Ch21: Everyone Lives In their Own Little World

Shoto takes the surroundings in, the crumbled buildings, the injured and the "villains" all into his sight. No longer would be blinded by a single thing. To overcome his personal problems, he had to ignore them. To become the person he sought to be, he had to take it all in and that was exactly what the examiners were looking for. Ice clears the rubble away, and fire melts the excess, providing the "victims" a passage of escape.

"Just follow the tunnel and everything will be fine."

On the streets, Todoroki had felt it; the stares from strangers, judging and gauging him, wondering if he would crack like his mother. Like his father. His mother was locked away, asleep in some undisclosed hospital. His father was still going through court hearings. The sight of that man in a wheelchair, propelling himself without a care to the judging gazes.

"Outside factors don't matter…"

He had wished as a child for someone to save his family from his father, but no one did. That was why he brought it on himself to become such a hero, yet by focusing on his own personal matters, he ignored everyone else. He knew what it was like to feel such despair, yet it was undeniable that many had it worse. He couldn't see his father as a good man, but at the very least, his father was a man and not a monster. Out there, there exist true monsters and people in need of saving, with no one to save them.

"It seems I forgot. That's the person I wanted to be."

The mind clears. He's completely focused on the task at hand. In front of him was a girl with a sprain and he gently creates a cast with ice.

"Is that better?"

His mind is like a block of ice, but even ice can have impurities. The girl gives no reply, except for a smile with a mischievous tint.

"That momma's boy…he's changed, some what?"

That was the conclusion Toga arrived at while posing as a member of HUC (Help Us Company). She had avoided other rescuers by hiding her presence. In the midst of chaos, it was easy for their senses to turn away from her presence. Clearing her mind, holding her breath, she could disappear by becoming "nothing". It was a skill Toga picked up when indulging in her "hobby". As long as one wasn't wearing anything too out of place, one would be indistinguishable from the background, yet the scarred pretty boy was unusually attentive, but Toga paid no mind to that.

"No sign of Deku anywhere….anywhere….no Deku in sight….or is he hiding?."

Hiding, waiting, Toga was waiting for Deku, but Deku wasn't here. Instead, she was found by a familiar scarred face, but that face was calmer. The momma's boy had learned to be attentive, but not quite attentive enough.

"….minus points…."

Even if Endeavor's masterpiece managed to take his eyes off his hated father, he was still not familiar with taking everything into his eyes. Despite moving forward, an amateur is an amateur.

"Hmmm…? Meat shield?"

In the distance watching was the unsuspecting student Shigaraki had used for cover during summer camp. The boy's name was Inasa, but Toga didn't care to remember it. The boy quickly turns away and seeks out others to be rescued. There were many things as of late, much more important than his petty dislike of Endeavor and his son.

Inasa had always liked passionate heroes and it was a revelation for him that the one who burned the brightest wasn't passionate at all. Cold eyes that refused to look at him as a child who simply sought an autograph, yet when Inasa had visited that man in the hospital, there was only a pitiful figure. In that incident at Wookies with that man's wife, he had lost his own mother. He had also lost a classmate. Yet, nothing hurt more than knowing that he was used as camouflage by the very monsters that had set up that fateful day at Wookies, if the police officers were being straight with him. If only he could get his hands on one of those monsters from LoV, but things won't be so convenient for him. As he looks onto the spawn of that hated hero, with thawed eyes, he felt loss.

"Dammit…."

Though he admired passionate heroes, he found himself less passionate than Shoto who was only focused on the rescue victims at hand. The air tenses and the boy with the anguished face, like a gust of wind disperses from Toga's sight.

"Well, that's boring….."

No Deku in sight or even some light entertainment for her troubles.

Nemoto never expected much from the League of Villains, but one of those things he expected was some level of respect. The young master was watching.

"Where is that Himiko girl?"

The one he was asking was an equally troublesome person across from a table. The lights were dim, and the room was isolated. This was supposed to be a serious interrogation.

"A high school girl has her exams don't ya know?"

It was clear the shape shifter didn't go to school, but Nemoto would play along.

"It's August."

It was only a matter of time before someone confesses under the influence of his quirk.

Twice sighs, and swings his head in annoyance.

"She wanted to see what's his face at that hero exam thingy."

"What's his face?"

"Freckles, green hair, probably related to you know who."

"One of you is related to a hero trainee?"

"Dunno, one of our guys has blue eyes and shoots fire and we don't judge. Brave man, considering what happened to that fine piece of...you look at her and think, ice, ice, baby, have to think it twice and she already comes with ice! Can't even tell she squeezed out 4 kids. Heroes are so lucky.."

*Smack*, was the audible crack made by the back of a hand against Twice's cheek.

Nemoto never thought he would have needed to resort to physical interrogation considering the nature of his quirk, but these buffoons are the exception to the rule.

*cough*cough*

Twice tries to straighten up and look serious, coughing into his fist, but that's the thing, finding people that took him seriously was something he always struggled with.

"So, Dabi comes and goes. Does his own thing. We're all searching for our own thing, ya know."

His hands grasp his heart and Nemoto is not amused. The young master was losing faith in him!

"You don't seem to know a lot about your coworkers."

"Hey, its company policy, I'm just happy I have people to hang out with…..I tried hanging out by myself, but it didn't work out….. Pretty sure we actually had an actual UA student with us before but snitches get put in ditches, though I can't really be sure if he was actually put it one."

Such a tactic wasn't all too different from the one Overhaul himself employed. Those with nowhere else to go are very obedient. He himself didn't really think too hard on the background of some of his men. It was easy to tell who was a somebody and who was a nobody.

The fact that there was no substitute copy of that girl here for attendance put doubt on the legitimacy of the masked man capable of duplication.

"Are you a copy?"

Tears swell up and bleed through the mask. A whimper becomes an angry shout.

"Not a day goes by without me wondering…..thank you for bringing it up! I was having a good day until now!"

Overhaul rolls his eyes and Nemoto gets a bit angry. These were the typical responses from these so called villains despite being under the influence of his "confession" quirk. Every time they interrogate one of them, Nemoto loses face in front of the young master. He hates these youngsters. Still, with the shape shifter at that exam that meant that she hadn't stolen the identities of one of the henchmen. The utility of her disguising ability couldn't be denied, but with the "core" to their plans so close, she was quite the liability, so it was always important to keep track of her location. With such unstable personalities, there was no telling what could happen. It was clear that the Shigaraki brat held no leashes, but that was something Overhaul wasn't displeased with. That so called leader of the League of Villains was a brat who couldn't hold anything, but there was nothing more to be expected from a pawn of the King of Night. As such, his pieces were free for him to use.

*sigh*

"Bring in the next one."

As Twice leaves, he puts his hand on Nemoto's shoulder, whispering into his ear very audibly.

"Say, can't I have a gun like you, or two, it seems you guys have no trouble getting those ….oh…maybe a sword too …. …. …"

Nemoto wonders about his life choices and wonders where it all went wrong.

Right now, All Might was watching, watching the future of heroism from the distance as they hone their edges with every clash. As he eyes his former sidekick, it was clear he was satisfied, but at the back of All Might's head was always a nagging sensation. The end of his journey was near.

Relief or despair?

The future was in capable hands and yet the Symbol of Peace is left wanting. He knew it was wrong, but a part of him wanted to carry out what he had been doing forever. To save people for all eternity as the Symbol of Peace, but he knew that such selfish thinking was in line with the one he hated most.

All For One, the ageless and merciless, the shadow that lurked and continues to lurk in every facet of this country. That man was still alive despite the massive head injury All Might gave him those years ago, yet it should have been expected.

"I'm still alive."

He can still feel the scar on his abdomen. Without the luxury of a stomach, he had become the toothpick of a man that he is today who continues to puff out his chest to alleviate the public's worries. As the years ticked on, he was forced to take less and less responsibility to keep up the public image that society leaned against for support.

"All For One."

That final battle was a hazy memory, but there were things he couldn't help but remember.

The stench of blood and the sight of his own guts strewn across the floor, it seemed that he had screwed up. The face of his enemy standing above him wasn't clear.

*Really now, Shimura was quite delusional? Giving such responsibility to someone quirk-less. Her death was a curse for you wasn't it? When she died, you had no choice but walk on this bloody path and meet me.*

The smiling madman in front of him was quite the character to be giving a speech at this critical moment, yet he himself was madder for wanting to respond. The taste of iron was an unpleasant one.

*cough*cough*

*This didn't have to happen this way you know? If only you had stopped, but you continued to move forward. You had to go beyond, smashing my comrades into the pavement and for what? You're only here because you wanted to feel big. You were nothing, a zero and you wanted to be something, a hero. But alas, without power, goals are but mere dreams and you're about to wake up from one, so in a roundabout way, maybe you should consider thanking me with your final breath.*

The hero was bleeding, but a single memory keeps him awake.

"If you find yourself against a wall, remember your origin and that will take you beyond your so called limits."

"I don't know about my final breath…"

The dying man can only smile as he grits his teeth, charging forward and beyond towards his nemesis with fists clenched.

"But how's my second wind?"

Heroes are the most dangerous on their last legs.

*SMASH*

The fists clash in sync, each only containing enough power to cancel out the other. A vivid display of green and yellow blurs across the barren landscape of training ground beta. It seemed like their control was improving, improving independent of his influence.

"I see…."

The thing that bothered Toshinori the most, it seemed, was the fact the future was growing without him independently. His master had guided him, personally hammering ideals into his head, yet he did not get the chance to do the same.

"They don't need me to teach them anything…"

His former sidekick disagrees. The Symbol of Peace wasn't such a meaningless thing.

"You're wrong. Those two, us, all of us here are here because of you. As the Symbol of Peace, you have taught us how to live."

Nighteye was sincere with his words. The Symbol of Peace was an example many fledgling heroes aspired to become. Through inspiration, the next generation was taught how to live.

"Even so, it wasn't I who taught them how to fight, how to move forward and taught them how to become strong."

The Symbol of Peace was but a goal. Without strength, a goal is but a dream.

"Teachers like you, like Saitama…..a pillar is not without foundations. As a teacher at UA, I'm still lacking."

It was through a collective effort that the Symbol of Peace held any meaning.

"Who is this Saitama?" was Nighteye's honest question.

All Might recalls that white cape that the old man wore. It couldn't have just been a coincidence. That was his gut feeling.

"My master's inspiration."

Overhaul examines the piece of flesh in his hands and confirms once again the presence of the extra toe joint.

"Quite pitiful indeed, even with a body free of disease, your mind is sick…."

Completely disregarding the missing foot, the mental patient acts like her leg didn't just explode in front of her. Though it does speak volumes about how deranged the thing in front of him was. If only Eri was nonchalant of such things.

「*It's not nice to say those things even if they're true.*」

Overhaul fixes the thing he casually broke with care. Individuals without quirks, the uninfected, especially of the younger generation were exceedingly rare specimens.

"Though a specimen that perfectly sums up everything wrong with this world."

Those born right, the healthy and disease free minority saw themselves as wrong in the world they lived in. The majority that was born wrong refused to see the wrongness in themselves. That was why it was so important to drill into Eri's head that she was born wrong, for Eri had potential to become the vaccine. It was risky, but slowly, he needed to expose Eri to the outside world's wrongness. If Eri learned of that wrongness, then it was only logical that she become as cooperative as someone like Nemoto.

Nemoto continues the questioning.

"It has come to our knowledge that you resemble a certain UA student. Took 2nd place at the recent sports festival. Explain."

Tears well up, drops the size of chicken gizzard flow.

「*It's always about Deku isn't it? Like a main character? Even the final boss stresses over him. *」

For Deku was a threat even greater than All Might.

「*So many quirks, but he couldn't spare one….or even spare to look at me…*」

Relationships are all give and take, but All For One who lacked eyes could not look at anyone.

/*Fine wines take time. Why do you think I took in Tenko? Now, this black mask and this breathing apparatus, is it subtle enough?*/

All For One always berated her for having no patience or subtlety, but clearly someone with an age halting quirk could think like that, so the warning was ignored!

「*Even though he brought me into this world in the first place.*」

From a certain point of view.

"You lot...you're all quite the special snowflakes aren't you?..."

「*Do you want to hear about that one time, what we did to this one snowflake?*」

Nemoto has officially given up. It seemed that his confession quirk seemed to be of no use whatsoever when it came to these "kids". Those under the influence of his quirk were forced to confess, but that assumed that the target was right in the head. He could not even get angry at them anymore. His master on the other hand seemed to have more patience.

Overhaul quickly picks up on what was audible and ignores the arm crossing, as well as the pouty pout. If Nemoto wasn't present with his confession quirk active, he would have dismissed whatever that was said as pure nonsense. In fact, what was said was probably nonsense. The deranged will confess to all sorts of things.

"I see. Does that mass of disease see himself akin to Cronus?…Well, you are far from the only one…..All For One….All Might…..I always believed there to be a connection between the kings...""

Even so, it was a common story in the underworld. Someone born without any deformity seeks out the most deformed of them all; the night king in hopes of becoming deformed themselves. Pawns like the one in front of him that judged themselves to have no value were easy to acquire with the right words, so it was best to play along. Whether the thing in front of him was a spy mattered not, for those without power, without quirks could not oppose those that did. Precisely because the girl in front of him was utterly powerless, that he can entrust an important task.

"Born blessed thinking yourself cursed; truly you are a lost lamb. Pitiful lamb that has been thrown away; I have a use for you …."

The tears become a minor sniffle, then a seething anger and an eerie giggle, and then a laugh rises to the surface.

「*Blessed? …Sorry…I never imagined anyone would try that on me. Trying to buy something like me with words like that, aren't you being ripped off? *」

A warning is confessed without fanfare, yet those that look down on others from a perch always had difficulty listening.

Staring at a package of half priced meat, Bakugo grits his teeth. With his arms bound to his crutches, he can only stare. He couldn't do anything.

"….."

The provisional exams have passed by and Bakugo had missed them along with the setting sun. Up until then, he was restrained to his hospital bed and it was only after exams did the doctor let him go free.

"…"

"Stop mumbling."

His mother had brought him grocery shopping as a way to give her son some fresh air. From the app on her Smartphone, there was a sale on meat this evening. Proteins were a crucial part in a speedy rehabilitation after all.

"….."

Eyeing every package, mother and son were carefully taking note of each cut. There were lean cuts and there were not so lean cuts. Depending on the person, depending on the life style, fat was not necessarily the enemy. This was especially true for spicy foods.

"Grain is fine, but this stuff has clearly been frozen for a while."

The capsaicin in peppers, responsible for their heat, their punch was something that could easily overstay its welcome, making it hard to taste anything else. For that reason, fat was needed. For capsaicin was soluble in fat. Those people who try to wash down spicy foods with water were clearly doing something wrong. A proper spicy dish doesn't require such a thing.

"…"

Despite the necessity of fat, foods can become too rich. Not to lean, but not too fat. That's when Bakugo saw it. The perfect cut, but then it was gone.

"Hot pot always needs some meat," was a familiar, yet irritating voice.

Bald head, white cape, yellow jumpsuit, red gloves and a rather unkempt beard, were things that could only belong to one person on this planet. In that person's hands was what Bakugo had his eye on, but could not reach.

"….You did that on purpose didn't you?"

"Oh, your shopping too?"

"Don't play…."

*Smack* was the sound that was made when something struck the back of Bakugo's head.

"I'm on crutches you old hag!"

Mitsuki pushes against her son's head, forcing him to bow.

"You must be that teacher he's always talking about. Thank you always keeping my son in check."

Being thanked was quite the rare thing for Saitama. He scratches the back of his head, feeling the praise a bit undeserved.

"Don't mention it."

Maybe there was a correlation between wannabe heroes and good moms.

"Pfffffff.."

It was then, Bakugo noted another familiar, yet irritating voice.

"…round face…," was what he uttered under his breath.

"Oh, you're here too," was what Saitama says without much surprise.

"Of course."

Uraraka pulls out her Smartphone with a smug look and on the screen is displayed a digital flyer. It was the same one on Saitama's phone, as well as the one on Mitsuki's. All 3 of them exchange the same smug look with Uraraka looking the smuggest.

She originally planned to flaunt her newly minted license in front of Bakugo's face, but plans changed.

It never occurred to her that Bakugo was the type of person who went shopping with his mom. She leans over Bakugo and whispers into his ear.

"Wait until I tell the others about this…"

Uraraka was the smuggest person there, until Mitsuki leaned over and whispered something into her ear.

"If my son gave you any scars during the Sports Festival, be sure to know that I'll have him take responsibility."

The atmosphere instantly got awkward and Uraraka could only meekly utter a single word as a reply.

"….right…."

Bakugo grits his teeth, unsure what to say. Sure, round face's smug face was wiped away, but it didn't feel good at all. Denki's smug punchable face comes into view. Many found Bakugo's personality, to be quite honest, garbage. It wouldn't be wrong to think for such a person to have a hard time getting a girlfriend, much less friends. It was unfortunate for Bakugo that his own mother thought so as well.

"….."

It was supposed to be a good day for Uraraka. She had just passed the provisional license exam and was about to have her night out of splurging or rather, what could count as splurging on her meager living expenses. All meat hot pot was what she had on her mind.

*grumble*

Living alone away from her parents, she had skipped meals before, but Saitama-sensei had converted her into a discount hunter. Even if she couldn't have meat every day, her stomach was always full. In order for a hero to be strong, they had to train like hell, but also eat well.

*grumble*

In the corner of an aisle, Mt. Lady was shopping too, comparing various flavors of cup noodles. Property damage was always something she had to account for every paycheck. That was the price to pay for a hero with a gigantification quirk working in the city. Sometimes the "pay" part of paycheck was nothing more than a misnomer, unless you count the part of her having to payback money. Lately now, those "payback" type paychecks were increasing in frequency without her breaking anything. When something breaks in the area, she is always the first one suspected, but she knew of her own innocence.

"It's all his fault…."

She places all she could afford for dinner into her basket.

"When I find that white caped baldy I'll….."

It was then something white caught the corner of her eye as she turned the corner.

"You!"

Yet, it was only for an instant.

The checkout clerk was half asleep. Sale days were always the worst, but the sounds of coins clattering across the counter certainly were a wake-up call.

"Huh?"

There would be an earful from the manager that day about a missing package of meat. The loose change that was found on that day did not cover it.