𝕀𝕤𝕟'𝕥 𝚒𝚝 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵𝔂? [ᴀ ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴ!ᴅᴇᴋᴜ ᴀᴜ] (discontinued)

Deku

Deku had happily taken Shinsou back to the League of Villains after he agreed to join. He was in such a good mood, he was sure nothing would ruin his day.

Deku unlocked the back of the bar, opening it for Shinsou to come in.

"Oh, and just so you know: if you even think about telling the heroes of our location, we'll have to kill you, which is very unfortunate for you. We'll figure out when you actually get to leave this place after I discuss this with the others. I actually didn't tell them I was bringing you," Deku chuckled, watching Shinsou stiffen up. Probably didn't like the killing part of the deal. Then again, most villains didn't.

"Took you long enough you shit!" Shigaraki's voice came from the bar. Deku laughed.

"Don't be so angry! I brought someone you might like!" Deku said, walking into the bar, gently leading Shinsou by the wrist.

"Yeah, and that's what Kurogiri said about these two, and I still don't like 'em," Shigaraki grumbled, gesturing to Dabi and Toga. Shoto stood up from his stool, walking towards Deku and Shinsou. Deku held his hands out in a sort of "ta-da!" motion.

"You brought a UA student," he said dryly. "We're doomed."

"Don't sound so upset! This is Hitoshi Shinsou from the sports festival!"

"You think I watch that shit?" Dabi asked, leaning on the bar.

"You would if you were actually a smart villain," Deku muttered, "but anyway! He's actually got a brainwashing quirk!"

"Oooh! Deku-kun, you're so smarrrt~" Toga gushed.

Shigaraki growled, "what does this have to do with you fulfilling your end of the deal?"

Deku laughed, "oh, you'll see. Even so, he's incredibly powerful on his own, maybe even as powerful as Shoto or Dabi."

Dabi stood up, "I want to see this. You, sparring match with Shoto, now."

Shinsou had a surprised look, almost scared. Deku smirked and whispered in his ear.

"They only think you're scared if you show it. Remember, you have the advantage. They don't know much about your quirk."

"Don't give him pointers! That's cheating!" Shigaraki growled. Deku returned to his innocent, happy smile.

"Oh no, not pointers, simply reminding him where he stands."

He nudged Shinsou forward to Shoto, looking more confident. Neither of them stood in fighting positions, but Shoto summoned a little bit of ice.

"Just so you know, I'm not going to go easy on you," Shoto said. Shinsou took a deep breath.

"So tell me, where'd you inherit that ice from? It's not a very common quirk, is it? Also, why do you only use your right hand? Is something wrong with your left?"

Shoto said nothing, shooting a wall of ice at Shinsou, who jumped out of the way just in time.

"Oh, you're the quiet type. That's fine, I guess. But you know who you really look like? Endeavor. Would you happen to be related to him?"

Shoto growled, "Don't ever speak that bastard's name—"

Shinsou snapped his fingers, and Shoto's eyes went blank. Deku could hear Dabi and Shigaraki muttering, while Toga giggled in delight.

"Game over. Now, why don't you go find a knife and stab that tall guy over there?" Shinsou said. Shoto walked over to Dabi with a blank stare, taking a knife from Toga as he went. Dabi stood up in a panic.

"What the hell is with that look?!" Dabi yelled, pushing Shoto away as he raised the knife. "Shoto, Stop it!"

"Alright, that's enough," Shinsou said, snapping his fingers once more. Shoto froze right as he was about to stab Dabi, who's hands were starting to light up with blue fire. Shoto blinked, then lowered the knife, stepping away. Deku looked over at Shigaraki, grinning.

"He's also got UA's trust, being a student. I think we have the advantage over UA now," Deku said cheerfully. "Of course, if you'll keep your word, Shinsou?"

He nodded, to which Deku clapped his hands. "Brilliant! We're practically unstoppable! Now, if we can go discuss plans upstairs, I think this might just turn the tables."

***

A few minutes later, the League of Villains had gathered up in what looked like a meeting room, but there wasn't a normal table with some kind of map, rather, a chess board, completely set up with the pieces. Deku stood in the middle of the two sides of the chess board, his face focused as he moved the pieces.

"Okay, so here's my plan." Deku had rearranged the pieces so that the white king was in front of all the pawns, standing alongside the queen, the knights, bishops, and castles. "The king is All Might, standing alongside several other pro heroes, protecting ordinary civilization."

Deku pointed to the black set, which only had a king, bishops, a castle, and one knight, "this is us. Nothing to protect except ourselves and each other, and greatly outnumbered by pro heroes. It seems hopeless, doesn't it? But now, we have ourselves a white knight," Deku said, pointing to Shinsou while taking a white chess piece and moving it over to the opposite side. "This knight will know all the events taking place in the other kingdom, coming back to us with any information that may or may not be useful to us."

"How exactly does this help us get All Might?" Shigaraki asked icily. "These are pro heroes we're talking about, not just damn chess pieces on a board."

"I'm getting to that," Deku said. "Since this knight can move back and forth between the kingdoms in secret, he'll have the trust of the white king. So if the Knight were to lure the King to the opposite kingdom, we could corner him, which would be checkmate for him. And of course, a kingdom cannot run without its King. The heroes will be in chaos at the loss of their ruler being gone, which will make it the perfect time for us to strike. Once we get All Might, we win."

"So, you want to use Shinsou as a spy," Kurogiri said. "A spy that could ultimately bring down the  heroes. We'll have to doublecheck it, make sure there isn't any way the heroes could find out, but this could work."

Deku grinned, "they'll probably figure out that we have a spy sooner or later, but they would never guess that it's Shinsou! Also, Shinsou, do you live alone?"

"Yes..."

"Perfect! You can stay here overnight and on weekends! That makes things even easier for us," Deku laughed. "Alright, that's all I had to say, so you may all continue whatever you were doing before."

Most of the villains cleared out, except for Shinsou, who was studying the board.

"Deku, if I can call you that, this plan means you'd have to put your full trust in me, that I won't betray you to the heroes. How are you so sure that I won't?"

"Well, I really don't know that you won't betray us, but I don't think you will. I can tell how enraged those people make you, how you so wanted to prove them wrong, but just couldn't. I was in that very same place once, and I probably shouldn't let history repeat, but hey, what can you do, y'know?" Deku chuckled, purposefully leaving out the fact that they had another base, just in case Shinsou surprised them.

Shinsou nodded, "I have one more question."

"Fire away."

"Just out of curiosity, why am I the white knight?"

"Oh, that one's easy," Deku picked up the chess piece, "that's because everyone always underestimates the knight, finds the L-shape in which he moves useless, when in reality, he's just as important as the queen herself, he just takes a bit longer to master. He's a vital part to winning the game, in my opinion."

Shinsou nodded, thanked him, and left the room, leaving Deku to set the knight down and pick up the king. His happy demeanor vanished, leaving a cold, cruel one in its place.

"Soon, very soon I'll bring the Justice-Keeper to justice, and then say hello to an old friend," he murmured, glancing at a white bishop.

"Soon."