Chapter 8: Outcomes
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he bounced the rubber ball against the wall of his room. The afternoon sun shone through the window, his chest warmed by the golden rays. His injuries had healed enough that he no longer felt like sleeping and he had been able to start shuffling around the room now. He still felt tired quickly, but he was sure that would pass with a little more time.
He threw the ball again, the rubber making a solid thunk as it hit the wall and rebounded, landing perfectly back in his hand. He had done this for hours already, but it was one of the few forms of entertainment he was allowed. Everything else had been deemed dangerous or unnecessary. He sat up and moved to get off the bed, the thought of doing something different driving him to his feet and beginning one of his shaky laps around the small room.
He kept one hand on the wall, using it for balance as he took one staggering step after another. His entire body was sore from the beating he had received, and he had a few new scars, but he was still alive and that was enough for now. 'He's going to regret this.' He thought as he completed his first lap. His legs already quivered with the strain of a second lap and his chest ached, but he kept going.
From the outside, it looked like a stubborn man was rushing his recovery, struggling to take steps when he should be in bed, relaxing and letting his body finish healing from the punishment it had sustained. While he was being stubborn and rushing things, it wasn't because he was impatient. He walked those laps around his room, struggled until he could barely walk, soaked in sweat and gasping for breath, because of the world beyond that window.
The sun shone through glass reinforced to take anti-material rounds. The concrete walls were over half a meter thick, and the door was stainless steel, specially crafted to never again allow a human to pass through. He was a prisoner in this cell, and it was exactly where his brother wanted him.
Never to escape, never to fight back again. Just a prized possession on a shelf, something to be admired and occasionally talked to. The only difference between himself and a caged bird, was that his brother had made a fatal error.
He had been given a meta-ability. After sixteen years, he finally had a power of his own. His brother had deemed it useless to him, a minor power with no real potential. That error in judgement would be the undoing of the man who had helped turn Japan into the pile of rubble it had become.
He could feel it working with every step he struggled with, every throw of the ball, even the movement of his chest as he took a breath. Power built, little by little; siphoned off as he lived and it was stored away. It was practically nothing at the moment, just a small spark, but he could see the potential. One day, that spark would grow into a grand storm of power, and it would spell the end of the warlord.
That end would be decades from now. He had no choice but to continue to struggle, his rebellion beginning with the smallest of steps. He was determined to see it through, no matter how much it hurt, because every day he heard the screams of the world outside, and how it had collapsed. His brother had helped orchestrate that collapse, guided by a vision of ruling humanity, and it was his responsibility to see that it never came to fruition.
He collapsed on his bed, staring at the ceiling as his chest heaved. His long white hair covered his eyes, sweat practically gluing it to his forehead. 'Four laps. That's half a lap better than yesterday.' He thought, raising his right arm in the air and clenching a fist. 'I have to keep going. I have to get stronger. I have to stop *.'
He sat up slowly, arms braced on his knees and stared into Yuji's eyes, their color the same stone-gray Yuji had seen reflected in the bathroom mirror. His shoulders shook with the force of his breathing; his slim and wiry body dressed in rags.
"This was the start, Ninth." He spoke now, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm placing my hope in you, just like I did the others. You're starting out strong, adapting far faster than you should." He smiled, a sad small thing that didn't reach his eyes.
"Keep that fire burning in your heart, remember that determination to do the right thing. You're a good kid." His words were barely audible, yet they seemed to echo off the walls of the prison cell.
"Now, it's time to wake up." With a sad smile, the light in the room grew until it blinded Yuji, forcing his eyes closed.
He managed to open them again, blinded by the beam of sunlight shining past his curtains. He sat up and looked around the room, wincing at the pain in his chest as he did. It was his room. Painted drywall instead of bare concrete, curtains covered a normal window he could open, his favorite red hoodie hung from a hook on the wooden door.
"What was that?" He asked aloud, rubbing his eyes and looking down at his bandage-covered arms. It felt like a memory, like he had lived as a prisoner, trapped as the world crumbled away. He had felt all those thoughts and emotions. Now everything was fading, the only thing he could vividly remember were those stone-gray eyes, and a desperate yearning for things to be different.
He realized he once again had activated One for All in his sleep, and willed the power to fade into the background. 'It's easier to turn it off and on now at least. I don't have to think about smashing something just to use All Might's quirk. Not sure that I should be happy that I'm using it when I'm asleep though.' He shrugged, unsure of what it could mean and made to stand up, ready to start his morning stretches.
As he moved the covers, his door burst open, slamming into the wall with a loud bang. "Rise and shine brother! We're burning daylight!" boomed the familiar voice of Aoi Todo. The violent arrival startled Yuji into an attempted leap free of his bed, only to get tangled in his blankets. He crashed into the floor with an undignified squawk, groaning on the ground, only his legs visible from the doorway.
Todo appeared unimpressed, walking over to pick up Yuji and unwrap him from the blankets. "You'll never get a girl if you spend your life sleeping the day away. We're already behind as it is. Mt. Lady says men are better when they're on time."
"Todo, I was beaten black and blue by a villain that went toe to toe with All Might yesterday." Yuji groaned from the floor. "I really couldn't care what an idol thinks makes a good boyfriend." He was halfway extricated from his blankets when Todo let go, causing Yuji to lose his balance once more and fall back to the floor.
"How could my own brother, one of my best friends, say something so terrible?" Todo turned away, hands over his eyes as tears poured out, sobs wracking his massive frame. "We were destined to be best friends, and yet you lack such a fundamental view of the world. Junpei understands what it means to be interesting. Where did I go wrong with you?" He wailed, gesturing at Junpei, who was staring impatiently at them from the doorway.
"If you guys don't hurry, we're gonna have to eat the breakfast Mom prepared." Junpei had apparently decided that the comedy routine would have to wait. Both Todo and Yuji froze, before they quickly worked together to free Yuji from his blanket prison.
"Get dressed Yuji, we'll meet you downstairs." Yuji nodded at Junpei's words and raced through his morning rituals. He threw on a dark blue tracksuit to cover his bandages, and rushed to brush his teeth. He investigated the hallway and saw both Junpei and Todo standing near the end. He started to walk to them, only to freeze as a voice called out.
"Just where do you boys think you are going?" Called Nagi Yoshino, arms crossed as she stared down all three teenagers. While all three were taller than her, none of them dared to feel like they could look down on her. They knew their place in the food chain, especially when staring down an angry mother.
"Boys, I realize that you all had planned to hang out this weekend some time ago, but Yuji was just in a villain attack. Recovery Girl explicitly forbade any form of training. Bed rest was the prescription." Her voice was level, even cheerful as she started to walk towards them, unveiling a wooden spoon she had been concealing in one hand.
"M-Mom, don't worry, we won't be doing anything crazy, just a simple meet and greet." Junpei valiantly tried to lie his way out, figuring maybe there was still hope.
"Funny, I don't remember you gushing about an idol or some cinema big shot at all this entire week, but I do remember a discussion about training with Todo this weekend." Ms. Yoshino called his bluff and trampled over it mercilessly. "You boys should just stay here and relax today, I made breakfast and I'm sure you're all hungry." She continued her march, shadows beginning to cover her eyes.
"New Plan!" called Todo, recognizing the danger they were in. He hoisted Junpei over one shoulder while he grabbed Yuji and wrapped him under his other arm. "RUN FOR IT!" Todo launched himself towards the door, allowing Yuji to grab their shoes while Junpei opened it. Once clear he ran through the opening into freedom as the angry voice of Ms. Yoshino chased them into the street.
Todo flew down the streets, carefully balancing Yuji, and Junpei as he raced to their destination.
"Todo, set me down!" Yuji called as Todo leapt over a crowd of elderly women.
"Not happening! Just because we intend on training doesn't mean I'm going to let you get away with being stupid. I'll get us to the train station, and once we're out in the countryside, we can focus on training. No sense limiting our training time because you strained a muscle jogging." Todo punctuated his statement by sliding past a corner, using the friction to marginally slow down and change direction.
"Any chance we could all just walk there?" Junpei called, already feeling noxious as Todo carried him like a sack of potatoes.
"Nope! We only have so much time today, and I won't have much free time for a while!" Todo laughed as Junpei groaned. "Come on, we only have so much time left in our youth as brothers! Revel in the moment!"
Nagi Yoshino stared in the direction of the swiftly retreating teens, a small worried smile on her face.
"Keep an eye on each other." She sighed to the empty air before returning to her house.
Nagi Yoshino had been a mother for almost sixteen years now. There had been struggles in the beginning, and there had been moments of panic and sheer terror, but she had adapted over time. She was certain that Junpei thought she had a second, secret quirk that allowed her to know his thoughts or mood, but it was nothing so illogical.
She had developed an intuition for the moods of her children because she had raised them and quite literally taught them how to express those moods. She snorted to herself as she began to set aside some of the food she had prepared. Junpei was nothing less than an open book to her. She could pick up on his mood just by the sound of how he walked, a fact that had mystified him for a couple of years now.
He had been depressed for years, a fact that hurt her deeply. He hid his scars with his hair and long sleeves, he wore a fake smile when he was around her, he began a desperate obsession with cinema and storytelling. All that effort, just to reassure her that he was alright. His father had left scars on them both, and despite everything she hadn't been able to keep him safe and happy.
She had damn near burst into tears when she first saw him with Yuji, laughing genuinely for the first time in years. She did cry that night when he was asleep, thanking whatever deity would listen that he had found a friend. Over the past couple years, she had seen her son improve. He laughed and went outside more often. He announced his presence and talked animatedly about his day. He sang to himself when he thought no one was listening.
She smiled as she thought of her son, and how much he had changed in just a couple of years. As she thought of him, her thoughts naturally turned toward the one who had sparked that change. Her second son, Yuji.
Yuji was more difficult to read, his habits were less familiar, but her ability to read him improved daily. By all appearances, Yuji was a strong, happy teenager. He laughed often, he had a big heart, and he made friends easily. She could see his drive to become a hero; hell, she had been there the first time he had leapt to save someone from danger. That singular drive was what scared her though.
Yuji had told her of his grandfather's last wish, and while she had smiled and hugged Yuji within an inch of his life, she had fought to hold back tears. Yuji was like any other child, he idolized the man who had raised him, and taught him right from wrong. Wasuke Itadori had not been the most polite or gentle of men, but Yuji had never spoken ill of him. Despite his flaws, his grandson had truly loved him, and now struggled to honor the last words of his last blood relative. The words that had cursed her second son, using his own good nature and naivete against him.
She had frozen in fear when Principal Nezu had called to inform her that her child had been in a villain attack. Visions and memories had raced through her mind, terror filling her to the point she began to shake. She had nearly screamed when he told her the extent to which Yuji had been injured. Normal people died when they suffered a concussion, shattered ribs, overly strained muscles, and cuts all over their body. She had roared in rage when he told her not to worry, that All Might himself had stepped in and saved the class. Her son was in intensive care, and not even All Might himself had the right to tell a mother not to worry!
She had only calmed down when she had seen Yuji smiling in the infirmary, and she wasn't ashamed that she had hugged him tight enough to nearly re-break a couple ribs. Now he was off again, racing to train with another hero student, all in pursuit of a goal she wasn't sure he fully understood.
She shook her head and began to look at what supplies she had on hand. "They'll be hungry when they get home. I better have something ready." She began to plan out exactly what she would make for dinner, and how exactly she was going to make sure her boys ate every last bite.
The moment the door slid open without the sound of shattering ice, was the moment Shoto Todoroki knew his mood was only going to get worse. He didn't bother to turn around, knowing the sight would only irritate him more. He took a deep breath and activated his mother's quirk again. Ice quickly began to form on his right side, encasing his body while still allowing him some flexibility, or at least that was the plan.
The armor wasn't allowing him any movement at all. The ice was thinner around his joints, but still rigid. There was no fluidity with it, no movement. It was less like armor and more like a straight jacket, locking him in place. He rolled his shoulder, and the sound of cracking ice filled the air. His eye twitched with the sound, the only outward sign of his annoyance. 'I mastered this months ago. Why am I struggling with it now?' He thought.
"That would work much better if you used the flames I gave you." A deep voice called from behind him. He didn't outwardly react to the sound of the voice, a steady breath dropping the temperature of the ice another five degrees. Heavy footsteps sounded behind him, bringing with them the crackle of controlled flames and the hiss of ice that melted to steam. With each thump and hiss, Shoto could feel his control on his temper waning thinner.
"Do you think you can just ignore me? Turn around Shoto, we need to discuss something of importance." There was no hint of irritation in the man's tone. Another steadying breath and Shoto decided that speaking may be the only way to drive him off.
"I have nothing to speak to you about." He managed to keep his voice level, but only just, his voice dripping with acidic disdain.
"That's fine. You can listen while I speak. Now turn around and look at me, son." Still no hint of irritation in the deep voice of his father. 'He damn near sounds amused.' The teen grumbled to himself as he turned partially, his gray eye locking his gaze with his fathers' own pale blue.
Enji Todoroki was a mountain of a man. He towered over most people, even in the age of quirks, a fact Shoto resented him for. He had been a pro hero for almost thirty years, and his physique showed it, broad shoulders and defined muscles from head to toe, honed not just from training, but from constant use and overcoming almost every challenge he had faced.
His hero costume accentuated that fact, dark blue across his torso, legs and arms caused his brilliant orange and red flames to stand out. His shoulders were covered by massive, hollow pauldrons to help stabilize him during flight. On his legs, hips and shoulders, his fire burned on his body, revealed through patches on his suit that gave him a way to vent his quirk easily. On his head, his dark red hair was accentuated by the light of the fire that burned over the top of his beard and moustache. He usually donned a mask of flame, but he had forgone that in their home.
Endeavor had struggled for decades to become the man he was today, his hero name a reflection of his titanic will. Endeavor was the man ranked second in all of Japan, and that fact was something he despised.
Endeavor was merely a man, while All Might was practically a god. He had become so obsessed with surpassing the Symbol of Peace that he had pushed those aspirations onto his family, seeking a child that would surpass him. Shoto was the crown jewel of the eugenics experiment he had turned his family into, someone with all of his firepower, and a way to mitigate the drawbacks. He barely acknowledged Shoto's older siblings, concerned only that they didn't hold his golden child back.
'What siblings I have left anyway.' Shoto thought bitterly, his lips twitching into a snarl.
"That's better." Endeavor didn't smile, instead narrowing his eyes at his son. "I heard about the attack on UA. While I'm disappointed in my alma maters' lack of security, it pleased me greatly to hear that you played a significant role in disabling several of the villains." Endeavor crossed his arms, a sneer forming on his face. "If you had used the power I gifted you with, you wouldn't have been injured and could have taken the villains down on your own."
A vision of the monstrous villain flashed through Shoto's mind, the insane eyes and jagged teeth staring as it brutalized his teacher and classmates. Shoto felt a flash of fear, a feeling that had changed to relief when he saw All Might appear in the USJ. That villain had been out of his league, that much was obvious by how the villain had regenerated after he froze its limbs. His father either overestimated him, or more likely, overestimated the strength of the fire he had bequeathed to Shoto.
Endeavor didn't notice the way his son tensed, ice cracking slightly around the teen. "You hold yourself back by not using my fire. You were able to wield it well when I trained you, and now you can use your mother's ice without restraint as well. I'll admit you've proven your mother was a smart choice, but my fire can take you so much higher if you would just-" Endeavor's bragging was cut short with a snarl of rage from Shoto.
"Don't speak about her." Shoto's words were barely less than a shout, his eyes blazing as he faced his father fully. He met the hero's gaze, the fury he felt mirrored in Endeavor's blue eyes.
"Careful, you almost look angry over the woman who nearly cost you an eye." His voice was even, but flames flickered around the pro's body as he faced his son. "You shouldn't defend her. You shouldn't even concern yourself with her memory. You should use her quirk to supplement mine and rise to the heights you were born for."
'You mean the heights you bred me for, you heartless bastard!' Shoto thought as his mother's quirk activated. The temperature in the room began to drop as the two stared at each other, Endeavor's body shimmering as he kept the teens' fury at bay.
"I don't need your quirk! I'll prove that I'm even better than you and I'll do it without your damn help!" Shoto shouted out, taking a step toward his father as he flung his hand out to the side. Ice burst up around them, moving to seal the room.
Endeavor narrowed his eyes and moved, decades of fighting villains and seizing moments of opportunity guiding him. His flames exploded out for one brief second, his left foot sliding forward as he drove his right fist into Shoto's stomach. The blow snapped Shoto's control, driving him from his feet and into a cluster of ice, cracking it and leaving the teen propped up as he gasped for breath.
"It would seem I have been too generous with you lately. You have forgotten exactly who you have to thank for the life you live." Endeavor stood over him now, arms crossed as he looked down at his progeny. He spoke again, flames bursting to life on his face, his signature mask and beard in place.
"You should be thankful to me. I was the one that decided to marry your mother for her family's quirk, a power you utilize daily and take for granted. My quirk, the power you shun so adamantly, is what prevents you from having the same health issues as your mother. My ability is what provided this home. My conviction is what trained you to use those quirks. My status is what got you into UA. You are my blood, whether you wish to acknowledge that or not. I will not allow you to fail." Shoto labored for breath as Endeavor stood over him, lecturing at him. Each word was more fuel for Shoto's rage. Endeavor didn't notice or care about his son's weak glare.
"You're just like any other spoiled brat. All too happy to look down upon the efforts of your parents, and take my hard work as your right." Endeavor upped the output of his flames as he spoke, the ice in the room quickly melting and partially evaporating, until he abruptly cut them off, leaving Shoto laying in a puddle on the ground, eyes unfocused.
"I came in here to remind you to rest. You're still young, and Recovery Girl prescribed bed rest until after the weekend. It's my duty to make sure you are in perfect condition. I'll have Fuyumi get you to your room, but no more than that. I have failed to instill a proper sense of gratitude, but that stops now. You're grounded until you prove to me that you are grateful for the gifted life you've enjoyed, no matter how long that takes."
Shoto laid there as his father walked away, pain coursing through his body. He took slow breaths, his stomach and body in pain from the remaining wounds and his father's 'helpful' discipline. He laid there as Fuyumi timidly came in, kneeling in the water on the floor as she tried to soothe him. He closed his eyes as she helped him to sit up, and then stand. He jerked his arm back when she tried to put it over her shoulder.
"I'll do it alone." he ground out, finally opening his eyes and glaring at her. He turned and began to walk shakily back to his room. He made it to the door before he needed to brace himself against the door frame.
His back was aching, and it caused him to be unsteady. Recovery girl hadn't been able to fully repair the damage he had suffered from the redirected explosion, and his father's blow had only made it worse. He tensed as he felt an arm wrap around his waist, and glared at his sister as she ducked under his arm.
"It'll be bad for both of us if I don't help you. Please just let me get you to your bed. It's not like Natsuo is here to help either." Fuyumi's voice was quiet and tired; her own gaze fixed on the floor. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but she was telling the truth. While Endeavor had never raised a hand against his older siblings, they all knew the reason why. It was because he had deemed them failures, and so granted them the ability to live their lives freely so long as they didn't shame him.
Shame had been swiftly defined to also include them distracting Shoto from his training, or anything that would damage Endeavor's reputation. Fuyumi had become introverted, quiet as a mouse and taking care of house work in their mother's absence. Natsuo had done the opposite, spending as much time away from the Todoroki family abode as possible. They had been forced away from him, and now Shoto didn't know the slightest thing about them, other than if they spent time at the house or not.
'Yet another thing that bastard took from me.' Shoto thought, beginning the agonizing task of walking to his room. 'I'll show him and the world that I never needed him, and I damn sure don't need his quirk. I'll become the next number one hero, and Endeavor won't be a factor in that.'
It was Monday morning, and Yuji once more walked alongside Junpei to UA. Saturday's training session with Todo had been fun, even if the older boy had hit him harder than he would have liked. On the bright side, he felt perfectly fine, he was more than ready to get to hero training.
He opened the door to Class 1-A, waving to Junpei, only to blink as he saw his classmates. Most of them were fine, but he could see some of them still bore bandages from the attack. Todoroki and Bakugo in particular were still covered in a lot of bandages. He saw Iida and Uraraka, but when he went to shout his welcome a muffled sound behind him caused him to turn, bringing him face to face with a figure covered in bandages, black eyes boring directly into his.
"MUMMY! THERE'S A MUMMY IN THE SCHOOOOOOOOOL!" Yuji shouted, leaping backwards into the class and slamming into the wall opposite the door. "DON'T CURSE ME! I'VE NEVER BEEN TO EGYPT!" The class erupted into screams along with him, quirks beginning to flare everywhere until a voice cut through the shouting.
"Calm down and take your seats. We have a lot to cover today." The mummy's eyes glowed red, and their quirks died at once. Collectively 1-A realized that the mummy was none other than their homeroom teacher, Mr. Aizawa.
The heavily injured teacher hobbled into the room, his arms in slings and limping heavily. The class whispered amongst themselves while Yuji slipped quietly into his seat.
"I'm sure you all saw the broadcast on Saturday. Principal Nezu and All Might covered all the questions you should have asked, so I won't go over the attack or the details. If any of you are still feeling off or having trouble with stress, I urge you to speak to Hound Dog, the councilor, or Recovery Girl."
Uraraka raised her hand and Mr. Aizawa called on her. "Not to question you, but should you be here right now sir? You look like you're worse off than any of us." She pointed out, concern in her voice. Aizawa just shook his head in response.
"We have a lot to cover, and we need to begin prep for the sports festival next month. Before you all ask, yes, it's still on. Now more than ever, UA needs to demonstrate its strength and the strength of our students. It begins in roughly three weeks. Preparation starts today in hero training."
Yuji sat up straighter in his seat. Todo had talked to him about the sports festival on Saturday, and to say he was excited was an understatement. A sports festival where he didn't have to hold back his strength to participate? He couldn't wait.
*a short time later*
Yuji fidgeted nervously in his seat as All Might stared at him, the skinny hero nursing his tea calmly. They had been seated together for about five minutes and the hero had yet to speak any actual words. All Might had asked for him to join him in his office instead of taking lunch with his friends. He managed to look up at his teacher, only for All Might to sigh and finally, the hero spoke, his voice calm and deep, none of his usual bravado to be found.
"Young Itadori, I apologize for failing you." All Might's words took Yuji by surprise. He had been expecting All Might to scold him, not apologize.
"What do you mean?" Yuji asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at the hero. He was honestly confused on what the hero could possibly be apologizing for.
"I should have been at the USJ from the start." The hero heaved another sigh and set down his tea. "I overdid it with the heroics in the morning. I wasn't there when I should have been. I owe you and all of your class a sincere apology for the screw up. It's hard to remember that I have limits now, that I'm no longer the same young man."
"What are you talking about? You saved us! None of us could handle that bird face or the handsy guy!" Yuji denied All Might's apology almost by reflex. The hero had saved them, and it was clear to the entire class that while the vast majority of the villains were within 1-A's skill level, those two had been far and away outside their ability, not to mention the teleporting one.
"I know you apologized at that news conference on Saturday, but it's not like anyone blames you for the attack. It really seemed like everyone was madder at Principal Nezu."
"That press conference only covered the basics to keep the public calm. All anyone heard after the attack were the headlines." All Might practically growled the last word. "UA attacked, Teacher in critical condition, students injured. The media loves to run with a story, even if it is all true, it leaves out a lot of the facts." The hero sighed again, gripping the bridge of his nose before looking at Yuji again.
"Young Itadori, those villains could have attacked anywhere, but the fact remains that the reason for their attack was simple. They were after me, and saw in all of Class 1-A a way to make a statement. I may be the Symbol of Peace, but as much good as I have done, the world still has a long way to go." The hero smiled then, his eyes bright as he picked up his tea once more.
"Maybe not as far as I feared though. Aizawa's report and some of the security footage survived the attack. Your class did well. You did well." All Might smiled as he looked at Yuji. "You showed the same spirit I saw on the day we met. You moved. You fought when it clearly hurt, when your teacher and classmates were hurt. You didn't give up." The hero's voice was quiet, but Yuji felt pride swell within him.
"I just did what I felt like I had to. They were going to hurt them. Mr. Aizawa was cooler than me, he actually stopped them." Yuji laughed as he rubbed the back of his head, pausing as something occurred to him.
Mr. Aizawa had been horrifically injured during the fight, and he had still somehow managed to fight through all that pain to save Yaoyorozu. In contrast, Yuji had barely managed to fight through the pain, and he had briefly lost control of his emotions. The villain's words came back to him.
"You could have killed me with that punch, you know?"
Shame flooded into Yuji again, and he remembered the words Mr. Aizawa had said to him before they walked into the USJ.
"You need to be able to put your emotions to the side and focus on the tasks in front of you."
As he thought about those words, Yuji stared down at his tray of food. He finally looked up to All Might and launched the question.
"Hey All Might, do you control your emotions all the time?"
The hero curled an eyebrow up, Yuji's question giving him pause. He seemed to consider it for a moment, then answered.
"That's a complicated question. I would say for the most part, the answer is yes and no. Being a hero often means that we are one of the first on a scene when something happens. We see accidents, and sometimes yes, gruesome sights. We can see some of the darkest emotions humanity has to offer, and we have to be able to sort out those emotions in the moment." He paused to take a drink of his tea before continuing.
"I have to control One for All precisely, and you will as well. One wrong move, one moment of anger and it could be the difference in a villain being restrained safely and launched through several buildings, potentially hurting more people. It could be as simple as an innocent person getting whiplash because I moved too fast for them to handle."
Yuji nodded at his mentor's words, taking them to heart, and feeling shame for constantly losing control.
"That being said, there is nothing wrong with feeling those emotions, and learning what they can do for you." All Might's words startled him.
"Shouldn't you keep them in and focus on what needs to be done?" Yuji questioned, repeating his homeroom teacher's words.
"To an extent, but bottling them up or shutting them away is just as bad. You can feel righteous anger, and let it spur you into movement. You can feel sorrow and let it guide your words. I suspect Aizawa talked to you about something on this subject?" At Yuji's nod, All Might sighed. "Mr. Aizawa means well for you, Itadori, and he takes your goal seriously. He's perhaps the most serious hero in the world. He has seen the damage an emotional heart can be dealt, and what happens when a hero doesn't stop to think. Don't hold it against him."
All Might smiled, and the conversation lapsed while Yuji ate some of his lunch, contemplating the words, and thinking back on the attack. He remembered flashes of All Might arriving and getting him from the lake. The concussive force of All Might and Nomu clashing, and All Might's roar of the school motto. 'Guess even All Might can lose control.' He thought as it all replayed for the hundredth time since the incident. 'Wait, why did he say the motto?'
Yuji asked and All Might laughed, briefly puffing up into his muscled form and flashing his trademark grin. "It's because I needed to force my will on the world and open up a new future!"
"What?" Yuji deadpanned, confusion clear on his face.
"Our school's motto is taken from pre-quirk times. It means further beyond, and it was used in the context of 'nothing lies further beyond this point', but for us it means the opposite. We have to go beyond, envision the world we seek and embrace it. So, when we shout that 'we will go beyond plus ultra', what we mean is to voyage into the unknown, whether that be past our limits, or what the world deems our limits."
Yuji blinked rapidly at the information, All Might's shouting during the fight making more sense now. An alarm went off on All Might's watch and the hero checked the time.
"Well, let's get you back to class Young Itadori, I'm sure Recovery Girl will give you a clean bill of health so long as you took it easy over the weekend. You wouldn't want to miss all that hero training with the sport's festival coming up." All Might stood up, chuckling at his joke, and noticed that Yuji had gone a bit pale.
"What's the matter? Are you feeling alright?"
"Um, what happens if I didn't take it easy?"
"Good luck Young Itadori. I shall pray for you."
"You're not coming with me? What happened to Plus Ultra and striving beyond our limits?!"
"There are some futures that are better left to the imagination, Young Itadori. I've been scolded by UA staff quite enough that I don't want to relive my teenage years."