Chapter Text
His walk is closer to a shamble, crossing through the private halls of the hospital while both hyped on painkillers and dealing with the sharpness of the pain in his gut.
It's funny, movies always show that painkillers make people delirious. But right now, he could take in everything with a stark sort of clarity. Sounds were muffled though - maybe his body is still pumping adrenaline thanks to that… last fight.
Tch. Damn it all.
He won, yes. Killed the bastard - All For One - that killed his mentor by turning his skull into chunky salsa on the decimated pavement. But he knew he wasn't coming out of the fight unmutilated the moment he saw his stomach slip between his fingers. He fell into a coma after that, stuck with his own thoughts - first worried about the fight, then realizing that he might just be dead and his worries pointless. So he instead put his mind through an exercise that he normally associated with Gran Torino.
What could I have done differently?
Yagi Toshinori knew he was a man with a powerful Quirk that had been offered to him as a sacred torch - but a tool is mindless - it is only as good as its user. He used it with great strength and (normally) finesse. But did that mean he was, as one could say, skillful? He knew how to fight. He trained his body to receive One for All, after all, then trained to maximize nonlethal takedowns while making use of the ludicrous force he wielded. But did he truly apply it correctly?
Fight after fight, memory after memory, he searched for an answer. Looking over his techniques, comparing them to his Master and Gran Torino. Comparing them to Mirai.
He realized, in that darkness: No. No, I did not.
He woke up moments later, and then and there he realized the consequences of learning that lesson. Two thirds of a lung, his stomach, and a chunk of both of his intestines were outright gone, which coupled with partial liver damage due to infection from the intestines bursting and a permanently 'leaky' lung that left him with the occasional issue of drowning in his own blood. A terrifying reminder of his mortality, and more importantly that the consequences of his poor applications of One for All would not leave him any time soon... if ever.
But he had to find an answer, the sooner the better. As soon as he was given the clear to move by his own power, he forced himself up, on minimal painkillers and bandaged heavily around his waist and abdomen, changing out of his gown in preparation to leave.
Mirai begged, tears in his eyes, for Yagi to sit back down, to rest, to retire. Principal Nezu, someone Yagi grew to respect from his time as a student, did the same without the tears. Recovery Girl just yelled at him. He ignored them all, leaving before Gran returned from the restroom, because he needed to walk, to keep himself busy, so he could think straight. So he could find a solution.
That was how he got out of the hospital, shambling but in fresh clothes - none of them were willing to forcibly put their foot down. None of them would stop his raw determination.
It was a beautiful night, too. The stars were visible even with the urban pollution. The air was crisp and fresh with the spring. The cold barely bothered him, sans the heavily bandaged spot on his abdomen. He kept moving, the shambles shifting to a steady, albeit slow walk.
▁ ▂ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ --Y.Z.-- █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▂ ▁
Who can help me get better?
Mirai would not help him with this - he wanted Yagi to retire, after all.
Gran Torino… no.
Principal Nezu, for all of his intelligence, wasn't someone Yagi was particularly close to.
David can't help him - he doesn't even know about the injury.
...Briefly, he realizes there's something happening in the alleyway to his left.
A man's holding a woman to a wall with a knife. Yagi can't use his Quirk or he'll tear several somethings inside of him.
Shit.
The first thing that comes to mind is Anger. Anger at himself for failing to keep his body healthy. Anger at All For One for being such a twisted bastard to curse him from beyond the grave.
Anger at the man in the alleyway.
Yagi, with his perfect clarity, stalks towards the both of them, searching the ground and walls. He notices a stray pipe, grabbing it without breaking his slow, unintentionally menacing stride.
By the time the would-be robber notices Yagi’s tall and unassuming form, wearing an unbuttoned suit and slacks, he gets a fist smacked into his throat, a metal pipe to the gut, and a steel toed shoe slamming him to the ground.
For a brief moment Yagi considers the situation to be some kind of overkill, but frankly speaking he's a little too focused on his frustration and pain to care. He leans his face close to the man, eyes burning an azure blue in the dark.
" Do you think this is funny? "
"...The fu-?!"
The man's words cut out into a pained groan as Yagi presses down. " Do you think this is funny? Robbing someone right here of all places? You're damning yourself with one measly crime. "
After a moment of silence, the mugger's eyes widened to saucers. "Oh-oh shit. I'm sorry, I'm so damn sorry. I swear on my life I won't do this shit again, just please let me go!"
Yagi blinks, face stony but mind whirring. It sounded genuine… and his face looks genuine.
He'll be generous - it's not like he's in any condition to arrest the man.
" I will be merciful… this time. Go, and never do this again. "
"Yes, sir! Sorry, sir!"
Yagi released his boot and watched the man jump to his feet, bow, and run off.
Huh. I guess… scaring people works? I suppose it's like how I inspire hope in others...
▁ ▂ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ --Y.Z.-- █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▂ ▁
The woman, stuck still with fear, watches what looks like a bandaged Yakuza figurehead turn and stare at her.
The Yakuza speaks, his voice like grinding stone. " Are you injured? " Lightning eyes flicker in the darkness, and she can't help but flinch.
"N-no sir. Thank you." She bows deeply.
" I'm sorry such a scoundrel had come so close by. Please, get home safely. "
She nods and immediately speed-walks away, knowing better than to call the police on a Yakuza that saved her life.
▁ ▂ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ --Y.Z.-- █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▂ ▁
…Did they really care about being so close to the hospital? Surely a criminal wouldn’t react so harshly to the increased sentence when they’re already doing petty acts, right?
No, even he can tell they misunderstood something - after all, the woman also was scared.
Maybe… maybe if he finds more people, he can figure it out. He barely exerted himself-
Wait. He barely exerted himself. This is the solution he needed!
Look out, Underground Heroics! Yagi Toshinori is going to be busy!
▁ ▂ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ --Y.Z.-- █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▂ ▁
Somewhere in Musutafu, Shouta Aizawa shudders while perched high above. He looks left, then right, shuffling his neck deeper into his capture scarf. "...Must've been the wind."