Chapter Text
I am afraid the first narrator had been lost in the endless circle of forgetting and reliving dozens upon thousands of universes with minimal differences. Since it doesn’t sound very fun, I have decided to take you to another universe entirely. Enjoy the ride and if you don’t, simply move on to another world. Simple, isn’t it?
Ahem. Let’s begin, shall we?
Hatsume Mikumo lived in what would be later called the pre-quirk era. There had been no shining babies yet nor other strange occurrences. Back then hero stories about individuals with inhuman powers or amazing gadgets garnered a lot of attention, making people dream about the impossible.
The boy had two caring parents and a group of good friends. His peers weren’t always kind but overall, he lead a good life. He reminisced his time before university fondly, shaking his head at some of the assholes from his class, finding them no more than overactive brats after all those years.
His career had been chosen rather naively. He loved heroes and like many others dreamed of being like them and after trying his hand at inventing… Well, he might have chosen his career path on a whim but he never regretted it. He loved creating and drawing out incarnate blueprints that upon being brought to life oftentimes blew up into his face.
He, sometimes, spend days without sleep just to polish his creations, worrying his friends to no end. They often joked that he was married to his job and to be honest... It wasn't that far-fetched since he never even tried to find a partner and instead found great joy in spending most of his time making new things. His younger brother went into his footsteps though, admittedly, he was far less extreme and actually started a family (his daughter loved to hang around uncle Mikumo and the two of them exploded more things than any of them would care to admit).
The shining baby showed up a few years after Mikumo's death (from old age, not explosions as one might expect) and in history, he would be seen as the precursor of companies specialized in hero gear. He would also become an idol of a crazy inventor girl but let’s not bring Mei into the story yet. After all, she wouldn’t be around for another two hundred years or so.
But what this historical figure has to do with this story? Well. Everything because the shining baby wasn’t the first person with a quirk and neither All For One was the first outlier in the world of superpowers.
Akatani Ni lived in what would be later called the early-quirk era. The shining baby had already made its presence known throughout the world and it wasn’t the only child showing inhuman powers. At the very first people thought it was a good sign but with mutations appearing right beside more appealing abilities, they quickly were overtaken by fear.
Ni was born in a time this fear was the highest.
It was confusing to him, to for some reason know that he already lived once. After that knowledge, the memories came although they didn't return immediately; they were coming like a misty morning, slowly settling in. He was only five when it began so his parents readily chalked those up to simply being dreams and his overactive imagination.
By the age of eight, he knew it was one of those strange new powers but he didn’t dare to tell anyone about it. It would be asking for trouble; after all the world was ganging up on those different than them. The fact that his mother had been seen creating a little spark from nowhere and taken by the government… Never seen by him nor his father again... Yeah, it didn't help.
They moved to another city where they had been tested for quirks – to Ni’s immense terror – but those showed nothing and so, the two had been deemed ‘rightful citizens’. The boy hated it. The heroes he adored had been suddenly forgotten and people who reminded him of them so very much were hated for simply existing.
He was determined to change that and so… He went to school with the intention to become someone he would otherwise have no interest at all in becoming; a member of the government. And one important enough to bring changes at that. He was going to fully use his extensive knowledge that came from his past life and the fact that, at least for now, the quirk tests couldn’t pick up on his strange power.
Even with his mind put solely on achieving as much as possible in school to later easily become a prominent political figure with no bad records, he still made friends. He was easy to get along with and always ready to help so most people naturally gravitated toward him.
With an emphasis on ‘most’ since there was one person in his class he just couldn't seem to get along with.
Shigaraki Teiko was… An interesting individual. White hair and red eyes, a sign of albinism and the only reason why people didn’t instinctively shun him, expecting him to be one of the ‘quirked’. Still, not many were up to the task of getting near him. He had… A strictly practical stance toward everything. His morals were flexible at best and he didn’t really do things for free. He was condescending but smart, not very pleasant but he wasn't a bully.
Still... He clashed with Ni terribly.
“Oh? Congratulations. It is not every day you get to stand on the podium with me.” Shigaraki remarked one time when both of them scored first on a maths exam.
Akatani smiled pleasantly, not one to fall for school ground taunts. After all, by now he remembered all of his past life and knew how little those little slights would matter in few years.
Not that it stopped him from feeling irritated by this buffoon.
“Yes, it is quite a nice surprise. You’re so high up on your horse it’s hard to get the pleasure of talking to you.”
The other boy froze for a moment before promptly chuckling.
“Should I bring a latter to help you if it is such an arduous feat, then?”
“Please do, if it doesn’t strain your ego too much, that is.”
Their relationship was weird for the whole class because they could never truly tell whether those two hated each others' guts or were a snippety pair of best friends. To be completely honest neither Ni nor Teiko would be able to describe their relationship other than calling the other one ‘rival’.
They always went head to head in anything they did. Ni would hold his head a little higher whenever he got a better mark while Teiko never forgot to send him a small smirk whenever he was the victor. They never worked together unless forced to do so by teachers and if they met in any kind of competition it readily became ten times harder for poor innocent people around them.
With time they grew used to each others' company and would miss their rivalry was it to end. Not that any of them would ever admit to actually not minding, even liking, their strange dynamic. After all, both were extremely head-strong.
But then, on one Monday, Teiko didn’t show up at school which was… Weird to say the least. Shigaraki once came with flu so bad he used up five packs of tissues on one lesson (it was funny to watch since even his sneezes gave ‘I’m better than you lot’ vibes. Ni low-key wished he could be this dignified even with completely blocked nose).
But what was he supposed to do with that curiosity? It’s not like that proud buffoon would answer any of his questions.
Still… Ni had some respect for the other boy’s hard work and after writing down his notes on another piece of paper – it helped him remember it better – he made another one and put it in his backpack. The very next day Teiko was back with dark bags under his eyes; he looked like he didn’t sleep a night through the whole weekend.
Akatani put the few sheets of notes down with a dull thud. Shigaraki raised his eyes and then a single eyebrow, keeping on his royal poker-face.
“What is it?” he inquired, not even glancing at the papers, instead opting to stare into Ni’s dark eyes.
“Notes from yesterday. I’ve been revising.”
“And they are on my desk because?”
“Because no one likes you so I decided to share mine.” Ni answered bluntly and the corners of Teiko’s mouth twitched upward.
“So you deem me unable to use my textbooks according to their purpose?” he asked a hint of amusement bleeding into his voice.
Akatani rolled his eyes.
“I deem my notes of higher values than the wall of text you’ll find in those. If you don’t want them just burn them.” Ni said with a small shrug, ready to walk back to his desk.
“What do you want in return?” Teiko asked, his voice immediately going back to his usual matter-of-fact tone. The white-haired boy had this strange habit of acting like a businessman that never clocks out, always ready for another deal to be struck.
“My curiosity satisfied. Why were you absent yesterday?”
Shigaraki didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took the notes, aligned them nicely, and put them in his textbook to make sure they wouldn’t get wrinkled. Then he looked up, red eyes meeting dark green ones.
“My brother was not feeling well. I rather lose a day of education than him.” He finally explained and although his voice stayed perfectly even, Ni still got a distinct feeling that the white-haired teen was defensive.
Akatani wasn’t one for empty platitudes nor well wishes for something he didn’t fully understand. He was always ready to help though.
“Do you want me to give you notes if it ever happens again? As you can see my rates aren’t very high.”
For a second, maybe two, Teiko’s smile was an actual one rather than one of his usual grins. It could even be called soft if you squinted… Or just knew the boy well enough. But it quickly changed into this trademark smirk of his.
“Who am I to say no to a good deal?”
That is how a somewhat shaky friendship began between those two. Somehow note giving evolved into small discussions rather than their usual banters. From there Ni slipped, mentioning how he didn’t really see why people hated quirks so much… He was quick to backtrack by pointing out how everyone used to love heroes when they weren’t real and Akatani ended up learning that not only Teiko but also his brother were fans of old comics.
Ni wasn’t sure what made Teiko invite his rival – once borderline enemy – to his house. But neither was Shigaraki sure why Ni not only came but then offered for the other boy to visit him too... And why Teiko went as far as introducing Ni to his brother who had the strange mix of white hair and green eyes. Which many would squint at, wondering whether albinos could have such eye color or was he one of the ‘quirked’.
Teiko didn’t regret it, not instantly at least. Ni and Yoichi hit it right off, sharing similar views about… Well, it was hard to find things they could possibly argue about. They quickly became great friends and Akatani a constant presence in their house.
Dozens of years later All For One would wonder how things would have gone were those two to never met. Part of him wished he could have changed this but the rest of him didn’t. Because those oh, so old memories were one of his favorite ones. Good old times when things didn’t go to shit yet...
It’s funny to a degree. How their lives stayed unchanged for over a decade even though all three of them actually had quirks… And all of them were like none other, outliners that even centuries later would be hard to believe.
But things don’t stay unchanged for long, be it good or bad ones. This time around the former.
Ni wouldn’t be able to tell you how or when exactly the rumor started but soon enough the whole school was talking about how Teiko was one of the ‘quirked’ and not even a day later the contact with the boy was completely gone.
Akatani was worried and the worst part was that he couldn’t do anything; he had no idea where those two went or how to contact them. He had no other way than to go on with his life and hope they were alright wherever they are.
So he finished high school – those three last months felt rather lackluster without his rivalry with Teiko – and went to college. Throughout those four years, he didn’t see neither of the Shigaraki brothers. The world was getting weirder and weirder though… He heard about a man who could take and give powers which, all things considered, sounded like a terrifying ability.
Getting into government affairs wasn’t that hard. Weaseling himself into the higher ranks? That was where the problem laid. He had to agree with a stupid smile to things he found stupid and cruel. He had to carefully tiptoe around various subjects and learn what others thought before he spoke and even then he had to choose who would be more useful. He learned all about the law to later be able to change it.
Sometimes he found himself imitating Teiko’s aloof attitude. It worked worryingly well.
It had been nearly five years in total and over half a year since he became part of the government in his pursuit of equality that he met an old friend. He had gotten an offer to meet up with the mysterious individual the city was talking about, the one said to be able to give and take quirks.
Ni didn’t know why they would try to reach out to him specifically since he was neither very high in a hierarchy nor especially eye-catching. From an outside perspective, he was a completely normal person with no defining features and no relation to quirked whatsoever.
Imagine his surprise when in the cafe the meeting had been set up, he saw the familiar white hair and then blood-red eyes met his dark green ones. A small smile made its way on his face as he walked confidently to take a seat opposite the man.
“Long time no see.” He greeted casually, reaching for the menu that laid in the middle of the table. He quickly glanced through it, deciding on a hazel latte.
“Indeed. Five years can really change a person.” The man answered and Ni couldn’t help but roll his eyes. There had been so many hidden messages in this one sentence that could be so easily overlooked as a friendly comment.
“You mean yourself or me?” Akatani inquired waving at the waitress, quickly giving his order, and when she left, he turned toward his past classmate. “Because if you’re going to give me shit for joining the government, save your breath. I want to change things.”
An amused glint shone in the man’s eyes and suddenly Ni realized that the white-haired individual might have not changed drastically but he definitely polished his skills. And that asshole always had a manipulative streak to him. Oh boy, who could have thought one could be so irritated by interacting with someone they wanted to see for such a long time?
“I stand corrected, you haven’t changed all that much.” Teiko said with a complete deadpan and Ni couldn’t help but snicker.
“Ah yes. I have not achieved anything and I am as much of a little shit as I had been, while you’re already an urban legend. Anything you’d like to add?”
Shigaraki shook his head amusedly.
“How could I when you sum up things so splendidly?”
The waitress came with both orders – when did Teiko even make his? – which made their conversation come to a lull. They both took few sips of their respective beverages before returning to talking.
“I believe we share common goals.” Shigaraki began, putting his cup down.
“No, I don’t want world domination, thank you very much.” Ni answered jokingly, blissfully unaware of the future.
In his defense, at this point in time neither did Teiko plan all the madness that would later come with a title of All For One. So the white-haired man rolled his eyes, giving his interlocutor an unamused look.
“I wish for equal standing for both quirked and the ones lacking powers. I believe it is what you are working towards too?”
“Yeah. Hopefully, I get to change laws soon because as things stand now revolution is about to happen.” Ni answered, holding his cup in both hands to warm them. It was getting cold lately. “I get why people turn to violence with how they are treated but it isn’t helping. Sure, some people take the role of ‘heroes’ which makes them likable than most quirked but in the end, all it does is creating roles. At this pace rather than a well-knit society we’ll get a never-ending war between ‘good’ and ‘evil.”
“I’m pleased to hear that we share this sentiment. Although I am surprised you agree since you used to love all those little heroes in comics.”
“I still do. But it’s fiction and we’re facing the real world. Sure, I’d love all those amazing heroes to actually exist but then we would need villains they could fight and I rather have all people on equal footing, free to be themselves.”
Teiko smiled his usual grin, one that already was bringing fear to the hearts of those who had wronged him in any way. Ni was not one of them though so he just laid his head on his hand, putting his elbow on the table, not moved by the smirk of who would one day become a symbol of evil.
“That’s an unattainable dream.” The man pointed out.
“Ah yes, ‘unattainable’, the most important characteristic of any good goal.” Akatani noted with a sly smile. Neither he nor Teiko was one to back away from a challenge, be it something as small as winning an argument to something as big as changing the whole society.
“With you working inside and me gathering forces outside, changing the current situation shouldn’t pose much threat.”
“I wish getting some ground rules to protect everyone’s basic human rights was that easy… But I do admit, with the two of us I don’t think it will be as hard as I initially expected it to be.” Ni answered and took a sip of his latte. “Anyway, how’s Yoichi doing?”
Teiko sighed, a strange kind of heaviness bleeding into his posture.
“He’s alright although he could be doing better.”
“I see… Would he be up for a visit? I’ve gotten myself some comics I’m sure he’d enjoy and I would love to take some recommendations from him too.”
“I’m sure he will be more than pleased to be able to converse with you again.”
With that their conversation once again came to a lull and the two of them drank most of their beverages. One might think it was the end of their conversation and maybe they would have been right was it not for Ni asking a question that soon evolved into a full-blown conversation about superpowers.
“So… How exactly does your quirk work?”
Actually… That is how the habit of analyzing has been born in the protagonist of this story. Those beginnings of delving into powers would be makings of his fourth life, Midoriya Izuku, but... Once again it is not quite the time to mention the future yet.