Chapter Twenty-Two:

Toshinori opened the door. "Mirai, what brings you to my house so late? Is something wrong?"

Sir Nighteye stormed past him. "You took in the son of All for One? And you didn't even tell me? What were you thinking? Especially since you know about my vision!"

Toshinori blinked. "How did you find out about Izuku?"

"IZUKU IS ALL FOR ONE'S SON TOO?" Sir Nighteye shrieked.

"Too? Wait, who else do you mean?"

"Hisashi, obviously! Did you know that he has All for One's quirk? Except stronger? He can enhance any quirks he steals!"

Toshinori rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh…uh…he's not exactly All for One's son."

"Not exactly? What does that mean?"

Toshinori had always been bad at resisting the force of Sir Nighteye's stare. Even back when the other man had been his sidekick, Mirai had bossed him around. He also didn't want to directly lie to a friend. "If I tell you everything, then will you promise not to tell anyone else?"

"You have my word," Sir Nighteye agreed.

"Remember how Hisashi and Yoichi traveled through time?"

"Of course, I assumed they must be All for One's children from his youth." Sir Nighteye frowned. "Are they distant cousins, perhaps? That wouldn't be so bad."

Toshinori winced. "Follow me. I think you're going to want to sit down for this."

Once in the living room, Toshinori spilled out the whole story.

Pacing before the couch, Sir Nighteye waved his arms. "This explains my vison! Hisashi is going to betray you and give his older self One for All just like I predicted."

"I don't see how that would happen," Toshinori said. "All for One tried to kill Hisashi. They're enemies."

"And I'm sure All for One would also ally with his younger self if he thought it would get him One for All." Sir Nighteye stopped pacing and met his old mentor's eyes. "Toshinori, please. Listen to reason. I can accept Izuku. He's a good, hardworking, kind boy. In my vision of the future, he was lying bleeding on the ground at All for One's feet. He clearly didn't betray you. But I witnessed Hisashi take One for All from Izuku and hand it over to All for One."

"The future can be changed," Toshinori said. "Didn't we agree on that, when your vision of my death changed? When you saw two different futures for the very first time?"

Sir Nighteye threw up his hands. "If you want to create a better future, then you'd better not walk blindly into the bad ending! Even in your own clearly biased story, you still reported multiple times when Hisashi was deceptive and selfish. He didn't tell you that he could use All for One. He stole Mirio's quirk!"

"With the intention of improving it, then giving it back." Toshinori sighed. "Mirai, you're unfairly judging Hisashi because of All for One. Before you found this out, you got along with him! You liked him!"

"All for One is a charming snake, we both already knew that. Now that I know the truth, I don't think it's unfair to judge him based on his own actions."

"They're not Hisashi's actions! He's not All for One! I won't allow anyone to try to hold an innocent responsible for All for One's crimes."

Sir Nighteye ground his teeth. "What about my vision of him betraying you?"

"Maybe All for One threatened Hisashi to force him to transfer One for All. He could have taken Izuku or me hostage."

"I know what I saw in that vision! Hisashi didn't look reluctant in the slightest! I still remember every part of the vision, like I saw it yesterday. Hisashi was standing over Izuku's broken, bleeding body. He took One for All, then handed it to All for One. Then Hisashi thanked All for One. It wasn't sarcastic. His gaze contained relief and hope. He sincerely expressed gratitude for the privilege of handing One for All over to its destined enemy."

Toshinori frowned. "You still can't hold Hisashi responsible for future events that haven't happened. Maybe that was one possible future, but now that the two of us have become family, he'd never—"

"It's after you become family that the prophecy activates! I already told you, I saw two futures. In the one where you don't adopt Hisashi, One for All stays safe. In the one where you do adopt him, All for One obtains One for All."

"But Hisashi dies in the path where I don't adopt him. You were clear on that, as well."

Sir Nighteye sighed. "Then let's try to fight the future in a different way, by sending Hisashi far away. What if you sent him to America instead of the Hero Public Safety Commission?"

"Don't bullshit me, Mirai." Toshinori punctuated the uncharacteristic swear word with a glare. "You're the one who keeps insisting that the future always comes true even when you try to change it. Sending Hisashi to a different place would only result in him dying in a different way."

"There's more." Sir Nighteye let out a breath. "I'm afraid you won't believe me, but I have to tell you. I think I know now why you died."

"The future changed again?" Toshinori felt a stirring of hope.

"No. It's more like I put a few clues together. In my vision, you die in your sleep." Sir Nighteye looked grim. "I saw Hisashi offering to cook a meal for you because you were tired. Then you got a stomach ache, so you took some medicine. You died that night. I think he poisoned you. Please, I promise I'm not making this up to convince you. I didn't say anything before because I never even considered a preteen as a murder suspect. It all seemed obvious to me after I learned Hisashi's true identity."

"I know you're not making it up, Mirai. You wouldn't do that." As Sir Nighteye's shoulders sagged in relief, Toshinori continued, "But that doesn't prove anything. It could all be a coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence that you die in the timeline where you adopt a villain!" Sir Nighteye cried. "It was one thing back when you decided to die to save an innocent child. I hated it, but I understood. Now? I can't accept you sacrificing yourself to save future All for One!"

"Hisashi isn't All for One! He's his own person, and a good child. Whatever you saw in your vision, right now he's an innocent. If he ever does anything to hurt me in the future, I can only conclude I must have been a poor enough father to deserve it."

Sir Nighteye snorted. "Now that's just ridiculous."

"Your vison of my death changed once. I'll change it again, this time by being a good dad." Toshinori nodded decisively. "If it makes you feel any better, I won't eat any food Hisashi gives me if he offers after shortly after One for All goes missing."

He'd meant that as a joke, but it infuriated his former sidekick. Sir Nighteye shrieked, "I've told you it doesn't work like that! Of course you can easily prevent yourself from dying in the exact same time and place that I saw, but that will only result in Hisashi killing you in a different way. The future always forces itself back on course."

In a quieter voice, Toshinori said, "I know. But that part seems strange to me. Since you saw my future as through my own eyes, I must have witnessed Hisashi handing over One for All. But I still trusted him afterward? Why?"

"I don't have a good explanation for that." Sir Nighteye rubbed his face. "I've never had a vision like this before, where huge chunks were clearly obscured from me."

"I'm not doubting your word, Mirai, but there are too many missing details for us to be certain what your vision meant. I believe the reason you're having trouble seeing my whole future is because it's still changing. Fate hasn't settled on its course yet."

"You're an unbelievably kind person, Toshinori. I admire that about you. You've been nothing but kind to the murderous little brat, and it only made him more likely to kill you! He's playing the role of scorpion to your frog!" Sir Nighteye's shoulders sagged. His eyes narrowed. "What about Yoichi's safety?"

Toshinori blinked, caught off-guard by the change of topic. "Yoichi?"

"All for One killed his younger brother in the past. What if Hisashi hurts Yoichi? You need to separate them."

"We don't know how the First One for All user died. Hisashi adores his little brother and would never hurt him. I don't think that's your true concern, either. You didn't see any harm to Yoichi in your vision, and you trust your future visions completely." Toshinori stared his old friend down. "You're making up excuses."

Sir Nighteye sighed. "Fine, I admit it. I'm trying to give you a reason that your conscience can accept. You can't save Hisashi. I saw the future where you tried to change young All for One with kindness. Adopting him only leads to him killing you. I know how guilty you must feel about picking a future where someone else dies instead of you. But no one could possibly expect you to die to save your own worst enemy. You don't have to take that burden on your shoulders."

"You're wrong." Toshinori tried to convey his will with his eyes. "I don't feel compelled to do this. I sincerely see Hisashi as my son. I want to adopt him."

"Oh my god, you mean it." Sir Nighteye collapsed into a chair. "How could even you fall for All for One's deceptions and fake charm?"

"I keep telling you that Hisashi isn't All for One." Toshinori sighed, fearing that battle to be hopeless. "I don't believe anyone is ever destined to become a villain, not even the real All for One. At one time, events could have gone differently for him. Even I could have become a villain if I'd never met Nana." Toshinori's gaze became distant as he thought back to his past on the streets. "There was a time when I hated society quite a bit."

"You, Sir? Never."

"Who knows? We can't guess who I'd have been in a parallel universe, only who I am now. Hisashi is only who he is right now. The notion that some people are born villains is dangerous and cruel. I won't stand for it."

"Not some people," Sir Nighteye whispered. "Just him. All for One. I can never forgive him."

Toshinori sighed, the anger draining out of him. "I understand how you feel, Mirai. I truly do. We've both suffered at All for One's hands. But please remember your promise to me to keep this secret. Please don't take out your anger on Hisashi. He's innocent."

Sir Nighteye sighed. "Of course I'll keep my promise to you. I always keep my word. But this conversation isn't over. I'll keep trying to persuade you until you see reason." He stalked out of the room.

As Hisashi headed downstairs for a glass of water, he saw Sir Nighteye in the hallway. He raised his hand in a wave.

Sir Nighteye brushed past him. In a low growl, he said, "If you hurt Toshinori, then I'll kill you. Child or not."

As Sir Nighteye vanished out the door, Hisashi stared in shock. What had that been about? He thought he got along perfectly well with Sir Nighteye. He found quiet, smart people more tolerable than most.

From the living room, Toshinori called, "Hisashi, please come here. We need to talk."

Hisashi winced. He knew that tone of voice. It meant he was in trouble.

Slouching into the living room, Hisashi asked, "What is it, Dad?" He strived to sound innocent.

Toshinori sat on the couch with his arms crossed. "Sir Nighteye has informed me that you took Mirio's quirk and gave it back."

Hisashi winced. Busted. "Yoichi and I were only helping him."

"I believe you, and I'm proud of your kind heart. Your idea worked—Mirio has been able to use his quirk more smoothly now. But you still should have asked for his permission first. Also, you didn't tell me that you had All for One."

"I thought it seemed obvious." Hisashi widened his eyes deliberately. "Izuku knows, you can ask him. I assumed he'd already told you."

"Very well, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt there." Before Hisashi could be relieved, Toshinori continued, "However, we need to lay some ground rules. From now on, you aren't to use your quirk without explicitly asking for my permission first. Unless you or other people are in immediate danger, of course."

"What, never?" Hisashi scowled. "Most children don't have such strict requirements. The kids in our playgroup use their abilities all the time."

"Most children don't have a quirk as dangerous as yours."

"I can't even take from people who offer their quirks freely?"

"If that circumstance arises, then come to me and I'll figure out if it's allowable."

Hisashi nearly argued back, but then he realized he'd better pick his battles. Toshinori had already been far more understanding about the All for One connection than originally expected. "I get it. You still don't completely trust me. I'll work harder to prove myself."

"No, no, that's not the reason! This has nothing to do with All for One."

Hisashi scuffed his foot on the carpet. Being lied to irritated him far more than stupid rules he didn't intend to obey anyway. "I said I understand. I don't blame you for still being a bit wary of me."

Toshinori knelt down and took his adopted son by the shoulders. "Hisashi. Look at me. I give you my word as a hero that I would impose the exact same rule on any child with your ability. This is important. I know you've lived without responsible parenting for a long time. I don't want you to think that I'm mistrusting you or treating you like a future villain every time I try to impose normal levels of discipline. Please believe me."

Hisashi knew Toshinori, knew him well enough to know he'd never make such an oath lightly. He had no choice but to believe it. "Fine. But why can't I use my ability at all? Not even for something harmless like helping Mirio?"

"I'm always happy to explain my rules. Never hesitate to ask that." Toshinori gestured for Hisashi to sit next to him. "I have two concerns. First of all, no one outside my immediately trusted circle can find out about your ability. It would put you in too much danger. You'd be worth a fortune to quirk traffickers. Every villain in Japan—maybe around the world—would target you. And the Hero Public Safety Commission…I don't trust them. They have an unsavory reputation for taking an interest in children with strong quirks. I would like to say that I could protect you, but my reputation and influence is at a low point and my fighting power has never been weaker. I'm sorry."

Hisashi had to admit that his guardian had a point. Especially because the first time he'd stolen a quirk, he'd immediately gotten busted. Clearly people noticed when he took abilities, even if he gave them back right afterward. "Don't apologize, Dad. I won't let anyone else find out about All for One. I'll be more careful from now on. I promise."

"Thank you." Toshinori smiled. "I've extracted a promise from Sir Nighteye to keep your secret. I can't force him to trust you, but if he treats you poorly, let me know immediately."

Hisashi didn't hesitate to tattle. "He threatened to kill me on his way out the door."

Toshinori's face twisted. "That was unacceptable. I'll be having words with him."

The sudden shift in Sir Nighteye's attitude had stung Hisashi more than he cared to admit and been a painful reminder of the time bomb his asshole adult self had left him stuck sitting on. "I could take care of Sir Nighteye myself, but I suppose that would upset you."

"I'm not sure what that means, but very much so."

"I won't do anything, I promise." Hisashi sighed. He could have come up with a plan to avoid getting caught, but his dad cared about Sir Nighteye, so he decided to forgo his revenge. He felt impressed at his own magnanimity.

Toshinori patted his shoulder. "Have you ever heard that the best revenge is living well?"

"That sounds like a platitude for cowards and doormats."

"It's true. I've had many detractors over the years, and the greater my success, the more it drives them crazy. I once took a bullet saving the life of a reporter who called me an over-muscled moron, and she was so embarrassed that she'd run away at the sight of me for years afterward." Toshinori smiled in a soft, secretive way. "Trust me, I know my old sidekick very well. He detests nothing more than being wrong. If you were to seek to harm him, you'd vindicate everything he believes about you. Force him to admit that you're not like All for One, and it will drive him insane for the rest of his life."

Interesting. This bore thinking about. Hisashi asked, "What's the second reason you don't want me to use my ability?"

"I'm concerned about your safety. You're too young to fully think through the consequences of taking a quirk. Someone could easily pawn off some dangerous ability with severe side-effects on you. It's my responsibility as your guardian to prevent you from being taken advantage of."

Now this was pure nonsense. Hisashi took advantage of other people, he didn't let it happen the other way around. But Toshinori oozed sincerity. He'd honestly never considered that Hisashi might be the one to steal other people's quirks and give nothing back. It was sweet. Hisashi didn't have the heart to disillusion his dad.

"Fine. I promise to ask your permission before using my ability." Unless Hisashi had a pressing reason not to, of course.

"Thank you." Toshinori beamed. "What quirks do you currently have?"

"I accidentally stole a bunch from All for One the first time he tried to kill me. A sound ability, a fire ability, and flexible fingers." Hisashi waggled his fingers. He'd deliberately left off the hacking ability—he didn't want his dad to know what he'd been up to with that. Japan's economy would be much more stable once it was under his control, anyway. "I stole Stain's quirk, too. After I gave half my abilities to Yoichi, the sound and fire quirk melded together. I used that to defeat Moonfish." Toshinori already knew what Yoichi could do because All for One's healed face had necessitated explaining that right away. "Also, I stole three abilities from All for One that I haven't yet figured out how to use."

That last claim was a complete lie. Hisashi was covering his ass in case his dad later found out about his hacking ability or he found a quirk too good to resist and broke his promise. This way, he'd be able to claim his newest power was one he'd taken from All for One but had only just activated. His dad meant well, but Hisashi had no intention of passing up on any chance to obtain more power. Not with his villainous older self still on the loose and out to kidnap his family.

Besides, All for One was a greedy quirk that demanded to be used. Even if he tried to suppress it, Hisashi wasn't certain he could resist if a quirk was dangled in front of him. But it would be embarrassingly to admit such a weakness to his dad. Better to just pretend to discover a few extra quirks later.

Toshinori nodded. "You can use all of those abilities as you please as long as you're not breaking any other rules. See? I'm not trying to restrict you any more than I would any other child. However, you should pick one ability to pretend is your quirk in public."

"The fire and sound quirk," Hisashi said. He wanted the world to know he had a strong quirk.

"I'll buy you a book on how to figure out your other new quirks. We'll have fun exploring the last three together!"

"Sure," Hisashi said, already planning his lies.

Toshinori said, "Most importantly, you must never give a quirk to Yoichi again."

Hisashi blinked. "But why would the rule apply to Yoichi too? He already knows about my power. I promised I'd share all my quirks with him. It was a solemn brotherly oath." After the Mirio incident, Yoichi must have overcome his trauma around quirks and would expect half of Hisashi's current stock soon as per their agreement. It was only fair, since Yoichi had supercharged all his current abilities for him. "Please, he'll be heartbroken if I don't let him have at least one quirk."

"I'm sorry. But I must insist on that rule. It's for Yoichi's safety. His ability to enhance quirks is extremely dangerous. Just look at Mirio—the power of his quirk was increased by an order of magnitude in seconds. Yoichi doesn't know how to stop powering up a quirk. He did it on accident the first time. The power might keep infinitely increasing the longer he holds it. What if you gave him your fire quirk and it turned so strong that it burned him alive?"

Since he'd already given his little brother a fire ability once, Hisashi very much didn't want to believe that could happen. "You're just speculating wildly."

"I'm not." Toshinori's face became serious. "A villain named Dabi was recently arrested after a failed attempt to assassinate Endeavor. He told a horrible story about Endeavor using a quirk marriage to breed stronger children, then training his son relentlessly. Touya nearly burned alive because his flames were too hot for his body to handle."

"I remember." Hisashi had overhead Izuku on the phone late at night consoling his friend Shouto. His own biggest concern had been that with Endeavor embroiled in scandal, there was even more pressure on Dad not to retire despite his injuries.

"That's not the only such story. Children have died due to their quirks activating at the wrong time—or harmed other people."

"I could pick a weak quirk, like flexibility."

"The original One for All came from a weak power, and now it blows off the user's limbs. I don't mean to alarm you unduly, but we don't know how the original First user died. He didn't live long after having a power forced on him." Toshinori sighed. "I've asked Nezu to reach out to his contacts, very subtly, to research Yoichi's quirk. After gathering information, we could try a controlled trial giving him a weak ability. But it must be strictly monitored." He wagged his finger. "No more supercharging quirks without adult supervision."

Hisashi twisted his fingers. Though he was reluctant to disappoint his little brother (and give up his power source), once again Toshinori made a good point. Yoichi's safety came before anything else. He'd seen the newspaper pictures of young Touya's melted jawbone. The image of his brother burning alive had now been vividly planted in his mind. "Fine. I promise. But you're going to have to be the one to tell Yoichi that I can't give him a quirk."

Toshinori sighed. "That's fair. I'll go find him."

Even from the other side of the house, Hisashi still heard it when Yoichi screamed, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T HAVE A QUIRK?"

Yoichi paced back and forth in front of Hisashi's bed. "You folded too easily."

Offended, Hisashi asked, "Aren't you supposed to be the rule-abiding one?"

Yoichi wagged a finger. "I'm the ethical one. There's a big difference. In this case, it would have been ethical for you to give me half your quirks like you promised after we first found out about your ability. You could have lied to Dad and claimed you already handed at least one over to me, like how you lied about your number of quirks."

"Then he would have made me take it back." Hisashi knotted his fingers together. "I'd be upset too in your place, but he made a good point. You could get hurt by an out-of-control quirk."

"Don't I need the ability to defend myself from All for One?"

"Do you truly believe that one quirk would make a difference there?"

Yoichi sighed and flopped onto the bed. "I hate that you're right."

"Dad said this was temporary. He wants to research your ability more first."

"Who knows how long that will take?" Yoichi cracked an eye open. "You owe me, and I know how you're going to repay me."

"Oh?" Hisashi asked, trying not to sound worried.

"I want you to try to meet First with me tonight. We've been able to cross over between dreams before."

"That's easier than I expected," Hisashi admitted. "Why would you cash in your favor on something so small?"

"I feel guilty because I got such a better brother than him." Yoichi smiled. "Can you be nice to him? He seemed very sad the last time I saw him."

"Of course," Hisashi said, inwardly rubbing his hands with glee. Stealing his original brother would be the perfect way to get revenge on All for One.

That night, as Hisashi stood alone among the shadows, he believed their plan hadn't worked at first.

Then Yoichi burst from the shadowy mist. "Found him!" He tugged First forward. "Other me, this is my older brother. Since yours didn't turn out so well, I'm willing to share." His tone made it obvious what a generous offer he considered this.

"We meet again." Hisashi turned on his charm immediately. "I'm jealous that my brother grows up to be so much more handsome than me. What do you put on your hair to keep it so fluffy? Wait, you're a ghost, it's probably magic."

First laughed. "It's so good to see you like this." A shadow crossed his face. "I hope the two of you can always be so happy."

"How did you die?" Hisashi blurted out. He hadn't meant ask such a heavy question right away. But the image of Yoichi with his arms and legs blown off due to One for All still haunted his mind. "I'm sorry, it's just Toshinori thought it might have been because of One for All, and now I'm scared Yoichi's quirk could put him in danger."

First said, "One for All is a very dangerous ability—it kills anyone who's not quirkless—but in my case, I died fighting my brother." He flinched away from Yoichi, using a hand to protect his crotch.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kick you," Yoichi said glumly. "Having had the misfortune to meet All for One, I know it's true."

"For what it's worth, he didn't do it on purpose." First didn't sound like that was worth much to him. "I blocked a blow for Second."

"Still his fault." Hisashi added yet another reason All for One needed to die. "Ugh, I hate so much that he came from me."

"I didn't come here to make you feel bad. His actions have nothing to do with you—"

"I won't blame myself for what he did, but I won't pretend there's no connection between us either," Hisashi said. "I'm going to learn from his mistakes. Don't bring fatal force to a fight if there's any other option. Duly noted."

First beamed. "That's a good lesson to learn. You're a good kid, you know that?" He pinched Hisashi's cheek. "It's so much fun to have you smaller than me now."

"Hey!" Hisashi yelped.

"I'm not sharing my brother unless you play nice," Yoichi warned.

"Sorry, sorry." First didn't sound sorry. "I'll make it up to you. Want me to teach you how to turn off your quirk?"

"I can do that?" Yoichi asked. "If I could avoid enhancing them, it would be safe for me to have quirks!"

"I didn't even realize what my hidden ability did when I was alive," First said. "But I still have it in death. I've been practicing controlling the output of One for All so Izuku doesn't break bones. We can make quirks weaker as well as stronger, just so you know."

Hisashi perked up. This sounded like a cool weapon to use against enemies. "Please, go on."

From behind First, Yoichi flashed Hisashi a look saying, This means I can have a quirk, right?

Hisashi sent back a look saying, Maybe.

Yoichi made a face.

Hisashi suspected that this alone wouldn't be enough to convince Toshinori that it was safe. But he himself was starting to waver.

In a dark room, All for One sat with his legs propped up on a coffee table.

Across from him, Overhaul wrinkled his nose. But the neat freak didn't say anything. He understood his position. Ever since his injuries had been healed, All for One had swept through the criminal underworld, regaining his old control in a matter of days. With the number one hero barely functional and the number two removed from duty, All for One's return to power had been swift and total.

"You're alone," Overhaul commented, an attempt to regain the upper hand. "Where's your protégé?"

All for One smirked. "You can feel free to call in all your precepts. It wouldn't make a difference, if you fought me."

Overhaul knew this was true. All for One was a walking nuke. Only when maimed had he needed to rely more on other people, such as that young student of his. With Japan's greatest villain restored to his full power, he no longer needed anyone.

"You had a deal to offer me," Overhaul said. He knew full well he couldn't refuse.

"Oh, no, a deal would imply that I'll give you something in return. This is more of a favor. A small, easy favor between friends. Trust me, you want to be my friend." All for One's teeth gleamed in a vicious smile. "You'll be clashing with the heroes soon."

Overhaul frowned. "I had no such plans." In the long run, yes, but he wasn't quite ready yet.

"Ah-ha, then I've given you something after all: free information. The heroes will be coming after your operation very soon. Sir Nighteye's agency, to be more precise." All for One sounded amused about the upcoming conflict. "One of his interns is a boy with green hair who goes by the hero name Relentless. Whether they succeed or fail, you'll keep your hands off him."

It burned Overhaul that this villain was giving him orders. But All for One had completely taken control of the underworld black market, including the supply chain Overhaul relied on for creating his bullets. "That same kid you kidnapped before? Why is he so important?"

"He's not, particularly. But he's critical part of my plan to destroy All Might." All for One shrugged. "I can be a bit possessive about my archnemesis. I'm sure you understand. My plan requires the boy in good shape, so I would be very upset if anyone else harmed him first. If you do manage to capture him unharmed and hand him over, then I'll reward you with a lifetime supply of materials for your bullets." All for One spoke off-handedly, as if he didn't believe this particularly likely.

But Overhaul needed those materials very badly. He'd yet to be able to create a permanent quirk-erasing bullet because All for One had seized his materials. He did not want to sound like he was begging, but he had no choice but to ask. "Is there any price you would accept in exchange for releasing my current shipment?"

"Why, yes. What a delightful offer!" All for One's voice rang with mockery. "Rumor on the street has it that you have a little girl who can deage people. Your daughter?"

"We're all family among the group," Overhaul said indifferently.

"Complicated family ties? I know all about those." All for One sighed with dramatic deliberateness. "I only need to briefly borrow the girl's services. There's someone I need her to use her powers on. I'll let you know when I'm ready. It won't be long now."

OMAKE TIME!

Omake: The Difference Between the Brothers

All for One: I see there's one living little brother and two of me. Time for a fight to the death!

Hisashi: Challenge accepted!

In another part of the Void:

Yoichi: Since I got the only good brother, we can share, older me.

First: (Sniffles) You're so nice!

#

Omake: The Relentless Fanclub

Kouta: Thank you for having me over to your house.

Hisashi: Little brother, what's he doing here?

Yoichi: Don't be mean. He was a good sport about me kicking him, and he's very nice once you get to know him. We're founding an Izuku fanclub together.

Hisashi: I'm far to mature for such children's games, but you two have fun with that.

Yoichi: Did Ragdoll order the T-shirts and banners?

Kouta: Yes, and she was very impressed with your drawings. You're good! You captured that feral glint in his eye perfectly.

Hisashi: Are you creating merchandise? That sounds like an investment that could become very valuable based on Izuku's future career success.

Yoichi: I thought you were too mature to be involved, big brother.

Hisashi: I'm club president now.

#Hisashi's right BTW #When Izuku becomes number one hero, his very first merchandise will be worth a fortune #That said, they'll have to pry it out of Yoichi's cold, dead fingers

#

Omake: After Kurogiri Starts to Remember

Tomura: If you're Oboro Shirakumo, then does that mean Eraserhead is my honorary uncle?

Kurogiri: That wasn't the reaction I expected to my tragic backstory.

Tomura: I have so much merchandise to get signed.

#

Omake: Sir Nighteye's Reaction

Sir Nighteye: (With a pitying glint in his eye) I had a difficult relationship with my father…

Izuku: Oh, no, my hidden quirk to make people tell me their traumatic backstories is activating again.

Sir Nighteye: I can't imagine how I'd cope if there had been two of him.

Izuku: What an odd thing to say.

Sir Nighteye: Would you like some more All Might merchandise? You can have your pick of my collection.

Izuku: I acknowledge no dad besides All Might, but I'll happily take all your merchandise off your hands.

#The good news is that Nighteye is way too busy freaking out about Hisashi to have a single brain cell left to fuss about Izuku's parentage #The Hisashi situation makes the Izuku one completely irrelevant by comparison #RIP Nighteye's sanity

Author's Note: As promised, the Shie Hassaikai arc has arrived. All for One is playing coy about his connection to Izuku because if anyone knew he had a son, then Izuku could be used as a hostage. That's also why All for One doesn't mention Yoichi. All for One only warned Overhaul not to kill Izuku because he knew Izuku would be coming into conflict with the Shie Hassaikai soon. He's weighing the risk of Overhaul harming Izuku versus Overhaul realizing that Izuku has personal importance to him. Thus he came up with a story implying that he only wants Izuku as a hostage against All Might. For the same reason, All for One doesn't admit to Overhaul that he plans to use Eri's powers on Izuku. If you can't brainwash your son, then you can always deage him.

Did you all forget about the prophecy? The prophecy is still very much in play. In this chapter, Sir Nighteye references Aesop's Fable about the Scorpion and the Frog:

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, "How do I know you won't sting me?"

The scorpion says, "Because if I do, I will die too."

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp, "Why?"

Replies the scorpion: "It's my nature…"

Sir Nighteye's argument is that Hisashi will kill Toshinori because he's evil for the sake of being evil. But I promise there's a better explanation for the prophecy than that.

In their conversation, Toshinori referenced his past living on the streets and his childhood dream to become a villain. Coincidentally, I've written the AU I've been promising since Chapter Six where All for One found Toshinori as a homeless child and adopted him before Nana could, as a standalone fic called "Symbol of Hopelessness." Also, on Archive of Our Own, AnikaSukino has written another evil All Might AU inspired by this story called "The Despair of a Rejected is the Weapon of a Maniac."