"Am I going to be moving more garbage today?" Izuku asks, bouncing on his feet eagerly. It's early in the morning on his first day of training; they're at a beach near his house that's been accumulating junk over the last few years. It's quiet and secluded and a perfect place to build up his strength.
"I'm betting Gran Torino already made you do something similar, didn't he?" All Might laughs heartily. "He used to make me haul around junk when I was your age. I know we don't have much time but I'd like to see you clean up as much of this beach as you can. This is going to be tiring work, between this and what Aizawa has planned. I'm afraid you're going to have to halt your martial arts training, at least for the time being."
"What?" Izuku says with a sinking heart. He couldn't just quit Rikimaru-shishou. There's still so much he could learn from his master, quirk or not. "I can keep up with it all, I promise."
"I'm afraid not, my boy!" All Might says, in what he probably thinks is a stern voice. "Gran Torino and I have worked out your schedule to the letter, it will be detrimental to your well-being if you overdo it. I admire your enthusiasm but in this case, I must insist."
"I understand," Izuku lies as he looks around at the piles of junk before him. So the whole beach, huh? "Lets see, given my current strength level, I'll only be able to move smaller items so I should focus on that first but I won't improve unless I challenge myself. Maybe it'll be more efficient to take one section at a time and move everything, big and small-" he mutters under his breath.
"Sharp as ever but your brain won't help you move all this trash!" All Might says, clapping him heartily on the back and sending Izuku face down into the sand. "Get to work Young Midoriya, you want to catch up to your classmates as soon as possible, don't you?"
"Y-yes!" Izuku shouts, pulling himself up and running over to a nearby microwave where he struggles for a moment but soon is carrying it back to the dumpster All Might had provided. He grins as he hefts the broken appliance into the dumpster. He's on his way.
XxX
"Hey All Might?" Toshinori looks up from the book on teaching he's reading. Young Midoriya is currently struggling to move a large table missing two legs. He's damp with sweat but he seems to be making good progress.
"Why did you pick me?" the boy pants as he stops and takes a few deep breaths. "I've been giving it some thought and there really are a lot of other people more suited for this kind of power than me."
"Nonsense, you have heart, you're intelligent and your bravery is only outstripped by your compassion. I couldn't have found a better successor if I searched the world over." Toshinori says as he coughs a few times into his fist, trying to catch his breath despite the fact that he's sitting still. "I know you'll do incredible things with the power."
"Yeah, about that," Young Midoriya says with an awkward grin. "You see, one of the reasons I wanted to be a hero in the first place is that I wanted take on some of the prejudices and corruption in society. With a power like One For All, people will finally take me seriously and well," the boy looks abashed as he plays with his shoes in the sand. "I'm going to be honest and say that I'll probably be changing a lot of things once I'm a real pro."
"Oh you don't need One For All to do that, my boy," Toshinori says with a hint of sarcasm, thinking of the boy's recent escapades. "And that's one of the many reason why I chose you. A real hero doesn't just stop the evil found in villains but the evil present in everyday life. I choose you because of your vision and I would have been awfully disappointed had you decided to keep the status quo." His student gapes at him with wide eyes.
"Don't look so surprised young man, I was once an angry, quirkless boy myself. Who do you think championed for the removal of certain quirk discriminatory laws? Or made it possible for the quirkless to apply to Yuuei? One For All opens many doors, my boy," Toshinori winks.
"I had no idea, that was you?" Young Midoriya says with wide, sparkling eyes. Toshinori preens, he often gets praised for his strength against villains but he rarely gets appreciated for his efforts behind the scenes.
"I'd better get started then. I think I'm going to begin by heavily advocating for people to stop treating the quirkless and those with atypical quirks as lesser people." Young Midoriya says as he pushes the table with renewed vigor. "I'd also like to tackle the commercialism of the Heroics industry, maybe do away with rankings altogether. Heroes should be public servants not celebrities; I'm sure I could get a few of my classmates involved and..."
"You go!" Toshinori laughs, "change the world young man!" Young Midoriya was going to tear the system wide open and Toshinori couldn't wait to see it.
XxX
Izuku is half asleep at his desk, struggling to stay awake when the door slides open. Homeroom has already started so it's a bit unusual for anyone to be so late. He lets his eyes drift shut, oh well a momentary interruption will give him a chance to rest for a minute. And to think he still needs to find the energy for afternoon exercises plus training with Rikimaru-shishou after school... His lunch today is going to be nothing but coffee and energy drinks.
"Iida!" he hears Uraraka shout and Izuku forces his eyes open. Iida hasn't been back to school since the incident with Stain. Izuku hasn't really had the chance to talk to him since everything went down. There are audible gasps as Iida steps fully into the classroom and Izuku can't blame them.
Iida's arm is still in a sling but what everyone is probably looking at was the vicious scar running across the left side of his face. Izuku hadn't gotten to see it fully since it had been first covered by blood, then bandages but it's pretty bad. It starts just after his ear and cuts all the way across his cheek ending just above his lip. When he smiles, it's lopsided. All of 1-A is silent as Izuku stands himself up. If only he'd been faster...
"Iida," Izuku says emotionally as his friend walks towards him purposefully. He's expecting some sort of rebuke but is shocked when Iida wraps his good arm around Izuku and pulls him close.
"Thank you my friend," Iida says softly. "Thank you giving me the chance to stand here and make myself into a better hero." He pulls back and smiles again. "Your media stunt was quite reckless and while I don't approve, I think I finally understand what you've been trying to tell us. You've proven to me beyond a doubt that this is where you're meant to be. Let's move forward together."
"I'm," Izuku says thickly as he wipes at his eyes. "I'm glad to see you're doing better, Iida. And I'm going to do my best to get better so I can keep you safe next time."
"I extend the same to you," Iida smiles warmly and the scar doesn't look quite so bad. "Your determination is admirable but please try not to overdo it. You look like you're about to fall over, Midoriya, please sit down."
XxX
"How's the lad doing?" Torino asks his former student as they sit on a couple of plastic chairs and watch the boy wrestle with a few large pieces of sheet metal. It's just as entertaining as it had been during the internship.
"He's making real good progress. I'm quite impressed given the time constraints we have," Toshinori says with a dopey, proud smile. Torino almost rolls his eyes, Toshinori always was a sap. His old student looks pale, almost unnaturally so, but Gran hasn't seen the man look this happy in years. Midoriya Izuku was the best damn thing that could have happened to him and not a moment too soon.
"This would go faster if I had some help!" The kid yells back as he throws one of the pieces of metal in the dumpster. He's shaky and sweaty and looks about ready to fall over.
"But then you wouldn't get the experience, would you?" Toshinori teases, seemingly not noticing the boy's haggard state. Torino sighs as he digs into the cooler next to him for some water. Is he really surprised that Mr. Go Beyond isn't noticing his student's limits? It's because of that attitude Toshinori needs a successor in the first place.
"You're both wrong. Here, catch kid," Torino says, tossing the water bottle to the boy. Midoriya doesn't even come close to catching it but he dusts off the sand and gulps half the thing down before sinking to the ground.
"Don't listen to muscle head over here or you'll end up just like him. You're doing just fine at the rate you're going so don't worry about it. You've got school in an hour so don't overburden yourself." He says even as he glares at Toshinori. The fool at least has enough sense.
"I'm trying," Midoriya moans, not noticing the silent exchange. "I know I need to expand my boundaries but I'm hurting all over."
"That means we're getting somewhere, kid," Torino says. "And this ain't just to improve your strength. One For All packs quite a punch. If your body ain't strong enough to handle it, it could blow you all to pieces."
"It what!?" the boy squeaks, hugging himself.
"Don't scare my successor away so soon," Toshinori grumbles. "It will be fine, my boy, don't worry. That's why we're out here training. So you better get back to it," Torino glares at him. "Er uh after you've had a bit of a rest that is."
XxX
"Young Midoriya, would you care to have lunch together?" Toshinori asks with a smile, holding up his bento.
"No way man, lunch with All Might!" Young Kirishima says, clapping him on the back. "Catch us up later, just don't fall asleep like you did in 4th period!" He says, waving Young Midoriya goodbye as he continues down the hall.
"Is there something you need?" Young Midoriya asks with a tired expression. The training is clearly wearing on him, in addition to a full schoolday and whatever Aizawa is doing with him in the afternoon. But the boy hasn't asked to slow down yet and already Toshinori can see some improvement in his physique.
"No, no, I just thought we could talk for a bit," Toshinori says cheerily to cover his anxiety. "There are some things you need to be made aware of before we continue any further."
"Alright," the boy smiles as he follows Toshinori to their normal room. Young Midoriya puts so much faith in him, it's empowering but also terrifying. The boy has no idea just what he's getting involved in and it's about time he learned.
Toshinori lets them settle in the room and they make lighthearted conversation as they eat their lunches. He's a bit worried to see the young man quickly downing an energy drink before doing the same with his coffee but he supposes that's normal for kids these days.
"My boy," Toshinori begins slowly, during a break in the conversation. "There's something you should know about One For All, should you take it. This power, it's not normal and it's got a long history behind it. You need to know about All For One." And so he lays out the whole sordid tale just as Nana had a long, long time ago. Young Midoriya listens with rapt attention, occasionally nodding or humming as he's told of the bloodied legacy he is to inherit.
"- I thought I'd managed to end All For One years ago but we suspect that the League of Villains is just a cover to hide himself. I'm sorry it's come to this but you need to be prepared to face him, sooner rather than later, if you accept this power. I know it's a lot, my boy, but you deserved to know."
"I understand," Young Midoriya says somberly. "I'll be ready if that happens."
"It's a bit more serious than that, I'm afraid." Toshinori says as he unbuttons his jacket and pulls up his too big dress shirt. Young Midoriya gasps as Toshinori reveals the ugly scarring on his torso.
"It's not pretty, is it?" Toshinori chuckles weakly. "That last battle I mentioned, All For One wasn't the only one to take a few hits. It nearly put me down for good, it's why I look like I do. I've had my stomach and one of my lungs removed. Pretty soon, One For All will be too much for me to handle, hence, my need for a successor."
"You couldn't let the villains see you as weak," Young Midoriya mutters with wide eyes, "that's why no one knows."
"I was the Symbol of Peace," Toshinori says as puts himself back in order. "It was my duty to ensure the safety of the public. And soon, it will be your turn. But I want you to remember that there are real stakes involved here. All For One isn't someone to take lightly and I don't-I don't want to see you make my mistakes." If his student was ever hurt because of him...
"I do understand and scars don't scare me," Young Midoriya says as he rolls up his pant leg and reveals the mark given to him by Shigaraki. It's an ugly thing, rough and discolored. That's not even counting the scars he obtained during the Sports Festival and his fight with Stain. It pains him that boy is collecting such things at such a young age. "I'll be careful. As long as you're by my side, I'll get a handle of this quirk and make you proud."
Toshinori smiles but all he wants to do is apologize. He ought to tell the boy about his latest doctor's appointment, about the way his body is steadily failing him. He should prepare the boy for the reality in which, sooner rather than later, Toshinori follows his master. He'd give anything for more time but mistakes have a way of catching up at inconvenient times. All he can hope is that he'll be enough, here and now, to prepare the boy for the inevitable.
"Thank you, my boy, but you don't need to worry. I'm already proud of you."
XxX
"What the hell have you been doing with that boy?" Shouta shouts as Yagi hunches his shoulders. The older hero has the sense to look abashed as he glances over at Midoriya who's still out cold. "You were supposed to catch him up, not kill him!" Shouta says through gritted teeth.
Despite what others may claim, Shouta is not as indifferent as he appears.
He'd had to have been blind not to see Midoriya get steadily more exhausted once he started his training with All Might. With a whole class to manage, Shouta had made the mistake of assuming everything was alright right until the boy collapsed during this afternoon's training. It's been fifteen minutes and the kid hasn't so much as twitched from Recovery Girl's bed.
"Young Midoriya is very spirited, I asked him several times if he needed to slow down but he always seemed so eager to continue." Yagi says, looking down and playing with his fingers. This man is going to give Shouta a heart attack one of these days.
"The same boy who confronted a serial killer, who spat in the face of every person who's tried to keep him down?" Shouta asks in a deadly calm voice. "He's 15 and he practically worships you. He'd break all his bones if he thought it would please you. It's your job," he says poking the man's thin chest, "to know his limits and make sure he doesn't go beyond them. I cannot believe Nedzu trusted the boy in your care when you clearly have no idea what you're doing."
"Calm down, Aizawa," Recovery Girl says as she steps back into the room. "Yes, Toshinori is a novice teacher and a fool but it seems this isn't entirely his fault. I just got off the phone with the boy's martial arts teacher. It seems that, despite what the young man told us, he was still keeping up with his biweekly sessions. Rikimaru-san said he'd noticed Midoriya's exhaustion but had no idea the young man had picked up extra training." She gives a wry smile, "We've been had, gentlemen."
"But he told me he'd stopped," Yagi protests weakly, looking over at the pale boy on the bed.
"I'm going to kill him," Shouta says, looking up at the ceiling. He'd been under the impression that, without a quirk, Midoriya would be one of his easier students. If only he could go back in time and slap himself across the face for not noticing the obvious reckless streak in the boy. Was it too late to return him to General Education? No, no he'd already threatened to leave the school and heavens knows another hero school wouldn't be able to control him.
"That would be counter-productive," Recovery Girl smiles, looking entirely too amused. "Let this be a lesson to all of us. Midoriya is not above trickery to get what he wants and he's got an alarming lack of concern for his own well-being. Toshinori, I know you want what's best for the boy so you need to make sure he doesn't emulate your bad habits if this is going to work." The doctor says, giving Yagi a meaningful look that Shouta can't even begin to decipher.
"If this happens again, I'm taking him away from you, I don't care what the Principal says." Shouta growls, putting his finger right in Yagi's face. "Now I have 19 very distressed students to calm, not to mention trying to salvage some part of this day." He turns and stalks towards the door, "Recovery Girl, would you please forward me the information on Midoriya's master. I need to make sure he's up to date on what's going on so the kid doesn't sneak around us again."
"I will and tell the children that their friend will be fine, he just needs rest is all," Recovery Girl answers. "And don't be so rough on him when he wakes up. I can recall another Gen Ed transfer student who pushed himself a little too hard to prove he was good enough."
Of course she had to bring that up. Shouta grunts in response as he leaves the room but once the door closes he can hear Yagi and Recovery Girl furiously whispering to one another. There's something else going on here but he has no idea what. Well they can have their secrets for now but so help him if Midoriya ends up suffering again due to Yagi's negligence then Shouta will have to take action.
XxX
"You. Are. Supposed. To. Be. Smarter. Than. This," Daiki says, smacking his most aggravating martial arts student on the head with a rolled up newspaper.
He'd known something was wrong when the boy was showing clear signs of overexertion but he'd forgotten how good Midoriya was at deflecting and putting up appearances. It was only when he'd gotten a call from Yuuei's doctor and later the kid's homeroom teacher did he regret not pushing the issue. Once more, he'd underestimated Midoriya's sheer stubbornness.
"I'm sorry Rikimaru-shishou, I-" Midoriya begins to explain but Daiki cuts him off with another smack on the head.
"I don't want to hear it! How many times do we have to go over this? Overtraining makes you sloppy. After that stunt you pulled with the newspapers you gotta keep your guard up!" He says, swatting the kid on the head a few more times before throwing the paper off to the side.
"I thought I could handle it," Midoriya mutters, rubbing at his head. "I thought if I managed my time and energy, I could keep up with it all." Daiki rubs at his eyes. Only Midoriya would think he'd be able to balance three highly intensive training schedules without anyone knowing. He'll never breathe a word to the kid but it's impressive as hell Midoriya was able to keep up the charade for two whole weeks.
"And how did that work out for you?" Daiki asks sarcastically and watches his student drop his head in shame. He sighs, well that's enough recrimination for today. "I can't believe you wanted to keep coming here. If the Number One himself offered to personally train me, I wouldn't have even bothered with a goodbye."
"But I don't want to stop," Midoriya insists with a stubborn pout. "I love it here, you've taught me so much about martial arts and about myself and I wanted to keep learning as long as I could." The boy's shoulders slumped. "But even if I wanted to, Aizawa-sensei and All Might are making me stop."
"Hey kid," Daiki says kneeling down to Midoriya's level where the young man has a frustrated set to his brow, so different from the boy who first came to him with tears in his eyes.
Never in a million years could he have predicted how far this boy would go when he'd first entered the Dojo or how much the kid would end up growing on him. "I get it. This is an opportunity you can't pass up, a chance to make real progress with your dream. You need to focus on that and, if your schedule ever frees up, you're always welcome to drop by for a quick spar."
"Okay, I will," Midoriya sighs. "So what will you do when you're no longer teaching me?"
"I'll find something; a few others have graduated so probably pick up a new student or two," there's a look in Midoriya's eyes that promises mischief. "This doesn't have to do with the kid who's sitting in the waiting room, does it?" Daiki asks dryly, despite knowing the answer.
"Shinsou! Come on in!" Midoriya calls as a tall, purple haired boy shyly steps into the room. Daiki has seen the kid before when Midoriya's dragged his friends over a few times to train. In fact, he's pretty sure his student beat him in the Sports Festival. "This is Shinsou Hitoshi, he's a good friend of mine from Gen Ed. He's got an amazing brainwashing quirk but the heroes won't take him seriously unless he's better trained."
"I see, thank you for your input but what does your friend have to say?" Daiki asks, looking the kid up and down. He doesn't look like much and Daiki can tell from the boy's stance that he doesn't have any significant fighting experience. Then again, neither did Midoriya at the start.
"I uh," Shinsou begins slowly before steeling himself. "I know I don't have much going for me right now. But I can tell you I've got a better chance than Midoriya did when he first started training," his student squawks at that but Shinsou continues. "I spent a lot of time being angry for not having the right quirk but now I'm determined to make it work for me. I'm not as crazy as Midoriya but I can say that I will give everything I can to become a hero. I won't let a quirkless idiot show me up for too long."
"Another great introduction," Daiki laughs as Midoriya playfully shoves his friend. "Midoriya got down on his knees and cried but I like your honesty. Be here Wednesdays and Thursdays after class and we'll see if you've got what it takes." Shinsou, his new student, grins and Daiki can tell that it's an expression his face isn't used to.
It's always bittersweet to see students move on but Midoriya has more than earned his right to stand alongside the country's greatest heroes. He will admit Midoriya has a keen eye for talent. Maybe he's looking at another future hero student. After all, if the quirkless kid could fight his way to the very top, then who's to say that anything is impossible?
XxX
"Woah, take it easy, Midoriya," Eijiro says, holding up his hands. "You don't want to exhaust yourself again." Midoriya looks at him with a wild glint in his eye and it's like looking into a hurricane. Maybe he really does have a quirk and it's being a terrifying badass.
"I'm fine, I can keep going," Midoriya says, tightening his grip on his staff. "I'm not weak, I can handle it."
"Dude," Eijiro says, gently stepping forward, making sure to make no sudden movements. "No one's calling you weak, you just tore through half the class," he says, gesturing to where several of his classmates are nursing scrapes and bruises. "We're just worried you're gonna burn out again, it was pretty scary seeing you collapse the other day."
"I cut my training schedule so it won't happen again," Midoriya says but his tone is softer and he lowers his staff a bit. "But I'm sorry I worried you guys, I just can't help feeling like I'm so far behind. I need to get stronger and I need to do it fast."
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Uraraka asks from the sidelines. "We have three years to train and become better heroes. I think you're doing just fine the way you are."
"I agree," Iida says, chopping with his good hand. "Your strength and determination is as admirable as it is inspiring but overdoing it will only hurt you in the long run. We ask you to be cautious not because we think less of you but because we want you to be healthy enough to reach your full potential."
"I understand that, it's just," Midoriya takes a deep breath and looks off to the side where Aizawa is lecturing All Might on something or other. Probably still yelling at him for going too hard on Midoriya. The Number One looks sheepish but is taking quick notes in a tiny notebook. "I have somewhere I want to reach and if I don't get better now, I'll never get there."
Not for the first time, Eijiro is just in awe of the ambition that flows through Midoriya. If he's reading between the lines correctly, than Midoriya is reaching not just to graduate as a hero but to grab the Number One spot as well. Bakugou's got the same dream, but it's easier for him with his incredibly powerful quirk. Midoriya will have a much tougher time but damn if Eijiro doesn't believe he can do it. It's inspiring as hell and makes Eijiro want to work even harder for his own dream.
"I getcha and we'll help you get there, don't worry, just be sure not to over do it again and spend some time with us mere mortals. Uraraka's right, we have time, let's enjoy being kids while we can. Let's hang out after school, I'll treat you to some mochi."
"I'd love to but um," Midoriya grins sheepishly, "All Might's got this intense schedule planned out and I really need to keep at it. Soon, I promise, I just really can't right now."
"Boo, All Might would totally give you an afternoon off if you asked," Uraraka whines, sticking her tongue out at Midoriya.
"Uraraka, we must respect Midoriya's choices," Iida says as he adjusts his classes. "Just keep in mind that All Might is a novice teacher who does not understand normal limits. If his schedule is too much for you, please have the sense to tell him so."
"What Iida means is that if All Might kills you with his training, ribbit, then Aizawa-sensei will kill him," Tsuyu adds causing the whole group to crack up.
XxX
"Amazing job, my boy! You've been coming and working on your own time, haven't you?" All Might beams and Izuku gives a lopsided grin from the ground where he's taking a break from his little project. It's nowhere near clean, that would take months, but he's made some good progress. Plus he's finally starting to see the results as he stretches out his now much more muscular arms. "I uh trust you're not pushing yourself, I don't need Aizawa in my face again anytime soon."
"Don't worry, I won't overdo it again," Izuku says sheepishly. He doesn't want to get yelled at again but he's been feeling especially antsy lately. Moving trash around has been helpful at clearing his head. He's got an awful lot to think about with final exams and... everything else coming up. "But don't worry, I'm still giving this all I have."
"I can tell, your efforts these past few weeks really have made me certain I've made the right choice." All Might grins before he suddenly changes forms and coughes hoarsely into his fist, wheezing in a painful sounding way. Izuku isn't sure he's ever going to get used to seeing his idol so vulnerable. All Might gently falls down next to him, facing the setting sun.
"Thank you, I'm trying real hard to be a good vessel. I uh know it's been hard on you, having to carry the quirk with your injury and I'll get there soon so you won't have to strain yourself anymore," Izuku says awkwardly. He's felt bad for taking so long and all the lectures about not overworking himself can't compete against the guilt of watching All Might waste away right in front of him.
"Oh, my boy," All Might says, gently patting Izuku's hand. "Is that why you've been pushing yourself so hard? Please don't worry about that, I appreciate the care but this old man doesn't want to see you getting hurt. You're almost ready to receive One For All so just take it easy."
His gnarled hand stays on Izuku's for a few extra moments before pulling back and it's nice. It's comforting, his presence and it's more than just the fact that this man has been his hero since childhood. Izuku doesn't remember his father, but he imagines this is sort of how the relationship is supposed to work.
"I know, I just want to do this right. This is an incredible opportunity you've given me and I can't help but wonder if I'm really the best candidate. But I," Izuku looks down at his callused hands. "I want to stop thinking like that and instead imagine all the ways I can use it to be the best hero I can."
"That's a good attitude to have, young man," All Might says as he settles more comfortably in the sand. "If it helps any, you've already become something of my hero." Izuku looks over at All Might with wide eyes while the man stares dreamily off into the horizon.
"I was in a bad place when we first met last year. I was tired and in pain and struggling to find hope as my body and spirit lost it's vitality." He glances over at Izuku, "You reminded me why I wanted to become a hero, back when I was about your age. You gave me back something I thought I'd never have again. I know it hasn't been very long but being around you, it makes me happy."
"Wow," Izuku says hoarsely. All Might chuckles and gently ruffles his hair.
"I thought I told you to stop crying all the time," the pro says warmly. "It's not becoming of a young hero."
"I can't help it when you say things like that," Izuku counters with a watery smile while All Might stops ruffling his hair. They sit for a minute in companionable silence before Izuku ducks his head and looks at his hero out of the corner of his eyes. "All Might?"
"Yes, my boy?"
"Do you uh do you think I'm cheating, accepting this quirk?" He asks almost too quietly to be heard. He can feel the hero turning to face him but Izuku keeps his eyes trained on the sand. "I mean, does this invalidate everything I did before? I worked so hard to get into Yuuei, into Heroics but does One For All take away from that?"
"Do you think it does?" All Might asks softly, Izuku just shrugs. "If you're not comfortable with this, Young Midoriya, I'm not going to force the quirk on you."
"I know that and I still want it but," Izuku groans and bends over further while anxiously ruffling his hair. "I had this idea in my head of what kind of hero I wanted to be. I wanted to be an example to people everywhere who have been told their whole life that they're worthless. I wanted to be proof that change was possible, that we didn't need to stay in the boxes society put us in. One For All..." he trails off awkwardly, unable to find the words to describe his feelings.
"One For All complicates things," All Might finishes, draping an arm around Izuku's shoulder. "In the end, all I can say is that, quirk or no, you're still you. You still went through all those experiences, still struggled and suffered. It's going to be different with a quirk, I can't lie about that, but that doesn't mean your old dreams are gone. Either way you have the ability to effect great change as my successor"
"Yeah, but I can do more with a quirk" Izuku sighs and sits back up so he can look at the setting sun.
"Still having second thoughts?" His hero questions.
"Always, I don't think that will ever go away." Izuku balances on his fist watching the colors of the sky fade out as he looks into the future. "But then I think of all the people I'll be able to save with your power, how much louder I'll be spreading my message. It's not perfect but I'll be a better hero and I can't turn my back on that now that it's an option."
"You're going to be amazing," All Might grins. "You're going to surpass me and I'll be helping you get there for as long as I'm able." Izuku's heart clenches at the quiet reminder of his hero's ill health.
"I'll always need you," Izuku mutters, scooting a little closer and leaning on All Might's shoulder. "Not just for One For All, but for things like this."
"Then I'll just have to do my best to stick around for a while, won't I?" All Might says and the two of them lapse into comfortable silence as they watch the sun slowly rise in the sky. Things are going to change very soon and Izuku is scared and wondering if he's ready. But for now, Izuku thinks it's alright for them to simply sit on the beach and enjoy each other's company.
So there were mixed feelings on last chapter, which I understand and loved hearing all the varied opinions, but I hope you enjoy this little training montage. It's not quite the same as you remember because this Izuku is quite different from his canon counterpart. Possibility for a delay next week due to life kicking my butt but the end is coming swiftly.