Irrational Problem Child

Irrational Apprentice

chapter art by G Mark

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The portal closed behind you.

You stumbled at the step downward. Your eyes adjusted to the dimness rapidly. The room on the other side of the portal was large- it looked like a basement facility of some sort. Only two people in the room. You knew them both. Katsumi Shinsou... your best friend's dad turned villain, sat calmly on the dusty floor. A jarring sight, even after everything that had just happened. Next to him, the warp gate villain lay on the ground, his misty form flowing in calm waves and ripples. His lightning bolt eyes were drawn to thin lines, giving the impression of sleep. You stared.

"Any trouble, Shinsou?" All for One asked Katsumi smoothly.

"No," Katsumi shrugged. "He asked me to use 'operate' if he started to glitch, so I did. No problems."

The careful slowness of Katsumi's motions and words made it click. He was controlling the warp gate villain, splitting his consciousness between the two of them.

You couldn't look at Katsumi without anger glowing in your eyes. For what he'd done to Amaya and Hitoshi. And for what he'd done to you... but your feelings were confused now. Could it be true that Katsumi's interventions had saved you?

"Good." All for One's voice cut off your train of thought. "Bring them back."

Katsumi Shinsou nodded, eerily keen gaze flicking to you for a moment before he closed his eyes and slumped back against the wall.

Dozens of portals opened, villains falling and leaping back into the basement. The room quickly filled. Hopefully everyone at the training camp was okay. The attack hadn't lasted for long. Especially from the perspective of everyone else, who hadn't been inside All for One's time stop bubble. For you... it had felt like an eternity. An eternity that led you here.

It's for them, you reminded yourself. Your mind flashed over the faces of Aizawa, Hitoshi, all your friends... even Bakugou. Going with all for One had saved them for now, but they weren't safe yet. They wouldn't be safe until you defeated All for One.

How long would it take? How long would you have to lie, how many times would you have to turn your back on the people you cared about? Would they ever forgive you?

Maybe not. Either you'd fail and they'd find out in the most catastrophic way possible, or you'd succeed and they might never know.

But they would do the same for you.

All for One's hand dropped to rest on your shoulder as the two of you surveyed the returning army. A gesture Aizawa had always reassured you with. You hated it from All for One, hated his touch. It felt like he was trying to replace Aizawa. But you held back your snarl and made your face impassive.

"You are the key player here," he spoke thoughtfully "but retrieving even our minor supporters remains important to recruitment. Kindness and loyalty are tools to gain trust, Eiko."

He used your personal name as though he'd known you your entire life.

"Call me Aizawa."

You felt the warmth leaving the gesture of his hand on your shoulder, heard the iciness in his tone.

"You would cling to the family name of the man who doesn't trust you? ...Interesting."

You could have kicked yourself. Everyone's lives depended on you gaining All for One's trust, but already you were slipping, raising his suspicions.

You decided to play it off as inner turmoil.

"If I'm not an Aizawa, who am I?"

All for One's iciness thawed slightly.