Arthur POV
"All Might," I whispered, my knees almost buckling beneath me.
The Symbol of Peace. Here. In the same room as me. The man whose debut video I'd watched hundreds of times as a child, whose catchphrase had echoed through my darkest moments.
The hero who saved people with a smile, who made everyone believe that everything would be alright just by being there. My hand instinctively moved to Excalibur's hilt, if any other person in the world could ever wield her, it was him.
"Yes, yes, the symbol of peace, All Might, now come on introduce yourself, move forward lad," Nezu said as he pushed me to the seat at All Might's side, which positioned me also in front of the other teen in here.
The chair felt too small, or maybe I felt too small sitting next to such a giant.
Nezu walked behind his desk with measured steps, his small form somehow commanding the room despite being dwarfed by everyone else present.
He carefully sat on his chair, the leather creaking slightly under his weight, grabbed his teapot, porcelain, decorated with tiny mice chasing cheese, poured it into his teacup with practiced precision, and drank a long sip, which echoed in the otherwise silent room.
I looked at All Might at my side, admiring the Symbol of Peace in all his glory, yet something felt... off.
All Might drummed his fingers, and he was... sweating? Tiny beads of perspiration dotted his forehead. Why would the Symbol of Peace be sweating? The room wasn't particularly warm. If anything, the air conditioning made it slightly cool. Was he nervous? The thought seemed impossible, yet the evidence was right there, glistening on his brow.
"Okay then," Nezu began, setting his teacup down with a delicate clink. "First of all, let me introduce you all. Of course, you all know about All Might." His hand, paw?, then pointed at the dark green-haired man sitting opposite to All Might and the blonde-haired teenager. "This is Mirai Sasaki, otherwise known as Sir Nighteye and the former sidekick of All Might himself."
Sir Nighteye's eyes bore into me through those triangular glasses, and I felt in a similar way to how that pro hero looked at me over a month ago. Though they couldn't look more different, for one the pro hero looked like he was about to go to sleep at any moment while this man seemed to want to control everything to the most minute detail.
"Next to him is his protege, Mirio Togata, second year student here at U.A."
The blonde boy's smile somehow grew even wider at his introduction, and he gave a small wave that seemed to contain more enthusiasm than most people's full-body movements.
"The lad I brought is Aki Tadashi, though he's more widely known as Arthur, vigilante extraordinaire and future student here at U.A."
I saw Sir Nighteye's jaw tighten almost imperceptibly, his fingers pressing slightly harder against each other.
Mirio's eyes widened at the revelation, bright blue orbs sparkling with what looked like genuine excitement. He sprung from his chair with such enthusiasm that it rocked backward slightly, a wide smile splitting his face. "Nice to meet you!" he said excitedly as he grabbed my hand, shaking it with a force that would have dislocated a normal person's shoulder.
His grip was strong, not quirk like strong but still strong.
"Likewise," I answered, a smile spreading over my own face despite the tension in the room. There was something about Mirio's enthusiasm, which was just so infectious.
"You brought a criminal to this meeting?" Sir Nighteye's voice cut through the moment like a blade, each word precisely enunciated, directed at Nezu with the force of an accusation, almost as if he had performed some amazing transgression.
"He soon won't be a criminal," Nezu began, his voice maintaining that pleasant, almost sing-song quality that somehow made it clear he wouldn't be argued with. But before he could keep formulating any of his defense, All Might's booming voice cut through the tension, the hero rising from his chair, which creaked ominously under the shifting weight, with a wide smile that seemed to light up the entire office.
"Young Arthur, I have heard much about you!"
The words struck me.
All Might knew who I was.
All Might had heard about me.
The Symbol of Peace had taken notice of my work. My heart hammered in my chest.
"You have? Only good things I hope," I replied somewhat awkwardly, my voice cracking slightly on the word hope. I mean, could you blame me?
"I have heard of your great exploits!" His voice filled the room, bouncing off the walls with an almost physical presence. Then his expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious, though the smile never fully left. "But I must agree with Sir Nighteye, vigilantism is illegal for a reason..."
My stomach dropped. Here it came, the lecture. The hero I'd looked up to my entire life was about to tell me everything I'd done was wrong. My hand found Excalibur's hilt again, not to draw it, but just to feel her comfort at what was to come and yet it never came
Instead a squeaky voice interrupted him.
"Now, now, everyone get back to your seats, please get off Arthur's back. I have already reached a deal with him, so let's talk about what we came here for." Nezu paused dramatically, taking another sip of his tea before continuing. "The best fit to become your protege, All Might."
Wait, what?
All Might's protege?
That was what I fit?
That was why I was here?
Awesome.
No, beyond awesome. This was...
Amazing.
Spectacular.
To learn from All Might himself, to carry on his legacy, to become the next Symbol of Peace.
"Oh, about that," All Might answered, his voice suddenly growing meeker, though meek for All Might still meant it boomed across the room. "I am sorry to inform you I have already chosen a protege."
The words made the entire room freeze.
"You have?"
"You have?"
"You have?"
Sir Nighteye, Nezu, and I asked in an almost perfect chorus, our voices overlapping in shared disbelief. Mirio, on the other hand, just kept smiling through it all, though I noticed his eyes flickering between All Might and Sir Nighteye with something that might have been concern.
"Yes, I have. He's a boy who encompasses what it means to be a true hero." All Might's voice was filled with what I could only identify as pride.
"When was this?" Nezu asked, and for the first time since I'd met him, the principal seemed genuinely caught off-guard. His ears had drooped slightly, and his paw had paused midway to his teacup.
"Five days ago. I have already begun his training." All Might's massive hands gestured as he spoke, painting pictures in the air. "He has much to learn, but his heart... his heart is that of a true hero."
So All Might already had a protege, huh? I wondered what he was like to capture All Might's attention. It wasn't like I was particularly jealous of who it was. For one I hadn't even known about this protege thing before today and for second what did it matter, I already had Excalibur and Avalon.
However, my thoughts were interrupted as I watched Sir Nighteye rise from his seat. His face was a mask of professional neutrality, but his eyes, those sharp, analytical eyes, burned with something that might have been anger or disappointment or both.
"Well then, there isn't anything else to say," Sir Nighteye said as he fixed his tie. "I won't say that I approve, but it is your choice in the end." He paused, his gaze lingering on All Might for a moment longer than necessary. "Mirio, come on, let's go."
Mirio looked at Sir Nighteye, then at All Might and finally at Nezu. The teen's smile faltered for just a second, but it wasn't because of disappointment for himself.
Rather, it felt like he was sad at how Sir Nighteye was taking the news, worried about his mentor's relationship with his former hero. Still, Mirio rose from his chair.
He walked over to me, and I stood to meet him. He took my hand once more, this time with both of his, leaning in close as he whispered in a low voice.
"I don't think you're a criminal, in fact I think you're really cool. We should spar some time."
With those parting words, he jogged after Sir Nighteye, pausing at the door to give one last wave to the room before closing it softly behind him. The click of the latch seemed to echo in the sudden silence.
Nezu sank into his chair, the leather creaking softly as he settled deeper into it, his small form almost disappearing into its embrace as he watched all of this unfold.
"Why didn't you just tell us through the phone if you had already chosen a protege?" Nezu asked, his paw massaging his temple in small, circular motions. "This meeting took considerable arrangement. Sir Nighteye cleared his schedule. Mirio has been training extra hard in preparation..."
"I felt like I at least owed telling you face to face." All Might's voice carried a note of genuine regret. "You've been a friend, Nezu. All of you deserved better than a phone call."
"I appreciate the sentiment," Nezu replied, though his tone suggested the sentiment wasn't quite enough to make up for the awkwardness of the situation.
All Might, seemingly reading the room, rose from his chair, which seemed to sigh in relief, and came to mine. My body moved on it's own and I held my hand out. His hand engulfed mine.
"It was nice meeting you, young Aki."
"Call me Arthur."
"I'm sorry?"
"Call me Arthur. I prefer it."
"Well then, it was nice meeting you, young Arthur."
"It was a pleasure meeting you too. You're my hero." The words came out before I could stop them, earnest and maybe a little too vulnerable. "You're the reason I... the reason I wanted to save people in the first place."
"Thank you, boy. Keep doing good work. The right way, of course."
All Might then left, his footsteps surprisingly quiet for someone of his size, the door closing with a soft finality that seemed to mark the end of one possibility and the beginning of... something else.
"So this is what you called me for?" I asked in a joking manner, trying to lighten the mood as I turned toward Nezu, who was still sinking into his chair like he was trying to become one with the furniture.
"I'm sorry. If I had known, I assure you I wouldn't have made you come." His voice carried genuine regret. "This was meant to be a beginning, not... this."
"Hey, I got to meet my childhood hero. How often will I get to do that?" I tried to keep my voice light, though part of me was still processing the strange mixture of excitement and disappointment churning in my chest.
"Pretty often," Nezu answered with a slight perk of his ears. "He's going to be a teacher here, next year."
"He is?" I asked, wide-eyed, the disappointment evaporating in an instant.
"Yep. Told you U.A. is the best hero school in the world. We get the best heroes as teachers."
"Yeah, but still, All Might as a teacher," I said, staring at the door which All Might had left through, trying to imagine the Symbol of Peace explaining homework assignments or grading papers. "I can't see it."
"Neither could I at first, but he's good. Surprisingly good, actually. He has a natural way with young people."
"So," I began as I walked closer to Nezu's desk, curiosity overcoming my earlier dejection. "You thought I could be the next Symbol of Peace?"
"Short story? Yes."
"And long story?"
"I can't tell you the long story. Not yet, anyway. Maybe someday, when you're ready to hear it."
"So should I go?" I asked, noticing how Nezu's posture had changed, becoming more animated, more like the Nezu I had met at the hospital.
"I didn't call you here just for this," Nezu said as he gulped down what remained of his tea in one long sip and jumped down from his seat with surprising agility. He opened a drawer at his desk, standing on his tiptoes to reach it, and took something out.
Blue wrapper and a golden bow.
"A little bit late, since your birthday was two days ago, but still, I thought you might want something."
I grabbed the package, the paper crinkling under my fingers, undid the bow with careful movements, and tore off the wrapper with less care than the gift probably deserved.
What lay in the box was a blue scarf, a somewhat deeper shade of blue than my own eyes.
"I know, I know, it's May. You don't need a scarf, but hey, use it for winter times."
I felt the fabric under my fingers, silk smooth, it felt warm, and I felt something catching in my throat as I stared at the blue silk. How long had it been since someone had given me a birthday present? Since someone had remembered my birthday at all?
"And really, come more often to U.A. You already have a dorm ready for you. I mean, you can't be saving damsels in distress and reeking now, can you..."
"Hey, Nezu," I interrupted, my voice thicker than I intended.
"Yeah?" he replied, cocking his head to the side, his button like eyes now filled with glee..
"Thanks a lot."
The words felt inadequate for what I wanted to express, but they were all I had.
"Don't worry about it," Nezu said as he walked over to one of his windows and pressed a button, making it open wide. The spring air rushed in. "Now go on then. I'm sure you're itching to go back to your vigilante work."
"Thanks, Nezu," I said once more, fixing the scarf over my neck despite the warm weather.
It felt right.
Then I was running out of the window, the wind catching the scarf and making it stream behind me like a banner.
This had been a pretty good day.
A/N: Loved writing this chapter, like loved it, Mirio is so damn fun to write, I can't wait to write more of him. Oh and a few other things I decided to begin asking now, who do you guys want the love interest to be? Honestly I thought Mirko would be a really good fit since she could actually challenge Arthur (not power wise but mentality wise) but the age thing is throwing me off, so who would you lads and ladies want?
Power stones and reviews are very much appreciated. Thx for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Author out.