"A good plan violently executed now

is better than a perfect plan executed next week."

-George S. Patton

"She is a..? Understood. I take it your plan involves the media, then, Deku-san?" Dabi said.

"Yes, that's the angle that we're going for here. You three are going to work with Aiko-san over here and protect her as she establishes herself in the industry again. Of course, prevention is worth an ounce of cure; use your best judgment on what qualifies as protection. If you can justify it to me later, I won't have a problem with it later. Just... draw the line at targeting kids. I won't micro-manage you beyond that much."

They all smiled.

Deku couldn't smile at it, but he didn't retract his words either.

It was just the kind of thing that he was too numb to care about anymore.

Right and wrong. It once tortured his consciousness deeply beyond measure, but now it was nothing but a passing afterthought under a haze of white noise and apathy. What was the point of setting down moral boundaries and rights and wrongs and dos and don't... if other people wouldn't follow those same guidelines? His obsession with what was right hadn't saved his mother from her death; in fact, it was due to his obsession with it that she had died in the first place. If he was as truly as apathetic as he claimed, then All for One would have never even needed to bother with breaking him. And his mother would have never died.

Unspoken was the fact that All for One had succeeded in what he set out to do.

He chucked that thought aside with all the denial and bitterness of a grieving man with sins too heavy for his shoulders to bear.

"Aiko-san, do you think you could be reinstated in your old position with some money?"

She pondered for a few seconds before she nodded.

"I didn't have much in the way of authority despite my relatively high position, and that position that I did have was mostly bought out in the first place, and I was only fired when I wasn't their cash cow anymore. I'm sure if I show up with their precious money again, I'll be let in relatively easily. But if you need authority, that's a trickier problem to tackle. Those old coots are very sensitive to anyone that tries to take any of their ability to boss people around. They like their power very much."

"That's not a problem, no need to worry," Deku pulled a little something out of his suit. "You only need to be able to publish articles like these. It's actually for the best if you accrue no authority and just stay low. We'll keep you in there as long as viably possible by blunting the damage on your superiors and supervisors. The best way to do a complete takedown of the hero system and society is through outrage, time, and patience."

Aiko had grabbed the files from Deku's hands at some point and had been reading over them while he was talking. If nothing, he could praise her efficiency. If she was a little pale from the content of the article and she couldn't help but let her eyes flicker over Bakugo from time to time... Well, that was neither here nor there. She nodded her head once more, all succinct and precise, and that was that. The three villain stooges seemed to have no qualms either, simply raring to go and leave a rain of destruction and chaos in their wake. For Dabi, being the idealist that he was, this was also a chance to enforce the change he had always dreamed of.

He didn't doubt anything about his steel-cold determination.

The only potential participant left, that was being oddly quiet, considering who he was and his personality, was Bakugo.

He had a peculiar look on his face, something that was both nothing and everything at the same time; it was an unending mix of emotions that flickered through his face at such a speed that it might as well have not existed at all. It was understandable, though, really. He was making a decision that would not only change his life forever but also potentially change the very face of society itself. And he was doing it with criminals, even. The barest amount of heroic instincts that had been somehow taken route in his instincts (because no one was truly bad, needless to say, Bakugo) must be warring with him as well.

Deku did nothing but stare with a placid look in his eyes.

There were times to rush, and there were times to wait when a person was making such a grand decision for themselves, and now was the time to wait.

Also, he didn't really want to deal with him more than strictly necessary, so really, it was a win-win for both of them.

"You're sure that this will get rid of the Hero System? Something as trite as this? Don't you think you're in for over your head, Izu-"

Ice cold eyes and a frigid hand kept any sound from creeping out of his mouth.

"While I don't think it's a problem anymore, I abhor using my real name. Understood?"

Bakugo responded to the unspoken threat with a shaky nod of his head.

Cold eyes warmed at the gesture, but they were still lukewarm at best. He had stepped on a nerve here unknowingly, and while it looked like there would be no direct consequences for this unknowing action, there was also no denying that he was standing on thin ice. Completely disregarding Izuku's hatred for himself, if he messed up in such a major way a second time, he didn't need very much imagination to ponder on what could possibly happen to him.

"Good," He let the word rest for a few seconds before he began talking once more. "Bakugo brought up a nice point here. It is unlikely that this plan all by itself will cause the collapse of the Hero System, but that's because there is no perfect plan in the first place with our numbers and power. Just things that stress the foundation of the system. That's where you lot come in. Personally, I have no big interest in this operation. If it works, great, if it doesn't, oh well. I think this attitude of mine is reasonable because while you ultimately were close, Toga, Dabi, Twice... You didn't complete your mission, did you?"

All that responded to him was silence, but silence was an answer on its own.

"I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. I'm not expecting instant success, especially since you all are basically volunteers. However, this does mean that what you receive from me, whether it be wealth, intelligence, chances... It will only be equal to your actual success, since that's the only thing that matters, no? If you work for it, I'll help you more on this little long-term project. I'll simply give you a place to start. If you succeed, if you get stuck, if you fail... It will all be on you from this point onwards. Sounds rather fair, doesn't it? Oh, and Aiko is here to repay a favor to me. Despite it being a little bit of an initial loss, it's necessary for the start of the plan, so I won't demand reimbursement from you."

'You were thinking of reimbursement...' Was the collective thought of the trio of villains, as they felt cold sweat drip down their back from how close a shave it truly was.

Deku was scary when he wasn't out to get you. Deku as a debtor... It truly was an image that haunted their worst nightmares.

But Deku continued to talk without regard for the relieved doofuses.

"And of course, Bakugo, it's not like there's no profit to keep you invested here either. In fact, I'd say you have the most to gain and the most to lose out of this whole mess, depending on which way the pendulum swings. If you choose to join in on this operation, that is. Feel free to ignore me if you just want to do what we've previously discussed."

"...What do you mean?" He was a little hesitant, but his voice came out no less strong than normal. Perhaps even more sharp than normal.

Deku's lips didn't curve into a smirk, but the smirk was all the more visible in his eyes, for some reason.

"It's simple, really. The people who dismantle a system always have special privileges. Special privileges that would render what you're about to do to yourself null and void if you play your cards right. You could naturally join the alternate version that gets put up afterward with some well-placed negotiations. People most certainly won't like you for it, but you've never been one to care about that in the first place, so I think it isn't that big of a deal for you, no? Oh, and we aren't leaving the populace without protection and order, understood? We're not advocates for anarchy, but for a better system."

He paused, as a self-mocking laugh escaped his throat.

"For us, anyway. There are plenty of people who benefit from the hero system, and we're opposing it because it doesn't benefit us. That's one other thing I want you lot to keep in mind. We're not any saints here. We're all just selfish. Make justice your banner, and it will be a flimsy, harmful one. Never lie to yourself. If we're self-serving scum, so be it, that's what we are. Of course, we wouldn't have a problem with it if the system didn't have problems. And there's quite a decent amount of people suffering under its banner, large enough to matter. So don't sell yourself short or have doubts about what we're doing either."

He let his words stretch and settle in the air, before he drove the final point down.

"If it's for yourself, then ignore everything I said, and welcome aboard. Whether this ends in flames or in change will be decided depending on your actions. Sounds rather fun, doesn't it?"

AN:

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That took so long. Anyway. I couldn't find a way to mention it in all that dialogue, but the reason Deku is offering a way out for Bakugo is that it's safer than the other possibilities as he could chicken out on the deal, he could deny everything, etc. If he has a way out/can still live a fulfilling life after this, then it can turn into a mutually beneficial business relationship. Smart guy, that Deku.