Kamino Ward:
All for One and All Might's collision sent debris and dust into the air, and the two were pushed back from the resulting blast.
"It took you long enough to get here. Thirty seconds to travel five kilometers. You're getting weaker, All Might."
"You're one to talk, with that atrocious life support mask you have on. You're overexerting yourself, aren't you? I won't make the same mistake I did years ago, you hear? I'll take young Midoriya from your control and I'll make sure you and your despicable League are locked up for the rest of your sad lives!" All Might rushed forward, fist aimed at his enemy.
"You've got your work cut out for you then, don't you? This'll be a burden for us both." All for One created an air cannon as All Might's fist made contact, blowing him back and crushing a few buildings in the process.
"I must say, this combination of quirks is quite useful. Perhaps a few more enhancers next time." All for One chuckled as the League got to their feet.
"Tomura, it's best you all leave the battlefield. I will handle things with All Might." Tendrils of red and black went from his fingers into Kurogiri, and a warp gate opened up. "Forcible Quirk Activation! Leave this place, now." At this, the villains all went towards the portal, Deku and Tomura being the last. Deku froze in place before Tomura almost walked through. He turned back to Deku and clenched his fists.
"... Deku, we need to stay. Master's body is too damaged, he'll need our help. We can kill the Symbol of Peace, by our master's side... Deku?" Tomura saw Deku grunting and shaking, as the young boy gripped his fists.
"I need to retreat. Master gave me an order. So why can't I move?" Deku watched as the vision around his eyes began to brighten. "No... no, you are not taking control! You are not stronger than me!"
"He'll kill All Might. He'll succeed if I run away. I won't... I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN! ALL MIGHT HAS TO LIVE!" Izuku's voice rang out and Deku's head jerked towards Tomura, who now saw one green and one red eye staring at him. The young man blasted at Tomura with his fire, forcing him back through the portal that closed suddenly.
"Deku, what are you doing?" All for One looked at his young apprentice as he turned to show his now dual eye color. The green and red were now swirling together, and All for One stood taller.
"... Izuku." he managed to get out before the form of All Might came back into view. As he countered the hero's attack, Izuku blasted his master's side with fire. All Might looked confused, but not breaking off his attack. Izuku kept up with the fire blasts, always staying out of All for One's range. A burst of steam going past told Izuku Gran Torino had arrived.
"Toshinori, what's that kid doing? Isn't he on their side?"
"Indeed, my boy. Why ARE you fighting your MASTER?!" All for One blasted at Izuku, who put his own blast in front of him to try and stay standing. Putting one hand behind his back, he concentrated a ball of fire in one hand.
"I WON'T LET YOU KILL ALL MIGHT! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WIN, ALL FOR ONE! I'M GOING TO STOP YOU AND SAVE THE SYMBOL OF PEACE, SO THAT YOUR PLAN WILL FAIL! NO MATTER WHAT I LOSE, WHAT I HAVE TO SACRIFICE, I'M NOT GOING TO BE THE VILLAIN ANYMORE!" Izuku pulled his hand from behind his back and aimed at All for One. "HELL FORCE: INFERNAL DETONATION!" the ball shot forward, and a blast of fire swept over All for One's surroundings and the shock wave cracked the debris around them in two.
Bakugo Residence, moments earlier:
The Bakugos had just finished up dinner and Masaru went to the living room as Mitsuki turned to her son.
"Katsuki, make sure to do the dishes. And stop looking so dead inside." She held Katsuki in her arms and the young man relaxed a little. "The pros will find him, okay? Things will work out in the end."
"Yeah, All Might's the best hero in the world. Of course he can save Midoriya." Masaru flicked on the news and gasped in surprise at what he saw. His wife and son joined him as the camera showed a warehouse blown open and All Might standing off against a man in a black suit and mask.
"The villains are currently engaged with All Might, and a few pro heroes are currently on the ground. It looks like they're hurt." The camera panned over to the villains, one of which had green hair with a knife in his hand.
"... Is- Is that-" Mitsuki stared at the screen, and Katsuki rushed to the phone. As he dialed, he watched as Izuku got to his feet. All Might had found him, now he just needed to save him.
Midoriya Residence, moments earlier:
Inko was eating dinner when she got a phone call, hastily swallowing to answer.
"Hello?"
"Auntie Inko, turn on the news! Now!" Katsuki's voice rang out, and Inko ran to the living room and turned on the TV. The camera showed a debris ridden block, and a group of people heading towards what looked like a black hole.
"The scene below is one to behold. It looks like the League of Villains is currently retreating, and what appears to be their leader- wait, what was- Are you seeing this?" The camera showed a green haired individual fighting against a man in a black suit and mask. The younger one was blasting fire at the man, not letting up as All Might also attacked.
"... Izuku... he's fighting a super villain!" She beamed with pride before absolute terror washed over her. "... IZUKU'S FIGHTING A SUPER VILLAIN!" Inko cried out in fear, clutching the remote to her chest.
"It looks like one of their number has turned against the leader and is now assisting All Might in fighting him. Who is this individual, and why is he fighting alongside the Symbol of Peace? Wait, it seems the young man has landed a powerful blow against the villain." The screen showed a large blast of fire and a gust of wind flowed it.
Kamino Ward, Now:
Izuku panted for breath, legs uneasy as tendrils of red and black stabbed him in the chest.
"A pity." All for One appeared from the smoke, almost unphased with his clothes and mask slightly singed.
"How did he survive that?!" Izuku thought to himself as he felt pain radiate through his body.
"I had such high hopes for you, Izuku. But it seems you're no longer worth the effort." All for One ripped the tendrils away, and Izuku felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: powerless, quirkless, and free. He slumped to the ground, out of breath and trying to move. All for One had taken his quirks, he was free of Dark Mind but now he no longer had Hell Force. Now, he was of no use in the fight.
"I'm amazed you're still conscious after that. Your resolve must be truly strong to survive my quirk stealing. In any case, I think it's time you were put down before you cause me more trouble, my boy." All for One's air cannon inflated, and Izuku tried to move, to no avail. Gran Torino and All Might rushed All for One, who simply warped the older pro into All Might's fist. "Warping! Plus Shock Inversion!" All Might's own blow blasted him back after it gave Gran Torino a sizable lump on his cheek.
"Sorry, Torino!"
"I was only here to help my boys, but if you wish to fight, then I'll face you as you wish. Your fists crushed hundreds of my comrades in the past, forcing many of them into the shadows. All while you rose to the title of Symbol of Peace, as you stood atop our sacrifices! A hero standing on the mountain of our defeats." All for One got another blast ready as All Might posed to strike with another blow.
"DETROIT SMASH!" As he pulled Gran Torino from the warp gate, he made contact with his enemy who unleashed his own attack simultaneously. The pro hero was forced back, and Gran Torino was laid on the ground next to Izuku.
"Young man, stay here and look after him while I finish this." All Might smiled, and as he turned back, Izuku grabbed his shoulder and got close to his ear.
"You won't stop him with your normal style, he's amplified himself to withstand almost anything. Besides, you're nearly out of power." At this, All Might gasped. This boy knew about his time limit?
"Your strength has been dwindling, right? You need to get in close to finish him. Whatever you need to do, whatever you need to sacrifice, you can't let him win." Izuku pulled back, and All Might saw tears in the boy's eyes.
"... Don't worry, young Midoriya. Everything will be okay. BECAUSE I AM HERE!" And with that, All Might turned back to All for One.
"You still won't fight me at your full power, will you? All to protect the innocent people in the way behind you. Perhaps I'll just crush them first, so you won't have anything left to care about."
"YOU SHUT UP! You toy with people, probe their weaknesses, steal their power, break them, control them, manipulate and discard them. And you scoff and the innocent people who are just trying to live happy lives!" All Might rushed forward, grabbing All for One's left arm and gearing up for another attack. "IT CANNOT CONTINUE! I WON'T LET IT!" His fist made contact with the villain's mask, and the duo fell to the ground in a blast of wind and debris. Gran Torino groaned, woke up and looked up at All Might, who was currently steaming.
"...Toshinori... you've reached your limit." All Might was breathing hard, and for the first time in a long time, he felt rightfully and truly exhausted.
"You seem to be worked up about something, All Might. I heard those exact words before, from the person who held One for All before you. Your precious master, Nana Shimura. You have so much in common with her, the utter waste of a human who gave you this power." All for One boasted, and All Might could see his old master in his head, speaking to him again.
"You should be proud, Toshinori, but after the long hard road you went to attain this power, it's gonna take some time to master it."
"My master was a true hero. Keep her name out of your filthy mouth!" All Might pressed his fist down harder, and All for One chuckled.
"A woman with no skills of her own and grand ideals she would NEVER live up to. It was embarrassing for me to see HER inherit the power I created. And her death was so pathetic. Would you like to hear all about it?" At this, All Might raised in fist with his eyes glowing with anger.
"ENOUGH!" All Might went to land his blow, only to receive a blast from All for One's air cannon. As he flew through the sky, All Might coughed up some blood. As he almost collided with a helicopter, Gran Torino grabbed him from mid air and blasted them back down to safety.
"Gran Torino?! What about-"
"Midoriya's fine, hiding behind a bunch of rubble! But you've gotta calm down, Toshinori. You let him distract you last time and he escaped after putting a hole in your stomach! Don't let him get under your skin. His quirks and fighting style have changed since then, you'll have to be careful and use your wits. You can't face him head on like last time."
"...That's exactly what Midoriya said to me." All Might looked at his opponent and his resolve grew stronger.
"It's do or die time. You need to go past your limit!" Torino got ready to help All Might, who coughed one last time.
"... I will." All Might clenched his fists.
Bakugo Residence, earlier:
Katsuki watched as Izuku was stabbed by the villain's power and fell to the ground. A wave of dread washed over him.
"... get up, you damn nerd! Run! Stay alive! You can't die yet!"
Midoriya Residence, earlier:
The camera showed Izuku being stabbed by tendrils from the villain, and he went still while the villain simply floated in the air.
"It seems the young man has been drained somehow. He's not moving!"
"IZUKU! IZUKU, RUN!" Inko screamed at the screen, only to see the villain charge up his power aiming at her unmoving son. The villain was faced by All Might and another hero, and Inko gasped in relief.
"It looks like All Might and the other hero are standing their ground against this madman. All Might seems to be saying something to him- wait! Yes! He's landed a blow! The villain is down! All Might is currently- Oh no, no, no, no, NO!" The cameraman shouted out as All Might's form came flying at the camera, only to be blown out of the way by something. The camera panned back to the two powerhouses facing off with one another.
"The scene below is straight out of a nightmare. Half of Kamino Ward was destroyed in the battle, and All Might is currently engaged with the villain who cause the blast. I don't believe this! How is one man so powerful? He's holding his own against the Symbol of Peace, even after causing all this destruction." Inko watched on, shaking in terror and crying.
"... All Might... please win... Win. Bring him home. Bring my boy home!"
Kamino Ward, now:
"I'm conflicted at this moment. Tomura and Deku were the ones to chip away at society's trust in heroes. So is it fair for me to be the one to land the final blow? As much as you hate me, I loathe you more All Might. I took your master, but you took so much from me. My army, my power, my body, and everything I tried to build. Which is why I'll make you suffer until your final breath, dying broken and disgraced for the whole world to witness." All for One prepared his air cannon for another blast.
"A big one's coming! Dodge and counter!"
"Not EVERYONE is as fast as you two." All for One pointed his arm away from the duo, and All Might saw his target out of the corner of his eye. A woman trapped in the rubble, unmoving. Gran Torino tried to get to her, but the blast was coming.
"I will obliterate everything that you've protected!" All for One blasted, and All Might struggled to deflect the blast. As the impact blew dust into the air, Izuku looked on as he saw All for One standing proud and tall. "First to go will be your self-respect and ridiculous public image. Show them all how pathetic you truly are, "Symbol of Peace"."
Midoriya Residence, now:
The screen showed the dust cloud fading away to reveal a scrawny skeletal-thin man in All Might's costume. His fist was raised at the villain, bleeding slightly from his fingers. Inko stared at the screen in disbelief. THIS was All Might, the Symbol of Peace?
"... Al- All Might?"
"What's wrong? Is- is everyone else seeing this? It looks like All Might has been... shrunk somehow!"
"All Might..."
Bakugo Residence, now:
Katsuki watched as the form of All Might took over the screen. How could this guy, this scrawny little skeleton man, be All Might? The Symbol of Peace was just a weakling, just a ordinary guy... just like him. Just like Izuku...
Togata Residence, now:
Mirio watched in horror as All Might's real face was shown. He recalled what he had said when the pair first met, when Togata had learned the truth about his dwindling strength.
"This injury happened years ago, did everything I could to keep it under wraps. I've tried to hide it as best I can, so the public doesn't freak out. I'm supposed to be the guy who's always smiling, right? I'm the Symbol of Peace, the guy who's never afraid or vulnerable."
"All Might... your secret... now they'll all know. The public, the pros, even the villains."
Kamino Ward, now:
All for One stood across from his enemy, and Izuku looked on in terror.
"All Might... Now the pubic knows. They'll think you can't save them. And you don't have that much strength left... This can't be how it ends.!"
"Hollow cheeks and sunken eyes. How gruesome a look for the number one hero, now that the public knows your true self. Try not to be ashamed... your move." All for One chuckled, but All Might simply stood tall, and gripped his fist.
"Even as you expose my weak form, even as my body grows frail... in my heart, I remain the Symbol of Peace. AND NOTHING YOU DO CAN TAKE THAT FROM ME!" All Might smiled in defiance and Izuku knew this wasn't the end yet. All Might still had the fight in him, and that was all that mattered for the moment.
"Very well, then. I forgot about that stubborn nature of yours. I suppose I should just give up. Oh, but before I do, there's one more thing I'd like you to know. My apprentice, Tomura Shigaraki... is Nana Shimura's grandson." All for One watched as All Might's face went from one of triumph to one of dread. Izuku gasped in surprise. This was the first time he ever heard about this.
"I kept wondering what would annihilate your golden heart. So I found Tomura, all abandoned and alone in this world of heroes. I took him as my own, groomed him to hate you, and watched as you smiled while beating your master's descendant. But then, I found Izuku as well. A quirkless child with no real goal than to become a hero just like you, his greatest idol. So I put him under my control, and trained him tirelessly to be the perfect weapon against you. Two children who're connected to you serving as your end."
"You- you're lying..." All Might shuddered from hearing all this.
"Oh come now. You know it's true, that's clearly something I would do." All for One watched as All Might lowered his arms, and chuckled to himself. "Well well, All Might. This is strange... where is your smile now?" The villain laughed and saw as All Might shook and shuddered with a look of pure despair on his face.
"You... bastard..."
"How very entertaining. I think I've taken a piece of your spirit after all." All for One watched as All Might let out a scream of pain, and saw the woman in the rubble move.
"Don't... lose... Keep going... All Might. WE NEED YOU!" she weakly lifted her head to him, crying out in panic.
Togata Residence, now:
Mirio looked on as his new mentor was unmoving, and he began to cry.
"All Might, keep going. Don't give up now. You taught me that without the will to fight, the battle's lost. Don't lose your will! Not yet!"
Bakugo Residence, now:
Katsuki simply stared at his screen, and tears began forming in his eyes.
"... Beat this guy... you've always won before. Win now!"
Midoriya Residence, now:
"All Might seems to be frozen. It's like he's unsure what to do."
"All Might... you can win. Even if you look completely different, you're still All Might. You can do it, beat him. Save us... save him."
Kamino Ward, now:
All Might was still frozen in place, and Izuku called out from his vantage point.
"ALL MIGHT, YOU HAVE TO WIN! NO MATTER WHAT, YOU CAN'T LET HIM BEAT YOU! IF YOU DO, EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE WILL HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING! BE THE SYMBOL OF PEACE WE KNOW YOU ARE! WIN THIS! BEAT HIM!" Izuku looked on as his hero lifted his arm into the air and muscles began to form.
"Have no fear, my boy... I'm not done yet. You were right, All for One. A hero has so much to protect in this world. Which is why... I WILL DEFEAT YOU!" All Might smiled brightly and he could hear his master's words in his head.
"Toshinori, when you think you can't go on any longer, look inside. Remember why you fight. Remember where you came from, keeping your origin in mind will help push you past your limits." All Might recalled his master's words, and then remembered what he told her his goal for the world was. His grand ideal for his new mission as a hero.
"I want to make a world where everyone can smile and lively happily in peace." A world with no real villains, a world where peace and prosperity was commonplace, a world where people like All for One weren't a constant threat.
"That distorted form... there it is. That's the last of your strength, isn't it All Might? You have maybe, what, two or three punches left, right? A wounded hero is quite a frightening sight. But even now, I dream of you charging at me with your entrails strewn on the ground." All for One aimed to blast, but a burst of flame made him have to counter attack. All Might and Izuku looked over to see Endeavor arrive with Edgeshot.
"Are you serious? What the hell is with that weak body?!" Endeavor yelled at All Might, his flames seeming to radiate his anger. All for One turned to the flaming hero.
"I'm impressed you handled those Nomu so quickly, even if they weren't particularly strong. Just what I expected from the man who clawed his way to the number two spot."
"Damn it, All Might. Everything I did to get ahead of you only made it clearer how large the gap was between us. The more strength you had, the angrier I became... NOW STAND UP AND SHOW THEM WHY YOU'RE BETTER!"
"If you're just here to cheer him on, I'd prefer you to remain silent." All for One aimed his air cannon at Endeavor, ready to fire.
"Think again, madman!" Edgeshot flew around All for One, grabbing his attention and attacks. "We're here to assist!" Izuku watched as Kaumi Woods and Tiger went to work helping the civilians and heroes.
"That's our job as heroes! You did your best, Mt Lady." Kaumi Woods helped the unconsciuos pros to safety as All Might looked on in pride.
"Thank you all. For everything." The pro hero Tiger turned to the Symbol of Peace, holding a few civilians in his arms.
"We can't do much, but if we help even a little, we've fulfilled our duty as heroes. You have to stop this personification of evil, All Might. Pros, civilians, police, they're all praying for your victory. No matter your face and form, you're still the number one hero to them all!"
Gran Torino looked on, and felt someone grab his hand. Turning, he saw Izuku with tears in his eyes and fist clenched. Torino looked back at All Might and remembered how Shimura had told him that Toshinori wanted to become "a pillar of support" for the world.
"Toshinori, you are a pillar, one that can not be broken. You are the number one hero because of the ideas you inspired in the public. You can hear them, can't you? The entire world is cheering you on to victory, even after all this monster's done to you. Their voices are crying out united for you to win, even your students who admire you boundlessly. They aspire to be like you with their whole hearts, so you must not fail here."
Bakugo Residence, now:
"Come on, All Might! Don't let him win! Beat this bastard!" Katsuki yelled at the screen, fists clenched in panic.
"All Might, please! Finish him!" Mitsuki cried out, holding her husband.
"Don't let him beat you, All Might!" Masaru joined in, practically smothered under his wife's grip.
Togata Residence, now:
Mirio sat in front of the TV as his parents cheered on All Might. He simply remembered how All Might had told him that All for One may be a challenge he'd have to face someday, and how he wasn't ready to face that challenge just yet.
"All Might, win this. You still have so much to tell me, to teach me! Win! Fight on!"
Midoriya Residence, now:
"All Might! Come on, win!"
"Several heroes have now arrived, and are assisting All Might in the conflict. Civilians and the pros previously attacked are being led to safety. It looks like the heroes are gonna win-" The camera showed a blast of air blow away the heroes, leaving only All Might and the villain in the immediate area.
Kamino Ward, now:
"Let's stop dwelling on heroism and start focusing on reality." All for One's right arm began to bulge under his suit jacket, and Izuku shook in terror. This was it, All for One's final move.
"Springlike Limbs, Kinetic Booster times four, Strength Enhancer times three, Multiplier, Hypertrophy, Rivets, Air Walk, Spear-like Bones. The shock waves until now were simply to wear you out. I knew it would take much more than that to kill you." All for One's right arm was now a Frankenstein mess of extra arms, metal spikes, red spiral metal and glowing energy. "In order to put you down for good, I'll punch you with the ultimate combination of quirks I have stored within me. This will end you, hero." All Might got ready to meet the punch, and All for One rushed through the air.
"MIRIO TOGATA! He's your new apprentice that you passed One for All onto. I know your legacy, All Might, and after you die I'll make sure it ends with him! I'll make sure you die full of regrets, All Might, as a hero and a teacher!" As the pair threw their punches and the two forces met, the impact seemed to warp the world around them and dust blew hundreds of feet into the air.
"IMPACT RECOIL!" All for One activated another quirk, and All Might's arm broke and spurted out blood. All Might was forced to use his strength to hold his arm together with his muscles. Izuku looked on and felt something shift in his pocket. He pulled out the vial, holding it tight in his hand.
"I'll make sure it ends with him!" All for One's words reverberated in his mind and he gripped the vial tight. Everything All for One had planned was almost about to succeed. If All Might died, Mirio would be next and then One for All would be gone. Nobody would be able to stand up to All for One after that.
"No. You won't end it there. No matter what, I'm not going to let you win!" Izuku popped off the lid and downed the serum. The serum burned going down his throat, and he coughed as he looked back to the fight.
"I won't let you end my master's legacy like that." All Might sputtered out, coughing up blood.
"I see. The weak embers of One for All within you are resisting, trying to rekindle some of your former strength. Your last desperate attempt to rage against the inevitable and fulfill your heroic duty. But it won't save you." The blow was forcing the pair of them back, and All Might glared at his enemy.
"No matter what you have to sacrifice, you need to finish this!" Young Midoriya's advice rang through his head, and Toshinori had an idea. A painful unorthodox one, but it would work.
"I will beat you, not because I'm a symbol... but because I will do what my master did for me." All Might put some of his strength into his leg, forcing the pair into one spot. "Until I finish Mirio's training, until he's ready, until young Midoriya is finally free from your grip-"
"This much resistance from you is honestly embarrassing." All for One scoffed, and All Might transferred his strength from his right arm to his left.
"I won't- I REFUSE TO DIE!" As All for One's monster arm rushed past, breaking All Might's right arm, he used his left to land a blow across All for One's scarred face. A gust of wind blew over the area as Gran Torino and Izuku saw All Might's arm now purple and bleeding.
"... Clever little tricks like that are more Deku's style. So that's what he told you. But it's still weak!" All for One watched as All Might's arm deflated and he raised his broken one to the air.
"That's because... I DIDN'T PUT MY BACK INTO IT THAT TIME!" In his mind, All Might saw the glowing spark of One for All flowing from one aura to another as his master's words came to him. The form of Nana Shimura stood proud in his mind, giving him even more of a fighting spirit.
"This power has been passed on from hero to hero, each praying that it will bring joy and peace to humanity. That One for All will give the world hope. And now it is your turn. Do your best, Toshinori." All Might saw a glowing orb passed to him from his master, and gripping it tight his broken right arm burst into its muscled form. All for One panicked and blasted an air cannon at his enemy, only to see Toshinori duck and an explosion go off behind him. All Might screamed at All for One, and came back up to his level.
"Good bye… All for One!" All Might planted his feet, shifted his hips and impacted with his fist right on All for One's face. As he followed through, his blow felt like a raging inferno surging through him as a final burst of strength. He let out a loud yell that anyone else would've called a war cry.
"UNITED… STATES OF… SMASH!" As he slammed All for One into the ground, the surrounding area instantly became a whirlwind of debris and force. A tornado of rubble rose into the air, broken buildings were picked up like toy blocks from the force of the wind, and several heroes were forced back along with the news chopper. Izuku held onto Gran Torino as the pair tried to find a safe spot of land. In All Might's mind, the raging inferno had died down to a single tiny spark.
"Goodbye... One for All." All Might felt the last embers die out, leaving him without his strength. Once the chaos had died down and the dust had settled, there was All might crouched over All for One. The area around them had been completely cleared away and a giant hole was where the impact had landed. The onlookers were hesitant, but a smile formed on everyone's face as All Might slowly raised a fist into the air and buffed it up, the rest of his body following thereafter. Even from where they were, Izuku could just barely hear crowds of people chanting All Might's name.
"He shouldn't push himself like this." Edgeshot looked concerned over his college's state.
"Leave him be. He's still working." Gran Torino snapped back, and looked on at his old apprentice.
"… He needs to do this. He needs them to see him strong." Izuku muttered out, and Gran Torino turned to him.
"And then there's you. I know who you are, Izuku Midoriya. What I don't know is what happened here tonight, or what to do with you now."
"… I'll accept whatever you all think is necessary. I did horrible things… I need to make things right." He teared up a little and Gran Torino led him to outside the rubble, where a police line was waiting for them.
Midoriya Residence, earlier:
Inko watched as the dust cleared away, showing All Might standing over the villain. The tension in the air was palpable until All Might lifted a single arm to the sky.
"... ALL MIGHT WINS! The villain's not moving! He's been knocked out! All Might stands victorious!" The camera showed All Might buffing up his muscled form to the public. Inko could hear a soft chanting from inside her apartment as she burst into tears. He had won, All Might had won against this terrible evil. As she relaxed on the couch with a wave of euphoria coming over her, the phone rang and startled her. She fumbled to answer it, eventually getting it to her face.
"Hello? Katsuki?"
"I'm afraid not. This is Gran Torino of the Pro Hero Association. I was given your number by an associate in the police force. Mrs Midoriya... we've got your son safe and sound."
"... where is he?! Is he okay?!"
"He's fine physically, but for now we're taking him to a high security psychiatric ward. We've still got some answers to get from him about all this."
"Can I see him, please?!"
"I'll have to see. For now, just know that your son is safe and sound. And... and that he helped save All Might." The line disconnected and Inko stood still for a moment before dropping the phone. Tears welled up in her eyes and she began to cry in joy.
"Izuku... my boy. My baby boy."
Bakugo Residence, later:
"The heroes are currently working to retrieve civilians from the rubble caused by the villain's attack. They began during All Might's confrontation and have continued searching for survivors. Initial casualty estimates are in the low hundreds, but every moment another survivor is found. We've also received information that the young man who aided All Might is currently in police custody. He is identified as Izuku Midoriya, a sixteen year old boy who for the last eight years or so has been a missing person's case. It is believed that he was working with the villains prior to tonight, but pro hero Gran Torino tells us that's not the full story." The reporter rambled off, and Katsuki's parents both sighed in relief. They held each other as Katsuki simply watched the screen, all noise just fading away to him.
"... He's safe... he's safe." Bakugo smiled, and slumped back against the couch. Now... now he could start to try and make things right. If he still could.
Togata Residence, later:
Mirio was watching the news coverage with his parents, still wide awake from the entire ordeal. His mentor had won, All for One was defeated. He watched as the news crew looked over to All Might and the other heroes.
"The villain is- he's being led into the Maiden! All Might and the other heroes seem to be-" She was cut off as All Might pointed to the camera with a single finger on his frail arm. Mirio stood still as his family watched on.
"... You're next." All Might spoke those two words and Mirio's heart dropped to his stomach until his father grabbed his shoulder and cheered.
"Yeah! That's our All Might! Final warning, bad guys! Ha ha!" Mirio watched on as All Might turned away to the Maiden that All for One was placed in, and his eyes began to water.
"... Your strength... your power... it's finally gone... and now... it's up to me." Mirio clenched his fist as the realization washed over him. Now, it was his turn to rise to the title "Symbol of Peace".
(crawls across the ground) I'm dead! Y'all killed me. Writing this chapter in less than six hours so y'all could read it on Christmas killed me. Even still, I hope I did this scene justice because it is my favorite scene. And I'll be taking a bit of a break, just to relax and get back into gear for the rest of the story. So, expect chapter nine in five days, maybe less depending on how fast I recover from holiday madness. Until then, as always, hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!