Nobody would believe the legendary All Might is the same trembling anxious man entering the Nighteye Agency. Toshinori fiddles with the loose tie around his neck, tightening it and then loosening it all over again. He hadn't seen or spoken with his former sidekick for so long that he has half a mind to turn around and leave while he still can. Yet, his conversation with Naomasa replays itself in the back of his mind. That talk reminds him of what's so important that he took the chance of coming here. He needs to find a successor before it's too late.
At the front desk is a familiar face, the pro hero called Centipeder on account of his head that quite literally resembles a centipede. A scarf wraps around the man's neck, owning the look by making it appear like a centipede's tail. Toshinori waves politely in greeting, "I'm here to see Mirai. Is he available?"
Centipeder glances briefly at the calendar on his desk before returning his gaze to the fellow pro hero, "He's currently in a meeting-"
That's all Toshinori needs to hear to have an excuse in order to back out. "Ah! I wouldn't want to be a bother! I'll come back another time!", he cuts Centipeder off a little too hastily while waving his arms in a manner far too exaggerated to be allaying.
"Not at all!", but Centipeder is quick to prevent the blonde from leaving that easily. He even stands up, in case he needs to chase the hero down. "I'm sure Sir would be more than happy to see you. As a matter of fact, his meeting is nearly over anyways.", he gives some assurances before gesturing to the elevator, "Feel free to head up to his office."
Toshinori is about to decline, but one look at Centipeder tells him that whatever he says won't work. So, he swallows whatever words were about to leave his mouth, and he nods with a shaky smile instead. "If you insist..", the blonde is a nervous wreck all over again as he steps onto the elevator.
He starts wondering if he should have taken Naomasa's advice and invited Mirai to coffee instead. Maybe a public setting would have put him more at ease. Then again, they wouldn't be able to openly discuss his search for a successor with potential eavesdroppers. He wonders if that'd be for the better. Maybe he should have started small and just caught up with one another first. To say the least, it was a long elevator ride up.
When Toshinori does reach Nighteye's office, he finds Bubble Girl seated out front. She's in the middle of writing something when she pauses and looks up to see him. The blue skinned girl brightens with a smile as she greets him, "Oh! What a pleasant surprise!"
Toshinori returns her smile, but not her gaze, he's too busy trying to see who Nighteye is meeting in his office. "I hear Mirai is already with someone. Is it okay if I go in or should I wait here?", he asks the question with the hopes that she'll tell him to sit and wait. He prays for more time to prepare himself for the long awaited reunion.
Bubble Girl glances over her shoulder, peering into the office as well. The glass wall between them hides nothing. Sir Nighteye is indeed in a meeting. With Shota Aizawa, the underground hero, Eraserhead. The contrast between Aizawa's scruffy appearance with baggy clothes and Mirai's parted hair with plain office clothes is laughable.
Nighteye happens to divert his attention from Eraserhead at that exact moment, taking notice of his new visitor. The stern expression on his face softens for a split second in surprise, but returns full force as he pushes his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. He motions for Bubble Girl to send Toshinori in before returning his attention to Aizawa.
"I don't think it'll be a problem.", Bubble Girl delivers the message verbally despite Toshinori also watching the exchange. A bead of sweat rolls down the blonde's forehead in disbelief and betrayal of having his prayer shot down so brutally.
Slowly, as though he were moving through molasses, Toshinori musters up the will to grab the door handle. He treats the office like he's entering a lion's den, half heartedly considering buffing up into his muscle form. He hears the tail end of, "-the Shie Hassaikai ceased production on the bullets recently. I doubt it's a coincidence.", from Nighteye once he opens the door. Aizawa raises a brow at Toshinori's entrance but Mirai doesn't turn his head in the slightest.
"We'll continue our conversation some other time, Eraserhead. Until then, I appreciate your cooperation and my agency will try to show the same hospitality.", Mirai leans back in his chair as he brings his hands together, fingers crossing. That seems to be enough, because Aizawa doesn't show any complaints. The tired looking underground hero simply shrugs and walks past Toshinori with only a small nod of acknowledgement.
Once the door closes behind Aizawa, Mirai gestures to the empty seat across from himself using his head. "Sit.", it sounds too much like a command that Toshinori doesn't even attempt to refuse. The blonde is actually grateful once he does sit, since he's not certain his wobbly legs would have been enough to hold him up for much longer. "What brings you by, Toshinori?", Nighteye prompts him to speak next.
Toshinori can barely hold eye contact for more than a second as he tries to sputter out a response, "I- It's been a w- while, Mirai. I- I'm here a- about.. I've begun searching for a potential successor."
Nighteye hums, whether it be due to musing for himself or in acknowledgement of Toshinori unclear. He then swivels in his chair, taking in the memorabilia that's decorating the office. Toshinori had been so anxious, he hadn't noticed it until now. All Might posters, statues, collectibles, snowglobes, and all sorts of other merchandise covers every square inch. Toshinori remembers and understands why this news is so hard on his former sidekick.
Mirai finishes his chair's rotation before digging into the desk's built-in filing cabinet. "Now that you've come to your senses, I'll show you who I've already chosen.", he lets the folder hit the desk hard enough that it'll fall open on its own, "Wherever he goes, laughter is sure to follow."
Toshinori peers at the folder's contents, surprised to see the same boy that Nezu had shown him. A third year named Mirio Togata. The profile photo is promising. He has a muscular physique that should already be adequate to handle One For All. Like Toshinori himself, he's got blonde hair. A distinct face with a bright toothy smile. Still, Toshinori can't help but deflate more than he already has. He's not sure why, but he's not one hundred percent sold on the decision made by somebody else.
"I would like to meet Young Togata before making any rash decisions.", Toshinori settles on a compromise. It must be logical enough for Nighteye, since he's nodding his head in understanding.
Nighteye presses the button on his intercom, leaning close enough to the mic to be heard. "Bubble Girl, please send Mirio to my office immediately.", Toshinori must show his shock in his expression this time since Nighteye explains, "I wanted to be certain of his worthiness before recommending him, of course. He interns here at my agency."
Toshinori nods in mutual agreement. It's a heavy nod, one burdened with a lot of weight over their previous disagreements, but it moves with an understanding. "Tell me about the boy. What else about him caught your eye?", he wishes to inquire further about his former sidekick's recommendation before actually meeting Togata himself. The thought crosses his mind that perhaps the reason why Mirai is so intent on this particular person is because, "Did you use your Foresight quirk on him?"
Nighteye dismisses the slight allegation with a shake of his head, "Not to see whether or not he'd be your successor.", he removes his glasses to clean them before continuing, "The truth is.. I saw a younger version of yourself in Mirio. His ambition. His smile. His sense of humor. Even his power, already so strong, and he uses it responsibly. A sufficient candidate that's ready now, in case there is no later."
Toshinori takes a look at the picture of Togata, noting the visual similarities between the boy and himself as well. It's important for a hero to have a smile that can put everyone at ease. At least, that's what Toshinori believes. He sighs, completely understanding Mirai's rational reasoning, but still not completely convinced. "You said he already has power. He will already make a great hero. Why not give another person the same chance that was given to me? To get stronger.", he clenches his fist and stares at how weak the frail skeletal hand is compared to when he's punching villains with his muscle form, "There could be somebody worthy out there who doesn't have the means to be a hero, but does have the heart and desire."
Mirai huffs, and Toshinori can't help but assume it's in disappointment. "But Mirio is READY. He can become your successor TODAY and be ready TODAY. What if All For One were still alive?", Toshinori flinches at the mention of the man who murdered his own master, "What if he were to return tomorrow? Or someone as powerful? If you aren't enough, then Mirio would be. Somebody else who isn't prepared now would be a waste. This isn't an investment, Toshinori."
Toshinori keeps his hand closed into a tight fist, returning his gaze to it. It's so small when he isn't empowered. It's a gentle thing, almost childish in size. Yet, it's clenched into a fist. It'll punch and fight for justice regardless of how strong it is. Sometimes the world needs a tender touch too. "My master allowed me to grow into my power. I didn't become All Might in a day.", Mirai opens his mouth to retort but stops short when he sees Toshinori has more to say, "A first year could be nurtured given time. A first year has a lot to learn about heroics. A third year has already grown into the hero they're going to be. There is nothing more that you or I will teach them that can change that."
Nighteye frowns, but doesn't have any argument to challenge that. In truth, he's too dazed by the reminder that Toshinori can still be wise at times. He'd forgotten that the man in front of him had been his mentor at one time. It's enough to make Mirai cry, but he covers it well by pretending to be shining his glasses. "I see your point.", is all he can manage without choking on a sob or risking his voice cracking.
Fortunately, Mirio chooses that time to join them. He arrives in a sudden and theatrical fashion, head poking through the wall like a ghost. "You wanted to see me, Sir?", he flashes his best smile. Teeth sparkle like pearls, and the glare from the sun reflecting off them makes it blinding.
Toshinori is startled by the strange sudden appearance of Mirio's head in a wall, but Mirai is used to these kinds of antics. "Yes. Please use the door this time. You wouldn't want to wind up naked in front of All Might, would you?", Nighteye only directs his attention from the corner of his eye.
"All Might?!", Mirio quickly glances around the room, passing over Toshinori.
Rather than explaining now, Nighteye thrusts a thumb at the door, "You'll see."
"Yes, Sir!", Mirio doesn't delay or linger to question further, he vanishes just as quickly as he appeared.
Once alone again, Toshinori raises a brow as he asks, "Naked?"
"A drawback of his quirk.", Nighteye rests a hand on his forehead with the temptation to drag it down to his chin. That may not have been the best first impression, but he also knows that Toshinori likes to keep an open mind that will tolerate such an odd introduction. It's just the rest of their meeting that needs to go well.
When Mirio returns, this time walking through the door like a normal person, Toshinori can see the boy's hero outfit. A bright yellow number of one million stretches across his chest, standing out amongst the stark white of his top half. A red cape trails behind him, completing the western hero look that All Might himself had adopted with the boy's lower half being a pair of baggy blue pants.
Mirio glances at Toshinori, staggers, and then stops in place. "Wait! Don't tell me..", he snaps his fingers as though he just had an epiphany, "I can see the resemblance! You're All Might?!"
Toshinori scratches the back of his head, partly concerned that Togata was able to figure it out so easily and partially impressed that he was able to put two and two together. "Yes, young man, it is I.", he pushes down his worries and covers them up with a welcoming smile, "Would you mind joining us for a moment of your time?"
"Absolutely! It's an honor to meet you!", Mirio bows to his waistline before rushing to grab a seat with his superiors, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Toshinori glances at Mirai, wondering if he'll do the explaining or if it'll be left up to him. When Nighteye doesn't say anything, the disempowered All Might relents. "I wanted to see if you would like to inherit my power.", he decides to just jump straight to the point. Besides, he'll be able to tell what kind of person Togata is based on the answer he gives.
Mirio blinks once. Twice. The room is silent as the third year processes what was just said. Mirio then tilts his head, his confusion being too heavy for his brain. "What do you mean 'inherit' your power?", he asks.
Toshinori sighs. He figured he'd have to elaborate, but part of him was hoping he'd get to gloss over the exposition part of this. Once again accepting the role that was given to him after double checking with Mirai, he begins to explain. "All Might, 'the symbol of peace', has to come off as a natural born hero. As such, I've never disclosed my quirk to the public.", he stops when he sees Mirio massaging his temple.
For a moment, Toshinori is worried that he's already lost the boy, especially since this is the basic part of the explanation. "Come to think of it, there's only ever been theories guessing it's some form of super strength.", but is relieved when he realizes that Mirio was simply coming to terms with the shocking truth he'd about to be told.
Nodding along, Toshinori rips the rest off like a bandaid. "The truth is.. My quirk was passed down to me like an olympic torch.", Mirio jumps in surprise like he just received an electric shock and he's now overflowing with loads of questions but Toshinori holds up a hand that tells him to wait and ask those questions after he finishes, "I have the ability to transfer power. That is the quirk that I inherited. It's called One For All."
Mirio checks with Mirai, as though he's expecting Nighteye to reveal it's all an elaborate hoax. Toshinori is grateful that this prompts his former sidekick to explain the rest, "The first person cultivates the power, and then passes it onto another. The next refines it and passes it on again. It becomes an everlasting network of power.", saving him the trouble.
"This stockpiling quirk is what makes me so strong. Now, I wish to pass it onto you, Mirio Togata. What do you say?", Toshinori chimes back in to remind the boy why he's being told all these secrets in the first place.
Toshinori must admit he's surprised when he sees Mirio's smile fall flat. He would have expected anyone to desperately and greedily jump at the opportunity of receiving his power. "I.. I honestly don't know. This is all so much. Why me? Do I even deserve that honor?", he places a hand over where his heart is but the movement draws Toshinori's eye to the number printed across the boy's chest.
Toshinori sees Mirai is about to say something, probably to alleviate the boy's concerns, but he holds up a hand to stop him. He wants to take it upon himself and use this as his own opportunity to see what Mirio is all about. "Tell me, young man. What does that number mean on your chest?", he points to the bright yellow font.
Mirio looks down, seemingly have forgotten the number was there until now. When he looks back up, his face shows an expression of determination that wasn't there before. It's not the same hopeful smile that Toshinori saw earlier, but rather one with an actual drive to achieve that hope. "I want to save one million people.", he declares.
Toshinori feels the corners of his mouth tugging upwards into a smile before he can even laugh. He can't hold it in, this feeling in his gut. He lets out a mighty guffaw as his body flexes into its muscle form. Pleased with Mirio Togata and finding the same sense of humor that led Mirai to choosing him as a worthy successor, All Might grins ear to ear. "Young Togata! With One For All, you will save MORE than one million people!", he declares as part of his acceptance of the third year.
Meanwhile, Akatani Mikumo is focusing on saving just one person. He wants to protect the little girl that's swaddled in so many blankets that he worries she might get cooked from the heat. As soon as they got back, she was fast asleep. Eri had taken over the room that had once been his, occupying the space as her own. He doesn't mind a single bit though. It's not like he slept much there anyways.
Besides, he has much more pressing matters if he's to protect Eri. He doesn't know who exactly he's saving her from, but he's assuming it's the Yakuza. After devouring the man who had been stalking them, he found a burlap sack in their back pocket. It wasn't just a bag though. It's a mask, designed to look like a scarecrow's horrorish face. It's no bird beak, but he doesn't think it's a coincidence for someone carrying a freshly made mask to cross paths with him, Eri, and Himiko.
He figures the best way to test his hypothesis and get answers is to ask Uta himself. He'll show him the mask and see if he recognizes it. If he's right about the Yakuza still poking their beaks where they don't belong, then he'll know who to kill. He hadn't really considered what he'd do if Uta isn't associated with this particular mask, but that'll at least let him know there's some other enemies to look out for.
Akatani shoves the burlap mask into his own back pants pocket while heading for the window. Based on how long Eri slept the previous night, he figures he'll have enough time to visit Uta and return without her knowing he ever left. He's just about to dive into the night when he hears something that stops him in his tracks though. He pauses and listens carefully. He heard what sounded like a whimper. It's the sound of a frightened child.
"Eri!", Akatani bursts towards where she's sleeping with a boost of his quirk's power. Tendrils sprout from his back and pull him forward quicker. His uncovered eye blazes red in the dark void that surrounds it.
When he crashes through the door, ready to shred anyone on the other side who isn't Eri, he's surprised to find noone. The only thing terrorizing the child is a nightmare that makes her shudder in her sleep. He knows that the commotion he's made will wake her, so he quickly retracts his predatory organ and covers his eye with his hand as not to scare her any further.
Eri tosses the bundle of covers off herself, kicking in a panicked frenzy. Akatani gasps when he sees the tiny horn on her head is beginning to grow bigger. It glows faintly at first, like a dim nightlight, but gradually grows brighter until it lights up the entire room. "No! No! Make it stop!", Eri screams with tears in her eyes.
He doesn't know what's happening, except that she's terrified. He rushes to her side, wrapping his arms around her, hoping that the hug feels protective and not crushing. She squirms as she cries, "Get away! Don't!", and he almost does let her go. But he sees the absent twinkle in her red eyes, and what replaces it. He knows that what she's afraid of isn't him. Her horn increasing in size with its bright glow must be her quirk, and he knows firsthand what it's like to be ashamed of your own quirk.
So he pulls her closer. He holds her tight and lets her know, "It's okay. Your quirk doesn't scare me. It won't hurt me.", he feels her head shaking against his chest in protest but he doesn't stop, "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to worry about losing me."
Eri continues to sob louder than his words. She ceases her attempts to break loose from his hold though. She must still hear him, because she no longer shakes her head in protest. The tiny horn on her head recedes as it glows fainter, losing its prior power. Akatani just keeps holding onto her. He doesn't let go and he doesn't stop repeating that he won't.
They stay there, huddled on the floor. Neither one keeps track of how long. Neither one cares. Eri cries until she can't anymore, the amount of time that takes seemingly as endless as it is brief. Akatani holds her the entire time, not wanting to ever stop anyways.
Akatani knows better than to ask her about her quirk. He knows from experience not to pry. But he does want to help her. He knows he has to if she's getting nightmares this bad. So, he thinks of a place he hadn't thought of or been back to in a long time. He thinks of taking her there.
"You know, Eri.. I was scared of my quirk too.", he keeps his voice barely above a whisper and as gentle as possible. The little girl unburies her face from his chest to look up at him, curiosity getting the better of her, surprise evident in her expression. Seeing her now, he knows it'll help her to know she isn't the only one who's had this problem. He makes his decision and asks her, "Would you like to know how I got a little more used to it?"
It's a small group of people sitting in a circle of fold up chairs. Some familiar to Akatani. Some just as new to him as they are to Eri. Most have mutation quirks that affect their physical appearance. Eri takes interest in most of them and they delightfully wave to her, making her shyly recoil to hide behind Akatani's legs when they do.
It's a quirk support group. A place to share your insecurities. A safe and caring environment with people who can relate. "You don't have to say anything. You can just listen.", it's the first thing he tells Eri to make her feel comfortable.
He then takes her to get a snack from the vending machine and a canned coffee for himself. There he finds a boy who appears to be about his own age. The boy also looks just as sleep deprived as him, despite the wild case of bed head.
"Hi. Are you new here?", Akatani tries to be friendly so he can show Eri how to be sociable at the very least.
The indigo haired boy looks bothered but answers anyways, "No. You?"
Akatani glances at Eri, and then back up at the boy. "I used to attend regularly, but stopped for a while.", he then gestures to the little girl in order to introduce her, "I'm mostly back for my.. sister."
The boy notices Akatani's pause, raising a brow. He's not aware that Akatani still hasn't gotten used to referring to Eri as such yet. "Is the coffee also for her?", he asks.
Akatani laughs, not entirely sure if that's a joke or not, but stopping himself when he sees the other boy isn't laughing along. "That'd be mine.", he says while cracking the can's lid open to take a sip, "Can't live without it."
Despite not getting the subtle inside joke, the boy still smiles. "I can relate.", he brandishes his own can of coffee before adding, "I'm Hitoshi Shinso, by the way."
"Nice to meet you, Shinso.", Akatani smiles in return. "I'm Akatani Mikumo.", he gestures to Eri again, "And this is Eri.", before bowing.
"Well, Mikumo. Can I expect to hear your two's stories tonight?", Shinso tilts his head like a curious cat.
Akatani can't speak for Eri, but he doesn't hesitate with his own answer. "No."