Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There were few things that could ruin the perfect day that Izuku was having.

He and Katsuki had taken down a human trafficking ring and were now on their way to grab ice cream. The sickos were specifically targeting quirkless people, believing that no one would care if they disappeared. With hundreds of quirks at his disposal he could never imagine what quirkless people went through in their society, but he would not tolerate any harm coming to them in his city.

Soon they would take down the commission, garnering a new era for Japan and a more just country for everyone. He and Hitoshi were celebrating their two year anniversary in a couple of weeks, and his network of allies was growing by the day.

Overall, he was in a great mood.

“Leave us alone!”

A young voice rang out through the mostly empty street, causing Katsuki and Izuku to swivel their heads until they found the source of the noise. Both of the young villains put their signature masks over their faces - partially to protect their identities, but more so for the intimidation factor.

Izuku used a honing quirk to locate anyone nearby, sprinting when he felt five people in a nearby alley. He didn’t need to tell Katsuki to follow him, a sign of their years working side by side together. When they reached the alley they were met with the sight of three men and two scared boys, the younger one clutching onto the back of the older one as the taller boy puffed out his chest in defiance.

One of the men turned to face the newcomers, his face immediately going pale when he recognized the infamous villains Deku and Ground Zero. Izuku took pride in the fact that he could instill fear in people like this, that he was the boogie man in the minds of these types of men.

He slowly approached, his hands stuffed in his pockets to display his nonchalance. Power emanated off of him, a purposeful flex of his strength as he kept his eyes trained on the three men. Katsuki immediately went to check over the boys for any distress and to distance them in case Izuku decided to punish the men.

“Why were you harassing these boys?” Izuku’s voice was low, tints of anger hanging off the words as he inched closer to them. None of the men moved, their chests barely breathing as they tried to catch their breath.

Few things were known about Deku, the leader of the underground and the number one enemy of the commission. Though, criminals knew one thing for certain.

Deku had zero tolerance for anything involving children.

The largest of the men cleared his throat before stepping forward, his legs shaking as he attempted to find his words.

“We were just helping them, we t-thought they were lost.” He had the audacity to smile. Izuku turned to find the two boys trembling in Katsuki’s arms, and it was only then that he noticed the handprint shaped bruise on the youngest’s arms. He nodded his head, signaling for Katsuki to take the boys out of the alley. They had already gone through too much today, and he didn’t need them seeing what he was about to do.

He turned back to the three men, finding great pleasure in the way they squirmed under his gaze.

“You three really seem like model citizens.” His voice was light, the men relaxing at his faux naivety.

The moment he saw their relieved grins, he leapt.

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After texting Kurogiri his coordinates to clean up his mess, Izuku walked back to the street to check on the two boys. The older boy passed him on his way back into the alley, his face contorted as he seemed to be searching for something. Katsuki was talking to the younger boy, his mask removed and a small smile on his face.

Izuku removed his own mask before approaching, not wanting to scare the little boy with the intimidating design. He knelt in front of the kid, frowning when he noticed the layers of dirt coating his brown hair and clothes. It was clear these were street kids, and he would do everything he could to make sure they were taken care of moving forward.

“Hi, my name’s Izuku. What’s your name?” He smiled softly, not making any sudden movements as he waited for a response.

“M-my name’s Chihiro.” The boy stared up at him with caution in his eyes.

“Well, nice to meet you Chihiro. Me and Kacchan were thinking about grabbing some ice cream, would you two want to come with us?” Izuku hoped he didn’t scare them away, he understood why they wouldn’t trust two strange men approaching them like this.

To his surprise, the kid nodded. Izuku stood, a triumphant smile on his face as he turned to see the older boy running out of the alley with a pair of gloves in his hands. They were artist’s gloves, just like Tomura wore to prevent his quirk from causing any unwanted harm in his daily life.

He turned to see Chihiro reaching out and stepping forward, a grateful smile on his face as he went to grab the gloves. The boy lost his footing, tripping over the curb as he stumbled forward and went to grab something to stabilize himself.

Izuku’s instincts were to reach out, and without thinking he outstretched one of his hands to grab the boy before he hurt himself. The moment their hands touched a strange feeling overcame him, a wave of nausea and dizziness hitting him as he felt himself fall through the ground. A bright flash of light was the last thing he saw as he heard Katsuki yell his name.

Then, everything went dark.

Chapter Text

His back slammed into the ground as the blinding light began to fade away from his vision. Izuku closed his eyes in an attempt to get rid of the spots dancing around the room.

“Kacchan, I will fucking kill you if I see any pictures of this in the League chat later.”

He waited for his friend’s response, or to hear a cackle at his current predicament, but was met with silence. His eyes shot open, and he was met with what looked to be a classroom ceiling.

A very specific, highschool for heroes, classroom ceiling.

UA’s classroom ceiling.

Izuku quietly cursed as he sat up and attempted to get his bearings straight. He was having a great day and he really didn’t want to cause an incident. None of the UA heroes knew what Deku’s face looked like, but he would have to explain why a random teenager suddenly appeared in one of their classrooms.

He just had to play it cool until he could make his daring escape and finally get the ice cream he had been dreaming about.

Did Chihiro have some type of teleportation quirk? Those were extremely rare, and very difficult to master. Izuku already made a mental note to have Kurogiri teach the boy to control the power, but he switched his attention back to the matter at hand.

He sat up with a groan, shaking out his hair and cracking his neck before looking around the room. The students looked surprised and on guard, and it only took a moment for him to recognize the faces of his friends. They were younger, probably in their first year of highschool. It quickly dawned on him that he was no longer in his universe, but his suspicions were confirmed when he met a very familiar pair of green eyes.

This younger version of himself looked very cookie cutter, an air of uncertainty and lack of confidence hung around him. His hair was unruly, his tie crooked, and his shoes bright red. Izuku realized his own appearance was probably a shock to what was more than likely a hero version of himself.

His hair was a bit shorter, more evenly trimmed and shaved on the underside to keep it from peaking out of his helmet. He had piercings covering his ears and nose, and a new eyebrow piercing that he got to celebrate his birthday. He had a scar over his right eye from a recent training session with his dad. Izuku wore a black t-shirt with one of Hitoshi’s zip up hoodies and dark jeans with his favorite tactical boots.

Besides their physical differences, he began to wonder what else was different in this world.

How had he gotten into the hero program without All Might freaking out about his quirk? Izuku allowed his quirk to reach out, expecting to be met with the familiar feeling of his own power reaching back out. His eyes widened when he was met with One for All, but he didn’t allow his expression to give too much away.

He knew that One for All would probably kill anyone that wasn’t quirkless at this point, and he realized that this version of him probably grew up without any power.

Izuku turned on his most charming smile before finally breaking the tense silence in the room.

“Well, this is pretty weird.” He chuckled, but his laugh turned into a shriek when tendrils wrapped around him and pulled him into the air.

One thing he had failed to think about during his analysis was the teacher of this class, the man who was now his ally back in his own world. A man that would be extremely displeased if a random person resembling his student dropped into his classroom without explanation.

“Hi, Eraserhead.” He was turned to face the teacher and chuckled when he saw that the man had his quirk fully activated. Izuku didn’t want to damage Aizawa’s scarf, but he also really hated being restrained like this.

He used one of his quirks to make his body sludge-like so that he could slide out of the scarf’s hold.

“Sadly, your quirk doesn’t work on me. The Eraserhead in my universe still tries, though.” Izuku held his hands up when it seemed like the man was going to attack him.

He didn’t miss the way the younger versions of himself and Katsuki flinched when they saw him use that particular quirk. Izuku had stolen it years ago from a rather cruel man who had a penchant for taking over people’s bodies. He had made the unfortunate mistake of targeting Izuku one day as he walked home. The way the two boys flinched made him wonder if that interaction had gone much differently in this world.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” The teacher was in a fighting stance, and Izuku really didn’t feel like doing this right now. His head still hurt, he actually admired the underground hero, and he wasn’t sure what the differences of this universe were yet.

“Didn’t think I needed to introduce myself, but my name is Izuku Midoriya.” He heard several gasps, and he grinned as he saw the younger version of himself start muttering theories under his breath. He then decided to answer the second part of the question.

“I’m here because I was walking with Kacchan and we stopped some thugs from harassing two boys. Guess one of the kids had some type of dimension hopping ability, so here I am.” He shrugged, eyeing the rest of the class with his hands still in the air. He didn’t want to reveal too much, not yet.

If he was a hero here, was Tomura a hero as well? Was his dad a hero? His curiosity outweighed any other motivations. This dimension hopping quirk had to have some type of limit, and he wanted to find out as much as he could while he was here. Some of the information could help him and his cause in his own world.

Aizawa eyed him suspiciously and nodded slowly, settling his back against the board as he seemed to be waiting for something.

“Nedzu is coming, isn’t he?” Izuku sighed and ran his hands over his face. He wasn’t necessarily surprised, the principal did have the entire UA campus crawling with cameras.

He wasn’t in the mood to deal with the rat, but he’d have to if he wanted to get anything out of this experience.

Moments later there was scurrying in the air vents, and he was soon face to face with the principal of UA. Nedzu eyed him with curiosity, and Izuku suddenly felt like an animal being primed for autopsy. The rat pulled out his signature tea cup as he hummed with amusement, sipping on his favorite beverage as he let the tense silence build between them.

“I think I’d like to play you in chess.” He finally decided, headed towards the door before Izuku or Aizawa could argue.

He followed behind the principal silently, unsurprised when Aizawa stepped into the hallway behind him. The three of them navigated their way to the office in complete silence, though Izuku knew the two heroes were watching him with caution.

Nedzu kept true to his word, immediately pulling out a chess board and gesturing for Izuku to make the first move. After they had each moved a few pieces he was offered tea, and he sipped on the surprisingly delicious blend as he thought over his next steps.

Izuku had to admit he was having fun, he was never challenged like this by anyone other than his father. He briefly wondered if his world’s Nedzu would be interested in a match every once in a while, but the rat was still too much of a wild card. Aizawa watched them play, his face giving nothing away as he simply stood over the large desk with a blank expression.

He had just narrowly escaped losing the match when Nedzu’s attention shifted towards the door.

“You can come in, Yagi.” Izuku tensed at the name, and his suspicions were confirmed as All Might entered the room.

“I wanted to meet the other Young Midoriya.” The man’s smile was bright, but his eyes were sharp.

The way All Might said his name so familiarly gave Izuku new insight to the dynamics in this new world. He briefly wondered if the younger version of himself was a spy sent to trick All Might into giving him One for All.

He’d have to ask later, away from heroes and cameras.

All Might began asking him questions, many of which led to Izuku leaving out specific details or fibbing all together. Throughout the conversation he couldn’t help but realize how geeky the number one hero was.

He didn’t hate the man, not like his father and brother, but more so viewed him as a victim of hero society just like the rest of them.

A question was itching underneath his skin, and he felt it was finally time to pull out one of his cards. Best to observe potential enemies when they were under pressure, especially once they began letting their guard down.

“Why did you give me One for All in this world?”

The silence in the room was stifling, and he made a mental note each time Nedzu or All Might glanced over at Aizawa with concern. The underground hero’s eyes were shining with curiosity, making it obvious that he had no idea about the quirk.

Nedzu shrugged and seemed to make the decision that Aizawa was trustworthy enough to be in the know.

“Do you not have the One for All Quirk in your world?” The rat sipped at his tea as he waited for a response. Izuku realized they were playing chess in their own way, the principal waiting to see what information he would divulge.

“No, All Might is still a full fledged hero in my world. He tried to pass on One for All but it almost killed his successor.” Izuku vividly remembered finding Mirio in an alley convulsing in pain from multiple broken limbs and two quirks battling for dominance inside of him.

Aizawa and Izuku had made a visit to the man that night, and left with a promise that One for All would either die with All Might or be passed onto Izuku for safe keeping.

This world’s All Might shifted uncomfortably, but Izuku couldn’t tell if it was from the mention of a successor’s narrow escape from death or from secrets being spilled.

None of the heroes asked him how he knew about One for All or how he knew who had received the quirk. He would hold those secrets close to him, at least until he could get more information out of them.

He wanted to talk to the younger version of himself, curious to know what burdens he faced as All Might’s successor. Seeing the innocence and naivety reflected back at him through his own eyes had shifted something inside of him. It felt strange, but he felt protective over the alternate versions of his friends.

Another question burned in his mind, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to explore too much.

What were his brother and dad doing in this world? What was their role in all of this?

Where was his mother? He could never imagine her approving him receiving such a volatile quirk, especially if he grew up quirkless in this world.

They asked him more questions about his world while he gave vague yet truthful replies. Aizawa seemed to relax the more they spoke, though All Might still seemed a bit wary. The tone shifted once Nedzu began to explain One for All to the underground hero.

“I almost expelled him.” Aizawa’s voice was low, dangerous. Izuku leaned back in his chair to watch the situation play out.

All Might was tense, his eyes shining with guilt as his head hung low. Nedzu sipped at his tea with a blank expression, while Aizawa seemed ready to bite the blond’s head off. The underground hero seemed to remember their guest, his eyes darting over to the teenager before he took a deep breath.

“We will discuss this later.” He shot them one last glare before hiding his face back into his scarf.

“Well, now that we have gotten to know each other a bit more I feel that you are not an immediate threat.” Nedzu placed his cup down and leapt up on his desk to step closer to Izuku.

“Aizawa, please show Midoriya to the 1A dorms. I believe that keeping him under our roof will allow us to keep an eye on him until he returns to his world.” The principal’s grin was mischievous, and Izuku began to realize he and the rat might be more similar than he thought.

Perhaps he would reach out to the man when he got back to his world, even if it only led to chess matches.

He also was interested in finding out why 1A had dorms in this world, but he would leave those questions for later.

“I won’t cause you any trouble, scouts honor.” Izuku grinned back, both of their gazes glittering in a way that made Aizawa clench his jaw.

He stood to follow the teacher, but he quickly paused when he realized he had not heard anyone mention his favorite caramel apple loving child.

“Is Eri staying with you on campus?” His fears were confirmed when he was met with confusion from the three heroes.

“Who is Eri?”

Izuku’s heart sank, his ears ringing as he quickly realized that Eri was still there. That she was still being tortured by those sick fucks in this world.

“She’s your daughter.” His mind was racing as he tried to decide what to do. He could pop over and take care of things now, but he didn’t have enough information yet. In this world it was possible that Eri was living a good life, one free of abuse and psychological torture from the Shie Hassaikai.

Deep in his gut he knew that wasn’t the case here.

“M-my daughter?” Aizawa’s eyes were wide and confused, and Izuku realized he needed to explain the situation.

He told the heroes of the Shie Hassaiki and their experiments, of the little girl who believed her quirk was a curse. They seemed surprised when he told them about rescuing her in his universe, and how he left her in Aizawa and Mic’s care. They probably figured he was a vigilante or villain in his world, he was sure his appearance and attitude gave it away.

“I’ll reach out to my sources, see if anyone knows anything about the girl.” Aizawa finally spoke, his face serious as he pulled out his phone.

Izuku appreciated his promptness, but if they didn’t have any information within the next day he would rescue her himself.

He followed Aizawa to the dorms, the air between them shifting now that the man had seen a more altruistic side of him. There was no doubt that the hero was worried for Eri, but he also had to protect his students from the potential threat Izuku posed.

All of the students of 1A were gathered in the living areas, mostly doing homework or chatting on the couches. They all turned to stare at him when he entered with their teacher.

“This Midoriya was sent here by a quirk accident in his universe and will be staying here for now.” Aizawa’s explanation was short and to the point, the exhaustion in his voice was evident as he inched towards the door.

“If he tries anything, you all have permission to subdue him.” The teacher waved to his students and left without another word. He knew the teacher was only acting casual, there would be eyes on him at all times.

Izuku looked around for a familiar head of purple hair, his eyes narrowing when he didn’t spot Hitoshi. Surely his boyfriend would be a hero in this world as well.

He decided against asking any of the teenagers if they knew him, but he would be doing his own research. If Hitoshi was a vigilante or villain in this universe he could not give too much information away.

The students were all staring at him, a mixture of apprehension and curiosity in their eyes. Izuku put his hands in his pockets and waited for someone to speak. When it was clear that he would need to break the ice, he finally spoke.

“So, Anyone have any questions?”

A wave of hands shot up in the air. He didn’t see the harm in answering, since there was no risk to a timeline or changing things in his own universe. Part of him was concerned that the goody two shoes version of him would have a heart attack depending on what he revealed.

He looked around, deciding to call on a small boy with purple balls in his hair.

“You, purple boy.” Izuku pointed, ignoring the undignified pout that the boy gave him before asking his question.

“How old are you?”

There were a few disappointed grumbles at the tame question, but Izuku quickly answered.

“I’m seventeen, but I’m turning eighteen in July. Next question!”

He called on Tsuyu, confident that the girl would have a more interesting question.

“Are you a hero in your world?” Her face was blank, and he cursed her blunt nature. He wasn’t sure how much he wanted to reveal quite yet, but he decided that he could begin to leave breadcrumbs for them.

“No. Next question.” He smiled, but he noticed a few of the students looking between each other.

When he called on Ochako she jumped straight to the point.

“Are you a villain?”

He sucked his teeth, not necessarily from annoyance but more so from disappointment that things were coming out so quickly.

“I didn’t want to say it outright, but yes. I am the most powerful villain in the world and number one on the commission's watch list.” He shrugged, he didn’t really take the commission’s ranking as a badge of honor.

“You probably don’t have a League of Villains here, but I am the leader of the group with my brother.” He wondered if it would be appropriate to show them pictures of his friends and family, but he decided that could be saved for another time.

The energy in the room took a sudden shift, tension filling the air as the students stared at him with wide and distrusting eyes.

He quickly realized that the League must exist here, and that these kids had negative experiences with the group. If he was a hero here, did that mean that Tomura led the League on his own? How different were things here without his influence? If he and his mother weren’t there to reign in his father’s less than savory tendencies… Izuku shook his head.

The kid’s were looking at him with a mix of shock, respect, and apprehension. He couldn’t blame a group of hero students for being concerned about a villain in their midst, but he hoped he could show them that he wasn’t a threat.

“Midoriya’s quirk is pretty powerful, I’m sure it would be terrifying if he was a villain!” Satou remarked, causing the hero version of Izuku to hide his face in his hands.

“We actually don’t have the same quirk, at least it seems that way.” Izuku added. He wouldn’t reveal anything about One for All or All for One, but he could at least show the kids his quirk.

A chorus of voices asked him what his power was, and he asked for a willing participant. A blond boy he didn’t recognize stood up with a twinkling smile, prancing up to the front of the room to be his volunteer.

Izuku reached out a hand, pulling at the boy’s quirk until it was his. He made the power glow in the air to show the students what was happening. Gasps filled the air when Aoyama lifted his shirt to reveal that his stomach laser was missing.

The smile on Izuku’s face quickly morphed into a frown when he realized how wrong the power felt. It was clear that this quirk did not belong to the boy in front of him, but he would leave it alone for now. He returned the quirk and turned back towards the class to explain his power.

“I have the ability to take people’s quirks, I can hold as many as I want for as long as I want.” He tried to smile in a non-threatening manner, not wanting his explanation to scare them too much.

It was a rather intimidating power, but he never used it against anyone innocent.

Green eyes stared back at him, the younger boy’s mouth moving a mile a minute as he theorized about the quirk. It was such a familiar action that it made Izuku feel homesick for his friends and family. He hoped he would be able to return home sooner rather than later.

The students quickly seemed to realize that if he wanted to cause them harm, he would have. Someone with a quirk like his didn’t necessarily need to play the long game to try to manipulate people into trusting him.

Some of them still seemed a bit intimidated, but most of the class went back to asking him questions about himself and his world.

Mina asked if he knew any of them in his world, and he explained that there was not a Class 1A where he came from.

“Nothing bad happened, it’s just that… well you are the League of Villains. The ones who did not join me left heroism to pursue other things.” They seemed eager to learn more, so he continued.

“Eraserhead isn’t a hero anymore, he is more of a vigilante on a team with Present Mic and Midnight.” This seemed to spur them on more, and Denki raised his hand enthusiastically.

“What’s your villain name?” The blond’s was practically bouncing from excitement.

Izuku didn’t think it was that interesting, but he obliged.

“Deku, it kind of means useless. It's a nickname my childhood best friend gave me as a joke because my quirk is so overpowered, but I was still pretty clumsy and nerdy as a kid.” He avoided looking over at Katsuki.

“We had a falling out for a little while when I decided to lean fully into villainy, but he eventually joined me. It’s a reminder to the public that I fight for all of the people deemed useless by our society.”

He saw Katuski shift awkwardly in his chair, but the blond remains quiet. It seemed they had a complicated relationship in this world as well.

Hero Izuku was staring up at him with wide eyes, though he seemed more curious than upset.

I wonder what his hero name is, if he’s decided on one.

“Do you help people with mutation quirks?” Shoji’s voice was quiet but firm, his posture stiff. It was clear that he did not want to appear hopeful.

“Of course, me and my dad actually started a shadow organization that helps people kicked out of homes and jobs because of their quirks.” Izuku paused, deciding to divulge another secret from his world.

“You and Kouda actually help us run it. You help us find people in need and Kouda rescues animals from the street to act as emotional support.” He grinned when the two quiet teens lit up at this information.

Perhaps it would give them ideas for what they could do in this world, even if they ended up doing it as heroes instead of social outcasts.

“You don’t really seem like a villain.”

He turned to find Jirou staring at him with a bored expression, and he simply shrugged.

“My main beef is with the hero commission and heroes that abuse their power, I don’t mess with innocent people.” He watched as she considered him for a moment before she spoke again.

“Am I a part of the League?” She didn’t seem disturbed by the idea, moreso intrigued if anything.

“Yes, your girlfriend convinced you to leave vigilantism to join us.” Momo had been ecstatic when her girlfriend had finally agreed, and the two of them were practically inseparable now.

Jirou nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer as she looked away with reddened cheeks.

“Who else is a part of the league?” Eijirou piped up.

Izuku looked around the room and began to count, eventually figuring out it would be easier to just list out the names.

“Mina, Ochako, Denki, Jirou, Sero, Tokoyami, Shoto, Kacchan, Momo, and Eijirou. There are also members that were in Class 1B as well, and everyone else are either vigilantes sympathetic to my cause or people that work with me in the underground.” He smiled as the students all seemed to regard each other in a new light.

“I cannot imagine a world where I would become a villain.” Iida spoke up, causing Izuku’s heart to drop.

Flashes of an alley covered in blood went through his mind, but he took a deep breath to steady himself. He had avoided looking at the boy for too long, wanting to avoid painful memories of a lost friend. Izuku finally allowed himself to face him, ignoring the nausea that overtook him.

He stared for a long time, for once he was left speechless in a situation. Tenya seemed to sense his apprehension, his eyebrows furrowing before he seemed to come to a conclusion.

“Hosu?” Tenya asked, his voice emotionless.

Izuku nodded, his fingernails digging into his palm as he clenched his fists. He noticed Shoto and hero Izuku glance at each other, and he allowed himself to smile.

“I’m happy you were protected in this world.”

Tenya hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“What happened to Stain in your world?”

Izuku debated how much he should reveal, but decided to go for the truth.

“I broke every bone in his body and took his quirk.” He avoided looking at the other students, instead focusing solely on Tenya.

“I see.” The blue-haired boy nodded before sitting back in his seat.

“Can you show us some of your quirks?” Momo spoke up next, and Izuku was grateful for the tone change. He thought it over for a moment before deciding on a few that would be safe to show indoors.

Most of them were party tricks, quirks that his father had given him when he was younger so that he could practice with his power. He was surprised when multiple students volunteered to have him take their quirk so they could see what it felt like.

He wanted to tell them that they shouldn’t trust so easily, but he decided to allow them to have some fun. It was clear they had experience with the League, and he was sure that experience came with its own trauma. If this was a way for them to feel like kids for once, he wouldn’t ruin it with his lectures.

“How many quirks do you have?” Ochako asked as he returned her quirk to her.

Izuku closed his eyes and reached out into his power, inventorying his quirks and counting them up. He never really kept track of them, but it was interesting to get an idea of what he was working with.

“205, I mostly take them from my dad or people who use their quirks to abuse or cause harm to others.” Overhaul’s quirk itched under his skin, and his mind went back to Eri.

He would gladly take down the Shie Hassaikai again if it meant being able to save her from her cursed fate. If Aizawa and Nedzu did not have information for him by the morning he would do his own reconnaissance.

The students seemed satisfied by their Q&A session and decided to start on homework and chores for the night. Some migrated into the kitchen to make dinner, and Izuku offered to whip them up something. He was technically crashing in their home until he could go back to his universe, his mother would be disappointed if he didn’t at least cook for them.

He looked over the ingredients and decided to make a big batch of his mother’s katsudon. As he cooked he chatted with the students, noting the similarities and differences from his world. He was introduced to Mineta and Aoyama as he never met them in his own world.

Mineta quickly began to get on his nerves, though he knew he couldn’t do too much to the kid without causing problems. Aoyama caused the alarm bells in his mind to go off. There was something wrong about his quirk, yet another mystery that he wanted to explore while he was here.

Once the food was ready he settled in next to Denki and Kirishima. A few other students decided to join them, but this universe’s versions of Katsuki and Izuku avoided him at all costs. He was surprised they didn’t retreat to their rooms, but it seemed the temptation of home cooked katsudon was enough to keep them in the common areas.

The conversations were casual, some of the kids working on assignments while others read or played games with each other. Izuku wanted to ask about their experience with the League in this world, but he felt those questions were best reserved for Aizawa.

There was no reason he needed to make them relive what seemed to be traumatic experiences.

They all helped clean up, the comradery reminding him of nights with his friends and family when they would all eat together. He hoped he would be home sooner rather than later.

Momo gave him extra blankets, pillows, a toothbrush, and even a change of clothes using her quirk.

“If you need anything else, please let me know.” She smiled kindly before heading to her room for the night.

He went to the bathroom to shower and change, the soft feeling of the pajamas relaxing him as he thought about making a cup of tea. As he stepped back into the common area he felt eyes on him.

Shoto, Katsuki, and this world’s Izuku were hanging around, avoiding each other’s gazes as they waited for him. Izuku hid his knowing grin as he stepped further into the room.

“Who wants to go first?” He crossed his arms, putting off his thoughts of a hot mug of tea until this was over.

“I want to challenge you tomorrow.” Shoto sized Izuku up as he stepped forward, his face blank as he spoke.

Izuku chuckled, it seemed that this Shoto was exactly like his friend back home. He didn’t see any harm in a battle, as long as Aizawa and Nedzu approved. This was Shoto’s way of reaching out, a way for him to see if he was trustworthy. The boy more than likely had questions, and Izuku would try his best to answer them.

His mind went to Dabi, and he wondered what the Todoroki brother’s relationship was like in this world.

He nodded, accepting the challenge.

Shoto had a ghost of a smile on his face, something Izuku only noticed because he had known his friend for so long. The duo-toned boy headed towards the elevators without another word.

The smaller version of him approached him slowly, his eyes trained on the ground for a long moment before he finally looked up. Izuku couldn’t imagine how many questions the boy had, but he was shocked by what he heard next.

“What happened to mom? Is that why you became a villain? I can’t imagine her ever being okay with this.”

Izuku was confused, the kid didn’t mention their dad at all. Did their dad not stick around? Was their dad even the same person?

If their father was so different in this world, no wonder the kids had trauma.

“Mom is around, her and dad support me and my cause fully.” He watched carefully as the other Izuku flinched at the mention of their father.

“Dad is around?” The younger boy’s voice was quiet, breaking Izuku’s heart.

“Yeah, my whole life.” He didn’t want to push too hard, but he began seeing the full picture. They stared at each other for a long moment, neither knowing what to say.

“I can answer any questions you have, take your time thinking about it.” Izuku smiled kindly, watching as the mirror image of his younger self headed towards the elevator. The boy paused for a moment and turned with a small smile on his face.

“My hero name is Deku.”

They shared a smile before Izuku turned towards the last person waiting to speak to him.

Izuku was finally able to get a good look at Katsuki, immediately noticing the differences between his close friend and this version of him. This boy seemed to hold a deep seeded anger and resentment, his expression guarded and cautious.

His Katsuki had a temper, sure, but he couldn’t help but think that something else was going on. He waited for him to speak, not wanting to scare him off before he could ask his questions.

“I’d never become a villain.” The blond practically growled at him, his words mirroring a conversation he had with his own friend years ago.

“Maybe not in this world, but things are much different where I come from. It seems our friendship is different here as well.” Izuku paused, thinking over his words before continuing.

“I was never quirkless, you knew my father and brother were villains from the start of our friendship. I’m not sure that I would become a villain if I was born in this world, everything seems so different.”

He thought about what it would be like to grow up without his father, without Tomura. How it would feel to have it just be him and his mom, to have no power to claim as his own.

If he and Katsuki had such a harsh falling out in this world, did that mean that this version of him was alone the entire time? Izuku was more surprised that in this world he was not a villain.

Katsuki stayed quiet for a long time and stormed off, not saying another word.

Izuku shook his head, his mind drifting to his own world as he got ready for bed. While he enjoyed learning about this universe, he missed his own.

He hoped he wouldn’t have to wait too long to see his loved ones again.

Chapter Text

It had been almost twenty-four hours since Izuku had woken up in a world that was not his own. He tried his best not to let the distance from his loved ones get to him, but he knew he could only be strong for so long. Izuku knew that Mei and the others would figure out a way to contact him, he just had to hold out.

Aizawa found him shortly after he woke up, his expression dark as he led Izuku into a corner of the common area.

“I have information on the girl you mentioned, we will meet after classes are finished for the day.” The teacher sounded more exhausted than usual.

Izuku wanted to argue, wanted to insist that they rescue her immediately instead of waiting another day. Even one more hour of torture was far too much. He held his tongue, allowing himself to trust the hero even if his mind was screaming at him.

He decided to follow the students for the day, the academic classes a welcome distraction from his overactive thoughts. Word of his existence had quickly spread throughout the school, and the lunch hour was spent answering questions from various students.

His breath caught when he saw a familiar head of messy purple hair across the room, but Hitoshi disappeared into the crowd before he could find him.

It still felt wrong that the two of them weren’t close in this world. Izuku wanted to push more, but if Hitoshi was an undercover villain or vigilante he would only blow his cover. He couldn’t be certain that they would even get along in this universe.

Hitoshi probably hadn’t applied to the hero course, or he would certainly be a part of Class 1A. There was no way someone with so much talent would not make it through the process. He side-eyed Mineta, a boy who should not have made his way through the doors of the school.

The small boy probably had connections in the commission or a powerful agency. He had seen so much corruption that nothing truly surprised him, and the commission was not above manipulating UA’s admissions.

The day dragged on until it was time for the hero courses. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he quickly found himself in the center of a large fighting ring with All Might and Aizawa staring at him expectantly.

“You want me to fight your students?” He was staring at the teachers as though they had lost their minds.

It made sense, he had an infinite number of quirks at his disposal and a mind for combat. This would be a great opportunity for the students to learn their strengths and weaknesses while preparing for the potential threat of his father.

They agreed to have the entire class fight him before giving individuals the opportunity. He knew that Shoto would be first in line, but he saw the determined gleam in more than a few student’s eyes.

Izuku stretched his body, never one to underestimate an opponent even with his power. The students lined up, their battle stances confident and well-practiced.

Just how much combat experience do these first years have?

He had offered to limit the amount of quirks he used, but the students protested that they wanted to fight against his full power.

Aizawa counted down while the adrenaline of battle filled Izuku’s veins. He couldn’t help but grin, looking forward to the much needed distraction from his predicament.

The moment their teacher gave them the signal the students leapt, their formations a clear sign that they had coordinated an attack plan. He was already impressed, watching as they worked together with an ease most pro hero teams lacked.

Izuku allowed himself to get lost in the fight, not holding back as much as he thought he would but still withholding his full power. Some of the students seemed to notice, their glares harsh as they fought with all of their power.

He debated unleashing his full potential, but he did not want to deal with the repercussions of blowing up UA’s campus.

The students put up a good fight, the battle ending as they all fell around him. Some gave up much earlier than others, with Mineta running to hide behind his teachers minutes into the fight. Most of the students lasted until they could no longer stand, and he was unsurprised to see his closest friends still on their feet.

Once the battle was complete he switched into leader mode, offering tips and tricks based on his experiences with their quirks and the insights he got from their fight. The kids knew their quirks well, but they still lacked a bit of experience.

“Let’s save our one on one battles for another time, no need to overexert ourselves.” He chuckled when Katsuki, Shoto, Ochako, Tenya, and Eijirou all deflated with disappointment. Even his hero self seemed upset that they wouldn’t be able to go head to head.

The analytical part of his mind wanted to see more of what the kid could do with One for All, but that would have to wait for another day. Izuku would have to make sure he made it up to them if he had the time.

All Might wouldn’t meet his gaze, clearly spooked by seeing his greatest foe’s quirk up close and personal again. Izuku had tried to avoid taking any of the student’s quirks unless absolutely necessary, but it didn’t seem to ease the man’s concerns.

He shrugged it off, not necessarily caring what the hero’s opinion of him was.

Shoto caught his gaze as the rest of the students debriefed with each other and waited for the end of the class period. He walked over and used one of his quirks to create an invisible sound barrier.

There was a beat of awkward silence before Shoto inhaled and began to speak.

“Did I become a villain because of my father?” Bi-colored eyes bore into him as they awaited a response.

Izuku chewed on his cheek, unsure how exactly to respond. Did this Shoto know about his brother? Had Dabi suffered the same fate in this world?

The question made it clear that Endeavor had not been father of the year in this world, but that didn’t mean that Dabi was a villain. He decided to step around the full truth, not wanting to expose too much.

“Yes, you wanted to tear down the hero system and prevent children from going through what you did.” He wanted to know if Dabi was safe here, if he had made it as a hero. Part of him knew that wasn’t the case, that he was either dead or spiraling into villainy without any support.

If he and Tomura had found each other, both of them lost and looking for a place to direct their anger, that was the worst case scenario.

Shoto stared at the ground deep in thought for a long while. He accepted Izuku’s response with a curt nod before returning to his classmates’ sides. Izuku noticed how Tenya, Ochako, Shoto, and this Izuku seemed to gravitate towards each other.

All Might was the next to approach, clearly curious about the origins of Izuku’s quirk. This was a conversation he wished to avoid, but he decided to speak up before the man could question his parentage.

“Yes, my father is All for One. No, that does not mean that your Izuku is All for One’s son. Yes, I am more powerful than my father.” Izuku stared blankly after he finished speaking, waiting for the information to process in the older hero’s mind. The hero was quiet, but he seemed more contemplative than concerned.

“I would never judge him for his parentage, but I can’t help but wonder-” He stopped himself, pausing before continuing.

“My enemy is dead, so I suppose it does not matter.”

Izuku froze, his mouth going dry as he realized that All Might thought his father was dead in this world. From the moment he was dropped in Class 1A, he could feel the pulse of his father’s power somewhere out there. In his world it was a source of comfort, a honing signal that reminded him of home no matter where he was. Here, it was a reminder of what his father could have been if Izuku hadn’t knocked some sense into him.

“My father is still alive in this world.” He watched as All Might paled, but a bright flash of light in the sky interrupted his revelations.

The students were on high alert, the teachers both dropping into battle stances as they stared up at the strange light. Izuku was used to the tension of battle, but something else hung in the air as they waited for an enemy to announce itself. It seemed these children had been through something similar before.

They had immediately shifted into battle positions, perfectly primed to counterattack any threat. That reaction time was not something that came from training, rather it grew from personal experience.

He wanted to learn more about their past, about what they had been through in their short lives. A familiar voice rang through the air and immediately stole his attention.

“Izuku! Pick up the fucking phone! You stupid little shit!” Tomura’s voice rang through the training center, his voice scratchier than normal. Muffled voices could be heard from the light, all speaking over each other in varying tones.

“Where the fuck is my brother?!” Tomura’s voice once again sounded out, the light slowly morphing into a screen-like circle as the faces of his loved ones appeared.

Mei was front and center with a feral grin on her face, her eyes sparkling in relief when her eyes landed on him. Tomura was leaning over her seat with a glare, his neck red from nervous itching. The rest of the League was behind them, desperately trying to catch a glimpse to confirm that Izuku was okay.

“Zuku! You okay?” Mei’s words lifted a weight he did not know he had been carrying. He was confident in his friend’s abilities, but a small part of him was beginning to wonder if he’d ever see his favorite people again.

“Yeah! Things are a little weird here but I’m having fun!” His smile was so big it began to hurt, but he couldn’t help it.

Tomura stared at him for a few seconds before smiling back, relief evident on his face as he began to call everyone else to come look. Class 1A and their teachers were staring up at the screen with slack jaws and wide eyes as their villainous doppelgangers began filling the screen.

“No one’s hurt you, right? I’ll destroy them if they do anything to my little brother.” Tomura hadn’t even noticed All Might or the hero students, but they couldn’t take their eyes off of him. Mineta was trembling in fear, but it was clear the other students were very familiar with his older brother.

Izuku ignored the gnawing thoughts filling his head and chose to focus instead on his loved ones. Figuring out the complexities of this world could wait for later.

All of his worries melted away when Hitoshi appeared on screen, the bags under his eyes more prevalent than ever. They stared at each other with matching goofy grins, enjoying the moment until Mei coughed loudly.

“Izuku, I love you so much.” Hitoshi spoke softly, his sudden affection making the green-haired villain blush.

“But if you ever worry me like that again I’m using my quirk to make you publicly declare your adoration for Endeavor.”

“It wasn’t my fault-” He paused when Hitoshi raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to continue.

“I love you too, I won’t get sent to another universe by a child’s quirk ever again, I promise. Izuku pouted, not wanting to spend these precious moments defending himself. He wasn’t sure how long he was gone in his world, but he knew that if he was in Hitoshi’s shoes he’d feel the same.

Everyone checked in with him, some of them even waving to their heroic counterparts. Toga and Dabi wondered why they weren’t heroes as well, and Izuku steered the conversation away from this world’s League. Katsuki commented on how little this world’s version of him looked, causing a barrage of expletives and explosives to erupt.

Aizawa quickly contained his student, and Izuku was grateful that they all gave him this uninterrupted time to talk to his family.

Once the League was finished checking on him his mother and father appeared on screen. All Might let out a choked sound at the sight of his father, and hero Izuku’s eyes were locked in on his parent’s conjoined hands.

“My baby, I’m so happy you’re okay!” His mom was a crying mess, tears pouring down her face as his father desperately tried to wipe them away.

“I am glad you are okay, my boy. We were all ready to break down the barriers of space-time if anything had happened to you.” The warmth in his father’s voice easily overshadowed the very real threat in his words.

He told them about his experience there, the way he woke up in the classroom and met the alternate versions of themselves. His father and mother were about to step aside when they noticed a certain blond hero staring up at them.

His father’s face turned into a glare, power radiating off of him even through the screen.

Izuku really hoped his father wasn’t going to threaten the man too much, but he also didn’t stop him.

“All Might, it seems you are partially responsible for my son’s positive experience in that world. I must thank you.” The words were clipped and radiated false politeness.

All Might’s face was pale, he tried to find words but he kept opening and closing his mouth without speaking.

“See to it that you take care of my precious son, both versions of him.” His father’s eyes drifted over to the hero Izuku, and the man gave the boy a soft smile before turning back towards the hero.

His mother quickly pulled him out of the screen before he could threaten the number one hero anymore, and Mei pushed her way back to the front of the crowd.

“We talked to Chihiro and his brother and were able to figure out how long you’ll be there. It will be two weeks for you, but only three days for us.” Mei grinned, but he knew her well enough to see the concern in her expression.

“Thanks for calling, I knew you’d figure something out. You have to show me whatever this device is when I get back. I love you all.” His throat felt a bit tight, so he decided to end things on a humorous note.

“Make sure you all behave, no killing anyone while I’m gone!” He chuckled as Tomura and his father pouted. The heroes and students surrounding him shared concerned looks.

“Unless they really deserve it… just kidding!” Izuku looked at the students surrounding him and winked, but when he turned back to the screen his expression made it clear that he was not kidding.

They said their goodbyes with promises to call again, and Izuku felt a piece of his heart leave with them once the screen disappeared. He answered the student’s questions as they walked back into the main school building.

Aizawa caught his eye, gesturing for him to follow him into a side hallway while the students went to the lockers to change. Once they were out of ear shot, the hero pulled out his phone and passed it to the teen.

Izuku’s heart raced once he recognized the Shie Hassaikai base, and his mouth went dry when he saw the blurry picture of Overhaul and his men.

“Where’d you get this information?” Izuku continued to read, memorizing as much as he could. Most of it was the same, but there was a bit more information than he had when he raided the base in his world.

“Sir Nighteye has been investigating the Shie Hassaikai for a while, he sent this over an hour ago. We can make our moves tonight if you’d like.” The man watched Izuku carefully.

Izuku thought of Eri, the sweet girl that had endured so much. He passed the phone back to the teacher and nodded, his mind already whirring with plans.

“Let’s go rescue a little girl.”

Chapter Text

The main problem with going on a mission in another dimension was the lack of tactical gear. Izuku was less worried about getting injured and more so about ruining hero Izuku’s reputation in this world.

This dilemma brought him to the door of the Support Course - the feral cackling on the other side confirming that the person he was looking for was on the other side.

He stepped into the unfamiliar workshop, his defenses lowering when he saw a familiar head of pink hair.

“Oh! Its you! Are you here to see some of my babies?” Mei pushed her goggles up and turned to him with a grin. It was clear this wasn’t his Mei, but the sight of his best friend still released some of the tension in his shoulders.

“I’m not exactly the Izuku Midoriya that you know.” He made himself comfortable and decided to explain his predicament and their friendship in his own world.

She listened to his story with bright eyes and a wide smile, her interest apparent when he mentioned some of his friend’s most ridiculous inventions. He hoped that her interest would extend into helping him with his current issue.

“I guess I need to get to know our greenie in this world a little better, we could make so many amazing babies together!” Mei rubbed her hands together with a grin.

Izuku shook his head and smiled at his friend’s poor choice of wording before deciding to finally bring up why he was here.

“About that, would you mind making me some gear? I need to take care of something later.” He barely got the words out before a flying pink mass was tackling him to the ground.

“Really?! I’ll make you the best suit you’ve ever worn!” Mei bounced up and across the room at terrifying speed.

Once she confirmed his preferences he was ushered out of her workshop to allow her to focus. She promised she would find him in a few hours, and he knew she would make good on that promise.

He had just made his way back to the main school building when Nedzu popped out in front of him. Izuku tried his best to hide his shock - and the fact that he almost kicked the principal down the hallways in surprise - with a casual wave.

“We will be conducting a planning meeting for tonight’s operation in my office shortly. Your presence would be highly appreciated.” Nedzu sipped on his ever present tea cup with a blank expression.

It was clear that Izuku’s presence was required, and he nodded in agreement before following the principal down the hall. He was told that they were including another hero on the mission against his protests.

Less people meant less risk of someone getting injured… or worse.

He stepped into the office and did his best to school his expression when he saw Sir Nighteye staring back at him. There was only a moment for him to process this information before he sensed something popping out of the ground and hurling towards him.

He caught a flying fist, his senses on high alert as he tried to understand what had just happened. Bright blue eyes bore into him with an intensity that indicated a skilled fighter.

It took him a moment to realize that it was Togata Mirio attacking him, his mind trying to understand why All Might’s successor was trying to fight him.

He isn’t All Might’s successor in this world.

“I heard you were able to go head to head with Class 1A, I wanted to see what your skills were like for myself.” Mirio straightened himself up and reached out a hand, which Izuku shook tentatively.

The switch up in demeanors was unexpected but welcomed. He would still stay on his guard around the heroes, but he wanted to make sure they were focused on the main priority.

“I am not sure that involving a villain from another dimension is the best idea.”

Izuku turned to find Nedzu and Sir Nighteye standing on the opposite end of the room and trying their best to speak in low tones. There was no way for them to know that he had multiple quirks that made their efforts useless, but he wouldn’t comment on the conversation.

It was clear that the bespeckled hero did not want him on the case, but there was truly nothing he could do about it. Izuku was trying his best to remain cordial with the heroes by allowing them to be involved, but his kindness only went so far.

Aizawa told them to gather around the main meeting table in the office to begin sharing what they knew. Most of the intel Sir Nighteye and Mirio shared was the same as his own world, the other information was more useful for eventually persecuting Overhaul for his crimes.

He found himself getting distracted, allowing his mind to wonder back in time to his own fight against the man. It had been a bit more difficult than he had thought, but he came out unscathed in the end. Izuku was less experienced when he had faced Overhaul for the first time, but that was no longer the case.

The man’s quirk buzzed under his skin as though it were excited to go into battle against itself.

“Are we boring you?”

Izuku looked up to find Sir Nighteye glaring at him, clearly unamused by his daydreaming. He bit his tongue, not wanting to ruffle too many feathers. No one dared speak to him that way back in his world, but he’d let it slide here… to a point.

“I know all of this already.” He tried to keep the attitude out of his voice, but his dry tone was evident to everyone in the room.

“While that may be true, you cannot realistically expect to go against the Shie Hassaikai if you are so easily distracted. Your lack of care does little to improve your trustworthiness.” The man pushed his glass up his face, his mouth a thin line of disapproval.

Izuku calmly placed his hands down on the table as he stood, the feeling of Overhaul’s quirk burning in his chest as he called it forward. Small spikes appeared across the entire surface of the table, rising up and down as he manipulated the matter underneath his hands.

Power emanated off of him as he rearranged the table to its original form and sat back down.

“In my world, I took down the Shie Hassaiakai alone. I know everything there is to know about all of their quirks, because I took them. Their base is etched into my mind, because I used this quirk to destroy it.” He crossed his arms to ground himself a bit.

“My sole concern is getting that little girl to safety. If I wanted to steal the quirks of everyone in this building I could do so with a flick of my wrist.” He lifted his hand, preening when Sir Nighteye and Mirio tensed in their seats.

“If I had any ill motivations, I promise you that I would have acted on them when I first got here.”

Aizawa placed a hand on his shoulder, and Izuku immediately released the tension in his shoulders. Something about the man reminded him of his father, a strong and unwavering will that made him seem trustworthy.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

“May I use my quirk on you?” Nighteye’s voice held none of the disdain it had a moment before, but his gaze was still sharp and hesitant.

Izuku simply nodded, his curiosity peaked by the sudden request.

The hero crouched in front of him, outstretching a hand and placing it on Izuku’s shoulder as they made eye contact. His eyes glowed purple behind his glasses, moments passing bye without a word as he was given a peak into the future.

His eyes returned to their normal color, but they were wide with surprise as he seemed to process what he had seen. He stared up at Izuku as though he were seeing him for the first time, all apprehension gone.

Nighteye stood wordlessly, returning to his seat as he ignored the curious stares following him. Something had changed his mind, though it didn’t seem that he would reveal what he had seen.

“We look forward to working with you all, we’ll meet back here when the sun sets.” He gathered his folders and motioned for Mirio to follow.

When the doors shut behind them Izuku turned to Nedzu and Aizawa and shrugged.

“Guess he saw something that changed his mind about me.”

There were a few hours left until their meeting time, and he desperately needed some time to himself while he waited for Mei to bring him his gear. Class 1A were still in their classes for the day, which gave him plenty of time to relax in the dorms.

Aizawa had made it clear that his students were not to learn about the raid, and Izuku saw no reason to break that agreement.

He lounged on one of the couches and pulled out the phone that he was gifted and began searching various keywords.

League of Villains

Shigaraki Tomura

All for One

Izuku Midoriya

Izuku wanted to learn more about the League, and what his brother had been up to without him.

His blood ran cold as he read about the USJ attack and Hosu.

He couldn’t believe that his family would work with stain, but he knew deep down that things were much different in this world. The Tomura he knew was rough around the edges, but the one he was reading about seemed much more unhinged and lost.

Izuku wanted to go see him, if only to knock some sense into him.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door to the dorms slammed open and Mei ran inside with a crate in her arms. He thanked his quick reflexes when the box was suddenly tossed at him, its heavy weight settling into his grip easily.

He peeked over the top to spot the inventor staring up at him with a wide grin.

“I’ve really outdone myself this time, you have to go try it on!” Her joy was evident in her voice, and seeing his best friend so happy cleared away the negative thoughts from before.

He went to the boy’s bathroom to change into his new gear, his strange mood fading as he layered on the various pieces. It was all black body armor that covered most of his body, leaving his hands free to utilize his quirk easily. The mask was simple and covered his hair and the bottom half of his face.

Izuku stepped into the common area and did a spin for Mei as she cheered. He couldn’t help but grin as she explained that the suit was built to withstand his various quirks while also protecting him from any damage.

“Thank you, Mei. This really is amazing.” His heart ached for his own version of the pink-haired girl, but he wouldn’t allow himself to dwell in those thoughts.

This world’s Mei leapt into his arms for a quick hug before making her way towards the front entrance.

“Stay in touch while you’re here! Maybe I’ll get to know the greenie in this world better now.” She winked at him and left, leaving Izuku to change out of his gear and rest.

He waited another hour before leaving the dorms, not wanting the students to see him leaving once they returned for classes. A few rounds of chess with Nedzu would help him clear his head before the mission.

==========================================
They were all in position, waiting for the final clear from Nighteye before their raid began.

Izuku stood on a nearby rooftop looking down at the familiar structure, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was itching for a fight, though he knew he needed to be careful.

If he went too far then Eri or the heroes could get hurt, or worse.

Someone landed behind him, and he was unsurprised to find Aizawa staring at him with a serious expression.

“You ready for this?” The concern was barely hidden in the man’s voice, causing Izuku to chuckle.

“You’re such a teacher.” He grinned when the man rolled his eyes, but he took a moment to give him a serious reply.

“I just want to get Eri out of there without risking anyone on our side.” He stared back down at the base.

“Our side? You’re sounding more and more like a hero each day.” Aizawa gave the teen a genuine smile before leaping off the roof and back into his own position.

Izuku shook his head and refocused, the brief interaction relieving him of the last bit of uncertainty he held.

They would rescue Eri and he put down Overhaul. He couldn’t allow himself to lose control, but stealing the man’s quirk a second time would be satisfaction enough.

“Time to move.” Nighteye’s voice came through their earpieces.

Izuku took a deep breath and leapt off the building.

He was already familiar with the layout, using his knowledge to move through the base without too much detection. His main goal was to get to Eri as quickly as possible, and he had to trust the heroes to take care of Overhaul’s men.

The first time he had found Eri had been horrifying, and it was no easier the second time. She was far too thin and sickly looking.. So different from the girl he knew in his world.

Seeing the fear in her eyes made his bloodlust claw at his reason, but he held it in. Revenge could wait until Eri was safe and far away from the place that had caused her such misery.

“Hey there, my name is Izuku. What’s your name?” He knelt down, trying to make himself as small as possible.

Eri looked up at him with wide eyes, her small hands trembling as she seemed to debate whether to answer him. He remained kneeling, a kind smile painting his features as he waited patiently.

“E-Eri.” She whispered.

Izuku remained in place, but he reached out a hand to her.

“Do you want to get out of here, Eri?” He waited, watching as she stared at him with uncertainty.

“I’m cursed.” Her voice broke at the end of the sentence, tears brimming in her eyes as she turned away from him.

The sorrow in her tone made his urge to find Overhaul and tear him apart heightened. He took a deep breath, not wanting his anger to seem directed towards the little girl he was trying to save.

“People used to say I was cursed too.” He kept his hand raised as he recalled his childhood.

Before he fully decided to become a villain - before he and Kacchan had fallen out - he had allowed himself the small pleasure of childhood friends.

The more they learned of his quirk, the more they realized he could take away their powers at any given moment.

Katsuki ended up being the only person that would play with him willingly.

He shook away the memories, focusing himself back into the moment in front of him.

“Really? You’re cursed too?” The girl took a step towards him, her movements tentative.

“Sometimes people call things they don’t understand cursed, but that doesn’t mean they are.” Izuku smiled, his heart leaping when Eri finally took his hand.

He scooped her in his arms, holding her tightly as he used his quirks to locate his allies. The plan was to give her over to Mirio once he found her, and he began to make his way towards the blond.

“Lemillion - on my way. What’s your status?” Izuku traversed the winding halls of the base, avoiding any henchman or potential threats.

Risking Eri’s safety wasn’t worth the satisfaction of taking out any more of Overhaul’s men.

“I’m not currently engaged in battle, I can take her.” Mirio’s voice came over the speaker.

The moment the blond hero came into his sight, another voice came over the line.

“I think Overhaul is nearby, and Nighteye hasn’t checked in for a while.” Aizawa spoke quietly.

Izuku handed Eri over to Mirio with a nod, his focus switching to locating the man he had come for. His stomach dropped when he realized the bastard was right next to Sir Nighteye’s position.

“Get her to safety, I’ll find Nighteye.” Izuku turned and ran without waiting for Mirio to reply.

He had a bad feeling about what he was going to find.

“I’m near Nighteye’s last known location, heading there now.” Aizawa radioed in.

Izuku cursed under his breath. He knew the hero wouldn’t listen to him if he told him to let him handle things. The only thing he could do is hope the hero didn’t get there before him.

He used a quirk to boost his speed, making a mental note to find a villain with a true speed quirk when he got back to his world.

The sound of battle grew closer and adrenaline spurred his movements forward as he finally made it to his destination. Aizawa’s face was bloody, his movements slower than usual as he dodged Overhaul’s attacks. The villain launched a giant piece of rock at the hero, leaving the man little time to dodge the attack.

Izuku leapt forward, time practically freezing as he watched Aizawa jump to the side. The projectile brushed his side, tearing his uniform and leaving a bloody mess.

Aizawa fell to his knees and let out a shout of pain. Izuku sent a powerful gust of air towards Overhaul before turning back towards the underground hero. He called on one of his healing quirks to undo some of the worst damage, but he knew that the man would need medical attention.

“Don’t move around anymore, I’ll take care of him.” Izuku insisted, removing his hand from the man’s side.

“N-Nighteye.” Aizawa groaned out, waving his hand to the right.

Izuku turned, his blood running dry when he found the mangled form of the hero on the opposite end of the room.

Spikes jutted out of the ground surrounding Nighteye. The hero had wounds all across his body, his face bruised and bloody. Izuku knew deep down that he could do nothing to help the man. The puddle of blood surrounding the hero was far too large for his healing quirks to make a difference.

He turned and locked eyes with Aizawa, an understanding forming between them without the need for words.

Izuku was going to kill Overhaul.

The villain was still attempting to stand after being blasted into the furthest side of the room, giving Izuku time to carry Aizawa away from any potential danger.

He placed the man down carefully before turning to lock eyes with Kai Chisaki.

Now that he didn’t need to hide his bloodlust he felt his power vibrating in the air surrounding him. He used a quirk to tune into Nighteye’s heartbeat, the slowing rhythm spurring him forward as he stepped towards his target.

“Another hero? I will show you what happens to those that dare attack this base.” Overhaul seemed cocky, his eyes gleaming with malice as he began charging towards Izuku.

The idea of playing with his prey was tempting, but he needed to get Aizawa and Nighteye to a hospital as quickly as possible.

With that in mind, he knelt down to touch the ground.

Overhaul’s quirk spurred to life from his palm, causing the floor beneath them to ripple and rise into randomized spikes and broken pillars. The villain’s eyes widened for a moment, his steps stuttering as he watched his own quirk bending the room around them.

“I will not be intimidated by a copy of my power. It is time for you to be cleansed of your curse.” Overhaul began his approach once again, his movements confident as he closed in on Izuku.

He was mere feet away when the teen finally replied.

“A copy?” He bared his teeth in a pleased grin, his hand leaving the ground to reach towards the villain. A red light - one that only he could see - left the man’s chest as Izuku pulled it into his palm. He sighed at the satisfying feeling of another quirk joining his arsenal.

He allowed the villain to grow closer, the man confidently placing a palm on Izuku’s head. It took a moment for Overhaul to realize that nothing was happening.

Izuku cackled, finally rising to his feet as he tossed Overhaul’s hand off of his head.

The villain began sputtering, desperately trying to use his quirk to no affect.

“You think quirks are cursed, right?” Izuku smiled sweetly as he slowly stepped towards the man.

“Looks like I’ve cleansed you.” He stood practically face to face with the obnoxious mask. The view of Overhaul’s terrified eyes was not enough, leading to Izuku ripping off the mask and tossing it away from them.

“Let’s have some fun.”
==========================================

Official reports would state that Overhaul had escaped from the base before he could be arrested. Due to his change in quirk status he was not labeled a priority case.

Nighteye did not survive the night at the hospital.

Chapter Text

The scent of katsudon drifted through the kitchen as Izuku put the finishing touches on his late night meal. He knew it was a bit past three a.m, and he made careful movements so as not to wake up any of the teens upstairs.

He dished himself up a bowl and sat at one of the dining tables, his mind wandering as he watched steam rise up and disappear.

While he tried to act normal throughout the day it was clear the 1A students knew something was wrong with him. He had kept to himself with the aid of Aizawa, staying cooped up in the dorms and trying his best to avoid any scrutiny.

There were already news reports of Nighteye’s death, though no outlets clarified the firm details. It was clear that something big had gone down the night before, something that had caused the loss of a great hero.

He hadn’t been able to face Mirio, or even Eri for that matter. A dark part of his mind continued to blame himself for the hero’s death. If only he had been faster, or if he had taken out Overhaul before anything else could happen.

Although he had known the man for a short time, he still felt the loss deeply.

Izuku scooped a bite of food into his mouth, forcing himself to eat although his appetite was wavering. He tried to think about what was waiting for him back home, but his thoughts were still tinged with guilt.

He had made it halfway through his meal when his instincts went on high alert. The doors of the elevator opened moments later, signaling another presence in the common area.

Quiet footsteps made their way to the dining area, and Izuku turned to find the younger version of himself staring back at him with tired eyes.

That tired look was all too familiar to him. The haunted expression on the kid’s face stirred him into action, and he thanked the universe for the momentary distraction from his own contemplations.

“You hungry?” Izuku lifted his bowl so that the teen could see its contents. He assumed that their love for katsudon translated across all realities, and his theory was proven correct when he saw green eyes widen with interest.

Izuku served himself another serving before dishing up a bowl and placing it in front of his doppelganger. There was still a bit of tension in the way the boy carried himself, and he had to wonder if he also wore his emotions so openly.

“Thank you for the food, katsudon is my favorite. Mom always makes it for me when I am having a tough time.” The kid’s voice was quiet but appreciative as he took his first few bites.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, focusing their energy on finishing their meals. It was clear that young Izuku had something on his mind, his eyes darting between his bowl and his older counterpart’s face every few minutes.

It wasn’t until both of their bowls were cleared that their silence was broken.

“Something on your mind?” Izuku stood slowly and collected their bowls, giving the kid time to think over his response. He was fully expecting a conversation surrounding the pressures of the hero course or how difficult Aizawa’s lessons could be.

The teen’s next words stopped him in his tracks.

“Are you alright? You’ve looked really upset all day.” The boy turned to him with concern.

Izuku stood frozen for a moment before he focused on washing their dishes and putting away the leftover food. He bit his cheek as he contemplated what to say. There was no reason that he should place his troubles on the kid’s shoulders.

“I’ll tell you if you tell me why you are awake at this time of night.” He finally replied as he placed the dishes onto the drying rack and turned back towards the dining area.

The teen sighed before running his hands through his hair.

“Is it that obvious?” The boy almost pouted at being called out.

Izuku simply shrugged as he put the kettle on the stove. Tea always helped him clear his mind, and the action gave him something to do while he waited for the kid to speak.

It took another five minutes for the boy to start opening up, his eyes boring into the mug placed before him as he sighed once again.

“There’s so much pressure, more than I ever expected. After the USJ I think I finally realized what being a hero really means.” The boy took a sip of his tea and looked off to the side.

“I am so afraid that I am going to lose everything, that I’ll be too weak to protect what I care about.” He paused for a moment before looking up at Izuku.

“I feel like everyone will realize that I don’t really belong here.”

The words cut deep, deeper than Izuku would have expected. He thought of his own family, how he still feared losing any of them to their cause.

He also thought of the pressure of One for All, how being the holder of that power had nearly destroyed All Might and Mirio in his world. How that responsibility could weigh on a kid that grew up being told he was useless.

“Before I say anything else, I want you to understand that I know about One for All.” Izuku let the kid process this realization, and it seemed to bring a bit of relief.

It was clear that he had relied on All Might as his sole confidant. Izuku cringed as he thought of only having the Symbol of Peace to confide in.

“That amount of pressure isn’t fair, but you don’t need to carry it alone. You’re surrounded by so many people that love and support you.” Izuku thought about his own responsibilities, and how he would have gone insane carrying them alone.

“You’re surrounded by amazing future heroes, the fate of the world isn’t just on your shoulders. No matter what anyone says.” He knew that All Might would mean well as a mentor, but he was certain that he had been holding the boy to high standards.

If his friends were half as capable as they were in his world, he knew that they could shoulder the responsibility equally.

“Are you implying that I should tell everyone about my quirk?” The boy squeaked.

Izuku hesitated for a moment. He knew that Aizawa had not revealed his knowledge of One for All to him yet, but that conversation was incoming. He decided against revealing that the teacher was now in the inner circle of the secret power.

“If it feels right, I think you should trust them. You don’t deserve to go through this all alone just because All Might did.” He thought of Aoyama, the boy who had a quirk that he shouldn’t.

The topic of trust made him more determined to figure out that particular puzzle.

“I’ll think about it.” Hero Izuku sipped on his tea before asking another question.

“Who has One for All in your world?”

Izuku clenched his jaw as he once again remembered the suffering caused by the power before All Might took responsibility for it.

“Mirio, I don’t know if you’ve met him yet. It didn’t turn out too well for him.”

Weeks in the hospital, his body rejecting the power he had been promised would change the world for the better. It had taken a mental toll on the hero that Izuku wasn’t sure the blond could ever fully bounce back from.

Young Izuku stared back at him with wide eyes, but he seemed to work through his shock after a minute or two.

“Thank you. I don’t think I’m ready to tell everyone yet… but I think I want to tell Kacchan.” The boy bit his lip, but his eyes shone with determination.

The specifics of their dynamic weren’t clear to him yet, but he was happy there was still a level of trust between them. Losing Katsuki’s friendship before he decided to join the cause had been devastating for Izuku. He hoped that he could help patch their relationship before he left this world.

“Now, you have to tell me what’s bothering you.”

Izuku cursed. He had hoped their conversation had caused the promise to be forgotten, but he should have known better. Just because this version of him was a hero did not mean they did not share the same intellect.

He sucked in a breath before deciding to open up a bit, though he was still hesitant to dump his problems on the kid.

“I helped out with a mission and we lost someone. I guess I am feeling guilty that I didn’t do more to help.” Izuku wrung his hands in front of him.

“It also makes me wonder if I’m too weak to protect the people I care about back home.” Saying the words out loud made them feel more real, his heart aching at the reality of it all.

“You don’t need to carry it alone.”

Izuku’s head shot up as he heard his own words echoing back at him. The hero student met his gaze with a sly grin and earnest eyes.

Although the statement was simple it felt as though the weight of the last day had melted away. He really needed to take his own advice more often.

They finished their tea and cleaned up, making small talk as they went about their tasks.

Izuku turned back towards the living room, intent on trying to get a few hours of sleep. He paused when he still felt the presence of the teen lingering behind him.

He turned to find the boy hesitating near the elevators.

“Worried you won’t be able to sleep?”

Hero Izuku nodded, guilt written across his features.

“Want to get into some trouble?” Izuku grinned when the boy’s eyes lit up in interest.

He pulled out his phone and typed out a quick text to Nedzu and Aizawa. He doubted the rat would be awake at this time of night, but he knew he needed to inform him of his plan. After a minute both men replied with their blessings and warnings to be safe.

He hoped they wouldn’t get too many noise complaints for destroying one of the test cities so early in the morning.