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aspenforest732 · 3 months

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Bello Licentiae Chapter 15: Stake-arts

Summary:

tw: trauma, ptsd, flashback, exploitation, drugs, suicide mention, child abuse mentions, brainwashing, abuse, quirk elitism, human trafficking mention, housing insecurity 'text' JSL Text thoughts

Akira jolted awake in a cold sweat, shaking as they took in the unfamiliar but distinct patterns of Mina's room. They pulled their Bastard plushie tighter to their chest and let the weighted blanket and softness of the plush ease their racing heart as phantom burning vibrations wracked their body. I'm at U.A. I'm in Mina's room. We were having a sleepover. He isn't here, Akira repeated until their breathing eventually evened out.

Akira silently slipped out of the room around the tangle of bodies and decided on crutches while getting ready for the day. Checking their phone, they caught a message from Fat Gum confirming night shift to do a stakeout with Mouse and Ghost, one of the former vigilantes he basically adopted. Out of the Mad Banquet, only Hitoshi and Shoto were attending class that morning, and Aizawa made note of who would need to makeup quizzes.

In English, Yamada reminded everyone to turn in their paper topics by Monday so he could look over them. Akira wasn't entirely sure if forced quirk manifestation methods and their long-term effects was school-appropriate, but they had a solid backup of the Greek pantheon's evolution. They thought about the Roman pantheon, but due to the empire's spread and absorption of other religions, it was far too broad a topic.

In Art History, Kayama asked the class to find an art style that they connected to over the weekend and have a one-minute presentation ready for Monday – or Tuesday for those who wouldn't be in class. Since they were hero students, Kayama often tied what they were learning into methods of expressing themselves and used a wide variety of styles to show that being different can be a huge asset. Akira couldn't help but think of the R-rated hero's first costume and how it forced the commission to place regulations protecting feminine heroes from exploitive costumers.

That night, Mortis met with Mouse and Ghost before heading out. "Alright, Umbra Mortis, Ghost. Ghost, Umbra Mortis. Since both of you are new to this – don't give me that look, Ghost – I'm going to go over some ground rules," Mouse started. "We'll be setting up for an all-nighter in a building down the street from the Shie Hassaiki compound. If we're spotted, the whole mission could fail, so stealth and deception are above everything except safety. If we get separated for whatever reason, make sure you don't have a tail before you head back to the agency. If you need backup, tap this twice." Mouse handed each a dark-banded watch. "These have built-in trackers and will ping the agency network to let us know to send help. If no one confirms in fifteen seconds, it opens a request for covert assistance in the Hero Network. Any questions so far?"

Mortis shook their head and looked up at Ghost, who just seemed bored. After a pointed look from Mouse, he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Great! We're tracking all activity in and out of the compound but put a mark next to an entry if something seems different. Behavior, body language, who they're with, anything. We're not going to follow them, just make note of what we can while they're in line of sight. Backup night shift will be following through with any breaks from the norm."

The trio set out for the compound, silently moving along the rooftops while the city started to slow under the lamplight. Mouse was in faer stealth costume of more muted greys and blacks with thin blue streaks. Mortis had never seen Ghost's costume before, fairly simple black body armor with red stylized bat accents that looked similar to a pre-quirk comic character. Minus the red helmet, of course. That would stick out like a sore thumb, .

The day shift's observation hadn't turned up anything unusual other than identifying a few of the new drug dealers coming in and out of the compound. Once the trio finished setting up with coffee, snacks, and journals, Mortis wordlessly moved to the high point in the hollowed-out building, easily warping into the shadowy area in the rafters to conceal the sudden appearance and waiting a minute before shifting into the light enough for communication as needed.

"What're you doing up there?" Mouse asked, tilting faer head to look up at them.

' Getting another perspective, ' Mortis easily replied. ' Higher is better for observation. '

Mouse chuckled as Ghost peered up at them, eyes narrowed. "Did the infamous gargoyle Eraser teach you that?"

Mortis snorted but shook their head, ' No, not that there's anything wrong with gargoyling. '

They spent the time mostly listening to Mouse's stories about hero work, pausing whenever they spotted movement around the compound. Eventually, they circled around to U.A., and Mouse mentioned fae attended. "Yeah, I would've been stuck in Gen Ed but figured out I could chew through the robots' wires in mouse form. I heard they've still got that archaic system, so how'd you get in without a combat quirk, Mortis?"

' Mostly rescue points, but I did take down a few once there was shrapnel around to get into their control panels. Just a matter of pulling or slicing at wires from there, ' Mortis shrugged. ' How'd you not get electrocuted? Those robots pack a punch when you don't pull the right ones first. '

"Eh, Recovery Girl had me covered," Mouse grinned.

Ghost muttered something under his breath about hero students, making Mouse laugh. He glowered at faer, "I've got a regeneration quirk, you people have no excuse."

Mortis cocked their head. ' How does your quirk work if you don't mind? I remember hearing it's a bit unusual. '

Ghost snorted derisively and crossed his arms. "You could say that. I can regenerate from anything I've run into so far, but I have to die for it to activate." Mouse winced, and Mortis simply nodded. After a moment, Ghost muttered just loudly enough for them to hear, "Most people ask how I found out."

' Most people don't wear Primordial ,' they shot back. His eyes widened and darted to their shoes, to which Mortis huffed. ' Size up for street, custom like yours for costume. ' The only documented quirks with the initial activation of death were the result of forced quirk manifestation, so they didn't bother sugar-coating it.

The night shift passed much as the day had with only a few people to watch for and inform the day shift of. The trio trudged into breakfast, even the usually energetic Mouse feeling the effects of sleep deprivation. Mortis loaded plates with their usual at the agency even as their stiff legs protested from extended use. They slipped into a seat at Fat Gum's table with a small wave to the boisterous hero.

"Mortis! How was your first stakeout?" Fat Gum grinned. "Did Mouse talk your ear off? I hope Ghost didn't chase you off."

' Technically not my first stakeout, ' Mortis shrugged, robotically starting to eat. After a moment, they straightened a bit at the mild concern creeping onto the heroes' faces. ' They were fine. We didn't find much, just a few more faces to watch for. '

"Progress is still progress, kid," Fat Gum's grin diminished slightly. "Are you alright?"

Mortis looked up then in confusion. ' I'm fine, just tired. Why?... ' It clicked and Akira let themself relax as they switched masks. ' Sorry, forgot to switch modes. '

Akira spent most of breakfast just listening to the heroes talk, focused on making sure they ate enough to stay on track before they crashed. This is going to be a long weekend , Akira mused as they settled into one of the guest rooms. A part of themself they rarely listened to protested at the name, but they pushed it down. Resolutely ignoring the small touches that made it more comfortable than during their internship.

Akira tiredly tapped the door frame with a crutch before walking into their crowded living room. ' I'm making tea. Anyone want some? '

"Tea would be lovely, my apologies," Kurogiri said and started to stand.

"You deserve a break, please," Magne reached out a placating hand. Akira watched them curiously as the League seemed to be more antsy than usual. "We were discussing what to do with that monster, Overhaul," she spat.

' I take it you know about his daughter then? ' Akira asked.

"She's his daughter ?" Spinner hissed.

Akira wavered a moment, thinking over the briefing. ' Technically we're not sure of their relation, but that's at least the story he's going with. ' Akira briefly explained their theory on how the drug is being made, occasionally glancing at Shigaraki's odd expression. It was some kind of mix between confusion, disgust, and something they couldn't quite place. Which was especially unnerving since he was usually an open book.

Mr. Compress took off his mask and rubbed his eyes while Spinner seethed on the couch. When Akira brought the kettle and cups over, Mr. Compress spoke up, "It seems the heroes are interested in removing the girl as we are. Since we have the advantage of people inside the yakuza, it would be advantageous to work together."

Akira's eyebrows shot up as the tray clattered the short distance to the table. They quickly righted the tilting kettle before taking a breath and sitting closest to Kurogiri on the couch. ' It would not be with the knowledge of most of the heroes, but if you reach out through a neutral party, Eraser Head or Fat Gum would be your best bet. '

"Why would we trust them?" Spinner sneered, glaring at Akira.

Steeling themself, Akira calmly explained, ' Calamity already has high opinions of Eraser Head. I can vouch for both of their morals and willingness to work with who it takes to achieve good. Both work with vigilantes, gangs, and on the extremely rare occasion, villains. '

"If we need to be stealthy about this around the heroes, Twice would be our best option," Magne offered, easing some of the tension as Twice looked up from a rubix cube.

"We'll do what it takes to get her out," Twice said with a nearly calm voice, undercurrents of anger clawing their way to hint at the surface. "We can't let her lose herself," he snapped as the anger boiled through.

"I've worked with Eraser Head before," Dabi added, eyes distant but hard. "I'll reach out through our mutual and should have a meeting by tomorrow."

The League turned to Shigaraki, whose fiddling had frozen. After a moment, he finally noticed and glared at them, "What?"

' You're the boss, are you on board? ' Akira asked, searching his expression.

"What he's doing to her isn't normal," he said slowly. After a moment, Akira's brows shot up as they realized it was more of a question. Looking to Magne, she seemed to have the same realization, which explained why Kurogiri stayed quiet. He scowled and bit out, "Yeah, you can team up to grief them. Just don't get yourselves killed."

Akira looked questioningly to Kurogiri, noticing while the others started hashing out details that his mist was fluctuating again, albeit more subtly than before. They shifted closer to the nomu, who briefly met their eyes and seemed to settle somewhat. Akira subtly angled themself so the others would have a harder time watching and asked, ' Are you okay? '

Kurogiri pointedly looked at Shigaraki but didn't say anything. Akira gave them a searching look before sighing and turning back to the group. They did a double take as they realized Shigaraki's shoes weren't just red. As they got ready to leave, Akira stopped Kurogiri. ' Can I speak with you a moment after you warp them? ' He glanced to Shigaraki before nodding.

Akira gestured for him to sit while they poured another cup. ' Remember how I said I'd look into your base? '

The yellow eyes narrowed slightly before Kurogiri responded, "Yes."

' I'm almost certain I found him, Oboro Shirakumo, ' Akira gently signed. ' I saw glimpses of him when we officially met, and his quirk lines up with the others that comprise Warp Gate. ' Kurogiri tensed slightly but said nothing, his mist stable. After a long moment, Akira hesitantly asked, ' I don't know what's going on with you, but is Oboro still in there? '

"I need to go," Kurogiri abruptly stood and warped away.

"That went well," Dabi snarked and caught a throw pillow.

Akira rolled their eyes, ' Like you had a better idea. He deserved to know. I need to put a presentation together for Monday so am heading to Claws of Coffee for a couple hours. '

"Fancy," Dabi smirked, earning an elbow to the side.

Akira grabbed their backpack, hesitating a moment before shaking their head and dumping out what they didn't need onto the coffee table. ' Just don't spill anything on my textbooks while I'm out. ' The small cat café had a student discount and someone – they were pretty sure Aizawa – had set up a tab to charge the first hour for any U.A. student. The Wi-Fi was free and the cats friendly, so Akira curled up with a mug of hot chocolate and a three-legged tabby on their lap while fending off a couple others from their drink.

Kintsugi, the art of filling cracks in pottery with metal-dusted lacquer, had instantly appealed to them when Kayama went over it the previous week. The idea of recognizing trauma as a fundamental part of yourself and accepting it to the point of showcasing it seemed a distant future, but one that Akira could appreciate.

On Monday, Aizawa passed homework back with a note for a lunch meeting in his office. Akira quirked a brow at the delivery method but easily slipped back into reviewing their notes for the presentation. Glancing at Fumikage's, a small smile slipped onto their face at the gothic art. The only surprise in art styles people presented was Todoroki, who talked about ice sculptures in the age of quirks. He even created a small, somewhat detailed cat as an example to Kayama's delight.

Akira slipped into Aizawa's office with their bento box, mildly surprised to see Yamada already there. Their gaze flicked to him curiously as they sat in what had become their usual comfy chair.

"I don't want to intrude on your meeting much," Yamada smiled softly, not quite reaching his eyes. "I was just a little worried about your topic, you know?" Curiosity piqued, Akira gestured for him to continue. "FQM is a dark topic, and not many people know about it in the first place. Are you sure you'll be okay researching and writing about it?"

Akira nodded firmly, pushing down the knot of anxiety that started to form. ' It's something I know a lot about, and a couple people have already offered to do interviews under aliases. I'll be fine. '

"Okay, I'll leave you two it then," Yamada lightly brushed Aizawa's fingers with his own as he headed out.

"There are two things I want to discuss with you today," Aizawa started, pulling a file out of his desk. "Academically, we're starting espionage training this week." Akira perked up, mind already racing with possibilities. "There will be teams of four students trailing another student. Each squad's goal is to intercept or capture evidence of as many information passes their target makes as possible. The fifth's goal is to make as many information passes to their teacher 'contact' by the end of the week. Friday we'll review how everyone did, and next week we'll rotate and start doing shorter exercises. Would you be more comfortable starting with a squad or against one?"

My quirk is well-suited for either, giving my pair or my squad an edge against the others , Akira pondered. It would be easier, though, for people not to be aware of my tricks if I start solo . After a moment more of consideration, they nodded, ' I'd be fine with either, but starting with a squad would provide a good challenge for the second phase. '

"I thought you might pick that. I already gave Kirishima and Tokoyami their packets, and the rest of class will get them later today," Aizawa grinned slightly and made a note in the file and handed it over. He turned more serious as he put the file back, however. "Good choice going through a broker in case of follow-up. I'm not sure if Dabi told you, but we plan for Koda to smuggle a spider in with Dabi to get confirmation of Eri's location."

' He didn't say, but that sounds good, ' Akira nodded along. They frowned as they recalled Saturday. ' I'm concerned about Calamity. He was already showing a couple red flags for abuse, and he seemed confused that what Overhaul is doing to Eri isn't normal. '

Aizawa stiffened minutely, staring at his desk before carefully asking, "Do you think Oboro..."

Akira hesitantly shook their head, separating their teeth from their lip with their tongue when they noticed the pressure turned into needle-like discomfort. ' No, we don't think so at least. While Calamity grew up, though, Loud Cloud would've been trying to survive, too. If he wasn't forced to be an active participant, he probably had to watch or at least take care of the kid in the aftermath. ' They hesitated, knowing what they could share would normally get them thrown out of Quirkless communities.

If Shigaraki was young enough, he might not even remember before, Akira reasoned with themself. Pressing their mouth into a thin line, they looked back to Aizawa, whose gaze had morphed into concern. 'I also have reason to believe Calamity was Quirkless and was either given a quirk or underwent FQM.'

"You did confirm All for One's use of traffickers," Aizawa murmured, eyes darkening. "Midoriya recently shared that Tomura's last name was originally Tenko as the grandson of the seventh holder of One for All."

Akira hissed in a breath. ' That would explain it. And All for One's wording on his offers. ' At Aizawa's concerned brow raise, Akira continued, ' He said my presence would be a blemish on hero society, like Calamity. ' Checking the time, Akira stood to head out but paused at the door. ' I think I'm ready to bring Loud Cockatoo into this if you're both fine with it. '

Aizawa's gaze softened as he smiled slightly. "Zashi's been hoping he's read your cues correctly. Would you like to be there or do you want me to fill him in?"

' I'll be there, ' Akira signed before their nerves could lead them otherwise. ' I do want you there, too. '

"Always."

After picking up Kirishima, the pair headed to the train station. Akira nodded slightly in appreciation as they picked up on his more alert posture. It wasn't to the degree they could slack off, but Akira at least didn't have to worry about him missing obvious threats. They spent the train ride reviewing their espionage packets, comparing their targets and teams. Akira, Aoyama, Ojiro, and Hitoshi would be facing Shoji while Kirishima, Sato, Fumikage, and Yaoyorozu would be facing Ida. The solo students didn't have their teacher contact listed, and the teams would get extra credit if they identified the teacher-student pairings.

"I get some are going into underground and twilight heroics, but why do all of us need to learn this?" Kirishima mused as they went over the basic tailing formation diagrams. While they would go over them in class, each student had a visual representation for those who needed it and for memory.

' Not everyone has decided yet, ' Akira shook their head in amusement. ' And it's still a valuable skill for limelights. Especially if you want to do any work with underground heroes. You can go through intelligence heroes, but you need to at least know how to identify tails and move stealthily in order to have lines open. '

Kirishima startled a bit, curiosity shining brightly in his eyes. "Really? I thought underground was mostly avoiding media and taking night shifts."

Akira laughed at that, staring in disbelief at the redhead. ' No, not at all. It's a very different set of villains, and anyone undergrounds are close to are at higher risk. Daylight villains mostly won't go after family and friends, but underground the stakes rise exponentially. Undergrounds mostly avoid limelights because they don't care enough and/or don't have the training to operate in our sphere. '

"How do you know so much about this stuff anyways?" Kirishima mused after some time.

Subtly checking for anyone listening or watching, Akira was grateful the attention had dropped off for the most part. ' My living situation was... unstable before the first round of internships. I learned how to notice and lose tails and how to follow people without being noticed. I didn't have the proper names like this, but I got the general gist. '

Notes:

Since I haven't written any of this out in my head, I've been doing little outlines for each chapter, and they're getting thiccc lol generally, I try to think up the action scenes ahead of time to get a feel for what big points I want to hit, but the raid arc is kinda hard to do that with... I am shortening the timeline on it a bit since I have a bit more to play with after the raid Ghost's quirk is based on Help Me Leave Behind Some (Reasons to Be Missed) by intheeveningsunrise I have a fun (at least for me) thing planned for the next phase of heroics :D I can finally put my skills from Strategic Intelligence Society to use! Could I have used it in the trafficking arc? ...maybe? But they were intentionally trying to keep Akira removed from the situation, so it was a tossup. Me: ooo I'll take inspiration from vigilante izuku fics Also me: picks the darkest regen fic I've read Ghost: ...I didn't even have a name before this! Me: eeeh technically none of the sidekicks do outside of hero names Horikoshi: the red shoes are literally just a visual parallel Me: shhh let me have fun

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