Dynamight💥: So let me get this straight
Dynamight💥: They're building a fucking time machine

Deku📗: It's not a time machine Kacchan
Deku📗: More like a rewind machine

Uravity🙃: You understand that's still bad, right??

Eraserhead: We're still figuring out what the plans mean exactly
Eraserhead: But that's what it looks like yes

RedRiot♥️: Poor Eri
RedRiot♥️: I hate that her quirk is being used like this...

Shoto🔥❄️: There is still one thing I don't understand
Shoto🔥❄️: Why are Jikan and the Yakuza working together?
Shoto🔥❄️: They have different goals, so why help each other?

Deku📗: Overhaul wants to revert the world back to its quirkless state, right??
Deku📗: Maybe he thinks resetting the timeline can help with that??

Dynamight💥: I still don't get what those losers actually hoped to get out of that machine
Dynamight💥: Like it obviously didn't work the way they wanted it to
Dynamight💥: Plus they'd lose all their fucking memories
Dynamight💥: It's bullshit

Uravity🙃: Maybe that's exactly what it is?? A clean slate??

Eraserhead: We're still investigating several possible scenarios
Eraserhead: Until we know what the machine was supposed to do, we can't exclude anything

Ingenium💨: So if I understand correctly, the machine resetted our timeline and thus wiped our memories, but for some reason we've regained them?

Eraserhead: That's what it looks like

Ingenium💨: But if our timeline, our world, has been reset, does it even exist anymore?

Uravity🙃: What are you saying Tenya-kun??

Ingenium💨: It's possible that the world we wish to return to no longer exists
Ingenium💨: Think about it
Ingenium💨: It is like closing a file without saving it properly, all process and changes have been deleted, reset to its original state, and in this case we have no idea whether we can still recover some of the lost data

RedRiot♥️: But we've been recovering data
RedRiot♥️: We all remember

Deku📗: So that means that either the machine had a defect or it was supposed to work this way

Uravity🙃: But why??

Shoto🔥❄️: A fail safe, maybe?
Shoto🔥❄️: Maybe they intended to keep their own memories but something went wrong?

Deku📗: So there must be some kind of trigger
Deku📗: A glitch in the program we've been exploiting by accident

Eraserhead: Like I said, we don't know the exact workings yet
Eraserhead: And until our engineers figure it out, I want you all to be focussing on the upcoming exams

RedRiot♥️: Noooooo

Uravity🙃: Ugh I hate exams!!
Uravity🙃: Can't you give us a free pass?? We've done all of these before!!

Eraserhead: You're students so behave like it
Eraserhead: If I see any of you fail the practical I'm going to be extra hard during extra classes and that's a promise

Deku📗: We won't let you down sir!!

//\\
\\//

Izuku wished he could say he was studying hard for the upcoming exams, like he was supposed to, but instead he was staring down at his notebook, unraveling the new information he obtained after they broke into that Jikan hideout. The plans indicated they were designing a machine that manipulated time. It used an adapted version of Eri's quirk to literally rewind time, to reset the timeline and make it as if things never happened. Yet one way or another they were all regaining memories of that past timeline, the one that wasn't supposed to exist anymore.

He frowned, looking over his notes, trying to figure out whether there was some kind of trigger for their memory restoration. Let's see, he regained his memories when he was four, when he was about to receive his quirkless diagnosis. It was a moment that changed the course of his life completely, that marked him as weak and insignificant. If anything, it was a moment Izuku would never forget.

Kacchan was the next one to regain his memories, back in middle school when his bullying hit an all-time high and he was about to tell Izuku to kill himself. That was also a moment Kacchan would never forget, if Izuku had to believe the ash blonde. It was the moment he realized he'd gone too far. And later that day, he'd be saved by the green head, making it clear to him that Izuku was a true hero, unlike him. It was what would eventually shape their relationship to what it had become now.

Ochako remembered during the entrance exam, when Izuku smashed the zero pointer to save her. That was a moment of inspiration, the moment she decided she wanted to become a rescue hero. At least, that's what his friend had confessed to him one night after having a little too much to drink.

Next was Aizawa, who regained his memories during the ball throw, one of the tests of the quirk apprehension test. Izuku didn't really know what went through his mind at that time, but he was sure that was the moment he saw potential in Izuku, something he hadn't seen before. It meant he didn't get expelled, that no one got expelled, so maybe that influenced things as well?

Then, Eijirou awakened during the USJ incident while talking to Kacchan. It was the moment their friendship started, if Izuku remembered right. It was the moment Eijirou saw Kacchan for who he really was and started following him around, admiring his skills and manliness. Their friendship shaped them into the heroes they are today, or well, will become in the future.

Shoto remembered during the sportsfestival, during his conversation with Izuku. They were talking about Endeavor, about Shoto's quirk. Izuku had told him it was his power, a line he'd normally scream at him during their fight in the final round of the festival. It was that line that pushed him to use his fire the first time around, and it was that line that awakened the memories inside of him.

Tenya was the newest addition to that list, having regained his memory in the midst of the Hero Killer chaos. It's when he realized what being a true hero is all about, that killing someone was never the right solution.

Izuku sighed, dragging his hands down over his face. If there was any significant connection, he wasn't seeing it. Those moments were so different from one another that he couldn't possibly find a thread to connect it all. The only thing he could come up with was that they were all core memories of some kind, things that changed them and shaped them into who they'd become- His eyes widened. It shaped them into the people they would become, the people they were in the future!

That's it! That must be it! Certain important personal events must trigger memory gain somehow! And if that was true, then they could trigger others to regain their memories as well! He could start predicting whether certain people would be regaining their memories at specific moments in time or under specific circumstances- Izuku instantly turned to a blank page in his notebook, writing down all the people he knew were involved in the Jikan raid in the future and went to work.

//\\
\\//

"You look like shit."

Yeah, no kidding. Izuku felt like shit, too. He spent day and night trying to remember every detail, flipping through the pages of his notebooks, where he had written down so many important events. All things that could lead to triggers, to memory gain, if his theory turned out to be true. And between all that research and worrying and trying to keep himself from collapsing under the pressure and implications that his home, the world he wanted to return to, probably didn't exist anymore- He had exams, like everyone else, and he had to study, too.

"Didn't sleep very well," Izuku hummed, leaning onto Kacchan's shoulder with his eyes closed as he mentally reviewed some of the subject matter they would be quizzed on today. Their train rides to school felt so peaceful. Just the two of them, two anonymous teenagers lost in the crowd of the morning rush hour. A part of him wished things could stay like that forever.

"You said that yesterday too," Katsuki grunted. "I swear, your eyebags are starting to rival those of the damn insomniac and that's saying something."

"Nobody can rival Hitoshi on that front, Kacchan," Izuku chuckled, not opening his eyes as he spoke.

"Don't tell me you're actually stressed because of the exams," Katsuki snorted. "This is baby shit. I bet I could pass even without studying."

"So why are you even trying then?"

"If I don't beat everyone else, what's the point?" Katsuki countered, making Izuku laugh again.

"As competitive as ever... Please never change, Kacchan," he mumbled, yawning before he nuzzled closer to his boyfriend.

"Oi, don't fall asleep on me, we're almost at our stop."

Izuku whined, allowing himself to be pulled along by Kacchan. That routine continued for the next few days. Drag himself out of bed after an all-nighter, let Kacchan drag him to school, take an exam, let Kacchan drag him back home and repeat. Days went by in a blur and before he realized it, the exams were over. Well, the written exams were over. They still had the practical to complete.

"You don't look so well, Deku-kun," Ochako frowned.

"No shit, I've been telling him that for days now," Katsuki grunted.

"It's just the exams guys, really, nothing to worry about," Izuku said, forcing a smile.

"You also said we shouldn't worry when you almost lost your quirk, so I'm not inclined to believe that," Shoto pointed out.

"That's going to haunt me the rest of my life, isn't it?" Izuku deadpanned.

"We know you haven't been sleeping, Deku, and it isn't because of the damn exams," Katsuki hissed. "Talk. To. Me."

"Alright, fine! I have a theory about how people regain their memories, okay?" Izuku confessed. "I've been trying to figure things out and I didn't want to tell you guys yet because it were exams and I haven't gotten the chance to test it out yet and-"

"You think you know why we have our memories back when no one else does?" Ochako interrupted him. "I always knew you were smart, Deku-kun! Tell us!"

"It's a theory, it's not certain yet," Izuku told her. "I-I don't want to give you guys any false hope in case it turns out to be a dud."

"How are you going to test it?" Katsuki asked. "You said you haven't gotten the chance to, how are you planning to do it?"

"I can't tell you, you might influence things," Izuku told him. "It's all really delicate, okay? But please trust me on this one! I'll be able to test it out soon."

The others shared a few looks, unsure of how trusting they were of Deku doing things on his own after the last stunt he pulled.

"One of us has to be involved, to supervise and make sure you're not being reckless again," Tenya suggested, earning murmurs of agreement.

"Alright, fine, Shoto will be my assistant," Izuku sighed. He'd already planned on using the boy to get his message across, him being in on it didn't change a lot of things. He could see Kacchan's eye twitching for a moment, his boyfriend probably wondering why he picked half-n-half instead of him. "He'll be close to the next person who'll regain their memories, according to my theory, so he's the best person for the job."

"Alright, tell me what I need to do," Shoto said, unbothered by the death glare Katsuki was giving him.

//\\
\\//

Shoto wasn't sure what Izuku had hoped to gain with this or what he was expecting to happen. He'd just finished his practical exam, a silent arrangement between him and Eraserhead in order to let Momo find her confidence, and now he was walking with said girl back to the observation room, the note still folded neatly in his pocket. He hadn't noticed anything different about her, she didn't act out of tune or out of order. Everything played out exactly like it was supposed to.

Maybe Izuku's theory was wrong, after all? Maybe Yaoyorozu hadn't regained her memories at all? Nonetheless, he slipped his hand inside his pocket, stopping the girl in her tracks and handing her the note.

"Midoriya asked me to give this to you after our examination. It seemed rather important," he told her after seeing her surprise.

"Oh," she said, unfolding the note. Her eyes widened a bit, but returned to normal in an instant. "I see! Thank you for giving this to me, Todoroki-kun."

//\\
\\//

Izuku was absolutely exhausted. All Might hadn't gone easy on them and Kacchan absolutely wanted to beat him instead of running away. The green head felt bad for using All Might's injury to his advantage, but it did give them the win. A pass is a pass. God, he couldn't wait to fall down on his bed and just sleep. Being knocked out for 2 days straight didn't seem so bad right now...

"You look like you're about to fall over," Kacchan pointed out, supporting Izuku's weight as they walked back to the monitor room. "You're not keeping injuries from me, are you?"

"No, just tired," Izuku yawned. "Can't wait to go to bed."

"Tch, you're such a handful," Katsuki huffed, but Izuku could tell he was only joking. He dragged him all the way to the observation room and dropped him in a chair, promising to return with a snack to boost his energy and threatening him with death if he dared to fall asleep in the time he was away. Izuku had laughed and nodded, watching Kacchan walk off, already dozing off now that the adrenaline rush wore off.

"Midoriya-kun, you seem tired."

He blinked, barely noticing Momo had sat down next to him until she pulled his attention towards her.

"Did you pass your practical?"

"Yes," he smiled. "How about you?"

"Of course, but you already knew that," Momo smiled, handing him the note back. "I never thought I'd see the day you'd use our logo. Katsuki will be thrilled to hear about this."

"It's funny, he reacted the same way when I handed him a similar note," Izuku chuckled, relief washing over him. He was right! His theory was valid! Momo had regained her memories when he predicted she would! This was a breakthrough if he'd ever seen one!

"Oh, is Katsuki here too somewhere?" she asked, looking around for the ash blonde. "Speaking of, where is here, exactly? Are we in some kind of dream of the past?"

"Not exactly," Izuku said, grabbing his phone. "I hope you have time after this, because it's going to take a while to explain."

"I already thought as much," she sighed. "I have the feeling this mission just got a lot more complicated."

"You have no idea," Izuku told her, typing away on his phone. "I'll tell the others you're here and add you to the group chat so we can fill you in on everything."

"Others? How many of us are here?" Momo asked, surprised.

"You'll see," Izuku chuckled, closing his eyes again, hearing Momo get the notification on her phone.

Deku📗: I was right!!
Deku📗: My theory is valid!!

*Deku📗 added Momo Yaoyorozu to Assembly*

He ignored the notifications on his phone as messages started coming in, listening in on Momo's gasps and reactions.

"Oi nerd, what did I say about falling asleep?" Katsuki grunted, nudging his face with a granola bar before looking aside to Momo. "Welcome to the team, ponytail."

"Thanks for having me," she smiled.