A Big Pink Ball of Sunshine

by Cosmic Sky

Class 1-A was full of colorful personalities, a fact that Midoriya always quietly treasured. Though he kept them to himself (almost literally) he had thoughts on all of them, including Ashido. As it happened, all it took was one unexpected afternoon together for him to reveal some of those thoughts. Ashido had some too, and maybe something else after getting to know him more.

13. Chapter 13-Your Secrets

Hey, everyone. Here we are at Chapter 13, ironically something of a quieter chapter compared to the last few. I initially hoped to post this chapter before the end of 2024 since it does serve as something of a flashpoint given what happens in it, a nice place to stop for the year. Instead, here we are with me starting the new year with it. Anyway, I'm glad I was finally able to write it up and I hope you all enjoy it!

I do not own anything.

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A Big Pink Ball of Sunshine

Chapter 13-Your Secrets

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Rather than everything being foggy in the aftermath of the fight, Mina would say her mind gradually became clear. Like mist dissipating, she saw things slowly coming into focus allowing her to put the pieces together. She thought she'd be too tired to think about everything, but that hadn't been the case. Sure, she was too, but she still had that rising clarity that helped her keep track of what was going on around her.

First and foremost, she and Izuku were rushed to the hospital while the police and Pros took to dismantling the organization that'd taken them hostage. Best Jeanist had told them their families were safe, which took a huge weight off their shoulders; it'd partially been why she kissed Izuku when he'd offered them a moment to themselves before taking them in. After everything they'd been through, including a hell of a blood-pumping battle against the likes of Namase, she damn well took the chance to kiss her boyfriend. Like normally, it caught him off-guard, but Izuku quickly began returning it, including wrapping her up in his arms. Mina absolutely loved it when he did that; as the adrenaline from the fight died down, she realized that she loved being physically intimate with him after battles against villains. It wasn't just a reward for victory, it was her (and his) joy at surviving it.

This hadn't been like with Gentle and La Brava. This had been something completely different, this had been…real.

Waiting for them at the bottom of the building was an ambulance, just one of many. Ambulances, firetrucks, and a whole lot of police cars. Mina could have sworn she spied some news crews bustling about to, trying to get an interview with anyone they could. They'd have loved to hear what she and her boyfriend went through, although Mina felt that was private, especially some of the things she'd heard.

That stuck in her mind on the road over to the hospital. She wanted to talk with Izuku, but Mina recognized she was going to have to talk to a few other people beforehand. She was genuinely looking forward to seeing her brother again. Her whole family would do as well. After who knew how long sitting in a cell then fighting for her life, it'd be nice to see them all again. As she rode in the ambulance, Mina thought of what others Namase had been holding captive for whatever experiments he was carrying out; she hoped they'd know the joy of being reunited with their loved ones.

Her mind ultimately turned back toward Izuku, her boyfriend, her partner.

Once again, they'd shown they made for one hell of a team. Surely Izuku felt the same way, didn't he?

Being walked through the hospital's double doors and down multiple hallways to her assigned room led her to digging up the questions she'd buried during her escape. Izuku's second Quirk, that black whip thingy. The fact that Namase had created a device to transfer Quirks, and he'd targeted Izuku. He'd specifically targeted Izuku, like he knew about his second Quirk. Mina recognized he knew a lot about Izuku's Quirk, or as she'd learned, Quirks. She now realized for all the help Izuku had given her in helping develop her Quirk she knew surprisingly little about his. Precisely, what she thought she knew wasn't the whole story.

Her doctors were pretty nice. She'd always had good luck with doctors, although dentists were something of a different story. Luckily, she wasn't going to have to be seeing one of those. Also luckily, the hospital gown she was given was a little more form fitting than her prison clothes. Mina wondered what happened to the clothes she'd been wearing when she showed up at Nishiyama High School; if she had to guess, they were lost forever, something she wasn't happy about, but she knew her uniform could be replaced.

According to the doctors, she had a combination of second and third-degree burns, although they'd heal in due time. She had to say this, Namase's shocks had hurt a hell of a lot worse than Kaminari's; she might be able to use that next time they're training together. Mina was told she wasn't going to be doing that for a little bit; given the pain she was now dealing with, she was alright with that. Aizawa-sensei may take her out of any physical classes, but he'd still be putting her through the ringer in the classroom. Thanks to Izuku, that she'd be able to handle. Lying still in her hospital bed as her injuries were tended to, Mina realized it was thanks to him that she'd been able to escape her cell and fight Namase.

The power of love. While she physically winced from the healing jell that was applied to her scorched skin, Mina spoke the phrase in a surprisingly airy tone. I guess that's really what it was. At least that's what I hoped it was. Looking straight up at the ceiling while her treatment continued Mina wondered where Izuku was. She'd been told his room wouldn't be too far away from hers, but she needed to sit still and let the doctors treat her.

"Don't think you can stop me! And don't think you're accomplishing something protecting her! You think you can be happy with a girl!" Namase had screamed at Izuku. "You'll end up destroying yourselves and everyone you love! You'll just end up creating another Shigaraki!"

What the hell does Shigaraki have to do with this? How did that guy know so much? What the hell's going on with you, Izuku?

Her old sense of impatience was rising, but Mina managed to hold it down. The last thing she needed was the doctors telling her she had to simmer down or else she'd be in greater pain. Considering as time went on she felt the agony receding, that wasn't something he was eager to experience.

At some point, Mina yawned. The exhaustion was truly hitting her, but as her operation came to an end that feeling hit harder. All she could do was lay down despite her determination to see Izuku again and get some answers. A tiny voice told her those things could wait, if only for a little while.

It'd be after she had a talk with her family, of which her brother was the first to burst into her room. "Mina," he called with joy filling up his eyes. He didn't usually look at her like that, but when he did it was because he was ready to drop the sibling bickering; she often did the same. "Shit, you look…you…" It was his first time seeing her in a wounded state. Although she'd been through the ringer and required a few trips to the nurse's office, Mitsuomi had never been there to see it. The shock of her injuries was clearly taking its toll on him.

Pushing herself up, she gave him a cheerful smile as if her arms weren't covered in bandages and she didn't have several band-aids attached to her cheeks. "It's not always like this, Mitsu."

His white and yellow eyes filled with joy as he echoed her smile. "Ah, that's good to know. No offense, but if you come out of every fight looking like this, I don't think you're going to have the best hero career, little sis."

"Oh, relax. These injuries are nothing!" She winced as she raised her right arm up in a show of bravado. Mitsuomi laughed before gently grabbing her hand and lowering it down. "Hey, I'm sorry you and everyone else at your school got caught up in all that." Mina tenderly spoke.

"The blame's not on you, Mina." His hand moved into hers, holding it with a feathery softness. This was the big brother that she always knew would be there for her. "What happened wasn't your fault, alright? Just those two jokers who decided to use me to lure you and your boyfriend out. Speaking of which, what happened to them? Did the police or pros catch them?"

For the first time, Mina gave the duo they'd fought at Nishiyama High some serious thought. Ever since their capture, they hadn't seen either of the two men. Not even tearing their way through Kuroko HQ or at Namase's side. "Mitsu, I hate to tell you this, but we didn't-"

"MINA!"

It was the family reunion she'd longed for, but she hadn't expected it right as she was in the middle of explaining the situation to her brother. Looking past him, she saw the rest of their family, their parents and little Michirou. Her little brother practically launched himself at her, and he would have crashed into her had Mitsuomi not caught him before he could do so. "Not so fast, Mihiro, remember, she's still healing. Be gentle." He advised before letting their youngest sibling down.

"I know that." He fired back. His gaze immediately softened when he looked back at Mina, His black and yellow eyes akin to her own were watery. "Mina," Michirou near whimpered.

"Mina! Oh, thank God you're alright! What happened! We heard a villain took you captive! Are you alright? They didn't torture you, did they?"

Having been partially where she got her motormouth tendencies from, Mina was able to understand her mom perfectly. The wide and frantic look in her eyes outdid what she'd seen from her brothers. It was only equaled by her dad's, which was a rarity for him-normally he was the calmer one, being the pillar of the Ashido Family. Mina saw the signs of mental fatigue on both their faces: stress lines around their eyes, worry and horror in their gazes as they took in the sight of her bandages, and their slightly panting breaths. The latter made her realize they'd likely ran to her room as soon as they were given clearance to see her.

She felt her mother wrapping her arms around her before she could answer her whirlwind questionnaire. Mina immediately hugged her back, and then Michirou when he wormed his way in. "I'm alright, you guys." She whispered to all of her family. "I got a little banged up, but I'm okay. They didn't torture me or anything, just…stuck in a cell for a little bit."

"A cell?" Her mother pulled away, which her father used as an opportunity to move in and wrap her up in a hug of his own. Mina returned it with just as much affection before turning back to her mom. "Mina, who were those people? Why were they after you?"

"Um, well…I…I don't know. A vendetta against U.A.?" She actually had a good idea, a borderline answer, albeit one that still led to more questions. That said, there was no way Mina was going to say she and Mitsuomi had been bait for her boyfriend, the real target of this entire adventure. That was absolutely not how she wanted to introduce Izuku to her parents. In contemplating that, Mina realized they'd been discussing meeting each other's families just before the attack on Mitsuomi's school happened. Geez, talk about irony. She noted while looking between her family's worried expressions.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw how Mitsuomi's eyes had a glimmer of extra worry in them. Unlike the rest of them, he knew, or at least he had a better idea. He'd been in the gym where she and Izuku had fought that pair of…thugs, mercenaries? Hired guns? Corporate employees? Whatever they were, he'd been there to see some of the battle and hear some of the talking before she freed him and got him out of the danger zone. Despite his panic, he'd paid some attention to what was said. Mina saw it in his eyes and realized her big brother probably had just as many questions as her, and probably a more pressing need to answer them. She could almost see him slipping into protective big brother mode.

And yet, he stayed silent as their parents went back to bombarding her with questions. Mina had to fiercely fight back the urge to look at him, partially in gratitude. She knew exactly why he wasn't saying anything, and she knew she owed him for that.

He'll like him, I know it. Izuku tended to leave strong impressions on people, usually positive. His dorkiness was endearing and his kindness was always enough to win over people. Mina was absolutely confident it'd be the same for Mitsuomi, and no doubt the rest of her family. That said, she didn't want him to have to climb an extra hurdle in having to do so.

So, she did her best to spin what she knew to placate her parents. Again, it wasn't like she knew the full the story, so Mina told herself she wasn't completely lying to them.

She found herself wondering about the full story herself. How would knowing it make her feel? How would they feel about it? The questions piled up in the back of her head as she spoke to her family. It was amazing how they quietly settled back there without impeding her outward demeanor. Mitsuomi kept playing on, much to her relief. For a second, it seemed she might be able to make it through this.

"Um, excuse me?"

Mina's eyes widened as she looked to the door, practically jumping out of the bed. Her parents turned around, their expressions turning to understandable shock as did Michirou's. The only one who didn't seem surprised was Mitsuomi, albeit one could still say he was given the way a lone eyebrow arched. Mina paid attention to her family's expression for only a second before she hopped off the bed. Her feet carried her across the floor, pushing past her parents toward him. His green eyes widened, yet she saw the flickering flame of relief that matched those in her eyes. Grinning, she wrapped her arms around him, not caring about the slight pain that came with moving them. In a heartbeat she felt his arms wrapping around her as well. His strong, ever-warm arms that she knew could carry tremendous strength. She buried her face in the crux of his neck.

"I'm so glad you're alright, Mina." Izuku whispered in a tone brimming with heartfelt affection despite the low volume. The passion behind it more than made up for the whispering voice.

Mina was a second away from making a crack about how glad he must have been that she was more adequately clothed this time, but refrained remembering her parents were right behind her. "Same to you, Izuku." Pulling away, she basked in the sight of his cute, freckle-filled face. Mina was five-seconds from kissing him before she heard a cough coming from behind her. Likewise, she heard a gasp from behind Izuku. Deciding on the latter, she looked over his shoulder and found herself staring at a somewhat round-figured woman with green hair and eyes the same shade as her boyfriend. Her cheeks were bright red. From pictures and sheer intuition, she knew she was looking at Inko Midoriya, her boyfriend's mother. Meanwhile, her family was behind her, watching her embrace Izuku for the first time.

Wow, talk about an awkward meet-the-parents moment. She thought while pulling away. Unsurprisingly, Izuku's face was redder than it'd been a second ago while his eyes shifted just a little behind her. Looking back at her, she realized he was thinking the exact same thing. All Mina could do was grin, they were on the exact same page; seeing there was no point in hiding it, especially with such an opportune moment, she stepped aside and faced the person behind her boyfriend.

At her behest, the woman entered the room, which seemingly grew significantly more crowded thanks to the addition of a mere two people.

"Um, hello, Mrs. Midoriya, my name is Mina, Izuku's boyfriend." She warmly greeted.

"A-Ah! Yes, i-it's nice to meet you! Izuku's told me so much about you!" Her hands were taken up by hers. Mina immediately felt the warmth she always found so appealing about Izuku in hers, perhaps a little more so. While a minor thing, she noticed how soft her palms were-no doubt a result of the lack of scarring on her hands compared to her son's. Looking at her happy yet flustered face, she saw so much of the boy she'd become enamored with in her face. Right then and there, she hoped, she knew, she was going to have a good relationship with this woman, she'd give it her all.

"Ahem, Mina~"

Right after she-

"H-H-Hello! M-My name is Izuku Midoriya, hero name, Deku, I-I'm dating your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ashido! It's an honor to meet you!"

Whelp, least I don't have to do the introduction for my family. Grinning in joyful excitement, she turned around and intertwined her hand with Izuku's. The familiarity of his scarred hands brought surprising relief to her. In front of them stood her family, all with gaping mouths…except for Mitsuomi. He had one of his stupid, cool smiles on his face.

Her parents, on the other hand were looking Izuku up and down like his normal skin and green-black hair were somehow unusual. Well, considering how physical oddities ran in their family, he might as well have been unusual. Michirou was looking at him like he'd just descended from the sky instead of walking through the door.

"I remember you, from the Sports Festival." Mitsuomi casually called while waving at him. "You're looking a hell of a lot better now than you did then."

"Mitsuomi!" Her mother called. "Be polite!"

"Hey, I am! Come on, the guy looked like he was running himself ragged, but damn if he didn't look like a badass doing it." He defended. "I mean, I gotta say, the guy's got some killer battle scars."

"Mitusomi!" Their mother sighed. She turned her black and yellow eyes on Izuku, sizing him up for the first time. To Mina's relief, her face turned into a smile. "It's nice to finally meet you, Izuku Midoriya. Oh, and you as well, Mrs. Midoriya."

"Yes, it's nice to meet you two as well!" She was still a flustered wreck, and as with her son, Mina found something adorable in it. Her mother seemingly thought the same based on the cheery smile she wore. So did her dad, who was more reserved but none the less wore a positive expression. "I'm…I'm so-"

"I'm sorry about putting Mina in danger! It was my fault!"

"What? No, Izuku, it wasn't your fault! It was those bastards who-"

"Came to my school and wrecked the place." Mitsuomi cut in. She and Izuku looked at him then back at each other.

"It was my fault; I was their target." Izuku confessed with his head lowered. Mina recognized that look from the few glimpses of him she'd caught before they started dating. She didn't like it before, and she definitely didn't like it now. "I dragged you into this, and I got the rest of your family-"

"Izuku," she called reaching out and grabbing his shoulders. His head rose allowing their eyes to meet. "What happened wasn't your fault, okay? It was that greedy, lightning-hurling jerk-" Once more, she stopped short, realizing her parents were not five feet from her. Mina could have sworn she felt their glare on her. "-wodd." She completed. Mitsuomi whistled in amusement and Michirou snickered. "It wasn't on you, got it?"

"Still, I…if I'd been a little better at the school then we wouldn't have been knocked out. We could have even-"

"Oh, please! We did the best we could, and I'd say we did pretty well. Besides, if those guys show up again, we'll know what they can do and kick their asses!" That bit of vulgarity seemed passable to her parents. "Do you remember what you did when you got to Nishiyama High? You told me to take Mitsuomi and run while you held those two off. It's thanks to you I was able to get him out and not have to worry about him." His eyes brightened at the thought of that, yet she still saw a flicker of worry in his eyes. "What, would you have wanted me to take him and run away? Wait on the sidelines for help while you were in there fighting off two villains?"

"Well…no, having you with me made things a lot easier." Him looking away would have been one thing, but the fact that his cheeks flushed pink (like her skin and hair) told her something more important. "Even though-"

"We did our best, and everything still worked out. That's all that matters, okay?" She gently argued. The doubt and regret in him fell away the more he stared at her, which was exactly what she wanted.

"Are they arguing or flirting?"

Mina groaned. "Michirou!"

"Flirting, definitely flirting. Don't worry, Michi, you'll understand one day when you're older."

Her head fell. "Just had to ruin the moment, didn't you two?"

She heard her dad cough. Looking back, she noted with a slight smile that he was blushing, too. His olive cheeks had a pink tinge that Mina knew meant only one thing. His brown eyes looked between her and Izuku, a hint of embarrassment in them as he spoke, "They did have to remind you that you weren't alone, at least not yet." He said. "Mina, we would like to know what happened and who were those people that kidnapped you, if you can answer that."

"Ahem, I believe I can do that."

Somehow, her hospital room had become a conference room. Albeit she definitely wasn't complaining about the new addition.

"T-T-T-T-Th-That's…i-i-is t-t-that…" Michirou stuttered as he drunk in the sight of the figure by the door.

"Ah, Mr. All Might," Izuku's mother called. Her tone was noticeably lacking in awe, as were her eyes. In fact, Mina would say she was looking at him like he was an old friend.

A quick look at her family showed that clearly wasn't the case for them; even Mitsuomi's cool demeanor had taken a crack as he stared at the once Number One Hero. Despite it having been months, his current appearance was still a lot to take in. Gone was the muscle-bound figure in red, white, and blue who exuded confidence and positivity. In his place was a pencil-thin man once more dressed in a suit with sunken in cheeks and dark eyes, seemingly a paper doll come to life. That said, Mina had discovered he still radiated that aura of calmness and safety with his heavily weakened physique. She supposed she'd gotten used to it, partially as a result of having seen him several times as a U.A. student and him as one of her teachers (and favorites). Her family, on the other hand, drunk in the up-close sight of him for the first time. It was totally different from seeing him on the TV or through a tablet or phone. Even then, seeing him showing up so suddenly in front of them was a further shock.

Personally, Mina herself was a bit taken back, but only for an instant. Subconsciously, her eyes drifted over to Izuku, who likewise didn't seem surprised by the retired hero's presence. Immediately, she realized he'd probably been there in his hospital room, talking with him and his mother. He'd probably followed them on their way to her room; she guessed he waited outside the door for the conversation to shift to its current phase. He'd seen this coming, and probably Izuku had, too.

For what felt like the tenth time in months, she'd found herself examining the close relationship between the two. Mina remembered remarking about how similar their Quirks were, and how much of a vested interest All Might had in Izuku.

He's in the loop, too. Whatever the loop was, Mina recognized she was on the outside of it. As the former Symbol of Peace made his way in, she realized she felt both excitement and a bit of discomfort. Whatever the loop was, she wanted to be in.

"I apologize for intruding on you all, especially after you've finally gotten your daughter back." All Might spoke with that air of calm yet genuine politeness.

"N-No, i-i-it's fine! We have her back and she's none the worst for wear!" Her mother stated, still seemingly struggling to keep up with what was happening. Mina could hardly blame her. "All Might, sir,"

"Can you…answer what was going on? Why our daughter was really taken?" Her father jumped in with a worrisome tone in his voice.

"It was because of me." Izuku spoke up before his mentor could. "The people that took us were after me. They were after my Quirk." He sorrowfully expressed.

"It is true. The people that took Young Midoriya and Young Ashido were…affiliates, or former affiliates of the criminal once known as All For One, the very same one I battled some months ago. They are a group that's been looking into stealing Quirks, which was their aim with Young Midoriya."

She saw her parents' jaws drop, and not just them, her brothers' expressions fell as well. Again, Mina could hardly blame them. The idea of copying someone's Quirk was extremely rare but not unheard of. Stealing another person's Quirk though? That was a whole other level.

"Kuroko Corporation, as we've learned, has been doing illegal research into ones to transfer and individual's Quirk onto someone else. Unfortunately, they'd set their sights on Young Midoriya, and believed going through your family was the best way to get to him." All Might explained with a sad yet unwavering tone. "I'm sorry that all of you were caught up in this, but you can rest assured that it's over now."

"Stealing…someone's Quirk? Is that even possible?" Mitsuomi asked with gaping eyes. "No offense, All Might, sir, but that just sounds crazy."

Words rushed up through Mina's throat. "But it's true. That's what their goal was. They had me in a cell that was part of a cellblock. They were definitely keeping prisoners." Or test subjects. She internally shivered. "Mr. All Might, did you-"

"Any and all prisoners kept at Kuroko HQ have been freed." The blond softly affirmed, having read the tone of her voice and the worry in her eyes. "As we speak, all facilities linked to the company are being raided by law enforcement and heroes. It may take some time, but no stone will be left unturned. For all intents and purposes, Kuroko Corporation is finished."

"Wonder if there'll be a recall on all of its products." Mitsuomi wondered aloud. Mina silently thought the same. Once news broke about what the company had been involved with, she was sure people wouldn't want any devices made by the company in any way., shape, or form. "Still, I feel kind of bad for the rank-and-file workers who are about to be blacklisted thanks to this." Mina also agreed with that, and her heart broke a little at the thought. "What about the two guys that attacked my school to draw Mina and Midoriya out?"

"The authorities are still searching for them, but we've managed to identify them. Darren Straddler and Gakuto Dogura. Straddler is former United States Special Forces, a soldier turned mercenary for hire, as is his partner, Dogura. As such, we believe Namase hired them to go after Young Midoriya. Their names and faces have been passed to the authorities, so if they show up, they will be apprehended." All Might's unique black and blue eyes passed between Mina and Izuku, silently reading their thoughts. "I don't know what the odds of them coming after you now that Namase's been arrested, but it's for the best that you both remain vigilant."

"Isn't this the same reason why you had the students move to the dorms at U.A.?" Her father pondered.

"Yes, although I do not believe your daughter nor Young Midoriya will have to hold up in Heights Alliance indefinitely."

"I hope not. I like the place, but there's no way I want to hide out there for who knows how long." Mina confessed, or rather pouted. "If they do come after us again, at least we'll know what they can do so we'll be ready for them, right, Izuku?"

His focus was on her for only a moment, shifting to her parents and brothers. Seconds before he spoke, she realized what he was about to say. "Mr. and Mrs. Ashido, if those two come after us again, I promise you I'll do a better job at protecting your daughter. I'm sorry I failed the first time, but I swear, it won't happen again." It was that calm tone brimming with serene determination that Mina knew meant Izuku meant every word. Glancing at her parents, they realized that as well. They weren't expecting such a thing from him, something she could understand. Izuku may not have looked it, but he was practically reliability and determination personified. They, along with Mitsuomi and Michirou, were seeing that for the first time with their own eyes. Looking back at his mother, Mina saw she was looking on with a mix of worry…and pride. The same went for All Might. Upon looking back at her boyfriend, she felt like she was staring at a younger and greener version of the Symbol of Peace.

But Izuku had something that the retired Pro didn't have, her.

"Mrs. Midoriya," she called. "Let me promise you, I'll look after Izuku, too. He's my boyfriend, so I won't let anyone hurt your son."

The green-haired woman seemed caught completely off-guard by her proclamation. "Y-Y-You will?"

"Of course! I'm his girlfriend! I'll be beside him no matter what!" She reached out and took her hands in hers, being reminded of how soft they were. Either by reflex or consciously, she squeezed them back and looked deeply into her eyes. Mina saw the deep love she held for her son, the same love she knew her own mother held for her and her brothers. She wanted to give her the same reassurance Izuku had just given hers. Given the way she stared back at her with a mixture of intensity and acceptance, Mina would venture she succeeded. It was turning into quite a first meeting with the woman who'd raised her boyfriend for most of his life. She'd done an incredible job.

Remembering her own family, she turned around and gripped Izuku's hand. Mitsuomi had a rather toothy grin on his face while Michirou was looking between the two in ever-growing awe. The teasing and rapid-fire questions she was sure he'd asked were nowhere to be found; perhaps that was one silver lining to this whole situation. Her parents seemed to be looking at Izuku with a hint of fondness as well. Mina knew he'd made a hell of a first impression between hugging her and then apologizing for failing (in his opinion) to keep her safe, and then promising to do a better job next time.

"Izuku Midoriya," her father spoke in his soft yet booming voice. Mina knew that tone from her childhood and still into her teenage years. "There's…still a lot we'd like to know, a lot we'd like to discuss with you, but there's only one thing we need to know."

"Do you promise to take care of our Mina?" Her mother finished with a rather sharp glare.

As he always did, Izuku rose to the challenge, standing tall as a mountain. "I promise, I will." Not a hint of his nervous stuttering, not a hint of weakness, pure and unwavering determination. One of his best traits, and one of the things she loved about him.

Her parents shared a look with each other. Their expressions shifted from seriousness to something more light-hearted; it was more noticeable with her mom than her dad.

"Then you have permission to continue to date our daughter, Midoriya." She declared with a smile. "But you and Mrs. Midoriya are going to have to have dinner with us at some point! A big family dinner!"

"Seriously, mom? Do we even have the room for that?" Mitsuomi jabbed.

"I'm more worried about what mom could end up cooking. You know she's been dying to try that weirdo Indian recipe she picked up from Mrs. Fuyusaka." Michirou groaned. Mina looked at both of them with bewildered expressions. What had happened while she'd been at U.A.?

"Boys," their dad chided. "Honey, I agree, but," he shifted his gaze to All Might. "I think we can hold off on the details for that."

"I'm afraid you will have to. The police would like to ask your daughter some questions-"

"Hey, if we have a family dinner, could you come, too, Mr. All Might?" Michirou suddenly asked.

"Michi!" Their mom cried, even though Mina saw the glint in her eyes. She definitely did like the thought of cooking for Japan's most well-known hero, even if he was retired. Maybe she also thought he could use a little something given how skinny he'd become.

Somehow, Mina had a feeling that wasn't why he seemed a little flustered at the offer. "Mrs. Ashido, I'd…I'll…consider the offer. Thank you very much."

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied the Midoriyas chuckling to themselves. They really were a cute mother-son duo. With her mother's suggestion, she found herself picturing herself having dinner with them. It'd be a hell of a lot quieter than dinner with her family, that was for sure.

Speaking of quiet, that slowly crawled its way back into her room. Detectives emerged as her family and Izuku trickled out; however, not before everyone gave her loving hugs. Even Michirou, who seemed the most reluctant to let go. Hugs and kisses from her family and boyfriend. From Mrs. Midoriya, another gentle hand hold that Mina found herself taking great comfort in. From All Might, her teacher, an encouraging smile despite his emancipated face. It was so far from the full and white-toothed smile she'd grown up on, but she'd learned to find strength and joy in it. The fire was undoubtedly still there, even if the muscle wasn't.

After the whirlwind of excitement that came with family reunions and first meetings came the talks with the police. Mina didn't really have much to say, but what she did was probably going to help dismantle Kuroko Corporation. She hoped so, as she didn't want anyone else having to spend a second in one of those cells or having a Quirk-disabling chip planted on them. Several times Mina found herself subconsciously reaching back to rub her neck where the chip had been. The doctors told her the wound would heal in no time, as would the rest of her injuries. All she'd have would be her memories; she had no intention of letting those slow her down.

Once the interview with the police was over, she was told she'd be able to be discharged tonight, if she wanted to. Mina's answer was an immediate yes. While she didn't mind hospitals, she'd gladly take the chance to spend the night in her own bed back at the dorms if she could. She was certain all their classmates would be ready to welcome them back, and pepper them with questions about what happened to her and Izuku.

Well, almost all of them. She wasn't betting on Bakugo being too interested. Outwardly.

All those thoughts hit something of a roadblock when she was told Izuku would be discharged later than her. Waiting in the lobby with her family, Mina looked over at his mother and saw the unease in her eyes. It fed the curiosity that still smeared inside of her, and ignited a spark of uncertainty, as well.

"I'll stay and wait for Izuku." She proclaimed to all of them.

"Mina," she heard her father call. They shared a short exchange before he nodded. "Alright, if that's what you want."

"Just try to hold off on making me and Michi uncles once you two get back."

"Mitsu!" Their mom cried for probably the last time tonight.

"A-Ahh!" Mrs. Midoriya's was completely flustered, which was Mitsuomi's goal. He'd succeeded in spades. "O-Oh, dear."

"Geez, if anything, I'm more worried about you making me an aunt! Besides, I'm totally going to be sleeping in tonight!" Mina hit back. Behind her annoyance, she was glad that things were slowly getting back to normal.

It was about ten minutes later that Izuku entered the lobby, also having been discharged. All Might was with him, not something out of the ordinary as far as she knew…but again, her curiosity was roused. She knew wherever Izuku had been, the retired Symbol of Peace had been there with him.

Even though she put up a smile at the sight of him, Mina felt that sense of unease gnawing at her. Its teeth had grown sharper, and thus they dug deeper into her. Deeper than Mina would have liked.

---

Five Days Later, U.A…

At U.A., the students of Class 1-A had gained something of an infamous reputation. Rather as individuals or as a group, something was always happening to them. Their track record surpassed that of all the other classes, even the second and third-years, much to widespread astonishment…and resentment. Even now, going into the winter term, those feelings persisted, albeit they had died down.

As Mina thought, she and Izuku had their friends waiting for them when they came home. Kirishima ran right up to her asking if she was alright and what happened. Once they were inside, she and Izuku were more than happy to tell them, even if she felt like it probably wasn't the thing some would have wanted to hear before going to sleep. Mineta certainly didn't like to be told of the idea of having his Quirk stolen before going to bed, but for once, no one could blame him.

Ida and Todoroki had been quietly insistent on keeping what almost happened to Izuku to their class. He immediately went for it, and Mina found herself agreeing to it as well. The rest of their class followed suit, and with that agreement, everyone headed to their rooms for the night.

The next day had the whole campus buzzing about her and Izuku's kidnapping. Mina honestly would have loved to know how the news got out, but her focus was mainly on making it through the school day. It was behind her and Izuku, not to mention it wasn't the most horrifying experience they'd had. At least, not for her. She knew Izuku had been through worse than their battle with Namase. She heard the battle on I-Island had been much more perilous. Mina also heard that Izuku had built quite a friendship with a blonde girl who happened to be the daughter of one of All Might's old associates. After they'd started dating, Mina made a note to ask him about her when she got the chance.

There hadn't been any time for that, though. She had other things on her mind, schoolwork, and making sense of what she'd heard from Namase and his underlings. As much as she wanted to talk to Izuku about it, she saw he was wrestling with something as well.

On the second day after their kidnapping, things had quieted down, going back to normal. Or as normal as they could be at U.A. That said, Mina knew things weren't quite normal between her and Izuku. It worried her.

So, when she was suddenly called to the principal's office at the end of the school day the days later, she felt like she'd stepped on a mine. Her classmates looked at her like it was the last they'd see her alive, not exactly encouraging.

"I'll be back!" She shouted to them as she headed for the door and then down the hallway. Really, she was going to see everyone again, it was just a question of what would have happened between now and then. It wasn't like Mina was expecting something as catastrophic as she's suddenly been given four months to live.

I could be getting called over to find out a hit's been put on me. Kind of cool to think about. Mina half-joked to herself. It was a crazy idea, but hey, after what she did Mina felt like it held a slim possibility of being real. She'd made a powerful enemy in Namase, even if he was locked up. What about Straddler and Dogura? Maybe it was them, a lead on their whereabouts, or better yet, news that they'd been caught. She really would have loved that one, and she was sure Izuku would as well. Speaking of him, where was he? Had he received a similar call? Was he waiting for her? Would she find him at the door? Would she be waiting for him instead? Maybe he's already there. She internally settled upon.

As she approached the door, her heart beat at a speed it normally only reached during training. Whatever awaited her beyond the door, Mina knew it was something she was going to have to brace herself for. Doing so with a steady breath, she turned the knob and walked in. "I'm here." She called.

"Ah, Miss Ashido, thank you for coming."

Principal Nezu was, of course, there. And so was All Might. Just the two of them, no Izuku, a fact that made her sad, and even a little frightened. Suddenly, she realized how much she really wished he was there. There to explain things to her. There for her to look to for support.

"I'm sorry Young Midoriya isn't here, he's currently studying under Gran Torino.I know that may sound harsh or uncaring, but believe me, there are reasons for that." All Might said. "Reasons that…also pertain as to why we called you here today."

"It's about his Quirk, or…Quirks, isn't it?" She fired off. Mina blinked, realizing what she'd just said seconds after she'd spat the words out. There was no taking them back now.

Principal Nezu and All Might shared a look between one another, that look that told her they knew they couldn't' keep hiding something from her. Mina was surprised by how much it kind of annoyed her.

The two suited men finally looked back at her, All Might being the first to speak. "Yes, it is. All of it is connected." He stared at her, their similar yet different eyes gazing back at one another. "You wish to know what that connection is, don't you?"

Mina nodded. "There's…a lot that I want to know. You both brought me here to tell me that, right?"

"Yes, we do, albeit…Miss Ashido, there is something you must understand first." For a mouse, Principal Nezu could be pretty intimidating. Although not predatory, his black beady eyes were staring at her with the intensity of a moving glacier. Mina could have sworn it was moving in to crush her, an insignificant little pebble in its way. "What we are about to tell you cannot leave this room. It is a secret that only a handful of people know, and for the sake of world, the people in it, including your family as well as Midoriya's, that secret must remain known to as few as possible. For some time, Midoriya has held that secret, but the night we rescued you from Namase, he talked to All Might about revealing it to you. In turn, he came to me. We discussed it amongst ourselves, and then we discussed it with Midoriya himself." Her eyes widened at the mention of her green-haired boyfriend. "Yes, he quite passionately argued in favor of telling you the truth."

Again, her mouth worked faster than her brain. "And neither of you wanted that to happen, didn't you?" By the time she realized what she'd said, it was too late to take back the accusatory tone of her question. "What it is? What's going on?" She called in a near shout.

Luckily, both men remained as stalwart as they had when she walked in, although that only added to her frustration.

"Izuku's been acting weird the last couple of days! Like there's something he wants to tell me but can't! What is it? What's going on?" It really seemed like her self-control had gone out the window. Not exactly a good look, but Mina found it hard to reel it back in. "That guy, Namase, he said some weird stuff, including mentioning Shigaraki! He said we'd just create another one, what did he mean by that!"

Her voice hung in the office creating a tension that felt more suffocating by the second. Mina kicked herself for creating it, although neither Principal Nezu nor All Might seemed to be holding it against her. The latter had an empathetic look of sorrow on his face while the former looked down at the floor with closed eyes. That thoughtful expression made her wonder how had the conversation between the two men and Izuku gone. What had been said? Had he, kind and soft-spoken Izuku shouted like she was doing?

"Miss Ashido," Principal Nezu spoke in an unwaveringly calm voice. "Please take a seat in front of the table, it'd be for the best that you sat down for this."

Silently, she did exactly that. Although she kept on fidgeting sitting directly across from the two men. Mina felt like she was the mouse in front of two cats.

"Please, you must understand, we're reiterating this because of the sheer gravity of what we are about to tell you, Young Ashido." All Might spoke first.

"What we are about to tell you…is going to end up affected your relationship with Midoriya. It may even end it." Principal Nezu added.

"What?! How in the hell would it do that?" Her time on the couch was short-lived. "Whatever it is, just tell me already! I swear, I won't tell anyone!"

The two men stared at her before slowly nodding, although Principal Nezu motioned for her to sit down, which she did.

"Your initial inquiry about rather or not all of this was about Young Midoriya's Quirk was correct, more so than you realize." All Might began. This wasn't the voice of him as a teacher, it seemed different; somehow, Mina felt like it carried more weight than simply a teacher giving a lesson. That was further affirmed as she stared into his eyes. "You see, Young Midoriya's Quirks is incredibly unique, I would know as it was once mine, the Quirk known as One For All."

"Huh? HUH?!" Had they sat her down just so she could jump out of her seat again? "What do you mean Izuku's Quirk was once yours?!"

"Exactly that, his Quirk was once mine." The retired Pro calmly explained. "I transferred my Quirk to him last spring."

"T-T-T-Tr-Transferred? Y-Y-You mean-"

"Willingly, as that is the only way One For All can be passed on. It is truly unique amongst Quirks, and it is tied to a battle, no, a war, that has been raging for the better part of two centuries." Mina stared at him with widened eyes and trembling legs. Once more, Principal Nezu beckoned her to sit down. Although she did, her eyes remained enlarged and her mouth agape. "One For All is a Quirk that has been passed down through the generations, passing from several individuals onto me, and I passed it down onto Young Midoriya. I chose him as my successor, just as I was chosen by my predecessor."

"Your…predecessor?" Mina questioned.

Slowly, All Might nodded. She noted the sorrowful look that came over his face. "Yes, a woman known as Nana Shimura. When I talked to Young Midoriya after we rescued you two, he awoke her Quirk while you two were escaping Namase's headquarters, Float."

She remembered. Mina had thought about it amongst the other weird occurrences during their battle with Namase's underlings and the man himself. "When we were at Nishiyama High, he…I'd just gotten my brother to safety when I ran back to the gym to help Izuku. When I got there, he was…he had black…whip…things shooting out of his arms. It was freaky."

"Ah, Black Whip, I believe that Quirk belonged to Daigoro Banjo." Principal Nezu clarified.

All Might nodded. "Yes, he was the fifth user of One For All."

"Fifth?" Mina echoed. "Wait, wait," she called as her mind spun with too many questions. Making sense of them all was taking a lot more energy than she thought it would, but she tried. "How…how many people have held One For All? How can it do that? How can you pass a Quirk down? What the hell is it?"

The former Symbol of Peace took a deep breath, lacing his hands together as if he were steadying himself. Mina took that as a cue to do the same. Every bone in her body told her she was in for a long story, and for the first time in ages, she was ready to hear every detail of it. "To answer those questions, I must begin with the origin of One For All. That origin begins almost two centuries ago, and it is tied to my former archenemy, the man who holds One For All's opposite, All For One."

She felt her blood chill. "You mean…that villain that you fought a couple of months ago. Your final fight." The way he nodded set Mina on edge, or more on edge. "How is he…"

"Young Miss Ashido, All For One is not just a villain, he is an incredibly old and incredibly dangerous villain. Perhaps the worst the world had ever seen. He emerged around the time when Quirks began to appear, he helped set in motion the era of chaos that you and your classmates have studied in class."

No remarks about how she'd been doing in said classes, not from the two men in front of her or from Mina herself. Her brain instantaneously jumped to those lessons; they came to her with unnerving clarity, but in doing so she came upon one glaring detail that she voiced. "But…that was almost two hundred years ago. How could he be-"

"Alive? You see, All For One's name and Quirk are perfectly named, his Quirk is the power to give and take other Quirks. Amongst the many Quirks he took were several that allowed him to prolong his life." All Might explained.

Mina quickly digested the revelation, but she still found herself marveling over the news. "Take like…you mean…permanently?" All Might and Principal Nezu nodded. "That's…incredible, and…scary. Like, really scary."

"Yes, it is. You see, Young Miss Ashido, all those years ago, there were born two brothers amongst the onrush of first-generation Quirk-users. The older brother possessed the ability to give and take Quirks while the younger brother seemingly possessed no Quirk at all. The older brother would eventually come to be known as All For One. He used his Quirk to amass power for himself, both through the stealing of others' Quirks and the disturbing of them to his loyal followers. Of course, he kept the strongest for himself and ruled from the shadows, unleashing mass chaos and death upon the world as he pleased. As you read, it was a dark time, and the older brother, known as All For One, was responsible for it."

The gravity of All Might's voice hit harder than any lecture any teacher Mina had ever heard before. This was history, but it was something more. Her mind flashed back to the stories she'd heard from her grandparents, passed down to them from their grandparents and so on. The dark ages where Quirks were brand new and when Heroes had yet to become the public, and most importantly licensed, figures they currently were. That'd only happen, the peace she and her friends enjoyed, only existed because people had rose up and lived through the chaos that came before them, way before them. Suddenly, she now knew someone had been the cause of it, someone had thrived in it.

All Might and Principal Nezu were patient in waiting for her to further digest what she'd heard. Mina hadn't fully done so when she spoke again. "Um...what about the younger brother? What…what was his deal?"

"The younger brother, you see, was born weak and frail, unlike his brother. Despite that, he adamantly opposed his older brother's evil ways, but he was powerless to stop him. That said, All For One did not kill him, instead, he seemed to be the one person he had some measure of care for. That care led him to passing a Quirk onto his younger brother; that Quirk happened to be a stockpiling Quirk. It allowed the younger brother to amass power within his body. What All For One did not know was that his brother already possessed a Quirk." Something in All Might's eyes changed as he stared at Mina. She felt like he was drilling the information into her very soul. Anticipation gripped her body as she leaned forward. "The Quirk the younger brother possessed was one that allowed itself to be passed onto another person."

"…Huh? What? A Quirk that…lets itself be passed to another person? What kind of a Quirk is that? It sounds super-" Mina's eyes widened as the dots connected.

To her right, Principal Nezu nodded. "Yes, Miss Ashido. The two Quirks, the Stockpiling Quirk and the Transference Quirk merged into one inside the younger brother's body."

"And thus, the Quirk known as One For All was born." All Might proclaimed. "The younger brother, Yoichi Shigaraki," her eyes widened at the name. "Became its first wielder."

"Wh-What…h-how's that…S-S-Shigaraki…A-A-All For One…and…you mean Izuku has…ooooh, man!" She flung her head backwards. "Oh, man! This is crazy! So freakin' crazy!" After several minutes of caressing her brow, she leaned forward, her hands still trembling. No, not just her hands, her whole body seemed to be shaking. "Okay…so let me get this straight, this guy, All For One, gave his little brother a Quirk thinking he was Quirkless, but he really had a Quirk, one that let him pass it onto someone else. So those two Quirks came together and made…the one you and Izuku have?" She finally asked looking at All Might. He nodded, causing Mina to sigh. "Okay…that's…incredible. Also pretty sure it's ironic."

"Quite so. As it happens, it was also quite fortunate as the ultimate counter to All For One had been created." Principal Nezu sounded off. It was the first time she'd heard him sound remotely positive since she'd walked in. "Yoichi continued to oppose his brother's ambitions, but at the time, One For All lacked the power to combat All For One, as did Yoichi himself. That said, All For One realized the potential of his brother's newly created Quirk, thus he sought it, and him, out."

That, and maybe the guy just wanted to stop it before he got his ass kicked by his own creation. Mina kept that to herself, feeling it wasn't quite appropriate to say. "So…what happened?"

All Might heaved out another sigh. "There was a resistance movement opposed to All For One. Its leader, Kudo, found Yoichi, but they clashed with All For One. In the crossfire, Yoichi was killed, but not before he passed One For All onto Kudo, who would go on to become the second user of One For All." All Might continued.

Mina winced hearing that. Even though she knew these people lived over a century before her, she was feeling attached. The younger brother, Yoichi, fought back against his brother even when he was powerless, and when he got something to oppose him, he seemed like he might have had a chance. Looking at All Might, she realized she needed to brace herself. The man standing in front of her had been the one to fight and defeat All For One along with passing One For All onto Izuku. Those facts meant that their predecessors mustn't have had much success in stopping All For One.

At her nod, All Might resumed his story. "From Kudo onward, One For All was passed down, growing in strength as it assimilated the Quirks of each new user."

"The Stockpile Quirk," Mina let slip.

Although All Might didn't seem to mind. "Yes, Young Miss Ashido. Not only did it accumulate physical strength, it accumulated the power of the Quirks of each user. One For All was passed down through the ages, it had to be as All For One hunted it down, becoming obsessive in obtaining it for himself." The retired Pro looked to her with sorrowful eyes, nodding in confirming what she was thinking-he killed those who held the Quirk. "My mentor, Nana Shimura, was the seventh inheritor of One For All, I the eighth, and Young Midoriya, is currently the ninth."

Mina's jaw dropped. "Nine?! Izuku's the ninth?! This thing's been passed through nine different people?! That's crazy! Wait a second, how is it passed from person to person? How did your mentor pass it onto you, and…how did you pass it onto Izuku?"

"Well, typically it's passed through ingesting the predecessor's DNA; in the case of me and Young Midoriya, I gave him a sliver of my hair to eat."

"Oh," Mina said, not quite sure how to process that. It was…different from what she was expecting, although she wasn't really sure what she was expecting in the first place. "That's…okay."

Principal Nezu laughed. "Were you perhaps picturing something more grandiose, or perhaps a bit more vulgar, Miss Ashido?"

"H-Hey! N-N-No I wasn't! Really! Honest!" She flailed. "Like, seriously, I just wanted to know because I was curious!"

A flicker of humor crossed All Might's face before he began explaining things again. Mina promptly quelled her emotions to pay attention. "One For All can only be transferred between individuals who possess complete trust in one another. It is the ultimate failsafe against being stolen, particularly by All For One."

"Complete trust in each other, but…how could that work?"

"As unbelievable as it sounds, it is the truth. There have been previous attempts to steal it in the past, as Young Midoriya experienced five days ago, but they have all failed."

"But that hasn't stopped this All For One guy from trying."

"No," All Might shook his head. "Throughout the years, he has amassed various Quirks, as I told you, some helped him extend his lifespan several times over. Many others he had used to enhance himself." His eyes closed and his head fell. Mina sensed something was coming. "My mentor, Nana Shimura chose me as her successor, being the first to do so."

"What do you mean by that? Didn't the previous holders-"

"Nana Shimura was the first one to designate a successor before her fated battle with All For One. Those who came before her merely chose a successor partially in the spur of the moment." Principal Nezu stated.

Mina felt a chill run up her spine. "You mean their…last moments, right?" The two men shared another one of those looks. They really didn't need to nod as their initial reactions told Mina she'd hit the mark.

"Nana took me on as her apprentice, training me for several years before she battled All For One herself." All Might's posture was still rigid. Mina knew recalling the memory wasn't easy for him, but for the sake of giving her the full picture, he pushed on in explaining himself. "She…died battling him, leaving the task to me."

Suddenly, Mina found it hard to look at All Might in the same way. Somehow, he seemed…greater. For years, she'd grown up just seeing him as the greatest hero on the planet, but now, she realized he was…more. He was the eighth in a long line that'd been fighting one hell of a battle for almost two centuries. A battle that those came before him had died fighting, including his teacher. He was calm and dignified, but Mina could sense the faintest traces of sadness in him as he spoke of her. She recalled how she'd actually trained him for several years before she marched off to fight All For One. Had he known about that? Did he try to stop her when Nana Shimura marched off to fight this big bad villain?

Stupid question…even if he tried to stop her, she probably knew she had to do it. She…she was probably just like Izuku. All of them were. It was odd how she thought of her boyfriend when she tried to picture each of the previous users of One For All. Maybe because she knew how strongly he felt about helping people, protecting people. Mina pondered if that same drive had burned within those who came before him. Looking at All Might, she felt like the answer to that question was a resounding yes.

Refocusing her attention on All Might, she asked. "But you beat him, didn't you? I saw it on TV."

"Yes, I did. That was the second time I battled All For One and defeated him. The first time was almost twenty years ago. It was the battle where I broke his shadow rule over Japan. Although victorious, the battle wasn't without great cost. My stomach and left lung, to be precise." Standing up, he began to unbutton his uniform. Mina knew something was coming, but even she was taken back by what she saw.

"What…the hell…did he do to you, All Might, sir?" To her, it looked like he'd been impaled through the left side of his chest, then something tried to…suck the rest of his body in through that point. "What kind of Quirk, er, combination of Quirks did that?"

"Not a combination I'm fond of remembering, but it was almost the end of me. It was certainly the beginning of the end for me, Young Miss Ashido." She was almost grateful he shuddered the scar behind his shirt and began buttoning it up again. "This wound crippled me, just as I left All For One crippled. In my case, I could no longer use One For All for any longer than three hours a day. I knew my time was drawing to an end, and it was time I began to search for my successor."

"Izuku," Mina whispered in a tender voice. The soft and pleasant feeling that came with remembering him was interrupted as something stood out to her. "Hey, wait a minute. Is that wound why you started showing up less and less? Is it why Izuku was always with you?"

"Yes, on multiple accounts." He affirmed.

"It wasn't immediately obvious in the wake of All Might's recovery, but his era was drawing to a close. Something that terrified many, especially the Hero Association. While he kept up appearances, I'm afraid he had to pick and choose which battles he had to fight, particularly those that would draw public attention. His search for a successor was what initially drew him to teaching at U.A." Principal Nezu chimed in. Affection laced his voice as he laughed. "Granted, he would find such a person not at our school, but on the outside."

All Might's face morphed into a fond smile. It was tender and nostalgic; Mina found herself smiling as well. "Young Midoriya inspired me to push past my limits, and that inspiration helped me choose him as my successor. That said…it was not the sole reason. Another was that he was the ideal candidate to pass One For All along to. He was like me in a very important sense, he as Quirkless."

"Quirkless? Quirkless? Quirkless?!" She jumped out of her seat, again. "What do you mean Quirkless? Izuku's Quirkless? You were Quirkless? How does that have anything to do with inheriting One For All?!"

"Over the generations, its power grew, and with that growth came certain…side effects. Namely, it became harder for one already possessing a Quirk to bear it. Young Ashido, think of it as pouring water into a cup. It's easier to do when the cup is empty, right?"

"Yeah, it is." Mina affirmed. Her mouth felt wet as she rapidly saw where the analogy was going. "So, a person with a Quirk is a cup that's already full, making it harder for them. Wait a second, that means you were…"

All Might smiled at her in a quiet, almost self-pitying way. "Yes, I was originally born Quirkless, as was Young Midoriya He…gave me permission to tell you in his place. I believe he wanted to tell you himself, it was something he felt very personable about. Please, I hope it doesn't-"

"I don't care about that. That he was Quirkless or you were Quirkless. None of that matters! You're both still super awesome! You were the best Hero for years! You kicked butt and saved so many lives! You finally kicked All For One's ass when no one before you could! You're an awesome teacher!" She exclaimed. "As for Izuku, he's a great guy! Not because he's got an amazing Quirk, it's because he's…he's…he's so nice and helpful and dependable! Quirk or not, he's always there, willing to lend a helping hand, even if no one asks him to. He's…" Self-consciousness took over, and with that, her cheeks took on a magenta hue, right in front of two of her teachers, one of whom she deeply respected more so than she already did. Somehow, this latest outburst seemed worse than her previous ones.

Luckily for her, both men took it in strides, Principal Nezu giving a humorous, and mousy, laugh that just made her cheeks blush pinker.

"Heh, well, I can say some of those are similar reasons as to why I made him my successor." All Might spoke with that continuing nostalgic gleam in his eyes. "I warned him it would be bitter work, yet Young Midoriya eagerly accepted it. It truly was a spring of new beginnings. Thanks to him, I was able to head into my final battle with All For One with fewer regrets."

"I'm simply glad you went forward without hoping to die, even though you were ready for it." Principal Nezu stated with a slight chuckle despite the subject matter.

The retired Pro's words snapped Mina out of her romantic stupor. "Your final battle? That means, All Might, sir, did you…you gave Izuku One For All before that big fight with All For One? The one that was on TV?" Again, he nodded. Her confusion showed. "Hold on, if you gave One For All to Izuku at…just before the school year started, then…" She couldn't help but raise a finger at him in growing curiosity and confusion. "If you gave Izuku your Quirk, and you were Quirkless, how come you still had your superstrength and all that? How were you able to fight All For One that last time?"

"Embers, Young Miss Ashido." Came his swift and calm answer. He held out his right hand, the same hand she'd seen him use to deliver the final, earth-shaking blow to his archenemy, along with millions of others that fateful night. "Although I transferred One For All to Young Midoriya, trace amounts of its power lingered within me, dying embers. They allowed me to me to buff myself up into the form I held during my prime, for a time, anyway. I knew those embers would one day fade, so I tried to use them as wisely as I could. All those times I fought, including my final battle against All For One that you and the rest of the world witnessed was me burning the last shred of those embers as hotly as I could."

Mina jaw hung in open representation of her amazement. All those times…that whole fight, and he was running on the leftovers he after he gave his Quirk to Izuku. That's… "Those were some big-ass embers." She suddenly confessed.

All Might seemed more amused by her vulgarity. "I wouldn't say so, I simply used what I had left, albeit it was somewhat more than I expected. Perhaps the leftovers were due to the forty-years in which I held onto One For All, longer than any of my predecessors."

"Forty years?" In repeating that, Mina quickly went over the information. He said he held onto One For All the longest at forty years? That must mean none of the previous wielders held it for that long. Duh, they didn't because a maniacal villain was hunting them. Her stomach churned as she suddenly pictured Izuku going through the same thing, an unpleasant thought. Fortunately, that unpleasantness was counteracted by the memory of seeing All For One defeated by the Symbol of Peace. Like a lightbulb, a thought went off in her head. Mina quickly voiced it, "At the end of the battle after you'd beaten All For One, when you pointed at the camera…you were…you were really pointing at Izuku, weren't you? You used up all the power you had left." Her eyes widened.

All Might quietly bowed his head, confirming what she was implying, what she thought.

Mina sat back again, feeling like the world had been turned upside down around her. Frankly, it had been. Every beat of her heart was a second in which she struggled to contemplate it all. Currently, the thing she was grappling with the most was the memory of that incredible night a few months ago, the night when All Might fought his final battle. It was one of one for the history books, a truly epic battle befitting the Number One Hero. But now, Mina realized it'd been so much more. It's ending had been so much more.

That gesture he made after defeating All For One, when he pointed and proclaimed, "You're next." Mina, like so many others, had thought it was a warning to all the other villains out there, albeit one that fell short considering he announced his retirement just a couple of days later.

"When you said you're next while pointing…you were really pointing at Izuku." She vocalized with an unwavering gaze on the blond. "You were talking to him, you meant he was next, it was his turn to carry on One For All. His turn to take your place." Another slow nod, almost as if he were ashamed of the burden he'd passed onto her boyfriend. Mina defiantly shook her head. "But you defeated All For One! Knocked him out! He's locked up in Tartarus!"

"Yes, he is, and all means have been taken to ensure he stays locked away forever. So far, those efforts have proven successful. However," Mina tensed up hearing Principal Nezu address her. She recognized the whole good-news bad-news schtick at the startup. "As I'm sure you remember, All Might's retirement saw an uptick in crime, just as several feared. As far as the Police Commissioner General was concerned, that battle hadn't been a victory."

"Oh, that's bullshit!" Her eyes widened at the explosive explicative, but neither man reprimanded her for it. Shyly, she bowed her head in apology but continued speaking. "I mean, that's kind of harsh, isn't it? All Might beat the biggest, baddest villain in the world. That had to count for something, right? Right?"

"On one hand, it did. Defeating All For One was certainly an accomplishment, and it's done the world a great deal of good that he is locked away, but, just as All Might passed the torch to Young Midoriya, so too did All For One."

Mina looked at Principal Nezu struggling to understand what he meant. Her brain wrecked itself into a ball at a speed that would make even Ida jealous. "Tomura…Shigaraki, right? He's All For One's successor?"

"Yes, he is. That night, our final battle, it was the end of our eras, and us passing the torches onto the next generation." All Might declared upon lifting his head. "Just as we Heroes prioritized the rescue of Young Midoriya, Young Bakugo, and the others of their rescue team, All For One did the same regarding Tomura Shigaraki. He stated that he would continue the war."

Mina felt cold, colder than she had when she left the dorms and colder than when she was working out in P.E. Continue the war. She repeated. A war that'd been waging for two centuries, a war that'd seen hundreds, maybe thousands of people dying. A war that'd crippled the man in front of her, the greatest hero she'd ever known, the greatest hero her generation had known. A war that her boyfriend had been a part of since before he came to U.A. But why? Why couldn't it end when All Might beat down All For One? The answer hit her like a bolt of lightning, which was another uncomfortable reminder. Us, we're kids, but we're trying so hard to live up to their example. The faces of her teachers and the other Pro Heroes came to her mind. It wasn't wrong to say a good chunk of hero course students were inspired by the Heroes they'd seen on TV. Kirishima had told her Red Riot was his idol and inspiration, as for her, Mina drew a great deal of inspiration from Midnight. She was quite open in telling her and her classmates they were the next generation of heroes while preparing them to take their places one day. With all that in mind…was it possible villains realized they needed to cultivate the next generation as well?

The thought of villains trying to teach a group of kids like her and her classmates was a weird mental image. Mina shook her head trying to put it out of her mind.

"But," she began. "If Tomura Shigaraki was All For One's successor, then why was Namase trying to steal One For All?"

All Might shook his head. "I believe that was greed on his part. One thing that you and the others will discover is that villains can be incredibly selfish, especially when it comes to common interests."

"We did some digging and discovered he had ties to All For One, being one of his followers for several years. He'd gone by several different aliases to hide himself. In that time, we believe he grew to harbor ambitions of stealing One For All for himself, not an uncommon development. More so when All For One was finally defeated. When the heads of such villainous organizations are arrested or killed or incapacitated, their subordinates tend to go off on their own, usually following their own goals. Even if completing their leader's original objective, but for their own betterment." Principal Nezu spoke. "Namase is one such example. According to our research, he actually broke off from All For One at some point after his initial defeat at All Might's hands to build up his own power. His defeat second and final defeat likely spurred him to act, along with Midoriya's young age and relative inexperience with One For All."

Mina clicked her tongue again and crossed her arms. "Sounds like the guy was just a greedy bastard."

The principal chuckled. "I suppose that's another way to look at it, Miss Ashido. Greed is a typical motivator for many villains, although others have somewhat more…complex motives. Regardless, Namase's service to All For One is no doubt how he came upon the concept of Quirk transference, as well as how he knew such personal information regarding the secret struggle between All For One and One For All."

"Including… it is with Tomura Shigaraki, right? He mentioned that, especially when he saw me and Izuku together. What's the deal there?" The way both men tensed up, especially All Might, told Mina she'd just walked into a minefield. Considering what she'd already learned, that was saying something. Playing her balled up fists against her knees, she stared long and hard at the retired Symbol of Peace. "Please, tell me what the story there is. I want to know." I have to know considering this guy's sounding like my boyfriend's future archenemy. Remembering back to the start of the conversation, Mina took a stab in the dark at what the next revelation would be. "Is he the descendant of the first user of One For All?"

Eyes shadowed, All Might shook his head, the act seemingly painful for him. "No, at least not as far as we're aware. Tomura Shigaraki…is instead the grandson of my mentor, Nana Shimura, the seventh user of One For All."

It took her a full several seconds to process what she'd heard, and even then, Mina found herself blinking in bewilderment. "WHAT?! YOUR MENTOR'S GRAN-"

"Miss Ashido," softly yet sternly Principal Nezu called. She shut her mouth and sunk back into her seat, both apologetic and dumbstruck. U.A.'s principal bowed his head in quiet dismay before turning to All Might.

She'd never seen the man look so…hollowed out. "All For One told me during our final battle…I ran through every resource I could…and confirmed it. The villain we know as Tomura Shigaraki, is indeed Nana's grandson."

Mina shook her head. "B-B-B-But…how? How could that be possible? H-H-How could he…d-d-d-does he know what he did to his grandmother? What happened? What-"

"Nana gave up her son, Kotaro, for adoption after her husband was killed in the line of duty." Came the swift answer, or at least the start of one. "Nana and her husband were Pro Heroes, but his death left a deep scar on Nama Shimura that plagued her for the rest of her life. Fearing for Kotaro's safety, she…put him in the care of a foster family." All Might's head fell lower, if that were possible. "She forbid me and her own ally, Gran Torino, from ever contacting the boy."

Mina had lost count of how many times her jaw had dropped throughout the conversation. "That's…that's…that's…awful." She honestly didn't even know who she believed it was awful for. Nana Shimura for losing her husband and the pain driving her to give up their son to save him from the same fate, or Kotaro Shimura for essentially losing both his parents. Her heart broke the more she thought about it. Mina couldn't imagine losing both of her parents, and she definitely couldn't imagine one of them giving her up on the premise she'd be safer elsewhere. She knew she'd be kicking and screaming she wanted to stay with them, and she knew Mitsuomi and Michirou would be the same, especially the latter. Slowly, she rediscovered her voice. "So…what happened…next?"

All Might shook his head, looking like the world was crashing down around him. "From what we could tell, Kotaro grew up with a deep loathing of heroes, feeling his parents, particularly his mother, had abandoned him. I believe that hatred might have influenced Shiga…no, Tenko Shimura. While the finer details have eluded me, I fully believe All For One preyed on that, using it to turn Tenko to his side. It is likely that Namase was still in contact with him in some way, potentially keeping an eye on him in case All For One sought him out for his services. This is just theorizing, but it's the best I have at the moment."

"That's…that's…that's so…screwed up. It's just so…" Honestly, Mina struggled to find the words to make sense of it all. Horrible just didn't seem to be enough to cover it. Twisted seemed appropriate, yet not even remotely enough.

She'd heard stories that being a Hero could be hard on one's family: divorces, affairs, estrangement, and even complete destruction, but this was the first time she'd heard of one with such a destructive result.

Her black and yellow eyes widened as her mind jumped back to her and Izuku's trip to the hospital after their rescue. After a second of pondering that, she moved further back to their battle with Namase.

"Gah! Don't think you can stop me! And don't think you're accomplishing something protecting her! You think you can be happy with a girl! You'll end up destroying yourselves and everyone you love! You'll just end up creating another Shigaraki!"

He'd known, alright. He'd known Tomura Shigaraki's real parentage and how he became the villain he currently was.

Suddenly, Mina became aware of something that never seemed so important. In all his years of hero work, All Might had never been married or dated. To say he had tons of admirers would have been an understatement, but he'd never been reported on having a girlfriend (or even a boyfriend). Not even when he became a regular teacher did he have a significant other or show signs of one. All the relationships he had with women, including Midnight, were strictly professional, or entirely platonic at best. While Mina didn't know what the story was for those who came before him, she found herself focusing squarely on what she believed to be the last three inheritors of One For All.

Izuku's face came to her mind, and with it a sudden painful tug on her heart.

"Are you two…did you two…bring me here to tell me…to break up with Izuku?" She asked in a surprisingly broken voice.

"No, absolutely not, Young Miss Ashido." All Might swiftly answered. "We brought you here because…we wanted you to know, what a continued relationship with Young Midoriya may entail."

"It…pains us to say this, but he is a part of something incredibly vast and dangerous. Even his own mother does not know the truth of his Quirk." Principal Nezu stated in a voice that didn't at all suit a cute mouse man like him. That just made his words hit all the harder. "Your kidnapping was a deliberate plow to lure Izuku, and One For All, out so the latter could be captured. We are indeed grateful that the attempt failed, but we are working under the all but assured assumption it will happen again. All For One may be in custody where we're doing our best to ensure he stays, but those who served under him, those he passed his knowledge onto, including his will, are still out there."

"And…they'll come for Izuku." It wasn't a question, it was a fact. Everything she'd heard made meant there was no debate. He had a hell of a powerful Quirk, one that'd been building power through eight, and now nine, people. Even if attempts to steal it had failed, Mina could scarily see someone taking her or Izuku's mom captive to get him to do whatever they wanted. Not just her, any of the people he cared about such as their classmates. If any of them were in danger he'd charge in to save them without a second thought-it's part of who he was.

White-hot protectiveness crept through him like a weed.

"We are not trying to frighten you, Young Miss Ashido, but…as I said, you have a right to know what being in a relationship with Young Midoriya will mean going forward. Although you are both young, there is a chance that staying with him will force you to experience many more treacherous situations. Some like the kidnapping you experienced, and others potentially worse."

"Is that why you…never hooked up with anyone?" Mina somewhat hesitantly asked.

"Not…quite." His response wasn't quite what Mina expected. All Might seemed a bit…embarrassed. "The truth was, I was often more focused on my hero work than my social life, or at least dating. Although I did have a great many admirers, no one in particular caught my eye. Or…perhaps I never quite gave them the chance." With a slightly dumbstruck look, Mina watched the paragon of modern heroism look up with an almost wistful look in his eyes.

Man, the stories that he must have. The stories I'm sure the tabloids would love to hear. An inkling of a smile came to her face as she pictured a younger All Might brushing off admirers and maybe doing it without meaning to. She had a strong feeling that'd probably made some women more into him.

"The truth is, I completely approve of your relationship with Young Midoriya. He's the happiest I've ever seen him, and from what I've observed, he makes you happy as well."

"Like you wouldn't believe." Mina smiled with heartfelt bliss. "I never could have imagined it, but I love being around him so much. Even when we're in danger, like that time we fought Gentle and La-! Laaaa-um, never mind! I-I-I meant even when Namase took kidnapped us and we had to fight our way out, it was awesome! Being with him, I felt happy and confident, like I could take on anything!" The excitement swelled and cooled, after which she spoke again. This time, Mina made sure her voice was quieter, but no less enthusiastic. "We've only been together for a few weeks, but…I've loved it. I love being around him, waking up every day and seeing him; he's one of the last people I see before I go to bed, and I go to sleep waiting to see him again the next morning. I can't imagine all that stopping, seriously, I…don't want it to."

"Not even if your life is put in danger…or perhaps the lives of your family?" Principal Nezu politely yet pointedly asked.

That put a clamp down on the geyser of positivity that'd been swelling up within her.

Mina felt her hands tightened. "I now know…that's a possibility, but…I'm not just going to sit by and let that happen. No one misses with my family and gets away with it." She looked between both men. "And no one misses with my boyfriend, either. Now I know…dating Izuku's not just going to be all smiles and laughs. Seriously, I never would have imagined he'd be caught up in something as big as this, hell, I didn't even think something like this was possible. At least not here at U.A., and not involving you, All Might, Sir."

"Again, I apologize, Young Miss Ashido, the intent here is not to overwhelm you, it's just…your kidnapping as well as witnessing Young Midoriya awaken multiple Quirks, coupled with his insistence, forced our hand."

"It is surprising to learn that he awoke the other Quirks. Based on what he reported, they seemed to awaken in response to the situations he found himself in. That is quite a surprise." Principal Nezu remarked, to which All Might nodded.

Mina stared at them. "Why's that surprising?"

"You see, Young Miss Ashido, Young Midoriya is the first to awaken the Quirks of his predecessors. Float which belonged to my mentor and Black Whip which belonged to the fifth, I never awoke either of them." All Might proclaimed placing a hand to his chest. "It is all but certain that Young Midoriya will awaken the other six Quirks held within One For All, being the first to do so."

"Huh? That means that you never did that? You never used the other Quirks that built up in One For All, All Might, Sir?"

"No, I didn't. Young Midoriya's reporting of his activation of Black Whip came as quite a surprise. I fully believe the others will follow. Unfortunately, my ability to aid him on that front will be limited. It's why he's currently training with Gran Torino. He was a close friend with Nana Shimura." All Might said.

"And her Quirk was Float, Izuku activated it when we jumped through the window at Kuroko Corp." Could One For All have realized we needed a quick way out and…I guess turned on? Spat up the Quirk we needed at the moment? Before that, there was the fight at gym. We were fighting a telekinetic, so being able to grow a few extra arms came in handy. But Izuku's been in plenty of tough situations, and All Might had the thing for forty years. He had to have been in similar spots, so why didn't One For All give him access to those other Quirks?

Undoubtedly reading her face, Principal Nezu spoke up. "There are many mysteries to One For All that we've yet to discover. It is truly a unique Quirk, I doubt even All For One, who's coveted it for decades, knows all there is to know about it as it has evolved. What we do know for sure is that its power has grown over the years, as you've witnessed in All Might and Midoriya."

"That power boost has trickled into the other Quirks." Mina bit her lip in deep thought and inner debate. "Um, is it possible that…Izuku can use Float to…fly? Could Nana Shimura fly?"

"Yes, she could, at least once she learned to channel One For All's power properly. Young Midoriya is undergoing the same training she underwent under Gran Torino, learning aerial maneuvers." All Might answered.

"…My boyfriend's learning how to fly." Mina felt herself smiling as she whispered the phrase. As overwhelming as all this was, she was glad she was able to find little spots to focus on. Those things brought her joy that helped her process all of it. "You know, that's another reason why I think I want to stay with Izuku. He's helped me get better at my Quirk, so I want to do the same for him. Especially if it'll help him fight villains like Shigaraki or Namase! Besides, if I help him get better, it might me we won't get kidnapped like we did before, right?"

"Well, it's a possibility. But that's all it is, not a certainty, Young Miss Ashido." All Might cautioned.

"I got that, but still. It's more reason for me to stay with him." She lifted her hands, staring at them with rising passion. "It'll get scary, but I knew all that when I signed up for the hero course here at U.A. Izuku knew it, too, he learned all this when he became your successor, right, All Might, sir?"

"Gradually." He answered in a quiet tone. "He has shouldered much of the responsibility that came with inheriting One For All, including keep it a secret from his friends and loved ones."

"Until now, that is." Principal Nezu remarked. As he looked at her, Mina turned her full attention to him. Regardless of what comes of your relationship, you now know the secret as well, Miss Ashido, and it is imperative that you keep it."

"I will, but I'm not going to let him keep carrying all this alone. Not anymore." Mina felt her hands trembling from the accumulated energy with them. She wanted to find Izuku, but first she had to give her answer to the two men in front of her. "I honestly don't know what the future holds for me and Izuku, but I know one thing for sure, I want to stay with him. I want to be with facing down every threat, whatever it is. I want to be there to help him get the hang of each of his Quirks. I'm going to do all those things! As the Acid Hero Pinky, and as his girlfriend!" Her attempt to remain calm fell apart toward the end, but Mina didn't regret that. She'd been called a passionate person by nature, and given what she'd just heard, her passion had definitely been ignited. More importantly, she wanted All Might and Principal Nezu to see it burning bright in front of them so she knew how serious she was about this. In particular, she felt like she needed All Might to see how seriously she was taking this.

Mina knew her boyfriend idolized the man, especially now knowing they shared some similarities. However, there were some areas in which they differed. Primarily, he had her.

"Young Miss Ashido," The retired Symbol of Peace spoke in a heavy voice. "I am glad that Young Midoriya has a girlfriend like you, and that he will have you at his side going forward."

She blushed at his smile. "Um…hehe, when you say it like that, you…kind of make it sound like a dad giving his approval. I've still got to meet Izuku's actual dad and talk to him."

The office was filled with laughter from all three occupants, driving away the dark and suspenseful atmosphere that'd permeated it when Mina walked in.

"So, um, now that we've gotten all that out of the way, can I ask this." She said in an anxious voice. "Where's Izuku?"

---

All Might revealing the truth of One For All had been a part of my plans for a while, since I decided to start having Izuku awaken the other Quirks in clear sight of Mina. That and his own building sense of guilt and worry regarding her safety. I've actually been looking forward to writing this scene for a while since Mina's not the sort of person who could ever dream of the sort of long-running conspiracy that makes up the war between All For One and One For All. Even as I was writing, I found myself rediscovering the intrigue I had for the relationship between the two and the long-running history between All For One and One For All. Given this story's focus on her and Izuku, I'm looking forward to further examining her reaction to learning all this more thoroughly next chapter. Something I briefly debated on was rather or not to have Izuku there when she learned the truth, but I decided it'd be more dramatic if he was absent, and I could write him dreading what Mina might say after learning everything when they meet up again.

Speaking of meetings, I didn't originally intend for them to meet each other's parents, but once I got down to writing them recovering at the hospital, that scene came about. For those of you curious, I might do a whole chapter or half a chapter focusing on them meeting with each other's parents and getting to know them. That big family dinner between the Midoriyas and Ashidos is something I especially found myself interested in writing.

It feels a bit bittersweet ending things here, but I've got other plans for Valentine's Day, so don't expect an update by Friday. However, I will hopefully be able to post the next chapter by next month. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Oh, and given its Sunday where I am, Go Chiefs! Until next time, readers!