Third person pov

The Sports Festival came to a close without much of a hitch. The only thing that could be labeled as concerning was the heavy downpour that briefly appeared and drenched the crowd out of seemingly nowhere. The forecast had declared it would be sunny and bright all day long! People were disgruntled, but no one had gotten hurt in any way. Just a tad wet, which was a small price to pay for the function of Izuku Midoriya's hand. The scarring wasn't something Atlantis could so easily get rid of, but it would otherwise recover fully and without issue. Recovery Girl seemed both relieved and slightly astonished by this despite the impossible feat she'd seen him perform on Toshinori. 

 Atlantis wasn't sure how these festivals worked. Even after it was over he couldn't stop thinking about it. The fiery blonde boy had won first place in the end, which was commendable, certainly! But... they had chained him up on the podium. Why would they do that? If he didn't want the shiny necklace they were presenting him, was it such a bad thing that he not have to take it? So many people had flooded in, black boxes pointed right at him. Hitoshi had explained that they were cameras. They broadcasted sort of like a radio, but in both sound and picture. That meant lots of people everywhere could watch what was happening. 

If that was the case, then it seemed especially wrong to force the exploding boy against his will. Atlantis felt uneasy. It just... it wasn't right. The child quite obviously was uncomfortable. Rightfully enraged, thrashing in restraints that should've been reserved for criminals. Atlantis couldn't get it out of his head. Humans were truly heinous creatures sometimes. As beautiful as the surface could be, it seemed overly cruel too.

"You... You had some questions?" Toshinori asked unsurely, drawing Atlantis from his darkening train of thought. Atlantis blinked a few times, murmuring a small thanks to Shota when the man came and set down a couple of mugs of hot chocolate and coffee. Hitoshi immediately lunged for one of the caffeinated beverages, purple eyes earning a small glow as he did so. Toshinori shifted slightly at the feral action, looking to Shota with question as the tired man sat down. All Aizawa could do was shrug.

Toshinori looked amazing compared to the last time Atlantis had seen him. He would've been happier if not for the weighty conversation they were about to have. The blonde man looked brighter, hair fuller and healthier than when they'd first met. Atlantis felt a little lighter seeing the fruits of his healing labors. The blonde man continued when Atlantis didn't say anything, "Thank you for taking the time to meet me today. I haven't had a chance to properly thank you yet." 

"O-Oh, no, that's okay!" Atlantis exclaimed, grasping Shota's hand tight in his own. He reached forward and tentatively slid a cup of hot chocolate off the coffee table, gripping the handle hard. "We should be thanking you. You must be very busy." 

"Eating hamburgers and fries maybe." Shota grumbled to himself. Atlantis gave him a mildly-amused glance for his troubles. It was well known amongst the UA staff that Toshinori had been gorging himself with American foods lately. It was only those who were there for the healing that really knew why. Hitoshi barked out a shameless laugh that made the Number One pro flush with embarrassment. 

"A-Ah, yes. I can safely say I've been enjoying my unrestricted diet thanks to you." Toshinori laughed sheepishly. He glanced unsurely at Hitoshi, as though the kid didn't already know who he was. The siren didn't deem a reaction necessary, staring blandly and sipping his coffee. He was sleeping better now that his tail was back but insomnia didn't vanish overnight. "So... what you wanted to talk about..."

Shota felt his chest tighten as Atlantis' emotions turned tumultuous. The mer shared a look with his younger cousin, squeezing Aizawa's hand as though it were the only way to brace for the upcoming conversation. Toshinori-- as thickheaded as he happened to be-- actually seemed to notice the tension for once. His expression lost a bit of its shine, his brow earning a furrow. Shota took a deep breath. 

"The conversation isn't going to be a pleasant one, but we can't really put it off any longer." Hitoshi shrugged. The 'occurrences' were getting closer and closer together now. They'd jolt out of their slumber, or a heavy rain would suddenly drop down on top of them. The wind would howl in their ears, and the ocean would grab at them anytime they visited. They were missing something, and they both grew more and more positive that it had something to do with Toshinori's wound as the days passed by. There was this gut feeling they couldn't ignore that had been there since the day of the healing, and their unease grew the longer they went without getting his story.

"I see... is it about the healing?" Toshinori asked hesitantly. Shota didn't say a word. He was here for moral support if nothing else. Atlantis hadn't told him much, but that was because the mer didn't know enough to really say. He and Hitoshi had tried to explain it, but there were simply no words. Only a feeling that Aizawa could faintly grasp through the bond he and Atlantis had. More often than not, his aquatic husband was feeling confused and distressed. Aizawa wasn't a fan. He hoped Toshinori had something that would alleviate some of the worries they held.

"A little." Atlantis gave a small smile, glancing down into his mug. The burn seeped through the ceramic and heated his hand comfortably. Somehow, Shota's hand still felt warmer in comparison. Toshinori held his breath when Atlantis looked back up. "It's... less about the healing and more about the wound." 

"There's a reason no quirk could heal it." Hitoshi agreed, eyeing the hero. Toshinori looked surprised. It appeared he was becoming increasingly more nervous, his shoulders drawn tight and his eyes more guarded than they had been when he first came in. "Whatever made that wasn't human. It came from the ocean."

Toshinori frozen at the proclamation before utter disbelief and confusion filtered through his expression, open and too raw to be faked. Atlantis glanced at Hitoshi, who frowned as well.

"Th-The ocean? Are you sure?" Toshinori asked, eyes growing impossibly wide. He leaned forward, looking startled and like he may be in denial. It was hard for him to say no after what he'd seen though. After how he'd been healed. "It... It can't be possible. The creator of my wound, he--" 

"They say your wound was made with magic. If any is qualified to say such, I'd say it's them. Both of them have been trying to figure out why you'd be fighting a merman or maid that powerful." Aizawa drawled. Atlantis squeezed his hand, smiling at him a little. "Especially one that powerful."

"We've been noticing some... abnormalities with the sea lately. It's upset. It's trying to tell us something." Atlantis admitted, scooting closer to Shota. Aizawa relinquished hold on his husband's hand and wrapped an arm around his shoulders instead. "I think it has something to do with your injury. We... c-can you tell us where you got it?"

Toshinori looked like Atlantis had just admitted to beating his puppy to death or something. He looked scared, and mortified, and like he had absolutely no idea how to respond. It was pretty obvious he wanted to say no but knew there was no possible way that was an option. It was a bit too late for that. He owed Atlantis and Hitoshi his life. He was indebted, and if anyone deserved to know, he knew it was them. And as much as he wanted to deny it... this being linked to merfolk made sense.

Atlantis' last name was the first glaring sign that had been flashed in front of his face. The next had been him claiming the ocean liked Toshinori. The third had been him and Hitoshi both awing over Young Midoriya, claiming the ocean liked him, was in him, was surrounding him without quite being a part of him. To be able to sense something like that... well, One For All was a complicated power with a convoluted and unclear past. What if... what if it had originated from something otherworldly? What if his predecessor had? He couldn't rule that out, especially not now that they were saying his wound was created by magic.

"What I say here... it cannot get out." Toshinori breathed. Shota's expression hardened, but Atlantis and Hitoshi didn't seem the least bit shaken. They nodded at him surely, straightening their postures in a way that made them look almost regal with elegance.

"You're keeping our secret. We would never spread yours." Atlantis swore. He felt a little bad backing the man into a corner like this. He knew well and good he couldn't say no to this, but they had to know. It was starting to drive Atlantis nuts, and Hitoshi was no better. He was restless, both of them struggling to quiet their racing thoughts long enough to sleep. It was impacting Shota too. His worry grew the longer he and Hitoshi were like this.

"Besides, this secret is probably related to us anyway." Hitoshi grumbled. "If you tell us, it'll be ours to shoulder too. So don't worry about it." 

Toshinori nodded, seeming a little less tentative. He looked to Aizawa expectantly. The underground  hero was not the least bit amused, arching a brow at him and pressing his lips into a thin, supremely unimpressed line. Atlantis hid his laugh with a cough, glancing away when his husband gave him a withering glance.

"All Might, I married a merman." He said flatly. Toshinori flushed with embarrassment. "I married a merman and the only reason you know that is because he saved your life."

"R-Right! Apologies!" Toshinori exclaimed. He shifted in his seat. It felt like he was telling everyone his secret these days. The former users had to be rolling over in their graves right about now. "I-I guess I should start by explaining the nature of my quirk. You see, it's called One For All, and--" 

Toshinori didn't get a chance to finish. No, forget about finished. He hardly got a start before Atlantis' mug was dropping from his hand and shattering on the ground, sending hot chocolate flying. Hitoshi choked on a sip of coffee, leaning forward to slam his own cup down on the coffee table as he hacked. Toshinori looked startled, mirroring the deer-and-headlights look Atlantis was giving him. Aizawa looked between them all with mild concern and question. Hitoshi wheezed like a man dying.

"U-Um." Atlantis sputtered, looking like he'd just seen a ghost. He reached over and blindly patted Hitoshi on the back as he tried to catch his breath. "Y-You said... Where did you hear that name?" 

"Where did-- it's my quirk." Toshinori said, eyeing him in an astonished sort of way. Aizawa felt in the dark. He did his best not to feel sour about it. He didn't like this blonde idiot knowing more than he did. Toshinori glanced to the side. "I-It was passed to me. By my predecessor." 

Atlantis brought his hands up to cover his mouth as the realization settled in. This was why the ocean liked him. It was like it liked Izuku Midoriya. He... this had to be impossible. But it felt right, and as shocked as he felt, he didn't feel the telltale signs of denial welling up in him. There was something in him that just accepted this as the truth, all-encompassing and impossible to push aside. Hitoshi sat up a little, looking totally blown away. They both stared at Toshinori with rounded eyes. The blonde man fidgeted.

One For All was legendary in its own right. A part of a story they were told from the first time they opened their eyes. A tale that lulled them to sleep when they were young, that was a part of their history and the very core of their existence. He knew the story like the back of his hand. The story of how the merfolk had come to have their blessed powers, and the tale of how the ocean's very spirit convened to create a mighty defender that could pass their ability on to one they deemed worthy.

To think a human man was claiming to host such a thing as a quirk... it shouldn't have been possible, but the ocean's gift was no so unaccepting that it would deny a land-dweller. The ocean loved all, and humans were an evolution of merfolk in their own way. Though they did not live and breath the sea like mer did, they were still very much a part of it in their own way. But One For All... the last holder of it had vanished so long ago, he'd thought certainly the ancient power had gone to sleep. If it was still around, that could only mean one thing. And that wasn't good. It meant she had failed, and that the dispersing of their pod was no coincidence. 

The story had been pushed to the back of his mind. There were no young ones to tell it too-- no other mers to share the tale with around luminescent corals at night. No festivities to sing songs and praises of the legend. This part of their history was miraculous, but not something any mer would suspect to come across in their lifetime. It was their birth and origin. Something so powerful and real that it was hard to comprehend at times. 

He had only come across this power once before, but he'd been so small then. Sometimes he wondered if he really remembered glimpses of it or if his pod had simply told him about it and filled in the gaps, tricking him into thinking he could recall what it felt like. He surely would've recognized it if he truly remembered, wouldn't he have? One For All... it should've been asleep. If it wasn't asleep... no, this wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. 

What they had felt that day within Izuku Midoriya... it was no wonder they'd been so stunned. How had he not seen this? How could he have missed something so large when it was right in front of him?

"Atlantis, calm down." Shota's voice soothed. Atlantis grappled to him, taking a deep breath. Toshinori looked scared and pale, sitting there like he was being shone down on by a spotlight.

Toshinori didn't... know what to say. He thought he'd known himself and his quirk so well. He knew the story behind it was vague and missing pieces, but to think there was this much he didn't know. It was obvious they knew exactly what he was talking about. Probably better than he did. What was he a part of without knowing? What power was this, and why had it been given to him? How had it been given to him if it was....

"One For All isn't a quirk." Hitoshi's voice came out with a surprising amount of bite, a little hostile and defensive. His eyes were sharp and glowing, something in his tone echoing. Atlantis' head whipped towards him, and Toshinori's eyes went even wider than before. "It's a legacy. Where did you get it? Why do you have it? The last one to--" 

"Hitoshi!" Atlantis burst out. Toshinori looked like he'd been struck. Atlantis put a hand on his cousin's shoulder. "He obviously doesn't know what we're talking about. It's not his fault. It must've... it must've been given to him." 

Hitoshi wilted under his words. Aizawa huffed a little but stayed quiet. He could ask his questions at the end of this all. He was piecing together a vague picture of things based on what had already been said and what he already knew. All Might's quirk was of mer origin somehow. It wasn't a quirk at all, actually. It was some other kind of magic. One that could be passed on? Did that mean... dammit, that probably meant it had been given to Izuku Midoriya. No wonder the little shit couldn't use it. How long had he even had it? 

"Y-You're right. I-It was given to me." Toshinori's voice came out shaky. Aizawa wondered if this would be the day he saw the Number One Hero cry. He looked like he was a guilty man being accused. It would've been funny to see him fold under Hitoshi's suddenly-piercing gaze any other day of the week. He'd never seen the teen show this much energy. He didn't look the least bit tired anymore. This was the most awake Aizawa had seen him, he was sure.

"Then..." Atlantis hesitated. He swallowed, trying to organize his thoughts as best he could. This was insane. Was this actually happening? He was pretty sure this was happening. "Do you know the name Nana Shimura?" 

Toshinori's absolutely shattered expression was more than answer enough.