Stolen Chances

Chapter 4 - Well, that went brilliantly

  Katsuki waited to get within ten feet of the walking skeleton before he released the nerd. The boy dashed to the familiar blond (where the hell have I seen you before). To his credit, Deku didn't hide behind him, rather he stood in front of him protectively.

"My name is Toshinori Yagi" the man started.

"So" Katsuki cut in "Is it true, what this fucker says? You let him take away your Quirk?"

"Yes, it's true." The man responded sounding too tired to be out of bed.

"Why?"

The man lifted his shirt, revealing a gross-looking scar. The skin seemed to have been melted and then sewed together before it fully healed, creating a grotesque mosaic of skin and muscle. " A few years ago I fought a villain who hurt me and rendered me incapable of using my Quirk."

"So you're a hero then?" Katsuki interrupted.

The man froze, seeming to realize he might have given up an important piece of information.

"Yes, an underground one. You've never heard of him!" Deku jumped in, too quick for it to be natural, although, at this point, it could've just been the fear of failure.

"Shut up, Deku!" he didn't want them to exchange information, in case it was all a ruse.

"I was highly disappointed that I could no longer help the people" the man said "So, when I met young Midoryia, and found out I could pass my Quirk onto him, I was relieved that all my work wouldn't go to waste and I could help another student reach their potential,"

"Let's say you're not selling me bullshit. Why Deku?"

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, why would you give someone like him, of all people a powerful Quirk. He already has the Quirk of a villain, why would you give him a boost on top of it? Why would you risk making him powerful enough to be a threat?" Katsuki said unable to understand that man. Surely, a hero couldn't be that stupid. He knew not all heroes were as bright as him, but you couldn't become one without at least some common sense.

The man frowned, black sclera glaring down at him threateningly. "Because, Bakugou, being a hero or a villain, doesn't stand in the Quirk, it stands in the choice. It's what you choose to do, what you choose to believe in, that makes you a hero. Midoriya chose to save your life that day. He chose to be a hero despite the bad card fate has dealt him. What did you choose?"

Katsuki wanted to yell something in return, but something in those words struck a chord. The man continued. "You said his Quirk is suited for villainy. Wouldn't you say the same about yours? Explosions are capable of hurting and maiming a lot of people" Nearby him Deku flinched.

"Even on your way here, by the way you were holding your classmate, I'd say you threatened him to get him to bow to your whims. That doesn't seem very heroic, does it?" the boy clenched his fists but froze as a sudden thought occurred to him.

"How do you know my name?"

The man seemed caught off guard for a moment before regaining his composition."Even if I'm retired, I'm still a hero and a personal friend of the principal. I didn't have a say in the assessment, but I watched both your performances. You have a powerful Quirk, Katsuki. Make sure to use it right."

The ashen blond wanted to yell, but he held back. Huffing angrily, he spun on his heels and stalked away, leaving mentor and the student alone in the park. Izuku waited until he was out of sight before finally breathing in relief and turning towards his teacher.