#‘but [name redacted] why don’t you just wait and submit next year to not crunch?’ no questions moving on

[solymn]

Wish me luck lads, we’re entering crunch mode

[isthemedia]

Ao3 Link

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Quirk Advancement Program, the QAP.

What was it?

Who did it affect?

...what did it do?

(A/N: So I reblogged chp 3 with the realization that as good as my Monday and Friday updates sounded, I would hit a snag on updating on Monday since I work, and I prefer to post in the early day....sooooo. Firday and Sunday updates!) 

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                                                      Chapter 4

Internships.

Hizashi was actually looking forward to these. Usually he hated this time of the school year. He wound up getting so bored with the kids out and about. But this time? He was more than grateful to have a week off of teaching.

The QAP. He still wasn’t able to get much information on it, but got more than looking up just Iwasaki Medical. He wasn’t liking what he was reading. He didn’t like it one bit. Every lead seem to have some bit of redacted information that he just could dig up.

It took him a few days to finally find the connection between QAP and Iwasaki Medical.

Iwasaki Medical was the site FOR the QAP testing and treatments.

Another thing he found?

Some pros assisted in the set up.The name Gran Torino popped up quite frequently. He was certain that they didn’t know much about it...that is was just a program to help those either struggling with their Quirks or those who wanted to advance them but were just, unable to get into a school like U.A.

Hizashi remembered how his body broke out in a cold sweat when he came up with that hypothesis. How...maybe, just maybe that boy from his dream, er, memory might have ended up there. That he might have taken the chance to go there rather than go into the GenEd class of U.A.

He checked his phone. No response from Tensei. He shouldn’t be surprised...with what happened. But still he felt like he needed to check, even though the chances of getting a response…He texted the other to see if he might know if he could find a list of participants from THEIR year at U.A. See if a name stood out to him.

See if Tensei recalled the same bo--

He should see him before the interns start. Should be able to see friends now, right? Kan did mention he visited him lately?

Hizashi was realizing it’s been too long since he and Tensei actually hung out together. He was always busy, and Tensei was always too responsible.

He really regrets not taking the chance to make time now. Making it as a mental promise to try harder this time. He didn’t want to risk the chance of possibly losing another friend, and regret that they could have had more time together.

Alright, he was definitely making time to see him!

Wait what was that about Gran Torino? He glanced over to Cementoss and All Might, who looked like he was about to pass out from looking at the computer screen. Trying his best to not make it seem obvious he made his way over.

He glanced over...and he couldn’t stop his eyes from widening as his eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

Gran Torino...submitted a request to have a student intern under them!?

The guy was still alive? Would he even have information of the QAP?

Okay, see Tensei first, then talk to this Gran Torino.

--

It was getting late. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, giving this eerie feel that something…

SomeONE was watching you wherever you went.

Nijiwara Sakamoto couldn’t shake the feeling. Couldn’t ease that tension. From leaving his office. To the walk to his car. On his drive home. Even getting up to his penthouse, it felt that there were these eyes watching him.

It was probably paranoia.

It was most definitely paranoia. All those reports about those offices being set ablaze. At first he paid no mind. Then a third, and fourth. And that’s when he found the pattern. He found the connection. He was hoping that he never had to be reminded of that...that--

He threw a cabinet door open in such a haste the the hinges protested at the force. Grabbing a glass bottle, he opened it as efficiently as he could with shaking hands. The liquid burned as he drank.

As he pulled the bottles away he almost let out a scream at what he saw. Hanging just outside his balcony doors was a figure. Red eyes glowing in the darkness, hair dangling as they were suspended upsides down.

He stumbled falling onto his back as the figure dropped and landed on his balcony. Scrambling in an effort to get out of its sight, they were already at the door. The glass sliding door shook as they tried to open it.

He hoped the lock would hold as he finally got himself back up to his feet. About to make a run for it--the glass shatter.

Frozen in fear he craned his neck to look over his shoulder. The way that cloak seemed to defy gravity as they stood gave them the appearance of some sort of winged deity.

A dark harbinger.

He shook as tried to get his body to move. To run. Flee! But he found himself unable to move, as the sound of glass crunching under heavy soles echoed the room.

“I will be giving you the same choice,” the voice was gruff but smooth. It sent chills up his spine, and static curl at the base of his skull. “So listen close...I will not repeat myself.”

Sakamoto couldn’t make out their face, but the shift in the eyes sufficed. It was a threat. A promise.

“Tell the truth…”

Those words hung heavy in the air, and made the business man’s stomach sink. He turned away--

And felt something bind around his neck. Then covering his mouth and nose--

It felt like fabric but it didn’t have the give it should have it truly was. Sakamoto felt his head being forced to turn to look back. The face now much close. Those eyes seemingly brighter than before as the bored into his.

“Or I will.”

The voice dropped to a growl. Eyes tearing up as the binding tightened and the stare intensified. The business man could feel himself getting light headed.

The sudden rush of being able to breath was almost too much. His eyes clenched shut as he felt dizzy. Catching himself on one of the chairs, it took him a moments to realize that darker figure was gone.

H-he had nothing to tell! There was nothing-NOTHING-to come clean with! Eyes darting over the the glass bottle. He snatched it up, and took another long drink.

--

"Midoriya," Hizashi called as he approached the boy. "I’m accompanying you to your internship."

"Ah..w-what for?"

"I need to have a word with this Gran Torino," he began. " Don’t worry don’t worry , I won’t take up much time, I promise,” He grinned and gave the boy a thumbs up.  

The boy nodded with some uncertainty as they made their way.

The building was….not what he was expecting. Not in the slightest. Was this a mistake?

Had to be. There was just no way…

Hizashi was too busy just taking in how the building looked that he didn’t notice Midoriya already making his way to the door.

"HE’S DEAD!!"

The yell had Hizashi snap out of his thoughts and rush to kid’s side. Eyes widening behind his sunglasses. There in the middle of the floor...w-was that really blood?! Dead?! Dammit! He needed to ask--

"I’m Alive!" the old man popped up suddenly nearly giving Hizashi a second heart attack in just a matter of minutes.

"HE’S ALIVE!" Midoriya shouted in the same manner as his declaration from earlier.

Hizashi was still reeling himself, as the old man pushed himself up. Body shaking as he stood in front of them.

"Who are you?"

The blonde inwardly groaned. Maybe this guys was so off his rocker that he might have a better chance at finding answers if he just kept scouring the web and libraries.

"E-excuse me," he heard Midoriya apologize. "I just need to make a phone call."

Hizashi stepped aside to let the boy out. He should probably go. He knew this was just too good for it to yield anything--

"Hmm this is a good costume."

Wait...h-his voice!? Hizashi turned his attention back to the old man who was looking over Midoriya’s hero suit. H-he went from frail and near senile to, something that had control and strength?

"Who are you?" He asked again and tilted his head. The frail voice gone this time. Hizashi couldn’t tell if the guy was mocking them or not at this rate.

"Ah-h-hey, before you two go off--"

"Hmm?" the old man looked to Hizashi.

"I...do you remember, anything about ah...the," w-what was with this presence. It felt heavier the longer that gaze was focussed on him. “I wanted to know i-if you had…”

“Well come on, out with it, we haven’t got all day.”

Hizashi almost yelped at the curt tone. "The...Quirk Advancement Program?"

As soon as that question left him...the mood in the room changed. Gran Torino stood up. "I see, so you’re not here just to drop off the boy."

"I...I will leave right away if I can just ask what you--" he cut himself off as he watch the old man walk off. There was a few moments of awkward silence as he and Midoriya stood in the entryway, the only sounds were of Gran Torino’s shuffling, the drag of a drawer being opened and then closed.

Eventually he came back, with a thick manilla folder. Papers were nearly bursting out from it, and had to be bound with rubber bands to keep them from spilling out. "Any reason why you’re asking for this?"

"...I think...I know somebody from it?"

"Impossible," Gran Torino snapped as he pulled the folder closer to himself.

"I--there’s a," Hizashi licks his lips. "There’s somebody with an eraser Quirk and I ju--"

"Eraser?"

"Y-yeah, at least I think that's what it is. I..he hasn’t fully told me--" He stumbled as the file folder was now shoved into his hands.

"I never trusted the people behind it," Gran Torino stated. "Something always felt off. It was too ‘good’ if you catch my drift. I was sure all...of them were gone…"

The word ‘gone’ echoed in Hizashi’s head. Shakingingly he pulled the bands away and

opened the file to see that the first thing on top of all the papers were a list of participants.

Dammit! All the names were still blacked out. But at least there was at least a number next to them. The other thing that wasn’t blacked out, were the listed Quirks.

Hizashi started to scan through the list, and almost stopped as soon as he started.

His eyes being drawn to the third one listed;

Eraser.

H-he was onto something now.

“Those are the only copies left. They destroyed the originals; I can’t even tell you if they have a digital backup of the likes.”

Hizashi swallowed as the file folder now felt about ten times heavier than it did initially. All this information. If he couldn’t get his answers from here, then he wouldn’t be able to get them anywhere!

“T-thank you Gran Torino-san,”” he bowed. It sounded so lame. This--HE felt like he needed to say more.

“Now, I believe the boy and I have matters to attend to?”

“Ah! Right, I’ll be on my way now,” Hizashi nodded and made his way out. Looked like he was going to have plenty of reading material during the kids internships.

Time to stock up on energy drinks.