Todoroki: This won't be a good chapter will it?

Dabi: Nope.

All for One frowned. The anonymous poster had published another article.

Shigaraki(growling): Oh. Sensei.

This poster seemed to be fixated on changing hero society, which put them in direct opposition to All for One's own goals. If hero society changed for the better, then those with powerful quirks wouldn't fall into his path through their own hubris, and those with weak quirks wouldn't be bribed with his promise of power. All for One had been around for long enough that he had helped create this system for his own ends, so he didn't take kindly to this upstart poster who was trying to destroy what he'd created!

(the League stared at the screen for a second before erupting)

Toga: He helped create it?!

Spinner: He's the reason why society is so ruined?!

Compress: This is- this is even more manipulative than I thought!

Twice: Yeah! Why are we even working for him?!

The first two articles had been bad enough with the way they undermined the fundamental assumption of hero society, which was that the strong were inherently better than the weak, and accused society of creating their own villains, but then the poster had gone too far. They had actually called out a high ranking hero.

Dabi(growling): Yeah, Endeavor.

It was far from the first time that someone had criticized Endeavor's temper. In fact, it was a popular topic for new reporters before they realized that there was no point. Most people simply saw Endeavor's temper as part of his charm. This poster, however, already had an established reputation and had quickly built a kind of credibility that most journalists would kill for. When they brought up an issue, people listened.

Though perhaps All for One could use this to his advantage. If this poster was willing to see the flaws in heroes themselves, then perhaps he would be willing to fight the system more... violently. Yes, this poster wouldn't be too difficult to manipulate toward his ends. All it would take was telling them that Tomura's league shared their goals of exposing the flaws in society, from there it would simply be a slippery slope and the poster would forget about his noble goals all too quickly. It was a strategy that All for One had played out to perfection many times before.

Midoriya: No I won't...

Uraraka: Deku will never work with him...

The television in the corner crackled to life and Tomura looked up at it in reverent excitement.

"Tomura."

"Yes, Sensei?"

Shigaraki(growling): Wow I really was such an idiot huh?

Kurogiri: No, you weren't. He manipulated us all.

"The broker is coming for a visit later this afternoon, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir." Kurogiri said. "I have already made all the necessary arrangements for the meeting."

"That NPC is gonna tell us where to find our new party member!" Shigaraki said gleefully. "The hero killer is gonna send our stats through the roof!"

Toga: Unless we count not really.

"Very good, Tomura." Sensei said. "Although, while he's here, I have one more thing I need you to ask him."

"Anything."

Sensei's voice was smiling when he spoke again, "I've heard rumors of a man with a quirk that can identify any author. He reads a piece of writing and sees the author's face in his mind. I would like your broker to track him down so I can meet him."

(everyone froze)

Inko(panicking): Oh no Izuku...

Tomura squinted at the television, "Is he going to be a new party member like the hero killer?"

"No." Sensei said. "But if all goes well, he'll help me find a perfect ally for you. You know that everything I do is for you, Tomura."

Shigaraki: Oh really?

Tomura nodded and smiled, "Thank you Sensei. I will always be grateful that you found me that night and not some worthless hero."

"Me too, Tomura." Sensei said. "Me too."

(Shigaraki started scratching at his neck violently. He wondered what would've happened if All for One hadn't found him that night. Hadn't manipulated him. He didn't stop scratching until Toga grabbed his hand and he realized that he was already bleeding and he carefully put it down)

"Are you reading that article again?" Fuyumi asked hesitantly as she laid a stack of clean clothes on Shoto's bed.

Shoto nodded, "It's interesting."

"Alright, just... don't let Father catch you."

Endeavor: Yeah...

"You don't have to be worried, Fuyumi. Father hasn't paid any attention to what this guy is saying since his first article. He's of the opinion that if someone doesn't agree with him they're wrong, and if they're wrong, then they're unimportant. I doubt he'd even care about the article if someone pointed it out to him."

Hawks: Yeah, but better safe than sorry.

"Just be careful, Shoto. I don't want you getting hurt because Father's angry."

Todoroki: I still get hurt even when he's not angry...

"I still get hurt even when he's not angry." Shoto muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Fuyumi." Shoto said quickly. "Did you need anything else?"

Midnight: Fuyumi seems like a sweet girl.

Hound Dog: Pity she has the luck to have Endeavor as a father.

Fuyumi looked at him for a long moment before pursing her lips and shaking her head, "No. Goodnight, Shoto."

"Goodnight."

He waited until she'd closed the door before turning back to his phone and reading the article again. Sure, it wasn't the first time Endeavor had been criticized in the media, but it felt more important somehow. This guy already had a reputation for exposing truths that everyone else was too blind to see, so now that he was targeting Endeavor...

Midoriya: I hope my plan can actually work though...

Nezu: I'm sure it will.

Fuyumi was right, though, Father wouldn't be happy if he realized Shoto was still reading the articles. Endeavor had only read the very first one, the one about discrimination hurting the gifted, and that had resulted in an hour long rant over dinner about how the writer was an idiot and should keep his unresearched opinions to himself.

According to Endeavor, the guy was obviously just some weak-quirked wannabe desperate for attention. The weak existed to serve the strong and provide a foothold for their journey to greatness, so there was obviously no way that discrimination, if there was a such a thing, could be hurting the gifted because, according to his father, such treatment was simply their right. Besides, it didn't matter if a few weaklings suffered, since it was the strong that made society function anyway.

Shinso: Oh *(#&@$ you.

Jana: Language and not you too Shinso!

Shoto didn't agree. That first article had hit a little too close to home, because as far as Shoto could see, he was much worse off because of his strong quirk. All those things his classmates had, like friends and freetime, had been taken away from him so that he could focus on training. The bruises he got from his father were all to make sure that he knew how to use his quirk. Everything that had ever gone wrong in his life, it seemed, was because of how Endeavor treated him because he was strong.

Dabi(bitterly): Yup...

He hadn't related to the second article in the same way, since he had been homeschooled, but he could definitely see his old man encouraging him to put weaker classmates in their place and teaching him that they were less than human simply because of the way they were born. Had Midoriya had to endure that kind of treatment? Probably. Endeavor was still ranting about how they shouldn't have allowed a quirkless student into the hero course.

Bakugo(scoffing): Seriously? It's been forever already!

But Midoriya had gotten into the hero course. Shoto had seen Midoriya give his all to every exercise they did, so was it really fair for Shoto to continue holding back? It was his quirk, not his father's, so why did he still feel like he couldn't breathe every time he activated his left side?

Hound Dog: It's related to some deep seated trauma and that isn't just something you can get over easily.

He hadn't seriously used his left side since... well, that was why he'd used the time off after the sports festival to visit her. He hadn't known what he expected when he walked into his mother's room. Honestly, he'd really been expecting her to scream and attack him like she had when...

Momo: Oh Todoroki...

But she hadn't. She'd turned around and smiled at him. How could she smile when he looked more like Endeavor than he had back then? And even after almost eight years, she still recognized him, though that could have been the hair, but she still saw him as her son, as her little Shoto, not as some abomination his old man had created.

(Endeavor sighed)

It had been awkward, of course. They hadn't seen each other in close to a decade and they'd both changed so much in that time that they couldn't just pick up where they left off. But Shoto didn't really do small talk either, so they just sat in silence for a few minutes, drinking in every detail about each other until Shoto finally blurted out why he had come.

"Mom? I don't want to be like him, but I don't want to keep holding myself back either. May I... I feel like I need your permission to fully use my fire again."

He'd almost just stood up and left at that moment. He hadn't seen his mother for years; she'd probably think he was being immature and weak for needing her permission to use his own quirk. He'd reminded himself of Midoriya, however, who said awkward things all the time, but somehow didn't let that deter him from making friends. So he stayed.

Midoriya: I really am awkward aren't I?

Tetsutetsu: Yup.

His mother had stared out the window for a long moment and Shoto was starting to wonder if she'd even heard him when she finally responded.

"Do you still want to be a hero, Shoto?"

Todoroki: Yes... yes I do...

Shoto had paused. Had he ever really wanted to be a hero? But those words triggered some of his memories from the time before... times when he'd cuddled on his mother's lap and watched All Might save people on the news. Times when he'd really wanted to save people, even if no one had ever saved him.

He had looked at his mother in determination and nodded, "Yes. I want to save people, but I don't want to be like him. Can I do both?"

All Might: Of course...

His mother had smiled, "Of course you can, Shoto! I'm sorry that I... well, that I couldn't be there for you growing up, but I want you to know that I have always believed in you. You don't have to be like him to be a hero. You can be both kind and powerful, I know it. I'm so proud of you!"

Hagakure(sniffing): Oh this is so sweet...

"So, may I have your permission to use my fire again?"

When Mom had nodded with tears in her eyes, Shoto finally felt free.

(Inko wasn't the only one in tears at the end of that and people had to use what was left of their Mastermind tissues)

Kurogiri disappeared to find the hero killer as soon as Giran had left, and Tomura went to his room to play video games. He lovingly placed his family's hands on their table before sitting down on the couch and grabbing his controller. The hero killer would be the perfect addition to his party. He'd help Tomura kill the things he hated.

Spinner: He won't.