The Reason to Smile

by Onomonopia

The Two Pillars

"Ow! That stings!"

"Sorry Twi, but trust me, this will help you."

Twilight gritted her teeth as Spike rubbed medicine against her wounds. She cast a glance over her shoulder and looked at Spike's wing, which was still in a cast. "How's your wing doing? Any more pain?"

"Nah, it's starting to feel better. Luckily Nurse Redheart got her hooves on us when she did," Spike replied. A smile crossed his face. "I still can't believe that you went hoof to hoof with Sombra like that. And you beat him in front of the entire town. That was really cool."

"He needed to be stopped. And I was the only one that could do it," Twilight said.

"Come on Twi, it's way more than that. You beat Sombra and saved everypony from his monster. You're a hero!"

"Please, All Might's the real hero. He held up that freakin mountain for over five minutes. That's a feat worthy of a hero," Twilight said.

"Fine. You were both heroes. He saved us and you stopped the bad guy. How's that sound?" Spike asked. Before Twilight could answer Spike rubbed more medicine on a nasty cut and Twilight had to bite down to keep from crying out. "My point still stands. In their hour of need, you were there. And the rest of Equestria has taken notice."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when you first took the throne how a lot of newspapers and pony speakers were concerned that you wouldn't be able to live up to Celestia and Luna's legacy?" Spike asked. "Well nearly all of your haters has been silenced after you defeated Sombra and Monstro."

"All Might dealt with Monstro. Quickly, I must say," Twilight added.

"Details. Point is, you're all anypony is talking about. Well, the only pony their talking about," Spike said with a smile. "All Might still has a quite a few ponies talking."

"Alright, enough of the hero talk. How's Ponyville recovering?" Twilight asked.

"They're recovering. Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash are leading the repairs. Fluttershy is trying to relocate the animals that lost their homes when Sombra chucked that mountain. And Pinkie is working around the clock to keep all of the ponies spirits up," Spike said. "Celestia and Luna are searching for Sombra, but, once again, he's gone without a trace."

"Won't he ever stay dead?" Twilight snarled. "I should be out there. I should be helping to look for him, helping with repairing the town or..."

"Slow your horses. You've already done enough. You saved us. You're the reason that we can rebuild or search for Sombra. Rest and let us do the rest of the work," Spike instructed. Twilight let out a grunt as she lay down on her bed, closing her eyes. Spike smile at her as he rose off of her bed and headed for the door, stopping as he reached it to turn to look back at her. "And no matter how much you hate to hear it, you're our hero. You're my number one hero. And that will never change."

Spike left the room and closed the door behind him. Around a minute after he left, Twilight cracked open an eye before rising from her bed. She walked to her desk and grabbed hold of a list of tasks that still needed to be done and ponies that still needed help. She memorized it in a moment before heading to the door...only to be stopped dead when she saw All Might standing there.

"All Might. I didn't hear you come in," she said.

"It's hard, isn't it?" he asked.

"What is?"

"Being number one. Being the one they all look to. Being their hero," All Might said. Twilight opened her mouth to answer, but then she looked into his eyes and found...the same eyes as hers. All Might walked over to the desk and look at the list she had put down, nodding his head. "There's always more to do. Always someone in need of help. Even when your wounded. Even when your world is crumbling down, you still need to keep their's together. You still need to be smiling for them. Even if it kills you."

"I'd say you don't know what you're talking about, but it's clear that you do," Twilight replied. She walked over to the window and stared out at the setting sun. "You're right. There's always more to do. Always those that need help. But I have to help them. That's my duty. My duty to them.

"I see why fate brought us together. We're alike. We're both the lone pillars that hold up our world," All Might said. "No matter what is thrown at us."

"Not quite. I'm not alone. I have my friends who are always there with me," Twilight said. "Together, we're the real heroes." All Might turned to look at her, an expression on his face she couldn't read, before he smiled softly and shook his head.

"It's kind of you to say that. And your friends are great. I can tell that even though I haven't known them long. But it wasn't your friends that were there when Sombra attacked that village. It wasn't your friends that fought back the evil that sough to claim those innocent lives. And it wasn't your friends who brought hope and smiles back to the faces of those that Sombra attacked. It was all you, Twilight."

"Yeah, but...my friends and I are in this together. We're all equal heroes."

"Twilight...the sad truth about being at the top is that there is only room for one," All Might said as he stood beside her. "I am not saying this to discredit your friends or to lessen their heroic deeds. In fact, on my world there are tens of thousands of heroes who fight day and night to keep people safe. Heroes much like your friends. True heroes."

"But that is not how the people see it. Sometimes...most times, the people only see the best. The peak. The number one. In my world, that is me. I am the symbol of peace. I am the one that prevails when all else fails. And when their world is consumed by darkness, I am the light that they look for. I am the only hero that they can count on. Because I am the best. The strongest. The peak. Much like how the ponies of this world see you."

"All Might..."

"And as much as you will hate to hear this...you are the top. The number one hero of your world. I suspected when I first met you. I confirmed it when you saved us all, even me, from Sombra. I see it. They see it. You seem to be the only one blind to it. You are the one they look to in their hour of despair. You are the one who banishes the darkness. You are their princess, their hero. Their number one."

"I cannot accept that," Twilight replied. "I would never have gotten here without my friends, my mentors and my family. Without the other Elements my story would have ended at it's beginning. Together, the six of us hold up the world."

All Might stared at Twilight for a moment, before he placed his hands on the balcony railing and stared at the setting sun.

"I am the same way. I would not be here if not for my master and my friends," All Might said. He took a deep breath, as if he was contemplating something, before his eyes set like flint. "My master gave her life to save me, to make sure that I could escape the clutches of an incredibly evil foe. To make sure that I would be able to finish what she could not. To bring a smile back to the face of the populace."

"All Might...I'm so sorry..."

"Thank you. But know that I am telling you this...I am revealing this to you...to show that I know what I am saying, Princess." All Might looked at Twilight as he said this, a fire blazing in his eyes that, for a moment, looked like held seven different sets of eyes within. "You are the pillar of this world. Whether you want to accept it or not is sadly irrelevant. It is how they see you. It is a pedestal that they place you upon. Their champion that can take all of their pain, darkness and sorrow and turn it into a smile. To always save the day, no matter what. And one day, you will realize that this is what they believe you to be. What they need you to be. Their hero. And sooner or later, hopefully sooner, you will have to learn how to handle that."

All Might nodded to Twilight and headed for the door.

"How do you do it?" Twilight asked All Might. All Might stopped at the door before he turned to look back at her. "How do you always save them? How do you cast away all of their doubt and pain? How do you be the hero that they need you to be? How do you always prevail."

"Twilight...you don't. It's impossible. No hero can always save the day, no matter how strong," All Might replied. Then he flashed a smile at her. "But you make sure that they never know that. You make sure they never see the pain that you are in. All those who need saving should ever see...is a smile letting them know everything is okay. Because you are there."

All Might turned and left, leaving Twilight alone with her thoughts. Uncomfortable thoughts that she had hoped she would never have to deal with.

====| V |====

"Oh, that hurts," Sombra snarled.

The dark king lowered himself into a dark pit of dark magic, gritting his teeth as the liquid seeped into his wounds and healing them. "Well that could have gone better."

"I should say so!"

Sombra glanced over to see Chronos standing next to the pool of magic, a look of fury on his face. "Not only did you fail to kill All Might, but you have lost us Monstro, the only being that could possibly match All Might's strength. Without him, we are at a severe disadvantage!"

"Don't act all surprised. Monstro was no match for All Might. Hell, he couldn't even handle Twilight, that's how weak he is," Sombra smirked.

"The very same Twilight that you lost to?" Chronos asked.

"I admit that I may have slightly underestimated Twilight. But beating her wasn't the reason for my attack. It was to make sure you and your flunkies got what you needed. So tell me," Sombra smiled at Chronos. "Did I put on a good show?"

Chronos narrowed his eyes before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black gemstone. Sombra threw back his head and laughed when he saw the gemstone. "Care to tell me what is so special about this rock?"

"That rock is a core gemstone. One that will draw all magical stones in an area to it and amplify their magical power," Sombra explained. "Which is pretty cool itself, but what's really makes it awesome is if you intend to use those gems as weapons. It's too bad that none of your allies have the ability to control shiny rocks...oh wait a moment..."

"So if I give this to Diamond Dust, it will give her enough power to kill All Might once and for all?" Chronos asked.

"Aren't you listening? That's what I just said," Sombra said. "And the best part is, I know of plenty of magical artifacts that can give all of you that kind of power boost. So what if we lost Monstro? Soon, you'll all be stronger than him. Hell, you'll be stronger than All Might."

"I see. And then, we will be able to rule with no hero able to oppose us," Chronos smiled. "Thank you, Sombra. If this plan of yours works...then you may end up ruling two worlds alongside us."

"I'm looking forward to it," Sombra laughed. Sombra blinked and Chronos was gone. Sombra chuckled before he sank deeper into the liquid, smiling to himself. "Ruler of two worlds. Mom always said I was an overachiever." Then a scowl crossed his face.

"But Twilight was much stronger than I was predicting. She and that blonde fool All Might could be a problem. Every time that mare makes a friend they turn out to be a pain in my side. And then there are her other friends. I thought she would have left them behind, but no. She really doesn't get rid of things, does she?" Sombra then lifted a hoof out of the liquid, revealing a sphere with a light burning within it.

"And speaking of getting rid of things, while I am not sad to see that fool Monstro gone, it would be a shame of his powers went to waste. I think I'll hold onto them for the time being. Never know when one could use them. Never know when one could use a whole arsenal of super powers. Might come in handy ruling two worlds."

==== | V | ====

"I see. So he wants me to use this to kill All Might."

Diamond Dust took the stone in hand and studied it, her eyes going wide as she felt power flood into her.

"Well?"

"He's not lying. This...I feel stronger than I ever have. But the fact that he would give this away..."

"I know, I don't trust him either," Chronos said. "But as I do not know the full extent of his abilities, it is best to work with Sombra for now. Teleportation is problematic enough, but with all of his other magical abilities."

"I agree. But do not worry. Once I have disposed of All Might, I will aid you in bringing down Sombra."

"Heh, what would I do without you," Chronos asked. Then he looked past Diamond Dust to White Noises' room. "How is she doing?"

"Poorly. Her quirk is hurting her again."

"I see. I'm going to go sit with her."

"Are you sure? Her quirk...?"

"I'll be fine."

Chronos patted Diamond Dust on the shoulder and walked into the room. There he found White Noise curled up in the corner, head on her knees. He said nothing as he sat beside her, gritting his teeth as pain flooded his body.

"How long can you stay?" White Noise whispered.

"My dear, I am Chronos, master of time. For you, I have all the time in the world."

Comments

[Navarone]

Twilight is sadly going to learn how lonely it can be at the top

Getting kinda like league of villains and shie hassaikai vibes here, with sombra being the hassaikaispoiler.

[BeastofGilchrist]

WTF?!?!?! No All Might vs. Monstro fight?! 9 out of 10 stars! (The chapter you gave was still beyond plus ultra, but I wanted to see two walking piles of power beat the s#it outta each other.)

[daniboyi]

10439315
or All Might will learn that there is room for a shared top-spot between a group of strong allies.

[Pete100]

Twilight opened her mouth to answer, but then she looked into his eyes and found...the same eyes as hers.

Same eyes as hers?

"I am the same way. I would not be here if not for my master and my friends," All Might said. He took a deep breath, as if he was contemplating something, before his eyes set like flint.

Flint?

"Ruler of two worlds. Mom always said I was an overachiever."

I’m curious to know what other stuff his mom called him.

[badninja]

I hope Twilight can help All Might understand that it is always better to go in with a group. That many must be ready to step up and walk in lock step with each other to stop great Evil. Look at the JL or everyone in the Marvel Universe. If it gets big enough they all work together and on occasion help each other. It has always felt that all anyone did in MHA was wait for All Might to save the day with only a few who where willing to step up.

[NotreallyaBrony]

10439745
i think All Might knows that, but as he said the world looks mostly at the top guy, he is the leader that inspires others and gets us throught the rough situation, when All Might lost his power he immediatly sent the message of "its your turn now", the world need a higher figure to set eyes upon in desperate times to keep us focused and rational, without it comes the apocalypse scenarios where everyone goes on rampages and start breaking shit. For comparison, althought Ironman is the main strategist, Cap is the one that keep everyone focused on the task.

[Diokno44]

10442779
Yeah, for instance, well, Superman.

[Daring Starburst]

"You are the pillar of this world. Whether you want to accept it or not is sadly irrelevant. It is how they see you. It is a pedestal that they place you upon. Their champion that can take all of their pain, darkness and sorrow and turn it into a smile. To always save the day, no matter what. And one day, you will realize that this is what they believe you to be. What they need you to be."

"Twilight...you don't. It's impossible. No hero can always save the day, no matter how strong. But you make sure that they never know that. You make sure they never see the pain that you are in. All those who need saving should ever see...is a smile letting them know everything is okay. Because you are there."

Well that's unhealthy.

I get where All Might's coming from. But I think he needs to learn that that's actually not always the best mindset to have. Sometimes it's better to show that you're human too. And, from watching My Hero, I think he did learn that at least partially by the time he retired.

All Might seemed perfect, so the public forgot he was human. He was a huge band-aid on society's problems, yet the wounds underneath failed to heal. The reasons why civilians become villains weren't fixed. Society was complacent.

This story is set pre-injury, so All Might would definitely fully believe the one-unstoppable-hero-above-all mindset. I don't know if this is meant to fit into My Hero canon or cause it to go AU, but either way is cool. I look forward to what comes next.

Thanks for writing!