AN: TheJSmooth - if you're still around, All Might's idea is in fact, terrible.

Flashyyyyyy - Well… she's gonna meet him eventually

Dragonlord001 - Actually, the lifespan shortening bit was discovered by the 4th holder of OFA, who went into hiding rather than confront AFO. But you are right, in that that little detail was added after the fact to show Izuku was the right person to hold OFA.

By the following Friday, Ochako felt like she was going stir-crazy.

As she walked home from school, she reflected on how it should feel nice after the past year that she had to just be a normal teenage girl again. To just reconnect with friends and enjoy the quiet pace of life in her hometown.

But after a week, she was ready to be a young hero-in-training again.

Stopping, she wondered why she hadn't begun a daily training routine yet. Sure, she would have to start from scratch, but that would mean she was even more prepared when the time came.

And it wasn't like she had anything better to do right now. After the rapid pace of the last week and a half, it seemed like things were going to remain slow until All Might and everyone at UA had everything in place, and more importantly - when she was back in Mustafu.

Smiling, she resumed her walk home, mentally going over a list of exercises she could do freely around town. When she arrived home, she found her mom sitting in their home office, going over a large stack of paperwork.

"Hi, mom!" she called out.

Her mom looked up, smiling at her. "Hi, Chako! Have a good day at school?"

Ochako smiled and nodded. "Whatcha got there?"

Miu skimmed through the paperwork and smiled. "The folks at UA sure are efficient. We just got the paperwork today! I'm just going over the numbers to make sure they're right before taking them to our lawyer."

"That's great!"

"Oh, and they included something for you in the package they sent us!"

Ochako was surprised to hear that. "They did?"

"Yep. Not sure what it is, it felt heavy though? I left it in your room."

"Thanks! I'll go take a look."

Ochako raced through the house to her room, seeing the envelope on her desk. Picking it up, she felt a familiar weight. Wondering why they sent her a message disk, she carefully opened the envelope, removing the disk and laying it on her table. Sitting down, she pushed the button and watched as an image of Nezu appeared in front of her.

"Am I a dog, a mouse, or a bear? It doesn't matter, for I am the Principal!"

Ochako couldn't help but smile at Nezu's signature greeting before he got down to business.

"Greetings Miss Uraraka. I hope, after the last few weeks, life is treating you well."

The image of Nezu paused briefly before continuing. "As I am sure you are now aware, we have hired your parents' construction company to handle renovations of our training facilities. We have submitted the paperwork, and hopefully your parents, upon reviewing it, will agree to the details of the contract."

"Because I believe in timeliness, I have scheduled a meeting next Saturday where we will officially sign the contract and hire Uraraka Construction. Since they will be traveling to Mustafu already, I wish to personally invite you to join them again. One of our future teachers would like to meet with you to discuss future opportunities."

Ochako gasped. He can't mean…

"I hope you will be able to arrange it. I am dreadfully sorry for pulling you out of school as much as I am these past two weeks, but hopefully, your teachers will understand. I will, of course, provide you with an excuse for your absence. While it may seem early, it is never too early for aspiring future heroes to think about their choice of school!"

Ochako smiled and pumped her fist in the air, a wide grin stretching across her face.

The projection of Nezu said his goodbyes before flicking off, but the disk was already forgotten as Ochako returned to the living room to retrieve her bag. She had to call Izuku and tell him the news.

When she peered down at her phone, she noticed she had one missed call - from Izuku. Smiling, she hit a button and called him back. He picked up on the second ring.

"Ochako, I-"

"Izuku, I-" Ochako laughed at their shared enthusiasm. "You go first."

"Did you get a letter from UA today?" Izuku asked.

"Yep! My parents are heading back to UA for business next week, and I'm coming with them."

"Next Saturday? That's when Nezu wants me to come back! They want me to head there after school."

"Do you think this is about All Might?"

"I think so. Nezu was obviously being careful in case our parents heard the message, but it was pretty clear he was talking about All Might, if not One For All itself!"

"I guess we'll see what he decided then, huh?"

"Y-yeah."

When Ochako arrived at UA with her parents, there was much less fanfare this time. Just like the first time, Midnight met with Ochako and pulled her away, while her parents left with UA's lawyers to finalize all of the paperwork. Similarly, she guided Ochako to the teacher's lounge, stopping at the door.

"Your friend is inside," Midnight goaded, a cheeky smirk present on her face.

Ochako grew pink. "H-he's not like that!"

A knowing grin spread across Midnight's face. "Well, I was just teasing, but now you have me curious."

"I-I'm leaving now!"

Deciding that avoiding that discussion was the best option, Ochako quickly yanked the door open, practically running into the teacher's lounge before slamming the door behind her. Izuku jumped with a startled yelp.

"S-sorry!" Ochako apologized, thankful for the embarrassment to cover what happened.

"I-it's ok, I just wasn't expecting that!" Izuku gave her a reassuring smile. "So how was your trip?"

"It's going to get old fast." She walked over to the couch and sat down next to Izuku. "I wish my parent's contract could be cut short so I could move here sooner, but they would never do something like that."

Izuku offered her a sympathetic smile. "Well, mom said I can come to visit you soon! She just wants to come with me, so we'll have to spend part of the day with her."

"That would be great!" Ochako couldn't help but grin.

The door slammed open a second time, causing both of them to jump in surprise. "I am here! With a decision!"

Hearing that the two tensely stared at each other, both suddenly on edge. Instinctively, they reached out and grabbed each other's hand, holding on firmly. Even though they had both agreed to support each other no matter what All Might decided, it didn't mean that his decision would be any less nerve-wracking.

With his signature smile on his face, All Might walked in, spotting his two potential successors. "I have decided that both of you will be my successor!"

The two sat there in silent disbelief, looking back and forth between each other and All Might, making sure that they heard him right. Finally agreeing that they did, they both spoke.

"What?!"

All Might laughed nervously. "You see. Having spoken to both of you privately, it is obvious why I - or well, other versions of me - would have named you their successors. The decision was so difficult that I couldn't decide!"

They both stared at each other, still bewildered. All Might continued, "It was then that I realized something! One For All is a storage quirk. After all, my predecessor Nana was able to use One For All in the years after she had passed it on to me, protecting the embers of power left behind. So, why not have the two of you share One For All? You each keep it for several weeks at a time, and then when it is in the care of the other, you use the embers that you have collected."

"Would that even work?" Ochako bluntly asked.

Izuku pulled his hand away to rest his thumb on his lip. He thought about the possibility. "In theory, it could. But we would have to get the vestiges to agree to it. If what happened on Nabu island is any indication, once it is transferred to one of us, they will gain a certain amount of control over how the transfer works, and who they will allow to have it." Izuku turned towards Ochako. "But we don't know how long it will take for the vestiges to manifest, allowing us to speak to them. Or if they would agree to the plan."

"So what if they don't agree to it?" Ochako asked, turning back towards All Might.

All Might laughed uneasily and deflated. "In that case, we will have to revisit this conversation? I must admit, despite Nezu's insistence that I think about a successor, I have been putting the topic off. And now I was given not one, but two people who deserve to carry on my legacy. I am merely trying to honor both of your wishes."

Izuku and Ochako glanced at each other and blushed. Of course, they both knew exactly what the other was thinking. Ochako was faster to recover and spoke first.

"Izuku gets it first."

"Ochako…"

Ochako cut Izuku off. "Izuku, no. We've had this discussion-"

Their argument was cut off by All Might's laughter. "I am sorry, but seeing the two of you together, now I truly understand how much you care about each other."

Both students turned bright red. Izuku was having trouble saying more than a single syllable, while Ochako was reduced to startled squeaks. To save them from further embarrassment, All Might held up his hand.

"Don't worry, I understand. After what you had both gone through, it makes sense why you would be close. I must admit, I am a little jealous - my years of service would have been easier if I had a partner like that."

Both simply glimpsed at each other before nodding. Yes, that was exactly what was happening. It had nothing to do with complicated emotions that they were still struggling to sort through.

Once she had recovered, Ochako turned toward Izuku; the intense look she shot at him told him that she wouldn't accept any arguments. "I already have a quirk. It's not fair for me to get One For All first! Besides, with how much you hurt yourself, you need the extra practice."

Izuku pouted. "That's not fair! Using my argument against me."

"Then you shouldn't have made that argument as to why I should have it!" she replied smugly. "Besides, I think the vestiges will like you better."

Despite her attitude, Izuku saw the lingering self-doubt in her eyes as he stared at her. The two were locked in a silent war. both knew that if the vestiges didn't agree to this, then they would have to make a decision. Izuku knew if he transferred it to Ochako, she would wield it properly. And Ochako knew she'd relentlessly refuse to take it from Izuku, allowing him to have it.

Not wanting to continue the fight, Izuku broke first and looked away, conceding for now. "T-thank you."

Even though it felt like the hardest decision of her life, she couldn't help but smile. If anyone could figure out a solution, it would be Izuku. She just had to trust him and be patient.

All Might smiled in relief now that the argument seemed to be resolved, for now. "Even now you two continue to impress me. The strength of your resolve is endless. Which comes to the second topic, one that is much easier for you to share. The Symbol of Peace."

Izuku and Ochako's attention turned back towards All Might. Izuku spoke first. "Is this about one man being the pillar of society?"

All Might grinned at his observation. "Yes. You see, it has come to my attention that perhaps I was wrong to think a single person, even with the power of One For All, could step into the role and that Japan would just accept it. But what if we had multiple people in the role?"

Izuku's mind immediately went back to his experience with Sir Nighteye. "Mirio Togata."

"The young man who helped you fight the yakuza?" All Might asked.

Izuku nodded. "The same. I didn't mention it but Sir - he didn't take your choice of successor very well. So much so, that he decided to train someone else to be your successor. He- he had hoped to force me to transfer One For All to him."

All Might remained silent at that revelation. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Izuku continued, "His heart was in the right place, I think. Mirio is a lot like you - or he will be, I should say. He has a certain presence around him and can smile easily. Even without One For All, he would be someone who could be a Symbol of Peace."

Izuku paused, remembering the way Sir Nighteye approached the situation. "I-if Mirio wants it, that is! I don't want to force the role onto anyone who doesn't want it."

With a heavy sigh, All Might finally spoke again. "I am sorry you had to go through with that, young Midoriya. But you raise a good point. The mantle can be shared by more than just the two of you. Perhaps, with Nezu's assistance, we can find even more such individuals at UA."

"I like that idea," Ochako agreed. "I was willing to shoulder the burden alone. It felt like an impossible task, but for the sake of everyone, I was willing to try."

She smiled at Izuku. "But with more people beside me, maybe it won't feel so impossible."

All Might smiled at the two. "I must say, while I did not choose you personally, the more time I spend with you, the more I believe that my alternate selves were correct in their judgment."

Both turned towards All Might, blushing from the praise. "T-thank you!"

All Might laughed. "Now then, onto more mundane matters."

All Might opened the briefcase he had brought in with him and pulled out two folders, handing one to each of them. "Recovery Girl was kind enough to help me come up with the training regime for the two of you to prepare both of your bodies to receive One For All. Since we are currently limited by the three of us living so far apart, the training will be done in two parts. The first phase will be individual training for the next six months. After that, once we've all relocated to Mustafu, we will begin the second phase of our training."

"And in ten months," Izuku began, looking through the weekly schedule, "you will pass One For All along to us."

All Might nodded solemnly. "Nezu is correct that Japan is not ready for my retirement, and so I plan on reducing my daily activity gradually before accepting a teaching position here. I plan on managing the embers that will remain within me better until the time comes."

"All For One," Izuku and Ochako spoke at once.

"Indeed. I do not intend to leave that fight as unfinished business for the two of you. He was my responsibility, and I did a poor job of confirming his death five years ago. It will be my responsibility to finish the fight."

"P-please don't die," Ochako pleaded to All Might.

All Might reached out, resting a hand on Ochako's shoulder to console her. "Don't worry, young Uraraka. He will not catch us unaware this time, and I intend to survive the encounter."

Izuku grabbed Ochako's hand. "We'll make sure of it!"

Looking at the other two, Ochako bolstered her spirits with tenacity. "Yeah! We'll make sure to punch him right in his stupid face if we have to!"

Everyone broke down in laughter.

"No. I plan on defeating All For One, properly this time. I then plan on fully retiring, and properly mentoring the next generation of heroes."

"That sounds wonderful," Ochako asserted. Izuku nodded in agreement.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Izuku asked.

All Might laughed and ballooned into his muscle form. "So enthusiastic!"

He deflated again, looking at the two. "No. Your job is simply to train your bodies and your minds. You still need to be ready to receive One For All, and you still need to pass the entrance exam for UA!"

All Might then pointed to the two folders in the students' hands. "And to do that, we must discuss your training! After all, I will only have a few chances to talk to both of you together, at least until March."

Izuku and Ochako looked at each other, and then back to All Might before nodding simultaneously.

With a grin, All Might explained the first part of their training regime.

Returning home that evening, Izuku deposited his school bag in his room before telling his mom the good news.

"Uraraka Construction signed the contracts today, which means that they'll be moving to Mustafu in March!" Izuku happily told his mom.

"That's wonderful! Oh, I'm so happy for you Izu!"

Izuku beamed at his mom. She had always been supportive of him, but after last week, something was different. It reminded him of the day after he got into UA when his mom broke down in tears and promised to do everything she could to help him fulfill his dream of becoming a hero.

Inko continued. "What about school? I should call Miu and tell her to transfer her daughter to Aldera."

Izuku's face fell. "Not Aldera."

Miserable, unpleasant memories from his first experience came flooding back. Even though things hadn't been bad so far, he couldn't help but remember his experiences from the first time he went to middle school. Where Bakugo was given a free pass to do anything, and Izuku just had to suffer through it. The explosions and bullying. And without the sludge villain to get Bakugo to back off, Izuku didn't know how that would change this time.

No, it would be better if Ochako didn't see that.

"Izu… is there something you're not telling me?"

Izuku couldn't look at his mom's face, but he could already imagine the tears beginning to well up. "Aldera is - " Izuku swallowed the lump in his throat. "They don't care what happens to the quirkless kid."

He heard his mom gasp and finally saw her face - shock warped into guilt and regret. It stung his heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I- I didn't want you to worry about me. I'm already enough of a burden-"

He didn't get a chance to finish that sentence as he felt his mom pull him in a hug. "Izu, you've never been a burden. You've always been my little boy, always wanting to save and help others."

Izuku couldn't help the tears that poured out of his eyes. "Mom..."

They remained that way for several minutes before Inko pulled away. Izuku saw the newfound resolve in her eyes. "If Aldera isn't good enough for the Urarakas, that means it's definitely not good enough for you. We're going to find you a new school. And then I'm going to let them know exactly what I think, letting you get hurt."

A wobbly smile crawled onto Izuku's face. He was always afraid of being a burden, but seeing his mom like this, he felt a million times lighter now. Remembering the information that Nezu and Recovery Girl provided him, he decided that now was the best time to tell his mom.

"Umm, if we're going that far, maybe I should start seeing a therapist? I-I may not need it! But just in case?" Izuku sighed, looking away from his mom. "It's just - if I was so wrong about you, maybe I need to talk to someone?"

Silence awaited him to his bafflement. Gathering up the nerve to look at his mom, he was speechless at what he saw. He had never seen his mother like this. Rather than the usual worry or distress his mom often showed around him, her face was covered with an unnervingly familiar expression. One he had grown used to seeing at Aldera, in his past timeline when he had faced villains, and when he encountered a certain blonde on several occasions. But never in his life did he think he would see his mother, Inko, look like she was out for blood.

It was the middle of December, and Izuku was filled with the now-familiar feeling of disconnect as he walked into Aldera for the final time. Even though they had already begun making changes, transferring to an entirely different school cemented the fact that things were definitely going to be different this time.

After he had told his mom about the teacher's neglect, they began to research other middle schools. With Nezu's help, they settled on Montross Middle School, a school known for its zero-tolerance policies. Izuku suspected that Nezu had other reasons to suggest the school but had no way to prove it. The only downside was that he would have to finish out his current semester at Aldera, but he assured his mom that it would be fine.

Once the school was chosen, they told Ochako and her parents as well, so that she could begin her application process for the next year. Izuku had to admit that while he knew they would be busy, between training and planning, he looked forward to having her as a classmate.

As he sat down in his homeroom, he removed his books from his bag, ready to return them after class, when he heard a familiar voice in front of him.

"So, you can't handle the pressure after all, can you Deku?" a smug-looking Katsuki ridiculed, standing next to his desk.

Sighing, Izuku looked at his former friend. "I thought you would be happy since I'm not going to get in the way of your origin story now."

"Listen, nerd, just because you're going to a school where they will pretend you're not useless doesn't change the truth. You are still going to be a quirkless Deku, no matter where you go!"

Izuku's head shot up. Katsuki took a step back when he saw the vehement glare on his face. "It doesn't matter! Next year I'm going to apply to UA. I'm going to be accepted, and then I'm going to become a great hero! Just watch me."

Katsuki slammed his palm down on Izuku's desk, letting off a small explosion. But this time was different. Izuku wasn't intimidated by the explosion, unflinching.

When did he grow a spine?

Katsuki growled, but Izuku refused to back down, returning the glare. "UA will let anyone in, as long as I score high enough on the written and practical exams. It doesn't matter what kind of quirk you have as long as you pass the test."

Katsuki viewed that as a challenge and gladly accepted it, giving a smug grin of his own. "Well then, I'm just going to have to crush the test so hard that when they see you, they'll realize it was a mistake even letting you take the exam."

"You're on!"

Katsuki was saved when the teacher came in and called for order in the class. He sat down in his seat and began pulling out his books, but he couldn't help but feel like he was missing something. Izuku had changed recently, and he couldn't help but feel like something had happened, and that he was once again falling behind.

AN: Have one more time skip coming up, before everything starts coming together and the action starts to pick up.