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“All Might? What are these?”
Toshinori looked up to see none other than his dear successor staring back at him, a box full of old letters firmly in his hands. Toshinori’s eyes widened - he hadn’t seen the letters in what felt like forever. Well, technically he saw them once a year, but he hadn’t actually read them in forever.
“Oh! Those are letters I… wrote to my master. I’ve told you about her, haven’t I?” Toshinori stared down at the box. He had planned on packing up some things in his office at Mighty Tower for some time now, as he wasn’t there much any more after Kamino, being retired and all. So he’d invited Midoriya along with him to help pack up some things, both because he wanted some help, but also because he felt as though he hadn’t spent enough personal time with his successor lately.
Before U.A, it had been ten months of one-on-one training. Now, both of their time was monopolized by school in one way or another. This was just a good excuse to spend some time together like they used to. He couldn’t help it - Midoriya had grown to hold a special place in his heart, after all.
“Yeah, you’ve told me about her,” Midoriya nodded, looking back down at the letters. Some were old and weathered, while some were almost pristine. “You said she had a hairstyle kind of like my mom’s. She has a kind face in the pictures you showed me. She looks like she was very nice.”
“She was,” Toshinori smiled wistfully. Nana truly meant the world to him. He even had a picture of her in his office, but it had already been carefully bubble-wrapped and put away in a box. “She was sort of like a mother to me. Anyway, these old things are just letters I wrote to her when I was younger.”
“But… this one looks brand new?” Midoriya’s head tilted a little in confusion. He pulled one from the top, examining it.
“Ah, well… yes. Once a year, on her birthday, I write to her. Even though she’s passed… I find it a comforting tradition to stick to,” Toshinori explained, eying the letter Midoriya was holding. That particular one he’d written just after Midoriya had been accepted to U.A. It had been one of the more pleasant letters of his to write. “You know, I never sent them. At first, it was just something I did to help me sort out my feelings. But she found my letter box one day, a few months before she passed. She read all of them… and replied to the ones she could.”
The thought of Nana’s handwriting being there, so close to him, made him feel a little nostalgic. He wondered what exactly she’d written, and what he’d written in some of the oldest letters. He hadn’t read them in a long time.
The box was set off to the side for the time being while they continued to pack, but Toshinori couldn’t get the box out of his head. Only recently he’d talked to Midoriya’s mother about making sure her son grew up to be a fantastic hero, promising to dedicate himself to Midoriya’s training. That had made him wonder if Nana had once thought the same thing about him… she’d gotten to Toshinori’s second year in high school before the inevitable fight she had with All for One, and she had once said she wanted to make sure he got to achieve his dream of being a symbol of peace.
Had she wanted to dedicate herself to him? Had she been unable to because of the growing threat All for One presented? There were more parallels between himself and his master than he thought there would be, and it continued with parallels between himself and Midoriya. One for All was cyclical like that, he supposed. Each generation must’ve been somewhat like the one before it.
“Say,” Toshinori spoke up, “Would you like to read those old letters with me, Young Midoriya? I think… I’d like to read them again. It’s been some time, but…”
“Me? Read them?” Midoriya’s eyes went wide. “I couldn’t do that, All Might! These are your personal letters! That would be rude of me, wouldn’t it?”
“Well, you’re curious about what’s inside, aren’t you?” Toshinori chuckled, taking the box from him. “I saw the look on your face. I don’t think my master would mind you knowing what’s in there. Neither would I, for that matter. Some of them might be a little sad, but… I haven’t read any of them since before I left for America after I graduated U.A. Perhaps I should. We can take a break from packing to read a few of them.”
“Are… you sure?” Midoriya still looked a little sheepish, like he was afraid of overstepping a bound, of breaching too far into his mentor’s private life and pushing him away.
“Of course I’m sure. Come on, you can even sit at my desk if you want! I know you’ve been staring at the chair the entire time,” Toshinori gently ushered Midoriya forward. The boy turned red from embarrassment, having been caught staring.
“Sorry… it’s just a cool chair. And it’s your chair! This is All Might’s desk! I used to wonder what your agency looked like a lot when I was a kid. It’s a bit overwhelming,” Midoriya said softly. Toshinori shook his head fondly. What a fanboy.
“Maybe I’ll have to pass the chair on to you some time, then,” Toshinori suggested, and the boy’s eyes went as wide as saucers. “But don’t get distracted, now! We’ve got letters to read, hm?”
“Right!” Midoriya said, looking remarkably serious as he sat down in the chair that was much too big for him. Sometimes Toshinori forgot just how big he really was compared to most people. Still, Midoriya didn’t seem to mind so much. He just spun the chair a few times, looking like a kid in a candy store as he took in the fact that he was sitting at All Might’s desk.
“Why don’t we start with the oldest one?” Toshinori suggested. “I admit, I’m a little nervous about what I could’ve written since I honestly can’t remember…”
Midoriya dug around at the bottom of the box for what looked to be the oldest letter, with sloppier handwriting and yellowed paper. It was many years old at this point - Toshinori wrote his first letter to Nana when he was only 14, about the same age as when he and Midoriya met. It was… goodness, over thirty years old at this point - nearing forty, as a matter of fact. Toshinori felt old, sometimes, looking at the things from his childhood like this.
“There can be something to learn from looking back on the past like this,” Toshinori said softly, turning the letter in his hands. “For you and me both. Maybe my master left some words of wisdom that will help you out, I don’t know.
“Well,” Midoriya said, just as soft, “I think it’ll just be nice to learn more about you, All Might. Not a lot of people know about you.”
“You’ll be the second person to know about me when I was younger,” Toshinori murmured. “Gran Torino is the only other one who really knew me back then. But you’re getting a sneak peek, I suppose you could say. A little window into my past.”
“And you want me to learn something from it?” Midoriya asked.
“If you can, certainly, but you don’t have to. Really, I’m just glad to have your company, my boy. I enjoy spending time with you. And my master would’ve been overjoyed to know I can say I trust somebody so much. Because we’re bound by more than just One for All, - you’re my successor. My student. And that means more to me than you know, Young Midoriya,” Toshinori said, ruffling his hair. “You’re a good kid. One I’m proud to know and be known by.”
Midoriya teared up a little bit at his statement. “I’m proud to know you too, All Might.”
Toshinori smiled, nostalgic and weary. “I said the same thing to my master, once. Now… I believe we have some letters to read, don’t we?”
Dear Pro Hero Glide:
It was nice to meet you today. Thank you for talking to me about my dream of heroics even though I got involved in a fight I wasn’t supposed to. I’m sure it sounded silly, hearing me talk about being a symbol. Who would expect a quirkless kid to bring peace to Japan, right? Everyone always says it’s far-fetched. Plus, quirkless people can’t even join hero schools, so what am I thinking, right? But you didn’t laugh. It was nice, hearing somebody encourage my dream. You’re really kind cool awesome nice, even if you probably won’t remember me after this.
You’ll never read this letter, since I just write these to help me sort out my thoughts. One of my teachers suggested it. Writing when you know somebody won’t read it helps a lot. I’m kind of bad at just talking about my feelings. Whenever I try, it just comes out like a jumbled mess. But letters are a lot better! I think everyone should try it. Maybe I’ll mention it if I ever see you again.
Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.
Sincerely,
Yagi Toshinori
Give yourself some more credit, kid! Dreaming big isn’t a bad thing, quirk or not. The way you talked about your dream that day said everything about you. You’ve got a good heart. You’re worth talking to, you know? - Nana
Dear Pro Hero Glide Shimura-san:
I still can’t believe today was real. First of all, I got super lucky! I couldn’t believe I ran into you again. And then you told me you kept thinking about my dream, how you thought it was just what we needed, and it made me so happy. But then… on top of all that… you offered me a quirk. The chance to be a hero. I could really go to a hero school! I wonder if they’d find out I used to be quirkless somehow?
I want to make my dream of a peaceful Japan a reality. I just know it could be real. People wouldn’t have to fear villains. People get scared easily when crime is around every corner. Lawless quirk use is still a real problem. I’m sure you know that though, since you’re a hero. I just know I could do something about it. I want to do something about it. I didn’t say this, but there’s a reason why I want to. I’ve been affected by all the crime too, you know? It’s hurt me and people I know. It’s tough, living out there and being afraid of just going to school or work.
But if the quirk you want to give me is really that strong, I’m sure it’ll be tough enough to get the job done! I already told you yes, but I’ll say it here too. I accept! I’m going to get stronger, braver, and become a symbol. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll be a symbol of peace. I’d really like that. Peace is nice. You have kids, right? I remember reading an article about you that said so. I’m sure you’d like a peaceful life for their sake, too. I’ll do my best for their sake too!
Sincerely,
Yagi Toshinori
You would’ve loved Kotaro. I’m sorry you couldn’t meet him before everything got too dangerous for me and my family. I always thought about introducing you to them. It just didn’t work out, but don’t feel bad about it. I know you always hold stuff in in that big old heart of yours, Toshi. I’m certain you’ll still make Japan peaceful one day, and maybe you can meet Kotaro then, once everything’s settled down. - Nana
Toshinori’s eyes misted over a little as he read the letters he’d written so long ago. Nana had always believed in his dreams. Even after she had to give up her own family because of All for One, she never stopped smiling, never stopped telling him he could do whatever he set his mind to.
He’d attached a cut-out newspaper article to the front of the next letter, that interview with Pro Hero Glide that he had mentioned in the last letter. There was a photo of her there, smiling, the black and white photo yellowed with age.. He looked at it, and he remembered vividly that this article had single handedly inspired his image of heroics.
Even before Nana told him what her smile was about personally, the image in this article - of her smiling as she lowered children to safety from a burning building, even through her pain, put in his head the idea of exactly the kind of hero he wanted to be. He wanted to be a hero who always smiled, no matter what, so that nobody else would worry. He’d smile to inspire peace, to make people feel at ease with his very presence. That was how he felt when he looked at this one article.
But then he realized something he hadn’t noticed the last time he read these letters, some thirty-plus years ago… Nana had signed an autograph over it, just for him. He wondered if he missed it because he’d been so upset at the time, after everything happened.
Toshinori made a mental note to get the article framed.
Pro Hero Glide Saves Twenty Children From Massive Fire!
ROPPONGI, TKY — Pro Hero Glide was spotted in Roppongi earlier this week, on-scene at the largest fire the district has seen in the past ten years. The fire started with what the fire department has deemed an accident, though it quickly spread to several buildings, including a daycare on the top floor of an office structure. The children and the workers were stuck on the floor, and the fire department was unable to get to them due to blockage from debris that fell from other nearby buildings.
Glide used her quirk to float herself up to the trapped children and bring them down one by one. When asked why she continued to go back for the children despite severe smoke inhalation and burns, she had this to say: “It’s my job, isn’t it? That’s why I’m a hero: to save people. Besides, I’m a mother, too. I could only imagine how their parents must have felt when they heard the news.” Glide was reported to have saved all of the children, who sustained only minor injuries despite… (More on Pg.12)
Dear Shimura-shishou:
Training is going great. I’m making a lot some good progress! Although the thought of my limbs exploding is a little scary. Did your teacher tell you your limbs would explode if you didn’t train, too? I wonder who your teacher was. I bet they aren’t as cool as you are, though. You’re so strong! I saw you lift an entire car off of somebody on TV!
I’m really glad happy grateful to have you as my teacher. You make everything really easy to understand. I’m worried, though. You keep talking to your friend about some big villain you won’t tell me about. I think I heard the villain’s name - All for One. Is he related to One for All? Should I be worried? Is it safe for me to take the quirk? I’ll talk to you about it the next time I see you. You always listen to my concerns. Thanks for being so kind, as always.
Sincerely,
Yagi Toshinori
If everything goes well, you won’t have to worry about All for One, kiddo. Just focus on your schoolwork and your training! I’ll tell you all about him some time soon. - Nana
Dear Shimura-shishou Nana-shishou:
I’m still not used to calling you by your name, but you told me I could, so I will! You also said it makes you feel old to be called by your last name. I was so embarrassed. Anyway, I think I’ve already got the hang of One for All! You were really worried about me blowing up my arms and legs, but it seems like everything is working out so far. The U.A entrance exam went great and I passed with flying colors! Some of the teachers are a little scary, though. Did you know there’s a teacher there who is a quirked animal? His laugh is terrifying. He’s really smart, though. He teaches pretty well.
I think I’m going to try and win the sports festival, too. I wonder if you’ll come and see me. I’ll be easy to spot since I’m taller than all of my classmates! Maybe I did have a secret gigantification quirk. Ha, as if. But maybe my size will come in handy when I graduate and get to make a name for myself! I wonder what my debut will be like. I hope you think it’s cool. I haven’t decided on what exactly I’m gonna pick as my hero name, but I want it to be something memorable. Something powerful. One of my classmates says he’s going to use the name Crimson Riot when he’s a hero. I have no idea what that has to do with his quirk, though.
I miss training with you, though. I wish I could’ve been a hero just by working under you through highschool. U.A is pretty great, but you’re cooler. I still have that shirt you gave me to celebrate getting in, by the way. It was a really nice gift! I think I’ll wear it out, if I ever have friends to go out with. I’m more focused on my schoolwork than making friends, though. Becoming a symbol of peace requires all my attention! I won’t let you down.
Sincerely,
Toshinori
I still remember you winning your sports festival in your first year! I got a great picture of you. I’ll clip it to this letter in case you ever decide to read through these things again some time. And if you are reading this: hi! Good job on winning, kiddo! And be sure to make some friends, they’re important for every hero to have! :) - Nana
Dear Nana-shishou:
I’m worried about this mission you’re going on. I haven’t worked up the courage to argue about it again, since we ended up yelling at each other
about it last time. I’m sorry, by the way. I didn’t mean to yell at you. I’m just worried. You already gave up your whole family for this villain. If he’s this dangerous… I don’t want you to leave you to go alone. I’ll have to bring it up once we’ve made up.
I’m strong enough to help. I’ve got control of One for All and I know how to fight. I’m a second year now - only one year from graduation. Second years are given internships sometimes, so I wonder if I could get an internship with you and help you out. I just don’t like the idea of you going alone at all. All for One… I wonder what we’ll do about him. We’ll bring him to justice somehow.
- Toshinori
Correction: I’LL bring him to justice. This shouldn’t be a kid’s fight. And don’t argue with me on this one - you’re still a kid. You’re my student. But I know you’re stubborn, Toshi… I’ll think about bringing you. We’ll spar - no holds barred. I’ll see if you’re up to snuff. - Nana
Nana-shishou:
I miss you. The funeral was too quiet. Torino was too quiet. I want to train with you again. Or just hear your voice. Or see your smile. Everything feels wrong.
I’m going to kill All for One.
- Toshi
Toshinori set that last letter down with a shaky breath. Midoriya was quiet, looking at him with warm eyes. Not pity, but understanding of a sort. He hadn’t exactly lost his mentor like Toshinori had his, but he knew about the prediction Nighteye made about his death, and Toshinori was sure Midoriya had his fair share of sleepless nights at the thought of it.
“Do you want to stop reading?” Midoriya asked. He was gentle, so gentle. Always more gentle than Toshinori himself had been. Even amidst his fears, his choking, cloying nightmares after Nana had first passed away, he had done his best to keep smiling. To be larger than life, to be so strong that he could never crumble. He wanted to be All Might. But Midoriya…
Midoriya’s gentleness was good. Toshinori hoped he never lost it.
“No, no,” Toshinori discretely wiped at his eyes. “I want to keep reading through a few of them. Thank you, my boy, for reading them with me. I probably would never have opened these again if it weren’t for you mentioning them.”
“Of course, All Might,” Midoriya spoke like he’d never been more sure of anything else. “If there’s ever anything I can do for you, all you have to do is ask.”
Toshinori patted Midoriya’s head. “Such a good kid. Alright, then. The later ones should be less heavy. Mostly I just talked to her about what was going on in my life through these letters… I’d like to think she’s read them, somehow.”
“I’m sure she has,” Midoriya smiled, something small and comforting. Gentle, indeed.
Nana-shishou:
I’m in America now. I graduated U.A. It’s been a little over a year since your funeral, and it still hurts to think about you. Torino sent me out here because he thought it was too dangerous for me back in Japan - he wanted me to become a hero on my own terms, away from the dangers of All for One. I was mad about being forced to leave, but… I’ve done a lot of thinking. Maybe Torino was right.
I was angry. Like, really angry. I probably would’ve done something stupid if I’d stayed. Besides, America isn’t so bad. I wonder if you’d have liked it. I’m still really mad every time I think about you and what happened, so I think something else to keep my mind occupied would be better. I have nightmares, sometimes. Maybe if I’m working 24/7, I’ll be too tired to dream.
That’s the plan, anyway. You would’ve scolded me if you even saw the look on my face - you always seemed to just know what I was thinking, even when I thought I was being careful.
I think I’ll go to college here to take my mind off of things - a few classes wouldn’t be so bad. I rescued a guy named Dave not too long ago. He’s what got me interested in college. It seems like we could be friends. He wants to become a support item technician - maybe we could develop some hero gear together? His stuff is pretty impressive. I never saw you use support gear, but you were never the type to look down on people for that kind of thing, so I can’t imagine you’d have a problem with it.
Anyway, it’s late. I’m tired. I still miss you. Goodnight.
- Toshi
Nana-shishou:
I’m back in Japan. I spent so long in America that it feels strange to be back here. Dave has a fiancee now, and he’s asked me to fly back out when they have the wedding. I agreed, of course! I wouldn’t miss it for the world. He’s a large part of why I ended up so well-adjusted, I think. I can;t remember if I said so in any of my other letters, but he helped me process a lot of my anger.
Most importantly, I made my debut back home. I pulled civilians out of collapsed buildings after an earthquake, and a news crew captured some of it on live TV. I’ve done work in America for years at this point, but now it finally feels like I’m one step closer to getting real, solid work done where I’ve wanted to work since I could remember.
I told you one day, when I was still just a kid, that I wanted to be a symbol of peace for Japan. I think I’m on my way to that point. I’ll climb the ranks and make sure that nobody feels scared so long as I’m around. I hope you’re watching. I’ve attached the article on my debut, just in case you didn’t see it.
- Toshinori
An All Mighty Debut In the Ishikawa Prefecture!
KANAZAWA, IKW — A new hero hit the scene after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocked the Ishikawa prefecture early in the morning of March 30. Damage was extensive in heavily populated cities like Kanazawa, where fires broke out and several buildings suffered irreparable structural damage or outright collapse. Even so, civilian injuries and deaths in Kanazawa were at a record low for an earthquake of this magnitude, and the reason why rests on the shoulders of one hero: All Might.
All Might was born and raised here in Japan, but worked overseas in America for several years before making his Japanese debut. Today, however, his name has been recorded in the history books. He pulled over 100 civilians to safety in only ten minutes, and by the time the day came to a close, his total number of civilians rescued was close to a thousand. His strength is nearly unheard of in the Japanese hero ranks, and he is expected to make a name for himself quickly… (More on Pg. 6)
Nana-shishou:
I met a man named Sasaki Mirai today. He was the most stubborn man I’ve ever met in my life! I just hit number one in the ranking chart, and I was celebrating the news when he showed up at my agency with no warning! He insisted he wanted to my sidekick, took a desk, and started working without elaborating! I tried to tell him he needed to leave and file an employment application like all prospective sidekicks do if they’re not recruited, but he ignored me and told me my filing system was a mess instead!
I’m not sure what to do with him. He’d kind of… made himself at home? And won’t listen? He is really good at the political and paperwork side of heroics, though. Maybe I’ll see what he’s made of. If he’s up to snuff, as you’d say. I didn’t think I’d ever have a sidekick, but even you worked really closely with Torino, right? Maybe it would be a good idea to have somebody watching my back, especially with All for One still running around out there, somewhere.
Anyway, enough about Sasaki for now. I made Number One! Can you believe it, Nana-shishou? I’m the number one hero in Japan. I’m almost there. I don’t think I can call myself a ‘symbol of peace’ quite yet, but… soon. One day. I went and celebrated with you after work today. I always make time for you on your birthday - writing a letter and getting a cake to take to your grave. It just so happened that the hero billboard announcements fell on your birthday this year.
I saw Torino today, too. He congratulated me. Can you believe that either? He was actually nice to me. No matter how strong I’ve become, I still get weak in the knees at the thought of his training back in my last year of high school. He’s absolutely merciless. And still just as spry even though he’s getting older, too. Pretty incredible - I hope to be just as active when I’m his age.
And another thing! Dave’s having a child - a baby girl. He’s asked me to be her unofficial uncle. I couldn’t say no to that either, of course. I’ll keep her safe. I tried to find your family when I returned to Japan, but… they’re not with us any longer. Some kind of quirk accident. The police believe it was a traumatic quirk awakening of some kind, as there was nothing to indicate any foul play. I’m sorry I couldn’t have been there sooner.
This letter has been going on forever, so I’ll cut it off here. I’ll write to you again next year, just like I always do. I hope you liked your cake - I remember you said castella cake was your favorite.
- Toshi
Nana-shishou:
Mirai and I are getting closer and closer to All for One’s operations. His network… it’s so much more vast than I ever could have realized. When you tried to fight him the first time, we should’ve had more help. Maybe you would have survived. I shouldn’t ruminate on the past, but I can’t help but wonder.
Heavy talk aside, I’m enjoying work. I haven’t had the time to properly process it, but I was officially called the Symbol of Peace today. I mentioned that that’s the kind of thing I’d like to be to Mirai about a year ago, and I think he might’ve let that particular phrase slip. It’s had the unintended consequence of somebody actually calling me that in an interview. It’s… caught on more than I could’ve expected. It’s surreal, honestly.
I’ve finally done what I said I would the day we first met, but I won’t rest until you can too.
- Toshi
Nana-shishou:
I know this isn’t my usual time for writing letters, but it’s done. All for One is dead.
I caved in his head with a single punch. It was more than that bastard deserved. I spent a while in the hospital after the fight - I lost a stomach and a lung fighting him. I had a falling-out with Mirai and Torino on top of it. But… I wouldn’t change this outcome even if I could. So long as he’s dead, and you can rest in peace, that’s all that matters to me. Please, please rest easy.
I’m not going to rest on my laurels now, either. Japan still needs me. I am their symbol, after all. It’s the dream I pursued, and I have to stick to it. Somewhere out there, somebody is crying out for help, and the longer I spend cooped up, the longer they have to suffer.
I am All Might. I won’t let them down. I won’t let you down.
- Toshi
Nana-shishou:
I met a detective named Tsukauchi the other day - he discovered my identity rather embarrassingly, as a matter of fact. But he was kind about it. He just told me to keep my paperwork in order in the future and we’d call it even. I’ve gotten lunch with him a few times since then. He’s a good man. I think you’d like him.
Melissa’s getting so big, too. Dave keeps sending me pictures of her over email. He’s asking a lot of questions about why I’m not as active as I used to be, but I don’t know how to answer. I’ve kind of been avoiding him because I didn’t want to answer. I should really just email him back…
I don’t have much time to write a lot more today as I have a mission to get to, so I hope this short letter suffices.
- Toshi
Nana-shishou:
I know this isn’t when I normally send letters, but this is important. Today, I met the boy who will (hopefully) become the ninth holder of One for All. His name is Midoriya Izuku. I don’t think I’ve done right by him, but I’ll do everything in my power to rectify my mistakes. He’s an incredible boy all around. His feet moved before he could even think, much like mine did on the day we met.
He cried when I told him he could be a hero. He dreams big, just as I did at his age. He’s even quirkless, just like I once was. We start training this weekend. I know he’ll make a fantastic hero one day, I can just feel it. It that how you felt about me when we met?
I hope I can be even half the teacher you were for me. Please, watch over him.
- Toshi
“You wrote to her about me?”
Toshinori broke from his thoughts, shaking away the clinging dregs of nostalgia and long-buried grief. Midoriya was staring up at him, a rather inscrutable expression on his face as he spoke. Toshinori just nodded. “Of course I did,” he said. “You’re worth writing about, my boy.”
The look on Midoriya’s face changed then, just slightly. It was more vulnerable, something almost pained. “Sometimes I don’t know how you think so. You had such a fantastic mentor, you come from a line of heroes who held One for All before you, and you became All Might. You’ll always be All Might to me, retired or not. And I’m just…”
“Just what, my boy?” Toshinori asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction. “Just… selfless? Kind? Compassionate? Empathetic? Heroic? Brave? Inspiring? Take your pick, honestly. For every flaw you can see in yourself, I can see countless more strengths in everything you do. Trust me… a teacher always knows these things about their students, my boy. My master saw the same in me, just as I see them in you. So don’t put yourself down, alright? You prince of nonsense.”
Midoriya ducked his head shyly, setting down the letter they’d been reading. “If you say so. But… thank you for sharing these with me. I’m glad to get to know more about you.”
“There’s a couple more I want to read. I think they’d be good for you to read, too,” Toshinori chuckled, pulling out the last couple of letters in the stack. One was significantly thicker than the other, and Midoriya looked at them curiously. Toshinori slid the thinner one over to him first, and he opened it with care. These last few… they were special to him and Midoriya moreso than Nana, Toshinori thought.
They were the beginning of something new, rather than the end of a time long past. Perhaps that was for the best.
Nana-shishou:
Midoriya was accepted to U.A! It was a close thing - I nearly had a heart attack, seeing him in action today. It seems as though he hasn’t quite gotten the hang of One for All. He… well. You remember how you told me I might explode off my arms and legs? It was a lot like that, only what exploded were his bones. Thank goodness for Recovery Girl!
Either way, we have a lot of work ahead if he’s going to settle into One for All. I try my best to emulate how I remember you being when it comes to teaching, but perhaps I should try just… being myself? Tsukauchi gave me much the same advice. He’s been a good friend to me these last several years.
What would you say to Midoriya? How would you suggest using One for All for somebody like him? He’s not like me at all, at least in physical stature. He’s small - strong, certainly, but not as big as I was at his age. I wonder if that’s impacting his ability to use One for All without breaking his bones? I’ll ask Recovery Girl for her opinion.
I’m so proud of how far he’s come, regardless of how proficient he is with the quirk. In only ten months, he’s turned himself into near peak shape, he’s remarkably studious and dedicated, and he is truly heroic. I even witnessed him willing to throw away his chance at passing the exam just to save the life of a fellow examinee. He passed because of it, of course - you knew about rescue points. I didn’t when I took the exam! I bet he’s just as panicked as I was right about now.
I look forward to teaching him for years to come. He’s a wonderful student. I can see a bright future ahead so long as he’s around.
- Toshi
Kamino Ward: The End of an Era
KAMINO, YOK — Today marks the end of an era. A currently unnamed villain destroyed much of Kamino Ward in an attack on the night of July 27th. Growing unrest in Japan regarding the rising crime rates culminated in the kidnapping of a U.A student, in which All Might was a part of the rescue operations. All Might faced off against a villain the likes of which hasn’t been seen in many years. The villain is currently hypothesized to have been an S-Class villain the government kept quiet.
All Might defeated the villain, but at a cost to himself and his career. He was injured irrevocably, revealing a side of the hero nobody had seen before. And today, the number one hero officially announced his retirement from the Japanese heroics system. He will instead be focusing on his teaching career at U.A and raising the next generations of heroes. What people want to know about the most, however, were his words immediately after the fight at Kamino Ward. “Next, it’s your turn.” Initially thought to be meant towards villains, there has been speculation… (More on Pg. 3)
Nana-shishou:
Did you see Kamino Ward? He was there. I had a suspicion after I defeated that Nomu creature at the U.S.J, but seeing it confirmed… he spoke Midoriya’s name. He knows about Midoriya. I won’t - I can’t let him anywhere near Midoriya. Now, all these years later, I understand exactly why you tried to keep me out of it the first time. The very idea of Midoriya getting involved with All for One sends fear straight to my heart. I care about him very much.
Even though those are my wishes… I’m retired now. The last embers of One for All have left my body. It rests entirely on Midoriya’s shoulders, whether I like it or not. I am afraid for him, but I will keep smiling. He needs all the support he can get.
I’ll be there for him. I promised his mother I would dedicate myself to his future. I look forward to seeing just what kind of a hero he will become, so long as All for One stays in Tartarus and his plans aren’t allowed to come to fruition. Midoriya is surrounded by friends and teachers that care for his wellbeing, and I have friends myself. A lot has happened since I last wrote you a letter, what with Dave and Mirai, but even so I believe we are in a good position.
We will defeat All for One for good this time, Nana-shishou. I swear it. I believe in Midoriya and the friends both he and I have made. We won’t be taken down. I will defy fate, together with my predecessor, and we will end this feud once and for all. Perhaps the cycle of One for All and All for One can finally end, and there will be peace.
Please watch him. I’m sure he’ll become his own symbol one day. He’s already one for me: a symbol of hope. Hope for the future. You would’ve loved him.
- Toshi