"So, you lied to me?" Izuku asked.
"Is that seriously the only thing you got out of all that?! Forget it - just give me your answer."
Izuku and Tekashi had gone to a local hot spring to talk and relax after their sparring session. Izuku still didn't know how his powers had returned, nor could he contact the other One For All users. That troubled him, but he was certain Tekashi was behind it - and that he'd explain everything when the time was right.
Izuku's answer was yes. But he had one condition before he agreed to go.
"I want Kacchan to come with us," Izuku said with a smile, clenching his right fist. Tekashi recognized the name from watching Izuku's fight with Shigaraki live, but he hadn't actually met Kacchan in person. He liked the idea. He knew Kacchan was strong, and that he and Izuku made a formidable team - even in situations where survival seemed impossible. Still, he worried whether they'd get along, since Kacchan was known for being hot-headed.
"Are you sure about this?" Tekashi asked as they stood at the doorstep of Kacchan's new apartment, which he'd recently moved into for his hero work.
"I'm 100% sure," Izuku replied and knocked three times.
"WHO'S THERE?!" a voice shouted from inside, followed by heavy footsteps. "IF THIS ISN'T IMPORTANT, YOU'RE DEAD!"
The door swung open. Kacchan stepped out in casual home clothes, t-shirt and pants, hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked at Izuku, then at Tekashi. Then he turned back to Izuku.
"Why'd you bring some trash bag to my door?"
Tekashi whispered in Izuku's ear, "Told you this was a bad idea."
"He's not a trash bag. He's my brother. I just met him recently, and he asked me to come with him to the U.S, so I wanted to ask you to come along too."
Kacchan looked both of them up and down, then turned and said, "Come in."
Izuku and Tekashi stepped into Kacchan's place and sat at the table. Kacchan offered them tea, but both declined. Izuku and Tekashi explained the situation - the reason for the trip, and why they needed his help. The mission was urgent, they had to leave that very evening.
"So, you're going to rescue your old man," Kacchan said casually while sipping his tea. "I'll come, but only if he tells me what his quirk is. Clearly, he hasn't even told you, his own brother."
Tekashi hesitated, about to answer, when Izuku jumped up excitedly.
"You're really coming with us, Kacchan?!"
"THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAID, NERD! YOU'D DIE WITHOUT ME TO WATCH YOUR BACK."
"My quirk is Time," Tekashi said.
"Time? Wow... I've never heard of a quirk like that. So that's why I couldn't move in the sparring hall."
Tekashi's quirk was the mother of all quirks - Time. From it, other quirks had evolved: One For All, New Order, Explosion, Rewind, and more. The reason Izuku had been able to use his quirk near Tekashi was because of this. Traces of One For All still remained in Izuku's body, and Tekashi's presence had amplified them.
That was one of the reasons the U.S. government and Hero Agency had wanted to exploit Tekashi - his power could enhance others' quirks.
Tekashi's quirk allowed him to manipulate time - either by slowing it down or stopping it entirely. He could rewind someone's body if they were injured. However, the quirk demanded immense energy and stamina, making extended use dangerous. That's why Tekashi often relied on his katana and fists in combat, using his quirk to slow time and appear incredibly fast. He could strike multiple times in mid-air, mimicking Izuku's Air Shot technique.
He couldn't travel to the past or future, nor could he see future events. But he could send his body back to a previous position within the last 24 hours - essentially teleporting, as long as he'd been to the location before.
"So your quirk is insanely strong. No wonder you used to be an international hero," Kacchan said. "I'm gonna go pack. Be right back. Don't go anywhere."
Soon after, it was time to leave. Izuku, Tekashi, and Kacchan headed for the airport. They checked in, passed through security, and boarded their flight to America. Izuku was buzzing with excitement - eager to travel, learn, and grow stronger.
"Izuku, I'm taking the window seat," Kacchan announced, brushing past him.
"No way, Kacchan! I wanna sit there!"
"Too bad, nerd - move it."
They argued like kids over the window seat until Kacchan finally gave in and let Izuku have it. He was grumpy about it the whole flight, but he and Tekashi talked a lot - about their lives, experiences, and everything in between. Kacchan told Tekashi how Izuku never looked after himself and always cared more about others. That was one reason he'd agreed to come.
Seeing how happy Izuku was just looking out the window gave Kacchan some peace. He even thanked Tekashi for helping restore Izuku's powers.
Tekashi smiled. "You care about him more than you let on. You're not as stubborn as you look."
"SHUT UP, YOU OLD GEEZER."
"I'm only 27. Three years older than you two."
"DOESN'T CHANGE A THING. NOW SHUT UP, I'M TRYING TO SLEEP."