I do not own My Hero Academia or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
It didn't take Toshinori and young Midoriya very long to reach his house after they left the restaurant. Once they got to the boy's apartment complex, they parted ways. Midoriya had asked Toshinori if the older man wanted to come inside, but Toshinori turned him down. It would've been rude to say it, but he was actually somewhat worried about catching whatever illness it was that young Midoriya had. Ever since his injury, Toshinori's immune system hadn't been the greatest, so he didn't want to go inside a person's home while they were sick if he could avoid it. Trying to do hero work while ill was absolute torture.
Thankfully, Inko-san apparently wasn't sick, so he didn't have to worry about young Midoriya having to take care of himself. Though, Toshinori would be sure to check in on them soon in order to make sure they don't both get sick.
As he was exiting the parking lot of the apartment building, his phone started to ring. Fishing it out of his pocket, he checked to see who was calling. The screen read 'Sir Nighteye'. Both Toshinori and Nighteye only ever referred to each other by their hero names, even though they both knew their real names. Nighteye seemed to do so out of respect, he had even insisted that he could never be on a first name basis with All Might back when Toshinori first tried to get him to call him by his name. In response, Toshinori started only calling him by his hero to be passive aggressive, a sort of 'If you won't call me by my name, then I won't call you by yours'. By now though, it was just how he was used to referring to the man.
Answering the call, he lifted the phone to his ear, "Hello?"
"All Might, there's been some new developments concerning the villain you fought." Nighteye said on the end of the line.
"New developments? What happened?" Toshinori asked. He had been expecting Nighteye to call him about information he had found, but it sounded like something else.
"His body is missing." Nighteye responded.
"Missing!? How?" Toshinori yelled, flabbergasted. That had certainly not been the answer he was expecting.
"I have two possible theories." Nighteye said, "Firstly, he came back as a zombie and walked off into the night."
"Nighteye, can you please not joke around right now?" Toshinori sighed. He had forgotten that his old sidekick did this. It wasn't that Nighteye couldn't take a situation seriously, it was that the man simply didn't like to. He remembered that Endeavor once tried to literally throttle him for making one pun too many during an investigation.
"Sorry, I just thought a bit of levity might help." Nighteye said sheepishly, "In all seriousness, his body was almost certainly stolen. Though, it would be amusing if it was simply the result of a clerical error, and his corpse just got sent to the wrong morgue or something similar. But, that's highly unlikely."
"Did they manage to preform an autopsy before the body went missing?" Toshinori asked.
"No. His body never even showed up in the morgue where it's suppose to be. It seems that there's some information that could be gleamed from his corpse that someone doesn't want us to find." Nighteye replied.
"Maybe they didn't want us to find out that he had multiple quirks? But his birth quirk was officially registered, so I can't see the point." Toshinori mused, "Perhaps he was modified in some way? All For One was messing around with human experimentation, but I didn't think he actually got anywhere with that."
"Actually, that brings me to the other troublesome development, and the reason I'm positive that the missing body is foul play." Nighteye interrupted, "Noro's quirk registry has been altered. According to official records, he always had a quirk that allowed him to manipulate friction. It looks like it was changed not long after I initially looked it up myself. If I had looked it up an hour or so later, I never would've found out that he had multiple quirks."
"It was changed? How is that possible?" Toshinori asked.
"At first, I thought it had merely been updated, since he displayed abilities during the battle that weren't listed in his official registry. But all mention of his previous quirk had been removed, and there was no record of it being updated, instead making it look like it had simply always been ability to increase friction. So, either the database was hacked, or someone inside the government changed it." Nighteye stated grimly, "Or again, it could just be the result of hilarious incompetence."
"These cover ups, this level of corruption. This is beginning to sound more and more like All For One." Toshinori growled.
"Actually, I can't find any connection between Noro Kakehi and All For One. In fact, the more I look into it, the less likely it seems that they ever had anything to do with each other." Nighteye said.
"What do you mean?" Toshinori asked. This seemed to have All For One's fingerprints all over it. What could possibly lead Nighteye to think that he wasn't involved?
"Despite what you'd think from his name and appearance, Noro Kakehi only moved to Japan last year. Prior to that, he was actually living in Denmark, and he'd never even left Europe before he moved here. It seems the reason he came to Japan was because his sister, who also came over from Denmark only a year prior to his move, was having financial problems. From what I found, she was in debt to some criminals, and Noro moved here to help her out. That's probably how he became involved in villainy in the first place, considering that he didn't have any criminal record in Denmark." Nighteye explained.
"He was Dutch? I never would have guessed." Toshinori remarked, "But, you're right. I can't really see how he and All For One could have possibly met. I was able to escape his influence by going to America, I don't see how he would have given a quirk to random civilian in the Denmark."
"Danish." Nighteye said.
"Pardon?" Toshinori asked.
"You called Noro Dutch. But people from Denmark are called Danish, not Dutch." Nighteye said, "The Dutch are from Norway."
"No, Norwegians are from Norway." Toshinori replied, "Forget it, we're getting off topic. If Noro never met All For One, then how did he have multiple quirks?"
"Perhaps All For One found a way to store the quirks he stole? Like, he could turn them into a sort of serum that you injected into someone to give them said quirk." Nighteye suggested, "If that were the case, All For One could still be dead like we originally thought, and Noro simply got a quirk that he left behind. Of course, there's still the matter of the missing corpse and altered quirk registry."
Something that could give quirks. Why did that sound familiar to Toshinori?
"Ah! Nighteye, have you ever heard of a quirk arrow?" He asked, recalling his conversation with Midoriya from roughly a week ago.
"A quirk arrow?" Nighteye repeated. There was a pause before he answered, "No, I don't think so."
"Not surprising, it's apparently a very obscure urban legend. It's suppose to be an arrow that causes people to develop a new quirk if they get shot with it." Toshinori explained, "It sounds like something out of a fairy tale, but I couldn't help but remember it when you suggested your theory."
"I see. Would you like me to look into this 'quirk arrow'?" Nighteye asked. Honestly, the man had way to much faith in Toshinori if he was willing to actually consider that as a possibility just because he suggested it.
"Actually, I would." Toshinori replied, "Did you hear about the villain attack on the train about a week back? The War Pigs?"
"Of course. I follow all your hero activity." Nighteye responded. It says something that Toshinori wasn't even surprised by that answer.
"How much do you know about the case?" He asked.
"Only what's available to the public, since I'm not involved in the case myself." Nighteye answered.
"Well, the reason the War Pigs attacked the train was because they were looking for something that had been stolen from them. More specifically, they were looking for an arrow." Toshinori said.
"And only a few days later, a new villain suddenly appears with multiple quirks." Nighteye finished the thought.
"It's still a stretch, I know. But I can't shake this feeling in my gut." Toshinori said. He then let out small chuckle, "Or, at least, what's left of my gut."
"It's not like we haven't seen crazier things. I'll be sure to look into it. Plus, I think I would probably prefer it to the other possibility. That All For One managed to pass on his own quirk prior to his death, or that he's still alive." Nighteye stated coldly.
"Neither of those are ideas I really want to entertain." Toshinori sighed, "But, it's not like I have much of a choice. It would be the utter foolishness to ignore such possibilities."
"In light of said possibilities, have you... have you found a successor for One For All?" Nighteye asked carefully, knowing just how delicate of a subject this topic was.
Toshinori gave a sigh. He figured it would only be a matter of time before this came up, but Nighteye had a point, "Not yet. I've actually been thinking about Nezu's offer of teaching at U.A. in order to look for one."
"If you'd like, I can start taking students as interns and work-students. Help look for a suitable candidate." Nighteye offered.
"I appreciate the thought, but this is a decision I need to make for myself." Toshinori said, "So, there's no need."
"...I may have already started doing so." Nighteye awkwardly stated.
"Goddammit, Nighteye." Toshinori face palmed.
Honestly, it probably shouldn't have shocked him. The entire reason All Might refused to retire was because there wasn't anyone to take his place as the Symbol of Peace, and he refused to leave society without one. Toshinori remembered all to well what it was like when he had been young, living in constant fear of villains and other criminals. The heroes of the time were like beacons of light, but society was still veil in darkness. Now, it was the other way around, society was safe and in the light, while villains were fleeting threats that couldn't last. Toshinori had feared that it could slip back to how it used it be, even if only briefly, if he were to step down. And that was something he refused to allow to happen.
Considering that his main objection was the lack of someone to fulfill his role, it made sense that Nighteye would look for a successor. If he found someone suitable to be the next Symbol of Peace, then Toshinori would be able to retire peacefully.
Although, Toshinori honestly doubted he'd actually be able to retire even then. As long as he was capable of helping people, he would.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, and let out another frustrated sigh. Even if he understood why Nighteye had done so, it still annoyed him. It felt like Nighteye was trying to make decisions for him, much like when he had insisted that Toshinori retire. Initially, after Nighteye contacted him after his fight with Noro, he had been surprised by how easily they fell back into their old routine. He thought it would've been far, far more awkward. In fact, he doubted he would've been able to so much as call Nighteye, or even answer a phone call from his old sidekick after how things had ended between the two of them. But Nighteye was the one to initiate their reunion (Despite him being the one who had ended their partnership in the first place), and once they started working together, it almost felt like nothing had ever happened.
But, now Toshinori remembered why he had dreaded the idea of making contact with his old sidekick again. Nighteye didn't trust his decisions. Though only in regards to the subject of his continued hero work, the man placed almost blind faith in Toshinori with regards to practically anything else. Of course, Toshinori understood the lack of faith to a degree, Nighteye had seen a vision of him dying against a villain. But it didn't make it sting any less.
"Nighteye..." Toshinori said after a moment of silence, "I am the one who has to make this decision, just like how my master chose me as her successor, and how her master chose her." He paused slightly at the memory of Nana. He remembered how, at the time he had thought she was insane, choosing a random quirkless boy off the streets to wield such power, when there were surely others who would be better choices. But right up to death, she always said that she never saw a reason to doubt her decision, "This isn't a something that can be decided by anyone else. I have to be certain of my choice, be sure that it's right as I know that the sun will rise in the eastern sky. Otherwise, if I can't believe that they're right person to succeed me, I will not be able to pass One For All on to them."
There was only silence on the other end of the phone. The call was still connected, but Nighteye wasn't saying anything. Toshinori heard the other man take a breath, as though he were about to say something, but no words came. The silence stretched on as Toshinori waited for Nighteye to respond.
Finally, he spoke, "Have..." He began hesitantly, as though he were unsure of his words, "Have you found anyone who you think might make a good choice?"
Toshinori paused to think over the question.
Had he?
Turning around, he looked back at the apartment complex where he and young Midoriya parted ways.
"Maybe." Toshinori said into the phone.
You know, I was kind of hoping that Season 4 would come out before I had to actually write any scenes with Sir Nighteye. That way his character and backstory would be fresh in my mind, and I wouldn't have to go off of memory and fan scanlations. Hopefully, I didn't mess anything up.
Also, the reason there were people on the internet who knew what Noro's original quirk was in chapter 11, is because in reality conspiracies are never perfect. There will always be people who find real evidence that contradicts the cover up or find holes in the story, but it rarely matters as said people usually don't have any way to prove their claims or are simply in no position to do so. So, a few random people on the internet spreading claims doesn't matter as far as a conspiracy is concerned.
Just a quick rundown by the way: People from Denmark are Danish or Danes, people from Norway are Norwegian or possibly Norse, and people from the Netherlands are Dutch. I actually had to look it up while writing this, and my own personal confusion was what inspired the stupid argument between Toshinori and Nighteye.
Maelaeran: Izuku didn't remember that he saw a murder due to the effects of Overhaul's Stand. I'm sorry if you missed that bit, that part was a little confusing.