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At three o’clock in the afternoon on the third Friday of the month, Shouta received an encrypted message. The message was from none other than the League of Villains and read: We will take back the city, tonight.
Groaning, he had an idea of the specific culprit behind the message. The leader Zen, or known in the underworld as All For One, was training a protege. Someone who would rid the world of Shouta’s organization. The apprentice, Tomura Shigaraki, was obsessed with Shouta and often left little clues that rendered their business impossible to thwart. Today’s clue was an untraceable warning. One that he immediately brought to his boss. A message that led to their meeting at three o’clock in the afternoon.
“Shouta, I don’t need to tell you how dangerous Zen is. He’s likely forming a new team within his syndicate.” Yagi sat in his chair, leg crossed over his thigh.
Shouta placed his elbows on the table in front of him. The opposing crime organization was after their turf. Previously, they used an informant with codename “Hawks.” Through him, they got insider information about what Zen’s organization was building, but it still wasn’t enough information.
According to their informant, they were planning on building a team large and powerful enough to overthrow “All Might.” However, they were still receiving shipments of weapons and drugs and they wanted to know who was providing their enemy with fuel for their feud.
“I’m a seasoned vet at this. Don’t treat me with kid gloves. I know what I’m getting into.” Shouta remarked, rolling his eyes.
“You’re lucky you’re one of my best men, or I’d have your head for your eye roll.” There was a twinkle in Yagi’s eye.
Yagi was known in the underworld as ‘All Might,’ the man who was as gracious in his care as he was vicious. As far as villains went, you could consider him the most heroic in the underworld. Vigilantesque even. He would go after child predators and abusers. Made sure that the soup kitchens were stocked and even donated to the hospital he received his treatment from.
Treatment meaning, Yagi took a huge hit in their last shoot out. He was shot by Zen and required surgery to save his stomach. In the end, there was only so much the hospital could do. However, the crime boss was grateful for every second his life was extended.
After his brush with death, he decided to take a successor. Someone who could lead their crew when Yagi finally stepped down (not to say Shouta wanted Yagi gone, it’s just he never took a break and it was hard to watch someone fall victim to their own hubris). He chose a young man who stood out with his perfect aim and can-do attitude. Izuku Midoriya, otherwise known as ‘Deku.’ Where Yagi was brazen, Izuku was quiet, but they each carried a passion they saw in the other. Shouta admired the fact that they had found each other. The way they spent time together reminded him of the way a father and son would interact. Raising a successor gave Yagi something to do instead of micromanaging his men since he couldn’t be out on the field anymore due to his health.
“Sure, and after you get rid of me you can just hand yourself over to the League of Villains. Sounds like a fun afternoon.” Shouta deadpanned.
“Are you aware of what I am asking of you?”
“You act like you’re sending me to my death. I’m better than your new recruits. I know that your men call me ‘Eraserhead’ in private because they fear the way I eliminate our opponents. You think I’m scared of a little stakeout and raid?” Shouta’s voice rose slightly.
“You certainly are modest.”
“You hate modesty.” He scoffed.
Yagi chuckled. “You’re misguided, Shouta. It never hurts to play coy when it comes to your achievements.”
“I’ve killed more men than the other members of the inner sanctum combined. It’s not bragging when it’s true.”
“You may be right.”
“I know I am.”
“You’re up for the challenge? You’ll be on your own. Only take a shot if it’s necessary.”
“Don’t underestimate me, Toshinori.”
“Wouldn’t dare dream of it. I have written down their location. I need you to find any necessary info before we move to strike.” He slid a piece of paper across the table. “This is your location.”
Shouta unfolded the piece of paper. If his memory served him well, this address was in Kamino Ward. It was a seedy bar. Full of scum from the other side.
“Watch their base. Have Nemuri help you with a disguise. In your suit, you stand out. You need to look as if you’re a member of the community. Stay outside and monitor the situation. I want to know if there is any movement from them. Capice?”
“Your words are superfluous. I know my job. What will I be? Teacher, retail worker...?”
“Construction worker. You’ll don a flannel and vest. This way it won’t look suspicious if you’re caught.”
Shouta hummed in agreement before standing up and stretching lightly.
“I’m counting on you. I need to know what he’s planning.”
--
Shouta adjusted the stupid vest. He was told it would make him blend in, but he felt this bright yellow vest only drew attention to him. Yagi and his convoluted plans. Must be conspiring with Nemuri to dress him up in the most ridiculous outfits. It was bad enough that he wore a suit. He preferred to live in sweats and would if he had a choice. It wasn’t Halloween or April’s Fools, was it?
Luck was on his side as he approached the bar. There was a bench across the street. A simple, beat up, wooden bench. The bar wasn’t in much better condition. It had a dilapidated front entrance and a broken window. Noting the fractured glass, he realized he could hear pretty easily into the building. It was too easy. This seemed too easy.
As if this was a set up.
As if this whole operation could go wrong.
He was cautious about this all. It wasn’t as if he couldn’t handle himself, he was more than able to fight for his safety. It wasn’t just bragging when he was talking to Yagi earlier. His self-defense skills were superior. No matter the weapon, he could use it to fight. Hell, give him a scarf and he’ll have his victim hog-tied begging for mercy in under a minute. In lieu of a scarf, he carried a gun in his holster and a knife was strapped to his calf.
The bench was hard underneath him and shook as he sat down. Definitely unstable, but would have to work for the mission’s purpose. He could hold out long enough to get valuable information. Wall sits were a weekly part of his work-out regime, he had strong muscles due to exercises such as that. Holding himself up would be no issue at all.
“The shipment is coming in three hours.” He heard a male voice speak.
“Have you been tracking it?”
“Our guy is meeting us at St. Ignacias’ church. We just need the money.”
“Dabi, did you get the money?”
“Course I did. Dear old Dad will never even know it’s missing.”
“Good work.”
“How are we going to avoid All Might and his crew?”
“You think they caught on? We were really careful this time.”
“They’re smarter than you think. We can’t take any chances.”
“What are we going to do?”
“I have a plan, trust me.”
Shouta was taking internal notes when the bush next to him shook. Jumping back into the present, he ripped out his gun and pointed it at the bush.
“Come out. Whoever you are. Come out and show yourself.” He whispered.
There was no answer.
Instead there was another rustle of the leaves.
Shouta took a deep breath before inching towards the bush. The leaves were thick and the bush was large, so he couldn’t see anyone. Not to mention, he only had the dim streetlight to light his view. Combined, both were not easing his situation.
“I’m giving you one last warning. Come out or I will escalate.”
The bushes shook again, but no figure revealed themselves.
Shouta approached the bushes and pulled back the leaves, pricking his hand on a branch as he did so. Hiding a flinch, he proceeded forward.
Meow
“Come out and- wait, meow?” Shouta stood frozen in shock.
He glanced down to see a small kitten tangled in the branches. They were grey and white, their fur dirty and covered in soil. It couldn’t be older than a few months. Shouta wondered where its mother was, or if it had been abandoned. It certainly was a stray, but he wasn’t sure if it had been born on the streets. A second glance revealed no collar around its neck, the likelihood of it being an escaped pet becoming slim.
It pawed at him and continued to meow.
Kneeling down, he worked on removing the poor cat from the bush. Carefully, he extracted the kitten and placed it on the ground in front of the bush.
“Okay, you’re free, you can go.”
Instead of leaving, the kitten pranced over towards Shouta and rubbed its head against his leg, threading itself through his legs.
“Go. Get. This is dangerous.” He shooed away the animal, hoping that it would take the hint and run away.
But the kitten was living in ignorant bliss and didn’t understand. It attached itself to Shouta’s side.
“Fine, but I don’t know if I can protect you if things go wrong.”
The kitten meowed in response, seemingly saying, “I’ll be okay.”
--
Shouta hadn’t heard any movement from the bar in the past twenty minutes. Each minute that passed, he grew more suspicious of their actions.
At this point, the kitten jumped up onto the bench with him. It walked in circles until it managed to wrap itself into a curl. Shouta took another look at the small animal and sighed. Something was tugging at his heart.
Reaching a hand out, he lowered it until he was petting soft fur. Fur that was surprisingly as plush as it was despite being a cat of the streets. The cat perked up and snuggled its head against his hand. He took the hint and scratched behind the kitten’s ear. If he looked closely, he swore the cat bore a smile at the contact.
He pulled away from the animal before sitting back against the bench. He figured this investigation was a bust. He’d have to report back to his boss with limited information about their shipment.
Next to him, the cat snoozed blissfully against the slats.
He sighed before deciding to call it a night and travel back to the base. Yagi would be disappointed in him surely, but there was nothing more he could do.
He moved to stand but was stopped in his tracks.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Cold metal rested against the back of his head. Someone was behind him.
Fight or flight kicked in.
Shouta whipped around, turning his body to the right. Using his right hand, he swung it under the arm the gun was in to trap the gun. Using his left arm, he bent his opponent’s elbow and slammed them into the side of the building. The gun was dangling to the right of his body, still held in his assailant’s hand. Their elbow was definitely destroyed if not indicated by the loud cry they made when their body hit the siding. Using his other hand, he pinned the arm which loosened their grip on the gun and it clattered to the ground. Quickly, he took the opportunity to bend down and snatch the gun off the floor, aiming it directly at his attacker instead of being held victim.
“Shigaraki.” Shouta growled, his grip on the gun tight.
“Ah, Eraserhead. Here to ruin my master’s legacy?” The blue haired man shook himself up off the wall of the building, his arm laying uselessly at his side.
“You know I can’t sit by and let you deal trigger to the rest of the prefecture.”
“You want in, is that it?” Shigaraki laughed maniacally.
“I don’t want to help you deal drugs you heathen.”
“You want them for yourself then? You’re addicted, is that it?”
“Do you want me to kill you?”
Meow.
There was that cat again. Shouta looked around, hand still held high with a finger on the trigger. He noticed the kitten watching him intently when he glanced briefly at the bench, meowing.
“Did you make a little friend?” Shigaraki mocked. “These cats are just vermin in our streets.”
“It’s just a kitten. Leave it out of this. This is between you and I.” The creature was now on all fours staring menacingly at Shouta’s attacker.
“I admire you. You know, I actually am a fanboy. You have such a kill count. It makes me wonder how you sleep at night. You have killed ruthlessly. Haven’t you had enough?”
“I do what I can for my boss.”
“Don’t you want to be in charge? I heard he took a successor. A little boy that wasn’t you. Doesn’t that get you angry? Passed over again and again. Weren’t you passed over previously?”
“No, Nana chose Yagi for a good reason and you know that.”
“And you were given second place. You can join us. Lead by my side. We can rule the underworld. Together. In power. Doesn’t that sound like a nice little offer?”
It was true that he had been passed up for successor, but it wasn’t like he wanted to have control of the whole organization. When he worked under Nana, he still acted as a second-in-command to Yagi. That's the way it always had been and that’s the way he wanted it to be. Being the head of the organization would put him in the spotlight and he liked being in the shadows. It was the reason he went straight to Yagi after his attack to tell him he wanted to stay at his side, but the leader needed to take a serious step back. As Yagi laid in his hospital bed, they examined what path their organization needed to go. Out of this conversation came the conclusion that Yagi would take on a successor. Someone young who was dedicated to their cause. Shouta agreed to help train him as well as any other new recruits that joined afterwards. Anyways, training the new recruits was a passion that he never thought he’d enjoy. Even if it meant getting less sleep than he wanted. Yagi at least stocked the expensive coffee as repayment for preparing rookies to not get shot while practicing stealth and aiming the gun at the target, not the ceiling.
“You can walk out of here right now and I’ll let you live.” Shigaraki growled
“Fat chance of that happening.” He slammed the crook into the wall again. “Tell me about your shipment or I will put a bullet in that skull.” His gun rammed against the side of Shigaraki’s skull. “I’ll do it.”
The other man chuckled, “I have no doubt you wouldn’t hesitate to kill me, but you won’t. You want information.” With that, he kicked back, causing Shouta to stumble.
“I’d love to stay and chat, Eraserhead, but I have a shipment to distribute.” A sharp pain warmed Shouta’s thigh. He swayed before steading himself against the wall with his free hand.
Shouta’s finger twitched before he made his decision to pull the trigger. The shot rang out in the night.
A hiss echoed in the silence that followed.
Shigaraki held his shoulder. “What a shame, you missed. See you around. Think about my offer, why dontcha? I’ll extend it, just for you.” He winked before dashing into the building and slamming the door shut.
The lights turned dark and it was quiet inside the bar. He was getting nothing out of this mission.
Hobbling to the bench, he sat down and gripped the knife. With a grunt, he pulled it from his thigh and ripped a piece of the tacky vest off to tie a makeshift bandage.
Meow
He felt something soft and furry against his hand. The cat was currently scenting Shouta’s hand before moving onto his knee.
Once it was satisfied with its scenting, it climbed on top of Shouta’s uninjured thigh, curled up into a ball, and closed its eyes.
Shouta was about to carry the cat off and place it back on the ground so he could seek medical attention, but he felt a gentle vibration run through him. Ah, the cat must be purring.
Maybe he could take the cat back to the base and at least give it some food. There had to be some tuna in the dry storage that he could salvage for the creature. Nemuri had a cat, she would know how to care for one.
--
“Shouta, what the hell happened to your leg!?” Nemuri’s eyes were wide as he limped back into their base.
“What does it look like happened? Got stabbed. Knife is out.”
“What are you holding?” She gestured to the cradle of his right arm.
“There was a kitten on the scene. Wouldn’t leave me alone. Figured I’d at least feed it.”
Nemuri squealed loud enough to draw the attention of Yagi, who entered the room in his pristine suit and concern written on his face.
“Did you get any information?” He asked.
“No. Just had a romantic encounter with their resident lunatic.” Shouta grumbled.
“Oh, you mean the girl with the space buns? She’s got some weird obsession with torture, but I hear she’s really good at it.” Nemuri chimed in.
“No, Shigaraki.”
“I see. The shipment is still going to be distributed then. I wish there was better news, but I understand that these things happen and -”
Meow.
“Did I just hear a cat?” Yagi looked around the room before settling on the bundle in Shouta’s arms. “You brought a cat back to the base?” Yagi’s face was a combination of amusement and disbelief.
“It wouldn’t leave me alone. I think it’s hungry. It stayed on the stakeout with me too. Slept the whole time. Really didn’t like Shigaraki.” Shouta chuckled.
“Sounds like you’re attached to this animal, Shouta.”
“I just did what anyone else would do. Couldn’t just leave an infant on the streets.”
Nemuri shot him a meme worthy look of disbelief before pulling out her phone. “I will text the medic. Tell her you’re on your way.”
“Why do I need the medic? I’m fine?” Shouta brushed her off.
“You are dripping blood down your leg. You need stitches.”
Shouta hummed. “Yeah, sounds good.” Nemuri walked side-by-side with him as they made their way to the medic.
“What are you going to name it?” Nemuri waggled her fingers at the tiny kitten in Shouta’s arms. “Wait, is it a boy or a girl?”
Shouto did a quick check of the cat. “I think a boy?”
“My ideas for names are: Scar, Blade, Shadow...”
“Those all suck.” Shouta readjusted his grasp.
“What about: Onyx, Rifle, Don?”
“Do you have any good names?” Shouta sighed.
“Metal? Hell, name it after Trigger for all I care.” She threw her arms up.
Shouto chuckled, “Trigger, hm? Reminder of how we met.”
“You are so taking that cat home with you. Wait until I tell Hizashi about this.” She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture.
“You better delete that, but yeah, I think little Trigger is growing on me.” Shouta looked down at the cat, who meowed in response. As if it were saying “thank you for saving me.”