Chapter Text
The city outside the building went on its day as usual creating a familiar commotion of busy life. Inside the building, on the other hand, nothing stirred, no one spoke until Japan’s no.2 burst into the room, a murderous intent in his eyes and picked up pro-hero Eraserhead by his neck, the smaller hero not meeting his eyes.
“You!” he growled “This is all because of you, you were to protect our kids. What kind of a hero are you??”
Endeavour strangled him further but was only met by silence and downcast eyes.
The room erupted with protests and finally All Might put a hand on his shoulder and said calmly, “I understand your anguish but Eraserhead-kun did his best, put him down”
As his feet found ground, Aizawa coughed a few times, “He’s right, I am their teacher, I should have protected them. Now that Endeavour is here, can we go ahead with the decision?”
Gran Torino watching the scene unfold quietly now spoke, “I understand the situation is delicate but there is a reason they want you Aizawa, AFO has been after the erasure quirk for sometime now. It is safe to say he is behind this too. If he gets erasure, he’ll be impossible to beat.”
Before Endeavour could say something, All might stood up, “We will not choose, we can’t. There is no way we are simply giving Aizawa-kun to them, neither are we doing nothing.”
“Isn’t it too predictable to betray the exchange at the last moment, they would expect that.” Hawks was skeptical.
“We will not betray them, Hawks-kun, we will complete the exchange, after that however will be our chance”
“Never, Kurogiri will transport them in mere seconds, we won’t have a chance”
“There could be” It was Nighteye, standing up “With co-ordination and careful planning, we might just be able to pull it off i.e., if Eraserhead agrees to it”
“Aizawa-kun, there is a very good chance, we might not be able to save you”
Aizawa finally looked up but his voice was apologetic, , “It was never a question, All-Might, my safety is not a priority, his is.”
He looked at Endeavour, “I will not fail him again, Endeavour, I promise by tomorrow morning, Shoto will be home”
After 6 hours of the meeting, Pro- hero Hawks passed a message to the league of villains.
“We agree”
The three figures standing in the shade of the building behind UA could be taken as shadows for they mixed with the darkness so well. Not even a leaf disturbed the solitary air the air had adopted around the three friends but eventually it became too heavy.
“Have you thought as to who will betray us tomorrow?” Aizawa asked
“How do you know its not one of us?” Nemuri replied
Hizashi let out a small laugh, “At long last, Aizawa’s paranoia will pay off, if that’s the case”
“I am not that paranoid”
“You are” came the voice in unison
In the face of the inevitability tomorrow brought, words lost their meaning and the trio stayed at their comfort place from days past as long as they could. They left for their own ways, without a word of farewell, for it would just prolong their misery.
“Gran Torino, we should have been honest with him long ago, but now knowing what we know and still not saying anything is just cruel”
The aged hero did not turn to face the symbol of peace, “It would have made no difference Toshinori, we cannot leave the young boy to die and it would have made the guilt even worse for Aizawa. We need to focus on the fact that OFA has never claimed his victims so openly, it feels wrong”
“Please don’t call Aizawa-kun victim, Torino-sensei. We will save him tomorrow, I will not let another life to fall in that evil’s hand and that of a friend. I have full faith in Night-eye’s plan.”
“I believe in him too but I have lived too long to know that this predicament is nothing what it seems like. Rest now Toshinori, tomorrow will be heavy.”
He was not losing his mind, the world was losing its way. He would not react to the chaos around him, nor would he be pertur---
“I SWEAR TO GOD TOGA, KEEP IT DOWN”
The younger girl pouted in response and threw an unholy amount of pepper in the pasta sauce, Kurogiri was attempting to teach her to make. Nevertheless, Kurogiri, with infinitesimal patience, threw out the inedible sauce the 5th time and began his instructions again.
Just when Shigaraki had made up his mind to permanently ban Toga from the kitchen, the doors opened to reveal Dabi strolling in, a smile on his face.
“They have agreed, those fools”
“And the other preparations?” Shigaraki asked
“All in place. What about the UA scum? Has the boss decided what to do with him?”
Shigaraki took time to address every villain in the room, “He has asked us to make a decision”
“But the exchange is tomorrow!” Mr. Compress complained from across the room
“What do you suggest, Tomura Shigaraki?” Kurogiri asked the young man
He spoke without hestitation, “Execute Plan-4. Tomorrow, the hero society falls”
“To the future” toasted Kurogiri
“To the future” the rest chimed.
A brilliant crimson feather shifted in the dark corner of the room, contrasting the dark corner it quietly lay on. Nobody paid heed to a stray feather, nobody ever does.