Izuku opened his eyes but quickly shut them do to the light. He peeked one open, then the other, and looked around. This... wasn't his bed... It was his dad. And Izuku was sitting in his Dad's lap leaning against his chest while Dad leaned against his bed asleep with Honey having her front paws and head draped across Izuku's legs. It was odd but somehow Izuku didn't want to move. So he laid his head back down against his father's chest and closed his eyes once more.
He listened as the members of the Quirkless Rejects walked by and conversed with each other. Izuku felt a slight breeze so he cracked his eyes open. His door... was gone. He didn't think much of it, his head felt fuzzy, so he just closed his eyes again and fell asleep.
Izuku awoke again with someone combing their fingers through his hair. It felt good. He hummed in content. The hand paused for a second before continuing. He heard a few whispers and cracked open his eyes. Grimlin and Doom were putting a new door where his old one used to be. That's nice of them. It didn't even register that everyone who had walked by had witnessed Dad being, well, a dad. Izuku decided to finally lift his head. When he did, Dad stopped combing his bangs and met his viridian eyes with his own.
"Morning, kid," Dad said softly.
"Mmmmmorning, Dad," he hummed tiredly. He felt Dad's chest vibrate as the man chuckled. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Better now?" Dad's forehead furrowed.
"Do you not remember...?" Izuku shook his head. "Remember what?"
Dad shook his head and patted Izuku's leg. "Nothing. Now get up, my legs are asleep. It's 1 in the afternoon and I've been here since 2 in the morning."
"ONE!?" Izuku scrambled to get off. He stood up waaaaaay to quickly and stumbled back but caught himself. He closed his eyes and put a hand on his head and one on his chest.
"You okay, kid?" Dad asked, standing up. Izuku nodded slightly. "Yeah-" he breathed in deeply, "- just give me- a second to- breathe." He took one more deep breath and let his hands fall. "Man, my head suddenly just throbbed or something. It's okay now but wow..."
Dad patted his shoulder. "You had a long night and your hard-of-breathing probably didn't help. You know, your breathing is scary when you sleep, there were so many times I thought you actually weren't breathing at all."
Izuku laughed. "My bad, my bad! I'll try to not die in my sleep some other time." Dad whapped him upside the head. "Come on, kid, you have to contact the other leaders, right?" Izuku's eyes widened. "You're right! Thanks, dad!" Dad waved and left, closing the new door behind him. Izuku was quick to get into costume. He looked at himself in the mirror. The greenette didn't know exactly how he felt, or if he felt anything at all for that matter, but what he did know is that his chest felt much lighter.
Today was going to be a good day.
_______________________________
Izuku tapped his sunglasses as he stood before the monitor. They hadn't been working recently, though he had a feeling why. He shrugged. He stood on the stage with the QR logo behind him, they had recently got it painted on the warehouse wall behind the stage. A few of the members milled around but all were silent as they all knew this was an important meeting with the branch leaders. He waved at a few of them as Ruske set up the projector and translating devices. They grinned and waved back.
"Alright, Chief," Ruske huffed. He stood up. "You are all set." "Thank you, Ruske." He dusted off his vest and straightened his mask and sunglasses. "All good." Ruske nodded and pressed the call button. It rang for a second before America's leader popped up. Then the screen split when Russia's leader joined. Soon he had five other leaders in the chat, the five he had set for this time. He couldn't very well do all of the leaders of every country all at once so he had timed schedules for different sets. He would be contacting the second group after this one. Izuku had a full day booked.
He grinned under the mask.
"Greetings, friends, it is nice to see you all again. May I first start off with congratulating North America and Korea?" The leaders read the translations and the two leaders straightened themselves
"Taking down the third biggest hero in your country is no easy task, and the fourth for you, Korea, great job! I read all about it on the website, I am sure you saw how a few of our own members posted pictures of themselves celebrating it in the events subtab?"
The Korean leader nodded.
"Thank you, Chief Deku, your words are very kind."
"Yeah, Chief! Thanks a ton, dude!" the North American leader exclaimed.
Izuku nodded. "Now, that is not to say the other countries have not been doing well. I find great joy in reading about the smaller things you have been doing in your respective tabs and in the events and I very much enjoy watching the world news reports on the growth and expansion of our group. So, great job to all of you."
"Thank you, Chief."
"That is very kind of you, Chief Deku."
"Thanks, Chief!"
Izuku cleared his throat. "Yes, now on to other things. We are currently partnering with the Eight Precepts of Death, or more commonly known as the Yakuza in Japan. In other countries, such as North America, it is like a gang that runs most of the undersociety. They are producing drugs and bullets that can either amplify quirks or destroy them."
"Vhat do you mean 'destroy them?'" The Russian leader inquired.
"I mean that it can make a quirked person unable to use their quirk anymore. In other terms, it completely disintegrates the quirk factor in a being's genes."
The leaders went silent.
"Now, we are actually teaming up with the heroes in Japan to overthrow the Yakuza so we can save a little girl they have been using the body of to make these drugs. They tear her apart to take her quirk cells to make these drugs. Her quirk rewinds living things. We plan to steal the drugs in the process and study them to see if we can reproduce the drugs without her. We are releasing her to normal life outside of Yakuza arms."
"Vhat is sickening."
"Dude..."
Izuku nodded. "After the battle, the heroes have made it clear that they are going to try to take us into custody. I will allow them to take me to Tartus."
A let them read and digest that.
"Excuse my interruption, Chief Deku," the Korean leader spoke up, "but I feel that is very stupid."
Izuku hummed. "It would not be the smartest if that was all I was doing."
"What are you planning, Chief?" the Chinese leader asked.
"In Tartus, they are holding All For One who, before me, was known as the most powerful villain in the world and is most well known for his fight with All Might. I plan to release him."
The North American leader gawked. "CHIEF!? Are you an idiot or something?!" Izuku shook his head. "I may not be all that right in the brain but I assure you... I am no idiot, Free Wings." The patriotic leader snapped his mouth shut, as did everyone else. Izuku cleared his throat.
"Due to some consequences, All For One is very weak and cannot live off of the machines keeping him alive in Tartus but he should be well enough by the time I get taken to live without them. We will be using the man near the end of the war. Now, regarding the war, a week after the Yakuza attack I and All For One will be broken out of Tartus. The time crunch will be harsh for we cannot allow a man that powerful to roam for long. Because of the time, we will need to use him, a month after we escape from Tartus, the war needs to start."
"A month..." the Canadian leader said softly. Primrose ran a hand through her red hair. "I think we can do that. I know my country can. We have a group of over 30,000 and still growing. We are training them all in various locations around Canada and all are ready at a moment's notice.
The Chinese leader nodded sharply. "We have almost a million here but even considering our population of a billion, I believe we have a fair shot. Most that have yet to join have not because of the oppression of our country's leader. I know that once the war starts, many will call out to fight with us."
"We've got this!" Free Wings cheered.
Vision, the Korean leader, hummed. "We are ready, Chief Deku."
"Vhatever you need, we've got," the Russain leader agreed."
Izuku grinned. "That is good. Within the first week of August, you all have time for one large scale attack. After that, the Quirkless Rejects will go off the map for a month doing pure training and tactics for the war. We must prepare in full. Food storage even and safe houses. The economy will not survive long after the war starts so we must plan for everything. Get your arsenals up to the best quality and capacity available. If you need help, ask for it in the leader's chat on the website. Recently we have contacted a man in the dark undersociety that can ship illegal goods between countries so do not hesitate. This is a crucial moment and we have no room for mistakes. It never hurts to be overly precautious. Do you all understand?"
They all nodded. "YES, CHIEF DEKU!"
_______________________________
Izuku shut off the video chat between the leaders. Now to do that thirty-eight more times.
-----
Izuku sighed. His knees buckled and he collapsed there on the stage as soon as the last call ended. 39 video chats, each around thirty minutes. That is 1170 minutes, in hours that were 19 and a half hours and during that time Izuku did not sit once. His throat felt raw from talking and his voice cracked with every syllable. It was the next day, 9:30 in the morning already. A few that had just woken up to get to their training walked by during his last couple of calls and stared in shock for a second at the fact that he was still up.
Ruske woke up from his nap on the edge of the stage. "Ah," he said noticing Izuku on the floor. "Chief Deku, great job."
Izuku groaned loudly. "I ca- n't fe- el my le- gs..."
Ruske, who had gotten to the point that he worked with Izuku so much that he got the gaul to be sassy with him, stood and began to disassemble the camera and screen. "And I cannot understand a word you are saying." Izuku scowled at the brunette. "Can I ju- st sle- ep here...?"
Ruske walked over and held out his hand. "I mean, I am sure you can, sir, but it is highly unrecommended." Izuku grabbed his hand and let the older man hoist him up.
"Woah there, cowboy," Ruske huffed as he let Izuku lean on him. "Let's get you up to your room."
Izuku yawned loudly. "So- rry," he apologized as they walked. Well, more like Ruske did. Izuku's legs felt like jelly. "It is not a problem at all, Chief. You had a long day." They climbed up the stairs and made their way to Izuku's room where he was promptly deposited on the bed.
"Sleep well, Chief Deku."
Izuku fell asleep as soon as he heard his door shut.
-----
The next day he discussed the plan with the Quirkless Rejects as a whole, not just the branch leaders.
A few days later, he met up with Nighteye to go over the details of the attack.
_______________________________
Izuku sat in the underground bunker with Nighteye and his sidekicks. Bubblegum and Butterfly sat with him. Nighteye spoke first.
"I made contact with your spy in the Yakuza." He laid a sketched map on the table between the two groups. "This is a rough draft of the path she took with the toy and found the location of the girl, Eri. This is your copy."
Izuku picked it up and studied it. He handed it to Butterfly who took it and held it by her side. "What of the girl?" Izuku asked. "She is safe, from what I saw. Not safe in her position but it seems that she and your subordinate are close enough to have made a bond. I believe she will come with us when we attack." Izuku nodded.
"Three days."
Nighteye nodded. "Three days."
Izuku turned to the blonde in the corner with a serious face. "Okay, so what's up with you? You look like someone died."
Nighteye cleared his throat. "That is Lemillion, a third-year at UA High School. He made contact with Eri and Chisaki the day I got your initial letter." The kid made his hands into fists and they shook. "I- I was so close! I could have taken her to the police or something. Something!"
It was silent.
*SLAP*
Everyone stared at Bubblegum except Lemillion whose face was turned from the hit. "Young man, this is coming from a mother, there was nothing you could do. If you had done more then the girl might have been in more danger." Lemillion looked at his lap. "Let me tell you this, Lemillion," she crouched down to his eye level and put her fist on his chest where his heart would be.
"When you held that girl in your arms, I bet you that she felt more than just despair."
_______________________________
Izuku sat in the underground bunker with Kurogiri the day before the attack.
"Do you understand the plan?" The mist man nodded, or at least Izuku thinks he did. It was really hard to tell with this guy.
"I do, Chief Deku."
Izuku hummed. He handed the man the mic set and the new screen for displaying coordinates that were connected to the tracker Izuku had implanted in his own wrist the night before. It was on all of the time and displayed his coordinates with every move. He could not press a button as a cue in Tartus, it was all time-based. Izuku looked at the man in the eyes.
"If we fail-"
"- then the Quirkless Rejects fall."
"I am counting on you, Kurogiri," Izuku said tensely.
Kurogiri stood and bowed deeply. "I am honored. I assure you, I will not let you down."
_______________________________
Izuku hopped through the window of his mother's apartment, she had been released from the mental ward a month ago. It was night time. He heard the sound of the stove and made his way into the dining room. He stopped when he saw his mother, Inko, at the stovetop and Auntie Mitsuki, Kacchan's mother, at the table along with Kacchan himself and Uncle Masaru, the blondes dad. Mom turned around. "Ah! Izu, welcome home." Everyone at the table whipped their heads around. Yup, there he was.
"I- IZUKU!?" Auntie gasped.
He chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "H- hey guys." He 'casually' made his way to his chair, the eyes of the Bakugo's following him, Mom humming in the kitchen. The greenette pulled off the mask and sunglasses and placed them on the table before sitting down. "What's for dinner, Mom?"
"Katsudon," she replied cheerfully as she pulled out an extra bowl for him. "Great!"
"What the hell?" Kacchan half-yelled. "Why are you acting like this is normal!?" Mom placed the bowls of food in front of each person before getting her own and sitting down. "Because it is?" she said, questioning.
"Thanks, Mom," Izuku said as he dug into his favorite meal.
Masaru gulped. "Sh- shouldn't we be calling the cops or something?" Mom tilted her head. "Why? Is it odd for a son to drop in for dinner?"
Mitsuki stood sharply. "It is if said son is a villain! I'm calling the police." She pulled out her phone. Mom stood sharply. "W- wait, Mitsuki. Don't-" *CRACK*
Everyone froze. Mitsuki's eyes trailed down to the phone in her hand where the edge of a blade was sticking through it and electric sparks were popping from it. The hilt of the blade stuck out the back. Everyone turned their heads to look at Izuku who was leaning back in his chair twirling another blade in his hand. "I do believe that my mother said 'Wait.'"
Kacchan jolted from his chair and grabbed Izuku by the vest. "You think we are scared of you, punk?! I could-" *Click*
Kacchan froze. "H- hey now, Izuku," Masaru said softly. Kacchan gulped audibly and looked down to where a golden pistol was pressed against his left side.
"Now," Izuku said coldly, "I've come back to enjoy a meal with my mother and would like to enjoy it. I am sure you would too. Alive. Am I wrong?" No one replied. Mom just casually set a salad on the table. "Salad anyone?" Everyone else sat down tensely.
"Izu, please put the gun away," his mother requested. "It's bad table manners." Izuku sighed and put it back in his holster. "Fine." He continued to eat. "So? How is everyone doing?"
Mitsuki grinned awkwardly. "Er..."
_______________________________
Izuku and about thirty-five of the rejects exited from the warp gate just as the heroes were gathering in front of the Yakuza household. He met eyes with Nighteye. They all turned at the sound of footsteps to see Animation walking towards them. She stopped in between the two groups. Izuku cleared his throat.
"First brigade there," he commanded, pointing to the side. Some of the heroes broke off there. Ten of the Quirkless Rejects including Jester and Butterfly. "You will help with the initial breakthrough then stay out here to hold the fort in case anyone tries to escape. Next," he pointed to another spot, "second brigade there." A few heroes grumbled about Izuku controlling things but he didn't care. Ten of the Quirkless Rejects went there too, Doom and Bubblegum among them.
"You be in charge of the leading through, periodically dropping off to stand guard in the house and tunnels. Lastly, the third brigade," he pointed to another place and all but five of the Quirkless Rejects present, himself and the Fox twins in that group, went there with the heroes left. "We will be the main fighters taking down any and everyone. Finally, our rescue group," he pointed a bit further away. The rest of the five went to that position and s few heroes. "You will go with Animation and retrieve Eri. Get her out at all costs.
Does everyone understand?"
Everyone nodded and the rejects hollered: "Yes, Chief Deku!"
He nodded. "Let's do this."