Izuku: Variety (CH 7) (Patreon)

With tired expressions and convinced that they only get warnings if Sunpo is around, they turn to the new Alternate. A few shoulders slump in relief seeing him in their Midoriya’s hero costume, while more note that it seems darker. A number of them remain on guard, having actually listened to what he said.

He lazily waves his hand as he leans against the wall next to the door. “Yo. You all can call me Deku-null. And no,” he says, looking at Midoriya, “I am not a hero. I was a couple days ago, my time, but I’ve really come to embrace Nezu’s lesson over the course of the game.”

“Revelry in the dark.”

Deku-null nods at Tokoyami. “See? Tokoyami gets it. Oh, and sorry about the whole ‘setting you on fire’ thing. I know it wasn’t you you, but I won’t be sticking around after it ends, so I won’t have the chance to tell the you of my time.”

Scary! The class thinks while Tokoyami sweats and inches a bit away from Local Midoriya. “Uh, apologies accepted?” He says uncertainly, getting a happy nod in return.

“So what problem did Nezu cause in your timeline?” Aizawa asks, only mildly surprised that the rat had been responsible for something like this. Sometimes he just doesn’t understand how to hold back.

“Oh, he replaced the Sports Festival with a simulation game.” Deku-null explains. “Though he called it a civil war game, and split people between heroes and villains.” He pauses, clarifying his position. “I got picked for a villain.”

“Who else was chosen? Knowing who the principal believes to be the most adroit actors might aid us in our own studies.” Iida analyzes, always on the lookout for ways to improve while also silently wondering if he’s truly suited to being a hero, extra critical of himself after his foolish attempt at getting revenge on Stain for his brother.

“No one.”

The class blinks, unsure if they heard correctly. But he repeats his words. “No one else was picked as a villain. Nezu worked with Powerloader to make some kind of algorithm to identify who would provide the most challenge to those on the hero team, and despite several runs, I was always the sole person chosen to play the villain.”

They sigh wistfully. “I was always told that I couldn’t be a hero, but the thought never entered my mind that I could become a villain.”

“Because being a villain is bad! Villains are bad people! It’s perfectly normal not to think about becoming a villain!” Midoriya shouts in indignation, trying to hide how upset he is at the knowledge that this version of him was becoming a hero and then became a villain.

If it happened to him, could it happen to me too? He can’t help but wonder.

Deku-null shakes his head sadly. “That’s the problem. It’s not normal, so I never realized just how good of a villain I could be!” He starts pacing, his hands clasped behind his back as even the other Alternates watch.

“All my life, I was told ‘be realistic’.” The words come out as a snarl as his eyes flash in anger before going back to normal. “I always thought they meant that I shouldn’t even try. That I should give up on ever accomplishing anything.”

Midoriya nods in understanding, knowing exactly what he’s talking about. All Might, who’s keeping an eye on him, winces. I really should have looked more into his life before we met. I knew he wasn’t in the best physical state, but I had no idea that it matched his mental state! He makes a note to talk to Midoriya’s mother so that he can get a better understanding of how his successor has lived, wracked by regret that it’s taken so long.

“But when Nezu told me those same words, I knew that he meant something different. He never tries to squash someone’s potential. So when he told me I couldn’t use the quirk during the game, I knew there was more to it.”

He turns to them and smiles as he claps his hands. “So I looked at my notebooks, my analysis, the only thing I could say I’m proud of, it got me thinking. ‘They couldn’t just help heroes,’ I thought. ‘They could also hurt them.’ So I made a new notebook. ‘How to take down class 1-A and 1-B’.” He chuckles. “It’s been a resounding success. Especially with my adorable assistant.”

“Is it me?” Uraraka raises her hand half-heartedly in hope. Even if she does end up with him as a villain, at least it’s something! But his nose crinkles and his words send her, and many others, slamming into their desks in shock.

“Ew. No.”

“Daaaammmnnn!” Mina shouts, eyes wide, mirrored by Toru. Deku-null rolls his eyes.

“Don’t get me wrong, she was nice and all, but I overheard her saying that there’s no way I would be able to do anything against them without using a quirk, and that even with it I’d only get one shot before I was out of commision.”

“Yeah, that is kind of mean.” Toru nods in understanding, prompting a bright smile to cross Deku-null’s face as he sends her a wink.

“I’m glad to see you’re just as smart in this timeline as our own, Toru. If I had time, I’d love to take you on a more traditional date than in our timeline.”

““HUH!?!?”” The invisible girl and her pink friend shout in unison.

“Kinky.” Midosagi says, the first time one of the Alternates has spoken since the latest one's appearance. Getting a blank stare he rolls his eyes before meeting Deku-null’s. “Is it true that anything that goes inside Toru turns invisible too?”

It takes a second for him to get what he’s saying, but when he does he flushes bright red and pulls out-

“Boom stick?” Broccoli tilts her head as she looks at Deku-null questioningly.

He points at Midosagi with the stick of dynamite. “I will blow you up. It wouldn’t be the first time, though I at least knew that Kirishima could survive it when I did it to him.”

“So manly!” Kirishima shouts, excited about how the other him survived taking dynamight to the face. But he shouldn’t really be surprised given that he trains himself against Bakugou’s explosions. Speaking of, he’s starting to stir but still hasn’t woken up.

Midosagi holds up his hands in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. Still though, can you honestly say that the thought never crossed your mind?” Deku-null pulls out a lighter and holds it next to the fuse. “Fine, I’ll stop!”

Not that he’s actually worried about being blown up, but he’s been having way too much fun ever since he got here! He especially finds it funny watching as Midoriya’s mental health slowly drops further and further. Though he’s questioning himself on whether or not he should try and make it break completely.

Deku-null continues staring at him for a few moments before stowing the dynamite back in his utility belt. Everyone just stands around awkwardly for a minute, unsure of what they should do next. According to Quirkless, all the Alternates should be here, but Sunpo hasn’t come back from grabbing her food.

There’s some awkward shuffling before All Might puts forth an idea. “Could…you all tell us a bit more about yourselves?”

They exchange glances before shrugging. Midosagi -being the first of the Alternates- steps up. “How about we each say one word, and see if any of the others have encountered an event that resounds with it?”

Getting no complaints, he starts them off. “Eri.”

The only one not to raise their hand is Deku-null, and Midoriya nods. “I didn’t encounter Eri until the work studies after the licensing exam. And since you’re still at the Sports Festival point in time, that makes sense.”

“But my friend rescued her a few days before the Festival.” Midosagi claims, prompting the others to talk about their own encounters with the little girl.

“Kai go bad.” Broccoli says sadly, her tail drooping.

“I helped her parents understand her quirk,” Analyst explains, prompting surprise to flow through everyone else.

“We were hired to kill Overhaul-” The male twin starts.

“-and adopted Eri after he was dead.” The female twin finishes.

““Now we’re training her to be strong without relying on a quirk.””

“I stumbled across her and just picked her up.” Midosagi says casually, drawing looks of disbelief to which he shrugs. “Unicorns are a well-known mythical creature based on horses. A person unicorn hasn’t ever been mentioned, so just imagine how rare they are! Of course I’m going to grab one when they run into me!”

The judgment and disapproval weigh heavy in the air, causing him to raise his hands in surrender. “It’s not like she complained! She’s been perfectly happy the entire time we’ve had her!”

Everyone puts it out of their minds, given there’s nothing they can do about it since it already happened. And because it’s in another timeline.

This time Quirkless speaks. “All Might’s death.”

This time only Midosagi raises his hand. “I’m the one who killed him.”

Quirkless sighs in relief. The event he said has only just happened in his timeline, but he already knows just how much turmoil it will cause. Especially with all that revolved around it. He’s glad that most of the others won’t have to deal with it. “I watched it occur on national television.”

Broccoli pipes up, excited that it’s her turn. “USJ! USJ!”

Surprisingly, each of them raises their hands.

“Trauma is best shared.” Midosagi says simply, refusing to clarify further.

“I didn’t think about what long-term exposure to a low electric current would do to the villains in the shipwreck zone.” Quirkless awkwardly scratches his cheek.

“Villains attacked, but it had nothing to do with us so me and my associates just played cards while we were there.” Analyst says blandly before shrugging. “Until one of them attacked us. Then they learned why that’s an ill-advised action.”

“We had a job-”

“-to send a message-”

“-to the Yaoyorozu family-”

““By attacking their daughter somewhere secure.”” The twins finish, Izumi looking at the shocked Momo.

“We didn’t kill you, just a bit of light torture.” She clarifies, disturbing the rich girl with how casually it’s said.

“All Might drove them off, though other than Aizawa-sensei, I’m the only one who got seriously hurt.” Midoriya says, Deku-null nodding along.

“Same.”

Analyst seems to think for a moment before meeting All Might’s eyes. “He crushed our dreams on a rooftop.”

Broccoli and the twins don’t raise their hands, getting looks from the others. “No meet until Rabbit Mommy sends to UA! Strong, not skilled.” Broccoli explains, getting some quiet laughter.

“We spend our time avoiding All Might.” Izuku-Twin says.

“Not looking for him.” Izumi finishes.

They take a moment to think before their eyes rest on Bakugou finally rising to his feet. “He’s-”

“-an asshole.”

Everyone raises their hands, except for Aizawa and All Might. Though their hands do twitch. Bakugou scowls, not having heard what they said since he’s still coming out of his daze from being knocked unconscious through a desk.

The Alternates all look at Midoriya, who thinks for a moment before opening his mouth to ask about his mother Inko. Before he can though, a large form crashes through the door, across the room, and through the windows on the opposite side.

It doesn’t matter who’s in the room or how surprised they are, everyone takes combat stances as they prepare to face whoever’s attacking.

Through the door, carrying Sunpo and Yui Kodai from class 1-B under her arms, is a monster of a woman. She easily matches All Might in height from when he had his buff form. Dark green scales stretch from her clawed hands to her bare shoulders and continue up her neck to end at her cheeks, leaving the rest of her face bare. Likewise do they extend from the clawed toes up to mid-thigh, just under the tight shorts she’s wearing. A black sports bra works to cover her sizable chest, though leaves her scale-covered stomach bare.

On her head are two horns curing over the bushy mane of curly green hair that hangs loosely down between a pair of massive wings, dark red with green veins just visible below the surface.

She stares at the room full of people ready to fight her, a deep, rumbling growl building in her throat.

AN: One, maybe two more until this is finished!