Chapter Text
“You’ve grown from the last we saw each other.”
That was a lie. Deku was just as pathetic a creature as when they first caged him. He nodded regardless. Rat could play along with Sensei’s games better than the others.
“I trust your education is almost complete?”
Why would Sensei summon him if not?
“Speak, boy.”
A shiver crawled up Deku’s arms and legs, making his skin tremble. The Hound wanted out. Deku couldn’t let the Hound out now. That beast would be worse than useless in this situation.
“Y-yes, sir,” he squeaked. “Toga was especially helpful with my social reeducation, a-a-and Dabi and I have been training more with my quirk, getting the duration of each change to increase. Shigaraki…” Deku trailed off. He swallowed. “Well, w-we’ve gone over tactics, mostly, and subterfuge. And…yeah. M-m-mostly that.”
Sensei hummed. Deku got the feeling his master hadn’t listened at all. The tall, shadowy bulk of him slunk closer, making Deku back up instinctually. He forced the Hound to remain where he stood as a large hand reached out, clasping his shoulder in a vice grip. The hand caused all of the writhing identities inside of him to still.
“You’ve come a long way, child, and in such a short time. It was less than a year ago that you remained in the cage, a thing of madness. You were no better than a dog. Do you recall?”
“Yes, I-I…I do.”
“Good.” The hand pressed on him and his quaking knees threatened to buckle. “Never forget where you came from, boy. You are not a person like the others. You are my creation, sculpted to help carry out the plans for the new world. You have no purpose other than what I give to you. You will play your part, or I will unmake you. You do understand.”
It was not a question. Deku nodded numbly. He quickly remembered Sensei’s lesson, and said, “I do understand. T-thank you, sir. I won’t let you down.”
“Your talents make you particularly suited for this assignment. I trust you, Izuku. I know you won’t disappoint.”
Another shudder. Of course, Sensei trusted him. It was in the nature of a hound to adapt and shape to its environment. That had been the first thing Sensei taught him.
“In light of your high performance, I have something in mind to give you. A reward to help with your upcoming task.”
Oh, no.
Deku’s trembling increased, the bones of his legs turning to jelly. Whatever Sensei wanted to give him, it would only make things so much worse. His body and mind were tangled and misshapen enough already.
“T-that's really not…. I don’t think another one is a good idea right now-”
“Silence.”
Deku’s mouth slammed shut. He wanted to cry. He wanted to beg and grovel like a cowering dog. He knew it was futile. Sensei had too much ambition. He often got carried away by his discoveries and cared little for the consequences. There was another mutant-type quirk he wanted Deku to possess, no matter how much it might cost his body and soul to do so.
What was left inside him to sever away?
He would soon find out.
---
Sensei gave Deku five or six quirks in total. Five, not counting the generic transformation quirk that meant nothing to a terrified child recently torn away from the cooling body of his mother. He does not know if he had the quirk before they took him or not. Why they wanted him in particular, he does not know either. There is little of the “him” from before left to remember.
Sensei called them “gifts.” Deku would know them as the new occupants in his head, taking up space where there should exist a whole person. He often wonders if he exists at all, or if he was simply a malformed amalgamation of the traits and powers rammed into his body, separated by trauma and necessity. He does not know the exact order they were gifted to him. The Hound probably came first. He is the undercurrent to everything Deku feels. He is the reason Deku stays complacent – how he survives.
Angel came after. He was like a shining light in the world when there was no one. Not exactly a “friend,” as Deku would call him. Angel has too much of a superiority complex to truly befriend anyone. The same is true of Rat and Dragon, though for vastly different reasons.
It took years in that cage to pull together a semblance of humanity. The others both helped in their different ways and hindered him. Together they pieced themselves into something resembling a human, something functional. When they finally released him from that cage, he was a trembling, malleable mess, willing to do anything and everything required of him so long as he never returned. The various members of the League taught him well enough. Some of them liked his fear and took advantage. His education came in many forms, some not so intentional. They had plans to insert him into the hero academy as a mole. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. Deku would do it faithfully.
Only a week before they planted him, Sensei gave Deku his final gift. That week was lost from his memory. The others told him he had done well, training with them and going over strategies. He had been sociable and quick to learn. He didn’t feel like himself anymore (not that he ever felt like anyone in the first place, and yet). Something was different. A shadow now lurked at the corner of his eyes. Nightmare, he called the newest of the group.
And then there were five.