To Be the Greatest Endeavor[MHA SI] – Chapter 1
xxx
"Morning Boss, it's the start of March, and Shoto is going to take the Recommendation Exam tomorrow," Moe Kamiji, also known as the Pro Hero Burnin and one of the sidekicks of the number 2 hero who was currently lying comatose on a hospital bed said as she stared at the sleeping man. "Come on, Enji, wake up, we need you. Why did this shit happen?" Burnin muttered as she clearly remembered what had happened two months ago.
They had been doing simple meet and greet, which her Boss hated doing, but it always put a smile on Moe's face to see the kids and teens smile. But it had all gone to hell when a trench coat wearing teen had requested an autograph from a reluctant Endeavor, but when he was about to take it, the boy had shot Endeavor in the head.
The teen apparently had a Quirk that could turn his finger guns into actual guns, and he had done because apparently had killed his villainous older brother a few years ago, and he had wanted revenge on the flame hero.
Though thankfully, her Boss had managed not to die due to the injury, he had instead ended up in a coma due to the damage his brain had suffered. And so he had been sleeping on the hospital bed for two months. Though not that it seemed to affect the giant of a man as he had seemingly not lost an ounce of muscle. "Makes you think you have a secondary muscle quirk because damn," Moe said as she looked at Enji's sleeping form.
But as usual, her Boss did not respond to her jabs, a thing she had started to do in the hope of it waking him up. As he hated that kind of nonsense and Burnin thought that his subconscious might pick up on it. But so far, it seemed to do nothing.
"Well, I see you, tomorrow, Boss," Moa said as she stood up from her chair though the moment she did that, she heard a groan come from the body of Enji Todoroki.
"Boss?" She asked in hope as she looked down at him, and she saw his eyes flicker open. "Oh Boss, you're awake, oh thank god I go get the nurse and the doctor," She said and ran out of the door before he had any time to respond or react to her words.
"The fuck?" Was all the man known as Enji Todoroki to the world said as he laid on his bed?
Xxx
When one died, you expected lots of things to happen to you. I did not expect to wake up in a hospital bed as fucking Endeavor. A situation I had absolutely no idea how to deal with as I was not freaking Endeavor, and I did not know how to act like Enji Todoroki. And if I tried, it would probably come off as awkward and forced. The Assholishness, the man, had exuded in the manga, and anime was an art onto itself. And I seemed to have very few of his memories; the most I had inherited was knowledge about how to use Hellfire.
So my best option was just to be myself, as I had an excuse in the form of a bullet through the head to explain away any personality changes.
Lucky for me.
"Well, there are no signs of an ongoing concussion," The doctor said as he stopped shining light into my eye. "So how do you hell, Mr. Todoroki?" And thankfully, he was not that doctor.
"I feel like I have not eaten in months," I responded honestly. Because I did feel that way. My stomach felt like a black hole, like I had just undergone a serious fastening. And I took note that the voice that was coming through my was the sweet vocals of Patrick Seitz. Even though we were speaking Japanese
"Well, that is a normal response from coma patients since you've basically only had an IV give you nutrients. Surprised that your body is still so muscular, but that is probably another side effect of having a Quirk," The doctor chuckled. "Though what I am concerned about is your memory, what is the last thing you remember?" He asked.
Yeah, that was a question I could answer as it would be true from my point of view, and they would have to believe it. "The last thing that I remember is sitting in front of my computer, I think I was writing a report. And that August was nearing its end."
"Oh, oh, you seem to have a lost a good chunk of memories, Mr. Todoroki," The man said in sympathy.
"Yeah, I can tell that my brain has only a few memories left. I remember myself, my name, what I do. Who my family is, what my Quirk does, and how to use it. But nothing else, I do not remember much else. The list of things I remember I shorter than what I've forgotten," I said, and honestly, I could feel myself crying when I said that. For that just made me wish I had gotten all of Enji's memories so that I could make up for the harm he had done.
"Boss," The woman who sat on a chair beside the doctor said as she looked at me with big sad eyes. She was Burnin, one of the many sidekicks at Endeavor's Hero Agency. And that was all I really knew about her. One of my sidekicks, which meant I would have to get to know her. That was going to be a fun process as I terrible with names.
"It's fine, I just have to make new memories. I am still roaring to go as a hero. A little head injury is not going to keep me down," I said to lift the mood a little bit.
"That is the way to go, Boss! Nothing can keep down the Flame Hero, hahaha!" Burnin roared with me; her flaming hair got into the air.
"Well, despite the memory issue, you're as healthy as you can be, so I will go and prepare the paperwork to sign you out," The doctor said as he left the room.
"So, Boss, uh ah, do you remember me?" Burnin asked in a nervous tone.
"I remember that you're Burnin and that you work for me, nothing else. So Burnin mind telling your Boss your name?" I asked the boisterous woman.
"I am Moe Kamiji, the best damn sidekick that you've ever had alongside the rest of the Flaming Sidekickers!" She declared.
Yeah, I remembered there were a bunch of others. "Ha, I believe that. Now Moe, after I am out of this place, we check up on the Agency to tell the others that I am okay and will be likely back in a week or two's time as I need to make sure my body has not suffered too much during my coma. And then I will be going home. So can you tell me if anything has happened with them while I was out?" I asked as I stood up.
"Yeah, Shoto is taking his entrance exam this week," She said, and I felt my smile falter a little.
Well shit. I thought as I was a lot closer to the start than I would have liked.
Xxx
"Have they always been so loud?" I ask Moa as we got back in the car after having told everyone that the Agency. That I, Enji Todoroki, was okay, and I would be returning in two weeks, as at that point, I would have fully recovered.
"They all just glad to see you up and about Boss," Moa replied with a huge grin, and I had to say I liked her energy. "Though I don't know how they managed to set up a welcome back party so fast," She said disbelief.
Yeah, we had stayed a little longer than I had expected as all of my sidekick and the other employes had managed to set up a welcome back party in the span of two hours. Though I had thought with the personality Endeavor had, he wouldn't like that kind of stuff and so forbid them from doing so. Or he had a big soft spot in his cold hard for all those that worked at his Agency. Though it had worked out for me a bit as I had tried to learn some of their names. Which should be a long work in progress as I was terrible with them. As for the party itself, it had been fine though it had lasted a little bit too long for my taste.
God almost wished I had not reincarnated if this was what I would have to deal with.
"Well, you can tell them tomorrow morning that if they can set up a party like that so fast, they can easily double their work output," I said in a menacing tone. Which caused Moa's face to be a bit paler.
"Anyway, Sebastion, you can drive me home now and drive Moe home afterward," I told my private chauffeur, a boisterous American that had come to Japan due to falling in love with a Japanese woman who worked at my Agency as part of PR.
"OF COURSE, SIR, I SHALL DRIVE LIKE THE WIND! WHILE ALSO UPHOLDING ALL TRAFFIC LAWS!" The man shouted. Well, calling it shouting was a bit of a misnomer. He wasn't really loud; it was more like he was talking in all caps all the time. Yeah, it made sense that the people Endeavor employed had loud and fiery personalities like himself.
"You do that, Sebastion," I said in response as I leaned against the seat of the car. Thankfully Moe decided not to bother me as she could see that I was feeling very tired.
Though while I was close to it, I did not fall asleep in the car as Sebastion drow us to my house; yes, it was my house now. For I was Endeavor now, which meant I would have to deal with all of his burdens. Which included the children he had abused emotionally for almost two decades.
Though if things went well, it was not going to be my home for very long.
I sighed internally as the car came to a stop, for I had arrived at my destination.
"I see you in the morning, Sebastion, and Moe? Make sure to tell the others what I said," I told the two.
"Y-yes, Boss!" She replied as I closed the car door, and they drove off, leaving me to stand alone in front of the large samurai-style house that the Todoroki family lived.
"Time to face the music," I said as I walked up to the door and pulled out the keys to open the door. After I had failed to open it normally.
"Ah, welcome home, Father," Fuyumi said with a smile as I entered the kitchen where she was in the middle of chopping vegetables for dinner. "Glad to see that you're awake."
"Hello, Fuyumi, are both Shoto and Natsou home?" I asked my daughter, which was a very weird thing to think, but that was the truth now. As I had to remind myself I was Endeavor now.
"They are in the living room watching TV," She answered with a tone of pure kindness, which honestly was not worth sending towards this body of mine. It and I were definitely not worthy of her kindness.
"Did the hospital call and tell you the damage?" I asked as they had said they would.
"They did, Father," She answered her smile, becoming a slight frown.
"When you know that, I have lost many of my memories," I said. "So I will tell you this, like I will Natsuo and Shoto. I remember your name, appearance, and some of your personality traits. Nothing else, I do not remember a single interaction with you that has occurred in the last… How old are you?"
"22," She simply answered.
"I remember none of those, but. Just by looking at your face, I can tell I have not been the best father, and with Rei still in the Mental Ward, a good husband either. So you don't have to pretend to be happy when you look at me, Fuyumi," I said and walked past her. Not giving her a chance to rebuttal. "And I won't be joining you for dinner tonight, my Agency threw a surprise party, and my stomach is still full from the food."
And at that, I exited the kitchen and entered the living room where my two sons were watching Fuyumi had said. And I told them the same thing that I had said to Fuyumi, which resulted in Natsuo yelling at me, and Shoto just stared like the world had just mad.
Which was the treatment I deserved? Again I was Endeavor now, and so I had to carry the sins he had committed upon my back.
And after I had found my bedroom, and gone directly to sleep after taking off my clothes. For I was indeed very sleepy.
Xxx
The clock was eight when I woke up, and for a second, I thought I was back home, but the reality set in, and I remembered my current situation.
I started my day off by taking a quick shower as I had not taken one yesterday after I had woken up as Endeavor.
"So Fuyumi and Natsuo have already left due to job and college. Which means that it is just Shoto and me. Who is sleeping in due to the Recommendation Exam, which starts at twelve," I said to myself as I stood in the kitchen, my massive frame casting as a shadow over the place.
"Perhaps should be a good Father and make breakfast for my son? Yeah, that is probably a good idea," I said to myself as I began to look through the fridge to see if we had the necessary ingredients. "Though I wonder, do we have a waffle iron?"
Xxx
"Okay, not sleeping so late again," Shoto said as he looked at the clock and saw that it was nine in the morning, which meant that he would have to be at the gates of UA in about 150 minutes at a minimum and 170 maximum for Recommendation Exam. The exam that would begin his journey towards becoming a Pro Hero, and to prove to his father that he did not need to use his fire to be one.
To prove himself to a Father that no longer seemingly existed, a Father that had been killed by a bullet two months ago. Sure the physical body had survived, but all memories had been removed by it. A fact that had cemented itself yesterday in Shoto's mind as the Enji Todoroki that had walked into the living room yesterday, was not the same Enji Todoroki, the same Endeavor that had hurt him, hurt his siblings and his mother for years.
And now Shoto didn't know what to think and what to do with his wow.
It all just kinda felt meaningless now.
And so Shoto got dressed and headed to the kitchen to eat a bit of food before going, though what he did not expect to see was his father's body flipping pancakes while listening to music.
"Ah morning, Shoto," Enji greeted Shoto, and the ludicrousness of the situation began to set in even harder as Shoto just stared at the image before him. While the personality that now inhabited Endeavor's body was clearly not the same as the one, he knew. As it was capable of sorrow and regret. It was still a surreal sight, and his mind was not comprehending it. "I hope you slept enough and is now filled with energy for today, if not well, these pancakes will hopefully give you the energy you desire," He hammed it up, speaking like he was All Might as he placed a plate stacked with thick pancakes before Shoto.
And Shoto just continued to look at his father in disbelief and then the stack of rather good looking American Pancakes like he had seen on tv.
"You know how to cook?" Shoto simply asked as he just continued to stare at the brand new Enji Todoroki that was now his father.
"Yes," He answered as he seemingly finished his last one and sat down with his own plate of very unhealthy food. "Probably, not a skill I have used in a while, but it is something that I can, in fact, do. I had wanted to make waffles, but I found no waffle iron, so I settled on pancakes. Thankfully we had eggs and milk in the fridge."
"I see," Shoto simply said in response. He looked at the food for a few more seconds before he carefully took hold of his knife and fork, cut a piece of fluffy piece of food, and ate it. And Shoto had to admit it tasted rather good, especially with the Mable Syrup.
"Now Shoto, before you take the exam, I have something I wish to tell you," Endeavor spoke, and Shoto found himself stilling. "For while I have lost a lot of memories, there are still things I do remember, of course."
Of course, he still remembers 'my childish rebellion,' and now here comes the reprimands. Shoto thought as he looked at his father with slightly glaring eyes. As he awaited his words after giving his own. "And what are those things you remember?"
"That you want to be a Hero using only your mother's power-" And Shoto knew he had been correct. "-So, I wish to tell you that you can go right ahead if you want."
What?
"What?" Shoto thought and asked verbally at the same time as he just stared at Endeavor with a hanging jaw.
"It is your power, your Quirk not mine, so only you have a say in how you use it and not me. That is one of the things I wished to tell you before you did the exam," His Father told him, and he could scarcely believe his ears. This could not be reality? Could it?
"What is the second thing you wished to tell me?" Shoto asked almost hesitantly as he drank his water as his throat felt dry.
"I am planning to divorce your mother," Enji Todoroki said, and Shoto spit water into his face. "You know I kinda expected that to happen."
"Father, are you sure you should be out of the hospital? Are you well?" Shoto just asked as he tried to make sense of the world because he had clearly ended up in Wonderland, for this was just crazy.
"I am, probably better than I have been in years. And if your mother decides to go through with it, you either get this house, and I move out, or I find a ground to build you a new home," He told Soto as he continued to eat his food. And Shoto could tell he was entirely serious.
I think I might like this version of Father more. Shot thought as he just continued to stare at Endeavor.
"Oh, and Shoto?" Endeavor addressed him, and he perked up.
"What is it?"
"You're a good boy, and I can already tell that you're going to be a great hero," He told him with a very not-Enji smile, which caused Shoto to sputter.
"Don't say stuff like that so suddenly!" Shoto almost shouted, and immediately shut his mouth after he had realized what he had done.
"Ha, so you can get flustered after all, and here I thought that you were all cold and serious to the core," He said, and Shoto blinked again.
For he had just realized what had happened. His father had just tried to be funny, Enji Todoroki had just tried to be funny, Endeavor had just tried to be funny. Shoto knew that the Endeavor before was different from the one he knew, but he had not expected him to try and tell a joke. Even if it was a terrible one, it had been the last thing he had expected any version of Endeavor to do.
And Shoto kept wishing that the world would start making sense all the way to the exam through it.
Xxx
"Ah, hello, Endeavor did not expect you to be here, that with you just having awoken from a coma," Nezu said as he walked up beside me. As I watched Shoto go on the bus with the other Recommended Students, that would take them to their exam area away from where the others were currently taking theirs.
"Not back in business, I just came here to drop off my son and wish him good luck," I told the small Principal of UA.
"Well, I think you doing that had confused the poor boy, because he looks so lost," The rodent replied.
"Yeah, I think he is not used to my current behavior, as it seems to contrast heavily with previous behavior. I must not have been the best father," I truthfully responded.
"Yes, you were quite the prick, now you're actually acting and behaving like an actual human being and not a walking cactus," The Quirked Animal said with brutal honesty to the point I actually winced at the casual tone of voice as he said it.
"Yeah, I can believe that, I have a few memories of my previous behavior, and I can't believe I acted like that."
"Well, I am glad that you have admitted that, now all you can do is improve on your new personality and go from there," He said as he sipped at his coffee.
"Yeah, though, to do that, I have to make up for my previous mistakes. Though thankfully here I can make up for one, I do remember," I said as I saw the form of the wind boy approach the bus. He was easy to recognize as he just towered over his fellow students, being closer to me in height—a true member of the JoJo teenage race. Also, the big and goofy smile that was one his face.
"Young man, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked as I approached the teen.
"Ah, Mr. Endeavor!" He shouted as he looked up at me. "What can I help you with?" He asked.
"I am sorry that I do not remember your name, but I do not remember your face. And I remember that I was not the kindest to you in that encounter, I believe I had a rather bad day. But I should not have taken it out on you," I apologized to the young boy that had not entered UA due to the actions of Endeavor and Shoto, which as also due to Old Endeavor. But I, the new Endeavor, would not let such a promising young hero go to another school.
"Sir, you should not," He began to apologize back.
"But I do, now what is your name, young man?" I asked.
"Inasa Yoarashi, Sir?" He replied as he gave a salute. "And I love all things, hero!" He declared.
"Inasa Yoarashi, that is a strong name. I will be sure to remember that," I said, embarrassing the new Endeavor hero personality I was trying to cultivate. A passionate one that was befitting of a flame hero. "Now we met that day, what did you want from me?"
"An autograph Sir," He answered.
"Well, sadly, I have no paper on me right now. So how about this, if you make it to the finals of the Sports Festival, you will get an automatic invite to intern at my Agency? What do you say to that?" I asked.
"That would be amazing, Sir!" He shouted, tears running down his face.
"When you better do your best," I said, and I turned around and left the crying teen to go into the bus.
And I felt a whole lot better now as I walked back to Nezu, who was just grinning at me.
"Eat my ass, you rodent," I said as I went back to Sebastion.