Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

All foe one has always been curious about how or even if he could pass his quirk on to any children he might have. After all, he’d been there in the beginning, when ‘quirks’ were meta abilities and had seen quirks get stronger with every generation. He just hadn’t focused on it in the same way as he was focused on getting back the quirk that rightfully belonged to him.

That didn’t mean that he didn’t focus on the second part of his obsession, just that it fell to the wayside as ‘not as important’. He already had an heir in Tomura, but that boy was a bit of a loose cannon and wasn’t of his own blood. Sure he loved the twisted irony in that he was the one to save Tomura when no hero would, when they all looked at him as if he were a leper or a villain. He reveled I. The idea of watching All Might twist when he’d eventually reveal that he had stolen All Mights masters grandson and turned him into a villain. 

srill, he wanted to know how a child of his own would take to his quirk, and if they did, it would have to increase in power. He’d seen it over the generations, how a relatively ‘simple’ or ‘weak’ quirk could turn into a powerhouse in just a few generations. So he was fascinated with the idea of finding a way to strengthen his own overpowered quirk by passing it on, and then, oh the possibilities. Maybe he’d even get a child who could steal back what rightfully belonged to him. 

So he started looking. Looking for quirks that would compliment his. He started with a woman who could copy the quirk of a single person, thinking that it was already so much like his own. Testing the genes of that child with a quirk he’d forgotten he had he’d found out that the child would be able to copy up to five quirks, a good start but the testing quirk told him that the child’s quirk would not allow them to copy stockpiling quirks, so that first child was a bustz he let the woman live after wiping her memory. If nothing else he could steal that child’s quirk when they got older. 

The next batch of women he tried all ended up either having children with random mutations of their mother’s quirks or ended up with miscarriages. So many mistakes. It didn’t stop him from selecting his latest ‘experiment’. Her name was Midoeiya Inko and she has a fascinating quirk called ‘Pull’ that she was severely underutilizing. He theorizes that with his quirk and hers perhaps the child they’d create would be able to ‘pull’ the quirks from people. But the genetic testing quirk told him that while the child in her womb registered as having a quirk, it was dormant and he couldn’t tell what it really was due to that fact. A dormant quirk meant the child would most likely present as ‘quirkless’.

He was going to try again with a woman he’d heard was in a quirk marriage with Endeavor, who’s already shown potential in having born children that had hints of both of their parents quirks when All Might had stumbled upon his operations. Due to having his head caved in, he didn’t remember that he’d even begun the ‘side’ project and because he didn’t trust Dr.Garaki, he hadn’t told him. That would come back to bite him much much later.

Chapter Text

Izuku sat quietly in the doctor's office, staring at the floor. His eyes itched, his hands twitched, and his mom's grip on his arm felt tight enough to cut off circulation.

"Momma, why do my eyes itch so much?" he asked one day, rubbing at them again.

His mom sighed, brushing his hair back. "It’s just because... well, it’s because you’re quirkless, sweetie."

He’d heard the rumors. Quirkless people had different bodies, but no one knew exactly how. Older kids said awful things, whispers that stuck with him.

"Quirkless are dangerous. They’re an infection. They should all just disappear."

It hurt, but it didn’t hurt worse than the news he received earlier that afternoon. Dr. Tsubasa had explained it so plainly as if it were no big deal.

"Izuku registers as having a quirk," he’d said. "But it’s dormant. Based on the tests, it's likely to never wake up. Medically speaking, he’s considered quirkless."

His mom had gasped softly. "I don’t understand how this could have happened..."

"There’s no research on dormant quirks or being quirkless, ma’am," the doctor replied with a shrug. "It’s just... unlikely his quirk will ever manifest."

Izuku had sat up straight, tiredness etched in his face. "So I can’t be a hero?"

He hadn’t mentioned the blue something floating just behind Dr. Tsubasa’s head. It glowed with strange letters he could barely read, but words like "Life force" and "Broken moral compass" stood out. He felt a tugging inside, a twitch in his hand. Like it wanted to reach out, touch that glowing thing, and somehow... fix it. But something in the pit of his stomach warned him to stay quiet.

The doctor gave him the creeps, and Izuku knew enough from his secret research into underground heroes to understand that making people underestimate him could be useful. So he let the lie sit. He would train in secret. Maybe even learn to control his quirk on his own. 

The label 'quirkless' changed so much at home, and at school, but he hoped that it wouldn't change his friendship with Kaachan. They had promised to be heroes together, he didn't see why his 'diagnosis' should change that. 

"So you don't have a quirk?"

"No, I do, the doctor said it's dormant and not likely to ever 'wake up'. Medically I'm quirkless I guess. But I still want to be a hero!"

"What? Are you crazy? Quirkless people can't be heroes. You're nothing but dead weight. Stay away from me from now on! I don't want to catch your disease."

"Kaachan, we promised."

"Fuck that! You broke your promise by being worthless! Now leave me alone!"

He tried after that day, to show Kaachan he could still be a hero by stepping in between Kaachan and the other kids on the playground. But his best friend seemed to hate him now. It didn't matter. Kaachan just needed someone to practice his quirk on! He was sure that if his quirk was anywhere near as great as Kaachan's he would be doing the same thing. He ignored the little voice in the back of his head that screamed 'No, you wouldn't, that's something a villain would do!' because Kaachan couldn't be a villain, he just couldn't.

Ten years passed, and he barely used his quirk. It hurt his eyes, it hurt his hands, and it hurt his head as information on quirks randomly would enter his vision all day long. He had to almost lash his hands to his sides to keep them from reaching out to fix things like 'head's too big for his body' on his classmate with the wooden head quirk, or 'fingers break easily' on his classmate who could stretch his fingers. 

He told himself that he would practice on people who needed it. People whose quirks hurt them, people whose quirks hurt others. The longer he didn't use his quirk, the more Kaachan seemed to get mad at him, to use his quirk on him. But that didn't matter. Kaachan was still his friend. Kaachan would have to see how useful his quirk could be once they were both attending UA. Even if he had applied to both the heroics and gen-ed course as a backup because while his quirk was fascinating, it didn't have any practical applications for fights against villains. 

"Midoriya has applied to UA too!" 

He snapped out of his musing, realizing with horror that the teacher had revealed his intentions in front of the whole class. Kaachan was many things, but he was not a person who liked it when the attention was off of him.

"Fucking Deku. I told you that you were nothing!! Always looking down on me! Here's what I think. I think if you want to be a hero so bad, you should take a swan dive off of the roof and hope for a real quirk in your next life."

And then he exploded his notebook. His valuable notebook. The one that he kept not only the most interesting details about quirks he noticed but there were also suggestions for how to fix things.  He lunged forward, not thinking at that moment.

"What, you going to attack me? You haven't figured it out yet? Let me spell it out for you," Kaachan put his sparking hands on his shoulders, smirking gleefully as the smell of barbecue and caramel hit his nose, "You are nothing but a pebble under my feet and you'll never be anything more!" 

He screamed as Kaachan kept his hot hands on his shoulders. Through his tears, he saw the blurry outline of Kaachan's 'blueprint'. 

'quirk causes increased anger' 

With a wobbly hand, he reached out, and touched both Kaachan and the edge of the blueprint, changing it to read 'quirk causes harm to the user when used to harm others' and then it's Kaachan screaming louder than he was. He barely noticed when the paramedics came and carted Kaachan off, ignoring that he was feeling hurt as well. He didn't know exactly what he had done, but he suspected. His quirk had to have caused that change in Kaachan. 

Chapter Text

Katsuki could feel it again—like his entire body was boiling from the inside out. Sweat poured off him, soaking the hospital sheets, but it didn’t bring any relief. It was as if something deep inside his skin wanted to burst free, tearing him apart. His hands twitched involuntarily, sparking weakly with little pops of his quirk. His body was rebelling against him, rejecting what had always been his greatest strength.

He clenched his fists tightly, pushing back against the pain. The stupid doctors kept saying something about an "internal quirk explosion," but Katsuki knew better. This was Deku’s fault. That useless nerd—he'd done something, touched him with those disgusting, trembling hands, and now Katsuki was paying the price. There was no other explanation. Deku’s quirkless lie had all been a setup. Some kind of trap, a way to get back at him for being stronger, for being the one destined to be a hero while Deku was left in the dust.

"I’ll kill him," Katsuki muttered, though his voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper. He was alone in the room, but he didn’t care. He could feel the heat rising under his skin, but not from his quirk this time—from anger. Rage. He knew Deku had a quirk now. Maybe it wasn’t much, maybe it was weak like Deku himself, but somehow, it had hurt him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, the memories flashing in his mind. That look on Deku’s face, full of shock, fear... and something else. Something that made Katsuki’s blood boil more than the pain. Pity. He gritted his teeth, letting out a frustrated grunt. Deku had humiliated him. But it wouldn’t last. Katsuki Bakugo wasn’t going to stay down. He’d show Deku—he’d show everyone—that nobody could touch him and get away with it. As soon as he got out of this hospital bed, he was going to make sure Deku knew his place.

The UA gates loomed high above Izuku, the massive building casting a shadow over the nervous crowd of applicants. But surprisingly, Izuku wasn’t as nervous as he thought he’d be. His heart still pounded in his chest, but without Katsuki looming over him, snarling insults and threats, he could think a little clearer.

"Okay, I can do this," Izuku muttered to himself as he entered the testing grounds. He wasn’t expecting to do well—his quirk wasn’t suited to destroying robots, and he’d figured that out when Present Mic explained the exam. But he still wanted to try. If nothing else, he could gauge how well he could use his quirk in a high-pressure situation.

The nervous energy buzzing in the air was palpable as the other students around him shuffled and stretched, preparing for the test. Izuku glanced to his left and saw a girl, her brown hair bobbing as she chatted with another applicant. His eyes twitched involuntarily, and for just a second, he saw it—a green glow around her. Her quirk’s details hovered in the air, almost like a hologram.

"Makes the user have an upset stomach."

Izuku blinked. That couldn’t be right. Why would someone’s quirk... oh. She had a gravitational quirk, and it must have affected her insides somehow. It reminded him of motion sickness. His fingers twitched, that strange urge rising inside him again—the need to fix it.

Before he knew what he was doing, his hand stretched out. His fingers brushed the edge of the green glow around her quirk, and in his mind, something shifted. The "upset stomach" detail vanished.

"Hey! Are you okay?" The girl’s voice snapped him back to reality. She was staring at him with a puzzled expression, her head tilted to the side.

Izuku jerked his hand back, flushing with embarrassment. "S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to—"

"It’s fine!" she interrupted, smiling brightly. "I’m just a little nervous about the exam. I think everyone is."

Izuku nodded, though his mind was spinning. Had he really just... fixed something about her quirk? The urge he’d felt to reach out and adjust the details around her quirk had felt so natural, but what did it mean? Could his quirk actually change other people’s quirks?

The buzzer for the entrance exam rang loudly, shaking him from his thoughts. He took a deep breath and focused on the task ahead. Robots. Destruction. Points. That was what mattered right now.

As the exam began, Izuku tried his best, but it quickly became clear that his quirk wasn’t built for combat. The other applicants rushed past him, taking down robots left and right, while Izuku struggled to keep up. He avoided getting hit, but he couldn’t land a solid blow on any of the machines. Every time he reached out to use his quirk, it was like he was trying to grab at nothing. Robots didn’t have quirks. He couldn’t see any glowing details, couldn’t adjust or fix anything.

By the time the exam ended, Izuku was panting and covered in sweat, his heart sinking. He hadn’t earned a single point. But somehow, he didn’t feel as defeated as he thought he would. He knew going in that his quirk wasn’t suited for this. That’s okay. I scheduled myself for general studies, he reminded himself.

As he exited the testing grounds, Izuku caught sight of the girl from earlier again. She was talking to a group of people, laughing easily, and for a moment, he allowed himself a small smile. At least he’d helped someone today.

Chapter Text

izuku's first day in the general education track at UA High School was a surprisingly pleasant change. The atmosphere was different from the hero course's intense environment, and he found the classes and interactions more manageable. The students in his class seemed friendly and the workload was interesting, but as he navigated his new surroundings, Izuku couldn’t help but feel a growing discomfort.

The more people crowded around him, the more his eyes and hands began to itch uncontrollably. He tried to ignore it, focusing on the lessons and the occasional conversation with his new classmates. Despite his best efforts to keep his quirk under control, the sensations were impossible to ignore. He almost felt like lashing his fists to his sides as his hand twitched everytime he 'saw' quirks that weren't being used to their full potential. But he'd promised himself that he wasn't going to use his quirk unless it was necessary or if the quirk was harmful to others or harmful to the user. 

He didn't want to be a villain by just going around, willy-nilly and changing everyone's quirks just because. That felt like it'd be such a violation. Still, he ached to ask the questions, especially when he saw 'Voice can be used through humming' next to Present Mics name and he wanted so, so badly to tell the man just in case he didn't know already. It was better that people still thought he was quirkless, as his mother still wouldn't allow him to change the registration and he still thought that it was better to remain under the radar. He'd be able to help so many more people that way anyway. 

He was relieved the end of the day came so quickly, though he managed through his spectacular bad luck to run into the last person he wanted to see. Eraserhead. Not that he didn't admire the man, and not that the man hadn't inspired his decision to hide his quirk, but he didn't want to test what would happen if Aizawa turned that quirk on him. Then, he saw it, 'Quirk causes dry eye.' 

Izuku sympathized deeply; he knew how bothersome dry eyes could be.

With a mix of hesitation and determination, Izuku reached out discreetly, his fingers brushing against the blue glow around Aizawa’s quirk. In his mind, he focused on altering the detail, shifting it to read, "Quirk can be used without eye contact."

Aizawa didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. He gave Izuku a curt nod and continued on his way, his expression unreadable. Izuku felt a small sense of relief. He hoped the adjustment would alleviate some of Aizawa’s discomfort. He breathed a sigh of relief, and headed for home only to stop as he noticed a floating uniform. The uniform was heaving, and he realized as he read the blueprint that this student had an invisibility quirk. 

"Are you all right?"

She sniffled, "Aizawa-sensei almost expelled me today. All because I couldn't throw a baseball very far with my stupid invisibility quirk. Sometimes I hate it. I hate that no one can see me. I wish i could turn it off."

Well, he could fix that. 'quirk cannot be turned off at will' was changed to 'user can alter the visibility of herself and others at will' with a gentle brush against her blueprint. 

"I'm sure things will turn around soon. Invisibility is a great quirk!"

"Thanks."

He waved goodbye, she'd discover soon what he did for her, and he hoped she'd enjoy it. Once he got home, he decided to test a theory and so he sat in front of the mirror. As he concentrated, he saw the details about his own quirk floating in his reflection.

"Can't change major aspects of a person's quirk."

The words nagged at him, and a sudden, brilliant idea struck him. If he could only change minor aspects, what would happen if he pushed beyond those limitations? He had no idea if it was safe, but the thought of potentially altering a quirk more significantly was too intriguing to ignore.

With determination, Izuku focused on pushing past the barrier, willing his quirk to bypass the limitation. As he did, a powerful surge of energy coursed through him, and everything went black.

When he regained consciousness, Izuku found himself sprawled on the floor, his heart racing. He wasn’t sure how long he had been out, but the room seemed unchanged. He took a deep breath, his head still throbbing from the sudden blackout.

His mirror reflection now showed a different limitation: "Push beyond current quirk restrictions at your own risk."

Izuku sighed, understanding that there were risks involved, but he also felt a renewed sense of determination. He had a lot to learn about his quirk, but for now, he was eager to explore its potential further, even if it meant facing challenges along the way.

As he stood up and dusted himself off, Izuku knew one thing for certain: his journey was just beginning.

Chapter Text

The second day at UA felt like a blur to Izuku. His quirk still nagged at him, itching in his mind as more details floated in the air around him. Today, though, he had a plan—a risky one, but one he couldn’t ignore any longer. Izuku had already realized his quirk had limits, but the nagging thought of breaking past those restrictions gnawed at him.

If he could "fix" aspects of a quirk, maybe he could tweak his own in ways he hadn't yet considered. He just needed to test it further. Sitting down in class during a short break, Izuku focused on his quirk. He added a new condition: "Gives user information about the quirk's user." Immediately, his head throbbed with an intense, almost unbearable pressure. It felt like his skull was about to split open, and his vision swam. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to fight the pain. When he opened them again, everything was sharper. He could see not just quirks, but details about the people who wielded them.

Random tidbits of personal information, things that nobody would ever want anyone else to know. The first person he saw was Aizawa walking past towards his classroom. As he looked at Aizawa, information flashed in his eyes. "Father unknown. Secondary telekinesis quirk."

Izuku blinked in shock. Telekinesis? Aizawa had another quirk? Perhaps Aizawa either couldn't or chose not to tell anyone about it. Izuku’s mind reeled at the thought. Why would he hide such a thing? Maybe he didn't see it as important, or maybe he just didn’t want people asking questions.

Izuku’s headache intensified as more details crowded into his mind, and he quickly looked away, rubbing his temples. He didn't have long to dwell on it, though. he had his own problems to worry about. Soon, it was lunchtime, and Izuku wandered out of class to grab something to eat. His head still hurt from overloading his quirk, but the itch to fix things hadn’t gone away.

As he walked toward the cafeteria, he bumped into a beautiful girl from 1-A. He looked at her info to find her name was Yaoyorozu Momo.

"Ah, I’m sorry!" Izuku stammered, stepping back quickly.

"Its all right," she said as she politely waved him off.

As she turned to leave, Izuku’s quirk activated again, and he saw it: "Parents put her on a strict diet." He winced. That sounded terrible, especially considering his quirk was telling him that her Creation quirk required a lot of calories. The more Izuku thought about it, the more he realized how unhealthy it was for her to be restricted like that. Instinctively, his hand twitched, reaching out just enough to brush against her blueprint. He adjusted the wording from "quirk runs off caloric intake" to "quirk runs off personal energy reserves."

Hopefully, this change would allow her to create things without worrying so much about what she ate. Momo didn’t notice anything unusual as she continued on her way, but Izuku felt a small pang of satisfaction. That was another problem fixed, at least.

As he was going to sit down he saw another blueprint, this one read 'Quirk causes tummy issues' much like Ururaka's did. But something stopped him from fixing this quirk, which he was glad for as 'informant for villains' popped up in the personal description next to his name, Aoyama Yuga. His heart skipped a beat as he wondered what he should do. Should he tell Aizawa that one of his students was a villain? Should he tell Nedzu? But how would he tell them? On his application for school, he was still registered as quirkless. No one would believe him. The thought bothered him for the rest of the day.

He was pretty glad he had the class he had now. Even if his traditional class usually was 20 students, only having 18 was fine. He'd expelled that grape-haired kid the moment the little creep had tried to grope Yaoyorozu right in front of him. The other spot hadn't been filled. There were a lot of promising candidates at the entrance exam, but none that 'stood out' to him, and the ones that managed to get points didn't quite get enough to pass. That meant that when it would come time for the Sport's festival he'd have two open spots in his class. Two open spots for kids who might not have had a proper shot at the entrance exam. 

But that was later. Right now he was focused on the field trip to the USJ. He always enjoyed this trip, although this was the first time in a very, very long time that he was taking such a large class to do so. As he was stepping off of the bus, he saw Thirteen discretely give the sign for 'three hours' meaning the blonde oaf that was supposed to be there had used up his time. This is why he hated limelighters. Well, not all limelighters. His husband Hizashi was a good one. But he also had a hidden underground identity that no one besides him knew about, so Hizashi was off the hook. 

Something in his gut told him that there was something wrong, and as an underground hero, he'd long since learned to trust his gut. He looked across the open plaza, noticing the purple, swirling portal, a blue-haired man stepped through, and he grimaced as he noticed that the man was wearing what looked like a severed hand on his face. Other villains stepped through after him.

"Our schedule says that All Might was supposed to be here."

"Well he isn't!" He's tempted to glare at Kaminari, who had been the one to pipe up. 

"Pity. Well perhaps he'd be more likely to show up if we rough up some kids"

"Thirteen, protect the students. Kaminari, can you contact the school?'

"No sensei!"

Fuck, they must have someone in the crowd with a technological control quirk. That means for the moment, he and Thirteen are it. Neither of them is suited to big fights like this, but he'll be damned before he allows any villain to get near his kids. 

He hears Thirteen activating their quirk, and he hopes they have taken out the warper at least. Without the warper, the villains will be stuck with them. It will hopefully make them a little more prone to making mistakes if their ride out of here is out of commission. He glances over, and shit, the kids aren't there. 

Thirteen is trying to suck up the warper, but the warper turns his portal into a redirecting of Thirteen's attack. Fuck. He's going to die. He's going to die and his kids are going to have to deal with the fallout. Hizashi is going to be a wreck. But he's still got a job to do. He has to hold the villains off. He has to. 

He hears the villain with the hand on his face counting. Why is he counting? Then it hits him, the fucker is counting how long it takes between one blink and another. Fuck. They knew his weakness. And he still didn't know what the other villain was. The one who hadn't moved yet, and was built like a mountain. What the fuck was he supposed to do against that? He was no All Might. 

The hand villain catches him off guard as they use their quirk for the first time in the fight. He can't help a scream as his arm is disintigrated. He can see bone as his arm drips blood. 

"I grow bored of this. Nomu, kill Eraserhead."

the monstrous thing that had been standing still until then moves so fast he doesn't have time to throw out his capture scarf to avoid it before it's picking him up and slams his head into the concrete. His vision is swimming, and he probably has a concussion. But his kids are still in danger! He can't stop now! Especially as he spots Asui at the edge of the plaza, hand at her mouth in horror as she watches. 

He hears her scream as the hand villain grabs her, "I wonder if I kill a kid, will that make All Might appear? It might not, but it sure will make me feel better!"

He feels so helpless as he realizes he can't open his eyes fast enough. He's afraid that when he does open his eyes again, it will be to a pile of ashes instead of a student and he feels ill. It's all his fault that he wasn't good enough to keep his kids safe. It's Oboro all over again. 

"What the fuck? How are you erasing my quirk with your eyes closed?"

Confused, he opens his eyes, Asui has gotten loose while he somehow uses his quirk with his eyes closed. That weirdness can wait. He's just so fucking glad she's away from the villain, who is rubbing his bleeding forehead. Good, Asui must have headbutted him to get loose. 

"Never fear, for I am here!"

He's never so fucking glad to hear the blonde oaf's catchphrase. 

"took you long enough." He grumbles as he finally allows himself to fall. All Might is here, his kids will be safe. He can rest now. He'll worry about what the fuck had been up with his quirk later when he doesn't have a concussion.

Chapter Text

He got lucky, his arm was in a sling, and his head was bandaged. But he'd gotten lucky. All Might had come just in time to prevent that creature at the USJ from continuing to assault him. He should feel relieved, and he does, a little. He's glad he didn't die, it would have killed Hizashi and traumatized his kids. But he also can't help feeling curious about what had happened. 

"So you say that your eyes were closed when that villain tried to disintegrate Tsuyu?"

"Yes, I remember that villain, Shigiraki I think I heard the warp villain call him, say that 'how the fuck are you erasing my quirk with your eyes closed?' and I know that they were closed because I was so scared that I'd lost another one, that when I opened my eyes there would be nothing but ash."

He knows he must still be affected by the whole thing, he'd never gotten so close to a class before, never seen any of the kids passing through the school as anything other than the heroes in training that they were. He doesn't know why he's latched onto them so tightly. He's lying to himself, he knows that this is the first class he's had in a very long time where they'd all impressed him. It was the only thing that explained why he felt like they were more than his students, like they were his kids (he's not getting old, and wants to adopt! Shut up Hizashi). 

Nedzu taps his chin thoughtfully, "There are records of quirks 'evolving' in high-stress situations. This is the first class you've had that you haven't expelled. There are cases of 'hysterical' strength in which parents find themselves able to do things with their quirks that they were not aware they could do. Perhaps with your mind focused on protecting your students that you got attached to created such 'hysterical' strength that your quirk changed on a fundamental level."

He supposes it makes logical sense, and he will admit, even if it's only privately to himself that he had gotten attached to this year's class. 

"Whatever the case may be, we may have to keep an eye out on your class. If your quirk 'evolved' due to the events of the USJ, it may be possible that the quirks of your students 'evolved' as well."

"You're not putting them through tests just to satisfy your curiosity!" He snaps

"Of course not Aizawa. That would be unethical. But I will be informing the staff and Recovery Girl that we may have an influx of quirk accidents."

Oh, he didn't even think that far. He's had years of experience with Erasure and it was still a surreal experience when he realized something had changed about his quirk. He winces as he realizes his kids are in for a rough ride.

Izuku hadn't meant to get dragged with the rest of his class to 'bug' class 1-A about the whole 'being attacked by villains' thing. Not that he wasn't curious himself, but he felt it was rather in poor taste to be hassling them about almost dying. 

"So, this is the infamous 1-A?" 

He hears, and does a double take, then he rubs his eyes, but nope, the information next to the name Monoma Neito remains the same, "Izuku Midoriya's half-brother.' 

He felt his heart pound in his chest, what? But mom said his dad had skipped off to the U.S. before he was born, how could Monoma be his half-brother if that was the case? His blood ran cold as he realized that it had to mean that his scummy father had an affair. Not that it was much better than he expected when he'd tracked down the address when he'd been small only to find it didn't exist. He'd just thought that the man had vanished, had wanted to pretend he wasn't the father to a medically quirkless reject like him. But Monoma had a quirk, his quirk told him that it's called copy and that it 'Causes inferiority complex due to negative view of quirk', So what did that mean? 

He almost started crying, it meant that his dad just couldn't stand him or his mom. Nothing new about that. Well, the least he could do is ensure his poor half-brother doesn't feel so shitty about his quirk. So he reaches out and changes the blueprint to read 'quirks that the user feels positively about will be copied permanently'. He doesn't know if it will help, but he hopes so. He's not sure what more he can do. It's not like he can walk up to Monoma and tell him, 'hey I'm registered as quirkless but i have a secret quirk that allowed me to see that your my half-brother.' 

He'd be laughed right into the loonie bin. No, it was better if he kept that information to himself. Even if it did hurt. 

Walking home, he is so distracted by the day's events he doesn't even register it as someone yanks him back by the collar of his shirt, and slams him up against the wall. The wind was knocked out of him, and he struggled to suck in air as he looked up into the familiar, furious face of Bakugo Katsuki. His old friend, his childhood tormentor, and now... his attacker.

"Shitty fucking Deku! Because of you, I missed the entrance exam! You should've just realized your place, as a pebble beneath my feet. A villain like you should be put down."

"I...I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything to you!"

"You think I forgot? I know that I've never had pain when using my quirk on you before! You had to have done something you fucking villain. I bet you felt so good pretending to be a weak, useless Deku. You always looked down on me, didn't you? Little freak. But I see what you are, I've always seen. You're a worthless, stupid, villain and you know what heroes do to villains don't you?"

Izuku’s stomach twisted in knots as the words hit him. He had always feared this confrontation, always dreaded the day Bakugo would take things too far. And now here they were, his former friend standing before him, radiating with barely contained rage. For a moment, a flicker of that childhood memory danced in Izuku's mind—the Bakugo who, for a brief time, had been his hero.

But when he looked into Bakugo's eyes now, all he saw was hatred. His quirk stirred in response, and the familiar sensation washed over him. Izuku's vision sharpened, and Bakugo's blueprint appeared in front of him.

“Would go villain if it meant he was number one.”

Izuku’s breath caught in his throat. His mind whirled. Was this really who Bakugo had become? Could he honestly turn into a villain just to satisfy his thirst for power? The thought terrified Izuku, but at the same time, it filled him with a sense of dread that he couldn’t ignore. Bakugo’s quirk was dangerous, and if he went rogue...

"I can't let that happen," Izuku whispered under his breath. His fingers twitched, brushing against the invisible blueprint, his mind racing. Do I fix it? Can I even do that to someone who was once my friend?

Bakugo’s voice broke through Izuku’s thoughts. "Quit muttering, Deku!" He pulled Izuku closer, his breath hot with fury. "I’m gonna make you regret everything—starting with that smug face of yours!"

Izuku barely had time to react before Bakugo’s palm exploded against the side of his head. Pain shot through his skull as his left ear erupted in agony, and he screamed as he felt something wet and warm trickle down his cheek. Blood. His blood. His ear was gone.

He just... he just blew my ear off... The realization was slow, almost surreal. Bakugo had actually hurt him—really, truly hurt him. Izuku had always been afraid of Bakugo's rage, but this... this was different. This wasn’t a threat. This wasn’t a scare tactic. Bakugo had no intention of holding back.

Through the haze of pain, Izuku’s vision focused on Bakugo’s blueprint again. His chest tightened. He’ll go villain. He’ll hurt people. I have to stop him. His hand hovered over the blueprint, fingers trembling. But what do I change? He could alter Bakugo’s quirk, make it less lethal... but would that stop him? Would that change who Bakugo was?

A new thought crept in, dark and dangerous: What if I just... make it lethal? One touch, one explosion, and Bakugo would—

Izuku’s heart clenched. No. No, he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t just kill Bakugo, no matter how much of a threat he had become. But what could he do? What could possibly stop this relentless anger, this need for superiority that drove Bakugo to such extremes?

His fingers brushed against the blueprint once more, and for a moment, Izuku hesitated. He wanted to reach for that little kid who used to laugh with him, who used to dream of being a hero. He wanted to believe that Bakugo could still change, that the boy who had once been his friend wasn’t completely gone.

But as Bakugo raised his hand for another strike, the look in his eyes—cold, calculating—made it clear. That kid was long gone.

Izuku closed his eyes, steeling himself for what he had to do. His quirk responded, and with a swift mental adjustment, he changed Bakugo’s blueprint. Not to make his quirk lethal, not to hurt him... but to remove the part of Bakugo that sought power at any cost. He adjusted Bakugo’s quirk so that it would be tied to his emotions, forcing him to control his anger or risk losing his quirk entirely. It was the only way.

As Izuku’s fingers slipped away from the blueprint, Bakugo’s next explosion sputtered out, the sparks dying in his palm. He looked down at his hand, confused. “What the hell?”

"Be the hero I know you can be Bakugo." He said simply, as he walked away. He just didn't have the energy to do anything else. 

Chapter Text

Izuku's legs had felt like lead as he stumbled away from Bakugo.  His vision blurred, not just from the pain of his lost ear but from the overwhelming exhaustion that had settled in his bones. Every step felt like a monumental effort, his body refusing to cooperate with his fractured mind. The blueprint he'd just altered lingered in his thoughts, the guilt of tampering with someone's essence gnawing at him. But what else could he have done? He had to stop Bakugo, even if it meant taking away a part of him.

His left side burned, the absence of his ear leaving an unrelenting throb in its wake. Blood still trickled down his neck, soaking into his collar, but Izuku couldn’t bring himself to care. The world around him felt muted, distant—like he was walking through water, slow and detached. He was almost glad when he sunk into bed that his mother was absent again. That when he woke up in the morning she wasn't there to scold him for something that once again, wasn't his fault. 

He shook his head, everything still felt muddled as he grabbed his backpack and headed for school, ignoring the stares as he sat on the train, ignoring the ringing and the pain as he slowly sat at his desk. He wondered if he could ask Present Mic to have a nap. A nap sounded good. Why was he still so tired? 

Midoriya!”

The voice was loud, cutting through the haze that surrounded him. He blinked, his eyes refocusing just in time to see Present Mic rushing toward him. His normally boisterous demeanor was gone, replaced by concern. The pro hero grabbed Izuku by the shoulders, steadying him.

“Kid, you’re bleeding all over the place!” Present Mic’s voice was lower than usual, more serious. “What happened? Who did this to you?”

Izuku opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. His thoughts were too jumbled, too confused to form a coherent response. All he could do was shake his head, the motion sending a fresh wave of pain through his skull. Oh, that's right. He'd been so shaken he hadn't fixed himself up the way he always did. 

Mic’s eyes widened as he took in the damage. “We need to get you to Recovery Girl. Now.”

Izuku felt himself being half-dragged, half-carried toward the school building. He didn’t resist, didn’t even have the strength to argue. His body moved on autopilot, his mind retreating further into itself as he tried—and failed—not to think about everything that had happened.

By the time they reached the infirmary, Izuku’s legs gave out completely. He collapsed onto one of the beds, his vision swimming as the world tilted dangerously to one side. He barely registered Recovery Girl bustling around him, her soft words of reassurance blending into the background noise. Her quirk kicked in moments later, knitting his wounds together, but the emptiness inside him remained. Now he was even more tired, and he could see from the look on Mic's face that there would be questions he didn't know how to answer. 

He slips into a deep sleep, only awakening when he hears a voice saying "You can't keep doing this Toshinori! You have to choose a successor!"

He cracks one eye open, surprised to see both Nighteye and All Might of all people arguing by the door. He thinks he shouldn't be eavesdropping, but Nighteye is being very loud. 

"I can keep going!"

"How many hours are you down to now Toshinori? Tell me honestly that fight with the creature all the news is talking about didn't cut your time down again! You can't. Because I've seen it. I told you that you were going to face a monster you couldn't win against. I didn't think the monster was going to be your stubborn pride!"

"Please Mirai, I don't want to argue about this anymore."

"Fine, be that way! See if I care! I'm done trying to get you to see sense. If you want to die so badly, so be it. but I won't stand by watching you ruin yourself without thinking about the consequences any longer. This is where we part Toshinori. If you need me for a case, I can be a professional, but I can't be your sidekick if you won't let me support you, call me if you change your mind."

He hears the footsteps leaving and watches as a skeletal form walks in the door and his breath is taken aback. Next to the name "All Might/Toshinori Yagi" is the information 'quirk is taking his life force to sustain muscle form' and 'is going to die'. Nighteye wasn't lying. It's like a punch to his gut. How can a man that has been the rock for so many people's hope's and dreams be dying? Nighteye is right, and Izuku knows he's the only one that can fix it. But so soon after what had happened with Bakugo? Could he really be thinking of altering more people? But he'd done so much good with it, he was sure of it. 

Surely it couldn't be anything other than good to make sure Yaoyorozu's quirk wouldn't rely on calories that her parents weren't providing, surely it was a good thing that Hagakure would be able to turn off her invisibility. Surely it was a good thing that he helped his half-brother so that he'd see his quirk as a good thing. Even messing with Bakugo could be defined as being a good thing. If he had left things the way they were, Bakugo would have become a villain with a powerful quirk and he'd never be repentant about it. Without the ability to use his quirk maybe Bakugo would become a better person, maybe he wouldn't, but at least he couldn't hurt anyone else. 

The heroic thing to do would be to help. Even if he could never tell anyone. Even if he eventually got caught and people hated him or called him a villain for using his quirk on them without permission, he'd long since decided this was the road he'd walk. So he reached out for All Might's blueprint, and put 'quirk runs off of user's adrenaline." That should work temporarily. The info he got about All Might's quirk says that 'One for All' can be passed on. Perhaps he can start helping All Might find someone to pass his quirk to so that he can rest. 

He may still feel weird about his quirk, about manipulating people. but he was helping them. that's all that mattered to him. 

Chapter Text

Aizawa watched his students as they trained for the upcoming Sports Festival, a task that normally wouldn’t hold much of his attention. In previous years, he would stand on the sidelines, occasionally offering a hint or two to those who asked for help. He might be a spotter or give advice on improving their quirk usage, but nothing more. This year was different, though—everything was different.

Ever since the USJ attack, Aizawa had been keeping a much closer eye on his students. Not just because of the trauma they’d experienced, but because of something even more unsettling. Quirk mutations. And after his own quirk had changed during the attack, Nedzu had made it clear that his students could be on the verge of similar transformations.

He sighed, scanning the training grounds more intently than usual, making sure to catch every detail. His eyes landed on Yaoyorozu, who was practicing her reaction time by creating various objects in rapid succession. She had excelled at understanding the composition of things, but her confidence and the limitation imposed by her quirk’s dependency on caloric intake had held her back. However, today something felt off.

Aizawa slowed his pace, his gaze narrowing. She was frowning at the pile of weapons she had just created—no, was still creating. Object after object materialized in front of her, each more intricate than the last. He waited for her to reach her limit, to show the familiar signs of exhaustion from overexertion. But those signs never came.

That's not right, Aizawa thought, already mentally noting it down. Her quirk was clearly mutating, but it wasn't causing her harm, at least not visibly. He decided to address it with her later, privately, as Nedzu had suggested when discussing possible mutations. No need to alarm her just yet.

He moved on, his mind already prepared for the next revelation. He was sure Yaoyorozu wasn’t the only one affected.

A sudden shout rang out from across the training grounds.

"Sensei!"

Aizawa’s head whipped around, his capture weapon ready in an instant. His body tensed, prepared for an attack, his mind flashing back to the USJ incident. But no villains were in sight. Instead, Uraraka stood by the weightlifting area, staring wide-eyed at a 1000 lb weight suspended in the air above her. She didn’t look ill, nor did she seem on the verge of vomiting—something Aizawa knew her quirk usually triggered when she used it on large objects.

Another mutation, Aizawa thought, watching her carefully. Uraraka was known for getting nauseous whenever she used her quirk on heavy items, but today she looked perfectly fine.

"Sensei… I’m not sick!" Uraraka exclaimed, her voice filled with confusion and excitement. "I don’t feel sick at all!"

Aizawa made another mental note. That was two students now. Two quirks had clearly mutated since the USJ. And both had mutated in ways that made their quirks stronger—less restricted. He kept moving, though the unease in his chest continued to build.

"Sensei!" a different voice screamed, cutting through the air.

Aizawa instinctively prepared for the worst, but what he saw next made him pause, his mind struggling to process the scene in front of him. Hagakure, or at least, what should have been Hagakure, stood in front of a mirror. For as long as Aizawa had known her, he had only ever seen her uniform, her body forever invisible since her quirk activated. But now…

"I… I’m visible!" Hagakure cried, tears streaming down her face as her form flickered in and out of sight. Her reflection shimmered in the mirror, revealing glimpses of her true self—something none of them had ever seen before.

She was openly weeping, the shock and emotion overwhelming her as her body alternated between visibility and invisibility. Aizawa stepped closer, his heart heavy with the weight of the situation. Hagakure’s quirk had never allowed her to turn visible. Ever. And now, she was gaining control over it, albeit unintentionally.

That made three quirk mutations. Four, if he counted his own. All of them, were students with quirks that were difficult or limiting in some way. And all of them had experienced changes that seemed to remove those limitations.

I can handle this, Aizawa told himself. He had to. 

"Yaoyorozu, Hagakure, Uraraka, come with me," he called out, his voice steady. "Iida, you’re in charge until I get back."

When they arrived at Nedzu’s office, Aizawa wasn’t surprised to see the principal waiting, but what did surprise him was the presence of Vlad King—the Class 1-B teacher—already there, looking troubled.

"What are you doing here?" Aizawa asked, his tone clipped but not intentionally rude. He didn’t have time for interruptions, not when his students’ quirks were changing so drastically.

Vlad glanced at Nedzu before answering. "Did… have any of your students’ quirks been acting strange?"

Aizawa’s heart sank. No. He couldn’t be hearing this. "Which one of your students?" he asked, already knowing the answer wouldn’t be good.

"Monoma," Vlad replied, frustration lacing his words. "He usually has a time limit on his quirk. Today, I let him copy mine so he could practice using a quirk that requires more finesse."

Aizawa’s eyes narrowed. "And now he doesn’t have the time limit?"

Vlad sighed, shaking his head. "No, he does. For every other quirk he copied. But for mine? He’s had it the entire time we were training. Over an hour now."

Aizawa’s pulse quickened. "Does he still have it?"

Vlad nodded grimly. "We checked. He still has it."

Aizawa’s mind raced. Monoma hadn’t been at the USJ. He’d been nowhere near the attack, so how was his quirk mutating? What could have triggered it?

That’s when an old urban legend crept into Aizawa’s thoughts—something the underground heroes whispered about. The Boogeyman. A figure from myth who could take or give quirks at will. Aizawa had never believed in it. It was just a story told to spook new recruits. But now… it felt too coincidental to ignore.

Four students had experienced quirk mutations that made their abilities stronger, less restrictive. Including Monoma, whose mutation defied the trauma-based explanation. Could the Boogeyman be real? Could someone—or something—have been altering quirks on purpose?

Aizawa clenched his fists, his unease growing. If it was a villain, what was their motive? Why make these changes that, so far, only seemed to help the students? What would they want in return?

He looked at Nedzu, who had been quietly observing the entire exchange. "We need to investigate this thoroughly. If someone is messing with their quirks, we can’t afford to leave any stone unturned."

Nedzu nodded, his eyes sharp with understanding. "Agreed, Aizawa. We need answers, and we need them fast."

As Aizawa walked out of the office with his students, a chill ran down his spine. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t over yet. And he had a feeling they were only scratching the surface of something much bigger.

Chapter Text

At the start of every new semester he always had his eye out for the kids in his classroom. There were always a few problems. Some kids that felt gen-ed was beneath them but never made an effort to train their quirks or their bodies. He couldn’t really help those ones besides mentioning often how there was an opportunity to be transferred . Some would listen, most wouldn’t.

There were the kids in his class that would end up there after his husband booted them to gen-ed after deciding they needed a wake up call. He always ensured those ones got both one-on-one counselling with Hound Dog, or that he took them aside to try to get them to see that it was a mercy. Mercy in that his husband always had a reason for deciding a person had no potential.

Of the whole class he’d expelled the year previous, eight his husband had expelled from the school for ‘quirkest’ behaviour. His husband had told him about how they’d dared think that just because he didn’t hover around the changing room that meant those eight students (all with flashy, powerful quirks) could hold down and beat on what would have been a classmate of theirs because his quirk ‘laser eyes’ wasn’t a very strong one. 

The kid they’d held down had asked to be transferred. The rest of the kids had stated outright when Shouta had been willing to go through with his assessment test their rather flimsy reasons for wanting to be heroes. Shouta would never allow a student to go through his class with the attitude that ‘I just want the attention.’ 

The other students he always kept an eye out for were the ones that faced abuse. All of the teachers in Nedzu’s school had to go through the training to spot it. But beyond that he and his husband had unique looks into abuse. His own quirk had been so damaging as a kid, he’d been muzzled. Treated as no better than a dog for a quirk he couldn’t have possibly controlled as a baby. As for Shouta, well if people were kind they called him ‘creepy’ and people were rarely kind to the odd, quiet, serious child that had a ‘villains’ quirk that took away theirs. 

so when this year he heard from Nedzu he’s getting his first quirkless student, well he’s already on the lookout. He and his husband both knew the statistics for quirkless people. His husband despaired every time he came across a pair of those bright red shoes on a rooftop. But with fewer quirkless children being born every year they’d never thought they’d encounter a quirkless kid, never mind having one in his class! So of course he keeps a close eye on his favourite little listener. Of course he pays attention to make sure no one gives the kid grief about the thing he probably wishes he could change. 

so far no one in his class is being a moron about the quirkless kid. Or they aren’t doing so where he can see or hear it. Then the kid had walked in, looking dazed, his attention everywhere but the classroom and his heart had almost stopped when he realized why. Izuku, his favourite little listener, his sunshine, was missing an ear! Blood was streaming down Izuku’s left side as he sat there, looking like he thought it was  just another school day rather than that someone had attacked Izuku.

someone had attacked his kid, his sunshine kid! He’d never moved so fast in his career,’ except when Shouta had been injured during the USJ incident. Even then, his husband had been spared life threatening injury by the simple fact that his husbands quirk had somehow mutated. Poor Izuku had no quirk to defend himself, nothing to stop whatever villain had decided that attacking the quirkless kid, his kid was okay! 

The first thing he did after the asking the kid to recovery girl to stop the bleeding was to make a report to Nedzu, and then he’d had to leave his kid in the infirmary to go tell his kids parents that their son had a permanent injury/disability. He’d have to arrange for a hearing exam once his kid was out of the infirmary. Poor kid was going to have so much more difficulty. He’d have to learn how to lip read, the same as he had when his own hearing had blown out due to his quirk. His kid would probably be needing physical therapy too. The ears were responsible for balance after all, and now his kid was missing one.

The whole way over to what was on file for the kids apartment he’d been wondering something though. What kind of parents didn’t notice such an injury? What kind of parents let their kid walk out the door missing a body part like that was normal? red flags to watch out for, that was for sure. 

when he gets to the apartment, he sees there are moving men walking up and down the ancient looking stairs. His gut rolls. But he keeps going. He makes it to the last apartment on the top floor. The door is wide open, and a green-haired, slightly pudgy woman stares him up and down.

”you’re not one of the movers.” She says

”No, I’m not.” He says simply, “Mrs. Midoriya I’m Hizashi Yamada and I’m Izuku’s home room teacher. I’ve come because there was an…incident today.” He flinches as he says the word incident like Izuku had merely stubbed a toe instead of having lost a body part. But he had tons of experience talking to civilians and he knew sometimes you had to break these things slowly. 

“who’d the little brat piss off this time?”

oh, that wasn’t a response he was expecting, “Honestly I don’t know. Izuku turned up to class today missing an ear. He’s been treated at school and he’s currently resting but we need to talk about what happens next.”

”There is no next for me. Not with that thing. You know I held out hope when the doctor diagnosed him medically quirkless. He had been born with a quirk you see. It just…never manifested. But that didn’t matter to my bosses who kept firing me the minute they found out I had a disabled kid. That didn’t matter to my friends who won’t come near me anymore in case I infect their perfect quirked children. As far as I’m concerned I never had a kid. My husband has paid for my move to be with him. Keep the worthless little shit or toss him out in the garbage like I should have after that appointment rather than hold out hope that his quirk will ever manifest. I don’t care!”

he watches in stupefied form as she slams some papers down on the table in front of him. “There’s his emancipation papers. Turns out the only good thing about having a ‘quirkless’ is that they are considered adults at fourteen.”

”You’re just giving up on him? Just like that? But he’s your son!”

”I told you I have no son! Now you’ve taken up enough of my time, make yourself useful and take those papers with you will you?”

He shuddered as he picks up the paperwork. “What a bitch.” 

What is he supposed to tell Izuku? How is Izuku going to continue with school when he’ll have no place to come home to? Paperwork. The kid is emancipated from his egg donor (no way is he giving that woman the title of mother) but that doesn’t have to be the only paperwork he turns in. They’d never talked about it, Shouta and him, about adopting. But his kid needed him. He was sure that Shouta would forgive him eventually.

”Hey babe, there’s something we need to talk about when I get back to the school.”

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Deku deserved it. Thats what he tells himself as he scrubs his hands for what feels like the millionth time. Deku deserved to be put in his place. The teachers all said it. That he was meant for heroics while Deku was just…Deku. Deku was the weird, creepy kid who followed them around like some kind of demented puppy always looking down on him. Always thinking he was better than him. always writing in those stalker notebooks of his like that would increase his chances of being a hero instead of marking him as the creepy weirdo he was.

The blood is still there. Still under his fingernails and coating his hands. He knows it even if the water is running clear. 

But Deku deserved it. Deku had made him have to show Deku the truth. That Deku was a worthless, useless, relic of a bygone era just like the teachers said. He had to show Deku that he couldn’t stand with the normal folk, couldn’t be anything other than someone who’d have to be rescued by the normal people. But Deku kept getting in between him and the other kids with weak quirks. Deku was looking down on him by showing he thought he was better than the system that everyone knew was in place. Those with strong heroic quirks were meant for greatness. Those with weak quirks were meant to cower, to serve if they were lucky. Those without quirks should just go and die, like they should have long ago. But Deku didn’t learn. Deku kept insisting he’d be a hero even when all he was trying to do was show Deku why that was impossible. So he had to up the ante. 

He was the leader in school, as he should be, so what he said the class did. So when he told the class to push Deku around they did. Even when said pushing almost caused Deku to fall down the stairs, Deku kept looking down on him! So when they went to middle school and Deku still hadn’t learned, he knew it was his last chance to show Deku his place. So he roughed him up.’but something changed. Somehow Deku caused him to feel pain when he used his quirk to rightfully show Deku his place. Somehow Deku caused him enough pain that he missed the entrance exam!

what was worse was that when he’d tried to tell UA why he had to be allowed to take the entrance exam the strange principal had said ‘No.’ like the stupid animal didn’t know how perfect his quirk was for heroics! What did that animal know? He tried to show the animal the truth, that he belonged there, but he was taken out by some security! 

Then he heard at school that Deku had been accepted to UA It proved the animal was stupid, that he didn’t know the truth, that Deku belonged in the trash, not him! So he went to wait for Deku after UA let out for the day. 

The blood won’t wash out. He can still feel it. 

But Deku had deserved it, he’d reached out with those trembling hands and he’d known that Deku was going to use his ‘villainous’ quirk, whatever it was to screw him over again! So he reacted without thinking. He threw his strongest explosion right next to stupid Deku’s face! It was supposed to scare him! It was supposed to show Deku that he deserved to be at UA, not Deku, never Deku. But then there was the pain. The same pain he’d felt the first time when he’d tried to show Deku his place. It just proved Deku was the problem! But when he could see again from looking right at that bright explosion, he saw that Deku was bleeding. 

Deku was bleeding from his left side, Deku’ was missing an ear. Had he done that? He couldn’t have! That was something a villain would do! He’s not a villain! He was just trying to help Deku. Deku was the one who was too stubborn, too stupid to learn his place!

But the blood is still there on his hands. His hands that caused the explosion. His hands that had aches long after Deku had limped away, looking just as stunned as he felt.

Deku had deserved it, hadn’t he? Deku had changed something about his quirk that caused him pain when using it on Deku like Deku deserved.

But the blood was still on his hands. He’d done that. He’d crippled Deku in a permanent way. He hadn’t been heroic in that moment. He can see that as he remembers the look on Deku’s face as Deku realized that he was going to try to scare Deku straight. But the blood was still on his hands. Deku hadn’t forced him to use an explosion so close to Deku’s face. Deku hadn’t grabbed his hand, Deku hadn’t protected himself. Deku had been a civilian in that moment. A stupid civilian that didn’t know he was just trying to save them, but a civilian none the less. Heroes didn’t hurt civilians. Heroes don’t have the blood of civilians on their hands. Heroes didn’t have the blood of civilians staining their hands. 

But the blood was still there. Was…if heroes didn’t hurt civilians, if heroes didn’t have their blood coating their hands, then what was he? He was a villain. And he knew what heroes did to villains. Maybe if he turned himself in, threw himself at the closest ‘nicest’ hero he knew of they’d grant him mercy? Or they’d take him out like the villain he was. 

either way the blood would have to come off of his hands. The blood would have to come off of his hands. The blood would have to wash away, right?

Chapter Text

“It’s really weird is t it?” Ururarka started, “the idea that what we experienced at the USJ could fundamentally change our quirks.”

”I..don’t know how to feel about it personally.” Finding out that her quirk now ran on how tired she was had been an experience she certainly hadn’t been expecting when she’d woken up this morning, “I mean it’s kind of interesting that my quirk is now dependent on how much energy I have, but I kind of wish it had t changed.”

”what do you mean Yaoyorozu?”

”You can call me Momo. all my friends do,” she smiled, then frowned, “My parents had me on a strict diet. Sure it sounds harsh, but we’d learned through trial and error which foods and which amounts of calories were needed for most efficient use of my quirk. Now that it runs off of my energy? It’ll be trial and error all over again! I’m frustrated that it happened.”

”well I don’t know how to feel about it either,” ururaka said, “of course I can’t help but be glad I’m not vomiting all the time, but it feels like I’ve been handed something without earning it. Is it weird to feel that way?”

”No weirder than feeling grateful that my quirk changed so that for the first time since my quirk came in people can see me! You guys don’t know what it’s like to be terrified that you’ll be left behind if there’s an emergency. To have to learn to treat your injuries by feel because even you cannot see them! I’m not happy about the circumstances that caused it, but the result? For me, that iis almost worth the price. Does that make me a horrible person? To be grateful that my teacher, my classmates, my friends almost died just so that I could be seen?”

Ururaka shared a look with Momo and they both threw arms around her, bringing them all into a group hug. “How about we all agree that this is weird and that anything we feel about this whole…situation is valid.”

”okay. Okay. But anyone else feel strange about our teacher now having to basically be our ‘guardian’ and having to stay with him because of our ‘situation’?”

and hadn’t that been worse than the shock? It made sense of course. Their quirks had mutated, meaning without supervision they could seriously harm their parents or anyone without meaning to. But it was still a shock.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

”so you’re taking Monoma?” Vlad asks, after the whole shock had worn off he’d had some time to think and plan. The rat was insisting that he had to move to a larger house as he would be needed to monitor the kids whose quirks had mutated. So now he was going to be the guardian for four of his students and that wasn’t touching what Hizashi had impulsively done in adopting another student. Not that he was mad about that. Not after hearing that the quirkless kid had been attacked and was now both homeless, and missing an ear. 

That kid needed someone to care about him, so he couldn’t be mad about Hizashi stepping up yo the plate. What he was mad about was that things were changing so quickly. That now he’d have to be both a mentor to a bunch of traumatized kids with no idea what their quirks could do, he’d also have to learn to be a dad to a traumatized quirkless kid. 

he sighed, “I’d rather leave him with the support that he’s built up with his class if I could but he needs me just as much as the girls do. He needs someone who can turn off his quirks that he copies in case something goes wrong.”

”I understand. I’m not happy about it, but I can see you’re not happy about it either and you’re right. Monoma will need you. Well make sure the kid knows he can always come visit his friends in 1-B whenever he wishes. “

He sighs again as he heads for the infirmary. Now to tell his new kid that he’ll be coming home to a new home. Joy. 

Chapter Text

Izuku stared at his legs as they swung back and forth under the infirmary bed. His body felt distant, his mind clouded with disbelief and anger. The dull throb in the side of his head where his ear used to be didn’t help. Present Mic's voice broke through the haze, though the words felt muted, as if coming from underwater.

"Your 'mother' gave up all rights to you," Mic said gently, trying to soften the blow.

Izuku blinked. His hands clenched the fabric of his pants. Mom gave me up? Just like that? The thought swirled, unfamiliar and painful. Sure, he hadn’t told her about his quirk, but he didn’t think that was enough for her to... leave him.

"What’s going to happen to me? Am I going to be kicked out of U.A.?"

Present Mic shook his head, his usual lively demeanor softened. "Did you know, Izuku, that pro-heroes can apply for fostering and adoption licenses?"

Izuku’s brow furrowed in confusion. "No, but... what does that have to do with anything?"

Mic smiled, a warmth behind his eyes. "Well, you see... I’ve already submitted the paperwork. Shouta and I—we’re going to be your new parents. I know it’s a lot to take in, and I know it’s strange. But I care about you, kid, and I want you to succeed in everything you do in life."

Izuku’s breath caught in his throat. New parents? His hands trembled slightly as he processed the words. His mom... she had struggled so much to raise him, but she had stayed, hadn’t she? He knew how hard it had been for her to raise a "quirkless" son in a society that saw them as burdens. Rent was higher, jobs were harder, and society didn’t make space for people without powers. He knew all of this. So, maybe, if he had told her sooner that he had a quirk... she might have stayed.

But she hadn’t.

And now, two pro-heroes, two of the people he admired most, wanted him? Wanted him to be their son?

He bit his lip, feeling the sting of tears behind his eyes. He didn’t want to cry. His mother had done her best. She hadn’t abandoned him on the streets, hadn’t mistreated him. She had loved him... right? She had tried so hard. I wasn’t quirkless. I could have told her. She wouldn’t have left.

Yet here he was, and now Mic and Aizawa were offering him something he’d never thought he’d have again: a family. He wanted to be grateful. He wanted to say thank you. But the words felt stuck in his throat, heavy and impossible to speak.

"Are... are you sure you want me?" His voice trembled, and the fear in it startled him. He wasn’t sure what scared him more—the idea of being left again or the idea that someone might genuinely want him.

"I’ve never wanted anything more," Mic said, his voice firm and reassuring.

That did it. The tears fell, sliding down his cheeks before he could stop them. He wiped at them quickly, embarrassed by the display, but Present Mic didn’t seem to mind. After a few more moments of quiet, Aizawa arrived with a wheelchair, ready to take him to their new home. Izuku’s legs felt like jelly as he tried to stand, so he let the heroes help him into the chair, his heart pounding with the enormity of everything that had just happened.

When they arrived, Aizawa stood by the door, waiting. He looked more worn out than usual, but there was a softness in his expression. Izuku was helped up and given a brief tour of the house—a large, six-bedroom place with an enormous kitchen, two bathrooms, and enough space for more than just him.

As they entered the dining room, he saw them. Four other students sat around the table, looking somber, each one caught in their own world of uncertainty and change. Izuku’s stomach clenched with guilt. These were the students whose quirks he had changed. He had thought he was helping, but seeing them now, all he could feel was shame. They hadn’t asked for this. He had just done it. And now they were stuck here, stuck because of him.

It was his fault.

He swallowed hard. I’ll make it right. Somehow, I’ll fix this.

But how? He couldn’t just change their quirks back without drawing suspicion. Maybe, in time, he could find a way to meet with them secretly and fix things. Until then, he would focus on using his quirk for good—only for good. Villains would get one chance, and if they failed, he would stop them before they could hurt anyone else.

Aizawa’s voice broke him out of his thoughts. "Izuku, these students are staying here because their quirks mutated. They need to stay close so I can help them control it."

Izuku nodded stiffly, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him even more.

Shouta sighed as he sat down, running a hand through his hair. While Hizashi had handled the adoption paperwork for Izuku, he had been tasked with talking to the parents of the other kids, explaining the situation and why they needed to stay with him for the foreseeable future. It had been exhausting.

He hadn’t asked for this—being the guardian of four kids with mutated quirks, all of them dealing with their own trauma. His life with Hizashi had been simple. Their small apartment, their quiet moments together—it had been enough. And now... now they had five children, and one of them, Izuku, was more emotionally fragile than the others.

"What's bugging you, moonshine?" Hizashi's voice broke through his thoughts as he sat beside him.

Shouta hesitated, then sighed again. "The kids. You know I didn’t have the best parents growing up. I’m... afraid I’m going to mess this up. I don’t know how to be a dad, Hizashi. I never wanted to mess up a kid’s life with my baggage."

Hizashi pulled him into a tight hug, pressing his chin on top of Shouta’s head. "Babe, no one knows what they’re doing when they become parents. We’ll figure it out. One day at a time. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be here for them, like you always are."

Shouta closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the embrace ground him. "I’m scared."

"And that’s okay. We’ll do this together. I’ve got your back."

He smiled a small but genuine smile. "How did I get so lucky?"

Hizashi laughed softly. "It’s me who’s the lucky one, moonshine. You’re my yin to my yang."

At that moment, as they sat together, Shouta realized that maybe, just maybe, they could make this work. They weren’t perfect, but they had each other. And now, they had five kids who needed them more than anything.

One day at a time. That was all they could do.

Chapter Text

When she’d first been contacted by her husband, she’d assumed it was some sort of plea for her to abandon their son, like he had suggested before Izuku had even been born. He’d never told her how he’d known that Izuku wouldn’t have a useful quirk, only that he knew and that they could ‘try again’. A part of her had been in disbelief because what kind of shifty explanation was that? How could she trust that her husband, a man that she was sure was into some criminal activity just say ‘trust me’ like that when she was sure that he knew she knew he wasn’t exactly on the straight and narrow?

So she pretended he hadn’t suggested he get rid of the baby. She ignored how he ‘left for work’ and never came around after that. He was still sending her money for his ‘familial’ obligations and so she contented herself in the idea that she had done the right thing. After all no matter what, it was her baby. She’d been so naive back then. She hadn’t known what it was like for the quirkless or for the parents of a quirkless because she had never personally known one. When she’d been going to school they brought old people to her school that introduced themselves as having lived in a time when quirks were less common. But they were all seventy or above. Everyone said the quirkless were a dying breed so she never thought about it. It didn’t affect her life after all so why would she? 

Her husband kept in contact with her, kept asking her to leave Izuku, but how could she? He was just so perfect. A very perfect mix of her hair and face and her husband’s intelligence. She could see it when Izuku started kindergarten and he did everything early. Her husband had to be wrong about him being quirkless. He was too perfect to be anything but a quirked child. She was as still so clueless. 

When she tried showing Izuku how her quirk worked, hoping that he’d gotten her quirk or a variation of it, he’d scrunch up his little nose and say “my eyes hurt momma, they itch.” Which she knew had nothing to do with her own quirk or her husbands fire-breathing. She ignored it. She wasn’t a quirk biologist, and maybe Izuku had gotten a mutation of some sort. She still refused to see the truth. 

whwn all of the children start showing signs of their quirks she ignores how Izuku shows no signs of his. He could be a late bloomers those were a thing right? But shortly after his fourth birthday she started hearing the rumours. 

“did you hear that kid that lives on the top floor is a quirkless?” She hears one of her neighbours say as she’s coming down to get the mail. She hides, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping.

”you sure? Thought Inkos kid was only four? Some kids don’t know how to use their quirks. Maybe he’s just…slow.” That was the old granny that lived on the floor below her. The one who always cooed over Izuku and called him ‘my other grandson’

shed been so glad that the old woman was defending her baby. She was right, some kids were just slow. Even if Izukuku was a genius in schooling, quirks were difficult. He just needed time. She was still so naive. Until she gives in to the doubts and she goes to Dr. Tsubasa. 

“he registers as having a quirk.” He begins and she’s happy for a brief moment, “but it’s dormant and shows no signs that it will ever wake up. I’m sorry but medically he’s quirkless.”

she’d been so stunned when he handed her the paperwork she’d have to turn in at the registry office. He wasn’t quirkless, he has a quirk, but that doesn’t matter. To the government he is quirkless. Things change quickly after that. The quirkless may be a dying breed but everyone knows their brand of bright red shoes that they are required to wear. Those bright red shoes that her neighbor sees her pick up from the postal service having desperately thought that if she didn’t go to the mall she could hide them. She couldn’t. Primordial brand is stamped on the box as if to tell the world, careful a quirkless lives here.

her landlord tells her he has to raise the rent two days after the hated shoes come in. 

“Look I like you. You’ve been an excellent tenant and if I could I’d keep the rent the same. But the government charges extra for ‘insurance’ for any tenants who are quirkless or have a quirkless living with them. The quirkless are so much more fragile ya know? It’s just policy, nothing personal.”

she wants to nod her head like it’s perfectly logical, no one knows anything about young quirkless people. They really could be more fragile for all she knew. But it’s the first nail in the ‘maybe hisashi was right’ column in her mind. She tried to shake it off, after all Izuku was still her perfect little boy, and the doctor had said he did indeed have a quirk, she just needed to wait. She’d have to budget more, eat out less. It was fine. 

Then Izuku starts coming home bruised, “what happened sweetie?”

”Kaachan tried to use his explosions on another kid and I couldn’t just let that happen! So I stopped him! Like a hero would!”

”Izuku, Katsuki was probably just trying to show off and you misunderstood,” she truly believed that, Katsuki was a good boy, he wouldn’t use his quirk on other kids,”You just have to stop trying to play so rough with him.”

she starts pretending not to see as the bruises keep piling up. Maybe the landlord is right. No one really knows about quirkless, maybe her child is just more delicate. She ignores the feeling in her gut that is screaming that her baby is hurt, why isn’t she doing anything? She ignores that because she thinks maybe if he had to see how people will treat a quirkless his quirk will manifest. It’s not like she’s a doctor, she doesn’t know what a quirkless or a kid with a dormant quirk is like. She ignores the resentment she is starting to feel when he continues coming home, beat up. 

not long after Izuku turns five and the money from hisashi stops coming in she loses her high paying job. 

“it’s not that I want to let you go. You’ve always been a talented, dedicated worker. It’s just that some of the other employees have brought up concerns.”

” Concerns about what?”

”You have a quirkless son right?” She’d had to disclose it, it was policy to disclose any ‘disabilities’ that employees families had. She understood it was for the same reason as the landlord had to raise the rent. A disabled child required more care after all. 

“I don’t see how that should affect my work.” She said plainly

”Look,” her boss had said, rubbing his neck, “they’re just…worried is all.”

he didn’t need to say it, they were concerned she’d infect the office with the quirklessness. No one really knew how quirklessness happened after all, for all she knew it could be contagious. She starts to resent Izuku a little bit more. When she loses jobs four more times due to Izuku’s ‘disability ’ she starts to wonder if her husband had been right. If she shouldn’t abandon Izuku. But she loves her perfect little boy. Even if it gets to the point that the only jobs that she can manage to find are janitorial work when it’s far below what she ever did before and she is so tired because one job is not enough for rent and food and the extra that every business demands she pay the second they see those bright red shoes. She hangs on with a desperation to the idea that Izuku has a quirk, he just can’t use it yet. He still has time.

her friends and neighbours slowly pull back, even the nice old lady that used to call Izuku ‘another grandson’ won’t talk to her. The only friend she has is Mitsuki and she can only handle so many minutes of being around Mitsuki because seeing her means seeing Katsuki who has the perfect quirk for heroics while her own did not. She ignored how the resentment grew as Izuku did. She held out hope even as the birthdays came and went with no sign of his quirk manifesting. 

the end came when her husband reached out via letter. 

“Inko, I know you are upset with me and I know you love Izuku, but the world isn’t kind to those without power. You can still have a life. There’s an old law on the books that quirkless people are considered adults at fourteen. Wash your hands of Izuku and you can live comfortably. You won’t have to work so hard or so long. I’d treat you like the princess you are and you’re not so old that we couldn’t try again. If you come to your senses call me.”

the thought nagged at her even as Izuku kept on through middle school with no sign of his quirk manifesting and she made the mistake of complaining to a co-worker about the whole situation.

”I’d take the offer. Listen Inko, you’ve done your due diligence. The kid just turned fourteen right?”

”yes.”

”Then he’s just like any other kid that’s a legal adult! So what if it’s because of some old law? You’ve got a shot! That’s more than most of us can say! I’d jump on it if I were you.”

Then thought won’t leave her mind the rest of the day. She can’t say they are wrong. The law says Izuku is an adult. He doesn’t need her anymore, and doesn’t she deserve to have a life after everything she sacrificed for Izuku? She makes her decision when shortly after having ranted to her co-worker she’s let go from her job again. She won’t be able to make rent with her other two jobs. She won’t be able to afford food. Izuku is an adult according to the government, he doesn’t need her. She deserves better. So she calls. The movers come just as she’s completing the paperwork for Izuku’s emancipation. 

She didn’t mean to be so rude to Izuku’s teacher, but he didn’t know what it was like to have a quirkless. She was doing the right thing she told herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Izuku, but everyone was right. He was an adult and didn’t need her and she had the golden opportunity to make sure the rest of her life was spent in comfort! It would be idiotic not to take it! 

Shw ignores the feeling she gets when she meets the man who says he is her husbands caregiver. He’s just a little creepy with those yellow eyes. She’s sure she’ll get used to it eventually.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

He can’t believe he’s doing this. The animal that had denied him entrance to the school he deserved to be at was the last hero he should be contacting about turning himself in. But the blood on his hands won’t wash off. The blood on his hands hasn’t washed off. He’d come to the awful realization that he was a villain. Turning himself in was the smart choice and he knew from when he half listened to Deku’s ramblings that Mr.Principal had a soft spot for kids. 

it was better than any alternative that he could think of. So he wrote an email.

”Mr. Principal,

I am a young villain with many crimes,” he winced, he didn’t want to admit to everything but if the rat was as smart as Deku had said he’d find out, “including suicide baiting, use of my quirk in public, use of my quirk to cause harm, and use of my quirk to cause egregious harm. I wish to plead for your help. I know I don’t deserve it, but I need help.”

he hadn’t expected a response back, and even had a plan for turning himself in at the local police station if he got no response when one came back inviting him for UA. He was met by a dog man at the gates, “so you’re the little villain that’s turning themselves in? Good choice pup. Keep making good choices and maybe you can turn your life around.”

“Ahh, Katsuki was it? I remember you trying to intimidate me into letting you into my school . What was it you said? That you had the perfect quirk for heroics?”

he winced, “I’m sorry okay. I know now I’m a villain! Just take me away already. Beat me up if it makes you feel better! That’s what heroes do. Beat the villains. So go ahead!”

”Katsuki it appears you are very mistaken about both heroes and villains. Yes a hero often had to ‘bet up the villain’ as it were. But I’m a different sort of hero. I’m primarily an intelligence hero. I prefer making the villains see the error of their ways. So a young villain turning themselves in? Having the character to understand what they did was wrong? Wanting to stop being a villain? That intrigues me. So here are your options. Option one you go directly to jail for your crimes and if you stay on the path of self reflection and accountability you will get out with a record that does not allow you many chances in life. Option two we talk to your parents and you become a ward of UA. You’ll have to wear a gps monitor and a quirk cancelling device at all times. But I will allow you to take part in a new program. A program we’ll call the villains and vigilantes reform program. You’d be our test case as it were. You’d also have to apologize to your victim, I believe he’s a student here.”

”yeah, Izuku is a student”

”Not only would you have to apologize but you’d have to convince your victim to allow your attendance here. If he does not allow it I’m afraid the only option will be prison. What will you decide?”

he thinks about it for a while. He deserves prison and it sounds like that’s where he’s headed either way. But if he had the chance to talk to Izuku maybe the blood will wash off of his hands.

”I’ll take option two.” He says shakily and the principal smiles a smile that has way too many teeth. 

Chapter Text

Hisashi isn’t stupid, he likes to play up the part of a ditzy blonde dj with nothing behind those blonde locks besides a flashy quirk. It causes people to underestimate him. It also causes them to confess things to him they normally wouldn’t and right now his brain is stuck in between ‘protect the new son’ mode and ‘analyze mode’. 

The analyze portion of his brain is stuck on something that the woman (he’s never giving her another title other than bitch) said when he came to talk to her about his son’s injury. She’d said that Izuku had a quirk, that said quirk was dormant and that Izuku was medically quirkless. Was it possible that Izuku’s quirk wasn’t dormant and that he didn’t know it? But if it wasn’t dormant he still didn’t know exactly what his son’s quirk was but it was something he was going to have to mention to his husband. They’d have to be watching very closely not just for the students who’d had their quirks change, but for whatever quirk their son had that might be activating randomly. 

Sitting at the new dining room table with the students, looking a little lost still after last night being their foirst night together he feels they all need to clear the air.

“Okay kids, I know this has been a lot, and that you’re all weirded out by this whole ‘situation’ but I feel we need to go over some things.”

he waits until they are all paying attention befor he continues, “First of all due to your quirk mutations it’s been decided by the school to pull your participation in the sports festival.”

all of the kids besides Izuku look upset at that announcement. “Look kids, we know you’re upset but we don’t know anything about your quirk mutations and how they will affect you. The only reason Shouta is allowed to continue with hero work even though his quirk mutated as well is that he’s an adult and his quirk seems to be relatively stable. With you kids if you all remember from your quirks manifesting accidents happen. Now that your quirks have changed you need time to figure out the limits. You’ll still get a chance to experience an internship but it will be with me or with Shouta.”

”I have a question.”

”shoot monoma”

”if we can prove we can control these mutations will we be allowed to return home?” Monoma aks, not sounding like he minds the idea of not going home and he notes it down mentally. That was a bit of a red flag.

he shared a look with Shouta, “frankly because there’s no precedent for this, we don’t know. Once you’re safe we can probably allow family visits but while we have a theory for why this has happened we don’t know if or when it will happen again.”

he doesn’t miss the guilty look on his sons face, but it’s gone in a second. He still files it away as something to be aware of. 

“so you don’t know if we can ever be a part of our families again? How is that fair?” Ururaka cries “My family…we ain’t rich. I only got into this hero thing to make money so they could be comfortable and now you’re telling me I may not be allowed home again?”

she slams both hands down on the table, sending it up to the ceiling as the gravity is removed. “Sorry, I…release.” The table slams back to the ground and Ururaka leans against Yaouorozu who has an arm wrapped around her.

”I take back what I said the other day” Hagakure says, “it’s not worth the price to be visible. I’m sorry I ever said that girls!”

“It’s okay girls. This is stressful for everyone. Emotions are going to be running high. But Shouta and I are here for you. We will endeavour to get this under control as fast as possible so that you can see your families. In the meantime there are phones and we’ve set up the computer for FaceTime. I know it’s not the same, but we will get through this.”

he watches as Izuku pushes away from the table, “Well I guess I won’t need to be a part of those training sessions then. I’m quirkless.” He says bitterly, and then leaves. He motions to his husband to follow. Emotional break downs are his forte, the girls and Monoma need him for this. Angry teens are Shotas forte. He’ll know how to deal with their son.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

”You don’t have to waste time on me you know. The others need you.” 

He sighs heavily as he sits at the end of their son’s bed. “The others may need me for their quirks but you need me to be a parent. So that is what I am doing. I’m new to this whole parenting thing but I can see that you’re hurting more than just physically. Would you like to come with me to the gym?”

he sees his sons questioning look, “ I find when I’m frustrated and I don’t know how to express myself that a few rounds against a punching bag helps me release some of that pent up anger. We could bond or something. If nothing else I could show you how to throw a proper punch. It’d be useful if you want to get far in the sports festival.”

”I wasn’t intending to do much for that. But sure, bonding sounds…good.”

progress he tells himself. This is progress. He tells Hizashi he’s taking their son to the gym, trying to not sound like he doesn’t care about what’s going on with the other kids but he really does suck with emotions. Hizashi waves him off, “you two have fun, we’re going to have a spa and movie night. Good for getting the tension out.”

He knows that’s code for “I’ve got this.” He nods gratefully. His husband really is the best. The new house being so close to campus means it’s a short walk to the gym. He stays silent, mostly because he’s still so scared of doing the wrong thing. But his son seems to not mind, he’s lost in a world of his own. when they get there he grabs a gym uniform from the pile he usually grabs for the first day assessment test and throws it at his son. The kid doesn’t take long to get changed and come back.

”so why’d you say you didn’t want to do much for the sports festival?” 

He grunts as his son hits the bag he’s holding, his son doesn’t hit the bag right but he does hit with some force. Anger. The kid is so angry. 

“Well I’m quirkless. Quirkless are more fragile than proper humans people you know.”

Hed like to argue, this particular quirkless kid packs a pretty solid punch. But he says nothing. The kid needs to get his aggression out. 

“Quirkless are too stupid to live.” Another punch, “quirkless can’t be heroes they’d just be a liability,” another punch, “quirkless should just go away and die like they should have ages ago.” Punc, punch, PUNCh! The last punch manages to knock the bag from the loop in the ceiling, coming crashing to the floor.

his kid is weeping and he reaches out, pulling Izuku close to his chest. His son punches weakly at his chest, “I always wanted to be a hero you know. But.. with my quirk it’s impossible.”

He’s going to let that little slip up go. Hizashi had told him of course that Izuku had a dormant quirk but was medically quirkless. If what his son needed was to rant until he got everything out, then he’d be the silent ear his kid needed. They’d deal with the fact that their kid seemed to know he had a quirk and wasn’t using it later. 

“Do you think any less of me because I fight quirkless? How about Sir Nighteye? He’s basically quirkless after he uses his quirk. Are either of us bad heroes because of that?”

”no.”

”Then you should not be so hard on yourself either. I know what society tells the quirkless, and I say bullshit. A quirk is a tool. Sure it can help in a lot of situations but I’ve seen regular people with no training respond to rescue operations better than some heroes. I’ve seen some villains that would give up their quirks if it meant people would give them the opportunities in life that their ‘villainous’ quirks don’t allow them to have. Society sucks. It’s our job as heroes to make it not suck. If that means you have to work a little harder to prove them all wrong, the. You work harder. Hizashi and I will help you. But you have to work for it. You have to not just want it, but show the world you deserve it.”

he thinks he’s getting through to his son because he stops crying, “you’d train me? Really?”

”I never say anything I don’t mean..son. But when I am your trainer I can’t go easy on you just because you are my son. You will have to work the same amount as any kid that I would train, in fact you’ll have to work twice as hard. Are you willing to put in the work?”

he watches those eyes light up with an inner fire, “I say I want to be a hero..dad.”

he hides his smile in his capture weapon. This dad thing might not be so hard after all…

”oh, Aizawa, I’m glad we caught you.”

We? He turns to the principal, and his son gasps as he trembles beside him.

”W…what is he doing here?” His son is almost bone white as he stares at the boy who is staring back at them.

”Zuzu, I..fuck…I can’t apologize enough for what I did. I hurt you physically, emotionally and I can’t take any of that back. It was wrong and I..” the boy trails off, bowing down low to the ground, “I will regret it every day the rest of my life. I’ve thrown myself at Mr.Principals mercy, and he’s agreed that if you allow it I’ll be allowed to be in the villains and vigilantes reform program. If you don’t I’ll rightfully be sent to prison. I wish I could ask for mercy but I deserve none. It’s up to you zuzu.”

”You…I…you’re right. I don’t have to forgive you. You hurt me. But what kind of hero would I be if I didn’t give mercy to those that ask for it? Okay Katsuki. I accept your apology. Dad, can we go home?”

”yeah son, let’s go.”

there’s still so many issues he has to bring up with his son. The quirk his son knows about but isn’t using, his trauma involving the boy who’d apparently been the villain that attacked him (and he’s glad he had a tight reign on his temper or he’d have been tempted to go a few rounds against that boy!) but it’s progress. He’ll be happy with that for now.

Chapter Text

He always has plans within plans. Were they always nice? No. But he had been going over the camera footage from every interaction that his Shouta had before his quirk mutation as well as every interaction with the other students whose quirks had mutated right after Kan had reported Monoma’s mutation. Because monomas mutation didn’t fit the pattern. It was a square piece trying to fit into a round hole.

So he started looking without telling his Shouta. For all his Shouta was a logical being so much like him it was almost terrifying his Shouta did feel emotions and did have empathy. He did not, or rather he could not. He felt loyalty to those he considered his of course. He felt a certain parental pride in his Shouta as his Shouta went from near feral monster to a well known underground hero. he even felt a fierce protectiveness for every student under his care. But he didn’t feel empathy. 

So when he finds a commonality in every video clip he tracks down of a certain green haired student, his mind whizzes, making connections. When he searched further he found an incident report from when that snarling Pomeranian of a blonde had tried to demand he be able to take an entrance exam because “Deku had messed with his quirk. The doctors called it a mystery. The blonde who’d previously had no trouble using his quirk on others frequently had suffered what the doctors were calling ‘an internal quirk explosion.” 

Morons, the lot of them. He can see the whole picture now, Bakugo Katsuki was likely Midoriya Izuku’s first victim. But he had no proof, and he had no real intention on calling the boy out about his fascinating quirk. As far as he could tell the boy was improving his peers by using his quirk. But then he can’t help the curiosity when he finds Katsuki has emailed him to turn himself in for ‘villainous behaviour. 

He wants to see Izuku use his quirk, wants to see how it works so bad he makes a sort of trap for Izuku. He offers Izuku’s tormentor a chance to try to ‘apologize for his actions’ when he had no intention of ever sending Katsuki to jail even if Izuku didn’t allow Katsuki to stay. No, he wanted to see if riling the boy up would cause Izuku to use his quirk. But he hadn’t. 

He’s almost tempted to giggle after Izuku and his Shouta leave together. So much new data gathered about how Izuku’s emotions might affect his quirk. He also gets to keep what would be a very effective, very destructive villain away from prison and indebted to him for a ‘second chance’. Like the delightful human expression said, he was killing two birds with one stone. 

was it risky? Yes. But now his Shouta is opening up in a way he never did before, his Shouta is learning to be a parent just like he had done so long ago. It will be good for his Shouta who’d closed himself off. His Shouta may be a lot like him, but he had been afraid his Shouta would become so much like him that his Shouta would forget that he was human. His Shouta had come close after losing Oboro and he never wanted to see that again. If he had to manipulate things to keep that from happening, well parents often had to do things that they could never tell their children about to ensure their children had better lives. 

Doing something that would hurt his new grandson but would also push him into a position where his Shouta would be fiercely protective of him? It was worth the price on his limited conscience. 

……………………………………………………………………………………./////………………………././/…………………

Toshinori hadn’t been seriously looking for a successor. His enemy was dead, or he’d thought he was dead. What did the world need this cursed quirk for now that the monster it had been created to end was gone?  But he’d taken up the position of teacher at UA to placate his remaining friends before he knew what that monster at the USj was proof of. That his old enemy wasn’t as gone as he thought. But he was still reluctant.

He wasn’t sure if that reluctance came from his own stubborn pride that he could keep going thank you very much, or if it was due to the fact that although there were many students with impressive quirks at UA, none of them had that ‘spark’ that he was looking for.

then he’d been walking past the gym and he’d heard a kid yelling about how he was quirkless. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but he was glad he did. Hearing the quirkless kid say that he was determined to work twice as hard after his dad told him he would? It was like fate. He knew he found his successor. But how to get to him with his overprotective dad on high alert? 

The sports festival. He had never taken on an intern as All Might, but it would be perfect. He’d take the kid on, get the kid to pick up some muscle and pass on his quirk. Even though he wouldn’t have time with only two weeks to train the kid to take on one for all, the kids overprotective dad would be perfect for ensuring the kid didn’t explode all his limbs. Then he could swoop in, say the kids quirk was similar to his own, offer to take the kid on work studies and boom, problem solved. 

Chapter Text

His eyes itch and his hands twitch so bad these days he’s tempted to use his quirk to stop his quirk. His quirk is bad, villainous, look what he’s done to the girls when he was only trying to help? It’s distressing especially when he sees the info next to ‘momo’ as she likes to be called that she is another half-sibling. He’d hurt two of his family members now, even if he hadn’t meant to and it was throwing him off. 

That’s not even touching this whole mess with his new ‘dad’ and ‘pops’. He liked that he had a dad now, liked that his pops gave the best hugs and that his dad was training him to fight, had told him that he could be a hero. It was everything he could have dreamed of when he was smaller and everyone thought he was quirkless. 

But his eyes still itch and his hands still twitch as he yearns to fix poor Kaminari’s problem with overusing his quirk, to reach out and help Shinso who seems to hate and fear his quirk even though it’s perfect for rescue operations. 

He’s got so many problems and he doesn’t know where to start. Does he tell his dad about his villainous quirk and what he has done and risk losing the family he’d always wanted? How is he going to tell Nedzu about the traitor? On top of everything else he’s got to do well in the sports festival or he knows his dad will be disappointed. 

Its all so much pressure and he just…wants one person to tell him what to do. But he can’t ask dad, he doesn’t dare ask Nedzu. He’s so lost I thought after class that morning that he doesn’t notice he’d walked right into All Mights office. Or rather the small room All Might had his name on the door of. 

“young man! You look like you have the world on your shoulders. Want to talk about it?”

The dam breaks, “All Might, what would you do if you knew there was a villain informant here in school?” It isn’t what he wants to ask, he wants to ask if he can be a hero with his villainous quirk, but he can’t say that yet. Can barely admit to himself that is exactly what his quirk is. He’ll stick to the problem that isn’t so personal. Test the waters as it were.

”There’s a villain informant in the school? I suppose that makes sense for how the villains knew about where we’d be for the attack on the USJ. However did you come across this information?”

he thinks for a moment, he can’t say it’s his quirk, he doesn’t want to, but he can use something else, “people kind of forget about the quirkless. They talk while we’re around like we can’t understand them if they even notice we exist most of the time. I.. heard this person talking to who I assume is their contact.”

”Do you know why they are an informant?”

”No.”

”I see. Well then, I’d tell a hero just like you are right now. If you tell me who it is I’ll handle it.”

”but what is they get hurt?”

”Young Midoriya I have been a hero for fourty years. Do you not think that in all that time I haven’t learned how to be discreet when the situation calls for it?”

”well no offense All Might but you’re kind of…visible “

he laughs and slaps him on the back, “that is very true. But I also happen to have connections in the hero world.tell me who it is and I’ll handle this.”

”it’s that first year heroics student in 1-A Aoyoma Yuga.”

”Thank you for telling me! That was very brave of you! Keep up your heroic efforts!”

and oh how praise feels different coming from the number one hero instead of his dad. Praise from his dad was nice and all but he felt like he had to earn it. Praise from the number one hero made him feel like he could walk on air. 

“All Might.” He began, still so afraid, but he had to know, “If you had a quirk that was villainous, that you tried to use to help people without them knowing, and it did help them only it also hurt them would you still use it?”

”what an interesting problem! You know some people would say that the things I do with my quirk are villainous in the right context.”

”You? Villainous?”

”sometimes in heroics you have to move without thinking. You have to intervene even if the person or persons don’t want you to. It’s a risk we take as heroes. But I’d like to think that if I’m doing what’s right even if it’s not easy than it was the right thing. I hope that helps.”

”Yea, All Might it does! Not that I have to worry about that!I don’t have a quirk after all, so it was just a thought experiment. Now I’d better go, Shouta doesn’t like me being late.”

As he leaves he feels like he can breathe a little easier. His eyes still itch and his hands still twitch, but that’s one worry off of his plate. He’ll figure out how to use his quirk right after the sports festival when things are less stressful. 

Chapter Text

He is allowed to go home once to talk to his parents, to tell them exactly what he has agreed to. He insists on having a hero go with him. He doesn’t tell Nedzu that he’s afraid his mother will get violent. It’s what he deserves after all. Nedzu sends the dog man whose name he learns is Ryu when not in costume and Hound Dog when he is acting in a heroic capacity.

”you didn’t have to come along you know.” He tells Ryu

”you asked for a heroes presence,” Ryu growls “that means that there is something or someone in your house that you fear enough that you figure you need protection.”

”I’m not fucking weak!” He growls, and then shrinks against the expected blow but it never comes.

”what did I say when you first came to the gates pup? You are trying to turn your life around. Needing help from others does not make you weak pup. It means you understand that sometimes we all need a little back up.”

”All Might doesnt need back up.”

”You are not All Might pup, no one is. You are you. No one expects you to be perfect all the time pup. Or they shouldn’t.”

he tries not to be offended, didn’t Ryu know? There was no point in doing things if you didn’t do them perfectly. If he wasn’t perfect then his mom would get mad at him for not doing enough. But it was fine! She was just trying to prepare him for the real world. Heroes had to be perfect or no one would trust them. Heroes didn’t whine or cry like Deku did. It’s why he hated the little weirdo, or one of the reasons why. It didn’t excuse what he had done but he was paying for that now!

”Katsuki, you’re home! Who’s this?”

”This is the hero Hound Dog mom,” he winces, he hasn’t called her mom in forever. But he wants to show he can change and part of that is to stop calling people names. 

“What did you do you little brat?” She goes to slap him upside the head like she always does but he’s surprised when Ryu grabs her arm, preventing her from doing so.

”Go upstairs and pack pup. I’ll deal with this.” 

wisely, he chooses to do what the hero tells him to do, but even from the top of the stairs he can hear his mother.

”HE DID WHAT?”

He quickly throws his clothes into a bag. When he comes downstairs it’s to a surreal sight. His mother is in familiar looking cuffs, Ryu standing in front of her and growling.

”I see now a part of the reason my pup is running wild.”

he doesn’t know how to feel about Ryu calling him ‘his pup’. He’s a villain, he doesn’t deserve anyone defending him, he never asked anyone to defend him.

”Hey, I’ve got what I need, can we go?”

”I’ve called this in. If you have half the bravery that my pup does you’ll co-operate with the police.”

”You think it’s easy? Raising a brat like that? Take him then, I never want to see him again!”

”you should be glad I don’t have time to tell you exactly what I think of you.” Ryu’s next words aren’t really words, it’s all snarling and growling as his mom pales, looking for the first time like she’s realizing that a pro hero is very mad at her. 

when they are leaving he screws up his courage, “Why’d you do that? Defend me? Call me your pup?”

“You needed someone to defend you. Nedzu assigned me the job the moment you emailed about your crimes. As for being my pup, well that is…something that I decided the moment we met. You need a proper parent. One who can guide you back towards being a proper member of society. As a hero who has problems with their temper, I was deemed most appropriate for the job.”

”i don't get it,” and he really doesn’t. Why is Ryu being so nice to him? Just like Deku, “i don’t deserve anything nice. It makes me so angry.” He wants to pop off an explosion, those always helped him alleviate his anger, but he can’t. His explosions are locked away, both by the quirk-canceling cuffs he is required to wear and whatever meddling Deku did with his quirk. 

“Because I was in your situation once,” Ryu growls,” people used to tell me all the time when I was little that I’d be perfect for a security guard. I had the scary looks and I even had a reputation for biting when I was mad. I sent another kid to the hospital. After that, I was introduced to heroics by my own mentor Cerebus. She saw something in me that no one else did, the potential to be a hero. She helped me and I vowed that if I had the chance I would do so for another. That is why you are my pup. he’s stunned, he thought all heroes had to be perfect, but ryu is telling him that they aren’t. That they struggle, that they need help. It gives him a lot to think about as he unpacks at his new ‘home’, an apartment that’s not too far from UA’s campus. 

it never ceases to amaze her that she can see herself now and with the little bit of experimenting they have been doing with Mr. Aizawa and Mr. Yamada she had found that not only could she now control when she wanted to be visible or invisible, but she could also extend her invisibility to others around her.

“You know if you decide you want to be an underground hero you’d be a perfect fit.” Mr Aizawa tries to compliment her but it falls on deaf ears.

” What if I wanted to be a limelighter? Now that I can be seen? Is that superficial of me? To still want to be seen after it has cost my friends and me so much?”

”Hagakure,” Aizawa winces,” I’m terrible at this encouraging shit…you can be whatever you want to be. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings by suggesting your quirk should determine the type of hero you should be. I know better than that.”

she wants to hug him, but refrains,” That is the first time since my quirk came in that anyone told me I could be anything! You know my parents, they tried but they have light-based quirks. They don’t know why my quirk is so different from theirs. Mom tried so hard to be supportive of my dream but she was scared for me, after all, you can’t tell if the invisible girl is injured or dead.”

she feels arms wrap around her and is startled that it’s Ururaka, “hey remember what I said before? Everything you feel is valid. If it’s anger because no one took your dream seriously then be angry. If it’s sadness because none of us asked for this? Then we’ll cry with you. If it’s relief that for the first time in your life, you can control your quirk? Then be relieved. It’s all valid.”

”I’m not good with emotions. I’m blunt and to the point and people don’t take that very well,” Mr. Aizawa says, “Even I was a little…upset about my quirk mutating. But I’m also very glad it happened because it allowed me to save Asui’s life. It doesn’t stop me from being mad it had to happen. It doesn’t stop me from being a little scared of what my quirk could be capable of.”

she can’t help staring. For a guy who says he isn’t good with emotions, he sure hits the nail on the head for everything she is feeling. 

“You know the only part I’m mad about is that this thing that happened to us is keeping me from going home,” Ururaka says,” I haven't exactly been quiet about that. But I’m also terrified. Sure it wasn't fun vomiting when I hit my limit but it gave me some idea of what my limit was! Now I have no clue if I even have a limit and that…that is scary. What if I use my quirk on something or someone accidentally and I send them into orbit because I don’t know my limit?”

”I’ve been trying to pretend I have everything together,” Momo starts,” but the truth is that I knew what my quirk was capable of before, now that it runs off of my energy I have no clue and I just want everything to go back to how it was. But we can’t do that. These changes happened and as heroes, we have to pick ourselves up and make the best of things.”

The girls all share a hug as Aizawa watches on, “Okay girls, let’s get back to work.” 

Aizawa sounds gruff but she knows now that he does care, and he’s just as lost with his feelings about the changes as the rest of them. 

He liked living with Yamada and Aizawa. They weren’t mad at him for daring to dream of being a hero like his own family were. They weren’t demanding he show perfect control over a quirk that was so finicky to learn. Yamada didn’t ask constantly if he was sure that his mother hadn’t cheated on him right in front of him because his quirk was a lot like his mother's but it was also so very different than his siblings who all got variations of his father's quirk. Yamada was a quirk counselor so he was busy with all of them having quirks that mutated, but he made time to ask or answer questions about quirks.

”so, we’ve discussed what your quirk did before.” Yamada starts, “Was there anything different about when you copied Kan’s quirk?”

it took him a second to realize who Yamada was talking about. “I’ve always admired Vlad King's impressive control over his quirk. It seems like such a creepy quirk, you know a lot like mine. But he’s taken a quirk that people see as creepy, as unsettling and made it his own.”

”Have you always felt that way about your quirk? That it’s creepy?”

”would you be happy if some kid could use your quirk better than you minutes after they touched you? I might as well be quirkless for how reliant my quirk is on others.”

He feels Yamada pull him into a hug. It startles him, but he kind of loves Yamada's hug makes him feel safe in a way he can’t put into words.

”I’d be honored if you copied my quirk, little listener. Try to think of my quirk the same way you did Kan’s. But first, let’s hit the soundproof gym. Don’t want to hurt anyone if my theory is right.”

He shrugs, what has he got to lose? So he follows Yamada until they come to a soundproof gym.

”They had to build this place for me while I was going to school here,” Yamada explains, sounding wistful,” You know they all said my quirk was ‘villainous’ because I was born with it. Ruptured the eardrums of my birth givers, and a bunch of the people in the hospital. But as I leaned control I learned that my quirk is not just destructive, it can also be beautiful.”

he demonstrated by singing a catchy pop tune that made him feel energetic.” that’s amazing!”

”Thanks, little listener. You ready to try?”

he nods, trying to think about Yamada's quirk the way he’d thought about Vlads. About how cool a quirk like voice was, about how he could share a quirk with Yamada the same way he now shared a quirk with Vlad. It filled him up as he touched Yamada's hand. His throat felt a little sore as if something was stuck.

”Let it out. It’s okay.”

he screams a loud, impossible scream full of his anger and the walls rumble. He copied Yamada's quirk! They spend the rest of the day practicing, him and Yamada. 

“so I think my theory is correct. Your quirk seems to permanently copy any quirk you feel positively about. Ooohhh! Imagine the possibilities! You can be any type of hero you want to be now!”

Yamada's excitement is infectious he realizes as a smile breaks out of his face. He really will be able to be any type of hero now. Yamada is right, the possibilities are endless. He keeps that excitement as he shyly as he Mr. Aizawa if he can copy his quirk. If they both have erasure then he can help the girls with their quirks! He’s happy when Aizawa just deadpan says “Sure kid” and ruffles his hair. The whole situation with his quirk changing is still scary but I still also brought him to a place where people support him. He's grateful to whomever or whatever made it happen. 

Chapter Text

“And you’re sure of this information Yagi? An accusation like this against hero student is a serious matter.”

he already knows the answer of course. How fascinating that changing another persons quirk isn’t the full extent of Izuku’s quirk. And how clever the boy is to use his cover story of quirklesssness to his advantage. If he wasn’t having so much fun watching the chaos he might be tempted to let the boy know he knew.

But it is fun, and so far the results of letting the boy think he’s still undiscovered are fascinating. As long as the boy continues to help better his peers he sees no reason to stop the charade. And then there’s the possibility that Toshinori is considering the boy for his successor? What godlike power the boy would have if he does nothing. Yes, it could go spectacularly wrong, but he trusts his Shouta to keep the boys intentions pure. He’d be stupid to interfere when the key to ending so many of the problems they face as heroes is so close. 

“I’m certain. Young Midoriya was very scared of bringing the information forward.”

”well than we need to make a few changes to the sports festival.”

”I don’t understand?”

”Yagi, now that we know that there is a traitor, we should be on guard against other means of gathering information about our young heroes. Broadcasting the sport festival has always been the way to catch heroes attention for internships but there’s nothing that prevents the villains from watching the same broadcast. That’s where you come in Yagi. You have connections to heroes that I lack. Invite them to work security at the event. Then they can see personally what students they’d like to have and the villains don’t get that information.”

”what about the traitor? What are we going to do?”

”it’s too late to enact a trap now but at the summer training camp, yes that might do. If we can get the head of this whole situation to reveal themselves, to get personally involved then we can end this once and for all. I trust you can keep quiet about this until then Yagi.”

”if it means that we take down the monster that killed my master, then I am more than willing to wait.”

”oh and Yagi if you decide on Midoriya as your successor would you let me know? We will need to have him trained for that coming confrontation after all.”

”How did…?”

”I have my ways Yagi. Izuku is a fine choice but think of how much more powerful he will be if he’s trained by yourself and Eraserhead before the trap is sprung and then you would not have to worry about if your successor has the ability to take your foe down. Not that I’m worried you would not be able to do so, but it’s always best to have a plan B as it were.”

”then I will enact the plan I had before. I will put in my intentions for taking on Izuku’s internship and while he is with me I will transfer my quirk to him. We even have the perfect cover story with those kids randomly having their quirks mutate. We could imply that Izuku was misdiagnosed as quirkless and training with me caused a quirk manifestation.”

and oh, he hadn’t known Toshinori had a mind hidden behind that oafish exterior that he presented to the world, but the plan as Yagi put it was pretty well thought out. Yes, this would do nicely. “Then I will ensure any other offers the boy might receive will not go forward to him.”

As toshinori leaves, he plans. He’ll have to take a huge financial loss without the income that comes from those who bet on the sports festival and the companies that advertise during the festival but it was worth the price for keeping his students safe. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

he doesn’t know how his life has gone so far off the beaten path that he’d always followed. Logic was important to him because although he could feel emotions, and wasn’t ashamed of them he didn’t see the point in being all mushy about expressing himself. His people knew how he felt if they were smart. That was enough for him. 

his logical way of thinking prevented him from wanting to get too close to people. Then Hizashi and Oboro had wiggled past his defenses, they had become his people. That had turned out poorly. He used it as a metric for his interactions with the students who passed through his classroom. If they were idiots who cared more for the fame of heroics, if they were sacrificial morons like he can admit Oboro was, or if they didn’t show they had the attitude of a true hero, he failed them from the heroics course to protect them.

But his class this year had gotten under his skin from the very first day. Not a single one showed they weren’t serious besides the grapist and Ashido but the grapist he’d expelled and Ashido seemed to have learned the harsh lesson first hand that heroics wasn’t ‘fun’. 

All of his kids had learned that harsh lesson at the USJ, and because trauma bonding is a thing, he is sure that is what caused him to latch on tighter to his kids. Perhaps that is why his guard is so low that he doesn’t feel odd about being vulnerable around the kids that he is now responsible for. Perhaps that is the reason why he is more free with his affection than he ever has been. He doesn’t know and it doesn’t really matter.

Even if the other kids are able to return to their families he knows he’s attached now. He’ll protect them and be the strong parent figure they need. He has to. It’s only logical.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

he’s almost glad that the festival has changed as he steps out into the arena with his  classmates. He doesn’t know if he could handle the pressure of keeping his quirk secret while trying his best so that his Dad would be proud of him if he knew that millions of people across Japan as well as the people in the stands would be watching him. 

his eyes itch and his hands twitch as he looks over the heroes, and his fellow classmates. But he made a promise to himself that he would not use his quirk except on villains or if someone gave him permission. So he won’t even as he sees how many of them have such debilitating handicaps to their quirks. It’ll be a challenge, not using his quirk and it’ll answer the question once and for all if he could have done the whole thing quirkless. 

When the buzzer sounds and Todoroki tries to freeze them all at the entrance he’s already far enough ahead not have to worry about that. A lifetime of running from Kaachan is coming in handy as he’s the front runner as he comes to the same giant robots he’d seen in the entrance exam. But this time he has the climbing gear he’d requested be added to his shoes and in the gloves he wore on his hands. There’s even a spot he can see where the robots have a ladder going up to their ‘head’ that he hadn’t noticed the first time around that he takes advantage of. 

He climbs fast, and jumps, grateful for the falling lessons Dad had insisted on going with the parkour lessons. He rolls, and keeps running toward the next obstacle. A climb across ropes? Easy. Hand over hand he shimmies across, Todoroki quickly gaining on him. The last obstacle gives him pause. Explosions still make him feel ill, and no matter that he knew Nedzu would never allow explosions that would hurt them he hesitated. It’s enough that Todoroki gets ahead with his ice path. But he can use that too. His boots are meant for climbing but they also work well for kind of skating across the path Todoroki leaves behind. It’s a straight path from there and he books it, pretending as if Katsuki is chasing him like he always had. He just barely misses making first as Todoroki crosses seconds in front of him.  Second place! He’d gotten second! Without his quirk! He was so happy he was crying as he watched the other make it through. Even Hitoshi makes it, even if he does come in last. He’s glad Hitoshi made it. 

Chapter Text

It turned out taking second place had been a blessing in disguise. Todoroki had claimed the million-point headband, drawing nearly everyone's attention. Izuku, though carrying a respectable amount himself, wasn’t the primary target. He stayed mostly on the sidelines, letting the chaos unfold as team after team targeted Todoroki. Izuku’s own team—Sero, Tokoyami, and a support course student he barely remembered—had mostly relied on his speed and dodging skills. He avoided direct confrontation, waiting for the right moments to dash in, stealing just enough headbands to secure second place.

But now, with the real tournament beginning, fate decided to pit him against Hitoshi right from the start. Izuku knew they would face each other eventually, but not like this—not first round. He also felt that Hitoshi wanted to be in the hero course more than he did, and maybe deserved it more too. Hitoshi didn’t hide anything; his quirk didn’t twist lives in the way Izuku’s had.

But even so, Izuku had to try. Not just for his own pride, but for every quirkless kid who looked up to him. He wasn't going to use his quirk. If he could prove that he could fight—and win—without it, maybe that would give real quirkless kids some hope.

He stepped into the arena, only to be jolted out of his thoughts by the information of another half-sibling in Hitoshi. How many of us are there? he wondered bitterly. Monoma, Yaoyorozu... and now this? His mind raced through ways he could ever bring it up. He couldn’t exactly say, Hey, my quirk told me we’re half-siblings.

Lost in thought, he only snapped back to reality when Hitoshi’s voice cut through.

"I don't know why they let you compete. Everyone knows a quirkless person can’t cut it as a hero. Why don’t you just bow out?"

Izuku opened his mouth to respond, but stopped. He knew Hitoshi’s quirk worked through speech. Answering would only hand Hitoshi control over him.

"Bet that monkey warned you, huh?" Hitoshi taunted.

Yes, Ojiro had told him about Hitoshi’s quirk, but Izuku wasn’t going to let that be his downfall. He had come too far to give up so soon.

He moved.

Izuku darted forward, testing Hitoshi’s reflexes. The other boy didn’t flinch. He stayed calm, waiting for Izuku to make the first mistake. Izuku feinted, then backed off.

"Still not talking? You know Mashirao and Shoda dropped out because of me. They were weak, just like you’ll be."

Izuku felt a flicker of anger—not for himself, but for Ojiro and Shoda. They had worked hard to be here, and they deserved to be. He kept his mouth shut, though, reminding himself of his promise. He couldn’t give in to Hitoshi’s taunts.

Look for weaknesses, he remembered his dad’s advice. As someone who fights without a quirk, you have to find advantages where others don’t. Look at their stance, their hands. See what they're guarding and hit them where they're weakest.

Izuku’s eyes scanned Hitoshi, not his blueprint, but the boy himself. He noticed Hitoshi’s spindly frame and his reliance on his quirk. That would be his downfall.

He thought, "Sorry, Hitoshi. You deserve the hero course more, but I have to win this."

Izuku lowered himself and lunged, tackling Hitoshi’s legs. They both crashed to the ground. Hitoshi tried to punch him, but it barely registered after years of enduring Bakugo’s blows. Next, Hitoshi kicked, but Izuku quickly pinned him, locking his arms in a hold.

"Still won’t talk? What are you afraid of?" Hitoshi hissed.

Izuku bit his lip, resisting the urge to answer.

"Can you move, Hitoshi?" Midnight’s voice echoed across the arena.

"No," Hitoshi spat, his tone bitter with defeat.

"Izuku Midoriya is the winner!"

Izuku released Hitoshi and offered his hand, only for it to be swatted away.

"I don’t need your pity," Hitoshi muttered.

As Izuku left the ring, he sighed. It wasn’t the victory he had hoped for, but it was a victory. He had done it without using his quirk. He could do this. He had to do this.

Chapter Text

Izuku wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing back at Hitoshi, who still stood in the ring, fists clenched and shoulders slumped in defeat. He had won, but it didn’t feel like a true victory. There was something painful in the way Hitoshi had looked at him—an ache of someone who’d been fighting all his life just to be noticed. And now, Izuku was moving on, while Hitoshi was left behind, still outside the hero course, still on the fringe.

Izuku’s heart was heavy as he made his way back to the stands. The next match was already being called—Shoto Todoroki vs. Hanta Sero.

Shoto didn’t waste any time. As soon as the signal to start sounded, ice erupted from the ground, trapping Sero in place before he could even make a move. The match was over in seconds.

Izuku watched, lips pressed together in thought. Shoto’s power was immense, but the way he used it... it was so one-sided. All ice, never fire. And the look in his eyes—cold and distant. It was as if he wasn’t fighting Sero at all, but something else, something deeper.

Izuku shook his head. He would have to face Shoto eventually. Could he win? Could he help him?

The next match called his attention—Denki Kaminari vs. Ibara Shiozaki. Kaminari charged in, as reckless as ever, his quirk surging through the air. But Ibara kept her cool, weaving her vines defensively, avoiding direct confrontation. And then, just as Kaminari overextended himself, she struck, wrapping him in her vines as his electricity faded. He had pushed himself too far, and the telltale glazed look crossed his face.

Izuku stifled a laugh. Kaminari had such an interesting quirk, and watching him short-circuit like that hadn't failed to amuse him. Yet, as Ibara claimed victory, a small voice in the back of Izuku’s mind whispered that he could fix it. He knew what was wrong with Kaminari’s quirk—he could help. But once again, he bit back the urge. He had promised he wouldn't, though maybe he could ask Kaminari privately for permission? How though? It was something he was going to have to keep thinking about. Maybe if nothing else he could suggest ideas to the other boy for improving how he used his quirk.

Next up was Tenya Iida vs. Mei Hatsume. Mei didn’t seem all that interested in winning; instead, she used the match as a platform to showcase her latest gadgets. Tenya, confused and trying to dodge her inventions, eventually won when she simply lost track of the fight entirely. Izuku chuckled, though a part of him wondered what Mei would think of his quirk. Would she be horrified by what it truly was? Or would she be fascinated by its complexity, intrigued by the idea of it?

Izuku’s thoughts drifted as he watched the matches unfold. Aoyama Yuga’s fight was next. As he entered the arena, Izuku couldn’t help but frown. Why was Yuga allowed to participate? All Might knew he was the traitor—or at least connected to the villains. Izuku glanced over at the heroes in the stands, wondering what they were planning. They had to have a plan, right? They couldn’t just let Yuga continue unchecked. But what if they didn’t know what to do either?

Yuga’s match was over before Izuku could dwell too much on the thought. Then came Fumikage Tokoyami’s turn. Izuku leaned forward, eyes fixed on the dark figure of Tokoyami as he fought. Dark Shadow moved with precision, listening to Tokoyami’s commands, but there was something fascinating about it. Dark Shadow was independent, fully capable of acting on its own if it chose to. Did Tokoyami know? Did he realize the depth of control—or lack thereof—he had over his own quirk? It was a question that left Izuku even more intrigued as the match ended with Tokoyami’s victory.

Finally, Kirishima vs. Tetsutetsu came up. Their fight was loud and intense, with both of them pushing each other to the limit, their hardening quirks clashing in a battle of sheer endurance. It was impressive, but to Izuku, it lacked the tactical finesse he preferred. It was a brawl, plain and simple—amazing in its own right, but not his style.

As the final match of the round drew closer, Izuku felt the weight of it settle in his chest. He was going to face Todoroki. And it wasn’t just Todoroki he had to worry about—it was Endeavor. The man loomed over everything, his expectations, his pressure, his obsession with his son’s power. And now, Izuku was the next target of that obsession.

"Midoriya,” Endeavor’s voice startled him as he loomed in front of him. How had the man gotten into the changing rooms he didn't know. He felt intimidated as the tall, imposing figure of the Number Two hero glared down at him. “A useless null like you stands no chance against my perfect creation. You’ll see what true power is soon enough.”

Izuku clenched his fists but said nothing. He wouldn’t rise to the bait. He knew better than to let Endeavor’s words get to him. But still, the doubt lingered. Could he win against someone like Todoroki?

He is surprised to find that just as Endeavor leaves, Shoto turns up.

"Aren't you in the wrong changing room?"

“I’m just here to warn you that I will win,” Shoto said flatly, his gaze steely and determined. “And I’m going to do it without using my father’s fire. I’m more powerful than you, even without it.”

"You might win this battle Todoroki, but using only half of your power in a real situation? That's going to get someone killed."

"You don't know why I'm holding back, you don't know what HE did!"

"I don't have to know Endeavor or what he does behind closed doors to know you can't be a proper hero without using your full power."

Todoroki didn't respond, finally heading off to his own changeroom and all he could think about was how the both of them would be holding back in this fight. Him, because he could not, would not use his quirk no matter how much his eyes itched and his hands twitched. Todoroki was holding back due to some trauma. Was it really fair for him to continue on, pretending to be something he was not when the true hero students were unable to even be here because of him? Was it fair for Todoroki to continue when he was constantly only using half of his potential? He didn't know the answers to that. 

As the countdown echoed in the arena, Izuku’s resolve solidified. He had to help Todoroki. He wasn’t sure how, but he couldn’t let this fight be just about winning. If he could somehow reach Todoroki, make him realize that holding back wasn’t the answer, maybe—just maybe—they could both move forward.

The crowd roared in anticipation as Izuku stepped into the ring. Todoroki was already there, ice forming around his feet, his expression as cold and unyielding as ever. The tension between them was palpable, a mix of rivalry, respect, and something unspoken.

Midnight raised her hand, and the match began.

Todoroki wasted no time. Massive ice pillars erupted from the ground, surging toward Izuku with a speed that left little room for evasion. Izuku barely managed to dodge the first onslaught, the sharp chill of the ice grazing his skin as he dove to the side. He could feel the power behind Todoroki’s attacks, and it was terrifying. But he couldn’t back down. Not now.

Izuku’s mind raced. He couldn’t just react to Todoroki’s attacks; he needed to understand him. He needed to find a way through that wall Todoroki had built around himself.

"Is this all you’ve got, Todoroki?" Izuku called out, darting past another ice formation. "You’re holding back. I can see it. You’re not fighting me—you're fighting him, aren’t you?"

Todoroki’s eyes flashed with something—anger, frustration, maybe even pain—but he didn’t respond. More ice came, thicker, faster.

"You think using only your ice makes you stronger? You think that’s how you’ll win?" Izuku shouted as he weaved through the freezing battlefield, barely avoiding a particularly massive spike of ice.

Todoroki’s jaw clenched, and for the first time, his controlled demeanor cracked. "I don’t need his fire to beat you," he said, voice low but laced with emotion.

"Maybe you don’t," Izuku admitted, ducking under another ice wave. "But holding back like this—it’s not just about winning or losing, Todoroki. Heroes can’t afford to hold back. You’re stronger than this, and you know it."

Todoroki’s eyes narrowed. For a split second, Izuku thought he saw a flicker of doubt, a hesitation in the icy assault. But then, with a shout of determination, Todoroki sent a final, massive wall of ice crashing down, aimed directly at Izuku. Izuku’s instincts screamed at him to use his quirk. He could feel It begging for him to reach out, alter that blueprint of Todoroki's that said 'thinks his fire is not his', but he promised.

Instead, he dug his feet into the ground, bracing himself for the impact. He couldn’t stop the ice, but he could survive it.

The ice collided with him, and the world went white for a moment, the cold biting into his skin. But he held on. He wasn’t going to go down that easily. Not yet.

As the ice began to crack around him, Izuku staggered forward, breathing hard. His body ached, and he was covered in frost, but he wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.

"Todoroki," Izuku called out, his voice hoarse but steady. "You don’t have to be like him. You’re not your father. You don’t have to fight like him to prove anything."

For a moment, Todoroki’s expression faltered. His hand, raised to summon more ice, trembled ever so slightly.

"I’m not doing this for him," Todoroki said, but there was doubt in his voice now, and Izuku knew he had struck a chord.

"Then why are you holding back?" Izuku pressed. "You’re only using half of your strength. If you want to be a hero, you have to accept all of who you are—ice and fire."

Todoroki’s eyes widened, and for a brief moment, the fire in his left side flickered. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by a cold fury.

"I told you," Todoroki growled, "I’ll win without his power."

Izuku took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. "I won’t let you fight like this, Todoroki. If I have to lose to make you see that, then so be it. But I’m not giving up."

He saw it then, the flicker of a small flame, and he grinned. 

"You feel it, those flames? Those are a part of you Todoroki. Not him, you."

A roar from Todoroki is his answer as flames take over half of his body, "I never wanted to use his flames!"

"Don't you see? They aren't his! They're yours! You control them!"

He smiles even as a large explosion fills the air. It's different from Bakugo's explosions that always made him cringe and hurt. Even as he falls, he smiles. Todoroki will go on, knowing he can't hold back anymore. While he can't do the same, at least he helped the other boy. That is enough for now. He barely hears Midnight calling the match in Todoroki's win. He's far too tired. 

Chapter Text

The roar of the crowd still echoed in Izuku’s ears as he trudged toward the changing room. His muscles ached with every step, the chill of Todoroki’s ice still clinging to his skin. He had lost the match, but that wasn’t the heaviest weight on his shoulders. What really stung was the realization that while he had helped Todoroki unlock his full power, he was still holding himself back.

He sighed, pushing open the door to the quiet room. The adrenaline had faded, leaving behind a bone-deep exhaustion. The door creaked shut behind him, and he nearly jumped at the sound of a familiar voice.

"You did well, son," Aizawa said, his voice gentle but firm. "Though your pops and I could have done without the multiple heart attacks—especially that stunt with the mines. Don’t do that again." Despite the worry in his voice, there was a hint of a smile beneath his tired face.

"Dad…" Izuku began, but his voice faltered. The emotions of the match, of everything leading up to it, bubbled to the surface, and suddenly, he felt a weight pressing on his chest. He had so much to say, but the words wouldn’t come.

Aizawa sighed, uncrossing his arms. "You’re thinking about Todoroki, aren’t you?"

Izuku nodded slowly. "I told him he couldn’t be a true hero if he didn’t use his full power. And he finally did it… He let go of his fear of using his fire."

"And now you’re wondering if you should do the same," Aizawa said, his tone calm but piercing.

Izuku clenched his fists. "I’d be a hypocrite… I told Todoroki to use everything he had, but I still can’t—won’t—use my quirk. Not yet."

Aizawa’s eyes softened. "You’re more self-aware than most pro heroes I know. But you’re right. I was going to offer you a spot in my class—you’ve got the heart of a hero, and you don’t need a quirk to prove it. But you’re not wrong about holding back either. Once the internships are over, will you let me train you to use your quirk? Really train you?"

Izuku looked up, surprised. "Yeah… I think we can do that. But if you want to fill that spot, you should offer it to Shinsou. He deserves it. He’s ready, though he’ll need help. He relies too much on his quirk… and, well, he’s kind of a noodle," Izuku added with a small smile.

Aizawa chuckled. "You’ve got the heart of a hero, Izuku. You’re right—Shinsou is ready, and I’ll make the offer. But I can’t be the one to train him, not with everything else on my plate. Maybe I’ll send him to Mic… or even Joke."

"You don’t like Ms. Joke?" Izuku asked, curious.

Aizawa shuddered. "She takes the jokes too far. But she’s a good hero, and she’d be a good fit for Shinsou."

"Thanks, Dad… for believing in me, for not pressuring me, even though you deserve to know."

Izuku swallowed hard, guilt swirling inside him. He wanted to tell Aizawa everything—about his quirk, the truth behind it—but now wasn’t the time. Aizawa would be busy with internships, and Izuku needed to figure out how to explain everything. There was no telling how his dad would react once he learned the truth, but Izuku was ready to face whatever consequences came his way.

A day later, he sat in class, still mulling over the events of the Sports Festival. The internships were just around the corner, and Shinsou had already accepted Aizawa’s offer to transfer into the hero course. Izuku had seen the tears in Shinsou’s eyes when he received his internship offers—one from Present Mic, the other from Ms. Joke.

'Guess Dad pulled some strings,' Izuku thought. He wondered which offer Shinsou would choose, but it wasn’t really his business. Shinsou might be his half-sibling, but that didn’t give him the right to interfere.

"Izuku," Yamada's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Someone’s here to see you."

He looked up, startled to see Principal Nezu standing in the doorway.

"Ah, Midoriya-kun," Nezu said cheerfully. "It seems you’ve received an internship offer."

Izuku blinked in surprise. "An offer? But… I lost."

Nezu smiled. "Indeed, you did. But the pro hero who sent the offer was impressed with your strategic thinking and potential for growth—especially during your match with Todoroki."

Izuku’s heart raced. "Who… who sent the offer?"

Nezu’s eyes twinkled as he handed Izuku a neatly folded letter. With trembling hands, Izuku unfolded the paper and froze when he saw the signature at the bottom.

All Might.

"All Might?" Izuku whispered, his eyes wide with disbelief. "But… why?"

Nezu’s smile softened. "He sees something in you, Midoriya-kun. Perhaps the same thing we all see. But you’ll have to find out for yourself."

Izuku stood there, staring at the letter, his mind racing. All Might wanted him? Of all people, him? The boy who wasn’t even in the hero course yet—the one who didn’t use his quirk? He couldn’t believe it.

"I… I don’t know what to say…" he stammered, glancing from Nezu to Yamada who was watching him with a mixture of pride and caution.

"You don’t have to say anything right now," Yamada said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "But you should probably start by breathing."

Izuku let out a shaky breath, realizing he had been holding it in. A mix of disbelief, excitement, and nervousness swirled inside him.

"All Might… wants me…" he muttered to himself, still in shock. For the first time in a long while, he allowed himself to feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he was on the right path after all.

Chapter Text

Inko adjusted the collar of her blouse, trying to hide the tremble in her hands. The quiet in the room was suffocating as she waited. This was supposed to be her second chance. She’d been promised that much. She’d thought if she could just get things right this time—no mistakes, no distractions like Izuku—everything would fall into place.

The last few days had been a blur. The young man, Shigaraki, had looked at her with disdain, muttering under his breath about how she was "easy on the eyes" before returning to his video game. Then there was Toga, the blonde girl who made Inko’s skin crawl. Toga had gotten right up in her face, asking strange questions about blood and whether she could call her "mom." It took every ounce of self-control not to recoil.

And then there was Kurogiri. Quiet, efficient, distant. He seemed like the only adult in the room, but even he unsettled her in ways she couldn’t quite explain. The others never introduced themselves, but the air of danger that clung to them was enough to make her constantly second-guess her decision to stay. She hadn’t signed up to be a glorified babysitter.

"This is my second chance," she whispered to herself, trying to calm her racing thoughts. "I deserve this."

When she was finally led to the dimly lit room where her husband waited, her breath caught in her throat. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn’t this. His face… or what was left of it. The years had not been kind, but it wasn’t just the disfigurement. There was something in his eyes, a malice that hadn’t been there before.

"I know I'm not much to look at, Inko," he said, his voice gravelly and harsh like he hadn’t spoken in weeks. "It’s part of the reason I haven’t come back sooner for you."

Inko swallowed hard. "I… I just…" The words died on her lips as she tried to process the man before her. She remembered the quiet, ambitious man she had married. But this person, this... shadow of her husband, was someone else entirely. A stranger.

"Just what?" His gaze bore into her, cold and calculating. "You thought you could walk away from everything and start fresh? You thought you could forget what you owe me? Izuku may have been quirkless but we can start again."

Her heart raced as she struggled to find a response, but the door behind her opened, and a chill ran down her spine.

"Am I interrupting something, or can we move on?" Shigaraki’s voice was as casual as ever, though the irritation in his eyes was evident. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, a sneer playing on his lips. "You and your 'second chance' are taking up valuable time."

"Do I have to do this?" He doesn't want to whine, whining isn't something that a hero does, and only pathetic villains whined about how 'life wasn't fair.'

"Our agreement was to work on your outlook. Your agreement with Nedzu includes doing these 'scare them straight' programs. If those that are young hear from someone close to their own age why they became villains, it may prevent them from making the same mistakes."

"Yeah, I get that. But why this fucking school?" 

Ryu growls, "Language pup."

He rolls his eyes, "Why this school?"

"You graduated from this school did you not, pup?'

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Nedzu wants to see what part, if any this school played in your descent into villainy. So while you are at the presentation, Present Mic will be gathering information."

He had wondered about that. Why the exuberant DJ hero had volunteered to come along, "Why aren't you doing the investigation?"

"Too personal pup. If I go interrogate them, I can't guarantee that I'll be able to keep my temper. But Hizashi on the other hand? He's good at getting people to underestimate him. He'll be more able to get the information we need."

He shrugs, really if they want to waste time looking into his shitty old school, he can't stop them. But he didn't really want to be here, the memories are assaulting him as he walks to the auditorium. The principal, a man he remembers bragging constantly for everything he did was glaring at him the way he used to for Deku. 

"Let's get this over with,"

Bakugo Katsuki stood on the stage, staring out into the sea of faces. His scowl deepened, and his patience was wearing thin. He didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to dredge up the past, but a promise was a promise. His arms crossed tightly over his chest as he took a slow breath, adjusting the microphone in front of him.

"You think being a hero is about having the best quirk? The flashiest moves? Well, guess what?" His voice cut through the murmurs, instantly commanding attention. "It ain’t. Being a hero is about grit, about not letting the world drag you down no matter how many times it tries."

The principal, sitting in the front row, narrowed his eyes, but Bakugo wasn’t concerned. His memories of this place weren’t pleasant, and he was going to make sure these kids knew exactly what he thought.

"I was the top of my class here, and you know what? I thought that made me better than everyone else. Thought it meant I’d be number one. But I was wrong. I was so focused on proving myself that I lost sight of what really mattered."

The students sat in stunned silence, a few glancing nervously at their friends. They’d expected some villainous sob story, but this… this was different.

Bakugo’s jaw clenched as memories flooded back—memories of Deku, of All Might, of his own misguided ambitions. "I’m not here to make excuses or tell you to feel sorry for me. I’m here to tell you not to make the same damn mistakes I did. You want to be a hero? Then stop acting like one just because you think you’re special. Earn it."

He could feel the tension in the room as his words sank in. Even though he hated being here, he was going to see this through. If he could stop just one of these brats from screwing up their life the way he nearly had, maybe this stupid program was worth something after all.

The room was silent as Bakugo stepped back from the microphone, his gaze sweeping over the crowd of wide-eyed students. He wasn’t used to this—talking to people about feelings, about lessons learned. He wasn’t Deku. But Ryu had been clear. This was part of his deal, and as much as it annoyed him.

As the students remained motionless, he could feel the weight of their stares. He hated it. He wanted to yell, to tell them to stop looking at him like he was some kind of cautionary tale. But he didn’t. Instead, he just stood there, arms crossed, waiting for whatever half-hearted questions they’d come up with.

Then, slowly, a hand shot up in the middle of the auditorium. A kid—scrawny, nervous, reminded him too much of Deku—stood to ask a question.

"You said you were at the top of your class. But… if you were so good, why did you—"

"Why did I end up like this?" Bakugo cut him off, his voice rough. "Why did I go from hero hopeful to the one standing here, warning you a lot about screwing up?"

The kid nodded, clearly nervous.

Bakugo exhaled sharply. "Because I couldn’t let go of my damn pride. I thought being strong meant I didn’t need anyone. Thought it was enough to just blast my way to the top." He paused, his fists clenching. "But strength isn’t just about power. It’s about knowing when to listen and ask for help."

He looked directly at the principal again, who was still glaring at him with that same disapproving look Bakugo had seen so many times directed at Deku, now directed at him. "No one’s gonna tell you that here. They’ll pump you up, and make you think you’re invincible just because you’ve got a flashy quirk or good grades. But they don’t tell you what happens when you start believing your own hype."

Bakugo’s voice softened, though it still carried that edge of frustration. "I didn’t get that lesson until it was too late. Don’t be like me. Don’t wait until you’ve hit rock bottom to figure it out."

The room stayed silent, every student hanging on his words. For once, Bakugo wasn’t angry—he was tired. Tired of holding everything in, tired of pretending it didn’t matter. He didn’t care if they saw him as a villain or a hero; what mattered was that they didn’t make the same stupid mistakes he had.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the assembly, Bakugo didn’t stick around for applause or questions. He turned on his heel and left the stage, the murmurs of the crowd already fading behind him. He had done what he came to do. Whether they listened or not, that was up to them.

 "You handled that well, pup."

Bakugo grunted in response, hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Whatever. I’m done here."

Ryu chuckled softly. "You may not like it, but you did a good thing today. Trust me, one of those kids heard you."

"Yeah, yeah," Bakugo muttered, heading toward the exit. "Let’s just get out of this hellhole."

Chapter Text

All Might stood at the edge of the training field, arms crossed, watching as Izuku pushed himself beyond his limits. The boy’s breath came in ragged gasps, sweat dripping from his brow as he struggled to press the weight bar upward, muscles trembling from the strain. And yet, despite it all, there was a faint smile on his face, one of pure determination.

“That’s enough, Izuku,” All Might called out, his tone firm but caring. “Pushing your limits is good, but you also need to know when to rest.”

Panting heavily, Izuku slowly lowered the weights, his arms shaking. “Just… one more rep…” he mumbled, though his voice betrayed his exhaustion.

All Might chuckled, shaking his head in admiration. This kid… he doesn’t have the raw strength yet, but he’s got more heart than anyone I’ve ever seen. There was something familiar in that relentless drive, something that reminded him of his own early days. Is this what you saw in me, Nana?

“Alright, young Midoriya,” All Might said, stepping forward to help Izuku sit up. “You’ve gone above and beyond today. But remember, being a hero isn’t just about building muscle.” A nostalgic grin tugged at his lips. “Even Sir Nighteye used to give me a hard time about the paperwork, always teasing me for not being sharp enough for the ‘boring stuff.’”

Izuku wiped the sweat from his brow, looking up curiously. “Paperwork? You?”

All Might laughed softly. “Yes, it’s true. But between you and me…” He leaned in with a conspiratorial grin. “I wasn’t actually that bad at it. I just let Mirai think I was helpless for a while. Sometimes, keeping people’s expectations off balance can be a strategic advantage.”

Izuku blinked in confusion. “But why would you do that?”

All Might’s expression grew thoughtful. “Because when people only see the brawn, they tend to forget the brain. And when the time comes to reveal your full potential, you can catch your enemies completely off guard.”

Izuku tilted his head, thinking for a moment. “Like my Pops?”

All Might raised an eyebrow. “Your Pops?”

“Present Mic,” Izuku explained with a small smile. “He’s one of my adoptive parents. Everyone sees him as the loud, hyperactive DJ with the flashy quirk. But at home, he’s way more thoughtful than people think. He’s smart. Sometimes, villains underestimate him because they don’t expect it.”

All Might nodded approvingly. “Exactly. That’s what separates good heroes from great ones—knowing when to play into expectations and when to shatter them.”

Izuku… you really are the perfect successor, All Might thought, his gaze softening. I just hope, with the help of the smartest people around, you never have to face the darkness that’s coming.

Later that night, in a dimly lit, seedy bar, a lone figure entered, his posture tense and alert. The rumors of the League of Villains had reached his ears—stories of their attack on UA, of how they dared to target children. He should be cutting them down without a second thought, but something stayed his hand. Perhaps it was their age. He remembered being young and lost once, unsure of his path until he found his purpose.

But that didn’t mean he would show mercy.

“Tell me why I should join you instead of killing you where you stand,” Stain growled, eyes narrowing as he studied the pale man before him.

Shigaraki’s lips curled into a twisted smile, his red eyes gleaming in the dim light. “We have the same goals, you and I. We both see the heroes for what they really are—vain, idiotic, self-serving fools who care more about fame than saving lives. I want to tear it all down, especially All Might.”

Stain’s hand twitched near the hilt of his blade, his voice low and dangerous. “You think you can destroy the heroes? You’re no better than the ones you hate.”

Shigaraki’s smile only grew. “We may not agree on everything, but you and I both know the truth. These so-called heroes? They’re a joke. Parading around in the spotlight while the real suffering happens in the shadows. But that will end soon. I’ll make sure All Might is the first to fall.”

Stain’s gaze didn’t waver. “All Might is the only hero left who lives by a true code. You won’t touch him.” He stepped forward, his presence menacing. “But if your actions bring the false heroes to their knees, I won’t stand in your way. I’ll watch and see if you have the strength to follow through. But if you fall short, I’ll cut you down myself.”

Shigaraki didn’t flinch under the threat, his voice quiet but full of challenge. “You’re welcome to try.”

In the shadows, Kurogiri watched with quiet interest. There was something dangerous simmering between these two, but for now, they were aligned in their goals.

“I don’t like that guy, Sensei,” Tomura muttered later, his voice dripping with disdain. “Why do we need him?”

“All part of the plan, Tomura,” the voice of All For One replied, calm and measured. “Think. What purpose can he serve for our cause?”

Tomura’s brow furrowed in thought before a dark smile crept onto his face. “The hero brats… they’ll be on their internships soon. With the Hero Killer causing chaos, they’ll be distracted. And while they’re busy, we can strike.”

“Good, Tomura. Remember, this is your chance to show me why you were the right choice. Don’t waste it.”

Tomura’s grin widened as he imagined the chaos to come. “The game begins soon, hero brats. Hope you’re ready.”

Chapter Text

Deciding which of the kids to take on as interns had been a discussion he'd never thought he'd have to have with his husband. Especially because he's never wanted to take an intern or felt like he was a good fit for an intern. He'd talked it over with the kids and his husband, and all of them had agreed. Monoma and Yaoyorozu would intern with him. As the ones with the more finicky quirks that they still didn't know the limits of and because Monoma had Erasure permanently copied as well as Blood Control, and Voice, it meant that if anything went wrong, he had another person that could cancel the quirks as well as be a defensive or offensive wall. 

Not that he expected anything to go wrong, but he hadn't lived for so long as an Underground Hero by being optimistic. Underground heroes tended to see the worst of society after all, and even with the plan of just patrolling, nothing else, there was no guarantee that his shift would go quietly. He's probably being paranoid, just twitchy because he remembers how quickly things can go to shit from his own work studies. 

He hated being right. He'd planned to show the kids his typical day, stopping at the park where the homeless hang out to check for the 'regulars' and if they need more blankets. Only there's not a sign of any of them. Not a single one. It sets his 'something is wrong' sense going. Even in the worst weather the 'regulars' are always in the park. Have been since before he was even a hero. But none of them are there. His next stop is the coffee shop where he normally picks up something while listening for gossip. The shop is closed. Everywhere he goes, the streets are abnormally quiet and he knows. There's something big that is going to happen. 

He can't blame his regular sources for going ghost when there is something big happening, but it just leaves him on edge. He's about to call it a day, tell the kids there's nothing for them to do when his phone sets off the special alert that it only sets off in one case: an all-heroes call out. Instantly his mind goes into planning mode. He could drop off the kids, should drop off the kids, but if he wastes time doing that he might be too late again. 

"Phantom Thief, Creati," he begins, calling them by their hero names gets their attention fast, good, "There is an all-heroes bulletin out. I'm just going to check where we have to be and then we're going. I expect both of you to be supportive only. I'm authorizing you to use your quirks as you see fit to help civilians. Stay back from the fighting. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!" They both say, and he smiles. Good. Looking down at his phone, his heart skips a beat. Hosu. They're being called to Hosu. That's where Tenya is. That's also where the hero killer is. Fuck. The first reports also mention creatures attacking civilians. God, he really wishes he had time to drop off the kids first. But he doesn't. 

It would be fastest to take the train to Hosu usually. But he is well aware that villain attacks, even minor ones can mean that the trains will be off schedule. That means he'll need to either commandeer a vehicle or he can call Hizashi and wait for him to get here with his ride. But Hizashi's radio station is pretty far from both Hosu and where they are now. Commandeering it is. There are only a couple of vehicles on the street, but there, is a shiny, black, Kawasaki Ninja. Not ideal for three people to ride on, but he'll make due. He leaves a note with his hero identification number, and the reason for commandeering the bike, and then quickly hotwires it. 

"Can you make three bike helmets Creati?"

She nods, and does so, "Okay, this is not ideal but it will have to work. Phantom Thief up front, Creati, get as close to him as you can. Now wrap my capture scarf around you two, that's it. Now hold on!"

He ignores the panicked breathing he can feel through the thin material of Creati's costume and makes a mental note to talk to the support department about that once this is over. She's going to need better protection going forward. 

They come upon a scene that he hoped he would never have to bring students into. The neighborhood is in flames. He can see a few, scattered civilians panicking as some smaller, winged Nomu are picking people out of the burning buildings, and dropping them. Over there he can see two of the larger Nomu like at the USJ. There is no sign of any other heroes besides himself and the kids. 

"Creati, make an evacuation zone. Phantom Thief, your job is to get out there, and direct people to Creati with Mic's quirk. Try to avoid using it near buildings, but get their attention."

He can't do anything about the larger Nomu, he barely survived the first one, but he can do exactly what he has told his students to do, be quick, be efficient, and get the civilians the fuck out of there and hope that backup will come soon. 

Three days he's had Izuku, and he knows it's time. He doesn't know how exactly he knows. He just knows. He's already added the hair to Izuku's water bottle, the one he watches proudly as Izuku drinks after cooling down from his daily workout. Izuku is so tired, he doesn't seem to notice. Good. Now all he has to do is wait a while for the kid's digestion to kick in and he could guide the kid in using the quirk. It hadn't taken him very long after he'd ingested his master's hair that he felt One for All. It was impossible not to. You don't go from quirkless to having a quirk without noticing the difference. It had been like there was always a hollow, missing piece to him, and then it was like an ocean of power that was his to control.

Nana had been so surprised he took to the power so quickly. He wondered how much of that was due to his own desperation and how much of that was raw talent. But he knew that Izuku would be perfect. He was the mirror to his own story after all. A quirkless kid, desperate for the chance to prove himself even though he knew it would be harder without the abilities his peers had, but Izuku didn't let that get him down. He was willing to put in the work, had a smile that lit up like the sun, and best of all, he had two heroic parents to help him grow. 

He smiled, thinking about how once Izuku showed signs of One for All, he'd take him to Mirai. To show him that he'd taken his old friend's advice. Thinking about how it would mend that broken bridge, about how Mirai would find this one to be so much like himself, but also so much like his old friend. He'd really lucked out passing by that training area when he had. 

He's shaken from his thoughts as a very specific alarm rings on his phone. It's an all-heroes call-out. That hasn't happened in a very long time. He looks at his successor, and back to the phone. Would an all-heroes call-out really be the best place for Izuku to learn to use One for All? Glancing at the screen, he makes his decision. He'd learned the best by doing, Izuku would too. 

"Izuku, there's an all-heroes call-out to Hosu. I'm afraid even at my top speed I wouldn't have time to take you somewhere safe. You're going to have to come with me. I'll authorize any actions you have to take to protect yourself and the civilians."

He'd almost slipped up by saying he'd authorize the boy to use his quirk, but he hoped Izuku would figure it out when One for All kicked in. 

He's almost taken aback when they arrive in Hosu. There are flames everywhere, and the only hero he can see is Manual, who is fighting the flames. 

"Manual. What's going on?"

"Creatures are attacking Hosu, and my intern Tenya IIda is missing!"

"Creatures?" He doesn't get a chance to ask much else as a monster slams into him. It's smaller than the one at the USJ, small and winged. It's also trying very hard to bite him. When he looks over, Izuku has disappeared.

"Manual," he calls out, as he slams the creature into the ground, wincing as brain matter squishes under his hands, "Did you see where my intern went?"

"He said he was going after my intern!"

Fuck, now Izuku was out there, with One for All, without him. He can't afford to go running after Izuku though, as a larger Nomu is roaring at him.

'If he dies I'm going to kill him!" he thinks, and then he thinks nothing more as he readies for round two.

Something is wrong with his quirk. Something is wrong. He knows it. Something has been wrong since that last workout. But he can't concentrate on the burning underneath his skin, or the flood of power that feels both very familiar somehow and also very strange. All he is thinking about is what he heard Manual say. He doesn't know Iida well. Doesn't know any of the hero hopefuls really. But what he does know is that he remembers Dad commenting on how unusual it was for Iida to pick Manual's agency in Hosu for his internship. Dad had tried talking to Iida about it, but there wasn't anything Dad could have done besides alert Manual to keep a close eye on Iida.

He knows though he can't say how he knows that Iida is in trouble. He has to find him. He looks for the first time at blueprints, somewhat surprised to see several floating in the air, even if he doesn't see the people they are attached to. That's unimportant right now. He keeps looking, there's an aunt he didn't know he had, an uncle, another four half-siblings, and a grandfather, but none of them have Iida's name. He keeps searching. There! In the alley just down the street! Iida's blueprint!

'paralyzed' is under the conditions in his blueprint. It's on the hero Native's blueprint too. But that's not what he's afraid of. He's afraid of the third blueprint he can see. 

'Stain/Chisome Akaguro/Hero Killer'

Fuck. What is he supposed to do about that? He's not trained to be a hero! His quirk is only villainous! But as he gets closer, he ignores all of that. If he does nothing, two people are going to die. Two good people. One a hero, one a hero hopeful. He can't allow that. He's never reached so far with his quirk before, but that power he feels, it's boosting his quirk. He can feel it. 

'what to change? And then it hits him. Stain is dangerous with his quirk, probably just as dangerous without it, but they'd have a better chance if Stain could not use it. He reaches out, and changes it. 'quirk paralyzes user after use'. It wasn't creative, but he watched Stain fold instantly. 

"Whoever you are, leave! This is between me and him!"

He rolls his eyes, "Iida you are being an idiot! Can you move?"

'Duck!' something in him says, and he does. A blade misses the back of his neck by a few inches, and when he looks, the hero killer is already up. 

"Another fake, here to die? I'll indulge your wishes."

'left!'  he dodges again. this time the blade wedges into the wall behind him. Panicked, he looks at the blueprint, trying desperately to think, but every time he looks, he has to dodge another swipe of a second blade. 

"I said leave!" he hears Iida from behind him, and he chances a look, the blueprint is smudged, but he can read 'is almost able to move'. He just has to hold out a little longer. He can do this. He has to do this.

"A good hero intervenes even if they aren't wanted! Even if I'm not a hero yet, I can't leave you two to die!"

"A true hero, how inspiring. You may leave true hero. Leave while you can."

"No." and then something strange happens, without reaching out, without looking at the blueprint, he thinks about how to stop Stain permanently. Something in him explodes out, and he stares at the green tendrils as they pick up Iida and Native. When he can see again he nearly hurls. Stain's blueprint reads 'will be tormented by visions of his kills'. He's catatonic. 

He doesn't have time to think about what he did, or where these strange tendrils came from. All he can think about is how tired he is. But he still has to get Iida and Native to safety. He slowly leaves the alleyway, with the hero and the hero hopeful cradled above him. He can kind of feel it, through the tendrils.

'blackwhip.'  something whispers, and he nods gratefully. 

'put them down! Now!'  he does so as quickly and safely as he can just as he feels everything stop. 

"Dad?"

And indeed, there is his Dad, looking furious as his quirk flares. It's only then he realizes just how tired he is. Sleep sounds good. He wants to.....sl...eeep

Chapter Text

Hizashi led Uraraka and Hagakure around the station, pointing out the finer details of a hero's life beyond the limelight. He and Shouta had carefully chosen which interns to mentor; Shouta took on Yaoyorozu and Monoma, whose quirks were more intricate and volatile, while Hizashi guided Uraraka and Hagakure, both showing more control and stability in their abilities. Uraraka had expressed interest in rescue heroics, so Hizashi wanted to show her the behind-the-scenes aspects. As for Hagakure, now that she could be seen, he thought this exposure might help her decide if the limelight truly suited her.

Just as he was about to demonstrate how his radio show tied into his hero work, an urgent alert cut through the air—the kind of all-heroes call-out he hadn’t heard in years. His eyes dropped to the screen: Shouta was already registered en route to Hosu, where the Hero Killer had last been seen, and where Tenya was currently interning. Shouta would need his support, but he had two interns in tow. It left him with a choice: leave them behind in safety or take them into the chaos.

Uraraka, Hagakure, there’s an all-heroes call to Hosu,” he explained, urgency threading his voice. “Aizawa is already on his way, and I need to join him. You can stay here, where it’s safe, or come with me. You're training to be heroes, so the decision is yours—but you need to decide now.”

“Tenya’s our classmate. I’m going,” Uraraka answered without hesitation.

“I’d never feel like a hero if I didn’t help,” Hagakure added, her voice firm.

“Alright then. You’re under my supervision, and you follow every order I give. Use your quirks to defend yourselves if needed, but no heroics outside my instruction. Understood? Let’s move!”

He quickly informed the hero line and texted Shouta about bringing his interns. When they arrived in Hosu, the sight was terrifying—buildings ablaze, smoke billowing in every direction. Hizashi immediately spotted Yaoyorozu at an evacuation point and Monoma guiding civilians, but there was no sign of Shouta.

"Creati, Phantom Thief, where's Eraserhead?" Hizashi demanded.

"He got called to handle a quirk manifestation," Yaoyorozu replied. "Some kid right in the middle of all this."

Hizashi’s blood ran cold. It couldn't be Izuku. All Might was supposed to be with him. There’s no way their son could be here, right? But the gnawing doubt wouldn't leave him. He knew Shouta would be handling it, but the urge to rush to his family was overwhelming. Still, he couldn’t abandon his duties now. He had to trust Shouta, as hard as it was.

"Uravity, help move the injured," he instructed. "Invisigirl, assist Creati at the evacuation point."

'you better keep the both of you safe Shou. I can't do this without either of you.'

Jin had been running low on funds and trying to pretend he didn't need to use his quirk to ensure he'd eat again that month when Giran had let him know that some upcoming villains that called themselves 'the League of Villains' were recruiting. He hadn't been interested. He didn't think of himself as a villain, not really. He was a petty thief at best. But most didn't see it that way. They either saw the strange behavior that his last quirk use caused him to fall into and assumed he was a crazy weirdo or they saw his criminal record and decided he couldn't be trusted with even sweeping the floors. So it's a little desperation and a little wanting to see what, if anything they were going to offer. 

Shigiraki had promised him safety, a place where no one would judge him for his strange behavior, or force him to do anything he didn't want to do. It sounded too good to be true. Especially once he learned that Shigiraki's boss was the boogieman who could take and give quirks. That's what sold him on the idea of working with Shigiraki. His boss could take and give quirks. If he did a good enough job, maybe Shigiraki would put in a good word and he could be rid of his cursed quirk.

Shigiraki lied about not forcing him to do what he didn't want to do. He was told he was going to use his quirk on the strange Nomu's to make an army. Told, not asked. Even though he'd tried to get them to see how much his quirk bothered him. He tried to tell them he didn't want to. Shigiraki had coldly told him it was that or 'sensei' would rip the quirk from him and give it to someone who would use it.  They may have labeled him a villain, but he'd never subject anyone else to his cursed quirk. Even if a part of him screams 'Don't do this!' as he copies and puts out more clones than he ever has before. 

It's not like he had a choice, and maybe Shigiraki wasn't lying about changing society once this was all done. Maybe all he has to do is hold out until 'Sensei' forces the world to fix things so that people like him don't have to hate or fear their quirk. He doesn't know if he believes himself, but what other choice does he have?

There's a panic in Shouta's movements as he desperately tells himself that it can't possibly be their son that he's being called to handle. That their son isn't having a traumatic quirk manifestation. But he remembers his son being so scared to tell him about his quirk. He remembers the quiver in his son's voice when he told him 'I can't use my quirk.' and he wondered at the time if it was for the same reason he hadn't used his for so long. He remembers the blindfold they made him wear at every moment of the day, he remembers being called a 'creepy villain in training.' 

He hopes that he is wrong about who he is being called to help with. His son is with All Might, and All Might wouldn't be stupid enough to bring an intern who isn't even a hero student along to an all-heroes call-out. But then again, the man might have had no choice. Just like he hadn't had a choice. He'd had to respond, had to get to Iida. Had to make sure his kids were all safe so that he could scold them for being morons. 

He hopes and he prays as he pushes himself, only to see exactly what he'd been worried about. He sees the bright green hair first, the only thing he can see through the writhing green, sparking tendrils. He sees Iida and Native are held in two of those green tentacles. 

But all he can think about is how no wonder his kid didn't want to talk about his quirk. He's not going to lie, it's a pretty scary-looking quirk in how it makes his son look like one of those renditions of Cthulu he'll never admit that he found terrifying. But it's more than the writhing tentacles, it's the pressure. Like something wild and untamed has been unleashed. He has to get his son's attention, and hope that his voice will get through so that his son will put Iida and Native down.

"I'm here son, you can let go now."

Those tendrils softly place Iida and Native down, and once they do he activates his quirk. His son drops to the ground, and he rushes forward. Thankfully, he can feel the rapid pulse under his fingers as he checks. 

'quirk exhaustion.'  his mind tells him, and he's glad that seems to be the only injury his son has. 

He doesn't truly remember the time that follows as he waits for the paramedics to come. He knows he's disassociating, but he can't bring himself to care. His son is safe, his kids are safe. He is safe. That's all that matters right now.

Izuku is floating in a dark void, but he isn't alone. The void opens to a room that has eight chairs in it, though the eighth chair has been tipped over and broken as if someone or several someones had gone to town on it. 

"Aww, you're here!"

He jumps and sees there behind him is a white-haired, excitable-looking man.

"Yoichi! You weren't supposed to scare Ninth!"

"Sorry, it's just when I realized you could hear us right away, could already tap into our quirks, I knew you'd be here next. And then when I realized why you could do those things, I got so excited! It's nice to meet you, Nephew."

"What?" it comes out garbled like he hasn't talked in forever.

"Yoichi! We agreed we'd break that to him slowly."

"Sorry," Yoichi rubs the back of his neck, "But I just couldn't help myself. Look, Nephew, we don't have a lot of time so we have to make this quick. I'm your Uncle, your dad was my brother, and my quirk has been passed down the line of heroes because my stupid brother can't let it go that it's my quirk, not his. Unfortunately, we know that my quirk being passed to you is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing in that you are genetically compatible with my quirk, what with being my Nephew and all. But a curse in that because you already had a quirk, it's going to kill you if you don't change it. As soon as you wake up you have to use your quirk to change One for All, that's my quirk by the way, change it so that it won't kill you."

He doesn't know what he's supposed to say to that. How did he get One for All? He knew from when he'd seen All Might's blueprint that it could be passed down, but how did All Might give it to him? Why? He was the last person All Might should have trusted this to. But it also sounds like anyone else who would have received One for All that had a quirk would die if they did. He can fix that.

"Looks like you're waking up Nephew. We'll try to tell you more the next time you find yourself here, but don't be in a hurry.'

he’s surprised when he wakes up it isn’t to his dad's worried calm or his pop’s ’I’m not mad just disappointed’ face but to Principal Nedzu and All Might. 

“Young Midoriya! You did very well for your first run with my quirk! I’m very happy that you had no issues, though I admit to being curious as to why it manifested as a quirk that matches one my master said was a quirk of one of the previous heroes to hold One for All."

"All Might, what happened?" He wants to ask why. He wants actually, to demand to know why All Might had passed his quirk on to him. He was the worst choice for this, no matter what his apparent 'Uncle' might have said. Couldn't All Might have seen that?

"Yagi, why don't you go for a bit of a walk? I need to talk with Izuku."

"He's not in trouble is he? Perhaps I should stay."

"Now Yagi. If it makes you feel better you can go inform Aizawa and Yamada that their son is awake."

"If you're sure..."

He watches All Might leave, and then turns to the principal, "I think we need to discuss what you are going to tell your parents about your quirk and what we are going to do moving forward."

"You mean All Might's quirk? I didn't ask for it!"

"No Izuku, I mean your quirk. I am well aware that you are the reason that Aizawa, your classmates, and Bakugo all had alterations to their quirks."

"A..am I being arrested?"

"No. I don't think you wanted to cause harm, did you?"

"I thought I was helping." he sobs, "But my quirk is villainous, its wrong. I can't use it, but I also can't not use it. Not if I want to be a hero instead of a villain. Will you help me?"

Nedzu smiles a sharp, predatory smile, "Of course. What kind of hero would I be if I didn't help you? So here's what you do. You tell the truth. You used your quirk to alter theirs without permission because you wanted to help. Then you offer to alter it back. I'm assuming you can do that, yes?"

"I don't know. I've never tried. But my quirk can alter anything about another person's blueprint, including the limits and side-effects of their quirk, so maybe? But what about All Might's quirk? How am I supposed to explain that?"

"You don't."

"What? But I can't keep secrets from my dad! He's going to know something doesn't line up when I tell him about my quirk."

"Let me rephrase that. All Might's quirk comes with a lot of responsibility and it also comes with a huge target on your back. So tell him it's a mutation of your own quirk, or that you messed around with your own 'blueprint' and that the additional 'quirks' are a result of that."

"Will it keep my parents safe?"

"Safer than if anyone thought they knew about you carrying All Might's quirk. All Might has made a lot of enemies, and you wouldn't want them to hurt your family, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't"

"Good."

He sighs as his parents come into the room, followed by All Might, who Nedzu pulls away. He's glad he doesn't have to stumble through an explanation of his quirk with All Might there. 

"DAD! POPS!" 

He cries as he finally lets it all out, how he altered his Dad's quirk, how he had altered his classmate's quirks, how he'd altered Bakugo's, how he couldn't help the side effects of his quirk, the itching eyes and the twitching hands. How it had 'mutated' due to messing around with it. Dad runs a hand through his hair, and Pops looks like he doesn't know how to respond.

"I see why you didn't tell me Izuku. I'm not happy that you messed with so many people's quirks without their permission, but I understand that every quirk has its drawbacks and it sounds like it physically hurts you when you don't use yours. Also, if you hadn't messed with my quirk, Tsuyu and I would probably be dead. So thank you, son. Thank you for making it so that I could protect your classmates."

Pop's gathers him into as best of a hug as he can manage with him in the hospital bed, "We love you, son. Don't ever doubt that. I can't say that I'm happy that you did what you did and that you kept it secret. But I understand. That doesn't mean that you're off the hook. I expect you to apologize to your classmates for using your quirk on them without permission. Though now that we know that their quirks aren't going to randomly mutate more they can go home! I think they'll be happy about that."

He doesn't have the same confidence his Pop's has. He's pretty sure none of them are going to want to talk to him for a very long time. But he supposes he will deserve that if that's what they want.

"We'll have to figure out how to get permission to use your quirk as well as to train those mutations. For now, just focus on getting better."

He can't help the tired smile he flashes his parents, glad that for now they knew about his original quirk. He still didn't feel very good about lying to them about One for All, but Nedzu had a point. All Might had made many enemies, including it seemed, his father who had somehow given One for All to his Uncle. He'd worry about that later. For now, all he wanted was to sleep.

Chapter Text

 The plan was coming together much better than he ever could have expected. As the principal of UA, he had to look at what was best for all of the students under his care. Even if he liked his Shouta, felt a sort of parental pride for the man, and felt a sort of connection to the boy he'd tossed at Shouta hoping that his Shouta would do exactly what he was doing, becoming more open and honest with his feelings and less like himself. But as the old saying goes, 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one.'

When he'd stumbled upon the massive secret that had been One For All, he hadn't been Principal yet. He'd barely begun his career as 'Mr. Principal' the intelligence hero. But his need to know combined with his ambitions had pushed him into investigating the mystery that was the fight between All Might and the villain that seemed to have too many names. 

He'd picked the name Mr. Principal as a promise to himself when he'd won entry to UA so long ago. That one day, he'd be exactly that, the Principal so that he could Mold the minds of the future to take All Mights place. Because he'd seen what had happened during that brief period where All Might had ensured peace. Sure, crime had lowered over night, but it didn't solve the big issue. 

The villain All Might had fought was the head of a huge crime ring spanning back to before there were computer records, and he had checked! That kind of evil, with that kind of power, after he realized the man was the famous 'boogieman' that underground heroes talked about, the man who could take and give quirks like candy, he realized it wouldn't stay dead. No, if he knew anything about this slippery opponent, he knew that the man had to have gathered enough followers or enough quirks that the only way that he was even relatively sure they'd ever be safe from that man was if he was beheaded, burned, and then the ashes scattered in as many different locations as possible. Even that he was not sure would completely ensure the boogieman would never return.

Learning All Might or Toshinori Yagi had limited time had been as easy as breaking into his hospital records, a very easy feat for him. It disturbed him, that the only man that had managed to make a dent into such a villain was so injured that he could no longer be a proper hero. So he'd made a few contingency plans. 

He'd remodeled UA during summer break so that if he chose to do so, the whole entire facility, grounds and all would be able to turn into a flying fortress. He saved that plan for a 'ditch and run' strategy. If he thought he could bait that villain into attacking UA when there weren't a lot of teachers or students around, he fully intended to launch UA into space. It wasn't his favorite plan, as that one would require him to pilot it. But it went on the list of plans. The plan for finding a successor for Toshinori was one he 'suggested' to Sasaki Mirai when they met once, but Sasaki had been as stubborn as Toshinori, and had jumped the gun by suggesting his work-study student Togata Mirio. Toshinori had a big fight with Sasaki, and a bigger one after the events of the USJ attack. That plan, he thought he was going to have to scrap. 

Then, he stumbled into the mystery that was Monoma Neito's quirk 'evolving' even if it didn't fit the pattern that the others did. That caused him to dig deeper, to find out that it was the very student that his Shouta was getting attached to. From there, it was easy to 'arrange' for Toshinori to just so happen to be going past the gym as Aizawa was training with Izuku. 

Izuku's quirk would be boosted by One for All, it would be the winning piece for his game, he knew it. 

"You're awake again, good."

"I told them. You were right. They weren't mad."

"Good, that's good Izuku. Now for the next part. I am endeavoring to get you a quirk usage licence. I'm not sure if you know what those are for."

Izuku shook his head. "No, I’ve never heard of them."

Nedzu chuckled. "It’s quite simple, really. Doctors, nurses, paramedics, rescue heroes—they all have the ability to use their quirks without restriction when lives are at stake. In your case, it means you’d have the authority to alter or even turn off someone’s quirk if it’s necessary for their safety or to stop them from hurting others."

Izuku frowned. "I don’t know. That sounds like a slippery slope. What if I start thinking I have the right to change someone’s quirk just because I think it’s necessary?"

Nedzu nodded, a touch of pride swelling in his chest. The boy was asking the right questions. "That's why you’ll undergo rigorous training, Izuku. You’ll study ethics, psychology, and be taught by those who understand what it means to wield that kind of power responsibly. But if it still bothers you, you can always speak with Aizawa. He's walked a similar path as an underground hero."

Izuku took a deep breath, nodding. "If Dad did it, then I guess I can, too. And tomorrow, I’m going to apologize to the class. I’m going to tell them everything about my quirk. Would you ensure Bakugo is there too?"

"Of course, Izuku," Nedzu responded with a warm smile, though inside, he was already several moves ahead in his plan. 

The following morning, Izuku stood before his classmates, feeling his heart pound against his ribs. This was harder than any training he'd ever done.

"I… I want to apologize," he began, his voice shaky but growing stronger with each word. "I haven't been honest with you all, and I’ve made decisions that weren’t mine to make. My quirk is called 'Blueprints.' It lets me see the inner workings of others' quirks and alter them."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the room, but Izuku continued. "That’s why some of your quirks have changed—Uraraka, Yaoyorozu, Hagakure, Bakugo, Monoma, and Aizawa-sensei. I changed them because I thought I was helping, but I know now that I overstepped. I can change them back if you want."

Aizawa was the first to speak. "No need. The alteration makes me more effective as a hero. I’ll keep it."

"Same here," Hagakure chimed in. "I love being able to be visible. It’s like I have a whole new life!"

"If you wouldn’t mind," Uraraka said softly, "Could you change mine back? But maybe, just reduce the nausea instead of eliminating it completely? I still need that warning."

Izuku nodded, and with a careful touch, he adjusted her quirk’s blueprint. "It should just cause minor nausea now."

"You'd better not change mine back," Bakugo said, surprising him, "I..need to be a better person before I trust myself without the limits."

Monoma laughed. "You kidding? Permanent quirk copying? I’m keeping this, thank you very much!"

Yaoyorozu gave him a polite smile. "I’d prefer mine returned to normal if you please."

Izuku made the change, and suddenly, the weight on his shoulders felt just a little lighter. "Why… why are you all being so understanding?"

Uraraka stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Because you’re one of us, Izuku. We’re a team, and teams support each other. Just… don’t make a habit of it, okay?"

Izuku felt tears well up in his eyes and nodded, a genuine smile finally breaking through the fear and uncertainty. As he stood there, surrounded by acceptance, he felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time—hope.

Nedzu watched from his hidden cameras, allowing himself a rare moment of genuine warmth. Yes, the plan was coming together quite nicely.

Chapter Text

When he first woke up to the white ceiling, the pain was all-consuming. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, and the only thing keeping him anchored was a series of fragmented memories—children, a black-haired man desperately reaching out to him, and then the crushing weight of darkness.

“Ah, you’re awake,” came a voice, cutting through the haze.

He blinked, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Everything hurt—his head, his chest, his very being. Something was missing, something important, but he couldn’t grasp what it was.

“Where… where am I? The children… are they all right?” His voice was hoarse, the words tumbling out before he even knew he was speaking.

“Oh, you remember? That’s quite a surprise,” the man said with a smile that never reached his eyes.

“Only vague snippets,” he confessed, surprised at how easily he shared the information. He’d never liked doctors. “I remember the children and a black-haired man trying to reach me, then nothing but pain.”

“You were caught in a building collapse. The heroes couldn’t reach you, but I could.” The Doctor paused as if savoring the next part. “I happened to be nearby, you see. I’m a doctor, and when I saw what you did, I knew I had to help.”

He sensed there was more to the story, but he decided not to press. He couldn’t remember much, and even if this man made his skin crawl, he owed him his life… for now.

“The children?” he asked, clinging to that one fragment. “The black-haired man? Are they safe?”

“As far as I know, they’re fine,” the Doctor answered, his tone dismissive.

“Well, that’s good.” He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Does anyone know I’m here? It feels like someone should be looking for me, but I don’t remember who…”

“Of course, of course!” The Doctor waved a hand. “Now, lie back, young man. You’ve been through quite the ordeal. You need your rest.”

The last thing he saw before sleep claimed him again was the glint of a needle in the Doctor’s hand.

“Experiment #4, test subject 01, tell me your name.”

He blinked against the harsh white light. Where was he? “Wh…what?” His mind felt sluggish as if weighed down by an unseen force. The pain lingered, a constant reminder of his situation. Why was it so hard to breathe?

“Test subject 01, what is your name?” The voice was sharper this time, more insistent.

“I… don’t know…” he stammered. “O…?” It was there, right on the tip of his tongue, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t reach it. The flashes came again—the black-haired man, the crumbling building…

“Test subject 01 still retains some memory. We’ll proceed with further reduction.”

“W-wait!” he cried, trying to twist away as the needle approached, but his arms wouldn’t obey him. He was bound, helpless.

“Experiment #1001, test subject 01, what is your name?”

The pain was worse this time, sharp and unyielding. He gasped for air, feeling like he was drowning. There were snippets of something—someone he needed to reach—but it was slipping away.

“I… I don’t know,” he murmured, eyes fluttering shut. “Do you?”

“Test subject 01, what do you remember?”

A voice deep inside him screamed to stay silent, to keep whatever scraps of memory he had left. So, he obeyed, saying nothing.

“Experiment #1001 is a success,” the Doctor announced, his tone detached. “Your name is Kurogiri, and I am the Doctor. My master found you, and I fixed you. Your purpose is to serve the master.”

“Master?” he repeated, but there was no time for more questions. He was dragged forward, presented to a man whose mere presence sent chills down his spine.

“Ah, our guest is finally ready,” the man said with a smile that didn’t match the coldness in his eyes. “Do you know why I saved your life, Kurogiri?”

“No,” Kurogiri answered, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

“Because the heroes left you to rot. Just like my apprentice. But I saw your potential.” The man leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You want to help, don’t you?”

He did. The words resonated deep within him. ‘Heroes help people.’ The phrase echoed in his mind, but was that something he’d once believed, or just a ghost of a memory? He didn’t know. All he knew was that he owed this man his life.

“Good,” the man said, clearly satisfied. “You’ll follow my orders, keep watch over my apprentice, and track of this woman and her child. Do you understand?”

Looking at the picture of a green-haired woman, heavily pregnant, something in him screams not to help, all he says is:

“Yes, sir.”

Kurogiri’s life blurred into a routine—carrying out orders, watching over the woman and her son, and relaying information back to the man. But every time he looked at them, something inside him twisted painfully. It was worse when he saw the boy declared quirkless.

He saw the black-haired man again, this time in the chaos of UA’s invasion. Recognition flashed, but Kurogiri couldn’t move. He couldn’t speak. He was ordered to follow Shigaraki’s commands, and every time he tried to defy them, the pain became unbearable.

‘Children shouldn’t be fighting adults’ battles.’

He doesn't know why he does it, but he tells his master about the woman he's supposed to be watching, master doesn't remember her, like he didn't remember a lot of things after the battle with the hero who smashed his face in. When he brings his master a picture of the boy, along with the report from his visit to the Doctor, he watches his master's smile turn cruel. 

"Ah, I think I know why I had you watch them. The woman, she had a null, but she's not so old that we couldn't try again. Bring her to me Kurogiri."

He couldn't fight the order, and so he did. Slowly, without his portals to not arouse attention. She was terrified, and he should be doing something—anything—to help. He could almost hear that black-haired man’s voice: ‘Civilians need protecting.’ But he stayed silent, bound by the chains of obligation holding him to his master's service.

“Help,” he whispered to himself. “Follow orders. Help. Follow orders.”

The words tangled together, looping endlessly in his mind. He wasn’t even sure which was the truth anymore, and maybe, just maybe, it didn’t matter.

Because as long as he could still feel, still fight that tiny spark within, he wasn’t truly lost. Not yet.

Chapter Text

He'd almost forgotten about fixing One for All in all the craziness that had happened during the last couple of days. Since he couldn't talk to his Dad or Pop's about it, he had to resort to experimentation. When he looked in the mirror, it weirded him out. 

His quirk, which he'd only briefly looked at once in the mirror no longer read 'Blueprints' but now read "One for All' first then 'Blueprints' after it. As though One for All had taken over his original quirk. 

'Sorry Nephew. One For All tends to do that. It usually boosts the person's quirk if they have one, or boosts their musculature if they don't. Don't think too much about it. Just fix the part where it will kill you.'

He's still not used to hearing his 'Uncle's' voice in his head, or any voice in his head for that matter. But Yoichi is right, he has to fix this. He has to focus really hard on the part of his blueprint that reads 'One For All.' Then, he has to focus even harder on the part under One for All that reads 'quirk takes energy/life force from users with a quirk.' He changes it to read, 'Quirk takes energy from external sources.' 

It was almost instantaneous. He could still feel the well of power that came from One for All, like an ocean, but the tiredness he'd felt before, the ache that he'd felt in his bones from using 'blackwhip' and 'danger sense' at the same time finally seemed to ebb. He sighed in relief.

'Did it work?"

'I don't know. But it feels different.'

He'd have to hope that was enough. Now for the other problems. Dad had come to him after the whole apology scene in the classroom.

"Now that you are ready to use your quirk and aren't hiding it, are you ready for your transfer?"

"I don't know if I'll ever really be ready. But it's something I've dreamed about since I was small, and I think I want to do it, Dad. It'll mean a lot of catch-up, I've been suppressing my quirk for so long, and with the new aspects due to my messing around, I'm still scared. I'm going to be so far behind them Dad."

"What did I tell you before? You will have to put in twice the work, are you still willing to do it?"

He thought for a few seconds. It was his dream, if he didn't do this, he'd never know if it would be possible. Sure with the quirk usage license, he could be very happy just helping people with their quirks, and he did still intend to do that. But it wasn't his dream. Heroics was his dream. He had to know. 

"Yeah Dad, I am."

Conviction filled his voice.

"Then welcome to your hero academia Izuku."

As his dad left, he thought about the other problems. His issue with his quirk may be solved, but there were still the half-siblings that he had to talk to, parents to tell about said half-siblings, and all of those people that blueprints told him were related to him through his birth father. His birth father who was the biggest villain of all time. His birth father who if he ever found out about them, would probably go after them for their quirks. Because it seemed to be a pattern. Every time he found a new half-sibling, they all had ridiculously overpowered quirks. Even Hitoshi, who was afraid of his quirk had a very powerful one. Hitoshi would just need to see that it wasn't villainous. 

Villainous, wait, that gave him an idea for how he could get an 'in' with Hitoshi at least. But then, how to tell his parents about the whole thing? He'd worry about it at a later date. The rest of his morning he was a ball of anxiety as he prepared for his new classroom. However, he has a far different problem when he gets there. The traitor is still in class. The traitor is still in class, and he was there the other day when he'd told them all about his quirk. Had the traitor told his birth father about him? About his quirk, either of his quirks that his birth father would love to steal?

" Don't panic Nephew. One for All can't be stolen. You have to want to give it away, and it's stuck with you.'

It wasn't One for All he was worried about. It was blueprints. Especially with it being boosted. If his birth father ever found out, he knew his birth father would have no problems manipulating people's quirks to his heart's content. He almost panics.

'Change blueprints so it can't be stolen either Nephew."

He could have smacked himself and almost did. It was such a simple solution. But it would have to wait until after school. He already had a headache from messing around with One for All so it wouldn't kill him. He didn't want to have a migraine affecting him from quirk overuse on the first day. He put the traitor out of his mind for now. All Might had told him he'd deal with it, so he'd trust that the number one hero knew what he was doing when it came to things like that. That didn't mean he wouldn't keep a close eye on Aoyoma. 

"All right you hellions," Dad began, "Quiet down. Izuku has joined the hero course, but he is behind all of you. But you shouldn't rest on your laurels just because of that. You all need to be thinking about your finals. It'll be a test of everything we've gone over so far this year. We're also having a summer camp. Do well in your finals and you can come along. Do poorly and you'll be stuck behind while the others get an opportunity to hash out their skills. Izuku, don't forget that besides catching up I'll be expecting a hero name and costume by the end of the week."

The whole class groaned.

"Hey, Izuku, would you like to do a study group with me and Ashido?" Kaminari asked, "We're pretty far behind ourselves, so it would be nice to have a bit of help."

"Yeah, hey Kaminari?"

"Yeah Izuku?"

"Once I have my quirk usage license, I was wondering if you'd let me fix your quirk. You could say no if you want, and of course, I'd give you a chance to put in what you'd like for changes if you say yes."

"Are you kidding? Of course! I'd love for my quirk not to make me stupid all the time!"

He smiled, his new classmates really were the best. 

"Izuku, would you do the same for me?" he turned to see Hitoshi

"If you really want me to, then yes. Would you like to join our study group too Hitoshi?"

"Yeah, I think I'd like that."

As they settled in to study, Izuku realized something: he wasn’t alone anymore. He had people who understood him, and who would work alongside him. He might be behind, but he was finally moving forward—and this time, he wouldn’t have to do it alone.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi knew he’d been out of line at the Sports Festival. The moment the word "Null" left his mouth, he felt a twinge of guilt. He’d heard that slur tossed around by the older boys at the orphanage, always in hushed, mean-spirited tones. It was an insult meant to remind the quirkless of their place—of what they lacked. It struck a chord with him because he knew what it meant to be labeled, to be judged, to have others decide who you were based on the quirk you were born with.

At the orphanage, he was a “Villain,” “Freak,” and once, “Mind Rapist,” when someone truly wanted to hurt him. It was the price of having a quirk like his. They feared what he could do, but they never let him use it. From morning until night, they muzzled him, afraid he’d turn his power on them. He could have ended that with a single use of his quirk if he wanted. Some of the older boys even offered him deals—promised to take off his muzzle if he’d do as they asked. Illegal things. Horrible things. But even when he craved freedom, he resisted. Because he knew that once he crossed that line, there’d be no going back.

When he got into UA, he thought things would be different. It was his chance to prove he could be a hero. But when he didn’t manage to score more than a few points in the entrance exam, he was relieved he’d taken the general studies test as a backup. At least he had a place. Even there, his classmates kept their distance—except for Izuku, the quiet boy everyone assumed was quirkless.

Hitoshi thought about reaching out to him. He knew what it felt like to be on the outside, to be labeled for something beyond your control. But he didn’t know how to bridge that gap. Then Izuku showed up to class one day missing an ear, dripping blood onto the floor, and all Hitoshi could do was stare. Here was a boy who had suffered so much more for having nothing than Hitoshi ever had for having “too much.”

When the Sports Festival rolled around, Hitoshi saw it as his last shot. His only chance to prove he wasn’t just some kid with a villainous quirk. So he hardened himself to the idea of doing whatever it took to win, even if it meant using a low blow. He called Izuku a "Null," hoping to rattle him. But the boy just gritted his teeth and took him down without using a quirk. And that stung more than any insult.

After the festival, Aizawa pulled him aside.

“I have a spot open in my class,” he said. “I’m offering it to you.”

“Are you sure you want the villainous kid in your class?” Hitoshi asked, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “Especially after what I said to Izuku?”

Aizawa’s expression didn’t change, but Hitoshi could see the faintest hint of disappointment. “What did you say?”

“I called him a Null,” Hitoshi admitted. “Said I was surprised they let him compete. Not exactly hero material, right?”

Aizawa sighed. “Look, I’m not saying it was right. But I’ve been there. I’ve heard it all before. And I know that if you keep pushing people away, you’ll end up alone. Don’t let them turn you into what they say you are.”

Hitoshi nodded, determination swelling in his chest. Maybe there was still a chance to be the hero he wanted to be. And maybe, just maybe, he’d find a way to apologize to Izuku.

Aoyama had always known his role in the family. He was to be the perfect doll, the heir to their fortune, and a shining example of everything his family stood for. It was fine—until he turned six, and his quirk never manifested.

His mother pulled him from school, saying it was for his safety. But Aoyama knew it was about saving face. His father insisted that late bloomers were common in their family, but as doctor after doctor confirmed that he would never have a quirk, the fights started. He heard his father accuse his mother of infidelity, of tainting the family line with her "inferior" blood.

Then the man appeared. He promised to "fix" Aoyama, to give him a quirk as if it were as simple as granting a wish. All it would take was a future favor. The pain that followed was excruciating. It felt like something foreign was being shoved into his very soul. But there it was—his quirk. His parents were overjoyed, and for a while, Aoyama thought he’d finally be able to be their perfect son.

Until the man returned. The favor he demanded was betrayal: infiltrate UA. Become a traitor. Aoyama felt trapped, terrified, but he couldn’t refuse. Not when his family’s lives were on the line.

Then Principal Nedzu summoned him after the USJ attack. Aoyama thought he was caught, that it was all over. But instead, Nedzu had known from the start and wanted him to act as a double agent. Now he served two masters, each with their own demands. And all he could do was hope that by the end of it, he’d be free of them both.

Kurogiri didn’t understand why being around “Mrs. Midoriya” made fragments of memories flicker through his mind. Her quirk was ‘Pull,’ a minor ability that shouldn’t have affected him. But every time she moved, every time she looked at him, he felt… something. A warmth, a familiarity, that tugged at the edges of his thoughts.

He watched her clean up after Tomura and saw flashes of a warm kitchen, a mother’s hands guiding him through a recipe. When she tried to cook for the League, he’d see a blonde boy grinning at him over a bento box, saying, “Eat up guys!" 

Then there were the times she cried. And Kurogiri would see another woman, her face smeared with tears, wearing an outfit that left her exposed to jeers of “Whore!” even though he somehow knew she had no other choice.

He didn’t know why these memories haunted him, but the longer he stayed near her, the more certain he became that he had to get her out. It didn’t matter how deeply he was bound to his master. He would find a way. He had to believe he could still save at least one person.

And maybe, just maybe, he’d save himself in the process.

Chapter Text

Toshinori Yagi hadn’t intended to call Mirai Sasaki. He hadn't intended to reopen old wounds or revisit the pain of their estrangement, but when he chose Izuku Midoriya as his successor, a stark realization struck him—he had been a terrible friend. Almost losing Izuku to an attack by the Hero Killer, only to see his successor encased in lightning-wreathed tendrils of power, he knew he had made the right choice but also that he'd been deeply wrong about so many things.

He was proud of Izuku’s progress with One For All, especially how he'd wielded what appeared to be a quirk from a previous user. But he was horrified by his own failures, failures that had nearly cost Izuku his life. All For One was still out there. His creations—the Nomus—confirmed that. He should have realized it sooner, should have prepared Izuku better, but his pride had blinded him.

And now, here he was, swallowing that pride. He needed Mirai's help. He needed his friend to see what he couldn't. “I did what you suggested, Mirai. I passed it on,” Toshinori said, voice heavy with the weight of the admission.

“You… what?” Mirai’s voice on the other end was sharp, the anger cutting through even the static.

“Why are you angry? You told me to pass it on. You said my pride would be my downfall,” Toshinori replied, letting out a long sigh. “You were right. I was wrong. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“You could have consulted me! I told you I’d be professional, even if we weren’t friends anymore! I could’ve helped you pick the right candidate.”

Toshinori’s grip on the phone tightened, and he couldn’t help but bristle. “How would you know who the right candidate is? You haven’t met him, Mirai! Yes, you can see the future, but you're human, just like me. You said my pride would be my downfall, didn’t you? Well, that’s exactly why I need you now. Meet him, Mirai. See what I see. If I’ve handed this boy a death sentence, then I’ll do whatever it takes to prepare him. I’ll go to Aizawa, tell him everything, and make sure Izuku has all the support he needs.”

There was a long silence before Mirai finally sighed. “All right, Toshinori. I’ll meet with him.”

“Thank you,” Toshinori whispered, and as he hung up, he knew there was still one more call he needed to make.

“Nedzu, why are we changing the final exams?” Yamada Hizashi asked with a raised eyebrow.

“These kids have been through a lot. They’ve faced real villains, and the world won’t wait for them to be ready. We need to expose their weaknesses now, in a controlled environment,” he replied/

“So, what’s the plan?” Yamada leaned forward, intrigued.

“Each student pair will face a pro-hero. Their goal will be to either restrain the teacher or escape through the gate. It’s a way to test their ability to adapt and work together.”

“But we’re pros. Even with all their experience, they don’t stand a chance against us,” Yamada pointed out.

“That’s why we’ll be using these,” he said, holding up a set of weighted cuffs. “Hatsume from the support course designed them. They’re calibrated to slow us down, even you, All Might.”

“All right, so who’s facing who?” Yamada asked.

Nedzu listed off the pairings, and All Might’s eyes widened when he heard his name. “You want me to face three students?”

“Yes. Midoriya has barely tapped into his quirk, Ojiro is often overlooked, and Monoma needs to learn to work with others. You’re the best choice to push them.”

Toshinori’s gaze fell to the floor. “And if I hurt them?”

“Then hold back. I know you can do it, All Might,” He said cheerfully, “Remember, this is just a test.”

Meanwhile, across campus, Bakugo Katsuki stood before the 1-B teacher, eyes narrowed in disbelief. “You… want me to join your class?”

The teacher nodded. “We’re down a student since Monoma transferred, and you’ve been working hard to show you’ve changed. You deserve a chance.”

“But I’m a villain,” Bakugo muttered, the words laced with bitterness.

“You’re a reformed villain. And the person you are now wouldn’t let this opportunity pass by, would he?” The teacher’s words struck a chord deep within Bakugo, and he found himself frozen, unable to look away. “This is your chance to start fresh, to prove to everyone that you’re more than your past.”

Bakugo swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his decision settle over him. “I… I’ll do it. I want that chance.”

And as he shook the teacher’s hand, a glimmer of hope sparked within him—hope that maybe, just maybe, he could start again.

Toshinori stood outside Gran Torino’s door, heart pounding in his chest. He’d made all the calls, faced all the doubts, and now there was one final step. As the door creaked open, Torino raised an eyebrow. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Toshinori.”

“I need your help,” Toshinori said, bowing deeply. “Izuku needs training—training only you can provide.”

Gran Torino sighed but stepped aside, allowing him in. “You always were an idiot, Toshinori. But if this is for your successor, I’ll help.”

As Toshinori entered, he allowed himself one small, hopeful smile. For the first time in a long while, he wasn’t walking this path alone. And for the sake of his successor, he would gather all the allies he could, no matter how much it hurt his pride.

Because this time, he wouldn't fail.

Chapter Text

Toshinori sighed heavily as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. Both Mirai and Gran Torino had agreed to help, but that did little to soothe the gnawing anxiety in his chest. The upcoming conversation with Aizawa loomed over him, a storm cloud of dread. How could he explain to Aizawa that he had inadvertently placed his son on a collision course with death—because of a grudge from a monster Toshinori thought he had vanquished? All of this without ever consulting either the boy or his father.

He couldn’t shake the memory of his own choice when Nana had offered him One For All. Even after all the hardships he had faced as a quirkless teenager, he had options. His family had provided him a safe haven until he turned eighteen—a privilege many quirkless individuals today couldn’t count on. He could have refused Nana’s offer and continued as a vigilante, carving out his own path to heroism. But he hadn’t hesitated to accept One For All when it was offered, seeing it as a chance to be something greater. In stark contrast, Izuku had been given no such choice. Toshinori had handed the boy a tremendous responsibility and the weight of immense power without ever asking if he truly wanted it. Now, he feared he might be as bad as All For One.

His fists clenched as he resolved that if Izuku didn’t want One For All, he would take it back—no matter the consequences. He was determined to make things right. But if the boy wanted to keep it, Toshinori would stand by him every step of the way. He had already spoken to Gran Torino and Mirai; they were ready to help, and that was a start.

For now, he needed to focus on the task at hand—final exams. Steeling himself, Toshinori took a deep breath and stepped forward, letting the hero persona of All Might envelop him.

“All right, boys,” he called out, rolling his shoulders. “The rules are simple: either take me down or escape through the gate behind me. You have twenty minutes. Let’s see what you’ve got!”

"Ready," Ojiro said, his tail flicking with nervous energy. Izuku gave a firm nod, and Monoma flashed a confident smirk. "We’ve got this," Ojiro added, more to boost his own morale than anyone else’s.

As the fight commenced, Toshinori moved with the power and speed that had become his trademark. Ojiro swung his tail to meet him, but it wasn’t enough to withstand the force that sent him hurtling back. The shockwave caught both Izuku and Monoma, their forms struggling against the blast.

“All Might’s not holding back, huh?” Izuku muttered, eyes wide but focused.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he taunted, his grin unwavering.

Izuku took a calming breath, leaning in toward Monoma. "You know what to do," he whispered.

Monoma nodded quickly. “Just need a few seconds,” he said, "It’s now or never."

Toshinori watched with a mix of pride and curiosity, feeling his heart swell at their determination. "Let’s see if you can handle this!" he shouted, launching himself forward.

Ojiro moved first, attempting to knock him off balance with his tail, but All Might barely budged. Izuku seized the moment, green lightning crackling around him as black tendrils shot out, narrowly missing Toshinori’s head. He dodged with practiced ease, but when Izuku used the tendrils to grab Ojiro and yank him to safety, Toshinori felt a swell of admiration. The boy’s strategy was sound, even if he hadn’t landed a solid hit yet.

"Not bad," All Might praised. "But you’ll need more than that!"

Suddenly, green smoke enveloped him, likely another quirk from Monoma. With a clap, All Might sent a blast of wind to clear it, but when the smoke dissipated, the boys had vanished.

“Retreating already?” he called out with a chuckle. “Smart move.”

He vaulted over the rooftops, heading toward the gate, only to see them just a few steps from the exit. He landed heavily in front of them, blocking their path. Izuku yanked his teammates aside just before All Might’s fist created a crater in the ground, but this time, the boy didn’t back down. Instead, Izuku floated, the telltale shimmer of Nana’s quirk suspending him in mid-air. Toshinori’s breath caught in his throat.

“Nana?” he whispered, momentarily stunned. That moment was all they needed. Izuku flung Ojiro with surprising strength, using his tail as an anchor. Before Toshinori could react, he felt something cold snap around his arm—the unmistakable click of a handcuff.

He glanced down at the restraints and couldn’t help but grin. They’d done it. “You boys…” he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. “You really did it.”

Toshinori found himself standing in Aizawa’s office, his stomach twisting into knots. Aizawa sat behind his desk, his expression inscrutable, but there was a coldness in his eyes that made Toshinori feel as if he were facing an executioner. The weight of silence pressed down on him, making every breath feel like a confession. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke. “I need to tell you something about Izuku,” his voice faltered slightly. “About his quirk.”

He began from the beginning: how One For All was passed to him, its legacy, the immense power it carried, and the dangers entwined with it. He explained how he’d seen that spark of heroism in Izuku, how he had made the choice to pass the quirk on, and how he hadn’t shared the full truth with either Izuku or Aizawa. As his words flowed, he watched Aizawa’s face shift, moving from impassive to something darker and more dangerous, his eyes narrowing into slits.

“Let me get this straight,” Aizawa finally said, his voice unnervingly calm but laced with venom. “You gave my son—a boy who trusted you—a quirk that could get him killed, and you didn’t tell him? You didn’t tell me?” He didn’t wait for a response before standing abruptly, slamming his fist into Toshinori’s face with a force that sent him stumbling back. The crack of bone reverberated in the small room, and Toshinori tasted blood.

He didn’t defend himself, standing there with his head bowed, accepting the pain. “Yes,” he murmured, his voice hoarse. “And I regret not being honest sooner.”

Aizawa took a shaky breath, his eyes flickering with an emotion Toshinori had never seen before—fear. Not for himself, but for the boy they both cared about. “Izuku lied to me,” Aizawa muttered, more to himself than to Toshinori. “He told me the quirk he used to defeat the Hero Killer was from him messing with his quirk.”

The anger melted into anguish as Aizawa’s face paled. It was as if he could see every time Izuku had flinched, every time he’d hesitated, every time he’d told himself he wasn't strong enough, and it all made sense now. Izuku hadn’t just been lying; he had been carrying the burden of a second monumental secret, terrified of what it might mean.

“I can’t say sorry enough. I should have asked. I should have given him a choice,” Toshinori said, his heart aching. “What is Izuku’s original quirk, anyhow?”

Aizawa’s face hardened as he responded, “He calls it Blueprints. It gives him the ability to manipulate other people’s quirks.”

In that moment, Toshinori struggled to breathe. It sounded so much like... All For One. But it couldn’t be. Izuku was not him; he couldn’t be him. Shakily, he sank into a chair. “One For All boosts quirks,” he said, thinking of Nana, and what she would say. “He’s going to need more help than I thought. I’ve already contacted Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino, the mentor who took over after mine was killed. If we work together, we can ensure that this is the last mistake I make. He will have support—from you, from me, if you’ll allow it.”

Aizawa sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, but you're on thin ice."

Chapter Text

Wiping the blood from his nose, Toshinori reflected on everything. He was probably headed for another confrontation with a parent. His quiet colleague Aizawa, he understood. There is a saying, that you have to watch for the quiet ones, for their anger sits deep beneath the surface, but is easily stirred. He knows a lot about Yamada, or at least he knows about the man's heroic identity. Present Mic is known for being loud, and cheerful. He does not think he will get the cheerful version of his blonde colleague.

"Let me go in first All Might." Aizaw drawls, and he can hear the man entering, and a loud "HE DID WHAT?!" from inside.

The door creaked open, revealing a disheveled Yamada. "Come on, big guy, there's a soundproof room in the basement," Yamada muttered, his voice devoid of its usual cheer.

Toshinori gulped but nodded, knowing he needed to face this head-on. They descended into the well-lit basement, the door closing with a heavy, ominous thud.

"Sho had this put in when the principal designed this place for the kids," Yamada explained, his tone unnervingly calm. "My quirk can be dangerous at high volumes, but did you know it can be just as threatening at lower volumes?"

A low, unsettling tone began to reverberate through the room. Toshinori shivered, the sound vibrating through his bones, stirring a primal fear. "You feel that? That sense of dread? I can make it worse," Yamada whispered.

The pitch-shifted, oscillating between safety and panic, his mind teetering on the edge. Toshinori felt trapped, as if every breath he took brought him closer to suffocating. "That feeling of panic, of not knowing where the threat is? That’s how I felt when I found out you gave our son a quirk that made him a target for the only SSS-class villain in history."

The dread spiked, and Toshinori's heart pounded in his ears, louder than Yamada's words. "That’s how I feel when I think about everything my son has endured… and what’s still to come because of you."

Yamada’s voice faded, leaving Toshinori in an eerie, absolute silence. The darkness swallowed him, the void stretching out endlessly, and for a moment, it was worse than any wound he’d ever suffered. He was completely alone with his thoughts, his heartbeat echoing louder than any villain’s threats. How long was he trapped like this? He couldn’t tell.

Suddenly, sound rushed back, and he realized he was on his knees, clutching his head. "If you ever put my kid in danger again," Yamada’s voice cut through the haze, "I’ll leave you in that silence, let you go mad. Now, we have something to discuss with my son."

The climb up the stairs was heavy, every step filled with remorse. They emerged to find Izuku waiting. The boy's eyes flickered with determination, but there was fear there too. They sat across from him, the silence stretching like a chasm between them.

"The story of One for All started with two brothers," Izuku began, his voice steady. "The older brother, as I recently discovered, is my father."

Toshinori’s heart stuttered. All this time… All for One was Izuku’s biological father. Was it all a setup? Panic surged, but then, Nana’s voice whispered, 'Listen,' and so he did.

"One for All is more than just a power; it’s a legacy," Izuku continued. "It carries echoes, memories of those who had it before me. That’s how I learned the truth about my father."

The room fell silent as the revelation sank in. Yamada’s face paled, all the color draining away. "You’re… you’re saying…"

"My mother never told me," Izuku confessed. "She may not have even known. But I’m not the only one with this connection. I can see people’s information on their quirk's blueprints. it's how I know Aizawa has an unknown father and a secondary quirk. It's also how I know that Monoma, Yaoyorozu, Hitoshi… they’re all my half-siblings."

Aizawa sucked in a sharp breath. "My mother… she used a donor," he murmured, confirming what Izuku was saying.

Izuku nodded, pressing on. "I’ve inherited more than just One for All. I can use the quirks of the past holders. That’s why I’ve been able to master Blackwhip, and it’s why Monoma, while unable to copy One for All itself, can copy the quirks of its predecessors."

Toshinori felt his knees buckle, and he dropped to the floor before Izuku. "My boy, I am so sorry. I never meant to put this weight on your shoulders. But I swear I will do everything in my power to protect you."

"Thank you, All Might," Izuku whispered. "But there's more. I’ve learned that Aoyama is working as a villain informant. I told you, but nothing’s been done, and I’m worried. If he learns about my quirks… I shudder to think of the consequences."

Silence thickened, and they exchanged looks—fearful, determined. "We’ll handle this together," Toshinori promised. "We’ll figure it out."

Elsewhere, Aoyama trembled. He was caught between two worlds: the terror of All for One and the chilling intellect of Principal Nedzu. The principal’s gaze had always unsettled him, even as he offered protection.

"All you have to do," Nedzu instructed, "is tell All for One exactly what I’ve said. That All Might’s chosen successor will be training at the summer camp."

"But sir, aren’t we going too?" Aoyama questioned, confused.

"A cover story," Nedzu replied, his eyes sharp. "I cannot be certain you’re the only spy at UA. Therefore, you will be sent elsewhere. Our trap will be laid at the camp."

Aoyama wanted to protest, to question, but fear held him in place. He couldn’t trust All for One, who’d kill him once he was no longer useful. Nor could he trust Nedzu, who’d sacrifice him if it meant ensuring All for One’s defeat. All he could do was hope that, whatever awaited them at the camp, it would bring an end to this nightmare soon.

Chapter Text

Summer camp is coming up fast and he knows that the confrontation with his father is something he has to think about as well. He's finally gotten the quirk usage license to go with his new hero name: The altering hero: Catalyst. He thinks it's appropriate. He will be the catalyst for change, and perhaps for bringing down his birth father once and for all. 

Sparks of One for All flicker over his arms like lightning, something he's awed he can do.

"Hey kiddo, you feeling all right?"

"Yeah Pops," he says as he sighs, "Just...thinking is all."

"About?"

"A future confrontation with my birth father. It's going to come, and I can't help but feel its going to come soon. I ...have an idea about how to fix it. Or at least fix one of the problems that we will face going against him."

"I'm listening."

"If I change the blueprints of everyone I care about so that their quirks can't be stolen, then it takes that weapon away from him. I have to protect them Pops."

"I trust you, son. You can change mine first if it helps, is there anything else about my quirk that you'd change?"

"It hurt your hearing right Pop's? I could fix that for you if you'd like."

"Nah, I've learned to live without my hearing. I think it would debilitate me to be back to how I heard things before my quirk hurt them."

"Then I'll just alter it so that it can't be stolen."

"Go ahead, son."

He smiles, and with a gentle brush of his hand changes Hizashi's blueprint so that it reads 'quirk cannot be stolen'. One by one he goes through his classmates, asking each one to do the same thing. They all agree. It feels liberating to use his quirk like this. To be allowed to change something that will help, really help instead of hurting because he assumed. He doesn't know when the encounter with his birth father will happen, but he's sure they will be ready.

Kurogiri assumed that he had to help the Midoriya woman, the flashes of memory he kept having led him to believe that whoever he was before would not approve of the things his master made him do. But, over time with the new members of the league, he thinks that Mrs. Midoriya might not be the only one who needs saving. 

He notices that the child known as Mustard is exactly that, a child. He does not belong in a villain's association. He notices that Toga is being encouraged in her insanity instead of being given any idea on how to 'fix' her quirk problems. He notices that Tomura is being groomed for something. He doesn't know what, but it can't be good. Magne, Compress, and Spinner aren't much better. Master is promising them a new world where they can do what they want, but he doesn't think that Master intends them to be anything more than cannon fodder. Twice is the one he feels for the most. Twice who was told that he wouldn't be forced to do anything he didn't want to do, but has been forced to clone the Nomu's. 

"Watcha thinking about so much! I don't care!'

"You, the others." he hates that he isn't allowed to say as much as he wants. 

"Why do you care? You don't have to!".

"I don't truly know. My memories are foggy. But I see snippets sometimes. Those snippets lead me to think whoever I was would not agree with...this."

"You deserve to be happy! No one deserves to be happy! But we'd like you to be! You're our favorite here Kurogiri."

He archs an eyebrow, he didn't know Twice felt that way.

"I've got a terrible idea! I've got a great idea, my quirk! I can copy you, and me, as long as you keep track of me, and when we get the chance, we can both scram."

The thought gave Kurogiri pause. He’d never considered the possibility of being anything other than what he was created to be. But now, with Twice’s offer, an ember of hope sparked in the darkness. "Could you really do that?"

"Sure can! No, I can't, it's useless!  Won't be easy, but when has anything ever been easy for us? It'll be a cinch!" Twice replied, shrugging. "Just let me know when you're ready, and we'll figure this out together."

Kurogiri nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. Perhaps there was a way to carve out a different path, one that didn’t lead to inevitable destruction.

Chapter Text

“When were you ever going to tell me that I had a traitor in my class? That you were going to use that person—whether they were willing or not—to set up this twisted little scheme of yours?”

Aizawa’s voice shook with barely restrained fury. His dark eyes, usually so composed, now blazed with betrayal. The room seemed to shrink under the weight of his words. For a moment, only the soft hum of the air conditioner filled the space between him and the one person he’d trusted above all others.

Nedzu—Principal, genius, and mastermind—sat quietly, his paws folded neatly on his desk. The rat's beady eyes, gleaming with the sharp intellect that had guided UA for so many years, met Aizawa's storming gaze with a calm that felt infuriatingly unshaken.

“You always did have a way with timing, Shouta,” Nedzu said softly, his voice a mix of regret and cold calculation. “The fewer people who knew about this plan, the better. You have to understand… I did this for the future. For the survival of the school, and for the students. For you.”

Aizawa’s fists clenched. His knuckles turned white as his mind raced. The hero who had practically raised him—the one who had guided him from his troubled youth in the foster system, through his journey as a pro hero—was now revealed to be nothing more than a manipulator, pulling strings from the shadows. Aizawa had always thought Nedzu's methods were a little unorthodox, maybe even ruthless, but this? This was something else. This was... cold. Calculated. Cruel.

He had expected better.

“For me?” Aizawa spat, voice dripping with disbelief. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You’ve been playing us all like chess pieces, moving us around your board, making us act out your plans without any of us even realizing it! You let a traitor into my class! Into my school! You were willing to risk everything for one of your schemes. Did you ever plan to tell me? Or were you going to let me walk blindly into the fire?”

Nedzu's ears twitched slightly. His gaze never wavered. “If I had told you, Shouta, would you have agreed? Could you have lived with the knowledge that you were complicit in such a dangerous plan? No. You would have tried to protect them all—and in doing so, you would have lost everything.”

Aizawa’s jaw clenched tighter, his breathing heavy. He hated that the rat was always so logical. So damn right. And that only made it worse.

“The truth is,” Nedzu continued, his tone never shifting from calm, calculated rationale, “we are at war. All For One is the most dangerous villain the world has seen in two hundred years. If I don’t act now—if we don’t act—he will continue to twist the future to his liking, destroying every hope we have of stopping him. Do you really believe there was a better way?”

Aizawa’s stomach churned. The rat wasn’t wrong, not logically. But logic didn’t ease the sick feeling of betrayal that gnawed at his insides. He had trusted Nedzu—more than trusted him. The principal had been a guiding force, someone he looked to for wisdom. A mentor. A father figure. And now? Now he didn’t know what to think. It was like finding out that your compass, the one you had followed all your life, had been broken all along.

“If we do this… if we go ahead with your plan…” Aizawa’s voice was low, and dangerous, every word filled with weight. “Then you step down. As soon as this is over, you’re done. I don’t care if your plan works. I can’t work with you again, Nedzu. I won’t. Not after this.”

For the first time, Nedzu’s expression softened. It was a small thing, barely noticeable—the slight droop of his whiskers, the way his eyes dimmed. “I always knew this day would come. I’ve been preparing you for it since the Sports Festival, Shouta. I knew that one day, you would no longer see me as the protector of this school but as something… else. When All For One is no longer a threat, I will, of course, step down as principal.”

Aizawa glared at him, his voice a harsh whisper. “You’d better pray that your plan works, Nedzu. Because if it blows up in your face? I’ll make what those scientists did to you seem like a vacation.”

Nedzu didn’t flinch. His smile was tight, and sharp, like the edge of a well-honed blade. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, my dear Shouta. And for what it’s worth… I am sorry. I will miss being the principal. And I will miss being the person you thought I was.”

Aizawa stared at him for a long moment, then turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. The door slammed behind him, leaving Nedzu alone with his thoughts. He stared down at the teacup on his desk, watching the ripples spread across the surface of the liquid. He hadn’t lied to Aizawa—he would miss him. He would miss all of them.

But sacrifices had to be made.

He had known that from the beginning. He had known that when he first embarked on this long, lonely road. Whether he would regret it in the end? He didn’t know.

All For One’s lips twisted into a grotesque approximation of a smile as he listened to the report from his informant. His face, covered in the bandages and scars from his last battle with All Might, was as monstrous as ever.

“Are you certain of this information?” he asked, his voice smooth, dangerous.

The traitor shifted nervously. “Yes. Nedzu made the mistake of talking about it when I was near the teacher’s lounge. Our class is heading to the Wild, Wild Pussycats’ training camp for summer, and All Might will be in a private cabin… training one of the hero course students.”

For a moment, there was silence. The kind of silence that could only come before a storm. All For One’s mind raced. All Might, isolated. In the mountains. With his successor.

It was perfect. Too perfect.

If it was a trap, it didn’t matter. He had planned for every contingency, every possible outcome. All Might’s death—or worse, his failure—was guaranteed. Whether they were ready or not, they couldn’t stop him from reclaiming what was rightfully his.

His quirk. His legacy.

He chuckled darkly, a sound that sent shivers down the spines of those around him. “Toga, Twice, and Dabi will handle the distractions. Magne, Mr. Compress, and Spinner will take care of the Wild, Wild Pussycats. Muscular and Moonfish will attack the pro heroes. And Tomura… Tomura will be with me when I finally crush the symbol of peace.”

He stood, his figure looming like a shadow over the room.

“Yes… Everything is falling into place. Nothing can stop me now.”

And with that, the pieces were set, and the game was about to begin.

Only one thing remained certain: When All For One moved his pieces, there would be no mercy.

Chapter Text

Kurogiri’s mind raced, his chest tightening with every thought. He was trapped in a web of choices that led only to destruction, and he knew it. Even if the heroes managed to win this battle—and that was a massive if—the cost would be devastating. They weren’t just facing All For One at a fraction of his power. No, they were up against a cadre of some of the most terrifying criminals Kurogiri had ever had the misfortune to work with. The tension of the situation was unbearable.

Mustard, that boy with a quirk that unsettled him, reminded Kurogiri of someone—someone whose name he couldn’t quite recall, but whose presence haunted him. The child was barely old enough to understand the hell he’d signed himself up for, but it was clear to Kurogiri: Mustard was a pawn. All For One’s puppet. And then there was Inko Midoriya, pregnant with a second child—another heir to All For One’s line, one with his quirk. The thought of what awaited her chilled him.

Kurogiri had known Inko better than anyone else in this twisted game. He’d spent time with her, pretending to be her husband, pretending to be the man in her letters. But he was no more that man than he was a saint. He couldn’t help but feel guilty for the lie he’d lived with her. But what made his stomach churn the most was the truth she didn’t know: the moment that child was born, she would be nothing but a liability. Her life would be forfeit. And her child? That innocent baby would likely share the same fate. All For One never wanted a happy family.

If the heroes won, Kurogiri would need a new plan. One that didn't involve All For One’s twisted grasp on his every move. But could he really leave Inko and Mustard to their deaths? Could he abandon them to face the same horrific fate that had twisted his own soul for so long? The answer was no. He couldn’t. But as his loyalty to All For One pulled at him, the threads of resistance in his mind were beginning to fray. He was stuck, bound by forces he no longer wanted to serve.

Dabi’s eyes gleamed with fiery determination, but a strange unease prickled the back of his neck. The forest around him was too quiet, far too still for his liking. But he shoved the discomfort aside. All For One had promised him that this would be his last job—the final step before the ultimate destruction of Endeavor. And that was all that mattered.

“Just one more job,” Dabi muttered, setting fire to the dry woods around him. Flames licked at the trees, cracking and popping, filling the air with heat. Soon, Endeavor would feel the same flames. And when Dabi had his revenge, it would burn so brightly that nothing would remain of the man who had ruined his life.

Beside him, Toga pouted, her childlike whine breaking through his dark thoughts. “I was expecting more kids to play with,” she complained, her knife-edged grin twisting with hunger.

“Bet they’re holed up in the cabin. Our job’s to be the distraction. You know that,” Dabi snapped, his temper flaring as another fireball erupted from his hands. But the distraction didn’t come easily. They weren’t the only ones with a plan.

“I wanna play! I wanna see them in red, to become them! Boss promised I could!”

Dabi didn’t have time for her antics. A sudden explosion rocked the air, forcing him back with the force of it. He stumbled, righting himself as his gaze locked onto the two heroes who had just entered the fray: the explosive blonde, and the kid in the tuxedo, looking like they were ready to take on the world.

“The only people you’ll be playing with are the other inmates at Tartarus!” the tuxedo-wearing boy yelled. His voice was high, his words full of defiance. “Surrender now, villains, and we won’t have to hurt you!”

Dabi’s jaw tightened. Kids. He didn’t have time for kids. He flung a fireball at the tuxedo kid, but it was stopped mid-flight by an ice wall. Shoto. His blood froze for a split second. His brother.

Of all the things he’d expected today, Shoto was the last person he wanted to face. The ice-wielding brat had always been a perfect weapon in their father’s eyes. And now? Now, Dabi had to deal with him standing in his way.

“This just got a lot more personal,” Dabi muttered under his breath.

It quickly turned into a three-on-two fight. Toga was managing to keep the explosive blonde and the tuxedo kid at bay with her unpredictable, frenzied attacks. But for Dabi? Shoto was the problem. His ice was the perfect counter to his flames. Each time Dabi attacked, Shoto countered with ice, blocking and freezing the fire before it could hit its target.

Dabi couldn’t have his moment with Endeavor if Shoto kept getting in his way. He needed to make this quick.

Toga, on the other hand, was struggling. She was used to her quirk, used to becoming people, used to twisting her desires into bloody, messy chaos. But these two—these heroes were tough. The one with explosive hands kept leaving trails of sweat on the trees, and whenever she tried to use those trees to hide and throw her knives, they exploded in violent blasts, throwing her off-balance.

The heat from the explosions rattled her, sent her careening into the trunks of trees, and every hit left her reeling. She couldn’t get close to the tuxedo kid either. Every time she tried to land a blow, he’d shout, sending her flying backward as though his power was stronger than her quirk.

Frustration boiled in her veins. “All I want is your friendship and to see you covered in blood. Is that too much to ask?” she shouted, her voice cracking as she threw one of Kurogiri’s kitchen knives with desperation. It wasn’t one of her usual throwing knives, but it had to work.

The blade struck the explosive blonde in the shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground. For a moment, it seemed like victory was within her grasp. But then, something unexpected happened. The blood from his wound seemed to... move. It rose from his body, shifting like a rope and wrapping itself around her waist.

She froze, stunned. This wasn’t like anything she had ever seen before. The blood, his blood, twisted and shifted as if it had a mind of its own, pulling her in with an unsettling force.

And yet... there was no thirst. No craving for the blood. No need to make it hers. She felt only a strange numbness, as if she were detached from her own desires.

“Is this... is this what death feels like?” she wondered, her thoughts drifting as the weight of the blood rope tightened around her waist. She barely noticed the weight that wrapped around her wrists. A suffocating pressure. She didn’t feel the thirst anymore, only... emptiness.

Dabi had never given Shoto much thought after he faked his death. He didn’t need to. Shoto was the perfect child in their father’s eyes, the one with the quirk All For One had always wanted. The life Dabi had always been denied. The life he wanted destroyed.

But now? Now, as he faced Shoto in the heat of battle, he realized—he’d underestimated him. Shoto was stronger than he had ever imagined.

And that? That was a mistake Dabi would have to pay for. No matter how hot he threw his flames, Shoto's flames and ice countered. He was fast becoming tired, even as his flesh burned with the heat that he couldn't control. The heat that became sufforcating, and in those last moments, he almost felt sorrow as he sent one last, desperate blast before passing out.

Chapter Text

Hisashi should feel excitement. On some level, perhaps he does. When this ends, he will finally bring the quirk home where it belongs. The culmination of all his plans is within reach. He doesn’t bother looking at Tomura. If Tomura falls here, it doesn’t matter as much as it once did. He has his blood in the child Inko is carrying. A fresh start. A new heir.

He can see it all now—how everything will be perfect, as it always should have been.

But when Hisashi steps into the cabin that serves as a classroom, confusion gnaws at him. There are no students fumbling to master their quirks, no talents ripe for the taking. And yet, there is a presence here—a pressure that digs into his mind like claws.

He turns and finds himself locked in the steady, burning gaze of blood-red eyes.

His quirks drop instantly.

Hisashi’s mind races. Eraserhead. The one that got away. The man who has been a constant thorn in his side. But Hisashi knows Aizawa’s weakness. The moment he blinks, it’s over. It always has been.

And yet—

Hisashi feels his quirks return, but not because Aizawa blinked. No, Aizawa’s gaze hasn’t wavered, and yet his scarf is already in motion. It lashes out, snapping toward Tomura, forcing him to dodge with desperate, jerking movements. Hisashi scoffs. Aizawa made a mistake. He should have kept his focus where it belonged—on him.

He reaches for the light—the brilliant presence that belongs to the one who carries his brother’s quirk. The inheritor cannot hide from him; that light burns too brightly to ignore.

And there, waiting at the back of the cabin, is the one he knows from the traitors' reports. Izuku Midoriya.

For a moment—a single heartbeat—something unfamiliar twists in Hisashi’s chest. He doesn’t recognize it and doesn’t care to try. Emotions that aren’t hunger or satisfaction have long since ceased to matter.

He moves toward Izuku—only for Aizawa’s scarf to intercept him again.

Aizawa doesn’t let up. His eyes remain locked on Tomura, yet his scarf moves like a living thing, cutting off escape routes and forcing Hisashi to keep moving. The hero moves like a ghost—impossible to pin down.

Hisashi dodges another strike and smirks. He can keep this up until Aizawa’s eyes dry out. Until he blinks. It’s inevitable.

Except… Aizawa’s eyes aren’t dry.

There is no strain in them, no exhaustion in his movements, despite how long he’s been fighting.

And then Hisashi looks again, because he thought he knew which light to expect from the inheritor. But it’s not just the light of his brother’s quirk he sees. There is a second light, blue in color. He inhales sharply, curiosity stirring. Then he looks to Aizawa and sees the same blue light, though faded.

Understanding slams into him. The brat tampered with Erasure. That’s the only explanation for why Aizawa can use his quirk for so long without any side effects. For a moment, irritation flares. How could an inheritor possess such a quirk—one so much like his own, yet an upgrade—and he never knew? Or… had he? He vaguely recalls wondering if his quirk could be shared, could be improved. It was the reason he had a child with Inko, after all.

But what if—

It won’t matter. Either he succeeds now, or he fails and has time to unravel this mystery from behind bars.

His thoughts are interrupted as Tomura snarls and lunges forward, fingers outstretched for Decay—but Aizawa anticipates him again, redirecting him with a brutal twist of his scarf. Tomura crashes through a weakened part of the cabin wall, tumbling into the dirt outside.

This isn’t going the way it should.

Hisashi readies himself to unleash his quirks the moment Aizawa falters—but he doesn’t get the chance. A second force crashes into him: bright and blinding like a sunburst of power.

Suddenly, Hisashi finds himself face-to-face with the interesting boy.

“You don’t belong here,” Izuku says, voice like steel.

Hisashi sneers. “And you do?”

Izuku doesn’t answer with words. He moves—faster than Hisashi anticipates—and they clash in an explosion of power that shakes the cabin walls.

The boy fights—not just with strength, but with precision. Hisashi feels it every time their powers connect—tiny adjustments mid-battle as Izuku manipulates quirks like dials on a machine.

Aizawa joins the fray seamlessly, moving in tandem with Izuku as if they’ve trained for this moment their entire lives. Together, they cut off Hisashi’s escape routes and shut down every quirk he tries to use.

For the first time in decades, Hisashi feels cornered.

“No,” he growls, power surging in desperation. “No! I will not lose!”

But he does.

It ends with an earth-shattering blow—a tidal wave of power slamming into him from both sides as Izuku and Aizawa deliver their final strike together.

Hisashi collapses under the weight of his failure as darkness closes in.

The battlefield is silent except for labored breathing and the crackling embers of the ruined cabin.

Izuku stands over Hisashi’s unconscious body, fists trembling at his sides. Beside him, Aizawa watches warily for any sign of movement from either Hisashi or Tomura—but there is none.

“It’s over,” Izuku whispers hoarsely, though he doesn’t sound like he believes it yet.

In a rare moment of spite, and not trusting All for One to stay down, Izuku manipulates the Blueprints he sees. Hisashi will live—Izuku ensured that by leaving him with a longevity quirk—but when he awakens, he will find that the quirk that defined him is gone.

Aizawa places a hand on his shoulder—a rare gesture of reassurance—and nods toward where pro heroes are arriving to secure All for One and clean up the battlefield.

But then—

There is movement at the edge of their vision. Faint, but unmistakable.

Izuku’s breath catches as he turns—and freezes.

Where Tomura once lay, only an old-fashioned plague doctor’s mask remains.

Once upon a time, Hisashi had made a deal with an old Yakuza boss. The boss’s ‘son’—the one destined to inherit the syndicate—was born quirkless. Hisashi had made many such deals and found this one quite profitable. The contract was ironclad, ensuring the boy would uphold his end of the bargain.

Hisashi had provided a sample from All for One, along with instructions on how to access the GPS signal in Tomura. The GPS included a ‘health tracker’ that would alert the boss’s son when Tomura was incapacitated.

That ‘son’ had never agreed with his father on much, but he saw opportunity where others saw failure. If he could manipulate the DNA they’d been given—if he could manipulate Tomura—it would be far less trouble to make his cure.

So the moment that alert triggered, Overhaul knew it was time.

The Yakuza may be a shadow of what it once was, but that didn’t mean he lacked connections.

And one of those connections? A man who could teleport others—so long as he had a precise idea of what they looked like.

A single photo was all it took.

And just like that—

Tomura was gone.

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This is just a short note to let you all know-Blueprints will continue in Blueprints part two, but as per popular demand from a bunch of the youtube comments from the two YouTube videos covering Blueprints, and a few not so nice but very true reviews- there is the first three chapters of the rewrite up: Blueprints: version 2: Electric Boogaloo. I hope that you faithful readers will check it out, and hopefully there will be more chapters of Blueprints: part two coming soon. But life is pretty tough for me right now and I may not get around fast to new chapters. With that said, hope you all keep enjoying!

Chapter Text

Hey ya’ll I know some of you for whatever reason like blueprints. I did too. But looking back on it.. I kind of hate it. Ans I keep running into a wall when it comes to ideas of where I want this to go. So, what I’m thinking is that

1. this fic goes on permanent hiatus because of lack of interest (my own)

2. Someone else in the community that likes the idea takes it over from here. 

3, Blueprints gets a complete rewrite featuring some of the stuff already written in blueprints version 2: electric boogaloo

4. Blueprints stays up as is and blueprints version 2 gets all the attention from here.

its up to you guys. You guys are my rock. My validation that I can write, even if it only fanfiction. Apologies to everyone that likes blueprints as is, but after seeing it broadcast on YouTube and seeing some of the nasty comments and re-reading it with a better eye for quality? Yeah I can tell it kind of sucked.