Epilogue

Shoto took Toya's death the worst. He took to covering his left side with ice, as if the moderate disguise would somehow lock away the ability inside of him. He became aloof and cold to everyone except for his aunt, who continued to train him. Though Shoto didn't know it, Teiko saw the living incarnation of little Enji in the boy's demeanor. Teiko spent years with him not on his quirk, but in building his natural abilities. By the time he entered UA, he probably could have become a sidekick.

Natsuo was accepted to a prestigious high school and shamelessly spent his father's money on the ridiculously high tuition. He studied and entered college to become a doctor. As for Fuyumi, she was the one who told Rei. She never told her family how the mother took her eldest son's death. The girl went on to become a teacher. Thanks to her personal relationship with every student and caring nature, her classes always scored among the highest of their year. Fuyumi and Natsuo moved out almost as soon as they were able, which left Shoto as the sole child in the home.

Once, Teiko tried to visit Dabi, but he and Akagura refused to let her in. Though she saw Akagura at the Quirk Gym on a few occasions, she never saw the young man that had once been her nephew. Akagura said that Dabi wanted to wait to make his debut until he could take a hit. She kept attending, up until Quirk Gyms were made illegal. At first, Teiko hated losing her outlet, but only found more inspiration to spare with Enji. The two fought in the refurbished training hall, where no one else would go. Teiko visited Rei once a week. At least once a month, Enji sent a gift with her. Most of them were surprisingly on point, as if he'd been listening all along.

When the Sports Festival aired, Teiko watched from the stands. Shoto's first match went as predicted. In the second, when he faced a boy named Midoriya, she was in awe at the opponent. Not only did he have enough strength to stop the ice with detrimental flicks of his fingers, but he got some hits in. The game changed abruptly as Shoto used his fire. Teiko watched with satisfaction when the boy slipped into the stance she showed Toya nearly a decade before. Whether or not he had meant to, he'd saved the information for just the right time.

Like the rest of the crowd, she watched her nephew fight against Bakugou in the last round. "Holy fuck," a guy said beside her. "It's like we're watching the pros." He said to himself, though easily loudly enough that everyone around them heard. Teiko knew that if the two fought in hand to hand combat, the blonde would win. Use your fire…yes! She watched Shoto lift his hand. She wanted him to use his abilities as much as her brother, though she hadn't pushed him once in all their years of training.

Teiko saw the indecision slip over the boy's face. In that moment, she knew her nephew lost the battle. Once the games were over, Shoto went to visit his mother. After seeing Rei, he asked Teiko to begin to train his flames. "Well…" she pretended to hesitate, though did so with a smile, "if you insist. So who's lit the fire under you? Bakugou or Midoriya?" He didn't answer, but proceeded to toss flames in her direction. Teiko chuckled and they worked harder. She liked seeing the change from a cold introvert to a fifteen year old that seemed to finally find some passion other than hating his father. He'll never forget Toya, but he seems like he'll move on.

Shoto's internship with Enji's agency was proof enough that Shoto was headed in the right direction. The very same hour Shoto's paperwork was sent to Endeavor's office, Enji called his sister to gloat. "Whatever that Midoriya kid did, it worked! My son is going to come to work at my agency!" He sounded like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Is there another hero called Endeavor? It could be a—"

"You shut your mouth," he huffed at once. He didn't need her sass, but he had no one else who would understand the bridge young Shoto had crossed. "Finally. I've waited years for this, Teiko. Just let me have my moment."

"Don't cry too much, you big baby."

The following night, Enji and Teiko sat together and watched the evening news. She heard of the Hero Killer. He sounds like he could be a friend of Stendhal's. Beside her, Enji glowered. "Why don't they call him what he is? A villain!" He considered his public image. "If I could be the one to stop him, after what he's done to Ingenium…" Enji knew his sister hated when he spoke of his job, so he trailed off thoughtfully.

When Stain's arrest showed on the TV not long afterwards, Teiko knew for an undeniable fact that the man was Stendhal, the current mentor for her 'dead' nephew. When Enji and Shoto arrived home the following evening, Enji took none of the credit. In the home, he bragged relentlessly of how his son was the cement that had held the student team together. Shoto told his version of events, which Teiko appreciated. Once more, he asked to train.

Though Teiko told herself that Dabi had made his decision years ago, she couldn't help but worry. Had he died of his injuries? Why had Stain acted alone? She didn't have to wait long. The media showed a forest fire was filmed at a UA training camp. Oh, Dabi… your own brother? Did you know? Enji was ready to rush out at once, but the reporter said the tally of injured before he even got the chance. Teiko looked at her brother and chuckled. "Settle down, old man. You're going to pop a knee out of place." On the exterior she was calm, but her mind was stuffed to the brim.

"Ha. Ha," he retorted tonelessly. It had been nine years since they'd last physically fought. Enji hadn't raised a fist to anyone in the home ever since Toya's supposed flame-out. "That fire sure looks like Toya's did," he muttered thoughtfully, though with obvious regret. In those rare moments where she heard genuine sorrow in his voice, Teiko knew he was a changed man.

"It's a shame that he's gone." She agreed. Teiko had yet to call Todoroki Toya dead.

The End

The story continues in Crimson Tides.