The next morning, on the girls' side of the dorms, Jiro stood outside Momo's room. She yawned and stretched her arms, trying to dispel the lingering drowsiness from the previous day's events.
"Momo, are you up?" Jiro asked while knocking on Momo's door but raised her brow when she didn't receive any response from her best friend's room. She knocked again. "Momo, are you inside?" This time, she heard shuffling sounds from inside the room, accompanied by quick footsteps approaching toward the door.
The door to Momo's room swung open, revealing Momo with disheveled hair and faint dark circles under her eyes. "Hey, Kyoka, do you need something?"
"No, not really. I was just checking if you want to come downstairs for breakfast but forgot about that for now. Tell me, what's up with you, girl?" Jiro replied, her voice tinged with concern. "You look like you haven't had any sleep at all."
"Yeah, you can say that," Momo sighed. "There were a lot of things on my mind and a lot of thoughts to sort out. But you don't have to worry about it..." A beautiful smile bloomed on her face. "... I'm alright now. I dare say much better than before."
"I'm glad—" Jiro began, but her sentence was cut short by another groan emanating from within Momo's room, causing a hint of red to creep onto Momo's cheeks. "What was that?" Jiro inquired.
"N-nothing! There isn't anything at all!" Momo said, trying to shield her room from Jiro's prying eyes.
"Really?" Jiro teased, a mischievous grin forming on her lips. "Then you wouldn't mind if I stepped inside your room, right?"
"O-of course not! Why would I mind?" Momo replied with a forced smile. "But I wouldn't recommend it right now since there's quite a mess in the room."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Jiro said nonchalantly, waving her hand. "I frequently hang out in Mina's or Denki's rooms, so I doubt your room could be any messier than theirs."
"Still I don't- Hey! Wait Don't!" Momo tried to offer another excuse, but Jiro paid no heed and gently nudged Momo aside, making her way into Momo's room and what she discovered inside made her grin even wider.
In front of Jiro's eyes was Izuku Midoriya, their resident 'broccoli boy,' sitting on the floor, absentmindedly rubbing his eyes, oblivious to the two girls standing before him.
"Well, well, well, Momo, watcha got there?" Jiro asked, a mischievous grin playing on her lips as she looked at her friend.
"Empty cups," Momo replied, gesturing toward the two empty cups beside Izuku with a strained smile on her face.
"Oh, I see those cups, but I was actually talking about the hulking broccoli over there," Jiro quipped, pointing at Izuku.
Meanwhile, the boy in question, who had just woken up from his sleep, was entirely unaware of everything going on around him. Then he finally noticed Jiro and Momo standing in front of him. "Mo, Jiro, good morning," greeted them with a sheepish smile. But then he tilted his head somewhat puzzled. "But what are you doing in my room?"
"Good morning, Izu..." Momo said with a sigh. "Also, you are not in your room."
"Oh..." Izuku replied, his memory of the previous night flooding back. 'OH!' he thought and hastily patted himself down, heaving a sigh of relief as he realized he was fully dressed. 'So... nothing happened,' he reassured himself.
"Good morning to you as well, Green," Jiro teased with a smirk. "By the way, 'Mo' and 'Izu'? Did I miss something?"
Izuku blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I confessed to Momo last night, and she returned my feelings, so we're a thing now."
"Really? Oh, goodness, I'm so happy for you!" Jiro exclaimed, swiftly pulling Momo into a side hug. "It was about time you two dorks realized how head over heels you both were for each other."
"Thanks, Kyoka," Momo replied with a warm smile spreading across her lips.
"Although I must say, you two really work fast, huh?" Jiro said with a devilish grin spreading across her face. "You just got together yesterday, and you're already spending the night together. Color me impressed."
"Kyoka!" Momo screamed at her best friend, a huge blush coloring her cheeks. "Get your mind out of the gutter! We didn't do what you think we did!"
"Yeah, she's right," Izuku chimed in, chuckling at his girlfriend's flustered reaction. "We just talked for a while before exhaustion caught up to us, and we fell asleep... until you woke us up."
"Oops, my bad," Jiro responded, raising her hands defensively in a playful manner. "Anyway, Green, you should get going before anyone else sees you here."
"Yeah, you're right," Izuku agreed, rising from the floor. He stretched his body and made his way toward the door. However, before leaving, he paused in front of Momo and flashed a warm smile. "You know, I wouldn't mind waking up to this face every morning," he said, planting a quick peck on Momo's lips before departing, leaving Momo in a state of blushing disarray.
"Dang, Momo, are you really sure nothing happened?" Jiro teased with an amused smile. Momo turned around and shot her friend a glare, though the blush on her face somewhat undermined its effectiveness. "Anyway, get ready. I'll be waiting for you in the living room," Jiro said before exiting her best friend's room, feeling invigorated after this eventful morning encounter.
******
"Hey, guys, good morning," Jiro greeted, entering the living room and observing that her entire class had assembled there, except for five people.
The first two were Izuku and Momo, whom she had encountered earlier, and she knew why the two lovebirds weren't in the room.
The next was Bakugo, who usually preferred to spend his mornings on his own. Not that she cared about him being there anyway; she usually tried to stay away from him as much as possible due to his loud personality, which didn't jam well with her sensitive hearing.
Then there was Todoroki, which she could understand, as she was aware that the revelations from yesterday must have left the stoic boy, who already preferred interacting with very few people, in shock. So it was understandable why he wasn't present.
And lastly, Aoyama, their French-speaking classmate, which she found weird because he was always up early and present in the mornings. She attributed his absence to yesterday's events, which might have taken a toll on their friend's mind, warranting some extra sleep.
"Oh, hey, Kyoka! Good morning!" Kaminari's face lit up as soon as he spotted Jiro entering the room, and he greeted her with a cheerful smile.
"Hey, Sparky," Jiro greeted back and made her way to the kitchen, ignoring Mina and her stupid, shit-eating grin. "Did you manage to get a good night's sleep?" she inquired while pouring milk into a bowl.
"Yeah, I think so," Kaminari responded, rubbing the back of his head. "I mean, I really couldn't get those things we saw yesterday out of my mind."
"True," Mina chimed in, echoing Kaminari's sentiments. "Every time I closed my eyes, I just couldn't shake the image of Midnight-sensei... in that state," Mina admitted, her gaze fixed on her lap.
"But seriously," Mina continued, attempting to divert everyone's focus away from her uneasiness. "It still doesn't feel real that we watched a different timeline, in our school's freaking auditorium."
"Yeah, I would've thought I dreamt the whole thing if we all hadn't seen the same events," Jiro commented as she took a spoonful of cereal.
"Honestly, it still feels hard to believe that our lives could change so dramatically in just a few months," Ochako reflected.
"Let's not forget how utterly unaware we were of the threat posed by the PLF, both to us and society at large," Iida added while adjusting his glasses.
"Well, there were indeed many things we were clueless about," Kaminari acknowledged. "Like Midoriya being All Might's successor. Man, he should have told us sooner."
"I fail to see how that would change anything, though," Shoji remarked. "Knowing about Midoriya's status as All Might's successor wouldn't really benefit any of us."
"And honestly, if someone had told me that the jittery and anxious boy we saw on the first day of school would be All Might's successor, I'd have laughed in their face," Toru reminisced, how Izuku acted on the first day of school. "But now, after getting to know Midoriya for almost a year, I can understand why All Might chose him."
"Isn't that the truth," Jiro nodded in agreement. "But to be frank, I think many of us might have unfairly judged him based on that information rather than seeing him for who he truly is."
"Yeah, jealousy is an ugly bitch," Mina said with a frown.
"Mina, please mind your language," Iida chided Mina, who rolled her eyes in response. "Also, let's not forget that, no matter what Midoriya's power is or what his relation with All Might is, at the end of the day, he remains a dear friend who has come to our aid in times of need."
"Iida is absolutely right. Besides Midoriya and his quirk, we uncovered far more significant and disturbing revelations yesterday 'ribbit'," Tsu said. "Like the entire situation with Todoroki's brother."
Tension filled the room at the mention of Dabi, now known as Toya Todoroki, Shoto's older brother, who was previously presumed dead.
"Man, I really feel bad for Todoroki, you know," Sero said. "I mean, we all thought that he was lucky to have been born with a strong quirk like Half Cold Half Hot, as well as being the No. 2 hero's son, but to think that Endeavor would turn out to be such an asshole."
"Yeah, knowing what he did to his own kids, I'm not sure how I feel about him being the No. 1 hero of our country," Toru remarked, crossing her arms.
"I agree, it's not very manly," Kirishima frowned.
"But are we sure that what that villain said is true at all?" Ojiro questioned. "What if Dabi was exaggerating things to make Endeavor look bad?"
"No way, dude," Jiro retorted. "I would have had my own doubts if we hadn't seen literal flashbacks of the events that happened in the past."
"I know, but it still doesn't feel right," Ojiro shook his head. "I don't want to admit that the current No.1 hero is a bad person."
"As unsettling as it may be, we cannot deny that our current No. 1 hero has a lot of darkness in his past," Tokoyami said.
"By the way, has anybody checked up on Todoroki? He must be having a hard time with everything going on with his family," Ochako expressed her concern.
"Yes, I paid a visit to his room this morning, and he assured me that he's okay, just in need of some time alone," Iida reassured. "I also went to Midoriya's room to check on him, but for some reason, he didn't respond to my calls."
"What!?" Ochako exclaimed, abruptly rising from her seat. "Do you think he left the U.A. like we saw in the last episode?"
"No, he didn't," Jiro interjected swiftly before her friends could arrange a search party for Green. "I ran into him this morning, and I can confirm he's still here at U.A., and from what I saw today, I'm convinced that he's not going to leave U.A. anytime soon."
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief, reassured that Midoriya was still on campus. Though Jiro's statement raised some questions, they decided not to dwell on it for the time being.
"That's good to hear," Ochako sighed in relief. "I thought he was going to make that stupid decision of leaving U.A. like his counterpart."
"Was it really an idiotic decision, though 'ribbit'?" Tsu pondered, placing a finger under her chin.
"Tsu, what are you talking about?" Ochako asked, her eyes widening. "You don't want Deku to leave the U.A. and go after the League on his own, do you?"
"You are misunderstanding me 'ribbit'. I also agree that our Midoriya leaving the U.A. right now would be a stupid decision to make," Tsu clarified. "I am referring to the other Midoriya from that other timeline. I don't think that his decision to leave the U.A. was as bad as you are making it out to be."
"Asui, how can you say that!?" Iida asked with wide eyes. "How could you possibly think that our friend leaving the safety of the school to go after villains on his own is a good idea?"
"But he wasn't alone, right?" Toru pointed out. "Didn't he have the top three heroes watching his back?"
"But what about all the dangerous criminals running amok in the country?" Ochako countered.
"Well, let's be realistic. How many of those 'dangerous' villains could genuinely pose a threat to Midoriya, who is incredibly powerful even without fully utilizing his quirk?" Mineta chimed in. "Not to mention the extra quirks he possesses. I think he'll be just fine."
"But is it really alright to let our classmate and friend carry all that burden on his own?" Kirishima inquired, his face marked by a deep frown. "He's just a first-year student like the rest of us, you know."
"Midoriya also brings a solid argument to the table, 'ribbit'," Tsu said. "If Shigaraki and All for One can find him anywhere, it is really dangerous for him to stay near civilians or anyone who cannot outrun Shigaraki's quirk."
"But what about Deku?" Ochako pressed. "Won't he be constantly at risk without anyone to assist him?"
"I know it sounds bad, but I believe any of us would have made the same choice if we were in his position," Jiro joined the conversation. "And as far as I know Green, I am sure he'll feel a sense of relief and be able to give his all, knowing he isn't endangering anyone."
"And besides, if things get worse, he can always come back to U.A.," Toru added.
"No, he won't," a new voice interrupted their conversation. They turned to see Bakugo descending the stairs, standing a short distance away from the group, leaning against the wall. "Izuku's too damn stubborn for that."
"And how can you be so sure about that?" Mina asked while narrowing her eyes.
"I've known that nerd since we were kids, Racoon Eyes," Bakugo scoffed. "He'd rather bleed out in silence than be a bother to anyone because of him."
"Well, you'd certainly know that, or you wouldn't be here, right, Bakugo?" Mina retorted, glaring at Bakugo. "By the way, it's Ashido, not Racoon Eyes."
"Fine, Ashido," Bakugo clicked his tongue. "Yeah, I bullied Izuku, and that was a shitty thing to do. I get it, okay? But that's not the point right now. What I'm trying to say is if you don't actively bug Izuku about his well-being, he's going to brush it off."
"But he has All Might by his side, 'ribbit'. I'm sure All Might can watch out for Midoriya's well-being," Tsu argued.
"No, he won't," Bakugo countered.
"You don't know what you're talking about, Bakugo," Mina retorted. "Even a blind person can see how much All Might cares about Midoriya."
"Yeah, I know. I have first-hand experience of seeing that with my own eyes, but just because he cares about that nerd, doesn't mean he can stop Izuku from exhausting himself to the ground," Bakugo said, staring at the ground. "You guys don't get it. Izuku is the kind of person who will burn himself to his last ember just so he can help everyone without stopping to think about his own well-being," he glanced up and looked at everyone. "Where do you think he gets that from?"
"All Might can't stop Izuku from going overboard because he himself doesn't know when to quit. I'm certain that man would find a way to fight even in his skeletal form," Bakugo continued, muttering the last part to himself. "What I'm trying to say is that Izuku needs a voice of reason in his life, and it definitely can't be All Might and those seven geezers in his head."
"That might be-" Iida began to respond but was abruptly cut off when the main door of their dormitory swung open, and Aizawa strode in with a grave expression on his face.
Upon entering, Aizawa surveyed the room and inquired, "Where are Midoriya, Todoroki, and Yaoyorozu?"
"They're in their rooms," Iida replied. "They haven't come downstairs yet."
"I see..." Aizawa acknowledged. "Iida, head to the boys' section and bring Midoriya and Todoroki down here. Jiro, do the same for Yaoyorozu."
"Sir, what about Aoyama?" Iida inquired.
"Iida, don't ask questions right now. Just do as I've instructed," Aizawa commanded with a firm tone, prompting Iida and Jiro to swiftly carry out their respective tasks.
******
Izuku, along with Todoroki, quickly descended the stairs and arrived in the main hall as fast as they could. They didn't know what had gotten Iida so worked up, but the urgency in their class president's voice was really making them worried.
Upon arriving in the living room, Izuku noticed Momo standing at the opposite end of the room, looking just as confused as he was. His eyes wandered toward Bakugo, who noticed his stare and shook his head, indicating that he didn't know what was going on either.
"Now that you're all here, there's something important I believe you should be aware of," Aizawa said in a low voice. Then he turned toward the door, "Bring him inside," he said, and what happened next left everyone speechless and wide-eyed.
Through the door entered Detective Tsukauchi, and he wasn't alone. Accompanying him was Yuga Aoyama, their classmate and friend, who entered with his hands secured in handcuffs.
"A-Aizawa sensei, what is going on here?" Izuku asked, unable to believe his eyes. "Detective, why are Aoyama's hands in handcuffs?"
"There's an explanation for all of this, but it's best if Aoyama explains the situation himself," Tsukauchi replied, and now all eyes were fixed on the blond-haired boy who kept his gaze lowered with an expression filled with guilt.
Aoyama took a deep breath, his voice trembling as he began to speak. "I... I need to tell you all the truth," he confessed, tears welling up in his eyes. "I've been hiding something from all of you, something terrible... something despicable. I... I am the U.A. Traitor." A stunned silence enveloped the room as his classmates exchanged perplexed glances.
Finally, Izuku broke the silence and asked, "Why...?"
"I didn't want to do it, but they threatened my family," tears streamed down his face, and he looked up, his eyes filled with remorse. "I never wanted to harm any of you. But I had no other choice. I had to do it to protect my parents." The room filled with a mix of anger, shock, and betrayal as the truth settled in. "At U.S.J. and then in the forest... each time I was the one who revealed our secrets to the villains... I am not a hero... I am just a despicable villain."
"Yuga Aoyama was born Quirkless, and with his parents both coming from wealthy backgrounds, they made a deal with All For One to give him his Navel Laser Quirk in a desperate move to grant their son a happy, successful life," Tsukauchi revealed. Izuku's eyes widened upon learning this truth. 'He's just like me...' Izuku thought, staring at Aoyama, who continued to keep his gaze averted, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
"After discovering that All Might would become a teacher, All For One instructed Aoyama to enroll at U.A.," Tsukauchi continued. "Following his enrollment at U.A., Aoyama assisted villains on two occasions. The first was during the U.S.J. attack, where Aoyama provided some basic information about the class, and the second was during the Training Camp assault, where he disclosed the camp's location to the League, leading to Bakugo's abduction at the hands of the villains."
"Thankfully, since All For One's arrest at Kamino, the Aoyama family has received no further communication from All For One or any of his associates," Tsukauchi added.
"How did you find out about him?" Bakugo asked.
"Yuga Aoyama himself confessed to his crimes to Principal Nezu, who called me in to confirm his claims, which unfortunately turned out to be true," Tsukauchi replied with a sigh. "After that, we arrested him as well as his parents as soon as we could."
The weight of a somber silence hung in the air as Aoyama's classmates, who had once regarded him as a friend and peer, were now struggling to accept the truth.
Tears welled up in Mina's eyes, her voice conveying a blend of sorrow and disbelief as she said, "Aoyama, I can't believe this... We trusted you."
"You should've trusted us, Aoyama," Kirishima added, tears streaming down his face. "U.A. could've found another solution to protect your family without endangering all of us."
"There was no other way... All For One showed us what happens when someone refuses to follow his orders," Aoyama said, remembering the nauseating feeling after seeing those decimated corpses that All For One had dropped in their house. "Either I had obeyed All For One's order, or he would have killed me and my parents."
"So why now?" Izuku asked. "Why did you decide to reveal yourself now?"
"I couldn't take it anymore," Aoyama admitted, his voice barely audible while his shoulders trembled under the weight of his confession. "Every time I looked at all of you, my guilt grew. I couldn't bear to lie to my friends any longer, and I couldn't live with myself for betraying you. I wanted to come clean before my actions caused even more harm."
"After All Might's battle at Kamino, I thought that monster wouldn't return to haunt my family, but after witnessing that other timeline, I can't be certain anymore," Aoyama continued. "And, to be honest, I was terrified... terrified of causing more pain to all of you than I already have."
"Aoyama..." Izuku murmured, at a loss for words.
"Alright, that's enough..." Aizawa intervened in the conversation. "Detective, it's time for Aoyama to leave."
"But, sensei—" Toru attempted to protest, but Aizawa silenced her with a stern look as Tsukauchi wordlessly led Aoyama out of the dormitory.
"Sensei, what will happen to Aoyama now?" Izuku inquired.
Aizawa turned his tired eyes toward the class. "Aoyama will be in police custody until the investigation is complete," he explained. "After that, the authorities will determine the appropriate legal actions based on the extent of his involvement with the villains."
"Is there a chance that he will come back?" Kirishima asked.
"I won't sugarcoat it. The likelihood of him rejoining your class is extremely low," Aizawa stated. "His actions not only caused significant harm to our school and its students, but his quirk is also unsuitable for his body. It appears that All For One intentionally granted Aoyama a quirk that would harm him as he grows more powerful with it," Aizawa elaborated. "In the best-case scenario, he could be placed in the general education program, but with substantial restrictions and monitoring, provided he chooses to return to the school."
"Is there anything we can do to help him?" Izuku inquired, feeling the surprise and questioning gazes of his classmates upon him. "I understand that what he did was wrong, and he must face the consequences for his actions, but ultimately, he remains our classmate and a cherished friend who learned alongside us, shared meals with us, and shared laughter with us. Despite knowing that using his quirk excessively harms him, he still aided us in our battle against Nine on Nabu Island, and it was Aoyama's surprise attack that assisted Tokoyami in escaping from the villain's clutches during the training camp."
"Again, I am not saying that he shouldn't face any kind of punishment at all, but..." Izuku continued. "... sensei, please consider that he had All For One lingering over his head, holding the lives of his loved ones in his hand."
Aizawa's gaze softened as he absorbed Izuku's words, noting the shared sentiment among the rest of the class despite the visible pain and shock in their eyes. "Don't worry, I will do everything in my power to help Aoyama and pass all of your sentiments to him."
"Also, the meeting that Nezu talked about yesterday will take place in the afternoon," Aizawa said, getting everyone's attention. "However, it is unnecessary for all of you to participate in the discussion. Choose five people to represent your class and pass on any observations you have made to them," he instructed before departing from the dormitory.
After a discussion among themselves, Class 1-A determined that the five representatives for the upcoming meeting would be Izuku, Shoto, Bakugo, Momo, and Iida.
Izuku and Shoto were natural choices due to their direct connections to the ongoing conflict, with one being the target of their greatest enemy and the other being the brother of one of the villains.
Bakugo was selected due to his involvement with Izuku and his knowledge of the conflict surrounding One For All, acquired through their secret meetings with All Might.
Momo was chosen for her observation and note-taking skills, as well as her intellect, which could be valuable during the meeting.
Iida volunteered to participate, recognizing that several of his classmates were still grappling with the shock of the Aoyama incident and were not in a suitable mental state to attend. In his role as the class president, he undertook the responsibility of representing his classmates, conveying their viewpoints to others, and reporting back on the discussions that took place during the meeting.
As the Class 1-A discussion drew to a close, Shoto received a message on his phone, prompting him to depart from the dormitory and make his way to the guest lounge. He braced himself for a conversation he knew was inevitable but not one he was eagerly anticipating.
******
For Rei Todoroki, this was supposed to be a regular, uneventful day at the hospital, filled with nothing but silence, aside from the scheduled visits from the doctors and nurses. However, today proved to be different. Out of the blue, she received an urgent message from a nurse, notifying her that she was needed at her son's school. Furthermore, a teacher from U.A. was waiting for her in the hospital's lobby.
Rei had no inkling about the nature of the situation or why she had been abruptly summoned to her son's school. Nonetheless, she promptly rose from her hospital bed, donned a simple white dress, and met Midnight in the hospital's lobby, without posing any questions. She understood that the only reason she would ever be called to her son's school, rather than his father or siblings, was necessary only under specific circumstances, warranting her immediate attention.
Rei and Midnight's drive back to U.A. was spent in silence, with the exception of one question that Rei had asked. The question was whether her son, Shoto, was alright, to which she received a reassuring smile from Midnight, accompanied by the affirmation that her son was in good health and waiting for her at U.A. Those few words were enough to calm Rei's heart, but not enough to quell her worry about what was going on.
Upon arriving at U.A., Rei was directed to a guest lounge, where she was surprised to encounter her daughter, Fuyumi, and her second son, Natsuo.
"Mom!" Fuyumi and Natsuo exclaimed upon seeing her enter the room.
"Hello," Rei responded with a slightly awkward smile, uncertain about how to react to the unexpected reunion. Nevertheless, this didn't deter Fuyumi, who promptly rushed over and enveloped her in a tight embrace.
"Mom, why are you here?" Natsuo inquired.
"I received a request to come here, and I assume the same goes for both of you," Rei replied.
"Yes, Shoto called me while I was at school, so I hurriedly picked up Natsuo from his university and came here," Fuyumi explained.
"But why are we all summoned here?" Natsuo wondered aloud, addressing the question to no one in particular. "What is so important that they needed all of us here?"
Suddenly, the room's door swung open, and Endeavor entered, a look of shock crossing his face as he spotted his family gathered inside. Unnoticed by anyone, Rei instinctively took a few steps back, creating a silent yet deliberate distance between herself and Endeavor.
"Endeavor..." Natsuo frowned, his tone dripped with bitterness, clearly unpleased by his father's presence.
"What is going on? Why are you all here?" Endeavor asked.
"I called them here," a new voice, belonging to none other than the youngest child of the Todoroki family, Shoto Todoroki, who had just entered the room. "And I'm sure you know why."
"Shoto, you don't mean..." Endeavor said, shock evident on his face. "No... we can't... I can't tell them that."
"It doesn't matter. We have to tell them about what we learned yesterday," Shoto said while narrowing his eyes at Endeavor. "And I know it might... no, it will hurt them, but they deserve to know the truth just as we do."
Rei, on the other hand, grew increasingly uneasy as she listened to the exchange between her husband and son, giving her the feeling that something was wrong.
"Endeavor, what the hell did you do?" Natsuo's accusatory tone pierced the room as he glared at his father. "Wasn't destroying our family enough for you? Now you're dragging Shoto into your mess too."
"Natsuo, please calm down," Fuyumi said, while holding her brother back. "Dad, Shoto, what's going on?"
Endeavor looked at his daughter and then turned toward Shoto, as if asking, 'Are you sure?' Once Shoto nodded at him, he looked back at his family and began, "Yesterday we learned something... something... oh God, how do I do this?" Endeavor sat down on a nearby chair, rubbing his face.
By now, Fuyumi was sure that her anxiety and rapidly beating heart would kill her due to all this suspense. What's worse was the expression on her father's face... the expression of utter helplessness and defeat... the expression she last saw on her father's face when their older brother died.
"Hey! Quit with those expressions! They don't look good on you at all!" Natsuo grumbled, his irritation directed at Endeavor.
"Enji," Rei's voice took on a determined tone. "What is going on?"
"Rei..." Endeavor met his wife's gaze, and after a pause, he reluctantly uttered, "...Toya is alive."
Endeavor's revelation hung heavy in the air, plunging the Todoroki family into a chilling and unsettling silence as they absorbed the shocking news.
"W-what?" Rei stammered, her body trembling with shock, struggling to believe her ears as she feared she had misheard.
"Father, what are you—"
"Fucking bastard! What the hell is wrong with you!? You think this is some sick joke, huh?" Interrupting Fuyumi's question, Natsuo walked toward Endeavor while seething in rage, and grabbed the No. 1 hero by the collar.
Endeavor gazed up at Natsuo, his eyes filled with nothing but regret and anguish. "I wish it were a joke, Natsuo," Endeavor managed to utter, his voice strained and heavy with sorrow. "But it's the painful truth. Toya is alive."
Rei's trembling escalated, and she clutched her chest as though trying to keep herself from falling apart. "No, this can't be," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes as memories of a small red-haired child with a cheerful smile flooded her mind.
Fuyumi was overwhelmed by a surge of shock as she consoled her mother. The revelation was beyond belief. Their older brother, long presumed dead, had been alive all along. It felt like a surreal nightmare coming to life. "Shoto, is this...?" she turned to her youngest brother, who offered a silent nod in response.
Natsuo's grip on Endeavor's collar grew tighter as he pulled him closer. "Explain yourself, Endeavor! How is any of this even possible? We witnessed that catastrophic fire! We saw that forest reduced to ashes!"
"We don't know how he survived that fire, but we're certain he's alive," Endeavor replied, the weight of guilt and shame evident in his voice. "And he now goes by the name Dabi."
The Todoroki family's eyes widened once more, but this time their expressions went beyond mere shock... this time it was disbelief and, more importantly, fear.
"Dabi... that name..." Rei said, her hand instinctively covering her mouth.
"It can't be..." Fuyumi murmured. "He's one of the villains who attacked Shoto and his classmates during the summer camp..."
Endeavor nodded with somber confirmation. "Yes, Fuyumi. Dabi is Toya. He's become a notorious villain, and he's been working with the League of Villains now."
The revelation struck the Todoroki family like a sudden bolt of lightning. The shock and horror of the situation deepened as they grappled with the realization that the brother they thought was dead was not only alive but had turned into a villain.
Rei's hand trembled as she grappled with the shocking revelation, her mind echoing with the haunting words, 'You're guilty too, Mom. You're guilty too, Mom. You're guilty too, Mom. You're guilty too, Mom. You're guilty too, Mom. You're guilty too, Mom,' the last words her son had spoken to her before...
Suddenly, Rei lost all strength in her legs and fell to her knees. Noticing this, her three children rushed to her side, their faces etched with deep concern. Endeavor also attempted to approach, but a single glare from Natsuo made it abundantly clear that he was not welcome near their mother.
"But if Toya was alive all this time, why didn't he come back?" Fuyumi's voice quivered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "And how on earth did he survive that fire? It nearly consumed the entire mountain."
"I wish I could answer those questions, Fuyumi," Endeavor admitted with a heavy sigh. "I have no idea how Toya survived that fire or how he managed to escape. What I do know is that he's become unhinged and will stop at nothing to hurt me."
"Of course he wants to hurt you. Why wouldn't he, after everything you put him through?" Natsuo remarked as he rose from his seat and headed toward the door.
"Natsuo, where are you going?" Fuyumi inquired, her voice tinged with concern.
"If what Endeavor is saying is true, then I'm going to find Toya and talk some sense into him," Natsuo declared as he approached the door.
"It was Toya who provided that villain, Ending, with information about our house and family," Shoto revealed, effectively stopping Natsuo in his tracks "I know you are hurt and want your brother back, but what Dad said is not false. If you unfortunately meet him now, he will most likely burn you alive just to hurt Dad," Shoto said and walked toward his brother, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Toya has changed, and for the worse at that."
An uneasy silence enveloped the room as the Todoroki family members processed Shoto's words, coming to terms with the disturbing extent to which Dabi was willing to go.
Meanwhile, Rei was lost in her own thoughts. 'Pull yourself together, Rei,' she mentally urged. 'Enough is enough, go there and take back the reins of your own family,' she thought and got back on her feet with newfound determination flickering in her eyes.
"Natsuo, Fuyumi, Shoto, please step out of the room," she calmly but firmly requested.
"Absolutely not!" Natsuo protested. "I'm not going to leave you alone with this man!"
"I agree with him," Shoto said, nodding in agreement. "I won't feel comfortable with that either."
"I understand your concern, and I appreciate your care, but please do me a favor and step out for a bit," Rei said, using a voice that left no room for argument.
"Mom, are you sure about it?" Fuyumi asked wearing a worried expression on her face.
"Don't worry, I'll be alright," Rei reassured her daughter with a warm smile and a gentle touch on her cheek.
Reluctantly, Fuyumi relented. "Fine, but we'll stay nearby," she said as she guided her two brothers out of the room, despite their evident displeasure.
Once the kids were outside, Rei steeled her heart, walked towards Endeavor, and stood in front of him. "Enji, are you absolutely certain that this villain, Dabi, is indeed our presumed-dead son, Toya?" she asked in a stern voice.
"Yes, I am sure. There is no doubt about it," Endeavor replied.
"Furthermore, you mentioned that he would stop at nothing to harm you," she asked again.
"Yeah, rage has totally consumed him, to the point where he won't even hesitate to hurt his siblings if that means hurting me in any shape and form," Endeavor said, looking more defeated with each word he spoke.
"I see..." Rei acknowledged, her gaze hardening. "So, what are you going to do about it?"
"I... I don't know, Rei," Endeavor confessed, with a defeated and helpless expression on his face. "It's like all of my past sins are catching up to me. The worst part is that I know Toya is planning something big... something that will hurt a lot of people. I also know that as the No. 1 hero, it's my responsibility to stop him, but I don't think I will be able to do so..." he sighed. "Tell me, Rei, how can I bring myself to stand in front of Toya and judge him for his crimes after everything I have done? How can I act as a hero in front of him without remembering that I am a father who has failed him first?"
"Maybe instead of going through all of that, it will be easier to just let him incinerate me to quell his anger," Enji continued without looking his wife in the eyes. "Maybe that way, he won't try to harm you or his other siblings. Maybe he-"
*SLAP!* A sudden, sharp sound pierced the silence as Rei delivered a resounding slap to her husband, who gazed back at her with a bewildered expression on his face.
"Are you done whining? If not, then cut it out. You're coming across as utterly pathetic like that," Rei remarked, folding her arms. "You know, a few days ago when Shoto visited me in the hospital, he mentioned that his friend, Midoriya, I believe, had a theory. He thought Shoto was waiting for you to set things right. He's waiting for you to provide a reason for him to forgive you. So, tell me, Enji, is this how you intend to demonstrate to him and your other children that you're deserving of their forgiveness? Are you even the same Endeavor who once declared, 'Watch me?' to the entire world when they doubted your capacity to succeed All Might?"
"Honestly, looking at you now reminds me of that old, weak-hearted Enji who ruined our family," Rei said, looking down at him with a hint of disgust in her eyes. "Even the thought of surrendering yourself to Toya so he could take his revenge is a remnant of that weak-willed man who sought easy solutions for the problems he found hard. Couldn't surpass All Might on his own, so he created a child to do it for him. Your firstborn couldn't handle his strong quirk, so you tossed him aside and made a new child. And now that same child is back for vengeance, and you're thinking about giving away your life so that the people left behind will have to deal with the mess you created."
"Enji, Toya is our responsibility. He stands as a symbol of our failure as parents," Rei emphasized. "Our other children, Fuyumi, Natsuo, and Shoto, should not be left to bear the scars of that. I understand that Dabi will face justice for his crimes, but if there's even a one percent chance that we can reach our son... that we can bring back our Toya, I want to try."
"What if it's too late to reach out to him?" Endeavor pondered. "What if Toya himself doesn't want to come back to us?"
"In that case, we carry the weight of that decision as a mark of shame on our conscience, and we live with it," Rei responded. "It's like a rope with a knot; no matter how hard you try to mend it, there will always be visible marks that remind us it was once broken."
"Enji, you need to understand that some things take time to change, and some may never change at all. Natsuo isn't going to stop hating your guts overnight. Fuyumi isn't going to magically forget all the trauma she endured during her childhood. The scar on Shoto's face isn't going to vanish just because he has good friends now, who are willing to support him. And, Enji, you and I aren't going to become the couple we were back then just because you're trying to make everything right."
"Enji, do you have any idea how much I miss those old days?" Rei asked the pain and the sorrow in her voice amplifying the guilt in Endeavor's heart. "Do you recall the night when I shared the news that I was pregnant with our first child, and you hurried out to bring back my favorite flowers and a box of my favorite chocolates to celebrate?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she reminisced. "A good memory from what feels like an entirely different lifetime," she added and then locked her eyes with his. "I miss the person you were back then..." she said in a strange mixture of anger, sadness, and longing in her voice.
"Rei, I-"
"Anyway, as I was saying," Rei interrupted him, gently wiping the corners of her eyes. "I don't care how challenging it may be or the burden it places on your conscience, Enji. Fulfill your role as a parent and ensure our son faces justice, and then bring him back to us, his family."
A fierce determination ignited in Enji's eyes as he clenched his fist, offering a simple nod before he turned and exited the room. In that moment, even without words, that single glance conveyed a multitude of sentiments to Rei.
Meanwhile, after exiting the room, Endeavor started walking toward the meeting hall with Shoto following behind. 'Rei, Fuyumi, Natsuo, Shoto... Toya, there are a lot of things I want to say to all of you. So many things to apologize for, but right now, there is only one thing I have to say...' He clenched his fist, and his eyes brimmed with unwavering determination, '...watch me!'
******
And so the meeting took place, lasting for almost 6 hours, with everyone presenting their points and suggestions. In the end, it was decided that starting from a week from now, the operation PLP (Paranormal Liberation Purge) would take place to eradicate the threat of the League of Villains and the Meta Liberation Army once and for all.
To be continued...