Chapter Text
Guess
Chapter 1
Dabi kept alert as he navigated through the alleyways, his steps light enough that the light rain assisted in his stealth. Eyes forward as he counted the blocks and turns until an abandoned building was in sight. Four stories, rusted railing and steps, and looked more than ready to crumble in on itself at the slightest of disturbances. Chunks of the wall were missing, windows either boarded up or just freely open, and the yard was nothing more than masses of trash and dead bushes. Was he really supposed to meet this so-called Analyzer in this trash heap? Sure, his run down apartment on the other side of town wasn’t much better, but at least it wasn’t condemned. Not yet anyway.
He had already been skeptical about this meeting. Quirk analyzers were hard to come by out on the streets, sure some may get lucky enough to get enough info on Pro-Heros that so called ‘villains’ wanted to show up or attack, but one that had a growing reputation and only asked for what equated to pocket change and some snacks from a convenience store!? Either the information he got on this guy was complete and utter bullshit, this guy was just lucky in the information he spouted out, or this guy didn’t realize that he could be cashing in big time. Guess it didn’t really matter in the end, since he was going to find out one way or another.
Shifting the convenience store bag in his hand, he carefully made his way up the steps. Eyes flickering down at every creak and groan that they gave under his weight, readying himself to jump or brace for impact should they fail. Releasing a slight breath in relief once he made it to the third floor without incident. Wondering briefly how this guy got up here without any issues, before making his way down the pathway. Counting the doors until he reached the fifth one.
Reaching his hand up, he rasped his knuckles against the swollen door thrice, waited a few seconds and then repeated the action twice more. Tilting his head slightly as he heard shuffling just loud enough that the rain didn’t disguise it right before the sound of a lock clicked and the door was being forced open just enough for… Dabi blinked as he stared down into dull green eyes. Taking in a pale freckled face, matted and slightly greasy green hair, and the overall physic of a teenager!?
“You Dabi?” His mind slowly processed the question as he gave a small nod, still trying to figure out why a kid was in a place like this. His mind was already supplying him with a possible answer, but he sure as hell didn’t like it.
“Please tell me you ain’t Analyzer.” He asked, watching as the kid released a sigh before shrugging his shoulder slightly.
“Sorry to tell you, but I am. If you don’t want the information about Endeavor then you’re free to go.” What. The. Fuck!? He quickly reached out and stopped the kid from closing the door, not missing how those dull green eyes narrowed in on his hand, before slowly trailing back up to his face. He also didn’t miss how the kid’s free right arm flexed to the side of the door, no doubt holding or grabbing onto a weapon if need be.
“I still want the information. I just wasn’t expecting a Brat to be the one giving it, is all.” He muttered, shifting the bag just enough so that it rustled and drew the kid’s attention to it. It now made fucking sense as to why he was asking for less than bare fucking minimum. No one on the streets would take someone this young seriously as an Underground Analyzer, but it also seemed that he was unaware that he was starting to make a name for himself anyway.
“Come on in then.” He gave a nod as the kid stepped back to let him in, eyes scanning the entrance way and the main living area quickly. It was bare. He slowly blinked as he took that in. Meaning that the kid either holed up somewhere else and only did his business here, or he just didn’t have anything to his name. What in the hell could make a kid do something like this with their life?
Okay, that was a stupid question. He’s known people who have gone AWOL because of mere minor inconveniences in their lives, both early in life and later. Hell, he himself had one hell of a story to tell, and it was exactly why he was seeing exactly what kind of information this kid could tell him about Endeavor. There shouldn’t be anything that he already didn’t know, but he was curious to say the least.
“I have a table and chairs set up in the kitchen. This way.” He watched as the kid walked down the hallway to the right, his eyes dropping down as something bright red caught his gaze and found all the air escaping his lungs. The kid was wearing bright red shoes with white soles that were blocky in design. Shoes that were designed specifically for those with an extra toe joint, for people who were quirkless. Well, that explained a lot more.
Following after the kid, he stepped into the kitchen, once again scanning the near bare room, before watching as the ki- Analyzer- was shifting some papers around and reaching for a notebook.
“Okay, so you asked specifically for everything that I could figure out about Endeavor. This stack here goes over his quirk, pros and cons of it, strengths and weaknesses, basic tactics he uses out on the field, main sidekicks that patrol with him, and overall stats. This stack is a variation of likes and dislikes, apparent goals, some PR situations he’s gotten himself into, and a layout of his agency. This stack is possible countermeasures that could be used to either even out a fight against him or at least leverage the fight into your favour. This of course depends on what your quirk fully consists of, since you only told me that it's fire based. Finally, this stack is everything I could find about his family and personal relationships, things he does when he’s not Endeavor and instead just Enji Todoroki, and that was something to look into, let me tell you.” Analyzer muttered, stepping back from the table while scribbling something down in the notebook he had grabbed, before looking up at the bag of goodies that Dabi still held in his hand.
Sitting the bag on the table, he sat down in the chair and began to flip through the stacks. His eyes widening the more he read, and by the end of it his hands were trembling slightly. Especially as he held his own file… The file of one Touya Todoroki, who was supposedly killed during a fire that was due to a training incident. A file that had writing all over it pointing out Enji’s harsh training and personal goal of doing everything he could to become Number One and surpass All Might. About Touya’s quirk being similar to Enji’s, but sadly that his body couldn’t withstand the heat without damaging him. About how only a jawbone had been found, and he was still assumed dead. About how his new identity was… Dabi…
Lowering the paper, he slowly trailed his eyes upwards until they met with dull green. Watching as Analyzer slowly blinked and tilted his head as he munched on one of the candy bars that Dabi had swiped for this so-called payment.
“Based on your reaction, I guess my assumption about you being his supposed deceased son is correct. If so, then I recommend using the second strategy I listed in the third stack. A head-on fight wouldn’t bode well for you, but then again, you already know all about that didn’t you. Since you just did this because you were curious about me for some reason.” Analyzer stated, taking another bite as he leaned against the bare counter, notebook still in hand. And that notebook was something to look at, at this angle he could see more writing and figured that it was probably more analyses of other Heros. Maybe even villains. And it looked rough, like it had survived a fire or something, and damn did that particular thought hit a little too close to home. Leaning back, he took in the kid before him. All of him.
Sure, he had dull eyes, but there was still an edge to his gaze. Something cold, calculating and merciless. His body was relaxed, but angled away just enough that he would have a clear path to run. Then there was his mind. The ability to gather information like this, to create tactics and plans to go against even the top Heros. Dabi couldn’t stop the smile from breaking across his face as he laced his fingers together and began bouncing his leg. He had to get this kid on his side. Had to get him to understand that they could make a fortune with his skills. They could turn all of Hero society on its head, and then mold it into what they wanted to make it. He just had to convince him, and the best way to do that, was to figure out what made him tick.
“I gotta know, Kid. What the hell made you decide to do all this? To give this kind of information out to villains. Especially for so cheap.” He blinked as the kid suddenly smiled. It was a smile that caused the kid to glow slightly, his eyes closing and looking all the world like a kid his age should. Innocent, carefree, and like he knew that everything would turn out alright. However, Dabi was not able to stop his entire body from tensing as every instinct within him screamed danger as the notebook snapped closed, showing an All Might signature on the back.
“I asked my idol if I could still be a hero even without a quirk.” He swallowed hard, no doubt already knowing the answer that Analyzer was given, but the question tumbled through his lips anyway.
“And his reply was…?” A shiver shot through him as sharp, piercing emerald green eyes opened as the notebook was offered out to him. A bold font on the front reading; Hero Analysis for the Future No. 13.
“Guess.”