Chapter Text
Mirai typed on his computer, trying to get ahead on his work. In actuality, he was stalling. It was embarrassing. He shouldn’t be dreading a simple phone call this much. But Toshinori always made him act illogically.
With a sigh, he stopped. He shouldn’t be dreading this, he had good news. He might be able to save his friend’s life with this. Hopefully.
He didn’t expect toshinori to accept immediately. The man was too attached to his role to give up so easily, even at his own clear detriment. All Might had been making less and less public appearances, Mirai had been tracking the decline himself, and he knew Toshinori must be down to embers by this point. Refusing to let go even though it was well past his time. But Mirai could be stubborn too, and in the end Mirai trusted his friend to make the right choice, even at great personal cost. It’s what started this mess after all. But it wouldn’t mean anything if Mirai didn’t call him .
So he grit his teeth and dialed a number he hadn’t called in 7 years, and held it up to his ear as it rang. Almost wishing Toshinori wouldn’t pick up.
~~~
Yagi was enjoying a cup of tea after a very long day, especially now that he was training Young Midoriya when his phone started ringing. He saw who was calling and started sweating.
Why was Mirai calling? It has been seven years, what changed?
He considered throwing his phone across the room to get out of answering but even by his standards that seemed extreme. Maybe he was just calling to check and not about literally anything else.
He took a deep breath, because he was All Might and an adult and not scared to talk to his former sidekick, and picked up the phone, “Afternoon?”
~~~
Mirai cleared his throat, “Hello Toshinori, it’s been a while.”
God why was he doing this, he hated small talk.
~~~
“Yes, um it has been,” Yagi said nervously, “How have you been? How is the agency?”
Is it too late to hang up? He thought to himself
~~~
Mirai reminded himself he was doing this for Toshinori.
“It’s been fine. I’ll cut to the chase. I found a solution to your successor problem.”
~~~
Yagi coughed nervously, “Oh really?” his voice coming out higher then he meant.
He should really hang up!
~~~
“Yes,” Mirai said seriously, “now I know you are having difficulty giving up your quirk. But I think by this point even you can see the need for it. I talked to nezu and he told me you plan to start teaching at UA to find a successor. Well let me save you the trouble of the search as I already found you a suitable candidate.”
~~~
Yagi looked off to the side, guilty, even if Mirai isn’t here to see it, “Well that really nice of you but…” he coughed lightly.
~~~
“Toshinori,” Mirai cut him off, voice stern, “I understand this is difficult for you but at least meet with the boy. Lemillion has been working at my agency for months now and I would not have contacted you if I was not absolutely sure that not only could he do this, but he would excel as the next holder of one for all. I can send you his schedule. Your email is the same, yes?”
~~~
“I mean it is but,” he stumbled out, “Ihavealreadyfoundasuccessor…”
~~~
Mirai froze.
“What?”
~~~
“Well um” he started, struggling to explain himself, “I may have… I appreciate the work you put into this but, well you see… I have found… a successor…already.”
~~~
Mirai blinked.
He’d expected push back. He’d expected an argument. He even had a preprepared list of reasons both why now was the perfect time to get a successor and why it should be Mirio.
He had not been expecting Toshinori to have already found one.
Mirai’s grip on his phone tightened, “when did this happen?”
~~~
Yagi could hear the change in Mirai’s tone, “um... a few months ago?”
~~~
Mirai wanted to chastise Toshinori for not telling him. But why would he? They hadn’t spoken in years. Of course Mirai, who’d been worried about this since he left Toshinori, was kept out of the loop.
“Well, congratulations.” He said stiffly, “How did you find them?”
~~~
Oh, he is not going to like this. Yagi knew that on a very bone-deep level.
“Well we meet after a little situation that was very quickly sorted out by the way,” he rushed out before he felt Mirai would interject, “I was… impressed and offered to, well, train them.”
~~~
“Wait a moment,” Mirai said, eyes narrowing, “How long did you know this person before you offered to train them?”
~~~
Yagi gulped, “Well no but they have such a strong heroic spirit and are filled with so much determination that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity…”
~~~
Mirai grit his teeth, the image of this situation becoming clearer, “And was this simply an offer to train this person? Or did you tell them about one for all as well?”
~~~
“Well,” he started, voice getting higher again, “I mean um I did offer to train them to be a hero.”
~~~
“So, let me get this straight,” Mirai said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “you knew this person for less then a day before telling them your biggest secret and deciding to entrust them with one of if not the most powerful quirk on the planet?”
~~~
Yagi flinched away from his phone for a moment, “Mirai you’re making it sound worse than it is. They were already on the way to becoming an amazing hero. I’m just helping… by making them my successor.”
~~~
“What hero school are they attending?” Mirai demanded, already pulling up a web browser, “I would assume it's UA but nezu would have told me if you’d taken an interest in any of the other students as he knew I was evaluating Mirio for the position.”
~~~
“So,” he grimaced at the sound of Mirai’s clacking keyboard, “They are planning to attend UA. They still need to,” he paused. There was no way to soften this. Yagi has never regretted answering his phone more in his life, “pass the exams.”
~~~
Mirai stopped typing on his keyboard, “Toshinori,” There was barely contained rage in his voice, “How old is this person?”
~~~
“Fourteen,” Yagi answered weakly.
He quickly put the phone speaker and dropped it on his coffee table. He was so glad he was at home so no one can hear or know about this.
~~~
“Then let me correct my earlier assessment, “ Mirai said with barely contained anger, “you knew this CHILD for less then a day before telling them your biggest secret and deciding to entrust them with one of if not the most powerful quirk on the planet?!?!” Mirai couldn’t believe this. The idiocy! The shortsightedness! This was absolutely unacceptable!
“Do their guardians even know about this?!?!” He demanded.
~~~
“I may not- and I would like to say I’m pretty sure their parent would be fine with this arrangement!” He rushed out. Because of course, it was fine. Why wouldn’t be fine!?
But very weakly added, “...Though I have not asked.”
~~~
“YOU COMPLETELY ALTERED THE COURSE OF THIS CHILD’S LIFE!!! THAT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING YOU SHOULD TALK TO A GUARDIAN ABOUT!” He wasn’t planning on having that talk with Mirio’s family until after Toshinori was on board. And lord knows the hoops he had to jump through to convince Midoriya Inko his agency would be a safe place for her son.
~~~
Yagi flinched away from his phone. Yes, it was wise not to have that by his ear anymore. He would like to at least have his hearing after giving up his quirk.
He grabbed a handkerchief if only to have it close by, “I'm sure their parent wouldn’t mind. So far everything is just training.”
~~~
“So you haven’t given them your quirk yet?” Mirai asked.
~~~
Oh, thank god he sounded calmer, “Yes, everything is just training right now but the training it going great!”
~~~
“Good, you are going to tell them this isn’t going to work out and then you are never going to contact them again.”
~~~
Yagi coughed harshly into his handkerchief, “Excuse me?!”
~~~
“You are going to make up some excuse and leave this child alone and hope to GOD they don’t tell anyone your secret. Because thats the best thing you can do in this situation. Keep training them if you want to, keep them close to better keep an eye on them. But you are NOT going to give them your quirk.”
~~~
“Mirai!” He was shocked. He knew Mirai wouldn’t like this but he didn’t think he would suggest something such extreme measures. “I can’t do that to the- the kid. He is already such a perfect successor! We have begun their training for not only UA but my quirk! To do something like that to them would be cruel.”
~~~
“Tough,” Mirai snapped, “One child’s dreams aren’t worth the future of japan! And I won’t let you give that future to some random child you picked on a whim!”
~~~
“It was not a whim!” He argued, “They have the character and moral fiber I’ve been looking for! The kid is ridiculously smart as well. I think you would really like them if you meet them Mirai!”
~~~
“Moral fiber is not a finite resource, and neither is intelligence! In fact, mirio has both of those things, and he actually wen’t through a years long screening process to know he could be trusted!” Mirai shouted back.
~~~
“Well, I don’t need a years-long screen process to know he’s the one!” Yagi snapped back, then he sighed, “Mirai I appreciate you looking. I do, but- and I know you won’t like this- what I saw the day I meet them… in the moment they acted in the way I had imagined my successor to act. I felt it, in my heart of hearts, they are the one I want to carry on my legacy.”
~~~
“That is all very sweet,” Mirai said snidely, “But have you even considered what that legacy will even look like! How will one for all impact their body? How will it react with their quirk? These are important questions that I bet you haven’t even considered!”
~~~
“I have!” Yagi was quick to defend himself, “This is why we are cleaning Dagobah Beach so they can build up their muscles. We even have a meal plan so they can stay on top of the calories they need to safely use my quirk! I’m not doing this lightly Mirai! ”
~~~
“Cleaning up a beach is not a substitute for a training plan! You’re a pro hero not a physical trainer, or a dietitian for that matter! Of course you’re trying to do this all on your own and that's why this is going to fail! You aren’t equipped to do this by yourself!”
~~~
“Well, it’s not like I can come to you for help! You would pick the kid apart, and send him packing with no regard for them! Then you would just recommend your boy again! If I needed or wanted help I’d go to Gran Torino. At least he’d listen! At least he’d see what I see!” Yagi was not one to raise his voice outside of work but Mirai always managed to rile him up.
~~~
“No! I’m just the person who fought by your side for years! Clearly my opinion means nothing here!” Mirai shouted back, “You don’t want my help? Fine! Handle this on your own, and when it blows up in your face don’t come crying to me!” And with that he hung up the phone, refusing to talk to Toshinori a second longer.
~~~
Yagi groaned when he heard the end tone.
He did value Miriai’s opinion. He was one of the smartest people Yagi knew but he also never listened when he thought he was right. Maybe if he met Midoriya, he’d see what Yagi almost missed the day they met.
But after this, it was probably best they didn’t. He should also change where they would be training. The last thing he wants is Mirai tracking them down and scaring Izuku because Yagi was careless.
If nothing else, this call reminded him why they haven’t spoken in seven years.
~~~