"Midoriya! Nooooo!"
The class of 1-A stood in shock as a screaming Izuku was sucked through a bright vortex of light.
In short, Izuku was not having a great day.
What happened was that Power Loader and Principal Nezu wanted to create a time machine. Such an invention could help them destroy the League of Villains before they could even form!
The calculations had to be correct, Nezu looked over them after all. Power Loader manned the construction of the device, refusing to allow any student to alter them. He even calculated Eri's quirk! He was sure everything would go to plan.
The class of 1-A gladly volunteered to be a test subject. How cool would it be to travel back in time?!
Power Loader smiled genuinely, grateful for such amazing students, but informed them of the risks. There was at least a 90% chance that any damage would be permanent, even death was a variable in the equation. To his expectation, everyone halted their excitement, actually thinking of their safety for once.
There was one student who stepped forward, despite the risks, despite the reality.
Izuku Midoriya.
All eyes widened as he explained that he was doing this for the safety of the world, and for everyone in it. If they had an inkling of a chance to rid their reality of Shigaraki, Dabi, or even Twice, then it was worth it.
After a moment of consideration, the head of the school conceded, telling the teen that when he's back, he'd become a pro hero on the spot.
Izuku was grateful, but turned him down. He was doing this to help everyone, not boost himself in this world.
So there Izuku was, strapped to a chair, waiting for the device to work. He smiled at everyone, saying his last words in case something went terribly wrong. He started by thanking the students for the amazing time he's had at 1-A, for the wonderful friends he's made, and for feeling like he belonged somewhere.
The students all cried.
Izuku turned to the staff and faculty next, and thanked them for the opportunity to become a hero in training. He thanked All Might, to everyone's surprise, and smiled when he noticed tears flowing out of his predecessor's eyes. He was grateful to be the successor of such an amazing hero.
Lastly, he turned to Eri. He laughed as she tackled him, comforting her as he patted her head. After a few minutes of the students saying their last words to him, he received a shock.
Ochako Ururaka ran forward and kissed him. She was crying as well, regretful of not showing her true feelings beforehand. Now that he might be gone forever, she knew she had to make a move.
In truth, Izuku never really felt that way about the girl in front of him, but he couldn't say that now. He just smiled, thanking her for the wonderful time he's had with her, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
Eventually, it was time to start the experiment.
Izuku smiled sadly at the group, and just before they pressed a red button, he looked at Katsuki Bakugo.
"Kachaan. Look after mom for me, if I don't come back."
The brash teen only nodded, all emotion draining from him. It was then that he wished he said something. he wished he could have apologized, even tried to make amends. It wasn't until much later that wishful thinking was the most he could make out of his life.
Power Loader pressed the button.
At first, nothing happened. After thirty seconds, Izuku chuckled, joking that maybe he didn't have to do all that. The students laughed, all agreeing with him.
He started to undo a buckle, when he felt a tug. It was slight, but it was definitely there. Soon enough, the tug felt like a pull, and after ten seconds, he felt like he was being dragged backwards.
He was in so much pain. His insides felt like a rubber band about to snap. His head felt like putty. He looked at his hands, which might as well have been limp noodles. His legs were nothing more than meter sticks.
He looked at the students, his face locked in a panicked scream. The students only stared at him, wide eyed, as his body looked like taffy being stretched out. His eyes whipped to All Might, pleading that he would help him.
All Might just couldn't move.
With a final scream, the vortex of light dimmed to nothing, leaving a hole in the floor, and an identification card.
The class was stunned. Nezu was in shock. The teachers looked at each other, not sure what to do.
The only teacher who acted was Power Loader, who checked the computer for any results. Nezu scrambled over to him, excitement sparking in his eyes.
"Did it work?"
Powder Loader only walked away, his mood turning solemn.
"Power Loader?" Nezu squeaked out. After a moment, panic was beginning to set in. He looked at the teachers. "Find Midoriya! Check everywhere! We must find him!"
Every student of the hero course looked everywhere. They ran to the streets, sprinted past beaches and parks, checked their own homes, for a sign of the vernadette. He travelled back in time, so maybe he was in a location sacred to someone now that wasn't back then. Wherever "then" was, anyways.
Pro heroes were contacted. Sidekicks were sent out. Retired heroes came back to the job, just to ensure a young boy's safety.
Meanwhile, Nezu was alone in his office, a bottle of scotch on his desk. He was writing in his notes, praying that there was a miscalculation of some kind that he looked over. His mind ran at thousands upon thousands of meters per second, yet he just could not figure out what went wrong.
After several failed attempts, he almost gave up.
It's too bad Eri didn't know when she sent him to. That quirk of hers is hard to understand.
His eyes shot open. A connection was made.
He didn't take Izuku's quirk into account.
By all means, had it been Aizawa or even himself, then there was a higher chance the experiment would have succeeded. However, this was One for All he was talking about.
This was a quirk that adapted, and evolved, to other quirks when in the user's system.
Nezu wanted to slam a studded board on his own head. How could he have been so stupid? He poured another glass of scotch, and was deep in thought.
He heard a knock on his door.
"Come in."
The figure that appeared before him was none other than Power Loader. The usually perky teacher looked distraught, almost depressed. Nezu sat forward, eagerly awaiting any good news.
"He's alive, Nezu."
"What do you mean?"
Power Loader's mood brightened. "I mean he's still with us! But he's not actually here. Meaning non existent in this world!"
Nezu looked at him, patiently waiting for the teacher to calm down.
"Then how are you able to sense his vitals?"
Power Loader shrugged. "I'm unsure, but I'm glad we have as little as we do." He cleared his throat, his facial expression becoming serious.
"Nezu. We overdid it." The support teacher sounded like his family just died.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, when Izuku's quirk and Eri's mixed with my technology, it didn't send him in time. He would be here with us either a few days older, or many years older. However, he's not here at all."
"Then where is he?"
"That's the thing. I don't actually know. I assume we broke physics and sent him to another dimension. It's only a theory, but his vitals only show his heartbeat and breathing. Otherwise I can't say where he is or when he is."
Nezu was ecstatic. "Can we bring him back?"
Loader slumped. "I don't think so. We'd need him to cooperate. Otherwise than that we don't have a way to bring him back."
Nezu relaxed, a paw to his muzzle. "Most complicated indeed." He slapped a paw into the other. "We must find a way."
Nezu called for all students to return to the school. They would find the boy, but that was the responsibility of himself and the support teacher. For now, however, classes were to be continued as normal, and any search parties were composed of pro heroes who had time.
The entirety of class 1-A was out of it, especially Uraraka. The class felt every stomach drop when the gravity defying girl hesitantly picked up the identification card of Izuku. Every tear duct threatened to spill when they heard her wail in mourning.
Nezu visited the class personally and explained that while Izuku wasn't in the world physically, they knew he was alive, based on his vitals. They just couldn't figure out how to bring him back.
This piece of information only made things worse. Uraraka cried harder and the class continued to blame themselves for his disappearance.
Aizawa sent Uraraka home, telling her to get some rest. The rest of the students didn't bother escorting her home, since her parents picked her up.
The other members of the so-called "Dekusquad" sat in silence, unable to believe their comrade was gone. Tsuyu even silenced her croaking, for once. Iida didn't have the class do anything, and Todoroki only became more reserved. Without the rock of their group, they were nothing.
The one who took it the worst was Katsuki. He stared at his desk in complete silence, his mind a blur. He recognized that look in Deku's eyes.
They were the same as his when he was attacked by that slime guy.
He tightened his fists. His brows arching down. He risked his life without a quirk for me when I was about to fucking die. How did I respond to that nerd when he was in danger? I only stood. He scoffed at himself. What kind of hero am I, to let even a Deku disappear?
Izuku's last words to him slammed into him like one of his explosions.
'Take care of my mom for me.'
Katsuki punched a fist into the other.
You got it, Deku.
Izuku never felt worse in his entire life. In fact, what he just experienced was definitely a tier higher in his "never to do again" list.
Groaning, he reluctantly sat up, surprise overtaking him when he didn't feel injured. He didn't even feel sore! It was almost like he felt how he was before the experiment.
His eyes shot open. The experiment! Did it work?
He stood up, scanning his environment. He was in a beach of some type, with no one in sight. Which wasn't uncommon due to the setting sun.
I guess I'll just have to find Nezu myself and strangle him for sending me all the way over here.
He chuckled at the false threat, instead opting to look around. I wonder how far he sent me? It would be cool to see All Might in his prime! Wait a minute, could I still use All for One?
He turned to the water and attempted to use full cowling. Feeling the electricity and power coarse through his veins, he nodded in confirmation. He could still use it, for which he was glad.
He decided it was getting late. He still had a curfew, and he didn't want to face Aizawa if he broke it. He turned his head left and right, drinking in the familiar scenery with excited eyes. I guess nothing much has changed in all these years, huh?
He stopped, the last thought catching him. In all these years a city never changed? He rushed to a newspaper stand and grabbed at a stack of paper. He paled, reading the headline.
BREAKING: NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL FROPPY EVADES HEROES AND POLICE!
Police are doing their best to locate the villain Froppy, also known as Tsuyu Asui, as she assaults pro hero Ground Zero as he patrolled today. More info in Froppy2A
Izuku placed the papers down with shaking hands. He noticed a sign on a billboard, and upon closer inspection, he froze.
The sign contained a large image of All Might. While this wasn't unusual, the letters were.
I AM HERE. WATCHING YOU.
Izuku fell to the ground, his state never leaving the board. This wasn't the All Might he knew. This All Might wore a scowl on his jaw, his usual bright colours of yellow, red, white, and blue replaced by a black overcoat covering a dark grey vest, black shirt, and crimson tie. Izuku felt the eyes of this false All Might staring into his soul.
He looked around at a frantic pace, his heart beat increasing a thousand metres a second.
Where is he?