The Emerald Prince

Chapter 23: Far from the Madding Crowd

Izuku gazed with the rest of Class 1A at the mass of students outside their classroom.

It was the end of the day, and the whole school knew about the USJ attack. 1A just wanted to go home. Bakugou looked like he was about to blow his top...he glanced at Izuku, who shook his head. The relationship between classes was fragile enough already.

The greenette moved forward, smoothly dodging one of Iida's stray hand gestures and approached the mass. He spoke softly, but the aura about him silenced the students.
"Excuse me," he said smiling sweetly, "I am sure you guys have a lot of sensible reasons to be here, but my classmates and I would like to leave, if you wouldn't mind creating a little space so we can pass through?"

There was a pause in which much of the crowd grew steadily redder.
"So class 1A is full of fucking wimps!" Laughed a blond boy near the back of the crowd.

At his words many other members of the group laughed and Class 1A narrowed their eyes.
Izuku just sighed, and the pleasant atmosphere he had created vanished, the corridor suddenly cold.

"Each and every member of this class fought hard to earn their place here. I have no doubt you tried your best but do not punish them because they were blessed with more suitable quirks or know how to use them to their best advantage.
This sports festival gives you all the chance to battle and rise to this class if that is what you want. Shouldn't you be training? Quit barking and prove your argument with your bite at the festival. I look forward to facing any of you."

He glared at the blond boy and stalked forward down the corridor. The crowd parted for him and the class followed behind. He caught Shinsou's worried gaze amongst the collection of students and smiled slightly to show he was okay.

———

The next two weeks were... busy. He trained on physical combat with his father and Shinsou (who'd been taken under Aizawa's wing after it was discovered how much the cats liked him).

He trained with Bakugou, the blond was still no real match for him without using large explosions. But his control improved a great deal in combat and quirk use.

He wanted to see Todoroki, but the bicoloured male was busy at home. Izuku didn't like the sound of that, but left it alone for now.

He trained with Uraraka and Iida too, teaching them the rudiments of hand to hand combat, and suggesting a range of tactics to use against different opponents.

Despite this, Izuku still found time to go out in the evenings, and gain one or two new quirks for himself. And when he wasn't doing any of that, studying or training alone; he was texting Tomura.

The blue haired male seemed to have a lot of spare time, but on the logic that if they were chatting he hopefully wasn't killing, torturing or plotting, Izuku happily made time for his conversations.

It was an interesting view of the world, the villain had, if a little simplistic. And carefully, in small ways, Izuku poked and prodded, making Tomura doubt and question the opinions he'd been raised to believe.

But Izuku had to tread very lightly.
He could quickly tell he was speaking to someone intelligent, but also someone who's been brainwashed from a young age. If he pushed too far, he knew the male would shut him off, and Izuku would lose the chance to help him.

———

"Tomo-chan's got a girlfriend!" sang Toga happily as she bounced into the bar.

Dabi scowled at her in irritation, whilst Kurogiri looked up.
"What do you mean, Toga?"

"He's always on his phone texting someone! And" she danced a little in anticipation; "he keeps blushing~"

She stood still, gazing enthusiastically between the pair to memorise their reactions. She was disappointed however, as Dabi just snorted.

"As if Mr. Hands could get a girlfriend, even an online one. Probably an equally creepy old guy messing with him."

Whilst Kurogiri placed down a glass, and moved on to the next. He spoke calmly. "I believe you mistake the gender of the friend to which you refer, Toga."

At this, the pair really did turn in surprise, though Giran just smirked and turned the page in his newspaper.

"It's a guy?" Exclaimed Toga with joy.
"You know who it is?" Asked Dabi, intrigued.

Kurogiri didn't give either a reply. He'd been conflicted about the degree of contact Tomura was having with the clever greenette, his words uncharacteristically enthusiastic when he spoke of converting the boy to villainy, when it was clear if anything the reverse was occurring.

Though Tomura never questioned All for One, when they were alone, he'd started to ask Kurogiri questions.
They began as small things, like why they stole things, when doing so lost the support of the people and gave lazy heroes opportunities to look good.

But then they got bigger.

He'd even asked how killing All Might specifically would aid their cause. Surely he'd become a matyr since he was so well loved, and they'd never win over the public by doing so. They'd never be able to change society.

Kurogiri was nervous about this, since Tomura using his head and evolving was not what All for One planned...but some small part within him rejoiced at this change, and he indulged it, answering the questions he could with a range of perspectives instead of the one opinion All for One would have wanted him to mention.

He did wish that he could speak to this remarkable student, or know his goals. The guy really did invest a lot of time talking with his master, and had earned a great deal of trust from Tomura through what? Two meetings and some texts? He was very gifted. He'd even talked Tomura's past out of him.
Speak of the devil.

Shigaraki strolled, yes, strolled into the bar, and Kurogiri passed him a drink.
"I hear you've got yourself a boyfriend, Hands." Said Dabi, leaning against the bar top, smirk in place.
Tomura turned to look at him, and snorted.
"Wouldn't you like to know."

"So," started Giran, interrupting the battle of wits and quirks before it could begin, "Are you attacking at the Sports Festival?"
Tomura shook his head. "They'll be even more hero heavy than usual and we haven't recruited enough pawns. It's too high risk so we'll be observing the students' quirks and see if any look recruitable or are worth kidnapping."

The group were surprised at his good reasoning, while Kurogiri seriously wondered if it was all his. He didn't mind the guy making Shigaraki question his beliefs...but to manipulate him to that degree did not sit well with him.

Perhaps he should pay the boy a visit. If he did, and All for One asked where he'd gone though...he would have to tell the truth, and he didn't know what dangers that could lead to. He caught Dabi's sharp blue eyes.
No. Not yet.