A/N: Well. Hope you all will enjoy the tale I plan on making here! Got to say it's going to be quite a thing, if for no other reason than because it'll end up covering a decent bit of time. I'll try not to drag things out, if possible, at least. That said, it will be a while before we start getting to when 'canon' would begin normally.

Now then, let's get on with the story, shall we?

My Spectral Hero Academia

Chapter 1

Back to their youth, but not quite the same as they once had...

Enji awoke with a startled gasp, trying to take in breaths of air, he let himself be this way, if only because after everything he had went through, he figured no one would be around to notice this moment of weakness of his. Though once he took a few seconds to calm himself down, his mind immediately tried to figure out what happened and where he was. If he didn't know any better, he thought he was in his old room...

The same room he had in the apartment he and his father lived in...

Enji had to admit, he felt rather strange. He figured that perhaps it would be best to look at himself in the mirror, if only to try and see if it was anything like how he felt...

'I don't get it. It almost feels like I'm, younger?' He thought as he managed to fumble his way to his bathroom, it must have said something about him with how easily he remembered how he would manage to get himself to there even in the middle of the night as it seemed to be right now. Part of him wanted to reminisce on what bittersweet memories he had with his father, back before the elder Todoroki died that is.

When Enji finally made it to the bathroom and turned the light on, after wincing and closing his eyes briefly to let them adjust to the sudden amount of light. He couldn't help the gasp he let out when he saw what the mirror had to offer. He brought a hand up to his face and marveled at how the reflection in the mirror followed his movements.

'Holy shit! I AM younger!' He thought with amazement, part of him unable to believe that he seemingly was sent back in time or something akin to it. He was so caught up in his sudden return to youth that he didn't hear the sound of someone walking through his room and standing right outside the bathroom doorframe...

"Enji?" Nothing would keep him from hearing his father's voice, however. Yet he couldn't help but tense up at the sound of it.

'There's no way. It's impossible!' Enji thought to himself, rigidly, mechanically almost turning his gaze to look at where the voice came from, he wanted to believe that it wasn't real, that it was some sort of sick trick by someone with a voice mimicking quirk, but his eyes couldn't lie, and the sight of his Father, alive and well, stared right back at him...

"Enji? Are you alright?" Hauro Todoroki asked. Even in the somewhat limited light the bathroom. Enji couldn't mistake his father's eyes, a shade of brilliant blue that Enji felt like he could never provoke the same warmth and care as his father had. Nor could he forget the dark burgundy shade of his father's hair as it appeared in the lamplight. And the concern he expressed for his son was all too clear to disuade Enji of anything other than it being his father in front of him...

If anyone who knew of Endeavor was around to see this, they would have raised an eyebrow of the once again young teen throwing himself into his father and embracing him tightly, muffled sobs and shaking of his (admittingly tall for his age) body indicating how he was all but breaking down in tears at the sight of the man he did so much in honor of. Hauro for his part was partly taken aback by his son's sudden need to hold onto him as though he would slip away into dust or something. Still the single father did his best to return the hug and try to silently comfort his son as best he could.

"There, there. It's alright son. I am here." Hauro said, and Enji couldn't even try to scoff or anything of the sort of his father saying to him the phrase he would associate with All Might...

After taking a few moments to let the most of his tears out for the time being. Enji would manage to get his breathing in relative order and manage to speak even if it was in a somewhat water voice. "F-father. I-is this real?"

Hauro simply patted Enji's head comfortingly. "As real as it can be son. Seems you had a pretty major nightmare huh? Guess it's not that surprising granted. What with it only being a day away from starting your first year at UA and all."

That caused Enji to pause and think for a moment. He knew his father had originally died prior to him even thinking about becoming a hero, indeed it was the death of his father, and that poor girl to a lesser extent, that caused Enji to become a Pro Hero in the first place.

Still, he had to be sure. "C-could you remind me why I decided to go to UA? I-I'm all scattered with my thoughts at the moment." He asked his father, part of him embarrassed at how relatively youthful his voice was. It was honestly a bit surreal to hear his own voice like that again after what felt like lifetimes ago...

Hauro's hold onto his son's shoulders was just a bit tighter as though to comfort him better. "Well, there was that villain attack at the school I work at when you were 13 remember. I was with a little girl that was one of my students for P.E for the day. And then some rubble came down on us..." He explained, Enji took a steadying breath as he took it all in, his mind going through and trying to reconstruct the scene to the best of his ability...

Except, there was something rather odd as he tried to rebuild the scene in his mind. It was as though there were two sets of memories, the one he is familiar with in which both his father and the girl died, and the other...

Enji's confusion must have been visible on his face as his father gave a soft chuckle. "Want to sit down and talk about it?" Hauro asked. Enji simply nodded as the two of them went into his bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I... Dad. I know it'll probably sound crazy, but. I remember you and that girl dying, and somehow also not?" Enji said. And it seemed Hauro could tell that there was more too it, be it fatherly instincts or simply able to tell how Enji had an older look in his eyes the more he looked over his son to make sure he was alright.

"Well, I'm sure we got some time, it's only 9:30 P.M. after all." Hauro said with a slight chuckle. Still, the haunted look in Enji's eyes made him feel concern for his son.

"You sure? I-I've got a lot to talk about, and it's not exactly all sunshine and rainbows..." Enji said, sadness and regret heavy in his voice, and yet rather than see his father shirk away from it, he seemed to only radiate warmth and support to his son as he silently nodded.

And so. Enji explained the general key points of his life from the prior timeline, how on that day following that villain attack, Hauro and that girl he tried to save both wound up tragically dying even though he tried to save her. And while Hauro was saddened to hear how his son recalled an instance where he wasn't even able to save a young girl who had so much life and a future ahead of her. It was nothing compared to what came after. There was a bittersweet feeling in Hauro Todoroki's heart as his son said how he vowed to become a hero so as to keep tragedies like his from happening to others ever again if he could help it. How his son wound up pushing himself hard and exceling in his hero studies, eventually becoming a capable enough hero and climbing his way up the ladder of the hero rankings to reach the number two spot, withing barely two years or so of graduating from UA no less. Yet he could see the grimace on Enji's face and hear how disappointed he was in his voice as he said how he was always beaten out by this one guy. And how no matter what Enji did, no matter how many cases he closed, no matter how many villains he apprehended or otherwise ensured would go to prison. It seemed like it was never enough. He had a concerned look as Enji said how, if he couldn't beat the number one, who Enji seemed to make sure not to mention his hero or civilian name to Hauro, probably because said hero wasn't anywhere near that sort of level to be noticed yet or the like, then he would try and have a child who was powerful enough to achieve his goal for him.

Enji didn't give the name of the young woman he married in that timeline either. Only that she had a rather powerful ice quirk who Enji decided to enter into an arranged marriage with both because her parent's felt his wealth and success would do well for their own struggling finances. And also, to ensure she wouldn't be forced into a truly loveless marriage with someone she either barely knew or didn't know at all. Apparently, her family was of a rather traditional sort following old customs and the like. Including of arranged marriages well before the quirk era it seemed. Yet all that changed when quirks came into the picture was trying to ensure a more capable and useful quirk in the family line, even after the outlawing of quirk marriages, they still tended to consider the potential candidates quirk if only as something beyond mere wealth and/or social standing...

Yet, even without naming her in any direct sense. Hauro could tell that Enji did love her in a way, even if the marriage was an arranged one between them. The fact is that both seemed to have something of a kinship between them and found themselves falling for each other and going along with the marriage for their own sakes and not simply due to obligation. In that Hauro couldn't help but give a rueful smile. He figured that he would have loved to meet the young lady who wound up taking his one and only son's heart. Still, Enji admitted that he felt lacking as a Husband, and even more so as a father. While he didn't give names of any of the children, only that he had 3 sons and a daughter. With the oldest son having a fire quirk that was more powerful than even his own yet left with a body that was more resilient against ice than flames. Along with how Enji wound up pushing him so far during training, only to then stop altogether once he found how his son's quirk would burn him alive if he kept using it. Still, it clearly wasn't all just trying to have a perfect child. As his daughter was born shortly after his eldest and seemed to be more of ensuring that the family had more than just themselves and their eldest. As Enji shared how his once-future wife had a lonely life of her own growing up and both sought to have multitudes of children to ensure they wouldn't have any children of theirs suffer through that same thing. In a way it made Hauro feel his heart warm as he could imagine his son grown to a strong man who has a loving wife and a number of children to keep them all company. It was something he wished he could have given Enji yet felt a twinge of regret at how things with his former wife turned out. She just couldn't care for their son like he did. And it seemed in the timeline that Enji remembers it seemed like she didn't try to get in touch with him at all, even after Hauro's death, or even when he got 2nd place in the rankings...

Hauro wasn't sure if he should be thankful or saddened by the fact his former wife and mother of their son didn't bother to keep in touch even after all those years, Enji didn't even know if she was even alive till the end or died at some point. Though Hauro and Enji both agreed that it didn't matter all that much in the end, she wasn't really present in Enji's life aside from the very start of it, why force her to get involved in it now? Still he did hope she had a decent life, if only because he didn't want anything awful to happen to her. A woman who didn't try to be a mother she was. But at least Enji was around, and that was all he could ask for really...

Still, it did give a somber feeling to his heart as Enji said how he and his wife tried for another child, another son, but only had a version of her quirk which wasn't strong enough to achieve what was needed in Enji's eyes. Still, he did care for his family, as it was partly being done in an attempt to get their eldest to stop and not harm himself through his quirk usage. And when Enji said how their fourth and final child was born, and how he could tell just by looking at him that this one was the one he had been trying so hard for all this time. Yet Enji said how it was probably was then that thing's started taking a turn for the worse. How he pushed his youngest son so hard when his quirk came in, training him to the point the poor thing would throw up at times from exhaustion. Keeping him separate from all his siblings to ensure he would become the means to achieve what he always wanted. Though it wasn't just him, the rest of the family had suffered as well, his wife kept distant and mostly around to care for the children as needed. His eldest growing angry and furious at his youngest for being the 'perfect child'...

And then. He saw how utterly haunted Enji's eyes became as he recounted what happened on Sekoto Peak. How his oldest son had been training in secret behind the rest of the family's backs. How enraged Enji was, how he lashed out against his wife, who was powerless to keep their oldest from doing so as his hatred and disgust grew. But the worst of it was when Enji described how he came to the peak one night, how the entire area was in flames. And how all he could find was the melted scraps of what had once been his oldest son's clothing. Hauro doesn't say anything as he takes Enji into his arms again for another hug. Unable to keep himself from shedding a few tears for a grandson he never knew yet could relate to the pain Enji felt as a father all the same. Even if he never dealt with such things himself. He always had such fears in his mind at times. And seeing how his son experienced such things for himself. It made Hauro all the more grateful that his son was alive and here with him right now...

Still, the sadness doesn't end there unfortunately. As Enji describes how he became even more bitter and abrasive to his family. How his children became afraid of him, and how his wife wound up suffering a mental break and splashed scalding hot water on their youngest because of how much he looked like his oldest brother and his father. The look of self-loathing and self-hatred in Enji's eyes as he says how she wound up being sent to a mental hospital for her own wellbeing makes it clear that there had been a lot of things that Enji didn't have the heart to recount, if only for his own well-being as well as Hauro's. And while the elder Todoroki wants to assure his son that he can handle it all. He can tell looking into his son's eyes that it isn't about him, but rather Enji himself who can't handle all of it right now...

Still, he can't help but give a slight smile of how Enji describes how his youngest son winds up getting into UA and how his classmates all seem to be rather decent and kind and even if not as strong quirk wise for the most part, all provide their own skills and abilities that ends up making them capable enough as is. He notices how Enji describes one boy, apparently chosen by the #1 who he was constantly trying to overcome. Went out of his way to talk to his youngest and have him accept his flames as his own rather than something of his father's. While he does feel saddened by the guilt Enji displays. He is thankful that his youngest grandson at least managed to have people he could call friends. When Enji describes how his youngest son and his class finds themselves caught up in a villain attack barely 3 days into their first year, Hauro can't help but be amazed at how such teenagers barely the same age as Enji is right now manage to take on so much so early on their journey to becoming worthy hero's...

Hauro ask's Enji if that one boy who was picked out as the successor to the number one hero Enji has a rivalry with isn't his secret love child or something. That causes Enji to laugh heartedly as he mentions how his youngest son asked that boy the same thing. And Enji himself even wound up confronting him about it. To which he said how the shocked and surprised look on the man's face was priceless as far he was concerned. But even then, Enji quickly sobers up and says how things progressed. How he got the #1 spot he always wanted. But rather than earning it himself, it was given to him because the last guy had to retire. Hauro can tell Enji is mostly giving him summaries at this point. How the villains wind up becoming more and more powerful, both in creating artificial beings that house multiple quirks, and then how they end up having a whole army eventually. All culminating in a grand final battle that, while it was ultimately won by the heroes, had left its scars both on various heroes, and Japan as a whole...

The fact Enji's eldest son turns out to be one of those villains and tries to kill him and his youngest, with his wife and other two children giving all they could to stop said eldest from unleashing an attack that would have truly been devastating if the look in Enji's eyes are to be believed. Along with how it wound up being that said eldest died still having hatred for his family even after everything. It saddens Hauro greatly to see what became of his son's family. But even still, they lived. While the wife and 'middle' children had suffered numerous burns, they all seemed to come out of it with something of renewed bonds. While there was mourning of the loss of their eldest son/brother. In the end it seemed like they had begun to finally move on and recover, to become something truly akin to a proper family again. One that seemed like it would have begun to grow larger if Enji mentioning how his youngest son began to grow closer to a young lady also in their hero course was anything to go by...

Enji says how for a time things appeared to be looking up, only for all of that to suddenly change. It's rather quick as Enji says what happens towards the 'end' as it were. And Hauro can tell Enji is mostly doing it to not let himself get overwhelmed by the more 'recent' memories he has in his mind still. And yet his heart can't help but feel anguish as he can see what lies behind the words Enji says. How he wouldn't have the chance to be a grandfather himself due to what happened to his other two children. And how his youngest son and all of their friends, (extended family Hauro thinks in his mind) try so hard to face off against a thing that made even the worst villains in history seem mid-tier at most. How Enji, his wife and a number of others wished so desperately for something, anything, to help save them. And how that very same thing did...

Enji takes a moment to breath once he finished explaining to his father everything that happened. Looking over his father's face to see how he reacts to all the information he all but dumped onto him more or less. Enji notices the time, he wound up spending a whole hour explaining things to his father. He supposes that is more than enough to get the point across, he hopes anyhow. He braces himself, to see what sort of scolding his father will have after being explained how much of an utter failure and disappointment of a son he wound up being.

It's what he deserves after all...

And yet. The only thing Hauro Todoroki does is pull his son into a hug and cries into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you..." He hears his father say in between sobs.

Enji doesn't know what to say, or to do. His father should be disappointed, angry even. But instead, all he is just sad?

"W-why, why are you being like this?" Enji asks, stunned to disbelief.

His father pull's back, and Enji looks at his father. Seeing the sorrow and regret and shame and looks of 'why couldn't I-' that his father has in his eyes. And it is at that moment Enji realizes something...

"It's because you're my SON! Enji. And I couldn't be there for you!" He father says in anguished tears. And indeed. Enji realizes that his father doesn't hate him, he never did in either timeline he has memories of. He just wanted to be a good father to his son, and he wasn't able to be that for him. Part of Enji wonders how things would have been different had his father never died the first time around. Would he still want to be the #1 hero of Japan? Probably. He always wanted to ensure he could be something for the people of Japan to look to as a symbol of stability and strength. A brilliant flame that would stand against the darkness of villainy in all its forms. And yet, he let himself be consumed by a need to surpass All Might, because nothing he did was ever enough in Enji's eyes. There was just always, another case to solve, another villain to defeat, another disaster to intervene in, another crisis to manage. Always something that he needed to put everything he had into, and even still. All he had was second place compared to Toshinori Yagi. To All Might...

Another thing he wondered. If his father was around the first time around, would he have such an intense dislike of Yagi? While Enji was rather annoyed at how overly cheery and public pleasing All Might looked to be during his hero days. Yet after the 'final battle' as it was known then, once he and Toshinori actually took time to sit down and talk. Enji found that the two of them had a fair bit more alike than dislike in some ways. They both wanted to help people as much as to prevent tragedies they had both faced in their own lives as part of their motivation to be hero's. Both had lost someone they considered family. The only difference was that Toshinori felt with the power he was given that he had to live a life of solitude. Whereas Enji didn't have such reservations and wanted to be the best there was, and if that meant having a family and children would ensure that. He was willing to do so. Still, it truly was surprising to find out that young Midoryia was not Toshinori's biological son, as Enji thought the way the interacted with each other was highly reminiscent of a loving father and son duo. In a way Enji realized, it somewhat reminded him of those moments he spent with his father when neither was busy with day-to-day things in life, when he was a few years younger and wasn't as needed to ensure the house was in order.

While Enji was worried about things like the Butterfly effect, after all while there was no recorded instance of a Time Travel Quirk or a device that could enable it. People still had various ideas on what would happen in the case of such things if they were to occur, that and there was always some interest in such things in media even after the advent of quirks. And yet, it's clear a number of things had already changed. He supposed it wasn't so bad so far that is. While he had no doubt All For One was out there. Enji felt like the man wouldn't attempt anything just yet. If only because from what he understood of the ancient villain. He was the sort that tended to be on the megalomaniacal side of things. And while he was worried about that thing being out there. He suddenly has something flash in his mind, of the memory of that day a few years ago playing out in front of him again...

He's standing there, shocked still at sight of what happened, one moment, everything seemed fine and normal, the next, a villain attack comes in and he sees his father trying to cover a little girl from falling rubble and...

Moment's pass, he's not sure how long. Only that he gets jostled out of his stupor when he sees a bright beam of light emerge from the rubble. And the sight of it shifting as something seems to be lifting it up from beneath it. And then in a sight that leaves him speechless, he sees his father and the little girl, his father showing signs of injury, but the little girl is surprisingly unharmed, and yet the one thing that grabs his attention along with everyone else is the sight of the third figure with them. It's clearly masculine in shape. Not overly board in width, yet not overly narrow either, a decent amount of height that he supposes could compare to his own one day. It looks as though it has some sort of suit of armor on it. More reminiscent of a soldier out of some pre-quirk era sci-fi game than anything else. It's armor looking to be a mix of light grey, white, and blue lines that seem to have some sort of energy flowing through it all. Even still, the figure seems etherical in nature. More akin to a ghost or other sort of spirit than anything solid.

"Holy- It's the Ranger! A Specter is here!" Someone says in awestruck reverence. Indeed, Enji had heard tales of the Specters, the two of them being more akin to legend and myth to many people. Afterall, how else can one describe the two beings many historians claim to have been the first examples of heroes that also directly predated the first child with a quirk!

To Enji, however. He notices it, and it notices him. It feels as though it is looking through to his very soul. Yet rather than feel a sense of fear and worry at getting its notice. Instead, he feels a sense of ease. As though it is grateful to be there for him and his father at this time. The little girl manages to get to her parents, the two of them worried for her, yet bow in respect to the Specter, who merely shrugs and nods to his father. The parent's notice him and also give thanks to him, his father merely smiles and says how he was just doing what any man would do. Enji somehow finds himself able to move again and goes to his father. Who he tearfully hugs, even if his father needs to take time to heal and recover, Enji can't help but be happy to know his father is alive. He turns to the Specter, and wants to say something, anything, to show how grateful he is to the figure. Except, it merely nods. Gives him a pat on the shoulder. And it walks off. He turns to check on his father, but by the time he turns back, it's already gone. Yet even still. Enji is aware what it means when a Specter appears. That for those it interacts with, be it the Ranger or the Wayfinder, those whom they take notice of are said to have the potential to become amazing heroes. All it does for him is cement his resolve. He hadn't really thought of it beforehand, but now? After seeing what happened to his father and how utterly lucky they all were for the Specter to show up when it did. It all but confirms to Enji that he should become a hero. And he feels a certain ease in his heart. Like he's finally on the right path to life...

As the memory ends. Enji feels more at ease in his heart now. For all that he had suffered through in the prior timeline. He's been given a second chance to make things right. And he will do everything in his power to ensure that the future that comes truly is a better one. And he can't help but feel these Specters are part of why he has such a chance now. If he ever has the chance to, he'll make sure they know he is as grateful as can be for the chance to not only redeem himself, but to make a better life for his father and so many others...

...

Toshinori Yagi had a bit of a difficult childhood before he met Nana Shimura. That is to say, he found himself orphaned at an early age. Barely anything of his parents aside from a few photos of them. Even still, he always cared and loved the memory of them for all it was. The fact that he was quirkless didn't make it easier, few foster families bothered to keep him around, and even then, it was mostly just to fill otherwise empty space they couldn't fill out otherwise...

Yet when he awakes, he the room he's in is different from any he had once been in. He realizes he's 15 again, an odd thing to be sure. But he supposes that of any outcome of whatever it was that occurred, this isn't all that bad considering. He just hopes he can get to Nana and talk to her in time and keep her from giving up Kotaru and-

Wait. Why does he know the name of Nana's son so well? He figures that it is because of how he looked up any history of what happened after Nana separated herself from the boy and everything that happened.

So why does it feel like that isn't the reason?

"Toshi? You alright kiddo?" He hears Nana's voice. Part of him wants to think it's just some dream and that any moment now he'll wake up alone and with no one around and-

He takes a moment to breath in and turns around. He can't help the gasp that comes out when he sees her. It'd been so long since he last saw her smiling and alive and-

"Woah! Toshinori! You okay kid?" Nana asks. Surprised at the fact that he hugs her tightly. He takes a moment to take it all in and he can't help but cry a bit at the fact that Nana is alive...

He feels one of her hands in his hair as the other one is on his back. "N-nana! I-..." He tries to say, but he can't help but sniffle a little as he feels tears wanting to come out and-

"Shh. It's alright Toshi. You can let it out. I'm right here with you kiddo." She tells him, in that oh so kind and motherly voice she always had with him when they weren't busy training or being as Mentor and Mentee and he can't help but cry and sob and...

And he just let's all the built-up emotions he's held in finally out. And it feels so reliving to finally not have to keep it all in and just let things be.

When he finally manages to stem the waterworks. Toshi can't help but feel embarrassed as he sits on his bed(?) and Nana accompanies him.

"Want to talk about it?" She asks. Toshi knows he can't really keep it from her, both because it's too important to keep it from her, and also because she'd likely have Gran Torino involved and Toshi isn't sure he can handle having him trying to get Toshi to open up along with how everything he has had to deal with and...

Okay, breath Yagi. Calm yourself down, and focus!

"Um, would you believe me if I said I had memories of the future or something akin to it?" He says to her, and while Nana might have thought it a bit silly or just him being nervous. There must be something in his eyes or expression that tells her that it's not a joke or the like with how she simply nods and motions for him to talk about it.

And so, Toshinori does. He mostly talks about how his own life had been, saying how Nana wanted Kotaru to be kept safe from All For One and that meant that Toshi and Sorahiko kept their distance in respect to her wishes. As well as how she would end up dying in his final year in UA no less. Then talked about how he went to America for a time, met people, became friends with a guy who later on became his support specialist for a time, then eventually came back to Japan to become the Symbol of Peace like he always wanted to be. Even becoming the Number 1 Hero in Japan and respected all over the world. Yet even with all of that. All For One continued to lurk in the shadows. Eventually the two of them fought, with Toshi beating the ancient villain, if only at great physical cost. Even if he is trying to keep light on the details, Nana can't help but be a bit pale with her smile being rather tight as Toshi mentions how he had basically lost a lung and his stomach and the mental image of him being rather skeletal was something she felt rather uncomfortable with. Then of course came the rest of what happened. Namely what happened to her son and his own family. And how All For One took advantage of her future grandson and held out a hand for him when no one else, hero or civilian, did. Toshi mentioned how apparently Kotaru wound up resenting heroes as a whole, herself most of all for leaving him and no doubt had issue with his children whenever they brought up the topic of heroes. Though Toshi admitted that was mostly what he inferred from whatever reports and the like people who knew the Shimura family prior to the incident that caused all but the boy to die...

And yet, even with such an injury, Toshi still kept on being the hero as he was. Even if it was now reduced to a time limit of sorts. Yet even with all of that he still kept being the symbol of peace. She couldn't help but smile fondly as he talked about his own Successor. While he still didn't give any particular details about the boy, only really a number of notable events. It was something Nana found heartwarming, the boy who was also quirkless wanted to be a hero just like Toshi was. And while she had to admit it was understandable why Toshi initially told the boy to keep his dreams and goals realistic. The fact that he ran into danger to rescue another boy who seemed to pick on him for all those years after he found out he was quirkless, Nana had to admit Toshinori picked a good successor indeed. And it seemed like there would be a lot of great heroes in the future if what Toshi told her of the kid's classmates was anything to go by. She had to admit it was rather hilarious when Toshi mentioned how he wound up becoming a teacher at UA, while initially it was to find a successor prior to meeting that kid. He seemed to realize that his power would continue to fade and so decided to continue to go along with the teaching position to train future generations of heroes. The look of exasperation Toshi had as he mentioned how the kid had some difficulties learning how to use One for All, which caused Nana to mentally sigh and note that she should make sure Toshi can better explain how to use it to a future successor. Part of her hoping it'd be the same kid he gave it to the first time around, she figured a kid like that deserved to be a proper hero if nothing else. And then Toshi's face became a bit grim again as he mentioned other things that went on. How her future grandson was the leader of a villain organization and the 'successor' of All For One, and facing off against the 'Demon Lord of the Underworld' yet again for one last time, using all the remaining power he had left to beat him once more, this time making sure he would be locked up in Tartarus...

Sadly, even with all of that. It didn't seem like things would be easier for people, the guy who took Toshi's place wasn't quite able to handle being the number one hero of Japan, the fact the man seemed to do everything to achieve it and only got it because Toshi was retiring and having the position be 'given to him', probably didn't go well for the new Number One at all. The fact that he had his own family issues probably didn't help much. That there wound up being a breakout of Tartarus probably didn't help matters either. It was surprising however to learn how Toshi's kid (even if he kept saying the boy wasn't his actual kid, Nana couldn't help but feel otherwise) apparently had not only contacted the Vestiges of the prior users. But even wound-up gaining access to their quirks as well! It was rather interesting to know about the quirks of the prior users, and it seemed that kid was pretty clever in his own ways with how he seemed to analyze them along with other people's quirks to try and improve his own efforts of being a hero. Still, even with all of that. It was clear things would come to a head at some point, and indeed they did, the fact that All For One was using her future grandson as a new vessel of sort in a twisted reflection of the vestiges One For All had and was in essence 'becoming' him. Nana hoped that they managed to make him suffer for what he did. And indeed, they did manage to beat One For All and his 'successor', even if it came at great sacrifice to some. Nana had to admit it was amazing that apparently the support guy that Toshi became friends with had a daughter who was just as brilliant if not more so than he was and managed to create a suit of armor that not only let him try and fight against All For One, but also replicated the quirks of various students as well. She found it especially heartwarming to see how the 'teacher' was supported by his 'students' in his last great battle. She didn't get how Toshi apparently survived a Laser blast though, and even he wasn't sure how. The fact that his spine was broken caused her concern, but he mentioned how there was an adorable little girl who had a quirk that let her 'rewind' things basically. And Nana had to admit that she was sure the girl was happy to help with such things, it was twisting her in rage how that girl was used as an experiment to try and create something that could 'erase' quirks, that it was reverse engineered to give All For One his Youth was also something she didn't like, and while Toshi couldn't really comment on the how battle between the two 'successors' of All For One and One for All went down in total. The proud smile he had as he described how they managed to triumph over the villain's was something Nana felt was deserved...

Toshi mentioned how things more or less got quiet after that eventful year, how the students he taught continued on with their lives, and how even if they had some scars, be it physical or mental ones, they no doubt would have been amazing heroes. She couldn't help but have a cheeky grin as he also brought up with a blush how he wound up getting romantically involved with the mother of his successor. The fact that she reminded him of Nana herself was a curious sort of thing, and she hoped to meet her someday, maybe she could try and get her and Toshi to meet each other 'ahead of schedule'? Such thoughts were put aside however as Toshi retold how on what should have been a great and peaceful time wound up being shattered into pieces by something that was even worse than All For One or even his successor combined. Hearing the sorrow and anguish as he said how so many people died, some close to his students as either friends or family, and especially when it came to the students themselves. It made her heart weep in shared anguish at the idea of such bright and brilliant lights getting snuffed out after already having gone through such hell. The heartbreak and tears he had as he mentioned how his kid (not even trying to deny it at this point) died right in front of him and the kid's mother along with a number of others. How that thing seemed so indifferent to it all. If that thing and All For One actually teamed up...

The shivering Nana felt went down to her very soul it felt like. And it seemed Toshi had the same thought as she did with how he shuddered in much the same way. She didn't blame Toshi for wanting something, anything really. To help them. The fact that someone or something did. Made her have a slight smile as she could guess what came next.

"And let me guess, you reached out for the etheric thread and found yourself waking up here, right kiddo?" Nana finally said after taking all the information in, to which Toshi merely nodded in the affirmative. Toshinori didn't know what to reply with when Nana pulled him into a tight, almost painful hug. So, he merely hugged her back the best he could. He certainly didn't mind shedding his tears as Nana was crying as well. And as such they let it be that way for a bit...

Eventually though, they managed to separate themselves. "So, what do you plan on doing now kid?" Nana asks with a smile.

Toshi takes in a deep breath, as if to clear his mind and organize his thoughts. "Well, for one thing I was hoping to see if you would be willing to keep Kotaru around rather than simply keep him away. I know it might make him a target for All For One. But considering the future I lived through. Part of me thinks it isn't that he didn't know exactly where he was. There simply wasn't a reason for him to intervene and just let things play out as they did." He said to which Nana simply hums in thought as a response.

While Toshi was expecting any number of answers from his mentor. Her saying "Well, don't need to worry about that. I haven't bothered to do anything like that this time around since I met you after all."

Nana seems to giggle at the confused expression Toshinori has. "Cmon kid, I get how you kind of had a mental time travel thing just happen to you or something like it. But I'm sure you can go through your head and remember things, right?" She says, to which Toshinori has a thoughtful look as he tries to sift through his memories...

His eyes go wide as he notices a discrepancy. "Hold on, I'm pretty sure I met you when I was 13 and not 4, right?" He asks her. To which she simply gives her smile.

"Four and a half actually. Though I suppose it's just another change up from what you went through last time around, eh?" She said in a warm tone.

And indeed, as he sifts through his memories more of his youth, he is able to tell what he recalls from the 'first time around' and this one. Some things remain the same, like his mother being from America originally and how she and his father were loving parents who loved him dearly even after finding out he was quirkless. His gaze becomes somber as he recalls the incident where both his parents died, at the same age of four and a half years old as he was the first time around. Only, the real notable differences he notes are how, for one thing, Nana and her Husband came up to him to offer him comfort and support after the villain attack, and along with the one who pointed them to him...

He's just standing there, head down as tears keep running down his face non-stop as he can't get the image of his parents all lifeless and unmoving out of his head. At the very least both of them had peaceful expressions on their faces. As they did everything they could to protect their one and only son. He can't help the wracking sobs as he wonders why some people were so cruel and evil to want to harm people like his mommy and daddy, they never did anything to deserve something like this! He wanted to do something, anything! To help people, to have them not be so hurt and afraid anymore... But what could he do, he was just a small quirkless child. Even if he tried all his might. No one would take him seriously. But he wanted to try regardless...

"Woah, you alright kiddo?" A woman's voice asks him. He looks up to see a pretty lady in straight black hair, a kind yet sad look in her eyes as she looks at him.

"N-no. M-my mom and d-dad. T-they're gone now!" He says in between hiccups. He knew his parents told him to be mindful of strangers, but the lady was clearly a hero! So she'd help him out, right?

"Sorry to hear that kid. How old are you?" A man's voice says, he turns to look and sees a somewhat tall man with short black hair and understanding eyes standing next to the woman.

"I-I'm 4, no 4 and a half!" Toshinori says, doing a meager attempt of a watery smile to try and put on a brave face.

The woman seems to have a soft smile as she has one of her hands in his hair. "What's your name kiddo?" She asks softly.

"Y-yagi Toshinori. It's n-nice to meet you." Toshinori says, his smile not so forced as he introduces himself to the two, his parents always said to be polite and introduce yourself to people when they ask you for your name, especially heroes...

The woman smile becomes a bit warmer at Toshinori's answer. "Nice to meet you too, Yagi-kun! I'm Shimura Nana! And this handsome guy right next to me is my loveable doofus of a husband, Shimura Riku!" The lady says to a whine of the man next to her. "Nana, come on, seriously?" He says in a slightly annoyed tone and makes a slight grimace at what she says, yet it's enough to cause Toshinori to laugh at the sight of it all. And both Shimura's smile warmly at the boy who managed to laugh somewhat after everything that happened to him.

"Yagi-kun, you got anyone else who can take care of you? Any aunts or uncles or friends of your mommy or daddy?" Riku Shimura asks, to which Toshinori shakes his head. "N-no sir. I don't have any aunties or uncles, or anyone who was friends with my mommy or daddy that could take care of me." Toshinori says a frown on the two Shimura's faces as they see him start to tear up again. He knows what will probably happen to him after this, he'll be sent to an orphanage and be looked after by various families from time to time, but who'd want a quirkless kid like him!

"Hold on kiddo, did you say you're quirkless?" Nana Shimura asks. Causing Toshinori to blush as he realized he mumbled at least part of it aloud. To which the boy merely nods silently.

Riku and Nana share a look at each other, alternating between themselves and the boy. Finally, Nana pats Toshinori's head a bit. "Well, in that case. Why don't you stay with us Yagi-kun?" She says, to which Toshinori looks up in surprise at her. "R-really?! Y-you really mean it!" He asks in disbelief. To which she smiles warmly at him. "Yep! Riku and I would be happy to adopt you even if you want us too!" She says, a tooth showing smile that almost seems to shine in the boy's eyes.

"You sure about this Nana? It isn't going to be easy for us to look after the kid, plus it isn't like people are going to think highly of him due to how he's quirkless." Riku says, to which Nana gives a slight frown at her Husband. "I know, and that's exactly why we should take him in, especially because he's quirkless!" She says, giving a stern look that reminded Toshinori of how his mother would look at his dad sometimes when she was annoyed with him, at least whenever he and his dad did something like making themselves messy from playing together.

Riku sighs at that. "Alright, you win Nana. Plus got to admit, the little guy's too cute to leave him to someone who wouldn't give him the proper care." He says with a slight smile, causing Toshinori to giggle at the sight and the compliment. Nana merely smirks at her husband 'conceding' his point. "Sounds good! Plus you and I have both been thinking about having kids at some point, so having young Toshinori here would probably be good practice for both of us!" She said causing Riku to blush and Toshinori to giggle yet again at the two of them.

"T-thank you both so much!" Toshinori said with what bow he could offer as young as he was. The couple merely gave a fond smile to each other and to Toshinori as well.

"Think nothing of it. Actually, if you want to thank anyone. You should be thanking her!" Nana said, moving a bit aside and pointing to a figure Toshinori only now noticed was there...

It seemed like an angel to Toshinori, a feminine figure that seemed clad in a suit that showed it's form yet also seemed to appear tough and durable as well. All the while having an Etheric presence and grace to it that made it all the more incredible to Toshinori. And it felt like the figure was looking at him. As though it felt sad by what happened to him and wanted to help him in whatever way it could.

"Heh, you're really lucky you know that. To have one of the Specters, the Wayfinder no less, point us in your direction. You heard about the stories of the two of them yet?" Riku said to which Toshinori nodded. He had heard the stories from some of the other kids, though mostly it was just them mentioning it and him happening to listen in by proxy. "Y-yeah. Is it true they were the first heroes before quirk's showed up?" He asked to which Nana and Riku smiled. "Well, no one's around who can really say for sure, but I like to think they are. I'm sure some of the very first heroes looked at what they did as inspiration to help people!" Nana said as she looked fondly at Toshinori.

Toshinori felt a need to say something come over him, and he called out to the etheric figure. "Hey! Um, thank you very much miss Wayfinder! I hope you help other kids like you did for me, please!" He managed to say, and while he felt himself blush somewhat as the figure probably didn't hear him, yet he felt as though it was looking at him more intently, and he thought he could feel the feminine being smile warmly at him as it nodded and walked off. He looked at Nana and Riku with wide eyes, and then when he turned back to look at the figure, it was gone, as if without a trace. Yet he didn't feel sad by that fact. If anything, he felt like this was going to be the start of something amazing...

Toshinori hummed in thought as he went through the memory. Feeling himself smile as he looked at Nana Shimura, the woman who was his mentor, and in this timeline at least. His adoptive mother as well.

"You remember now kiddo?" She said with a grin as she looks at him.

Toshinori nods and leans into her shoulder. "Yeah. I remember. I also remember how Riku-san didn't die this time around, was that also because of the Specter's?" He asked.

Nana simply nodded. "Yep! Honestly it was something else to see them in action, it was almost like they were dancing really rather than simply fighting. Even All For One couldn't do much other than retreat after they pounded at him enough times." She said, to which Toshinori chuckled in response.

"I-I guess they really are something else. You think I'll be able to see them in action someday?" Toshinori asks, a bit of youthful curiosity more appropriate to his current age now in his voice.

"Well, if you're lucky maybe so kiddo." Nana says, and Toshinori can't help but smile at that.

He can't help but be a bit nervous when he sees the smirk she has on her face next though.

"So, are you sure this boy you took as your successor isn't actually your secret lovechild or something? Because the way you talk about him sounds way too much like a loving father proud of his son." Is what she says. To which Toshinori blushes and hastily denies. Only for her smirk to not let up and merely grow instead.

"Aw, come on. You don't have to be shy about it. I'm sure plenty of ladies wouldn't mind being 'saved' by you since you'd be the number one hero in the future." Nana says with wiggling of her eyebrows and a knowing smile. Only for Toshinori to groan and repeat his denial once again.

"Fine, fine. But you really don't intend on telling me who she is? After all I think it's only fair, I get to have an idea of who my future daughter-in-law is after all." Nana says, and Toshi had to be thankful he didn't have his 'old' injuries because he would have been having a fair bit of blood coming from his mouth.

"I-it isn't like that at all mom!" He exclaims, only to pause and have his eyes go wide at the last word. He looks at Nana, worried he said the wrong thing, only for her to give her fond smile she always had when spending time with him in relaxed conversation. "It's fine kiddo, you call Riku dad too after all. Plus, you're basically Kotaru's big brother." She says, and more memories come into the forefront of his mind. Memories of being officially adopted by the Shimura's as the three of them have tearful happy smiles all around. Recalling nervous trepidation when Nana first started to show signs of being pregnant, how overjoyed he was when they told him he was going to be a big brother. As well as how he did his best to be around and comfort her during her pregnancy and bonding with them and the child within her. How amazed he was at the sight of a baby Kotaru once he finally came into the world. Worried yet relieved when he saw Nana and Riku return from a villain fight that was said to had been very hard for both of them. Furthering his resolve to become a proper hero, not just for himself, but for everyone, especially his family. Both of his late biological parents, and of the parents who came in and cared for him after everything that happened. It helps make this life he has now feel more comfortable, as though he is properly beginning to settle into his new timeline.

Still, Toshnori can't help but give a somber smile. "I don't know if she's even around this time, and I'd rather not drag her into all of this if I can help it." He admits with a somewhat resigned tone. Nana can't help but frown a bit in response to that, yet her eyes brighten after a moment of thought. "Well, considering how much has already changed from your first time around, maybe she'll be around for you to meet with as well. Who knows, maybe she'll even be at UA with you, you might even share the same class together!" She says with renewed sprits. Toshi can't help but groan and shudder at the thought of having to go through all of his years at UA again. "Agh, do I have to go through it all again? I'm not sure I can handle going through my first-year training under Torino again..." Toshinori says with a clear shudder and a certain amount of fear of having to relive his first school year in UA yet again.

Nana merely chuckles at him. "Sorry kiddo. But even if you have memories of the future or other timeline or whatever what you got qualifies as. You still have to go through school to earn your hero license like everyone else." To which Toshinori simply whines wordlessly. Then sighs as he moves to lay down in his bed. "Even if by some chance she is going to UA here. I doubt she'll be in the hero course, if she has the same quirk here as she did there, she probably wouldn't assume it to be enough to get into the hero course." He says to which Nana asks what her quirk is. Toshinori figures that bit of info wouldn't cause much of a hassle, so he says how her quirk could let her telekinetically pull small objects or to that effect at least. Nana simply smiles and says how even a quirk like that could do quite a bit, even in something like the practical exam of UA.

Nana gets up from the bed and tells Toshinori to sleep, after all it's his first day at UA tomorrow. And he wouldn't want to get late to his first day of school because he was up late at night now, would he?

And so, Toshinori lies in bed getting ready to sleep. He goes through his mind trying to see what else is different in his memories of his new current timeline, and for the most part it seems like not a huge amount has changed that he can see at least. Though he does notice how apparently, he interacts with a girl who has green hair and somewhat familiar eyes...

'Could it be? Nah. Probably just a coincidence.' He thinks to himself as he drifts off to slumber.

Little would he know about just how different things would be for him in the following morning.

...

A/N: And here we go, already a few notable things have changed compared to canon. Granted I suppose if Toshinori does end up dead following the final battle I suppose my story would already be a bit of an AU even before the rest of what I got being worked on occurs. As for him being orphaned at a young age, we don't know a whole lot about Toshinori or his younger years aside from the fact that he met Nana after she fought some villain's and she commented on having lost her family as well, meaning it was likely around that time that she lost her husband and gave away Kotaru to keep him safe. So I figured why not have it so that Toshi lost his parents at an early age and have it be for this time around Nana and her husband (honestly, I didn't really think much of giving him the name Riku, it just works well enough for this) and have them adopt him. He still has his last name as is however. But he basically is a part of the Shimura family. I hope you all enjoy it, plus I figure it'd be nice to have him play a sort of big brother role to Kotaru, if nothing else it would help make him not feel particularly bitter about Hero's if nothing else.

Till next time!