He was just starting his route, sometime around nine at night. He was still in his old neighborhood, and since it was pretty quiet there was nobody out except those coming from work. He never expected anything bigger than drunks unless he traveled farther. And boy was he glad he didn't that night.
He was walking along the edge of a roof, arms sticking out to keep his balance. It was an incredibly stupid thing to do, looking back. One wrong slip and he'd fall four stories.
Which was exactly what happened when an ear-piercing shriek rang out. Izuku scrambled to grab the fire escape ladder, slowing his fall. He dangled there, trying to comprehend what happened, when the same voice called out again.
A few moments later, and he was on the ground and running towards the sound. He passed by the trash dump known as Dagobah Beach. Who was hanging around there that late at night?
The source of the scream bumped into him. They both fell to the ground, landing uncomfortably on the concrete. Bags fell, their contents going everywhere.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Izuku apologized, getting to his knees and scooping the items back into their bags. He paused, looking at what he was holding. It was a bunch of broken wires and metal pieces.
The girl he ran into sat up, heading spinning around frantically. "Where is he?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"Who?" Izuku asked, completely forgetting that he was a vigilante and not some random guy and he should be looking for the person who caused the screaming.
The girl stood up, wincing as her knees protested. In the dim light from the lamps nearby, Izuku could see red dripping down. "A guy," she explained, moving her pink hair out of her face. "I was walking home with my stuff and bumped into his shoulder. I guess he thought I was trying to rob him or something and started yelling. I screamed when he grabbed my elbow."
As if on cue, someone yelled out, "Damn brat! Where'd ya go?"
Izuku stood, holding his arm out towards the girl. "Stay here, I'll deal with him." He began walking in the direction of the older voice.
Sure enough, he found a man appearing in his mid-40's stumbling around like he was looking for something.
"Can I help you, sir?" Izuku asked, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. Which wasn't difficult, given how short he was.
"Y'see a girl wi' pink hair 'round here?" the man asked, slurred. Izuku reeled back. He'd cover his nose if it wasn't already. The man reeked of alcohol. No wonder he got confused.
"What'd the girl do, sir?"
"Stole from me," the man groaned, "then lied 'bout it. Damn brats tryna rob defenseless people."
"Sir," Izuku said, putting his hands up in a calming gesture, "I think you need to go home and rest. You seem pretty intoxicated. Sleep should clear up any misunderstandings."
"Misunderstandings?" the man bellowed, taking a step forward. "What's a misunderstanding is I was robbed and you're too stupid to tell me where the damn girl went!"
The drunk was obviously starting to get violent, if the abrupt hand gestures were anything to go by. Izuku couldn't knock him out and leave him for the police. The man hadn't harmed him, and purposefully provoking him wasn't morally right.
So, Izuku sighed and pointed in the opposite direction of the beach. "She went that way."
The man spun around, grumbling about useless teenagers and walking away.
Izuku reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone to call the police about a drunkard wandering around Dagobah Beach. He hightailed it back to the girl and saw that she had just finished putting away her stuff. She didn't seem too shaken by what happened, and Izuku supposed that was a good thing.
"You're Kumo, right?" she asked.
Izuku froze. "I'm who?"
"Kumo," she repeated, eyes glowing with excitement, "the vigilante."
Well. He had a name. That was new.
"I guess." He scratched the back of his neck. "Why-"
He stumbled back as the girl all but pounced on him. She patted down his arms, his legs, his back. He tried to get away, but her grip was relentless. "We could partner up," she said, pulling a measuring tape out of absolutely nowhere and wrapping it around his bicep. "You could help test out my babies and get some support items."
"B-babies?!"
"My inventions! That's why I was at the beach so late. Free stuff ripe for the taking." She kept poking and prodding him. "We'll make the best team!"
"We?"
The girl stopped and pulled away, grinning. "Hatsume Mei, at your service!"
And that was how Izuku found himself standing in front of a warehouse, listening to one of the many explosions inside. Well, the first time. Right now the warehouse was silent, and Izuku wasn't sure what to expect on the other side. On one hand, nothing was blowing up.
On the other, Mei was never quiet.
Fearing for his life, Izuku raised a closed fist and knocked. Normally he'd just walk right in and dodge whatever piece of technology Mei was frustrated with. But one of three things were happening in there when it was silent; Mei was sleeping, Mei was angry a baby wasn't working, or she was dead.
None of those things were good.
And there was no answer.
Izuku contemplated texting either Aizawa or Yamada that he was about to die and to set up his funeral. Bury him with his All Might plushie and signature book. Let them discover his vigilante tendencies. Mei would just have to live with the guilt.
"Izuku?"
Or maybe not. Maybe there was a fourth option he hadn't even considered. Mei wasn't even inside the warehouse.
He looked over his shoulder and found the girl standing a few feet away. She was in her typical support suit; tanktop, baggy pants, huge goggles planted on her head. She also had a cup of what appeared to be coffee with her.
He couldn't fathom as to why, seeing how it was already noon.
"You didn't tell me you'd be here," she said, stepping closer. Izuku moved to the side to allow her to unlock the door. "I thought you'd still be out for another week."
Izuku chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Wrapped it up faster than I thought."
Mei hummed and pushed open both doors. They slammed against the wall, echoing through the building. She flicked a nearby switch, and one-by-one the lights above turned on. The warehouse looked mostly the same since the last time he was over. The only difference being the pile of unsuccessful attempts was larger.
"Why weren't you in the lab like usual?" Izuku asked, taking his usual seat at Mei's testing area. He let his gaze wander around the building, letting himself get familiar with everything again.
Instead of sticking by the testing site, Mei wandered over to one of the many building tables scattered around. Each table was for a different kind of support item, but Izuku could not for the life of him remember each one. He was pretty sure there was one for each body part.
"Folks got too many noise complaints and thought I was gonna blow it up again," she explained, grabbing her laptop and something else from a table. "Took the key for a few days." She set the items down and plugged the laptop into what could only be considered the world's longest extension cord. It was just extension cord plugged into extension cord all around the walls.
How they never had a fire break out, Izuku had no idea and at this point was too afraid to ask.
"But," she continued, typing away on her now charging computer, "we had a long chat about how the things I was throwing weren't flammable or prone to exploding. So now I have the key!"
Izuku nodded.
Mei's parents were huge in the support industry. They were almost always on call for something, meaning as long as Mei didn't blow up her warehouse they weren't really around to question her recent inventions. Which worked out perfectly for Izuku and his nightly activities.
He's met them over a few occasions. They were nice folks, although Izuku could see where Mei got her ramblings from. Not like Izuku was one to talk, considering how often he mumbles.
"Your text was really cryptic, I hope you know."
Izuku looked up from the game he was playing on his phone. "Huh?"
Mei gave him a look of disbelief. "Really? Mr. I'm-no-longer-living-in-my-apartment and I-can't-say-where?"
Izuku sighed, ducking his head. "I really can't say where," he mumbled. "It'd put people in danger."
"You in danger, or them?"
Izuku thought for a moment. "Both?"
Mei crossed her arms. "What kind of people are you living with?"
"If word got out my civilian persona was with them, I'd be in trouble. If word got out my vigilante persona was with them, we'd all be in trouble."
"You're not staying with heroes, are you?"
Izuku looked anywhere but Mei. He felt the blush rising up his cheeks.
"Izuku!" Mei exclaimed. "Are you serious?"
"It wasn't like I wanted to!" he defended.
Mei scoffed. "Uh, yeah. You could have walked out any time you wanted."
"Can't get very far with a broken leg," Izuku muttered.
Mei blinked. "Okay. We don't have time to unpack all of that. Anyway, you came here for a reason, right?"
When Izuku nodded, the pink-haired girl bounced on her feet. She grabbed the item next to the laptop and held it out to him. He took it and flipped it over. He gasped. It was his new mask.
It appeared to be made of black plastic, but knowing Mei that's all it was. Appearance. It was actually made out of a strong, yet light metal. There were thin, white lines spreading out from the middle, paying homage to his spider persona.
He turned it back over. The inside was nothing special. The straps, however, were interesting. As Izuku went to put it on, Mei explained how each individual strap were for each finger. He would place his finger pads on them and they would be scanned. That way only he could take it off if brought into police custody. Unless they just cut the straps, but that was a problem for later.
"So that's why you wanted my fingerprints," Izuku murmured as Mei continued explaining everything.
Once scanned, a thin, metal pipe would insert into each strap, effectively holding it in place. It would take some getting used to, but it wasn't overly uncomfortable.
"I also took the liberty of installing a voice modifier," Mei said. "You tap the small screen on the left side near where the mouth should be. It's not good, but it works. You'll just sound like a kid who pitched his voice down in a video editing app."
Izuku tapped the screen. "How do I sound?" His eyes widened. "Whoa, that's trippy." He tapped it again, turning it off.
"So," Mei continued, clasping her hands in front of her, "any other business ideas before we begin testing?"
Izuku pressed a finger to his chin. "Do you think it's possible to make an untraceable phone?"
______________
Oh man, did it feel good to be in costume again. It was nearing midnight, and Izuku just stood in the center of his room decked out in his gear. Yamada had gone to bed long ago and Aizawa was already an hour into his patrol. Izuku had no reason to fear discovery at the moment.
He was sure he spent a good five minutes just enjoying the feeling of everything; the mask on his face, the gloves on his hands, even his new boots he bought after visiting Mei. The only things that stayed the same were the clothes and gloves, although Mei had produced some ideas should he want an upgrade.
Speaking of upgrades.
Izuku swiped the newest piece of technology off his bed, pulling off a glove to tap on it. Mei had come up with an untraceable phone like he wanted. It gave her a headache to deal with and Izuku had promised he was done with requests (until she offered the glove ideas).
Izuku had the brilliant yet terrifying idea of making an Instagram account for his vigilante persona. That was why the phone had to be untraceable. He knew the moment he posted anything with him in it, the police would be breaking down the front door faster than Izuku could start crying. And that was saying something.
He had set up the account last night but refrained from posting anything. He just wasn't sure what would make people believe it was really him. It didn't matter in the end, he supposed. He knew it was him and that was all he needed. It'd work out better for him, anyway, if people assumed he was just some random cosplayer.
But after lunch, the idea for his first post struck him. He needed to be up high enough so lurkers didn't see him, but enough light that he could be seen on camera.
Izuku pocketed the device and walked over to the window. He slid it open and carefully exited the bedroom. He made sure to leave it cracked open a little bit so he could get back inside.
The fresh air made him smile. Sneaking out had never felt so good. Mainly because he never needed to. With his mom, he had no reason to seeing as he had no friends. And then after that he was on his own.
Was this what teenage rebellion felt like? Is this what all those movies talked about? Sneaking out late a night, visiting friends and dates, going to parties. Maybe he should get alcohol and make it even more fun.
He doubted a liquor store was open at this time of night, though. And he had the stature of a 12-year-old so he'd be turned away.
He began his patrol on the ground. He wanted to be a bit farther away from the house before he started scaling walls.
He was a good few blocks away when he headed into an empty alleyway. He hopped up onto a closed dumpster. He could just shoot a web and climb it, but he didn't want to waste any too early in the night. So he found whatever perch he could to lift himself up the wall.
He stretched once he wasn't too close to the ledge. He peered down at the empty streets. God, he missed that sight. Seeing how everything looked so small up high. He grinned under his mask.
He traveled across a few roofs before he found the perfect spot for his video. There were two street lamps to provide optimal lighting, and it was just high enough that people wouldn't see unless they looked up. Not like there were many people out, anyway.
Izuku dragged over an empty cardboard box that had been left up there for some reason and leaned his new phone against it. The screen was facing him. He pressed record. He'd trim it later.
He then ran across to the next roof over. He wanted to flip over to the camera and wave. A picture could have people thinking it wasn't him, but a video with flips on a rooftop would be harder to disprove.
He took in a deep breath. The gap between the two buildings wasn't large, but he'd never flipped above one. One wrong move and he would fall. Again. It was always alleys for some reason.
He shook his hands, hyping himself up. Before he could back out, he forced his legs to move. He bolted across. He jumped onto the ledge and up into the air. He flipped once, and landed on the other side.
The landing would have been great if his ankle hadn't decided to roll. He collapsed.
"Shit!" he yelled, hands going to the injured area. It was his healed leg as well. Man, sitting on your ass for nearly six weeks really got you out of shape. Who knew. "God damn it! Stupid bones."
He got his feet under him and pushed up so he stood. His ankle throbbed. He limped over to his phone and scooped it up. "Little lesson to everyone," he said, still shocked at how his voice sounded. "Don't attempt flips without supervision."
He turned off the device and slid it into his pocket. He'd post it later.
He'd have to continue his patrol on the ground. He grumbled under his breath about how the human body was stupid. He prepared to shoot a web onto the building so he could safely get down when something familiar wrapped around his wrist.
Izuku couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. He spun around. "Eraserhead!"
Said man was on the other side of the roof. His hair floated around him, along with the remaining scarf. "Kumo," he said, walking closer. "Where have you been?"
Izuku untied his wrist and flexed it. "Around. Why? Worried?"
The man gave him an exasperated look. "The police have been worried."
"Aren't you helping the police?"
"Kid," Eraserhead sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Where have you been? The police started thinking you're dead."
Izuku hummed and walked around the hero. He watched as his hair cascaded back around his shoulders. "Injuries do that to you. Oh hey! Think I can stick with you tonight? My ankle hurts and I'd rather not get caught in another alley."
Izuku couldn't even find a word to describe how done with everything Eraserhead looked. The man looked like he wanted nothing more than to leap off the roof and go home.
Which.
Okay, that was a big mood.
"Do I dare ask?" Eraserhead asked.
Izuku shook his head. "I wouldn't."
There was a moment of silence before the underground hero sighed for the 1ooth time and said, "Fine."
Izuku cheered and bounded towards the hero. Eraserhead just turned away and ran to the next roof. The landing hurt Izuku's ankle, but as long as he didn't do anymore flips he figured he should be alright.
The journey across town was silent. Normally Eraserhead would be attempting to get information out of him, like he had done the few times they'd run into each other in the past. But it seemed like the man was still coming to terms with the fact that Kumo was actually near him and willingly following him. Or maybe he was just surprised he wasn't dead.
Both. Both were good.
It didn't take long for them to stumble upon criminals. In fact, the criminals were being complete idiots, and coming from Izuku that was saying something.
They were attempting to pick the lock of a store. They had masks on to cover their faces, and a bunch of bags lay at their feet. It seemed like the ring leader--or who Izuku assumed was the ring leader--was picking the lock while the other two kept watch. And if they were good at their job, they'd be looking up as well.
This must be one of their first hits.
Eraserhead yanked Izuku down onto the roof. Izuku squawked and nearly missed smacking his head on the ledge. Eraserhead peered over the edge; Izuku copied. If they were a little bit closer, they'd be able to hear what was being said.
Something moving in the shadows drew Izuku's attention. It appeared there was a fourth figure with them. Either a hostage or a part of the team. It seemed Eraserhead hadn't noticed it, and Izuku wasn't about to speak lest one of their Quirks have something to do with hearing.
Izuku met Eraserhead's gaze, and the older man pointed at himself and held up three fingers, using his other hand to grab the middle and right ones. Eraserhead would take on the lock picker and the one on the right.
Izuku nodded in understanding, preparing to move over to the alley and lower himself down. Eraserhead went to the other side.
They made sure to stay in the shadows as they got closer to the group. And then Izuku made the most idioic mistake of tripping over a can that seemed to have fallen out of a dumpster. Luckily it only drew the attention of one of the criminals.
Oh how Izuku wished Eraserhead had given him permission to fight. Jumping around and dodging and waiting to be hit would definitely create problems if that extra figure was with them. He'd have to get it soon.
The criminal alerted the other two. Eraserhead then shot his capture weapon so it wrapped around the lamppost and swung himself towards one of them. His feet hit them right in the chest, sending them flying. They skidded across the concrete.
Izuku nearly didn't see the knife coming his way; he had been distracted by finally seeing Eraserhead in action. Izuku ducked under the criminal's arm.
"Eraserhead!" Izuku yelled, continuing to back away from the attacker.
"What are you doing, kid?" Eraserhead yelled back, hair floating around him as he threw a punch at one of the criminal's face.
"I need your permission to attack!"
"What?"
"You think I go into this blind? I know the laws and I either wait until I get hurt or you give permission!"
He heard the man swear. "Alright, you have my permission. You're gonna give me grey hairs, I swear."
Izuku bit back the, Yamada does that for me, comment that itched on his tongue. Instead, he grinned under his mask and grabbed his attacker's arm, twisting it in a way that made them drop the knife. They cried out. Izuku noticed their voice was deep, but who was he to assume?
The criminal swung their free arm, clumsily hitting Izuku's wrist. Izuku gasped as his web shooter opened up. He couldn't do anything but watch as the vial containing the web fluid flew out of his wrist band. It clanged onto the street and shattered.
"You dick!" the vigilante shouted, aiming a kick at the criminal's stomach. They dropped to the ground. "Do you have any idea how long it takes to make that stuff? It takes hours and it's expensive."
With the criminal pinned on the ground, Izuku aimed his other wrist at each limb. He pressed the trigger and soon each hand and foot were stuck to the ground. It should last until the police got there, but Izuku knew from experience that someone strong enough could break through it.
Izuku sighed and stepped away. He fished into his pockets and was about to pull out a spare vial when the figure from the shadows stepped out.
"Hey guys," she said, not looking up from the device she held in her hand, "I disarmed the alarms."
To say she was surprised when she finally noticed the scene was an understatement. Her eyes darted around to her colleagues, then to Eraserhead, and finally to Izuku. She stuttered.
Izuku spared a glance at Eraserhead. One of the criminals was tied to the lamppost. The man was fine, Izuku didn't need to step in. Unless a gun was drawn.
Izuku turned his attention back to the woman, who was still processing the situation. Well, at least this would be easy. He aimed his shooter at her feet and pressed down. She gasped and tried to move, but it just stretched with her.
She sighed, seemingly accepting defeat. Izuku frowned. It was never that easy. He stepped forward, and with one hand held her wrists together and the other webbed them together.
Now that she was restrained, Izuku could put in his spare vial. He frowned at his pockets. Maybe he should invest in a fanny pack. Or at least stitch zippers into the pockets. He couldn't have another event like this happening. The chemicals he used were expensive.
He put the vial into the shooter and closed the hatch. Hopefully this one would stay. His attention was drawn back to Eraserhead when he heard a gunshot.
Oh. A gun was drawn.
Time to step in.
Eraserhead didn't seem hurt, aside from bruises that had started to appear on his face. Izuku didn't see any blood leaking through his clothes, but then again he did wear all black so it was hard to tell. He didn't seem to favor any side, didn't have a limp.
Izuku copied Eraserhead's entrance trick and shot a web at the lamppost, swinging over to the two. He carefully aimed his feet at the gun and not Eraserhead. Which was harder than it should have been considering how Eraserhead didn't want to move away. Then again, guns did work best at a distance.
Izuku successfully knocked the gun out of Lock Picker's hand, but accidentally kicked Eraserhead in the jaw. The man groaned.
"Sorry!" Izuku called out as he landed. He ran over to where the gun scattered to and picked it up. He pocketed it. "Ha! Not so tough without your weapon, huh?"
Lock Picker seemed to finally realize their group weren't getting out of the mess they created. Izuku grinned as they held out their arms in surrender. Eraserhead stepped forward and tied them up with his capture weapon. Izuku stepped forward and handed the hero the gun he snatched.
Police sirens were in the distance, and that was Izuku's cue to leave. "See you around, Eraser." He gave a mock solute and shot a web at the store's roof, climbing it up. He ran across the rooftops until he was sure no police or heroes would find him.
His throbbing ankle was what made him sit down. He let his legs dangle over the edge. He could feel the adrenaline leaving his body. He swung his legs back and forth.
He had never experienced that kind of rush before. Was that what it was like to be an actual hero? Man, was Izuku jealous.
He laughed, realizing Eraserhead hadn't taken back his permission. He could very well continue actually fighting, actually stopping villains and criminals.
He stood up, cracking his knuckles. Oh, he was going to have so much fun with this.