With a small flick of his wrist, Izuku moved the last piece of furniture back into place. Returning the room to how it looked at the start of the day. Before he and Gran Torino turned it into a war zone because of the old man's training plan. Which boiled down to 'smack Izuku upside the head over and over again.' All Might supervised as everything was done and with a nod of approval let Izuku know he was done. "Good work today Young Midoriya. You survived."
Izuku laughed, "Felt like it was pretty touch and go there for a while."
"You handled yourself very well. Much better than I did my first time meeting Torino. Isn't that right?"
Torino who was busy munching on a taiyaki glanced over at All Might, "It would have been a small miracle for him to do worse. You were a mess back then."
"Ha ha haaa, thank you Torino."
"No really. Kid your big role model spent more time on his face than on his feet."
"Thank you! I think Young Midoriya gets the point."
Izuku snickered, "I thought you said when you got One for All you were already perfect for it?"
Gran Torino laughed, "His body was yeah, but the lunkhead didn't know how to use it. Want to tell you how many times he ran into a wall because he didn't know how far he was going to jump?"
All Might groaned, "Bringing the boy here was a mistake... So. How's your head? You've been using your Quirk pretty much all day. And for combat training as well."
Izuku smiled brightly, "No nose bleeds, and no headaches." Tapping the crest on his forehead his smile turned to a smirk, "Hatsumes invention works like a dream. I feel like I could go all night if I had to."
"That's good to hear but be careful. Having support gear to help you is always good but you shouldn't rely on it heavily. You need to continue to practice strengthening your Quirk naturally. Over-reliance on gear can be costly. Understand?"
Izuku nodded, "Yes All Might."
"Still this is good news. At least we didn't have to worry about cleaning up blood stains."
"Today at least," Gran Torino added with a dark laugh that sent a shiver up Izuku's spine.
After just one day he understood why All Might was so scared of this old man. Still he felt like he had done pretty well for himself so that begged the question, "So does this mean I pass?"
Izuku's question brought both heroes' attention back to him with Gran Torino looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Who said anything about this being a test?"
Izuku shifted nervously on his feet, "I mean, this training. You were making sure I was the right person."
"You mean like Sasaki?"
"No! Well... not exactly like him. He kinda seemed like he already made up his mind about me."
Gran Torino shook his head, "I already said that I wasn't testing you for that. Toshinori has picked you to receive One for All. All I was doing was seeing what you could actually do."
"Speaking of One for All," Motioning towards the couch, All Might took a seat himself, "Come sit down Young Midoriya. There are some things we need to talk about. Important things."
Izuku nodded and hurried over to take his seat. After spending all day getting trained, or beat up on by Gran Torino he welcomed the chance to sit. Once he had though, Izuku started to notice the atmosphere in the room had changed. Both All Might and Gran Torino wore very serious faces.
All Might did say this was important, but holy cow this feels intense.
Izuku sat silently, waiting for All Might to finally speak. The latter for his part seemed to be struggling on how to start. He wrung his hands together and cleared his throat several times before he seemed ready to begin, "Young Midoriya, I think you should know why I asked you to intern with me for this week, and why I brought you all the way out here to Torino's place to do it. You see, I plan on giving you One for All now, and I expect you to adapt to this power under our combined oversight."
Izuku's jaw hit the ground, "YOU'RE GIVING IT TO ME NOW!?"
All Might nodded, "Gran Torino was there for me when I received it from my master and helped train me. I figured his past experience would be a great benefit and the internship period gives us time to work privately that we wouldn't have otherwise. Unless we waited until the end of a term for a break but… that's still a ways off. And well... time aside," Izuku missed the look Gran Torino gave AllMight at the mention of time, "You've shown me more than enough evidence that you are ready to receive this power. Your progress in class. Your accomplishments in the Sports Festival. You've made progress in leaps and bounds, Young Midoriya. So One for All is yours now. If you will take it."
Hearing this felt unreal for Izuku. It was almost like back when he had first learned about One for All. His world was rocked to its very core. And yet, this is what he had been preparing for since that day. It might have happened before he had expected, but that didn't change anything. His answer was still the same as it had been that day, "I'll do-"
All Might raised his hand, cutting Izuku off with a sharp gesture, "However, before I have your final answer there is one last thing we have to discuss. I will only accept your answer after this because Young Midoriya you deserve to know everything before you make this decision."
"Everything, All Might?" Izuku asked with a tilt to his head.
"Everything about One for All. It's power and its history. Now as to what I've told you before-"
"One for All goes back generations. One person takes the power, and improves it, before they then pass it onto the next person. They too will improve the power before they pass it on. As the quirk is passed from torch bearer to torch bearer the power increases, and grows. I think that's what you told me." Izuku recited the words All Might had told him when he first told him about his Quirk.
All Might smirked, "Very true. For One for All to be passed the next bearer has to take in some of the previous holders DNA."
"Oooh. So that's how it's given. So it's like a blood transfusion... wait... OH MY GOD!" Izuku's hands went to his face in horror. All Might blinked in surprise as Izuku started to panic, "What is it Young Midoriya?"
"Toga!"
That was not the answer All Might had been expecting, "Young Toga? What about her?"
"I've started to give her blo-" Izuku slapped a hand over his mouth and his eyes snapped over at Gran Torino who frowned. All Might quickly put together what Izuku was about to say, and why he had suddenly stopped.
"Ah. I see. I had heard you and Young Uraraka had started making... donations."
Izuku nodded, looking sad, "I'm not going to be able to anymore... it feels like I just back stabbed her."
Gran Torino looked over at All Might, "Something you want to fill me in on?"
All Might shook his head, "I'm afraid it's a bit of a school secret. Just like us, people are allowed their privacy and secrets. But to your concern Young Midoriya, you won't have to stop."
Izuku looked up in surprise, "I won't?"
"In order for One for All to be transferred, the user has to want it to be passed on. So it can't be done by accident. Neither can it be stolen. So you can continue to help Young Toga with your donations."
Izuku relaxed instantly, leaning back into the seat and letting out a long sigh of relief, "That's good. I was really worried…" Izuku paused as he went over All Might's words again in his head, "Wait? What do you mean 'neither can it be stolen?' Do you mean that it can't be suppressed like by Aizawa sensei's Erasure Quirk?"
"No. Not like that."
"But... but you can't steal a Quirk... Can you?"
The looks that came over All Might and Gran Torino filled Izuku with a strange kind of dread. A Quirk was a part of a person. With One for All there was something heroic and beautiful about it being something that was passed from one to another. In some ways that person became a part of something greater. But on the other end, the idea that something like that could be stolen was horrific.
"Young Midoriya, as you already know. One for All is a special Quirk. It is unlike almost any other that has existed."
Izuku caught the one word that made that line so important, "Almost?"
All Might nodded, "There is one other Quirk that has existed since Quirks first manifested in our world. It is from this Quirk that One for All was created. You see One for All has...a brother so to speak. A Quirk that can rob others of their powers and grants them to its user. All for One."
"All...for...One… So it's just like it sounds. It seems like it's the exact opposite of One for All."
"Correct. However this Quirk could also take these stolen Quirks and grant them to others. It is from this aspect of All for One that One for All comes from. This happened many many years ago. When the Quirk phenomenon had just started and the world was still crumbling from the shift of what it meant to be human. As you know from your history lessons, this time period for humanity was marked with great social unrest and the advancement of our civilization coming to a grinding halt before crumpling into all out madness."
"Some of the documentaries I've seen really paint it as a time of horror and chaos. They say it's a miracle humanity was able to survive."
Gran Torino scoffed, "Doesn't even scratch the surface kid. All the big governments censor the hell out of those kinds of shows. They leave enough to let you know it was bad, but they want to scrub away all the worst horrors they can. Too ashamed at all the blood humanity has on its hands."
"And," All Might added, "because some things... some people are best forgotten."Izuku looked at All Might confused while he continued on, "You see, during this time of chaos a lone man began to rise above the bloodshed and was able to gather people to his cause. This man used All for One to steal people's Quirks and gained overwhelming power. As he grew, so did his influence over the country. He moved his people into positions of influence as his pawns, and soon he became Japan's de facto ruler. Never in the light himself of course, that was the job of the pawns who he controlled."
Izuku frowned. What scared him, what truly scared him was that this wasn't some totally new thing for him to hear. In some of the hero forums he would read through there was always one or two posts talking about the secret societies behind the scenes that had risen to power during the chaos in the past. Some even said that everything was connected to just one person. Of course everyone would just ignore them, afterall, "This is all fiction right? At least that's what it's supposed to be."
All Might shook his head, "It may not be in your textbooks or documentaries but it's all real."
"But how is this connected to One for All?"
"You're still focused on All for One's more terrible power. It's power to take but remember it also has the power to give. You see, this man had lieutenants as well as pawns. These few that he trusted he would grant them Quirks of their own as a reward for their loyalty and hard work. However, in doing so he could also weed out the weak ones that would only hold him back. While some could adapt to their new powers, others could not handle the strain and many were left as empty husks. Dolls that lost their free will and could no longer speak. Dolls, but dangerous dolls. Throw them into a populated area and even if they died, the destruction they could cause was immense."
Bile threatened to creep it's way up Izuku's throat as a single word came to his mind hearing this, "Nomu."
All Might nodded, "That's correct. While we can't say for sure how that monster was made, the similarities are too great to ignore. But that is one side of this story. You see, while some were overcome by the Quirks and were burnt out or were able to adapt and gain control of them, there were also cases where the Quirks mutated and blended together. Becoming something entirely new. This man had a little brother. He was small, frail and Quirkless but he harbored a strong sense of justice. Watching his brother rise to power tore his heart, but even feeling such pain, he stood to oppose him. I do not know why the man did what he did next. Perhaps it was his attempt to be kind and convince his little brother to join him, or maybe it was to bend him to his will, but when the man's little brother confronted him, the man forced upon him a Quirk that stockpiles power."
Stockpiles power? Wait that almost sounds like-!
All Might could see Izuku's eyes widen and he nodded, "But that day the winds of fate made it so things did not go the way the man intended. You see his little brother did in fact have a Quirk. It was so weak and meaningless that neither brother knew about it. It was a Quirk that could pass itself onto another. These two Quirks merged into one and One for All was born."
Gran Torino huffed, "From the dark bowles of evil the bright light of justice was born."
"So with One for All, the younger brother was able to defeat this man?"
"No. Remember what I said. One for All is a power that's as strong as it is because all the previous bearers added their strength to it. So when the little brother had it, the gap in their strength was still a vast unimaginable casm."
Izuku sat, a deep frown on his face, "So he wasn't able to defeat him and he continued his reign... Hold on. This villain, if he was alive when Quirks started... that was so long ago. He'd have to have died a long time ago right?"
All Might shook his head, "No. At some point he must have found a Quirk that halted his aging because he has been around this whole time. His hold on the country might have loosened with the rise of pro heroes, but he was still always there, lurking in the shadows. Constantly at odds with the bearers of One for All."
"Constantly at odds?"
"That's right. You see the younger brother might not have been able to defeat his brother so he entrusted his power to the future generations. Little by little this power grew so that one day it would be strong enough to defeat this great evil. All the while, All for One hunted down the bearers of One for All."
"He hunted…?" Izuku gulped. Paling at the thought.
"Yes. While I do not know the personal history of many of the previous bearers, I know that most... died at the hands of this villain... My master included. From what I understand, this villain hunted down the bearers because he feared that this power, a power he helped create and could not steal for himself would one day mark his end. An end that I brought to him."
Izuku shot up straight in his seat, "You beat him!?"
"I did... six years ago I finally confronted that monster and I beat him."
Izuku was about to leap up and congratulate him. Of course All Might would be the one to defeat this horrid villain. But just as quickly, the gears in his mind started to turn. Making him think and making him put together pieces to a puzzle he had been missing since he first met All Might, Six years ago. Six years was when…
"Your injuries." The words tumbled out of Izuku's mouth before he had a chance to stop them.
All Might sighed, his hand brushing along his mutilated left side, "That's right. When I finally fought him, victory came with a steep cost but I thought it worth it because I had finally won. That I had finally killed-"
As All Might spoke, his voice had become harsher. Angerier. Past Memories threatened to bubble up but he fought them back. Anger was of no use here. However he had said enough because when he looked over at Izuku, the boy was looking at him in shock, "Killed?"
All Might closed his eyes, "Yes I… As a rule I always hold back. Killing... as a pro hero we do have some protection since we are sometimes fighting villains that don't value human life. Even so, I hold back. With my power, it's a line that could be so easily crossed, even if I don't mean to. But against that monster... I could not hold back. If I had, I would be dead... before I delivered the final blow, he had already ripped out my left side. In this one instance, there was no choice."
Izuku nodded, but it was still a lot to take in. He knew some pro heroes had taken lives before. Some, like Endeavor, were more known for it. But All Might, up until now, he had never had to resort to that kind of drastic action.
"Unfortunately though... it wasn't enough."
Izuku's thoughts ground to a halt. He looked up, confused as to what that meant, "All Might?"
"I thought that six years ago I had finally ended this monster's reign of terror but... it's become clear to me that I failed. He's still alive and I believe he's the one pulling the League of Villains' strings."
"The League!? But, but Shigaraki-?"
"Remember what I said about pawns. He's clearly set that man up as the figure head while he stays in the shadows. The Nomu too. An empty doll with multiple Quirks put into it, though these monsters are much more refined than the husks he used to create. Less a failed by-product and more an engineered weapon if I had to guess. Fortunately we have it locked away, so we shouldn't have to worry about it again."
His world spinning, Izuku tried to keep calm. He had settled on the fact that Tomura was the worst the League had. A leader with an insane world view who hated All Might. But if there was someone worse behind him, with connections to help create such a horrible monster…
"Could there be more?"
"More?"
"Nomus."
All Might frowned, "I... I can't say for certain. I can't imagine however that a monster like that is something that can be made quickly. That was a monster made to kill me. It's possible it was a long shot plan, or perhaps more. I... I'd like to tell you not to think about it but I can not. Nor can I tell you that this will all be okay. Because now, now this whole issue will soon be revolving around you."
Izuku shot up out of his seat, eyes wide with shock and fear, "ME!? WHY!?"
All Might looked at Izuku with great sympathy, "Because you'll become the ninth bearer of One for All. And with it all the responsibilities that will entail."
The next few seconds was just silence as Izuku processed that. As he started to think beyond One for All and the power and legacy it held and started to think about the burden and horrors tied to it. Izuku's knees buckled, and he fell back into his seat, "Oh…"
It was such a pathetic response from Izuku, he knew this but it was the only one that he could bring himself to say.
"When I found you, I still thought he was dead, and that you would be the first bearer not to have to confront him. Now though this fate, this fate to face this ultimate evil in an ultimate showdown, will be passed onto you...if you choose to take One for All."
"If I choose?" Izuku knew what he should say to that. Even as he sat shivering in his seat he knew what the correct answer was.
Just say yes. You have to say yes. He spent a year preparing you, so you can't just run away now. Even if this is...way more than I could have imagined...Darn it, just say it! Don't be such a coward, a failure now! Don't go back to being worthless!
Gripping the seat tightly, Izuku willed himself to stop shaking and tried to speak, but was cut off by All Might, "Don't give me your answer now, Young Midoriya."
Izuku's mouth clamped shut, confusion written all over his face.
"Before, you took me up on my offer without hesitation. You were ready to walk down this path not knowing what was ahead for you. However, now that you do know... and I know too, I cannot accept an instant answer from you. To do so would be unfair and cruel. You deserve the time to think this through. So, I want you to take the rest of the night and really think about this. You owe this to yourself, Young Midoriya."
Slowly Izuku nodded and got up from his seat. He looked at All Might, then at Gran Torino, the old man watching him closely. Finally, he was able to work up the strength to talk, "I think... I'll go to my room... and think."
"Of course."
"...All Might?"
"Yes?"
"This... this villain. What's his name?"
There was a short pause before All Might spoke, "I don't know. So much about him has been lost to history. My master before me never used it and I don't think her predecessors used it either. He never used it either. To everyone, he was All for One. The Quirk and the man... one in the same."
With that, Izuku shakely left the room. Leaving the two heroes alone. When they heard the repaired door to Izuku's room close, All Might slumped into his seat, "Darn it…"
"You had to tell him, Toshinori."
"Of course I had to tell him. Not telling him was never an option I even considered. I just... I just hoped that he would have been the first of us to be free of all this."
"So what do you think he'll do?"
Sighing, All Might rubbed his brow, "That boy has a true sense of justice in him. He'll do the right thing... to a fault. I know he's the one to inherit One for All but a part of me hopes he tells me 'no' tomorrow."
Gran Torino shook his head, "That won't protect him from what's coming. If anything he'll be in a worse spot. He's already on the League of Villain's radar after the stunt he pulled with that Shigaraki stooge."
"I know that. And I'm sure he does too. Still I can't help but hope if I'm still holding it, I'll be the more enticing target."
"We both know you can't do that. This has to happen, Toshinori. You picked the right kid for this. You know it. I know it. Now we just have to see if the kid knows it too."
All Might knew Gran Torino was right. For what was coming, Izuku was going to need all the power he could get. Not having One for All could very well be a death sentence for him. Sighing, All Might pressed his hand against his temple harder. Whether he liked it or not, this had to happen. And whether he liked it or not he had dragged Izuku into a war that the poor boy could not have seen coming when he had agreed to his request to become his successor. All Might recalled the promise he had made to Inko so long ago. To keep Izuku safe so that he could reach his future. Reach his potential to become a hero.
If she ever finds out what I've done to her son... I doubt she'll ever forgive me.
For pretty much the first hour that Izuku returned to his room he simply existed in a robotic trance. Stripping out of his costume and cleaning off a few scuff marks. He then folded everything up and put it all back into his briefcase. After that he pulled out some fresh clothes to sleep in and then sat at the edge of his bed and stared at the wall while his room got darker and darker with the fading dusk. It was only when the room was illuminated by the dim lights of street lamps outside that Izuku broke out of his haze and started to cry.
Fear fueled every sob that he tried desperately to keep the others from hearing. Bringing his knees up to his chest and dragging his pillow over as well, Izuku curled up and spent the next hour sobbing.
It was only when the apartment was silent, and Izuku was alone awake that he sat back up, took a deep breath, and let out the longest sigh he probably ever had.
"Okay Izuku... That's... enough of that. Time to answer the big question. What are you going to do?"
Say no?
Izuku frowned, "That's... not an option."
Say yes?
"Y-," Izuku hacked up a cough as the word got stuck in his throat. He tried to say the word again but couldn't bring himself to do it.
So let's recap, you're not going to say no. Like you said that's not an option. All Might's down to only an hour that he can use One for All. He doesn't have time to find someone else and train them.
"Toogata..? No."
That's not an option and you know it. Even if All Might was open to someone else being his successor, he turned him down for you. You're his successor and besides, would you really want anyone else to have to deal with this?
"No," even Izuku was shocked at how firm that answer came out.
And don't forget, you might be dooming All Might. If the League of Villains finds him when he's not able to fight back. Or All for One…
Izuku shuddered, forcing himself not to imagine that scene, but still made himself say it, "He'll die."
If anything, this past year and even more so this past month had hammered home how mortal All Might was.
So the answer should be obvious. Saying no, it's just not an option. When you lay it all out, it's the most logical conclusion. So why aren't you saying yes?
Izuku, alone in his dark quiet room, finally gave an answer, "I'm afraid."
Becoming a hero came with risks. Growing up while he idolized heroes he had seen enough news broadcasts to know that sometimes, heroes got hurt. Sometimes they died. Of course he always pushed those thoughts aside quickly enough. Especially after meeting Ochako and All Might and their words of encouragement helping to ensure his dream to become the greatest hero wasn't something that could be dashed. Natural disasters, accidents and villains. These were just part of the life he was choosing to become a part of. The events at the USJ made that crystal clear, however his words at the Sports Festival were not just for show. He had spoken from the heart, and had no intention of letting them stop him.
So what's different now?
"All for One."
His answer was instant. Villains he could understand at least in broad terms. Villains were bad people who heroes had to stop. Granted, Izuku didn't think he could ever understand how a person could take such joy in hurting other people. And even after hearing Tomura's speech, his reasonings still escaped Izuku. But they were still just people and in the end, heroes always won.
Except with All for One. The way All Might had spoken of him. He wasn't speaking about a person. He spoke about him like he was a monster. An immortal monster that had existed to cause chaos and pain. A force of evil that stood opposite to everything Izuku could hold dear. Whose purpose was to hunt down every bearer of One for All and since he could not have the power, to kill it and whoever held it. That concept was just beyond Izuku. If fit more with fantasy and horror stories than real life. Yet it was real, and it was a life he was about to step into.
If he chose to.
You know you can't say n-
"Arg, I'm going in circles!?"
With an exasperated groan, Izuku fell backwards onto his bed and covered his face with his arms, "I wish I could talk to someone…" He lay still for a bit before rolling onto his side and locking his eyes on his phone, resting nearby. Instinct took over and with a quick pull with his Quirk, Izuku's phone landed in his hands and working on auto pilot Izuku did what came natural when he needed to talk to someone he knew he could trust with anything. With a few quick taps, Izuku had Ochako's contact page brought up and his thumb hovering over the call button.
Grunting in annoyance, Izuku clutched the phone tightly in his hand and brought both hands up to his head, "What am I doing? She's probably asleep at this point and besides that, she's in the middle of her internship. How can I be so selfish to bother her with my problems right n-"
"Hello? Deku?"
Izuku's eyes snapped open when he heard Ochako's voice coming through his phone's speaker. Blinking a few times in confusion he pulled his hand back and gapped in horror as he realized he had pressed the call button by accident.
If Izuku was capable of swearing, he would have made Katsuki very proud at that moment.
"Deku?"
"H-hi! Uraraka! How's... how's um... things?"
"...Things are... good. You okay? You sound a little off?"
Izuku gulped, "Oh me? No um… Just nervous I woke you up… I know how late it is and... um... honestly I kinda didn't mean to call."
There was a brief pause and Izuku started to worry she might be upset with him. Which would be just the perfect cherry on top of this whole horrible evening. When she started to giggle, his fears vanished and he swore he was about to melt at the sound.
"Sounds like I just got butt dialed."
"Ha ha, yeah… Well you know me and my stupid butt."
The sound that came out of his phone's speaker sent a jolt through Izuku that sent his heart racing. He had to be hearing things, or it was just a bad connection but he swore he just heard Ochako moan. And hearing that right in his ear made his body burn.
"Mmm yeah I do."
"Wai huh?"
"... I MEAN! I'VE DONE THAT BEFORE! Butt dial. So yeah I do know what you mean. So don't worry about it... Ha ha ha haaaa."
"Oh pfft," Izuku laughed along with Ochako now convinced he had just misheard her humming before, "Gotcha. I totally misheard you then. It almost sounded like you'd been checking me out or something. Funny right?"
"Squeak!"
"Uraraka? Was that-"
"Sorry, just moving to a place with better reception. I'm... in an office building and it has dead zones."
"Well, I'm sure you're wanting to get some sleep so I'll just-"
"Actually I'm getting my stuff ready to move. Miruko is taking me with her to... to the new place she's going to patrol. So I have time to talk while I finish packing."
"Oh," that was a dangerous offer. Izuku did not under any circumstances want to clue Ochako into how freaked out he was over One for All, All for One and everything in between. This was not a topic to be done over the phone. Especially when she was in the middle of her own training and taking care of her own business.
"So training under Miruko has been an experience. She's not like All Might or Gunhead or anyone at school for that matter. She's tough, really tough but... I can't help but respect her for it. I might really hate her after the ice bath she made me take," Izuku hissed at that, "but so far, I think her training is working. I feel... different. Kinda hard to put into words really."
"That's really incredible Uraraka," Izuku said.
It was true of course, and while he was interested in how her training was going he was also screaming at himself to find a way to end the call before she asked, "So how's your internship going? Is it nice to have All Might's undivided attention again?"
Ochako snickered at the end but Izuku was too frozen to notice. His mind raced for an answer, before settling on something simple. Just say it's good. Just like old times. That's all he had to say and he would be able to escape this call.
"Yeah. It's g-" The word got stuck in his throat. "It's g-" Again he couldn't make himself say it. "Everything fi-" Nothing. With each failed attempt his voice started to waver. The pitch would change and after every failed attempt Izuku was becoming more and more aware that Ochako had gone dead silent on the other end of the call. Finally, after several failed tries, Izuku fell suspect and just held the phone to his ear.
"Deku," Ochako's voice was soft. Soothing. It was everything he needed and it terrified him because he knew, he knew that when she asked there wasn't going to be a force on this earth that was going to keep him from answering, "are you okay?"
"No... I'm scared."
"Scared? Deku what happened?"
Izuku wasn't about to go into the real details. That was notsomething you told someone over the phone. But there were things he could say at least to get the point across, "All Might and I... we talked."
"Talked? About what?"
"It was... a pretty harsh reality check. About the risks that come with being a hero and... being the one to hold One for All. He told me about... how he almost died. A... a villain found out about it and... almost killed All Might to get it."
"Oh my god. Is that how he got all...?"
"Yeah."
"Oh man…"
"And I guess after hearing him just... lay it out like that. It got me… really really scared. I just don't know if I'm the right person. If I'm worthy or if I'll be able to do this."
"Of course you can."
It wasn't just what Ochako said. It was how instantaneously she said it.
"Deku, it's okay to be scared. Honestly, I'd be really worried if you weren't. But it's okay to be scared. It's okay to have doubts. That doesn't change who you are. It doesn't change what All Might saw in you. You've accomplished so much in such a short amount of time, Deku. That's something that you did. You got yourself to where you are now. So be as scared as you want to be, but don't let that fear make you forget who you are. You're Midoriya Izuku. You're Deku, the future ninth bearer of One for All. And you're my best friend. So I know you'll be okay."
New tears started falling down Izuku's cheeks, though this time they were not tears of fear, "I guess I just... needed to hear that."
"It's what I'm here for. To make sure you don't go forgetting silly things like that. So, All better?"
"Yeah. Thank you, Uraraka."
After some well wishes and exchanged good nights, both hung up and Izuku lay his head on his pillow. His answer for All Might now held firmly in his heart and mind.
The dimly lit bar was quiet save for the soft clinking of ice against glass. Tomura nursed the drink in his hand, swirling the ice and amber liquid around as he waited. Kurogiri has left some time ago to go and retrieve their potential new member, so now he was left all alone as he waited. The tv off to the side of the room was muted so he couldn't hear anything from the other side. Yet with a static screen he knew that the feed was still live and that he was still being watched.
A flash of black mist pulled him out of his bored existence and he turned to see if he was finally going to get to meet this famed killer. Putting down his drink, Tomura pulled out a pale severed hand and placed it on his face. When the clammy cold flesh made contact with his skin, he took a moment to breath easily. As the black mist faded and Kurogiri returned to his spot behind the bar dressed in his dapper suit, Tomura finally got to see the great hero killer in person. First and foremost, the smell of blood and death radiated off the man. There was no mistaking it, this was a killer in front of him. He could also tell that Stain was taking in his surroundings. Eyes scanning the room. Clearly he was making sure that no trap was suddenly going to be sprung on him.
Overly cautious. It was annoying.
The next thing Tomura noticed was what Stain was wearing. Boots, knives everywhere, and a tattered mask that Tomura swore he had seen before. There was something about the whole get up that creeped into his head and wouldn't let go. His thoughts were interrupted when Stain spoke up, "So, you're the bunch that attacked U.A… and now you're looking to add me to your group. Why?"
Leaning on the counter with an elbow, Tomura finally addressed Stain. He spoke respectfully, but still sounded somewhat bored, "After the last attempt, we lost a great deal of our former members. We attempted to go with quantity over quality and it cost us. With the trash now in custody it's obvious that it's quality we need. And you, you're well known to us criminals. Your experience and knowledge would be a valuable asset to us."
Tomura watched as Stain narrowed his eyes at him. He could see the man was thinking. Weighing options.
"Tell me. What is your goal? What do you and yours want to achieve?"
Tomura shrugged, "Easy. Kill All Might. After that we destroy everything we don't like." Reaching behind the counter, Tomura pulled out a newspaper and laid it on the counter top. Right on the front page was a picture of Izuku as he celebrated his first place medal ceremony, "Like this little shit. He made a fool of me, so I'm going to kill him. If not for him, my plan would have worked."
Stain frowned at the picture, "The boy All Might chose to train…"
"All the more reason to kill him. Him and the rest of his class while we're at it."
Stains frown turned into a sneer, "That's it? You simply want to destroy the things you don't like? That's not a goal. It's the ranting of a child throwing a temper tantrum."
Tomura's fingers dug into the wood of the counter top, "What'd you say?"
"Coming here was a mistake. I thought perhaps I had found allies in my mission, but you lot are only interested in destruction aren't you. What's the point in that if you don't have a cause to back your actions? Foolishness. This is nothing but foolishness." Stain's hands raised up to the knives along his chest, "Before I leave this place, I will make sure your filth does not spread any further."
Tomura frowned and stood up from his chair, "Seriously? You're one of those high and mighty types?"
Kurogiri glanced between the two then towards the computer screen, "Master, should I intercede? We had hoped that this man would help Shigaraki grow but I do not think this is possible now."
"No, this is fine. Tomura needs to grow, but he won't if we always help him. This is the perfect chance for him to do just that. This moment will spur his growth, I know it."
Tomura didn't like that. Another lesson. He knew that's what 'senseis' were supposed to do. Teach and all that but it didn't make it any less annoying. Stain, knives in hand, glanced back at the screen, "So you really are nothing more than a child."
"Bastard!" Tomura didn't even get a full step forward before Stain moved. Rushing forward, his right hand extended to his side so that the knife sliced through Kurogiri's arm while he drove the left into Tomura's shoulder. Driving him into the floor. While the two fell, Stain quickly brought the right knife across his face, licking the blade as he did before he moved it to rest against Tomura's neck.
"Ow ow ow! Damn it! Why are you so strong? Kurogiri, get him out of here!"
When Stain didn't immediately vanish in a cloud of black mist, Tomura glanced over and saw Kurogiri slumped over the bar counter top, "I can't move my body... It must be his Quirk…"
"Grrr. You're kidding me."
Stain looked down at Tomura, contempt radiating from his eyes, "It's true that in this world the word hero has lost all meaning. We live in a society of fakes, but the same can be said for the criminals. They call themselves villains thinking it puts them above everyone else, when they are nothing more than trash throwing their power around. Trash like you are just more cork for the furnace. There to be purged."
Tomura growled and grabbed the knife pressed against his neck, "Is the need to have some kind a goal, creed or a symbol something that your generation needs? You old shits piss me off." His grip on the knife tightened as he dug his fingers into the metal, and cracks began to spread over it and the bright steel dulled and began to rust, "I don't see the point of any of that crap. The world we live in, that puts value on such stupid things. That holds trash like All Might on a pedestal, I want to destroy it all and leave nothing but rubble!"
The knife exploded into dust as Stain quickly let it go. Leaping back as Tomura took a swipe at him but missing, "Damn you! I finally started to heal and you go and stab me. We don't have anyone that can heal me. I'm going to make you pay for this!"
"I see, so that is what your end goal is…"
Tomura blinked, caught off guard as Stain didn't attack again but instead sheathed his other knife.
"Wait huh?"
"I needed to see what you were really about. Those that are staring death in the face tend to show their true selves. You may not realize it but you too have a creed buried deep inside you. We may differ on what we want in the end, but how we get there is the same. The destruction of this world we live in now."
"...Are you kidding me. That was a test? You're a fucking nut job."
"Still," Kurogiri said as he stood up, now able to move, "Does this mean you wish to join our ranks?"
"Grrr, Having him as a party member makes my skin crawl."
"And yet, if he joins us, the power of our group will grow. It seems the negotiations have born fruit."
Stain huffed, "It's clear to me that eventually I will have to dispose of you, but for now I would like to see what you do moving forward. You are but a child, and yet what is a child's purpose but to grow. For now, I must return to Hosu City. My work there is not finished yet."
While Kurogiri prepared to take Stain away, Tomura frowned to himself. He didn't like this. Stain's whole outlook pissed him off. And he fucking stabbed me. I'd been able to avoid that when that crazy little bitch tried it before... wait...
"Hold it."
Stain paused before he walked into the black portal, "What now?"
"You don't have a kid do you?"
Stain narrowed his eyes, "What?"
"When I attack U.A. some little blond bitch tried to kill me. Tried to stab me in fact."
Stain turned to look back at Tomura as he continued, "She was dressed up like you. Costume had a few extra bits, but it was just like yours. Even had that same stupid mask."
"This... child. What did she look like?"
"Blond. Had yellow eyes and teeth like a fucking vampire. She'd turned herself into one of my members to try and get close to me."
Kurogiri took over, "The girl was on tv at U.A.'s Sports Festival. I believe her name is-"
"Toga," Stain finished.
Tomura nodded, "Yeah. So who is she? Your kid, or a fucking disciple?"
Stain stood silently before turning back towards the black portal, "No. She was just a rabid dog let off her leash. Nothing more. If the fake heroes have her, then now she's a diseased stray."
"You just wanted Young Midoriya and myself here so you'd have someone to cook for you? That's why you suggested we come here."
All Might glared over at Gran Torino as the older hero sat at the table and smirked past a glass of juice, watching the number one hero in the nation wisk up some eggs, "What can I say. Even I get tired of instant noodles every now and then."
"...No wonder you got so short. Eating like this, Master would be ashamed."
"HA! You got that right. But at least I don't look half as bad as you do nowadays."
All Might chuckled as he poured the eggs into a heated pan, "Laugh it up, but I can still go to a beach and women won't run from me."
"For an hour."
"It's an hour longer than you old man."
Gran Torino leaned back, "Right, and when's the last time you actually took the time to spend with a lady?"
Pointing his spatula at Gran Torino, All Might smirked triumpetly, "In fact only a couple of days ago I had lunch with a very nice lady at her invitation. She made us some very nice sandwiches"
"Really? You had a lunch date?"
"...More of an impromptu invite but it still counts."
"Ha! That must have been something to see. Big old All Might having a little bit to eat with a lady friend. Newspapers will be sorry they missed that headline."
All Might went back to the eggs, "Actually, Toshinori had the date. Not All Might."
"You're kidding? Some lady actually wanted to eat lunch when you're all scrawny and crap? Who? Who is this apparent saint of a woman that decided to take such pity on you. Actually, what's wrong with her? Saints aren't so kind."
All Might frowned, "Inko is a very kind and considerate woman. Stick to the saint comparison."
Gran Torino was about to take a drink of his juice but stopped, "Wait... Inko? Doesn't the kid have a mother with that name."
...Mistakes have been made.
"Er... well you see…"
"Of all the dumb… Are you insane?"
"Look-"
"You were supposed to be looking for a successor. Not lonely MILFs."
"Look-"
"And she's married for goodness sake! Didn't Nana and I raise you better than this?"
"LOOK! Nothing has happened. She got involved in the boy's training. Was worried he was getting pushed too hard and wanted updates. We've been around each other for over a year now. She is a kind woman and a friend."
"Uh huh. And the husband?"
All Might frowned as he went back to the scrambled eggs, "Honestly, when Sasaki brought him up, that was the first I heard of the man. Inko or Young Midoriya never talked about him once around me."
"Well remember, separated doesn't mean divorced."
"Torino, nothing has happened, and I doubt anything will. We're friends."
"Friends. You're a friend that gets invited into her home for a little lunch. Kid must have had a blast with you there. But I guess if you've been spending time with the family he was able to keep his fanboy under control."
"Young Midoriya wasn't in at the time." All Might said without thinking. He paused after and winced, ...Oh that was a mistake. Why did I just say that?
"How, how can you be this god damned old and be this god damned thick headed?"
All Might, deciding he did not want to talk about this anymore focused back on making breakfast. Gran Torino getting the hint rolled his eyes and sipped on his juice. The two were silent for a while before All Might looked up at a clock on the wall, noting the late hour. A motion Gran Torino noticed, "Let the boy come down when he's ready. It's not like we have to leave right away and you wanted him to take some time to think this over."
"I know."
"Besides after the beating I gave him, of course he'd want to sleep in."
The two shared a small laugh before All Might plated the eggs and handed them over. Walking back to the stove he started cracking open some more eggs when he heard a door open and close. Both heroes watched the hallway until Izuku emerged.
"Well, look who's finally decided to join us."
"Good morning Young Midoriya. You're just in time for breakfast. Pull up a chair and I'll get you some eggs. Want some juice? We have orange, apple and grape."
"I'll do it."
All Might wave his hand, focused on his prep, "No no. I don't mind making breakfast Young Midoriya. You just-"
"Toshinori," Gran Torino's voice stopped All Might and he looked up at him. Only to see him looking right at Izuku. When All Might turned to finally look at the boy, he quickly realized he hadn't been talking about breakfast. Izuku stood in the middle of the room, back straight, shoulders squared and with a fire of determination blazing in his eyes.
Putting everything aside, All Might turned his full attention back towards Izuku, "Young Midoriya?"
"I'll do it," Izuku repeated, "I'll take One for All and carry on it's legacy. Even if that means that one day I'll have to face All for One, I'll do it. I'm here to become the next greatest hero, and I'm not going to be able to do that if I run away. I'll face everything that comes my way head on. Doesn't matter if it's Nomus, Shigaraki or All for One. So I'll do it."
Izuku wasn't sure what kind of response to expect, so he waited. After waking up he hand repeated the words in his head over and over, and the moment he stepped into the room with everyone, he didn't wait to say them. Even after a good night's sleep Ochako's words of reassurance still echoed in his heart. With that, and his own dream fuleing him, his determination hadn't lessened at all, but only gotten stronger. He was here for a reason, and he wasn't going to back down now.
Gran Torino nodded in approval, "Well said kid."
All Might grinned widely and puffed up with pride.
Literally.
"Young Midoriya!"
Dropping what he was doing, All Might hurried over to Izuku and put a hand on his shoulder, "The burden I am putting on you is great and terrible. Yet even knowing this you've chosen to take up the torch. I am so proud of you."
"It may be harder than I first thought. Everything you told me was horrible and terrifying but at the same time you've used One for All to save so many people. You said One for All stands opposed to All for One and while that's true, One for All stands up for everyone that can't do so themselves. I want to save those people. I want to protect them for the dark they know nothing about so that they never learn about it."
The blaze of determination in Izuku's eyes was only matched by the fire of pride in All Might's. With a simple nod All Might reached up to his head and plucked out a strand of hair, "Then there is nothing left to be said."
Gran Torino blinked, a little started at this turn, "Wait? Now?"
All Might nodded, "It'll take a few hours before his body absorbs the power. The window is perfect." Turning his attention back to Izuku, All Might held up the strand of hair between them, "Young Midoriya, this is a power that has been passed down for generations. Every time the previous bearer did two things with it. They worked it so the flame grew stronger, and then entrusted that power to the next generation. For forty years I have done the first, I have put my heart and soul into One for All. Giving it all the power I could and now, after so many years I am so very grateful that I may have the honor of doing the second. Passing this onto you, Young Midoriya. Now, eat this!"
Izuku's face, which had been beaming with pride, broke. Now utterly confused he looked at All Might and could only say, "huh?"
Gran Torino fell out of his chair, laughing so hard he couldn't control himself while All Might realized he might have explained that ending just a bit more, "Er yes! Remember I said you just had to absorb some of my DNA into yourself."
"But I thought it was like a blood transfusion or something?"
"Yes that's one way it can be done, and has been done. It's not like it takes more than a drop but this is more normal."
"...Eating hair is normal?""
"HA HA HA HA HA! Toshinori just because this is what Nana did, doesn't make it normal!" Gran Torino was now rolling along the floor, completely besides himself.
While the heroic mood was thoroughly dashed, Izuku decided that waiting and questioning the method wasn't going to get him anywhere. With a small tug of his Quirk, because he wanted to be a little dramatic about the situation, Izuku grabbed the hair and took a deep breath before he stuffed the hair into his mouth. After attempting to chew and swallow it the hair immediately got tangled on his tongue and in his teeth.
All Might, seeing him struggle and turning a little green suddenly remembered something very important, "Oh Master gave me a drink when we were doing this. Would you like some juice to wash it down?"
When Izuku nodded vigorously, All Might rushed to pour him a glass. After three full glasses of orange juice, the deed was done. Putting the glass down, Izuku looked over himself. Curling his fingers and flexing his arms, "I don't feel... different?"
"It'll take a few hours for One for All to absorb into your system. But it's in you now. One for All is yours."
"It's mine. One for All…" Izuku's awe of the moment came to a stop when something crossed his mind. He had One for All now, but where did that leave All Might? "All Might! What about you!? If I have One for All what happens to you!?"
All Might smiled and waved off his concerns, "Oh don't worry about that. You have the torch but I still have the embers."
"Embers?"
"That's right. The power won't leave me right away. I'll still be able to use it for some time. My master was able to use the embers for a couple of years when she passed it on to me. True it'll eventually fade but that was already my fate. I'm down to an hour that my body can handle already. This, in a way, just makes everything even."
Izuku nodded, "Then there's nothing to worry about. I was worried there for a second that I suddenly took All Might away from the world. I'm glad you're going to be right here with me still."
Izuku missed the look shared between All Might and Gran Torino. Missed the solom frowns and down cast eyes.
"I'll be with you every step I can Young Midoriya."
I just wish I knew how much time I really had…
Shaking his head and shrinking back down, All Might refocused on the task at hand, "Now, Young Midoriya, some rules for today. Because we are not staying here."
Izuku looked up from his plate of eggs, "Oh?"
"That's right. You and Torino will be joining me as I do a quick patrol today."
That got Izuku excited. The thought of doing hero work withAll Might, it was impossible not to be over the moon, "Really? What kind of patrolling? Are we going after any villains? Public appearances?"
"Easy there. Let me rephrase. Torino and I will be going on a quick patrol. You will be watching and not getting involved. In any way." Izuku deflated hearing that, "Furthermore. Today you are forbidden from using your Quirk. Am I clear?"
"My Quirk? I don't understand."
"You'll be absorbing One for All while we are out. You won't be doing anything that requires you to use your Quirk which means this is the best time for this. I'm not sure how your Psychokiniesis will act when combined with One for All. So to be safe I don't want to see you glowing. No Quirks. You watch and take notes. Understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Good. Once we get back, hopefully you'll have absorbed One for All fully and then we can start working with you to see what we're dealing with. I'd rather you not lose control in the middle of the city."
Izuku nodded, then looked down at his hands, "...I wonder, can I lift a building now?"
"NO LIFTING BUILDINGS!"
"Maybe I can make myself fly without having to have my gravity taken away?"
"NO FLYING!"
"Oh my barrier! I wonder if-!"
"NO BARRIERS! NO QUIRKS! I'm not taking you back home with an exploded brain. Your mother would kill me."
"...Yeah, then Uraraka would kill me."
Both stopped and looked at each other before bursting out laughing. Gran Torino just rolled his eyes at the pair, "If you two are done. We should probably start getting ready. It's a bit of a drive. It'd be easier if we could take a train but I think we don't want the attention until we make it to the actual city."
"Oh that reminds me, where are we going? If we're driving it must be far." Izuku asked as he got up to clean his plate.
"Hosu City."
Freezing on the spot, Izuku's jaw opened and closed several times before he could whisper, "The hero killer."
All Might nodded, "Yes. While I can't take part in the full man hunt because of my time limit I think it's important for me to be there. Have the public see me to put their minds at ease. I don't see myself actually catching the fiend but fortunately there are so many other heroes there too we shouldn't have to worry."
"So you're there for moral support, really."
"That, plus there's a chance me being there will cause this villain to panic and flee out into the open. Or he'll come for me, in that case it'll all be over and we can leave before my time limit is up. And like I said before, if none of that happens it's a good chance to show you how to interact with the local authorities and such. Like I said, all you are going to be doing today is taking notes. Perfect time for One for All to settle in."
That all made sense to Izuku. He couldn't imagine most villains would want to stay in the same place All Might was. So just being there would probably help the other heroes catch Stain and put an end to the horrors he had inflicted on other heroes, Like Iida's brother.
Izuku supposed there was only one other thing he needed to know, "Can I still put on my costume?"
"Of course Young Midoriya! You'll still be acting as a hero so you must wear it. Even if I can't see you having to use it, it's good to get your image out there for the whole world to see."
Nodding, Izuku cleaned off his dishes and hurried up to his room, happy to put on his new costume again. Even if the most exciting part of the day was already over.