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Toshinori Yagi had been in the room for about ten minutes. Still wearing his now slightly-scorched gym clothes, he sat on one of the metal benches in the middle of the still dimly lit room; the only light came from the hallway, sneaking past the door he’d left partially open in his haze-like state The cold from the metal seeped into him, sending a shiver up his spine. He sat facing away from the only door, one hand idly tracing the intricate lines on the medal around his neck. These ready rooms were used by students to prep before matches, but he had wandered back in here after the ceremony. The eerie silence of the empty stadium enveloped him.
Toshinori knew that he shouldn’t be in here; the stadium was closed, after all. The Sports Festival was over. It didn’t even feel like he was in the ready room at all.
In his mind, he was still out there. When thousands of pairs of eyes were focused on just him and his opponent. Their cheers and jeers crashed over the two Sports Festival finalists, charging up both for the biggest fight they’d ever fought as mere high schoolers. Toshinori could feel their anticipation for the finale, as well as his opponents and his own. The thunderous applause of the crowd rolled over him as he’d ended the Finals the same way he’d ended all the matches leading up to it.
Easily.
So, why was he not out with his classmates, who had clamored around to congratulate him and insist on taking him out to celebrate? Why did the smile he’d plastered on his face during the awards ceremony not reach his eyes? It was simple. He’d wanted some time to think.
He could still hear the roar of the crowd as he won match after match, all the way to the end. The feeling of One for All surging through his body. Even though the medal ceremony had come and gone, he could hardly believe it. He won! His first sports festival!
Despite having no real trouble adjusting to One for All, there was still a part of him that doubted himself. Doubted that he’d be able to achieve his dream, of a world where people were able to smile again, knowing that things would be okay. So, taking first place in the Sports Festival was proof that he could do this. And he let the world know.
Toshinori just really wanted her to be here too.
There may have been thousands upon thousands of people watching Toshinori win, but none of them were her . The woman who was like a mother to him (not that he’d ever be able to tell her that). He knew why she couldn’t make it, of course. Being a Hero came first. Especially with him still out there. He wasn’t upset with her at all.
But it still hurt, not having anyone there cheering for him, and not the out-of-no-where crazy strong 1.A student.
But there was no point in crying about that now.
“I hope you can catch a re-run wherever you are, Master.” He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. “Because I did it! I told the world, “I am here,” with a smile on my face.”
There was a distinct ‘click’ of a switch being flipped. The lights came on. “You did wonderfully, Toshinori.” Came a familiar voice from behind.
Toshinori jumped to his feet and turned around, all the tiredness leaving his body as he raised his arms in a fighting stance and prepared to summon One for All—Before he looked at who it was and felt a little silly.
Standing there still clad in her Hero suit was his master, the one who believed he was more than the Quirkless nobody society had labeled him as. the seventh bearer of One for All; Nana Shimura. “Master! You’re here!”
She stood just barely inside the room arms on her hips, wearing that ever-present grin. Nana let out a hearty chortle, and spoke. “Of course I am! You didn’t think I’d miss my favorite student’s Sports Festival final, did you?”
“I’m your only student.” He deadpanned.
Nana merely rolled her eyes and pouted. “BESIDES THE POINT!”
Toshinori had to be dreaming, He had completely given up on expecting her after not hearing from her all week. “But what about that villain you and Gran Torino were tracking down all week?”
Her usual stupid-happy grin shrunk to a warm smile. “Already tied up and dropped off at a police station.” She closed the distance between them and placed a hand each on his shoulders, “I’m sorry I missed your earlier matches, Toshi. But not even All for One could keep me from cheering you on as you won your first Sports Festival.”
Her smile faltered, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I know I haven’t always been around these days, especially since you got into UA, but I’m so proud of you- “She wiped away a stray tear and shook off the regret seeping through her voice. Nana looked right into his eyes and continued, “I’ve always been proud of you; you know that, right, Toshinori?” She said, pride etched onto her face even as more tears formed in her midnight eyes.
Toshinori could feel his tears threatening to overflow. He knew she was happy with how fast he’d gotten a handle on One for All, and that he wasn’t failing any classes anymore--But this? “I do, I mean- “He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat. “Y-you were that sure I was going to make it to the finals?”
She was smiling again. That was good, Toshinori wasn’t sure how to handle a not-smiling Nana. “There was never a doubt in my mind. If there’s one thing I’m sure of in this crazy world, it’s that you’re going to be a great Hero, Toshinori; one who saves people with a smile. Winning the sports festival was your first step. That symbol stuff you were always talking about? You can do it; I’m sure of it.”
Taking in all she was saying was already proving difficult for Toshinori, who still didn’t know what to say most of the time, unlike his Master. Then she did something completely unexpected- She pulled him into a hug.
His arms were frozen at his side, not prepared for this at all .
He couldn’t remember the last time a hug felt so safe, so warm.
“I am sure that you’ll beat back those who threaten society and help those in need. With all your might, my future Symbol of Peace.” She whispered to him, her voice hitching all the while.
His face might as well be a waterfall at this point. “Master, I- “Nope, he couldn’t say anything at all. So, he hugged her back as tight as he could and cried into her shoulder. Letting out everything he’d been holding in for who knows how long.
They had both needed this.
Once they had both calmed down, Nana leaned back to get a look at him. “Alright, I think we’ve both reached our mushy quota for the year, so how about we sit down so you can tell me everything I missed: from the first round until right before the final. We’ve got time before that old fart finds his way here.”
Pulling back himself now, Toshinori cocked his head to the side. “Now that you mention it, why isn’t he here with you?”
“Well, I didn’t appreciate the non-stop running commentary and critique during my favorite student’s final.” Nana withdrew from their hug and gestured to the bench, sitting down herself. “I may have tossed him into the stadium from up in the stands after the ceremony was over.”
Toshinori cackled as he sat down. “Now that I wish I could’ve seen-- Wait, what was he critiquing? I won!”
“In a nutshell? Everything.”
“Everything?”
“ Everything.”
Toshinori could only groan as he launched into the tale of the Sports Festival’s first round.
“—So the ceremony wraps up, and I’m waiting for you outside at first--because why on earth would you just be sitting here wallowing about--and I hear this little kid try and do that laugh of yours; he just looks at his parents and goes; ‘I AM HEEEERE!’, and then a couple more kids see him, and do the same thing! Since when did you have a catchphrase?”
Toshinori looked bewildered. “Well, I did what I said I was going to, I guess it caught on like I wanted it to. I didn’t expect it’d be this fast!”
“The laugh needs a bit of work if I’m being honest.”
“Everyone’s a critic today,” Toshinori grumbled, “my laugh is fine, just watch!”
Toshinori stood up and took a deep breath. He let out a rather loud laugh that, in his opinion, was great.
“What are you laughing about, ya darn newbie?” That stopped Toshinori’s boisterous laughter in its tracks, as the old man was apt to do.
His master has told him about all sorts of monstrous villains she’d faced, even All for One himself.
Toshinori feared none of them.
But that thing. Standing in the doorway in knee-high yellow boots.
It scared him.
“AHH, GRAN TORINO SIR!” Toshinori yelped.
“You’ve not been training as hard while I was gone. If you had been, you could’ve ended the match in 2 fewer moves.”
“Hey, I still won, didn’t I?” Toshinori pouted.
Toshinori’s reply fell on deaf ears, as Gran Torino proceeded to walk past him and sit down next to Nana. “It’s obvious to me we’re going to need to step up your combat drills. I suppose you did win, so perhaps I’ll reward you,” Gran Torino paused as if he was thinking something over, “Yes, it’s decided. I’ll no longer be holding back during training.”
Turning to Nana he scowled. “And can you please stop throwing me everywhere? Just because I can jump around it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt!”
Nana just looked at her nails, which was hard to do so considering she was still wearing her gloves. “Don’t go throwing heat if you can’t handle getting yeeted, old friend.”
For some reason, Toshinori’s right eye started twitching wildly. “THAT'S NOT A REWARD! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WERE HOLDING BACK? I CAN STILL FEEL THE BRUISES FROM WHEN I TRIED TO FIGHT YOU DURING OUR LAST DRILL A WEEK AGO!”
“Well, maybe if you stopped trying to and did it, you’d win one day!”
“Alright, take it down a notch, ladies; this is a time to celebrate, not bicker,” Nana wisely decided to interrupt the two of them before they got going. “Torino, did you bring the thing?”
At that, Gran Torino cracked a smile. “Yes, yes I did.”
Toshinori did not look so pleased. “What kind of demonic training contraption have you come up with this time you—Hey!"
Toshinori was stopped mid-rant by Nana grabbing him in a one-armed headlock and grinning the widest grin he’d seen on her in a long time.
“Master, what are you doing?” he asked, struggling to escape her grasp.
“We’re immortalizing your first Sports Festival victory, of course! Now be quiet and smile at the dang camera already!”
“What camera?” He asked.
The camera Gran Torino was holding in his hands apparently ‘Where the heck was he keeping that thing?’
“Okay, okay, hurry up and smile already, kid; we don’t have all day for you to decide what your good side is. Torino was about to raise the camera to take the picture when he paused, “Hey, Toshinori? Good job, kid.”
Realizing the futility of trying to escape Nana’s grasp, he stood there hunched over awkwardly, dumbfounded by the genuine compliment from the old fart. As Toshinori took in all that happened today, and the two people he cared for the most being here with him, he couldn’t remember what he was so worried about.
Instead of worrying about what he may or may not be able to do as a Hero, he put an arm around his Master and beamed at the camera, because all was well.
Toshinori took first place again during his second year Sports Festival, however Nana hadn’t been able to make it. She promised to make it up to him next year, but he didn’t mind. She came once, and there was always next year.
Or so they thought.
The Sun’s waning light was the only source of light in the faculty office. The rest of his fellow teachers had gone home long ago, but All Might was still here alone at his desk. The recent Cultural Festival had brought up some memories he hadn’t thought of in some time.
He kept two photos in his desk in the faculty office. One of them was the one that the school had plastered all over the place during the Cultural Festival. He’d seen it on TV and the Internet a thousand times. It was of him at the Medal Ceremony after his first Sports Festival win. The picture had seen better days, as he wasn’t particularly careful with it. It was just him holding his gold medal and giving the camera the best smile he could at the time.
The other, was the one he currently held in his hand. Inside a laminated pocket, along with his first gold medal, was the picture of Nana Shimura holding him in a headlock, the two of them with matching grins.
That seemed like a lifetime ago.
He hardly ever thought of that time, for all the pain it brought. He hardly ever spoke of his old Master even; Torino didn’t like talking about her any more than he did, and All Might had never told Sir Nighteye that much about her. Now he was gone too. So, there weren’t exactly that many people for him to talk with about her.
No, that wasn’t true either. There was one person who’d love to hear about his old Master.
Still looking at the photo of the two of them, he vented. “I wish you could have met him Master, just once. You would’ve gotten along so well. He’d bother you day in and day out about how your Quirk works, how you use it in combat with One for All, what it’s strengths were, then he’d come up with 17 different ways to take you down and jot em’ down in his notebook! You’d spoil him rotten somehow, I’m sure. He’s already on his way to being a great Hero--you should see this video of him taking on a villain called Muscular-- but more than that, he’s a good kid. A great kid.”
There was so much more he would tell her about Izuku Midoriya, if only he could.
“I wish—” He sighed, “I wish you were still here, Master.”
Hero.
Mentor.
Mother.
Nana Shimura had sacrificed so much to keep her child safe, and so she could keep others safe as well. She carried on a legacy passed through generations, and eventually passed it onto him, all in the name of defeating that monster. Toshinori always made sure she knew how much she inspired him to be the kind of hero he wanted to be, how she taught him to always be smiling, even when all seemed lost. He’d made sure she knew how grateful he was that she’d taken such a chance on a Quirkless nobody.
Mentor.
Mother.
She promised to come to his final Sports Festival. But during the Summer of his third year, Nana Shimura was murdered by All for One, and for the first time since he’d met her, Toshinori had forgotten how to smile. But he wouldn’t give up. He would stand tall, and try to keep smiling with all his might, because that’s what she would’ve wanted. He would never forget all she taught him.
Mother.
‘We have plenty of time left together; I’ll tell her when the time is right!’ he’d tell himself.
But time is fleeting, and it cared not about his hesitance.
But maybe… Maybe he could do better this time. It was with that thought holding in his mind that he picked up the phone, and made a call.
“All Might?”
“Hey kid. How’s lunch going?” He asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.
“H-how did you know?”
All Might chuckled. “I have my sources. Remind me to get young Ashido an extra meat bun next time I bring some.”
“Of course it was Ashido. I guess I should’ve seen that coming, after going to her for advice in the first place,” grumbled Izuku. A familiar bubbly voice could be heard giggling over the other end of the call. “So, is there something wrong? You don’t usually call just to talk.” Ouch. It’s fine, though; that’s why he was calling now--to fix that.
“Did you want to help me practice Air Force some more? Ohhhh did you finish looking over my essay about the difference between early heroes and modern-day vigilantes? I messed up on it, didn’t I? I’m sorry, I’ll rewrite the whole thing, I swear, and- “
“TAKE IT EASY; THAT'S NOT WHY I'M CALLING, YOU’RE GONNA USE UP ALL MY MINUTES.”
“...Was I mumbling again?”
“Yep!” There’s that giggling again. At least their lunch was going well.
“Listen, young Mi- “
You know I’ve always been proud of you, right Toshinori?
For a moment, he could hear her voice as if she was still here, standing right next to him.
Despite all the evidence to the contrary, All Might wasn’t a complete idiot. He had an inkling of how much the boy looked up to him. He would never take the next step to grow closer to his favorite Hero, not for a long time at least. Perhaps out of respect, or fear of Toshinori’s reaction. Maybe he was waiting for the right time too.
The irony wasn’t lost to him.
All Might had never known his parents. He had only fleeting memories of blurry faces from his early childhood. Had they abandoned him for being Quirkless, or had a horrible accident or circumstance befallen them? He would never know. He had never thought too much about them, for how could he miss what he never had? It wasn’t until Nana’s death that he understood what it was like to have a parent- and to lose them.
He would never know what his Master would say, if he had told her that he thought of her as a mother. His hesitance cost him something that could’ve been wonderful.
But he was long past waiting for the right time.
“Listen, Izuku. If you’re not busy what do you say we meet up for dinner? My treat.”
“Wha- Dinner with you? T-that would be nice! Wait, did you just call me- “
“Yeah, I did. Hey, Izuku?”
“Yes, All Might?” He squeaked on the other end of the line. Was Izuku already crying? Judging by the tear running down his cheek, All Might wasn’t faring much better.
Suddenly he didn’t feel so alone in the empty Faculty room.
Toshinori smiled. “Make sure you bring a camera.”
One for All was a strange Quirk, never truly leaving its bearers. And always keeping a part of them with it. A woman stood alone in the darkness. It wasn’t yet time for her to make herself known to the Ninth Bearer, nor was he ready for everything that would come with their meeting.
So instead, she looked upon the man she’d always thought of as a son, posing for a picture with the kid who might as well be his son, the two of them grinning like fools they were. She couldn’t help but smile herself. He had chosen well.
She was still proud of him, and always would be.
