Todoroki never thought he'd have friends. His father always warned him about getting distracted. He didn't care though. He was glad to meet them. They are more, his family than his father ever was. They gave him a place to belong to, making him feel wanted, making him feel loved. He wouldn't trade that for the world.

The fire and ice user didn't know what the villain was talking about. Nonetheless, he didn't like it. Because, if they were talking about some priority target, it meant that Bakugou wasn't the only one they were after. It meant one of his friends were in danger.

He thought he knew fear. He thought he knew what it felt like to be scared. Yet, nothing he ever experienced made his blood run cold the way it did when Midoriya stepped up towards the villain. Nothing he ever saw made his limbs freeze up. His heart racing, as he was begging his body to move, to do something, anythingto help his friend. To stop him!

He could only stand there, watching helplessly as Midoriya willingly gave himself up in order to save Bakugou. He couldn't even be surprised, because this was such a Midoriya way of doing. Because of course, His self-sacrificing idiot of a friend would trade himself for another.

It doesn't mean that it didn't hurt. It hurt like hell, seeing him taken away. He could feel his heart clench as Izuku's eyes met his, for a split second before he vanished into thin air. He Could feel the anger that was bubbling inside of him rise to the surface. He wanted to scream, to shout and curse at himself and at the villains. And he did. He screamed, he screamed until his throat felt raw and his voice cracked under the pressure. Why didn't he move? Why didn't he stop him? He let his friend be taken away and he just stood there.

How could he ever be a hero if he couldn't even save the people he loved.

______________________

Shinsou didn't like this, he didn't like one bit. He knew, the moment that Midoriya went alone that it was a bad idea. Villains were attacking the camp for god's sake and he let his friend go out there alone?

He followed the others back to camp, his mind racing with possible outcomes to the situation. He regretted not following Midoriya out into the forest. He wanted to, he was going to. However, Iida, ever the voice of reason, told him not to. Shinsou didn't know where Midoriya was off to and they couldn't have another student wandering the forest alone.

It wasn't until later that night, that he found out just how wrong he was not to follow Midoriya out into the woods.

It was hours later when the students started to trickle back in, that he got the news.

He watched as one by one, his new classmates, made it back. Thankfully, No one was hurt really bad. Some of them looked worse for wear but none of them seemed to be seriously injured.

The only ones that were still missing were Aizawa, Midoriya, Todoroki, Shoji, Tokoyami, and Bakugou.

He waited, his eyes trained on the woods ahead of them as he looked for any sign of their arrival. His anxiety was beginning to overwhelm him as his mind wandered to the never-ending possible reasons for his friends and teacher to be still out there.

The others weren't fairing any different, all of them were showing different signs of nervousness and anxiety. Iida was switching between calming the others or giving some of them reassuring speeches. Shinsou wasn't sure if they were meant for them or for the boy himself. Uraraka, on the other hand, was pacing back and forth, all the while mumbling under her breath.

She was the last one to see the missing group. From what he gathers, they were trying to get back Bakugou from the villains. He hopes that they succeeded. He didn't particularly like the blonde's explosive personality but he didn't want the teen to be taken either.

His eyes caught onto the rustle of a nearby tree and he called out to the others as he saw the telling form of Shoji's tentacles and Tokoyami's bird head.

He stepped closer only to freeze as he looked at the defeated form of the boys, both of them were frowning. Behind them, appeared the rest of the group. Todoroki had his head bowed, his expression dark and angry as he followed his classmates quietly. Next to him was none other than their teacher.

Aizawa had an even more distressed expression adorning his features. His usual blank appearance was twisted into a somewhat mix of both anger and concern.

He knew what it meant. Something happened out there. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.

His heart stuttered as his eyes landed on the fiery blonde, behind him, no sign of the green haired boy. Red flags blared in his mind. He knew what it meant. He knew it the moment he saw Bakugou's eyes. His once, vibrant red eyes were now dull, lifeless as he walked into the clearing. His shoulders hunched and his head bowed as he appeared to be walking on autopilot.

He knew it was futile, yet, he couldn't help but ask. He wanted to be sure, wanted that last shimmer of hope to grasp. He wished, with all his heart that he was wrong. He looked at the empty space behind the new arrivals. Pleading, begging whatever force out there, that his friend was alright. That he was going to walk out here any moment now.

He waited and watched for what felt like an eternity.

He never came. Izuku never showed up.

The villains took him, Aizawa said. He informed them about the night's event. Told them about the villain's targets, the trade. Izuku gave himself up.

He felt his heart race as his mind tried to process the information. His friend was missing. He was taken. His friend was gone.

He watched as Uraraka began to cry, her wails echoing through his mind. A reminder of ever-present darkness that was looming over them.

He watches as the world seem to crumble around him. As that last shimmer of hope was snuffed out.

He just hoped that wherever Izuku was taken, whatever the villains wanted to do to him, that he'd make it back alive.

______________________________

Pain, that's the first thing his mind registered as he woke up with a jolt. Searing pain runs down his spine as he feels his body convulse under the violent electrical current that's pulsing through him. His hands and feet straining against the metal cuffs that are holding him down.

"Ah, you're finally awake." Came the impatient voice of Shigaraki as the man stepped into his field of vision. "I was wondering if we'd have to increase the voltage a little. You've been out for a while now." The man continued nonchalantly.

Izuku looked around frantically, his eyes taking in his surroundings. Looking for any way out of this. His arms and legs are strapped to a chair by metal cuffs. From the pain he felt just a few moments ago, he guessed that they were charged with an electric current. Strangely enough, his previously broken hands were now neatly wrapped up. He could still feel them throbbing but it was a dull version of the agonizing pain he felt before.

Before...

The last thing he remembers before waking up is his mother's all too familiar voice.

He thought he'd gotten over the unadulterated fear that takes over him when he hears her laugh. He was wrong. It still rings in his ears, looping in his mind like a broken record.

He remembers the way his breath caught in his throat, the way his heart seemed to clench in his chest as his eyes met his mother's cold gaze.

Why was she here? He knew his mother was a bad person, but a villain? He'd spent countless nights wondering where she could have possibly gone. Never for a million years did he imagine seeing her with villains. The league of villains no less.

"It's rude not to answer when being addressed Midoriya. Didn't your mother teach you any better?" Ah... he spaced out. Somehow, while he was distracted, Shigaraki pulled up a chair in front of him.

"Why would I answer to anything you tell me." Izuku snarls back before he can stop himself. He knows it's crazy to antagonize his capturer, but he wants information. He knows that whoever was behind his kidnapping, Shigaraki isn't the one who's going to give him the answers he wanted.

"You brat. If it was up to me, you'd already be, six feet under." Shigaraki looks agitated like he'll attack at any moment. He doesn't want to be there when the man finally snaps. He tries summoning his quirk but nothing happens. Why wasn't his quirk working now? He needs to get out of here. He needs to escape.

"Don't even try it. You've got enough quirk suppressants in your system to stop even All Might." Shigaraki looks like mentioning the hero left a bad taste in his mouth. His face is scrunched up in disgust.

"Why is my mother here? "He decides to avert the conversation to something else. He's afraid of the answer he'll get but asks anyway.

"Well" Shigaraki looks like he's trying not to kill someone. "You'll find out soon enough, wouldn't want to ruin the surprise now, would we?" The response barely registers in his brain as he's too busy trying to find a way out of this. they're in some kind of bar, no windows in the vicinity and the only apparent exit is a door on the opposite side of the room.

Shigaraki apparently noticed what he was doing, the way his face contorted into a frown and he stood up abruptly, as any indication. "You think you can ignore me, brat?" The man snarls, his hand reaching up to touch Izuku's arm.

Mirages flashes in his mind, images of disintegrated flesh, Tsuyu turning to dust, Aizawa's elbow disintegrating-Blood, so much blood.

"Tomura. That's enough." A voice calls out, the sound distorted and filled with static. Izuku opens his eyes, only now realizing he had closed them in the first place.

"But Sensei. He was- "

"Get the rest, I need to have a little chat with our new guest here." Shigaraki looks like he wants to protest but reluctantly stalks away and out the door.

Izuku is left alone, addressing an obscured figure through a computer screen. Shigaraki called the man sensei, did that mean...

"Hello, Izuku Midoriya." The voice greets as the screen flickers to life. The voice is deep, tone gruff and strangely polite. "I don't believe I've introduced myself yet." If Izuku's suspicions are right, he's in much more trouble than he previously thought. "My name is All for One, but you can call me Sensei." The man pauses as if expecting some kind of reaction "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Why did you bring me here? What do you want from me?" Izuku asks instead, trying to ignore the rising fear that threatening to overtake him at any moment. because, here he is, trapped in the league of villain's lair, being held captive by none other than All Might's greatest enemy, the most powerful villain in the world. His mother's presence looming over him isn't helping his nerves either.

"Ah, straight to the point I see..." All for One sighs as if he expected it. "All right, so be it." The villain pushes some kind of button and the door swings open.

It's barely a few seconds later that villains start to trickle into the room. None of them giving him more than a second glance. Kurogiri is the first one to enter, he's followed by the Lizard guy, Compress and Dabi. Finally, the last one to enter is Shigaraki. The villain stops a few meters short from the entrance, his face is contorted into a smirk, the anomaly makes his skin crawl. The man takes a step to the size and from behind him emerges a woman. She's as tall as he remembers her to be. If only slightly thinner. She has the same glint in her eye. A shine that screams malice and ill-intent. She smiles at him; the thing feels so wrongas she walks towards him.

He barely suppresses the urge to flinch as she draws in close, her eyes raking over his body as her mouth contorts in distaste.

"Long time no see, son." She greets off handily as if she didn't try to kill him the last time they were together. He shakes his head, willing his mind not to wander to that awful night. He can still remember the hopelessness he felt that day. Like a monster, the darkness ate away at every last bit of fight he had in him. Aizawa got him through it then, he doesn't think he'll be here this time.

He was quiet for too long it appears. If the stinging sensation on his cheek was of any indication. He thinks he can taste iron in his mouth. His mother's slaps always left a mark.

"Is that a way to greet your mother brat." She snarls. Although she straightens up a second later, regaining her composure. Izuku looks at the villains surrounding them, he thinks he sees something flash over Dabi's expression.

"Well" All for One clears his throat "Now that the warm reunions are over...I believe you must be confused, young Midoriya." The honorific makes his skin crawl, only All Might calls him that.

"You see, we were initially planning on just kidnapping one of your classmates, Bakugou Katsuki, I believe was his name. After the sports festival, we knew he might have what it would take to become one of ours. However, when we happened to run into your mother only a short time after. She was kind enough to give us some information." The way he says it makes it seem like it was a coincidence. Izuku knows not to believe it though. "We decided it would be in our favor to take you instead, given the- how should I say this... Peculiar nature of your quirk." Although the man's features aren't discernable through the screen, Izuku can feel the smirk in the man's voice. "She was more than happy to make a deal with us." A deal? What could she possibly have to offer them?

"Anyway..." The villain continued "It brings us to why you are here now." Izuku gulped as he prepared for what was in store for him next.

"Sensei, do I get to do it now?" Shigaraki cut in gingerly, shifting from foot to foot in a seemingly excited demeanor. The action reminiscing of that of a child waiting for his Christmas present. It made Izuku feel sick.

"Go ahead Tomura"

He didn't even get a warning, not a moment even to prepare himself for the impending pain. His limps locked up as he felt the electricity course through every inch of his body. His mind blanched as pain overtook his senses, making it hard for him to even make out one clear thought. He distantly heard someone's screams. The sound raw and agonizing. His throat throbbed and he distantly realized that he was making that sound. He was the one screaming. After what felt like an eternity, although he was sure it was barely a couple of minutes, the pain stopped. It didn't go away completely, it was still there. Yet, it was dulled, a tingling sensation just under his skin.

"Why- Why are you doing this?" He gritted out in between pants, it was getting harder and harder to breathe. He vaguely noticed that the only ones left in the room were his mother and Shigaraki.

"Oh, young Midoriya... I thought you were smarter than this." All for one's voice drawled from the monitor. He could imagine the man shaking his head. "You see... Your mother told us about your previous state. The miraculous way you acquired your quirk." The man chuckled, the sound sending shivers down his spine. "After the sports festival, I made the connection. It wasn't hard, your mentor didn't really try to hide it." Izuku gulped as he realized what was happening. "You're the current holder of One For all aren't you?" The man didn't even wait for him to respond. "Although it saddens me to see such potential go to waste... your fate was decided the moment you accepted All Might's offer." He sighed before continuing "Your mother, in return for the precious information she gave us, gets to have her son back... It just so happens that she preferred you when you were quirkless." His quirk? That's what he was after? Didn't he know that One for All couldn't be forcibly taken?

He cursed himself for the way his heart clenched at the man's words. He knew his mother hated him. It still hurt though, to know that his own mother would do this. Did she want to have her weak quirkless son back that desperately? Did she enjoy holding some kind of power over him? He knew the answers to these questions, he just hoped he was wrong.

Before the man could resume his monologue, his speech was interrupted by Izuku's laughter. It wasn't the care-free laugh he'd make whenever he was hanging out with his friends, nor was it the light-hearted sound he'd make whenever he spent time with his guardian. No, this laugh was different. It was hollow, lifeless.

The room seemed to drop in temperature as none of the occupants knew what was going on.

"You think that I'm going to give you my quirk?" Izuku laughed, the sound is broken. "I'd rather die." He snarled, knowing full well that he'd never betray his mentor's trust. All Might believed in him when no one else did. He'd give up his life before he gave up One for All.

It wasn't All for One who answered though.

"Izuku-kun... What did we say happens when you disobey?" His mother cooed darkly. Her sentence was one all too familiar to him. It was what she always said before she gave him a particularly bad punishment. A few months ago, that sentence was all it would take to make him cower in fear. Not anymore though. He wasn't the same weak, useless boy he was back then. The time spent with Aizawa and his friends had given him a new view of the world. He knew people were counting on him now. He wasn't going to let them down. He wasn't going to let his mother walk all over him anymore.

"Give it your worst, mom." If Inko was shocked, she didn't show it. Instead, she just took a deep breath and held out her hand. Izuku knew what was coming. It didn't mean, however, that it made it any less painful. He watched helplessly, trying as best as he could not show any sign of fear, as Shigaraki handed the remote to his mother.

The world blurred around him as it was bathed once again with nothing but pain.

They must have increased the voltage though. The pain was overwhelming, it was getting harder and harder to breathe and his teeth were clenched so tightly that he feared they would break.

His world was once again plunged into darkness as the pain was more than his body could handle.

His last thoughts the only thing that would keep him going through all this.

Make it back alive, problem child.