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All for One’s vision had gone blurry. He could no longer make out anything more than a foot away, which meant he could only see dirt. His body had rewound even younger than a baby, he suspected. His tiny fists would barely move. He had to drag himself along the ground.
He’d made many mistakes. Although he’d deny it if anyone else accused him, he knew it deep down. He should never have stopped to fight All Might, dragged in by old hatreds. He definitely shouldn’t have bothered to fight some spiky-haired kid who looked sort of like Kudou. No matter how tempting Hawks quirk had been, he should have left it alone, because he knew heroes’ ghosts were harder to suppress and he didn’t have the time or energy for the mental battle. Now Hawks had led all his quirks to revolt against him at once, at his weakest moment when he lacked the strength to beat them back in line.
Only one power still remained. His spikes hummed under his skin and his mother’s voice whispered, “You can do it. Just a little further. If only you can touch Tomura, then you can wrest control of his body.”
It did not seem likely that an infant could make it across the battlefield, but he had to try, for her sake. If All for One vanished, so would his mother’s ghost. He had decided long ago to never give her a new body, for fear she would leave him like Yoichi. And he did not regret that decision, because he would still rather they both fade away than let her go. Yet, for her sake, he dug his little fingers into the dirt and forced himself to crawl. Refusing to give up on the thinnest hope that she might survive.
“That’s right. Just keep going straight,” Mom murmured, guiding him as she had just after he’d been born. He could always count on her. She belonged to him, after all (and he knew exactly who he’d gotten his possessiveness from.)
This warmth, this push of extra strength, it was so close to what he needed, but not quite. He needed Yoichi. He needed the power of One for All. He needed his other half back at his side. It would all be for naught without Yoichi. He screamed into the void, Yoichi, I need you!
The connection between them was active, but there was no reply. That, in and of itself, was an answer. Some small part of All for One had still believed Yoichi wouldn’t let him die, despite all the betrayal and enmity between them. But everyone had left him: his brother wanted him dead, his most loyal Gigantomachia had betrayed him, and his adopted son had revolted. How could they all do this to him?
Yes, All for One had killed Yoichi, but that was different, it hadn’t been on-purpose, it had all been Kudou’s fault.
In his blurry vision, All for One saw a spiky head and wicked bloodstained grin looming over him. Kudou! He reacted without thought, shooting a spike from his mouth.
His mother came to his call one last time. The spike attacked. And with it, the very last bit of his power used up. His entire body burned with Rewind. He was dying. He’d wanted to live forever. It was not fair. (The world had never been fair to villains like him.)
Just before his eyes lost all sight, he saw again that evil spiky smile. Even to the end, he had not defeated his most hated enemy, and it filled him with a mad rage. An endless scream filled his mind of: Hate-no-hate-no-hate-no-hate-no-hate-no-hate-no-hate-no-HATE-NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
“I love you,” his mother whispered, cradling him in her insubstantial arms as he faded to nothing. She was the only person with him at the very end as she had been at his birth. And it was not enough for him, but it was all he had.
OMAKE TIME!
Yoichi: Everyone, can we please let my mother’s vestige into One for All before she fades away? Please?
Kudou: Expecting me to live with my mother-in-law is a lot to ask of a husband. But I’ll do it for the chance to steal a quirk from All for One for a change.
Mom: Hi! Where do I put my suitcase?
Yoichi: Mom, what do you have tucked under your arm?
Mom: (Holding a baby All for One) A smoothie?
Yoichi: Mom, no.
Mom: It’s your big chance to raise him right. Since the villain thing didn’t work out for our family, I’ve decided we’ll all become heroes.
Yoichi: Good point! I can raise big brother into a Captain Hero fan this time. It will be the ultimate revenge and the fulfilment of all my brotherly redemption fantasies.
Kudou: Yoichi, no.
Mom: Can you say no to this adorable little face?
Kudou: Ma’am, that thing looks like a demon baby.
Yoichi: I’m going to create a Captain Hero themed nursery.
Kudou: I’m not winning this one, am I?
Mom: Nope! But in the good news, I’m a cool and hip mother-in-law who will even give you tips for your sex life.
Kudou: That’s not good news!