Paths Of A Hero

Summary: Hero or Vigilante? What is the difference? It used to be black and white, a boundary so sharp cut that many have found themselves in pieces just for approaching it. So why is it blurring now, as Eraserhead tries to keep his head low while unwittingly gaining 20+ kids, at least three Pro Hero friends and seems to have caught the eye of All Might himself, all the while his past is persistently trying to catch up to him?

"I'm surprised you actually agreed to come and talk with me, Shouta-kun," All For One said as he gazed at the young man who had once been a fearless, unbelievably powerful boy who had looked upon him, saw the same thing the rest of the world did, and never once faltered or balked at the sight of. Yes, All For One hadn't been nearly as scary in outward appearance as he was now, due to the injuries Yagi Toshinori had dealt him during their first clash, six years ago, now, but he'd been considerably more powerful, as he'd not been restricted by his condition, nor had he had only a copy of his own Quirk while true All For One waited for young Shigaraki Tomura to inherit it as his heir, the next Symbol of Evil, the king of villains. And this boy, if no one else, had been perfectly aware of that due to his own Quirk and yet ... He had not feared.

All For One might have known him for a very short time, but he'd never actually seen fear in this boy's eyes.

Though, he is no longer a boy, but rather a man. A grown adult, who had learned the value and power his Quirk held, who had mastered that power and let it mature, grow, do what it was meant to do: evolve. Neither All For One nor Garaki have ever seen something like Erasure before. The power couldn't very well be called a Quirk at all!

Quirks were like muscles. They need to be trained and they have certain limits. Most of those limits can be overcome with growth, maturing and training, but there was always at least that one limit that can't be crossed without risking the user's life. Quirks can be creatively utilized and used in many different ways, but it's always the user that adapts, not the Quirk itself. Not even All For One and One For All were exempt to this 'rule', so to say.

Erasure, though, has no limits. It adapts and adapts and All For One had a feeling that, had people continued doing more tests on Shouta-kun, Erasure would have acquired a few more additional defensive measures. Or rather, most probably it would just pump more and more power into the telekinesis auxiliary Quirk it had already gifted its wielder for greater defense. After all, Telekinesis is actually a very versatile and very powerfully dangerous Quirk, especially if it were to inherit Erasure's lack of limits. Erasure also didn't damage the body due to overuse. Erasure healed, not damaged. Shouta-kun had spent probably two or more years of his early life with it active non-stop due to what Dr Quirk and then later, apparently, the government were doing to him in order to understand this new power. Erasure did not have a concept such as 'overuse'. What's more, All For One would have sworn on his life that Erasure was at least semi-sentient. It sure did protect Shouta-kun when the boy had been incapable of watching out for himself due to sleep.

A Quirk that worked without conscious thought that wasn't a mutation, that defended itself and its wielder, healed damage done to parts crucial to its survival, developed and evolved with no limits in sight and even somehow granted new powers ...

Yes, Dr Quirk had been perfectly right to call Erasure an Anti-Quirk.

And Erasure's wielder was just as ... quirky as it was. Shouta-kun had not had an easy life, had had many wrongs done onto him and yet he only did good onto others. As opposed to the first moments when his Quirk was Erased and panic - shamefully - overwhelmed him, All For One could now feel his Quirk right where it was, even though he can't reach it. It's not even the Quirk-inhibiting restraints, it's all Shouta-kun's doing. Apparently, the young man had not only figured out how to create a Quirk-like profile for Erasure that allowed him to move freely and register his Quirk without raising suspicions, though that appeared to severely level down Erasure's true power, but Shouta-kun had also figured out how to, by using these two modes of Erasure, keep a Quirk erased temporarily for certain amounts of time. He didn't quite understand how that works or why it's possible, but he's learned many years ago to never actually write anything off as impossible. That would be hubris of unspeakable proportions on his part.

Especially towards this man who had seen so much, lived through even more and suffered through it all but had still decided to fight to help people, even when he knew their gratefulness would be nothing but fleeting, if even that.

"I have a lot of questions that only you may have answers to, Shigaraki," replied his visitor and All For One couldn't help but chortle.

"That is mutual, Shouta-kun."

"Then maybe we can help each other."

All For One mused on this for a second before giving an agreeing shrug. It was a fair enough arrangement, all things considered. "Which of us should go first?"

Shouta-kun, apparently.

"All those years ago ... Why did you take me? More importantly, why did you treat me with ... With kindness?" He asked and All For One could tell this was actually something that had been bothering the man for many, many years. It made sense. He possessed a power no one understood and eventually came either to fear or desire. This led to Shouta-kun either being tormented or experimented on. All For One and his dear old friend hadn't actually done anything to Shouta-kun. The most intrusive test they've run was a blood test, to try and find if the boy had family and to find out more about his unique Quirk. They, of course, found nothing. They had to run special facial recognition algorithms to try and locate the boy's parents, only to discover a pair that made even them sick. And they've seen a lot and done even more.

He wondered if he should tell Shouta-kun that he has siblings. A pair of twins that had inherited their parents' weakling Quirks and were still being mistreated by them despite them being what the scoundrels had wanted. Well, they used to be. A week after Shimura and her cohorts had stolen Shouta-kun from him, All For One had gone out of his way to ... erase them from existence, placing the twins into a safe care center and leaving them a small fund to live off of once they're old enough.

Garaki had questioned this move on his part, but he hadn't had a good reason to give.

It's ... probably for the best that Shouta-kun not be reminded of his old life or told he has family elsewhere that had had it just as rough as Shouta-kun, outside of the fact that he seems to be a villain/criminal magnet. They've lived a fairly ordinary orphan life.

Besides, Shouta-kun had a new family now. A better one.

"Why me?" Shouta-kun finished, already looking emotionally worn out and dejected. All For One regarded the young man. "Why was I the only one to receive any form of kindness from you? I saw how you treated other people. I saw what you did to them. Just ... Why me?"

"... You were actually the first child I've ever interacted with," he began, thinking over his answer and how best to word it as he spoke. "It's true that the only reason why I sought you out when I heard of your existence was Erasure. I won't insult either of our intelligence by lying about that. The reason why I took you was because I could not take Erasure from you but I wanted your power for myself regardless. I was not cruel to you because I wanted your trust. But that was in the beginning. I never knew you can grow so attached to a young human in such a short amount of time. Since I'd never been cruel, I was already one step closer to being kind. It was ... a new experience, almost. I certainly couldn't recall the last time I'd been kind. Not since the death of my brother."

"Hm, yes, Tomura-san seemed quite surprised by your treatment of me even in our brief interaction a few nights ago," commented the other and All For One tilted his head curiously. He had to rely on body language to express emotions that usually required the whole face ever since six years ago.

"Did you visit my young protege? You seem awfully ... friendly in addressing him."

"I was not talking about Shimura, Shigaraki Hisashi," Shouta-kun said and if All For One still had eyes, they would have been blown wide as the realization sank in.

"How-"

"The same way I know your name," the Vigilante said, cutting in. "Erasure allows me to see Quirks. One For All is a Quirk that is passed on from one person to another. They shape it and cultivate it, through hard work and living and adapting to it and it to them and how they will use it. An ... imprint of the person's personality remains. Perhaps even a bit more than just that. They're sentient and conscious and they all seem to enjoy making rude gestures at you." All For One couldn't help the incredulous laugh that was startled out of him at that. Yes, he could perfectly imagine his perpetually polite younger brother making the less impolite 'fuck you' signs until the other One For All weilders showed up and corrupted him. Heavens, he almost wishes he could see it, too! But that doesn't exactly explain how Shouta-kun knew his or his brother's real names. "They were definitely delighted to be seen by someone after years of not being able to communicate with anyone else but each other and, occasionally, the current user or exist as nothing more than a shadow of what they used to be. They can't speak to me because I can only see them, but I've learned to read lips and sign language over the years, so by the time I met the Ninth wielder, we could definitely communicate. They all introduced themselves and Tomura-san was kind enough to reveal some information about you that only he could know. The rest I could find out on my own. You're not nearly as scary to the underground as a man capable of erasing Quirks once and for all."

Well, that explains it. Shows why Erasure is so unique, too. He's pretty sure a Quirk-seeing Quirk is as unheard of as a Quirk-erasing one. Shouta-kun is just full of surprises!

"Were you truly raised by Hal, though? You don't act like him." He's met the man and he could be vaguely annoying at times. Don't get him wrong, the man was intelligent and no one could match him in his field of expertise. It wasn't even just the nature of his Quirk! Technopacy, as all Quirks, must be trained and Hal had trained his to its peak perfection. To insinuate anything else would be a blatant lie.

However, as intelligent as Shouta-kun was and as much time as the two had spent together - about two years was his estimate, if the rumors were anything to judge by - it was like Hal had not influenced the young man at all. He could see no traits of Hal's personality rubbing off on Shouta-kun. He was just as much shying away from attention as when All For One had first met the boy, which made sense, given his life story and the occupation he had ended up choosing.

"I was raised by myself and no one else. I had people that occasionally provided me with aid and help, but I was always my own parent. I almost let someone become family to me but then you had to order my kidnapping and fucked it up." The villain kingpin nearly flinched at the bitterness in the younger man's words. "Did you take Shimura Tenko just to spite Nana-san because she rescued me?"

"I'll admit it was part of my decision. The other part was a strategic move, both on the account of the boy's strong and destructive Qurik and the fact that, one day, I can use him against All Might to mentally torture him. Yagi has always been far too easy." Like hell was he telling Shouta-kun that one of the reasons he'd picked up that lanky, pale child with shaggy black hair and big eyes was because Tenko had reminded him of Shouta-kun himself and he never did get over the regret that he didn't get the chance to raise the boy. Though, to be truthful, he wasn't sure if he would take on a different approach in raising Shouta-kun than the way he'd raised Shimura. Shouta-kun would immediately have known what Kurogiri, or someone like him, was and Shouta-kun was too pure a soul to allow that. All of his and Kyudai's work on their Nomu project would be undone, over and over again, each and every single day with only a glance. "I named him after my brother to spite his spirit and memory, to cause the greatest irony of this world that the first person who could even remotely stand up to me and had only wanted to do good and save the world would share a name with someone who only wanted to destroy it all." And because, damn his heart - why couldn't he get rid of the pesky organ without dying? - he'd come to miss that fool in his old age. Meeting Shouta-kun had opened a floodgate of emotions other than blood lust, glee and enjoyment of others' suffering after so long of ignoring such things even existed. "What did you do all of these years, in between Hal and UA and today?"

"Studied, trained, became a Vigilante and started writing a revolutionary paper in Quirk Theory," Shouta-kun replied blandly. "Recently, I've become a Sensei, a Papa and, now, a Hero."

He almost spluttered. "A Hero!?" He spat and then watched a grin that might as well have been taken right off of Hal's face and plastered upon Shouta-kun's. Ah, he guessed the older Aizawa had rubbed off on his adopted son in some ways. That grin was nothing less than unsettling.

"Yes, indeed. It was a strange path I've taken and it has definitely taken me longer than I would have ever expected, but I am an official Pro Hero. Seems doing good does pay off, eventually," he said with a shrug as he took out his new License and showed it off. "Where is the real All For One Quirk?"

"How can you - and for how long have you been able to - dismantle Nomu?" He threw back, not willing to reveal all of his secrets. If Shouta-kun hasn't found it yet-

"I can and will find it, Shigaraki," the man himself said, voice firm and certain. "It's not even a matter of time. I know where your main hideout was. All I need to do is go there and look through the rubble."

"Then why ask me?"

The other studied him with laser-like focus. "I thought you'd get bored. No one else besides All Might is allowed to visit you, after all." All For One stared at him in disbelief. Surely he'd misheard? Why in the everloving stars would Shouta-kun want to come visit him? As if reading his thoughts, the newly minted Hero offered a reply he had never expected. "Tomura-san asked. He said it seems I have a positive effect on you, whatever that means. Tch."

He didn't know what to say. His brother, even after all these years, even after all that he'd put him through and then killed him ... Tomura still cared for him? Why? How? Surely even he wasn't that foolish and naive! Not even All Might thought people were inherently good, despite their deeds proving otherwise and he was a paragon of goodness! Tomura must be a damned crazy fool to still care for the monster his once protective, good older brother had become! (Not that he'd ever been wholly good, though. His morals had always belonged to that murky gray area, especially when protecting his Quirkless brother in that new order that was rising as more and more people were born with Quirks from the pricks who thought they were entitled to bully him just because he didn't have a Quirk. Though it had ended up that he did, which was just a big middle finger to both Hisashi and those bullies. Tomura had always been good at that, even though he'd never actually done something as rude as flip someone the bird. He wondered if he did that now, when only the other One For All users and Shouta-kun could see him.) Not even All For One thought he was worth caring for!

"It's useless trying to rationalize it," Shouta-kun said, cutting through his almost frenzied thoughts about the brother he'd so heartlessly, carelessly killed, so, so long ago. "Emotions aren't logical."

"No, they're not," agreed the (much, much) older of the two. And then he answered the other's question because whether he did or didn't tell him wouldn't matter anyway. Shouta-kun was right when he said he could find it.

"I've been able to dismantle Nomu since I've first encountered one," Shouta-kun also answered despite not really having to. "Or, well, I theorized that I could. I confirmed it during USJ."

"So I was right that it was only because of you that All Might defeated my Anti-Symbol Of Peace. Heh." One For All and Erasure sure seemed to always be working together. It's as though those two's paths were intertwined from the start.

"Kurogiri was the first Nomu I've actually completely dismantled. Or, well, as much as I could without killing Shirakumo Oboro a second time. Sorry not sorry to undo your greatest work."

All For One wasn't even mad. He had no reason or used to feeling angry. He'd never been emotionally invested in Kurogiri. He was simply one of his greatest creations, the peak of Nomuness while retaining intelligence. "I apologize Garaki went after you and your friend."

A pause. "You're sincere," observed the shocked Vigilante-turned-Hero. "You actually mean that."

"Not even I am a cold, unfeeling, heartless monster to that extent. Kyudai and I aren't that close or intimate in our friendship, but I can't imagine a world where he is not by my side. Just knowing that he is alive is enough. I would feel ... incredibly lonely, in this modern world, without him being in it, too." Such companionship comes almost naturally after spending decades, unaging, while the world moves on around you, ever changing, ever shifting. "You have no more questions?"

Another pause, this one a bit hesitant and almost disbelieving in what he was about to ask. It piqued All For One's curiosity and then sent him into peals of amused laughter when Shouta-kun finally managed to make himself grit it out.

"Are you Midoriya Hisashi?"

"Goodness, Shouta-kun!" He said as he tried to calm down. "Of course not! Where did you even get a silly idea like that?"

"Todoroki Shoto seems to have made it a hobby to make conspiracy theories about random people's relation to each other based on random, superficial or not so superficial singular similarities or idiosyncrasies they might have in common. He insisted that I ask. And considering Midoriya Izuku and All Might both were losing their heads over it, since the boy's father has been 'working abroad' for these past several years, I thought it might be worth a try to ask. They'll be pleased to have it confirmed that no, you are not the Ninth wielder's of One For All father. At least Kirishima can stop making Star Wars references."

He just snorted again, doing his best not to fall into another peel of laughter. Seems like Shouta-kun has managed to surround himself with good people. Good kids. And, perhaps, just maybe, good future Heroes. If Shouta-kun is in any way involved in raising them, they will certainly be spectacular, one way or the other. He was glad at least twenty future Heroes may end up being good, may end up changing society for the better. He was glad Shouta-kun's life seems to be finally looking up. "If I may ask one last question myself?" Shouta-kun nodded readily. "What will you do now?"

The younger paused, clearly thinking about it, before shrugging and giving his answer. "Right now? I'm going to visit Ashou. Haven't seen him in ages. Then I'm going to see Dabi and talk to him about roasting Endeavor and getting his mother out of the hospital and custody over his youngest brother to his sister. I still haven't studied just how much he himself has done to see how long he has to do time and if we can switch it up to a trauma recovery ward to help him deal with the trauma he's clearly been through. I should visit Shimura and Toga. Not sure how they will receive me but they need help."

If he had an eyebrow, he would have arched it. "And why would you do that? Think that? Provide that?"

"Why shouldn't I?" He shrugged, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back in his chair. "It's in human nature to help each other. Or, well, it was. People can be right dicks sometimes. Or ignorant to how much good they themselves can do as opposed to waiting for Heroes to do all the work. I probably wouldn't be here today if not for a certain few people in my early life who'd helped me, Ashou among them. I don't think they need help, I can tell. I'm not sure what happened to Shimura, but I do know his whole family disappeared years ago. And, knowing his Quirk, I fear I have a good guess what might have happened. He clearly hasn't received any help in getting over that, in mourning and moving on. Toga Himiko, similarly, is young, as old as my students." All For One almost arched an eyebrow again at that. Shouta-kun did realize he wasn't actually those children's teacher, right? "Her blood-based Quirk must have received some backlash from society, because she has to hurt people in order to use it. She needs Quirk Therapy, because she seems to lack a true sense of self-"

"She had Quirk Therapy. They told her not to use her Quirk and it drove her crazy."

"Then she clearly had a shit Quirk Specialist," Shouta-kun countered. "I study Quirk Theory myself. I know how blood-based Quirks are received, how they work and how they affect the wielder. The answer isn't not using the Quirk, it's using it wisely. Besides, if she'd be willing, she'd be a spectacular Underground Hero with her Quirk. She'd be fucking worshiped."

"You speak as though from experience."

Shouta-kun snorted, standing up and stretching. "I do, technically. Fifteen years of it. But, didn't you hear? My 'Underground Hero career' may as well be over. Everyone knows Eraserhead's face now, though thankfully not Aizawa Shouta's and his connection to the most famous 'Underground Hero' of our generation. Might be for the better, though. I got a new job offer to consider."

"You're going to work for those bastards in the Hero Commission?" All For One all but growled, surprised the one person who'd clearly suffered the most at the hands of their greed would, in the end, submit to them.

Shouta-kun looked offended. "Fuck no! Though I do have to deal with them and soon. Too much corruption in such a high place. Besides, Hawks is in a tight spot because of them. He's been through enough shit on his own already. Time to reach out a helping hand, I guess."

"Then what?"

The newly minted Hero winked at him. "Wouldn't you like to know. See you next month, Shigaraki Hisashi. I'll try to keep All Might away from Shimura until he settles. And thank you, I guess, for keeping Shirakumo Oboro's body alive." And with a little halfhearted wave, the former Vigilante was gone.

Hisashi just shook his head. He had a feeling the world was not aware of what kind of force of nature it had just welcomed into Hero society with open arms.

Whoever made Aizawa Shouta a Hero with that level of clearance, they were going to have their hands full.

Shouta-kun does not do things halfheartedly, no matter what.

All For One can't wait to see the changes he brings.

00000

"You'll actually come see him again?" Gran Torino asks the second the youngest male in their company emerges from the safe, highly secured sector where he had been speaking with All For One. Naomasa couldn't help but agree with the skepticism clear in the man's voice as Aizawa approached them, calm and cool headed as Eraserhead had ever been.

The former Vigilante shrugged. "There's a whole treasure chest worth of information about Quirks and their development from the time of the dawn of Quirks or the criminal underworld and the underground in that head of his and, unlike Doctor Garaki, he wouldn't mind sharing. Not with me, anyway. Besides, in about one month, the effects of my Quirk will fade away and he'll be able to use his Quirk should the inhibitors stop working at any point in time. If that were ever to happen - which it could, rather easily; he still has followers somewhere out there and it's only a matter of time before they try to get their boss out in order to earn a few favors - then everyone here would be dead in a matter of seconds. A minute at most. If I don't come back and erase his Quirk again, these people will be facing mortal peril in a way that would not be true even if all the other prisoners were to break out."

"Then why not just erase it for good? You said you can do that, right? That's how you reversed the process that had made Shirakumo Oboro into the Nomu known as Kurogiri." Naomasa didn't understand why Aizawa wouldn't simply do that to All For One, get rid of that Quirk once and for all. Then All Might and his successor can rest easy and simply prepare for the latter's future Hero career without either of them having to wonder if Midoriya-kun will have to fight this great evil that had killed seven other people who had shared his power and almost managed to do the same to All Might, too.

"Because Erasure destroys everything ever associated with a Quirk, to the point that not even One For All or All For One would be able to give a Quirk to someone who'd once been exposed to it and had their Quirk truly erased. This includes factors that might keep people alive. All For One is very, very old and very, very injured. The only thing that is keeping him alive today is his Quirk and the Quirks he'd stolen from other people in order to keep himself alive. Erasure, on All For One, works like removing layers, each layer being a Quirk. It's why I can't just let Erasure run its course. The healing and life-preserving Quirks are mixed in with the dangerous, destructive ones. And no matter how much wrong he has done, I will not be a murderer."

"Even if this puts everyone in danger of the possibility he will escape, wait out the effect of your Quirk and go back to business as usual?" The older Hero challenged and Aizawa snorted.

"What 'business as usual'? My name isn't Aizawa for no reason, you know. I've already drained all of his accounts of every last penny and destroyed all databases containing their research information and with no labs or hideouts left due to them going boom the other night, well ... Only fanatics would follow him." Well, that was honestly very impressive. Though the same level of competence and care Eraserhead had always shown in his work. "And he has enough enemies that, in his temporarily Quirkless state, he'd end up dead before the effects of Erasure lift up. Besides, I can control how long Erasure holds his Quirk back. Give me a day long visit and permission to use my Quirk in here and you won't need to worry about him for approximately fifty years. I'll still be alive at that time, if we're going by statistics, and can give him another 'dose'. By that time, I would hope that better ways of suppressing Quirks that are non-violent and non-invasive and I wouldn't be needed."

"Or that he'll simply die," Gran Torino grumped and neither younger man protested that attitude. The man had nearly lost all he'd held dear to that man and All For One has been terrorizing the country - and the whole world, let's be honest - for a very long time. He has a rap sheet longer than he is tall and just as many corpses left in his wake. Honestly, Naomasa has never wished death on anyone, but even he can't say he doesn't hate All For One and he hadn't even dealt with the man personally, ever. Yagi hates him but Aizawa, somehow, doesn't.

Naomasa isn't sure if the man is simply that kind or perhaps a bit too deep in the gray spectrum after the life he'd lived. Both were a possibility. Could even be a combination of both.

"What will you do now? Are you really going to visit those villains? You do realize you don't owe them anything, right?" The police officer asked. "I mean, All Might will definitely take care of Shimura Tenko-"

"No," Aizawa cut off, making Naomasa stop and stare, dumbfounded, at the former Vigilante.

"... What?"

"That kid has a genuine hate for All Might and until we find out why, you need to keep him away from Shimura. He's traumatized and psychotic and has a deep set belief that Heroes are all like Endeavor or the such because they only care about reputation and ratings. On top of that, Midoriya told me about their encounter at the mall. Clearly he blames Heroes, probably All Might himself - he did accuse All Might of smiling like an idiot as though he can save everyone - for what happened to him and his family. You cannot force him to interact with All Might until he is ready, after extensive therapy. It will only harm him more to force it. Besides, he's just lost both of his caretakers and is, for the first time, encountering life without a Quirk and, most importantly, that his actions have consequences. I know from experience that people don't take it well when their Quirks are suddenly out of their reach, even if Shimura hasn't lost his Quirk forever. He's not ready to confront All Might, who might just be the source of his trauma."

Well, when you put it like that ...

But Toshinori will be sad that he can't talk with his master's last remaining relative anytime soon. But if it could help reform a young man, even if it's a long journey to recovery and maybe redemption ...

"As for the rest, well ... They're young. Twice hadn't even committed any serious crimes like murder, but his Quirk has lead to schizophrenia and definitely needs a good Quirk Specialist, one who won't tell him not using his Quirk is the answer, and therapy. Dabi ... No, Todoroki Touya deserves a second chance at a normal life and a normal family. His biggest offense, as far as any of us can tell, was Bakugo's kidnapping. And no, I haven't forgotten, let alone forgiven these people for what they've done. Far from it. But if I didn't believe in second chances, I'd have taken my own life when I was five years old or six or fifteen or sixteen." Well, that was chilling to hear.

What five year old contemplated suicide!?

'Probably one that saw no other escape from a life full of despair, pain and torture.'

"And as for what I'll do about my life from now on ... Well ... Aizawa computer skills are going to be needed for the next little while. We can't have the body that's in control of Pro Heroes to be full of corrupt politicians and Endeavor deserves to face some consequences. At the very least, the Todoroki children deserve to be free of him and his influence. His wife deserves to be freed from the hospital she's spent the last, what, seven, eight years in and Touya deserves closure to his own trauma, whatever it may be. Though, judging from Endeavor's little, hmm, performance at the sports festival, he has an inferiority complex of some sort and an overly competitive nature combined with a lack of care for his child's emotional welfare. Beyond that, well, I have to raise Eri. And I really do have a very tempting job offer. Hm, I guess I can update you on that once I decide."

"You're not going to disappear again, are you?" Gran Torino asked, sounding suspicious and ready to stop him should he try. "Because Toshinori and I never forgave ourselves for losing you. Though, I do have a question: how long did it take you to run away from the government?"

"Months," replied Eraserhead. "Why?"

"They told us less than a month after the battle that you'd run away and that they had no idea where you were."

"I think they moved me to a different facility at some point. Just ... the whole room I was in. I know I thought I felt movement at one point but, well ... I never could tell if something was happening. I was trapped in this small white room with no windows or anything. That was my whole world for far too long. That and immoral scientists, doctors and Quirk Specialists."

Gran Torino looked like he was shaking in place at hearing that. Naomasa himself was disgusted and unable to believe that people like that ran their country, a country All Might, his friend, was ready to die for. That so many Heroes, policemen, military officers and firemen fought for and risked their lives daily for. That they trained new young Heroes, far too young, to fight for.

Just how was Aizawa Shouta still on their side?

Perhaps it's for the best that they'd finally made the man a Hero. Had Aizawa ever decided he was done with them, well ... They all saw how easily he took down power behemoths like Hal and All For One, kings in their own ways in the criminal underworld and the underground. Hal, Aizawa Ashou, the unmatched hacker and information broker, the cyber criminal that has robbed so many people of millions and millions of dollars. And All For One, whom only All Might had survived fighting and even that was just barely. Intelligence, skill, adaptability and power ... All of it wrapped up in a man practical to a fault. A man resilient and ready to do what needs to be done. A man whom you can't really hide information from ...

They had seriously lucked out. Aizawa ... Eraserhead ... That was one enemy Tsukauchi would rather not cross paths with.

"Boy, you ever need anything, ever, you come to me, okay? You hear me? No matter what it is. Even if you need help hiding a body!"

"Gran Torino!" Naomasa cried, because he can't ignore that. Aizawa, though, just chuckled and shook his head.

"I'll let you know."

"Eraserhead!"

"Good," the old man nodded his head in agreement. "Oh and don't leave Toshinori hanging for too long. He's been worried about you. And, apparently, so have been Deku and his classmates. And those loudmouths you call friends. So, seriously, don't disappear. I'll definitely come hunt you down."

"I have no doubt. And I'm not planning to. I won't take long. Besides, I have a daughter now. Can't disappear even if I wanted to. She's made friends of the Big Three and 1-A. She'd be heartbroken if she couldn't see them again. Not to mention we still need to give Kuro a visit again. Eri misses him."

"Wait, you know about Yagi's new cat?"

Eraserhesd gave him an amused grin. "Why do you think he has him at all?"

Naomasa burst into laughter. Of course Yagi I-can't-afford-the-time-to-devote-to-a-pet-and-it's-dangerous Toshinori would get a cat if Eraserhead was the one who asked him to adopt it! "Well, it's a very lovely cat."

"Toshinori has a cat?" Gran Torino asked, stupefied and clearly shocked, and the two younger men laughed heartily.

"What did I miss?" A new voice asked and Naomasa and Gran Torino fell into defensive stances when they looked over their shoulders and found none other than Aizawa Ashou, Hal, standing there, serene and calm as can be, smiling gently at the younger Aizawa, who didn't seem the least bit surprised by his presence there, despite the lack of guards and the fact that he should be locked up in his cell.

"Finally grew bored of waiting for me?"

"Yeah, you were taking forever! You can't tell me you're visiting me and then stall. I missed you, Shou-chan!" The man exclaimed as he moved towards the former Vigilante to draw him into a hug. Eraserhead let him, even leaned into the embrace, before drawing back. "Okay, come on, let's go back to my visitation room before the whole prison starts freaking out about how easily I left my cell. Seriously, Shou-chan, these people underestimate me! Even if I wasn't a technopath, I know how to pick a lock!"

"Yes, people can be quite illogical in their arrogance. Did you hear about the new prisoners?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll watch out for the munchkins. Now, what I'm more interested in is what you've been up to as of late! Also, what is this I'm hearing about a new Aizawa! Tell me when you got hitched! And I demand to meet my grandchild!"

"She's not mine. I saved and adopted her-"

"Continuing the Aizawa tradition, I see! Even better! And a granddaughter! How cute! But first, why were you hacking I-Island, anyway?"

"Well, you see-"

Their conversation faded away the further down the hall they went and Naomasa just shook his head. Just what has he gotten himself into?

This felt like Yagi Toshinori all over again.

He guessed that that's why he liked it.

(He had a really weird choice of friends.)

(He wouldn't have it any other way.)