So, I reread the story leading up to this point and do want to say I know I switched back and forth between how One for All/ All for One is written out and ←- that is how it's going to be from now on.
And because it was a loose end that I said I was going explain but never did. The little girl in Hitoshi's entrance exam (Chapter 10) was actually paid to be there by Nedzu. She was there to test Hitoshi's brainwashing/ give him rescue points. That's what's up with her.
"I'm actually glad you called me, Aizawa. We need to talk about Izuku." Toshinori explained over the phone Shortly after Shouta had greeted him. Toshinori sounded restless like he was worried about something.
"I agree…but I feel like our talk isn't about the same thing." Shouta commented as he looked into the living room. Izuku and Hitoshi were both fast asleep on the couch. Of course they were snuggled up to one another as they slept. 'Mental note: wake them before I go back to bed. I have to wean them off of sharing a bed.' He thought to himself as he focused back on the phone call.
Toshinori sighed deeply on the other side of the line. "I think I know who Izuku's biological father is and…it's not good."
"Oh. Then we're on the same page. Because I know exactly who Izuku's biological father is and I need to talk to you about him. I have questions." Shouta made sure to add emphasis to show Toshinori he was serious about this.
There was a moment of silence on the other side of the line. "You…You know? You know his father is…" Toshinori's voice trailed off and he waited for Shouta to finish the sentence.
"All for One…right?" Shouta asked and he heard Toshinori inhale sharply.
"So, you do know." Toshinori whispered softly. "How? Did Young Izuku remember?"
"No, Toshinori, it turns out I owe Bakugo a sincere apology. Hitoshi knew this whole time."
"...I'm not surprised if I can be completely honest with you, Aizawa." Toshinori gave a soft and strangely defeated sigh. Shouta could just hear him rubbing his eyes with one hand. "Can we talk? Like…not over the phone? This is something you need to hear in person."
"Yeah-yeah, I feel you on that…there's this twenty-four hour diner near my house. My treat, Okay?"
"Okay. Will Young Izuku be joining us?"
Shouta looked back over at his resting boys. "No. He's had a long day, that and he's… well… to put it kindly he's unstable."
"Because he has All for One?"
"...We'll talk about this in the diner. But… yes. Kind of."
Shouta hung up his cellphone after that and he looked over at his boys one last time. 'Toshinori is right. I am growing soft.' He thought with an eyeroll, he couldn't bring himself to separate the boys. 'When I get back, if they're still sleeping.' He decided and grabbed his jacket. He shrugged the jacket on and grabbed a pen as well as paper. He wrote a quick note explaining that he had to leave, leaving the note on the table, Shouta swiftly left out the door after that.
Shouta sipped his coffee and gave a weak sigh. Right now he was the only patron in the diner. The waitress was sitting behind the counter on her phone looking relatively bored as she rested her hand against her cheek. She immediately perked when the bell above the door dinged! Throughout the diner. Shouta was facing towards the door and it was hard to miss the seven ft Toshinori.
"Welcome to Tanjiro's diner-" The waitress started to speak but was cut off.
"Sorry, I'm with him." Toshinori gave a weak smile as he scooted into the booth across from Shouta.
The waitress came up regardless. "Can I get you anything to drink?" She softly asked Toshinori. Toshinori gave a small nod.
"Just a water, please."
The waitress gave a nod and set a menu down for Toshinori to look at. "Okay then."
Away she went to get his water. Then, it was just the two of them. Shouta sipped his hot coffee once more and then looked at Toshinori. "I…owe you an apology." Shouta whispered as he looked at Toshinori. He placed his mug down with a soft clink against the table. "You told me your suspicions about Hitoshi and I shrugged you off-...and tried to assault you over them- regardless I was wrong. You were right about almost everything." Shouta cleared his dry throat as he apologized to Toshinori. Admitting you were wrong was never easy.
"There was abuse and manipulation going on behind closed doors, but the abuse was never physical. It was gaslighting and manipulation." Shouta's own voice was soft as he quietly pushed his knife up and down with his finger. He felt like a kid again admitting to wrong doing.
"I see, judging by your reaction you didn't know?"
"Of course I didn't know." Shouta huffed as he looked up at Toshinori with an irritated look. "Hitoshi finally admitted to everything. He's the sole reason for Izuku's memory loss as well. He's been erasing Izuku's memories behind my back and…on some level I can't blame him. However, he won't get away with what he's been doing, you can rest assured."
"..." Toshinori shut his eyes as he thought on Shouta's words. During this silence did the waitress come back. She quietly placed Toshinori's water down in front of him.
"Are you two ready to order?" She asked as she popped her notebook out.
"Just plain scrambled eggs, please." Toshinori told her.
"Over easy eggs with white toast, please." Shouta joined in.
"Okay, coming up." The waitress turned and walked off as she finished writing it all down.
"What's going to become of young Hitoshi?" Toshinori asked once it was just the two of them again.
Shouta leaned back in his seat. "Well, he's obviously grounded, and he no longer has my trust and he no longer has Izuku's trust."
"... He's your child. You may punish him how you see fit…that being said-" Shouta raised an eyebrow as Toshinori was actually brave enough to continue on. "-I feel Izuku shouldn't be in the same class as Hitoshi anymore."
"Not an option." Shouta scoffed in response while crossing his arms. "Look, before you go around asking for harsher punishment of Hitoshi you need to understand something. It's about Izuku's All for One in fact."
"Right… his real quirk…" Toshinori paled a little.
"His quirk is and isn't what you think of it." Shouta started to explain slowly. "Hitoshi explained it all to me, well all that he could remember that is, and to gist of it is that… Izuku's quirk. All for One is a sentient quirk."
"What?" Toshinori whispered in shock. "A sentient quirk? Like…I can't even wrap my head around that." He scratched his head looking relatively perplexed.
"Hitoshi explained it to me. You see, as Izuku's right hand during that time in the lab Hitoshi was always by Izuku's side. Always. So, he knows almost everything All for One had planned for Izuku. It's also why he knows Cujo is stronger than All for One. But apparently Cujo is biological quirk. He was passed down to Izuku from his father. Izuku is not under All for One's control."
"..." Toshinori just gave Shouta a look. He opened his mouth, shut it, and then opened it again. "Cujo?"
"Oh, right. That's what I call the other Izuku. He's very much like a rabid dog you see. Plus, the quirk likes the name so…Cujo."
"Cujo… Okay… so, the quirk itself is biological. Which does bring me some relief that he's not being controlled by All for One…"
"Yes, you see the main reason Hitoshi was wiping Izuku's memories is because of Cujo. He didn't want Cujo coming out. Which, after seeing Cujo first hand, I can understand to some extent. Cujo nearly got his hands on Hitoshi's quirk the moment he was freed. He also… well… he had me trembling."
"So…what's the 'deal' with Cujo. Is he like Tokoyami's Dark Shadow?"
"No. Not even close. He's almost like…. DID but not."
"DID…meaning this quirk is a whole personality?"
"Yes, and you know when Cujo takes over, because Cujo has white hair and red eyes."
"..." Toshinori stared dead at the table at that. "So…he does have characteristics of All for One it's just hidden away in a quirk he didn't know he had."
Shouta nodded. "From what Hitoshi told me, yes. Cujo is everything Izuku isn't. Cujo is violent, loud and brash. Cujo, from what I gathered, is also prone to temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way. Now, this is just a theory on my part, but I think the quirk is only as old as it managed to evolve. But, like I said that's just a theory. I have absolutely no evidence to back it up." Shouta explained as he reached over and took another sip of his coffee.
"So, because Hitoshi has been making Izuku forget this quirk for eight, almost nine, years…you think that the quirk itself is only…" Toshinori paused to do the math on his fingers.
"Five, Yagi. The quirk is only five."
"I see… well, I guess it's not too bad. I mean if the quirk is technically that young then that means it might not have the ability to take quirks. We can train it…maybe…" Shouta knew he was making a face. "...I don't like that face, Aizawa." Toshinori coughed slightly.
"Well… Cujo has taken a quirk. He's taken two to be exact. And any quirk he takes Izuku can also use."
"Oh no…what quirks aren't his?"
"Well…if you really think about it deep down in your soul. I think you can figure out the first one on your own."
Toshinori leaned back in his seat as he thought about it. He had his eyes shut after a minute or two. Then it clicked. "The object attraction? It's not his?"
"It's not. It's…It's Inko's. Turns out if Izuku has already taken a quirk he doesn't need Cujo to retake it. According to Hitoshi, Izuku took Inko's quirk around the time he started training with you. It's theorized amongst all of us that he subconsciously took the quirk to help him clean up the beach." Shouta took another sip of his coffee.
"It makes sense. What about the second quirk? I mean as far as I've known Izuku hasn't shown any sign of using a new quirk."
"But he has. Toshinori…his hands."
Toshinori perked as him and Shouta stared at one another. "His…hands…" Toshinori repeated slowly. "Meaning that this quirk. It burnt him?"
"Along with a goddamn hand shape charred mark on my bathroom floor, yeah. He stole a fire quirk. I guess, from how Hitoshi explained it, if Izuku's body isn't made to handle a quirk he takes; his body has to readjust. Hence, the fevers almost immediately after."
"Oh, it makes sense. A fever occurs when the body tries to fight off a virus. So, his body is trying to fight off the new quirk as it feels it's a virus of sorts." Toshinori mumbled softly. "What's more…One for All amps up a persons power. So, that makes me wonder if One for All is also amping up the amount of backlash he'll get if he takes a quirk that his body needs to adjust-...like Hitoshi's! That's what he was trying to tell me at the USJ!" Toshinori gasped as it all clicked together for him.
"What are you talking about?"
"During the USJ, I told you, Izuku started shaking real bad, and his nose was gushing blood. There was a moment where all of us, villians, classmates, myself, everyone froze. I think Izuku must have taken Hitoshi's quirk to make everyone stop! But his body couldn't handle it. So that's what caused the backlash. That's why he had a seizure. And that explains what he was trying to tell me before he passed out. He just kept repeating that: 'Hitoshi's quirk isn't mine! It's not mine!' he was trying to tell me that he had taken Hitoshi's quirk in that moment!" Toshinori put his hands to his face and just gave a muffled scream. "It was right there!"
"Wait…if he had Hitoshi's quirk during the USJ then he must have given it back somehow…but how?" Shouta chewed on his thumbnail as he thought about it.
The waitress came back and quietly set their respective food in front of them. She then left without another word. Which was welcomed by both men. Shouta sighed, picked up his fork, and started to eat. Toshinori also started to eat. There was a silence between them as they just stewed on this newfound information.
"...I've seen him up close…" Toshinori said after a few moments of prolonged silence. "Cujo that is." He swallowed hard and grimmaced even harder, if that was possible.
"When?" Shouta felt his brow furrow at this new information.
"...Aizawa, there's something I left out about One for All. Something I left out because…I thought it wasn't needed." Toshinori put his fork down and wiped his face with his napkin. He sighed heavily and then looked at Shouta. "One for All isn't just an inheritable stockpile quirk. One for All…has the ghosts of users past. We call them vestiges…"
"..." Shouta blinked in confusion. "So…it's haunted?"
"If you want to put it that way… you could say that." Toshinori was now very quiet as he picked at his eggs. He put his fork down, sighed, and then cupped his hands together. He looked at Shouta and he started to speak.
Toshinori explained the real purpose behind One for All. He explained about Yoichi and his brother, the original All for One from two-hundred years ago. How One for All came to be and why it is the way it is now.
Shouta didn't speak once. He just let Toshinori speak and tell his story on how All for One killed every user leading up to him, how All for One killed his mentor and the mentor before her. He explained how All for One was the sole cause for his missing stomach and lung. How Toshinori was sure All for One was dead after all, and how Toshinori bashed All for One's brains in…
Or so he thought.
It wasn't until Toshinori was done did Shouta finally speak. He wiped his face with his napkin, having just finish his eggs and toast. "So… when I demanded you tell me everything about the quirk. You didn't." Shouta growled at Toshinori in an aggressive tone. He then turned away with a huff. "Is that everything?"
"Yes."
"Okay, so…the quirk's haunted by actual ghosts and the vengeful spirit of Izuku's father… that is concerning." Shouta rubbed his temples; a headache starting to grow. "And now my son has a big red target on his back…well…a bigger and redder target. Not only that but with All for One and One for All fighting for control inside of him. This can't be good."
"It's uh…It's not… and…well…what if I told you I had a…solution. At least to the All for One and One for All inside of him fighting thing." Toshinori nervously tapped his fingers together.
"A solution? Shit, I'm down for anything at this point. I just need Izuku to be okay again."
"Great. Great. It's as you said after all. One for All is making Cujo stronger than he actually is then we can…we can knock him back down."
Shouta sighed and slurped his coffee. "Great. What do we need to do?"
"I…just need to take One for All back-" Toshinori flinched when Shouta slammed his mug down.
"What?" There was a bite in Shouta's tone. A bite that told Toshinori that he needed to tread very carefully with his next sentence.
"Well, it's just with him having All for One- er- Cujo. There's no need for Izuku to have a hold on One for All. In fact it's imperative that I take the quirk back for his own safety-" Warm liquid splashed down Toshinori's face in Shouta's ire. "Okay, I deserved that." Toshinori was just happy the waitress hadn't refilled Shouta's coffee. The coffee was lukewarm and didn't burn. He reached up and wiped his eyes.
"You motherfucker! You told me you can't take it back! You told me once it's passed it's passed!" Shouta yelled in a fit of rage at Toshinori. Shouta then stood up from the booth.
"Yes, it's true. I technically can't take it back! The thing is we have to get Izuku to pass it back to me!" Toshinori tried to explain to Shouta. Shouta gave a very very dry laugh at that.
"I can't believe you. I absolutely cannot believe you!"
"Be as mad as you want, Aizawa, but you know I'm right- Listen to me!" Toshinori grabbed Shouta's wrist, stopping him from leaving for just a moment. "One for All is fighting against Cujo because they now see Izuku as the enemy for his heritage. The longer you hold off on this the riskier it's going to be for Izuku."
Shouta looked at Toshinori before yanking his arm out of the older man's grasp. "We're done here. I need some time to think. Here." Shouta pulled out some money and left it on the table. Then he turned and left the diner, not once looking back at Toshinori.
Izuku blinked blearily. He sucked in a deep breath and looked over at Hitoshi. "Shit…" he breathed out sleepily as he sat up. Izuku stretched his arms out and then scratched at the back of his head before he smacked his lips a few times. Then, he gently removed himself from Hitoshi's side and carefully moved from the couch.
He looked at his brother. He gently pulled a blanket around Hitoshi's sleeping form.
Traitor.
'Shut up.'
He's just lucky that old man stopped me…unfortunately, because you're in control I can't take his quirk. That's up to you.
'We're not taking it.'
He could just hear Cujo sucking his teeth impatiently. Izuku left Hitoshi to sleep as he walked into the kitchen.
Food?
'Not for us.'
He opened the cabinets for the food he was looking for in particular. 'Ah! I was right.' Happily, Izuku used his-...Inko's object attraction quirk to bring down the Zaru Soba that was on the top shelf of the cabinet.
Yuck.
'It's not for us.' He repeated to Cujo a little more snappish this time. He then read the back of the box for instructions. 'There. Cold Soba…okay…simple enough.'
Us?
Izuku waved his hand. "Go away." He ordered out loud as he started up a pot of boiling water. "You're annoying me." He grumbled and opened the box of soba noodles.
Cujo gave an impatient snort, or at least that what's Izuku figured the quirk did before he ultimately complied with Izuku's wish and vanished to wreak havoc another day.
Making the noodles didn't take long, neither did making the sauce to go with said noodles. He packed the cold noodles into a bento, along with the sauce, and put in the fridge for tomorrow. Once done, he looked at the time on the oven. 'It's nearly midnight…I'm exhausted.'
He heard a low mew and in came Tora. The elder cat quietly rubbed against Izuku's leg. "Hey, you old geezer." He smiled at the cat as he leaned down and picked Tora up to snuggle him close. "..." Izuku frowned strongly. "Hey?...are you okay, Tora?" Tora was really low on energy but, what's more concerning. The poor thing was really really skinny. He definitely felt lighter than before.
Tora gave a weak mew and just bumped his head against Izuku's cheek. Then he purred.
"C'mon, buddy. Let's go to bed together tonight. Does that sound fun?" He asked like the cat would respond to him. Still, Izuku took Tora to his room and gently placed the orange cat on his bed. "I'll be back." He told Tora as he gently placed a blanket over the orange cat. Tora's ears went back as he shut his eyes.
Izuku turned back towards the living room and looked at Hitoshi's sleeping form. He thought about waking his brother…
But in the end, Izuku easily carried Hitoshi back into his own bedroom. Hitoshi didn't even stir as Izuku placed him in bed. Izuku pulled Hitoshi's covers over his sleeping form and then sat in the edge of the bed. He just watched Hitoshi. Hitoshi's breathing changed in rhythm.
So many emotions stirred inside of Izuku all at once. Mostly betrayal. "I love you… but I can't help but hate you right now." he whispered to his brother's sleeping form. "I understand you had your reasons but the amount of times I went up to bat for you…the fact that I never ever felt the need to question you…it's all…it's too much. I know you had your reasons and I know you just wanted to protect me and dad but…" Izuku bit his lip as tears threatened to fall out of his eyes. "You had no right. None. Not after the first time that is. I will always love you. You're my brother, my second half, my…twin… but I think I'm going to need some space after tonight…"
He looked down at Hitoshi who was no longer sleeping. Hitoshi didn't speak as he just pulled his pillow in close.
"I love you." was what Izuku told Hitoshi as he got up off his brothers bed. "I cannot stress that enough." Then he left Hitoshi's room. When the door shut, Izuku grimaced at the sound of muffled crying coming from the other side. He wiped his own tears away with a shuddering breath as he walked into his room. He shut his door with a soft 'click' he planted his face against the door. 'Was I too harsh?' He thought as tears trailed down his face. He sniffled as soft shuddering breaths left his mouth-
"-Izuku?"
"Oh!" Izuku nearly fell as he clutched at his chest. He turned to look at Todoroki- No- Shoto sitting on his bed. Shoto had Tora in his lap as he stroked the orange cat carelessly. "Jesus, Shoto, you scared me. You're so quiet." He wiped his tears away with a shaky sniffle.
Shoto tilted his head. "You're crying. Is everything okay?" He softly inquired as he put Tora back on the bed. He then walked up to Izuku.
"Ye-...no. No it's not…" He admitted as he gave another shuddering breath. He gave his tears another wipe away with his palm. "I… I just feel like everything I know is a lie…I'm not okay…" he whined weakly while he shut his eyes. When he did this tears just poured out of him like a fountain while soft mewling cries left his mouth.
Shoto wrapped Izuku up in a hug. His arms were gentle and he pulled Izuku in. Izuku accepted this and cried on Shoto's shoulder.. "...Hey… I know it's not much… and I'm not the best when it comes to emotions, but there's this ramen shop. It's twenty-four hour. It's right by my house. Do you want to get out of here for a while? Would that help?"
Izuku sniffled before nodding. "It-...it would but…I don't have any money." He admitted lamely as he wiped his tears away. Shoto gave another soft smile.
"Don't worry, it's on my father." He grinned and flashed Endeavor's credit card in Izuku's direction. "So, get whatever you want."
Izuku hiccuped before giving a shaky, and wobbly, laugh. "Okay…"
