Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ochako Uraraka is walking down the sidewalk. She is a teenage girl with short brown hair and eyes. She is small and a little bit pudgy. She also has tiny pads on her fingers, which she uses to activate her quirk.

Ochako Uraraka. Quirk: Zero Gravity. She can remove the gravity from an object by touching them with all five of her fingers. She can return the gravity by touching her hands together.

As she walks she sees a young boy with a crab quirk (he has crab claws for hands) running into the street to chase after his soccer ball. However, the boy does not notice that a speeding car is headed right for him.

The car honks and catches the boys attention as the driver steps on his breaks, but the boy is frozen in fear and the car is not skidding to a halt fast enough.

Ochako's heart races. Her first instinct is to rush forward to help the boy. Step 1: Touch the boy. Step 2: float him above the car. Step 3: Hold it until the car passes over. However, there is a brief moment of hesitation as she remembers the last time she used her quirk in public.

Izuku Midoriya is walking down the street. He had just left school and now she is on his way to his part-time job in Kamino.

‘I wonder how senpai will like my notes?’ Izuku thinks. ‘I introduced myself to three pro-heroes this week and I was able to copy their quirks and get a couple strands of their hair.’

Izuku remembers being in the crowd greeting Mt. Lady and getting an autograph from her while discretely reaching over to pluck a couple of hairs. He also remembers doing the same thing with Death Arms and Kumari Woods.

Izuku Midoriya. Quirk: Super-Copy (initially Quirkless). He can copy any quirk from another person if he comes into contact with something containing their DNA, even if its just a strand of hair. he can use up to five different quirks at once and retain them for a hour after a single touch. Keeping the DNA on him at all times can allow him to retain the quirk indefinately.

His favorite quirks to copy (which he keeps on him as patches) are: Hyper-Intelligence, Scan, Super-Regeneration, and Telekinesis.

‘I even did some research on the students attending UA and made a list of hairs from students I want. Like Shinso, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Kodai. I already got hair from the principal and i’ve been taking engineering courses at my school, along with studying quirks with the Doctor. With everything I’m learning plus the scan and intelligence quirks I might be able to reverse-’

Izuku’s thoughts are interrupted by a loud honk. He turns and, to his shock, he sees a speeding cart about to hit a young boy (with crab claws). Izuku’s lets move on their own and he rushes into help him.

Izuku immediately runs across the street, grabs the boy from under his arms, and scoops him up to take him to safety. The speeding car drives right passed them, missing Izuku’s body by a mere inch before Izuku reaches the other side of the street. Once it is gone, Izuku sets the boy down and looks over him to make sure he is ok.

Izuku sighs in relief. “That was so close. Are you ok?”

“Y-yeah, I-I’m fine,” the boy says. “Thank you, Mister.”

Izuku smiles. “You’re welcome. Just be careful next time you go out into the road, ok?”

The boy nods before grabbing his ball and running off.

Before Ochako can act, a teenage boy with green hair wearing a dark t-shirt grabs the boy from under his arms and pulls him to safety, right as the car drives passed them. The green-haired boy lets out a sigh of relief.

Ochako's eyes widen as she observes the green-haired boy who is looking over the child he saved. He is slightly taller than her with a muscular build, and big pretty green eyes that match his curly hair.

‘He’s cute,’ Ochako thinks. ‘…And he acted without hesitating. Unlike you...That was so cool, and heroic.’

Ochako approaches the green haired boy as he is about to walk away.

“Um, excuse me?” Ochako calls out.

Izuku turns around and he eyes the pretty girl with pink circles on her cheeks. Izuku looks around to make sure that she isn’t talking to anyone else before turning back to her.

“Me?” Izuku asks.

“Yes, you,” the girl says.

‘Wow, this is the second girl to ever talk to me, after Toga.’

“I just want to say, I think what you just did right now was really cool,” the girl says.

“Oh, it was nothing,” Izuku says.

“It wasn’t nothing!” says the girl. “You saved that kid! And you didn’t even use a Quirk.”

Izuku internally lets out a huff at the mention of quirks.

‘Of course she goes right into Quirks. After all, Quirks are what make most people unique and special, right? If you have a particularly flashy quirk, your basically a guaranteed hero and already a celebrity. But if you were unlucky enough to not have one at all, then there’s just nothing special about you. You’re a looser, below even someone with a useless quirk. Though I suppose its better than having a quirk that is particularly scary sounding, or one that makes you a mutant, otherwise you get labeled as a villain and stigmatized. Ah, well, better scare the cute girl off.’

“Well, you don’t really have a choice in the matter when you were born Quirkless.”

The girl blinks. “Huh?”

‘Its technically not a lie. I WAS born quirkless. I’m just with-holding the fact that the Doctor surgically implanted a copy quirk in me.’

Izuku recalls laying on a surgical bed with stitched scars on his torso.

“I was born without a Quirk,” Izuku clarifies.

‘Ok, now the girl will either laugh at you. Run off in embarrassment. Of look at you with…UGH, pity.’

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” the girl says, frantically waving her hands. “I didn’t mean to offend you! I-It was wrong of me to just assume you had a quirk. I’m sorry!”

Izuku blinks in surprise. ‘Ok, that isn’t exactly pity.’

“Hey, do you want to hang out?” the girl asks. “I know a good bobba place. It’s on me. You deserve a reward for what you just did and I want to properly apologize to you.”

Izuku’s eyes widen. ‘Now she’s WILLINGLY wanting to hang out with me!? Even when she thinks I’m still quirkless! Only the League has only ever wanted to willingly hang out with me and I met them AFTER getting my quirk, which they knew about. What is going on!?’

“Uh…I…Uh….I actually have to get going,” Izuku says. “I have a job to get too.”

“Oh, ok,” the girl says. “Well do you want to exchange numbers?”

“Yes!”

Izuku immediately pulls out his phone and opens his contacts.

“Um…My name is Izuku Midoriya, and my number is XXX-XXXX.”

The girl smiles. “Well, nice to meet you Izuku. My name is Ochako Uraraka, my number is XXX-XXXX.”

Izuku smiles, blushing at the thought of him having a second girls phone number.

“Ochako. Great. Yeah…Uh…I will totally call you. Peace out! I mean…goodbye.”

Izuku walks away as fast as he can, blushing and cringing as he recalls his words.

‘Peace out!? What were you thinking Midoriya!? Stupid! Stupid! Now she thinks your a dork!’

Ochako is crimson as she realizes what she had just done.

‘Did I just ask a boy out on a date!? Oh man, what do I do?’

Ochako takes a deep breath.

‘Ok, don't get ahead of yourself. This is just you offering to have bobba a another human being. Theres nothing “datey” about it. Just something to say “Hey, you’re so cool!” Yep, thats all it is!’

Ochako's phone rings. She pulls it out and she sees a familiar number. She answers the phone and holds it to her ear.

“Hello? Curious?”

“Ochako. How is my intern? The boss has a mission for you tonight,” Curious, the woman on the other end, says through the phone.

“But…tonight is a school night and I have a test tomorrow.”

“Re-Destro will write a letter to your principal,” Curious says. “The whole school is supposed to give soldiers for the army anyway.”

“I’m going to Deika Academy to learn to be a hero,” Ochako reminds her.

“So did Slidin’ Go,” Curious says. “Anyway, we’re moving a big shipment of Trigger Drug into the city. We could use your Zero-Gravity, especially since we helped you AWAKEN. Also, the boss is talking about taking care of those League of Villain bastards so we want all available members of the army prepared.”

Ochako sighs. “Ok, I understand. I’ll be at HQ in a hour.”

An hour later, Ochako is approaching the Tower that serves at the MLA’s main headquarters. She is dressed in a dark-pink, black, and white costume with a headpiece that has a dark pink visor which shields her face.

As she walks, she texts her parents:

“Hey Mom and Dad. My boss says she needs me for a project so I will be out late tonight. Good news is that they are paying me over time.”

“Ok, thanks for telling us sweetie,” her mom texts.

“Don’t work too late,” her father texts. “Also, I want you to know that we are proud of you. After failing to get into one school you managed to not only get into another but got an internship that pays us well and with someone who is willing to hire our services. We know how hard you are working for us and I just hope you know how much we appreciate it.”

Ochako smiles and wipes away a tear as she walks.

Izuku walks into the bar which serves as the Leageu of Villains hideout. he finds Shigaraki, Kurogiri, Spinner, Toga, Magne, Compress, Twice, Mustard, and Dabi waiting for him. Izuku sets his notebook down on the counter. Toga blushes like crazy seeing him again.

“Here,” Izuku tells Shigaraki. “I made a few more entries and hero hairs. I also determined hero patrol routes.”

Shigaraki flips through his notebook, seeing entries for Mt. Lady, Death Arms, and others.

“Ah, very good, Deku,” Shigaraki says.

“By the way,” Izuku says. “I was wondering if you could tell your spy to get me a couple hairs from UA students I looked up. You will find the list inside and an explanation of what their quirks are.”

Shigaraki finds the note and skims it over.

“Ah, I can see how a brainwash quirk will be useful.”

“I really want to get some hair from Mandalay and use it in conjunction with it!” Izuku says, excitedly. “We can use the brainwash quirk directly in the mind! Bypass the need to have the other person talk!”

“Oh, Deku-Kun is so smart,” Toga fawns.

“Creepy,” Mustard says. “But effective.”

“But why do you want a miniaturization quirk?” Shigaraki asks. “It doesn’t work on organic matter.”

“Plus you already have me,” Mr. Compress says.

“And Mt. Lady’s gigantification quirk does the opposite,” Izuku says. “I’ve been taking some courses in engineering. I think between what I am learning, the intelligence quirk, and scan I can recreate the energies to grow and shrink items technologically, while improving them.”

Dabi smiles. “So I can shrink Endeavor to the size of a bug and step on him? Oh, I like the sound of that!”

Izuku cringes.

“By the way, Young Midoriya,” Kurogiri hands Izuku an envelope. “This came for you in the mail today?”

Izuku takes it and his eyes widen looking at the letter. “It’s from my dad?”

“Didn’t you write to him last week about getting you some hero suveniers from America?” Spinner asks.

“Yeah. I asked, if he could, it he could get me some samples from heroes if he could that I looked up. But I didn’t think he would actually do it. or that he would bother respoinding.”

Izuku opens up the letter and skims through it.

“Hey Son,” Izuku reads. “I was able to get a couple of finger prints from some heroes. A few I was able to meet in person, others I bought online. It wasn’t cheap, so I hope this makes up for the last ten birthdays I’ve missed. Your mom told me you were a fan of heroes, but I didn’t think it was like this, but, hey, we all have out hobbies. Love, Dad.”

Izuku shrugs. “Huh, that was actually nice of him.”

Dabi and Shigaraki grumble.

Izuku looks at the first two hero finger-print samples and his eyes widen. The names ruight below the prints read: “Captain Celebrity-Christopher Skyline” and “Cathleen Bate-Star and Stripe”. Izuku gasps and his jaw drops at the samples he now has.

“Izu-Chan, are you ok?” Magne asks.

Izuku brushes his finger over the “Star and Stripe” print and he feels the power of the new quirk surge through him.

Chapter Text

Izuku grabs his books from his locker. The bell had rung for the day, so now he can leave. He looks at his phone and sees the time, and then he pulls up his messages from yesterday.

Izuku: Hey, Ochako. Are we still on for boba?

Ochako: Of course! I'll send you the link. I'm sorry you have to take a train, but the place is closer to where I work and I have a shift to get to afterward. Boss keeps me busy.

Izuku: It's all right, I have a job too so I know how that is. I'll see you tomorrow at 4:00.

Ochako: Thanks! See you there! :)

As Izuku puts his phone away and closes his locker door he spots two of his old bullies. The one with the long fingers and the one with the shark teeth. They spot Izuku. Izuku narrows his eyes at them and they stare at him for a few moments before turning around and walking away.

Izuku makes his way to the door, not noticing the girl with the long prehensile blue hair staring at him.

"So, when are you gonna talk to him?" Her heavyset friend with the bull horns teases.

"What?" Blue Hair asks. "Why would I talk to him?"

“You know why?" Bull Girl says. "I see the way you stare at Deku."

"I've told you before, I don't have a crush on him," Blue Hair says. *Is he cute, sure? But I'm not going to date a Quirkless boy."

Izuku rolls his eyes and continues his way.

Not all men are created equal. That was a lesson that I learned early on.

Izuku leaves his school walls and walks down the street.

At this point, some of you may be wondering why I'm a villain. Well, I didn't wake up one morning and decide "Hey, I wanna be a villain instead of a hero". It's just something that happened. It's what I chose to do, and I am going to stick by it. If you’re still confused, then let’s take a trip back to when this all started.

Flashback: Katsuki Bakugo slams an explosive hand on Izuku's desk. The effect breaks it and sends the boy flying out of his seat. Katsuki shouts "YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE YOU WHEN THEY COULD HAVE ME!?" as Izuku backs up against the wall in fear and his classmates laugh. All while their teacher does nothing but look at the papers on his desk.

It was almost a year ago. I was in my last year of Middle School at Aldera Junior High. Unlike the rest of my classmates, and most of the world, I was Quirkless. Meaning I had no superhuman abilities. In this society, Quirks are seen as the things that make people unique and special. Even useless quirks are appreciated over having none at all. So I was considered useless, a loser, bottom of the totem pole. Despite this, my whole life / wanted to be a Hero like All Might.

Izuku sits on the train, looking through his notebook, which has water stains and burn marks from when Katsuki used his explosions on it and threw it out the window. He flips to the back of the book and stares blankly at the signature from All Might.

I always looked up to him. Saw him as this amazing god who saves everyone with a reassuring smile. He inspired me to always stand up for what is right and to always help others. More than anything I wanted to be like him, a childish hope I clung onto even after I was diagnosed Quirkless. No matter how many times I was knocked down, beaten, hurt, and mocked, I always tried to be strong and smile, because that's what All Might does.

And then I met him...

Flashback: Izuku is staring shocked at All Mights’ shrunken skinny form after revealing his injury. "So much fear hides behind this smile," he said. "I don't think you can be a hero without a quirk," he said.

Don't get me wrong, I may not have liked hearing that. But I understood. I don't hold anything against him for saying that to me. A part of me always knew anyway. I've since done research and I've concluded that those with weak-non combat Quirks are mainly stuck as sidekicks or F-listers.

Flashback: Izuku is watching Katsuki struggle against the Sludge Villain. Izuku has a look of regret on his face, knowing it is his fault. He is just about to rush in to try and do SOMETHING. But before he can even move, All Might swoops in, smashes the Sludge Villain, and saves Katsuki instead. Izuku can only watch in self-disappointment as the rest of the crowd cheers. Katsuki has a look of anger on his face as the heroes who were already here praise him for his Quirk and "bravery"

A person without a Quirk at all like me, even if I trained or used support gear, would only be able to hope to do that. If an Agency would even hire me, that is. To be the All Might-level hero I wanna be, I would need technology that costs millions of dollars, so...yeah, it was just an unattainable dream.

After that, I decided to pick something more realistic. I decided that, if I couldn't be a hero directly, I could still help out by going into support gear design, or analytics. Or I could maybe be a teacher and inspire children that way.

Flashback: Izuku looks around, hurt, as he is STILL mocked by his classmates. “A teacher!? Seriously, Dude? How do you think you're gonna get your kids to respect you when we don't!?" they said. "You STILL think a hero school will let a Quirkless kid in!? I'm sure their engineering students have Metal Control and stuff!" they said. “What hero is gonna listen to a loser like you seriously!?" they said.

And after my encounter with All Might, I just lost my will to keep smiling. What's even worse, is that Bakugo was known from that day on as the "Sludge Villain Kid", the guy who almost died from a villain attack and had to be saved by All Might. He didn't like that and, as usual, I became his sandbag.

Flashback: Izuku is bruised and crying. He tries in vain to shield himself as Katsuki furiously punches him in the face with explosion-enhanced fists while his two friends watch and laugh. "YOU WEAK BASTARD! YOU'VE BEEN LAUGHING AT ME TOO, HAVEN'T YOU!? YOU THINK YOUR BETTER THAN ME!? HUH!? HUH!?" he shouted. "K-Kacchan, please..." I muttered. Bakugo then punches Izuku in the stomach and lets him fall to his knees on the ground. "AND I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU I’M GOING TO BE THE ONLY ONE FROM THIS SCHOOL TO GET INTO UA!? IT'S BAD ENOUGH EVERYONE ALREADY THINKS I'M WEAK!? I WON’T LET YOU TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME!! IF YOU GO ANYWHERE NEAR U.A. I SWEAR I'LL MURDER YOU!!"

And that wasn't the only time he did that. Whenever Bakugo was reminded of the Sludge Villain incident, or even if he didn’t, and I just annoyed him in whatever way ticks him off, he would assault me and leave me bruised and burnt. It was nearly every day. And since all the other students would just laugh when he did that, I decided to talk to the teachers and principal. I know teachers aren't great about dealing with bullies, and that you should just deal with it anyway, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I was hoping they would at least talk to Bakugo, especially given how BRUTAL he is with me. But instead, they just brushed me off.

Flashback: "Sorry Midoriya, but I don't know what you expect me to do. Quirkless kids get bullied all the time. I can't change how the world works," the longhaired teacher with the extend-arm said. "I'm going to be honest. I'm just biding my time until I retire from this job. While I did talk to the principal about the broken desk, he decided to pay for it himself and told me not to punish Bakugo in any way," said the homeroom teacher. "Bakugo’s Quirk gives him so much potential to be a great hero. If we punish or hold him back in any way, then U.A. might reject him. We're just thinking of the boys future here. Sure, he has a bit of an attitude problem, but I'm sure U.A. will straighten him out. Besides, he's only ever hard on YOU, and, let's be honest, you're Quirkless. You probably won't amount to much anyway," the principal said.

And Bakugo's mom is friends with my own mom. If I told her that Bakugo was bullying me, it would just strain their friendship, so I kept quiet. Months went by. Nearing the end of the school year. Every day. Every. Single. Day. Blood. Burns. Tears. And pain. Until, one day, I came home and I overheard my mom talking on the phone with Aunt Mitsuki.

Flashback: "I don't know what to do, Mitsuki," Inko said, full of tears, as she talked on the phone with her friend unaware of her son who just walked through the front door and was standing in the doorway. "Izuku has always had a hard time fitting in with other children but now it's gotten worse! He's coming home with bruises every day!" Again, Izuku neglected to tell his mother that it was mainly Katsuki who was bullying him. “My baby is going through so much.”

It had been a rotten day at school. Another added to an already massive pile. Every day, my willpower and my strength just corroded little by little. And, that day, Bakugo's long-fingered friend took the extra step by telling me that my mom had gotten fat all these years because she was ashamed of having a Quintless kid for a son.

Flashback: Inko wipes away her tears. “I just wish...I wish Izuku had been born with a Quirk."

THAT is what finally broke me. The cord of my strength and sanity had been chipped away until there was nothing but a tiny threat hanging onto a tiny fleeting spark of hope. But hearing my mom say that.../ know now she only meant that in that I wouldn't be getting bullied for being Quirkless. But at the time, combined with what i had been told earlier that day...

Flashback: Inko turns around as she hears sobbing sounds. Her yes widen at the source of it. Her son, Izuku, standing in the open doorway trembling with tears flowing down his face as he stares right at her. Inko immediately jumped up and tried to explain herself frantically. “Izuku! Sweetie! I didn't mean it!"

I didn't listen. My self-hatred had reached its maximum limit. At that moment, I wanted to just crawl into a hole and die. I wasn't thinking. My legs just moved on their own.

Flashback: “IZUKU!” Inko shouted as her son tearfully ran out the door, Izuku ran, and ran, and ran until he reached the street across from his apartment. He was in the middle of the street, right when a car was driving down it. Izuku barely registered the loud honk and the growing lights before it hit him. Pain filled Izuku's body as the several-ton hunk of metal hit him on the side. When his body and head hit the cold road on his other. The last thing he saw before fading to black was a man getting out of his car and his mother screaming his

name.

I woke up in the hospital. I had casts on my hip, leg, and arm, as well as bandages wrapped around my head. According to the nurse, I had been unconscious for twenty-four hours. My mom came in as soon as she heard I was awake and came in, crying and apologizing profusely. But I didn’t say a word. This all just reminded me of the time she apologized to me…because I was Quirkless. And actually, that experience made my entire life flash before my eyes. Particularly, a certain spiky-haired blonde boy.

Flashback: Izuku watches in amazement as Katsuki Bakugo fights off two older kids. izuku thinks he is amazing.

Flashback: Izuku and Katsuki, along with the latters three other friends, watch an All Might fight on TV and Katsuki comments on how awesome All Might is since he always wins. Izuku admires Katsuki’s drive to win.

Flashback: Izuku fails to dribble a ball and Katsuki mocks him.

Flashback: Katsuki reveals his ability to read to his friends, while at the same time giving Izuku the insulting name “Deku”. Making Izuku sad.

Flashback: Katsuki manages to skip a stone in the river several times and mockingly asks “Deku” how many he skipped: None.

Flashback: Katsuki’s Quirk manifests and he is praised by all the teachers and students (including Izuku) who say he will become a great hero.

Flashback: Izuku struggles to catch up to Katsuki, who runs ahead of him without a care in the world.

Flashback: Katsuki leads Izuku and his friends into a restricted area, despite Izuku being hesitant since it is off limits.

Flashback: Izuku is mocked by the other students in class over not having a Quirk. A few call him “Deku” (learned from Katsuki, likely). Rather than scold the children for mocking him and assure Izuku that is all right, the teacher weakly (hinting she doesn’t really believe it) tells him “Don’t worry about it, Midoriya”.

Flashback: Katsuki falls into a river. Izuku offers a hand out of concern. Katsuki gets mad and smacks it away.

Flashback: At the playground, Katsuki furiously knocks Izuku down before running off with his other friends. Confused and hurt, Izuku runs after him with wet eyes.

Flashback: Katsuki gets mad at Izuku for following him around and uses his explosion Quirk to hit Izuku. Izuku yelps as he is pushed down, harder. Izuku looks up at Katsuki with a bit of fear in his eyes, while Katsuki develops a malicious grin on his face.

Flashback: Izuku runs in fear as Katsuki chases him around with his explosions. Eventually, Katsuki caught up to him and beat him up.

Flashback: Katsuki and his friends were picking on a kid who had a “villain” Quirk. Izuku tried to convince him that his Quirk didn’t make him a villain, but Katsuki and the others wanted to beat him up anyway. Izuku, though scared, tries standing up to Katsuki and the others. But Long Fingers just grabs the back of his head and Katsuki punches him in the face. When the bullies are done, Izuku is left lying beaten on the ground beside the sobbing “villain” boy.

The sad thing is that I really thought that Bakugo and I were friends. I thought he was so cool and amazing, and that it was only when his Quirk came in and I didn’t that he changed. I realize the truth now. He didn’t change, he just became worse than he already was. Bakugo never cared about me. He never respected me. He never did anything but pick on and tease me, and then one day he decided he hated me and has done nothing but bully and hurt me every day since then. And the worst part is that I never had ONE real friend my entire life. Yet, at the same time, I still wasn’t sure whether it was really because Bakugo was a jerk, or because I’m just naturally a failure.

The train comes to a stop. Izuku looks up and sees that he is where he needs to be. He smiles, grabs his belongings, and gets off the train.

However, I will give Bakugo SOME credit. He did basically stop bullying me after I got out of the hospital. I don’t know whether or not it was out of pity, a sense of guilt, or becuase I told the class that I wasn’t going to enroll in U.A. or any other hero school anymore (I decided the last thing I want is to be around Bakugo or other arrogant jerks like him anymore), but he just left me alone after that and even told his friends to leave me alone too. Though, he did say “Finally, he understands that he’s a Quirkless failure who will never amount to anything” with a smug grin before the teacher told everyone to get back to the lesson.

I didn’t respond to that, and we didn’t talk or interact all the way until graduation. The last time I saw Bakugo, was when he was being personally congratulated by the Principal for getting into U.A. in front of the entire school (who cheered), and he shot me a smug cocky grin. After the ceremony, he walked right up to me, held the acceptance letter (with a video message from All Might complimenting him on getting the highest score in the entrance exam) to my face, and said: “See that!? Huh, Deku!? I’m going to U.A. and I’ll be the greatest hero ever, and you’ll never be anything! It’s over! I won! You lost! You have anything to say!? Huh!?” I paused for a brief moment before responding with “Goodbye, Bakugo” and walked away. There was a brief silence as I walked away, probably from Bakugo trying to process that I’ve stopped calling him “Kacchan”. But then I heard Bakugo scoff and shout “Finally! He stopped calling me by that stupid baby name! it’s a miracle!”, as I stomped away crying. I ended up enrolling in a normal high school.

Izuku’s phone dings. He looks at it and sees he has two texts. One from his mom, the other is from a group chat with Suichi, Magne, Himiko, and Twice.

Izuku clicks on the text from his mom first.

Inko: Sweetie, are you with that new friend yet?

Izuku smiles and texts: I’m meeting them now, Mom.

Inko: Ok, well text me when you are on your way home. All right? I don’t want you out too late.

Izuku: Don’t worry Mom. I’ll be back by curfew. Sh-They said they have a shift soon so it wont be too long.

Inko: Ok, sweetie. Love you.

Izuku: I love you too. Bye.

Then Izuku goes into his group chat from the League.

Magne: Hey, Izuku. You on your date yet? Remember what we talked about being a gentleman.

Izuku: I told you, Magne, it’s not a date. We’re just getting boba.

Spinner: Dude, it’s totally a date.

Twice: Go for it man, she’ll be lucky to have you! She’s gonna reject your ass!

Himoko: Send me a picture of you and her together! I wanna see how cute she is! If I like her maybe ask if she is Bi or Pan and we can all be together and I can watch you both bleed <3 <3 <3.

Izuku chuckles and rolls his eyes.

Izuku: Himiko, remember our deal. You stop trying to stab people and I WILLINGLY let you bite my arm once every couple of days.

Himiko: I know, I know. (Eye-Roll Emoji). BUT YOU'RE STILL SO CUTE I WANNA CHOP-CHOP YOU!!!! COME ON! YOU HAVE THAT REGENERATION QUIRK PATCH FROM THE NOMU ANYWAY!

Izuku chuckles again.

Izuku: Talk to your guys later.

Oh, right I haven’t gotten to why I’m friends with villains yet. Or why I am with the League. Well, it’s two reasons, really. To explain the first reason, I’m going to talk about my first day in high school.

Flashback: Izuku enters the hallways of his new school. Most of his former classmates are there, giggling and talking to the other students about how the “Quirkless Deku” expectedly didn’t get into a Hero School. Izuku’s expression is now angry rather than sad. He opens his locket, only for it to slam shut, because of Long Fingers accompanied by Shark Mouth, Katuski’s old friends. “Yo, Midoriya! Glad to see an old friend since Bakugo’s gone,” Shark Jaw says. Long Fingers pokes at Izuku’s chest. “Don’t think we’ve forgotten about you. Quirkless loser. Bakugo may have given you a break before, but now you’re left with us. So we’re going to make up for a month of-”

By this point, I was just sick and tired of it all. So, I looked up common Quirk weaknesses and protective countermeasures. I even looked up some self-defense videos online. It wasn’t much. it definitely wouldn’t hold against someone like Bakugo. But most people’s quirks are weaker than that.

Flashback: Izuku grabs the long finger and twists it, causing the owner to scream in pain as Izuku starts to bend it backward. Shark Jaws tries to intervene, but Izuku slips on a pair of brass knuckles and punches the sharp-toothed bully in the jaw. Izuku walks away with an angry expression on his face as the bullies grab their jaws/fingers and the other students stare at him in shock. The blue-haired girl has a blush on her cheeks.

They assigned me extra homework and punishment and called my mom (who took my side after I explained the bullying, but still grounded me for two days), but it was all worth it. Though they NEVER did that to Bakugo… Anyway, those two jerks never bothered me again. No one’s laughed at me since. Granted, I’ve gone from being the school loser to the school thug, but it’s better than before. And that day I learned a valuable lesson. Most people are just stupid sheep, some people are cruel, and sometimes the only way to get respect from either is to use a fist. Well…most of the League members have been hurt or neglected by society, and they are now one big fist. Call us villains if you want, but we’re going to make a better society for us outcasts. Just you watch. My second reason, and how I even met them in the first place, was friendship…

Izuku’s eyes light up as he sees a cute brown-haired girl sitting on a bench.

“Ochako!”

Ochako is grabbing her books out of her locker and Deika Academy. She checks her phone and sees her messages from yesterday, then she sees the time and smiles.

'Good, I have enough time.'

"What's this?" asks a taller girl with brown eyes and black hair as she peeks over Ochako's shoulder, causing the shorter girl to blush, squeak, and accidentally activate her Quirk on her phone (causing it to float up so high that it hits the ceiling).

"Asta!? Don't sneak up on me like that?" Ochako shouts.

Asta raises her hands. "Sorry, sorry. I was just curious, is all. So, whose Izuku?"

Ochako touches her fingers together and catches her phone in her hands once it falls.

"Just a boy I met the other day," Ochako says. "He doesn't go to school here. I met him when Curious sent me on an errand in another city." Ochako blushes. "I just thought he was..really cool. So I want to get to know him better."

Asta smiles. "That's great! So you've got a boyfriend?"

Ochako gasps. "What!?" She waves her arms around frantically. "WHY ARE YOU SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT!? WE'RE JUST MEETING UP FOR BOBA! IT'S NOTHING! BESIDES, HE MAY ALREADY HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!"

"He wouldn't agree to meet with you if he had one," says a very small girl (4'9").

She is petite and has her blonde hair in a ponytail.

"Unless he's a two-timer," Asta says, crossing her arms.

"So, Ura! Tell me all about this boy!" the petite blonde squeals. "Where did you meet? Whats his Quirk?"

"Oh, um...he's actually Quirkless."

The two girls stare blankly at Ochako.

'I wonder what their response will be,’ Ochako asks herself. ’We're all here at this school training to be heroes in service to the Meta Liberation Army. So I don't know how they will react to-‘

"Oh, good," Asta says. "So you don't have anything to worry about then." She pulls out a pen for her backpack. "Otherwise, if you were going to meet a strange guy someplace, I would have given you some extra protection."

The pen in Asta's hands immediately transforms into a rifle (with the same design as the pen).

Name: Asta Yuro. Quirk: Weapon Creation. She can transform anything she touches into a weapon. Was originally limited to melee weapons such as swords, gauntlets, and spears. But with advanced training and weapon design courses at Deika Academy, she was able to learn to create more complex weapons such as crossbows and eventually rifles, machine guns, and bombs.

"No thank you, Asta, I am good," Ochako says, lowering the hand which is holding the sword. "Izuku is a very nice boy. He saved a kid from getting run over by a car when I first saw him."

"Let me know if he has any cute friends," the petite blonde says as her face turns red with an intense blush. "Maybe we can go on a double date?"

As the petite blonde speaks, her boy grows. She rapidly increases in height, quickly reaching Ochako's, then Asta's, and then towering over them. As she grows, her once skinny frame becomes more muscular. Her biceps swell up like balloons as her torso becomes broader and her legs explode with muscle. Her school uniform barely stretched to keep up with her.

"If he does, then ask them if they are into strong girls," the (not so small anymore) blonde asks as she continues to grow.

"Ai, calm down," Asta says annoyed as Ochako laughs fondly at her growing friend. "You’re going to make a hole in the ceiling, again."

Ai Kashiwagi. Quirk: Heart Pump. The faster her heart races, the bigger and stronger she gets the longer she keeps it up. Especially when she is thinking about cute boys. Her physical exercises at Deika Academy focus on endurance. Her height when casually exercising is around nine feet tall, but vigorous exercise causes her to grow to gigantic proportions. Though she is still human. So, if her heart is overworked, she can suffer from cardiac arrest.

Ai takes a deep breath and she shrinks slightly. “Sorry.”

“I’ll ask, Ai,” Ochako says before walking away. “See you guys later!”

“By Ura,” says Asta, waving.

“By Urarak!” Ai says waving.

As soon as Ochako has left the hallway, Asta chuckles.

“A Quirkless boy? What is she thinking?”

“Whats that supposed to mean?” Ai asks.

“Come on, Ai. This guy doesn’t have a Quirk. Not even a lame one. Ura can do so much better. Besides, isn’t she thinking about her future children?”

“Quirk genes are dominant so there is a high chance of their kids inheriting her quirk,” says Ai.

“And a chance of them not,” Asta reminds her. “Even if their kids get lucky there’s no telling for the grandkids, great grandkids.”

Ai crosses her arms. “Well, I think that Ochako is free to date whoever she wants. And if the boy is sweet and good to her then they are both lucky.” Ai looks at her massive arm, it’s bulging veins. “All I want is a boy who doesn’t think I look disgusting.”

“Fine, whatever,” Asta says. “Come on, lets hit the mall.”

Ochako leaves her school building as she makes her way toward the train station.

What is the saying? No good deed goes unpunished. That is a saying that I know all too well.

Ochako sits at the bench for her train to arrive and she checks her phone again. This time, she has a message from Curious.

Curious: Just a reminder. Training tonight.

Ochako types: I know. I’ll be there.

I’m studying at Deika Academy to get my Hero License. However, the catch is that I also have to be a soldier in the Meta Liberation Army. The MLA started during the emergence of Quirks, back when metahumans were having a tough time being accepted into Quirkless society. The MLA was founded by a man named “Destro”, whose mother was the very first person to coin the term “Quirk”. He led the MLA in various…protests (ok violent protests) against society. They were believed to have ended long ago with Destro’s imprisonment. But it turns out that Desto had a son and the family has continued building the army, based in this city. Of course, now that most people have Quirks, the goals of the MLA has changed slightly. Now, they want to create a society without Quirk restriction laws in public, so they are building up for a big revolution against the government.

The train arrives and opens its doors. Ochako walks inside and takes her seat. She looks fondly at the screen saver on her phone of her with Curious and Slide N’Go.

You may be wondering why I am a part of them. Well, it all started four months ago, back in February. I had originally planned to enroll in U.A. High, the best hero school in the country. But I failed…

Flashback: Ochako is caught under some debris with a busted leg. She tries to free herself, but she is trapped. She screams as the massive Zero Pointer robot gets closer and closer to her. Thankfully, before it could crush her, the rodent-like Principal Nezu presses a button that stops the robot from crushing her. Ochako sighs in relief before letting her head collapse. Sometime later, Ochako anxiously watches her video acceptance letter from All Might. The No. 1 Hero shakes his head. “I am sorry, Ms. Uraraka,” All Might said. “While you scored a decent amount of Villain points, you were ultimately disqualified after being caught by the Zero Pointer.” The projection shifts to Eraserhead. “I strongly argued against accepting you,” Eraserhead bluntly says. “What are you going to do? Save a few people and then get yourself killed? No. Plus, you didn’t do so great on the written portion. Apply next semester when you increase your surveillance skills.” Ochako breaks down in tears as her parents comfort her. “It’s ok, Honey,” her mom says. “You’ll be a hero someday, I just know it.”

So the original plan was for me to study hard, practice with my Quirk in private, and then try again next semester.

Flashback: Ochako is half asleep as she reads a big book. There is a stack of reading books on her left and another stack of unread books on her right.

I studied as hard as I could to retake the test.

Flashback: Ochako is surrounded by forest trees, struggling to lift multiple boulders with her Quirk. She exercises herself until she pukes.

I went into the Mountains and I trained until I spilled my guts out. Seriously! I lost ten pounds! But then, one day, I asked my dad if I could practice my Quirk by helping him out at work.

The train comes to a stop and Ochako gets out at her exit. As she walks, she sees an advertisement for a cider drink featuring the hero Airjet, which she frowns at before walking away.

Flashback: Ochako is using her Quirk to move a giant concrete pipe. She gives her father a thumbs up, who gives one back to her as he works.

I had always offered to use my Quirk to help my parents when I was little, but of course, using your Quirk in public isn’t legal. Still, we thought it would be fine as long as we were careful. Until one day we weren’t.

Flashback: Ochako uses her Quirk to move a metal beam. As she casually swings it, a villain on a motorcycle (money flying out of the bag on his back) drives right by. And the hero Airjet, is accidentally hit by Ochako's metal beam. Ochako and her father gasp as they see Airjet, a hero, lying on the ground in pain, while everyone else just stares at them in shock. “That girl’s a villain!” a man from the crowd of random civilians shouts. “She just attacked a hero and helped a villain escape.” The crowd becomes aggressive and boos Ochako, as the girl looks around crestfallen. “No! It was an accident!” Ochako shouts as Airjet sits up. “Villain!” people from the crowd continue to shout. “You should be ashamed of yourself! Attacking a hero in broad daylight!” they shout. “That villain could have gotten away with our money!” they shout. Ochako covers her ears to try and muffle the insults as tears stream down her cheeks. Her father gets in front of her. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?” Ochako's Father shouts. “She’s just a kid!” At that moment, Airjet grabs her father by the wrist and subdues him. “You are aware that Quirk usage in public is illegal, right?” Airjet asks. “So is interfering with Hero work and aiding a criminal.”

I tried to explain to the police that it was just an accident. The heroes managed to catch the villain, but I was still in a lot of trouble. The chief of police said that I was not allowed to break the law just because it benefits me and charged me with illegal Quirk usage. At the same time, my father was charged for encouraging me, and we were still charged for unintentionally aiding a villain and interfering with hero work.

My family had to move out of our apartment and into our car.

Flashback: Ochako and her parents grab their belongings and move out of their apartment. Ochako has her head down the entire time. Then they are shown sleeping in the seats of their car. Ochako's laying face down into a pillow, crying.

We all had to get second and third jobs.

Flashback: Ochako's Father is shown working as a waiter and Ochako sweeps the floor.

On top of that, I was STILL a pariah in our town.

Flashback: Ochako's parents look shocked at their car, which had been vandalized. Its windows smashed, dents in the metal, and the word “Trash” spray painted on the side. At school, Ochako is being pelted with food by her classmates during lunch. She cries and tries to cover herself.

I knew I was just going to cause more problems for my family if I stuck around, so I ran off.

Flashback: Ochako runs out of her school, crying.

Flashback: Ochako is shown wandering the streets alone. Everyone who sees her avoids her. “Hey, look at that kid all on her own,” one bystander said to his friend. “Do you think we should do something?” he asked. “Nah, I’m sure a policeman or a hero will come for her,” his friend replied. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

After a few days wandering the streets, I was eventually found by a hero.

Flashback: Ochako, now much skinner, is rummaging through the trash looking for food. A shadow looms over her and she looks up to see Slide N’Go, looking at her sympathetically.

Ochako arrives at the Boba place she agreed to meet Izuku. She finds a bench and decides to sit there.

I told Slide N’Go everything that had happened to me. He offered my condolences and offered to introduce me to someone who could fix things for my family.

Flashback: Ochako sits in front of Slide N’Go at a diner. She has a big plate with a hamburger, fries, and a milkshake in front of her. She is crying as she talks to the sliding hero. Slide N’Go ponders for a moment, and then he puts a hand on her shoulder. Later, Slide N’Go stands with Ochako in front of Deika Tower. And later Ochako stands before Re-Destro, Curious, Trumpet, and Skeptic.

So, I made a deal with Re-Destro. I would go to his Hero School and train to be a Hero/undercover agent for the MLA. I would take an internship under Curious and use my Quirk to help them. And they would offer a few contracting contracts to my parents.

Flashback: Ochako enters Deika Academy. She talks to Asta and Ai in class as they read “Meta Liberation War”. She also joins Curious on a mission, using her Quirk to easily move large crates. And, after that, Ochako comes home to her parents, who are happy and living in a nicer apartment than they did before.

Say what you want about them, but they have been good to my family. I know they have a reputation for being terrorists, I kinda thought they were culty at first, but they really aren’t so bad once you get to know them. And what’s so wrong with wanting to use your Quirks freely anyway? Also, when they first started, Quirks were new and they were being hunted down and discriminated against, so do you blame them for fighting back? That’s how I feel. I want to create a world where children can be free to help their parents in any way they can, Quirk or no Quirk. Though I know that a lot of students at my school hate Quirkless people because those were the kind that subjugated our ancestors in the past, so I really hope I can protect Izuku when-

“Ochako!”

Ochako turns her head and smiles upon seeing the cute green-haired boy waving as he walks toward her.

“Hey, Midoriya!”

Later, Izuku and Ochako are sitting across from each other, drinking Boba.

“So you still managed to become a hero student?” Izuku asks.

Ochako smiles. “Yep! And I owe it all to Slide N’Go!”

‘And the MLA, but I can’t tell him that.’

“Oh, well, good for you, Ochako,” Izuku says.

‘So she just wants to be another egotistical celebrity then. How dissapointing.’

“I’m glad things worked out for you and your family,” Izuku says. “I remembered hearing about you on the news after you talked about Airjet. You got a lot more hate than was warranted for your mistake.”

“Thank you,” Ochako says. “But I’ve made some friends now that have helped me alot.”

“Oh, I know that,” Izuku says with a smile. “I never really had any friends growing up due to being Quirkless, but a few months ago I found an online forum for people who had…difficult times fitting into society.”

Flashback: Izuku, in the hospital, is searching online on his laptop. He finds a forum titled “Outsiders” and under his pen name “Deku1” communicates with other users “Spinner3” and “Nighthide2”. The message from Spinner 3 reads: “I would love to be Quirkless man! All my Quirk does is let me crawl on walls and it makes me look like a giant gecko! At least you can go outside without people calling you a monster.” A separate comment from Nighthide2 says: “I just got a job offer from the Detnerat company. The president himself said that he has a use for my Quirk. I don’t know, it seems pretty sketchy, my Quirk is villainous after all.” And the reply from Deku1 reads: “Hey. Don’t worry about Hero Quirks or Villain Quirks. I grew up being bullied with a guy who has a “Hero Quirk”, so if you’ve found people who see potential in you, go for it man!”

“I met my best friend Spinner through it.”

Flashback: Izuku meets with Spinner (he is wearing a hooded jacket and a scarf to cover his face) at the mall. They play games at the arcade. They have lunch together. And Spinner even spars with Izuku using fake swords.

“And then, when he made some more friends himself, he introduced me to them, and now I’m part of a whole group!” Izuku says with a smile.

Flashback: Izuku is holding his hero notebooks as he is at the bar, introduced by Spinner to Shigaraki, Kurogiri, Toga, Mustard, Compress, Dabi, Magne, Twice, Moonfish, and Muscular.

“I got a bad vibe from them at first, but they turned out to be not so bad once you got to know them,” Izuku says.

“Well, I’m glad you found some good friends, Izuku,” Ochako says.

“Ochako, may I ask. Why do you want to be a hero?” Izuku asks. “I know you said your family was poor before, but now you’re well off.”

‘Well me being a hero is conditional to them making money, but I can’t tell you that. But this is also the truth.’

“Well, Izuku, money isn’t the only reason I want to be a hero,” Ochako says.

Izuku raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yeah,” Ochako says, sadly. “Growing up, my mom and dad always looked tired. It hurt me to see them so wiped out.” Ochako smiles. “Thats why, the first time I saw a hero on the street, I was more excited by the way bystanders and my parents reacted than anything else. I just loved to see how happy everybody looked. And that is why I STILL want to be a hero, Izuku. So I can make people smile.”

Flashback: Ochako is talking to Ai at school. “Whenever I would get excited and my Quirk would activate accidentally, I was scolded by my teachers for using my Quirk in public. Sometimes they even called a policeman. Thats why I love it here at Deika! I can be who I am freely without being judged!”

‘And THATS what I am going to do! Both as a Hero, and a member of the MLA!’

Izuku smiles fondly at her. “That is a wonderful reason to be a hero, Ochako,” he says truthfully. “Protecting people and making others happy should be how a REAL hero thinks. UA was stupid for rejecting you.”

‘And I’ll make sure the League doesn’t hurt you either.’

Ochako blushes. “Thank you. But, I’m kinda glad I was rejected now. otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten my great job and friends.”

Izuku looks down at his tea. “You know, I dreamed of being a hero when I was younger. I hoped that when my Quirk manifested, it would be super cool and I could be just like All Might.” He frowns. “And then I turned out to be Quirkless. It crushed my heart.”

“Well, uh…You still could have been a sidekick, or F-rank, or maybe worked in the heroics field indirectly.”

Izuku chuckles bitterly. “You’re the only person who has ever told me anything remotely that reassuring. My mom apologized to me, my classmates mocked me, my teachers didn’t respect me enough to help me, and a kid who was the closest thing I had to a best friend became my bully.”

“I’m sorry,” Ochako says.

Izuku shrugs. “It’s not your fault. It’s all in the past now. It’s funny though, if you had ended up getting into UA he would have been one of your classmates.”

Ochako blinks. “Wait, the kid who used to bully you managed to get into UA?”

“As much as I hate to admit it, he has a powerful Quirk and he’s always been great at everything he does.” Izuku scoffs. “But he has a ridiculously fragile ego due to constantly being praised for both all his life. You know, I had a bad experience with Airjet myself. During our second year of middle school, me and my bully saw a Villain with a sand Quirk fleeing with stolen purses. He, despite knowing Quirk usage in public is illegal, thought he could chase down the Villain and catch him so he could get a recommendation into UA. He managed to catch up to the Villain, but before he could do anything, Airjet arrived and apprehended the villain instead. He threw a fit, but Airjet just brushed it off and praised him.”

Ochako's face scrunches up into a look of anger. “Wait, the BULLY gets praised for using his Quirk in public by Airjet, while I was called a villain!?”

“Airjet thought that Bakugo was chasing down the villain out of altruism.” Izuku rolls his eyes. “Apparently not hearing him say that he wanted to kill the villain. And yet when I showed up, Airjet snapped at me to stay away! He didn’t even know my Quirk or not, but he didn’t think to scold Bakugo for basically being a vigilante and using his Quirk so he could beat up a villain. Stupid Quirk discrimination.”

‘No kidding,’ Ochako thinks, irritated. ‘If jerks with impressive Quirks are given leeway then there’s no reason i shouldn’t have….wait, BAKUGO!?’

“I’m sorry, go back,” Ochako says. “Bakugo. Do you mean, Katsuki Bakugo?”

Izuku groans. “Yes.” Izuku pulls out his phone and scrolls through his pictures. “He lives in my neighborhood and went to school up until Junior High.”

Izuku shows Ochako a picture of Bakugo furiously screaming at the camera.

“THAT MANIAC FROM THE SPORTS FESTIVAL WAS YOUR BULLY FOR TEN YEARS!?” Ochako shouts.

Flashback: Ochako is disturbed watching the Sports Festival on TV. Showing Bakugo tied up with a medal around his neck as he throws a tantrum. Second place Shinso and third place Todoroki.

“OH MY GOD! IZUKU! I AM SO SORRY YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT!”

Izuku looks away. “He got really bad after the Sludge Villain incident. He was constantly afraid people were mocking him behind his back. That I was mocking him. So he beat me up every day for nine months. He was nice enough to leave me alone after I had an accident and ended up in the hospital, I’ll give him that. But we haven’t really talked since then. Before all that he assaulted me in class because he heard I still wanted to go to UA despite being Quirkless and he wanted to be the only one from our middle school to get into UA. For his ego.”

Ochako crosses her arms. “Thats just dumb.”

“He burnt my notebook, destroyed my desk, and told me to jump off a building.”

“HE DID WHAT!?” Ochako yells.

‘Ok, as soon as the revolution starts, I’m gonna find this guy and float him into the SUN!’

“But it’s fine now,” Izuku says. “I don’t have to deal with him anymore. I’m a lot happier now, especially since I have real friends.”

“Izuku you can’t just let this guy get away with everything he did to you,” Ochako says. “You should tell UA about this. I guarantee they wont let a guy like that stay in te hero course.”

Izuku chuckles. “You know, my friends say similar things all the time. You should get this guy. Give me the word and I’ll burn him. But you know what? I just dont.”

Flashback: Izuku smirks while watching Bakugo spaz out during the sports festival.

“According to my mom, who talks to his mom, Bakugo hasn’t been doing so well at UA. On his very first day, he lost a match against Endeavor’s son when he froze a whole building they were doing a battle trial in. According to Aunt Mistuki, he threw a tantrum and cried when he got home.” Izuku laughs. “Bakugo’s always had a massive ego and a hot temper. Everyone we ever knew always ignored his faults because of how “amazing” he was. But now he’s surrounded by other amazing people. His ego can’t take it. And his teachers and peers have higher standards than “cool Quirk” so he’s not nearly as popular anymore. And seeing him spaz out like that on National Television. All the comments of how crazy and villainous he came off online.” Izuku laughs. “Even his old cronies at school and old classmates of ours ask themselves why they ever thought he was cool!”

Ochako giggles. “Looks like karma’s caught up to him then.”

“He always talked about being Number One Hero,” Izuku says. “Except part of that includes public appeal, and saving people. MAYBE he’ll make it into the top ten thanks to his Quirk, but definitely not Number One with that kind of attitude. He’ll be lucky if his attitude doesn’t drag him down. He’s going to have to mature a lot if he even expects to graduate! And besides…I just, really wanna move on from him. I won’t let him control my life anymore, so I’m just going to move on with my own goals, and friends, and I’m going to forget I ever even knew him.”

Ochako smiles. “Well, I think that is very mature of you. I respect that. And I’ll tell you what, Izuku. If I ever become top ten or number one, I’ll tell Bakugo that you’re better than him.”

Izuku smiles. “Thanks. I appreciate that.” Izuku looks outside at the people walking on the sidewalk. “You know, even when I was diagnosed Quirkless, I still dreamed of being a Hero. But it wasn’t until recently I decided to focus on something more…realistic. I’m taking engineering classes so I can design support gear, but I also want to be a teacher someday. That way, in one way or another, I can help people.”

‘And that is what I am GOING to do after my work is done with the League.’

Ochako smiles widely. “That is wonderful, Izuku! Oh, and by the way. Quirk or not, your a great guy, and I think you would make a great hero.”

Izuku blushes.

“Thank you.”

“Maybe if you build yourself some awesome support gear you can work on getting your hero license and we can work together?”

‘Why did I say that!?’ Ochako asks.

“Not unless I become a millionaire,” Izuku says. “Although I am working on something big.”

“What?” Ochako asks.

‘Wait, I can’t tell her this!’

“Anyway, enough about me,” Izuku says. “Tell me more about yourself.”

“There’s not much, really,” Ochako says. “Like I said I’m just going to school to get my Hero license. My Hero name is Uravity.”

“Your name and a pun on “gravity”. Cute,” Izuku says.

“Thanks. Wanna see my hero suit?”

Ochako pulls out her phone and shows Izuku a picture of her levitating several bricks of concrete with her Quirk. Izuku’s eyes bulge out of their sockets seeing Ochako in the skin-tight suit. He blushes.

“That…you look good.”

Ochako blushes as well. “R-Really?”

“Yeah. And, just to add, I’ve been working out.” Izuku feels the need to add. “Since I started high school I’ve been going to the gym. Watching defense classes online. Training with my friends. Working out. So I’m not weak and helpless.”

Izuku “accidentally” flexes his forearm. Ochako smiles at the noticeable definition.

“It’s always good to work toward self-improvement,” Ochako says.

Later, Ochako and Izuku face each other.

“This was great, Ochako,” Izuku says. “It was nice to talk to a normal person about normal things for once.”

“I had a great time too,” Ochako says. “Let’s meet up again soon.”

“This time, let’s have our conversations be less depressing, ok?” Izuku asks.
Ochako laughs and nods. “Sounds great. And I’ll ask Ai if she’s into geckos. Maybe we can set her and Spinner up.”

“I think Spinner might be too old, but I’ll ask Mustard.”

“Mustard?”

“It’s a nickname since his Quirk is releasing a gas. Anyway, do you want me to walk you to the train station?”

Ochako waves it off. “No thanks. We came from different directions. But thanks for the offer. Bye.”

“Bye, Uravity.”

The two secret villains part ways. Both glad at having met each other, both guilty over lying, but both grateful to have had someone they really connected to.

‘Don’t worry, Izuku/Ochako. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you,’ they both think.

Later, Izuku stands before Shigaraki, Dr. Garaki, and All For One. He shows them the hand-held laser gun and projector-like device that he has created.

“Again, I would like to thank you, Sensei, for having your U.A. spy provide me with that napkin used by the U.A. Principal, who has a hyper-intelligence Quirk,” Izuku says. “Using it, I was able to read through, and completely absorb the information of, dozens of books on engineering in a matter of hours.”

Flashback: Izuku is holding the napkin in one hand while speed-reading a book he is holding in his other. There is a big stack of books on both sides of him.

“Not only am I passing my Engineering class without even trying now, but combined with the Scan Quirk patch you provided for me and Eraserhead’s hairs-”

Flashback: Izuku is using his Scan Quirk on a long black hair while sitting at a desk with mechanical parts all spread out.

“-I was able to reverse engineer the Erasure Quirk and learn how to replicate it technologically.”

“This is quite the achievement, Young Midoriya,” AFO says.

“This will certainly help our cause,” Dr. Garaki says.

Shigaraki smiles. “With this, we can easily take down All Might. Can you imagine, the Number One Hero, being reduced to his skeletal form just before we end him?”

“Especially since you already decayed his arm off,” Izuku notes.

Shigaraki grunts. “If only that shooting NCP hadn’t stopped me. I could have ended the Symbol of Peace right there.”

Flashback: During the USJ incident, Shigaraki charged at the weakened All Might. He grabs onto All Mights’ arm and the Symbol of Peace screams as his arm decays. His boy deflating into its frail state, to the other students’ shock. Snipe then shows up and shoots Shigaraki’s hand, causing the Villain to pull away.

“While leaving just enough of him for the Doctor to surgically remove One For All, of course,” Shigaraki tells AFO.

“Now don’t be so hard on yourself, Senpai,” Izuku says. “Before you, I thought that All Might was an invincible god, even with his injury. Hearing that the League of Villains managed to destroy one of his arms piqued my interest long before Spinner introduced me to you.”

“And that flattery of me over Stain is why I brought you in,” Shigaraki says with a smile. “I mean, aside from your delicious analysis of the Sports Festival participants. Dabi really loved the entry you made on Endeavor’s son, especially the bit you put about him being hesitant to use his fire side.”

“But does it work?” Dr. Garaki asks.
Izuku holds up a gun. “It’s a prototype, but it should work. Can I have a volunteer?”

Dr. Garaki steps back. AFO is unfazed. Shigaraki steps forward.

“I need something to decay,” Shigaraki says.

AFO presses a button. “Kurogiri. Please bring Tomura something he can use his Quirk on safely.”

“Right away, Sir,” Kurogiri’s voice says through a speaker.

Moments later, Kurogiri warped into the room with a bag of oranges.

“Ah, are we testing out Young Midoriya’s device?” Kurogiri asks.

“We’re seeing if it works,” says AFO.

Shigaraki grabs an orange and slowly uses his decay on it. The orange turns gray and cracks from the bottom up as Izuku adjusts his projector device.

“Now, I have two settings for this so far. One is the standard Erasure.”

Izuku activates the projector at Shigaraki. Shigaraki feels nothing as the red light shines on him, but the orange in his hand stops decaying. Shigaraki grunts as he tries to use his Quirk, but the orange stays in the same state. Izuku chuckles and turns off the light, allowing Shigaraki to turn the orange into dust.

“Erasure sends out a Quirk energy that acts as a barrier on another person’s Quirk Factor,” Izuku explains. “As long as the light to this device is on and touching another person, their Quirk is indefinitely unusable.” He holds up the laser gun. “After mapping out the blueprints for this device, I made a smaller version which I combined with this stun gun. So now when you shoot a target with this, the Quirk energy will strike your Quirk Factor in a way that it will be temporarily deactivated. But it’s not fatal, and they will recover fully after ten minutes.”

“You seem quite sure of yourself there,” Dr. Garaki states.

“I had Giran help me test it out,” Izuku says.

Flashback: Izuku fires his prototype laser gun at his two old bullies, Long Fingers and Shark Mouth, as they are tied up.

“Giran erased their memories and kept them drugged. They were playing hooky, and I had Twice make a clone of me for school,” Izuku explains. “They remember nothing, and we have nothing to worry about.”

All For One claps his hands. “Oh, this is a spectacular achievement, Young Midoriya. With this, All Might is done for.”

”Next time we fight him, let’s defeat him in front of a camera,” Izuku says. “If we’re going to make society lose its faith in heroes, it has to be done for the whole world to see.”

AFO turns to Shigaraki. “You did well inviting this one in, Tomura.”

“Thank Spinner,” Shigaraki says.

“Young Midoriya,” AFO says. “As a reward, I shall grant you any Quirk of your choosing, permanently.”

Izuku waves his hand. “Thank you, Sensei, but I already have my Copy Ability and patches. Though, I would like to learn more about Quirks and Nomu. Could I work with Dr. Garaki?”

“What do you say, Doctor?” Kurogiri asks.

Dr. Garaki shrugs. “I don’t see why not. He’s certainly intelligent enough. And he already has experience with Nomu.”

Izuku winces.

Flashback: Izuku stands over the bodies of several slain Nomu. Including one with Wings that he was told moments before their fight was one of Bakugo’s old friends, “Tasuba”. Izuku’s scars are healing thanks to the regeneration patch stuck to his back, but he is panting in exhaustion, and the knives in his hands are dripping with blood. He weakly looks up at AFO as the demon lord approaches him. “If you want to change society, Young Midoriya, you have to get used to getting your hands dirty. It took ten cycles of the Nomu tearing you apart before you managed to fight back.” Later, Izuku, still tired and weary, stands before a tied-up hero in makeshift medieval armor. “This is the hero, Shining Knight,” Kurogiri introduces. “He was on Stains list before he was arrested by Endeavor,” says AFO. “Ah, yes. He’s the hero who is rumored to be very forward with women,” Izuku notes, weakly looking at the terrified hero tied in front of him. “Not rumors,” Kurogiri says as he hands Izuku a folder. Izuku opens it and sees various images taken of Shining Knight groping a crying woman as he covers her mouth, “has his way” with a woman while she is sleeping, and many more unpleasant things. “You know what you have to do,” Kurogiri says. Izuku weakly faces the tied-up “hero”, lets out a sigh, and raises his knife. The “heroes” muffled screams are the last noises he ever makes before Izuku plunges his knife into his skull.

Izuku chuckles weakly. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

“Oh, and that reminds me,” Dr. Garaki says. “I made some friends to school with you.”

Izuku raises an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“Technically, they are Nomu,” AFO says. “But they have been altered to keep their intelligence and retain their human appearances. They will be your friends at school during the day and serve the League with you at night.”

Kurogiri waves his hand and opens a warp gate. Three figures step through. One is a frog-like heteromorph with green toad-like bumpy skin and a long tongue sticking out of her mouth that is sparking with electricity. She has long black hair and a feminine body shape. The other looks like a big silver robot with glowing yellow eyes. And the other towers above the other two, huge, muscular, with pitch black skin, a typical Nomu exposed brain, sharp teeth, and purple pod-like growths on his arms and head. The three figures then morph into humanoid forms (ironically, the largest one becomes a midget), which causes Izuku’s eyes to widen in recognition from news articles.

“Wait, I know these guys!” Izuku says. “They-”

“They are Nomu that I brought to life using bodies recovered from UA Hero students your age,” Dr. Garaki says. “Two of which drowned during the USJ attack. The other was Stains final victim before incarceration.”

“Nice to meet you, Midoriya, ribbit,” the girl with the (still somewhat) frog-like look says. “My name is Jumper Cable,” the girl once known as Tsuyu Asui says.

Her tongue reaches across several feet and grabs onto an orange, before sending out an electric current that electrocutes it and causes it to splatter.

The taller one (after the bigger Nomu turned into a midget) lets out a cheesy evil laugh. “And I am the villain Accelerator!” says the boy who was once Tenya Ida.

The midget that was once Mineta Minoru raises his hand. “Yo. Short Fuse. I don’t know why they couldn’t make my human form bigger, but as a Nomu I can tear off sticky balls from my arms and head that contain nitroglycerine and explode. I also generate bombs, explode my whole body and regenerate. Plus I can leap really far and I’m super strong.”

“I had to heavily alter this one so he would be tolerable around women,” Dr. Garaki explains to Izuku.

“This feels wrong,” Izuku says.
“We’re not too worried about the people we used to be,” Jumper Cable says. “We’re just here to help you.”
“And help the League of Villains!” Accelerator says before letting out an evil laugh.

Izuku sighs. "Ochako would be disgusted with me if she knew about this."

Meanwhile, Ochako is with her friends Ai and Asta. They are in their hero suits (a wrestling suit for Ai and a military uniform for Asta) as they stand before curious.

“All right, I am sure you are all aware of the League of Villains,” Curious says.

“The schmo’s who took All Might’s arm?” Asta asks.

“Exactly,” says Curious. “They have become hot topic in the underworld since their attack on UA.”

‘Kinda glad I didn’t get in now,’ Ochako thinks. ‘I heard two kids died!’

“Re-Destro does not want anyone overshadowing and potentially threatening the Army. So we are going to be training our top three students, you, to be our elite force against them.”

Curious gives them the Army’s “L” salute, which Ochako, Ai, and Asta give back.

“For this, we brought in a guest. Come on out, Shinso.”

The door opens and a boy with spike purple hair enters the room. Ochako recognizes him as Hitoshi Shinso, the UA Gen Ed student with the Brainwashing Quirk.

“This is Hitoshi Shinso,” Curious introduces. “I’m sure you recognize Hitoshi Shinso.”

“No,” Ai says, bluntly. “He is cute through,” says says she she swells bigger.

“He goes to UA and he has a brainwash Quirk,” Asta says.

“He got in third before Todoroki deduced what his Quirk was, and he forfeited,” Ochako says.

“Does he have a girlfriend?” Ai asks, now six feet tall and muscular.

“Anyway,” Shinso says. “I was hired by De-Destro as a recruiter. I have already brought in several students into the Army. But now, I am here to help you three ladies.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Asta asks.

Shinso turns his head back to the door. “Come on in,” he says.

Three old men walk into the room. They are in a trance-like state, clearly brainwashed.

“These three old crones are members of the Creature Rejection Clan,” Curious says.

Ochako's eyes widen. “Creature Rejection Clan? That is still a thing?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” says Shinso. “I used my Brainwash on them to make them confirm that they have each murdered at least one heteromorph in their lives.”

Curious turns to the girls. “Kill them.”

Ai and Ochako gasp while Asta is unfazed.

“What!?” Ai asks.

“We need to get used to killing if we’re going to be fighting Villains,” Asta says.

“How are you so calm about this!?” Ochako asks.

“We’re just being asked to kill murderous bigots who are close to death anyway,” Asta says. “Its not like they are asking us to kill a cat.”

Asta pulls out a pen from her pocket. She transforms it into a rifle and fires a bullet at one of the clan members’ heads. That Clan member falls dead with a red hole in his head. Blood pours onto the floor as her two friends stare at her in horror. Asta just faces them as if nothing happened.

“Now your turn.”

“Hold up!” Ai says. “I-I can’t do this!”

“Yes you can,” Shinso says, activating his Quirk.

Ai enters a trance-like state.

“Ai, you joined the Army because you want to be free, right?” Shinso asks, and Ai nods. “Well, how are you going to fight for your freedom if you cant even do this? Can you imagine if your friend or family member was threatened and you had to kill thir attacker to save their life? Are you going to hesitate, or are you going to protect them? If you don’t kill these men, now, then they are just going to go out and keep being Clan members. They are going to hurt innocent people, just for looking different. The Clan has targeted teenagers, children, whole families. If you want to save anyone else from suffering, you need to do this. Ok?”

Ai, still in her trance, nods. She reaches forward in her muscular form and grabs the Clan member by the neck. She squeezes and Ochako watches as the second Clan members falls to the ground, dead.

Ai wakes up from her trance with blood on her hand as she fully reverts back to her base size.

“You did well,” Shinso says as Ai looks at her hand, horrified. “I am very proud of you.”

Ai somewhat recovers from her shock and gives Shinso and Curious a guilt-ridden smile.

“Ochako, now it is your turn,” says Curious.

Ochako looks at the man in front of her. She stares. She contemplates. She gazes at the bodies of the two clan members on the ground and she turns to her friends.

“Ms. Curious, if Ochako doesn’t want to kill-”

Asta is interrupted by Ochako.

“Hold on.” Ochako turns to Curious. “I have a question. What is the army’s stance on quirkless people? I mean, Quirkless people who were born from those with Quirks.”

“Huh?” Curious asks. “Why are you asking that?”

“Actually thats a good question,” Shinso asks. “Because it was a Quirkless guy I met online who convinced me to come here. I owe him a lot.”

“And Uravity’s new boyfriend is Quirkless,” Asta teases.

Curious tenses up. “Well…I…suppose….as long as they don’t hate Quirks like their ancestors did they are ok.”

“Oh, he doesn’t!” Ochako says. “Izuku LOVES Quirks. He asked me a lot of questions about mine! But he was bullied for being Quirkless, and I want to know if the Army will encourage…behavior like that when we take over.”

“Oh, no,” Curious says. “I assure you, Ochako, we just want the freedom to use our Quirks as we please. We will still maintain other laws for the sake of a civilized society. Like not using your Quirks to torment others.”

Ochako smiles.

“Then I need to do whatever I can to help the Army win, so that I can be free to protect people like him.”

Ochako takes a deep breath and touches her fingertips on the last Clan member’s forehead. And then she presses a button on her wristband. It glows blue.

“QUIRK INVERSION DEVICE ACTIVATED.” The band says.

Ochako cringes as she realizes what she is about to do. She replays in her head what Shinso told Ai about this guy deserving it. And then, after a minute of two of hesitation (and prompting from Curious) Ochako activates her Quirk, which is reversed by her band.

“Goodbye,” Ochako says before activating her inverted Quirk.

The Clan member suddenly gains three tons and he collapses under his own weight, becoming a red stain on the ground.

Ochako stares at the red stain as Curious pats her shoulder.

“You did well,” Curious tells her.
“I just killed someone,” Ochako says, still riling from shock.

“Me too,” says Ai.

“They were murderers and bigots,” says Asta. “Not worth losing any sleep over.”
“Agreed,” says Shinso.

“The first blood is never easy for anyone,” says Curious. “You two just remind yourselves of why you had to do this. I assure you, whatever guilt you are feeling will fade.”

Ochako looks up at Curious and nods.

Chapter Text

Izuku sits awkwardly in front of the three Nomu who are meant to be his new friends at school. Each one having a previous life as a U.A. student. Mustard and Toga sit behind him. Mustard is indifferent and Toga is excited.

“So, you guys are basically zombies?” Mustard asks the Nomu’s Jumper Cable, Accelerator, and Short Fuse.

“Not zombies,” Accelerator says. “We are very much alive, I assure you.”

“According to the doctor, we are new beings made from human corpses,” says Jumper Cable. “But I feel alive.”
“I know I am alive,” Short Fuse says, eyes constantly shifting from looking at Jumpers’ chest to at Izuku, and moving his leg to cover his crotch.

“You’re Tsuyu Asui, Mineta Minoru, and Tenya Ida,” izuku says, pointing at the Nomu Jumper Cable, Short Fuse, and Accelerator respectively. “I saw you on the news, you were all former U.A. students who died from villains.” he points to Tsuyu/Jumper and Mineta/Short respectively. “You two were drowned during the USJ attack,” he then points to Tenya/Accelerator, “and you died confronting Stain after he crippld your brother, Ingenium.”

Tenya/Accelerator blinks and freezes.

“In-genium?”

Izuku flinches and scoots back as Tenya/Accelerator spazes. His body twitches as if his mind is short-circuiting. This goes on for thirty seconds until he finally stops and smiles.

“Our past lives are unimportant. I am the Accelerator now.”

“Yeah, I mean I don’t really remember my old life,” says Jumper. “Everything is foggy. And even if I did remember we’re legally dead. So it’s not like I can just go to my parent’s house and say “Hey, it’s me your amnesic resurrected daughter”. They would probably freak out. We should probably just stay here. Ribbit.”

“I for one am grateful,” Short Fuse says. “What little memories I have of the old me are very embarrassing.”

Flashback: Mineta tries to peep up a girl’s skirt in middle school. The girl cringes in disgust and smacks him.

“The Doctor made sure I came back a better man.”

Flashback: As Dr. Garaki is working on Mineta’s body, he has his eyelids taped open and a screen in front of his face showing images of feminist rallies.

“Oh, and Jumper, if I ever molested you in our past lives I am really sorry,” Short Fuse says.

“It’s ok, Ribbit.”

“Don’t feel too guilty, Young Midoriya,” Kurogiri says, walking by with a glass in his hand. “Remember, they were all dead before the Doctor brought them back for you. What is worse, gaining a new chance at life as your friends, being incinerated and buried in a grave, or worse, becoming a mindless Nomu?”

“That actually makes some sense,” Izuku says.

“Look at me,” Kurogiri says. “I am a Nomu as well.”

“Wait, really?” Mustard asks.

“Yes, I was made from the corpse of a former U.A. student as well.” Kurogiri waves it off. “I have no memory of my old self, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am Kurogiri now. Just like how they are Jumper Cable, Accelerator, and Short Fuse.” He puts a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “And perhaps you can appreciate that once you get to know them better.”

Toga smiles. “Well, I for one am glad to have more girls in the League.” She extends her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jumper, I’m Himiko Toga!”

Jumper smiles and shakes it. “Jumper Cable, ribbit.”

Mustard eyes Short Fuse. “So, they gave you the same Quirk as Izuku’s old bully?”

“Yes,” Short Fuse says. “And I think I vaguely remember being bullied by him as well.” Short Fuse flexes his arm, which morphs into its larger and more muscular Nomu form. “So I look forward to showing him these!”

Tiny explosions crackle in his fist, and Mustard smiles at the humanoid Nomu.

Accelerator bows to Izuku. “I swear to be a loyal friend to you and a servant to the League. I have even been practicing my villain laugh.”

Izuku smiles fondly and rolls his eyes at his cartoony villain laugh.

“Ok, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get to know you guys,” Izuku says. “So, what are your Quirks?”

High-End Nomu: Accelerator (Tenya Ida)

Quirks:

• Engine: Engine is Tenya Ida’s natural Quirk. He has a set of orange juice-powered engines in his calves which allow him to run at incredible speeds. After being revived as a Nomu, the mufflers on his calves are much longer and provide for a greater running time. Thanks to his regeneration Quirk, he can also push himself further without worrying about internal damage.
• Super-Regeneration: Like all High-End Nomu, Accelerator possesses Super-Regeneration, which allows him to heal from injuries and recover from damage to his body quickly. He can regrow limbs and heal any damage done to his calf engines from overuse.
• Shell: Accelerator can form a shell-like armor over his body that serves to protect him from physical damage and conceal his identity. The armor is metallic and black in color like normal High-End Nomu. The face of his armored shell looks similar to his original selves costume helmet.
• Sword Arms: Accelerator can transform his arms into blades from his elbow down. These blades are so sharp they can cut through almost anything.
• Electricity Generation: The Accelerator can generate an electric current from his body. While he cannot fire electricity at his targets, he can charge his punches so that they deliver greater damage combined with his enhanced strength, durability, and speed. The charge running through his metallic shell also serves to protect him from being touched by enemies.
• Body Alteration: Accelerator has the ability to alter his body in small ways such as adjusting his height by a few inches, changing his body type, hair and eye color, the shape of his nose, etc. He uses this when he goes out in public so he is not recognized as Tenya Ida. When he attends school with Izuku as “Kaito” he makes himself a few inches shorter, his hair becomes longer and brown, and his face becomes narrower.
• Super Strength: Like all Nomu, Accelerator possesses enhanced strength. Though this is a result of the modifications to his body rather than a true Quirk.

High-End Nomu: Jumper Cable (Tsuyu Asui)

Quirks:

• Frog: Frog is Tsuyu’s original Quirk. It grants her many frog-like capabilities such as a tongue that can stretch up to 63 feet, jumping, sticking to walls, swimming, mucus secretion, and camouflage. After being altered by Dr. Garaki, Frog gives Jumper the ability to take a more frog-like appearance similar to Tsuyu’s Fathers’ heteromorph form albeit with green skin, while also increasing her physical strength and durability. Though she can change back to her more humanoid form at will.
• Super-Regeneration: Like all High-End Nomu, Jumper Cable possesses Super-Regeneration, which allows her to heal from injuries and recover from damage to her body quickly. She can regrow limbs and heal any damage done to her body.
• Electric Tongue: Jumper can emit an electric current from her tongue that can electrocute victims stuck to it. The current is strong enough to knock someone out.
• Body Alteration: Jumper has the ability to alter her body in small ways such as adjusting her height by a few inches, changing her body type, hair and eye color, the shape of her nose, etc. She uses this when she goes out in public so she is not recognized as Tsuyu Asui. When she attends school with Izuku as “Yuki” she makes herself as tall and voluptuous as Momo Yaoyorozu due to a subconscious envy her past self used to have for her fellow students’ features. She also “normalizes” her hands and mouth, as well as gives herself green irises.

High-End Nomu: Short Fuse (Mineta Minoru)

Short Fuse is the strongest of Izuku’s Nomu-friend group and one of the strongest Nomu overall, if not the strongest. Dr. Garaki owes this to his Masters notes from the Villain Factory in the creation of the Bombers and the information about Katsuki Bakugo’s Quirk provided by Izuku Modoriya (plus DNA samples).

Quirks:

• Pop-Off: Pop-Off is Mineta’s original Quirk. He would generate sticky purple balls from his head that he could throw and stick things and people together. After modifications by Dr. Garaki, the balls became filled with nitroglycerine, effectively turning them into sticky grenades that burst seconds after being plucked. Short Fuse can adjust the explosiveness of the balls and how long it takes before they explode.
• Bombify: Short Fuse can generate bomb-like growths from any part of his body that resemble his purple balls. He can detonate these bombs at any time and throw them much like his pop-off balls, or detonate them on his body. He can generate these balls in the palms of his hands to simulate the Explosion Quirk. He likes to keep clusters of them pre-grown on his forearms.
• Super-Regeneration: Like all High-End Nomu, Short Fuse possesses Super-Regeneration, which allows him to heal from injuries and recover from damage to his body quickly. He uses this to survive his Self-Detonation Quirk which otherwise would be fatal.
• Self-Detonation: Short Fuse can self-detonate his body, causing him to combust in a powerful explosion that is capable of destroying a building up to a city block, thanks to the high level of nitroglycerine in his body. This Quirk would be fatal if not for the presence of his Super-Reneration Quirk. Though, it is also very painful, so he tries to use it as little as possible.
• Muscle Expansion X4: Short Fuse possesses multiple muscle expansion quirks that allow his short body to grow up to eight feet tall and give him extraordinary muscle mass, effectively turning him into a “big purple Hulk”.
• Immense Strength and Durability: Due to heavy body modifications done by Dr. Garaki, Short Fuse possesses immense physical strength and durability on par with All Might, or at least very close. This in conjunction with his Explosion Quirk makes him a formidable opponent and one of the strongest Nomu out there. 
• Body Alteration: Short Fuse has the ability to alter his body in small ways such as adjusting his height by a few inches, changing his body type, hair and eye color, the shape of his nose, etc. He uses this when he goes out in public so she is not recognized as Mineta Minoru. When he attends school with Izuku as “Ryo” he stretches his body to make himself taller. Though he can only reach up to four feet tall, making his base human form is still shorter than Izuku and the rest of their friends. He also “flattens” the balls on his head and arms to hide them under his hair and long-sleeve shirt. He also makes his hair longer and dusty-blonde. Due to how heavily modified his body is, he is the least human looking out of all the Nomu, having the same black skin and exposed brain as his “brethren,” so he uses this Quirk to appear as his previous self.

A Few Days Later

Ochako screams as she slams her hands to the ground, engulfing the area in her pink aura.

Ai slams her massive fists on the ground so hard that the ground in front of her beaks apart into smaller pieces of debris and flies into the air, under the effects of Ochako's Quirk.

Asta jumps in, with a cold focused look on her face. She transforms her shirt into metallic armor (it is still white and has the same pattern as her shirt, but it has spikes and a technological look) and a piece of rubble in her hands into a large stone bat. Asta swings the bat at the floating rubble and several training droids that were firing at them are hit and destroyed by the flying projectiles.

"Excellent teamwork, girls," Curious says. "And Yuro, the armor is new."

"Thanks," Asta says. "It’s battle armor that's designed to aid me strength-wise. I had to do a lot of studying before I could perfect it."

Flashback: Asta has bags under her eyes as she reads through various blueprints of strength-enhancing Armor.

"A LOT of studying."

"How advanced can you make it?" Ochako asks.

"I'm not going to make a super suit for your Quirkless boyfriend," Asta states.

"Why not!?"

"Because if he becomes a hero, we might have to fight him." Ochako pouts. "Ok, fine. Maybe after the revolution then?"

Asta shrugs.

"You've come quite far in your studies, Asta," Ai says as she shrinks to her petite size.

"I've also learned how to make heat-seeking missiles," Asta says holding a handful of pens.

She throws them into the air while simultaneously turning them into missiles. They fly toward the remaining robots, shifting and turning as they lock onto their targets.

Then...KABOOM!

"Awesome!" Ochako says. "Now Check this out!"

A new wave of training droids fires paintballs at Ochako as she runs toward them. Ochako easily dodges using her weightless body and aerosol propellors in her leg armor. She then floats high into the air and activates her Quirk Inverter on her wrist before falling legs first on top of one of the droids. The droid crushes under her (due to her inversion tech) massive weight, and the impact even causes the surrounding droids to fall over as the earth beneath them cracks upward.

A flying droid comes at Ochako, but she removes the weight from a broken droid, activates a gauntlet on her wrist, and punches it at the flying droid.

"Uravity Smash!"

Both droids are further destroyed.

"Very creative, Ms. Uraraka," Curious says. "I see you've taken inspiration from All Might."

"Yeah..."

Flashback: Ochako is lying in bed, texting Izuku. Previous texts from her include a pic of her in her hero suit and a close-up of her inversion bracelets. "I still need to come up with ultimate moves," Ochako tests. "Maybe if you used your inversion tech in midair or got a gauntlet, you could make yourself weigh several tons or remove the weight of objects and then punch them away. Kind of like an All Might Smash." Izuku suggests. "Are you saying I'm fat?" Ochako asks with a smirk and an eye-raised emoji. "NO! I DIDN'T MEAN THAT! YOU LOOK GREAT! | MEAN…” Izuku texts rapidly as Ochako giggles at his expression.

Ai slumps. "Aw, you guys are so lucky. All I can do is hit hard."

"Don't be like that, Ai," Ochako says. "Try focusing your force on one area, like we talked about. Or try creating enough force in the air to hit far away targets like All Might."

"No one's as strong as All Might!" Ai says.

"You COULD be, if you let yourself grow big enough," Ai says.

"Remember, Ai," Shinso says. "Strength isn't everything. It is important to use your skillset in addition to your Quirk. Since joining the Army, I have been trained in hand-to-hand combat in addition to the use of weapons."

"Yet you STILL relied on your Quirk throughout the entire Sports Festival and forfeited when you went up against the explosion guy," Asta points out.

"Yes," Shinso says. "Bakugo deduced the nature of my Quirk and I thought it would be best to not show off too much so my cover wouldn't have been blown. He did not take it well."

Flashback:

Bakugo is grabbing Shinso by the collar and screaming in his face. Shinso is unfazed, while Midnight looks freaked out.

"YOU BASTARD!" Bakugo shouts. "IT’S BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU DENIED ME A REMATCH WITH HALF-AND-HALF, BUT YOU TOOK AWAY MY PERFECT VICTORY TOO!? IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I WIN! NOT UNLESS I EARNED IT! NOT UNLESS THE PERSON I WAS UP AGAINST GAVE IT THEIR ALL! IT DOESN'T MATTER IF EVERYONE HERE THINKS I'M THE BEST IF-"

"Everyone here thinks you're a lunatic," Shinso points out, unfazed by Bakugo's outburst.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Bakugo shouts.

"Stop," Shinso says, quietly.

Bakugo falls under the effects of the Brainwashing Quirk and he turns to Midnight. "Does this still count as a win for me, or not because I already forfeited?" he asks.

"Bakugo is still the winner by default, sorry," Midnight says.

"Will I get in trouble for using my Quirk on him now?" Shinso asks.

"It was in self-defense. I was going to use my Quirk on him before you did," says Midnight.

"All right then, I'll be on my way."

Present

"He tried confronting me the next day, but Mr. Aizawa restrained him," Shinso says. "He has an Erasure Quirk."

Curious cringes. "Ugh! Abomination. A Quirk that negates other Quirks. Oh, but that reminds me. Shinso was able to recruit two students from U.A. You two can come out now."

The door to the training grounds opens. In comes a blonde boy in a nice suit (which immediately gets Ai flustered and growing again). Beside him is a tall dark-haired girl with a voluptuous figure and a VERY revealing red suit, which makes Asta look down in envy at her own chest, and Ochako's eyes bulge out.

"This is my good friend, Monoma,” Shinso says, pointing to the blonde.

"Pleasure to be here," Monoma says. "My Quirk is Copy."

Ai lights up. "Oh! So you can have any power you want!? That's incredible!"

Monoma becomes teary-eyed. "You people are the only ones to ever tell me that!"

"And who is she?" Asta asks, pointing at the dark-haired girl.

"I am Momo Yaoyorozu," the dark-haired girl says. *My Quirk is Creation."

Momo holds her hands up to her revealing chest. The area bursts with light and a roll of tape appears.

Ochako and Asta both gasp. "I can transform the lipids in my body into anything I want. So long as I know the molecular composition."

"Woah, that's incredible," Ochako says.

Asta growls. "I can only make weapons."

Flashback. A five-year-old Asta stares in horror at a chair that is spiked and has a bear trap on the seat. "I was trying to make a normal chair,” she cries.

"So why did you two join the army?" Ochako asks.

"Well, Shinso invited me to a seminar, which turned out to be a MLA recruitment drive,"

Monoma says. "Also, pretty sure you used your Quirk on me a bit."

"Just a little," Shinso says. "More or less."

"But still, I love being around people who appreciate my Quirk!"

"I was also invited to a Seminar," says Momo.

Flashback: Momo is watching the seminar while Shoto whispers into her ear. She is in a trance-like state. Monoma is next to her, also in a trance.

"Her family owns several major companies, which is why Destro asked Shinso to recruit her, specifically," Curious says.

“I also attempted to recruit the one who shoots lasers out of his navel, but he said he would come to a seminar if I gave him a strand of my hair," Shinso says. “It was weird, but he said he had a cousin with a weird hobby who kept pestering him about it. So I just plucked a hair and walked away."

Asta cringes. "His cousin sounds like a weirdo."

"Maybe his cousin has a Copy Quirk like Monoma does," Ochako says. "Besides, we shouldn't judge. Everyone has their own hobbies."

"Anyway," Momo says. "By me joining the Army that only means you're going to use my family’s resources to promote elections for officials that will remove Quirk regulations. RIGHT!?" Momo asks.

"If it is that easy," Curious says. "That is definitely one of our plans, but we still like to have a force on standby."

"The MLA also promised to help my friend, Shoto, overcome his past issues and unlock his full potential," Momo says.

Ai raises an eyebrow “What do you mean?"

Chapter Text

“Die you bastard!” Mandalay shouts as she charges at Muscular.

Muscular. Quirk: Muscle Augmentation. He can add more than 12,000 layers of extra muscle outside his body that give him immense physical strength

Two years ago, he lost his eye while fighting the Pro Hero couple team, Water Hose. Where he killed the heroes, leaving Water Hose’s four-year-old son, Kota Izumi, an orphan.

“Come at me, Kitty! I’ll kill you like I killed Water Hose!” Muscular shouts as he smashes through an Earth Beast created by Pixie-Bobs Earthflow.

Mandalay pounces at Musuclar with her claws, but Muscular smacks her away.

Mandalay is caught by Tiger, right before they are joined by Ragdoll and Pixie-Bob. They glare at the one-eyed villain, who is smiling viciously at them.

The Wild, Wild Pussycats!

They are a cat-themed Pro Hero team that specializes in Mountain rescue operations. Each one is considered a veteran in their respective field.

Tiger growls. “You have some nerve coming here and causing trouble.”
“After you made our Kota an orphan,” Pixie-Bob snarls.

“My nephew hates heroes now because of you!” Mandalay shouts.

Muscular laughs. “Show me your blood!”

Muscular uplifts and throws a tree at the Pussycats. But they manage to dodge.

“Mandalay! How did this creep even get here!?” Ragdoll asks.
“I don’t know!” Mandalay says. “I was just doing my forest training exercises like the rest of you, when a dark swirling portal opened up and Muscular came out!”

Shino Sosaki, Mandalay. Leader of the Wild Wild Pussycats. Quirk: Telepath. Mandalay can send her thoughts into other people’s heads, allowing her to send messages to her teammates over long distances. However, she cannot hear their thoughts back.

“That means he must be working with someone with a Warp Quirk,” Pixie-Bob shouts as she moves in to engage Muscular with her Earth Flow Quirk.

Creating a wave of stone, dirt, and rocks and then sending it at Muscular, which he distilled easily with a single punch. Only for him to be wrapped around the torso by Tiger from behind.

Ryuko Tsuchikawa, Pixie-Bob. Quirk: Earth Flow. Pixie-Bob can manipulate the earth and mold it into anything she wants. She can even use a special move called “Earth Beast”, where she creates beings of various shapes and sizes made of soil and earth that she can remotely control.

Yawara Chatora, Tiger. Quirk: Pliabody. Tiger can stretch and flatten his body at will, making him elastic.

“Ragdoll, use your Search Quirk,” Mandalay says.

“On it!”

Ragdoll uses her Search Quirk.

Tomoko Shiretoko, Ragdoll. Quirk: Search. She can monitor and observe a hundred people at a time, giving her their location and weak points. Search identifies people by their Quirk and DNA signatures.

“I’m getting two extra people outside our forest,” Ragdoll says. “One looks like a dark fog and the other is some kid with green eyes.”

“The fog guy must have been the one to warp Muscular in and the kid could be a hostage,” Mandalay says. “After we take down Muscular we’ll-”

Muscular throws Pixie-Bob and Tiger off of him, and then slams his fists down on the ground. The result creates a shockwave that knocks the Pussycats back.

Mandalay sits up and growls. “All right, let’s get him together, team!”

“Yeah!” they shout.

However, before they can fight again, a Warp Gate opens up and Izuku Midoriya steps through.

“Ok, everyone. Stop,” Izuku says.

The Pussycats pause and fall into a trance-like state.

Flashback: Kurogiri hands a piece of paper with purple haires taped to it with the name “Shinso” written under it. Along with a used napkin with “Hagakure” written on it. “From our spy. The DNA samples you requested,” Kurogiri tells Izuku, as he smiles at the hairs and the napkin. He touches the napkin and activates his Copy Quirk, becoming invisible except for his clothes. “Amazing!” Izuku says. “And you can tell the spy he doesn’t have to get any more samples for me. I just need one more Quirk and I can get all the samples I want myself.” “What Quirk is that?” Kurogiri asks.

Izuku’s Quirk Notebook

Brainwashing: Acquired from Hitoshi Shinso. Allows the user to put their target in a trance-like state where they respond to the user’s commands. However, it can only be activated on one person at a time and the target has to respond to something they say.

Flashback: Izuku puts Shinso’s hair into a black glove, which he slides on his hand. He then looks all around him to make sure he isn’t being watched. Once he is sure the coast is clear, he takes the patch with the thumbprint on it from Cathleen Bate (Star and Stripe) and puts it in his other glove before wearing it. “New Order. Brainwashing shall allow me to activate and absolutely control multiple people at once and by my command alone, without someone having to respond to me. And they shall have no recollection of what happened.”

Izuku’s Quirk Notebook

New Order: Acquired from America’s Number One Hero, Star And Stripe. The user can set a new rule on to a target by calling out their name. Allowing them to manipulate and bestow new properties onto themselves and the world around them. However, the user can only manipulate things to an extent, and they can only have two rules active at once. Once a new rule is made, the previous rule is discarded.

Muscular laughs as he walks around the Pussycats as they are frozen in place and unaware of what is happening around them.

“Now, this is hardly a fair fight, isn’t it?” Muscular asks. “One hit and I can kill them all.”

“You’re done here, Gota,” Izuku says. “You can leave now.”
“Hey, you aren’t the boss of me, kid!” Muscular says. “Come on, four less heroes we need to worry about,” Muscular says, raising his fist.

“This is Young Midoriya’s mission and he said no,” Kurogiri says.

“Pussycats,” Izuku says as he reaches into his backpack and pulls out a notebook and a tape roll, “I want each of you to puck a few hairs from your heads.”

The four members of the Pussycats do as he says. Izuku smiles, takes each of the hairs, and tapes them into his notebook, beside entries of what the Quirk is, who he got it from, and what they do.

“Excellent, now once me, Kurogiri, and Muscular are gone I want you all to forget everything that just happened,” Izuku says. “You just met up during training, and you stopped because you noticed a tree had fallen over and you wanted to investigate. But you’ll ultimately decide it is no big deal.”

Kurogiri opens another Warp Gate. Muscular grumbles as he steps through. Izuku gives the Pussycats another look before going through and Kurogiri shortly after.

The Pussycats snap out of their daze as soon as the villains are gone.

“What just happened?” Mandalay asks.

Tiger notices the fallen tree. “We found an unearthed tree.”

“Oh, right?”

“Now, how did that happen?” Ragdoll asks.
“It’s no biggie, I can just fix it,” Pixie-Bob says.

Elsewhere, Mount Lady is walking out of an ice cream shop in her civilian attire, happily munching on an ice cream cone.

Izuku, naked but using invisibility, sneaks up behind her. He has an uncomfortable look on his face.

‘I feel so wrong doing this,’ Izuku thinks, realizing he is sneaking up on a woman while naked in public.

Izuku’s Quirk Notebook

Quirk: Invisibility. Acquired from U.A. Heroics student Toru Hagakure. It makes the user permanently invisible by warping light around their body. Yet, somehow, they are still able to see despite light passing through their eyes. The downside is that they cannot turn it off or make their clothes invisible. The user can also warp the light around them in a way that blinds an opponent. Must not be used against individuals with infrared or Quirks that could allow detection.

‘Just keep walking, Mt. Lady, aka Yu Takeyama,’ Izuku thinks, using a combination of his New Order-altered Brainwashing and Telepathy Quirks.

Mount Lady continues walking as if nothing happened, but she is in a slight daze. Izuku Quickly walks up behind her and plucks a hair without anyone realizing it.

‘Ok, you’re free now,’ Izuku thinks before running off.

And Mount Lady resumes her way, oblivious that anything happened.

Shigaraki claps his hands. He is sitting in front of Izuku at the bar. He is drinking sake while Izuku is drinking a virgin daiquiri. Muscular is leaning against the wall, glaring at Izuku off to the side. While the rest of the League (bar Moonfish) are centered around Izuku and Shigaraki. Even Izuku’s Nomu friends are there as well.

“Nicely done, Deku. You have used the Quirk that Master has given you to it’s fullest potential.”

“Thank you, Senpai,” Izuku says.

‘Remember what Shigaraki said. OWN the name so it can’t be used as an insult.’

“With the Telepath, Brainwashing, and Invisibility Quirks, I can now gain any Quirk I need.” Izuku jestures to a stack of folders on the table beside him. “Kurogiri was nice enough to give me a list of all the students and teachers at UA and other Hero schools in the area. I’m going to read through them and determine what Quirks I think will be most useful. Then I can intercept them on their way home and take a couple of hairs before anyone notices.”

“You’re so smart, Deku-Kun,” Himiko says.

“One question though,” Magne says. “I understand that Copy lets you use multiple Quirks at once, and I know you use it in conjunction with Telepathy, but I thought your entry said that Brainwashing can only be used on one person at a time and they need to respond to something you say.”

Izuku pauses.

‘Yeah…I may have left out the fact that I got New Order from the League. It’s not that I don’t trust them, it’s just that I know Shigaraki will tell Sensei and…honestly I’m getting weird vibes from that guy. They just know I have “Flight” from Captain Celebrity and “Slide and Glide” from his sidekick, The Crawler.’

“Yeah, I was surprised too,” Izuku says. “I guess when you combine two Quirks together, it unlocks a whole new level of possibilities.”

“Well, the important thing is that Deku-Kun how has a lot more Quirks that he can use,” says Magne.

“I’m going to reverse engineer the Telepathy and Brainwash Quirks for a new invention,” Izuku says. “I’ll also see if I can make A suit to provide invisibility so I won’t have to-” Izuku stops himself, remembering that Himiko is here.

‘Come to think of it, I probably could have just used New Order to spread Invisibility to my clothes. No, Kurogiri would have questioned it.’

“Have to what, Izuku?” Spinner asks.

“Uhhh….”

“Oh, I know,” Shigaraki says with a smirk. “Invisibility doesn’t make your clothes invisible, so he had to get Mount Lady’s hairs, naked.”

The rest of the League bursts into laughter as Izuku pouts in embarrassment and Himiko blushes.

“I have some complaints, though,” Muscular says. “This brat stopped me from killing the Pussycats.”

“We got what we went there for, there was no reason to kill anyone,” Izuku says.

“It would have been less heroes!” Muscular shouts.

“Izuku doesn’t have to kill anyone he doesn’t want to,” Spinner says.

“And killing someone while they are Brainwashed?” Compress scoffs. “How low!”

“Come on, Shigaraki,” Muscular says. “You gotta agree with me, here!”

“Flesh!” Moonfish adds.

“See? He gets it!”

“Though I don’t disagree,” Shigaraki says. “As long as Deku completes his objective, I’m happy. And I am sure that he won’t hesitate if he is in an actual fight.”

“You’re going to side with this un-evolved wuss!?” Muscular shouts.

The rest of the League, bar Moonfish, glare at Muscular when he calls Izuku “un-evolved”.

Shigaraki sets his glass down and accidentally activates his Quirk, shattering the glass.

“This unevolved wuss has provided invaluable data on Quirks, methods on how to enhance all of ours, and technology we couldn’t have imagined. You are a brute who is only good for killing things. So shut up and kill when we tell you to kill.”

Shigaraki goes back to talking with Izuku, while Muscular glares at both of them.

‘That kid's no villain,’ Muscular thinks. ‘I gotta get the boss to realize that.’

Later, “So anyways, Dad,” Izuku says, speaking into the phone as Kurogiri, Himiko, Mustard, Shigaraki, Spinner, and Dabi watch with interest. “I want to thank you a ton for tending me those hero fingerprints.” Izuku holds up two patches between his fingers. “The ones from Captain Celebrity and his sidekick will be great additions to my collection.”

“Glad I could help, Son,” Hisashi Midoriya says on the other line. “It was crazy, Skyline just happened to be in the town where I was working right when you sent this letter and then he offered to get me Star and Stripe for you.”

“Really? Wow. I’ve heard that he’s a womanizer but I guess he isn’t so bad,” Izuku says, using his Copy Quirk on the patch and floating in the air.

Izuku’s Quirk Notebook

Christopher Skyline (Captain Celebrity). Quirk: Flight. He wraps himself in a telekinetic field that allows him to lift himself off the ground and fly at incredible speeds. Additionally, the telekinetic field also provides him with a protective forcefield and tactile telekinetic strength. However, the more he uses this energy to lift other things, the less protection he has for himself.

Izuku’s Quirk Notebook

Koichi Haimiawari (The Skycrawler). Japanese vigilante turned American sidekick. Quirk: Slide and Glide. He can slide over plain surfaces (flat and verticle) by emitting a repelling force from the users hands and feet. Granting enhanced speed and even flight. The repulsions can even be used to create a forcefield. Making this Quirk very similar to Captain Celebrities' Flight Quirk, for which reason it has been renamed as such.

“So, Izuku’s Father who is never home,” Dabi says, harshly speaking into the phone. “What is it like in America, far away from your wife and son?”

“Dabi!” Izuku snaps.

“Uh, who is that?” Hisashi asks.

“Oh, that’s my friend, uh….” Izuku turns to Dabi. “Quick, what’s your real name?”

Dabi takes the phone from Izuku. Izuku tries to reach for it back but he is too short for the taller pyromaniac.

“You know, Izuku’s been bullied a lot here in Japan,” Dabi says. “But I hear in America that society’s reaction to Quirkless kids is different. They are pitied, not mocked. Still not great, but have you ever considered flying your son over there with you? Hell, when was the last time you even talked to him up until now?”

There is a pause on the other end. “Uh…well, I….”

“Hisashi, are you still on the phone?” says a womans voice.

“And who the fuck is that!?” Dabi asks.

“Gotta go! Love you, Son. Bye!” Hisashi says before he hangs up.

Dabi grunts and gives the phone back to Izuku.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Izuku says. “I’ve never really known him. Its really just been me and my mom my whole life. I never even really think about my dad, at all. He never even really crossed my mind until I remembered St-Skyline in America.”

Dabi scoffs. “Never even think about your dad, huh? That’s something I don’t understand.”

“Me either,” Shigaraki says with a scowl (not that its visible through his hand-mask). “Beleive me, Dabi. It is better to have an absent father than one who hurts you.”

“Or two parents who think you’re a monster,” Himiko says, sadly.

“Alternatively, having no one in your life to support you really sucks,” Twice says. “I love the independence!”

Mustard and Spinner both nod.

Izuku furrows his eyebrows and looks sympathetically at his teammates.

“Do any of you want to talk about it?”

Dabi crosses his arms. “Later. When the time is right. Oh, and THEN I will tell you my real name.”

“I’ll tell you my life story over dinner,” Himiko says with a blush and a smile.

Izuku awkwardly smiles back. “Sure, Himiko. A nice…friendly dinner. Between good friends.”

“You know she doesn’t want that, right?” Mustard whispers into his ear.
“I know,” Izuku whispers back.

Later, Izuku, Spinner, Shigaraki, Mustard, and even Dabi are playing videogames.

“And so my Sensei gave me the hands of my family, and I wear them on my body as a reminder of my anger and pain,” Shigaraki says.

Izuku’s eyes are widened with horror.

“Wow, Boss. That’s fucked up,” Mustard says.

“I don’t regret killing my father,” Shigaraki says.

“Wait, so those are ACTUAL hands on your body!?” Izuku asks. “I thought those were just prosthetics or something!”
“I call the one on my face, “Father”, since it was my Fathers.”

“Uh, well…I’m glad that Sensei reached out to you.” Izuku scoffs in disgust. “Since, apparently, everyone else was so deluded into relying on heroes that they couldn’t spare a shred of help toward an orphaned boy.”

“EXACTLY!” Shigaraki says. “And that’s why we’re going to change things, Deku.”
“Hey, will you stop calling him Deku?” Spinner asks. “That’s what Bakugo called him.” Spinner sneers the name.

“My calling of Midoriya “Deku” is out of nothing but respect,” Shigaraki says. “I was not born Tomura Shigaraki, but I took that name upon embracing my new life as a villain, and a reflection of my pain.” Shigaraki removes his face-hand and looks directly at Izuku. “Make that name yours so that no one can ever hurt you with it. Make DEKU a name that people fear and respect, not mock and associate with weakness.”

Izuku nods.

Dabi shrugs. “Oh, fuck it. The rest of you have shared your crappy backstories, just don’t tell anyone else mine, all right? I’m Endeavors’ son.”

Izukus’, Shigarakis’, Spinners’, and Mustards’ eyes widen before they turn to Dabi with shock.

“Come again?” Mustard asks.

Later, Izuku is in a forest. He applies patches created from Captain Celebrity’s and Crawlers’ DNA. Izuku slides around the area, laughing as he moves at incredible speed, before taking off in the air and doing flips.

“Focus, Young Midoriya,” Kurogirlo says from the ground.

Behind him are Mustard, Spinner, and Himoko. Along with Muscular, and Izuku’s nomu friends: Accelerator, Short-Fuse, and Jumper Cable.

“Sorry, Kurogiri.”

“Now we can begin your training,” Kurogiri says. “Simply having access to a Quirk is not enough. You must be able to use it properly and control it. And since you have merely a copy of the Quirk it may not be as good as the original. So we need to test out your capabilities. Along with the ability to fly, Captain Celebrity’s Quirk allows tactile telekinesis that can simulate superhuman strength. Likewise, it provides incredible speed. Just as how Crawlers’ Slide and Glide Quirk grants one the ability to move at fast speeds, along with generating forcefields.”
Mustard coughs. “Ridiculous.”

“First, you will be paired up with Muscular to test your use of your strength,” Kurogiri says as Muscular cracks his knuckles and creates another layer of muscle fibers along his body. “Do not worry, the Super Regeneration patch that we have given you will heal any damage that you sustain. Afterward, you will spar with Short-Fuse. When we are done with that portion, Accelerator will be testing your speed, both on foot and in the sky. Oh, and you will also help your friends train their Quirks as well.”

Accelerator salutes. “I shall do my best, Sensei!”

“Got it,” Izuku says. “I’ll win. I’ll fight.”

Kurogiri nods. “Muscular, engage whenever you’re-”

Muscular leaps toward Izuku before Kurogiri can even finish. izuku flies out of the way and Muscular misses him.

He and Izuku engage in a fight as Kurogiri stands back as Himiko cheers.

“Go Deku-Kun! Kick his ass!”

Spinner eyes Accelerator. “So, you were created from the U.A. student who went after Stain?”

Accelerator flinches before turning to the gecko mutant. “That is what I have been told, yes.”

“Huh,” Spinner looks away. “You know, you died trying to avenge your brother, who was crippled by Stain. Stain is my idol. I based my whole look off of him.”

Brief flashes appear in Accelerators' mind of him as Tenya Ida being paralyzed on the ground, with the Hero Killer about to plunge his sword into his body. But Accelerator shakes it off.

“The past me is irrelevant,” Accelerator says.

“Agreed,” Kurogiri says. “According to my Master, I was created from the body of a former U.A. student, just like you.” Kurogiri turns to Accelerator, Short-Fuse, and Jumper Cable. “We were just corpses. Dead. Before the Doctor gave us new life and new meaning. Whoever we were before is unimportant.”

“Right!” the Nomu teenagers say at once.

“I can’t speak for the rest of them, but I’m actually glad this happened to me,” Short-Fuse says before enlarging himself slightly bigger than Jumper and flexing. “I have a few lingering memories of my old life.”

Flashback: Mineta is crying as he is chased by Bakugo. “YOU GRAPE-HEADDED LOSER!” Bakugo shouts as he chases the dwarF. “YOU’RE SO WEAK AND COWARDLY! YOU THINK YOU CAN STAND IN THE SAME RINK AS ME!?” Bakugo shouts, before he is restrained by Eraserhead.

Flashback: Mineta leers at Momo as she seals a wall.

“I better apologize to that girl if I ever see her again,” Short-Fuse says. “But now look at me!? I’m big, strong, and have a much better head on my shoulders.”

Muscular hits Izuku, but he shields himself with a telekinetic barrier. Izuku slides around to behind Muscular and grabs him on the back using tactile telekinesis. Izuku lifts Muscular up and slams him down as hard as he can, creating a small tremor and breaking off some of Musculars muscle fibers.

Izuku glares down at the brute as Muscular laughs.


“Nicely done, kid.”

Muscular says before picking up a big chunk of earth and throwing it at Izuku, who breaks it with his hands only to be punched in the gut by Muscular.

“So how did Izuku become a villain anyway?” Jumper Cable asks.

“I can answer that,” Spinner says.

Spinner pulls out his phone and shows the Nomu, Mustard, and Himiko a broadcast about Stain.

“Me and Izuku met online a few months ago. We became best friends, talking about how our lives have been tough due to society. He being Quirkless, me being a mutant with the near-useless Quirk of sticking to walls. Then, when the Hero Killer made himself known, we were both captivated by his ideology of targeting fake heroes. Granted, he made it clear he was against the killing and he even voiced doubt that the League was really aligned with him. But I told Shigaraki about him, and he said that if I brought him in and he agreed to serve the League, then he would have his personal doctor give him a Quirk. If not, then they would just wipe Izuku’s memory and be on his way. I even told Izuku to bring his Quirk notebooks, just in case.”

Flashback:

Izuku stands awkwardly in front of the League of Villains at their bar. He is clutching his notebook and sweating nervously.

“Shuichi!” Izuku snaps. “You didn’t tell me the new friends you wanted to introduce me to were villains!”

“Come on, man, give them a chance,” Spinner says. “We hate society, you hate society. And they follow Stain like we do.”

“You know I don’t approve of the killing!” Izuku says. “And besides, I don’t even think Stain was really associated with the League!”

‘Hmm, a recruit with a brain,’ Shigaraki thinks.

“Spinners told us quite a bit about you, Izuku-Chan,” Himiko says, smiling at Izuku while leaning in too close for his comfort. “How that big bad Bakugo used to hurt you for being weak. How your sucky teachers did nothing about it because he was going to be a hero and you were Quirkless.”

Dabi snorts. “Based on what he told us, you're basically an angry, empty, loser.”

“Hey! Don’t talk to him like that!” Spinner snaps.
“No, he’s right!” Izuku says. “I’m still a loser and I’m completely empty! But I don’t want to be a criminal.” Izuku turns to Shigaraki. “I admit, I have been…interested in the League ever since I heard about how you injured All Might at the USJ. It’s funny, I was an All Might fan for years, but up until last year all the way until now, the admiration I felt for him and heroes in general has just corroded a little by little and now it’s nearly gone. I keep my All Might merch so my mom doesn’t get worried. But you…I always saw All Might as an invincible god, but you managed to take away an arm! And that was before you even knew about his injury.”

Shigaraki smiles. ‘Finally! Someone who appreciates my merits and not just Stain…’

“Wait, how do you know about his injury?” Shigaraki asks.

“What injury?” Twice asks. “I don’t care!”

Izuku immediately covers his mouth.

“My...A powerful villain injured All Might five years ago,” Shigaraki explains. “He’s allegedly weaker now than he was back then.”

Izuku removes his hands from his mouth and sighs. “Not allegedly. I met him last year after he saved me from the Sludge Villain. This was before he saved Bakugo. Anyway, I wanted to ask him some questions so I grabbed onto him as he tried to leave. He ended up deflating in front of me.”

Dabi’s eyes widen. “What do you mean, deflated?”

“All Mights' natural form is very scrawny,” Izuku says. “Seriously, he looks like a skeleton that coughs blood. Whoever he fought before managed to remove his stomach and one of his lungs. He said that before he could maintain his muscle form for eight hours but now it’s down to three.”

The rest of the room, bar Shigaraki and Kurogiri, stare at Izuku in shock at what he just revealed. There is a silence, that fills the room. Before Dabi breaks it with a small chuckle that grows into belly-aching laughter.

“Wait!” Dabi says between bellowing laughs. “So you're saying that for the last five years….ENDEAVOR WASN'T ABLE TO CATCH UP TO A CRIPPLE WHO CAN ONLY DO HERO WORK FOR THREE HOURS A DAY!?” Dabi grabs Izuku’s shoulder as he continues laughing. “Hey! Hey! Do you have any notes on Endeavors' kid, Shoto!?”

“Oh,” Izuku flips through his notebook. “I have my notes on the sports festival right here.”

Izuku gives the page he made on his observations of Shoto Todoroki to Dabi. Recovering from his laughter, Dabi skims through the page and furrows his brows.

“You think he’s holding back due to daddy issues?”
“Of course,” Izuku says. “His Quirk is allegedly Half Cold-Half Hot but he was only shown using his ice side throughout the entire festival. The only thing I can think of is that he has issues with his father that prevent him from willingly using it. Or perhaps there is some other traumatic event related to it.”

Dabi narrows his eyes. “It's daddy issues. Trust me.”

Shigaraki takes the notebook from Dabi and skims through it. Kurogiri leans over his shoulder and his eyes widen.

“These Quirk analysis notes are very detailed,” Kurogiri says.
“How do you know hero patrol routes?” Shigaraki asks. “That's not public knowledge.”

“Oh, it's nothing, really,” Izuku says. “I just monitored where they were seen, at what times, and who they have worked with and guessed.”

“Your guesses are quite accurate,” Kurogiri says.

“And this is just notebook number nine?” Shigaraki asks. “You have a lot of detailed notes on the functions of heroes Quirks. Suggestions of how to use them. Who they would be best teaming up with.” Shigaraki flips to the page with All Mights' signature on it and frowns.

“Yeah,” Izuku rubs the back of his neck. “I always wanted to be a hero growing up so I took notes on them and their Quirks. Even now it’s just a dumb hobby.”

“Everything you wrote here could be very useful,” Kurogiri says.

Izuku looks down. “I asked All Might if he thought a Quirkless boy like me could be a hero like him and he said no. I don’t blame him, he was right, but it still hurt.”

Himiko looks at him sympathetically.

“Ouch,” Mustard says.

Muscular bursts out into laughter. “You serious, brat!?”

“Can I eat him?” Moonfish asks Shigaraki.

“No, you may not,” Compress says.

Himiko puts a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “Hey, listen. You’re too good to be a hero. Ok?”

Izuku smiles at her before turning back to Spinner. “Shuichi, I appreciate the offer. But I don’t think my mom could take it if I became a Villain.” He then turns ot Shigaraki. “Please dont erase my memory. Shuichi is my friend, so I won’t report you. And…well…you’re shaking society up, which I kind of respect. So hows about I give you my notes and promise not to say anything?”

Shigaraki nods. “I suppose-”

“Now, did All Might really say a QUIRKLESS boy like you couldn’t be a hero like HIM? How hypocritical,” a voice from a monitor screen says.

“Sensei?” Shigaraki whispers.

“Uh, who is that?” Magne asks.

“Your benefactor,” the voice in the monitor says.

To the surprise of the rest of the room, a secret door opens up.

“Shigaraki, I wish to speak to Young Midoriya, alone. Would you please come in, boy?”

Izuku turns to Tomura and Kurogiri. All three are equally shocked. Kurogiri notions for Izuku to go in, and Izuku hesitantly steps inside the hidden room. The door closes behind him, leaving Izuku in near darkness and an eerie sound.

“Oh, Young Midoriya, we have much to talk about.”

Izuku turns to the side where the voice came from. His eyes widen in terror as he sees who the benefactor is. It is a large man hooked up to a life support system (hence where the eerie sound came from). He is wearing a dark suit, but his entire face above his mouth is a featureless mass of scar tissue. In short, he looks more like a monster than a man, especially with the scary smile he is giving him.

“I am All For One. I’m the Villain that injured All Might.”

Shock and fear fill Izuku as he immediately takes a step back.

“Let me tell you a story…” AFO says.

Present

“I have no idea what the Benefactor said to Izuku, but he fully embraced being a villain after that,” Spinner says to the others.

Izuku’s fist collides with Musculars'. Izuku’s arm breaks, but Super-Regeneration allows him to heal. Izuku screams before pushing the brute back.

“We met up a couple of days later. He seemed exhausted, but he said he would help the League in any way he could now.”

As Izuku fights Muscular, as the adrenaline fills his body, he remembers when he first agreed to join the League.

Flashback:

Izuku is leaning against a wall. The corpse of Shining Knight is not too far from him, with his blood dripping from the knife in Izuku’s hand.

Izuku wonders how he could have done such a thing. He thinks back to everything that has happened to him in the last year up until now. His hero shattered his dreams. His worst tormentor stepped up his bullying to assault and abuse every single day for nine months. He ended up hospitalized after being hit by a car when he heard his mother say she wished he had a Quirk. He had a lonely and depressed life from then throughout high school until he started hanging out with Shuichi.

Then Shuichi/Spinner introduced him to the League of Villains. Their secret boss, who is apparently a century-old Villain who can steal Quirks and accidentally created the Quirk that would be inherited by All Might (who was originally Quirkless, like him), then he forcibly gave him a Super-Regneration Quirk and a knife before putting him in a room with Nomu.

After being torn apart painfully over and over again, Izuku finally learned to start attacking back. After a few dozen rounds, Izuku became competent enough to deliver fatal blows to the Nomu before most of them could hurt him (AFO admitted they hadn’t been given Super-Regneration Quirks yet, and he would just have “the doctor” fix them up once Izuku was “done”). And, izuku guesses, between all of that, his exhaustion, and a recently added bloodlust, Izuku killed a “hero” who rapes women in cold blood.

Still reeling in from his shock, AFO places his hands on Izuku’s temples and activates an emotion-manipulation Quirk. “You did the right thing, Young Midoriya,” AFO says in a gentle voice. “Heroes like this are what is wrong with society. They hide their flaws to get the public to adore them, which is why they favor your abuser due to his strong Quirk. Why you were left to hang for merely not having one. This is why the League was formed, to fight against these false heroes and fix society. And you know how we will do that? By destroying the greatest hero of them all. The one that hypocritically shattered your dreams. The one that serves as the pillar that single-handedly holds up this rotten society. The society that has made you and everyone else in that room suffer.”

As AFO speaks, Izuku’s mental distress over his actions decreases, be it from the Quirk or the words. AFO releases Izuku, who looks at him with awe and AFO extends his hand.

“Join me. We’ll set things right, together.” 

‘Sigh. Well, I killed someone. I guess I’m a villain now anyway. I might as well.’

Izuku smiles and grabs AFO’s hand.

“So, do I get to choose my Quirk?” Izuku asks.

“Oh, I have the perfect one for you. But I can’t give it to you. it has to be surgically implanted. I shall take you to the Doctor now.”

Later, in a surgical room. Izuku is lying on an operating table and the Doctor walks into the room. Izuku raises an eyebrow.

“Dr. Tsubasa?”

The doctor looks at him with surprise before smiling. “Oh, Izuku Midoriya. It has been a long time. How long has it been, ten years?”

Izuku furrows his eyebrows at the doctor who diagnosed him as Quirkless, and the grandfather of one of Bakugo’s former friends, Tsubasa.

“You work for All For One?” Izuku asks.

“Yes, I do,” the Doctor says. “We have worked together for the last century. Oh, and my name is not really Tsubasa. That is just one of many aliases I take to avoid suspicion. Nowadays I go by Daruma Ujiko. But my real name is Kyudai Garaki.”

Izuku’s eyes widen. “Didn’t you write the Paranormal Singularity Theory? Wait, but that was when Quirks first emerged!”

Tsubasa/Garaki nods. “Yes, my Quirk: Lifeforce, extends my life. And I did write that book. AFO took an interest in it and that is how we met. I’m surprised you know about it.”

“Of course,” Izuku explains. “I took an interest on how Quirks evolve over time and I came across your theory.” Izuku frowns. “Wait, you make the Nomu, don’t you? So…your grandson-”
Garaki looks away. “He died in a car crash along with his parents last year. I merely used their bodies for my experiments. They had limited contact with me anyway. Now, are we going to argue, or are you going to let me give you your Quirk?”

Izuku nods. “Proceed.”

Garaki shows Izuku a canister. “This contains an artificial Copy Quirk created by me. I have one at every clinic I own. They have helped me replicate and store duplicates of Quirks, but the Master wishes for me to give one of them to you. He believes that with the ability to use any Quirk you wish will enhance your analysis skills.”

Izuku smiles.

Present

Izuku punches Muscular in his one good eye, blinding his opponent. He then releases a telekinetic attack against Muscular’s exposed muscle fibers. They strands all break apart and cause Muscular to depower and scream, before Izuku punches him in the jaw and knocks him out.

Izuku’s friends cheer.

“Nice job, man!” shouts Short-Fuse.

“Underhanded! But we are villains so excellent job!” shouts Accelerator.

Izuku smiles at the crowd as Muscular growls at him. As Izuku takes in the praise, he thinks back to when he first showed off his New Quirk to the rest of the League.

Flashback:

Izuku looks at his new fangs in the bar mirror. He had just replicated Himiko’s Quirk, and the vampire girl (whose cheeks are still stained with happy tears) comes back to him with two glasses of blood.

“Would you like to share a drink?” Himiko asks.

Izuku smiles. “The blood actually smells appealing to me right now, thank you.”

Izuku takes the cup and drinks it along with Toga. As soon as he does, he briefly morphs into Twice (costume and all) before changing back.

“Twice volunteered,” Himiko explains. “He’s such a nice guy.”

Izuku smile then turns into a frown. “Is something wrong, Izuku-Chan?” Himiko asks. “If you don’t like your new Quirk you could have the Doctor or the Benefactor give you a different one.”

“No, it’s not that,” Izuku says. “I love my Copy Quirk. This is great! I know other people will probably say it’s lame since I’m just replicating what’s “special” about other people. I’m probably going to have to keep it a secret at home and school but…It’s just, this Quirk isn’t really mine. The Doctor made it and gave it to me. You all have these incredible abilities that you were born with, but I’m inherently useless.”

“Don’t ever say that, Young Midoriay,” Compress says, entering the room with Dabi.

“Yeah, these notes are awesome!” Dabi says. “I want you to analyze MY Quirk now and tell me how I can get better.”

“While I will agree that the presence of a Quirk may…give you more of an edge. You are a smart, talented, special child. With or without a Quirk.”

Himiko hugs Izuku, causing him to blush. “Yeah! All those guys who made a big deal about you being Quirkless and praised Bakugo before were just idiots!”

Izuku smiles. “Thank you. Thank you all.”

Present

A tear falls down Izuku’s cheek, as his mind brainstorms more ideas for Quirk-based technology.

Later, Izuku is at his work desk. Using his scan/Copy Quirks on the hair taken from Shinso and Mandalay as he begins drafting ideas for a helmet-like device to replicate the Brainwashing and Telepathy Quirk energies.

Chapter Text

Intro: Nomu Join The Class

Izuku sits at his desk in class, waiting for the lesson to start. He notices three new desks set up.

“Good morning, class,” Izuku’s homeroom teacher says. “You’re probably wondering about the new seats. Well, surprise, we have three new students joining us.”

The secret villain in the room smirks.

“What?” Cow Girl asks. “But it’s not even a new semester yet?”

“Yes, I was quite surprised myself,” the teacher says. “But someone managed to convince the principal to enroll them now.”

Izuku smirks., again. ‘That was me. Combining New-Order altered Brainwashing with Telepathy.’

“Ok, you three can come in now,” the homeroom teacher says.

Three new students enter the classroom and stand before the students. Izuku recognizes them as his Nomu friends in their civilian forms.

They were each given a body modification Quirk to alter their appearances in minor ways. Both to appear as humans instead of Nomu, and to not be recognized by their original selves.

Accelerator is still tall, but he has made himself a few inches shorter than his standard human form. His hair is longer and brown instead of black, and he has made his face narrower.

Short-Fuse has stretched his body to four feet tall (as opposed to three and a half feet. The balls on his scalp and arms have been flattened as to where they are no longer visible through his hair or under his long sleeves. His hair itself has become longer and dusty-blonde.

However, Jumper Cable is the one that most of his classmates are staring at (especially the men). Even Izuku finds himself staring at her a little. She has used her modification Quirk to “normalize” her frog-like traits, making her hands and eyes smaller, as well as her mouth smaller and straighter. She has also given herself green irises and made her hair (which is tied in a ponytail) pitch black. But lastly, but not least, she has also made herself taller and more voluptuous. She looks like she is three inches taller than him now, with a sizeable bust and hips.

Short-Fuse briefly looks at her a few times before turning away.

“Allow me to introduce our new students,” the homeroom teacher says. “These are Kaito, Yuki, and Ryo.” He gestures to Accelerator, Jumper Cable, and Short-Fuse respectively. “Please, take your seats.”

Jumper/Yuki locks eyes with Izuku. “Hey, Izuku. Glad we’re in the same class together.”
Izuku waves back. “Nice to have you here, Yuki. Kaito. Ryo.”

The two boys wave. “Hey, Midoriya,” Kaito says.

All the students in the class turn to Izuku then the new students.

“You know him?”

“You know them?”

They ask.

Izuku shrugs. “Friends of friends.”
Long Fingers lets out a forced laugh. “Friends? You? Who are you trying to fool, Midoriya? Half the people here see you as the school thug. The rest still see you as a loser but don’t wanna say anything about it.”

Accelerator/Kaito makes a chopping motion with his arm, as it transforms into a sword and startles the rest of the students.

“Please do not insult Midoriya,” Accelerator/Kaito says.
“Yeah,” Jumper/Yuki says, sticking out her tongue which sparks with electricity. “He’s our friend.”

“So if anyone here hurts or insults him, you’ll be sorry,” Short-Fuse/Ryo says, smacking his fist into his palm while creating a small explosion as he does.

Long Fingers and Shark Jaw gulp, recognizing that Quirk as being just like Bakugo’s.

“I admire you for defending a friend, but no Quirk usage or threatening students in class, ok?” the homeroom teacher asks his three new students. “Please, take a seat.”

All eyes are on Accelerator/Kaito, Jumper/Yuki, and Short-Fuse/Ryo as they take their seats (FYI, most of the male eyes are on “Yuki’s” chest and butt). Once they take their seats, the teacher begins his lesson and Short-Fuse gives Izuku a thumbs up. Which he gives back.

Izuku shows a new belt gadget and a ray gun to Shigaraki, Kurogiri, Mustard, Dabi, Accelerator, Short-Fuse, and Jumper Cable.

“Behold! The Size Changing Belt and the Shrink Ray!” Izuku proclaims, pointing at his new devices.

“I take it these devices were created from studying Mount Lady’s Quirk,” Kurogiri asks.
“And a student from UA who can shrink things, yes,” Izuku says.

Flashback: Izuku is touching strands of hair at his desk with one hand and using his Scan Quirk (accessible through a patch on his arm) to observe the energies that form in his body as a result. He writes notes in his notebook.

(Present)

“The problem with Mount Lady’s Quirk is that she enlarges her body, but she can’t take any size in between. Likewise, while Kodai’s Quirk only allows her to shrink inorganic matter for a short period.” Izuku smiles. “However, by studying the similarities and differences between the Quirks, I was able to replicate the Quirk energies and improve upon them.”

Dabi grabs the belt. “So this device really allows you to shrink?”

Izuku grabs it back. “Yes. Observe.”

Izuku puts on the belt. He presses a button on the side and a green light turns on. Izuku then turns the dial on the belt buckle and Izuku slowly becomes smaller the more he turns the device. Himiko smiles and blushes, seeing the cute boy she loves becoming smaller while the other villains stare in shock as Izuku makes himself smaller and smaller until he’s the size of a mouse. He looks up at his towering friends as they stare at him in shock. Izuku then presses the same button that made the light come on. it turns off, and Izuku immediately grows back to normal size.

“Not only does the belt replicate the Quirk energies that shrink inorganic matter, but I’ve altered them to shrink ORGANIC as well. But of course, I already said I did that. Thanks to the dial, you can adjust just how small you want to make yourself. But the belt needs to constantly supply you with the Quirk energy to keep you at your adjusted size, so if you want to grow back to normal, you just turn the belt off or remove it. Or I could have just turned the dial the opposite way to make myself grow.”

Himiko’s eyes light up. “You can make yourself bigger too!?”

“Oh yes,” Izuku says, putting the belt back on. “I got that from studying Mount Lady’s Quirk, too.”

Izuku turns the dial the opposite way. Instead of shrinking, this time Izuku grows. He stays the same proportions, but he reaches Dabis’ height, the Kurogiri’s. Izuku finally stops when he hits his head on the ceiling of the bar. he looks down at the other villains, who stare up at him, shocked.

Himiko has hearts in her eyes, muttering: “So big.”

“And unlike with Mount Lady’s Quirk, we can adjust the size, too. Although you can’t make yourself more than 10x bigger or smaller. The belt just won’t let you get smaller or bigger. Well, I’ve only tested shrinking in that regard, but I think it’s safe to assume growth works the same way.”

“Still a remarkable feat, Young Midoriya,” Kurogiri says. “We can use the belt for stealth missions. Our agents can shrink small enough to hide, and then grow big enough to trample any heroes if they have to.”

Dabi and Shigaraki both smile wickedly.

“Can you imagine?” Shigaraki asks. “I could grow as big as a building and turn the entire city to dust with one hit!”

“Please don’t,” Izuku says.

“And I could step on Endeavor!” Dabi says.

“Or you could use this,” Izuku says, shrinking back to his normal size and handing Dabi the new gun he made. “I made this gun to replicate the shrinking Quirk energies made by the belt, but also combined with energies from a paralyzing Quirk. The result is that you can shrink anything it touches to 10x its original size, and make it STAY small, for up to an hour.”

Himiko gasps and grabs it. “GIMME!!!”

Himiko fires the ray at a barstool. It is engulfed in ref light before shrinking to the size of a toy. Himiko smiles and aims the ray at a glass. And then at the pool table.

“THIS THING IS SO COOL IZU-KUN!” Himiko squeals. “IT MAKES EVERYTHING SO TINY AND CUTE!”

“Hey, stop firing that thing!” Mustard shouts. “You’re gonna hit someone!”

“I agree,” says Accelerator. “You are being very irresponsible.”

“Maybe you should just settle down,” says Short-Fuse.

“Oh come on,” Himiko says, swinging the shrink gun around. Izuku tries reaching for it. “I’m not gonna-”

Himiko accidentally activates the shrink gun as Izuku grabs it. Izuku is hit, and he glows red before shrinking back to a minuscule size. Izuku looks at himself, shocked, and then back up at Himiko, who is looking at him, embarrassed.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Izu-Kun! Are you ok?” Himiko asks.

Izuku looks down. “I’m fine. But maybe don’t stand too close?”

“Why not?”

“Because from my angle, I can see…kitties.”

Himiko is confused until she remembers that she is wearing panties that have kitties on them and Izuku can see them due to being small enough now. She blushes, and a mischievous smirk appears on her face. She reaches down and grabs Izuku. Who yelps in response.

“Oh, you’re a little perve, aren’t you Izu-Kun?” Himiko asks with a sly smile.

“What!?” Izuku frantically asks, waving his hands as he is firmly gripped in Himiko's. “No! No! I was just warning you!”

Himiko narrows her eyes and lifts Izuku over her mouth. “You know, I’ve always found you cute enough to eat.” She opens her mouth, causing Izuku to hover helplessly over a giant mouth full of fangs. “And now I can have all your cute, delicious blood in one go.”

Izuku screams. “Ahhh! No! Himiko! Don’t eat-”

Himiko bursts out laughing. “Oh man! You really fell for that!?”

Izuku narrows her eyes as she laughs harder. Himiko then gives him a “gentle” kiss on the head, making Izuku’s eyes widen.

“But you are ten times more adorable now,” Himiko says.

“Ok, lunatic,” Dabi says. “Now put him down before you really hurt him.”

Izuku holds up a white full-body suit that covers the head to the toes. The suit also has a belt-gadget stitched into it.

“Behold, the invisibility suit!” Izuku declares to Shigaraki. “Now I can become invisible without being naked! And so can you!”

“Congratulations,” Shirgaraki says. “You can stop sneaking up on others naked in public.”

“Exactly!”

Izuku shows Kurogiri and Shigaraki a metal helmet.

“Behold! The mind control helmet!” Izuku states. “It projects your thoughts into another person’s head like Telepathy, but it also uses the same Quirk energies from a Brainwashing Quirk, so you can also control their minds!”

“Now, I think that’s the most useful device you’ve made,” Shigaraki says.

“What are the limits?” Kurogiri asks.

“Almost none,” says Izuku. “I included multiple sensors so you can control the minds of up to seven people at once. Since we are sending the signal directly into the person’s brain, there is no need to get them to respond to you. And, as an added bonus, we can also….” Izuku moves his fingers mysteriously. “HEAR other people’s thoughts as well!”

Shigaraki smiles. “Oh, Sensei will be so pleased.”

Shigaraki reaches for the helmet, but Izuku pulls it back.

“Actually, Shiggy,” Izuku says. “I would actually prefer it if you DIDN’T tell All For One about my latest inventions. Just for now at least.”

Shigaraki and Kurogiri stare at Izuku.

“Why not?” Kurogiri asks.

Shigaraki clenches his fist. “Yes, why not?”

“Well…” Izuku rubs his neck. “Lately, I’ve started getting a weird feeling about him.”

Shigaraki steps forward. “Deku, don’t tell me you’re turning you back on our master? After everything he’s done for you? For me? For us?”

Izuku steps back and raises his hands.

“It’s just…He’s a ruthless man,” Izuku states.
“And? We’re all ruthless,” Shigaraki says. “You’re the only one here who-”

“It made me wonder why he would adopt a child he supposedly found on the street by accident,” Izuku says.

Shigaraki stops his advancement.

“Young Midoriya, what are you suggesting?” Kurogiri asks.
“Nana Shimura, All Might’s master, was Tomura’s grandmother,” Izuku says. “She was someone who All Might loved. And then Tomura just HAPPENED to acquire a divergent Quirk that accidentally kills his family and leaves him on the streets for All For One to just HAPPEN to run into him and take him in?”

“I didn’t meet my Sensei until after I ended up killing my father,” Shigaraki says. “He cannot transfer Quirks unless he touches people.”

“He could have been in disguise and touched you without you knowing,” Izuku suggests. “He gave each of my Nomu a body modification Quirk. Maybe you did meet him before,a and he gave you Decay so he could use you against All Might without you recognizing him.”

Shigaraki slams his hand on the bar counter, causing it to disintegrate.

“You will not speak about him like that!” Shigaraki yells.
“Senpai, I’m just-”

“I know exactly what you are doing!” Shigaraki says. “Make us less hateful. Reform us from being Villains.”

“No!” Izuku says. “Well, maybe just enough to not wanna kill everyone, at least. But I honestly think he’s using us!”

Shigaraki scoffs. “Well, you can forget it.” Shigaraki pokes Izuku in the chest. “I am a villain. Through and through!”

“Now boys…” Kurogiri says, but he is ignored.

“Even if you stomp out my hatred, I will still destroy,” Shigaraki tells Izuku. “The villains need a hero too. And that is who I am going to be!”

Izuku narrows his eyes at Shigaraki. “Look, I’m all for helping villains like Himiko, Twice, Compress, Spinner, and Mustard. But some villains are just…bad. Muscular is a psychopath who just likes killing people for fun, and Moonfish needs to be convinced not to eat his own allies!”

“And I will be their hero,” Shigaraki says. “And if you don’t agree, you can leave. You’ve done enough for the League already. We don’t need you anymore.”

Izuku frowns at Shigaraki as the older boy glares at him. Kurogi gets between the two boys.

“Let’s just calm down, you two,” Kurogiri says. “Shigaraki. Young Midoriya was just thinking of you and what is best for the League. Maybe he was right, maybe he was wrong. But you need to acknowledge that.”

Shigaraki grunts.

“And Young Midoriya. Please do not make accusations like that without any solid evidence. For now, we shall keep the shrinking and mind-control devices a secret. But he will find out eventually.”

Izuku looks down. “Ok.”

Kurogiri nods. “Good.”

Chapter Text

Ochako, Ai, Asta, and Momo laugh in the former’s room at her apartment. They are in their pajamas and having a great time telling stories, watching movies, and (now) doing each other’s nails. Ai’s were painted pink. Asta’s were painted red with yellow rings. And Momo’s are red like her hero costume. Now, Ochako is holding out her nails for them to be painted as well.

"Okay, Ochako, I've got the perfect shade for you," Momo exclaims, holding up a bottle of nail polish that sparkles like stardust.

Ochako's eyes widen. “It’s pretty.”

"It's pearlescent pink," Momo replies. “It will match with your hero costume.”

Momo grabs a bottle of clear polish to add the base coat. However, her hand freeze up when she smells the sweet aroma in the air. Ochako, Ai, and Asta do the same.

“Oh, what is that smell?” Asta asks.

“It’s cookies!” Ai exclaims.

The door to the bedroom opens, and in comes Ochako's mother holding a plate of steaming chocolate chip cookies in her hands. Ochako's, Momo’s and Ai’s eyes immediately stare at the plate and their mouths water. Asta is a more reserved.

“I hope you girls are having a good time!” Mrs. Uraraka says. “I baked cookies for you to snack on!”

"Mom, you're the best!" Ochako exclaims, grinning widely as she takes the plate from her mother.

"I hope you like them, girls," she said warmly.

“We will,” Momo says, taking three cookies.

Asta snorts as she takes one as well. “Easy there, rich girl. You’re gonna get fat.”

Momo gives her a small glare. “I NEED to eat a lot to replenish my lipids cells for my Quirk to work.”

“You are so lucky, Momo,” Ai says, munching on a cookie. “You can shed pounds just by turning your excess fat into…diamonds or something. No wonder you’re rich.”

“I’m rich because my family owns a company.”

“I’m so happy that my baby girl has friends over,” Mrs. Uraraka says, crying. “Before, we could barely afford to pay for ourselves. Now we make enough for Ochako to invite friends over, bake cookies, and rent movies.”

Asta smiles. “And to think it happened because Ochako hit a hero with a pipe.”

Ochako rolls her eyes and Mrs. Uraraka grimaces.

“Yes,” Mrs. Uraraka says, hesitantly. “We still get hate mail about that.”

Ochako looks down. “It’s ridiculous. You make one innocent mistake and you’re labeled as a villain.”

Momo pats her back. “People LOVE heroes.” Her expression darkens. “And god forbid that they appear human or weak or all Hell breaks loose.”

Ochako is a bit off-put by Momo’s change in tone.

“Well, anyway,” Mrs. Uraraka says. “Ochako, I’ve been thinking that we could get your boss a thank-you gift.”

“That’s not necessary Mrs. Uraraka,” Asta says.

“Trust us,” says Ai. “Ochako is paying them back enough.”

“Nonsense,” says Mrs. Uraraka. “We’ll think of something later. I better leave you girls alone now.” Mrs. Uraraka walks to the door. “You girls enjoy yourselves. Goodbye.”
“Bye Mom/Mrs. Uraraka,” the girls say in union before the door closes.

Ochako scarfs down her cookie and turns back to the girls, as Momo resumes putting the base polish on her nails.

"So, summer break’s getting close?” Ochako asks. “Do any of you have any plans? I think I’m going to go to the summer festival."

Ai nods. "Yeah, me too! I want to see the fireworks! Also, go to the beach."

Ochako grins with excitement. “Yeah! Definitely the beach!”

The two girls high-five.

“What about you, Asta?” Ochako asks. “You going to join us at the beach?”

“Sure,” Asta says. “But I’m going to hit the books hard so I can get ahead for next term."

Momo's eyes widen with surprise. "Wow, Asta, you're really dedicated to your studies.”

"Yeah," Ai agrees, munching on her cookie. "I've never seen anyone so eager to hit the books during summer break."

"It's important. I need to study all I can on advanced weaponry so I can replicate them with my Quirk.”

“Come on, Asta,” Ochako says. “It’s summer break! You have to have at least ONE fun thing planned.”

“I do. I'm also going to visit the aquarium.”

Momo chuckles. “You know, for someone who can turn anything she touches into a weapon, I thought your summer plans would be more exciting.”

Momo finishes applying the base to Ochako's nails. Ochako lets them dry as Momo grabs a cookie. Ai grabs another cookie and holds it to her friend’s face and Ochako takes a bite.

“Thanks, Ai,” Ochako says.

“I’m also going to visit my mother in prison,” Asta says abruptly.

Ochako nearly chokes on her cookie, and Momo’s hand pauses mid-air, a cookie halfway to her mouth.

Momo stares at Asta, her eyes wide with shock. “Wait, what?”

Ochako looks at Asta with a mix of concern and surprise. “You never told us your mom was in prison. I mean, I know that you live at the dorms. But I figured…”

“It’s private, Ochako,” Ai says in an uncharacteristically stern tone.

Asta waves her hand. “No, it’s fine. I can talk about it.”

Asta clears her throat. Momo and Ochako listen closely to her story.

"My mother," Asta starts. "Her name was Dominata, and she was a villain."

Ochako's eyes widen in surprise. "A villain?"

“Domina?” Momo asks. “I’ve never heard of her.”

Asta grunts and clenches her fist. “She could have been great.”

Flashback: Domina, who has swirling yellow eyes and salmon hair, smiles and stands in front of a group of men who all kneel before her.

“She had a Quirk like no other, one that could turn anyone who looked into her eyes into her loyal subject,” Asta says.

“You mean like Shinsos Brainwashing Quirk?” Ochako asks.

Asta scoffs. "No, not like that at all," she says, rolling her eyes at Ochako. "My mother's Quirk was way more intense. She could give people commands they would perform mater. She would make people speak and do anything she wanted, even kill themselves. She could make them swear loyalty to her and make them hers forever. And she had this...this aura. Like, when she walked into a room, you just knew she was in charge."

Asta's voice takes on a solemn tone as she recounts her mother's rise to power. "Dominata was a force to be reckoned with. She could manipulate people's emotions, their thoughts, their very will. And she used that to bring five of the most notorious villain gangs under her control. They were like her personal army."

Flashback: Domina sits on a gang member’s back, and uses a man with an HPSC badge to act as her footrest, while a man with a saw for a head licks her boot with a collar around his neck. Domina smiles as little Asta comes up to her and sits on her lap. Little Asta smiles as her mother strokes her hair.

“Her plan was to use her power to take over Japan's government after ensnaring the criminal underworld under her.”

"What about the heroes?” Ochako asks. “Did they know about her... her plans?"

"She ran into a few who stumbled across her,” Asta says. “She was able to either get them on her side, or make them forget ever meeting her. One of those was Saw Man.”

Ai’s eyes widen. “Who?” Ai asks.
“Minor hero,” Momo explains. “He can transform his head and arms into saws. He got them augmented and made into chainsaws for a time, but it turned out he was copying some manga character from a long time ago and it caused a legal hassle.”

“Yeah, that idiot,” Asta says. “He was one of the guys my mom got to work for her. She turned on the charm and acted like she loved him. And the idiot actually believed her at first. He was so blinded by his own lust that he didn't see the manipulation." Asta’s smile falters. "But, Saw Man eventually realized what she was doing. And when he did, oh boy, he didn't hold back."

Flashback: Saw Man swings his saw-arm at Domina. He gashes out her left eye as she screams. At the same time, Saw Man cuts off his collar. The large group of people behind him gasp. Little Asta screams and cries, yelling for her mother.

Asta’s voice gets a little shaky. “I was five when it happened. He confronted her, right in the middle of one of her big speeches to her minions. And when she tried to control him with her Quirk, he sliced one of her eyes. And just like that, her power was gone. Or at least, it was weaker. He hauled her off to Tartarus, and I ended up in a foster home. A month later, Despero claimed me and gave me to Geten to raise as his “niece”.”

Momo covers her mouth in shock.

"Wow, Asta," Ochako says softly. "That's...that's intense."

"Yeah, it's not exactly the kind of childhood you'd wish for, but it's mine. And it's how I got into the MLA. Geten trained me and helped me hone my Quirk. Curious and my mother demanded that he enroll me in school too. And then I applied for a room in the dorms so I could get some…independence.”

"But what about your dad?" Ochako asks.

Asta shrugs. ”Wish I could tell you. My mom won’t tell me who he was. Honestly, I don’t even know if she’s really sure herself.”

"But you must have some idea," Momo says.

"If I had to guess, it’s Saw Man,” Asta says. “Mom admitted she…played with him to keep him loyal to her.” Asta smiles. “So that's why…when the Army steps out of the shadows and makes their move…I’m gonna kill him.”

Ochako leans back, intimidated by Asta’s evil smile.

Momo, sensing the shift in mood, decides to change the subject.

“So, about MY summer plans,” Momo says. "I got some pretty cool news today. I've been invited to I-Island!"

Ochako's eyes light up. "I-Island? No way!" she exclaims. “You mean the artificial moving island that serves as the world’s largest research center for Quirks. Developer of all the best support tech. And where international heroes often visit!?”

“That’s the one,” Momo says.
Ochako grins. “How did you get invited?"

"I’m representing my family's company. People from all the top hero companies will be there.”

“Do you think Ingenium will have a booth there too?” Ai asks, blushing and her pajama’s getting tighter.

Momo’s expression dims “No, I don’t think so. The whole Iida family is still grieving. You know, after Ingenium’s injury and what happened to his brother.”

Ai cringes at herself. “Oh, I forgot about that.”

“How could you forget?” Asta asks. “It was all over the news. Hero Native, Slain By Hero Killer Stain. Teenage Boy’s Body Found At The Scene. Identified As UA Student Tenya Iida. Seeking Revenge For Pro-Hero Brothers Career-Ending Injury?” Asta grunts. “That God Endeavor caught him after that.”

Momo nods and her expression becomes even sadder.

Flashback: Momo is talking casually with Tenya at UA. Later, she and several other students stand sadly over his grave. Ingenium hugs his crying mother.

“I knew him a little,” Momo says “He was so serious and stiff, but he was a good guy.”

“I’m sorry,” Asta says, then her eyes light up. "Wait, Momo, can I come to I-Island with you? Curious gave me these special goggles so I can analyze any machine or tech. It's like a superpower for support items!"

“Huh? Oh, right. I actually got a few extra tickets. I “already promised most of them to some friends at UA. But I have two extra for you guys. That’s one down, so who’s the last one going to be? Ochako or Ai?”

Ai shakes her head. “No thanks. Technology isn’t really my thing. Go ahead, Ochako.”

Ochako grins. “Thank you, Momo! Oh, I can’t wait.”

Momo raises her finger. She stares seriously at Ochako.

“There is something you should know though,” Momo says.

“What is it?” Ochako asks.

“Well, the winner of the Sports Festival is always invited to I-Island during the event we will be attending,” Momo explains. “And I know you called this year’s winner a jerk and a maniac. Honestly, I know him personally so I can vouch for that. But I just want YOU both to be aware of it.”

Ochako's mind goes blank as she processes Momo’s words. The winner of this year’s Sports Festival was…

“Katsuki Bakugo will be there?” Ochako says, slowly.

Asta scoffs. “I’m not scared of that overblown firecracker.” Her mouth drools. “And once I analyze enough tech, I’ll be unstoppable.”

“That’s the spirit,” Momo says. “What about you, Ochako?”

Ochako lifts her head to look at Momo with squinted eyes and a grin.

“Oh, I actually look forward to meeting him. I have things I wanna say.”

“Like what?” Ai asks.
“I have things I wanna say,” Ochako repeats.

“You already said that,” says Momo.

Asta smiles. “Oh, I’m in for a treat, aren’t I?”

Later that night, Ochako gets out of her bed. She goes into the kitchen and pours herself a glass of water before walking back to her room. On the way, she passes by her parent’s room. Her mother is cuddled next to her husband, Ochako's father, who has his arm wrapped around her. Ochako smiles, but then she frowns as she turns back to look at the apartment they are in.

‘My parents haven’t been happier since I joined the MLA. They've had adequate business. We've been able to afford a better home. Better meals...but I've had to lie to them this whole time. They have no idea I'm part of an infamous fanatical group. What would they say if I told them? They would probably be disappointed in me or even call the cops. Since, despite still going to hero school, I'm basically a villain now.’

Ochako goes back to her room. On the floor, Asta, Momo, and Ai are sleeping peacefully in their sleeping bags, next to her own. Asta is snoring, Ai is clutching a teddy bear. Ochako smiles at them. Then she turns to her newest friend, Momo, who is sleeping with earphones on. Ochako takes a peek at the screen of her phone to see what she is listening to. Sure enough, it is “Meta Liberation War" on audiobook.

Ochako frowns. ‘Right, Momo didn't technically join the Army on her own free will. Shinso lured her in, used his Quirk on her during a seminar, and twisted some of her desires and ideals to fit the MLA’s mission. Curious said that she has to listen to that book often to keep the “right mindset for the Army”. We’re brainwashing her…’

Ochako slips back into her sleeping bag and stares at the ceiling.

‘I hope at least they keep their word to Momo. She’s a great person. I think we could have been friends if I had attended UA.’ Ochako turns to look at the slumbering Ai and Asta. ‘I’ve made some really good friends at my new school too, though. And it’s not like I can just quit the army. Not only would my family lose everything, but I don’t know what Re-Destro will do. He seems reasonable, but I also get a bad vibe from him.’

Ochako sighs.

‘What did I get myself into? Oh well, at least the cause is good. Maybe we can achieve it without having to break too many laws or hurting anyone. We can take over society discretely, like Momo suggested. Still, I wish it didn’t have to be this way with Momo.’

Ochako's mind flashes back to when she first killed a Creature Rejection Clan member. She frowns and looks at her gloved hand.

‘I’m a murderer. It doesn’t matter if he was old, or that he was a bigot who killed people. I killed someone in cold blood.’

Imagine spot: Ochako's parents and Izuku all make angry and disgusted faces at her. They say things like, “You’re a monster!”, “Murderer!”, “Villain!”, “You’re just like Bakugo.”

Ochako covers her face with her pillow.

‘What am I going to do if they find out? Well…maybe they won’t find out. I mean, they will if I end up getting arrested. And, I mean, I still kinda believe in the cause, just not the actions they wanna take. Ai is pretty tame to, and Asta…well Asta can be pretty scary, but maybe I can get her to listen to reason. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll try to bring about change the RIGHT way! I hope…’

A Few Days Later, Deika City Park

Geten, the city’s ice-themed hero, faces off against Asta. His charge and adoptive niece, who is wielding a sword she created from a pen in her hand.

Geten tenses his hand. All the water molecules within the park’s radius consense together and an icy mist forms.

"Careful, Asta," Geten calls out. “This time, I won't hold back."

Ice-Hero Geten (secret lieutenant of the Meta Liberation Army). Quirk: Ice Ply. Geten can manipulate ice, as well as freeze any water around him to give him more ice to manipulate. However, he cannot create ice from nothing. His range is as wide as a town (<10 square miles).

Asta's heart races as she grips her pen-sword firmly.

“Bring it on, Iceman!” she calls back, eyes burning with a thirst for battle. “Don’t expect me to go easy on you because you’re old!!”

Geten sends a flurry of ice shards at Asta. She smirks and spins her blade so fast that each one shatters on impact. Geten throws a much larger icicle at her, but she merely dodges it and charges at her uncle.

Geten tenses his hand and the ice accumulates around Asta’s legs. As she runs, she feels the ice crawling onto her legs and the hairs on her skin stand up. She leaps into the air and somersaults over the growing ice spikes. After she lands, she sees the ice condensing around her feet as bar-like structures arise around her before trapping her in an ice cage. Asta’s feet are stuck in place, thick ice bars surround her, and Geten sends two large “ice serpents” toward her.

Asta’s eyes glow red with determination and her sword glows as well. She swings her pen sword with all her might, letting out a roar as she slices through the bars with ease and shatters all the ice around her, breaking the ice around her feet and the ice serpents into hundreds of ice cubes.

The shock wave released by the attack blows Geten’s hood off, revealing his pale-skinned face and long white hair.

’Damn it! I hadn’t realized she’d gotten so powerful. I’m proud, but I still have to win this. Otherwise, I’ll be a failure.’

Geten smirks and creates a blizzard around himself. “This is only the beginning, Asta," he declares.

Asta's eyes narrow.

‘Great, the old man is up to something,’ Asta thinks as she grabs her black school brazer. ‘I make myself a bigger sword.’

With a swift movement, Asta rips her school blazer off her shoulders. She also then grabs the beaded necklace she wears around her neck. She activates her Meta Ability as she throws it at Geten, transforming the beads into smoke bombs that go off in his face.

Geten wipes his eyes, and Asta transforms her torn brazer into a massive-bladed sword.

With a fierce cry, Asta charges at Geten, while he is still trying to recollect his vision. She is just about to strike before an ice spike appears in front of her. She barely manages to stop in time before the spike can pierce her. Another ice spike nearly strikes her wrist, causing Asta to drop the blade in shock.

Geten smirks and shakes his finger. “Not so fast, Asta.”

Geten sends a massive blast of frost at Asta, encasing her in a layer of ice and sending her backward. She tumbles before coming to a stop. Geten attempts to entrap her in the ice, but she unleashes a war cry and bursts out, having transformed her white undershirt into spiked strength-enhancing armor.

Before Geten can react again, Asta reaches into her pocket and pulls out a handful of pens. She transforms them into missiles mid-air and sends them flying at the ice hero/villain.

Not wasting a moment, Geten forms an ice wall that blocks the incoming missiles. They explode and send fragments of ice shards in all directions. When the smoke and ice mist clears, Asta looks ahead to see the ice wall destroyed and Geten gone.

‘Where is he?’ Asta asks, looking around.

She spots something in her peripheral vision. She instinctively reaches into her (other) pocket and throws a pen-knife at the figure, only for it to hit a snowman wearing Getens’ jacket on an ice-sled.

“HAHAHA!”

Asta’s eyes widen as she hears Getens cackle. And, just like that, a massive ice pillar on her left forms and sends Geten flying into the air. From his elevated height, he rains down hundreds of massive ice-spikes. Asta tries reaching for more pens from her pocket, but the spikes tear apart her armor, as well as stab into the ground around her and between her arms and legs. When they all fall, Asta is bound by an icy prison she is unable to escape from no matter how much he struggles.

Geten lands in front of her with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.

"Not bad, Asta," Geten says in an admirable tone. "You've lasted longer than before."

Re-Destro strides over. “Your growth is remarkable," he says, as Geten frees her from the ice. "Your recent Awakening has allowed you to enhance the weapons you create. Your instincts have grown sharper, and your control over your Meta Ability is improving."

Curious and Skeptic nod in agreement.

"You're getting better every day," Curious says.

Asta lowers her head in shame. “I still lost.”

Geten grabs her shoulder. “You're learning," Geten says in a soft tone.
Curious smirks at him. “I take pride in that. You didn’t want to send her to the hero course.”

Geten waves it off. “I was homeschooled and focused on training my Meta Ability my whole life. And look how strong I am now!”

Re-Destro chimes in. “Both yours and Asta’s Meta Abilities are impressive. You have done well to hone them to the best of your abilities. However, Asta’s strength does not just come from her Meta Ability, but her keen mind. She is a tactician, a warrior who can think on her feet. THAT is what will truly make her formidable.”

Asta smiles at the praise.

Trumpet shakes his head and smiles. "If there were more of you, Asta, the Army would be unstoppable."

Geten chuckles. “Don’t forget the man who trained her,” he says, pointing to himself.

Ochako, Momo, and Ai watch from the sidelines. Their faces are a mix of amazement and admiration. Monoma leans against a tree, with his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face.

"Looks like our little Asta's been holding out on us," Monoma says.

Shinso nods. “Her growth is incredible. But she can only transform what already exists to an extent.”

"Curious said she wants me and Asta to learn to work together,” Momo says. “I mean, if I can create anything from my body with my Quirk and Asta can turn it into a weapon. I can give her ammo. Or create weapons from my own body.”

“Good for you two.” Monoma smiles in pride. "The doctors are studying my Quirk and blood samples. They wanna see if they can create a serum that can give other people copies of Quirks. Imagine it. Geten could wield fire along with ice. Asta can create pens from her own fat to use instead of having to rely on you. If we can find a telepathy Quirk, you can use Brainwashing with it so you don’t need people to talk to you, Shinso.”

Ai blinks at him. “Hey, I’ve been wondering. How did Shinso convince you guys to join the MLA? I mean I know you guys attended a seminar, but how did he really convince you?”

Monoma shrugs. "We were just friends. He said he wanted me to go to an event with him, and I was like, sure. Momo, however…”

“She lost faith in hero society after the HPSC ruined her life,” Shinso says, bluntly.

Ochako blinks. "What happened?”

Momo's face tenses, but she sighs and turns to Ochako. “Did any of you see the USJ attack on the news?” she asks.

Both Ai and Ochako nod.

“The League took All Mights’ arm too, right?” Ochako asks.

Momo nods sadly. "The HPSC tried to cover it up. They tried to paint it as a victory for All Might. Like he blasted the Nomu away and defeated the Leagues leader all on his own. They gave him a prosthetic arm and a cape to hide his injury. But that’s not the worst part.” Momo cringes. “Two students died. They were killed by Villains, and they refused to let the media talk about Asui or Mineta. They refused to mention the students who were injured. They wanted to just sweep it all under the rug.”

Ochako gasps. “Why would they do that?”

“So society wouldn’t lose the illusion of its invincible hero.”

Shibso and Monoma both boo.

Momo’s expression darkens. "Do you know what the HPSC did when the truth came out? When people knew what really happened?"

Ochako shakes her head.

"Mina Ashido,” Momo says. “She was offered money to stay silent. But she had to tell the truth." Momo takes a deep breath. ”Afterwards, she and the families of the other students who were killed, they went to the media. They didn't take the bribes, they didn't stay quiet. They told the truth about what happened that day. How All Might lost his arm and would have died if the other heroes hadn’t shown up. Their children’s deaths. Everything.”

A heavy silence fell over the group.

"What happened to Mina and the others?" Ai asks.

"The HPSC backlisted Mina from every hero school in Japan," Momo says. "They said it was for her own protection, but we all knew it was a warning to the rest of us. And the families of the students who were killed? Asui’s parents. Mineta’s mother…We haven't heard from them since."

Ochako gasps. "That's... that's just wrong.”

Momo nods. “Indeed. Shinso used that argument to get a lot of us from UA into the MLA. He said that once we take over we’ll stop the facade.”

Shinso averts his eyes.

‘At least I hope so.’

Flashback: Re-Destro is meeting with Shinso in his office. “Shinso,” Re-Destro says. “I want to thank you. You have been a great help in bringing in more recruits. Our drive has nearly doubled thanks to your efforts.” Shinso bows. “It helps that society is damaged.” Re-Destro nods. “Speaking of which, I was thinking that you could work on recruiting the winner of the Sports Festival, Katsuki Bakugo-” “No,” Shinos says, bluntly. Re-Destro tilts his head and narrows his eyes at Shinso. “No, you say?” he asks. Shinso recomposes himself. “Apologies, Sir. It’s just…based on my own experiences with him and what Ochako has told me, he is nothing but a hot-tempered asshole and a bully.” Re-Destro nods. “Yes, Curious has told me what Miss Uraraka has told her about Bakugo bullying her Quirkless boyfriend,” Re-Destro chuckles. “I assure you, that is a mere phase. And someone with such power, drive, and belief in Meta superiority would be an invaluable asset to the Army.” Shinso thinks of a response. “That all may be true, but he considers himself better than everyone. EVERYONE. He is arrogant and refuses to take orders. He won’t be swayed to follow another person’s ideology and he won’t follow YOU. Trust me, he will just go against you if it suits him.” Re-Destro thinks about this. “Perhaps. His outburst at the Festival did show a staggering lack of restraint and temperament. We COULD help with that. Still, I want you to keep an eye on him and recruit him when you believe he matures.” Shinso nods. “Yes, Sir.”

Shinso mentally scoffs. ’I’m not even trying. I’m not gonna be stuck working with that ass and I won’t do that to Uraraka either. Besides, he considers himself an All Might fan and thinks Villains are losers. He won’t want to join us anyway.’

“So for that reason, I will ally with the Army,” Momo says. “IF you help my friend overcome his issues with his father so he can use his Quirk. No one has done anything to help with that yet.”

“I’m working on it,” Shinso says. “We’re both closed-off people. It’s hard for me to talk to him. If I can’t talk to him I can’t learn more about him. And if I can’t learn more about him I can’t figure out how to sway him to come to this city so he can get the help he needs (and be swayed to our side). Momo, it has to be you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You know him better than anyone else at the school does. He talks to you. YOU have to be the one to convince him he needs to get over his issues.”

A sly smile appears on Monoma’s face. "Maybe you can lure him in. You know, play on his... natural instincts."

Momo raises an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?"

Monoma grins. “Come on. Any moron can tell there is a lot of sexual tension between you two. You can literally cut it with a knife."

Momo rolls her eyes. “There’s no sexual tension. I’m the smartest person in our class and he’s the strongest. We respect each other, that is all.”

“Come on, Momo," Ai says. “Now, I’ve only seen him on TV. But you can't deny that he's kind of... hot.”

Momo looks at her friend, surprised. "Hot?" She blinks rapidly. "Shoto? I mean, I guess he's not…ugly.”

Ai giggles. "Come on, Momo. He's totally hot. Broad shoulders. That brooding vibe he’s got. Nice hair and that cool scar. It's like he's a model for brooding teen magazine covers."

Momo can’t help but smile.

“Seriously though,” Ochako says. "What if you just talked to him?

"I've got an idea," Monoma says. "What if we put him in a situation where he has to use his fire?"

“Like what?” Momo asks, curiosity mixed with concern.

“Well, Bakugo's got a nasty temper, and he's got it out for Shoto,” Monoma says. “If we put them in a situation where they have to fight, Shoto won't have a choice but to use his fire. I mean, he threw a fit becuase Shinso stopped him from getting a rematch at the Festival. Best case scenario is that Shoto refuses to use his fire, loses but realizes he’s holding himself back, and then Momo can reel him in. Worst case is that he learns to use his fire, and then Momo can say “Hey, let me introduce you to come friends”.”

Momo glares at him. ”That's dangerous. We can't use people like that."

“What if we introduce him to someone else who hates a Quirk they got from their parents?” Ai suggests. “Who do we know from school who’s like that?”

“Well there’s that guy whose Quirk is Bone Manipulation,” Ochako suggests. “We were working together on a project and he said that his late father, who has the same Quirk, used to use it to discipline him.”

Flashback: Ochako faces off against a boy with dark hair and sunken eyes. Ochako charges at him, but the boy raises his hand and makes Ochako contort instead. “Well done,” their PE teacher says. “I won’t use my Meta Ability to break her bones,” the boy says. “That’s fine,” says the PE teacher “We weren’t going to ask you to-”. “My Dad used to do that to me if I misbehaved. And then I used it on him and I accidentally broke his spine and paralyzed him for life. Me and my mother work to support him, but I think she resents me too,” the boy says, solemnly, making the teacher frown.

“I’m going to try to get through to him, gently,” Momo says, a bit disturbed.

“And then he might be grateful enough to join the Army!” Ai declares.

Shinso smirks. ‘Gratitude and after a few sessions with me, perhaps.’

Momo nods and then looks at the time on her phone. "Okay. Let's call it a day for training. Ochako, get Asta. We need to plan out our trip."

Chapter Text

Flashback:

Izuku and Ochako are walking beside each other in the mall. Ochako is admiring the Kirby plushie that Izuku bought for her.

“You really like it, huh?” Izuku asks.

“I love it!” Ochako squeals. “Thanks, Izuku.”

Izuku smiles and nods to himself. “So, there is going to be a festival hosted by school. It’s going to be around the time you get back from your trip. Maybe we can go together, you can meet my mom. Maybe.”

Stars form in Ochako’s eyes as she squeals. “Oh, I would love too! And…meeting your mom? Wow, are we there already? I mean, yes! I would love too.”

Izuku hums to himself. She’s so cute, he thinks.

“Hey, Izuku, about my trip,” Ochako says. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get you another ticket. I mean, this is I-Island! The I-Expo is supposed to be a great event and-”

Izuku waves it off. “Don’t worry about it. You were invited by a friend and I would hate to be a third wheel. Besides, I’m still going to be doing good work during my SUmmer break. I’ll be working at that hospital, remember? Just take a lot of pictures for me, ok?”

Ochako nods. “I’ll bring you a souvenir. Hows that?”

Izuku smiles, geeking out. “Well…if you could take pictures of the I-Expo I would really appreciate that. The I-Expo is supposed to be the worlds largest…”

Ochako smiles as Izuku goes on and on about the different events at the expo, what heroes might be there, and how amazing it is that David Shield, the man who designed All Might’s hero costumes lives there.

‘Izuku is so smart. I really wish I could have gotten him a ticket. He would have a blast.’

Flashback Ends

Izuku is looking at a picture of him and Ochako at the mall (her holding up the Kirby plushie) on his phone.

Izuku frowns. ‘I’m a terrible boyfriend. I’ve lied to you.’

“Izuku, sweetie!” Izuku’s mother, Inko, calls from outside his room. “Are you all packed?”

Izuku snaps out of his daze and throws his toothbrush, comb, jacket, face mask, and a small box labeled “Patches” into his backpack.

“Almost ready, Mom!”

Outside his room, Inko is vacuuming in the living room area.

“Your friend will be here any minute!” She calls.

There is a knock on the door. Inko goes to answer it, and Spinner is standing outside. He is wearing a hooded jacket and a scarf to cover his mutant features. He lowers his scarf so that Inko can see his face. Beside him is Mustard, without his mask and wearing his casual clothes.

“Oh, Shuichi,” Inko says, warmly. “Thank you for picking up Izuku.”

“Hey, no problem Mrs. Midoriya,” Spinner says. “We’re really excited to go on this camping trip together.”

Inko nods and turns to Mustard. “Oh, and you are here too, um…”

“Mustard,” he says, bluntly.

“I know, I was just thinking maybe you can give me your actual name now-”

“No.”

Spinner pats Mustard on the shoulder. “Mustard is very careful about who he trusts.”

Izuku comes out of his room with his bag slung over his shoulder.

“Shuichi! Mustard!” Izuku smiles. “Are we ready to go on our…camping trip?”

“Yes,” says Mustard. “We’ll just go pick up our other friends and then head off.”

“Right.” Izuku walks over to them, and takes a moment to kiss his mom on the cheek. “Bye mom. I’ll text you.”

Before Izuku can walk out the door with his friends, Inko calls out to him.

“Izuku, wait.”

Izuku stops and turns around to face his mother. Inko has a smile on her face.

“I just want to tell you that…I’m very proud of you.” When she says that, Izuku’s eyes slightly widen. “I know things haven’t always been easy for you. I know you have had trouble at school, and making friends, and wanting to be a hero. For a while it seemed like you were in a really bad place. But you’ve really picked yourself back up! You’ve made friends, you’re happier, more confident, you even have a girlfriend, who I want to meet soon by the way.”

Izuku smiles. “Thanks, Mom. And I already talked to Ochako about this. We’re going to arrange for us to meet each others parents soon.”

Inko smiles. “Take care of my son, boys.”

Spinner gives her a thumbs up. “No problem, Mrs. Shuichi!”

Mustard shrugs. “We’ll keep him alive.”

Izuku waves goodbye to his mother as he walks out the door with Spinner and Mustard.

“Your mom’s a really nice lady, Izuku,” Spinner says, fondly.

Izuku looks down. “Yeah, she is. It’s why I hate lying to her.”

“Well it’s not like you can tell her what you’re REALLY doing,” Mustard says. “We’ve lied to her too. We won’t be at the same place you are.”

“Well can go camping when he gets back,” Spinner says. “He’s only gonna be gone a couple of days and we told her the trip is a week.”

Izuku stares at the ground, as he remembers his recent meeting with AFO.

Flashback: Izuku stands in front of AFO, who is sitting in his medical chair. On both sides of AFO are Kurogiri and Shigaraki.

“You’re sending me to I-Expo?” Izuku asks, surprised but with a smile on his face. “This is a very pleasant surprise, but why?”

“This wont be a vacation,” Kurogiri says. “You’re going to be working for a group of Villains, led by a man named Wolfram.” Kurogiri hands Izuku a stack of files. ”Here is their information and Quirks.”

Izuku flips through the files. He sees Wolfram’s file, a picture of him with his metal mask on. Quirk: Metal Manipulation.

“Hmm, metal manipulation? That’s a useful Quirk. Maybe I can steal a couple of his hairs.” Izuku flips through the other files. “Hmm, nah. I mean, I already have telekinesis and Earth Flow. I probably shouldn’t try to take every cool Quirk I find.”

“I have no idea what not?” AFO asks.

“Well, you know. I don’t want to give into my insecurity and-” Izuku stops when he comes across Samuel Abrahams file. “Samuel Abraham? He’s David Shields partner. Why is his file in here?”

“Because, he’s the one who is orchestrating this heist,” Shigaraki says.

Izuku blinks. “Ok, now I am confused.”

“Allow me to explain,” AFO says. “I do not know all the details myself, Wolfram refuses to share much. However, All Mights friend desires to retrieve a piece of equipment that he developed that was deemed too dangerous for public usage. So, Abraham suggested that they steal it. He would bring in actors to pretend to be villains that would hold the island hostage, with their help, so that they could steal the device back.”

“But Wolfram and his gang are REAL villains.”

AFO smirks. “Abraham is displeased with where his job has gotten him. He wanted fame and wealth, things which Mr. Shields work has neglected to provide for him.”

Izuku huffs and rolls his eyes. “It’s all about fame and wealth for some people.”

Shigaraki nods. “Especially heroes. Or, in this case, hero’s helpers.”

“So Abraham is going to betray David Shield so he can sell the device with Wolfram?” Izuku guesses.

AFO nods. “That is correct. And, I figured, so long as All Mights friend wants to do villain work, I might as well help.” AFO gives Izuku a wicked smile. “To assist Wolfram in his mission, I am giving him three things. One, a Muscle Augmentation Quirk that the Doctor copied from Muscular.”

“Ok.”

“I am also giving him one of your completed Quirk Nullifying guns. And you.”

“Your excuse is that I can repair the gun if something happens to it,” Izuku guesses. “But what you really want is for me to report to you what the device does, and betray Wolfram if it best benefits the League.”

AFO chuckles. “Smart boy, you are. I have told him that your Quirk is merely Hyper-Intelligence. Take that Patch and any other you believe will help you. Until then, study Wolframs gangs Quirks so you will be better prepared.”

Izuku nods. “Leave it to me.”

“I have full trust in you, Young Midoriya,” AFO says. ”Oh, and by the way, you wont be going as yourself.

[[Flashback ends]]

Izuku stands beside AFO in a parking structure. AFO is wearing his mask, and Izuku’s hair is longer, covering his left eye, and black in color. His eyes are also red and he has pale skin. He is wearing a black jacket and a black face mask.

They are approached by a man with red hair and a metal mask, Wolfram. Wolfram looks down at Izuku, who stares blankly at him.

“This him?” Wolfram asks.

AFO pats Izuku’s shoulder. “Yes, this is Mikumo Akatani. The genius behind the Quirk Nufflifcation gun.”

Wolfram eyes him. “Why the mask, Akatani?”

“Akatani” removes his face mask, revealing a slit-nose and a Glasgow smile. There are open slits are extending from the sides of his mouth spreading halfway across his cheeks into a disturbing “smile”. Wolfram chuckles.

“Ah, I see. Ah, well, no shame here.” Wolfram removes his own mask, revealing his own scars. “Welcome to the club.”

“Akatani” puts his mask back on and nods.

‘Thankfully Sensei used his body modification Quirk on me,’ Izuku thinks. ‘Made me a few inches taller…Yay, I’m as tall as Bakugo! Also made my hair longer, darker, my eyes redder, and made my face unrecognizable. Now there is no way I’ll be recognized. Plus he altered my vocal cords.’

“I used to be a fan of All Might,” “Akatani” says in a voice that is deeper than Izuku’s. “He’s the one who always says to smile.” He hands Wolfram the briefcase. “The gun for you.”

Wolfram takes the briefcase and opens it. He smiles at the contents inside and faces AFO.

“And the extra Quirk you promised me?” Wolfram asks.

“As we agreed.”

AFO extends his hand and Wolfram shakes it. “Akatani” watches as red energy flows from AFO into Wolfram. The metal-mask-wearing villain smiles, releases AFO, and flexes his arm. It glows red.

“I feel…stronger,” Wolfram says, pleased.

“That’s odd,” “Akatani” says. “That Quirk was copied from someone who grows muscle fibers outside his body.”

“The doctor modified it,” AFO explains. “Plus, Quirks that are copied aren’t always…the same.”

“It was a pleasure doing business with you, All For One,” Wolfram says, with a wolfish grin on his face.

AFO raises his finger. “Now, remember, as powerful as this gun is and the Quirk I gave you, my League still has many more in stock, and I have hundreds of Quirks of my own. If you betray me in any way, I will hunt you down and personally destroy you. Are we clear?”

“Noted,” Wolfram says as he hands a bag to “Akatani.”

“Akatani” looks inside the bag. He sees a black vest, a white dress shirt, a black apron, a bowtie, and pants.

“What is this?” “Akatani” asks.

“You’ll be posing as a waiter on I-Island,” Wolfram explains.

Izuku looks at the clothes. The vest and the dark color scheme remind him of both AFO’s and Kurogiri’s choice of dress.

“Hmm. Can I keep this? I might just make this my villain suit. Minus the apron I mean.”

Wolfram waves him off. “You can steal David Shields clothes for all I care.”

Ochako sits at the kitchen table in her apartment with her bags beside her. Asta sits across from her, eating a peanut butter sandwich, while watching Mr. and Mrs. Uraraka bombard their daughter with questions.

“Did you Pack your sunscreen?" Mrs. Uraraka asks.

“Yes, I did Mom? Ochako says.

"What about a sun hat?" asks Mr. Uraraka.

Ochako nods. “Yes, I did.”

“Extra underwear in case something happens?"

Ochako turns red. "Mom! Not in front of our guest!"

"I'm sure they will have stores and stuff on I-Island,” Asta says. “People live there all year round.”

“We just want to be sure," Mrs. Uraraka says. “Oh, and Ochako, don't forget to thank Momo again for this wonderful opportunity.”

Asta rolls her eyes. "She has. Several times."

Ochako's phone dings. She looks at her text message and grabs her bag.

“Momo says she's here. Time to go, Asta."

Asta scarfs down what is left of her sandwich and grabs her own belongings. Ochako hugs and kisses her parents goodbye before she walks out the door.

"Call us as soon as you get to the airport!" Mrs. Uraraka says. *And when you arrive on the island!"

“Take plenty of pictures! Goodbye, Sweetheart!” says Mr. Uraraka.

“I will! Love you guys! Bye!”

“Bye!"

And with that, Ochako and Asta leave the Uraraka apartment.

After descending down the stairs and existing the building, Ochako and Asta see a limp with Momo standing outside of it in her causal clothes. Ochako waves to her.

“Momo! Hey!”

“S’up?” Asta waves back.
Momo smiles. “Hey, girls! You ready?”

Ochako smiles and gives a thumbs up. “Ready!”

Asta pulls out her scanning glasses. “Ready. I can’t wait to get so much weapon data with these things!”
Momo shushes her, looks around, and then whispers. “Remember, my friends from school are here. So they don’t know what group we are all a part of. So, we all met online. Got. It?”

“Yes,” Ochako says.

Asta nods.

Momo sighs in releif. “Good.” She opens the limo door. “Come inside.”

Ochako rushes in, excited to ride in a limousine for the first time in her entire life. Inside, there are three girls already waiting for them. One is a punk girl with cord-like earlobes, one is a pink girl with dark irises and horns/antlers, and the other is invisible (making her appear as a floating top and shorts.

“Hi!” the pink girl says. “You must be Momo’s online friends.”

“Y-Yeah, thats us,” Ochako says. “I’m Ochako, this is Asta.”

Asta stares at the invisible girl. “What, do we have a ghost in here?”

“Asta!” Ochako scolds as Momo sits next to them.

“No, it’s fine,” says the invisible girl. “My name is Toru Hagakure. My Quirk is invisibility. I can’t turn it off…”

Asta’s eyes widen. “Oh, sorry.”

“Its fine, I manage.”

“I’m Mina Ashido!” the pink girl says.
“And I’m Kyoka Jiro,” says the punk girl. “If you’re wondering about my ears, my Quirk is Earphone-Jack. It allows me to detect vibrations and hear better.” She holds up her legs that show her amplifier-boots. “I also have these amplifier boot support items that I can plug my jacks into. They enhance the vibrations of my heartbeat so that I can use them offensively, like create a sonic blast.”

Ochako’s eyes sparkle. “Oh, interesting! Does that work with an iPhone or something, or do you have to use your Quirk?”

Kyoka shrugs. “I guess a phone would work, why?”

“Just curious, for a friend.”

“She’s dating a Quirkless guy,” Asta says bluntly. “Apparently, he wanted to be a hero when he was younger, but everyone else bullied him for it.”

Ochako shoots Asta an irritated glare, while Mina shakes her head.

“Some people are just cruel,” Mina says. “There were a lot of bullies at my old school. I tried to resolve most cases since teachers tend to be overworked, or they don’t want to risk repercussions too their jobs. If your boyfriend needs someone to talk to, I can recommend a therapist.”

“And I would say he could still be a hero if he could use the right support gear,” Kyoka says. “I can try to hook him up, if you want.”

Ochako smiles. “Well, thanks. But Izuku say’s he’s not interested in being a hero anymore.” She slowly turns to Asta. “I was only curious for my own sake.”
Asta shrugs. “Sorry, sometimes I tend to blurt things out.” She glances at the UA girls. “BTW, the bully was your old classmate, Katsuki Bakugo.”

The UA girls stare at her in surprise. Though Momo sighs.

“I believe you.”

Mina looks down. “My friend, Eijiro is friends with Bakugo. He keeps insisting that he’s a cool guy deep down. I would like some more details before I warn him about Bakugo.”

“Hey, aren’t you that girl who was expelled from UA for telling the truth about the UA incident?” Ochako asks Mina. “Oh, wait, I’m sorry!” She blushes. “That was so rude of me!”

Mina raises her hand. “No, it’s fine. Yes, that was me.”

“We’re still friends,” Momo explains.

“They teach me everything they learn at UA.” Mina puts her arms around Kyoka and Toru. “It sucks not being allowed to be a real hero anymore, but I’m working toward being a guidance counselor instead.”

Ochako smiles. “Oh, that’s wonderful! I’m glad that you managed to find something else to do with your life.”

“Wait, I think I heard of you,” says Toru. “Weren’t you at the entrance exam?”

Ochako rubs her neck, embarrassed. “Yeah, but I was caught by the Zero pointer, so I didn’t get in.”

“She goes to MY hero school now,” Asta says. “We’re happy to have her. It might not be big like UA, but they teach us well.”

“That’s good to hear,” says Mina. “And I am still doing what I can to help the community.”

Flashback: Mina is wearing a dark hooded jacket and a mask with goggles that completely conceals her appearance. She watches from the top of an alleyway roof and spots a shady figure walking. Mina throws a rock at the ground. The man gets startled and draws his gun, daring whoever is there to come out. Mina jumps down while throwing acid on the gun, causing it to corrode in the man’s hand. With the man’s gun gone, Mina pushes him against the wall and holds a taser to his neck. “Tell me everything you know about the League of Villains!” she demands. Later, Mina leaves the man tasered and tied to a lamp post with a note on him that reads: “This Man Is A Gang Member. Please Give To The Police. Love, Alien Queen”.

Mina nods. “We can all be heroes in our own ways. Who needs all the fans and money anyway?”

Ochako looks down while Asta pats her back.

Much Later

Izuku/“Akatani” looks out the window of the plane, which is bringing him to I-Island. Right now, all he sees is the ocean, but he knows he is due to arrive at any time. Izuku looks around at Wolfram and his gang. His seatmate, Swordkil (named so because his Quirk allows him to make his arm a sword) is fast asleep. Looking around, Izuku/“Akatani” sees that Wolfram is reviewing the layout of I-Island, Hacker is on his computer, Daigo is asleep, and Nobu is watching a movie.

Izuku/“Akatani” looks at the red hairs taped to the napkin in his hands.

Flashback: As Wolfram is introducing “Akatani” to the rest of his gang at his dark hideout, Izuku/“Akatani” discreetly plucks a couple of hairs that had fallen naturally onto the back of his jacket.

Flashback: Earlier, when they were still on the plane, Izuku/“Akatani” notices Nobu wiping his mouth after eating a cookie. Izuku/“Akatani” walks by him. “Hey, Nobu. I’m going to the bathroom. Would you like me to take your trash?” Izuku/“Akatani” asks. “Huh?” Nobu smiles. “Yeah, sure. Thanks, kid,” he says as he gives him his napkin.

‘Hacker’s Quirk isn’t suited for combat and his skills are entirely him,’ Izuku notes. ‘Daigo’s Quirk is impressive, but I already have Quirks that can make me stronger, without turning me into a big gorilla. I decided Wolfram’s Quirk would just be a plus, and thanks to Sensei, the hairs also allows me to access a muscle augmentation Quirk. Nobu’s Quirk is very interesting. Displacement allows him to displace anything he touches with his hands. The information I had didn’t give me a full description, but I hope I can see his Quirk in action.’

Izuku pulls down his shirt sleeve and sees the patches he has stuck to his skin.

‘Ok, so lets go over the Quirks I took with me. Erasure (the most useful). S-Class Telekinesis (thanks to using Doctor Garaki’s lab to merge together Flight, Moms Attraction Quirk, Poltergeist, Telekinesis, and Force-Field)-’

Flashback: Izuku is in the Doctors lab, watching over Nomu in tanks. Izuku notices a small one and he takes it out before placing his hand (which has a couple of patches on it) on its head. “New Order, let this Nomu receive a copy of the following Quirks, and have them merge inside him.”

‘-Yeah, that was really helpful. Reduces need for multiple patches. And Analyze (made from Scan and Search). Plus I have those emotion sensing and memory scanning Quirks that I got from those nurses at Jaku. Plus the rest in my box I can apply at any time.’

Flashback: Izuku is talking and chatting with nurses at the hospital. Later, he looks through the doctor’s lab and he finds vials of bloodwork from all his employees. Izuku then locates their blood samples, takes them from storage, and adds a tiny drop from the two nurses onto a single patch.

Izuku pulls out his phone. He opens his photos and looks through them. He sees himself with Ochako. Then he sees himself with Himiko, Mustard, and Spinner at the League Bar. Izuku flips back and forth between the pics and smiles.

‘I won’t disappoint you guys. And Ochako, I’ll protect you too.’

Izuku pats his chest, and the plane thumps.

“We’ve arrived,” Wolfram says.

Izuku/“Akatani” pulls his shirt sleeve back down, hides the napkin in his pocket, and puts away his phone.

‘All right, time to get to work.’

Chapter Text

Upon exiting the plane, Izuku/“Akatani”, Wolfram, and the other villains are greeted by two men. One has messy brown hair, a goatee, and is wearing glasses. The other appears to be older with thinning gray hair and a chubbier build. The two men smile at them.

‘That’s him! That’s David Shield! And that other man must be Samuel Abraham. David’s partner, who told him we were just actors.’

Izuku/“Akatani” glares slightly at Samuel as David approaches them.

“Hello! Welcome to I-Island! I hope you had a good flight.”

Wolfram smiles and approaches the world-famous scientist. “Professor Shield,” Wolfram says with a courteous bow. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
David extends his hand and shakes Wolfram’s. “No, the pleasure is mine. Thank you so much for agreeing to this! I will make sure you and your whole crew are paid well.”

“I’m sure you will,” says Wolfram. “I must say, I admire how much you are willing to go for your friend.”

David then notices Izuku/“Akatani”, who looks at him with wide eyes.

“Oh, who is this?”

“Oh, this is my nephew Akatani,” Wolfram says. “My sister married a Japanese man. I thought I would bring him along.”

Izuku/“Akatani” steps toward David and shakes his hand. “It is an honor to meet you, Professor Shield! I must say, I am a huge fan of your work! You designed all of All Might’s best costumes!”

David laughs. “Oh, an All Might fan, I see.” David grimaces. “I was afraid there weren’t many of those left since Endeavor surpassed him in the poles now.”

That was true. Given that All Might suffered a serious injury and failed to protect two students from the League of Villains, plus Endeavor capturing the Hero Killer Stain, the Flame Hero has recently passed All Might in the popularity polls. Becoming Japan’s No.1 Hero.

“Oh, well, everyone makes mistakes,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “He’s still a great hero. And he’s continuing to do so despite losing an arm. I respect that.”

David smiles widely at him. “You know, I invited All Might here so I could replace his arm with a prosthetic. It will function just like his old one.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” Izuku/“Akatani” says, though he is internally screaming.

‘ALL MIGHT WILL BE HERE!?’

“I could introduce you to him when we are done with the-” David makes air quotes with his fingers. “Heist.”

“Um…yeah, that would be great.”

“If you don’t mind, I think we should get everything set up for tonight,” Samuel says.

“Right, right, of course,” David says. “Come with me to my lab.”

Soon after, Izuku, Samuel, Wolfram, and the others are inside David Shields’ lab. Izuku cannot help but look around in excitement, but he is forced to stop once David lays out a map of the island and Wolfram bonks him on the head to pay attention.

“The I-Expo will take place in this building,” David says, pointing to one of the buildings on the map. “I have already given your hacker codes to override the security drones. Soon after the Expo starts, you will activate the drones and initiate the security protocols. All of the heroes will be subdued and unable to intervene, including All Might, while everyone else will be confined to their homes and hotel rooms. Then, you will crash the event. Pretend to threaten Abraham as you demand access to the device, and I will volunteer to go with you as another hostage. Then, you will-” David once again makes air quotes. “-“force me” to unlock the device at I-Islands’ tower security vault, and give it to you.”

‘Then Samuel will betray you, thinking he will get to sell the device with Wolfram for money, but Wolfram will betray Samuel instead.’

“Wonderful,” Samuel says. “Does anyone have any questions?”

“No, I think we are good,” Wolfram says.

Izuku/“Akatani” raises his hand. “I have one. What is this device we’re giving to All Might?”

“You mean your uncle did not tell you?” David asks.

“No, I told him,” Wolfram lies before glaring at Izuku/“Akatani”. “The little man here just wasn’t paying attention when I did. So, don’t tell him. It will teach him to listen better in the future.”

“If Akatani is going to be a part of this, he needs to know,” David says. “Especially if he is a fan of All Might.”

Wolfram groans as Izuku/“Akatani” stares at David.

David sighs. “This may be hard for you to understand, Akatani. But All Might is getting weaker. And I don’t just mean from his injury. It’s been a problem for years now.”

Izuku/“Akatani” widens his eyes in faux shock. Of course, he already knows whatever David is about to tell him (and more) about All Might, but he needs to play his part.

“What do you mean?”

“Five years ago, All Might went up against a very powerful villain who severely injured him,” David says. “He’s hidden it from the public, but his power has steadily been getting weaker. Right now, he can only work as a hero for a few hours a day. His Quirk energy levels are plummeting.” David smiles. “But my device will fix him. Make him as strong as he was before. Stronger even! He will the the Number One hero in the world once again and the Status Quo will be restored!”

Izuku/“Akatani’s frowns (which isn’t visible thanks to the face mask he is wearing.

’The Status Quo? The whole reason I am with the League is to disrupt the Status Quo. The overreliance on heroes like All Might has made the people apathetic enough to ignore an abandoned child (like Tomura), thinking a great hero will come along for them. Not to mention, it has played a role in making people obsessed with powerful quirks, hence why everyone fucking praised BAKUGO and let me get treated like shit! Or how people automatically deem creepy Quirks villainous, like Himiko and Mustard. Or how society keeps putting heroes on a pedestal that can do no wrong, whereas Dabi can say the opposite. And he is even somewhat happy that Endeavor is No.1 now, since it means more to take away from him. So, sorry Professor Shield, I DON’T want the Status Quo restored. Though now I’m more interested in what this device does.’

“How?”

“This device that Samuel and I developed was deemed too dangerous to be sold publicly by our sponsors,” David says. “But it’s exactly what All Might needs. It is a Quirk Amplification Device.”
“Quirk Amplification?”
“Yes!” David says. “We spent years studying Quirk energy, and we found a way to artificially increase levels! Doing so increases the user’s Quirk usage!”

Izuku/“Akatani’s” eyes widen. “Wait! Wait! A-Are you saying that anyone who puts this device on…their Quirk becomes stronger!?”

“Only as long as you are wearing it,” David says. “It is still in the testing stages, but I think it will help All Might now, especially given his second injury. And with a short amount of time and more developments, it will be able to restore him fully to his prime!”

Izuku’s mouth drops open (not that it is visible through his face mask) as he stares in bewilderment at the professor.

“P-Professor Sheild…This…THIS IS INCREDIBLE! I mean, yeah, I get your sponsors not wanting such a device going public. But YOU CAN MAKE QUIRKS STRONGER!?”

‘It’s like One For All!’ Izuku thinks. ‘Ok, I DEFINATELY cannot let Wolfram make more and sell this device. If he does, then even All For One might be overwhelmed if enough of his rivals get ahold of one. And I can’t let All Might get it either. I’m going to have to either destroy the device or steal it. If I destroy it though, I might have to appease All For One by figuring out how it was made so it can be replicated by us. But how…Oh, right, I have a memory scan patch.’

“I…” Izuku/“Akatani” says as he pretends to be overwhelmed, steps away from the group, and leans on a work table. “I need a minute to process all this.”

‘I must thank Himiko for giving me all those espionage lessons.’

Thankfully, everyone accepts this and pays no further attention to him. Wolfram and his gang keep their attention focused on David and Samuel as Izuku/“Akatani” discreetly pulls out his container of patches from his pocket, takes out the memory scan one, rolls up his sleeve, and slaps it on his forearm.

“We will meet up again after your group’s “escapes” and then you will give me back the device so I can give it to All Might, and I will pay you as promised,” David says to the others.

Izuku/“Akatani rolls up his sleeve. He turns around and lets out a sigh.

“Sorry about that.”
“It’s quite all right, son,” David says. “So, Akatani, what exactly will your role be in this?”
“Oh, well, I will be posing as a waiter, and I guess I will just be around when you unlock the device,” Izuku/“Akatani” says.

‘And I am here to repair the Quirk-Nullifying gun if needed. And spy for AFO.’

“No, that won’t do,” David says. “Child waiters aren’t allowed to serve in the official Expo. But there is something I would like you to do.” David looks at Izuku/“Akatani” seriously. “I have a daughter, Melissa.” David takes out his phone and shows him a picture of his daughter, a beautiful blonde girl who looks his age, if not a couple of years older, with glasses. “She is brilliant and very capable. But she doesn’t have a Quirk.”

Izuku’s eyes widen. ‘She’s Quirkless? Like…I used to be?’

“Knowing her, she will try to get involved when everything happens,” David says.
“You mean she doesn’t know about the plan?” Izuku/“Akatani” asks.
“No, she doesn’t even know All Might is weakening,” David says. “She loves him. He is Uncle Might to her. I can’t let her know any of this. There shouldn’t be any issues since the drones won’t hurt anyone, and you’re all actors. But I would feel even better if someone were looking after her. Ok?”

“I-”

“Oh, Akatani won’t be of any help,” Wolfram says. “His only Quirk is hyper-intelligence. He’s basically just an extra smart Quirkless boy. Melissa will be fine, and I prefer to keep my nephew close to me at all times.”

David sighs. “Oh, all right. I’m sure nothing will happen anyway.”

‘Except something probably will. Don’t worry, Melissa, I won’t let anyone who doesn’t have to get hurt. ESPECIALLY not a Quirkless person.’

Izuku extends his hand to David once more. “It will be a pleasure working with you, Professor Shield.”

David smiles and shakes Izuku/“Akatani’s” hand.

As soon as he does. The memory Quirk activates, and Izuku pinpoints memories of David and Abraham studying Quirk energy, mapping out the design of the device down to the smallest technical details, and the construction process. Which, thanks to his new understanding of engineering, he understands and retains a lot easier than he would have before.

‘Got it.’

Izuku/“Akatani” releases David’s hand and turns to Samuel. “You too, Professor Abraham.”

Izuku/“Akatani” extends his hand, and shakes Samuels. Allowing him to get the same memories and information from Samuel’s point of view.

‘Extra.’

“Ok. I’d better get dressed now.”

Izuku/“Akatani” walks out of the bathroom. He has changed out of the black jacket and jeans into his waiter’s uniform. However, he is stopped by Wolfram. Izuku looks up at the German villain, who is glaring at him with his arms crossed and a stern expression.

“Oh, Wolfram. Is there anything you want to tell me?”

“Yes,” says Wolfram. “I just want to make sure that you aren’t going to contact your boss about any of this.”
“What if I do?” Izuku/“Akatani” asks.

Wolfram holds the Quirk-Nullifying gun to Izuku/“Akatani’s” head, making the boy step back, startled.

“Look, I’m not stupid enough to think that Super-Intelligence is the only Quirk you have,” Wolfram says. “Now, I’m planning to also kidnap Shield so he can mass produce more of this thing. You can tell your boss that I will give him the first bid, but if you think I’m going to let you sabotage me in any way, you and I are going to have problems.”

The metal sink behind Izuku/“Akatani” creeks, he figures from Wolfram using his Quirk

“I understand, Wolfram,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “No funny business. I swear.”

Wolfram lowers the gun, gives an “I’m watching you” sign, and then walks away.

“Meet at the hiding place an hour before the event,” Wolfram says.

Ochaco: Hey, Izuku. I just made it to the island! It’s AMAZING here! Really wish you could join us!

Izuku: It’s fine, Ochako. I’m actually on a trip with some friends right now. So I’m still having a good time. Just be sure to send me pics later, ok?

Ochaco: Will do! And tell me about yours. See you later.

Izuku: Bye <3

‘Did I really end my text with a heart?’ Izuku asks himself. ‘Aw man, I hope she doesn’t get weirded out by that. We haven’t been dating that long. I really wish I didn’t have to lie to her, I just hope that she stays safe during Wolfram’s heist. I’ll have to use my Search Quirk to monitor her.’

“Hey man, who are ya texting?” the boy with tape rolls for elbows, Sero, asks as he sets up the outside tables.

“Yeah, man. We’re supposed to be working here,” says the other boy, Kaminari, in a teasing tone.

Izuku/“Akatani” quickly shoves his phone into his pocket. “Sorry! I was texting my girlfriend. Letting her know I’m here.”

White lie.

“Hey, it’s cool, man,” Kaminari says. “Just remember, we have to work too.”

“Right, thank you,” Izuku/“Akatani” says as he helps put plates and glasses down.

After a brief analysis with his Search Quirk, Izuku identifies Sero’s Quirk as “Tape”. Allowing him to eject tape from his elbows that can wrap around opponents. Weaknesses: they can be torn with enough effort, and overuse can lead to dry skin. He also identifies Kaminari’s Quirk as Electrification. He can generate electricity from his body. Weakness: It can fry his brain and make him briefly stupid.

‘Tape isn’t a bad Quirk, but I don’t see the use of it for me,’ Izuku thinks. ‘Kaminari could be useful, but I don’t want to risk frying my brain. Elecplants Quirk would be better, I saw him along with Godzillo on the way here, but he wears a full body suit, so I can’t get any of his DNA. I still have the Super-Regeneration patch, which might be able to negate the brain damage, or at least help me recover faster. Still, it’s not like I can just pluck one of his hairs without anyone noticing.’

“So, you guys are from U.A., right?” Izuku/“Akatani” asks. “I saw you guys on TV during the Sports Festival. You did well.”

“Hey/ Thanks, man,” Sero says.

“Hey, can I ask, what’s with the mask?” Kaminari asks.
“Oh, um…I have some scars from my childhood that I don’t want anyone can see,” Izuku/“Akatani” says a lie and part metaphorical truth.

“They can’t be that bad,” Sero says.

Izuku/“Akatani” lifts his mask. Shows off his “glasgow scars”, and makes Kaminari and Sero flinch.

“Uh…they aren’t that bad,” Kaminari says.

“Y-Yeah,” says Sero as Izuku/“Akatani” slips his mask back on. “If you don’t look at your cheeks, you hardly notice them.”

Izuku’s phone rings. He takes it out and sees a selfie of Ochaco with a pink girl in front of one of the exhibits.

Izuku likes the pic. He sends her a text saying, “Not going to get good reception where we’re going. I’ll text you later, ok?”, and then puts his phone on silent mode before putting it back in his pocket.

“I’m really excited to be here on I-Island,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “This is the biggest Quirk research site in the world!”

“Tell me about it,” Kaminari says.

“The walls remind me of Attack on Titan, though,” Sero says.

“You know what?” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “I think after we’re done setting up, I’m going to look around.”

‘I deserve a break, and to have some fun before the big heist tonight. Besides, it will give me an opportunity to “Search” around.’

“I think we have to stay here and serve tables,” Sero says.

Izuku/“Akatani” raises his finger. “Thankfully, I can do both.”

‘Thanks to Twice’s DNA in the patch on my forearm.’

Izuku/“Akatani” holds out his hand, and sand falls from his palm. The sand takes his exact likeness and moves on its own as Kaminari and Sero stare at him.

‘Good. Now I just have to keep this patch on and the Quirk activated for as long as I am away.’

“Ok, you serve tables while I look around,” Izuku/“Akatani” tells his double.

“Got it,” the double says.

“Dude, you can do that!?” Sero asks. “Do me!”

“And me!” says Kaminari.

“Um…sorry, it’s kind of an only me thing,” Izuku/“Akatani” lies.

Kaminari and Sero slump. “Awww….” they say at once.

Izuku/“Akatani” would then spend the next thirty minutes exploring the island. He had left his apron, vest, and tie with his double, so he was able to walk around without looking much like a waiter. He saw so many famous heroes. So many incredible pieces of technology. So many amazing exhibits. It was like a dream come true. He takes pictures of everything he can with his phone.

He even managed to get a scale from Godzillo (who was nice enough to give him one when he said it was for a friend with a Gecko Quirk) that he cannot wait to show Shuichi.

He also meets Mr. Plastic, Cow Lady, Elecplant, and many others.

‘I know I’m a villain now, and I shouldn’t enjoy this so much. But I do,’ Izuku thinks as he gets a selfie with Cow Lady. Then he blushes and his eyes widen in shock as she gives him a peck on the cheek.

The only time he frowns is when he sees the former hero Ingenium. Tensei Ida, one of the Hero Killer Stains’ last victims, has been reduced to a shell of his former self. Izuku remembers seeing him on TV doing all those advertisements. He seemed like such a great guy and an even better hero. Until he went on patrol to find the Hero Killer, and found him…

Stain defeated him. Spared his life but left him crippled. Soon after, Ingenium’s younger brother went after Stain to avenge him. And the corpse of Tenya Iida was used to create Accelerator.

Tensei is wearing his old hero armor, but he is still confined to a wheelchair. He acts friendly, greeting people as they walk by. But as soon as people are gone, he looks down, seemingly lost in thought.

Feeling pitty swell in his chest, Izuku/“Akatani” walks over to him.

“H-Hey,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “Are you Ingenium?”

Tensei looks up at him and gives him a smile. “Why yes, I am, young man. What can I-”

Tensei stops talking when Izuku/“Akatani” places his hand on his shoulder.

“I am sorry.”

Tensei blinks. “What?”

“You lost your job as a hero one day and your brother the next.” Izuku/“Akatani” looks down. “I cannot imagine how that must have been. I am so sorry.”

‘And now your brother has been resurrected as an amnesic Nomu who spends half his time playing the role of a villain.’

Tensei looks at Izuku/“Akatani” with watery eyes. He wipes his tears and sniffles.

“Thank you, Mr…”

“Akatani.”

“Thank you, Akatani. I don’t normally get condolences from civilians.”

Izuku/“Akatani” shrigs. “Hey, hero or not, you’re still a human being, right? I don’t think we should glorify heroes to the point that we forget they are people too.”

“Then you are very wise,” Tensei says. “So, what brings you to I-Island?”

“I’m a waiter here,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “But right now I’m taking a break. I just love being here! All these heroes. All these cool inventions. I wish I had my notebook.”

“I could give you an autograph, if you would like?”

“I am fine, thank you,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “You’ve been signing a lot of those today.”

Tensei laughs. “Yeah. My hand is starting to cramp up.”

Izuku/“Akatani” laughs. “Well, I should probably get going. See you later, Tensei.”

“Goodbye, Akatani. And thank you.”

As Izuku/“Akatani” walks away from Ingenium, he activates his Search Quirk.

‘Ok, now to see where everyone is,’ Izuku thinks, activating his Quirk, which allows him to locate people all over the island and see their Quirks, strengths, and weaknesses.

Hundreds of faces and Quirks are listed to Izuku at once. It is overwhelming, but he recomposes himself and skims through the list available. Starting with the stronger Quirks.

‘Ok, so there is the Greek Hero Pankration. I know him. His Quirk is “Power”, which allows him to absorb power and convert it into strength. Hmm, Dr. Garaki is actually working on a Nomu with the same Quirk. I found it when I was cleaning the tank area. He said that it was similar to the Stockpiling Quirk that All For One gave to his brother, which helped make One For All. Moving on…Oh crap, Bakugo is here.’

Izuku internally sighs.

‘I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. He did win the Sports Festival. And the guy he’s with has a hardening Quirk…Oh, a half-hot half-cold Quirk, THIS MUST BE DABI’S BROTHER! Interesting, his raw power levels are even stronger than Bakugo’s, if just by a bit.’

Izuku focuses on the Zero Gravity Quirk, checking out an exhibit not too far from him.

‘Oh, there’s Ochako! Should I go check in on her? Or would that make me a stalker?…’ Izuku’s eyes widen. “Hmm, the girl she is with has a very interesting Quirk. The ability to make anything she touches into a weapon. How interesting. I wouldn’t mind having THAT one. Oh, and Momo is here too. Ah, man. I really wish I had my invisibility suit so I could-”

Izuku shakes his head clear of the thought of sneaking up on girls to steal strands of their hair. Even if it was for non-pervy reasons.

‘Moving on…’ Izuku’s eyes widen once again, and this time he feels a shiver down his spine. ‘All Might is with Professor Shield. It looks like they are in his lab. And so in terms of high-power Quirks that just leaves…’

However, Izuku’s blood runs cold as he focuses on a blonde guy with INSANE power levels. Unlike the others, it appears that he has TWO Quirks, granting him power levels than even All Might. One, he reads as a Permeation Quirk. The other is powerful beyond measure.

‘Oh God…’ Izuku thinks, knees shaking. ‘I recognize this guy from last year’s Sports Festival. That’s Mirio Togata. He goes to U.A. too. he should be a third year by now. How can this be? He gave such a…subpar performance, now he has such power! Two Quirks! Wait…IS THIS ALL MIGHT’S SUCCESSOR!? Has he already passed down One For All!?’ Izuku runs in the direction of the powerful being. ‘I need to see this!’

Izuku reaches the exhibit, where he finds Mirio talking to Melissa Shield. They both appear to be in their late teens, older than him. Mirio is broadly built and wearing a white costume with “1,000,000” on the chest and a red cape. The girl is wearing a red vest and glasses.

He hides behind another exhibit as he spies on the two blondes laughing and talking.

“Hey, thanks for showing me around, Melissa,” Mirio says.

“No problem, Mirio,” Melissa says. “Anything for Uncle Might’s personal student.”

‘So he IS All Might’s successor! Why him, though? And how effective is he right now with One For All?’

“What are you doing?”

Izuku/“Akatani” jumps startled and turns around. He sees Ochaco along with the girls he recognizes from the Sports Festival as Momo Yaoyorozu and Jiro Kyoka, and the dark-haired girl with the weapon creation Quirk (she is wearing strange, bulky, goggles).

“Ocha-I mean, Oh, hey there,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “What do you mean, what am I doing?”

“Well, it looks like you are spying on those two over there,” Ochako says.

“No!” Izuku/“Akatani” denies. “I was just…looking at the exhibit.”

“No, you were spying, dude,” Jiro says.

“Do you know the girl, or the guy?” asks the dark-haired girl.

“You know we actually go to school with him,” Momo tells the others.

“Really?” Jiro asks.

“Yeah, he’s one of the older students who’s going to graduate soon,” says Momo. “Mirio Togata.”

“Ah, so that’s who he is,” Izuku/“Akatani” says, keeping his cool. “Forgive me, it’s just that I have a scan Quirk, so I was naturally drawn to his.”

“Oh, really?” the dark-haired girl asks.

“You’re Quirk allows you to turn anything you touch into a weapon,” Izuku/“Akatani” says.

The dark-haired girl stares at him for a brief moment before shrugging. “Not bad.”

“He was right on the money, Asta,” Ochako says.

“According to my scan, Mirio has a Permeation Quirk. That is very rare, so I’m interested. What can you tell me about him?”

“He’s an older student,” says Momo. “We’ve never talked, but I’ve heard a lot about him. Our Heroics teacher has been spending a lot of time with him, so it’s rumored he will be the next top hero.”

“I’ll bet.”

“He’s supposed to be one of the top three students with the strongest Quirks in the school.”

Asta scoffs. “This guy? He looks like an idiot.”

“I didn’t feel his performance in last year’s Sports Festival was top notch. But his power levels are…” Izuku/“Akatani” pauses and stares at Mirio.

Mirio places his arm around Melissa as he laughs, making Melissa visibly uncomfortable.

‘Why him? I need to get a closer look.’

“I’m going to get a closer look at him,” Izuku/“Akatani” says as he approaches Mirio and Melissa. “You girls enjoy yourselves.”

“Have fun,” Ochako says.

“Jeese, that guy was kind of a creep,” Jiro says.
“I thought he was kind of nice,” says Ochaco.

Izuku slowly approaches Melissa and Mirio as they continue having a conversation.

‘Good thing I still have the memory patch on.’

“The arm that my dad is giving Uncle Might is high-quality tech,” Melissa says to Mirio. “It should give him similar strength levels to his original one.”

“Your father is a genius, Melissa,” Mirio says. “I have no doubt that it will have all its necessary functions.”

Izuku/“Akatani” walks up to Mirio from behind and touches the back of his head. Memories begin flooding in…

Flashback: Young Mirio struggles to control his Quirk as a child. Accidentally activating it without meaning to. Accidentally phasing off his clothes and falling through the floor. He remembers Mirioo feeling scared by not being able to see or hear. Falling. And not even being able to breathe when permeable.

‘Ok, so it seems that Permeation has several drawbacks. If you make your entire body permeable, you will fall through the ground as you are still affected by gravity. So he must consciously keep his feet solid when he runs. Noted. Also, Permeation means everything passes through him, including air and light. Which means he can’t see, breathe, and likely can’t hear either. This is quite a difficult Quirk to use.’

Flashback: Young Mirio falls into a river and almost drowns, but he is saved by a Pro Hero. This marks his decision to become a Pro Hero to help people, even though his father tells him it will be difficult for him given their Quirk.

‘Admirable. Truly, it is. He reminds me a bit of myself at that age. Except, you know, actually has a Quirk…’

Izuku continues looking through his memories.

Flashback: Mirio meets a boy named Tamaki Amajiki in middle school who has a Quirk called “Manifest”, allowing him to literally become what he eats.

‘Bizarre. But I like it!’

Flashback: Mirio encourages Tamaki and they enter U.A. together, eventually meeting a girl with blue hair named Najire Hado, who has a Quirk called “Wave Motion” that converts her vitality into energy blast waves. He chooses the hero name, “Comedy Hero: Lemillion”, due to wanting to save atleast one million people of he can’t save everyone. Mirio struggles in U.A., failing to keep his clothes on and doing poorly in the Sports Festival.

‘Admirable. Brave. Kind. Genuinely wants to help others. All the things a hero should be. But he still has poor control over his Quirk. So why him, All Might? You must have had a reason. How did he improve?’

Flashback: Still, Mirio and his friends trained, and trained, and trained, determined to be Pro Heroes. Until one day, he was called upon by a tall man with glasses that Izuku recognized.

‘Sir Nighteye! He was All Might’s sidekick! His Quirk is Forsight, which allows him to see the future!’

Flashback: Mirio interns under Nighteye and learns how to properly hone his Permeation Quirk, allowing him to rise to the Big Three along with his friends Tamaki and Najire.

And by God, everything Izuku sees makes him more and more terrified.

Mirio masters his Permeation to become a force to be reckoned with.

Mirio masters the art of “prediction” to make up for his lack of sight when using his Quirk. Accurately guessing where his target will move/be when he strikes.

He takes advantage of Permeation’s ability to repel solid objects when he makes himself impermeable again by making his feet slightly permeable so he can be pushed as fast speeds toward targets.

He allows himself to sink into the ground, change direction when he rises up, and resurfaces behind or in front of his opponents to give them strong and quick punches to the stomach that incapacitate them.

He uses Permeation effortlessly when running. Carefully planning every step he takes as he fights!

He even managed to punch THROUGH other people’s attempts to block and then HIT them where he needs to.

And as he masters his abilities, so do his friends. Tamaki becomes fond of chicken and octopus, while Najire learns to create devastating blasts.

Izuku panics as he sees Mirio’s memories.

‘Oh God…he really is All Might’s best successor.’

Flashback: It is after the USJ Incident. Mirio sits in front of Sir Nighteye and All Might (in his shrunken form and missing his arm). They had just finished telling him the truth about One For All.

“So, what do you say, Mirio?” Sir Nighteye asks. “Inherit All Might’s power, become even stronger than you already are, and become the next Symbol of Peace.”

“It is entirely your decision, Mirio,” All Might says. “Please, don’t feel pressured to take it. I am sure you will be a great hero on your own, so if you don’t want One For All, I will choose a successor from someone in my class.”

“What are you talking about? Of course, he will take it,” Sir Nighteye tells All Might. “We’re offering him the chance to become the next YOU. Who in their right mind wouldn’t-”

“Thank you for the offer, but I don’t want it,” Mirio says.

Sir Nighteye turns to him, shocked. “What!?”

Mirio stands up and faces them uncharacteristically serious. “I have worked hard to hone my Permeation Quirk. A Quirk that everyone said was too difficult to control, let alone would allow me to become a hero. I take pride in the fact that I have mastered it to its potential, and I want to show everyone else with difficult Quirks or Quirks considered useless that such shouldn’t hold them back.”

Izuku smiles to himself. ‘I like him. I really do. But what happened that changed?’

Flashback: Sir Nighteye stammers and stands up in his seat.

“B-B-But Mirio! Do you know how lucky you are to be given this opportunity!? With this Quirk, you could even surpass All Might in his prime!”

“Sir, I have a question,” Mirio says. “Did you only offer to mentor me so I could inherit One For All?”

Nighteye silently stares at Mirio, before looking down in shame. Mirio sighs in disappointment.

Flashback: Mirio returns to training at U.A., without a mentor, and without his usual smile that makes his friends concerned.

Flashback: Mirio meets up with All Might and Nighteye again, this time after Stain has been arrested. All Might tells Mirio the origin story of One For All and All For One. More importantly, he tells Mirio about how he thought he killed him years ago.

“But the Nomu, it has multiple Quirks,” All Might says, solemnly. “There is no way that is possible unless…”
“Unless All For One somehow survived,” Mirio says, tightening his fist.

“It’s the only possibility,” Sir Nighteye says. “Listen, Mirio, I know I took advantage of you. I am sorry I wasn’t a better mentor. But All Might isn’t in the position to fight All For One in his current condition. I’ve used my Forsight on him and…” he looks down. “That fight does not end well.”

“We are searching high and low for the League of Villains,” All Might says. “I hate to ask you this, I would prefer to finish off All For One myself without having to get you or anyone else involved.” He touches his arm stump. “But the time of All Might is coming to an end. Bakugo is too volatile, and Todoroki has too many issues with his father to unlock his full potential. I respect your choice to primarily use your Quirk, but-”

“I’ll do it,” Mirio says. “I’ll inherit One For All, and we will beat All For One together. But as soon as we do, I will pass this power onto someone else.”

All Might nods as he plucks one of his hairs. “Understandable. Thank you, Mirio. Now eat this.”

Mirio blanches. “What?”

Izuku gags. ‘Gross. But All For One did say that to pass on One For All, you have to ingest DNA.’

Flashback: Mirio, now with One For All, trains in U.A.’s Entrance Exam testing grounds city. Mirio, sparking with green electricity, leaps at super speed and destroys robot after robot. Thanks to OFA, he has all his abilities enhanced while also providing super strength and durability. He destroys robots with his bare hands. He runs at incredible speed, both with his feet and by using his Quirk to propel himself. He phases his arm through one robot, impermeates it, and instead of his arm being pushed out, chunks of the robot get pushed out instead! He gains the ability to extend his Permeation to make his normal clothes and walls Permeable. He even musters up enough strength to destroy a Zero-Pointer robot (which is GIGANTIC) with ONE PUNCH!!!

“AGH!!!” Mirio shouts, clutching his broken purple arm.

“You ok, Mirio,” All Might asks.

Mirio smiles. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just gotta get the hang of increasing my durability when I need too. Actually I feel kinda tired….drained…actually I don’t feel so well….”

Mirio coughs violently before he collapses. All Might kneels next to him and Mirio is sweating hard.

‘Mirio is unstoppable with One For All!’ Izuku notes, terrified. ‘I don’t think either Senpai or Sensei can fight him! But it seems to be too much for him.’

Izuku recalls finding a non-Nomu man with white hair in Dr. Garaki’s lab in a capsule. Dr. Garaki said his name was “Nine” since, in addition to his natural Weather Control Quirk (which Izuku HAD to get a DNA sample of), he is currently being grafted with a duplicate of All For One that will allow him to take up to eight extra Quirks. Dr. Garaki told Izuku that, even without the second Quirk, Nine could only use his Weather Control ability sparingly and could suffer health issues when he did becuase it was just too powerful for him.

‘All For One told me that other people cannot have more than one Quirk because their bodies aren’t built to hold all that Quirk energy. And it was the same with Nine, who had one Quirk but was too strong for him already. So Mirio has his Permeation Quirk, plus One For All, and his body can’t take it. Still…the fourth user had the same health issue, but he managed to live at least another eighteen years. But then again, OFA is a stockpile Quirk which gets stronger in time, number four spent all his time strengthening it, all the other users bar All Might didn’t have the Quirk nearly as long as him, and All Might has been “refining” it for decades now.’

A horrible realization hits Izuku.

‘Wait, could it be…Has the power grown…too much for anyone who already has a Quirk? And the time limit has gotten even smaller!?’

Flashback: Mirio is resting in a hospital bed. All Might is clutching his head in a chair, and Sir Nighteye is looking at Mirio, full of regret. Also, there are Principal Nezu, Recovery Girl, and Gran Torino.

“I’m sorry,” All Might says. “I’m so sorry. I thought this might happen.”

“Mirio, give One For All to me!” Sir Nighteye says. “I’ll find someone else! I promise! I-I’ll look for a Quirkless guy if I have to!”

Mirio forces himself out of bed and hobbles to the door. “I…have work to do.”

All Might sighs. “Just like me.”

Flashback: Mirio walks down the halls of U.A., no longer sporting his happy expression. Now he seems sad and somewhat broken.

“Hey, Mirio!”

Mirio looks up and puts on his happy face as his friends approach him.

Izuku releases Mirio and backs away, falling and landing on the ground as he does. Izuku takes in deep breaths and gets lost in thought.

‘You poor, poor guy. You try so hard to be strong. To be the comedy hero that will put others at ease. But you’re dying. You’re unstoppable with One For All, but you can only use it for so long before it burns you up.’ A tear falls down his cheek. ‘I have so much respect for you now.’

“Woah, hey there buddy,” Mirio says, extending his hand. “What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Izuku/“Akatani” hesitates before grabbing his hand. “Thanks. It’s nothing, I just…got overwhelmed with everything.”

“Are you sure you’re ok? You look like you’re crying,” Melissa asks, concerned.

“Huh?” Izuku/“Akatani” wipes his tears. “Um, it’s nothing. But, hey, you’re Melissa Shield, right? The Quirkless daughter of David Shield?”

“You’re Quirkless?” Mirio asks her.
“Yes, how do you know that?” Melissa asks.

“I…I’ve heard a lot about you,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “No Quirk, but still you managed to get so far. I have a friend who is Quirkless. He was told his entire life that makes him worthless, but you have managed to make something big for yourself.” Izuku/“Akatani” bows. “You are truly an inspiration, Melissa Shield.”

Melissa smiles and bows back. “Thank you…mask-guy.”

“Akatani.”

The moment is interrupted by a powerful explosion far away from them.

“What was that?” Melissa asks.

“Bakugo…” Izuku/“Akatani” whispers.

Izuku/“Akatani” turns around and sees Ochako running TOWARD the explosions.

‘No! Where are you going!? Come back! Come back!’

Izuku doesn’t know why Ochako and her friends are running toward Bakugo. Maybe she just wants to see the arena? Maybe she is curious? Or maybe she will do something stupid based on what he’s told her about Bakugo. Izuku immediately thinks of the worst. Ochako yells at Bakugo, and Bakugo explodes her.

“I CAN’T LET THAT HAPPEN!” Izuku/“Akatani” says before running after them.

“Where are you going?” Mirio asks.

Chapter Text

 Flashback: Ochako narrows her eyes at Geten (Deika City’s ice hero and Asta’s “uncle”) as he laughs with his hands on his chest. To his left is Curious, and to her left is Slide N’Go. They are in Curious’ office, with Ochako sitting in the interview chair and Curious at her desk.

“Really, Uraraka? You are dating a Quirkless boy?” Geten asks, wiping a tear.

“Yes, I am!” Ochako states. “Izuku is a smart, sweet, brave, kind boy.”

“But still, Quirkless!?” Geten asks. “Anything he can do, there is going to be someone out there with a Quirk who can do it just as good, if not better.”

“Now, now, Geten,” Slide N’Go says. “Ochako is free to date whoever she wants.”

Ochako smiles. “Thank you, Tokoname-San.”

“I heard the rumors, I wanted to know if they were true,” Curious says. “I’m not judging. Tell me all about him! Where did you meet? Why not find another boy like Geten said?”

“Ok, settle down,” Slide N’Go says, noticing Ochako getting angry. He places a hand on her shoulder. “Listen, Chako, I am sure this Izuku boy is a nice guy. But you need to be careful about who you get into a relationship with. Your training to be a member of the Meta-Human Liberation Army.”

“Izuku doesn’t know!” Ochako says.

“And what do you think he will think of you when he finds out?” Geten asks. “One of the army’s goals is to establish a hierarchy where the strongest Quirks earn you a higher status. An unevolved person like him will be at the very bottom.”

“The point of the MLA is to promote free Quirk usage!” Ochako states. “That’s what YOU want!”
“Well, there are a lot of members who want that too, Uraraka,” Curious says. “Sure, right now, Re-Destro is trying to work the political route with Yaoyorozu to reduce Quirk restraints, but it’s a slow process. Sooner or later, the Army WILL come out of the shadows and attack. And, whether you like it or not, you will have to be a part of it.”

“So if you don’t think the boy will understand, you should break things off before either of you gets hurt,” Slide N’Go says with a sympathetic look.

“Or, if you like him that much, you can keep him as your pet,” says Geten. “Once we take over, he’ll consider himself lucky to be with you. If he doesn’t already.”

Ochako looks down, processing what she has been told.

Flashback: Ochako is with her parents at the dinner table. They are eating chicken, vegetables, and other foods. Ochako looks around the table, noticing the smiles on her parents’ faces.

“Hey, can I ask you guys a random question?” Ochako asks.

“Sure, Sweetheart, what is it?” Mrs. Uraraka asks.

“I’m just curious, because we’re learning about it in school,” Ochako says. “What do you guys think of the…Meta Liberation Army?”

The Uraraka’s look at each other strangely.

“You mean the terrorist group?” Mr. Uraraka asks.

“I’m writing a paper about them for school,” Ochako says. “I think…while their actions may have been a bit…extreme, they are a bit…understandable given the hardships people with Quirks faced at the time. Momo, on the other hand, has doubts and thinks they are just terrorists through and through. Your thoughts.”

“Well, I guess I can understand fighting for equal rights, Sweetheart,” Mrs. Uraraka says. “But they still hurt and killed a lot of people, too.”

“That’s right,” says Mr. Uraraka. “It’s one thing to fight for what you believe in, but it’s another to be overzealous about it. They could have tried protesting for their freedom, achieved a place in society through peace and understanding. Instead, they chose to set off bombs, and they got a lot of innocent people hurt in the process.”

Ochako looks down. “Yeah, that’s true. I can see that.” She looks up. “I heard at school that there are still groups out there that believe in their ideals. Mostly that people should be allowed to use their Quirks in public. What do you think of that?”

“Well, as long as they aren’t blowing things up, I guess I’m not against people being able to use Quirks in public,” says Mrs. Uraraka.

Ochako smiles.

“But I’m not sure it’s worth starting another war over it either,” Mrs. Uraraka says.

Ochako frowns.

Mr. Uraraka shakes his head. “I think it’s best that things stay the way they are.”

“Why do you say that, Dad?” Ochako asks.

“Well, look what happened with us,” Mr. Uraraka says. “We let you use your Quirk in public, and you ended up accidentally hurting a hero. I know you didn’t mean to, but strong Quirks probably shouldn’t be used in public, or else incidents like that could happen again.”

Uraraka nods, while averting her eyes. “That is fair.”

Flashback: Ochako stands before Rikiya Yotsubashi, Re-Destro, in his office.

Redestro smiles. “Well, Uraraka, under that purely hypothetical scenario you just presented, I cannot say that I would allow someone to leave the Army so easily.”

“Technically, I’m not an official member of the Army right now,” Ochako says.

“Even so-“ Re-Destro sits up and walks toward the window “-We are limited to one city. If we’re going to make significant changes, we will need as many soldiers as possible. And, just a reminder, if you were to leave the army, then I would have to cancel the contracts I have made with your parents. Your family will be back in poverty again.”

Ochako tightens her fist and looks away. Re-Destro strides behind her and places his hands on her shoulders.

“Besides, if you refuse to stay in the Army, that would mean that you don’t agree with the great Destro’s ideals.”

Ochako winces as she feels his darkening hands tightly grip her shoulders.

“I don’t disagree with everything,” Ochako says. “It’s just…I don’t know if I can hurt innocent people if we have to go to actual war.”

“All wars have casualties, Uraraka,” Re-Destro says. “It’s a harsh truth, but it’s just the way things work. It’s best to just remind yourself of why you’re doing everything you do.”

Ochako pouts.

“But I’ll tell you what,” Re-Destro says. “If you don’t want to kill that much, I’ll put you on damage control. You can be in charge of keeping civilian casualties to a minimum. How is that?”

Ochako smiles weakly and nods at him. It is still not ideal, but it is better than nothing.

“Good. Now that that is settled, return to class.”

“DING! We will be arriving at our destination shortly. Please do not unbuckle your seatbelt until we have landed and come to a complete stop. Thank you for flying I-island airlines.”

Ochako wakes up.

Asta is watching a movie with a pair of earbuds in the seat next to her. Momo is reading one of her books in the seat adjacent. Behind them are Jiro and Mina, listening to music with her Earphone Jacks on her phone, and reading a magazine respectively.

Ochako shakes Asta's arm. "Asta, we're here," she says softly.

"Huh, what?" Asta says.

Asta takes off her earbuds and looks around. Seeing that the plane has come to a stop and seeing the other passengers grab their belongings, Asta groans.

"Aw, man, I didn't finish my movie." Asta removes her earbuds. "It was good too."

“I’m sure you can finish watching it in our room," Ochako says whilst grabbing her bag and Asta's.

"Whatever," Asta takes out her phone and starts texting. "My uncle told me to text him when I arrived at the island, so I’d better do that now.”

“I’m going to text my parents too," Ochako says, doing just that.

Ochako texts:

Ochako: I'm here now, Mom and Dad! I'll be sure to send you lots of pictures! TTYL:)

Ochako flinches as she feels a pink hand slap her shoulder. Asta does the same when Mina's other hand slaps hers.

"All right, new friends! Let’s get some sun and meet some guys!" Mina declares. "I can't wait to introduce you guys to my BF, Eijiro! Asta, you might like him. He's into manly things."

"He sounds fun." Asta puts on a pair of bulky goggles. "But I want to check out the exhibits first.*

"Woah, Asta," Jiro says with a smirk. "That's a good look on you."

Asta growls. "Shut it, Earphones."

Ochako and Momo share a look, as they both know what those goggles are really for.

‘Right, we have work to do. Those goggles analyze any machine they look at, which will help Asta replicate them with her Quirk. So let’s just get this over with as fast as possible, then we can spend the rest of our time here enjoying ourselves.’

Ochako steps outside the plane, joined by the rest of the girls. Once her eyes adjust to the bright light, she sees the island in all its splendor. Ochako's eyes widen and sparkle, her mouth smiling widely at the sight of all the tall futuristic buildings, the greenery, and the massive wall surrounding them all.

“Woah..." Asta says.

"This place is...amazing!" Ochako states. "Oh, I wish my parents could be here to see this!

Izuku too!”

"Good thing you brought a camera," Momo says.

"Whoo!" Mina says. "All right girls, let’s have some fun! After the year I've had, I need this break!"

Mina runs to the sites below. Ochako smiles and chases after her along with the other girls.

It had been an hour since she arrived on the island, and Ochako was having a blast!

Soon after getting off the plane, Ochako texted Izuku to let him know that she had arrived. She giggled when he texted back with a “<3”.

She and the girls checked out the rest of the exhibits. They saw plenty of heroes and cool support gear on display. The entire time, Asta had a smile on her face as she gathered specs with her special goggles, while Ochako took as many pictures as she could of the island.

‘I can’t wait to show Izuku!’ Ochako thinks. ‘He would have loved this! I really wish he could be here now! I don’t even know who most of these heroes are! Or what the heck some of this support equipment means. I bet he would though.’

She watched Mina, Momo, and Jiro laugh and catch up. It warms Ochako’s heart to see Momo have a good time with her school friends (or former in Mina’s case). Seeing the three of them happy and laughing together.

Similarly, Asta was acting like a child in a candy store. She was running from exhibit to exhibit. Pressing a button on her goggles once she got to each one, taking pictures to add to it’s stored files. As they gathered more and more files for armor and weapons, both on display and being utilized by the heroes on the island, Ochako saw Asta drool a bit. It made Ochako a little scared of what terrifying weapons Asta might come up with after this.

After a while, Ochako, Momo, Mina, and Jiro spotted the crippled hero, Ingenium. Momo and the others who knew his brother, Tenya, (and Ochako, who was just a kind person) wanted to go up and give him their condolences. However, before they could approach, a dark-haired boy dressed like a waiter approached him first and appeared to comfort the fallen hero before them.

Ochako smiles. ‘Wow, what a nice guy. Kinda reminds me of Izuku like that.’

However, Ochako then notices the waiter appears visibly shaken. He leaves Ingenium and walks toward one of the exhibits.

Ochako furrows her eyebrows. ‘Where is he going? And what was that? he seemed… shaken up.’

“Oh, another exhibit!” Asta squeals. “Come on, Ochako, lets go inside!”

Asta drags Ochako in, prompting Momo, Jiro, and Mina to join them.

However, after a brief conversation with said waiter/boy in a mask who appeared to be spying on her upperclassmen and a beautiful blonde girl, Ochako was drawn to an attraction where explosions were heard.

‘Bakugo…’ Ochako thought as she determinedly ran toward the blast.

Flashback: Izuku and Ochako are eating together at the mall. Ochako is happily eating a hamburger, and Izuku is drinking a soda.

"Mmm, this is so good," Ochako says, then looks down at her figure. "I need to be careful. I think I’m gaining weight back."

"You look fine, Ochako,” Izuku says. "But you should slow down. That is your second burger."

Ochako chuckles. “I guess I'm just not used to being able to eat this much. Back when my parents’ construction business was doing badly, we sometimes had to skip meals. The rest of the time it was cheap food.”

Izuku frowns. “Oh, I'm sorry." He smiles. "But, hey. At least it's not like that anymore, right?"

Ochako smiles and nods. "No, not at all. We are much better off now. And I've made a ton of new friends. I kinda used to be teased when I was younger for being poor."

“You shouldn't have been teased for that," Izuku says. "Though kids can be mean."

Ochako nods. “I guess we're both aware of that. Actually, even at my high school, there are still a lot of kids who don't like me because I'm an "outsider"."

Izuku raises an eyebrow. “What? Because you're not from Dieka?"

Ochako nods again. “It’s an isolated town that doesn't get many visitors. It had the same families for generations. But thankfully, I'm in a class composed mostly of... outsiders." She smirks. “And we're some of the best students in the school."

“Well, I'm glad to hear that," Izuku says. “And you’re studying to be a hero, which is wonderful.” There is a brief moment of silence from him. “So, I was thinking, maybe we should get some of our friends together and we can all hang out."

“I like that idea too. But right now.” Ochako pulls out some papers from the backpack hanging on the back of her seat. “Maybe you could help me with some questions?”

Izuku looks at the question and smiles.

“Oh, sure, I can help with this. You just have to-"

Izuku pauses when they hear what sounds like tiny explosions. Followed by flinching after someone shouts: “YOU MORON! THAT’S TOO MUCH!" They look behind him, and it is just fresh popcorn being made/spilling out in one of the booths, and a manager yelling at an employee. Izuku shakes his head with a sigh, and Ochako looks at him sympathetically.

'He got so jumpy over popcorn….’

"Sorry about that," Izuku says. *Startled me a bit."

Ochako narrows her eyes. “Kinda sounded like explosions, didn't it?"

Izuku sighs and looks down. "Yeah. You know, I've actually made some progress getting over that. lve...uh..held tiny explosions in my hand. Safely, of course. And I have a friend who has a...similar Quirk who has helped me. But...I dunno, I guess when it's louder explosions and yelling..." Izuku smiles. "But enough about that. You said that your rich friend Momo is trying to get a free quirk campaign started."

Ochako frowns. ‘Don’t worry, Izuku. I already decided I won’t let anyone lord their Quirk over you, ever again.’

"Yes, but you said you would help me with my homework first," Ochako says.

Izuku smacks his forehead. “Oh, right."

Present Day

Ochako glares down at the blonde explosion wielder as he blasts around the Villain Attack Attraction. He hits all his targets, and the announcer states that he has completed the course in 15 seconds. The audience in the stands around her claps and Bakugo revels in the praise.

"So that's Katsuki Bakugo," Ochako says, glaring at the blonde.

“Yep," says Mina. "And that guy with the red hair next to him is Kirishima.” Mina yells and waves. “Hey! Kirishima!"

The red spiky-haired boy, Kirishima, notices and waves back to Mina. "Yo! Mina!"

*HUH!?" Bakugo says before looking up in the stands and spotting the group. “WHAT THE FUCKI WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, RACOON EYES! YOU WE'RE EXPELLED!”

His shouts shock and terrify the announcer.

"Why is he yelling?" the pretty blonde girl behind her with glasses asks Mirio.

Mirio shrugs.

“He's just like that,’ Momo says.

“It's really annoying,” Jiro adds.

“SHUT IT, EARS!" Bakugo shouts.

“Perhaps we should just go?” says the waiter with the black face mask.

The same one that Ochako spotted talking to Ingenium and spying on Mirio and the girl at the other exhibit.

Ochako ignores him and steps toward the railing. "Katsuki Bakugo! Hi! It's so nice to meet you!”

Bakugo scoffs. "Let me guess. You're another fan from the Sports Festival?"

Ochako lets out a bitter laugh. “Hal Ha! No. I'm actually here on behalf of a mutual friend. Izuku Midoriya.”

Bakugo's already angry face contorts into one of pure, unrestrained fury. He immediately blasts himself into the air and latches onto the railing. He reaches their level with such speed and fury that Ochako and the others (except Mirio and Asta) immediately take a defensive step backwards.

“WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT DEKU WANT!?" Bakugo roars. “I FINALLY GET AWAY FROM HIM! COME TO THIS STUPID ISLAND! AND HE STILL FINDS WAYS TO MESS WITH ME!?"

Ochako's fear turns to fury. “I’m sorry, mess with YOU!?"

“YES! MESS WITH ME, ROUND CHEEKS! ARE YOU FUCKING DEAF!?"

Ochako glares at Bakugo. Her face twitching.

‘Round cheeks? Is he calling me fat?’

“Dude, calm down," Asta says. "And her name is Ochako."

“YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH TOO, SHITTY EYES!"

Asta becomes furious. "Shitty eyes!? Ok, that's it!"

Asta reaches into her pocket. Ochako grabs her arm before she can pull out a pen that she can transform into a sword, gun, or other weapon.

“Fourteen seconds!” the announcer declares.

Bakugo's eyes widen. “WHAT!?"

Down on the ground, a new contender with a scar on his eye, half white half red hair, and ice coming out of his hand, has frozen all the targets.

“That's Shoto," Momo says with a smile.

Bakugo leaps back down to the floor to scream at Shoto Todoroki (Endeavor’s son), in a way that terrifies the announcer even more.

“YOU ICY-HOT BASTARD: YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST SHOW UP OUT OF NOWHERE AND SHOW ME UP!?”

“You said your boyfriend used to deal with this jerk all the time?" Asta asks Ochako, who nods. "And he's Quirkless?" Ochako nods again. "Tell him I'm sorry." Asta smiles and whispers. “I can kill him, if you both want."

Ochake smiles, but then shakes her head.

"What am I turning into?" she asks herself. "No, it's fine," Ochako tells Asta. "I think, in his own way, he is punishing himself enough."

The waiter with the black face mask behind them snorts as he gazes up at the screen, “Amen to that."

The screen shows Bakugo being held back by Kirishima as he throws a furious tantrum. Everyone in the stands is freaked out by this ridiculous display.

"He's a lunatic," Asta says. "And that says A LOT coming from me."

"And he thinks he's going to be the number one hero," Momo adds.

“Izuku said that he used to look up to him when they were younger,” Ochako adds in disbelief.

"Seriously?" Mina asks.

"He probably didn't know any better," says the waiter in the mask.

"Can we stop insulting our fellow student? It isn't funny,” says Mirio.

“I don't go to the same school as you," Asta says with a smile.

Making Ochako chuckle.

After Bakugo's tantrum, Ochako followed him to an area behind the attraction so they could talk in private. Kirishima parted from the group with Mina, and Ochako promised to meet up with the others later, after she's taken care of some "business". Ochako is a little but scared of being alone with this guy, but she tells herself she can do this.

‘I can do this,' Ochako thinks. ’I’m a hero student. I’m interning as Slide N’Go’s sidekick. And I have my inversion bracelets on, so if he tries anything, I can flatten him into a pancake.’

Bakugo sneers at her and crosses his arms. "So, spill it, how the Hell do you know Deku?"

Ochako glares at him. “His name is Izuku Midoriya!”

“His name is Deku! That's Defenseless-Izuku! Or, another word for a useless person who can't do anything. Which is exactly what he is, a useless Quirkless, failure!”

“Izuku is NOT useless!" Ochako shouts. “Quirk or not, he has many other qualities that I like! And anyone who thinks otherwise is just a stupid, bigoted jerk!"

“Why the Hell do you even care about him?”

“YOU BEAT HIM UP EVERY DAY FOR NINE MONTHS STRAIGHT AND BULLIED HIM FOR TEN YEARS!” Ochako shouts, fury building inside her. “YOU HURT HIM! MADE HIM FEEL AWFUL ABOUT HIMSELF EVERY DAY! AND WHY!? BECAUSE HE WAS QUIRKLESS!? BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T THINK HE WAS AS GOOD AS YOU!?" Ochako scoffs. “What makes you think acting like that makes you a hero? Heroes are supposed to protect people, not hurt them!”

“Huh!?” Bakugo shouts. “Well I used to do that all the time in middle school and no one ever cared! Hell, they AGREED with me! Teachers ignored it because they knew I would be great and Deku would never be anything! And all the other extra’s in our class just laughed!”

’Is this guy serious!? How could those kids and teachers think THIS guy was hero material!? Just because his Quirk was strong!? Did they really just ignore his personality? Izuku was right about there being Quirk discrimination. Reminds me of some of the MLA members’ attitudes….’

“Well, they were wrong,” Ochako says. “Having a strong Quirk doesn’t automatically mean you will be a hero.  And having no Quirk doesn’t make bullying Izuku funny. And, in my opinion, the fact that he didn't have a Quirk and couldn't defend himself makes what you were doing to him even worse. That is CRUEL! And awful! And, if anything else, VILLAINOUS!”

“IT'S HIS OWN FAULT!" Bakugo shouts.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HIS FAULT!?”

“I didn't bully him! I was just showing him his place!”

Ochako growls. "His place? Why? Because he still wanted to be a hero despite not having a Quirk?”

“HE WAS INSULTING ME!" Bakugo shouts. “YOU SHOULD FEEL INSULTED TOO! Thinking he could stand in the same rink as me. Or you, for that matter."

“HOW EGOISTICAL ARE YOU!?" Ochako shouts in utter disbelief. "Did it ever occur to you that he just didn't want his...disadvantage to get in the way of his dream? That he was trying to be strong and, if he were to be, that wouldn't automatically make YOU weak?"

“LISTEN BITCH, YOU WEREN'T THERE!" Bakugo yells.

His whole body shakes violently. He tenses his hand and sparks emit from his palm.

“That little bastard was never but a bug for me to crush. A pebble in my path to greatness. He was always useless, and then it turned out it was genetic!"

Ochako simmers in rage, hearing Bakugo talk like that to her friend/boyfriend.

‘To think. They have known each other for so long. They should be best friends, but Bakugo is too much of an asshole. All he cares about is himself and proving how "great" he is. He sees everyone else as just an obstacle, a stepping stone, or a cheerleader. Izuku said Bakugo only kept him around to feed his ego but never respected him, then he quickly decided he hated Izuku for stupid, egotistical reasons.’

Bakugo's veins pop out of his forehead. "But despite that… DESPITE THAT! He had the GALL to look down on me..to think I was a weakling...like him...." He grits his teeth. “BUT I'M NOT! I’M SO MUCH BETTER THAN HE IS!”

‘HOW MESSED UP IS THIS GUY!?’

Explosions pop from his hands, making Ochako flinch, but she recovers.

“YOU ARE DELUSIONAL!” Ochako shouts.

“OH, WHY DON'T YOU GO DIE!"

“IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE THINKING WHEN YOU TOLD IZUKU TO KILL HIMSELF!?" Ochako shouts, crying.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? WHEN THE FUCK DID I-" Bakugo's angry expression falls, as if he is suddenly remembering/realizing something. He averts his eyes but scoffs. "Look, that was just one time, and I was extra pissed."

Ochako’s own temper dies down. At least a bit.

‘Ok, so he’s at least not proud of that. Ok. But still.’

Ochako sighs. “Look. Even if you didn't actually mean it, it was still wrong. You seriously crossed a line, Bakugo. And you do realize that, if he had, you would have gone to jail for instigating a suicide, right?"

"He didn't!" Bakugo shouts. "It's not that big a deal! AND THE CAR THING WASN'T MY FAULT EITHER!”

Ochako looks at him, confused. "What car thing?"

Bakugo's eyes widen, perhaps realizing Izuku never told her something. "Whatever. The point is, he's always mocked me. He makes me sick and pisses me off." Bakugo returns to his angry expression. “AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH I BEAT HIM, HE KEPT COMING BACK! LIKE HE WAS SAYING I WASN’T STRONG ENOUGH TO PUT HIM DOWN! THEN HE SPENT NINE MONTHS ACCUSING ME OF NEEDING HELP FROM THAT STUPID SLUDGE VILLAIN!! IF HE HAD JUST ACCEPTED HE WAS NOTHING AND I WAS BETTER, I WOULD HAVE JUST LEFT HIM ALONE!" He growls. “I left him alone for a whole month last time I saw him, even though I didn't have to. And, trust me, as much as I hurt him. I ALWAYS held back! LIke I said, he was just a bug for me to crush. I could have easily blown him to bits anytime I wanted, but at worst I only gave him a few bruises and patches of burnt clothes. Tell him to be grateful for that much. He's just lucky he wised up and stayed away from U.A., or else I'd have crushed him by now.”

Ochako crosses her arms. She has never felt more hate for anyone in her life than she has now for Katsuki Bakugo.

“First of all. Izuku isn't the kind of person to look down on others, especially not people with cool Quirks!” Ochako retorts. “And, even if he was, you were still WAY too awful to him! He flinches when he hears popcorn popping! Whose fault do you think THAT is!? You TRAUMATIZED him! YOU were the one looking down on HIM! DON'T YOU DARE SAY YOU THINK HE WAS LOOKING DOWN ON YOU!”

Bakugo winces and his angry face softens for a split second. But then he growls. “IF I BULLIED HIM! IF I TRAUMATIZED HIM! IF I WAS TOO HARSH! HE BROUGHT IT ON HIMSELF! AND JUST YOU WATCH! YOU CAN TELL DEKU THAT I'M GOING TO BE THE NUMBER ONE HERO NO MATTER WHAT! AND IF YOU GET IN MY WAY, I'LL CRUSH YOU TOO!"

‘What is wrong with this guy? Izuku says he looks up to All Might. But All Might doesn't act like this. Does he honestly think this is how heroes act?’ Realization dawns on Ochako. ‘Maybe he doesn’t.’

Ochako glares at him. "You know what I think?”

"What?"

“I don't think you actually think Izuku was looking down on you." Ochako says, making Bakugo raise an eyebrow. “I think that you we're actually looking down on yourself, and you took that out on him."

After Ochako says that, Bakugo's eyebrows raise slightly and he seems taken aback by that.

“I think that, on some level, you are afraid you're not as great as you want to believe you are,” Ochako continues. “So you projected your self-doubt onto Izuku. Told yourself that HE was looking down on YOU, so that you could beat him up to feel stronger." Ochako smirks. "You wanna know the first time I met Izuku. I saw him, a brave Quirkless boy, run into the street to save a kid from being hit by a car. THAT is a real hero. And I think the real reason you hate Izuku is because you know, Quirk or not.-" Ochako pokes his chest "-he's more heroic than you will ever be."

Bakugo is stunned for a moment. Ochako is pleased with herself.

‘I think I did it. I really got through to him!’

"YOU STUPID BITCH!" Bakugo suddenly shouts, making sparks with his palm and scaring Ochako enough to make her take a step back. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU-!?”

The waiter with the mask from before suddenly appears. He grabs Bakugo by the back of his collar and pulls him back. Bakugo growls as the boy gets between him and Ochako.

Ochako looks in awe at the strange boy who came to her aid. Before, she thought he was some kind of creep, spying on one of her upperclassmen and that other girl. Now she thinks that he's pretty brave right now.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" the boy/waiter shouts at Bakugo.

“YOU WANNA FIGHT ME TOO, FACE MASK!?" Bakugo shouts, creating larger explosions in his palms. “BRING IT ON!"

The waiter/boy with the mask flinches and moves his arms in front of himself defensively. Ochako turns her inverters on, prepared to pin Bakugo to the floor. However, instead, the boy with the mask holds up two fingers and swipes them wildly in front of him in several different directions. As he does so, Bakugo's metal grenade-shaped gauntlets are cut into four pieces, to both Bakugo and Ochako's shock.

‘What was that?’ Ochako asks herself. ‘Did he just cut Bakugo's gauntlets? I thought he said he had a Scan Quirk?’

"What the Hell!?" Bakugo asks. "How did you do-"

The boy with the mask raises his hand toward Bakugo, sending him flying back. Bakugo hits the ground with a hard thud, several meters away from him and Ochako. Bakugo lifts his head up to growl at him, but the boy raises his fingers again, giving him a determined glare.

“Leave her alone, or else I'll cut flesh next time!" the boy says.

Ochako, not wanting to be completely dependent on a stranger, rushes to a nearby tree and uses her inverted Quirk on it. The tree instantly collapses and breaks into dozens of sharp splinters.

“Yeah!" Ochako says. "A-And you stay away from Izuku or I'll flatten you!"

Bakugo sits up and huffs. "Whatever, you extras are nothing to me anyway."

‘And yet you’re stomping away, fuming,’ Ochako thinks, seeing him leave.

"Are you ok?" the boy with the mask asks her with concerned eyes.

"I'm fine. Thank you, um..."

The boy looks at her with wide eyes, then they soften, and he extends his hand. "Call me, Akatani."

Ochako smiles and shakes it. “Uraraka. Hey, that was really cool what you did with the gauntlets there."

Akatani smiles (she assumes under the mask by the way his cheeks raise), closes his eyes and rubs his neck.

"Oh, it was nothing. I call it "Telekinetic Slice". I convert all my telekinetic energy into my fingers and create a force that cuts. I'm just glad it was able to cut through metal."

“But I thought your Quirk was Scan?"

Akatani's eyes shoot open. "Uh, well..."

Ochako smirks. "So you were just spying on that girl, weren’t you?”

"No!" Akatani says defensively, before rolling up his sleeve and showing Ochako several patches on his arm. "I have a Copy Quirk." Akatani points to one of the patches. “This Patch contains the DNA from...a friend of mine who has a Scan Quirk. The rest are from others."

"So you just go around, spying on other people, and sneaking some of their DNA to make yourself stronger?" Ochako asks.

Akatani is silent for a moment before averting his eyes and slumping. "Yes. You're right. I am a creep. Sorry!"

Ochako chuckles. "Hey, it’s ok. There is nothing wrong with wanting to get stronger. That’s basically what my friend Asta is doing right now.”

Akatani nods. "Hey, I couldn't help but overhear the conversation you were having with that guy. Do you actually believe the things he said?"

“Of course I do,” Ochako says. “Well, I don't really know Bakugo that well. And I've only known Izuku for a month. But I think, based on what l've seen and what I have been told, yes. I do believe that.”

Akatani nods. “Well then, I think your Quirkless boyfriend would appreciate you defending him ike that. But probably don't antagonize the explosion guy again."

Ochako gives him a cocky smile. “I can make anything weightless or weigh four tons. And I am friends with a girl who can make anything he touches a weapon, and one who can grow bigger and stronger the longer her heart beats. I think I'll be fine."

Akatani gives her a bow. "Well then, I wish you luck, Uraraka."

Ochako smiles. ‘He’s a little odd, but a nice guy.’

“Thanks. So, will you be at the I-Expo?"

“I’ll be serving as a waiter," Akatani says.

Ochako looks at his black vest, tie, and white dress shirt. “Ah, that explains the clothes. But shouldn't you be working right now?"

Akatani waves her off. *Oh, it’s fine. I have a friend with a Quirk that lets him duplicate himself that I left..." Akatani's eyebrows raise. "AND THE DOUBLES DISSINTEGRATE WHEN I'M NOT USING THE QUIRK ANYMORE!”

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ochako says. "You stopped using that Quirk to help me, right?" She holds out her hand. "Come with me! I'll give you a lift with my Quirk.*

“No, it's fine! I got it!" Akatani runs away and waves bye to her. “Enjoy the Expo! Stay out of trouble!”

Ochako watches Akatani leave. ‘I hope he doesn't get fired.'

Bakugo stomps through the streets of I-Island. His teeth are grinding. His eyes are white with fury. And smoke is emitting from his hands. Bakugo is completely oblivious to the people looking at him with fear as he fumes from the humiliation he recieved moments ago from both the round-cheeked girl and the guy with the face mask. However, the round-cheked girls presence ended up bringing back feelings of anger toward someone he has been TRYING not to think about for months.

Deku…

Flashback: Young Bakugo is leading his group of friends into an off-limits forest area. Young Izuku is the only one who is hesitant since it is an off-limits area, but he follows them in anyway. (((P.S. An older and slightly more responsible Bakugo knows deep down this was bad but doesn’t acknowledge it)))

That little bug has been with me for as long as I can remember.

Flashback: Young Bakugo effortlessly dribbles a ball, then he and his other friends mock Young Izuku when he fails.

Deku…A useless failure who can’t do anything right. The only thing he was good for was fawning over me.

(Still, It was nice to have another person to geek about All Might and other heroes with).

Flashback: Young Bakugo reads Izuku’s name written on his bucket and first gives him the nickname Deku. It makes Izuku sad and Bakugo’s other friends laugh. Later, Young Bakugo is praised by his friends for skipping a stone the most times, then asks “Deku” how many he skipped, they laugh at him when he says none.

It’s all he ever was. Who he’s supposed to be. Just a useless pebble on my path to greatness. Nothing. A nobody.

I was the one who was supposed to be better than everyone else. I was supposed to be the next big thing that would someday surpass All Might.

Flashback: Young Bakugo’s Quirk manifests in class. He shows off his small explosions and all the other kids think it is cool. His teachers praise him, saying he will be a great future hero. The priase easily gets to the young, already cocky and arrogant, boys head. “That’s right! I am amazing! I’m better than everyone!”

I was the one who was at the top of the pack. The winner. The prodigy. I was the best of the best, everyone else was just an extra in MY story.

Flashback: Young Izuku follows Young Bakugo around. Young Izuku says that Young Bakugo is cool and amazing, and he can’t wait until his Quirk comes in. Young Bakugo mocks him by saying he’ll never be as good as him.

And Deku was the lowest of the low. A useless weakling who could only ever try to catch up to me.

Flashback: Young Bakugo is running ahead with an arrogant smile on his face, not caring that Izuku is trailing behind him.

Who turned out not to even have a Quirk at all. Not even a lame one! I was the top, he was the bottom. He was as much of a useless failure as I was amazing. I was the absolute best and he was the absolute worst. I was the coolest and strongest, he was the weakest and most pathetic.

Flashback: Young Izuku is made fun off by their classmates for not having a Quirk, calling him a loser and saying it sucks to be him. The teacher gives him a weak encouragement not to worry about it (and doesn’t even bother scolding the other students). Young Bakugo thinks that he is the least amazing.

That’s why I was going to be the next number one hero. Because my Quirk is great for showing shitty villains their place.

Flashback: Young Bakugo is watching TV with his parents. Young Bakuog is imitating All Might’s movements on the screen. “All Right!” Young Bakugo shouted. “Someday that’s gonna be me on TV!” Bakugo unleashes his explosions. “I’m gonna beat all the villains and be the greatest hero ever!” Bakugo’s father chuckles. “Well, you know Son. There is more to being a hero than just beating up villains,” his father said. “Did you know that Endeavor actually puts away more villains overall than most of the top ten. Even All Might.” Young Bakugo looks at his father, confused. “Huh? Oh, well, I guess it’s because All Might is stronger.” Bakugo’s mother shakes her head. “No, it’s because Endeavor is an a-a jerk. All Might does public charity events and that kind of cra-crud.” “Your mother is right, Son,” Bakugo’s Father says. “Yes, putting away villains is a hero’s main job, but part of what places a hero’s ranking is factors like public service and how many people they save.” Young Bakugo just scoffs and waves it off. “I don’t have to do any of that wussy stuff! I’m gonna be a fighting hero, not a rescue hero! I’ll prove how awesome I am to everyone else by beating up the strongest bad guys. The other heroes can take care of that extra stuff.”

I was the coolest and strongest, he was the weakest and most pathetic. That’s all he ever was. A bug that I could crush anytime I wanted.

Flashback: Young Bakugo is leading his “friends” across a bridge. He slips and falls into the river below. ‘I slipped!?’ Young Bakugo internally thinks. ‘How could I let that happen? How could I be so stupid! Damn it! My knee hurts too!’ One of his friends asks if he is all right, but their friend Tsubasa says that “Kacchan” is strong and tells him to come up. This reignites Young Bakugo’s ego and faith in himself. ‘Yeah, thats right. I am strong. I am fine. It’s just a little pain, it will heal.’ Young Bakugo then reassures them that he will be right up.

I was fine on my own! I didn’t need any help!

Flashback: Young Izuku rushes down to help Young Bakugo up, extending his hand, saying he was afraid he hit his head or something. Bakugo realizes a few things, ‘Deku is offering to help me? I don’t need his help. I…’ Bakugo recalls all the times Izuku got hurt and failed at something, but Bakugo just laughed at him. ‘Wait…I would never have thought to do that, for anyone.’ Young Bakugo subconsciously recalls his father telling him that heroism is about more than beating villains. ‘No! No, that’s not true! Deku doesn’t even have a Quirk at all! He was always useless and WORSE than me! He can’t possibly be MORE heroic than me! It’s impossible! It’s…’ And given their positions, it looks like Young Izuku is above him. ‘Wait, do I really need DEKU of all people to help me!?’ Young Bakugo becomes furious.

But you looked at me like I was some kind of weaking!

Flashback: Young Bakugo knocks Young Izuku down in the playground and runs off. His remaining friends join him, but Izuku chases after him. Until Bakugo starts scaring Izuku away with his explosions.

You don’t offer to help someone unless you think they are weak. That you’re in a better position then them. You were calling me weak! But I’m not! I’m so much better than you are Deku! You have no right to look down on me! I spent ten years trying to beat that into your skull! That you were nothing but a useless Quirkless failure who was far beneath me!

Flashback: Young Bakugo and his friends beat up a kid on the playground.

“Stop it!” the boy cries. “Leave me alone!”.

The friend with long fingers chuckles.  “Sorry, villain boy! But it’s our job as heroes to beat up scum like you!”

“I’m not a villain!” the boy cries.

“You can mess with people’s bones!” Shark Jaw snarls. “Sounds like a freaky villain Quirk to me.”

Ok, in hindsight, it might have been wrong and immature of me to say someone would be a future villain just because of their Quirk. That was my bad, I admit that. But I was five and even the teachers were wary of him. Everyone said he would be a future villain and I a hero, so naturally I…whatever, this isn’t important right now!

Flashback: The boy cries on the ground and Izuku runs up to defend him.

“Stop it!” Young Izuku cries. “He hasn’t done anything!”

“Ha!” Tsubasa says. “Look! The Quirkless reject has made himself a villain friend!”
“Why are you defending him?” Long Fingers asks. “He made fun of you two.”

Young Bakugo’s eye twitches. “Yeah, scram of we’ll beat you up again, Deku. Us REAL heroes have to show this shitty villain his place.”

Young Izuku cries and gets into a weak fighting stance. “Why are you being so mean? You’re making him cry, Kacchan!”

He was outnumbered, no Quirk but he STILL stood up to me! LIKE HE THOUGHT HE COULD BEAT ME!? Not matter how many times I knocked him down he kept getting back up!

Young Bakugo’s internal thoughts: ‘Why can’t I get that weakling to stay down? And I not strong enough to hurt him enough?…IS HE MAKING FUN OF ME!!??’

It’s clear he’s always looked down on me! Even though he had NO right to!

Flashback: Bakugo is constantly being praised by teachers and students for his test scores and growing Quirk. He puts his foot on his desk and, even though the teacher had just told another student to put his feet down, she doesn’t do the same for Bakugo.

Everyone knew I was going to be great.

Flashback: Middle-School Bakugo grabs Izuku by the collar and shoves him against the bathroom wall. Izuku flinches as Bakugo screams at him. “YOU THINK YOUR HOT SHIT JUST BECAUSE YOU FIGURED OUT THAT VILLAINS QUIRK BEFORE ME!? I STILL TRACKED HIM DOWN FASTER THAN YOU DID!”

“I…I never said that,” Izuku croaks out. “But, you know, what you did was technically vigilantism. Airjet still praised you even though he reprimanded me-”

Bakugo slams him harder against the wall, making Izuku flinch and instinctively cover his face.

The long-haired teacher with the extendo hand walks in on middle-school Bakugo and his friends harassing Izuku in the bathroom. “I see you boys are….playing a game? Yeah, I’m sure that’s what this is,” he says before promptly leaving the bathroom.

As soon as he is gone, Bakugo raises his fist and collides it with Izuku’s nose.

And that you were never going to be anything.

Flashback: Izuku in middle school, with his back against the wall (after Bakugo had exploded his desk after finding out he wanted to go to UA high), tells Bakugo that he still wants to try to be a hero even though he doesn’t have a Quirk.

And what the hell is he thinking, trying to be a hero!? If a worthless but like him can be a hero, what does that mean for ME!?  (((But if Deku could somehow manage without a Quirk, he could be considered better than me! And I HATE THAT!!))) . SOMEONE HAD TO SHOW THE SHITTY LITTLE NERD HIS PLACE!

Flashback: Bakugo throws Izuku’s notebook out the window, then says, “If you really wanna be a hero, there may be another way. Pray that you’ll be born with a Quirk in your next life, then take a swan dive off the roof!”

If I ever went too far! If I was a bully! IT’S HIS OWN FAULT FOR DOING NOTHING BUT MOCKING ME ALL OUR LIVES!!!

Flashback: It is right after Bakugo was saved from the Sludge Villain by All Might. Bakugo is thinking to himself, ‘I can’t believe how helpless I was. I had to be saved, by a fucking slime ball! I was so weak and helpless. I couldn’t breathe.’ And the whole thing just makes him angrier. Meanwhile, a low-tier hero is praising him for his bravery and his Quirk, telling him he should become his sidekick once he get his license. ‘HELL NO I’M GONNA BE YOUR SIDEKICK! I JUST TOLD THE REST OF THE EXTRA’S IN MY CLASS THEY WOULD BE LUCKY TO-’

“Excuse me!” Izuku says, running through the crowd.

“Huh!? DEKU!?” Bakugo shouts.
“Kacchan! Are you ok!?” Izuku asks with tears in his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re all right!”

“Are you a friend of his, young man?” Mt. Lady asks.

“Uh…sort of…” Izuku says, uneasily. “Anyway, he just had a life-threatening experience. Forgive me, sir, but shouldn’t you be asking if he is all right and making sure he’s fine instead of praising him?”

Bakugo’s eye twitches and his face contorts into one of anger.

“Hey, kid, let us heroes do our thing, ok?” Death Arms says.
“No, he is right,” Kamui Woods says. “Don’t worry, young one,” he says, leading Bakugo away. “We’ll get you checked in with an ambulance to double-check yourself.”

“Let me know if you need anything!” Izuku yells.

“You’re lucky to have such a good friend, kid,” Mt. Lady tells Bakugo.

Bakugo just gets angrier.

And he was STILL DOING IT!!!

Flashback: Bakugo and his two friends are stomping on Izuku outside of the school. Izuku is crying and trying to cover his head.

“Kacchan, please!” he cries, only for bakugo to scream and hit him with an explosion that flips him onto his back.

Long Fingers pins him down for Bakugo to punch Izuku in the face.

“I WAS FINE ON MY OWN! I DON’T NEED YOUR HELP! YOU GOT THAT!?” Bakugo screams as he reduces Izuku’s sobbing face to a bloody mess. Bakugo lifts Izuku by the collar and screams some more. “YOU’RE JUST A QUIRKLESS FAILURE WHO WOULDN’T EVEN CUT IT AS A RENTA COP! You’re not better than me. You’re nothing. Don’t forget it.”

Bakugo and his friends walk away, the latter two laughing as Izuku curls up in a ball and cries.

It’s bad enough that I got HUMILIATED in front of all of Japan. That everyone now thought I was weak. But I knew that if other people were looking down on me then YOU had to be too! I wasn’t going to let YOU of all people get away with it!

Flashback: Bakugo is sitting on his couch texting on his phone when his mother runs into the living room from the kitchen.

“Brat! Aunt Inko is on the phone!”

“I’m busy,” Bakugo snaps, and his mother slaps the back of his head. “WATCH IT, HAG!”

“DON’T HAG ME!” His mother yells. “IZUKU IS IN TROUBLE!”
“THAT SHITTY NERD ISN’T MY PROBLEM!”

“HE’S IN THE HOSPITAL YOU ASS!”

Bakugo’s expression softens slightly. “What?”

Now his mother’s expression softens. “Inko said something she regretted and Izuku ran away, crying. He wasn’t paying attention and was hit by a car. He’s in a coma right now.”
“What did she say?” Bakugo asks.

“She said…” his mother sighs. “She said she wished he had been born with a Quirk, but only because he’s been coming home beaten and with burn marks lately.” She narrows his eyes at him. “Anything you want to confess?”

It wasn’t my fault ( he lies to himself ). I didn’t make Aunt Inko say that shit! I didn’t tell that moron to run into a busy street! I didn’t tell that truck to hit him! And none of it would have happened if he hadn’t been…Anyways, I realized the nerd was too weak for me to care about his opinions and he seemed to finally get it through his head how useless he is, if his saying he won’t be going to UA is anything to go by. So, I decided he had finally learned his lesson, and I didn’t have to waste any more time on him.

Flashback: Izuku, with a caste on his arm, is miserably putting books in his locker. Long-Fingers and Shark-Teeth are about to walk up to him, until Bakugo holds them back.

“He isn’t worth our time anymore,” Bakugo says. “Unless he gets in our way again, just leave him be.”

“Come on, man,” Shark Teeth says. “You’re the one that got us into beating the shit out of him and now you wanna stop?”

Bakugo creates an explosion in his palm that makes the two bullies flinch.

“Ok fine, jeese,” says Long-Fingers.

He stopped getting in my way, so I decided to leave him alone. But still, it was the last day I ever intended to see him again, so I had to make sure.

Flashback: Bakugo walks up to Izuku on their graduation and mocks him that HE is going to UA and not Izuku. Izuku just says “Goodbye, Bakugo” and walks away. Bakugo is briefly stunned and then spends the rest of his graduation ceremony sumped over in thought.

“Bakugo?” The damn nerd always called me Kacchan. That stupid kiddie-name he and the others used to call me when we were kids. Even when I started beating him he never stopped calling me that. I guess it means the idiot always thought we were somehow still friends. So why now? left him alone for a whole month. Though... I was really hard on him the last nine... did I go too far? He did get hit by a car....

Bakugo's anger replaces his self-doubt.

OH, WHAT DO I CAREI? | HATE THAT FUCKING NERD! HE'S DONE NOTHING BUT PISS ME OFF FOR TEN YEARS AND HE MAKES ME SICKI HE DOESN'T WANNA BE MY FRIEND, GREAT THAT MAKES US EVEN! He was the one mocking me all that time. It's his own fault-

When did he mock you' some weaker voice in his head asks. I don't remember him ever mocking you. He never said any of the things that Dunce-face ever did. How did Deku mock you? Or was Round-Cheeks right and you were just afraid he and everyone else was, so weren't you just venting it out on him?

NO! HE WAS MOCKING ME IN PRIVATE! HE HAD TO BE! HE WAS OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS LOOKING DOWN ON ME! REMEMBER HOW WEAK HE THOUGHT WE WERE AFTER THAT SLUDGE VILLAIN ATTACK!?”

FUCKING DEKU BROUGHT IT ALL ON HIMSELF! CALLING US WEAK, MOCKING US, ACTING LIKE HE'S BETTER WHEN HE'S NOT!

Bakugo threw an explosion to the ground, startling Cow Lady.

AND NOW HE'S JUST TRYING TO MESS WITH ME AGAIN! GET IN MY HEAD SO I'LL FAIL! SO HE CAN LAUGH AT ME WHEN I'M NOT AROUND ANYMORE! WELL, I’LL SHOW HIM! I'LL DOMINATE U.A. AND SHOW THAT WORTHLESS LOSER WHO’S BETTER ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Before I left, I told those extras I let hang around me that they could go back to picking on Deku if they wanted, since I wasn't going to see them anymore. Why would I bother with those two weaklings now when I had a new future ahead of me?

I got into U.A. as the only person from my middle school to get in. I dominated the Entrance Exam. Top score with 70 points. Even after the idiot teachers granted the other students rescue points, whatever the hell that is. I boasted to my parents and told my mom she could tell Aunt Inko. My way of subtly rubbing my success in Deku's face.

But then, that is when everything went downhill. Starting with the first day.

Flashback: Tenya lida complains about Bakugo putting his feet on his desk.

Fucking four eyes robot! No one ever complained about that before! Yeah sure, it's not good manners, but I'm the future number one hero! | deserve special treatment!

Flashback: Bakugo scoffs at Mineta as he does his exercises, creating two big purple balls out of his sticky head balls.

"What a weakling. I can't believe a midget with a Quirk like that got into UA."

"Hey, that's not nice, man," Shitty-Hair/Kirishima says. "Not everyone can have a powerful Quirk, I mean, all I can do is harden my body." To show his point, he flexes and hardens his arm. "Like my favorite hero, Crimson Riot says, Quirks don't matter as much as your manly spirit."

Bakugo scoffs. "That weak ass lame hero who can only harden his hair? Of course, he would say something like that."

Kirishima looks offended by Bakugo's words.

Bakugo scoffs. “Well, I'll give the shrimp this. He's better than this Quirkless loser I had to spend middle school with."

"You're so not manly, Dude," Kirishima says.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY SHITTY HAIR!?" Bakugo yells.

"We have the same hairstyle?" Kirishima says.

Mineta chuckles.

"DON'T LAUGH AT ME YOU PURPLE MIDGET!" Bakugo shouts, running toward Mineta, furious. "YOU LAUGH AT ME AGAIN AND YOU'RE DEAD!"

Mineta screams and cries until Eraserhead traps Bakugo in his scarf.

I didn't get it. I had always been allowed to get aggressive with other weaklings before. I mean, yeah sure, normally you’re not allowed to do that, but I'm on a whole other level! I didn't understand why this was suddenly different. I came to the conclusion that the midget wasn't pathetic enough, given he had a Quirk unlike Deku. That, and the hobo teacher just didn't see how amazing I really am. I thought all I had to do was beat my opponent in the battle trial and I'll be as popular as I was in my crappy middle school.

I thought it was just my luck when I had to face off against Endeavor’s son. I would prove how deserving I am of the number one spot by beating the number two hero’s kid! It was perfect! The only problem is that I was paired off with the shrimp.

Flashback: Bakugo growls at Mineta as they stand by the “bomb”.

“If it’s any consolation, this isn’t what I wanted either,” Mineta says. “I would have liked to get paired up with the big-boobed babe with the ponytail.”

Bakugo grunts. “Perv. You’re just lucky that we’re on the same team. Otherwise, I’d crush you.”

Mineta quivers, and Bakugo walks toward the door.

“W-where are you going?” Mineta asks.

“NO ONE ASKED YOU!” Bakugo shouts, making Mineta quiver. “I’m not gonna waste any time standing here with a weakling like you! I’m gonna go find that half-headed bastard and beat him!” Bakugo smirks. “I’ll prove that I’m the best on my very first day here.”

“Hey, does it feel colder to you?” Mineta asks.

Bakugo is about to scream back, but he feels the air getting colder himself. Suddenly, the walls, the ceiling, the bomb, and the floor they are standing on freeze solid, trapping them in place.

“What the Hell!?” Bakugo shouts as he tries to pull his foot free, to no avail.

Mineta tries to pull himself free, but he is stuck as well.

Bakugo growls. “I figured Endeavor’s son would have a fire Quirk like him.”

Bakugo raises his palms at the ice surrounding his foot to free himself. But, before he can, the ice creeps further up his form and encases him up to his shoulders. Bakugo flinches as he finds himself unable to move. The cold ice stings his flesh as the frost creeps up his neck. He feels helpless, defeated. He can’t even move. Right on cue, Todoroki walks in with half his body frozen.

“Try not to move, you would lose bits of yourself,” Todoroki says as he walks to the bomb.

Bakugo panics. ‘Did he just freeze the whole building? No…I can’t let him beat me! I’m supposed to be number one! I can’t lose!’

Bakugo tries to ignite his palms, but it is too cold for his nitric sweat to combust. The ice has completely engulfed his arms along with the rest of his body. His only hope would be the sweat stored in his gauntlets, but he can’t pull the trigger, or move at all.

Mineta tries throwing his sticky balls at Todoroki, but he just freezes them off and then freezes Mineta’s hands to his head. Mineta shivers and Bakugo can only watch helplessly, with a mixture of disbelief and shock, as Todoroki touches the bomb.

Bakugo’s eyes widen. ‘Did I just…lose?’

“HERO TEAM WINS!” Declares All Might through their earpieces.

Todoroki then places his other hand on the bomb, and a rush of heat moves through the building. All the ice melts, and Bakugo can only stare at Todoroki in disbelief. He feels his ego, worldview, and self-esteem being crushed.

‘I…I lost…’ Bakugo thinks, his heart racing faster and his breathing increases. ‘He was so powerful…It was over just like that. I didn’t even have a chance to fight back. Is this…is this how Deku always feels!? Am I the DEKU NOW!?’

“Don’t worry about it,” Todoroki says. “We’re just on different levels.”

That felt like a punch in Bakugo’s stomach.

I had to go to the nurse’s office after having what they called a panic attack. I ended up pretty much crying like a baby when I got home when I realized I was no longer the strongest guy in class and I was surrounded by others who could actually compete with me. I realized I wasn’t going to get any special treatment or get away with things anymore, and I hated all of it. I thought that I would blow through this school just like I did in middle school. That I would still be the best and everyone would talk about how great I was until I became number one. And I thought for sure that having no Deku around would be even better, but now I’m angrier than I’ve ever been in my whole life!

But I wasn’t going to let these extra’s stop me! I was going to stay and prove that I’m the best! That I’m just getting started and that I would surpass All Might regardless!

Flashback: Bakugo stands before Todoroki in front of the school at the beginning of their second day. “YOU! YOU ARE GOING TO BE MY RIVAL!” Bakugo shouts, pointing his finger at Todoroki. “No, thank you,” Todoroki says, walking around him. “COME BACK HERE YOU HALF AND HALF BASTARD!”

Flashback: “If we’re all being honest, Bakugo is always angry so he’ll never be that popular,” Tsyu Asui says, bluntly. “WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY, FROG FACE!? I’LL KICK YOUR ASS!” Bakugo shouts. “See?” Tsyu says, unfazed. “You know, we basically just met you,” Kaminari says. “So it’s pretty telling we all know your personality is flaming crap mixed with garbage.”

Flashback: Bakugo has grabbed Mineta by the head balls and is screaming at him, while Mineta quivers. “YOU TINY PERVY FREAK! HAVE YOU BEEN TALKING TRASH ABOUT ME TO THE OTHER STUDENTS!?”

But I knew the truth. I’ve been more aggressive since starting U.A. And everyone here was probably considered the best at their old schools, too. So none of them are going to look passed my angry and unruly personality just because of how great my Quirk is. I hate to say it, but I almost wish that Deku had gotten in so he could be the Quirkless weakling I could beat and everyone else would laugh at again!

Wait…is that why I really…

FORGET IT! I DON’T WANT DEKU BACK! THAT’S STUPID! WHAT THE HELL WAS I THINKING!?

And then there was when those shitty League of Villains attacked.

Flashback: Bakugo and Kirishima launch themselves at Kurogiri, but they pass harmlessly through his cloudy form before the villain teleports them all away.

If only I had been strong enough to beat that Warp Bastard when I first saw him…

Flashback: Bakugo is looking horrified and disturbed at All Might as he clutches his decaying arm, while Shigaraki lays on the floor with a bleeding hand and leg. All Might evaporates and shrinks to a skinnier form, shocking Bakugo greater.

All Might wouldn’t have lost an arm…

Flashback: Bakugo looks a bit guilty as Mineta and Asui’s bodies are carried out in body bags. Mina Ashido, Iida Tenya, and several other students either cry or lower their heads in shame.

Those two annoying extras died because they were weak…But still, if I had been stronger, they wouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place. I hated this feeling. It was like the feeling I got when I heard Deku was hit by a car because of me , but even worse.

Flashback: Bakugo is on the bleachers, fuming and slumping. Kirishima walks up to him slowly and sits by him.

“Go away, shitty hair,” Bakugo growls.
“It’s not your fault,” Kirishima says, causing Bakugo to glare at him. “I get it man, I feel guilt too. Even over Mineta. But we didn’t know that the warp villain was intangible like that. We did our best, but sometimes things happen.”

Bakugo says nothing.

It was too much. Finding out that my idol whom I planned to surpass, had suffered such an injury from a villain I don’t even know. He could only work as a hero for three hours a day now. That he was far weaker than he was in his prime when he fought the Nomu and was barely holding on to his powerful form when Shigaraki attacked him. And now he’s even more crippled, because I wasn’t smart enough to aim for the neckbrace the first time.

Oh, and then Racoon-Eyes got herself expelled just for telling the truth. CAN YOU BELIEVE THOSE GOVERNMENT BASTARDS!?  OF ALL THE-

Flashback: Bakugo sits in his room and looks at his phone, waiting for a response.

I was expecting the shitty nerd to text and ask how I was. If I was ok. All that crap. But I never received any texts from anyone. Not the guys I used to hang with. And not Deku. I was sure the USJ Incident was on the news. Or Aunt Inko would have told him. I figured Deku would HAVE to text me, it was in his shitty nature. To show concern for me. To think I’m weak.

Flashback: Bakugo gets a text. The caller ID says it’s from Deku. Bakugo growls. “Of course, I knew the shitty nerd couldn’t-”. The text says, “My mom wanted to ask if you’re ok.” followed by. “Her, not me.”

‘His mom…So he wasn’t asking himself. Does he not care about me at all now? Good, he finally understands I’m stronger than him!’ He thought, but not as happy about it as he would have thought he would be.

He texted me something similar on my birthday. Saying it was from his mom. I became so confused. Deku wasn’t acting like I was weak anymore. But for some reason, I hate this even more than he did before!!!

Is he still trying to mess with me!?

No, that can’t be right!

Yes, it can! It’s the only thing that makes sense!

Flashback: Bakugo screamed and blasted a hole in his bedroom wall in anger.

The hag smacked me for that later and said it was coming out of my allowance. But whatever.

Flashback: Bakugo screams at a bunch of kids while he is interning with Best Jeanist. Seeing their reactions, it actually makes Bakugo slightly confused and uneasy.

I thought interning with the Number Four hero would help me. Instead it was a waste and I just got a bunch of PR crap. Though…I started to wonder if my attitude really needed adjusting after seeing how those kids reacted. I was told I didn’t get as many internship requests because of my attitude. I thought they were just weak. But now I’m starting to wonder…IF MY ATTITUDE IS SO BAD THEN WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T MY OLD SCHOOL EVER SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT!? SOMEONE HAS TO BE WRONG HERE AND NOT ME!!

And that’s been that. Nothing’s gone the way I expected it to now. I’m angry. I’m confused. And I don’t know what to do.

Bakugo roars and unleashes an explosion into the air, which terrifies the surrounding people.

He fumes. And now Deku’s convinced that round cheeked bitch that he’s somehow better than me!? That crap about him being more heroic!!?? JUST THINKING ABOUT IT PISSES ME OFF!!! Because I know it’s true, but I’d rather punch Deku than admit I could work on myself. AND I BET DEKU’S THE ONE WHOSE BEEN SPEEADING THAT CRAP ON THE INTERNET ABOUT ME APPEARING VILLANOUS DURING THE SPORTS FESTIVAL TOO!!! THE BASTARD IS STILL FUCKING WITH ME!!! Or I DID appear villainous, but I don’t wanna admit I could be at fault.

“FUCK IT!” Bakugo shouts, taking out his phone and scrolling through his contacts. “I’M GIVING THAT NERD A PIECE OF MY MIND!!!”

Bakugo clicks on the number that lists as “Deku”.

Izuku/“Akatani” leans and braces himself on the back of a bench. His thoughts of returning to his post with Sero and Kaminari had evaporated from his thoughts (along with his clone) as his mind grasped what had happened just now. He is breathing heavily and there is a smile on his face, for two reasons.

‘I…I stood up to Bakugo. And I HURT him.’ That thought alone fills him with pride and aesthetic feelings. ‘It was only a bit. But for a brief moment, I was able to overpower him with my Quirk. I…This is incredible! I never could have imagined doing that before!!!’

Izuku’s mind flashes back to Ochako yelling at Bakugo.

‘Ochako. I can’t believe she said those things about me! She stood up to Bakugo for me!’ Tears form in his eyes. ‘I…I think I’m in lo-’

Izuku then recalls something specific Ochako said to Bakugo.

“-the real reason you hate Izuku is because you know, Quirk or not, he's more heroic than you will ever be."

Izuku lowers his head as shame and remorse fill him.

‘But she doesn’t like me. She likes the person I am pretending to be. Someone who isn’t a villain. Someone who isn’t lying to her all the time.’

Izuku leans his head back.

‘What am I even doing? Ochako is training to be a hero. She's going to be mine and the Leagues enemy someday. We're basically trying to ruin her job. She was just such a sweet girl. Kind. Caring. Wants to help people. A Good person. Bubbly. Cute. I loved being with her. Forgetting my life as a villain for a bit. I've been so selfish all this time. I even lied to her about still being Quirkless."

Izuku looks at his bare hands.

‘Ochako deserves better than me. Maybe I should quit....Oh, but I can't just leave the League, they are my friends. And I still haven't punched society yet. Would Ochako even forgive me, even if I did?’

Izuku grabs his head and groans. "I don't know what to do! Maybe this is my punishment." Izuku sighs. "Oh, well, I might as well call Senpai and tell him what I've learned so far."

Izuku takes out his phone, but when he does his eyebrow raises.

"Two missed calls and a voice message?" Izuku mutters. "Hmmm, good thing I had my phone on silent."

Izuku opens the messages icon and sees the contact from whom the calls and voicemail was from.

“They're from Bakugo?” Izuku recalls Bakugo being chewed out earlier by Ochako, being telekinetically flung by “Akatani”, and he groans. "He's probably going to yell at me for something. Vent. Oh well, I might as well get it over with."

Izuku plays the voice message and places the phone to his ear. He instantly regrets it.

"YOU SHITTY NERD! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE!!!???" Bakugo's screams pierce Izuku's ear.

Izuku winces. ‘Die...’

“YOU SENT THAT FAT BITCH TO MESS WITH MY HEAD!! DIDN'T YOU!?"

Izuku's eye now twitches in anger. 'Fat...bitch...’

“YOU WON'T EVEN ANSWER MY CALLS!! AND DON’T YOU THINK I DON’T KNOW IT WAS YOU SPREADING ALL THOSE RUMORS ONLINE ABOUT ME BEING A VILLAIN AND MAKING ME LOOK BAD!!”

Izuku narrows his eyes. His facial expressions scream "deadpan". 'Seriously?'

"DON'T YOU DARE LOOK DOWN ON ME! HUH!? GOT IT!? I'M A U.A. HERO STUDENT AND YOU'RE JUST A QUIRKLESS FAILURE WHO CAN'T EVEN PROTECT HIMSELF!" Bakugo growls. "When I get back, you better hope I don't see your sorry ass again. Or else I'll remind you!”

The voice message ends. Izuku groans and puts his phone away.

"Seriously?" Izuku mutters. "He's so smart, but he acts so stupid sometimes."

Izuku then recalls all the times Bakugo beat him as a child and in middle school.

"Still, he's right though." Izuku recalls Ochako telling him that there is no shame in trying to become stronger. "I could still get stronger."

‘While I can temporarily copy other Quirks, I am still limited to the Quirk energy l have.

That's why I can't use New Order to its fullest capacity. I'm sure Star And Stripes Quirk energy levels are huge, but mine are standard Quirk size, if not just slightly higher. That's why, at most, I can only use New Order to alter the Quirks I already have, and change other things in small ways. I'm glad that Bakugo left, because if we actually fought (though my condensed slice technique helped) I don't think my current power levels would be able to compete with him.'

Izuku thinks of his closest friends in the League: Spinner, Himiko, Mustard, Accelerator, Jumper, Short Fuse, and Magne.

‘Still, I need to get strong if I want to protect, not just myself, but the people / care about.'

Izuku thinks of Ochako.

‘Including her. If Senpai and Dabi get mad.'

Izuku uses his Scan-Search Hybrid Quirk again, and re-locates the hero, Pankration.

'Found you. Greek Hero: Pankration. Quirk: Power.'

Izuku's Quirk Notebook.

Power: Allows the user to absorb and build up tremendous amounts of raw power and convert it into immense strength, speed, and durability.

'Based on my research, it's the closest existing Quirk to Power-Stock, the stockpiling component of One For All.’

Izuku looks down at his phone, and sees a text message from Wolfram.

Wolfram: It's almost time. Get over here.

Izuku texts back: I'll be there in a few minutes.

And Izuku then heads into Pankration's direction.

Seeing Pankration in the distance, making his way to the l-Expo event, Izuku picks up the pace. On his forearm there are only three Quirk patches. One for New Order. One containing the DNA of a developing Nomu called “Hood”, and one from a DNA sample of a villain named “Garvey”.

‘I once asked Dr. Garaki why All For One doesn't just combine the Quirks “Stock” and “Power”, along with any other similar Quirks, to re-create Power-Stock. The doctor said that there were multiple complications with that.’

‘First of all, despite the similar names, there is no guarantee that combining the two will work the exact same way as a true Power-Stock Quirk. Secondly, they only have a copy of "Stock" in their possession. The original, the only one they were able to find in the last hundred years, belonged to a villain named Garvey that they sent to get Eraserhead's Quirk, who ended up being defeated (and who managed to kill one of Eraser's friends, whose body was used to make Kurogiri).’

'Also, while they can copy Quirks, the copies are faulty. Especially since they are using duplicates of a Copy Quirk to do so. The only reason mine works well is that they combined multiple copies and refined it. A process that takes a lot of time and work. And, even so, the end product wouldn't be the same as OFA is now due to the many years it has spent being refined by previous users. Their current methods of refinement wouldn't be able to catch up.'

‘Besides, it is more than just power with All For One. He also wants it because it is part of his brother’s Quirk. He wants it for sentimental reasons, too. It’s more valuable than any replacement they could possibly make.'

‘But for me, this isn't about that. I just want to way to make myself stronger and maybe boost the Quirks that I copy.’

Izuku/“Akatani” bumps into something and falls to the ground.

"Ow!" Izuku/"Akatani" cries.

'Dang it! I wasn't paying attention!’

"Oh, you ok, kid?"

Izuku/"Akatani" looks up and sees the Greek Hero smiling at him and extending his hand.

"Are you hurt?" Pankration asks.

Izuku/"Akatani" smiles. "Oh, I am fine. Thank you."

New Order. My Quirk, Super-Copy, shall absorb the sparks of the Quirk’s Power and Stock, along with a tiny spark from the Power Quirk it is about to come into contact with (not more than what naturally falls off in a person’s hair), and integrate all three into you. In such a way that it will become permanent. Like how the doctor personally combines Quirks to make new ones.

Izuku/"Akatani" grabs Pankration's hand, pulls himself up, smiles at the Greek hero, and his Quirks take effect.

A tiny piece of Pankration's Quirk energy flows into him. Along with the sparks of Quirk energy from the patches on his arm. The three sparks are absorbed by Super-Copy. Two sparks of yellow and one spark of green, all aided by a golden star spark, become absorbed by a swirling vortex of green within Izuku's body. The Copy-Quirk replicates the power of the sparks. Half of it turns yellow and then swirls and mixes in with the green.

Izuku Midoriya. Quirk: Super-Power. Abilities unknown...

Ochako, Momo, Mina, Jiro, and Asta are walking with Melissa Shield (the blonde girl from earlier). All of them are laughing and having a great time. The six girls met up after Ochako’s “conversation” with Bakugo, and they all just hung out together while Mirio checked out the Expo. Ochako used her Quirk to send Melissa flying, which she enjoyed.

"Wow, Melissa, I can't believe your family friends with All Might!" Ochako says.

"Yeah, Uncle Mights the best," says Melissa. "That's why I hate what those villains did to him.”

Ochako frowns. "Ah, yes. The League of Villains...Its thanks to them villain rates have gone up."

Mina growls. "Tell me about it."

Ochako knows how Mina feels about the League, considering they killed one (two?) of her friends and got her expelled. Ochako personally isn't fond of them as well, considering them a threat to society at large.

Asta shrugs. "I can handle all the villains." She smirks.

"Well not to worry, everyone," Melissa says. "Right now, my dad is giving Uncle Might a new arm. He'll be back to his old self in no time!"

Momo averts her eyes. "Not quite his old self."

Ochako looks at her strangely. Unsure what she means by that.

"So, Melissa, I've been meaning to ask," Asta says. "Do you have a super intelligence Quirk? Metal manipulation? Telescopic vision? Electricity generation? What?"

"Or she could just be really smart and not related to her Quirk," Jiro says. "Quirks aren't everything.”

Ochako scoffs. "Tell that to Bakugo and his old teachers."

“Oh, l actually don't have a Quirk,” Melissa says without hesitation.

Ochako eyes widen. “You're Quirkless?"

‘Wow, smart, amazing, and no Quirk, She's just like Izuku! Just like him…Beautiful…Rich…Smart…can bond with him over shared struggles....’

"Still wish your boyfriend was here?" Asta whispers/teases.

“No, it's fine," Ochako says.

"Well, I think that makes you even more amazing then," Jiro says.

“Why thank you, Jiro," Melissa says. “Growing up, I was always thought of as less capable because I didn't have a Quirk. I wanted to be a hero, but that dream was crushed. But then, Uncle Might said that, in a way, my dad was his hero for making his suit and other support items for him. And then it hit me. I can still be a hero, in my own way, just using the skills I DO have. So l dedicated myself to developing support equipment to help heroes everywhere.”

”That's beautiful, Melissa," Mina says.

”Very inspiring,” says Momo.

“Yeah…” Ochako says, imagining Izuku and Melissa engrossed with each other in a hypothetical conversation.

Upon arriving at the expo building, the girls find Kaminari and Sero sitting on the ground, miserable.

"Well, you two look happy,” Jiro says.

"We've had a rotten day!" Sero says. “First, our third guy bails on us and his clone disintegrates.”

”We had to clean up his broke dishes ourselves," complains Kaminari.

”You mean Akatani?” Ochako asks.

“Yeah, that jerk!” Kaminari says. “And now it turns out we're not allowed to actually attend the expo!"

”What a rip-off!" Sero whines.

“I have some extra tickets if you two are interested," Melissa says.

Kaminari and Sero immediately sit up and stare at Melissa with tears in their eyes.

"Really?" asks Kaminari.

You would do that for us?” asks Sero.

The two hug and cry over a “Beautiful Angel” rewarding them for hteir hard work.

“I can think of ten reasons why not to pity these idiots," Jiro says.

”I'Il probably be back in my room," says Asta. "Parties aren't really my thing. I just came here to check out some cool weapons. Besides, I have a movie to finish."

”I'm pretty tired as well," says Mina. "But the rest of you can enjoy yourselves."

“Great!” Jiro says. “So, what do you say? Meet up around 6ish at one of the lobbies?”

Mina sighs. “Iida would have been much more anal about this.”
“Then how about this.” Momo makes robotic hand-swiping motions. “Everyone dress in formal clothing and meet up in lobby seven in the Central Tower at 6:30 PM sharp.”

Jiro snorts. “That is probably exactly what he would say. God rest his soul.”

Ochako smiles sadly. “Aw, he sounds like a funny guy. I wish I could have met him.”

(At this very moment, Wolframs men are working on "hacking" the security system. Izuku/“Akatani" stands beside them in anticipation))

”Well then? Melissa says. "Momo, Ochako, will I see you at the event?"

Ochako smiles. "You bet you will!"

Chapter Text

Yagi Toshinori, known to the public as All Might, moves the fingers of his new cybernetic arm. It is large and bulky like his “buff” state and moves just as easily as his original. While he fiddles with his new arms, David Shield scans his body.

“I must thank you, Dave,” Yagi says. “It’s almost as if I have my other arm again!” He picks up a metal bar laying beside him and crushes it in his metal palm, then smiles in satisfaction.

David gasps as he reads the Quirk energy readings.

“My remaining arm might still be able to punch harder, but at least now I might be able to go back to fighting villains with two hands.”

“Yagi I don’t get it!” Professor Shield exclaims. “Why are your Quirk energy levels decreasing so dramatically!”

Yagi sits up. 

“I know you suffered your great injury fighting All For One, but these numbers are absurd!” Professor Shield exclaims.

Yagi averts his eyes. He never told David Shield the truth about his power. About One For All. He always believed that the less people who know about the power the better, for their own protection. Especially regarding the people closest to you. Him telling David about his injury was hard enough. They mutually agreed to not even tell Melissa. And he knows his energy levels are decreasing even greater since he passed OFA onto Mirio, leaving him with just fading embers. But still, he can’t tell Dave that.

Yagi coughs. “I suppose if your a hero for a long time, then your body just starts to fall apart.”

David tenses his fist. All Might is supposed to be the symbol of peace, not just to Japan but the world. But these last five years, everything began to fall apart. Yagi was seriously injured by AFO, resulting in how body slowly breaking down and his his Quirk energy levels dropping. Resulting in his once tall and strong friend being reduced to this wisp before him. Then, most recently, he lost an arm to Shigaraki during the USJ Attack, and Endeavor of all people has replaced him as the Number One hero.

“When you were number one, crime in Japan was down to six percent,” Professor Shield says. “But ever since your injury, that percentage has steadily been increasing. Villain attacks are becoming more common now that the pillar of their society has been faltering. Pretty soon, Japan will be like every other country. Twenty percent crime rate, or even higher.”

Yagi approaches his friend from behind and pats him on the back. “I couldn’t stay number one forever. I was arrogant to think that I could carry on with my injury.” He averts his eyes. “If I hadn’t, maybe my students would not have died. But that is why I am training Mirio. I assure you, Dave, if anyone can take my place as the next symbol of peace, it is him.”

Professor Shield keeps his eyes fixed at the screen. To this day he remembers the first time he met Yagi. The young hero had just arrived from Japan. Saved him and several other scientists from a burning building. He repaid the favor by designing him a new suit (that didn’t fall apart from flames and expose his abs) and becoming his tech-support sidekick. He was inspiring. Incredible. 

“No one will ever replace you,” Professor Shield says. 

“Mirio will,” Yagi says. “He is skilled and strong. Trust me, I chose him as my protege for a reason. Anyway, things might look like they are getting bad now, but with so many capable pro heroes in the world, and the good men like you who support them, everything will be ok.”

Professor Shield can’t even look at him. 

The island speakers make a wide scale announcement. “The I-Expo preview will be closing at six pm. Thank you for coming. Enjoy your night.”

Yagi sighs. “Well, I suppose I should get ready. Where is my suit?”

As Yagi looks around for his hero costume, Professor Shield cant help but dwell on his old friends words. 

‘Mirio is a nice boy. But a Permeation Quirk isn’t enough to replace you. And how long can Japan last with someone like Endeavor as the Number One hero?’ Professor Shield thinks of Aktani, Wolfram, and the other actors. ‘I know now more than ever that I have to follow through with this. For the good of everyone. I just hope that Mirio won’t interfere too much.’

Far from the festivities and events of I-Island, Izuku tenses his fingers while pointing them downward. He smiles as he manages to crack the concrete in five different places. Izuku closes his fist, like he is grabbing something, and lifts a giant chunk of concrete into he air.

His eyes spark, and he closes his fist tighter, causing the concrete boulder he was levitating to crack into a dozen pieces.

Izuku laughs. "Incredible!" Izuku then points at a tree and easily lifts it from the roots up with a simple hand gesture. “The power build-up that the "Power" Quirk grants me can be applied to any Quirk I have copied.“

Izuku Midoriya. Quirk: Super-Power. Grants the user the ability to absorb and build up tremendous amounts of raw power, which can be converted into physical strength, durability, and speed. Or, it can be used to enhance any additional Quirks. A sub-ability of this Quirk is to either copy other Quirks through physical contact with DNA, which contains "sparks" of the Quirk energy. Or...

Izuku sets the tree down. He punches it, and the trunk shatters. Izuku smiles in amazement at his fist, which doesn't have a scratch on it.

"While also increasing my physical strength! It is like One For All!" He scans himself and analyzes his power levels, then frowns. "I'm still nowhere near as strong as Mirio. Though I suppose that is a given, since One For All had over a century to refine itself.”

Izuku removes his telekinesis patch. However, when he uses his Scan Quirk on that patch and his body, he sees something that makes him raise his eyebrows. The "spark" of Quirk energy in the patch is gone. Said spark is now swirling inside his body. Like a single glowing yellow spark in a swirling green fire.

"Huh? It stayed." Izuku, curious, then tries to condense his Quirk energy into that single Telekinesis "spark", and the spark rapidly grows into a fire.

"Wha-???" Izuku's jaw drops in amazement as he feels his telekinetic ability returning.

'I can feel my Telekinesis Quirk again!? Well, I mean, this isn't abnormal. Super-Copy allowed me to retain my Quirks for an hour. But still, I feel like I can control he amount of power the spark gets.’

Izuku purposely makes the "spark" of telekinesis grow bigger and smaller. He feels his power fluctuate as he does so.

'Copy Quirks make contact with other Quirks via contact with another source of Quirk Energy via physical contact or contact with DNA,’ Izuku reasons. 'The Copy Quirk mimics the foreign energy signature, and so the user can use the new Quirk for a period of. time. While the DNA contact itself tells the Quirk to modify the host as needed. Such a fireproof skin for fire Quirks. But Power Quirks ABSORB energy to convert into power so-' Izuku's eyes widen. "Wait...If Copy allows me to connect to Quirk energy and Power allows me to absorb, then could it be..."

Izuku quickly takes off his Scan patch. He sees, to his astonishment, that the spark of energy that was once in the patch is now gone, and swirling around inside him like the telekinesis spark. Though it is much bigger, likely since Izuku is still choosing to use it now.

"I...I can absorb the sparks...Keep the Quirk energy, forever." Izuku smiles. "I can use them whenever | want, AND make them strong if I need to! It's like One For All and All For One mixed together!" Izuku looks in amazement at his own hands. "This is-"

Izuku suddenly remembers that he was supposed to meet up with Wolfram a while ago.

"Oh, right, I have work to do!"

Izuku quickly rushes toward the villain’s hideout. However, as he walks, he excitedly scans the area for heroes with incredible Quirks to copy. While taking out his Quirk-Patch box and sticking a few onto his forearms.

As he digs down to the bottom of the container, he grabs a hold of a piece of string. Izuku furrows his eyebrows as he stares at it. 

‘Do I dare?’

Izuku Midoriya. Quirk: Super-Power. Grants the user the ability to absorb and build up tremendous amounts of raw power, which can be converted into physical strength, durability, speed, or be used to enhance any additional Quirks. A sub-ability of this Quirk is to either copy other Quirks through physical contact with DNA, which contains "sparks" of the Quirk energy. Or he can absorb Quirk energy and stockpile it inside his body so he can use a new Quirk whenever he wants.

Bakugo lays on his bed in his and Kirishima’s room. Kirishima is picking out nice clothes to wear to the I-Expo event, something that only he was interested in attending.

“Why would I want to go to a party that’s just a bunch of old geezers I don’t even know giving speeches?” Bakugo asks. “Sounds like a pretty lame night to me.”

“But we can eat as much gourmet foods as we want!” Kirishima says, happy.

Bakugo scoffs. “Well, it’s not like I brought any fancy clothes with me anyway.”

“I figured you wouldn’t.” 

Bakugo lifts his head. Kirishima is holding up two fancy suits. One is red, the other is a dark green color. Obviously, one was meant for Bakugo. Bakugo, on the other hand, thinks they are both ugly and hates that he doesn’t have an excuse to skip the event now.

“So I brought some stuff for you.”

“YOU SPIKEY HAIRED IDIOT!”

Kirishima uncharacteristically frowns. “If you don’t want to go to the party, then maybe we can talk instead?”

Bakugo grunts. “Talk about what?”

“Well-” Kirishima rubs his neck. “I was talking to Mina, and she mentioned something that her friend told her. About you bullying some kid named Midoriya in middle school.”

Bakugo’s eyes widen slightly. ‘Shit! What’s Kirishima going to think? Stupid Deku...’

“What of it?” Bakugo asks, irritated. “You gonna take his side? Call me a jerk?”

“Is this the same guy you were mad didn’t text you on your birthday, or after the villain attack at school?” Kirishima asks.

“I WASN’T MAD YOU MORON!” Bakugo shouts/denies. “I WAS JUST-” Bakugo grunts. “Yeah, it was him.”

“Ok,” Kirishima says. “I don’t approve of bullies, Bakubro. It’s not manly, at all. But I think you deserve to share your side of the story.”

Bakugo sits up completely. “Fine, here’s my side. The shitty Deku spent our entire lives looking down on me and mocking me. He thought I was weak. So I was making sure he knew I was strong. Ok!?”

“So...did he tease you like Kaminari does?” Kirishima asks.

Bakugo hesitates, then he speaks. “Well, no.”

Flashback: “Wow, Kacchan, you’re so cool!” little Izuku says as he follows him around.

“Did he ever call you weak?” Kirishima asks.

“It’s not something he directly said!” Bakugo says. “It’s just how he acted!”

“How?” Kirishima asks.

“IT’S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS! ALL RIGHT!?”

“No, Bakubro. If you were bullying someone, then I need a real reason you did so. You say this Midoriya guy was looking down on you, so I want to know how.”

Bakugo recalls Izuku offering him his hand when he fell into a stream when they were kids. And when he asked the heroes to take Bakugo to the ambulance after the Sludge Villain incident.

“He always acted like I needed help! Like I needed HIS help!” Bakugo grits his teeth.

“Mina said that you two used to be friends,” Kirishima says. “Friends show concern for each other, Bakubro. Would you not care if you thought I was hurt?”

Bakugo opens his mouth, stops himself, then grunts. “That's different! Deku was Quirkless! He was always weaker than me! And you don’t offer to help someone unless you think they are weaker than you!”

‘And yet you never even thought to help him, no matter how much he struggled. Admit it, you were a jerk to him your entire “friendship”, and that is the real reason why him trying to help you pisses you off. He’s just a better person. If he had a Quirk, HE would probably be the future number one hero, not you!’

Bakugo’s rage boils.

“So, he was trying to be nice to you. But you didn’t like it because it made you feel weak?”

“Yes.” Bakugo catches himself. “WAIT, I MEAN NO!”

Kirishima shakes his head. “Maybe he didn’t mean any harm, or to give off that impression. Did you ever consider talking with him instead of...you know...hurting him?”

“I TOLD HIM TO STOP LOOKING DOWN ON ME AND LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!”

“But did you stop, even after he did that?” Kirishima asks. “Or did he not do that?”

Bakugo opens his mouth to speak again. But his words die quickly.

“Dude, friends help each other out, even when they don’t really think they need it, just because it’s nice and they care,” Kirishima says with a smile. “And I think everyone needs help sometimes, and that doesn't mean you are weak. I mean, look at All Might. We all thought he was invincible, but then...you know.”

Bakugo’s anger dims down. He would never forget the shock of seeing his idol deflate into such a weak state in front of everyone. The sight of his arm crumbling by the bastard Shigaraki’s touch. The revelation that his time as a hero was running out thanks to an injury some unknown villain gave him years ago.

“It’s different for me,” Bakugo says. “I’m going to be the number one hero who surpasses prime All Might.”

“You couldn’t even beat one-armed crippled All Might,” Kirishima deadpans. “Though, you might have had a chance if you were willing to work with Todoroki. Or if Todoroki had used his fire.”

Bakugo grits his teeth as he remembers the First Term Final Exam. He had been paired off with Todoroki against All Might. Bakugo, of course, didn’t want to work with Todoroki and was confident enough in his abilities to out muscle All Might (especially with one of his arms missing). Todoroki didn’t want to use his flames. 

Flashback: Bakugo is pinned, fumming, under All Mights palm. His teacher looks down at him in disappointment as Todoroki lays pinned under a metal fence. “You had the right idea, aiming for my weak spot, Young Bakugo,” All Might says. “But your refusal to work with others and your partner's inability to use his full potential were your downfalls.”

“Shut...up...” Bakugo growls as tears fall from his eyes.

“I WOULD RATHER LOSE ON MY OWN THAN WIN BECAUSE OF SOME BASTARD WHO WON’T EVEN USE HIS FULL QUIRK ANYWAY!” Bakugo shouts. 

Kirishima sighs. “Listen, Bakubro. I love you, man, but you do tend to take things the wrong way sometimes. Again, maybe when we get back to Japan you can sit down with this guy and talk about your issues? Maybe it will give you a perspective you hadn’t seen before.”

“Oh, I already promised Deku I would see him again.” Bakugo jumps off his bed and snatches the red suit from Kirishima. “I’ll go to the party if you shut up!”

As he stomps away, Kirishima sighs. “It’s a start, I guess.”

Izuku’s phone dings. He curiously checks his messages. It is from Ochako.

Ochako: I’m headed to the expo now. Here’s the dress I’m wearing? What do you think?

Izuku’s eyes widen and he blushes as he sees the attached image. If is a selfie of her in her dress in the bathroom mirror. She is smiling and giving him a wave. He types back.

Izuku: It looks really good. Perfect.

Ochako: Oh STOP IT! YOU DON’T HAVE TO FLATTER ME SO MUCH! Thanks Izu-Kun! I can’t wait to talk to you when I get back. Wish you were here.

Izuku/“Akatani” feels guilt pang in his chest.

Izuku: Me too.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Ochako asks Asta, who is sitting on the couch with Mina. 

“Chako, I’m fine,” Asta says. “Me and Mina are watching TV together. She’s really cool. I was walking around all day, I don’t want to deal with a bunch of old geezers giving speeches. Besides, I didn’t bring any fancy clothes anyway.”

“Yeah,” says Mina. “We’re having a girls night.”

Ochako smiles. “Ok. Well, have fun. By girls.”

Asta, Mina, and the other girls in the room say bye to her as she leaves.

Flashback:

Izuku, wielding two long knives, slices through a Nomu with a furious expression on his face (he is dressed in a black sleeveless shirt and black pants, which have cuts in them). More Nomu gang up on him. Izuku evades them all and slices through each of them. A Nomu manages to cut his cheek, another shoots his shoulder with a laser, but Izuku heals and cuts them all down.

"Well done, Young-Midoriya," AFO tells Izuku, as Izuku drinks from his water bottle. "Your strength and reaction time are increasing with each round. Most of the time, you do not even need your Quirks. You can handle most Nomu all on your own."

Izuku faces a feminine Nomu who explodes her butt at him. Izuku leaps into the air to avoid the projectiles and throws his dagger at the back of the Nomu's head, which kills her. He rolls on the ground, while keeping his eye on the "robot" Nomu, looking at him. Izuku grabs a severed Nomu finger from his pocket, allowing him to copy one of its Quirks.

The "robot" Nomu catches Izuku in midair with his spatial distortion Quirk and begins to twist his arm. Izuku screams, but he throws his free dagger at the "robot" Nomu. The Nomu catches the dagger, but then points his hand at the Nomu and fires a beam of energy. The Nomu’s head explodes, and Izuku's arm heals once the Nomu falls. Izuku then telekinetically pulls the blades back into his palms and then faces the rest of the high-ends charging at him.

Izuku faces the Nomu. He evades most of their attacks, with his regeneration only healing minor cuts at most. He slices through the majority, but is forced to use copied Quirks such as laser beams, spatial distortion, and enhanced strength against the High-Ends. As he fights, as the adrenaline rushes through his veins, he recalls AFO's words to him.

"This society is rotten, but of course you already knew that. Back in my day, when Quirks first emerged, the word “Hero” was reserved for those who would risk their lives to save others. “Villain” was a word for evil beings who do heinous actions. Now, “Hero” has become a job title for anyone with a powerful Quirk to achieve, like your bully."

Izuku slices through a Nomu made from the body of Native.

"Meanwhile, “Villains” are anyone who performs minor crimes such as shoplifting, to even innocent civilians who have Quirks others deem particularly dangerous and terrifying."

Izuku plunges his fingers into a Nomu’s exposed brain. A look of intense fury on his face as he rips of in half.

Sometime later, Izuku is having lunch at a fast food place with Mustard, Spinner, and Himiko.

Mustard is rambling on about his school experiences. “And so this jerk would beat me up every day, and everyone would still say he has the potential to be a hero for having a strength Quirk, but I am a villain just because I produce mustard gas!?" Mustard yells. "Hell, the other students would cheer whenever the so-called-hero did that! The teachers didn't do shit!"

"And what about people with fire-Quirks?" Spinner asks. "Why is it that some dangerous Quirks are considered more heroic than others?” He crosses his arms. “It's completely stupid."

Izuku ponders hard throughout the whole conversation.

Later, Izuku re-watches a video of Mount Lady at her debut. She is being praised for capturing a giant villain. Who stole ONE purse. Even though Kumari Woods was already fighting him and her Canyon Cannon kick destroyed a building. Izuku has a scowl on his face. A file of the villain is beside Izuku, turns out that said villain became unemployed from his previous job because his appearance scared too many customers away.

AFO’s words ring in his ears. “Heroes and villains has become nothing more than a game for the public. People just love watching the fights. Painting their so-called heroes as perfect and villains as nothing but deplorable. They think it's entertainment. And so many others think the job is fun and want to join it for fame and glory."

Izuku recalls so many teachers telling Bakugo he will make an amazing hero when he is older, just because of his powerful Quirk.

"Is that the first thing everyone thinks of? Heroes?" Izuku now questions.

"No one helped me because they just assumed a hero or policeman would do it for them," said Tomura.

"My parents were scared of having an "abnormal" daughter with a scary blood Quirk and forced me to suppress it," said Himiko.

"Heroes get so much money and recognition when that money could be used to help the poor," said Mr. Compress.

Later, Izuku watches from atop a building as Mr. Blaster, roughly apprehends a criminal by stepping on his neck while he is on the ground. Izuku's eyes narrow.

He recalls AFO’s words: Back in my day, when Quirks first emerged, even those with minor meta abilities were feared and persecuted. Back then, Young-Midoriya, you would have thrived, and Katsuki Bakugo would be in prison for how he's treated you. But now, Heroes have made this society receptive to flashy and powerful Quirks. As soon as their abilities manifest, they are automatically deemed future heroes and given preferential treatment, no matter how badly they act. While you, as smart and kind as you were, are mocked, rejected, and abused for not having one. Where is the justice?"

Izuku recalls one other time he went to the principal for help with Bakugo: 

"Please! I can't keep going on like this! It's been seven months of non-stop beatings!" Izuku pleads, with a bandage on his nose. 

The principal sighs. "Look, I'm very busy." 

"But he's using his Quirk without a license," Izuku states. "Isn't that against the law!? Kachan destroyed a desk once! School property! And did he face ANY punishment for that!? You could at least call his parents and tell them he's acting out in school! You don't have to give any names, just say he's bullying someone!"

The principal shakes his head. "If I punish Bakugo in any way, it will have to be put on his record. And I am not going to punish this school’s star student just for bullying the one kid in this school that everyone picks on." 

Izuku stammers "B-But Kachan wants to be a hero! Do heroes-" 

Izuku is silenced as the principal uses his Quirk on him, to zip his mouth shut. 

"Heroes beat villains,” the principal says. “And he will definitely be good at that. I'm just going to be honest, Midoriya. You will never be a hero. You'll never be important or successful. Anything you can do, there is someone else who can do the job better. Sure, you're smart, but guess what, Bakugo is even smarter. HE will be the one who succeeds, just you watch." 

Izuku cries as his mind flashes back to all the other kids in his class laughing at him, calling him a loser, and even writing "Quirkless" and "useless" on his desk.

Back on the rooftop. 

Izuku watches with narrowed eyes at the explosion hero as he receives praise from the crowd, while the police officers take the criminal away.

'Mr. Blaster,' Izuku thinks. 'Creates blasts from his hands (like Bakugo). Known for being overly aggressive and rough with civilians and villains alike (Like Bakugo). Recorded to have bullied students with Quirks he deemed weaker in school (ike Bakugo), and now has multiple cases for unnecessary violence against low-level threats, even resulting in a couple of avoidable deaths. I have NO idea why this guy still has a license. Kurogiri said he's been warned multiple times and even had it suspended, but he keeps getting it back thanks to his high-performance record.’

Mr. Blaster creates explosions in his hands to please the crowd.

As soon as Izuku sees them. As soon as Izuku hears the blasts. He falls back and lands on the roof, clutching his racing heart. His mind flashes back to all the times Bakugo tormented him, hurt him, and burned him with his explosions from kindergarten throughout middle school.

‘God, what has happened to me?’ Izuku thinks, shameful of how much he has let Bakugo affect him.

He narrows his eyes, sits back up, and gazes down at Mr. Blaster as he enters his car.

‘Shigaraki said that I have to prove myself by killing a hero in my right frame of mind. Kurogiri recommended him. Assured me it would be therapeutic. I suppose he deserves it for the people he's killed unjustly. Even if the media spun it into him taking down "villains" by any means.’

Izuku makes his move.

Mr. Blaster pulls into his driveway at his home, only to find Izuku (wearing a black face mask, a black hooded jacket, and sunglasses) waiting for him. Mr. Blaster growls and yells out his car window.

“Hey! Get off my property, kid!"

Izuku stares at him silently and doesn't move.

Mr. Blaster growls. "What's with the get-up? If your some kind of villain I'll kick your ass! Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're a punk!"

Izuku says nothing. He just holds up a knife. 

Mr. Blaster smirks and exits his car, cracking his knuckles. "Ok, kid. You asked for it."

Izuku then puts the knife away and throws a bottle at Mr. Blaster. The contents spill all over the blasting hero, and Izuku runs away.

Mr. Blaster sniffs the contents. "What the hell is this!? Piss!? IS THIS SOME KIND OF PRANK!? YOUR DEAD YOU LITTLE SH-"

Mr. Blaster doesn't get to finish his sentence before he activates his Quirk and his whole body explodes. Mr. Blaster’s entire driveway goes up in flames.

Sirens go off, and all the neighbors turn on their lights.

Izuku runs, and Kurogiri appears before him in a Warp Gate to grab him before wrapping them both away.

Izuku later sits at the bar, drinking a soda while facing Shigaraki. Mange, Mr. Compress, Himiko, Spinner, Twice, Mustard, Muscular, and Moonish sit around them.

"It was pure concentrated nitroglycerine, mixed with yellow dye and a foul-smelling chemical," Izuku explains. "I just threw it on him, ran, and let his temper kill himself."

The villains laugh (except for Mr. Compress, Muscular, and Moonfish).

"Well, at least it wasn't real urine," Mr. Compress says.

Izuku shakes his head. “No, that would have been too gross. Plus, I didn’t want any DNA that could be salvaged and traced back to me.”

"So, how did it feel killing a hero like that?" Magne asks.

Izuku smiles. "You know, I'm ashamed to say this, but it actually felt a little refreshing. Still don't think I am over explosions though."

Kurogiri pats his shoulder. "We will have therapy sessions for that."

"You didn't kill him the right way," Muscular scoffs. "You threw liquid on him and RAN! Coward."

“I know.” Izuku sips from his drink, then his eyes become intense but his smile remains on his face. “But the idea that Blaster killed himself, due to his own praised Quirk and temper, was all the more satisfying than doing it myself.”

Shigaraki raises his glass. “The important thing is that Deku is one of us.”

Himiko raises her knife. “Now you can go after that Bakugo guy!"

"No." Izuku takes another sip of his drink, and the other villains look at him confused.

"Why not?” Dabi asks.

Izuku raises a finger. “First of all, Auntie and Uncle would be devastated.”

"Fuck em!" says Shigaraki.

"Just kill them too," says Dabi.

"No, and No," says Izuku, "Secondly, Bakugo never tried to kill me, and I'm 80% sure he didn't actually mean the roof thing. Plus, he's left me alone since before graduation, so I prefer to just avoid him and move on."

"He's training to be a hero," Mustard reminds him.

"Yeah!" Himiko shouts. "Come on, Deku-Kun, if anyone deserves to kill him, it's you! We can do it together! Heck, if you want, I can turn into you and do it! It will be fun!"

"No, Young-Midoriya is right," Mr. Compress says. “One should not kill merely because they want to, or to vent negative feelings. We may be villains and criminals, but we must maintain a level of civility and standards.“

"That's right," Izuku says. "Now, if we end up fighting Bakugo, I will do what I have to, but I won’t hunt him or anyone down just for revenge. I may be a villain now. I became a villain the day I killed Shining Knight. And if you guys say you want to change society, I will help in any way. But I’m going to set up some rules.” Izuku counts on his fingers. "I won’t harm civilians. I won’t kill someone I don't think deserves it, and that includes real heroes. I am willing to take down and/or kill All Might just because he's a symbol of this fucked up society, but I won't kill anyone I don't have to. Got it?"

Dabi rolls his eyes while Muscular grunts.

"I suppose that's fair," Spinner says. "We must remember to follow Stain’s ideals."

Shigaraki grunts and puts down his drink. "Fine."

Present:

Izuku/“Akatani” looks down at his chest and sees all the Quirk sparks he has accumulated inside him. Swirling around like a large, multi-colored snowglobe.

‘I’ve changed a lot since then,’ Izuku thinks. ‘And now, I am going to get that Amplification device. Still, I need to make sure that no one on this island that doesn’t have to gets hurt.’

Izuku watches at the hacker presses the button on his laptop that makes the entire security system for the island go off. Security drones are deployed while the announcement goes off saying there is a bomb threat. 

Wolfgang laughs and holds up Izuku’s/“Akatani’s” Quirk Nullification Gun. “Time to move.”

Izuku nods and walks alongside Wolfram and the other villains. 

‘I should check on Ochako. Also Mirio and the others.’

Using his Scan Quirk, Izuku sees everyone on the island at once, or rather everyone who has a Quirk at once.

Uraraka’s friend with the weapon Quirk is in her hotel room with a couple other girls. 

Mirio is entering one of the lobbies near the event, where Kaminari, Sero the girl with the Earphone-Jacks, and the girl with the Creation ability are entering. And so is Ochako.

‘Ochako? Oh, she’s so close to the event. At least they aren’t inside. Knowing her she will want to help out. She’s so amazing and beautiful like that. So I’ll need to watch her to make sure she doesn’t get hurt. Hopefully when Wolfram takes control of the island, the security measure will be enough to stop her from getting through. Bakugo and the guy with the hardening Quirk are on the move. They might be an issue. I’ll just keep my eye on them, but right now I need to focus on the REAL concern.’

Izuku narrows his eyes on the “Mirio” dott that reads “Permeation” and “OFA” (that bit is added in thanks to Izuku’s knowledge of the Quirk).

‘Mirio should have a Provisional License now. And I highly doubt he’s going to stand by while the whole island is being threatened.’ Izuku starts brainstorming ideas. ‘Wolfram plans to make a big scene when we ambush the event and he activates the restraints. Given his proximity, Mirio will likely target Wolfram using his Phantom Menace technique. Pop up right behind him and take him out to receive the trigger before using his One For All enhanced speed to take out me and the rest of the villains. I can take him out with Erasure and Telekinesis as soon as he pops up behind Wolfram, then have the energy bids restrain him along with the other heroes. That should work given the electrical current to keep permeation from phasing him out. But at the same time, if I use multiple Quirks at once then both Professor Shield and Wolfram will know something is up. I need to-’ 

“Kid will you stop your mumbling!” The Sword-Arm villain asks Izuku/“Akatani” as they walk beside each other. “I can barely hear myself think as you keep muttering gibberish.”

Izuku’s eyes widen. “I was mumbling? Sorry, I do that!”

Sword-Arm scoffs. 

‘Good thing he didn’t understand any of that. I need to be careful.’ His eyes focus on the Erasure gun, dangling by Wolfram’s side. 

“Wolfram, can I borrow the Erasure gun?” Izuku/“Akatani” asks.

“What?” Wolfram grabs it, defensively. “No! It’s mine!”

“It is MINE!” Izuku/“Akatani” states. “I made it. I’m just letting you borrow it.”
“But this is MY heist,” Wolfram says. “And as long as YOU are around, this baby isn’t leaving my side. What do you want it for, anyway?”

Izuku/“Akatani” sighs. “Nothing,” he says, not wanting to come off suspicious.

Wolfram narrows his eyes at him before looking forward. 

‘I’ll just nab it when we enter the event.’

Ochako walks into the lobby. She is wearing a pretty pink and white dress with a short skirt. Something she is proud to say she was able to buy with her OWN money. Something she is grateful to the MLA for.

“Sorry I’m late, everyone,” Ochako says as she walks in. “It took me a while to get ready.”

Mirio, Kaminari, Sero, and Todoroki are already there. Mirio is wearing a yellow suit. Shoto’s is white. Kaminari and Sero are wearing their waiter uniforms. 

Kaminari and Sero compliment her appearance in an over-the-top way, making her feel a bit embarrassed. 

Jiro and Momo enter the lobby as well. Momo is wearing a green dress that articulates her ample cleavage. Jiro is wearing a rocker-style cool dress composed of a pink skirt and a black jacket. 

“Apologies for the tardiness,” Momo says. “Heroes feeling shy.”

Sero and Kaminari both shout “jackpot”.

Jiro states that this was the fanciest thing she ever worn before. Kaminari makes a crass comment, and Jiro responds by putting her jacks into their ears and turning up the volume. 

Ochako chuckles at the display.

“It was a compliment,” Sero says.

“No, it wasn’t,” says Jiro.

“You guys are lucky Asta isn’t here,” Ochako says. “She’d probably kill you...”

Next, Melissa runs into the lobby. She is wearing a blue strapless with a white skirt and a black belt sash. She isn’t wearing her glasses (maybe contacts) and her hair is done in a beautiful ponytail.

“Oh good! I thought I was going to miss you guys! Lets get downstairs to the party!”

Melissa is stunning. Ochako feels a bit of jealousy creep up inside her, and she is suddenly glad that Izuku isn’t here. Especially when Sero and Kaminai gush over her.

“These tickets were a mistake,” Jiro says in response to the two boys display.

“Well, it looks like we are all here!” Mirio says. “Come on! I want to see All Mights new arm!”

“Moron, you’re absolutely positive we’re going the right direction?” Bakugo asks Kirishima as he follows him down a hallway.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m pretty sure we are.”

This angers Bakugo. “You’re pretty sure?”

Kirishima rubs the back of his neck. “Well I left my phone back in the room so we’re going on instinct here.”

‘Wow, they are way off,’ Izuku/ “Akatani” thinks, watching Bakugo and Kirishima with his Scan Quirk. ‘Oh well, I’ll just have to deal with them later. Right now I have to keep focuses on Mirio.’ 

Meanwhile, at the Expo.

All the heroes on the island are gathered in the room. There are massive spreads of food and the whole area is decorated magnificently. There is Mr. Plastic. A bee-heroine. And a woman with peacock feathers. The announcer just asked All Might to come up on stage (at David Shield’s request). His fellow heroes clap for him as he stands up on the stage, in his super suit, sporting his new metal arm and a black glove to cover the hand.

“It is truly a pleasure to be here!” All Might says on the stage. “I know this year has not been the best and speeches aren’t really my thing. But-”

Right then, the security alarm turns on. The big screen turns red and reads “Emergency”. 

“THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE I-ISLAND SECURITY SYSTEM. WE HAVE RECEIVED A REPORT THAT AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE HAS BEEN DISCOVERED SOMEWHERE ON THE I-EXPO GROUNDS.”

As the message is broadcasted over the island. Security drones move out to secure everyone on the streets to lead them back to their rooms. Warning them that any other actions would be a violation of the law. Everyone in their hotel rooms is warned to stay where they are. 

Back at the girls room. Mina sits on the bed along with Asta and Toru (the invisible girl).

“A bomb?” Asta asks.
“Oh man,” says Toru.

“I hope no one is hurt,” says Mina.

“Should we help?” Asta asks.

Mina looks down. She thinks about Tsyu, how she died from villains. Meanwhile, SHE has become a vigilante and Asta said she’s already working as a sidekick. 

“I think it’s for the best that we let the pros and security deal with it,” says Toru. “They know more than we do. We don’t want to get in the way.”
Asta shrugs. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.” She picks up her phone and growls. “No signal? Aw man! Now I can’t call Ochako! Or go on the internet! This bites.”

“Looks like we’re roughin it, ladies,” Toru says, holding up a stack of Uno cards.

The metal doors open and Izuku/“Akatani” walks in beside Wolfram and the other villains. Wolfram’s other men are already holding the attendance at gunpoint. 

“Incase you haven’t figured out what's going on, the security system is under our control,” Wolfram says as he strodes into the event.

As Wolfram gives his warning about setting off an explosion unless the people in the room do as he says as Izuku scans the area. 

‘So, this is what it is to be a villain? People in danger? People scared for their lives?’ Again, he feels some guilt. ‘It’s fine. No one is going to argue with Wolfram. I need to focus on Mirio.’

Wolfram warns the attendees about making the security senties attack the civilians unless they do as he says.

“So, I’d play nice,” Wolfram says as he waves the Erasure gun in the air. “Because everyone on this island is now my hostage.”

Izuku narrows his eyes at All Might on stage.

‘The former number one hero. My former idol.’

Izuku feels a pain fill up inside him as he remembers the harsh truth he told him on that roof. He dread that just him being here gives him.

“Naturally, that includes all of you.”

Wolfram activates his communicator and tells Hacker to “do it”. Strands of energy emerge out of the ground and wrap all the heroes up, including All Might.

“Hey, you’re that kid from before!” Ingenium says, noticing Izuku/“Akatani” as he turns his head. “You’re a villain!? So what was that you told be before about my brother? Some kind of sick joke?”

“Hey, didn’t I bump into you earlier?” Pankration asks.

“We shook hands,” says another hero.

Wolfram gives Izuku/“Akatani” a sideways glance. “Really got around. Haven’t you?”

“Crap!” All Might shouts as he struggles to break free. 

Izuku/“Akatani” follows Wolfram onto the stage where All Might is. He keeps his eyes scanning for Mirio the entire time. He locates him, moving fast, right under the stage. 

“If you take so much as a step, I’ll kill everyone in this room,” Wolfram says.

All Might growls. “What? With some toy gun?”

Wolfram lowers his hand with the Erasure gun and takes out a normal handgun.

“There. You happy now?” Wolfram asks before kicking All Might down.

‘A bomb? This can’t be happening?’ Ochako thinks. ‘Now I’m REALLY glad Izuku isn’t here!’

“It’s strange that the island would go on high alert,” Melissa says. “That isn’t the protocol when explosives are discovered.”

Mirio narrows his eyes. “Something fishy. Everyone stay where they are. I’ll be back.”

Mirio says as he phases into the ground.

“I think we should check this out too,” says Ochako.

“We can use the emergency stairs,” says Melissa.

“If you stay quiet, there’s no reason to hurt anyone,” Wolfram says.

Meanwhile, Izuku/“Akatani” continues his survey for Mirio. Finally, he locates the Comedy Hero. He is currently right above them, phasing his face through the ground and walls. Izuku doesn’t even have to look up to know Mirio is now looking down at them from above.

‘This is it,’ Izuku thinks as he walks beside Wolfram.

“We plan to release you safely when the time is right,” Wolfram says. “And will you stop following me, kid?” 

“What are you criminals after!?” Mr. Plastic asks, only to be kicked down by Wolfram.

Izuku/“Akatani” Quickly snatches the Erasure gun from Wolfram’s side and steps back while pointing it.

“What are you doing, kid!?” Wolfram asks, pointing his handgun at him.

Just then Mirio phases out of the ground behind him. His body sparking with the energy of OFA. Wolfram barely catches it out of the corner of his eye. 

Seeing it coming, Izuku/“Akatani” fires the Erasure gun. The beam goes past Wolfram and hits Mirio. Mirio screams as he is knocked to the ground.

“Young Togata!” All Might shouts. 

Wolfram touches the ground and activates his Quirk. Metal pipes burst out of the ground and wrap around Mirio. 

“Hey!” Mirio struggles and tries to break free, but fails. “What's going on?” Mirio notices “Akatani” and growls. “You. You’re that guy from earlier.”

“I guess a guy in a suit and a facemask would be easy to recognize,” Izuku/“Akatani” deadpans as he takes out a pair of cuffs from his pocket.

“What did you hit me with?” Mirio asks. “I feel...strange.”

Izuku/“Akatani” places the cuff on his wrist. A light turns on.

“What I hit you with was an Erasure gun of my own design,” Izuku/“Akatani” says. “Your Quirk is now disabled for ten minutes. And this cuff will keep you from using your Quirk even after that.”

Mirio’s eyes widen at him.

Wolfram takes the gun back and narrows his eyes at “Akatani”. 

“How did you know he was there?”

“You’re welcome,” Izuku/“Akatani” says simply. “Now don’t worry, everyone! As long as you do what we say, no one will get hurt! So, please, just stay where you are and do as we say. There's no reason for this to get bloody.”

All Might gazes at the young villain. ‘That tone. Is he...actually concerned for the people's safety?’

Izuku/“Akatani” sighs. 

‘Good. The biggest threat is secured.’ He continues scanning, all while Wolfram continues his skit with Abraham and Professor Shield. ‘Now, for any others.’

Izuku’s Scan picks up Earphone Jacks where Mirio was before. Now, she is leaving.

‘She’s going to tell Ochako and the others what’s happening,’ Izuku realizes. ‘Ochako is going to get involved after all. I trust the security measures to keep them out, but I’ll keep my eye on them just in case.’

Soon enough. The villains and scientists are all walking to where the device is being held. With the two scientists as their “hostages”. Professor Shield lets out a happy sigh as he walks alongside Samuel Abraham, Izuku/"Akatani", Wolfram, and the other villains.

“Hey, guys, I just want to say that was a great performance there," Professor Shield says. “You guys really sold the villain look. And Wolfram, nice touch you added about threatening my daughter." He lets out a hoarse laugh. "Oh, I would have been so scared if all that was real."

‘Poor bastard,’ Izuku internally sighs.

"Let's just get the device, David," Samuel says.

“Right, of course,” Professor Shield says, before turning to Izuku/“Akatani”. "I must say, you're a genius, Akatani. A device that can nullify Quirks? You will HAVE to give me the blueprints when this is over. I can get it patented for you. We can see it, together.” 

“Don’t bother,” Abraham says. “It might be deemed too dangerous and you’ll get nothing. I mean…you might get your hard work taken away from you like our project was.”

“Melissa would love to analyze a device like that,” Professor Shield says. “I could offer you an internship.”

Izuku/"Akatani" shrugs. “I’ll think about it.”

Chapter Text

“Wait, Akatani is a villain?" Sero asks.

Beside him, Kaminari is just as shocked.

Ochako nods. "It's true. Jiro and I saw him take down Mirio with this weird gun."

Flashback: Jiro listens in with her Earphone jacks while Ochako watches "Akatani" exchange with Wolfram and subdue Mirio. Ochako's eyes widen in surprise, then she ducks when he turns in her direction.

(Present)

"He said it was a gun that temporarily disables Quirks," Jiro says. “Like Mr. Aizawa's Erasure."

Ochako looks down. “I can't believe he's a villain. He seemed so nice.”

Jiro shrugs. "Well, he seemed a lot more civil than those other guys."

“It doesn't matter, he's still a villain,” Shoto says.

"And he's helping the men who are taking my dad hostage," Melissa says.

“What do we do?” Jiro asks. “The rest of us don’t have our hero licenses.”

Ochako frowns. “So what? Just because you don't have a stupid license, you aren't going to do anything when someone needs help? Even if I didn't have a license, I would say that we still need to try. People's lives are on the line, so would it really be right to just stand back and do nothing?”

Todoroki clenches his hand. “Ochako is right. We can’t just do nothing.”

Momo nods. “Agreed.”

“Wait, you have a license, Uraraka?” Kaminari asks.

“Yeah.”

Flashback: Ochako sits at her desk while her teacher passes around forms asking for her name, age, Quirk, etc. She fills it out, submits it back, and one day later she is given a license.

(Present)

“Wait, I have an idea, why don’t we just tell the heroes outside?” Kaminari suggests.

“Escaping won’t be easy,” says Melissa. “But if we can just disable the security system on the top floor of this tower, then we can free Uncle Might and the rest of the heroes so they can stop the villains."

“So we know what to do,” Ochako says.

“Still, most of the enemies will be on the top floor,” says Momo.

“But if we’re fast, we won’t have to fight them,” Ochako says. “And if we do…leave it to me. Don’t worry, I have experience fighting villains through my work as an intern sidekick. I have inversion bracelets and everything. The rest of you can just worry about disabling the security system.”

Kaminari nods. “All right then. Count me in.”

“Me too,” says Sero.

“I’ll come as well,” says Melissa.

“Melissa, no,” Ochako says. “It would be too dangerous for you. You don't have a Quirk." Ochako blushes. “I mean, no offense, but...um...do you have a weapon or fighting skills or anything?”

Momo creates a gun from her cleavage and hands it to Melissa, who awkwardly takes it.

“Um, thank you," Melissa says. "And, you’re right. I don't have any combat experience. Or...experience shooting a gun. And I don't have a Quirk, let alone one suited for combat, but I know how to turn off the security system. And if my dad is in trouble, I want to help."

Ochako smiles and nods.

Unbeknownst to any of them, a spiritual essence is watching them. It phases through the walls and back to its body.

‘Of course, Ochako would want to help,’ Izuku thinks with fondness and worry. ‘She's wonderful like that. Don't worry, Izuku, it will be fine. They can't get passed the security measures.’

The elevator door opens, and Izuku steps out with Wolfram, the professors, and the villains. They are freeted by several men with guns.

“Hurry up and unlock the vault,” Professor Shield says. “I want to stop this charade as soon as possible.”

“You’re not the boss here,” Sword Arms puts his blade to Professor Shield’s neck.

“Akatani” grabs Sword Arms’ arm and lowers it.

“So nice of you to stay in character. But there’s no need since we’re alone,” “Akatani” says, stressing the part that they are supposed to be playing a charade to the villain.

Sword Arm puts his blade away. “Right. Sorry.”

“Akatani” rolls his eyes. ‘Thugs.’

As Wolfram and the villains oversee Professor Shield and Samuel as they work to unlock the containment unit for the device, Izuku/“Akatani" uses his Scan Quirk to monitor three groups.

All Might and Mirio are still restrained in the expo with he other heroes. But the large accumulation of Quirks in the area gives Izuku a headache.

‘I’m sure they will be like that for a while,’ Izuku thinks. ‘The two biggest threats are out of the way, so let's focus on groups Bakugo and Ochako.’

Bakugo and Kirishima are on the move.

‘They are on the eightieth floor, and it looks like they are headed toward the lounging area. The elevators are locked, so only we can use them. Still, Bakugo could probably use his quirk to simulate flight and reach us from outside the building. I’d better keep an eye on them. Now, Ochako and the U.A. students.’

Ochako and Co. are currently walking up the stairs.

‘Dang it! They got through one of the barriers. They are making their way up. Still, the shuttle will keep them from going passed floor eighty. They will end up meeting Bakugo and Kaminari in the main room. If the two groups work together, there could be a problem.’ Izuku’s eyes widen. ‘Wait, but if they open the door, then it will alert Wolfram. Then he’ll send his guys to fight them and Ochako could get hurt. I need to do something.'

“I'm going to the bathroom," Izuku/“Akatani" says abruptly before leaving.

“Hey! No, you're not!" Wolfram says. "Stay here where I can see you!"

“Jeeze, let the kid have some privacy," Professor Shield says as he works.

Izuku/"Akatani" leaves the room and walks down the hall toward the mens bathroom. Once he is inside, he goes into one of the stalls. Then he uses Twice's Double Quirk to create a clone of himself. He holds his palm out, lets his body generate the sand, gauges his body measurements, and a clone of him appears. Down to his black mask.

"Now that we have fully assimilated the Quirk, we should have better control over it," the clone says.

Izuku nods. "So, you take care of the others while I stay here?"

The clone shakes his head. “Maybe I should be the one to stay here in case Wolfram decides to shoot us. That way YOU aren't rendered powerless and I wont disintegrate early.”

"Oh, good idea."

And with that, Izuku/"Akatani" pinpoints the coordinates to the main section of the floor. He uses Kurogiri's Warp Gate to open a portal, and he steps through. His clone gives him a salute send-off and then walks to the sink to wash his hands.

Izuku/“Akatani” steps through his portal and ends up in the center of the main section of the 80th floor. It is a big open space with seating, trees and beautiful plants.

“Hmm, nice place," Izuku says.

He activates his Scan Quirk.

“Ok. Bakugo and Kirishima will be arriving here any minute now. I’d better check in on Ochako."

Once again, Izuku uses his new Spirit Possession Quirk to expel a green (but invisible to anyone else, energy version of himself that flies around the room and phases through the walls.

‘Thank you, Nyikang!’

“How much further?" Ochako asks.

Her legs are killing her. After Shoto kept that shutter from closing completely with his ice, and she threw Momo through the opening so she could destroy another barrier with a missile (which she thanked Asta for teaching her) made from her body. Since then, she and the others have been walking up flights of stairs to reach the top floor.

“We're on floor 30,” Melissa says, huffing behind her. "The top floor is the 200.”

"What!?" Sero shouts. "That's way too many stairs.”

"We have to keep going," says Momo.

Ochako pushes herself forward as they go up floors forty and fifty, and sixty.

"Do you want me to use my Quirk to help you, Melissa?" Ochako asks.

Melissa breathes heavily but smiles. “I’m fine, but thanks anyway."

Ochako smiles, admiring her determination, and keeps running up the stairs. They pass floors sixty and seventy.

‘Come on, you can do it Ochako,’ Ochako tells herself, as she continues her climb. ‘Climbing stairs isn't the hardest thing you've ever done.' She clenches her teeth and stares at the steps. ‘When we face the villains, I might have to kill to protect Melissa. That's fine, I've had to stain my hands before.’

Flashback:

Ochako is training with her friends at Deika Academy. She hovers, then makes her gauntlets weigh thousands of pounds before smashing into the ground. She lifts and throws large chunks of debris before making them heavy again. And she restrains people by wrapping them in cables them making them float.

After training, she joins her friends and fellow classmates for History class.

“And so, to ease public panic during this early time, the government passed the law that meta abilities not be used in public,” says the history teacher, a dolphin-like mutant. “So WHY keep a law meant to subjugate metas now?”

Ochako frowns.

In another instance during “History" class, Ochako read about instances on the news where civilians were fined or arrested for using their Quirks in public, even when they had decent reasons.

'Are you kidding!?' Ochako thinks. ‘This guy was defending himself from a villain! What was he supposed to do, NOT use his fire Quirk!?’

Apparently, the chief of police (some dog-headed mutant) declared that ANY usage of quirks in public without a license, or as he put it, “bending the law if it is convenient”, is unacceptable.

‘This guy was trapped under rubble, and there were no heroes around. AND he had a super strength Quirk, so WHY was he fined? That shouldn't make him a villain! I bet it was also because he was a mutant too.’

‘Ok, this guy I get. He wasn't able to stop that guy from falling, and he got in the way of a hero...But he was double-fined for both, and it put his family in a lot of financial turmoil! (actually, Mr. Tobita's situation kinda reminds me of my own).’

And then there was Ethics, with a blonde female teacher.

"So how is it fair for a person to have to pay hundreds of dollars in hospital bills even if they have a healing Quirk, JUST because they don't have a license?” the teacher asks the class. “How is it fair that some specific kinds of Quirks are valued enough for you to be able to get a license, without being a hero, while others are not?"

Shinso also talked about someone he met at the mall with a Conjure Quirk. Who had been was turned down from multiple jobs because of it. Hearing of this made Ochako angrier.

Sometime after these lessons.

Ochako soared through the city, thanks to the air-pressure jets within her boots and her use of her gravitational Quirk on herself. Her mentor, Slide N’Go, is sliding on top of the building beside her.

“You were very good handling those villains, Uravity." Slide N’Go says.

"Thanks, I'm glad that my cords worked," Uravity says.

"The police should pick them up soon," says Slide N’Go. "Just one more stop, and we can call it a night."

There is an awkward silence between them.

"So, uh, the boss told me that you stopped by his office to ask him a question earlier this week." Slide N’Go says.

Ochako looks down. “I was just curious."

Slide N’Go stops moving. Uravity realizes he has stopped and turns around. Slide N’Go sits on the edge of a building. He motions for her to sit by him.

"Come, let’s talk."

A little anxious, Uravity floats to where her mentor is, undoes her gravity Quirk on herself, and sits beside him.

“Uraraka, what’s wrong?" Slide N'Go says. "You can tell me."

Ochako sighs. “It's nothing much. It's just. Well, you know l agreed to join the Army to help my family, and so that people won’t have to be restricted in using their Quirks to help others. But, it's just that a lot of the other members are...bigots. I mean, I love Asta and Ai, they are great. Shinso is ok, and so is Neito. But we have to keep Momo constantly convinced, aka brainwashed, to keep her here. And a lot of other members like Geten want a Quirk hierarchy. I don’t agree that a person’s status should be solely based on Quirks, and I'm not just saying that because of Midoriya. And then I asked my parents what they would think of what we're doing, hypothetically and..." Ochako sighs and grabs her knees. “They would be so disappointed in me.”

Slide N'Go pats her back. "Don't worry about Geten. Re-Destro is close with a man at his work whose only Quirk is that he has bear-like traits. So you don't have to worry about Quirk hierarchies."

Ochako chuckles.

"As for your parents, I am sorry but I can’t empathize with that,” Slide N’Go admits. “Both my parents were Army members as well. But I can say this much." Slide N’Go grabs her hand. "In life, we make our own choices based on what we think is right. And it's our choice whether or not to fight for it. I brought you in because I saw a brave girl ready to fight for what she thinks is right, and you will be the hero you choose to be."

Ochako frowns. "I still think about that Creature Rejection Clan guy. The one I killed in cold blood. I know he was a bad person, but still." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can do something like that again."

"Then you don't have to," says Slide N'Go. "You said you wanna do damage control, remember? Asta and Geten can handle the dirty work. You just help out in any way you can.” Slide N’Go smiles. “And don't worry about Momo, she'll come around sooner or later on her own. All right?"

Ochako nods. "All right. Thank you, I feel better."

"Good. The Army needs more good people like you. But just to make sure you remember the cause, the boss wanted me to show you something."

Ochako looks at him curiously. "What?"

"It's our next stop." Slide N'Go stands up. "Come."

Uravity and Slide N'Go arrive outside an apartment in the slums. Slide N'Go points through the window and inside is a man with glasses examining a lizard mutant woman's cut arm. It is black, and the woman is uncomfortable, indicating it is infected.

"Oh, poor woman," Ochako says.

"Yes, this mutant is one of many people in this area who can't afford to go to a regular doctor," Slide N'Go says. "That is why they all come to this man."

The man places his hand over the woman’s cut. His hand glows, and when he pulls his hand away, the cut is gone. The woman smiles and hugs the man.

Ochako coos. "Awww."

"Yeah, that's nice of him," Slide N'Go says. "But unfortunately, he made some mistakes when he was younger. Hung out with a bad crowd. Went to juvie. He's also still a little messed up in the head. That's why he failed to get his Quirk License."

Ochako turns to him. "He's doing this illegally?"

"Yep," says Slide N'Go. "I know of another instance where a little girl used her healing Quirk on her brother after he broke his leg. Unfortunately, it was in front of a cop, and her family was fined."

"For helping her brother!?" Ochako shouts.

"She was too young to have a license," says Slide N'Go. "As far as the current laws are concerned, using your Quirk without a license for any reason, even for a good cause, makes you no different than a villain. And if this man is ever found out, he will be fined or arrested as well. And then what about all these people here who depend on him?"

Ochako frowns. "That isn't right."

Slide N'Go smiles. "So, can you say you would fight for this man if you had to?"

Ochako nods. “Yes, I would.”

Slide N’Go chuckles.

Ochako sighs. “You know... Endeavor, the current Number One hero, isn't very lax about that rule either. I remember that instance years ago where these terrorists kept injecting people with Trigger drugs to make their Quirks activate. Endeavor was one of the heroes who wanted them arrested anyway, because they technically broke the law."

Slide N'Go nods. "Yes, we are well aware. That is why he will be one of our biggest obstacles."

"He's also Shoto's father, and Momo is with us to help Shoto.” Ochako growls. “According to her, he’s not a great father either.”

"Momo is helping us achieve our goals legally," Slide N'Go reminds her. "With any luck, she'll be successful!"

For two weeks, Ochako returned to that apartment in the slums where that man was treating people illegally with his Healing Quirk. Whenever he and Slide N’Go would go by, she would zip down just to watch him.

One day, Ochako smiles at the sight of him healing a four-armed mutant’s busted arm.

Another day, she smiles at seeing him heal a sickly-looking girl with a bald head.

However, Ochako's smile falters over the next few weeks when he notices that the girl keeps returning.

Finally, one day, after the girl leaves, Ochako knocks on the window. The man with the healing Quirk notices her and opens the window.

“Oh, um, hello... Miss," the man says, hesitantly.

‘It turned out that girl had Cancer and needed repetitive treatments to stay alive.’

Ochako is told this by the man as they sit at his kitchen table.

‘I confirmed it with the girl’s mother. That she had taken her daughter to a doctor before, with a similar healing Quirk, who said it would take years of constant treatments. They were lucky to be able to find someone to do it for free, or else there is no way they would have been able to afford it.’

Ochako stands before the mother in her doorway. She spots the little girl hiding behind her mother’s legs, and Ochako smiles at her. The girl smiles back.

‘But, unfortunately, not everyone understood that.’

Days later, Ochako arrives at the man’s apartment, where a police officer is apprehending him.

“W-What’s going on here?” Ochako asks, hesitantly.

“Ah, a sidekick,” the officer says. “Glad you are here. This man was using his Quirk illegally. He’s ignored the last three warnings, so now I’m taking him in.”

“I paid the fines!” the healer says.

“Wait, but it’s only a healing Quirk!” Ochako says. “It’s not dangerous! In fact, he’s helped people who can’t afford to see a real doctor!”

The officer raises an eyebrow. “So you knew about this?”

Ochako hesitates. “Uh…I didn’t know he didn’t have a license,” Ochako lies.

“Well, he doesn’t,” the Officer says. “And it doesn’t matter what the Quirk is. Using Quirks without a license is against the law. Breaking it makes this man no different than a villain.”

Ochako huffs. “The law is supposed to protect people, isn’t it? There is a little girl with cancer who he’s keeping alive! If you take him away, she could die!”

“Can’t she see a doctor?” the officer asks.

“They are poor!”

“They can take out a bank loan,” the officer says. “And, by coming to this man instead, they are depriving a real hardworking doctor of his income. Who could probably do a much better job anyway.”

Ochako cannot say anything at the moment.

“I thought so,” the officer says before taking the man away.

“No, wait!” Ochako says. “We can get him a license!”

But her pleas are ignored by the officer. The healer grabs a bowl of potpourri from the coffee table and throws it at the cop, allowing him to run away.

“Hey!” the officer shouts. “Girl, help me!” he yells at Ochako.

Ochako hesitates. “I…I…”

“What?” the officer asks, narrowing his eyes. “He’s a criminal. You’re a hero. You’re supposed to help me catch him.”

“But I don’t think he deserves this.”

The officer growls at her. “Missy. If you don’t help me catch him, then I will charge you with insubordination. In fact, I don’t even think you were telling the truth about not knowing he didn’t have a license. Do as I say, or you’ll be in trouble too.”

Ochako remembers the fines that put her family into homelessness. She remembers the vandalism and the persecution she faced when she was labeled a “villain” by the public for accidentally hurting Airjet. And, she thinks of that little girl and her mother, who would only suffer without the man with the healing Quirk to help them.

Without thinking, Ochako grabs hold of the officer’s hand.

“What are you-”

Ochako activates her inversion bracelets and then her Quirk. The officer lets out a small scream before being flattened into a bloody pancake on the ground.

Realizing what she had done, Ochako gazes down at the red splattered remains of the officer and gasps.

‘I did it again, in that moment. I killed a man. This time, however, it wasn’t a bigot. It was a cop who was just doing his job.’

Ochako scrubs the mess off the ground. Disposes of the remains by putting them in a plastic bag with a look of dread on her face. She later meets Slide N’Go on the roof. He takes the bag, and Ochako looks down. Slide N’Go places a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, you did the right thing,” Slide N’Go says. “Look.”

He points to the street, where the little girl is running and playing with other children.

“That girl is going to live because of you.”

Ochako smiles.

‘I realized a day later that Re-Destro or someone had probably called the cops to get me to act like that. I confronted him, and he admitted it without shame. I was mad at him for that, but then he asked me if I understood why we must fight now.’

A close-up of the girl’s laughing face.

(Present)

‘Sometimes, you just have to do bad things for a good cause. I get that now,' Ochako thinks.

‘So, l am going to help Melissa, then create a world where everyone can be happy to use their Quirks, no matter what.’

Finally, they reach floor eighty. Only to find a shutter blocking their path.

‘No!’ Ochako thinks. 'Blocked! It can't be.'

"Should we break through it?" Shoto asks.

“If we did, the security system would alert the villains," says Melissa.

"So let's go this way," Sero says, preparing to open the door to the main area.

Ochako panics. Opening that door would probably trip the alarm as well.

“No!" Ochako yells.

“Don’t!” yells Melissa.

Sero stops his hand just before it reaches the pad.

Ochako and the others let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank God," Ochako says.

"Sero, opening that door would have set off the alarm, too," Melissa says. “It's ok. We'll go down and find another way to-“

Sero turns around, and his eyes are glowing green. Ochako and the others’ eyes widen.

"Sero?" Kaminari asks.

"Sero” bends his elbows toward the group and unleashes his tape strands. Ochako, Melissa, Momo, Shoto, and Kaminari yelp and scream as they are bound by tape. It wraps around their legs, binding their hands, and wraps around their bodies. Ochako and the others fall to the ground, struggling to get out, and Ochako looks up at "Sero".

“Elbow tape?" "Sero" says, looking at his elbows. “Cool Quirk. Very useful for binding people.”

"Sero" then wraps the tape around himself and falls to the ground. His eyes stop glowing.

"Huh? What happened?" Sero struggles. "Why am I all wrapped up?"

“Dude, we should be asking you that!" Kaminari shouts.

Now, Shoto Todoroki's eyes glow. “Apologies, Sero, but I needed to possess your body."

Ochako and the others look agape at "Shoto".

Shoto's eyes return to normal. He shakes his head, and the group is engulfed by black

"smoke".

“Huh!?" Ochako asks. "What's happening?"

Momo gasps. "The villain with the warping Quirk from the USJ!"

"Oh great! The League is here too!?" asks Kaminari.

Melissa gasps. "The people who took Uncle Might’s arm!?"

When the Wrap Gate clears, Ochako and the others are in the center of the main room of the 80th floor. Looking up, she sees "Akatani" looking down at her, with his arms spread out and Warp Gate energy emitting from them, before reverting to regular hands.

“Hello."

Ochako growls at him. “You jerk!"

“Dude, you liar!?" Sero asks. “I thought we were friends."

"We worked together for less than an hour."

“Akatani” reaches down and plucks a hair from Sero's head. Sero lets out a small “Ow” as Akatani stares at the hair, before discarding it.

Ochako narrows her eyes as he moves to pluck hairs from Momo and Kaminari.

"And what the Hell!? I thought you had a Double Quirk!" Sero says. *Not Warping. But wait, how did you possess me earlier?”

"That's Nikans's Quirk, and I shook his and on my way here," “Akatani” says.

“He actually has a Copy Quirk," says Ochako. “It's why he's taking your hair now. He's stockpiling. He has a bunch of patches for Quirks on his arms. He also has telekinesis and a Scan Quirk, that's how he found us."

"So where's the rest of the League?" Shoto asks. “We know that the Warping Quirk you used came from Kurogiri.”

“Akatani” plucks a hair from Shoto's head. "Oh, it's just me. I'm kind of a rental."

He tosses the hair away.

"You better keep those hairs, man. Because we know how Copy Quirks work," says Kaminari. “We have a guy at school with a Quirk just like that. It only lasts five minutes. That's more than enough time for us to kick your sorry butt!"

“Akatani” ignores him and kneels in front of Melissa. She struggles and narrows her eyes at him.

“Melissa Shield,” “Akatani” says. “Quirkless daughter of David Shield."

"Yes. Why do you care?” Melissa asks. “First you follow me and Mirio, now you bind me up? What are you, some kind of stalker?”

“Akatani’s” eyes widen and he frantically waves his hands.

"Ohnonoltsnothinglikethat/swear!" “Akatani” recomposes himself. "You know, I have a friend who is Quirkless."

Ochako raises an eyebrow.

Melissa, though still glaring at him, softens her expression. “Do you?"

“Yes, he had it rough," “Akatani” says. "It’s kind of why I became a villain. To change society.”

“This isn't the right way to do it,” Melissa says.

Ochako feels embarrassed. “Well... sometimes life gives you tough decisions and leads you down a different path..." She notices the others looking at her strangely, and she changes her tune. “But still, not villainy!"

“Akatani” averts his eyes. "Yeah, I know there are better options. But things just happened. Maybe I could have made better choices, but this is what I chose.”

“Akatani” places a hand on Melissa's head, and his eyes flash. He pulls his hand back and slightly narrows his eyes at Melissa.

“Though you certainly had it better than I did,” “Akatani” says in a slightly bitter tone. “Or my friend."

“Akatani” stands up and slowly turns his head toward the entrance tunnel. “We should be getting some new guests any minute now.”

Katsuki Bakugo grits his teeth as he continues walking with Kirishima.

‘Spikey-haired bastard. He has no idea where we are going. Why did I decide to follow this idiot?’

Bakugo and Kirishima enter the main area of floor 80. A big open space with palm trees all around them, an elevator, and a group of people wrapped up in tape in the center.

Bakugo's eyes widen as he recognizes the people he knows as: Round Cheeks, Ponytail, Dunce Face, Earphones, Half-and-Half, and Soy Sauce Face. They let out muffled sounds (as they are gagged by tape) and shake their heads.

“Woah, guys?” Kaminari runs up to them, and Bakugo follows (albeit much slower).

“What the hell happened to you morons!?” Bakugo yells. "Soy Sauce Face, were you messing around with your Quirk!? You idiot!? You “even got yourself tied up too!?”

Kaminari cuts the tape on Round Cheeks mouth.

“It's a trap! Run!" she yells.

Bakugo raises an eyebrow. “Huh?"

The two boys hear something behind them and they turn around to see “Red Eyes" descending down, floating in the air to their level.

“RED EYES!?”

Bakugo doesn’t know what’s going on, but he knows that this bastard who cut his gauntlets and interfered in his argument with Round Cheeks is the reason why the others are tied up. Bakugo holds his palms out to create explosions while Kirishima tenses ships body to harden it.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN GET THE DROP ON ME!? WELL, LET’S SEE YOU-“

Eyes flips his hand down and telekinetically forces Bakugo and Kirishima to the ground. Bakugo growls as she moves to get up, but then strings emerge from Red Eyes’ body and latch onto Bakugo and Kirishima.

“What the-?"

“I can't move!”

Round Cheeks sighs. “Too late."

The strings coming out of Red-Eyes’ body force Bakugo and Kirishima to their feet. But they struggle, unable to move or even use their Quirks.

“YOU MASK WEARING BASTARD!” Bakugo screams. “THE FUCK!? I THOUGHT YOU HAD TELEKINESIS!”

“It's a Copy Quirk,” Round Cheeks says.

Red Eyes lifts Round Cheeks and the others to his feet with his telekinesis and attaches his strings to them. He then telekinetically cuts the tape holding them, but they are still unable to move.

“YOU CHEATING BASTARD!" Bakugo shouts, making Red Eyes flinch. "LET ME OUT OF THIS CRAP SO I CAN-“

Bakugo is interrupted when Red Eyes rolls down his sleeve, revealing his patch-covered forearms, and shoots out a strand of tape from his elbow that wraps around his mouth.

Ochako snorts as she watches Bakugo throw a hissy fit while being unable to scream or remove the tape around his mouth.

"Akatani” smiles. “I’m really starting to like you're Quirk, Sero."

“Akatani" plucks hairs from Bakugo’s and Kirishima’s heads.

“A nice hardening Quirk." "Akatani" smiles. “This will definitely come in handy once I get my strength up."

“Hey man, what do you want with us?" Kirishima asks.

“Yeah, what do you villains want?" asks Melissa.

“ I’Il get to that, once we get to the top floor,” “Akatani” says.

"Akatani" creates a Warp Gate.

“Who are you, Man?" Kirishima asks.

“He said his name is Akatani," says Sero. “But I bet he was lying about that, too."

"Akatani" glances at Ochako, who is glaring at him. “Uraraka, what was that thing you said that this guy-" he points at Bakugolf"-used to call your friend?"

“Deku,” Ochako says.

Flashback: Izuku is in the forest, practicing with his telekinesis with Shigaraki and Kurogiri overseeing him.

"Telekinetic slice."

Izuku cuts a practice dummy made of straw across the chest.

"Telekinetic blast."

Izuku fires a concentrated burst of telekinetic energy from his palm at another dummy, knocking it over. Izuku twists his hand while using his Scan Quirk to see the telekinetic energies as they wrap around the dummy. He twists and turns until he breaks the dummy into pieces, right where he wants it to.

"Well done, Young-Midoriya," Kurogiri says.

"You're still weak, but coming along well, Deku," Shigaraki says.

Izuku groans. "Senpai, can you please not call me that? It's what Bakugo used to call me."

“That is WHY I call you that," Shigaraki says. “He might have said it means a useless person, and Defenseless-Izuku. But it's just a made-up word meant to put you down. But if you own it, no one can hurt you."

Izuku looks down. "That kind of makes sense."

Shigaraki smiles as he grips the decapitated, floating, head of the practice dummy.

"Let the anger and pain from the past fuel your power,” Shigaraki says as the straw in his palm turns gray and breaks into pieces. *You have such potential, Deku. You could be a Symbol of Fear like our Sensei if you didn't hold yourself back."

The straw turns to dust and drops to the floor.

Izuku looks a bit disturbed. "Yeah…..I'll leave the Symbol of Fear thing to you."

"Actually, Deku is not entirely made up," Kurogiri says. "There are two words it is similar to. One is Dekunobou, which means a wooden puppet or doll."

Izuku stumps. "Then it's still an insult."

"It could also be short for Dekiru," Kurogiri says. "It means, to be able to do." 

Izuku looks to Kurogiri, hopefully. "So, you're saying I should call myself Dekiru?"

"You have an Erasure patch and one for Telekinesis, right?" Shigaraki asks. "Sounds to me that, if you wanted, you could turn other people into YOUR deku's."

"Plus, you have a Copy Quirk which allows you to use virtually any power," Kurogiri says. "Therefore, Young-Midoriya, I would say that both meanings work well for you."

Izuku thinks this over.

Later, inside the home of the Hero Crust, a Warp Gate opens, which Izuku (wearing a dark hooded jacket and a black mask) step through with Kurogiri.

"Are you sure that Crust isn't here, Young-Midoriya?"

"I'm sure," Izuku says, looking around. "I've deduced the patrol times and routes of all the major heroes. He'll be gone for a few more hours. But still, let's get out of here as soon as possible."

Izuku walks toward the wall, where there are many weapons, costume masks, and other random items mounted.

“What are we looking for, exactly?" Kurogiri asks.

Izuku scans the wall. “Crust keeps souvenirs from his fights. A few years ago, he fought a villain called the Dictator. Whose Quirk, Despot, allows him to puppeteer other people using strings from his body."

Izuku finds a single piece of string taped to the wall. He smiles.

"There."

Izuku grabs the string and puts it in the right pocket of his jacket. Then he reaches into his left, and pulls out a roll of string that looks exactly like the Dictators. Izuku unrolls a piece and puts it off to replace the string he took.

"So, you finally accept the name Deku then?" Kurogiri asks.

Izuku stares at the string on the wall.

"Maybe someday," Izuku says. "Then I will use this Quirk. But not today."

(Present)

“Deku? You know. I kinda like that name for some reason. For the rest of the day, call me

Deku.”

Deku unleashes his elbows and tapes the rest of their mouths shut. Ochako and the others try to protest as Deku creates a Warp gate that sucks them all in.

Chapter Text

Mirio Togata struggles as he tries to break free of his binds. He tries to use his OFA, or permeate, but he is unable to from the cuff around his wrist.

“Knock it off!” one of the villain guards says.

The guard walks away, leaving Mirio to resume his struggle.

Mirio averts his eyes, so he doesn't have to see the steam emitting from All Might's body. Though he knows that All Might does want to save his friend, he also knows that his mentor is running on fumes. He is struggling to hold his current form together.

“Pst. Kid. I might be able to help," Mr. Plastic says.

Mr. Plastic grunts as he twists his hand and stretches it. After a short time and a loud groan, Mr. Plastic manages to stretch his hand out of his binds. Keeping it low to the ground and his eyes wandering around the room to make sure none of the guards are watching him too close

Mirio smiles. "All right,” he whispers.

Mr. Plastic stretches his hand toward Mirio, but it becomes thinner the farther it goes, and Mr. Plastic is visibly struggling.

“I can only stretch so far," Mr. Plastic whispers. "Try to get closer.”

Mirio wobbles himself closer to Mr. Plastic, as far as he can due to the binds, and he flips himself around so that the plastic hero can reach his cuff.

A single finger, stretched and flat, from Mr. Plastic reaches Mirio before forcing itself into the key lock in the cuffs. Mr. Plastic grunts and struggles a she tries to stretch and maintain the proper shape and density for the keyhole at the same time.

“Thank you, Mr. Plastic,” Mirio says.

"Don't thank me yet, kid. This is tough work."

“I just hope that Melissa is all right," All Might says.

Deku warps all the bound teenagers to the top floor of the building, though in a room separate from the main area where Professor Shield and Wolfram are.

Melissa, Ochako, Kaminari, Sero, Jiro, Kirishima, Momo, Shoto, and Katsuki are still restrained by the Despot Quirk strings coming out of Deku’s body. And they all have tape wrapped around their mouths. Bakugo, in particular, is shaking his head violently in an attempt to remove it. Upon entering the area, Sword Arms notices.

“What the Hell, kid!?” Sword Arms says, activating his Quirk.

Deku’s eyes glow and Sword Arms’ Quirk retracts, leaving him with a human arm again.

“What the-?”

Deku activates his "Somnambulist” Quirk.

“Sleep,” Deku says.

A small amount of purple mist emits from Deku’s hand, putting Sword Arms into a slumber, and Deku telekinetically moves him into a corner of the room while using his Tape Elbows to bind his legs and arms.

‘What does this guy have planned for us?’ Ochako wonders/worries. ‘Is he going to use us as hostages? Why would he bother? What nefarious purpose-’

‘Nefarious? ’ Deku’s thoughts invade her mind.

Ochako’s eyes widen in shock.

‘Is this some Saturday morning cartoon?’

Deku removes his mask. Everybody cringes at the sight of his noseless face and Glasgow smile. Everybody except Ochako, who looks at him with sympathy.

‘Oh, this poor guy,’ Ochako thinks. ‘What did the world do to you?’

‘It’s not as bad as it looks,’ Deku’s thoughts replay to everyone. ‘It’s skin deep, I assure you.’

‘He’s using a Telepathy Quirk to project his thoughts into ours,’ Melissa thinks.

‘Yes, Melissa, that is true,’ Deku’s thoughts say. ‘I AM projecting my thoughts into yours. And I am also combining it with another Quirk so I can hear YOUR thoughts as well.’

Everyone but Bakugo pales at him.

Bakugo just smirks (from underneath his tape at least). ’If you think you look bad now, just wait until I get out of here!’

‘Good,’ Jiro thinks. ‘So you can hear me when I say you’re ugly as fuck!’

Deku chuckles. ‘Yeah, I am. But this isn’t about me. Come on. I have something to show you.’

Deku leads them to the entrance to the main room. There, they see the villains, another Deku (that they deduced was a double, just as Sero and Kaminari said he had a Double Quirk), and the two professors. The teenager’s eyes focus on Professor David Shield, who appears to be deactivating a storage unit for the villains.

‘Papa?’ Melissa thinks. ‘He…no one’s pointing a gun at him. He’s smiling.’

“Is it almost open, David?” Samuel asks.

“Nearly,” says Professor Shield. “Don’t worry, Samuel, I’m as eager as anyone else to get this device.”

Melissa cannot believe this.

‘He…He’s-’

‘That’s right, Melissa,’ Deku says. ‘Professor Shield is helping the villains willingly. Actually, he’s the one who hired us.’

All the teenagers freeze in shock, before bursting out with mental explosions.

‘WHAT THE FUCK!?’

‘What the hell?’

‘He’s stealing his own device?’

‘Papa? Why would you do this? Why do this to Uncle Might?’

’SO THE GROWN NERD IS A VILLAIN!? HE HIRED THIS RED-EYED BASTARD!? I’LL KILL HIM THEN I’LL KILL ED-EYES WITH HIS DEAD BODY!’

Deku raises his hand.

‘I can explain everything.’

‘We’re listening,’ thinks Ochako.

‘Ok, so, this might be hard to believe, but…All Might’s power is fading.’

‘What?’ Melissa asks.

‘Six years ago, he fought a powerful villain. All Might won, but he suffered from a terrible injury. Ever since then, his power has been decreasing. He’s a lot weaker than he was before, and he can only do hero work for two hours a day before he runs out of steam.’

‘All Might’s power decreasing?’ Ochako thinks. ‘Yeah, right.’

Melissa thinks the same thing. However, looking at the UA students’ terror-stricken faces makes them consider that Deku is telling the truth. The fact that BAKUGO, of all people, is shaken by Deku’s words says that he is telling the truth more than anything.

All the UA students saw All Might’s true form after the USJ incident. Though they don’t know many details, they learned about his injury and his declining power. How it is STILL declining.

Deku continues.

‘That is why Professor Shield and Abraham started working on a project to help him. A device that is capable of increasing one’s Quirk energy levels. It basically makes you stronger for as long as you are wearing it.’

All the teenagers’ eyes sparkle.

Bakugo grins (as best he can) and thinks about how amazing he would be with a device like that. His power would grow and be unrivaled. He would be able to surpass All Might and become the strongest (aka greatest) hero of all time! Bakugo’s eyes sparkle.

Shoto and Momo consider it an incredible development.

Melissa understands the situation better, is equally surprised by the revelation, but is still confused.

‘A device that makes your Quirk stronger!? That-Thats incredible! Like Trigger patches but without the drawbacks!’ Ochako becomes excited. ‘Maybe I can get Asta to scan the device! We can get Deternat and Feel Good Co. to mass produce it! The Meta Liberation Army would be unstoppable! We could make Shinso brainwash every leader in Japan and MAKE them lift the no Quirk usage ban! We can overpower any hero that tries to fight us! We could-’

Deku’s mind would have gone blank… IF he had chosen to use his Telepathy to read their thoughts at the time. But he knew that their minds would be a maelstrom of shock and questions, so he turned it off right after dropping the bomb.

Deku then resumes using his Quirk.

‘Anyway, they managed to create the prototype, but the project was scrapped before Professor Shield could give the device to All Might. It was deemed too dangerous.’

Shoto looks down. ‘Understandable.’

‘But, Samuel gave Professor Shield this NIFTY idea. They would hire ACTORS to PRETEND to be villains who would take over the island. Then, the villains would “force” them to give them the device, and Professor Shield would then be able to give it to All Might.’

Ochako understands Professor Shield’s actions completely. She, of all people, has learned that in life one sometimes has to make difficult choices for the greater good.

‘Having said that, I can’t let All Might get that device,’ Ochako thinks. ‘There is no way the MLA would win if All Might became strong again.’

Once again, Deku was NOT reading Ochako’s mind. He was refraining from doing so since he started his explanation. He didn’t want to hear her (assumed) thoughts about him being a bad guy.

Melissa, on the other hand, is conflicted. Even if it was all an act, her father is still stealing, and he’s threatened a lot of innocent people on this island. Including Uncle Might.

Deku places a hand on her shoulder.

‘Your dad is just trying to help his friend,’ Deku tells her, mentally. ‘He just wants the Symbol of Peace to shine brightly again.’ His grip tightens, making Melissa flinch. ‘I don’t like that for personal reasons…but his intentions are good.’

Melissa looks him in the eyes. ‘Except YOU’RE not an actor, are you?’

‘No, Melissa,’ Deku projects his thoughts into all of them. ‘Me and the others are NOT actors. We’re actual villains.’

The teenagers look confused again.

‘See, Samuel’s plan is to tell the device with Wolfram.’

‘THAT BACKSTABBING BASTARD!’ Bakugo shouts.

‘For once I agree with you, Bakugo,’ Izuku thinks but thankfully, he doesn’t project that into the others’ heads…or so he hopes.

Deku looks at the teenagers’ faces, who are looking at him strangely. Deku realizes that he accidentally sent that message to everyone.

‘Damn it! I gotta recover!’

‘I mean, I can’t believe we agree on something. Isaw you during the Sports Festival.’ Deku projects into their heads shakes his own. ‘You were so embarrassing, you know that? The way you threw a tantrum and had to be restrained just because you didn’t want to accept a reward. You made a fool of yourself in front of Japan.’

‘WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU RED-EYED LOSER!? I SWEAR I’LL-’

‘You do realize YOU have red eyes too, right?’

‘Oh, Fuck you!’

Deku just chuckles at Bakugo’s muffled tantrum, not even reading his mind.

‘He’s not so scary now that he’s all tied up. By me,’ Deku thinks to himself . ‘I feel so much better now.’

‘But, there’s another twist,’ Deku projects into the others. ‘Wolfram intends to betray Samuel. And my REAL boss told me to betray Wolfram. So..here we are.’

Shoto shakes his head. ‘There truly is no honor among thieves.’

Ochako shakes her head vigorously to get his attention.

‘Yes, Uraraka?’ Deku asks.

‘Why bring us here?’

‘I thought you deserved to know. Plus, I needed to keep an eye on you. Not you interfering if I left you alone. Also, if it wasn’t for me, Sero would have exposed you all. So you are welcome.’

Ochako thinks. ‘Hey, listen, you work for the League of Villains, right? That’s how you know so much about All Might? You work for the guy who took his arm?’

Deku smiles. ‘You are smart.’

‘Why?’

Deku shrugs. ‘Honestly, I didn’t want to at first. I was introduced to the League by a friend. I was prepared to just walk away, but then…well, let’s just say I got put in a bad situation, made some bad choices, and became a villain that day. So, I figured, if I was already a villain, why don’t I stay and help the League make a better world?’

‘Because there are better options than the League, ’ Ochako tells him. ‘ They are murderers and villains!’

‘Like what?’ Deku asks. ‘Join the heroes? No, thank you. I don’t wanna be another glory-seeking, glorified celebrity. Oh, no offense.’

‘None taken.’

‘Anyway, I’ll just end up going to jail. So I’d rather just stay where I am now.’

Ochako looks at him with wide yes. ‘ Actually, you could join me in the-’

“It’s opening!” Wolfram states.

After half an hour of standing and waiting, Professor Shield manages to unlock the containment unit.

Professor Shield smiles. "Finally."

He pulls out the briefcase from inside it. Inside is a claw-like headpiece.

"I have it back," Professor Shield exclaims.

The "Akatani" clone looks over. "So that's it, huh?"

"I know it doesn't look like much," Professor Shield says. "But when All Might puts it on, he'll be as strong as he was before. Stronger."

Wolfram shoots “Akatani” with the Quirk nullification gun. "Akatani" grunts before collapsing to the ground. Professor Shield stands over the boy in shock.

"Akatani!?"

"Just to be clear, if it wasn't already obvious, he wasn’t actually my nephew," Wolfram says with a malicious smirk before pointing a normal gun at Professor Shield.

Professor Shield gasps, stares at him in fear, and clutches the briefcase close to him.

"W-What are you-"

"We were just borrowing him from another villain," Wolfram says. "But with this device, even HE might not be a problem for us anymore."

"I-I don't understand." Professor Shield turns to Samuel, who looks down in shame. "Samuel, you said they were actors."

"Oh, we were acting," Wolfram says, as his remaining men surround Professor Shield and point their guns at him. "Except the role was pretending we weren't actually criminals."

Samuel then snatches the briefcase from a shocked and confused David.

"Samuel..."

"You lied to me, David," Samuel says. "You said we would do great things. We could have been rich and famous, but you let them take our research." Samuel clutches the briefcase, and his words ooze with shame. "If I don't at least get some money, my whole career would have been for nothing."

However, Wolfram then shoots Samuel in the shoulder. The traitorous scientist falls down, his shoulder bleeding. He looks up to see Wolfram pointing his gun at his head. The villain gives Samuel a wolfish smirk and is finger-tenses on the trigger.

"Telekinetic Bullet."

An invisible force goes right through Wolfram's head. A hole just suddenly appears through Wolfram's forehead. His metal mask falls off, and blood runs down his scarred face before he collapses.

Samuel falls back in horror. Professor Shield steps back in fear, and all the villains are horrified.

"What the hell!?"

"Boss!?"

"What the fuck happened!?"

The villains and scientists turn to "Akatani", who is chuckling as he lies on the ground. He tears off his mask, revealing gray sand, before he completely disintegrates.

"The Hell!?"

"That was a duplicate!"

"I thought he had an intelligence Quirk!?"

"So where's the REAL one?"

The Quirk Nullification Gun from Wolfram’s side and the briefcase containing the Amplification device fly across the room. The scientists and villains look over to see Deku (or the REAL “Akatani"), smiling at them while holding several teenagers hostage. The Quirk Nullification Gun in one hand and the briefcase in the other.

Professor Shields’ eyes widen. "Melissa?"

Melissa looks at her father with anger and betrayal in her eyes.

The villains point their guns at Deku and the others.

Professor Shield moves infront of them. "No, wait!"

"Somnambulist. Telekinetic Force. Power Enhancement."

Deku combines Somnambulist and Telekinesis, enhanced by the Power of his base Quirk, to send a wave of purple mist across the room. The mist hits everyone in the area, except for him and his hostages. The telekinetic force itself knocks the villains (and Professor Shield) down. While the accompanying purple mist causes them to become sleepy.

Soon enough, all the villains, Samuel Abraham, and David Shield end up collapsing in a deep slumber.

Deku claps his hands. "Ok, good that is all taken care of."

Deku then places his hand to the ground and activates Wolfram’s Quirk, thanks to the hair he took earlier.

"Metal Manipulation."

The metal floor and walls manipulate themselves to wrap around Samuel and Wolfram's men, trapping them in place. Once they are secured, Deku turns to the teenagers.

"I got that Quirk from Wolfram, by the way."

Deku telekinetically removes the tape around their mouths.

“You didn't have to kill him!" Melissa shouts.

Bakugo gives her side-eye. "He was a thug who was going to kill that other scum."

"I saved Samuel's life," Deku says. "And now he can face punishment for his actions.”

Melissa narrows her eyes at him. “Unlike you.”

Deku nods his head with a bit of shame. “Yes. Now, if you excuse me."

Deku releases another wave of purple mist, this time at his hostages. Jiro, Ochako, Melissa, and Momo feel woozy, but they are able to remain conscious. Shoto, Bakugo, Sero, Kaminari, and Krishama, on the other hand, fall asleep instantly.

With another wave of his hand, the metal on the floor binds the four girls feet in place. A strip of metal wraps around Momo's hands like cuffs, and around Jiro's head to keep her from using her Earphone Jacks.

"That should hold you." Deku says. Deku gives the girls a bow. "I am sorry, girls, but I must be on my way." He looks at Melissa and Ochako. “When Professor Shield awakens, he can deactivate the security system and free you. By that time, I will be long gone."

"You won't get away with this," Momo says. "Whoever you work for, All Might will track you down and arrest both your asses."

"He failed once before," Deku says.

Deku briefly glances at Ochako, who is glaring at him, before focusing on Melissa (and ignoring the pain in his chest).

"Before I go, I have a question for you, Melissa. If, theoretically, you could have a Quirk, would you?"

Melissa pauses for a moment. She looks away and thinks.

"There are times when I wish I did," Melissa admits. "Though they don't treat me badly, a lot of people I know think I'm weak for not having a Quirk. Not even a silly one, like my father's fingers. It would certainly make my life easier. A Metal Manipulation Quirk like Wolfram’s would certainly help in my field. But ultimately... no. I wouldn't."

Deku raises an eyebrow. “May I ask why?"

Melissa smiles. "When I was a girl, I wanted to be a hero." She nods her head, and Ochako looks at her with wide eyes. "So, when I was diagnosed Quirkless, I was crushed. And people treating me like I was less capable didn't help, despite my father trying to be reassuring."

Deku's eye twitches.

"But, then I asked Uncle Might if I could be a hero," Melissa continues. "He said that, in many ways, my father was HIS hero because he provides support for him in ways his Quirk cannot.”

Deku narrows his eyes and scowls. “Really?”

Melissa nods. “Yes. So that is why I dedicated myself to making support gear. I may not be an official hero, but I think of myself as someone who helps the heroes. Who is a hero in her own way, even if I'm not flying through the sky and punching bad guys." She narrows her eyes at Deku. "I am happy with who I am. With my life. And I want to show the world that being Quirkless doesn't make you useless. So, no, I wouldn't take a Quirk if I could."

Deku stares at her in silence before bowing.

"I have nothing but respect for you and I wish you luck, Melissa Shield," Deku says. "All right then, I guess I will be off."

Deku opens another Warp Gate. However, before he can move through it, Mirio phases out of the ground from behind him.

He phases his arm through Deku's head from behind, and solidifies his hand over the villain boy’s face.

Deku doesn't know what is happening. He just suddenly goes blind, and then he feels a hand grab his face. It pulls him back, hard. He just instinctively clutches the briefcase tighter.

Mirio grabs Deku’s arm, sticks his nullification cuff on his wrist, then throws Deku over his shoulder and sends him crashing through a wall.

Mirio huffs, then turns to the girls.

Mirio gazes at the hole created by his rough handling of Deku. His gaze turns to the girls, who are still awake and restrained.

“Mirio!”

"Melissa."

Mirio runs to them.

"Are you girls all right?" Mirio asks.

"Forget us, where's Deku?" Melissa asks.

Mirio raises an eyebrow. "Deku?"

"It's what Akatani asked us to call him." Ochako pouts and crosses her arms. "He took it from the taunt Bakugo used to give my friend."

Mirio looks at her confused, then shakes his head.

"Anyways, All Might is right behind me,” Mirio says. "I just ran ahead so I could check out the situation. And thanks for distracting Deku long enough for me to get the drop on him."

"Mirio, where is that cuff he put on you?" Jiro asks.

“I put it on Deku's wrist when I threw him. Sure, he said that his Quirk was Scanning, but I didn't wanna take any chances."

Melissa lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God."

"Why thank God?"

"Deku has a Copy Quirk," Ochako says. "A very powerful one. He was able to use SO MANY Quirks at once."

"AND he just got this nice head piece that can make Quirks-”

Jiro is interrupted when the wall breaks down, revealing All Might.

“I am here!" All Might stops before Mirio, the girls, and everyone else who is asleep. "But it seems that the situation is handled."

All Might walks over to Professor Shield, who is fast asleep. He steps over Wolfram’s body.

"Dave, my friend?" All Might gently nudges the sleeping scientist. "Dave, wake up."

"Uncle Might." Melissa rubs her neck. "There's something about my dad you need to know. He-"

The metal in the room suddenly goes berserk. All Might’s metal arm suddenly clasps his side, where his wound is. All Might screams in pain before metal emerges from the ground and binds him in place.

Metal emerges in all directions at Mirio, but he dodges, slices, and phases through them all. He runs to where Deku is, only for the red-eyed villain to emerge from the rubble and his eyes to glow.

‘What?’ Mirio thinks as he feels One For All being suppressed.

Deku catches Mirio with his telekinesis and shows him the nulification cuff in his hand.

“This is MY cuff, remember?” Deku asks. “I had the key for it.”

Deku then crushes the cuff in his hand, before emitting another burst of "Somnambulist mist from his body. He telekinetically manipulates it to move around Mirio, but the boy simply holds his breath. Deku, staring at the boy unblinking, telekinetically tries forcing the "Somnambulist” mist inside him, but Mirio refuses.

“Come on, go to sleep,” Deku says.
“No, wait!” All Might says, barely able to move. “You knew where my wound was…That means you’re working for-”

Gunfire goes off, and Deku clutches his arm. As he drops Mirio, he sees the source of his pain. Melissa Sheild, wielding her gun given to her by Momo.

Momo, Ochako, and Jiro cheer.

“Atta girl!” Jiro cheers.
“I made her that!” Momo says proudly.

Deku heals his gun wound with his Regeneration Quirk, only for Melissa to shoot him again in the chest and the leg. Deku kneels over, regenerating his wounds as Melissa shoots her remaining bullets at the binds around her legs and runs off.

“Go, Melissa!” Jiro shouts.

Deku’s eyes widen, realizing that she is heading toward the security system. “No! Come back!”

Deku flies after her, but Mirio grabs him by the back of his collar as he tries to fly. Deku attempts to use his Erasure on him again, but Mirio quickly moves to evade his line of sight before delivering Deku a solid punch to the back, knocking him away.

Deku grunts as he gets up, but Mirio is already circling him. Deku keeps the briefcase close to his body, activating his Electricity Generation and Telekinesis to create a forcefield, making even Mirio unable to hit him. Still, the young OFA users’ punches are hard. Each one forces Deku to use all the strength he has to keep Mirio from hitting him. And even then, he is still hit multiple times, and each hurts. Deku tries to use his Erasure, but Mirio is always moving either behind him or one side from the other too avoid him.

Realizing Mirio is going to break through soon, Deku closes his eyes and utilizes an ability he wasn’t sure he had. “Telekinetic Sonar”.

He can suddenly sense where Mirio is with each hit he gives him and, right when Mirio is about to strike from behind, Deku turns around, ducks, and delivers a solid punch at Mirio’s abdomen, enhanced by super strength, Telekinesis, and Electricity Generation.

Mirio grunts as he is knocked back and hits a nearby wall. Deku approaches him and attempts to use Erasure again, but, out of nowhere, Mirio emits a purple smoke from his body that completely covers the room and shields his line of sight from Deku.

‘What?’

“Whoa,” Mirio says.

“Young-Togata! How did you do this!?”

“Is this a Quirk Awakening?” asks Momo.

“How do you get smoke from Permeation?” asks Jiro

Deku’s eyes widen. ‘Wait…Sensei said that the sixth One For All user’s natural Quirk was Smoke Screen. Could it be…NO!’ He clutches the briefcase tightly. ‘H-He’s unlocking the past users Quirks! I need to get out of here and-’

Deku didn’t have time to think before Mirio’s fist came smashing against his face. Pain spreads throughout him as his nose and jaw break. Deku is thrown aside. He tumbles on the ground. Though his face heals, he goes on high alert.

“Your Erasure works like Eraserheads, right?” Mirio asks through the smoke. “That means you have to see a person so you can erase them. I’m used to fighting people blind, what about you?”

“Mirio, get the briefcase!” Melissa shouts. “It contains a device that can enhance Quirks!”

Deku immediately clutches the briefcase closer to his chest. He generates a telekinetic force field all over his body and generates an electrical current.

“Really? Well, we certainly can’t have that.”

Deku tries to create a telekinetic force once again to clear the smoke. But even when the smoke clears, Mirio is gone. He looks around frantically, until Mirio emerges from the ground and gives him an upper cut.

Mirio tries to reach inside the briefcase, but the current that Deku generates shocks his hand instead, forcing the Comedy Hero to pull his hand back.

Deku recovers from his shock and blasts Mirio with electricity. Mirio runs at super speed and dodges. Deku attempts to use his Erasure again, but Mirio generates another smoke screen before he can.

Now blinded once again, Deku activates his Scan Quirk so he can “see Mirio”.

Deku then tries freezing the ground, but Mirio takes his feet semi-permeable and uses his propulsion force to send him toward Deku, slowly sinking into the ground as he does.

Deku uses Metal Manipulation to shift and move the metal floor and the walls in an attempt to stop Mirio.

Mirio has to shift and turn his body, but he ultimately reaches Deku.

Deku barely manages to dodge.

Mirio comes at him again. Deku tries attacking him with fire and ice, and even explosions. But Mirio counters them all, and Deku is barely able to keep the briefcase from Mirio as he does.

‘He’s too fast!’ Deku thinks. ‘None of the Nomu I fought before were as fast as him. He’s combining the speed of One For All with his natural Permation force! And he’s unrivaled! I don’t even think Bakugo’s explosions can propel him this fast!’

Mirio grabs the suitcase, and Deku is only able to keep him back with electricity and force.

‘He’s predicting my every move! He’s a tactical genius! I can’t win against him! If only I could…WAIT! Stupid me! I have Telepathy!’

Deku activates his Telepathy Quirk. And New Order.

‘New Order. Telepathy will be able to read others’ minds, rather than project my thoughts into theirs.’

He can suddenly hear Mirio’s thoughts.

He knows that Mirio expects him to go left, so he goes right and Deku sends a telekinetic force at him to knock him back.

Mirio recovers from his shock and attacks again. Once again, Deku reads his mind and determines what he plans to do and counters his assumed counters.

‘This fight is going better, but he’s too fast and strong,’ Deku realizes.

‘It’s like he’s reading my mind!’ Mirio thinks through the smoke. ‘There’s no point holding back. As of right now, I’ve been using One For All at 10%.’

Deku balances as he hears his thoughts.

‘ONLY 10%!!??’

‘But there’s no point holding back,’ Miro thinks. ’ Time to end this. ONE FOR ALL, 100%’

Deku immediately activates a Warp Gate before Mirio can punch him.

The resulting punch destroys the entire wall, revealing the night sky, and clears all the smoke in the room. Mirio clasps his arm in pain and looks around as Professor Sheild, All Might, and the others begin to wake up. All the villains are wondering how they are tied up and Bakugo looks around confused.

“What the hell just happened!?” Bakugo yells.

“What happened?” asks Professor Shield.

“Dave, you’re all right!” All Might exclaims.

“Yagi! I-”

“We have more important problems!” Momo shouts. “Where is Deku!?”

“We were fighting just a minute ago,” Mirio says, clutching his broken arm. “But he just vanished.”

Bakugo scoffs. “Bastard probably fled. Coward.”

Right at this moment, Melissa Shield manages to deactivate the island’s security system. The civilians who were held hostage by the drones cheered and more heroes began to wander the streets.

Elsewhere, Deku warps to the room where he was staying with Wolfram and the others when they were first invited to I-island.

He sighs with disappointment. “I’m a coward. I could have fought, but instead I fled.” he clutches the briefcase, then he opens it and looks at the Amplification device. “No, I did the right thing. I made sure I escaped with this. This was more important. If I had stayed and fought, I could have ended up losing it and gotten in jail. What’s important is that I take this back to the League.”

He finds his backpack and pulls out a map. He spots the red “X” he marked and reads the coordinates for that area. The area of the outer rim of the wall on the west side.

Deku instantly warps there, and he takes out a tiny helicopter from inside his backpack. Sticking his finger inside the door, Deku touches his Size-Changing Belt (the belt that he created from studying Mt. Lady’s Gigantification and Yui Kodai’s Size). He presses the button and deactivates the belt. Causing it, and the helicopter that it is attached to, to grow to its normal size.

Deku gets in the helicopter and throws the Amplification device inside. However, before he can take off, he takes a look back at the island in the distance. Then he looks at the Amplification device.

Deku then put his hand to his pocket, and felt around, realizing that his Quirk Nullification Gun had come out of his pocket.

“You know what?” Deku asks. “I think I left my Nullification Gun back on the island.” Deku smiles. “I am also curious about how skilled I am now. And I wanna test this thing out.”

“Guys! I did it!” Melissa cries as she runs back to the room where her father and the others are being held captive. “I deactivated the security system! Now the heroes can…”

Melissa returns to the room, only to find it completely empty. Ochako, Mirio, All Might, and the others are gone. All except for her father, Professor Shield, who is sitting on the ground in shame. Samuel, who can’t even face them, and the villains who are struggling to break free from their metal binds.

Melissa walks around Wolfram’s corpse and rushes to her father.

“Papa? What’s going on?” Melissa asks. “Where’s Uncle Might? Mirio?”

“The girls told them everything.” A tear falls down her father’s face. “Your Uncle Might was so disappointed.” He looks up at his daughter, crying. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I swear. I just-”

“It’s not your fault, it was mine,” Samuel says. “I lied to you and tried to sell the most dangerous device in the world to criminals. All because I wanted fame or money. At least you had good intentions. You wanted to help your friend.“

Professor Shield sighs. “It wasn’t just about that. Yagi said that he was fine with retiring. That a new generation of heroes would emerge. But I wanted to maintain the status quo. I didn’t want things to change. The great symbol of peace. But instead, I created a monster.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You all screwed up!” says Diago.

“YOU were a part of this too!” Melissa says.

“We’re criminals, sweetheart, get over it. We have bigger problems now. If you don’t believe me, look outside.”

Asta comes flying through the hole. She crashes and her body skids on the metal floor. She is wearing a spiked cybernetic armor that appears to have been made from her own clothes, and wielding a large gun in each hand. The armor cracks and her guns spark from the damage they received. Asta growls as she glares at the hole.

“Asta?” Melissa runs to her.

Melissa extends her hand, and Asta grabs it to pull herself back up.

“What’s going on?” Melissa asks.

“When the security system was shut down Chako called me and said we had to find this Deku guy because he had this really cool piece of machinery.” Asta smiles and averts her eyes. “Uh, let’s just say I’m really into machinery…Weapons.”

“Where is Ochako?” Melissa asks.

“Deku wrapped her on tape and stuck her to the side of a building so she wouldn’t get hurt,” Asta says. “I think he thinks she’s cute.”

Melissa’s eyes widen. “Wait! Deku is still here!?”

Asta points outside, where they see a hero fly by (or rather get knocked back).

Melissa runs to the hole and she gasps at what she sees.

The sky brews up a storm. The dark clouds flash with lighting and the wind is blowing hard. Tornadoes keep most of the flying heroes subdued.

Nearly half the city is covered in forest and ice. Above it is Deku, wearing the Amplification device, floating in the sky. He lifts his hand and sends a gigantic wave of fire, probably strong enough to raze the other half of the island, into the sky.

Uncle Might and Mirio, along with every other hero on I-Island charge at him, ready to fight. And Deku simply raises his hand, sending massive chunks of buildings flying at them.

She sees Kaminari down below with his fingers raised, clearly having used his Quirk to attract lightning strikes like a lightning rod and suffering mental damage for it. Ochako is right next to him, lying on the ground, tied up in tape and frowning about her predicament.

All the remaining heroes are trying in vain to fight Deku.

Deku, on the other hand, is surrounded by a personal tornado (and, unknown to anyone else but him, a manifestation of his upper body made out of the air, created from New Order). A massive bolt of lightning strikes him and he sends a massive electrical attack toward the heroes who fly at him. It is like a massive tree out of electricity that spreads out in all directions. Some heroes avoid, others don’t.

Godzillo is firing his beam of energy, and Pankration is throwing cars. But Deku is protected by both his air-bodies mass and a telekinetic force field surrounding him.

Nyikang tries to possess Deku. But the electrical current running through Deku’s body makes that difficult.

None of the other heroes are faring any better.

Debris from buildings floats around Deku, and the earth beneath his feet swallows up the heroes on the ground.

Mirio and All Might are the only ones who are really causing any damage. Jumping around, back and forth, hitting him with charged punches.

Deku stumbles as he is hit a few times. But then he simply unleashes an ENHANCED Explosion at the two of them. It is like a hydrogen bomb blast in the air. Its very force sends out shockwaves that damage the nearby buildings.

All Might tries to push through the powerful blast. But the skin on the left side of his face burns as the upper part of his suit singe off before he is pushed back. Mirio bypasses the heat and force by turning intangible. He prepares to solidify his fist once he deduces his is close to Deku while charging himself up for an attack. But Deku stops the explosion and pulls his fist back. His whole arm hardens like Kaminari’s Quirk, it glows red as it charges with immense levels of energy, and it sparks with electricity.

Deku’s dodges the punch and delivers his own charged punch to Mirio’s abdomen, Detroit Smash style. The sky lights up and the fabric on Mirio’s suit is singed off as he older boy is punched back. Sending him crashing into a nearby building.

“WHY IS HE DOING THIS!?” Melissa asks.
“He’s testing out his new toy, duh!” Asta says. “He just teleported in the middle of the sky and was like “Come fight me, heroes! I dare you!” And, yeah, we all basically knew he was a villain so they all charged at him. AND NOW HE’S DESTROYING US! Half of us are injured and the rest are barely going on! What the Hell is his Quirk anyway!?”

“A Copy Quirk, according to Ochako,” Melissa says. “But it’s been amplified with the device, so I don’t know how long he can keep the Quirks he copies now.”

Melissa looks to the side, and she sees Wolfram’s gun on the ground. The one that Wolfram used on that clone of Deku that knocked him out. She saw Deku take it, but it must have fallen off him after Mirio hit him.

“Papa, look!” Melissa points to the gun.

Professor Shields’ eyes widen. “Akatani’s Nullification Gun.”

Melissa runs to the gun and picks it up.

“Nullification Gun?” Asta asks.

“If nullifies Quirks.”

Asta’s eyes widen. “Cool, let me see that.” She pulls down her goggles.

Asta runs to Melissa and roughly grabs her wrist. Asta uses her goggles to scan the gun and then she smiles and releases Melissa’s wrist. Melissa narrows her eyes at her before dismissing it to focus on the present.

“If I can just close enough to Deku, I can shoot him with this,” Melissa says. “The device can’t amplify him if he can’t use his Quirks. He’ll be a sitting duck.”

“But we can’t touch him,” Asta says.

“Uncle Might and Mirio can if they punch him together,” Melissa says. “I just need to get close enough to him when they do.”

Ochako flies up with Mina hanging onto her shoulder. Her dress is partly eaten away by acid, but there is no tape on her.

“Leave that to me,” Ochako says.

Mirio and All Might struggle in the grips of Deku’s air hands. Deku’s aetherial manifestation squeezes their bodies and he gazes at them. He really presses his air-thumb against All Mights injury and keeps Erasure on Mirio before sending him a small electric charge.

Deku just silently stares at them.

He had used the Amplification device to increase his strength while also increasing his other Quirks. He was finally able to use New Order to its highest capacity. Creating a manifestation of himself out of the air, just like Star and Stripe does (which, thankfully, no one can see but him).

‘Incredible! I…I never could have imagined what it feels to be this strong! I think I could destroy this whole isn’t if I wanted, if I wasn’t holding back! No wonder Bakugo was so arrogant.’

Then he used Weather Manipulation to create a lightning storm, his Electricity Generation to attract the lightning to his hands, and then redirected it at the heroes. Thanks to the Amplification device, he’s nearly at OFA level of power, and he has the tired and weakened All Might and Mirio in the palms of his hands (who likely think it’s just his telekinesis).

‘It’s funny,’ Deku thinks. ‘I talked about killing All Might for a while now with the League, but now he’s actually in my hands... I can use New Order again. I could say, “New Order, make Mirio Togata-Lemillion and Yagi Toshinori-All Might’s physical ailment accelerate”. I know I should. It would only benefit the League. Getting rid of All Might and One For All. I’ve killed before. This would just be a little bit more blood on my hands. But…for some reason…’ Deku’s conscious briefly takes over. ‘On second thought…Sensei should really be the one to kill All Might. It seems like his right. Plus if I kill Mario would we still be able to get One For All?…Maybe I should knock them out and take them back to the League. Or just kill All Might and bring Mirio back.’

Deku mentally debates on what to do about All Might and Mirio. As he does, his grip on the two heroes loosens. All Might and Mirio gaze at him with surprise.

Deku doesn’t realize that Bakugo and Todoroki are coming at him from behind. Bakugo is propelling himself into the air with his Explosions, and Todoroki is using ice AND FIRE.

‘Young-Todoroki is using his fire side?’ All Might smiles. ‘Looks like he’s finally learned to use his Quirk in desperate situations.’

Todoroki glares at Deku. ‘You made me use my father’s Quirk.’

Flashback: Todoroki watches as All Might charges right at Deku, right after he had just challenged all the heroes of the island. Deku pulls back his fist, hardens it using Kaminari’s Quirk, charges it up with Power, and even generates explosions and fire in his fist. He mimics Endeavor’s Flashfire Fist and punches All Might with a combination of raw power rivaling their own and an intense explosion that shakes the whole setting. The people on the ground brace themselves as All Might is forced back. Todoroki gasps at Deku with horror in his eyes as Deku smiles proudly at his fist.

(Present)

‘You are a real threat, Deku,’ Todoroki thinks. ‘I can’t afford to hold back. I have to fight you with my all!’

Deku’s eyes widen. He turns around, only to see Bakugo and Todoroki combining their powers. Bakugo is charging up a cluster blast while Todoroki is combining his ice and fire into one. Deku doesn’t even have time to think to use Erasure.

“DIE!!!”

The combined blast is as strong as All Might’s and Mirio’s punches. Though they do not touch Deku, they push against his protective barriers enough that Deku releases the two OFA users and stumbles.

“HAHA!! YEAH! TAKE THAT SHITTY VILLAIN!DEKU!!!” Bakugo shouts.

“You forced me to use my father’s Quirk,” Tororoki says, narrowing his eyes at Deku.

“NOW AFTER WE TAKE ON THIS FREAK, YOU CAN FINALLY GIVE ME THAT REMATCH I’M OWED!” Bakugo shouts at Todoroki.

“No.”

Deku uses his Erasure on them, and Todoroki and Bakugo fall. he catches them in his hands and squeezes. Deku continues staring at the two strongest UA students, as they struggle to break free.

“Damn it!” Bakugo shouts.

‘Don’t kill him either, Izuku,’ Deku tells himself. ‘Don’t kill him, Aunt Mitsuki will be upset. Don’t kill him, Aunt Mitsuki will be upset. Don’t kill him, Aunt Mitsuki will be upset…’

Shoto struggles. “We have to attack as soon as he blinks.”

“I WON’T LET THIS FREAK BEAT ME!” Bakugo shouts.

“Bakugo!” Kirishima calls from the ground.

Deku didn’t really have a plan for them besides squeezing them until they pass out or surrender (and try his best not to kill Bakugo). But then he saw Ochako fly by using her Quirk and a missile strapped to her feet. She glares at him, and Melissa is riding on her back.

‘Ochako? Melissa?’

Melissa pulls out his Quirk Nullification Gun. Deku’s eyes widen as Melissa fires at him. Deku concentrates his forcefield in front of him and uses his telekinesis to move a large amount of rubble between him and Melissa. It works, but Melissa keeps firing at him.

“UNCLE MIGHT! MIRIO! HIT HIM AS HARD AS YOU CAN! NO HOLDING BACK!”

‘What?’

“You got it, Melissa!” Togata says. “Ready All Might?”

“Lets go beyond! Plus Ultra!”

All Might and Mirio use all their might to leap toward Deku, charging their bodies with OFA coursing through their bodies.

“DOUBLE ONE FOR ALL! ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!!!” Mirio cries, charging up his good arm.

“DETROIT SMASH!!!” ALL MIGHT SHOUTS.

The combined attack from All Might and Mirio blows away the rubble that Deku was using to shield himself, and obliterates his air-manifestation along with his telkinetic shields.

The rays of the nullification gun hit Deku, and his Quirk deactivates, rendering the Amplification Device useless to him. His body steams as his body becomes weaker. He is surrounded by rubble and falling through the air.

As Deku falls, Bakugo propels himself after him.

As Bakugo reaches closer, Deku tries to punch at him, but Bakugo smacks/explodes his fists away and reaches for the Amplification device on Deku’s head. As soon as he grabs it, Bakugo sports one of his psychotic smiles and places his fist on Deku’s chest.

“DIE! VILLAIN!DEKU!”

Bakugo hits Deku with a blast in his chest, sending him falling faster to the ground with an explosion trial behind him as Bakugo propels himself to the side of a building to latch onto.

Not wanting to take any chances, Todoroki unleashes a wave of fire at Deku. The villain bursts into flames before he crashes to the ground.

The heroes run to the scene where there is a massive crater in the ground, and a pile of dust in a vaguely humanoid shape.

“He killed him!” one of the heroes shouts.

All the heroes cheer. Some give credit to All Might and Mirio. Some too Melissa. Others to Bakugo and Todoroki. But they all cheer for Deku’s defeat.

Ochako floats down with Melissa. All Might and Mirio jump down. The four are surrounded by the cheering heroes. All Might and Mirio take the cheers in stride, while Melissa is flattered but a tad uncomfortable. Ochako has her focus on her, though.

“Melissa, you did it!” Ochako cheers, hugging her. “Oh, I wish Izuku was here for this.”

Melissa smiles from the praise.

All Might puts a hand on Melissa’s shoulder. “Thank you, Melissa. You saved us.”

Melissa smiles at her uncle and a tear forms in her eyes. She thinks back to how everyone looked down on her for being Quirkless. She thinks about what Ochako and Deku said about their respective loved ones. Now, she, a Quirkless girl, is being praised by so many powerful heroes. I was…exhilarating.

“Thank you, Uncle Might.”

“You know what?” Ochako says. “I have an idea.”

Ochako uses her Zero Gravity on Melissa and lifts her up.

“Woah! What are you doing?” Melissa asks.
“Everyone, this is Melissa Shield,” Ochako says. “She is Quirkless, but if it wasnt for her, then Deku wouldn’t have been defeated.”

“WHAT!?”

Bakugo descends to the ground, using explosions to break his fall. He lands in the crowd and growls.

“SHE’S QUIRKLESS!?” Bakugo shouts.

Ochako gives him a sly grin. “She’s a technical genius, and she’s smarter than you.”

Bakugo growls and grits his teeth.

Mirio claps his hands, followed by All Might. Kirishima does as well, and the rest of the heroes present follow.

Melissa smiles and cries as she takes in the praise. Her whole life, she wanted to be a hero, and now, in her own way, she was one.

Meanwhile, Bakugo glares at the crowd of heroes, cheering for Melissa Shield.

“Bakubro!” Kaminari runs up to his friend. “That was a nice hit, man!”

“THEN HOW COME NO ONE IS CHEERING ME!?” Bakugo yells at him. “INSTEAD THEY ARE CHEERING THAT QUIRKLESS CHICK!”

Todoroki descends to join them on an ice slide.

“Well, if she hadn’t hit him with that gun then he would have killed us both,” Todoroki says.

“SHE DIDN’T SAVE US! I WOULDN’T HAVE LET THAT UNORIGINAL RED-EYED BASTARD BEAT ME!” Bakugo grits his teeth at Melissa, as she continues receiving praise, then he turned back to Todoroki. “AND IF YOU HADN’T HIT HIM LAST THEN I’D GET CREDIT FOR THE FINAL HIT!”

“I’m sorry,” Todoroki says. “Seeing how strong he was, I couldn’t risk him recovering his power. I acted on instinct.” He lowers his head in shame. “And I killed someone.”

Bakugo scoffs. Then smirks arrogantly and holds up the Amplification device.

“Well, at least now I have this.”

Kirishima frowns at him. “Bakubro, you know you can’t keep that, right?”

“If Shield has half a brain, he’ll let me keep this as a reward for saving the island.”

“You heard what Deku said, that device was never supposed to be used by anyone,” Todoroki says. “You’ve seen what it can do. We should destroy it.”

“Wait, what’s happening to it?” Kaminari asks.

“Huh?”

Bakugo looks at the device and gasps as it turns to gray sand and disintegrates in his hand.

“What the?” Kaminari exclaims. “How did that happen? It was fine a minute ago.”

Bakugo growls. He clenches his fist as he recalls that Villain!Deku had a Duplicating Quirk. How his copy disintegrated into he exact same kind of sand.

Todoroki’s eyes widen. “No. Deku must have made a copy of himself and the device and fled. This whole thing was just a distraction so he could escape.”

Bakugo roars and throws the sand left in his palm to the ground. “Bastard wanted to try it out but didn’t have the balls to fight us himself! Coward!”

“We need to tell All Might and Professor Shield,” Kaminari says.

Over the ocean.

Deku flies in his helicopter with a smile on his face.

Thanks to New Order (note, turns out that his clones can use New Order two times without affecting any of his orders) he was able to stay linked with his clones and see/hear what they see/hear. “New Order, I shall see and hear what my doubles see and hear”.

He could not be more impressed with the results that the device had on him (well, his clone technically). He knows he made the right call. He got to see just how strong he device would make him without risking getting caught. He is now far from I-Island and by the time they find his helicopter Deku will have warped out of there. And, as an added bonus, Melissa will get credit for helping defeat him. He can already see the headlines, “Young Quirkless Genius Saves Island Of Heroes”.

His eyes glance at the case containing the real Amplification device and the Size Changing belt in the other seat. And, he still has another clone left on I-Island sent to target and destroy his Quirk Nullification Gun so the heroes can’t use it. And he’s already made another for the League.

A proud smile forms on his face.

Chapter Text

The crowd of heroes had dissipated. After openly cheering Melissa, they went back to helping their wounded to the nearest hospitals and cleaning up debris. A few bodies were pulled out of the wreckage. Short words of respect or moments of silence were given to their deceased comrades before the surviving-uninjured heroes resumed their duties.

Ochako left Melissa to go check in on her friend, Asta. Mirio had to leave after claiming he felt ill. While All Might, Jiro, and most of the U.A. students whom Deku had captured went to explain to the media everything that they knew happened. Todoroki and Kirishima had run up to All Might, saying they had “something bad” to tell him.

And so with all of that, Melissa re-enteres the tower so she could begin making her way to her father. As she walks, she looks at the Quirk Nullification Gun in her hand.

‘Did Deku really create this himself?’ Melissa wonders. ‘He certainly was something else. He was terrifying, too. I’m glad that we managed to get the device back. I’m going to need to talk to that explosions kid after I check in on my papa. Maybe we can reverse engineer this device and-’

“Blondie!”

“Huh?” Melissa turns around.

It is Bakugo, the boy with the explosion Quirk. He had run up to her and was now fuming.

“Oh, hi. Bakugo, right?” Melissa asks. “How are you?”

“Listen…” Bakugo growls. “I wouldn’t have asked to be helped by a Quirkless weakling like you.”

Melissa’s eyes widen in surprise at his statement, and she feels a sharp sting in her gut. Memories of being treated like she was weak in her childhood pop up in her mind.

“Um, excuse me?” Melissa asks, confused (and a little hurt) by his words.

“I was fine on my own! And you only managed to hurt him because of some stupid gun that HE made!” Bakugo lifts his head and starts ranting at her. “HUH! YOU GOT THAT! YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY USELESS OTHERWISE! YOU’RE JUST A QUIKLESS WEAKLING WHO’S ONLY GOOD FOR MAKING CRAP FOR PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY MATTER!” Bakugo growls. “And you weren’t even able to do that much if Mirio and All Might hadn’t beaten him for you first! You’re useless without a Quirk. Don’t you forget it.” Bakugo grunts and stomps away. “I DON’T OWE YOU ANYTHING!”

“What was that about?” Melissa asks herself.

Still, a part of Melissa is hurt by Bakugo’s words. She looks down at the gun in her hands with a frown.

Ochako steps out of hiding and up to her. “Hey, don’t listen to him. He’s just a Quirkist bully.”

“Ochako?” Melissa asks. “What are you doing here? I thought you were with your friend?”

“I just called Asta,” Ochako says. “She’s taking care of it. I figured that Bakugo would go after you, so I wanted to be here for you.”

Melissa looks down at Ochako’s hands. “Is that why you have your phone out?”

In Ochako’s hands is her cell phone. With Bakugo yelling at Melissa recorded on it.

Ochako smirks and puts the cellphone away. “Oh, it’s nothing. Anyway, just don’t listen to Bakugo. He’s got a massive ego and a nasty temper. Is that the Nullification gun?”

Melissa holds the gun up. “Yes, it is. I was thinking my dad and I could-”

The Nullification Gun glows blue and then suddenly crumbles itself into a condensed ball. Melissa and Ochako gasp at the destroyed Gun, which falls to the ground. It then suddenly turns red and generates heat. The two girls step back and watch in shock as it melts.

“What’s going on? What happened to the Gun?” Ochako asks.

Melissa shakes her head. “I…I don’t-”

Deku, or rather a Double of him, emerges from behind a large piece of debris that had fallen within the building. “I am here!”

Melissa and Ochako stare in shock at him. Melissa pulls ot the gun Momo gave her and Ochako raises her hands defensively.

Double-Deku shrugs. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”

Melissa overcomes her shock as she remembers Deku’s self-replicating ability and smacks her forehead. “That wasn’t you we just fought. It was a clone of yourself you made.”

“I’m a Double, too,” Double-Deku says. “The real me is far from the island by now. One Double was made to test out the device’s capabilities. I was made to destroy the Nullification gun so you can’t use it.” Double-Deku smiles at his hand. “See what I did there with the Gun? That was a combination of Metal Manipulation and Telekinesis. Then I combined Telekinesis with the “hot” portion of Half Hot-Half Cold. Touchless Ferrokinesis and Pyrokinesis. Cool, huh?”

Melissa groans. “So you still have the device?”

“Yeah,” Double-Deku says. “I’m sorry about your Dad, Melissa. I take credit for all the injuries and destruction. But I think it’s really Samuel who’s going to be blamed.”

“Injuries and DEATHS!” Melissa says.

Double-Deku winces. “No, I…other me just distracting the heroes so the real me could escape.”

“You shot lightning at people and crushed them under debris,” Ochako reminds him. “Yeah, most of the heroes were strong enough to get out mostly ok, but some died.”

Double-Deku’s eyes widen. “Whoops…Sorry. Buuuttttt…..they were attacking me so-”

“YOU challenged them,” Melissa says, whilst placing her hands on her hips.

Double-Deku blinks, then he shrugs before nodding. Soon after, he starts dissintegrating.

“Well, looks like I’m running out of time,” Double-Deku says. “Bye, Melissa. Ochako. It’s been swell. Oh, and Melissa, I…real me wasn’t completely lying about my Quirkless friend. As bad as you think things are for Quirkless people in America, it’s even worse in Japan. You wanna be a hero? Help them.”

And with that, the Double-Deku completely dissintegrates.

Melissa stares at the pile of sand, thinking over Double-Deku’s words. As much as she may not like the villain, he did bring up some good points. Ochako turns to her.

“He’s not wrong.” Ochako then takes out her phone and does some typing before “And…Send.”

“What did you send?” Melissa asks.

“Bakugo yelling at you.”

“Who did you send it to?”
“Everyone.”

Shoto Todoroki is sitting on a large cement chunk while the rest of the heroes around him work to clean up the debris. He pays no attention to them as he is gazing at his left hand.

His fire hand.

Momo Yaoyorozu slowly approaches him.

"That was some battle, huh?" Momo asks. "To think a Copy Quirk could do all this. Even with an Amplification Device."

"Deku was quite powerful, even without the device," Shoto says, not looking away from his palm.

Momo sits beside him. "You used your fire tonight."

"Deku didn't hold back, so I couldn't."

Flashback: Shoto's eyes are wide as he watches Deku release a massive burst of fire into the sky. Again, he sees Deku combine the fire and ice sides together to create a powerful blast.

Shoto Narration: When I saw him use my fire, I didn't see my father's flames. His/mine, were different. They were beautiful and radiant."

(Present)

"Seeing him go all out with his power, it made me realize I couldn't hold back against him." Shoto clenches his fist. "It was us or him." Shoto closes his eyes and grinds his teeth. "But now all I can hear is my father cheering for using my flames."

Momo frowns at him. "When you used your fire, you were so powerful. Incredible." She grabs his shoulder. "You're incredible, Shoto. In many more ways besides your Quirk. You can't keep holding yourself back because of your parents."

Shoto sighs. "I know." He turns to Momo. "That psychiatrist you told me about in Deika City. Could you set me up an appointment?"

Momo smiles. "I would be happy too."

In Melissa's study, she and her father sit before All Might (or rather, Yagi Toshinori) and Mirio Togata (who has a cast around one of his arms). Yagi was fitted with the prototype of the mechanical arm that he busted while fighting Deky before he and Mirio told them the truth.

Throughout the entire explanation, her mind was blown. From the existence of All For One and One For All to Uncle Might inheriting it (when he was previously Quirkless) and currently passing it onto Mirio. She turned to her father as they gave their explanations. His facial expressions showed that he knew some of this but not others.

Yagi crouches over with his head down. "And that's everything."

"So...all this time, your Quirk was never yours?" Professor Shield says.

"No, it wasn't." Yagi looks at his friend with a frown. "I am sorry, Dave. I should have been honest with you about One For All from the start. It’s just...I was afraid that if I told you or Melissa, I would be putting your lives in danger." He lowers his head again. "But if I had, then none of this would have happened."

Melissa scowls at her father and uncle figure. "So, you both have been lying to me my entire life." She turns to her father. "You lied to me about Uncle Might's injury and All For One." She then turns to Yagi. "And you lied to both of us about One For All."

Mirio steps forward. “Melissa, please try to understand-"

Melissa jumps out of her seat. "No! I won't! Because right now, fifty heroes are injured! Ten are dead! I-Island is a wreck!" She turns to her father. "And now the device that you intended to use to help Uncle Might maintain his sparks is in the hands of a villain with multiple Quirks! No, scratch that. TWO villains with multiple Quirks!"

"We will find him," Mirio says. "We will-"

Mirio crouches over and coughs. He clutches his heart, and Yagi pats him on the back.

Melissa sighs and turns to her father. "Papa, look. I can understand that you were tricked by Samuel. But you could have at least talked to Uncle Might and me about the device before you tried to steal it."

David looks down.

"And Uncle Might-“ Melissa turns to Yagi. "-We're family. You should have told us about One For All. You should have told me about your injury. What did you think? That if you told me then I would post it online? That I would beg for you to give me One For All because we were both Quirkless? I'm not that petty, Uncle Might."

Mirio lifts his head. "Oh, yeah, we forgot to add. Melissa, after me and All Might stop All For One for good, we would like YOU to take One For All from me. Turns out that having two Quirks damages the body, so I can't last long like this."

Mirio coughs again, to Melissa and David Shield’s disturbance.

"Stay here." Melissa walks to her bookshelf. She retrieves a box and returns to Mirio with a red strap-like device inside. "Here. It's a gauntlet I designed for Uncle Might, but I think you need it more. With this, you can punch as hard as you want without injuring yourself. It should last three times."

Mirio takes the gauntlet out of the box and puts it on his wrist. It glows and then wraps around his arm, creating a gauntlet out of red straps. Mirio smiles as he punches the air.

"This is great, thank you," Mirio says.

Melissa gives him a small smile. “And, so you can live, I will be happy to take One For All from you when you are ready to give it to me. Until then, I will help you in any way I can to help you beat All For One."

"No, Melissa, you don't have to-"

"I am getting involved, Uncle Might!" Melissa snaps. "It's the least we can do."

She turns to her father, who again looks down in shame. "With me in prison for my actions, Melissa will have full control over I-Island. Her resources will be invaluable."

"And I am sure many of the heroes here will want a second round with Deku too," says Melissa. "In the meantime, maybe we can find a way to help Mirio's body adapt to One For All.”

Mirio nods. "I look forward to working with you then, Melissa."

Mirio extends his broken hand and Melissa shakes it. Melissa then lets out a somewhat bitter laugh.

"You know, before you ambushed Deku he asked me an interesting question," Melissa says. "He asked me if I would accept a Quirk if I could. Now I'm thinking he was trying to recruit me, but he seemed to respect my answer." She briefly turns to her father and Yagi. “I said No."

Melissa recalls playing with other children when she was little. They said they wanted to pretend to be heroes while using their Quirks, only to apologize to Melissa for not having one.

"Uncle Might, I don't know if this is true or not, but Deku said that he had a Quirkless friend who wasn't treated well in Japan."

Yagi rubs his neck. "Well, it wasn't too big of a problem when I was young. I mean, sure, some people looked down on me, but it wasn't everyone...I don't really know. Back then, the whole world was in chaos due to All For One. Everyone was scared, and powerful Quirks were valued to create strong heroes to protect the weak."

"Then again, there are a lot fewer Quirkless people nowadays," David says.

Melissa crosses her arms. "Well, on my way here, that Explosions guy from U.A. came up to me and started ranting about how he didn't need help from a Quirkless person like me. He said I was weak and useless. That I only got lucky."

All Might and her father stand up, and even Mirio exclaims in shock.

"He said what to you!?" Mirio asks.

"How dare he! Ungrateful brat!" David asks.

All Might clenches his fist and returns to his muscular form. "I assure you, Melissa, I will have a long talk with Young-Bakugo about this later."

"That's the thing, I don't think it's just Bakugo," Melissa says. "The others were nice, but...Ok, so I was never really bullied when I was a kid for being Quirkless." Melissa closes her eyes. "Sure, there was one or two jerks, but they were just jerks. But overall, people treated me differently. Everyone acted like I was weak or less capable. Even when I did something well, people would say things like "Wow, Melissa, that's so incredible! And you don't even have a Quirk!" or "Wow, and to think she's Quirkless". Even people who didn’t have very strong Quirks, acted like I was different. And then one day, out of curiosity, I looked up how Quirklessness is viewed in Japan."

She gestures to All Might and Mirio.

"What did you find?" Mirio asks.

"I found a chart that shows the number of youths who commit suicide every year. The majority was due to bullying for being Quirkless, heteromorphs, or kids with Quirks that were deemed villainous. I found one article about a kid who was bullied by a student with a strong Quirk, and even the teachers let him get away with it...I mean, I know that detention doesn't exist in Japan and school systems just aren't' great with dealing with bullies in general. But these teachers knew that he was picking on this kid and they let it happen, because he had a "cool" Quirk and he was going to be a hero. The Quirkless kid committed suicide by jumping off a building and hardly anyone cared."

Yagi's eyes widen in horror, and then he blinks. "Melissa, that is just one-"

"There were more," Melissa says. "I hate to say it, Uncle Might, but people are still obsessed with strong Quirks. People are obsessed with Quirks in general and those who don't have one, or whose Quirks make them too different, are stomped down."

Mirio nods its head. "I believe that. I wasn't Quirkless, but my Quirk wasn't considered very strong in its early stages, and I was teased a lot for that. And I heard that some other students have been bullied in the past for having Quirks others either called useless or villainous.”

“I told Deku that I wanted to show the world that a Quirkless person can still be successful," Melissa says. “And I think that WE should also do the same."

Yagi nods. “I will need to do some more research on my own first. But I will think about what you said.”

Melissa smiles. "Thank you, Uncle Might.”

Mirio nods. "Yeah. I think that will help a lot of people out in the long run. Also, I have decided to tell Tamaki and Nejire about One For All and All For One." Yagi stares at him in shock. "Also, my parents. I think that, for their own protection, they NEED to know."

Yagi looks at David. David nods. Yagi sighs.

“Very well, Young-Togata. Do what you must.”

Izuku sits in front of Shigaraki, All For One, Dr. Garaki, and Kurogiri at the bar.

After arriving on the mainland within a day, a tired Izuku called Kurogiri and the warp-nomu appeared before him. Izuku shrunk his helicopter back down to toy size and went with Kurogiri as they warped from location to location before arriving at the LoV base. Izuku was allowed to rest before being put in a meeting with AFO, had his modified boy reverted back to its normal state (green hair and eyes, tanner skin and no facial scarring, also shorter than “Deku”). Izuku then gave the briefcase to AFO and had a few hours of rest before he shared his story.

“So, just to reiterate,” AFO says. “You successfully managed to steal the device, at the cost of losing your Nullifying gun, which negates its effects.”

“I had one of my clones destroy it,” Izuku says.

Izuku sucks in a breath. He was still connected to that clone when Ochako and Melissa informed him that, despite his intentions to go easy on I-Island, he (by proxy of his Double) still killed some heroes. He just hoped that civilians weren’t mixed in.

“I can make another anyway and we still have the Erasure Light,” Izuku says. “There is no harm done.”

“You also neglected to kill All Might and his successor,” AFO says.

Izuku stammers. “I…I didn’t kill them for YOU, Sensei. B-Because All Might is YOUR arch-enemy. I thought that if anyone had the right, you could with this device no problem. Besides, it wasn’t ME who was confronting them. It was my Double. I was just trying to create a distraction so I could escape. And look, I did. With the device and now we can plan to ambush Mirio to take One For All! It all worked out.”

Shigaraki holds up his phone. “Yes. Your attack on I-Island has gone viral.”

Shigaraki shows Izuku his phone. It displays a video of Deku fighting off the heroes of I-Island with his Quirks and the Amplification Device. Blowing away heroes with explosions and telekinetic blasts. The headline reads: “Powerful Villain Ravages I-Island. League of Villains Member Confirmed.”

“Deku is now an international villain,” says Kurogiri. “Our spy within the HCSP has confirmed that the Hero Association is looking everywhere for you. Or rather US.”

Izuku shrinks in his seat. “I’m sorry.”

Kurogiri shakes his head. “There is nothing to apologize for, Young-Midoriya. It was an inevitable outcome. You did well. The important thing is that no one knows that Deku is Izuku.”

“Yeah. I passed Deku off since Och-Since Bakugo happened to talk about me on I-Island.”

Shigaraki shakes his head as he looks at his phone. “So much power. I am quite impressed with you, Deku. You managed to make the whole world scared of you. You fought over a hundred heroes. Maybe more…anyway, you were able to fight them all off. You injured fifty. But you only killed ten.”

“Did I kill any scientists?” Izuku asks.

“No, it only mentions heroes as casualties. Queen Bee,-”

Izuku sighs. “Oh, thank God.” He averts his eyes. “Oh man, but Professor Shield is going to be in a lot more trouble, being indirectly responsible for murders. How is Melissa Shield? Does the article mention her?”

Shigaraki scrolls down. “You mean Shield’s Quirkless daughter? She’s basically inherited I-island.”

“She’s become controversial,” Dr. Garaki says. “Some articles paint her as the island’s savior due to her quick thinking and technical ingenuity, so she clearly took credit for YOUR design. Others say that YOU must not be so strong, considering a Quirkless girl beat you. Others dismiss her or don’t even mention her to focus on All Might and Mirio breaking through your defenses and the Todoroki boy burning you. And, of course, even more people claim that they were all ultimately irrelevant since the you they fought turned out to be a Double anyway.”

Izuku frowns. ‘Not that strong considering a Quirkless girl beat me? Dismiss her? Ugh! Of course, the media would do that. I have a lot of work to do.’

“Is anything being done about that?” Izuku asks. “I don’t know. Maybe All Might is backing up his niece to the media? Trying to help Quirkless people?”

Shagaraki scrolls through his phone. “Well, All Might, Mirio, and several other heroes gave her credit to the reporters on I-island, but beyond that, no.”

Izuku grunts. “Of course not. Heroes. They only care about putting away villains, they donate to a few charities to look good, but they don’t try to tackle real social problems.”

Shigaraki smirks. “Good news is that there is no mention of Bakugo anywhere. Todoroki and Melissa, but not Bakugo.” Shigaraki smirks. “Oh wait, there is something on him. It’s a video of him yelling at Melissa. It says: U.A. Sports Festival Psycho Yells At Quirkless Savior.”

Izuku’s eyes light up. “Oh! Let me see!”

Shigaraki hands him his phone. Izuku sees the username: Uravity1.

Izuku smiles. ‘Ochako, you beautiful girl you.’

Izuku scrolls through the comments. Pleased to see that many of them are dissing Bakugo as a jerk and a Quirkist.

Izuku smirks. “Well, that makes me feel a little better.” He hands the phone back to Shigaraki. “Now, we need to focus on capturing Mirio. Aside from the strain that One For All is putting on his body, he isn’t very good with surprise attacks. Or electricity. But he is still very strong, and now that he’s unlocking the past users Quirks, we will need to prepare extra hard to defeat him.”

AFO nods. “Yes, you have greatly benefited us, Young-Midoriya.” AFO holds up the Amplification Device. “With this, I believe that our victory may already be assured. However, we are also concerned about your recent behavior.”

Izuku tilts his head. “Uh…what do you mean?”

Kurogirl warps a few pictures into his hand. Shigaraki takes them and hands the stack to Izuku.

“Muscular stalked you a while back and took some pictures of you at the mall,” Kurogiri explains.

Izuku’s eyes widen, and he stops breathing. He turns pale, and his hands shake. They are images of him sitting with Ochako at the mall. Talking and laughing. Izuku looks up from the photos a the older villains, who are staring at him.

“Muscular said that Ochako Uraraka was a hero student, and we confirmed it,” Kurogiri says.

Shigaraki leans in. “But, I’m sure you have an explanation.” Despite saying that, Shigaraki’s Quirk creates “decay holes” in the table his hand rests on. “Are you trying to get us another spy at Deika Academy?”

‘What do I do!?’ Izuku asks. ‘Do I lie!? No, I can’t do that! I’m sure that AFO must have a lie detection Quirk in there somewhere, and dancing around my evolved Quirk and hesitation to kill All Might was hard enough. If I lie, who knows what will happen?’

Izuku lowers his head. “No. I just really like Ochako.”

Izuku doesn’t even need to look up to know Shigaraki is glaring at him.

“I met her a while ago, after I saved a kid from being hit by a car. She said I was cool, and she didn’t care when I lied that I was still Quirkless. She’s a kind, sweet, beautiful girl. And she wants to be a hero because she REALLY wants to help people. So she’s not like one of those glory hounds we hate.”

Flashback: Ochako glares at Deku after he entraps her with tape and strings from Despot. How she looks at his Double with disdain and eagerness to fight on I-Island.

(Present)

Izuku sighs. “But when we forgot on I-Island, I used my Quirks to detain her for the sake of the mission. I just…it was nice being with someone who didn’t look down on Quirkless people. Someone outside of the League who liked…me. Not whatever Quirk I had or didn’t. And, as much as I don’t like the old me, it was nice seeing someone who shared some of my/his better aspects.”

“Do you love her?” Kurogiri asks.

“It doesn’t matter,” Izuku says. “If she finds out I’m a villain, that I’m Deku, she would hate me too.”

“Well then, it’s settled,” AFO says. “You need to leave this girl, Young-Midoriya.”

Izuku tenses. “What? Sensei, do I-”

“Do you really want to be with someone who doesn’t really know you?” Dr. Garaki asks. “Who would arrest you as soon as you tell her the real you?”

“A hero is a hero, Deku,” Shigaraki says, with a tone full of venom.

“But I-”

Kurogiri places a hand on his shoulder. “Young-Midoriya. You know you are essentially lying to her about who you are, correct? Does that seem like a stable relationship to you?”

Izuku wants to object, but he has had these doubts before. He can’t deny that Kurogiri is right.

“I told her that I would take her to my school festival soon,” Izuku says.
“Fine,” Kurogiri says. “Take her out. Show her a nice time. And then, for both your sakes, put her down gently.”

“What do I say?” Izuku asks.

“Make up some excuse,” Shigaraki says.

AFO reaches into his pocket. “Now that we are on the same page.” AFO pulls out a small box and hands it to Izuku. “I am going to have to request that you take these until further notice, Young Midoriya.”

Izuku eyes AFO cautiously before opening the box. Inside are dozens of small injection pullets filled with a blue serum. Strangely, Izuku can see sparks of Quirk energy in them, implying that the serum inside came from someone’s body.

“Uh, what is this?” Izuku asks.

“It’s a new drug that’s going around the black market,” AFO says. “The effects only last a few hours, so they are currently only being distributed for testing purposes. Although the Doctor refined this batch with his own research so the effects will last a whole day.”

Now, Izuku is starting to worry. “What does it do?”

“Inject yourself with it and you will be Quirkless again,” Dr. Garaki says.

Izuku’s eyes widen. “What!?”

“Again, the effects are temporary,” AFO says. “But you will take these every day until further notice.”

“But why?” Izuku asks, confused and saddened.

“Sorry, Deku,” Shigaraki says. “But Sensei insists that it’s a necessary punishment for losing a valuable piece of machinery at I-Island, not killing All Might, and potentially compromising the League by dating a hero. But don’t worry. Once you break up with her then-”

“Then we will focus on capturing Mirio and destroying All Might,” AFO says. “THEN, and only THEN, will I allow you to stop taking the drug.”

“And I will be routinely checking your Quirk levels,” Dr. Garaki says. “If I find out that you are intentionally missing doses, then your punishment will be extended.”

Izuku frowns and glares at AFO. ‘It’s not just all of that I bet. He probably has guessed I’ve lied about other things before. Or he’s intimidated by how powerful the device made me. He knows he doesn’t fully control me, so they are trying to limit me.’

“Just out of curiosity, what if I refuse?” Izuku asks.

“Then you will go back to being Quirkless, permanently,” AFO says. “I may not be able to remove your Copy Quirk, but I can force you back onto the Doctor’s operating table. Remember, we gave you your Quirk, and we can take it away.”

Izuku frowns at him before holding one of the bullets in his fingers. He examines it.

“So I just-”

“Stick the needle in any part of your body, and it will instantly take effect,” says Kurogiri. “I’m sorry, Young-Midoriya.”

Izuku groans. “Don’t be. I guess I brought this on myself.” He looks up at AFO. “Please, though. If we run into Ochako, let me handle her.”
“I cannot promise that,” AFO says. “Now take your medicine.”

Izuku sighs as he rolls up his sleeve. As he places the tip of the bullet over his arm vein, he recalls his classmates at Aldera laughing at him, Bakugo bullying him, his teachers saying he won’t ever be anything, and his mother apologizing to him. But then, he also recalls Ochako. How she accepted him even when she thought he was Quirkless. Melissa and her words about how she would reject a Quirk on I-Island.

‘I can do this,’ Izuku thinks, and then, after a brief moment of hesitation, he sticks the bullet needle into his arm. ‘Wait, one thing first.’

Izuku extends his hand to AFO. “I promise I won’t disappoint you next time, Sensei.”

AFO casually shakes his hand, and Izuku scans his memories from about 16 years ago. Going back to BEFORE he found Shigaraki on the street. Before Shigaraki had killed his family.

Izuku suppresses the urge to widen his eyes.

‘That’s it! Good thing I didn’t tell Sensei or Dr. Garaki about me no longer needing patches.’

Izuku pulls his hand away from AFO and replaces the bullet over his vein. He takes a deep breath before plunging it into him. Izuku flinches from the pain as the serum spreads throughout his bloodstream. He feels his Quirk energy levels lowering. Getting smaller and smaller until… It’s gone.

Izuku’s jaw drops as it hits him. He’s Quirkless again.

“It’s temporary,” Shigaraki reminds him. “You’ll get your Quirk back when you re-earn Sensei’s favor.”

Izuku shakes his head and stands up. “You know what?” he shakes the box. “This is fine. I was born without a Quirk, so I’m not all that upset.” He tries to convince himself. “Besides, I’ve gotten stronger since then. learned to fight. I’m not completely useless now.”

AFO holds out his hand. “I will also be taking all your Quirk Patches. And I won’t want you around the Nomu either.”

Izuku grunts before handing AFO his tin box of Quirks, which he no longer even needs.

“Kurogiri, take Young-Midoriya away,” AFO says. “I believe that Spinner and the others are waiting for him.”

Kurogiri bows. “Yes, Master. Come, Young-Midoriya.”

Izuku reluctantly walks away with Kurogiri as the latter creates a Warp Gate. Izuku turns around to glare at AFO and Shigaraki one last time before walking into the portal.

Flashback: AFO, Kurogiri, and Dr. Garaki watch the news. Though he is physically unable to see, AFO’s many sensory Quirks allow him to know what is happening on the computer screen as well as his two companions.

“So, that is the device that Wolfram intended to steal?” Kurogiri says, watching Deku fight I-Island’s heroes on the screen. “Young-Midoriya texted me a while ago. He said he created a Double of himself and the device so he could escape. So this isn’t him.”

“Still, it’s a good idea of what he is capable of,” says AFO. “A device that enhances Quirks? I am quite pleased that such a device is ours, grateful to Young-Midoriya for obtaining it. However…something about this disturbs me.”

“How so, Master?” Kurogiri asks.

“Midoriya’s Quirk isn’t right,” Dr. Garaki says. “Even if he were using all his patches, the device shouldn’t be amplifying his individual Quirks like that if it’s just a Copy Quirk. And he’s always so eager to work with more Nomu.”

“What are you implying?” Kurogiri asks.

“I have multiple Lie-Detection Quirks,” AFO says. “Put together, they are so precise that I am able to detect ill intent from speech. Young-Midoriya has never lied to us, not directly. But I could tell he’s withheld information from us.”

“I think that, somehow, Midoriya may have modified the Quirk we gave him,” Dr. Garaki says.

“Look at how powerful the device has made him,” AFO says. “If he just hadn’t lost his Erasure Gun, he could have destroyed All Might all on his own. Combine that with whatever power he now possesses….”
“It is a good thing he is on our side, then,” Kurogiri says.

“Our ideals do not fully align,” AFO says. “I fear that I have underestimated his capabilities. I thought that, while smart, he would only truly be of value with a Quirk. And that he was just another sad and broken teenager angry at society for us to control. And, I suppose he was. But he’s exceeded expectations. He might not have been born with mutch, but give him the tooln he needs and he excells. I don’t think anyone, not me, not his mother, not his old teachers or bullies have ever been truly ware of what Young Midoriya is capable of. I fear he may be as much of a threat as he is a benefit. He needs to be knocked down a notch. When he gets back, I will punish him for his failure to kill All Might by taking away his patches. He can have them back after we obtain One For All.”

“That might not be enough,” Dr. Garaki says. “I will look into my old research from seventy years ago regarding Quirk nullifying drugs.” He places a hand to his chin. “I have also heard rumors about temporary nullification bullets that just recently got put on the black market. Not everyone believes they actually work, but it’s worth looking into.”

“Hold on,” Kurogiri says. “Master, if I may. We cannot punish Midoriya so harshly for no reason. We need to keep his loyalty to us.”

There is a knock on the door.

“Hey! Shigaraki’s boss!” Muscular’s voice comes from the outside. “I have some dirt on Midoriya! You’ll wanna see this!”

The three older villains exchange glances.

“What kind of dirt?” Dr. Garaki asks.

(Present)

Deep within the mountains, a group of villainous friends (more or less) roast marshmallows over a blue fire. The fire in question comes from a scarred young man who goes by Dabi.

With him is a fourteen-year-old with grayish-brown hair who goes by Mustard, a blonde with fangs and a lovely, yet scary, smile named Himiko Toga. She is sitting very close to a frog-like Nomu in the form of a frog-like girl, who goes by Yuki/Jumper (previously Tsuyu Asui). Sitting on the other side of Jumper is another Nomu who appears as a short boy, going by Ryo/Short-Fuse (previously Minoru Mineta). Across from them is a gecko mutant wearing a "Stain mask" who now goes by Spinner, and across from him is a Nomu who appears as a tall boy with glasses, Kaito/Accelerator (previously Tenya Iida).

“Not that this isn't fun, but why are we camping again?" Dabi asks.

“Because Izuku told his mom that he would be camping with friends and he doesn't like to lie to her,” Mustard says, eating a smore.

“But he's not camping with us, ribbit," says Jumper, bluntly. "He's on I-Island helping other villains steal from All Mights best friend, ribbit."

“He said he would join us later," Spinner explains.

A warp gate opens, and out comes Kurogiri with Izuku.

“Hey guys,” Izuku says, waving.

“Well, speak of the devil,” says Dabi.

Himiko gasps, smiles with excitement, and runs up to him. “Izu-Kun!” Himiko pounces on Izuku.

Izuku laughs as he falls to the ground, but he still puts his hand in front of Himiko's face to keep her from kissing him.

“Himiko.. Remember what I said? I'm dating someone else, no kissing."

Himiko pouts. “Fine." She takes out a straw with a needle at the end. "Can I at least have some blood?”

Izuku smiles warmly. “Oh, sure."

Himiko squees, smiles, and blushes. Izuku pulls down his neckline and lets Himiko stick the end of her straw into him. Izuku winces, and Toga smiles as she takes a few sips of his blood.

"Toga, I must request that you halt your blood sucking soon!" Accelerator says, standing up and making a chopping motion with his arm. “Midoriya has just come back from a mission. He must be exhausted, and taking his blood will only tire him more."

Himiko pulls her straw out of Izuku's neck. She then frowns and stares at the red bleeding dot on Izuku’s neck, before Kurogiri hands him a handkerchief that he places over it.

"Oh, it's fine, Accelerator," Izuku says. "So, how has everyone been?"

"Well, we've been camping for a couple of days now,” Mustard says.

“It's been fun!" says Short-Fuse, glancing at Jumper and Himiko.

Flashback: Short-Fuse opens a tent, while holding a flower.

“Jumper, I've been thinking for a while and I really like-"

Short Fuse stops and his jaw drops when he sees Jumper sharing a sleeping bag with Himiko. Their arms are wrapped around each other and Jumpers long tongue is caressing Himiko's neck and exposed chest, making her moan. They then notice Short-Fuse, still staring at them, blushing, and Jumper immediately gets off Himiko and the two girls cover themselves.

"Short-Fuse!" Jumper says with an awkward tone. "Why are you here, ribbit." She then notices the flower in Short-Fuse's hand. "Why do you-"

Himiko squeals. "Oh, looks like he was gonna tell you some feelings, Jumpy." Himiko grabs her bra and straps it back on. "Don't worry. Me and Jumpy agreed to an open relationship since I love Izu-Kun.” Himiko then slides her skirt on. "I'll just leave you to alone for-" she throws her shirt back on. “-some alone time."

Short-Fuse blushes. "Uh, there's no reason for you to go. You can stay if-"

“Nope!" Himiko quips before patting Short-Fuse on the shoulder and leaving the tent.

(Present)

“I am now in a three-way relationship between Himiko and Short-Fuse, ribbit," Jumper says.

Short-Fuse blushes at Jumpers’ bluntness, but then he shrugs. "And I lost my virginity."

“Such behavior is unacceptable!" Accelerator says. “We are all high school teenagers! Wait until you are older! Or at the very least wear protection!”

"You're Nomu," Mustard says. "Monsters created from the bodies of teenage heroes in training. Can you even have children?” Mustard gags. “Or does this count as necrophilia?”

Izuku chuckles. “Well, I am glad that you three are happy together.”

“It’s just me having sex with both Himiko and Short-Fuse,” Jumper clarifies. “Those two don’t have sex with each other.”

“Hey, Izu-Kun, why isn’t your neck healing?” Himiko asks.

“I’ll leave you now,” Kurogiri says, walking back into the Warp Gate.

Izuku waves. “Ok, thanks, Kurogiri.”

Once Kurogiri is gone, Himiko resumes her question.

“Are you not wearing your Regeneration patch?”

“No, Shigaraki’s Sensei took my patches from me.” Izuku holds up the box of Quirk Destroying Bullets. “Also, he said I have to take these every day for a while. They make me Quirkless again.”

Again, all the villains gasp at him.

Spinner growls. “He’s making you do what!? Does he know how much crap you got!?”

“Why would he punish you like that?” Accelerator asks. “Oh, no offense to being Quirkless!”

“Seriously, dude,” Dabi says. “How badly did you mess up your assignment!?”

“What happened, Izu-Kun?” Himiko asks.

“Have you guys seen the news yet?” Izuku asks.

“No, we don’t get service here,” Dabi says.
Izuku pulls out his phone and sees that he doesn’t have any bars. “No, we don’t. Ok, then. I’ll just start from the beginning.”

Izuku then goes on to explain what happened on I-Island. How he met with Professor Shield and found out what the device was (Dabi’s and Short-Fuse’s eyes lit up). How Izuku decided that he HAD to steal it. How he found out who All Might’s successor is (though he left out the part about One For All on AFO’s orders).

“And so I made a Double of myself to stay with Wolfram while I took care of Bakugo and the others.”

Himiko smiles and nods. “Good ol’ Twice’s Quirk. That’s really helped you a lot, huh? I mean, you’ve had Doubles working on your devices while you were at school. And you used them to help all of us with training.”

Izuku nods. “Yes, really cut my time in half. Anyways, so I got the application device when-”

Izuku goes on to explain how Mirio ambushed him and he was unable to defeat him, given his strength level. How Izuku had to flee using his Warp Quirk, but not without creating a Double with the amplification device to distract the heroes.

“Wait, hold on! So you got the device. What’s the issue?” Dabi asks.

“Because my Double hesitated to kill All Might,” Izuku says. “Also, personally, I think he’s a bit intimidated by how strong I was with the device.”
“What a jerk,” Jumper quips.

Himiko pats Izuku’s back. “Aww. I’m so sorry Izu-Kun.”

Izuku smiles. “Oh, it’s ok. I mean, its not permanent. Plus I like to think I’m over some of my Quirkless insecurities since realizing how shitty my old school really was. So I can go without my Quirk for a while.”

Mustard smirks. “I bet it was nice being able to beat Bakugo, huh?”

“Oh yeah!”

“Well, let me know if there is anything we can do to make you feel better.” Himiko smiles, patting him on the shoulders. “You can join me and Jumper tonight-”

“No, Himiko,” Izuku says flatly.

“You can invite Ochako-”

“No.”

Short-Fuse grins. “A device that makes your Quirk stronger?”

Mustard also smiles. “So I could gas my entire school in one go?”

“I don’t need that,” Dabi says, making a fire with his hand. “I’m strong enough already.”

Spinner frowns. “It’d probably be useless for me? What will it do? Make me stick to things easier? Make me MORE of a mutant?”

“Oh, Shuichi, I got you something.” Izuku pulls out Godzillo’s scale. “It’s a scale from Godzillo. I was thinking, maybe we can use it to replicate his Quirk and maybe enhance yours.”

Spinner takes the scale and smiles. “Hey, thanks, Izuku.”

Izuku frowns and looks down. “Ochako was on I-Island too.”

“Your girlfriend?” Dabi asks.

“I have a confession to make: Ochako is a hero student.”

All the villains (bar Accelerator, Jumper, and Short-Fuse, since they already knew) look at Izuku shocked.

“WHAT!?” Spinner asks.

“She’s a hero who actually WANTS to help people!” Izuku snaps. “And on I-Island, she wanted to save people with her Quirk even if she got in trouble for it.”

Spinner softens. “Oh, so not really a fake then.”

Himiko smiles and blushes. “Oh…so this l;ike a Romeo and Juliet thing you have with her then? Some forbidden fruit? How delicious.”

“Still, a hero man?” Dabi asks.
“Surely you could find someone better,” says Mustard.
Izuku scowls at them. “Ochako is the sweetest, kindest, most incredible girl I’ve ever met!” He frowns. “And I’ve been lying to her about who I am the whole time.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say lying,” Himiko says. “You’ve just…been showing her one side of you.”

“On I-Island, I fought her,” Izuku says. “I did my best not to harm her, but she watched me harm other people.” He runs his hand through his hair. “I’m such a terrible person. She has no idea she’s dating a villain. I feel like I’m playing her like a fiddle.”

“Well, you kinda are,” Dabi says. Then Accelerator elbows him in the ribs. “Ow!”

“No, he’s right,” Izuku says. “Lately, I’ve been thinking that Ochako deserves better.”

Mustard’s eyes widen. “Izuku, you’re not going to tell her that you’re a villain, are you?”

“I want too, but I can’t since it would endanger the League,” Izuku says.

“Do you think you could turn her to our side?” Himiko asks, hopefully.

“No, she hasn’t been screwed over by society enough,” Izuku says. “She was at one point but she turned it around without having to become a villain.” Izuku looks down again. “Unlike me. That is why...She deserves better. I was thinking about this in the helicopter, but now I’ve come to a decision.”

Jumpers’ eyes widen. “Are you going to break up with her?”

Izuku looks up at his friends. “I have another date with her at my school’s festival. I was going to meet her parents then. During this time, I will talk to her about our relationship. I will tell her that I’ve been keeping secrets and I refuse to tell her what they are. I will tell her that they are bad, and ask her if she really wants to keep seeing me. But if it comes to that…” Izuku sighs. “I’ll still try to make sure she’s safe, without getting in our way of course, but I might have to leave her.”

There is a beat of silence between all of them.

Spinner coughs. “Um…sorry, Man.”

“Izuku, you can’t just give up,” Himoiko says.

Himiko then thinks for a minute. She imagines herself and Izuku kissing. Her drinking some of his blood, and then kissing him as him. And then she imagines the two of them in bed, along with Jumper to form a wonderful threesome. She even imagines drinking the blood of heroes like Mt. Lady, Mirko, and Midnight, or even Bakugo’s Mom (Himiko just imagines an older female Bakugo, not knowing what she actually looks like) for a bit of fun roleplay. I.e., pretending to be female heroes, surrendering their bodies to the villain Deku for mercy. Or the role of Bakugo’s mom offering “compensation” to Izuku for her sons bullying. For that last one, Himiko also imagines strapping Bakugo to a chair, stitching his eyes open, and making him watch. She chuckles and turns red from the dirty thoughts, causing Izuku to slowly scoot away. Then she shakes her head.

“No! No! No going after a boy until at least a month after the breakup,” Himiko says.

’Still,’ Himiko thinks. ‘Perhaps I’ll talk to Ochako-San myself.’

Dabi shrugs. “It’s probably safer that way. You’re making the right choice, man.”

“I hope you’re right, Dabi,” Izuku says.

There is an awkward silence between them all as Izuku eats a smore. His eyes then drift to Accelerator.

“Oh, by the way, Accelerator. I met your brother on I-Island?” Izuku says.

Accelerator’s eyes widen. “My brother? You mean Ingenium?”

Spinner scoffs. “The false hero who tried to apprehend Stain.”

Mustard points to Accelerator and Spinner. “They got into a fight over that earlier.”

Izuku frowns at Spinner. “Shuichi.”

“Hey! Why do you automatically assume it was my fault!?”

Izuku raises an eyebrow.

Spinner grumbles. “We were fishing together and I just casually brought up that he tried to kill Stain just because he crippled his false-hero brother. Accelerator refused to apologize."

"Tenya Iida paid for that with his life!" Accelerator says, chopping the air. “I have no memory. And when I pointed that out, he began yelling at me!"

“Got it,” Izuku says. “But anyways. I just wanted to let you know that he’s been depressed since his brother died. I know you don’t consider yourself Tenya Iida anymore, and that you barely remember being him. But…maybe after we break down Hero Society and build a new one…you could…visit him?”

Accelerator thinks about this. He clutches his head as he starts to have flashbacks of running into a tree as a child, while Tensei tries to train him with his Quirk. How encouraging he was. The two of them laughing together. And how infuriated Tenya was when he heard his brother was in the hospital.

“I will…consider,” Accelerator says.

Meanwhile, back in Musutafu, Inko Midoriya is looking at her phone. She has the "Finder" app looking for her son. Now, it says that he is in the mountains, where he said he would be with his friends. But just a day before, it said that Izuku was across the sea.

She had been checking her son’s location every so often. She thought, maybe it was just a glitch. Like how she always thought that it must be a glitch when she tracked Izuku’s location to some shady bar in the Kamino ward of Yokohama city. But this was different. This time, she saw a villain attacking I-Island on the news. Deku. The name that Katsuki gave her son when they were children. Inko could not believe there was a relation between her son and the villain on the screen. The Deku on the screen had dark hair and scars on his face, while her son is Quirkless. But still, she could not shake the feeling that there was some kind of connection between the two.

Izuku’s been very different since he got out of the hospital. She first noticed him becoming depressed and distant from other people. She was happy when Izuku made friends and became happier. But she’s noticed that he no longer gets as excited watching hero fights. He stopped calling Katsuki “Kacchan”. She found strange things in one of his notebooks (it was open when she went into his room to clean), such as designs for weird guns and belts. She’s tried being supportive because he seemed so much better now than he had been for a long time and was hoping that he would open up to her on his own. But there still hasn’t been any luck with that.

Her eyebrows furrow.

“Izuku, sweetie, what are you up too?”

The next morning, Izuku wakes up in his tent. He stretches his arms and yawns, before turning to look at Spinner who is still slumbering in the sleeping bag next to his. That night, he had a really bad nightmare about Ochako and his mother calling him a villain and a monster. Saying that they are ashamed and disappointed. Izuku just sighs and rubs his forehead before picking up his phone. He finds a text from Shigaraki.

Senpai: Deku. I am sorry about last night. Sensei just insisted that you needed to remember whose side you’re on and this was the best way to do it. I’ll try to talk him into at least letting you off the drug. We will really need your help to take down Mirio. Enjoy your camping trip.

Izuku smiles. He then remembers looking through Dr. Garaki’s files back at the hospital. After Shigaraki told him his life story, Izuku started to have several questions. Was it really a coincidence that Sensei found Shigaraki? He would learn later that Nana Shimura, the older of OFA before All Might, was his grandmother, which made Izuku more suspicious. And then there was the fact that Shigaraki admitted he thought he might be Quirkless before his Decay Quirk came in, which wasn’t anything like either of his parents’ Quirks. So, after a few attempts of scrolling through the Doctor’s files when he wasn’t looking, Izuku found a file on a Quirk that came from one of his orphanages, OverhaKai Chisaki, Quirk: Overhaul, can destroy and reassemble anything. It contained notes on how to alter the Quirk as to only contain the destruction part of it. Izuku wasn’t sure what to do with this information at first. How Shigaraki would react. If he was even right. But, when he shook AFO’s hand the other night, he used his Memory Scan Quirk one last time…and confirmed his suspicions.

‘Now is as good a time as any.’

Izuku starts texting.

Izuku: Listen, Senpai. I found these while looking through the Doctor’s files. I think it’s time I tell you. We can discuss it when I get back from my trip.

Izuku smirks as he attaches photos on his phone of the Overhaul->Decay notes.

Chapter Text

While still on I-Island, after the battle, Asta had retreated to a secluded place behind some rubble. Then, after making sure no one was around to see or hear her, she sent the specs that her goggles took to Re-Destro along with a rundown of what happened (though, of course, in addition to what they would already hear on the news).

Of course, it wasn't until Asta and Ochako returned home that Re-Destro and the rest of the MLA leaders wanted to talk to them.

As soon as Uraraka and Asta got off the plane at the airport in Japan, a guy that the two girls recognized as an MLA agent, "Red”, was waiting for them. Ochako reassured Momo and the other girls that it was ok, and the two girls parted with Momo, Mina, Jiro, and Toru before arriving at Re-Destro's tower in Deika City.

Now, Uraraka and Asta are sitting in front of Re-Destro, Curious, Skeptic, and Trumpet.

Along with Slide N'Go and Geten. Curious wrote down every detail as the two girls shared everything they knew about what had actually happened.

Ochako is tapping her feet nervously and sinking into her seat. But Asta smiles confidently.

"So, did you like the pics I sent?" Asta asks.

Re-Destro smiles. "For the most part, yes." Re-Destro looks at his computer. "You got specs for some very interesting weapons. An armored suit. And even a device that temporarily nullifies meta abilities.”

"It is an abomination!" Geten shouts.

"It's temporary, and a useful weapon," Slide N’Go says.

"And that gun was destroyed," Ochako adds.

Re-Detro flinches. “Yes, by its creator. A member of the League of Villains, who managed to escape with THE GREATEST WEAPON IN THE WORLD! THAT YOU DIDN'T GET ANY SPECS OF AT ALL!"

"You try getting specs during a fight!" Asta says. "Besides, the bastard already fled by the time I got there, so the goggles probably wouldn't have worked on the Double anyway.”

"Then perhaps you should have gone with Uraraka to the event instead of playing Uno," Skeptic says.

“I spent all day gathering specs!” Asta says. “And I didn’t even know about the device until Ochako called. And how were WE supposed to know villains would attack?”

Re-Destro groans and rubs his temples.

“In other news, Monoma is elated that someone with a Copy Quirk was able to inspire such infamy,” Re-Destro says.

Geten snorts. "Infamy? He lost to a Quirkless girl. He clearly wasn't as strong as the media's making him out to be."

Ochako glares at him.

Asta rolls her eyes. "Shut it, Uncle. She had the Erasure gun. And Melissa was cool."

Ochako shakes her head. “Ok, look, the League needs to be taken out, and we know that the Erasure Guns work on the device. So here's an idea. We use Asta's scans of the Gun to mass produce a lot of them, track the League down, and then ambush them to get the Amplification device?" Ochako smiles. "There’s got to be more of us than of them, right?"

Re-Destro raises his finger. "That might be true, Uraraka. But you said that Deku had the ability to create copies of himself. He could have acquired that ability from another League member. Then there is the Weather Manipulation ability. We don't know what Meta Abilities the League’s members may possess, and they created the Gun in the first place."

Ochako frowns. "Right..."

"However, we have an idea." Re-Destro snaps his fingers.

‘

Geten reaches into his coat and he pulls out two bottles of an off-white liquid substance. He removes his hood so the girls can see his face, and then hands each bottle to Asta and Ochako.

"Here."

Asta examines the bottle. "What the hell is this? Trigger?"

"It has some of the same ingredients, yes," says Curious. "But we call this Meta-Serum."

"Meta-Serum?" Ochako asks.

"Our experimentation with Monoma has finally paid off,” Re-Destro says. "With this, you two can have any extra Meta-Ability you want."

Ochako's eyes light up. "Wait, this can give us another Quirk?"

"Temporarily," Re-Destro says. "On its own, it will give you a Copy Ability for seven hours. But, introduce a DNA sample from someone else into the serum before you inject yourself, and you have THAT Meta-Ability instead."

Ochako looks at the serum with shock. "I...I can give Izuku a Quirk with this."

"Awesome!" Asta exclaims. "Where's Hawks? I'm definitely getting his Wings! Oh, yeah! With his feather blades and my Quirk, I'll be unstoppable!"

Geten points at Asta. "Yes!" He then points at Ochako. "No!"

Ochako blinks at him. "Why not?" She frowns. "What? He doesn't deserve a Quirk because he wasn't born with one?"

Slide N'Go stops Geten before he can speak.

"Don't make this worse than it already is, Himura,” Slide N’Go says. “And Ochako, as much as I think your boyfriend would like this, we can only produce so much of the drug right now."

"We've taken a cell sample from Monoma that we are letting grow to produce more," Re-Destro says. "But for right now, we are of limited supply. The only ones with access to the drug are myself, Curious, Sanctum, Geten-"

"And I'm willing to share with you, Asta," Geten says. "So we have a limited supply, so don't hog them all."

"Why do YOU need another Meta-Ability?" Asta asks.

Geten smiles and holds out his hand. Ice forms on it. "Before, I could only control ice. Turn any surrounding water into ice. Now, I create ice."

"Oh, but don't take too much of it at once," Curious says. "Aside from the fact that it contains Trigger, we theorize that having multiple Quirks for an extended period will put too much strain on your body."

Ochako frowns at the drug. "Great..."

"As I was saying," says Re-Destro. "Uraraka, I am giving YOU a sample of this drug because I have a very important mission for you. This counts as your homework for the semester."

Ochako looks at Re-Destro with a feeling of dread in her stomach. "Ok...what do you want?"

"First, you are going to acquire a DNA sample from any Meta-Ability user you want," Re-Destro says. "After you do so, we will develop a new suit for you, conditioned to said Meta-Ability, and give you a proper disguise. Then, you will infiltrate the League as a new recruit and gather as much information on them as possible before our assault."

Ochako's eyes widen. "You want me to WHAT!?"

"Yeah, seriously, what!?" Asta asks. "Deku's seen Ochako! He knows what she looks like. Even if she wears a disguise, it's too big of a risk. Let ME do it! Or Ai!"

"Ai isn't good at acting, and Uraraka has…” Curious thinks of how to phrase this. “Better people skills than you."

Asta pouts.

"But why me?" Uraraka asks.

"Well, you failed to get the device the first time, so you have to rectify this," Re-Destro says.

"Don't worry," Slide N'Go says. "We aren't nearly ready for that yet. This won't be for a while. Besides, we have to figure out how to get you recruited. Until then, just think about what Meta-Ability you want."

Ochako ponders this. "Do we have someone with a gigantification Quirk? Like Mount Lady? I always wanted to be taller."

"Wait, Ochako, you're ok with this?" Asta asks.

"Sure," Ochako says. "We might be members of the Liberation Army, but we’re still heroes. Sorta. Besides, I wanna talk to Deku.*

Asta snorts. "Why? That guy killed like ten heroes."

Flashback: Ochako watches as Deku, in the sky of I-Island. He shouts, "Heroes of I-Island!

I'm a villain! And I want to try out this new device I've got, so feel free to come at me! But if you engage me, I will fight back!"

Soon enough, all the strongest heroes on I-Island come after Deku. He creates a storm cloud above him and then some kind of air barrier around his body. He uses his telekinesis to push the heroes away (but he stops himself from slicing them). He uses ice to freeze them in place on buildings (but he only uses his fire in the air). Ochako even watches as he has All Might and Mirio, and later Bakugo and Todoroki in his hands, but she can tell he's not squeezing that hard. Even so, she looks around and she sees heroes crushed by his telekinetic debris attacks, hit by lightning, and swallowed up too deep by the earth from when they struggled too hard to get out.

(Present)

"Ochako, I don't think he intended to kill anyone. I think it was mostly collateral damage." Ochako looks away. "And I don't think I have the right to judge after I killed a cop. Besides-"

Flashback: On I-island, Deku throws Bakugo away from Ochako after she confronted him about Izuku.

Flashback: Ochako talks with Deku about his Quirk and he rubs the back of his neck.

Flashback: Deku bows to Melissa Shield and compliments her.

Flashback: During the battle, Ochako flies at Deku with a car over her head. Deku catches her with his telekinesis. They lock eyes and Deku merely wraps his tape around her before gently lowering her to the ground.

(Present)

“I don't know why, but I think we had some sort of connection," Ochako says.

Geten crosses his arms. “Gonna two-time your Quirkless boyfriend for a powerful villain?"

“No!” Ochako shouts. “But actually...as crazy as it sounds, Deku kind of reminded me of Izuku in some way. I know it's impossible; they looked nothing alike. And Deku was far more villainous. But I can't shake this feeling that there's some connection between the two of them.”

The MLA members look at her, perplexed.

"How so?" Asta asks.

“I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Ochako stands up. *Now if you excuse me. I have to get home to my parents."

Bakugo is furious. Absolutely furious. It seemed like ever since he got into U.A. it has been one humiliating thing after another. It gnawed at his self-image (that he was stronger/better than everyone else and was the greatest future hero ever) and caused him no end of stress. A big chunk of that is that the “stupid extras” that he’s in class with didn’t seem to see how great he was, like the idiots at his previous schools did. Then, with that stupid Sports Festival and that kid with the eyebags making him look like a fool, his public reputation took a nose dive.

But now ANOTHER video has been posted online. Making his reputation take ANOTHER nose dive. Normally, Bakugo wouldn’t care about what a bunch of extras on the internet thought, but they were saying that he isn’t hero material. And now, All Might and Mirio practically dragged him to Nezu’s office at U.A. just so they could scold him.

“I am going to murder that pink bitch,” Bakugo growls through his grinding teeth.

He knew that “Deku’s Dumb Bitch” had to have been the one to post the video of him (rightfully in his opinion) screaming at the Quirkless Blondie. His eyes are glaring at said video on the internet, presented to him on Principal Nezu’s computer. Also in the room with them are All Might and Aizawa, who are glaring at him with crossed arms.

“Well, Young-Bakugo, you seem to have become a bit of an internet celebrity,” Nezu says in a chipper tone. “This is your second-most-viewed video after your Sports Festival rant. And it’s only been posted for two days, and reposted on fourteen different websites.”

“My Moms already given me shit over it,” Bakugo says.

Flashback: A furious Mitsuki Bakugo is smacking a furious Katsuki Bakugo on top of his head, shouting: “What is wrong with you!? You’re father and I didn’t raise you to talk to people like that! I hope you never treated Izuku-Chan like this!”

(Present)

Bakugo turns to All Might, who is glaring at him. “Look, All Might, I didn’t know she was you’re niece. Ok? Can I go now? I need to find the bitch who posted this video and her idiot boyfriend and murder them!”

“Your a moron if you think that will help anything in anyway, Bakugo,” Aizawa says.

Nezu scrolls through the comments on the video. “Hmm. Not a lot of people are objecting to what you say, exactly. Most of them are just calling you a jerk for your language. But there are a few who are calling you ungrateful and Quirkist.”

All Might looks at the screen. “How many?”

“I could have beaten Villain!Deku without Blo-” All Might growls at him “-Ahem, without Melissa getting involved! I DIDN’T NEED THE HELP FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T HAVE A QUIRK AT ALL! I JUST WANTED HER TO KNOW THAT SO SHE WOULDN’T LOOK DOWN ON ME! AND NOW THIS CRAPPY VIDEO IS MAKING ME LOOK LIKE AN ASS!”

Aizawa shakes his head. “Your ego and temper are seriously out of control.”

“I am very disappointed in you, Young-Bakugo,” All Might says.

Even Nezu shakes his head. “I must admit, if I had known these were your views before entering U.A., I would not have allowed you to take the Entrance Exam.”

Bakugo stammers, completely baffled. “W-What!? This is ridiculous! I was just saying the truth! If you’re Quirkless you’re useless!”

“WHO TOLD YOU THAT!?” All Might yells.

“LITERALLY EVERYONE AT MY OLD SCHOOL!” Bakugo shouts. “THERE WAS A QUIRKLESS WANNABE IN MY CLASS THAT EVERYONE CALLED A LOSER! I’D SAY STUFF LIKE THAT TO HIM ALL THE TIME, AND NO ONE SAID ANYTHING! HELL, PEOPLE LAUGHED!!! I’D EVEN DO IT IN CLASS AND NOT EVEN THE TEACHERS EVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT IT! BECAUSE THEY KNEW WE WERE RIGHT! SO HOW CAN IT JUST SUDDENLY BE WRONG NOW!?”

All Might stares at Bakugo with his jaw slack and his eyebrows furrowed. His thoughts drift back to his conversation with Melissa on I-Island. How society looks down on those without Quirks, or otherwise don’t fit their mold. Mirio further told him how schools tend to favor students with stronger Quirks over weaker ones, assuming they will grow up to be great heroes.

Aizawa groans and shakes his head. “This is what I hate about modern society.”

“What do you mean?” All Might asks.

“I guess you wouldn’t know, considering you have a powerful Quirk,” Aizawa says. “But society has a rather superficial view of Quirks and heroes. Nowadays, people mainly see hero fights as sources of entertainment and think that just having a strong Quirk suddenly makes someone hero material. At the same time, those with Quirks that could be considered “villainous” are often deemed future villains and harassed for it.”

All Might stammers. “A-And what about Quirkless people?”

“Well, I’ve never met a Quirkless person before, but I hear they are basically considered useless,” Aizawa says. “Actually, my Quirk was considered weak, so I was often bullied for it growing up.”

‘And that is why I need to focus on my equal rights campaign,’ All Might thinks. ‘AFTER finding All For One. That takes priority.’

Bakugo scoffs. “Even a weak and useless Quirk is better than having none at all! Hell, in my old class there was an extra who could just pull out his eyes, and even HE made fun of Deku!”

All Might’s eyes widen. “Deku!?”

“Not Villain!Deku! Villain!Deku stole his name from the Deku I went to school with! He overheard me talk about him with the bitch who posted the video!” Bakugo scoffs. “Trust me, those two could not be any more different. The Deku I knew was so weak. He couldn’t do half the stuff Villain!Deku could, even if he somehow pulled a Quirk out of his ass.”

“Moving on,” Nezu says. “Your old classmates and teachers were idiots and Quirkists. And now I am going to take it upon myself to investigate further and hopefully get the school shut down.”

Aizawa glares at Bakugo. “Bakugo, I am not going to lie. I see potential in you. You are strong and talented in many areas. But your arrogance and temper are your biggest drawbacks.”
“I DON’T HAVE ANY DRAWBACKS YOU STUPID HOBO!” Bakugo shouts.
“The point stands!” All Might says. “For years, I have tried to serve as a pillar of this society. But I have been so busy fighting villains and trying to maintain the peace, I have neglected to focus on smaller but equally important issues. I still have a lot to learn about society’s injustices and important business to take care of. But once I am done, I am going to do everything I can to change society for the better.”

Nezu raises his teacup. “And since the I-Island incident bumped you back up to Number 1, more people might listen to you!”

“I hope so,” All Might says. “And as for you, Young-Bakugo. Aside from Melissa, I do not approve of this attitude of yours. Regardless of what you may have been taught before, being Quirkless does not make someone worthless.”

Bakugo scoffs.

“It’s true! We all have our strengths and weaknesses! Even me! Even you! Look at Aizawa! He is not as strong as I, but his Quirk evens most playing fields and he surpasses me in combat ability.”

Aizawa smiles.

“Young-Kirishima can withstand bullets, which no one else in your class can do. Young-Hagakure surpasses all of you in stealth. And Koda could amass an army in less than an hour. Young-Todoroki can freeze or burn, and Young-Yaoyarozu is the smartest person in your class. Whatever our skills are, Quirk or not-”

All Might remembers him trying to save people when he was younger without OFA and failing until Nana showed up.

“-and granted, sometimes we cannot be as effective if we want to be. But that is why we stick to our strengths and learn to work with what we have.”

All Might remembers him telling a younger Melissa that her father is his hero. Skip forward to him telling Izuku that he doesn’t think he can be a hero without a Quirk. And the devastated look on Izuku’s face.

All Might shudders. “No matter how great you are, there is always going to be someone better than you at something. And just because one person might not have something you do, doesn’t mean they are weak or useless. It just…means they might need a little extra help.” He turns to Aizawa, who looks at him confused. “Needing help doesn’t make you weak. Quite the contrary, acknowledging that you’re not the best at something and reaching out to others is what truly makes one strong. And maybe….just maybe…they can be heroes in their own way.”

“...What he said,” Aizawa says.

Bakugo scoffs. “That Deku was always useless, even before we found out he was Quirkless! He never would have been able to stand with the best of the best!”

“Neither will you if you keep acting like this,” Aizawa says. “You know, you didn’t score a single rescue point during the Entrance Exam.”

“So? I got more villain points than anyone else,” Bakugo says.

“That’s why we still accepted you,” Aizawa says. “But contrary to what you may have been told your whole life, strength and beating villains isn’t enough to be a hero.”

“WHAT!? WHAT THE FUCK ELSE IS THERE!?”

“Bakugo, WHY do you think villains have to be stopped?” Aizawa asks.

Bakugo shrugs. “Because…they are breaking the law and causing shit?”

“To protect the public,” Aizawa says.

“We’ve gotten off topic here!” Bakugo barks.

“No, it all relates!” Aizawa says. “You, on the other hand, are entirely focused on beating your enemy to the point that you care little to nothing about everyone else around you. And I think this ties into how you view others as less than you. Especially those without Quirks.”

“So what?” Bakugo asks. “I wanna be a REAL hero! Not a rescue hero!” He points at All Might. “I wanna completely crush my enemies, like him!”

“I also save people, too, Young-Bakugo,” All Might says. “If I just ignored people who needed help, or treated people badly because I thought they were less than me, I wouldn’t be nearly as beloved as I am today. No matter how many villains I put away.” He places a hand on Bakugo’s shoulder. “I am not saying that a hero doesn’t have to win. I want to win too. But you have to win to save people. Win by saving.”

“Tsk!” Bakugo slaps his hand away. “Endeavor passed you in the poles after he caught Stain and you got crippled, so don’t give me that alturism crap! I’m going to train to be stronger than everyone else, including you! And I don’t need any rejects or Quirkless wannabees getting in my way or making me look weak!”

“In any case, I am going to contact your parents about potential therapists for you,” Nezu says. “You REALLY do need to get that ego under control. And All Might did tell me about your panic attack on the first day. You need serious help.”

“And I don’t want you acting like this anymore, Young-Bakugo,” All Might says.

“If you do, I will expel you,” says Aizawa.

Bakugo pales. “W-What!? YOU CAN’T EXPEL ME OVER SOME-”

“I can and I will,” says Aizawa. “You know, you remind me of a guy who used to bully me at this very school. Ironically, he had a similar Quirk. Mister Blaster.”

Katsuki raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t he die recently?”

“Yes, God rest his soul,” says Aizawa. “In any case. I’ve ignored my personal feelings because I saw potential in you. But Sensoji grew up to be a controversial hero with a lot of cases against him. Both for his excessive property damage and terrible public relations. That’s why he never made it anywhere close to the top ten. He even failed his Licensing Exam on the first try because he couldn’t stop screaming at people. I don’t want to see you turning into him.” He speaks again before Bakugo can object. “If all you do is beat villains but don’t try to save ONE person, you are only doing half the job. And you are a perfectionist, aren’t you?”

Bakugo growls.

Aizawa nods. “That’s what I thought. So, you need to reassess your views of else you will never be the hero you want to be. We will discuss this more when school restarts. AFTER the other students return from the training camp that YOU will not be attending due to failing the battle trial with Todoroki. Until then, enjoy your break.”

Bakugo stomps down the sidewalk, having left U.A. and headed back toward his house. He is absolutely fuming.

“Stupid teachers! They don’t know anything!”

‘Are you really saying that?’ a more rational part of his mind asks. ‘They are pro-heroes, you idiot!’

‘Shut up!’ the Bakugo-part of his mind retorts. ‘They said it themselves! Most of the extras are idiots who like strength! I just gotta be stronger then everyone and I’ll get to the top! And I’m definitely smart enough to limit my collateral damage! Besides, most of those comments were because they didn’t like me yelling at a girl! Everyone knows I’m right about Quirkless people!’

Bakugo pulls out his phone after hearing it go off.

Damn video! Stupid Round-Cheeks! Stupid Deku! Stupid Villain!Deku! I’ll crush them all!’

‘Not Deku. You don’t want another incident on the internet, do you? Everyone thinks your an ass enough.’

‘It’s DEKU! No one will care!’

Bakugo looks at his message. “Oh, it’s from one of the flunkies. I thought I told them I didn’t need them anymore.”

Bakugo opens up the message. It reads: “Hey, Bakguo. Aldera High’s going to have a festival in a couple of days. Wanna come? Deku will be there. We can push him around like we did in the old days (P.S. he punched us in the jaw and some of his new friends are kind of scary).”

Flashback: Izuku is walking home after school. He has a smile on his face, and then Long-Fingers and Shark-Jaw move in front of him. There is a bigger guy behind them with four arms and blue skin. Grinning at Izuku whole cracking his knuckles.

“Hey, Midoriya. How’s it going?” Shark-Jaw asks with an evil grin.

Izuku narrows his eyes at them. “Just on my way home. Now, if you excuse me-”

Izuku is kept from leaving my Long-Fingers.

“The hot new girl, Yuki, said she doesn’t date bullies when I asked her out,” says Long-Fingers. “I bet it was you who told her that, right? You’re dead!”

“You know, we’ve been thinking, we’ve been leaving you alone for long enough,” says Long-Fingers.

Shark-Teeth rubs his jaw. “We owe you for the hits you gave us!”

“You were bullying me,” Izuku says flatly.

“Well, good luck getting a hit on him!” Long-Fingers points at the four-armed mutant behind them.

“We paid him specifically to kick you ass!” Shark Jaw says.

“Are you guys really that petty?” Izuku asks, before the four-armed mutant grabs him by the collar.
“Oh, I am going to enjoy this,” the mutant says to an unfazed Izuku.

Izuku smiles as he sees Dabi (wearing a hood) and Magne approach behind the bullies.

“What are you smiling about, idiot?” Long-Fingers asks.

Dabi clears his throat. “Sanji, is that you?”

The four-armed mutants eyes widen and he drops Izuku. The mutant and the two bullies turn around to see Dabi (who removes his hood) and Magne. Dabi grins at the bullies, making them flinch and recoil in terror at his burnt and stitched face. Meanwhile, the four-armed mutant, Sanji, is shaking.

“Oh God! What happened to your face!?” Shark Jaw asks.

“D-Dabi?” The mutant trembles. “What are you doing here?”
“The little green-haired boy you were talking to just happens to be a friend of mine,” Dabi says. “And our boss said he wanted to talk to him about something, so he sent us to pick him up. So, why are you harassing him?”

“I wasn’t harassing anyone!” Four-arms says. “I…I have to go!”

The Four Armed mutant runs away, while Long-Fingers and Shark Jaw yell at him.

“Hey, come back here!”

“We already paid you!”

Magne then lifts the two boys by their collars and lifts them into the air. The two boys kick and scream, to no avail. Magne just laughs at their efforts.

“You know, I was picked on when I was younger,” Magne says. “You wanna know what I did to them?” She chuckles. “Well, let’s just say they aren’t round anymore.”

Dabi holds up a blue flame to their boys’ faces, scaring them more. “And you two aren’t going to tell anyone about this. You’re going to leave Little Midoriya alone, or someone’s gonna be cleaning up your ashes. Got it?”

The two boys shake with fear, cry, and nod before Magne lets them go. Izuku just smiles as they run away.

(Present)

Bakugo scoffs. “I don’t need those rejects anymore. I’m way out of their league.”

He thinks back to Kirishima. “Though, if Kirishima wont talk to me right now, i guess I could kill some time with those two morons.”

Katsuki then gets a text from Kirishima. He opens it and it reads, “Hey Baku-Bro. Remember that argument on the plane back when I finally got you to spill that hate Midoriya over that river thing, and I said that he was your only friend that cared about you?-.”

Flashback: Bakugo is yelling at Kirishima on the plane.

“You don’t offer to help someone unless you think they are weak!” Bakugo argues. “He was insulting me!”

“Dude, he was just being a friend,” Kirishima argues.
“None of my other friends got up to help! They KNEW I was strong!”

“Dude, it sounds to me like those guys didn’t actually care about you!” Kirishima says. “Midoriya was the only one who did and you threw him away!”

Bakugo scoffs. “I don’t need them or Deku to care about me! I don’t need anyone! I’m Katsuki Bakugo! The future Number One Hero! The rest of you are just stepping stones and extras in MY story!”

Kirishima frowns at him. “You are an ass and a moron.” Kirishima turns around and ignores Bakugo for the rest of the trip as the blonde boy fumes.

(Present)

“Yeah…sorry I called you an idiot and a moron,” the rest of Kirishima’s text reads. “If you wanna talk about it, I’m all ears.”

Bakugo smiles at the text. Truth be told he was actually regretful the moment Kirishima turned his back on him. he was about to text back, but then he started thinking of something else.

‘Maybe going back for a night wouldn’t be so bad…No, what am I thinking? I’m Katsuki Bakugo! The Future-Number One Hero! I don’t need to go back to hanging around with all those rejects! Then again…I did promise Deku a beating for that crap he told Round Cheeks she said to me on I-Island. But Nezu might-’

Bakugo gets another message. This time from an unknown sender.

“Huh? What’s this?”

Bakugo opens the message and reads it. It says: “Hi Katsuki Bakugo. My name is Imasuji. You don’t know me, but I know your old friend, Izuku Midoriya. Here’s a fun fact that he shared with me. He’s the reason you’re known as the Sludge Villain Kid! The Villain tried to kill HIM first, but All Might saved him and bottled him up. But, because Midoriya wanted to talk to All Might, he grabbed onto his pant leg as he took off, and as a result, the Sludge Villain fell out of All Might’s pocket and landed where you were. So, to recap, he’s the one who nearly killed you and humiliated you. Now, do me a favor, and kill him for both of us.”

Bakugo’s eyes stare wide-eyed at the message. He reads it over and over again, trying to wrap his head around what it says.

‘Deku’s the one who-No! It can’t be! This has to be some kind of prank or a cruel joke! It-’

Bakugo suddenly remembers one of the times he harassed Izuku after the incdient.

Flashback: Izuku is screaming for Bakugo to stop as he tears out random individual pieces of his hero notebook and burns them, while Izuku is held back by Long-Fingers and Shark-Jaw. Bakugo’s grin becomes a scowl when he finds All Might’s autograph. He roars at Izuku before throwing the notebook at his face.

(Present)

It suddenly made sense now how Deku managed to get All Might’s autograph before him. He got it when All Might saved him before!

“THAT BASTARD!” Bakugo shouts. “HE WAS TRYING TO HUMILIATE ME AGAIN, WASN’T HE!?”

Bakugo’s hand shakes with rage as he glares at the message on his phone. The Sludge Villain Incident is when it all went downhill for him. He became a laughingstock! A joke! Even to this day, people rought it up! KIDS laughed at him during his internship with Best Jeanist because of him!

Bakugo breathed heavily out of his mouth, through his scowling teeth, while his eyes looked like they were about to burn a hole into the phone. Rage surges through his entire body, all focusing on one green-haired boy.

‘DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku! DamnitDeku!’

“DAMN IT DEKU!” Bakugo screams into the sky. “YOU JUST CAN’T STOP MAKING ME LOOK BAD, CAN YOU!?” He glares at the ground, his body still shaking with rage. “You humiliated me in front of all of Japan! You made me look like a weakling in front of heroes! You should have just died when that car hit you, because you went on to turn everyone else against me! Now, even All Might thinks I’m a villain because of you! I’m supposed to be the next Number One Hero! DAMN YOU!”

An idea pops into Bakugo’s head, as a smile forms on his lips and foam at his mouth.

“It’ll be just like the old days. Where I could beat the shit out of that usless Deku and no one cared.”

Bakugo turns back to his old lackey’s message and types: “You know what. I WILL be there. What time is it?”

Chapter Text

Izuku: Hey Ochako! Are you back in Japan yet? How was I-Island?

Ochako: Have you seen the news yet?

Izuku: I’m camping with some friends in the mountains. I don’t exactly have the chance. Why did something happen? Are you ok? Are you hurt?

Ochako: I am fine, don’t worry. :). And yes, I am back in Japan. Can’t wait for you to get back from your trip so you can take me to that festival. I look forward to you meeting my parents, too. <3

Izuku: Same here!

Behind the newscaster, Daikaku Miyagi, is an image of “Deku”.

“Nearly a dozen heroes who were on I-Island this weekend are dead after an unexpected villain attack,” Miyagi says.

Show a video of Professor David Shield, Samuel Abraham, and Wolfram’s men being loaded into ships by heavily armed policemen.

“This unexpected incident was brought on by I-Island’s top scientist, Professor David Shield, a former sidekick to All Might. Professor Sheild and his assistant, Samuel Abraham, sought to stage a villain attack in order to recover a device they had created, which was confiscated by their sponsors.”

Show an image of the Quirk Amplification Device.

“A device capable of enhancing one’s Quirk. Professor Sheild sought to use this device to help his former hero, All Might, following his injury.”

Back to Daikaku Miyagi.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Abraham hired real villains in a plan to sell the device for profit.”

Show an image of Wolfram.

“The villain that Abraham hired was a notorious German gang leader, Victor Wolfram, from his hometown, whose Quirk allowed him to manipulate metal. However, before arriving on I-Island, Wolfram sought out the League of Villains to provide extra support for his heist.”

Show an image of “Deku”. With his long black hair, red eye, pale skin, and black facemask.

“Wolfram recruited a young delinquent whose name was listed as “Akatani” in Wolframs files, alias “Deku”. Deku posed as a waiter during the I-Expo, and possessed a Quirk that allowed him to Copy other Quirks. This ability was enabled by various patches that he wore under his waiter’s uniform.”

Show a video of Deku wearing the Amplification Device while fighting heroes on I-Island.

“However, right after Wolfram and Abraham betrayed Professor Sheild. Wolfram betrayed Abraham, and Deku betrayed Wolfram. After killing Wolfram with what witnesses describe as a “telikenetic bullet”, Deku used another Quirk he had access to that allowed him to create up to two clones of himself. While the real Deku fled I-Island with the device, one of his clones ravaged I-Island. He causes millions of dollars in property damage and the resulting fight led to the deaths of ten heroes. Including:”

Show the images of the heroes as Miyagi lists them off.

“Takahiro

Cow Lady

Queen Bee

Agent Peacock

Nyikang

Matadore

Whirlwind

Rocket-Man

Mister Plastic

and Elecplant.”

“Among his other intended victims were: All Might, and U.A. students Mirio Togata, Shoto Todoroki, and Katsuki Bakugo.”

Show images of each of the listed people as they are mentioned. All Might and Mirio are smiling. Shoto has a neutral expression. Bakugo is furiously scowling.

Show a video, taken from a ground view, of Uravity flying Melissa Sheild over to Deku, and Melissa firing the Quirk Nullification gun. Which Deku blocked with his telekinesis and debris.

“Witnesses say that even the four of them would have become Deku’s victims, if it wasn’t for the combined efforts of All Might, Mirio Togata, Uravity - sidekick to the Pro-Hero Slide N’Go, and Professor Shield’s daughter, Melissa.”

Show All Might and Mirio punching away the debris Deku was using to protect himself, allowing Melissa to hit him with the device. Deku falls. Bakugo falls after him and snatches the device from his head before blasting him away, and Todoroki sets him on fire.

“Melissa Sheild used a device capable of temporarily nullifying Quirks to weaken the copy of Deku, leading to his defeat.”

Miyagi shakes his head. “Though I must remind all of you, this was merely a clone. The real Deku is still on the run, with the Amplification Device.”

Show Melissa being interviewed on I-Island. The bottom label reads: Melissa Sheild. Inventor. Quirk: None.

“I am really disappointed with what my dad did,” Melissa says. “Half of the surviving heroes were hurt, and the real Deku is still out there.” She lowers her head. “I didn’t do anything today.”

“But you still have the Quirk Nullification device, right?” the interviewer asks.

“Unfortunately, no,” Melissa says. “Deku made another copy of himself that destroyed it.”

Show Bakugo being interviewed. The bottom label reads: Katsuki Bakugo. U.A. Student. Quirk: Explosion. (Infamous for temper and recent Quirkism scandal)

“I SWEAR I DIDN’T NEED THAT QUIRKLESS BLONDIE TO SAVE ME! I COULD HAVE BEATEN VILLAIN-DEKU ON MY OWN! GOT THAT!? I’M NOT SOME WEAKLING!!”

The label underneath Bakugo changes to read: Recent video release has resulted in a Quirkism scandal. U.A. Principal looking into Junior High School for possible Quirk discrimination.

“And by the way, don’t call that jerk Deku!” Bakugo shouts. “He’s Red-Eyes or Villain-Deku!”

Show Ochako being interviewed. The bottom label reads: Ochako Uraraka - Uravity. Quirk: Zero Gravity.

“You see, Akatani overheard me talking to Bakugo about a friend of mine,” Ochako says. “Bakugo used to call him “Deku” growing up, and Akatani just kinda stole the name. He said it was another word for “puppet,” and then he used strings from his body to control us so…” Ochako shrugs.

“What did you think of him?” The interviewer asks.

“I met him before the attack,” Ochako says. “I was kinda shocked to find out he was a villain. He seemed like such a nice guy. Even when we were his captives, he treated us ok, but then again, he did kill that metal guy in cold blood. Then again, that guy was going to kill Professor Abraham. When he was destroying the island and fighting the heroes, I thought he was both terrifying and amazing. I also talked to his second clone before it disintegrated. He didn’t actually mean to kill anyone during that fight. Just distract them and test out the device. But one thing is certain. Even if he is a nice villain who prefers to avoid killing, he is still a threat, and he needs to be taken down.”

Show Asta Yoru being interviewed. The bottom label reads: Asta Yoru. Quirk: Weapon Creation.

“He was smart and strong,” Asta says. “I have nothing but respect for him. Someday, I hope to see Deku again, so I can beat him into the ground.” Asta smiles fondly. “Oh, and don’t say that Melissa didn’t do shit just because that Deku turned out to be a clone. She was kicking our asses before she and Uraraka came along. Just saying.”

Show Mina Ashido being interviewed. The bottom label reads: Mina Ashido. Former U.A. Student. Quirk: Acid.

“I hope the media is going to be honest about everything that happened this time around,” Mina says. “I got expelled because I tried to speak the truth. I wasn’t there for everything, but yeah. Deku was killing us. A real villain. He was SO strong! Good thing Melissa and All Might were there. I wish they had brought the real Deku in through. We need to find the League as soon as possible.”

Show Miyagi, and a video of Mina Ashido’s mugshot behind him.

“In other news, Mina Ashido has been identified as the vigilante Alien Queen.”

Show a video of Mina being manhandled by Endeavor.

“She was caught just a day after returning to Japan after getting into a brawl with a street gang. She will be arrested for vigilantism and illegal Quirk usage.”

Show Endeavor being interviewed. The bottom label reads: Endeavor, Former no.1 hero, recently fallen behind All Might in the polls.

“Vigilantism and illegal Quirk usage make someone no different than being a villain! If the kid wanted to play hero, she shouldn’t have gotten herself expelled. And if YOU are watching this, Deku, know this! You might have gotten the drop on my son once, but that won’t happen again! I swear, you will be brought in by a Todoroki!”

On a different news station, with a non-mutant anchor head.

“I-Island was saved by the combined efforts of Endeavor’s son, the winner of the sports festival, All Might, and promising U.A. senior Mirio Togata.”

On a different news station.

“Melissa Sheild. Quirk: Undisclosed”

On a different news station.

“The Villain-Deku ravaged I-Island and killed countless people using a piece of stolen technology. However, he was defeated by the Symbol of Peace, who has regained his top hero title. With minor aid from his former sidekick’s tech crew.

Later that day, after watching a couple of news videos. Izuku called Ochako.

“Oh my God!” Izuku yells through his side of the phone. “Uraraka! I am sorry you had to go through that! And….that Deku sounds horrible…I bet you hate his guts, right?”

Uraraka hesitates. “I wouldn’t say he was horrible. But I do consider him an enemy.” Uraraka scoffs. “You know, that’s the ONLY news threat I could find that mentions Melissa being Quirkless. Every other lists her Quirk as “undisclosed” or leaves her out entirely, saying All Might and Mirio did everything.”

Izuku sighs. “…Yeah, that makes sense….I also saw that video you sent me about Bakugo, too. Wow…so it’s not just me.”

“No, it’s not,” Ochako says. “He’s just a jerk with an over-inflated ego. Remember that.”

Izuku chuckles. “I’ll try.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to tell you this, but I actually confronted him on I-Island for you…”

Izuku winces. “….You did.”

“Yeah,” Ochako says, hesitantly. “Sorry, but it might have caused more harm than good. But, hey, if he gives you trouble, call me right away, ok? I’m a licensed sidekick. I can make arrests. If he touches you, I’ll make him regret it.

Izuku chuckles. “If you arrest him, that will basically ruin his future and life. I’ll let you know.”

Ochako chuckles. “If you want, I could even turn him into a pancake or float him into space…. that’s a joke, I mean. Yes… definitely just a joke.”

“I think arresting him would be enough. Have you ever heard of a hero student who was sent to a Juvenile Training School? First of all, U.A. would have to let him go, and then he’d have no chance of getting accepted into any other. If he was even young enough to apply once he got out. He’d be screwed. Especially if he was arrested by you. The media’s made you pretty popular. You’re the sidekick who helped beat Deku.”

“Ah, well, the media tends to exaggerate,” Ochako says. “I try to give Melissa credit as much as possible. I figured you would like that. But yes, Slide N’Go and some…friends of his are quite proud of me. I’m pretty popular at school now, too. Oh, hey, if you report all the times he used his Quirk illegally on you, I could arrest him now.”

“I think I’ll save revenge for the next time he messes with me,” Izuku says.

“Yeah…ok. You’re really nice like that,” Ochako says. “Oh, and did you read about Mina Ashido?”

“The pink acid girl who was arrested by Endeavor?” Izuku asks.

Ochako growls. “I HATE Endeavor.”

Izuku laughs. “My friend Dabi would love you for saying that.”

“I met Mina on I-Island. She was awesome. She definitely didn’t deserve to get expelled.”

Izuku scoffs. “Blame the Hero Commission for that. Someone needs to do something about them…Actually, you know what, someone probably will…Really soon…But forget that. Heading home in a couple of days. Can’t wait to see you. I’ll introduce you to some of my school friends while you’re there.”

“Can’t wait to see you too! I look forward to it!” Ochako cheers.

“Ok. I’m going on a hike with my friend Shuichi now, going to lose service. Bye. Love-I mean bye.”

“Wait, Izuku!” Ochako yells. “I have an important question to ask! I forgot to ask you this yesterday when we first talked, but I wanna ask now.”

“Sure, what is it?”

“You don’t happen to know anyone named “Akatani”, do you?”

Izuku freezes after Ochako asks that.

“Uh….why do you ask that?”

“Well, that was Deku’s real name. Wait, or did he say that was an alias, too? Anyways, he mentioned having a Quirkless friend he was fighting for. Also, when he removed his mask, he kinda looked like you. I mean, he was taller, had dark hair, paler skin, no nose, and scars on his cheeks that made a creepy smile. But he also kinda looked like you…with all that. Do you have any cousins with Copy Quirks?”

Izuku is silent for a brief moment.

“…Um, no, not at all! No cousins! No other relatives besides my mom and dad! Although I think my dad might…no, no, I’m not related to Deku. I promise.”

Ochako sighs. “Ok, I was just asking. Talk to you later.”

“Ok, I’ll see you in three days. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Three Days Later…

Izuku sits at the table with his mother, Inko, as they wait for the Uraraka’s to arrive. The plan is for them to come over to their apartment for a light dinner before Inko drops him and Ochako off at Aldera High School for the festival.

However, this is also the time when Izuku is going to try letting Ochako down, gently. After his recent texts with her, he was convinced that it was probably for the best, given that she kinda hates his alter ego.

Inko notices that her sons hands are trembling while his eyes are all small and dotty, while his mouth is stuck in a small, tense smile.

“Izuku?” Inko asks. “If you’re nervous, it’s ok to say so.”

“How is my hair?” Izuku asks, randomly. “Did I comb it right? It looks too flat, doesn’t it?”

“You look handsome, Izuku,” Inko says. “Ochako is going to love it.”

Izuku smiles and lets out a sigh. “I hope you’re right.”

Inko squeals. “I’m so excited to meet my son’s girlfriend. You two must have gotten really close if you’re introducing yourselves to each other’s parents.”

Izuku averts his eyes. “Yeah…”

‘I really don’t want to do this. Oh God, I just realized that breaking up with a girl after meeting her parents is really wrong! But I can’t keep lying to Ochako. I owe her that much to let her go so she’s not dating a villain. I would tell her the truth about me if it didn’t risk me getting arrested.’

Izuku’s breathing increases as Inko eyes her son.

Outside, Ochako walks with her parents to the Midoriya apartment. Unlike her parents, she is already wearing her kimono. It is bright pink with a white belt sash.

“Dad, I told you you didn’t need to bring anything,” Ochako says, looking at the tray in her father’s hand.

“It is polite to bring an appetizer when having dinner at another’s home,” Mr. Uraraka says.
“It’s not even going to be a big meal,” Ochako says. “There are going to be stalls at the festival. Cotton candy and stuff. This is just to hold us over.”

“Well then, it’s good that you’re filling up on good food rather than junk food,” Mrs. Uraraka says. “And why are you wearing your kimono now?”

Ochako smiles. “I have a surprise for Izuku underneath.”

Her father looks at her, concerned.

“My hero costume, Dad,” Ochako clarifies.

“Right, right.” Mr. Uraraka says. “We’re here.”

Ochako thinks back to her last phone conversation with Izuku. ‘Izuku knows something about Deku that he doesn’t want to tell me.’

A knock is heard at the door, and Izuku stands up.

“I got it!”

Izuku rushes to the door and opens it. He comes face-to-face with a large, well-built man. The man smiles down at him.

“You must be Izuku.” The man extends his hand. “I’m Ochako’s dad. It’s nice to meet you.”

Izuku smiles. “Nice to meet you, too, Sir. Your daughter is a very amazing girl.”

A woman who looks just like an older Ochako hugs him. “Oh! It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Ochako’s mom. She talks so much about you.”

Izuku blushes. “Oh, really?”

Inko steps forward and introduces herself to the Uraraka’s. And then Izuku looks forward, and he feels his whole body turn red. Ochako is standing there, outside his doorway, smiling at him in the most beautiful pink kimono he has ever seen. Her hair was done neatly, and the light touch of makeup was even more illuminated by her beautiful smile on her already beautiful face.

Izuku’s mind goes blank for a split second.

‘You don’t deserve her….I know.’

“H-Hi, Izuku,” Ochako says.
“Hi, me? Oh yes, Hello, Ochako!” Izuku hugs her. “You look…really nice.”

Ochako smiles. “Thank you. You too!”

Izuku taps his fingers together. “Um, I was going to change after we finished eating.”

“Yeah, I just wanted to wear mine now,” Ochako says.

Inko approaches her. “You must be Ochako.”

With a big smile, Inko grabs Ochako’s hand and shakes it.

“It’s so lovely to meet you. I’m Izuku’s mom.”

“It’s nice to meet you two, Mrs. Midoriya.”

Izuku smiles, seeing his mom and girlfriend interact. But he quickly frowns.

Soon enough, both Izuku and Ochako are eating at the dinner table along with their parents (or parent in Izuku’s case).

“So, where is Mr. Midoriya?” Mr. Uraraka asks.

“Oh, my dad works in America,” Izuku says. “We talk every other week. Usually.”

“It’s just been me and my son for a long time,” Inko says.

Mr. Uraraka’s face turns awkward. “Oh…sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Izuku says. “It’s just his job. Sure, wouldn’t mind having a dad who’s around more, but he supports us. And it’s been fine with just me and my mom. I’m good.”

Inko frowns as her son says that, remembering when Izuku was hit by a car after what she said.

“It’s been quite the year for you, hasn’t it been, Izuku?” Inko says with a big smile. “You’ve made all sorts of friends. In your social group. Three more at school. And even a cute girlfriend.”

Ochako smiles. “Izuku plans on introducing me to some of them at the festival. I think I’ll introduce him to some of mine soon, too.”

“Maybe you can at an event hosted by your school,” Inko suggests.

Ochako tenses. “Um…I don’t think that’s a good idea. My school is very…I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” Izuku asks.
“Yeah, no, trust me, it’s not,” Mr. Uraraka says. He points to himself and his wife. “We went there a while ago for a parent-teacher conference, and we got a Quirkist vibe from some of the staff.”

Izuku narrows his eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah, they are fine with mutants, but they go on about how Quirks are humanity’s gifts,” Mr. Uraraka says. “That they make a person special.”

“My middle school was like that too,” Izuku says, before scowling and drinking his water.

“I don’t agree with that, Izuku,” Ochako says. “And neither do my friends. But they are the only hero school that accepted me after my little…incident, so I try to block it out.”

“Yes, block it, keep doing that,” Izuku says.

Inko and the Uraraka’s both eye their children. By this point, all three parents know that their kids are keeping secrets from them. Ochako refused to talk much about her job, and having met her teachers in the town the job is, they worry that their daughter has had to do some shameful things. Meanwhile, Inko had tried to talk to Izuku about where he was on the first day of the camping trip, and Izuku just kept insisting there was a glitch in the tracking device. She kept asking him question after question about the first day, but he kept changing the subject.

For now, all they can do is watch their children.

After eating, Inko dropped Ochako and Izuku off at Aldera High School. Right in front of the festival. Izuku is dressed in a  green Kimono that matches his hair color. There are stalls everywhere, along with a Ferris wheel, a fish-scoop area, a shoot-the-bottle game, and many other attractions in addition to variosu food stalls (cotton candy, chocolate-covered bannana’s, candy apples, etc). Lights are all strung up and the other students are going around, having a good time.

“It looks nice,” Ochako says.

“Yeah, it is. Isn’t it?” Izuku asks.

“Whoa, look at that,” the student who can turn his head into a plan says to the Cow Girl. “Deku has a girl with him? Do you think she lost a bet?”

“Dude, you can’t call him Deku anymore, that’s the name of a villain,” the Cow Girl says. “But yes, that is surprising. I guess she doesn’t mind being seen with a Quirkless.”

“Seriously?”

“I guess it was bound to happen.”

Izuku lets out a hard sigh as Ochako glares at the couple as they walk into the festival. She turns to Izuku, as he takes in a deep breath.

“Shall we go in?”

Ochako smiles. “Let’s.”

They lock arms and enter the festival.

The first place that Izuku took Ochako to was the mochi stand.

“Yaaaayyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!”

Ochako squeals as she carries a large amount of mochi in her arms and starts munching on all of them. Her cheeks blush harder than they usually are, and Izuku just smiles at her expression.

“Mmmm! Mochi!” Ochako says between chews.

“I’m glad you like it,” Izuku says.

“Whoa, what a cutie?” a guy says, walking by.

“Why is she with Midoriya?”

“Do you think they are cousins?”
“Maybe they are just friends.”

“Why would such a cute girl be friends with a Quirkless loser?”

“Or a delinquent?”
“Hey, I think I saw her on TV. She was on I-Island and helped beat the Deku Clone.”

“No way, that’s her then! She would be way out of Midoriya’s league.”

Izuku sucks in a breath and rolls his eyes. ‘Just ignore them, Izuku. Remember what Senpai said. They are just stupid NPCs. They are stupid NPCs. They are stupid-’

“Hey! Stop it!” Ochako shouts. “I like Izuku! He is a cool, sweet guy!” She glares at the bald student whose eyes are out of their sockets. “And I don’t know what YOU are laughing about! Your Quirk is so stupid you might as well be Quirkless.”

“Yeah, well, at least I HAVE one!” He says. “Even if my Quirk is lame, I’m special in my own way.” He points at Izuku. “He’s just some loser.”

Izuku glares at him. “You know, a Quirkless girl beat Deku and saved I-Island.”

Some of the students around them laugh. “Dude, what news channel were you watching?”

“Uh, the one that has Daikaku Miyagi,” Izuku says. “Which is known for its accuracy.”

“The guy who cut off one of his horns?” the Cow Girl scoffs. “Please, I have no idea why that guy is so popular. Anyway, the news report I watched said that Deku was beaten by Melissa Shield, working with All Might. She has…Suirmy Fingers or something.”

Ochako narrows her eyes at her. “No, that’s her dad’s Quirk. THAT news station referenced that to cover the fact that she’s Quirkless.”

“Oh, what would you know?”

“I was there,” Ochako says. “I was the one who carried her.”

“Yeah, right,” says a boy who expands his muscles. “There’s no way you’d be here then. Besides, I heard that All Might and Mirio Togata beat Deku all by themselves, with help from Bakugo and Endeavor’s son.”

“But didn’t Bakugo get caught yelling at the blonde girl for being Quirkless?” a whip-nosed student asks.
“Yeah, like he said, she didn’t help.”

Ochako turns to Izuku. “These are the guys you go to school with?”

“Ever since I was in kindergarten.”

“I am so sorry.”

Right then, a tall boy with brown hair and a sword for an arm, a voluptuous black-haired girl with electricity sparking from her tongue, and a four-foot boy with explosions popping in his hand break through the crowd and move to Izuku’s sides.

Izuku smiles, recognizing Kaito (in a gray kimono), Yuki (in a light green kimono), and Ryo (in a purple kimono). The human-student disguises of the Nomu Accelerator, Jumper-Cable, and Short-Fuse.

“I must insist that all of you stop your harassment of Midoriya, at once!” Kaito/Acclerator says, chopping his sword arm.

“Yeah, can’t you see these two are trying to enjoy a nice date!” Yuki/Jumper says, sticking out her tongue, which creates a spark.

“Seriously, go away,” Ryo/Short-Fuse says, cracking explosions in his palm.

Izuku briefly flinches at the explosions, but he smiles, seeing his friends come to his aid like this. However, he flinches when a fourth person runs up to him from the side and hugs him. Izuku’s eyes widen as he is treated to a face of blonde hair and the faint smell of blood.

“Yeah! How can you all pick on such a cute, sweet boy like him?” Himiko Toga says. She then holds up a plastic fork. “Go. Away.”

The other students walk away, saying that it’s weird that Izuku has so many friends now. Asking about the “other” cute girl and calling Izuku lucky for having two.

“Guys,” Izuku says. “Thanks for the save.”

Kaito/Accelerator bows. “It was our pleasure, Midoriya.”

“Oh, Izuku, are these your friends?” Ochako asks with a tense smile. “You seem very close to one of them.”

“Huh?” Izuku isn’t sure what she means until she realizes that Himiko is still hugging him. “Oh, Ochako, this is Himiko! She’s…uh….very affectionate.”

“You seem very close to one of them,” Ochako repeats.

“You already said that.”

Himiko lets go of Izuku. She is wearing a red kimono, and her hair has been let down and straightened. She is also wearing a red bow.

“Hi, you must be Ochako,” Himiko says with a big old smile before bringing the shocked Ochako into a tight hug. “Oh, I have seen pictures of you on Izu-kuns phone, but you’re so much cuter in person. I’m Himiko Toga.”

“Um, Ochako Uraraka.” Ochako turns to the other three. “Are you Izuku’s friends?”

“Kaito.”

“Yuki.”

“Ryo.”

“Himiko is my girlfriend, so I invited her,” Yuki/Jumper says.

Ochako’s eyebrows raise. “Your… girlfriend?” She laughs. “Oh, good. So I was worried over nothing.”

“I am also dating Ryo,” Yuki/Jumper says.

Ochako blinks. “Come again?”

Izuku plants his hand to his face. “Please don’t ask.”

“We’re in a polyamorous relationship,” Yuki/Jumper says. “I am currently dating both Ryo and Himiko.”

“I’m not dating Himiko, though,” Ryo/Short-Fuse says. “Just so you know. She’s too crazy for me.”

“And you’re too short for me,” Himiko teases.

Ryo glares at her. “You know how BIG I can get.”

“Now, RYO, don’t say such things in public,” Kaito/Acclerator says.

“Anyways, as part of our agreement, I am allowed to mingle with one other person,” Himiko says.

Ochako looks back and forth between Iuzku and Himiko. “Oh, is that so?”

“Ochako, please believe me, I am not involved with Himiko that way,” Izuku says. “We are just friends. No…that.”

“You could if you wanted to,” Himiko says. “I’ve also been trying to convince Ju-Yuki for a three-way.”
“Not helping!” Izuku hisses.

Meanwhile, a boy passing by comments on how lucky Midoriya is.

“So just friends, right?” Ochako asks.

“L-Lets just go to some of the stands, ok?” Izuku says.

Izuku drags a suspicious Ochako away, while Himiko happily skips after them. Kaito/Accelerator, Yuki/Jumper, and Ryo/Short-Fuse follow.

Katsuki Bakugo steps out of his mother’s car as she drops him off at the entrance to the Aldera School Festival. He is wearing his casual plaid shirt and baggy pants.

“You should have worn a kimino, Brat!” Mitsuki says.
“I’m fine!” Bakugo shouts. “Just pick me up at nine!”

Mitsuki growls before driving away. Once she is gone, Bakugo’s old cronies walk up to him. Shark-Jaw is wearing a dark gray kimono while Long-Fingers is wearing a yellow Kimono.

“Hey, Bakugo! It’s been forever, man!” Shark-Jaw says.
“Saw you on the news and the Sports Festival, you were badass!” Long-Fingers says. “But you didn’t have to yell at the hot blonde. Or throw a fit with that creepy villain-kid.”

“KNOCK IT OFF YOU MORONS!” Bakugo shouts. “I’M ONLY HERE FOR DEKU! WHERE IS HE!?”

“I saw him a minute ago with his friends and two cute girls,” Shark-Jaw says. “I have no idea where these guys come from.”
Bakugo raises an eyebrow. “Was one of these girls pudgy with brown hair?”

The cronies nod. Bakugo smiles wickedly.

“So that bitch is here too. Just you wait, Deku. I’m going to humiliate you in front of your girl. Show her that I’m so much better than you, too.”

“Good thing his other friends aren’t here,” Shark-Jaw says to Long-Fingers.

“I know, right. That guy with the stitches was CRAZY scary!”

Bakugo marches passed them.

“Less talking! More showing me where Deku is!” Bakugo shouts.

“Wait, Bakugo,” Shark-Jaw says. “Just to warn you, a lot of guys don’t respect you as much as they used to because of how you acted during the Sports Festival. So, please, if someone brings it up, just let it go.”

Bakugo growls and grits his teeth. “I’ll remind them soon enough.”

‘They’ll laugh again once I wipe the floor with Deku, just like in the old days!’