The massive expanse of his childhood home filled his vision the swooping heights of Enji Todoroki's enormous town home looming over him as he stood, gazing up at it blankly.
Funny, he had expected more painful memories at the sight of the place.
But only anger remained, cold, distant and vengeful. Enji Todoroki was a menace to society and to the honor of heroes. He was a monster to his own family and tonight Dabi and Todoroki would bring him penance for his crimes.
Tonight, a new sort of hero would rise. The sort that dealt justice to all who had it coming, regardless of their so called allegiance.
Dabi messed with the lock a little and then they were in. The darkness of Todoroki's childhood home enveloped them, pulling him into a spiraling reminiscence.
He shook his head violently, struggling to remind himself of his task.
And it might have just been imagination, but he could have sworn that Dabi shivered too, just a little.
Endeavor would be home from his fight now, hopefully. After all, it had taken them ages to make their way across the city without being caught and put in jail.
Well Dabi would have been put in jail. Todoroki would either be treated as a traumatized victum or questioned until his ears fell off.
Endeavor's room, dark and plain as ever, as though his ambition had squashed everything but the cold need to be better from his soul, was the goal.
Todoroki's only fear now was that in the inky blackness, his father wouldn't be able to see them and they wouldn't get to witness the fear and agony in his eyes.
Shouto needn't have worried.
He finally turned to the villain, questions burning in his head as they made their way through the quiet hallways of the Todoroki mansion. "So, as grateful as I am for this golden opportunity, I have to ask. Why? What do you owe me?"
After all, being suspicious had kept him out of trouble before and it had even saved Iida's life not so long ago.
"What do you have driving you to torture Endeavor with me? Clearly, you are as passionate about it as I am but.... No one else really knows what goes on behind the No. 2 Hero's closed doors. So is your reasoning just general hero hatred or something... more?"
It was distinctly odd and mildly unsettling that Dabi knew so much about the horrors that Endeavor committed within the walls of his own home. After all, it wasn't exactly public knowledge. If it was, Enji wouldn't still be a hero.
Dabi only smiled, a cold and knowing smile that didn't reach his cunning fire blue eyes. "You always were smart, Shouto. You are correct."
Correct about what? He hadn't challenged the villain or claimed to know anything about him. He had barely even suggested that he had an ulterior motive. After all, it had been a question, not a statement.
And it was a question he no longer felt that strongly about hearing the answer to when they reached the door to Endeavor's room.
"I do have an ulterior motive. Not against you .... well maybe I should start from the beginning."
The beginning of what? Some old beef with his father? Was Dabi an ex-hero sidekick who'd been kicked to the curb or something? Shouto found it hard to envision the extra crispy, burnt toast man as a hero, somehow.
"As curious as I am, we came here for a reason. Let's talk afterwards." Shouto did his best not to hiss at the villain - after all he was giving him the chance of a lifetime. But this was no time to get off topic.
