The air in my headquarters was thick with tension, a haze of anxiety that mirrored my own. Four weeks. Four weeks until those bright-eyed, naive hero course students of U.A. would be thrown into a war they weren't prepared for. The Hero Commission's decision to deploy them felt like a punch to the gut, a betrayal of everything heroes were supposed to represent: protection, not exploitation.
"This is insane," I muttered, pacing before the holographic projection of the war zone. The landscape was already scarred, a testament to the brutality to come. "They're kids, Shira! Kids!"
Shira, her black suit blending into the shadows. Her red eyes held a fierce determination. "We can't stop it, Anos. But we can make sure they aren't walking into this blind."
That was the crux of it. I couldn't outright defy the Hero Commission; not without exposing Dark Red and all its operatives. But I could provide a safety net, a silent guardian for my little brother, Izuku and his classmates. He was everything to me.
"Alright," I said, my voice regaining its usual cold composure. "Jiax, Takai, Avis, Lexi – they'll be shadows on the ground, observing, intervening if necessary."
Shira nodded. "Agreed. Simon, Kyto, Kyu, and you will cover their shifts while they're deployed."
It was going to be a logistical nightmare, a relentless cycle of battles and patrols. Dark Red was already stretched thin, but failure wasn't an option.
The thought of Izuku, bright and determined, walking into that warzone gnawed at me. He had already faced so much; Overhaul was a traumatic experience for him, but this was different. This was a full-scale war.
I needed to clear my head, to push back the suffocating protectiveness that threatened to overwhelm me.
"I'm taking Izuku and Akira out for bowling," I announced abruptly. "They need a break, and frankly, so do I."
Bowling was a bust. More specifically, the evening was going fine till I heard a loud commotion a few feet away from us.
I left Izuku and Akira getting snacks and hurried towards the shouting. I spotted Endeavor towering over Dabi and Shoto on the ground with some pretty nasty looking bruises, I knew Endeavor was back to his old ways.
"You worthless piece of-" Endeavor roared, his hand raised high.
I moved without thinking, shoving Dabi aside just as Endeavor's hand came down. The force of the blow snapped my head to the side.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I snarled, my voice dangerously low. My Superman like strength simmered beneath my skin, itching to be released.
"This is none of your concern," Endeavor spat, his eyes blazing. "Stay out of family matters."
"Family matters don't involve beating your son to a pulp," I countered, my fists clenching. "Or verbally abusing your other son. You call yourself a hero?"
The argument escalated quickly. Words turned into shoves, shoves into punches. I held back, knowing the consequences, but the rage was a tidal wave threatening to drown me.
Dabi pulled me back, his grip surprisingly strong. "Anos, stop! You'll kill him!"
He knew. Dabi always knew how close I was to the edge. I took a deep breath, fighting to regain control.
I texted Izuku: "Take Akira to my place. You can stay there tonight."
He didn't question it, just replied with a simple "Okay."
Dabi helped Shoto up, his expression unreadable. "Come on, Shoto. Let's get you home."
I watched them go, the weight of the world pressing down on my shoulders. The need to protect, to shield, was a constant ache.
I started walking, needing to clear my head. But the peace didn't last.
Forty minutes in, my phone buzzed with a flurry of messages and calls. Hizashi (my father), Kenji, Aizawa, All Might, even Shira and Peter Parker. They'd all seen the fight.
Apparently, some kid had livestreamed my brawl with Endeavor.
Shit.