A Villain's Revolution

The Phoenix Awakens

Inko felt conflicted when she saw the man at her door. "Oh, I wasn't expecting you."

"I can understand that Mrs. Midoriya." Toshinori said, his eyes looking at the ground. "May I come in?"

"Of course, it's nice to have visitors." Inko said and stepped aside. "Though I don't know how long the guards outside will let you stay."

"Guards?"

"Agents, spies, I don't know. Izuku wanted me to be safe so he made sure someone was always watching over me. I don't mind it much." Inko said as the two sat down in the living room. "Speaking of my son. I guess that's why you're here."

"Yes." Toshinori said and clutched his stomach. "When I heard you were alive I felt like finally had the chance to get rid of this guilt I've carried since I failed to save you that day."

"When I died? I don't carry any grievances from that. I understand that you can't always save everyone. Everyone messes up sometimes." Inko said, making Toshinori visibly relieved. "However, destroying a son's life, hope and dreams isn't that easily forgiven by a mother." She said coldly.

Toshinori gulped. "Yeah, that's what Uraraka told me as well. I failed him more than I'm able to describe."

"That would begin to cover it." Inko said, her eyes harshly aimed towards Toshinori "Because I still don't think you fully understand how much you hurt him. He always looked up to you and placed you high up on a pillar. Almost at the point of worship. I lost track of how much merchandize I got him. So when you said multiple times on television and in interviews that anyone could become a hero if they just wanted to, he believed you. He always did. He tried looking for other jobs as well where he could save people, but wherever he looked he only found closed doors. You were his only hope, his only reason for continuing. And you let him down. Told him to give up and then abandoned him on top of a roof. Treating him the same way everyone else did. He lost everything he valued that day because of you." Inko said, barely keeping herself together. "And I know it would be a lie to tell him that he could be a hero. Maybe if he could complete his research without turning to villain, but not without it. All you had to do was to be the one voice of comfort he needed. To tell him that things could be better, maybe even help him. I know he would have listened to you."

Toshinori's breath was ragged. "I knew he looked up to me once, and that I let him down." He said with tears running. "But not to this extent." He said and broke down. "I don't deserve forgiveness."

Inko place a hand on Toshinori's shoulder. "I might have been harsh, but the fact that you regret it so much and understand how wrong you were shows that you can earn forgivness."

"How?"

"By forgiving yourself." Inko said and let go of Toshinori.

Toshinori looked up with teary red eyes. "I'll try."

"Good. But now I thinks it's best if you leave. I don't those watching to get suspicious." Inko said.

"Yeah, I better get going. Thank you." Toshinori said and left.

Sometime after the former hero had left Inko sat down to watch some TV when she was interrupted by another knock on the door. Not expecting another visitor that day, she went to check the door. And nearly fainted when she opened it.

On the other side of Japan Ochako was in the middle of punching down a door. The door flew of the hinges and into one of the revolution's staging grounds. But as she rushed into the underground compound with the other heroes it quickly became clear that something was wrong. The facility was empty.