10 Years Later

Warui Yatsu was not a nice man. He liked to hear women scream. He especially liked to hear women scream when his quirk... he cut short the thought. His barrister, a bitch of a woman who was defending him only because she knew it would look good for her, had told him again and again, that he could not make odd faces in court. His boss had told him that as well. And his boss was paying so he should listen to that.

Instead, Warui sat and kept his expression clear. Court was a formality. Not that he thought he'd be avoiding a sentence. That was also coming but it would be a far more lenient sentence than what someone would usually get. It always had been in the past.

He knew that, because Warui was a member of the League of Villains. Sure, he wasn't one of the big wigs, like Dabi, or Toga or Mustard, but he was a member. Not card carrying. They didn't have cards. But being a member gave him certain protections, and they were showing now. His barrister might be doing the job because it would look good on her resume, but that's what she was telling herself. She was doing it because Kasen had dirt on her and Kasen reported to Dabi, and Dabi had said that he should be defended.

That's how it worked. Though Dabi had called him once, while he was in remand. He'd told him something odd, but comforting. 'You might not even get a prison sentence this time,' Dabi had said. 'The boss has pulled some strings.'

That had been a surprise. It made Warui feel invincible. The boss! He wasn't a fool. He knew Dabi and the other big names in the League had a boss. He just had no idea who it was. No one did. Dabi and the others did, but they didn't spill. But if the boss had taken a personal interest then... everything would be okay

He just had to sit here with a clear face.

He could wonder later what his barrister would look like, under him, as his quirk held her down. He might even be able to find out! He could wonder what the Judge would look like naked, shaking in fear as he approached her. Except... no. She was dumpy and old and he wouldn't debase himself that much, not even for her expression. Warui glanced over at the prosecution. The man looked confident.

He resisted the urge to snort. Of course the man looked confident. Warui knew his history. He gave a small smile. The prosecution was going to lose this case. Such a pity. He'd have to learn that in this world there were winners and losers, and it was best if you associated with winners. The barrister would learn.

Except...

Warui knew how to read men. Dabi expected it. You had to know who could go the distance with the fights, or who was there to cause trouble. Warui dealt with those who caused trouble. His quirk restrained them and then something Dabi called a Noumu removed them. Sometimes permanently. Mostly just out the door. Even the League had only so many places they could stash the bodies, and Dabi liked to joke they were running out of room.

The barrister appeared confident. Why was his confident?

"Your Honour," he was saying. "The prosecution will forgo seeking jail time in this case, as we believe this would be the perfect opportunity to test QERI."

Warui blinked. What the hell was that? But... no jail time? He could live with that.

"Drop the conviction as well, and I'll advise my client to consider it," his barrister said.

Yatsu schooled his expression into something calm. She was too eager.

"No, a conviction must be recorded," the prosecution barrister said.

"Agreed," the Judge intoned, giving Yatsu's barrister a hard look.

What had she been trying to pull off? What was this QERI?

"The court will consider it," the Judge continued.

"Objection! The prosecution has never raised this option before."

"With respect, Your Honour, the prosecution feels that this case provides the perfect opportunity to test QERI. The defendant has been found guilty multiple times of quirk related offences, and has shown no remorse for the deaths cause, nor any empathy for the pain of those left traumatised by the use of his quirk."

"My client has displayed much empathy!" His barrister objected. Warui wondered how the lies slipped so easily from her mouth... oh wait... he was paying the bitch. Or rather the boss was. She was like all bitches. They would say anything for money. "Past cases also have no regard to this one. In each previous case, my client has served his time of penance. It is circumstance, an the acts of the supposed victims which brought my client's use of his quirk in self defense! It is lucky my client has such a quirk, or else he might have been hurt far worse!"

Warui looked at her. She sounded calm but he could tell she was worried. He didn't like that.

The prosecution barrister shook his head. "As the defense has so graciously pointed out, the defendant has committed more than one crime and is a repeat offender. Given the multitudinous cases, the prosecution sees no evidence at reform, or even attempts to reform. Instead the defendant has willfully used his quirk to harm others on multiple occasions. The defense claims self defense, the evidence says attack. As such, the state would like to apply for the use of QERI in this case."

"No, the use of QERI is a fundamental violation of my clients human rights."

The prosecution barrister looked to the defense. He could tell she didn't mean that, but it was one of the few logical argument she could put forth. "The prosecution understands that the use of QERI is new, and while we would argue that it would prevent any possible future violations of quirk law, the prosecution understands that we are not here to speculate about the future." The barrister gave the judge a nod at that, knowing that Her Honour would have pointed it out otherwise. "However, given the history of the defendant, and the severity of the quirk violations, the prosecution will press for the use of QERI. In exchange, as I stated, the prosecution will apply for the waiving of the mandatory jail term."

Yatsu wasn't sure what to think. No one had explained QERI and while he was an intelligent man, the only clue as to what was going on, was the strain on his barrister's face. "What's QERI?" he asked. It had to be something really bad if the prosecution was willing to forgo jail time.

"The defendant will be silent," the Judge announced. It sounded perfunctory. He hated that. It sounded like she'd made a decision already.

"What's QERI?" he demanded again.

"Quiet," his barrister muttered, her lips barely moving.

"No! What is this fucking QERI thing?" he demanded. He couldn't leap up. He was chained in place. His quirk lurked close to the surface but he knew better than to use it here. Oh... but it would be sweet to see that old bitch of a Judge squirm.

"You will be silent," the Judge intoned, actually looking at him. "Or the court will ensure your silence."

Warui snapped his jaw shut. He knew what that meant. Any case where the defendant was being tried for improper use of their quirk involved quirk suppressant cuffs, and in some cases muzzles, for those who's quirks operated through their mouths. But the court was free with them. It was used to silence annoying defendants like himself and there was nothing he could do about it.

The Judge looked away when he was suitably cowed. "I will consider the use of QERI," she said, "for now, please move on."

Of course, no case is that easy. The barristers did move on. The defendant was found guilty. The evidence was damning. And that's how Warui Yatsu had a conviction recorded but no jail time and was now, on the last morning of his time in remand strapped to a table. Quirk restraining cuffs were on his wrists but even if they weren't there was no way he could break the restraints.

It was cold. The room was sterile and there was a huge one way mirror taking up one entire wall. He knew there had to be people behind it, but the silence was deafening.

Eventually a door opened. A man walked in. He was dressed in a white hazmat suit. His face wasn't visible through the mask.

Warui stiffened. What the hell was going on here? All his barrister had said was that... the bitch had said nothing useful. Just that he wouldn't be going to jail... He never agreed to this.

"Warui Yatsu, prisoner number -"

"I ain't a prisoner!" He growled. The conviction had been recorded but as the prosecution had requested there was no jail time because of this QERI crap.

"-been selected for the use of QERI-" the man continued.

"What the fuck is QERI?" Warui demanded.

The man ignored him and instead went to one of the white walls. A small draw opened. Yatsu watched the man reach into it, and pull out a small syringe. He had a bad feeling about this! "What the fuck is QERI?" he demanded again.

"Administer." The voice came from the speaker system.

"What is it!?" Warui screamed, pulling away as much as he could.

There was a sigh over the speakers. "QERI is an experimental punishment," a voice explained. It sounded tired. It sounded bored.

Yatsu glared. It had to be one of the so righteous bastards who were sitting behind the glass. "Quirk Experimental Removal Initiative," the voice continued.

"What?" Yatsu roared, his eyes widening. He pulled at the restraints. They weren't gonna take his quirk!

Blood flowed from his wrists where the restraints cut into him.

"Administering sedative." That was an automated voice.

He felt a pin prick at the back of his neck and everything went blurry.

The man in the hazmat suit hadn't moved but Warui could see him standing there. He could see the syringe in his hand. It shone in the light.

"As a repeat offender who has shown no remorse for your victim's suffering, you have been nominated for QERI testing. BioSimip Industries is acting as guarantor in the event of any complications. Assuming none, after confirmation that your quirk has been permanently suppressed, you will be released."

Yatsu tried to say no. He tried to deny it all but his tongue wouldn't work. It came out like 'naluga' which meant absolutely nothing.

"Administer now, please," the watching bastard said.

Warui tried to struggle but the sedative was powerful. His limbs were heavy and they didn't obey him. The man in the hazmat suit stepped forward. He pulled a small bottle from somewhere and there was a burst of cold on Yatsu's arm where the contents were sprayed on him. Alcohol, he recognised the smell.

Then there was another pin prick. He wasn't even sure if he felt it or just thought he did. Then there was nothing. Before he knew it, the man withdrew the syringe and washed the area down with alcohol again. There wasn't even a need for a dressing.

"Monitoring," the automated voice said.

Warui imagined there were any number of facilities in the watching room which were trained on him. He didn't know what they were monitoring. His could feel his heart beating as normal. He was breathing okay and the world was still fuzzy. How did you monitor a quirk? As far as he knew there was no way of knowing unless it was being used, and with the cuffs he couldn't use his.

"Remove the cuffs," the instruction came.

The man in the hazmat suit had put the syringe away, back into the little draw that once more disappeared into the wall, leaving it smooth and featureless. The little bottle of alcohol was similarly gone. He was surprisingly dexterous for a man wearing rubber gloves and soon the quirk restraining cuffs were gone. Warui noted how his blood looked on the white hazmat suit. It was starkly red.

"Monitoring," the automated voice said again.

"Suagarh!" Yatsu said. He was trying for 'shut up'.

"Quirk receding."

With the sedative, he couldn't even panic at that.

"Do you want me to bandage the cuts?" the man asked, looking towards the glass.

"You should," came the bastard's voice again but Warui could tell he didn't really care. He was more interested in the automated voice.

He breathed in and out. He couldn't feel anything. He wasn't sure if he should feel anything except... Even with the sedative, Warui felt his eyes widen when he reached for his quirk. He couldn't activated it. He couldn't even feel it. It wasn't there.

"Quirk receded." The automated voice said.

"Good," the bastard commented. "Thank you for your participation, Warui Yatsu. All being well, you will be released after further tests. This is a historic day and you should feel proud that you have played such an important role within it!"

-afp-

QERI Program Success

The Justice Department has successfully trialed a new punishment for repeat offenders in quirk related violence cases. Rumour has it that the Program will be used to permanently suppress offenders quirks though spokespeople have been tight lipped on what the acronym means, but a freedom of information request indicates that the program is being sponsored by major pharmaceutical company BioSimip Industries. They are perhaps best known for their revolutionary sleeping pills, which may be tailored to individuals to give an accurately timed sleeping pattern. Media relations at BioSimip Industries offered no comment on the QERI Program.

Representative Imoku Kakurete looked at the tiny article on the twelfth page of the paper. Most people didn't bother to read the physical paper any more. It was for government and company announcements, and births, deaths and marriages. It wasn't for real news, but the Justice Department was required to report on its programs and while they usually did it via media release, it had been deemed best that QERI just be quietly announced.

Eventually the public would find out but by then, they'd be used to the results. In this case, it was going to be easier to beg forgiveness, rather than ask for permission. There was going to be backlash but that wasn't his problem.

He sighed. There were times when he loved being an independent.

Now was one of them.