Reset and Rewind

Chapter 55 - White Light

Katsuki could tell Izuku was frozen in shock, unable to react to whatever this shitshow was supposed to be. So that meant it was up to him to protect him until he snapped out of it. Maybe cause a distraction, get some time apart so he could calm down or something? But how? And, actually, what the fuck? That was All For One, wasn't it? The body inside that tank... It was Hisashi Midoriya, there was no doubt about it. But how the hell did he get here? Tartarus hadn't been breached, not yet, not in this reality, so how-

"Ah, I see you've noticed my latest creation!" Garaki exclaimed. "Wonderful, isn't it? In fact, I have that girl to thank for it. If it wasn't for her...intervention, I'd never have realized the perfect successor doesn't exist!"

"What the hell are you going on about, old man?" Katsuki hissed. That girl... He must be talking about Toga. And the perfect successor? Katsuki thought All For One just wanted a- His eyes widened. Oh no.

"Who needs a second version when the first one is already perfect!" the doctor laughed. "Yes, my master will be filled with joy when he finds out what I've done!"

It was a clone, Katsuki realized. It wasn't the real deal, not yet. Just an empty husk he was preparing, modifying. A body to inherit All For One, a body for that bastard to control like his own. Because that's what he truly wanted, wasn't it? A second life, a new vessel, a way to live on even after living longer than any normal human being should've. But if it really was that simple to make a clone, why go through all the trouble of raising a successor? Why didn't they do this in the first timeline?

"You're sick," Izuku spat out, regaining his voice.

"Why, that's rude, wouldn't you say?" Garaki huffed. "I thought you of all people would be happy about this! No one else has to get involved, your father will soon return to full health and I need to thank you for making all of that possible!"

"...W-what?" Izuku choked out. Why would he be the one that made this possible..? Wasn't it some twisted idea he came up with so he wouldn't have to give Toga All For One?

"Of course! Your DNA was essential!" the doctor stated. "All For One's DNA is messed up due to his many quirks, it can't be easily reproduced, certainly not when I don't have access to the actual source. But you! Your DNA is clean and strong! Able to withstand multiple quirks at once! All I had to do was isolate some of it and reproduce it to make a new body."

Izuku felt the blood drain from his face with every word that was spoken. Toga must've had his blood- Must've stabbed him at one point or another. And the doctor had used that to create this...this monstrosity. A clone. His clone. It sickened him to his core.

"Are you okay?" Kacchan asked quietly, bumping his hand into Izuku's, as if the contact would bring him back down to earth. Izuku simply nodded, glaring at the man who was behind all of this. They had to stop this before the clone was completed, before he'd be able to fully transfer All For One into this new body. They'd also need to destroy it, all of it. The lab, the research, the DNA samples. They had to make sure no one could pick up where Garaki left off.

"I'll take the tank, you take the doc," Izuku said before running into action. Katsuki was close behind, blasting his way towards the bald asshole while Izuku charged up his kick in order to break the glass. The tank cracked under the impact, but stayed relatively intact otherwise. Izuku frowned. This was more reinforcement than it had been in the past... He couldn't give up now, though. He darted around, jumping up and kicking the tank again. The glass burst a little more, the crack widening enough for the liquid to seep through. That's it! One more kick should do it!

"There's no getting away you bastard!" he could hear Kacchan yell, seeing him pin down the doctor in the corner of his eye. "Watch as your life's work gets destroyed before your very eyes!"