56Chapter 1 - A Might to remember
(Back Alley Street - Tokyo, Japan - 15 years ago, Late November)
"Give me your wallet!" The Thug flicked his hand up his quirk turning it into a blade that pressed against the man's neck drawing blood, "Or I'll gut you!"
"Please I don't have anything on me" The man trembled as he pulled out his empty pockets showing he had nothing on him, "They are in my car! I forgot them that's why I was here trying to cut back to the pa-"
"SHUT UP!" The thug pressed his blade hand into the man's neck even harder, "Well it looks like this isn't your night"
The Thug moved to pressed his bladed hand fully into the man's neck and then go else where to look for another target. He had a rep to maintain and a quota to meet, if he didn't have his boss' cash on time it would be him dead in a gutter somewhere. Besides a little blood on his blade would work wonders motivating the unlucky souls that came across him for the rest of the night.
"It's fine now. Do you know why?" The booming voice caused the both men's eyes to widen one in hope the other in despair as the Thug and his bladed hand disappeared from view "Because I am here!"
CRASH!
The man's whose life had just been about to end could only blink and then look up in awe as All Might the All Might appeared in front of him. The criminal that was about to take his life was about hundred metres away laid out on the cold ground a set of trash cans having stopped him from going further. The man's eyes however immediately shot back to All Might who towered before him his signature smile on his face as he also glanced down and saw the Number 1 hero wasn't wearing his iconic costume but a very nice shirt and trousers with a long red tie as well.
"Thank you! Thank you!" The man started to bow to All Might so vigorously that the Pro-Hero was sure the man was going to pull something.
All Might opened his mouth to insist that the man need not thank him and ask if the man was okay if he needed any more help, however just as he was about to another voice ran out in the alley.
"You have a reminder! You have a reminder! You have a reminder!"
All Might's famous smile stayed plastered on his face although his eyes widened slightly as the two men stood awkwardly for a moment as All Might's own voice sounded from his pocket. All Might let out a slight cough as he lifted up a hand with a raised finger asking for a minute which the man he just saved nodded awkwardly. The man would have laughed if the scene before him was anyone other than All Might, as suddenly the behemoth of a man suddenly turned around and seemed to curl up as he took his phone from his pocket. All Might silenced the reminder that was still yelling out his voice as he read the reminder and several text messages that he had missed.
'Oh shoot!" Toshinori cursed in his head. Not only had the fourteen reminders he had set not to miss this meeting had passed, but the one he had just seen was the last so he officially had only five minutes to get there before he was late and then there were the texts. The person he was set to meet was already there and waiting for him at the time he had insisted that they arrive. This meeting was probably the most important one of his life so far and its outcome could affect everything for years to come. He looked at the time and although he was cutting it tight with his enhanced speed he could make it to the meeting on time if he left now, he quickly sent a text to his sidekick Mirai to send police to this location to pick up the criminal he had stopped.
"Apologies citizen but I am needed elsewhere!" All Might turned back to the man he had just saved and then to the mugger he had knocked out. "I have alerted the authorities and they shall be here shortly!"
"Oh of course!" The man gave another bow to the pro-hero "Thank you again and good luck not that you need it!"
All Might gave the man a wave as he leapt into the air and started racing as fast as he could to get to his meeting on time that was on the other side of the city. He had planned on arriving early so that he could get everything sorted for tonight but like as always whenever he made plans they went off the rails the moment he heard a cry for help. He would never regret answering but it did sometimes make things complicated like tonight he had ended up responding to a dozen incidents that had taken him clear across the city. So a ten-minute drive from Might Tower with plenty of time to spare had turned into trying to race back, normally he would just cancel whatever plans he had made but tonight was rare expectation.
'No tonight has to happen, I can't cancel, not this.' Toshinori stayed firm in his commitment he would be at this meeting no matter what. 'I can still make it, as long as nothing else hap-'
"HELP! HELP!"
Toshinori stopped in his tracks, his head snapping towards the direction the cries for help were emanating from. His body reacted before his mind could even think about it as he pushed off and headed directly to where he was needed. As he arrived he could see the person shouting, it was a small car collision and one of the passengers was stuck as their vehicle filled with smoke. He lept down and rushed to help, his arrival causing shouts of joy and cheers from the bystanders. As he easily pulled the door off and recused the trapped motorists his eyes glanced up to a nearby clock showing that he was now late.
'Okay not great but I'm sure if I push myself I can get th-'
"HEY STOP THIEF! SOMEONE HELP!"
All Might's head snapped as he heard another cry for help his enhanced hearing picked up not two blocks away just as he placed the recused motorist. Two blocks in the wrong direction, he resisted sighing in public instead just kept his signature smile on his as he quickly made sure the motorist was fine and first responders were on the way before he rocketed back into the air. His eyes quickly saw the petty thief running down the street, cash falling from the bundles in his hands, he was no master criminal. The thief's quirk seemed to be a rather simple one that just made him faster than normal if the speed he was going at was any indication but he was still no match for the speed One for All gave All Might.
'Right stop this guy turn him over to the cops and I am sure I will only be a few minutes late tops!'
(2 hours and 16 saves later - Including 1 actual cat stuck in a tree)
All Might landed with a slight thud in the alley just across from his meeting place, his hand shooting to his phone to look at the time and hoping there wasn't a string of scathing text messages from the person he was meeting. Holding onto the vaguest smallest simple hope that the time wasn't as late as he thought it would be. It was and more worryingly there wasn't a single text message beyond the first ones he received telling him that they were waiting for him.
'I'm so dead.' He felt the large beep of sweat form and drip down the side of his head.
Toshinori late out a deep breath as he turned off One For All, the physical change occurring immediately as his muscles and size decreased. However, as he spotted his reflection in a nearby window as crossed the street he could see the change was only negligible at this point, his body had adapted so well to One for All that at this stage he couldn't really turn it off his muscle form as he called it even when he tried. However, it was still good enough that Toshinori Yagi and All Might weren't immediately recognised as the same person by the majority of people, allowing him rare moments out of the limelight.
As he moved towards his target the Restaurant that had a large fancy sign out the front that read, Ueda's Place, he took another deep breath and checked he still had everything he needed on him. The restaurant was one of the most exclusive and high-end in the city, usually, it took months to get a seat but Toshinori had for the first time used his position as the Number 1 hero to jump the queue. He wasn't exactly proud of it and still felt awkward but tonight was too important. The restaurant's strict code of privacy was exactly what this meeting required, so he didn't feel too guilty. The hostess greeted him as Toshinori not All Might her eyes gave a quick frown no doubt wondering who he was and why All Might had called in a favour to get this person and his guest a table for tonight.
She guided him first to an elevator and then to the best seat in the house, located on their rooftop dining area right next to the edge that gave the best view of Tokoyo, he paused and let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. She was still here. Seated at the table he had reserved was the woman who for the past few years had occupied his every thought when he was not working. As she turned to face him he felt his breath and heart stop for a moment as his deep blue eyes connected with her impossible large and circular pools of emerald green. She gave him such a smile that if could capture this moment and hold it in his head he would be a happy man for the rest of his life.
Inko Hikitsuga.
He spent a few moments looking at her, she was wearing a tasteful sleeveless green dress that hugged her slim figure perfectly and stopped at her ankles. Her straight shoulder-length dark green hair was tied into its usual style with the small and spiky ponytail at the back, which always thought looked the same as Nana Shimura's hairstyle. However, he quickly dispelled the thought of his old mentor as he shook himself out of his haze and moved to the table thanking the hostess before sitting down.
As she left to give them a few moments to decide on drinks and a meal, he saw her raise a slight eyebrow at the couple, and he knew why. It was the age difference. Although he knew he looked good for his age there were still fourteen years between himself and the 24-year-old Inko, and no amount of healthy living could hide the age difference. It was one of only three things in their relationship that gave him pause, every time they went somewhere someone always raised an eyebrow or whispered about them. However, out of all of his concerns, it was the lowest on his list. He knew it didn't look great and some people thought it unseemly to date someone over a decade younger than you but it had never fazed Inko. The one time he had brought it up early in their relationship she had laughed, made a witty joke, told him he was being stupid and shouldn't let others dedicate his life and that was that.
The concerns that gave him serious pause however were to start with the second on his list was that he was technically her boss. Inko worked in the accounting department at the Might Tower and was very good at her job from what he understood. He said technically he was her boss because Inko worked for a subagency contracted by the Hero Public Safety Commission, whose job was to monitor Pro-heroes like All Might's expenditure to prevent misappropriation or insufficient funding. However, whenever he made the I'm only technically her boss argument in his head it sounded pretty flimsy and something he made up to avoid the awkwardness of seeing someone under him. He was sure the only reason Inko was comfortable around him was part of the main reason he was concerned about pursuing a relationship…She doesn't know I'm All Might.
They had met a few years ago when Inko had first taken up the job with the finance subagency at the Might Tower. She had bumped into him as Toshinori in the tower's cafeteria whilst looking for a seat near the windows wanting a good view of the city she had just moved to and found the only table with a spare seat next to a window was his. He sat in the cafeteria as Toshinori as a way to keep grounded and get to know the people who worked so hard so he could do his job. His sitting next to a window was so that he could always keep an eye on all the townspeople and watch out in case he was needed, which resulted in him rushing out in the middle of lunch more than once.
Inko was the first person ever to ask to sit with him, as despite his intention of getting to know people the rest of the staff avoided him. Inko later told him it was because they knew he worked on the top floor, something she only learnt about three months of sitting with him for lunch. The staff knew he worked on the executive level and although no one had connected him to All Might they all thought he was some sort of high powered executive. So they had avoided the strange, well built tall man in his nice shirts that constantly rushed off to what they guessed were important meetings, according to Inko some thought he was All Might's personal assistant. So he had to eat lunch alone, well until a young new starter who apparently didn't know better had sat down.
He was also aided by the fact that unlike every other Pro-hero, his real identity wasn't a matter of public record and was only known to a handful of highly trusted people. He had spent a lot of energy keeping Toshinori out of the limelight and public records largely to make it harder for All for One to track him down. So to Inko he was just Toshinori Yori, a man that worked in the same building as her, in a some position on the upper floors and who she had developed a relationship with despite his best attempts to avoid it. He wasn't sure how it had happened but he had ended up in the last place he had ever thought he would. A nice one of lunch had turned second one, then into a nice lunch everyday, followed by exchanging numbers, then texting and calling each other after a rough day, then meeting outside of work to relax, a few nice dinners together to say thank you, then a secret trip together you know for fun, then one night after a very late dinner he spent the night at hers and suddenly he was in a relationship.
He had tried to end it, he knew he should end it, being with him was dangerous, his mentor's life had shown him how dangerous a family could be in this life. He had kept this under the radar from everyone, no one knew about him and Inko, she had even come up with a fake boyfriend Hisashi Midoriya that she used to explain her trips and their dates to her friends. He hadn't asked her to do that, but Inko being Inko had figured out that he needed to keep their relationship on the sensitive side and so came up with the fake boyfriend story, without ever asking why. It was the type of person she was, putting someone else's needs before her own without needing to know the reason. He suspected she thought it was because of company policy about interoffice romances and dating a subordinate, she had even stopped their public lunches together to prevent water cooler gossip.
However, every time he worked up the nerve to end it, all the reasonable arguments logged in his head, he just had to see her and they all went away. It was her smile, her laugh that kept him from ending it but most importantly it was the simple fact that at the end of the day, it was her he wanted to see. Whereas before his goal of being the Symbol of Peace had been just to make the world a better place, he was now striving for the goal harder than ever before, for her, so she had a peaceful world to live in. Looking at her for the first time since setting himself on this path, the long road to make the world a better place to create a place where everyone could smile, he wanted just one thing for himself.
"Toshi," As Inko said his name he felt all his worries melt away as she looked at him with those eyes he could lose himself in. "What happened to your shirt?"
"Huh?"
Toshinori blinked looking down he saw that his nice freshly ironed shirt was now raggedy, spotted with several stains, his tie was gone and now he thought about it he had had a jacket as well, where had that gone? He let out an awkward chuckle thinking that maybe the hostess's frown at the entrance at the door and raised eyebrow wasn't at the age difference but at his nearly dishevelled appearance. He looked back up at Inko who was just smiling at him, her emerald green eyes twinkling with mirth at his unkempt state, which had been a running theme for most of their dates. He found himself smiling now, she was truly something else, he was over two hours late and she didn't even care as long as he did turn up.
"I ran into someone wh-"
"Who needed help." Inko finished his sentence for him with a large smile, knowing what he was going to say as it had become his catchphrase between the two of them. "Well, I've heard worse excuses,"
Toshinori responded with his own smile, at her witty remark as she opened her menu which he knew she had already looked at and was ready to order but wanted to give him time to decide. He didn't need to apologise for being late, I never do with her, his smile turned tender at that thought. The first time he ran late he had said the line about helping someone and apologised, at which point Inko had told him never to apologise for taking the time to help someone in need. He couldn't stop himself from glancing up at her as he looked over the menu himself and once they had ordered their meals they fell into their natural flow.
As they chatted about work, well Inko chatted and Toshinori asked questions or made comments as she talked about the slight drudgery of looking at numbers all day, the latest gossip her colleagues told her and the fact she had taken up sewing. Toshinori took it all in as they tucked into their meals, laughing a little as Inko poked fun at his meal which his fitness-obsessed nature made sure was as healthy as possible, whilst she tucked into her plate of katsudon. As they finished their meal, Inko took a sip of the glass of water she had ordered and looked out at the view of Tokyo at night, he took a deep breath deciding that he had put this off long enough.
"Inko," Toshinori felt his smile somehow widened as she looked back to him curiosity present as she noticed his unusual softness and slight timidness "There is something I've been meaning to tell, I've been meaning to do for a long time actually and….well, I hope this doesn't lead you to think I don't trust you I DO, it's just this is complicated and I never thought we get thi-"
"Yes?" Inko interrupted him with a chuckle finding it more amusing than odd that the always clear and confident Toshi was stumbling over himself for once.
"Right, right," Toshinori coughed as he regained his focus and then took a deep breath. "Inko I need to tell you that I….. that I am actually -"
"All Might?" Inko finished Toshinori's sentence again for him in a quiet whisper as she glanced at the other patrons, her smile widened as she saw his eyes widen in shock and surprise.
"You knew!" Toshinori shouted standing up briefly only to suddenly look sheepish as some of the other tables looked at him. "You knew? How? For how Long?"
"About 2 weeks after we started having lunch together. Toshi, you look identical to him, just a little smaller with less muscles. Also every time you were late or had to run off All Might appeared on the news saving someone it wasn't hard to figure out." Inko replied deadpan as if the answer had been so obvious she didn't know why he had asked.
"Oh…..yeah that makes sense," Toshinori felt like punching himself in the face for his stupidity, of course she had figured it out Inko saw him everyday and was one of the smartest and analytical people he had ever met.
"Maybe you should try, I don't know, a pair of glasses and styling your hair a little differently when you're not on patrol, we could look at maybe a ponytail style easy to tie back but simple to undo or maybe a hat, that could work, or maybe…." Inko's face fell into a thoughtful frown as she went full ramble as her mind analysed everything they could do, half it was inaudible as she just went faster and faster before suddenly stopping. "OH sorry, I was rambling again wasn't I?"
"Only a little," Toshinori chuckled feeling all the tension and worry that he had been building up for weeks at his decision to tell Inko the whole truth just vanish "I feel like an idiot now,"
"No…." Inko leaned over the table and placed her slender slim hand over his much larger one, a cheeky smile appearing on her face. "Well, maybe a little."
"HEY!" He shot back with his own grin as he turned his hand over and squeezed hers the two just looking at each other for a few moments.
"Still if it got me this lovely view and a great meal I don't mind you being a little stupid every now and then." Inko teased without any seriousness, loving the feel of warmth radiating off of Toshinori, her heart always skipped a little when she saw him looking at her like this.
"Well, I might have a little more foolishness left in me, and there's more I need to tell you about me and my quirk but first." Toshinori gripped her hand a little more tightly as his other hand slipped out of sight to retrieve the item that was crucial for tonight and could be used, now that he knew she was okay with his heroic identity "Inko I have something very important to ask you. Will -"
BOOM!
Inko didn't even feel the explosion that blasted apart the top of the building, ripping through the restaurant's top-floor seating. She blinked, and suddenly found that she was behind All Might's towering figure as he shielded her from the explosion, Toshinori had transformed and as she took in what happened she could see the other restaurant patrons and staff were strewn on the floor behind him as well. Somehow he had saved them and her all in the time it took her to blink, she knew he was supposed to be fast but this was insane. She opened her mouth to say something when suddenly a huge bolt of electricity slammed into All Might from his left side whilst a beam of red energy struck him head-on.
"AHHH!" All Might roared as he took the brunt of the attacks his eyes scanning the area, quickly seeing his two attackers, he just needed an opening then he cou- "UGH!"
He felt himself move as a third attacker blindsided him on the right, it was a person as tall as him but his entire body was made out of diamonds obviously a result of his quirk. He grounded his heels, digging into the floor to prevent himself from moving anymore and took the diamond hammering into his side. It wasn't ideal but he couldn't move or else Inko and the other bystanders he had saved would be vaporised. He just had to wait for the other two attackers to run out of steam and then he could deal with these punks
"DIE ALL MIGHT! DIE!" The diamond-skinned man grinned like a lunatic as he hammered into All Might's exposed side tearing his already tattered clothes to pieces. "DIE DIE DIE DIE!"
All Might gritted his teeth his mind trying to think of a possible alternative as the two ranged attacks kept him pinned in place. His eyes were also searching for any more surprises, he had been stupid in focusing on the two obvious threats and missed the diamond-skinned man on his right. He already knew who was behind this attack and so could take no chances especially with Inko now being in the crossfire. Although he kept his smile present his eyes turned into a snarl as he wondered how this had happened and where he had tripped up, he would never forgive himself for placing her in danger. Just as that thought crossed his mind the twin attacks of pure energy and electricity keeping him in place died off, as his two attacks ran out of steam.
"Okay my turn," All Might exploded into action before he could be pinned again, his fist slammed into the diamond-skinned man next to him "TEXAS SMASH!"
The effect was immediate the man's diamond skin cracked as he seemed to hover in the air for a second before suddenly being blown back clear across the demolished rooftop dining area. All Might turned bringing his hands together hard creating a shockwave that he directed at the woman who had been shooting the red energy beam at him. The woman's eyes went wide as she found herself nearly blown off the roof as the shockwave slammed into her body causing her bones to vibrate as he went flying. The electricity quirk user didn't fair even better as before he could even shout or move at seeing his comrades being floored All Might suddenly appeared before him his blinding speed sending the air rushing past him. He didn't even get to raise his arms before All Might's fist slammed into his face sending him careening straight into the floor and into unconsciousness.
"All of you head to the fire exit now!" All Might turned and pointed to the exit his eyes lingering on Inko when suddenly he felt the red beam of energy slam into him again "AHH! You don't play fair do you?"
He crossed his arms moving to position himself so that neither the attack nor the energy blasting off of him would injure any innocent bystanders. As he saw them rush towards the fire exit on the right side of the building and out of harm's way he pushed off of the ground leaping into the sky. The move caught his attacker off guard and before she could redirect her attack he slammed both of his feet into her sending her like her friend into the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. All Might let out a breath as he stepped off of his defeated foe but he had no time to rest as he heard a shout behind him. As he twisted around he found himself for the first time ever frozen as saw what had made the cry for help, he tried to take a step forward but was halted by a snarling shout.
"STOP THERE OR I'LL BREAK HER NECK!" The diamond-skinned quirk user lifted up his left hand and there in his grip was Inko her feet dangling off the floor.
The quirk user did not look great, he was bleeding from the forehead and his diamond skin was cracked and broken all over his body revealing normal human flesh beneath. All Might's mind went into override trying to come up with a plan to save her but everyone put her in some measure of danger and that was slowing his response. He tensed ready to dart forward but Inko let out a cry as the diamond-skinned man squeezed her neck seeing his foe was about to move. All Might felt something well up inside his chest; it was a feeling he hadn't had since he saw his master Nana Shimura push him away as she faced certain doom. It was a look that wasn't missed by his foe as the man's eyes winded as he looked between Inko and All Might.
"Ohhhhhh! HA! She's special isn't she?" The villain's mad grin widened as moved his arm more in front of him, swinging Inko like a doll, loving the love of fear in the Symbol of Peace eye's as she cried in pain. "The boss just thought she was one night of fun but this is perfect! When he finds out oh boy! He's going to -AHHH! BITCH!"
Both men had been too distracted to notice that Inko had been using her quirk to slowly pull a sharp shard of broken diamond skin into her hand. She had then jammed the sharp piece of diamond into the hand's hand aiming for a crack she could just see from her position. The reaction was immediate he released her as pain shot through his hand but as he did so he backhanded her with his other hand that was covered in broken diamond skin
"AHHHH!" All Might's eyes watched the strike hit Inko and then without thinking he exploded forward electricity sparking around his right fist as poured all his strength into this punch.
"Oh shi-" The villain's eyes just watched as his doom came hurtling towards him with no possible way to avoid it.
CRACK! BOOM!
(Might Tower - Minato, Tokyo - A few hours later)
Inko lifted a hand to her left cheek feeling the bandages present that were covering her one injury from the villain's attack. The cut wasn't actually all that bad occurring to the doctor that Toshinori had rushed her to straight after he 'dispatched' the villain who had nearly killed her. The cut was a little deep and would leave a visible scar but other than that, she was completely fine, although as her finger traced over the bandage, she let out a sigh. She was already subconscious about her looks, she knew she wasn't a great beauty and did wonder what Toshinori saw in her at times and a scar was the last thing she needed.
She sat up and moved off of the medical bed she had been left on, she was still a little surprised that the tower had a whole medical floor she never knew about but as she thought about it, it wasn't surprising at all. Toshi was dedicated to helping people, so it should be no surprise that the headquarters of his super alter ego would be equipped to aid the city in a medical capacity if needed. She quietly picked up her high-heeled shoes that Toshi had retrieved and left beside the bed for when she got up electing to go barefoot for the moment as one, the high heels killed her feet and two, they made noise when she walked in them and it was something like 4 AM.
She was pretty sure she was the only patient on the entire floor but didn't want to disrupt someone in case she was wrong. She was supposed to be getting some sleep but in truth, despite the doctor's orders and early hours she just wasn't tired. She wasn't sure if was the adrenaline still coursing through her or her burning desire to just see Toshi. He had been with her as much as he could but he had been preoccupied with getting her to safety and then had to rush off when his sidekick Sir Nighteye had come to speak to him about the attack. She needed to speak with him, not only did she want to know what he was about to ask her but she had something to tell him too.
As she gently pushed open the door to the room she was in she stopped as she heard a pair of voices in the corridor. The door was open only a crack but she could see All Might's sidekick Sir Nighteye standing at the end of the corridor speaking to an extremely short, elderly man with a cane. The elderly man had very heavy wrinkles and a scrawny build with grey and spiky hair, styled short with some bangs hanging forward and a trimmed beard.
"What was he thinking?" Ser Nighteye shook his head as he spoke to Gran Torino All Might's old teacher and one of the few people the Number 1 hero listened to. "To do something so stupid and reckless?"
"You think him having a relationship is stupid and reckless huh?" Inko couldn't see Gran Tornio's raised eyebrow from her position so only got the causal tone he was speaking with
"What? NO!" Sir Nighteye locked taken aback at the mere suggestion however that was quickly replaced by a frown "He's my friend and I want him to be happy but….."
"But?" The elder hero pressed his eyes narrowing a little as he watched All Might's sidekick rub his eyes like he always did when frustrated.
"But….her? She's one step up from being a college intern, if this gets out it could ruin his image with a lot of people." Nighteye shook his head, he still could not understand what had gotten into his friend "He's always been so focused, so dedicated towards his goal. Creating a better world. Why throw it away?"
"Hey, he's as dedicated as ever towards that goal," Gran Tranio grunted feeling tension rising in his old bones at his student and friend's successor's motives were being challenged, before he sighed "Maybe she helps, maybe she's the one thing he's allowing in behind that smile he shows the world. Maybe he needs her."
"Needs her to get him killed," Ser Nighteye grunted back his face forming a rare snarl that he quickly shook off.
Inko's eyes widened at the pro-hero's words feeling a cold chill go up her spine
"That's uncalled for," Gran Tranio shot back, he didn't know the lass Toshinori was seeing but he hated anyone being talked about like that without a chance to defend themselves at least.
"It's true, tonight was all because of her." Ser Nighteye felt the blood rise in him, tonight was a disaster that could easily have been avoided "All Might got sloppy, he went outside the protocols we created to protect him all to set up a dinner date. We are lucky that HE wasn't certain of the info and didn't show up himself. All Might could have been killed, hundreds if not thousands could have been cut in the crossfire as well."
"I'm not denying tonight how he did what he did was stupid" Gran Tranio conceded and already had a speech ready to give his former student when he saw him "He might be foolish at times but Toshinori can handle himself, he proved that tonight."
"Not around her," Ser Nighteye replied slowly, the older pro opened his mouth to respond but Nighteye didn't let him "Don't deny it, you saw the same footage I did before he scrubbed it. He Froze."
Inko felt the chill that had run up her spine creep into her heart as she recalled seeing All Might standing before the villain frozen with hesitation. She had seen All Might on the news and internet for years, she had always admired him, knew he won no matter what, was the pillar everyone could rely on and never showed any fear. Except now she knew something his millions of fans and admirers didn't, he was human. It was easy to idolise All Might and put him on a pillar above everyone but she knew Toshinori he was the best person she ever knew but he had fears and worries like anyone else.
"What happens the next time? It could get her, him or an innocent bystander killed." "And what if someone learns who she is to him? Every villain, including him, will know all they need to stop the symbol of peace is to get to her. If she stays, it puts everyone in dan-"
Inko closed the door not wanting to hear any more as she sat on the bed she had just left her mind was already reeling at the picture All Might's sidekick painted. Despite part of her trying to reassure herself her analytical mind just went into overdrive going deeper and deeper down a path her heart was screaming at her to avoid. She wasn't sure how long she just sat there staring at the floor, but it was long enough for her mind to play through every scenario she could think of and come to a conclusion she dreaded.
"Inko?" Her head snapped up and saw Toshinori, her Toshi not the hulking figure of All Might standing tentatively in slightly open doorway.
"I'm akwake," She said trying to make her voice as steady as she could as she looked up at him.
"I just wanted to check on you, I was just trying to track where those villains had come from." Toshinori moved fully into the room closing the door behind him, trying to sound more confident than he was. "Sorry I took so long,"
"Did you find it?" Inko asked her heart hoping to grab onto one ray of hope, that this was over and that whoever Ser Nighteye and the man he had been speaking to was behind bars.
He didn't respond his eyes just glanced away from her, giving her all the answer she needed. She closed her eyes briefly willing herself to do this but before she could she had to reach out for one last ray in the gathering dark. She opened them her eyes connecting with Toshi's as he looked back to her.
"Toshi are you in danger?" Inko was hoping she was wrong and that she didn't have to do what her stupid analytical brain was telling her was her only real choice. "Don't joke or brush me of. That villian who held me mentioned a boss. And I heard-...It doesn't matter, just tell me are you in danger?"
Toshinori just looked at her, he wanted to in that moment just to lie to her, to put this night behind them and go on with thier lives. However, he knew he couldn't he owed her the truth, that what this night had suppose to been about, telling her everything. As he opened his mouth he couldn't help but wince as the image of his master flashed in his mind.
"Yes, I am," Toshi's admission caused her heart to sink like a stone "There's a villain, a monster, he runs everything, all the crime, all the corruption, in japan and across alot of the global he's behind it. His name is Al-"
"I can't do this," Inko's whispered words caused him to freeze as his blood turned to ice, as he saw tears running down her cheeks.
Normally when she cried it was like a river washing away everything in its path, something he secretly loved about her. He remembered when they had watched a movie with a tragic death scene at her place, he thought he would need to conduct a river recuse with the amount she cried. However, this wasn't that, her tears were small in volume but more devastating than if they had washed him away.
"What do you mean?"
"I can't do this, it's, it's all too much." Inko stood up grabbing her things as she rushed towards the door "I'm sorry!"
"Wait please?!" Toshi grabbed her arm before she could slip past him his reflexes were such that she never stood a chance.
"Do they know about me?" Inko didn't look at him although he held her arm she was still facing the door behind him.
"No, it's what I was making sure of." He tried to move closer to her, but she just shifted away from him, he felt his heart wrenching apart as he told her the truth "They don't know about us. They think you were just…."
"I just…..I can't Toshi, I can't" Inko's words caused his grip to loosen just enough that she slipped from it and ran out of the door.
Toshinori could only turn and look at the closed door, his body for once not leaping into action as just stared at the closed. He didn't move for a good while, long enough that the door eventually opened again. For a brief second, he hoped it was her running back but instead, he just saw his friend and sidekick Mirai who the world knew as Ser Nighteye standing there.
"I saw her leave, she told me she is resigning. She left the building a few minutes ago." Mirai shifted as he saw the blank emotionless face of his best friend, he felt his own heart break a little at the sight "Toshi I am sor-"
"It doesn't matter," All Might's towering figure suddenly appeared as Toshinori transformed into his muscle form and strode past his friend.
His sidekick didn't say a word or even follow him knowing it was best to leave him to work through this at his own speed. Toshinori was grateful as he felt his body tremble especially as he opened up his other hand and saw the ring box he had kept safe throughout the night. He paused briefly as opened it up and saw the emerald-crusted engagement ring he had bought for Inko, his hand trembled for a moment before he stopped it, turning his nerves to steel. As one thought replaced the crushing despair that was raging inside of him.
'I am going to find All for One and end him'
(Inko Hikitsuga's Apartment - 40 minutes later)
Inko hadn't gotten very far into her apartment she was curled up with her head on her knees as cried like she never had before. She knew she had to do this, All Might couldn't be distracted by her he had a world to save and he couldn't do it if he was afraid for her safety. All Might was the symbol of peace and justice, she was just getting in the way of that, keeping him from saving the world all for something as selfish as love.
However, she knew that wasn't the reason she had done what she did, no it had been the danger Ser Nighteye had spoken of, of her becoming a target. She in truth didn't care about that, she was willing to brave any danger as long as Toshi was beside her and wanted her there but there's more to consider now. That terrible thought wormed its way back into her head as she lifted her eyes and looked at the doctor's letter she had been keeping in her purse, it's what I was going to show Toshi tonight.
She was willing to risk anything to be with him, despite the dangers to her and she knew she would only push him forward in his quest for peace. She would risk anything except one thing, her eyes lingered on the words in the doctor's letter
We are happy to confirm the results from the first blood tests and your own positive result, you (Inko Hikitsuga) are currently 2 weeks pregnant.
She didn't read the rest of the letter as her hands went to her stomach and cradled it, hoping she had made the right choice to raise her baby away from danger whilst their father saved the world
(Author's notes)
Inko's maiden surname was something a friend of mine came up with Hikitsuga it roughly translates to 'Little by little', but uses 引き (Hiki) which is the beginning part of the word 'Hikitsukeru' 引き継が which means to attract, like her quirk.