My Swarm Academia: Call Of The Void

Lunch the next afternoon was interrupted by the ringing of Kai's phone.

"What do you think you are doing?" asked a worried voice.

"Eating. Ayako's a great cook, you should come join us some time, Principal Nezu," Kai replied.

"You know that's not what I mean," Nezu replied with a trace of anger. Why was Kai being frustrating?

"I'm being frustrating because you were being indirect, Principal. Besides, I really am eating. Ask the real question."

"Why did you talk for that article, and why are you 'doubtful of UA's ability to protect it's students through the coming times?'"

"Oh good, she quoted me on that. I haven't read the article yet, actually. Thought she would put it off until later. Or talk to you, who would have talked her out of it."

"That isn't an answer, Kai-kun."

"I thought this was obvious as well. I want to talk to Tommy McPaleface. Set some clear rules with him. Seemed like an efficient way to get a hold of him."

"By putting your phone number out into the news?"

"Just one of them. A changeling is holding onto the phone and screening calls until Tommy calls. Didn't think there would be so many trolls- I've gotten two since the beginning of this conversation. Bored people really will do anything." Kai shook his head.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Are you?" Kai countered without a pause.

Nezu was silent for a while. He was working to find the League of Villains through all the proper channels, but so far, had turned up nothing. There were no leads, and now UA was on the passive side. He didn't like it but waiting was all he could do. Was there really nothing more to be done?

"I understand that in your position, you have to do the right thing. No mass surveillance, no assassinations, no… what's the word I'm looking for? Hm… efficiency. That sounds about right." Kai stood up and paced. He wasn't the type who could sit still for long while on the phone. "You have to worry about your image, and I don't care about mine. So, I will use that, and you just have to insist that there was nothing you could do. Win-win, right?"

"I'm not sure I would say that," Nezu said. He didn't feel comfortable letting Kai continue working like this.

"For a moment, ignore my age. Think about my years of experience, and my pride as a professional. Am I really a child? Are you going to ignore all that to think of me as some idiot kid who puts himself in danger for a fight? I'm not Bakugo."

"You are not Bakugo. But, if I think of your experience instead of your age, I have a far worse set of worries."

"Hmmm, fair enough. How about this- I promise that I won't let anything bad happen because of talking with Tommy. And if something does happen, I'll apologize. Sound good?"

"Not nearly now-"

"Hold on, Principal, I've got another call coming in. Talk to you later, okay? Bye!"

Kai hung up, cutting off any objection Nezu had. He didn't have time to keep up this discussion that was going to go nowhere. He wasn't going to change his mind on something he had already done, and Nezu wouldn't accept it no matter what because he thought it was crazy.

Maybe it was, but that didn't mean it wouldn't work.

After all, Kai did have a real call coming in. One forwarded from changeling #626.

"Tommy? Is that you? How have you been?"

"Did you really set all this up just to chat? Pretend we're friends?" asked a tired voice through the phone's speaker.

"You wound me," Kai replied with as much sarcastic pain as he could put into his voice. "I just understood that Japanese people like to dance around a topic and chat before getting down to business. Or was that something I learned in Hawaii? Not important. But really, how are you doing? Planning your next attack on All Might, or is that something your mentor does? Or the professor?"

"And what right do you think you have to know anything about either of them?" Shigaraki Tomura asked, getting serious. In a bar across town, he paced back and forth slowly, occasionally looking to Kurogiri behind the bar, or the computer screen at the end.

"Can't I just be curious? A ragtag group of villains with the most imbecilic plan I've had the p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e of stopping manage to halfway pull it off with the help of a powerful backer and a mad scientist who made a multi-Quirk homunculus? It's amazing! If you weren't intent on killing All Might, which would be fine if it wasn't also inconvenient at the moment, I'd like to hire you!"

There was a moment of silence over the line as Shigaraki pondered what to react to. Imbecilic? Homunculus? He knew about Sensei? Hire me? Who the heck was this kid? Was he even a kid?

"Alright, fine. If you want business, I can get down to business. I would like you to keep the kids out of your… what are you fighting for, anyway?"

"We-"

"Actually, never mind that. There's basically only one reason to target heroism itself- it cut off time you could have had with loved ones. And I can empathize, don't get me wrong. Many heroes have forgotten the meaning of their job title. But seriously, killing them? Attacking Hero #1 in a hero's stronghold? Pathetic. Inefficient, too.

"But you know? You do you. Just keep the kids out of it, and I won't cause you too much suffering. Heck, I might even help you if you go after certain heroes. Sound good?"

"Kid, why should I continue to listen to anything you have to say?" After that, Shigaraki finally found a response- anger.

Kai responded with an address.

"I'm sure that your gateman is there with you. He seems to be your babysitter. So, let him go to the address, and you can find an old friend. Noumu was his name, right? He wasn't talkative, so I arranged for him to be released into my care. Should be a good reunion, right?"

Now the silence that followed Kai's words was filled with surprise, rather than confusion. He was going to give them Noumu? The doctor had been so disappointed that he had been lost. And he would be a valuable asset to have when they next attempted to kill All Might.

Kai relished the silence. That meant that he was seriously considering this deal. Another reason that he had had to move quickly and make this contact before Nezu could do anything about it.

"You know what, you seem to want to think about things. Or perhaps you forgot the address. I'll text you the address, and you can send Kurogiri to check it out. I don't want to hold on to Noumu much longer. He talks too much."

Shigaraki nodded to Kurogiri, who disappeared into his black smoke.

"You are… stranger than I expected," Shigaraki said.

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"I had heard stories about those that have Quirks like yours. Those monsters were yours, right? It's strange that someone from such a… prestigious family would choose to become a hero of all things."

"Ooh, you know about the Clan. That's nice. I hope you don't think that trying to find them to get them after me is a threat against me. Might as well shoot yourself in the foot and ruin another pair of your shoes. And then pour lemon juice over the wound for good measure."

"Is that a threat?"

"No. It's just advice about getting in over your head.

"If we are done with these basic pleasantries, and you don't fancy a chat, is Kurogiri back?"

There was a moment of silence as Shigaraki considered the implications.

"What have you done to him?"

"Don't accuse me of harming him. I didn't make a trap for you- that would be rude of me as someone who would very much rather work with you. He's just a messenger. He's probably just paranoid that I would put a tracker of some sort on Noumu, so he's delaying himself, I expect. Still, I believe I did have to make the terms of our continued relationship clear. Remember- you may fight the children, but the moment they are targeted directly and harmed-"

"What? You'll kill us? You're a hero," Shigaraki scoffed. This kid could talk, he had to give him that point, but he was just a child, a student. No matter his power or background, how much of a threat could he deliver?

"Don't insult me. You are completely off the mark. I would let you live. All the way to the end of the world. Plenty of time for you to pray to any god you want and beg for death. However, I am not such a merciful god. I am sure you understand, since you know my origins.

"Remember- kill the old man, attack any heroes you want, but leave the kids out of it if you value yourself.

"Say hi to Noumu when Kurogiri comes with him."

Kai hung up before any response could be made. It was a disappointment that he wasn't able to see their reactions. After all, it should be quite… something.

***

In the bar, Shigaraki and his Sensei sat in silence, thinking about the audacity Kai had shown towards them. What did he think he was, in front of them?

"We should call-"

Kurogiri's sudden appearance cut off his intent to call and check in on him. However, he was alone. Noumu was not with him. Instead, Kurogiri set down a covered tray and shakily walked to the back without a word.

Shigaraki hesitantly lifted the lid to reveal a macabre sight. Resting on a bed of scorched, dry rice and swimming in a suspiciously dark red "sauce" was Noumu's head sans eyes and half of the brain, which had clear signs of being messily torn from its original place on his shoulders. The scent of blood and garlic reached Shigaraki's nostrils as his eyes found a card on the platter. Turning the tray to better see, he read, in neatly handwritten blood, "I'm home. All hail. All submit. All Hail."

On the other side was, "David Shinotani- UA Student Security Head/Consultant on all things Villainous. A Psychopath who knows your name. Cross the line, and I will destroy you soul-first." And the same phone number to contact him again. "Please call 4-6 on weekdays. I have a life outside of you."

"There is something seriously wrong with this kid," he muttered.