Chapter Text
All it takes is one little thing to change everything...
Sorahiko nodded to the police officer overseeing everything. The man nodded back at him almost nervously. He should, Sorahiko thought, he's just watched me help kill a monster of a man.
Before them, a bonfire was set to cremate All for One's remains once they've recovered his body. Sorahiko just watched them load Toshinori into an ambulance. If it wasn't for that hole in his side, Toshinori would have insisted on watching the proceedings. The officer wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.
Two men wheeled in a covered body. Without hesitation, the officer gave the order to throw All for One into the fire.
"Wait," Sorahiko said, "let me see the bastard."
The overseer's eyes jump anxiously, his lips pursed in a grimace. "We've already delayed enough waiting for you, Gran Torino."
Sorahiko huffed, "Well, once I watch this bastard burn to ash, I can finally retire. But before that, I want to see what's left of the monster that killed my best friend one last time. If only to convince my mind that I've finally avenged her death." Sorahiko smiled wryly, "You wouldn't deny this old man one last thing, would you?"
Without a good reason to deny him, the overseer gestured for the men to uncover the body. They shared a look, then pulled the white and bloody sheet off the man.
Sorahiko approaches the suited body. Toshinori had really done a number on the bastard, as he did him. Where the monster's head was now a bloody stump, still bleeding lightly. His expensive suit was torn and in tatters, one of his loafers missing. Sorahiko smiled at the body in satisfaction. "Finally got what was coming for you, you bastard. Two hundred years of crime and murder." Wait, stump?
Sorahiko replayed the moment Toshinori landed the killing blow. He'd coiled himself like a snake, and like Sorahiko taught him, unsprung and launched himself fist first into the man's face. Sorahiko remembers seeing the bastard's face cave in, Toshinori collapsing, then him and Mirai helping Toshinori out of the battlefield. There wasn't a spray of blood that'd indicate a burst head, which is impressive in and of itself, considering how much Toshinori packed in that punch.
In a flash, the two men were knocked out cold on the floor and the overseer on his back with Sorahiko's boot to his throat. "Where is he?!" He roars, "That's not All for One! Where is his body?" The overseer said nothing.
Sorahiko pounded on the police chief's desk. "Let me see him! I want to interrogate him personally." He said with a feral smile.
"Calm down, Torino." The Chief said instead, "We can't let you in unless we can be sure you won't be a threat to the man's life. For all we know, he was blackmailed into this. He was one of ours, after all."
"Let me-" He tried to insist but the Chief said, "No. You've already attacked two innocent relief workers, Torino. We're not putting you in an interrogation with a suspect."
The Chief said this like he genuinely believed the traitor could be innocent. Sorahiko wanted to bare his teeth at the man and growl.
A messenger bursted into the office. "Sir! They just found him in his cell- Dead!"
"Who-?" The Chief tried to as the messenger but Sorahiko cut him off without a loud "FUCK!" that just about summed up their situation.
It's two days later and Toshinori had just woken up from surgery when Sorahiko told him about the fake body and the dead traitor.
God knows they don't have time to rest- All for One is most likely still alive somewhere out there. Mirai glared at Sorahiko when Toshinori demanded to see the battle report instead of resting and Sorahiko compiled. Sorahiko only leveled the much, much younger man with an unimpressed stare and disregard. Normally, Toshinori would have jumped in to resolve the tension caused by Sorahiko and Mirai's mutual dislike. It's a testament to how hurt he is that he didn't notice and continued to read the case file.
"So he's alive then." Toshinori concluded with a resigned air. Mirai tried to cheer up his hero, "He's hurt though-"
Sorahiko completely ignored the sidekick, "Most likely yes. You know what needs to be done." Sorahiko's had enough of Nighteye's disrespect and inflexibility.
"Yes," Toshinori confirmed, "Rest, train, then come back stronger than ever."
Sorahiko raised a brow. "Are you kidding me? Look at yourself you stupid man!" Wires and tubes came out of Toshinori's bandaged midriff. "You can drop dead any day, you idiot! You think you can fight All for One and come out alive again?"
"Like Mirai said-" Toshinori tried to protest but Sorahiko cut him off ruthlessly. "Fuck what anybody's said! We're returning to our roots."
Toshinori fell silent as Sorahiko glared at him heatedly.
"Mirai, could you please give us a moment?" Nighteye reluctantly left, closing the door behind him.
"Returning to our roots. You've said before that One for All's roots were-"
"Vigilantism, secrecy and hiding in the shadows, yes. Before you and Nana, the wielders of One for All hid. Most of them didn't even know much of One for All history, only through dreams brought on by the quirk. All that I know is from Nana and her predecessor's dreams. But yes, the wielders of One for All never flaunted their power openly. Their goals were always to hide in the shadows and hope that All for One never finds them before they pass on their power and strike him where it hurts."
"I need to find a successor." Toshinori murmured.
"You need to disappear," Sorahiko said instead, "You've taken the reins of this hunt ever since you became strong enough. All for One knows how you think, how you fight. Let me do this for you. You need to be gone when All for One grows strong enough, or sends someone to kill you while you are weak. We cannot fall into a false sense of security. We need to run."
"But-"
"We cannot risk your successor! A concealed identity will be their greatest disguise. We cannot allow the chance that All for One connects the dots when he sees you spending too much time with anyone. They cannot be risked." 'Like Nana risked you' went unsaid.
"UA," Toshinori said, "Nezu-"
"No. UA is unsafe, you idiot. UA's got hundreds of students in its halls everyday! Anyone could find out and leak the information or a spy could infiltrate them."
"Dave-"
"You want to endanger Melissa and Dave?" Sorahiko asked almost incredulously, "Dave has a daughter to care for and his wife just died. We are going into hiding. You have a hole in your side, lost a lung, your stomach, spleen, half a kidney and intestines. One for All might keep you alive for now, but your death would not be a surprise to anyone involved."
"But if the Symbol of Peace dies-"
Sorahiko rolls his eyes. Why did Nana have to choose such a stubborn successor? "Fuck the Symbol of Peace crap, Toshinori! Are you or are you not a wielder of One for All?"
"Yes, but-"
Sorahiko's really had enough now. They just destroyed a small town, All for One is still alive and their best lead just died. Nighteye tried to fight his decision to tell Toshinori everything and now Toshinori wants to fight him on this? On their only real course of action?
"Fuck that! Your Symbol of Peace crap got you One for All but you knew when you accepted it that your first priority is and always will be to kill All for One. We've spent years hunting him! You know the kind of death and devastation he leaves in his wake and you're going to prioritize your goddamned fame and glory over him?"
"No!" Toshinori roared, "But the Symbol of Peace upholds peace. Look at the crime statistics in the years since I've returned to Japan! We have pretty much the lowest crime rate in the world!"
"Fuck your crime rates, Toshinori! There have always been other heroes and there will always be other heroes! You've shown them the way. Everyone dies eventually. You would have had to retire or die fighting one day and now that you've shown them the power of a Symbol, others will step up to fill your space. You have inspired people, Toshinori." Sorahiko said softly, now. "All Might was never a permanent measure. Just a stopgap. Create an era of peace while the world and government got a chance to catch up to pre-quirk society."
Toshinori deflated. Truly deflated, letting go of One for All and finally letting his body rest. Almost immediately, his face scrunched up in excruciating pain. "Ah-!"
"Rest, Toshinori." Sorahiko said. "I'll take care of everything."
Izuku looks out the window of his hospital room.
It's raining outside. Izuku can see the outline of his bandages in the glass. It fits. Today is All Might's funeral after all.
Izuku wants to laugh. He wants to cry. He doesn't feel like either. He just sits there, liquid calm running through his veins, eyes pinned to some point beyond the window, unseeing. Too tired to even move his head, like a wooden doll. Like a Deku. Always a Deku.
Just a Deku.