11 11.Wait What...

"Definitely not what I was expecting. "

Said the All Might, looking at the house in front of him and marveling at its size, the kind of apartment he never thought he'd have. He was still new to these places, and not surprisingly he couldn't figure out where the mansion was without help, so he had to wander around a bit trying to find the streets.

He hoped he wasn't in the wrong place, the navigator on his phone, which he remembered after 15 minutes of pointless walking, and the locals, confirmed the information.

The huge mansion with the high fence in front of which he was standing with his mouth open belonged to Goliath.

He had to clous his mouth, so that passers-by wouldn't think something stupid about him. But he wondered how Goliath had such savings. Was his agency really that lucrative? Considering how huge it was and how many employees it had, how many improvised materials and territories, it was just a crazy loss. At least in Japan it would be.

One thing he noticed, unlike Japan, there aren't many hero agencies. Seriously, if there's one on every corner back home, there's like five. Is it possible that all of New York is covered by one agency, the Guild of Honor, as Hound had told him at the time?

Hound also told him of Goliath's very ambitious goal for the Guild of Honor to cover all of America. To have a Guild headquarters in every state, and act as a main stream of professional heroes. He'd like to ask Goliath for the details, and he might ask for some advice. After all, Thomas is more experienced in rescue than he is.

"So, how do I let him know I'm here? "

He was invited to visit, so he came in civilian uniform. Green pants, white t-shirt, and a sleeveless top. His hair was gathered together and his favorite bangs were in their place.

Toshinori walked closer to the large iron gate, noting its dark and medieval style, with touches of gold. With the brick pillars holding up the gate he saw a button. Attached to the brick was a rectangular iron contraption whose name he wouldn't remember now.

"I hope it's a bell... " and he leisurely pressed that button, followed by the sound of a bell through the speakers beneath the button. " Yes, it's a bell! " he smiled slightly waiting for a response.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and looking at the time, 5 o'clock in the afternoon. This battle with the sculptures happened before noon. After this incident, he walked around the streets a bit, patrolling, and afterwards he decided to rest. After washing and dressing himself, alerting David, he appeared here.

" Yes? " came a gruff male voice from the bell.

Wait, this isn't Goliath, isn't this his house or something? There's no way he's mistaken- Hold on.

" Uh, Hello, this is Goliath's apartment, did I come in right? " asked the All Might a little loudly.

" Yes, that's correct. " came the man's quick reply.

" Phew, I was beginning to think I was misdirected. I was invited by Goliath, and he- "

"You wouldn't happen to be that kid, All Might, would you? " the man interrupted him.

" Yeah, yeah, that's me. " replied Toshinori calmly. He heard a sound from the side, and looking up slightly, he saw that the security camera hanging from the brick fence was focused on him.

" Hmm, I see... Come on in, the Boss has been waiting for you. "

Toshinori's smile grew wider, and the sound of the lock opening came a moment later. The door next to the bell opened, giving him passage and he stepped forward confidently.

He passed the guard house, which he realized was the guard himself. At least from there it looked like some man in a dark tuxedo. As he passed he only nodded his head in greeting.

As he approached the front entrance of the mansion, Toshinori noticed the incredible facade of the building, decorated with exquisite details. Wide steps of gleaming marble led up to massive doors, as if to indicate the grandeur and luxury of the place. At the foot of the steps, droplets of water from a fountain surrounded by blooming roses bounced, filling the air with a fresh fragrance.

His gaze caught the slender statues of not particularly large animals, the stalls of fresh flowers, and the exquisitely laid out flowerbeds that added charm and grace to the mansion.

As he continued on his way, the All Might noticed a long footbridge spanning over a glistening pool of clear water. The ringing chanting of the cardinals was carried to it by the wind, reminding him of the silence that reigned in this corner of paradise.

"Oh my... It's so beautiful here, and so, so, so... expensive, where does all this money come from... "

Did a family of a dozen people live here? Did Goliath have a wife and children? If so, that would explain such size and expense in decorations. Or maybe Goliath liked to brag about his money? But, Toshinori didn't see him that way.

The All Might sees Goliath as an incredible outstanding man, characterized by his character and professionalism.

His courage and justice. A lover of audience relations and popularity, but one who remains true to his cause. Maybe he has the wrong impression of him.

"What the hell am I thinking... "He didn't know, maybe it was envy, maybe it was something else, something he didn't want to understand. But such things are not like heroes, not like him, the one who wants to become the "Symbol of Peace".

"Brrrrr... " he turned his head, waving away unnecessary thoughts, he came to visit, he came to get acquainted. And he would be glad to be friends with such a person.

His thoughts are interrupted by a male voice he knows well.

"All Might! Welcome! "

Looking up, Toshinori saw Goliath himself, standing at the doorway with a wide smile on his face and his arms spread out. His gaze read sincere cordiality and willingness to be welcomed. Goliath was dressed in a bright red Hawaiian shirt and shorts that were just above his knees, and on his feet were bluish flip-flops. Because of the four tall steps separating Toshinori and Goliath, Toshinori had to make an effort to look into the face of this titan. But despite the distance and height difference, Goliath's gaze was filled with warmth and friendliness, imposing a sudden feeling of comfort and welcome.

Somehow this man could be such a fierce warrior and so gentle as he now claimed to be.

Toshinori, feeling a rush of sudden excitement, smiled broadly and quickly rose to stand beside Goliath. The height difference was huge, but despite that, Goliath extended his hand in greeting. Stepping further, Goliath realized that the difference in their height was too great, and he dropped to one knee so that they were on the same level. His grand gesture showed respect for the All Might despite their size differences.

Toshinori felt the touch of Goliath's muscular arm as he bent down so they could better shake hands. He felt warmth and strength, and smiled at him in appreciation for such a gesture of friendship.

" Thank you for the invitation, Goliath-san. "

"You are welcome, All Might, you are my guest today, make yourself comfortable," Goliath said politely, stepping back a little. Thomas turned his back to him and slid the wide doors of the house open with both hands, inviting both himself and his guest in. "Make yourself at home."

Toshinori followed Goliath through the threshold and marveled, noticing the luxurious interior details all around. In the center of the hall, a majestically decorated huge window let in streams of bright sunlight, making the space come alive.

Toshinori noticed the silk draperies hanging along the walls, giving the hall a sense of solemnity. They were adorned with gold lush fringe details, creating a special sense of luxury. Golden carved patterns, requiring skillful artistry, adorned the ceiling and walls.

At the back of the hall, Toshinori noticed the impressive emblem of the Guild of Honor highlighted on one of the walls. The silver and gold thin lines created an image of majesty and power. A painted Lion's head with a crown on it. Short and sweet, Toshinori liked this design.

The furniture had been chosen with special attention to quality and style, judging by how they harmonized. Exquisitely embroidered cushions and armchairs covered in precious velvet(?) Toshinori couldn't tell for sure, but the material wasn't cheap. Carved wooden tables with thin legs and polished wood trim added charm and elegance.

Along the walls, on marble stands, were placed original sculptures and small works of art created by famous craftsmen. These artificial masterpieces gave the hall a special atmosphere of sophistication and creativity. And just because of that, he could tell that there was a woman working here.....

" I hope you're hungry, All Might. My cooks are some of the best, and the best one isn't here yet, she's away on business, but she'll be here soon, I hope to introduce you. " muttered Goliath with his arms crossed.

The All Might gathered his thoughts, stopping to look around the place like a fool and not trying not to fall in the eyes of the man in front of him, " Please call me Toshinori, Thomas-san. And it would be an honor to taste what your chefs have prepared, I have no doubt they are masters of their craft. "

" Fine, let's follow me then. "

***

Goliath watched Toshinori's face and smiled to himself. He saw the man looking around the courtyard, trying to get a sense of the luxury of the place. Then he noticed how Toshinori, already in the main hall, was trying not to look naive, carefully observing every detail.

Now that they were sitting at the table in the kitchen, Goliath turned to Toshinori with a smile, asking what he wanted.

" So, Toshinori do you have any preferences? "

The man perplexedly repeated his question, " Preferences, Thomas-san?" and that brought a smile to Goliath's face.

He explained, "My chefs will be happy to fulfill your wishes, and hope in advance that you will be satisfied. I even invited a very good Japanese chef into my kitchen today, so you are free to choose whatever you want. "

Goliath knew that Toshinori was still just beginning to realize exactly what this mansion and all its luxuries represented. He saw the man's gaze filled with mixed delight, bewilderment, and possibility. This was the moment, these were the questions he had, and it was good leverage to strike up a good conversation.

"Oh, well, if that's the case, then... " began the All Might, but he was interrupted by Goliath.

"Better explain your preferences to the cook yourself, it's easier," Goliath advised, and then shouted the name loudly, "Iwao!" In response to his call, a man appeared in the doorway a moment later.

He was an unexpectedly sturdy and muscular man, two meters tall, with a short haircut and rolled up sleeves, wearing a chef's uniform and a hat. It was obvious from his appearance that he was from Asia, as Goliath explained that he was a Japanese chef. Iwao, as he was called, walked to the middle of the table and addressed Goliath.

"Hear you, boss," Iwao replied calmly. Without losing his attention, he quickly looked around the table and noticed Toshinori, who was sitting quietly in his seat. Turning to the new guest, Iwao said politely: "Good day to you, sir," giving him his attention for a split second before turning back to Goliath.

Thomas, with a gesture of his hand, introduced Toshinori, " Meet Iwao, your countryman. "

There was a noticeable look of surprise on both Japanese men's faces, Iwao raised an eyebrow and Toshinori let out a muffled "Oh!" This sound made Iwao show more attention to his new guest and he decided to personally clarify something by addressing him in Japanese.

"どこから来たのか教えてもらえますか?" Iwao asked something.

"東京,私の友人" replied Toshinori with a chuckle.

" I dont understand shit. " thought Goliath.

The conversation between the two Japanese didn't last much longer, but his guest's mood definitely lifted. His eyes got wider and more talkative, plus some gesticulation. Apparently glad to see a Japanese, away from home. It's always nice to see a man from his native land.

Even though Inko is Japanese, it didn't help him much. She hadn't practiced Japanese with him, and their famous endings "-san" and the like were long forgotten. Even a few years ago, when she and Inko were little acquainted, she used these endings, some Japanese words that she had forgotten to use, because at that time, was a recent arrival in the country. Toshinori makes the same mistakes. He has a similar accent...which, to be honest, was better than Inko's, you can tell he's been in the states for a while. It's nothing to worry about, it'll pass with time. It's always true, you learn a language a lot easier when you're around people who speak the language.

The two were talking about something, though Goliath tried to pick up on something, but other than the word "Kasudon" he couldn't understand anything. " Ka-su-don... Oh, that's what Inko cooks sometimes. "

And his thoughts were confirmed by Iwao himself, naming the dish already with English pronunciation.

"Katsudon, I see, Toshinori-san. And what do you want, Boss? " Iwao asked, turning his head toward him.

" Tell Peppino cook me the usual, only double the amount, I haven't eaten anything since this morning. " replied Goliath with a twist of his hand.

He wanted to take his sister to the office first thing in the morning and then eat. But there was that situation with the sculptures, then the cleanup, and his plans went nowhere. He had planned to do nothing at all today, except play a few video games and bask in the blazing sun.

"Roger that, Boss. And it was nice talking to you too, Toshinori-san. " Iwao said and retired to the kitchen.

Toshinori gave Iwao a glance and then focused on Thomas, "I hope you don't mind me asking, Thomas-san, is Iwao your personal chef? "

"Not personal, I just asked to come from the restaurant. "

" Oh, it means your close friend that he came at your request. "

" Well, more like a boss, Toshinori. He's the cook of my restaurant. "

At this, Toshinori asked in surprise, " Do you have your own restaurant, Goliath-san? "

Thomas laughed slightly, filling the huge room with his laughter, " Well there are several, my friend. "

" Really? " trying not to give away his overreaction asked Toshinori, holding himself in check

" BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, they are! " enjoying his guest's reaction, Goliath smirked, and then continued, " Never heard of 'ClaudeMonet't restaurant preferably French cuisine, or 'AgsoBalepo' ? "

Toshinori averted his gaze slightly, not really knowing much about restaurants, but trying not to look foolish. Thomas was slightly surprised by his movements, " Haven't you heard of one of the best French cuisine restaurants in the entire state? "

" Hehehe, I'm afraid not, Thomas-san... I don't go to restaurants very often, and I prefer home cooking, I'm sorry... "

" There's nothing to apologize for, Toshinori, I was just a little surprised. And home cooking you say? My sister would have surprised you."

That got the Japanese man's attention, " Oh, you have a sister, Thomas-san? "

Goliath's voice a pleasantly softer tone, he calmly replied. " Yes, and I hope to introduce you to her. Very skillful and intelligent, kind and responsible.... " Goliath did not continue, lest he take the conversation in the wrong direction. But the Japanese man had more questions before him, and the next two questions interested him greatly.

" Are you by any chance married, Thomas-san? "

" Heh, not yet, Toshinori, however I would like to find the right one, Bvhahahahah! "

"Then I have one more question. If you find it offensive, then please forgive me, but I'm just really curious.... " Goliath interrupted him by raising his hand.

" You're free to ask any questions you want, Toshinori. " Andre let him know. He would answer any questions he had, as long as it didn't cross the line, of course. More personal questions would be answered when they became better friends, but let him settle for general knowledge first.

" In that case. Just wanted to ask, what do you need such a big house for? "

So he's wondering where he got the budget to decorate everything on this property. Andre can't blame him, neither his surprise nor his curiosity. If he were him, he'd be wondering the same thing about the apartment and the owner. He may go overboard with some of the purchases, he can admit, what with his backyard being a parody water park planned.

But he does it all for a reason.

"There's nothing offensive about it, Toshinori. It's an appropriate response. And to answer your question. It is for the future. " Goliath said succinctly, noting the raised eyebrow on Toshinori's face that was a sign for him to continue, " You see, this will be a family home. I mean where the whole family will gather, where I hope to live long enough to see grandchildren. And given our profession, that's an impossible goal. Though I'd like to see the nephews running around first, heh. "

Toshinori listened intently to Goliath's words, his face expressing respect and consideration. When Goliath finished his thought, Toshinori nodded, confirming his understanding. He then smiled and replied, " That is a very beautiful and important goal, Goliath-san. I'm sure your family will feel happy and protected in this house. And that guard that stood outside for and this one, am I right? "

" Yes, for my sister to be exact. When I'm not home, they guard my sister. It is the duty of every brother to guard his sisters when you yourself are not even around, BWHAHAHAHAHAHAH! " laughed Goliath, hitting the table a few times, "Tell me a little about yourself, Toshinori. I wouldn't mind hearing your stories. "

Toshinori scratched his neck, forcing himself to remember something interesting to keep the conversation going, " Well I'm from Tokyo myself, then moved to Masutafu when I joined UA."

" Oh, UA you say? Yeah, I heard about that school, the place where they teach you how to be a hero. What kind of progress did you make there, though I think you got through it all, don't you? " smirking slightly at his guest, Andre smirked, allowing Toshinori himself to be pleased as well.

" Well I wouldn't say I did great, but I distinguished myself enough! "

" Come on Toshinori, I know there's more to it, spill it out, Bwahahahahahaha! " laughed Goliath. He actually wanted to clarify a few things. From what he had previously gleaned about the All Might, it was more or less common knowledge, well, how to say known, what was documented. One thing he'd learned was that this UA kept certain things secret. Such as the more secret accomplishments of its students, depending on the situation, their names and quirks. With the last one being about Toshinori.

" Well maybe... I tried a few records, and took first place at the sports festival... " he mumbled, clearly not liking to brag about his accomplishments. And that pleased Andre, so heroic, so valiant, hehehe.

"Atta boy! I knew there was more to it, well done! "

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Thomas. "

" But tell me more about UA and these schools that produce 'hero' graduates, we don't have any, you see. "

"Well, there are a few. Of the biggest ones are: Isamu Academy, Seiai Academy, Ketsubutsu academy, and the most famous of them all, UA Academy. "

" I see, I see, interesting names, though. With their own thing, BWHAHAHAHA! "

" Each one is different from the other, but UA takes the top spot in terms of popularity, and frankly, they have a bigger budget for teaching and training students. "

" The government apparently sponsors this school well. It was Japan that set this trend with these hero schools. "

" Yes, I've heard about it, but still, these schools have been around for a long time and like you said, Goliath-san, schools like this have started opening up around the world too, but for some reason I don't see them here. I haven't seen them in New York yet, nor have I seen any hero agencies. "The All Might raised such a question. He had been interested in the matter for a long time, and had learned a little from David. Goliath, on the other hand, had more extensive data, so he would like to hear his opinion.

Andre crossed his arms over his chest, tapping a finger on his forearm with a frown, "Heroics aren't as popular in America, as strange as it may seem. We don't have restrictions on the use of quirks in public places like you do, and we don't have punishments for lynchings, which, by the way, outnumber the heroes. The problem is that it costs a lot of money to run an agency to get a certificate but heroism, which is also comparable to the high risk of endangering lives. " he shook his head, knowing what kind of budget crisis his Agency could bring his Agency, "Yes, there are no such schools in New York, but there are in other states. There are, but they're few. You learn to be a lifeguard, not a hero. Whether you're a hero or not is for the people to decide. "

Toshinori couldn't agree more.

Goliath continued, "And there's a reason I want my Guild of Honor to cover all the States. Not only would it help new heroes get established in the business, but it would also act as a place to train them, to prepare them. Let's say like your UA for example. Certified heroes, vigilantes, just volunteers. That's one reason, plus the Guild would help keep crime rates in check. In this day and age of all sorts of things, people can easily overstep moral principles and boundaries with their quirks and do shit that the police can't handle. That's where the Guild would help, you probably know what I'm talking about. "

Watching the ideas and plans Goliath laid out, Toshinori couldn't help but recognize their significance and importance. He thought about how broadly covering the actions of the Guild of Honor could have a real impact on society.

The idea of certifying heroes and training them not only lent quality and credibility to the profession, but also helped to equalize the skill level and legitimacy of actions in fighting crime.

Striving to maintain high moral and ethical standards in society was a major goal he shared with Goliath. He was well aware and facetious of the fact that in a world where criminals were increasingly circumventing the law and norms-.

The rolling sound of a wheeled table rang out, interrupting Toshinori's musings. And Goliath's loud words, " Food is ready! "

The cook, not Iwao, but perhaps one of his subordinates rolled the table to the middle of their table.

With confidence and care, he placed each dish on the table. The flavors mingled in the air, creating an appetizing journey for those involved in the conversation.

Goliath, observing all of this, nodded with satisfaction.

The sniff of the rich scent of katsudon instantly awakened Toshinori's hunger, making him smile. He waited patiently as the man placed a plate of this noble dish in front of him ( in his opinion ) . "I haven't even tasted it, but I'm sure it will be delicious . Please convey my thanks to Iwao," he said with a sincere smile, and was reciprocated.

The cook removed himself a little to the side to begin laying out the rest of the dishes. A few pizzas, a juicy steak, puffed potato wedges, and another pizza, this time with pineapple, shone dimly among them.

Considering he'd only asked for the katsudon himself, it all worked out for Goliath.... Damn, but considering he needs to maintain four meters of muscle, such a diet is understandable. "Well, if you look at it that way, it's not much... There is second, now I get it. " he thought, and finally noticed another table rolling out.

"Well, Toshinori, enjoy it, it's been prepared by some of the best chefs in the state! "Goliath announced happily, and Toshinori didn't hesitate and started eating.

***

After a nice dinner of more conversation and sharing a few funny stories, Toshinori received a call on his phone. It turned out that he had an emergency and needed to step away as his friend, Dave, needed help. Goliath didn't delay him and offered to walk Toshinori to the door, expressing his hope that he would still come to visit

"Please, Thomas-san, sit down. " he tried to say to Goliath, not wanting to be kept outside

"Don't, that's not my custom. Not escorting a guest is an act of disrespect and I can't have that, so let's go, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! "

Toshinori smiled gratefully and only relented.

As he approached the door, it opened, the tall doors slid open smoothly, and a girl with bright green hair suddenly appeared behind them. A beautiful girl.

Her gaze was sharp, like a precious emerald sparkling in the sun. The glow of the green-haired beauty stood out against the already shining interior, like a beam of light that illuminated the path for him.

"Oh Inko, you've finally arrived, what took you so long? " murmured Andre with a softness in his voice, inviting his sister inside. " And meet Toshinori aka the All Might! "

But his sister didn't answer him.

And Toshinori didn't say anything.

The two just stared at each other.

That's what, the redness on Inko's cheeks.

" The fuck? "

Toshinori mumbled, " Um, uh, Hi, I'm Toshinori nice to meet you.... "

Inko also replied the same way, " Oh, my name is Inko, n-nice to meet you, Toshinori! "

"What a beautiful name... " Toshinori mumbled and then abruptly picked up his phone and turned it on in front of everyone, "Look what time it is, it's so late, I have to go!" and just jumped away.

"What the fuck?! "

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