Timeloop Trouble

Chapter 9 - Trigger Talks

"And you're sure that's what you saw?"

Izuku nodded, looking down as he fiddled with his hands. Telling All Might about his dream was the right thing to do, but looking at him for longer periods of time was still a stretch for him. Toshinori understood though, and Izuku was glad he did. Kacchan seemed to have less trouble with eye contact, at least if it was just All Might, and so he was staring at the man with his arms crossed, acting as if he didn't want to be there.

"It's bullshit, right?" Katsuki asked. "There's no fucking way part of me is inside One For All."

"I know what I felt," Izuku muttered, trying to defend himself even though he knew how absurd it all sounded. "The first and the second came to me and they somehow summoned Kacchan. I don't know how, but they did. They even said the tenth hadn't been able to manifest like that since recently, which would mean that-"

"It's all interconnected?" Toshinori finished, raising a brow. "That the timelines are somehow intertwined? Sequential?"

"I know how it sounds," Izuku sighed. He knew it sounded stupid and absurd, definitely when taking Eri's rewind quirk into account. Because how could any of this be possible? Who was to say Izuku wasn't imagining things? Seeing what he wanted to see? Feeling what he wanted to see? Kacchan's essence within One For All... It was impossible, wasn't it? But that's just the thing: they thought time travel was impossible too, once. Maybe they just didn't understand everything, not fully, not yet.

"Don't worry, I believe you," Toshinori added quickly. "It's just... It all seems so unlikely, and we don't really have a way to investigate this unless you're willing to experiment over multiple timelines."

"And we're not doing that," Katsuki hissed, hating the idea of having to go through childhood again and again for who knows how long.

"And we're not doing that," All Might agreed. "Not if another rewind can be avoided."

"I know," Izuku sighed. This was all so frustrating! It was like every time he got somewhat close to getting some answers, he ran into a wall. Even after all these years, after being trapped in the past for so long- They still couldn't figure out what this was, exactly. How time travel was even possible. No, the technicalities of it all were still a blur and Izuku didn't know whether they'd ever truly figure it out, not unless Jikan came forward and confessed.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine," Kacchan whispered, gently grabbing his hands, stopping Izuku from wringing them together. "We'll get to the bottom of this."

Izuku forced a smile and nodded, flinching when the door creaked open.

"All Might, it's time to-"

Izuku tensed up when he heard Aizawa's voice and he could feel Kacchan's grip tighten on his hand. Shouta froze up, too. He didn't know All Might had visitors, let alone the two people who were avoiding him at all cost. No, Shouta thought the number one hero was simply resting up, and maybe mentally preparing himself for what was to come. That's why he was here, after all. To get him so they could start moving to the USJ and set up their ambush.

"I'm sorry, I'll leave you to it," he said, already closing the door again.

"It's okay!" Izuku exclaimed, startling everyone in the room. "I don't- You're not intruding. We were finished here, anyway."

He didn't look at the door as he got up, pulling Kacchan up with him. Instead he focussed on All Might, on his sunken eyes and wild blond hair. It was just like he said back then on the beach. Looking at him was easier when he didn't resemble the same person. When his brain could separate the face of his mentor and the face of the man he killed.