Have I been so worried about my own feelings for Deku that I ignored his? How could I be so selfish?
"Did Deku mention anything else I should know about?" Ochako needed to know everything that Himiko knew. She was not about to let Izuku keep feeling so alone. Though exactly what she was going to do about it was a mystery.
Ochako was so lost in her own head that she missed Himiko flinching at her question. She even missed Himiko swearing under her breath before she finally spoke up. "N-no. Not really. Though, I don't think Izuku really planned on me talking with you. Soooo maybe we keep this on the down low. Just between us?"
Ochako nodded. "Yeah. I suppose that's fine. He'd probably get suspicious if I suddenly went to go talk to him about being in love. Things could get awkward, and I don't want him to get mad at you."
Himiko frowned, "You could go tell him you love him too."
Ochako shook her head, looking down at her hands as she wrung them nervously. "God I can't do that. Not with everything on his plate and his own feelings all mixed up, and especially after you told him how you feel. All I'd end up doing is making things worse for him. I won't do that."
"So you're… going to wait?"
Ochako nodded. "After everything that's happened. It's made it pretty clear to me that I have to wait. There's just too many things going on right now."
Himiko looked down at Ochako, her silence making Ochako look up. Ochako wasn't really sure what she expected when she looked up at Himiko, but what she was was definitely not on her short list. Himiko looked like someone who had just made up her mind about something. She looked determined. Committed.
She was also looking right at Ochako.
"So much to do and so little time to do it, huh?"
"Um… yeah. More or less. When I think about all that Deku's going to have to do, I want to support him. Help him. Not trip him up… You know?"
Himiko closed her eyes, and breathed in a deep breath that she slowly let out. "You know, Ochako? I've had a lot of time to think, being cooped up in this hospital. A lot of time to reevaluate what I'm doing. What I want. What I've done. All that jazz."
"Oh?"
"I've realized that I almost died." Ochako nodded while Himiko continued on. "You almost died. Izuku almost died. Everyone almost died last night. We all almost died and we're only just in our first year of high school. Hell, we're not even past our second month yet."
It was a sobering thought. One that Ochako would be giving a lot of thought to if Himiko wasn't inching closer and leaning over her.
"You're right that there's so much to do. So many things need to get done; it's a little overwhelming. But when you think about it, another way to look at that is that there's still so much we haven't done yet. So many things left to do, to say. Things we might have never gotten a chance to do if we had died."
"Th-that's… a fair point." Ochako gulped as Himiko leaned forward so she was at eye level. Suddenly she felt like she had the full attention of a hungry predator. Which was strange because it's almost how she imagined Izuku felt when Himiko was in one of her friendly moods.
"Hell, take me for example. It kinda hit me that I've fallen in love with everyone that's ever saved me in an alley and..." Himiko pressed forward, pushing her hands into the bed on either side of Ochako, while Ochako had to lean back onto her elbows. Himiko had practically crawled onto the bed, and was now over Ochako. "...I still haven't told my savior that I'm head over heels in love with them.
The intimate closeness was making Ochako's heart race. She was sure she was blushing too. "B-b-b-b-but I thought you said you told Deku you loved him?"
Ochako felt like she was missing something very important. It was too bad Himiko wasn't going to give her time to figure it out herself.
"Oh, I did. But he's not the only person that's saved me."
Himiko was so close now, Ochako could feel the heat coming off her. "Not the only one?"
Himiko nodded as she was now fully on top of the bed, and fully on top of Ochako, "Nope. Fortunately she's right here, so that makes this pretty easy."
She? Here? Wha-?
Himiko dived forward and pressed her lips against Ochako's while she pressed her body against the other girl. She marveled at just how good Ochako's body felt against hers while she consumed Ochako's lips. The first kiss was hot, wet, and short. She pulled back to give Ochako a chance to breathe. "Togaaaahhh hmmmmm–"
Himiko pushed back down, grinding herself on Ochako, marveling at how a little pressure and friction made the other girl moan. "I love you." Those molten words dripped out of Himiko's mouth as she leaned back down and caught Ochako's lips, somthering Ochako in a heat that stole her breath. Himiko pulled back again, a trail of saliva briefly connecting the two. She licked her lips and savored the taste.
"But I'm a gi- and you're a gi-gi–" Ochako couldn't think. Too much was happening. Ochako was having a sensory overload and under Himiko's expert care, she was melting from a person and into a puddle of hormones.
Raging, hungry hormones.
Oh my god.
Himiko chuckled, a deep throaty noise that made Ochako quiver as she leaned in and nibbled on her ear. "Bi the way, did I ever tell you I like girls too?"
Oh my fucking god.
Himiko sucked on Ochako's ear lobe as she pushed her knee into Ochako, and hummed happily when Ochako ground against her. Leaving a trail of kisses along Ochako's jaw, Himiko found her lips and kissed her again.
Between hungry suck, Ochako gasped out. "But-" Himiko pushed her tongue out and ran it along Ochako's mouth. Ochako parted her lips, and briefly their tongues met. "-Deku?"
Ochako's world that had been flipped upside down was suddenly righted as Himiko rolled the two over so that she was now the one pressed into the bed and Ochako was straddling her. Hands on either side of her head, while Himiko let her hands clutched at Ochako's hips. Totally understanding how Izuku could lose himself when he looked at them.
Ochako, now on top, pulled back and sat on her haunches. Trying, but failing, not to notice that Himiko was under her. She could feel how hot the other girl was running. There was no way to ignore that.
"You haven't told Izuku you love him yet, so you don't have anything to worry about," Himiko said with a big goofy grin. "And I'm free to be in love with two dorky heroes that I owe my life and heart to." Himiko's smile got wider, showing off her sharp teeth. "And to kiss them both. Because as god as my witness, I waited long enough with Izuku. I wasn't waiting with you."
A dangerous glint flashed in Ochako's eyes as she reached down, grabbed Himiko's wrists and pinned her hands above her head with one hand. Her other hand rested on Himiko's collar bone. "You kissed Deku. Like this?"
"Fuck no." While Himiko's eyes glowed with mischief and her pale cheeks were rosey, Himiko spoke seriously, or seriously enough so Ochako would believe her. "I kissed him, but only that. I knew what boundaries I couldn't cross. I was safe with him. Careful."
Ochako believed her and she honestly felt a little foolish for asking. Because she knew Himiko would never do anything to hurt Izuku. And if she had tried this with him, after describing Iuzku's own emotional stunted view on love, it would have hurt him. Though that begged the question. "And me?"
"You're a fucking amazon and you certanly didn't seem to hate it." Ochako hated the way Himiko smirked. "I knew you'd be able to handle a little extra fun. Plus all those pent up feelings, I bet it leaves you a little frustrated." Ochako really really hated the way Himiko smirked. Because they both knew she was right.
Ochako shook her head. "Are you real?"
"I've done a lot of crap. I've never lied about love. This is one thing I'll always take seriously."
"Toga I…" Ochako trailed off, not sure what to say next. "I don't…" She might not know what to say next. But her body seemed to have decided what to do next. She leaned down, face to face with Himiko. "I can't, I mean I don't feel…"
Himiko shushed her. "Life's short. So let's enjoy thismoment. And then, see what happens next?"
Ochako's week had been hell. Training under Miruko. The attack on Hosu City. Stain. Izuku getting hurt. Again. Tartarus. Learning about Himiko's horrific past and then learning about All for One. This had been such a horrible stressful week, so just for a second, Ochako let herself drift from her worries and enjoyed the moment.
Himiko arched her back and her lips found Ochako's again.
WAM!
"Hey Runt! I got the last of theeeeee– oh my fucking god."
Miruko stood in the doorway, eyes wide and glancing between the two girls. Her shocked face turned into a cheeky smirk. "You know what? You come find me when you're ready." Turning on her heel, Miruko left. Closing the door behind her.
Ochako's face turned scarlet. "Mi-Mi-Mi-MIRUKO! WAIT!" Ochako lept from the bed and scrambled for the door and rushed out the hallway. Behind her, Himiko was laughing up a storm.
Miruko smirked when Ochako came rushing out of the room, face redder than an apple. "Sooo that was some kiss huh?"
"That wasn't! I mean!" Ochako had no answer. She was trapped.
"Hey, you're more than welcome to finish up in there."
Ochako sputtered. "That's not. I can't just-"
Miruko smirked, "I mean if I was getting kissed like that, and got interrupted I sure as hell would jump at the chance to finish. And you sure looked like you were enjoying it too."
Ochako covered her red face, floated up into the air and screamed. Miruko rolled her eyes and pulled Ochako back to the ground. "Easy, balloon girl. Otherwise everyone in the damn wing will know you were getting your mack on with that other girl. Though I could have sworn you were in love with that green kid."
"I AM!"
Both Miruko and Ochako paused as what Ochako had just yelled sank in. Miruko spent the next few seconds making sure Ochako didn't float out a window. When Ochako had finally cooled down, Miruko ruffled her hair. "Don't sweat it, Runt. You were blowing off a little stress. You're young. Horny. Believe me I get it."
Ochako decided not to argue the point, because it wasn't totally off the mark, and tried to change the subject. "Why'd you come to my room?"
Miruko clapped her hands as she remembered. "Oh right. You're signed out. So if you want to say some goodbyes, do it now."
When Ochako bolted out of the room, Himiko was left to lay on the bed and laugh. Of course someone was just going to barge into the room as things started to get good. She had gotten the teachers to back off so fate threw her a curveball and sent Ochako's mentor instead. It was hilarious, if in a twisted horrible sort of way. Still, it wasn't as bad as the other pitch fate had thrown at her. She was in love with two of the most hopeless, wonderful, dorks the world had ever created. Two dorks that were in love with each other but couldn't tell. Izuku had been so certain no one could love him he was too afraid to look for the signs. Ochako, so blinded by her responsibilities to herself and Izuku that she couldn't tell the boy loved her, so she wasn't willing to even confess in fear of the distraction it could cause.
And of course neither of her crushes seemed to feel the same way about her. Of course she could push the issue. Ochako seemed open to at least some physical fun and she was sure Izuku would latch onto any and all emotional love and support she gave him once he accepted it.
Himiko frowned at that. It didn't really sit right with her. She loved them, but she also loved that they loved each other. Pushing herself onto them now, it made her worried she might come between them. Which she was not going to do. She loved them too much to risk that.
So if getting to them first isn't the answer… Maybe I should go about it the opposite way?
Himiko smiled. A wide manic smile. That's it! There's no way those two are going to confess to each other any time soon. There's too much shit screaming in their heads that they can't even hear their own hearts! But I hear them. So it's my responsibility to fix this mess and get them together!
Himiko squealed, kicking her feet in the air as she bubbled over with excitement. She would help Izuku and Ochako tell each other how they felt. She would make sure they got together and were happy. And then once that happens, I'll find me a spot next to them and then the three of us will be one big happy family!
Images of her kissing both at the same time. Getting kissed by both at the same time. Touched and rode. Licked and tasted. Tasting and licking. Sandwiched between them or piling on top of one of them. The many many exotic fantasies she could imagine made her gasp in excitement. Sprinkled in those moments were other images too. Kinder, gentler images. A shoulder to rest on. An ear to listen. Just the three being around each other. A family.
Himiko sighed, she was getting spoiled by their dorkiness. Such mundane fantasies got her just as excited at the idea of all the sexy times she could have with them.
Though if she was honest with herself, maybe a little mundane in her life wasn't a bad thing.
God, fall in love with a couple of goodie-goodies that would consider holding hands to be second base and I'm already starting to think like a damned normal person. They're rubbing off on me...I suppose that's better than me rubbing off on them. Though, Ochako was kinda already nuts when I met her. She's one bad day away from sending someone to the sun.
Himiko laughed at the idea.
But ignoring that, what do I do with these two? I suppose the quickest solution would be to go grab Ochako, drag her to Izuku's room, and not let either of them leave before they finally tell each other how they feel.
Himiko had to admit, she loved the simplicity of the idea. Then after they had confessed to each other she could make her feelings known. Ochako already knew so it would really be just letting Izuku in on it.
...God knowing him, he might try to just put Ochako and me together and bow out because he wouldn't want to get in the way. Nah, the super direct approach isn't going to cut it today. Izuku needs a lot of work before he's ready for this. I need to teach that boy how to handle his own feelings and be willing to be open with Ochako first.
Himio let herself relax on Ochako's bed as she started to plan. She could still be direct, but she had to be careful. She was so caught up in her own thoughts it took Ochako actually nudging her to snap her out of it. "Huh wha?"
"Toga?"
Ochako was looking down at her with a slightly rosy cheeked smile. "I'm about to leave. I was going to go text Deku to meet us down in the lobby for a quick goodbye. You want to come with?"
Himiko nodded. "Yup! That sounds like a good idea. I should probably text Midnight and let her know I'm going down there. I get the feeling if I go too close to an exit, bad things will happen."
Both exited the room with Ochako carrying her stuff and Himiko typing away on her phone. As they got to an elevator Ochako slowed down and glanced over at Himiko. "Hey um… About what happened in my room…"
Himiko smirked. "Just a little stress relief between us girls. I won't talk if you don't." Himiko zipped up her lips as an added flourish before pressing the elevator's call button.
Ochako sighed, "Thanks, Toga."
"Sorry if I came on a little strong."
Ochako snorted as she laughed. "A little?" Himiko shrugged but Ochako could see a little relief in the other girl's face. "Look it's not like I didn't...like it. It was...fun. Just would have appreciated a little warning is all."
"Well, you were totally kissing me back at the end. And not just when you were on top." Ochako blushed and gave Himiko a playful shove into a wall. "You stop."
Himiko batted her away with a laugh. "Okay, okay just to be fair, I'll just go back to what I normally do. Like with Izuku. You only have to deal with regular playful Himiko."
"Thank you, that's all I...wait. Wait? Wait what does that mean? It almost sounds like you're planning on-!"
Himiko smiled, seductively licking her lips. "Oh come on. You know I like to play with my food. And I just love eating you and Izuku all up."
Himiko turned and walked into the elevator. Swaying her hips and crooking her finger for Ochako to follow. "Come one now. We have to go see Izuku."
Ochako felt her face burn as she followed behind. The realization that now she was also going to be a target of Himiko's shows of affection filled her with a strange excited dread.
Oh my god this girl is going to kill me.
"Can I have your autograph?!"
Izuku held up his notebook and pen excitedly while he beamed at Miruko who was scratching behind her ear laughing. Behind her, All Might let out a bellow of a laugh while Midnight snickered.
"You're the kid All Might is training, and you want my signature?" Miruko said as she took the opened book and scribbled down her name.
"But you're so cool! You're rising through the popularity ranks so fast, you're a sure win to hit the top ten!"
Miruko smirked. "Well I am pretty amazing."
Behind All Might covered his mouth with his hand as he whispered over to Midnight. "Well she's certainly humble."
"Are you sure you're the hero that should be saying anything?" Midnight snickered.
Miruko's ears twitched but she finished her signature and handed the book back to Izuku who was bouncing with excitement. "Here you go kid."
"Thank you! This is so cool!"
Putting the notebook away, Izuku realized he had a perfect opportunity to ask a very important question. "Um, Miruko. Can you tell me what kind of training you did with Uraraka? She's so much stronger now than she was just a few days ago. It's kinda crazy and incredible."
"The Runt? Well first I..." Miruko started but stopped. She was suddenly hit with the bright idea that telling everyone that she spent most of the days kicking Ochako through various walls probably wasn't the best idea. "...I helped her unleash her inner animal."
"Her inner animal?"
"Yup. I helped her forget about hiding her feelings. No more holding herself back. I got her to embrace her aggression and to take what she wants. If you want to win, you can't hold back. So really, it's been all mindset. She's already really strong," Izuku nodded at that, "now she's just using that strength to its fullest."
No more hiding her feelings… Take what she wants… Unleashed her inner animal… All Might looked from Miruko to Izuku. She's going to eat the poor boy alive.
"Ooooh so like how she was when she was fighting Toga." Izuku immediately recalled that fight and everything Miruko had said fit. "Man, if that's her default now she's going to be unstoppable. She's really going to let herself go."
Both Midnight and Miruko winced at Izuku's choice of words. Miruko, while impressed with how Izuku put two and two together so fast, decided to impart some important wisdom. "Yes, you're right but kid, just a warning. Never say that woman has let herself go."
Izuku tilted his head in confusion and Miruko began to see just how innocent Izuku was. Holy fuck the Runt's going to eat this boy alive.
"Oop, and look at that, Izuku's found himself another hero to gush over."
Izuku's ears perked up hearing his name, and turned to see Himiko and Ochako walking into the lobby. Getting caught, Izuku laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, who wouldn't want to get Miruko's autograph?"
"The people she kicks," Ochako said with a side eye at Miruko who just grinned.
"Alright, Runt. You got all your things?" Miruko asked, with Ochako holding up her suitcase to show she was ready. "Good. Say your goodbyes and then we can go."
When the three gather around each other, Izuku beamed at Ochako. "It's so cool you get to train with Miruko. What do you think you'll be doing the rest of your internship? There's only two days left."
Ochako fought to put on a brave smile. "Oh I'm sure she'll think of something."
"At least you'll get to be doing something. We're going to be stuck here," Himiko pouted. "What are the two of us supposed to do alone at this hospital… Actually what am I saying? There are tons of things we can do." Himiko smirked evilly, which Izuku missed picking up on.
"No playing doctor, Toga," Ochako warned with a smile.
"How about pirate? I have an eyepatch now. I think that means I can hunt for booty."
Ochako groaned. "Oh please don't start making pirate jokes."
"I have an eyepatch! It is my god given right to make as many pirate jokes and puns as I possibly can."
Ochako covered her face in horror. "We're doomed."
Izuku just shrugged. "I don't think you even know anything about pirates."
"They're stretchy?"
Izuku ignored that. "You don't even know a pirate's favorite letter."
Ochako groaned while Hmiko puffed out her chest and growled out. "It's Arrrr."
Izuku shook his head. "Nope, everyone thinks it's 'R' but it's the 'C' they love."
The silence that followed was deafening. Ochako looked absolutely shell shocked while Himiko stepped back in terror. "That was horrible, Izuku."
"Ew. I don't even want to look at you anymore, Deku."
Izuku, looking disturbingly proud of himself, glanced over at Ochako. "It was better than any joke you've ever said."
Ochako huffed, crossing her arms for good measure. "When have I ever told a bad joke."
Izuku got very thoughtful and started tapping his fingers as he listed them off, "There was the one where you thought' you'd outscore me in the entrance exam, then there was you beating me in the sports festival. The- ACK!"
Ochako lept at Izuku and began pummeling his head. "Jerk! Nerd! NEET!"
"Hey, that's uncalled for!" Izuku defended himself by slapping at Ochako's hands. Towards the end, both were laughing happily.
Himiko shook her head. "God. You two really are just a couple of dorks aren't you. No wonder you two decided to team up. Team Green Tea, right? Is that going to be your agency name too?"
Both Izuku and Ochako blinked at that. They shared surprised looks with one another "You know I never really thought about that. Opening an agency I mean. Normally graduates will work as sidekicks right after school. Right?"
Izuku nodded. "Yeah that's the normal way to do it."
Himiko poked Izuku in the chest. "Yeah, like you," She then poked Ochako. "Or you, are anywhere near normal."
Both got the underlying meaning, Izuku even glancing over at All Might. "I... I suppose not."
"Hey, when you do open one up, let me know if you're hiring. I could do secretary work." Himiko said, smiling.
Izuku and Ochako looked at each other frowning. "Why would you be a secretary? I mean, you are part of this team now."
"Eh?"
Ochako patted Himiko on the shoulder. "Sorry girl, but you've been drafted. No desk job for you, you're going to be a full blown hero with us."
"EH?!" Himiko looked back and forth between the two at a loss for words.
Izuku rubbed his chin. "So we have combat, rescue and stealth covered between the three of us."
"We may want to update our name a bit if it's going to be for our agency. Green Tea is fine for us two, but we can't call both the same thing when we're talking about our whole team. What do you think, Toga? Got any ideas?"
Himiko hadn't planned on this. She hadn't planned on this at all. She had only been joking around with them and they had taken her so seriously. Now she was stuck. Happy and near tears but still stuck. She racked her head, trying to think of something that would work. A name or word, something that had meaning. That reflected what Izuku and Ochako meant to her. Love maybe, but it didn't feel right. She needed something more. Something that would mean something to her and them. Something to describe what they had done for her.
"Rescue."
The word slipped from her lips without her meaning to. Izuku tilted his head to the side, "Rescue?"
Suddenly feeling exceptionally bashful and shy, Himiko looked at the ground and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Well, it's what you two are going to do and… well, it's what you both did to me. Izuku you rescued me from becoming a real monster and Ochako, you rescued me from Mr. Stain… Sorry, maybe it's not a goo-"
"Green Tea Rescue. I kinda like the sound of that." Ochako said smiling. "I think that could be a great agency name."
"It sounds like we're going to go around saving people. I like it," Izuku agreed happily.
Himiko, while trying not to explode with excitement and joy, covered her mouth with her hands and laughed. "You guys are so weird."
"Says the girl that drinks blood," Izuku retorted.
Wack!
Ochako was in a good mood as she left the hospital. All in all, if you took out the horrible experiences, this week hadn't ended all that badly. She hadn't expected Himiko to learn the truth about One for All. She hadn't expected a lot of what Himiko had given her, but her now knowing about Izuku's Quirk made her feel more secure. Himiko would help her look after Izuku, and having a friend like her around was always a plus.
"Green Tea Rescue, huh? I see you're just completely ignoring my advice. Aren't you, Runt?" Miruko said with a smirk.
Ochako shrugged. "I have my own path to follow. And it's going to be with Deku and Toga and the rest of my friends and family."
Miruko made a small grunt but didn't voice any displeasure at the notion.
"Miruko? What's the plan now? More mindset training?" Ochako wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea, but she couldn't argue with the results the training had brought.
"Nope. You graduated from that when you survived Stain. Now... now I think I can teach you something special."
Ochako's eyes went wide. "Special?"
"Runt. I'm going to teach you how to kick."
The cool night air drifted into Sir Nighteyes's office as the lanky hero was busy looking over a report. Looking it over, for the first time in a long while, he wasn't sure what to say. Bubble Girl stood by his desk, fidgeting nervously. "Sir?"
"You're sure this is accurate?"
"Yes sir. I was able to get the same story from two different contacts."
Sir Nighteye adjusted his glasses. "Two contacts with less than clean records." Bubble Girl winced while Sir Nighteye closed the report. "I'm assuming you had to pay for this."
"Yes, sir. They asked for double what they normally would want. They were… nervous giving the info up."
"Did they give you anything else? A name? Description?""
Bubble Girl shook her head, "No. I think they weren't even supposed to know the daughter was missing to begin with. Probably overheard it from someone else."
Sir Nighteye drummed his fingers on his desk, annoyed.
"Sir, If it's true I might see why they were nervous. The daughter of a Yakuza boss could bring a hefty reward or ransom but… I don't see how this could be connected to the reports Centipeder found. About this…" Bubble Girl's mouth soured, "Quirk Erasing Bullet."
Last night, Centipeder had been called by a friend in the Police Force. They had been tracking a lead on a new weaponized drug that had been causing some issues in the underworld and had apparently only just made its way to the light of day. A group of thieves had been cornered by a hero. The hero had been shot with something that had rendered his Quirk inert which allowed the group to escape. The effect had only lasted a couple of days but the ripple effect was already starting to spread. The Hero Commission had clamped down on the spread of the information but there were rumors now spreading throughout the underworld. One of those rumors was that the drug was from the Yakuza. It had been dismissed since the Yakuza was too underfunded to be able to produce something like this, but the rumor alone was enough for the contact to get in contact with Centipeder.
"Hmm," Sir Nighteye nodded. "No. On the surface these two things seem entirely separate. We're still missing some key information." Pausing, Sir Nighteye closed his eyes and thought in silence while Bubble Girl waited.
"Bubble Girl. I want you to keep pressing your contacts. Also tell Centipeder I want him to contact the police force and see if we can't get copies of the work their forensic team has done in their research on this drug. We need more information and the best way is to tackle this from two sides. The drug and," Sir Nighteye tapped the report. "this."
Bubble Girl nodded. "I'll let him know immediately. But with the way the Commission is keeping this news locked down, they might not let us have anything."
"That's a possibility. However the Police Force is aware that we've been tracking Chisaki's movements for a while now. If we can prove the two are connected, it should give us access to the documents.
When Bubble Girl left the room, Sir Nighteye leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes. The report from Bubble Girl raised more questions than answers and it made his investigation into Kai Chisaki take a potentially disturbing turn. According to Bubble Girls contacts, Kai was looking for his daughter. Sir Nighteye hadn't even been aware the man had a daughter. Was it a coincidence? The new drug, the sudden tightening of the Yakuza's contact with clients and now a missing daughter. There was something at play here. Sir Nighteye just hoped he was able to figure it out before his vision came to pass.
He was not able to do anything as the monster rushed over him. The one behind him, a women who looked so much like the young man, clutched pitifully to her chest a-
The end of his vision flashed before his eyes and Sir Nighteye wished he could forget it. But as the vision played out in his mind he tried not to focus on Izuku but on Inko instead. Tried to see to see just what she was holding.
Or maybe even who.
His vision had brought him to this point in Izuku's life. Connected him to Kai and now Sir Nighteye learned that Kai was not only dealing in a drug that could temporarily erase a Quirk but that his daughter was missing. At the same time, the Yakuza had gone silent when they should be pushing this drug hard to make as much money as possible. It couldn't be a coincidence. These events were all tied together by fate. He just needed a clearer picture to know what that fate was going to be. He needed an eye on the drug. An eye on Kai, and an eye looking for this missing girl. He also needed an eye on the linpin to this whole thing, Izuku. At least as far as Izuku was concerned, that would be the least difficult aspect of this mess to keep track of.
It was the morning of the last day of U.A. 's internships. In the lobby of the Hosu City hospital, the last two unsung heroes from the attack were practically bouncing with excitement. After endless tests, checkups and more than a few security checks for Himiko, both she and Izuku were finally being released from the hospital's care. With a few final pen strokes, All Might and Midnight signed the last of the paperwork to a chorus of cheers.
"Freedom!" Himiko wept happily. "Sweet freedom!"
Izuku snickered. "I can't believe you're happy to go back to U.A."
Himiko almost tripped and stopped mid celebration, "Oh right… Well, the school has all my stuff. So it's the tiny victories I guess. Plus," Himiko scratched behind her ear. "for some reason," and glanced at Izuku, "school doesn't seem like such a pain in the ass anymore."
Izuku smiled so brightly at that. Himiko was sure the shine was going to blind her in her last good eye. "Could you not be so damned adorable for like, a second? My heart can't take this much damned fluff."
While Izuku blushed, a squeal from behind soured Himiko's mood. "Oh my god you two are so adorable."
Midnight was watching the two with a big grin and a glimmer in her eye that made Himiko sick. "Ugh, can you not?"
"Nope."
"Well then, Young Midoriya. If you're ready, Gran Torino is waiting for us."
Izuku nodded. "I'm ready." Turning to Himiko he gave her one last smile, "I'll see you in class then."
"See you soon, Izuku."
With their goodbyes said, Himiko watched All Might and Izuku disappear from the lobby and she was left with Midnight and Nezu. While she was still waving goodbye, Midnight walked up beside her. "You know that was just so cute." and put her hand on Himiko's shoulder. Sending a shiver up the girl's spine, she felt the killing intent from the older woman. "So cute, I almost forgot to ask you about some purchases I saw pop up on my credit card recently."
Uh oh.
"Do you want to tell me why so many AV's have been charged to my card? And why it's all student / teachervideos?"
Himiko chuckled nervously. "Wow, someone should warn the school that you're on the prowl."
"T-o-g-a," The grip Midnight had on Himiko tightened and the room got very very cold. "When we get you back to school, you are dead."
I… did not think this prank through.
"Young Midoriya, I think we need to talk."
The drive back to Gran Torino's home had been quiet for the first few minutes. Quiet enough that Izuku had felt like something had to be up. "Okay? Sure… Are you," Izuku looked over at All Might from the front seat. "Are you upset with me?"
All Might glanced down at Izuku in surprise, "Upset? No? Why would I be?"
Izuku blinked. "Wait so this talk isn't about Toga? And me telling her?"
Izuku had told All Might and Gran Torino what he had done and why he had done it briefly the day before, but they did not have time to discuss his decision as most of his day had been a flurry of final medical checks.
All Might frowned. "I admit she would not have been my first choice. She'd made progress, yes but… She is still a very damaged young woman."
"Who knows things about the world I don't, and she already knew about All for One. Plus, being friends with Uraraka and I is helping her. But keeping secrets from her wasn't going to help at all."
"Kid," Gran Torino interjected. "You don't have to explain anything to us. Or anyone really about who you tell and why. You have One for All now. It's our job to support you and your group of allies. Whoever they end up being. Honestly, it's a bit of a relief that you're doing things differently than Toshinori here. Living in his shadow for too long would have stunted your growth. Each bearer of One for All has to make their own choices. What's right for some, might not be what's right for others. You're going to be faced with choices kid. Some of them might be…" Gran Torino paused as he remembered a day, a very sad day as the cries of a son and cries of a mother rang in his ears. "some of them are going to be hard. What matters is that it's you that makes them."
"I… understand."
Gran Torino scoffed. "No you don't. You're too damned green. But you're taking the right steps to get there."
"And speaking of taking the right steps," All Might began, steering the conversation to his topic. "The things I wanted to talk about with you. About this week… and I suppose everything."
"Oh, um okay," Izuku nodded. "What exactly did you want to talk about then All Might?"
"First, I want you to know just how proud I am of you. What you've done for yourself is, at times, beyond words. And I'm not just talking about the year we've spent together to get into U.A. and the sports festival. It takes a special kind of person to be as dedicated to becoming a hero as you are. There have been several times where if you had decided to walk away, I wouldn't have blamed you. You've been hurt more times than you should have ever been hurt. Suffered injuries that no child should ever have suffered. You're brave, kind, and you have a good heart. You know the value of protecting people. How important it is to save them."
Izuku sat up a little straighter, and he held his head up a little higher. After hearing almost the exact opposite so much recently this felt good.
"However," Izuku turned to look back at All Might as the hero kept going. "While I'm proud of your accomplishments and actions, the methods you've used for both are… concerning. Though this is not entirely your fault. In fact, I would say most of the blame lies with me, and my… shoddy teaching methods."
"Shoddy? But you're a great teacher… even if you have to read from a script during lessons in class. If somethings wrong it must be my fault then."
All Might shook his head. "No it's not that at all Young Midoriya. You see, these past few weeks I've looked back at how I've taught you, and exactly what I've taught you. 'Heroes are always risking their lives for others' and 'Plus Ultra'. I'd say it was those two things I tried to instil in you."
"Are you saying I've been wrong to try and save my friends?" There was a slight edge to Izuku's voice. Very slight but it was there.
"No I'm not." All Might could feel the relief emanating off of Izuku and a hard stare getting directed at him from the rear passenger seat as Gran Torino listened to everything. "Your drive to save them wasn't wrong, but your method is. It's your method that's wrong."
"My method?"
All Might nodded. "You're too quick to push yourself past your limits. You're too quick to overuse your Quirk when you don't have to."
"But I don't-"
"Young Midoriya. Don't. Don't even try to say you haven't been doing exactly that." When All Might saw that Izuku was sufficiently cowed he nodded. At least he recognized the issue on some level. "Now, the fact you've shown that you can push yourself is not a bad thing. It's something a hero needs to be able to do, but only in life or death situations, when there are real stakes. It should not be the default you turn to when things get hard. You've developed a habit that needs to be broken. And now that not only you have One for All but a second new Quirk, your Boric Pyre, that could cause extreme damage to your body, it's a habit you have to break. And I'm going to make sure you do break it."
There was an intensity in All Might's eyes that made Izuku gulp nervously. It brought back memories of the ten months of training he had to go through before getting into U.A., only worse. Way worse. "H-how?"
All Might smiled broadly. "Aim to Pass! American Dream Plan Mk 2."
Izuku blinked. Then pulled at the handle of the car's passenger door.
"Hey! None of that!"
"Not another ten months of hell." Izuku wept into his hands.
"Then you're in luck. It won't be ten months. It'll just be ten months of training we missed compressed down into two months. Give or take."
"Eh?!"
"You don't have to worry, this won't be body training. Like I said we'll be covering what we missed the first go around. We'll be spending all our time on Quirk control."
Quirk control?
"This lesson will focus on three things.. First and foremost, you are going to get control of your Boric Pyre. I've looked into the side effects a fire Quirk can have. It's almost always overuse that can lead to you burning yourself and or some kind of extreme heat stroke, which you experienced already. So we are nipping that issue in the bud. You aregoing to get control of your fire, Young Midoriya. No exceptions. Am I understood?"
"Y-yes sir!"
"Good. Next, we're going to work on your Psychokinesis. You've been working with only basic control of this Quirk since you started to really tap into it after we finished our first training. It's gotten you this far, but in order to go any further, you need more. Remember, your classmates have had years to learn the ins and outs of their Quirks. That advantage will catch up to you. So, you'll have two months to get a better grasp of your power and learn to use it in ways that won't cause you headaches, nose bleeds, or concussions. I will not tolerate Recovery Girl showing me another MRI scan with more scaring."
Izuku nodded quickly.
"Of course, during all this, we will be working on your control of One for All. Not just for your own sake, but for everyone around you. We can't have it accidentally activate during a school lesson. You got lucky the block you were in was empty when One for All awakened inside you. I hope you understand what could have happened if you hadn't been." When All Might saw Izuku go pale, he knew Izuku understood completely. "Now, let me explain something else. Do you know why I picked two months as the time you have?"
"I...don't…" Izuku's eyes then went wide, "Wait. First term finals!"
"Exactly. You have until finals to deal with your Boric Pyre and Psychokinesis. If you haven't reached a level of control I want, you will not be allowed to take the final exams practical section. Which means you'll fail the test."
Izuku gulped, "Wait… just my two Quirks?"
All Might nodded, "I understand One for All is a different beast. So I won't require you to have complete control over it so quickly. But if you don't have control you will not be allowed to use it in your exam. If you do, I will pull you out of the test so fast, your head will spin. Got it?"
"Y-yes!"
"Also, if at any time during the test, you exhibit your habit of overusing your Quirk, the same thing will happen. You'll get pulled and fail." Izuku was very noticeably pale now. "Young Midoriya, now that you have One for All you can't be reckless anymore. I wouldn't be suggesting this training course if I didn't think you could do this."
Izuku took a deep breath to steady himself. It was another test. Something he had to come to expect going forward in his life. He supposed for heroes each day was just another test for them to pass. "I won't let you down All Might."
All Might smiled, happy to see Izuku preparing to rise to the challenge. "You haven't yet, Young Midoriya, and I don't think you ever will."
After explaining that the training will take place every day after school, the rest of the drive was nice and peaceful. Even if Gran Torino brought up that they never did get him his McDonalds. Izuku wisely didn't bring up Happy Meals.
Sitting and watching the city drive by, Izuku thought of everything that had happened the past week. It definitely hadn't been what he had expected. Getting One for All, learning about All for One. Confronting Stain and awakening a new Quirk. Then there was everything he had learned about Himiko. Her past and then her feelings for him. Absently he touched his lips. The idea that someone could feel like that about him was just so strange. Though, the way he had met Himiko had been strange and she was a strange girl too. Just a bunch of extreme factors that lead to an impossible outcome. At least after her confession she seemed fine with just letting things lie and go back to how things were normally between them.
Which would be for the best. Sooner or later, she'll figure out he's not someone meant to be loved and will move on but at least their friendship will still be there. Still, Izuku couldn't help but let his mind wonder. If Himiko, in her strangeness, could love him. Who knows who else could. Ochako flashed briefly in his mind, and his heart leapt at the idea, but he quickly pushed it down. He would not dare to hope for impossibilities, even if his heart kept putting such horribly wonderful thoughts in his head before he got himself under control. No, he knew what he had, and would not risk it for something beyond his reach. What he had was perfect. He couldn't possibly want anything more.
At least that's what he was able to convince himself.
Refocusing, Izuku shifted his thoughts onto a new topic, even if his heart fought against him, and thought about what he was going to tell his mother about his new fire breath.
And his friends and classmates.
And Katsuki. Izuku couldn't imagine him taking this news very well and when he thought about it.
It made him smirk at the idea.
The room was dark, lit only by monitors and there was a constant chirp of medical devices. At one end of the room a 'man' in a long brown trench coat stood patiently. At the other, another 'man' sat connected to so many devices with tubes and wires running everywhere.
"So have you had a chance to speak with your leader? Has he told you what is expected of you?"
The other man nodded while he reached into his pocket and pulled out a large cigar. "I was told. In exchange for the work your doctor is going to do, I'm going to be working for your pup until the doctor completes his job. I'm supposed to help his growth or something. That about sums it up I think, All for One."
"Hmm, that is correct. Tomura is still young but his potential is vast."
Sticking his cigar into his wolf-like snout, the man puffed out a breath of fire that bathed the room in an orange light. The fire then quickly faded away and only the dim ember at the end of the cigar remained as he gave it a few puffs. The soft glow was just enough to illuminate the mass blue fur that covered his face and clawed hand. "Sounds like another pup that thinks of himself as a king. So what does that make you? A king maker?"
"Perhaps. This world only needs one king after all."
"Ha, you're not wrong about that. Until my boss is done, I'll make sure to follow your pup. But once the work is done, I'll go back to my king. After that," The wolf man smiled, his fangs on full display. "You said it yourself. The world only needs one king."
All for One smiled back, a large toothy grin, "Then I welcome you to the League of Villains, Kon Choujuurou. If only for a little while."
Finding the home she was in hadn't been hard. Convincing the parents inside had been even easier. While they had been nervous at first, court ordered silence made that understandable; they were also frustrated they were being silenced. So a few vague words, a contract, documents and more money either would see in a few years made it easy for her to convince them to speak and more importantly to get a chance to speak to her target. Once Chitose Kizuki got her teeth into a story, she wasn't going to let anything get in her way. And this story was a juicy one. Not only for her own curiosity but in what it and the fallout could do to U.A.. Any chance to take U.A., a symbol of oppression, down a peg was worth jumping on.
Walking down the hall, Chitose began to hear a strange humming sound. It got louder the closer she got to her target's room. The louder it got, the more Chitose began to think it sounded like some kind of motor. A loud one at that.
"That you've allowed that monster into your ranks shows just how far you fakes have fallen! She's soaked in blood but you all want to pretend it isn't there! None of you are real heroes. No true hero would allow her to train in their schools."
Chitose paused outside the room of her target, recognizing the voice coming through the door. Even over the humming. She raised an eyebrow and smirked to herself, Oh ho ho. Seems like that someone else is watching that Stain video. How interesting.
Reaching her hand up, she knocked on the door. When there was no reply she knocked again, louder. "Saito? Your parents should have told you I was coming today." She heard a latch unlock and the door opened. Chitose raised an eye at the boy standing before her. He didn't look much like the pictures she had seen in the early reports and news clippings. Those pictures showed an eager, and enthusiastic boy with a head of messy black hair. Now, it looked like Saito hadn't been sleeping well, and his hair was no longer black. Instead he had locks of unkempt cream colored hair. The color was odd, as it didn't look dyed.
Saito noticed her curious look and sighed. "It happened after I was attacked. Doctors called it Marie Antoinette syndrome. My parents said I'm allowed to talk to you, right? Even though the police said we can't and threatened us with jail time."
Chitose smiled. "As a journalist, I'm honor bound to keep my sources confidential. Plus, I have some good lawyers that are working on getting that pesky court order lifted."
Saito eyed Chitose. "Journalist? Not Executive Director of Shoowaysha Publishing?"
Chitose's eyes widened before a grin split her face. "My, my. You did some homework. Impressive. That's what I am now, but I started off as an investigative journalist. Even now I still like to do a little dirty work from time to time. I guess you could call it a hobby of mine."
"Don't know why my parents didn't know about it. They still think you're just some random person. But the way they were talking about you was weird. Heard them say you paid them."
"Money does a lot of things. One is to make sure people don't ask questions. Another is to get people to answer questions." Chitose held up a small notepad and pencil. "Which I hope you'd want to do. You have a chance to tell your side of a horrible story that the heroes don't seem to want to get out."
Saito scowled. "Heroes," He spat out the word, "They take that… that freak in and treat me like I'm the bad guy. They told me I have a responsibility to not say anything. Me! Said I could get into trouble if I tried to do anything."
"It's a cruel world, but you have a chance to talk now."
Saito nodded and opened the door to his room wider, welcoming Chitose in. Walking into the room, Chitose took notes about her surroundings. The room had been a nice one but not so much now. It wasn't that it was messy, it was more that it had been destroyed. Objects were broken and there were more than a few holes punching into the walls. About the only two things still working was a computer, with the quickly becoming infamous Stain video paused. She noted an open messaging app, with an ongoing discussion about it. She couldn't get a good look at the whole convo, but she noted the name of the other participant. LizardKing. There was also a large high powered box fan stuck in the window. The fan, strangely enough, was pointed out. Pulling air out of the room. "Hmm, if you want fresh air, you should turn that around."
Sait sat on his bed, offering his computer chair for Chitose. "More important I blow my… I blow the air from my room out and out of the house."
Interesting.
"So where would you like to start? I imagine these past two weeks have been very troubling for you."
"Troubling?! I had heroes that are supposed to be protecting people like me, threatening me while they treat that monster Toga like she was the victim! She attacks me and then gets a free education at one of the best schools in the country! They should be arresting her! They're acting like a bunch of power hungry fakes! It makes no sense!"
While Saito ranted, Chitose smiled to herself. She had come here for more than just to hear Saito's side of the story. His words would have power true, but it would be actions that would really cement this story. And a confrontation between Saito and Himiko would make the best story. She had been worried that Saito would be too scared to go along with the idea, but listening to him and seeing just how close to snapping he was. She doubted she would have to press that hard to convince him to come with her to visit U.A. and finally confront his attacker.
In front of a large camera crew of course.