All For Some

Chapter 74: Third X 3

As All Might opened the door to the immaculately clean lounge room in the teachers' area, Eijiro started wondering if it had been a bad choice to not get a shower and change of clothes beforehand. He didn't want to stink up the place, but changing his mind now would just be rudely wasting All Might's time.

"Please sit," All Might gestured at a chair opposite a sofa with a low table between them. There was a large window and, glancing out, Eijiro saw the group already at the school's exercise field. Hopefully what All Might wanted to talk about wouldn't take too long.

Unless it helped him train better.

All Might sat on the sofa opposite him, making the sofa look hilariously undersized, and placed a pot of tea and cups on the table. After pouring the drink he sat back, not even taking his cup. Even for Eijiro the man showed his hesitation, like he was about to step off a cliff while hoping Eijiro could manage to catch him.

"Young Kirishima. I am about to reveal to you something that is very secret. Whatever you choose after this meeting, you must keep everything you learn a secret, for both our safety and the safety of countless others."

"Umh... of course, but are you sure it is good idea to tell me something like that? I'm just a student."

"I wouldn't say that. It is rare to see such a heroic heart so focused on the safety of others."

All Might's face tensed with some more hesitation. Then there was a puff of smoke and the man was gone, at least the enormous man the entire nation saw as the Symbol of Peace.

In his place was a thin sickly-looking man that looked like he had never seen the inside of a gym and could be carried away by a gust of wind. The only thing left of All Might was his costume, now hanging loose on this small man's frame.

Eijiro spilled his tea as he partially got up, leaning forward. The skinny man raised his hand in a gesture to hold him back.

"It is still me, just, different."

"What happened? You... deflated."

"The truth is, this is how I look like most of the time nowadays," the previously All Might said.

"But, how...?"

"You know how guys at the pool are always sucking in and flexing and trying to look buff?"

"They do? That doesn't really make you any stronger."

All Might huffed.

"Usually, not, but I'm much like that."

He had barely finished the sentence when a not insignificant amount of blood trickled out of his mouth. Eijiro barely had the sense to put his cup down without breaking it before rushing to the other side of the table. He still didn't want to believe this was All Might, but he was clearly not well.

"Are you okay? We should get you to Recovery Girl."

"Calm down. I would be lying if I claimed to 'be okay' but it is not acute, and if Recovery Girl could do anything more, she would have already done so." All Might brought his hand to the hem of his shirt and lifted. As he did Eijiro was glad it had been some time since lunch. The injury revealed under that shirt was gruesome, it was like the entirety of one side of his body had been blown apart, then stitched together.

"Pretty gross right? I got this in a big fight six years back. My respiratory system was basically destroyed. I lost my whole stomach. All the surgeries have pretty much worn me out and it can't be fixed. Right now I can only do hero work for maybe 2 hours a day. Used to be at least 3 but the fight at USJ took a toll on my body. Rest of the time, this is what I look like."