tremors

by AGENT Kuma-chan

Then again, it wasn't really a dream but a memory. All Might was dead and there was nothing Deku could do about it.

Title: tremors

Prompt: a canon-divergence from the All Might/All For One fight

Character/Pairing: Deku, Iida, Todoroki, Bakugou, Yaoyorozu, Tokoyami, Jirou, Mina, Tsuyu, Ochako, Mirio, All Might

A/N: This was written for the Mirrors Zine! The pdf is still on sale now and you should check out the lovely works from everyone else who contributed. Especially the All Might fic that mirrors mine and the beautiful art for it!

Also, this is a story I've been wanting to write for a long time—this is how I thought the series was gearing up to go.

Summary: Izuku knew it wasn't a dream at all. It was a memory.

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His feet were running before he even realized he was moving. Shouting originated from behind him, but all Izuku heard was a wall of white noise as he ran to where he came.

This was a dream. Of that much, Izuku was certain.

This whole ordeal was a dream — the streets, the panicked crowd, his thundering heartbeat — none of it was real.

Even knowing it was all fake, he still ran.

Past the subway stop, where Kirishima watched the live reports in disbelief. Past the throngs of crowds around electronic shops, double-checking their phones. Back down the street to the construction site, where clouds of dust obscuredthe sun.

He'd had this dream before. There were a million variations to the beginning: sometimes he was planning the rescue at school, and sometimes he was in front of the TVs, a bystander as All Might fought All for One. His memories were clearest when he re-lived them, night after night, as his body raced down a predetermined path. If only he were a little faster, a little stronger. He only had to make it back in time, and he could fix this. He could save everyone.

But he was never fast or strong enough. Nothing changed, no matter what he tried. Still, he ran.

Bakugou was ahead of him, his explosions leaving scorch marks on the road. Izuku charged up his legs, his muscles straining to control the power as his feet formed deep imprints on the gravel. One more corner. He was almost there.

No matter how the dream started, it always ended the same way: a lone figure stumbled among the rubble, bracing himself with crossed arms. Steam dissipated around his muscles as he took blow after blow. The wind blinded Izuku and he was forced to turn away, unable to see the final attack.

NO!

He was never sure if the scream was his own, or if it even happened, but the sound echoed in his ears all the same. When the wind finally quelled, he turned back to see All Might still standing.

Izuku's hand stretched out to stop the impossible. He just had to go a little further. Stumbling over broken concrete and fragmented glass, he struggled to climb to the top of the heap. The dusty wind stinging his eyes threatened to knock him over, but Izuku still ran forward.

Further. Further. Just a little further.

He repeated the mantra in his head as he ran. All Might's back was in front of him now, his fingers just barely grazing his mentor, and —

His eyes blinked open and he was gasping air once more, his breath ragged as he stared up at the ceiling. He told himself it was just a dream, but reality didn't comfort him as much as it should have.

Izuku knew it wasn't a dream at all. It was a memory.

-x-

It was funny how long it took to grade papers. Momo hadn't been the class rep in charge of the student council in her youth for nothing — she understood exactly how hard teachers worked preparing lesson plans and marking tests. All the same, it surprised her when she had to mark her own class's tests.

Stretching her arms behind her back, Momo stole a glance out the school window. The sun was setting early, bathing her second-grade classroom in a soft shade of yellow. It would be another late night if she stayed much longer. Momo grimaced. It looked like she'd have to reheat leftovers again.

A knock on the door interrupted her solitude, turning to see Midoriya walk in. The pen fell from her hand before she could properly process his arrival.

The number one hero Deku was in her classroom.

Momo resisted the urge to jump up and tear down her students' drawings from the walls.

He walked up to her desk, his head craning left and right as he took it all in. It was a little embarrassing, considering the Deku decorations hung for her students.

"Hey!" Midoriya stopped awkwardly before her. He ran a hand through his hair, his smile stiff. "Do you have ti — you look busy. Am I interrupting?"

She stifled a laugh. He was grown, but somehow still the Midoriya she first knew at heart. It was nice to see some things didn't change.

"No, no, it's fine." She stacked her papers into a single corner pile. "I need a break anyways."

"If you're sure …" Midoriya pulled a chair to her desk and sat down rigidly. "I could come back later."

How odd. He didn't even wait for her to reply. She sat up a little straighter. Whatever it was, it must be important. "Trust me, it's fine. Do you want any tea? Snacks?"

"No, it's fine — I'm fine, not that I don't appreciate it but …" He took a deep breath. "I mean, thanks, but it's okay."

She'd heard from Ashido and Jirou about what happened after she left the class, but she hadn't expected the great Deku to still be so awkward. Even his face hadn't changed much. It was a little sharper, a little bigger, but it was his face nonetheless.

It was unfair, really. He didn't seem to have any bags under his eyes and his smile, though a little stiff at times, hadn't really slipped off his face. Entirely unfair. Without her makeup, Momo was certain she looked nowhere near as happy. She still dreamt of that night, of that final moment on the TV screens. All Might's body had been so frail when he fell.

She, if not the whole world, had held expectant breath. Time had frozen on that one image, that one second, before ticking forward. He never got back up. All Might, who had withstood everything man and nature thrown at him, never stood again.

But that was neither here nor there.

Midoriya was fiddling with his fingers in his seat, his eyes darting to and fro. She'd seen this behaviour before, when her students who wanted to ask questions, but were afraid of "sounding stupid."

"You're really popular in my class," she offered as an ice-breaker.

"What? Really?"

"Yes." She gestured to the back wall, at all the drawings that lined the corkboard. "Everyone likes drawing you. Especially the little rabbit ears on your costume."

"That's a little embarrassing …" Midoriya rubbed his head, masking his silent pleasure. It was heartening to see. Each generation of heroes became more cynical than the last. 'Pro-Hero' was no longer the dream job it used to be, not with all the villains running rampant. People were scared, and it had rubbed off onto their children.

All Might, a cornerstone of peace, was gone. None of her kids even knew who he was. No, no one wanted to grow up to be a hero anymore.

Unless it was a hero like Ground Zero. Or even Shouto. After his father retired, she had expected to find an article announcing a name change. Instead, she found article after article of his exploits in his given moniker.

Of all of their exploits.

To think she had once stood in the same class as Ground Zero, Shouto, and Deku. She never second-guessed pulling out: Momo could barely contain a class of children sometimes, let alone entire syndicates.

"Rabbit ears, huh?" Midoriya looked over his shoulder at his hood. Every iteration of his costume still had the ears.

"I can unpin some to show you, if you'd like." She was halfway out of her seat before he shook his head.

"No, that's fine, I — that's not why I'm here." He took a deep breath, his fingers digging into her desk. His steel grip, quirk off, left little more than an impression. "I need your help."

"My help?"

"Yes, I …" His fingers dug harder into the desk, small chips of wood coming off as he struggled to speak. His mouth opened, closed, opened again, but not a single sound emerged.

Was he angry? Scared? She wasn't sure. Before she could say he didn't have to speak if he didn't want to, Midoriya continued.

"I'm going to face the successor of the guy who kill … who fought All Might."

She gripped her arm in the pregnant pause. Killed. She couldn't say the words aloud either. It still felt like a dream she could wake up from.

"I haven't trained since high school," she answered, her voice hauntingly melancholic.

"I know but … I need people I can trust." He looked at her now, beaming. His earnest eyes were almost enough to make her say yes. "And we're … running low on heroes."

That latter part was the real reason he came to her. He hadn't lied with his first reason, but the real truth was in that second part. He was desperate and she was the best he could get.

How strange. She had left the school, left her dream, and yet years later this still hurt. Her chest tightened, and really, she should have expected this. Of course she'd be picked last, when there was no one else to turn to, no one left to ask.

But expecting it didn't make it hurt any less.

"I…" Even as the last choice, it was still a chance. A chance to be a hero, to mean something, to be someone.

Indecision froze her. It had frozen her that day too, when they had stood behind the fence, wondering what to do. Try to save Bakugou, stand by to assist All Might, run away — the choices terrified them. What if she had picked wrong? What if she hurt someone?

What if, what if, what if. And in the end, the worst what-if had occurred.

"No." Momo smiled bitterly, shaking her head. If she couldn't even save All Might the first time, what good would she be in taking down his killer? "I can't."

Midoriya's expression fell. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'd be useless, trust me."

"I don't think you would be," he murmured before getting up. The smile returned but his shoulders hunched in defeat. He placed a card on her desk before he saw himself out. "If you change your mind, I'll be preparing here."

It had been the right decision. The only decision. If All Might couldn't survive, what chance did she have? She couldn't even pass a test on her own, having to rely on Todoroki's kindness and Aizawa-sensei's pity. He never admitted it, but she knew Aizawa-sensei had hesitated when she attacked. The villains would never give such an opening.

She turned the card over in her hands, staring at the number. There was an apple on her desk, a stack of tests waiting to be marked, and parent-teacher meetings to be planned. It was too late for any what-ifs, too late for any do-overs. She had chosen her path the moment she left U.A.'s gate, her uniform tucked neatly away in some closet's corner.

-x-

All Might grinned broadly at Izuku, almost blinding his pupil with its sheer brilliance. "Smile."

"Smile?"

Izuku stared at All Might's hands, not realizing his plan until it was too late. Two giant fingers tugged his lips upward. Izuku froze, stuck in a dilemma — All Might was teaching him but his cheeks were smarting but All Might was teaching him.

"A smile is important. The most important."

"It weassuathes peapul, wight?"

"Yes, young Midoriya." All Might laughed. Smoke rolled off his thinning arms as he shrunk back into his emaciated state. "A smile means many things."

Toshinori released Izuku's cheeks and walked to his cluttered fridge. It was hard for Izuku to figure out where to look. The entire door was wallpapered with letters and drawings. There were pictures stapled to letters, some of which were three or four pages thick.

Izuku flipped open his notebook, finding a clean page to write notes. Or at least, he tried to write notes. It was hard to focus while he was in his idol's apartment. He was sitting in All Might's kitchen, drinking All Might's water from All Might's glass. The nerd in him could die happy.

"It's a symbol." Toshinori tugged a drawing off the fridge, holding it out to Izuku. " A promise of a safe future."

In front of a backdrop of stars, a stick figure of All Might flexed his muscles. Blobs of green and yellow surrounded him. Izuku almost dropped the paper: he wasn't sure how, but it was his drawing. Izuku could make out figures of himself, of Kacchan and their parents.

Toshinori cast an ambiguous smile before sitting back down across the table.

"To those in danger, a smile means you're safe. That you'll be fine." He turned back into All Might, striking his signature pose. "Because I'm here! And—" All Might coughed up blood, transforming back into Toshinori.

Izuku wasn't sure if he should react; it was a running joke by now. Even his mentor didn't seem to mind the blood anymore, casually grabbing a tissue and scrubbing his mouth. "But there is one more time you must smile."

"When?"

"A smile is most important when you fail."

Izuku stopped writing his notes, noticing Toshinori's grave expression."When I — when you fail?"

"Yes. It means I haven't given up. Even when all is lost and the worst happens, it means I'll keep fighting. That we all will keep fighting."

There was a gravitas behind his words, a gravitas Izuku hadn't understood then. The weight of being a hero. The burden of a secret. There were many things All Might hadn't had time to explain. There were secrets within secrets, and if someone as open as All Might had them, how many did everyone else have?

Toshinori hesitated before reaching out grab Izuku's hands. "Young Midoriya, I —"

He never finished his sentence. And now it was too late to ask what he was going to say.

Waking up to a stern reality in which he was bigger but the room was duller, Izuku rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Splashing water on his face, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked ragged, with dark bags under his eyes. On a corner of the mirror, he'd pinned a crinkled crayon drawing — a last minute salvage after All Might's wake.

Smile, Young Midoriya.

He tried every day. A smile that meant more than himself, that carried the weight of both expectation and hope. A smile that carried more than the dead. But even his reflection wasn't convinced. It was impossible. His smile meant too much and nothing at all.

Izuku folded the picture and hid it away in a drawer.

-x-

It used to be all fun and games.

Kyouka flipped backwards, narrowly dodging Mina's acidic hands. To counter, Mina forced the spray to go further, wider, until Kyouka yelped softly as the edges of her sleeves burned.

"Not the clothes!" She crouched to regain her bearings. In the next instant, Kyouka closed the gap between them before letting loose a flurry of kicks. Mina blocked with another spray of acid, forcing Kyouka to back down.

"Give up?"

"Not yet!" Kyouka hissed as she rose with a punch.

The dojo's doors slid open.

"We're sparring! Can you—" Mina's cheer died in her throat as Midoriya's head popped in.

So it was true. He was recruiting help.

Mina blocked a punch, grunting in pain at Kyouka's ever-growing strength. Mina proposed they take a break.

Kyouka glanced at Midoriya before nodding. "Fine, but I was going to win."

"If you say so …" Mina humoured her before waving for Midoriya to come closer. "It's been so long!"

"Not since the award ceremony." He smiled. It was impressive how the smile never left his face — Mina could have sworn it was the exact same one from the ceremony. With all the rescues and captures he had conducted in the past few weeks, Mina wasn't sure when he found time to sleep. "But it doesn't really feel like that long. You're on all those ads now — I see you almost everywhere."

Mina grinned, pleased with the recognition. "They asked me to help with the recruitment drive."

"And not much else," Kyouka muttered, rolling her eyes. Mina resisted the urge to yank on her earlobe cord.

"I can see why!" Midoriya brightened, his demeanor reminding Mina of another time, another place, when he scanned pages of a clutched notebook containing her profile."You're always so bright and cheerful."

"And not much—oof." Mina elbowed Kyouka. It wasn't like Kyouka was wrong: she'd known for months now that the hero's bureau didn't want her doing anything too exciting.

"You've been going from district to district, right?" Midoriya's expression darkened and his smile dropped a notch. "You'll be too busy to help me."

"Help?" Kyouka perked up in interest. "With what?"

"I…" Midoriya swallowed and Mina held her breath. "I found All for One."

"You — " Kyouka sat down, processing his words. "You're sure? Wasn't he in hiding?"

"He was never hiding. He was just biding his time, preparing for his next move … I need your help."

"Sure." Mina replied automatically.

"I know it's —" Midoriya blinked, staring at her. Rubbing his ears as though to clean them, he asked, "You'll help?"

Kyouka confirmed their intentions. "Yes."

"Oh …" Midoriya relaxed. He stepped forward to hug them both before he thought better of it. "Thank you, that's just … thank you."

"It's nothing." Kyouka frowned, remembering Bakugou's rescue, and All Might's death. "I never helped back then. I don't want any more regrets."

"Me too."

Mina couldn't remember the last time she had been brave. High school, when she had fought in the woods? Or was it earlier than that, when she stood up for her friends back in middle school? Was she even brave back then?

She hadn't understood the risks. Hadn't fully realized what she was getting into when she wrote Pro-Hero into her career sheet. It was supposed to be fun and easy, where she could be popular and help those in need. It was supposed to be a lot of things, but not painful. Not sad. Not deadly.

She remembered watching All Might, even with his weakened body, never backing had stood firm even past the point beyond repair. She hadn't been brave then, her courage all but gone when Midoriya had asked her to help.

Kirishima had told her she was fearless. Brave. She knew better now. The words that truly described her were terrified. Doubtful. And anxious.

"Thanks." Midoriya relaxed, relieved. "I've gotten a hold of most of us, but do you know how to contact Hagakure?"

"There's a reason she chose the name Invisible Girl, Midoriya." Kyouka smiled wryly, closing her eyes. "She went on a mission a few months ago."

"Yeah, an infiltration one." Mina frowned. "She should've been back a while ago."

"… You don't think —" Kyouka never finished her sentence as she considered the worst case scenario.

"If she died, do you think we'd find the body?" They stared as Mina rubbed her horns awkwardly. "I know it's morbid, I just …"

Kyouka grimaced before considering the possibility. "Well, I guess you have a point. Maybe the invisibility would wear off?"

"Would we even recognize her? We've never seen her before."

"Oh, but she'd be naked right?" Midoriya covered his mouth upon realizing what he said, bright red.

Mina bowled over in laughter. Midoriya's words weren't that funny, and her friends were visibly uncomfortable, but still she laughed and laughed. Tears stung her eyes, the bitter taste of salt landing on her lip, and still she laughed.

All Might was dead. Hagakure might be dead. In this strange land of the future, Mina didn't even know who was still around, and couldn't know what changes were waiting around the corner. Hell, she could barely keep track of herself. Yet despite it all, somethings didn't change.

Wiping her eyes, she peeked up at Midoriya's face. It was still flushed red, just as it had been at their hero license exam all those years ago. They had all worked together as a class then, one last time after All Might's death. And now, they were gonna work together one more time. For more than mourning. For more than sharing the blame.

They would be heroes.

Straightening up, Mina wiped the last of the tears from her face. Kirishima had told her she was brave once. It was time she lived up to those words.

-x-

Izuku took in his surroundings: his classmates' bent over heads, the sound of chalk squeaking on the board, the grainy feel of eraser clippings. Outside, he spotted class 1B in combat practice, the cheerful chatter of their voices barely audible through the open window.

This was a happy dream, for once. A dream of what was, what could have been.

All Might stood at the front of the class, leaving nervous, chalky fingerprints on his tie. "Do you all understand?"

A soft murmur, a few nods. The less responses he received, the more All Might fidgeted. It was a game the others like to play sometimes.

"No! I have a question!" Iida shot up, breaking the game as usual.

All Might beamed in relief and gestured for Iida to continue. "Of course young Iida!"

"What is that scary-looking creature there? " He approached the chalkboard and pointed with authority. All Might had drawn a compound, detailing a past rescue and the strategy involved. The scary-looking creature seemed to be leaping into the scene.

"That's … That's me, my boy."

Izuku picked up his notebook and opened it to the next blank page, jotting down that All Might was not a skilled artist.

It was funny how many inconsequential details he discovered from having pro hero teachers. He had three notebooks full of useless facts, like Eraserhead's favourite brand of sleeping bags and Midnight's favorite coffee recipe.

The sun was warm this afternoon, and his desk was right next to the window after the seat change. He hunched over, resting his head on his arms. He needed to rest his eyes a little. A few minutes wouldn't hurt.

For once Izuku wished he could go back to sleep.

-x-

"Midoriya ?" Shouto stopped at the doorway, surprised by the sight before him.

Iida was sitting at his desk, paperwork unceremoniously strewn across his table. That alone was strange. In all the years they'd worked together, Iida's desk was always tidy. Midoriya was in the room as well, overshadowing the once in a lifetime event. He sat across from Iida, his head turned slightly to smile back at Shouto.

"You're both busy." Shouto said. "I'll come back later —"

"No, it's fine. I wanted to talk to you too." Midoriya patted the chair next to him.

It was serious then. Shouto looked at Iida, who merely nodded to confirm the situation's weight.

Shouto closed Iida's office door behind him. It wouldn't do for the rest of team to overhear. Sitting next to Midoriya, he turned to face him. "What is it?"

A shadow crossed his friend's face. "I found All For One."

Shouto sank back into his seat. "Are you sure it's him this time?"

"Yes." Midoriya pulled a small envelope from his pocket, placing it on Iida's desk. Midoriya's name was scrawled in flowery script, alongside a lipstick kiss. "They sent an invitation."

"Toga." Iida frowned, gingerly picking up the envelope as though it were a ticking bomb. "Her obsession with you is unhealthy."

"It's a trap." Shouto stated the obvious. Why now? After all those years of hide-and-seek, why were they revealing themselves?

"Yeah." Midoriya grimaced. "But we have to go anyways."

"When?" Iida was still examining the envelope, not even glancing at the paper inside. Meticulous to a fault, he had already put on gloves for a thorough inspection.

Shouto shrugged. "We don't have much choice. Trap or no trap, they're killing too many heroes to be left unchecked."

Midoriya watched Iida waggle his fingers in the gloves. "Next Wednesday."

"Enough time to prepare." Iida began one of his infamous to-do lists on a nearby notepad. "I'll reorganize my team's schedule."

"I've been gathering our old classmates." Midoriya unfolded a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. "I've found most of them."

Shouto traced down the list of names with his fingers. Satou, Shouji, Kaminari — his finger stopped at the next name. "You haven't asked Bakugou yet?"

"I …" Midoriya hesitated before shaking his head. "I don't need to, I know he'll help."

"That's true." Iida agreed. "Somehow, he's in more places at once than you are. I'll reach out to anyone who turned you down, stress the importance of the mission."

"We'll need to scout the area too." Shouto thumbed through Iida's files until he found a map. "At least for a few days before the mission."

"Oh, I can help with that." Midoriya leaned to examine the map. As he scanned sections, he'd stop and point at different locations. "These areas need patrols."

Tenya circled some spots in red marker. "I have some of that covered. It won't be hard to shift the patrol routes."

Shouto watched as they talked, taking in Iida's furrowed brow and Midoriya's grim expression. Dark circles hung under their eyes. He had seen the signs of overworking for years, but it felt more pronounced today. It wasn't too hard to guess why.

There was a ghost at this table. A memory pushing, prodding them on. A heavy hand weighing down on their shoulders. All Might's presence was disappearing from the city, but Shouto always felt it at its fullest when he was with these two. It was in everything they did: Iida's tireless patrols, Midoriya's heroics. Always bouncing from one incident to another. They never stopped moving, and Shouto was certain they didn't sleep properly.

Obsession. His father went to the grave with it, striving to meet an unobtainable standard. The goalposts kept moving, and his father's memory of his fallen rival was far more powerful than the real thing. If Shouto allowed it, these two would meet the same fate. Their hands would forever stretch out for a back that fell further away with each passing second. It would crush them as it had crushed Shouto in school, where he constantly strived to not be his father, to not be himself.

If he had accepted himself earlier, could he have saved All Might?

He could also have visited his mother in the hospital sooner, even accepted Yoarashi when they first met. Shouto knew now that the what-if game was endless. The burn of his face throbbed faintly, as both a reminder and a warning: a failure was something to accept and learn from, something necessary to let go of in order to move forward.

Whatever the case was with All Might, Shouto didn't save him. He probably couldn't have, regardless of what he did. Furthermore, there was no undo button and life marched onward. Shouto had accepted that.

Iida and Midoriya, however, never truly left the construction site. They were still behind the fence, running through neverending simulations to save All Might. No matter how many lives they saved to make up for the transgression, it would never be enough.

"I'll use my hand-destroying abilities." Shouto rejoined the discussion. "He has many hands, right?"

"Hand-destroying?" Iida trailed off as Midoriya blinked owlishly at him. Then they both burst into laughter.

"That joke again?" Midoriya wiped at his eyes.

"It's not a joke," Shouto corrected sternly, "it's a curse."

Shouto knew it was neither a joke or a curse, but it did the trick. For a brief moment, the ghost they were burdened by dissipated.

Midoriya had told him once to fight for himself, to look at who he really was. Iida had regretted not leaning on his friends more, for wrestling with dark impulses on his own. It seemed these were lessons they both had forgotten.

But that was fine. Shouto still remembered. And as long as he did, the lesson wasn't lost. He would just have to remind them.

-x-

Roses. Lilies. Tulips. Dawdling in front of the street shop, Izuku mouthed the names of the few flowers he recognized. Maybe he should have asked Uraraka or Asui for help. He knew very little about flowers, but he didn't want to settle for the usual funeral lilies. All Might would have liked something festive.

A clerk appeared behind a row of orchids. "Can I help you?"

Izuku almost dropped the sunflowers he was holding. "Y—yes. I want a … cheerful bouquet?" The second the words left his mouth, he almost hit his head on the nearest wall. Cheerful. Who used that to describe a bouquet?

"Cheerful? Sure, I can do that."

Izuku blinked as she snatched the sunflowers from his hand.

"I'll use these as the base. It's a good choice, sir." She bustled around the shop, grabbing flowers here and there. "Who are they for?"

"All Might. It's the anniversary of …" The word got caught in his throat, almost choking him. "You know."

"All Might? Is that the name of your pet?"

"Huh?"

She was older than he was. There was no way she could have forgotten.

"Oh, did I get it wrong?" She tried to smooth things over. "You mentioned an anniversary, is this work or relationship related?"

"All Might." Izuku repeated the name. "He is — was a hero."

She continued on selecting several carnations. "Sorry, I don't know too much about heroes. Did he pass recently?"

His funeral had been broadcasted on every channel and on platform. People flooded the city for weeks, and the streets were filled with flowers and stuffed animals.

"All Might …" she repeated herself when Izuku failed to answer her. "Alllll Miiiiight."

She turned back to him and he recoiled in horror. Her face was unnaturally smooth, like marble. Her eyes and ears were gone, but somehow still speaking in an disembodied voice. "Who is he again?"

Izuku stumbled back and bumped into something. Looking behind him was a mistake: he came face-to-face with another faceless person, another disembodied voice whispering: "Who is he?"

Izuku took off running, but the street was flooding with the nameless haunts. A child. An old woman. A baby. A young man. Different faceless people, all asking the same disembodied question.

Who is he?

-x-

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ochako sipped her iced tea. It was almost too sweet, but she needed it to be.

Tsuyu lazily scanned the bustling café, content they would not be overheard as she wriggled her webbed fingers. "Well, I can help plan. I'm not much use in combat."

Ochako understood. They were great for support, great for rescue, but as fighters? If it weren't for her internship, Ochako would have no combat skills to speak of.

"Oh, but I could also be a distraction." Tsuyu croaked, grinning. Her mannerisms had become more frog-like over the years. Though she was slowly acclimating to it, it left Ochako unsettled from time to time. "Though I don't think he'd like that."

"No, he wouldn't." Ochako stirred her drink uneasily, remembering Midoriya's invitation. "He's changed."

"We all have. Some more than others."

"Yeah, but even then he's not happy."

Tsuyu gave her a sly look. "He smiles all the time. I'm pretty sure he turned red when you shook his hand."

"Tsuyu!" She scolded. "You've been spending too much time with Mina."

Tsuyu did her best to look guileless.

"Besides, that wasn't … that was … you know what that was for."

A confession and a rejection. After All Might's death, romance was Midoriya's last priority. But Ochako knew that life was short. Fragile. If All Might could die, any of them could. So many of them did die, along with any hopes, dreams, and desires. There was no point in spending her time doing anything she didn't want to do. There might not be a 'tomorrow', or even a 'later'.

She wished Midoriya understood that.

Chagrined, Tsuyu set down her cup of chamomile. "Sorry."

"It's fine." And it was. The rejection was water under the bridge. "Yes, he smiles a lot now, but it never reaches his eyes. "

"Ah." Tsuyu tapped her fingers in thought as her tea grew cold. "Yeah, I see what you mean."

"Do you think …" It was a sore subject, and Ochako never knew when she should talk about it.

"We wouldn't have changed anything." For a rare moment, Tsuyu was disheartened. "Not back then, not as we were."

Ochako knew her friend was right. They couldn't have changed anything back then. Despite what Tenya thought, or what Midoriya tried, or even what Momo ran from, they couldn't have changed a single thing. They had been children, and they had fought as hard as children could fight.

Children could not have saved All Might.

"Still, I wish I could've tried."

"Me too." Tsuyu took her hand, squeezing it. "We can try now. With Midoriya."

Ochako remembered Midoriya's smile when he had passed the school exam. His silhouette at night, when he trained outdoors. His weird expressions when he scribbled his notes. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him do anything for himself.

Midoriya wasn't happy anymore. None of them were who they used to be, but he had changed the most. She couldn't help him back then, but maybe now ...

"Yeah, it's what friends do." She wouldn't live with regrets, not anymore. "Besides, a mission to save the world? How can I say no?"

-x-

Izuku found himself in a sea of black. Rows upon rows of people were dressed in funeral attire, sitting in the open field. In the center of the crowd, a black casket stood on a stand. Few funerals were so large as to require an outdoor mourning.

Could it be Kirishima's? Aoyama's?

Those had been quiet affairs, discounting Kacchan's explosive departure from the former.

Izuku watched the huddled, weeping attendees. Iida was a few seats away, Uraraka's face pressed against his shoulder. Nearby were the rest of his classmates. Shoji was patting Kaminari's back while Yaoyorozu and Jirou held hands. Even Mineta was oddly solemn.

Izuku froze. He hadn't seen Mineta since All Might's funeral; he had been the first to quit. This must be All Might's funeral.

Izuku slowly approached the casket, swallowing hard. The framed photo was obscured by the glare of the sun. He'd have to look at the body before he could wake up. After all these years, he didn't want to relive this moment. The moment he saw …

It was a strange mix of emotion when Izuku saw his own body inside. Surprise. Confusion.

Relief.

-x-

He tensed his beak, staring at the cracks of golden light spilling onto the floor. Sunset. Not yet night. His shadow cawed angrily, its rest disturbed, and he growled in agreement. Someone was invading their den. He closed his eyes, listening to footsteps climbing the stairs. He should have an eyrie, not some aging room in a broken house.

The stranger was outside the door. Attack, his shadow commanded.

No, not yet, he had to see if it was someone who needed help. Someone—

"Tokoyami?"

That was his name once. He cracked open both eyes, staring at the nervous green figure at the door.

"Are you ok? It's me, Midoriya ." The figure stepped forward hesitantly, causing Dark Shadow to screech: Don't come any closer! "Sorry."

Midoriya regarded him with wide eyes. That much hadn't changed since high school. Tokoyami remembered attending. He remembered a lot of things—the stuffiness of class, the groans of his classmates, the taste of the cafeteria. He remembered Midoriya. Midoriya's voice. Tokoyami turned to stare at him again, recognizing him at last. This was his friend.

"Midoriya?"

"Yeah, it's me!" Midoriya remained wary. "How are you?"

"I'm … okay." Tokoyami shook his head, fighting back the haze of animalistic instincts. "My shadow … it's all too much. I can't … I can't stop fighting."

"Fighting what?"

"Everything." Tokoyami tried to remember the last time he'd spoken aloud. It felt so long ago. Words didn't come easy anymore.

"I'll get you help—"

"No." He cut Midoriya off, feeling some clarity. "I used Dark Shadow too much, and doctors can't fix this. At night..." He trailed off. The room was dark, and it made it hard to think.

"Can I help?" Midoriya's voice shook slightly. Tokoyami smiled.

"Not really." That is, he thought he smiled. According to Midoriya's expression, he didn't quite hit the mark. "Dark Shadow's pretty good for fighting though, so we can at least take some villains down with us."

"There's so many now."

And the number of heroes kept going down, one by one. What All Might had built in decades was torn down in just a few years. "Too many."

"We can change that." Midoriya said, coming closer and clenching his fist. "Tokoyami, I need your help — I found him."

"You found him." There was only one man Midoriya could be talking about. The man who killed All Might, who had led this new cabel of villains. Kill him! Dark Shadow screeched. His own hatred was rising, feeding the beast.

"In two days, we're going to fight him." Midoriya held out a small card. "We'll be meeting here.."

"Two..." It was hard to think between his shadow's screams. Tokoyami shook his head. "Two days."

"Yeah." Midoriya reached out to squeeze Tokoyami's shoulder. "Are you sure I can't do anything?"

His friend's hand was heavy. "No, I'm ... I'm fine."

We must fight! Dark Shadow cried, its voice shrill. Tokoyami shook his head again. They were talking about something important. All Might's killer. "I'll be …"

All Might's killers. It wasn't just one man who killed the Symbol of Peace. It was the rescue he didn't help with. It was the kidnapping he didn't stop. KILL HIM! Dark Shadow roared, and sun was long gone.

"You—Why couldn't you—?" Tokoyami's shadow was expanding. He didn't notice Midoriya flinching and stepping back. "We—you—"

"Tokoyami! Get ahold of yourself —"

Dark Shadow's caws drowned out Midoriya's voice. Tokoyami knew he should have grabbed Bakugou back then. If he had reached out a little faster, a little further, he could have stopped the kidnapping.

If he hadn't lost control— Why couldn't we have stopped it?

"Why couldn't you—"

They should have stuck together. Get out, his shadow hissed, and Midoriya reluctantly disappeared behind the door. Tokoyami cradled his head as he relived that night, drowning in regret.

If only he had been stronger back then, All Might wouldn't have had to die.

-x-

His mother's apartment still felt more like home than his own bachelor pad. Family pictures littered the hallway walls, and small baubles of All Might crowded every surface. A clock chimed and just outside the window, Izuku could hear the muted roar of traffic.

This was a safe dream. He could smell his mother's cooking, and hear her off-key humming before he saw her. When he entered the kitchen, she turned and smiled. "You're back!" Her hand brushed his hair with affection, and he felt like a child again. "Set the table."

She picked up a pot of curry, not even waiting for him to move. Only after he finished setting up did she speak again.

"I'm proud of you."

And those words were what he needed. Izuku rubbed his head, embarrassed. She reached across the table to grab his hand.

"I'm so glad you never enrolled in that dreadful school."

Izuku stopped smiling. Unperturbed, his mother continued to beam. There was nothing malicious about her, but it scared him.

"But I did attend U.A. I'm a Pro-Hero now."

"Oh Izuku, I thought we were past fantasy of yours." She began to serve dinner, heaping rice onto his plate. "You're not a hero. You just killed one."

"I—" Izuku started to rise, only to have his mother push him back into the seat. "But I am."

"Oh, honey." His mother sighed. "Let's talk about this after dinner."

Izuku's spoon clattered as he looked at his plate. The rice was shaped like All Might's face.

"She's right, you know," the rice said, opening its eyes to look at him. "You just killed me."

-x-

Izuku wiped the blood from his lip, smearing it on the back of his hand as he sat up. "Kacchan—"

"You're weak," Kacchan spat out, his fists tightening with every word. The street was in tatters, and he could feel a bruise forming where Kacchan had punched him.

"I…" He couldn't deny it. Even this fight had been completely one-sided.

"He chose you and you're weak." Kacchan chuckled bitterly. "What does that make me?"

Izuku blinked, not understanding the question. A cloud covered the moon, bathing them in darkness. Izuku could see sparks forming in Kacchan's hands.

"I killed him," Kacchan said as Izuku scrambled to his feet. "I killed All Might."

"No, you're wrong!" Izuku's chest constricted with fear and guilt.

He had to reveal the truth. All Might hadn't wanted him to say anything, but All Might was dead. Izuku swallowed a lump in his throat.

"You didn't kill All Might. I—It wasn't your fault." The words stuck to his throat like glue. For a second, Kacchan seemed to be listening. "Kacchan, it was—"

"Shut up, Deku."

"Listen to me!"

"The fuck am I even talking to you for? Just shut up!" Kacchan released an explosion, propelling himself into the air.

"It wasn't you!" Izuku shouted. "It was—"

It was too late. Kacchan was gone, a dark speck in the air. Izuku sank to his knees. The truth, so hard to say before, came out in a soft whisper.

"It was me. It's all my fault."

-x-

Toshinori stood firm on that pile of rubble. His body steamed as it barely held itself together, his muscles gradually losing shape and substance.

"I'll stop you."

Izuku believed him. This was All Might, and All Might could never lose. Blood sprayed from his lips as All for One delivered another punch. His feet skidded in the ground, dust rising from the impact.

"I'm here!" Toshinori gritted his teeth, his smile persevering. "I'm here, and you will not win!"

"No." This time, Izuku recognized the voice as his own.

Toshinori punched All for One hard. Once. Twice. Eight times. Izuku lost count of how many it took before the monster collapsed.

"No," he said again.

Kacchan ran up the mound. Blood streamed freely from Toshinori's side, where his old wound reopened.

"I'm here."

The words were more a whimper than a declaration. Izuku scrambled to find a grip on the concrete chunks. Toshinori was standing, but just barely. The steam continued rolling as his body continued to shrink.

"I'm—"

He took a step, then another.

"—here."

And he fell, crumpling forward. Izuku held his breath, his eyes never leaving Toshinori's body.

He wasn't getting up.

Kacchan reached him first, turning him over.

"All Might?"

Izuku knelt down next to him, examining his stomach. The wound was too big. The blood wouldn't stop, even as he wrenched off his jacket to press against the injury.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Kacchan was babbling.

Toshinori's voice was faint."I'm … sorry."

"Don't speak!" Izuku shook his head frantically. "Save your strength."

Each breath came out a wheeze. "No—Young Midoriya, you're here now."

"Of course, I'm here." Izuku tasted salt. "I won't leave you."

"No." Toshinori coughed, blood splattering on Izuku's shirt. With effort, he pointed a shaky finger at himself. "I'm here." His hand rose and he groaned as he pressed it against Izuku's chest. His eyes caught Izuku's, almost desperate. "You're here."

Then his hand fell one final time, leaving only a bloody fingerprint among spatters on Izuku's chest.

-x-

It's not your fault, he had tried to tell Kacchan. It's mine.

But. A small voice whispered in Izuku's ear, a slow poison that dripped through his thoughts. But what if it was?

What if it really was all their faults? If it was Ashido's fault for not coming, or Uraraka's fault for rejecting their plan? The world could have been a very different place if even one more classmate had come. Maybe Yaoyorozu wouldn't have frozen in fear, using her skills and brains to devise a rescue plan.

The bitter voice didn't stop there, and the what-ifs were endless. What if Todoroki and Iida were a little faster, tried a little harder, and grabbed Kacchan before he disappeared through the portal? Or if Tokoyami hadn't lost control, wasting precious seconds taming Dark Shadow?

And if Kacchan had kept a lower profile, if he had just let himself be protected, then he would never have been kidnapped. They never would have been on that construction site.

These thoughts were like acid, slowly eating away at him, but the last thought was always the worst: No one was to blame but himself. If Izuku had been better at controlling his powers, he could have saved everyone.

And if he had never taken One for All, then All Might would never have died.

-x-

"Take it."

Mirio blinked. This morning he had donned the Hero Association's mascot costume, expecting a day covered in children and sweat. He had gotten exactly that. Maybe a little too much sweat, which was why he had taken off the caricature's head.

Mirio wasn't expecting Midoriya to throw himself in front of him, his junior's nails digging into the dirt. Mirio looked around, thankful that they were hidden behind walls and booths. Any prying eyes that would watch one of the top heroes grovel were too busy enjoying the fair.

"Please, take his quirk." Midoriya's voice trembled.

Mirio crouched down to face his junior. The way Midoriya kept his face firmly planted on the ground reminded him of another, older request. Please, help me meet Sir Nighteye.

"Why?" He finally asked.

"You're the better hero."

"I haven't been a hero in years." Acknowledging that didn't hurt as much as he expected.

"Please. You'll make better use of his powers. You could save everyone." Midoriya raised his face, covered in dirt and tears. Mirio tried to wipe it down with his costume's furry paw. Instead, he only succeeded in smudging the dirt on Midoriya's face.

Sitting down, Mirio crossed his arms. "No."

"Why?" Midoriya's face broke. "You're quirkless now and Eri doesn't know how to undo it. She might never be able to undo it. But you—you could be a hero." He swallowed and added: "Sir was right. You should have inherited One for All."

Mirio closed his eyes. There was the seed sown at heart of it all. He suspected Midoriya was pushing himself too hard, and he had been right. He should never have let Midoriya work with Sir. It had been too soon for everyone involved. Midoriya was too ready to accept blame, hoping against hope to fix the past.

"No, on all accounts." Mirio reached out to grab Midoriya, to raise his friend up to a seated position. "I have faith in Eri."

"But—"

Mirio cut him off. "And even if she can't…"

It was one thing to admit it in his mind, and another to say it aloud. Still, Mirio smiled and kept his head up. "Even if she can't, it's fine. You don't need a quirk to be a hero. I can still help people, and as long as I can do that, I'm fine."

Midoriya stared at him, incredulous.

Mirio swallowed. If admitting his loss was hard, he knew next part was even harder. "Sir was wrong."

"No, he wasn't—you worked so hard. You're still working so hard."

"No, Sir was wrong and if he could see you now, he would have taken it back." Mirio reached out, his padded hands covering Midoriya's shoulders. "You are a hero. A great hero."

"How?" Midoriya's expression crumpled, tears streaming. "I keep failing—"

"I've lost and failed a lot, too. I still do. Even All Might made mistakes." Mirio pulled Midoriya up till they were both standing, face to face. He patted his hand on Midoriya's chest. "But you get up again. You try again. That's what makes a hero."

His junior looked up at him with a mixture of hope and doubt.

"You are a hero." Mirio repeated. "Both All Might and Sir would be proud."

Midoriya's knees buckled as Mirio supported him. "Would he be?" His voice was desperate as his hands gripped Mirio's costume so tight he could feel it.

"Yeah." Mirio wrapped his arms around his friend. "We're all proud of you."

It was not enough, he knew, to chase away the demons. But as Midoriya smiled up at him, a shaky, watery smile, Mirio knew that at least it was a start. A step forward to moving to something better.

-x-

"Is this everyone?" Iida asked after doing a thorough headcount.

Izuku scanned the office. He remembered another meeting, years ago, where heroes gathered to avenge All Might. The building then had overflowed with hundreds of heroes wanting to pay their respects. Even in death, All Might found ways to inspire people. Izuku, on the other hand, barely managed to fill a single room.

"My team will be waiting on site." Iida turned to face Izuku. "You should say something."

Izuku blanched. "Me?"

"Yes." Iida waved his hands in the air before Izuku could back out of it. "Everyone, quiet down. After Izuku's speech, we'll leave for the target."

Just like that, everyone's eyes were on him. He swallowed. What was there to say? Good luck?

"We …" he started, his mouth dry. In school, he kept an entire bookshelf of data, composing strategy after strategy. He always did find it easier to write his thoughts.

"All For One-Shigaraki is going to be there and-"

He had never been so grateful to be interrupted by a knock.

"Sorry I'm late." Yaoyorozu poked her head in. Izuku stared in disbelief as she timidly entered the room. Rubbing her arm, she flashed a strained grin at the crowd. Behind her, others slowly shuffled to the back of the crowd. Satou, Ojiro, Sero; people who had rejected his request earlier.

"Don't hide, I need to add you to the list." Iida's stern expression was betrayed by his tone as he gestured at the newcomers. "I need an accurate headcount to adjust our tactics."

"Still a stick-in-the-mud," Sero muttered.

Yaoyorozu flashed them both a weak smile as she walked past Iida to Izuku. "I couldn't stop thinking about it after you left."

"You're… here to help?" Izuku was almost afraid of the answer.

She laughed depreciatively. "Yes. Though I couldn't fit into my old hero costume, so I thought this would have to do." She turned slightly, revealing her exposed back of her dress.

Realization dawned on him. "For your powers."

"For my powers," she repeated, turning back to face him. Rubbing her neck, she chuckled. "I just couldn't stop thinking, if I don't protect my kids, who will?"

Izuku grabbed her hands tightly. "Thank you."

"And what sort of role model would I be, to let him walk around free?" She shook her head, her hands squeezing his. "You reminded me of what's important. Thank you, Midoriya."

"I did?"

Yaoyorozu smiled, gesturing behind her. "We're all here because of you."

"No—"

Izuku protested as Iida rejoined them, beaming. "It's good to have you here, Yaoyorozu."

"It's good to be here." She released Izuku's hands after a final, firm squeeze, stepping down to join the crowd. Izuku stared at his hands, but then realized everyone was watching him.

Maybe All Might could have gathered greater numbers, but it was Izuku who gathered these heroes. Iida was behind him, Yaoyorozu on his left, and Shouto across the room. He could spot Ashido and Kaminari in the crowd and the others were soon to behind them.

Maybe he could never be the hero All Might was, but maybe he didn't have to be. He could be something better.

Izuku cleared his throat and began to speak, his eyes lighting with a life that he had nearly forgotten in a battlefield so many years ago.

"Let's do this."