Chapter 48: My Son, The Spider
Inko Midoriya had been dealing with a lot recently. Her son had been bitten by a spider that gave him powers, which due to a series of unfortunate events, ultimately made him become a vigilante. This was followed by several almost heart attacks from the woman, all due to her fear of losing her son as he went out and fought crime. And then he brought home Himiko Toga, a girl that was basically being tortured by her parents, which she had agreed to help. It was a lot. A lot of stuff that most would just give up on.
But it wasn't in Inko Midoriya's nature to give up.
Though she had to admit, there were times she really wished she would. Granted, she would admit she had almost gave up on her son at one point, fearing his love of heroes combined with his quirklessness would lead her son down a path of despair. But she would never give up on her son. Especially at the sight before her. Outside of her house, at the front door, was Detective Naomasa. That alone was something that could spell trouble. Not only that, alongside the detective was a scruffy man with a giant scarf that looked like he belonged in a homeless shelter, and...the principal of UA, Nezu. A being who wasn't human, looked like a stoat, and was hiding in the homeless man's scarf.
And despite how strange the sight before her was, it was Nezu's question that really pushed her. After all, he had just asked one simple question: "Tell me, is your son Izuku Midoriya home?"
Her son was not at home. He was out being a vigilante, and considering the detective was here and they were asking about Izuku and not Himiko, that meant one of two things in the woman's mind. Either Izuku did something really bad...or they knew he was Spider-Man. The latter was probably the right answer considering her luck. That wasn't good.
A few seconds passed at this, only for Inko to reply, "Well...no. He's not here right now." She turned to Namoasa, knowing that he could probably answer why this was happening. "Detective, what's going on? Is Izuku in trouble? And who is this with you?"
Naomasa opened his mouth at this, only for Nezu to exclaim, "Allow me to explain that. I'll answer the last question first, as the man I'm currently riding is Shouta Aizawa." The homeless looking man growled at that, only for Nezu to chuckle as he added, "He is an Underground Hero, and part of a case the detective is doing. Speaking of that, if you don't mind, could we come in? I know we came unannounced, but we had to do it this way."
Inko glanced back at the detective, seeing a blank stare on his face. Biting her lip at this, she gestured for them to come inside. And as they began to walk in, she said, "Well...I um...I apologize for the mess. I didn't know we would have company, so the house isn't in the best shape right now."
"That is perfectly fine!" Nezu cackled as he hopped off of Aizawa before waddling into the living room. "I personally find coming in unannounced to be far more fun than something planned in advance." And as he walked into the room, he found a certain sitting on a couch staring at him, "Hello there, Himiko Toga. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance as well!"
Himiko shrunk back at this, her eyes going between Nezu and Inko, the mother doing a small shrug in response. Seeing this, Himiko put away a knife she had been twirling around with her left hand. And as she put that away, she saw Shouta Aizawa walk in, the man giving her a low glare that made her want to shrink further into the couch. That is, till she saw Detective Naomasa also appear, which almost made her smile. She liked the detective, as he was probably the nicest cop she had ever met.
However, that smile quickly vanished as Inko walked over to her before turning to Nezu and asking, "So...why are you all here tonight?"
"Why that's simple!" Nezu chuckled as he raised one paw up into the air before pointing at Inko, "We're here to talk about your son, Izuku Midoriya." Nezu's grin began to grow as he said these next words, "Or should I call him, Spider-Man?"
"To think we would encounter each other again so quickly." Li remarked as he continued to point his blade at Izuku. The teen reflexively flashed a palm over Eri, trying to show her to step back as he got himself into a fighting stance. That is, till Li added, "And to be honest, I would prefer to fight you again one on one. However, that cannot happen tonight."
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked, fearing he might already know the answer.
Li pointed his blade down at the girl behind the vigilante, "Unfortunately, I am in a hurry. Hand over the girl and I will let you live another day."
'Seriously?!' Izuku thought as he glanced down at Eri for a second, 'Why is everyone after her?!' He then felt a tug from her, the big frown on her face growing as Izuku narrowed his eyes at the sight. He looked back at Li as electricity began to spark around both his hands, "Not a chance."
"I see." Li pulled the arm holding the blade back, taking a certain stance, "Then you will die here."
The villain swiped his blade diagonally at this, a black and white wave firing out of the katana. Seeing this, Izuku instantly grabbed Eri and rolled to the side, dodging the attack. But as he did this, Li charged at the two, thrusting his blade straight for Izuku's head. The vigilante tilted his head at this, the sword just missing his cheek before coming to a stop right in front of the teen. Izuku quickly ducked at this just as Li swiped the blade, trying to slice the teen's head in half. And as he did this, Izuku pointed his wrist at the villain and fired a glob of webbing, instantly hitting Li's mask.
"Yaugh!" Li yelped as his vision was now covered in webbing. He quickly put a glowing black and white hand to the mask. A tiny surge of energy appeared around his fingers before he ripped the webbing off, growling at this as Izuku grabbed Eri with one arm.
"We're getting out of here." Izuku commented as he began to run, Eri gasping as she felt herself shake in Izuku's arm.
"You will go nowhere." Li hissed as energy flared from his blade, "PERISH!"
Danger!
Izuku glanced back at this, only to see another energy wave coming straight for the teen's head. He quickly ducked under it, dodging the attack before another blade wave came for the vigilante. Seeing it was about to strike the arm that was carrying Eri, Izuku spun around, the energy wave hitting the teen's back.
BOOM!
"Augh!" Izuku yelped as he felt pain strike his whole body. Eri gasped as she saw the teen trying to help her flinch, only for Izuku's head to shift left and right. The vigilante saw that the alleyway they were in was a dead end, complete with another dumpster. Seeing this, Izuku whispered to the girl, "I'm sorry Eri, but I have to fight him."
"Fight...him?" She muttered back, only to see Izuku do a small nod.
"Yeah. Can you hide behind that for a second?" He pointed to a dumpster, the girl glancing over at the object. She then looked back up at him with a big frown, only for Izuku to say, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I've beaten him before."
"O-o-okay." Eri replied as she felt Izuku let her go.
A second later, Izuku stood up and stared at Li, the man pointing his blade at the vigilante. "Ready to die, spider?"
"No." Izuku responded while balling up his hands into fists, electricity surging around them. "If you want to fight me again, I'll fight you again Li."
"I have told you before. I am not Li, I am Mister Negative."
Izuku shook his head, "No, you're Li." The teen took a fighting stance, "Let's do this."
Meanwhile...
You could have heard a pin drop in the Midoriya's house at this moment. Inko Midoriya didn't know what to say, do or how to respond. The very idea seemed almost foreign in a way. And it was all because Nezu had said her son was the vigilante known as Spider-Man.
Inko wasn't sure how long she stood there, not responding. However, she was saved when a certain kettle in her kitchen suddenly rang out. Hearing this, Inko took a deep breath before saying, "Um...please give me one moment. The tea I was preparing is ready."
With that, she walked past the homeless-looking man and detective before entering the kitchen, her expression unchanging. The sight made Nezu chuckle while Aizawa rolled his eyes, wanting to facepalm and groan at what had just happened. At the same time, Naomasa showed a look of slight confusion, surprised that Inko had froze up like that. He knew he didn't know much about her, but he had never seen her so...expressionless.
As for Inko, she began to do the final touches of the tea before pouring them into a few cups. And as she did this, her mind went over everything that had just happened. 'They know? I mean, when they showed up like this, I suspected they knew, but...what do I do? Are they going to arrest Izuku?!'
And as that last thought went through her head, her mind shifted back to that day. The day Izuku told her everything. Every moment at school where he was bullied for being quirkless. Every story about the scars that littered his body. How Bakugo told her son to kill himself. And then she remembered what she had told Izuku.
"Izuku...I won't run away anymore. I'm going help you every step of the way. I know you failed the UA exam, and that's okay. We'll get through this, okay?"
"No more. I'm here for you. I'll cheer for you, help you...whatever you need. You...you can be a hero. I don't know how, but we'll figure it out, okay?"
Those words went through her head, repeating several times as she robotically prepared the tea. And when she finished it, she stared down at the liquid, which was now in a small pitcher. "Izuku..." she whispered, only for the image of her smiling son in his Spider-Man suit to appear in her head. The thought made her smile as well before her expression switched to a determined glare.
'I'll protect you Izuku. Even if I have to take the fall for you.' She grabbed the pitcher and spun around, 'You can do this Inko. You can...no. You will do this.'
She began to walk back into the living room as she said, "Sorry about that. Would anyone like some tea?"
"Yes!" Nezu instantly replied, Aizawa rolling his eyes at this, knowing that his boss would always say yes to tea. Inko in turn, put the pitcher down on a nearby table and went back into the kitchen and brought out some cups. She poured a drink for the stoat and gestured to the Aizawa and Naomasa, only to get two shakes of the head.
"Thank you." Nezu added as he took a sip. "Mmm...delicious."
"I'm glad you like it." Inko replied as she sat down on her couch and began to stare at the trio. 'Okay Inko...what will you do now? Do I say something, or-'
"Mrs. Midoriya," Nezu spoke up, taking Inko out of her thought as she watched the stoat stare at her. His expression showed nothing but happiness, no usual cockiness or mystery behind his face. Instead, he just sat there, sipping tea as he said, "I understand I said something out of the blue, and I apologize if I shocked you. However, I'm an individual that when it comes to the most important things, I believe getting everything out in the open is the best option. As such, I would like to say once again, I know your son is Spider-Man."
Those words made the room silent again, only for the sound of Nezu sipping some tea to ring out. He chuckled at the silence, as if it was a joke before saying, "That being said, I understand if you don't believe me, or you are willing to lie to protect your son. As such-"
"That won't be necessary." Inko interrupted, making Nezu tilt his head in response. She took a deep breath before taking a sip of tea and said, "I'm no fool. You wouldn't have come here otherwise unless you have some proof."
Nezu's grin grew at this, "Indeed. And if you wish, I can give you the proof I have that your son is the vigilante I speak of."
Inko's eyes stared at the stoat before going to Naomasa, the detective just giving her a worried frown. She went back to Nezu, sighing as she asked, "Alright. Let's say you're right. What do you want? Are you going to hurt my son? If you are-"
"Not at all. In fact, I want the exact opposite. I want to help your son." Nezu interrupted while shaking his head before taking another gulp of tea. "You see Mrs. Midoriya, I have been investigating your son for some time. Granted, I didn't know it was him, but I will say...he's something else. Something truly remarkable, one that-"
"Is that why UA rejected him?" Inko cut in, making Nezu's smile falter for just a second.
"That...was not my decision. I did not mean to have my institution hurt your son, and I mean him no harm now." Nezu replied before staring down at the teacup, "I am sorry that happened, but it was something that at the time, was out of my control. And I can tell you why..." He glanced back up at the woman, "If you tell me how this all first started."
And as those words left Nezu's mouth, Inko stared directly at the stoat. The two held a deep long staring contest at this, the other three in the room all watching the two. Aizawa's eyes squinted at the sight, a small growl trying to escape his breath. Naomasa was biting his lip at the interaction, unable to think just what sort of outcome would happen. As for Himiko, her eyes stayed on Inko, a big worried frown on her face.
That is, till Inko did a small nod and said, "Alright." She leaned back at this, slowly squeezing into the couch, "I see I won't get out of this without an explanation." She took a deep breath, "That's fine."
Nezu shined a grin at this, his tail wagging as he replied, "I'm glad you understand." He took another sip of tea, "Do not worry Mrs. Midoriya, I don't mean your son any harm. As I said, he's a wonderful prospect that I wish to understand. However..."
"You need the whole story." Inko finished for him. She took a sip of tea as well before adding, "I understand." She closed her eyes at this, "But before we start, I want you to understand one thing. No matter what I say, no matter how crazy or stupid it sounds..." She opened her eyes, showing the stoat a look of both fierce determination and motherly protection, "I won't let you do anything to that boy without going through me."
"I know." Nezu instantly responded, "You're a good mother. I can tell." He sat down the teacup at this, "Now...please begin. I will not interrupt you." He glanced back at the hero and detective, "And neither will they."
Inko glanced down at the cup in her hands, letting out a tiny chuckle, "Well...its a long story, I can tell you that." She looked back up at the three, "To start, my son always wanted to be a hero. In fact, he's trying to be one right now."
Danger!
Izuku's spider sense screamed as he sidestepped, just barely missing a certain katana being thrust at him. This was followed by a horizontal swipe, the vigilante's enhanced reflexes kicking in as he leaned back, the blade just going over his chest. Izuku felt his hands touch concrete at this before thrusting a right foot upward, trying to kick Li in the face, only for the villain to backpedal, dodging the blow.
Getting his spacing ready a second later, Mister Negative spun the blade in his hand before thrusting it again, Izuku standing back up just as he did this. Spider sense going off at this, Izuku fired a webline to his right and pulled, yanking his body just a foot away from the katana.
"I will destroy you this time." Li commented as he spun before thrusting the blade at Izuku, the teen's spider sense screaming at him as he reflexively moved his body. The katana barely missed the vigilante's chest as Izuku sidestepped at the last split-second. "You will pay for destroying my operations!"
"You do realize I can't understand what you're saying right now, right?" Izuku quipped back as danced around Li's blade, avoiding it just centimeters away every time. "And you've gotten a bit slower."
"Blasted insect!" Li roared before thrusting his katana again, this time straight for Izuku's face. Letting his spider sense take over his every movement, Izuku ducked under the blade before responding with a punch to Li's face. Seeing this, the villain leaned back, only for the edges of the teen's knuckles to smack the mask on his face. Li felt the face covering now yank his head slightly, only for the mask to go flying off his head. Stumbling back next, the villain let out a low growl as Izuku saw Li's true face.
Li had looked better. There was stubble on his chin, showing signs of growing hair. His photonegative face couldn't hide the bags under his eyes, a bit of exhaustion barely appearing on his expression. But as Izuku saw this, Li raised his hand at the vigilante and roared, "DIE!"
Danger!
Izuku's eyes went wide before reflexively firing two weblines upward. He began to yank on them, only it was too late. A giant of black and white energy fired out of the palm, instantly hitting the vigilante. "Yaugh!" Izuku yelped as he felt the blow knock him flying into the nearby alley way. He slumped down next, his right closing as he felt his butt hit the pavement. His other eye still open, he saw Li stumble, letting out several wheezes before standing back up.
"And now...I will kill you!" Li exclaimed before thrusting his blade right at Izuku's head. The teen's eyes going wide, he quickly tried to move his head to the side. And as the katana began to path into the vigilante's skull, Izuku's right eye slightly opened as he dodged the blade in a hair's length from his head. But as this happened, the blade struck the wall behind Izuku, only to suddenly unleash a burst of energy.
Danger!
Izuku's spider sense tried to warn him, but it was far too late. The energy from the blade caused the wall to explode, a hunk of concrete coming out a split-second later as it smacked Izuku in the face. "Augh!" Izuku screamed as the rubble hit him, making him close his right eye just as the right lens on his mask shattered to pieces from the rock. The teen then felt his body get knocked back, skidding across both the wall and ground.
A second later, the vigilante's body was now laying out across the pavement. The sight was a pitiful one, but Li merely pulled his katana out of the destroyed wall before saying, "This is the end, Spider."
Eri watched as Li spun the blade in one hand, her eyes fully wide as her whole body shook. She had been watching the fight the whole time, unable to keep her eyes off the one that was trying to help her. And as she did this, she saw Spider-Man laying there on the ground, only to see his fingers twitch. Blinking at the sight, she saw Li walk over and hold his blade over the vigilante's head, the villain now standing to the right of the downed teen.
"May you find peace in the next life." Li said before thrusting the blade down.
"And now, Izuku is out there." Inko finished as she stared at the window in her living room. She had just finished telling them just about everything she knew about Izuku becoming Spider-Man. She had told them about the spider bite, Izuku failing the exams, how he lashed out afterward, and how he decided to carve his own path in response. There was plenty she left out, mainly everything about Li and Bakugo, as she felt both were things Izuku should talk about instead of her. She also knew she couldn't lie thanks to Naomasa, and she had a feeling that even if he wasn't there, Nezu would figure out her lies. Despite this, it felt hard telling them everything. It was like...adding a burden instead of getting rid of one.
As for Nezu, Aizawa and Naomasa, the trio were all showing different expressions. Nezu's face didn't have a hint of emotion on it, as if he was in some kind of meditative trance. Naomasa had nothing but conflict on his expression, the man looking like he didn't know what to think. And as Aizawa, he was wearing a long glare as he stared at Inko, his body motionless as he did so. The sight made Inko feel uncomfortable, only for everyone in the room to hear a chuckle from a certain stoat.
"I must say..." Nezu commented before taking a small sip, "Your son is truly fascinating! To think he did all that." He put the cup down on a nearby table, "That is quite the journey your son has gone on. And to think, when we meet him, he could possibly tell us more!"
"So...you believe me?" Inko asked, Nezu giggling at her quesion.
"Of course I do. If I didn't have Naomasa here, I would believe you." He took the cup again, "I quite good at reading people, and I know you're not lying. In fact, you're quite sincere."
"Oh." Inko barely replied. No more words came out of her mouth after that. If she was honest, she was expecting Nezu to start asking a list of questions. Or tell she was lying and give some kind of proof. However, that didn't seem to be the case with the principal, who despite the woman now staring at the stoat, still couldn't read a bit of his face.
That is, till someone else spoke up. "You can't be serious." chimed in a low, grumbling voice. The room turned to Aizawa, the man now glaring at Inko.
"What do you mean Aizawa?" Nezu replied, a small smirk on his face as he added, "Did you not hear the story Mrs. Midoriya just told us?"
"I did." Aizawa growled, "And it sounds beyond ridiculous."
"Not illogical?"
"That too." the teacher hissed.
"And why would that be?" Nezu cackled, only to see Aizawa's glare turn to the principal. The glare was not normal, it was one filled with anger, something the underground hero rarely showed. "Oh? Did I strike a nerve?"
"You can't seriously believe everything she just said." Aizawa grumbled before turning to Naomasa, "Please tell me she's lying. She has to be."
The detective turned to the hero, a large frown on his face before he said, "No. There wasn't a single lie in her story."
"Oh, come on!" Aizawa almost yelled before glaring back at Inko, "You have to be lying!"
Inko, who had just been staring blankly at the conversation, now switched her face to one of fierceness as she replied, "No. I don't lie, and I made sure to teach my son to not lie either."
"No. You have to be lying." Aizawa instantly responded before pointing at the woman, "No one in this entire world just does everything you just said. Your son just happened to get a quirk a day before the exams, and then with no experience with this quirk whatsoever, just somehow goes out and beats two gangs of villains and the hero killer!"
"Aizawa...we discussed this." Nezu glared back at the man, "Remember everything we investigated. We saw plenty of evidence that Spider-Man had no idea how to use his quirk at the start."
Aizawa growled back at that, only for his expression to change. A big smirk appeared on Aizawa's face, one that Nezu knew quite well. It was the expression he used when he was using his 'logical ruses' on his students. It was something Aizawa enjoyed doing the most out of his entire teaching job. Besides sleeping that is.
"Aizawa..." Nezu very quietly said, his voice sounding like frigid ice, "What are you planning?"
"You know me too well." Aizawa almost chuckled before turning to Inko, "So, everything you just said is the truth, right?"
"Yes." Inko replied as she glared back at the man, "Why?"
"Simple. I have my own questions about your son." Aizawa replied before reaching into his scarf and pulling out a folder. "A lot of them actually."
"What is that?" Nezu instantly asked, "I didn't see it in your scarf earlier."
Aizawa's grin grew at this, "I'm better at hiding things than you think."
"Aizawa..." Nezu repeated, only to see the teacher's glare return.
"Don't stop me." Aizawa growled before leaning down to Nezu's level, "Remember, this involves my class."
"And why should that matter? We already made an agreement about that." Nezu replied while crossing his arms, a fierce glare appearing next.
"I know. But I also have to do my job." Aizawa responded, his expression not faltering for a second from Nezu's tone. "What, you think I didn't know? I know all about my own class, rat. I know that several of my students are fans of Spider-Man, something that will influence them due to him being a vigilante, and I train heroes, not reckless snots." Aizawa glanced back at Inko, "Especially if you want to give preferential treatment to a disruption-loving brat."
"Aizawa..." Nezu started to growl.
Eraserhead's glare turned into one that could only be described as a pure death glare, "You didn't seriously think I just sat around and did nothing the past two days, did you?! Ever since you told me that this kid could be Spider-Man, you should have known that I would doubt everything you said after that. And don't give me that look. The biggest reason you hired me is because I will question everything." Aizawa growled at Nezu before placing the folder down on the room's table. His eyes went back to Inko. "I've looked into your son and...let's just say I don't believe anything you've said. In fact, thanks to what I've looked up, I'm more than convinced you've been lying to us."
"She hasn't lied to us." Naomasa chimed in, only to receive a glare from Aizawa. "My quirk didn't activate once."
"She's lying." Aizawa instantly barked back. Naomasa opened his mouth, only for Aizawa to add, "I have proof, Naomasa. And I don't need to rely on your quirk for this."
Inko glared back at him before glancing down at the folder, "What's that?"
"Your son's records from Aldera Middle School." Inko almost flinched at those words, only for Aizawa to add, "Turns out, he's quite the delinquent."
"What?" Inko hissed before yelling, "My son is not a delinquent!"
"Sorry to say, but these middle school records say otherwise." Aizawa responded as he opened the folder, "And if you want to convince us that your son actually wants to be a hero, I suggest you explain why a school sees your son as nothing more than a menace."
DANGER!
Izuku's spider sense screeched at him at this, the teen's eyes flashing open at this. Reflexively moving his head, Li's blade struck concrete a second later, only for Izuku's brain to go into overdrive. 'Can let that blade do that blast thing again!' he instantly thought, only for his reflexes to kick in again. And within that split second, the teen fired two weblines and yanked, this time dodging the energy that flew out of the blade.
"What?!" Li yelped as he stumbled back, only to turn and see Spider-Man standing. The vigilante fired another line of webbing a second later, the threads latching onto the villain's blade. And with a single yank, the katana went flying out of the man's hand and over the teen, soon hitting the concrete several feet away.
"No more blades." Izuku commented as he glared at the villain, Li now seeing a narrowed dark green eye in the right side of the vigilante's mask.
"I see. Once again, you escape death." Li growled as black and white energy began to swirl around his hands. "Perhaps I can't win this normally."
"Still don't know what you're saying, nor do I care." Izuku replied as he fired two more things of webbing, this time at Li's hands. Seeing this, the villain felt himself being pulled toward the vigilante, only for Izuku to thrust a punch straight for Li's face. Energy surging in his palms, he let out a small burst that destroyed the webbing before ducking under the punch. This was followed by Li's slamming a punch of his own into Izuku's gut, the teen yelping for a second before clenching up.
Izuku responded with two more punches, Li backpedaling to dodge both. Electricity began to surge around the vigilante's arms, Li seeing this and thrusting a jab back. Spider sense yelling at him, Izuku sidestepped the punch before trying to uppercut the villain his right foot, the blow almost nicking Li as he sidestepped as well. And as this happened, Li thrust both of his hands at the vigilante, this time grabbing Izuku's shoulders.
"My turn." Li said in japanese, Izuku going wide-eyed for a second as he could now understand the man. "I can't win this physically, so we'll play it by my rules."
"What are you-" Izuku tried to say, only for Li's palms to explode in black and white energy. The teen let out a yelp before seeing the energy suddenly consume himself and Li.
And as this happened, Eri watched from the corner of the alleyway, amazed and terrified by the fight she had just witnessed. That is, till now. As now, the two that had just been fighting suddenly stopped. Now, they were standing there, Mister Negative's hands on Spider-Man's shoulders as both stood still in that alleyway. The sight made her want to question what was going on...but nothing escaped her mouth.
Inko was silent after hearing her son be called a 'menace'. She honestly didn't know how to respond. Her eyes drifted to Nezu, only to see the stoat was glaring at Aizawa. However, the man was not backing down as he glared back at the stoat, "We're dealing with a criminal here, Nezu." Aizawa hissed as began to flip through the folder's pages. "According to these records, Izuku Midoriya is notorious for getting into fights and causing disruptions. There are over two hundred recorded accounts of him disrupting class and picking fights with others."
"That...that's a lie!" Inko shrieked, "All of that is a lie!"
Aizawa glanced back at her, "Why would a school lie about that? Why would they go out of their way to record that many incidents?"
"Well..."
"Now hold on there, Aizawa. Do you not remember the psychological profile I created for Spider-Man?" Nezu chimed in, "Surely you know that Izuku Midoriya fits this. In fact, the footage of the support exam show nothing of this so-called 'delinquent' you speak of."
"No, it did!" Aizawa instantly snapped back, "What you saw was a teen being nervous for a test they're not ready for! These records show Izuku Midoriya wastes his time being a pest. That would easily make him not ready for our tests."
"And did you not listen to the story Mrs. Midoriya just told us?" Nezu countered, "Her son received a quirk right before the exam, and we have video proof. You saw his quirk react and zap the device he was creating."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed at this, his mind quickly scrambling for a retort. He then glanced back at the folder, "If that's the case, why are there these reports?! Why is-" His words came to a stop at this as he saw the folder was missing. Looking around, he soon saw it was Inko's hands, the woman glaring at the papers like it had offended her.
And as the hero opened his mouth, his own words came to a stop as Inko said only one word. "Katsuki."
"What?" Aizawa barely replied.
"Katsuki." Inko repeated before glancing up at the man. "The delinquent these records are talking about is Katsuki Bakugo."
"What in the name of-" Izuku whispered out as he stared ahead. Before him was a world colored only in black and white, as if it was made out of photonegatives. It was showing a city Izuku was very familiar with: Musutafu. However, it was distorted and destroyed, buildings in the air, streets torn up, cars turned over. The sight was as if it out of an apocalyptic painting of Musutafu colored in photonegative.
"What...what is this?" Izuku asked as his eyes went back and forth.
"The Negative." called out a voice, making Izuku dart his head around.
"Li?"
"I told you, I'm Mister Negative." replied the voice, Izuku spinning around to see the villain appear. He was in the air, only to slowly descend down as a deep black aura appeared around his body. The villain's feet soon touched the ground, Izuku backpedaling at this. And as he landed, the black aura around him got larger, Izuku now seeing the aura begin to get taller.
'I don't like the looks of this.' Izuku thought as he stared at the aura over Li, 'What is that thing?' Taking a deep breath after that thought, he spoke up, "Where have you taken me? What is The Negative?"
"It is the true form of my quirk."
That made Izuku blink, feeling himself stiffen up for a second. 'Mister Li's quirk?'
"You seemed confused." the villain chuckled as the teen just stared at him. "I understand why. Let me make it simpler for you." He pointed at the vigilante, "The Negative is what Martin Li, and what I am. It is two sides of the same coin. It is my quirk, the ability to grab hold of others' minds and unleash their true inner selves."
"Grab minds?" Izuku whispered, only to go wide-eyed as he remembered something. It was the memory when he first saw Li take the transformation into Mister Li. He had put his hand on another and started controlling the person. That fact made his mouth move before he could think about what he was about to say as he asked, "Wait...are we in my mind?"
Li cackled at that, "You learn quick, but you're not quite there." Li pointed at the teen again, "You see, despite how much I try, I couldn't take over your mind. That means you have a strong mind, or something with your quirk is preventing me. Probably that electric part. And since that doesn't work..." He then pointed to his head, "I instead, inserted you into my mind."
"Your mind?!" Izuku gasped before his eyes glanced around again, seeing the still floating buildings and ruined like version of Musutafu. 'This...this is how Mister Li sees the world?' He glanced back at Li, only to see the grin now appearing on Mister Negative's face. The sight made him think back to their last fight, seeing the deadly look on the man's face, only to see the same thing again. Seeing this, Izuku rapidly blinked before another memory went through his head. It was time when he first met Li, the calm smile on the man's face. It made Izuku's eyes narrow, making him growl and shake his head. 'No. No, Mister Li isn't like this. Whatever this is, it must be Mister Li's quirk.'
Izuku quickly switched into a fighting stance, making the villain chuckle as he saw Izuku bend down into a crouched position. "Oh? Already ready to fight again?"
"Yeah, I am." Izuku replied, "I don't know what this is, but I know one thing: This isn't Mister Li's mind. He would never see Musutafu like this!"
Mister Negative shined a giant grin at this, "Sorry to say, but this is exactly how Martin Li sees the world." He then snapped his fingers, only for the dark aura around him to surge. It plumed around the man, making Izuku almost flinch as he saw the aura grow bigger and bigger, soon becoming a towering flame behind the villain. And in that moment, the flames began to swirl, morphing and changing shape into some new.
A minute later, the aura had fully changed. No longer was it just a flame around the villain's body, but instead a giant black humanoid figure with a white and black oni mask over where the figure's face was supposed to be. The sight made the teen shake, as if a monster had just formed out of Li's back. That is, till the villain pointed up at the being behind him, his grin growing as he exclaimed, "Behold! The true form of my quirk, The Negative: My inner demon!"
"True form?" Izuku muttered as he stared up the now giant masked monster behind Li. The sight reminded him of his last fight with Li when the man's katana's aura covered over the villain. It showed Izuku an image of a demon's mask, one that made Izuku flinch, as he had seen it several times in his nightmares recently. And that sight made him think only one thing, 'Mister Li...this thing is inside you? Is this why you're a villain?' He felt himself freeze up, 'Can I...can I actually beat that thing?'
After Inko had said Katsuki Bakugo's name, Nezu interrupted Aizawa and asked Inko to explain what she meant. What followed was a ten minute or so explanation about the teen. She went on how Izuku and Katsuki had known each other from almost birth, and how it had led up till now. It was different from when she was talking about her son. There was a deep, virile sense of hatred in her words, one that was dripping with anger.
And once she finished, the expressions in the room were quite different compared to the ending of the last story from the woman. Naomasa had a look of disgust, Nezu was showing a large frown, but kept his emotions in check. But then there was Aizawa, who only showed a small frown. There was no anger on his face, but rather an almost bored look on his face.
A second later, Aizawa took a deep breath and turned to Naomasa, "Any lies?" The detective turned to him with that still look of disgust on his face before shaking his head.
Aizawa rolled his eyes at this, Inko seeing this and yelling, "Why would I lie about that?!"
The teacher glared back at her, only to hear a cough from Nezu. He glanced down at the stoat, seeing the stare on the principal's face. It was one that said: You're on your last line here. Taking a deep breath at this, he responded, "Listen, I've been around Bakugo for over a month now, and its obvious he's just a punk that's probably been told he has a villain quirk all his life. Not only that, he actually tries in my class."
"You're his teacher?!" Inko exclaimed, Aizawa doing a small nod back. "And...and you don't believe what I just told you?!"
"Considering that you're insulting one of my students? Yes. I don't believe you." Aizawa replied, Inko instantly switching to a death glare at the man, only to see him give one of his own. Regularly, his death glare would make most cower, as it stimulated an almost killing intent to it, but he saw Inko was not backing down. The sight made him angry, made him want to yell at her, but the hero kept his cool. Instead, he added, "Listen here. Bakugo, unlike most of my students, wants to be a hero and actually has the drive for it. You have no idea how rare that is. Not only that, why would someone you just described want to be a hero?!"
Inko's face twisted at this, standing up next as her eyes stared straight into the much taller, scruffy hero's eyes, "You...you have no idea what that boy has done to my son! Did you not watch the sports festival and saw how he acted?!"
Aizawa let out a scoff, "He was just being a punk. That happens all the time with students."
Inko couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You can't be serious! You're telling me you teach students like that?! Ones that will tell others to kill themselves?!"
Aizawa rolled his eyes again, "Once again, he's just a punk. I will admit his attitude is a problem, but that's something that can fixed within three years at UA."
"You...you..." Inko felt her blood pressure rising at this, only for another to speak up.
"Aizawa..." Nezu chimed in, the teacher's eyes slightly turning to the stoat, "Last warning. Don't-"
"Tch. How arrogant." interrupted a new voice. All eyes turned to the noise, only to see a now one Himiko Toga staring up at them from the end of the couch. And while the glares of Inko and Aizawa were those of pain and anger, Himiko's stare was dead-eyed, as if she had years upon years of experience over everyone in the room.
That is, till she glanced away, rolling her eyes, "You see, this is why I don't like heroes. You only care about what you want to care about." Himiko hissed out, Aizawa's angry glare now fully focusing on her. "You're just like all the other heroes. You only care about a few, and the rest don't matter." She looked back at him, seeing the glare, only to show him the still same dead-eyed stare, "I bet you don't even know how to save people and beat villains like Izuku does."
THOOM!
A giant swirling black hand slammed the ground before Izuku, the teen backflipping away from the attack. This was followed by the giant demon's other hand swinging straight for the vigilante, only for Izuku to fire a pair of weblines. He yanked himself upward at this, dodging the giant hand before firing another webline.
'Well...at least I already have experience fighting giant enemies.' Izuku thought to himself as he fired another bit of webbing, swinging away from another swipe of the giant's hands. And as he did this, he kept his eyes on the giant, 'Mister Li...to think something like this is inside you. This must be something with his quirk.'
"DIE!" Li roared as he thrust both of the giant's hands at the vigilante, soon trying to clap the teen in his hands. Seeing this, Izuku fired a webline and pulled down, yanking himself away from the attack.
'Okay Izuku, you need to think. I can't just keep dodging. How do I fight this?' Izuku mentally asked as he landed, only for his spider sense to ring out. Leaping forward, a shockwave hitting his back as Li slammed both hands into the ground. "Oof!"
Danger!
Izuku quickly scrambled back to stand back up, firing another webline upward. The webbing struck a building and he pulled, yanking himself into the air again as Li dragged the giant hands across the ground. And as he did this, Izuku stared at the giant, his eyes darting around, 'Think Izuku! This isn't some giant illusion like fishbowl guy! This is real. If that's the case, let's start with some Venom Punches.' he thought as he curled one of his hands, ready to summon some electricity...
Only for nothing to come out. Not even a tiny spark.
'Uh-oh. Why is that not working right now?!' He thought before he glanced back at the giant, now seeing Li floating inside, 'Okay. Guess I'll start by trying to get him out of that thing.'
With that in mind, he began to fire several weblines at Li, only for the webbing to hit the giant's body...and slip off with ease. The sight made Li glanced down at the webbing before glaring back up at Izuku, "What was that supposed to do?"
"It was supposed to do...something." Izuku weakly said as he landed on a rooftop. He glanced around at the distorted world he was currently in. 'Everything seems at least touchable in here. Maybe I can just throw something big at that...giant negative monster thing.' He looked back down at the giant, it's hands now raising up to strike the building Izuku was on. Seeing this, Izuku leapt off the rooftop, firing another webline before getting himself into a swing.
"And where do you think you're going?! This is my mind!" Li roared as he thrust a hand at the teen, only for Izuku to fire another webline and yanked it, dodging the incoming giant fist. The teen then shot out another bit of webbing, pulling himself around as the other fist from the giant came swinging, the vigilante barely flipping over it.
"You know, maybe we could just talk this out?!" Izuku yelped as he kept swinging, "We don't have to fight! Heck, we don't have to do any of this mind jacking stuff!"
"Quiet!" Li roared as he continued to try and grab the webswinging teen.
And as this happened, Izuku swung over a destroyed street, only to see a broken streetlamp. 'Let's try that.' He thought as he landed and fired a bundle of webbing on the debris. Pulling a second later, the teen yanked the broken pole and swung it around like a hammer throw before flinging it at the giant. Seeing this, Li raised the giant's hands, blocking the debris, only for Izuku to see that the blow pushed the monster slightly back.
'That just might work.' Izuku mentally said as he glanced around, this time seeing a chunk of floating concrete nearby. 'There we go.'
Danger!
"Die!" Li exclaimed as he thrust a fist at the vigilante, this one slamming into the teen.
"Yaugh!" Izuku screamed as he was sent flying back. His body skidded down the street before rolling a few times. He quickly scrambled to his feet at this, his spider sense screaming as another fist came down for the vigilante. Firing a webline, he yanked himself just an inch away from the fist, only for the shockwave from it hitting the ground smacking the teen's back. "Urgh!" he grunted before losing grip on the webbing, Izuku doing a small roll before getting back on his feet.
'Gotta move...gotta move!' Izuku thought as he fired two more weblines, yanking himself upward as Li threw a third punch at the teen. Seeing this, Izuku pulled with all his might, this time flying over the fist. And as he did this, he then fired two more bits of webbing on the floating debris from before. The teen did a small flip at this as he pulled on the debris, making it flip with him before flinging it at the giant's face.
THOOM!
The ball of concrete instantly hit the giant's mask, making Li let out a roar as the giant began to stumble back. 'Yes!' Izuku thought as he fired another webline before swinging over to another rooftop. Landing there, he stared up at the giant, only to see that a big crack had appeared on the demon's mask.
"You will pay for that!" Li screeched as he thrust the giant's arms at Izuku again. Seeing this, the teen leapt off the rooftop before webswinging again, quickly dodging both giant arms with ease. And as he did this, he saw another floating bit of debris and grabbed it in his webbing. Swinging it in mid-air, he flung it at the giant, only for Li to block it by crossing the giant's arms.
"You will not harm me again!" the villain roared as he swung his right arm at the teen next, Izuku yanking himself away just as this happened.
"And you're not going to catch me!" Izuku barked back before firing another webline at a piece of floating debris before slinging it at the giant. Li thrust his left arm up at this, blocking the rubble just as Izuku swung himself upward. And as he did this, Izuku landed on another rooftop, only for his spider sense to ring out.
WHAM!
The giant's right hand's palm slammed into Izuku, pushing him into the rooftop. "YAUGH!" Izuku screamed as he felt the hand pin him down.
And as this happened, Li let out a cackle, "Seems I caught you." Black and white energy consumed the hand next, the vigilante almost vanishing under the flames. "And now...you will die."
Aizawa had always prided himself of being someone that rarely shows his emotions. And today had really pushed him to start really showing them. It especially didn't help when he came face to face with Himiko Toga's words, one that for some reason irritated him. A lot.
That is, till his mouth took over for his brain as he said, "What did you just say?"
Himiko rolled her eyes at this, "You heard me. Izuku is a better hero than you'll ever be." She then turned to Inko, "Don't listen to him. He's a fake hero like all the rest. He'll only save anyone he wants to save and abandon the rest."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed at this, only to hear Nezu let out a small chuckle. He glared down at his boss for a second before glancing back at the girl, "I am a hero, and I do a hero's job. Unlike those idiot heroes on the television, I actually go out and beat the villains and save civilians every night."
"Tch. Yeah right." Himiko rolled her eyes again, only to dead stare at the man. "If that's the truth, why did a vigilante have to save me?"
The underground hero growled at this, only to take a deep breath. "Listen here kid, I read your file, and I get it. Your parents were sick people. But heroes don't fix families. That's why you should have gone to the police or a hero and reported them."
"I did." Himiko replied in a deadpan tone, "And both police and heroes wouldn't listen to me...just like you're not listening to her." She then pointed at Inko, only to see Aizawa's glare intensify. "What's the matter? Surprised I'm calling you out for being just like the rest of those fake heroes? Is that why you keep looking down on me and her?"
And as those words hit Aizawa's ears, a memory went through his head. It was what that elderly retired hero had said to him at FEAST.
"Stop sneering."
"You're just like me before I became a hero. I'm betting you couldn't care less about others until something bad happened to you or someone you cared about, and now you're a hero because of that bad thing that happened to you."
"And now, you act like a jerk with his head held up high and mighty, sneering at them as you think you're always right because you've seen the worst humanity has to offer. Am I wrong?"
Aizawa could feel his teeth starting to grind in his mouth at this, 'Why am I thinking about that right now?!'
And as he stood there, not responding, Himiko turned her attention to another individual and spoke up, "Hey uh...Nezu, right?" the stoat turned to her and nodded. She then pointed at Aizawa, "Why'd you bring him?"
Nezu tilted his head for a second, "What do you mean?"
"Like...you're here to recruit Izuku, right?" Nezu nodded again, "Then why'd you bring him?"
"Well, despite how he acts, Aizawa is an employee of UA, and will be Izuku's teacher if the young man decides to join UA."
"But he's an idiot."
Silence instantly hit the room at those four words. Naomasa went wide-eyed, Inko slightly flinched, and Nezu began to laugh. As for Aizawa, his glare returned as he let out a growl, "What did you just say?!"
"What, that scarf you're wearing cover your ears? You're an idiot. After all, why would you believe a school over people who care about Izuku unless you're a moron?" Himiko added, Nezu cackling even more.
"I must say Miss Toga, I like you." Nezu laughed, Himiko almost smiling at this. Aizawa opened his mouth at this, only for Nezu to raise a paw at the man, "Don't Aizawa. There's no point in arguing with her, and she has made a good point. Miss Toga is a prime example that schools and institutions at times can't be trusted."
"Nezu..."
"That's enough." Nezu glared up at the man before back at Inko and bowing, "I am sorry for all the outbursts. As you can see, even UA is not above having issues with skeptical teachers and misleading information."
"I...see that." Inko slowly replied as she did a small glance up at Aizawa before back at Nezu, "I'm sorry to say, but this has convinced me more and more that I shouldn't trust you, and that my son shouldn't go to your school. Especially if Katsuki Bakugo is there."
Aizawa opened his mouth, only for Nezu to interrupt, "I understand." The stoat then presented a paw to her, "If that's the case, why don't you explain all your concerns and we'll try to fix them."
Inko blinked at the stoat, only to slowly say, "To be honest, I...I don't know if I should." She let out a long sigh, "My son...he's out there right now, risking his life, and I...I don't know what to do." The woman turned to the window in the living room, "And yet, all I can do is wait on him and hope he's alright."
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Izuku screamed as a giant black smoky hand kept him pinned to the rooftop. It began to squeeze him after this, pushing him down as Izuku let out a moan, "Urgh...Li...don't do this!"
"I am not Li! I am Mr. Negative!" the villain roared as he levitated over Izuku, the giant inky black demon around him letting out a screech while its right arm kept pushing Izuku into the ground. "I am the demon! I will never be beaten!"
"Mister...Li..." Izuku muttered out as he tried to move, "Please...stop..." And as he whispered this out, Izuku felt himself starting to black out, his mind muddling as he felt something tingling in his hands. Electricity began to spark around his hands at this, only for Izuku to reflexively grab the giant hand. A second later, a surge of electricity burst through the hand, instantly cutting through the giant's arm.
"WHAT?!" Li yelped, only thrust his other hand at the vigilante. The palm instantly collied with the teen, smashing into the rooftop...only to push Izuku through the concrete and into the building.
"Augh!" Izuku screamed as he hit the floor under the roof, his body rolling back and out of the giant hand's grip. The teen stumbled around on the floor next, letting out small muttering as he rolled around on the floor. "Ugh...that...hurt." Izuku whispered out before starting to stand up, 'Can't believe I'd feel this much pain in someone's mind.'
"Spider!" Li roared as thrust his hand at the building, making it rock. Izuku began to feel the floor shake at this, the teen falling over, his face smacking the carpet for a second.
"Urgh...gotta move." Izuku muttered as he tried to get up again. His arms flailing a bit, he stood back up and began to walk over to a wall in the building. He let out several breaths as he mentally told himself, 'Okay Izuku...you can do this. Just...find a way to beat the giant demon monster and save Li before he kills you.' He glanced down at his hands, seeing tiny sparks flowing around them. "And where have you been?! I needed you like...ten minutes ago!"
Shaking his head, he let out a sigh before glancing back up at the now broken rooftop, seeing a giant hand landing on it. 'Alright.' He looked down at his hand and saw electricity flow through them, 'Let's do this.'
And as the giant's hand lifted back up, Izuku saw that the monster Li had created was now missing a whole arm. His electricity blast had worked. That alone made Izuku smirk under his mask before firing two weblines, pulling on them a second later. And with a final tug, he slingshotted himself out of the building.
"What?!" Li yelled as he saw the vigilante fly out of the building. The teen then fired another bit of webbing, this one attaching to another building before swinging into a downward arc. Seeing this, he thrust his good arm at the teen, only to miss as Izuku swung back up. Izuku then fired two weblines at the giant's head, both flying past the giant's mask and hitting a building behind the monster. With another yank, the vigilante flew into the mask, Li going wide-eyed as he saw electricity spark all over the teen.
"Venom...SMASH!" Izuku roared as he slammed his body into the mask, electricity instantly covering the face guard. The lightning shot through the giant, zapping the man inside controlling the beast.
"YAAAAAGGGHHHH!" Li screamed, the giant instantly dissipating a second later. Izuku felt himself continue to fly from the slingshot he just did, soon firing a webline to yank himself back into a webswing. And as he did this, he saw Li land on the street below, the teen doing a small flip before landing in front of the man.
"Had enough?" Izuku asked as he got into a fighting pose.
"You...you..." Li muttered as he stood up, his white suit now showing several burn marks.
"You know I can't understand you when you-"
"DIE!" Li roared as he charged at the teen, black and white energy pouring out of his fists. He thrust a punch right at the vigilante's head first, Izuku ducking under it before countering with his own punch. But as he did this, Li caught the jab, Izuku going wide-eyed before Li swung his other fist, the teen then catching that one.
The two began to push against each other as the held each other's fists, both unmoving on that street inside Li's mind. And as this happened, Izuku grunted out, "Stop it Li...just stop it!" He began to push the villain back at this, "I know you're better that this! You're not some monster, or a villain!"
"Shut up!" Li barked back, "You don't know me! You don't know a thing about me!"
"I do!" Izuku yelled before slamming his head forward, the two's foreheads touching as he added, "The Mister Li I know would never be a villain! He's a kind man who made FEAST, a place to help others!"
"And I told you, that is not who I am. I am Mister Negative!" Li countered as a black and white aura began to appear around his whole form, "I am a villain! That is who I am!"
"And that includes you killing a child?! A little girl?!" Izuku screamed, pushing Li back again. The push alone made the aura around the villain flicker. "That's not who you are Li!"
"Shut up!" Li repeated, "You don't know me! You're just some kid that keeps interfering with everything I do! You don't know what I've been through! What my quirk is and what it does to me! What the one I hate most did to me, turning me into this freak!"
Izuku felt Li push him back at this, the teen now hearing this new information. And despite it entering the teen's ears, his brain told him one thing: Don't stop. Keep going. Taking a deep breath at this, Izuku felt his hands clench up for a second. He glanced down and saw Li's hands were now being consumed in black and white energy, the sight making the teen's eyes narrow before he summoned a surge of lightning in his own hands. A second later, he looked up at Li's face and said, "You're right. I don't know everything about you." Electricity began to crackle around the teen at this, "But I know you're better than this."
And with that, both individuals fired off their respective powers. Li's energy and Izuku's electricity instantly collided, an explosion following a second later.
BOOM!
"Augh!" they both yelped in unison, both skidding across the street in opposite directions. Izuku felt himself rolling again, the teen grunting in pain before coming to a stop. The duo began to get up a minute later, both weakly standing on two legs as they glanced over at each other.
"You...You don't...know me. You...blasted vigilante!" Li stuttered out, only to see the vigilante before him start to move.
"I do...know you." Izuku continued as he kept moving, slowly standing up straight as he did. "The Mister Li I know would never try to hurt a child. He's someone who only wants to help others."
"You...you..." Li muttered before taking a fighting stance, black and white energy starting to form in his fists.
And as Izuku saw this, the teen's mind went to one thing, 'He won't listen. And if he won't listen to Spider-Man...'
With a single breath, Izuku put his hand on his face...and yanked his mask off.
A long pregnant pause had consumed the room as Inko stared at the window. And with a sigh, Inko spoke up again, "I can't stop him. I can't stop him going out there and trying to be a hero." She closed her eyes as she held back the tears, her face almost contorting as she tried to hide her pain. "And the most ironic part of it is...he's happy. He's so...happy. I've never seen him this happy in a long time."
Tears began to flow out now, the woman letting out a long sigh, "And all it does is remind me of my failure. I failed him for over a decade and I'm...still coming to terms with that." She put a hand to her face, wiping her eyes, "I'm so pathetic. I should have been there for him more, to help him with the bullies and the teachers...but I wasn't. I let them beat and bruise him for over ten years."
And as those words left her mouth, her glare returned as she stared up at Aizawa, "That's why I don't trust you. I don't need any evidence or proof or anything to tell me that you're nothing but a bully. I can tell just by looking at you that you're the same as all those other teachers." She slowly pointed at the man, "I don't like heroes. My son adores them and..." She glanced away again as tears pushed their way through her eyes, "And I hate how much he loves them. I just want him to be safe...but I know that'll never happen. He was born to be a hero."
The four others just watched her silence at this, not responding except for Aizawa, his left eye twitching as he glared at the woman. He hid both his hands in his pockets, his fingers twitching as he felt an anger boiling in him. But despite this, he let the woman continue as Inko took a deep breath and said, "And...I know its all he wants. He loves every second of going out there and being Spider-Man. To go out there and fight the bad guys and save lives...he loves it so much." She let out a low chuckle, "And I'm so proud of him for that."
She slightly shook her head next, taking a small breath before her eyes went back to Nezu. The stoat stared at her with his beady eyes, a grin on his face as she finished her rant by saying, "He's already a hero to me. So much better than just any hero out there..." She closed her eyes for a moment, clenching them before staring at Nezu again, "So if you can make him a hero, please do." Nezu's grin grew at this, only for her to add, "But I'll warn you. You won't convince him easily." She glared back up at Aizawa, spitting venom as she growled at him, "My son thinks he's worthless because of people like you and Bakugo. So worthless he thinks he'll never accomplish anything. So worthless that he thinks about killing himself...all because they kept telling him to."
And as she said that, though none of them could notice it, Nezu's expressionless eyes that seemed to be staring at Inko were actually focusing on the corner of his eyes. In that corner was Aizawa, the man hiding a face contorted in rage under his capture scarf, one Nezu had not seen in some time. He observed the man's body language, showing anger rising, and he subtlety yet firmly spoke up, "Aizawa...I suggest you calm down."
"Nezu-"
"Be quiet." Nezu interrupted, making Aizawa growl. "You failed to get what you want. I warned you, and you still acted like a child throwing a tantrum."
Aizawa's eyes went bloodshot at this, "Now you listen here rat, I-"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, AIZAWA!" Nezu yelled, the tone making even Aizawa flinch. He had never heard the stoat yell. He had never seen him even show that amount of emotion. And as this happened, Aizawa now noticed everyone was glaring at him except for Nezu, the man looking away a second later. A slightly cough happened at this, making Inko glance back at Nezu as he spoke up, "My apologies about that Mrs. Midoriya. As you can see yet again, not all are...on board with my ideas about your son."
"I can see that." Inko replied while crossing her arms, "Which begs the question, why should I trust my son with him?" Her glare went back to Aizawa, "Especially when you seem to prefer a violent crazed so-called punk over my son!"
Aizawa growled at this, only for Nezu to let out a laugh. Inko glanced back at the stoat, Nezu continuing to chuckle before saying, "You bring up a good point, and I will gladly make adjustments over that as well." Inko opened her mouth at this, but Nezu flashed a paw before continuing, "Mrs. Midoriya, I want your son at UA. He has extraordinary potential, one that when we first found him and began to go over how he would fit into our school...well, its easy to say that he surpasses many at UA already." He snapped his paws at this, "However, its obvious that that will not be enough. As such, I propose a deal: I want Izuku at UA, and in exchange, I'll punish Katsuki Bakugo."
Inko's eyes went wide at this, only for Aizawa to speak up, "Nezu...that's my student you're talking about. You have no right or proof-"
"Then I'll get some." Nezu instantly responded before glaring up at the man, "What Mrs. Midoriya has told us about him is something you can't just sweep under the rug at a school. And unlike you, I find Bakugo's potential...lacking. If I have to dig up proof that he doesn't belong, I will." Aizawa opened his mouth, only for Nezu to flash his paw at him this time. "Don't bother. You've lost, and this is just the start of the consequences you'll be facing for your outburst." He then glanced back at Inko, "So...how does that deal sound?"
Inko glanced up at Aizawa, seeing the sneer on his face. She didn't like the expression, but she knew exactly what Nezu was getting at with Aizawa. After all, she had plenty experience with dealing with people that she didn't want to as a nurse. Schools were no different.
As such, she took a deep breath and asked, "Let's say I say yes. One, you'll have to convince my son, which as I said, won't be easy. Two, you told me that my son has a bounty. How does that work?"
Nezu let out a chuckle at that, "That's the fun part."
Silence reigned inside Li's mind as the man stared at Izuku. His eyes were fully wide as he saw the teen standing before him. He wasn't sure how long it had been, but it felt like years as he stared at the young man.
And as this happened, Li's mouth slowly began to move as he whispered, "Izuku? Is...is that you?"
"Yeah." Izuku replied while doing a small nod, "Its me."
"But...but you're..."
"I know." Izuku responded as he began to walk up to Li, the teen noticing that the energy that was trying to spark in the villain's hands was now gone. And as he strided up to the man, the teen said, "And before you ask, I actually don't understand it either. All that matters is that I'm here."
"But...but how?" Li muttered out, "You...you're Spider-Man?"
"I am." Izuku answered as he came to a stop just a few feet from the man. The teen's mind went over what to say next, only for his mouth to move anyways as he added, "I know this...doesn't make much sense, me being Spider-Man that is." The teen's head shifted back and forth for a second before he reached out and patted Li's shoulder with his hand, "But it's real. I'm here."
"Izuku...you...you're the one I've been fighting all this time?" Li asked, his tone making it sound like the past month was nothing but a dream.
"I am. And I'm sorry." Izuku replied, "I...I found a mask in your office by accident and..." The teen showed the biggest frown he could give the man, "I knew I had to stop you."
Li stared at the teen, now seeing his face in a way that made him think it was the first time seeing it. The teen's face was filled with remorse, worry and despair. But it wasn't for Izuku, Li knew that much. It was what Izuku was feeling for Li. The sight made the man's eyes widen even more, gasping for air a second later.
But despite this, Izuku kept his hand on the man's shoulder and said, "Mister Li...I know I don't understand your quirk or what its doing to you, but I do know you. You're better than this. You're Mister Li, creator of FEAST."
Li continued to stare at the teen, the last gears in his brain moving. And when they finally shifted, he let out one last gasp before saying, "You're wrong. I'm..."
Izuku shook his head, "Don't." He tightened his grip on Li's shoulder, "You're not your quirk, Mister Li. You're also not a demon, you're not a 'negative', and you're definitely not some giant masked monster that wants to kill a little girl." He loosened his grip at this, "You're Mister Li."
And as those words entered the man's head, Izuku felt his spider sense ring out. Flinching at this, he stared down at the Li's hands, now seeing them be consumed in black and white energy. "No, wait!" Izuku tried to yell, only to be devoured by an explosion of black and white.
BOOM!
"Blaugh!" Izuku yelped as his body went flying back, his whole form slamming into the nearby alley wall before slumping over. The same thing happened to Li, the man flying in the opposite direction, only to hit an alley wall as well before kissing concrete.
Eri flinched at the noise as saw the two fall over, her whole body tensing up at the sight. She didn't know how long she had watched the two just stand there, Li's hands on Spider-Man's shoulders as black and white energy swirled around them. It was like watching two statues, both just standing there as some unseen battle happened between the duo. And just as quickly as the stalemate seemed to happen, an explosion of black and white energy devoured the two before sending them flying into the alley's walls.
And now, the little girl was just sitting there, staring at the duo as her eyes darted back and forth. Her whole form was shivering, unable to tell what she had to do. Unable to tell what she could do.
That is, till a new sound echoed into that dead end alleyway. The sound of...footsteps.
"To think you couldn't even handle a task as simple as this." rang out a voice, making Eri glance up and see another person walk into the alleyway. They were wearing a full cloak over their body, only their shoes and face visible. It was a costume Eri knew well, as Chisaki's men would wear outfits identical to it. The individual was a woman with a simple, yet somewhat pretty face alongside long blonde hair shaped into a ponytail. A grim half-frown was their expression, which complimented the small gray revolver in their hand. They took out a single bullet from their cloak and put it in the gun's barrel, sighing as they cocked the gun. "And after I recruited you and everything. Such a waste."
The woman then pointed the gun at Martin Li, Eri now seeing the person's eyes. They were dull, almost cold and lifeless, yet they had a sense of lethality in them. That is, till the woman moved her hand and pointed the gun at Eri. The little girl froze at this, her eyes wide as tears tried to form as she saw the woman glare down at her.
"Sorry kid, but I'm not taking you alive. This job has been messy as is, having to disguise myself as some useless has-been gangster that serves a nutjob. Honestly, I'm sick of it."
And with that, the woman's finger rested itself on the gun's trigger.
"You see, I want your son to help take down a certain villain." Nezu explained as took one final sip of tea.
"A villain?"
"Indeed. Its one that..." Nezu's words came to a stop for a second before saying, "Is difficult to arrest for those not outside of the law. In particular, its one that the hero commission has wanted to get rid of for some time, but can't."
"And...you think my Izuku can do that?" Inko slowly asked, only to see Nezu do a quick nod.
"I do! In fact, I believe only he can do it!" Nezu chuckled before his expression turned back into a straight stare, "Though I want to wait and tell him all the details when he gets back. Though we must hurry."
"Why is that?"
Nezu opened his mouth to respond, only for Aizawa to interrupt, "Your son is already interrupting too many things. That's why we need to hurry."
They all glared back up at the man, Inko's glare especially turning deadly as she replied, "What do you mean by that?!"
Aizawa crossed his arms at this, unflinching at the woman's glare as he responded, "Simple. If a vigilante is allowed to run free with no consequences, death always follows."
BANG!
The sound of a bullet leaving a gun rang out in that dark alleyway. It was like a clap of thunder, a singular sound of pure power as it began to strike its target. That target was the little girl known as Eri. She was sitting on the ground, her whole form shivering like a leaf as she stared up at the new sight before her.
In front of her was a man standing over her with arms stretched out. It was Martin Li, his whole body shaking as blood began to drip out of his mouth. In his chest was a hole, blood flowing out of it. The bullet had struck the man's heart, splitting it in half.
And a second later, Martin Li fell to his knees before his whole body kissed the concrete. And just as the hero commission president and Shouta Aizawa predicted, death had come into the life of the vigilante known as Spider-Man.
For on that day, the one called Martin Li died.