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~

"Again," Izuku commanded, pacing around the mat where Shouto and Tenya sparred.

The pair got back into place, panting heavily and sporting light bruises and scrapes from the previous rounds. Tenya was first, jolting forwards and pivoting on one foot, reaching out with a hand that Shouto caught, making the most of his advantage by shifting a leg back to balance himself before twisting the attacking arm and following through with a kick to the other boy's gut. He wheezed out a breath, but he'd been quick to learn that there were no breaks on the battlefield, wrenching his arm free and dropping into a forward roll towards his opponent and bringing back an elbow to try and take out a knee. Shouto stumbled out of range and both of them backed up, examining subtle body language to predict the enemy's next move, just like their classmate had taught them.

Izuku himself couldn't help the proud smile that graced his face, although it was a little muted since he'd gained a split lip in a previous spar with Shinsou. His friends tussled once more, clashing and dodging and retaliating like it was some peculiar dance. While it wasn't good to spar with the same people so frequently lest an accidental routine was acquired, it was invaluable to know your allies' every possible move when fighting together so the villains didn't stand a chance. Despite it only being a few months of training together, all three had improved exponentially, sparring with skills and strategies far beyond their age.

He glanced sideways and Shinsou stepped next to him, flexing his bandaged arm experimentally before bringing a bottle of water to his lips. It was a testament to the tired boy's commitment to see how much he'd bulked up since the Sports Festival, with wider shoulders and his muscular arms displayed in a lilac tank top; he'd even grown a few inches, much to Izuku's chagrin.

There was a thud as Tenya managed to flip Shouto on his back and pin him to the mat until he yielded. Both boys looked exhausted, barely managing to stand up straight as they heaved for breath. The scent of sweat permeated the air and it was starting to get too hot and stuffy inside the gym, but their allotted time was nearly up anyway.

"Great job, both of you! There were great recoveries on both sides." Izuku beamed at them, handing over towels and water bottles to stop them from dying. "Shouto-kun, I think you need to learn to be a little heavier on your feet against enemies bigger than you so you can't be overbalanced as easily. Tenya-kun, the opposite applies to you – be a little lighter so you can move quickly against smaller opponents!"

"Thanks," Shouto muttered, pressing his face into the towel.

"You're right, Izuku-kun," Tenya added, taking a hefty swig and brushing his damp hair back with a hand. "I'll take that into account, next time. Thank you."

"Shinsou-kun," Izuku turned to his companion with a taunting grin, "think you can go for another round against me?"

"I think I can beat you," he shot back, a sharp smile on his face as they stepped onto the mat.

"I've heard you've been working on your Quirk. Try and use it on me when we fight." Izuku lowered his stance cautiously, barely blinking.

Shinsou huffed, but mirrored the pose. "That's not fair. You know my Quirk."

The boy merely tilted his head and shrugged with a sunny smile, taking the initiative to dart forwards and drop to his knees in a slide, getting behind his opponent and tugging on the back of his shirt before he even knew what was happening. Shinsou fell heavily but rolled over and avoided a punch, pressing a palm into the mat and swiping out his legs before hopping into a crouch, lifting his bandaged forearm to block a hit and letting out a pained hiss of air through his teeth. He shifted aside to avoid a punch aimed at his ribs, locking the outstretched arm with his own and reaching out to push at Izuku's back and shove him into the mat. The student bit back a wince as his shoulder was pulled at an odd angle, not quite enough to dislocate it, but certainly enough to hurt.

Izuku twisted onto his side, his free hand darting out to grab at his opponent's ankle, and he was quick to pull him off balance and escape his hold. He jumped up, making some distance between them as he rolled his shoulder, trying to soothe the burning sensation. Shinsou picked himself up, staring warily for a moment before his expression smoothed out and he bared his teeth in a grin, posture becoming distinctly more relaxed.

"This is fun. Are you even trying?" He inquired lazily.

His opponent squinted suspiciously. Izuku wasn't stupid enough to answer that question, yet the other boy seemed to think he was going to fall for it. He briefly glanced around, jaw clenched with apprehension as he tried to work out what he was missing. It must be something to do with Shinsou's Quirk, because there were no objects in the immediate vicinity to give him the advantage, and he wouldn't act so laid-back if he had thought of a good fighting strategy to win. Would he? Maybe he would... Izuku had been constantly reminding them that mind-games were invaluable in fights, which would compliment his Quirk nicely...

He shook his head minutely, realising that he was overthinking. Shinsou didn't seem to be moving any time soon, and even though he could be leaping right into a trap, Izuku darted forwards, raising both his arms in preparation for a succession of rapid jabs. His knuckles smarted against ribs and tough muscles, but he was driving the other boy back, landing lots of hits to wear him down until he won -

But... why wasn't Shinsou retaliating?

The answer came in the form of two hands slamming down on his strained shoulder, causing an involuntary cry of pain to spill from his mouth and -

Oh. Oh. That was smart.

A haze of Brainwashing descended over his mind and he stilled, numb to the pre-existing pain. Static flitted across his vision, blurring the gym and drowning his thoughts in a fog.

Shinsou, in perfect clarity, gingerly cupped his ribs. "Tell me you give up."

Izuku felt the words rise in his throat, unbidden, but the fog was already receding to a soft mist, and he ignited his Quirk, moving his arm just enough to cause a fresh spike of pain and jolt himself from his stupor. He raised his head to offer a sly smile, but then agony tore through his form and he collapsed on the spot, crumpling onto the mat. Panic flashed through his mind as he questioned whether he'd accidentally injured himself badly, but he was quick to realise that the pain was familiar and -

A blink, and he was sprawled on pavement, warm afternoon sunlight spilling from the sky. There was a persistent buzzing under his skin, and a dazed look at his hand confirmed that he was back in his timeline once more. Izuku heaved himself to his feet, frowning briefly as he noticed he was still wearing the clothes he'd been sparring in as opposed to the hero costume he wore previously, and looked up. He was still outside the police station, where he'd passed out last time, although the cracks in the pavement had been fixed.

Right. Okay. This was useful – he just needed to be smart and stop freaking out.

Izuku took a few measured breaths to calm himself before striding forwards, pushing open the doors to the police station and coolly walking inside, as if his brain wasn't whirling with a dizzying amount of thoughts. The receptionist glanced up at his entry, opening her mouth to greet him before pausing and staring at him for a few moments, her eyes slowly widening.

"...Deku?" She asked, her quiet voice betraying her doubt.

"Hi," he responded with a tired smile, approaching her desk. "Is Tsukauchi-san in? I think we need to talk."

"Um, yeah, he's... I'll call him." She punched in a few numbers on the desk phone, muttering something frantically into the receiver before hanging up.

Barely a few seconds passed before the man entered the room, his tie loose around his throat and light stubble dusting his jawline. His lips curved into a polite, uncertain smile, and he raised a hand in greeting, crossing the room in a few steps but notably pausing just out of reach.

"Yes, I am the real Deku. No, I'm not a villain. Yes, we have a lot to talk about, and could we please be quick because I think this has a time limit." Izuku motioned vaguely to himself, only to blink and take a moment to appreciate the height and muscle mass he'd gained since he was a teenager.

Tsukauchi let out a sigh that held mingled relief and concern, already turning around and hurrying off back the way he came, not needing to say a word to know the boy – the man would be following him. They stepped into a private room, closing the door behind them. There were files piled on the desk with papers sprawled in organised chaos in between. A half-empty coffee mug sat precariously on the corner, which the detective was quick to snatch up and chug down before slumping down into his swivel chair, fumbling to grab a pen and notepad.

"Like I said to Kacchan and Eijirou-kun last time, Banisher's Quirk is time-travel. Kind of. I think... I think I'm actually in some sort of... alternate dimension, in the past. My first year at UA, just a little after the provisional licenses exam at the moment. I think I'm technically just a soul shoved into my past-self's body, because when this happened last time, Aizawa-sensei told me I – my past-self - didn't seem to have any memories of while I – that is to say, this me – was... inhabiting my body?" He paused to contemplate his words, wondering if his rambling was making any sense.

"Okay. You're technically in the past, in your own body, and sometimes..." Tsukauchi waved the pen. "...this happens? Do you know why? What about the other victims?"

The buzzing under his skin got angrier, and he wrinkled his nose against the pain. "Last time, I was just training to make some special moves... This time, Shinsou-kun used his Quirk on me and it happened when I broke out of it..."

He frowned slightly, automatically raising a thumb to the corner of his mouth as he dissolved into mutters. It wasn't the first time Shinsou's Quirk had caused peculiarities – back when he really was a teenager, he saw the previous holders of One for All during the Sports Festival. But, if it actually was Brainwashing triggering the dimension-hopping, why didn't it happen before, when he went under during the alternate timeline's Sports Festival?

Izuku had returned exactly four months after the initial attack. Maybe Banisher's Quirk had some sort of time limit, and could only keep the victim solidly in one dimension for four months, which was an impressive limit. Maybe Brainwashing could only trigger it after that four months had passed. He hadn't been under the effects of Shinsou's Quirk since the Sports Festival, and it hadn't happened until he was Brainwashed again, so...

"Okay, nevermind. The victims. Are they in the other world, too?" Tsukauchi asked, scribbling down a few more notes without looking.

"Oh! Actually, I need your help. We're launching an investigation to check that out. Could I take a look at the files so I can give you – well, past-you – more information?" Izuku rubbed at his arm, trying to soothe the pain.

The detective stared for a moment in consideration before sighing and picking apart a precarious pile and pulling out a relevant file. "This has information on all the victims."

"Thanks," he said absentmindedly, offering a smile, only to wince and realise that his lip was still split – injuries carried over, too? Weird.

He flipped it open to the first page, immediately raising his eyebrows in surprise. The first reported victim wasn't human. She was a sixteen-year-old cat with long fur. The owner was out looking for her, expecting her to be stuck somewhere, but then she saw the cat get attacked by Banisher.

"Moekasu-chan," he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "Moekasu-chan was a victim?"

"We didn't make the connection until the first reported human victim. The owner is the main reason we initially got a good description of Ikari Ryou-kun - Banisher," Tsukauchi paused, his dark eyes squinting. "Do you know them?"

"Kind of," Izuku huffed out a laugh. "In the other timeline, I was on patrol during the internships, and Moekasu-chan got herself stuck on a window ledge. She's named Moekasu-chan because she got stuck in a chimney when she was a kitten," he recalled fondly, only for his brow to furrow. "Why did he attack a cat?"

"From what he's told us and what we've worked out, he was thought to be Quirkless for most of his life. His mother, Ikari Kieiru-san, has a teleportation Quirk and his father, Ikari Kaesu-kun, had a Quirk that temporarily turned back time for whatever he touched. They amalgamated in what Banisher called Obliterate," Tsukauchi's tone grew dull and his lips curved downwards as he reached over to turn the page to show another victim. "His father. Banisher's Quirk appeared and, well... Banisher fled and the mother didn't report it to try and protect him. From what we've worked out, his mental state is affected whenever he uses his Quirk, so each victim made him more deranged. It's possible, since he only just discovered it and had no practice, that what he displayed was the maximum of his power, and far more than his body could handle."

Izuku nodded, starting to feel more and more sympathetic for the man who had attacked him. He kept reading through the files, committing it all to memory as best he could. A shiver ran through his body and he glanced up at the air conditioning unit. Tsukauchi followed his gaze and twisted on his chair to grab the brown bomber jacket draped over the back, offering it to the hero, who shrugged it on with a grateful smile.

"Where is he now?" He inquired, flipping the page with a burning hand.

"Getting help in a mental ward. You were his last victim, and since then his mental state is showing signs of recovery," the man responded succinctly, twirling the pen between his fingers. "How are you, by the way?"

Izuku blinked in surprise, turning his head to look at the detective. "I'm... as fine as I can be, given the situation. It could be worse. I get to fix mistakes and help everyone get a better outcome in that timeline, so... it's alright. How about you? Overworking yourself on this case?"

Tsukauchi chuckled a little sheepishly. "Well, since you showed up last time, there have been a lot of new things to consider. The public know we reopened the case, and it's only a matter of time before they find out why – I'd like to have all the answers before the questions come in."

"Ah... Sorry," he apologised, going back to the files as he felt the pain kick up a notch again.

"It's not your fault," Tsukauchi shook his head, an amused laugh spilling over his lips. "You take after Toshinori-kun too much, sometimes."

"Yeah, I do," he agreed easily, turning another page with a suppressed wince. "How... is he? How is everyone? I mean, they thought I was dead..."

The man grimaced, clicking the pen nervously. "It was... pretty bad for everyone who knew- knows you, but Toshinori-kun was among the worst affected. The first month was the hardest, I think. Your friends and your mother checked in on each other as often as they could. Things were just getting back to normal, and then you turn up on our doorstep and claim you're okay? That was unexpected. Still, everyone seems to be a little happier now they have hope you really are alive." He faltered, glancing down at the page where Izuku's picture was displayed in the file. "You will be coming back more, right?"

"I just need to work out what triggers it," he confirmed, giving a determined nod, only to release a pained huff of air and tangle his fingers in his hair as a jolt of agony lanced through his brain. "Keep working out the details of Banisher's Quirk to see if we can find a way to reverse this, or s-something."

Izuku gritted his teeth, doubling over and wrapping his arms around himself, automatically trying to shield himself from the onslaught of pain he could no longer ignore. He backed up a wobbly step and fell to his knees, keeping his jaw firmly locked to stop himself from screaming.

"Midoriya-kun!" Tsukauchi's voice was alarmed, and he crouched down, hands hovering nervously.

"I'm fine," he insisted, though the tears trailing down his cheeks implied otherwise. "S-side-effect o-of... of Quirk..."

Green lightning flickered across his form as One for All rose to the surface, wreathing around his arms and accidentally tearing the rough carpet as he dug his fingers into the ground. He folded over, pressing his forehead against the floor and letting out a choked sob as the pain somehow grew worse, crushing and suffocating, forcing him to collapse onto his side as he wheezed for air and the room blurred. His hand started to fade before his eyes, and he could hear Tsukauchi trying to gain his attention, panic barely concealed in his tone. Izuku squeezed his eyes shut and -

He was back in the gym. The boy choked in a breath, blearily staring around him before his gaze settled on purple, and he sat up so quickly everyone else flinched back. His trembling hands fumbled onto Shinsou's shoulders, gripping a little tighter than necessary and doing his best to look more composed than he felt.

"Do that again!" He ordered breathlessly, followed by a noise that was something between a laugh and a sob.

"What – Midoriya-kun, what the hell? No!" Shinsou gripped the other boy's wrists, trying to pry him off, but to no avail.

"Izuku, lay back down. You had another amnesia-inducing seizure. Tenya went to get someone," Shouto informed, lifting a cold hand and placing it on Izuku's forehead.

He let out a contented breath, leaning into the touch, before pausing and drawing back, looking down at himself. Izuku stared in shock for a moment, withdrawing his hands to place them on his own chest and pat himself down, feeling the material of the brown bomber jacket but still not quite believing it was real.

"Yeah, that just appeared out of nowhere when you had a second seizure," Shinsou said drily, although his lips were pressed in a thin line to betray his concern.

"I- Shinsou-kun, I need you to Brainwash me again!" He insisted desperately, hands fisting in the large jacket as he shrank into it. "Please!"

"I'm not-"

"It's important, Hitoshi-kun!" Izuku snapped, tears welling in his eyes.

Shouto faltered, frowning slightly. "Is it... important-important?"

"Yes! I need to know if it works," he whispered, fingers tensing painfully and his heart beating so fast he felt dizzy, but he needed to know.

"Do it," Shouto told the boy.

Shinsou's purple eyes were wide with alarm, flicking between the other two before he deflated and nodded reluctantly. "Alright. Fine. I'll do it."

"Than-"

The familiar fog of Brainwashing rolled over his mind, and his heart-rate gradually slowed back to normal. Before, he'd broken out of it, and the transition was triggered, so it was worth another try. Izuku tore through the control, blinking dazedly as he returned to his senses, only to pause and glare down at his hands as nothing happened. It should've worked. Unless Brainwashing really was unrelated, but...

No, wait. The last two times he returned to his body, One for All involuntarily activated. When he broke out of control both times before, he used his Quirk.

Sparks darted across his fingers and he wiggled them hopefully, eyes radioactive and frantic. There was a pause, and he felt his stomach sink with disappointment, but a second later he toppled forwards under the force of a planet's worth of pain. He clutched at the jacket, tucking his face under the collar as best he could as he let out a choked sob, his insides being shredded and his body getting pulled apart and -

The room was chilly. Izuku exhaled raggedly, picking himself up off the floor despite the knives of agony digging into his muscles. He swayed unsteadily on his feet, surveying the messy papers sprawled across the desk before turning at the sound of the door clicking open. Two pairs of eyes stared at him in surprise.

"I... didn't expect to see you back so soon," Tsukauchi muttered, stepping inside and blinking in confusion before relaxing with a relieved grin.

"Needed t-to return your j-jacket." Izuku offered a smile, but it came out more pained than he was hoping as he shrugged off the top and handed it over.

"Young Izuku?" Toshinori looked old and ragged, but his eyes illuminated a bright blue in wonder.

"H-hi, Toshi-san," he responded with a soft smile.

In two strides, the man crossed the room and engulfed his successor in a tight hug. Izuku pushed back the pain and happily nuzzled his face into the blond's chest, much too short to reach any higher. One of Toshinori's hands tangled into the green curls, the other pressing harder into his back, clinging closely as if he was afraid his successor would disappear again.

"My boy," his deep voice was thick and he paused to sniffle, "what happened?"

"Tsukauchi-kun'll t-tell you," Izuku mumbled, accidentally flinching with another wave of agony.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Toshinori pulled back, large hands resting on muscular shoulders as he examined his successor with a panicked stare. "You're covered in bruises..." A frown creased his forehead. "What happened to your scars?"

"I'm changing things f-for the b-better," he informed, beaming.

"He's technically in the past," Tsukauchi attempted to clarify, but only gained a more bewildered look. "Oh, Midoriya-kun... Do you still have a time limit here?"

"Yeah," he said shakily, baring his teeth in a grimace. "I think... it was a b-bad idea to do this s-so soon."

"What do you mean? Young Izuku-" Toshinori's shadowed eyes widened and he raised a hand, lightly cupping his successor's cheek and swiping a thumb under his nose. "You're bleeding!"

Izuku licked his lips, tasting blood and trying to conceal his panic. "I'm okay, d- Toshi-san. I swear. I know how to t-trigger this now, so I'll be b-back whenever I c-can. I p-promise."

"I don't understand," he whispered, pulling the young man back into a loose hug, holding him determinedly.

"We're w-working things out-t," Izuku assured, revelling in the warm comfort before reluctantly stepping back as One for All glittered across his skin.

Tsukauchi held out a hand to keep his friend from moving closer, looking grim and uncomfortable, with his jaw set firmly. "I think it's better to stay back, Toshinori-kun."

Izuku tried to flash a comforting smile, but it fell flat as he crumpled, the pain reaching its peak and forcing him to shut his eyes.

Something was wrong. His entire body felt like lead and his eyes refused to open. Warbled voices faded in and out of focus around him. A cold hand settled on his forehead and allowed him to relax marginally, only for him to suddenly jolt onto his side, vomiting and trembling, his mouth burning and the tang of iron on his tongue. He let out a pathetic whine, hot tears spilling down his cheeks as he squinted blearily around him, feeling hands jostle him about.

A dark shape phased into vague focus and two clammy palms cupped his face. "...oriy... Midori... Mid... an you... r me...?"

He wrinkled his nose, blinking slowly with slitted eyes. The hands lightly patted at his cheeks, and a sharp face came into view, blurred around the edges and too confusing to comprehend.

"Izuku," the voice said firmly and – oh, oh! That was his teacher.

"'Zawa?" Izuku slurred with a faint smile, feeling a little happier now that he knew he was safe.

"...kay... Recov... irl... soon... sta... wake..."

Izuku's eyes slipped shut and he leaned heavily into the friendly hands. Shouting rang meaninglessly in his ears. Someone was shaking his shoulders. His body was too heavy to keep upright. He let out a quiet breath, and passed out.