This chapter has too much action. Why is writing action so hard? I don't understand. o-o However, I am glad that this chapter has some meat to it and I'm excited to keep moving. This is one of those stories where I have the ending finished (unlike many of my works—I am a notorious Pantser and with fanfic I post whatever I write lol), so it's just a matter of getting to it. :P

I also had fun with a tiny Cameo from "Izuku vs the Garden Boy" during the last scene. Ha ha ha. Gotta' reuse OCs when I can. Thank you for reading and enjoy!

Chapter 13

Izuku had been wrong.

"I don't require your services. Consider your application denied," Shigaraki said, snickering a high pitched laugh that sent a shiver down Izuku's spine. He pulled out a handheld game console from his pocket and went back to the couch. He propped his feet on the coffee table and ignored Izuku. "You can play with him, Toga."

"Yes!"

The knife cut his sleeve as he moved to dodge, barely blocking the blade as he knocked her arm to the side to avoid an artery cut.

"Oh, you have tricks," Toga said. She swung again, flipping the knife in her grip for a better angle. She swiped again, her uniform sweater fluttering as she moved. "That's adorable! But why do you have Izuku-baby's face?"

"It's my face!" Izuku snarled and grabbed her wrist on the next swipe toward his shoulder. He flung her over his shoulder, but she flipped in the air and landed on her feet. Bad Girl Toga shared her Hero counterpart's skills. "Is the violence necessary?"

"No," she said, grinning. She spun her knife and ran for him again with excess energy that renewed itself with every giggle. "But it's more fun!"

Izuku stumbled on the next move. The alternate Toga shared his Toga's skills, but her fighting style varied—far more sporadic and vicious. The Villain Toga aimed to kill. Izuku had to focus and predict her moves, treating her like an entirely new opponent, but the conversation behind him proved to be distracting.

"You aren't going to help him?" Shigaraki asked—presumedly addressing Kacchan. "How Heroic."

"No," Kacchan replied.

Simple.

To the point.

Enraging.

"You must have faith that your teachers can get your precious Deku back all on their own," Izuku spit, eyes searching the room for a weapon. Toga was too skilled to disarm with his hands alone. "It'd be a shame if you lost him forever because you let Toga stab me!"

"I trust them more than you!" Kacchan shouted back. "You just offered your service to the Villains!"

Stubborn, stubborn Kacchan.

"I was lying, you dolt!"

Izuku went for a hanging rope in the corner of the warehouse. He'd string Toga up and give Kacchan a piece of his—a blast of blue fire landed between Izuku and the rope. He rolled to dive out of the way, smearing dirt on his clothes.

"Now, now. How is it fair to Toga if you get a weapon, too?" Dabi laughed from the side of the room. He threw another wave of fire blocking the other half of the room. "There's no fun in that."

Three powerful Villains that could not be reasoned with.

One, weaponless and Quirkless Izuku.

He needed Kacchan to cooperate.

"If you won't assist out of altruism, Kacchan, perhaps you should consider helping out of necessity!" Izuku hissed as Toga's knife cut his cheek as he twisted out of the way of another strike. How was she so fast? "What do you think will happen to you when they're done playing with me?"

"Renewed recruitment efforts," Shigaraki said, nose still in his game. "What else?"

"Like hell l'm joining you!" Kacchan yelled back. "Get that through your thick skull."

Shigaraki snorted and Izuku shared the sentiment.

Like Kacchan would have a choice. He was outnumbered, and if Dabi's power level was equal to the Hero version's, overpowered, and had no way to leave. He'd be at Shigaraki's mercy to be played with.

Izuku did not share his toys.

"Are you sure you're not my Izuku-baby?" Toga asked, sweeping her leg under Izuku's knee. She knocked him on his back, taking advantage of his focus on Kacchan. Toga pinned him and held the knife near his throat. "Your face twists in the exact same expressions. Did you copy my Quirk somehow?"

Concentrate—what button could he push to bring Kacchan back under control? Izuku glanced around the room again and their odds. Two on three was tough, one on—that was it.

Ignoring Toga's question, Izuku addressed Kacchan, making eye contact to drive the point home. "You do realize that if she kills me you'll be here alone."

"Shit," Kacchan said, under his breath. He took the bait and fell into an attack position. "I hate you."

"Oh, Katsuki wants to play, too!" Toga giggled. "Let's see who's faster."

She swiped the knife and Kacchan blasted forward using his Quirk.

Izuku gained a new nick on his neck and a minor burn from the heat of the explosion, but Kacchan knocked Toga away.

His prediction paid off—there was nothing Kacchan hated more than being alone. Izuku allowed himself a smile and jumped up, placing himself back to back with Kacchan. The odds were still bad, but at least he had firepower to play with and even the odds.

"Oh? Changing the game are we?" Shigaraki stood and dropped his game on the couch. "That's fine."

"Same here." Dabi laughed and flames licked at his fingers as he joined the small circle of Villains that formed around Izuku and Kacchan. "It was getting boring!"

"If I find out that you're responsible for getting us into this mess, I'm going to let Toga kill you," Kacchan said, hissing under his breath. "You hear me?"

"Yes," Izuku said. "Now shut up, I'm trying to plan."

Katsuki's Quirk exploded in aggravation and Izuku bit his lip to stop from laughing.

What fun!

Izuku stood in the hallway outside of the third year classroom. Both he and Kacchan wore borrowed U.A. uniforms. While he felt comfortable in the familiar outfit, the fact both he and Kacchan had perfectly tied ties reminded him of the odd situation and kept him from relaxing too much.

Kacchan had tied his once more, though this time his hands were free of bandages and Izuku found himself growing used to the burnt skin.

"I'll let the teacher know what's going on," Shigaraki said. He opened the door with four fingers, sliding it open. Dabi and Toga hopped through, fake-apologizing about their lateness to the other students. "You two wait here."

"Okay." Izuku took a step back while Shigaraki slipped inside after them. He looked at Kacchan, who'd shoved his hands in his pockets. Instead of slouching like the Kacchan Izuku knew best, he stood straight and wary. "Do you know who the teacher is?"

"No," Kacchan said. He watched the door and cracked his neck both ways. "Izuku and Todoroki don't really deal with U.A. outside of Shigaraki and his followers."

"How did he get involved with them?" Izuku asked. In his world, their interactions with the League were both instigated by the League who wanted something—whether it was to kill All Might or kidnap Kacchan. "Did he start it?"

"No," Kacchan said. He frowned at the floor and yawned. "They butted heads whenever Shigaraki and Toga came to see Dabi at the Todoroki house."

"If the Todoroki's are as big a crime family as you said, I'm surprised they let one of their kids attend U.A.," Izuku said. He crossed his arms and scrunched his nose. "Or let other Hero students visit."

"You aren't wrong," Kacchan said. He looked at the classroom door and shrugged. "Though I couldn't tell you how Dabi gets away with it. If I had to guess, he's convinced his parents he's making connections to abuse in the future. He did make friends with the Headmaster's kid his first year."

Before Izuku could ask further questions, the door opened to reveal yet another familiar face: Magne.

"Shigaraki wasn't kidding, you look just like that vest-wearing brat," she said, pushing back her red hair. "I'm Kenji Hikiishi, but most of the students just us my Hero name."

"Magne," Izuku said, blurting out the answer before the other could. "That's it, right?"

"It is," Magne said. She grinned and put her hands on her hip. "You a fan?"

"Probably not in the way you want," Shigaraki said, glancing at Izuku. "Is Magne a villain in your world, too?"

Izuku nodded, not sure if he wanted to say something else. Magne had died at the hands of Overhaul, and he wasn't sure that the Heroic counterpart needed to hear that.

"Strange world," Magne said. She clapped her hands together and shrugged. "But, I'm sure we have time for story time later. Right now, we're late for class and I have a room full of students itching to spar on the training field and they can't get there if we don't get through the morning lessons."

"Yes, ma'am."

Magne stepped back into the room, announcing the class guests for the day. Izuku drew the expected attention through whispers and pointing fingers, though he relaxed when he didn't recognize anyone else. The class of third years was full of strange faces of young students dedicating themselves to Heroism.

Izuku took a seat at the back of the classroom with Kacchan behind Shigaraki and Dabi. Magne returned to the front of the class and started the lecture. Her tough teaching style reminded him of Aizawa, with little tolerance for kids talking or goofing off during class.

After an hour of lectures and notes that Izuku took dutifully to take full advantage of the upper level course, Magne declared it was time for outdoor practice.

They changed into gym uniforms, Shigaraki providing Izuku and Kacchan with borrowed clothes once more, and made their way to the fields. A few students attempted to start a conversation with Izuku, but changed their mind with Shigaraki glared at them.

He wasn't sure why Shigaraki was discouraging interaction, but he was fine for the moment.

"Okay! It's sparring day and you know what that means," Magne said. She took out a bucket and shook it, shaking up the small slips. "Pick a name and number. We'll be critiquing forms and techniques today, so pay attention to each match."

"Do you think they'll let us participate?" Izuku asked. "It could be a lot of fun to spar with someone entirely new."

"It'd be better if we didn't," Kacchan said. The other students approached Magne, taking their slips of paper. "You shouldn't show all your cards to the enemy and I have zero fighting experience."

Izuku winced—he kept forgetting. He looked at Kacchan again, once more focusing on his slimmer and less muscled physique. The Villain Izuku wouldn't have let Kacchan have self defense lessons, either.

"Do you want to spar with me? I could teach you some hand-to-hand or—"

"No," Kacchan snapped, cutting Izuku off.

"Okay." Izuku looked back at the field of students. "Sorry."

The line of third years continued until Shigaraki walked up last. He took out his slip and said a few words to Magne. When she nodded, he shouted over his shoulder, "Midoriya! You want in on this?"

Kacchan gave him a look that said "Don't do it," but Izuku couldn't miss the opportunity to test his skills in a new environment. How did his Hero teachers match up to the ones in the alternate world? What was fighting a third year student like?

And if all of the students in this class were Villains in his world, he shouldn't pass up the chance to see how their Quirks worked in a safe way.

"Yes!" Izuku shouted. He gave Kacchan an apologetic shrug before racing across the yard to join Shigaraki with Magne. "Thank you for letting me participate."

"Sure, kid," Magne said. She held down the bucket and shook it. "One kid is sick today, so we've got an extra."

Izuku reached into the bucket and pulled out the small slip. "Pine Forest?"

"That's me!" Another boy shouted, holding his hand up. Bright green eyes poked out of a body covered from head to toe in metal needles that clinked together with every move. "And don't underestimate my needles! Because they aren't actual leaves!"

The other student laughed before running to join his friends and wait his turn.

"Have fun," Shigaraki said, patting Izuku on the back. He leaned forward and whispered in Izuku's ear. The hot breath and lowered voice took him back to the mall when those fingers were wrapped around his throat. "It'll be fun to see what you can do."

Izuku breathed again after Shigaraki slipped away to the spectator stands. The first group of paired students went to the center of the field. Izuku got out fo the way, heading back to the sidelines to stand next to Kacchan.

He didn't speak to Izuku.