Chapter Text
In U.A, it was the year 2019. The same year, COVID hit. The students were all standing in the hallway, about to enter class. But suddenly stopped, when a loud beeping sound from the announcements turned on. “Hello, students of U.A. It is, I.. Principal Nezu. Please stop doing whatever you are doing. I have something important to announce.”
“Principal Nezu? I wonder what he wants to talk about so early. Before class?” Tenya Ida asked.
“Aw. I’m wondering that, too.” Ochaco Uraraka said.
“It has come to my attention from the news updates that have been going on around the world. There has been an outbreak of a virus called COVID. It has spread around a lot in America and other countries. Even in ours, which is why we need to take careful precautions to prevent anyone else from getting infected. In person classes will be canceled until further notice, until we can figure out what to do for the students’ safety. For now, every student and faculty member is required to go back to their dorm or go home. You will all be quarantined. Everyone, please start wearing a mask so you won’t get sick from being around others. There are masks being passed out by the teachers in the waiting area, if you need one. Tune into the U.A website and the news for any new school updates.”
“Woah! No way! No school?” Izuku Midoriya said. “That is crazy.”
“But the principal is right. And he cares very much about everyone’s health.” Ida said.
“Sure, he is. Come on, you guys. We all have to get masks and go back to our dorm rooms.” Uraraka started walking.
“Right. We don’t want to take any chances.” Midoriya followed them into the main lounge. There was a long line of students getting masks. Mr. Aizawa, Ms. Midnight, All Might, Present Mic, and others were standing at the center. Passing out masks in sealed bags. “Hey, look. It’s All Might, Midnight, and the other teachers.”
“Here you go, Midoriya. My boy.” All Might gave Izuku a mask.
Midoriya sat at his desk. He opened up his laptop. And he logged into Canvas online in his room to access his U.A Hero courses. He read an important announcement sent from the entire school district. “Man, we have to start taking our classes online now in our own dorm rooms? Huh? It sounds like a Plus-Ultra downer to me. I guess, I will have to make the best of this entire situation. At least, I can still see everybody’s faces on video chat.”
One morning, Shoto Todoroki was alone in his dorm room. “There’s nothing for me to do.” He was bored out of his mind, as he rolled on the side of his bed while holding his cell phone with his hands. “Hmm.. I’ve heard that Tiktok is an app with funny videos on it. At least, that’s what Mina told me. She wanted me to get it. I may as well should install it. Only for the intentional use of entertainment purposes, only.” He went on the Google Play Store and installed the app TikTok. “Not for me to slack off or anything–”
5 minutes later…
“HA-HA-HA-HA!” Shoto burst out into tears of bright laughter. He couldn’t contain himself. He had scrolled down on a funny TikTok video of a dog sitting down on a sofa in a house. “Why is his neck so big!? This doesn’t even look accurate in the slightest!” He was laughing at the true fact that the dog had a ridiculously looking tall neck. “This girl’s dog looks like a giraffe!”
He caught his breath again and started to calm himself down and breathe. “Okay. That’s enough of that.” He swiped down his FYP page with his right finger and saw a video with text that said these exact words in a big font:
What if I tell you that you can enter a world of what you truly desire?
It can be your desired reality.
You can shift there.
“Huh? What? What’s shifting?” Shoto clicked on the video and began watching more videos from the same account. Eventually, he learned about the basics to shifting realities, scripting, etc.
“Alright. Now, it’s time for me to think about what I want my DR to be.” He got a piece of paper and a pencil out and started writing down his thoughts.
“Hey! Todoroki! What are you doing?” Midoriya facetimed him on his phone.
“Oh. It’s uh…” Shoto covered his paper. “Nothing. Nothing important or concerning.”
“Hey! Can I tell you something? And can you promise not to laugh at me?”
“Sure. Go ahead. What is it?”
“Well, this is a personal secret of mine. I don’t want to face judgement here. But the truth is. I’m a shifter. I know this sounds silly, but I learned about it on TikTok and did some online research too.”
“What? You too? So, I’m not the only one. So I thought.” Shoto said. “I am too. You’re the first person I’m telling this about.”
“Really? Wow!” Midoriya beamed a smile. “We should totally make a shifting group chat! For the entirety of our class in U.A!”
“What!? NO! That’s absurd! Don’t be ridiculous , Midoriya! They’re going to think we’re all crazy lunatics !”
In the video feed, Midoriya was sitting at his desk on his laptop. “Well, too late! Everyone else has already joined! Even Ka-chan, and Iida! WOW! I’m so excited for this!”
Shoto facepalmed his own face in disbelief. “Deku, you idiot. You and your big mouth is going to regret this.”
U.A’s Class 1-A learned about shifting realities and began bonding over the different types of DR’s that they all had in mind. “All right guys, everyone will go around the chat room and talk about where they want to shift to, why they’re interested in it. I’ll go first!” Mina said on Zoom. “I want to shift because there are so many optimistic possibilities out there! Like, I can be a doctor or hero! My desired reality is that I want to be a famous popstar idol! It makes sense to me since I have always liked dancing.”
Aoyama flashed his eyelashes. “I want to be in the spotlight! And shine like a bright twinkling star! My desired reality is to be an actor, full of blooming confidence.”
Asui stuck her tongue out to the side. “I like water and amphibians. I know this might sound silly to some. But I have always wanted to be a frog. At least for one day. To see how it feels to live in the swamp and water. To perceive how they feel in their current mindset. I also think it would help me understand them better for my hero’s work.”
IIda saluted himself. “I have taken an interest in shifting because of my recent research into the study of quantum physics. It has quite peaked my interest. My DR would be to try being a police officer in the workforce. Or perhaps dabble in some magical place, where I can find tons of knowledge in books about anything ancient? A library?”
Uraraka began. “I’m not really all that into super flashy things. But I want to feel and experience what it’s like to own a large mansion on your own property. With a garden and outdoor view, plus great architectural designs. It will make me feel like I’m the lady of the house.”
Mashirao Ojiro spoke. “I like martial arts. I want to see how it feels to have my own dojo.”
Denki Kaminari was next. “Mines is very simple. I want a reality where I don’t have my electric quirk. Where I can walk around and move normally. With no worries of accidentally shocking someone.” He winked. “With my looks!” He said a flirty line.
The girls giggled in the video chat. “ No . The only one who will be suffering with your electrifying looks is you, Kaminari.” Jirou stated it in a blunt tone, which made the females laugh even more.
“Man. She totally got you!” Kirishima said. “To be fair, I’m with him on this one. I would want to not have any worries about hurting someone with my quirk either.”
Jirou spoke again. “For me, it’s difficult for me to say. The only thing I can relate to is what Mina said. About wanting to be a pop star. It’s with our share for our love of music and singing.”
Kouji Kouda’s turn was next. “My quirk has to do with communicating with animals. Even insects, which kind of scares me sometimes. But my dream would be to be in an animal sanctuary. Helping animals recover with their health. I love them so much.”
“Awww, Kouda! That’s so cute and wonderful!” Mina gushed in amazement.
Rikidou Satou said, “I love sweets and their art of creation. I want to see what it’s like to be in a gorgeous Candyland ! It also happens to be my favorite board game too.”
Mezo Shoji said, “Call me crazy. But with all the multiple arms I have. I want to experience what it’s like to be a spider tending to its own web. Like, the hero Spiderman in America.”
Sero said, “My quirk is a tape dispenser. I would want to put it to good use for non-fighting purposes. Like, working in an office. Or be a teacher in a classroom. I have great organization skills.”
Tokoyami was next. “I want to be one in flight with birds. Can’t think of anything else that would make me more happy than soaring in the sky. With all the freedom I have.”
Tooru Hagakure said, “I know that I’m invisible. I don’t want to be known as an ‘Invisble Girl for the rest of my life’. I want to be a famous actress with love and grace. Express my movements more freely. Or be a dancer on broadway. Where people take one good look at me and think that I’m a beautiful star. My dream is to be publicly seen for who I am! No matter what I look like.”
Midoriya said. “I would want to experience one day where I get to feel like I’m in the perspective of All Might. As a person. What about you, Ka-chan?”
“Me? Well,” Bakugou said. “I want to have a lovely wife.”
“WHAT!?” The class said it in surprise.
“Bakugou wants himself a wifey.” Mineta said. “I want a loyal girlfriend.”
“ HEY! DON’T COPY ME! You squashy grape!”
“Hey! I’m not a grape! That’s just part of my quirk and hairline!” Mineta shouted. “And I'm not copying you. I want to see how it feels to be in a healthy relationship with a girl you love.”
“Same here. But I want a great wife, full of beautiful qualities.” Bakugou said.
“Aww, Ka-chan! You want to get married! Don’t forget to invite me to your wedding as a guest or be your best man. I don’t mind in the slightest.” Midoriya said.
“Hey! SHUT IT DEKU! You gotta a problem with me wanting to find myself a wife!? HUH!?”
“Actually, no . I think that is a very great dream that you have.” Midoriya said. “I will be rooting for you to achieve it.”
“It’s just that I want a wife. Because my favorite hobby is to read romance novels. I am always intrigued by the storyline in them, which contains realism.” Bakugou blushed. “Don’t make fun of me. But I have always been curious as to what it feels like to live in a true love story. To yearn, to love, and to find the one you have been looking for all along. I want to try finding a great girl, like the ones I read about in my stories of them.”
“That was a very touching thing for you to say, Bakugou.” Kirishima said.
“The only thing I will be touching is–”
“SHUT IT MINETA! YOU DISGRACEFUL GRAPEJUICE!” Bakugou lashed out at Mineta, trying to make a dirty comment.
“Oh, it’s my turn.” Momo said. “I knew that I grew up with a rich family and money. But my dream is to feel how it feels to work hard for something you want. I want to try being a commoner for once. Get my first job and start saving money to buy something I desire. I tend to have impulsive expenses, buying things I don’t need. Just because of its beauty.” She sweatdropped. “I really need to stop impulse buying pretty things.”
“I love writing shifting scripts in my journal. It’s so fun. It’s like I’m writing down quirks. What about you, Todoroki?” Midoriya asked. “Why do you desire to shift?”
“Me?” Todoroki said. “Honestly, mine may not seem as much. But I want to shift to a reality where I get to experience being part of one big happy family. Full of love. Where me and my siblings all live together again. One, where I have a healthy, understanding relationship with my father. Where there’s no abuse, nor greed, nor pain, I suffer in.”
“Aww, Todoroki! That’s so beautiful.” Midoriya cried in relief.
“Damn, I’m hungry.” Bakugou said. “But we can’t go to the cafeteria because we are supposed to be quarantined in our rooms.”
“I have an idea.” Yaoyorozu said. “I have plenty of money.” She went to an app on her phone. “I’ll order us some Doordash to be delivered outside U.A’s security entrance. Just text me what kind of food you want to eat, so I can get it.”
“That sounds great.” Ochaco said.
“Todoroki. I know you may be sad now about your dad and the way things are in your life, now. But remember one thing.” Midoriya said. “You are loved. By all of us. Your friends. And your family.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Shoto said with a grin.