Work Text:
It probably said something about him that Dabi found catharsis burning anything Furby related to the ground. It started with that abomination from the League of Villains and spread from there.
There were now significantly fewer toy factories in Japan. Dabi was fighting the problem at the source.
But there was still a part of him that was terrified apprehensive. For all the Furbies that he eradicated, Doctor Egghead was still out there. He had created a Furby monster before. There was nothing preventing him from making another. And Dabi had been in the lab, the fucker might have gotten a hold of some DNA. The twisted Furby version of himself had replaced Endeavor in Dabi’s nightmares.
As long as that doctor was alive, Furby abominations were a threat that distracted Dabi’s focus from taking down his father. The Nomu factory had been large and filled with large pieces of equipment. It was unlikely that they had changed locations.
It turned out all Nomu were vulnerable to fire, not just ones that took after him. The doctor screamed as he burned.
Dabi opened the door, expecting another child with a Furby they had found in a dumpster and wanted eradicated. Instead, he was greeted by a group of people in suits.
“Get lost.” He went to close the door.
“Young Dabi, we are here on behalf of the Hero Public Safety Commission to officially-“
There was a group of Hero Commission agents standing in front of him, or a group of people stupid enough to impersonate them. Dabi reached for his quirk.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
He glanced around. Across the street, Eraserhead was glaring at him. That meant he couldn’t use his quirk. It also meant these people were probably legit.
He needed a distraction, something he could use to cover his retreat. He had no intention of getting arrested and Eraserhead had destroyed his clones at the camp.
Dabi pulled out a lighter and grabbed one of the temporary hair dye sprays he kept in a pouch, emergency supply in case he needed to touch up his hair. There’s more than one way to start a forest fire.
The agent didn’t even have the decency to react to the wave of fire burning in front of his face. He continued to drawl in a dull monotone. “-after which you will step down and allow Endeavor to assume the position.”
Dabi paused. The aerosol can continue to spit fire. “What was that about Endeavor?”
“You will make an appearance at the Hero Billboard Chart JP next week before retiring from your career as a hero and allowing Endeavor to take over your position as Number One. In exchange your criminal record will be cleared, you will be provided lodgings in the prefecture of your choosing, and receive access to an account containing four hundred and fifty million yen.”
Dabi knew his brain had been fried. On days when his quirk flared up, he swore he could feel it cooking. Looking at this businessman, who still had no expression on his face, Dabi realized he may have overtaxed himself when dealing with the doctor.
“Did you just imply that I’m the Number One hero?”
Success. The man finally reacted. He sighed and rubbed his temple. “Unfortunately. After All Might’s retirement, Endeavor was expected to take up the mantle. However, your growing popularity amongst the youths after your campaign against Furbies and eradication of the Nomu and their creator has led to complications. Congratulations. You are officially the Number One Hero of Japan.
The aerosol flamethrower sputtered out. One of the other agents handed Dabi a piece of paper. It was a formal looking document that seemed to confirm what the man was saying. It was also far too elaborate a trap considering they had somehow figured out where he lived.
Which meant, somehow, Dabi had beaten Endeavor and become the Number One Hero. Meant that Dabi was being invited to an event that Endeavor would be attending and that was broadcast across the country.
Which posed the question of why the Hero Commission was bothering. They could have simply manipulated the results. Instead, they went through the effort of tracking Dabi down and offering him a deal. There was no reason to reach out to an arsonist against Furbies. The only thing he had done that could be considered vaguely heroic was deal with the Nomu.
Oh.
Oh.
If the Nomu threat, which the heroes had failed to address, was taken out by a random villain it was a sign of failure on the heroes part. If it was done by the Number One Hero, it would be a rallying point, that could be used to try and re-establish control.
The deal was undoubtably a sham. After his appearance at the Billboard Charts, some tragic accident would occur and Dabi would vanish from the faith of the earth. He would be monitored until a time he could be disposed of. But he would get to see the look in the old man’s eyes as his dreams were crushed.
“I want a written contract.”
Dabi had been moved into a Hero Commission safehouse to ‘protect him from possible retaliation by the League of Villains.’ He had a bed, climate control, and access to all the food he wanted. There were various surveillance systems and more pillows and blankets than Dabi knew what to do with. He also had plenty of time to plot.
There was a knock on his door before it opened, and someone walked in. A man with white hair that looked like he could snap Dabi in half. He was wearing scrubs and there was something familiar about him. Maybe they had run into each other when Dabi was stealing new surgical staples? The man looked at him as if he were a long lost relative and – was that fucking NATSUO???
“Thanks for letting us know you were alive, dick. You look like a clown whose fire breathing trick blew up in their face.”
“You look like a himbo.”
“Maybe I am.”
Sibling banter. This was not how Dabi had planned on reuniting with his family. That plan had involved fewer Furbies and more fire, perhaps being on Sekoto Peak for thematic appropriateness. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Making sure you don’t die of something before your big day.”
“And why are you the one doing that?”
Natsuo flinched. Dabi felt… something about that. He ignored it. “Because I made the mistake of accepting a placement at one to HPSC run hospitals and the people would rather send me to deal with the pyromaniac than someone with a healing quirk.”
Natsuo walked forward. Why the fuck was Natsuo still taller than him? Dabi had hoped that at some point during the past years he would have finally grown taller than his younger brother. Apparently not.
“Fun fact, I haven’t taken my medical oath yet.” Natsuo punched him in the jaw. “Now sit down and let me look at you.”
The two of them went about making sure Dabi’s scars weren’t infected, and he didn’t have tetanus, an awkward silence between them. After a while, Natsuo spoke up. “Shouto told me you were alive. We didn’t want to tell dad and haven’t told Fuyumi yet since she’s still living at the house. Neither of us knew how to bring it up with mom.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I know you’re doing this because you have some sort of plan. And I am going to help.”
Dabi let out a laugh. “No.”
Natsuo stepped backwards and tossed his clipboard to the side in exasperation. “I’m not a stupid little kid anymore Touya!”
“And I’m not Touya!” Dabi fought to control his temper. He needed to be a good little reformed criminal who was complying with the Commission’s demands. He could not set fire to the safehouse. “Touya’s dead. He has been for years. What’s left of him won’t survive what’s coming.”
Natsuo’s eyes widened. Dabi glared at him, refusing to back down. Natsuo sighed and pulled something else out of his bag. “Maybe alone. But you aren’t. I’ve helped some people. Provided medical treatment without asking questions. I can pull a few favours and get you somewhere safe after shit hits the fan. Open your mouth. I need to swab your cheek.”
“What the hell for?”
“There’s a lab back at the school where I can-”
“What the hell are you helping me for?” Dabi ignored the crack in his voice and the burning sensation that he had come to associate with his eyes trying to water.
Natsuo paused. Sat down. Took a breath. “I decided to become a doctor to help people. To save them. Because Touya was my brother and I failed him. Now you’re here. It’s like a second chance has fallen into my lap. I’m going to take it. Shouto doesn’t remember you that much, but he’s in it cause it will piss dad off.” He stood up and brushed his pants. “Now. Cheek swab. I’ll run a DNA test, get you something so you can prove that you’re who you claim to be.”
He looked at his younger brother. Who had been unable to save him, unable to do anything more than listen. Standing in front of him, determined to help. Touya felt something in his chest soften. “What makes you so sure that I am?”
“Only you would manage to accidentally become a hero by committing arson and destroying Furbies.”
Dabi was trying to figure out how to make sure the broadcast wasn’t cut during the confrontation when Hawks showed up at the door. Fastest hero to ever rise in the ranks if you excluded Dabi. The man too fast for his own good. Fresh on the field and he was apparently already trying to establish criminal contacts.
“Elmo and Big Bird’s secret love child. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“No worries, I’m just here to drop this off.” The hero held out a plastic rectangle. Dabi took it. It was a licence. A hero license with his face on it. It had been backdated to have been issued several years prior. His name was apparently Gushiken Takibi.
“Congratulations on the completion of your infiltration mission. After several years of working to infiltrate the villainous underground, your help was crucial in dealing with the Nomu.”
So, infiltration was the story they would use to explain Dabi’s less-than-legal activities. It could also explain why Hawks, a hero so closely connected to the Commission he was their delivery boy, was openly showing interest in the underworld.
The hero grinned. And in that grin, Dabi saw his chance. “Hey.” Dabi put the license down. “I hear you’ve been trying to get in contact with the League. You do me a favour and I’ll get you in contact with their recruiter.”
There was a sharp look in Hawk’s gaze. Calculating. “And what would such a favour entail?”
“There’s supposed to be a shipment of Furbies arriving in Deika City tonight. I need you to get me there.”
There were rumours of a media master in Deika capable of cover-ups nearly as well as the Commission.
Dabi needed to make sure the cameras stayed on.
He set an abandoned warehouse on fire on his way out of the city to authenticate his story, a burner phone in his pocket.
Natsuo was back and there was someone else with him. The only reason Dabi yet to set the person on fire was because they would probably pull out of the deal, appearances be damned, and make Endeavor the Number One Hero instead.
“A week is not enough time to fix all your problems. But we should be able to use some skin grafts, makeup, and camera magic to get you presentable.”
“You’re not doing surgery on me.
“Don’t worry, it won’t be taken from your budget. It is common for spotlight heroes to undergo modifications. Don’t worry, the Commission endorses it, especially in cases like yours.”
That was fucked up in a way Dabi didn’t have the time to think about right now. He added it to the list.
“I understand the concern, but I’m afraid that won’t be possible.” Natsuo had angled his body so he was standing between Dabi and the body modifier, who frankly reminded him a bit too much of the Nomu doctor. “The risk of complications or infection is too high. My patient needs to be in peak condition for the Billboard Charts. I’m sure you can understand. Perhaps you can schedule the appointments for after. Dabi will still be a hero after, won’t he?”
It sounded nice, but something in Natsuo’s tone was deadly. Dabi smirked as Don’t-Worry-The-Government-Does-Plastic-Surgery-On-Everyone backed down.
As he went to leave, Natsuo shook Dabi’s hand. A memory stick was into his palm.
The memory stick had contained a presentation, filled with evidence against Endeavor and the DNA test results. Dabi used the burner phone to add details incriminating the Hero Commission, including photos of his contract and evidence of other dark dealings, before sending it to Skeptic.
It also had the contact information for one of Natsuo’s previous clients, a set of twins. One could teleport an object a short distance away, the other could summon an object of similar size back from that location.
The day of the Billboard Charts arrived. Everything was ready. All that was left to do was perform.
Dabi spent the leadup to the event avoiding Endeavor. He could not risk flying into a rage before the broadcast began.
Eventually Dabi and the heroes were sent up on stage, standing in a line. The announcer went through the numbers, each hero saying a line or two after their name was called. Best Jeanist was absent. Hawks said something about being lazy, probably to try and help his infiltration.
“Still standing strong at Number Two! The Flame Hero: Endeavor!”
His father stepped forward. Dabi could feel the heat rolling off him. “All Might’s weakened state was a surprise to us all. I promise to continue to work until the top heroes are fit to replace him.”
Dabi fought back a grin at the subtle jab. He mentally made some adjustments to his speech; to emphasize on the way Endeavor had behaved.
“And now, the new Number One! He almost singlehandedly dealt with the Nomu threat, it’s Dabi: The Furby Slaying Hero.”
Dabi snorted as he stepped forward. That was certainly a title. He gave Endeavor a little wave before turning his attention to the audience.
“I figured pulling a rickroll would be in bad taste. So, I’m doing this instead.” Dabi poured a bottle of dye remover on his hair, the signal for Skeptic to take control of the broadcast. The presentation appeared on the jumbo screen behind the top heroes of the country. “My name is Todoroki Touya and today I will be telling you about how Endeavor sucks and the Hero Commission is corrupt.”
Class 1A had gathered in the common room to watch the Hero Billboard Charts. As the new Number One hero stepped forward, Shoji’s voice could be heard over the sound of Midoriya’s sobs.
“Isn’t that the Furby guy from camp?”
“Uh Todoroki?” Sero asked. “Everything okay?”
Everyone turned to look at Todoroki Shouto. He was sporting the biggest grin his classmates had ever seen on his face. “Pay attention. You don’t want to miss this.”
“A lot of you have probably never heard of me. It’s as if I popped out of a hole and started destroying Furbies. Like a few months ago I didn’t even exist. That’s because for the past decade I have been undercover. Deep undercover. So deep undercover that I was never officially made a hero. So deep undercover my family had been told I died. So deep undercover that it wasn’t an undercover mission so much as it was me breaking the law and becoming a villain.”
Rei sat in her room at the hospital. She had heard from one of the other patients that they would be announcing All Might’s replacement today.
There was a rumour going around that it wasn’t Enji.
“I was born to surpass All Might and become the next Number One Hero. I didn’t think destroying Furbies would be how it happened, but oh well. If the old man over here had taken to beating Furbies instead of his children, we could have all been saved a bunch of grief.”
“Your brother is on the news!” One of her students called. Fuyumi briefly wondered how they knew before focusing on the child.
“Really? Which one? Is it Shouto?”
“No. The Furby one. Touya!”
Fuyumi froze.
“How can you call Endeavor a hero when he went home after fighting villains every day and did that?”
Dabi paused to look around the room. Drinking in the horror on people’s faces. The top heroes in the country and no one had made a move to stop him. Everyone was frozen, focused on the pair. Father and son. Transgressor and executioner. The monster and the ghost returned from the grave.
“But what about the system that allowed this to happen? Endeavor is far from the only Hero to seek glory through villainous means. And the Hero Public Safety Commission lets it happen.”
Dabi had been debating killing Endeavor at the Billboard Charts. But this was way better. Leaving him alive so he could watch everything he had worked for burn.
“Since the end of the Olympics, the biggest sporting event in Japan has been watching a bunch of teenagers who have been raised as child soldiers fight each other. And it’s treated like a learning experience. A chance for the little hero hopefuls to start understanding how competitive and cutthroat the Hero Industry is. At the end of the day, what separates the heroes on this stage and the ones in the audience is their ability to play to the industry. It has nothing to do with wither they’re good people, or should be acting as role models. I managed to become the Number One Hero in the country because I joined the League of Villains and have a personal vendetta against Furbies.”
All of his friends had decided to watch the broadcast together. Some of them were fixated on the screen. Others were looking at him in horror. One was crying.
Natsuo shoved another handful of popcorn in his mouth.
“At the end of the day, the Hero Industry is an industry. It exists to make money and generate profit. If some people managed to get saved along the way, great, that means more potential customers. The Hero Commission does not care about you. They care about looking good. To the point where they would rather clear my criminal record, pretend I was undercover, and pay me to keep silent than admit the system’s broken.”
At the Hero Public Safety Commission Office, several people were regretting not having Dabi assassinated.
“Also why isn’t weed legal? All the bullshit we need to put up with on a daily basis, you should be able to smoke a joint without worrying about getting arrested for villainy.”
There was an imposter claiming to be Touya who had stolen the mantle of Number One from him. A title that Endeavor had not earned, only been set to inherit from All Might. A title that this upstart had earned in his place.
It could not be Touya. Touya was dead, killed by his faulty quirk and weak constitution. This was a mistake. An imposter. It had to be.
Sekoto Peak had burned blue. He could remember the azure flames crackling as he arrived. They had been too late to save anything but a piece of jawbone.
The flames had burned the same colour as Dabi’s eyes.
As Touya’s eyes.
It felt as though the floor had dropped out from under him. He was getting light-headed but could not move his body.
Touya continued to talk, announcing to the world what he had worked to keep behind closed doors. Destroying his reputation, his career, his legacy.
He should feel angry. Furious. Should be disputing Touya’s claims, arresting the villain who was fracturing the unstable peace. His feet were rooted to the spot.
His son was back from the dead and here for revenge, crushing everything he had worked towards. And all Enji could focus on were his son’s eyes. They shone brightly. Touya’s eyes had stopped shining like that years before the accident.
Enji’s actions had broken his family. It had taken the past coming back, announcing his failings to the world and demanding vengeance, for him to notice.
“You know, it does feel pretty good being Number One. No wonder your Number Two hero devoted his life to eugenics and abuse to make it happen. And now he’s gotten what he always wanted. A child who surpassed him.” Touya turned to face Endeavor. “How does it feel? Was it worth it?”
The look in his father’s eyes was one he would treasure for years. Dabi looked out at the crowd. There would be riots starting soon. He couldn’t wait to watch.
“Unfortunately, it’s time for me to go. But don’t worry. I made something special for the occasion.”
All the time spent stitching his skin together had come in handy. One of the most traumatizing moments of his life had been seeing the twisted Furby version of himself. From various materials in the safehouse, Dabi had managed to make a giant Furby that looked like Endeavor.
Dabi spun in a circle, the signal for the first twin to use the quirk. Suddenly, the Furby was standing there in all its glory.
Several people screamed. Dabi had taken great care with this project, channeling his hatred for his father and Furbies alike to create a masterpiece. He had even used multiple shades of orange to make the flame moustache more realistic. The result was nightmare inducing. It would sear itself into everyone’s memory. Whenever someone brought up Endeavor, they would think of this abomination. And, subsequently, Dabi’s speech. A final blow against Endeavor.
He waited a moment to ensure everyone had a moment to appreciate the creation before setting the Endeavor Furby on fire. Touya turned to look his father in the eye. Tossed back his head and laughed. “See you in hell dad!”
The other twin’s quirk activated and Dabi vanished.
Endeavor’s reputation was in ruins. The government was trying desperately to control the situation. Touya had wiped the floor with his siblings during online monopoly. Todoroki Rei had been released from the hospital and immediately filed for divorce. Other people had started to come forward about how they had been mistreated, either by heroes or the Commission.
Dabi rolled his shoulders and set off towards his latest target. There was a toy store in Naruhata that was rumoured to be importing Furbies.
A hero’s work is never done.