Barely got this one out in time, but I still hope you enjoy.
Toshinori Yagi was not a man given to rage. The last time he had allowed rage to run freely through his body he had left his nemesis dead in a shattered lair and walked away with several vital organs missing and half of his side torn away. So no. He wasn't given to rage.
And yet.
And yet, when he blew through the door to the USJ, already tense with anger from the hasty report Young Iida had given him- when he'd glanced across to see Aizawa crumpled and broken on the ground, when he'd seen Izuku Midoriya ragdoll across the ground, the villain dropping his ripped off arm like it was nothing- when he'd seen the inside of the USJ, he'd felt rage. Usually, Toshinori pulled his punches. Usually, he was careful not to seem too strong.
This time, he struck with his full strength, a single fist striking at the chest. It would have killed most Villains. It would have phased any. The monster didn't even flinch. Toshinori didn't spare a second to think, its clawed hand coming towards his side with horrifying speed. He caught it by the wrist and lifted, turning, throwing. He saw it shatter the glacier in the shipwreck zone like it was nothing, but didn't make the mistake of assuming it was down. It hadn't even reacted to his blow, but at least he hadn't felt any backlash. The slightest glance around and he saw Midoriya and Todoroki: Midoriya wasn't bleeding anymore, the stench of burned meat filling the air from the stump of his arm, but he was lying there, bonelessly limp. Todoroki jerked his head away and emptied his stomach onto the ground. Toshinori empathised, but it made his anger colder, sharper. These were children. And for all that he'd like to go after the villain, beat them into the ground until they understood that he didn't accept this, he'd been a hero a long time. He knew the limits. He knew that the victims had to come first. Toshinori moved with his normal lightning speed, grabbing as many of the students as he could. Ashido, Kaminari, Todoroki and Midoriya, all delivered to the entryway where Sero and Uraraka crouched over an injured Thirteen. He didn't spare a moment to speak, leaping back down to Aizawa. His colleague had forced himself to his knees, eyes blinking, teeth bared and breath coming with harsh rasps.
"Aizawa! You-"
"No. You need me here," Aizawa panted, "I saw that thing regenerate. I can cut it off."
"They took my blow without flinching. No-one could be that tough," Toshinori said, a cold fist closing around his heart. He swallowed, because in his nightmares and sleepless nights he'd wondered- what if he had survived?
"It's strong, but it didn't move from me when the leader attacked Midoriya. It was like it didn't…when he was distracted it didn't do anything until it attacked Midoriya to save the leader. Doesn't seem too smart."
Aizawa had tucked his left arm into his chest, protective of his forearm and wrist, but his right arm still dangled limply. Toshinori gritted his teeth, upper lip curling a fraction as anger gnawed at the insides of his chest. He wouldn't call Aizawa a friend, but the man was committed to protecting his students. The implication that the villain leader had left him watching while he attacked the children was…enraging. He forced the fury back, instead sharing as much information on the villain as he could.
"When I hit that thing, it didn't react. But it didn't feel like I was hitting something harder than I am. It felt like…it felt like the blow was absorbed, or nullified."
He heard Aizawa suck in a breath.
"That's not normal."
His colleague evidently had a gift for understatement. If the villain had regenerated, and it had absorbed his blow, then it had at least two Quirks, and Toshinori felt the weight of that knowledge settle sickly in his stomach. It filled him with a fear that he knew was all too reasonable, but he tried not to think too hard on it. Win the victory, first, and then worry. The glacier collapsed and Toshinori squinted, seeing the villain's hulking form drag themselves out of the water.
"It's looking at you," Aizawa grunted. Toshinori nodded.
"Of course it is. Can you use your Quirk?"
"On the villain? Yeah. Without hitting you? No promises."
Toshinori flexed his arms, grimacing as the motion pulled at the thick web of scars along his left side.
"Then I guess I'm doing it the hard way."
The villain crawled out of the water and rose to their feet, water running in rivulets from the grotesque bulk, drooling from the half-open maw. Toshinori braced himself for the blow that was sure to come, and the villain…the villain didn't move. They simply stood, slightly hunched, as though there was nothing wrong. As though they were just a doll. A puppet. Toshinori hid his shudder.
"It's not moving," Aizawa grunted, lips thin and drawn back, "Maybe it can't, without orders. I heard the villain leader, Shigaraki, say something about it being engineered to kill you."
"It retaliated when I attacked it," Toshinori muttered, "But it wasn't going after Midoriya or Todoroki. You might be right."
"Great. So what are we going to do about it? We can't just leave it here."
"It might be best. I can go and find the other students and evacuate-"
"FUCKING DIE!"
Toshinori tried to see the best in everyone. He really, really did. Almost all of the time, he succeeded. But, that said.
Young Bakugo had one of the worst cases of being a hot-headed maniac that Toshinori had ever seen in a student. The young man had leaped from somewhere out of sight, among the trees lining the edge of the central plaza, and crossed the distance to the Nomu in a single prodigious leap, propelled by a wall of explosions. He'd thrown his hands out, unleashing two blasts larger than any Toshinori had seen without the use of the blast gauntlets, using the backlash to arrest his momentum and land smoothly on his feet. It was a display of brutally efficient combat and well honed Quirk use that would do credit to any member of the U.A. first year, never mind one who had only been in attendance for a few days.
Toshinori was still mid-leap when the villain lunged out of the smoke and closed a massive hand around Bakugo's arm, snapping it like a twig.
Toshinori was still in the air, sailing closer, eyes locked on the two of them, Bakugo's scream louder than the rushing of the wind in his ears. The boy brought his other arm up and around, another blast that the villain completely ignored in favour of lifting him into the air. It flung him down, hurling him into the hard ground- Toshinori heard the scream grow louder, saw bright blood and white bone as Bakugo's leg snapped on impact, saw the villain reach out again and then he was there, landing, grabbing the villain and twisting the grab into a judo throw. The villain hit the ground hard enough to leave a crater and Toshinori didn't wait, grabbing Bakugo and leaping back to Aizawa. The villain slowly stood, bulging eyes rolling in their sockets.
It didn't give chase.
Toshinori landed next to Aizawa, breaths rasping through his throat. His side roared with pain and he knew- he knew, from years of painful experience- that he couldn't keep this up much longer. His strength had a time limit, ever since his injury, and he was rapidly approaching it.
"It didn't follow," Aizawa said softly, turning to look at him, "Get out of here."
"Aizawa, what-"
"Get. Out. Of. Here. Bakugo is injured. Midoriya might well be dying, and you can get them to Recovery Girl far faster than an ambulance will reach a hospital."
"And if the villain isn't as docile as you think?"
A slight, sardonic smile was his answer.
"Then I'll still take my death over my student's."
A good man, Shota Aizawa, despite his rough edges and all the therapy he undoubtedly needed. Toshinori didn't argue any further, dashing back to the entrance and the cluster of students there. One of them- Young Uraraka- looked up from her position crouched over Thirteen. Toshinori weighed his options, and found them wanting.
"A- All Might! Thirteen is…she's…"
Could he carry Thirteen, Midoriya and Bakugo without risking any of them? He had carried multiple people before, he was big enough to sling them over his shoulders, but he'd have to move swiftly and dropping either Midoriya or Thirteen could well kill them. Toshinori swept his gaze over the injured and made a snap decision.
"Young Uraraka, do you have any first aid training?"
She shook her head, but it wasn't quite a refusal.
"Just- just the basics, sir."
Toshinori nodded, crouching to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Young Bakugo is injured, but he will recover. But I must take Midoriya and Thirteen to a medic. I know that I can trust you to keep an eye on Bakugo, young Uraraka. I believe in you. The other teachers will be here soon. Can you wait for them?"
He knew that he was putting a heavy weight on Young Uraraka's shoulders, especially with the way he'd phrased it- like it was already done rather than as a question- but she was sensible. He had to trust his students. Uraraka looked up, her mouth curling into a grim expression as she nodded.
"I- yes, All Might. I'll do my best."
"Thank you," he murmured, squeezing her shoulder before he tucked Midoriya and Thirteen against his chest and ran. Toshinori crossed the empty road in great, bounding leaps, eating up the distance at an immense rate. He flew past his colleagues as they rushed to the USJ, shattering most speed records in their own bus, not bothering to pause. Not when every second could be vital. He reached U.A. in just minutes, taking just a breath to consider his options. He almost chose to smash through the window to the medical bay, but the risk to his passengers was too great. Luckily it was still halfway through class, the corridors were empty and he could reach the medical bay in good time.
"Chiyo!" he shouted, shouldering through the door. The cry caught in his throat and his chest shook as he held back his cough. It was unprofessional to call her by her name rather than her hero title, but it was syllables shorter and every second could count. He laid Thirteen on a bed as Recovery Girl rushed towards them, replicating the action with Midoriya. Midoriya's head lolled limply, his crimson helmet still in place, and a spike of icy fear ran through Toshinori.
"What happened?" Chiyo demanded. Toshinori shook his head, the cough coming again. He was losing his grasp on All For One, he could feel it. He'd overexerted himself and his Quirk was slipping from his fingers.
"Villain attack at the USJ. Both are injured. Aizawa and Bakugo too, but less serious. I'll go back and-"
Toshinori bent over as the cough finally won out, the racking heaves tearing at his throat and ripping at his chest. His head fuzzed with pain and the lack of oxygen and he gasped in deep breaths as the fit faded, throat aching savagely. Steam poured from his frame, One For All unable to maintain his muscular form any longer, and he reluctantly let it go.
"Emergency services will retrieve them," Chiyo snapped, going to Midoriya first, "You need to rest. You can't keep this up. How serious are the injuries there?"
She slapped a button on the wall and bent over Midoriya, hissing through her teeth. Toshinori leaned against the wall, his skeletal true form too weak to hold him up at the moment, slowly sinking onto the cold, tiled floor.
"Bakugo had a broken leg and wrist. Aizawa, broken arms."
"Not as serious, I suppose you're right. Can you stand?"
No, Toshinori wanted to say. No, he could quite happily sit here all day. All week, maybe. A rest would be delightful.
"Yes," All Might grated out, struggling to his feet. Chiyo didn't glance at him, but her hard tone softened a fraction.
"You know where the blood is kept? We've got some universal bags. Bring one over to me, Midoriya has lost a lot. This arm's been…what happened?"
Toshinori hastily did as he was told, hurrying over to the small fridge in the corner of the room and supressing another cough.
"There was a villain. Super strength. I saw it rip Midoriya's arm off. Todoroki cauterised it, I think."
Chiyo hissed again, already setting up an IV.
"He'll need surgery. Fractured ribs, too, and he's cut his tongue pretty badly."
She put the IV into Midoriya's arm with the ease of long practice, setting his helmet aside. Her mouth twisted into a grimace.
"If it wasn't for his armour, he'd probably have worse than fractured ribs. At least he's…well, never mind. Thirteen is worse off."
Toshinori gave in to the impulse to bend over, another hacking cough ripping from his chest. He buried his face in the crook of his elbow, and when he took it away he saw the all too familiar stain of red. Chiyo clicked her tongue.
"You've pushed yourself too hard. You should be in one of these beds."
Toshinori shook his head.
"You called for support," he said hoarsely, "There'll be other doctors here. They can't know. I'll…I'll be fine."
"Fine has a lot of meanings," Chiyo muttered, but she didn't argue when he slipped out of the door, the fear replaced with gnawing, chewing guilt. He knew his limits. He knew the extent of his powers, how long he could maintain his strength. Three and a half hours, no more. And what had he done? Spent almost all his time on his morning commute, intervening in petty crimes when there were plenty of Heroes around. He was so busy trying to save everyone that he'd ended up leaving his students to the whim of a pack of villains.
The guilt clawed its way up his chest and into his mouth, bitter and bilious. All of his students, exposed to an outright attack. If he'd been a little later, if Todoroki hadn't been there, Midoriya could well have bled to death right there, in the USJ, his dreams doomed by an irresponsible teacher. Toshinori leaned against the wall, his breath coming short with horror, sipping gasps as his lungs refused to inflate. He spent minutes there, bringing himself back under control, eyes squeezed shut against the stinging in them. It was selfish, he knew, but Midoriya…even if he'd only met the boy a few days ago, he had sympathy for him. Toshinori knew what it was like, to look at the odds stacked against you and shrug it off. To say, to hell with it. I'll do it anyway. It was a long time ago, but after all…once, Toshinori had been just as Quirkless as Midoriya was. Before his Master had seen something in the boy he was, before he'd been gifted a Quirk, before he'd seen a path as the Symbol of Peace, Toshinori had been another Quirkless child determined to be a hero.
If Midoriya couldn't be a Hero after this…if he was too injured, if his parents withdrew him from U.A., if Midoriya couldn't stand the thought of trying again, if he died…Toshinori already knew that he wouldn't forgive himself for his mistake. His sloppiness, his own selfish need to answer every cry no matter how minor.
Toshinori shoved open the door to the staff room, shambling in and collapsing on a sofa.
God, he was such a fuck-up. Oh, certainly, plenty of people would argue otherwise. He was a great Hero, well known, successful. He'd defeated All For One, Quirk stealing villain, secret king of the criminal underworld, even though that knowledge was known to very few. He'd inspired Heroes, and the crime rate in Japan was much lower than the rest of the world, at least partially due to his efforts.
And he was dying.
Toshinori didn't like to lie to himself. Not about this. The injuries All For One had dealt him would be fatal to a normal man. Only the power of One For All, present even when he wasn't actually using it, had allowed him to survive. But the time he could actively use his Quirk was steadily falling, his blows were weakening, his speed was lessening. Even if he wasn't injured, he was getting older. The number of Heroes who had been active for as long as him could be counted on two hands. He was all too aware that…that one day, and likely one day soon, he would be forced to retire. He would be forced to lay down his metaphorical arms, and entrust Japan to his successors, his students, the younger generation. In his most optimistic moments, he knew that someone would step up. That the void he would leave would be filled, that there would be another Symbol of Peace to take his place.
In the rest of his moments, he knew that it would never happen. The peace of Japan had in many ways been built upon his back, his strength. Call it arrogance or call it pessimism, but Toshinori didn't think it would remain as strongly after he was gone. He had hoped to find a successor, someone to pass One For All down to as his Master had chosen him, but now…now, having seen the villain in the USJ, he was afraid. All For One. Quirk stealing villain. But not only stealing. All For One could give Quirks, as well.
And the villain seemed to have multiple. Could he really, in good conscience, give his Quirk to a student or even a grown Hero, and leave them to take up his legacy? Could he really hand down his Quirk, knowing that of all the wielders of One For All before him- of eight Heroes, willing to give their all to the cause- none of them had survived the wrath of All For One?
And yet.
Could he face All For One in this diminished state? Could he go to face the man who had crippled him, knowing that if he fell One For All would fall with him? Could he take that risk?
Toshinori wriggled onto his back, letting out a shaky sigh.
The answer didn't come.
The insistent ringing of his cell phone dragged Toshinori out of his funk. He hauled himself upright, grimacing at the pain in his side, like rusty knives scraping against the bones, and picked up the device, tapping at the touch-screen. He'd been here for ten minutes, brooding, so he supposed he should act like an adult and get back to work.
"Principal Nedzu?"
Nedzu's normal cheer wasn't present in his voice. Oh, he sounded as chirpy as ever, someone who didn't know the Principal well wouldn't be able to tell, but there was a certain…edge…there. Toshinori wouldn't claim to know the Principal that well, but he knew the small mammal well enough to hear the anger lurking beneath the pleasant tone.
"Hello, All Might! I was hoping for a report on Midoriya and Thirteen!"
The Principal had skipped his normal introduction. Ok. He was absolutely fucking furious about something. Toshinori really hoped it wasn't aimed at him.
"Recovery Girl stabilised Midoriya and was working on Thirteen when I left. I was at my limit, and since she had called for extra medics…"
"Ah, of course. A reasonable course of action. We've secured the rest of the students, although the villain you fought is simply standing there. I must say, it's quite disconcerting, even if I concur with Aizawa that it's a puppet rather than a thinking being!"
Disconcerting. Yeah, Toshinori would call it disconcerting. Along with many other things.
"Is there something you need me for, sir?" he asked instead. Nedzu hummed.
"Well, Detective Tsukauchi seems quite enthusiastic to interview the students. Your presence might well soothe them, especially the ones who saw what happened to Midoriya. You can manage a few minutes, yes?"
"Just a few," Toshinori wearily agreed, pulling himself to his feet. It wouldn't be pleasant, but he could maintain his heavily muscled Hero form for a little while without injury, so long as he didn't strain himself. Now that he'd had a minute to rest, at least. He listened to the Principal until he was given a location to meet the Detective and set off at a brisk walk, muffling another cough in his sleeve. It wasn't that far of a walk, and Tsukauchi met him outside the room he'd commandeered for the interview. It was one of the more comfortable rooms in the school- Toshinori approved. This wasn't an interrogation.
"Toshinori," Tsukauchi greeted, a smile crossing his face. Toshinori shook his hand, smiling a little wanly in return.
"Naomasa. I wish I could say I was glad to see you, but…"
"Yeah. Not the happiest circumstances."
The Detective tucked his hands into the pockets of his overcoat, shoulders rising slightly as he hunched into the warmth.
"The kid, Midoriya. Is he?"
"Recovery Girl says he'll live, but it won't be easy. U.A. will have to…given that he was injured while under our care, I doubt Nedzu will just shrug it off. So long as the press don't catch wind of it."
Tsukauchi grimaced, his hands coming back out of his pockets with a notepad and a pencil that was worn almost to a stub. He was a traditionalist, Naomasa Tsukauchi, but Toshinori had never doubted his good intentions, or his kindness.
"The press. Yeah. I've got some worries about that break-in, but that can wait. We're going to talk to Mina Ashido first, and then Denki Kaminari. Shouto Todoroki will be last, if we get the chance. He was in shock last I saw."
"I think he had to cauterise Midoriya's injury," Toshinori softly told his friend, "Using your Quirk like that is…even if it saved a life, it won't have been pleasant."
Tsukauchi tilted the brim of his hat down, nodding.
"They're too young for this. You sure you'll be ok? I'll try and keep this as quick as I can, but you might be in here for a while."
Toshinori rubbed at his side, smiling ruefully.
"I have to do this. I owe it to them. And if I'm just sitting, I can manage maybe half an hour."
Tsukauchi nodded again.
"If you're straining, don't push it any further. We can call in Mic or someone else, don't strain yourself."
Toshinori chuckled and bit down a cough, swallowing against the copper tang that rose on his tongue.
"You worry too much, Naomasa."
"Someone has to."
Toshinori gritted his teeth and pulled on One For All again, gaining bulk in an instant. His voice deepened, his worries drifting away slightly. Toshinori Yagi could afford fear, regret, doubt. All Might, Symbol of Peace, had only absolute confidence and reassuring strength. He preceded Tsukauchi into the room, offering a smaller, gentler smile than his usual beaming grin to Young Ashido. She visibly relaxed when he entered, slumping in her seat, and he suppressed a frown. Surely she wouldn't have been left there long? The police- and Pro Heroes, for that matter- could be insensitive sometimes, but surely they would have assured her that they simply needed a report from her without colouring from other students? He hoped that they had. He kept his voice lower, more of a soothing rumble than his usual cheerful boom.
"Young Ashido. Are you alright?"
She swung her face to him, pink skin slightly darker where her fingers had been resting. Her eyes were puffed up slightly- she must have been crying, although the black surrounding her golden pupils prevented her eyes from being revealingly bloodshot. Her voice wobbled when she spoke.
"All Might?"
"I am here, Young Ashido. Are you alright?" Toshinori repeated, more softly this time. She sniffled, dragging the back of her hand across her face- Toshinori reached back and took the tissue Tsukauchi offered without a word, handing it over. Ashido wiped at her eyes, sighing.
"I- yeah. Midori- is he ok?"
Her voice trembled with worry. Despite himself, Toshinori felt a glimmer of relief. At least Midoriya seemed to have friends- or to be making them. It had been decades since Toshinori had been Quirkless, but he made sure to quietly stay in touch with charities that helped them. He would have come out and said it, but…his Quirk was immense in power. If he acted in the open, he knew that some of the Quirkless would be suspicious. Maybe even resentful. They would never believe that he really empathised, given the power that, as far as almost anyone knew, was native to him. It was a painful choice, but one that he made without regret. Almost as painful was the choice here. The obvious choice was to tell Ashido that Midoriya would be fine, that she would see him in class. The honest choice would be to tell her the full truth. The easy choice would be to skirt around it, tell a lie of omission.
Toshinori was, unfortunately, a fairly honest man by nature.
"Young Midoriya lost just over half of his left arm and a significant amount of blood. Recovery Girl assures me that he will recover and prosthetics are high quality these days, but I cannot say whether or not he will wish to continue becoming a Hero."
Toshinori saw Ashido pale. It was a little hard to gauge, but he'd been a Hero a long time. He could see the signs. Her hands curled over one another, clutching at the tissue, and she sniffed again.
"He- he saved my life, All Might. I…"
Toshinori rested a gentle, soothing hand on her shoulder.
"It sounds to me like he is already a Hero, then. If you don't mind, that's what we've come to ask- this is Detective Tsukauchi, he'll be investigating the attack. We'd like to hear what happened, if it's not too much."
Ashido looked up at him. He read the question in her eyes, and nodded.
"If you don't want to recall it, then you don't have to. We can wait."
A lot of Heroes, he knew, would have added something extra. The sooner we hear it the more accurate it will be, they would say. The faster we get the information the faster we can make sure this will never happen again. Toshinori always felt uncomfortable with such obvious manipulations. Well, any manipulations really. But he'd found that it often wasn't needed. Ashido wiped her nose again and nodded.
"Alright," she said softly, "I can tell you."
"Can you start at the beginning of the day? It might be important," Naomasa said, settling down with his notepad. Ashido nodded.
"I was…I was going to start there anyway. Midori was…I guess you'll see."
Toshinori didn't like the sound of that, but Ashido was taking a deep breath and settling forward, so he eased himself into a chair- carefully to the side, so that he and Tsukauchi weren't opposite her like an interrogation- and waited.
"We were on the bus," she said abruptly, shaking her head, "And Kiri was talking about his Quirk. It was just- just normal chat, right? Midori…he hasn't talked about his Quirk. I think Asui might know something, but I'm not sure. But Midori was telling Kiri about how his- Kiri's- Quirk is pretty good, and Kiri asked about Midori's."
Ah. Yes, Toshinori could see how that would be awkward. He would like to say that Midoriya wasn't ashamed of being Quirkless, but he wasn't a mind-reader and these days, with powerful Quirks becoming ever more present…the scars left by Destro and his Meta Liberation Army hadn't healed. How could it, when they'd made a point of killing the Quirkless when they could? Japan had a lower Quirkless population than the world average for good reason. Even with the Meta Liberation Army destroyed, some of their poisonous ideals still lingered.
"Midori didn't really want to talk about it," Ashido continued, her expression hardening, "But Bakugo…he was taunting Midori, I think. And he…he told us all that Midori's Quirkless."
Now that it had been said the word hung in the air like lead. Two hundred years ago it would have been the norm. Even now, one in five people worldwide were still Quirkless. But still, it was…there. Heavy. Thick with implication. Ashido shook her head.
"Midori was- he put his helmet on, right? And then he kinda snapped at Kiri. He apologised after, but he seemed off. And when we got to the USJ, Thirteen gave her speech, but she kept, you know, she kept talking about Quirks. How your Quirk can hurt people. How your Quirk can save people. How your Quirk can be dangerous. I was watching Midori, and he was…angry."
Angry. Yeah, Toshinori didn't think he blamed the boy. Thirteen meant well, she had a kind heart, but Midoriya probably didn't know that. To have his Quirk status outed like that, and then have a speech that kept mentioning Quirks…it was no surprise that the boy had been angry.
In his heart of hearts, Toshinori could remember a time, decades ago, when he'd been just as angry. When the injustice of the world had cut him to the quick and fanned a flame in his heart. He'd tempered that fire since, turned it into a passion for justice, for defence of any and all, but Midoriya hadn't had that time.
"He shouted at Bakugo," Ashido admitted, "Bakugo asked…something, something about Quirks and what about Quirkless people. And Midori started shouting at him, but he was interrupted when the villains arrived. The guy with the- the misty guy, he brought them into the centre of the plaza. Near the fountain. We heard Shigaraki, their leader I guess, say that you- um, All Might- wasn't there. We were trying to leave, I had to pull Midori to get his attention, but the mist guy teleported us all. Midori, Kaminari and I all ended up in the landslide zone."
This, if Toshinori had to guess, was where the narrative diverged from the rest. Tsukauchi probably appeared unruffled to Ashido, but Toshinori could see his tells. Instead of commenting he leaned back in his chair, half turning and reaching to the water cooler that he knew was behind him. The paper cup looked ludicrously tiny in his massive hand, but Ashido nodded gratefully when he handed it to her. Toshinori smiled at her, still softer and gentler than his normal beaming grin.
"Midori got up first," she said, once she'd drank half the water, "He was closer to the villains. They, um, they were waiting there for us? He kind of…just…"
She shook her head, her eyes glittering. Toshinori idly wondered what she was seeing, what memory flitted across her mind. Tsukauchi leaned forwards.
"Reports have sixteen villains in the landslide zone. Does that sound about right?"
"Sixteen…yeah. Yeah. Midori took out three before Kaminari and I were up. And then, I guess they split up? Six came at us and six at him."
Six villains, against a single Quirkless teenager. Toshinori worked hard to keep the snarl off his face. Ashido was smiling, a faint curl of her lips that had a tinge of vicious satisfaction to them.
"I…he went through them like they weren't even there. It was incredible," she said, so softly, "I was busy dealing with mine, but I saw him. It was like, it was like watching Mr Aizawa, later. He made them look like they didn't know what they were doing."
Toshinori raised an eyebrow, and Tsukauchi made a soft noise of intrigue.
"You're saying that he took down nine villains on his own?"
Ashido shook her head.
"There were ten. One grabbed him afterwards, tried to hold him hostage. He was just super calm about it. But I think he was still…angry. Really angry. They were…there were a lot of broken bones."
Tsukauchi hummed, noncommittal. Toshinori knew that, as far as his friend was concerned, a few broken bones weren't too bad. Medical technology had advanced far enough to make that negligible, if unpleasant. Ashido lost her slight smile, her expression wrinkling again.
"We talked over what we should do, and agreed that we should cut across the plaza and try to get to the doors. Kaminari could contact the teachers if we could get outside the USJ. Midori, he- he told us to leave him, if we had to."
"Would you have?" Tsukauchi asked. There was no condemnation in his voice, only curiosity. Ashido looked down at the table, at her interlaced fingers, still squeezed tight around the tissue. She shook her head.
"I…I don't know," she whispered, her voice hitching halfway through, "I didn't want to. I wouldn't have. But he was right, we needed to get Kaminari out if we wanted to contact the teachers. And Midori was- no, is. Midori is a better fighter than I am."
Toshinori feared that her confidence was misplaced- even if young Midoriya wished to continue on his path to be a hero, it took time to grow used to a prosthetic. But he knew better than to say that. There was no need to upset Ashido. She sniffed again, wiping at her nose with her tissue.
"So we went to the plaza. We hid behind a wall to watch, Mr Aizawa was just finishing off the last of the thugs. The villain guy, Shigaraki, seemed really impressed with Mr Aizawa. He attacked too, but we thought Mr Aizawa would win. And then…Shigaraki managed to grab him."
Tsukauchi leaned forwards, interest flickering across his bland expression. Knowing Shigaraki's Quirk would be useful information, even if he'd get a confirmation from Aizawa. Ashido shook her head again.
"It was like…it was like, when he grabbed Mr Aizawa's arm, what was under his fingers just turned to dust. Aizawa managed to get away, but then that big monster attacked him and knocked him down. We didn't know what to do- the mist guy, Kurogiri, came back and told Shigaraki that someone had escaped. Was that…"
"Tenya Iida managed to get through the doors and escape. The teachers were already on the way- a silent alarm tripped when the cameras were down for ten minutes- but his report helped them plan," Tsukauchi said. Ashido nodded.
"Ok. Ok. Shigaraki, he said that it was game over? He seemed kinda crazy. But then he said, too, that he wanted to teach you- um, All Might- a lesson about being punctual, and he…"
Words failed Ashido. Toshinori felt a spike of painful sympathy as she sniffed again, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"He lunged at me and tried to put his hand on my face."
Toshinori heard his knuckles creak as he clenched his fist, nails pressing into his palm. Hero student or not Ashido was a child, and this villain had broken into her school and tried to kill her. Even if he hadn't killed her, what were the chances that she would recover? Poor. Very poor. Toshinori imagined a hand pressing over her face, skin turning to dust, leaving her blind and mute and the fury stirred in his chest. He choked it down, biting his tongue to keep his words back as she continued.
"I'd barely even realised that Shigaraki had moved, but Midori- he got in the way. He put his arm in front of me and Shigaraki grabbed his elbow. I- I could hear him screaming, his elbow was just turning to dust, I was right there but I couldn't even, I couldn't do anything."
"It's not your fault," Tsukauchi told her gently, "You shouldn't be expected to fight a villain like that while still in school. So Shigaraki grabbed Midoriya? Is that how he lost his arm?"
Ashido shook her head.
"Midori had- he had a knife, right? He'd taken it from one of the earlier villains, I think. He stabbed Shigaraki in the arm and I think in the neck, but then that big monster grabbed him. He shoved me away before it grabbed him, but I saw that, when it had him, Todoroki attacked it. And it threw Midori away, and his arm just…just…oh God, there was so much blood…"
Ashido sank forwards, shoulders shaking. Toshinori rested a hand on her back, gentle, soothing, making brief eye contact with Naomasa.
"Sshh, Young Ashido, it's alright. It's alright. Midoriya will be fine. You've been very brave, thank you for telling us all this. Now, why don't you go with the police officers outside and see your parents? I'm sure they'll be glad to find you unharmed."
Ashido kept her face buried in her hands for a little longer. Toshinori gave her time, letting her compose herself before she straightened up, still sniffling. She dragged an arm across her face, wiping at the tears. Her voice was still wobbly and rough.
"I…Midori. Will I be able to visit him? I want to thank him, for…you know."
Toshinori smiled.
"Of course, Young Ashido. I will let you know when he's ready to receive visitors, alright?"
"I…yeah. Yeah. Thanks, All Might."
"Think nothing of it, Young Ashido. Now, let's get you moving. I daresay you don't want to be stuck in a room for much longer."
Toshinori gently ushered Ashido out of the room, entrusting her to the care of one of Tsukauchi's men. She would be taken down to her parents, assuming they had arrived, although Toshinori couldn't imagine anything else from parents whose daughter had been at the centre of a villain attack. Tsukauchi drummed his pencil on the table, nodding to himself.
"So Shigaraki attacked Midoriya and got more than he expected. Alright. Not that I blame the kid, but I have to wonder if Shigaraki's dead. It'd make my job easier."
"You approve?" Toshinori asked. He didn't necessarily disapprove of killing, himself, although he did all he could to avoid it, to set a better example. But he knew that Tsukauchi often worked with Underground Heroes, and the likelihood of villains dying was higher in that case.
The likelihood of Heroes dying, too. Underground had almost twice the casualty rate, last time Toshinori had checked. Tsukauchi shook his head.
"I'd prefer villains to be brought in alive, but if they aren't I won't lose sleep over it. Especially someone like this, attempted child murderer. If Midoriya did kill him…defence of himself and others, clear cut. No jury would convict and I doubt any prosecutor would take the case. But in that case, I'm worried about the kid."
"They're all too young to exposed to something like that," Toshinori agreed. He scratched at his chin, sighing.
"Young Kaminari will be next, yes?"
Tsukauchi nodded.
"They're the last ones, except for Midoriya, Todoroki and Bakugo. Those will all have to wait until they're healed. And I don't know if…given that we have plenty of accounts already, I don't know if we need to ask them and force them to relive their trauma. Especially Midoriya and Todoroki."
"Trauma? Todoroki?"
Tsukauchi nodded.
"He was in shock when we got there. He cauterised Midoriya's wound, right? That scar on his face…I don't want to speculate."
"He doesn't use his fire, normally," Toshinori said softly, thinking. Tsukauchi grimaced.
"Great. Yeah, might be better to send him to a therapist rather than me. I think I know enough even without witness accounts, although I suppose we can still ask. You still able to talk to Kaminari?"
Toshinori chuckled softly.
"I will manage yet, my friend."
The interview with Kaminari was just as short. The boy was possibly even more shaken than Ashido had been, but his account matched hers. Once he had left Toshinori leaned back in his chair, chewing his lip and thinking. There was something that he had said- nothing to do with the villains, but far too much to do with Midoriya.
'When we were first teleported,' Kaminari had said, 'I thought Midoriya would need me to protect him.'
Toshinori let his Hero form drift away, closing his eyes and pinching at the bridge of his nose in thought. How did Midoriya feel, he wondered, when people just assumed he would need protection? They had all seen Midoriya in action against Ashido and Kirishima just the day before, but once his Quirklessness had been revealed…unthinking, Toshinori knew, but likely no less stinging. He had advised Kaminari not to admit it to Midoriya. Better that the young man was never told that his classmate had, for however short a time, simply not believed in him. Toshinori sighed and opened his eyes as his phone went off, taking it from his pocket and answering.
"Yagi here."
"Midoriya has woken up," Chiyo said, her tone brisk, "And he's lucid at the moment. If you want to talk to him, now is the time."
"Isn't he going into surgery?"
"Not yet. We need permission from his parent, technically, since it isn't immediately life-threatening. You've got maybe half an hour before his mother arrives."
"Alright. I'm on my way."
Toshinori put the phone away, repeating what Chiyo had said to Tsukauchi. The Detective tapped his pencil against his notepad, shrugging.
"I'll come along, I suppose. A few questions might not hurt, though I won't push it. Will you be able to maintain your Hero form?"
Toshinori shook his head, smiling grimly.
"I doubt it. But, I was thinking that it doesn't matter. Midoriya…Midoriya deserves to know why I wasn't there to help. He deserves the truth."
"And you're sure you can trust him? He's Quirkless. I don't say this to insult him, but it makes him vulnerable to manipulation in a way his classmates aren't. Especially if…if All For One did survive your last battle."
Toshinori coughed, bending over and hacking harsh breaths into his elbow, wheezing slightly when the fit had subsided and he straightened. He had his fears, but to hear Tsukauchi state it so bluntly…
"You think he survived, then."
"The Nomu, the villain creature, I think it's safe to say that it had multiple Quirks. The only way that could be, that we know of, is- well. You already know."
"Yes," Toshinori acknowledged softly, feeling the tightness in his chest lessen a little as he drew in deep breaths, "But that doesn't mean I will just suspect Midoriya of being vulnerable to his manipulations. Midoriya is…I don't know. But even if he is the sort of person to be swayed by…by the offer of a Quirk, it doesn't matter. All For One already knows I am injured. If he wanted to release that information, I cannot believe that a high schooler would be his choice."
Tsukauchi hummed, nodding in agreement, and Toshinori wiped a hand across his mouth.
"Besides, I can't imagine he would be willing to join All For One now. Assuming he was the one to create the Nomu."
"I wouldn't be too happy with someone that led to my arm getting torn off," Tsukauchi agreed. They made their way through the school to the infirmary, pausing outside when they ran into Principal Nedzu. The Principal, perched on a chair, looked as unruffled as ever. Toshinori wondered what he would look like if he was actually angry. The Principal's species wasn't certain, although it was some sort of small mammal- stoat, weasel, pine marten, who knew. Toshinori suspected that it was some chimera of species and Nedzu himself had never bothered to work it out, since he had been an unwilling subject for a number of experiments at the start of his life. That was to say that applying human facial expressions to Nedzu was an exercise in futility, and Toshinori didn't even try.
Tone of voice tended to be more telling.
"Toshinori," Nedzu said, his tone still slightly less chipper than normal, "And Detective Tsukauchi. You have come to question Mr Midoriya?"
There was just an edge of threat there. For all the ruthlessness that Toshinori knew lurked within Nedzu, the Principal was fiercely devoted to U.A. and ferociously protective of the students there. If he thought Naomasa likely to cause Midoriya distress he would throw the Detective out, their sort of friendship notwithstanding. Tsukauchi tucked one hand in his overcoat pocket, raising the other one in a faint wave.
"Just a few questions, Principal Nedzu, and I won't press him. I think I've got all the information I need."
"Mm. Well, I admit I am curious."
Taking the implied question, Naomasa ran Nedzu through a quick repeat of the events at the USJ, as told by Ashido and Kaminari. Nedzu nodded.
"That matches the report Aizawa gave me while he glared at the paramedics attempting to treat him. I wonder if the villain leader survived? I suppose it would be a shame for Midoriya to have blood on his hands, but it would solve a problem of ours quite neatly."
It was things like that that reminded Toshinori that Nedzu, whatever species he was, was definitely some sort of predator. Then again, he'd already known that. Villains and criminals unlucky enough to draw the personal attention of the principal tended to live mostly because Nedzu didn't believe in an afterlife. The dead didn't suffer, so he kept his victims alive. Other than that, Toshinori would bet money on Nedzu having no actual qualms about killing. Tsukauchi was probably thinking the same thing, given the soft sigh he let out before gesturing at the door to the infirmary.
"Well, shall we?"
"Of course!" Nedzu chirped. Toshinori sighed and drew in as deep a breath as he could manage, calling on One For All for just a little longer. He followed Tsukauchi and Nedzu into the room, ducking through the door without saying anything. Midoriya was sat up in his hospital bed, back leaning against a stack of pillows. His right fist was curled into the sheet, twisting it in a death-grip, and his face was set in an expression of mingled grief and fury. Nedzu cleared his throat and Midoriya turned his head to them, slowly swinging around. Toshinori bit his lip as he saw Midoriya's eyes, the green dark with emotion. The boy coughed, offering a grim smile.
"Principal Nedzu?"
His voice was soft and he winced slightly when speaking. Recovery Girl came across.
"He won't be able to talk much," she told them, "He bit his tongue quite badly and I can't heal him yet. Keep it brief."
She turned a much softer look on Midoriya and some of the hardness melted from her expression.
"I'll be right over there, dear, so call me if you need to. And don't be worried to tell them to leave you alone. Right, Principal?"
"Right you are, Recovery Girl," Nedzu said, his chipper tone softening. Toshinori idly wondered if Nedzu understood soothing tones naturally, or if he had practiced it. Midoriya fixed his gaze onto Nedzu, shrugging, and Nedzu nodded.
"Personally, Mr Midoriya, I wanted to ask you a question about the USJ, if you don't mind."
Midoriya shrugged again.
"Sure," he said, his voice hoarse. Toshinori only wondered why for a moment before he realised: Midoriya had been screaming. Of course he had, with his arm being torn away, screaming until his voice was harsh and his throat raw. It took a lot of self control not to visibly wince at the thought. He could guess that Midoriya- Midoriya, sat hunched in the hospital bed, bandaged ribs visible through his hospital gown, eyes dark and lips thin with pain, face pale- wouldn't appreciate it. Toshinori didn't take the chance that Midoriya wouldn't notice his wincing.
"The villain leader, Shigaraki," Nedzu said. Midoriya stiffened and Toshinori saw the stump of his left arm move a fraction. It was something he'd just barely noticed: when Midoriya was uncomfortable, he tended to rub at his neck with his left hand. He saw Midoriya's expression harden further, lower lip sucking in as he bit it for a moment before he nodded at Nedzu. The Principal hopped up onto a visitor's chair, folding his paws in front of him.
"Do you think he survived?"
Midoriya nodded. Nedzu hummed, and Midoriya grimaced slightly but elaborated.
"Cut his neck," he said, his hand unclenching from the sheet to indicate his throat, "Didn't hear it."
Nedzu squinted, nodding.
"You slashed across his neck, but you don't think you cut his throat. Because you didn't hear him…choking?"
Midoriya nodded. Nedzu hummed again.
"Unfortunate, but hardly your fault. The blood splatter is hard to tell, given that a lot of it must be yours, but I didn't think there was enough to indicate a cut throat. Oh well! Hardly your fault, and it was a good attempt."
Midoriya looked at the Principal with his eyebrows creeping up. Toshinori caught his eye and shrugged- trying to understand the Principal was the path to madness. Midoriya wound his fingers back into his sheet, looking down.
"Did Kaminari and Ashido…"
"They're alright, young Midoriya. You probably saved young Ashido's life," Toshinori said. Midoriya sniffled a little, blinking.
"Good," he whispered. Toshinori didn't offer the hand on the shoulder that he normally might have. There was something…Midoriya had stayed at arm's length from him, he noticed, and tracked his movements around the room. Toshinori wasn't sure why, but his head told him that he made Midoriya nervous, somehow. He didn't want to exacerbate the issue. Instead he turned and walked across the room, knocking on the door to lure Chiyo back into the room.
"I wanted to ask how long young Midoriya's recovery will be," he said, glancing at Midoriya to check that the boy wasn't offended, "So long as he doesn't mind."
Midoriya shook his head before obviously realising the ambiguity of that.
"I don't mind."
Recovery Girl sent the boy a softer glance than normal, nodding.
"Normally, it takes time to design a prosthetic, as they need to work alongside the Quirk. In this case, that isn't an issue. The fastest recovery I've seen, from injury to reasonable function in the limb, was three weeks. In this case, I'd expect four for basic functionality and more like two months for full functionality to be restored."
"U.A. will, of course, ensure that you receive the best treatment possible," Nedzu butted in. He looked at Midoriya, his eyes squeezing shut in what Toshinori knew was the best imitation of a smile he could manage. Midoriya nodded.
"T-thank you. I won't be…taken out of classes?"
Nedzu shook his head, eyes opening again. His tone was sympathetic- the Principal wasn't entirely devoid of people skills.
"No, of course not. You lived up to the ideals of the Hero Course, there's no reason to take you out. We've had injuries before, and regardless of what the press might say you have earned your place at U.A. You'll just be on lighter tasks. And I'm afraid that this year, the Sports Festival will be impossible for you. Three weeks isn't enough to acclimate to your limb."
Toshinori thought that Midoriya might protest- the boy looked like he might for a moment, before the logic clearly made it through his brain and he slumped back onto the pillows.
"Yes, Principal."
Nedzu nodded, stepping back.
"You had something you wished to say to Midoriya, All Might?"
Toshinori stepped forwards, bowing at the waist.
"I am very sorry, Young Midoriya, for not being at the USJ on time."
Midoriya stared at him, and Toshinori could almost see the denial coming, the argument that it wasn't his fault. He didn't give it time, lifting a hand.
"I…feel I must truly explain why I was not there, although I must ask you to keep this a secret."
Before he could let himself think twice, before he could argue himself out of doing it, Toshinori let One For All go, feeling the steam billow away from his frame as he shrank. He sighed as the steam dissipated, pushing a limp lock of hair away from his eyes and smiling ruefully. Midoriya had gone as stiff as a board, his eyes roaming over Toshinori with obvious questions.
"Five years ago," Toshinori said, deciding that he might as well get it all over with, "I fought the strongest villain I have ever heard of. It was all covered up, of course, but I had been looking for him for years. I was badly injured, and assumed that he was dead."
Toshinori lifted the corner of his shirt, baring part of his torso. He heard Midoriya suck in a breath as the mess of scar tissue just under his ribs was revealed, and smiled sadly.
"He was more badly injured. But since then, I've been weakened. I've been reduced to…this...and my Hero form, as you might call it, requires the power of my Quirk to maintain. I've been set a time-limit, and it's steadily decreasing. I…this morning, on my way to work, I went after a number of crimes. I stopped them all, but I used up almost all of my active time. Since I couldn't turn up looking like this, I wasn't at the USJ. And because of that…I can only offer my deepest, sincerest apologies, Young Midoriya. I failed you, all of you."
Toshinori swallowed the lump in his throat, guilt and regret rising thick and suffocating. He should have been there. He should have been there. His hero complex had nearly cost Midoriya his life, and Toshinori wasn't naïve enough to think that the villain leader, Shigaraki, would have stopped at Midoriya. Unbidden the image rose to his mind, arriving too late, finding Midoriya, Ashido, Kaminari all dead, decayed and rotted, Aizawa broken and bleeding in the grasp of the Nomu. He blinked hard, shoving the thought away, but he already knew what would take star place in his dreams that night. Midoriya tipped his head down, shaking it.
"They…they were waiting for us," he whispered, fingers twisting the sheet. His lower lip trembled but no tears fell, despite the shaking of his shoulders. Toshinori edged slightly closer, straining his ears to hear the soft words.
"They split us up, and sent us to villain groups. They underestimated us, but they wanted to kill us. All Might and a whole U.A. class dead…this was a, a new start. An announcement."
"The return of truly powerful villain groups to Japan," Nedzu murmured, "It would be quite the statement. Although it wasn't the most efficient method, perhaps, if it had worked it would have a significant impact."
Midoriya looked up at Toshinori. Tears were slowly crawling down his cheeks, but his expression was hard.
"The villain who injured you. You don't think he's dead."
Toshinori shook his head, slowly.
"No. Not anymore. And this sort of thing would be…just what he would attempt. It would appear that I am not done with him yet."
Toshinori gave Midoriya a smile, trying for comforting despite his skeletal true form. Strangely enough, it seemed to comfort Midoriya where his Hero form failed.
"Still, injured as I am, I will not give up. I spent years opposing him. I won't stop just because I'm a little older."
Midoriya sniffed and nodded.
"I believe you," he whispered, looking down again. Toshinori considered his next words carefully, taking a moment to think it over. He had just told Midoriya that there was a villain of terrifying power in the world, capable of confronting the strongest Hero. Midoriya was undoubtedly clever enough to realise that he had almost killed one of the man's chosen Lieutenants, that it might well make him a target for a force he couldn't face. If Midoriya wanted to leave the Hero program, Toshinori wouldn't blame him. But Midoriya would need protection against retaliation. Better to know now, and Toshinori was the one to fail Midoriya. If anyone deserved the backlash of the question he was about to ask, it was him.
"Midoriya? If it isn't too much to ask…are you certain that you want to remain a Hero student? Should you decide that it is…too much, that your injuries are too severe, no-one would doubt your courage."
1329
Midoriya went still, frighteningly still, his fingers still clenched and his lips clamped shut. Toshinori was moments away from panic when Midoriya finally spoke.
"All my life," the boy said, so softly, "I've wanted to be a Hero. All my life. Even when…when the doctor told me I should give it up, that I'd never have a Quirk, I still wanted. No matter what anyone said, or did, or thought, I've still…I've still…"
Midoriya let his chin fall onto his chest, tears trickling down his cheeks again.
"I can't let it go, now. I can't…can't let this stop me. All my life I've asked myself, can someone without a Quirk be a Hero? Can I be a Hero without a Quirk? If I give up, if I let the answer to that be no, I…I'll never forgive myself."
Toshinori was uncomfortably reminded of other Quirkless people he'd seen when he was undercover with the charities he worked with. Beaten down, broken, every day a reminder that their ambitions would be mocked from the start, resigned to a life where they were all but a second-class citizen. And more than that…how long had it been, Toshinori wondered, since he had asked the question that Midoriya had just voiced? How many years had it been since he had wondered, really wondered, if he could have lived his dream if his Master hadn't seen something in the boy he had once been? He couldn't have been All Might, the Symbol of Peace, without One For All, but…could he have been a hero?
"My apologies, Mr Midoriya," Principal Nedzu said, cocking his head, "I did not realise you thought so strongly about this."
Midoriya sniffed quietly, shaking his head.
"It's alright," he said, still quiet, "I know that- I'm Quirkless, right? I have a disadvantage right from the start. And now I've lost an arm, I nearly died, I wouldn't blame you if you thought I wasn't able to continue. If you wanted to take me out of the Hero program."
"You're a good liar, Mr Midoriya," Nedzu said, "But I'm afraid it's quite unnecessary. The press will do as they like, and I will continue to ignore them. If I intended to remove everyone who could have been injured by the Nomu from the Hero course, we would have very few students left. No, so long as you wish to remain in the course, we will help you in your goal."
Midoriya bowed his head again.
"Thank you," he whispered, before looking up and mustering a smile, "But if you really want to help, you should probably start with my Mom. She'll be…she'll be so worried."
Toshinori offered him a smile, gaunt though it must have been.
"Of course, Young Midoriya," he said, stepping back as Recovery Girl walked past, gently pushing him to the side. She leaned in, sighing.
"I tell you not to cause him distress, and what do you do? You're all lucky that I'm so tolerant. Izuku, dear, your Mom will be here soon and we'll get you into surgery soon afterwards. You can speak to these idiots after that."
Midoriya nodded slowly, not resisting as Chiyo pushed him gently back onto the pillows. His eyes fluttered closed, a slow blink, and he offered them a smile. Toshinori inclined his head before the three of them left the room, pausing in the corridor.
"I believe that we should speak to Aizawa next," Nedzu said, bouncing off a chair and taking a position on Toshinori's shoulder. Tsukauchi nodded and the three of them set off, walking a short distance before Tsukauchi spoke again.
"A few years ago," he said, reaching up and tilting his hat slightly lower over his eyes, "We had a bit of a vigilante problem. I say problem, but really- he was just stopping muggers, that sort of thing. Anyway. Managed to find him after he got stabbed chasing off some robbers at a little store. He was Quirkless."
Tsukauchi shrugged.
"Didn't really have enough to arrest him on. He was never the instigator, and self defence laws are a bit more lax when Quirks aren't involved. Technically he wasn't really a vigilante, just in the wrong place at the right time, and we were…I guess we didn't want to ruin his life by sending him to prison. Anyway. I asked him, when we'd taken him into the hospital- just a few questions- I asked him, why was he doing this? Didn't he know that it was going to go wrong, at some point he was going to meet someone who had a powerful Quirk, or a knife and no fear, and it was going to go badly. And he just looked at me. Told me, straight to my face, that he'd been living a life that he hated. And if there was nothing else to look forwards to, then he'd rather be a tragedy than a statistic."
Toshinori hissed through his teeth. Nedzu hummed above him.
"A tragedy, rather than a statistic?"
Toshinori answered, his voice harsh.
"When a Quirkless person dies in an accident or a villain attack, it's a tragedy. When several hundred commit suicide each year, it's just a statistic."
"Ah," Nedzu murmured, "The young vigilante you mentioned, Detective?"
Tsukauchi shook his head.
"Ran into a villain with a fire Quirk. Burned to death, even if he distracted the villain enough for her intended three victims to escape."
Toshinori closed his eyes, a silent prayer for the soul of the brave young man. Nedzu made a thoughtful noise.
"I assume you aren't suggesting that Mr Midoriya is suicidal?"
"Not suicidal," Toshinori said quietly, reaching back into the waves of memories, "But if he's taken out of the Hero course, and can't find another place, I would expect to see a vigilante in a red hood on the streets not long afterwards. But he won't have support, he's just a child. He'll be…"
"Another tragedy, yes," Nedzu murmured. Toshinori felt the Principal shift, blunt claws digging into his shoulder before Nedzu sighed.
"It's a good thing that we intend to help him remain in the Hero course then, yes?"
1025
"Is that what we're doing?"
Aizawa sounded even rougher than usual, his harsh drawl lowered to a rasping growl, but he was awake and standing. Principal Nedzu tutted at him.
"Ah, Aizawa. Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I'll rest when I'm dead," Aizawa snapped. Toshinori only just managed to stop himself from pointing out that Aizawa looked well on his way, with both arms bandaged and wrapped in slings and a spectacular bruise darkening across the side of his face. His colleague scowled at him, though, as though he had heard Toshinori's thoughts, and the impact of his expression was only slightly diluted by the way his eyes had sunk nearly closed. Aizawa muttered something and sank into a seat, growling softly.
"If Midoriya can't be a Hero, we shouldn't give him false hope," Aizawa insisted, despite his slouched position. Toshinori almost snapped at him, but there was a bone-deep weariness in him, something deeper and darker than he wanted to admit.
"Ectoplasm has no issues being a hero, despite his prosthetics. Are you saying that Midoriya is somehow unqualified?" Nedzu asked. It sounded like a genuine question. Aizawa grumbled under his breath, eyes slowly coming open again to level a bloodshot glare at them all. Toshinori didn't flinch under it, because if the next words to leave Aizawa's mouth were 'Ectoplasm has a Quirk' then he was going to put Aizawa through a wall, regardless of their physical conditions.
"Ectoplasm was a grown hero, not a student. Don't think I'm anything but grateful for what Midoriya did. He saved Ashido's life, he's as much a hero as half our graduates. But it's going to be hard, and I need to know that he's ready."
Toshinori blinked. He'd known, intellectually, that Aizawa did care for his students. The man could be harsh, uncompromising, but when it came to actually protecting his pupils he gave very little ground. Toshinori didn't think he was a fantastic teacher, necessarily, even if he was better than Toshinori himself, but he couldn't doubt the protective tone that Aizawa had just taken. Nedzu gave a little chuckle that made the hair on the back of Toshinori's neck stand up.
"You are his homeroom teacher, Aizawa. You saw his Entrance Exam, Quirk Assessment- not that the name of that is really accurate anymore- and Battle Training. What do you think?"
Aizawa grunted.
"If I thought he didn't have potential, I wouldn't have kept him in my class. He's good- or he was, before. Knows how to fight. Knows when to fight. He's got the makings of a decent Underground Pro."
"Only Underground?" Toshinori asked. Aizawa's lip curled into a sneer that looked nightmarish on the mans gaunt face, the massive bruise only distorting it further.
"I'm sure he'd be alright in the limelight, for a little while. People love a fucking underdog, don't they? But once the thrill of the Quirkless Hero dies down, they'd tear him apart. For not saving people who couldn't be helped. For not stopping villains who'd take down all but the best. He'd die the death of a thousand cuts out there, and it wouldn't be his fault."
Aizawa shook his head.
"If he's going to stay in my class, I need to re-evaluate him. After the Sports Festival, when he's got his prosthetic arm. He's got a lot of gear in the works too, maybe he could be a Support Tech or whatever if he's not ready for the field. But I'll give him a chance."
Toshinori felt Nedzu shift, the small mammal jumping down from his shoulder.
"I'm sure that's all we ask, Aizawa. Now. I must go and deal with the press, and you need to rest! I'm sure we can organise more in the morning."
The three of them watched in silence as Nedzu vanished- Toshinori wondered if the Principal had a nest of tunnels and pathways built into the school that only he could use. He half-subconsciously mused on what Aizawa had said, knowing that there was something else to address but not sure how to approach it. In the end he took the simple, straightforward path. He wasn't a man made for subtlety.
"Miss Ashido told us something interesting, when we interviewed her," he eventually said. Aizawa looked up at him, dark eyes glittering under darker bangs, and Toshinori went quiet as he tried to find a way to continue. Tsukauchi, next to him, took pity and filled Aizawa in.
"She said that Katsuki Bakugo was the one to reveal Midoriya's Quirk status, and the way she said it makes me think that she's worried."
Aizawa let out a soft noise, halfway to a bitter laugh, but stayed slumped.
"Yeah. That's one way to put it. If I was gonna guess, I'd say there's history there."
"History?" Tsukauchi asked. A moment later, Toshinori cleared his throat.
"I didn't think you stood for that sort of thing, Aizawa. You've expelled students for less."
A gruff, rumbling sigh was his initial answer, before Aizawa started to speak.
"I've gotten into a bit of a habit, over my years teaching," he said, looking down at his hands, "Always the same. I don't read student files until the second or third week, like to get an impression without prejudice. And I carry out the Quirk Assessment Test the first day, to see if they're really into it. Their hearts, I mean. This year…truth be told, Todoroki was closest to being expelled, and Mineta was right after. Todoroki's only using half his Quirk, there's obviously more than ice. And Mineta…I don't like his attitude. But they all performed well enough, so I thought I'd give them a chance."
Aizawa coughed, ducking his head in lieu of burying the cough in his arm. He swallowed and continued.
"Bakugo is aggressive. Hot headed, impulsive. I've had several students like that before, strong Quirks, never really been told anything other than 'you'll be a great hero'. He puts the work in, so I'll give him a chance. A couple of those students have ended up expelled. Some have been good heroes. I don't know which he'll be, yet."
"And the way he acts towards Midoriya?" Toshinori questioned. Aizawa looked sour.
"Seen a few like that before, too. Rivalries, I guess you could call it, though it's not so pretty when one's got a strong Quirk and the others got nothing. Don't know if I'd bet on Bakugo if it came down to it, but there's something there that I don't like. Still, someone with Bakugo's drive and commitment…he deserves the chance. I was going to give him until the Sports Festival. He doesn't shape up, maybe I'll look for a transfer to Class B, see if Vlad can do any better. Maybe I'll shunt him to General Education, see if it'll humble him. Worked before, it'll probably work again. But…Ashido is right. The dynamic between them…Bakugo was far too smug when he outed Midoriya. And he calls him 'Deku', and not like a friendly nickname."
"I still don't like it," Toshinori muttered, "But I suppose you'd know best."
Aizawa shrugged, the motion made awkward by his injuries.
"Keep an eye on them. I can't be everywhere. And…honestly, I'm worried about more than Midoriya and Bakugo. They all got attacked. Can't imagine wrestling a whole group of teenagers into therapy or whatever, but…whatever. Todoroki is the one I'm worried about most, after the other two. He didn't get that scar on his face from nowhere, and he hasn't used his fire at all. Not until he used it to save Midoriya."
"He looked sick afterwards," Toshinori added. Tsukauchi grunted humourlessly.
"He'd just burned someone's arm closed. Would traumatise anyone."
"Yeah," Aizawa muttered, "But I still-"
Aizawa cut off as the tv in the corner of the room flashed, scrolling twenty-four hour news station going to a live event. They all turned and looked at it as Principal Nedzu appeared, hands folded in front of himself and a crowd of reporters pressing in close. Aizawa made a disgusted noise.
"Vultures."
Tsukauchi hushed him softly, leaning forwards.
"There was indeed an incident at the USJ facility, during a training exercise. A number of villains attacked the students, but thanks to the swift actions of the U.A. staff and the bravery of the Pro Heroes and students on site they were driven away."
A reporter bounced aggressively, waving. Nedzu waved a hand at him.
"Yes?"
"Were the students injured? How badly?"
Nedzu remain unruffled.
"Two of the Pro Heroes on site were injured, but will make a full recovery. Several students were also injured, but not life threatening. Given their ages, I'm sure you will understand if I don't tell you any more."
Another reporter shoved her way through the crowd. Aizawa stiffened, leaning in.
"That's the one who almost got caught in the U.A. Barrier the other day, the one who was getting right in my face."
"Principal Nedzu! Principal Nedzu!"
"Yes, miss? One more question."
The woman pulled herself up, sticking a microphone in Nedzu's face, her shout easily loud enough to be picked up.
"Is it true that the most badly injured student is Quirkless? How can you justify exposing someone with a disability to this sort of danger? What do you have to say to the parents of students who did not get into the Hero Course in favour of a Quirkless? How-"
"That is more than one question, Miss," Nedzu interrupted, his cheery tone dipping and darkening. Toshinori stared at the screen, horrified. How can you justify exposing someone with a disability to this sort of danger. Midoriya must never know. For Quirklessness to be referred to as a disability was…it was a classic MLA tactic. Toshinori clenched his fist, despite knowing full well that the reporter had just drawn the vindictive ire of Principal Nedzu. The Principal leaned forwards.
"As I said, my students are underage and no details will be released. Regarding your other question- any hypothetical Quirkless student would need to pass the same exams as any of their peers, and if they did pass then they would have a place in the Hero Course. There is nothing else to say. If parents feel that their children have been slighted, somehow, by a Quirkless student entering U.A., I suggest they consider whether they have been as outraged at all the other Quirked students who have also entered and rethink their positions. That will be all, no further questions."
The news segment cut away. Tsukauchi pulled his hat off and leaned against the wall as Toshinori sank his head into his hands. Not even a week into the term and Midoriya was already close to being slandered in the press. The raw injustice of it set his heart burning with anger. Aizawa cleared his throat, the noise coming out more like a rumbling growl than anything else, and Toshinori looked up at him.
"Aizawa?"
"Midoriya's been hiding that he's Quirkless," Aizawa said, eyes glittering with anger as they fixed onto the screen and the news-caster, as though glaring at the reporter who was no longer there, "Even his classmates didn't know until today and I doubt they've been talking to the press. So if that's the case…"
Tsukauchi settled his hat back into place, his expression hard.
"Who's been leaking information to that reporter?"
The amount of guilt going around in this chapter. Why is there so much of it- and why is Nedzu's character so difficult for me to get a lock on? Never mind, I guess.
The next chapter will take a few weeks- over the course of the last six weeks I've got from finishing chapters a week in advance to this one, where I finished it about fifteen minutes before publication, so I'd like to take a while to get back on top of it. Plus, I've made a pre-emptive New Years Resolution to write a novel that I can get published, so putting all my attention on Legacy is unfortunately not going to last much longer. That said, hopefully we'll get another chapter before the end of the year, or at the very least shortly afterwards.
As ever, reviews are appreciated and I hope you enjoyed. I'll see you in the next chapter.