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Sometimes everything starts with your stepfather being a dumbass who wants to show his strength by taking all of the grocery bags from his wife. It was a sweet and romantic gesture until he slipped on fresh ice and broke his hip. How Toshinori was scolded for that was beyond the reason.
Sometimes a story, the greatest story of our times, starts inconspicuously with a Quirkless boy with an impossible dream.
Let me tell you a story about the greatest Hero our world had, about the Pillar of Peace to whom we said our last greetings just a few months ago. It’s a story about why All Might should never be forgotten and should be written into history in the bold font. It’s a story about the power of human will, the true power of a simple smile and how it can change and impact the lives of others. And most importantly, this is the story about why Toshinori Yagi is no less Hero than All Might.
They often said that most of the top heroes show signs of greatness as children. In the heart of a middle schooler, the dream was born. It was a really simple wish, he wanted to make this world a place where everyone can smile and live with peace. It sounded impossible at that time but with enough determination and strong will, he succeeded.
Page 1
The years spent in the hero industry had taught Midoriya Izuku how to make a speech, how to talk to people, how to move a person, a crowd, the nation with a few well-chosen words. But today he couldn't. Today he had problems with forming simple sentences. Today he was just Midoriya Izuku, a boy who buried his dad.
The fearless hero was shaking like a leaf, looking ten times smaller than he was usually carrying himself. Tears were staining his face without signs of stopping anytime soon. His voice was hoarse. His words were no louder than a whisper.
Holding a hand of his dear husband, and hugging his dear mother to his chest, Midoriya Izuku tried to form coherent sentences, but it was hard. Everything was hard. Even breathing. Especially breathing.
When he finally managed to compose himself and said something, it was more about the emotions than anything else.
“I don’t want us to drift apart. I know that… that our line of work is difficult b-but we are family and…” He stopped, looked at a fresh pile of dirt above his dad’s ashes and shed a few more tears.
The pang of guilt hit him once again. It was like someone was stabbing his heart with countless needles taking away his ability to breath. If he was faster, just a few seconds faster. Everything could be different. Many had told him that it wasn't his fault but Izuku still felt regrets.
“Let’s make a promise.”
And no one opposed.
[...]They often say it is dangerous to meet your heroes.
I was hero fanboy for as long as I can remember and I still am to this day. I can’t stop loving and admiring heroes. How could I? Especially when I got the chance to know the most amazing and impressive ones.
When I first met All Might, I understood the deep meaning of this saying.
Only a few people know this but Bakugo Katsuki had not been the first victim of the Sludge villain that day. I was.
I would probably be dead without All Might’s intervention. All Might saved my life. And crushed my dreams ten minutes later.
When I asked him if I could ever be a hero, even if I was Quirkless, he said no. He told me that I needed to be realistic. That I should consider another path, like a cop or a doctor, reasoning that not only heroes save people.
Now I know that he told me that because he knew how demanding life as a Pro Hero could be. He was just trying to keep me safe. He was doing his job as a hero.
Now that I’m a Pro Hero, I can understand why he told me those soul-crushing words. The dangers we have to face on a daily basis are huge. Even with a Quirk, it’s sometimes hard to deal with some situations. The career of Pro Hero is a bumpy road. Even people born with excellent Quirks end up injured beyond repair and are forced to retire early.
But I was a stubborn kid. Some say that I still am. They’re probably right.
I didn’t give up on my dream.
Even if I didn’t save anyone that day, I still did something. I moved when others stayed still. My legs acted on their own, running toward danger before my brain realized what my body was doing. I was scared but I couldn’t stop. The urge to do something was just too strong. I was scolded by many heroes for my reckless actions but I was so proud of myself.
All Might told me later that day that what I did that day was the mark of a true hero.
That was the day when our stories interlaced. That was my starting line.[...]
Page 503
The book He is still here is rated 4,89/5
Samuel Jeremy rated a book He is still here ★★★★★
When I heard that we will have another All Might biography, I sighed exasperatedly. I hated books like that. We had tons of them. I have read like twenty? Maybe more. They were almost identical. The events were described in the same boring and slightly annoying manner. Yes, we all know that AM is the best, there’s no need to remind us about that every single time and every third sentence. I like to read hero biographies but I want something fresh. Not a remake of the already printed story.
After AM death no one dared to publish a new biography, no one but one person. We waited almost three years for that. I was going to laugh them off until I dug some more information about the author. It wasn’t a random writer. The person who wrote the very first biography of the deceased Hero was his adopted son - Midoriya Izuku, current Number One Hero of Japan and the Symbol of Hope. It piqued my interest. I heard much good stuff about Hero Deku, I wondered how he would write books. Because, let’s be honest, in most of the cases, heroes aren't the best writers.
I preordered the biography. And I must admit, I wasn't ready. It was a biography but the way it was written… Heartbreaking masterpiece. I couldn't part with my box of tissues. I was crying. The voice of Midoriya Izuku was never leaving me. I heard him telling me this story. The story about HIS Hero. This book was so full of emotion, it was so warm. I was reading about the same events I knew by heart but from a different perspective. From an honest narration given to us by a person who knew AM best, who loved him truly. It was full of praise and awe but it was different from any books I had read so far. It was so honest, so sincere, so real. All Might was finally portrayed as a person, not only as an unbeatable Hero but also as a human being struggling with his life as we all do. I learned many things about that man. I finally was able to saw AM as a parent figure, as a mentor, as a teacher, as a good friend with an awful sense of humor and finally as the person who is struggling with his life and wants to find his place.
This book is a real masterpiece. I recommend to read it for everyone. It gives so much depth do AM character.
anon rated a book He is still here ★☆☆☆☆
I cried too much. It’s a biography for f***s sake, not some emotional s**t.
Gou Nanami rated a book He is still here ★★★★★
Holy s**t… My heart. I… I’m speechless. I was prepared for some nice action, some explosions, the epic descriptions of fights like in every decent hero biography. But “He is still here” is not like any other book. It was so melancholic and written with so much care, in such a loving way. My heart wasn't ready for the feelings. I was crying like a child. I needed to take a few days break before reading the chapter about Kamino. Oh boy. What a rollercoaster of feelings. You are next… The true meaning we were blind to notice for so many years. I don't know if I will be ever able to see AM like I was before. Now, he is so much more of a Hero and a Person for me than he was. And Deku. I can’t stop admiring how strong he was and still is. “He is still here” is like a confession. His confession and way to mourn and move on.
Sasaki the book lover rated a book He is still here ★★★★★
Everything that makes a person show so many emotions is beautiful. I need to take a break from reading books. I’m sure that nothing can even come close to this masterpiece.
Renji rated a book He is still here ★★★★☆
The fact that Midoriya didn’t change the narration from a draft waiting a few years to be published is ridiculous. It’s weird to read about some events, especially covered in the last chapters of the book like they happened yesterday, not a few years ago. It gave me chills down my spine. The story with almost-four-year-old narration shouldn't be so touching. It shouldn't bring you back in time. It shouldn’t be that emotional, and yet it was.
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The way how I remember Kamino is different than the picture the others have in mind. For them, it’s the epic fight when the good won, the All Might’s glory, the touching moment of the victory against the force of evil. The bold statement to lurking villains and the new hope for heroes and civilians.
Many may not know, but I was there. With a few classmates of mine, we were on our reckless mission to rescue a friend. Maybe it was a rash and stupid decision but we couldn't sit and do nothing when our dear friend was kidnapped.
Thanks to that we had experienced the terror of that encounter firsthand. I thought I knew the fear before, but that was quickly evaluated. That day I learned the true meaning of terror. The sheer presence of the man called All for One scared us to the point where we were unable to move, unable to breathe, unable to think. The vision of our inevitable death crossed our minds.
[...] And All Might had appeared. Riding on the fumes of his glory, exceeding his time limit, only a few were aware of, to the fullest. The wounded Hero faced his archenemy once again.
[...] We made a distraction and in a stroke of pure luck, we managed to save our friend without getting injured. I still, till this day, wonder who was more surprised. Villains or us. Thanks to that All Might could fight without worrying about injuring his dear student. In a fight on that caliber presence of bystanders always gave the villains an upper hand.
We escaped and soon found ourselves surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Everyone stopped what they were doing and were watching the fight streamed on billboards.
So did we.
The fight was cruel and harsh. Blow after blow, kick and evasion, spilling cruel words at each other, with every one of them I could feel my heart beating faster and faster. I was scared. All Might was in no shape for a long fight.
Our Symbol of Peace was long past his limit, he was hurt and was bleeding from many wounds. All Might was on a verge of collapsing, but he did not. He showed what going beyond your limits means.
This fight showed the world his true face, the world got to know the man behind All Might - Toshinori Yagi. The skeletal form of our Pillar, or as All for One dubbed it - the pathetic one. It was the first time the world witnessed it. No wonder people around me were shocked. The murmurs aroused. I was shivering but for a very different reason, his secret was revealed. His body, his weakness were exposed but it didn't stop him.
All Might… Toshinori Yagi with his teeth clenched said that not the body but the spirit makes him the Symbol.
Everyone prayed in unison. The people around us prayed and shouted for All Might to hear. For All Might to win. Me and Katsuki shouted with all our lungs could give us, we shouted with teary eyes for him, for our Symbol, for our childhood Hero to hear us, and to win.
Our prayers reached him.
Later, when I asked him, he told me what had kept him standing. His dream, the promise to his master - Nana Shimura, and the power of a smile. Toshinori reminded himself of the words of his dear master, that in a moment of reaching his limit, all he needed was to remember why he was swinging his fists, to think about his starting point, so he could be able to push his limits once more.
It’s not without a reason that villains feared the most of wounded heroes. They feared the most those able to sacrifice everything.
The power of human will is the strongest in this world.
United States of Smash.
I will never forget that moment. The strongest attack lined with the strongest determination. It ended two things simultaneously. It ended All for One, and One for All. It was the final farewell. The last embers of power had burned out.
All Might won. He let us witness for the last time his victorious stance. His last job as the Number One Hero. The final act to move the masses.
I didn’t have a chance to see the full scene where All Might started to point his finger at the camera because we started to escort Katsuki Bakugo to the police, but I turned in the right moment to see the crucial part.
Now it’s your turn.
People were gushing because it was so cool statement. It was a warning to criminals that they will be defeated in no time but for me, it was an exact opposite.
I started to cry.
So many have already passed this power down from one to another. To serve the greater good… To create hope for everyone. And now it was my turn…
All Might had done what he could… and now it was my turn.
Pages 697-701
Katsuki added Hawks, Mirio, Ochako, Tenya, Shouto, Eijirou and 20 others to the group chat.
Katsuki: You know the situation. I know that I don't have any rights to ask, but could you help me to take care of Izuku. To not leave him alone. To always be with him. We are all in bad shape. The news is still fresh. The wounds are still fresh. But Izuku took the strongest blow. He was there, he was holding Toshinori’s hand till the end… And you know Izuku... I don't want to leave him alone. He won't be himself for some time. He will try to drown himself in work. And it’s where we interfere. We will bully him to rest, to eat, to take basic care of himself. To try to live. To try to move on with the rest of us.
Katsuki: It’s voluntary. I want to ask you to help me take care of this selfless dork. He won't take care of himself. And I don't want to pressure Halfie. So, that’s the plan.
Katsuki: We will make a chart who will take care of Deku and when. Who will cook, who will accompany his hero shifts because this idiot won't take a break longer than a few days even if we force him to do so. Who will annoy him at home. My parents will take care of Inko. She won't be alone.
Katsuki: I and Kirishima can take the most of the shifts, we live the closest.
Katsuki: @Shouto, just be with him.
Katsuki: @Hawks can you put a feather or two on this dork, so you will know where he is?
Shouto: Thank you, Katsuki.
Katsuki: You don't need to thank me. I want to help. I don't want to sit still. Izuku is my friend. I’m also sad and devastated but I need to do something. I know that’s harsh to do things like that in time like that but that’s how I cope.
Shouto: Izuku is just soul crushed. It’s a really hard time for him.
Ochako: I and Tenya can take care of twins for as long as you will need. It will be easier for you.
Shouto: Could you take them for a week?
Shouto: We can't even take proper care of each other, so how will we take care of our kids...
Ochaco: Of course.
Hawks: Bold of you to assume he isn’t stacked with my feathers.
Hawks: And for everyone working at the Nest, dw about your shifts. Just change them to accommodate your needs, I will take care of the rest. The same goes for No.1 paperwork.
Hawks: Can I visit him today?
Shouto: No, he finally fell asleep. No visits, please.
Ochako: Finally... It’s probably the first time since...
Shouto: Yeah…
Shouto: So no guests, please. Let him rest.
Hawks: Keep us updated.
Hawks: How is Izuku feeling?
Shouto: He is in bad shape. Really bad shape. He is lifeless. He is crying all the time. One time he just blindly looks at the wall, on the other, he wants to fight crime I needed to ice his legs to stop him from jumping through the window. I forced him to take some sleeping pills.
Momo: Shou, how are YOU feeling?
Shouto: I… I don't know. I’m tired. Everything is just too much. I want to scream. I knew Toshi was dying… He was in the hospital and he wasn't getting better but I... just imagining life without Toshinori is hard. The pressure that is now on Izuku. He is blaming himself and he is overthinking if that was the right decision for him to be the successor.
Katsuki: We will manage. And we will talk some sense into that nerd.
Shouto: How can you so sure of that?
Katsuki: Because we are strong people, we lived through many hardships. Everyone is heartbroken but we will live. Do you think that Toshinori would want that? Want us to break? Want us to stop. He believed in us and I will do everything in my might to prove that he bestow his trust in the right people.
Katsuki: It’s hard but we need to get our shit together. No matter how many time it will take. Katsuki: No matter how many tears we will shed.
Katsuki: We can't just stop. We need to live on.
Mirio: Wise words my friend.
Mirio: The time will help us heal.
Tenya: I already made a sheet so we can fill it with our desirable shifts. It’s the least I can do to help now.
Shouto: It’s plenty.
Shouto: Thank you, guys. Really. Thank you.
Katsuki: No need to thank anyone Halfie. We will survive this hard time. We will survive it together. We are in this shit together because we are family.
Katsuki: Snuggle into Izuku and sleep.
Katsuki: Or something. I don’t really care.
Katsuki: I will bring breakfast tomorrow.
“Oi, nerd!” Katsuki called Izuku and pushed into his hands a small parcel.
“What’s that, Kacchan?”
“Some stationary, so you will get your shit together.” Katsuki’s tone of the voice softens as he said the next few words. ” You always liked to take notes and write every crucial information down, so maybe it will help you make a step forward. We are waiting for you to be back."
“I want to snatch the Number One title fair and square,” Katsuki added as an afterthought.
The tears shined in Izuku’s eyes as he was opening the parcel. Inside were a few notebooks, Kacchan remembered his favorite brand, and old extremely rare All Might pens from his Silver Age. It was a real hassle to get them nowadays.
It was hard to get any merch of All Might right now. People were buying it as crazy.
“Thanks, Kacchan. You are the best.”
“I know it, dipshit.”
The hug Izuku had received was nothing like the words Katsuki had said. It was such a gentle gesture that made him cry again. It was a hard time for everyone and yet his friends were doing everything in their might to ease his pain. Even in the tiniest bit. Having friends like that was a real treasure.
[...]The worst part about being strong is that no one ever asks if you are okay.
When I heard that words from my mentor the true meaning hit me hard. It almost suffocated me. Toshinori Yagi as All Might was an unbeatable figure, the symbol, something above the mortals. He shouldn’t show the weakness, he couldn’t tell anyone about his hardships as All Might. Toshinori Yagi playing the role of All Might’s secretary couldn’t tell the truth either. Only a few trusted people knew. For the majority of his life All Might was hiding the truth, was living a life full of secrets.
All Might told me that words when he was recovering after Kamino. I hugged him and cried. We both did. The life of our top hero had been lonely but not anymore. His retirement gave him a chance to live his life not as All Might but as Toshinori Yagi.
When All Might lost his power he became the person that needed protection instead of being a protector. It was a hard transition and Toshinori never underwent it fully. He was always trying to help wherever and whoever he could until his last moments. [...]
Page 734
Deku @smallmight
My dear daughter found this. I forgot that I have written it in the first place. Silly me.
It looks like I have some rewriting to do. Let’s bring this book to life.
Let’s bring memories of my hero to life.
[Picture: It’s a few notebooks. They look old. On the first one in cracked cursive is written: “The story about my hero”.]
It was inevitable that Kacchan got wind of what Izuku was doing and appeared at Midoriyas’ apartment one evening. His husband and their daughter, and dog barking happily in tow.
Izuku didn't have time to hide before he was grabbed by a collar and dragged to his and Shouto’s office.
“So you started writing a book at that time, ha shitty nerd?”
“Yes, I did, Kacchan,” Izuku answered while trying to free himself from his friend's grasp.
Katsuki tsked at him. “ Why you didn’t tell me. I would help you, “ he sighed.
This statement shocked Izuku. He expected some berating, not a will to help. It was like Katsuki was betrayed that Izuku didn't share that fact with him.
“When I started it I wasn’t in a good mindset to ask for help. It was my therapy. Putting words on paper made it easier to deal with all of that.” Katsuki nodded, sitting on an armchair, so Izuku continued,” I forgot about it. And, “ Izuku chuckled,” You know how it was at that time,” he gestured awkwardly with his hands unable to find the right words.
“No shit sherlock,” Katsuki snarled with an unreadable expression.
Izuku fumbled with his fingers. He may be a pro hero but sometimes he didn’t know how to behave when Katsuki was like this. Passive-aggressive in his care and so deep in thought that no one could have guessed what was going on inside his head.
“I have almost three hundred pages of rewritten text,” Izuku said to break the silence.
“Three hundred and you didn’t dare to tell me? I found it out through twitter. Twitter from all things, and know you add that “ Katsuki raised his voice but he realized his mistake quickly and exhaled to calm himself.” Sorry about that. I’m just pissed that you behaved like a baby with that. Hiding it from me and the others. But, back to the track. Do you have an editor or someone who can correct your sorry writing because All Might biography can’t be anything but perfect.”
Izuku chuckled. It was so Kacchan.
“What was that, nerd?”
“Nothing, nothing… But I already have an editor.”
“Who is that shitty extra?”
“You, obviously.”
“Good because otherwise, I would kill that fucker.”
“Kacchan!”
“I was joking.”
Izuku didn’t buy that. His friend didn’t sound like he was joking.
“Let’s start with a good name for your story.”
“What’s wrong with ‘The story about my hero’?”
“Everything. It’s lame and boring. Pathetic in a bad way.”
“So…,” Izuku pouted. He liked that title. ” What do you propose?”
“Something that will cover his catchphrase. Some kind of statement...”
“I am here…” Izuku murmured with nostalgia.
They were silent for a few heartbeats and then both of then said in unison,” He is still here!”
They turned to glance at each other and laughed. It was a good name for a book about their hero.
Being a hero is a hard profession. More than once it may be required from you to risk your life to save the others. And you would do it, no question asked. It’s what heroes do. They save the day no matter the cost.
Maybe I had learned that reality too early. The life of future-to-be-hero wasn’t the easiest. Villains wouldn't take you less seriously because you were a teenager, most of the time. You were a hero, they were the bad guys. If it was a matter of death and life no one asked you how old you were. I brushed the death so many times that I lost the count. But the perspective of inevitable death still scares me every single time. I embrace that fear and act less reckless because my life is worth living.
I learned not to fear losing my life but I was so scared of losing the others. The first time someone died during the rescue operation I was part of, left me heartbroken. I wasn't ready. I would never be ready to lose people dear to me. And the worst was I lost that person - Sir Nighteye, just after talking with my mentor about him and their relationship. At that time I still missed a lot to become the hero I am now.
Sometimes it still hit me hard that All Might was so ready to die during the Kamino fight. It should be his last and final fight that would end with two casualties.
I think you can write better that that. Work on your grammar dipshit because sometimes it really sucks.
~K.
[...] My biggest fear is that I will never be enough. That the power should be given to someone more worthy. That I will never be more than I have always been, more than a quirkless, worthless kid I was. [...]
“Deku, mind explaining what the fuck is wrong with you for writing such bullshit?! Is it old or did you hit your head hard and lost common sense?”
“What?” Izuku answered startled when his best friend showed few pages straight into his face. “These are pages, Kacchan.”
“Words on them, dipshit,” Katsuki growled barely containing his rage.
Izuku gulped and read them quickly. The bile started to form in his throat. “Sometimes I still feel like that.”
Nothing could prepare Izuku for the next words that left Katsuki’s mouth. He was listening mesmerized not sure if he was registering them correctly.
“Is this all my fault? Because I was… the monster in the past? Because I bullied you?”
The talk that followed was a messy one. But both of them needed that. They needed to shout at each other. Their friendship was destroyed this evening and reborn from the ashes.
Katsuki and Izuku were close before but that one fragment brought them even closer. It created the opportunity to unpack their past without holding back. They were adults now, so their first thought wasn’t to throw a punch.
Midoriya’s apartment would not survive if they did.
[...] I knew I had to get up. To move on. To take a step forward, even if it was a small one. I knew I needed to grit my teeth and swallow my tears. There was no time for grieving, no time for mourning. I didn’t have the right or time to wail and cry in a corner. I needed to stand up and walk on the path my Hero traced for me. This world he left behind, needs to be rescued, to be protected. Every hour of every day. Over and over again.
I know I’m not alone for this task but All Might told me one day that he wanted me to tell the world that I was here.
I am here. I stand where he had been standing so proudly till the day he died.
I will keep on carrying his mantle until I can’t anymore. Then it will be your turn.
Because as my Hero said, “You are next”.[...]
Page 885
Freelance Journalist Taneo Takuda @ttakuda
What kind of scoop do you want to get? We lost All Might for good. Stop being animals, start behaving like humans. Leave Deku alone.
One of the hardest things Izuku had to do was to visit the prison. It wasn't an obligation. He wanted to do it for himself. Some of his friends even told him that it was a bad idea. Katsuki shouted at him that it was stupid, that it was too soon to scratch at unhealed wounds. Shouto had begged him to not go there, to never go to see this wicked man.
Izuku knew that well but he felt that this was an important step if he wanted to move on. If he wanted to take a step forward he needed to reconcile with the past.
“You have twenty minutes,” The guard told him.
“Thank you.”
The reinforced doors closed behind him with a heavy clank. After all these years they were still afraid that their prisoner would escape. Izuku knew that Tenko would not. Tenko was dangerous but stupid was the last word you would use to describe him.
The chair put in the room wasn't the most comfortable one but Izuku sat on it either way. It was better than standing.
“Good evening, Tenko.”
“You look like the death walk over you.”
“It did.”
“Oh?” The villain sounded interested.
“I’m here to deliver a message. I think you deserve to know.”
“ And what it is?”
“All Might… He… “
“Take your time, kid. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”
“As cheerful, as always,” Izuku tried to make a joke.
Izuku took a deep breath to compose himself. He thought it would be easier to force these words down his throat.
“All Might is gone.”
“Gone? Like he died?” Tenko asked surprised.
“Like he died.”
“How?”
“You know, people die.”
“Midoriya Izuku, remember that you can’t tell prisoner too much information about the outside world.” Guard reminded him.
“Tsk. I assume it was a heroic death.”
“You couldn’t expect anything less from him. “
[...]
It will be the last thank you. I know it took me seventeen pages. My editor dearest was going to burn that pages and kick my ass. But, back to the track.
As my last acknowledgment, I would like to thank my step-dad - Toshinori Yagi. He taught me that if you work hard, you can become anyone you desire to be. Using the power you worked so hard to obtain is more fulfilling than if you would be born up with it.