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Yoichi Shigaraki lay on a hospital bed with his eyes closed, hooked up to numerous beeping monitors. He’d been in a coma ever since his final battle with his older brother. Even killing a dozen doctors had not produced a cure. All for One had ample time to regret accidentally injuring his brother while aiming at a certain spiky-haired menace. Then he’d rewritten his memories to pretend that spiky hair had used poor, gullible Yoichi as a living shield. He liked that version of the truth better.
After successfully exorcising his guilt, All for One had enjoyed his dear little brother like this: silent and no longer trying to thwart his plans. All for One could lie down on the hospital bed and stroke his brother’s hair without getting bitten. He could dress Yoichi up in suits and carry him around without any protests (except from his freaked-out minions.) He had total possession. But he’d quickly grown bored of not being able to talk to his only family member. Without seeing the look of defeat in Yoichi’s eyes, victory wasn’t as fun. Recently a remake of Captain Hero had been made and it was dreadful. A total mockery of everything endearing about the original. None of the kids these days could understand his disappointment. All for One desperately wanted to complain about it together with Yoichi.
Although the brothers might have totally different takes on the series, the remake had destroyed what both of them loved. Captain Hero had been turned into an edgy anti-hero and the Demon King had been replaced by a big-boobed tsundere demon queen who didn’t seem interested in killing the hero unless it was by giving him an STD. Naturally All for One had already halted production by murdering everyone even remotely connected to the abomination, but only Yoichi would be able to truly understand and appreciate his long rants on the subject. Only Yoichi would hate the remake as much as he did.
Something had to be done. Since medical science had failed to revive Yoichi, All for One turned to quirks. As usual, his power provided the solution to all his problems. He’d found a body-swapping quirk. The ability worked by touch. Because the original owner had tried to use it on him, All for One could confirm he wouldn’t be affected—he had an ability that prevented mind-control. Body-swaps apparently counted. That had been a real concern, since All for One would hate to never be able to ruffle his little brother’s hair again. However, given half a chance, Yoichi would steal his older brother’s body and give away all his painfully collected abilities to quirkless children who wanted to become heroes. Now it would be fun to watch Yoichi try and fail.
All for One reached over to brush a stray hair off his sleeping brother’s forehead. Then he transferred over the body-swap quirk. Leaning down, he kissed Yoichi’s forehead and whispered, “I’ll give you a few days to get used to it, then find a nice new white-haired body for you. See? Doesn’t your big brother always look after you? Now that you can move between bodies, even death will never take you from me. I’ll be able to love you and protect you forever and ever.”
Yoichi’s body, after being completely unresponsive for years, twitched. Light blazed around him. All for One chuckled. “Nice try, foolish little brother. You can’t steal my body.”
The light subsided.
It took All for One several weeks to figure out that Yoichi had somehow stolen a new body from a distance. He’d either completely mastered the greatest extents of his new quirk in seconds or astral projected out of sheer terror of his dear loving older brother’s care. Only Yoichi would be so perverse. To make matters worse, the quirk could not be taken back when he wasn’t in his own body. All for One was furious. And the hunt for his little brother was on.
Yoichi Shigaraki had been hopping between bodies for over a hundred years, one step ahead of his older brother. He had two rules: 1. He only stole the bodies of people who were actively trying to murder innocents; and 2. He would give back their bodies if they repented. In fact, he’d eventually give back their bodies no matter what, but if they were still an active threat then he would turn himself over to the police first. There were always more evil-doers for Yoichi to possess. He stole bodies to save people. He liked to think that he was a hero, or at least a vigilante.
After having dropped off his latest body in a prison cell, Yoichi floated around in his astral form, looking for a new villain. He liked to haunt villain bars because they had ample targets who would often brag about their evil plans while drunk.
A young man with scars all over his body lay with his cheek against the wooden counter and empty bottles stacked up around him. He slurred, “Heh, I’m the best…everything is going according to plan…”
This sounded like a villainous monologue. Yoichi drifted closer.
“Stupid Tomura…dared send me on a wild goose chase looking for an immortal guy who swaps bodies…but I tricked them! I planted fake evidence that Yo-something hid inside a hero student. I’ll slowly direct them to attack U.A., then in the confusion I can find my little brother. After I reveal myself as Touya Todoroki, I’ll have the perfect chance to murder Shouto in front of our father.”
Yoichi floated down in front of the villain. Addressing someone he knew couldn’t hear him, he said, “I don’t approve of older brothers mistreating younger ones. But I owe you for throwing my brother off my trail, so you can be my next target for redemption.” He grabbed the drunk’s wrist with one glowing hand and transferred his consciousness.
Dabi had been very drunk, but finding himself floating outside his body was new. “Is this a dream?” he mumbled.
His body stood up and smiled at him. “No, this is reality. Hi, you can think of me as a friendly vigilante. I’m here to teach you a very special lesson about loving your family.”
Dabi pinched his own cheek, but his finger went through.
“Don’t bother trying to talk to anyone else, only I can hear you.” The body thief checked his wallet. “It looks like I have enough money for a train ticket to the Todoroki residence. First, let’s wash out this black dye. I know the scent of cheap hair dye when I smell it.”
“Wait!” Dabi wailed as his body walked away. “What are you doing? Hey…are you the boss’ target? Dammit! Get back here!” His insubstantial fists pounded futilely through the retreating back.
Dabi could only watch in horror as the body thief with his new white hair walked up to the front gate of the Todoroki mansion. When Fuyumi opened the door, he said, “It’s me, little sister. I’m Touya Todoroki. I’ve been in a coma for years, but I’m home now.”
As Fuyumi wept and hugged the fake Touya, Dabi gnashed his teeth and wailed. “Hey! How dare you steal my big reveal! You didn’t even dance!”
Endeavor walked down the stairs. “What the—Touya?” He fainted dead away.
Toeing his father’s unconscious body, Dabi complained, “You can’t even tell me from a fake. Yet another way you failed me, Dad. You’d better not be dead. I’ll be very angry if the fake killed you first!”
All for One lurked outside U.A.’s walls. Sitting on a bench, he pretended to read a newspaper as he watched the students leave. Despite his destroyed eyes, an advanced thermal vision ability gave him extremely clear images and even let him see color. Who seemed the most like Yoichi? Who gave off that familiar stench of loud-mouthed self-righteousness? All for One had total confidence in his ability to recognize his little brother the instant he saw him. A big brother’s instinct couldn’t fail.
As the last children left, still none had triggered his vaulting urge. All for One carelessly tossed his newspaper and a candy wrapper on the ground, then texted Kurogiri to pick him up.
“Hey!” A boy with black hair and glasses stood with his hands on his hips. The engines on his legs sputtered angrily. “How dare you litter! Pick that up this instant. Littering is bad for the environment, it can harm plants and animals, it’s unsightly, it spreads disease, and it costs the government to clean up—”
“Ah-ha!” All for One cried. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist lecturing me, Yoichi! You’ve stayed as annoying as ever over the years.” He grabbed the boy and dragged him through a portal.
The portal came out inside a bank vault. The vault had been furnished with a bed, bookshelf, and television, though All for One was prepared to remove privileges if his brother misbehaved.
Setting the boy down on the bed, All for One hugged him and stroked his hair. “Yoichi! It’s been too long since I could muss your hair.” He gave the boy a noogie for good measure.
The boy flailed. “How dare you! Kidnapping is a much greater crime than littering. Japanese Penal Code (Act No. 45 of 1907): A person who kidnaps a minor by force or enticement shall be punished by imprisonment with work for not less than 3 months but not more than 7 years.”
“You just can’t stop lecturing me, can you, Yoichi?” All for One laughed, then went to the desk to fetch his analysis of the Captain Hero remake. He’d been waiting so long for this moment.
“How dare you! My name is Tenya Iida, and I’m extremely proud of my family name.” The self-proclaimed Iida shot over to the door once released. “Why won’t this open? Is this a vault door?” He flashed a concerned look over his shoulder. “I don’t even know if there’s a word for the crime of locking someone up in a bank vault…”
“It’s called vaulting, silly.” All for One held out a massive stack of papers. “I’ve prepared a one-hundred-page analysis of why the Captain Hero remake sucked. I need you to read this and agree with all of it.”
The so-called Iida recoiled. “I’ve never heard of Captain Hero.”
All for One laughed from the belly. “You can stop pretending, Yoichi. I know you must be dying for someone to bitch about the remake with. You can let it all out. I caught you. There’s no point in playing games. I’m a hundred percent certain it’s you.”
“Furthermore, there is nothing illegal about remaking an old show assuming the producer holds the correct copyright.”
All for One gasped. “You’re not my little brother!”
A confused Tenya Iida got yeeted through a portal and deposited back at his school.
Normally All for One would murder anyone with such a bad take on the Captain Hero remake, and especially a hero student. But if he did, then U.A. would increase security around their students, and Yoichi might realize his brother was on to him and switch bodies. All for One felt confident he would catch his little brother next time. At least he knew his brother well enough to know he’d definitely be possessing a hero. His silly hero fanboy sibling would never be caught dead as a villain.
Yoichi finished setting the table, then turned to Fuyumi. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”
Fuyumi’s eyes overflowed with tears. “Oh, Touya…you helped me make dinner without complaining…and you didn’t even try to poison the food once! You really have changed!” She burst into happy crying.
The original Touya had left some very low expectations. Yoichi put his arms around her. “It’s my pleasure, little sister. You do so much to help everyone, you deserve a break. How about I take over all the cleaning and half the cooking from now on?”
Fuyumi sniffled. “Please don’t let this all be a dream.”
Natsuo Todoroki stormed into the room. “Where’s the con artist who deceived my sister?” His eyes fell on Yoichi. “Holy shit…it really is you, bro.”
Yoichi said, “I’m more than willing to take a DNA test. But first…” He held open his arms.
Natsuo lifted Yoichi off his feet with a hug. “For years…I felt so guilty…I don’t care how it happened, thank you for returning home to us.”
Distantly, the front door ground open. Shouto Todoroki called, “I’m home.”
Yoichi stepped into the hallway. “Shouto, I know you probably don’t remember me, but I’m your older brother, Touya Todoroki. I’ve been in a coma.”
“Big brother?” Shouto gasped. His hand went up to his mouth. Both hot and cold radiated off him.
Yoichi ruffled his hair. “I’m here now.” It felt so good to be the older brother. How could the real Touya ever have wanted to harm this adorable, innocent boy gazing up at him with wide eyes? Yoichi longed to dote on this cute child and protect him and spoil him rotten.
Where was the real Touya Todoroki, anyway? The obnoxious ghost hadn’t shown his face since his insubstantial hands had failed to poison his father’s meal.
Dabi floated over All for One, groaning. “Come on! You’re a man with a thousand quirks, surely you have at least one that will let you see me. I know where you can find your stupid little brother!”
Alas, All for One apparently could not see ghosts. And he was lurking around U.A. like a creep. Dabi knew it was his own fault All for One was looking in the wrong place, but that just made him more annoyed.
Lowering his newspaper, All for One hissed, “Psst! Any of you kids like Captain Hero?”
Dabi face-palmed. “You sound like a pedophile with the world’s strangest fetish.”
A red-haired boy with sharklike teeth froze, one foot raised. “I love Captain Hero!”
“Little brother!” All for One cried, leaping to his feet.
The boy blinked. “I’m sorry, I don’t know you. I’m Eijiro Kirishima.”
“Still pretending, huh?” All for One muttered under his breath. “No, it’s better this way. Let’s have our discussion before the vault so we can have a good conversation with no hunger-striking or biting.” In a louder voice, he said, “Oh, I’m so sorry, you just reminded me of my late little brother. I used to talk about Captain Hero with him all the time…such fond memories…”
Kirishima’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry for your loss. If you’d like, I can talk about Captain Hero with you, mister.” He sat down on the bench. “I love old superhero shows.”
All for One grinned, though Kirishima didn’t seem to notice the maniacal element. “What did you think about the Captain Hero remake?”
“It was the worst!” Kirishima yelped. “Every single good element got removed, leaving only soulless special effects. I don’t care if the remake had better animation. The clumsy art of the original Captain Hero was part of the charm!”
“Exactly!” All for One nodded. He hadn’t felt this kind of instant connection with another human being in forever. This was definitely his brother.
“I couldn’t stand what they did to Captain Hero’s personality,” Kirishima said sadly. “Why does every main character these days have to be an edgelord? What’s wrong with a good person trying his best? Compared to the characters who try too hard to be cool, I think someone like that is way manlier!”
“I knew you’d say that,” All for One said affectionately. “I’m not a fan of the hero as a character but I couldn’t forgive them for removing the Demon King.”
Kirishima nodded. “I preferred the old villain too. I’m sorry, but the demon queen’s motive was braindead. Imagine seriously deciding to genocide humanity just because Captain Hero failed to understand her love confession. The remake marketed itself as a grittier, darker version but I could only see it as black comedy.”
“Exactly!” All for One nodded like a bobblehead. “Shouldn’t a proper villain be in it for money, power, and world domination? The scriptwriter said that’s not a realistic or interesting motive but I rebutted his point by feeding him his own entrails…” The villain’s voice lowered to a mutter.
“I’m so happy to meet another fan. The truth is, Captain Hero got me through a difficult time in my life.” Kirishima twiddled his thumbs. “I used to lack self-confidence—”
“Oh, you still do,” All for One said cheerfully. “I recognized you right away by the stench of insecurity masked by a cheerful smile.”
Kirishima sank lower in his seat. “I always wanted to be a hero like Crimson Riot and the characters from my comics, but I’m still not sure if I can become that great. At least I want to be a hero who can help people in small ways, though.”
“Nonsense,” All for One said with a wave of his hand. “I can’t have someone who pulled one over on me claim to be a minor hero. Obviously you’re already in the big leagues, it’s just that being a hero was never good enough for you, my own flesh and blood. That’s why I wanted you to join me. He might be your favorite character, but you’re worth far more than Captain Hero!”
“Whoa! What high praise!” Kirishima’s eyes shone. “I feel so much more confident now! Thank you, mister! Although actually my favorite character is Captain Hero’s sidekick.”
All for One had been reaching for Kirishima, but his hand fell away. His face pinched in disappointment. “Another mistake…” He wandered off.
Cupping his hands to his mouth, Kirishima shouted, “Thank you, old man! I’ll never forget your kindness and how you encouraged me to become a great hero.”
Dabi could only cry invisible tears watching this nonsense.
At U.A.’s front gate, a car pulled up to the curb. Shouto Todoroki got out.
The fake Touya said, “Don’t forget your bento! I made it with love.”
“Thank you, big brother.” Shouto beamed and kissed the fake’s cheek.
Dabi stewed in his fury.
All for One felt greatly disappointed by his last failure. That red-haired boy had possessed such a strong Yoichi feeling about him! It had almost been tempting to nab him as a replacement anyway. All for One consoled himself that surely Yoichi must be pretending to have a less sweet and innocent personality. That made a lot more sense than All for One failing to recognize his own dear brother twice.
A limo pulled up, and a girl with a long black ponytail stepped out. All for One barely paid her any attention, until she knelt down in front of a homeless man and emptied her entire wallet into his begging bowl. She added a business card. “If you’re interested, go to this address and I can arrange a job for you with Yaoyorozu Industries.”
All for One whirled around. A rich person giving away money? Impossible! Only his little brother would be foolish enough to give everything in his wallet away.
Based on past experience, Yoichi had never cared about the genitals of the bodies he grabbed. Also, it made sense for Yoichi to snag a rich girl’s body since both brothers had gone hungry in the past. Yup, this time it was for real.
Using a quirk to disguise his presence, All for One stalked the ponytail girl down the street, then yanked her through a portal by her hair.
Ponytail landed on the bed in the vault with a surprised cry. Yet she instantly regained her composure. “Another kidnapping for ransom, I assume? I’m a hero student, you won’t take me down so easily!” A gun started to form from her arm.
All for One laughed. “Stop pretending, little brother! I know it’s you.”
In her shock, her creation stopped. She frowned. “This is new. I’ve never been kidnapped by a deluded person before.”
“You can’t fool me. I know you too well, little brother. I’ve known you since the day you were born,” All for One said. “A real girl from a rich family would know that money should be hoarded, not shared. How else do rich people stay rich?”
A tad sheepishly, the girl said, “In my case, I can create diamonds out of my cellulite.” With oddly sympathetic eyes, she asked, “My name is Momo Yaoyorozu. Mister, have you considered psychiatrist treatment? I could take you to the nearest hospital.”
“Ha! That’s exactly what my little brother used to say!” All for One cried triumphantly. “He thought I was nuts, too!”
Momo walked up to the vault door, created a hole saw, and started sawing through it.
“Hey!” All for One cried. “This is one of my favorite vaults! Knock that off, or I’ll steal your quirk.”
Momo turned around with a gentle smile. “I know you’re just a sick old man and you can’t do that. I’m going to get you help.”
“Oh, no. Yoichi would never doubt that I would steal a quirk!” All for One summoned his teleportation ability and shipped Momo back to U.A.
Leaning over the desk and looking at the math worksheet, Yoichi said, “You forgot to carry the one here. A super-easy mistake! I make it all the time.”
Natsuo said, “Thank you for helping me study, big brother.” He smiled. “I’m truly impressed by how you’ve gotten over all your anger issues.”
“Time will do that,” Yoichi said. After living so long, he’d reached a zen state. Basically nothing made him angry. Except that horrible Captain Hero remake…noticing flames dancing on the backs of his arms, he took deep breaths until he calmed down.
When a key turned in the front door, Yoichi ran downstairs to greet Shouto. “How’s my favorite little buddy?”
Shouto smiled and hugged him. “Great. Your bento was delicious, big brother.”
Yoichi patted his head. “Then I’ll keep making them for you, ice ball. Would you like to train with me? I’ll teach you more about how to use your fire.”
“Awesome! Thank you, big brother! I’ll go get changed.” Shouto ran up the stairs.
Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. Arms crossed, Endeavor glowered. “Why will Shouto let you teach him how to use his flames but not me?”
After receiving DNA evidence of their relation, Endeavor had spent a week in bed, seemingly hiding from his oldest son. Yoichi took this appearance as progress. “Perhaps you’ve been training Shouto too hard until it’s not fun for him.”
Endeavor’s brow furrowed. “It’s for his own good.”
Yoichi had heard that excuse many times before, from his older brother. He stepped forward. “Dad, clearly there’s a lot of pain in our family. I’m responsible for some of it.”
Endeavor’s gaze softened. “No, Touya, you were only a child. I failed you.”
“I’d like to attend family counseling. And I think we both should attend individual counseling too.”
Endeavor looked away. “I was raised to think that psychiatrists are for the weak.”
“Please, Dad.” Yoichi placed a hand on Endeavor’s arm. “Even if you don’t need therapy, I do. Can you do this for me? To help me?”
“Oh.” Endeavor’s eyes widened. “Of course, anything for you, Touya.”
“Thanks so much, Dad! I’d also like Mom’s hospital address, I think it would do us good to meet face-to-face.” Yoichi resisted the urge to smirk. That had been easy compared to manipulating his older brother. Endeavor was like All for One-lite. At least Endeavor could probably attend therapy without turning the psychiatrist inside-out.
Dabi floated after All for One, trying to grab his arm. “Look over there! It’s your stupid family thief of a brother! He’s right in front of you and you’re looking in the wrong direction!”
Shouto Todoroki stepped out of the family car. The fake Touya handed him a bento, then kissed him on the forehead. “Have a great day at school, ice ball.”
“Thank you, best big brother in the universe.” Shouto headed down the sidewalk, meeting up with Izuku at the school gates.
Izuku asked, “Was that your older brother?”
“Uh-uh.” Shouto beamed. “The car already left, but I’ll introduce you next time. He’s a fan of yours! He says he watched your Sports Festival performance. Though he keeps calling you Ninth for some reason, maybe he misread your name.”
“I’m glad you found him. You’ve been smiling more lately. And I’m glad you’re using your fire now.”
“Big brother taught me!” Shouto beamed. “My oldest brother is the coolest person in the whole world. He makes me bentos every day, he introduced me to the best comics, and he taught me all about hair care.”
Dabi slapped his forehead and growled, “Shouto, you little traitor! I knew I was right to strangle you as a baby.”
“Yeah, the whole class has been talking about how fluffy your hair looks.” Izuku nudged Shouto. “Better watch out, I heard the girls whispering about ambushing you to steal your secrets.”
Crossing his arms, Dabi muttered, “That stupid fake has been spoiling Shouto rotten. Now he’ll keep expecting bentos and hugs and cutsie nicknames and lack of murder attempts.”
Meanwhile, All for One kicked a passing dog.
Ibara Shiozaki gasped and pointed. “Sinner! Repent your cruelty to that innocent puppy. The Lord says: Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast.”
All for One looked up. “I would know that strident, obnoxious voice anywhere! Yoichi!” He pounced on Ibara.
Floating after them, Dabi moaned. “You potato-head, that’s not me! How did an idiot like you take over the underworld?”
For the past three hours, ever since she’d been taken to the vault, vine girl had been singing the same song over and over again: “When he is judged, let him be found guilty; And let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; And let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless; And his wife a widow. Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg; Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places.”
Placing his hands over his ears, All for One said, “You’re going to have to stop singing at some point, little brother. Eventually you’ll get hungry.” Admittedly, Yoichi could go a worryingly long time without food. And Yoichi had once ranted about Captain Hero for five hours straight, making All for One even more certain that he’d gotten the right one this time. Although the subject matter was new. Since when had Yoichi been Christian? He must be faking it just to be annoying.
Eyes closed, vine girl clasped her hands more tightly together and sang louder. “As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment; So let it enter his body like water; And like oil into his bones.”
“Yikes, aren’t religious songs supposed to be full of love and forgiveness?” All for One had briefly considered starting his own cult but Humarise had done that first and no way was he copying those losers. This experience further convinced him that his choice had been wise. He tried to remember if he had a silencing ability.
Vine girl practically screamed, piercing his thoughts: “Do not keep silent, O God of my praise!”
Oh, no, she was starting over from the beginning again! All for One groaned, “Stop it, I give in. You can have anything you want, just stop.” He froze. “Wait! I would never, ever let my little brother beat me at anything! Therefore, you’re not Yoichi!” He immediately yeeted her back to school.
Standing alone in his bank vault, All for One muttered, “It’s inconceivable that I could have mistaken someone else for my little brother four times in a row. After all, I’m a Yoichi expert! If he was anywhere near U.A. then I’m sure I would have found him by now. Maybe I’m looking at the wrong hero school?”
Yo Shindo had been minding his own business walking to school when a strong force shoved him from behind. He fell into a dark portal and came out on the other end inside a GIANT BANK VAULT?!
Oh, no. This was the weirdo bank vault kidnapper. Just earlier this morning, Shindo had been mocking the U.A. squirts for getting grabbed by some minor villain no one had ever even heard of, and now it had happened to him!
A scarred man grabbed Shindo by his shoulders and wrapped a heavy black coat around him. “Yoichi, how could you run around exposing your abs like this? You’ll attract strange bugs like that spiky-haired brother thief. Tsk, tsk. You’re wearing such a risqué costume to shock your poor big brother, aren’t you? I knew you right away by your dramatic attitude.”
Based on the experience of previous victims, this nutjob kidnapped people who he believed to be his brother, but quickly released them after realizing he was wrong. No one had been kidnapped for longer than a few hours and no one had been harmed. Shindo figured that he could talk his way out of this faster than any U.A. student. It would be better to maintain his fake polite face in order to keep the situation calm.
Pasting an innocent smile on his face, Shindo said, “Thank you for the gift. I’m sorry, but I’m not your brother. My name is Yo Shindo. Perhaps I could help you find your real brother?” Haha, more like he’d help this nutjob find his way to a police station.
The villain chuckled. “Yo, eh? Not very subtle, Yoichi.”
“Huh?”
“Your hair isn’t looking as fluffy as usual.” The villain petted his head. “Turns out you can’t keep it looking as nice without my entire criminal empire to bankroll your shampoo budget, huh, little brother?”
“How dare you!” Shindo screamed, his face twisted into a demented scowl. “My hair is flawless!” Oops, he’d accidentally given away his real face.
The villain laughed harder. “That’s just like you. I see you’re as vain about your looks as ever. That’s no excuse to run around half-naked, though!” He buttoned up the front of Shindo’s new coat, then sealed the buttons with something sticky to prevent them from coming off.
This blind old man looked weak. Surely Shindo could take him down easily. It would embarrass U.A. if Shindo caught the culprit who had eluded them. He’d shoot straight up in fame! How magnificent!
Shindo sucker-punched the man while he was distracted with the coat. Alas, his blow never landed. The villain caught his wrist easily and dangled him in the air by his arm. “Showing your true colors already, Yoichi!”
Widening his eyes, Shindo said, “Whoops, my hand slipped.”
“You never change.” The villain dropped him and patted his cheek. “This time it’s definitely you, Yoichi. You nearly fooled me by picking a lesser school than U.A. I thought for certain that you’d want to make friends with Izuku Midoriya.”
“Huhhhhhhhhhh? Ketsubutsu Academy is far superior to U.A.,” Shindo shrieked. “And I’ll beat that annoying Midoriya brat next time, I swear!”
The villain sighed with disappointment. “Yoichi would never talk about his Ninth successor that way. Ugh, I can’t believe I grabbed the wrong one again. You’re a decent replacement, but nope, not good enough.” He raised his hand, and black ooze wrapped around Shindo.
Deposited back on the sidewalk, Shindo blinked at the sudden light. He felt relieved and slightly outraged at being judged not good enough. He decided this was all way too embarrassing to report to the police.
It took him an hour to cut his way out of the coat.
At the salon, Kirishima had bleached his hair white in preparation to dye it a new shade of red. (One even closer to Crimson Riot’s color.) Then he’d spotted his wonderful mentor walking by on the street. Naturally Kirishima ran outside to greet him, the salon cape still around his neck. They’d failed to exchange contact information last time. He wanted someone to talk about Captain Hero together with.
Waving his hand, Kirishima cried, “Mister Captain Hero fan! It’s me!” He smiled brilliantly. His pale, un-gelled hair hung straight down to his shoulders.
The nice old man gasped and clutched his chest. “That white hair! That pure, adorable smile like a ray of sunshine! Yoooooooooooooooichi!” He leapt forward and lifted Kirishima off his feet in a hug.
Kirishima patted his back. “Sorry, mister, I’m still not your brother. But I’d be happy to spend time with you.” Kirishima’s grandfather had suffered from dementia before the end, so he had experienced being mistaken for someone else before. This old man reminded Kirishima a lot of his sweet old grandfather. The poor man seemed lonely. Kirishima would be happy to keep him company and listen to his stories.
The old man threw Kirishima over his shoulder. “We’ll get you home at once, Yoichi.”
“Sorry, I can’t leave in the middle of my hair appointment. Can I talk to you afterward? Would you like my number?” Kirishima didn’t struggle for fear of hurting the old man, despite being carried off like a sack of potatoes.
Katsuki shot down the street, screaming, “Oy! Get your hands off him, you shitty freak!”
The old man hissed. “The spiky-haired kidnapper is after my brother again.” His hands began to glow.
“Stop!” Kirishima leapt between the two of them before they could attack each other. Both stopped at the last minute. Turning back to look at the old man with a smile, he said, “I’m Kirishima, do you remember talking about Captain Hero with me?”
The old man stared. “Oh…I got the wrong one again…” He stumbled off.
Katsuki made to go after the old man, shouting, “Yeah, you’d better run! I’ll shove a fist of fire down your goddamn throat.”
“Please, calm down.” Kirishima grabbed his friend to hold him back. “This is all a misunderstanding. He’s just a confused old man with dementia.”
Katsuki glared. “Shitty hair, you almost got kidnapped. Did you not pick up on the insanely bad vibes coming off that asshole?”
Kirishima frowned. “What a rude thing to say about someone with dementia. Don’t be ableist, bro.”
Katsuki shrieked, “THE ONLY PERSON AROUND HERE I’M ACCUSING OF MENTAL PROBLEMS IS YOU! Kidnapping is the literal description of what he tried to do to you, dummy! Didn’t your damn parents teach you about stranger danger? This is why all the idiots in our class keep vanishing. Jeez, you’re all useless. Someone as strong and awesome as me could never be kidnapped by villains!”
Dabi drifted through the wall of the Todoroki residence, moaning, “How did a so-called genius kidnap the same wrong kid twice? All for One’s reputation must be overrated.” He’d given up on All for One ever figuring out about the swap. He’d dropped by the League of Villains. But the fake had left a message saying that he had to quit for family reasons, and those idiots actually believed it. Today sucked. At the least maybe Dabi could go annoy the fake.
The entire Todoroki family sat around the dinner table, laughing and chatting happily. Raising his glass, Natsuo said, “Here’s to Mom’s release to the hospital.”
“Here’s to a happy family,” Fuyumi said, wiping a tear from her eye.
Rei gazed at the fake Touya with misty eyes. “I couldn’t have recovered without all your loving support and encouragement, Touya.”
Shouto chimed in, “You’re the hero of our family, big brother.”
Dabi seethed and tried not to feel jealous. He’d never wanted this. Well, he’d never been able to have it. But he wouldn’t have wanted it if he could. Or so he told himself.
Endeavor cleared his throat. “Touya, I’ve never been one for speeches, but I planned out what I want to tell you with my psychiatrist. I’ve decided to take a break from heroism and focus more on my family. I want to make amends with all of you for the mistakes I’ve made in the past. I’m extremely grateful that you’ve been willing to extend forgiveness to me even when I don’t deserve it. Touya, I changed as a person because of your gentle encouragement. Once, long ago, I told you that you couldn’t become a hero. But I was wrong. You’ve shown more heroism in how you repaired this family than if you’d become one of the many professional heroes scrambling for fame and money. You’re my hero, Touya. I love you. And I’m so, so proud of you.”
A dam broke under Dabi’s chest. He fled, sobbing. Curled up on the bathroom floor, he wept ghostly tears. “That should have been me, hearing Dad say that he’s proud of me! It should have been me!”
“Yes, it should have been.” The fake Touya closed the door behind him. “You could have returned home and done everything that I’ve done. Instead you decided to take out your issues on your innocent little brother. But I’ve created a second chance for you and your family. If I give you back your body, then will you appreciate that chance or waste it?”
Dabi raised his tearstained face. “Y-you’d give back my body? Seriously?”
Sternly, the body thief asked, “Will you quit villainy? Will you help out Natsuo with his homework and Fuyumi with the cooking? Will you be nice to Shouto?”
“Yes!” Dabi cried. “I want my dad to be proud of me! I want my family back!”
“I’ll be watching to see if you keep your promise. If you backslide, then I’ll return.” The body thief reached down, and light blazed between them.
Looking down at his own hands, Dabi laughed. Then he ran out of the bathroom, shouting, “Dad! Tell me more about how great I am.”
All for One had finally realized his mistake. How silly of him. All those times grabbing the wrong teenager, when the perfect candidate had been in front of him the whole time! Someone just like his little brother! How could he have been so blind metaphorically as well as literally?
Crouched down behind a bush, All for One watched as Izuku Midoriya, the Ninth holder of One for All, trained together with Katsuki Bakugo. The two of them chatted as they took turns throwing a shot put at a target.
With a grunt, Katsuki threw. “Hair-for-brains nearly got kidnapped and he doesn’t believe me.”
“I mean, it could have been an innocent civilian like Kirishima claims.” Izuku picked up the shot put next. “This kidnapping ordeal has been difficult for our class. It’s making everyone jumpy.”
Katsuki rolled his eyes. “Fucking hell, I’m surrounded by morons. Even goddamn U.A. is completely incompetent. Just how shitty is our security?”
Izuku sighed. “I’m sure the staff is doing their best. Have you noticed that Todoroki seems depressed lately? He keeps mumbling about how his older brother used to be cooler and the bentos used to taste better.”
“I don’t pay attention to shitty Half-and-Half’s moods. My turn.” Katsuki snatched the shot put.
All for One leapt out from behind the bushes. Izuku gasped and brought up his arms to defend himself.
All for One shot straight past Izuku and grabbed Katsuki’s forehead, using a quirk to knock him unconscious. He picked up the sleeping boy in a bridal carry. “I’ve got you now, little brother! You tried to trick me by faking an obnoxious personality, but I can still recognize you by your foul mouth. You’re the only person who would instantly know that I’m evil (and proud of it) and attack me on sight. Naturally you would seek out your Ninth holder to befriend him. And most telling of all, you’re drawn to people with spiky hair like a moth to the flame!”
Katsuki muttered something that sounded like a curse word in his sleep.
“Are you kidnapping my friend IN FRONT OF ME?” Dark smoke burst out from Izuku. Black tendrils crawled off his back. His eyes glowed green. All for One was hit by the full force of a completely done Ninth holder who had just manifested every quirk inside One for All out of mind-numbing rage.
Caught off guard, the villain went flying. His kidnapping victim was snatched away by a tentacle. All for One landed on the street several blocks away. The force of the impact drove him a good ten meters into the earth. Shards of pavement bit into his bald head.
All for One was in no condition to continue the fight. But he vowed that he would return for his little brother in Katsuki Bakugo’s body! (He definitely must have the right child this time, why else would One for All defend his target so vigorously?)
Yoichi floated through the air, wondering whose body he should borrow next. The Todoroki redemption plan had been a smashing success. Yoichi was considering targeting Tomura Shigaraki. He wanted to do something for his Seventh successor. If anyone could use a little redemption, it would surely be Tomura aka Tenko. Perhaps Yoichi could even use this swap to help the entire League of Villains.
It would be a risk to pick someone close to big brother. But over the decades, Yoichi had come to realize his older brother had no ability to recognize him at all.
OMAKE TIME!
Omake: Be Careful What You Wish For
Dabi: I wish my family would get what they deserve.
Yoichi: I can do that!
#
Omake: Whoosh Part One
Shouto: My older brother Touya just woke up from a coma.
All for One: My little brother was in a coma…so he’d never use that excuse, it would be way too obvious. I’m going to kidnap a random hero student instead.
#
Omake: If Shinsou Got Kidnapped
All for One: Your personality changed too much after the Sports Festival, your body must have been possessed.
Shinsou: I’m just relieved I didn’t get kidnapped as a villain recruit. Way to break stereotypes. Also, the Captain Hero remake was great.
All for One: HEARSAY!
Shinsou: Got you.
#
Omake: If Mina Got Kidnapped
Mina: Being kidnapped is surprisingly fun! I can play Dance Dance Revolution for hours!
All for One: I’m sending you back, I refuse to accept a little brother who is better than me at dancing.
#
Omake: If Aizawa Got Kidnapped
All for One: He likes cats! This must be my little brother!
Aizawa: Loads of people like cats, but if you’re providing me with a nice, dark bank vault to sleep in then I’m not going anywhere.
All for One: I’m torn. On the one hand, he likes the vault so he is clearly not Yoichi. On the other hand, he likes the vault so I’ve traded up in the brother department.
#
Omake: If Ojiro Got Kidnapped
All for One: Little brother, I saw through your clever plan to disguise yourself as this boring, plain minor character.
Ojiro: Whoa, that’s extremely hurtful.
All for One: I assume that you’re hiding your real quirk because tail is pathetic. Wait. Are you crying?
#
Omake: If Mineta Got Kidnapped
Mineta: I love Captain Hero!
All for One: Found you, little brother!
Mineta: But only the remake, the original was lame. I was inspired by the remake to become a hero because heroes get hot chicks, like the beautiful demon queen. She’s my favorite character. Why are you laughing and crying at the same time? Why is your arm swelling up?
#
Omake: If Shouto Got Kidnapped
All for One: The Todoroki kid hangs around the Ninth, he’s got a wonderful quirk, and he’s a younger brother several times over. I’ve found my Yoichi!
Yoichi: I never thought I’d do this, but I would sacrifice myself to protect my little brother. I’m the real Yoichi.
All for One: Nice try! I know you’re lying to get your little brother back, any older sibling would do the same.
Yoichi: WHAT.
All for One: My Yoichi could never become an older brother.
Yoichi: You mean as long as I keep picking the bodies of older siblings, you’ll never find me?
#
Omake: Whoosh Part Two
All for One: My little brother would never possess a villain because he wants to become a hero.
Yoichi: Of course I’m only going to steal bodies from people actively hurting others! Don’t you have any understanding of my morals?
All for One: I thought that all heroes just pretended to have morals to excuse their violence. Do you mean…you actually believe in justice? Do you believe in Santa Claus too?
#
Omake: Tenya’s Bad Ending
Tenya: I’m utterly devoted to my older brother. I would kill for him without hesitation.
All for One: What a perfect little brother attitude. It’s okay if you’re not Yoichi, you’ll do.
#
Omake: Why Shindo Got Nabbed
All for One: An exhibitionist! This must be my little brother!
Yoichi: Exactly what kind of image do I have in your eyes?!
#
Omake: How Koji Koda DIDN’T Get Kidnapped
All for One: He’s a kind soul who loves all animals including cats. But he’s bald, so that’s definitely not my brother.
#
Omake: How Toru Hagukure DIDN’T Get Kidnapped
All for One: Invisibility, eh? That sounds like a quirk my brother would pick up to avoid me! But he’s way too vain to hide his pretty looks, so no.
Yoichi: Seriously, what kind of image do I have in your eyes?
#
Omake: How Itsuka Kendo DIDN’T Get Kidnapped
All for One: Just look at her, being kindhearted and spirited and green-eyed! That girl is Yoichi material!
Monoma: Kendo is like the big sister of Class 1-B.
All for One: BIG sister? I just got goosebumps hearing that from a discount rate version of my own quirk. Nope, nope, nope.
#AFO passed up on Tsuyu for the same reason #Too many older sibling vibes
#
Omake: The Dad for One Rationale
All for One: My brother and my son would be the best of friends, therefore I should look for someone closer to Izuku. (Sees Katsuki beating Izuku up.) Ah, those two are like brothers! That is exactly how an older relative behaves toward a younger one.
#
Omake: Behind the Fourth Wall
Author: It seems strange that U.A. never noticed a creepy man lurking around kidnapping students. I wonder if this is a bit too far even for crack.
Izuku: U.A. never noticed me nearly dying in training a couple times. It’s completely realistic. I’m not surprised that Ketsubutsu Academy shut down the kidnappings after just one student.
#
Omake: Yoichi’s True Feelings on the Captain Hero Remake
Yoichi: There is no Captain Hero remake in Ba Sing Se.
All for One: Oh, come on. Do you mean to tell me that even if I’d kidnapped you, then you still wouldn’t have shared my outrage and rants?
Yoichi: THERE IS NO REMAKE IN BA SING SE. Because if I ever acknowledged that abomination exists, I would turn into a villain.
All for One: Now you’re just cruelly torturing me.