Their Hero Academia

by Zylly

Twenty-five years after Izuki Midoriya and the rest of Class 1-A first set foot in the halls of U.A., their children begin their own hero academia. What adventures and challenges await the newest generation of future heroes? Can they possibly live up to the standard their parents set? Will they put Aizawa into an early grave? Or will this be the most Plus Ultra class of them all?

63. Funeral for a Friend

Their Hero Academia – Funeral for a Friend
Note: Most portions of this chapter take place during the same week as the last few student chapters.

Tuesday

"Welcome home, Himari," Eri said, as Kota opened the door to the young girl's bedroom. No, not just a young girl. Their daughter. Three years old, with purple skin, pointed ears, and darker purple hair, her parents lost in a Villain attack and not even a distant relative to claim her.

They'd spent the better part of the year preparing to adopt her, getting to know her in short visits. It had been a long process, but they were both Pro-Heroes (albeit it teachers, rather than active in the field) of good reputations, with references ranging from Deku to All Might. The approval process had been rather simple when it came down to it. That she was a doctor and Kota highly trained in first aid was likely another factor in their favor.

She was from a group home on the other side of Japan, so it had been a day long trip to go and get her, pick up a few last supplies, eat, and return home. But now their daughter was here with them.

"It's so big!" Himari said, her eyes lighting up. "I don't have to share?"

"All for you," Kota assured her, bending down to her level.

Himari gasped and threw her arms around him. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you."

Eri could understand her joy. The foster system was by no means terrible, but far from perfect and still far too overburdened. The room was decently sized, but to the small girl, it must have seemed like a palace. The colors were mostly pink, Himari's favorite according to the conversations they'd had, and there were plush versions of some Pro-Heroes, including a well-worn and much loved "Deku-Bear" that Momo had made for her as a child.

"We got you a lot of things we thought you'd like," Eri said. "But if you want something different, we can try that too. We'll help your things put away and set up in the morning, okay? But right now, it's getting late, and you need to sleep."

She nodded rapidly, like a bobblehead doll. "Okay!" Himari looked back and forth between them rapidly. "Can we… can we read a story first?" There was so much need in that little voice, so much crying out for a little time, a little space to call her own. It practically broke her heart.

Eri smiled. "I don't see why not," she said. She went over to the small bookshelf and selected one of the books there. "All Might Goes to the Farm. This was one of my favorites when I was a little older than you…" Of course, she hadn't learned to read until she was nearly seven years old, so she'd had a late start on that. But the All Might Goes to line of books were best sellers to this day, so hopefully they'd do the trick.

So they got Himari ready for bed, with new night clothes, helping her brush her teeth, and finally settled her into the bed. Eri set on the edge, book tilted so they both could see, as Himari reached out and put her arms around her.

She could feel her heart melting already.

Later, Eri plopped herself down on the couch, Kota joining her a moment later. He put an arm around her and gave her a small squeeze. "So, we did it. We're parents." To her, it sounded equal parts pride, happiness, and fear.

"We did," she agreed, leaning against him. "Think we'll get it right?"

"I think we'll do the best we can," he said. "And we've got lots of people we can turn to for advice too."

Neither one of them had had what could be called a normal childhood. Kota had been raised by his aunt and her teammates on a nature preserve. She'd been tortured and experimented on for years, before being rescued by Deku and adopted by Dad and later by Mom. And as much as she loved her parents, they were hardly the most conventional of individuals, especially Dad.

Certainly, she'd had a mother. But she hadn't had a mom until Mom had married Dad, and that hadn't been until she was twelve, though Mom had been "having sleepovers" for years before that. So despite all the books she'd read, she didn't have much of a firsthand perspective on what a mom was supposed to do for a young child.

She hoped she was up for it.

"Aunt Shino and the rest are coming down a couple days before the funeral," Kota said, "so they can meet Himari. Uncle Yawara promises he'll keep Aunt Ryuko down to a dull roar. I have my doubts."

Eri laughed at that. "I'm sure it'll be fine," she said. "Dad's coming by for breakfast tomorrow. And Mom's coming later in the week. She'll get to know her whole family before too long."

"How mad is he that we kept it a secret we were going to be adopting?" Kota asked. He was, to this day, incredibly scared of Dad. Which, given the numbers of times Dad had tried to put the fear of him into Kota when they were dating wasn't surprising, especially after the time in their second year at U.A. when Dad had caught them about to get frisky…

"Not at all," Eri said. "He already knew. You know you can't keep anything from him."

Kota's mouth opened and closed a couple times before he shook his head. "Why am I not surprised?"

"He did say we did a pretty good job though. He's just that good."

Kota just laughed. "Yeah, that'd do it."

They were parents. Of a beautiful little girl, who might someday call her mom. It had taken her a while to feel safe enough with Dad, had taken a lengthy explanation from Deku and Mirio as to just what a dad was, before she'd felt comfortable calling him that. Himari could take all the time she wanted, as far as she was concerned.

She hadn't been this afraid in years. But she'd also never been happier.

Wednesday

Nemuri felt a splitting headache coming on and took her glasses off to rub her eyes. There was a frightening amount of paperwork involved in keeping U.A. running, much of which accumulated itself on a daily basis. However, as if he had been sensing the end was near, Nezu's paperwork prior to his death had been completed in its entirety, so that was some blessing. It didn't surprise her in the slightest. There was very little that had been able to surprise him. He had known how old he was getting and that his time might come at any point.

She wasn't unused to the paperwork. She'd been the Vice-Principal for many years now, ever since Nezu had suggested she put her interpersonal skills to work there, rather than in the classroom. Another correct decision from him and, again, unsurprising. But now, with him gone, the thought of dealing with twice the mountain of paperwork until a new Principal could be found simply made her brain ache.

They still didn't have a clue who that would be. She certainly didn't want the job. She was happy with her current position. And if she was honest, the Hero Public Safety Commission wouldn't have allowed it anyway, using their influence to turn the tide of public opinion against her and undermine her leadership. While U.A. was, technically, a private institution, their relationship with the Commission was complex enough for them to have considerable sway over policy. And she'd butted heads with them often enough over the decades that they'd never have accepted her, even if she wasn't quite as "R-Rated" as she used to be, trading her flashy costume and dominatrix gear for a sensible if not completely modest suit jacket and skirt. She kept the boots though.

She never had quite forgiven them for giving in to pressure from "concerned citizens" and getting laws passed on just how naked a Hero could be, though. Definitely none of their business!

She was tired. The stress of the Nomu attack over the weekend, the death of Nezu, and the need to provide the children with some measure of structure, normalcy, and for those who had been involved, the counseling they needed, had all taken its toll on her. And she hadn't seen Hizashi since Saturday. She really needed… release, more than she could provider on her own, but that didn't look like it was coming anytime soon.

The door to her office opened and her secretary poked her head in, pink hair the texture of cotton candy piled high on her head. "Vice-Principal Midnight?" she asked. She looked worried.

Nemuri looked up. "Yes, Hironaka?" she asked. Her headache was definitely starting to kick in. Whatever was going on, she had a sense it wasn't going to be good.

"There's some men here from the Center for Quirk Research. They want to talk to you."

A deep, sinking feeling settled in her stomach. "Did they say what it was about?"

Hironaka frowned. "They said it was about the Principal's…" she stumbled over the words, "remains." The way she said it made it clear she was repeating what they had said.

Yep, there was the headache.

Fortunately, they'd anticipated this. "They're still outside the gate?"

"Just like you asked. I said I'd have to get your approval to let them in."

"Good," Nemuri said. "Tell them we'll meet them by the fountain in the main courtyard."

She pushed back from her desk. "Time to round up the boys."

Technically, it was the boys and the girls, but that didn't have quite the same ring to it. But they'd anticipated this and made plans for it. Each of the staff she'd asked to meet her out in front of the fountain was chosen carefully for this specific meeting. Herself, of course, in her role as Vice-Principal. All Might, as the elder statesman of their faculty and profession, even with his Quirk long exhausted. Shota, for reasons which needed no explanation. Skyline, Figure Sk8, and Hopper had all been invited because they could all annoy the fuck out of anyone, and because they were all more than capable of kicking significant amounts of ass if the situation called for it. And Hawkeye, just in case things got rough, with a pragmatism matched only by Eraser.

"Is this really a good idea?" Skyline asked. "I mean, I like messing with authority figures as much as the next guy, but..."

"Shut up," Shota said, giving the American-born Hero a glare. "You're here to be the ugly American, not ask questions."

"Ooouch," Figure Sk8 said, putting an arm on her friend's shoulder. She reminded Nemuri so much of Tensei when she smiled. She and Hizashi had never had children of their own, but she loved the girl, and the children of other friends, like Eri and Kota, like family. "He's got you there, Skyline."

"They're coming," Hopper said. His tongue shot out and licked his eyes. "That one's got bureaucrat written all over him. *Croak*"

Just two of them, fortunately. One was a balding and officious looking little man, the other a bruiser easily as tall as All Might, who looked like he had been stuffed into his suit for the express purpose of intimidation. Against normal people, at a normal school, it might have worked. But against seasoned Pro-Heroes like them?

Not a chance in hell.

The men stopped in front of them and presented their ID's. Shota took both and examined them, pulling a small device from his scarf and scanning them. After a moment, it beeped and flashed green and he nodded. "Genuine," he said, handing the ID's back.

"I am Professor Kudo," the balding man said by way of introduction. His eyes lingered warily on the assembled group of Heroes. This clearly wasn't how he had expected this to go. "And this is Ueno, one of our security agents. I am here on behalf of the Center for Quirk Research."

"We're aware," Nemuri said, not bothering to disguise the irritation in her voice.

The others were hanging back, letting her take the lead in this, though none of them appeared relaxed. Hawkeye kept one hand on one of her pistols in a show of dominance, maintaining eye contact with Ueno. In a showdown between the two, Nemuri knew who she'd put her money on, no matter that big man's Quirk.

"And you're here for…" Nemuri prompted, her finger tracing circles in the air to tell them to get on with it. The sooner they stated their preposterous claim, the sooner she could kick them out.

Professor Kudo reached into his jacket and pulled out a piece of paper. "Ahem, yes, I, ah, have a document here authorizing us to claim the late Principal Nezu's body."

They had known this was coming. In life, Nezu had been a lab rat before finding his freedom. He had fought long and hard to prove his worth and "humanity" and gain the acceptance of the government, the Hero Commission, and the public at large. He'd never spoken about his past beyond the most basic details, though All Might and Recovery Girl knew more than some. But what was known as that he had suffered greatly at the hands of humans who had thought him nothing more than a curiosity to be studied.

As one of the rare animals with a Quirk, beyond the horned horses sold as unicorns to the mega-rich, it stood to reason someone would want to cut him open after his death. They'd had to log the details of his death, of course, there was no hiding that… But the thought of what these people wanted still burned.

"Let me put this in words I'm sure you'll understand," Nemuri said. She made a gesture with her right hand and her riding crop dropped into it from its storage spot in her suit jacket. She took a step forward and smacked Kudo's hand with it, making him cry out in alarm and drop the document.

"Go fuck yourself."

Kudo stumbled back in surprise. "You can't… I have the proper authorization! Signed by the director himself!"

"He deserves better than to be cut open!" Nemuri shouted, jabbing her riding crop forward like a knife.

"He was an animal! His rights to be treated like a human ended when he died! Don't be stupid!"

Behind him, the giant Ueno tensed, sensing the confrontation that was brewing.

"Whatever you're thinking," Shota said, "don't." Nemuri wondered if it wasn't meant as a warning for her too.

"It's a lovely day," All Might said. "It would be a shame to spoil it with violence." Nemuri wasn't worried about him if things got rough. Even in his seventies, he was still more powerfully built than many men, with a lifetime of experience behind him. That his tone carried a slight warning about who would be impacting the violence on whom did not go unnoticed by the men.

Kudo, however, was proving himself to be a very stupid man. "I am an officer of the government! And I have been authorized to claim those remains for research!" He was practically turning purple with fury. "Do you know what we might learn?!" He raised a hand as if to strike her.

A crack of gunfire exploded at his feet, forcing him to step back again, bumping into Ueno's broad form. Nemuri spared a glance over her shoulder and saw Hawkeye had discharged her gun.

"You… you could have hit me!" Kudo shrieked.

"Please," Hawkeye said, "if I wanted to hit you, I would have. Super-Accuracy. That was a warning shot."

Kudo looked around, his eyes settling on Skyline, Hopper, and Figure Sk8. "Surely one of you must have some sense?"

"Sorry," Skyline said, switching back to his native English and putting on his best "dumb jock" expression, "I don't speak Japanese."

Figure Sk8 brushed her white forelock out of her face. "They just keep me around 'cause I'm pretty. I don't make the decisions."

Hopper shrugged. "All the sense in the family went to my older sister. *Croak*"

Nemuri let a sinister smile cross her face. The kind she used to put on when putting the screws to some Villain. "And even if we wanted to—which we don't—Nezu's going to be cremated, as per his last wishes. He was a lab rat in life. We weren't about to see him become one in death too."

Kudo flushed red with anger, pointing a finger accusingly. "You were told when we contacted you to hold the body for examination! This is deliberate defiance!"

"Oh," Nemuri said, "have we been… naughty?"She shrugged, tilting her head to the side slightly. "We really do appreciate the warning, by the way. Gave us plenty of time to prepare a proper welcome."

"You.. you… you…" Kudo babbled, too incoherent to find the right words. "You've making a grave mistake. I'll take this all the way to the highest levels of the government!"

Nemuri looked behind her, getting a small nod from everyone, even All Might, who had drawn himself up to his full height, any of the goofy demeanor he used around civilians completely gone. He had been one of Nezu's few friends and took the protection of him in death very seriously.

"You're welcome to try," she said. "There's not a teacher here who wouldn't back up what we're doing. And I've got any number of Pro-Heroes in my rolodex who would just love to hear what you were thinking of doing to our beloved Principal. You know, Pro-Heroes like Ingenium, Shoto, Deku."

He growled. "This. Isn't. Over."

"It is for now," Shota said. His eyes were glowing and his hair was up. "I recommend you both leave."

Kudo held his gaze for an impressive two seconds before looking away and starting to walk off. "Come, Uedo." The giant grunted and followed after.

"Skyline, Aizawa, see them out," Nemuri said.

When the officials were out of sight, she finally let herself feel the tension she'd been feeling, nearly sinking to her knees. That could have gone much, much worse.

All Might helped to steady her. "You did well, Nemuri. Nezu would have been proud."

She shook her head. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But there's going to be consequences for this."

"Then we'll deal with them when they come."

Thursday

"All Might," Nemuri said as she entered the teacher's lounge. The school day was over and she'd already made certain that the other teachers had cause to be elsewhere. Shota was, predictably, curled up in his sleeping bag in the corner. One of these days, he was going to have back trouble from all of that.

All Might looked up from the videos he was watching from the day's Heroics classes. 1-C by the looks of it. She could see Yoru Kan, their former fellow teacher Vlad King's young daughter, and Haya Tanaka, the girl with the Comet Quirk who'd crashed into the 1-A dorms early into the term, protecting a "bomb" from other students in the class.

The start of the term felt like a lifetime ago. The Quirk Virus seemed to have vanished as mysteriously as it had first appeared, with no one the wiser to its origins, no matter the investigative power they had thrown at it.

"Battle trials, eh?" she asked. "I'm glad to see you finally learned not to start the classes with that."

All Might gave her a sheepish grin. "Yes, well, live and learn, I suppose… What can I do for you, Nemuri?"

She took the seat next to him. Super-Ball's, judging by the decorations. There was a picture of his husband, a man with a minor ice Quirk who worked as a bartender, if she remembered correctly, and stack of selfies, inscribed "From your friendly neighbor bouncing ball."

All Might's own cubicle was filled with pictures of his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, unsurprisingly, and one faded picture of a pretty, smiling, muscular woman with dark hair. There were also plenty of scribbled crayon drawings, including one where someone older had clearly helped the artist print "Super Mighty Fire Maid," which, if she remembered correctly, was the current chosen future Hero name of his youngest granddaughter, Mako.

"It's about the principal job," she began.

He gave her a kind smile. "Well, if you want this old man's opinion, you're certainly more than qualified for it. You've certainly got my support if you want it."

Nemuri shook her head and smiled. "I'm happy with my current position. And we both know the Hero Commission would never accept me, especially not after the feathers I ruffled yesterday."

"The CQR can't possibly have that much influence…"

He may have been the former Number One Hero, but All Might was blessedly naïve at times. "Hardly the only thing," she said. "But that's definitely a contributing factor. But I've been thinking it over and discussing it with some of the others. And I'd like you to take the job."

It was a little more complex than that, but even with the influence and "recommendations" of the Hero Commission, some degree of autonomy was assured. Selecting staff was one of them. It was the only reason they had some of the teachers they'd had and did.

"Me?" he asked. "I couldn't…"

"You'd still be able to teach some classes now and then," she assured him. "And keep tabs on your grandson."

"I haven't done that…" He wilted slightly under her gaze. "Nearly as much lately."

Nemuri sighed. "You're the best of us, All Might. Even now. With everything going on in the world right now, with Nezu gone, with the mess I just made of everything…"

Of course, she'd had the backing of the other teachers and staff when she'd told the CQR off. Fortunately, between them, they had a lot of friends in high places and had brought the CQR's actions to the attention of a few very highly placed and powerful people. That was a bullet dodged. But it had still been a standoff with a government agency. As the acting principal, she still felt it fell on her. "We need to show the world that we're still U.A. That we're still strong and capable of going forward. We need to show them we're still worthy of their trust. And you inspire all of that.

"You've more than earned the right to do whatever you want in your golden years, All Might," she told him. "But I'm asking you do this. For U.A. For the students. Please."

"You do know I'm absolute rubbish when it comes to paperwork, right?" he asked.

"Then we'll get you another secretary. Take the damn job."

Both their heads snapped to the corner of the room, where Shota's head was poking out of his sleeping bag.

"How long have you been awake?" Nemuri demanded. That damn man was still a ninja. It was insufferable!

"Long enough," Shota said. "Nemuri makes a convincing argument. I just know I'm not doing it. So do what you want." He rolled over and was back asleep in seconds.

"There is the matter of my replacement as the first year Heroics teacher, though," All Might said. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "This is rather serendipitous, actually."

She sometimes forgot just how smart All Might actually was. "I take it you've got someone in mind?"

He nodded. "Yes. He'll take some convincing, though. And perhaps a bit of time to get fully up to speed."

Okay, now she was intrigued. "I'm sure we can manage an effective transition plan. But who're you talking about?"

He told her. She blinked slowly for a moment, then let out a laugh that startled All Might so badly he nearly fell out of his chair. "I knew you had a sense of humor, but…"

He shook his head. "No joke. He needs this. And he'll be good for the students, ultimately."

"That's it," Shota said, somehow back in their conversation, "I quit."

"No quitting!" she snapped, fixing him with an icy glare. "If you quit, I'll give Hizashi permission to hang around with you all day and night."

"You wouldn't."

"Don't test me, Eraser."

Nemuri returned her attention to All Might. "Well, I do trust your judgement. If you can talk him into it, I think we can make it work."

Saturday

With the funeral on Monday, the staff of U.A. had decided to go drinking. There was a place near campus that Present Mic had discovered ages ago and it had been a tradition ever since. Downing half of her own drink, Kukiko Iida watched as Midnight carefully took the contents of the three smaller, brightly colored drinks set before her and poured them into a larger glass. With a look of absolutely concentration, she stirred it with a straw until it turned a color Kukiko was pretty sure there wasn't actually a word for. What was more worrying was this was the third time and the third combination the older woman had tried tonight.

Of course, given her dad's stories about what Midnight had been like in her younger days, none of this was a surprise. She apparently got more experimental the drunker she got.

She leaned over to her left and whispered to Samidare Asui, "I will give you five thousand yen if you take that and drink it."

He gave her a look which suggested he'd rather try lying to his sister. "Not on your life."

"Coward."

"I'm twelve years older than you. I will have the hangover from hell if I drink that. And Midnight will kill me if I come between her and her alcohol."

"Coward," she repeated, but leaned back over to her right. "What about you, Michael? You want to give it a go? Five thousand yen. Cash."

Michael Skyline, despite the "stupid American jock" act he often put on to fool others (or to get out of work) was not an unintelligent man. He shook his head, which sent his mane of blonde hair flying. "Not on your life."

"Don't tell me you're worried about hangovers too," she teased. "You're only twenty-eight."

"And you're barely twenty-three," he said. "How can you drink me and Samidare under the table?" He was on his second glass; she'd already moved on to her fourth.

"High speed metabolism," she told him. "And you're a coward."

"But I'm an alive coward," Michael said.

"They know we can hear them, right?" Aizawa, sitting across from them, asked Hawkeye, who was sitting to his right.

"I don't think they care," she replied. Both of them were still on their first drinks, sipping them slowly.

"Stop trying to be a bad influence, Iida," Battle-Fist said. Kendo Tetsutetsu pinched the bridge of her nose. A gesture, Kukiko noticed, her daughter tended to copy when frustrated. Like Hakweye and Aizawa, she'd been drinking responsibly.

"Does it count if I'm the youngest one?" Kukiko asked. "Can you influence up?" That earned her a glare from Aizawa, but she was practically immune to it.

"How's your niece, by the way?" Kukikio asked Samidare, shifting to topics that would avoid annoying the downer brigade. "Your sisters were out of the fighting, right?"

"Right," Samidare said. "Thank heavens for small favors. Tsu and Satsuki were both too far out to get involved. But Asuka's fine. She got hurt earlier, before the fighting, so she wasn't involved either. But she's fine now. Whole family's fine. What about yours?"

"Uncle Tenya's fine," she said. "Uncle Shoto too. The Twins saw a little bit of action and Izumi wore herself out, but they're good. As long as Momo doesn't try and use it as an excuse to try and pull her again. Don't know how long Uncle Sho' can talk her out of it."

"Be a shame if she did. Girl's got a lot of potential."

Kukiko frowned. "She's worried about her. Guess that's a mom's job."

Not all the teachers had been able to come, of course. Doc Clock and Water Spout were busy with their new adopted daughter and most of the second and third year Hero teachers had begged off.

"Okay, now this little beauty is complete," Midnight said, possibly not having heard their attempts at drink thievery. She took a long swig of her drink.

"Well?" FireFox asked, the whiskers of his red panda head twitching. "What's it taste like?"

Midnight considered this, licking her lips in such a way that both Samidare and Michel suck in a sharp breath. "It tastes like… purple," she declared after a moment. "Veeeery purple."

"Nemuri, dear," a voice from the far end of the table asked, "don't you think you ought to have some water?"

Midnight made a face and gave the green-haired woman a slightly intoxicated glare. "Why are you here again, Inko?"

Inko crossed her arms. She only had a non-alcoholic fruit cocktail sitting in front of her. "Because the last time you all engaged in these shenanigans, my husband came home drunk as a skunk at three in the morning and trying to sing. So I'm here to remind you all to be responsible." She used her Quirk and brought her drink to her hand. "And you're going to be, aren't you?"

"Yes, dear," All Might said, looking somewhat nervous at becoming the target of his wife's ire. In their defense, All Might rarely joined their drinking excursions, claiming it was a "young person's game" so they might have gotten a little overly encouraging when he did. But hey, they'd made sure he'd gotten home safely, right?

Inko held Midnight's gaze for a moment, before Midnight let out a huff. "Fine," she growled. "I'll drink some water."

"Thank you, dear," Inko said.

FOOSH!

"What the heck, dude?!" Super-Ball, who was sitting next to FireFox, asked. "How about a little warning the next time you set your drink on fire?!"

"Fire make drink good," FireFox told the Homeroom teacher seriously.

"I'm literally made of rubber! What if I melted?"

"Would it shut you up?" Aizawa asked.

The table erupted into laughter over that.

"I wasn't joking," Aizawa deadpanned. An awkward silence followed, as no one could tell for sure if he was joking.

"Ahem," Midnight coughed, breaking the silence. She stood, albeit unsteadily. "I just want to say… I just want to say…" She frowned, trying to remember the words she wanted. "I just wanted to say thank you. All of you. I know this past week's been rough on all of us. But we've pulled together and pushed forward. You guys… you guys and Mic… you're my family. And I'm grateful for all of you. We're… we're gonna keep going. No matter what."

She raised her glass. "To U.A. And to Nezu!"

Kukikio and the others raised their glasses. "To U.A.! To Nezu!"

Monday

In his many years, Toshinori had attended many funerals. As the Number One Hero, it had been expected of him to pay his respects to his fallen breathern. He'd seen far too many fellow Heroes die in the line of duty. Until his son had broken the back of villainy rather decisively, it had been far more common for Heroes to live hard and die with their masks on. Even then, it was still a dangerous profession, and he felt both very guilty and very lucky that he had been able to retire and live to an old age.

There had been funerals where there had been almost no one to mourn for the fallen, like his late Master's, just him and Gran Torino. Others, like Best Jeanist's, had drawn Heroes and mourners from across the country, so beloved was the man.

For Nezu, it seemed as if the entirety of Japan had shown up. There were Pro-Heroes, including his son and his family, and many more, many of whom had been students under Nezu. There were police and politicians. There were Support Equipment designers, Agency staff, and ordinary civilians, lawyers and businessmen and others, who had been students in other courses as well; Nezu had done a remarkable job connecting with all his students. There were former U.A. teachers. There were all sorts of current and former police officers, his friend Police Chief Naomasa Tsukauchi among them. Even Deputy Hero Commissioner Hawks was in attendance. There were even representatives of other Hero Schools, from both Japan and afar, including the traveling school, Saikyo/Strongest/Zuì qiáng Academy, or SSZ, which would be rotating back to Japan soon.

In the courtyard before the main building, a small statue of Nezu had been raised, painstakingly crafted by Pixie-Bob and Cementoss. It depicted the Principal on a pedestal, smartly dressed as always, sipping tea from a cup and looking out over the whole campus.

Principal Nezu

Served XXXX – XXYY

"To go beyond, you must first train the mind."

Around the statue, present and former teachers, school staff, and their families had gathered. Other mourners filled the stands of the Sports Festival, with everything being broadcast on the big screens there.

Toshinroi approached the small podium they had set up, his eyes sweeping over the assembled. Aizawa and Emi, with Young Eri and Kota, Nemuri and Hizashi, and all the rest. Most looked mournful, of course, but Hizashi was sobbing openly, leaning on his longtime girlfriend's shoulder. His eyes finally settled on Inko and he drew a moment of strength from her.

"Unlike many of you," he began, "my time at U.A. ended before Nezu joined its staff. I didn't meet him until I was already an established Hero, though I'm given to understand I may have been one of the first humans he had significant contact with following his… escape. But he has always been someone I could trust, a source of advice and wisdom, and someone I was proud to call a friend."

He took a breath. "Nezu made no secret of the fact that he was not, in fact, a human with animalistic characteristics, but instead an animal uplifted by the presence of his Quirk. It would have been easy enough for him to have hidden it. Certainly, there are members of society today who look far less like a "human" than he did. No one would have questioned it. But he did not believe in hiding who he was. And he had fought, rather viciously, for his right to exist and live in the world of man. So he would not hide.

"What fewer people know is that before he was a principal, before he was a teacher, before he was a Hero, even before he was a free citizen… Nezu was a lab rat, quite literally. He was experimented on and tortured, daily. It left him with scars, both mental and physical, that he carried with him every day. In those times, he saw deep injustices, firsthand. It made him dedicated to seeing that no one should suffer as he had. He engineered his own escape. He studied human society and law, and successfully argued for his own freedom. And then he set about making good on his promise to do the same by others.

"Nezu was a transformative presence at U.A. As a teacher, he pushed for U.A. to expand its scope beyond the traditional Heroics Courses, reasoning that if U.A. were to produce the best Heroes, then should it not also produce the best Support Designers, the best managers, the best students in general? It was Nezu that pushed for additional academic rigor, transforming it into the institution it is today.

"It is safe to say that there are many Heroes out there today who would not be the successes they are, if not for Nezu.

"And when I was at one my lowest points, the strength that had served me for decades failing and my own health falling apart, it was Nezu who showed me a new way forward. He reminded me that I had more to offer, that I could teach the next generation of Heroes. I wasn't good at it at first, not by half. But with his guidance and the guidance of others, I eventually confirmed his faith in me. Faith I am not so certain I deserved.

"But he has always made this a place for everyone, student and teacher alike, could reach their full potential, where they could feel safe. There have been many times where there have been students in need, in need of safety, in need of an escape, in need of guidance, in need of someone who actually cared about them.

"Nezu always made sure U.A. would provide. He had no family save for U.A. and its staff and students.

"U.A. is mostly automated, but Nezu knew the name of every single person working here, from the workers in the cafeteria to the teaching assistants, to the maintenance crew. He knew how to make everyone feel valuable.

"And until the moment of his death, Nezu was fighting for U.A., for this country, and for its people. He was working tirelessly into the night, coming up with plans and contingencies for our safety and future."

Toshinori paused, as a tear rolled down his cheek. He forced himself to go on.

"He had seen the writing on the wall coming for a long time. He had never been certain what his lifespan was, but he knew he was getting older, getting slower, even needing a cane these last few years. But he was determined to use his every last moment for us.

"We can do no less than continue to honor his vision and go beyond."

Toshinori looked to the statue. "To that end, we dedicate this statue to him. He wished to leave no earthly remains, and we have honored that request. Nezu was neither a religious nor spiritual being, but he understood the levers of faith and the power of mourning and remembrance. We look to his vision to continue to guide us, and hope that wherever he is now, he is at peace and rest at last."

He walked away from the podium and touched the statue. "I will miss you, my friend."

In a hidden bunker, belonging to the League of Villains, Doctor Ursa looked up from the compound he was analyzing. The day's news had focused on the death and funeral of U.A.'s principal. It had captivated the League's leader's attention.

"A pity," their leader said.

"Sir?" Ursa asked.

"Nezu was a remarkably intelligent creature. Too heroic for his own good, but I am certain he, of all people, could have been made to see reason. Still… with U.A. in chaos and so many Heroes recovering from our attack, our plans can continue!"

"Of course, sir," Ursa replied. "It will still be some time, however, even with the supplies the other members liberated while the Nomu distracted the Heroes."

Their leader made an impatient noise. "I suppose it will have to do. And perhaps a little more time spent waiting for the other shoe to drop will rattle them more. Our Virus taught them to fear their Quirks. The Nomu attack showed them how fragile their Heroes are. Now… we can show them a different path."