Heyyooooo! What's up y'all! It's me, ya boi!

Anyway, this is definitly an important chapter, with LOTS of stuff in it regaurding the characters, and the overall plot, so I hope you're ready!

Thank you for all the reviews you guys, it means a lot to me - like, honestly more than you know - and the fact that this is chapter 10, and we already have over a hundred, is actualy insane to me. You guys are the absolute best, and I love you all; and I really mean that, even if it's just Jesus love overflow, I really and truly do love and apreciate you guys, and everything you have done for me. And that doesn't just mean those of you who've reviewed! I mean ALL of you! If you've made it this far in this little journey of mine, then this message is to you!

Now, in regards to those reviews, I ussualy love to respond to everyone(to at least say thank you) but I've kinda been lacking in that regaurd, and will try from here on out to make sure I get to everyone! Though, if you ask a question, and I pointedly do not answer it, then understand it's probably because what you asked is NOT being ignored, but I just don't want to answer it, because it might have something to do with a future plot point. MIGHT being a key word. Idk guys, tbh, I have the main points down, and that's it. I'm kinda making up some of the smaller details and backstories as I go, lmao.

Um, also... Takuma isn't Ichigo, y'all, lmao. Though! For you Bleach fans, I put a little somone in this chapter for you, so see if you can find her! However! Takuma is based on someone, if only in the vaguest sense; I'd refer you to both his SUN RED HAIR *cough cough* oh, um excuse me. Anyway, his hair and his REALLY GOOD SENSE OF SMELL QUIRK *COUGH* oh, damn, what was that?

…

Anyway, I'll have more stuff at the end, but let's get this show on the road!

In love, Erebus

- Silence and the Sound -

- Chapter 10 -

*Dusk*

Chapter Song: Message Man by Twenty One Pilots

Rumi stayed home from school the next day.

The boys still went, though, that was mostly because they snuck out before either of the older, 'more responsible' adults woke from their stress induced cuddle-slumber, leaving a note about how Izuku got a pass just this once, and that they would be back around their normal time. Something about not wanting to miss school this close to finals.

It was believable enough, but… Izuku had figured it wasn't the full truth, if a truth at all.

Because it was far more likely that they just wanted to try and ignore what had happened the night before, and were atempting to regain their likely faded sense of normality and safety; school helped them do that, and so even if they knew - because there was no way they didn't know - that Izuku and Rumi both would have been fine with them playing hooky the morning after someone was killed on their doorstep, they went anyway, and left without so much as a goodbye.

It hurt his heart, but he understood.

So as Ayame woke them with that saucy little smile of hers - "Oh, looks like you two finally stopped being idiots. Good" - and proceeded to ignore - or perhaps just roll with - the fact that Rumi and him had woven together like some terrible pretzel knot in their sleep, the two young adults - Izuku - had a minor freak out, before cooling their jets and falling back into the rhythm they both knew by heart.

The morning was quiet, and nice - normal, even - and was only disturbed by the sharp vibration of Izuku's phone on the table.

Casually picking it up - because it was next to her, and it's owner was standing in the kitchen at the moment - Rumi's fingers danced across the lock screen, before opening up his message app.

"What is it?" The dark haired hero asked from where he was hovering over the sink, washing the dishes that they had used for breakfast that morning, and shooting her a questioning look.

"Detective." Rumi muttered, eyes scrolling across the message as she lifted her coffee mug to her lips, taking a long drink. "He's wondering if you'll be down to the station soon."

Ah, that's right… I almost forgot.

"Um, tell him I'll be down in like…" He glanced over to the clock on the wall.

9:46am

"I don't know, half an hour?" He muttered uncertainly, sighing a bit as the stress from the previous day returned full force, and made his shoulders ache. He watched Rumi's eyes harden as she sat her mug down, tapping out a message before returning the tech to the table with a certain, forced, gentleness.

"Told him we'd be there around 10:15."

Izuku nodded, before stuttering on something she'd said.

"We?"

"We."

Whelp, I know better than to argue with that.

And so he didn't. Rumi almost had a greater pull to the case than he did at this point, considering the fact that the victim had died in her arms.

He felt himself begin scrubbing the rice cooker with a little more vigor, and fought to keep the frown from his face.

I get it…

Because he did. Oh, how he understood the feeling of responsibility that must be covering his friend's - girlfriend's, he supposed - shoulders at the moment. She had nothing to do with what happened, couldn't have done anything to stop it, and yet…

She wants justice for that boy.

Izuku nodded to no one, and began marching through his morning rituals a bit more promptly.

They had a meeting to get to, after all.

"I've never actually been to the police station while in civies," Rumi commented as they walked down the street, side by side as she buried her face in her old red scarf - a recent addition to her wardrobe, which they'd found an awesome deal for it at the local thrift - and sniffled. The cold was nippy, and Izuku noted that that day specifically felt chillier than most.

Even with the sun shining unimpeded, the frozen city was locked in winter's grip, and the celestial body had become more of a glorified lightbulb than anything else; refusing to give off any real heat, and forcing the duo to wrap themselves in whatever winter clothes they could find before leaving the little apartment.

Otherwise known as the thickest sweatshirts they had.

Izuku hummed.

"You'll get used to it, it's not that weird." He offered, shrugging. "Besides, it's better this way. Less people notice you when you're not in costume."

Rumi snorted.

"No really, I thought wearing a leotard would help me fly under the radar!" She shook her head, laughing at her own sarcasm, while her dark haired companion just smiled.

They walked in silence for a little bit, Rumi casually grabbing his hand as they came to a stop at a street light, and sending a burst of warmth through the taller teen's chest. He smiled, and when she turned to him with a little grin, and snuck a kiss before they crossed, it only grew.

"Um, by the way. What are we going to tell them? Takuma knows I'm 'still in high school'." He added air quotes to the words with his left hand - as his right was currently laced with the young heroin's - before immediately sticking it back into his pocket, desperate to shield it from the sharp bite of the air. "But everyone else thinks I'm just a young underground pro who's doing some secretive stuff in the area, so…"

Something teasing bubbled in Rumi's eyes, and Izuku was almost regretful of bringing it up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you poor little green bean! Are you worried about what they'd think if they thought you - a 'grown man' - were dating a high school student?" She was smiling deviously - that smile that he knew meant either pain or regret being present in his near future - and all Izuku could do was smile awkwardly and pray to whoever would listen that he would live to see the next sunrise.

Rumi laughed, head swiveling from side to side.

"We can just play off being friends or something." She let go of his hand as she said this, and Izuku was immediately regretful of bringing up the topic. "It should work ok. And if not, eh, well." She shrugged. "Truth never hurt anyone. Don't worry babe, I'm legal, so there's no need to get anxious about getting arrested for statutory. "

Izuku choked on nothing, and Rumi laughed at his expense.

God help me.

Thankfully, the suffering - which was mild, really, because based on how his heart wouldn't stop screaming in his chest, he actually quite enjoyed the teasing - didn't last long, and they were making their way out of the cold and into the police station in no time.

"Yo, Deku!" One of the younger officers called out to him, lifting up a cup of coffee that Izuku took on instinct, and sipped as Rumi raised an eyebrow at the familiarity.

"Thanks, Yoruichi." The young hero thanked her, and the young twenty something purple-ette gave him a thumbs up, before returning to whatever paperwork she'd been going through before.

After a couple more greetings, the sole detective of the station finally noticed the duo, and called them over to his desk with a strained smile stretched across his face, and an apology in his eyes.

Probably because of the person who was hovering next to him.

God fucking dammit.

"Hey, Deku! And um, Usagi, was it? We kind of met last night, but…" Takuma scratched the back of his neck awkwardly as the memories of the previous evening flashed painfully through Izuku's mind, and he thankfully moved on. "Um, you're one of Stretch's interns, right?"

Takuma kept things light, and didn't ask why she wasn't at school, which his young friend was thankful for. From the look that Rain - once again, damn it - was sending the rabbit-eared girl and Deku, he'd seemed to come to a realization that he was happy to keep to himself

If he's got even half a working brain cell, he might have put together that this is the friend I told him I had to get back to last night.

It was a little harsh, but the man's very existence set Izuku on edge, and the cold was hissing angrily about the career heroes presence.

What's he even doing here?

Takuma answered his unspoken question, meeting his eyes with a real and true kind of apology - one that spoke of a shared distaste for the situation - and talked in a forced, even tone.

"Rain has asked to be brought in on the drive-by case, and so…"

The 'I can't say no, otherwise I would' was heard loud and clear.

"Alright." Izuku said, letting out a sigh of resignation as he sent over an 'It's alright' nod to the detective, which made the red haired man smile. "Let's just do this thing. What have you got, Detective?"

"Well um…" Takuma's head didn't move, but his eyes gave the room a rapid scan, and ever so slightly, he gestured towards the Lieutenants currently abandoned office. When he spoke again it was hushed, and sent a shiver down Deku's spine. "Let's go speak somewhere a bit more private, yeah?"

That's… Something's wrong.

Hair standing on end, Izuku nodded through his anxiety, and followed the red haired cop as he led them into the separate room - making sure to follow Rain, and keep Rumi behind him, as he didn't want the man to have access to his exposed back, or be anywhere near his white haired friend - and helped close the shutters as the old, luminescent lights were turned on with a sharp snap, and a faint buzz.

"Ok." The detective began, locking the door and pushing a rubber mat beneath the floor and the bottom of the wooden frame. "So this is… Yeah." Moving back towards the desk, he began shifting through some files, and Izuku made note of the dark circles which hung beneath the man's eyes.

Takuma…

"Our victim's name is Eiko Michi. He was a first year student at NHH, and was enrolled in their general education program. These are some photos we've been provided from his time in middle and high school. Um… Take a look, yeah? Tell me what you notice." He fished out a couple different photos, each of the kid - Eiko - in different settings; one was a family photo, another was a school picture, and then some random stuff from social media.

All of them were quiet for a moment, and Takuma waited patiently - or really not, as he fidgeted where he stood - before prompting them.

"Well?" He asked, and Izuku gave him a concerned look.

"He um, he seems pretty normal to me…"

"Exactly! Eiko Michi," Takuma gestured down to the pictures with a tone that was almost crazed, as his words made evident that such a thing should have been obvious. "Is a completely normal kid. Nothing out of the ordinary at all. Was president of the botany club, had a pretty decent gpa, and though his family struggles a bit economically, it's not as bad as some people in Hutta." The detective smiled now, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was a familiar, alarming look that the dark haired teen had seen many times before.

What did he figure out?

"Then why?" Rumi asked, still fixated on the photos unblinkingly, a nearly vacant expression painted across her face. "It was a targeted attack, right? It had to be."

"Exactly! Which is what I was thinking, and why I got stuck!" The man grabbed a foam cup filled with black coffee - it was obviously cold, but he didn't seem to mind - and chugged it in one go. "I was thinking to myself, 'I must be missing something, there has to be a reason he was targeted', right? But that's just the thing!" The cold from the coffee seemed to seep into his sunset red eyes, and Izuku felt his stomach drop as he caught onto what his friend was proposing.

"He wasn't targeted." He finished for the detective, and Takuma nodded; something sad and far away in his expression.

"No. The hitmen made a mistake. That much, at least, became obvious once we got them talking. Thanks for that, by the way, Deku." He chuckled a bit. "All I had to do was mention how I'd have to 'call up the Phantom, since they didn't want to talk to me, maybe they'd want to talk to him', and I had them spilling everything. Like, seriously, everything."

"Wait." Rain suddenly butted in. "You're the Phantom?" He asked Izuku, who shrugged.

"It's not my official hero name, but it's what people have been calling me, so yeah?"

I don't care enough to correct them. It's probably better that they don't know me by Deku anyway.

"Anyway!" Takuma interrupted, "The point is, it was an accident. All they were given was a general description of their target, and a location. So once again, Deku, I ask you what you see." The young hero looked down, looking close as he felt something click, and the dread in his chest exploded.

No…

"They… He looks like Deku…" Rumi gave voice to his thoughts, and Izuku felt bile sting the back of his throat.

No…

"Yes." Takuma nodded. "My thought exactly, and the thing is, it only gets more shady from there."

"So what?" Rain interrupted, raising an eyebrow as his eyes bounced back and forth between the red haired cop, and the dark haired hero who was becoming paler by the second. "Someone put a hit out on… Um, Deku, right?" He nodded. "Ok, well… It's kinda messed up to say, but I mean, if you work for Endeavor, isn't this something you would have seen before? Someone could just be trying to hurt the number two through you."

…

Damn it Rain I told you to keep that quiet.

"Endeavor?" Takuma asked, something - a look of mild understanding, perhaps, or realization - dancing in his eyes for a moment as Rumi quirked her head to the side; he had always been careful with proper nouns, so…

"Damn it Rain, I told you to keep that quiet." Izuku hissed, his patience suddenly non-existent. The older hero flinched away at the ferocity of his glare, but after feeling Rumi pull at his sleeve, Izuku took a deep breath, and shook his head. "It's complicated, and dangerous. But I guess, so we're on the same page, I'll explain a little bit."

And then he twisted the truth, and let it lie for itself, so he didn't need to.

"I am with the Endeavor agency, yes. However, currently, I am not… Technically listed as an active hero under either him, or the Hero Association." That earned him a surprised look from Rain, but not from either of the other two people in the room. "I'm currently doing some… Dangerous investigative work that led to me… Disappearing, more or less, from any kind of official database." He shrugged, and built on what Rain already knew. "I was sent here on a mission from Endeavor to look into a dangerous villain he wanted taken down, as well as look into the organization he was supposedly in league with."

…

"What the fuck?" Rain muttered, and Takuma nodded.

"Everything he's saying checks out, in case you were wondering. I can tell if someone is lying, and, well… I'll be honest, Deku, I've looked into you before." He shrugged, and Izuku felt a smile crawl across his features.

"Good. I would have been worried if you hadn't." And really, he wasn't lying. He'd always wondered if Takuma was just too lazy to actually check his story for any holes, or if he was just that desperate for a good hero, that he didn't even care if said hero was officially licensed or not.

I'd thought it was some combination of the two, to be honest.

Takuma shrugged, embarrassed grin falling away as he regained control of the conversation.

"That being said though," he continued, "that just adds validity to my theory. You see… Well, you know how I said things only got shadier from there?" He sounded nervous, and something dark fell across his face now; he crushed the foam coffee cup and let it fall into the trash. "Well get this. Apparently, not only did none of the hitmen know each other from before they were hired, but all of them were given 'secret orders' to 'deal with' their partners after the deed was done, and told that if they did, they could take their payment as well."

What the… Who would…?

Something terrible was twisting in the young man's stomach, and though he'd seen a lot of terrible things in Hutta, whatever this was, it was beginning to scare him.

Which spoke for itself.

"But why?" Rumi asked, looking sick as Izuku turned to face her, instinctively reaching out to steady her in her rage and disgust.

"Anonymity, right?" Rain asked as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk, clasping his hands and resting them on his knees as sweat pooled down his dark skinned face.

Izuku wondered if he was nervous, or if he'd just been so sheltered that such a plot was a brand new prospect to him.

Breathe Izuku, breathe. He's helping. Just use him for what he can offer. The more the merrier…

"Bet if we found the bodies, not only would we have not known the connection to the shooting, but we would have assumed they were separate cases entirely. And if we didn't…" Rain muttered darkly.

Ok… So maybe he has some idea of what's going on.

"We would have thought that there was a falling out, of some sort." Izuku finished, gritting his teeth. "I'm guessing they had a go between for them and their client, Takuma?"

"Yup, and each of them had a different description for their own middlemen, of whom they never actually caught the faces of." The detective sighed heavily. "Not that it would have helped us. Those middlemen would have had their own brokers, and we would eventually reach a dead end."

"How can you know that for sure?" Rumi asked, fire in her eyes as Izuku looked at her with something gentle, and soft, and so very sad.

"Because I think I know the people you were hunting, Izuku, and I think you've caught their attention. Something like this… It has the Shinchu written all over it…"

Izuku made sure to hide his surprise and curiosity as well as he could.

The Shinchu?

"I don't think you're allowed to talk about it, Deku, so I'll explain for you." Takuma began, and Izuku once again thanked his lucky stars for the red haired man's intuition and trusting nature; even if such things made him feel guilty sometimes.

Yes, please explain.

"They work out of Nar Shaddaa, practically rule the damn town, and they're incredibly dangerous. They're nearly invisible in their movements and operations, and control an overwhelming majority of the city's ports. Hold stock in a lot of the businesses too." The man growled in frustration. "They're brutal, and people who cross them tend to get caught up in… Accidents, just like these. A shooting in Hutta? No one would have flinched, and it would have been ignored. Swept under the rug."

Izuku swallowed heavily, and Rumi sat down in the other chair as he took up a place behind her, hand on her shoulder.

"They're a ghost organization, and no one can ever dig up more than the absolute basics before any official investigation gets shut down; cause the fuckers are in the pockets of the damn politicians. Or, if they're not stopped, they get caught up in one of these accidents, and their findings conveniently forgotten." He shook his head. "The Shinchu isn't even an official name, it's just a moniker we in the police force refer to them as, because they don't have an official name, because they officially don't exist. Any open action on their part is hidden behind subsidiary villain groups, and they make sure any connections leading back to them are scrubbed away. They might not officially exist, however…"

"They're treated as though they do. You have to assume they do, because evidence points to a ghost in the box somewhere, right?" Rumi asked, a snarl crawling across her face. "So how did you figure this out, huh? Why can't it just be some small time gang who has it out for Deku?"

Takuma pressed his lips together, and began shuffling through his files once again, before removing a stack of papers.

"This is the latest semi-annual report for Hutta's violent, drug related, and weapon related crimes." He dropped the papers in front of them, and Rain choked.

Wow.

"As you can see, since Deku came into the area around half a year ago, the crime rate has dropped significantly. People have begun interacting with the underground less and less. Here." He gestured to the 'illegal arms' and 'drugs' sheets. "Look at this. The number of busts we've carried out in the area over the last half year has gone up exponentially, which means…"

"People aren't buying illegal products as much, and the people moving the products are getting disrupted." Izuku finished for the red head, and Rain picked up where he left off.

"Meaning that the Shinchu aren't very happy."

"Exactly." Takuma finished. "Deku, you've shut down a great deal of the Shinchu's operations, almost exclusively, over the course of your stay here. I don't know how, but after looking back at a lot of your stuff, it seems like stretching back to around September, you've been taking out what looks to be - and I'm only theorizing here - their trade routes, mules, storehouses, everything. It's amazing, really."

Except… I mean, I wasn't meaning to, I was just doing what I normally would, and running with the tips that Iroichi…

He almost snapped the back of Rumi's chair in half.

That bastard… Without telling me?

"Um, yeah… I suppose I have. It wasn't purposeful on my part, but I guess it just turned out like that." Izuku told them, and Takuma nodded. Rumi tensed where she sat, and the dark haired hero knew she must have come to the same conclusion he had. "So, what do we do from here?"

…

"There… There isn't a lot we can do. At least, not from an official," he said that word with a strange emphasis, and met Izuku's eyes for a moment, "perspective. The truth is that now that you're on their radar, Deku, we'll probably need to play defense, and keep any investigative work on the down low. If someone in the higher ups catches wind of what we're looking into, we'll get shut down, and you'll have a lot of unwanted attention on your back."

Didn't expect anything else, given the situation.

Keeping a tight hold on his chilling anger, he nodded, and squeezed Rumi's shoulder, signaling for her to stand as they made their way towards the door.

"Then I'm going to tap into my information network, fish around and see if I can't catch anything." He said, nodding to both his friend and the pro-hero as he turned to leave. "I know this is dangerous, but-"

"You don't even have to ask, Deku. I'll do everything I can, and if I come up with anything, I'll let you know. If I get any ideas on next steps, I'll shoot you a text, but…" Takuma drifted off, and Izuku made sure that his red haired friend was exempted from his ever growing resentment for a large majority of those he'd once trusted.

The dark haired teen nodded, giving the cop a small smile.

"I hear you, Detective. Rain." He spoke to the pro, who sat up straight in his chair at the attention. "I'm not going to pretend to like you."

It was a blatant and obvious accusation, and there was no regret or shy-ness in his voice as he spoke. The dark skinned man flinched.

"However, you are a hero, and you're involved in this now. If the Shinchu is anywhere near as dangerous as I think they are, then you're at risk for even knowing what you do, so you are involved now, whether you like it or not. Remember to keep quiet about all of this, and about me, and…" The young man paused, looking away for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "This town needs more heroes. Start acting like one, for a change, yeah?"

Sliding the silencing mat out from between the crack in the door, the two younger heroes moved to leave, and were only stopped when the red haired man called out to them one last time.

"Deku!" Izuku turned, and caught a heavy black coat - Takuma's own - that the man had balled up and thrown at him. "Stay warm out there, alright?"

…

Izuku smiled something small, and a little bit raw, and so very dark; but beneath the oily blackness which floated at the surface, there was a resounding thankfulness, and gentle brotherly love for the older man that flowed upwards from the time travelers heart of hearts.

"Thank you, Detective. You too…"

And then they were gone, as Izuku swung the coat around his shoulders and relished in the warmth it gave him as they pushed out into the freezing winter air once again. Sharing a look with Rumi, both of them grimaced, and turned towards the center of town with determination, and rage, teeming from their features.

Time to talk with a dragon.

"Iroichi!" Izuku's roar shook the walls, and as the doors to the underground kitchen were flung open, and he pushed through them with a dangerous fire in his eyes - his white haired companion trailing closely behind him - those members of the organization whose names were not Iroichi quickly fled the scene; scurrying out the door on the opposite side of the kitchen as the old man's tired gold eyes drooped even lower than they had been, and he took a long sip of his tea.

"Izuku-"

"You used me! To monopolize the market for illegal goods in Hutta, and push out the influence of the Shinchu!" The young hero snarled, glowering as his hand smashed against the table the older man was sitting at, shaking the wood. He gripped the furniture to steady himself in his bone shaking anger, as he practically vibrated where he stood, and One for All buzzed just below the surface. "And now someone's dead, because they put a hit out on me!"

Someone innocent. Someone who had their whole lives ahead of them.

The cold brewed closer to the surface, hissing like a winter wind as the dark coat Izuku wore furrowed from the phantom power that was dancing in his blood.

Someone who would have lived if I hadn't gotten involved.

Guilt. Heavy and dangerous, the emotion choked his heart, as even with Rumi standing right beside him, he fought to breathe and cool his raging spirit, which was ablaze with an icy, wrathful flame. A flame which was seeking to burn anyone it thought responsible for the shame which was pooling in the young man's gut.

Damn it.

It mostly seared him.

"You're talking like that wasn't obvious from the beginning, Izuku. The deal was always that you would help push out rival organizations, because the Howaitorotsu is the better of the two evils, remember?" Iroichi's voice was practicaly parental, but it was also sharp in an almost demeaning way; like he was talking to a child who was only now understanding the truth of what they'd gotten involved in.

Which really, wasn't so far off the mark.

Izuku growled, and the wooden table cracked beneath his grip.

Iroichi sighed.

"Now I have to get a new table. Please, Izuku, I understand where you're coming from-"

"Do you!?" He bellowed, "Because it seems like you're perfectly alright with some kid taking a hit for me, all because you didn't tell me-"

"Because I am." Iroichi regained his position in the conversation, and something angry was brewing in his golden eyes. "Don't misunderstand me, Izuku. I'm a selfish man. If I was forced to choose between you, and some random high school student, I wouldn't blink to sully my hands with their blood. I would choose you, every single time." His fierce solar gaze stared back into the young man's own viridian orbs with an unflinching weight.

Izuku snarled, and Rumi grabbed his arm.

"He was only a child, Iroichi!"

"You think I don't know that!" The man snapped, slamming his tea cup onto the table with a crack. "Of course I know that. Of course I understand. I knew him, unlike you, boy. I was there when Eiko was born. I know his parents, and his grandparents, and frequent his family's flower shop. So do not." His voice was raspy, and old, and so very tired. "Speak to me as though I do not know the pain of the guilt that's eating at you, because I do. More so than a child like you could possibly understand."

…

A moment passed, and the older man sighed.

"Izuku, the moment you began your operations here in Hutta, you attracted the attention of the Shinchu. This city is one of their largest markets, and also one of their most important operational positions bar Nar Shaddaa itself. They use this town as a launch pad for operations all throughout Japan, so I can tell you with absolute certainty, that they've known about your existence for a long time." He shook his head, wiping away a couple crumbs from the muffin he'd been eating. "They were just being cautious. Waiting to see if you were going to stick around, or if you'd move on, before they decided to take action. But really Izuku, whether we made our deal or not." He met the boy's gaze once again, and the young hero's heart dropped into his stomach. "It was only a matter of time before something like this happened."

…

"Damn it." He cursed, quietly, and Rumi laced her fingers through his as she remained a silent pillar, and the trio descended into a heavy quiet.

"Wait." Rumi suddenly broke the spell, confusion in her tone. "You… How the fuck did you know the kids name? It happened last night, so even if you heard something happened from his family or some shit, how'd you know his death was connected to the Shinchu going after Izuku? That was some secretive stuff, and only a theory." She asked, and both of them looked to the mob boss for an answer. Iroichi merely sipped his tea, eyes flickering to the side for a moment as he spoke.

"I have eyes and ears all over this town dear. It was also a simple deduction. Eiko dies in a shooting, and you come barging into my kitchen screaming about the Shinchu the next day. This isn't the first time something like this has happened, you know."

He's lying about something. Hiding something. A mole, maybe? Or did he bug the station, and our apartment, or something?

…

Note to self, check for bugs.

He thought these things, but he pursued a different question, instead of confronting the blatant invasion of privacy.

"It isn't? What do you mean, 'this has happened before'?" Izuku asked, and Iroichi shook his head, something so very sad, and far away, in his eyes. He gestured for the couple to sit, and so they did.

"Surely you've noticed the hero situation here in Hutta." He began, and as the two nodded, he continued. "Well, have you ever wondered why it's like this?"

…

What's he getting at?

Taking their silence as an opportunity to continue, Iroichi stroked his beard and spoke.

"Surely there would be at least one or two heroes who'd take a look at the state of things here, and say to themselves, 'I want to make a real change!' Right?" He asked, and the sadness, and grief - because it was now that Izuku noticed the intense grief which filled the man's voice when he said those words - echoed in the young hero's heart like a far away rain. "Well, you wouldn't be wrong if you did. People have tried to change this town before. Heroes both young and old, who really did want to make people's lives better, even if they would never get recognized for it. Even if they were called villains." The man's emotions were getting the better of him again, and it became clear he was trapped in a memory from long ago. "They didn't care. They just wanted to help people. But-"

"But the Shinchu got them, right?" Rumi asked, looking down as something stirred in her eyes, and Izuku squeezed her hand. "Every time someone showed up who actually cared, the Shinchu made an accident happen, right? That's what Takuma said too." Rumi sounded despondent, and astonished in the terrible, horrifying realization sort of way. "But they let the careers hang around, because if all their agencies are here, then no more heroes will come, and they can make sure they can keep their business sailing smoothly. Right? Am I right?"

She sounded like she didn't want to be.

Iroichi nodded, and the rabbit hero cursed.

"Fucking hell. It's like some sort of fucked up symbiotic relationship. Careers get their paychecks from petty crime, and these monsters of the underworld get to keep running their product. Fuck."

Izuku couldn't agree more.

This is… I thought it was bad, but I never would have imagined… On this level?

And no one knew about it, not really, or if they did - I.e the fucking politicians - they didn't want to upset the crime lords who held sway over one of the largest ports in the god damn country. So who was left to deal with the situation?

Apparently, another arguably less shitty crime lord.

"Damn it." Izuku muttered, bringing a hand to his chin. "What… I mean." He looked up to meet his elder's patient and understanding gaze. "What are we even supposed to do?"

The older man hummed.

"Well, that depends." Iroichi said, a small frown building on his face as he pulled at his facial hair. "Have you made your decision?"

…

What?

"What?" He asked, and the man looked apologetic, in a disconnected sort of way.

"We talked about this, didn't we? Life has a way of forcing someone's hand in uncomfortable ways. The entire time you've been here, all you've wanted to do was keep under the radar, however, you also were out playing hero. You couldn't help yourself, it was natural, but it was also the exact opposite of 'staying under the radar'." Iroichi frowned deeply, and Izuku suddenly realized what he was talking about.

A… A choice.

Iroichi lifted one hand, as though he were holding an invisible plate.

"You've been trying to play both sides of the coin, but now, you have to make a choice between one or the other. On one hand, if you stop being a hero, the Shinchu will back off, but Hutta will return to being just as bad, or worse, than it was half a year ago when you arrived." He raised the other hand. "However, if you keep being a hero, you will not only continue to improve the standard of living for the people of Hutta, but also help them to believe in a brighter future - one where they don't need to rely on the underground for basic necessities - however… The Shinchu will only get more aggressive."

He looked between the two of them now, something soft gleaming in his golden orbs for a moment, before it became even more strained.

"It looks to me like your relationship has progressed, and I'd like to offer my congratulations, however it only reassures me of what I'm going to say next."

The man's eyes hardened, and his grief was back now more than ever before.

What he spoke of, he spoke from experience.

"The Shinchu are not above going after families and friends - children, even - to get to those they want to hurt. They have no morals. If you choose option two, I can offer you as much support as you need. A new place to stay, closer to the Western Dragon, and safer. I can have people watching your siblings at all times, Rumi, and try to protect them should they have to." He took a breath. "I can offer up my own life, should it come to that, however, this will be dangerous. None of you would be able to so much as go out for a lunch date without having to watch the shadows, and you'd have to sleep with one eye open. However…"

He looked down now.

"I know it is selfish of me to hope for you to pick option two, but… Izuku, you've… The Phantom has become something else, something more, in this town. I don't know if you've noticed it, but it's more than just the villains who know of your existence. You're talked about more like some guardian deity than a man, which I know won't go to your head, but… You, you're helping this town in more ways than one." A little smile bloomed on his lips. "I got to talk to a god-daughter of mine the other day, and she said her kids were watching the skies for hours one night. She'd never seen them so much as glance outside once the sun set, because they were always afraid of what they might see, but… They'd wanted to catch a glimpse of you, my boy. They told her that they weren't afraid of the dark anymore, because they knew you might be there."

The grandfather was crying a little now, but he quickly capped his old tear ducts as he shook his head, smiling wide.

The cold was silent, and something big was moving in Izuku's heart.

"And my god-daughter, well… You made her believe in a future brighter than the present, for the first time in years. I just… I won't pressure you, but…" The man went quiet, leaving Izuku to his thoughts as Rumi held his right hand with both of hers, tracing his scars in nervous, fidgety movements.

There were so many pieces now, and for the first time in his life, Izuku felt like he just might be able to create a full picture.

He just didn't know where to start.

Everything was like a puzzle, and all he had to do was find all the right parts, and click everything into the it's proper place. Yes, he felt like for the first time ever, that he really had some solid ground to stand on.

It's just going to take me some time to sort it out. Time I don't have. Besides, I don't… This isn't just my decision to make, anymore, is it?

He didn't even speak, and yet Iroichi was already moving. Out of the room and into the hall outside.

"I'll let you two discuss. This isn't a decision that should be made without some kind of conversation, and relationships are built on communication, so… I'll be waiting outside, if you need me."

And then he was gone, and the two teens were left in a tense silence as they both became lost in their thoughts; Rumi continued to trace his scars absentmindedly as she stared off into space, lost in her own head.

Eventually, Izuku pulled her out of it by squeezing one of her hands and drawing her attention to him.

And then he kissed her.

It was slow, and soft, and held all the desperation and sadness that he was feeling in his heart, so she returned it in kind. Hand running through his hair, Rumi pulled herself as close to him as she could before breaking apart so they could both breathe.

…

"What are we going to do, Rumi? I-"

"Don't even think about doing anything stupid, broccoli brain. Running away will do nothing at this point."

"So what?" Izuku's voice cracked a bit. "What can I even do? Stop being a hero? Leave this place to the same terrible fate that's been forced on it for generations? I can't-"

"You won't, Izuku, you won't." She said it with absolute certainty, and gripped his face as she pressed her forehead against his, looking deep into his eyes. "I know you couldn't even if you wanted to, and you don't, so you won't."

"But-"

She shushed him.

"No buts. Both of us knew being heroes was going to be a dangerous profession… For us, and our families." She sniffed a little now, breaking away and wiping at her nose with the napkin which sat with Iroichi's abandoned meal. "I just… Shit, I thought we'd have time, ya know? Like, I thought I could at least get them all through high school before I put a target on their backs."

…

"I-"

"Don't apologize." She reprimanded, shaking her head. "So… I don't need to say it, do I? You know what I think."

I do.

"Yeah… I just, I'm worried, Rumi." Izuku sighed, slouching in his chair. "If I wasn't here then…"

"Then I would still be worrying my ass off about how the boys get home an hour before dark on school days, but I - and a lot of other people - don't anymore, because of you, Izuku." She squeezed his arm. "You can't be selfish now. It's like Iroichi said, this was always going to happen. If not to us, then to your mom, and your friends; it already has, right? All that terrorist stuff you said you've been caught up in because you're hero students, this is just part of the job." She shook her head. "It's shitty but… Izuku I…"

She stopped for a second, thinking, pondering, deciding.

"I want to share everything with you." It was a proud declaration, and was filled with absolutely no shame. "My feelings, and my thoughts, one day, my body even-"

He blushed at that.

"-and my soul. My conviction. I want to share Mirko with you, because for me, Mirko is my freedom. I'd much rather anguish with you by my side, because we did everything we could and it wasn't enough, than to regret doing nothing at all." He met her eyes, and felt a little smile pull at his lips, as a little piece of her was sewn into his heart. "Do you…?"

"I hear you, Rumi, I hear you, and… I want to share everything with you too, but this… It's not something we can go back on. Once we make a decision…"

She shot him a look, and he raised his hands in defense.

"I know! I know that's what you were just saying, but I'm just making sure we're on the same page. If we do this, there's no going back… Rumi, if I do this, who knows what might happen. It'll probably attract a lot of attention, eventually, and my cover might be blown. We've talked a lot about time travel theory and… This, this choice, I have a feeling it's going to lead us to finding out what's right, and what's wrong… Potentially in some terrible ways."

I could die.

Could be erased.

Or worse.

"I'm ok with that." Izuku gripped her hand, resolve teeming in his everything. "Because I know it's inevitable, but I need you to know that we don't know. We'll never know, not until something gives, not until we get really close to the terrible. I'm willing to go through with this, if you are, but… I mean, I guess what I'm trying to say, is…"

He took a deep breath.

"I'm going to keep looking into time based quirks, and Kronos, but… I don't… I want to stay here, with you, and with Daichi, and Arata, and Ayame! I don't want to give up my new family, even if it means I'm losing my old one for a little while." He was crying now, his big blubbers barely contained as tears dripped down his girlfriend's cheeks. "I can do so much more good here than I can in the future, so…"

"You fucking bastard, is this some kind of proposal? We just started dating, dumbass." She was crying, in that laugh cry sort of way, and the green eyed boy was very suddenly flustered beyond belief. A shocked look fusing with his sobs in an absolutely hilarious response.

She bellowed in laughter.

"I'm just kidding! Jesus, Deku… I just, it means a lot to me, you understand that, right?" She kissed him again, lacing their fingers. "I… I'm in. You're asking right? If I'm really ready for what this decision will mean? For you, and us, and maybe the whole fucking world, but um… I'm not." She shook her head, still smiling. "I'm not going to pretend to be, but I think, if anyone can be ready, It's us, and…"

Now she was the one who was stumbling over her words, and Izuku smiled. Softly caressing her cheek as he kissed her forehead, he wrapped her in his arms and hummed a little nothing tune.

They sat like that for a moment, simply happy to be together, and cherishing the simple times that they both very well knew might not last.

Taking a deep breath, Izuku left his partner for a moment, and peaked out the door and into the hallway, where the old yakuza boss was sitting a ways down the corridor to give them privacy.

"We've come to a decision."

The man looked up at him, expression carefully blank, before he beamed when Izuku continued.

"Where do we start?"

Scene Theme: Extinction Evil-OST by Takafumi Wada

I never really liked the city.

The air was cold - beyond bitter, really - and reeked of pollution, and sewage, and just straight up musty people.

If ever there was a place that smelled like a city, this was it.

The smell of fuel doesn't mix well either.

The young man, who was less a man and more a boy, but even more than that - perhaps - a god, cracked his neck as he wandered through the shadows of the port, unnoticed by the carefully positioned guards who hid in the darkness of the buildings-

One, two... Wow, eight meat shields, must be a pretty important meeting.

-or even the watchdog who was wrapped in a trench coat, and was situated atop the bow of one of the many looming supply ships.

Ryuro, man I have not seen you in at least… Oh damn, 65… 66 years? Wonder how he's doing this time around.

Pausing for a moment, the young boy cocked his head up at the form of the Shinchu combatant, and reminisced about things that had never happened, and yet, had happened all the same.

Shrugging, the boy's vibrant gold eyes - which were glowing within the depths of his hood - wafted away from his not-friend-friend, carefully taking in the position of every one of the cronies who'd been hired for this exact meeting, and would be subsequently dealt with afterwards; dumped into the sea and never to be seen again. Remembered by no one, as they returned to the dust from which they were formed.

As is the fate for all mortal things, I suppose. Or more precisely, a bunch of unregistered quirkless and mutant-quirked human's, who not even their fellow man cares to give the time of day.

Sunset eyes flashed across the man's - was he a man(?) - mind, and he quickly brushed off the memory of the smooth skinned woman that he'd never met - probably wouldn't ever meet - and continued on his way.

Whistling, the boy swept a slowly - slowly - descending coin - which one of the criminals had been flipping in his boredom - from the air, and began rolling it between his knuckles. Approaching the door of the warehouse which held the secret meeting he was definitely not invited to, the young - old - boy felt the air shift, and smiled.

Ooohhh, look who finally noticed. I would be impressed, but he was better when I trained him.

Suddenly, the boy was looking into the shimmering teal eyes of a pale faced, white haired child not much older than himself, and leapt backwards as a blade passed through the space he'd occupied only moments ago. The new boy was dressed in a nice little suit which fit his short stature well, and though it would be a natural assumption, the teen knew better than to assume it would restrict his movements. A long black coat - similar to the watchdog's, who sat frozen, but not really frozen, about a hundred yards behind them - wrapped around his shoulders, and fell to his knees.

"Ahhh, Sho! Good to see you again my friend!" He ignored the way the boy's blue orbs shimmered so similarly to his own, and how the world around them - which was once chugging onward at a sluggish pace - almost froze completely. "Or, I suppose you don't know me, do you?"

The boy didn't respond. Instead, he moved forward, gripping his blade in a familiar way, and forcing the uninvited guest to smile devilishly.

The well dressed child - because he really was a child, at no older than 14 years of age - whose name was Sho, flashed forwards. Moving to sever his opponents tendons in a series of near perfect, flowing strikes, and take him out of the fight; uncaring, and uninterested, and completely apathetic as he encroached on the hooded figure.

Said figure smiled, and felt his power roar in his blood, as his golden eyes glimmered, and a thin mist erupted from his white pupiled iris.

I really should sue for copyright, time is my shtick, after all…

His hands moved behind his back, and swung forward as he gripped the worn hilts of his weapons, meeting the katana half-way as he gave the child an arrogant little smirk, dull golden eyes - which while visibly shining, were also so very empty - meeting the now shocked beryl of the young swordsman.

"Ne, Sho, you really should listen. If you play with fire, you might get burned."

His weapons, which were both a worn steel grey, had caught the katana in a cross lock, and were beyond strange; blocky rifles the length of a grown man's forearms, and whose stocks were replaced with thick, curved, jian-esc blades, which forced the weapons to be wielded one handed. Both of them were also covered in the same eerie glow that was slipping from their wielder's eyes, and from how they were crossed, almost gave off the supernatural impression of angel wings.

Sho's looked shocked, and the golden eyed teen smiled, before he moved.

Breaking the cross lock, he let his power flow into the weapon in his right hand, and took aim, gently squeezing the trigger as his pale opponent went from confused, to momentarily terrified.

It was only through his insane survival instinct, and his deadly sharp reflexes, that the Shinchu administrator was able to deflect the lethal blows, and get off with only a graze to his left leg. Ignoring the pain of the bullet wound completely, he spoke.

"How?" Sho asked, voice cold and yet, in some ways, childishly impressed and offended. Like he was affronted that the golden eyed man, who still had yet to reveal his name, would even dare find a way past his ability, and then injure him. "Who are you?"

Oh Sho, still so much to learn. If I'd gotten to you first, you definitely would have been able to figure out my quirk from even this little interaction. What a waste. Still though, you can be useful to me.

"Oh, me? Finally remembered your manners, have you? That's good, Sho, I'm proud. Now, for my name, ahh what should I go with this time…" The boy seemed pensive, before clicking his tongue and nodding his head. "Ahh, how abooouut… Bosatsu."

The newly named Bosatsu smiled, and let his weapons drop to his side, guard completely open, as he gave off an air of absolute comfort that only came from one so above the situation, that they had very little, if anything at all, to fear about their surroundings.

The cautious look on the administrator's face brought a smile to Bosatsu's face.

Good. Human's should be careful when interacting with beings who are above them.

"Now, Sho, I only want to talk. Can we talk? Or am I going to have to make you listen." The grin on his face became beyond malicious, and spoke of him greatly looking forward to 'making him listen', if he didn't want to on his own. Sho frowned.

"I'm willing to hear what you have to say, Buddha-"

Ahh, he got the reference, yay!

"-but only if you explain how you got past my quirk."

Bosatsu clicked his tongue, and turned up his nose.

"It's funny you think you hold any sway in this situation, Sho. You really should learn to read a room, but I guess, you never were able to pick that up." He hummed nostalgically. "And really, to rely so much on Kiri Hana Shita Uchuu that you automatically assume that there is no one with powers that can nullify its effects, is a bit disappointing to me." Shaking his head, the black haired boy looked up to the stars. "Now, I have some information I'm willing to offer you, little admin, and it's even for free! Lucky you!"

He met the boys pulsating blue eyes, and watched him shiver.

Good.

"I advise that you take more decisive action regarding a certain ghost who resides within the sewer. Find a way to try and deal with him, or you'll figure out the hard way that an anomaly like him is more dangerous than I could ever be."

Because Deku was stronger than him, or at least, he had been.

Static crashed through Bosatsu's skull.

"I aM nOw…"

He shook it off violently. It was proof of his plan working, but that didn't matter right now. He had to make sure Deku was forced into some more pressing situations, or…

Cutting off his own train of thought, the powerful being - because what was he(?), who was he(?), is he he(?), or is he they(?), so many memories, so much nothing, too much, we hAvE to Sa - spun his weapons and returned them to their holsters on the back of his hips, smiling through the building migraine.

"Just a thought." He shrugged, turning and waving over his shoulder as even with his back turned, he knew the titan level killer wouldn't dare to take advantage of the 'opening', and would simply watch him go. "See you Sho! Have fun killing that damn traitor in there! Oh!" He stuttered. "You knew that, didn't you? If you didn't, he's a traitor! Some undercover hero! Have fuuuuuuun!"

And then he was gone, leaving nothing but a flash of light, and a sprinkle of misty, star-like sparkles. Even against the will of the Shinchu's power, which should have stopped everything in its tracks, Bosatsu disappeared before the villain's eyes, a dangerous, crazy little smile fitted across his face.

Get ready Deku, because I'm not just going to let you sit around and play house anymore. Get ready… Or else we'll both regret it.

Damn y'all, we've officially been introduced to the main antagonists for - as far as I've planned - the rest of the series! What a rush, Bosatsu - otherwise known as the boy beneath the oak tree - is already one of my favorite characters to write(also the one with the hardest name). We'll definitely be seeing more of him as time goes on. He has a LOT of metaphor and hidden ideas surrounding his character, and both of his scenes, so if any of you want to take a look and try to decipher my 'underneath the underneath' code, then I both applaud you, and would love to hear what you think. It would definitely give you some ideas about who he is REALLY, and his character as a whole.

Also! Izuku officially says that he's planning on staying in the past! Howza! And him and Rumi are just so freaking adorable.

Also! On the subject of Iroichi, I think you guys have latched onto this idea that he and Iroh are like, the same person, which is definitely not true at all, lmao! We got to see a lot of hints into his history this chapter, and a bit of his harsher side, so hopefully the distinction is being made.

Also! Izuku has reached an important part of his self discovery journey this chapter, and though he doesn't have it yet, he's getting really close. Like he's said, he's just trying to figure out how all these ideas in his head are going to fit together, so he can find that conviction he's been chasing after all this time.

Also! The Shinchu, dang. I created them after pulling inspiration from the Port Mafia(Bungo Stray Dogs), and the literal description of the 'most terrifying kind of villains' that we were given by All Might at the beginning of the series, during the battle training. Something about people who hide in the shadows, and pull the strings from the background? The 'Administrator' we met, Sho, is one of the powerhouses of the organization, and definitely not one to be trifled with. However, with the whole 'we move in the shadows and don't exist' philosophy of the Shinchu, and the people involved with them, he probably isn't going to be making any moves himself anytime soon. What was that Takuma said about 'working through subsidiary villain groups'? I wonder... Who could become the next 'main' antagonists, who have been mentioned before? It'll be a mystery, I suppose.

Questions:

1) How was the final scene between Sho and Bosatsu? How did Bosatsu come off?

2)What do you think of the Shinchu? How are they presented?

And once again, that's a wrap! Go wild, and let he hear your thoughts!

In love, Erebus