Do you think he'd honestly keep her tucked away at the headquarters after all that?" He points to himself. "If it were me, I wouldn't. Because even if we were to attack, as long as the girl isn't there, then it doesn't matter. Have we been able to specify her exact whereabouts?"

"He's right." Ryukyu nodded. "What do you think, Nighteye?"

"That's exactly the problem. We don't know how far ahead he's planned. If we don't finish them with one blow, they'll probably get the chance they need to launch a counterattack."

A map of Japan pops up on the projector screen. 

"And so, we've looked at groups and organizations that have ties to the Shie Hassaikai, as well as all of the known locations under the Hassaikai's control. We've left no stone unturned coming up with this list. We'd like everyone here to assist in searching each of these locations. Let's find the location and wring it out!"

"I see. And that is how us minor heroes come into play..." A pro hero added while another doesn't quite understand. "Look. The heroes who are present are clearly tied to the list somehow! They've selected people who have familiarity with the area."

"You were All Might and Hope's sidekick, weren't you? You've been awfully thorough tiptoeing about!" Fat Gum shouts angrily. "All the while, that Eri girl has probably been crying this whole time!!"

"We will not become like All Might!" Nighteye argues. "It's for that reason that we've so thoroughly analyzed and predicted the possible scenarios. So that we could bring our chances of saving her as close to 100% as possible!"

"We mustn't lose our cool." Gran Torino agree. "If we make a misstep trying to capture them, it could just end up fanning the flames. Just like how Stain's arrest performance only ended up in a giant PR boost for the League of Villians. This time, with a single hoodlum trying to release some Quirk-destroying weapon. It's possible that those motives are at play as well."

"...You're overthinking it!! If we spend all this time talking about things like that, they're going to slip through our fingers!!"

Eraserhead raises his hand.

"Um... if I could ask a question... I'm not completely knowledgeable about your abilities, Sir Nighteye, but if you have the ability to see the future, then can't you just look ahead and see what our outcome is? At this rate, we're not going to agree on anything..."

"That... I can't do. Once I activate my Foresight ability, it needs a 24 hour interval before it can be used again. In other words, everyday, for one hour, I can see one person's future. And when I do, like a series of flashbacks it plays in my head, frame by frame. Once activated, for an hour's time I can see the film of an individual's life... that's how you can think about it. However, all of that film is from a perspective that very closely follows the person. All I can see are their actions and their immediate surroundings."

"Err, but isn't that more than enough? You should be able to find out a lot from that. What do you mean you "can't do" it?"

Sir Nighteye adjusts his glasses and lowers his head solemnly. 

"For example, if in that person's immediate future, I see death. A merciless death awaiting them. What could I do?"

You and Izuku stared at your mentor while Gran Torino stayed silent with closed eyes. The three of you knew that Nighteye is talking about your parents. 

"This Quirk of mine is only supposed to be used when the chances of success have been brought to their highest. It should be used for insurance. When there are too many uncertainties at play, it should not be used recklessly."

"Huh?! Even death is information, isn't it?" Rock Lock asked. "Then you can put together a plan to avoid it!"

"It's not like telling a fortune. There's no evidence to show that you can avoid the outcome!"

"Nighteye! I don't really know what you're talking about, but... it'll be OK! You can take a look at me! I'll avoid the outcome as many times as you want."

"I can't."

The room went quiet. The only people who understood why Sir Nighteye's refused so sharply are you, Izuku Midoriya and Gran Torino. This is all because of the prediction he had about your parents' death.

"In any case, let's proceed with the plan" Ryukyu calmly broke the ice. "Don't forget, there's a girl in trouble here."

Nighteye stands up from his seat.

"Locating the girl, and securing her rescue. Our goal is to resolve the situation as quickly and effectively as possible." Nighteye says to everyone. "Thank you all for your cooperation."

After Bubble Girl provided the specifics to each individual, the meeting came to an end.

"So that's what happened..." Eijiro says after you told your friends about your encounter with Eri. He gritted his teeth. "That must've been so frustrating..."

You were in the reception area with your friends and upperclassman. You, Izuku and Togata told everyone about your encounter with Eri and Kai Chisaki. Ever since you let Eri slip from your grasp, your heart and mind have been drowning in regret. That regret instantly turned into guilt the moment you came to the conclusion that she's being treated so inhumanely. Ochaco Horikoshi stared at you and Izuku. Ochaco knows that you both want to become heroes that help people in need, so she can only imagine the emence guilt that's eating you up inside. Horikoshi didn't know what to say. She's not in Class 1-A, but she does believe that you're an amazing person. This is the first time she saw you so down.

One of the elevators suddenly opens and Eraserhead appears.

"Are you guys holding a wake or something?" Eraserhead rhetorically asks while walking towards the group of UA students. 

"Mr. Aizawa! Ribbit!" Tsuyu said.

"Ah, just call me Eraserhead outside of class please. Oh, however... I had originally planned to suspend all of your work studies today..."

Neither you nor the rest of the work studies students could believe what the Eraser hero was saying. Is he really going to suspend your work studies?

"What?!" Eijiro shouts as he stood up from his seat. "Why now, of all times?"

"You all heard that there's a possibility that the League is involved. That changes things."

You frown. It's true that UA has had multiple encounters with members of the League of Villians. Mostly the students. They attacked the USJ, they released countless Nomu in Hosu, Shigaraki approached you and Izuku at the shopping mall, they attacked the training camp, and they kidnapped you and Katsuki. Your teacher is just worried about you and your classmates.

"But you know... Midoriya..." Eraserhead scratches his head. "You still haven't restored my trust in you yet."

Right. If it weren't for All Might's retirement, Izuku and almost everyone in Class 1-A would've been expelled. Your friends had good intentions when they snuck out to rescue you and Katsuki, but they did disobey Mr.Aizawa and the rest of the teachers.

"Unfortunately, I have every reason to believe that if I were to stop you right now..." Eraserhead crouches down. "You'd just jump out in the midst of things again. I'm watching you. If you act again, we'll go by the formal procedures this time around, Midoriya." He lightly touches Izuku's chest with his fist. "Got it, Problem Child?"

Izuku held back his tears and nods.

"Mirio..." Amajiki speaks to his friend. "Could you lift up your head, please?"

"Hey, hey, Togata, you know what?" Hado asked. "Even if you're feeling regret and getting down over it, there's nothing you can do about it. You know that, right?"

"...Yeah." Togata sniffed slightly. 

"Yagi."

You shifted your attention to Eraserhead who was now standing back up.

"Let me tell you something... that hand of yours that just barely missed rescuing her... I'll bet that she felt something other than despair. So you and Midoriya should keep looking forward and continue on."

"Yes, sir!" You replied.

"I'll... I'll follow you forever, Eraserhead!" Eijiro cried out.

"No, not forever, please."

"S-sorry!!"

"Kirishima! Your voice is too loud...!" Horikoshi scolded as the red-haired male bowed apologetically. 

After you all were done talking to Eraserhead, you asked permission to go talk to Sir Nighteye before heading back to UA. Luckily, your teacher said yes and told you where your mentor was. 

"Excuse me, Sir Nighteye."

Upon entering the room, Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye turned around to look at you. You bowed to the elderly pro hero. 

"I'm sorry for interrupting something, but there's some stuff I need to say to Nighteye."

"Ha. There's no need to apologize." Gran Torino replied. "We just finished talking. Go right ahead."

"What is it, Hikari?" Nighteye asked.

You straightened your posture, took a deep breath and gazed at your mentor.

"I... I know everything about One For All..."

"Glad to hear that." Nighteye nodded. "I have advised your mother and father to tell you about One For All in the past."

"I also know that Togata was a candidate to wield One For All... and... about your prediction..."

Sir Nighteye sighed sadly. The solemn tone in your voice indicates that you're aware of his prediction about your parents' death. That is the one thing he didn't want you to know about. No child, no matter what age they are, wants to hear that their parents will die an unspeakably gruesome death.

"I'm sorry, Hikari..."

You shook your head.

"No. I'm not upset with you about that. Yes, when I heard about the Foresight about their death, I was devastated... but.... mom and dad said that they aren't going to give up, so I won't either! They're going to fight and twist fate, and I'm going to be right there to help them twist fate!"

When Sir Nighteye thought about your reaction after learning about the future he foresaw, he imagined you getting angry and glaring at him with tears flowing from your emerald eyes. However, he didn't expect to see this determined expression on your face. 

"I understand why neither you nor my parents told me about that Foresight you had, but the future isn't set in stone. I promise to become a strong hero and protect my family! And as for you not accepting Izuku as dad's successor... it's true that he kept breaking his bones every time he used One For All, but he's kind, smart, hardworking, strong-willed and is willing to put himself in harms way in order to save those in need. I'm not saying this because I'm his childhood friend. I'm saying this because Izuku Midoriya has the heart of a true hero! My dad was Quirkless when he received OFA from his master, so why can't someone like Izuku be his successor?"

Sir Nighteye opened his mouth to say something, but you continued as you raised your hand towards him.

"Give Izuku Midoriya, Hero Name: Deku, a chance to prove himself to you! And yes, I'm aware that "Deku" literally means "good for nothing" and "useless", but there's a deeper reason why he chose to use that for his Hero name! Also, don't just watch Izuku..." You placed your other hand over your heart. "Watch me, too! I'll show you, Gran Torino, and everyone that I'm not just All Might and Hope's estranged daughter... I'm a hero in my own right! And if anyone, and I mean anyone talks bad about the people I care about and hurts them in anyway, I'll Hawaii Smash them out of existence!!"

Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino stared at you for a second before bursting into laughter. You lowered your raised hand and gave the two heroes a confused look. You didn't understand the reason for their fits of laughter. 

"Hahaha! "Hawaii Smash"? Where did you get that from?" Gran Torino asked through his laughs. "Is that an ultimate move you're working on or something?! Haha!"

Your face turned bright red with embarrassment once you realized why they were laughing. 

"H-hey! Dad named his smashes after the states of America, so I just assumed that one of them... is named after Hawaii. Hawaii is part of the US, after all!"

"Yes, that's true." Nighteye smiled as he composed himself and pushed up his glasses. "However, your father dedicated most of his moves to his favorite states."

"Dad also named one move after the home state of his best friend, David Shield."

You told Sir Nighteye the story of how you met David Shield on your trip to I-Island and became good friends with his daughter, Melissa Shield. You talked about the good moments and the bad with a smile on your face. As you spoke, you sounded so lively. Your mentor thought about how passionate you sounded seconds ago when you supported your friend and decided to fight for a better future for your family. You were no longer the lonely little girl he once knew.

"Alright."

"What?" You stopped talking and looked at Sir Nighteye.

"I'll give Midoriya a chance to prove himself to me."

"Yes!" You shot your arms up in triumph and grinned from ear to ear. 

"But only because you asked me to."

You were still glad that Nighteye agreed to (almost) accept your childhood friend. 

"I also want you to reconcile with mom and dad." You lowered your arms. "I know you don't hold a grudge against my parents, and they both feel ashamed about how things ended, so can you at least talk to them? For me?"

Sir Nighteye didn't say anything. You're afraid that his silence means no, but luckily, that wasn't the case and he gave you a smile.

"Of course." He nodded. "I'll talk to them after we rescue the girl."

Feeling happy that you were able to convince Nighteye to watch Izuku and talk to your parents, you said good bye to him and Gran Torino and left the room. As Gran Torino watched you leave, he thought about Nana Shimura and the son she abandoned to protect. Kami and Toshinori Yagi didn't abandon their daughter and she became stronger and more independent despite their rocky relationship. She forgave her parents, made great friends, working hard to become a hero, and is smiling everyday. 

Did he and Nana Shimura make the right choice?

To Be Continued...