Once More (My Hero Academia)

3: Start from the Beginning

Yagi Toshinori did not believe this boy named Midoriya Izuku.

Seriously, time travel? If that old demon All For One thinks he can send a boy -- even with an appearance that screamed innocence -- and steal One For All from the number one hero, that villain had watched too many sci-fi movies.

Toshinori slammed the door of his car shut. He sighed at his reflection in the window -- the skeleton face that no one would ever recognize as the pillar of hope.

But the boy knew. Yesterday at the tunnel, Midoriya blurted that he knew All Might's true appearance to keep the pro hero from jumping away and abandoning the conversation. When Toshinori finally gave up and reverted back to his skinny form, sure enough, Midoriya wasn't surprised at all.

Toshinori stepped onto the soft sand of the beach. The dim light of dawn cast a soft blue glow to the gentle ocean waves, its lulling sound floating in the air. This would've been a beautiful scene if there weren't massive heaps of garbage everywhere.

The boy told the hero to meet him here. After what Midoriya said, of course he had to come.

But Toshinori was kind of confused.

"Why are you pulling the trash?"

Midoriya turned his large green eyes at Toshinori.

"All Might! Thanks for coming. And, uh..." Midoriya looked back at the washing machine he was pulling with a gaze that seemed to analyze it. "Actually, believe it or not, it was originally your idea."

Toshinori stayed silent for a while. "You're training?"

"Yep. My body is a pile of sticks right now. I would actually die if I went to the U.A. entrance exam like this."

After Midoriya said that, his expression distorted in frustration and distress.

"Should I ask why you look like you want to die right now?" Toshinori raised an eyebrow.

Midoriya leaned on the washing machine and sighed. "...Imagine you built a tower out of blocks, and after almost two years of hard work, the moment you put the last block into place, everything crumbles down and you have to start all over again." The boy closed his eyes. "I know what I'm capable of, but... I can't do it right now. It's... Frustrating doesn't really cover it."

Silence stretched between them as Midoriya started pulling the washing machine again.

Finally, Toshinori asked, "Why do you want to go to U.A.?"

Midoriya stopped. "To get stronger. It's the best place for me to improve my skills, and with a year head start, I might be able to defeat All For One before everything escalates into a catastrophe. Maybe I can save everybody then. And... I really want to see my friends again."

The emotion in the boy's voice was so real Toshinori couldn't find a way to disbelieve it.

Maybe this Midoriya Izuku boy was worth trusting.

•••

After that day, things progressed.

Izuku spent a few days coming up with a plan that would make sure he would at least be able to use 5% of One For All by the time of the entrance exam.

Well... not that he was a hundred percent sure All Might would give it to him anyway because first, Bakugo's sludge villain incident didn't happen, so the event that proved Izuku worthy wasn't there. Izuku knew Bakugo being safe was a good thing, but it's making him nervous now. Second, Izuku was pretty sure All Might thought he was a spy for All For One or something. Maybe Izuku was a bit too reckless.