Just some heads up, I don't know how one prepares for high school in Japan, this fic is made by an American dunderhead bumpkin. I don't know if you're supposed to buy school shoes or whatever else. When I was in elementary and middle school, we had to wear uniforms that consisted of plain khakis (either skirts, pants, or shorts) and plain polo shirts, which was irritating because the cost of the uniforms –especially the khakis – were crazy expensive.

Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest

White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test

Burning embers raging and vying his rue

Illustrious verdant dreams true

Chapter 01: A Mother's Will

They have crossed paths a few times before but haven't engaged in any sort of conversation. And, with their line of work being different as night and day – literally – there was barely any chance to do so.

Until one night.

Dressed in his Bronze Age hero costume, Toshinori sat on top of a roof, just above the access to said roof, stargazing. The night was peaceful. There was no crime happening at the moment and the weather was clear. The stars and moon shined brightly up at the dark sky. It's rare to see this many stars here in Roppongi, because of all the lights in the city. A cool breeze picked up, making his cape and long bangs flow to the direction the wind was heading. It was slightly nippy due to it being the beginning of autumn, but it was still nice. In nights like these, Toshinori felt at ease.

It was beautiful. It was peaceful. It was calming.

But, somewhere in the pit of his stomach, Toshinori knew it will not last. Crime is still a major problem. Yes, he is seen as the No.1 hero in the eyes of the public right now and crime rates are starting to dwindle, but at a snail's pace. People are starting to call him the Symbol of Peace, but it's not enough. It's still not enough.

And that is why he is here.

He nearly jumped out his skin when he heard an English accented voice say, "All Might?"

Toshinori whipped around to see a beautiful woman wrapped in a white cloak – which practically glowed under the moonlight – and her shoulder-length hair was styled in a half-up-half-down bun. For a moment, Toshinori thought he was seeing the ghost of Nana Shimura, or maybe a vestige of her dwelling within One for All if what his former mentor said was true. Soon, that illusion started to disappear as the woman walked closer.

He noticed the clothes she wore underneath the white cloak was all black and grey and she wore a skirt and no gloves. Even her hairstyle was still different. Nana's bun still had several strands of hair sticking upwards while this mystery woman's hair strands was down, blending in with the rest of her black and red hair. And her eyes… They carried the same gentleness as Nana, but instead of dark colored eyes, they were a light grey, a brilliant silver that seems to glisten in the light of the stars from above.

In that moment, Toshinori realize that he knows this hero. "Oh." He clears throat and goes into what Ozpin had been calling 'All Might' mode, which is Toshinori straightening himself up to give a confident stand as he spoke in a lightly deeper tone than his usual voice full of brave bravado and a smile. "Good evening, fellow hero. You're Silver Line, right?"

Silver Line, Summer Rose he's soon learn, smiled. "That's me. I'm surprised that you've heard of me."

"A close friend of mine had spoken about you once. Do you know a hero called Ozpin?"

"A cryptic silver fox in green with a tendency to speak in riddles?"

Toshinori held down a chuckle. "A silver fox? He's not that old yet," he thought. "That's him."

"I thought so. I was his sidekick for a while." Really? Toshinori didn't know that. "Oh." Summer clapped her hands together as her smile turned bashful. "Please, don't mention the 'silver fox' comment to him. It's not that he's not handsome, he is handsome, but he's not exactly my type…I should probably stop talking now."

This time, Toshinori did chuckle. "I won't." This was…odd. For some reason, it was getting difficult to maintain his 'All Might' mode. The times this happened is when he is with his closest confidants, such as Ozpin, Glynda, David, Gran Torino, and most recently Nezu. The bravado he uses was for civilians, criminals, and other heroes. So, why is it that he's struggling to keep his bravado up? What is it about Summer that he feels at ease about? "So…"

"Why are you out here so late at night?" both him and Summer winded up asking at the same time. They paused to stare before laughing. And it wasn't that boisterous laugh he used as All Might.

Still chuckling, Toshinori said, "Why don't you go first?"

Summer giggled before speaking. "I'm out here because I was on patrol."

On patrol? "Oh?" Why would she'd be on patrol? Unless she's an underground hero… "…Oh! Am I interrupting your work? Sorry! Let's walk and talk." And by that he means leaping from building to building. At first, he wanted to kick himself for not thinking if Summer could do the same. Thankfully, the woman was able to keep up, using her Quirk to glide on her scattering legs, white rose petal flutters off.

As the two hopped from one rooftop to the next, Toshinori was reminded of Nana again. He and her used to do this while he was still at UA, as he had done his work studies with her.

"So," Summer started as they glide through the air. "What are you doing out here? In full uniform no less. Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Can't sleep. I've been…thinking a lot lately." Toshinori spoke the truth. He had tried to sleep, but the thoughts kept plaguing him. What if someone was in trouble? What if he was needed? "May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Why is it that you chose to be an underground hero? It's not like it doesn't pay well, but you won't be getting a lot of revenue out of it." Underground heroes were a, more or less, new thing in the hero society, give or take a few years. While crimes are being taken care of during the day, the HPSC wanted heroes at night as well. Vigilante-esque heroes that can do night shifts. And thus, underground heroes came to be.

Summer pauses for a moment, landing top of a building. Curious, Toshinori does the same. "Hm?" he hummed.

After a moment, Summer finally spoke. "So that you could rest."

Toshinori blinked. "What?"

Summer turned her gaze up towards the moon as the wind picked up again, make their capes and hair flow. "…You have done so much for us already even after a decade of heroism. You did everything in your power to be sure that everyone could live happy lives without fear. It's admirable." Toshinori felt a sense of pride that he had inspired someone to become a hero. "It's also very tasking." …What? "Many see you as this unreachable force. A demigod incarnate. A grand titan in human form." They…do? "But, to me, I see a man who gives and refuse to take." That's…not a lie. "Perhaps it's confidence, perhaps it's pride. It's not my place to say." Summer closes her eyes. "I was a child when I saw that hair raising scene of you saving people from that disaster. I knew, even as a little girl, who I wanted to be. The reason why I chose this path, the reason why I became an underground hero…" She opens her eyes again to look at Toshinori, her silver irises reflecting the lights from the stars above. "It's so you could rest easy and have a good night sleep."

She…didn't become a hero just to save people? She did it…for him?

"Silver Line…"

Summer gave him another smile. "The Symbol of Peace can't be seen with bags under his eyes, right?"

Toshinori stared in awe at her. This woman…

He smiled.

"Thank you."

"Uncle Toshi?" Ruby's voice breaks Toshinori out of his flashback. The old hero blinked a couple of times as he registered where he is. That's right. He was in his truck, driving, with Ruby in the passenger seat.

"O-Oh. Were you talking? Sorry about that." He didn't mean to zone out like that. Ruby had a tendency to ramble about what she is currently obsessed with…Holy cow, she and Izuku has so much in common…

"Ah, don't sweat. I'm kinda used to people zoning out when I ramble. I expect it actually. I'm more worried about you running a stoplight though."

"Oh!" Thankfully, he slows to a stop in time. "Phew. That was a close one. (He smiles awkwardly) It would be bad for me to get a ticket, right?"

"Yeah, it would. It'll be funny though." Ruby giggled and Toshinori chuckled as he remembers a conversation he had with Tai on the phone a day prior.

Tai had called Toshinori not long after his conversation with Izuku about Quirk registration, which was abruptly cut short when the boy suddenly hung up. He did hear the faint voice of Inko Midoriya before Izuku ended the call. Knowing the anxious kid, he probably ended the call out of panic.

"What? You want me to take Ruby school shopping tomorrow?" Toshinori asked on the phone in the UA teachers' office.

/ I know that this is short notice, but I have been debating whether or not to do this with everything that's been going on with Yang's accident and you settling at UA, but I figured that it wouldn't be fair that Yang got to have a small celebration when she got accepted and Ruby didn't. /

"I see." When Yang got accepted into UA, Tai and Qrow threw a surprise party for her and to get her out of the house, they had her to do some errands while they set up at the agency. "But, why me?"

/ Other than me setting everything up, Qrow still has things to do at UA, and Yang recuperating. Besides, I want to make it extra special because…you know. /

Toshinori knew the implication and smiled. "…I understand." He stands up, garnering the attention of some of the faculty present. "Leave it to me! I'll help Ruby prepare for her future! Plus Ultra!"

After school was over for the day, Toshinori picked her up to take her shopping. Whether or not Ruby is aware of the surprise waiting for her later, Toshinori did not know. But, Ruby was clearly excited about something.

"I'm still all giddy! I can't believe I'm going to UA! And so is Jaune and Midoriya! And All Might's gonna teach there! Wait." She turns to Toshinori. "What about that mission he was doing?"

"That was the mission," Toshinori revealed. "He was making preparations?"

"Ohhhh, okay." And that was that until Ruby realized something. "But, what are you gonna do while he's teaching at UA?" She looked sad. "Are you…going back to Tokyo?"

"Nope. I'm gonna be working at UA too." That brought Ruby's spirit back up.

"Really?"

"That's right. I'll be the principal's secretary. Prepare reports, process orders, take and transmitting messages…Basically, the same exact thing I was doing at Might Productions," Toshinori explained.

"Does that mean you're staying in Musutafu? I'm so happy!" Ruby beamed.

"Really? And here I thought Qrow was your favorite uncle," he joked

"Uncle Toshi, we've been through this. Uncle Qrow is the cool uncle, Uncle Nighteye is the funny uncle," Toshinori nearly dropped his smile at the mention of his former sidekick, "And you're the educated uncle."

"Educated?"

"Yeah. You're really smart, give good advice, and motivational. I mean, it's not that I think Uncle Qrow and Uncle Nighteye aren't anything like that, but…when I think about you, you seem so inspiring. Sort of like All Might."

There was a point in Ruby's life when Toshinori and All Might were one and the same in her eyes. It wasn't until after her mother's death when Toshinori started to separate his civilian life from his hero life. And so, little by little, Ruby – and Yang – started to unconsciously separate the two as well, juggling their memories between the two personas. Now, they know All Might because he was a hero who worked with their family every once and awhile, while Toshinori was their honorary uncle, someone who was familial close to their mother, perhaps on the level of siblings, despite the near decade and a half age gap.

However, it would seem that Ruby still sees the persona of Toshinori Yagi as someone inspiring.

"Well, that's what happens when you work for the number one hero," Toshinori said. He noticed that they have arrived at their destination, the Tatooin Shopping Centre. "And here we are." He finds a parking spot near the front and pulls into the spot before turning off the ignition. "You got your list?"

"Right here," Ruby said, holding up a piece of paper with writing on it that she got from her Kiki cat backpack.

"Then let's go." They climb out of truck. As soon as he was out, Toshinori starts stretching.

Somewhat concerned, Ruby spoke, "Uncle Toshi?"

"I'm fine. Just getting rid of any kinks. A con to being a little over seven feet tall."

"You know they make vehicles for tall people," Ruby said. "Right?"

"Why replace what's working just fine?" Sure, it's a little awkward, but Toshinori would only start feeling the uncomfortableness after driving for a good while. And besides, he didn't need to drive much when working All Might.

They head into the shopping center and venture around as Ruby gathered the things she needed for school. As they did, Toshinori would offer to pay for her things, but Ruby insisted that she could pay for it with her own money, money that she had earned from repairs. During her training, her basic mechanical engineering skills had landed her a part-time job of sorts as a repair girl for some people in Patchi, mostly the elderly.

"Next are the notebooks," Ruby said, looking over her list. Hanging from the crook of her arm is a bag of the things she purchased so far. She looks up to see the Tipoka Bookstore. "We can get them in the bookstore." Toshinori watch Ruby grab a couple of Campos notebooks from a shelf. He was then reminded of Izuku and his Hero Analysis books. He couldn't help but think about the friendship that had blossomed between the two. And it only continued to grow after their cleaning of Sentaku Park, with after school conversations over the phone and the like. He, plus Tai and Qrow, had never seen Ruby talk on the phone that long before, not even with Jaune Arc. It was such a surreal moment that the men would often ask who she is talking to, only to get the same answer: Izuku Midoriya.

Toshinori was the brought out of his thoughts when he noticed Ruby picking up some Campos graph notebooks. "I don't remember UA needing that many notebooks…" How much had education changed since he was at school?

"I figured since we're here, I'll get me some more notebooks for more support gear ideas," Ruby said.

"Ah."

"Okay. Looks like that's all I need here, so let's—" Ruby trailed off when she saw the manga/comic section of the store. Toshinori notices and smiles.

"Since we're here…" he insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"This is your trip, Ruby. Go on ahead. I'll just browse around here while I wait."

"Okay. Thank you, Uncle Toshi." Ruby makes her way over to the manga section. As he waited, Toshinori peruse around the aisles until something caught his eye. A book on teaching for dummies.

Walking near the Tipoka Bookstore, Izuku and Inko took a seat on a bench after shopping for school as well with Izuku now looking through his own list.

"Next on the list are notebooks." He looks up at the bookstore. "I think we can get that from there."

"Be sure to save at least three for classes, sweetie," Inko smiled.

Izuku blushed bashfully. "I will."

Inko looks at her son, her expression that of a proud mother. "I still can't believe you are going to UA, the very school you dreamed of going. I still can't believe that you finally have a Quirk, after all these years. It's a miracle." She starts getting close to tears. "If I had known that this was going to happen…If I had known…I…"

"Mom…" Izuku starts having flashbacks from when he was a child, when his mother hugged him as she wept for his Quirklessness and his dying dream. Izuku tended to forget that he wasn't the only one suffering throughout the years. His mother would experience stress and anxiety for his future and safety. The poor woman had even gained weight from stress eating. And now… Izuku takes a hold of his mother's hand. "We didn't know back then. We couldn't have known. And it's okay. Because we're here right now and that's all that matters." Inko looked at her son in awe before tearfully smiling and placing a hand on her son's cheek.

"What did I ever do to deserve a son like you?" she wondered as she rubbed her son's cheek. Izuku puts his hand over his mother's. Inko then let go and wipes away her tears. "Now, that's enough crying for today. Let's get you ready, Mr. UA Student."

Izuku nodded. "Yeah." They rise from the bench and head into the Tipoka Bookstore. Izuku headed over to the notebooks as his mother ventured around to see if she could find a book to her liking, whether it be a novel or cookbook. She soon noticed a mop of blonde hair an aisle over. Overcome by curiosity, she checked to see who it is. When she saw who it was, she hurried over to where Izuku is.

"Izuku," she said quietly. "Your coach is here."

Izuku blinked confusedly. "My…coach?" He then remembered how he told his mother about his training. He knew his mother would be worried, so he told her that he found a coach to help him and used Toshinori's real name, which the man approved. "Oh. My coach." "All Might is here?" he wondered.

"I've never got the chance to thank him for all that he's done for you," Inko said. "Oh. But he might be on his day off today. Wouldn't it be considered impolite? But what if there's no other chance? He's done so much for you. Look how far you've gotten. And its thanks to him. I need to at least show some gratitude. But how?"

"Mom, I…think he wouldn't mind at all."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Izuku nodded. He figured that Toshinori, as All Might, would be used to spontaneous praises. "Let's go meet him." They head over to Toshinori, who seems to be contemplating on a book he was holding. "Um…A—Uh, Mr. Yagi?" It was weird calling the man anything but All Might.

"Hm?" Toshinori hummed as he looked up. "Oh! Well, if it isn't the Midoriyas. How have you two been on this fine evening?"

"Oh, we're doing great, Mr. Yagi. We're here getting things for school."

"Oh yeah? That's great," Toshinori smiled with a bead of sweat going down his gaunt face. Izuku notices that Toshinori seems…nervous.

"All Might is…nervous? I wonder why," he thought.

"Actually, Mr. Yagi," Inko said, turning serious. "The reason why I came over to speak with you was because I wanted to properly thank you. To thank you for helping my Izuku fulfill his dream. I already know you are a busy man, working for All Might, no less, and yet you still found time to help my son. And for that, I thank you."

Toshinori's jaw slackened slightly at the woman's gratitude. "Mrs. Midoriya, please know that I did not train Young Izuku on a whim. Your son has actually saved me, and that was when he was Quirkless. He has the true heart of a hero." Izuku could feel his heart race at the words from his hero. "You have raised an incredible young man. And I can't wait to see him go beyond."

"All Might…" Izuku thought, his eyes shining from hidden tears as he could feel his heart flutter with glee.

"WHAT?!" Everyone jumped at the shout and turn to see Ruby Rose carrying a sizeable Totoro plush backpack in her arms. "You were the one who trained Midoriya?!"

The group of…now four are at the Longstar food cart. As Inko went to get drinks– after she and Toshinori…argued? No, more like awkwardly insisted on who was going to do it – Izuku, Ruby, and Toshinori sat at a table, surrounded by bags from their purchases, the Totoro backpack being among them. Izuku and Toshinori had just finished telling Ruby the circumstances of Izuku's training, carefully leaving out Toshinori's identity as All Might and the nature of One for All, and Ruby is now recounting what was told to her so she could understand.

"—And after what happened with the sludge villain, you started to train Midoriya for UA," she finished. "Was this that project you were talking about?"

"Yes. That's right," Toshinori said.

"Then, why did you keep it a secret?" Ruby asked.

"Um…because…" Izuku stammered for an answer.

"To keep it a surprise," Toshinori said. "I was aware of what happened between the two of you and I thought this surprise might cheer you up."

"I sorta knew Midoriya was there at the entrance exam, thanks to that Bakugo guy," Ruby said, her tone at the mention of Bakugo had small traces of venom. She could already tell that guy was a bully. And Izuku seems to have been able to pick up. "But, I had no idea that you trained him."

"I'm sorry, Rose," Izuku apologized.

"Aw, no biggie. I like the surprise," Ruby said with a smile. After some hesitancy, Izuku returned it with his own.

It was at that moment when Inko arrived with the drinks. "Here we go."

Toshinori moved to get up. "Please, at least let me help."

"Thank you," Inko thanked. "Again, I must apologize to you, Mr. Yagi. I practically put you on the spot in front of your…niece?"

"Yes. Somewhat," Toshinori answered as they sat down. "We're not related by blood, but I am close with her folks, so the uncle/niece relationship eventually became a thing. Mrs. Midoriya, this is Ruby Rose. And Ruby, this is Inko Midoriya, Izuku's mother."

Inko did a quick bow. "Nice to meet you." Ruby did the same.

"I can kinda figure that. I mean, I can see where Midoriya got his cute face." She instantly regretted saying that as she covered her own mouth. Inko and Izuku blush at the comment, as did Ruby as she started to ramble. "I am so sorry! It just came out! I've been told before that I have no filter and clearly, I do." She hides her face on the table. "I'm so sorry!"

"No, no-no! It's all right. It's actually very flattering," Izuku insisted.

"Oh, Izuku. You didn't have to say it like that," Inko said playfully. "You make it seem like I look younger than my actual age. I'm happy to see that my son has found such a nice girl." Izuku tries to hide himself in his arms, trying to keep his blushing face Ruby and Toshinori's view.

"Mooom."

"Oh, sweetie. You know that I'm just playing around," his mother giggled.

A little smile grew on Ruby's face as she watched the exchange while she sipped her cream soda. She remembered moments when Yang did the same thing, much to Ruby's embarrassment. A melancholy feeling washed over her as she wonders if this is another motherly trait.

Toshinori gave his niece a sideways glance before saying, "Once we're done here, are there other places you'd need to go, Ruby?"

She checks her list. "Let's see…Shoes."

An awkward look formed on Toshinori's face that Izuku noticed. "Um…Mr. Yagi?"

"It's…I think it's weird for a grown man like me to help a kid with shoes. I know it sounds odd, but to be honest, I'm beginning to think that people are seeing me as some creep following around a young girl." It amazed Izuku that the man he idolizes so much could be so self-conscious. Then again, when you look the way Toshinori does, you're bound to turn heads intended for suspicion.

"You don't have to accompany me in there, Uncle Toshi," Ruby said, trying to ease the man.

"If you don't mind, I can help you with that," Inko volunteered.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Mrs. Midoriya," Ruby said.

"It's all right. I don't mind at all. I've always wanted to shop for a daughter. However, I was instead blessed with a wonderful son. We did try to get him a new pair of shoes, but he's very much attached to those red sneakers. You should have seen the look on his face when he thought I was going to throw them away," Inko teased.

"Okay, mom! Too much," Izuku exclaimed, his face brightly red. Sure, his red shoes are showing signs of wear and tear, but they're still going strong, so why not?

While Toshinori and Izuku waited outside, Inko and Ruby browsed around in the shoe store.

"What shoe size do you wear?" Inko asked. After Ruby told Inko her shoe size, the woman plucked a box with her size and show her the style. "What do you think of these?"

"They look…okay?" Ruby said.

"Hmmm," Inko hummed before pulling another pair. "What about these?"

"…Don't they look the same?" Ruby questioned.

"At a first glance, maybe, but the coloring is different," Inko explained. Seeing Ruby a little indecisive, she places the two boxes on a near by bench before she turns to look for another pair. "Here, let me find something else and we can compare them."

"…I'm sorry." Inko paused her search at the sudden apology. Ruby looked down shamefully. "I can be a little difficult. I'm not used to this sort of stuff. It's usually my sister who did these things for me and…well…"

"What about your mother? Was she busy today?" Inko asked.

"Actually, she's…dead…"

Inko gasped slightly. "Oh, sweetie, I am so sorry. That was inconsiderate of me."

"You didn't know. It's fine. She's been gone for…almost twelve years now." Ruby took a seat on the bench. "I'm sorry if I made this depressing." After a moment of pondering, Inko moved the shoes boxes again to seat next to Ruby, her motherly instincts kicking in.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"…I'd rather not," Ruby admitted. "I just don't want to stress you out over it."

"I understand," Inko said. "But do know that it's okay to grieve. That it's okay to feel sad. And…" Ruby looks at her curiously. "…If you want to talk to anyone about it, I'm all ears."

Ruby gives her a grateful smile. She's starting to see where else Izuku got his helpful personality. "Thank you." She then reached down to pick up a box. "I like these."

"Ooooh, a dark mahogany color."

"Really? It still looks like a dark brown."

"That's this, Rose."

"Ohhhh, I see the difference now."

"I'm sorry," Izuku said to Toshinori as they sat on the bench outside.

"Hm? What for?" Toshinori asked.

"For hanging up on you like that yesterday," Izuku said.

"I kind of figured you panicked and hung up. Is that what happened?"

"Yeah. What happened was my mom showed me the hero costume she made for me."

"She made you a hero costume?"

"Yeah. She told me how she felt guilty over the things she said when I was a kid and wanted to make amends for it."

"Is that so?" Toshinori smiles. "Well, I can't wait to see the hero suit of my successor."

Izuku nodded. "Right." They got quiet for a while, almost two minutes, until Izuku said, "All Might," quietly so no one could hear.

"Hm?"

"Do we…do we have to keep…my Quirk from everyone?"

"What are you asking, Young Midoriya?" Toshinori asked.

"It's just…I…Rose…"

Toshinori sighs through his nose. "…I understand the want to tell someone, but…I don't want to run the risk of someone's life being targeted."

"Even by having knowledge of it?"

Toshinori turns to face Izuku. "…You care for Ruby, right?"

"Of course, I do."

"Say someone becomes curious of your Quirk and would do anything to get their hands on it and I mean anything. They may even take someone hostage, to take information out of them by any means necessary." Izuku looked at his idol with mild horror at such an image. "You can call me paranoid, but I want to minimalize that chance as much as possible. I don't want anyone else to get tangled up in it."

"All Might…"

Toshinori ran his fingers in his blonde locks. "Hell, three of the people in my circle learned about it completely by accident."

Izuku grew quiet. One for All, is indeed an amazing Quirk. It was the Quirk of the world's greatest hero after all. And now, it's his. And it's his responsibility. If a villain were to learn the nature of One for All and try to steal it…it could be a disaster.

The tall man moved his fingers through his blonde hair to his neck. "I'm sorry, Young Midoriya. This must be overwhelming for you."

"No, I get it. I'm sorry for bringing it up," Izuku apologized. "I don't anyone to be in danger, either."

Toshinori huffed a short chuckle and a watery smile somehow managed form. "Looks like we're just full of apologies today."

The freckled boy was able the awkward smile with his own. "Yeah, looks like it."

"You boys ready to go?" Inko said as she and Ruby walked up to them.

In a split second, Toshinori replaced his weak smile with a more convincing one. "Was the shoe search successful?" Toshinori asked.

Ruby gives him a mock salute. "Aye-ye, sir!"

"All right." Toshinori rises from his seat, lifting up the bags as he did. "Where to next?"

"Our last time stop is a textile shop for handkerchiefs."

"Oh, that's the last thing on my list too," Izuku said.

"Then let's go together," Ruby said.

"Let's!"

"Kids these days are so lively," Toshinori observed. Inko, however, was silently.

Over at Tsurukinu Textiles, Izuku and Ruby looked around for handkerchiefs of their liking as Inko and Toshinori observed from the sidelines.

"How many are you getting, Rose?" Izuku asked as he examined a teal colored one.

"Three."

"Really? Why?"

"My Uncle Qrow said that 'a man should carry three handkerchiefs – one to wipe hands, one for eating, and one for drying tears,'" Ruby said, liking one red handkerchief.

"Why does that sound familiar?" Izuku wondered.

"I think he got it from a president of a textile company," Ruby said.

"Mr. Yagi," Inko stated evenly, keeping her eyes forward.

Toshinori glanced down at the woman. "Hm?"

"Rose…she told me about her mother." Toshinori's only reaction to that was rising his brows a bit. "Was she, Rose's mother, a hero?"

The man didn't answer right away. He instead turned his head to look ahead. "…Yes, she was."

"Did she die on duty?"

Toshinori had lowered his head slightly, his light blue eyes hidden in the shadows of his sunken eyes. "…She died honorably."

Inko watched her son and his friend show each other the designs on a handkerchief, clearly enjoying each other's company.

"I see."

The sun starts to set as the group exit the shopping center.

"It was nice seeing you again, Midoriya," Ruby said to Izuku.

"Likewise," Izuku smiled.

Ruby holds out her fist. "And we'll meet again."

Izuku nodded and held out his own. "At UA High!" And then they fist bumped. After that exchange, they parted ways, Izuku with his mother and Ruby with Toshinori. The later two soon arrive back at the Xiao Long-Rose household. Ruby moved to get her things from the back of the truck, but Toshinori stopped her.

"Let me get your things, Ruby. You go on ahead," he said.

Ruby was getting a feeling that she wasn't going to win this. "Okay. I'll hold the door for you."

"Thank you."

The silver-eyed girl walked over to the door and opens it. "I'm ho—"

*POP**POP*

*POP**POP*

*POP**POP*

*POP**POP*

"Congratulations, Ruby Rose!" cheered Tai, Qrow, and some of the heroes of the Lucky Phoenix Agency, holding out party poppers.

"On getting into UA!" Tai applauded, holding out a rose shaped cake. Ruby stood silently, taking in what she is seeing. Standing in the living room was her father, Tai (Hero name: Flame High) and Qrow (Hero name: Mr. Misfortune), along with Clover Ebi (Kingfisher), Robyn Hill (Loxley), Joanna Greenleaf (Little Joan), Yatsuhashi Daichi (Memoide), and Velvet Scarlatina (Velveteena).

With a blink of her silver eyes, Ruby smiled widely before walking over to them. Toshinori ducks down as he entered the house, chuckling to himself.

Now that Ruby had arrived, everyone was given a slice of the cake as they mingled. "Congratulations, Rose," Velvet congratulated excitedly. "You are just one step closer to becoming a full-fledged hero."

"Just so you know, you're still a pipsqueak in my eyes," Robyn grinned. She ruffled Ruby's hair. "And you will continue to do so."

After putting Ruby's things in her room, Toshinori returned to the living room and sat on the couch. Because of his total gastrectomy, he's limited to how much he could eat, what he could eat, and what time as to prevent dumping syndrome. He did ask to have a thin enough slice wrapped to take home for later. After a few minutes, Qrow comes to accompany Toshinori on the couch. The hero in grey wordlessly held his phone in front of Toshinori's face to give him full view of the smartphone screen as well as the newsfeed.

All Might Saves 100 Lives This Morning Under 10 Minutes!

Blue eyes shift to meet red eyes. Toshinori flashes Qrow an unconvincing grin. Qrow wasn't amused. "You were supposed to take it easy." He leans close. "Especially since you are running on fumes now."

"What can I say? Saving people is like second nature to me," Toshinori said. He spoke the truth. He lived to save people, keep them safe and go about their days peacefully. That's what a Symbol of Peace is supposed to do.

Qrow let loose a growling sigh. "You are too damn pure and its irritating." Toshinori wonders to himself if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "Sorry that we had you stuck with babysitting duty, again," Qrow said. Toshinori bit back a laugh from the newly added apology for the day.

"I was happy to help. It was fun, nice to spend time with Ruby today," he said truthfully.

"Good to hear."

Toshinori watched his youngest niece talking to the large stature of Yatsuhashi. He noticed that a certain blonde was missing. "Is…Yang up in her room?" Toshinori asked.

"She was down here for a while until people started coming in," Qrow said. "She stayed long enough to see Nighteye."

Sunken eyes widen. "He's…here?" He could feel his heart racing as though he had just ran a marathon and he unconsciously gripped the armrest tightly.

Realizing what was happening, Qrow quickly said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Cool your jets, big guy. He left like an hour ago." That eased Toshinori's nerves slightly. "He only came by drop something for Ruby off and speak with Tai about Yang."

"So…he agreed to—?"

"Yep."

Thirty minutes pass and the heroes present decide to take their leave. Not long after they left, Toshinori decides it time to take his leave to.

"I had fun today, Uncle Toshi," Ruby said.

"Well, I'm glad," Toshinori said. Ruby motions him lean down. Thinking she wanted to say something private, Toshinori does so, only for Ruby to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, much to his surprise.

"Be careful on your way home," Ruby said.

Toshinori smiled and ruffled her hair, eliciting some giggles. "Have a good night, Ruby." He waves bye at Tai and Qrow before making his leave.

Tai walks up to Ruby's side and gives her a half hug. "I'm sorry your congratulations party wasn't as big as your sister's."

"Nah, it's fine. You know me, I'm not a fan of big parties." She gives her father a hug. "Okay, what do you want me to clean?"

Tai laughed. "Not tonight, Ruby."

"You still got a surprise up in your room," Qrow said.

"A surprise?" Ruby wondered.

"It should be on your desk," Tai said. "Go to your room to see it while Qrow and I clean up."

Ruby makes her way to her room, going pass her sister's closed door as she did. She paused for a moment, wondering whether or not to check on Yang. She decides not to, thinking that Yang wants to be alone, and heads into her room. She noticed the things she purchased at the shopping center out of their bags and placed neatly at her desk, her new shoes and Totoro backpack near her newly acquired UA uniform. Ruby shook her head, knowing full well who was responsible.

On her desk, next to her notebooks, was a small box wrapped in a white cloth. She unfurls the cloth, revealing it to be handkerchief with green vines at the hem and rose symbols on the corners of the fabric. She puts the handkerchief down to open the box to reveal a hologram disc. It looked different compared to the one from UA. The disc was dark red in color with black accents. Ruby takes the disc out to see a note saying, 'put me on floor.'

Ruby places the disc on the dark wood floor and turns it on.

/ Okay…last one… /

Ruby froze at the voice. She looks to see a woman who bares a strong resemblance to her sat down, on a bed or chair, Ruby didn't know. The woman wore a light red cardigan over a black shirt.

The woman gave a small wave. / Hey, Ruby, / she said with her slight English accent. Ruby hurried to turn off the light in her room so she could see it better. / If you are watching this, then that means that I am no longer among the living. That I have done my duty to ensure the safety of innocent people. I hope that I have done my job. / Ruby moves to sit down as she continued to watch. / I've done like ten of these, because I had no way of knowing of who you want to be when you grow up. If you are watching this particular recording, then you are becoming a hero. As a hero, I am thrilled that you have chosen such a righteous path. / Summer's look of pride changed to that of worry. / But…as a mother…I fear for your safety. Truthfully, I don't want neither you nor your sister to become heroes. / What…? Summer…didn't want Ruby to be a hero? / However, while it does worry me…that it's scary to imagine you in harm's way, / A smile returns to her face as tears finally fell from her eyes. / I also feel overwhelming pride. I am happy that you are going down this path. /

"Mom…" Ruby muttered, as tears feel from her eyes too. Summer took a moment to take out her handkerchief, the same one that was used to wrap the disc. There was then a buzz. Four fast paced consecutive buzzes. Summer moved to take out her phone, reading a message. The recording then suddenly went fast forward before it went to normal when she put her phone away. The woman took in a shaking breath before continuing.

/ …I'm sorry…work. We're probably gonna have to edit that. / Summer chuckled. / Ruby, no matter where I am, I will always be by your side. I always believe that when you love someone, that love is infinite and unbounded by death. You may not see it, but I am there. I will always be there. And...no matter what happens, Ruby, no matter the obstacle, always remember to keep moving forward. / Summer rises up and held out her arms. Ruby stood up and looked at her oddly, wondering what she is doing. / I know it's weird to hug a hologram and I don't how tall you would be at this point. My best guest is this. / Summer's hand hovered to the height she imagined her daughter to be. Ruby laughed that it was off by a few inches up. She wishes to be that tall. / So, come here… / Ruby sniffed as she moved in the holographic embrace of her mother. She's hugging nothing but air, but she could feel the woolen fabric of the cardigan, the warmness that could have been her mother.

/ I love you, my little rosebud… /

The recording ends there and the hologram disappears, rubbing the room of light.

Ruby put her arms down, her shimmering eyes staring down at the deactivated disc. After turning the light back on, she moves to her desk to retrieve the handkerchief, her mother's handkerchief, to wipe away any more tears. She then takes a moment to look at the cloth, feeling the soft and smooth cotton.

"I love you too, Mom."

I originally was gonna have this arc and USJ separate story arcs, but as I was predicting and estimating my chapters, I realized that both arcs would be too short, so USJ would be up in the latter half of this arc.