League of Villains Hideout, a week or so later:
The League was still getting used to the newest addition, who towered over everyone else. The giant was slightly taller than the fortress' ceiling, and this lead to some difficulty navigating the area. He was also very much an individual who saw strength as the one thing that mattered.
"So, how would you like to help us crush the heroes?" Tomura looked up at the man, who simply stared and growled at the boy in front of him.
"Why did All for One choose you as his successor? You are just a boy." Tomura heard one of the new recruits snicker at that, and walked over to the man.
"I may just be a boy..." he grabbed the new recruit's face and gripped tight, turning the man's body to ash. The giant watched on in shock as the new recruit fell to the ground as a pile of ashes. "But I don't anyone define me but me. You want to stay in one piece? Then don't get out of line."
"... Master made a good choice after all." the giant bowed his head, and the new recruits all looked at Tomura with a new found respect.
Midoriya Residence, a few weeks later:
Izuku was finishing up his session with Dr Suoh when the pair of them heard the doorbell. Getting up, Izuku walked out into the living room area and saw Torino open up the door. Standing there was Bakugo in a simple shirt and cargo pants. Izuku took in a quick breath and walked to the door. Torino watched as the two got closer, ready to intervene if needed.
"Wha- how di-"
"All Might told me you lived here." Bakugo blurted out, and Izuku simply shifted his eyes from Bakugo to Torino and back again.
"Soooooo... What's up?"
"Uh... some of the class and I are going to the mall. And I wanted to know if maybe, you wanted to come with us?" Bakugo tapped his foot on the ground, and Izuku looked back inside and then back to Bakugo.
"... I don't think that I'm ready to be around them yet."
"Go." Izuku looked down and saw Torino pointing out the door with his cane. "You want to make amends with people you hurt, right? You can't do that if you never actually meet them. So go, and have some fun while you're out. About time you actually went and did something besides train." he griped as he nudged Izuku forward.
"But, the staff and the heroes mig-"
"I'll smooth things over with them. Now get!" Izuku was shoved out and simply stood still before blinking a few times and rubbing his head.
"So, should we-"
"Oh, yeah. Let's get going." the duo began walking away and Izuku stopped suddenly.
"Wait, I don't have my wallet. Or phone. Or... anything else I need, really. Give me five minutes." Izuku rushed back inside and Bakugo pulled out his phone.
He'll be a few minutes.
Alright. See you guys then. - K. Bakugo waited for about three minutes before the door opened again and Izuku walked out in more casual clothes.
"Okay. Let's get going." Bakugo nodded in response and the two walked off to the street.
Mall, twenty minutes later:
Izuku and Bakugo walked over to a group of people that were waiting at the mall's layout map.
"Bakugo! Over here!" Kirishima ushered them over. Once they got there, Kirishima grabbed and shook Izuku's hand. "Nice to meet you again. I'm Kirishima, this is Jiro, Kaminari, Todoroki, Ashido, Hagakure, Yaoyorozu and Uraraka." Kirishima pointed out all of the people there and Izuku nodded his head.
"It's nice to meet you all. And I'd just like to say I'm sorry for everything the League did to you all. Everything I helped them with." Izuku rubbed his shoulder and looked down. He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Todoroki looking at him.
"We've been told the full story. Bakugo filled us in on what happened." Izuku looked over at Bakugo, who seemed sadder now. Izuku playfully smacked him on the arm and smiled at him.
"Thanks." He turned back to the group. "But I'm pretty sure he didn't tell you the whole story. If any of you have questions, I'd be happy to fill you in."
"Later." Bakugo blurted out. "For right now, let's just have some fun. Been forever since we've been out of the dorms." At this, everyone else pretty much muttered something in agreement and all of them decided on what they wanted to do. Most of the girls went off to the clothes stores, while some of the guys went to an arcade. Kirishima, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu and Midoriya were all walking through the mall trying to find something interesting, when something made Izuku stop in his tracks. Turning to the right, he saw a display mannequin of a black formal outfit with a simple red tie. In the reflection of the glass, he could see the image of Deku. A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality and he saw Yaoyorozu looking at him.
"You okay?"
"... Yeah. Just... getting lost in the past." He looked back at the mannequin and ran a hand through his hair. "... Is there a salon here?"
A half hour later:
Izuku and Yaoyorozu walked out of the hair stylist, Izuku still rubbing his hair. He had it shortened on the top and shaven almost completely on the sides. He smiled at the change, and Yaoyorozu rubbed her hand through it.
"It's so fuzzy now. What made you decide to go with this?"
"I just looked at the chart they had and went with one. But I like it... It makes me feel more like me." he smiled, and the two saw the rest of the group at the food court entrance. As they met up, several people commented on Izuku's hair, loving the new style. They all decided on a restaurant to eat at and sat down at one of the tables.
"So Izuku, if you feel comfortable with it... what was it like being with the League?" Uraraka asked, and Izuku thought for a moment before leaning back in his seat.
"It was... complicated. I was under the influence of a quirk called Dark Mind. It essentially split my mind into two personalities, and the most dominant one was formed out of my worst thoughts and emotions. That was Deku, everything about me that was dark, hateful, wrong. And I was still there, but it was like I was a prisoner. I could see and hear everything, but it was like I was looking through a giant window. I had no control over my actions or words, but I could still hear and see all of them." He took a deep breath and rubbed his head.
"As for the actual League... it's weird. I know they're villains, I know they're criminals... but a small part of me sees them as old friends. They were friends to Deku, and even though I hated being around them... they still seem like regular people to me at times. Tomura and Kurogiri even more so. Tomura was practically the brother I never had, always looking out for me in training and hanging out with me most of the time. And Kurogiri was almost a second mother to me, with how he helped raise me into a young man. But All for One... I never saw him as anything more than what he was. A monster, a manipulator, the Symbol of Evil."
There was a tension in the air before he spoke again. "Deku was the worst part of me, but he was still me. All my hate, my disdain, my aggression, all of him came from me. That's why I say that what he did, I did. Because at his core, at the base level of it all... both of us were part of the other." He sat back in his chair and just stared at the table.
"How did you survive all of that?" He looked up to see Ashido looking at him. "How did you come back from it?"
"... I'm still coming back from it all. I'm still recovering from all of it. But I'm focusing on improving my future, and I'm using that ideal to shape my present." He smiled to himself and chuckled. "The past will always be a part of me, but it won't always define me."
"... Well said." Kirishima spoke up, and the waitress came by with their food. As they all began to dig in, Kaminari turned to Izuku.
"So, what're the rest of the League like? Personality wise?"
"Well... Dabi is kind of a laid back kind of guy, until there's something for him to do. Toga is a total wild card, but she sleeps like a cat. Curls up into a ball anywhere she can, it's adorable. Twice is completely unpredictable, what with his whole dissociative identity disorder, but overall an interesting person. Spinner is a total Stain fanboy, he has no mind to think for himself. Compress is kind of like a performer, always giving a big show to everything. Magne was a bit like Toga, not wanting to be controlled by anyone, but she was also a very good thinker."
"What about Tomura, what's his deal with hands?" Jiro asked.
"And Kurogiri, what's he like?" Hagakure pointed her fork at Izuku.
"Tomura... is complicated. He was like me, found by All for One and raised to become a new leader of the villains. But he chose to follow that life. As for his hand fixation, he was told by All for One that he was to be his master's hand. He would lead the League to glory. Kurogiri was a bit more like a servant when he was in All for One's presence. But when it was just us three or the League, he was more like a disappointed parent. I'm not kidding when I said he was like a second mother, he literally was."
"Oh my god, Kurogiri was the mom friend." Kaminari laughed to himself and Izuku simply smiled at that. The rest of the day passed by with all of them having fun and enjoying themselves. As they all went their separate ways at the end of the day, everyone shook Izuku's hand.
"It was great to meet you all."
"Same. I know you still see yourself as a former villain, but honestly all I can see is a normal guy." Kirishima slapped him on the shoulder, and Izuku smiled.
"Thanks. Hopefully I'll see you guys again sometime." he waved and walked off back home. As he walked off, Bakugo pulled out his phone.
Went just as planned, doc.
That's good to hear. I was honestly surprised when you suggested this, Bakugo. But I'm glad it worked out. Was it what he needed?
It was exactly what he needed. He put his phone away and walked with the rest of his class mates.
Midoriya Residence, a little while later:
"I'm home." Izuku called out, and Inko came out to the front door.
"Hi, baby. We're- you got your hair cut." she walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I felt like I needed a change."
"... It's nice." Inko rubbed her hand through his hair and hugged him. Izuku returned the hug and the two of them went to the kitchen where Eri was sitting on one of the island stools.
"You got it cut."
"Yeah. You like it?" Izuku picked her up and Eri looked at him before grabbing her own ponytail.
"... Can I get mine cut?" Izuku looked at Inko, who simply nodded.
"Sure. But let's do that tomorrow."
League of Villains Hideout, a week or so later:
"The spot where All Might defeated the villain known as All for One is now a place of celebration. As the All Might statue was unveiled earlier today at what is now being called "Ground Zero" for the fight between the two powerhouses, citizens everywhere are showing their admiration for the former pro hero. Endeavor himself came to the unveiling, saying-" Tomura flicked off the radio and walked over to the doctor, busy at his work station. The table was cluttered with medical equipment and chemical tools. The red box was open, and a bullet was missing from it.
"How's it going so far? Can we make more?"
"Truth be told, I doubt these can ever be replicated. Even trying to synthesize one of them would be impossible without samples from the human they came from. As far as I can tell, the serum is largely DNA based. Meaning without that girl-"
"We're left with nothing. But these." Tomura held up the box and stared at the three remaining bullets. He closed the lid and put the box in the doctor's hands. "For now, just get to work on our plan for master. He'll be glad when that's finished."
Midoriya Residence, a few days later:
Eri and Izuku were watching TV when the doorbell rang. Izuku jumped up and answered, to see All Might and principal Nezu.
"Good afternoon, sirs. What can I do for you?"
"We wished to speak with you all." Nezu responded as the pair of them walked in. Izuku went and got Torino as well as his mother, and all five of them met in the dining room. Nezu stood up straight in order to be seen clearly, and All Might relaxed in his chair.
"Toshinori, it's time, isn't it?" Torino asked bluntly, and All Might simply nodded in response.
"Time for what?" Inko interjected and Nezu looked at her.
"We've been training Izuku for two reasons. Firstly, so he can become an effective user of One for All, should the need ever arise. Secondly, so that he can properly become a hero. One that will complete his training at U.A. High." Nezu smiled at Inko before turning to Izuku. "If you want, we can put you in the hero course after the winter break. One of our students dropped out, so we can fit you right into their old spot."
"... I- ... I'm... One second." Izuku got up, walked five steps away and promptly fainted. Inko ran over to him, and tried to shake him awake. Izuku slowly raised his hand in a thumbs up.
"... Well... he took it better than I thought he would." Nezu looked at All Might, and back at the now smiling Izuku.
Class 1-A Dorms, a few weeks later:
Izuku took a deep breath and gripped his suitcase strap tight. Torino had accompanied him and the old pro knocked on the door. A young man with a tail answered the door.
"Oh, hey. Izuku, right? I'm Ojiro, come on in. We'll get you squared away." he opened the door wider for Izuku and Torino who simply walked inside. Upon going in, they were greeted by a few more people in the common room area. Going to the stairway, the two made their way to Izuku's new room. Placing his stuff inside, Izuku took everything in before shaking Torino's hand.
"Thank you. For everything you've done for me."
"I did what I needed to, kid. And you, you've got a long road ahead of you. You sure you're up for all this?" Torino leaned on his cane, and Izuku looked around the room before smiling.
"Yeah... I think I'll be fine."
"That's good to hear. Take care of yourself, kid." Torino shook Izuku's hand and walked out. Izuku took a deep breath and began unpacking his belongings. Clothes were hung up in the closet, posters got put on the walls and his books were shelved neatly into the bookshelf. He set a photo of himself, his mom and Eri on the nightstand and hoped they were doing okay without him. A knock on the door grabbed his attention, and he opened it to see Bakugo standing there.
"Hey, we're all pitching in for dinner. You wanna help?"
"Oh, sure." And the two walked down to the kitchen where several people were trying their best not to burn down the whole room. "... Is it always like this?"
"Only when Kirishima tries to cook." Bakugo grabbed a cutting board and entered the fray, whacking Kaminari on the head for trying to blow out a burning pan.
"This might take some getting used to." Izuku sighed as he watched the chaos unfold.
The following morning:
Izuku woke up to his alarm and shut it off. Stretching his arms, he climbed out of bed and walked over to his closet. He stared at the school uniform for a few moments before taking it off the hangers.
"Today's the day." he smiled to himself as he put on the shirt and pants. As he folded his collar up, he tied his tie perfectly as if it were second nature to him. As he put his collar down, he looked in the mirror and paused for a moment. His tie was perfect, just like he had done it for years. It was just muscle memory for him at this point. As he held it, he got an idea. Untying it, he spent about two minutes remaking it into a boxy short looking tie. He took a deep breath, and took in the image he saw in the mirror.
"Yeah... this feels more like me." he put on his jacket and grabbed his supplies. Walking out of his dorm, he saw Kirishima just ahead of him.
"Morning, man. Interesting tie."
"Thanks. I did it myself." the two rushed to get downstairs and met up with a few others. Making their way, they all came to the school grounds where Izuku's pace slowed down. He was taking it all in, the moment of finally being here. He was here before for the League, yes, but now he was a student. He was going to be trained as a hero, in the place his hero had been taught and now teaches at. A strong arm went around his shoulder and he was lifted into the air. As he screamed out in shock, he saw Mirio's face under him.
"Oh, Mirio. How are you?"
"I'm doing perfectly!" Mirio beamed at him and put him down. "My quirk's back to how it once was, and I'm feeling better than ever knowing you're finally here."
"Wait, you two know each other?" Mirio and Izuku looked to see a few students looking at them. Kirishima had a puzzled look on his face, and Izuku rubbed his head.
"Yeah, he helped me out with my rehabilitation program. We've trained with each other dozens of times, and he almost never wins."
"... We've trained 47 times, and I've won 22 times I recall."
"So, that's 23 wins for me. And the two ties." Both of them had a look of horror on their faces, remembering all the laps they had to run after those two.
"Wow! That I have to see sometime." Kirishima smiled at the duo. "If you two are that matched, the League of Villains won't stand a chance against us!" He walked to the school building and Izuku and Mirio looked at each other in concern.
"Would they?" Mirio asked, and Izuku thought it over for a moment.
"... I don't know. But I hope not." he clenched his fists momentarily and walked inside, with a smile on his face and determination in his heart.
Nature Park near U.A. a few weeks later:
All Might had brought Class 1-A outdoors to get their fighting skills up to speed. Several pros were taking on the role of villains and the students were left to fight in a densely wooded area. All Might kept an eye on all of them, taking notes and shouting out words of advice. Izuku was currently dodging attacks from Cementoss while Kirishima backed him up. His new hero outfit had been modified to help him have more of a blow when he landed a punch or kick, and he was grateful for it facing the cement pro.
"Kiri, on the left!" Izuku shouted out, and Kirishima jumped to the side to dodge the attack. As the day went on, Izuku felt a sense of calm. Maybe these guys would be okay after all. When he stopped to catch his breath, he saw a swirl of purple and black at the path near the exit. He gripped his fist and stood in front of the portal about twenty feet away. The teachers all gathered in front of him, and Izuku watched as the League all walked through. Toga smiled at him, Compress simply tipped his hat to the crowd and Tomura smiled with his creepy grin. Several other new faces were around them, and Izuku got himself ready for a fight.
"Well, well. Looks like we found our targets after all." Tomura laughed and Izuku noticed something. The portal wasn't going away, and Kurogiri wasn't here yet. Why hadn't he shown up?
"Before we get started, I'd like to show you who I found." Tomura smiled as the portal grew larger and larger, going over the trees. A large arm appeared, and moments later a humongous man stepped out wearing a set of simple clothes and armor over his shoulders. His hair was spiked, and his chin seemed to be made out of rock. As he looked down on the group of people, the gigantic man smiled with pointed fangs.
"Meet our new member, Gigantomachia." Tomura smiled as the gigantic man began charging at the group of pros and students. A single punch on the ground sent most of them flying away from each other, and Izuku jumped back. As he got a steady position, he saw the League all disperse to take on different opponents. Tomura simply stood where he was, and the portal behind him disappeared. Izuku leaped at him, and tried to land a kick. Tomura simply jumped to the side and grabbed at Izuku's shoe reinforcement. As Izuku stepped back, he felt the iron soles decaying and his feet were now unbalanced on the flat ground. He looked at Tomura, who simply held his ground.
"So, what do you call yourself now? Being a hero and all."
"... Deku."
"You didn't change then, did you?"
"Oh, I did. But I refuse to let my past control me anymore. From now on, Deku is the name of a hero. One that can stop anything, including you." Izuku rushed forward and Tomura swiped his arm at him. Narrowly missing his grip, Izuku landed a blow on his chest. As Tomura was slammed back, he rushed away from Izuku and towards the chaos of the rest of the class. Pulling out a gun, Izuku's eyes widened. He rushed forward and watched as Tomura took aim and fired. As the bullet went through the air, Izuku watched as it landed in Eraser Head's arm.
"NO!" Izuku rushed forward and slammed his fist into Tomura's back, throwing him to the ground several feet away. The gun skittered across the ground as Tomura struggled to get up. Izuku looked over to see Eraser pull a bullet from his arm and wince in pain before turning his attention back to Tomura. The villain had rushed Izuku, who dodged to evade Tomura's grip. Izuku's arm pulled back and as he went for a punch, Tomura swept with his other arm. Putting his gloved hand forward, Izuku managed to keep his face safe while sacrificing his glove. Izuku jumped back a few feet and looked around. Several students and teachers were fighting the League, and the giant creature was still rampaging. Izuku saw the gun on the ground and weighed his options.
"With Aizawa quirkless now, we've lost a huge advantage. Either I take Tomura out, or have someone handle him while I tackle the larger threat. The rest will be able to hold their own, especially with the teachers here." Izuku thought for a moment before rushing off. He snagged the gun from the pavement and rushed through the chaos. Passing by the pro Snipe, he tossed him the gun.
"Aim for Tomura! I'll handle this one." Izuku rushed forward and activated Full Cowling at 35%, landing a blow on the giant's leg. The two of them began to fight, and Snipe took aim at Tomura. Once he had a shot, he fired, watching the villain grab his shoulder shortly after.
"Ahh! Son of a bitch!" Tomura hissed as he pulled the bullet out, and wandered towards the rest of them while an immense pain washed over him. "Toga, Deku's knife! Give it!" Toga smiled and tossed Tomura the blade, and Tomura rushed over to where All Might was standing. Midnight was standing between them, but Tomura watched as a piece of debris from the fight knocked her on the head. As she struggled to stay up, Tomura kicked her in the face. As Midnight fell to the ground, All Might watched as Tomura grabbed him by the shirt. Behind them, Izuku managed to land a powerful blow to the giant's face, causing the creature to fall to the ground.
"You're not going to be what he was. You're just his puppet." All Might stared down Tomura as the villain gripped Deku's old knife and stabbed the former hero right in his old injury. As All Might coughed up blood, Tomura smiled at him.
"I'm nothing like him. And that's just fine with me." Tomura twisted the knife to the left, then the right. As All Might groaned in pain, Tomura slashed the blade out of All Might's body and watched as the blood spurted out from the open wound. All Might fell to the ground and Izuku's eyes went wide in shock. He launched himself at Tomura, slamming into the ground next to him. As the shock waves hit, Tomura fell back and slammed into a wall. As Tomura fell to the ground, Izuku ran over and placed a foot on Tomura's back.
"Stand. Down." he growled through gritted teeth, and Tomura simply put his hands on his head. As Izuku watched, the rest of the League was being taken down. Most were now either in cuffs or surrendering. Eraser Head and Cementoss came over and got Tomura under control and saw to All Might's and Midnight's injuries.
Minutes later:
"Izuku, you did good work. Taking down Gigantomachia and Tomura seemed to break the League's spirits. All of them are in custody." Eraser Head patted him on the back.
"Except Kurogiri. He never showed. Why? Why did he not fight?"
"We'll figure that out later. For now, go back to the dorms. You've earned a break."
"I'm sorry I wasn't faster. You might still have your quirk if I had been quicker."
"It's not your fault. Besides, we're looking into ways to fix that."
"Eraser... will All Might be okay?"
"... We're not sure. His injuries were severe, but we'll have the best people helping him."
Hospital Surgical Center:
"Move, move, move!" The doctors rushed into the operating room and got into their spots. All of them were determined beyond anything to save the man on the gurney. They lifted him onto the surgical table and donned their garb.
"Doctor... in my pocket." All Might struggled to get out, and the woman reached into his pant pocket to pull out an envelope. "That's for Izuku Midoriya. If I-"
"Don't. You'll get to deliver it to him yourself." She turned to a nurse who then placed a breathing mask over All Might's face. As Toshinori took more breaths, he dozed off. The doctors went to work.
"All right people, do your damn best. We can NOT let this man die on our table."
U.A. Dorms:
Everyone was sitting and watching the news feed of the fight earlier. Izuku saw himself on screen take down the giant with a single punch. The screen then shifted to show the two anchors.
"This attack by the League of Villains has left the public shaken, but we have confirmed that most of them are in custody. The only one to escape apprehension was the villain known as Kurogiri, who is said to have a warp gate quirk. Citizens are advised to alert authorities if they encounter this individual. U.A. officials are saying that the young man known as Izuku Midoriya was key in turning the tide during the encounter. Several students and teachers were injured, but only All Might and Eraser Head have suffered major injuries, and thankfully there were no causalities."
"With Kurogiri loose, who knows what could happen." Izuku rubbed his neck and sighed deeply. "And now we've got a new problem. If Kurogiri manages to get more people, if he manages to build the League back up-"
"He can't. You said it yourself, Tomura was the face of the League. With him and All for One locked away, nobody is gonna join the League." Bakugo blurted out while keeping his eyes on the screen.
"Yeah, we won. What's the worst that can happen now?" Kaminari smiled, and all of them watched as the screen changed to one of the anchors.
"This just in..." the news anchor slowed down, just staring blankly at the screen. "... Despite the best efforts of the surgeons involved, Toshinori Yagi, the former pro hero known as All Might has died due to complications from his injuries." Everyone reacted differently to this. Some gasped in shock and started crying, some clenched their fists in anger, some merely sat in shocked silence. Moments later, their phones chimed with a text alert. All of them looked at their screens to see three words across the various news alerts they got: All Might: dead.
"It is believed that the damage sustained was due to the new leader of the League of Villains, Tomura Shigaraki, who is currently imprisoned at Tartarus High Security Prison. Toshinori Yagi has no surviving family members, and no next of kin. His closest friends and family are Dr David Shield as well as the students and facility of U.A. High School."
Izuku got up and walked out the door, activating Full Cowling. He just started running, further and further into the distance, with the words from the news report echoing louder and louder with each step he took. Eventually, his foot caught on a tree root, and he tumbled forward into the dirt. Getting up and looking around, he saw he had managed to make it to the woods at the rear area of U.A. He let out a loud yell of anger and slammed his fist into the ground, breaking the soil beneath him.
"Well, you've certainly had better days." Izuku looked up to see himself in a black vest and red tie, glowing red eyes string down at him.
"... You're not real. You're not here."
"Of course not. I'm just here to guide you back to what you need to be."
"You're not in my head anymore."
"... Really? I may not be a split persona, but I was you. Your darkest thoughts and emotions, all rolled into one. I'm not leaving until you admit it."
"Admit what?"
"That you failed. As a hero. Mirio lost One for All because you weren't there to help him. Nighteye was almost killed because you weren't fast enough. Eraser doesn't have his quirk anymore because you didn't get to him in time. And now All Might is dead because you failed to stop someone you should have. You know Tomura, you know what he's like. So why didn't you stop him in time?"
"You're lying. I did-"
"Everything you could, right? But it wasn't enough. You tried, Izuku. You really did. You can fight the League, you can fight Tomura, but not who you are. You can fight the villains so well because you know how they think. You can take them down easily because that's how I used to do it. The heroes, they don't trust you. They see you as a kid waiting to crack from the pressure and switch sides again. You're a threat to them, to your class, to everyone. But not the villains. They'll see you as their new leader, if you let them."
"... shut up." Izuku gripped his fists, and turned his head away.
"You know I'm right. You'll never be one of the heroes. Not fully, not the way they need you to be. So why not just... embrace it?" Deku held out his hand towards Izuku, who simply met his gaze. Izuku stared down at the ground again, and heard someone come up behind him.
"Izuku!" Katsuki had caught up to him. "Listen, I know that- I... I don't know what to say, actually."
"Than don't. It was my fault." Izuku stared up at Deku, and got to his feet. "I wasn't enough of a hero."
"Bullshit! Those bastards pulled a dirty fucking trick, and you know it! They saw a shot, and they took it because they knew we'd be stretched too thin. They took him to break us, our spirits. But I won't let them!" Bakugo watched as Izuku clenched his fist and stared off in the distance.
"... I refuse." Izuku looked at Deku, who simply smirked at him. "I refuse to let you win. Ever." He swiped his arm through Deku's face, and the villain simply turned into black smoke. Katsuki came up and put his hand on Izuku's shoulder.
"All Might once said that a villain's real power is to crush a hero's will to fight. I won't let that happen to me, or you. All Might didn't give up thinking you could be a great hero. And I won't either." The two hugged and Izuku walked back to the dorms to find someone waiting at the door. She was dressed in a doctor's lab coat, and as the duo approached, she walked towards them.
"Izuku Midoriya?"
"Yes?"
"... I was... I'm sorry I couldn't save him." she began to tear up and Izuku realized she was one of the surgeons. He went forward and gave her a brief hug.
"You did what you could."
"... Thank you... This is for you." She handed him an envelope with his name on it. He took it and felt something heavy inside. "He wanted you to have it."
"... Thank you." As he walked inside, Bakugo nodded to the doctor. Walking inside, Izuku tore open the envelope to see a small electronic disk.
"That's a hologram projector. They used those to give us our entrance exam results." Bakugo looked at the device and Izuku held it in his hand. He walked over to the couch and placed it on the table in front of him.
"Maybe we should-" Uraraka started before Izuku turned to her.
"No. You all deserve to hear whatever it is... I trust all of you." He pushed the top of the device and a hologram of All Might in his deflated state popped up.
"Young Midoriya. I know you've been going through a lot and I wanted to talk to you about your goal. You once told me you wanted to be a hero like me, that that ideal was what drove you. To be someone who can protect the innocent and ensure they can live peaceful lives. And while that is a great ideal, I have some words of advice. Don't do it the way I did. To become the Symbol of Peace, I cast aside many things. My former sidekick, my friends, my own social life even. I saw a goal and I ran to it, a bright light that would serve as a comfort or a warning. But that isn't what I want for you. Please, don't make yourself the only pillar this world needs to stay together with. Find people who will be pillars alongside you, be more than just a symbol. Be someone that can save whoever they can, and make sure others are there to save you if you need it. Well, I gotta get going. I'm heading out to see an old friend tomorrow, and I need to get to the training session. Remember, young Midoriya, the power you have is one that all people will need to protect them. So go beyond. Plus ultra!" As the device shut off, Izuku was in tears and he felt an arm come around his shoulder. Uraraka pulled him close and he held onto her for a while. Pulling away, he looked down at his phone. He dialed his home and waited.
"Izuku? I just heard. Are you-" Inko blurted out into the phone and Izuku rubbed the back of his head.
"I'm fine. But I'd like to see you."
Tartarus Prison, later:
All for One watched as his cell opened and a very distraught looking Eraser Head walked in. The hero's eyes were red and his hands were shaking. All for One simply smiled, and Eraser Head gripped his fists at the gesture.
"He's gone, isn't he?... Who managed to do it?" All for One's voice was full of joy, and Eraser Head simply took in a few deep breaths before speaking.
"Tomura. But he's in custody, and his quirk's been permanently erased. All of them are in custody, except for Kurogiri. But I doubt anyone will follow a glorified butler. Your League failed. It's over." He turned away, and stopped suddenly when he heard the villain laughing behind him. Turning around, he saw the same simple smile on the Symbol of Evil's face.
"No." All for One leaned back in his restraints. "We've dealt our blow. And now, comes the end." As he finished talking, the lights went out. Emergency lights glowed red, and a burst of fire and rubble came from behind the villain.
"Come on! Eight seconds, let's go!" Eraser Head watched through the containment glass as a group of people grabbed the villain and took him out through a newly blasted hole in the back wall. Eraser Head pounded on the glass and watched as the lights came back on, and the glass raised up. The pro rushed forward to see a portal closing on the ground behind the blasted wall. Running out into the hall, he grabbed a guard by the collar.
"GET ME TO U.A. HIGH! NOW!"
All for One's hideout:
The group warped through, and All for One was stood upright as his team of rescuers undid his restraints. His doctor walked over and gave the Symbol of Evil his new life support mask. All for One breathed heavily before cracking his knuckles, turning to his doctor.
"Thank you, my friend."
"It wasn't easy planning this. The jailbreak was the hardest part, multiple agents will be exposed to the police and we probably won't get another chance like that. In any case, I have a few things for you." The doctor walked over to his workbench with his master behind him. "A few upgrades to your arsenal."
"I'm intrigued already." All for One saw the doctor hold up a plain black suit.
"Looks like your old one, but this is made out of shock absorbent material. Won't take the full force off you, but it'll lessen the impact. Your mask has also been upgraded with a communicator tied directly to me as well as a radio scrambler so the heroes can't effectively communicate. And finally, there's this." The doctor held up a small red box, and inside was a single red bullet.
"Quirk erasing bullet. Made by the Shie Hassaikai, and retrieved by Tomura. They seem to permanently remove a person's quirk. The Hassaikai head tested it on the boy called Mirio, and while he still has his permeation quirk, he seems less stronger than he used to be. My guess is the serum works against the most dominant power in a subject first." The doctor rambled on as All for One smiled under his mask.
"Meaning the only one with One for All now... is Izuku. Thank you for your dedication, my friend." All for One closed the bullet box and looked back to his rescuers. His fingers produced red and black tendrils, and the thugs fell to the ground in pain. All for One smiled as he felt the power flow through him. Kurogiri walked up to him and knelt down.
"My master, what do we do know?"
"I'm afraid your purpose has been fulfilled, Kurogiri. I created you to watch over Tomura until he achieved his goals. That goal has been reached, and thus you are no longer needed." All for One used his quirk on Kurogiri, who went rigid and fell to the ground after the deed was done. All for One walked over to the hideout's entrance and opened the door to see the night sky over a mountain side in Japan.
"Now, we make the final move."
U.A. Conference Room, minutes later:
"All for One has escaped-" Click.
"The so called Symbol of Evil has broken out-" Click.
"Tartarus staff has arrested no less than ten people who were responsible for sabotaging the prison's defenses-" Click.
"No telling what will happen, now that this personification of evil has been freed." Click. The teachers, pros and police all gathered around, trying to come up with a viable strategy.
"He's going to be planning something big! We need to find him!" Eraser Head pounded his fist on the table.
"We're actively searching, but with the man's resources and his ally Kurogiri, we're having a hard time." Nezu responded.
"What we need to do is-" Midnight was cut off as the door swung open and Izuku stepped inside wearing his hero outfit.
"Izuku, we're-"
"I know how to draw him out." The rest of the room fell silent as he walked forward. "He wants to end All Might's legacy, to destroy One for All. So I'll give him the chance to." Everyone in the room looked at each other, and finally principal Nezu spoke up.
"... How?"
Villain Bar, later:
Giran was walking away from the evening's celebration. Villains everywhere were cheering for the League's victory. All Might was dead, and now the Symbol of Evil had returned. Giran lit a cigarette and walked with a smile on his face, until a hand grabbed him from the alleyway. Giran cried out as he was lifted off the ground and slammed against a wall. He looked down to see a green haired young man looking at him with anger in his eyes.
"Kid?! Hey, long time, no se-" Izuku slammed his fist into the wall next to Giran.
"Find All for One or someone who talks to him. Tell him if he wants to end All Might's legacy, I'll be at the memorial site tomorrow at ten A.M." Giran nodded and ran off. Izuku simply walked away, hopeful that his plan would work. Because if it didn't, everything was over.
Hey guys, author here! Sorry this took me a while, and sorry if certain parts are a little rushed. I've been struggling with some stuff, and feeling overwhelmed by a lot of things. In any case, the last two chapters I hope to have out some time this month, so look forward to that. Until then, hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading!