Linked Paths

Arc I - Closer to You [Chapter 1: If I were You, or am I?]

× Izuku’s POV ×
[Sunday, Medical office, U.A.] 

Okabe-san: “As suspected…”, *puts glasses down*, “I see nothing.”

Aizawa-sensei: “What does that mean, Okabe?”

Okabe-san: *folds his hands in front of him on the table*

“Well, not much, to be honest. It means my quirk doesn’t work on them in this state. Thus, it confirms that something’s abnormal with their bodies. In this case, it is simply another indication of the body swap.”

Kacchan: “Very helpful.”, *dripping with sarcasm*

Auntie Mitsuki: *glances at him, adding a heavy breath as warning*

Okabe-san: “However, the first tests were inconspicuous. And besides the headache you don’t have any other side effects, right?”

I only nod, still too embarrassed to say something.

Kacchan: “Yo.”, *crosses his arms and leans back*

Okabe-san: “My experience with such quirk is not quite extensive, unfortunately.”

No one says anything while Okabe-san seems to revel in his memories for a moment.

Okabe-san: “Once, I had the pleasure of meeting someone who could briefly transfer a person’s spirit into an object, or someone who could transform into another person for a period of time, but that...”, *grins*, “Such a gorgeous quirk! Due to its power, I assume S-Rank.”

Kacchan: “Hah!?”, *annoyed*

Auntie Mitsuki lunges for her typical neck slap but stops short of that, realizing it’s not her son’s current body.

Auntie Mitsuki: “Watch your tongue!”

Kacchan: *frowns*, “Why are you here anyway, old hag? I’m long 18, you know...”

Auntie Mitsuki: “I’m still allowed to worry, you ungrateful brat! Besides, I happened to be here to visit you anyway.”

An uncomfortable silence emerges. That’s until Okabe-san clears his throat to resume.

Okabe-san: “Well. At first glance, it may seem like an unspectacular, rather weak quirk, but that is a huge misjudgment. For those involved, the body swap means not only losing their own quirk but also having to deal with the body of another, a stranger most likely.

“Now, just imagine facing the strongest opponent you have ever seen in a fight. Then you have the ability to transfer his conscious mind into a civilian’s body with a weak quirk or no quirk at all or even into an elder’s body…”, *shakes demonstratively*, “Not to mention that -as far as your reports let suggest- a short phase of unconsciousness follows right after the swap. Wouldn’t that mean instant defeat?”, *nods*, “The quirk is indeed extremely powerful. Little sneaky though.”, *chuckles*

Kacchan: “Tch.”, *still annoyed*

Hard to believe, but I agree with Kacchan. Kind of, at least.

Okabe-san: “Such quirks occur extremely rarely in comparison.”, *still in his bubble*, “Yes, yes, has to be S-Rank.”

As much as I enjoy chatting about quirks, I just don’t have the head right now to rejoice over this rare quirk. To everyone’s relief, mom prevents further monologizing about it with a more important question.

Mom: *worried*, “But what will happen now? Surely the poor two won’t have to stay in this confusing state permanently?”

Okabe-san: *sighs and rubs his temples*, “We have different scenarios here. The body swap either persists only for a certain time and will be reversed automatically at some point or we need the villain to actively resolve the swap or, and this is the worst case, is permanent. The latter is pretty unlikely, I believe.