Rebirth and Blood

So one thing has been made recently apparent to him. One thing which was the equivalent of giving an alcoholic the keys to a brewery. Izuku Midoriya now had unlimited access to the national quirk registry of Japan thanks to his status as an official in the hero industry. Words cannot describe the amount of overwhelming sense of amazement at the millions of quirk on file, to the point his heart skipped a beat when he logged on to the website.

This was every dream he had about analyzing the powers of the people around him expanded by a thousand times. There were psychological profiles, noted biological requirements, video evidence of the quirks in use and so much more. It was more than his amateur notebooks could ever hold. However he needed to retain his discipline and sort through these things like numbers on a screen.

His culprit was at least using a quirk that produced a bright flash or was being subjected to one. Thus it narrowed the possibility down by a small margin of what it could be. Still, every quirk on record right at his fingertips was beyond breathtaking. Starting off his search he typed in the keyword "Flash" followed by "Light" then "Transportation" in separate windows. That each pulled up thousands of quirks, which simultaneously made him frustrated and giddy.

His dive into the information would be interrupted just as soon as it started by the smell of roasted coffee wafting into the room. Looking up he couldn't help but glare as a small mug was placed at his desk by an overly sweaty Rikido, who also held a mug of bean juice.

"Are you making heads or tails of that mess yet?"

Izuku took the cup and sipped some of the brew, grimacing at the taste, but drinking it anyway. Seems like the coffee budget suffered as well.

"No, it's a fantastic resource yet since I can't pinpoint a name for the quirk it's like looking for a needle in a haystack the size of a town."

Resignation rolled off the pro hero's chiseled features when he tapped his sidekick on the shoulder.

"I know exactly what you mean. That database has been used for so long that there's people from three generations ago still on it. I think you've been working for too long now so flip that thing off and come spar with me for a bit."

Professional disdain shone through when Izuku glared at the giant.

"Don't you want this solved?"

Brown eyes regarded him softly, almost with a twinge of guilt.

"Yeah, but that can't happen if you burn out and so far you've been working non-stop on this in your personal time while having to juggle your desk job. So take a break for a couple hours and relax, maybe it'll even get your mind working better."

Izuku scoffed at the suggestion, waving the hero away and curling his back closer to the screen with a blank notebook placed to the side.

"There's only so many hours in a day and human beings can go beyond their natural limits if they push. We have a lot riding on this, so while I appreciate your concern, leave me to do my half of the job and I'll leave you to do the leg work for now."

Those hazel eyes narrowed at him before closing with a sigh.

"You either take a two hour break or I'm sending you home. What you're doing is violating the labor laws Mop Head and I can't abide if you're actively breaking a law like that."

Green eyes met the hero filled with a deep resentment. How dare he try to remove the only person who could or was willing to aid in such a case? His hands were practically full from his duties to the public and every day the agency slipped further and further into obscurity due to their standing within the rankings. Didn't he realize this was his own livelihood dying a slow death? That the situation which allowed a quirkless man to at least cling to the edge of official heroism was in threat of fading before it even passed two months? Everything was riding on this, which meant it was depending on Izuku. This was the one opportunity to prove that Deku was dead and that what everyone, even his mother said was wrong.

They had what could only be a staredown for an uncomfortable amount of seconds, yet Izuku soon sighed, shut off his computer and ran a hand over his face and stared at his reflection. There were heavy purple bags under his eyes and the beginnings of green stubble around his chin. Had he really been pushing himself too much? Briefly he chuckled as the image of the crazy girl comparing how shitty they looked came to mind. God, he must have let his sleep get away from him if he's starting to look as bad as her.

He shook his head and looked at his employer after standing up from the desk and sipping the coffee. 

"Sato, be honest with me, how badly do we actually need this case solved? Because I think I can eventually figure it out and I'm more than willing to go beyond with pulling my weight, but I think I do need to step away for a bit."

Relief played out from the Sugar Hero as he watched his sidekick literally decompress by taking a seat on the office sofa and relaxed his usually tense posture. He walked over to an orange container set next to the coffee machine and withdrew a candy bar for himself, feeling caught between pride and guilt for how hard his employee was pushing.

"Honestly? Not very much. This is an E ranked issue at best, something only a hair above what the police are equipped to handle and that's because the guy keeps slipping away. Nobody's life is at stake and it isn't a matter of public safety, so it'd just serve as a marker for a bump up in the ranking."

Unwrapping the treat he took a bite, sampling the fluffy nougat mixing with caramel over the milk chocolate shell before continuing.

"But those come constantly if you do enough. My problem is that I tend to stick to my beat and most people in the area know me well enough that even the crooks tend to not cause a ruckus if they're local. So no major outbreaks of violence or gang activity, which is good of course, but leaves me floating in the drink."

Izuku raised an eyebrow at that, gesturing for one of the candies to be thrown his way, which it was.

"Wait, so you don't fight actual villains?"

Rikido shrugged, leaning back against a wall and bit down again on the sweet.

"If by "villains" you mean bastards like the League, Stain or the yakuza, then no. My usual day involves breaking up street fights, stopping shoplifters, and attacking muggers. Small fry incidences made by people either down on their luck or just stupid that don't net you fame and attention like the top fifty. Frankly, I don't envy them either, having to deal with problems that big mess up your head and paint a target on your back."

Confusion was all that remained on the quirkless man's face as he consumed the thin bar of chocolate. 

"So if that's the case, then what makes you any different from a cop? Sure you do help people and you do make a difference, but why would the government be willing to spend the extra funding to afford you this place?"

A thumb was pointed at a torn yellow suit of spandex framed on the wall with a news article under it depicting Rikido holding up a wounded man.

"Because they aren't paying to stop crime, they're paying to have symbols of authority and hope walking the street so people can pretend everything's alright. If I was wearing a government issued uniform and had a star pin to my chest then I'd just be another faceless drone of federal authority and while the police do good things, it's too impersonal. The main reason cops can't use their quirks like heroes can is because it creates the image of an authoritarian state by saying "We can do whatever we want because we have an army of superpowered stormtroopers." Which may have flown back in the Pre-Emergence days, but since the individual is afforded way more power in a way that can't be controlled or restrained in the same way as weapons, then the government had to allow an outlet for that power or face the wrath of their citizens."

He tapped himself in the chest with his thumb.

"In a nutshell heroes like me serve as a reminder that people can use their talents for good and that their individuality doesn't have to be forfeit in the process, which is why most pick to be heroes rather than cops."

"So we're essentially a sideshow?"

Water dribbled down Rikido's chin as he managed to drain a bottle.

"Yep, that's what part of the hero industry is ever since it went official back in the golden age. It lets people live out their escapism and produce better role models for the world. Hell, that's why so many heroes had product deals before the war, it was a living segment of entertainment, law enforcement and celebrity all rolled into one. Even today you need a certain marketability to be really big."

Izuku mused on this for a bit then shrugged. It was true, heck he knew it because he was once a prime demographic for that with how much he spent on All Might march. Still he wondered if things would be like that for him one day. Probably not. 

"So what now? Do you mind if I just sit here for a spell? Because I'm down to train, but...I kinda want to just chat."

Sitting himself down in his chair the Sugar Rush user kicked his feet up on his desk and fished out a pamphlet from a drawer entitled "5 Minute Bakery."

"Knock yourself out dude, not like there's much to do anyhow."

Silence reigned for a minute or two with neither of the men sure of what to say. Izuku curled his fingers and allowed the knuckles to pop as ideas formed in his head, some more outlandish than others.

"Can I talk about the case?"

"I wouldn't, you put too much effort into one thing in your head and you lose balance mentally. Besides, you spend almost every second working yourself to death at that desk job you got or burning your eyes doing work for me, which I greatly appreciate. Don't you have anything going in your life?"

Another candy bar was thrown at the green haired desk jockey while Rikido began to speak more frankly.

"Don't you have friends outside of here? A girlfriend maybe?"

For some reason Izuku instantly felt a strange sense of embarrassment at that question, chuckling nervously as if he was being judged.

"W-Well, I have one friend. She's weird and a bit bossy, but...nice to hangout with."

Rikido pricked his lips up at that, his interest piqued in a high school kind of way.

"Oh, that's better than I thought you have at least. This chick, what is she, your fuck buddy or something? You don't exactly strike me as a guy to have kids, so also not your baby momma, right?"

Cherry red painted Izuku's face as he kept laughing to ease the anxiety mounting in his head, wishing he could keep a straight expression.

"Um, no, she's just a person I hangout and train with every so often. We met one night while I...was out on a walk. She helped me out of a mental funk I was in and we've kinda just stuck around each other since nobody else seems to want us. In fact she was the one who suggested I apply here."

The muscled crime fighter raised an eyebrow at his comrade, interest and confusion showing in equal strides.

"What do you mean nobody else wants you? Are you trying to say nobody ever tried to get you in your whole life and it's the same for this broad?"

A hand rubbed the back of Izuku's neck self-consciously as old inadequacies started to seep in more and more.

"Well...not in a free acting kind of way. See, my mom sets me up with these dates every so often with quirkless women. It's pretty much an attempt at an arranged marriage since being quirkless kinda sucks financially if you don't have a support system so it's families trying to pair off the weakest link in the lineage. Unfortunately it hasn't worked since I'm not exactly comfortable in my own skin."

Air was sucked in through his teeth as memories of his fading youth came back.

"And I have asked out a few women in my time, but nothing ever came of it. One time I even got humiliated in front of my entire class because I thought this one girl liked me, except it turned out it was to pull a prank."

The hero shook his head in sympathy, tossing a bottle of water next to his sidekick.

"That's fucked all around, but what about this chick? What's her deal? Is she a mutant?"

Izuku opened his mouth to speak, but paused to consider for a moment.

"Ye...n...I don't know. Like she looks completely base line save for cat like eyes and long canines, but I don't know if you'd call that a mutation. As for her quirk I gather it has to be Emitter or Transformation type since she's really guarded about it. Anyway from what she's said, her life wasn't easy and that tends to push people away because nobody wants to deal with it."

If it were possible for Rikido to raise his brow further he would have done it.

"Hard how? Like she's bad to look at or childhood trauma kind of bad?"

Izuku couldn't help but picture her face, noting every line and imperfection almost like a painting from when they met on that bridge.

"Oh no, she's beautiful or rather she may have been beautiful once. It's just...she hasn't really explained it in depth, but you can tell she had a rough life. As to what that was, I don't think it's my place to say."

He wanted to say more, but Izuku didn't fancy having it be common knowledge a criminal, much less a former gang member, was the closest thing he had to a friend and who suggested he apply to his current position. Clearly Sato knew something was up, but malice was not in his eyes. Instead he allowed the topic to drift, perhaps out of respect for understanding the need to keep a secret for a friend. 

"Alright fair enough, but with that in mind, are you saying you never once got it with a chick?"

Izuku blushed again, feeling far more young than he should be.

"No, so far I haven't even kissed a girl."

Nothing could ever make the look of pity on Rikido's face feel any less degrading to the less worldly man. 

"That's pretty sad. A handsome fella like you still swimming around with some tail to grab, that's a damn shame."

The expression remained for a few uncomfortable moments until he suddenly snapped his fingers and sat up in his seat.

"Hey, how 'bout I set you up with one of my old classmates? She's been single since college and been looking for someone to pair up with."

Izuku dug his back into the seat, wishing he could just disappear from the scene altogether.

"Y-Yeah, who is she?"

A sly glint overcame the Sugar Hero who cupped a hand over his chin.

"Mina Ashido, AKA: Acid Girl. She's the exact opposite of you in personality so I think that might help make you relax a bit. That and she's a B ranked hero, who may be willing to teach you things and give you connections that could help out our little agency."

Instantly all the flustered, inexperienced sensation faded as Izuku looked at his employer with a slanted, granite expression which sounded deadpan in every way.

"You're using this as another way to get a leg up, aren't you?"

Rikido spread his arms out wide in a sweeping motion to gesture to the room around them.

"Hey you gotta be in this industry, besides it's just two birds with one stone. You get a relationship and I get more chances to go up, though I could probably hook you up with Tsuyu if that fails. She is a lot more grounded then Ashido and has a bit of a maternal aura, and I think she's as swamped with work as you are."

A groan came from the couch when Izuku held his hands to his head. Slowly he stood up, feeling sharp pops of cartilage from his back that echoed from the walls. His eyes harbored an almost fleeting spark of defiance when he stared at the taller man.

"Anyway, romance aside, what the hell are we going to do for today? I can log back on the database to look, but frankly I think I'm done with that today unless you really need me to."

There was a curiosity nesting through the hero at the answer, one that retained the slyness of a man quick with his tongue and faster in wit.

"If I were to give ya the day off, what would you do?"

"Stay home or maybe go bug the crazy girl, why?"

A smile set over Rikido, a mischievous, evil smile which Izuku hated the second it spawned.

"You spend a lot of time at her place, don't you? This girl has gotta be something special, right? Otherwise why do you keep going back?"

An eye roll was the response.

"Chill out Captain Horndog, I keep going back because she puts up with me. Yeah she's pretty, but there's a whole mountain of baggage under it. That and I'm pretty sure she has a thing for...seeing me in pain."

Izuku felt his belly heave inward at the flashes of how Himiko reacted to each of his shouts and flares of anger and suffering. It wasn't quite fear, he kept visiting her after all. It was more...uncertainty as every one of their interactions was a mix of browbeating and reassurance. It hurt to spar with her and it pissed him off at times to argue, but in the two months they've known each other Izuku found himself...enjoying it.

Sure it sucked to feel his muscle bulge and bruise, even worse so when she insulted him and yet he liked seeing that weirdly happy look on her face. All her attention was solely on him, every act she did was in the name of helping him grow and she glowed with a joy that made him feel...good? 

At least with that he was doing something right(he hoped) and in a way he loved the attention. He was sure of it and admittedly the way they cuddled afterwards was something he silently started to look forward to, if only because it was the only source of human contact he got, much less from a pretty woman, in...his entire life. 

Inhaling as he realized the gaze his boss was giving upon hearing him stop mid way after something so worrying, Izuku grabbed his things and turned to the door.

"If it's all the same to you chief, I'll call it a half day and go home."

The concern lingered longer in the air than it should have, but it passed eventually.

"Sure, you've done more than enough today. We're meeting Ojiro and Shoji to discuss the case tomorrow at eleven, so don't stay up too late...and Midoryia?"

He turned around.

"Yes?"

The world stood still for a heartbeat as Rikido stared him in the eye, showing nothing but brotherly concern.

"I'm here if you ever need to talk."