The Many Lives of One For All - An MHA Short Story

Chapter 8: Uravity's Side of OFA

"Well that was...easier than I thought." Maeko shrugged.

Around him, each of the villains before were wrapped up in robotic tentacles, dangling from the metal frame of a construction site.

"Although, even I'm not that good. Why did you let me catch you, Shigaraki?" He asked as he turned toward the older, white haired villain, who resisted the least out of them all.

"I was never running." He admitted.

"How did you catch me?! I'm invincible!" Muscular roared.

"Meatheads like yourself are the easiest prey, even with nothing to lose." Maeko explained simple. "Now, gentlemen... I just want to talk."

"I'm not interested in anything you have to say to me, pinky!" The younger Shigaraki shouted. His hands were bound as the tentacles held his body in place.

Maeko rolled his eyes. "We've been given a second chance here. Don't you see that?" He asked as he turned to the older Shigaraki, to Muscular, and to the evil Deku.  "A chance to work together." He added as he turned his head back to the younger Shigaraki.

"Each of us have dealt with a version of Izuku Midoriya, or someone else with his power: One For All." The villain continued.

Shigaraki narrowed his eyes. "All Might has given his power to that brat?"

"Bingo." Maeko pointed his index finger.

"A version of me has One For All?" Evil Deku asked.

"Several." Maeko answered him. "It seems you're the outlier."

Evil Deku frowned and stopped resisting his mechanical restraints.

"My friends... Each of us are pretty tough. A decent match for our heroic foes. But together? Think of what we could do. With my minds, and your Quirks, we can kill all of them. And use this new world as our own playground."

Muscular grinned wickedly. Evil Deku gave a side grin.

"What makes you think I would just betray All For One for you?" Shigaraki asked.

"Because All For One doesn't care about you." The older Shigaraki answered. "He's just using you."

"Call up Korugiri." Maeko ordered. "Use him to send your Nomu."

"A Nomu?!" Evil Deku questioned.

Maeko snapped. "A Nomu that works for us! With the strength of All Might and the regeneration necessary. A useful asset."

Shigaraki thought for a moment. "We kill the One For All users. Then what?"

"You are free to do anything you want. All I want is my Deku dead." Maeko offered.

"I want that meddling woman dead." Muscular frowned.

"Lemillion." Evil Deku said.

Older Shigaraki said nothing. He only nodded in agreement with the others.

"That brat. What was his name? Izuku Midoriya?" Younger Shigaraki agreed.

"Then it's settled." Maeko then pulled back his tentacles and released all of them. "Call up your pet."

~~~~~~~

After a few minutes, waiting from a safer distance, the group of heroes noticed the rules had ceased their chaotic rampaging throughout the forest. Or whatever was now left of them.

"She stopped!" Popper exclaimed. "Let's grab her and go back to the sewer. It started there so we should finish it there."

"I agree." Iida added.

"But we need to round up the villains!" Uraraka bumped in. "We can't leave them out there to cause any damage."

"I was searching for a large villain with a muscle-enhancing Quirk. He's missing an eye." Older Uravity said. "Perhaps you've seen him."

Izuku nodded. "Yeah. He was one of them."

Uravity thought for a moment, putting her knuckle to her teeth. Something that Izuku would sometimes do whenever he was muttering aloud. It made him blush just then.

"How many villains came through?" She asked.

"Five." Popper answered. "I'm gonna see if Star is safe to catch. Wait here." He ordered before he rushed off.

"Five villains." She repeated as she continued her thinking. "And both me and Lemillion came through. That must mean there are three more of us out there."

"You think so?" Mirio asked.

"Not certain. It's just a theory. It could be nice to fight with more of us since this inevitable battle is going to suck." Uravity sighed.

"Ochako?" Uraraka asked.

"Hm?" Her eyes grew wide for a moment, hearing her first name.

"What's your story?" She asked.

For a moment, she stayed silent.

"I'm sorry... If it's too sensitive of a topic, I-"

"No no. It's okay. You're all perhaps the best crowd to talk to about this sort of thing." She chuckled. "I actually grew up with Izuku. We did everything together. But one day, Izuku and I together risked our lives to save our bully from a villain. That selfless act inspired All Might who was watching us helplessly. He finished off the villain and later offered One For All to De- Izuku. But he turned it down. After some thought, and a few speeches from me, my friend wanted to become a Quirkless hero."

"Your Deku was Quirkless?" Uraraka interrupted.

Izuku and Uravity shared a look, a silent plea not to tell them about One For All.

"Mine was. I can't say the same for any other Dekus. But anyway, All Might gave me his power instead. Ever since that day, we worked as a team, supporting each other through everything. I got Izuku into UA High with me. We even did the impossible and defeated one of the greatest threats to our society. But then..." She stopped.

"All For One had one last trick up his sleeve before his defeat. He sent Muscular out on civilians. Far away from everyone else, except Izuku... He put up such a fight..."

Uraraka grabbed her hand supportively.

"I spent years hunting that monster down. I was so close to catching him too." Uravity said. "No matter what it takes, I will take him down. For Deku."

Izuku lowered his head in respect. Hearing all these alternate timelines was world-shattering, to say the least. To think that he could ever choose villainy, vigilantism, or even to continue on Quirkless. That last one made him feel especially insecure. The lowest point of his life was just before he met All Might, when that sludge villain attacked him. Then to be told he couldn't be a hero without a Quirk...

Even though it was amazing to see different perspectives, none of them were quite what he needed.

"We won't let you do it alone." Uraraka declared.

"That's right. We started this mess. And we'll finish it." Iida added. "Right, Midoriya?"

Uravity turned to Izuku.

"Right." Izuku gave her a determined stare. "We will help you."

"You're all wasting your time." Doctor Souter finally spoke out. "Those villains are probably long gone. You will never catch them."

"Time to go, team!" Popper called. He emerged from the forest, with Star walking beside him, with her arm draped over his shoulders.

"What... did I miss?" She asked as she wiped sweat from her forehead.