The Erasure Hero: Season Two (My Hero Academia X Young Justice)

Chapter Six - Uneasy Alliance

After Aizawa was approached by Sportsmaster and Cheshire, he enters an uneasy alliance with the criminals. While he had no hatred for Cheshire, he hated the thought of working with Sportsmaster: the man who made life hell for Paula and Artemis. Despite his personal feelings on the matter, Aizawa knew that Sportsmaster could be a valuable asset in his hunt for All For One and the Light. Aizawa takes the two to an abandoned safehouse in Gotham City.

Sportsmaster: How quaint. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were setting up a trap.

Aizawa: No one should bother us. Now tell me everything you know about the All For One and the Light.

Sportsmaster: Good things come to those who wait. Ain't that something you Pro Heroes preach?

Aizawa: Don't test my patience, Crock. I'm in no mood for this.

As Aizawa makes it clear to Sportsmaster that he was in no mood for games, Sportsmaster chuckles.

Sportsmaster: Have it your way. The Light has been keeping a close eye on those kids since the Santa Prisca debacle. Some time after they, the Light got into contact with an alien race called the Reach.

Aizawa: What's the Reach's endgame?

Sportsmaster: Beats me. I did a few jobs with them when I was with the Light, but they keep to themselves. As for Aqualad.....

Aizawa: I'm not interested in a recap of things I already know. If this is all the information you have, then this is a waste of time.

Cheshire: Wait. We've never dealt with All For One directly. We've only ever worked with the League of Villains.

Sportsmaster: The League of Villains. Ha! What a band of fucking freaks. Though I will say that their leader....he scares me. 

As Sportsmaster said this, Aizawa quickly deduced who he was talking about. 

Aizawa: Tomura Shigaraki. 

Cheshire: I see you know him. 

Aizawa: I encountered him before. 

Sportsmaster: Then you know that look in his eye. The kind of look that just wants to watch the whole world burn. 

Aizawa: Tell me more about you history with the League of Villains? How do they fit into all this?

Sportsmaster: The Light lets them do what they want. All the Light asks is that All For One have them ready for when they're needed. 

Aizawa then thinks back to his encounters with various members of the League of Villains in the past including when Dabi attacked Gotham City and when Mr. Compress aided the Injustice League in their attack four years ago. What seemed like seemingly unconnected events began to piece together. Up until this point, Aizawa's investigation into All For One's involvement with the Light had gotten little to no results. But now Aizawa had the means to gather the information he needed. 

Aizawa: Tell me more. Have you dealt with Dabi or Mr. Compress? 

Sportsmaster: I dealt with them. I helped them get where they needed to be. And you know where they needed to be. 

Aizawa: Where are they now?

Sportsmaster: Hold your horses, Hero. I've told you plenty of compromising information. As mush as I want to put the hurt on the Light, I need to know you'll keep your end of the bargain. I want Aqualad's head on a platter. I've got a reputation to preserve. 

Sportsmaster's words enraged Aizawa. He was holding back the urge to kill Sportsmaster right then and there. Despite his great anger, Aizawa maintained his calm composure. He glanced over to Cheshire. Though he couldn't see it in her face, Aizawa could tell by her body language that she felt that same. 

Aizawa: Let me get one thing straight with you. If we work together on this, we're doing it my way. No killing. No brutality. First sign of you trying anything and I will see to it that you spend the rest of your miserable life in critical care. Am I understood? 

As Aizawa made his intentions known to Sportsmaster, he simply chuckled. 

Sportsmaster: For now, I'll play along. I know a place where the League of Villains hang out. I'll take you there. 

Aizawa: Fine. I'll need to make some preparations. 

Sportsmaster: Meet us in these coordinates when you're done. Come on, Jade.

Cheshire: In a minute....Dad. 

As Sportsmaster went ahead, Cheshire approached Aizawa and took off her mask. She then takes a deep breath. 

Cheshire: For what it's worth, I know you did everything you could to save Artemis. She was my family. I may not have been the best sister to her, but I loved her all the same. If I had been there when she died, I would've made Aqualad scream. No one kills my sister and gets away with it. 

As Cheshire opened up to Aizawa, he couldn't help but understand her position. He knew that Cheshire genuinely loved Artemis as a sister. 

Aizawa: Thank you, Jade. I wasn't there for Artemis for much of her life. I wish I could go back and do things differently. 

Cheshire: I'm sure you would, Eraser. But what she endured made her strong. 

Aizawa: I'm proud of the women Artemis became. I just wish that it didn't cost her a childhood. 

Cheshire: Things hardly ever go as we want them to be. 

Aizawa: A unfortunate but logical conclusion. We should both be getting ready. 

With that, Aizawa and Cheshire made their peace. Though they stood on opposite sides of the law, their love for Artemis and desire to honor her, albeit in different ways. As the uneasy alliance was formed with Sportsmaster and Cheshire, Aizawa prepared himself for a personal mission that would push him to his limit.