Beta'd and edited by kylekatarn77 and Poliamida
62. Götterdämmerung
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar.
-Marc Antony, Julius Caesar
At 10:42am JST on December 25th, Toshinori Yagi, better known to the world as All Might, passed away quietly. Doctors attributed the death to complications resulting from his battle with All For One, with the final cause of death being a pulmonary embolism. All Might's right lung had been destroyed after the battle, and his battered left lung had finally given out.
His close friend and former sidekick, Sir Nighteye, had been with him. He had been sitting with All Might since the night before according to the hospital staff, talking quietly to his old mentor about the good old days. All Might had drifted off to sleep at about 9:30am that morning, which wasn't unusual. At 10:42 on the dot, Sir Nighteye had stood as alarms had gone off to notify hospital staff that All Might's heartbeat had ceased. He had quietly told the staff there was no point in attempting to resuscitate the old hero: he had foreseen this death. It had been time.
All Might had been on death's doorstep for months, having been near constantly hospitalized since his final battle that summer. The public had been aware of All Might's failing health, and All Might had prepared a final address to the nation that was broadcast that Christmas evening. It was the most viewed broadcast in Japanese history, and quickly became one of the most viewed public addresses world wide. The entire speech was necessarily short due to All Might's rapidly deteriorating condition, but the old Hero had smiled into the camera, one last time.
"Fear not, my friends. Though now, I am with you no longer. My time has ended, and I go now to another place. I hope that we meet again one day, on a distant bright shore where the sun never sets, with smiles upon our faces."
"But I don't leave you alone. For years, I was the Symbol of Peace. Upon my shoulders, I took the responsibility for the safety of the nation, and carried forth justice upon the wicked. I did so not for fame and glory, but out of love for you, my nation, and for justice herself. But now, a new group of young heroes has arisen. The Pillars of Peace."
"They are my legacy: the young people who will take up my burden and carry it forward. They are the ones who defeated my greatest foe: All For One. Now, they stand together, young heroes, united as one for all. They are the hope for a brighter tomorrow. Though I am gone, they are here. Fear not. The world spins on."
A more personal, intimate message was given to each of the members of Class 1A, along with Togata in the form of letters, written by All Might in his last days. Izuku was given his letter in a sealed envelope, addressed to him in All Might's own hand.
Dear Young Midoriya,
If you are reading this, then I am no longer here. Perhaps that is a relief to you, though I hope that you no longer see me as the cruel man who once foolishly denied a young man's dream.
Out of all the young heroes of this generation, you are the one who most defied everyone's expectations. I know what it is to be born quirkless. I was born, much as you were, to an ordinary family. Neither of my parents had quirks, which was not as unusual in those days. I have no great tragic backstory, I was merely a young man who saw the chaos around him, and wished to bring peace. Unlike my peers and like you, I had no great inborn power. Only a dream, and the drive to succeed.
I caught the eye of a great hero: a woman named Nana Shimura. She was possessed of a great power. I am certain you can guess its name: One For All. It was a power not her own, but one she inherited, passed down from hero to hero to oppose All For One and his tyranny. It is a unique quirk I think, one that stores power and can be bestowed upon an apprentice.
Perhaps my greatest regret is that it was not you who I gave this power to. You were so much like me. Perhaps if I had not been so blinded by my own pain and grief, I could have seen that you had within you the same seeds of heroism that Shimura saw within me. But you did not need One For All. You found your own source of power; your love. Make no mistake, it is not the gadgets you create with Miss Hatsume that is the source of your power. It is your love for her, and your love of your fellow man, your drive to protect and defend the innocent, to save everyone with a smile on your face.
Don't blame yourself for what happened with Shie Hassaikai. You wanted desperately to believe that Chisaki could be redeemed, that he could turn from evil deeds and become a hero just as you did. I understand this. It's a mistake I have made in my own career. You acted out of a desire for not only justice, but mercy and redemption. A greater calling no hero can have.
But back to the purpose of this letter. I am certain by now you know, or at least suspect, where my power lies. It is indeed in the hands of Mirio Togata. True, he is a worthy bearer of the power, and he will carry the duty of One For All forward and do it proud. But he was born with a power that is his own, a power that he mastered through great trial and hardship yes, but a power that you and I never knew as children.
Perhaps it is for the best. I do not claim to understand the machinery you and Hatsume have created, but it is wonderous. It shows the way forward for people like you and me: Even those who are born without a quirk, without that innate power, can become heroes in their own right. They can forge a new day, one where those with quirks and those without can be equal partners in upholding society.
Keep being that light in the darkness. Keep on being the man who through love, hard work, and a burning passion, became a hero. You are a Pillar of Peace. It's a heavy burden to place on the shoulders of one so young. I wish I could have been there, to help you all support the weight of the world that you now bear. But my time is gone now. I gave up One For All mere weeks after meeting you for the first time to young Togata, and have been living on borrowed time since then.
I know that even in my absence, you will continue forward, bringing peace and justice to the land. Even without my influence, I think you would have become one of the greatest heroes the world has ever known. Somehow, someway, you would have changed the world, Izuku Midoriya. You're doing it now, because you are a hero. I leave the world in your hands.
Toshinori Yagi
All Might
It was a struggle to keep the paper dry, as Izuku wept the entire time he read it. Once he was done, he carefully refolded the paper and put it back in the envelope. He looked around the room, and saw that everyone was an emotional wreck. Even Bakugo was weeping openly, tears rolling down his cheeks as he read his letter.
Mei had received a letter as well. She sat with it for a long time, her lips moving as she read it to herself over and over again. At last, she tucked the letter away in a pocket of her overalls, scrubbing at her eyes with her hands. "I guess All Might really was nice. I'll miss him."
"Yeah," Izuku agreed, as Mei snuggled up against his chest. "He was."
The funeral was held less than a week later, on New Years Eve. Dignitaries and heroes from around the globe attended, all to honor the fallen Symbol of Peace. Every major hero in Japan attended the event in uniform, even Endeavor who was temporarily let out on bail to pay homage to the former Number 1. Of course, Class 1A and Togata were there as well, dressed in their costumes despite being on suspension still.
Then there was the public. Nonessential businesses and services were all shut down for a national day of mourning. Tens of thousands people attended the public funeral and viewing, with live stream services held at public places all over the nation. For those who could not attend, the ceremonies were broadcast live worldwide.
During the funeral, All Might lay in state in a casket that seemed too large for his body, wearing his hero uniform. It had been tailored to fit his emaciated body, but it still looked wrong on the skeletal frame. Izuku sat numbly with the rest of Class 1A through the main service, where endless speeches lauded All Might's achievements and example. Everyone from the Prime Minister of Japan to Sir Nighteye had something to say. Even Togata gave a short emotional speech, but Izuku was too numb to really pay much attention.
It still didn't feel real. All Might, the foundation upon which Japan had rested for nearly 20 years, was gone. Izuku had gone from worshiping All Might as a child, to resenting him for over a year, to respecting him as a great but flawed man. But now, he was gone. All that was left was an empty dried up husk.
The funeral lasted all day, with Izuku sitting numbly in his seat. A few members of Class 1A gave eulogies, but Izuku had turned down the opportunity to give one himself. He was no good at speaking in front of crowds, and he left that sort of thing to his classmates.
At the end of the day, Izuku was mentally and emotionally drained, but there was one final task to undertake. The casket was finally closed, and Izuku and the rest of Class 1A marched behind the hearse. The route was lined with thousands of mourners along with dozens of news crews, all turned out to say farewell to their hero, one last time.
At last they arrived at the tomb. Unlike most people, All Might would not be cremated; instead he was buried at an elaborate shrine that had been constructed for just such a purpose. It was chilling to realize that construction had begun in the Fall, as it had been quietly known that All Might's time was short.
The tomb itself was beautiful, built in the style of a classical helenistic Greek temple, carved of pure white marble. It was a large structure, with reliefs on the sides, depicting All Might's greatest feats of heroism in spectacular style. There was of course his battle against All For One, though it showed the fight in Kamino Ward, not the secret battle that had taken place all those years ago. In it, All Might battled in his healthy muscular form, not the skeletal wretch that had nearly been killed.
It felt somehow cheap to Izuku. A stone edifice that honored not the man, but the image. As if they were trying to prop up society on All Might's shoulders even now. Izuku glanced at Togata, who along with Sir Nighteye had been one the pallbearers. Togata looked completely lost, as though he had lost the anchor that had kept him bound to reality.
Halfway through the funeral, he'd abandoned his assigned seat and came over to sit with Class 1A instead of with Sir Nighteye and the American President. The news crews were pitching it as a show of solidarity with the other Pillars of Peace, but Izuku noticed that Togata was sitting with Hari specifically. The two of them had spent a great deal of time together since All Might's death, with Togata simply sitting in the dorm's living room, holding Hari's hand and staring off at nothing. He was doing that now, tears running silently down his face as he clutched at Hari. For her part, Hari looked as though Togata was the only thing keeping her from breaking down completely.
At last, the body was placed inside the tomb, and it was sealed. Izuku waited in line with the rest of the class, going up to the tomb, hand in hand with Mei, and bowing to the grave stone.
"We'll do our best, sir," Izuku whispered, his tears falling to the stone as he held his bow.
"We'll keep making super cute babies, just like you wanted," Mei added. "Don't worry. We'll be good heroes, like you were."
And then it was over. There was a formal reception afterwards of course, for all the high ranking guests and officials. Izuku sat through it listlessly, picking at some food at a table with Mei, Hari and Togata. Plenty of important people came over, and Izuku made polite noises in their direction while Mei simply sat and hummed. Togata seemed to shake himself out of his funk, managing to laugh and smile and even make a few lame jokes, but Izuku could tell his heart wasn't really in it.
After an hour and a half, Mr. Aizawa collected 1A and Togata, making the excuse that they were still young, and needed to return home. Back at the dorm, everyone sat around in the living room quietly, feeling numb. After a few minutes, Hari got up, disappearing into her and Mei's room. She emerged a short time later, carrying a stack of plastic cups and two large bottles, which she set on the table.
"Hari!" Iida gasped. "That's-"
"Sake," Hari stated flatly. She took out a cup, poured a finger into it, then downed it. She coughed, then shook her head. "Christ, I'm not even much of a drinker. But dammit, if anyone needs a drink tonight, it's you kids. I don't even care anymore. They can fire me or whatever. But they treat you all like adults, dammit. They throw you head first into hell, and expect you to just cope or whatever. Don't think I don't hear you all crying yourselves to sleep at night. I don't even see the same shit you do and it gives me nightmares."
Determinedly, Hari poured another glass, then passed it to Togata. "Drink up. You're gonna need it. You look like hell. When was the last time you even slept?"
Togata stared down into the clear liquid. He didn't reply, and a moment later gulped down the alcohol. He coughed, but thrust the cup out for more. Hari nodded, and poured for him again.
"Give me some of that," Ashido said hoarsely, taking a cup and holding it out. "I could use a good night's sleep." Her own black eyes had as many dark circles under them as Togata's did. Her hand shook slightly as Hari poured, but she immediately drank, then sank back onto the carpet, looking down at her empty cup.
"Yeah, me too," Kirishima said, his normally boisterous tone subdued. He took his drink, poured a little into Ashido's cup, then put his arm around Ashido's shoulders. "Smile for me, Pinky. I miss it."
Ashido did manage a smile, snuggling up against Kirishima. "Took you long enough." Then she drank as Kirishima blinked in confusion.
After a moment, he shrugged, then drank as well. He held out his cup to Hari. "I'm gonna need another."
That seemed to break the damn. Everyone, even Iida, drank at least a little.
Shinso was the first one to speak of what was on all their minds. "The first time I saw All Might that I remember, I was like, three, maybe four. Doesn't matter. But I saw him when he stopped Astrotrain from hijacking that bullet train. Caught the train in his arms, full force, and slowed it to a stop. He took out Astrotrain in just one hit, pow. Then he got everyone off that train safe and sound. He talked the whole time, saying how everyone was gonna be alright. That was when I knew. I wanted to be a hero, like him."
"First time I remember seeing All Might, I was in kindergarten," Bakugo said. "It was when he fought Predaking and his gang. That bastard turned into this huge ass dragon with Lazerback and Twinstrike doing their thing too. I thought, 'how can one dude, even a big dude, fight three damn dragons?' But he won. He kicked all their asses, made 'em all go back to their normal forms and locked them all up. I knew I had to be like him. To always win. Except...except he lost, too. Just like me."
"He saved me once. Izuku knows about when that slimy bastard attacked both of us, but he doesn't know the whole story. I never told anyone. Not even Ochako. The bastard was trying to wear me like a skin suit or something. He'd nearly forced himself into me. I was holding him off with my explosions, I'd nearly gotten him off of me. But I was wearing out, could hardly breath. My vision was going black. It was the first time I thought that I was really, truly going to die."
"I'd really messed up too. I'd lit half a ward on fire trying to fight this guy off. It was stupid, really. Would have been better if I'd just-"
Uraraka put a hand on Bakugo's arm, and he stopped, taking a deep breath. "Anyway. I was about to die, but then All Might, he came out of nowhere. I'd seen other heroes around, but they'd stayed back. Thought they were cowards. But they'd have been crazy to rush in with all the fires I'd started and the explosions I was…" Bakugo trailed off, and held his glass out. Hari poured him another one, and he downed it, coughing. "Like I said. All Might came in. Took out the slime guy in one hit. Then he helped me up."
"He apologized. Why, I don't know. Still don't. Said he should have done something sooner. Complimented me, said I was strong. I felt...I dunno. People were always telling me I was hot stuff. Dumbasses. Izuku was the only one who ever treated me normal, and I hated him for it. Sorry. Anyway, All Might telling me I was strong...It was like I got the approval I'd always wanted." Bakugo sniffed and scrubbed his face with his arm, wiping away tears.
"Anyway. Thanks. To all of you. For putting up with me. I know I'm still an asshole but-"
"Oh would you just shut up about that?" Shinso demanded. "We get it. You're not Mr. Nice guy. But if we wanted you gone, we'd have told you to take a hike after you lost your quirk. Oh don't look at me like that. Shit, even Ochako didn't kick you out of bed. If she loves you, you have to be doing SOMETHING right."
"Yeah man, you're a man now. One of us," Kirishima agreed. "You're a real hero."
"It's my fault," Togata slurred, looking up from the table where he was resting his head. "If...If I hadn't...You lost your quirk, and it was my fault." He staggered towards Bakugo, pulling a hair out of his head with a wince. He held it out to Bakugo, who looked at the hair, baffled. "Eat it," Togata prompted.
"I am not eating your greasy ass hair!" Bakugo snapped jerking back and trying to push Togata's arm away.
"You...you have to," Togata said, not budging despite the obvious strain Bakugo was putting into his shove. "It's got All Might's quirk. You...you should have it."
Bakugo froze, his eye locking on the hair.
"Togata, you're drunk," Hari said gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Come on. I'll walk you back over to your dorm and-"
"I'm not drunk!" Togata shouted, then flushed and lowered his voice. "Um, well, not much. But listen! If you eat the hair, you get One For All. It's how it works! All Might gave me his quirk that's...that's why he died! If he'd still had his quirk, he could have beaten All For One! He said I was supposed to be his heir but I couldn't even save him…"
Togata broke down, falling onto his knees by Bakugo, still holding up the hair. "And you gave up your quirk for me. Take it! It's yours."
Izuku felt his eyes go wide as he stared at Togata, the drink in his hand forgotten.
"Ha! I knew it! I knew All Might gave you his quirk!" Mei cheered, standing and pointing at Togata. "The Rice CRISPR proved it! You're not his son at all and All Might was quirkless because you have his quirk!"
That brought pandemonium. The rest of the class hadn't been sure about what exactly Togata was doing, but Mei confirming what Togata was saying had everyone in an uproar. Everyone was standing, shouting, crying, screaming, and in Ashido's case laughing uproariously, though she was about four drinks in.
"SHUT UP!" Bakugo bellowed, and after a moment, everyone quieted down.
Slowly, Bakugo stood up, Uraraka standing with him, holding onto his arm, her cheeks flushed. He took the hair out of Togata's hand and held it up, squinting at it. "So, I eat this, and I get All Might's power? Just like that?"
"Yes," Togata said, nodding. "I have...I have to be willing to pass it on, and you have to ingest some of my DNA with the quirk in it, but then-"
Reaching into his pocket, Bakugo pulled out a lighter of all things. He flicked it on, and burned the hair to ash. "You are a dumbass."
Togata gapped at Bakugo. "But...but you lost your quirk! I can give you one, the strongest quirk of them all, so that you can-"
"Shut the hell up!" Bakugo snapped. He grabbed Togata by the shirt collar, hauling the older boy to his feet. "Listen! I'm an asshole, OK? You think I can replace All Might? The hell I can! I let my quirk rule me for years! You understand that? All I was, was just my stupid quirk! Now, I have to actually be someone! But I can't figure out what the hell that is if I just get handed power again! I have to earn it this time, you understand? I have to be a hero, like Izuku. You're already a hero! You got the smile, and the jokes, and people like you! So you have to be the symbol of peace. I'd just be a symbol of hate."
Bakugo grabbed a bottle off the table, taking a long swing, then stumbled off towards the bedrooms, leaning on Uraraka's shoulder. Togata watched them go, a stunned expression on his face.
Just as Bakugo and Uraraka reached the hallway, the door opened. The couple froze, tensing. In the doorway stood Mr. Aizawa, carrying two cloth bags and wrapped in heavy clothes, only his eyes visible.
"Oh shit," Hari groaned, slowly standing. "You kids stay here."
"Hari, wait!" Togata protested, but Hari gently pushed him back down.
"Not this time, Togata. It's my turn to be the hero I guess." She stood and staggered forward, pushing past Bakugo and Uraraka to stand before Aizawa as he slowly removed his coat and boots.
"Alright, look. This was my idea and my fault, but I just, they're kids, OK? And you're all making them do things I couldn't even handle!" Hari stated, planting herself before Mr. Aizawa, her hands on her hips, her legs spread wide. She was trembling, but unmoving. "They're fighting the scariest villains on the planet, they're getting beat to hell, and I have to listen to the ones that aren't sleeping together cry themselves to sleep every night! They deserve a goddamn drink! I know they're just kids but-"
"They're not just kids," Mr. Aizawa stated, standing straight before Hari, a frown creasing his lips as he looked down on her.
"They are! Dammit, that's my baby sister!" Hari half screamed, pointing behind her towards Mei.
"Not a baby," Mei muttered, folding her arms over her chest with a petulant expression that did nothing for her argument.
"Christ Aizawa! They're all sixteen! Togata's barely an adult! And they just buried their hero and now the whole damn world expects them to pick up the slack! You, you can fire me, but dammit, who the hell's gonna treat them like PEOPLE instead of a mythical savior?!"
"We are," Aizawa said. He glanced at Bakugo and Uraraka, frowning. "How long have the two of you been sleeping together?"
Uraraka let out a soft squeak, but Bakugo planted his feet, drawing himself up. "Since I came back from the hospital after Feel Good."
"Six weeks, then," Aizawa said with a sigh. He looked to Hari. "Did you know?"
"Yes," Hari whispered. "I...I tried to keep an eye on them, but...but dammit, they're the only ones I don't have to listen to their weeping all night."
"That's how some people cope," Aizawa stated. He looked at the bottle Bakugo was carrying. "I see you started without me. Go back and sit down."
"You can't kick him out!" Uraraka burst out. "I don't care if he lost his quirk! If he goes, I go!"
"I'm not kicking anyone out. You're all past that. Go sit down," Aizawa repeated, but it didn't sound like an order, more of a request. Still, they all returned to the living room.
"You're not my students anymore," Aizawa said when everyone was seated. Izuku found himself holding his breath. Was this really when he got expelled from UA? A part of him found it hard to care, but a lot of him was scared stiff.
"I thought you said you weren't kicking them out!" Hari burst out. "Fire me, not them!"
"You're not being fired either. I realized a while ago I didn't hire someone to watch over a bunch of children," Aizawa said, setting his bags on the table with a soft clink. "I hired a big sister. Someone to care for them. Listen to them cry in the night, and give a damn. How many of you have gone to Hari when you couldn't sleep, to talk?"
Everyone raised their hands. Izuku had done it more than once, going to the workshop with Mei, or just sitting and talking with her and Hari in their room. Occasionally others would join them. He hadn't thought much of it, but he realized that Hari had been possessed of dark circles under her eyes for as long as he had now.
Aizawa grunted. "That's why you're still here, Hari. Not because I expect you to do bed checks."
"Wait, so you don't care that we're, you know?" Uraraka asked nervously. "I mean, I told my parents, but…"
"Do I care? I do," Aizawa said with a sigh. "Frankly, it's not the smartest thing you could be doing. If the media catches wind of it, or, God help us, you end up pregnant, we'll all catch hell. But they can all go to hell for all I care about the backlash. I'm more worried about whether or not the two of you are going to jump off of a building, or take too many sleeping pills, or find some other way of ending the pain."
"That's the cowards way," Bakugo growled. "None of us are that weak."
"You'd be surprised at who can break and when," Aizawa said. He reached into his bag and began to remove bottles of beer.
Izuku gasped, staring in shock. "Mr. Aizawa?!"
"If you prefer sake, I see that Hari was considerate enough to supply you," Aizawa told them. He started to pass around the bottles, which they all accepted with an increasing sense of numbness. "It's time you all learned of a tradition I had hoped to not have to teach you for many years to come. For though I am no longer your teacher, I am your mentor."
"Tradition?" Iida asked, examining the bottle. "But this...this is alcoholic. Mr. Aizawa, what are you doing?"
"Honoring the dead," Aizawa stated. He took out a picture of All Might, setting it on a placard. He took one of the plastic cups, pouring out one of the bottles of beer into it, and setting it before the picture. Then he took out a bottle of his own, holding it out to Kirishima. "If you would."
"Um, yeah, sure," Kirishima agreed, activating his quirk on his fingers, and easily popping off the cap. He did the same for everyone else, looking nervously to Mr. Aizawa.
When everyone was holding their bottle, Mr. Aizawa raised his. "To fallen heroes."
"Fallen heroes," everyone else echoed.
Aizawa sighed heavily, staring at his bottle. "I never thought it would be All Might that I had to bury. I've watched a lot of my friends go up in smoke over the years. But All Might? He seemed invincible. The first case we worked together, I was just a rookie. All Might knew about me though. He called me in to help him against Waspinator. I know he could have taken that punk out alone, but he wanted to give a rookie a hand. It was...awesome, watching him work. He'd inspired me of course, but to work alongside my idol...well. There was a reason he was the Pillar of Peace."
Then Aizawa took a long drink. He sighed again, sounding weary unto death. "When one of us falls, we get together. Heroes. Those who know what it's like, to be on the front lines, to risk our lives. And we share the stories we remember. And of course, there's always drinking. Some things, well, some things you can't talk about sober. You're not the first class I've had to share a beer with. I pray to God you'll be the last, but I have my doubts."
Jiro stared at Mr. Aizawa, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. "But that's...that's what we were doing."
Aizawa grunted. "It's a natural human reaction. No. You're not in trouble. Any of you. You're all past the point where I could threaten you with expulsion. That's for people who don't have the makings of heroes, who couldn't handle the stress, the pain, the nights where you can't sleep because you didn't save someone, or because you had to kill a villain. As I said. You're not my students anymore. You're my peers. You're no longer children. You've all become adults, and you've done so painfully. And if adults need a drink to honor a fallen foe, or need to share a bed to get through the night, well, I hope they can do so with the honor and integrity I'd expect from heroes."
"Yes sir," Ashido said. Then she grabbed Kirishima and tackled him, pressing her lips to his.
"Sorry, was that too forward?" Ashido panted after a good solid ten seconds. "You just weren't getting any of my hints, and I got bored."
"I, um, ok?" Kirishima managed.
"Good," Ashido sighed, sitting back up. "We'll talk more later." She looked at Jiro. "He's not going to notice, you know."
"Eh, I can wait," Jiro said with a shrug. "Besides. It amuses me."
"At least someone thinks this is funny," Kaminari muttered. "Geez. I didn't even know Uraraka and Bakugo were shacking up until last week."
Jiro sighed heavily and took a long drink. "For now, anyway."
"Um, Mr. Aizawa?" Togata asked. "I, er, I told them."
Aizawa nodded slowly. "I was wondering when you'd finally do that. All Might didn't tell me until a couple of months back. Asked me to keep an eye on you. I know I'm not your teacher anymore, Togata, but if you ever need to talk, my door's always open."
"So, what now?" Izuku asked. "What happens after tonight?"
Mr. Aizawa shrugged. "We get you all back on the street. Order came down yesterday. You're back on patrol. The Ministry of Justice is spooked. But we'll talk about our mission later. For tonight, we mourn and celebrate. Tomorrow is a new year."