Chapter Text
The day was calm, and the sky boasted a perfect shade of blue. It was just cloudy enough to soften the sun’s harshness. The early birds were gathering on the streets, and nerves ran high among the new students entering UA High.
Nerves were nothing new to 001, or Ijin Yu, as the world now calls him. He had grown up as a soldier, constantly inches from death, but this feeling was different from facing bullets and knives. He would have to face kids his age—those who hadn’t been to war and whom he hadn’t grown up with. Yes, 001 was nervous, but he couldn’t let it show.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he checked everything: dark green pants, a white dress shirt, a gray blazer, a red tie, and combat boots. Perfect. After a moment of thought, he decided to slip a few more knives into his clothes—you could never be too prepared.
He was about to start his first year at a regular school, which just happened to be at the top Hero school in the area. He hadn’t attended a proper school since the plane crash, but after catching up, he managed to pass the written exam. With that done, passing the physical test was easy; he'd found the power source of the robots and disarmed them with no trouble. When he received his acceptance, he was told he had ranked first in the exam, naturally, and was admitted to Class 1A.
Coincidentally, the man 002 had helped—Eraserhead—was the teacher for that class. They'd already researched all the teachers and students in preparation for his attendance. The school had an impressive roster of teachers, most of whom were well-known Heroes. The only name that raised suspicion was the principal, Nezu. There wasn’t much information on the rat; he had just appeared one day and soon became the principal of Japan’s top Hero school. It seemed suspicious, but he didn’t appear to have any ill intentions.
Exiting the bathroom, he was greeted by the smell of breakfast. Walking into the kitchen, he was pleased to see 008 making breakfast. As the young man entered, the larger man greeted him.
“Good morning, 001. You look great. Did you sleep well?”, he nodded in response, “Are you excited to start school again?”
Nodding again, he asks, “Where is everyone?”
Since going completely mute as a child, 001 has relied on a sign language he and his team developed years ago. They had all worked on it in secret, adding words here and there, fixing grammar, and making it into a proper language not just for 001 but to be able to communicate across battlefields and behind the backs of their masters. It was their little secret, a show of rebellion in the face of disaster.
Since it was a language only they knew, he had to rely on the app that 032 had created to communicate. It was a standard text-to-speech app with some added features. He could type in any language, and it would translate accurately, which saved him from having to translate either Grian or Korean into Japanese. He could use inflection to emphasize the importance of something, and 005 forced 032 to add a feature called sarcasm, but 001 doesn’t know how to use that yet. Since the app was on his phone, they needed special permission from the school to allow him to use it during school hours.
“Most of them went out on a run, but 002 stayed behind to take you to your first day.”
008 slid a plate of food over to where 001 was sitting at the island. “I made you lunch. Make sure to eat it all; you need to gain weight.”
001 nods and starts eating; they do their activities in a peaceful silence before it's interrupted by the bustle of the rest of the team returning from their run. 018 and 016 looked fine if a bit tired, but the rest looked a mess. They were covered in sweat and dirt, and was that blood? It appeared that the run had become a brawl midway through.
002 walks in from the backyard, hearing the commotion, and quickly tells them all to shower and takes the seat next to 001. 008 slid him a plate as well.
“Are you ready?” the black haired man asks the teen.
He nods
“Backpack?”
Another nod
“Lunch?”
008 appears, holding the lunch container
“Weaponry?”
Another nod
“Good.”
It was odd to be so cared for out in the open. Back at Camp, they weren’t allowed to help each other. If you cared about someone, they would become a weakness, and every weakness was to be exploited. Having people care about him, even in such a small sense, gave 001 a warm feeling, one he couldn't quite understand yet.
The rest of the Numbers file in, one by one, get a plate of food, and sit at the table. As the time rolls closer to 6:00, 001 grabs his backpack and prepares to head out, accompanied by 002. The others give their well wishes: 016 and 018 wish him good luck, telling him not to fuck up. That's the plan. 005 and 006 hit him on the arm, 032 and 008 give him a short hug, and 004 just nods to him but is scolded by 005, which devolves into a fight.
The two leaders make a hasty exit.
Making their way to the bus, they quickly notice that there are a lot of UA students on the bus, most look to be older than him, but there are some of his age. They seem nervous, ranging from small fidgeting to a blonde-haired boy full-on sweating.
As they near the school, 002 speaks.
“Remember who you are, 001. You don’t owe them anything." 002 had always been a very cautious person, keeping people, even his own men, at a distance. "Just come home every day. That's all I ask.”. He's been more sentimental lately...
The teen nods confidently.
When his stop arrived, 001 and his peers stood to get off. 002 pats his shoulder before 001 gets off. Reassurance. The young teen watches as the bus leaves and makes his way to the school.
The school was very large, especially for a high school. Using the temporary pass, he makes his way through the large gates, keeping an eye out for people in his age range, as 016 instructed. Many of them stare at the school in amazement, while others only glimpse. 001 had already read everything about the school, so it was no surprise. He notices a few students in his class, Izuku Midoriya and Ochaco Ururaka. They were talking animatedly with each other like old friends.
There wasn’t much on Midoriya except that he was a timid soul who lived with his mother, but what was odd was that he was labeled as Quirkless in his file, but to be in this school, you needed to have some sort of power. Definitely odd, but not a threat
The other student, Ochako Ururaka, was different; she came from a poor background but was gifted with a powerful Quirk, Zero Gravity. She was known for her outgoing personality and friendly nature. Her Quirk was enough to put her on the Numbers radar, but was unlikely to cause any problems.
He ignores them in favor of exploring the school. He'd studied a map of it already, but wanted to check its authenticity himself. After ensuring everything was up to date, he walked to his class. Most of the class was already there, chatting listlessly to each other. 001 opened the door, and some eyes turned to look at the sound, but returned to their conversations after a glance. The pink student, Mina Ashido, if he remembered correctly, stared for a bit longer but continued her conversation with Eijiro Kirishima without comment.
Looking around the room, he counts 20 seats, most of which are occupied. He glances at the board and finds his seat, seat 19. It was next to a window, perfect for a quick escape. While looking at the chart again, he notices a yellow sleeping bag on the floor behind the teacher's podium.
The other students either haven't noticed it or simply ignored it. Dropping his bag at his seat, 001 approaches it tentatively, not wanting to leave a possible threat unexplored. He simply stares at it for a moment before the bell rings loudly in his ear, too loudly if you ask him, and the bag rolls over, startling him a bit. Stepping back, he recognizes the eyes; it was Eraserhead, his teacher. Eraserhead looks equally startled, but hides it quickly, favoring a tired expression.
“Everyone to your seats.”
The other students quickly scrambled to their seats, surprised. 001 took a slower approach, still keeping his eye on the teacher. Once they were all settled, Eraserhead scanned through all of them, pausing when he got to 001 shortly, but resumed,
“It took you all too long to notice I was here, and even that was a coincidence." He starts, glaring at the class, "My name is Shota Aizawa; you will call me Aizawa. None of you has earned the right to use honorifics. The hero's world isn't fair, and it's not easy. If I think for just one moment you don't have what it takes, I'll expel you.”
A dark-haired boy, Tenya Iida, stiffly raises his hand
“Mr. Aizawa, I believe we have proven ourselves through the training.”
“If you think those weak robots are anything compared to what you’ll face, then you should just leave now, and I just told you not to call me that,” the tired teacher replies, glaring at the audacious student.
“Everyone, head to the locker room and meet me outside in 5.”
He leaves the room, and the class scrambles to follow him.
While changing, he notices that his uniform has a secured pocket for his phone, while the others don't have any. He chooses to keep his combat boots on rather than changing into the ones provided. He ponders this information as he makes his way outside. He was a bit earlier than the rest; he had been trained to do everything fast, so he waited patiently for them to come out.
Once everyone was outside, Aizawa spoke again.
"You'll be doing a series of tests to test your strength and Quirk adaptability. Whoever comes in last will be expelled."
A series of gasps rang out.
Was that a cry?
Aizawa, hearing the anguish, smiles creepily. The teacher turns his attention to 001,
"The first test is ball throw. We'll test to see how far you can throw a softball using your quirk. Ijin Yu-" he motions for him to come over, but 001 doesn't move, taking too long to remember that he was Ijin Yu, "-You'll be my test subject." That phrasing irks him more than he'd like to admit.
"What's your record from middle school?" Aizawa asks
Pulling out his phone to respond incites a reprimand from Iida, "There will be no phone usage on school grounds!" the student scolds, citing the rule book he probably had memorized.
001 resists the urge to roll his eyes, instead turning to the Hero,
"Ijin has permission to use his phone."
"Aww... that's not fair!" a blonde-haired student whines, Denki Kaminari
"If you could demonstrate why you need your phone before I hit one of them," he exasperatedly requests
Quickly typing in his response, it's read out in a monotone voice loud enough for the class to hear
"I am mute, my phone is my voice. I didn't attend middle school here; I don't have a record."
A series of "oooo's" rings out in the crowd as Iida shrinks back into the group
"Right. Since you placed first, you'll demonstrate. Throw the ball as far as you can without leaving the circle."
The loud blonde who had been yelling about not getting first, Katsuki Bakugo, glared daggers into 001's back as he wound up to throw, not that the Number minded.
His quirk can't help him in physical tasks, Mad Dog knew that, so he trained 001 to be stronger, faster, and smarter than even those with Quirks made for that. He always had a strong body, and Mad Dog took full advantage of that. The ball was a similar size to a grenade; he could get one of those pretty far, so this couldn't be much different.
He reeled back and threw it as far as his arm would let him. It soared through the air and disappeared.
"690," Aizawa announces, "Ijin's is to beat."
"That was a demonstration. The first test is a short-distance sprint. Aoyama, Ashido, Asui, Bakugo, and Hagakure. Line up on the line."
While they waited for the race to begin, 001 was approached by Kirishima and Ashido. They were known to be very friendly, so their appearance didn't raise any alarms.
The redhead spoke first, "Hey Yu, that was awesome! How did you manage to throw it that far without using your Quirk? Or did you?"
001 really didn't want to talk to anyone, but 008 told him it was rude to just walk away if he didn't want to talk, so he resigned to correcting him,
"I'm Korean, so you can call me Ijin," he responds, pointedly ignoring the question.
"Ooooo, that's so fun! Why did you come here?" The pink-haired girl asks excitedly
Before he could answer, an explosion thankfully gave him a distraction to slip away
The race was over quickly, with Bakugo using his explosions as a boost to send him over the finish line. Aoyama used his light to push himself forward, but it gave out halfway through the track, while Ashido used her acid to propel herself forward, leaving marks on the ground.
Since the races were decided by last name, Ijin had time to prepare. He would be going against Shoto Todoroki, Fumikage Tokoyami, Ochako Uraraka, and Momo Yaoyorozu. The only one he had to worry about was Todoroki, with his Quirk Half-Cold, Half-Hot. He was likely to use his ice to move across the field, while the Creation Quirk would be a close second. Running had been the most important skill he learned at Camp, one that he still kept up with, so the test would be easy, but to get first place, he’d need to cross 50 meters in less than three seconds. He decided to run as if he were a kid again, like he was being chased by the gun-wielding maniacs.
When their names were called, they lined up, with 001 taking the farthest lane.
"Go".
001 burst forward, his mind flashing back to the forest, being chased by his Handlers. He forced himself back into the present as he crossed the finish line, just centimeters ahead of Todoroki, who was riding a sheet of ice. Looking behind him, he saw Yaoyorozu riding an electric scooter to the finish, and Tokoyami following behind with shadows surrounding his legs. Uraraka finished last, her Quirk not being useful in this race. The next test was a standing long jump, which Tsu Asui easily dominated with her Frog Quirk, and Yaoyorozu using a long jump pole.
The following tests—side lunges, push-ups, sit-ups, and toe touches—he completed easily, but he couldn't place first because someone else had a Quirk that helped them. In the long-distance run, he managed to place first after Iida's engines sputtered. Having grown used to running long distances in short bursts, it was easy; the only competition was Yaoyorozu on another electric scooter. Honestly, that Creation Quirk was incredible. The grip strength test ended with him placing similarly to previous tests. Even though he didn’t use a Quirk in any of the challenges, he managed to stay in the top 10 for each one.
001 noticed something, though: a lot of the students had their uniforms adjusted to suit them. For example, Shouji Mezou's uniform lacked sleeves. If these uniforms were leftovers from previous years, as Aizawa mentioned, then why would there be an extra pocket for his phone and adjustments made to suit mutations?
While he was pondering this fact, he was approached by a familiar green-haired teen.
“Hi, I heard your name was Ijin, right?" he asked.
001 only nodded, relishing the silence that had passed. Not noticing the reluctance, the shorter boy blurted out,
“You've been doing really amazing. I've been watching you— not in a creepy way- but the way you keep placing without using a physical Quirk is incredible! What is your Quirk, anyway? Does it have something to do with you being mute? Or is that something else?”
001 hesitated, not wanting to answer his questions. Some people around them stopped their conversations to listen in, awaiting an answer. 001 has always been uncomfortable with attention, but ever since he became 001, he’s had to get used to it. Even then, most of the attention was either fear or inferiority, not admiration. His Quirk did have something to do with him being mute, but not in the way the shorter teen guessed.
Walking away would be rude, but…
He was saved again, this time by Aizawa,
"Enough chit-chat, let's move to the last activity. Ball throw. The score to beat is 690."
The shorter boy scurries away towards the activity, leaving 001 behind, returning to watch in silence.
The only notable throws were Bakugo, using one of his explosions to launch the ball 704 meters, and Uraraka sending the ball into the atmosphere, no doubt adding to the pollution, earning her infinity.
What surprised him, though, was Midoryia, who had yet to use a physical Quirk. His first attempt was a failure, seemingly breaking a few bones in the process. After a rather aggressive scolding from Aizawa, he was allowed to try again. This time, the ball launched, cutting through the air better than any knife he had ever held. That strength, though, was one that the Numbers recognized, one they knew from all the research they'd done in preparation for hero life in Japan.
It was One For All
The Quirk is said to belong to the current No. 1 in Japan, All Might. The others didn't seem to recognize it; maybe Eraserhead did. The presence of it here means that All Might has chosen a successor. Once a Quirk is passed on means death is approaching. Does the country know its Symbol of Peace is dying? What kind of adult would pass that kind of burden onto a kid?
Something is very wrong with this country.
A yell brought 001 out of his musings
"What the fuck!?"
The loud blonde had been silently seething since discovering who had ranked first. His initial claim that the test was rigged was silenced by 001's performance, or maybe amplified by 001's reluctance to use a Quirk. 001 was familiar with this type of person, those who believe themselves better than the rest, because they have a bit of power, who are quick to snap at anyone who gets in their way. 004 had been like that in the beginning, but under the watchful eye of 002, he calmed down; but those who run their mouths end up dead in this world.
"What the fuck was that?! You fucking Deku!?"
What the fuck was a Deku?
The blonde lunged forward, no doubt wanting to blow the smaller boy up. 001 rushed forward, pushing past the crowd, sliding one of his knives out of the hidden sheath into his hand, activating part of his Quirk as white bindings wrapped around Bakugo's limbs.
"Everyone, stand down! Bakugo, stop!"
Aizawa was pissed
001 places himself in front of the green-haired boy, knife held ready for action. With his Quirk still active, 001 could feel the familiar pain grip at his chest; only a few more seconds in his sight, and Bakugo would relax.
"Since when could you do that!? Have you been lying the entire time!? I'll kill you!"
Pushing Midoyria back a bit more, the effects of his prolonged gaze finally hit Bakugo as he falls to his knees, energy drained, glaring instead at 001
"What the fuck did you do?!"
The pain is building. Spreading to his arms and legs. He shouldn't be using it this much. The hand wielding the knife starts to waver. Forcing himself to ignore it, he glances at Aizawa, trying to gauge his reaction. When he locks onto the Hero's eyes, he freezes. His eyes looked far too similar to Mad Dog's whenever he disobeyed an order, but the eyes were not focused just on him.
"I have Bakugo's quirk erased. Stand down or I will take action."
001 didn't move or take his eyes off the Heroes. He hadn't activated the Quirk nulling side of his ability, simply the draining aspect.
He wanted to follow his orders. He really did. But those eyes kept him in place. Regardless of what Bakugo did, he had to protect him until he figured out if Aizawa was anything like Mad Dog.
001 takes a tentative step forward, turning off his own Quirk but keeping his knife raised as he puts himself between Aizawa and Bakugo. Aizawa puts all his attention on 001, but he won't back down.
Watching the standoff, the rest of the class stands in awe. One of their classmates is going toe-to-toe with a Pro Hero.
Aizawa looked past him at Bakugo, still drained, and Midoriya, who scurried off to the rest of the class, immediately being swarmed. He leaned down,
"Y'know, after hearing that you and your 'family' had researched me, I did a bit of digging myself."
001 levels him with a glare of his own
"001 was said to be a merciless, emotionless killer who would kill even himself if it meant following an order."
The younger teen raises his knife slightly, feeling the eyes of the class on his back.
"But..." the older man trails off, "he was known within the Camp to be the brick wall that ensured the safety of his team, even if it meant disobeying an order. I also researched the man who made your little group. A real piece of shit, he was. Let me assure you, I'm not like him. I saw some of the photos from your training. Real brutal stuff. I would never do that to a child. I get that you're trying to protect him, but trust me, I won't hurt him."
001 stares at him, searching for any malice in his eyes. When he found none, the teen lowered his knife and stepped back.
"This is not a game. UA does not abide by recklessness, bullying, or attacking each other. This is a heroic studies course, not an opportunity for vigilantism. I will handle the discipline. You don't get to pass judgment, have I made myself clear?"
The class nods frantically. The bindings around Bakugo return to their user,
"Bakugo, Ijin, stay after school."
Bakugo, despite being released from the binding, still isn't able to move. Noticing this, Aizawa motions for someone to help him with Kirishima, doing so, asking
"How long does that effect last?"
001 stares. He didn't know how long it lasted; he'd killed everyone he put it under.
"10 minutes," he guessed
"Great. I'm sick of this nonsense. If we don't move on, I'll miss my lunchtime nap. Rankings are as follows. First is Shouji, then Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Ijin, Bakugo, Asui, Iida, Tokoyami, Ojiro, Kirishima, Uraraka, Ashido, Midoryia, Sato, Hagakure, Koda, Sero, Aoyama, Kaminari, and last is Jiro."
Kyoka Jiro's face falls before Aizawa speaks again
"And that was a lie; no one's going home. That was just a rational deception to ensure you gave it your all in the tests."
There is a sigh of relief that goes through the class. 001 had already guessed that he wouldn't. As the Hero walked past him to the school, he briefly placed a hand on his shoulder. A warning.
001 had placed 4th. He had to remind himself that Mad Dog was dead. He wouldn't get punished for failing. He took a few deep breaths, feeling the air soothe his aching throat. He should have 002 look at that.
"Everyone, get changed. It's probably lunch time now."
Everyone makes their way to the changing block. 001, took the opportunity to slip his knife back into his arm sheath without detection. He had heard whispers of some people wondering where he got such a large knife. There were pretty strict knife laws here.
Returning to class and grabbing his lunch container, some classmates try to have him join them in the lunchroom.
"Come onnn.." Kaminari pleads. He, Kirishima, and Sero had approached him at his desk.
"Yeah, we wanna know more about you." Hanta Sero claims
Prefering to eat alone, 001 responds bluntly
"I'd rather eat alone."
Walking away, he feels the eyes on his back again.
Ignoring them, he heads into a small patch of trees around the school and makes himself comfortable at the base of a large oak tree. Opening his container, he notices that 008 made him a traditional Korean meal. Trying to make him comfortable, typical 008.
He smiles at the meal.
Despite having worked up an appetite, he couldn't finish it. He always had trouble finishing meals. After witnessing such horrific things at a young age, he never had much of an appetite. 002 would be disappointed...
The bell rang for his next class before he could finish berating himself. He put the half-eaten lunch container away and quickly messaged the team that he would be staying behind at school.
The next class was English with Present Mic. Present Mic, or Hizashi Yamada, had the Quirk Voice. He could amplify his voice 100 times more than an average person. Even without using his Quirk, Mic was a loud man. 001 was not too happy to be in that class. His relationship with Aizawa is kept confidential, as far as he knows.
Returning to his seat, he is once again subjected to the stares of his peers. Choosing to ignore them, he pulls out his English notebook. He was curious how this would go; he was already fluent in English, so he wasn't worried about that. What concerned him was that part of the curriculum involved speaking and pronunciation; being mute, that part was difficult. Bursting through the door came Present Mic, smiling ear to ear, greeting the class,
"Heyo listeners! Welcome to English with Present Mic! Whose's excited?!" The class is dead silent, staring openly at the loud Hero. "Awww, come on! Help me out here! Whose's excited!" There are a few small whoops from the more sociable students.
"Alright, you'll get used to it! How about we start with a few introductions! Seat 1, go first, state your name and Quirk!"
A blonde boy with sparkles stood up and did a dramatic hand gesture. "I am Yuuga Aoyama, my Quirk is Navel Laser, Monsieur!" the boy spoke in a French accent. Next was Ashido. "Hiii, I'm Mina Ashido. My Quirk is Acid. I can spray acid at people!"
Then Asui. "Hi. Kero. I'm Tsu Asui. My Quirk is Frog."
They went down the list, everyone saying their name and Quirk with varying levels of enthusiasm; the only person 001 found interesting was Kouji Kouda. He had a rather weak Quirk, Anivoice. What caught his attention, though, was the fact that he had selective mutism, similar to his own.
After Midoyria gave a hesitant introduction, it was his turn. Despite his attempts, he would have to reveal his Quirk.
"My name is Ijin Yu. My Quirk is Nullification."
A few seats ahead, Bakugo glares at him
"So you're the mute one! It's nice to properly meet you!"
001 nods and sits down, not returning the greeting.
After Yaoyorozu finished introducing herself, Mic started his class, going over the basics of English.
"Oh! Before I forget, Ijin! Can you make that app go to English?"
He nods
"Great! You can use your phone instead of your voice for pronunciation!"
Another nod
"Not much of a talker, eh? That's fine, you'll open up soon enough!"
That sounds vaguely threatening...
The day was over rather quickly after that. Most teachers didn't talk to him, and the other students left him to his own devices.
After the bell rang, the other kids left for home, leaving 001 confused. He had never been to a regular school, where was he supposed to go? Bakguo didn't move from his seat either. Is it like Mad Dog calling him to his office? Would he go to isolation? Would that happen again?
While 001 was busy overthinking, he didn't notice a familiar black-haired man walking into the classroom.
"Calm down, 001. You're spiraling again."
002 snapped his finger in his face, bringing him out of his head.
"What are you doing here?" the teen signs
"Your teacher called me here. You got in trouble on your first day." 002 levels a glare at the younger male, causing him to shrink back a bit.
"Well, I expected worse. Let's go."
"Hey, blondie, let's go. Aizawa told me to get ya'll."
"Who the hell are you?" Bakugo questions. 002 ignores him and walks out
Deciding to just follow 002, he was led to Aizawa's office, where Bakugo's parents were already present
"You found them," Aizawa observes
"They weren't hiding." 002 points out
"What the fuck! You invited my parents here!"
"Yes, your parents and whatever relationship you two have," gesturing to 001 and 002, "are necessary for this."
They all take a seat, the kids standing behind their guardians
"What happened?" Mr. Bakugo(?) asks
"Nothing happened!" Bakugo interjected before anyone could speak
"He wasn't asking you, Brat!" his mother shot back
"SHUT UP YOU HAG!"
"MAKE ME YOU BRAT!"
Both irritable blondes stand to presumably fight. Mr. Bakugo grabs his wife, and Aizawa wraps Bakugo for the second time that day
"There was an incident with your kids. During the training today, a student displayed an impressive act that aggravated Bakugo. When he tried to assault the student, both Ijin and I intercepted, but rather than backing down once I made it clear I had it, Ijin stood against me. We do not tolerate bullying or displays of disrespect at this school."
"GODDAMMIT KATSUKI, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE TO ATTACK BEFORE YOU LEARN HOW TO ACT RIGHT?" his mother yelled.
"SHUT UP. HE DESERVED IT"
The father tries calming them down, but they keep yelling at each other. The two Numbers exchange looks.
002 had been smiling since they entered. In public, he always kept a happy demeanor, even if he was royally pissed. Around the Numbers, though, he didn't bother keeping up the facade. It was still jarring seeing 002 smile so much, especially since he hated yelling.
"Quiet, both of you!" Aizawa interrupts
"Due to the breaking of rules, Bakugo will have 3 days of detention."
"What about the other boy?" Mrs. Bakugo asks
"He was trying to protect both the victim and even Bakugo, which I will have a private discussion with him about. As of now, I can't punish him for protecting someone."
"That's not fair! He put me under some fucking spell! I couldn't fucking move!"
"You attack someone and get put in your place, yet you still complain," 002 counters, smirking at the blonde.
"Who the hell are you!?"
"This fuckers guardian," jabbing his thumb in 001's direction,
"Then, why aren't you saying something to him!?" Bakugo's mom interjects, cutting off another outburst from her son
"'Cause it ain't any of your business how I punish my kid"
"I'd like to apologize for my family's actions, Mr. Aizawa." Mr. Bakugo bows forward in his seat, and Mrs. Bakugo does the same, pushing her son's head down as well. 002 looks between the four, still grinning.
"I'd like Bakugo to write a 3-page apology to the victim as well."
"LIKE HE-" Bakugo starts, but his father puts a hand around his mouth
"We'll make sure it gets done."
"That's all then. You're dismissed."
They all move the leave, but Aizawa speaks again
"Ijin, you and your guardian stay."
"Oh?" 002 questions as the Bakugo family takes their leave
Aizawa gestures at them to sit before asking 001
"Have you told him of our earlier conversation?"
Shaking his head, 001 signs to 002 the contents of their interaction. 002's face darkens, dropping his mask and turning to stare at the teacher.
"And what do you plan on doing with this information?" he asks coldly
"Nothing, I don't mean any harm. I stumbled upon it while researching you."
"A regular search of us wouldn't bring up something as buried as that, we made sure of it."
"I used my title as a Hero to dig a bit deeper, but I wasn't expecting to find that."
"Then what do you want?"
The Hero leans forward, looking 002 in the eye, "To know why you're here."
The Numbers look to each other, a silent conversation ensuing between them
"We couldn't go much else. There were too many issues on the mainland. We had to go somewhere."
"Why not Korea?" Aizawa asks, looking towards 001
"Too dangerous, we have warrants there."
After a moment of hesitation, the Hero asks, "Are all the things they said about you true?"
002 shrugs, "Probably."
"Then, why are you trying to be a Hero?"
"I'm not, he is, it's too late for me." 002 points at 001
Aizawa looks to his student, the boy signs something to his brother/father/guardian
"I'm not translating, use your app."
He stares for a moment before taking out his phone, he ponders the answer
"I want to use my abilities for something good."
Both adults look at him now, Aizawa searching for deceit in his eyes while 002 looks at him with something deeper.
Aizawa considers his options. These were some very dangerous people with a reputation behind them, but Ijin seemed sincere in his actions. They were all kids when they were working as mercenaries. Can he blame them for what they did? Can people like them change? These two seemed normal, but the one he met that tried to kill him was different. Were they all like that? What would happen if something happened to the kid? Would they attack him?
Aizawa decides to ask them a few more questions,
"What about the knife-wielding one? What's his deal?"
"You mean 004, yeah, he's crazy, but he's gotten better."
"That's better?" Aizawa asks, remembering the deranged look in his eye that night
"If he were anything like before, you'd be dead." 002 says sending a chill down the Hero's back.
"What about that man? The one that raised you."
001 stiffens and 002 uncrosses his legs. glaring at the Hero once more
"He doesn't matter."
"He could control you all, right? What if one of you goes nuts and wreaks havoc on the city?"
"Then the others will handle them. That bastard is in hell. I'd love to see him try controlling us."
Silence rings in the air as the Hero processes the information,
"He's dead."
"He got what he deserved." 002 responds shrugging
"What happened?"
They exchange glances again
"I killed him," 001 speaks up, surprising the Hero
He had expected it to be this man or the psycho, not the kid. But his ranking was 001, so it made a bit of sense...
"I see..." After a moment of contemplation, he asks
"Are you getting help?"
002 raises an eyebrow at him
"We're getting better. We can't get help."
That part was obvious. After researching the 'family', it was obvious that they weren't ordinary people. Extraordinary people like them need extraordinary amounts of help.
"You said one of your people was getting better, how?"
"How? Just being away from that hellhole can heal anyone. Without the constant stress and fear of losing someone or ourselves, it really helps the psyche."
The Hero leans back in his seat, taking a few minutes to process the information at hand. Looking between the two of them, 001 was signing something at 002, and the older man was listening intently, responding in kind. Seeing the family at the breakfast table in such a mundane way makes it hard for him to believe that these same people took the Middle East by storm just 2 short years ago. They seem far too normal, if not a bit stabby, but overall, they seem like a family. Maybe that's what they need to get better.
"Okay. You seem honest in your actions, and I have no doubt that you'd be a great Hero, but if I find out you've begun to act like you used to, then I will not hesitate to expel you. I'll keep your secret so long as you don't stray from this path."
A proper smile returns to 002's face
"That's all we ask."