The only feeling that was present and clouding his mind was an unquenchable, burning rage that simmered quietly amongst the trembles that racked his body and the burning in his eyes.
It was something he'd never properly felt before. Maybe when he was young - similar emotions emerged during his previous occupation. It was a wearisome and monotonous emotion that could be described as akin to waiting for a pear to drop out of a tree. He waited - through eyes that were barely open - for the pear to fall into his palms so he too could take a bite and cure his hunger.
His hunger was never fully satiated; Fullness is a treacherous thing to obtain. Greed is rarely rewarded. He had been content, and that was all that he needed to live. Until they - Until -
Their screams - distressing, lonely screams
His heart beats rhythmically in his ears. Faster and faster and faster and - and he briefly thinks of his two friends - his dear friends. He who has the reflection of a distraught child in his steeled eyes, he who loses his identity through each piling lie.
He glances down at the palms of his hands. A cat purrs somewhere nearby.
The wind rises with his hair in tow like it's trying to drag him into the sky. Just a little more time, he begs. Please, lend me some time.
He understands what he has to do.
—------------------
All for One speaks useless welcoming words meant to appease businessmen and consumers alike.
He speaks. He speaks to Dazai in the present and six long years ago in some distant memory. Except - it's not that distant, anymore. His eye aches. Dazai's eye aches, it hurts, he screams, he hurls, he -
He smiles, a polite indulgent smile with a glimmer of teeth amongst his lips. The man in front of him has no face, only a mouth that mirrors Dazai's smile, albeit a crueller version. He wears a plain monochrome suit and could almost pass for a regular businessman if not for the numerous tubes that are plugged into his body. It appears that despite his lack of eyes, a nose and other body parts, he can function normally.
"Meeting you too is of my interest. Why have you, a master villain, summoned me?" Dazai asks, polite in the presence of a man who enjoys playing God. He bears no resemblance to the real thing.
He asks, even though he is suddenly acutely aware of his unseeing eye, the few precision scars. Dazai will always recognise his voice, even if his face is morphed and torn apart.
"It's been so long. Dazai, how are you?"
"I see you and your doctor are still in a thriving partnership," Dazai comments, ignoring his question. Dazai clasps his hands tightly behind his back and leans to his right to peek at the shadowed finger.
All for One scratches his cheek. "We are up to quite a lot nowadays. Much busier than we used to be."
Dazai's gun is in his hand in an instant. It's pointed at All for One's face, right between where his eyes should be. The man's smile widens. The Doctor points his own machinery at Dazai, a garbled mix of wires and metal, but clearly functional.
"Don't try anything," the Doctor warns him on All for One's left, eyes narrowing underneath his goggles.
"It's alright Garaki," All for One speaks, but his gaze does not leave Dazai's hollow eyes. There's not a large probability of him being able to kill this man. But instead, he can do what he's always been good at doing; exploiting.
"I didn't take kindly to being your toy," Dazai says, polite smile dissolved into a blank expression.
"You were not a toy. You were my key to ultimate power! I fear that your dear Doctor Mori might have kept a bit of information from you, and that just won't do," All for One tuts like a discontent father. "I've always been interested in quirks. When I see a powerful one, I just have to take it. But yours, Dazai, is particularly amazing. No longer human. The antithesis of my quirk. I take, I collect quirks, and you? You destroy them."
The gears turn in Dazai's head quickly and ruthlessly. He ignores any part of him that feels frazzled, or even angry.
Luckily, Dazai is always one step ahead. He's got it all planned out - even if this is a surprise to him, everything else is fine.
"You couldn't take or weaponise my quirk, so now you want to use my quirk by using me," Dazai deduces breezily, watching All for One falter. The man wants to hold all the power.
"You're sharp. But you misinterpret my actions. You are more than just your quirk to me now."
"Am I?" Dazai prompts, leaning in curiously.
"Doctor Mori let me know of your existence when you were about nine or ten. I was enthralled by your quirk, but when I met you, I became curious about you as a person. Such young eyes held so much sadness," All for One sympathizes. "And I just so happened to stumble upon you in Musutafu. The tests were important. I couldn't take your quirk, but Garaki was still interested in you. Your blood, skin, DNA - our research involved all of those. Imagine what we could do with that quirk!"
Dazai's eye burns behind the wall of bandages. This has always been part of Mori's plan - when he was ten and confused, Mori was the one to mention that man who could take away powers. He wonders - would he have become one of those Nomu if Mori had not found him again? He already knows what it's like to be a weapon.
"World domination, maybe," Dazai supplies helpfully.
"Potentially," All for One replies, rather seriously. "During the time you were in our care, All Might and I battled, leaving me with these injuries." He references the tubes all around him. "Once Garaki returned with me, you were gone, and so was all our research pertaining to you. Just a few years later, I hear of the demon prodigy of the Port Mafia and his boss, Mori Ougai. I couldn't have him exploiting you, Dazai."
Dazai grimaces. With his perfect acting, he speaks with a quiet, unsure voice. "He exploited me..."
"Exactly! You're just a tool to him, Dazai. But I see your intellect and your worth. We are opposites meant to work together! So join me to purge Mori Ougai who has never helped you. Join me - to destroy the heroes, the mafia, Yokohama, all that never saved you as a child like I can now!" He holds his hand out - gloved - to shake. Dazai looks down at it.
It's an easy decision, truly. Mori, as awful as he is, is not particularly selfish. He can utilize Dazai as much as he wants, and he can break him over and over again, but Mori desires to keep his city safe more than anything. On the contrary, All for One's greed is insatiable. He will devour everything until there are only dust and bones in his wake. Dazai will never find a reason to live amongst the nothingness which that man desires.
It's All for One's fault that he's unaware of the fact that Dazai's words cannot be trusted.
He takes the hand with a wicked smile.
—----------------
They all find a seat in the barren compartments to avoid security cameras along the track. The scenery is a repetitive painting of trees and the occasional field.
A ticket inspector ambles in the direction of the group, a stern expression painted onto his face. It matches his formal uniform with many silver buttons down the coat. Each button gleams under the moonlight that streams into the cart through the few windows. Night trains are even less frequent than the already infrequent daytime train schedules.
Todoroki is the first one to point him out with an accusatory finger. Izuku's head whips around to find the man talking to an elderly couple close by. Yaoyorozu lets out a quiet gasp, while Iida's body becomes rigid. Kirishima reacts with a disappointed frown that makes him look like he's about to cry.
"What do we do, we can't fight them!" Izuku whispers harshly, panic written in the crumpled lines on his face. Kirishima's hand hovers over his arm in some mock attempt at comfort, but it falls short.
"We knew what were getting into..." Yaoyorozu says. "Maybe it's time to give up."
"If we do, this will be on our permanent records. We'll get expelled since this violates numerous laws, both from the student handbook and federal law," Iida explains calmly, but he can't hide the tremble of his hands when he brings one to his chest.
"Why don't we attack him and take the train hostage?" Todoroki suggests. He's the only one who seems genuinely unbothered, but instead, contemplative.
"Because then we might be considered terrorists and Yokohama will deploy whoever to get rid of us...?" Kirishima replies.
"I don't know!" Izuku says frustratedly, tugging at his hair. "I don't want this to be over. I want to be a Hero so badly!" His selfish desires come out abruptly. The others don't even judge him - they've all seen how motivated he is to achieve his own dream.
"We were so close..." Kirishima mutters and clenches his fists tightly in his lap. "Bakuou..."
The inspector arrives on Ikeda's side - which makes Izuku remember that he's even there. How can they be so selfish when this old man who just wants to live a peaceful life is also going to be arrested right with them? Izuku goes to interfere; he can buy time while the others find a solution.
Ikeda shakily holds up a ticket - and five others follow. "We have tickets. I'm their chaperone - I have business with the Holman company." His sallow cheeks stretch into a smile - if it could be called that. It resembles a pained grimace, Izuku thinks. He looks so sad. He doesn't look anything like the riled-up man that greeted them by the forest.
"Thank you for your cooperation," the ticker inspector, Makino as Izuku reads on a lanyard, accepts the tickets. Izuku watches without breathing. He hands them back without a fuss and continues on to the next person. Ikeda fiddles with his hat nervously - he hasn't taken it off since they got on the train, and his horns are completely covered.
The train rocks back and forth, rattling with each movement. Ikeda smiles to himself out the window.
Izuku touches his arm slowly, carefully. Ikeda turns his head. A tear rolls down his cheek silently. His smile stays in place as if it's sewn on.
"I can't tell you anything," he speaks, short of breath and almost frantic. The only thing Izuku could describe him as would be 'utterly terrified'. "I can't - I can't tell you."
Iida stands. "Who - who are you? Did someone send you to take us hostage? Why do you have tickets? We were tricked, weren't we? You're with the League!"
"...Iida," Izuku rests a hand on his friend's shoulder. He's shaking. "It's ok, Ikeda-san." Izuku doesn't smile at the man, but he hopes the sympathy in his eyes is enough to convey the message. "Please choose the right thing to do."
Todoroki narrows his eyes at the man, seemingly also wanting to share his thoughts on the matter. Kirishima shakes his head at him. Yaoyorozu examines the elderly man.
"Leave us alone for the rest of the trip," Todoroki settles on saying.
"But Todoroki, shouldn't one of us monitor him?" Kirishima retorts nervously.
"I can volunteer." Yaoyorozu pushes in front. "I have a few questions for him. We should take turns though, so nobody is out of the loop."
They all agree - though Izuku pushes to take the first shift. Yaoyorozu firmly declines.
Izuku and Kirishima sit across from Iida and Todoroki. They sit in tension; seating preferences paralleling their opinions. It's almost pitch black outside, which makes the bright white lights of the train somehow feel sterile and important. Izuku wishes they'd at least dim them in case some passengers wanted to rest their eyes. He turns back to the heated conversation at hand.
"Look, Iida, I understand that you think Dazai is a horrendous villain, but he could've gone with the villains to save you all. Even though it's not manly to turn your back on others, the situation was..." Kirishima pauses. "Precarious."
"I won't budge on my opinion. Dazai was incredibly dishonest. You don't know what he can do," Iida says darkly. There's something in his eyes that Izuku can't understand too well. Iida is so irrational when it comes to Dazai.
"But... you said he threatened to kill himself, right?" Izuku tentatively says. When Iida nods, he continues. "Dazai might be in a bad place mentally because he's genuinely been tricked or forced into whatever villainous organisation he is in."
"That could've been an attempt at manipulation," Todoroki comments. "I don't trust him."
"He has bandages everywhere. If he's willing to kill himself, well... he might have... stuff on his skin." Kirishima averts his eyes.
"I agree - he might just need to be saved, or..." Izuku adds quickly.
"You are too idealistic, Midoriya. Not everyone wants to be saved, or even needs to be!" Iida barks.
"But still, I - "
"Midoriya!" Iida roars. Izuku freezes. "Dazai will refuse your help. You're not All Might! You're not some big, fancy hero!"
You're useless. You can't be a hero.
He suddenly feels like he's fourteen and useless again, quirkless and weak. Like nothing has changed at all. Kacchan is throwing his hero analysis books away and classmates are stealing his stationery. Izuku's eyes burn as his hands form into fists, and despite his attempts to hold them in, his eyes tear up.
When Izuku doesn't defend himself, Kirishima steps in with a hand shielded in front of Izuku's form.
"Iida, man, that was a bit too harsh."
Iida frowns. "You're right." He turns to Izuku. "My apologies, Midoriya. I don't... I don't know what's come over me." His friend shallowly bows.
"It's ok, Iida. We're all stressed. I'll call Yaoyorozu back so I can take the next watch..." Izuku nervously laughs.
Todoroki observes him and Iida blankly, while Kirishima's fingers tap a nervous rhythm on the table in front of him. The atmosphere could barely be called cordial; while Iida was insistent on sharing his opinions, Todoroki seemed to hold it in through silent contemplation. Kirishima was the peacemaker.
Izuku calls over Yaoyorozu with a wave of his hand. She nods and returns with a grim expression.
"I couldn't get any information out of him," she says.
"Don't worry about it," Izuku reassures her. "I'll monitor him."
Ikeda looks downtrodden - like they're the ones holding him captive when it could be the complete opposite.
"Um... Ikeda-san..." Izuku clears his throat. "Are you alright?"
The man doesn't respond verbally, just with a grimace. Izuku and Ikeda sit in silence. He watches the trees speed by. The scenery is so untouched, it's quite beautiful. Even wild forests in Japan often have some degree of upkeep in them, either through carving out roads and trails or by maintenance.
Ikeda takes a deep breath, his wrinkles creasing. "I'm not going to hurt you - any of you."
Izuku wrings his hands together on his lap. He knows he should say something, but he doesn't know what.
Yaoyorozu already tried to get information from him - Izuku trusts her attempt, so he doesn't bother. He uses the time to reflect on what he feels about Dazai.
Dazai - did he leak the location of the USJ? What about the training camp?
Izuku doesn't think he's part of the League of Villains since they had nothing to gain by exposing him as a villain during the summer camp. That leaves the question: Who is Dazai working for? A third-party organisation that has to have money to back it up with an interest in UA. An organisation that also is interested in the League - was he sent to bridge a connection between the two organisations? Or send a message?
Kirishima taps him on the shoulder. Izuku jumps up but relaxes when he realises who it is.
"Woah, sorry! You were spacing out..." Kirishima apologises, then lowers his voice. "I think we've come to a conclusion, but they wanted you to hear it anyways. The old man will be fine for a few minutes."
"Oh - ok! Let's go... then..."
Izuku and his friend exchange grim smiles and return to the group. At least everybody looks less riled up, hopefully thanks to Yaoyorozu who seems to be the one dictating the current conversation.
"We settled on a plan of action," Yaoyorozu states, nervously tugging on her hair.
"That's - that's great!" Izuku says. "What is it?"
"Our first goal is to rescue Bakugou. That won't change. If Dazai is close by and we have the opportunity, we can offer our help. But if he refuses... you can't force him, Midoriya. We have to leave the rest to the police."
He can't stop the crushing disappointment that fills his lungs. He knows he's being unfair. He knows he's being selfish. That's why Izuku won't ask for more.
"Ok. Alright, that's fine. I understand. Thank you, everyone, for considering my feelings," Izuku says halfway in between a croak and stutter.
"You're just as important as the rest of us." Todoroki cocks his head at Izuku. "Why wouldn't we?"
"You're right, that's silly of me..." Izuku mumbles. His face heats up as he tries to discreetly cover it, and Yaoyorozu's lips quirk up at the display.
The tension doesn't fully resolve itself all at once, but it's friendlier. Iida smiles at Izuku more, and he thinks it was stupid of him to think Iida thought he was useless. He was being rational after all - all of them are just first-year students. Through all their wigs and disguises, they're only teenagers. Sometimes the burden of attacks and injuries and losses is hard to carry.
The train eventually slows. Izuku gets all nervous again. Since they have tickets now, Ikeda said it would be fine to just leave. He didn't seem too sure about it himself in the first place though.
Iida walks out incredibly suspiciously. Izuku would like to say he walks out calmly, but in truth, he is sweating buckets as he also exits the train. Yaoyorozu and Todoroki are cool and collected, probably because they're used to scrutiny at events they go to. Kirishima crookedly smiles at the guards while lingering with Ikeda.
Ikeda, who seems remarkably calm once again. He even insults one of the guards at the inspection area - telling them to 'hurry up because his knees are sore'. They grumble something about the older generation, but let them through regardless.
Izuku exits the station with a feeling of awe. Of the journey, of course, and that everybody - and he means everybody - is plain looking. No quirks in sight, no Hero billboards, just average people. Quirkless people. People like him. He wonders if they would relate to his struggles, or if they've never had to think about quirked people and their so-called biological supremacy.
Ikeda sighs, a long and deep one that rattles his lungs around. He pinches the skin on the bridge of his nose.
"Look, I know where Kamino is. I heard you all yapping about it earlier. I can take you or not, but my job is done," he says, slowly and purposefully.
"Wait! What do you mean?" Izuku asks, frantically. His job? Escorting them? Nobody except their class knew that they were even going to go to Yokohama!
Ikeda - obviously uncomfortable with the interrogation - shifts away, but Kirishima grabs his arm.
"Thank, I guess, old man. You were pretty manly back there when we got off the train... it made us feel more relaxed..." he trails off awkwardly. "Thanks. Leave the rest to us!" he bumps his fist on his chest.
Taking it as a sign to leave, the enigma of a man turns his back to them and fades into the crowded streets. Izuku watches with bated breath until that old hat of his disappears too. He hopes the man finds what he's looking for in this city.
The five of them feel out of place. Kirishima and Yaoyorozu take the lead, finding a nearby map and getting Yaoyorozu to produce a copy of it. They begin their walk to the Kamino ward of the elusive Yokohama city.
Iida and Izuku linger at the back. It's somehow quieter in Yokohama, which buzzes with laughter from the bars and nightclubs alive nearby. A group of women stumble by with wide smiles and even louder laughter. They cling to each other in their heels and fancy dresses, expensive makeup and happy feelings.
Izuku looks up at the sky. The stars are barely visible. It must be all the pollution that the ports produce. Even so - the people in Yokohama aren't so different from anywhere else. They laugh and cry and dance under the same sky.
I'm scared," Iida admits quietly to Izuku. "of Dazai."
"It's alright, Iida. I could tell," Izuku replies softly, rubbing his thumb over one of Iida's hands. "It's going to be ok."
He pretends not to notice the few tears his friend sheds under the cover of the night.