Kae Membrana: Thank you! This chapter has some surprises in it! the clone babies were fun to write. They actually come in handy later lol.


After a few moments after the talk was over, Luffy simply commented, "She seemed nice."

Sanji sighed. "Did you notice at all? She obviously had a crush on you."

"Huh? No way!" Luffy said. Zoro laughed, and said they were sure he wasn't interested anyways. Sanji said, dreamily, maybe she'd like him instead. Since he would possibly like her back.

Luffy said he was going to tell Law. He formed a window at him, and called out to him. He was in a park of some sort. "I thought I told you not to spy at me."

"I'm not. But I wanted to tell you some stuff. You deserve to know if you don't already," Luffy said, and recounted everything he'd been told. Paraphrasing it well, considering it was Luffy paraphrasing. Law and Kid, his friend/pack member who had bright red hair, brighter than Kirishima's, were both shocked. "I just wanted you to know we aren't the only two."

Law asked what the D was for. "I'm not sure. They didn't really explain that." Law gave a very tiny smile. He thanked him for sharing that information with him. "Of course! You're the only one I know of like me. Anyways, I hope you're happy soon," Luffy said sincerely. Law nodded, saying thank you. The conversation was over and the portal closed.

Luffy laid on the carpet on his back. "I'm happy. But it would be nice if some came out so we weren't the only ones, y'know?"

The other two nodded, but said it was unlikely. Zoro asked if they thought any of the Whitebeards were part demon. Luffy said they should go see, but not to say anything if they were. The three hurried down the elevator and looked around. Marco hadn't been outside the room, so he probably didn't hear the conversation.

Well, Luffy had no problem repeating it. They looked around but found none. Were they really that common? They looked for Marco, to tell him about it. They found him, and all three froze in shock. They could see the foggy, clear and intangible horns on his head. He didn't know. "Oh, hey. Sorry I wasn't keeping track, I came down to get you guys some lunch."

They just gaped at him in shock. He looked concerned. We should tell him. Tell Marco, I trust him not to freak out. And he might want to know. Tell nobody else, though. They thanked him stiffly and went upstairs.

When they went back through the lobby, they saw another demon. Pops. Did both of them not know? What were the odds? Maybe he was meant to be found by them. But they obviously weren't the pure ones. Their horns were not there, only seen once they were looking for them.

Marco looked confused, and followed them up. When they got inside, Luffy immediately told him about their conversation with Hancock and Elder Nyon. Marco was so happy for them, grinning widely. "Now, care to tell me what's up? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Luffy bit his lip, and Marco said he could tell him anything. "Marco… you're one, too. So is Pops." The phoenix hero froze, and touched his head hesitantly. He didn't have horns.

He said it couldn't be possible. "But, your parents abandoned you. You wouldn't know, right? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, no… I'm glad you told me. But… I don't think I'm one. I feel human. And I wasn't born with my wings, they developed as a quirk," he protested not believing it. Luffy wasn't offended that he didn't believe them. He told him to attempt to make a portal, like Luffy could. Like it seemed all demons could. Well, besides pack demons, like Zoro and Sanji.

Marco was hesitant to do it, but he tried. A window appeared before him. His hands shook, he was freaking out. Luffy walked over and hugged him, grinning up. "We're not alone, you know. You don't gotta tell anybody. Maybe you were meant to find me. Maybe you knew deep down." Marco hugged him back, resting his cheek on his head. He asked them to not tell anybody. "We promise."

Zoro asked if they were going to tell Whitebeard. "I'm sure he'd think it was hilarious," Marco said calmly, even though he still looked shocked. He looked at the mirror on the wall, bolted to it so no wings would knock it down and break it. "I… don't see anything," he said, touching his head. "If it weren't for the portal, I wouldn't believe it. No offense." All three of them said they weren't offended. "We'll tell Pops when he's not working."

They nodded, and started wondering if there were hidden demons in their class. "Who do you think it would be?"

Zoro replied, "Definitely Todoroki." Then he wondered if Ashido was a demon but her horns looked different. Marco was still there, and sat on the couch. "Oh, hey, Marco. Do you think you could turn into a beast, too?"

"I'm not going to try. I'd never use it regardless," he said.

"That's true," Luffy said. "But I think your power is a phoenix. Not demon healing, cause you heal with awesome fire. Maybe you did have a quirk or something. There's so many unknowns! Gahh!" he said, grabbing his hair. The two others laughed.

"This other, parallel world is incredible. It's too bad we can't go visit that world, too," Zoro grinned. Luffy smiled and said that would be awesome. They talked for a long time about mysteries and speculations. And they were excited to go to school, and see if there were any others with demon heritage, no matter how diluted.

If most demons were in hiding, or just didn't know, then that meant their blood wasn't acidic. Interesting! Everything was amazing, so incredible. Luffy was so glad he was part of that world, no matter the trouble it might cause them with everyone now knowing.

That night, Marco and the three took Pops aside and into his office that he rarely used, deciding to use the lobby area to be around his precious sons more. When they told him the news, he started laughing, predictably. "Now that is unexpected! Finally, something truly unexpected! Well, I won't be using any of the abilities."

Marco asked him to at least try. Whitebeard gave him an understanding expression, and attempted to make the portal. It worked, but wasn't too big, either. It ws werid, seeing Pops not aamzing at something. Marco sighed in relief. "Maybe it's something we do. I rescued you and you rescued Luffy. Or we could just both be huge softies. Gurarara!"

The phoenix looked so happy, and nodded. Then Pops went home, and the three returned to the flat. They wouldn't be telling anybody else, not even Ace and Sabo. Luffy wondered if they could possibly be demons, too. Well, they wouldn't find out that night. He was sure Ace would think it was damn awesome, but he didn't know how Sabo would feel.

It was hard for Luffy to sleep, but he eventually did. He went to bed truly happy, without a worry in mind. Which was new, not having happened for a long time.

-x-

Luffy, Sanji, Zoro and Marco walked through the school, getting tons of stares that they expected. But, like most would, Luffy and his pack weren't avoiding eye contact. Instead, they were looking at everyone. They saw dozens of demons, who didn't seem to know it. When they entered their class, they were stared at and then chereed at, many coming to hug them.

The three smiled. Well, Sanji and Luffy. Zoro looked uncomfortable. "We're so glad you're back," Tsu said. They nodded, and apologized for causing them stress. And injuries. "We don't blame you. And you can now be yourselves! You don't have to hide anymore."

The three smiled and took their seats. The three empty seats were hard to look at. Marco was speaking with Aizawa, asking him where would be best to guard without distracting the students.

"It would be the most helpful if you were waiting out in the hall. I have no problem with you keeping this door open while doing so." Marco thanked him for his understanding. The trio were staring at the two in the room that were demon descendants. Todoroki, which they suspected, and, very surprisingly, Tsu.

Of course they didn't know, and the three would say nothing. Marco was able to see them, too, now. Aizawa surprised them by announcing they had a new student transferring from another hero school. He didn't say it, but it was probably to fill the three empty seats.

When the new student walked in, the three were shocked. It was Hancock! She walked in shyly, taller than Luffy had thought she was, and introduced herself as Boa Hancock. "It's nice to meet you all. I… don't mean to replace anybody, and I apologize if it seems that way," she said kindly. She went and sat closest to the three, not in Midoriya's seat.

Luffy looked at her in shock before smiling. She winked and said it was easy to get there. She sat down and the class was quiet, probably surprised they got a new student this late. But maybe they had to, had to have a certain amount of students in the class.

After normal classes, which was great, after weeks of being away, they were either swarmed or avoided. They had so many demon descendents smile at them, or give them thumbs up. When they were sitting at lunch, Kirishima commented that he thought most people would avoid them.

Zoro said, "Maybe they think we're badass or some shirt." It was a lie, they knew. But how did they all not recognize Luffy? Maybe because they'd never seen an obvious demon like him. But did Zoro and Sanji not have visible horns? He looked closely, and they didn't. Well, that explained it.

Uraraka asked, hesitantly, if he could tell them how he had defeated Shigaraki. Luffy rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I sort of drove him insane. He already seemed mentally unstable, but I made it much worse. I dropped arms in his base, and Jiro heard it. I told him he'd never escape me.

"A couple more times, I spoke to him in a haunting voice. It scared him very badly. Then, I reported their whereabouts anonymously. I could watch them, with a window, like this," he said, and showed a window in the air of the classroom. "So it was easy to know what was going on. Before he fought back those who cornered him, I spoke in a tiny portal behind him.

"He touched his own ears and dissolved them on accident, making him deaf. So when he broke out of the police car, I couldn't speak to him. So I turned into my larger form and grabbed the back of him where nobody could see. When he fell, I grabbed him below. He was so scared he ran back into the police car and went to jail willingly. I didn't even need to hurt him, I just drove him paranoid and insane. I took out his underlings. Those were the arms I dropped on him.

"I was just so angry he tried to hurt people to get to me, and I didn't want to let them have a chance to attack again. So I took them all out without killing. Well, I killed the two nomus. But that was it," Luffy finished.

Kirishima asked if he came up with that plan out of nowhere. "Yeah. I didn't know they'd attack. I'm actually surprised I came up with it! I'm usually pretty stupid." Then he laughed. "When we were working on our homework to catch up a couple days ago, I really wanted to make clones to do the homework faster. But it failed badly. Instead, I spawned twelve five year old versions of myself.

"They definitely didn't help and instead ripped apart my math homework. So I made them go into the kids' room at the agency. It startled everyone. They were so annoying, but the only way to get rid of them was to hit them. But I couldn't hit little kids, so I gave them forceful high-fives," Luffy explained.

The table laughed, and Luffy said he wouldn't be using that again. They asked if Zoro and Sanji could use that. They shook their heads. "I can use the larger form, but Sanji can't. We can regenerate, so that's how we can beat the shit out of each other without dying." Hancock came over with her own lunch, and Luffy made space for her.

"Hi," she said to the table, looking confident, but also a tad awkward. They introduced themselves. Nami was there and looked kind of jealous even if her cheeks were pink. Everyone's were but the three demons.

Nami asked if they knew each other, seeing Luffy had looked at her in recognition. Hancock easily lied, helping Luffy out. "I met him at the Whitebeard agency. He was really nice, so it's nice to have a friendly face." Nami said that was how she met him as well. When he was little and annoying.

"If those clones were anything like I was then, then I can understand you calling me annoying," Luffy laughed. The table suddenly got solemn. Luffy knew what they'd ask. Usopp was the one to do it. He asked what had happened when they were taken.

Luffy looked down, ashamed of what had happened to him. So Sanji explained. About the black void they were in first, then the white room, the chips they had, the invisible cameras, Blackbeard taunting them. Then that Luffy was taken back into the blackness and given a false memory, came back broken. That was when Zoro turned into the beast form for the first time, to protect both of them. Then their break out, finding the Whitebeards at the same time, and finally being flown to a safehouse with Hawks. Blackbeard was dead.

"He was stronger than All For One and the League. That void… if he planned on killing us, it would have been so easy for him. And it didn't help that Sanji's degenerate family helped him out in taking us," Zoro added. "Blackbeard even spoke about the former villains like they were nothing. Apparently, he came into power long ago, and said he was the one to steal Luffy away from his home world when he was a baby."

Luffy said, "Marco found me first. It made me really happy that I was found by people who loved me and would never use me." He had a small smile. "I love them."

Kaminari asked if he knew if he was the only one out there, the only of his kind. Luffy would keep the secret of those in the world, those who were unknown. He would only mention Law. "Someone came into contact with me. He looked like I did. But he was grumpy, and had come from a bad family. He had a friend with him, too.

"But he lives in America. I don't think I'll ever meet him face to face." He laughed lightly. "He didn't want to talk to me. It made me sad. He could sympathize with me. But he came as a baby, too, and knows nothing of our home world," Luffy explained.

Todoroki asked if the three could talk in their minds. They nodded. That explained the odd silences sometimes. "Since the black void had no sound, we could thankfully communicate that way," Sanji said. He asked what had happened after they were kidnapped.

The others all grew sad. "Around half of the students there were either hurt or killed. Some schools lost a lot more than others. Ours had the least amount of casualties. But, none of them died in pain. All of them were painless or instant. Midoriya was the one to tell us what had happened with the most detail. We didn't think anything was wrong with him, but he had a bad head injury.

"There were a ton of ambulances. School was canceled for a week for those hurt to recover. When we had school again, there was a memorial service for those we lost. Then we began school again, though everyone in our class was depressed. We lost six people, and had no idea where you three went. Nobody could find you anywhere. Pro-heroes looked everywhere. You didn't miss much school work, compared to how much it would have been normally. Were you three hurt at all?"

The trio looked very sad, and Luffy said he had been run through by a spike of rock completely. They gasped. "Luckily, I healed. The stone melted, since our blood is acidic. But Zoro and Sanji weren't hurt," the full demon explained.

The table seemed so surprised after they were horrified. "It's so weird, thinking you aren't human. You act like it so much." Luffy nodded, saying he was sure his species was identical to humans, just in a different world.

He asked if they wanted to see his world. They nodded excitedly. Luffy made a window, and they watched at a park, as little kids were played with. All of them seemed similar to Luffy's appearance. "They look completely normal," Uraraka said. Luffy nodded.

"They even have technology like ours, only it seems more advanced." Then he laughed. "We took some selfies with them through a window. I can't visit their world with the portal like I can here." He wiped it away. Hancock looked the most amazed. Maybe she was unable to make windows there.

"That's amazing," she said. Luffy nodded, saying it had been an accident at first. But that it was really helpful now. Nami asked if they all could go through a portal. Zoro shook his head and said only the three of them could. Iida asked why.

Luffy asked, Should we tell them?

Doesn't really matter, they know already. Might as well explain. They shouldn't be too surprised by now, Zoro's voice said, Sanji agreeing.

"Zoro and Sanji used to be full humans. It spread from me to them over a long time. We were twelve when we noticed changes. That they could regenerate like me. Well, we all could regenerate at the same time. I wasn't always able to do the things I can. The more time we spent together, the more things changed. They only got wings a couple months ago, which you guys all knew. Things have been changing more this year than any other. Super senses, super strength, the telepathy, the portals. The markings change, too.

"We don't know what else will happen, though." Kirishima asked if they could finally see the tattoos. Luffy lifted up his shirt to show the black markings, which were much more detailed after Zoro changed into beast form.

Tsu asked if any of it bothered the two of them. "Nah, it's freaking awesome," Zoro said sincerely. "I always thought he was a badass, even since we were little. That's why I first approached him. The horns and tail and wings. So being like him doesn't bother me at all." Tsu turned to Sanji.

He added, "Doesn't bother me either. Even if it did, it's worth it to be best friends with these morons." Luffy laughed and Zoro punched his arm. The mood was lighthearted, even if there was an undertone of sadness. Sanji asked how Bakugo had handled the death of "you know who".

Todoroki said he seemed sad and shocked. "I don't think he ever truly despised Midoriya," he added. The others nodded, and Kirishima looked down. He said Bakugo pushed them all away and bit their heads off about everything, worse than before. Luffy knew Kirishima had been the closest to a friend to Bakugo. Being pushed away from someone you considered a friend would be hurtful.

Luffy changed the topic and asked about the hero work studies that Aizawa mentioned. "You have to have a provisional license to do that. You three, Todoroki and Bakugo have to make it up, you came back just in time to take the make up one. Only a handful actually have a place to work now. We're all still waiting for somebody to contact us," Kirishima said, sounding frustrated.

"Who has one?" Zoro asked. It was Tsu, Uraraka, Kirishima. Just them for now. Zoro asked why it was harder for them to get any.

Uraraka explained that the choices were narrowed down drastically since they were only first years. They had to choose agencies with heroes who have done lots of hero work studies. "It's harder to find choices now. If we were older, it would be easier. So, we have to wait and hope for someone to pick us up."

Luffy said, once the three got their licenses, that Hawks would take them. "Hawks knew about us before anyone else. He was fine with me. He and Marco had been friends forever, but Marco always kept me away. Until I went around his back and did it, but I got grounded." Marco was out in the hallway, and Luffy heard, "You deserved it." He laughed.

"Hawks was one of those to save you, right?" Tsu asked. They nodded. He led them to the safe house, so it was really helpful. "Well it's nice you have someone set up already." Luffy nodded again. "Why don't you want to do the Whitebeards?"

Zoro spoke for them. "We wouldn't learn shit. Well, anything new. We've been with them forever. It wouldn't be very interesting. No offense, Marco."

"None taken."

The others looked confused. "Marco's phoenix senses. He can hear what we're saying. Don't look uncomfortable, he's a good guy." They nodded. When lunch was over, they walked back to class, Marco following from a distance. After they all sat down, Hancock staring at Luffy like she wanted to sit next to him instead, Aizawa announced that the provisional license make up exam would be that week, just in time for the three to attend.

The three nodded, hoping this time it wasn't a nightmare. The rest of the day went by normally until it was time for hero basics training. The trio were afraid All Might would be angry at them, for being partially the reason he lost his clear favorite student. They didn't know if All Might really had given Midoriya his power, but they knew he was his favorite.

"Crap, we forgot out outfits!" Sanji said in the changing room. Luffy told him to hang on, and made a portal to each of their rooms, pulling the cases out. "Well that was convenient." Luffy smiled. They changed, for once not having an undershirt on. They'd been doing that for years, so it was weird not having them on. The others saw the marks, but didn't make a comment on them. Once they were in their outfits, they walked outside to where All Might was waiting for them. He looked sad until he saw them, then he brightened. Luffy had a feeling it was partially fake, but said nothing of it.

Marco was perched on the wall behind them, silent and not distracting anybody. "Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, it's so good to have you back. We really missed you. I hope you're doing well?"

Luffy nodded. "We feel much better after a couple days of rest." He smiled, saying he was glad. They were having an obstacle course. They'd done it before, but they'd improved since then. The three wouldn't be using their wings. They went in a line, not a competition other than for time. It was around a block of the buildings in the mock-city setting.

They took turns. When it was Luffy's turn, he took an abnormally long time, longer than anyone was expecting. Marco was worried, but didn't move. Zoro and Sanji focused their hearing and heard shouting. And children screaming. They snorted.

"I think he accidentally spawned some clones," Sanji said, and the class started laughing. But finally he was flying back. He looked pissed as he carried three mini versions of himself on his shoulders. They screamed loudly.

He landed in front of everyone. He was scowling. He put them down and they ran off. "No, get back here!" Luffy shouted. "Somebody help me!" he shouted, and Zoro and Sanji wrangled two, pulling their hands up and hitting it hard. Luffy was huffing, fists balled. They heard Marco laughing. "It's not funny! They ripped out some of my feathers!"

The whole class was laughing besides Luffy. Kaminari said that it was indeed a useless ability. He sat down, face bright red in embarrassment. "C'mon don't be so upset, you know it's funny, too."

"I hate kids."

"Don't say that, you just hate multiple of little yous," Zoro said. Luffy was still pouting. He ended up being the worst time, unsurprisingly. All Might offered he have another go, kindly. Luffy nodded and made it back quickly, though he was still feeling embarrassment.

The only one who didn't laugh was Hancock, who Luffy noticed was scowling at those who were. She had been really fast, too. Maybe from being part demon, or maybe just being very fit. "It's not nice to laugh at someone who is embarrassed," she said in a cold voice. The others were surprised.

"It's fine, Hancock, I know they weren't trying to be mean," Luffy said. She blushed, and said, "He said my name!" quietly. The whole class froze and the jaws of the guys dropped.

"WHAAA?!" They all looked at Luffy accusingly.

He frowned. "What?" he asked cluelessly. Nami looked mischievous, and Luffy had a bad feeling. Zoro and Sanji were holding in laughter as best as they could. Even Marco looked extremely amused. All Might stuttered when he told them class was over, and they could go change and leave.

Hancock followed after Luffy like a puppy, cheeks bright red. Zoro and Sanji were snickering. Luffy was so innocent and clueless. After they changed, Hancock out of her skin tight bodysuit, she asked Luffy if he wanted to go out sometime. The whole class listened in. "No, I can't. I have to stay with Marco at home for safety," he said bluntly. "Me and Zoro and Sanji have to stay home for now." She scowled at the other two demons. "What's wrong?" Luffy asked.

"Ah, nothing. So you spend all your time with them?"

Luffy nodded. "Maybe we could all go out together once it's safer."

"M-Maybe," she said awkwardly. Then she hurried off. Zoro pat Luffy's back, even though he didn't know why. Marco was highly amused. He told them to go home and he'd be there soon. They nodded and walked through Luffy's portal. When they got back, Zoro burst into laughter.

"Luffy, you're so clueless," he said. Luffy cocked his head with a frown. "Hancock is clearly crushing on you and you didn't even notice." Luffy said maybe she just liked being friends with pure demons. "That might be part of it. She seems like the jealous type."

"Oh. Okay, well, I don't really care about stuff like that," he said simply. Zoro and Sanji said they knew. "I wonder why she came to UA?" Sanji put his hand to his face.

"Because you go there," the blonde replied. Luffy looked surprised. Well, maybe they could be good friends. Then he said he was surprised with just how many demons there were. "Yeah, I was pretty shocked as well. Todoroki and Tsu don't seem to know it. Many of the others smiled and waved at us, so I'm sure those ones know. But damn, everyone is so much better at hiding it than we are!" Sanji said. Zoro pointed out that they probably had parents who knew what to teach them.

Luffy nodded, and then his face fell. "Humans… they're so weak, aren't they? Hitting your head and dying. It's so anticlimactic. If he had just moved, or not fallen, Midoriya would still be here," Luffy said quietly, tears down his face, his lips wobbling.

Zoro sat down and nodded. "I was thinking that, too. I had forgotten. How weak and helpless they are. For years, I've never been hurt. None of us has, and I forgot that humans were so breakable. It's so easy for an accident to kill them," he said sadly.

Luffy sat in the recliner, trying to not cry anymore. "I said I'd protect them. And then I was the main cause of their pain and misery. Blackbeard was after me. If I hadn't been there, they'd all be fine. Koda, Aoyama, too. The class would be whole."

"No, the class would be missing you or all of us. Blackbeard would have taken you regardless of where we were. Except here, but we had to go to school. And he's dead now," Zoro said forcefully. Still, Luffy felt at fault. He felt he deserved the blame. If only he was like the other demons and didn't look like one, then he wouldn't have caused trouble for everyone.

And he felt guilty for still liking what he was and how he looked. Liking his powers and abilities. Liking his pack, his best friends. He felt guilty for liking all the reasons he was targeted. He wanted to see if Ace and Sabo were home, and went to the floor below, knocking on the door. It didn't take long for a tired looking Ace to open the door. Luffy looked at him hard, but he was not a demon. He hugged him. "Wh-what's wrong?" he asked in shock, closing the door behind them. Ace and Sabo's flat looked a lot different than their original home. It had posters up all over the place, none of the furniture matched, and they often had clothes laying around.

It was never gross messy. But they were both fine with it, so there was no problem. Even if Marco tried to get them to clean it up. "Ace… be careful, okay? You're human and breakable," he said in a thick voice. Ace brought him to the couch and sat down.

"What brought this on?" he asked softly. "I'm tougher than normal people, you know. Sabo, too." Luffy told him it was about his dead classmates. They all died so quickly and easily. "They're kids. Me and Sabo are heroes, and skilled from learning from everyone. We won't die easily."

"I wish I could protect you like Sanji and Zoro are. But even I don't think I could give away the healing power if I wanted to. If Midoriya had been a demon, too, he'd be okay," Luffy muttered. Ace said that not everyone could be demons. "Still… it's scary."

Ace put his arm around Luffy's shoulders. "I know. It is very scary. But heroes know the risks and take it anyways. That's what makes them heroes. You'll be amazing heroes, who can protect others without needing to worry at all about yourselves," he said.

Luffy muttered that he couldn't protect his friends like he said he would. "You can't be everywhere at once, Lu. It's not your fault you weren't fast enough to save everyone from the explosion. Luffy, you would have died there with them if you weren't what you are. You got skewered by a jagged rock." Luffy looked down, knowing that was true. He still felt guilt, but he guessed getting skewered was a short-term punishment.

It had hurt terribly, but it hadn't lasted. But he knew, no matter how rationally he could ever look at the situation, the guilt would always be there. And he knew he needed to do something about it. He hugged Ace one more time, and didn't wait for Sabo to come back before he headed down one story and to the lounge, where he was alone and far from the elevator entrance.

He took a deep breath and opened a portal to the man he needed to talk to. It was to a small apartment, like Aizawa's. Not nearly as messy though. He saw a framed photo of Midoriya on the dresser, and Luffy's face crumpled before he got control of himself.

"All Might?" he asked, knowing he was in there. The former pro-hero came out of a side room and looked at Luffy in surprise. "I'm sorry to invade your privacy, but I'd like to talk to you away from others. I can't go there, as I'm in lockdown at the agency. But I had to talk to you."

"Of course, young Luffy. What do you need to speak about?" All Might asked kindly.

Luffy looked down. "I'm sorry. About Midoriya." His voice wavered. "I know he was your successor, and your favorite. And he had always admired you. I met him in kindergarten." He smiled. "Even before we could write, he drew pictures in books about his favorite heroes. He thought I was the coolest. Bakugo even got angry that he didn't see him as the most amazing anymore.

"We were friends for a long time. Not as close as Zoro and Sanji, but we were his friends. And it's my fault he died. Everyone else was unconscious, when Blackbeard came. But he was awake, and stood up. He looked so strong. But then Blackbeard told me he killed him. I thought he was lying, I didn't want to accept it.

"But when we were rescued, Marco told me. And... it's scary. How weak humans can be. They can pass from just a bad hit to the head." He gripped his shorts. "He deserved so much longer. He was so happy, he could be a hero. And he… he made y-you happy. And you've already lo-lost your powers, and your status. But Midoriya was there for you. He was special. And I'm sorry that I'm the reason he's gone."

He looked up to see tears dripping down All Might's face. "I miss him, too. But I don't blame you at all, young Luffy. He did die a hero. He told everybody what had happened, and wanted everyone to hurry and find you three. I don't know how you knew about him being my successor, but he already made a great one. Even if he didn't get very far in his hero career, he already had the heart of one."

Luffy sniffled. "He always did. Maybe… if he had been part of the pack, too, he would have healed. A hit to the head wouldn't have hurt him." All Might tried to reach into the portal, but it denied him, like it was made of glass. He put his hand back down.

The former pro-hero said, "There are no what ifs in life that will do any good. He is gone, and though he will always leave a hole, I still have hope for more great heroes. And you'll make one, too. Even if you three are the only ones."

He sniffled again, and said, "We're not the only ones. They're everywhere, just nobody sees them. There's some in our school, our class. They just don't know it." All Might looked shocked. Luffy gave a watery smile. "Where would quirks have come from other than another world?"

All Might smiled. "I guess there are still wonders out there to see and learn. Midoriya is gone, but there is still much for me to live for. I'm very ill, as is clear. I might not have much time left, but seeing you grow into a compassionate and strong hero is worth sticking around for.

"I will never blame you for a villain's evil deeds. Nobody should. It is his fault, and he has paid for it." He wiped his eyes and gave a smile. "Thank you for this conversation. It has made me feel better. Midoriya was right to be your friend. He admired you."

Luffy laughed brokenly. "I did, too. To be powerless yet so determined." He heard Marco calling his name. "I should go. I'll see you tomorrow." All Might nodded with a smile. He closed the portal. Marco came to him, and Luffy got up and sobbed into his chest. Marco wrapped his arms around him.

"It is not your fault," Marco said, somehow already knowing why he was crying. Luffy nodded against his chest, getting tears all over his costume.

"I'll be a good hero. For all the people I can't help. I'll be a good hero," he vowed, crying again.

Marco said, "I know you will be. You'll be better than us all."