A/n: I love you guys so much! Thank you to the moon and back for all the comments! This is sort of a filler chapter, but it has some much needed explanations as well as some interesting character interactions. Hope you enjoy it!

…

Getting to Hosu

Katsuki held Izuku tightly. The ropes binding Izu's arms to his chest pressed into Katsuki's skin uncomfortably, but he refused to let go until he was sure Izuku was deeply asleep. After several minutes of deep, even breathing, he carefully pulled away. Izuku's pale face didn't even twitch. Good.

Katsuki grabbed the scissors he'd placed on the bedside after cutting Izu's legs free and cut some of the ropes. He didn't want Izuku to wake up with someone else in the room and be unable to move, so he cut the ropes that held Izuku's arms bound to his chest. However, he left Izuku's wrists tied together in case Izu need the grounding.

Pressing his lips gently against Izuku's forehead, Katsuki ran his hand through Izu's sweat-damp green waves one last time before slipping from the bed. The window was bright with dawn, vivid colors blending and streaking across the sky, but he hardly noticed. Mind cold and focused, he pulled his shoes on, scooped up his hoodie, and grabbed his large duffle bag from the corner. Giving Izuku one last protective look, he unlocked the door and slipped outside, pulling the door shut behind him.

Aizawa stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed. His head had come up as soon as Katsuki had opened the door. He looked exhausted, but he was alert, his eyes bright with intelligence and taking everything in.

"He was talking and coherent," Katsuki informed him, voice low so as not to wake anyone. "He's not almost catatonic like last time, so the brainwashing helped. Izuku said he saw the Hero Killer kill me, Todoroki, Endeavor, and that idiot Iida. I'm not sure when. Last I knew the Hero Killer was in Hosu, which is way out of Izuku's range. However, it's possible that his emotional attachments allow the limits on his quirk to be stretched or broken. It's happened before when he saw my death when we were twelve. He'd already seen a vision that month, but he still saw me die a day before it happened."

Katsuki hitched his bag higher up his shoulder, eyes glinting with determination. "If we do nothing, the vision will come true. Since I don't know when it will happen, I'm going to go to my internship as scheduled and keep my eye on things. You track that idiot Iida. All Might and Inko can stay with Izuku. He'll contact me as soon as he can with more details. If we do this right and don't scare the bastard off, we can stop the Hero Killer for good without any of us fucking dying."

This was a lot of information, but Aizawa didn't even bat an eye. He gave a sharp nod and pulled out his phone. "I'm on it. I had already instructed Manual to keep a close eye on Iida, but now I have enough probable cause to shadow him personally."

Without another word, Katsuki turned and stalked down the hallway. After listening to Izuku moan, sob, and gasp for air - lost in his hellish visions for hours - body going rigid and limp in turns - trembling and drenched in sweat - Katsuki was ready to blow something, anything, up. He cracked his knuckles, expression eager. He had a train to catch, a worthless extra to save, and a killer to stop. For Izu.

He swung by the classroom to grab his hero costume. Most of the class had taken theirs with them when they went home Friday after school. Opening the case, he checked the uniform over, paying special attention to the modifications he'd asked for. Satisfied, he shut the case and made his way out of the school.

As he walked, he sent a text to Inko, telling her that Izuku had woken and was better than last month, that he was sleeping and probably wouldn't wake until early afternoon. As he was passing the gate, he put his phone away. There was a brief gust of wind and suddenly Aizawa was at his side. He really was fucking good at trailing people without them noticing.

"I updated All Might. Nighteye has also arrived. They'll help Izuku figure out his visions."

Katsuki nodded once. They walked together, moving at a fast pace, the station ten minutes away. They were halfway there when Aizawa broke the silence.

"I should forbid Iida from going on his internship and do the same for you and Todoroki."

Katsuki glanced at him from the corner of his eyes. "That wouldn't stop him. He'd go AWOL and it would be harder to track him. He's clearly out for revenge for his brother." He shifted his cold gaze forward. "Not to mention we'd lose this chance to stop the Hero Killer. If we don't stop the psychopath, he'll keep killing people. He's already killed seventeen and wounded twenty-three beyond recovery, Ingenium included." His voice became hard, his eyes cold. "And Izuku will keep feeling it."

"You and two of your classmates died in this vision." Aizawa stated it quietly, his voice even, but Katsuki could hear the tension behind the words.

"That future has already changed," he retorted, looking up at his teacher. "We have forewarning. Besides, what are you going to do?" His eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare. "Tell everyone involved the internship is canceled because of a vision of the future? That would mean Izuku's death!" Katsuki forced his voice to soften. "Don't worry, Aizawa. I'm not going to die for this asshole. If it looks like shit's getting bad, Todoroki and I will retreat, but I've been doing this since I was seven. I know how to work Izuku's visions in my favor. Trust me."

Aizawa stared at him, eyes deep and dark, his thoughts unreadable, but he nodded and said, "I do."

"Good." Katsuki flashed a hard smile. "Because we're going to kick this psycho's ass."

Aizawa didn't look convinced, but Katsuki didn't give a crap. All he cared about was that Aizawa didn't stand in his way.

A few of their classmates were already waiting at the station. "Where's Deku?" Cheeks asked, looking behind him as if Izuku would materialize out of thin air.

"None of your business," he growled irritably. His eyes were locked on the revenge hungry idiot. Glasses stared back, eyes cold and hard even as he kept his expression neutral.

"Geez. Don't you get tired of being a jerk?" Cheeks complained, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

IcyHot and the others slowly arrived, one after another, most arriving by train, some walking in from the street entrance. Once they were all there, except for Izuku and Braindead, Aizawa cleared his voice. "You all have your costumes, right?" At everyone's nod, he continued. "Remember you aren't allowed to wear them in public without being escorted by a pro. Don't drop them or anything."

"Yessir!" Pinky cried, jumping up in enthusiasm.

Aizawa stared at her, unimpressed. "Make sure you mind your manners with the heroes at your internships," he said sharply. "The reputations you build here can open or shut doors in the future. Do not take the importance of this time lightly."

"Yes sir!" the class called in unison.

Katsuki watched as Cheeks chased uselessly after Glasses. Aizawa trailed fifty feet behind them. Neither of the teenagers noticed. Flashing his teeth in a threatening sneer, Katsuki turned on his heel and headed toward his own train. Todoroki kept pace.

Katsuki threw himself into a seat by the door. He put his costume case on the floor and his booted foot on top of it. His duffle he'd flung onto the seat next to him, preventing anyone from sitting too close. With a jerk of his head, he indicated Todoroki should take the seat next to him by the door. Katsuki turned sideways, folding his leg onto the seat. He draped his arm across the seat behind his friend and leaned intently forward, speaking softly so no one could hear him over the sounds of the train. Todoroki leaned forward, expression neutral, but his eyes were intent on his as he listened, their heads close together.

"Hosu is not in my father's jurisdiction, but with the Hero Killer running around, it doesn't surprise me that they invited him in. My father would jump at the chance to capture him," Todoroki said quietly. "Especially with us around." A cold sneer touched his expression. "He loves showing off."

Katsuki snorted. "What an asshole."

Todoroki lowered his head, his two-colored bangs hiding his eyes. "As much as I hate him, it's undeniable that he's a powerful hero. If the Hero Killer managed to kill him and us…"

Katsuki stared out the window at the rice fields flashing by. "I know. I'm counting on Izuku waking up and giving us more details before it comes to that. If it looks bad, we'll run."

"Endeavor won't run," Todoroki stated with certainty.

Katsuki looked over, frowning. "Are you saying we should tell him about the vision?" Because like hell would he tell that abusive, selfish asshole about Izuku's quirk. It was already bad enough that Todoroki had asked questions about psychic quirks in the first place.

Todoroki shook his head. "No," he said softly. "I was just thinking out loud. I'm not going to pretend I'd be heartbroken if he died or that I feel any obligation to help him."

Katsuki knew that the people who were brainwashed by the idea of normal and the lie of blood would be horrified at Todoroki's attitude, but he knew better. "His fate is his fate," he said firmly. "Just because we know about events in advance doesn't make us complicit in whatever happens. Izuku's intervention isn't owed to anybody. We'll do our best, but if Endeavor can't be saved, it's not your fault, or mine, or Izuku's. That fucking psychopath killer is making his own goddamn choices and so is your shitbag of a father."

The tension in Todoroki bled away. He gave a small smile. "Thanks, Bakugo."

The ride wasn't a long one. Only twenty minutes or so. It took them downtown to the heart of the city. The train quickly grew more crowded as they traveled. It was filled to the brim with men and women in suits on their way to work and students in uniform heading to school. Katsuki had to put his duffle on the floor. The station was packed with more people than Katsuki was used to. It made him scowl as he was bumped and jostled.

They stepped out onto the street, the morning sun flashing between skyscrapers and thousands of people moving in all directions. Cars filled the streets, moving slowly in congested traffic. The smell of exhaust was so strong it was choking. Huge screens flashed ever-changing advertisements on the sides of buildings.

"Fuck," Katsuki said in disgust. He disliked people in general. This many all in one place made his skin crawl. Izuku, on the other hand, would have been wide-eyed and fascinated.

"This way," Todoroki said with a brief touch to his shoulder.

Katsuki followed after him, glaring at all the idiots running this way and that like mindless ants. Thank god Endeavor's agency wasn't far. They turned a corner and a massive high-rise speared upward toward the sky. An enormous, cursive E was emblazoned on the front above the doors.

"How has he not died of embarrassment?" Katsuki asked honestly. Sure, he'd seen pictures of Endeavor's agency and he'd thought the building looked obnoxious even then, but in person it was even more hideous and tacky. It practically screamed, 'Look at me! I want you to think I'm important!'.

Todoroki snorted, hiding a laugh behind his hand. "Come on."

The inside wasn't any better. Everything was bigger than it should be. The chairs in the lobby, the reception desk, the tv monitors, the sprawling cafeteria behind the desk… Instead of impressing, it was disconcerting.

The pro-hero working the reception desk visibly perked up at seeing them. "Master Shoto!" He gave a bright grin, fire licking out from between his teeth.

Katsuki just barely kept from rolling his eyes. An ego-maniac, Endeavor only accepted heroes with fire-related quirks into his agency. Jesus, what an asshole.

"The boss is waiting for you! He's already up in his office."

Todoroki nodded his head and accepted the pass card he was handed. "Thank you, Ember."

The pro saluted sharply, excited as hell to be talking to them.

As they made their way to the massive elevator, Katsuki noticed some people watching them. He let his fingers brush the back of Todoroki's hand and made a minute gesture with his head when his friend looked over. Todoroki shrugged, unconcerned. Expression neutral, he pressed the call button for the elevator.

"I haven't set foot in this building in almost five years. They all just want a look at my father's masterpiece," he explained, voice cold.

The elevator doors opened. An overly simpering female voice announced, "Going up." Todoroki hit the button for the highest floor. "Please insert your key card." He did so. "Thank you, Master Shoto." Katsuki did roll his eyes this time, not caring about the camera that he couldn't see but knew must be filming them.

The elevator began to rise. Katsuki's ears popped, telling him they were moving faster than it seemed. It took sixty seconds before they came to a stop, the doors dinging open. Katsuki expected a hallway or a guard station or something set in front of massive doors, but instead they stepped straight into Endeavor's office - if you could call it that.

The room was at least thirty feet high with a three-tiered crystal chandelier dangling from the ceiling. The space was cavernous and mostly empty, the size of a gymnasium. The right wall was made up of windows that let in the bright morning light, but the room was so large that half of it was still filled with shadows.

The floor was hardwood. Four enormous, dark marble columns stood in the corners. It looked like the faint etchings of flames had been carved into their surfaces. In the center of the room was a large square rug with intricate patterns woven into it. Two six-seater, dark-colored couches sat facing each other on top of it. Between them sat a mahogany coffee table. A silver tray with a coffee pot and mugs had been placed on its surface.

Twenty feet beyond that was a massive desk with a thick, high-backed chair. Endeavor, his flames glowing in the gloom, stood. He braced his massive hands on the desk's surface and smiled smugly. "Shoto."

Todoroki kept his face blank. "IcyHot and Primus reporting for duty. Thank you for accepting our internships. We hope to learn a lot from observing you."

Endeavor didn't seem surprised or put off by his son's formality. "Change into your costumes. We've got a mission," he ordered.

Katsuki shared a look with his friend. Were they going to Hosu already? His palms grew slick.

"May I ask where we're gong?" Todoroki asked politely.

Endeavor flashed a hungry look. "Hunting. Stick with me, Shoto. I'll show you what it means to be strong."

…

A masked face, bloodshot eyes, a long tongue licking over thin, non-existent lips - this was the face of death. It was the agony of a sword thrusting through his back, making him suffocate on his own blood - the searing burn as the blade cut off his head - the breathtaking torment as it impaled him from above as he tried so desperately to flee…

And it was being inside Kacchan's body, feeling the power of his corded muscles, the driving rage, the brilliant flash of his intellect as if it were his own… and feeling the cold steel stabbing straight through his chest into his pumping heart…

"NO!"

Izuku sat bolt upright, his body drenched in sweat, his heart pounding a mile a minute. Panic burned across his nerves. Hands grabbed at him, but all he could hear was the thunder of his heart, all he could see was the darkness of that alley and the flash of light off that deadly blade.

Izuku yanked free of something trying to hold him and went tumbling to the floor, sheets and blankets tangled around his legs. He hit hard, his hands unable to separate and catch him. The impact and the sensation of his wrists being bound together with rope snapped him back to reality. All Might in his deflated form came into focus.

"Izuku!" the hero cried, eyes wide with concern. He quickly leaned over to help pull him up off the floor and back onto the bed, sitting him at the edge. All Might got to his knees in front of him, holding tight to the ropes wrapped around his wrists. "It's alright now. I'm here," he said softly.

Izuku felt tears flood his cheeks, but he wasn't crying. Or he was, but his mind was racing too fast for him to really register any emotions he was feeling. Images spilled behind his eyes. The cold chill of death still filled his bones with ice. He was shivering hard, but he could think.

"Cut me free," he rasped, voice low, eyes almost glowing with determination.

All Might quickly reached for the scissors. "Of course!"

All Might did as he was asked and Izuku shook the ropes off. Hands shaking violently, he nearly dropped his phone as he snatched it off the nightstand table. He immediately dialed Kacchan.

"Yeah?"

"Kacchan!" The sound of his boyfriend's voice sent a surge of emotion rushing through him - relief, terror, love. Tears spilled down his cheeks. "You have to…!"

"Deku!" This time it was said sharply, a command. "Shut up a minute."

Confused, desperate, Izuku blurted out a desperate, "But…!"

"You can tell me in a minute. I want to tell you about my internship first."

Izuku realized he was almost hyperventilating. His chest ached from how hard his heart was beating against his sternum.

"Right now I'm patrolling a busy street. Lots of people are walking around, going about their day. Way more than in our neighborhood, but it's not as bad as downtown. Fuck, the sun's really bright. I'm sweating like a pig. It's going to be a hot summer."

A car horn sounded and Izuku could hear the slap of Kacchan's boots as he moved away from the disturbance to a more quiet spot.

"I'm with Endeavor and IcyHot, getting a feel for the area. Endeavor flew us here on a helicopter. Can you believe that? You would have loved it. The view was fucking incredible. We checked in with pro-hero Manual's agency before going on patrol. When we're done, we're going to check into some posh hotel. Guess I lucked out, huh?"

By this point Izuku's breathing had slowed and he was able to think more clearly. Sensing that he was calm, Kacchan's voice became heavy with double meaning.

"We're going to be staying in Hosu for awhile, but everyone's on high alert. We're going to play this by the book."

Izuku nodded his head. He understood the message. It was twofold. One, Kacchan was being extra careful. He knew enough that he wasn't going to make a stupid mistake and get killed. Two, he wasn't going to let Izuku break the rule about talking about his quirk on the phone or via text. It wasn't safe.

Izuku's heart picked up once more. Kacchan had to know what he saw! Think, Izuku! he thought angrily. He pulled his legs up to his chest and pressed his forehead hard into his knees. He could hear the sounds of cars and people in the background on the still open line. He's safe, he told himself sharply, trying to stay calm. But he might not be if you don't GET IT TOGETHER!

"You know that concert that's coming up?" Izuku finally asked, words coming slowly, his voice trembling but clear. "I know you want to go, but he's such a gibbering fool. I can't help yawning." He paused, trying to collect his thoughts. Kacchan gave an easy 'mmhmm', letting him know he was there and listening. "But we can talk about that later. I'd rather talk about the internships. You're in Hosu? Didn't Iida go there first?"

"Yeah, but barely. He took the train. We almost beat him here by copter."

Izuku gave a strained laugh, more an awkward chuckle than anything else. "Endeavor's always coming in second. I hope he doesn't lose his head like he's famous for." Nausea churned in his gut. He couldn't stop shaking and clutched his legs tightly, his phone trapped between his ear and his shoulder. "Todoroki's always looking up. To his father, I mean. But y-you…" He bit his lip hard, trying not to cry. "You always move forward…" He took a deep breath, voice going raspy. "Be careful, Kacchan. You don't want to get burned in one of those back alley deals that Hosu is famous for."

"That's downtown Tokyo, Izu," Kacchan argued, tone light. "Hosu isn't a hot bed of criminal activity. But I hear you. I've got this. Don't worry about me. I'll text you updates. Keep your phone on."

"You, too," Izuku begged.

"Every hour," Kacchan promised.

"I love you," he whispered thickly.

"Take care of yourself," Kacchan instructed and ended the call.

Izuku held his curled up position for a long second, but the burning under his skin wouldn't let him sit still. Images flared and flashed behind his eyes - the staring eyes of a dead child - the laugh of the man raping him - the agony of his body being cut to ribbons - the mind-shredding burn of his stomach acid spilling free of his abdomen after a canon blast…

Izuku flung himself off the bed and toward his notebook. "We've got to save them…" he muttered madly, already scribbling away.

"We will," All Might said from behind him. "What do you need?"

"I need to get to Hosu," he said, feverishly shading in a sketch of the rapist's face. "I can't talk to Kacchan like this. He won't let me say it clearly over the phone."

"Say what? What did you see?"

Izuku didn't look up from the page, his pencil moving in steady strokes. "Death. I always see death." His brow furrowed. "But it was different this time. I was me in the visions. I had my own thoughts and memories. I fought back. I tried to save them, but it was confusing. Everything happened so fast." He finally looked back at his teacher. "I didn't see Daisuke this time. I hope he's okay."

All Might watched him with concern. "I'm sure he's fine."

Izuku returned to his notebook and his drawings. "I should ask Hitoshi to send me down so I can talk to him once we get Hosu settled."

"What happens in Hosu?"

Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door. All Might called for them to enter. Izuku didn't bother looking up. He flipped his page and began a new sketch. His hand had begun to cramp, but he ignored it.

"How is he?" a deep voice asked softly. Nighteye.

"I'm not sure," All Might answered. "He says the visions have changed. He said he was himself in them, but I'm not sure how that helps."

"It does," Izuku said absently, pencil moving in short fast strokes. "I can fight back. I can think. Before, it was so overwhelming. I couldn't remember reality, couldn't remember it was a vision. I was those people in that moment. So afraid and in so much pain, with no hope at all. It's different now. I was me. I knew it was a vision, knew I was going to wake up and I could still stop all of it, and I got to fight back. It didn't work most of the time, but I managed to save a few."

"Is that possible?" All Might asked, tone completely confused.

"It shouldn't be," came Nighteye's response, his tone grim. "As I told you, Midoriya's quirk is unlike anything I've ever heard of. The future can't be changed."

"That's dumb," Izuku answered distractedly, most of his attention on his drawing. "The future hasn't happened yet. Of course it can be changed. By seeing the future in advance, you're already changing that future's past by seeing it in the first place."

"Unless seeing that future is a part of what led to that future," Nighteye retorted.

"In that case, it can still be changed, but only if you take actions that you wouldn't normally take. Something outside of what would have created the future you saw."

"It's not that simple." Nighteye's tone was so cold that Izuku glanced up. The man was staring at him, his yellow eyes hard. "You think I haven't tried? You think I didn't fight against what I saw over and over again? Any action I take, normal or random, are the ones that created the future. I cannot avoid it. I cannot change it. Thousands of psychics before you have proved this is the case."

Izuku was barely holding himself together. His hands were shaking, he was covered in sweat, and exhaustion made his body feel fifty pounds heavier. He did not have time to deal with this man's prejudices. "None of them were me," he said with finality. "I don't know how it works or why, but I'm able to change what I see. I've done it all my life, so there's no point arguing about this." He turned back to his drawing. He needed to give Tsukauchi sketches of all the killers so the police could start looking for them as soon as possible, but then they had to go.

"And now you say you went into the future and changed it through the vision itself?" Nighteye demanded, doubt thick in his voice.

Anger bubbled up inside of him. Izuku's head whipped up and he stared the man down. "Yes. I can now change what I see while I'm seeing it. Instead of their thoughts and experiences flooding into me, my mind floods into them. Until I talk to one of them, I don't know what it's like from their side, but it does not matter right now. Right now we have to get to Hosu, I have to talk to Kacchan, and I have to try and find that alley so we can all be ready when the Hero Killer attacks. Because if we aren't, my friends willDIE!" Voice hard, a fierce glare on his face, he practically growled, "So you can either get on board with that. Or you can get out."

"Izuku," All Might said gently, concern softening his expression. "We don't have the authority to go to Hosu. How would we even explain it without revealing you have visions?"

The rage washed out of Izuku as quickly as it had spiked. It left Izuku a shivering, crying mess. It took all his self-control to keep his voice level. "Ever since One For All, I've been able to know exactly when and where a vision was taking place, but now it's like it was before. I'll have to figure out where I was based on what I could see in the vision. That's why I have to go to Hosu! I'll recognize that alley when I see it."

He gripped the back of his chair so tightly the wood creaked under his grip. "I swear I'm not trying to get involved in the fight, All Might. I just need to make sure everyone's ready." Voice low, he shamelessly begged. "Please, you have to help me. I've never asked you for anything. This is Kacchan's life!" Desperate, he glared up at his hero through his tears. "And you owe him! You left him chained on that podium like an animal for all the world to see! Help me save his life! Please!"

All Might held his eyes. There was hurt there but also resolve. "Very well. I'll call Gran Torino and explain the situation somehow."

"Thank you," Izuku breathed. He turned back to the desk and tore the sketches of the killers' faces out of his notebook. "Can you give these to Tsukauchi?"

All Might accepted the papers. Nighteye said nothing as he left the room with him.

Izuku got to his feet and shakily stripped out of his clothes. He grabbed his ropes. He tied a loop around his wrist and wound the rope tightly up his arm. He visualized the rope holding him together, visualized his emotions muting as if he were tying his mind and heart as well as his arms. Almost in a trance, he tied the rope off only a few inches short of his shoulder and did the same to his other arm before pulling on a long-sleeved t-shirt. He'd just pulled up his jeans when the door opened and his mother came in.

Inko looked exhausted. Her eyes were dark with worry. When she saw him up and out of bed, her eyes went wide. She hurried to his side and pushed him back toward the bed. "What are you doing? You need to rest!"

"Mom, wait," Izuku said softly, grabbing her hand.

He hated how hard this was on her, but he didn't have any other choice. This was who he was. This was what his quirk and the world had made of him. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her down next to him. He tried to give her a smile.

"I'm not going to do anything risky," he assured her softly. "We're just going to go to Hosu where Kacchan and my friends are and have a look around before I head to my internship. I know I'm a little shaky right now, but All Might will be with me. I'm going to be okay, mom, promise."

"Why?" she demanded desperately. "You just woke up!"

Izuku stared into her eyes. He wanted to lie so she wouldn't worry, but he'd just promised to let her in more. "I saw Kacchan die, but I don't know where it'll happen exactly. I have to find the alley it happened in, so that the heroes can be there to save Kacchan."

Her eyes were wide. "He should come home! Why is he still there?"

"If he leaves, it might change things so much that we won't be able to stop the villain," he explained softly. "So many people will get hurt if we don't stop this guy."

"You're both still students!" she snapped, tears streaking her face. "You're not ready for this. I want you to go straight to Gran Torino and for Katsuki to come home. The pros can handle finding this killer. It's their job!"

"Mom…" Izuku began, desperate to make her understand.

"Izuku, you saw him die! All of you should stay away from that place!"

"We'll be smart. And if it comes down to a fight, we'll fight hard and we'll fight together. And we'll win! That's what it means to be a hero."

"No, Izu," she said, heartbroken. "What that means is to be a corpse! You're going to get yourself killed if you keep throwing yourself into danger!" She held his face between her shaking hands, her voice urgent. "I've been thinking about what Rai-chan said. I know you don't want to hear it, but, Izuku, I think he's right."

Izuku stared at her, eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

Her voice thickened as she delivered the painful truth. "You're not like Katsuki-kun, Izuku. You're not like All Might. Your quirk was never meant for battle. Being a hero was never meant to be your fate. You stole it and All Might let you, but, Izuku, it's not fair. To me or to anyone else. That quirk was meant to be with someone else. Someone more capable. Think of all the people who will suffer because All Might's quirk is with the wrong person."

Izuku stared at her in horror, completely gutted.

"Oh, Izuku!" She flung her arms around him and held him painfully tight. "I'm so, so sorry. I know it's not what you want. I know it hurts, but it's the truth! If you keep going down this path, you'll be killed and so will so many others. Giving this power to someone else, someone with a combat quirk, someone with the skills and training, would be the right thing to do. You could even give it to Katsuki! He's so strong; he'd save so many!"

Numb, he pulled out of her embrace. "I have to go," he said robotically. "I have to make sure Kacchan's safe."

"Think about it, Izuku." She gave him a tearful smile, green eyes full of love and trust. "I know you'll make the right choice."

Izuku grabbed his duffle and went to the door. As he touched the handle, his mother's voice reached him one more time.

"I love you. No matter what," she said softly.

Izuku closed his eyes against the pain and stepped out. He said nothing as he found All Might and Nighteye. They asked him questions, but he ducked his head and remained silent. Izuku didn't even realize time was passing. He lifted his head and they were already at the station boarding a train to Hosu.

Izuku settled in next to the window and pulled his notebook out. He closed his eyes and immediately the images in his visions flared behind them, ripping him down into the dark. First had been the alley chase, but he'd managed to win that fight. He jotted down a brief summary and moved to the next.

Second had been the office shooting. He'd won that fight, too, but the man had had a heart attack afterward. He needed help right away, so Izuku wrote a paragraph explaining what happened and then began to sketch out little details he'd seen. Things like calendars on desks, a clock on the wall, a billboard he could see the corner of through the window, a logo on a piece of paper that had fallen to the floor.

Third had been the drug deal. He'd taken care of that one, too, so he summarized what happened and moved on.

Fourth… A cold chill made him shiver and he curled his legs closer to his body protectively. It had been the basement rapist. Izuku couldn't bare to write more than he had to. As for details, he'd been in a basement, so he didn't have a lot to go on, but he sketched the walls, floor, and ceiling. He also did small sketches of the women's faces. They were pretty beat up, so it probably wouldn't help too much. The rapist was the most vivid in his mind's eye. Izuku could still feel him rutting deep inside his body, the way their skin slip-slid coated in blood, the way the man had smelled and sounded… Izuku bit back a whimper and turned the page, trying to shut it all out.

Fifth had been the assassination in the hotel room. The hotel logo had been all over the place, so that would be a good start. He sketched the room, not many were that luxurious, right? He focused really hard on the window in the vision. What could he see outside? It had been dark, so not much, but he'd seen lights hadn't he? He sketched it the best he could.

Sixth had been the woman who had poisoned her husband. He wrote a sentence, stating what happened, but he didn't bother with sketches or description. He really hoped the woman took the alibi he'd given her. She deserved better.

Seventh had been the pedophile with the van. Izuku closed his eyes and concentrated. Everything around him disappeared. He sank deep into the memory. Felt the coarse ropes around his wrists, the muzzle, the sway of the van, the metallic taste of iron and rust, the fear making his heart pound. Slowly the image came clear, of the van driving away. Izuku's fingers moved as he drew out the license plate.

A strong hand grabbed his shoulder. Izuku gasped, his eyes flying open.

"We're here," All Might said kindly.

Izuku swayed as he got to his feet. All Might braced him and helped guide him off the train. He felt sick, bile burning up his throat. He jerked away from All Might and stumbled to a trashcan on the platform. Everyone gave him a wide berth as he puked. Except for All Might. His hero stood right at his side, his large hand warm and strong on his back. Izuku leaned into his mentor, tears beading on his lashes.

"You need to rest," All Might said firmly, holding Izuku close.

"I have to look for the alley," Izuku protested, but his head was ringing.

"You can't do anything like this," Nighteye pointed out. "You're wasting time by arguing. The sooner you rest, the sooner we can look for that alley."

Izuku relented. All Might kept one arm wrapped around his shoulder as they made their way through the station. Kacchan wasn't wrong. As they stepped out into the bright sunshine of late afternoon, a blanket of warmth wrapped around them. It was at least five degrees warmer here than at UA.

"The hotel Endeavor is staying in isn't far."

Izuku nodded gratefully. He pulled out his phone and texted Kacchan an update as they walked. It didn't take long. The hotel was only ten minutes away and the heat felt good on Izuku's clammy skin. When they turned the corner, Izuku stared wide-eyed. The hotel was at least twenty stories tall, easily the tallest on the block. The lobby had gold everywhere and half a dozen dangling chandeliers.

Izuku caught All Might's sleeve. "I can't pay for this…"

All Might looked at him as if he were crazy. "Of course not. I am."

Guilt churned his already queasy stomach, but Izuku didn't want to cause a scene by protesting. Instead he sat in a plush chair underneath a renaissance painting and waited for All Might to check in. Not that anyone knew it was All Might. He stood thin as a skeleton, his clothes four times too large. Guests and the clerk gave him disapproving looks. Nighteye looked more the part in his sharp suite, combed dark green hair, and silver glasses. Everyone differed to him, ignoring All Might when they could. Izuku felt a swell of respect for his hero. Endeavor would never have allowed himself to be treated so.

All Might came over, his long yellow bangs hanging down past his shoulders as he gave Izuku a smile, completely unbothered by how he'd been treated. "We managed to get a room on the same floor as Endeavor. Come on."

Izuku followed. His eyes widened when All Might pressed the button for floor 23. That was the top floor. The elevator lifted with smooth acceleration. Two minutes later, the doors dinged open to a wide hallway with red carpeting with wide doors on either side. Gold wall lamps hung every five feet, casting a soft golden glow over everything. They were in room 2314.

The room had a living area with a couch and massive tv, a kitchenette, a small dining table in front of a wide window and two doors off to the right. One was open and revealed a marble bathroom, the other led into a dark bedroom.

"Why don't you take a quick nap?" All Might asked, shutting the door behind them and casually tossing the room key to the kitchen counter.

"In a minute," Izuku answered, distracted. He moved to the couch and sat down, pulling the notebook into his lap and opening it. He was sweating profusely. "I'm almost done. Got to get them all down."

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Seven had been the van and after that came… The bank robbery. The memory bloomed like a bruise behind his eyelids. He sketched the logo he remembered from the computer screen. He also remembered seeing the time and date in the corner of the screen. The mind-shredding agony of being shot in the gut threatened to tear him down into madness, but Izuku forced it back down.

Ten, god, ten had been the torture in the chair. The professionals. The cold detachment in their voice and eyes still sent shivers running up and down Izuku's spine. There had been no passion there. It had been a simple job to them, and it had left Izuku with nothing much to go on. The room had been bare and he'd been so out of it with pain he hadn't noticed much. The sketch of the criminal's face was all he could give.

Eleven had been the domestic violence case. That bastard had gone too far and had actually killed his child. He still remembered the old and new bruises molting his and the other child's skin, the marks on the woman collapsed on the floor. Izuku forced his mind to focus. He'd managed to call for help, but it hadn't been soon enough. The little boy hadn't been breathing when the police had arrived. They needed to get there sooner! He remembered seeing a clock and he remembered the dimensions of the house. He got one look outside the window, but all he saw was more houses. He sketched the view anyway. He desperately hoped it would be enough. Next time, Izuku would be more careful about finding identifying markers.

Eleven. Izuku's mind flinched away from the vision. For a minute, he couldn't remember what came next, but he refused to give up. He cleared his mind and slowly he saw again the bedroom of an apartment. It was the home invasion. The memory of the little boy's throat getting cut right in front of him made Izuku whimper brokenly. He'd failed so badly in that vision. He scanned his memory almost feverishly for any clue as to where he was. A letter! He'd seen a letter when he crashed into the glass table! But he could only make part of it come into focus. He wrote what he could.

Twelve had been the assisted suicide. There wasn't much that could be done, but Izuku wanted to check up on those bullies. Maybe ask Aizawa to arrange for them to get counseling. He also wanted to make sure that the suicidal kid got help, that his family was supporting him and not making it worse. He wrote the names he knew and drew the school uniform. He also sketched the skyline he'd seen.

Finally, he got to the last vision. It had been blurry and he'd been a passive observer, halfway between the new way of taking over and the old way where he lost himself completely in someone else's mind. He spent several minutes sketching the alley in acute detail, trying to piece it together as his perspective jumped around.

He'd seen through Iida's eyes first. The pro-hero Native had been slummed against a brick wall. He'd been alive but unmoving. Then there had been a sharp stab of steel pushing through his back, then death. He'd jumped to Endeavor's eyes next.

The heat of Endeavor's quirk and the lust for victory had been overwhelming. Izuku mind still reeled in horror as he remembered the sensation of spinning before staring up at his own headless corpse. Endeavor had still been alive for several minutes after his head had been cut off. Izuku swallowed hard. He would have puked, his stomach doing a nauseating roll, but he had nothing left to vomit.

Then he'd been behind Todoroki's eyes. That's when he saw Kacchan for the first time. He'd felt Todoroki's desperate concern for his friend and the sharp fear as he watched his father get cut down right in front of him. Todoroki had tried to run, had tried to protect Kacchan, but the Hero Killer had fallen from above, impaling him through the throat and chest, killing him almost instantly.

Then Izuku had been behind Kacchan's eyes. "Don't look, Izu…" The words haunted him. Even as Kacchan had been brutally cut down, he had only been thinking of Izuku. He'd shut his eyes so that Izuku wouldn't have the visual of Kacchan's death imbedded in his mind, but nothing could stop Izuku from feeling it.

His eyes snapped open. Nighteye was leaning against the wall. The light reflected off his glasses. All Might was on the couch with him, sitting quietly. Izuku handed over his notebook open to the page with the sketches of the alley.

"I couldn't see it too well. My perspective kept jumping with each death and it happened so fast. The Hero Killer killed them all in the space of three or four minutes. It looked like some kind of paralysis quirk. Native was alive but unmoving, and Iida couldn't move for some reason even though he wasn't hurt too badly."

All Might, listening attentively, passed on the notebook to Nighteye. "You did good, Izuku. We'll get a start on this from what you've said and drawn. For now, you need to sleep. Just for an hour, okay? You're shaking."

Izuku blinked and realized it was true. His whole body was trembling. He wrapped his arms around his torso trying to still it. "Oh."

"Come on." All Might helped him to his feet and towed him to the bedroom. "You don't have to worry. Aizawa is trailing Iida and Bakugo will text if it looks like the vision is about to come true."

Izuku sat on the edge of the bed. He felt like he was floating. "Save him, All Might," he begged, eyes already falling closed. "Please save him."

"I will," All Might promised, his trademark grin of confidence the last thing Izuku saw before passing out.

…

Toshinori softly closed the door to the bedroom and made his way to his old friend. "What do you think?"

Mirai was absorbed in Izuku's notes and sketches. He was the most brilliant man on the planet and Toshinori could almost feel the air heating around him as his mind whirled through connections and calculations. It brought a smile to his face. He'd missed this man more than he could ever say. Having Mirai beside him now made him feel complete.

Was that part of the reason he had been drawn to Izuku? Had he seen a little bit of Mirai in the boy? The irony wasn't lost on him. The boy Mirai had picked as a successor to One For All was strikingly similar to Toshinori himself while he had picked someone more like Mirai - his nephew, in fact! Instead of looking for successors, had they actually been searching for each other? The romantic in him wished it were true, even though he knew Mirai had never felt the same.

"Toshi," his friend said slowly, his voice deep and measured, staring at Toshinori intently. "Do you understand the significance of his ability to change what he sees? He's the first in ten thousand years of human history. Do you know what people would give to have access to him, to experiment on the limits of this power? And you've given him One For All on top of it. Arguably one of the rarest quirks in the world. Do you know how much would be lost in the event of his death?"

Toshinori crossed his arms, completely at ease. "I gave him One For All because he's the right one to wield it. He has a hero's heart, Yoru. More than even me. He does not believe in destiny, but I do, and I know you do, too. He speaks to Daisuke, the first holder. Daisuke said he was waiting for Izuku, that Izuku is the only one who can wield One For All at its full potential. There's no denying he's meant to be my successor."

"It's terrifying," Mirai almost whispered. "If the universe is creating a person to balance out what's to come, the convergence of his powers signify something equally dark and terrible coming."

Toshinori shivered at the certainty in his partner's voice, the intensity in his golden eyes.

"I've noticed the underground stirring," Mirai continued. "A dark leader is on the rise. Power is shifting and the heroes on the whole are becoming unfit for the title. And the death I saw… Your death… It's fast approaching. I fear the age of heroes and peace is ending."

Toshinori's breath caught as he realized tears were glittering in Mirai's eyes. He strode forward, closing the distance between them and pulling the man into his arms. "Then we must get to work, Yoru. We have to help them as much as we can. Your students and mine. We have to have faith they will stand strong against the darkness."

Mirai leaned against him for a brief moment before pulling away.

Toshinori smiled sadly. It had always been this way between them. Him reaching out and Mirai pulling away. He changed the subject hoping to ease some of his friend's tension. "Do you think you can find the alley based on what he's drawn?"

"I can find most of these locations," Mirai said easily, as if it were a small thing. "I'll be back. Don't leave without me." He straightened his suit jacket and tucked Izuku's notebook under his arm before striding out the door, his cellphone already at his ear.

Left alone with Izuku, Toshinori felt dread sit in his stomach. As much as he'd put on a confident face for his friend, the truth was he was terrified of Mirai's prediction. Terrified of the peace he'd sacrificed so much for shattering. And as unfair as it was to Izuku, he was nonetheless terrified that the boy would not be enough to stem the tide of darkness.

…

Katsuki glared hotly at the number two hero's back. They'd been walking the streets for nearly eight hours. Endeavor had given them exactly one break to use the restroom and get a drink of water, but that had been almost three hours ago. The sun was sinking on the horizon, hidden behind the buildings. Darkness was falling fast and there was no sign of Endeavor stopping. Todoroki's stomach growled. That was it for Katsuki.

"We need to stop," he stated, planting his feet. Todoroki stopped with him, but his eyes were wide with surprise. He shook his head subtly, but Katsuki ignored him. He met Endeavor's piercing blue eyes fearlessly.

"What did you say?" Endeavor asked, voice a low note of danger. He took a step closer to them, using his enormous size to cow them into submission.

"You heard me," Katsuki answered evenly. He was not intimidated. "It's not strategic to burn all our energy this early into the hunt. We need an hour to recuperate and to get some fuel into our bodies. If we keep running mindlessly like this, we'll be useless when the battle comes."

Endeavor's eyes narrowed into furious slits. "Is this the extent of your stamina, boy?" he demanded in disgust.

Katsuki's hands sizzled, his rage slipping his leash a bit, but Todoroki stepped between them. His face was perfectly blank as he met his father's angry glare.

"Permission to take a short rest, sir."

"If you aren't back at my side in an hour, there will be consequences," the large man growled ominously, his words heavy with some hidden meaning.

Todoroki tried to remain stoic, but Katsuki caught the tension in his shoulders, the way his face paled slightly. He had to hold his hands out to the side as his quirk activated, popping loudly. Civilians on the street skittered away from him with glares or wide-eyes, but Katsuki didn't give a fuck. "Are you okay?" he demanded.

Todoroki unconsciously curled his arms around his stomach protectively. "Yes." He smiled, but it didn't touch his eyes. "Come on. We're wasting time."

Katsuki followed, still fuming.

"What did Midoriya say? You weren't able to tell me earlier," Todoroki asked, clearly trying to distract him.

Katsuki clenched his hands into fists and tried to swallow down the rage. "He told me that it happens under a waning Gibbous moon, so within the next three nights. Glasses died first. Then your father was beheaded. Then you were killed. I think the blow came from above. Something about you looking up. Then me, but he said something about burns. Either the Hero Killer has a quirk that burns or I got caught up in one of the flaming dirtbag's attacks."

Todoroki hummed thoughtfully. "Probably the later," he admitted. "He'd just say you were too slow and deserved the burns."

Katsuki really was going to kill the motherfucker. He would suggest skipping town and letting the vision play out, but then Glasses would die, too. Katsuki knew what that would do to Izuku. He had to do whatever it took to prevent the fucking idiot's death. Even if it meant letting Endeavor live another fucking day.

A hand grabbed his own. Katsuki tensed to yank it away, but realized it was Todoroki at the last second. He forced his arm still. Todoroki's gaze was direct as he met Katsuki's eyes. "Thank you," he said. "I know you asked to stop because of me, but you don't have to do that. I can keep up."

Katsuki frowned and pulled his hand away. "I don't know what you're talking about." He turned and stomped toward the fast-food chain at the end of the street. "I asked to stop because it's stupid to march around until we collapse and I'm fucking hungry as hell. We've got fifty fucking minutes left, so let's hurry the fuck up and eat."

…

Izuku stood surrounded by his friends and family, but as he turned and met their eyes he saw they were staring at him in disgust.

"I never realized how selfish you are," Uraraka said, face twisted.

"All this time you were just pretending to be a hero," Iida said in disdain, crossing his arms and looking down at him.

"I told you, Midoriya. You're a one-hit wonder," Aizawa drawled. "A liability who will put other heroes in danger as they try to protect you."

"Come with me, honey," his mother pleaded. "Leave this all behind. This is not what you were meant to do."

"You're a failure," a woman with a bloodied face accused him. "You act like you're some great savior, but I died! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU?" she sobbed in agony.

"Shit, Deku!" Kacchan spat, shoving him hard enough to send him falling onto his ass. "Stop holding me back! I nearly lost my arm because of you!"

"I should never have given you my quirk, young man," All Might in his hero form told him gravely. "I was mistaken. I hope you understand."

Izuku screamed as his hero reached down and yanked out a chunk of his hair. All Might turned his back and walked away, leaving him gasping on the ground, his scalp on fire.

"All you're good for is dying," Daisuke said sadly. "Dying so that others more worthy may live."

A spear burst through his back and out his abdomen. Blood drenched his chin as he coughed. With shaking hands, Izuku clutched the spear, a breathless denial on his lips. Without warning, ice punched through his shoulder as his legs caught on fire. He could feel his skin bubbling, the fat oozing and dripping, the horrific smell of burning meat.

"Good job, Shoto," Endeavor said with pride as he watched Izuku writhe in agony.

"You said you'd save me from him, Midoriya," Todoroki told him, voice raw. "Look what he's turned me into!"

Izuku thrashed, screams tearing from his throat even as Endeavor reached forward with his massive hand. "You forgot a limb. You have to be thorough if you're going to be number one," the hero said with a terrifying grin. Endeavor grabbed his forearm and snapped it like a twig.

Izuku howled in pain.

"He's too broken," Hitoshi decided, eyes as cold as his voice. "Let's start the experiment over, shall we?" The cock of a gun sounded by his head. "See you when you wake up, Izuku."

BANG!

Izuku sat bolt upright, screaming hoarsely as he felt his skull shatter and heard his brain matter splatter against the wall. He thrashed as strong arms wrapped around him, sobs tearing from deep inside his soul. He was being rocked back and forth, All Might - skeletal and injured - held him close, hushing him softly.

"It's alright," the hero said calmly. "I'm here now. It's okay."

Izuku clung to him desperately, weeping brokenly. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, All Might! I didn't mean to steal it! I just wanted to help them! I wanted to save everyone! I'm sorry!"

"Hey, now. What's this all about?" All Might held him tighter. "What did you steal?"

"One For All!" Izuku cried desperately. "I stole it from someone better, someone stronger! Now people are going to die because I was selfish! I'm not worthy! I've never been worthy! All I'm good for is dying!"

"Izuku!" All Might said sharply and pushed him away enough so they could look into each other's faces. "I do not want to hear you say that. That is not all you are good for." He gently brushed Izuku's hair from his eyes. "Remember what I said? We cannot save everyone, but we will save everyone we can. Izuku, I do not know what weight you are struggling under, but you are not unworthy. You have saved so many and you will continue to save even more as you grow. I could not have found anyone better to wield One For All."

Izuku shook his head, unable to believe what his hero was saying. Tears drenched his pale face as he struggled to pull away. "No. It's not true. It's not true!"

All Might let him go with one hand, but refused to free the other. Izuku tried to pry his grip loose. He had no idea where he was trying to go, but he had to get away. He had to do something. He had to give it back!

"Yeah?"

Izuku froze as Kacchan's voice entered the room. His eyes went wide as he stared at the phone All Might held. He'd put it on speaker.

"I am sorry for calling when you are on duty, young Bakugo. However, I have Izuku here and he's rather distressed. I'm having a hard time reaching him."

Izuku began to hyperventilate. He wanted with a desperate need to see his boyfriend. Kacchan was his anchor; he'd be able to tell him what was real. At the same time, he was terrified of seeing disgust in Kacchan's red eyes. It would break him completely.

"Izuku? You with me?"

"I'm s-sorry," he wheezed, breaking into sobs. "I'm s-sorry!"

"Shit. Okay. I need you to breathe, Izu. You hear me? All Might is going to take a deep breath in. I want you to copy him."

Izuku did as he was told. It took him several tries, but he managed to take a full breath in.

All Might watched with calm, understanding eyes as he breathed deeply, setting a rhythm Izuku could match. "Good, young Midoriya. That's good. Now let it out."

Slowly Izuku's breathing evened out. The panic dissipated and embarrassment flooded in. "I'm sorry," he said again, this time much more calmly.

"What happened?" Kacchan asked.

"Nightmare," Izuku answered, avoiding All Might's eyes.

"I think it was more than that," the hero disagreed. "You claimed you stole my quirk and that you were unworthy of it."

His hands clenched into fists. "I just… There might be other people more capable than me to wield it. If I keep it, I'll be responsible for the suffering of everyone I couldn't save."

"Is this because of Mirai?" All Might asked, worried. "He does not know you well enough. When he does, he'll see I made the right choice in you."

Izuku pulled away, changing the subject. "It was just a bad dream. We're wasting time. We have to find that alley so we can have everything ready for when the Hero Killer shows up."

"Let me talk to Izuku alone."

All Might dutifully handed over the phone.

Izuku accepted it with a trembling hand and turned off the speaker.

"You there?"

"Yes," he answered softly.

"You got your ropes on?"

Misery sat heavy in his chest. Why was he always so weak? Why was he always falling apart? "Yes, but I need to tighten them," he admitted, voice a tight rasp.

"Okay. Good. Focus on what's real."

Izuku bit his lip. Did he even know what that was anymore?

"Yes, you do," Kacchan stated with certainty, knowing Izuku's fears. "Tell me something that's real, Izu."

"You are," Izuku answered immediately. It was the one thing he could always count on.

Kacchan's voice dropped into the lower register that always made Izuku's heart beat faster. "That's right, and we're going to save that idiot's ass and stop the villain. Together, just like always."

Izuku's throat burned with unshed tears. "I love you," he whispered, holding tight to the phone.

"Same," Kacchan said roughly. "Don't forget you've worked fucking hard on your quirks, both of them. We've got this."

"I'm good now," Izuku promised, the world righting itself once more.

"I know you are," Kacchan purred, making Izuku blush. "See you soon, Deku." The call ended.

Still blushing, he handed the phone back to All Might. "Thank you."

All Might smiled at him. "We all need a little help sometimes, kid. Even me."

Izuku nodded and got out of bed. The doubts still lingered, dark and insidious, but he locked them away the way he did the visions. His mind was clear, as was his purpose: stop the Hero Killer. Green eyes burning with determination, he clenched his hands into fists. "Let's go look for that alley."

Chapter end.

A/n: Next chapter is the infamous and amazing fight with Stain! Just what will happen? Will the boys escape unscathed? ;p