Heyoooo. First time writing for BNHA. Pretty excited to get this story out there for people to check it out.

This story contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the manga. So if you're not caught up to it... Then go read the manga and then come back to read this! Hope you guys enjoy this silly thing I started.

Chapter 1:
Once And For All.

"SMAAASH!"

The thundering echo of the collision resulted in a sonic boom, sending shockwaves in the air. The clouds around them vanished, and hundreds of yards beneath them, the ground shook with the force of the impact. The remaining pillars that hadn't been destroyed throughout the battle finally collapsed, joining the debris of what once stood proud as the main building of U.A. High School.

Floating in the air, with his hero suit shredded to pieces, his whole body covered in cuts, bruises, and trails of blood, Izuku Midoriya struggled to stay awake, fighting the pain that spread from his right arm to the rest of his body like a thousand icy needles. His body wanted him to faint, to fall from the sky, to die, whatever it took to stop the pain. As tempting as it was, the sixteen-year-old boy knew dying wasn't an option. Not yet, at the very least. The only acceptable outcome was for him to win. To end a battle that had started generations before he was even born, against the greatest evil the world may have ever seen.

All for One.

The villain stood right in front of him, recoiling from receiving a direct punch of Izuku's One For All at 100%. His right arm managed to keep up with the smash attack for a second, absorbing most of it, but in the end, the raw power was too much. Not even a Springlike Limb, Kinetic Booster times four, Strength Enhances times three, Multiplier, Hypertrophy, Rivets, Spearlike Bones arm was able to take it. The sheer force of the attack ripped apart the muscles, shattered the bones, evaporated the blood, leaving a void of nothingness where an arm should be.

There it was: an opening. A tiny window, less than a fraction of a second, for Izuku to reach with his hand.

"SHIGARAKI!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

The new hulking figure of All for One showed his exposed muscles, reminding Izuku of another villain he had defeated —twice at this point. But trapped inside that body, with nothing but his head, his immobile hands, and the faintest glimpse of his knees was Tomura Shigaraki. The leader of the League of Villains had been absorbed by All for One, combining their powers and making his master stronger than he'd been for the longest time. Unfortunately for young Tomura, sharing a body didn't mean he had any control whatsoever over his actions. He had lost his agency, his free will, becoming nothing but a power-up for the master of puppets.

Izuku knew that Tomura wasn't loyal to his master anymore. He could tell. He could see it in the scared eyes that looked back at him from All for One's chest. He knew in his heart of hearts that even Shigaraki could be saved. Even after everything he'd done, even after all the lives he'd ended, Izuku believed that there was someone to be saved there. And how could he call himself a hero if he didn't try to save those that needed him?

"Just… Kill us!" Screamed Shigaraki, noticing what Izuku was trying to do.

He extended his hand, trying to grab Tomura's wrist to pull him free of All for One's grasp. To get him out of there. Only then would he be able to kill his enemy, to leave nothing for him to heal from. To end the needless suffering and the dark cloud that covered the world.

He almost managed to close his fingers around the exposed wrist...

"You fool!"

All for One swung his right arm with an unexpectedly fast recovery, punching Deku right in the stomach. His ribcage cracked, the air left his lungs, and for a second, the green glow and electric arcs that surrounded his body faded. Izuku could feel the warm, metallic taste of his blood in his mouth, and his vision became blurry.

"You're as pathetically naive as your master before you," the booming voice of All for One stated. The hand he kept pressed against Izuku began to glow. "Your feeble skills are no match for my Quirks. Your faith in Tomura and your friends is your weakness."

And without missing a beat, he fired up his Air Compression, Multiplier, Amplification, Power Boost times two attack at point-blank.

Izuku barely had time to focus the energy of One for All on his core before the devastating attack hit him, rocketing him through the sky. The last thing he saw before his world turned dark was Tomura's Super Regeneration bringing All for One's arm back like it had happened multiple times during their fight.

Deku's senses left his body until all he could feel was dread. An incisive sense of failure, of realizing that he wasn't going to win the fight. His green, glowing hair went down, his Float quirk gave up, and his physical body began to fall in a parabole.

At the same time, his spirit fell to his knees on the floor of a cold room. His face was scrunched in pain as heavy tears left his eyes. His arms hung loosely to the sides of his body, and he didn't dare look up to the eight vestiges that were glancing at him from their seats.

"I can't do this," he cried, his voice leaving his throat in a ragged whisper. "I… I can't defeat him. He's too strong… Too powerful…"

"The battle's not over yet," the soft voice of the first user said, ringing inside Izuku's head. "You're still in time to end my brother's reign of terror. We believe in you."

"I've tried! But he… he's relentless… He keeps regenerating, he keeps coming back as strong as ever. The more the fight drags, the weaker I get. I… I can't save everyone. I can't. I can't."

Each time he said it, the deeper the knife sunk into his heart. Before the battle, he said to himself that he would be the hero the world needed. He'd save everyone. He'd make sure to put a stop to All for One's crusade against heroes. The moment he found out they were after Eri's Quirk to truly become an unstoppable force, Izuku knew that for better or worse, this would be it. He would protect Eri and everyone else no matter the cost, and he would make sure that his battle against All for One would be the last.

He had arrived in time to save some of his old classmates, whom he hadn't seen since he left the hospital a couple of months ago. And thankfully enough, he had gotten there at the very last second to keep All for One from finishing off The Big Three, Shouto and Bakugo, the remaining line of defense that protected Eri.

Mirio, Nejire, and Tamaki left with the young girl, taking her somewhere safe, battling Nomus and villains on their way out, leaving Izuku to face All for One with just the support of his two friends. As strong as they were, they were no match for All for One's assault. Soon enough, Izuku was all that stood between the villain and victory. He told himself he would stop him right there. He'd put an end to the war between All for One and One for All.

And yet, here he was, his strength leaving him as his body fell from the sky. He wouldn't be able to defeat All for One. He would fail in keeping his friends alive. In protecting Eri. In being the new Symbol of Peace that the world needed.

"You must believe in yourself," Nana Shimura said from her seat, her maternal voice trying its best to lift his spirits. "There are others out there that have their faith in you, just like we do. Believe in yourself the same way, and turn that belief into power. Push beyond your limits and bring a smile to their faces."

Izuku shook his head.

"I can't. I couldn't…" Recovering control over his arms, he clenched his fists so hard it hurt. "I couldn't save everyone."

There was a pregnant pause, the silence only interrupted by his tears falling on the concrete floor. None of the vestiges spoke, until one figure stood up from his chair, closing the distance between him and Izuku.

"Young Midoriya."

The voice came from everywhere, strong yet soft, with almost a paternal ring to it. Izuku couldn't deal with hearing that voice, he still wasn't ready to accept it. But against his better judgment, he simply couldn't avoid looking up, his teary eyes meeting the confident, warm smile of his master.

"A-All Might…"

The bulking hero stared at him. He looked just like he had during his prime, towering over the pathetic, kneeling figure that Izuku was. The difference between the two was more evident than ever, and that realization only hurt the green-haired boy.

"When I met you, you were but a quirkiness, scared boy that wished to become a hero," the vestige of Toshinori said, the smile never leaving his face. "Even in the precarious position you found yourself in, you still jumped straight into danger just to do the right thing. Right then, I knew I'd found my successor."

Izuku cried harder, trying his best to stay strong and keep his eyes locked on All Might's.

"I'm sorry… I… I failed you."

"On the contrary. Seeing where you are, right now, fills me with pride and is all I need to know that I made the right choice. You are special. You have everything you need to carry my torch and make it shine brighter than I ever could."

All Might's words hurt as badly as All for One's attacks. Izuku couldn't deal with it. He wanted to believe his master, he wanted to believe that he was a worthy vessel, but it all crumbled in the face of his failure.

"I couldn't save you," he cried. "I couldn't reach you in time… I couldn't stop him. I can't stop him. I'm… I'm not as strong as you!"

He was now openly sobbing, his throat hurting with each ragged breath that seemed to hurt his insides.

"No, you're not," All Might said, surprisingly calm. "You're stronger. Young Midoriya, remember, you are not fighting alone. You will never be alone."

The other vestiges stood up and walked until they were all surrounding Izuku. Their bodies then began to glow, auras of all colors shining bright around them.

"You carry the power of One for All. The hopes and dreams of everyone. When you feel at your lowest, remember, you are not fighting by yourself. You have us. You have your friends. That's a power that All for One will never understand, one he underestimates, and one that will be his downfall."

Izuku was left speechless. He felt the previous carriers of his Quirk lending him their strength. It was a surge of energy that ran rampant through his veins. The pain seemed to fade away, replaced with a warm, tingling sensation. A power he felt familiar, but that he had never quite experienced this way. He looked at his hands, and then back at All Might, who smiled and offered him a hand to stand up.

"Don't give up hope, Young Midoriya. We are here."

With newfound strength, Izuku nodded, wiping the tears away with his forearm.

"I… I can't give up. Everyone's counting on me," he said.

"They are," the first user said. "Only you can stop my brother."

"Only you can bring hope back to this world," Nana added with a smile.

"I will. I will make sure everyone has a reason to smile!"

With a grin of his own, Izuku grabbed All Might's hand, and an explosion of light brought him back to the world.

"DEKUUUU!"

He opened his eyes. He was still falling, the sky turning around on his field of vision. Every bone in his body seemed ready to snap, but the voice that called him brought some sense into him.

"Uraraka…"

A green glow covered his body. His muscles clenched as he extended his arms and activated his Float quirk, stopping his fall in a second. He stood in the middle of the air, his chest moving wide with every breath he took. His hair shone bright green, and his focused eyes seemed to let out sparks of energy. He looked down for a second, and on the battlefield he saw a bloodied Ochako, screaming for him. Their eyes met for the first time in months, and yet that was all it took.

They understood each other. It was as if they could read each other's minds. He saw her desperation, her fear, but also her faith in him. And Ochako, even from this distance, could read his face and see his doubts, his hesitation, his lack of confidence.

Pressing her body against a big piece of debris to keep herself from falling, she raised a hand at him, almost like she wanted to grab his even at that distance.

"Deku!" She yelled, loud enough for him to hear. "Remember your name!"

The memory hit him like a truck. It had been so long ago… He almost couldn't recognize himself as he remembered his first days at U.A. Uraraka had been his first friend. The first one to stand up for him, going to Present Mic to make sure he did okay. Talking to him like he wasn't worthless.

She was the person that gave Deku a new meaning. What had once been an insulting nickname had become words of encouragement.

"Deku…" He muttered to himself, "it means you can do it!"

He let out a scream that roared in the sky. He was numb to the pain, feeling the energy of his quirk flooding his every cell. He was running on pure adrenaline now, more determined than ever.

"I won't lose!" He said out loud, fixing his eyes on the mass of muscles and raw power that was All for One. "I will defeat you right here and now!"

"This will be the final word in the story of One for All," the villain said, extending his arms as he looked down on Izuku. "You fought well, but just like your master before you, you will die at my hands."

He launched right at Izuku with breakneck speed, soaring through the air like a bullet. He prepared a fist, crackling with the energy of countless quirks. Izuku, in return, adopted a defensive posture, ready to receive the attack, to counter it, to make a stand against the herald of doom that charged at him.

"PROMINENCE BURN!"

A massive column of fire shot from the ground, creating a wall of flames that stood between All for One and Izuku. The villain stopped his fly, taken aback by the surprise attack. Izuku also looked down, his eyes squinting at the biggest display of fire he had ever seen. He soon found its source in the form of Shoto Todoroki, standing on the ground with his left arm raised.

"Midoriya!" He yelled with everything he had. "We believe in you!"

Izuku gasped.

"Ah, Endeavor's son," All for One chuckled, staring down at Shoto. "I should've killed you like I did your father. I knew I shouldn't leave it to Dabi. It doesn't matter. After I'm done with your friend here, you'll wish you were burned to death!"

"HEY, FUCK FACE!"

Shoto dropped his hand, and the curtain of fire dissolved, surprising both All for One and Izuku by revealing that it had concealed Katsuki's ascension in the air, who was now standing right in front of the former with both hands extended and sparks coming out of the tip of his fingers.

"DIE!"

The explosion was strong enough to cover both Katsuki and All for One in a quick sphere of fire before blasting the blonde teen away, sending him down like a smoking meteor about to strike the Earth.

"Kacchan!" Yelled Izuku, almost tempted to fly down to catch his friend.

"FOCUS!" was all the Explosions hero was able to say.

Izuku looked back at All for One, realizing that he couldn't allow himself to get distracted. With his arm cracking with green lightning, he swiped the air in front of him, sending an air current strong enough to break buildings and to dissipate the smoke that Katsuki's attack had created.

All for One was still standing, suspended in the air, but Bakugo's concentrated explosion had managed to hurt him. Chunks of his arms were gone, and so was part of his chest.

With a gap big enough for Tomura to be able to move his left arm.

Shigaraki's eyes met Izuku and time stood still. There they were, crystal clear for Izuku to read, the eyes of someone that wanted to be saved. The eyes of a young man that understood the mistakes of his past, that realized the evil of his master. The mental manipulation he had been submitted to, the emotional abuse he had endured for years. The eyes of someone that, for once in their life, wanted nothing more than to make the right thing.

"Finish him," was all Tomura said, before closing his eyes and quickly moving his arm, covering his exposed neck with the palm of his left hand.

"Shigaraki!" Yelled Izuku, the energy surging through him increasing by the second.

"NO! What have you done?!"

Both fighters stared in shock as Tomura Shigaraki's body started to decay. His neck, his face, his arms. All for One screamed in pain as he expulsed the dissolving body. Before themselves, the grandson of Nana Shimura turned to dust, his remainings scattered by the wind.

Izuku was speechless. He clenched his fists as his eyes were filled with tears. He hadn't been able to save Shigaraki, just like he hadn't been able to save All Might, or Endeavor. But Shigaraki's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. He had ended himself so Izuku wouldn't have to worry about damaging him. Now that he wasn't a part of All for One, Izuku could let out his full power.

With his whole body shaking with energy, he threw a punch at the air in front of him.

"Texas Smash!"

The explosive air column hit the still shocked form of All for One, who had to cover his face with his arms.

"You think such a weak attack will—?"

He shut up when black tendrils surrounded his body, trapping him in the air. All for One tried to break free, but Izuku's Blackwhip wasn't going to give in. With a roar, Izuku whipped him up in the air, still holding onto him as they both rocketed up in the sky, far away from the ground.

"This is it!" Izuku said, preparing his right fist.

He could see it in his mind. One for All, passing from hand to hand, from bearer to bearer, from Nana Shimura to All Might, to himself. He felt the warmth of the torch blazing in his hand, carrying with it the hopes and dreams of generations. As his body exploded with a green glow, his clenched fist had a different light. A multicolored glow that shone brighter than any lantern.

Izuku launched himself at All for One, rushing through the sky to deliver the final blow. Beneath him, voices of encouragement gave him the final push he needed.

"MIDORIYA!"

"KILL HIM!"

"DEKU!"

Pulling with his left arm, he brought the entangled form of All for One into him. The Blackwhip finally released him, just in time for All for One to open his mouth in surprise, and for the first time in his life, fear.

"One attack. One last attack to end it all, to destroy him beyond repair! This is for everyone that got me where I am. The other users. My teachers. My friends. Ochako. My mom. All Might… This one is for all of you!"

Izuku threw his arm back, the energy in it absorbing all sounds around him, stopping for a single instant where All for One was finally aware of the true power behind One for All. A realization that would strike him as the last thing he ever learned.

"SMASH FOR ALL!"

For generations to come, the world would remember the moment that Izuku's fist landed in All for One. Some would describe it as a second Sun appearing in the sky, blinding for a few seconds all the television cameras and eyes that were watching him. Others would talk about the visible shockwave that spread through the sky, a harmless, expanding wave of air that was seen from Musutafu to Endoru. The people that were there when it happened or saw the TV stations that broadcasted it would also talk about the hurricane that seemed to appear in the sky, with raging winds that circled Izuku as he delivered the final blow.

All Izuku could feel was the sheer power that was entrusted to him releasing on a single wave. A single attack that took away everything he had, to the last ounce of energy in his body. His right arm was struggling to keep itself together as it unleashed its destructive force. His every bone was aching at the sheer pressure he felt surrounding him from all angles. It felt like he was thousands of miles deep in the ocean, with water trying its best to crush him.

He endured, however, through nothing but his will to survive. To make sure the job was finished. He kept his eyes open, watching as All for One's body gave in, becoming undone right in front of him. Twisting, breaking, disappearing. The flash of multicolored light lasted for but a few seconds, and when it was gone, All for One was no more.

Izuku stared at the empty air in front of him. It took him a few seconds to realize that his momentum was stopping. He was no longer flying up, he was slowing down. He realized All for One wasn't there anymore, and with no more energy to keep his limbs stiff or to sustain his Float quirk, he smiled before he began to plummet to the ground.

He was suddenly once again inside his mind, standing up in the room with all the vestiges watching from their seats. Eight pairs of eyes scanned him with proud smiles on their faces.

"Did it work?" Izuku asked, not being able to stop himself from asking. "Did… Did I really…?"

Everyone turned to look at the fourth user, who had closed his eyes and tilted his head at Izuku's question.

"For decades, Danger Sense kept buzzing in my head," said Hikage with a solemn voice. "As long as All for One was out there, waiting to get One for All, neither I nor the current user would be safe. It kept buzzing in the back of my mind. Now…"

He looked at Izuku with a warm smile.

"Now, for the first time in generations, I hear nothing."

Izuku fell on his knees. Understanding dawned on him.

"It's over…" He said, his eyes tearing up as he thought of everything he had lost to get to that point. Of all the pain suffered. Of the lives that had been lost.

"You did it, kiddo," said Daigoro, the fifth user. "You defeated All for One."

"You've succeeded where we all failed," said En, his smile hidden behind the neck of his jacket.

"Generations of pain and suffering have been avenged," added the second user.

"With my brother finally defeated, you have fulfilled my dream. For that, I thank you. We all believed in you, and you've gone far and beyond all of our expectations. With only less than two years of training, you were able to face the world's greatest menace and you've come on top. Izuku Midoriya; you truly are a hero."

Izuku was once again openly sobbing, though this time an ugly smile was plastered on his crying face. The palms of his hands were cupping his cheeks, his fingers threatening to rip the flesh off with how hard they pressed against his face.

"I did it. I won," he thought.

He finally looked up at all the vestiges of the previous users, but he stopped on Nana Shimura.

"I… I couldn't save Shigaraki," he admitted with a pang of guilt. "I thought I could save him."

Nana smiled at him, though she couldn't hide the tiny tears in the corner of her eyes. "Tomura found redemption on his own accord. He took away All for One's regeneration and gave you the opening you needed to win. He wouldn't have done it if it wasn't because of you believing in him. You made him see the mistakes of his past, and you let him know that he was still in time to make amends. You may not have saved his life, but you saved my grandson from being a tool for All for One."

Izuku was floored. It was too much information. He didn't know what to think, what to make of it. He didn't know how to proceed.

"What… What happens now?" He asked them. "Do… Do I still have One for All?"

They all smiled, and All Might openly laughed.

"Young Midoriya," he said from his seat, "we will forever live in you. This power is yours to keep. Yours to make the world a better place. Speaking of which… your time has not come yet. You should go back; people are waiting for you, the new Symbol of Peace."

The world of the vestiges faded to white. Izuku came back into consciousness only to realize he was free falling. He could see the sky above, with clouds still twisting like a hurricane. He tried to will himself to stop, to Float, but there were no energies left in him. His arms and legs weren't responding.

As he kept falling, he couldn't help to chuckle.

"At least they're not broken," he thought, and it was oddly comforting.

He was mildly aware of the fact that he was probably falling to his death without any means to stop, but before he could even begin to process that fact, he felt his back impacting something, and suddenly his whole body became weightless, slowing his fall almost to a stop.

When the flash of light ended, Ochako found herself looking at the sky for any sign of movement. She saw the shockwave, and the strong winds threatened to blow her away, but she anchored herself and stood her ground. She wasn't going anywhere. She wouldn't leave until she made sure that Izuku was okay. That he was alive.

She had briefly seen a flash of him when he came back to join the fray alongside Hawks and Best Jeanist. A green spear of lightning that fell from the sky and crushed Gigantomachia, saving Cementoss, Vlad King, and most of Class 2-B as they tried to contain the beast. She had then seen a glimpse of him as he flew through the school grounds, defeating whatever villain and Nomu stood in his way towards All for One. She had been too busy fighting for her life against Toga, but the moment she won, she ran after him.

She had been devastated when she got his letter explaining why he was leaving U.A. Explaining his story. The power he inherited from All Might. The reasons why he couldn't be near them. She had been a mess for weeks. She felt awful. How had she never suspected anything of this big secret he was carrying? Wasn't she supposed to be his best friend? She was supposed to be there for him, and yet she never knew of the heavy burden he was carrying. A power destined to be faced against a terrible villain. A death sentence on his head. She wished she could have been there for him, to support him, to offer him help. She hated herself for not realizing earlier that he needed her support.

And she also hated Izuku for being… such a hero. For trying to do the right thing and distance himself. For leaving them. For leaving her. For being so selfless. Had he asked her, she would have left with him. As dangerous as it was, she would have done it just to help him in any way she could. She'd spent countless nights crying herself to sleep, worrying about him. Her friends noticed, but no one knew what to say to help her. Or they knew that nothing they said would help. The past few months had been terrible for her.

And then, just like that, when they were under attack, he showed up. She knew he was heading to face All for One, and she could tell that this would be their final confrontation. She knew there was nothing she could do to help other than let him know that she was there for him. That's why she called him. Why she screamed his name and made him remember that he was Deku. That he could do it. That she knew he could do it.

That final blow had been the most astonishing thing she'd ever seen. She looked at the sky for any sign of him, until she saw a tiny spec of green falling.

"Deku!" She screamed, her eyes filled with tears. Izuku was there, and there were no signs of All for One.

"He did it," said the voice of Katsuki, standing up with shaking knees. "The bastard did it…"

Shoto was on the other side of the destroyed ground, sliding down a piece of debris until he sat on the floor. He also looked up at where Katsuki and Ochako's eyes pointed.

"Midoriya… Well done."

The three stared at their friend as he kept falling, and falling.

And falling… and falling.

"He's not slowing down," said Katsuki, getting ready to fly to catch him, but his legs gave in and he fell face-first into the ground.

Ochako didn't hesitate. She touched her chest with her good hand —the one that hadn't been pierced through with a knife by Toga—, made her body weightless, and kicked the rocks beneath her with all the strength she could muster. She rocketed up as fast she could manage, making sure to alter her trajectory to catch up with Izuku as he fell.

He was falling at terminal speed, but she was ready for him. She extended the palm of her hand and, readying herself for the recoil, she slapped it against Izuku's back as their paths converged.

The pain was immediate, but just as fast, his body became weightless and floated right next to her. She ignored the pain and wrapped her arms around him. She turned him around until he was facing her, and her heart skipped a beat when she noticed how beaten he looked. The upper part of his costume was completely shredded, with nothing but a few straps of cloth sticking to his left side. His naked torso was filled with bruises, cuts, swollen joints, and burn marks. His hair was wet with his sweat, and his expression was tired.

His eyes met hers, and she could feel new tears running down her pink cheeks.

"Deku!" She said, her eyes filled with worry.

She'd missed his freckles. His green bangs. His kind eyes. Above everything else, she'd missed his warm smile, the same one he gave her with whatever strength he had left.

"Uraraka…" He said, and hearing his voice was something Ochako didn't know would ever bring her such joy. "It's over. It's… over."

She pulled him into a hug, soft enough to not hurt him, but strong enough to let him feel all the desperation, fear, misery, and anxiety she'd been carrying for weeks. But she also let him feel just how ridiculously happy she was that he was alive. That he was there, with her.

"Deku…" She said, unable to form a single sentence as they slowly floated down to the ground with the momentum that was left from his fall as he hit her hand.

She felt his muscles straining, but before she could tell him to stop moving and rest, he managed to wrap his arms around her back, returning the hug.

"It's over," he repeated with a tired voice, and Ochako couldn't help to smile.

Within a minute they finally reached the ground, and Ochako gently lay him down. She didn't want to let go of him, she didn't, but he needed to rest. And medical attention right away.

Deku kept his eyes on her face, smiling even as a gentle string of tears fell from his eyes.

"Uraraka… Don't cry," he asked, trying to raise a hand to maybe wipe her tears away, but she held onto it and tried to keep him from straining himself.

"Deku… Deku, please, you need to rest," she said in a whisper.

"I'm… sorry I made you worried."

"It's ok! Y-You did what you needed to do. I understand."

"I don't want you to worry. I don't want anyone to be worried ever again."

She sighed as she chuckled, tears still coming out strong. That was Izuku alright. Even after defeating the biggest, worst villain to ever roam the planet, he didn't want to worry others.

Shoto walked next to them, limping with his right leg, with a swollen ankle and a bloodied knee.

"Midoriya…" He said, his inexpressive face staring down at Izuku.

"Todoroki… Thank you," said Izuku, smiling at him. "If it wasn't for you and Kacchan…"

Shoto sighed, and then smiled.

"It was… quite literally the least we could do."

"Speak for yourself," said the grumpy voice of Katsuki, approaching them from the side. His arms were bruised, his hero suit destroyed, and his hands looked purple. "I left him open for you, Deku. Don't forget who gave you your chance to be the hero."

Ochako stared at Bakugo. He sounded his usual self, annoyed and permanently angry at the world, but there was something there that she couldn't quite figure. Something in his eyes… in the way he spoke.

And then Izuku began to laugh. A painful laugh that gave away that there was something wrong with his ribs, and while it worried Ochako, it also broke the tension in the air.

"Of course, Kacchan… You were amazing up there."

Bakugo sighed, looking away from him.

"Damn right I was." Then, with a small smirk, added: "I guess you did pretty good yourself, Deku."

Izuku kept laughing, and Ochako found herself lost in that wonderful sound. It felt surreal. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd heard him laugh. She couldn't remember the last time any of them had laughed like that. She smiled, and her grip on his hand tightened. It hurt the open wound that Toga had left there, but she didn't mind. She could take it.

"Over there!"

"They're here!"

The four students looked up from the big crater they were in. On the edges of it, multiple figures were coming in. Some in better shape than others. They saw Kirishima's red hair, even from the distance. Mina's pink skin. Tsu's green suit. The rest of his classmates. They saw Present Mic's blonde hair, Ectoplasm's coat. Class 2-B. Best Jeanist, helping a wounded Hawks. Kamui Woods and a regular-sized Mount Lady.

Helicopters approached them, all the lights and cameras pointing at Izuku on the ground, lying next to Ochako. She heard him sigh and felt his muscles shaking as he tried and failed to sit up.

"Deku… You can't—"

"They need to see me," he said, with such conviction that it silenced Ochako's doubts. And then he smiled at her, and she could see in that smile more than just reassurance and confidence. It was a smile that meant so much more. A smile that wasn't aimed at just her, she knew.

And then he said his next words, and it all clicked for her.

"They need to know that I am here."

She was floored, speechless as he gritted his teeth and forced his bones and muscles to work. Trails of blood were running down his arms and his whole back shook with the strain to stand up. He almost fell, but Ochako finally reacted and caught him before he did. Izuku turned his head to look at her.

"I'm… sorry, Uraraka. I'm kinda drained after that fight," he admitted, giving out a nervous chuckle.

"You don't say," she said, before grabbing his arm and putting it around her shoulders, helping him stand up. "It's ok, Deku. I've got you."

He nodded, and she was happy that he accepted her help. She was half-expecting him to say he needed to do this alone, to stand proud. But Deku wasn't prideful. He was kind, and understanding. She was grateful for it because she decided right then and there that she would never let him carry all the responsibility and weight of the world on his shoulders alone. She knew that as long as he'd let her, she'd always be there for him.

He allowed her to carry him away from the big debris until they reached a relatively cleared area. All the rushing heroes and friends stopped, giving him space. Ochako and Izuku felt their gazes, though she knew they weren't looking at her. She turned her head to look at Izuku, and he returned the look.

"Do it, Deku," she encouraged him. "Show the world you've won."

He smiled before looking forward with determined eyes. His smile grew wider, bigger, and not without visible pain and effort, he raised his closed, left fist up to the sky. Everyone began to cheer, their friends crying in joy, happy to see Midoriya back. The pro heroes celebrated, some nodded with a knowing smirk, all of them with proud looks on their faces.

Ochako, staring at Izuku, felt a sense of pride swell in her heart. She thought she had cried all the tears her eyes could manage already but was surprised to find out she still had more to shed. Happy tears, this time. Proud tears. She tightened her grip on him as she looked at his smiling, reassuring face.

"You've come so far, Deku. Farther than any of us. You've earned this. I'm so happy for you!"

"I AM HERE!" He said, clear and loud enough for the whole world to hear it.