Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"It's a promise!"

Ochako hummed to herself as she lifted the final box up, carefully placing it on the shelf in the back room. She ignored the familiar roiling in her stomach, gently sliding it back onto the shelf and pressing her fingertips together, murmuring 'release' under her breath. She wasn't supposed to use her Quirk, but out here, no one really cared enough to report it, especially if she was using it to help.

The store owner nodded at her, an older gentleman she only knew as Mr. Ito. He'd been a store owner longer than she'd been alive and everyone just called him the same thing, Mr. Ito. He smiled at her and quickly reached beneath the counter, pulling out a small cardboard box. "Thanks for your help, Uraraka! Yer sure this is alright with you?" he asked, the same thing he did every day.

She smiled back, wiping the sweat off her forehead and nodding back. "Of course! Thanks a lot Mr. Ito!" She grabbed the box up and tucked it under her arm, heading out to the storefront and quickly tying it to her bike as she'd done many times before. If she was quick, she could get back home to drop it off and be able to head up the mountain for some training.

She biked through the town, a bit annoyed by how sticky her brakes were but not having much choice in the matter, they were not something high on her list to get replaced. She biked past multiple potholes, dodging them expertly with long held experience. It took her only twenty minutes to get home, waving to the various people she saw along the road, keeping a bright, sunshine smile plastered on her face no matter how much she hated doing so, playing nice with all the people who whispered behind her parents back.

Barely skidding to a stop as she stopped at her house, she pulled the box out and carried it inside. She knew no one was home right now, and that made it much easier to get the fruits out of the box she carried and place them in the fridge, along with the two wrapped sandwiches she'd earned. As far as her parents knew, she got three sandwiches and ate one on the way home, but she would normally just take one of the fruits (whichever was available that day), and let that be her food for the evening. Mr. Ito wasn't much more solvent than half the town, so she was happy to do odd jobs for him and get her payment in food…truth be told, he didn't need her help, but he offered it to be nice, and she just pretended like it wasn't pity.

She shook her head, grabbing one of the fruits of the day (a shiny red apple) and taking a bite of it, walking to her bedroom to change out of her school uniform and into what she considered her 'training' clothes, a simple pair of old shorts and a tank top. She had a lot of work to do, to prepare for the UA entrance exam in seven months…she had a promise to keep, one made by a bunch of dumb kids with a dream. But she would not be the one to break that promise…she'd endure everything she had to to not only keep her promise, but make her parents' lives better. She would keep her promise, no matter what.

"It's a promise!" three kids chorused, clanking their plastic cups together.

Himiko Toga knew how to put on the fakest of smiles, how to act demure and proper, how to be everything she was not. She knew how to stay soft-spoken and fade into the background, how to always be a kind and gentle soul, how to always protect her family's name and honor and reputation.

And she knew how to chafe beneath those rules, beneath all those strict high society expectations. But even beyond that, she knew how to hide the omnipresent hunger, to keep the glint in her eyes from being visible, to hide her fangs behind her teeth as she would slip away in the night to hunt rats in a damned alleyway just so she didn't lose every fiber of her sanity. How she'd practice running and jumping and climbing, keeping herself in shape, flexible and fit. She'd practice with the butter knives she snuck out from her house (the sharp ones would be too noticeable), getting used to the motions necessary.

And every time, every single evening she spent hunting rats and mice and having to bite into them, tasting the sickening, rotting flavor of their blood (nothing like Izu or 'Chako's was), hating herself and everything she represented, the only thing keeping her going was the promise, the blurry memory of three eight-year olds vowing they would all make it into UA and be heroes together.

So she studied every day, making sure she was ready for the exam and her grades were top of the class. She practiced her smile and her attitude, all to make her parents oh so proud, oh so pleased, all to make sure they didn't try to stop her from applying. Of course, as far as they knew, she was applying for the business course, but once she was in they had no say…she was going on a full scholarship, and she'd be eighteen by the time the year rolled around, so she'd be free…she just had to get there. And maybe, just maybe, she'd find Izu and 'Chako again.

She ignored the part of her that whispered they'd be disgusted by what she'd become, a demon draining the blood of innocent animals in an alleyway out of desperation. She ignored that voice in her head that sounded like her mother hissing at her for her 'disgusting teeth', or her father screaming at her for forgetting her contacts to make her eyes look 'normal' rather than slitted as they were. She wouldn't give into them and their attitude no matter what. Only five months to go to the exam…she had so much work to do.

"It's a promise!" three kids chorused, clanking their plastic cups together. They lifted the cups up in unison, draining them in one draught, two of them immediately gagging at the taste of blood as the third giggled at the duo.

Izuku let out a huff as he dropped a microwave into the dumpster, leaning against the metal to try and cool off. The hot sun overhead was draining, stealing all of his energy, but this was the very last thing he had to clear to finally, finally finish his training for One For All. He found this mind falling back to that day, the day that he first met his hero. That day had been both the best and worst day of his life…the reminder that he was nothing being reinforced by the number one hero, only to somehow impress him and change his mind, giving Izuku the last shot of hope he needed to finally step up once more.

A decade of Kacchan, a decade of his teachers, of the very society he lived in telling him he was at best a weakling who needed protection and at worst a drain on the world, and he could finally have a chance to make something of himself. His promise had kept him going, but barely…day in and day out, stuck in a mire of doubt and despair and pain that sucked away at his will and soul and nearly sent him over the ledge time and time again, but finally he had his shot…maybe.

The only one in his corner had been his mom, and now it was All Might, his favorite hero ever!...even if a part of him still wondered if All Might had made the right choice, if he regretted it, if he'd change his mind before actually giving it to him. There had to be other choices, better choices, not some Quirkless loser covered in scars, marks of weakness and shame.

"Well I'll be, you're already finished!" the loud voice of All Might himself made Izuku jump from his position leaning against the dumpster, nearly falling over in shock.

"U-uh, yeah. Yeah, I did! Plus Ultra, right?" he said, trying to smile but finding it difficult with how exhausted he felt. Even after a couple minutes of rest, he was still breathing heavily, still panting as he tried to get his body back under control.

All Might pursed his lips at him, narrowing his eyes as he sighed. Izuku already knew what was coming…another lecture about overworking himself. He'd been on the receiving end of four already, and every time he swore he'd try to take it easier but…when he saw the beach was almost done, he had to finish it! It made sense! Besides, he could handle some pain. It wasn't much different from his average day after all…not that he'd ever admit that to All Might. He didn't need his mentor to see how much weaker he was than he already had seen.

"You already know what I am going to say, young Midoriya," All Might warned, his tone a familiar one to Izuku. Izuku nodded sheepishly. The pro hero sighed, rubbing at his forehead. "Midoriya…my boy, you have to understand, the plan I made for you was tailored to what you needed. Overworking is a direct hindrance to building up your body the way you need to. I'm not telling you this because I think less of you, or am taking it easy on you. If anything, I'm being very hard on you. But I don't want you to get hurt! That is the last thing I want from this training."

All Might turned away to glance about the beach, sighing once again. "The point is moot, I suppose, but we only have two months till the exam for you to get a handle on using One For All…and if you cannot pace yourself, you might injure yourself severely and then where will we be?"

Izuku let his head drop to his chest, the shame roaring in his veins. All Might needed a better successor than him. He couldn't even follow simple instructions. So stupid! He was jolted out of his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder, shaking him slightly and making him blink, glancing back up at All Might, belatedly realizing he'd been muttering aloud again.

"My boy, do not speak such falsehoods about yourself," All Might said sternly, a hint of fondness and concern filling his tone. "You are everything I want in a successor, do not doubt that! And if you're stupid then I must be the dumbest man on this planet, because you are far more intelligent and clever than I. I'm not upset with you because I'm angry at you for failing to meet my standards…you have met and surpassed them every step! I'm upset because I don't want to see you hurt! So please…pace yourself, alright?"

Izuku wanted to believe his hero, the first person to believe in him besides Himi and 'Chako and his mom, but something in his chest wouldn't let go of that knot of anxiety and self-loathing that perpetually filtered through his mind periodically. But for All Might, he'd try. He'd do anything. Izuku swallowed, nodding quickly. "Y-yeah. I'll um…I'll be more careful."

"Good! Well, with that out of the way," All Might reached up and plucked a hair from his head, puffing up into his muscle form as he grinned widely. "You have done as I asked, and it is time for your reward! Now…eat this!"

Izuku stared at All Might. "...bwuh?!"

Izuku was in a black space, full of dark smoke and spurts of light flitting about too fast for him to follow. He spun about, trying to place where he was, to figure out what had happened. He'd met with All Might, eaten the hair (yuck), went to school, barely avoided being knocked down the stairs (in shape he might be, but he still couldn't take on four people at once with no training), went home, ate dinner with his mother, did his homework, stared at his razor blades for too long as the voices in his head got too loud, and went to bed. Now he was here, in this blurry, black space, covered in black and green smoke, unable to make noise.

And then he felt…something, something that made him turn about and look. He saw…a blob? No, two. A bright pink blob, glowing softly, and a blood-red one that seemed to shift and shimmer in place. Something…felt familiar, felt right, something told him that they were safe. He reached out his hand in their direction, not thinking, not considering, just feeling like he had to…

And woke up as his alarm blared.

Chapter Text

"Yes mother," Himiko demurred, keeping her head bowed as she listened to her mother's rants at her for 'improper' behavior. Not that she was even sure what she'd done wrong this time, but to be fair, it didn't matter what she did, to them, it was never good enough. She was always and forever going to be the black sheep of the family and she'd long ago accepted that they'd never love her probably no one ever would. She just has to bite the bullet and deal with it until the day she could get out of there.

Although…her dreams had been super weird lately and not very cute. It was making it hard for her to sleep, with how weird they had been. Every night, the same dream…a green/black blob and a pink/brown one approaching her. They always smelled so good, so familiar, so right, like she just should be around them…but she knew that was just some wish fulfillment her mind was inventing because she was a danger to those around her no matter what she did.

And the energy she had lately, she always felt so amped, so energetic, so hyper at times, like she was full of a roaring, running river that made her feel so much faster and stronger. Ever since the dreams had started this had happened and she just did not get it. And she felt so powerful sometimes, just this flame was burning inside her that just wanted out…and it scared her.

She knew she'd never be what her parents wanted. Every time she had to sneak out at night and hunt another alley rat reminded her that she was dirty, unclean, a demon as her parents used to put it before she learned to hide who she was. She was always going to be no good, to be a monster, and even though her promise kept her going she was terrified of what Izu and 'Chako would think of her if they could see her. Deep down…she hoped she wouldn't run into them again, because she knew she didn't deserve to be near them.

But she couldn't help but miss them, every single day, every single moment. She had 'friends' at school…but it was all an act and everyone involved knew it. She had to be the perfect daughter for her parents, to make sure they let her apply to UA after all. So she did what she had to do…she was part of the 'in' crowd at school, always getting good grades, always soft and demure, always smiling without showing her teeth and using contacts to hide her slitted eyes.

She never let the mask slip, never let the face fall, to the point she felt like she was suffocating every single day. Some days she just wanted to snap, to lash out and bare her teeth, to show the monster inside her that her parents claimed she was. She just wanted to latch onto someone's throat and drink them dry, ripping and tearing, becoming the monster…but she had a promise to keep. A very very small part of her had just enough hope, just enough belief that the other two would keep their promise, that she might even find them once again.

Every day was worse and worse, ever since the dreams began she always felt such a longing, a desire to see 'Chako's cute smile and hear her giggle, to watch Izu as he gushed about a new hero he'd seen, his eyes lit up and glimmering. Sometimes she hugged herself at night, pretending it was their arms, their friendship and affection that she so sorely missed.

But it had been a decade…she was sure they had forgotten a silly promise made to a monster like her. Still…she had just enough hope left in her to keep a single candle lit, just in case, just one tiny flickering flame in the dark…she didn't want to think about what she would become if that flame went out.

Two months of training taught Izuku three things…one, All Might was an awful teacher and too nice to a fuckup like him. Two, Gran Torino was terrifying and yet helpful enough so Izuku stopped breaking his arm every time he threw a punch. And three, his dreams are really weird. Ever since he got One For All, every night was the same dream…he'd see the pink and brown blob and the golden and red blob and they'd come closer and closer and ever so slightly they'd be more and more visible, more and more clear, and yet he still didn't get it!

He'd tried talking to All Might about it, but the pro had no insights into a repetitive dream featuring two multicolored vaguely humanoid blobs. He'd suggested they try talking to Nezu about it, but Izuku had been quick to demur from that, saying Nezu was probably far too busy and Izuku didn't deserve taking up any more time. He felt bad enough about the time All Might was spending with him, no matter how often the older pro reassured him with gentle smiles and soft words, Izuku knew he was just wasting All Might's time. He should have picked up on how to use One For All much faster, two months in and the best he could do was fifteen percent and still that wasn't enough. He wasn't enough.

But…could he tell All Might that? He was already afraid of disappointing the man who'd become more of a father to him than his actual father ever was. Could he tell him how bad a choice he'd made? Maybe…maybe he should ask his mentor to take the Quirk back and give it to someone more deserving.

'No!' he hissed internally, focusing as he jogged down the path, breathing slow and steady. He had been given this chance and he wouldn't squander it, he had to pay All Might back for giving a worthless Deku like him a chance to stand in the ring…a chance to keep his promise. Unbidden, he thought of them again…cheerful blonde hair, glinting teeth, a playful smile and teasing joke…chocolate brown eyes and pink blushing cheeks, happy giggles and playful touches to lift things into the air for him to examine. Everything he was doing was part and parcel of keeping his promise.

Though…he was certain they'd be disappointed in him, once they knew the real him. The boy who had given up, who'd become nothing but a doormat, a punching bag for others to take out their pain and aggression on. He was weak, had been weak, and would always be weak.

But he supposed…somewhere deep inside, he hadn't fully given up. He couldn't. He owed it to them, to All Might, to his mother for all her support. He had to make up for his mistakes, his failings, his weakness, and he would bend and break and shatter himself no matter what it took to prove himself, to make up for what he'd done wrong. He'd keep his promise, no matter what.

If he couldn't…

Another day, another task done for the sake of finding some food to put on the table. Not that it seemed to help…she could barely sleep thanks to her dreams anymore, and the energy she felt so constantly filled with was getting to be too much for her. Ochako was getting sick of being so damned hungry all the time because she kept having to go training just to bleed off some of this excess energy!

It was nice that her Quirk seemed to be getting stronger though…even if it was causing her more headaches. She hadn't figured out what her upper limit was anymore, but she'd also accidentally crushed something when she somehow added gravity to it? Or so she thought. The boulder had simply crushed itself beneath her touch, and she was pretty sure that it was because she'd somehow made it heavier. And…she felt stronger. Not a ton at first, but she kept getting stronger. Sometimes she swore she saw glimmers of light on her skin, but they'd be gone the second she looked at them closely.

But she didn't really care that much. She was so focused on working as hard as she could for her parents, she didn't have time to focus on that. She had work to do. As she strode confidently towards the busted warehouse down the street, where she always managed to find someone who needed someone to lift and carry stuff for them, she found herself stumbling and almost falling over, only managing to avoid it by catching herself against a wall.

Her stomach ached, another pang of hunger shooting through her for the hundredth time, and once more, she dismissed it. She'd find something to eat later. If she managed another day like the day before, she could come home with a whole five sandwiches! That's enough for her parents to get two and she could have one and be set for the day! She just had to knuckle down and focus. Hard work pays off, her papa always said, and she was going to live up to that.

Her vision swam for a moment, making her realize she'd yet to stand up straight from where she was leaning against the wall of the corner store near her house. She swallowed, taking a few deep breaths to focus. After a moment, she managed to straighten up, gently dusting her hand off as she took another second to center herself.

Eyes closed, deep breath, count to five. Okay. She could do this. She could manage this. One foot in front of the other. The dizzy spells were nothing she hadn't dealt with. She was fine. All she had to do was keep at it for another couple months, and she'd be at UA! She'd pass the exam no matter what, and get into the school, and be able to provide for her parents.

Her mama had taught her, set one long-term goal, and then a bunch of short-term ones that'd lead to that. Long-term, become a pro hero and support her parents. Short-term: Train her Quirk, keep up her workouts and exercises, provide what she could for the family. Get into UA and start her classes. Once she moved into the dorms, she'd be able to work even harder in the training gyms too! She heard UA had dozens of Quirk training places and it was all legal! And with other hero students there, she could maybe study with them!

…especially if she found Himi and Izu. Not that she really expected to. She was sure they'd move onto bigger and better things, or even if they were there, they wouldn't care about some poor country hick. She was a dumb kid back when she made her promise, and those two were bright, shining stars she knew would be so much better than she was. But that was okay. Ochako Uraraka would never break a promise, no matter what…she was going to become a hero. No matter what it took.

Toshinori Yagi was vexed. Exceedingly so. He couldn't help it, sitting in his office in Might Tower, staring down at the papers in front of him where he'd been marking down Izuku's training regiment and progress. Izuku was proceeding extremely well in Toshinori's eyes, he was so proud of the boy, but the boy didn't see it and it was so very frustrating!

The boy thought he was slick, and to be honest, he was good at hiding how he really felt. It took a while for Toshinori to catch on, but he finally did and realized that Izuku had one of the best poker faces he'd ever seen, for all the fact the young man was often very emotional. Even with his moments of anxiety and the times he cried, a lot of those were surface level only…the true emotions he kept hidden, locked away, only visible to someone who was looking for them.

For a while, he worried about Izuku's home life…especially when he asked the boy what his mother thought of him getting One For All and Izuku saying he hadn't told her. That worried Toshinori, and he insisted they tell her as soon as possible, even against the boy's protests. But his worries about Inko were unfounded…the woman was as anxiety ridden as her son, sure, but the love and affection the two shared was not faked, no. It was clear she loved her son deeply, and he certainly seemed to reciprocate…but Izuku still lied to her.

He told her about One For All and his true identity, and his choice of Izuku as successor. She was, understandably, concerned and worried, but Izuku was effusive in his praise of Toshinori as a mentor and nearly burst into tears as he expressed his gratitude over and over again. Toshinori really really needed to get Izuku to understand the one who should be expressing gratitude was him, since the boy had given him such a great successor with a huge heart…but for now, he just wanted to get through this talk.

And get through it they did…at least, for a while. Toshinori kept some of his suspicions secret, not wanting to air them in front of Izuku, but after sharing his number with Inko and a look, he prepared for a future conversation the two would need to have.

One day unbeknownst to Izuku, while the boy was out training, he managed to get a sit-down with Inko and ask her if she noticed what he did. To his consternation and further concern, she had. She knew Izuku was hiding things from her for many years now, but nothing she did would ever get him to admit to it.

She told Toshinori her suspicions…about the school and how it mistreated her Quirkless son, about the burns he'd come home with or the ripped and torn uniforms, about how when she confronted him about it years ago he suddenly never came home with burned clothes again (but he had bought multiple new uniforms and she suspected he was just changing before coming home). But still, he wouldn't open up to her. He would not admit to anything…and thus Toshinori was now here, sitting in his lonely tower, vexed.

In the privacy of his tower, he could admit the truth…Izuku had truly become close to him, the closest thing to a son he'd ever had in his many, many years of life, and yet he felt like he wasn't doing enough for the young man. His successor was everything he could have wanted…determined, far more intelligent than he himself was, and had the biggest heart Toshinori had ever seen in all his years.

And yet…the boy was hurting. He was hurting and refusing to show it and Toshinori simply did not know how to get through to him. The Quirkless were not treated well when he was young, and he did not imagine it got better. He could only imagine how poorly he'd been treated. And knowing that his father walked out on him just for being Quirkless? Toshinori's blood boiled at the thought that he could just abandon his wife and child for that…but that was neither here nor there.

He shook his head to clear it. That wasn't important. No, what was important was figuring out how to help his successor. He'd tried gently suggesting some help therapy but Izuku had been incredibly resistant to the idea and Toshinori didn't want to push. Not yet, anyway. Gran Torino had little advice either, but he'd noticed the same things Toshinori had. Gran's only real advice was, for once, not delivered with trademark snark or a kick to the back of his head. He'd simply said being there and being a positive influence, showing his encouragement and his belief, was the best Toshinori could do for the boy.

Which he was trying his damndest to do. He made sure Izuku knew how proud he was of him, every single day he managed to get over and help train him. He was even more proud the boy had unlocked that 'Full Cowling' technique within only a day of Gran's training! So much progress in so little time, why, he would ace the entrance exam for sure…and Toshinori would make sure Izuku knew he had full faith in him.

With a sigh, Toshinori set his pen down and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. He glanced over at the clock and let out an even more annoyed sigh as he saw it was nearly three in the morning. Once again, he'd worked too late. Oh well…time for a quick power nap, before he got up to prepare to meet Izuku at the beach and work some more. Maybe after they finished training for the day…he'd take the boy out for lunch. Yeah, some time away from training would do him good. Toshinori nodded, shuffling out of his office and flipping the lights off as he went, preparing to head home and get a little bit of sleep. Tomorrow was a new day, and he would be sure to do his best to help his successor.

Chapter Text

Okay. This…this was less than ideal, Izuku mused. And here he thought his day would have gone better, finally getting his chance to take the UA Entrance Exam! Sure, he'd stumbled into Kacchan at the entrance and gotten shoved around a bit, and sure, he almost face planted but was saved by a nice green-haired girl with big eyes, but it was fine! A brief moment of worry during the speech by Present Mic, with that blue-haired boy lambasting him for muttering but it was okay, he could handle it just fine, he wasn't that nervous even if he felt like he was going to puke.

And then, the written exam!...which honestly, he felt like that was one thing even his dumb Deku self could handle. Scholastic things were one thing he did fine at and he made sure to mark the requisite number of answers wrong so he didn't get in trouble.

But there it was, the practical exam! Which was…robots? Weird choice, but okay. For all of his worries, his training with Gran kicked into high gear, and he flew through the streets, bouncing off walls and villain bots with speed and precision. They seemed to be designed to fall, so it would only take one or two quick strikes to bring the bots down. That said, a lot of the examinees kept getting so close to getting hurt, he had to keep slowing down to help them out. Luckily One For All made him pretty durable, so it was okay if he got hit by a stray rocket or two, right? He was fine he said to himself as he grinned through the pain.

And then the Zero pointer was unleashed. He could only gape in sheer, unadulterated terror at the fact the school unleashed something like that on a bunch of prospective students! He had to get out of there as quickly as poss-a cry of pain had interrupted his thoughts, and he saw the nice, green-haired girl who'd helped him before, stuck beneath a piece of rubble as the zero pointer began to approach, an inexorable tide of metal and power and terror all rolled into one…and he moved, a body covered in green lightning and radiating an eldritch energy that made others recoil as if they felt the icy chill of death breathing upon their necks.

The next thing he knew, the Zero Pointer was falling backwards, explosions coming from it, as he fell backwards towards the ground, one arm shattered, both legs broken, adrenaline only partly blocking out the pain as he realized what was going to happen. Well…at least the girl was safe, right, he mused to himself. Gosh, he needed to apologize to All Might though…his mentor had done so much for him, and he was about to die and fail like he knew he would and he could only pray All Might could recollect One For All before he fully died. Maybe to give to someone more worthy, more-

Any further thoughts had been cut off by a sudden yank to the side, a desperate grab from the now freed green-haired girl's tongue idly he thought that was such a cool Quirk, pulling him off his trajectory and saving him from death…but his mind still wasn't able to keep up, and he lost consciousness.

Ochako had to accept that okay, maybe she went a bit overboard. But that giant robot was going to hurt a bunch of students if she didn't do something! Not that she knew what she was doing, when she rushed at it. Not that she truly understood why power flooded into her veins, why her body glowed with pink and white sparkles, why her eyes became deep wells of blackness, the darkness of her iris expanding to fill her entire eyes and making others shiver in fear as they passed her.

She saw none of this though, no handy mirror nearby to show her what she looked like. She brought her hands forward, trusting in her Quirk and the sudden thoughts in her mind that just…told her what she needed to do. As she planted her feet firmly in the ground, she could feel the very earth tremble and crack and quake beneath her, felt the air shiver and shake, a spot of pure, inky darkness forming between her fingers, barely visible in the midday sun. And yet, she focused further, her shoulders shaking, her entire body vibrating as she tried to contain the force, before she let out a shout and sent her hand forward, pointing the black dot at the Zero Pointer.

The black dot flew at it, seeming to vanish into its chestplate, the massive machine continuing its inexorable march towards them…and then it froze in place. Its servos whined, its form shook, the machine tried desperately to free itself from whatever trap she'd put it in…and then it began to crack. The metal screamed, electricity sparked, as bits and pieces of it began to crumble off, began to fall inward, the entirety of the machine imploding into itself, slowly being drawn into the single black dot that Ochako had somehow created.

She grit her teeth, her body aching as she felt the pain well up from within, the lights around her becoming more and more extreme, white starbursts and pink energy racing up and down her limbs. She felt darkness creeping into her vision, realizing she was losing control, and at the last moment released her Quirk, the black dot vanishing into the ether as she fell to the ground like a puppet with her strings cut.

She lay there, losing the fight against passing out with a smile, as even though she didn't completely destroy the Zero Pointer, she could see it collapsing in on itself, the center of it gone, and thus falling to pieces. People were safe then…that was good.

Himiko woke up to bright, eye-searing lights that made her hiss and swat at the air instinctively. She was very confused, trying to remember what had happened. Last she knew, it was the UA entrance exam…she'd hoped to see Izu or Chako, but neither one was there and her heart shattered, but she'd still been determined to do her best, to keep her promise. Written exam wasn't too hard…she rode the bus, thought the city was too big, ran around breaking some bots, but…what else happened?

"Well, it seems you're awake dearie, how are you feeling?" a soft, grandmotherly voice came from her left, making her blink bleary eyes over there, seeing a short, gray-haired woman in a nurses outfit, her lips curled in a gentle smile.

"W-where am I?" Himiko managed to stutter out, still trying to puzzle out the blanks in her memory.

The older lady let out an indignant huff. "You're in the nurse's office at UA. You, and a couple other foolish children, nearly killed yourself trying to stop the Zero Pointer. One of you almost pancaked yourself, another one nearly gave herself an aneurysm, and you somehow climbed inside it and started ripping random wires apart! You realize how dangerous that is, you could have been crushed!"

That jogged Himiko's memory…a sudden surge of strength letting her scrabble up its back, where she managed to pry some sort of access panel open and started breaking things from within. Which, in hindsight, maybe wasn't her best plan since it started falling over once she grabbed that one weird shaped handle that said something about stabilizers or something, she wasn't really paying attention when she ripped it out.

Another sigh brought her attention back to the older woman before her. "Well, you're as healed up as you're going to get. I can't believe I had three of you. You should be good to go, just be sure to take it easy. I'm just going to check on the other two."

Himiko nodded as the woman moved away, sitting up and wincing as she felt a wave of exhaustion pass over her. Luckily, she still had her clothes so she only really needed to get her shoes on, idly noticing a strange scent that felt oddly familiar but dismissing it a moment later. She wasn't really listening as she heard the woman speak to who she assumed was another patient, idly tying her shoes, but then she heard it and froze.

"-Miss Urakaka," the older woman had barely finished saying what she said before a blur of blonde ripped the curtains away between the two, amber eyes wide as she saw her.

"...Chako?" Himiko managed to stutter out, her entire body ablaze with a million emotions, seeing chocolate brown eyes staring back at her, a subtle pink glow visible as the brunette girl began to shake.

"Himi?" Ochako replied, her voice quavering. Himiko nodded, tears filling her eyes, the nurse blinking at the two of them in confusion and taking a step back, just in time, as Himiko launched herself across the distance and tackled the brunette over into her bed, her sobs audible in the now silent room, mirrored tears being released by the brunette as she subconsciously wrapped her arms around Himiko, squeezing her tightly.

"...I am assuming you two know each other," the nurse drawled, arching an eyebrow at the two young adults who were apparently in a world of their own. One which suddenly got bigger as the curtain on the other side was nearly ripped down, green hair and bleary eyes stumbling awkwardly into the curtain and nearly falling over.

"Himi? Chako?" Izuku mumbled, his eyes half closed and body language exhausted, but his voice making the two girls break their hug long enough to look up and see him. He was given no time to react, letting out an 'eep', as Himiko's hand grabbed his and pulled over into the two of them, the three now an awkward tangle of limbs and tears, Izuku half off the bed while Himiko nearly hung off the railing, and not a single one cared.

Izuku's eyes were full in moments, tears streaming down his face as Himiko sobbed loudly, mirroring the green-haired boy's tears. None of them had expected this, none of them had even considered this possibility, none of them ever hoped for this, and yet here they were. Ten years of shoved down, pent up, frozen emotions were let free into the world, pain and fear and worry all seeping out and making Himiko only squeeze the two of them tighter. She…she saw them. She kept her promise. They all kept their promise. They were here!

"...I'll leave you three alone for a bit, dearies," the nurse said, understanding enough of what was going on to see that she wasn't needed. She took a few steps away, opening the door and closing it shut silently behind her, making sure to flip the sign saying she wasn't in, as she headed to the conference room where they were judging the students' performances.

Izuku's tears came with a hiccuping noise, Himiko's were full blown sobbing, but if it weren't for the wetness on her cheeks, Ochako wouldn't even be sure she was crying herself. The sheer joy in her heart she felt, the way it felt right to be able to hold her childhood friends, to know not only that she kept her promise but they did too…she didn't think she could express her feelings in words, not in a thousand years. She found them! There was nothing in this world that could ruin that for her, not now, not ever.

"Izu, Himi, I-I missed you!" she said, her voice watery and fragile, her arms gripping Himiko's back tightly, the other wound around the back of Izuku's neck from where he was hanging half off the bed.

"You're here, you're really here," Himiko repeated, still sobbing as she clutched at the both of them like she was afraid if she let go they'd vanish.

"...I am here. I promised, Himi, 'Chako. I promised and I made it! We're all here! We're here, oh my gosh we're here!" Izuku tried to sound strong, lifting his head to give the two of them a brilliant if shaky smile, but his voice cracked on the last few words as fresh tears fell from his eyes once more. He scrabbled on the bed for purchase, managing to finally clamber up onto it, making the trio suddenly realize exactly how small the bed was even for three shorter teenagers, barely able to fit…yet Ochako couldn't complain. The warmth, the sheer, bloody warmth she felt from the two of them, as if some hole in her heart that had been missing was suddenly full, meant all she could feel was happiness.

"I never thought I'd see you guys again," Himiko muttered, her entire body shaking.

Izuku took the arm around her back and squeezed her tighter, burying his face in Ochako's hair as she lay back, the two others half-collapsed atop of her. Izuku's voice was muffled, but clear as he said "Me too, Himi…but I'm glad I was wrong."

Ochako let out a huffed laugh, her voice watery with tears and emotion, but didn't bother replying. She had her people back…and she wasn't letting go again.

"Well, it seems we've calculated all the numbers and know our top scorers. Any particular business we should discuss before we start sorting the students?" Nezu asked, straightening the papers before him.

"I want to speak about the three top scorers. Midoriya, Uraraka, and Toga. All three of them nearly killed themselves in the exam. That's a dangerous attitude to have and I am not sure we should be awarding them with as many rescue points as we did, considering the precedent that sets," Aizawa replied, tapping on the three papers he had that were the student dossiers before him. "Also, I want to know how they did that. Nothing in their Quirk registries put that sort of power in their hands. Uraraka has a listed limit of three tons, not the ability to create a gravitational singularity while glowing with pink and white lights. Toga has a minor cat mutation listed, not some sort of strange golden and red energy that lets her rip open the Zero Pointers welded shut access port. And do I even need to mention what Midoriya did? Nothing about their Quirks makes sense."

Toshinori cleared his throat, getting the attention of the room at large. "I cannot speak to the other two, but young Midoriya I can explain…though it will be difficult for you to believe."

Nemuri blinked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

Toshinori took a sip of his water to wet his throat. "I mean that Izuku Midoriya is Quirkless. Or well, he was."

The room was silent for a brief moment, before a half-dozen voices rang out in disbelief and confusion, only to be silenced a moment later by Nezu's paw tapping on the table, the click-clack making all of the teachers fall silent. "Please, allow Yagi to explain, it will make more sense if you wait until he's finished."

Toshinori nodded at Nezu. "Thank you. To explain, we must go back to the Dawn of Quirks, and a tale of two brothers…"

"...setting aside my many, many issues with everything you just said, the fact Midoriya was Quirkless most of his life is concerning. That said, people aren't statistics, and it's possible he lived a fine, happy life, even if the numbers are not on his side. Do you have any insight into that, Yagi?" Inui asked, his voice a barely rumbled growl.

Toshinori winced. "Unfortunately…I think he fell more on the lines of the bad side of those numbers. Thing is, we don't actually know how bad it is…he won't even tell his mother. Yes, she is aware of his inheriting One For All, I speak to her often about his training and how he's doing. I do know his father walked out on him when he was diagnosed Quirkless, and…well, he's hiding something from his mother and from me. We just can't tell what. Miss Midoriya has told me he used to come home with burned and ripped uniforms, but after she spoke up about it he went out and bought more, claiming they were just in case…but she's quite certain he just changes before coming home."

Inui tapped his claws against his muzzle. "That is…concerning behavior. Added onto his clear instincts to sacrifice himself to save others as his first instinct. Speaks to a lack of self-value." He turned to Toshinori. "What kind of person is he? You chose him for your Quirk, so his heroic attitude cannot be understated. But what else can you tell us about him?"

Toshinori paused for a moment, thinking. "He is…skittish. Anxious. Incredibly so. Inko, uh, I mean Miss Midoriya believes he has an anxiety disorder but he also refuses any talk of therapy or counseling. He's self-effacing to a fault, and the number of times he thanked me for giving him a 'chance' is astronomical. I have tried, repeatedly, to make him understand I am the thankful one, but unfortunately, it's not gone well. He can and will overwork himself if you don't keep a strict eye on him, believing he somehow has to 'make up' for who he is. To be blunt…his self-esteem is shit. And it infuriates me," Toshinori's voice dropped to a growl at the last few words, his hands clenching at nothing as he took a deep, bracing breath.

"He's one of the kindest young men I've ever met. His knack for analysis is incredible. He's brave and intelligent and has a wonderful heart…and nothing I nor his mother say to him make him see that. Truthfully, I worry about what happened at that school, but he would not tell us a thing, and when his mother tried contacting the school they always claimed he's the troublemaker. Which anyone could see is bullshit, but…I have little to go off of."

Nezu's claws clacked at his keyboard for a moment, his beady eyes narrowed as he scanned over something. "Hmm. Midoriya has hundreds of citations on his record, claiming he starts fights, comes to class late, etc."

Toshinori slammed his fist on the table. "That! Yes, that! It is absolutely impossible! The boy would never start fights, and I've never met someone more punctual in my life!"

"Calm yourself, Yagi," Nezu cautioned. "I did not say I believed these records…many of these infractions simply don't add up. But it does paint a picture of what sort of environment he dealt with."

"Hmm…did anyone else notice that Bakugo, the fourth place scorer, came from the same school?" Nemuri asked, one finger tapping against her chin as she scanned over another piece of paper before her.

Nezu's claws clacked upon his keyboard once more. "He has a spotless record. Although…some of Midoriya's complaints claim he started altercations with this Bakugo. He was the one with zero rescue points, yes?"

"Yeah. Very aggressive, but he didn't go out of his way to hurt or hinder other applicants. He pretty much ignored them," Hizashi said.

"I don't want to judge before we've seen any of them personally, but…that does not bode well," Nemuri mused.

"It's probably best that both boys go into my class then. I can work that idiotic martyr complex out of Midoriya, and if Bakugo starts problems I will not hesitate to deal with it," Aizawa said, Vlad nodding along.

"Also means you can shut down any attempts at using their powers as well," Vlad added.

"I agree. Seems settled then. Let's move onto Uraraka. Do you have knowledge about her, Yagi?" Aizawa asked, narrowing his eyes at the hero across the table from him.

Before Toshinori could reply, the door hissed open, Recovery Girl making her way to her seat. After situating herself, she let out a deep sigh. "I miss anything important?"

"Other than Yagi revealing Midoriya's secret to his power, no," Nezu replied cheerfully.

"Is young Midoriya all right?" Toshinori asked, unable to wait any longer.

Shuzenji waved dismissively. "Oh, he's fine. Especially now. I left him and the other two to catch up, it appears they knew one another."

"Wait…he knew Uraraka and Toga?" Aizawa asked, confused.

Shuzenji snorted. "The three of them burst into tears and tackled one another into hugs the second they saw one another. I admit I am concerned about that reaction, but I decided to leave them be. They pretty much forgot I existed the second they saw one another."

Toshinori was a bit taken aback, as Izuku had never mentioned anyone in his life as a frie-Wait! "Oh, oh wow, I-I can't believe it. Inko mentioned young Midoriya had a pair of childhood friends, a 'Himi' and 'Chako', that he made some sort of promise with to all become heroes together before they were separated. It was practically his mantra, he'd mutter about how he would keep his promise whenever the training got too difficult for him. I doubt he even noticed he was doing it. Huh. Reunited at UA, that's…huh."

"...Hmm. This continues to concern me then. The fact he's emotionally unstable we expected, due to the revelations of his past. The other two acting in a similar fashion worries me," Inui mused, shuffling his papers to peer down at the girls dossiers more closely.

"Well, I do not have many details, but in my cursory examination I detected some abnormalities in all three of them," Shuzenji added, adjusting her glasses as the room turned to give her their attention. "I'll speak towards Uraraka first. She is absolutely malnourished. The scanner only gives basic details, and I didn't run any bloodwork as I didn't think it was necessary, but there is no way her numbers should be that low if she wasn't."

"Records indicate she has applied to a number of our student support programs for tuition as well as her dorm costs. I suspect she's not from the most solvent background," Nezu replied.

"Hmm. We'll have to keep an eye on her then, make certain whatever issues she may have were external and that she is able to manage once she's in a more secure location" Inui remarked, making a note on his pad.

"As for Miss Toga…yeah, just gonna come out and say it, her Quirk's marked wrong. No way it's just a minor cat mutation. While she was out cold, her face literally shifted into another one for a brief moment before melting back into her own. She's some kind of shapeshifter or mimic, and it isn't marked. And her nutrient balance is all out of whack. Very similar to when people with Quirk requirements don't get their requirements," Shuzenji said.

"...and you said that she and Uraraka are basically attached to Midoriya right now?" Aizawa said with a groan.

"Yep. Probably not going to stop hugging for a while, from what I saw."

"Well, it seems only fitting to put all three of them in one class then! Especially with that strange power up they seemed to get!" Nezu interjected, his teeth bared in a 'friendly' smile.

"I can already tell this is going to be a mess. Did you have to put Todoroki in my class as well?" Aizawa says, glaring at Nezu.

"You are best suited to handle any accidental Quirk use!"

Aizawa sighed, closing his eyes as he rubbed at his temples. "Fine. Whatever. We still don't have a full plan for how to deal with those three, and we still don't know why Uraraka or Toga had those extra abilities. Or what Toga's actual Quirk is, going by what Shuzenji said."

"I believe a small discussion with them after they move in would do wonders. Perhaps after your first class, you only do a half-day on day one anyways. Why not ask the three to stay back and discuss with them then?" Nezu offered.

"I suppose. Will you want to be part of that discussion, Yagi, since it partly involves your successor?" Aizawa asked, turning to the newest teacher in the room.

"If it would not be an imposition, yes, I would appreciate it," Toshinori replied, taken aback that he'd been offered that but not about to skip on the chance.

"Very well. Seems we've established our plan for those three as well as Bakugo, so let's move onto the next students," Nezu said, shuffling his papers and pulling up the next one to review. They had many to get through, and little time. Toshinori made a note to speak to Izuku as soon as he could, although he knew he would be busy the following week. But he was sure his boy knew he did wonderfully and would make it into UA, so he wasn't worried about Izuku being too anxious. No way the boy didn't see how well he did! Toshinori smiled to himself as he shuffled to the next name in the list, ready to continue learning from his fellow educators on how they handled the classes, proud of his boy's success and ready for the next step!

Chapter Text

Himiko couldn't remember the last time she was this happy, and she didn't want it to ever end. However, after more time than she even considered had passed, the nurse had returned and gently shooed them out of her office, giving them all a grandmotherly smile as she did so (although Himiko thought it odd how sharp her gaze seemed to be, like she was examining them even as they left). Still…she didn't care, because she'd found them! Her people, her Izu and Chako! She could barely hold in a squeal of joy at the thought.

Izuku has been insistent they trade numbers and she was all on board with it, not caring if her parents disapproved anymore. She took the test, she thought she did well, and regardless of whether she made it in or not, she was getting out of that house. She'd find a way to be free even if she feared Izu and Chako learning of what her freedom meant. As the trio were walking out of UA's gates, still trying to catch up on a decade of separation, they realized what it meant to be there, outside the gates.

An awkward silence fell over them, none of them wanting to say the dreaded words, as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. But a twinge in her mind made her glance up from where her gaze had fallen, seeing Ochako doing the same as they both turned to look at the green-haired teenager, his fists loosely clenched as he seemed to settle on something. He cleared his throat. "Um…are you two, uh…headed home then?"

"My house is really far, so I uh…got a room for the night at a hotel?" Ochako replied sheepishly.

"Me too! Long train ride so…yeah, was gonna spend the night out here then head home," Himiko added.

Izuku nodded. "Thought so, since you're so far away. Um…then…come home with me!" he practically shouted, his eyes going wide a moment later as he realized how that sounded. He quickly backpedaled. "N-n-not like that! I uh, I mean, Mom would love to see you two, a-and she'd love to have you over for dinner, and it'd be a really nice dinner because she's making a lot to celebrate the exams, and we can spend more time together since you don't have to go home yet!"

Himiko's eyes went wide, before her mind fell right into calculations. It wasn't like her parents had a way to tell if she'd used the room, and she had brought everything with her to the exam so she didn't need to go back other than dropping the key off in the morning and checking out…and she really did not want to leave them. "Yeah! I could come! It'd be super fun!" she said, smiling widely without her teeth visible.

Ochako looked conflicted, her expression severe at first. After a moment, she chuckled nervously. "I-I dunno, I'm not really hung-" her words were interrupted by a loud, annoyed growl from her stomach that made her flush and instantly curl her arms around her abdomen, the other two stifling giggles as she looked down at the ground, her hair covering her eyes and blocking their sight of her for a moment. After a few seconds, she sighed. "Yeah, okay. I'll go too. I…I do want to catch up with you guys."

"Great! Lemme tell Mom, we can start walking now! It's not far, it's just this way!" Izuku said, phone in hand as he smiled widely at the two girls, already leading them towards home.

Ochako had been hugged within an inch of her life by Inko, nearly being suffocated from the hug she was subjected to. Himiko had not fared much better, barely able to squeak out a 'save me' to Izuku which was promptly ignored by the green-haired teen, the boy too excited to interfere.

Dinner…had been another matter. Ochako knew it was okay to eat the food. She knew if she didn't, they'd notice, and she didn't want that. But…but she also didn't want to. She, she couldn't. She couldn't eat that, that was way too much, it cost too much, it took too much time, she couldn't eat this! But she also didn't miss Inko's eyes, seeking, searching, a dark green gaze studying her as she picked at her plate, taking the occasional bite as she tried to make it look like she was eating it.

Her fear of being noticed was greater than her fear of the food for now and she managed to choke the one plate down, the rice and fried pork sitting heavy in her stomach and making her feel nauseous. She tried to cover it up with smiles that didn't reach her eyes and kept her shaking hands beneath the table, but she worried Inko noticed something. Himiko and Izuku were too happy it seemed, to really notice although Himi looked woozy and Izu's smile kept falling why were they doing that but she had to focus on keeping her cool, making sure nothing got noticed.

When Izuku asked them if they wanted to watch a movie, Ochako practically leapt on the chance to escape the kitchen, and Himiko was just as quick to agree. The trio quickly made their way to the living room, arguing over a movie for a few minutes before settling one of their favorites from childhood, the nostalgia making the food in Ochako's belly settle slightly, relaxing her shoulders as she focused on the fact she was with them more than the food, than her guilt. Inko had smiled at the trio and said she was going to bed early, and told them they were free to stay up as late as they wanted, she'd wake them up in the morning if she had to so Himiko and Ochako could get to their trains.

They got through a movie and a half before Ochako decided to ask a question that had been burning inside her the entire time. Izuku…had been in the nurse's office too. And she'd heard the nurse say something about having fought the Zero Pointer as well not that she knew how she stopped it to begin with. But…Izuku…

"Hey um…Izu?" she began, feeling worried that she was asking, afraid she'd offend or hurt him, but she just couldn't quell her curiosity anymore.

"Hmm?" he asked, his gaze leaving the screen to look at hers, having long ago memorized the movie.

"How'd you end up in the nurse's office, anyways?"

Himiko gasped, turning to look at Izuku as well. "Oh yeah! What happened to put you in there? The nurse said you got hurt against the big robot too! How'd that happen?"

Izuku's eyes widened in shock, as he remembered that Ochako and Himiko had been there for his diagnosis, had known about it from day one. They'd supported and protected him when they were little, saying it didn't matter that he was Quirkless they were wrong but he still appreciated it, but it meant they knew.

He could lie, he supposed. Tell them the cover story All Might had come up with. He knew he should. But the thought of lying to them?! It made him feel sick, like his insides were twisted into a pretzel. The very idea of hiding something from 'Chako and Himi? From them? He didn't think he could. It wasn't even just his normal anxiety or guilt, there was something pulsing at him, pressing on him, from deep within that just…demanded he tell them the truth. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel One For All churning within his chest, as if it itself were trying to tell him something.

Part of him wished he could ask All Might, here and now, but the hero had already told him he'd be away for the week and wouldn't be able to respond to him for at least a few days. He wanted permission to tell them, permission to explain everything, because he didn't think he could violate All Might's trust either. But whatever he did, he was violating someone's trust! Oh gods did the idea hurt. All Might was his mentor, his Hero, the man who saved him and gave him everything, gave him a chance to even find these two again, but…Himi and 'Chako were his people. He felt so close to them, even after a decade apart, felt this…this longing to stay by their side that he couldn't explain.

He didn't know what to do! And it seemed like he wasn't going to be given a chance to answer. His heart rate had been spiking, his breathing growing quicker, the very air around him felt heavy, like a pressure was being exerted on his chest and making it that much harder to breathe, to think, to feel. It was like he was being pulled under, dragged into darkness, and a second later his blurry eyes could spot it…pink and white sparks from Ochako's skin as she swayed, her head bobbing out of her control, eyes gleaming with a pink glow…golden threads of energy entwined with blood-red splatters of energy around Himiko, her eyes narrowed into slits and glowing a piercing amber.

Himiko fell backwards first, mercifully caught by the couch as her eyes rolled back up in her head. Izuku wanted to reach out and catch her, but his limbs felt like they were moving through molasses, too slow for him to stop her, or stop Ochako from collapsing sideways onto the armchair, her eyes fluttering closed. Izuku had no chance to even cry for help from his mother, before darkness took hold of him as well, dragging him down into the depths…

He was used to this, at this point. The blackness of dreams, the pink/brown blob and the red/golden one, but…that…that wasn't the blobs. Wait. He knew those faces.

"...Himi? Chako?" Izuku asked, finding his voice echoing in the darkness, a surreal quality to his tone.

"What? Wait, how are you guys in my dream?" Ochako asked, confused.

"Your dream? This is my dream!" Himiko exclaimed.

"Woah woah woah, hold up. You've had this dream too?" Izuku asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah? I've been having it for months! Every time I just kept seeing this green and black blob and this golden and red one…" Ochako said, trailing off, her expression becoming thoughtful.

"...I didn't see a gold and red one, but I saw the green black blob and a pink brown one," Himiko said softly, the wheels visibly turning in her head.

"...and I saw the gold red and pink brown blobs…which…you're kinda glowing those colors," Izuku murmured. After a moment, he glanced down and noticed his own body was softly glowing with a green light, tinged with black.

"This is really weird. W-when did it start for you?" Ochako asked.

"A few months ago," Himiko said, looking over to see Izuku nod in agreement. She shook her head for a moment to try and clear it. "So, wait…have we been having the same dream for months now?!"

"I-I don't want to assume, but the implication is there…" Izuku said, trailing off at the end.

"How?!"

"Well, that'd be because of your Quirks, kid," a voice drawled from behind Izuku. He spun about in shock, idly noticing Himiko and Ochako quickly focused on the sound, seeing a tall, beautiful, muscular woman with a white cape, yellow gloves, and a soft expression on her face standing there, her hands on her hips.

"Okay, one, who the hell are you, and two, what the fuck are you talking about?" Ochako said, glaring at the strange woman.

"...Chako?" Izuku blinked, a bit shocked by how aggressive she sounded.

"I'm the child of construction workers, Izu," she deadpanned.

"Yep, right. Objection withdrawn."

"Ehem," the woman said, coughing lightly to get their attention. "Before you three try to lynch me, let me introduce myself. I'm Nana Shimura, the seventh wielder of One For All, and Toshi's mentor."

"The hells One For All?" Ochako asked.

"Wielder?" was Himiko's question.

"Toshi?" Izuku gaped.

"Okay, one question at a time! First, Toshi is Toshinori. You know, All Might?" Nana said, arching an eyebrow at the trio.

"All Might?!" came the cry from three different teenagers, but for very different reasons.

Nana sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay. Let me explain."

"...okay, I 'ave many questions, but the big one is…what in the hell does this Quirk 'ave ta do with me and Himi?!" Ochako demanded, waving her hands dramatically, her accent slipping slightly.

"Well, you see…do you remember that childhood promise you made?" Nana asked.

"Duh? It was the most important thing to keep me going no matter what my-um…no matter what happened," Himiko started, cutting herself off midway through to change tracks and hoping Izuku and Ochako didn't catch it.

Nana nodded, but the narrowed side-eye she gave her had Himiko worried for what she'd picked up on. "Well…understand what I'm about to say isn't from a Quirk scientist or whatever, but it's the best we could figure out. See, Himiko, your Quirk requires your DNA to partially change at a whim, to do your transformations. Well…the fact you three shared blood uh…did something. We're not entirely sure how, but instead of your blood being absorbed into the stomach acid from your guys drinking it, it just…kinda stuck around," Nana shrugged.

Izuku opened his mouth, but Nana cut him off. "Hold on kid, before you go off into a million Quirk questions, I got more to say." Seeing him shut his mouth and flush, she nodded once more. "Anyways, thing is, One For All is pretty fucking weird. The fact it holds onto us says something. So, far as we can tell, and this is really weird…it kinda grabbed onto Himiko's Quirk factor and fused with it too, as well as Ochako and Izuku's blood that was in the mix too. This connected the three of you somehow and…yeah. Uh…you all have One For All. And each other's Quirks too, we think."

The trio was silent for a good thirty seconds, all three staring blankly at the ghost in front of them…and then Izuku just sat, his legs collapsing beneath him as he fell to the floor, staring forward blankly. Ochako and Himiko both started, rushing over to his side and kneeling next to him, worried about his response.

"Izu? Izu, hey, Izu, what's wrong?" Himiko asked, eyes wide with worry.

Izuku's head dropped down to his chest, his hands coming up to cover his face. In a muffled, cracking tone of voice, he replied quietly. "I-I'm so sorry! I totally messed things up for you two! I never wanted to take anything from you or force you-"

Izuku's slowly escalating frantic apologies were cut off by Ochako's hand gripping his chin, squishing his cheeks and yanking his hands off his face. He blinked, looking up at her as she glared at him. "Shuddap, ya idiot. You didn't mess nothin' up!"

"...she's right. I did. It's my blood that-'' Himiko found herself cut off in a similar way as Ochako's free hand ended up grabbing and squishing her cheek.

"Nope, not you either! Both of you need to stop. First off, we all came up with the idea, so stop that self-blame stuff, we're all responsible. Second," Ochako's voice trailed off, losing its edge and becoming more flustered and shy. "…I-I don't mind, you know. Um, being um, c-connected to you two, you know? It's…it's why we did what we did to begin with, you know?"

"I don't think we had this in mind!" Izuku managed to get out, her grip on his face loosening as she got more flustered.

"Maybe not but…I'm okay with it, if you two are," Ochako replied, releasing the other two and looking away from them. She wrapped one arm around her abdomen, her hand gripping her other arm tightly as she sat there.

Himiko thought about it for a moment. It…it wasn't what she'd expected to happen, way back when they did that little promise as kids. And she wasn't sure how she felt about her Quirk curse being given to the other two, but…the connection was nice. Although she wasn't actually sure what 'connection' even meant, to be honest. She turned to the one who seemed to have the answers. "What does this connection even mean for us?" she asked Nana.

Nana winced. "Well uh…we're not really sure?" As she saw the trio begin to panic once more, she quickly interjected. "We know some of it! It's just the little details we don't, not yet. Like…we know that while your Quirk's are being shared, it's still always stronger with the actual holder of it. Zero Gravity is going to be stronger in Ochako's hands than either of yours, and that includes the enhancements One For All is giving it. And because Izuku is the actual holder of One For All, it's going to be stronger with him. Like…he'll use 40%, and you two would use 30% each. Those aren't exactly how it works, but that's the best way to explain it."

"So…I can't be like All Might then?" Izuku managed to say, his eyes wide and fearful.

Nana sighed. "Kid, for one, you shouldn't want to be like Toshi. His life sucked. My life sucked. You really need to try not to emulate any of us. But I know what you really mean is being as strong as him…and that's where you're wrong. You're forgetting that the transfer to you made it stronger to begin with, and as you hold onto it, it'll keep growing. Your 40% is more like his 80%, and you will end up at his 100% and beyond someday. Not that you should ever need that much power, not with that bastard dead," she muttered the last few words, her face twisting into a snarl.

Izuku blinked, Himiko suppressing a giggle at the poleaxed look on his face. She could see the wheels turning in his head, practically hear the muttering…wait, nope, he was actually muttering already. For all the distressing revelations, for all the confusion and emotional moments of the day, this felt like the most normal thing she could remember. A smile crossed her face, her lips peeling back slightly and showing the tiniest hint of her fangs as she met Ochako's warm gaze, the brunette teenager looking like she also was trying to suppress a giggle, one hand over her mouth and eyes twinkling with delight.

Himiko didn't want him to get too into the weeds yet, and gently pinched his arm like she used to. Izuku startled, nearly falling over from his seated position, glancing up to meet her amused gaze. As he looked at her, the realization dawned on him and she saw him tense up for a moment, fear flooding his gaze…until he suddenly relaxed, as if he felt safe. That…that worried her. That wasn't like her Izu, to get so afraid just because she interrupted his muttering. She really, really wanted to dig into that, but now might not be the time, especially with the weird ghost lady here.

The black, blank space they were in shook for a moment, startling the three teens and making them almost fall over. Nana rolled her eyes and sighed. "Dammit, we're out of time. I think we covered the pertinent info though, so you should be good to go for a bit. I won't be able to talk to you for a little while, not till you get more mastery over it, but you guys will share these dreams more often. That said, you got some time before you get back your test results, so I suggest working on controlling the powers you got."
"You mean…each other's Quirks?" Ochako asked.

Nana nodded. "Yup! I-" her words were cut off by another sudden shake, a loud crack resounding throughout the space. "Ugh, fine, I got it!" she yelled to seemingly nothing. "Go on and wake up, kids. You'll be okay. And Izuku?" Izuku glanced up at her, a bit worried at what she would say, but found a strange comfort in the smile she gave him. "I think Toshi picked well. And if anyone was gonna share this power, I at least am glad it's you, and these two lovely ladies. I'll see you three again."

As if her words were the catalyst, a sudden burst of light exploded between the trio, all three of them shielding their eyes as they felt themselves kicked out of the dreamspace, and back into the waking world. Himiko blinked her eyes slowly, trying to clear the spots in her vision, sitting up and holding her now aching head. She saw Ochako doing similar, Izuku already leaned forward and breathing heavily, before he turned his head to meet her gaze, Ochako doing the same.

Himiko swallowed. "Um…guess we have a lot to talk about."

Chapter Text

The room was silent for a good five minutes as the trio looked everywhere but at one another. After a few moments, Izuku took a deep, bracing breath and lifted his head up. He knew he had to actually say something, because deep down, he knew this all because of him and he didn't want them to get hurt by One For All.

"Okay, um…well, we have to get you guys practice with One For All so you don't hurt yourselves. I-I'm still so so sorry about-"

"Izu, enough," Ochako cut him off, her eyes narrowed. A moment later, she turned to look at Himiko, the blonde still refusing to meet her eyes. "You too, Himi. I dunno why yer being so weird about this, but it's fine. We're fine. It's okay."

Himiko shuddered for a moment, her entire body looking tense, as if she would snap like a rubber band at any second. "But…but what if you um, you got my cu-Quirk. My Quirk, and the whole…um…"
"The need to drink blood?" Izuku asked, tilting his head to the side at how hesitant Himiko was. Himiko jolted at his words, as if she was shocked he'd just said it outright. Izuku…was confused. They knew about her Quirk since they were kids, did she think they forgot how it worked? He'd have to reassure her that he still had his notes from back then. "I remember what it does, Himi! It's fine. I still have my notebook for it too, should I go get it? Oh, I can get Chako's too if so!"

"Maybe hol' off on that, Izu," Ochako said softly. She tilted her head curiously at Himiko, but seemed to decide on something before turning back to Izuku. "I agree about not hurting ourselves with your uh…Quirk, but um, maybe we should address the whole you getting All Might's Quirk first?!" she hissed.

Izuku flushed, looking away sheepishly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. Even now, he had trouble believing it, even with having held it for a few months already. "I…uh…yeah. Um, I mean, Nana told you the story in the dream, so…"

Ochako shook her head and sighed. "Ya know…somehow, it don't shock me you impressed All Might with being all heroic and stuff. It's very you."

Himiko let out a small half-smile at that, a little giggle escaping her. "Y-yeah, it's up your alley Izu, that's for sure."

Izuku kept his smile plastered on his face, but didn't want to actually reply because he knew they were wrong. All Might chose wrong, he just couldn't bring himself to tell his mentor that, not when it finally gave him a shot at his dream. God, he was so selfish…but that didn't matter. What did was making sure Himiko and Ochako didn't get hurt. He swallowed to clear his throat, idly reaching for his arm to scratch it for a second…but for some he was suddenly disoriented, his head swimming. He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden surge of nausea made him quickly close his mouth.

He glanced over to see both Himiko and Ochako staring at him, Himiko's mouth wide in shock as Ochako just blinked rapidly. Himiko leapt up to try and help him, but as she did, she brushed her hand against her leg and suddenly he could see her face tinge green, her own body…floating? He finally glanced down and realized he was floating too, the vertigo making his stomach ache even more.

Ochako slapped her forehead, her pinky extended. She stood up quickly and reached her hands up to grab the two floating teens, firstly grasping Izuku's hands and pressing the fingertips together. Izuku felt his gravity returning, realizing belatedly that somehow, he'd used Ochako's Quirk, falling down onto the couch with an escape of breath. A second later, she'd done the same to Himiko, the blonde falling as he did. Himiko reached down to rub her stomach, but Ochako snapped her hand out and stopped her.

After Himiko froze from the sudden grasp on her hand, Ochako pointed at the duo. "Sit and don't move," she ordered, moving to her backpack. She rummaged around in it for a moment, Izuku and Himiko sharing a concerned glance, before she returned with a couple pairs of artists gloves. She held them out to the duo, making them put the gloves on before relaxing slightly and sitting back on her haunches. "Well…guess that proves you got my Quirk," she murmured.

Izuku quickly flipped his hand over, looking at the visible fingertips and gawking as he saw that they had changed. As in, he had the same 'beans' he remembered Ochako had when they were children, the ones they gleefully called 'toe-beans' and said made her like a cat just like Himiko's eyes and fangs made her like one not that he felt left out of the cat thing, oh no, he definitely didn't feel that way. He smiled sheepishly, clearing the expression off his face and held his hand out to Ochako. "Um…guess we did."

She blinked again, before snatching his hand and carefully tapping on the pads on the end of his fingertips, a look of wonder on her face. Izuku flushed, the feel of her gentle hands carefully examining the strange new growths on his fingers was…weird. Yes, weird was the word he was going to use and no other word! Nothing else! After a second, Ochako turned to Himiko expectantly, reaching out for the blonde's hand, which Himiko gave over after only a moment of hesitance. Izuku leaned forward to see, now able to see the same pads on Himiko's fingertips, all three staring at her hand with similar expressions.

"But…when did that happen?" Ochako asked, confused. She turned her gaze to Izuku as if he had the answers, which he was about to explain he didn't when he noticed something. His eyes went wide, staring blankly at her for a moment, before swallowing thickly. "Um…Chako? Your uh…your eyes, they um, they're different."

Ochako blinked, taken aback, before suddenly leaning in and pointing at Izuku, gasping. He leaned back, the closeness making him feel more flustered, as Himiko scrambled to get closer and look at them. Himiko's jaw dropped as she sputtered, Ochako nodding absently. "Yours did too! Just like Himi's!"

"Okay, okay, then, if that happened…" Izuku quickly began to swipe his tongue across his teeth, and owch! He hissed in pain, covering his mouth with his hand as he looked over at Himi. A little bit muffled, he managed to say "How do you not cut your tongue on your teeth all the time?!"

Himiko stared at him for a moment, before his words filtered into her mind and she let out a shocked giggle, the sound fading quickly as she looked pensive. She shook her head, smiling brightly at him which triggered a dozen sirens in his mind because it looked so unlike her but maybe he didn't know her anymore. She cleared her throat and waved dismissively. "You get used to it. It's not that hard, really. But um…does that…does that mean you gotta drink, um-"

"Drink blood? Don't know for sure," he mused.

Ochako let out an annoyed huff. "Well, if we do, I hope we also got Himi's taste buds or whatever. Cause it was nasty last time."

Himiko paused for a moment, seeming to war within herself before she came to a decision. She brought her index fingers up to her mouth and quickly nipped at them with her teeth, the sharp fangs opening small tears and making them bleed. With a slow motion, she held her hands out to Izuku and Ochako, her face turned away from the duo as she did. Izuku caught on quickly, his inner Quirk curiosity and slowly growing excitement inside taking over as he grabbed her wrist gently and licked at the blood, trying to get the tiniest taste and holy woah!

He stared at her hand in consternation. "Oh my gosh, that tasted incredible!" Without thinking it through, he stuck her finger in his mouth, sucking at the blood and letting out a pleased hum.

Ochako looked taken aback, but her own curiosity seemed to win out as she grabbed Himiko's hand and took a tentative lick. Her eyes lit up, quickly following Izuku's example as she shoved the finger into her mouth, nearly pulling Himiko off the couch at the sudden yank.

For Himiko's part, she felt every single nerve in her body on fire, her face turning beet red, the extremely strange sensation of them sucking on her blood making her feel weird. The anesthetic properties of her saliva seemed to be there for them too, the cuts not even aching, but it was replaced with an odd, tingly sensation, that was exacerbated by the warmth of their mouths and the feel of their tongues swiping over her fingertips…and the soft brushes of their new fangs.

She swallowed thickly, gently pulling on her hands to try and get them to let go…which seemed to work, as Izuku and Ochako suddenly came to realize what they had done. The duo's faces turned so red she was worried they were about to pass out from how quickly blood rushed to their faces.

Izuku cleared his throat, his face burning but trying to change the subject as quickly as possible. "Well um, seems we have all the mutations in us then, yeah. Um, I think we should focus on um, making sure we can handle them before we go to bed, you know, just so no one gets hurt." Izuku suddenly brightened up, scrambling up from where he was half-sprawled to rush to his bedroom, the two girls watching him move, confused.

A moment later, he rushed back into the room, a bunch of notebooks in hand. With a flourish, he slammed down two on the table and opened a third, beginning to scribble rapidly as he went, cross-referencing something in the open two. Ochako leaned in to see what was going on, her cheeks pinking slightly as she saw something she barely remembered from over a decade ago. She giggled, reaching out to grab the notebook, Izuku letting it go without protest. "You still have these?" she asked, flipping through the book labeled "Uravity Analysis: Vol I."

Izuku scrunched his shoulders in embarrassment, but didn't stop writing as he replied. "Um, yeah. I thought what I could do is copy my notes on you guys, a-and add my notes about One For All, and you guys could add stuff I don't know, and then you guys can take them home for um, practice and stuff."

Himiko scooted forward, plopping down on the opposite side of the coffee table as Izuku. She reached out and grabbed one of the blank notebooks Izuku had brought out, snatching a pen from the pile before him and leaning forward. She glanced up, seeing the duo looking at her weirdly, before shrugging. "I mean…Izu's the smart one, it makes sense. I'll write down what I know about my cu-Quirk. My Quirk. Um. I don't know a lot, really, and I don't think you guys should try using it um, not when I'm not here, but…the b-blood requirements and stuff are important."

"How do you get your blood, then? We can use the same method!" Izuku asked, his bright smile fading as he saw Himiko freeze, the blood draining from her face, making her already pale skin look ghostlike. After a moment, she seemed to come back to her senses and shifted in place, her expression smoothing over as if she hadn't just looked like she saw the specter of death itself behind Izuku. Part of him wanted to dig, to drag it out of her, to find out why she reacted that way and the only reason he noticed the subtle expression was his years of watching his teachers and bullies for threats, but he was worried about driving her away after having just found her again. Now wasn't the time to push…but he still needed an answer.

She swallowed. "I-I don't think my way would work for you guys. Um…but uh, if it's just for the week, if we drink from each other we should be okay? I think?"

"Doesn't that defeat the purpose?" Ochako asked, confused. "I mean…if we need to drink it, doesn't losing it mean we need to drink more?"

"Not really. Consuming it is different from the way our body uses blood. We can regenerate blood just by eating right and resting. So it makes sense, the dietary requirement is based around a Quirk mutation after all. So we simply drink from one another, and then once we find out what happened with UA, we can go from there. Maybe…maybe after I talk to All Might, he can h-help," Izuku stuttered a bit at the thought, still afraid of telling him what had happened. All Might never got angry with him, but part of him was terrified this would be the straw that broke the camel's back. Izuku somehow broke One For All, after all.

But he didn't have a choice. All Might needed to know, and they would probably need his help to figure things out. Although, if All Might wanted it back…well, he wasn't sure how that would work with the girls, but he'd do what he had to. Maybe he could convince All Might to let him pass it onto one of the girls instead? Then they'd be okay and have the bond still if they wanted it and he…could go back to what he had.

No! He shook his head to clear it. All Might wasn't like that, he wouldn't do that so he thought. He just had to work around this. Once All Might was available, he'd tell him. Yeah. He could trust him, he had to trust him, he had no choice.

"You think he could help?" Ochako asked, breaking Izuku out of his spiraling thoughts.

Izuku started, nodding after a brief moment as he managed to understand what she was asking. "Um, yeah. I figure he can help us out, whatever happens."

"...do you think we'll get in?" Ochako asked softly, looking down at the notebook she'd been skimming through.

Himiko shifted in place again. "I mean…were you guys tracking your points? I got 43 villain points, that sounded like it was on the better end in my zone."

"38 here," Izuku murmured.

"41 for me," Ochako added. "Which did seem higher than most of the others counts…if they were being honest, I guess."

"It's not a bad score I don't think. There were only so many bots around. But I just don't know what the curve is," Izuku muttered.

"Worrying over it will do none of you any good, you know that?" A fourth voice made the three gathered teens jump, all three turning about to see Inko standing in the doorway to the hall, a worried frown on her face.

"M-mom! W-when did you get here?!" Izuku asked, eyes wide.

"Just a bit ago. What did you need from Toshinori?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"...who?" Ochako asked.

Inko arched an eyebrow at her son, before turning her gaze to meet Ochako's. "All Might's first name. He told me to call him that when he came to tell me about One For All, which I gather you know about now too."

"It's not Izu's fault!" Himiko protested, looking weirdly fearful at Inko. "I-its mine, all my fault, don't get mad at-"

"Why would I be mad?" Inko asked, cutting her off with a gentle tone. She tilted her head to the side at Himiko's suddenly fearful demeanor, taking a step closer and uncrossing her arms. "Toshi was quite clear about it, it's Izuku's Quirk now and his secret to share. He told Izuku that a dozen times, didn't he, Izuku?" Inko's lips curved into a knowing smile, putting her son on the spot.

Izuku squirmed in place. "W-well yeah, but I thought I should speak to him about it first anyways, but um, I didn't actually tell them, it was…a thing happened, and i-it doesn't make a lot of sense, and-"

"And it is late, and these two young ladies need to catch early morning trains back home. You can tell me in the morning, and we'll call Toshi together and figure out whatever we have to, okay? It'll be fine, Izuku, I'm sure everything will be okay." Inko's smirk had faded to a soft smile, the love and affection in her tone making Izuku squirm once more. She took a step forward and bent down, giving Izuku a quick kiss on the head and ruffling his hair. "Whatever happened, I promise you three, it'll be okay. You're all adults and I won't force you to go to bed now, but you should go soon, okay?"

"...yeah, okay Mom. Let me just finish these um, notes and we'll go to bed, okay?" Izuku said, smiling nervously up at his mother.

She gave him another pat on the head where he sat, turning to look at the two girls. "And you two? Are you doing alright? If you need something, I can try to help, and if it's a big deal I can get a hold of Toshi now."

"N-no, we're okay," Ochako reassured her. Himiko just nodded, only half-looking up at Inko, keeping her gaze affixed away from the others as she tried to scribble more in the notebook.

Inko clicked her tongue but nodded. "Okay. I'll be heading back to bed then. I'll see you three in the morning. Goodnight kids!" With that, she turned around and went back down the hallway, leaving the trio alone once more.

Izuku took a deep breath, turning back to his notebook and ignoring the trembling in his hands. He was not scared of his mother, he could never be…but he was still worried about what'd happen when they told All Might. Still…it was important to get this information down, so he focused on it once more as he began to speak. "Okay, so, to use Full Cowling…"

Toshinori had not expected to hear or see his protege for the week leading up to the letters going out…between the paperwork he had to do, the classes he was taking to get up to speed on teaching, and the fact he didn't want to spoil anything for the boy, he had assumed it'd be fine. And then Inko reached out to him in the early morning and the tale she told was…to be blunt, insane. Then again, One For All was, at its core, fairly maddening. More than once he'd been told by close friends, especially back when he was young, that when he went to the upper echelons of his strength, that it would send shivers down peoples spines and instinctively activate their fight or flight instincts.

It was part of why he cultivated his rather ridiculous persona, all boisterous bravado and wide smiles, to help reassure and mitigate that effect. It was just a more extreme version of who he was as a person…being excitable and active wasn't hard for him, it was part of who he liked to be, so he just would crank it up while doing hero work. But still, those closest to him never could quite hide the shivers they would do when he called upon the strength of One For All.

Keeping that in mind was enough to make him consider what Inko had just told him, about the Quirk somehow splitting itself, and that his young protege now also had access to two more Quirks. Even taking that into account, and taking into account how much he trusted both Midoriya's, he still was surprised when he arrived at the Midoriya household to see Izuku with green-slitted eyes, sharpened fangs, and small pads on his fingertips.

He was also shocked once he realized Izuku was actually terrified of him. He…he scared his successor son? What did he do wrong?! Decades of hero work meant he was able to easily control his expression and reaction, but inside he was truly wondering what mistake he had made that Izuku had been so afraid of him being mad at him.

Yet when he discussed it with Inko, she had no idea either. Izuku hadn't explained why he'd been afraid to her, and he actually hadn't even told Toshinori himself, Inko had told him quietly when Izuku was in his room. He considered this internally, remembering the staff meeting just the day before where they discussed the extreme dichotomy in the boys' school records versus how he acted. A suspicion he'd been having for a while felt more and more likely, and he decided then and there he'd get Tsukauchi to look into Aldera as soon as possible.

He had some serious suspicions, but he also had enough experience to know that what seemed obvious at first glance might not be the full truth. He'd hold off on any rash actions until he could get a better picture. For now, he was taking these two out to dinner and making certain to reassure the boy that he was entirely fine and Toshinori was not remotely angry. He did want to meet these two young ladies, sooner rather than later, but if Izuku said they could be trusted, then Toshi would too.

For all of the boys terror and fear and anxiety…the happiest he'd ever sounded was when he spoke of those two young ladies. He lit up like a sun, happily gushing about how heroic they were, how kind and sweet, etc, etc, to the point Toshi could only smile indulgently and share a similar grin with Inko. Seeing Izuku be that happy, even if it was only for a moment, was enough for Toshinori to be willing to wait and see. Besides, if they truly were as amazing as his successor said they were, why…all it meant was that he had three successors, and that sounded pretty good to him.

Chapter Text

All Might finding out about what happened with their Quirks was both simultaneously great and terrible. Great, because he immediately went about trying to figure out what to do about it. Terrible, because he brought Nezu in and the President of UA had moved swiftly to find a reason for the trio to get to UA so they could begin to work through what happened.

Which led to this moment. Himiko, in front of her parents, the duo screaming at her for daring to go for the heroics course. She knew, at some point, this would happen. She knew, intellectually, at some point she'd need to tell them what happened…and she knew she'd be thrown out for it. She just…didn't expect it to be this soon. Any other parents would be proud…but not hers.

And she couldn't do anything about it but stand there and take it. If she gave into the anger, the roiling, burning rage in her heart, she could kiss her chance at UA goodbye, and her chance to be around Izuku and Ochako. The past few days had been like a dream for her. Every single night, she'd find time to start a video call with the other two, even if she had to be super quiet so her parents didn't realize what she was doing. She could catch up with the only people who had ever accepted her wholeheartedly when they were young, and it was like no time at all had passed.

Ochako was still fierce and protective, still the one most likely to go off the second she heard about something bad happening, but the softness and kindness in her heart, the sheer care she exuded towards those she liked was like a warm, soft blanket that could wrap Himiko up and she'd never want to leave.

Izuku still muttered and got lost in his head, still was an anxious, jumpy boy, but his mind sped by so far she could never keep up; yet she couldn't help but smile when he went off on one of his tangents, or when he got so excited his mouth couldn't keep up with his mind and it would devolve into a gibberush of words that was so cute.

And somehow, someway, she still felt like she slotted right in. She could still tease them both, and watching their eighteen year old selves become flustered was very different from when they were eight, the things she'd taunt them on new even to her. Yet neither of them ever got mad at her, they'd play along, they'd tease back sometimes, it was like they'd never left her side. So different from the catty cliques in high school, from the demure and soft-spoken expectations of her from her parents. It was the first chance to breathe in a decade…and it was all being ripped away as she stood there, shrinking in on herself, listening to the tirade continue to grow and grow and grow.

And then she saw it…her father took a step forward, his hand raised, and it was like everything slowed down. There was a sudden, painful 'ping' in the back of her skull, one that made her eyes go wide and her body alight with red and gold threads, entwining about her arms and legs, a pattern of light that danced across her skin like reflections of sunlight over water. Without thinking about it, she leapt backwards, crossing the entire room in a single bound and nearly running into the wall.

All three froze for a brief moment, neither of her parents knowing what to do with the change that had come over their daughter. The contacts they forced her to wear had fallen out, her amber, slitted pupils narrowed, her breath coming out in short pants, a golden glow suffusing her eyes. Himiko…she wasn't waiting any longer. No more. No more.

She'd had her bags packed since she'd taken the test not like she had much to herself. It was a little over a month until classes started, but she could find a way to survive until the dorms opened up, or she found something else to handle it if she didn't make it in. She was eighteen, they had no rights over her anymore, and she was going to stay far, far away from them.

She turned around and bolted through the house, crashing through her bedroom door and snapping the locks off of it that her parents had installed. She grabbed up her backpack, with what little possessions she cared about in it, and a single bag holding some spare clothes she actually liked, and turned to her barred window. She didn't want to go back down and face them, and she could hear them running up the stairs behind her…and she didn't care. Himiko took one more look at her room prison and decided it was time.

Running to the bars, she gripped them tightly in her hands, feeling One For All washing over her further as she grit her teeth. With a snarl, she ripped them clean out of the window frame, the glass they were attached to shattering in her hands. Some shards slit her hands open, blood beginning to trickle, but she did not care. She was getting out! She took one of the bars and swung it at the remaining glass, shattering what little remained, and used it to clear the bottom of the window enough she could climb up onto it. A two story drop was nothing, and even as she heard her parents coming into the room behind her…she didn't look back.

She leapt, soaring out into the air and clearing the next house entirely, landing on the room of the third house down. Not stopping, she hefted her bags closer and began to run, run run run run, escaping from her prison for the final time. Himiko Toga was free, and no matter what, she was not going back…but now she had to figure out where to go.

Toshinori wasn't sure what to expect when his phone began to blare repeatedly with calls from his successor, but he had to assume it was something else weird with One For All, considering what had happened recently. He quickly picked it up, but all he could hear was panicked words in a rush from his successor, and had no idea what the boy was trying to say. It took him a good five minutes to calm the boy enough to get him to speak clearly, and what he heard had his blood freezing in its veins.

Young Himiko had apparently fled her home, for reasons she hadn't told Izuku and Ochako (though the duo had some suspicions). However, her phone had cut off midway through the call, before they could even tell where she was or if she was safe, and now Izuku and Ochako were panicking, trying to figure out where the young woman had fled to and her condition. The number kept going to disconnected, and that did not bode well in Toshinori's mind.

He reassured Izuku he would do what he could to find her; after all, she was now also one of his successors. He told the boy to keep calm, and help keep Ochako calm, as he reached out to his detective friend Tsukauchi to see what he could do. After a few more soothing words, he ended the call and headed to the elevators. He'd been pulling a late night at UA, studying teaching techniques, and the rest of the staff had already gone home for the evening.

He made sure to call Tsukauchi as he walked through the halls, giving what little details he knew as he reached the door. He began to cross the campus, heading for the parking garage to start his drive to young Izuku's, when he noticed a shape slumped against the gateway to the campus. Concerned, he started to stride over to it, his footsteps echoing off the concrete as he walked.

The shape seemed not to notice him until he was nearly atop it, suddenly starting and leaping to its feet, spinning about in surprise…and he found himself just as surprised. Staring at him was a face he spent a good hour studying when looking over her records, a blonde, amber-eyed teenager with fangs, her hair wild and unkempt. She started sputtering out an apology, desperation in her voice, but he held up his hands to show he wasn't a threat and stayed where he was.

"Young To-Himiko?" he asked her, cutting off calling her by her last name when he saw her start to flinch. Her eyes were wider now, even more fearful, as he realized she might be afraid he knew of her from something else. Perhaps her parents, if she fled from her home. Well, he had to calm her before doing anything further, and since he planned on revealing himself to her anyways, now was as good a time as any to explain. "Izuku called me. I'm his mentor, Toshinori Yagi," he offered.

She blinked at him, confusion writ across her face but he could practically see the lightbulb over her head. She swallowed. "Y-you're…"

He nodded. "All Might? Yes. Don't jump and I'll show you, alright?" he glanced about, noticing no one else nearby, and quickly puffed up into the form he was well known for, watching that even with his warning, she still jumped away, golden-red threads spiraling into existence for a brief moment before vanishing. He gave her a bright, All Might patented smile, before dropping back into his skinny form with a puff of smoke and steam. Seeing her relaxing ever so slightly, he tilted his head at her. "So…may I ask why you're here?"

Himiko curled into herself, her arms around her abdomen as she looked down at the ground. "I-I didn't really have anywhere else to go, and I didn't remember where Izu's house was, so…I was hoping I could um…find someone who'd let me borrow a phone to call him, or something. I think mine got cut off. And I uh, ran out of money for the train, so I'm kinda stuck here…"

"I was about to head to his place just now. Would you like to come with me?" he offered. He didn't want to push her on why she ran, not when she looked like she was about to run once more, but he figured bringing her to young Izuku would do wonders for the both of them, and hopefully calm young Ochako down as well.

The way her eyes shot open and hope flooded into her made him nearly take a step back, his own mind racing at how easily her mood switched from the idea of seeing his protege. He already was concerned about his successor's mental state, and knowing this young woman had run from her home with little to no plan did not bode well either. Once again he cursed internally as he realized he had no way to fix this right at this moment, but he'd do what he could to get the young teenagers calm and safe and then go manage whatever caused this.

First…he had to get her to allow him to take her to Izuku, where he could see she was still hesitant. He offered her a soft smile and spoke quietly. "I won't pry as to why you left, young Himiko, not if you don't want me to. I'll just give you a quick ride over to Izuku's house. We can talk about whatever you'd like, or simply listen to music, or sit in silence. Whatever will make you feel more comfortable. I won't pester you about One For All either. I just want to be sure you, Izuku, and young Ochako are all okay. Will you let me do so?"

After a moment where it was clear she was struggling to decide, she finally nodded. With a brighter grin, he slowly reached out to grab her bags, but when she pulled them closer she backed off immediately. He gestured for her to follow him. "Follow closely so we don't trigger the barrier, my car is parked just over there." She complied, silently following behind him as she held her bag to her chest, her backpack dangling off her shoulder. It couldn't be very comfortable, but she clearly didn't want to let go of her things so he wouldn't say a word.

She did pause and stare blankly as she saw his old, beaten up truck, turning amber eyes to his as he chuckled sheepishly. "She may not look like much, but she's been a good sturdy girl for me for many years!"

"...you're the number one hero, how is this what you drive?" she asked, breaking her silence from sheer confusion.

Toshinori rocked back and put a fake offended look on his face, placing one hand over his heart dramatically. "I'll have you know she's great transportation!" His heart swelled when he heard the blonde giggle slightly at his overacting, internally cheering before opening the passenger door for her. "Get yourself situated, it's a pretty short drive to young Izuku's, so we'll be there in no time!"

Himiko nodded at him, climbing into the truck as he walked around to the other side, hopping into the drivers seat and turning the key to turn his truck on. The truck rumbled to life beneath them, a loud series of clacks making Himiko glance askance at him once more, but he just winked at her and pulled out of the parking lot.

The ride was silent for a good few minutes, only the faint sound of the radio playing, its volume down low but still noticeable. This late at night, the city wasn't completely asleep, but it was very quiet, almost soft in the darkness. Himiko had taken to staring out of the window, her body language tense, bag in her lap and her arms wrapped around it.

"...All Might?" Himiko's voice was quiet and shaky, her questioning tone shattering the tranquility that had started to come over the truck.

"Yagi, please, while I'm like this. Or Toshinori if you'd be willing, after all, you're also a successor of mine!" he replied, smiling wide. He knew it was a risk to mention that, but he was hoping she'd believe him if he was more direct.

"Okay," she whispered. After a moment, she continued. "I um…I'm sorry for taking up your time like this."

Toshinori internally sighed. "You're not taking any of my time. I wanted to meet you anyways! This is just a bit ahead of schedule!"

"...yeah. That's um…why I had to leave," she muttered. Toshinori cocked his head slightly, indicating he was listening but not wanting to take his eyes off the road. The silence reigned for a minute, before she continued. "My parents, they uh…they thought I was taking the business exams. When I told them I went for the hero course, they…they weren't happy with me."

Toshinori shoved every bit of rage that built up within him at the implication of her words, locking it away in a safe and tossing it into the ocean, anchored down so he could focus on what mattered now. He cleared his throat. "May I ask why they weren't happy? If you're willing to explain."

Himiko paused for a second, and even from the corner of his eyes he could see the gears turning in her head, the emotions swirling around her as she considered what to do. Her shoulders slumped and she slumped back in her seat, tiredly. "N-not really, at least, not right now. I just…I can't go back right now. They didn't hit me or anything, um, if that's what you're worried about."

Oh did it take a lot to keep that safe under the water. Kept trying to sprout legs and climb its way out like some kind of eldritch crab. Okay, the mental imagery was getting a bit out of hand, refocus Toshinori. He nodded. "Alright. That's fine. Forgive me for being insensitive, but I imagine you didn't really get much chance to plan this?"

Himiko shook her head. "They don't um, give me much for my allowance, and I have to bring home receipts so they know where it all is. So I couldn't really set much aside. I just…I got all the scholarships I could, so I knew they couldn't stop me from going. I just…thought I'd have a bit longer before I had to leave, but I…well, I had to explain why I needed to come back here and…"

"Oh, oh my goodness, I'm so sorry young Himiko, I never intended to get you in trouble!" Toshinori gasped, realizing what had been the impetus. Well, shit, there he went hurting another emotionally vulnerable teenager.

"No, it's not your fault. It was gonna happen either way. I just left earlier is all," she replied, her words firm. He had the sneaking suspicion she'd been mentally preparing for this for a long time…which added onto his laundry list of things to check into about the second one of his successors to indicate severe issues in her background, but he had to prioritize. Her comfort and safety first, justice on whoever hurt her second.

"Hmm. Well, I am still sorry for the impact it has had on you. But fret not…I know young Izuku will make certain of your safety. And you don't have to worry about me, I just wanted to sit down with you and young Ochako and see how you were doing. But we'll do that when Ochako can make her way out to this area. For now…we're here," Toshinori calmly parked the truck on the side of the street, turning the keys off as he opened his door, watching carefully as Himiko made her own way out. After locking the doors behind him, he began to escort her down the walkway, towards the apartment complex Izuku and Inko lived in…but they had no time to even knock, as the door burst open and a green blur flew out, diving at Himiko.

Only Toshinori's quick reflexes kept the now entangled duo from falling onto the hard concrete, quickly placing his arm behind Himiko's back and saving her from the fall. For her part, she didn't even seem to notice it, dropping her bag as soon as Izuku had reached her and latching onto him, all the strength seeming to drain from her body as she slumped into his arms. Toshinori appreciated their desire to be reunited…but he didn't want everyone out here in the cool night air for too long. With practiced ease, ignoring the pain in his side when he bent down, he picked up her bag and gently began to usher the two towards the door, Inko standing there with wide, worried eyes.

As they entered the apartment building, went up the stairs, stepped into their shared apartment, and the door shut behind them, he took in a deep, deep breath. Izuku had practically dragged Himiko off with him to his room, saying he was going to call Ochako immediately so she knew Himiko was safe, and Toshinori was fine with this. He wanted to sit and talk with Inko about what happened first…and call Tsukauchi back. He had an inkling that his detective friend would need to look into something for him.

"Himi…please, talk to us. What happened?" Izuku implored, holding Himiko's hands gently. Ochako was giving her agreement audibly on the line, Izuku having set his phone down on speaker so he could take care of Himiko.

The blonde teenager was sitting there, eyes downcast, shoulders hunched as if she was unsure what to do. Her hands were limp and unresisting in Izuku's, the green haired teenager just as lost as Himiko seemed to be. He tried to offer as much comfort as possible, gently squeezing her hands which he noticed were very cold, almost worryingly so. The nights were cool, but not so cold as to cause this, which made him wonder why she was so cold to the touch.

"Himi? Himi, c'mon, tell us what's wrong," Ochako added, her voice soft.

Himiko seemed like she didn't hear them for a minute, but after a few seconds she returned Izuku's squeeze on his hands (carefully keeping her pinkies up as Ochako had taught her), before leaning forward to rest her forehead against his shoulder. Instinctively, Izuku pulled her into a hug, just like when they were kids and her parents would yell at her and…oh. Oh no. It hit him like a bolt of lightning, his eyes going wide as he felt a surge of emotions burn in his chest…fear, worry, sadness, and a lot of rage…because now he knew what happened.

"...they never got better about your Quirk?" Izuku asked softly, already knowing the answer. The gasp across the phone line told him Ochako had caught onto what he was referring to, and he didn't flinch when he heard something snap across the line, imagining she'd just broken something to avoid lashing out. Himiko just shook her head silently, still pressing her forehead into his shoulder. Izuku narrowed his eyes, tamping down on his feelings for her sake, because she was what mattered right now.

"...I'm gonna find a way to get there tomorrow, mark my words," Ochako said.

Izuku nodded absently. "I'll talk to All…um, Toshinori. I'm sure he can figure something out. Did you tell your parents yet?"

"They know. They wanna talk to 'im too," she murmured. There was a sound from the other side of the line, Ochako muting the phone for a few moments as Izuku kept his arms wrapped about Himiko, the blonde still saying nothing as she just sighed deeply, pressing herself up against Izuku. She was really cold, and he did not like that at all.

"Inko called my folks and we're gonna come out tonight. Said Toshi was gonna send a car for us. Is…is that okay, Himi?" Ochako asked as she came back to the line, her voice growing unsure at the end.

Himiko nodded into Izuku's shoulder, her hands gripping at the back of his shirt tighter. She swallowed, her voice a breathy whisper as she spoke. "I don't want to be alone tonight. Please…please come. I just can't take it anymore, I can't. I can't," her voice broke off as she started to cry quietly, her sobs barely audible, but all Izuku could wish for was for a way he could fix this somehow. Some hero he was, only able to sit here and hold one of his oldest and truest friends, unable to do anything to fix the problem.

"I'm comin', Himi. Jus' wait for me," Ochako swore. "Keep textin' me, Izu, please. We're gonna go now."

Izuku nodded at his phone once more. "I promise Chako, I'll keep you updated. We'll be here." Ochako let out a hum in response, the call disconnecting a second later. As if by magic, there was a knock on his bedroom door, Himiko seeming to ignore it as she just clutched at Izuku's shirt, her tears staining the fabric. Izuku cleared his throat. "Yeah?"

The door cracked open to reveal his mother, her face torn between a soft smile and worry evident in her eyes. She took a few steps into the room, took a seat on the bed next to Izuku, and gently placed a hand on the blonde teenager's back. Himiko didn't react much, merely sighing as she continued to cry, her sobs now no longer audible, but her shoulders shaking slightly.

"Himiko, dear? Ochako and her parents are on their way, but it'll be a few hours. Is there anything I can do for you?" Inko asked softly, rubbing at Himiko's back.

Himiko just shook her head into Izuku's shirt, still not lifting herself up off her childhood friend. It was like the only thing tethering her to the ground right now was her grip on him, all of what happened that day rushing back and filtering into her thoughts, her dreams, the very air around her, and it was all she could do to close her eyes and pray they'd stop.

Inko nodded, sighing deeply as she met her son's red-rimmed eyes. She gave him a watery smile, Izuku unable to muster one in return, but he nodded at his mom, grateful she was there. After a few moments of rubbing Himiko's back, Inko stood up and made her way to the door. "When you feel a little more stable, why don't you go take a nice shower and I'll get something warm for you to eat, okay? Izuku, while she's doing that, could you get out the spare blankets, pillows and the air mattress? The Uraraka's will be taking the couch, and Toshi the mattress."

Izuku blinked up at his mother, tilting his head to the side. "But what about Himi and Chako?"

Inko rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly. "I'm not an idiot. There's no way you or Ochako will let Himiko out of your sight tonight. I assumed you'd sleep in here."

Izuku paused as he realized what she was getting at. He felt the blood rush to his face for a brief second, but he immediately rammed that down. Himiko was hurting, his embarrassment was immaterial to the situation right now, the only thing that mattered was making sure she was okay. He took a deep breath, nodding up at his mom as she smiled back, turning around to gather some extra towels for Himiko and setting them in the bathroom.

Once his mother left, he turned back to the blonde in his arms, feeling her shivering slightly as she pressed up against his side. It was getting repetitive in his mind to keep thinking this, but every time her bare skin brushed against his, he could feel how cold she felt and it was really bothering him. She really did need a shower and warm clothes. He took a deep breath. "Himi? I think mom's right. You really should get a shower, you're um…really cold. Was it really cold outside?"

"...no. I just get cold sometimes," she managed to mutter, refusing to lift her head. Izuku didn't think that was all there was to it…but okay. He'd wait for her to tell him. After a moment though, she did lift her head up enough that he could see the red eyes and tear tracks dotting her face, gently unentangling herself from him. She tried to stand up, but wavered for a moment, Izuku quickly leaping to his feet to help keep her stable. She offered him a pat on the cheek as a thank you, and silently began to head to the bathroom.

Izuku felt so goddamned helpless…but no. He could do this. Push down the emotions, lock them away, it was old hat to him to shove down the negative things and focus on his mission. Right now, it was to protect Himiko at all costs, and once Ochako was here they'd have a game plan even if the game plan was snapping Himiko's parents' necks. Himiko mattered the most, and he'd deal with that now, and his feelings later never. He strode out of the room, ready to prepare the house for the guests, and whatever else he had to do for Himiko. This he swore to himself…he'd help her, no matter what.

Chapter Text

Ochako didn't wait a moment once she arrived at Izuku's house. She blew through the door, ignoring the lanky blonde man she idly assumed was All Might, rushing down the hall to Izuku's room where she nearly tripped over the carpet as she shoved the door open. She needed to make sure Himiko was okay, no matter what!

Izuku looked up at her, unsurprised, his eyes red-rimmed but soft and clear. Himiko, her hair down, was bundled in his arms with what looked like one of Izuku's shirts, the slender blonde looking like she was swimming in it since his shoulders were broader than hers. At the sound of the door opening, Himiko turned around, her eyes watery and broken, the sight of Ochako bringing some light back into her eyes. Izuku happily opened his arms, releasing Himiko who began to stumble over towards Ochako, the brunette not hesitating to cross the room and drag Himiko into a tight, almost bruising hug.

"I'm here, Himi," Ochako murmured into Himiko's shoulder, the blonde teenager nodding her head as she buried it in Ochako's neck, making a muffled sound of agreement. Izuku stepped up to the two and gently led them to his bed, encouraging them to sit down on it, taking the seat on Himiko's other side as she curled into Ochako's side. Ochako turned to Izuku, eyes questioning.

"We're gonna stay in my room tonight. I'll take the floor, you guys can take the bed-" Izuku began, but Ochako's arm lifted off Himiko's back and pointed peremptorily in Izuku's face.

"Nope, none of that. We all use the bed or we all use the floor, one or the other," she replied, her tone firm. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she could see Izuku's eyes widen as blood rushed to his face, and felt Himiko shimmy in her arms as if she was taken aback…but Ochako didn't care right now. It was…it was just like one of their sleepovers when they were kids, that's all, and she told Izuku and Himiko as much! Sure, she wasn't sure they entirely agreed with her that it was the same but…Himiko was upset, and it was because of her shitty parents (even if she didn't know the whole story, Izuku's earlier question told her enough), and they were gonna spend the night together and figure it out.

Of course, she didn't exactly think it through, what it meant. Himiko…didn't want to let them go. And it wasn't like she minded hugging Himiko, or Izuku, or anything of the sort. But in order for both of them to hold Himiko, they all…had to be in the same small space, especially as the blonde really wanted to curl up. Which made sense because she was freezing what the hell. Then again, if Ochako was being honest, she felt a bit of a chill too. She found herself subconsciously moving closer towards Izuku, who felt like a furnace compared to the temperature around them, which she noticed Himiko doing as well.

Oh well. It was awkward but did it matter, beyond making Himiko feel comfortable? Her hangups about this, the weirdness of a sleepover with her now grown childhood friends, was not nearly as important as Himiko's well-being…so she didn't bother. And luckily, Izuku was in accord with her without too much issue. His bed wasn't massive, but it was large enough the trio could fit if they squeezed, which Himiko was very much in favor of. So set, Ochako slid into the side closest to the wall (Izuku had insisted, just in case someone fell off the bed he'd let it be him and she was too tired to fight him over it), Himiko clambered into the middle, and Izuku on the edge facing the room.

Without giving much room for hesitation, Himiko latched onto Ochako's neck and buried herself into the brunette's side, still nonverbal and still triggering every single protective instinct in her heart. She caught a glimpse of Izuku as he turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness; his eyes glowing softly in the dark, the same tortured emotions playing in his eyes, a green mirror of her own feelings. Maybe she should be more concerned by the glow, or the fact he looked like he was about to break something, but since she felt the same she didn't think she could disagree in the slightest. He carefully slid into the bed, awkwardly pressing closer to the blonde between the two, reaching down to pull the blanket up and over them.

Himiko let an annoyed grumble, one hand unlatching from around Ochako's neck and vaguely waving behind her, until she managed to grab hold of Izuku's arm. With a tug that made Izuku go wide-eyed and let out a quiet yelp, she yanked his arm over her, pulling it around her abdomen, his arm crossing with the one Ochako had laid over Himiko's hip. He gave Ochako a rather helpless look, but Ochako simply shrugged…this was what Himiko wanted, she wasn't going to complain. Izuku let out a deep sigh, before nodding slightly, finally getting comfortable against the blonde. His fingers tapped against the back of Ochako's hand, the brunette unable to hide the small smile that appeared on her face at the feeling.

She wasn't happy she had to come out here because of this…not that she was unhappy to be here, oh no, she was already missing her Izu and Himi. No, she just wished it was for a much, much happier reason. Even the whole Quirk thing would have been acceptable, but nope, Himiko's asshole parents were ruining everything. When she was little, she never quite understood how bad it was; then again, Himiko didn't really talk about it much. She just knew Himiko's parents were very strict and didn't like her quirk (which to eight year old Ochako made no sense, Himiko's Quirk was the coolest!)

It wasn't until she got older she started to wonder, started to be concerned about where Himiko was in life, and if her parents ever accepted her Quirk…and tonight she had the very painful realization they never did. Which made Ochako have to wonder, what all did Himiko have to deal with?

People often thought of Ochako as an airhead, she knew that. She cultivated that persona a bit; when she realized they'd think it anyways, she figured she may as well lean into the bubbly, cheerful spaz of a girl. It meant people made fun of her less still made fun of her but at least they liked pretending to be nice sometimes. It also meant they dismissed her…which was in some ways an advantage. Made it easier for her to get away with her training, since no one really bothered her also easier to hide the skipped meals. But she learned really early on how to read between the lines of what people said, and how people actually felt.

Her parents lied to her a lot, mostly about money and food and bills. She never begrudged them it, she knew what and why they lied, they wanted to make her safe and happy. It wasn't like she was much better anyways, so she'd be a hypocrite to be upset with them for trying to protect her. People in the town lied a lot…not directly, no, they didn't like to be rude to someone's face, but the moment your back was turned? Oh, the gossip would be everywhere. And she hated it. Why can't people just be upfront?

But people aren't. And she decided to stop caring, and focused on learning how to tell what someone really thought…which led her back to Himiko. She wasn't dumb. When explaining her Quirk to Izuku and her, Himiko kept almost calling her Quirk a curse. And she was truly, genuinely upset when she realized they had to drink blood like she did even if Ochako didn't mind, it was kind of tasty now. But Himiko had avoided saying it, just kept trying to hide it. Ochako didn't think Izuku noticed…then again, she was pretty sure he was too busy feeling guilty for 'taking' their Quirks, or something equally as dumb.

Why were her two best friends such dummies, she had to wonder. And yes, they were still her best friends…she never could get close to the people back home. They just judged her and her parents, even though her parents did their best it wasn't good enough. Either way, Himiko was upset right now, and she was going to do her damndest to help her. And then Izuku too, because no way he went from a slightly skittish kid to this anxiety-ridden wreck over these past ten years without a reason also why did he always flinch when she tried to hug him was it something she did wrong?

Didn't matter right now. Right now, she had to make Himiko feel better…and the best she could do was hold onto her, with Izuku right there, letting her know that they weren't leaving her…not again. Never again.

Izuku slept fitfully, uncomfortable being so close to the girls. What if they noticed? He'd made sure to be as covered up as possible…sweatpants, a long sleeved shirt, the gloves Ochako had given him to protect him from activating her Quirk, but still…they were all very close.

But that wasn't what was really keeping him up, was it? He knew better. He knew the truth. He was being a selfish prick, a bastard who couldn't help but let his own feelings take hold…Himiko was the one who needed help, who needed to be saved right now, and yet he couldn't shake this stupid feeling! His skin felt like it was crawling, tingles running up his spine, his mind swimming with ideas, red red red, his life was just red. It's all he could think about right now, think about how much he'd fucked up, to the point he caused this.

Because he did. He knew he did. If it weren't for him, Himiko wouldn't have gotten caught. No, Himiko didn't tell him that, but he wasn't an idiot. This was the night they were supposed to talk to their parents about going to UA to talk to Nezu and All Might, and this is the night her parents were bad enough she ran? Yeah. He caused this. He hurt Himi. Of course he did, that's all he ever did, he knew that.

He had practice in slipping out of his bed, and even with the grip Ochako and Himiko had on his arm, he was able to make it out of the bed without waking either of them. He couldn't be here right now, couldn't sit here and shake, couldn't enjoy their warmth and the niceness of being able to actually touch his old friends, no. He didn't deserve that, not when he was at fault for this. And he'd totally messed up Ochako's plans too, since she had to come here and fix his fuckup, by giving Himiko real comfort, unlike him.

He crept out of his room, feeling like he couldn't breathe as he walked. One hand against the wall, slowly creeping along in the dark, the deadly silence of the night. His throat felt like it was closed, like he couldn't even swallow. His scars ached something fierce, even the healed ones felt sensitive in the chill of the night. Idly, he noticed he could see way better than before…Himiko's eye mutation, he surmised, making it easy to navigate his way through the dark. He saw his mom, sleeping on the couch…All Might, curled up on the other one. The Uraraka's had to be in his mom's room he assumed; knowing his mom, she probably insisted (even though that hadn't been what she'd initially told him, and they weren't able to fight her off).

But it also meant he knew how to leave, silent and stealthy, reaching the door and slipping outside. He didn't bother grabbing his shoes…he didn't need them, not to just be away, to be far far away, under the night sky the stars reminding him of Ochako, just thinking about the red tinge to his life, to his world, the wish he could find his blades and bring them with him because he just needed to stop thinking; god, if only he could just shut his stupid brain up for five minutes!

Izuku collapsed onto the concrete beneath him, leaning against the balcony wall. He glanced over it and down, idly categorizing the fact they were on the second floor not high enough to guarantee anything although he could jump really high with One For All now…

No! Okay, no, no, ignore those thoughts, ignore them. Mom would be hurt would she? Yes she would! Gah! Izuku slammed his hands over his head, pressing his face between his knees as he sat up against the balcony. Izuku hated when his brain started saying stupid things like this. He didn't doubt his mom! He never would doubt her! He knew she loved him, she'd do anything for him!...and that was part of the problem, wasn't it? She would give up anything for him. She had given up a lot for him, over the years. Over and over again, she'd sacrificed, and he could do nothing to make it up to her. Sometimes…sometimes he thought she'd be better off without him. Yeah, it'd upset her, but she'd be better eventu-

"You okay, Izuku?" a soft voice asked, making him jolt in place. He lifted his head off his knees, blinking in the dark, seeing…Ochako? Wait, no, that was her mom. They really did look a lot alike, now that he thought about it, it was pretty clear where she got her looks from.

He cleared his throat. "S-sorry, Mrs. Uraraka, I'm just getting some air."

"Miu, please. You've known me since you were little, you can call me Miu," she replied, Izuku able to see the soft smile on her. She tilted her head to the side, a gesture that reminded Izuku a lot of Ochako when she wanted to know something. "You look upset. Are you sure you're okay?"

Izuku swallowed, demanding his racing heart and swirling thoughts to simmer down. He didn't want her to dig too deeply into why he was sitting out here, so he needed to be as calm and reasonable as possible. "I-I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep, um, so I came out here for a bit. It's um, you know, kinda crowded inside."

Miu nodded, stepping over to the balcony and leaning against it, looking up at the stars. "I understand. It's been quite the evenin', hasn't it? I know 'Chako's been real upset. She was practically beggin' us to floor it the whole way here…which didn't do much, since we were in a car with a cop," she chuckled softly as she said that, Izuku unable to resist the half-smile that snuck onto his face at the mental image of Ochako yelling at the officer to speed up. Miu let out a soft sigh, glancing down at the seated Izuku. "Mind if I take a seat?"

"Oh, um, sure, go ahead," Izuku replied, shifting over slightly as Miu sat down beside him, a half a meter or so distance between the two.

Silence reigned for a moment or two, before Miu spoke again. "It's a beautiful night though. Harder to see the stars out 'ere in the city, though."

"Y-yeah, all that light pollution and stuff," Izuku muttered, unsure where she was going with this.

Miu nodded. "Still…it's nice to sometimes just sit and look up, you know? I used to take 'Chako out to stargaze back when she was little. Something comfortin' about lookin' up and realizin' there's just so much more out there. An entire universe we ain't seen yet, out there waitin' for someone to come lookin'." After a moment, she turned to look at Izuku. "What about you? 'Chako says you're still aimin' to be a hero, yeah?"

"Um, yeah. I…did 'Chako tell you about m-my Quirk?" Izuku asked, his voice cracking at the end.

Miu nodded. "Yep. Kinda crazy, but if anyone was gonna impress All Might, it was gonna be you. Spoke to him earlier, when you kids went to bed. Nothin' like I thought he'd be, but I guess that's on me for assumin'. Still, pretty heroic of you, runnin' in to save your friend," Miu paused when she saw Izuku flinch, but other than a slight narrowing of her eyes didn't react, "without any sort of power. Kinda crazy, but then again, you always were a bit reckless as a kid too. Remember when you convinced the girls to go on that hike with you?"

Izuku flushed, his swirling emotions blanketed under a sudden surge of embarrassment. "M-Miu!"

She began to giggle, her laugh so much like Ochako's he felt his breath seize in his chest for a brief moment at the sound. "Yer still so easy to tease, Izuku. You know though…for all this craziness, I'm glad you and Himiko found 'Chako again. She's been missin' you two somethin' fierce."

"...she has?"

Miu nodded gravely. "Oh yeah. More than she'd ever admit to me or her dad, but she was. People back in our town didn't really like her much, 'cause Katashi and me didn't make a lot of money. Not that much of that town was great with money, but we were the outsiders. And 'Chako's always been a bit fierce, so she didn't take it well when people said rude things. She got pretty good at keeping her temper, but people still noticed. She didn't really have many friends…not like you two."

Izuku blinked at the knowledge, finding it hard to reconcile Ochako, the kindest, sweetest person he knew, not having friends. Sure, he knew about her temper too (the one time Himiko and Izuku had ticked her off, they swore never to do it again), but otherwise she was so…so nice! How could anyone not like her, were they all blind and stupid? It's like the people who didn't like Himiko, how could they remotely think anything but the best of her? Like her parents? What the hell was that?!

Miu arched an eyebrow at Izuku, cluing him into the fact that he was both muttering and apparently his face had twisted in a combination of disbelief and anger. She let out a soft chuckle, her face softening a bit. "I'm glad you three found each other again. I know Katashi thinks the same, and so does yer mom. You two make her happier than she's been in years. So don't you worry none about how well yer helping them, cause you already did help. And we'll figure out this Himiko thing just fine, I promise. She's important to 'Chako, so she's important to me and Katashi too…and so are you," Miu added, her voice going even softer at the end.

Izuku swallowed, feeling tears prickle at the corner of his eyes. This wasn't fair. For so long he only had his mom, and he wanted so much to make things better for her, like she did for him, but he never could. Then All Might, giving him a chance, showing him faith and trust and it wasn't fair because how could he spurn that at any step?! Finding Himiko and Ochako once more, and now Himiko needed him…and then Miu out here trusting him with her daughter? How could Izuku not do this? He…he had to help. He had to be there. He had no choice.

Maybe this was for the best, anyways. He knew it was wrong, the way he sometimes wondered about swimming out into the ocean and never returning, or when he casually looked up and wondered how high he could leap with One For All and not land safely. The times he would look up certain things on the internet, ignoring all the phone numbers popping up. It was always idle consideration, not really actively thinking about it…but sometimes it'd just be there, lurking beneath the surface, waiting for him to have one bad day and slip up.

Sometimes it was all he could think about, when he would hide in his bedroom, blades to skin and the world becoming red once more. Sometimes he wasn't even thinking about it, just letting the edge take away the edge from his mind, slicing away at his thoughts and fears and feelings, leaving nothing but the cold comfort of steel. Sometimes it'd just…be there, beneath the surface, lurking like a predator waiting for its prey to make one misstep, one step too far into the depths.

But the intellectual part of his brain knew this was wrong. Knew he shouldn't think that way. Knew that whatever thoughts that appeared unwillingly in his mind weren't him, they were the results of an imbalance of chemicals were they really was he sure they were, and his mom really did love him, it wasn't faked, and she wouldn't be okay if she knew she'd be fine she'd be happier in the end. Every day, every minute, he had to fight and claw and struggle against the drowning morass of thoughts that simply appeared, with little to no warning.

Izuku took a deep, shuddering breath. He had to take what Miu said and use it. Bring it to bear, use it as his sword and shield, use it to beat back those thoughts as much as he could. He needed to save people. He had to. So he could use that, that drive, that passion, that pain, and use it to fight back. This was what he had to do, his duty, his purpose. He had people he needed to help to support, and people to protect. Okay. He could do this. He had to.

Izuku offered a smile to Miu, wide and guileless, a practiced grin to reassure others that he modeled after his hero. "Thank you, Miu. You're right. I know we'll make sure Himi's okay. I-I think I can go back to bed now."

Miu's eyes stared searchingly into Izuku's. He felt a bit strange, knowing that there was no way she could see as clearly as he could now that he had Himiko's eyesight (gosh that was so weird to think about but also a bit exciting), yet she still seemed to see something he couldn't. But after a moment, she offered him another smile and began to get to her feet. Izuku leapt up before her and offered his hand (his mother raised a gentleman after all, of course he'd help someone else to their feet), which she took with a chuckle.

He opened the door quietly, letting her go before him, the older woman giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder before heading back to the room she'd been staying in, leaving Izuku alone in the dark. After a moment, he sighed quietly, making sure to lock the door behind him as he walked back to his bedroom. He'd deal with this all in the morning…for now, he needed to sleep.

Chapter Text

The conversation that ensued in the morning was…difficult, to say the least. Himiko was not exactly in the mood to divulge the major details…not even to Izuku and Ochako. But it was enough for Toshinori to start the process he’d been prepared for, a second case for Tsukauchi to look into. He’d already passed on the information about Aldera, but it was not going far fast, because without Izuku’s direct testimony…they didn’t have a lot to go on. But Toshinori had a plan. Sort of.

Knowing Bakugo came from the same school, and that the two boys knew each other somehow (at least, they did according to Inko), he wondered if he could speak to Bakugo privately on the matter. Perhaps if the boy knew something, that’d be enough for Tsukauchi to move forward and get the necessary evidence to start investigating in earnest.

Of course…he wasn’t discounting the possibility that said boy was one of the problems. In which case, a private conversation could still be of use…both to make sure the boy knew that such behavior would not be tolerated at UA, but also, maybe he could appeal to whatever part of the boy wanted to be a hero and get him to come forward. Not that he was comfortable with it either way…it could be nothing, the boy could have done nothing, but still, something told Toshinori he needed to be cautious.

That said, he’d spoken to Aizawa about the situation already, and the other teacher had assured Toshinori that any step out of line by Bakugo would be met by a swift response. What the response was would depend on the severity of the infraction, obviously, but both Aizawa and Nezu had said they had some possible avenues in mind for any such situation…and that was good enough for Toshinori.

But that led them to now. Himiko had spent the morning quietly explaining why she’d ran, and though she had not given many details at all, even the little she had was both infuriating to the adults there, as well as had kept the blonde teenager far too quiet and solemn for the other two to really take it well. But that was the morning. After Himiko had explained what she was up to speaking about, Inko, the Uraraka’s, and Toshinori had sat down without the teens to discuss what was the best path forward.

As for the teenagers, Izuku had pulled Ochako and Himiko off with him to the beach, wanting them to run with him and maybe do some small Quirk practice, in the hopes of distracting Himiko. Toshinori couldn’t help but be proud of his successor…well, successors he supposed, but right now, mostly Izuku as he was taking charge to fix what he saw as an injustice. Granted, the boy was lost without young Ochako as well, but that was more than fine for Toshinori. They could support each other through this trying time!...but for now, the pressing matter at hand.

“Well, I’ve spoken to my detective friend. As Himiko is eighteen, we have no worries about any form of legal troubles. So the matter becomes where she goes from here,” Toshinori explained calmly.

“Well, assuming she got into UA, she’ll have the dorms then, although that’s only part of the issue…and that’s a big assumption,” Inko mused.

Toshinori chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well…don’t tell the kids yet, but, I can confirm, she did make it in. All three did, and are going into the same class. So that is not a worry.”

“Really?! Oh, ‘Chako’s gonna be so happy!” Miu exclaimed, a wide smile on her face.

Toshinori nodded gravely. “Oh yes. In fact, they took the top three spots! Truly impressive, really.”

“Wait…they got all three of the top spots?” Katashi asked, blinking.

“That they did! I’d go into the details and actual scores, but I know Nezu wanted to tell them personally later today when we return to UA to start working on their fused Quirks,” Toshinori replied.

“Then we should figure out what to do for Himiko. We clearly can’t send her back, and I wouldn’t want to even if it was an option,” Inko said. “The new year for UA doesn’t start for almost a month, if I remember what Izu told me.”

“About three weeks from now, yes. But that won’t be as big of an issue as you may think. I…well, I was going to suggest having Izuku move into the dorms early anyways, so I may train him at UA further…now I’m changing that to Himiko and Ochako as well,” Toshinori said, spreading his hands wide on the table.

“Hmm…so you can train all three of them at UA, yes?” Miu asked, tilting her head to the side.

Toshinori nodded gravely. “Yes, indeed. This…is unprecedented, to be frank. One For All, on its own, is powerful, as you’ve all seen from myself. It can be dangerous for the wielder, even. Granted, for me, I had more trouble with regulation of my power, but even back then, I often struggled, and at times I did cause myself harm. I would like to avoid that for these young ones. Not only that, but learning how it impacted the girls’ Quirks is paramount. Which…I’m afraid to ask, but what even is Himiko’s Quirk? Her file says it’s a minor cat mutation but I can’t believe that is it.”

The three adults blinked in confusion, sharing a glance at one another that had Toshinori suspecting he was not going to like the answer. Inko spoke up after a moment, hesitant. “You’re sure that’s all her file lists?”

In response, Toshinori pulled out his phone, quickly flipped through the digital copies of the files he had, and pulled up the relevant one, sliding it over to Inko to look over. The green-haired woman stared at the file in consternation, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she looked, for lack of a better word, angry at the file contents. A moment later she shared it with Miu and Katashi, the duo looking similar to Inko at the revelation…Katashi’s fist clenched, Miu looking like she’d just swallowed a lemon. Inko sighed.

“It’s called ‘Transform’, and it allows her to shapeshift into the form of anyone whose blood she’s drank. I cannot believe her parents…no, no, I retract that, I can believe those, those…”

“Shit-eating bastards?” Miu helpfully supplied, making Toshinori blink in surprise at the sweet looking lady’s words.

“Yes, that, precisely, thank you Miu,” Inko replied. She shook her head once more before looking back up at Toshinori. “I knew they took issue with her blood drinking requirement, but I would have thought they’d gotten over it or gone to some counselor.” Inko let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. “I-I shouldn’t have let that go. I didn’t think they’d go so far as to falsify records.”

“Me neither. I always thought they were just being a bit squeamish, but never thought they’d just lie about their daughter,” Katashi mused.

“That’s a crime, innit?” Miu asked, turning to Toshinori.

He nodded at her. “Falsifying Quirk Registries? Oh, absolutely. Especially if the Quirk is dangerous or has requirements of some kind. Which…does it? I know she needs to drink blood to use it, but…”

“She needs to drink blood periodically or else she thinks she’s starvin’, yeah,” Miu replied. “The kids used to share theirs with her…granted, we weren’t none too happy about that at first, but ‘Chako was pretty stubborn about it.”

“I was…not as supportive as I should have been either. Mostly I was worried about her getting sick, you know, bloodborne illnesses and the like. I assumed her parents would take her to a counselor and get a prescription or something, but apparently not,” Inko sighed.

“Now now Inko, it weren’t just you. We dropped the ball on that too,” Katashi replied, reaching over the table to pat the green-haired woman on the shoulder.

“None of you did anything of the sort. It was not your responsibility to take care of young Himiko, it was her own parents, and they failed. In an abhorrent fashion, it seems. I will be forwarding this information to my friend who is opening an investigation into them as we speak. Would you three be fine with him asking you for further information?” Toshinori asked, tapping away at his returned phone as he spoke.

“I mean, sure, but it was almost a decade ago. I don’t know how much help I could be,” Inko said.

“Any information is enough, really. Trust me, Tsukauchi is one of my closest and most trusted friends. He’s one of the few I told about One For All, and he’s never failed to come through for me,” Toshinori reassured. “He’s also the one I got looking into Aldera, although that is more difficult until we get some statements from Izuku, or someone else with knowledge.”

“Wait, what’re you looking into Izuku’s school for?” Miu asked, confused.

Inko looked down at the table, shame coloring her face. “...we don’t know for certain, we just know they’ve been treating him poorly. But Izuku won’t talk to me about it. I…I know I failed him when he was little, I wasn’t as supportive of his dream when the doctor diagnosed him, but-”

“But nothing, you had a bad couple days, but I remember, soon as that jerkoff Hisashi left you stepped up! Don’t go beating yourself up about that, Inko! He’s always thought the world of you, I remember he always bragged about how awesome a mom he had. I doubt that changed since we last saw him,” Miu protested.

“He was always effusive in his praise of you, Inko. I don’t think that’s why he doesn’t tell you what’s wrong. I suspect he just doesn’t want people to worry about him…taking the wrong lessons from my past apparently,” Toshinori grumbled, his shoulders slumping.

“What do you mean by that?” Katashi asked.

Toshinori shrugged helplessly. “When you’re the Number One Hero, you have a responsibility…no, more like an obligation. I wanted to be a symbol, and I worked tirelessly to become one. To make others feel safe, and secure, and at peace…but it cost me a lot. A lot I never truly admitted to until recently. My sidekick, he still won’t talk to me anymore, not since that fateful fight against All For One. I…well, I simply didn’t want the public to be afraid, so I went back to work as soon as I could leave the hospital. And I’ve just not stopped doing so. And look at me now, a shell of my former self, able to be a hero for less than three hours a day. All because I didn’t want people to worry.”

After a moment, he leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. “I’ve said before that in many ways, Izuku reminds me of myself. The problem is, I mean that in both the good and the bad ways. He has a heroic spirit unlike few I’ve seen before. He’s kind, and caring, and genuinely just wants to help…but on the flip side, he also still seems to think that sacrificing himself is the best solution to any issue set before him. And that…that is what I need UA’s help to train out of him. He needs to be better than I was. And I truly believe he will be. He just needs that time to grow.”

“...that’s asking a lot of the school…but I hope you are right, Toshinori. I’m always going to worry about him, I’m always going to regret not being able to give him his own Quirk, not being able to protect him from those small-minded people who couldn’t accept him for him…but I’m truly thankful you gave him a chance to bring his dream to life,” Inko replied, her voice growing soft, eyes watering slightly as she smiled up at the pro hero.

Toshinori shakes his head softly. “No, Inko, I need to thank you, for raising a genuinely perfect successor, someone I can trust with the legacy of One For All. And now I get to thank the two of you as well,” Toshinori said, gesturing to the Uraraka’s, “For giving me a second one! From everything Izuku has said to me, young Ochako is someone he trusts with every fiber of his being…and if he trusts her, and young Himiko, I can only mirror that trust and faith. They sure impressed the staff during the exams, that’s for certain!”

“Aww, well, I mean…’Chako’s just…always been a good kid. That’s really more on her than on us,” Katashi said, his cheeks flushed as he looked away from the others.

“Katashi, don’t be like that. You and Miu did a great job raising her, she’s such a lovely young woman, and I’m so happy she, Himiko, and Izuku got to reunite!” Inko interjected.

Katashi just grumbled something under his breath, still looking a bit embarrassed as Miu giggled quietly, patting her husband on the shoulder. Toshinori couldn’t help but smile, seeing such supportive parents almost made up for the rage he felt towards Himiko’s ‘parents’. Still…he was worried about her. Hopefully, Izuku and Ochako could help her start to recover.

Izuku wasn’t sure if this was his best solution to make Himiko feel better, but it was all he had. The beach was his place now…the place where he’d fought, long and hard, for the right to take on One For All. No matter how many other people came to the beach now that it was clean, a part of him actually felt pride for his accomplishment, and somewhere deep inside he felt like he had a small stake in this beach, a tiny part of it belonging to him…and he hoped that by sharing of himself with Himiko, with Ochako at his side, they could make her feel better. He hoped.

It…maybe was working? The two of them stared at the photos on his phone of the before, then looked back up at the pristine beach…back down at his phone, back up at the beach, back down…and then Ochako just clasped him on the shoulders and spoke, staring straight into his eyes. “Izu?”

“...yeah?”

“...you know yer fucking insane, right?”

Izuku couldn’t help it. It was such an Ochako thing to just fall into her accent and curse at him (she’d had a bit of a potty mouth even when they were kids), that he couldn’t help the warm, fuzzy sensation that filled his chest. He started to giggle, one hand over his mouth in a vain attempt to suppress it.

Luckily, she didn’t seem to take offense, smiling back at him and giggling in return…and then they heard it. Himiko letting out a small, almost chirped giggle, the duo turning to look at their blonde companion, joy filling their hearts at seeing her smile, even if it was small and wobbly. But…Izuku did kind of have to break it. He hated the thought of it, but…he really needed to understand what happened so he could help.

With a deep breath, he carefully reached out and placed his hand on Himiko’s arm, drawing her attention to him. He belatedly remembered the pinky thing, only to heave a sigh of relief when he noticed the gloves Ochako had gifted him were on. This was going to take some getting used to…but for now, Himiko. “Himi? Do…do you wanna tell us what all’s going on? Just us? We won’t tell Toshi or Mom or ‘Chako’s parents if you don’t want, but…I think we,” Izuku gestured to himself and Ochako, “really want to know what happened, so we can help.”

“What Izu said. Himi, I promise, we’re here for you, we just…gotta know what you need from us,” Ochako added, coming up on Himiko’s other side.

Himiko’s shoulders slumped, her entire body looking like it lost all its energy…but after a brief moment, she nodded. She glanced about for a moment, before spying the retaining wall behind her. She slowly walked over to it, turning her back to it and sliding down to sit on the sand, knees pulled up to her chest. At her gesture, Izuku and Ochako followed, taking seats on either side of her. With one hand, she reached out to hold Izuku’s, and leaned her head over onto Ochako’s shoulder, keeping contact with both of them as she spoke softly.

“You guys were right. They never accepted me. They lied about what my Quirk was, and told me not to even think about it. They made me dress how they wanted, act how they wanted, demanded I be a perfect pretty princess for them so I wouldn’t embarrass them. I…I didn’t even get to choose my ‘friends’, and they really weren’t friends either. It was more like…a group of jerks who just got off on making fun of other people, and backstabbing each other when the moment came.”

“So…you were one of the mean girls, the ones who are all popular and snotty?” Ochako asked, tilting her head to the side.

Himiko flushed, but nodded. “I, I didn’t wanna be, but my parents-”

“You don’t have to make excuses, Himi. We know you’d never want to be in that sort of crowd if you could,” Izuku reassured her, hiding his own internal winces at the thought of her being one of them back at Aldera. Himiko wasn’t like that and he knew it, she was just trying to survive…and if anyone knew what that was like, he did.

“...I tried not to be too much like them. I didn’t really join them in bullying or anything, I just…didn’t stop them when they were being mean behind peoples backs. But that’s still no excuse. But if I didn’t cooperate with them, didn’t make friends with them, Mom and Dad would…they’d…they’d lock me in my room, and they put bars over the windows, a-and take away my phone and only let me eat like, once a day a-and-”

“Himi? Himi, it’s okay, just breathe hun, just breathe,” Ochako soothed, realizing Himiko was starting to get too worked up, starting to hyperventilate as she spoke. Izuku squeezed her hand, pressing his shoulder into hers to try and ground her as best he could.

She took a deep, bracing breath, then another, and a third. She needed to focus…Izu was right. ‘Chako was right. They…they would never abandon her. It’s why she ran to them to begin with. She trusted them, and she needed to show it. “...they never let me drink blood,” she whispered, confirming what the other two had already suspected. “I-I just…I always felt so, so trapped, and so thirsty. It got real bad, I um…I had to sneak out at night sometimes and um…um…”

“We won’t judge, Himi. We promise,” Ochako said softly, absolute conviction in her voice.

“...I’d hunt rats or mice. Sometimes a bird. I-I hated it. I felt so disgusting! Like I’m the horror they thought I was! Some sort of sick, twisted monster killing animals to deal with my thirst and-”

“You’re not a monster, Himi! Please, please don’t ever say that about yourself!” Izuku protested. “You did what you had to do to survive! The only monsters there were your parents!”

“Izu’s right, and if I ever see them, I’ma punt them into the fucking sun, Himi, I swear,” Ochako added, a growl in her voice.

Himiko swallowed thickly, still refusing to look up from her hands. “But…sometimes, sometimes I had really bad thoughts.”

“Like what? I-if you want to tell us, you don’t have to if you’re not comfortable with it,” Izuku quickly reassured.

“...I wanted to bite people. To rip and tear into their throats, to suck out the blood from them like bone marrow. I wanted to just stab and slash and just go off, bathe in the blood of people, because I just hated everything!” Himiko’s voice rose to a scream on the last words, her fists clenching tight around Ochako and Izuku’s hands, the two not flinching at the pressure. “I hated what they made me, I hated how I had to act, I hated them!...and I hated me. I-I only could keep going because of my promise, but I was so afraid, so worried you’d hate me too. I don’t think I can go on if you two hate me too…”

“We don’t, and we never could, Himi,” Ochako said, squeezing Himiko’s hand tightly. “Right, Izu?”

Izuku nodded solemnly, mirroring Ochako’s squeeze. “We couldn’t if we tried. You’re…you’re very important to me, Himi. The promise got me through a lot too. And I don’t think you’re a monster for dark thoughts. I um,I think we all have darker thoughts sometimes, you know?” Izuku looked away for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before turning back to look at Himiko. “What matters is what we do about our thoughts…and you kept fighting to be a hero. Like I always knew you would be.”

Himiko stared at him for a moment, her eyes shining, before she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him tightly, nearly choking him. A moment later, Ochako’s arms wrapped about the two of them, leaning into the awkward hug as the trio shared a moment together, the only sounds the soft crashing of waves against the beach and the faint cries of birds high above.

“T-thank you. Both of you. I-I was so scared, but you…you guys…you’re still you,” Himiko said, her voice thick with emotion.

Ochako rubbed Himiko’s back. “It’ll be okay, Himi. We’re all together now. And…kinda linked now, heh.”

“Yeah…,” Izuku murmured. “Looks um, like we’re stuck together, again.”

“I’m still sorry, for causing you guys so much trouble, and making you come all the way out here, Chako,” Himiko muttered, breaking the hug and leaning back against the retaining wall once more.

Ochako shrugged. “Honestly, I’m kinda glad you did. It…it kinda sucked being away from you guys, I really didn’t feel good about it.”

Izuku looked at her curiously. “I…I didn’t either. Felt like, a tightness in my chest, when you two were at home. It didn’t start until a couple hours after you left though.”

Himiko wiped at her eyes, sniffling slightly. “Same here. Do…do you think it has something to do with the Quirk sharing thing?”

Izuku pursed his lips. “It’s…possible. Then again, at this point, I’d say anything’s possible,” he muttered, sounding a bit annoyed.

“Guess it’s another thing to tell Toshinori,” Ochako sighed.

“Yeah…but we can worry about that later,” Izuku said. He gestured out towards the beach in front of him. “I uh…I thought we could spend some time out here, just, forgetting about all that. Since it's so nice and all.” Left unsaid was him unsure what else to do, so he figured it was a good idea to just try and distract them a bit.

“It is pretty. Really cool of you to clean it up, Izu,” Himiko said with a soft smile as she looked up at the beach once more. The sight of her smile made something light up in his chest, the heavy feeling that had been a pall over him all night seeping away slightly.

“I kinda wish I had a swimsuit or something, but…it’d be fine to just go wade in the water, right? Like, nothing dangerous or against the law to do so?” Ochako asked, looking over at Izuku. Her own grin made him feel even lighter, adding onto the sudden surge of joy he felt from Himiko finally smiling.

Izuku grinned, finally feeling like they had a chance to enjoy the beach he worked so hard on. “Nope! We can do whatever!” He started to untie his own shoes as his way of proving it to them. It was difficult for him to hide the excitement bubbling up inside, actually finding the idea of getting to mess around in the water something he’d yet to do. He felt too awkward doing it alone, but a part of him really wanted to, now that it was so clean and serene and just…something he did. Something he contributed to the world, for once he wasn’t Deku the useless he was just Izuku Midoriya.

As he jumped to his feet, socks and shoes off, pants rolled up, he held his hands down to Himiko and Ochako, the other two having just finished taking their own footwear off. Ochako grinned, taking his hand, as Himiko almost pulled him over from how eagerly she yanked on his arm to pull herself up with. His own excitement was bleeding over into the other two, the emotional drain of the prior evening and morning leaving them on edge enough that the slightest change was able to push them into an almost nervous excitement.

The trio managed to make their way to the edge of the water, the waves slowly coming in and washing over their feet. Himiko let out a small shiver, as the water was cool, but it didn’t seem to dampen her own slowly growing excitement. With the knowledge Izuku and Ochako didn’t hate her, something was welling up in her chest that made her actually feel something foreign, a feeling she didn’t really remember…but she could recognize. Hope.

Ochako jogged into the surf, giggling to herself as she idly kicked at the waves. “C’mon slowpokes, water’s fine!” she teased, spinning about in place.

“Oh I’ll show you slow,” Himiko promised, running into the water and grabbed Ochako around the waist, almost knocking the two of them over as she started spinning Ochako around to make her dizzier, the brunette still giggling as she playfully slapped at Himiko’s hands.

Izuku…felt mischievous, for the first time in as long as he could remember. He didn’t know where or why this feeling came from, but he just felt like he wanted to mess with his two best friends. And the best way to do so? Well…

“Izu!” two voices shrieked, as they felt themselves get splashed with a big burst of water. Both girls turned to glare at Izuku, the boy having swept his leg through the water with enough force to douse both girls with enough seawater to leave them dripping. He cackled, feeling both so unlike himself and yet still fully in control, running away from them as they began to chase after him, their feet slipping in the sand, waves being disrupted by their movement.

He let out a startled yelp as Ochako dive tackled his legs out from under him, sending him face planting into the surf as she flopped half atop his legs herself. He rolled over to get his face out of the water, blinking rapidly to clear the water, treated to the sight of Ochako laughing like a hyena as she futilely brushed at her hair. He couldn’t help it, his own laughter bubbling up in his chest as well, looking at Himiko staring down at the both of them like they were lunatics.

He shared a quick glance with Ochako, almost able to feel her agreement that that could not stand…and with a quick jolt forward to grab onto Himiko’s wrists, they dragged her down into the surf with them, the blonde’s eyes wide in shock and then playful annoyance as she found herself falling over just in time to get hit by a slightly larger wave that managed to completely cover her for a brief moment. She popped up out of the surf, spitting out water and glaring at the other two for a brief moment…before falling over into the same bubbling laughter the rest were.

As the trio continued to splash one another with the water, laughing and giggling and finally feeling a weight fall off their shoulders, Izuku couldn’t help but smile as he looked up at the bright blue sky, at the glittering blue ocean…for once, his world wasn’t red, but blue, not a burning red of pain and agony, but a calming, beautiful blue that made him simply appreciate the day. Things weren’t fixed, and he knew there were difficult conversations ahead, but…as he saw Ochako flick water at Himiko, her cheeks flushed with exertion and her giggles musical to his ears, as he saw Himiko smile wide, her fangs visible, playfully trying to drag Ochako into one of the waves, as he himself scooped up water to throw at them both…he could enjoy the fact his world was not red right now, but a soft, soothing blue.

Chapter Text

Ochako wasn't entirely certain how she ended up in this situation. They returned to Izuku's apartment soaked, with bits of seaweed hanging off their clothing, giggling and barely able to stand as they kept breaking down into chuckles. Inko took one look at them and gave them the most mom Look, with a capital L, that Ochako had seen in a while. She sighed, pinching her brow, as Ochako's Mom just rolled her eyes indulgently. Her dad and Toshinori were in the other room, but when they entered, they both just stared at the trio in consternation.

Inko shoved towels into their arms, forcing them into the showers one by one, as Toshinori explained the plan to go to UA and do some training with their shared Quirks, which…Ochako was actually pretty in favor of. She kind of wanted to test the other powers out, and to see what and how she did that weird black hole thing during the exam! Only problem was…Inko wanted them to eat breakfast. With her parents. And Izu and Himi and Toshi and in front of everyone she had to eat.

Every fiber of her being resisted the concept, the very idea. Which…was a bit weird, wasn't it? She knew she was fine, after all, and it's not like everyone else wasn't eating. Like, it should be fine, Inko had plenty, right? Toshinori even said he'd been supporting Izuku and if anyone had money it was the Number One Hero, so it was okay, the cost wasn't too bad then, right?

Yet her hand trembled when she tried to clasp her chopsticks, making them clack loudly against one another and causing her parents and Inko to look at her oddly for a moment, but she quickly shoved a smile on her face and got her hands under control, acting like it had been just a slip up. Clumsy, butterfingers Ochako, she's got quite a grip problem due to her Quirk, everyone knew that. She just smiled and joked it away, making sure no one else noticed as she hid one hand beneath the table and the other rubbing the back of her head, at least until she could get them to stop shaking.

She forced herself to down the food, just as she'd done before, but again it weighed oh so heavily on her. She felt sick. Her stomach roiled as if it was warning her it'd erupt and spill all her secrets, all her choices, all the sacrifices she made, and she had to struggle to keep it all contained. Himiko was the important one today, and Izuku clearly was struggling too. She needed to be strong for them, like she was for her parents, like she was every day back home as she worked her ass off to make it here. Her issues with food weren't important enough to dwell on.

Idly, she wondered if she'd feel better if she just excused herself and…removed…the food from her stomach. She'd already gotten something from it, right? That's how digestion worked, so it wouldn't be a big deal, and she'd feel less bloated and wide and heavy, right…no! No no, that's how people with disorders did stuff, she didn't have anything like that. She chose to eat less to save money, that's all, no other reason, nope. And, and she'd be fine once they were at UA, right? Food there was part of the room and board, and she got the scholarships she hoped so it wouldn't be a problem! She'd be fine then, money wouldn't be a problem and she'd be okay. Just a few more weeks assuming she made it in and she'd be okay.

Which led to what happened after breakfast, the food heavy and choking inside her, as they actually were on UA Campus, being led to a training ground by All Might himself. Even with how disgusted she felt with herself, she couldn't help but feel a smidge of excitement…although that might be Izuku's barely contained excitement bleeding over to her somehow. He was nearly shaking in his boots, the thought of training under not only All Might, but Nezu and whatever other hero would be there had him nearly ready to vibrate out of existence.

She shared an indulgent smile with Himiko, feeling nostalgia wash over her and briefly pull her out of her food-focused mentality. Even when they were little, pro heroes got Izuku so riled up that Ochako and Himiko couldn't help but mirror his excitement at times. Ochako wanted to be a hero to help her parents…Himiko wanted to be a hero for those who were 'different', as she put it. But Izuku? He just wanted to help people, and Ochako had always admired him for that.

Although something was very different about him. Granted, she expected change…she changed a lot too. But it wasn't just in how he looked…sure, he grew up, and even though his clothes were generally baggy she got to see that he was in good shape when they were playing in the surf no she wasn't checking him out why are you asking but he was…it was like he was two people. When they first ran into him, he was the slightly stuttery, nervous, prone to crying boy she remembered from her childhood. But he seemed to have two other modes too now.

One, how he was acting when she ran into the room and saw him holding Himiko. It was like all his shyness and anxiety vanished, and in its place was a young man who was just…ready to do whatever it took to help the blonde. And then the other…that overly apologetic, fearful, nearly breaking down sight she saw when he was apologizing for 'forcing' his Quirk on them. He didn't stay in either of those modes for long, but…she noticed. She always noticed things about people after all, her childhood friend was no exception.

Her musings were cut short as the trio were ushered through a large, open gate, into what looked like a mock city not unlike the entrance exam. Standing before them was a hero all three of them recognized as Nezu, UA University's President, and beside him, a tall, black-haired scraggly looking man with tired eyes and a mug of what she assumed was coffee (although she could smell it from there and had to wonder if this man drank the same atomic sludge her mother did).

"Welcome new students! Am I a dog, a mouse, or a bear? Well, I'm the President of UA university! Welcome to your future school!" the one recognizable hero exclaimed, his one hand high in the air in greeting.

"Wait…we passed?" Izuku asked, eyes wide.

Nezu turned to look at Toshinori. "You didn't tell them?"

Toshinori shrugged. "I assumed you'd prefer to talk to them about it."

"Good assumption. We have to go over their scores anyways," the tired looking man said with a drawl. He cast an appraising eye over the trio before him. "I'm Shouta Aizawa. I'll be your homeroom teacher this year. As part of our normal process, I'd pull each of you into my office after the first day to go over your entrance exam results and explain the scoring. Since you're here, it's only rational to do it now instead, and I get to save myself time on the first day with your classmates. So we'll go over that and then start working on your Quirks…plural."

Ochako flushed slightly at the reminder. She hadn't really thought a ton about it, but the fact she had multiple Quirks now was going to likely cause issues. Especially with how obvious it was now, with the whole eyes, fangs, and her Quirk's finger beans. All they needed was a pair of cat ears and a tail and they'd be some fantasy catfolk creature although the other two with those would look really cute.

Aizawa continued. "Let's get this over with. You three swept the top three spots by a pretty significant margin. That's because we provide two types of points. Villain points, which you knew about, and Rescue points, which you gain from heroic actions unrelated to combat. Taking out the zero pointers in defense of the students around you netted a hefty amount of Rescue points, as well as the various heroic actions you each performed over the course of the exam."

He held up a tablet that he'd had at his side, showing the three short clips of various times they had stepped in to help other students up, push them out of the way of a strike from a villain bot, or blocking blows. Ochako pursed her lips as she saw how many times Izuku blocked strikes using his own body as a shield, but decided not to say anything right then..she'd confront him later about being so reckless.

"However, after we get your full total, we begin to deduct points for various demerits. An example is if you are reckless with your Quirk use when destroying a bot and put another examinee in danger or harm them, even a small amount, you will lose points. None of you lost points for that, as all three of you were judicious in your attacks. However, you did lose Rescue points for how you went about your rescue solutions." Aizawa took a moment to narrow his eyes at the trio, but Ochako noted how he seemed to laser focus on Izuku more than her or Himiko.

"Self-sacrifice is a fact of our job as pro heroes. There may come a time where you must let yourself be hurt for the sake of another. But it should never be your first solution…only a last resort. Because a dead hero saves no one. All three of you were reckless with your own safety during the exam, but you more than the other two, Midoriya. Let me make this clear: In my classes, that will not be acceptable. I expect you to do your best to protect others while keeping yourself safe. Am I understood?" Aizawa scanned over the trio, Ochako nodding along as Himiko offered a thumbs up. Izuku sheepishly nodded, looking down at the ground with an expression of shame on his face.

Aizawa sighed, stepping forward and putting his hand on Izuku's shoulder, making the teenager start and look up at him. The teacher made sure to meet Izuku's gaze, and then turned it to the other two girls, locking eyes with each of them in turn. "I'm not being a hardass for the fun of it. I want you to graduate and become the best hero you can, and you can only do that if you graduate healthy and with a good mindset. I've yet to see one of my students' names in the obituaries, and I'd like to keep it that way."

Izuku looked contemplative for a moment, before nodding along as if he understood what the teacher was saying. Ochako got it. He was being strict because he wanted them safe, which made sense. But that was okay, she'd make sure Izuku wasn't being an idiot out there! And Himiko too, if she started being dumb like that.

Aizawa took a step back and nodded, tapping on his tablet quickly. "That all said, here's your results." He flipped the tablet around, showing a listing of what seemed to be the top ten scorers in the list. Ochako quickly scanned the list from the bottom, expecting her name to be lower. She kept going up, passing name after name…not seeing any familiar names until she reached 3rd.

3rd: Himiko Toga:

Villain Points:43

Rescue Points:80

Gross Score: 123

Net Score: 79

2nd: Izuku Midoriya:

Villain Points: 38

Rescue Points: 95

Gross Score: 133

Net Score: 82

1st: Ochako Uraraka:

Villain Points: 41

Rescue Points: 85

Gross Score: 126

Net Score: 83

"...I-I got first?" Ochako asked, her voice shaking as she stared at the scoreboard, eyes wide.

"Congratulations 'Chako!" Himiko shouted, her excitement over the news shoving the gloom she'd been feeling all day in the background. She leapt over and nearly tackled Ochako in a hug, her arms squeezing the brunette's neck tightly. She looked over at Izuku, worried he'd be upset he got a higher total score than her but she got the better placement, but he was looking at her with so much pride and joy she felt herself flush in embarrassment.

"I always knew you'd be amazing, 'Chako," Izuku said, his smile wide and brilliant.

"You did g-great too!" she protested, wanting him to celebrate his own achievement as well.

"All three of you did great. You beat my score, in fact, haha!" Toshinori said, hands on his hips as he smiled wide. The trio stared at him in consternation, the blonde shrugged sheepishly. "I lost a lot of points to collateral damage heh."

"So…we're accepted?" Izuku asked nervously, as if he required that affirmation.

"That you are, young Izuku!" Toshinori exclaimed, his smile wide. After a moment, it softened a bit as he continued to speak. "That does lead into what we'd like to do, going forward." Ochako was…confused, by the way he sounded, but turned her gaze to the President as he stepped forward and raised his…hand? Paw? She wasn't sure what to call it, but he wanted their attention.

"Yes, after discussion with Toshinori on your situations, both living and Quirk, we wished to extend an offer. Your school years are, for all intents and purposes, over. You have two weeks left but already finished your final exams and have no work left, based on what I read in your school reports. UA normally does not start for another month and a half, but, the dorms are already cleaned out and prepared for move in, so, we'd like to have the three of you move in now, thus giving us plenty of time to train and practice with your now shared Quirks and learn the extent of your abilities in a safe environment!" Nezu beamed at them.

"I already spoke to Inko and your parents, young Ochako," Toshinori assured. "They understand and also agree this is probably the best path forward. Your school records are already done, and graduation is but a formality for you three, so we can get that handled behind the scenes." No one said it, but Ochako and Izuku both were side-eying Himiko, knowing what it was the adults were not directly saying. Himiko just stood there, blank-faced, keeping her composure. Ochako set her jaw, swallowing thickly as she shuffled closer to Himiko, pressing her shoulder against the blonde to show her support. She felt the gentlest press back, pressing down on her own smile at Himiko's returned affection, before speaking.

"I'd be okay with it," she said, willing to speak first.

"Yeah, that's fine with me too," Izuku added.

After a brief moment, Himiko cleared her throat. "Y-yeah. I can do that too."

Nezu clapped his paws(?) together. "Excellent! Then let us begin working on your Quirks! I am led to believe you've done some preliminary analysis on them, Midoriya?"

Izuku jolted for a moment, before nodding, pulling a notebook out from wherever he hid them (years later Ochako still didn't know how he did that. Quirkless her ass, he clearly could summon notebooks from hammerspace or something). He flipped it open and began to flip through pages quickly. "Um, so I have my notes from when we were kids, I've added them all here, but I know Chako and Himi both said their Quirks got better since then. Since we got the um, sharing thing, I've not touched Transform because Himi said not to yet, but I've used Zero Gravity a couple times on accident-"

"Wait, accident? Aren't you wearing the gloves I gave you?" Ochako interrupted, narrowing her eyes at him.

He scrunched his shoulders up in protest. "W-well yeah, but I can't exactly wear them in the shower can I?!" After his statement rang in the air for a moment, Ochako felt her cheeks flush, noticing his face go red too as he turned away from her at what he said aloud. Himiko let out an indelicate snort, covering her face with her hand to try and cut off her giggles at how embarrassed Izuku suddenly got. Ochako hunched in on herself, feeling flustered by having forced him to say that aloud.

"Your teenage drama is irrational. Let's focus on the important part here. So far, none of you have done much experimenting, correct?" Aizawa interjected, his eyes narrowed.

Izuku cleared his throat and nodded rapidly. "Yes sir. Um, we made sure they could both use One For All safely, but that's it."

"Fine. Let's start there." Aizawa pulled up his tablet and tapped on it once more, reading over whatever was on screen. "Based on what you told Yagi, none of you can wield the full strength of One For All. And with it split, you all have your own 'pools' of its strength, correct?" Izuku nodded in confirmation. "Now you say you can picture it in percentages, and the higher you go the more it begins to hurt. What are your current caps?"

"Um, I can go up to 19% before it starts to be hard to move," Izuku said.

"15% for me," Ochako added.

"14% here," Himiko said.

Aizawa nodded. "Makes sense. Midoriya trained specifically for this Quirk and focused on muscle gain, while you two trained for your own Quirks. Fine. Show me your maximums."

Izuku nodded, clenching his fists as red began to bleed through his veins, green lightning sparking over his skin. His hair lifted slightly, sparks of green passing between strands of his hair as his eyes glowed an unnatural green. Izuku grinned. "Full Cowling! Cool name, isn't it?" he announced, with a bit of pride in his tone. Aizawa took a tiny step back, his eyes narrowing further.

Ochako took a deep breath, focusing in on herself the way Izuku had taught her. Reaching down deep, she pulled the power stored within her to the surface, the light around her body dimming slightly as white and pink lights began to sparkle and shimmer over her skin. She took a moment to brush her hair out of her eyes and smirked at Izuku. "Nah, Galactic Shroud is better!" Izuku pouted playfully at her as she giggled. Aizawa's eye twitched, but she barely noticed as she turned to look at Himiko.

Himiko's fists clenched in a mirror to hers and Izuku's, golden strands of light lifting off her skin and surrounding her in a nimbus of amber energy. Blood-red streaks began to slip between the lights, entwining with them and making Himiko blur slightly. Himiko rolled her shoulders and stretched, one hand reaching up to the sky as she leaned back. "I was thinking I'd go with Sanguine Cloak. What do you guys think?"

Ochako opened her mouth to reply, but she was startled out of her thoughts when she felt the Quirk suddenly vanish from her, Himiko and Izuku letting out startled shouts as they also depowered suddenly. She turned her head to see Aizawa, his hair lifted and eyes blood-red, staring at the trio of them, now an entire step back from where he had been before. She blinked, confused, noticing Nezu was now also a few steps back, and the fur on the back of his neck was lifted up. The only one who seemed 'fine', was Toshinori, the pro standing there with a nervous smile on his face.

"Wait…you're Eraserhead?!" Izuku exclaimed, completely ignoring the fact their Quirks vanished in his sudden excitement as he pointed at Aizawa. The older man sighed, his eyes dimming once more and his hair falling back down.

"Yes. I am," he replied. Not letting Izuku go off on what Ochako knew would be one of his sudden hero mumbles, he continued. "My Quirk is called Erasure. It lets me disable most Quirks. I activated it on instinct…and I'd like to know why I did, Yagi," Aizawa's words were growled at the end, turning to glare at the blonde hero.

Toshinori chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well…you see, I've always been told that One For All is a bit…terrifying, to others. It's why I try to always be cheerful and smiling, to offset the feeling. We never were sure why, but it seems to activate the fight or flight instinct in most people. At the lower percentages they were using it, it normally wouldn't, but since three of them were active at once, well…," Toshinori trailed off, gesturing towards Aizawa and Nezu as an explanation.

"Hmm, yes. I was quite used to the sensation of you going to higher tiers of strength, but this was novel. I believe that all three active at once caused an exponential increase in the 'fear' factor, as it were," Nezu mused.

Aizawa rolled his eyes. "Great. So if all three light up, my class is going to panic. Perfect. Well, they'll need to get over it. Exposure to it over time should mitigate the effect, yes?"

Toshinori nodded. "Yes, those closest to me started to ignore it over time, and if you have a cheerful attitude, people tend to dismiss it as something else either way!"

Aizawa sighed, turning back to the trio as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Let's see how well you work with Zero Gravity now, and then we'll do Transform. Let's see what Midoriya and Toga can do, then we'll move to see the improvements for you, Uraraka." The trio shared a glance, before nodding…time to learn what they could and couldn't do.

It appeared that Izuku and Himiko both gained Ochako's normal Zero Gravity, as well as the 'improvement' she noticed where she could 'add' gravity to something touched, causing it collapse in on itself or at the very least, hold someone down if they were very careful in how much they applied. However, Ochako's new 'Singularity' ability, as she named the ability she used to bring down the Zero Pointer, was something they could not reproduce, and it turned out she could chain her Quirk through objects touched from one she had the power active on.

But when it came to Transform, it was…a bit of a struggle. Himiko was not keen on talking too much about it, but with gentle coaxing from Ochako and Izuku, she explained how it worked as far as she knew. Unlike with Ochako, they chose to test her changes first…and it began with seeing if she could use other peoples Quirk's. The short answer was yes, once she activated Aizawa's Erasure with the blood he had carried in a vial to the testing facility. The long answer was more complex, because she ended up accidentally activating it before she even changed shape.

More tests concluded she could temporarily mirror Quirks, with a time limit based on how much of that person's blood she had in her, and she didn't need to change to use them unless it was a mutation or heteromorphic Quirk of some kind. However, neither Izuku nor Ochako could use Aizawa's Quirk…but they were able to use Inko's, as Toshinori had brought her blood along as well.

Testing the blood of the other teachers at UA revealed the same results. Himiko could duplicate the Quirks, but Izuku and Ochako seemed limited solely to Inko's. Nezu postulated this may have something to do with the relationship they had with her…the closer connection allowed them to use hers, while Himiko, being the originator of Transform, could access any Quirk she had the blood for. Izuku was nearly bursting with excitement at the thought of testing it out further, but for now, they needed to test the actual shapeshifting.

Ochako and Izuku both chose to change into Himiko at first…a combination of wanting to change to someone familiar, as well as it would last the longest as her blood was the one they'd used the most. It worked perfectly, although neither of them were very good at acting like Himiko…Ochako got far too into it, breaking into giggles as she tried to mirror Himiko, the blonde cracking a grin and laughing with her. Izuku on the other hand, he seemed to feel a bit…out of place. The expression on his transformed face was weird, to Ochako, who was familiar with all of Himiko's looks. He looked like he was confused, and she vowed she'd ask him about it later.

Ochako and Himiko tried shifting into Izuku next, and Ochako was struck by the realization that, oh, the shapeshifting meant everything changed, but also, she didn't really feel off about it. Something to talk to Izuku about later, she supposed. It was weird though…her arms and chest kinda stung, for some reason, but she didn't want to just go around feeling up his body while changed into him. That'd be way too awkward. Maybe he had some sore muscles from when she drank his blood or something. Something else to ask later.

Still, it was kind of cool to have his muscles. She felt like she could run for ten kilometers without breaking a sweat! She decided to try and make Izuku laugh like she had Himiko, hamming up a fake Izuku performance where she started prancing about, acting like All Might. Izuku looked embarrassed for a split second, before her giggles seemed to infect him and he started laughing at her, Himiko now mirroring Ochako as well.

Finally they tried turning into her, and this was where they found one more caveat for Transform. While they were in her body, it appeared like they could mirror her Zero Gravity ability to affect a radius around them. Izuku realized this by accident, as he was back to looking off put by the change…not like he was disturbed, but like something didn't make sense, but during his confusion, he accidentally activated it. Which Himiko then mirrored a moment later.

And so, they tried another round of changes…while in Himiko's body, they could mirror any Quirk now, and while in Izuku's, they both found they had access to the higher percentage of power he could use. Izuku was nearly catatonic from the overflow of information, muttering under his breath rapidly about the ways they could utilize such a series of powerful Quirks, while Nezu chuckled gleefully under his breath. Ochako was treated to the strange sight of the President of UA University clambering up onto Aizawa's shoulder and sitting in his weird scarf, still chuckling, as Aizawa's eye twitched.

Toshinori just looked proud…not just of Izuku, but her and Himiko too. He was effusive in his praise, making Ochako flush at the random compliments. Izuku was his successor, not her, she just got lucky she got this special power now. But she kept her mouth shut…by now, she'd figured out Toshinori would try to reassure her or something, and she didn't need that. If anyone did, it was Izuku, or Himiko…Himiko because her parents were twats who she planned on punting to the sun if she encountered them again, and Izuku because he kept being so damned self-deprecating. Something else she was going to have to address.

Ochako's mental notes set, she nodded to herself. She added a second long-term goal now. Make Izuku and Himiko happy. For her short-term follow ups, she just needed to keep an eye on them and help them push past their clear self-esteem issues. Himiko's Quirk was beautiful and her parents were stupid not to see that, and Izuku was always more than just his Quirklessness, he just never realized that. She could do this, she could fix them. Like her parents taught her, you gotta build up from below.

She winced internally as her stomach tensed, feeling a bit queasy, but she set it aside as unimportant. They knew how the Quirks worked, they were gonna move into the dorms in a few days, and train all the way up to class. She could do this. They could do this. Just had to buckle down and focus. Her goals were now in reach, and nothing was gonna stop her from succeeding. Nothing.

Chapter Text

Moving into the dorms was both one of the easiest things Izuku had done and the hardest. Easy, because between One For All, Zero Gravity, and his own now rather fit form, he had no issues moving any of the boxes he was taking to the dorms (no it wasn't all merch, shut up Mom). Hard because they found out something else about the shared Quirks…and he felt awful about it.

When Ochako had left to her home to pack up and start moving her own things, everything was fine at first. Himiko didn't have much to her name, so she was busy helping Izuku pack his things up as well, but the longer Ochako was gone, the more and more…off, Izuku felt. He could see in the corner of his eye that Himiko was feeling the same. They got more lethargic, more snippy…and more easily annoyed.

Which led to him snapping at his mom when she came in to check on him. He nearly snarled at her, teeth bared, eyes slitted (or so he was told), and after the brief moment of shock on her face processed in his mind he felt absolute horror at what he had done. Himiko had the same expression on her face, completely aghast at his sudden rage, and Izuku broke down into teary apologies within a single moment.

Inko had grabbed onto him and hugged him tight, telling him she wasn't mad and that was partly why she was coming to check in on them. She'd just received a call from the Uraraka's, where they mentioned how sullen Ochako had gotten once they'd been a few hours away…to the point she also snapped randomly, screaming at her father for a moment before she seemed to come to her senses. With the weirdness of the Quirk in question, it took little time to realize that when the trio were too far apart, they would get more…bitter, for lack of a better word. Himiko explained it the best, saying she felt gray and lifeless, but not until Ochako had been gone for a while. Which coincided with when she had gotten far enough away on the train back home.

They didn't have time to test the full distance before moving in, but it was a noticeable difference when Ochako came back in range. Even knowing the cause of their feelings didn't let them ignore them, and they remained rather surly and snapping with everyone but each other, even though they tried to keep it under wraps. But at a certain point, while they were angrily lugging Izuku's luggage to the dorm…they suddenly felt lighter, as if all their anger and annoyance had just vanished into the aether.

Which led to another phone call with Inko and Miu, and the two confirmed Ochako was now on the train to them, but still a good twenty to thirty minutes away. Still not an exact distance, but enough that they could clearly be somewhat separated and still function…just not too far. Still, it was a huge relief for her to be back in range, and Izuku and Himiko breathed a sigh of relief as they now could unpack without that dark haze hanging over their minds.

Aizawa had let them into the dorm and told them they could pick whichever one they wanted. They were adults and could manage whatever, dorms were dorms, the teenagers could handle themselves. So they chose three rooms, side by side, on the top floor. For some reason they all felt more comfortable higher up (Izuku theorized this also had something to do with Himiko's cat mutation, but he wasn't sure yet). Izuku took the one closest to the elevator, Ochako was going to take the middle one, and Himiko the one next to hers. Not that Himiko had anything to really unpack.

Or so she hadn't…until Toshinori arrived and pulled the two downstairs, choosing not to comment on Izuku's slowly growing hero shrine in his bedroom that heavily featured his merchandise. He spoke to them for a bit, saying he had something to tell them both and Ochako once she arrived, and when she did he quickly intercepted her to make her sit on the couch before him. Her parents had not been able to make it, but she'd been able to bring her belongings to UA by herself thanks to Zero Gravity and One For All. As soon as Toshinori had the trio sitting on the couch before them, he stood up straight and planted his fists on his hips.

"Well my young successors, it is time to handle one more thing before your move-in is finished!" he said with a wide grin. Izuku blinked, confused, as Himiko tilted her head to the side in question. Toshinori's wide smile softened slightly, shifting from number one hero to a more parental gaze as he spoke softly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a trio of small cards, holding them out to Izuku. "I already know you will protest this, but please, for once, don't. I've set aside some money for each of you to take care of yourselves. I know you're doing alright financially, Izuku, but it is still a strain on your mother without the scholarships you got, and those can vanish at any time if someone is feeling prickly. And well, we may not want to speak of it, but Himiko has nothing. And Ochako, we know about your situation as well. So this is what I intend on doing to help rectify it."

He could see the trio all gathering steam to refuse him, but he cut them off, well prepared. "Stop. Let me finish. Set aside your pride and hear me out. Izuku, you are my chosen successor. I am by any and all accounts invested in your success. You are my hope for the future. And through a series of circumstances, now these two young ladies are also my successors. Which means I am also invested in you," Toshinori pointed at Himiko and then Ochako, narrowing his eyes. "I want you to succeed. I want you to do your best. Setting that aside, I actually do care. I'm not a hero for fame or fortune, after all. I want to help people. And finally…it is literally a drop in the bucket. I don't use my money. More than eighty percent of it goes to charities and I still have yet to ever bother checking my bank accounts."

He let his shoulders slump and took a seat on the chair across from the trio. "I didn't hand you millions of yen, mind you. This is money to help you make your dorms more comfortable, to buy supplies for food and drink as you continue, to cover whatever expenses you need, and maybe to go out and actually be teenagers and have fun. Consider it my investment in your future. Or if you must, your wages from working for me, because by being my successors it's a similar thing!"

"...it's really not, Toshi," Izuku replied, refusing to meet the older man's gaze.

Toshinori sighed. "Maybe not, but I am just trying to impress upon you three that this is not a handout. This is me helping my successors. If you were in my position, would you not do the same?"

Silence reigned over the room as the three realized they didn't have much of an argument against that argument…except Izuku. "But um…I mean, for Himi and Chako that makes sense, b-but you already gave me so much with my Quirk and-"

"If you say one more time that I've given you too much I swear I'll…well, I wouldn't want to upset you so I won't yell but I will be very disappointed and I have been told I do an excellent disappointed dad impression!" Toshinori replied, a cheeky grin on his face as he tried to cheer up Izuku before the boy went off into another one of his self-flagellating tangents. He needn't have worried, not when the girls were there.

"Izu…stop that," Ochako sighed. She was just so damned tired she couldn't even muster the energy to argue with Toshinori about this, so she didn't bother, just slumping over until her head was resting on Izuku's shoulder, the green-haired teen shifting slightly so she could get in a more comfortable position. She was not okay with a handout and she still did not like the idea, but she had a sneaking suspicion that if any one of them refused to take it, the others would too, and Himiko clearly needed some support. She'd be fine, she managed before, but Himiko…

"Are you…tracking this?" Izuku asked, staring at the card still in Toshinori's hand.

Toshinori shook his head. "Nope. It's a gift. You choose what to do with it. I already trusted you with my deepest secrets and the source of my power…I trust you to use this for your benefit. However!" he held up one finger to draw emphasis to what he had to say next, "I want your word you use this not just for essentials, but also to actually enjoy yourselves. Go out to eat, play games, go to movies, etcetera. Even buy some merch…but don't waste it all on that, Izuku." Toshinori's grin was wide as Izuku flushed at the reminder.

"Toshinori, I really think this is unnecessary," Himiko began, but was cut off once more by the older man's deep sigh.

"Himiko, Izuku, Ochako. Please, please just let me do this much for you. I know each of you has your own problems that you're keeping close to the chest. And one final thing…this is the most manipulative thing I will say to you, but I also know it will work." Toshinori paused, making sure to meet each of their eyes one by one, narrowing his own. "...think about what you could get each other with some extra spending cash."

"That is cheating, Toshinori," Ochako growled, glaring at the hero.

"Sometimes heroes must resort to underhanded tricks to win the day!" he replied with bravado.

"...Stupid smart heroes," Himiko muttered, glaring down at the floor.

Toshinori couldn't help but grin. "I knew that'd work."

"I agree with 'Chako. That's cheating," Izuku sighed.

"And it worked, didn't it?" The quality of silence he got in response made him chuckle. Once more, he held the cards out, and grudgingly, his three successors took them. "Excellent! With that handled…let's go to the mall. I know you don't need anything Izuku, but Himiko needs more clothing, and let's get some nice furnishings for your dorms! You want to feel at home after all!"

"...we're not getting out of this, are we?" Ochako deadpanned.

"Nope!"

'Dammit,' three teenagers thought in their mind.

Izuku let out a sigh of relief as he closed the door to his dorm. Shopping with Toshinori was…an experience. One he did not intend on repeating. Izuku knew he wasn't exactly up to trend with fashion and color coordination and all that, but Toshinori was atrocious at it. And it turned out Ochako wasn't much better than Izuku was. She didn't say much about why, but she said they had better things to spend money on than fancy clothes.

So the entire trip ended up being Himiko having to show them what clothes actually looked halfway decent on them. Not that Izuku felt like he needed any, but apparently his childhood friends didn't think his joke t-shirts were as funny as he did no he wasn't salty about that at all. Ochako said she didn't need more clothes either, but Himiko said if she was being forced to shop, they had to join her so she didn't feel awkward so…there it went.

And then the furniture. Once again, no one could rely on Toshinori to pick something out that actually looked good, so it came down to the trio picking things they liked. Izuku got to skip this, since he did have a nice desk from home along with plenty of merchandise, but Himiko needed a full kit and Ochako, though she protested, also needed a lot more in her room. Which worked out, because they managed to convince her to get a real big, nice, comfortable bed they could all sit on when hanging out. Since her room was in the middle, they'd already silently agreed her room would be their hangout spot. (Also a little bit because Izuku's merchandise was a bit much, and Himiko, once she found the plushie shop, may have gone a bit overboard on plushies.)

But now, he was alone, late at night and about ready for bed…or so he told the girls. There was something he needed to check on, and he didn't feel comfortable talking to them about it, at least…not yet. He stood in front of the mirror that hung on the back of his closet, just standing in his underwear as he stared at himself for a moment. Thanks to the work he'd put in with Toshinori, he was fairly fit. Honestly, he was a little bit proud of it, but he didn't think he could ever admit that out loud. He ignored the scars littering his torso, the starburst burns on his shoulders and chest, the ones he knew were on his back, mostly just focused on…him.

And that was the crux of the matter, wasn't it? When he'd turned into the girls, he'd been…confused. He expected to feel awkward, but he didn't. Part of him figured this must be a side-effect of Transform, since neither Himiko nor Ochako seemed bothered by turning into him or any of the teachers, but it got him wondering about how it…didn't bother him? But it also didn't make him feel better.

He knew about trans people, of course he did. There were transgender heroes, like Tiger, who he'd always admired for his great rescue work with the Pussycats. But he dismissed that thought pretty quickly. He didn't feel like he was a girl; the problem was he didn't feel like he was a boy either. He thought about it after he had been training with Transform and for some reason, he just…didn't even know what it meant to feel like one gender or the other. It didn't make sense.

He'd never cared much for gender roles or clothing, to be fair. Skirts looked like fun, if he was being honest, but he didn't overly care. He liked simple clothing, so he tended to stick to shorts and t-shirts, but he didn't overly care about what clothing was considered masculine or feminine. The more he thought about it, he wondered if he'd ever even considered the difference. It never meant much to him, the whole gender thing, and he'd always just thought that was how everyone felt, but now, he wasn't so sure.

Which led to him needing to do this test, alone, in his room. Transform had been changed by One For All, and now he wanted to test and see if it had changed in a way he'd thought it might. He took a deep breath and pulled his wrist up to his mouth, nipping at it with his teeth to rip a hole in it. He sucked up the blood, wincing as he realized that his own blood did not taste great, but he wanted to test something…and activated Transform, with a very specific mental image in his head. If he was right about what Transform could do when under the influence of One For All…

The gray sludge he was used to seeing when Transform ended quickly seemed to wrap itself about him, and as he watched in the mirror, it became him…but more of a her. His face softened, his hair lengthened, shoulders and hips rounded. His chest became more pronounced and he could feel the other changes taking hold, changing him into…well, a female version of himself. Part of him was elated that his experiment worked! He could change shape into alternate variations of himself! But that was only part of him…the other part felt differently.

To his frustration, it felt exactly the fucking same. This didn't make sense! Maybe Transform stopped dysphoria, but he still didn't get why it didn't have some effect! He should care, shouldn't he? With an annoyed huff, he dropped the transformation, ignoring the sludge as it pooled onto the floor, knowing it would dissipate in mere moments. He slumped into his desk and decided research was needed. He wasn't transgender, he was pretty sure of that at this point, but he didn't feel like he matched his birth gender either! So…he'd ask the internet and see what it said. A few links in, he saw a number of comments about people not feeling like a man or a woman, and he clicked into them for more information, reading further down the page and…

Oh.

Chapter Text

"So…you um…you learned something about yourself last night?" Ochako asked, just making sure she understood correctly.

Izuku nodded, rubbing the back of his, no, their head. "I-I think so? I'm not really sure though. It's all brand new a-and I don't know how I feel yet but it also…feels right? Sort of? I don't really know for sure."

"Well, we still got time before anyone else joins us in the dorms, right? So um…we can just…try it out? And you can change your mind at any time?" Ochako offered. It wasn't something she was fully familiar with, but Izuku wouldn't be the first person she knew who felt like they weren't the gender they were at birth, so it wasn't that difficult to translate in her head. She turned to look at Himiko, the blonde teen having been very quiet the entire time. She could almost feel Izuku's nervousness at how little Himiko had said, ever since Izuku had sat them down and tried to explain what they had learned last night.

Of course, neither Ochako nor Izuku was prepared to see Himiko pouting, her arms crossed over her chest and brow furrowed as she glared at Izuku. Izuku gulped, worry visible on their face as they shrunk in on themselves. "...i-is that a bad thing, Himi?"

Himiko looked stricken for a moment, as if Izuku had struck her before her eyes went wide as she realized what her expression might imply. She quickly shook her head in negation. "No, of course not! I'm just a bit…well, upset isn't the right word, but like, annoyed at myself? Because you figured something out about my Quirk that I didn't even think of!"

"I mean, I think it really only works because of One For All's influence, to be fair, we tried when you were little and it didn't, but I thought that with the enhancements…" Izuku trailed off, gesturing helplessly at the air.

"Still! It's like…you were having a crisis and still figured out something new! I just…sometimes I'm jealous of your brain, Izu," Himiko said, offering a wide smile to show she wasn't actually upset.

Izuku chuckled, feeling slightly better about their current confusion. Huh. Their. Thinking about themselves that way…kinda felt good. Even if they still weren't sure what the right term to use was. They were interrupted by Himiko turning to fully face them, her hands in her lap.

"So…you want us to use they/them for you, then?" She asked, just to confirm. Izuku nodded hesitantly. It was so new they weren't entirely sure, but…they felt like they could trust Ochako and Himiko with this, as a sort of trial run. Himiko nodded in return. "Okay. So like…you got a term you feel too? Or is it like, still unsure?"

Izuku shrugged. "I'm still not sure if non-binary or agender fits better, or even if it's one of those? I um, looked up a lot of stuff but still haven't really nailed down how I feel about it yet. I just wanna try this out, if that's okay?"

"Of course!" the girls chorused, nodding vigorously. Izuku flushed at how well they took it, but couldn't help but feel a bit elated at how easily it went over.

Izuku swallowed thickly. "For now, can we um…keep it between us? I know Mom'd be fine with it, but like, since I'm not sure yet I don't wanna tell her yet? A-And I think Toshinori would, but same reason, you know?"

"We won't tell a soul till you tell us to, right Himi?" Ochako said, looking at Himiko for confirmation.

"Course not! It's just between us, until you're ready or make a different decision or something!" Himiko said. Izuku breathed out a sigh of relief. Only to have to leap back in their seat with a startled squeak as Himiko shoved her finger in the green-haired teens face. "But now that that's settled, you're gonna show me how you did that whole self-transformation thing!"

"...right."

For all of Izuku's worries, not only was the whole switch to they/them seamless amongst the trio, it genuinely felt right. Izuku still wasn't sure what term fit them, but for now they went with non-binary since it seemed simple enough. And it was going so well…they chose to come out to their mom. Which went really well, Inko accepting it without argument. Emboldened, they'd followed the same pattern…Toshinori, who simply clapped them on the shoulder and proclaimed as long as they were happy, he was. Aizawa, who shrugged and made a note on their class sheet about the altered pronouns. The other teachers they'd run across (Midnight, Cementoss, Present Mic), each one adjusting without issue.

Izuku…really appreciated that. Not that they expected anyone to be too terrible about it, society was pretty good about those things in today's day and age, but…they couldn't forget how society treated Quirklessness, so they weren't exactly keen on finding out how well they handled this. At least their school seemed supportive, and they'd been informed by Toshinori that the school had a strict no intolerance policy around anything of the sort, so they had no reason to be worried.

But things weren't all sunshine and roses for them, much less Himiko or Ochako. Quirk training was going great. They kept getting stronger and stronger, each of them expected to breach twenty percent by the time classes started, and Izuku was likely going to be nearly at 25. Six weeks of intense training with experts really seemed to be working out for them.

But for some reason, at night, all those feelings Izuku would shove down into a safe and lock away, all those clawing, choking feelings of inadequacy and disappointment, would rear their ugly heads and rip and tear at them from the inside. Some nights they barely slept at all, their skin tingling, their head pounding, tears flooding silently from their eyes as they tried desperately to keep quiet so the girls wouldn't notice.

Sometimes their stomach ached, feelings of guilt and shame that felt unfamiliar tearing through them. Sometimes it was a desperate self-loathing, the word 'monster' repeating in their head. Sometimes Izuku would want to reach for their blades and barely be able to resist, hating that they were even there, but they hadn't been able to leave them behind.

Maybe the girls weren't taking it as well as Izuku thought either. Four weeks in, they'd found themselves standing outside Ochako's doom room door, desperate to just…feel something other than the pain, only to be surprised by Himiko's door creeping open and her amber eyes meeting theirs in the dark, confusion and pain evident.

The door to Ochako's room slid open, the brunette staring at the two before her, eyes red and puffy. The logical part of Izuku's brain was already adding things together, putting the pieces together one by one to notice how much more extreme they felt, how they could see their pain in their heart reflected in the eyes of the other two…but that part was drowned out by a desperate need to just be together.

They collapsed onto Ochako's bed in a tangle of limbs and clothes, the blanket pulled up as an afterthought as the trio snuggled in together. The pull was desperate, blinding, clinging and cloying, but the feeling of them in their arms had Izuku nearly sobbing in relief. Izuku curled around Ochako's form, their slightly taller body molding to her back as Ochako had pulled Himiko into her arms, the blonde wrapped up with her. Himiko's one hand had entangled Izuku's fingers, the other one trapped between the girl's bodies. Izuku's other arm was being desperately clung to by Ochako, as if she feared they'd vanish in the dark.

Izuku knew they had to discuss this in the morning. Something was very, very wrong. Even at their lowest, they rarely if ever felt this desperate, this needy, this hurt. And this pull, this need to be together, it was concerning and probably unhealthy…but right now they did not care. For the first time in weeks, they felt warmth flood into their body, into their bones, chasing away a chill they hadn't even realized was there. Considering the soft sighs they heard from Ochako, relief evident in her voice, and the gentle breathy purrs coming from Himiko, they could only assume the other two felt the same. It was a conversation for the morning…for now, Izuku would sleep, the first good sleep they'd gotten in weeks.

When Himiko woke in the morning, the first thing she felt was warm, and she felt herself purring as she curled into the soft warmth in front of her. She'd always felt a bit cold, and now this delicious warmth was right there. She never wanted to leave it. A weird sensation in her ear made her grumble though, like air blowing across it. She felt her ear twitch, and the annoyance was enough she grumpily opened one slitted eye to glare at what was causing it.

Which…was what? All she could see was fabric, gently sloped fabric…her mind finally catching up, she blinked open her eyes to realize she was curled into Ochako's chest, the brunette still asleep as far as Himiko could tell. She probably should feel awkward, since her face was practically buried in Ochako's chest, but honestly at this point she didn't care. Ochako was the one who pulled her in so, that was good enough for her. But dammit, that air that kept whistling into her ear periodically was getting really annoying.

She shimmied in place a bit, twisting herself to glance behind to see if Izuku was there, but…wait, no, they were on the other side of Ochako, their long-sleeve covered arm haphazardly tossed over Ochako's waist and resting on her side, her fingers entwined with theirs. The pressure of their hand felt nice, comforting, but if they were there and Ochako was in front of her, what was causing the air to hit her ear? She felt her ear twitch again at the sensation…only for it to occur to her that ears don't twitch.

She quickly untangled her hand from Izuku's and slid her fingers up the side of her head, expecting to find her ear and…not? But, she clearly could hear, and her ear was twitch…oh fuck no. She slid her hand up further and further, to the top of her skull and felt something fuzzy poking out of her hair. With a gentle tap, she felt the reverberation in her ear and panicked.

Leaping out of bed, she scurried over to the mirror Ochako had on her desk, feeling weirdly off-balance as she went. She ignored the grumbles from Izuku and Ochako, who reacted to her sudden response with annoyed groans, nearly skidding across the floor in front of the desk and staring at the mirror and "Oh…my…god," she breathed out.

"Himi? Waz wrong? C'mon back to bed," Ochako grumbled, patting at the bed with her eyes still closed.

Himiko spun about, eyes wide, and felt her gaze following the trail her hand had taken, up Ochako's face to the crown of her skull and…yep. Those were cat ears sticking out of the top of her hair. Her eyes trailed past the still half-asleep Ochako to see Izuku blinking blearily at her, green-furred ears atop their head. She noticed their eyes trailing up her head, the bleariness clearing a moment later as they seemed to spy the same thing she had. Izuku's jaw dropped, and they began to shake Ochako's shoulder.

"'M sleepin'!" she whined, trying to snuggle her head back into the pillow further.

"...you're gonna want to wake up for this, 'Chako," Izuku murmured, their hand tentatively tapping at Ochako's new cat ear. The brunette flinched, her face twisting at the odd sensation, blinking open annoyed eyes.

"What?" she growled, annoyed. Ochako was very much not a morning person, as Izuku and Himiko were aware, but this felt like something important.

Izuku smiled sheepishly, gesturing the top of their head and then back at Himiko, Ochako following their gesture one by one. It was almost comical, how she didn't seem to notice at first, before her gaze suddenly sharpened, sitting upright in bed and staring in jaw-dropped shock. After a moment, she swallowed thickly and reached up to the top of her head, patting at it until she located the ears. She shivered slightly at the sensation, turning to look at Himiko a second later. After a moment where she noticed the ears, her gaze drifted downward and she just…stared.

"...'Chako?" Himiko asked, now nervous as to why Ochako was staring at her…waist? Wordlessly, Ochako reached beneath the blankets and began patting around for something, her cheeks flushing a second later as she froze, apparently finding what she was looking for. With a visible gulp, she pulled the blankets off her, revealing a brown, furry…rope? Resting across her waist…which twitched, a moment later. Himiko's brain put two and two together, and she glanced down…seeing the golden furred tail now twitching by her feet.

Izuku hopped out of bed and began spinning about, looking over their shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of the dark-green furred tail that was now visibly poking out of their shorts. After a few futile twists, they seemed to realize how it looked and their shoulders slumped. "Okay. Um…that's…new," Izuku managed to get out.

"...we're actually cats now. We are actual cat people. What the fuck?" Ochako exclaimed, all traces of sleepiness gone as she fell back on the bed, covering her face with her gloved hands.

"...there's something else," Izuku began, drawing the attention of the two girls to them. "Last night, um…I realized that uh, maybe…well, you know how like, everything was just too much last night and it was very extreme?" Himiko nodded, having thought it was weirdly painful even for her own feelings but having dismissed it. She noticed Ochako shrugging helplessly in the bed, refusing to look up but still listening. Izuku cleared their throat. "Well, um…I think we might be sharing emotions too? Some of what I felt didn't feel like my feelings, if that makes sense?"

Himiko felt everything in her crashing down. This…this was all her fault, it was her dumb quirk that- "Himiko!" Ochako's voice snapped Himiko out of the spiral she had begun falling into, turning to see the unamused glare Ochako was giving her, followed by her turning that same glare to Izuku, the green-haired teenager looking as stricken as Himiko felt. "Izu's probably right, because what I just felt was not my feelings, that's for damn sure. And I don't think I know how to deal with this right now either, I'm all sorts of confused and twisted up, but I'm not going to sit here while you two wallow in self-pity and self-blame! I already know you're thinking those stupid thoughts about it being your fault, and Izu's doing the same, and I am sick of it!" her voice rose to a loud growl, barely below a scream, making both Himiko and Izuku flinch away from her for a moment as they could now feel the anger seeping through, now that they knew what was going on they could sense it.

Ochako took a deep, bracing breath, the anger simmering and slowly easing off. "Quirks are bullshit. We know this. We all chose to drink your blood, Himi. We were a buncha dumb kids, but we still chose to. And how was Izu supposed to know what One For All would do to it? How was anyone? It's a bunch of weird stuff at once and it's no one's fault and I hate when you two do this! It hurts me too, you know? Not because of me feeling what you feel, but because I don't like seeing you hurting!"

She slumped back in the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. "...I'm weirded out by all the changes, and I don't like feeling like my body isn't mine. I wanna get to the bottom of this. But that all said," she sat up once more and made sure to meet both Himiko and Izuku's eyes, "I don't really mind it. I-I like being close to you guys, like this, you know? And sharing Quirks is fun, and cool, and I feel super powerful with you guys beside me, you know? So yeah…some of it isn't great, and it's like, frustrating and weird at times, but…the rest of it is really cool to me. So like, let's just talk to the teachers and figure out what all's going on, okay?"

Silence filled the room for a moment, Ochako's stern expression shifting to one of worry as she thought she might have upset the other two…but those thoughts were thrown out of her mind as she felt herself being tackled back into the bed by Himiko, Izuku sitting down next to them a moment later and wrapping their arms around the other two. Izuku managed to speak, their voice thick with tears. "...thanks, 'Chako. You always know how to cut through the bullshit."

Himiko just nodded into Ochako's neck, her new cat ears rubbing against Ochako's face with a tickling, featherlight touch. Himiko did not realize what the brunette was planning on doing, until a moment later when tentative fingers brushed over the shell of her ear and making her melt into Ochako's arms. She felt boneless almost, as Ochako seemed to find her confidence, pressing more firmly, only to find herself losing all sense of worry when a new hand pressed against her other ear.

She felt the rumbling bubbling up out of her, a loud genuine purr echoing through the room and making both hands on her ears freeze for a brief moment, long enough for her brain to catch onto what was going on. With blood rushing to her face, she jolted upright and away from their hands, narrowing her eyes at her two friends. "Oh…you're gonna pay for that," she swore, seeing both of them staring at her with wide-eyed apprehension. She gave them no time to react, lunging forward and clapping her own hands on top of their heads, instantly rubbing at their ears and internally giggling at how she witnessed both of them melt into her hands like putty. Okay…this she could get used to.

"Alright. I am…95% certain these should be the last changes you go through," Recovery Girl announced as she read over the report sent back to them from a discrete Quirk research facility Nezu apparently owned. She flipped the page, scanning over the next one, nodding at it. "The researchers believe there is a chance of a further minor mutation, but it appears that it mostly reached the full possibility with Himiko's cat mutation. Anything further would be something like whiskers or claws. But you should remain without fur beyond what's on your ears and tails."

Ochako breathed a sigh of relief. For all her words in the morning, she still didn't really like being forcibly changed like this. Not that it didn't have its benefits, she mused, her cheeks going pink at the thought of how long the trio had ended up toying with one another's ears before actually going to speak to Toshinori. Her attention was dragged back to Recovery Girl, who was continuing to read from the report.

"Instincts will likely begin to filter into your actions though. Nothing overwhelming, they say it shouldn't override your sense of reason, but you may find yourselves feeling well…more like a cat. Things like seeking warmth, grooming behaviors, etcetera. Once again, you should keep your sense of reason just fine, but it will impact you subtly, or so the researchers believe," Recovery girl snapped the file shut, sliding it across the desk towards Izuku, as they seemed to be most interested in it.

"Problem children, the lot of you," Aizawa sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Sorry sir," Izuku said, dropping their head in shame.

Aizawa sighed again. "I don't blame any of you, it's clearly beyond your control. Quirks are bullshit. It'll be fine, Midoriya, don't beat yourself up over it. We have two more weeks before classes start. We'll work on training your fused Quirks and whatever instincts show up so you're prepared."

"...what if I keep notes on when one of those instincts shows up? M-maybe we can be better prepared if we know what they are?" Izuku offered, thinking aloud.

Aizawa nodded, looking slightly impressed. "Good thinking. Can you two do the same?" he asked, turning to glance at Himiko and Ochako.

Himiko scratched the back of her head. "I'll try, but I think some of them were um…already there for me? Since it's originally part of my Quirk."

"Good point. Just take note of anything out of the ordinary then. And you, Uraraka?"

"Can do, sir!" Ochako replied, nodding fervently. She sounded more confident than she felt…she never was the best at introspection, and she tended to live in the moment, but with Izuku and Himiko's help, she felt like she could keep up.

"Good. Take the day off training. It'll be good for you to get used to the changes. Yagi may come to check on you later, once he's back from his duties, but for now, we'll start training back up first thing tomorrow morning. Got it?"

The trio nodded along, excusing themselves as they started to walk back to the dorm. Walking was a bit weird now…the tail threw her balance off, but it also seemed to automatically correct it? It really seemed to have a mind of its own at times, and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Especially since they had to tailor their clothes to let the tails fit. Luckily, Ochako was pretty handy with needle and thread she had to fix her own clothes a lot and Izuku had an entire sewing kit in their room she still wondered why when they said they didn't really sew, so they'd been able to make do.

Nezu had apparently already called for a tailor specializing in clothing for mutants who would be stopping by to help fix up their clothing and give them options for future wear, which she wasn't looking forward to but felt like she had no real choice. Then again, that seemed to be her daily experience lately.

Hiding food from Izuku and Himiko was difficult. More than it had ever been back at home. They always wanted to eat together, and they were both way more observant than she wished they were. It had gotten so bad she'd nearly thrown up by the end of the first week, she felt so bloated and full. But she'd started to find ways…excusing herself early, finding ways to slip food under the table and then clean it up before they noticed, skipping out on snacks when they watched movies together. It wasn't perfect, but she'd still kept it down to a level she could manage. Because she was fine, she really didn't need this much, she was fine. Yeah, money wasn't an issue at UA, but she was okay without too much anyways! She didn't need that much, she just needed to train harder is all.

Didn't matter that she felt so cold, that she kept feeling like she might black out at random if she moved too quickly, or that training sometimes made her feel like she was going to just pass out. She was fine.

It was fine, really. So what if she hated taking a shower because she felt like she could physically see the food seeping into her form. It was fine, she was fine, she was just controlling and eating healthy, that's all. She got plenty of calories from the blood she had to drink anyways wait how many calories were in blood. She didn't need to worry about that, it was okay. She was fine. They had more important things to focus on right now. She would be fine.

Chapter Text

Himiko felt a bit vindicated. She was right when she said her instincts wouldn't be much affected by the change. Honestly, she just felt happy she could finally indulge in them. Her parents weren't much for physical affection. Maybe when she was little, before her Quirk came in, they would hold her and let her cuddle them, but she doubted that. They didn't hug each other much. Not that she thought they didn't love each other…seeing how they felt for one another made it very clear how differently they felt about their only child, but she guessed they just weren't physically affectionate people.

Which growing up sucked, because she was. Maybe it was the cat in her, maybe it was just inherent to who she was, but she always felt this burning need to be close to people. Unfortunately, her version of 'close' was apparently too much and not ladylike enough, so she never was allowed to indulge. Another part of her she had to chain down, her desires howling for release from the crypts she'd bound them in for her own safety, a constant aching pressure in the back of her mind.

But now? Not only were Izuku and Ochako quite willing to indulge her touchiness, even before the transformation, but apparently the change made Ochako into as much of a cuddle fiend as she was. Izuku was too, but for some reason they seemed more hesitant about how they held people. They weren't a fan of Himiko just latching onto their arms randomly, and so she avoided doing so, but they were more than willing to let her curl up in their arms and go to sleep in the warm sunlight that would stream in from the common room windows.

Which was how half of the trio spent the last two weeks, napping in the light. Not something either Izuku or Ochako was apparently used to, but the instincts did make them want to curl up in the warmth more often, which led to sleepiness. Honestly, Himiko felt like they could use it…they both looked so exhausted half the time. Sure, she knew she had eyebags, but she had like, a dozen health problems thanks to her Quirk suppression (according to Recovery Girl), and it made sense why.

Which…she was very, very slowly coming around to the idea that maybe, just maybe, she didn't deserve what her parents did to her. Izuku and Ochako backed her up, but…of course they did. They were bound now, thanks to her Quirk curse, and they were her best friends who made her feel so warm and loved inside, of course they were on her side.

No, it was the others. It was hard for her to believe Inko, Miu, and Katashi, for the same reason she had trouble believing Izuku and Ochako. She was bound to their children now, and they were just kind and sweet people who wouldn't say a mean thing to anyone!

But the fact All Might, the number one hero, seemed genuinely angry at what her parents did that clued her into the fact maybe it wasn't okay. He tried to play off his feelings, but she'd learned how to recognize anger long ago, to keep herself safe, and she could see it every time he mentioned a word about her parents. How she could see even the stoic Aizawa seem perturbed by the idea of her having to suppress her urges, and how he was insistent she not do so while on campus.

It was how Vlad King had sat down with her one day and offered her a lovely meal Lunch Rush had prepared made out of blood based foods how did she not know these existed?! And a hero with a blood Quirk, why didn't she know about him before?

Not a single pro at the school seemed to care about her eccentricities, even as she found herself letting loose more and more often. When she one day admitted how afraid she was of the public, her concerns about how they'd see her, Midnight had pulled her aside the next day to talk softly to her about public perception and how she should not be afraid to be herself, no matter what they said.

All these strangers, these people who she started to learn were far more human than she'd ever thought they were, all of them supporting her and saying she was okay as she was…that was what made her start to believe.

Not that Izuku and Ochako didn't help. Once the ball was rolling, once she felt free to actually express herself more often, they…didn't stop her. If anything, they indulged her more. Maybe too much, she worried, because it didn't matter how affectionate she was, how clingy she acted, how often she'd ambush one of them for an impromptu cuddling session, they never complained.

And the worst part was, she knew they were being genuine! The whole 'emotion sharing' thing was really handy for that. Now that they knew it was happening, the trio had started (at Izuku's insistence), experimenting with it and it told her a lot. Probably more than Ochako or Izuku wished it did.

The first thing she learned is that, of the three of them, apparently she was an open book to the other two. Every time she started to feel bad, or disgusting, or guilty, they knew. Opening herself up to be herself apparently meant she started wearing her heart on her sleeve (and within the Quirk connection too), and it was now very obvious.

The second thing she learned was that Izuku hated themself. And she hated that. They kept it hidden well, oh boy did they, but once in a while it slipped across the connection and she could feel it, a feeling she was oh so familiar with. That's how she recognized it as well as she did…because she knew exactly what they felt like. That feeling of hating oneself, of pure, choking self-loathing that broke you down and forced you into a cage of your own making in your mind, she knew that feeling very well. And Izuku kept feeling that all the time.

She wanted to confront them about it. She planned to. Once she actually knew how or what to even say. How did she speak up when she couldn't manage her own feelings of inferiority, of shame, of guilt for how her Quirk had changed all three of them against their will? How could she help them when she couldn't help herself?

But that was only part of her worry. Ochako might be worse, because she didn't know why Ochako felt the way she felt, or what the feeling actually was, but it was bad. She was in pain, a lot of pain, pain that she refused to speak about or even seem to acknowledge, even to herself. Which she worried about. And the fact that she felt so cold compared to Izuku, which said a lot because Izuku said Himiko was cold to the touch too. (Izuku was the opposite, like a furnace compared to the two girls, and Himiko was very very very grateful for that fact).

Ochako's pain was worse every time they all sat down to eat, and Himiko had started paying more and more attention, and she did not like what she was seeing. Ochako…didn't eat a lot. At all. Himiko wasn't stupid. Especially with the stuff she saw back at school. She hung out with the 'popular' crowd after all, all those girls who had to be prim and proper and were gossipy bitches behind people's backs. But they were obsessed with their images, and one or two of them had been on extreme diets to stay thin…and she used the word diet very loosely.

Ochako was reminding her of them, and that could not stand. She had to say or do something, she just…wasn't sure what, yet. She wasn't sure she felt comfortable enough bringing it up to one of the teachers, or even their mentor, but…she needed to do something. About both of them. Because Himiko's version of self-destruction was killing her slowly, and it felt like the way the other two's version of self-destruction was killing them much, much faster…and she could not afford to lose them. Maybe it was time for her to take action…be a hero, like the ones who never came to save her.

Izuku knew they shouldn't. Half the time Himiko would waltz into their room without warning or knocking, which had led to some awkward moments where Izuku was about to change their clothes…yet they couldn't find it within them to really be upset about it, not with how much more free Himiko seemed to be. She'd become clingy, but for some reason it didn't bother Izuku. They…kinda liked it. A lot. And from what they could feel from Ochako, she did too. Although getting used to the random flicks of their new ears and tails was taking a bit, especially as their tail kept getting caught in things.

But it didn't change that Himiko's random moments to rush into their room meant they had no chance to let out any pressure. Their eyes kept straying where they knew the small, blue box was, buried inside their desk under a mountain of notebooks, papers, and pens. Izuku's fists clenched after a moment, feeling the familiar overwhelming desire flooding up from within, the tingling sensation along their spine. Everything was just so much right now.

Training with One For All was enough on its own. Then you added the changes to their body, the ability to use the other Quirks, even reuniting with their childhood friends was its own form of pressure. Izuku was in awe of how much Himiko had to go through and how she made it through, and the strength Ochako seemed to exhibit every time they trained showed Izuku how much more she'd done than they had.

Izuku had nearly given up, not like the other two. Izuku had been a failure, almost an oathbreaker, and it was only the sheer luck of Toshinori choosing them as his successor that gave Izuku a fighting chance, a chance they couldn't squander, even if they didn't deserve it.

Izuku bit their lip, trembling in place as they stared at the desk still, as if they could see through it. They really, really wanted to use them. It had been building up in the back of their mind for weeks now, this less than subtle need, all the pressure and focus on their training making them feel unsteady, unstable, ready to be washed away under the constant eroding waves that kept crashing over them them as they tried to stay afloat. It would be even worse when the rest of the class moved in, even less time to use them. Not to mention Izuku would have to be careful in the locker rooms.

Using the men's locker room so far had been fine, although they'd been offered a separate, gender-neutral room they had declined they didn't deserve something for themselves like that. But it'd be much harder to hide the marks in the locker rooms…they supposed they'd just stick to their old methods of changing only in the stalls, and keep on undershirts and pants for hero costume switching. It was hot and they often overheated but it was better than anyone noticing. But gods it was tough not to touch the box, even knowing how bad a decision it would be, how much risk it'd put them at.

It didn't help that something was wrong with Ochako. They could feel it, and they weren't happy with what they felt. Feelings were tough to decipher, even their own could be a mess, but something about Ochako's weird determination combined with how exhausted she always seemed was…off. Himiko's eyebags had lessened ever since she'd started getting more blood and taking care of herself, but almost inversely, Ochako's seemed to have gotten worse. And she was now always cold to the touch, often curled up into Izuku's side whenever they sat down. Not that Himiko didn't, but she seemed more inclined to it just because it was comfortable, not like Ochako who seemed to need the heat.

Izuku was not entirely sure what was wrong but they had an inkling. You don't live as close as the trio did without noticing some things. Maybe if the three were ordinary classmates, Izuku wouldn't notice as easily, but when it was just the three of them, when Izuku would often cook simple meals they'd learned from their mom for dinner, when the trio spent ninety percent of their waking hours together, you noticed things. Izuku, oblivious as they could be, noticed things. And was pretty sure Himiko noticed too.

But what do you even do? Telling someone might just make it worse, but Izuku didn't think they could let Ochako go on like this. If Izuku was right about what was wrong, and they weren't sure but had a strong hunch, confronting her might be the right decision. But how? What did they say? Because over these past five weeks, Izuku remembered that Ochako was quite possibly the most stubborn person they knew. But could they wait? Honestly…maybe they needed to talk to Himiko about it-

Their thoughts were interrupted by a slamming of a fist against their door, followed by it swinging open to reveal the exact people Izuku had just been thinking about. Izuku blinked in confusion, seeing a similarly confused expression on Ochako's face and hating the way her face looked gaunt and pale, but Himiko gave them no time to react as she reached out and snatched up Izuku's wrist, pulling them out of their room and down the stairs to the common room, where she shoved Izuku and Ochako down onto the couch and planted her fists on her hips, glaring down at them.

"...is something the matter?" Izuku ventured asking, confused by the emotions swirling around inside Himiko. Identifying others' feelings was still difficult for them, but Himiko's right now were so weird. Guilt, shame, fear, worry, affection, a dozen feelings Izuku couldn't begin to put to words but were wrapped about Himiko like a choking, suffocating blanket of feeling that she could barely manage. Considering how much fear was radiating off her right now, they worried even more about her. Himiko's ears were twitching, her tail flicking rapidly behind her as she took a deep breath.

"...I didn't know how to do this. I don't know how to talk to you guys about this, and it's super uncute of me to do so, but I can't stand this anymore. Keep it from the others, that's fine, I'll keep my mouth shut, but I need both of you to talk to me. To each other. We're linked now, a-and I trusted you two with my secrets, with how I felt, so now I need the same from you. Because," Himiko took a deep, bracing breath, closing her eyes as she did, opening them and staring directly at the two seated before her, "I'm watching you two slowly kill yourselves and I can't stand it."

"Himi," Ochako began, but Himiko cut her off with a raised hand.

"Don't. Don't try to pacify me, Chako. I know what you're doing. You can't hide it from me. You shoulda noticed by now I have an enhanced sense of smell because you two do too now, and I can easily smell when you hide food or throw it away when we weren't looking. And you keep forgetting you can't hide your feelings from me, from us! As you put it, I was one of the 'popular' girls. Do you know what those girls did to be popular? Do you know how often they'd skip meals, workout over and over, try all these fad diets and stupid things?!"

Ochako's face twisted, her eyes narrowing, her fists visibly clenching. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, her voice barely above a growl. Even the fur on her ears seemed to be puffed out in frustration.

"Oh yes you fucking do!" Himiko shot back, narrowing her own eyes in return.

Izuku swallowed. "I um…I noticed too, Chako. I-I wasn't sure what it was for sure, but I kinda suspected, and-"

"Don't you start with me!" Ochako snapped at Izuku, pointing her finger into their face. "You think we can't tell how much you hate yourself? And I wanna know why it hurts to change into you! I didn't check because I thought it was wrong, but every single time we change into you, it hurts. Wanna tell me why, since we're just dragging everyone's business out apparently? Huh?"

Izuku rocked back, eyes wide, but felt their own indignation welling up inside them at Ochako's tone. "So you're turning this around on me rather than facing up to it?"

"And you're avoiding the point! Of course you are, avoiding things is what you do, I should have expected as much," Ochako retorted, rolling her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Ochako scoffed. "You still avoid any mention of what your school was like! Your mom and Toshi and my parents are worried about you, but you won't talk about it! To anyone! Not even to us! And by not answering, you're basically telling us everything, so dunno why you think it's worth keeping your trap shut."

"Because that doesn't matter! That's over! It's done with and we're here! What happened back then doesn't matter!" Izuku shot back, waving dismissively.

"Pretty sure it does matter, because I'm like, ninety percent sure it's why you won't let us see you in short sleeves," Himiko muttered. Before Izuku could reply, she turned her gaze back onto Ochako. "But Izu's right too, you're just running away as much as they are!"

"I am not, what I do with my damned diet is my business, not yours!" Ochako leapt to her feet, her clenched fists shaking, her tail now flicking back and forth as rapidly as Himiko's.

"Is it? So what we think doesn't matter? Because in case you forgot, when you hurt, we all hurt!" Himiko shot back, throwing her arms out wide.

"Don't get all high and mighty with us just because your business got thrown out into the open! You weren't talking before you were forced to either!" Ochako shoved her finger into Himiko's chest as she raised her voice, only a step below a shout.

"She's got a point, Himi," Izuku's reply came, much quieter but a tone of heaviness in their voice. "It's not like you were out here, telling us everything, not until you were forced to. And we didn't pester you about it."

"And you're telling me you wouldn't have? You wouldn't have confronted me about it eventually? Even knowing how I feel?" Himiko shot back, watching as the other two failed to come up with a good response to that. She didn't bother waiting for them to seek up something else, continuing on. "Yeah, having all my stuff thrown out for everyone to see sucked. Which is why I said I'll keep this between us, because I'm trying to protect you from that!"

She whirled on Ochako, poking her in the chest in a mirror to how Ochako had just done to her. "Do you really think you can hide the whole food thing from an entire dorm of hero students? From when we go to eat in the cafeteria? From the fact you are pale, and skinny, and I can see your goddamned ribs when you change?! From the pro heroes who are our teachers? The only reason they haven't caught on yet is how much they let us practice alone, but you think it'll keep going once we hit class?"

"And you," she snapped, turning about to gesture at Izuku. "You think no one will catch onto what it means when you refuse to change around them, or how you only wear long sleeved shirts and pants? Not everyone's that dumb, Izu!"

"So what, you just want us to…what? Izu's got a problem, yeah, so we can help them, but I'm fine, I know what I'm doing, I don't get why you're harping on this!" Ochako said, throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Izuku demanded, finally getting to their feet and narrowing their eyes at Ochako. "I'm doing fine!"

"Izu, c'mon, no, you aren't," Himiko scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Izuku felt something dark slithering inside of them, their face going dark and cold as they glared at the blonde.

"I don't think you get to tell me how I'm doing. Either of you," they hissed, looking between the two of them.

"Maybe if you actually talked to us, we wouldn't have to!" Ochako shot back.

"Oh like you're any better!"

"Great, now we're going in fucking circles," Himiko interjected, rolling her eyes.

"You started this! Maybe you shouldn't just go off digging into people's personal lives, and this wouldn't happen!" Ochako shot back.

"I can't avoid feeling your feelings, in case you forgot!" Himiko retorted. "And you're not nearly as sneaky as you think you are to begin with!"

"For the thousandth time, I am fine!"

"Like hell you are."

Izuku's hands were shaking as the two girls got into one another's face, their voices raised so high Izuku was worried that a teacher would notice and come running over, something they didn't want to see. But gods, they felt so goddamned pissed right now and…oh. Oh no. Oh no no no. Izuku quickly bolted forward, shoving their arms between the two girls and pushing them back, as gently as they could but with enough force the two stopped in consternation.

"Wait! Please, wait a moment!" Izuku pleaded with them, needing to break through the pounding feelings rushing through their head, making their entire body shake. "Himi, Chako…we're just making a feedback loop right now, we have to calm down."

"The hell are you talking about, Izu?" Ochako asked, still glaring.

Izuku swallowed. "O-our anger. It's being shared. And it's just making us angrier and angrier and we're just making it worse. Like the other night, when we all got super upset, it was way worse because we all were and it fed off each other's emotions. We have to stay calm, else we'll say something we can't take back."

"Shit," Himiko cursed, looking away. "I should've thought of that before I said something…fuck." After a moment, all the rage seemed to drain out of her and her shoulders slumped, looking down at the ground. "...'m sorry," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to make things worse. I-I just…I'm worried about you guys. A-and you helped me out when I was hurting so…I wanted to help you, you know."

It was like a bucket of cold water was thrown over Izuku, seeing Himiko's forlorn expression and feeling the surge of her guilt and shame. They could see Ochako's stricken face, the anger that had been coiling within her snapping and giving way to something else, something much more painful as she took a step back as if to center herself.

"...I'm sorry too. I um…I shouldn't have snapped at you," Ochako muttered.

"No, I shouldn't have just tried to force you to talk, I-"

"But you were just trying to help and I-"

"Chako-"

"Himi-"

"Izuku?" Izuku replied, cutting in between the two girls with an arched eyebrow as they noticed the duo starting to get trapped in self-recrimination. Izuku couldn't get rid of the nauseating feeling in their stomach, at how quickly they had almost gotten to blows, but they were forcing that feeling down as much as possible to try and get them back to a level playing field. Izuku could set aside their feelings when need be, so they could help the other two first. And if it took a dumb joke, well…they'd give it a shot. Toshinori did say cultivating a silly persona worked for him, after all.

"...you're a dork, Izu," Himiko said after a moment of consternation…but Izuku felt the tiniest shred of happiness at seeing Himiko giving them a sly half-smile.

Ochako cleared her throat, drawing their attention to her. "...I…I don't think I'm ready to um, to talk about that um…yet. I guess. Um…I-I wanna go for a walk. Can we talk um…tonight, maybe? I just need to get my head on straight I guess."

"...yeah, that's probably a good idea. I'm…gonna go train for a bit, and uh…yeah. Okay. Himiko, you were right, we learned about what hurt you and…maybe you deserve to know why I'm um…the way I am, I guess. Just, give me some time, okay?" Izuku added.

"Y-yeah, of course. I'll um…I'm gonna go do something else too. We'll meet back, later tonight I guess?" Himiko asked, unsure.

"Yeah. Okay. I'll um…I'll be going then," Ochako murmured, walking swiftly past the other two and heading for the door. Izuku nodded, their throat feeling closed, as they started to head up to their room to change into their training outfit, leaving Himiko standing there in the middle of the common room, looking lost. After a moment, she sighed, slowly walking out the door and heading the opposite direction she saw Ochako walking.

Chapter Text

Thud. Thud. Thud…thud thud thud. Thud. Thud. The repetitive sound of fists and feet meeting a punching bag resounded through the training area where Izuku was currently standing, focused on the heavy bag before them. Two quick left jabs, a right hook. A spinning back-kick. Quick snap kick with their other leg. Another flurry of punches, thud thud thud, staccato impacts ringing out in the room. No sparks of green covering their body, no Quirk active, just narrowed eyes, panting breath, and sweat dripping down their neck.

A glance at their phone, laying on the bench nearby showed they'd been at this for over a half hour, probably longer than they should be but…the burn felt good. The pain in their muscles, in their chest, it actually helped steady them, bring down the emotions, let them work out some of that leftover, rotting dregs of anger that festered inside their chest. And it was their anger; at this point they could tell the difference. Distance gave them enough to know this was all their own feelings, their own annoyance and frustration at Himiko just…saying those things. And Ochako agreeing.

With an annoyed huff, they slammed their fist into the bag harder than before, the impact reverberating through their burning knuckles. They weren't even sure why they were so mad, if they were being honest with themselves. The logical part of Izuku's mind knew that what they did with the razors wasn't acceptable to most other people, but those people didn't get it!

Izuku never got control over their life. From the moment they were diagnosed Quirkless, that was it. Their life was no longer in their hands, and was instead in everyone else's. They didn't get to make decisions for themselves anymore. The ones who hated Izuku were the easiest to deal with, really. Just bow down, accept your punishment, and move on. They got bored easily if Izuku didn't fight back, and since Kacchan was the ringleader, Izuku knew just how to placate the blonde boy.

No, the ones that were arguably worse were the ones who pitied Izuku. Or thought Izuku was too weak to amount to much of anything. The looks they'd get the moment someone saw their ID card, seeing the big N/A emblazoned under Quirk…it would always make Izuku feel like some sort of subhuman creature, rather than another person. As they slammed their fist into the bag again, they felt their eyes burning, the familiar sensation of tears beginning to trickle down their face as they kept thinking back to how they grew up and how unfair it was. Why? Why did it matter that they didn't have a Quirk, huh? Why was that the only indicator of worthiness in this world? Why why why why why why why why WHY?!

Izuku barely noticed the green lightning that had lit up around them. They didn't notice how the air around them vibrated, how their skin seemed to shimmer as their eyes began to glow a toxic, radioactive green. They didn't notice as their fists hit the bag harder, and harder, and harder. How their new tail was flicking rapidly from side to side, nearly a blur with how quickly it was going. How they began to move faster, each blow coming slightly quicker than the last.

It wasn't fair, it was never fair, nothing was fair! It wasn't fair what happened to Himiko, how her parents, the people who were supposed to love her unconditionally, hated her for an accident of birth. It wasn't fair that Ochako had no money growing up, that even though her parents were lovely and kind and hardworking, they still didn't get a chance. Nothing was fucking fair!

With a furious growl, they spun about, smashing their foot into the bag with a spinning back kick. The green sparks around them almost seemed to skitter and leap from their foot to the bag, as the bag was ripped clean from the enhanced tensile strength chains that held it in place and sent it careening across the room to smash into the wall, the concrete cracking beneath the force as the bag burst open, spilling sand across the room.

Izuku stood there, half crouched, their hands curled into claws, panting, sweat mixing with tears down their face as they felt the sheer, unadulterated rage at everything swirling in their chest like poison circulating their bloodstream. They shook in place, the adrenaline slowly fading away and leaving a nauseating chill in them as they swayed in place. They began to lose their balance, but a hand unexpectedly caught their shoulder, startling them. They glanced up, seeing the stoic face of their teacher, Aizawa. Izuku tried to clear their throat, realizing how parched they felt, when they found themselves face to face with a bottle of water.

Izuku blinked, confused, as Aizawa shook the bottle before them. It clicked in their mind, and they grabbed it and practically ripped it open, their hands shaking, as they began to gulp down the cool, clear liquid. It took them only a few moments to finish the bottle, Aizawa snatching the empty bottle and tossing it unerringly into the nearby wastebasket. With his hand still on Izuku's shoulder, he gently pushed Izuku towards the bench, the green-haired teen meekly allowing themselves to be led over to sit down.

Aizawa took a seat next to them a moment later, saying nothing as Izuku found their mind a little bit more clear after the water and sitting down, realizing how they'd destroyed university property. They bit their lip, shoulders hunching, realizing they were likely about to get in serious trouble. They began to run over possible apologies and ways to make up for it, but found their attention drawn to movement by their teacher.

"Something bothering you, kid?" Aizawa asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Nothing, sir. I'm sorry about the room, I'll clean it-"

"Midoriya, these training rooms get destroyed on a weekly basis. We're lucky this is the first incident you've had yet. It's fine, we have plenty of ways to fix it, it'll be cleaned up in no time. But something has you upset. I won't pry if you don't want me to, but if you need to get something off your chest, I'm listening."

Izuku was taken aback by this. Aizawa…was a teacher. Teachers don't care about their students. Well…they supposed that they did if you weren't Quirkless. Which Izuku wasn't anymore, but Aizawa knew they used to be. This…didn't make a lot of sense. Although Izuku supposed that Aizawa had been pretty okay so far. He'd yet to threaten Izuku with punishment, or hit them, or tell them they were worthless. Truthfully, he'd been the nicest teacher Izuku had dealt with yet. Still, they weren't sure they felt comfortable telling them what all happened, but…they kinda did want an outsider's perspective.

With a sigh, Izuku spoke softly, not meeting Aizawa's gaze. "We um…got into a fight. An argument. Things got pretty heated, and um, the whole emotion sharing thing made it worse, and so…I came here to cool off, I guess."

"By we, I assume you mean you, Uraraka, and Himiko?"

"Yeah."

"Hm," Aizawa hummed, glancing at the destroyed bag. "Did it help you cool off?"

Izuku's shoulders slumped. "Not really. I um, I wasn't as mad at them anymore, but I just kept thinking about other stuff and…I dunno. I just got really mad. Things…things are really unfair, you know? I mean, of course you know, you're a pro, you know how unfair things are, if they weren't we wouldn't need heroes, but like, does it have to always be unfair? And I don't know if what we argued over was unfair too? Was it wrong of me to get upset with Himi for trying to ask us to talk about stuff? She made some good points about how we know all about what's hurting and upsetting her, but Chako won't talk either, and they got in each others face over it, and I was getting really mad because Himi accused me of doing stuff, and Chako was being really dismissive, and I just don't know what to do!"

Izuku took in a few deep breaths, having pretty much not breathed once throughout that whole rant, their words going progressively faster through it. Their fists were clenched unconsciously, nails digging into their palms, and they forced themselves to release their grip lest they start to actually puncture the skin not the place.

Aizawa was silent for a moment. "Mind telling me what's so unfair?"

"...I'd rather not get into it," Izuku muttered.

"Does it have something to do with the 'laundry list of psychological issues that Midoriya clearly has', as Hound Dog put it after reviewing your file?" Izuku snapped their head up to look at Aizawa, wide-eyed, meeting their teacher's gaze with a shocked expression. Aizawa shrugged. "His words, not mine. But it's not like anyone here doesn't realize that."

"I-I d-don't know what you're talking about," Izuku sputtered, taken aback by the bluntness.

"Don't treat me like a fool, kid. We all know. We don't know the specifics, but it's clear you have some issues. Which to be fair, pretty much every pro does, so I suppose you're just ahead of the curve."

"...do you?" Izuku ventured, wanting to move the topic off themselves and somewhere else.

Aizawa's lips quirked into the tiniest suggestion of a smirk. "I don't have issues, kid. I have subscriptions. Or so my husband tells me."

"What do you do about them?"
"See a therapist. Spend time with my husband. Get dragged out by Nemuri and Tensei unwillingly. Grade papers and lament the future of society. Craft elaborate pop quizzes for hero students to make them suffer so I may feed off their grumbles and complaints. Really, all of the above."

Izuku blinked, flabbergasted by how absolutely blunt Aizawa was, and how upfront they were. This…wasn't how they normally acted. At least not in prior training sessions. And admitting they saw a therapist? Well, Izuku supposed they saw a lot of bad things as an underground hero-

"It isn't that, kid. I see a lot of things on the job, but that's not the reason I started seeing a therapist," Aizawa interrupted Izuku's thoughts, making the teenager realize they'd been speaking aloud. Izuku flushed, embarrassed, but kept quiet as Aizawa continued. "It's a long story I won't bore you with, but back when we were still in school, during our work study, one of my friends was…lost. And so was I, for a while." Aizawa turned his gaze upon Izuku, his expression focused and severe. "That's why I teach the way I do. I don't want to see any of you end up like him."

Aizawa broke his gaze after a moment, looking ahead. "Pretty much any pro has a similar story. Lost a friend, or a family member, or just the number of times they've failed to save a civilian. Whether it's a natural disaster, or a villain, or even just an accident, no one is unscathed when they see that. So we do what we can to mitigate it. There's nothing wrong with seeking help. Or confiding in friends. Is that what Himiko wanted you to do?"

Izuku paused for a moment, before nodding slowly. "...yeah. And I guess I just…I felt like she was putting me on the spot. N-not that I had anything to say-"

"Midoriya," Aizawa cut them off with a stern tone, Izuku clamping their mouth shut. "I'm not going to force you to tell me. But you don't have to lie. You're an adult. You get to make your own decisions. If you want to keep everything inside, that's your choice. But it will make you a worse hero, that is a fact. Even Yagi has confidants he trusts with how he feels. So tell me this…why are you so against trusting them?"

"I do trust them!" Izuku protested.

Aizawa tilted their head to the side. "Yet you don't trust them enough to confide in them about what's upsetting you?"

Izuku squirmed in place, looking down at their hands. "It's…not about lack of trust. I just…I don't want to bother them with my stupid problems. Or bother anyone. I'm just being stupid about things, that's all. Other people deserve that sort of help way more than me, I'm just being an idiot-"

"Enough," Aizawa cut them off again. "You're being unfair to yourself and to them. Do you genuinely think that Himiko and Uraraka don't know who you are? The three of you are thick as thieves, and that's not even counting this shared Quirk weirdness you have going on. Why don't you let them decide if they want to hear what you have to say? And kid?" Aizawa reached over and placed his hand on Izuku's shoulder, making the teen look up at him once more. "Never say you don't deserve help. Everyone does."

"But-"

"Everyone does." Aizawa kept his gaze locked on Izuku's for a moment, before releasing their shoulder and leaning back slightly. "One conversation isn't going to fix things, and I'm no psychiatrist. But I want you to try to give yourself just a little bit of credit. You were thrown into an incredibly strange scenario, between getting a Quirk like One For All and then it linking the way it did with the other two, and yet even though you've had it for only a couple months, you've made excellent progress. So just give yourself some room to breathe. Okay?"

Izuku didn't know how to respond to that…how to respond to anything Aizawa had said so far, really. They, they wanted so badly to believe him but it was hard. But, in the back of their mind, they could feel it…Himiko was worried about them. Both Izuku and Ochako. But mixed with it were a dozen other emotions…trust, affection, fear, sadness, frustration, more and more tangled in a twisted wire, but above all, faith in them. Aizawa was showing some of himself to Izuku too, admitting to what hurt him in the past. Himiko had been forced to reveal her past, but she did seem a bit happier ever since she had; Izuku had to concede that. Maybe it was time they tried something new.

Izuku sighed. "Thanks, sir. I um, I think I'm gonna head back to the dorms. I um…I think I gotta talk to Himi and Chako."

"Alright. I'll see you three tomorrow for training then. Good luck, kid." With that, Aizawa stood up and left the room, leaving Izuku to muster their courage. With a deep breath, they stood up and began the trek back to the dorms, ready to try admitting something…whatever that something actually was.

Ochako leaned against the wall, pressing her head into the cool concrete. She'd ended up jogging to try and take her mind off the argument she'd just been in, but it took little time before she found herself feeling too weak and nearly collapsed over it once more. Her mind swam with the words Himiko and Izuku had said, especially Himiko's mention of those 'diets'. For oh so long she thought she'd hid it so well but it didn't seem like she did, and she had no idea how to address that, because how was she supposed to explain it to them?

Because she had to. She realized that now. They weren't about to let it go, and the worst thing would be if it got back to her parents somehow, because even if they shouldn't, they'd feel guilty, she knew that. And if she didn't convince Himiko and Izuku of the rightness of what she was doing, that was a legitimate possibility she couldn't ignore.

Although a small voice in the back of her head, one that had been growing steadily louder since she started spending more time at the dorms with the other two, made her wonder if…maybe she wasn't thinking about this all that clearly? 'No!' she snarled internally. No, she knew what she was doing, and, and it was fine, right? She was fine. They just didn't get it, but surely if she explained it right, they'd understand why she had to do it, right? Surely-

"Uraraka? Are you alright?" a soft voice asked, startling her from her thoughts and making her jump. As she spun about to confront the one who spoke to her, she spotted the dark-haired visage of Midnight, a pair of glasses perched on her nose, hair pulled back in a ponytail. Midnight was in what looked like comfortable sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt, the least dolled up Ochako had ever seen the woman in her entire time at UA or on the television before, so different from her normal look she had trouble recognizing her at first.

Oh, right. She'd asked a question. Ochako swallowed, her mouth feeling dry for some reason. "Y-yeah, I'm fine."

Midnight arched an eyebrow at her, lifting a mug up that she'd not noticed before and taking a sip. After she finished, she tilted her head to the side. "Are you sure? I don't mean to pry, but you look a little pale."

Ochako really did not want to talk about this…but she was starting to realize that she was being even more suspicious with how she'd been acting. Himiko and Izuku acted like it was right in their face and, even if she hated to admit it, Himiko had been right about how observant her teachers tended to be. Moreso than the ones back at her high school, at least. Ochako felt herself wobble a bit, her vision going blurry for a split second. She bit the inside of her cheek to use the pain to stabilize, letting out a sigh.

"...I got in a fight with Izu and Himi," she murmured, looking down at the ground.

Midnight let out a contemplative hum. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Ochako considered it for a moment. She didn't want to get into why she'd fought, but…she couldn't ignore the gnawing guilt roiling inside her, how much it bothered her when she snapped at the other two. She didn't think she'd ever get physically violent with either of them, but she was so angry for a moment she hadn't been thinking straight, and part of her wanted to lash out so badly. Remembering those feelings, remembering how close she'd gotten, she couldn't help but feel awful about it. Maybe…maybe talking to someone who was disconnected from the situation would help? After a moment, she looked up at Midnight and nodded silently.

The older woman gave her a soft smile, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and leading her away. She led her towards one of the larger dorms Ochako had seen the teachers leaving from, the one she assumed was their on campus home. It was confirmed a moment later as she followed Midnight through the door, noticing Present Mic, his hair down, sitting on the couch in what she assumed was their common room, looking over some papers. She felt more than saw Midnight hold up a hand for forestall Mic's questions, the blonde looking at the duo blankly for a moment before giving them a wide grin and thumbs up, turning back to his papers.

Midnight led Ochako to the elevator, hitting the button for the third floor. A few moments later, they arrived up there, Ochako noting there were only two dorms on that floor, on one each side of the hallway. Midnight walked unerringly to the door on the left, swiping a keycard over it and gesturing for Ochako to enter before her. Ochako did so, noticing a rather neat looking apartment setup. It was very open, a kitchenette on the right side leading to the main room she had entered, which led off to what she assumed was the bedroom and bath on the left. Midnight gently pushed her towards a couch in the center of the room, walking over to the kitchenette.

After a few moments of nothing but the sound of Midnight clinking around in the kitchen, she returned with a mug that she placed before Ochako, soft wisps of steam floating up from it. Ochako took the mug into her hands, feeling the warmth nearly searing her cold fingers, realizing it was tea as she brought it close enough to smell. She took a cautious sip, eyes going wide as she noticed the subtle hint of honey. She blinked, looking over at Midnight, the older woman smirking as she sipped from her own mug.

"How'd you know how I like my tea?" Ochako asked.

Midnight shrugged. "No clue. I'm always good at guessing that. Hizashi thinks it's witchcraft, don't tell him otherwise," she winked as she said that, making Ochako stifle a giggle at the silly comment. A few moments passed where the two women sipped their drinks, before Midnight placed her mug down and turned to face Ochako, her hands now clasped in her lap. "So…want to tell me what's going you all twisted up?"
Ochako sighed, setting her mug down. "...we got in a fight. And…I guess it was like, all our faults? But I think it might have been mostly mine."

"How so?"

Ochako gestured helplessly, unsure how exactly to get into it without details, but pushed ahead in the hopes of it somehow making sense. "Himi…she confronted me and Izu about some stuff we hadn't talked about, and I got kinda annoyed at her for it, and then Izu brought it up too, and I snapped at them for it and kind of called them a hypocrite, but then they got upset with me for that, and they were upset with Himi, and I got in her face and ugh," Ochako leaned forward, planting her face in her hands (pinky raised), her voice muffled. "The stupid emotion sharing thing made it worse. Izu figured it out before we said anything too bad, but with all of us getting angry, it just…"

"Ah. A feedback loop of some kind?" Midnight asked. Ochako nodded silently. "I see. So something that may have just been a minor disagreement got much worse because your feelings compounded with theirs and it kept escalating, and now you feel bad for having been so angry?"

Well…she wasn't entirely wrong, Ochako mused to herself. It wasn't the whole picture; then again, she didn't want Midnight to know the full picture, but maybe a little bit more wouldn't hurt. She sighed, sitting upright and letting her hands fall from her face. "That, and…part of me thinks Himi was right? Or at least, that I should explain things to her and Izu. I mean, we share emotions now, and we're all tied together through these Quirks, so like, it's hard to hide things. And, honestly, I don't like hiding things from them."

Midnight hummed. "May I ask you a personal question, Uraraka?"

"Sure?"

"Does the thing you're hiding have something to do with why you are so pale and underweight?"

Ochako froze, eyes going wide as her head snapped over to look at Midnight, the older woman looking at her with a piercing, steadfast gaze. Ochako swallowed thickly. She knew this was a bad idea, coming to talk to her, oh god she was going to try and interfere and-

"Uraraka, calm down," Midnight commanded her in a soft tone, making Ochako jolt as her voice dragged her out of her spiraling thoughts. "I'm not going to pry if you don't want me to. Would you rather not answer that question?"

Ochako, her heart rate now slowing ever so slightly, narrowed her eyes at Midnight. "Doesn't that just answer the question if I don't answer?"

Midnight shrugged. "Not really. There are many possible reasons for that. If you're asking if I have a suspicion, of course I do. All your teachers do, and especially Recovery Girl. If you want to know what I think it is, I'll tell you. But I also understand if you don't want to hear it."

Ochako was even more worried now, hearing that all the teachers thought something about her. But maybe she could nip it in the bud; if it was the wrong idea, she could encourage that, and if it was the right one maybe she could turn its path somehow? Besides, whatever Midnight said wouldn't be right, because she didn't get why Ochako had to do this, so like, even if it was similar, it was different for her! Yeah, okay, that was the plan.

After a few more moments of consideration, Ochako nodded. "...what is it?"

Midnight picked up her mug and took another sip from it, as if delaying her response. She set her mug down once more and looked at Ochako, one knee pulled up onto the couch so she was fully turned towards the younger woman. "I think you avoid eating. That for whatever reason, you skip meals and food and it's led to you feeling weak, dizzy, and cold."

Ochako didn't flinch, having prepared for this internally, but she also couldn't find words to respond at first. She took a deep breath. "Why would you think that?"

Midnight paused, looking up as if she was contemplating something before turning her gaze back to Ochako. "Well, our initial suspicions came about because of something Recovery Girl noticed after the Entrance Exam. Your levels were off, or something, I'm not much of a medical professional myself. But that led to some discussion. And then these past few weeks, we've all noticed it. You falter long before Midoriya or Himiko does, and you keep getting more and more pale and your clothing fits on you much looser. Finally, we're all trained to look for these things…you wouldn't be the first hero student to do something like that. In fact, you're looking at one who did."

Ochako's brain, which had been careening down a worried and fearful track of 'oh god what do they know' came to a screeching, crashing halt at Midnight's last words. Her eyes went wide, jaw dropped, staring at the older woman before her. That…made no sense, why would she? She had plenty of money, and she looked beautiful, so it couldn't be that!

Midnight chuckled. "That's very flattering of you to say, but no one said self-esteem is objective." Belatedly, Ochako realized she'd said the last few thoughts aloud, and flushed, feeling embarrassed. Midnight continued on. "I chose to make myself a sex symbol, for a number of reasons. Some were practical; my Quirk works better on those who are attracted to me, if a villain is distracted by my looks they are easier to take down, and I was going to be judged by the media anyways so why not lean into it? Some were personal. I like being sexy, and I will be damned if a woman owning her own looks is something to be ashamed of. And some…well, back then, some were because I needed the validation. It took many years before I could get out of that mentality, but back then, well…when you want to look a certain way, and everyone around you has expectations of how you should look, sometimes you take more extreme measures to get what you want."

"B-but I d-don't," Ochako began, her words cut off by Midnight.

"You have your own reasons, I'm sure. But whatever the reason, I can say confidently that it isn't worth it, Uraraka. It's not. You may believe it's helping, but I can promise you, as someone who lived in that mental state, as someone who has had to watch numerous young heroes go through something similar, it does not help. There is a reason that we have an entire section of staff here dedicated solely to dietary needs. Quirks alone changed the way we have to approach nutrition, and then you add onto that the fact a hero's duties are so intrinsically tied to physical activity, well…nutrition is important to what we do."

Midnight picked up her mug and stared into it with a solemn, contemplative look on her face. "Of course, that's just practical considerations. There are more important ones, too. Your physical health, for one, but I already know you'll claim that this is somehow healthier. It's not, but you've convinced yourself it is. People always do," Midnight mused, one finger slowly tracing along the rim of the mug. "How it affects your mental and emotional health is another thing that's often overlooked. Or how it impacts your relationships. Even now, you're all worried and upset because this has come between you, Midoriya, and Himiko, which should be something you need to consider."

"But we're fine! It's just an argument, we'll be fine later!" Ochako burst out. She didn't want to hear any of this, because Midnight was right but also wrong, she didn't get it! Ochako had a reason for what she was doing, and she was really doing just fine!

"Oh sure. They'll forgive you, of course they will. You're their friend and mean the world to them. That's not the issue, Uraraka. It's not you they won't forgive. It's themselves."

Ochako blinked. "...what's that supposed to mean?"

Midnight set her mug down. "It was my third year at UA. I'd been doing this 'diet' on and off again ever since starting UA, and that year was the worst. You see, I'd been doing a lot of internships and work studies, and I got into the top 8 in that year's Sports Festival. My face, costume, all of that was plastered everywhere, and everyone had an opinion on me, and especially on my looks. So I thought maybe I just needed to slim down, just a little bit. Not too much, just a bit. Of course, a bit turned into a bit more, and then a lot more, and…well, you don't need the whole sordid tale."

Midnight rolled her shoulders, looking up at the ceiling. "I collapsed during a training session with Tensei. Ingenium, if you've heard of him. He was my best friend from my year, and we were doing a sparring match in a damaged building. The idea was that we had to fight on unstable ground where it could fall apart at any minute. There were plenty of safety measures in place to keep us safe, of course, but I had failed to check them properly before our fight. When I collapsed…well, I nearly fell out of the window behind me. Tensei caught me just in time, and brought me to the nurse."

Midnight brought her gaze back down, meeting Ochako's eyes. "Thing is, he was never mad at me for it. And neither were my other friends. Not Hizashi, not Shouta, not…Oboro." Midnight paused, her gaze looking suspiciously glassy before she shook her head. "None of them got mad at me. But they were mad at themselves…for not saying anything. They knew, they recognized it, but they didn't think it was their business to interfere. Or they figured I'd stop on my own. But the thing is, I wasn't thinking straight. Mental illness isn't like that. Finding your way out on your own is pretty difficult. Either way, that happened…and they never stopped feeling guilty over it."

"...never?" Ochako whispered.

Midnight shook her head. "Never. Sho goes out of his way to make sure there are snacks in my desk. Hizashi always invites me out to lunch whenever another article comes out that comments on my appearance. Tensei sometimes has nightmares of me falling out that window and him not being fast enough to catch me. Only found that out a couple years ago when he got so drunk at an office party I had to be the designated driver and take him home. He probably doesn't remember telling me that, but I've never forgotten it. In my selfishness and inability to see what was really going on, I hurt a lot of people I cared for. And no matter what I do, I can't take that time back. So that's why I keep an eye on the students. I know the signs, I know what it looks like, and while anyone can fall down that hole, it's far more common amongst the young women attending this university. So, to answer the question you didn't ask, yeah. I've suspected it for a while with you."

Ochako squirmed. She still wasn't ready to admit anything, but her curiosity meant she had to ask. "...but you didn't tell anyone?"

"I wanted to see if you'd get better once you were out of your prior environment. The assumption was that you started it as a way to save money, which is why I wanted to see if once that wasn't a concern, you'd stop. But that was a futile hope I guess. So tell me…you know that food isn't an issue here. So why avoid it?"

A small part of Ochako considered actually answering her. She'd already figured out her secret, and she seemed to sort of get it? But…no. After the fight she'd had, she'd already decided she was going to tell Izuku and Himiko, so, no. She'd keep it to herself. She swallowed thickly. "I…um…is it okay if I don't talk about it? I want to talk to Himi and Izu."

Midnight nodded. "That's fair. I get that. That's fine. But can I ask you to consider something?" Ochako hesitantly nodded. "I'm sure you've decided you have good reason for what you're doing, and that it's different and makes sense, and I'm not going to try and argue with you about it. I just want you to consider how you'd feel if it was Himiko or Midoriya doing it."

Ochako felt an instinctive surge of denial and worry roar through her, but she tamped it down. Midnight was just trying to throw her off…no, no she wasn't. Ochako wasn't so stupid as to not realize she was just looking for an excuse to dismiss what Midnight was saying. Maybe she had a point; even if something deep within her was railing against the words she was thinking, she pushed them down and would take what the older woman had said to heart. At least, about making sure Izuku and Himiko understood why she did it, so they wouldn't feel guilty.

Ochako nodded hesitantly, but didn't respond beyond that. After a moment, she stood up, setting her empty teacup down. "Um…thanks, Miss Midnight. I think…I think I wanna go talk to Himi and Izu."

Midnight smiled. She held out her hand. "Give me your phone for a moment, would you?"

Ochako was confused, but pulled her flip phone out. She felt herself flush slightly in embarrassment, but Midnight didn't react to the clearly out of date phone, just flipping it open and hammering on the keys quickly before handing it back. Ochako glanced down, seeing a new contact in place, a Nemuri Kayama. She looked back up at Midnight in confusion.

Midnight smiled. "That's my name. If you need anything at all, or want to talk, please feel free to reach out, okay? I mean it. I'm here. I may not know everything about what you're going through, but I do understand it on some level. So please feel free to reach out if you feel like you need someone to talk to."

Ochako clutched her phone to her chest, feeling an inexplicable warmth flood her chest at how nice Midnight…no, Miss Kayama was. She nodded, a tiny smile visible on her face. "Thank you."

Kayama smiled back. "Stay safe, Uraraka. I hope your talk goes well." Ochako nodded again, turning around and leaving the apartment, headed back to her dorm, where she knew she had a long talk waiting for her.

"...and that's where I fucked up and now they hate me," Himiko said, slumped on the couch, staring down at her hands as her tail flicked back and forth, agitatedly.

Toshinori blinked down at her from his seat next to her. "I sincerely doubt they hate you. And you would know if they did, you'd feel it through the link. Come now, young Himiko, don't be maudlin. Friends fight sometimes, it happens. It's unfortunate and upsetting, but they adore you. They wouldn't let something like this ruin your friendship. And, to be frank…I think you did the right thing."

She glanced up at him with wide, teary eyes, hope and disbelief visibly warring within her. "You, you really think so?"

He nodded gravely. "Yes. I…we are aware something is wrong with both Izuku and Ochako. And by we, I mean myself, their parents, and the teachers here. Those two are not nearly as sly as they think they are." He waited as Himiko let out a shocked giggle, before continuing. "The specifics escape us, but well, we all have suspicions. That said, someone needed to actually confront them, and among everyone involved, I feel like you were uniquely qualified to do so."

"...why?"

"Well, for one, the bond makes it more difficult for them to hide things from you. From a practical perspective, them trying to hide just hurts you as well and you can use that in your conversation, as you did. Two, you three share a deep, abiding friendship that lasted for a decade without one another. That is a connection no Quirk can emulate or cause, after all. Three, well…be honest, you haven't been fully upfront with us about your life with your parents, but I bet you have with them, yes?"

Himiko flushed, looking away from Toshinori as she fiddled with her sleeves, her ears laying flat on her head. That was answer enough, the older man smiling indulgently at her. "I'm not offended by that. No one is. I'm just pointing out that you have a special relationship with them that the rest of us don't. It gives you an 'in', as it were. And someone had to eventually confront them."

"...but they were so mad at me," she whispered, still not looking up at him.

"I suspect they were at least partially mad at themselves, and as you said, it became a loop. You can sense them now, can't you? Do they feel mad at you?"

Himiko paused, taking a moment to reach out across the bond. She rarely did so, feeling like it was a bit of an invasion of privacy, but this was just a check in. Izuku…was in this weird state where she felt like they were just coming down from anger, combined with some confusion and a tentative emotion she could barely place as…hope? Ochako was in a controlled state of panic, but also fascination, as if she was being told something horrifying yet compelling.

But she could not find any trace of lingering anger at her. At themselves, yeah…guilt, self-hatred, self-doubt, self-loathing, worry, those emotions she easily picked up swirling about both of them, ones she knew were also present in her chest, but no anger, not at her at least. No hate. Just internally focused negativity, which…no that didn't make her feel better. At all. She'd rather they were angry at her than at themselves.

It took a moment, but she realized Toshinori was patiently awaiting her response. Basically what he'd been doing the entire time, when he found her wandering aimlessly across campus and pulled her into his office. He'd sat her down, gotten her some tea, and had been patiently waiting as she spilled out what happened back in the dorms, her fear and worry and anguish all mixed up as she sat there, terrified she'd messed everything up, just when things had finally started to get better for her. She wasn't even entirely sure why she was telling him, except…he'd been there. When she had fled from her family, he was there. When she needed to see Izuku and Ochako, he had been there. And when she and the other two needed help with her Quirk and its effects, he'd been there.

Idly she thought it a bit funny that his catchphrase really did seem to be true. He was there. She shook her head to clear it. Toshinori was waiting for an answer. "Well…no, they don't seem to be mad at me anymore-"

"Well there you go!"

"But that doesn't mean they won't get mad again! I really pushed them! I shouldn't have, I just was so scared of what was hurting them and I just wanted them to stop hurting!" Himiko exclaimed, her fists clenched.

"You had the best of intentions, and as I said already, it really did need saying. Give them some time to cool down and think. Be patient, young Himiko, and trust in your friends," Toshinori said, gently admonishing as he smiled down at her.

Himiko sighed. "But-"

"Himiko, why is this really upsetting you so? You already checked, they are not mad at you any longer, so why is this such a concern for you?"

Himiko shimmied in place, uncomfortably, before it suddenly exploded out of her in a rush. "Because I'm scared! I don't want to lose them! I can't lose them! Not after everything, they're all I have left! My parents hate me, I have no friends, I only know you because of this sharing thing and I don't wanna lose them!" Her breath escaped her rapidly, her gaze stuck staring at the floor.

Toshinori let out a deep breath. He shuffled slightly closer to Himiko on the couch and spoke softly, his voice gentle. "Himiko? Would it be alright with you if I gave you a hug?" Himiko sniffled, nodding silently, her head still downcast. Gently, he reached out and wrapped one bony arm around her shoulder, tugging her into his side, the blonde teenager unresisting as she curled into his side. Toshinori continued to speak in his quiet, soft tone. "Himiko, no matter what, you will neither lose them nor any of us here. We're here for you. We want to help you. Your parents failed you, and society did as well…but we will not. Not any longer. Please do not lose hope. You are a hero student, going to go on to become one of the greatest heroes of her generation, of this I am confident in. And we'll be here to support you every step of the way."

Himiko, eyes half-lidded as she curled into the warmth stemming from Toshinori's side, sighed softly. "...you promise?"

"I promise, Himiko. You, Ochako, Izuku, you all are very important to me. I wish to support all three of you. And I am very invested in these next hero students about to join you. I've done a lot as the Symbol of Peace, and now I want to make certain that my knowledge and experience can be passed down properly…not just to my direct successors like you, Izuku, and Ochako, but to every student I can. But more than that," Toshinori broke off with a smile, waiting until Himiko glanced up at him, "I find myself very fond of the three of you. I know you're upset, and you have every right to be, but don't lose your faith in your friends or in us, alright?"

Himiko didn't know how to fully take Toshinori's words to heart, but she felt like she wanted to. But to do that…she needed to talk to the others. She swallowed. "T-thank you, Toshi. I-I think I should go talk to them, then." She made no move to get up from his side though, still appreciating the warmth that radiated from his bony form.

Toshinori checked his phone as it dinged softly at his side. "Izuku and Ochako are occupied for a little bit longer, or so Nezu has informed me. Would you like to stay here for a while until they are free?"

Himiko paused…then nodded. Toshinori's arm tightened around her shoulders, keeping her close. She felt some of the tension leave her shoulders and neck, finding her eyes closing slowly, her breath evening out. The adrenaline from earlier had drained away, leaving her dizzy and shaking, but for now, just for now, she felt safe…and that was enough for her.

Chapter Text

"So…" Himiko began, feeling incredibly awkward as she sat on the edge of the couch, gripping the seat beneath her so she had something to ground herself with. She looked up through her eyelashes, seeing Izuku and Ochako both looking as awkward as she felt…Izuku, ears flicking rapidly, tail wrapped about their waist to keep it from flinging about as they perched on the armchair across from her. Ochako, leaning against the wall, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she curled in on herself, her tail tangled between her legs.

Izuku cleared their throat. "So, um…yeah," they sighed, shoulders drooping.

"...'m sorry for snapping earlier," Ochako muttered, breaking into the awkward silence.

"No, 'Chako, please, don't apologize, I really shouldn't have pushed!" Himiko replied, waving her hands in negation.

"I-I think you did have to, Himi," Izuku replied in a low, soft voice. They twisted their fingers together nervously as they kept their gaze on the carpet. "Sensei…pointed out I should trust you two. Which, I do! I really do, that's not why I didn't want to tell you, you know? It's just…you have more important things to worry about than stupid me and-"

"Izu, stop that," Ochako growled, her ears twitching. "You're not stupid and not a bother! Please stop saying stuff like that!"

"That's the first time I said that to you!" they protested, to unamused looks from both Ochako and Himiko.

"No. No, it isn't. You do it all the time. Most of the time you're muttering and don't even realize it. We just don't call you on it," Himiko added, arms crossing over her chest.

Izuku wanted to protest further, but…well, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility for them to have done that. They sighed. "...screw it. I-I came back here to tell you two anyway. But I need your promise, I need you to swear, you tell no one else, okay? You can't, you just…just can't."

Himiko stared into Izuku's emerald eyes for a moment, before giving a hesitant nod. Ochako met their gaze and nodded as well, albeit she seemed even more hesitant than Himiko had been. With a deep breath, Izuku decided to just get it over with, and reached down to grab the bottom of their shirt. With another deep, bracing breath, they lifted it up swiftly, pulling it off and letting it fall from their now nerveless fingers as they closed their eyes, bracing for the reactions…which from the sudden flood of emotions coming across the connection, so many swirling together they could barely decipher any of them, they figured the girls had noticed.

Izuku's upper body was littered with marks, a patchwork of marred skin. Some marks they knew from memory…the burn on their shoulder, the divots in their side, the long scar across their abdomen from when they'd been pushed down the stairs and cut themselves on a piece of broken glass. Perhaps a dozen wounds from years that were scattered across their body, remnants of mistakes, of 'accidents', of someone testing their Quirk on the school punching bag. But beyond the marks others had laid upon Izuku were the ones they themselves had done.

Their lower arms were mostly free of markings. Izuku had known what people would look for, what was most common, and while they wore long sleeves just in case, they also knew they'd be safe without them. No, Izuku had stuck to one area mainly…their shoulders. Below where the neckline would be, but the upper part of their arms was nothing but pink scars and raised skin, cuts multiple centimeters long, times when Izuku had learned exactly what skin looked like deep down beneath the surface. Some of the scarring had long faded, just lines of pink, smooth skin, but others were much more recent, dark, redder, with small hints of scabbing at the edges.

Izuku, eyes still closed, spun about so their back faced the other two, revealing a half dozen long, painful lines across their back, ones that looked like they had been caused by something sharp and thin. Izuku could feel it in the girl's emotions, practically taste it in the air…there was no way that they had done those marks. Not that some of the others on their front weren't noticeable as not done by them, but the ones on their back were almost…deliberate.

Silence reigned in the room for a good half-minute, before Izuku's ears twitched, hearing someone approaching. The scent of vanilla told them it was Ochako, before fingers very very gently touched their back, the contact making them flinch slightly and making Ochako jolt away. She swallowed. "Izu…what…how did these…"

"...I was walking home from school and took a shortcut through an alleyway. I was…there were these guys, who wanted my money, and when they took my wallet and saw the Quirkless indicator on my ID, they decided to have some fun with the useless kid," Izuku muttered. They were surprised they managed to get it out, but they'd been preparing for that question since they decided to take off their shirt so it was easier to explain than they realized.

"What happened to them?" Himiko asked, her voice quiet but full of menace. Even with Izuku able to feel it wafting off her, they were surprised by the venom in their tone. They found their gaze lifting up to meet hers, able to see the storm of emotions in her eyes…fury, worry, fear, anguish, a dozen things mixed into one as they stood there, fists clenched. Izuku gulped.

"I don't really know…after they got done b-beating me, they just…ran off. I um…just snuck home. Mom was out at work so she never found out."

"Izuku, why…why wouldn't you tell someone?" Ochako whispered, still staring at their back.

Izuku shrugged. "...you're not going to like what I say, but…because I didn't want to worry Mom. She…she dealt with enough, raising me, you know? And I know she always felt guilty that I was Quirkless. I didn't want her to worry more."

"Izu, that-"

Izuku cut Himiko off. "I know. There's a part of me that knows it's stupid. That she probably worried anyways. I know she worried anyway. But I can't just…ignore that voice in my head that says these things! I can't, okay?!"

"...is that the reason for these?" Ochako asked, gently tapping their shoulders. Izuku felt the air escape them in a hiss, their shoulders slumping as they slouched, curling in on themselves.

Izuku nodded. "Kind of? Um…it's a bit of that. And a bit of just…I can forget, with that. I can just fade away and not be there. And…sometimes I just feel like I deserve it. I'm nothing but a useless Deku after all, so-"

Izuku was cut off once more, but not by voices. No, instead, they first felt a crash into their back, followed by one on their front, their arms now pinned to their sides by the sudden dual hug from the two young women in the room with them. They could feel Himiko trembling, her body shaking as she gripped them tightly, small whines escaping her. Ochako was silent, but the dampness they could feel on their bare back told them of the tears falling from her eyes.

"I'm not stupid enough to think just me saying it will make you stop," Himiko choked out, "but please…Izu, please please please please don't say that about yourself. You're not useless. You mean the world to me, and our promise is one of the only things that kept me going. Please don't…I can't make you stop believing that, but please don't say it. You're not useless. You don't deserve this, you deserve better. Please…please don't."

Izuku felt their throat closing up, a tightness in their chest that had nothing to do with the arms squeezing them. Their eyes began to burn, the telltale sign of tears beginning to fall, because no matter how much they didn't want to believe her, the sheer power of her emotions wasn't something they could ignore. They could feel the care and affection Himiko had for them, the truth in her words, and the matching pink-tinged feelings coming from the silent brunette behind them.

Izuku swallowed. "...I-I can't just…stop thinking like that."

"I know. I'm not asking you to. But next time you're feeling like that, like you can't take it, can you just…come to us?" Himiko pleaded, lifting her gaze up to meet their eyes.

Izuku hated the look in her eyes, because they couldn't ignore it. They couldn't set it aside. All her feelings, all of Ochako's, wrapped about Izuku like a suffocating yet comforting blanket that soothed the everpresent ache in their arms, in their chest, across their body from the marks that had been left and ones they had made. Finally…Izuku couldn't take it, and let out a minuscule nod.

The beaming grin Himiko gave them at that, even with tears visible in the corner of her eyes, was enough to make Izuku feel the tiniest bit better. Enough that they were willing to tell the full tale…and so, they carefully extricated themself from the girls (Ochako still silent), and once they had sat all three down and Izuku had retrieved their shirt, Izuku began to tell them everything. The way the teachers mocked them and wrongly marked their tests, the punishments they got for things others did, the way the other students would shove them, test their Quirks on them, push them over, trap their locker. The mockery and derision, the attacks…and the time Kacchan told them to jump off the roof.

Izuku had expected the reaction from the girls at that, since Katsuki Bakugo was one of the few people they did know personally. Even though Izuku had to explain that Bakugo only ever physically injured Izuku once (since they didn't want anything on their permanent record), it didn't change the surge of anger and hatred the girls felt about it…especially not once Izuku admitted that they knew Bakugo was in UA as well (Mistuki had told his Mom about it).

"...I can punt him into the sun, right?" Ochako asked, her voice oddly soft and controlled for how much rage was flooding across the bond.

"No 'Chako, you can't, you'd get in trouble. We just need to make it look like an accident," Himiko replied.
"No one is punting anyone to the sun or making it 'look like an accident'," Izuku sighed, rolling their eyes. Telling them had been strangely freeing, and for some reason they actually felt more stable after having actually said it out loud. Something to be said for not being entirely alone in their pain, they supposed. Still, they needed to nip this in the bud. "Kacchan…he's not nice, but he's going to be a great hero. And like I said, he only actually hurt me once and it was more of an accident, so-"

"Izuku Midoriya, just…stop," Ochako commanded, her hand slapping over their mouth. Her ears lay flat on her head, her slitted eyes glaring at them. She shared a glance with Himiko, letting out a deep sigh. "We're not gonna win this argument with you right now, are we?"

Izuku stared back at her, their gaze cool and collected, the feelings of stubbornness coming across the bond enough for Ochako to realize what was and wasn't going to happen. Not yet, anyways. She sighed again. "Okay. This conversation is not over, but fine. We'll deal with that particular bastard later. Is there anything else you wanna tell us?"

Izuku gently pulled her hand away from their mouth as they looked up, thinking. They shook their head. "No, not really. I-if I think of something else, I'll tell you, but…um…maybe you can talk now too?"

Ochako froze. She'd completely forgotten about that, and her first instinct was to deny and shove it away, but…she knew how disappointed and upset the other two would be if she didn't admit the truth. Besides, she'd already decided she'd tell them, she was sure they'd understand once she did!

Ochako rubbed her face, keeping her pinkies up as she did so. After a second, she spoke. "...Mom and Dad did everything they could for me. They really did. They worked super hard, all the time, working themselves to the bone, but hard work doesn't always pay off. Or pay enough, at least. People don't take kindly to you being poor, even in a backwater place like I came from."

She sighed, still rubbing at her face as she refused to look up and see the pity she expected from them, her accent slipping slightly as she continued. "People say money can't buy happiness, but only people who have money get to say that. Money may not buy happiness, but it buys a roof over yer head and food on the table. It lets you do things to make you happy, cause otherwise yer too busy struggling to keep yer head above the water. I knew from when I was little, how tough Mom and Dad had it. It took a while before I figured out the details, but once I did, I just…I had to do something, yanno?"

When she fell silent, Himiko broke the silence with a soft question. "What did you do?"

"I couldn't get a job to help, they wouldn't let me do much, and it weren't like lots of people had work for a dumb kid. Even with my Quirk, the place we lived wasn't great for money for anyone. But what I could do was make the bills a bit less, by taking up less space. Using less resources."

"...you mean you skipped food," Izuku interjected, their voice non-judgemental but the bluntness still making her hackles rise up. She swallowed down her instinctual annoyance, not wanting to snap at the other two again. With a deep, shuddering breath, she nodded, her hands falling from her face as she stared at the carpeted floor of the dorm.

"At first it was just eatin' less at dinner, skippin' breakfast, nibbles at lunch. Little things. Didn't take lunch to school, always made it out that I was forgettin' and stuff. Airhead, clumsy little Ochako, she forgets things I started doing some work for random people, and I'd get paid in food, and I'd bring it home for my parents. I told them I was eatin' before I got home, but…I wasn't. I didn't need to though, that's the thing! I was fine! I made it here, which proves I'm fine, right? A-and it made sense, it saved us money so I could come here! You get it, right? You get why I had to, dontcha?"

She lifted her head finally, frenetic energy coursing through her as she expected understanding in their eyes, the agreement that she had been doing the right thing all along. Even after everything Miss Kayama had said, Ochako had somewhere deep inside believed they'd get it…but honestly, she should have known better. The look on Izuku and Himiko's face was not one of understanding or agreement. It was of fear. A deep, abiding fear that she could feel pulsing across their connection, one that made no sense. What were they afraid of?

Izuku cleared their throat. Ochako could visibly see them shoving their fear down, as Izuku spoke softly. "If that's the reason, why are you skipping food here? Money's not an issue here. It's covered by the school, not to mention the extra money Toshinori gave us. So why do it now?"

"W-well, b-because I need to um, to uh, to stay in shape to be a hero, right? I-I've always been a bit heavy you know, and I'm supposed to be fit and-"

"But you're losing muscle mass, 'Chako. You do worse than me and Izu anymore," Himiko interjected, her eyes narrowed. Ochako had a sneaking suspicion Izuku and Himiko were both holding back what they really wanted to say, but she didn't have time to hunt that down. She needed them to listen.

"But see, it makes sense, I just have to do this for a little while and then-"

"How long is a little while?" Izuku interrupted.

"Well I, I don't know exactly how long but-"

"So your plan is to just starve yourself over and over until you reach a goal you haven't even set?" Himiko pressed.

"I'm not starving myself!" Ochako protested, glaring at Himiko. "I'm just not eating too much is all!"

"How do you define too much?" Izuku asked.

"W-well, if its too much, it's…there's a whole system and like, I don't think I need to explain it-"

"I thought the whole point of this was saving money for your parents, and now you don't have to, so why-"

"Because I have to!" Ochako shouted, leaping to her feet with her fists clenched. She didn't notice the tears forming in her eyes, didn't notice her ears lying flat on her head, didn't notice her tail flicking rapidly in agitation. She needed them to understand, she needed them to get it and they weren't! She wanted to scream and shout and shake them till they understood, but a sudden wave of dizziness rushed over her. Not now! She thought internally, wavering on her feet, but she couldn't help it. She'd gone for that run and been on a weird half-adrenaline rush all day, she found herself losing her grip on her balance and that was enough, she felt herself falling, legs giving out from under her.

A flash of green and gold had her flinching, finding herself being gently caught and sat back down on the couch. She glanced up, her vision doubled, seeing Izuku's worried face before her as Himiko's gentle hands were wrapped about hers, rubbing the back of them, her own worry both visible and sensed over the connection.

Ochako took a couple deep breaths, feeling her sluggishness that came over her fade slightly as she focused. She gulped, feeling nausea bubbling up in her stomach, but forced it down as quickly as she could. She just had to focus, that's all, focus. Focus focus focus-

"That's it. Screw this. I'm saying what I didn't want to say before. 'Chako, this can kill you, you know that right?" Himiko hissed, forcing Ochako to blink bleary eyes up at her.

"What?" she managed to rasp out, confused about what Himiko was talking about.

"Eating disorders are one of the most deadly illnesses out there, 'Chako," Izuku murmured.

"B-but I don't have an eating disorder! I have a reason for this!" she protested.

"Reason doesn't change what you're doing hurts you. A lot. It can cause a ton of problems, even brain damage. Or other stuff, like heart failure, or other organs…one of the girls I went to school with had her kidneys fail on her. She would've died if the doctors didn't have some amazing healing Quirks! You can't keep doing this to yourself! Please, Ochako, we can't lose you!" Himiko pleaded, her hands still gripping Ochako's gently. Himiko knelt down before Ochako, amber meeting brown as she looked up at her, her face a desperate plea in and of itself.

"...I have an idea," Izuku muttered. They stood up quickly, gently running one hand down Ochako's back, before vaulting over the back of the couch and vanishing into the stairwell, green sparks following behind them. Himiko stared in the direction they went, blinking rapidly in confusion, mirroring Ochako's own confused feelings. They didn't have long to wait, Izuku bolting down the stairs in a rush, their body aglow with green as they skidded to a halt behind the couch.

Izuku's sudden nerves flared up across the bond, a strange combination of guilt, fear, and shame coming across as they carefully stepped around the couch, a small blue box in their hand. Izuku knelt down before Ochako, next to Himiko, and looked up at her. "What about if we make a deal?" they asked quietly.

"Izu, wha-" Ochako began, still confused and not wanting to argue about this, but found herself biting herself off when Izuku opened the box, showing…glittering, glimmering steel, razor sharp edges that her mind instantly connected to the scars dotting Izuku's arms.

Izuku swallowed. "I-if I give you this to hold onto, if I agree not to…do that, anymore, you agree to eat more. I-I did some research before we talked, so I know you can't just…jump back into full meals and stuff, but just start slow and work your way up. I-If you do that, I'll give you and Himiko these. To hold onto. You c-can't throw them out, I-I need them here, but I'll still not have them. If you agree."

Himiko's shock could be felt across the bond, mirroring Ochako's own shock and now slowly rising anger, anger she tamped down on because even if she was mad that Izuku was manipulating her this way, a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her she'd do the same if she could have. If she was in Izuku's shoes…would she do any different? Annoyingly…probably not.

"...that's not fair, Izu," she said.

"I know. And I want to say I'm sorry but I'm not. I'll give up anything to keep you safe. To keep either of you safe. You matter more to me than what these things offer me. So…will you take my deal?"

She stared down at them, unable to keep herself from shaking. She…she hated it. Hated the thought of eating more, of making this deal, of forcing herself into this, but…what mattered more? Her hangups around food or Izuku's safety? She let herself glance over to see Himiko's thoughts, and was startled to see the blonde staring at the two of them intently, her gaze flat and piercing. Which…that gave her an idea.

"I'll make the deal if Himi does," she said, watching as Himiko's expression went flabbergasted. The blonde teen opened her mouth to protest, but Ochako cut her off. "Yeah, I know, you don't hurt yourself like Izu or skip food like me. But you're still trapped back at your parents. You're still afraid of your Quirk and keep calling it a curse. So no more of that. No more believing those stupid bastards. You have to stop putting yourself down. You too," she turned and pointed at Izuku, eyes narrowed.

Izuku raised their hands up in surrender. "I'll try. That's all I can give you."

"I'll take that. Himi?"

Himiko was silent for a moment, before giving a nod. "...fine. But you both have to really, really try, okay?"

Ochako squirmed, her mind already rebelling against the idea, but…if it kept those two safer, made them happier? Unbidden, Miss Kayama's words about how her friends never forgave themselves filtered into her mind, reminding her of the consequences if she wasn't careful…fine. She could do this. Maybe?

With a gentle touch, she reached out and closed the box Izuku held, carefully pulling it from their lax grip and setting it between herself and Himiko. Izuku swallowed thickly, eyes still locked on the box for a moment before they managed to rip their gaze away to meet Ochako's. After a moment, they nodded, getting to their feet and heading to the kitchen, making Ochako realize they were about to test her commitment already.

She wanted to be mad, but honestly, she lacked the energy to be mad right now. She felt…drained. Strung out. Like clothing hung out to dry. She'd try…for their sake, if not for her own. That's all she could do.

Chapter Text

Shouta wasn't sure what to expect when he returned to the dorms the next day. He'd run into Nemuri and Yagi, being made aware each of them had a conversation with the various members of the trio, and he knew they intended on talking to one another. Since the dorms appeared to be in one piece, he was fairly confident they didn't kill one another, and optimistically he hoped they'd worked out their issues between one another…but he still wasn't sure what to expect.

He was pleasantly surprised to see the trio were calmly sitting around the table in the dining room, seeming to be deep in conversation, none of them noticing his arrival at first. Perceptively, he noticed that Ochako appeared to be struggling with the plate of what looked like omurice, but she was still eating it. And though the other two appeared to be watching her like hawks, they also seemed to be gently encouraging rather than pushing. He nodded to himself. This was what they had hoped would happen, something kickstarting her recovery (as Nemuri was now absolutely convinced she had a disorder). She'd still need a lot of work, and hopefully she'd accept some help from Nemuri and Inui, but for now…this was a good start. But, he didn't want to draw attention to it, that might set her back. Instead, time to focus on the next steps.

He cleared his throat, making the trio at the table jump slightly. He hid his smile beneath his scarf at how the fur on their ears stuck straight up, and how Himiko nearly leapt on top of the table…this whole cat thing was truly entertaining to him, at this point. Still, he had important information for them, so once they calmed down again he spoke. "Classes start up the day after tomorrow. We've had no early move-ins besides yourselves, so we won't be seeing anyone new until the first class. On the first day I normally do a Quirk Assessment Test, followed by a one on one explanation of the scores people got in the Entrance Exam for the latter half of the day. People also tend to begin moving in on that day as well. Since I know how your Quirks work, I see no reason to have you take the QAT. Especially with the whole explanation of your Quirk condition. So I'll have you three join when the test is over, and we'll explain it then. Sound good?"

Izuku shared a glance with Ochako and Himiko, before nodding. "Yeah, that works. We'll just…hang around till you call for us?"

"I'll send you a message." Shouta waited for them to nod again, before asking a question he'd been wondering. "Quick question though, Midoriya. Someone else from your high school is in my class, a Katsuki Bakugo? Do you know him?"

Shouta already knew the answer to this, but watching Izuku's eyes go wide and fearful clued Shouta in that their suspicions about the relationship between the teens was probably correct. Especially when he added on the sudden glares the two girls were sending his way. He wondered if they realized how feral they looked right then, eyes slitted, ears flat, teeth bared, or if it was entirely subconscious and they hadn't even noticed.

"Y-yeah, I know him," Izuku managed to sputter out.

"Will there be any issues with you both being in the same class?" Shouta asked. Internally, he was hoping the teenager would give him something to work with, something he could use to make a decision on…and yet he found himself disappointed immediately, as Izuku quickly shook their head in negation. A negation the two girls seemed very unhappy with, as Ochako suddenly elbowed Izuku, but the green-haired teen didn't even flinch. Shouta sighed. "Midoriya…are you certain there won't be any issues? It's fine if there is. Not everyone has to like one another."

Izuku swallowed thickly. "I-I'm sure, sir. We'll be fine. We um…we had some arguments when we were in school but it's fine otherwise!"

Shouta stared Izuku down, before nodding. "I'll take you at your word then. Since classes start soon, we'll only do some light training today to be sure you're in good condition for the start of the year and have decent control. Meet me at Gamma in an hour." With that, Shouta spun about and left the dorm. He was frustrated; originally, he'd wanted Bakugo in his class so he could control the boy if his powerful Quirk went out of control. Once the suspicions about the two teens relationship began to become more and more clear, he wanted to swap Bakugo to Vlad's class, but the letters had already gone out and trying to switch students before the year started was a right clusterfuck of paperwork (why the government was so obsessed with this he still did not understand), not to mention you had to get the Board's permission, for some ungodly reason.

But if Izuku had given him a reason, any actual reason he could take to the Board, it would have been easy…but the teenager wasn't ready to tell him. Not yet. And he feared trying to force it out of him would be a backslide for Izuku's mentality, especially after his breakdown the prior day. Shouta knew he'd just have to keep a close eye on the two, and make sure nothing happened.

Shouta had clearly cursed himself. The test went off fine, the students understanding the assignment without issue (and the threat of a 5 page essay for last place motivated them all), and then he figured it was the perfect time to introduce the problem trio. He explained the basics…Quirk accident had caused a forced Quirk share and awakening, they were now under special education concerns as it had never happened before, etc. The best lies were mostly true, after all, he just left out the whole One For All thing, explaining Izuku's quirk away as a stockpiler that took forever to activate.

What he hadn't expected was less than a minute after the trio had stepped out, that Bakugo would blow a gasket and actually try to attack Izuku. Shouta's reflexes had been primed from the beginning, expecting something from the obviously on edge blonde teenager, but he had not expected a direct full frontal assault. Honestly, it was a good thing he caught Bakugo when he did…the looks Ochako and Himiko were giving the blonde had him wondering if he was going to end up in the stratosphere or stabbed a half dozen times if Shouta hadn't stepped in. He also did not fail to notice Izuku suddenly shrinking in on themself the second the explosions started, nearly shaking out of sheer panic, nor did he fail to notice how both Ochako and Himiko seemed to react to whatever the teenager was feeling.

Now Shouta had a big, annoying problem to deal with, but luckily, a far too eager spy gave him what he needed. He announced to the class he would be right back, to take some time to mingle and talk to one another, and dragged Bakugo along with him towards where he knew Yagi was hiding (badly), stopping before the bulked up hero and watching the very interesting sight of Bakugo suddenly straightening up and looking up at Yagi with hero worship in his eyes. Huh. He shook his head, now was not the time.

"Alright, here's what's going to happen. I still have a class to run, but your behavior was absolutely unacceptable. All Might here is going to sit you down and you're going to explain what was going through your head with that assault, and we'll decide your punishment later."

"Punishment? For what? Deku doesn't have a Quirk! It's some sort of trick, and I want fucking answers!" Bakugo tried to argue, but Shouta narrowed his eyes, letting his hair lift slightly to let the blonde know he meant business.

"Answers? You don't demand answers, Bakugo, you ask nicely and someone decides if you deserve an answer. Understand that your position in this university is subject to any of the teachers and or the president's whims. What you did was an assault and we have a zero tolerance policy for that. We, the staff here, are well aware of the particulars of Midoriya's Quirk and can confirm that yes, he does have one, not that it's any of your business either way. I have a class to get back to, and you have an explanation to give. All Might will give his recommendation on your punishment once that is done." Shouta kept his gaze locked on the blonde teenager, before looking up to give Yagi a sharp nod. With an annoyed huff, he spun about and headed back towards his class, wanting to check on Izuku before he started the sit downs. He could hear Yagi walking away, Bakugo following behind, and decided to focus on Izuku for now.

Which didn't seem like it would be too difficult, considering the teenager was very clearly avoiding talking to anyone else, while Ochako and Himiko ran interference. Weeks spent with them made it pretty easy to tell when they wore fake smiles…not out of a distaste of their fellow students, no, it seemed like they were already making friends, but out of a concern for Izuku which Shouta had to admit he shared, seeing how pale the teenager had become, or how their tail kept flicking back and forth agitatedly (what he wouldn't give for every student to have an easy cat-based tell).

The students straightened up at his presence, but he waved them off, quickly explaining the plan to have the one on one talks with each of them after class. He showed his sheet explaining the times he expected to see them in his office (each session took less than fifteen minutes on average), and asked everyone to go get their syllabi from the classroom and he'd see the first one on the list (Aoyama) in ten minutes. He asked Izuku to stay behind for a moment, quietly telling the girls they should help their classmates find the dorms. He could see both of them were very much hesitant to do so, but Izuku told them it'd be fine, once again flashing that incredibly fake smile that fooled no one…but they heard the teen out and left, leaving the two alone.

Shouta internally sighed at seeing Izuku seem to shrink, like they expected Shouta to yell at them. He needed to nip that in the bud asap. "Midoriya- '' he began, but was cut off immediately.

"I-I'm sorry for the trouble, Sensei, I didn't think Kacchan would um…"

"Blow up with no reason, pun not intended?" Shouta asked, raising an eyebrow. Izuku nodded sheepishly. Shouta let out a deep sigh. "I'm not angry at you for his behavior. I'm not angry at you at all. If anything, I'm angry at him, which is why he's going to have a talk with Yagi and we'll see what punishment to give him once we've had a chance to discuss it."

"P-punishment? For what? He didn't actually hurt me, it was just a scare thing…"

"...Midoriya, think about him doing that to Uraraka or Himiko and then say that to me." The way the teenager immediately slammed their mouth shut and looked away from Shouta was enough for him, deciding to let that point go for now. "I just want to know why you didn't tell me? I understand it's difficult to trust me, I have yet to earn it, but I genuinely meant I'd take care of it if he was going to be a problem."

"I don't want to be treated special or different, though," Izuku muttered, still not meeting Shouta's gaze.

"It's not special treatment. Assaulting another student outside of training is absolutely forbidden. If he had done it to anyone he'd be in trouble."

"I…I mean, if you'd done something before he did anything."

Shouta pinched the bridge of his nose. "Being able to fix the problem before it became a problem would be more logical for everyone involved. If I had known he'd be like that towards you, I would have pushed for him to be moved to Vlad's class. He initially was put in mine so I could disable his Quirk if it was an issue. I tend to take those with more volatile Quirks for that reason, you see. But switching classes would not have impacted yours or his chances, you know. Both classes get the same treatment."

Izuku looked down at the ground, their voice soft. "O-oh…I guess that makes sense. B-but still, it's really not that big a deal, he's just got a bit of a temper, a-and it's only really at me, he's going to be a great hero, he's got such a good Quirk for it and-"

"Kid, stop. Focus on yourself, not on him. And stop defending him. That's not your job. His actions have to speak for him." Seeing Izuku's ears go flat on their skull made Shouta wince internally, modulating his tone to be more gentle. "I'm not trying to be cruel, Midoriya. But you're not being fair to yourself right now. You deserve to not be attacked on your first day, and I really don't think I'm being unreasonable when I say that. C'mon kid…remember what I said the other day. You have to give yourself a chance. And if it's too hard to see it that way, just picture Himiko or Uraraka in your place…and imagine how they feel when this happens to you. I doubt you even have to imagine, you can feel it after all."

Izuku's wince clued Shouta in that he was correct in that guess as well. But the stance the teen had informed Shouta that they still hadn't quite let go of this. Shouta wanted to prod a bit more, but he worried that'd push the teen too far now. Hopefully after a bit, he could try again, for now he'd let Izuku head back to the dorms and get some rest. "Alright, I don't want to keep pestering you, and I do want you to know I'm not upset you didn't say something, I'm just trying to understand your reasoning. You're not in trouble either. Just head back to the dorms and get some rest, classes start up seriously bright and early tomorrow. Alright?"

Izuku paused, before nodding. After a moment, they looked up at Shouta, their voice soft as they asked "What's going to happen to Kacchan?"

Shouta really wanted to sigh deeply at how focused Izuku was on someone who clearly was not a good influence in their life, but he could imagine that this was a very deep hole to dig the boy out of, and for now he'd just start working on it slowly. "That'll depend a lot on what he says to Yagi, and what myself, Yagi, and Nezu decide. I'll give you this…it is unlikely he will be expelled. One incident doesn't make for an expulsion normally," 'and you'll probably blame yourself for it if we went with that option', Shouta thought to himself, "but detention is likely, and probably class transfer as well. But we'll see after he talks to Yagi."

Izuku nodded again, almost absently turning around and walking off in the direction of the dorms. Shouta watched the teen go for a moment, before shaking his head to focus. He had to go over the exams with the rest of the class, and he'd catch up with Yagi after to see what the older pro had to say.

Once Toshinori had managed to get Bakugo to take a seat in his office, he took a moment to just look at the teenager. Bakugo's face was set in a scowl, arms crossed over his chest, a defensive, closed off posture that Toshinori wasn't surprised by. Getting in trouble on the first day of University would lead to either defensiveness or panic, and clearly Bakugo chose the former. Still, Toshinori chose to stay silent, hands clasped on his desk, looking directly at Bakugo. He was well aware a boy like that would not stay quiet for long, and wanted to see where the blonde teenager chose to take this.

As he expected, he didn't have long to wait, Bakugo losing his patience with an annoyed huff. "Well?"

"Well what, young Bakugo?"

"What do you want from me that you dragged me all the way out here?" Bakugo seethed.

Toshinori hummed contemplatively. "Well, I'd like to begin by asking you what led to you choosing to assault another student on the first day."

"I wasn't assaulting another student, it was Deku! I was calling out that fucking quirkless liar and a cheat!" Bakugo snapped back, fists clenched.

Toshinori arched an eyebrow. "You somehow believe that young Midoriya managed to deceive the entirety of the UA staff? Didn't you see the cat ears and the tail? Clearly, he's got some type of Quirk."

"No one gets a Quirk when they are eighteen! That's fucking impossible! He had to cheat somehow!"

"Ah yes, and you are an expert on all things Quirks? Please, would you mind sharing your degree in Quirk sciences?" Toshinori held back a grin at how utterly flabbergasted the teenager looked. He rarely showed his more sarcastic side to people, preferring to keep his jovial, over the top hammy performances to make people feel more at ease, but Bakugo seemed to need a wake up call and acting out of character might just be what he needed.

Bakugo shook his head. "I'm not making shit up, that's how it works! It's gotta be a trick!"

"I assure you, the staff here are experts and have already verified it is not a trick. But you see, young Bakugo, here's something you are forgetting." Toshinori leaned forward over his desk, placing his hands flat on the desk as he stared directly into the teenagers eyes. In a quiet but firm tone, he continued. "It is none of your business how or why Midoriya has a Quirk. You are not entitled to knowing the details of his abilities or really, anything about him. We, the teachers here, handle our students and their Quirks. You do not. You do not decide who goes here, or why, or when, or for what reason. What you should be concerned about is the fact you assaulted another student, which is grounds for punishment up to and including expulsion."

"What?!" Bakugo shot to his feet, hands sparking. "That's bullshit! I didn't even hurt him! And I wasn't going to!"

"Oh? It certainly looked like you were. Why shoot towards him with your Quirk then?" Bakugo gestured helplessly, sputtering as he tried to justify his reasoning. Toshinori narrowed his eyes, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers before his face. This might be the chance he needed to get what information he wanted to look into Aldera. He held up a hand to cut the boy off. "Let me try it this way. Do you understand how Quirk law works?"

Bakugo scoffed. "Yeah, we learned about it in grade school. Don't use your Quirk in public, don't use it for crimes, etc. What's that got to do with anything?"

"You don't consider the school grounds public, nor using it for assault a crime?"

"You can use your Quirk at school! Especially here, it's a hero school!"

Toshinori arched an eyebrow. "You can utilize it here when you are directed by your teacher, and you should not be using your Quirk in school. That is absolutely illegal." And that was what Toshinori wanted to see, the sudden confusion on the blonde teenager's face. "Did your school allow free Quirk use?"

Bakugo shrugged. "Yeah, of course. They said the law was outdated and it was fine."

"What else did they say?"

Bakugo looked wary. "...Why do you wanna know?"

"Because your answer may determine if I recommend expulsion or not. Now, answer my question."

Bakugo froze slightly at the word expulsion. Toshinori was glad. The boy seemed to finally be grasping that he was genuinely in trouble, and that this wasn't going to be let go so easily. Good, the first steps were being taken. Bakugo swallowed. "They said shit like you could use your Quirk however you wanted, and stronger Quirks meant you were destined for better things. I thought it was a lot of bullshit, but a lot of the extras thought it made sense and would use their Quirks on other people and shit."

"Other people…like, let me guess, young Midoriya?" Bingo. Bakugo paled, but immediately jumped in with more information, almost frantic.

"Not me! I never hurt him with my Quirk! I know that's illegal!"

"Never? Do be aware I'll be checking with him on that statement," Toshinori reminded, waiting to see the response.

Bakugo froze for a moment, before sinking back into his chair. "I mean…we got into fights as kids sometimes. Just stupid shit. And I guess…I mighta burned his shoulder once, but I wasn't trying to burn his shoulder, just his shirt! And the teachers said it was okay, he was just a Quirkless Deku, he didn't matter!"

"You're not stupid, young Bakugo. Your test scores are incredibly high. You must be aware that someone telling you it's okay to hurt someone else is not justification to do so." Bakugo scowled once more, crossing his arms over his chest, but didn't try to defend that. Toshinori sighed as he rubbed at his brow. "What you did before, we cannot punish you for. But any similar behavior here would be grounds for immediate expulsion, and possible prosecution if you used your Quirk illegally." Watching Bakugo's face go white wasn't something Toshinori enjoyed, really. He was angry at the boy, yes, but he also felt like it was possible to move the boy onto a better path. He'd shown some understanding of why that attitude that the school tried to instill in him was wrong, but he still seemed to lack empathy for Izuku. So he'd ask a few more questions to get an idea of what all went on before he made a decision.

"You mentioned you didn't use your Quirk on young Midoriya…but did you assault him without it?" Bakugo's silence was a damning confirmation, one which had Toshinori having to clench his fists beneath his desk. He let out a deep sigh. "Help me understand. Why would you, someone who wants to be a hero, think that is a good idea?"

"Because he was fucking stupid! He kept going on and on about being a hero, and he had nothing! He was a scrawny twig with no powers, yet he kept putting himself on the same level as me! I had everything going for me, the right power, the right drive, and he had none of that, but he kept trying to act like he could do what I could! He needed to learn how shit works in the real world!" Bakugo snarled.

"And the way you 'taught' him that lesson was to hurt and abuse him? Please tell me you understand how wrong that is."

"You just…you don't get it! Strength is what matters! You're living proof of that! You kick the shit out of everyone, beat all the villains, win the day! I'm gonna be just like that! Better even! But Deku kept trying to say he could do it too, and he can't!"

Toshinori sighed. This…definitely felt like something deeply ingrained in the boy that one conversation was not going to break him free of. But what more was a hero school for than to educate? Part of him wanted to just kick the kid out and wash his hands of him, but…he feared Izuku would blame himself. The few times the teenager had mentioned 'Kacchan' to him had been in a strange mix of hero worship and fear, and from what conversations he'd gleaned with Izuku had led Toshinori to realize there was an unhealthy attachment. One which breaking instantly might not work out as well as he hoped.

Toshinori leaned back in his chair. "I am disappointed, young Bakugo, but as I said earlier, we won't punish you for your actions at your high school. But what you did was beyond unacceptable, and I won't pretend like your words do not color my decision. I am worried about your temper and complete misunderstanding of what it means to be a hero, and I am tempted to send you to general education rather than let you continue in the hero course." Bakugo leapt to his feet once more, ready to protest, but Toshinori was having none of it. "Sit down, Bakugo. Don't make this worse for yourself than it already is." The teenager begrudgingly sat back down, but his pale face and clear worry was visible.

Toshinori let out a deep breath and leaned forward on the desk. "Bakugo, your attitude is wholly unsuited for heroics. That said, I also believe in second chances, and in the belief people can learn from their mistakes. If you are willing to try to understand why your attitude is wrong, then we can try to work something out. However, it is clear your prior school made many, many mistakes in how it treated its students. Let me ask you this…would you be willing to talk to me and a friend of mine about what all you were taught in that school?"

"...sure, I guess. Not like I have a fucking choice," Bakugo muttered, sounding defeated.

"You do. I won't force you, and if you say no, I won't let it color my decision on your punishment."

"...well, apparently they taught me a bunch of bullshit, so yeah. I'll talk, if it means they pay for screwing up my education."

Toshinori let out a smile, one that sent a chill up Bakugo's spine. It wasn't like the type he'd give to reassure others, and it wasn't even like the ones he showed villains. No, this one felt far more dark, almost sinister, his blue eyes glinting in the light. "Excellent choice. Why don't you tell me a little bit now?"

"So, your recommendation is we give Bakugo detention, move him to 1-B, swapping him with another student, as well as mandated anger management with Inui?" Shouta asked.

Toshinori nodded. "I admit, part of me wanted to do more, but I worry my attachment to Izuku was coloring my decision making."

"Oh, more would have been reasonable, but this punishment is as well, since he'll be serving detention with me," Nezu waved him off, a cheery smile on the chimera's face.

Shouta shuddered at the tone Nezu gave. He was going to wash his hands of this, having no desire to get mixed up with whatever Nezu decided to throw Bakugo's way. He turned to look at his fellow first year teacher. "You fine with this, Kan? We're somewhat just throwing our problem to you."

Kan shrugged. "It makes sense. Besides, between the two of us, I've got the worse temper. I've dealt with other temperamental kids before, I can handle it. The question is who do we swap for him?"

"Got a recommendation?"

Kan flipped through his papers. "Hmm. No, no, no, probably not, could work…ah. How about this one?" Sliding the paper across the table to Shouta, the dark-haired man glanced down at it and shrugged.

"Works for me. Nezu?"

"The paperwork is already filed. I'll send someone to help her move her belongings to 1-A, since she's already moved into the 1-B dorms."

"Alright. I'll go talk to her to explain the situation then," Kan said, standing up.

Shouta followed suit. "I'll join you, I can introduce her to the class then." Kan nodded, the two teachers heading out of the room, leaving Nezu and Toshinori alone.

Out of curiosity, Toshinori reached out to grab the paper, sliding it over to look at the page. Red hair and teal eyes with a bright smile met his own, Toshinori nodding absently. "Itsuka Kendo, huh?"

Chapter Text

Ochako was not having a great day. It hadn't started the best…which yes, she knew that was just part of her mind not listening, but she still couldn't help the disgust she felt with herself for having ate that plate of omurice in the morning didn't those two know how much money that costs and how many calories are in that but she'd made a deal and she'd put up with it if it meant Izuku wouldn't hurt themselves again. Which, as part of the bargain, Izuku had agreed to let them 'check' periodically…it was a little awkward asking Izuku to lose their shirt every so often, but it wasn't like she hadn't seen them shirtless as kids it was nothing like when they were kids. But any weird thoughts in her mind would always be wiped out the second she saw those marks.

Perhaps it was odd that the ones that bothered her more weren't the ones Izuku had put on themselves. The fact they felt the need to, that desire, truly made Ochako upset and sick to her stomach, but she found herself more angry at the ones others left on them. Izuku wouldn't have ended up feeling that way if it weren't for those bastards, and they were very lucky Ochako couldn't get ahold of them easily or else she'd probably be on the run from the police.

Either way, she'd stomach the food, no pun intended, if it meant Izuku would stop getting hurt, at least by their own hand. And if it meant Himiko would at least make an effort to let go of her guilt and self-loathing…yes, that was a bit hypocritical of her, but she was trying too!

Still, that wasn't what made her day bad. It had started off on a bad foot, but…she couldn't be unhappy about how much Himiko and Izuku had been spoiling her and encouraging her. It was embarrassing, how proud they seemed to be of her just for eating, but it also sent a warm feeling into her chest that made her flush, feeling the sheer affection and care and joy from them across the bond. That warmth had carried her all the way to the class introduction, where everything went to absolute shit.

Izuku had been nervous the whole way, which…she understood. Knowing what Izuku had faced in the past, and knowing that Bakugo would be there, she understood why Izuku would be nervous. Hell, so was she. Her prior classmates weren't that great themselves, even if they weren't as bad as Izuku's. And Himiko was surrounded by preppy pricks, so…yeah, none of them had high hopes for their classmates at first.

And then that blonde fucker had to come attacking her Izuku. The sudden, soul destroying fear that erupted within Izuku, the pure panic followed by an accepting numbness that paralyzed her as quickly as it had Izuku was the only reason Aizawa got to that bastard before Ochako or Himiko could. Logically that was probably better, since she didn't want to start her scholastic career with a murder, but still.

It had been agonizing to leave Izuku behind with Aizawa, but their teacher had yet to betray her trust, so, she accepted it, even if she was focusing heavily on the bond to try and see how Izuku was feeling about it. Which…was normal, she supposed? Izuku was nervous, fearful, feeling guilty, all those emotions she wanted to rip away from them and burn on a pyre, but at least they were slightly more calm, and it didn't seem like what Aizawa was saying was escalat-nevermind! What the hell did he say to Izuku that made that sudden guilt rocket through them?!

Ochako shared a glance with Himiko, the blonde having the same thoughts mirrored in her eyes. And yet they couldn't do anything about it, being forced to show their classmates to the dorms! She sighed internally. She was being unfair and she knew it. So far none of her classmates seemed to be bad people, and pretty much all of them had seemed horrified by Bakugo's attack. The only one who hadn't really reacted was that white and red haired boy, but then again, he seemed to just be standoffish in general, talking to pretty much none of them as he followed the group towards the dorms silently.

Still, Ochako thought she might get along with most of her classmates. The other girls were fun, although Ashido, the pink-skinned girl, was very interested in the whole bonded quirk thing, for reasons Ochako wasn't sure. Granted, most of the class seemed interested, although half of them seemed more interested in the cat ears and tails. It made her feel pretty self-conscious, especially with how focused that blonde boy, Kaminari, seemed to be on the tail. At first she thought he was staring at her ass and she was about to punt him into the sky but once she realized it was the tail itself, well…still awkward but she wasn't as upset, but she didn't want to start rocking the boat or starting any fights.

"Hey, Kaminari, can you cut that out?" Himiko suddenly asked, eyes narrowed as she stared at the blonde.

"Huh wha?" he said, looking up at her and blinking in confusion.

"You're staring at our tails and it's making me uncomfortable." Ochako stared at Himiko, seeing the blonde with an unusually blank expression on her face. But, he'd been looking at her tail, she was sure of it…oh. Ochako felt a sudden surge of warmth in her chest, Himiko speaking up, knowing that it was bothering Ochako.

Kaminari sputtered, eyes wide. "Oh, oh shit, I'm sorry! I uh, I get um, distracted by fuzzy things sometimes, they think it's cause of my Quirk, but that's not an excuse, I'm not trying to make an excuse, sorry, I didn't think about it, I-"

"Breathe," Himiko ordered, cutting the boy off. "It's okay just, please try not to?"

"Y-yeah, of course!" Kaminari replied, giving a bright smile as pink dusted his cheeks in embarrassment.

"Your Quirk is electricity, right?" The tall, dark-haired woman asked. Yaoyorozu, Ochako remembered, the one who got first place on the Quirk assessment.

Kaminari nodded. "Yeah!" As he started going into explanation of his Quirk, Ochako chose to tune him out. She wasn't trying to be rude, and she did want to get to know her classmates better, but Izuku…she was worried about Izuku, she was really worried and-her ruminations were cut off by a tap on her shoulder. She blinked, glancing over to see a tall, tired-looking teenager with purple hair that oddly resembled Aizawa.

He glanced up above her head, confusing her for a moment before she realized he was looking at her ears, before his gaze returned to hers. "You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Why do you ask?" she asked, confused.

He shrugged. "Don't take this the wrong way, but your tail's flicking rapidly and your ears keep laying flat. Classic cat signs of being upset. If I'm off, feel free to tell me to fuck off."

She stared at him blankly for a moment, the gears turning in her head about how easy she was to read to someone who knew things about cats. She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Just…worried about Izu, that's all."

"Izu? I assume that's the other one with the cat features?" the purple-haired boy asked.

She nodded. "Yeah. They're um…mine and Himi's best friend, and we uh, it's a whole thing, like Sensei said. Kinda confusing. But I can feel how they feel and it's just a mess right now."

"Yeaaaah, that bomb boy was pretty pissed and acting like an idiot. I'm assuming there's a reason?"

Ochako noticed that the rest of the class seemed to be paying attention to her at this point, and found herself scrunching her shoulders at the unwanted attention. Still…fuck it. Izuku might be mad at her later, but she wasn't about to let Bakugo's bullshit go unsaid to everyone else just because Izuku was unable to admit to 'Kacchan's' faults. She wasn't going to spill their secrets or anything…but she wasn't going to defend Bakugo either.

"I'm not gonna break Izu's trust and tell their secrets. I'll just say Bakugo's an ass and if he pulls that again, I'm going to punt him into space," Ochako said, her voice clear and devoid of emotion.

"Not if I stab him first!" Himiko chimed in with a cheerful, wide grin that promised violence.

"That seems a bit excessive," the tall, blue-haired boy who had identified himself as Tenya Ida previously.

"You try feeling how Izu feels and tell me that," Himiko shot back, narrowing her eyes at the teen.

"So like…you three feel each other's emotions? Isn't that kinda weird?" the teenager with the strange elbows said, tilting his head to the side. Sero, Ochako remembered.

"It's super romantic is what it is!" Ashido exclaimed, a big grin on her face. Next to her, the floating clothes that represented the invisible girl Hagakure bounced up and down in agreement. "How long have you three known each other?"

Ochako ignored the weird romantic comment as she answered. "We were friends as kids, but me and Himi had to move away, and we lost contact. It was after we took the entrance exam that we found each other again, and then the accident happened."

Ashido and Hagakure squealed. "That is super romantic! Childhood friends separated and then finding each other and then getting bonded by a Quirk?!" Hagakure exclaimed.

"It is rather like some of the stories I've read," Yaoyorozu mused, before she seemed to notice what she said aloud and flushed, looking pointedly away from the group.

Himiko rolled her eyes indulgently at the girls, the feelings of exasperation and slight embarrassment coming across and mixing with Ochako's own embarrassment. They didn't get it, it wasn't romantic, it was just…Himi and Izu were her people, that's all! She cut her own thoughts off as she spied the dorms in the distance, pointing forward. "There, that's the dorms. If uh…if you need help moving, I'll be happy to, my Quirk's really helpful for moving stuff."

"I'll help too!" Himiko said with a grin, a grin that only Ochako could tell was fake. Not that Himiko wasn't genuine about helping, but the cheer was entirely mitigated by her concern for Izuku, who still was full of so many mixed emotions Ochako couldn't make heads nor tails of them. But for now, she'd have to set that aside, and working herself to exhaustion helping people move in was probably the best way. She just had to hope she didn't collapse. She'd eaten, as part of the deal, but Izuku had been clear in pointing out that one meal would not make up for what she'd already missed she was terrified of what that meant but she made a promise…and she would keep it. With a deep breath, she plastered a smile on her face, planted her hands on her hips, and turned to her classmates, ready to begin.

By the time Izuku made it back to the dorms, half the class were moved in thanks to Ochako and Himiko's assistance. The combination of Quirks made moving in a snap for them, and as each person finished their own move-in, they offered their own help as well, speeding up each student's arrival even further. Though Izuku felt wrung out and stretched thin, they plastered a bright grin on their face and hopped into helping, gently dismissing questions about how they themselves felt. Izuku could feel it though…Ochako and Himiko were not fooled, and they were just waiting for a moment to pull Izuku aside and grill them on how they felt.

On one hand, Izuku was exhausted and just didn't want to talk about it. On the other hand, there was a warm feeling in their chest knowing how much the girls cared, and they couldn't really ignore it. If they were in either of the others' shoes, they'd be doing the same and they knew it, and while their first thought was that they didn't deserve such consideration, they had promised to try and think less…that way. Not that they could, but still, they were trying to ignore that voice, just a little bit.

It was when they had almost finalized moving most of the students that Aizawa approached the dorms, Vlad King at his side and a red-haired girl with her hair pulled back in a ponytail following behind, looking a bit confused. Aizawa quickly gathered the class together in the common room, the red-head behind him gripping her suitcase nervously.

"I'm going to be blunt. Bakugo's behavior was unacceptable, and after review and a discussion with him, we've chosen not to expel him, but he has been removed from this class and moved into 1-B. In his place, we've switched him with Itsuka Kendo here," Aizawa gestured behind him to the redhead, Kendo giving a wave at the class.

Vlad stepped forward. "Do note that any such assaults or attacks by any student are grounds for disciplinary action here. If you witness such moments, report them immediately, and I would advise not taking part in any such hazing. Friendly rivalries or ribbing are fine, and during training you can and will get hurt sometimes, but assault is unacceptable. Bakugo will be very closely watched, you can be assured of that, but for now, the issue is settled. Unless someone has a complaint to bring up?"

It wasn't obvious, but everyone remained silent and sent sidelong glances towards Izuku, the one who Bakugo had attacked. Izuku kept one hand clenched behind their back, but didn't make a sound, not having any desire to bring more attention to themselves. Aizawa nodded. "Very well. Midoriya, I need a word with you outside, the rest of you, continue what you were doing." Izuku internally swore, knowing that they'd just cursed themselves about not having attention drawn to them, but kept quiet. Ochako and Himiko brushed past them, already offering assistance to Kendo, but as they went by them, Himiko gently brushed her arm against their hand and Ochako patted them on the shoulder, giving them just a bit of encouragement they sorely needed. Silently, they followed Aizawa outside, Vlad following a moment later and passing by the two, heading back to the dorms for his class.

"...what did you want to talk to me about, sir?" Izuku asked.

"I wanted to be certain you're alright with what we've done, and give you the details the others didn't need to know. Bakugo has detention for the foreseeable future, as well as mandatory anger management classes. Are you alright with this as a punishment? We can do more if you think this is unfair."

Izuku didn't think their teacher wanted them to admit that they thought this punishment was too much, and from the look in Aizawa's eyes, they knew their teacher already had assumed Izuku might say that and was giving very clear signs that Izuku shouldn't. They sighed, shoulders slumping. "...no sir. It's fine."

"Midoriya," Aizawa began, before letting out his own sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Nevermind. I know this is hard for you. But somewhere along the way, you have, for some reason, accepted that his behavior towards you is acceptable. I'm going to once again suggest you consider speaking to Hound Dog at some point, but I won't keep harping on this. Still, can you please think about it?"

Izuku's first instinct was to deny it. What right did they have to take up valuable time for a hero like Hound Dog, much less about their stupid issues that didn't ultimately matter. 'No!' they hissed internally, focusing on the warm spot in their chest where they could feel Ochako and Himiko, feel the care and worry they had for them. Aizawa was just trying to help. They were supposed to try and accept help. That was part of the deal, but…they still weren't ready. They could barely talk to Ochako or Himiko, and the thought of talking to a stranger nearly sent their entire body into panic mode. Still…

"...I'll think about it."

Aizawa was an expert at keeping his emotions in check, but it took effort to keep his lips from quirking up at Izuku's admission. He knew the teenager wouldn't say that if they didn't mean it, and that was progress. Glacial though it might be, he'd take this as an encouraging sign, adding on the fact he spied Ochako eating earlier that day. Just a bit more and they could maybe get these kids to finally accept help. He nodded.

"Thanks. Alright, finish what you're doing, you all need a good night's sleep for class tomorrow. I'll see you in class. Goodnight, Midoriya."

"Goodnight, Sensei," Izuku replied, offering a small half-smile that was more genuine than the fake one they'd plastered across their face beforehand. They turned around and headed back into the dorm, ready to finish helping anyone else before heading to bed…and to the girl's confrontation.

"Yagi, I would suggest you sit down," Nezu said gently, sipping his tea as he stared at the pacing hero before him.

"I am aware my actions aren't logical but I cannot sit still, Nezu. Not right now," Toshinori replied, his voice barely above a growl as he paced back and forth.

"I take it the information Bakugo gave you about Midoriya's school was not what you wanted to hear?" Aizawa asked, leaning against the wall.

"You have no idea," Toshinori replied, clenching his fists repeatedly. "It was…it was like some sort of pseudo-Darwinian bullshit! They insisted that everyone's social standing and place in society was entirely based upon the strength of their Quirk! Bakugo was their perfect little angel and could do no wrong. The only reason he didn't turn out worse was apparently he thought that attitude was stupid, but they still encouraged him to do whatever he wanted and damn the consequences. He internalized at least some of it, and it's going to be hell to break him out of that mindset."

"Which likely means Midoriya internalized some of that mindset too, just from the opposite end of the spectrum," Aizawa pointed out.

Toshinori nodded, his shoulders slumping. "I-I am afraid of that as well. I fear that may be the core of their self-worth issues, the belief that they are by default less valuable due to being born Quirkless. And now I handed them the most powerful Quirk in the world, but they didn't suddenly think they had value. I'm not entirely sure what that even means."

"While I am not Inui, I have a guess. My assumption would be they have now internalized that they do not have worth intrinsically, but they have a duty to your Quirk. So perhaps they have value as a vessel. At least, that is my running theory. I doubt they even have considered that consciously," Nezu remarked.

Toshinori snarled at the thought, but didn't dismiss it. If anything, it made more sense than he wished it did. He rubbed at his face with one hand. "Tsukauchi is trying to handle both cases, Aldera and the Toga's, but he is getting pushback from his superiors since it is based on unreliable testimony. I'm not entirely sure what to do. If I use my influence as All Might, it'll draw far too much media attention."

"Oh fret not Yagi, I shall personally interject. I have a few favors to call in. I'll clear the way for your friend to continue his work," Nezu waved dismissively. "Not only are both children my students, but as you are both aware, I take a dim view on those who would entrap or abuse others. Added onto that, the notes you took from your conversation with Bakugo have given me a…concern. Beyond what we've already learned, that is."

Aizawa arched an eyebrow. "And that concern is?"

Nezu reached into his desk and pulled out a book with a deep red cover with two large blots of ink on the cover, setting it on the desk before him. The other two in the room leaned over, glancing down to see the title. Yagi blinked. "The Meta Liberation War? Isn't that the book that ancient villain Destro wrote?"

"Yes. It is. It has been edited many times since then, but this is one of the original copies. The attitudes espoused by Aldera are direct mirrors of the opinions expressed within these pages. Disturbingly so. Some of the phrases Bakugo told you are word for word from these pages. I am…concerned about this."

"You cannot seriously be considering-" Aizawa began, before he was cut off.

"I'm considering many things. It could be as simple as one faculty member has read this book, or even was raised on its principles and doesn't know the origin. Or it could be as complex as an entire school system based on the MLA principles. Or even some things that should not merit consideration and yet I must. I will consider and investigate every possibility. If the worst comes to be true, I will be prepared," Nezu said, steel in his tone.

"...do you think that's a genuine concern?" Yagi asked, narrowing his eyes.

Nezu shrugged. "As I said, any number of theories are possible and I do not have enough evidence to discount or confirm any of them. Not yet. That is another reason I will be lending my full support to Tsukauchi. I intend on being certain this is a one-off scenario. Because if it is not…we have much, much bigger issues to contend with."

"I'll…leave that to you, Nezu. I need to focus on my successors," Toshinori said with a heavy sigh.

"Of course, of course. They need you. I shall focus on this end of the investigation, do not fret. You make certain the children are alright."

Chapter Text

"What'd Sensei tell you?" Ochako asked as soon as the door shut behind the trio, Himiko already flopped face down on her bed as Izuku gingerly took a seat on the edge of the bed.

Izuku shrugged. "Telling me Kacchan got detention and anger management. Asked me if I wanted a harsher punishment."

"And you said yes, right?" Himiko asked, but the tone in her voice, muffled as it was with her face buried in a pillow, made it clear she already knew the answer.

Izuku gave the blonde a blank stare before sighing. "I said no. It's fine."

"Izu," Ochako sighed, tiredly laying across her own bed behind the green-haired teen. "You know he's lucky he didn't get expelled for attacking you, right?"

"It really wasn't that big a deal, I don't get why everyone is making it into one," Izuku muttered, refusing to meet her gaze.

"...you know, I want to snap at you but I know that won't work. So I'm just gonna cheat," Himiko said, rolling over on her back and looking sidelong at Izuku. "If Bakugo had attacked me, would you be so blasé about it?"

Izuku's shoulders hunched, the teenager refusing to turn around and look at Himiko. The blonde shared a significant look with Ochako, the other girl rolling her eyes. Ochako reached out with one hand to grab Izuku's tail, causing them to jump in startled shock as she began to gently stroke it. "What about if it was me? Would you say his punishment was too harsh?"

She could see Izuku's fist clench, the feeling of an instinctual rejection to the thought followed by annoyance at how she was twisting things back on them coming across the bond very clearly, but honestly, she didn't care much. Izuku was very important to her, but she wasn't going to just let them keep doing this weird hero worship of the guy who told them to jump off a fucking roof. And she wasn't going to hide it from them, making sure her feelings were loud and clear across the bond…which apparently was too much for Izuku to ignore anymore, as they spun about to glare at the two of them.

"I thought we were trying to be respectful of each other's personal stuff," Izuku hissed.

"We are. But nothing you say or do is gonna make me respect that asshole," Himiko retorted.

"He's not that bad! He really isn't! I told you, it's not a big deal, I'm not import-"

"Izu, you promised," Ochako cut them off, making Izuku's mouth snap shut with an audible click as their fangs clinked off one another. She sighed, her fingers still gently stroking the fur on their tail. "Please, Izu…I know it's hard, but please. Try to see where we're coming from. Maybe you don't think you're important, but you are to us. Don't our feelings matter?"

"O-of course they do, it's just…it…" Izuku visibly struggled, before they fell backwards onto the bed, barely missing landing on Ochako as they sprawled out on the bed. They rubbed their face with their hands. "...I don't know," they managed to mutter.

Himiko rolled once, twice, too lazy to actually get up but wanting to be close enough to reach out and touch Izuku, her hands now rubbing Izuku's ears and making the green-haired teenager relax into the bed, humming softly. "Okay. Just as long as you try, okay?"

"...yeah," Izuku breathed out, eyes closed as they enjoyed the feeling of Himiko's hands on their ears.

Ochako snorted, having moved her hand away from the falling Izuku so as not to get trapped by them laying back. "This whole cat thing has its upsides too, I guess." She couldn't help but grin as Izuku shuffled slightly, pressing their head further into Himiko's hand, the blonde giggling. Izuku grumbled, but didn't disagree, still happy to let Himiko gently pet their ears.

Ochako closed her eyes to relax for a moment, only to get startled by a hand now on her head, rubbing her ears and making her melt back into the bed. Idly she realized that must be Himiko, as Izuku was in no position to focus on it, but those thoughts vanished moments later as she felt the gentle scritches at the base of her ear, sending tingles down her spine. No need for thoughts, just a nice, relaxing moment where she could pretend like today didn't suck.

"...kinda jealous of cats now," Ochako managed to mumble, hearing the agreeing hum from Izuku. Himiko giggled at them, still gently running her fingers through the other two teens' hair as she continued her ministrations. There was a brief pause in the pets, making Ochako whine unwillingly, before Himiko continued.

"Izu?" Himiko asked softly, not stopping the motion of her hands, but even in the daze she was under, Ochako noted a sound of nervousness in Himiko's voice that made her open half-lidded eyes to look up at her friend.

"Hmm?" Izuku responded, their own eyes flickering open slightly.

Himiko took a deep breath. "C-can I ask a um…personal question?" Izuku tilted their head to the side, but nodded silently, their full attention on the blonde now. Ochako had given hers as well, curious what Himiko had to ask. Himiko squirmed in place, before speaking. "I've um, been wondering this since the other day, and it's okay if you don't wanna answer, but…um…is the reason you've got so much first aid stuff and know how to use it so well um, cause of-"

"Yeah," Izuku cut her off with a gentle smile that didn't reach their eyes. They sighed, sitting upright and gently shaking Himiko's hand off their head before turning to face her fully. With their legs crossed on the bed, leaning forward on their elbows, they shrugged. "I um…I didn't wanna bother Mom, so…I figured out how to patch myself up after things. Mom always had a lot of medical stuff from her work, you know, she's still a nurse, so…it wasn't that hard to get a hold of things. And um, I was able to find the other stuff I needed when it was uh…bad."

Ochako rolled over to face them, looking up at them in concern. "How bad is bad?"

"...I had to figure out how to do stitches on myself a couple times. It's uh, not easy heh," Izuku shrugged, letting out a humorless breathy laugh.

It took a lot of effort for Ochako not to snap at how casually Izuku just…said that. Even under the calming effect of Himiko's ministrations, she just hated how they offhandedly laughed at the thought of them actually stitching themselves up on their own…especially with a nurse as a mother! She slammed the anger down, knowing they could feel the surge of it within her as the other two flinched, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She wasn't mad at Izuku, she was mad at the very world itself that put them in the situation where they couldn't even reach out to their own mother. But her being mad at the world still meant she was mad and they had to suffer her emotional whiplash, so she did her best to reel it in.

"Long as we're here, you're gonna go to Recovery Girl for stuff like that from now on, right?" Ochako asked, managing to keep her voice level.

Izuku paused for a moment as if considering, before nodding. "Y-yeah. I will. I…I know."

"You know what?" Himiko asked.

They sighed. "I know I shouldn't be doing that myself," they grumbled, refusing to meet either of the girls' eyes.

Himiko nodded. "Okay. So long as you know." She paused for a moment, before gently rubbing Izuku's ears once more, modulating her tone to a softer one. "I'm not trying to be mean about it, you know that, right?"

"...yeah Himi, I know. It's just…difficult, for me, sometimes," Izuku replied quietly.

"That's why we're here, to help with that," Himiko said with a soft smile, her fangs peeking through her lips.

"What she said,'' Ochako added, reaching next to her to grab Izuku's hand and squeeze it. Izuku turned their head and gave her a half smile, squeezing her hand back. The room lapsed into silence after that, Himiko gently running her fingers through Ochako and Izuku's hair as she stroked her fingers across their ears, the duo relaxing into the bed. This was the most comfortable they had felt the entire day, for once feeling slightly relieved.

The relaxed feeling vanished as a gentle, almost timid knock resounded on the door, making the trio all glance up. Izuku sat up swiftly, the fur on their ears sticking up as the ears laid back instinctively. Himiko clambered off the bed, eyes narrowed as she approached the door, opening it just a crack to see the tall teen they had met earlier, Yaoyorozu standing there with a sheepish smile. "Yeah?" Himiko asked, confused why she was there.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, but we've, well, Sato, has just finished cooking dinner for the class and we wanted to ask if you, Midoriya, and Uraraka will be joining us? I wasn't able to find Midoriya though…" Yaoyorozu mused, looking off to the side as if she was contemplating something.

Himiko giggled, covering her mouth after a moment. She turned around to look at the other two, getting a nod from both, before she opened the door fully and revealed the other two sitting in the bed, their heads tilted to the side as they looked at the taller dark-haired teenager.

"O-oh, there you are! Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything, I just-"

"We heard you," Ochako cut her off, the smile on her face telling Yaoyorozu it was fine.

Izuku offered their own smile, nodding at her. "Thanks for letting us know. We'll um, be down in a bit."

"Wonderful! I was hoping we could get to know one another a little bit better during dinner, so this is perfect! I'll see you three downstairs shortly!" Yaoyoruzu's grin was blinding as she clasped her hands together, turning about and heading down the hallway with a spring in her step. Himiko giggled again, before closing the door and turning about to the other two, already aware of what they needed to do due to the feelings that had roared across the bond as soon as Izuku had confirmed them going.

"'Chako-" Himiko began, cut off by the brunette raising her slightly shaking hand.

"I-I know. I remember the deal. I just…it's really…I don't want them to see anything," she whispered, curling in on herself.

"Sit between us, and we'll make sure your portions are small, okay?" Izuku offered, immediately reaching out to grab Ochako's hand and rubbing their thumb across the back of her knuckles.

"They'll be too easy chattering to notice, and we can just say you're not hungry if it comes up," Himiko added, crossing the room to sit on Ochako's other side, wrapping her arms around the brunette's waist and hugging her tightly from the side.

"Are you sure they won't realize it? You said it yourself, people will notice-"

"If you eat nothing," Izuku interrupted. They reached out, their free hand touching the bottom of her chin and lifting it so she would meet their gaze. "We know how hard this is for you. Gotta start small and work our way up. It's okay. We'll keep the attention off you and be with you the whole time. No one will suspect a thing, we'll make sure of that."

"...you promise?"

Himiko nodded gravely. "We promise, right Izu?"

"Yes. We promise. We got your back, 'Chako, no matter what."

Ochako swallowed thickly, her mouth feeling dry as a desert, but knowing she had to confront this. She could do this. She was Ochako Uraraka, a hero student, she could do this…for them. "Okay. Let's go downstairs."

She couldn't do this. She couldn't possibly keep this up. She felt so sick, so nauseous, her entire stomach kept roiling over and over again, making her feel like she was one step away from vomiting all over the table in front of everyone. The room was beginning to feel too hot, the perpetual cold she was accustomed to beginning to be burned away by a sudden painful flush under her skin, sweat dripping down her back as she bit her lip and clenched her fingers around her chopsticks.

It had started out fine. They had taken a few moments to go around the table, introducing themselves one by one. Izuku had made sure that Ochako went early, so when they left to get her plate, no one was paying attention to it, or to the fact Izuku had put less than half the amount anyone else was doing. A simple meal of curry, covering a small bit of rice, something she should be okay eating. And she'd felt so cared for when she noticed the single mochi Himiko had snuck onto her plate, the fact Himiko remembered her favorite dessert.

But every bite tasted of ashes, and every time she picked up another morsel it had been heavy, as if she'd applied her increased gravity to her utensils. She didn't even get why she was reacting so badly, she'd had breakfast this morning just fine! It had been a bit of a struggle but it was nowhere near as bad as now. She was going to be sick, they were all going to notice and they'd know and they'd judge her and-

"Chako?" Izuku whispered in her ear, drawing her gaze up to theirs. They were blurry in her vision, her hands trembling, the worry alight in the green making her feel even worse. She wanted to swallow to clear her throat, or reply somehow, but she feared if she even twitched the wrong way she'd lose control. "Chako…your Quirk," Izuku said softly, one hand gesturing to the tabletop. She glanced down to where Izuku's hand was pointing and eyes went wide…the plates were hovering an inch over the table. She let her gaze sweep over the rest of the room, seeing that the other plates were just barely hovering, any empty one slightly higher than the other. No one seemed to have noticed yet, too busy enthralled by a story Ashido was enthusiastically retelling, but she was so afraid.

It hit her like a bolt of lightning, stealing her air and making her feel the food, heavy and painful in her stomach, begin to bubble back up. She slammed her hands to the table and leapt to her feet, tapping her fingers together instinctively as she ran, fleeing to the bathroom and ignoring the sudden confused noises behind her. As she went, she felt more than saw Himiko bolt after her, heard Izuku leap to their feet and begin to explain she sometimes got sick thanks to her Quirk and that it was fine, no need to worry, their voice calming and soft as they pulled the class's attention to them.

She lost the sound of their voice and the others as she burst through the doors of the shared bathroom on the first floor, stumbling into a stall and falling to her knees. Bile burned her throat, escaping it as soon as she managed to lift the seat, feeling as if her entire body was trying to turn itself inside out as she lost control, tears streaming down her face; whether they were from pain or shame she wasn't even sure anymore, hating every second, every single moment where her body revolted against her.

"It's okay, 'Chako, it's okay. Just let it out, it's fine, you're gonna be okay," Himiko whispered, kneeling beside her, one hand pulling her hair back, the other gently stroking along her back as she felt as she continued to vomit. Her mouth and throat hurt, she could barely breathe, she couldn't see, everything was going wrong. God why did she think she could do this, she was so pathetic, she couldn't even eat a damned dinner!

She lost track of how long she was slumped over the toilet, nothing but the sound of her emptying stomach in the toilet and murmured reassurances from Himiko, until she felt like she'd expelled everything within her, exhaustion overtaking her form as she slumped against the porcelain. Even as she felt herself slipping, Himiko's arms reached around her and pulled her up, closing the lid and flushing the toilet as she pulled Ochako against her, leaning her against her body as she sat atop the toilet seat to keep them both off the floor.

Ochako felt wrung out, hurting, her entire body aching but that was less important. She heard the door open once more, the sound of footsteps making her flinch, worried about who was coming in, only to catch the feeling upon the air of Izuku's presence. They stepped to the doorway of the stall, looking down at the duo. Ochako was worried about how awful she must look right now. Izuku said nothing, just held out a bottle of water to her, the cap removed already, reminding Ochako of how painful her mouth felt and how horrible the taste was. She grabbed at it with shaking hands, draining it swiftly, tears coming down more as she felt so goddamned worthless, unable to handle even eating a single meal while the other two dealt with so much worse.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, pleading, begging internally for them to not hate her for her weakness. "I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to break our deal, please, I'm sorry-"

Izuku knelt before her swiftly, hands reaching out to grasp hers as Himiko's arms around her waist tightened. "We know, please, don't say sorry, we know it's not easy, you didn't break anything!"

"I'm sorry!" She sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

"Chako, it's okay, it's okay, you're okay,'' Himiko tried to reassure her, nuzzling her cheek with her own, the soft fur of Himiko's ears brushing against Ochako's face, but Ochako just kept repeating her apology. She couldn't help it…she had failed on the very first day. She was just so bad at this, so bad at all this, why was she so pathetic?

"Did we give her too much?" Himiko asked Izuku over Ochako's bowed head, realizing Ochako wasn't really listening to them.

"I-I don't know? I did some research, but I'm no expert. I thought we had to start small, but I thought that was small enough?" Izuku shrugged helplessly.

"Do…do we ask someone else?" Himiko asked hesitantly, glancing down at Ochako's shuddering form.

"Not without her permission," Izuku replied firmly, even though there was a note of doubt across the connection as they said that. Ochako almost let out a hysterical giggle at that…they couldn't lie to her even for her own sake, could they?

She managed to swallow down her own tears long enough to focus on the feelings they had…the sheer worry and fear within them both, swirling around them as if it was surrounding her and inundating the very air in her lungs. It was like a wake up call, like the bite of winter air in her lungs, a sharp pain that brought some form of clarity. They didn't know what to do to help her, and she didn't know what she needed either, but…someone else did. She just had to find the will to actually reach out to her; and for Izuku or Himiko, she would try.

She tried to reach into her pocket, but her hands were shaking so badly she wasn't sure she could successfully get her phone out. "...can you get me my phone?" she asked softly, hating how weak she felt but wanting to take this one damned step on her own. Izuku looked confused for a moment, but nodded, reaching down into her pocket where they knew Ochako kept her phone and pulling it out. They flipped it open for her, handing it to her while Himiko cupped her hands beneath Ochako's just in case she dropped it.

Hands shaking, she managed to navigate her contacts enough to find the number she needed and pressed on it, lifting the phone to her ear even as she felt new tears beginning to stream down her face. Tears of shame, of fear, of sheer self-loathing…but she wanted to try, because she didn't want to hurt Himiko or Izuku anymore. The line clicked on.

"Uraraka? Is something the matter?"

Ochako took a deep breath. "Miss Kayama? I need your help."

Chapter Text

Getting Ochako out of the dorms without arousing suspicion should have been difficult, or so Himiko originally thought…but then Izuku stepped in. And she was treated to suddenly understanding how Izuku kept their injuries hidden for all these years. Her friend, the emotional, prone to crying at the drop of a hat, muttering hero fan…could lie. They could lie like a professional. It…was concerning, how easily Izuku had put on this smiling, cheerful face, how they quickly were able to explain that the trio was just going to Recovery Girl for some anti-nausea medication, oh no, they didn't need any help, it was a simple trip and they'd be back soon…

Honestly? It hurt to hear that tone of voice from Izuku. Without the emotions filtering across the bond, Himiko wasn't even sure if she would have been able to tell Izuku was being this incredibly fake…but being able to feel how they felt was more than enough. And she hated it. How many years had Izuku practiced this? How much effort did it take to perfect this, this…this lie that wasn't her Izu?

She didn't have enough time to ponder it though…getting Ochako to the nurses office took priority right now, because Ochako was broken. Across the bond, Himiko could feel it…Ochako felt like she'd failed at their promise already, and it was killing her. It was strange for Himiko to be able to feel someone else spiraling from the outside, making her wonder if that was how she felt when she had her own episodes in the past? Was it that different, or was it the same for everyone?

Izuku was a rock right now, and that was the best thing they could be. Izuku's emotions were the same as Himiko's…worry, fear, hurt, guilt, but all of those were buried under a steely determination that almost took Himiko's breath away, a sheer force of will that said they would get Ochako to help and would save her. Himiko had never doubted Toshinori's choice of Izuku…but this just reinforced it, and she took comfort in the strength and firm hand Izuku had given Ochako, half-carrying her between the duo but making it look like they were just giving a friend a helping hand. Not that it helped much with Ochako's unadulterated shame filtering across the bond, but it was the best they could do.

They made it to the nurses office without any real issue, too many students settling into their dorms to notice what they were doing. Without any fanfare, the door opened and revealed a solemn looking Recovery Girl and Midnight, the pro heroines immediately taking Ochako and helping her to a seat on the bed, leaving Izuku and Himiko standing there awkwardly…for all of three seconds before Ochako's hands reached out to grasp them by the arm and pull them to her side, desperately seeking comfort from the other two.

Midnight knelt down in front of the trio, one hand gently placed on Ochako's knee and spoke softly. "Can you tell us what happened?"

"I'm so sorry," Ochako whispered, refusing to lift her gaze from the floor.

"'Chako, please don't apologize, it's okay," Izuku tried to reassure her, but she seemed not to notice, her grip on their hands tightening.

"Hold on a second, Midoriya, okay?" Midnight made sure to smile gently at Izuku to take away any sting from her words, turning back to focus on Ochako. "Uraraka, apologies are important, but what's more important is you called me for help. I want to help you, and I will, but it will help if you tell me what happened. Can you do that for me?"

The room was silent for a good half minute, eventually broken by Ochako's stuttering attempts. "I-I tried, I really did! I had breakfast a-and I was fine! And we had dinner and it was nice and Himi got me mochi and I love mochi but I couldn't taste anything and I felt sick and it hurt and then I used my Quirk on accident but no one noticed but I-I couldn't help it, I felt so sick and I lost it and everyone's going to look at me weird and I ruined everything and I broke my promise and-"

"Uraraka, please, you need to breathe," Midnight cut her off, Ochako's frantic words freezing as she finally took a deep breath in, her face pale and drawn. Midnight gently squeezed Ochako's knee once more. "Recovery isn't a straight road, Uraraka. It's a journey and sometimes you stumble and fall, sometimes you have to take a detour, sometimes you have to forge a new path. Can you explain what you meant by this promise?"

Ochako froze. Izuku froze. Himiko carefully made no reaction but she didn't think that fooled the perceptive gaze of either Midnight or Recovery Girl…and she could already see the wheels turning in the other two's heads. Ochako would never break Izuku's trust, but Izuku was already considering explaining it for Ochako's sake, no matter how afraid they were…and Himiko wouldn't let them. Everyone already knew about her issues anyway, she'd take the attention off the other two.

"It's to me. 'Chako promised me she'd try to eat more if I was less critical of myself," Himiko explained matter of factly, ignoring the sudden searing gaze coming from Izuku. She had a feeling she'd be getting an earful about it later…but if it kept Izuku's emotions safe, she had no problem stepping forward.

Midnight met her gaze, Himiko's expression perfectly blank as Midnight seemed to be searching for something in her face, but after a moment she seemed to accept her word. "Alright. I understand. Well, let's ask her then. Himiko, do you believe Uraraka broke her promise?"

"Not in the slightest!"

"And since you two are bonded as you are, you couldn't lie to her if you tried, right?"

"Yep."

Midnight gestured to Himiko with her free hand. "There you go. She has made her position clear, and as the one who you made the promise to, she's the authority on the matter, isn't she?" Ochako didn't respond, but the squeeze of Himiko's hand made it clear she was still listening. Midnight continued. "Now, that said…it's not easy, Uraraka. You see, the thing about this illness-" Midnight held up a hand, cutting off the immediate protest Ochako started, "let me finish, please." Ochako sighed, nodding silently.

Midnight continued. "Let me tell you what I learned the hard way. Eating disorders are insidious, because by keeping you from eating, it throws your hormones and chemical balances so far off that it makes changing your mindset around food nearly impossible. You can't get a healthy mindset when your mind and body aren't healthy to begin with, after all. So the problem is…we have to start with one of the hardest parts. Your diet. As in, a diet plan."

"...but…I don't want them to see," Ochako whispered, her hands shaking.

"We can come up with any number of reasons why you're on a restrictive diet, Uraraka. No one else has to know your business if you don't want them to," Midnight reassured, her voice gentle. "Well, except these two, I assume?"

"We'll be here every step of the way, 'Chako," Izuku added, Himiko nodding rapidly as she pressed her arm up against Ochako's, trying to show some form of comfort.

Ochako was silent for a moment. "I wish I wasn't so pathetic," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"You're not. The fact you asked for help means you're strong," Midnight insisted. "It takes real strength to accept help, to fight against that part of you that says you should suffer silently and ashamed. It's a fight, a struggle, and it's one you can do, I promise you. I know it's hard to believe in yourself, but give it a try, just a little bit. You can do this, Uraraka. I swear to you, if you try, you can do this. You called me for help, so let me help you, and stop listening to that part of you that wants you to stay in the dark. Will you let me help you?"

The room was silent for a minute, Himiko desperately trying to ignore the emotions swirling in her breast, the ones she knew weren't her own…Only Ochako could take this first step, only she could make this call, and Himiko didn't want to let her own feelings interfere. Ochako needed to make this choice of her own free will, and meeting Izuku's eyes over Ochako's hunched form she could see the same thought percolating through their mind. They could only be there for her, and see what she chose in the end.

Ochako, her hands clasped tightly around Izuku and Himiko's hands, her hair falling in her face, shivering from cold and pain and shame…managed to lift her head, looking as if it was the effort of Atlas himself, the weight of the world on her shoulders. Tears in her eyes, she managed to look Midnight in the eye and with a sob, nodded silently.

Midnight reached forward and gently, moving slowly so Ochako could back off if she needed, wrapped her arms about her student. "Alright," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Let's start down this path together, okay?"

"...okay," Ochako whispered.

It took another hour to have the difficult discussion with Recovery Girl and Midnight, but by the end of it, they had a diet plan laid out for Ochako that would hopefully get her body and mind back in balance, so they could address the underlying issues. She'd even been convinced to schedule an appointment with Hound Dog, the university's resident counselor, to begin working on her mindset.

But then they ran into a sticking point Ochako was refusing to back down on…training. While Midnight wanted her to hold off any further training, Ochako had insisted she had to at least perform with the rest of the class, else they'd suspect too much of her and she didn't think she could handle it if they knew. Himiko and Izuku both tried to point out that they had a ready made excuse in the Quirk accident and the fact it caused her nausea, but she retorted that if she was the only one suffering that, everyone else would still suspect something was wrong.

Recovery Girl was less gentle about it, and told Ochako that any of her teachers could and would remove her from training if they thought she was in any danger, and that she herself could as well. Himiko was worried Ochako would snap, her emotions were teetering on the edge, but Recovery Girl let out a sigh and said she would allow Ochako to take part in training for now, but only under the condition that if she had any issues, she'd take a break from further training until she was back on a better stable ground.

Himiko hadn't really expected that response, but Midnight explained that further mental stress would likely cause Ochako to regress further backwards, and that mental stress was her best theory for why the issue at dinner happened when she'd been fine that morning. Dealing with the 'Bakugo Incident' as it was apparently being called amongst the staff (seeing Izuku flinch hurt Himiko's heart), and the resulting stress and fear coming over the bond probably exacerbated her own issues. Midnight was very quick to turn to Izuku and force them to meet her gaze as she reiterated, multiple times, that none of that was their fault either, and she didn't need to have an emotional connection to them to know Izuku was already feeling blame. Internally, Himiko smirked and decided she really liked Midnight a lot, seeing her firm hand in dealing with Izuku while also gently encouraging Ochako.

But with all that dealt with, they finally had to head back to the dorms. Ochako was drained, emotionally, physically, and in every possible way, leaning heavily on Himiko on the way back. Izuku was on her other side, helping to keep her balanced, but Himiko still could feel the dregs of guilt inside them…but at least Izuku appeared to be fighting back against it too. Himiko would take that. She needed these two to be okay, and since she was fine totally fine she'd just be the rock they needed.

Once again, Izuku's ability to fake their way through anything got them passed the rest of the class, explaining it was just a Quirk-related drawback that got exacerbated, and while the class seemed concerned, they accepted Izuku's explanation and no one bothered them as they managed to make it to Ochako's room. Izuku left quickly to change into their pajamas, Himiko trading off with them once they returned as Ochako changed in her bedroom, the three having silently agreed they would be together this evening.

That same pulsing need in their chest from weeks ago was there once more, that desperate desire, and even if it was a bad idea to indulge it Himiko didn't care. All she cared about was them, and taking care of them, making sure they were okay, they were safe, cared for, loved, whatever they needed she'd do it. She had to. She needed to.

The park, her favorite place as a kid, where she could see her super cute best friends Izu and Chako! She was so excited, she was going to the park to see them, going to have fun! As she ran across the grass, mouth stretched wide in a grin, she could see them, right beneath their favorite climbing tree, just to the left of the swings. She was so happy, they were right there! Chako, with her big grin and stamping her feet in excitement, wearing a cute pink and red sundress and chatting with Izu. Izu, babbling about something exciting she was sure, in a pair of shorts and a shirt that was slightly too big, giggling and hopping in place in excitement.

There they were, and she wanted to raise her voice and call to them, but for some reason she couldn't speak the words. Instead she found herself slowing down, no longer running to them but walking, stumbling, feeling off balance as she found it harder to move forward. They seemed so much…smaller than before, she felt taller, and taller, and taller, the ground getting further and further away.

Was it always this dark? This dim? The sunlight that had been in the sky was gone, now just clouds, overcast and dreary. As she looked down, the lovely green grass was wilting, dying, turning blackened and brittle as she took her steps, one by one. She approached the two of them and they turned to her, eyes going wide and fearful and full of terror, her body looming over them.

She could see it, the blood pulsing in their veins beneath the skin, the drip drop red, that warm, metallic liquid she wanted, she desired, she needed, all of it right there before her as she loomed over them. Lightning flashed in the skies above, darkness falling around them, the tree vanished, the swings disappearing in the flash, and instead she saw long, spindly claws where her fingers should be, her arms and hands made up of veins and strings, no more skin. She wanted to scream, to cry, to stop herself, but those claws reached out, moving ever closer and closer to her Chako and Izu.

Another lightning flash and she could see it, the ground beneath Izu and Chako suddenly turned to a crystal clear lake, their purity and goodness visible in their reflections…as she saw her own, a monstrous, disgusting, disfigured hag, veins and strings and twisted flesh amalgamated into a monster, the monster…the one she always knew she was.

Claws moments away from grasping them, from losing what she was, she wanted to scream, to cry, to beg, to be anywhere but there, away away away away away away AWAY AWAY AWAY

"Himi! Wake up!" The shout and the sudden squeeze on her shoulder made her jolt upright, desperately seeking breath to scream, cut off by arms wrapping around her, squeezing her tightly as she sobbed. She struggled to break free, she needed to escape, to get away, to be away from them before she hurt someone, before-

"Himi! Himi, please, please, calm down, it's okay, it's okay, it's just a nightmare," she knew that voice, even in her panic she knew it, her…Chako? Ochako?

"Yes, yes, it's me Himi, it's me, and Izu's here too, we're here," Ochako whispered in her ear. Himiko's mind finally clicked into place, where she was, in Ochako's bed next to her friend was this what friends did, Ochako's arms wrapped about her tightly as she now could feel another hand stroking her back gently, one more holding her hand as she squeezed it with a bruising grip. Hands shaking, she managed to unclench fingers, to let go of what she now realized was Izuku's hand. It had to have been them but they made no noise of discontent or discomfort, instead gently pulling her head into their shoulder and softly shushing her, holding her as tightly as Ochako was. But she couldn't be here! She had to go, had to escape, she was a monster and she needed-

"No, Himi, you're not, it was a dream, you're just Himi, our Himi, it's okay, it'll be okay," Ochako kept repeating it like a mantra. Was…was she talking out loud? How did they know what she was thinking?

"I think my muttering is rubbing off on you," Izuku said with a dry amusement in their tone. Himiko didn't want to laugh…she didn't deserve to, but the idea made her giggle for a brief moment, her emotions so wrung out and twisted she wasn't even sure what was funny or sad anymore, all she knew was a monster.

"...I think we messed up," Izuku murmured. Himiko wanted to try and argue but couldn't find it in her to do so. Izuku's hand rode up her back slowly, up the back of her neck and into her hair as they brushed their fingers through it softly, Himiko feeling tingles from the trace of their fingertips as they relaxed into the touch, eyes fluttering closed. Izuku's hand rested between her ears and began to softly stroke them, as Ochako shifted slightly, her arms still wrapped about Himiko tightly.

"How so?" Ochako asked.

Izuku was silent for a moment, before sighing deeply. "We…we kinda ignored Himi's problems."

"N-no! You didn't!" Himiko managed to find her voice enough to protest that, eyes flitting open as she twisted in Ochako's grasp to face Izuku. Even through her tear-blurred vision, she still could clearly see the self-deprecating half-smile forming on their face as they faced her.

"We did, Himi. I think…I think because we all knew what was wrong, and Toshi was going to deal with your parents, we kind of just…assumed it'd be okay. But…I don't think you're okay, Himi. I think you've been so focused on us you're not taking care of yourself. It's not like we can't tell you still feel like you're a bad person, you know."

"...we shoulda said somethin'," Ochako sighed. "'m sorry Himi. We shouldna ignored you too."

"But you didn't! It's…it's a bad dream, that's all it is, it was a bad dream a-and I'm fine, I'll be fine, you didn't do anything wrong!"

"You can't lie to us, Himi, you're not fine. And maybe we didn't do something wrong…but we could have done more," Izuku replied softly.

Himiko shook her head rapidly, swallowing. "N-no. I don't think…I um…I don't think you could've. I-I don't know how to not think this way. I can't. I'm…I'm a monster, I'm always going to be one, I-I hurt you, I was gonna hurt you so badly, I…I just…" she lost control of her voice, slumping into Ochako's arms as she began to sob once more, every scene from her dream replaying in her mind in perfect detail.

"Himi, you promised us you'd try, and I know you don't break promises. You can do it, Himi. You can do this," Izuku whispered.

"Ifn it's too hard to believe yourself…jus' believe us. We dun lie to ye. We never lied to ye and we ain't about to start now. You trust us, right?" Ochako asked, her own voice gentle and soft as her accent slipped through.

"Of course I do!" Himiko replied, choking the words out.

"Then trust us now. Yer no monster, yer our Himi. And our Himi ain't no monster, only the ones who made her think that way are."

Himiko couldn't just…stop thinking that way, but she was so tired. She felt so wrung out, so exhausted, she didn't want to argue right now, and if she was being honest she really couldn't…she did promise after all. "...I can't just…not…feel that way," she managed to mumble out, slumping into Ochako's grasp and feeling Izuku's hand begin to comb through her hair once more.

"We know, Himi. If anyone knows, we do," Izuku said. "All we ask is you try."

"...I'll try. For you guys, I'll try," she whispered.

"Thank you, Himi," Ochako whispered back. She felt the most featherlight soft pressure against the side of her head where Ochako was, an unfamiliar sensation she couldn't place. She knew it wasn't her hand, since Ochako was still hugging her tightly, so what was it? She decided to ignore it, too tired to ask or try to puzzle it out. There were warm arms around her, a hand gently rubbing her ears and combing her hair, another one gently running thumbs over her knuckles, and all she could feel was warmth and comfort and love…and that's all she could want. She felt herself drift back off to sleep, and in the arms of her best friends friends? she drifted back into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

The trio managed to stumble out of Ochako's room together, yawning and half-asleep in Ochako and Himiko's case (Izuku was clearly superhuman, they were perfectly fine and Himiko was reminded how frustrating morning people were sometimes). Making their way down to breakfast, they ran into Ashido, Yaoyorozu, and Sero in the elevator…which from the way Ashido was suddenly giggling Himiko really did wonder what she found so funny, but decided to ignore it in favor of food.

Of course, now she remembered that she hadn't had any blood in a couple days, which meant she'd have to actually use some of the blood bags in the fridge…which made her realize that she wasn't sure if any of her classmates had noticed the special small fridge for the trio's spare blood packs and she was now very worried about their reactions.

Izuku didn't seem to care though…they sat Ochako and Himiko down firmly, and were already at the coffee machine brewing some for the duo. Himiko couldn't stop the smile on her face, even as she buried her face in her arms and watched Izuku with a sleepy gaze. Izuku wasn't a big fan of coffee, preferring tea, but they were making coffee for Ochako and Himiko because the girls preferred the kick in the morning…and then she flinched as Izuku walked to the small, locked fridge next to the main one and pressed their fingertip to the scanner, the fridge opening quickly and revealing a half dozen blood packs in their.

Himiko watched and waited with bated breath, to see what her classmates did and how they reacted to Izuku pulling three packs of what was clearly blood out of the fridge and tossing them in the microwave to warm. Not all of the class was there, but enough were that it couldn't be missed. Himiko was ready, for the judgment, the fear, the sudden visceral hatred, her chest tight and shoulders tensed, ready to flee…but nothing was happening.

"That your blood?" Sero asked, tilting his head to the side in question.

Izuku nodded absently as they bustled around the kitchen, tossing together a small breakfast for the trio (the same food Ochako was set to eat they were making, figuring if all three were eating it it'd make selling the diet easier if asked). "Yeah, with classes starting up now it's not a great idea to drink each others, so we have donor blood that Recovery Girl restocks for us."

"Makes sense," Sero replied, turning away and hunching over as he opened the fridge, looking for something.

"Is it okay to ask about like, what it's like?" Ashido asked quietly.

Izuku hummed. "I don't mind, but I can't speak for 'Chako or Himi."

"No questions till coffee," Ochako muttered, facedown on the table.

Izuku let out an indelicate snort. "Just a minute longer, 'Chako." The brunette didn't bother replying beyond a grunt of acknowledgement, but Himiko was…finding it difficult to respond. The class hadn't reacted at all, but still…Her winding thoughts were cut off by a mug being slid into her hand, the scent of coffee making her glance up to meet Izuku's eyes. They leaned down and whispered softly in her ear "Remember…we're here for you." They straightened up as they placed her plate before her, Himiko watching silently as Ochako managed to raise her head from where it was planted on the table and taking a deep drink of her coffee, shoulders relaxing as she hummed happily.

Himiko clenched one fist beneath the table, but…she was tired of being so afraid. She'd made a promise to try not to be, to try to stop letting herself be defined by her parents fears, and maybe her best chance was with this class…so far, other than Bakubrat, everyone had been really kind…so she'd give them a chance. "You can ask stuff if you want."

"I was just kinda curious about like, what's it like? Does it taste icky?" Ashido shrugged as she asked.

Himiko paused for a moment, idly realizing Izuku had set another glass in front of her, one that contained the blood they'd heated up in the microwave. She felt the familiar fear running through her once more, but she shoved that down and picked the glass up, taking a sip from it while watching the reaction from Ashido. The pink-skinned teen just watched her with what looked like idle curiosity, making Himiko feel so much better. After a moment, she drained more of the blood, setting it down and shrugging. "The bagged stuff is kinda bland. Fresh tastes good though. We're pretty sure it's entirely cause of my Quirk…before the accident these two tried it when we were kids and said it tasted awful, but now they say it's delicious."

"Mmmhmm," Ochako hummed in agreement, sipping at her own glass. Himiko was choosing to ignore the way Ochako's hands were shaking as she slowly picked at her food, understanding how difficult it was for her and that she didn't want attention drawn to it. "It also tastes different depending on who it's from," Ochako added, yawning as she spoke.

"That's rather intriguing. I wonder why that would occur," Yaoyorozu murmured, seemingly interested as much as Ashido.

"From our experiments so far, my best guess has been it is a combination of who the person is and their genetics, since the flavors we get seem to at least partly match an individual's personality. Of course, it could be entirely psychological. Truthfully, it's difficult to tell, butIvedonesomestudyingonitand-" Izuku began to speak more and more rapidly, devolving into near incomprehensible muttering as Yaoyorozu blinked at them.

Himiko waved dismissively. "They do that, it's okay. They'll snap out of it in a sec."

"Ah, good morning everyone! Are we ready for our first full day of classes?!" A voice called out from the stairs, Ida striding forward with a wide smile.

Ochako grumbled in his general direction, draining the rest of her coffee. Himiko giggled, gently pushing her half-full mug towards Ochako…she had enough caffeine for now, plus the blood was what really woke her up. Ochako hummed happily, sipping at Himiko's mug as Izuku rolled their eyes, preparing another cup for Ochako. Ida tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Did you not sleep well, Uraraka?" Himiko felt her spine stiffen as she remembered the nightmare once more…it was her fault the other two were tired and-

"She's always like this in the morning, it's okay," Izuku replied, pulling attention to themselves. "We all slept fine, no one really moved at all."

The room went silent for a moment, the sudden lack of noise making Himiko glance up at her classmates in confusion, seeing confused faces staring at Izuku and then back at the trio. Yaoyorozu cleared her throat. "You mean you assume no one moved?"

Izuku looked as confused as the rest now. "No?"

"Wait, how do you know whether anyone moved?" Ashido asked.

"...cause we were in the same bed? Kinda hard to miss?" Izuku replied, shrugging as they placed Ochako's new mug before her and sat down with their own plate.

"You shared a bed?!" Ida practically shouted, eyes wide as he slammed his hands onto the table.

Himiko could already see where this was going, and she had no desire to have this argument, so she was going to cut it off now. "Yeah, we did. We're adults, there is no regulation against it, and in case you forgot, we share our emotions. Izu's not being entirely honest, I had a bad dream. And when someone has a bad dream but you share emotions, it means they feel all that shit too. And then cause they are feeling it, it comes right back to me. It's a loop and it sucks and holding each other helps, you got a problem with that?" She hadn't even realized it until Ochako's hand was on her shoulder, gently pushing her back down, but she'd risen to her feet and was practically hissing at Ida at this point.

Ida looked taken aback, before letting out a deep breath and bowing towards her. "You are correct, I am being far too judgmental, nor is it my business. My apologies. Are…are you alright now, though? I do hope whatever dream you had is not too upsetting."

Himiko was now the one taken aback by Ida's immediate concern for her…she was pretty sure the teen couldn't lie to save his life, so she was rather sure he was being genuine, and something in her chest loosened from the moment he'd seemed so accusatory. As she glanced back at Izuku and Ochako, the other two looking at her with their own concern, she felt the faintest glimmer of joy in her chest as she drained her glass of blood, grinning back at Ida. "I've got them…I'm doing much better. But thanks for asking." Ida nodded, accepting her answer, as she made certain to send her feelings of gratitude across the bond…and enjoying the internal squirming from the other two when they were forced to accept her genuine feelings. This was kinda fun…maybe she'd have to push positive feelings across more often.

Izuku and Ochako were a bit concerned by the sudden surge of what the two of them could only label Himiko's inner 'gremlin' joy coming across the bond, wondering what dastardly plan she had now…and honestly? Looking forward to it. She sure made sure things were interesting, that could not be denied.

Izuku wasn't entirely surprised by how normal classes felt…what was really surprising was how rigid it was. Most universities Izuku knew of allowed students more freedom in choosing their classes, but the UA Hero course apparently followed High School conventions more than they'd realized. Their classes were all decided for them initially; Aizawa had informed them that in the third and fourth years they'd get more freedom in choosing specific classes…but for the first couple years, all Hero students got the same course.

Lunch was an…interesting affair. Ochako's diet had been communicated to Lunch Rush, the pro already ready with her smaller portion, which with some clever finangling, Izuku blocked anyone else from seeing what she had and made sure no one noticed, and with smiles and easy communication, made sure no one noticed Ochako's hands shaking, or Himiko's gentle, quiet encouragement towards her from the other side. It helped that all Izuku had to really distract was Ida and Yaoyorozu…Ashido had drawn a ton of attention to her with her bombastic personality, so it was pretty easy to engage the two who weren't distracted by Ashido into a quick discussion about their Quirks.

And then…hero foundationals, with Toshinori himself. Izuku had to bite their lip to not let it slip that they'd already known he was the teacher, but they pulled it off without issue, leading to them needing to get changed and Izuku's first real challenge of the day…not letting anyone else see the scarring. Luckily, they'd prepared for this, wearing a skintight undershirt they claimed that helped with their Quirk and no one bothered asking beyond that. The scarring on their legs was high enough up that it was covered by their boxers, so that wasn't going to be an issue either hopefully.

The costume though…that was a bit of a pain, as this was the first time Izuku had to deal with getting their damned tail through it, and since it was considered a failure point, apparently the costume had a whole specialized fabric for that region and it was not stretchy. Still…they managed, with as little embarrassment as possible, and managed to catch a glimpse of themselves in a mirror.

A dark green jumpsuit, with black accents along the sides. Slim but steel-toed boots, a red harness that held various bandages and first aid equipment, and gloves that could retract to expose their fingertips for use of Zero Gravity. They'd originally had a respirator and hood, but they had to keep their costume simple if they intended on using Transform at all, so the entire thing was made of a specialized DNA infused material that would allow it to stretch with their body changes…to a point. If they grew too large or shrunk too small it would fail, but it should handle most moments they needed to transform.

They joined back with everyone else, taking a quick note of everyone's costume…Ochako's was a fitted jumpsuit not unlike theirs, but black and pink as the color combination instead. Pink bracelets on her wrist to put pressure on her, a similar neck structure, to help reduce the nausea from her Quirk. She had larger boots than Izuku's, since she didn't intend on fighting with kicks as often, she went for ones better suited for her landings as she liked floating herself for attacks from the air, as well as small air jets in her boots to propel her further.

Himiko skipped over to them, clad in a matching red and black jumpsuit to the other two, but covering it with a long, dark red coat where she was storing her knives, since she still preferred fighting with those than Izuku's more kick focused style or Ochako's heavy grapple preference. All three of them had small plastic vials hidden in various pouches on their person, holding a few vials of donated blood from their various teachers for use. They'd considered asking their classmates at one point, but decided against it for now.

Idly, Izuku noted some of the other costumes…Ida, in a full set of armor that Izuku wondered what it was made of considering how easily Ida was moving about. Yaoyorozu, a jumpsuit very similar to theirs, save her arms were entirely bare and she had a visor wrapped about her head. They…had no clue what Hagakure had on, because she was completely invisible, but whatever it was it seemed to work with her Quirk. Kirishima had a red harness around a nearly skin tight black vest beneath it, another DNA costume as far as Izuku had heard, and…what the hell was Todoroki wearing? They couldn't help but blink at the weird ice(?) covering that was over their left side.

Their musings were interrupted by Toshinori, the bombastic hero drawing everyone's attention to him with some comments about how they looked in their costumes…Izuku couldn't help preening slightly as their hero complimented everyone…only to suddenly be wracked with nerves as they, along with Himiko and Ochako, were called forward.

"Now, as you are all aware, these three had a Quirk accident and it allows them access to each other's Quirks as well. But it also had one other side effect, and as you're all going to be classmates together, it's important you all learn how to deal with it. Midoriya, please activate your Quirk for me." Toshinori asked, making Izuku realize what he intended on having the trio do.

Izuku bit their lip, unsure about causing panic first thing, but did as was asked, activating Full Cowling at 20%. Not their cap, but more than enough for this demonstration and yeah, it was obvious right then and there. All but three people flinched as the lightning sparked around Izuku…Todoroki, Tsuyu, and Tokoyami all seemed unaffected…but then Ochako lit up at Toshinori's insistence, and both Todoroki and Tokoyami flinched, while the rest of the class seemed even more unsettled. Ashido was now trying not to look like she was hiding behind Kirishima, who had subconsciously moved in front of her and Aoyama. They couldn't see it, but they heard Hagakure let out a squeak and a shuffle of noise as she clearly stepped back.

Toshinori waited for a moment to see if they could calm themselves, waiting until everyone seemed to slowly get back to a more stable position, before speaking softly. "The effect multiplies as each one of them activates their power. Now, in a moment, I will have young Himiko activate hers. This will frighten you. But it is important to learn how to manage this fear. Many other people have Quirks that can cause similar effects, and with a strong enough will, you can defeat some of them. Some cannot be so easily dealt with, but it still will be good practice. Now, is everyone ready?" Toshinori waited for the rather hesitant acknowledgements, before turning to Himiko and giving her a nod.

As the golden strands lifted off her skin and the blood-red threads intertwined amongst them, Izuku themselves flinched as fully half the class took multiple steps back…Aoyama fell backwards onto his rear, Sato almost tripped trying to backpedal, a half-hearted wall of ice began to grow up from Todoroki's feet as he reacted to the surge of power. And yet, Izuku's eyes were stuck on the one person who had yet to flinch or react poorly…Tsuyu, still standing there, a placid expression on her face as she reached down to help lift Aoyama to his feet.

Toshinori was apparently as surprised as Izuku, tilting his head at her. "I'm impressed, young Asui! Are you unaffected, or is it something else?"

"I've got some animal instincts myself, ribbit. And mine say they are predators, but not ones that are going to hurt me. Honestly, I feel safer when they do that, ribbit. It reminds me of how you feel to be around," she replied with a shrug.

Toshinori barely held back a cough, Izuku's eyes widening as they glanced to the side, Himiko's barely audible giggle making them elbow her gently in the side, Himiko turning around and sticking her tongue out at Izuku in response. And that little moment of levity seemed to break some of the tension in the room, the others finally seeming to get themselves under better control, though it was clear they were still hesitant.

Toshinori clapped his hands. "Well then, now that we're all established this will occur, it's time for some training! Now, I imagine most of you have not had a ton of combat training, and that's fine. We're going to start today by figuring out your baseline, with one on one sparring! It's alright to win or lose, what matters is figuring out where you are at and we'll be able to work from there. How many of you have had actual combat training?"

The trio raised their hands, as well as Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Ida, Kendo, Shinso, and Ashido. Toshinori nods. "Nine of you, not bad, we can-"

"Ten!" Hagakure's voice calls out. "I raised my hand too!" There was a beat of silence in the room as everyone contemplated that, and then they heard a sheepish giggle from her. "...right. Forgot I wasn't in my uniform. Um, yeah, sorry. I took mixed martial arts classes growing up. Mom said beating people up while invisible would be really useful if I wanted to be a hero!"

"Well…she wasn't wrong," Toshinori replied with a hearty guffaw. "Still, this is excellent then! Ten of you means we'll pair you up, and we'll have the rest of you pair off with one another! So let's see…"

Todoroki raised his hand. "May I request a spar?"

"By all means, do you have someone you'd like to challenge specifically?" Toshinori asked. Todoroki silently pointed towards Izuku. Izuku blinked, taken aback, a bit confused as to why he would challenge them right off the bat. But…well, they may as well see how well they did against them. Toshinori clapped his hands together. "That works for me! Let's see…we'll have you two go last, in fact, as I want to test each of those without training first. Let's have…hmm…Kirishima, you and Sato first up. Let's see how you do!"

The spars had gone fairly well, Izuku felt. They'd really enjoyed getting to watch everyone's Quirk's in action too! Kirishima managed to outlast Sato, but Sato could really pump out some hits apparently, nearly wrecking an office building next to their sparring location in the Battle Ground B they were at. Sero was…pretty much destroyed by Tokoyami, Dark Shadow apparently being utterly overpowering with how quickly it wrecked the entire area. Aoyama gamely held his own versus Tsuyu, but she quickly outpaced his ability to fire multiple shots.

Koda…really couldn't do much versus Jiro, the shorter teenager able to drown out his calls for help with her Quirk. Shoji was able to resist the big blast from Kaminari, just barely managing to stay standing when he captured the electric blonde.

When it came to the ones with combat training, it was much more even so far. Ida took on Yaoyorozu, and though he was able to outspeed her, she managed to catch him up with a clever trap she laid while defending herself from his incessant attacks. Ashido took on Hagakure, and to say the match was a close one would be underselling it. Ashido had spun about, flinging as many droplets of her Quirk out as possible to try and catch Hagakure, and just enough landed that she negated Hagakure's main advantage…but the invisible teen had not been lying about her training.

Izuku was able to piece together that Ashido had trained in some sort of fighting style that was heavy on mobility and almost dancelike motions, but Hagakure had focused on something fast paced and direct, maybe a style of kung fu? They weren't sure, they never really studied specific disciplines closely, but it was super interesting to watch the two of them duking it out! They were so fast and fluid it was hard to tell who was winning, but eventually, Hagakure managed to catch Ashido just as she stumbled slightly over an upturned brick in the road and pin her, winning the match.

Shinso versus Kendo was one of the most interesting ones to Izuku, because it wasn't until the last few seconds that Shinso actually used his Quirk. Kendo, to be blunt, had been trouncing the purple haired boy…he had some moves, but Kendo had previously mentioned she'd been training since childhood and it showed. Of everyone there, she probably seemed the most comfortable with martial arts, but near the end Shinso made some comment, Kendo replied, and that was it…they all got treated to how Shinso's Quirk worked and gosh Izuku wanted to ask a thousand questions about it!

And then…Himiko vs Ochako. All three of the trio had sparred together multiple times, but Toshinori had pulled them both aside and quietly asked them to really go in. He wanted to show the rest of the class what they could do after some more training, and this was a golden opportunity…so the girls did not disappoint. As they both lit up and half the class shuddered while the rest tried not to look impacted, Izuku could only grin at watching them go at it. It being a simple sparring match, they weren't going all out, but still…

Seven minutes later, a third of the battleground lay in ruins, both of them panting, sweat dripping down their brow as they slugged it out. The air around them was wavering under Ochako's Quirk pressure, as Himiko kept flipping Aizawa's Erasure on and off (to conserve her blood supplies) as she canceled out the effects. Idly, Izuku couldn't help but think that their friends looked amazing out there, so strong, so skilled, so powerful so beautiful. The girls would have continued on, but Toshinori called the fight so they had time for Izuku's bout vs Todoroki…and so they had some of the training ground left, he muttered beneath his breath to Izuku, making the teenager have to hide their snort at the comment, carefully making their face blank as Himiko and Ochako returned back, the feeling of their adrenaline rushes still filtering across the bond to Izuku. It had been breathlessly exciting for them, feeling the other two's determination, joy, and a bit of cockiness in both of them as they taunted each other in a friendly fashion. Always so competitive, Izuku mused to themselves.

Still, that left time for one more fight, and Izuku had spent the entire time wondering why Todoroki had been so determined to fight them. The entire class, Todoroki had spent staring at Izuku, the one visible eye narrowed as if he were mad, but no anger seemed to be coming off him. Izuku was concerned…but decided not to let it impact them. Ochako and Himiko had shown off what they could do, and now…it was their turn. Toshinori sent the two teens off to the training grounds, the duo walking in silence as they reached the spot where the match was to take place. As they turned to face one another, waiting for the indicator to start, Izuku focused on their opponent. They didn't know why Todoroki wanted this fight, but if he wanted one…he was gonna get it. Time to see what Todoroki was made of.

Chapter Text

As the two waited for Toshinori to call the start of the match, standing across from one another, Izuku couldn't help but wonder why Todoroki challenged them. Awkwardly, they offered a nervous grin. "Um…so…uh, why'd you wanna fight me?"

Todoroki, expression still uncannily placid, tilted his head to the side. After a brief moment of silence, he spoke. "My father informed me that I should challenge the strongest in the class, and defeat them, to establish the 'pecking order'. I was not entirely sure whether you, Uraraka, or Himiko were the most powerful, but you scored highest on the Entrance Exam, so I have chosen you first. I shall defeat the other two later to be certain."

Izuku…was a bit, okay, no, a lot confused by the statement. Pecking order? Defeating the strongest? They were classmates just starting out for school. And unless Izuku was misremembering, Todoroki's father was the number two hero Endeavor, wasn't he? Why would he tell Todoroki to do that? Okay, no, one question at a time. "Uh…Ochako scored the highest, not me," Izuku began, but Todoroki's slow head shake in negation cut them off.

"She had the highest net total. You had the highest gross score. Neither was a perfect metric for deciding the strongest, but I had to pick a metric to work from. I chose this one. It is immaterial. I shall defeat each of you in turns and then I shall be the strongest. That is all that is required of me."

"...you're assuming you're going to win," Izuku replied slowly. There were a dozen red flags going off in their mind at Todoroki's attitude…they knew a mask when they saw one, and Todoroki's placid demeanor was slipping the more they spoke. Izuku knew what someone who was angry and hiding it looked like that was how they felt for half their life.

"It is not an assumption. I have to win. So I will," Todoroki replied, their tone even and unwavering…and still somehow completely wrong.

Izuku wasn't a fan of this day now. First it gets messed up by Himiko's nightmare, and now they have to deal with whatever the hell was going on with Todoroki's messed up ideas. And of course, now was a great time for their new instincts to decide to rear their ugly head, a strange sense of fear fused with an intense…something, that Izuku couldn't readily identify. Izuku clenched their fists a couple times, rolling their shoulders as they stared back at Todoroki. Everything about this was making them feel uncomfortable…but they weren't going to make any of this easy on the other teenager.

The speakers crackled on. "Midoriya, Todoroki, are you two ready?" Both teens nodded silently, knowing the cameras would show the movement just fine. "Very well…begin!"

Izuku wasn't entirely certain of what Todoroki's power was, other than something to do with ice, but a sudden pain in the back of their head let them activate Full Cowling, and just in time, as now they were treated to a massive glacier of ice coming screaming at them at speeds they couldn't even comprehend at first. With a startled sound, they leapt up as high as they could, the concrete shattering beneath their feet at the accidental force, barely dodging the height of the ice. They fell back down onto it, nearly slipping and falling beneath it, but thankfully the whole cat tail thing helped balance them and they barely managed to catch themselves in a three-point landing, legs spread, one arm down and gripped into the ice, the other held to the side for more balance.

Izuku looked down with narrowed, slitted eyes, meeting Todoroki's only visible one that was widened in shock. Izuku smirked, feeling an unusual sense of pride filling their chest. "What, thought it'd be that easy?" they snarked, feeling strangely cocky. Which now that they thought about it, might be the confidence they could feel Ochako and Himiko sending them over the bond…interesting, they could affect how Izuku was acting from a distance, that was something to ponder-

Their thoughts were cut off by a loud snarl from Todoroki, the teen slamming his hand down onto the ice, the ice changing, spikes beginning to form…before they suddenly shot from the ground, firing towards Izuku. This time they felt themselves let out a panicked hiss, releasing their grip on the ice and rolling forward, sliding down the glacier swiftly, deciding now was the time to close the gap. With a burst of power to their legs, they launched themselves towards Todoroki, the other teen quickly leaping backwards and putting up a wall in Izuku's way.

"Not so fast!" Izuku snarled, planting their hands on the ice and flipping forward, crashing through the ice wall leg first, sending shards of ice towards Todoroki. Todoroki quickly formed ice beneath himself, sliding across it and away from Izuku, launching more spikes of ice at the other teenager. Izuku set their stance and grit their teeth, snapping their fingers with force and sending a bullet of wind pressure towards the other teenager, breaking the ice spikes but making their fingers hurt in the process.

Todoroki quickly launched more and more spikes towards Izuku, forcing Izuku to keep dodging, occasionally shattering one or two that got too close. They wanted to try and figure out the full details of how this Quirk worked before going for a win, so they didn't get blindsided, but it was hard to figure when all Todoroki had done was create the ice from their side and sometimes was able to launch it? It was surprising to Izuku…they could think of a lot of better ways to use what it appeared to be, like forming ice weapons and striking with those rather than trying to hide so far away…then again, Todoroki had liked figured out Izuku was a close combat specialist and was trying to keep them away.

The next barrage came towards Izuku but was…slower? Izuku sidestepped without much issue, eyes narrowed. Was Todoroki trying to be more judicious in his use? Quirks all had limits after all…their eyes locked onto Todoroki's form, noting the spreading patches of ice across his body, the slight shivers he was doing, the gasps of air escaping his mouth, and it clicked.

"Overuse of your Quirk causes you to freeze, huh?" Izuku mused. Todoroki's sudden glare confirmed it for them. "No way to mitigate that?" Izuku pondered aloud, which was apparently the wrong thing to say from Todoroki's sudden growl.

"Shut up! I can beat anyone with just my ice!" he snarled at Izuku, more mist rising off his side.

Izuku blinked, confused. "Just your ice? So…do you have more than ice? Can you make liquid water or water vapor too or something?"

"No, I make ice!" Todoroki hissed. "And that's all I need to be the best here!"

Izuku shrugged. "It's an admirable goal, to be the best, sure. I think everyone wants to do their best though. So I can't just give up and let you win just because you want to. It's pretty clear your Quirk is hurting you, and I'm still fine."

"Are you mocking me now?" Todoroki clenched his fist, glaring at Izuku through one eye, the other still covered by that strange ice covering.

"No? Why would you think that? I'm just saying, if this is an endurance contest I'm going to win at this rate. And it's hurting you. Maybe you should surrender before you get frostbite or something?"

"Shut up! I said I will win and I will win!" Todoroki didn't wait for a reply, another massive surge of ice came rocketing towards Izuku, the green-haired teen having little time to react. Something about Todoroki was really rubbing Izuku the wrong way, though they couldn't quite tell what…but they were getting really annoyed at how stubborn the other teen was being. It reminded Izuku of someone else…this stupid, annoying attitude about being the top.

'Screw this,' Izuku thought internally. So far they'd only been using Full Cowling, but if Todoroki was going to be stubborn, they were going to end this with their full abilities…and that started with one of their teachers. One hand grabbing the vial and flipping it up to their mouth, draining the blood and quickly activating a transformation into one of the many heroes they had met and been taught by so far…specifically, Present Mic.

The transformation took only a second, enough time for them to take a massive breath and then scream, Mic's sonic Quirk shattering the glacier headed towards Izuku and sending the broken pieces back towards Todoroki. Izuku didn't give him a chance to respond, draining another vial and stomping forward in the form of Aizawa, eyes open and Quirk flared to stop Todoroki from responding. The other teen had no time to react, getting pummeled by the surge of ice slamming back into them, sending them sliding back and away.

Izuku dropped Aizawa's form quickly, not having a lot of blood to work from, but continued their steady march forward. They didn't know why, but Todoroki's attitude was starting to really tick them off. It was so condescending, so aggressive, and for what? It was their second day, who needs a stupid pecking order? Who needs to be the best of the best, enough to push other people down?! Who needs that?!

With a growl, they shifted into Ochako, her Quirk coming to Izuku's hands like magic, forcibly increasing the gravity over where Todoroki was laying down, forcing the teen further down to the ground. The ice beneath him cracked, the concrete below starting to show its own weaknesses as Izuku stomped forward, the pressure getting higher and higher.

"Gotta be the best, the top of the class, that right?" Izuku said, a mocking tone in their voice. "Gonna beat me, you said? And then 'Chako and Himi? Just to be the 'best'? Well, sure not doing a good job at that, are you?"

"S-shut up!" Todoroki snarled, struggling to stand but not able to get any lift against the press of gravity. "You don't know anything! I have to win!"

Izuku scoffed, standing over Todoroki's prone form now, glaring down with the slitted brown eyes of one of his best friends. "Have to win, huh? You know, I know a guy like that. Maybe you remember him, he tried to fucking attack me for daring to exist yesterday!"

Todoroki glared up at Izuku impotently, but the two were interrupted by the speakers crackling. "Todoroki, are you surrendering? It doesn't look like you can continue."

"I am not," Todoroki hissed, ice cracking by their feet as they tried to call on it.

"Young man, I feel like you should-"

"Nah. Let him continue, All Might. He wants to talk a big game, he can fight for it," Izuku interrupted, feeling the rage growing in their chest. All they could see right now was just another Bakugo, another jerk who thought their power let them do whatever they wanted, and Izuku was gonna show them that there is always a stronger person now! Izuku wouldn't be anyones stepping stone ever again!

"Young Midoriya, I don't think that is necessary. You've clearly won, and-"

"They have not won, I have not given up!" Todoroki shouted.

Izuku knew their blood supply for Ochako was running low, since it had been a while since they'd drank from her, so she took a step back. "It's fine, All Might, I gotta drop 'Chako anyways. Okay Todoroki…you want to continue? Fine." With that, Izuku let the transformation drop, the increased gravity going with it, letting the other teen struggle to his feet. Izuku hadn't pushed it hard enough to hurt the other teenager, but the ice patches were still growing over Todoroki and he looked like he was now shivering violently. Izuku shook their head. "Still freezing over though. Not sure how you expect to win in that condition."

"Because I must," Todoroki insisted, the icy part of their costume now cracked. With an annoyed grunt, he shoved it off, leaving himself in just the blue jumpsuit he'd had on before, glaring at Izuku with two narrowed eyes.

"Oh yeah? Why's that, huh? We're all trying to be heroes, why do you need to be the best of a first year class of heroes? What's that going to prove?"

"You wouldn't get it," Todoroki hissed back.

Izuku laughed, a bitter, broken sound. "Sure, Todoroki. Whatever reason you got I can't possibly understand, sure. Not like I didn't spend most of my life being beaten and bruised for an accident of birth, but I'm sure whatever your problem is I can't get. Whatever. I don't care. You can't win at this point, and we both know it. Just give it up."

"Shut…up!" Todoroki screamed, a cracking noise coming from his body as ice began to rocket towards Izuku, his entire leg becoming frosted over as he forced the ice to appear. Izuku just glared, forcing Full Cowling up and up and up, well over his cap, and spun about, kicking the wave of ice so hard they felt their own leg erupt into pain, but they didn't care. This was just another Bakugo and they were going to put him down! The ice was destroyed, leaving Todoroki gasping, eyes half-lidded, staring in desperation at the still standing Izuku, the green-haired teen gritting their teeth against the pain in their leg.

Izuku didn't bother waiting any longer, and bolted forward, ready to finally put Todoroki down as they cocked their fist back…and the fear in Todoroki's eyes grew exponentially, Izuku feeling a slight twinge of regret at how frightened the other boy looked, losing their footing for a brief second at the sudden terror…and then blinking in confusion as red flames flickered about Todoroki's left side, some of the ice covering him steaming away. Izuku skid to a stop, staring at the other teen in sheer confusion.

"...you…you can make fire? Wouldn't…but wouldn't that fix the freezing? Why? Why aren't you using it?" Izuku gaped, completely aghast…and feeling the rage in their chest building further from the sheer arrogance. "Am I not good enough for your best? Is that it? You thought I wasn't worthy of it? The hells wrong with you?! Why are you-"

"It's not that!" Todoroki snarled, frantically wiping at their left as if they could just shoo the sparks away even as they faded into nothingness. "I told you, I'm going to win with just my ice! I won't use his powers! Not everything is about you, Midoriya!"

For the first time since Izuku started to get frustrated, a thought trickled into the back of their mind that maybe, just maybe, Todoroki had some issues in his past that was coloring his behavior. Unbidden, their eyes trailed over Todoroki's face, the revealed left side with its large scar over the teenager's eye, a scar Izuku knew from personal experience came from a burn…and wondered, the anger burning in their chest beginning to fade into something…something else.

"...maybe I'm wrong, and maybe it's not my business, but it doesn't change if you want to be the best, you have to use everything at your disposal. I didn't ask to have Himi's Transform or Chako's Zero Gravity, but I got them. And yeah, it's different for me, because while it's clear you have some problem with your fire side, I like having their powers with me, like having them with me…but I also don't like using them because it's not right that I took something from them," Izuku began softly. "I don't like the fact they got stuck connected to me, and all my stupid hangups and problems I put them through. I hate it. But, that said…I still use them, because any problems I have aren't as important as what I'm here to do, and that is to be a hero. To save people."

"Not all heroes help everyone," Todoroki muttered, his shoulders slumping as he looked away for a moment, all the fight seeming to drain from him.

Izuku nodded, more pieces falling into place as the other teenager spoke, not enough to know the full story, but enough to understand a little. "Yeah…I know. Some heroes are jerks and there are plenty out there who may as well be villains. But I'm not going to be one of those, and I'm not going to just sit by if I see one like that. But what are you here for? Are you here to be a hero for yourself…or for someone else?"

Todoroki's head snapped around to glare at Izuku, but little heat was in the gaze. After a few moments, he opened his mouth to speak, but snapped his jaw shut and looked away, as if unsure what he could say right then. Izuku let out a rueful laugh and modulated their tone to a soft, beseeching one. "Todoroki…you're freezing. If you won't use your fire to warm up at least, then we can't continue. It's just a spar, Todoroki. You don't have to win right now. You can challenge me later too, you know. If it's that important to you, I'll have a rematch with you when you want."

"...why? You already proved you're better," Todoroki muttered.

"I proved I can win one fight, in a spar, when you're not at your best. That's all. And power isn't all that determines how good a hero you are, is it? Aren't there other things that matter?"

"Like what?" Todoroki scoffed.

Izuku shrugged, a smile crossing their lips. "Like compassion for the victims? When someone needs a hero, it's probably one of the worst days of their lives. I want to save people with a smile. I want to be like our teachers, like All Might, and Sensei, and all the other UA staff who go out of their way, risk themselves, to make others feel better. Those seem like important qualities too, don't you think?"

Todoroki paused for a moment, before letting out a sigh. He cleared his throat. "...All Might? I surrender."

The speakers crackled once more. "Very well. You seem a little bit worse for wear, young Todoroki, why don't you go to Recovery Girl? Young Midoriya, do you mind helping him?"

"Not at all!" Izuku smiled brightly at Todoroki, their grin fading slightly at the annoyed huff from Todoroki. Still, the other teen didn't stop Izuku from gently ushering them towards the nurses office, the sound of the rest of the class in the distance getting closing remarks from All Might as they walked.

"...why are you helping me?" Todoroki asked, his voice broken by the chill. Izuku did notice that the red sparks on Todoroki's left side appeared once more for a brief moment, heat radiating from him as the ice began to slowly melt off his skin.

"Because I think it's pretty important to help people, right? We are in the hero course after all, and we're classmates. We'll be so for the next four years. May as well get to know each other a bit, right?"

"...you're weird, Midoriya."

"You're not the first to tell me that."

Chapter Text

After Recovery Girl proceeded to read them both the riot act (as Izuku had apparently fractured their femur with the kickoff they did while at 40% of Full Cowling), the two teens sat silently in the office for a few minutes while Recovery Girl went off to finish the paperwork for their visit. The silence stretched uncomfortably, until Izuku couldn't help but wince.

"So uh…sorry for pushing you so much," Izuku said softly.

Todoroki shook his head slowly. "No, you…made some good points. I should not have been so stubborn. And…I suppose I came off as condescending."

Izuku blinked. "I didn't say you were?"

"You compared me to that blonde from yesterday. Considering what little you and your two friends have said of him, as well as how he acted, I can only assume it was an unfavorable comparison. Condescending is perhaps the nicest word I could use."

Izuku sighed, shoulders slumping as they looked at the floor. "...yeah, sorry, it wasn't fair to compare you to Kacchan."

Todoroki shrugged. "I was being arrogant and I paid for it. It was something I did need to learn, I think."

Izuku let the silence rest for a few moments before asking the question that was still burning beneath the surface, their voice soft. "If you don't want to explain that's fine, but um…do you mind if I ask why you don't use your fire? Or is it more limited than it looked?"

Todoroki stared blankly at Izuku for a good half a minute, seemingly frozen in place. Izuku was about to rescind the question, the awkwardness on the air too difficult to place, before Todoroki let a soft sigh escape his lips. "I…suppose I can explain. I only ask you keep this between us."

"O-of course. We all got our secrets, right?" Izuku replied with a nervous grin.

Todoroki scoffed. "Yes, that is certainly true." He took a moment to compose himself, before speaking. "I do not want to go into many details, but…do you know who my father is?"

"I have a guess?" Izuku replied, waiting for the nod from Todoroki to continue. "Well, considering you seem to have some type of fire Quirk and your last name is Todoroki, I assumed you were related to Endeavor?"

"Yes, he is my father. He has perpetually been the number two hero in the country, behind All Might…and he has never been able to get over that. So he desired a child who could defeat All Might. Let me ask you this, Midoriya…do you know what Quirk marriages are?"

Izuku blinked at Todoroki, a dawning horror crossing their face as Todoroki let a bitter half-smile cross his face, nodding at Izuku's expression. "Yes, it is as it seems. He married my mother for her Quirk, as while she herself was not a hero nor had she trained her Quirk, it was a rather powerful ice Quirk. Due to my father's overheating weakness, he desired a way to counterbalance it."

Todoroki took a moment to take in a deep breath, before continuing. "The first three children they had did not have the combined Quirk Father wanted. But then, I was born, and I was everything he wanted. Unfortunately, by this point, my mother was far too hurt by the entire situation and when I was young, she was boiling water for tea and speaking to her mother on the phone about how she couldn't stand to look at me, and, well…" he trailed off, gesturing vaguely towards the scar on his face, Izuku inhaling sharply at the realization.

Todoroki made a vaguely dismissive gesture. "I never blamed her for it. Only him. But he had her committed, and proceeded to train me alone. He still is enraged I will not use my fire, but at the very least I'm using my ice and that's enough for him to let me come here. I thought I'd escaped his influence finally but…I guess I was still thinking the way he wanted me to, with how focused I am on being the strongest in class. I just…I want to beat All Might, but do it solely without using his Quirk. That's…that's why I am so focused on it."

"...but it's not his Quirk, Todoroki." Izuku replied gently.

Todoroki blinked at them. "It is. I am quite certain he is my father and I inherited-"

"It's not his Quirk or her Quirk, Todoroki. It's your Quirk. No one else's. It's not two different Quirk's, it's a singular, fused thing that is its own life. We're not just fusions of our parents, you know. Each of us is an individual. We might come from them, but we're still our own people, you know? The same applies to Quirks. The flames may come from him, but they aren't his. They are yours and yours alone. And only you get to decide what to do with them. If you never want to use them, that's your call, but objectively, you'll be a weaker hero for it. But at the very least you should use the fire to mitigate your freezing. You're just hurting yourself for no reason. And…and you shouldn't hurt yourself, Todoroki. It's not…healthy," Izuku's words faltered near the end, feeling shame welling up inside them as they realized how hypocritical they sounded.

"...That was an odd way to say that last part, Midoriya," Todoroki said in a flat tone. He stared at the other teenager for a moment, before sighing, shoulders slumping. "I-I suppose you have a point, but I am not certain I can just…It's been years. So many years. I'm not…I can't. Not yet."

Izuku shoved their own feelings down into the pit once more, mentally jumping on the lid they hastily threw over it to push them down further as they swallowed. "I know. Not saying just go off and change everything right now. Just…something to think about, right? You'd want to train before using it for anything besides warming yourself anyways."

"Yes, that is a good point too. But…for now, I…yeah." Todoroki fell silent, the room collapsing into awkwardness once more. After a moment, Todoroki worked his jaw and spoke up. "Yesterday…Himiko requested we not call her by her last name because she did not like it, yes?"

"...yeah?" Izuku asked, somewhat suspicious at the random non-sequitur and worried the split-haired teen would ask something Izuku had no right to explain.

"Would…would you do the same for me? I-I do not like my last name either. If it wouldn't be an imposition, that is."

Izuku blinked in confusion for a brief moment before it clicked. "O-oh, yeah, that's no problem. You can call me Izuku then, we'll just be on first name terms!"

Todoroki, no, Shoto, gave a half-hearted smile. "Very well then. Thank you, Izuku."

Izuku rubbed the back of their neck nervously. "Do you want to ask the whole class to do so? They did it for Himiko and Tsu too without an issue, so shouldn't be a problem."

Shoto paused for a moment, looking up contemplatively. "I…I think so, yes. I would really rather not associate myself with Endeavor as much as possible."

"Well, then when we get back we'll just have to do that then!"

Shoto arched an eyebrow at Izuku's enthusiasm. "You seem excited."

Izuku shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "Well, not every day you get a new friend the second day of school."

Shoto stared at Izuku blankly for a brief moment, his voice soft and almost shaking as he replied. "We-we're friends?"

Izuku let their smile turn to a more gentle one. "If you want to be."

"...I would like that very much, yes."

"Cool. That's cool, then."

"Half-correct. My right side is the cool one."

Izuku snorted. "Dad jokes now? Really?"

Shoto blinked blankly. "I do not understand. Whose dad is making jokes? Mine never does."

Izuku snorted again, a giggle escaping them. "Oh geez, you're really funny Shoto!"

"What? How am I funny? I didn't make any jokes! I am only being clear on how cool I am!"

Izuku couldn't help it, feeling the giggles bubbling up within them further at the stricken, almost offended look on Shoto's face. He managed to squeak out "Yep, you're very cool, very cool."

"Once again, only my right side is. Are you certain you are alright? Did you get a head injury? You seem to be having memory issues. We should ask Recovery Girl to check you for a concussion."

Izuku gave up, laughter escaping them as they fell back onto the bed and clutched at their stomach, Across the bond they could feel the confusion from the other two, and could only giggle more at their feelings of utter disbelief at Izuku's sudden surge of humor and joy…and the affectionate warmth that came across as a response to Izuku actually feeling happier.

"Izuku? Izuku, are you certain you are alright? I-I must fetch the nurse at once! Recovery Girl, please, I believe Izuku is in trouble!" Izuku just laughed as Shoto scrambled to reach Recovery Girl's office door.

"O-only you, Shoto, only you," Izuku snickered as Shoto turned back around, confused.

"Yes, I am only me?"

"N-nevermind. I'm fine, Shoto, I'm f-fine," Izuku managed to sputter out.

"You are very strange, Izuku."

"You're still not the first to tell me that."

Why did every day have to be so complicated, Ochako wondered. It should have just been a normal, easy, first full day of school. Classes were nice and simple, and then they got to match up for sparring under Toshinori's watchful eye and honestly? She had a blast! Okay, terrifying her classmates wasn't exactly on her bucket list, but that girl Tsu was actually really sweet to them about it, and then sparring with Himiko, no holds barred, in front of everyone was fun. Maybe it was a bit cocky of her, but for all of Izuku and Himiko's fears about their shared Quirks…Ochako never shared those fears.

Probably because she never was afraid of her own power like Himiko, nor did she lack one like Izuku. It made her feel terrible sometimes, the knowledge that she actually enjoyed the shared powers, enjoyed the strength One For All gave her, enjoyed the adaptability Transform gave, and she always loved her own Zero Gravity from the day she got it and realized how many people she could save with it.

But getting to put all of them to use against Himiko, matching her childhood friend move for move? That was fun! That was actually cool! She felt…she felt powerful. Strong. Like she could do anything, she could save anyone. When she picked up that storefront and launched it at Himiko, the blonde able to smash through it with a single punch and return fire, it was so incredible! Maybe it was arrogant…but she liked feeling that way.

But then came Izuku's match with Todoroki. At first, it seemed okay, and she was actually excited to see how strong Todoroki was, because there was someone else she could probably go all out against and enjoy it. Maybe that was why she missed it at first. Izuku's emotions at the start of the fight were…weird. Mostly confused, a bit panicked (which she chalked up to the surprise glacier opener from Todoroki), and in their calm, focused sparring mindset she often tried to emulate.

And then it changed. It felt slow to her, but with how quickly the match went, it really wasn't slow at all. Izuku became angry. Really, really, really angry. She could feel the sheer unadulterated rage taking over Izuku, and when Toshinori turned on the audio to tell Todoroki to surrender, Izuku's voice…it wasn't her Izuku. It was someone else. Someone cold, and callous, almost mocking in their tone. Not her gentle sweet Izuku with a heart of gold. It really bothered her, and she knew she wasn't the only one, meeting Himiko's now aghast expression with one of her own.

She had no idea what Todoroki had done to piss Izuku off so much, but as soon as it was there it faded seconds later, into shock, confusion, and concern…which that felt more like her Izuku. When she saw their expression change on the monitor, could see the stance Izuku would take when they were beseeching her to calm down or Himiko to take a breath, she could already imagine the comforting tone they'd use. But that led to one major question…why? Not only why was Izuku angry to begin with, but why were they suddenly concerned about Todoroki?

Not even twenty minutes later and she was still full of whiplash, barely paying attention as she had changed out of her costume and headed back to the dorms, because over the bond she could feel Izuku's emotions still…confusion, once more, followed by fear, disgust, and now even more anger, but this anger wasn't directed at Todoroki…it felt like it was for him? It was hard to parse it, but she could sense the anger was more distant now, less focused on someone Izuku knew, and she had no clue what in the world was happening…and then Izuku was happy? Laughing? Nearly exploding with joy, and she couldn't stop the mirrored smile from crossing her face.

Himiko let out a giggle as well, confusing their classmates who were walking with them as Himiko tried to quickly explain she'd just thought of something funny, her cheeks pinked with embarrassment, but even with that Ochako could feel Izuku's infectious joy within her heart making her want to laugh as well.

She finally had a chance to get her answers, when after they had settled into the dorms once more, the door opened to reveal Izuku, gesticulating wildly as they told some sort of story to a smiling Todoroki?! The blank-faced teen who had yet to smile once was now grinning and letting out short puffs of laughter, making half the class stare at the duo blankly. Izuku finally looked up and noticed everyone staring at them, and cocked their head to the side.

"Uh…hi?"

"...dude, did you like, replace Todoroki with a clone or something?" Kaminari asked, confused.

Todoroki tilted his head to the side in a mirror of Izuku. "I am no clone. Although I suppose if I were, and I had my memories, I would not know I was. Perhaps I should investigate the likelihood of me being a clone now. Is there evidence to the contrary?"

Kaminari stared blankly at him before shaking his head. "Uh…you know what, never mind. I ain't getting involved with this. Too much for my tiny brain."

"Your cranium is average sized, and you seem to operate as well as any other person. I am quite certain your brain is the correct size for your stature," Todoroki replied.

Izuku snorted, seeming to want to change the subject before Kaminari had an aneurysm. "Hey, just so everyone knows, Shoto wants to be known by his first name like Himi and Tsu do, if that's cool?" After a moment for everyone to parse it, the class collectively agreed, all giving Shoto greetings like normal, and were once again treated to a fleeting smile from the split-haired teen.

And that was more than enough for Ochako, she wanted answers from her best friend and was going to get them. She stepped up and grabbed Izuku's wrist, Himiko doing the same on their other side, and smiled up at Shoto. "Excuse us, we need to borrow Izu." Izuku's eyes went wide as the girls yanked them along, a high-pitched yelp leaving their lips as they vanished up the stairs so Ochako and Himiko could grill them about what the hell that fight was.

"The fact you called me to Nezu's office tells me something else happened with our Problem Trio today," Shouta drawled, annoyed as he drained the remains of his coffee.

Toshinori sighed. "Not…exactly. It would be simpler to show you the video, I believe." Shouta shrugged, exchanging a glance with Nezu who also shrugged, having not yet seen the video. Toshinori handed the paper which contained the file name to Nezu, the chimeric hero pulling it up and shuffling its display to one of the monitors on the far wall, allowing the video of Izuku and Todoroki's fight to play with the included audio.

Shouta's exasperation at the idea of something else being wrong with the trio of cats faded, only to be replaced by concern and worry for the ice-wielding teenager. He knew Todoroki had fire related powers, but he'd assumed he hadn't used them so far as they were weaker or unhelpful for the situation, but it was clear already there was another reason and considering Todoroki's father and the wording about not using 'his' power, it did not bode well. Not that he was a fan of assuming and making accusations off a single incident, but something was wrong with the boy, and that was obvious already.

Shouta sighed, facepalming. "...well. I already have three traumatized teenagers in my homeroom class, I may as well have four. Do we have any reason to suspect anyone else in my class is mentally ill in some fashion?"

"At this moment, nothing to this extent. There are indicators of some of them having various learning disabilities or undiagnosed ADHD, but nothing we've not dealt with before. I suppose it would be of benefit to see if we can get them all an appointment with the counselor and see if Inui can intuit anything. But it's very early in the year to do so, I would need a reason to mandate it," Nezu remarked, flicking through some paperwork on his desk.

"Maybe we just encourage them to try it voluntarily? Or simply remind everyone Hound Dog is there? Some may choose of their own volition!" Toshinori replied.

Shouta affixed him with a look. "You've been watching over the cat trio for weeks now, and Izuku for even longer. Please tell me you're not that optimistic about teenagers still."

Toshinori let out a huffed chuckle with no humor in it. "You have a point. I just…perhaps I have been too distant from the average person since I became a hero, but it is distressing to see how many of these children seem to be suffering and not being able to just punch the problem away."

"If the problem is Endeavor, at least that one you can punch," Shouta muttered under his breath, but both Nezu and Toshinori still heard him."

"I advise caution before jumping to conclusions. We only have this one incident to go off of. That said, it may actually be slightly mitigated," Nezu mused, his eyes drawn to the monitor before him with a shrewd look. At the confused look from the other two heroes in the room, he chuckled, turning his screen around to show Izuku and Todoroki walking down the hallway towards their dorm, with the image of Todoroki actually laughing and smiling at Izuku's words. "It appears during their stay in the nurse's office, they have bonded enough for Todoroki to relax his guard. While not a fix for whatever is bothering him, perhaps a friend may be of assistance."

Shouta rolled his eyes, but the smirk on his face betrayed his real feelings. At Nezu's own smirk, he pulled his scarf up over his mouth to cover the look as he drawled "Well, at least they are getting along now."

"So…I suppose for now we need to simply keep an eye on Todoroki and perhaps a better eye on the class in general?" Toshinori asked, a smile on his face at seeing his successor manage to bring some cheer to another teenager.

"That seems the best course of action. Of course, I'll be discreetly checking into Todoroki's background, but for now we'll wait and see. Do try to subtly encourage your students to go see Hound Dog though. I shall ask the other teachers to do so as well. If any of our students are in some form of trouble, or even something simple as difficulty with some of our lessons, well…I pride myself on UA being the best school it could possibly be, for all of our students, hero, business, management, or general education. We shall do our level best for them all."

"You try this every year, less than ten percent of students bother taking us up on the offer though," Shouta pointed out.

"That's still a student who reaches out for help. I'll take that. If I can find a way to mandate it without the board giving me a dozen headaches, I shall do so. Of course, if the whole school did take us up on this offer, Inui would be overworked. Luckily, if I have my way, soon we'll have a few assistants for Inui as well," Nezu replied.

"Oh? More new hires?" Toshinori asked, curious.

Nezu nodded. "Assuming the paperwork goes through, I already have one in mind! Albeit he comes with his own assistant, but she'll be performing a different duty here. We do need better cybersecurity after all…I cannot handle it all myself." Nezu sipped his tea and hummed.

Shouta snorted, standing upright from where he'd been leaning against the wall. "Well, if that's all, I'm going to finish up preparations for the USJ trip at the end of the week. I'll keep an eye on Todoroki until we have something to work off of." The other two adults nodded, silently agreeing this was the best path forward for now. Shouta put it aside for now…right now, they could only work with what they had. He'd wait and see, and make sure Todoroki knew his, and every teacher's, door was open for him if he needed any assistance. Hopefully, the influence of the Problem Trio would make an impact on the class's willingness to reach out.

Chapter Text

Explaining what happened during the fight took Izuku a good half hour, mostly because they had trouble articulating why they got angry. On the surface, it was simple…it reminded Izuku of Bakugo. But, as Ochako pointed out…Izuku never got angry at Bakugo. Or at least, they never admitted it…and that was a wakeup call for Izuku, because it was true. They never really addressed it, but, somewhere deep inside, there was a well of brutally suppressed anger towards not just Bakugo, but their entire childhood.

They thought back to the fight they'd had with the girls, and how upset they got while they were whaling on the punching bag. How much they kept boiling internally, how much resentment was within them, all emotions they'd spent most of their life suppressing because they'd never been allowed to really admit to them. Not only would it not get them anywhere (who would care besides their Mom, and they wanted to avoid upsetting her as much as possible), but also…wasn't it wrong to be so angry? To hold such resentment? Heroes didn't do that.

…of course, heroes don't purchase a wife to forcibly create a designer baby to take the number one hero spot from All Might out of some envious obsession, so perhaps Izuku wasn't thinking that through as much as they should. That, they didn't tell the girls about…if Shoto wanted to reveal it, he would on his own time, all Izuku told them was the two bonded in the nurse's office, and now that Izuku knew why Shoto wasn't using his fire, they understood. They didn't condone it and they were trying to get Shoto to use his fire more, but they also understood why he wasn't willing to use it right now.

There…weren't many more things to talk about, really. The whole pushing emotions across the bond was something Izuku brought up hesitantly, as they wondered if it could be a help or hindrance, but truth be told none of them really knew what to do about that. Not yet. Himiko suggested they talk about it with one of their mentors next chance they got, which was the best plan any of them could think of. Although Izuku still began another section of their notebook dedicated to deciphering the pros and cons of the ability, once again leading both girls to silently ponder Izuku's hammerspace for notebooks power…but that was a question for another day.

Himiko went downstairs to get dinner for the trio, deciding to eat in Ochako's room…mostly so the brunette could avoid being seen with her smaller portion, and using the excuse that Izuku was still tired from Recovery Girl's healing. She couldn't help the smile that flickered across her face though, once she witnessed Shoto in a deep discussion with Yaoyorozu about…tea? Either way, she made sure to report that to Izuku, that Shoto was actually reaching out to his classmates, which she knew would make Izuku happier…and it did. It was fun to watch the smile cross Izuku's face while also feeling their emotions across the bond, like a lovely little visual indicator of what she already knew.

But that all took a seat in the back compared to the scene she saw upon entering the room, carrying a tray with three meals…and seeing a calmly humming Izuku gently brushing Ochako's hair, the brunette leaning back slightly with eyes closed and contentment written on her face. It made Himiko feel warm inside in ways she was both familiar with and not, a fluttering in her chest that just felt right. Those 'instincts' that they'd been warned about were getting more and more settled within them, and yet none of the three found it within them to complain when they all felt so comforting.

Instincts to cuddle, to brush one another's hair, to curl close and delve deeper into anything warm, all of those were no hassle for the trio, already able to feel each other's emotions and connection to one another. It was pure bliss for Himiko, true affection and care very clearly shoved in her face and all she could do was love every single second of it. She set the tray carefully upon the desk and slid onto the bed next to Izuku, reaching out to steal the comb from their hands, meeting the arched eyebrow of Izuku and squirming internally at the annoyed whine that escaped Ochako's lips, one eye opening to glare with no heat…but Himiko was going to be the responsible one for once, and make them eat first.

With grumbles (for once not over the concept of food but over her lost hair brushing session), Ochako grabbed her bowl and began to very carefully proceed to eat, only wincing a few times which made Himiko feel slightly better. Izuku sighed and picked up their own bowl, beginning to eat as Himiko took hers. She took a moment to look at her two best friends and pondered for a moment on the weirdness that was her life…but it was okay. Maybe they were all fucked up in the head, but hey, at least it wasn't boring?

"Alright. I know you've only known each other a few days, and this is unusual for a University, but we'll be electing a class rep as well as vice rep today. I know it's strange, but it allows us to give the students a bit more freedom, considering how strict your first couple of years of curriculum are. I don't care how you do it, you're adults, but voting is the normal way most hero courses choose. And no, you cannot do fights to the death," Aizawa drawled, narrowing his eyes at the class.

"...did someone actually suggest that?" Kaminari asked, jaw dropped.

"More than one person over the years," came Aizawa's dry reply.

"That seems inefficient," Shoto remarked, half the class turning to look at him. He blinked. "What? A duel to the death does not prove who is the better representative, and would leave the class weaker as they would be down a member then."

"Also murder is a bad thing," Izuku interjected as a friendly reminder to Shoto.

Shoto paused for a moment, before nodding. "Yes. That too."

Ida stood up, chopping his arm rapidly as he spoke. "Very true! However, let us not be distracted further! A vote seems the most democratic method!"

"Before we do so, should we determine who even wants the role?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"That's a good idea. I'm sure not everyone wants that responsibility," Izuku mused.

"Very well, everyone who desires the position of class representative, please raise your hand!" Ida said, holding his own up in the air. Surprisingly few followed him…Kendo, Yaoyorozu, and Shoto, but after a moment, Shoto put his hand back down and shook his head silently. The three in question shared a glance, unsure where to go, when Izuku piped up.

"Let's just vote on you three, and whoever gets second place is vice rep?" As a group, the class responded positively to the idea, and quickly scratched out votes on small pieces of paper they each had laying about…but when Ochako and Himiko both threw their votes at Izuku and commanded them to count while giving the teenager a pair of mischievous smirks, the rest of the class quickly joined in, throwing their votes at the green-haired teenager and making them glower at them all for a moment, before giggling and starting to count the votes quickly.

"Looks like…Yaoyorozu wins with 8 votes, Kendo got 7, and Ida got 5," Izuku reported after a few seconds.

Ida nodded. "Well, the votes have it!"

Yaoyorozu smiled brightly. "Thank you for the confidence in me!"

Kendo nodded, turning to Yaoyorozu. "I look forward to working with you."

"I am as well!" Yaoyorozu replied, her smile still bright as the sun and making Himiko grumble about sunshine children in the class.

Aizawa yawned, covering his mouth behind his palm as he did so. "Good. Quick and easy, well done. Yaoyorozu, Kendo, we'll have a discussion after class about what responsibilities you have, for now, everyone back in their seats, let's get class started."

School over the next couple days was…almost distressingly simple. The classes were still heavily scholastic focused, but Hero Basic Training was the one shining spot for most of the more active students, all of them excited for the new lessons. Granted, after the sparring match from day one, All Might had toned it down to a primer on basic fighting techniques, each student being matched with styles that would more complement their Quirks. While he himself was no martial arts master, he knew the basics of a great many disciplines, so he could help them pick one to focus on for better cohesion.

Granted, the first thing he had to do was make sure everyone understood the basics of fighting and especially falling down. Most fights meant people ended up on the floor, often many times, and knowing how to fall properly could avoid many injuries, especially during training where obstacle courses would begin to creep into their training as well. Rescue Training would also require being ready for environmental dangers, but he reassured the class Rescue would be a focus in the incoming weeks especially, for now, he wanted everyone on the same basic level first.

So three days of basic fighting training passed, which was rather boring for those in the class who had combat training, and somehow even more boring for the trio. Perhaps it was the cat instincts appearing at the worst time, or the sharing of the bored emotion, but they continued to get more and more antsy over time, until on the third day, Himiko snapped…and dive tackled Izuku and Ochako. Toshinori was taken aback and about to step in, when he noticed the trio now giggling and laughing as they rolled around on the ground, playfully swatting at one another…and let out a deep, frustrated sigh, yet could not stay angry at how cute it was. He noticed the expressions on the faces of the other trained students (save Hagakure but her annoyed whispers were enough for him to notice) and decided to try a new tack.

He allowed the ones with prior training some time to spar more, but he stated it had to be Quirkless sparring…which was more than enough for all of them to be happy, Kendo immediately challenging Himiko while Ochako excitedly dragged Shoto off for a bout (the split haired teen blinking in confusion), leaving Izuku to be nearly tackled by Ashido who wanted to try out a fight against one of the cats. More members of the trained section of class paired off, leaving Toshinori to nod happily. This was a better solution…while the rest got practice in safety, those who were slightly more advanced could get some of that energy out. He trusted them to fight carefully, and turned back to the rest of the class to continue the class.

"Wow," Izuku marveled, staring up at the massive dome that made up the ceiling of the USJ, Thirteen's personal Rescue training center. The Unforeseen Simulation Joint was insanely huge, with so many specialized rescue zones they could practically feel Ochako's vibrations of excitement as she hopped up and down next to Izuku. This was what she'd been so excited for this whole time, rescue was what she wanted to focus on, saving lives and making people smile, and she got to study under her favorite hero? She actually understood Izuku's hero obsession for once, she was so excited.

She was a bit sad that Toshinori was going to be unable to make it…he'd intended on being with the class, but as they were getting onto the bus an urgent request from the HPSC itself called for his help…a river had flooded way above its seasonal flooding limit and the resulting mudslide and flooding had nearly drowned an entire town, as many heroes as were available were being dispatched. Toshinori wasn't exactly close, but his speed meant he could reach the disaster zone in only a few minutes, so he was sent as well.

But that ended up fine for now. Thirteen proceeded to give a short but meaningful lecture about how dangerous their Quirks could be, before beginning the lesson, and what a lesson it was! Ochako was still excited, even an hour later, when she was battered, bruised, covered in ash and mud and was trying to pat dry her tail after three zones so far! Thirteen had split everyone into small groups and sent them into a couple of zones at a time, watching carefully as they tried the simulations. So far, none of the groups had actually succeeded at completing a zone, but her group (consisting of herself, Yaoyorozu, Sato, and Sero) had nearly completed the landslide zone, if they hadn't accidentally destabilized the last building.

She wasn't upset about it though. Thirteen had been clear, she expected everyone to fail the first time…they were brand new at this, after all. The point was to see how quickly rescues could go south and teach them how to react in such scenarios. But this was fine with Ochako, this was why she was here, to learn these things!

As she finished wiping her tail dry and began the arduous task of getting the mud out of her hair and especially the fur on her ears, she walked over to where Izuku and Himiko were currently quietly talking. "What's up?" she asked as she approached.

Izuku shrugged. "Not much. Just got out of the ruins zone. Had to remember that our eyesight is better than our classmates…it was so dark only I could see and I kept forgetting to warn people of obstacles."

"Flood zone sucked," Himiko whined, two different towels over her. Even with what was clearly a vigorous attempt at drying herself off, she still looked like…well, like a drowned cat. Ochako snickered at her, the amusement coming off her across the bond making Himiko glare back at her. "Haha, real funny miss mudman."

"I got it all, didn't I?" Ochako recoiled, patting at herself to see if she could feel any more mud stuck to her costume.

"A little bit on your back," Izuku took pity on her, stepping around her and taking her towel to wipe it away. After a moment, they nodded and handed the towel back. "All done!"

"Oh sure, give her the special treatment," Himiko groused, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ochako rolled her eyes. "Oh stop pouting. Gimme that!" She snatched the towel off Himiko's shoulders and began to run it over her head, ruffling the blonde's hair and ears as she tried to help dry her off. Himiko went to protest, but as Ochako's hand swept over her ears with gentle scratches, she felt all her thoughts vanish in a moment and let out a satisfied hum as she let the other girl towel her off.

Something twinged in Ochako's mind, something that made her slow down in her attempts to dry her friend off. She could see that the same feeling had crossed over Himiko and Izuku, the blonde's eyes snapping open as Izuku looked about in confusion.

"...did you two…feel that?" Izuku murmured, still looking around.

"Y-yeah? What was that?" Ochako stammered. The feeling was getting worse, a deep, unsettling sense of unease that settled in her chest like a lump of ice.

"I…I think we should tell Sensei," Himiko murmured, turning around to call out for their teachers, but the second she went to, a strange rip in space appeared right before her, black-purple clouds erupting barely a meter away from her. She jumped backwards in shock, the fur on her tail and ears now fluffed up as Ochako and Izuku immediately ran back with her and away from the strange growing black cloud.

"Back away!" Aizawa called out, rushing forward to get between the students and the black cloud, but before he could reach them a massive, sickly gray skinned creature with an exposed brain came rocketing out of the mist to slam into the teacher, flinging him away. He did a quick kip up from the ground, eyes already red, as a second creature burst out the clouds, green-gray skin with a number of arms not unlike Shoji, but instead of various hands or sensory organs, its hands were chainsaws?!

A yellow-skinned one with wings burst out of the clouds next, heading unerringly towards the Mountain zone, as two more black-skinned creatures stepped out, similar to one another albeit one lacked eyes and the other one had a toothy beak for a mouth. They stomped out of the clouds, before standing eerily still as the entire USJ seemed to go silent, the prior three creatures all stopping in place (the winged one now hovering). Yellow eyes appeared within the cloud, followed by a single, small box falling to the ground. A split second later, a loud, high pitched whine resounded from it, the lights in the USJ flickering before stabilizing, and a voice came from the box, the voice having a strange quaver in it.

"Hmm. It appears we arrived late. Drat. If only I could have gotten my hands on the schedule…Well, no matter, time to let the test proceed. Marking down the time…excellent. Now, let's see how well our Nomu do against these hero students? Kurogiri, close the portal. Nomu…kill them."

As one, the creatures, which Ochako was assuming were the aforementioned Nomu, all turned to face the students and teacher…and with a loud screech, charged.

Chapter Text

Izuku wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but the massive, black-skinned person trying to murder them was a clue this was bad. Aizawa had wrapped the flying one within his capture scarf and slammed it into the one with chainsaws for hands, but they simply shrugged off the impact and leapt back into action. The skinny, gray-skinned one was screeching at Thirteen, leaping around so fast she couldn't get a bead on it to use her Quirk (and it was clear she didn't want to, as it would kill), and the other black-skinned one was chasing after Himiko.

Ochako grabbed Izuku's arm and spun about, launching them out of the way as the big one smashed into the ground where they had been, throwing herself backwards at the same time. "The hell are these things Izu?!" she cried out, scrabbling away from it as it started stomping towards her, the ground cracking beneath her feet.

"I have no idea! Their quirks make no sense!" They yelled back, pushing Full Cowling up to 25% and rushing towards Ochako, grabbing her and pulling her along in turn as she had done to them.

"Just run!" Aizawa shouted, still dancing between the others. "Get the other kids and go!"

"But-" Himiko tried to argue, but he cut her off.

"No buts! Run and get help! Communication has been cut off! Leave this to me! Thirteen, get them out of here!"

"Don't be an idiot, Aizawa! You can't fight them all at once!" Thirteen snarled back, the angriest any of them had heard her since meeting her.

"Everyone, close your eyes and cover your ears!" a voice cried out from beyond (Yaoyorozu, Izuku's mind helpfully supplied), and at the shout they obeyed, praying everyone else did as they could somehow sense the object being thrown up and above them. They slammed their hands over their ears, already cringing, as the flashbang(?) erupted, the loud noise making them cry out in pain, feeling Ochako next to them also shake, though they couldn't hear her cries with how loud it was.

A paper-thin rope wrapped about Izuku and pulled them and Ochako back, Izuku going to struggle but belatedly recognizing the feeling of Sero's tape from prior practice. They skidded to a stop at the feet of what they assumed was Sero, but they still couldn't hear, even as they blinked their eyes rapidly to clear the bright lights out. Looking up, they saw Yaoyorozu saying something, but couldn't quite make it out even as sound began to slowly flicker back into their ears.

"-m sorry! I-make i-quieter!" was all Izuku could make out, but it was enough, as large hands gripped their arms and began to lift them up. They glanced up to see the worried expression of Sato, the muscular teen also holding Ochako up. It looked like the entire class had grouped together, having rushed to the central plaza from the various disaster zones to see what was going on. A few meters away, Izuku could see Shoto helping Himiko to her feet, flakes of frost coming off his skin as a line of ice speared off into the distance. Izuku followed it to see two of the creatures were now frozen in place, screeching angrily as they tried to escape the ice but to no avail. It looked like the other three had also been hit, but they broke out of the ice and were still fighting…except…where was the big one?

"Shit, Midoriya? Midoriya, can you hear me?" Jiro's voice brought Izuku's attention back, looking over at her woozily.

"Y-yeah. Kind of. Still dulled," Izuku muttered, rubbing their ears.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't want to hit you but I don't know how to just make a flash grenade! I should have studied more, I am so terribly sorry-" Yaoyorozu began babbling, bowing repeatedly towards Izuku, Ochako, and Himikol, but Ochako just groaned and held up a hand.

"Rather be deaf than dead, Yaoyorozu. It's fine," she muttered, still rubbing her ears.

"I don't think we have time to discuss this! We gotta get out of here! Ida already ran for the doors to get help, but campus is far enough away it's going to take time for any backup to get here. We have to move," Kendo said firmly, glancing about to do a quick headcount. "We're all here, let's get going, now."

"What about the teachers?" Ashido asked quietly, worried as she saw Aizawa dancing between two of them once more, his scarf flicking in and out as he tried to avoid any hits.

"We're just going to get in their way-" Kendo began, before a scream of pain resounded across the field. The class turned, wide-eyed, to see Thirteen's body ragdolling across the ground, having been punched by the biggest creature, sending her flying across the ground and skidding into the flood zone, falling into the water.

In a flash, Tsuyu was off, bolting towards the flood zone and diving in after her teacher. Sero and Shoji quickly went after her, but the rest of the class had no time as the big creature turned its eyes on them.

Izuku felt it before they saw the creature move, Ochako and Himiko stiffening at the same time they did. One moment, it was where it had punched Thirteen, the next, it was in front of them, fist raised to slam into Aoyama, the blonde teenager's eyes going wide with fear as he had no time to react.

Izuku didn't even notice the movement. They didn't even get a second to think, as massive black-green tendrils shot from their hands and wrapped about Aoyama, pulling him to their side in a flash as the creature's fist hit the ground, shattering the concrete and nearly knocking everyone off their feet. Even as they did that, Himiko blurred, darting forward faster than anyone had seen her move, moving so fast she vanished. She reappeared beyond the creature, stumbling and nearly tripping over her own two feet, turning back with wide eyes to stare at the monster in confusion, as it was suddenly moving slower.

"Fuck off!" Ochako screeched, her body alight with Galactic Shroud, her arms surrounded by a nimbus of glaring red energy. She thrust her palms forward, trusting her instincts, and the red rings of energy rocketed out and hit the creature…sending it careening into the air like a rocket. She blinked, confused, as the red rings faded but she could still feel it under her control, waving its limbs in the air and screeching angrily.

"...how are you doing that?" Ashido whispered, looking up in confusion.

"I-I don't know!" Ochako replied, as confused as she was. Her confusion was multiplied further by the same feeling of sheer what she could feel across the bond, Izuku staring at the now slowly twisting tendrils and Himiko still trying to figure out why her hands kept blurring. She had little time to react, as that same sensation of pain in the back of her mind triggered and she glanced over to see the other black-skinned monster stomping towards her.

Beyond it, she could see that one of the two frozen ones had been freed by the chainsaw creature and was now trying to free the third, and her teacher was still desperately trying to fight them both off at once and keep them away from the third. But if she moved, she was afraid she'd lose her hold over the one in the air…

She didn't have to worry. A blast of pure, white-hot heat shot past her and into the approaching creature, it roaring in agony and stumbling backward as Shoto stepped up next to her, his body ablaze. It faded a moment later, the split-haired teen's hands shaking, but he stood resolutely next to her and slammed his foot into the ground again, sending a train of ice towards the combatants and capturing them once more. Already, they were cracking out of the ice, but it bought them a few seconds of respite as Shoto looked over at the class.

"Does anyone have a plan? I…I am afraid I'm losing stamina rapidly. I cannot keep doing this," Shoto murmured.

"Perhaps…we can knock them unconscious? Kaminari, how well can you regulate your electricity?" Yaoyorozu asked, turning to the blonde.

He shrugged. "I know how to not kill people with it, but uh…these guys are built different. I dunno if I can hurt them, and it's a big blast around me. I'd catch you guys in it too, and then I'd be out of commission."

"Can you conduct it through a medium, like a wire?" Izuku asked faintly, quickly glancing between the monsters and the rest of their classmates.

"Yeah, I think so?" Kaminari replied, rubbing the back of their neck.

"Yaoyorozu?" Izuku asked, the tone in their voice all the indicator she needed. She nodded, quickly forming a loop of copper wire out of her arm. Kirishima grabbed it, his arms hardening as he glared at the creatures.

"I'll wrap 'em up, I can tank a couple hits! You just get ready, Kaminari!" Slamming his fists together, Kirishima ran forward into the midst of the frozen creatures, but a sudden crackle from the small yellow box stopped him in his tracks as the same voice from before spoke once more.

"Oh dear, that will simply not do. Kurogiri…fix this please. Target the three cat mutants. That should cause quite the commotion with the news." Without warning, the purple-black clouds reappeared, swarming over the trapped Nomu and making them vanish into the aether…and as Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko all winced at the pain in their heads, the clouds reappeared right next to them, the creatures diving out of them.

The massive black one was above Ochako, its fist cocked to slam into her. The winged one and chainsaw creature were on either side of Himiko, diving towards her. The gray-skinned creature and the slightly smaller black Nomu were both leaping towards Izuku, hands extended to crush the life from them.

Aizawa was running towards them, eyes wide as he tried to force his Quirk to cover all five. The rest of the class were all trying to react, but the suddenness of the teleportation left most of them unable to react in time. But Ochako did not care about any of this, nor the creature approaching her to crush her beneath its fist. She was well aware of the power behind its strikes, but she did not register it, because all she could see was Izuku and Himiko in danger. All she could feel was fear…nothing but a massive, choking, swirling mass of fear that was made up of the fused terror in each person's eyes as they witnessed the attack as if in slow motion.

Something…snapped. Pulled taut like a rubber band stretched to its limit, a single thought, single feeling, single declaration in each one of their souls as they saw certain death approaching their bonded companions. A single, simple sentence in their minds that echoed as time seemed to slow…'you cannot have them'.

The red rings around Ochako's arms appeared once more, crackling and screaming with energy as they snapped taut around her. Rings up and down each arm, across her shoulders, bands around her chest and legs, even one wrapped about her neck like a choker, each and every band spinning rapidly…then slowing down. The air shook, the ground quaked, gravity was twisted and warped, the very fabric of space tearing…space and time.

The sensation of seeing everything in slow motion was now actually in slow motion, as the world around Ochako slowed to a crawl. Her own wide eyes were met with Izuku and Himiko's confusion, with the expressions of shock crawling across her classmates' faces.

Yet at the same time, things were still moving, even if slowed. And Himiko's body, wreathed in golden and amber light, did not simply blur as if she was vanishing from senses, nor was she simply now moving faster. No, she blinked, from one location to another, her knives already in motion as she appeared above the winged Nomu, ever so slowly twisting midair as she reached out to cut through its wings.

Izuku's hands were outstretched towards Ochako, green lightning arcing off their fingertips, desperation in their gaze as the black Nomu's fist came ever closer to Ochako. She could feel the air pressure of its attack, could sense how close it was to her, the pain in her head screaming in desperation for her to move, but she was as slowed as everyone around her was. She closed her eyes and braced for the blow, unwilling to see the look in Izuku's eyes when she got hit…she knew how hard this thing hit. She knew the force it struck with. She was under no illusions about what would happen if she got hit…but the blow never came.

Carefully, the sound muted by the slowing of time, she opened her eyes, confused…only to see the Nomu's arm struggling, unable to move, as if it were fighting an invisible force that was restraining it. Izuku's face was twisted in a cross between terror, rage, and confusion, as the green lightning around their body had doubled in intensity. Ochako could glance about and now see, the other Nomu were not just slowed, they were frozen in place, unable to move as if struggling against something else.

It hit her, across the bond, the sudden surge of emotion as something seemed to click with Izuku, even as she felt her head and chest aching more and more as she held onto the slowed time. Belatedly she realized that this must be the side effect of this new power, the drawback…the sheer, agonizing pain in her chest, the rapid pulses of her heartbeat even under the slowed down influence of time. And from Izuku, she could feel it…a migraine forming for them as they somehow held the Nomu at bay. Himiko, her pain was centered in her limbs, each and every one of them feeling cold, numb.

But she knew Izuku could hold on for a little longer, and knew she was going to lose it quickly…so she shared a look with Izuku, preparing them for the moment she would lose it. Izuku's face became set in determination, no sound audible in the time dilation but still she could tell what they wanted to say. She glanced up to see Himiko, still suspended midair, looking down at her and giving her the same look of acknowledgement…and so she released it.

Sound rushed back into everyone's ears, people stumbling as they found their motions now proceeding as previously intended. Himiko finished her flip midair and with a scream of rage, ripped her blade through the winged creature's wings, her body vanishing in a spark of golden energy, reappearing next to Ochako. She wrapped her arms around Ochako, focusing, and vanished once more, Ochako with her, back by Izuku's side where the green-haired teen was gritting their teeth, focusing hard as the lightning continued sparking around them.

"...okay what the hell are we doing now?" Himiko demanded, her body shivering as shocks of pain flitted across her limbs.

"I have no fucking idea," Ochako gasped, one hand pressed to her chest as she tried to make her racing heart calm down. The girls both looked at Izuku, hoping they had an answer.

Izuku shook their head. "I've got some theories, but now's not the time. I uh…I think I've got telekinesis right now? But I don't know how long I'll have it, so please, someone figure out how to stop these things!"

Aizawa skidded to a stop by them, finally released from the time slowing, one eye watching the Nomu and the other focused on the students. "Are you alright? Are any of you hurt?" he asked hurriedly, trying to keep his gaze both on the creatures and scan over his students.

"Fascinating. Localized time dilation, short range teleportation, and what appears to be telekinesis. Yet they are not awakenings, no relation to their original Quirks. What fascinating specimens. Well, I see no reason to continue this farce, by my calculation more heroes shall arrive momentarily. Kurogiri, retrieve the Nomu's," that same quavering voice spoke from the box.

The purple-black smoke appeared once more, sweeping over the Nomu and taking them away in a flash of darkness. The box spoke once more. "Well, this was a successful test! The Nomu were weaker than I anticipated, but adjustments can be made. I appreciate your assistance with this test, and as a reward, I will not activate the bomb within this device! Thank you for your time."

The box sparked, shaking in place for a moment as Aizawa leapt in front of the trio, trying to shove them back behind him and into the rest of the students, clearly not trusting the words about it not exploding…but a single puff of smoke came hissing out of it, the device falling silent after a brief second.

Shoji and Sato, dripping wet, arrived, carrying Thirteen with them as Tsuyu followed behind, worry etched on her face. Thirteen's helmet was off, showing that she'd lost consciousness. Her breathing was labored and pained as she wheezed, Aizawa quickly making the two boys lay her down so he could begin checking her over. As he knelt next to her, he turned back to Izuku for a moment.

"You said you have telekinesis right now? Is it still working?"

Izuku paused for a moment, before nodding, biting their lip. "I-I think so?"

Aizawa pointed at the box. "Very carefully, move that as far away as you can. Preferably also out in the open so there is no shrapnel. I don't trust that voice, so until it can be examined I want it away from us and the entrance."

"Um…sure, okay," Izuku replied. They lifted their hand once more, emerald lightning wrapping about their limbs as they focused. After a brief moment, the box lifted in the air, steady and not wobbling, before very slowly drifting away. The further away it got, the clearer it became that Izuku was having difficulty, their eyes hazing over slightly as they began to pant, face twisted in a grimace of pain.

Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "That's enough, Midoriya, don't hurt yourself. It's fine. Good job kid." He looked like he was going to say more, but the doors to the USJ busted inward with a loud scream behind them, revealing multiple UA professors visible. Ida was there, gasping for air with his hands on his knees, standing upright with a proud smile that vanished a moment later as he saw the tableau before him; one teacher unconscious and bloody, another covered in blood, multiple teenagers all in various states of disarray, cracked and shattered concrete…and no sign of the villains.

Ochako felt like she could take a breath…they were safe. Finally, finally, they were safe. Her eyes fluttered slightly, the exhaustion catching up to her, her heartbeat audible in her ears as she wavered in place. As if in a mirror, she could barely see Izuku swaying in place as well, Himiko stumbling towards them with her eyes glazed over. Darkness began to creep into her vision, the sounds of her worried classmates now muted. She felt the panic in her rise at the sight of Izuku and Himiko both falling over, but before she could react she felt her own mind going blank…and lost her grip on the waking world.

Chapter Text

"Well, that was unexpected," a soft voice said, making Izuku twitch. They felt…weird. Like they were…disconnected, in some way, or displaced? They couldn't quite latch onto what word it was, but whatever it was, it felt wrong. There was a sigh. "C'mon kid, gonna wake up anytime soon? We have some words to have with you. Your little girlfriends are already awake."

"W-wha?" Izuku managed to sputter out, their eyes flickering open. They blinked rapidly, trying to clear the black spot in their vision except…nope, wasn't a spot, it was just blackness.

"G-girlfriends? What?" came a shriek from Izuku's left, making them turn their head to see a sputtering Ochako, leaning back slightly as she pressed one hand to her head glaring up at someone. Who Izuku now could see was the smirking visage of Nana Shimura, the vestige.

"...we're in our minds again?" Izuku groaned out, sitting up and wincing at the soreness they felt. They were choosing to ignore the girlfriend's comment and just focus on what was going on, which was hard to ignore all things considered.

"Apparently. And we've got more company now," Himiko remarked from Ochako's other side. Izuku looked both her and Ochako over, checking for any injuries, but nothing seemed visible; then again, they were currently unconscious and inside their minds so they weren't sure if injuries would be showing.

"Oi! Pay attention kid! We have limited time!" a gruff voice shouted from beyond Nana, making Izuku finally glance up and forward, seeing…thrones. A group of stone thrones, sitting in a half circle upon a stone floor with a broken wall behind and nothing but a black void around everyone. Various people sat upon some of the thrones, including a strange figure made of fire Izuku recognized somehow as Toshinori. In the centermost throne, the figure there was slight, with white hair and green eyes and a soft smile as he looked down at the trio with what looked like affection in his eyes.

Izuku's eyes were drawn to the one who had shouted, a tall, spiky haired man with an x-shaped scar across his face, his arms crossed over his chest. He glared down at the trio. "Names Kudo. I was the second wielder, and you," he pointed at Himiko, "managed to get access to my Quirk, Gearshift. Then it did some weird shit and somehow you learned to teleport and that's fucking weird. We don't got time to unpack everything, so we're gonna go over this whole intro thing as quickly as possible before you wake back up."

"We will wake up, right?" Ochako asked quietly, her voice unsure.

Another of the people situated upon the thrones stepped up, his blue hair tied back in a ponytail. "You're unconscious because you overused these new abilities. Not to mention used them in ways they weren't meant to. But that shouldn't keep you from waking up. Still, as Leader said, we don't have time. I'm Bruce, that was Fa Jin you used," he pointed at Ochako," and that was my Quirk."

"You all used mine," a softer voice said, the tallest man in the seats standing up and giving a slight bow. "Danger Sense. Unlike theirs, I feel the name explains everything needed."

"Not really, there is nuance to it," Nana replied with a long-suffering sigh.

"Ah let the hermit hermit, what's the harm?" The broad shouldered bald man shoved his way forward to point dramatically at Izuku. "Daigoro here, and mine is Blackwhip, which you used! Not sure how you turned that into telekinesis though."

"We don't know for sure how any of them did any of that, and we're just going to confuse them if we delve into it. Explain your Quirks quickly, and Izuku?" Izuku sat up straight at the sudden call of their name from the white-haired vestige in the back. "I know you'll have a lot of questions about the Quirks, but we won't have time to go over those. Just let them explain the basics, next time you're here you can ask for details. Oh, and I'm Yoichi, the First. You already know how One For All, my Quirk, works," Yoichi said with a soft smile.

"I'm En, the Sixth wielder, and mine is Smokescreen, which is actually what it sounds like unlike Hikage's over there," the only other sitting vestige said, waving cheerfully as he pointed at the tall man who said he had Danger Sense.

"Float here, and whenever you unlock that just please don't fly off into space, Zero Gravity is dangerous enough in your hands as is," Nana pleaded. Ochako gaped at her before narrowing her eyes and letting out an annoyed huff, her tail flicking rapidly, as Himiko giggled.

"Yeah yeah, let's hurry this up. Himiko, Gearshift used to let anything I touch be moved how I chose without inertia. It was limited to small things before, but after sitting in One For All for so long, it is significantly stronger. You noticed it, right? How fast you moved, how hard you hit? Yeah, that was you using Gearshift on yourself, and then somehow turning it into teleportation on its own." Kudo grumbled, before shaking his head. "Either way, keeping it on for any length of time will cause you harm, so keep its use to a minimum."

"Fa Jin lets you store kinetic energy and release it later in an explosive burst. But when it reacted to your Quirk, it somehow let you infuse your own Quirk with the energy it stores and well, no clue what the fuck you did or how, but you did something and now you can mess with time," Bruce shrugged as he looked at Ochako.

"And Blackwhip is all those funky rope things! Super useful for grabbing people or places! But keep an eye on how you're feeling, kid…it's impacted by your emotions. Anger, especially," Daigoro said, his tone stern.

"...but how does that give me Telekinesis?" Izuku risked asking, even knowing Yoichi told them not to.

Yoichi spoke up. "Honestly, we're unsure, but our best guess is that it goes back to Transform." Himiko perked up at that, tilting her head and staring at Yoichi. "You may be Quirkless, but you have your mother's genes in you as well. They just never became dominant for whatever reason, or something; biology wasn't my specialty when I was alive. But Transform somehow has been changing the three of your genetics and, well, it seems like it's mixing DNA somehow. Still unsure how, to be honest."

Izuku stared blankly at Yoichi for a moment, before falling backwards, arms out wide onto the void floor(?). There was a start and a few cut off shouts around them, but they just sighed and pulled their left arm up and laid it across their eyes. "I'm fine. I just…I have no idea how to react to any of this."

"Um, that's…not all we need to warn you about?" Nana said, her voice hesitant. Izuku didn't bother replying, just waved their hand vaguely in her direction as Himiko and Ochako both turned to stare at her, making her unnerved by the flat expressions on the two girls. She scratched the back of her neck. "We uh, we think that as you consume the same person's blood, eventually their Quirk factor might get into yours?"

"...you mean we can eventually get copies of the Quirks of people who we drink from often?" Izuku replied, their tone without affect.

"We think so, yeah."

Izuku was silent for a moment, Himiko and Ochako both choosing to let them take the lead, before they sighed once more. "Fine. Sure. Why not? You know, you said we have limited time…can we wake up now?"

Yoichi coughed. "Sure, you can."

Himiko gave a lazy thumbs up, still focused on Izuku as they lay there unmoving. Ochako pursed her lips but nodded, replying quietly. "Yeah, okay." Yoichi nodded, waving his hand in their direction, making them feel disconnected once more, and finding their minds fading back into unconsciousness…for the moment.

Waking up in the hospital was not something Himiko was used to, and she was not a fan. All of the aches and pains from the fight at the USJ seemed to still be there, even if she couldn't see any wounds. It was a bone-deep chill resting deep within her, her arms and legs feeling sluggish and cold, painfully cold, as if they had been dunked in ice and were just barely coming out of numbness.

But all of that paled as soon as she recognized her alert state, her eyes snapping open. She hissed in pain at the sudden surge of light, but letting out a low growl, she began to scramble out of her sheets. She needed to find Izuku and Ochako, she needed to check on them, seeing them in the vestige world could have been a dream or something! Her chest ached, pain, fear, guilt, desperation, all swirling in her breast as if a massive cocktail of emotions were being poured down upon her. She needed her people.

"Woah now young Himiko, you need to calm down, it's okay, you're okay," a voice soothed, one she recognized just barely as she felt bony hands pressing down into her shoulders. She still struggled, whimpers escaping her lips as she blinked rapidly to clear the bright lights, because she needed to see them!

She could finally see well enough to see the sunken blue eyes and worried smile of Toshinori, the taller blonde looking down upon her with clear worry in his eyes. She swallowed, feeling like her throat was made of glass as she managed to croak out "'Chako? Izu?"

Toshinori chuckled, leaning back slightly and gesturing to her left. "They are quite alright, young Himiko. Why don't you see for yourself?"

She followed his hand, dazed eyes lighting up as she saw the form of Ochako in the bed next to her, eyes closed and breathing deeply, a white hospital gown over her while a single monitor was connected to her fingertip. Beyond Ochako, Himiko could see the green fluffy hair of Izuku laying on their own bed, also still apparently asleep, although their face was scrunched up and twitching like they did before they woke in the morning. Toshinori patted her on the hand gently.

"You're all okay. No permanent injuries, you're all just suffering from some Quirk exhaustion. All three of you will be just fine, so don't you worry. You'll be out of here in no time, you just need some rest. I'm going to go let the doctors know you're awake if that's okay with you?"

Himiko stared up at him for a moment. She didn't think she could ever say it aloud but…part of her wondered if this was what having a real father was like. Maybe it was her connection to Izuku, but she could feel tears welling up in her eyes just at the sheer emotion running through her chest, but she didn't want him to see so she quickly nodded and looked away in the hopes he'd move on.

Toshinori let out a sad chuckle, and she felt his hand gently mess with her hair, a faint brush against her ear that made her eyes flutter closed. "Alright. I'll be back in just a moment." With that, he stood up and crossed the room, exiting through the doorway, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Not alone for long though, as she felt the sudden surge of emotion from Izuku as they finally awoke fully. They quickly sat upright in the bed, but immediately let out a yelp of pain as they curled in on themselves, making Himiko struggle to her own seated position as she looked over at them. "Izu?" she said, her voice cracking slightly.

They blinked rapidly, turning to look at her, their eyes gazing over her quickly before scanning over Ochako as well. She could feel the sudden sense of relief coming over them, drowning the other feelings out as they took a deep breath. "You okay, Himi?"

"I'm okay. Toshi was just in here, he left to get the doctor. He said we're all okay, just…Quirk exhaustion."

Izuku huffed. "...sure. Quirk exhaustion. I guess that's what happens when you use a bunch of different ones and now are stealing more like a fucking thief," they spat, glaring down at their hands.

"Izu-" Himiko began softly, beseechingly, but the swell of anger and self-loathing within them that filtered over made her ears lay flat as she found her breath stolen from her chest by the sheer strength of the feeling.

"Don't," Izuku ordered, their voice flat, before fading to a whisper. "Just…don't."

"Stop being stupid, Izu," Ochako's groggy voice cut into the room, making Izuku and Himiko both turn to look at her as she slowly sat up, one hand pressed against her chest. Izuku opened their mouth to reply but she cut them off with a raised hand. "We've been over this. This ain't your fault. An' I'm not gonna just sit 'ere and let you keep badmouthing yerself over this. It's all weird but what matters is we lived, and nobody died, and we stopped the bad guys. That's all that matters."

"That was well said, young Ochako," Toshinori's voice said from the doorway as he opened it slowly, revealing himself and a short, dark-haired woman in a lab coat. "But let's put a pin in that, the doctor here is going to check you over and be sure there's no lingering issues."

Izuku stared blankly at the two in the door, before letting out a sigh, their shoulders slumping. "...fine," they muttered. Himiko shared a glance with Ochako, the brunette's eyes narrowed with both annoyance and frustration visible. Izuku was not taking any of this well, but they'd confront them about it later. For now, Himiko really wanted to get out of the hospital.

Okay, she wasn't getting out of the hospital yet, because Inko, Miu, and Katashi had arrived and were busy worrying over their children (and her for some reason). Which…she wished she could enjoy it. Desperately wished she could, because it made her feel so warm and soft and fuzzy inside, seeing how they easily extended their worry and fear to her. And how Toshinori kept sitting by her side, keeping her company even when Izuku and Ochako were being smothered by their parents.

But Izuku's emotions were completely wrong. They hadn't gotten any better and it was hard to ignore them, considering how strong they seemed to be. There were some happy feelings; Izuku was always happy to see their mom. And they seemed incredibly relieved Himiko and Ochako were okay. There was a genuine awe and pride in the two girls that Izuku was feeling, as if they were so amazed by their new powers.

But when it came to Izuku themself? It was as if all the work they'd put in, all the encouragement and help they'd tried to give them, to make them understand how valued they were and how they weren't at fault for all these wrong things, it was like all of that was suddenly gone. The sheer volume of negativity directed at themselves, under that placid, smiling exterior they were showing their mother had the fur on Himiko's ears standing stiff, her tail flicking rapidly even as she tried to wrap it about her waist to keep it under control.

Izuku's practiced fakery began to falter when Aizawa, President Nezu, and a detective introduced to them as Tsukauchi came into the room. The detective was there to get their statements about the attack, and Aizawa and Nezu wanted to know about the change in their abilities. Which, when Ochako took the initiative and explained, Izuku's prior smiling face began to flicker and fade. Himiko hated watching the joy seep out of them like a sieve, but on the other hand it was fake joy so was it worth seeing it anyways? This hurt her head more than it already was.

"So you can get permanent copies of Quirks by drinking enough blood? I'll have to have Chiyo draw more of mine then," Aizawa mused, making Himiko snap her gaze away from Izuku to blink rapidly at her teacher.

"...why?" Ochako dared to ask, her eyes flickering between Aizawa and a suddenly preternaturally still Izuku.

"More people with Erasure in the world is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned."

"It's not a bad idea, really. Perhaps we should speak to Chiyo about donating her blood as well? If she safely can, of course. But having her Quirk in three more individuals could be very useful," Nezu added.

"Copying quirks permanently? Hmm. Maybe I should donate my blood as well," the detective mused.

Himiko did not like where this was going. Rather, she was fine with the talk and the ideas, but the emotions flickering across the bond from Izuku were very very very bad right now and the adults needed to shut up.

Ochako, having picked up on the same thing Himiko had, quickly waved her hands to draw everyone's attention. With a nervous smile on her face, her eyes flitting over to Izuku for a brief moment once more, she spoke. "I-I don't think we need to go over that right now anyways. We um, we should be getting out soon, right? Can we ask the doctor when we get out?"

"It'll be shortly. But you are right, Uraraka, we should hold this discussion till we are back at UA. Perhaps even your classmates will-"

"I don't want it," Izuku said quietly, a low, rumbling growl in the back of their throat echoing throughout the room as they cut Nezu off. Himiko winced internally, and she could see as well as feel the same concern from Ochako. Izuku had apparently had enough…and she wasn't entirely sure how to slow them down.

"Don't want what, Izuku?" Inko asked quietly, tilting her head at her child.

"The Quirks. I don't want anyone else's Quirk," Izuku replied. Their voice was still soft, but the way their ears lay flat on their head, the narrowly slitted pupils, and the fur puffed out on their tail were not signs anyone was really able to ignore.

"I'm afraid I don't understand the issue, Midoriya. Wouldn't more powers simply give you more versatility? You already have multiple as it is, wouldn't-" Nezu was once again cut off by Izuku, this time the green-eyed teenager snapping their head up to glare in the chimera's direction.

"That's the problem!" they hissed, clenching their fists. "I already stole Himi and 'Chako's, and somehow I got Mom's too even though I'm Quirkless, I don't need to steal anyone else's! That's not fair to other people! That's not right! Quirks are a part of who you are and I can't keep stealing them!" Izuku's voice was lifted to a near shout, their voice echoing throughout the room and startling most of those left in the room.

Aizawa sighed, rubbing the bridge of their nose. "Midoriya. You are not stealing anything. It's a copy. One of the members of Class B has that exact power, the ability to copy Quirks from people. Do you think he's wrong for existing?"

Himiko was treated to a very strange set of revelations at once. First, Izuku's emotions now running into a wall…between their instinctive excitement at the idea of what such a Quirk could do, their reflexive self-loathing at Aizawa's attempt to argue, and their own rising rage, she wasn't entirely sure which of the three was going to take center stage first. But…she'd always been good at reading facial cues. She had to be, because she had to be able to predict her parents' reactions, as well as those gossipy bitches back in high school so she could fit in better, and the reaction Nezu, Tsukauchi, and Toshinori had at Aizawa's commentary was weird.

She couldn't read Nezu well (unsure if that was because of his inhuman nature or he just was that good), but Toshinori had winced at the words Izuku had used when they spoke about stealing Quirks. And she wanted to know why. Maybe she could interrupt Izuku's emotional explosion if she asked?

"...why did you flinch when Izu said they stole the Quirk?" she dared to ask, cutting through everyone else's conversations, and it was abrupt enough that even Izuku's anger faded to confusion…of course, it started to grow again once they actually noticed what Himiko was doing (wasn't like she could hide her feelings from them), but they kept their mouth shut as Toshinori sighed.

"Well. I was going to tell you later, but I suppose since we're all here it's worth explaining. It goes back to the very origins of One For All, a tale of two brothers…"

"And you are absolutely certain he's dead?" Inko asked quietly when Toshinori finished his explanation, worry evident in her expression.

"Yes. I am absolutely sure," he reassured her.

"How can ya be sure, hmm?" Katashi asked, narrowing his eyes.

Nezu hopped forward, drawing attention to himself. "Because I and Recovery Girl verified it ourselves, and I had the body disposed of. After Toshinori collapsed, his sidekick and mentor took it upon themselves to swiftly call myself and Recovery Girl in. Mostly to save Toshinori, but also to handle the scene. All For One died on that battlefield, there is no question of that. I am very…thorough, when it comes to dealing with such unpleasantness's." The gleam in Nezu's eye made everyone (sans Izuku) lean back slightly, perturbed.

"You could have told us before Izuku took the Quirk, you know," Inko said, her voice still soft with a noticeable edge to it.

"I genuinely did not think it would matter, since he's dead. I never wanted the specter of All For One to haunt my successor's future. I hoped they would be free of it," Toshinori replied, holding their hands out wide.

"...so One For All comes from a power that steals Quirks, and now I'm stealing them too. All because I messed everything up. Just fucking great," Izuku scoffed.

"Copying is not stealing," Aizawa replied with narrowed eyes. "Or are you accusing your classmate of being a thief as well?"

"Is his copy permanent?" Izuku shot back, glaring back at their teacher.

"No. He can only copy a limited number at a time and they only last for a certain time frame. But that does not change the underlying concept. Not only that, but we are volunteering for you to use ours. Should I not get a say in what I do with my Quirk?" Aizawa argued, gesturing at himself.

Izuku worked their jaw for a moment as they tried to reach for an argument against that, but Inko's hand squeezing their shoulder made them glance over at their mother. "Izuku, honey, why does this bother you so much? Isn't it a good thing, having more options to be a hero with?"

Izuku swallowed, their shoulders slumping as they stared down at their hands, clenching and unclenching their fists. "I just…it's not right. I didn't…I didn't earn any of this. I-I got picked for OFA by accident and I knew it was a mistake but I didn't say anything and now I've stolen Himi and Chako's powers and more and just…it's not right," their voice faded to a whisper, refusing to lift their gaze from the sheets beneath them.

"Izuku, I did not choose you by accident, nor was it a mistake. Don't you have faith in me to make my own decisions?" Toshinori asked.

"I do, but…" Izuku cut themselves off after a moment, looking unsure of themselves.

Toshinori sighed, sharing a look with Inko. She shook her head slowly, silently communicating something to him that Himiko wasn't able to figure out. Toshinori stood up. "Perhaps this is a conversation better had away from this hospital. Are you three ready to leave?"

Himiko glanced back at Ochako, seeing her nod slowly, before turning to look at Izuku and waiting for the indicator. Though they never lifted their head, she felt the acceptance and the exhaustion over the bond, and she gently replied by pushing feelings of warmth and affection back towards Izuku (and Ochako, because Ochako was hurting by seeing Izuku hurt and she wanted them both happier). It didn't fix Izuku's mood…but she could tell they appreciated it. She turned back to Toshinori and nodded. "Yeah, let's get out of here."

Chapter Text

"Izuku, this isn't like you," Inko said softly. The two of them were sitting in Izuku's room at the dorms, the green-haired teenager immediately heading to their room with a request for privacy before anyone else pestered them, but Inko had decided to exercise mom rights and asked if she could talk to them alone, which…unfortunately for Izuku, even with all the frustration and anger they felt, they could never turn their back on their mom.

Which led to now, Izuku flopped over on their bed, one arm thrown over their eyes so they didn't have to see the look Inko was giving them. She'd gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, looking over her prone child with worry evident in her voice. Izuku sighed. "It's just not right, Mom. I don't know how else to explain it."

Inko hummed contemplatively. "Not to call you a liar, but I'm pretty sure that's not what is really bothering you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. If you were really bothered by it, Aizawa couldn't have argued you down so easily. You've never run out of logical arguments when you were in one of your moods, at least not without a good hour's worth of debate." Izuku pulled their arm down and stared at their mother in consternation, Inko merely arching one eyebrow at them with an almost amused look on her face. She continued on with a smirk. "I raised you, you know. Did you forget how many times you tried to 'debate' me over letting you stay up late to do more Quirk analysis or why you should get that other piece of All Might merch?"

Izuku huffed, feeling a small bit of warmth in their chest at the teasing. It wasn't until they'd moved into the dorms they'd realized how much they missed spending time with their mom. It was nice to see her and spend time with her, even if it was because of…well, yesterday. Their slowly improving mood faded away at the thought, making them sigh heavily and look up at the ceiling blankly. Maybe…maybe their mom had a point. Sure, it bothered them the idea of 'stealing' the Quirks, but like Aizawa had said, it was being freely given. Wasn't that his right to do, to choose whether they could use his Quirk? So why did this bother them so much? Except…they actually knew the answer, they just hadn't wanted to say it in front of everyone. But Mom…

Izuku sighed. "Mom…did they tell you about the attack?"

"What details they could. A lot of it was confusing, as your teacher only could witness bits and pieces with the fighting he was doing, but we got the gist," Inko replied.

"So…you know about how we all got weird new powers, yeah?"

Inko nodded. "Yes. You got telekinesis, Himiko can teleport, and Ochako can…slow down time? It was…rather confusing, to be honest."

Izuku swallowed thickly, turning their gaze to look at their mom. "What I'm about to say, you can't tell the others, okay? I-I'm not ready to talk to her about it."

Inko tilted her head to the side in confusion, before scooting closer up on the bed and placing her hand over Izuku's, squeezing gently. "Was it Ochako or Himiko?"

"...'Chako. How'd you know I meant one of them?"

Inko let out a derisive snort. "Sweetie, only one of those two could make you act like this."

Izuku shrugged, not wanting to unpack that as they sighed once more. "When…when we were winning, like, we had a plan and everything, that weird voice, the villain in charge I guess? He commanded someone named 'Kurogiri' to move the Nomu to attack me, 'Chako, and Himi. I think Kurogiri is the one doing the portals, because the second he said that, the portals moved the Nomu practically atop us. Thing was…there were five Nomu, and three of us, so they split two, two, and one. But the one? That one was by far the strongest, it was smashing everything up and regenerating and like…it was super powerful. And it was put right next to Ochako."

"But she stopped it, didn't she? The time dilation, it slowed everything down so you guys could figure out what to do, right?"

Izuku's hand clenched around their mother's, squeezing tightly as they closed their eyes and spoke softly. "It was going to hit her, Mom. At full power. I saw what happened when it hit the ground. It would have killed her. And she knew it. Mom, she knew it. I saw it in her eyes and felt it inside me. She was afraid, but then just…resigned. She accepted it. She accepted she was going to die and was okay with it because she thought the rest of us would be safe."

Inko didn't speak, but from the way she squeezed Izuku's hand they knew she was starting to understand. "I-I could see it, Mom. I still see it. The look in her eyes, the way she was almost happy because we were gonna be fine, because she was the one who was going to get hit. I-I can't get it out of my head. I keep seeing her like that and I can't…I can't. She can't just…do that! She can't just be willing to leave, I just found her again! Mom, I-I-" Izuku cut themselves off, tears spilling from their closed eyes as they choked on their words.

Warm, soft arms came around their shoulders, pulling them into an embrace they'd felt a million times over their life. "Izuku, can I say something honest to you?" Inko asked softly. Izuku nodded, reaching up to grab onto their mom's arms and keep her pressed close as the tears fell silently. "...now you know how everyone around you feels when you think it's okay to get hurt to keep someone else safe."

Izuku nearly choked, eyes going wide open as they stared at their mother's face, Inko's a mix of fond exasperation, concern, and a hint of sternness in her gaze. "B-but it's-"

"Different?" Inko cut them off, arching an eyebrow. She shook her head slowly. "It's not, Izuku. It's not okay for her to do it, and it's not okay for you to do it. I know that being a hero means sometimes, you might risk yourself for someone else. I don't like it, but I know it's who you are and I couldn't be prouder of you for being so determined to help people. But there is a difference between it being a necessary action, and it being your first choice. Or did you forget your entrance exam?"

"Y-you saw that?"

"Toshinori showed me. And Ochako's. And Himiko's. If I didn't know your teacher hadn't already read you the riot act for it, I would have had a lot to say about that. You have no idea how often Miu, Katashi, and myself sit and worry about the three of you," she brushed her hands through Izuku's hair, gently smoothing the fur on their ears over, a smile on her face to take the sting out of her words. "It's about balance, Izuku. You have to find the right balance between risking yourself and saving others. Which, that's what you're here to learn, isn't it?"

"...you're not mad we got attacked?" Izuku ventured, one of their many worries coming to the forefront.

Inko let out an exasperated sigh. "Mad isn't the word I would use. I'm…scared. But I know you. This probably just makes you more determined to be a hero, and I don't see how trying to convince you to move to another school would help, especially not with your support system here already. And I admit…I'm unsure how anyone could have anticipated that. I've never heard of a teleporting Quirk that strong, and no one else has either according to the Headmaster."

Izuku sighed, leaning into their mother further. "...what do I do about 'Chako though? I get it. I'm a hypocrite, and…I'll try to be better about that. But that doesn't make what she did okay either."

"Well, I would give it some time before you talk to her about it, but that's the important part, isn't it? Talking to her. And Himiko. If you felt Ochako's feelings then, well, Himiko did too, right? I bet she's just as worried. Don't go in guns blazing with accusations though. Just let her know how worried it made you feel. And I would start by admitting you know it's hypocritical, but that you're going to try to change that. You are, right? Not just saying things to make your old mom feel better are you?"

"You're not old!" Izuku protested, sitting upright to glare at their mother. Inko chuckled, ruffling Izuku's hair. Izuku playfully batted at her hands, feeling the slightest trace of calm within from spending time with their mother, before sighing deeply. "I'll try. I promise, Mom. I um…I talked to Sensei about…talking to someone, a-and I think maybe…maybe I should. Like…a professional," Izuku muttered the last few words, refusing to meet their mother's gaze as they did.

"That's a good thing, Izuku. A really good thing," Inko replied softly but insistently.

"I-I'm not promising I will yet though! Just…I'm thinking about it."

"That's okay. I can take that," she reassured. After a moment of silence, she spoke once more. "Is your kitchen stocked up? I can make dinner for you all…maybe, some katsudon, if you have the ingredients?"

Izuku smiled, letting out a choked half-giggle. "Um…if you're okay with that."

"Of course I am. I miss cooking for you, and I'm sure everyone who is still here could use a good meal." She went to get up from the bed, but Izuku's hand reached out and gripped her arm for a moment, stopping her.

"Can…can we stay like this, for a bit longer? Before we go downstairs."

Inko smiled down at Izuku, and nodded, sitting back down and pulling them into a hug. "Of course, Izuku. Anytime."

Katashi glanced down at his phone, narrowing his eyes at the text message he just received from Inko. He casually passed the phone to his wife as he reached out to wrap one arm around his daughter's shoulders, pulling her into his side as she leaned listlessly, exhausted from the day's ordeals. He could see his wife stiffen out of the corner of his eye, but he agreed with Inko that now was not the time to confront their daughter. Right now, she just needed her parents.

"You doin' okay, Ochako?" he asked softly, shaking her shoulder slightly.

"...no," Ochako sniffled, her head half buried in her father's shoulder. "Izu, Himi, they…they almost got killed. An' so did my classmates. My new friends. Stupid fuckin' monsters showin' up and ruinin' everythin'."

"But you stopped them, just like the good hero yer gonna be," Miu said, taking a seat on her other side and gently brushing at her daughter's hair.

"Almost didn'," she murmured in response.

"Almost only counts in horseshoes and fire Quirks," Katashi replied, making his daughter snort at the age-old joke. He sighed, lifting one hand up to rub at his jaw. "'Chako, it ain't right what ya saw today, but ya survived. Hell, ya did more than that, ya stopped the bad guys and all y'all made it out safely! And ya stopped time! That's my badass little rescue hero, always gettin' better and better."

Ochako sighed, shrugging slightly. Her tail was still, ears laying half flat, which considering Katashi has grown up with cats he knew that while she wasn't as upset as before, she still wasn't in a great mood. He also knew his daughter was the type to dwell and nothing he said was going to break her out of it that easily. Best he could do was…be there for her. And that was exactly what he planned to do.

His phone pinged once again, Katashi glancing up to look at his wife as she scrolled through the messages. After a moment, she nodded, typing something quickly and then handing it back to her husband, sitting down next to Ochako's other side and pulling her into a hug. "That was Inko, she's gonna go downstairs an' start on dinner for the students still 'ere. I'm gonna go help her. Ya gonna be okay up 'ere?"

Ochako nodded, although both of her parents noticed her tail flick agitatedly when she mentioned dinner. Katashi worked his jaw, sharing another silent talk with his wife. Something both of them had wondered about more than once was rearing its ugly head, but they'd never been able to prove anything and confronting her without proof would have just made Ochako clam up further. They'd learned that lesson many, many years before unfortunately. Their daughter took after the two of them in many ways, and one of her worst qualities she took on was their stubbornness. You had to be stubborn to keep fighting to save your company for as long as they had, but well…some things they never wanted to pass down to Ochako.

Katashi shook his head. Now wasn't the time to deal with this. For now, he just needed to make sure his daughter was okay. And maybe check in on Himiko as soon as he could, if Inko didn't get there first. Not like her useless parents were going to be here to check in on her. He grit his teeth and shoved that thought down once more, now wasn't the time to get angry, not when he had to comfort his daughter. Just setting his goals and doing what he could. As Miu got up and kissed Ochako on the top of her head, gently brushing her ears, and then kissing her husband on the cheek, he offered a smile in return to her. They'd do what the two of them could for Ochako, whatever she needed. That's what a father did.

Himiko lay face down in her bed, tears spilling from her eyes as she kept her face buried to muffle any sounds she was making. Not that she could hide how she felt from Izuku or Ochako, but she was desperately trying to pull back as much as possible. They didn't need to feel guilty over this, because it wasn't their fault she had no one. No, no, that was unfair to Inko, Miu, and Katashi. She knew they'd probably come check in on her…they were good like that.

But it didn't change that she wasn't their child. She was just linked to them, and while she knew they cared about her, it didn't change she still didn't have her parents. Worst of all, the most painful part was, part of her wanted them there.

They were awful people. Obsessed with their picture perfect image and what they considered 'respectable'. They'd treated her like garbage, she saw that now. They'd abused her. They'd hurt her. They'd forced her into being something awful, something she hated. And yet, still, deep down, something inside her still missed the parents she'd had before her Quirk came in. They weren't that affectionate, but they still cared. They still loved her. At least, she thought they did. And something deep inside her couldn't let go of those memories, those feelings.

There was a time when they smiled together and meant it. When her father would pick her up and make jokes about her flying in the air as he ran across the living room, her giggles echoing across the house walls. There was a time when she'd sit in her mother's lap while she read to her, softly explaining the words Himiko didn't know as she stared at the pictures in awe, getting lost in the fantastical tales.

And it wasn't like the loss happened quickly. They'd been disgusted by her Quirk, but they hadn't just…completely given up on her. They'd still take care of her. They'd still play with her. At least, for a while. But then it slowed down, it changed, they changed. It became all about how her Quirk was a curse, how she needed to behave, how she needed to be perfect. Now that she thought about it, they shit talked Quirks in general, but especially 'villainous' ones. She'd also catch her father muttering about how much he hated the impact Quirks had on business. Not that he ever told her what his business even did, other than manufacturing.

Not to mention the annoyance when her 'uncle' came over. He showed up rarely and always complained about the condition of the house, even though her mother kept it immaculate. And he'd argue with her father all the time. Never loud enough for her to hear (not that she wanted to), but still was annoying. Especially as she knew he was no real uncle, just one of her father's business partner's, but her parents wanted her to call him uncle even though he was only about a decade older than her. And he'd been incredibly disgusted by her Quirk too, she'd see the sneer on his face every time he looked at her.

She sighed, pressing her face further into the blanket as she forced the memories back into the box she liked to hide them in. No point in lamenting what she didn't have. She didn't have parents. Not like Ochako and Izuku. God, she hated this! She didn't want to be jealous of them! She knew it wasn't their fault, she knew they would never hold it against her or try to make her jealous, and she'd already had Inko, Miu, and Katashi all tell her they'd take her in any time, but she couldn't help how she felt and that just made her feel worse.

"Today fucking sucked," she groused into her pillow, only to be startled out of her thoughts by a chuckle from her door. She nearly leapt out of bed, eyes wide and red with tears still trickling down her cheeks, seeing the abashed face of Toshinori in the door.

He shrugged. "I knocked a few times but you didn't answer, I wanted to check in on you."

She sniffled, turning back to her bed and laying down once more, wrapping her arms around her pillow and face-planting into it once more. "Okay. I'm fine. You can go now."

"I trust you on many things, young Himiko, but…I don't believe you're okay," Toshinori said softly, still standing in the doorway. She didn't give him a response, but her tail flicked back and forth in agitation. He smiled down at her prone form. "May I come in?"

"...fine," she muttered. Her ears perked up, listening as he closed the door and made his way over to her bed. She could feel his consternation as he looked at the truly colossal number of plushies scattered around, and very gingerly found a spot where he could take a seat, squeezing between a large shark plush and a half dozen plushies he barely recognized as various childrens cartoon characters. She waited for him to say something, but after a good minute of silence passed, she tilted her head slightly and cracked one eye to look up at him, seeing the blonde simply looking around her room in curiosity. "...not gonna try to make me feel better?" she asked, her voice only partly muffled.

Toshinori looked down at her and shrugged. "Can I make you feel better with words?" After a moment, she shook her head back and forth, knowing nothing he said was going to make her happier right now. He nodded. "Exactly. No, I figure I'll just be here for you, just in case. Unless there's something you would like me to do?"

She…didn't know how to respond to this. What was his angle? His plan? Izuku was his successor…no. No, that was anxiety brain talking. That was her fucked up mindset from the day and the way she was spiraling and gods did she hate this. She knew Toshi just wanted to help. He meant it. He couldn't lie about that to save his life. All Might was a mask. Toshinori was the man. After a moment, she swallowed, closing her eyes and shoving her face back into her pillow.

"...can you pet my ears?" she whispered, blood flushing into her face at the sheer embarrassment of the request. For a moment, she didn't think he heard her, muffled and quiet as it was, but a massive, gentle hand rested itself upon her hair, long fingers very gently brushing at the fur and making the bone-deep cold in her limbs finally start to fade further. Maybe she didn't have real parents…but Toshi seemed to care. And that meant something to her. She wasn't sure what yet, but it meant something.

Still the tears silently fell, the feelings from the attack earlier ripping at her chest. Her fear for her friends, for her Izu and 'Chako, the pain, the adrenaline turned to terror, every second was just a clusterfuck in her head she could barely track anymore. Not to mention the emotions across the bond…pain, fear, loneliness, love, affection, guilt, self-loathing, etc, etc, so many things mixed together that made her shoulders tighten and her teeth clench.

She didn't know how long she lay there, Toshinori silently and gently scratching at her ears, ever so slowly helping her relax her shoulders. A gentle knock at the door drew her attention and made him pause in his ministrations. She cleared her throat and managed to get out a garbled 'come in', which opened the door to reveal Kendo, the redheaded teenager looking rather worse for the wear herself but putting on a nervous smile.

"Miss Midoriya and Mrs. Uraraka are making dinner downstairs. Yaoyorozu and I are going around to see if everyone can make it down. Will um…will you be coming down, Himiko?"

Himiko sighed into the bed, slowly peeling herself up from the bedspread and nodding as she kept her head down. Toshinori stood up, out of her way, as she swung her legs around to place them on the floor. She went to get to her feet, but swayed from a sudden surge of weakness (probably from crying for the past hour), but Toshinori's hand stopped her from falling. She gave him a thankful nod, before turning to the door and taking a deep breath, following Kendo out of the room, Toshinori behind her. She wasn't really ready to face the world yet…but she still wanted to see the others, and for them, she'd face anything.

Toshinori wasn't sure he was ready for this conversation, especially not after the day that had occurred, but with everyone involved here it seemed like the best time to have it. Nezu had spent the past few hours speaking to various parents and in Todoroki's case, older sister, of the members of Class A, while the students enjoyed a dinner made by Inko and Miu, with help from Yaoyorozu's father. It was an interesting sight, this tall, distinguished gentleman in a perfectly tailored suit cooking alongside the other two, but according to him he found cooking a relaxing activity after a long day in the office, and going off the food made, he sure knew what he was doing.

Toshinori was at least happy that Ochako was apparently so exhausted from the ordeals of the day she didn't really struggle with the eating, too emotionally spent to be emotional about it. Which made Izuku and Himiko much happier. The students as a whole were practically one giant mass once dinner was served, all eating in the living room and half of them crowded into the same places, either with their parents or one another. Bonding over trauma, he supposed.

But now, it led to here. Toshinori, Nezu, Shouta, Miu, Katashi, Inko, and Toshinori's best friend Naomasa all crowded in Nezu's office, as the detective had decided to tell them the current state of the Aldera and Toga investigations. He'd considered not doing so, but since everyone was gathered, he figured he'd just get it out of the way.

"Well, I don't want to beat around the bush after the events of yesterday. I'm sure everyone is eager to check in on the students even further, but I can at least tell you I have good news. The Toga's falsifying Himiko's Quirk registry made it easy for me to get a warrant, and they have officially been charged. They have no chance of beating the falsifying records charge as well as putting people, including Himiko, in danger by not addressing her dietary requirements," Naomasa began, referring to his notepad.

He took a deep, bracing breath before continuing. "As for the abuse charges, Himiko had said they did not physically harm her, which rang true. However, they also said they didn't and it rang false. With some digging, I believe I understand the incongruencies, but I don't like it."

"And your conclusion is?" Nezu offered, tilting his head to the side.

"My best guess is Himiko genuinely believes that what they did didn't count as physical abuse, but it was and the Toga's are very much aware it was."

"...great, another kid with warped perceptions on what happened to them," Shouta sighed, rubbing his temples.

Katashi crossed his arms over his chest, working his jaw angrily. "...they ain't gettin' away with it, right?"

"I never make promises about cases before they go to court, but the evidence is pretty damning," Naomasa replied.

Inko clenched her fist, but shook her head to clear it. "Is that it then?"

"For the Toga case, it's all I have right now, but as for Aldera…well, thanks to Bakugo's testimony I got a warrant pretty easily, and we were able to get started. They tried to delete the security camera footage and any digital records they had were altered, but luckily Nezu offered us the services of UA's newest cybersecurity expert and she was able to recover the original files, which…are fairly damning." Naomasa took a moment to look at Inko, wanting to be certain she wanted to continue. She slowly nodded.

"Well, it's probably worse than you feared. Izuku's treatment was both verbal and physical. Bakugo was honest about not attacking Izuku physically, save one altercation he admitted to. There were minor incidents…shoulder checking him as they walked past and a lot of threats and intimidation, but that was the extent of Bakugo's bullying. Some other students were more…vicious. As well as one of the teachers' preferred methods of silencing Midoriya was smacking him on the back of the head." Naomasa chose to ignore the cracking of Toshinori's knuckles, and internally was afraid to see Inko's expression so he kept his eyes locked on his notepad.

"Much of the staff directly encouraged this behavior. Not just directed at Izuku, either. Anyone with a weaker Quirk was also given similar treatment, although Izuku got the worst. Partially due to his Quirkless status, and also apparently because he had a tendency to get between the bully and their victim."

"Oh Izuku," Inko murmured, shoulders dropping as she couldn't help but feel pride filtering beneath her sheer guilt and rage pooling in her gut.

"A hero even then. I knew I chose well," Toshinori added, a smile threatening to cross his face…until he remembered why Izuku had to stand up and get in between.

"To be honest, there's…a lot of specific incidents, and I don't think it's necessary to go over every one of them. It'll all come up in the court cases. We plan on arresting everyone involved once the warrants clear, which will be in a few days at most. The students who performed the bullying…well, the prosecution intends on going on a case by case basis. They want to take into account the clear manipulation from the staff, but some of the students still went too far. Likely won't be jail time, but marks on their records and possibly fines. The teachers and administrative staff on the other hand, they are likely facing jail time."

"And what of my suspicions?" Nezu asked, his paws steepled together in front of his face. Miu, Katashi, and Inko looked at him confused, but the sudden attention Toshinori and Shouta gave to the Headmaster had them curious about this matter as well.

"Can't say for sure yet, but your expert is still working through their phone and email records. Since I know she'll share them with you as soon as she does with me, you'll know everything I know by then. I'll be doing interviews over the next few weeks as we process them, we'll see if you're correct."

"Correct about what? Somethin' else the matter?" Miu asked, glancing between the tall detective and the chimeric hero.

Nezu sighed. "There is some…similarity in the attitudes espoused by the staff at Aldera as there is to an old…movement, we shall say. Since we're not sure if it's true, I'd rather not go too into it yet. But rest assured, you will be kept in the loop."

"...alright. I doubt I have enough energy to handle anything more anyways," Inko sighed.

"Well, there is one more thing, but it's not really a bad thing?" Naomasa said, getting the attention of the rest of the room once more. "As part of my investigation into the Toga's, I checked in at her school, and spoke to some of the girls who said they were friends of hers. While most were more interested in the scandal than Himiko herself, a few of the girls expressed genuine concern for Himiko and wanted to know if she was okay. I have their numbers and small letters they wrote to her to ask if she wanted to talk, so…If you think she'll want it, here." Naomasa reached out and held out three small pieces of paper carefully folded up.

Shouta sighed, taking them and tucking them into his own notebook he'd been taking notes on throughout the meeting. "I'll pass this on to her, but it's her call if she chooses to reach out."

"Of course. I said as much to them," Naomasa replied.

"Well, with all that settled, today has been quite the ordeal, and I believe now is an excellent time for everyone to head home and rest," Nezu said, clapping his paws together. "Let's all take some time to recuperate from this, and make certain the students are doing alright, and we'll move forward from there."

"Alright. Thank you," Inko murmured, visibly exhausted. She accepted Toshinori's guiding hand on one side, Miu on the other, Katashi scrubbing his brow as he followed behind. A second later, Shouta and Naomasa exited the room, leaving Nezu to let out a deep sigh, reaching beneath his desk to pull out the copy of the Meta Liberation War. He set it down before himself and stared at it for a moment, black eyes focused. With another sigh, he placed it back beneath his desk and hopped out of his chair, slowly walking to his office door. He strode out of it, one paw clicking the low light switch and turning it all off, leaving the room dark and silent as the door shut softly behind him.

Chapter Text

Once again, the trio found themselves in Ochako's room, laying in a bed together, entangled limbs wrapped about one another as they found what comfort in the others warmth they could. But unlike every other time…none had fallen asleep yet. Himiko was still fighting the dregs of jealousy within her, and feeling guilty that the others knew. Ochako was still exhausted, so exhausted she wasn't sleepy, contradictory though it may be. And Izuku…well, their worry and fear was bleeding over to Ochako so much she just couldn't take it anymore.

"Izu?" she ventured into the quiet, dark room, feeling Izuku's hand tighten around her waist in response.

"...yeah?"

"Wanna tell me why you're so upset?"

Izuku sighed, their breath ruffling over Ochako's ears. "Because I'm a massive hypocrite," they murmured, making Ochako blink in confusion.

Himiko apparently felt the same, shuffling on Izuku's other side where she had been latched onto Izuku's back making it clear she was awake as well. Her head popped up over Izuku's shoulder, looking down at them. "What do you mean by that?" Himiko asked softly.

Izuku sighed once more, their eyes firmly closed as their ears lay flat on their head. "...Ochako, you were going to let yourself die. And you were going to do it and be happy about it, because we were going to be okay."

Ochako took in a deep breath instinctively, because the second Izuku spoke she felt the surge of emotions from both Izuku and Himiko come across the bond so rapidly it almost hurt. Considering how Himiko immediately slumped over Izuku's shoulders, turning her head away to not look at Ochako…she could figure out Himiko had also been worrying about this.

Ochako swallowed thickly. "H-how does that lead to you being a hypocrite?"

"Because as Mom pointed out, my go-to solution to things is getting hurt for others too. And I realized now that means that what I felt about this is how you two would feel if I did the same…especially because I want to be mad at you and can't because I know I would have done the same in your place," Izuku sighed. They ducked their head, pressing their forehead into Ochako's back as the arms around her waist tightened further, almost painfully squeezing her.

Ochako couldn't take it anymore. She spun about in Izuku's grip, pulling them into her chest and curling around them, one hand entangling itself in their hair and stroking their ears. "I-I'm sorry," she choked out. As she felt Himiko's distress mixing with Izuku's, she reached out with her free hand and pulled Himiko over Izuku and atop the other two, the slightly smaller teen fitting without issue. Himiko reacted by burying her face into Izuku's shoulder, wrapping her arms tightly around both of them. "I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean…I didn't mean to scare you like that," Ochako whispered.

"...that's what sucks," Himiko scoffed, her voice thick with her own tears prickling at her eyes. "Cause we both know we'd have done the same, and it sucks."

"What she said," Izuku muttered.

"...I don't know how to fix this," Ochako admitted with a whisper.

"You can't. No one can. You were doing what you could to protect us. I just…I can't lose you. Either of you. Not now, not after I just got you back," Izuku whispered back.

"I'm sorry," Ochako replied weakly. She wished she could say more, reassure Izuku, but they'd know she was lying because…if put in the same place, she would do it again. And so would the other two. None of them could lie to one another and this was one of the times she cursed the bond because she couldn't even lie to make them feel better.

"...if we're saying sorry, I'm sorry too," Himiko said, misery coating her voice.

"For what?" Ochako asked softly.

"...because I'm jealous."

"Himi-" Izuku began, lifting their head up to look at the blonde teenager.

"No!" she cut them off, shaking her head. "I know what you're going to say, but it doesn't change I'm jealous and you guys…you know."

"It's okay to be jealous, Himi. You deserved better. You still deserve better. It doesn't bother me that you're jealous, because you've got every right to be," Ochako said. She could feel Himiko didn't agree with her about it being okay, but Izuku's mental agreement was enough that Himiko wouldn't argue the point any further. Instead, she just buried herself further between the other two, all three now just one big tangled mess.

Silence fell over them all for an interminable amount of time. None of them could bring themselves to speak, yet couldn't relax either. Finally, it was broken by Izuku's loud sigh, them lifting their head enough to meet the gaze of Ochako and Himiko. The sudden feeling of determination within Izuku's chest had them both snapping to attention to know what Izuku was thinking.

Izuku took in a deep, bracing breath. "I-I think…I'm going to go see Hound Dog."

"...you are?" Himiko asked softly.

Izuku nodded slowly. "I've been thinking about it a lot. Sensei, Toshi, Mom, they all pointed it out and…and then 'Chako went and got help and I just…I know the way I think isn't right. I don't know if I'd believe it so easily if it weren't for you two, because I can tell how you feel and I know you can't lie to me. But it's clear that I don't think clearly. So…I want to do something about it."

Himiko pulled herself up enough to nuzzle Izuku's cheek, her ears pressing against the side of their head. "I think that's a good idea."

Ochako grinned, feeling the first inklings of hope within. "Me too."

Himiko let out a sigh, still pressing her head up against Izuku's as she whispered "Maybe I should talk to him too."

"...do you want to go together?" Izuku asked softly.

Himiko nodded. "At least to…get stuff set up, I guess."

"He's really nice," Ochako murmured. She'd only seen him once so far, and it had been more of an introductory thing, but still, she wanted to reassure them.

"...yeah," Izuku breathed, the courage they'd felt bringing it up fading slightly.

"I'll go with you guys?" Ochako offered.

"Please," Himiko whispered. The room fell silent once more, all words that felt like they needed to be said now revealed, and as the time ticked away, the trio slowly fell into slumber, one tiny knot of pain in their chest unraveling.

"Alright class, listen up! We've gone over it once, but it bears repeating…if you need any assistance or need someone to talk to, you can visit Hound Dog. He's got a new assistant as well, so between the two of them they have plenty of time to help. What happened at the USJ was wrong, you deserved better than to be attacked, and it is okay if it bothers you. There is no shame in getting help. Understood?" Aizawa said, making sure to meet each student's eye as he scanned over the room. Everyone nodded silently, although he did notice that Izuku and Himiko looked slightly nervous at his words. He chose to set that aside for now, to move onto the next piece of business.

"Alright. Onto the next topic…the Sports Festival. I know, I know," he said, holding up his hands to forestall the sudden surge of comments, "I know it seems counterintuitive to hold it after the USJ attack, but the Board is insistent, and we're under pressure from the HPSC to hold it. Show the schools strength and all that bullshit. While none of the staff are happy with the decision, the school will have significantly enhanced security, and to be frank, with the number of heroes that will be here, any villain attack would be suicide for the villains. Even those Nomu creatures would not survive. Yes, Ashido?"

Ashido dropped her hand after getting called upon, and squirming slightly as she glanced back at the cat trio, before speaking. "Um…are we all competing? Because uh…I don't think any of us can beat those three, especially not after the new stuff they got at the USJ."

"It…does feel a bit unfair," Kaminari mused, rubbing the back of his neck. He quickly turned around with an apologetic look. "But don't get me wrong, it's okay if you do and win! You guys are awesome and it's not like you chose this whole thing!"

Izuku shrugged, surprisingly unbothered by the comments. "Honestly…you kinda have a point. It does feel like it'd be lopsided, with us having multiple Quirks and stuff. Also, wouldn't that look really weird for all three of us to show up as we are?"

Aizawa sighed. "Well, you asked me before I could bring it up. We spent a good while going over what we should do. The fairness aspect isn't one we overly care about, to be frank…different Quirks are better for different scenarios, and that's just a fact of life. The festival is by its very nature unfair. That said, the multiple Quirks and shared Quirks aspect would cause a lot of uncomfortable questions, and bring attention I doubt you three want right now. So we came up with a better idea."

Aizawa took a moment to sip from his coffee before continuing. "The most important part of the festival is getting internships. The name recognition could help your brand in the future, but you're here for four years and will have three more chances to get the attention you need. For first years, the event is barely watched compared to the later years anyways. So we lined up an internship for the three of you. You'll be going on it as soon as the festival starts."

Ochako blinked in confusion, Izuku mirroring her expression. Himiko tilted her head to the side. "All three of us to the same person?" From where she sat, she saw Ida sit up straight in his desk, his lips quirking into a barely visible grin that he was clearly trying to hide.

Aizawa nodded. "Yes. He's quite familiar with having multiple sidekicks and interns at once, and he was happy to do it once we explained the situation."

"Who-?" Izuku began to ask, but was cut off by Ida's arm being raised.

"May I tell them?!" Ida asked excitedly, causing the entire room to stare at their rather unusually excited classmate. Aizawa let out a snort of laughter, gesturing for him to continue. Ida leapt to his feet and turned around to the trio, chopping his hand dramatically as he spoke. "I was informed last night by my brother that he would be taking on three special interns! I told him all about you!"

"Wait, we're gonna intern with Ingenium?!" Izuku said, jaw dropped.

Ida nodded. "Yes! I do not know how much you know of him, but he is an excellent hero and I believe would be wonderful to intern under! I was hoping to do so myself, but he pointed out last evening I would likely learn more from a different hero. So I am quite happy to concede the spot to you three, as I know you would do excellent!"

Ochako slammed her forehead into her desk, a smile unwillingly crossing her face as Himiko started shimmying in place. Yaoyorozu tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Are…are you alright?"

"Bleedover," Himiko sighed, a smile flickering across her face as she was nearly vibrating in her seat. Yaoyoruzu still looked confused, so Himiko pointed behind her to the nearly blurred, excited form of Izuku, the green-haired teenager writing so furiously in their notebook it was a miracle it hadn't caught ablaze.

"Oh! So positive emotions also can cause unwilling reactions," Yaoyorozu mused.

Ochako's voice was muffled, her voice full of mirth as she spoke. "Yeah, but it's okay. We like when they are happy. It's just a bit much sometimes."

"Sorry, but…it's Ingenium! He's got 65 sidekicks out of the Idaten agency and is consistently one of the fastest heroes out there! He's so cool! I thought it was already cool we went to class with his brother but getting to intern with him will be even cooler!" Izuku nearly shouted.

"Your enthusiasm is admirable, Midoriya! I will be certain to tell him you are very excited to learn under him!" Ida replied, finally taking his seat as he had brought up the news he'd wanted to.

Aizawa sighed. "Well…yeah. That's about it. Those three will have a slightly longer internship to make up for the rest of you performing in the Sports Festival. That said, I think you should still train with everyone for it. In fact, since you're not competing, you could assist your classmates and not be concerned about revealing any tricks or special moves."

"That'd be fine with us," Ochako replied, finally able to lift her face from her desk. She still was smiling, but honestly, feeling Izuku's happiness fill her chest was…well, it felt good. She had no problem with this being emotional bleedover, because this was actually nice to feel. Something to look forward to maybe.

Two weeks of training had gone by in a flash. The trio's new powers were still a bit unstable, and the backlash was severe. For Himiko, she could get so cold and numb that she couldn't feel her limbs if she used the teleportation too often and too rapidly. Izuku would get painful migraines and once had started bleeding out their nose (after that, Recovery Girl had been very strict about how long they were allowed to use their Telekinesis). And Ochako's time stop could at best be on for five seconds in real world time before she started to put her heart in danger.

Still, if they kept the limitations in mind and combined it with all of their other powers, it was incredible how strong they were. Strangely though, these powers didn't seem to share, at least, not yet. They'd also somehow gone up to 30% each with One For All, which was at the point that they would intentionally lower it to avoid causing damage.

During the two weeks, Himiko and Izuku had both set up an appointment with Hound Dog. They'd only gotten time for one, and it was as Ochako said, more of a meet and introduction. They'd have another one once they returned from internships, but for now, while they hadn't truly addressed the issues…at least they were feeling slightly hopeful even if the nights still were sometimes too much for them.

And now, they were here. The Sports Festival started tomorrow, and today, they would meet the hero himself. Izuku was practically vibrating out of their uniform, Ochako and Himiko barely able to keep themselves from feeling similarly with how much was crossing over the bond, but the smiles wouldn't leave their faces.

The feeling only grew as a sudden burst of noise in the distance hit their sensitive hearing, eyes immediately tracking a blur of silver, blue, and dust…only for an armored figure they'd only seen in pictures or on television skid to a stop in front of them, sunlight glimmering off his sleek, silvery armor. With a flourish, he removed his helmet, revealing a figure that looked a lot like their classmate, albeit clearly older.

"Well, you three must be the Problem Trio!" He said, a smile wide on his face.

"Did Ida tell you that?" Ochako asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Haha, nope. Good old Shouta did. He wanted to be sure I knew what I was getting into by agreeing to take you on. My brother had nothing but good things to say about you, so don't worry about that. Ah, but I'm mixing this up, I should introduce myself. Tensei Ida, Ingenium is my hero name, but I'm pretty sure you knew that already."

"We know a lot more than I think we should," Himiko muttered, sending a side-eye to Izuku's vibrating figure.

"Right, I was told you're a bit of a hero fan, eh? You must be Midoriya. Which makes you Uraraka, and you…Himiko, right?" Tensei said, pointing at each one of them in turn.

"Yes sir!" Izuku replied.

"No sir, please. That's my dad. Off duty I'm just Ida, but on duty it's Ingenium. For now, I wanted to show off in my costume a bit, but we're gonna do this more incognito. I'll change to my civvies and we'll head on out to the train to my agency. Shouldn't be more than an hour or so, we'll get you settled in, go over some procedures, and get the internship started officially tomorrow! I imagine you'll want to see the Festival, but the schedule won't line up too well for that, sorry to say."

"It's okay, we figured as much," Ochako said.

Tensei nodded. "Great! Well, let me get changed real quick and we'll be on our way! You have your costumes, right?"

"Yep!" Himiko confirmed, Izuku and Ochako a second behind.

"Alright. Let's see what you three have got then."

Chapter Text

"So! What're your hero names?" Tensei asked, his grin wide. The three students and one pro were sitting on the train in a single line, luckily during a not so busy part of the day so the train wasn't crowded and they had some space to stretch out. Sitting was a bit of a misnomer though, as Himiko had decided to half curl up into Ochako's shoulder, her legs pulled up and over Izuku's lap as she decided the sunlight coming through the train windows was comfy enough to make her want to snuggle her best friends.

Ochako scratched the back of Himiko's ears absently as she looked at Tensei with wide, confused eyes…and once the pro noticed Izuku giving the same deer in the headlights look, he just deadpanned "Shouta didn't talk to you three about that, did he?"

"Um…no?" Izuku replied nervously.

Tensei sighed. "I guess it makes sense, that normally happens after the Sports Festival. Still, he could have told you about it. Well…any chance you have ideas?"

Ochako squirmed for a moment, before nodding. "Well…um, I made it as a kid, but I always liked Uravity."

"That's clever, I like it! Mixing your name with your Quirk, very handy," Tensei replied with a big grin.

"I like Changeling," Himiko murmured, eyes half-lidded as she swayed with the train's movement.

"Right, right, your Quirk lets you change your form. Makes sense. What about you Midoriya?"

Ochako's eyes turned to look at them, Himiko also giving a half a glance back. As kids, Izuku had had a ton of names based on All Might, but they never did see what Izuku had come up with since. In fact, Ochako was now realizing Izuku hadn't even mentioned a possible name, even though they had her and Himiko's childhood names listed on their notebooks. She could feel the strange fusion of embarrassment and anticipation in Izuku's chest, and watched as they gave a nervous half-smile before speaking.

"Well, um…I didn't really have a good idea before, but in the last couple of weeks I came up with something. It's um…it's because of these two I got here. And we're connected, as far as we know with no way to undo it, so I wanted to lean into that I guess. So I thought about it, thought about us, how we're a team now, and um…you can call me Trinity."

"Trinity, huh?" Ochako asked as she stepped out of the bathroom in her sleeping shorts and tank top. After getting back to the Idaten agency, the trio had gone through a whirlwind with their new mentor…Tensei had quickly shown them around the multi-story building, showing the multiple offices dedicated to each of his sidekicks, the training hall, the meeting rooms, and even the small barracks they'd be staying in.

He'd run over procedures and the basic internship plans…patrols every day with both himself and his sidekicks, swapping out from all three of them together to single patrols with others (they'd be close enough the bond wouldn't cause issues), as well as a good portion of time spent on how to do paperwork, something it was clear he himself wasn't a big fan of by the scrunched up expression on his face when discussing it.

Generally speaking, Idaten did not assume the staff would stay the night, but just in case they had a long case or needed a nap, they had a small barracks room with a half dozen beds in it. So as to not leave them alone for the night, Tensei said he was bedding down in his office (he kept a cot there for that reason), but other than that, the office at night was fairly quiet, just the few nighttime security guards at the front desk.

Izuku shrugged at Ochako's question, absentmindedly brushing their tail (they were getting rather annoyed at fur maintenance, it took so much time to make sure nothing got stuck in their fur). "I just…" they sighed, dropping their head to their chest and not meeting Ochako or Himiko's gaze. "I only made it this far because of our promise, and then Toshinori gave me a chance. But even with that…I don't think I could have done this without you two. When I think of the future, I think of the three of us working together, saving people and being heroes and…I guess I just want my name to show that belief. In us, you know?"

Izuku let out an oof as the air was forced from their lungs when Himiko dive tackled them into the bed, nuzzling her cheek against Izuku's. "Aww Izu, that was so cute!"

"Ouch, oww, c'mon Himi, knock it off," Izuku said, giggling as they tried to shove the blonde off them to little success, Himiko just wrapping her arms and legs about them and clinging tightly in protest.

Ochako snickered. For all of Izuku's complaints, the feelings across the bond were nothing but affection and joy, making her feel lighter. Izuku's comments had sent her cheeks burning, blood rushing to her face for some reason she wasn't entirely sure. She felt…embarrassed? No, not embarrassed, more like…flattered, she guessed, knowing Izuku thought so highly of her and the promise the trio had made, that they wanted to make their hero name, their identity, be a representative of the bond they shared.

She felt the overwhelming urge to either join Himiko in dive tackling Izuku into the bed or to slam her hands over her cheeks and cover her face. The contrasting feelings, some of which she could tell were from Himiko herself, kept her frozen, unable to decide…but Himiko's joy spiked louder, and the blonde grabbing her hand made her decision for her. She was yanked onto the bed with the other two, her own laughter joining theirs, and found herself sprawled out with her face buried in Himiko's shoulder, her legs entwined with Izuku's, and in the weirdest twisted tangle of limbs she could remember…and she couldn't be happier.

Ochako's first day of internships could have started better, in her mind. She'd had an episode at breakfast before the day began, her finger's shaking, stomach roiling, and she had to flee from the table once again, leaving Himiko to chase after her and Izuku to plaster on their perfect little doll smile and reassure it was just a Quirk thing that happened, that Ochako just had to settle her stomach and she'd be back once more right as rain. Gods Ochako hated that fucking smile. Her Izuku shouldn't look like that. It wasn't right, especially not when she was the cause.

And she didn't even get why?! She hadn't had an episode in a week! It was working! She still struggled to eat properly but she didn't freak out like some weakling anymore; not till today. She was getting better, she knew she was, Inui told her she was! Miss Kayama told her she was! Why was she having this issue when she finally was about to have her first day of internships?!

The only saving grace, she supposed, was the fact Izuku convinced their mentor she would be fine. She was able to calm down in the bathroom, Himiko gently encouraging her, able to feel Izuku in the distance sending love and support to her. It had left her shaken and she still wasn't ready to process it, but for now…she could get her costume on and go. Himiko had convinced her to eat a couple protein bars, but that was the extent of what she could stomach. Still…she was out and about, finally.

The plan was a very simple, long-ranging patrol with Ingenium. He'd explained to them he didn't expect much excitement today…the UA Sports Festival was starting, which meant the Entrance Ceremony would be taking up most of the day and people would be paying attention to that. Villains tended to be less active during the festival…even they needed entertainment, or so Ingenium said with a grin.

Of course, fate decided to say fuck you to Ingenium's commentary. As the trio were walking down a residential street full of apartments and a few small konbini's, the sound of faint screams and loud crashes reached Ochako's ears, and she could tell the same from Izuku and Himiko. It was a bit funny to watch her friends' ears perk up and turn, their bodies following a second later unerringly as she found herself mirroring the movement.

Ingenium turned to look in the direction they were, moving into a stance akin to someone ready to bolt off quickly. "Did you notice something?" he asked, his helmet moving back and forth as he scanned the area.

"We can hear…screams? And crashes?" Himiko offered, her ears flicking slightly as she narrowed her eyes in the direction.

"Good hearing, let's move! If there is a villain, leave them to me. Avoid fighting, work on evacuating any civilians in the area, got it?" Ingenium didn't wait for a reply, bolting off in the direction they had heard the sounds. With clenched fists and a hum of energy beneath her skin, Ochako's Galactic Shroud roared to life in her veins, following as quickly as she could, the golden-red strands of Himiko's Sanguine Cloak and emerald lightning of Izuku's Full Cowl just behind her.

They found the disturbance in no time, a tall, lanky (disturbingly so) man running about on all fours, leaping through the air with hands that were far, far larger than should fit. He had a large bag slung over his shoulder, visibly stuffed full as he ran away from a hero Ochako didn't recognize, but was having trouble keeping up because the man occasionally slammed his palms to the ground and the ground beneath them vanished, leaving massive sinkholes that the other hero had to dodge around.

"Evacuate as best you can!" Ingenium orders, before bolting off after the villain. Ochako, Himiko, and Izuku shared a glance and a single nod. They hadn't had much training on the matter, but they were in flashy costumes and were trying to get people to move to safety, and luckily most people were used to listening to people in costumes telling them to move.

Everything was going fine…which should have been the indicator to her that everything was about to go to hell. First, a small buzz in the back of her mind. Then, confusion tinged with worry over the bond from Izuku across the street. Then a rumbling, a groaning, the buzz in the back of her head now shrieking, as she found herself turning around, eyes wide, bearing witness to the ground beneath the five story apartment building across the street crumbling away…and the apartment building going with it.

She didn't remember moving, black spots and white stars sparkling behind her as she ran, a pink blur crossing the street in but a second. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the green and gold following, but had no time to speak, to react, as she slammed her hands into the side of the crumbling building, willing her power to take hold of the entire building.

Red rings appeared about her arms and legs, the bands snapping into place around her neck and abdomen, Galactic Shroud's aura erupting into pink and white sparkles as she willed Zero Gravity to hold it all…and it did. The building froze in place, even the broken rubble now held as she felt the sudden weight of everything pressing down on her, pain roaring through her body and her stomach roiled, bile creeping up her throat. She felt sick, sicker than she ever had before, but she was holding.

"'Chako!" Izuku shouted, skidding to a halt next to her, Himiko a split second behind them. She grunted in reply, not sure if she could speak, her hands trembling as she felt her bones creak. She didn't know what to do next, what they could do, but she needed to do something!

"...right," Izuku whispered, understanding flooding across the bond at her frustration and fear. They swallowed, and she could practically see the calculations running in their mind as they tried to figure out what to do. "The building isn't structurally sound enough to let the people inside come out on their own, the entire basement has vanished thanks to that Quirk. But going inside we could destabilize Chako's hold if we're not careful-".

"Let me do it," Himiko interrupted, making Izuku turn to look at her. "I can do the blink thing, grab a couple people and bring them out!"

"That won't work for the higher floors, it's too far out of your range to jump from the ground up there and back, and you can't do consecutive jumps with people," Izuku replied.

"...then I don't. You catch them. I blink out into the air and you catch them with the telekinesis thing," Himiko said in a whisper.

"Whatever you do, do it fucking quick," Ochako managed to mutter, nearly losing her grip on her meager breakfast just from saying that.

Izuku swallowed. "It's a risk, but…I can't think of anything better." Izuku looked up, gaze scanning as they pointed at a spot right near the corner of the third floor. "Blink out there, I'll be ready."

"Okay! We got this, hold on just a little longer 'Chako!" Himiko exclaimed. She could feel that Himiko wanted to hug her, to give her that encouragement, but knew it'd distract her. Instead, she felt that surge of faith and confidence, a warm glow in her chest that made the pain that was roaring in her veins lessen ever so slightly, and vanished in a golden flash.

"I'll be right here 'Chako," Izuku whispered, their eyes flaring green as the same emotions from Izuku swept over her. They planted their feet, concentrating…and just in time, as Himiko appeared in a flash of gold above them, two young girls in her arms that she dropped. The girls had no time to panic, as Izuku's telekinesis caught them within a second and brought them down gently. Izuku turned to them with a bright smile, one that was for one genuine, as they spoke firmly but with kindness. "Please make your way across the street to safety, we're going to get you all out!" With grateful nods, the two girls scrambled away just as Himiko appeared once more, an older man in her arms that once again was caught in Izuku's mental net.

On and on, one by one and two by two, however many Himiko could feasibly grab at once were coming out into midair. Most of the older ones seemed less fearful, Ochako having to assume Himiko was warning them ahead of time, but even then no one likes just appearing midair and she had to suffer a lot of loud, distracting cries.

Time lost all meaning to her, sound beginning to soften and dampen as she had to fall deeper and deeper into her Quirk. Her world became focused on her center, on her power, all sounds muffled and broken, sweat pouring from her face as she gasped for air. She was losing feeling in her limbs, the awful numbness somehow more painful than the sharp, stabbing pain before, as she felt herself and her grip wavering.

She had to hold, had to keep hold, had to keep going, she had to keep it up, people were in danger, she was going to save people. That's why she was here, she was going to rescue others, she wanted to make people happy and smile and live. Couldn't let go, couldn't release her grip, she had to keep this going. Izuku and Himiko were counting on her, trusting her, she was the bedrock, the foundation. She was Atlas, holding the world on his shoulders for all time if need be.

Sound was filtering into her, panic and worry screaming over the bond nearly making her stumble and let go. Her ears flickered, slight noises increasing, until she could hear it, a soft voice calling for her attention, one she knew."...ch…ko…och…Ochako!" the voice kept rising in volume, finally making her lift her head from where it had been bowed. She glanced up with bleary eyes, vision blurred by tears and sweat and unable to truly focus on the golden figure before her…Himiko.

"'Chako, it's okay, it's okay, you can let go, we've got everyone out. The heroes say it's okay, it's safe, let it go sweetie, it's okay," Himiko reassured, her voice cajoling as her hands hovered just barely above Ochako's.

Ochako swallowed, feeling like she was going to collapse at any moment, but she had to check. "W-wha about tha 'ther buildin's?" she slurred, her voice raspy.

"Izu's gonna keep it from falling sideways, okay? You just let go and I'm gonna take you out of here. Just let go, 'Chako, it's okay," she whispered, one hand ever so gently landing on her shoulder.

Like a switch was flipped, Ochako felt everything in her vanish…Zero Gravity, One For All, both of them just collapsed like a singularity within her, cut off in an instant. The red rings disappeared, her body fell backwards, her head screaming and bile trickling from her lips. The roar of the building's collapse was there for a moment, darkness overhead, but then in one flash of golden light, the sun suddenly beamed into her eyes as she vanished from the shadow of the apartment building and found herself across the street, in Himiko's arms.

Himiko collapsed against a wall, Ochako landing in her lap, unable to really focus. Tired, dazed eyes looked over to see Izuku, green lightning wrapped about them, their eyes bloodshot and blood trickling from their nose as they struggled to keep the collapse damage minimal. She rolled her head sideways, looking up at Himiko's face, the blonde's expression twisted in pain, her skin even paler than normal, the pain within Himiko bleeding over the bond. She couldn't even begin to wonder what she looked like, with how she felt. Her thoughts were sluggish, confused, but a loud thud made her look over once more, seeing Izuku collapse to their knees and then fall backwards onto the pavement.

She swallowed, one shaking hand reaching out, wanting to get up and check on Izuku, but the strength faded from her arms and limbs fell down once more. She could feel Himiko's own frustration mounting, needing Izuku with them too…but the sound of an engine interrupted her thoughts as a lightly gasping Ingenium appeared before them.

"...shit," he cursed, his voice echoing through his helmet. "The dispatcher said it was bad but didn't realize how bad. Dumb question, but are you injured?" he asked, kneeling down beside the two girls as he removed his helmet.

Himiko answered for Ochako, her voice raspy. "Quirk…drawbacks. Check Izu, please, we're okay, check on Izu." Ochako nodded vaguely, taking comfort in Himiko's hold but needing to be sure Izuku was okay too.

Ingenium sighed, running one hand through his hair. "Alright. EMS is on the way, as well as a few of my sidekicks. Just sit tight kids." He quickly walked over to Izuku, kneeling down next to the viridian haired teen and speaking softly. Ochako felt a surge of happiness inside her as she saw Izuku hold up a thumb, and with Ingenium's help was slowly pulled to their feet. One arm over the hero's shoulder, they were brought over to the two girls where Ochako managed to finally get one arm up enough to make a grabbing motion at them, Izuku unceremoniously collapsing into her arms, Himiko's arms wrapping about the both of them as she buried her head in their hair, her body shivering.

Ingenium took a moment to glance around, his eyes seeking out the few civilians still around, most of whom were looking at the trio with worry in their eyes. He sighed, taking a knee next to them and speaking softly. "Kids?" Ochako let out an affirmative hum, Himiko's ears perking up and Izuku blinking up at him. "Just want you to know…you did good. You saved lives today. You did good. I'm going to go make sure all the civilians are okay. You just hold here for a bit longer, we'll make sure you're taken care of." With that, he stood up, his helmet placed back upon his head, and began to stride out, his voice carrying as he started to reassure the locals.

Ochako managed a smile at that, her eyes fluttering closed as she dozed off a bit, the sound of sirens now audible in the distance. They saved people…and that was worth all of this.

Chapter Text

Luckily for the trio, they didn't have to go to the hospital, because if they had Izuku was pretty sure Aizawa was going to leave the Sports Festival and come personally lecture them for the next ten hours. Unluckily, it turns out that Tensei was one of their Sensei's friends from back when they went to UA, and he could lecture nearly as well.

He wasn't mad at them for saving people, albeit he apparently took a bit of a hit with the HPSC as his instructions of 'evacuate the civilians' was unclear enough that the three would get away with using their powers as they did…but it was still a close call. With their sensitive ears, they could hear the snarled words from the HPSC representative over the phone to Tensei. Not that he took it without argument, defending their actions as best he could, but still, it was a bit uncomfortable.

Granted, they already were uncomfortable physically. Quirk Exhaustion really had hit them and all three of them were floored. Ochako most of all. She held up a five story apartment building by herself. A feat that few, very few, heroes could even pretend they could do. And an eighteen year old first year student had done it, for twelve minutes. She spent twelve minutes holding tons upon tons of weight…and it had all been captured on film.

Izuku had forgotten that in the current day of heroes, that many onlookers (maybe even they had done this a time or two…) would record events with their phone cameras if they themselves were out of danger, and that is exactly what happened. Multiple civilian angles had been sent into various news networks, and all the news was ablaze with the day's events of first year hero students, who were not taking part in the Sports Festival, on their very first internship, saving over 100 people without any major injuries. And of course, no one failed to notice the matching cat features…or the exhausted, pained cuddle pile they had fallen into once it was over.

Izuku hadn't even bothered paying attention to the news after they noticed the first articles. They had simply dove into the bed they'd slept in the night before, shoving a pillow over their head and deciding to pretend the world didn't exist. Especially the 1A group chat because it had not shut up since the news broke. Himiko was busy replying to everyone in it, apparently not as overwhelmed as Izuku was, but they could tell she still was having her own issues, especially with how numb her hands still were.

Ochako was out cold, curled up in a ball, the exhaustion having hit her far worse than Izuku or Himiko. Izuku and Himiko had made sure she ate something before she passed out (a few protein bars…it wasn't much, but it was something at least), and then tucked her in to rest. Izuku was not looking forward to trying to explain to her the fact that all their attempts to not draw attention at the Sports Festival were now utterly gone, since their rescue had gone viral.

"Well, I managed to explain it to the class," Himiko said softly, keeping her voice low to avoid disturbing the sleeping Ochako.

"How'd they take it?" Izuku replied, their voice muffled by the pillow still over their head.

"Mostly a lot of compliments and a few 'holy shit!' stuff. Kirishima just kept saying it was manly, whatever that actually means."

"Any word from Sensei? Is he gonna come murder us in our sleep?"

Izuku couldn't see it, but they could practically sense the shrug from Himiko. "He's said nothing besides sighing loudly and chugging a pot of coffee."

Izuku groaned. "Anything else?"

Izuku didn't expect much of a response, but the sudden surge of trepidation, mixed with exasperation and humor, made their ears perk up as Himiko shimmied in place, the sounds of her movement audible to Izuku. "Well, uh…so you know how the news got ahold of it?"

"Yeah?"

"People kinda noticed the whole cat thing, and started talking about us, and uh…"

Izuku finally lifted the pillow up just enough to make one slitted eye visible, narrowed glare looking at her. "What?"

Himiko offered a nervous smile to Izuku. "The internet has a nickname for us?" Izuku stared at her in consternation. They knew what that meant. It could only be one of three possibilities: A terrible joke, a genuinely awful name, or something uncomfortably horny, and they didn't know which of the three they dreaded most. Nevermind, it was the third one, definitely the third one. She giggled, the sensations Izuku got from her making them feel even more worried, as she turned the phone around to show a highlighted article.

UA Students save the day! Are the 'Three Meowsketeers' ones to keep an eye on?

Izuku blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Staring at the name with a blank expression, they did the only thing they felt they could do in this scenario…slammed the pillow back over their face and whined.

"Well. Today could have gone…differently," Tensei said to the trio as they sat down for dinner. The agency was much more bustling this evening, a decent number of sidekicks working a later shift and so the trio had met a few of them, albeit most were a bit too busy to stay and chat. It didn't help that they were all still tired, especially Ochako, but Tensei had insisted they sit down and eat together…mostly so he could keep an eye on them, with how listless they seemed.

"Sorry," Izuku muttered, abashed.

"Don't apologize, Midoriya. I said you kids did good. It's just…" Tensei sighed, rubbing his chin. "How to put this. Well, you'll find out as you continue your education, but to be blunt, the HPSC is a bit…strict."

"Strict is a word for it," one of his sidekicks muttered, a short, pigtailed woman who was passing by, carrying a stack of papers.

Tensei snorted, playfully waving at her to move on. "Don't corrupt the kids yet!"

"No promises boss!" she replied as she left the room.

Tensei just chuckled, turning back to the trio and waving his chopsticks at them. "Anyways, just wanted to make it clear. You're in the clear, and you did a good thing, just…be warned that the HPSC is gonna have their eye on you now."

"Seems like a lot of people do," Himiko sighed, slumping in her chair, her tail flicking with agitation.

Ochako poked at her food, for once her hesitation less about her fears and more about her lack of appetite due to how tired she was. "I can't believe they called us the 'Meowsketeers'! That's just…ugh!"

"It's not the worst name," Himiko offered, but she couldn't contain her snickers at the thought.

Tensei shrugged. "The internet's a crazy place, and well…three cat mutants who apparently can teleport, do telekinesis, and hold up an entire apartment story as first years were bound to get attention. But really, it was my fault you were put in that situation to begin with. I should have paid more attention to where the villain was activating his Quirk on. Then I would have known the building was coming down." He held up his hand to forestall the immediate protests. "As your mentor, it is my duty to be certain you are kept safe and in the best learning environment. I can't predict everything, but the responsibility was still on my shoulders, not yours. Don't argue with me or I'll call Nem to lecture you for me."

"Nem?" Himiko asked, confused.

"Nemuri, or I guess you'd know her as Midnight."

"Oh, yeah, Miss Kayama is great," Ochako replied, a tired smile crossing her face. Izuku let their own smile appear as they felt the warmth in Ochako's chest at the thought of the helpful teacher who was supporting Ochako through her issues.

"You say that now. Wait till you get on her bad side," Tensei replied with a haunted look in his eyes. "You use one of her spare whips one time for a simple prank and she never lets you live it down."

Himiko snorted in laughter, covering her mouth as if to avoid letting her laughter echo throughout the break room. Tensei arched an eyebrow at her, his face carefully blank but mouth twitching as if to hold back a grin. "Something funny, Himiko?"

"N-no sir," Himiko stuttered, still trying to hold in giggles.

"Uh-huh. Really, it wasn't as bad as it sounds. We were just trying to mess with Shouta. Of course, she probably was more mad that Hizashi stole her costume and modeled in it…what made her the most mad was Hizashi was able to pull it off," Tensei finished his statement with a wink, making Himiko lose herself to her giggles, and the resulting mix of joy and humor within triggering a snorted, choked laugh from Izuku and bubbling giggles from Ochako.

After a few moments, Tensei gestured vaguely with his chopsticks. "Anyways, we're gonna take it a bit easier tomorrow. We'll mostly go over paperwork and procedures during the day, then I'll take you out on patrol later in the afternoon. Should be a quiet one. After dinner, you three get some rest, and be sure to sleep! Quirk exhaustion sucks, but it's in the name, it's exhaustion, and the best thing you can do for it is to rest and recuperate."

Himiko rolled her shoulders, wincing slightly as she got ready for bed. She still was aching from the overuse of her Quirk, and she wished she knew how to make it go away easier. Not to mention Ochako was also radiating pain and tiredness. Izuku was the one who seemed the least in pain, but she knew that was less that they were hurting as much as her, and more that their pain tolerance was superhuman due to how they grew up. They'd figured out a long time ago that the bond transferred some physical pain, or rather, the emotional echoes of that physical pain, but due to Izuku being able to mentally dismiss the pain so well, their pain never quite made it across as much.

"Um…Himi?" Izuku asked softly, making her turn to them with a questioning look. They seemed a bit flustered, their face tinged red and eyes averted, but the feelings across the bond were a weird mix of embarrassment, affection, and determination, so she really had no idea what Izuku planned. With a sigh, they nodded firmly, as if steeling themselves before meeting Himiko's eyes. "Do you want a backrub?" they asked, making Himiko blink at them in confusion, her feelings mirrored by the now more awake Ochako.

Izuku waved their hands vaguely, as if unsure what to do with them as they continued. "I um, used to look up massage techniques and stuff because um, my hands would hurt a lot from writing my notes, and um, I know it can help with aches and pains and I figured I'd offer. It's open to you too, 'Chako, I just thought I'd start with Himi, i-if you want that is, it's fine if not of course."

Himiko felt a bit flustered by the thought of it, it felt…oddly intimate, but they already shared a bed anyways, and could feel each other's thoughts, and pet each other's ears and nuzzled each other and…wow, the more she thought about it the less embarrassed she was. They were very touchy feely anyways, and it was exacerbated by the cat mutation, so like…what was the harm? She shrugged, turning around and plopping herself on the edge of the bed in front of Izuku, leaving some space between them for Izuku to get into the right spot.

She could tell Izuku understood her silent acceptance, because they shuffled into place, gently pulling Himiko back slightly so she was right in front of them. She was so focused on the ache in her bones and her own contemplations, she almost didn't notice when Izuku's hands landed on her lower back, but she nearly fell over backwards as she felt the sudden feeling of almost painful release in her lower back, Izuku's hands pressing into the knots in her back and fixing them like magic.

She let out a groan and fell backwards into Izuku, the green-haired teen almost flailing to catch her. She could feel Izuku's consternation, fond bemusement, and slight annoyance at her action, but didn't bother with words because it was pretty easy she wanted Izuku to continue. Even the single press on her back was more than enough to get her interested in more, and Izuku did not disappoint. They were meticulous in finding the knots in her back beneath her sleep tank top, followed by some gentle rubs on her shoulders and arms that loosened the tension beneath her skin and sent warmth into her muscles.

She was half-asleep in their arms, a thousand times more comfortable than before, the cold ache in her bones a distant memory now as she found herself purring quietly. Izuku gently scratched her ears. "'Chako, do you want a backrub too?" Izuku asked, turning to look at the brunette.

Himiko opened one eye enough to look at Ochako, the brunette slightly flushed yet clearly interested considering how relaxed Himiko felt. With a groan, Himiko lifted herself off Izuku's rather solid front and half-scooted, half-rolled across the bed to where Ochako was. She flopped herself in Ochako's lap, hugging her around the waist loosely as she nuzzled into her abdomen. "You totally should try it, 'Chako. Izu's good at this."

"...well, I mean…okay, but um, kinda hard when you're like-" Ochako began, but Izuku cut her off with a snort as they got up and walked around the edge of the bed.

"It's okay, I'll just go here," they offered, sliding onto the bed behind Ochako. Ochako didn't get much of a chance to react, between Himiko purring in her lap and Izuku just getting into it, but she didn't really care once Izuku began to rub her back. She didn't have the same muscle aches that Himiko did, but it wasn't like she lacked her own knots, and she realized very quickly that Himiko was absolutely right, Izuku knew what they were doing.

Ochako found herself leaning back into Izuku's grasp, one arm loosely wrapped about the Himiko in her lap and the other running her fingers through Himiko's hair, her own eyes closed as she hummed in contentment. She let out a hiss, the feeling of relief almost painful as Izuku managed to untangle a really bad knot in the center of her back. With an almost amused start, she realized she'd started purring just like Himiko was, and yet she couldn't find it in herself to be embarrassed by it, even if she still didn't get how she could purr. It felt…comforting. Not only to hear Himiko, but to be doing it herself, as Izuku's warm hands continued to rub at her back and shoulders and even around her neck, nimble, strong fingers gently pressing and pushing and oooh she was going to fall asleep in no time like this.

She let out a whine when Izuku finally stopped, turning her head slightly to give them a pouting glare. Izuku, cheeky little brat they were, just snickered at her, reaching up to rub her ears and make her eyes flutter shut once more. "Cheater, Izu," she muttered, pressing her head into Izuku's as she tried to make them rub in just the right spot.

"If I knew I could calm both of you down this easily, I'd have done it weeks ago," Izuku replied, amusement in their tone.

"Not fair," Himiko whined, her voice slurred slightly. "I don't know how to do that to you…don't you hurt too?" she rolled over in Ochako's lap, glancing up at Izuku.

Izuku shrugged. "Not really…wait, no. Okay, no," they said, almost to themselves. Both Himiko and Ochako now turned to look at them in confusion, Izuku looking down at the bedspread for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Y-you're right, my back hurts too. And I wouldn't mind if you wanted t-to give me one later, but for now, you're both tired and neither of you knows how. Maybe um…maybe after internships I can show you guys?"

"...Izuku…did…did you just not dismiss your own pain and actually admit to wanting something from us?" Ochako asked, eyes wide. Izuku shrugged sheepishly, not meeting Ochako's eyes. The brunette looked down at Himiko, the blonde teenager's eyes as wide as her own, as they shared a single thought through a glance.

Izuku had no time to react, playfulness, joy, and mischievous coming across the bond as the other two cat teens leapt at them, tackling them into the bed with a loud, confused yelp escaping Izuku's mouth. They had no time to pull the two off of them, as they both immediately reached up and began to scratch their ears, sending them straight into bliss as they relaxed into the bed.

"I'm so proud of you," Himiko murmured, laying her head into the crook of Izuku's neck and nuzzling at their shoulder.

"Me too, Izu. And thanks for the backrub," Ochako added, snuggling into their side.

Izuku wanted to reply, but found it difficult to make a sensible word other than various noises of acknowledgement so gave up. They could tell the girls had no intention of stopping the scritches anytime soon, and honestly, that was perfectly fine with their hazy brain. But this whole thing was still missing something…ah, right. Blanket. But that required getting up…nope, telekinesis! With a thought, the blanket lifted up, unfolded itself, and proceeded to fall down atop the trio, the most effort Izuku could put in considering how blissful the scritches felt…atop of the warm and fuzzy and relaxed feelings from the other two. This…this worked. Izuku felt a yawn escape them, Himiko throwing one leg over theirs, Ochako's other hand stretching across their chest to latch onto Himiko's, and once more, they fell into sleep, ready to face the next day.

Chapter Text

Patrolling after accidentally becoming viral internet sensations was…an experience, Himiko mused. It didn't help that they were apparently very recognizable, considering…the cat features. Which had led to some very weird questions about them being triplets. The internet was abuzz with a lot of theories apparently. Triplets was the most common one, although a genetic experiment was another one she'd stumbled upon. Also at least a few people believed they were cat-folk aliens coming to enslave the human race or something…yeah, she wasn't gonna touch that one at all.

But getting stopped in the street for questions was a bit…off-putting. None of them had had PR training and Izuku had a tendency to freeze when confronted with strangers, so it was quickly becoming hell on her nerves, especially since it was hell on all their nerves which meant they were sharing it again. This whole emotion sharing thing really had a lot of downsides.

But there was something rather wholesome about the kids. Kids stopping them on the street, looking at the three of them with wide eyes, guileless smiles, and adorable giggles. She didn't even really mind when they wanted to pet her ears, even though they sometimes weren't as gentle as she hoped. But still, seeing the smiles and wonderment on their faces, it made something well up in her chest that made her want to cry tears of joy. Izuku wasn't doing as good about it as she was, the green-haired teenager having to keep excusing themselves to wipe their eyes, but that was just something else rather sweet about the day to her.

They had started a late afternoon patrol with Ingenium, the hero deciding it was best to keep the trio with him for the foreseeable future considering how much people would want to speak to them. It helped that he himself was an incredibly popular hero, which also pulled some of the pressure off the trio onto himself, and his genial attitude and cheerful disposition helped them feel more comfortable. Especially as he knew where the line was, when to gently urge them onward, with cheery comments about how they had to keep their patrol going to keep everyone safe and such.

So as the night began to fall and the streets got darker, the nightlife of the city of Hosu began to awaken, Himiko…felt something. A familiar twinge, one that she had started to associate with Danger Sense. It didn't feel like a direct danger to them right now, but more like…something dangerous was near. She could see the same stiffening of the spine in Izuku and Ochako, all three of them unerringly turning to look down a nearby alleyway.

Ingenium turned his head to look at them. "...what is it?"

"Something's…off, down there," Himiko replied, pointing down the alleyway. "Something dangerous."

"How can you tell?"

Izuku scratched the back of their head. "It's hard to explain, but um, one of the shared things we have is a sense for danger? It's weird, it's not like…we're not in danger, but there is something dangerous that way. If that makes sense?"

Ingenium looked pensive for a moment, his expression hidden behind his helmet but still obvious. "Hmm. Well, it's on our route. Alright. I'm calling in my sidekicks to come for backup, for now, we'll check it out together. Stay behind me and we'll take a look." The trio nodded, following behind Ingenium as he carefully picked his way down the alley, the gloom of the night seeping further in as the streetlights got further and further away.

Himiko shuddered, her skin feeling prickly and chilled for some reason. Danger Sense was still whining, steadily growing louder in the back of her mind, the fur on her tail puffed out as it entwined about her ankles. Her ears were swiveling back and forth, seeking a noise that didn't belong. She scrunched up her nose a moment later, a scent she recognized but not quite able to place…tangy, metallic…blood.

The realization hit her at the same moment it did the other two, all three of their spines snapping upright in unison as Danger Sense roared in their head, their ears picking up the tiniest sound of whistling, of something…falling.

Izuku reacted quicker than either Himiko or Ochako, the pain from Danger Sense not as debilitating to them with their high pain tolerance. They thrust one hand up, focusing on their Telekinesis, and with a sudden, short jerk, the ragged figure covered in black and red was stopped, frozen in midair, sword held in a downward grip as if to stab into whoever was below it.

All five individuals froze…the trio staring up at the dangling figure, Ingenium shoving them behind him and taking a defensive stance, and the now floating figure just dangling there in silent consternation. Ingenium narrowed his eyes, scanning over the person before him. "...who…who are you?"

The figure hissed, a deep, grating voice audible. "I am Stain, cleanser of the corruption of this society and the downfall of false heroes! You are to be the next to fall to my blade, Ingenium! It's obvious you are a fake hero who uses his position to advance his own career at the cost of others!"

"...but…how? He's just a good hero?" Izuku asked, confused.

"What would children like you know of good heroes? You are nothing but showboating students trying to show off! I saw that little rescue of yours! Pitiful attempts to market your brand before you even have begun to tarnish the name of heroism even further!" Stain snarled.

"Wait…are you sayin' we shoulda let those people die?" Ochako replied, jaw dropped. "The hells wrong with ye?!"

"You wouldn't understand, you're indoctrinated into this fake hero world! All fakes will die by my hand, and Ingenium is no different!"

Himiko arched an eyebrow, putting her hand on her hip as she looked up at him. "Um…I think you're gonna have a difficult time with that, considering…" she gestured to his current position of being frozen midair.

Ingenium interrupted any further conversation by turning to Izuku. "Trinity, how long can you hold this?"

"Um…not much longer?" Izuku replied, sweat beading on their forehead. "But it's okay, 'Chako can take over if I get him on the ground."

Ingenium turned to Ochako, tilting his head to the side as she nodded. "Yeah, I can just do my increased gravity thing, I can hold that for over an hour now!"

"...very well, do so." With a nod, Izuku focused, carefully lowering the man to the ground, forcing him to splay out spread eagle as he did. Ochako moved closer, but not so close as to be within the range of his weapon, and reached down to her waist where she kept a spool of wire. She focused, pink lightning flickering around the wire as she whipped it forward, the end tapping onto Stain's side and instantly slamming him into the concrete, the ground cracking slightly.

Ochako winced. "Oh. Oops. That was a bit more than I wanted to use…but he'll be okay!" Stain just growled angrily at her, glaring up at her as he tried in vain to move. She pulled the wire back, whistling to herself as she coiled it up and attached it to her belt once more.

Ingenium stared for a brief moment, before turning to the trio once more. "He can't move, right?"

"Nope! Not unless he's stronger than my gravity, and not even Izu can get out of it!" Ochako replied cheerfully.

"Very well. Stay back as I search him then." Ingenium carefully knelt besides Stain, patting him down and removing a truly absurd number of knives and blades from him. It was during this process that two of Ingenium's sidekicks arrived, both appearing in the alleyway at a great speed, before skidding to a halt and staring in confusion. Ingenium sighed. "It's…a long story."

RipleysNemesis: so, midori, chako, himi, got an explanation for the class?

CatsAreBetterThanPeople: ashido, i dont think it can be much more clear than the news said

GottaGoFast: They defeated the Hero Killer at my brother's side! Truly, they are examples of what we should all strive for!

RipleysNemesis: okay but, seriously, stop and think about what you just said ida. Like…wtf.

ClassGoddess: I admit to being rather curious about how the situation even occurred in the first place…

Nyanbinary: Look, it was mostly an accident!

SpaceCadet:...izu, i dont think that helps much

CountessKarnstein: okay, the tldr is our weird danger thingy turned on, we pointed it out, bossman said lets check it out, and then the jerk tried to ambush ingenium but uh, danger thingy meant izu caught him midair with his telekinesis thing and well, yeah. turns out he cant do much without getting in your face or throwing knives at you

Nyanbinary: And then 'Chako pushed him to the ground with her gravity and held him there till he could be disarmed and captured!

SpaceCadet: youre the one who caught him though!

CountessKarnstein: ugh, see what ive been dealing with? theyre both too busy hyping the other up to admit what they did

OnePunchWoman: I mean, it could be worse I suppose?

Nyanbinary: Okay, not to change the subject, but like…am I ever gonna escape this name?

ClassGoddess: No. It amuses me.

PunkNeverDies: momo on her dictator arc

ClassGoddess: I don't know what you are talking about.

OnePunchWoman: Don't listen to her, she knows exactly what she's doing.

CountessKarnstein: aaannnyyways, what about the festival? didn't it finish? who won?

CatsAreBetterThanPeople: yaoyorozu. probably why she's on her dictator arc

ClassGoddess: I am not a dictator!

VanishingAct: you shoulda seen it! it was super cool! momo and shoto duked it out in the finals, it got messy and was super close!

Shoto: I am still not used to using my fire properly, so I had to be judicious in its usage. Not to decry Yaoyorozu's skills, of course. She had me on the defensive early with the flamethrower and flashbangs.

ClassGoddess: Well, I had to be careful!

WebCrawler: whole tournament was pretty crazy. had a support girl get into the 1v1 rounds and turn ida into an advertisement

GottaGoFast: Speak not of that devil!

DoctorSweets: sorry ida, but it was pretty funny

RipleysNemesis: oh, and that bakugo jerk? didn't even make it past the first 1v1 round, he couldn't shut up vs Shinso!

Nyanbinary:...oh. Well…I…suppose that makes sense. He wouldn't know how the Quirk worked, after all.

CatsAreBetterThanPeople: yeah, but I got Yaoyorozu next round and she kicked my ass lol

ClassGoddess: Do not discount your efforts! You have put a lot of work into your hand to hand and it showed!

CatsAreBetterThanPeople: Yaoyorozu, take the compliment. you did great through the whole tournament

PunkNeverDies: seeing Momo turn into a cherry is funny af

CountessKarnstein: oh, is it as funny as when 'Chako turns into a balloon?

PunkNeverDies: pretty close, might be funnier

ClassGoddess: I do not believe we need to compare.

SpaceCadet: what Yaoyorozu said!

Nyanbinary: I don't know, it could be important information…

SpaceCadet: i will remind you you are within strangling distance! you and Himi!

CountessKarnstein: don't threaten us with a good time

VanishingAct: okay. I'm just gonna say it, that is 100% flirting, isn't it?

RipleysNemesis: totally flirting

CallMeTsu: yep, ribbit

SpaceCadet: IT IS NOT!

CountessKarnstein: what, no it isn't!

Nyanbinary: I think that's really stretching it, we just like to tease each other, like friends do!

PunkNeverDies: 'friends'...right

WebCrawler: uh-huh

DoctorSweets: yeah im with them on this

IDoNotLikePoe: Tis a darkness from whence one cannot escape

BoulderBro: okay, what does that even mean Tokobro?

IDoNotLikePoe: If you have to ask, you shall never know

SpaceCadet:...we've gotta go, Ingenium is calling!

RipleysNemesis: uh-huh, sure. have fun kit-kats!

Ochako shut her phone, her face pink tinged as she refused to look at her friends. It wasn't the first time Mina or Toru had made a comment like that, and the rest of the class joined in, and every time it was so awkward. And it was made worse by all three of them feeling various levels of awkwardness from it. Himiko took it the best…she was okay with the teasing and such, but Izuku would get really flustered by it, and Ochako…well, it always made her blush too.

Yes, she and her best friends had an extremely close relationship. Hard not to, with the linked emotions and Quirk thing, plus their shared childhood together. And yes, the way she felt about Himiko and Izuku was…different, than how she felt about her other friends. Sure, they were beautiful attractive, maybe not necessarily in the conventional sense but she could appreciate how they looked. Aesthetically, of course, entirely from a neutral, aesthetic standpoint.

She could also admit she truly, deeply, genuinely admired the two of them in a powerful way. Izuku was…sweet. Kind. Smart. And whenever they got into 'hero mode' as she and Himiko liked to call it…sometimes it took her breath away, the sheer focus and determination that would flood through them.

Himiko was so bright sometimes, it was hard to look at her. She struggled so hard with her self-loathing and doubts and fears that her parents shoved into her for years, but sometimes, when she was in a good mood, she outshone the sun and Ochako didn't know how to deal with the warmth in Himiko's smile.

So yeah, okay. Ochako got why people sometimes misunderstood her relationship with Izuku and Himiko. From an outsider's perspective it looked weird, sure, but so what? So what if they were weird? The world was weird, and Quirks were bullshit, and, and, and so what if she had two super hot, funny, cute, sweet friends who made her feel like she could fight the world a dozen times over and win every time. But it wasn't like that! It never could be like that, even if she wanted it to be, which she didn't, but even if she did, it wouldn't be. Not with her. Not with all her issues and weakness and-

"'Chako?" Himiko's voice interrupted her thoughts, making her jolt as she turned to look at the blonde. Himiko's eyes were seeking, visibly worrying at her lip as she tilted her head to the side to look Ochako over. Behind her, Ochako could see Izuku, a similarly concerned expression on their face. "You okay? You're feeling all…whoosh," Himiko made a vague gesture with her hands.

Ochako cleared her throat, shoving her feelings down once more. Now was not the time to get lost in thought. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just thinkin', that's all."

"Thinking about what?" Izuku asked softly, holding out Ochako's gloves for her hero costume, reminding Ochako she was in the process of affixing her costume once more for the next thing Ingenium was going to have them do. She quickly grabbed them and pulled them on, smiling absently as she did so.

"Nothin' important," she reassured. She had a feeling neither of them believed her, but it seemed like they were willing to drop it for now. "Anyways, let's get goin'!...Hopefully without anymore weird incidents!"

Himiko groaned. "You just jinxed us."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Izuku tried to reassure the blonde, Himiko turned and glaring at Izuku without heat.

"And you just double jinxed us."

"We can't have three issues back to back, Himi. I refuse to believe it," Ochako replied.

Himiko stared her down, turning her flat gaze to stare at Izuku as well. "...when I'm right, I expect both of you to admit it."

"Alright, alright. C'mon, let's not keep Ingenium waiting," Izuku said with an indulgent smile. "One more patrol before we focus on paperwork!" Himiko just grumbled, leaving the room with Izuku following behind, Ochako shrugging and falling in line. They'd already stopped a building collapse and caught the Hero Killer, what more could they have to deal with?

"I want to hear you fucking say it!" Himiko shouted, blinking out of existence and reappearing atop one of those monstrous Nomu creatures, her daggers slamming into its shoulders as she tried to forcibly steer it away from the running civilians.

"Now is not the time, Changeling!" Izuku shouted back, eyes alight with green flame as Blackwhip swirled and snapped at a pair of Nomu, trying to force them back as Izuku tried to reach a young couple trapped in a car.

"Less talkin', more savin'!" Ochako interjected, slamming her hands onto a knocked over lamp post. With its gravity removed, she snatched it up and spun about, using it as a makeshift club to slam into another Nomu, sending it careening down the street with a loud screech.

"I fucking told you not to jinx it, and what do you two do? 'Oh, it'll be fine, oh, nothing bad'll happen', well fuck that! I am never letting either of you live this down!" Himiko screamed, flipping up and over the Nomu she was on, slamming the back of her foot into its face with a snarl as she ramped Sanguine Cloak up to her max of 30%.

"I swear Hi-err, Changeling, we can talk about it later!" Ochako snarled back. She turned about and launched her lamp post turned club like a javelin at another Nomu, the metal object slamming into it and sending it flying backwards once more.

The trio had, unfortunately, found a street filled with a ton of civilians who were trying to escape, but the half dozen Nomu creatures had closed in from both sides of the road and were not making it easy to help them escape. They'd gotten separated from their mentor early on, intending on trying to help people evacuate, but once Danger Sense had triggered, well…they had to do something, right?

"Oh sure, later, just say you don't wanna admit it!" Himiko scoffed.

"Now is not the time!" Izuku screamed, clenching their fists with a loud roar. The black tendrils of Blackwhip finally got a grip around the two Nomu and with a jerk, Izuku slammed them into the pavement, cracking it beneath their bodies with a sickening crunch. They let out a sigh, turning their glowing eyes towards the half-crushed car. They strode over to it, the Nomu writhing within the whips as Izuku reached out with one hand, gripping onto the broken metal of the door. With a grunt, the lightning around them roaring to life, they ripped the door out of the frame, revealing two wide-eyed young women staring at Izuku. Izuku immediately twisted their expression into a reassuring grin. "Are you two uninjured?" they asked, modulating their tone to a softer one.

"Um…yeah?" the taller woman offered, seeming unsure.

"Alright, well, if you could make your way that way to a safe zone, it would be much appreciated! We'll keep you safe, don't you worry!" Izuku said, keeping their smile plastered on their face.

"Y-yeah, okay. Thank you so much!" the shorter woman said, shimmying out of the vehicle behind her friend. They quickly began to run down the street, through the path Izuku had cleared by taking control over the two Nomu. Others were rushing down it now as well, being directed by Ochako with one hand as her other hand casually tossed a chunk of wall into the face of a sallow-skinned Nomu, sending it careening into another broken wall with a wail.

Himiko blinked next to Izuku, sweat beading on her forehead as she quickly looked around. "Do we have any clue what's going on?"

Izuku shook their head. "I can't really make heads or tails of the comms, it's just a jumbled mess."

Himiko sighed. "Shit, I was afraid of that."

Ochako jogged over. "Last Nomu is stuck under some rubble. I don't think they are as strong as the one at the USJ."

"Yeah…doesn't seem so," Izuku mused, glancing around. They shook their head. "Not much we can do about it right now. I think…I think we should like, tie them up or something and just work on more evacuations for now?"

"Yeah but where?" Himiko asked, looking around. The area around them was now deserted, all the civilians having fled once the path was clear.

Ochako pursed her lips, looking up with a calculating glance. "...gimme one of your blackwhip thingies, Izu. I got an idea." Izuku blinked, but did as she asked, extending a tendril towards her. She wrapped it around her belt, Izuku following along as they understood Ochako's intent, and then tapped herself to remove her gravity. With a Galactic Shroud assisted push, she launched herself up into the air, Izuku extending Blackwhip as far as they could as she went. She got above the buildings nearby, spinning about in place to peer as best she could. She started after a moment, looking down at the two below her and tugging on the whip, which Izuku took as a sign to reel her in.

She tapped her fingers together as she got close enough to the ground, landing with a gentle thud as her gravity returned. "A couple blocks to the east, one of the buildings is on fire and I saw some people running. We can probably help over there!"

"Sounds like a plan. Let's get these things tied up and move."

Himiko crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "I'm still waiting for my 'you were right' moment."

Izuku rolled their eyes, reaching up and scratching Himiko's ears, making her loosen her stance as a smile unwillingly crept onto her face, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Yes, yes, we'll get there once this city attack is over."

Himiko shook her head after a moment, batting Izuku's hand away as she glared at them. "Fine…but I'm not gonna forget!"

Ochako snorted, already moving to tie up the stuck Nomu nearby. "Never change, Himi. Never change."

Chapter Text

"...I have absolutely no idea what the hell to do with you three at this point," Aizawa said, staring at the trio blankly. "Is it too much to ask for you to stay off the news for one single day?!"

"It's not like we chose to have Hosu get attacked!" Himiko protested.

Aizawa sighed, holding up his phone to a clip currently playing on repeat. On it, a clearly agitated Himiko was shouting at the other two as she drove a Nomu into the ground. The trio flushed, refusing to meet their teacher's gaze. Aizawa sighed again.

"You're not in trouble. Well, mostly. It's just…you have a lot of attention on you now. A lot. And I know none of you want it."

Izuku paused, looking up at Aizawa. "...you implied we are in some form of trouble."

Aizawa slumped in his chair, letting out an annoyed grunt. "It's…difficult. You were using your Quirks without the express permission of Ingenium. Granted, he said he gave you permission, but the fact you were caught on camera looking for more things to do isn't…great."

"How does any of that make sense? We're hero students, and yeah, I know the students' part is important, but like…were we supposed to just sit there and let people die?" Ochako protested.

"In my opinion? No, of course not. I would rather you not get into fights with these Nomu creatures, and I'd much prefer you were doing basic evacuation procedures as you are still students, as you so aptly admitted, but…it's not my opinion that matters."

"I still don't get it. What's so wrong with us helping?" Himiko groused.

Aizawa worked his jaw. "...alright. What I'm about to tell you, you keep to yourselves for now. It's something we'd normally go over with you in your third or fourth year, depending on how things go, but…it boils down to the fact that as a Hero, your job has some political implication. I personally hate it, but heroes are celebrities, and thus have massive public influence. You should be aware of this, with the impact Toshinori has on the entire world, much less Japan, right?" As the trio nodded along, Aizawa continued. "The thing is, governmental agencies don't appreciate such influence. Specifically, the Commission takes a dim view of these things generally."

"That sounds…fucked up, Sensei," Ochako muttered.

"There is some sense to it. It's not as black and white as it sounds. Heroic influence can be easily used for nefarious purposes if you so choose. And once you add in the fact that Heroes are the only people who get as much training in using their Quirks in combat, and many heroes have exceptionally powerful Quirks, well…a Hero turned Villain is the most dangerous kind of Villain. There needs to be checks on hero power, because it can go to your head."

Izuku was trying very hard not to react to this, but every word their teacher was saying was being played over the image of Shoto's muttered comments about heroic failings and his father. Endeavor was the number two hero, admired by millions of people for his strength and ability to solve cases. He was taciturn and strict, but even that was respected by many people…and yet Izuku was aware of what he had done behind the scenes, and it made them see, somewhat, what their teacher was saying. If someone had kept Endeavor in better check, maybe…but even so, that situation was different from them helping, wasn't it?

"But…all we did was save people? We're not trying to like, influence anyone!" Himiko replied, waving her hands dramatically.

Aizawa shrugged. "It is different, but it undermines the Commission's authority. As first year students you should not have been doing that. The regulations are what they are. Now, you're still not actually in trouble. Ironically, that same influence that they fear is precisely why they can't go after you…it'd be a PR disaster. However, Tensei is a different matter."

"But that's not fair! He was just trying to help!" Izuku shouted, jumping to their feet and slamming their hands on the table before them.

"It won't be more than a slap on the wrist, don't you worry," Aizawa dismissed with a wave of his hand. "We've all gotten censured by the Commission before and it'll happen again. You get used to it when you aren't one of their darlings. Tensei will be fine. He'll get a rude letter, a strongly worded complaint, and some black mark on a dingy record they ignore because he's popular and he's gotten a PR boost thanks to being your mentor. It's just something you have to get used to, in this business. Unless you go underground, but that is increasingly unlikely at this point."

"It's still not fair," Izuku muttered, slumping back into their seat.

"I did tell you the world isn't fair, Midoriya. It's not. As heroes, it's our duty to combat that unfairness, but it is a fight we can never truly win. We're just holding the line."

"Then why bother?" Himiko asked, slumping in her chair as much as Izuku. All she could really feel right now was frustration and a general apathetic annoyance coming across the bond, and she imagined that was pretty well reflected in her own emotions.

Aizawa arched an eyebrow at her. "You know better than to ask that, Himiko. You already know the answer."

"...because someone has to," Ochako sighed, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hands, pouting.

Aizawa gave her a wry grin, patting her on the shoulder once. He leaned back in his chair. "With all that out of the way…be aware the media is going to be focused on you three for a while. Now, as spotlight heroes, that would not normally be a bad thing, but I imagine it's not something you want. So for now, we're calling you back off your internship early…you learned about as much about fighting as you could," he muttered, glaring off to the side as if the wall had personally offended him. He shook his head. "I'll do some extra lessons with you, going over procedures and paperwork while the rest of the class are on their internships, so you still get that experience."

"Okay. I mean…makes sense, I guess," Izuku sighed.

Aizawa looked over at the frustrated cat-quirked teenagers and shrugged again. "It sounds worse than it really is. Like I said, it's an unfortunate side effect of our job, you're just getting exposed to it earlier than any of us would like."

"...how bad did Hosu get?" Izuku dared to ask after a few minutes of silence. They'd been pulled into this side room at Ingenium's agency where their teacher had met them, but it was only after they'd had to spend another hour evacuating the burning building they had spotted. No one had told them exactly what all had gone down, as they hadn't seen any more Nomu but they could easily hear the screams and shouts of fighting in the distance.

Aizawa took a moment to consider. "I'll give it to you straight, as the news is going to break the full report later anyways. Casualties weren't terrible, but, well, the grand total of Nomu released into the city at last count was twenty seven, and they did some serious damage. You three managed to stop six of them, but to be frank, you are far more powerful than most people your age, and more than many other heroes. Toshinori was deployed, but by the time he arrived there were already losses. Endeavor arrived shortly before All Might, and between the two of them they managed to stop most of the Nomu themselves, but…well, it could have gone better."

"O-oh," Izuku said, looking down at the table.

"...you stopped six of them on your own. Do not discount your efforts," Aizawa said with a firm tone, making Izuku look back up at him and meet his steady stare. "A lot of people survived thanks to what you did. Not only stopping those six, but saving the people in the building. No other hero was nearby."

"...but why did they even attack?!" Ochako asked.

Aizawa sighed, rubbing his face. "The police…received another of those 'boxes', like the one at the USJ. We were given a pre-recorded message from someone who called himself 'The Doctor', claiming he was doing more field tests."

"...that's fucked up," Himiko replied, gaping at her teacher.

"Some villains are," Aizawa replied flatly. "Many villains have various reasons for what they do…mental illness, substance abuse, revenge, political motivations, etc, but some villains simply wish to cause harm and watch the world burn. Or in this villain's case, he seems to be some sort of scientist with no ethics whatsoever. That or it's an act. Or perhaps he's trying to make these Nomu as some sort of shock trooper and he intends on selling them. Truthfully, there could be a myriad of motivations," Aizawa shrugged. "Not to make light of it, but while it's rare to find someone so willing to attack in such a high profile way, it happens."

Himiko knew he was right, but she still couldn't stand the thought. It was so…ugh. Seeing the glance Izuku and Ochako shared with her, she knew they felt the same, that same disgusted rage filling their chests and swirling together into one choking, twisted thread.

"For now, don't worry about the attack. I know that's hard to do, but multiple agencies have begun a manhunt into this 'Doctor' and his creations, so for now it's best to leave it up to them. For now, let's get you packed up and back to the dorms."

Himiko flopped over on Ochako's bed, staring at her phone in consternation. As they'd returned to the dorms, Aizawa had handed her a few letters, and explained to her in quiet terms what he'd heard from the detective, leaving her now as confused as she'd ever been. Hadn't…hadn't those friendships been fake? She thought they were…that it was all some sort of act everyone was putting on, that everyone was just using each other for social standing! And yeah, there was some confirmation of that apparently, as only three of the dozen girls had reached out with genuine intentions, but like…that was three more than she'd expected.

She'd of course told Izuku and Ochako about it. She didn't keep these sort of secrets from them, especially not lately with how jumbled up her feelings around them were. It didn't help that Ochako and Izuku had weird feelings about her and the other as well. It was getting harder and harder to keep her feeling separate, to keep theirs away from her own. There were times she was going to say something, but Ochako or Izuku would say it instead and she didn't mind it. It was messing with her head, the connection, because the emotions were so similar sometimes that she couldn't tell them apart. At least, for most things.

This though? This, she knew, was entirely herself. Ochako and Izuku were just worried about her and how she was feeling, which she wasn't even sure what she was feeling. Fear? Guilt? Anticipation? Whatever it was, she didn't quite know, but…she did want to find out. She wasn't going to hide from her old 'friends'. She'd tell them who and what she was, right off the bat, and if they couldn't deal well…then she at least knew how to deal with those who hated her for her Quirk she was not going to get her hopes up about if they accepted her.

"You sure you want us here, Himi?" Ochako asked, sitting on the bed beside her and absently reaching up to scratch her ears.

"Mmmhmm," she hummed back, closing her eyes and arching her back at the sensations. "I um, already texted them and they are ready for me, so…I'm…I'm gonna video call and see what they have to say. So uh…can you stay outta sight unless I ask for you to come in?"

"Of course," Izuku said softly, finally finished with hanging up their clothes in the closet (according to them it was very important to have everything in place, something she found both amusing and adorable).

Himiko nodded absently, taking a deep breath as she looked at her phone. Ochako stopped scratching her ears, sliding back off the bed to leave the area of the shot as Himiko sat back against the headboard. With a deep breath, she hit the call button. It rang once, twice, and then the call connected.

Three heads shoved together, nearly pushing one another out of the way, faces she knew rather well. Rika, brown eyes and short-cut red hair in the center, Mimi, glinting green eyes and blonde hair on the left, and Momoko, dark blue hair and blue eyes on the right, all smiling widely at the camera as they tried to say hi all at once, instantly squabbling as they cut one another off. Himiko couldn't help it, letting out a snort of laughter only to freeze a second later once all three looked at her, confused. She wasn't sure why at first, until she realized…she'd never laughed like that around them, always a prim and proper laugh, one befitting a dignified member of the Toga family, never something so…barbaric as a snort.

"Wow…that scruffy detective wasn't lying. You really are different, huh?" Mimi asked, her characteristic lack of tact in her words.

"Mimi!" Rika said with a gasp, slapping Mimi on the shoulder. She rolled her eyes. "Ignore her, Koko," Himiko had to hold back a wince as she could feel the sudden surge of amusement from both Izuku and Ochako at the nickname, "she's still a total airhead."

"Ignore both of them. We're so glad to see you, Himiko. We were rather worried," Momoko said, her tone soft.

Himiko swallowed. "I…yeah. I um, so your letters said."

There was a brief, awkward pause as Himiko fell silent, not sure what else to say, but the silence was broken by Mimi rolling her eyes. "Okay, nope, none of this awkward stuff. Gonna come out and say it. We heard about your parents and that is so not cool, we're really sorry that that happened to you. Are…are you doing better now? Detective guy didn't tell us much."

"...I'm doing a lot better," Himiko said, a smile flickering across her face, one where her teeth were visible behind her lips. The sudden widening of the eyes of the other girls reminded her of what she was expecting, and she took a deep, bracing breath. "But I um…I have to tell you something. And you probably won't like it, so it's fine if you don't want to talk to me after. My parents lied about my Quirk."

"Yes, so the detective said, but he didn't say what was so bad about your Quirk in the first place? It can't be that bad," Rika said, her eyebrow raised.

Himiko scoffed. "You say that now." She sighed, deciding to just bite the bullet. "My Quirk lets me change into other people, but to do it, I have to drink their blood. Actually, I have to drink blood often, else I um…starve. So…yeah." Her voice trailed off as she spoke, finding it increasingly difficult to meet the gaze of the three girls on the line.

There was another brief moment of silence, before Momoko spoke. "I…I see. Can I ask a question?"

"Sure?"

"Were you lying about being bi, before?"

Himiko blinked, incredibly confused by the question, but decided to go with it. "No…?"

Momoko looked…annoyed, her eyebrows furrowed. "So…you're telling me I had a hot, bisexual, vampire best friend and I never got to make out with her even once?!"

Himiko let out a choked laugh, nearly dropping her phone as Rika immediately shrieked and nearly tackled Momoko out of frame, Mimi laughing like a hyena as the phone shook in her hand. Ochako lost her battle with her own laughter, her merry giggles bubbling up in the background, as Izuku quickly stole one of the pillows off the bed with telekinesis and shoved it into their face to muffle their own laughter.

Mimi tilted her head, her laughter fading as she seemed to hear something. Ignoring the commotion behind her, where Himiko could see flashes of Rika chasing Momoko around what looked like Mimi's bedroom, she spoke up. "You alone?" Mimi asked.

"Um, no. My um…my friends are here too," Himiko said, glancing to the side.

"Oh, are they the cute cat people with you on the news?!"

Himiko could feel the sudden surge of embarrassment that came across the bond, able to tell that both of her best friends were now cherry-red without even looking at them. She thought about it for a moment, before deciding… "Yes. Yes, they are," she said with confidence, enjoying the flustered feeling she could feel from both of them now that she directly called them cute as well.

"Oh, oh, can we see your ears? They looked so cute on the news but we didn't get good angles!" As Mimi asked, her eyes glittering with excitement, Rika and Momoko popped up behind her, making Himiko have to hold back another snort. She'd never realized how funny these three were…she'd spent so much time tamping down her instincts, she hadn't really been able to appreciate their over the top antics, but now? It was like a balm to her soul, and slowly, she was realizing that maybe, just maybe…she did have friends before? She nodded, tilting the camera up enough to reveal the ears, one of them flicking without her meaning to, and she got to watch in real time as Rika had to cover her mouth to avoid letting her hear her high pitched squeal. Mimi and Momoko had no such resistance, both squealing and hopping in place as they babbled compliments about how cute she looked.

After a few minutes, they managed to get themselves under control, and Rika ended up shoving her way forward, stealing the phone from Mimi's hand. "So…how did you end up with cat ears, and two more cat people? Are you guys like, long-lost triplets or something?"

Himiko shook her head no, but smiled a bit at the words. "N-no, um…we're childhood friends but got split up, and uh…it was a weird Quirk accident. It's a long story, really."

The trio of girls before her shared a glance, before they nodded as one. "Well…we got time, if you wanna tell it," Momoko offered.

Himiko paused, thinking it over. As long as she kept One For All secret…the rest of the story would be fine to tell. She turned to look at Izuku and Ochako, her eyes and emotions conveying her question, which she could only appreciate more as both of them immediately walked over to the bed, sliding onto either side of her and appearing in the phone, Izuku's sheepish grin and Ochako's nervous smile visible. "Okay. But um, let me introduce you first…" As Himiko began to introduce her oldest friends to the ones she never realized she had, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long, long time…hope.

Chapter Text

The conversation with Himiko's friends was honestly rather fun. Izuku and Ochako got to understand a lot more about the trio of rather excitable girls, and seeing Himiko smile so freely made them both so happy for her.

Momoko was soft spoken and the least outgoing of the trio, but also the most flirty. She only made her comments once in a while, but when she did, either Izuku or Ochako (sometimes both) would end up bright red, as Himiko cackled at them both.

Mimi was blunt, and seemed to just say whatever was on the top of her mind, but she also seemed the most in tune with others moods because she always apologized if she said something that might be offensive. Not that she really did, but Izuku and Ochako still appreciated it.

As for Rika…they kinda felt a bit bad for her, because she seemed to be the self-appointed self-control of the other two. She spent half her time trying to shush one or the other frantically, or dive tackling them out of frame (Himiko reassured Ochako and Izuku that everyone knew how Rika was and it was all in good fun).

Himiko's old friends were fun, and nice, and sweet, and they enjoyed talking to them. Shoved up together, emotions blending into one big puddle of joy and cheer and happiness, Izuku and Ochako letting themselves get swept up into Himiko's excitement.

The conversation was so nice, they'd stayed up really late and fallen asleep together once more, entangled and intact, blended and fused and right. In their sleep, dreams were muddled and mixed, and they swore the vestiges tried to contact them, but they were too sleepy, too cuddly, too happy to really care.

And so the morning came upon them, and they were able to get ready for a few extra hours of classes. Some breakfast together, some changing together, some moving together to get to the empty classroom where Sensei awaited them.

Izuku, though, had noticed something odd while they sat in the classroom learning from Aizawa, and it was concerning them. Or they thought it was. Maybe? It was hard to tell sometimes. The bond had settled into a pleasant, dull hum today, a simple resonating thrum in their chest that comforted them, calmed them…Oh, wait. They shook their head. Aizawa was asking something.

"Uraraka, did you read the section I outlined yesterday?" Aizawa asked, looking over at her.

"Yep! Finished it!" Himiko replied, smiling wide.

Aizawa blinked. "I'm glad you read it too, Himiko, but I asked Uraraka."

"Yeah, and I read it, like I said," Ochako replied, looking at Aizawa in confusion.

Aizawa paused. Izuku Himiko Ochako was confused by how confused Aizawa looked. Their teacher slowly set their pen down, the expression on their face carefully blank. "Of course. Uraraka, can you do me a favor and give me your notes on my Quirk?"

"Sure!" she said happily, reaching back without looking. Izuku set their notebook in her hand automatically, not pausing in their writing in their other notebook. Ochako stood up and walked it to Aizawa, the dark-haired teacher watching with pursed lips as he accepted it and set it down on his desk softly.

He let out a deep sigh, planting his hands firmly on his desk. This was confusing. Why was he acting that way, Izuku wondered. They tilted their head to the side, Ochako and Himiko mirroring the motion at the same time. "Problem Children…take a moment and think about who I just asked for Quirk analysis."

It took a moment to filter into their mind, but Izuku's eyes went wide, Himiko and Ochako's following a split second later. Now the bond was no longer a pleasant dull hum, but a cacophony of confusion and fear and wrong. It was…it was supposed to be emotions only what was happening who was who?!

Izuku was about to panic, and because they were, and Himiko and Ochako were so close too close they feared they would drag them down with them, into a pit of fear and worry and terror…but a hand on their shoulder yanked them back mentally, emotionally, forcing calm and cutting the fear away like a knife, letting them breathe as their eyes fluttered open when had they closed them?

"Okay, kids, okay, calm down, it's okay," Nana whispered in Izuku's ear, kneeling down beside them, one arm around Ochako's shoulder, the other gripping Izuku's. Yoichi was on Ochako's other side, gently stroking Himiko's hair, the trio finding themselves in the blackness that was the vestige world once more.

Izuku could feel them forcing calm on them, and normally they would instinctively fight this, but instead they reached for it like a child reaching for a stuffed animal, desperate to be safe from this mental storm before it took control once more.

"Shit, we ain't gonna have much time to go over this," Bruce commented, rubbing his temples.

"Yes well, at least let them catch their breath!" Nana shot back.

"Allow me to say this quickly, it will be okay. We can help you deal with this. We wanted to talk to you about it last night but for some reason we couldn't get you into the vestige world," Hikage said, kneeling down beside Himiko.

"M-maybe start with what the hell is going on?!" Himiko asked, turning blown wide eyes on him, her tail flicking rapidly.

Kudo sighed as he stepped over, crouching before Izuku and laying his arms over his knees. "Look, it's…complicated, but basically, it's something that happened to all us Vestiges. We figured out how to block the effect, we just gotta show you how."

"...but we're not vestiges?" Ochako said, one hand over her chest as she tried to get her breathing under control.

"Uh…about that," Daigoro drawled, trailing off as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, drawing the attention of the trio towards the throne where Toshinori's flaming vestige normally sat…only to see a sheepish looking Toshinori vestige surrounded by a sparking bolt of emerald lightning that looked slightly like Izuku, a shimmering, shining cluster of pink and white stars that vaguely resembled Ochako, and a flowing, crimson red figure that resembled Himiko.

"...what?" Izuku said, staring blankly at the trio who waved awkwardly at them.

"So, the thing is, before you, us Vestiges weren't quite as aware, as it were, so we never quite realized that Toshinori had a vestige pretty much as soon as he took on the Quirk, since well, he couldn't talk. It seems as soon as you get the Quirk, you get a Vestige. And what happened was what we call 'Resonance'," Yoichi explained.

"It's like…a merging, or melding of consciousness, or something. We had some serious issues with that, back in the day, before we figured out how to compartmentalize it properly," Bruce added.

"Your emotional link accelerated the process for your Vestiges, as far as we can tell. But it's also…the thing is, they aren't you," Nana said, gesturing vaguely.

"They aren't all of you," En interjected softly. "They are more instinctual than you are, because they don't contain the multitude of you, and won't until much more time has passed. They are like baby vestiges, if you would. So they act on instinct. They thought you wanted to be closer, so…they tried to link to each other."

"...so…we have to…train our own half-selves to not do that?" Izuku asked, confusion evident in their tone.

"Sort of. It's not hard to learn how to block it. We can show you before we let you go again, although we'll want to do it fast. Time flows differently here, but even then, your teacher is mid-panic mode right now since you're all kind of just sitting there blankly," Daigoro said.

"If I may, I would counsel you not to ignore the benefits of Resonance. Sharing thoughts mid-fight would be a great boon to you, in an emergency," Hikage offered.

"I think that's premature to think about, Hikage," Yoichi gently chided.

"Yeah can we like…not?" Himiko said, her voice nearly a screech as she pressed her hands to the side of her head. "That was…I like being bonded with Izu and 'Chako but that was freaky!"

"I'm sorry," Izuku whispered, their head hanging low.

"Don't you fucking dare Izuku Midoriya," Ochako growled, making Izuku snap their head around to stare at the fuming Ochako, Himiko also visibly taken aback. Ochako turned around to point at Himiko. "You either! I can feel your guilt! Don't do this blame thing! We've been over this, it's no one's fault!"

"Easy for you to say," Izuku muttered.

"I swear Izu, I'm gonna…I'm not gonna yell at you but I will hug the stupid out of you!" Ochako commanded, making Himiko snort.

"If it were that easy we'd all be perfectly mentally healthy by now," Himiko said, rolling her eyes.

"Well obviously you two need more," Ochako said with her nose stuck up in the air. Neither Izuku nor Himiko was stupid…Ochako was being silly on purpose, pushing her own panicked feelings down to try and make the other two feel better, especially after her prior flash of rage that she was now wrapping up in chains and throwing into the dark depths of her soul.

"I'm…sorry for saying that," Izuku began, cutting Ochako's immediate retort about apologies off with an upraised hand. "You're right, I know you're right. But please, 'Chako, don't try and make us feel better when you're not happy yourself. We know, after all."

They could watch in real time as the energy drained out of Ochako, her shoulders slumping as she slumped forward slightly. "I just wanna help," she said, her voice nearly a whisper.

"You being you is help enough, 'Chako," Himiko said softly, leaning over to press her shoulder to Ochako's.

"Not to interrupt this touching moment, but we really do need to show you how to compartmentalize before we send you back or your teacher has his own panic attack," Nana interjected with a sheepish grin.

"...will there be anything else messing with us? I just…I'm so tired," Izuku whispers, looking down at their hands. Every other day it was something else and they were so sick of it!

"I…wish we could reassure you, but we can't. We're all in unprecedented territory. That said, we're here for you three. We will help you navigate all these changes, we swear. We're getting better able to speak to you when you need us, so just try to be patient, alright?" Yoichi said, gently patting Izuku on the head.

"...fine, just show us what we have to do," Izuku sighed. Yoichi nodded, beckoning the three partial vestiges over and began to quickly explain how to block the effect, leaving them to leave the Vestige realm as soon as possible before Aizawa lost his cool entirely.

Having to explain this new problem to their teacher was nearly as frustrating as dealing with it to begin with. Turns out their inner Vestiges, being instinct based, were latching onto both their conscious desires to hold one another close and the cat Quirk instincts to constantly be cuddled together and were trying really hard to shove that effect on them, and it was a struggle to explain to them why they didn't want that.

Yoichi said it'd get easier over time as they became more real copies of them, with less pure instincts and more thoughts, but for now it was just an annoying habit to have to every few hours 'refresh' for lack of a better word, the separation.

Either way, the explanation took so long and then they had to explain it to Nezu and Toshi and Recovery Girl and even Hound Dog was there and Izuku was fucking done with this. They were done. Absolutely done. This day was shot. Maybe this week. Hell if Izuku could choose it, perhaps the entire month? Could they just abandon reality for a month? Would that be allowed?

Hound Dog wrangled an agreement to a session with him tomorrow, one for each of them, which Izuku agreed to. They'd already said they would go before, and even with how done they were with stuff right now, they knew intellectually that they needed help parsing through all of this. Himiko and Ochako were in the same boat. Agreeing to go meant they would too, and that's all Izuku needed to convince themselves to do so. So instead, back to the dorms they would go.

And immediately a beeline to Ochako's room to faceplant on the bed. Yes, it was a fucking bad idea to encourage their closeness and no, Izuku did not fucking care right now. They wanted cuddles and they knew Himiko and Ochako did too, so they were going to get them. Luckily for them, their desires were communicated fairly easily, and the feeling of Himiko sprawling over their back, followed by Ochako curling into their side was all they needed, some tension slowly bleeding out of them.

They felt themselves drifting slightly, a desire for a nap clear in their head. Their mind was still too wired to actually fall asleep, so instead they persisted in that strange half-asleep state one would find oneself in, where they were still awake and aware, but not all there. As they drifted comfortably in this relaxing state, enjoying the pressure of their friends upon them, they pondered the difference between how they felt about Himiko and Ochako, and how Himiko felt about her friends.

Sure, it was a new sensation for Himiko to realize that they were real, true friends, but still the way she felt was different from how Izuku felt about her. Or how she felt about Izuku, or Ochako. It was a bit closer to what happened when Momoko was flirting with them,but the feeling was still very different. Much less embarrassing and more…comforting.

Izuku wasn't an idiot after all. They noticed the comments from their classmates about the 'romantic' nature of their bond, or claiming they were flirting with each other when they were teasing. The thing was…Izuku maybe couldn't be entirely certain what those feelings were, but based on the circumstantial evidence and what they'd read, they had…a pretty good guess. They would never believe it in a million years, the idea that either of those two wonderful, kind, beautiful women could ever feel romantically inclined towards them, but…emotional bonding made it difficult to hide the feelings.

Not that they were certain. Not yet. But the longer time went on, they considered it could possibly be that. The problem was, could they trust it? The bond made things…difficult. Entangled. And before today, it was now even more difficult and confusing. Izuku had worried that their feelings were being modified or influenced by Himiko or Ochako's, or worse…their feelings were influencing the girls. That would have been the worst possible outcome, in Izuku's mind, somehow manipulating the girls into feeling things they normally wouldn't?!

So they'd dismissed all these thoughts and feelings before, shoved them down, locked away, chained up in a dungeon to keep them from touching either Ochako or Himiko. But the new technique the Vestiges showed them, it…did more than block the weird fused thoughts. Maybe because it was now being filtered through their own vestiges, but now, the source of the feelings were clear as crystal. It was like they all had actual colors to them, colors Izuku could feel, and they could easily separate what was their feelings, Himiko's, or Ochako's.

Which…was now a problem, because it flew in the face of their own beliefs. Because it meant whatever they felt was entirely them, and whatever Ochako or Himiko felt was entirely theirs as well, and the feelings were…not something Izuku had named before, but they were pretty sure they knew what they were.

The worst part was all this contemplation was being spread across the bond as well. Not Izuku's thoughts, so not the full details, but the warmth of affection, that happiness they felt at the thought Ochako or Himiko felt the same as them, the comfort they found in the connection between them, all of it was going across, no longer a forced impact, but a gentle breeze from Izuku to them, one that Izuku could feel the girls taking some comfort in as well.

So now Izuku needed to decide what to do. There was a general feeling of…acceptance and agreement, but any thought of speaking up about it sent their own heart into a tailspin, and Ochako wasn't much better. Himiko, after reconnecting with her old friends and finally starting to feel more stable on her feet, seemed the most in tune with anything further, but she still had her own hesitation. So Izuku decided…no. Not right now. They needed to talk, but not today. They needed to think and ponder and consider exactly what it was, before they made a mistake and said something that couldn't be taken back, considering the connection they all had.

Waiting too long wasn't an option either though, because…well, because it felt so strong, the feelings in their chest made them want to scream them from the top of the rooftops, but also to whisper quietly in the dark and the contrast was killing them. But…they'd already agreed to talk to Hound Dog about everything, and maybe an outside opinion could help? They'd spoken to him once, and he was understanding and calm, which was everything Izuku could have asked for, so…for now, they'd hold off any important conversions, at least until they managed to get their head on straight around today's events, everything that happened during internships, and just…everything in general.

Izuku wasn't sure they were a complete person yet. They still weren't down in the bones happy. And they knew enough about relationships that building one based on others holding you up for you was just asking for everything to go wrong, so…they needed to work on that first, work on understanding who they are, and then, maybe then, they'll say something.

But for now, just for a bit, they'll let their busy brain turn off, appreciate the comfort of Ochako in their arms, of Himiko sprawled across the both of them holding them tightly, of the soft bed beneath and the warmth of both their bodies and their emotions holding Izuku tightly in their embrace. For now, just a chance to relax, to rest, and maybe in a few days time…time to confront their feelings.

Chapter Text

Izuku knocked on the door to the assistant counselor, Hound Dog having been busy. A voice called out for them to enter. They hadn't met the new counselor, but Himiko said she liked him so Izuku was cautiously optimistic. Izuku went to open the door, but it slid open on its own, revealing a very short red-haired woman, a laptop tucked under her arm who looked up at him with a flat expression.

Izuku swallowed, a bit confused, before she offered a bright smile. "Sorry, our meeting took longer than I wanted, he's all yours! See you later darling!" she called over her shoulder with a smile, sauntering past Izuku. Izuku blinked in confusion, before a chuckle brought his attention to the man behind the desk. Tall, with precisely coiffed white hair and a rather impressive mustache and beard, the man looked…elegant. Idly, Izuku was a bit reminded of how Momo would conduct herself sometimes, down to what smelled like the same blend of tea she preferred. Izuku's attention was pulled back to the counselor clearing his throat.

"Well, terribly sorry for losing track of my time! Allow me to introduce myself. I am Danjuro Tobito, a hero and counselor here at this prestigious university, although you may call me Tonbito, or Danjuro if you're feeling daring," the man winked at Izuku with a sly grin. "But, if I may, what shall I call you?"

"Isn't my name on the file?" Izuku ventured, a bit taken aback.

"Of course it is, but I find a proper introduction is a good ice breaker, not to mention I must be certain what you prefer to be called!"

"Oh. Um…I prefer Izuku, that's fine," Izuku murmured.

"Excellent!" the man grinned, gesturing to the comfortable chair before him. "Now, if you would please take a seat, unless you find standing more comfortable. I'd be willing to meet you either way!"

"Oh, yeah, no, it's fine," Izuku said, quickly taking the seat. "Uh…so it's okay to call you by your given name?"

"Absolutely! I prefer it, if I'm being honest. More personable, don't you think? Anyways, would you like some tea?" Danjuro offered, waving his hand over a second teacup set before him.

"Uh…sure," Izuku replied. Danjuro was very different from Ryo…not in a bad way per se, just very different, and it was throwing them off a bit. They were also trying to recall what hero he was…no way he was a hero they'd never heard of, they even knew Eraserhead, and this guy seemed exceedingly flamboyant and…wait a minute. "You're Gentle, the Gentleman hero! You've worked with Crust and Best Jeanist numerous times before, but you tend to focus on rescue work and underground heroics even though you like to be flashy about it!"

Danjuro threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Ahaha, Ryo warned me you were a bit of a hero nerd, but I see he undersold it! I'm surprised you've heard of me, but certainly am glad! Yes, I do tend to dabble where I am needed, that's true, although my ranking will likely never be incredibly high. But what's important is helping the people, not those silly ranks, wouldn't you agree?"

Izuku blinked. "Well, yeah, but…why wouldn't you get a good rank? If my research on your Quirk is right, it's Elasticity, and it's incredible! You've stopped a plane from falling from the sky, you've contained a dozen criminals in a prison break with ease, and you even once managed to stop an entire mudslide by yourself! That's amazing!"

Danjuro's smile morphed from a bombastic, overly bright one to a warmer, but almost sad look as he leaned forward. "Ah yes, but I also have a criminal record. And that's all that matters to some people."

Izuku's jaw dropped. "You? But…I've never heard of that!"

Danjuro shrugged. "Not many have. You see…I always wanted to be a hero. It was all I ever wanted. Yet, during my time at UA, well…the truth is I wasn't a great student. I had serious issues with paying attention, and I could be very reckless. Eventually, I was dismissed from the hero course. Now, I had a chance to earn my place back, the Headmaster was insistent, but my young, foolish heart took it as an insult and quit the school entirely."

He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling for a moment, before turning his attention back to Izuku. "At the time, I was unaware I had certain mental and emotional issues that made it more difficult for me to deal with the pressures of such tight schooling and disappointment. I see no reason to go into the sordid details, but after leaving UA I tried vigilante work. In the process, well…I nearly got someone killed. I spent a few months in prison, and once I got out, I was lost. Adrift. Unable to really cope with my actions and how everything had gone wrong. But then she found me."

Danjuro's smile warmed up, a distant, affectionate look in his eyes as he looked at a picture on his desk. "The young woman who just left this office is very close to me, and she was the one who professed her admiration for me and my efforts to help people, even though they failed. I won't get into her reasons for why, that is her business, but it made me realize I could not simply stay lost, I had to get up and move forward! And so…I found a therapist."

Izuku nearly snorted, the sudden admission throwing them so much they leaned back in surprise by it. Danjuro gestured to the office, his smile growing wider. "That led to my passion for this sort of work! To make a long story short, once I felt stable enough, I not only completed my hero coursework (the headmaster was truly generous), but I also took subsequent classes in counseling! And after a few years doing my best on the streets, why, when I heard the call for an assistant to the incredible Ryo Inui, I jumped at the chance! And here, my young student, I am! Here to help in whatever you may need. So…what do you need?"

Izuku blinked rapidly, taken aback once more. They weren't expecting the sudden transition, but something about Danjuro was mildly relaxing. Maybe how bombastic he was? Either way, Izuku had wanted to discuss a specific thing during their next visit…but if that was it, they weren't sure if they could go through the whole thing with Danjuro, so it'd help to know what he knew.

"Uh…well, um, what do you know about me?" they asked, curious.

"Only what's in your file. Confidentiality is important after all. I am aware of the bond between yourself, Himiko Toga, and Ochako Uraraka. I'm aware it gives you a number of special abilities that even now you're discovering more over time, and that it transmits emotions. I have also been read into the One For All secret, as all staff here are. But beyond that, well…what I know is what you choose to tell me."

Izuku swallowed, fidgeting slightly. They'd admitted this to Ryo, but it was still difficult to discuss, yet…they really needed to figure this thing out, and it would only make sense with some context. "I uh…So I have some um, self-esteem problems, I guess? I-I know it bothers Himi and 'Chako, and my mom, and Toshi, and well, okay, it seems to bother everyone when I say something about how useless I am or whatever, and uh, I guess I used to hurt myself sometimes but not anymore cause I made a deal with 'Chako and Himi, and um…" they broke off into a sigh, slumping forward as their voice fell to a whisper.

"I know, in my head, that how I think and feel isn't 'right'. So I'm trying to work on it, with Ryo's and everyone else's help. But um, there's something else in our bond that I'm worried about because I think I know what it is, I think I know what I'm feeling, and since I can feel what they feel I know they do too, but…I don't know if it's right to actually even think about it! I'm like, really messed up! It wouldn't be good for us to even consider it, right? Like, that's a bad idea isn't it?" Pleadingly, they looked up at Danjuro for some sort of validation of their thought process, meeting the man's blue eyes with his own.

Danjuro looked at them with a flat, contemplative expression, their ever present grin gone. He had his gloved hands clasped on the desk as he left Izuku finish, nodding slowly at Izuku in acceptance of what Izuku had said. After a moment, they lifted the teapot and poured two cups, sliding the steaming one over to Izuku, the green-haired teen taking it absently. He lifted up his own teacup and took a sip, seeming to mull over his response.

"Alright. That is a lot of information at once, but I certainly understand how difficult it is to admit that. It takes great strength to admit to your struggles, and I'm impressed already I must admit."

Izuku snorted dismissively. "It's not strength. I'm the weak one who can't stop being stupid."

"And how is it not strength, to face your weaknesses? Is that not what it means to be strong? Everyone has weaknesses, Izuku. Everyone has failings and makes mistakes. And many cannot find the strength to fight against that, to admit to what hurts them and make a genuine effort to find ways to get better. And yet, here you are, in this room. And you know what that tells me? It tells me you want help. And there is nothing wrong with asking for help. Tis why our profession exists, isn't it? To help people."

Izuku stared at him for a moment, before letting out a rueful chuckle. "Okay. Um…can you help me then?"

"I shall do my level best," Danjuro replied softly, with a smile on his face.

Ochako felt a bit unsure what to do. Izuku was with the counselor, and she was trying not to pay attention to their emotions as much as possible. It was a combination of things, really…one, they all wanted to reinforce their privacy, at least a little bit, after the weird mind fusion thing. Resonance, or whatever the vestiges called it. But two, and maybe more importantly, they really wanted to focus on themselves right now.

Himiko was in the kitchen, humming softly to herself as she busied herself at the stove. The blonde rarely cooked, since Izuku seemed to enjoy it so much, but apparently she was an expert in every aspect of 'homemaking', as she called it. This supposedly meant cooking, cleaning, and being a good hostess for 'get togethers'. Also, knitting…apparently Himiko could knit. Both Ochako and Izuku had been incredibly taken aback by that, since she'd never brought it up, but yep. She could knit.

Himiko had been…different, since the talk with her old friends. Ochako at first was worried about it, the fact Himiko had started doing these chores more, since it felt like that was conditioning from back when her mother was forcing her to do these things. But Himiko had been very insistent…she actually enjoyed them. Not all of them. Being a hostess was exhausting, and while she didn't mind cleaning she didn't get enjoyment out of it. But she did like making fancy foods, things Ochako had never even heard of, and she was talking about getting some knitting needles and yarn to start well, knitting again.

Ochako was happy for her. And happy for Izuku, actually going to the counselor and getting better. Ochako also had a session scheduled for tomorrow, but for now…she felt rather lost. Izuku was improving in leaps and bounds, and at this point had started to become the emotional crux of their weird relationship. They had the ability to always cut through the haze and figure out what was going on.

Himiko, on the other hand, finally seemed to know who she was and was happy with it. She was happier than she'd ever been since they'd reconnected! It was like knowing that she didn't waste eighteen years of her life entirely, that only parts of it were something to dismiss, made her feel so much more comfortable in her skin. Her fears didn't vanish, her self-loathing still reared its ugly head, but it was much, much quieter, and a gentle undercurrent of joy and cheer was roaming the bond just beneath everything else, something that warmed Ochako's chest and made her want to smile.

But that left her. Yes, yes, she knew comparing herself was a bad idea, and she wasn't ignoring her own progress. Nemuri had her keeping a journal where she tracked her bad days and how well her attempts to fix her eating habits were going, and she was also showing Ochako her stats from training. Seeing it on paper, seeing hard evidence that as she ate better, she got better, really did help. And she was trying really hard to never ignore that she was getting somewhere, she really was.

But that was still…she still wasn't sure who she was. Not anymore. After the resonance incident, was she even fully Ochako anymore? Or was she some conglomeration of Ochako, Himiko, and Izuku? And…did she actually care? That was the question causing her the most consternation. She…kinda liked the bond. She liked knowing them, feeling them, knowing she wasn't alone. If the cost of that was losing a bit of her individuality; well, the idea of that should have horrified her, but it didn't?

Then again the point might be moot. The vestiges were quite confident that outside of resonance being active, they were still 100% themselves. But was that really true? People change based on the people around them even without Quirks connecting them. It's just how life was…part of who you are was built up by the people around you, the influence they had on you. And the influence Izuku and Himiko had on her? It was a big damn influence.

She groaned to herself as she leaned back on the couch, rubbing at her face. Gods, this was confusing. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden pressure on the couch next to her, the cushion bouncing slightly as Himiko simply flopped onto it next to her. She lowered her hands to see a small plate shoved in her face, Himiko's expression one of focus and almost demanding. She held a spoon in her other hand.

"Um…wha?" Ochako asked intelligently.

Himiko peremptorily shoved the plate towards her again. "I made it. It's a western desert called a Crème brûlée. Eat it!"

Ochako swallowed thickly, staring at it with trepidation. But…she was doing better too, so it wasn't as bad. She wasn't panicking, just uncomfortable, and that she could deal with. Plus…with how excited and anticipatory Himiko was, she kinda wanted to make her happy. She took the spoon and very carefully slipped it in, watching as the custard settled on her spoon. She took a deep breath, before sticking the spoon in her mouth…and it was delicious.

She let out a contented hum of enjoyment, ignoring the twinge in her stomach as she swallowed the dessert, looking up at Himiko with a soft grin that Himiko returned with a blinding smile that made Ochako want to squint.

"So…you like?!" Himiko asked, nearly vibrating in place out of excitement.

"It's no mochi, but it's close," Ochako replied, smirking at Himiko as the blonde's expression turned flat for a brief moment, pouting at her before breaking into giggles.

"Yeha yeah, I know, nothing can beat your precious mochi. Gosh, we should just change your hero name to Mochi and be done with it," Himiko scoffed with no heat.

Ochako rolled her eyes, taking another bite of the dessert. "Why'd you make this anyways?"

Himiko shrugged. "I just…wanted to make something sweet for you is all."

Ochako felt her insides turn to utter mush at that, looking at Himiko in wonderment. That was just the cutest thing, gosh why is Himi so goddamn cute. The expression on her face must have been something to see, because Himiko's cheeks turned red as she looked away from Ochako, flustered. She brushed one of her bangs out of her eyes, offering a shy smile as she pointed at the dessert again. "So…do you think you'd like it some other time?"

Ochako admittedly was a bit thrown by her own feelings, as well as Himiko's, the surge of positive emotions now swirling together (and the sudden feeling of fond bemusement from Izuku added atop it), but…right now, she just really wanted Himiko happy, so she took another bite of her dessert and grinned. "Himi, I'd like anything you make for me."

Himiko squeaked, looking even more red than before, before turning away entirely and scurrying back into the kitchen. "I-I gotta clean up, you just enjoy that!"

Ochako leaned back on the couch, her earlier consternation faded slightly as she felt unreasonably smug with herself. She mused, "You know…I kinda see why Himi likes to tease us so much."

Izuku left Danjuro's office with a weird combination of determination and anxiety. Because they did manage to have the conversation they wanted to, about how they felt and whether it was worth talking about it. Danjuro was quite complementary to Izuku, about how smart it was to consider their own emotional state and whether they were prepared for that.

Danjuro did, however, point out the problem: in their case, the shared emotions meant that eventually, they'd all understand. And if they simply all kept quiet, if no one ever spoke about it, the stress and anxiety would build up and make everything worse. His suggestion was to actually discuss the matter and decide, together, what would be the best solution. Maybe they did decide to table the idea for now, and that was fine, but the trio should talk about it, so there were no misunderstandings or confusion around it.

And so, Izuku decided to talk to them about it. The dorms were going to be empty for at least a week longer due to internships, and with just the three of them, maybe…maybe it was time to talk. Because Izuku had been right…they knew what they were feeling, they'd put the words to it before Ochako or Himiko had, they just…were afraid of it. The fear hadn't really gone away per se, but it was a good chance to confront it and well, just speak their mind.

On the flip side, they were a bit annoyed when they returned to the dorms to find Ochako and Himiko both sitting on the couch, waiting for them because they already knew Izuku wanted to discuss something. No surprises anymore, they mused with an internal sigh. They set that aside, taking a moment to look at them both. With how their chest tightened, warmth suffused their veins, and a smile threatened to break out as soon as they saw them…gosh Izuku had it bad.

"So um…can we talk?" Izuku asked. They already kinda knew the answer, but the only way this conversation could go along with any semblance of sanity they had to do it the right way.

"Sure," Ochako said, nodding at them.

Himiko shrugged. "We knew you wanted to talk, although I'm not sure about what exactly. But I got an inkling."

Izuku took a deep, bracing breath. "You're right. I-you know what? Screw it. I'm just going to come out and say it."

Himiko snorted. "That sounds like something 'Chako would say."

Ochako made a face of annoyed agreement. "I…can't argue with that."

Izuku waved them off. "Don't throw me off please, I need to follow my script here." Himiko let out a choked giggle as Ochako smiled up at them, but both kept quiet to let Izuku continue. Izuku breathed a breath out. "Okay. I-I think we all know that there are some feelings between us that might be…different, from how we feel about our other friends. I know because I can feel it, and you can feel it, and somewhere inside I think you both came to the same conclusion I did about what those feelings are."

Izuku took a second to get their bearings, pacing slowly back and forth as they continued. "For a while, I was torn. Were they my feelings or yours? Or worse, were they my feelings and the ones you had were mine as well, me forcing them onto you? Anxiety brain says they absolutely must be, because in no fucking world would people are incredible as you have anything approaching soft feelings towards my useless ass. But!" they held up a hand to cut off the instinctual denial both girls were about to give them, their tail swishing calmly behind them. "I know that's anxiety brain talking. Or depression brain. Still not sure which and I haven't quite quantified the differences but, wait, no, that's off topic. Talk about that later."

Izuku shook their head, still not looking at the two girls as they continued to pace, their ears flicking as they gestured towards the empty air. "So I had to spend some time figuring out that what we all felt was still unique to each of us. But then I thought, am I even in a place, an emotional or mental headspace, that was healthy enough to pursue something like this? I didn't know. To be honest, I still don't. But I was talking to the assistant counselor and he pointed out that because of our linked emotions, we can't really hide from each other. We can't hold back. And if we just let this fester in the background, eventually, it'd be more stressful than just talking about it. So…that's what I wanna do. Talk about it. Or rather…talk about us."

Finally, Izuku finished their speech, choosing now to turn and look at the two girls, eyes widening at the sight. Himiko's cheeks were red, but she kept their gaze unwaveringly, amber eyes shimmering slightly as she locked hers with their emerald green. Ochako's face was violently red though, and she seemed to be having trouble meeting their eyes, but…she wasn't fleeing the room. Her shoulders were hunched slightly, and she was doing some deep breathing exercises, but she then turned to look at Izuku resolutely, like she'd steeled herself for a tough talk. Izuku nodded at them both. Time to figure this whole thing out.

Chapter Text

Himiko gulped, sitting upright. "O-okay. Um…okay, you said some stuff, do you want us to say stuff?"

"I mean, if you want, I don't want to monopolize this conversation," Izuku replied, their voice unsure.

Ochako clapped her hands onto her face with a loud 'slap!', taking a deep breath. "Okay, nah, Izu's right. We gotta just say it, don't we? Otherwise we're gonna keep dancing around it and never get anywhere."

"Yeah but like…if we all know it, do we have to say it?" Himiko asked, her shoulders hunched.

"I…I think so, Himi. Not just because it's best to lay it all out to avoid any misunderstandings, but we have to decide what to do with it. Because like I said…I don't know if I'm emotionally in the right place to treat you two right," Izuku said softly.

Ochako rolled her eyes. "And of course you make it about us, dork," she sighed, her voice full of a confused mix of annoyance and affection.

"I'm trying to be sweet here!" Izuku protested.

"You don't have to try to do that, Izu," Himiko interjected, making Izuku sputter for a moment.

"W-well, I mean, that is-" they began to mutter when Ochako leapt to her feet, fists clenched at her side.

"I like both of you!" she shrieked, eyes closed, head bowed, shoulders hunched as if in fear of a blow. When no response was forthcoming, she dared to lift her head slightly, looking at the faces of a flushed but vibrating Himiko and a pale, gaping expression from Izuku. She took a deep breath. "Just…just had to get it over with. Just fuckin' say it. No more pussyfootin' around. Just rip off the bandaid."

"She's…she's right. Yeah, okay. You're right too Izu. I knew what it was, but I never said it. I was…I was afraid to change things too much, to try and push stuff forward, because I can't lose either of you. And, and maybe you're also right, it's not the time to pursue it, but, but we can at least say it, right? Right?" Himiko said in a plaintive tone.

Izuku was silent for a moment, before nodding. "Y-yeah. Okay. I-I really do like the both of you too." After a moment to contemplate what they said, they mused, "That was easier than I thought it'd be."

"Probably 'cause 'Chako broke the ice for us," Himiko muttered. "But okay, my turn, and, yes. I really like the both of you. A lot. I just…I don't know what to do with that."

"Yeah that um…I think that's where I get stuck too," Izuku said.

"...do we need to do anything with it right now?" Ochako asked quietly. The other two turned to look at her, as she looked down at her hands contemplatively. "We know how we feel. And we know we're all hurting, in our own ways, but we're trying to get help and it's…it's going well, I think. I think we're getting better. We already spend our nights together. We already cuddle, and hold hands, and it's not like everyone else doesn't already think we're um…together. So…maybe if we just acknowledge it and we let it just go where it goes as we get better?"

Himiko nodded absently before pausing. "So…I'm fine with that idea, but like…doesn't that mean we've basically been dating?"

Ochako worked her jaw silently for a moment, before shrugging, her cheeks pink. "I guess…things wouldn't change much if we were dating, huh?"

"Platonic cuddling is a thing," Izuku mused. "That said…I mean…you got a point. We kinda do act like we are. And we're already tied together anyways. I guess the more I think about it…a romantic relationship isn't that super different from what we have going on right now as is. In our unique situation, the emotional labor is probably about the same either way, so…maybe I'm being paranoid about it?"

"I don't think you're being paranoid. You're scared of hurting us. It's just…if you were going to, you would anyways," Himiko said with a shrug. Both Ochako and Izuku looked at her in confusion, so she elaborated. "What I mean is, if you have some sort of breakdown, it's going to impact us the same either way. We're connected. We can't avoid it. And you can't just run from us, because of this connection. We're all tied together in this. So like, I'm fine if we don't wanna label things or whatever, just pointing out I don't know if it matters."

"You…make a really good point," Izuku replied with a sigh, their shoulders slumping as a rueful smile crossed their face. "Here I was, wracking my brain about the right thing to do for the past week and still, it's kinda simple."

"I don't like that it feels like the decision is being made for us," Ochako said slowly. "But I also like the bond and every Quirk has drawbacks…the whole emotion sharing thing is both a good and bad thing, like we figured out a while ago. But I guess…honestly I don't care that much. We did figure out our feelings are our own, thanks to the vestiges. And if we're tied together, and spending all our time together, doing most of the dating stuff anyways and we know we like each other, it does feel kinda inevitable."

Izuku snorted, muttering under their breath in a deep voice "I am inevitable," making both girls glance askance at them. They shrugged sheepishly. "I like old superhero movies! Sue me!"

"I can think of a better punishment than a lawsuit…" Himiko began, a wide, toothy grin appearing on her face as she lowered herself into a crouch, fingers outstretched in a clawing motion. Izuku saw this and narrowed their eyes, getting up and taking a step back from her, tensing their muscles as Ochako rolled her eyes…which was apparently the signal, because Himiko leapt over the couch and began chasing Izuku around the common room, cackling wildly as Izuku giggled, darting away from her outstretched fingertips.

Ochako pursed her lips, her chest full of laughter and light, realizing that while they didn't really state it outright yet, they all seemed to be on the same page. She decided they could triple check later, but for now…chasing her new partners(?) around and seeing who won this tackle tickle fight seemed like a better use of her time. As the duo darted past her once more, she leapt into action, chasing after Himiko who was chasing Izuku, new shrieks coming from the other two at her sudden presence. This…felt right. She giggled, her hands swiping to try and grab onto Himiko's tail, the blonde flicking it right under her nose as she leapt away, chasing Izuku who had just flipped over the couch to escape. Ochako just smiled, continuing the chase, a weight off her shoulders dropping as she decided to just have fun.

"...yeah so okay, we're dating, fine, but uh…what do we tell the class?" Ochako asked, panting slightly as she lay on the couch, sprawled out over Izuku's lap.

Izuku shrugged as best they could, being used as a pillow by both Ochako and Himiko, who was splayed out over their chest. "Do we want to say anything?"

"Well…we'll get made fun of either way, and then Mina will gush for three hours and Momo will try not to gush but do it anyway," Himiko remarked, yawning. She stretched her limbs, Izuku idly shoving her foot out of their face as she nearly kicked them from where she was.

"Yeah so…just rip off the bandaid?" Ochako asked.

"May as well. They come back in four days, right?" Himiko replied.

Izuku sighed. "Maybe we just say something in the group chat later?"

"That sounds like a terrible idea. Let's fucking do it!" Himiko cheered halfheartedly, nuzzling into Ochako's neck.

Ochako giggled at the sensation, gently scratching Himiko's ears. "Yeah, she's right, we'll just say something when we check in on them tonight."

"Fine by me. So…what do we do till then?" Izuku asked. They regretted the question, as they could feel the gremlin mischief building in Himiko, making them narrow their eyes down at her, Ochako looking up with the same seeking glare.

Himiko grinned, her teeth glinting in the light as she said, in as cutesy a voice as possible, "Make out?"

Izuku sputtered, their cheeks going bright red even though they expected something like that from Himiko. The same flustered and embarrassed feeling shot across the bond from Ochako, the brunette quickly smacking Himiko on the shoulder as Himiko giggled, her own feelings of embarrassment being shoved down by her mischief.

"Sorry, but you two are so cute when you get all flustered," she said, still giggling. Izuku and Ochako took a moment to share a look, and their own feelings of mischief coming across the bond made Himiko tense up. "Hey now wait a-"

Himiko was given no time to finish her sentence, as the other two pounced, Ochako's hands now buried in Himiko's hair as she scratched at her ears, Izuku gripping Himiko's tail and slowly petting it as their other hand began to gently massage her calves, the blonde groaning and collapsing into a puddle, eyes closing. As the duo began to pamper her from multiple angles, she felt it bubbling up in her chest, a low, rumbling purr escaping her. She let out an attempt at an annoyed huff, but the fact she couldn't muster up the energy to be annoyed was even more annoying. "That's unfair," she whined, pressing her head up into Ochako's hands.

"You did it to yourself," Izuku admonished with humor in their voice.

"Meeeeeeeh," Himiko whined again. Ochako and Izuku shared another glance, smiles on their faces at Himiko's audible pouting. They decided to lay back and just enjoy the time cuddled together, before they had to face their classmates later and deal with the reactions, just basking calmly in the sunlight streaming through the bay windows and relaxing.

RipleysNemesis: ugh, i am so fucking tired you guys

ClassGoddess: Is your internship that exhausting?

RipleysNemesis: not like, in a bad way I guess? there's just so much work though

GottaGoFast: Well, it is to be expected, isn't it?

PunkNeverDies: at least your not with this jerk. why did I think death arms would be a good choice, ugh. i blame midoriya

OnePunchWoman: wait, why blame them?

PunkNeverDies: they shoulda told me death arms would be shit!

Nyanbinary: I mean…you didn't ask.

IDoNotLikePoe: Speak of the devil and they doth appear.

Nyanbinary: I don't know how I feel about being called 'the devil' in this context…

BoulderBro: eh, you know how Tokobro is. get this though, i ended up at the same internship as Tetsu!

Shoto: Did you now? Hmm. I shall add to my list.

SpaceCadet: i'm scared to ask, but what list?

Shoto: My list of reasons that Kirishima and Tetsutetsu are clearly clones.

CountessKarnstein: wait, who is whose clone then?

Shoto: They are both clones of the same rock, which clearly contained trace amounts of metal.

BoulderBro:...clones…of a rock.

Shoto: Yes.

WebCrawler: i'm a bit concerned about how Todoroki comes up with these things

Shoto: The evidence is quite clear. Just like the evidence for Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko is.

Nyanbinary: Wait, what evidence for us?!

Shoto: That you are members of an extraterrestrial race of cat people

SpaceCadet: okay, that one's not so bad

CountessKarnstein: you're only saying that because you want to be in space!

ClassGoddess: If you three are aliens, please, abduct me from this internship. I regret my choices as much as Kyoka regrets hers.

OnePunchWoman: Yeah, uh…this kinda sucks over here.

CountessKarnstein: can't save you from that, but we can give you good news?

ClassGoddess: Oh?

RipleysNemesis: my senses are tingling!

VanishingAct: what senses?

RipleysNemesis: i have no idea!

ForkInASocket: ignoring Ashido for now, what'd you three do, stop a terrorist organization somehow?

Nyanbinary: We're not that bad…

CatsAreBetterThanPeople: yes. yes you are.

CountessKarnstein: well now i don't wanna tell you!

SpaceCadet: oh ffs, lets just say it and let them get it out of their system already!

Nyanbinary: okay but then, who says it?

CountessKarnstein: fine. the three of us are dating. mina, you stop typing right now i already know youre about to explode

Nyanbinary: I want it on record we were not dating before today though, this is a new development!

RipleysNemesis: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!1111111111one

CountessKarnstein: i said stop typing!

GottaGoFast: You expected that to stop her? Setting that aside, my heartfelt congratulations for your new relationship! I would normally suggest not to let it distract you, but I'm aware your very bond is already distracting and thus it likely makes no difference!

SpaceCadet: thanks, I think?

ClassGoddess: May we ask how this came about?

VanishingAct: admit it Momo, you just want the gossip! youre blushing aren't you?!

ClassGoddess: I don't see how that is relevant

OnePunchWoman: Oh, she is totally blushing. Also let out a squee when she read it.

ClassGoddess: You have a big smile on your face as well Itsuku, do not try to distract!

Nyanbinary: I didn't think our love lives were of so much interest to the class…

ForkInASocket: i mean, the meowsketeers are the face of our class right now

VanishingAct: uh, its cause we all knew you three were soulmates, obviously

SpaceCadet: lets not go that far. we just figured this out ourselves, okay? like, lets not make a big deal out of it

RipleysNemesis: awww, we won't push i promise! we're just happy for you guys is all!

WebCrawler: also like, you guys are three cuddly catfolk. dunno what you expect from us, your by default cute

Nyanbinary: ajkhsdfhjgbaf

CountessKarnstein: that is an accurate depiction of the sounds they made

Nyanbinary: Okay, let's talk about anything else, okay?

PunkNeverDies: sure, wanna listen to me bitch about death arms more?

SpaceCadet: oh, fuck yeah! that guy was a jerk to Izu!

PunkNeverDies: wait, he was? well fuck, now I feel even worse for going with him

Nyanbinary: No, don't. You didn't know, it's not like I told any of you. But yeah, he's not a great hero in my opinion, so please, feel free to go off.

PunkNeverDies: okay, right. So listen…

"Okay so…now what do we do?" Himiko asked, laying upside down on the couch as Izuku puttered around in the kitchen.

Ochako shrugged, grumpily turning a page in her physics textbook. "I don't know about you, but I'm studying for the quiz when everyone gets back."

"That's boring," Himiko whined. "C'mon, we're dating now, shouldn't we do dating things?"

"Like what exactly?" Izuku asked from the kitchen, their attention on the mixing bowl in front of them.

"I dunno, that's why I asked!"

Ochako rolled her eyes, reaching over and gently bopping Himiko on the head. "I mean, it's not like we can go on a date. We're not supposed to leave campus after all the stuff we got into."

Himiko pouted for a moment, before her eyes went wide. With unnatural agility, she flipped herself upright, smiling widely. "I have an idea!" she proclaimed, causing both Izuku and Ochako to turn and look at her in confusion. The mix of emotions in her chest was no help to them either; at this point, the warmth of her affection was a regular undercurrent, and her other emotions were excitement and a bit of mischief, which told them nothing useful whatsoever. They had no time to react, as she bolted out the front door, leaving the two remaining sitting there in confusion.

Ochako and Izuku shared a look, before Izuku let out a shrug and returned to their task, currently working from a recipe their mom sent them for cookies. They weren't bad at cooking, but they'd rarely tried their hand at baking so they figured, may as well kill some time this way. Plus, they wanted to try to appeal to Ochako's sweet tooth. While she was doing better, she still struggled, and one thing that Himiko and Izuku had learned about their girlfriend can't believe they could call her that is that she really liked sweets. Granted, they couldn't ever give her a lot of them, because she was still on a strict diet, but there was an allowance for some sweets, so…Inko's Mom Style Chocolate Chip Cookies it was!

Ochako continued to study, but her nose was twitching at the scent of the cookies as Izuku placed them in the oven and started baking. Izuku couldn't help but smirk as they watched the brunette keep losing her place at the smell, her tail flicking and ears swiveling as if to listen for the sound of the timer going on, even if it was still going to be a while. There was something to be said for the instincts and the enhanced senses the trio had, Izuku mused…albeit the whole being more easily distracted was quite frustrating. Cat instincts wanted to investigate every disturbance, and basically anything out of the ordinary counted.

Luckily for the both of them, said instincts served them well in being able to hear Himiko's return, because the blonde burst into the common room without any warning, her hair mussed, grin wide, panting slightly. Izuku just arched an eyebrow at her, Ochako sighing with a soft smile as she turned her attention to the blonde.

"I did it!" Himiko cheered, dancing over to the couch and falling into Ochako's arms, the brunette catching her in time with a bemused look. Izuku sauntered over and leaned over the back of the couch, looking down at her.

"Did what?"

"Got us a date!" Himiko replied, rolling over to look up at Izuku with a grin.

Ochako blinked at her in confusion, the hand she'd lifted to begin scratching Himiko's ears frozen. "Come again?"

"I talked to Miss Kayama and Lunch Rush! Since we can't leave campus, I asked if there was a nice place we could just go and be alone for a while for a picnic, and Miss Kayama told me where we could go! Even got us permission! And Lunch Rush said he'd make us a nice picnic basket! So yeah, we can go on a picnic date!"

"Himi," Ochako said in a soft, disbelieving tone. Himiko looked up at her, worried, as she saw tears gathering in the corner of the brunette's eyes. Her attention moved to Izuku, seeing the same thing, but also a gentle smile on their face. She paused, reaching inside for the emotions…oh. The sheer level of love and affection and general joy rolling between the two of them made Himiko grin even wider. They liked the idea! It made them happy, and that made her happy!

Himiko squirmed in Ochako's lap, reaching one hand up to grab Izuku's and squeeze it as she pressed her head into Ochako's hand. She toned down her excitement and spoke to them in a quiet voice. "Things have been really hectic and messy and today was a lot. So let's just go have some fun together, okay?"

Izuku's grin grew wider, the hand clasped in hers squeezing her hand. "Y-yeah. Okay. We can take the cookies with us too!"

Ochako sniffled, but let out a wet chuckle at the same time. "You're so sweet, Himi. Thank you."

Himiko reached up and patted Ochako on her cheek. "No thanks needed, just what a good girlfriend does." At the word girlfriend, all three of them felt the same surge inside, an almost tingling sensation running up their spines as their smiles grew once more.

The spell was broken by the timer on the stove going off, Izuku squeezing Himiko's hand once more before heading to the stove to fetch the cookies before they burned. With that, Himiko nuzzled Ochako's hand once more before sitting up, starting to gather up Ochako's study materials as the brunette sighed. She stood up and began to clean up as well, finding herself excited at the thought of getting to actually go on a date, and for once, just once, no pain underscoring her happiness, just…joy.

Chapter Text

Izuku couldn't remember being this happy. Sure, part of it was bleedover, but they knew a large part of it was just actually enjoying their day off…and their date. Date. What a word. Izuku could not even begin to believe they were on a date, especially not with Himiko and Ochako.

When they were kids, Himiko and Ochako were just…well, Himi and 'Chako. Nothing more, nothing less. They just were, and that was all that mattered to Izuku back then. And when they left, when Izuku's life became fire and sound and pain, when Izuku lost all sense of who they were, Himiko and Ochako were their hope. Their drive. Their reason for going on when part of them wanted to just give up, when that little voice in the back of their head would whisper poisoned honey in their ears, about how their mom would be better off, how no one would care, how they weren't worth keeping alive. Himiko and Ochako were Izuku's weapon, their sword and shield against that, the promise they'd made as children being everything Izuku focused on.

And when they got to UA, when their Quirks merged and bonded, Izuku was too lost and afraid and guilty to really focus on what that meant for them anymore. As more and more changes followed, their very body twisting to this new form, they had to actively fight their own guilt and fears and shove them down, so as to not bother the other two who were struggling with their own issues.

And yet somehow…they were here? This didn't make a lot of sense, and instinctively Izuku wanted to retreat from it. They didn't deserve this, they never deserved it…or so their mind kept saying. But the warmth, the sheer affection and care and dare they say love that would burn across the bond, proof positive of how Himiko and Ochako felt, that silenced that voice more than any words ever could.

And so as Izuku sat there, leaning back against a tree and laughing at Himiko currently dancing about with a celery stalk, acting like she was a swashbuckler in some movie, Ochako bent forward as she tried to control her own giggles, all they could think was how much fun they were having, and how happy this made them. A date had never been something they had ever considered, and yet here they were.

"...and so yeah, Rika apparently had such a bad date that she claimed she's giving up on dating forever, not that any of us believe her," Himiko finished, having been sharing gossip from her old friends' lives as she pranced about swinging her celery 'sword'.

"Well, let's avoid going to a bar and drinking enough beer to drown six sailors then," Ochako snickered in reply.

Izuku shook their head ruefully. "I genuinely don't get how someone could enjoy that as a date, to be honest."

Himiko shrugged. "Eh, Rika was always a bit of a party girl. She never overindulged, but I know she liked going to parties and stuff. Apparently her date wasn't on the same page though."

"Still, can't say I see the appeal," Izuku shrugged.

Himiko nodded, miming taking notes as she murmured "Note to self, no bars for Izu."

Izuku snorted, waving her off. "I don't care where I go so long as it's with the two of you."

Silence rang out over the small clearing the trio was in, as Himiko and Ochako stared at Izuku with dropped jaws, pink spilling over their cheeks. Izuku blinked at them in confusion, then rocked back as the sudden wave of emotion surged across the bond. Their brain finally caught up to what they said, and Izuku's own face went red as they squeaked, planting their face in their palms for a moment.

"I-I mean, I uh, I don't need to be around you all the time or anything, like, I'm not trying to be possessive or anything but uh-"

"Izu," Ochako's soft voice cut their flustered speech off, her hands reaching out and pulling their hands away from their face, the green-haired teen meeting Ochako's eyes. She was smiling softly, eyes gleaming with unshed tears as she placed her hand on Izuku's cheek. "Thank you. That was very sweet," she said.

Izuku swallowed, pushing their embarrassment down. They knew what Ochako was doing…communication was key, they'd had that beaten into their head over and over by their mentors and the counselors, and they knew this was Ochako trying to be as blunt as possible to avoid any misunderstandings…and it worked. Right. Of course. It wasn't a bad thing to express their affections.

They lifted their hand up and cupped Ochako's in their own, smiling back. "You're welcome," they replied softly, the two staring at one another for a moment, before both turning their gaze to Himiko. The blonde was staring at them both, wide-eyed, fists over her mouth as she practically vibrated in place, the sheer joy coming across as she looked at them both.

"You two are so cute!" she squealed, as if she couldn't contain her words any more. Both Izuku and Ochako flushed, but didn't let themselves get too flustered this time. Instead, they each reached up one hand towards Himiko, the blonde lowering her own so they could grasp hers and pulled her down, Himiko finding herself sitting in Ochako's lap as the brunette leaned into Izuku, their arm and tail wrapping around her waist.

The trio sat together for a while, enjoying the warm sunlight, dappling through the trees upon their little picnic, before Izuku decided to embrace a little bit of the chaos Himiko always brought into their life. With a thought, Blackwhip slid out, forming into circular platforms in front of the trio, Ochako and Himiko both looking at them in askance…as Telekinesis pulled the sandwiches they'd prepared up and placed them on the platforms, Izuku grinning widely.

"What? I'm comfy," they said as an explanation for why they simply didn't end the embrace.

Ochako snorted, but one hand reached out to pick up a piece of floating mochi, tossing it into her mouth, puffing her cheeks out like a chipmunk as she muffled an incomprehensible reply.

Himiko snatched up a sandwich, immediately munching on it as she squirmed around in Ochako's lap, getting comfortable. Her tail flicked across Izuku's lap, entwining with their own as she grinned at them. Izuku returned her smile, closing their eyes and taking a deep breath in, enjoying the fresh air. This was a great start to their new relationship, and Izuku couldn't wait to see where they went with it.

Toshinori was in his office, going over his lesson plan for the return of the students from their internships, when he was distracted by a ping from his phone of an incoming text. Very few people actually had access to this number, so he was confused as to who was texting him at this time. He glanced down, feeling his eyes go wide in surprise at the number revealed, one which had not texted him in years. He thumbed the notification open, seeing a short, terse message commanding him to check his emails.

Arching an eyebrow, he opened up his personal email and scrolled through it. He rarely checked this particular email, as he seldom got messages to it, but there it was, a message from his old sidekick, Sir Nighteye. Their falling out had left both of the men unwilling to talk, so he'd somewhat dismissed him in his mind, which made the sudden outreach strange to him. Of course, now that he was looking at it, he noticed the date was well over a week back, which made sense why he got the text message.

He shook his head. Now was not the time to get distracted with the reason it never came up. He was more concerned with seeing what Mirai had emailed him about. He opened the email and began to read.

Shouta Aizawa was a man who was generally not easily startled. While he was very observant and kept his guard up, he always had been able to relax slightly at UA University, especially in his office. It was even enough for him to take the occasional nap during the day, a welcome jolt of energy to deal with his perpetual state of exhaustion.

That said, the sudden thunderous crash from the office next to his was more than enough to make him jump, scrambling out of his sleeping bag as he rushed to check in on Toshinori, concerned someone had attacked the school. Which, technically, it appeared like someone did…that someone just so happened to be Toshinori.

The pro was standing there, bulked up into his All Might form, breathing heavily with a snarl visible on his face, one fist embedded in the concrete wall, leaving Shouta to pretty easily surmise the cause of the sudden crashing noise he'd heard. He blinked at the Number One Hero proceeding to act like an annoyed teenager.

Toshinori glanced up, seeing Shouta standing there, and his cheeks went pink as he deflated, both physically and emotionally. The blonde sighed. "My apologies, Shouta. I received an…aggravating message from a former friend."

"Aggravating, huh?" Shouta drawled, arching an eyebrow at the cracked wall behind the other pro. He stepped into the office, pulling a chair out and taking a seat, placing his hands in his lap as he looked at Toshinori. "Something you want to get off your chest?"

Toshinori stared at him for a moment, before sighing, slumping back into his desk chair and leaning back to look at the ceiling. There was silence in the room for a moment, before Toshinori spoke. "It was my former sidekick, Sir Nighteye. I believe you're acquainted?"

"I've spoken to him once or twice, but nothing more than that."

"Well…to be blunt, he was one of the few people I trusted with the secret of One For All, back in the day. But we had a falling out after the final fight against All For One, and I haven't really spoken to him since. He sent me a rather…scathing message today that just…argh!" Toshinori growled, clenching his fists. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Do you know how his Quirk functions?"

Shouta shook his head no. "No, it's never come up."

"It's called Foresight. By touching someone and focusing, he can see the future play out like a movie."

Shouta blinked. "Well…that does seem incredibly useful."

"It is, but…the thing is, he believes what he sees is immutable. Granted, he's yet to be proven wrong, but his sample size is incredibly small. He rarely looks more than a few hours into the future at a time, and since it can only be used once per day, he's hesitant to wield it unless absolutely necessary. The few times he's glanced further into the future, they have always turned out the way he saw, but still…"

Shouta nodded along, starting to pick up on what Toshinori was getting at. "So he's fatalistic, I imagine?"

Toshinori nodded tiredly. "Absolutely. Since he's convinced he cannot change the future, he's often terrified of it. After the fight with All For One, he…he used his Quirk on me while I lay in the hospital, and what he saw was my death. According to his vision, it will happen within the next year or so, in fact."

Shouta blinked, taken aback by this, but wasn't given much of an opportunity to respond as Toshinori continued on. "This led to him begging me to retire and pass on my Quirk, thinking that could save me. But, I'm sure you see the problem with that idea."

"If his vision is infallible, nothing you do will change your fate, and if it's not, then we cannot know what would be the catalyst for your death," Shouta reasoned. "But, there is a point to be made that if it is possible for his visions to be wrong, then retiring gives you a much better chance of survival. Plus, you did pass it on, so I'm not sure what the issue is."

Toshinori waved his hand dismissively. "His point was more along the lines of what chaos would erupt from the retirement of the 'Symbol of Peace', and how I needed to find someone to take on that mantle from me. We didn't see eye to eye on this, and we parted in anger. He moved on to found his own agency, and I proceeded to continue my work."

"I'm still not seeing the issue. You did pass it on, and you've discussed plans to slowly phase your actions out, leaving more on the other heroes shoulders as the new students start to step into the role."

"It's because I chose my successor…and not the one he wanted me to choose," Toshinori said darkly, making Shouta finally understand. "Mirai often thinks he's the smartest man in the room, and at times, he is. He's certainly more intelligent than I am, and I can think of few as intelligent as him. But with intelligence and his Foresight, comes an unearned arrogance, and his most fatal flaw…he's not smart enough to see his own shortcomings. Apparently, when I refused to retire when he said I should, he started searching for a successor for me."

Shouta paused, trying to work through it. He knew Nighteye had been taking various interns and work study students over the years, which made sense if he was seeking a successor for One For All. But even assuming he found one, how did he know Toshinori passed it off if they hadn't spoken…oh goddammit. He facepalmed. "The kids on the news. He figured it out, didn't he?"

"Somewhat. He figured out it was one of them, but not which one, which was part of his complaint apparently. He wanted to know what the hell was going on with them."

"Which one did he think it was?"

"Young Ochako, actually. Her holding up the building was what made him believe it was her."

Shouta shrugged. "I can see how he'd get that idea, I guess. If he knew what her Quirk was."

Toshinori groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Oh trust me, he does. He ran background checks on all three of them. Which wouldn't be the worst thing, if he hadn't also used his connections to get ahold of Tsukauchi's personal notes on them!" Toshinori slammed his fist into his desk, and even in his shrunken state the wood cracked beneath the force. "Which means he knows about Himiko's parents, about Izuku's bullying and self-esteem issues, and Ochako's money and food issues."

"...that is incredibly unethical, if not outright illegal," Shouta said quietly, menace in his voice. No one looked into his kids personal information without their express permission.

"As I said…he thinks he's the smartest person in the room, and thus he thinks he's 'justified' in whatever actions he takes to get his goal. When I read that, I nearly stormed over to his agency to speak to him about it face to face. Unfortunately, that wasn't the worst part of his damned message to me."

"I'm hesitant to ask, but what was the worst part then?" Shouta asked, working his jaw in frustration.

Toshinori let out a low growl. "I'd rather not repeat it. Suffice it to say, it was some incredibly vicious personal attacks on the children, to 'explain' why they weren't suited to hold One For All. And he's insistent I meet his candidate, which I have no desire to do, and if I was to, I'd meet him here, away from Mirai's clutches!"

"Mirio Togata, right?" Shouta risked asking, having already picked out the person Nighteye most likely selected.

Toshinori snorted. "Is it that obvious who he chose?"

"Togata is larger than life, cheerful, loud, blonde, and while he struggled to utilize his Quirk at first, once he did a work study with Nighteye he became the top of his class. I expect him to beat Hawks' record of getting into the top ten once he gets out of UA. So if Nighteye is determined to replace you with a carbon copy, well…" Shouta trailed off.

Toshinori nodded. "Yes, I can see what you mean by that description. I'm sure Togata is a fine boy, but I made my choice, and I am more than happy with them. Not to mention that my 'symbol of peace' role was a mistake."

"...wait, what?" Shouta asked, unsure he heard the other hero properly.

Toshinori sighed. "I don't regret it, per se. What I did did bring peace, there is no denying that. But as I slowly back down my hours, as I lose my hold on what little remains of One For All, it's obvious to me that the criminal underbelly is starting to rise up once more. The attacks of the Nomu have left a scar on the psyche of the people, especially after Hosu, and the simple fact was I was not enough. A single pillar is not infallible. A single pillar does not a foundation make. And that was my biggest mistake, was to not realize I needed to help lift my fellow heroes up, to form an unbreakable base for which all others to build off of. But Mirai simply does not see it that way."

"He thinks we need another Symbol of Peace," Shouta mused. He sighed. "I understand the reasoning, but…to be honest, while I'm surprised you hold that view, it is one I agree with." After a moment, he continued. "Don't misunderstand me though…I believe you've done as much as you could to help people. My distaste for limelight heroics aside, there is no denying the good you've done the world. But, well…you said it. A single pillar is just asking to eventually wear away."

Toshinori nodded. "Exactly. And even if I hadn't been wounded the way I was…my life was not kind to me. I've missed out on so much of what life has to offer, and I would never wish that upon my successor no matter who they were. In fact, I insist they not follow me down that path…and I mean that for young Izuku as well as young Himiko and young Ochako."

He let out an annoyed sigh. "My apologies, I am yammering on now. To be more succinct…Mirai said some things about my choice in successors that made me lose my temper. I suppose the only small mercy there is he cannot speak to them himself, as I fear how any of the three would take the vitriol he spewed."

"Hmm. I'd rather not take chances. We'll make certain to flag if he comes to campus that he is to be escorted at all times. This should prevent any 'accidental' meetings, while not preventing him from his other duties. And perhaps we should speak to Togata and see if Nighteye instructed him to do anything," Shouta said.

"Yes, that does seem most prudent. If you could set that up it would be a great relief to me. I must decide how I intend on responding to his…words."

Shouta shrugged. "You're well within your rights to simply ignore him."

Toshinori shook his head no. "I'd rather not take chances of him continuing behind my back. I shall confront him and see if he can come to see my point of view. I cannot say our parting was entirely his fault, as I was the one who ignored someone who genuinely was concerned for my health and wellbeing, and well…as many have told me, I really am not good at keeping myself in mind." He smiled as he said that, a glimmer in his sunken eyes.

Shouta snorted. "Well, that's an understatement, if what Chiyo says is true."

"Hah! Well, you're not wrong there. For now though, I shall set up a meeting with Mirai, and see what can be done."

Chapter Text

The trio looked up from the breakfast table as Aizawa entered the dorm and headed towards them. After their date the prior night, they had returned to the dorms and enjoyed a calm, relaxing day together, before falling into bed as they usually did. There was a brief moment of…odd emotions coming across from all three, but they all decided together not to focus on that. They had just begun this new relationship, and right now they felt it better to just avoid any further entanglements. At least, for now. While they hadn't gone into detail, they'd spoken about it quickly and decided anything beyond just cuddles and petting would just…be a thing that happened if it happened, and for now, they'd stick to what they knew.

Which led to this morning, a calm and relaxing breakfast, one in which Ochako was okay, where Izuku actually felt slightly hopeful, and Himiko felt free. They were just finishing up a simple meal of omurice (Izuku having made cat faces in the ketchup as a joke), when their teacher entered the dorm and strode over to the table.

"Morning Sensei," the three chorused dutifully.

He nodded at them. "Morning. I'll cut to the chase. But first…Midoriya."

Izuku blinked, tilting their head to the side. "Yes?"

"I have a question for you and I want you to answer me honestly. Whatever answer you give is fine, but I still want it to be honest."

"Erm…okay?" Izuku was, admittedly, very confused, but wanted to know where their teacher was going with this.

Aizawa took a deep breath. "Are you still adamant about not exploring the possibility of permanently copying other Quirks?"

Izuku froze. They'd…kinda ignored that ever since their blowup back in the hospital, and had pretty much resolutely ignored it since. While their mom had been correct and the biggest reason for Izuku's loss of temper was around their twisted up feelings about Ochako nearly dying…there was still some resentment about the thought of taking things from others like that. It felt wrong. But…they shared a glance with Ochako and Himiko, the two girls looking at them with blank faces but wide open feelings. They knew both Ochako and Himiko saw no issue with it, and they couldn't deny the curiosity they felt about it…or how cool it would be to have so many powers. Not to mention, how many people they could help, especially with more 'utility' powers like Recovery Girl's.

Izuku let out a breath they didn't realize they were holding, feeling the tension seep out of their shoulders. "I uh…I'm willing to see about it."

Aizawa nodded, pulling a case out and placing it on the table. "Excellent. Here's the next week's supply of blood for you three. Normally we had a mix of blood, but this time we specifically chose certain members of the staff's blood. Specifically, mine, Midnight's, Vlad's, and Recovery Girl's. Cementoss, Ectoplasm, and Thirteen have mutations that we're not sure how effectively those would copy, and Mic's is very difficult to control without support equipment. We're also not sure how useful Snipe's would be, although he is a consideration for the next wave. According to the data we were presented with, if it's only these four you drink over the next few days, you should manifest those Quirks sooner rather than later. It appears like the copy part of your power is growing in strength, and as you use it, you may be able to gain access to Quirks with one or two doses."

Izuku blinked, the shock and bewilderment at how quickly this was going shared by Himiko and Ochako as well. Aizawa saw the taken aback expressions and spoke softer. "Nezu started making plans from the start as soon as he knew you had the ability. He was very disappointed his could not be shared, as you only get a benefit from human blood," Aizawa rolled his eyes at that, "but he was quite keen on these three being duplicated. Honestly, he's being a bit too mad scientist for my comfort, so if at any point you take issue with it, say something. We'll tell him to back off."

"I thought he was your boss though?" Himiko asked, arching an eyebrow.

Aizawa snorted. "He is. But he's also smart enough to know that he doesn't understand humans very well, and self-aware enough to realize he can and does sometimes go too far. It's why he keeps us teachers around and always shares his plans with us. He relies on us to pull him back from his worst impulses."

"Makes sense," Izuku murmured. Oddly, this was one thing they weren't that bothered by. Nezu experimenting on what were the best matches for the trio was…well, if Izuku was being honest with themselves, they kinda were thinking similarly, so it'd be hypocritical to take issue with Nezu's actions while they were busy contemplating what Quirks would work best. But more than that, they kinda agreed with the choices.

Erasure was stupidly powerful in their society, and not only being able to shut off enemy Quirks but also out of control civilian ones would be nothing but a boon. Midnight's let them easily subdue nearly anyone…well, okay, it'd be more effective on people attracted to them and sure, for Izuku that'd probably be no one, but Ochako and Himiko were rather pretty absolutely beautiful and would easily have plenty of people fall for that. Vlad King's…okay, if Izuku was being honest, Himiko would love that Quirk. Made them wonder how easily they could share their blood with each other though, since Vlad King somehow produced and used more blood than the human body could contain. And finally, Recovery Girl's was incredible for rescue work, even mid-disaster. Or even in a fight, they could heal one another and-

"All good points Midoriya, but perhaps you should let me finish explaining before you go off on tangents," Aizawa drawled, cutting Izuku's ruminations off and clueing them into the fact they'd been muttering aloud, to the affectionate smiles of Ochako and Himiko and Aizawa's amused gaze. Aizawa rolled his eyes. "My Quirk is fairly straightforward, and you've all used it. But when it comes to Midnight's, Vlad's, and especially Recovery Girl's, you need training with it. So that is what we're doing to do over the course of the next week while the others are at internships. Until you fully have copies, we'll simply donate some spare blood for you to use it while transformed. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" all three chorused at him, the excitement Izuku was now feeling bleeding over into the girls as they started contemplating the ways to mix and match all these powers. Izuku could feel Ochako's amusement and own excitement, and Himiko's glee and affection, the way the two were as on board for this as they were. They felt happy.

And that's when it hit them…they…they were happy. For once, for the first time in as long as they could remember, the background pain was gone. They weren't a fool. It'd come back. They'd read all the documentation, they knew how depression worked, but…but for once, they felt the relief of not having to constantly shove down dark thoughts, to force down pain, to bleed internally as they smiled on the outside. For one…they were actually happy…and they liked it.

Getting a meeting with Mirai turned out to be surprisingly easy, Toshinori mused as he waited in his office. Mirai had been willing to come and 'discuss' the situation with him, and was apparently as eager as Toshinori was because he was ready as soon as Toshinori was. And that led to this. While the trio were training with Chiyo in her office (and Toshinori made sure to give them a big thumbs up and wide grin as they passed in the hallway), he would meet with his old sidekick and hopefully, hopefully, resolve this stupid flareup before any change of him meeting or speaking to the trio happened. And they'd been careful to make sure Mirai could not approach Chiyo's office while they were there…Nezu was practically stalking the man through the cameras. Although come to think of it, that wasn't very different from Nezu's normal behavior…ah, unimportant.

A knock on Toshinori's door brought him out of his musings, him giving an acknowledging call to let the other man know he could enter. With little fanfare, Mirai Sasaki, Sir Nighteye, opened the door, standing there and staring down Toshinori with a cold expression. Even with his ability to keep his composure, Toshinori still noted the flinch in Mirai's expression as he saw him in his shrunken form…but he said nothing, stepping forward and taking the seat Toshinori had set out for him.

The two men sat in silence, the lack of sound extending to the point of awkwardness. Toshinori had expected Mirai to speak up, to go off on another tangent as he was wont to do, and yet he simply sat there, waiting. Fine. Toshinori took a deep breath. "Alright. Mirai, we need to talk."

"Yes, so you said in your reply. Very well, what is there to talk about? Your mistake in successor?" Mirai shot back tersely.

Toshinori held up one finger. "Firstly, you do not know them, therefore, you can't say I was mistaken. You have zero idea of what they are like, you simply stole information that was not yours to read and made a judgment off of it." Mirai opened his mouth to try and argue, but Toshinori soldiered on, ignoring him. "Secondly, as I've said to you before, it is not your decision who inherits One For All, it is mine. As it has been for every wielder since the chain began. Thirdly, you still don't even know who inherited it so I have no idea how you think you can judge!"

"So it wasn't Uraraka? Fine. Whichever of them has it is the wrong one. Togata is perfect for the role, Toshinori! He's everything you were!" Mirai said emphatically, hands outstretched.

Toshinori sighed, rubbing his nose. "Everything I was was a mistake! A single pillar was a poor decision by any stretch of the imagination!"

"Even if I were to concede that point, is that not why you are now educating an entire generation of heroes? Togata could easily lead that charge and you could still keep whoever it is as a hero! They simply would need to use their own Quirk!" Mirai argued.

Toshinori sighed once more, remembering why he hated talking to Mirai sometimes. "Mirai, I am sure Togata is a good boy. Everything I've heard about him is good. But I've already made my choice! My choice has the heart of a hero, and I've finally given them a chance to stand in the ring. Togata is doing well on his own, it's clear he does not need the help."

Mirai narrowed his eyes. "Ah…so it is Midoriya who holds it. Of course. That makes sense. The sludge villain incident was what convinced you, wasn't it?"

Toshinori pursed his lips, annoyed. "And what of it?"

"Toshinori, don't you see? Even if I concede your point that they are worthy, and believe me I have not, they are just starting out! They're in their first year! Togata is ready to fill your shoes now, and we don't have a lot of…" Mirai trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"A lot of time? Let's talk about that, shall we?"

"I think we did more than enough talking about it before."

Toshinori looked up at the ceiling, praying internally for patience. He took a deep breath to calm himself, reminding himself of the man he once knew back in the day. "Alright. Let's address the elephant in the room. Mirai…I know you were just worried about me back then. And I know that you were scared, and upset, and felt ignored. I know, and I treated you unfairly. I should have heard you out, even if I disagreed, I should have at least given you the courtesy of not just…ignoring you. I'm sorry. I truly am."

Toshinori never thought he'd see his old sidekick look truly and deeply gobsmacked, his eyes wide, mouth agape, staring at him like he was looking at a stranger. But Toshinori chose to soldier on. "All that said…you can't tell me you still intend on trying to save me. If your visions are absolute, nothing you do will stop my painful death. And if they aren't, then we have nothing to be concerned about."

Mirai rocked back, before shaking his head. "I-I know my visions are absolute. But I won't give up on trying to save you. If Mirio takes hold, takes on your spot as the Symbol of Peace, then crime will remain low, villains will remain in hiding, and you'll be as safe as possible! You can't trust that child, that damaged child, to do the same for you!"

"I will not have you disparage my successors," Toshinori growled, glaring at Mirai. "You did enough of that in your email."

Mirai sighed, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "I admit, I was…in a poor mood when I sent that and I may have been overly critical. That said, I was not wrong. Those records indicate that there is no way Midoriya could be mentally or emotionally ready for such a task! And it wouldn't even be fair to them! Putting that much pressure on someone who has been hurt so badly is irresponsible!"

"Whether they are or not is immaterial. I'm not retired yet, Mirai. And not only that, I stand by the belief that we don't need nor should we even have a Symbol like I am!"

Mirai slumped in his chair, all the fire draining from him. "I cannot believe you still will not listen to reason."

"I'm not listening to reason because you are not being reasonable. You won't even admit the truth…that all of this is out of fear. You're not thinking clearly. I've…I've spent a long time thinking about what happened between us. Even to this day, I wish it could have gone differently. Surely you realize you were one of my best friends, don't you?"

"...I…I had always hoped, but with how little you trusted me, it's hard to believe I was," Mirai replied quietly, refusing to meet his gaze.

Toshinori let out a choked laugh. "How little I trusted you? I told you about One For All! I can count on one hand the number of people who I told other than you! It was literally two people! Chiyo, Sorahiko, and Nezu already knew! You were one of two I trusted with my greatest secret, and you say that isn't trust?!"

Mirai shot up in his seat, hissing at Toshinori. "And yet you didn't trust me about your fate!"

"As I said earlier…if your visions are infallible, what is the point of fleeing from it? I would die either way, but I'd die with more regrets because I failed to do my best to save as many as possible. Or, your visions aren't infallible, in which case we can change the future. Either way, I saw no reason to give up saving people."

"...why must you always choose the path that hurts you the most?" Mirai sighed, slumping back into his chair once more.

Toshinori winced at that, as that was one thing he couldn't really disagree with. "Well…that I suppose I cannot argue. That said, let me turn the question back on you. Why can't you trust me with my choice for my Quirk?"

Mirai gestured helplessly. "It's not that I don't trust you, I just don't trust you with your own best interests at heart! As you have admitted, you're not good at that!"

"But this isn't about me, it's about One For All," Toshinori pointed out. After a moment, he gestured towards his former sidekick. "I know, Mirai, that everything you've done is out of worry for me. It means a lot to me you care so much. But please…for once, just this once, believe me. Believe in me!"

Mirai sighed, his voice quiet. "I've always believed in you, Toshinori." He let silence fill the room for a moment before continuing. "...you are certain Midoriya is the right choice?"

"I have never been more certain of anything. They've exceeded every expectation I could have had for them. You saw them in action, Mirai, was it not impressive, especially for first years?"

"Well I still couldn't tell which one had One For All to begin with, so I can't say what I thought initially. I couldn't tell whose Quirk was whose. I still am confused, to be frank…Toga's Quirk is most assuredly not a 'minor cat mutation' since she can teleport, nor the brute strength she showed in the Hosu attack, and Midoriya having those strange black tendrils and telekinesis? And Uraraka, her Quirk cannot just be removing gravity. Honestly, the entire thing was baffling."

"Well, that would be the second reason I couldn't give One For All to Togata…it's not really in one person anymore?"

Mirai blinked once. Twice. A third time. With a deep, deep sigh, he clasped his hands on the desk before him, leaning forward. "...explain."

"...why didn't you tell me this from the beginning?" Mirai asked, eye twitching as he tried to absorb the tale of the fused Quirk incident.

"Because I wanted you to understand why I wouldn't have given it to Togata, rather than because it was objectively impossible," Toshinori replied.

"Very well. I…accede to your point," Mirai sighed. After a moment of staring down at the ground, he looked back up to meet Toshinori's face. "Still, I think it would be good for you to spend some time with Togata. And his two friends, Hado and Amajiki. They have a lot of potential, and could use some encouragement."

"Why not split the difference? We could introduce them to Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko! They can learn about the specialized training and offer some tips of their own, if they are as far along as you say," Toshinori offered in return.

Mirai paused for a moment, contemplating it. "It…isn't a bad idea, I suppose. Hado might be a little much for them though…and they might be too much for Amajiki, if Toga, err, Himiko is as chaotic as you say."

"Eh, I still think it can work out," Toshinori said dismissively, waving his hand. After a moment, his casual attitude vanished and he took on a stern expression, knowing he had to bring this up. "That said…Mirai, what you did with obtaining their personal records-"

"Was beyond inappropriate. I know. I wasn't thinking, but that is no excuse," Mirai sighed, rubbing his chin. "I'll have to report myself for disciplinary action, and I'll speak to Tsukauchi about what charges they may wish to level against me."

"I may have a better idea," Toshinori began. "I'll be honest, I'm not the best teacher for how to utilize complex Quirks, and at this point, One For All is now the most complex Quirk I've seen. Even now, the three are training to utilize Quirks they may eventually permanently copy. But from my understanding, Togata's Quirk was incredibly complex and no one was able to teach him properly…until you."

Mirai adjusted his glasses, refusing to meet Toshinori's eyes. "Well, I cannot take all the credit. Togata was a superb student and I was lucky to have the opportunity to help him in his quest to become a hero."

Toshinori smiled softly, leaning forward on the desk. "Being a mentor is surprisingly rewarding, isn't it?"

"...yes. Yes, it is," Mirai muttered, still refusing to meet Toshinori's gaze.

"Either way, I'm sure you see where I am going with this. In fact, why don't you agree to a few guest lectures? I'm sure all the students in 1-A and 1-B could use some advice!"

Mirai finally met Toshinori's eyes, his own narrowed. "So this is the punishment you wish me to suffer?"

Toshinori chuckled. "I don't really see it as much of a punishment. Does the thought really bother you so?"

Mirai rolled his eyes. "No, no it doesn't. I suppose it is better than whatever the Commission would throw at me. But I think it's letting me off too lightly. I am aware that what I did was wrong, and I shouldn't try to dodge responsibility."

"Tsukauchi will likely have some very strong words for you, that I'm sure. But…well, if you can promise me you'll never do such a thing again, and that you truly regret saying those things about my kids-err, my successors, I'll let it slide," Toshinori coughed, hoping Mirai didn't notice his slipup…which considering the miniscule grin that crossed his former sidekicks face, his hopes were dashed.

Mirai stood up, patting at his pants. "Very well. I've taken up too much of your time anyways. I shall set up something with Nezu."

Toshinori stood up as well, holding one hand out in a stop gesture. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"No, I was going to do it after this meeting."

"Would you like to get lunch with me, like the old days?" Toshinori asked, looking at one of his oldest friends softly.

Mirai paused, looking Toshinori directly in the eyes before letting his shoulders slump slightly, a smile crossing his lips. "...yes. That…that would be nice."

Chapter Text

"Where are my adorable kitties?!" Mina shouted, bursting through the door of the dorms. To her bemusement, none of the trio seemed surprised by her entrance…Izuku was laying on the couch, their head in Himiko's lap as she gently pet their ears, while Ochako was leaning tiredly into Himiko's other side, yawning as she read from one of their textbooks. All three looked up at her with the same blank expression, Mina feeling her face twist into a pout. "Aww, I didn't surprise you?"

Himiko's ear flicked as she pointed at it. "Heard you coming from a ways away."

"Well drat. I was hoping to surprise you. Anyone else back yet?"

"Nope," Ochako replied, flipping to the next page. "You're the first. Was your internship fun?"

Mina shrugged, walking inside and setting her bag down as she stretched her back. "Eh. It was okay? I don't feel like I learned much to be honest."

"Hmm? Why not?" Izuku asked, one eye cracking open to look at her.

Mina let out a huff of air. "I dunno. We didn't do much, really. Just some patrols and paperwork. Nothing happened."

"That's important too though," Izuku pointed out. "In fact, that's how hero work should be. Better than some crime going off after all."

"Yeah, but I wanted to learn what to do in a situation, not just…repeat the same stuff over and over. Like you guys!" Mina gestured vaguely in their direction.

Ochako snorted. "It was not nearly as fun as you'd think," she murmured.

"Meh, enough about me. What about you?" Mina said with a wide grin, quickly rushing over to the couch to bend down and stare into the trio's faces.

Himiko rolled her eyes, but the smile creeping on her face took away any sting. "I thought you got this out of your system already."

Mina waved dismissively. "Can you blame me? I called it from day one! And like, you guys are seriously adorable together, I can't help it!"

Izuku rolled their eyes. "You're more invested in us than we are, it feels like."

Mina's retort was cut off by the door opening once more, Momo and Kyoka entering, speaking quietly to one another. They were quickly followed by Eijiro, Itsuka, and Hanta, debating something involving a movie from what Izuku could hear. More and more members of the class were filtering in, breaking the trio from their moment of relaxation.

Momo collapsed onto the couch next to Himiko, uncharacteristically inelegant in her motions. Himiko blinked at her. "You okay?"

Momo puffed her cheeks out. "No. Uwabami was absolutely awful. We learned nothing except how to sit in makeup chairs for hours."

Himiko glanced over at her partners, unsure exactly how to help the class president…but at Ochako's shrug and Izuku's snicker, once they felt what she was thinking, she decided to go for it. She fell over backwards, into Momo's lap, the heiress going wide-eyed and flushed at her actions. Nestling her head into Momo's lap, she looked up at her, grabbed her free hand, and planted it firmly on the top of her head where her ears were.

Momo gaped at Himiko, turning to look at Ochako and Izuku with wide, fearful eyes, but was at least somewhat mollified by how amused the other two looked. She looked down at Himiko once more, sputtering, as the blonde rolled her eyes. "Petting helps calm us down, even when we're the one doing it. C'mon, gimme pets, I am the class cat and I demand it!"

"Aww man, Momo gets to pet the fluff and I don't?" Denki whined, having just entered the dorms himself.

"Oh, oh, me too, me too!" Toru said, her clothes hopping up and down as she jumped in joy.

Izuku snorted. "Fine, Denki, c'mere, you can pet my ears."

"Yessss," Denki hissed, doing a fist bump as he hopped onto the couch beside Izuku, quickly burying his hand in the green-haired teens hair. "Aw man, you're as fluffy as I thought!"

Ochako snickered at her partners, before taking pity on the vibrating Toru. "C'mere Toru, you can pet me if you want."

"Yay!" Toru squeezed into the couch beside Ochako, quickly taking her turn petting the ears.

"I…is this okay?" Momo asked, still a bit concerned.

"Of course it is. Seriously, you seem down and I think you need to get your mind off that crappy internship, and petting a cute kitty is the perfect way!" Himiko replied, eyes closed, hands folded on her chest like she was settling in for a nap.

Momo arched an eyebrow, her flush not quite gone but faded slightly. "Well, aren't you modest."

"You forgot funny!" Himiko retorted, shit-eating grin plastered on her face.

Momo rolled her eyes, finally taking the initiative to gently begin petting Himiko's ears. Himiko let out a relieved sigh, a quiet purr escaping her as she pressed her head into Momo's hand, the dark-haired teen finding a smile unwillingly crossing her face in response. She cleared her throat. "I suppose you do have a point, this is rather relaxing."

"Told you so," Himiko replied smugly.

"I suppose you did," Momo replied softly, letting out a deep sigh.

"Is it helping at all?" Himiko asked quietly, the arrogant tone gone from her voice.

Momo paused to think about it for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Yes. Yes, it is. Thank you, Himiko." Himiko just grinned up at her, squirming for a moment to get more comfortable on the couch. Maybe she couldn't help Momo deal with her emotions the same way she did for Izuku or Ochako…but hey, she had other qualities that'd work.

"Final exams are coming up," Aizawa began, the entire class looking at him steadily. "There is a written and practical portion. The written one will cover everything your various teachers went over this semester, as well as additional info I've highlighted on the papers on your desk. The practical exam is for us to know and you to find out." He gave a toothy grin at that, clearly appreciating the annoyed groans from the class. "Your teachers will be doing reviews for the material over the next week. The written exam is the week after that. I would advise studying as much as possible."

Itsuka shot her hand up. "What about training for the practical?"

"Gym Delta and Ground Delta are both being made available for first years to practice at. You will need to sign in and out, and you must still obey curfew. Also, if anyone gets hurt beyond a bruise, you will be forced to listen to Recovery Girl's lecture for at least an hour. And trust me, no one wants to do that."

Momo raised her hand this time. "Are we allowed to try and figure out the practical portion?"

"You're encouraged to. Nezu finds it amusing," Aizawa drawled. "You'll also have homeroom to study in, if you so choose." He paused, glancing down at his phone for a moment with a confused look. He flipped it open, reading the message as his eyes narrowed, followed by a sigh. "Midoriya, Uraraka, and Himiko, you're needed in Nezu's office. No you're not in trouble, but he needs to speak to you about something."

Ochako was very glad their teacher had included the line about not being in trouble, because panic had erupted across the bond from Izuku (although she and Himiko were also hesitant at those words). It subsided, into an anxious curiosity, still leaving the trio confused, but they weren't about to disobey the headmaster. They gathered their things and headed out of the room, walking the path to his office.

It didn't take long to reach, the door sliding open before they could knock to all three of their consternation. As they looked inside, they saw Nezu seated behind his desk, but he wasn't alone. On a chair seated to the left of the room was a rather slender man, curly blonde hair, dressed in a suit, with bags under his eyes and a perpetually exhausted look to him.

"Ah, excellent timing students! Thank you for arriving promptly!" Nezu said in his cheerful way…but for some reason the trio could feel an underlying sense of…tension, in the room, something making the fur on their ears and tail stand up on end. "Allow me to introduce Yokumiru Mera, a representative of the HPSC. He would like to speak to you about the recent events in Hosu."

That brought the panic back, Izuku cutting off a choked gasp of air as they felt Ochako and Himiko tense. Himiko's eyes darted about, looking for danger, as Ochako took a subtle step forward, almost as if to block the man's sight of her partners.

Mera sighed, rubbing his temple. "Please, relax. I really don't want to cause problems. You are not in trouble. This is more about an…opportunity, than anything else."

"Would you like some tea?" Nezu asked the students, his teeth bared wide in a smile as he looked at the three students before him. Izuku nodded quickly, still untrusting of this person especially with how on edge Nezu seemed. The three took the offered seats on the other side of the office, all keeping the HPSC representative in their eyesight as Nezu calmly poured them cups of a soothing chamomile.

There were a few moments of silence before the man began once more. "As Nezu said, I am Mr. Mera. I'm here on behalf of the Hero Public Safety Commission. Now, let's get the elephant out of the room…I'm aware you likely have a dim view of what we do there, and to be frank, it's earned."

That got a confused look from Izuku, their jaw dropping slightly at how blunt the man was. They could feel Ochako and Himiko's confusion as well, and it was so off-putting they decided to try and push some affection and calm over the bond in the hopes of making them feel better about the situation. The returned pleased joy told them it helped a bit.

"Heroes chafe under our rules and regulations, and from our side, we get rather frustrated with how maverick many heroes act," Mera continued. "It's a bit of a tug of war, in a way. But I should also say this: we do not do the things we do solely out of some corrupt power hungry desires. Things are not black and white in this world, as I'm sure you three know by now. There are heroes who need to be checked, and other heroes who, to be honest, we probably come down too hard on."

The trio immediately thought of their mentor in Ingenium, and it was clear that was who Mera was referring to by the way he spoke. The blonde man continued after a moment. "But, it's important to understand we are enforcing the law. Which we don't set, the Diet does. Our job is to police the heroes, because if we don't, who will?"

"So what, it's okay to let people die because we don't have licenses?" Himiko shot back, thinking to the falling building they'd stopped from collapsing.

Mera clasped his hands before him and leaned forward, looking her dead in the eye. "And you think it's okay for high school students to decide which laws are right and wrong to follow at any time? That you alone are the arbiters?"

"No, but that's a false equivalence! There are laws out there to protect people helping others even if they aren't part of emergency services!" Izuku protested.

Mera nodded. "True. But those laws are meant for civilians. You were acting under the auspices of a professional Hero, who is bound by other laws and regulations, ones designed to make people safe. You're first year students without a provisional license to show you've even demonstrated the care necessary to be running around using your Quirks freely. There is a reason the exams exist after all…to check you have the capability to utilize your power in a way that won't put others at risk."

"So we shoulda let them die? That's what you're sayin'?" Ochako demanded, now getting really pissed at the man before her.

"No. I am saying there is a reason the laws exist, and you cannot just continue to ignore them at your leisure. It's a slippery slope down the path of 'doing the right thing' to 'doing the right thing by a few small wrong things', and onward," Mera replied. He took a deep breath in. "The point of my words here is not to shame you for your actions. You did save people, and though it may not seem like it, we do want that to happen. The point is you need to understand why the laws exist, and why you need to be more cautious. Because we cannot just look the other way every time. Otherwise, everyone will want to know why we made exceptions for you."

Izuku paused, pushing the anger and frustration they felt to the back of their mind, to try and wrap their head around what Mera was trying to say. "So…you made an exception for us, but you're worried about how that looks to the public?"

"And the Diet. And the police. And everyone. The public determines a lot of what we can do, and what heroes can do. It's unfair, it's foolish, and it's annoying that the spotlight is everything, but heroes are celebrities. And so perception matters."

Izuku nodded slowly. It wasn't all that different from what Tensei had told them before, just…more frustrating because of how he was putting it. Still…that couldn't be why he was here, was it? "...so…you just wanted to lecture us?"

Mera shook his head. "No, I wanted you to understand why we do what we do before making you this offer."

"Offer?" Himiko asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"Yes. It's quite simple, really. While you can be a bit…reckless, you are clearly powerful and skilled hero students. The HPSC likes to offer the best students a more accelerated course, one where we can streamline some of your requirements. This gets you your license sooner, as well as has the benefit of the HPSC taking care of most of your paperwork and such, so you can focus more heavily on being Heroes," Mera said, gesturing vaguely in their direction.

Izuku…was not impressed. There were a bunch of red flags they picked up on here. One, Nezu's plastic smile was now nearly a grimace, the chimeric hero looking like he was trying to hold back his temper. Two, Izuku didn't think Mera even believed what he was selling.

Ever since the trio had gotten the cat features, their senses were much sharper, and something about this was making the fur on their ears completely stand on end. Mera, who at the start seemed mostly exhausted, had vacillated in emotions the entire time. When lecturing them on the law, he did seem to believe what he was saying, and Izuku…supposed they could understand some of it, even if they thought the laws were wrong, there was an argument to be made that exceptions were how corruption happened.

But once he got into this 'offer'? He seemed to find it as distasteful as Nezu did. He practically sneered as he spoke, clearly reciting a speech rather than his own words. If Izuku could guess…this was something Mera did not support. Which made sense, Izuku mused internally. No one was going to agree with every decision their boss made.

Of course, this made Izuku wonder why Mera disliked it. They knew about the program…what hero nerd didn't? Hawks was the most well known person to come out of it at rank three, but Lady Nagant was no slouch either, still sitting comfortably at rank seventeen. But still…

Izuku didn't need to ask to know how Ochako and Himiko felt about it, so they felt confident when they replied. "I think we'll pass, thanks," they said, a smile they didn't feel on their face.

Mera arched an eyebrow at them. "You're certain? This is a great opportunity for you. I'm sure you've heard of other successful graduates, such as Hawks."

"We're sure," Ochako replied, crossing her arms over her chest and narrowing her eyes at him.

The room was silent for a moment, before Mera let out a rueful chuckle and turned to Nezu. "Well, guess you win again."

Nezu's grimace was now a blinding grin, looking unbearably smug as the trio now stared at the two in confusion again, the whiplash nearly making their heads spin. Nezu let out a chuckle as he turned to look at the trio. "Forgive us. This is a…bet, you might say, between UA and the HPSC."

"...what?" Himiko deadpanned.

Mera shrugged. "The program is real, of course, and so was the offer. But Nezu zealously guards his students, and few take us up on the offer. At this point, it's more of a courtesy thing than an actual attempt, but every time we do this, Nezu challenges the President over it."

"Her family owns my favorite tea shop, so if she can't convince my top new students to jump ship, she owes me another case of my preferred blend," Nezu explained.

Izuku blinked. "This…this was a bet?"

"No, as I said, the offer was legitimate. It just isn't one we expected you to take."

"But Hawks did?" Himiko asked, confused.

Mera's face fell slightly. "Hawks…wasn't a UA student. He…well, it's his personal business and I won't get into it, but most of the people who have gone into our program have various complications with traditional hero courses." He paused, shuffling the papers in his lap, before looking up at them once more. "That said, my warning about breaking the law does stand. Trust me, I understand why you find it morally wrong. Many people do. Even the President has admitted she thinks the regulations are a bit too restrictive."

"The simple fact is, people want safety, and what that actually means is difficult to determine," Nezu explained. "Politics are a tangled web, and what one person considers 'safe' another may consider a danger. Laws are imperfect compromises to try and apply to as many situations as possible. This does not mean they are right or just…only that they exist."

"So as I said, just try to be more cognizant going forward. There are many eyes on you now, and you must keep that in mind," Mera said. He quickly began to pack up his bags, standing up and offering the three a bow, followed by one to Nezu. "Well, I believe that's that. Good luck with your studies. I'm looking forward to seeing you whenever you take the provisional exam." With that, he left, offering a tired wave as he closed the door behind him.

"Ah, yes, Mera presides over the provisional licensing exam," Nezu explained at the trio's confusion over his comment. "But yes…I'm terribly sorry you were forced to deal with that, but unfortunately they always try to poach the top students from every major hero school every year."

"But…why? Why would the HPSC need its own heroes?" Himiko asked.

Nezu sipped his tea. "He already told you why. Think back…what would they gain?"

She paused for a moment, tapping her finger against her lips, brow furrowed, before glancing up. "Because…they want to look good?"

"Precisely. The HPSC is a governmental agency with a lot of power. It automatically generates distrust just by its nature, and its duty to police heroes, as it were. So to foster goodwill, they have heroes who excel in public relations training under their employ."

"That's…kinda cheap, innit?" Ochako asked, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Perhaps. But I can't say much against it. I leverage the success of my students when asking for funding, and it's not like I don't use our image as the premier hero school in the country, if not the world, to my advantage. We all play the public relations game, Miss Uraraka. It's simply part of the world we live in. It's imperfect, and we can absolutely improve on it, but to be fair, if things were perfect…why would we need Heroes?"

Izuku nodded absently. They didn't like it, but…they kinda knew about it, deep down? It's not like Toshi hadn't mentioned his frustrations with the media before, and yet he'd always saved people with a smile. His smile reassured the populace, even when he wasn't there, he brought hope. Hell…he'd been Izuku's hope for over a decade. And a lot of it came from the media attention he'd gotten, how focused it was on his deeds.

"...still kinda fucked up," Himiko muttered.

Nezu spread his paws wide helplessly. "It is. But think of it this way…if it bothers you so, why don't you be the one to change it?"

"M-me? But I'm just me? I couldn't-" Himiko's sputtered denials were cut off by Nezu's firm voice.

"A single act can change the course of a person's life. A single voice calling for help can be all that one needs to be saved. A single gesture of kindness can create a chain of people willing to pay that kindness forward. It is not easy, Himiko, but a single person has the power to change the world. After all…you are the successor to a man who has done precisely that," Nezu said with a soft smile on his face, his black eyes twinkling. As the three gaped at him, eyes wide, he clapped his paws together. "Food for thought, I would say. For now, you should return to your classroom. Much studying to do before finals!"

Chapter Text

The written finals came and went without issue, besides everyone running themselves ragged while studying. It left little time for Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko to do much for their new relationship, but it also pointed out to everyone (including them) that…it didn't change much. They already spent most of their time together, and were physically affectionate, it just had a new, underlying current of emotion to it that left them liable to smile softly with no warning.

They also would, magnanimously, allow their classmates to pet them in attempts to relax. Especially with the stresses of finals coming up, it helped make everyone find themselves more stable footing to work off of. But once the written finals were over, it was time for the practical.

"We're switching the practical up this year. Many years we have you fight specifically designed robots that the Support Course makes as part of their finals, but for a few of you," Aizawa side-eyed the cat-quirked trio, and then let his gaze wander over Momo and Shouto a moment later, "you're too powerful to fight those creations. And many more of you are starting to reach a similar power level as you continue to train. So instead…you'll be fighting each other."

All Might stepped up beside Aizawa, a blinding grin on his face. "Not unlike the first time we had hero training, we'll be doing spars, to see how far you've come. You don't have to win to pass, you just have to show how much you've learned. That said, this won't be a basic two on two spar. We'll be sorting you all into uneven groups and having you fight in said groups. We want to test your ability to adapt to new circumstances and how you prioritize your opponents. So, without further ado, I'll begin calling out the groups."

"Group A will consist of Aoyama, Koda, Jiro, and Sero, you four will be facing one another. Group B will consist of Tokoyami, Yaoyorozu, and Todoroki. Group C will consist of Kendo, Ida, Ojiro, and Shinso. Group D will be Ashido, Kaminari, and Asui. Group E will be Shoji, Kirishima, and Sato. And finally, Group F will be Uraraka, Midoriya, and Himiko."

The class stared rather blankly at the pair of teachers. Aizawa gestured over his shoulder to the training ground behind him. "We have drone cameras watching the entire city. We'll send each group in one by one, and give you two minutes to prepare. Take advantage of whatever you have to: terrain, stealth, verticality, etc. You'll be scored based on a number of factors by your teachers, who are all watching."

All Might stepped up once more. "That said, do try not to get injured. Recovery Girl has swore she will remove the kneecaps of any overly reckless student, as well as myself and Aizawa, so let's try not to anger her?" All Might's teasing tone and silly commentary made some of the class snicker, the tension bleeding out of them. He continued on. "I'm sure you wonder why the groups are oddly numbered, but that's mostly due to a combination of the number of students in the class and that we tried to match you up to others who would challenge you in a number of ways. Either way, let's begin. Group A, head into the city. You have two minutes."

Izuku was nearly vibrating as they watched the fights from the observation room the students had been piled into. Ochako couldn't help but giggle at her partner's excitement; now that she could think of them as adorable in her mind without any shreds of guilt, she couldn't help but enjoy watching them get so excited about the rest of their class. But…she couldn't forget the quirk conversation she'd been pulled into with her partners and teachers, moments before they entered the observation room.

Aizawa had pulled the three of them aside, Toshinori behind him, and looking down at them said "During your fight…go all out against one another. Which by that I mean, to your safe limits. You three are incredibly strong right now, and from my understanding, you have permanently copied mine, Midnight's, Vlad's, and Recovery Girl's Quirks. Do not use Recovery Girl's during the fight as you still haven't trained with her on it, but the other three are fair game. But you go last for a reason…we want to see what you can do. And that means ignore collateral damage."

"Wait…what?" Izuku asked, jaw dropped. Ochako and Himiko weren't much better, because the implication…

Toshinori nodded, arms crossed over his chest. "You've yet to go to your limits and push them, because it's not been safe. This is the safest opportunity for you to do so, against one another, in a practice city that Nezu plans to redo anyway. So, go all out. If anything goes too far, we trust you to pull back, and if not, I'll be watching from close by and be ready to interfere. But we want you to feel free to let loose."

The trio nodded, feeling…well, a lot of feelings. Worry, anxiety, a bit of excitement, competition, but also…a sense of relief. Because something that had been gnawing at all of them was how much they kept having to throttle themselves, how hard it was to pull back on who they were and what they could do. Every day they got stronger, every day they were advancing further, but they always had to be so careful.

Ochako hadn't quite known how to word it, but Izuku had. They'd shown Ochako and Himiko an old, pre-quirk cartoon scene about a superhero from before Quirks named Superman, and a speech he'd given about living in 'a world of cardboard.' And that, that felt so accurate it hurt. So apparently, they would finally get a chance to go all out, to actually not be worried about the cardboard cutouts that some people were starting to feel like…and to be honest? She was excited. They just had to wait for everyone else's tests to finish.

"Oh man, this is gonna be so cool!" Eijiro said, watching the screen. They'd all finished up their tests (Mezo had managed to win the three way battle for their group, but it had been close and Eijiro was proud of how hard he worked), but now they were going to see the Meowsketeers go off. And the fact Kyoka had overheard All Might say they had permission to go all out and ignore collateral damage? Oh, Eijiro was excited, and so was a lot of the class. They'd all wondered exactly how powerful the trio were now…and now they would get to see it.

Izuku had simply walked to the center of the training center beside Himiko and Ochako, all three of them apparently agreeing to just get right to the fight. They'd found an intersection in a larger section of the ruined city, with plenty of room, and were currently stretching, getting ready for their battle as the screens zoomed in around them, watching how they silently prepared.

The gathered students watched, some in breathless anticipation, as All Might held up the microphone. With a wide grin, he called out across the loudspeakers "Begin!"

The class was less excited now and more…not scared. Scared was the wrong word. But intimidated could be argued. As soon as the word begin had echoed across the city, the trio had lit up with the familiar sight of their shared power Quirk, and from the distance the class was the fear effect wasn't active. But then they rushed one another.

The 'boom' that followed utterly annihilated the entire intersection, rubble and debris flying off into the distance, the drones being almost knocked from the sky as the air pressure waves rocketed out from their clash. Himiko flipped up, her foot slamming down where Ochako had been, the brunette dashing out of the way as Izuku came in for a punch. Himiko's foot hit the ground with such force it exploded, but neither Izuku nor Ochako seemed to notice, Ochako turning back on a dime and ramming her shoulder into Izuku, sending them careening off.

The black tendrils they'd used before rocketed out, wrapping about a lamppost and sending them back incredibly swiftly. Himiko was already in motion, teleporting out of sight and reappearing behind Ochako, a quick snap kick to the back of her leg making her fall forward. Ochako rolled with it, her hands hitting the ground as she continued the roll, throwing herself into the air with a pink burst from her hands as Izuku flew back in, spinning about to offer a back-kick that Himiko barely ducked under.

She blinked out again, appearing above Izuku with her hand ready to smash into them, but Izuku's eyes flared green as their telekinesis took hold of a nearby crumbled building and brought it screaming in, forcing the blonde to blink out again. Ochako stood in the path of the building, and with her eyes crackling with pink and white light, a snarl on her face, punched through the building, the sound echoing so loudly that they heard it in the observation room itself and then a split second later through the speakers. The building was crushed into powder by the force of her blow, wind pressure pushing both Izuku and Himiko away as Himiko blinked back just in time to get hit by it.

Izuku's black tendrils leapt out towards Ochako, the brunette slamming her hands together, a strange shimmer in the air in front of her appearing. Izuku and Himiko's eyes both went wide, as did the rest of the class, as the tendrils hit the shimmer and bent, collapsing to the ground. Ochako's self-satisfied smirk was visible even to the class, her body lit up with lights as the air and ground around her quaked.

Himiko grinned back, her teeth glinting in the afternoon light, as she vanished from sight. Izuku brought their fists together, the green light around them ramping up, lightning streaking off their body as their hair began to lift slightly. With a roar, they punched forward towards Ochako, a massive wave of air being shoved at her that impacted the barrier she'd managed to put up.

The two forces collided, Izuku's wave of air barely pushing Ochako's barrier back slightly, but it still held. Izuku didn't stop though, throwing a second, a third, a forth punch, rapid fire one by one, cracks of displaced air slamming into Ochako's barrier. Ochako's eyes narrowed, red rings snapping into being around her body as the entire arena froze, time slowing down. It was weird for those watching from the outside, now not within the area of effect, seeing how even the flying rubble was now moving incredibly slowly, able to physically see the disturbed air flying from Izuku's punches, even able to witness the moment Himiko returned from her teleport, behind Ochako, within her barrier, but frozen like all others.

Ochako's face seemed contemplative, as if she were using the time to think over her next move…which the red rings vanished a moment later, her ducking to the side as Himiko clipped her with a knife-hand strike to her side. Himiko smirked, but had no time to react as Izuku was atop her, flipping over the duo and bringing their foot down into the ground in an earth-shattering smash that sent both girls tumbling away. Ochako's hand tapped onto a car, a second one, a third, the three lifting up as she spun about and kicked them towards Himiko and Izuku.

Himiko's fingers dug into the earth as she hissed, the drones picking up the noise. She dashed back in, ducking beneath the flying cars, the concrete behind her shattering from the force as she quickly began a series of rapid-fire punches and kicks towards Izuku, her partner turning about to face her and backpedaling as they defended against the onslaught. A snap of the black tendrils shot out to deflect one of the cars, another one reaching out to try and capture Himiko but she blinked out of it and tried to strike Izuku from behind.

Ochako rushed in, slamming into both of them, one arm locking around Himiko's as she leapt up and tried to capture Izuku's arm between her legs in an armbar. Izuku spun about, dragging both girls with them, forcing Ochako to release them. Ochako landed on her feet in a low crouch, her arms outstretched, palms open, as Himiko skid to a stop in a tight stance, narrowing her eyes. Izuku hopped back and forth on their feet, arms up, eyeing their two partners once more.

There was a moment where Izuku's mouth opened in a grin, them saying something the drones didn't quite pick up. Ochako's face mirrored the smile a moment later, Himiko's following right behind. A shiver ran up the spine of the trio's teachers, somehow, someway, just knowing this was going to be something they did not like.

Sure enough, the green sparks around Izuku picked up again, their eyes flaring, wind roaring, as Ochako's body mirrored Izuku's…fists clenched, shoulders hunched, a mad gleam in her eyes as the ground quaked around her. Himiko's eyes were narrowed, teeth bared, her golden strands of energy whipping about her in a frenzy.

Toshinori winced, and with a hissed breath started to head to the door, because he knew where this was going…but he didn't quite make it before the trio moved. One second, standing where they were, the second they were gone…and so was the entire city block. The next several blocks. Half the ground. Every drone within a hundred meter radius. And still no one could truly see the trio, just glowing flashes of green, of pink, of gold, bursts of incandescent solar flares as they hit one another, faster, faster, faster.

The buildings shook, the ground quaked, the very air was shattered as they rammed into one another with the force of their shared Quirk, which was more than enough. Toshinori vanished out of the door, all the gathered teachers realizing that the trio had kinda destroyed the loudspeakers so they wouldn't hear the call to quit.

A moment later, Toshinori appeared standing in the center of the ring of destruction, trying not to guffaw as he held Izuku by their belt, the green-haired teen looking confused…Ochako was thrown over his other shoulder, and Himiko was currently dangling, confused, off his other arm. He set them down and began to speak to them quietly, as the rest of the class just stared at the screen…and slowly decided to just leave this be and walk away.

Shouta sighed, rubbing his temple. Problem children, every last one.

Himiko was content, eyes closed, her head resting on Izuku's chest and listening to her partner's heartbeat. Ochako was against her back, her head nuzzled into Himiko's neck, surrounding the blonde with warmth and affection and care that she couldn't have imagined before finding her people. UA was the best thing that had ever happened to her and she couldn't be happier. She had real, true friends, found out she'd even had some before, found the loves of her life (even if she wasn't ready to say it out loud, she knew what she felt), and even found a real, true family, not her shitty blood relatives.

The sense of pride and fond exasperation Toshi had shown the trio when he'd captured them during their exam had made her feel warm inside, different but no less important to how her Izuku and Ochako made her feel. The way Midnight had checked in on Ochako after the spar, making sure she wasn't suffering any exhaustion or nausea. The way Aizawa had offered them critique, but not condemnation, giving advice on how better to wield their strength and their accuracy, the sort of stern mentor they still needed to progress further. Granted, he'd wondered why they didn't use the teachers' Quirks, but the trio explained they'd agreed not to since the premise of the exam was to see what happened if they let go of their hesitance.

But while Himiko was happy…something wasn't quite right. Izuku was feeling a bit weird about the whole scenario, a lot of mild anxiety combined with that feeling of 'thinking' they would sometimes give off, as if they were mulling something over. Ochako…was worried. About something. Himiko wasn't really sure yet, but she also knew Ochako would bring it up when she was ready. Her Ochako knew the other two would be wondering, so she'd get there eventually. She just had to wait.

Luckily, she didn't have to wait long. Ochako let out a deep sigh, snuggling herself deeper into Himiko's neck, her warm breath washing over her and making her spine tingle, before she rolled onto her back, leaving one arm beneath Himiko and the other now covering her eyes. Izuku's head turned to look at Ochako, as Himiko slid open one half-lidded eye, ready to hear what her girlfriend had to say.

"...I think I get it now," Ochako said softly. The other two chose to wait, not wanting to rush her, as she seemed to search for her words. "I get what that cartoon you showed us meant, Izu. That whole 'world of cardboard' thing. Like, I thought I got it before, but it wasn't till today that I really got it."

She was silent for a moment, but Himiko could feel she had more to say, so she remained silent, Izuku merely reaching out to gently squeeze Ochako's hand. "When you threw that building at me Izu, I punched it. One punch. One punch and it broke. Hell, it didn't just break, it practically evaporated. That wasn't a small building either. It was like, four freaking stories!"

"Five, to be exact," Izuku murmured, getting a flat look from both Ochako and Himiko, the blonde gently bopping them on the nose for the unneeded addition.

Ochako sighed. "Same thing, whatever. My point is, if I hit a person with that…they'd just be gone. And I know, I know I gotta hold back. I know Toshinori always has to do so. And it's not like the strength is always there, I gotta call it so I don't have to be super careful most of the time, but…it's still there. Yeah, growing up I knew I had to be careful with Zero Gravity cause if I dropped somebody from too high, or had something really heavy that I let land, it could kill someone too, but…this is different."

"The more powers we get, the more likely we could also cause harm," Izuku added softly, saying what Ochako was thinking yet hadn't expressed yet.

Ochako nodded miserably, her face twisted. "And I'm not ungrateful! I really do love them! And it was fun going all out against you two, I really…I really had fun," she whispered, a small flush coming to her cheeks, "but…I-I still…yeah." She trailed off, unsure how to express how she felt.

"I get it," Himiko murmured, her voice muffled by her cheek being pressed to Izuku's chest. "You wanna enjoy the power, and it's great and we have so much we can do to help people…but it's scary too. We're scary."

"Yeah," Ochako whispered back.

Himiko gently pat Izuku on the chest, before releasing her grip on them and rolling over to wrap her arms around her girlfriend. She pressed a very soft kiss on Ochako's cheek, the brunette letting out a surprised squeak as she felt Izuku's humor and Himiko's love wash over her along with the kiss. "Can't fix it for you 'Chako…but we're here for you."

Ochako let out a relieved sigh, flopping her arm over Himiko and squeezing her tightly. Her other hand slid into Izuku's, gently entwining their fingers together. "I don't think there is a fix, ya know? It just…is what it is. I'm just…ugh. World of cardboard indeed."

Izuku released a breath, rolling over to wrap their arms around their girlfriends. "Yeah. I get it. But it's like Himi said…it also lets us save so many people. What we did with that building…and the hero killer, the Nomu? We did a lot. We helped a lot of people. Long as we're using it to save others…I think I'm okay with having to live in the world of cardboard."

A half-smile crossed Ochako's face, closing her eyes and snuggling into Himiko and Izuku's warm grasp. "...yeah. You got a point. Gonna get my head on straight and deal with this."

"Hopefully not too straight," Himiko snickered, bursting into giggles at the mirrored 'done with your shit' feeling that she felt across the bond from her loves. Sometimes you just needed a dumb joke to break up the tension, and if anyone was learning how to do that, it was her. Ochako didn't seem inclined to say anything else, her feelings still a bit unsure but more stable than before, so Himiko allowed the warmth around her to help soothe her off to sleep. She couldn't wait to see what the future would hold.

Chapter Text

"I dunno Toshi, feels like we're being singled out too often," Ochako remarked, rubbing the back of her neck as she followed her mentor down the hallway.

"In some ways you are, yes, due to your unique circumstances. But this isn't about that, to be honest. Mirai will be doing coaching sessions with everyone from 1-A and 1-B, it's just you three will be first," Toshinori explained. "But with how skilled he is with more difficult to master powers, he'll be able to help you three in ways I can't."

"I don't think you're doing a bad job though," Izuku protested, their instinctual denial of any faults in All Might making Himiko hold back an amused snort, and even Toshi, without the benefit of the bond, was rolling his eyes with fond amusement as he knew why Izuku was protesting.

"Maybe so, but I simply am not qualified to help with each of the varied powers you're gaining mastery of. And Mirai has his own insights about which powers you should work on copying…some powers, as we've explained, probably wouldn't be worth the effort or work well for you. So determining which would be a benefit, and while Nezu already has ideas, you learning how to determine it for yourselves would be the best choice in the end."

"Makes sense, I guess," Ochako murmured. "But what's this about the Big Three? You mentioned them but not who they even are?"

"That's the unofficial title for the three best students in the third year. The ones closest to becoming full fledged pro heroes upon graduation," Toshinori explained. "I'm not familiar with them myself, but that's part of this whole discussion. Mirai thought it'd benefit those three to meet me and get some insight."

"Sir Nighteye trained one of them personally, right?" Izuku asked, eyes wide with excitement.

Toshinori chuckled. "Yes, that'd be Togata."

"Togata, Togata," Izuku murmured under their breath, one hand on their chin as they tried to remember that name. Something about it struck them as familiar…the frustration of a thought that was just barely out of their reach made them pull out one of their notebooks, the one dedicated to notable UA students from the sports festivals they'd watched before. (Unbeknownst to them, Himiko, Ochako, and Toshinori were still confused as to where that specific notebook had come from.)

They started rapidly flipping from page to page, desperate to find the triggering memory, and then the sudden 'aha!' feeling that came across the bond made both Ochako and Himiko look at them…followed by a lot of confusion as Izuku was suddenly very confused.

"Um…isn't Togata the one who kept losing his clothes during the sports festival?" Izuku asked, confused.

Toshinori let out a loud guffaw. "Well, yes, prior to his work study under Mirai. You were busy on your internship so you missed it, but he took first place in the third year festival this time, a truly dominating performance, only possibly matched by his two friends Hado and Amajiki, who took third and second place respectively."

Izuku muttered to themselves, flipping through their notebook and finding their pages on the other two names, and continued to be confused. "Really? Cause in prior festivals, they didn't really do that great…"

"Yeah, we have tricky Quirks, but once we got the right help we really bounced back!" a voice said from the left, making the trio look over to see…a face sticking out of the wall.

There was a moment of silence as their brains processed the sight, before all hell broke loose. Himiko shrieked, leaping into the air out of shock, coming back down and falling onto Izuku's back, clinging to them as the fur on their ears and tail stood on end. Ochako leapt backwards, Izuku instinctively catching her in their arms, her own ears laid back and tail twitching rapidly. Izuku, now having two more sudden sources of weight on them, felt their knees buckle and lost their balance, sending the trio falling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

"Oops!" the face said cheerfully, still smiling with an uncanny grin.

Toshinori sighed, facepalming as he looked at the face. "Mirai told you to do that, didn't he?"

"Sir always says we need smiles and laughs to make sure this world has a bright future!" the face replied. The trio slowly clambered to their feet, still weirded out by the strange talking face in the wall. The face continued speaking. "Well, you're almost here, I'll see you in a bit!" and without warning, vanished back into the wall, disappearing from their sight and leaving them staring blankly at the wall.

"...uh…was that one of 'em?" Ochako asked.

"That was Togata," Toshinori confirmed. "Mirai is a strange man…very stern and strict but firmly believes in joy and laughter. He loves to play pranks or crack jokes, but only when you least expect it. It seems he passed that quality down to Togata." As they continued on towards the door at the end of the hall, Toshinori shrugged, hand on the handle. "Still, why don't we get started?" With a push, he opened the door and the trio followed their mentor inside.

Ochako wasn't sure which of them had the more…interesting…partner. They'd met the very intimidating Sir Nighteye, and at first there was no denying how on edge he put the trio. But, with the clear joy Toshinori was exuding, it became pretty clear early on that he had, as Himiko put it, 'resting bitch face' but wasn't actually as angry as he looked. Honestly, he'd given some really helpful suggestions for them to try out with their Quirk combinations that she was looking forward to testing.

Which was when things went really weird. Each of them got paired up with one of the Big Three, and she was starting to wonder if it was a requirement that the school's top students every year were weird. Because, yeah, arrogant it might be but simply due to how busted OFA was and their Quirk sharing powers, she knew Izuku, Himiko, and herself were the strongest first years. Aaannnd…yeah, she wasn't gonna pretend they weren't weird as all hell either.

But damn the Big Three beat them out by a wide margin, she swore. Togata was exactly as he'd been described…energetic, smiley, cheerful, and impossible to hit, something which was annoying Izuku to no end as they sparred against the upperclassman. Nighteye was examining the fight with a critical eye, calling out both suggestions and openings Izuku was leaving as he stalked around the ring. In fact…Mirio kinda reminded her of Toshi, when he was in his full All Might mode and being as over the top as possible.

Himiko got paired with Amajiki and that apparently was a disaster for the both of them. The poor young man was so wracked with anxiety he made Izuku look balanced, and there was no way he could really manage Himiko's high energy. Himiko was trying not to be as over the top as she usually was, easily able to sense how off balance the upperclassman was, but even her toned down seemed like too much for him…that is, until she sparred him, and quickly found out why he was one of the Big Three.

No knife could hit its mark, as shells simply appeared in place to defend. She couldn't sneak up on him, enhanced sensory organs from various animals visible when needed. And she spent more time dodging than attacking with the half dozen octopus tentacles whipping about in ways that Izuku could probably learn from! Though he was quiet, he wasn't mute…he kept pointing out where Himiko could attack from and how her lines of attack were too straightforward, always seeming to know where she was going to teleport to before she did.

Ochako couldn't pay too much attention to them though. Hado, or Nejire as the blue-haired young woman insisted they call her, was mentally exhausting with her endless curiosity and spastic movement, and physically exhausting because nothing tired her out! Yeah, she'd already explained that her Quirk keyed off her stamina but good god Ochako could not keep up with her!

Ochako was physically stronger thanks to Galactic Shroud, and faster too. And her gravity powers, both the removing it and increasing it, should have given her what she needed to ground her upperclassman, but nope. Nejire could fly out of range of it before it could fully take effect, and since Ochako never could stay still long enough to focus due to Nejire constantly blasting her, she couldn't use the new move she'd created for finals, her Gravity Well, the ability she used to make a barrier of focused, increased gravity that deflected attacks coming at her.

But nothing was working and it was so frustrating! She just couldn't hit her upperclassman! It made her feel so stupid, she was trying so hard and didn't land a single hit! Every bit of rubble she threw Nejire could dodge, and though she could fly faster than Nejire she still somehow couldn't catch her because she was turning so rapidly in midair and had such crazy movement Ochako couldn't predict her moves, and GAH, she still wouldn't shut up!

For the first time in a long time, she felt outmatched, and it was so ungodly annoying! Maybe she should have kept her temper better…in hindsight, when she looked back, she could realize she hadn't really been paying attention. Because Izuku and Himiko were frustrated, annoyed, angry, and it was all bleeding together, whipping them up, piece by piece and step by step, planting tiny little explosives one bomb at a time.

Izuku was getting reckless, their whips growing with frustration, their telekinesis grabbing bigger and bigger pieces of the training grounds. Himiko was practically snarling, her eyes slitted, her fur fluffed, fangs bared, the speed of Gear Shift applied to her and now changing the pressure and force of her impacts. Ochako was losing her grip on her power, the gravity in the area starting to twist and entwine, to shift and bubble, as she felt her own anger filling her chest, her heart, her voice, until all she could see was red red red red red red-

She had enough. With a scream of rage, she slammed her fists into the ground, Galactic Shroud having risen beyond anything she'd ever touched upon. The fury in her breast, matched by Izuku as they spun in a circle, kicked so hard they formed a massive sonic wave across the area, matched by Himiko as she moved so fast she vanished from even Toshinori's sight…and everything erupted.

Concrete exploded, windows shattered, the very air and earth below and above them now turned into a twisting monstrosity of a weather pattern, so much dust and debris sent flying up that Ochako lost sight of everything and everyone, only now feeling a cold chill run down her back as she suddenly realized what she'd done. The roar of the blow blotted out every other sound, and the wind that swirled around her made her have to fall back and away from it, barely able to stay standing.

It was seconds later she felt it…droplets of water, falling from what were previously clear skies above, a gentle rainfall washing the dirt and debris off her. She ignored it, looking about with wide eyes, fearful eyes, afraid she'd gone too far afraid of the world of cardboard, afraid she'd actually hurt someone…but a tap on her shoulder made her spin about, to see her cheerful, blue-haired upperclassman grinning at her as she floated just above the ground behind her.

"That was really awesome, Uraraka! Big boom! But I think you hurt yourself, your hands are purple, is that normal?" Nejire asked, tilting her head to the side as she spoke. Ochako glanced down at herself and finally saw it…her wrists were bent the wrong direction, her fingers not moving right, and only then did the surge of pain hit her. She bit her tongue to avoid crying out as she let out a whimper, falling to her knees and curling in on herself.

She wanted to stop any pain from going across the bond, but she couldn't hold it…not that it helped much, because it seemed she wasn't the only one. Out of the corner of her eye, Amajiki was helping hold Himiko up, her girlfriend favoring her visible abdomen, where Ochaka could see her girlfriends ribs, one of them jutting out in a way that just was wrong. And Izuku, their right leg broken, Togata looking down at them nervously as he tried to help Izuku sit up.

"...well. That…could have gone better," Toshinori said with worry in his voice, audible across the now quiet field.

Nighteye pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I think it's best we get them to Recovery Girl, before we try to unpack what just happened."

Toshinori nodded, the UA robots already moving towards the trio and with careful movement, putting them on stretchers to start transporting them to the nurses office. As Ochako was starting to be pulled away, Nejire floated beside her for a moment, her habitually bright smile dimming and softening slightly as she leaned down to whisper. "We all get mad sometimes, it's okay. But you did great out there, and I hope we can spar again sometime! See you later Uraraka!" With a casual salute, she floated off towards Togata and Amajiki, leaving Ochako to think back on what happened.

"Alright. Let's address what happened there," Nighteye began, after the trio had endured a round of Recovery Girl's healing combined with a very long lecture.

"...I got mad," Ochako muttered, refusing to look up.

"That was evident," Nighteye replied drily. "Was your anger solely your own, or were you two also angry?"

"...yeah I was getting upset too," Izuku admitted. Himiko just nodded, fiddling with her tail.

"And why were you angry?" Nighteye asked.

Ochako squirmed, feeling uncomfortable at having to address it. "I dunno," she said.

"That is a lie. You know why you got angry. Why did you get angry?" Nighteye repeated, narrowing his eyes at her.

"...cause we couldn't do anything!" Himiko finally snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and collapsing back against the wall behind her cot.

"Why did you think you could? It was your first try sparring with the three best students in the university. Why do you expect you could have combated them on even terms?" Nighteye asked, looking from each person one by one. The room was silent, the trio feeling rather sullen because none of them wanted to say it out loud…but Nighteye had no such compunctions. "It's because you thought that thanks to One For All and your combined Quirks, you should have been able to win, right?" He didn't wait for a reply, continuing on. "Or at least, be able to do something. And yet, you couldn't. Why do you think that is?"

Izuku twisted their fingers on their hands back and forth nervously. "...because I'm still bad at using it, and maybe it messed up-"

"No, and stop the self-pitying nonsense. The issue is not your skill at utilizing One For All itself. While there are weaknesses and room for improvement, you have a fair mastery of the base concept of your various empowerment techniques. Your skills with the other Quirks you have recently gained need serious work, but that will take time and you know that. Your skill with your base Quirks also is in a similar state as One For All…it's basic, but effective. That is not why you were losing."

Himiko snarled. "Then if you're oh so fucking smart, why couldn't we do shit?!"

Nighteye pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Experience. With enough power, you can brute force many issues. But not all. When you face both power and experience, the ones with the experience will triumph every time, even if their power is less. Experience encompasses many aspects of your career; martial arts, predictions, learning conservation of your own stamina, how to reliably work with the terrain around you, etc. The simple fact is you lack these things. That is why, even though Mirio, Hado, and Amajiki are not quite as strong as you three are in a pure power stance, they were able to easily adapt to your abilities and prevent you from utilizing yours to the fullest extent. And then you let your emotions blind you and disabled yourselves."

The room was silent for a while, as they tried to digest what Nighteye was saying. "...then why did you have us fight them? Couldn't you have just told us that?" Izuku asked.

Nighteye arched an eyebrow at them. "Did you not hear what I said? 'Experience' is the key term. What better experience are there of the benefits of experience than to have you actually find out how that experience gave them the advantage against you?"

"Still coulda told us you expected us to get our asses kicked," Ochako grumbled.

"That would defeat the purpose. You needed to see what it's like for your classmates to fight you. Are you saying you don't think you learned anything from today's battle?" Nighteye pressed.

Ochako felt it through the bond…all three of them were feeling rather sulky and it was making it difficult to really absorb what Nighteye was saying, but…that was them being arrogant and they all knew it. The fight for the finals kinda did make them feel a bit…too strong. And she had been taking pride in her strength, and maybe…maybe she needed knocked down a peg. Maybe they all did.

She let out an annoyed huff as she thought back to her fight with Nejire. "I guess…I learned that I gotta really work on my maneuverability in the air, and that I won't always have time to concentrate to pull up my moves. I need to be faster in general."

"You should also focus more on not relying so heavily on those moves. You are still mostly a short-range fighter and you should take advantage of that. Hado was able to blast you from a distance with impunity because you tried to face off against her with her speciality…long range endurance matches. Never fight someone else on their turf…make them fight you on yours," Nighteye lectured.

"I don't know what more I could do to Amajiki though! He had an answer for everything!" Himiko exclaimed, waving her hands in frustration.

"He has limited duration on his manifestations. In many ways he's the opposite of Hado…endurance and range are not his specialities. You had the opposite problem of Uraraka. Your preferred fighting style was negated by Amajiki's abilities. You need to learn other styles, other methods of combat, because you will not always be able to simply blitz someone from stealth."

Himiko paused, thinking about it as she relaxed her shoulders slightly. Ochako could almost see the wheels turning in her girlfriend's head as she thought back to her fight, nodding slowly as she thought about it. Nighteye turned to look at Izuku.

"I intentionally made sure you fought Togata for a few reasons. One is he is, as you may have noticed, a lot like Toshinori as a person, and I expected that subconsciously that would influence you. Secondly, his Quirk is a near perfect counter for almost any physical Quirk which is what you mostly have access to. Thirdly, he simply is far more experienced in fighting and martial arts, and that showed itself today. While you were able to start predicting his movements and that was a good sign, you still never were able to capitalize on them."

"But…how can I? He just slips through everything!" Izuku protested.

"He has to solidify to actually land a hit. And he cannot guard what he cannot see. He does not have your Danger Sense, nor Amajiki's extra senses. You need to learn, quite like Himiko, how to use other fighting styles and techniques, rather than getting stuck into one style."

"...yeah, okay, makes sense," Izuku muttered, their hand twitching as if they wanted to take notes.

Nighteye let the room stay silent for a minute, before nodding at the trio. "All that said, you did fairly well for what you faced. I will be doing small group training sessions with various members of your class and class B over the next few weeks, but we will have time for more sessions after hours if you're willing. And you should be aware that Togata, Hado, and Amajiki enjoyed your spars and hope to repeat them. Well, Togata and Hado did. Amajiki I believe was too busy attempting to escape to hide under his covers." Nighteye's lip quirked slightly, but his dry tone never changed.

Still, it pulled a giggle out of Ochako, feeling a similar rush of humor from Himiko and Izuku. It faded a moment later…the healing had exhausted her, on top of the adrenaline rush fading, and she knew she wanted to just get back to the dorms, take a shower, and crawl under the covers with her partners for now. She needed to get some sleep and think about it in the morning, because for now, she just wanted her cuddles.

Chapter Text

The change from best friends to dating was so smooth, Himiko had trouble realizing anything was different. Even knowing that by all accounts they are dating, it…felt so similar she sometimes doubted it. It wasn't exactly the same, of course. The underlying current of guilt she felt when she thought she was being too clingy or too physical was gone now, since she knew how much Ochako and Izuku loved it. The warm flashes of affection were no longer tinged with fear of rejection or worry about things going wrong, just pure heat whispered into her veins that always energized her.

The worries and fears that had plagued her were mercifully gone, and in their place was just…joy. But once she set that aside? Everything else was just…the same. She supposed she had to admit (to herself, because Mina would never shut up if she admitted it out loud), that perhaps the three of them had always been just a bit too close to just be best friends. At least, ever since the entwining of their souls.

Okay, she was waxing a bit too philosophical there, but sue her. Momo, it turned out, had a weakness for romance novels and had shared her collection with Himiko. The blonde had devoured them when she was bored, finding herself lost in them as much as Momo apparently did, the two giggling and sharing their favorite scenes while their other friends were off doing other things, and maybe, just maybe, the books gave her some ideas of how to consider her relationship.

Regardless, she was just down in the bones happy, and it made everything a breeze lately. Sure, their new training regimen with the Big Three was brutal at times, but they were really starting to improve! Granted, no one but Ochako could do crap to Togata (gravity still impacts someone who was impermeable apparently), but the training was still very valuable. Especially as Nighteye was so good at tricky quirks apparently. He'd been able to help Himiko really master her blink ability, and now she could remain pretty much in constant motion with it for multiple minutes without causing her body to start freezing too much.

And…that was their life. For weeks on end. Training, classes, occasional dates when they could (picnics was a common one, a stroll through the forests on the edge of UA's campus, and one mildly disastrous dance class Nemuri tried to teach but Izuku got so flustered they ended up having to quit early on), and just…hero training.

Which led to something the members of the first year Hero Course had expected and yet were still kinda surprised by: the provisional licensing exam. Aizawa had explained it pretty simply that due to the attack on Hosu, they chose to push for first years to take part, just in case they ended up in another 'situation' they could avoid any issues. Did he glare specifically at the cat-eared trio when he said that? Himiko liked to pretend he didn't.

Himiko thought the exam would be pretty easy, but Izuku didn't. They'd done some research apparently, and though information was rather sketchy, they had been able to determine there were generally multiple aspects to it, and that you really had to be able to rescue as well as fight…which meant Ochako proceeded to give them lectures about rescue heroics until Himiko swore she was going to collapse out of sheer boredom, but well…she supposed she needed the refresher.

All of that boiled down to today. They were in their costume, everyone waiting for the test to begin. Mera had already come out and explained the basics of the test, Himiko having to hold back a hiss at seeing the sleepy man once more. Yeah, sure, he was just doing his job and he made some good points, but she wasn't about to forget the implication that came from what he said. Still…it was time to put her game face on. As the wall literally exploded, she leapt into action, knowing her class (and especially her partners) had her back.

"...well, that was easier than I expected," Ochako murmured, getting a flash of amused agreement from Himiko, as they awaited the final results.

Denki snorted as he stretched one hand above his head. "The other schools trying to crush us sure backfired on them."

"Thanks to our resident kit-kats," Mina chimed in, eagerly hanging off Ochako's shoulder with a wide grin.

Izuku shrugged with a blush on their face. "I mean…Danger Sense helps a lot, and not like any of them really knew what we could do."

"To be honest dude, I don't think we even know what all you can do now," Hanta pointed out.

"Maybe so, but that was only half the test anyways, the rescue portion our powers didn't do a lot for!" Izuku reminded him.

Momo arched an eyebrow. "You say that, but between your Telekinesis, Ochako's Zero Gravity, and Himiko's Blink, you had no issues retrieving many injured individuals."

"Couldn't have done it without your guidance though," Izuku shot back.

"They got a point," Itsuka replied, gently massaging her palms from all the effort she'd put in. "Between the triage center you set up and the step by step guide to search and rescue, it was much easier."

"That only worked because everyone worked so well together," Momo remarked. "Without Mezo, Kyoka, and Koji's abilities it would have been much harder to find all the victims, and everyone else reacted swiftly to the changing obstacles."

"I do not feel like I did much, beyond annoying Gang Orca," Shoto mused.

"Eh, someone had to!" Eijiro said with a grin, clapping Shoto on the shoulder. The split-haired teenager blinked rapidly, but otherwise didn't react to the sudden impact.

Izuku opened their mouth to comment, but the board that presented the scores flickered up in front of the gathered students, everyone immediately turning to it to search for their names. They couldn't help the grin crossing their face, the pride and joy within them infectious and mingling with Ochako and Himiko's, as they confirmed that their entire class passed. First years getting their provisional licenses…this made everything so much more worth it.

It was a testament to how proud Aizawa was of them that he didn't stop the class from setting up a license test party in the dorms. Mina's idea, but surprisingly even Tenya had been on board with it. Granted, he tried to be more firm about what all was involved, but even he was swept up in the joy of knowing they'd all managed something almost no first years did. And contrary to what many of them had been worrying about under the surface, they hadn't just been carried by the trio.

Yeah, the initial UA crush was stopped by them, but right after that, everyone in the class had managed to prove themselves without any help from the cat trio. And while their powers were helpful for the rescue portion, the truth was people like Kyoka, Mezo, and Koji were more useful. Not to mention Momo taking charge, even getting the second and third years from other schools to listen to her.

So now, they would do what young adults with little to no adult supervision do...have a celebratory party in their dorms and just have fun. Which for Himiko wasn't the newest experience, but for the other two it certainly was. Himiko had gone to a few high school parties, it was one of the 'expected' behaviors from a queen bee as she'd been back in school, but Izuku was ostracized and Ochako…well, she had a lot of reasons she never attended any of the back of woods parties that happened in Mie.

So this was an entirely new experience for the trio. They weren't alone. Momo and Shoto both admitted they'd never been to a party like this (though they'd both been forced to attend 'formal' parties with their parents), and Tenya was too goody-two shoes to ever consider having gone to one (Mina's words, not his, but he didn't deny them). But Mina and Toru were a force of nature, having no problems setting something up with Denki and Hanta's help.

Rikido was happy to bake for the class, Izuku volunteering their assistance, Itsuka following shortly after. Between the three of them, they managed to create plenty of desserts to go along with the purchased snacks the rest of the class hunted down, and with Kyoka setting up a playlist for them all, they just had a good time. One where Himiko felt nothing across the bond but pride, joy, and affection, as Izuku was busy competing in Hero Fighter IX with Eijiro, Denki, and Hanta, while Ochako was busy chatting with Momo, Tsuyu, and Aoyama about…something, Himiko wasn't sure what but Ochako was having a good time and that was all that mattered. Himiko was next to Shoto, enjoying the warmth coming off his side, the split-haired teenager a bit bemused by how Himiko and Tsuyu were both next to him but not stopping them from basking in his left side.

But, the class as a whole were exhausted from the exam, and even those who wanted the party more than anything were starting to flag within only a couple of hours. Which suited Himiko just fine, because there was something she'd been wanting to speak to her partners about for a while. It sucked, knowing they already knew she wanted to talk and that the topic had her nervous, but neither of them begrudged her the chance to speak her mind, letting her pull them into Ochako's (really, all of theirs) room and sitting them down on the bed.

"So…what's up?" Ochako asked, tilting her head to the side.

Himiko swallowed. "Um…can I be blunt?"

"Of course. Whatever it is, speak your mind," Izuku reassured, their familiar anxiety rising internally as they started to wonder what was bothering Himiko.

She quickly waved her hands in front of her face, making sure to push reassurance across the bond. "It's nothing bad I swear! It's just a bit weird to talk about, that's all." She let out a deep sigh of relief when she felt Izuku's worries slip away, Ochako's answered concern also falling off and turning to mild curiosity.

Ochako reached out and grabbed Himiko's hand, gently squeezing it. "I'll ask again, what's up?"

Himiko stared at them both for a moment. She squared her shoulders, took in a deep breath, and said "Can I kiss you?!"

Silence stretched out in the room as Ochako and Izuku slowly tried to parse her request. Himiko could practically hear the dial-up tone (and the only way she even knew what that sounded like was old memes) going through their minds. She kind of expected this response, if she was being honest with herself. She did just toss it out there without any warning, after all.

But the silence was getting to her, and the rising nerves within made her start copying her partner's herself, pink flooding into her cheeks as she started speaking rapidly. "See, I know this is out of nowhere, but like, I've been thinking about this for a while now and you both are really cute and hot and pretty and I love cuddling with you and we get really close to it sometimes but I know we haven't talked about it and it's okay if you're not okay with it but I really do want to kiss both of you a lot and-" her ever more rapid babbling was cut off by a sudden surge of movement from Ochako, the brunette quickly pressing her lips to Himiko's.

Himiko froze, feeling every nerve in her body light up at once, before her shoulders relaxed into the kiss, every thought draining from her as she felt the warmth of Ochako's lips against hers. Her eyes fluttered closed, finding herself leaning forward into Ochako's grasp, a gentle rumbling purr escaping her chest. She didn't have much time to lose herself in it, Ochako pulling away after a moment, a hand on her hip turning her about. She opened her eyes just in time to see green fill her vision, Izuku's mouth now against her own, sending her back into bliss as she fell into their arms. She could barely think, the rush of emotions filling her chest and head and heart too much to bear.

Even when they released her, her eyes flickering open to gaze upon her beloved's now looking at each other sheepishly, she still felt it. The press of Izuku's and Ochako's lips against her own, the taste, the scent, the everything, she felt so perfect…and it only became more perfect when Ochako reached out and pulled Izuku in, pressing her lips against theirs just as firmly.

Maybe Himiko was supposed to feel some sort of way about seeing the people she loved most kissing, and she did. She felt complete. No trace of jealousy or fear or worry, just the two of them in front of her enjoying themselves, and her enjoying that. Ochako broke the kiss a moment later, panting lightly, her hands still cupping Izuku's cheeks. She patted them on the cheek once, turning back to Himiko with wavering eyes and flushed cheeks.

Himiko didn't wait any longer. She leapt forward into her loves arms, tackling both of them back onto the bed with a sudden shriek. She nuzzled her head into Ochako's neck, her hand around Izuku's shoulders sliding up into their hair to scratch their ears. She felt content now, another relationship goal of hers passed, but…she wasn't sure she wanted to leave it there either.

"...I really liked that. I kinda want to do more," she whispered, resolutely not looking up at the two of them as blood rushed to her face.

"We're in the same boat, Himi," Ochako murmured back, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "At least, I am?"

At what Himiko assumed was Ochako's questioning look, Izuku cleared their throat. "Y-yeah. I um…I'm okay with more. I don't think I'd want to go um, too far, but…we are adults, and in our private room, and we kind of have the floor to ourselves…"

"Oh my gosh Izu!" Ochako shrieked, slapping playfully at Izuku's shoulder, but the giggle that escaped her and the surge of anticipation and joy keyed the other two into how she really felt about the idea.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," Himiko giggled, squirming atop her partners and enjoying the stifled gasp the two of them gave as she pressed herself firmly against them both, feeling toned muscles and soft skin. She lifted her head up, meeting the chocolate and emerald gazes she loved so much, and decided there had been plenty of talking already. Leaning forward to press her lips, first to Izuku and then to Ochako, she let herself fall into them, into their love and affection and care, and made sure to drape her own feelings over the two of them like a blanket…she wanted to show them how much she loved them, and they accepted.

"Truly fascinating," Re-Destro mused, watching the footage before him play out on the screen.

"Their meta abilities are so varied I simply cannot tell what their actual powers are," Skeptic said, rapidly typing on his laptop as he tried to examine the footage more carefully.

"Does it matter? They are exactly the sort of people we'd want on our side!" Curious exclaimed, but the eager glint in her eyes betrayed her true desire for the next big scoop.

"Patience, my friends, patience," Re-Destro cautioned. "We must move cautiously. Skeptic's research has shown we may have overreached with some of our recruitment efforts, and it will be difficult to draw these three in."

"How?" Trumpet asked, arching an eyebrow.

Skeptic held up his hands and shrugged. "Trinity is from the Aldera school system, and it appears that they were an exceptionally late bloomer. We can't figure out exactly how, but the school completely misunderstood and had them marked as a Null. So Trinity did not receive a proper education and as far as we can tell, it's unlikely they'll be on board with our ideals. At least, not at first."

"Yes, I believe we can still turn them to our side. Being beaten down for a decade for being weak and now being the top of the hierarchy? I believe we can appeal to their desire for revenge and justice, absolutely," Re-Destro said with a sharp nod.

"What about Uravity and Changeling?" Curious asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Uravity should be easier to sway. Her family's financial situation is poor, and we can utilize that. We've already started setting up shell companies to hire her parents for work, which should give us the in we need," Skeptic replied, tapping away at his keyboard quickly. "As for Changeling…well, her parents were fools and are now under investigation for repressing her meta ability."

"Exactly, so we can simply appeal to her the same way as Trinity. I'm sure she wants to use her power. We simply need them to understand the inherent weaknesses in the system and how it is only right that the strong manage the important matters," Re-Destro proclaimed, a wide smile on his face.

"I don't doubt you, Glorious Leader, but are you sure it'll be that easy?" Geten asked, speaking up for the first time. His hood was down, his expression twisted into a concerned one.

"No no, speak your mind, please," Re-Destro encouraged. "It's a vague plan for a reason, we're all aware it may take some tweaking to work it out."

"I more more…the three of them are already under UA's thumb. And we've seen that All Might himself seems to have taken a special interest in them. I'm just not sure we can draw them in without getting noticed."

"Don't you worry about that, I've already infiltrated UA's systems and am monitoring everything I can!" Skeptic replied proudly. "We'll know the moment they know anything about us, and we'll be able to adapt just fine!" Geten didn't respond aloud, nodding at Skeptic and choosing not to object further.

Re-Destro clapped his hands together. "Excellent! A most productive start for our next big movement! Let's move onto the next item on the agenda."

"And you're quite certain he's contained?" Nezu asked, sipping at his tea.

Manami snorted. "Oh yeah, he's nowhere near as good as he thinks he is. I got him stuck on the dummy system we set up, he thinks he's got an in into our real system but he's right where we want him. Still can't believe he's stupid enough to believe you'd keep important information on an outward facing network, pshaw."

Nezu nodded absently, looking over the files Manami was sending him. "But you cannot tell where he's working from or who he is?"

Manami looked sheepish. "Not…yet? He's pretty good at what he does, he's just not as good as me, but good enough I'm having trouble narrowing it down."

"Yet you know he's named Skeptic?"

Manami shrugged. "Hackers take pride in their handles and their work. We like…know each other, sorta? Or at least, we see each other's names around on the net. I've seen him around a time or two on forums or chat rooms."

Nezu hummed. "I see. Unfortunate. Still, it's a good thing you set up that dummy system for us. I must assume he never tried before or he'd realize it was a trap."

"Probably not worth it. Going after UA is a dumb idea and anyone with a brain knows that, but I guess someone musta paid him big bucks to try for it."

Nezu sipped at his tea once more, eyes narrowing in on the red-covered book sitting atop his desk. "That or the one who hired him is ready to make their move…"

Chapter Text

Izuku was having a great day, honestly. They now had a provisional hero license, Aizawa had told them they were all scheduled for a training camp over the summer and everyone was super excited for it, and they got to advance their relationship with their partners! Nothing too far, but well…shirts had come off, and there were wandering hands, and nope! They shook their head, not wanting to get too far into memory right now.

Not that Himiko or Ochako noticed. Himiko was skipping along, her hand in Ochako's, casually telling Ochako about something she'd recently read. Izuku was on Ochako's other side, her other hand firmly grasped, just casually enjoying the walk outside of UA's walls.

It had taken a bit of time, but they finally got permission to go off campus. Luckily, the news had moved on from their moments in Hosu and at their internships, and while they were still being recognized as they walked, no one was really bothering them (save a few little kids wanting to pet the kitty people, and none of them had the heart to say no). Granted, they had to have panic buttons on themselves, since according to Aizawa they were trouble magnets and needed it, but still…they were out and having fun and wow.

Having a relationship wasn't something Izuku ever really expected to have, much less with two gorgeous women (and they were allowed to think that now!). And now they did, and had a super powerful Quirk (Quirks?), and were on their way to actually becoming a real hero. They had friends, real honest friends, not…whatever Kacchan was. It was hard for Izuku to really think that way, but talks with Danjuro and Ryo had been focused a lot on recognizing the inherent unhealthy nature of their relationship with Kacchan.

Maybe someday, far in the future, they could actually sit down and talk to him, maybe he'd be better, but as it stood, Izuku finally understood that they had no room for Kacchan's attitude and behavior in their life. They had real friends now. People who actually gave a damn about them and were willing to enjoy their company. Everything in their life was going well, and…well, the pessimistic part of their mind kept expecting the other shoe to drop, but even that was partly quiet because of the help the counselors had given.

Like Danjuro had told them just the other day; they chose a career in heroism, which meant they were intending on interfering with the worst of the worst, of getting involved in situations that were, by their very nature, already bad. And sometimes things would not go great during that. But…that didn't mean they were cursed, or at fault, or anything of the sort. All it meant was the world was imperfect, and that was okay.

Izuku's ears perked up as they heard an odd noise. Himiko stopped talking mid sentence, her head tilting to the side, as Ochako blinked, stopping in place. Something had caught their attention, but it was strange. It wasn't just a noise. It was…Danger Sense? But not like normal. Instead of a painful throbbing in their heads, that their body would instinctively turn to, it was more of a sense of…impending danger, but not active danger?

"That makes sense," Himiko murmured, clueing Izuku into the fact they'd been muttering aloud once more. "It's never felt like that before."

"Yeah…and I heard somethin' too, did you two?" Ochako asked, turning her head back and forth as she narrowed her eyes.

Izuku nodded absently, as they scanned around like Ochako was. Their nose wrinkled as a weird scent crossed it…while the enhanced hearing had been pretty much from day one, it felt like the longer time went on the more their other senses got enhanced. The sense of smell was a new one though, only noticeable in the past week or so, but right now it was very noticeable. They'd gotten pretty good at filtering the smell of the city out, and luckily their sensitive nose was more in line with animals who weren't bothered by scents most people would find displeasing, but this…this wasn't displeasing so much as just noticeable. "What is that?" Izuku muttered quietly, confused.

Himiko's eyes snapped open, narrowing into slits a moment later. Her shoulders tensed, the fur on her tail standing straight up, ears laying flat on her head. Her voice dropped to a low, dangerous growl as she said quietly "Blood. That's the smell of blood."

Izuku focused their senses, blocking out as much of the outside world as possible, which was very difficult considering how loud Musutafu was on a daily basis. But it was enough, with Danger Sense telling them where to look and focus, to notice the sound was coming from an alleyway up ahead.

They didn't have to share a look with their partners, already in motion towards the alley. One hand patted Izuku's pocket, where their Provisional License and the panic button were sitting, double checking they were there. The trio approached the alleyway, the sound now clearly the noise of soft feet slapping against concrete, like they were running…and the omnipresent scent of dried, old blood.

Izuku's reflexes were more than enough to catch the small child as she came fleeing out of the alleyway, eyes wide with fright, white hair streaming behind her as she looked behind. She nearly ran into Izuku's legs, but Izuku was already in place to prevent her from falling over, one hand gently catching her as she jerked in fright.

She took one terrified look up at Izuku's face, seeing the comforting smile on their face, before launching herself into Izuku's arms and sobbing, gripping onto Izuku tightly. Ochako knelt beside Izuku, one hand gently brushing the young girl's hair, her clear terror already making the trio worried as to what had happened, especially as they now could tell the dried blood smell was coming from the dirty bandages.

"Hey little one, what's wrong?" Ochako asked softly, keeping her movements slow and non-threatening.

The little girl whispered something, so quietly even the trio had trouble making out what she'd said. Izuku cleared their throat. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"...monsters," she whispered. As if in response to her words, they all felt it. A sudden, painful shock of pain through their skulls, all three wincing simultaneously, but given no time to react as the alleyway the girl had stumbled out of exploded, fire and ash and shrapnel erupting towards the trio with no warning.

Himiko's hands quickly grabbed onto Izuku and Ochako, her tail wrapping about the little girl's waist just in case as she Blinked away, dragging them all back as far as she could. It wasn't quite enough, the shards of glass and concrete still slicing into their bodies before Ochako managed to get her hands up and crash! The shrapnel slammed into the wall she'd created, smashing into the ground as gravity twisted to form a barrier before her, blocking the painful shrapnel that had already partly cut through them.

Izuku had curled around the little girl, blocking her from getting struck by any of it, but it left them the only one on the ground as the screams began, various civilians now running away from the exploding alleyway. Not that they had much chance to do so, as another explosion erupted nearby, and then another, and a fourth, and Izuku lost count as they tried to ignore the pain in their ears from the extremely loud noises surrounding them.

They had trained for quick reactions though, and with one hand they'd already reached into their pocket to press the panic button. They glanced up, seeing Ochako and Himiko had already taken a defensive position around the two of them, and without waiting any further, they quickly leapt to their feet, still holding the little girl to their chest as they scanned around for the source of the explosions.

Danger Sense was a godsend, making their head turn without meaning to, Ochako and Himiko's gaze following, as they could see it…a hulking, black-skinned monstrosity, it's body covered in spikes leaking a dripping substance that as it hit the ground began to burn.

Izuku let out an annoyed huff of air. Maybe it was wrong for them to be more annoyed than afraid, but…for fucks sake! The sensation of sheer aggravation and frustration across the bond keyed Izuku into the fact their girlfriends felt the same way, as Ochako groaned aloud and Himiko muttered under her breath.

Not that they had much time to consider, as a second, a third, more and more of the Nomu were appearing. In the middle of the day. In the middle of Downtown Musutafu. Could this bastard Doctor be any more asinine!?

"Doubt it," Ochako muttered, making Izuku realize they'd been muttering aloud again.

"Dammit. Okay, Izu, what's the play?" Himiko asked, her eyes darting about as she tried to determine the biggest threats.

Izuku took a deep breath, focusing their mind. Himiko was right. They had to forget the why and focus on what to do. "'Chako, are they in your range?"

Ochako shook her head no. "Only about half of them are in range."

"Shit," Izuku swore. "Was hoping we could stall for time for the heroes to arrive, but that won't help. Okay. forget that. Priority is civilian rescue. I hit the button, so we should have backup soon."

"Yeah but we won't have Toshi since he's at that stupid meeting in Tokyo," Himiko reminded.

"I know, but still. We need to focus on getting people to safety, especially this little one," Izuku idly pointed their tail at the quivering child in their arms. They thought over it quickly, trying to come up with the best plan with the limited information they had. "Okay. 'Chako, if you see any Nomu without wings or visible ranged abilities, send them up into the air to disable. Also focus on lifting the rubble. Himi, focus on taking people out of the danger zone, and scout what our best targets are. I'll run interference and carry everyone I can out."

"That still leaves the Nomu rampaging mostly," Himiko pointed out.

Izuku nodded with a grim expression. "Yeah, but with only three of us, we're limited. Soon as people are safe…kick the Nomu's asses, Himi."

Her lips quirked into a savage grin, eyes alight as the golden-red strands of Sanguine Cloak surrounded her. "Got it."

Ochako nodded at Izuku, her eyes glowing as Galactic Shroud roared to life, singing in her veins. The pulse of strength from Sanguine Cloak was in tune with her, making her feel more balanced, more ready for anything. She could feel it when Izuku activated Full Cowling, the little girl in their arms somehow not shrinking in terror, her eyes wide and in awe as she gazed at the three glowing teenagers…and then they moved.

"Changeling!" a voice shouted, dragging Himiko's attention off the Nomu she'd been slamming into the pavement. She'd spent the past several minutes basically playing tag with the Nomu, quickly realizing they were either lacking orders or were like magpies, attracted to shiny things, because every single Nomu that saw her started chasing her to the exclusion of every other person. Which she was more than okay with. Not only did it give Izuku more time to evacuate, but Ochako was dashing about, throwing pieces of rubble and whipping a broken cable around, sending every Nomu she could up into the air where they were flailing wildly, unable to do anything.

She made a final, brutal stab into the creature's skull, wincing at the awful scent of tainted blood as she glanced up, seeing her Sensei skidding to a stop beside her. Beyond him, she could see, to her great relief, other heroes arriving…recognizing Ryukyu, Fat Gum, and Sir Nighteye, as well as the Big Three, and she felt like she could finally breathe. She'd been terrified this entire time, every scream of pain or fear echoing in her far too sensitive ears, but finally, finally, they had backup.

"What's the situation?!" He commanded, dragging her attention to him. As he stopped beside her, he tossed her an earpiece, her hands almost fumbling it as she had to quickly sheathe one of her knives to grab it. She shoved it into her ear, hissing in an annoyed fashion as she tried to get it to clip onto her ear since it was clearly not designed for her cat ears, but she managed to get it in place well enough for what she needed. The hero course were vaguely familiar with these earpieces, knowing they were standard issue during emergencies…but she also had no real idea how to operate it!

Aizawa rolled his eyes, reaching over and tapping on the side of it, the sudden noise in her ear making her wince as she could hear a half-dozen overlapping voices go off. Thankfully, she relaxed slightly once she heard the sound of Izuku's voice over the comms, quickly informing everyone of what they'd witnessed. Himiko grinned back at her teacher unrepentantly.

"Well, you heard Izu-uh, Trinity. That's what's going on!" She kept her smile on as she felt the Nomu beneath her stirring, stomping down on it with enough force to crack the concrete. Her teacher just gave her a deadpan stare.

"...right. I am having you three tested for a Villain Attracting Quirk once this is done. Anyway, we'll take it from here, get back to-" He didn't have time to finish speaking, as a sudden shout across the comms made both of them wince. He reached up and switched on his microphone. "Quiet! Report!" he commanded, trying to calm down what Himiko now realized was Izuku speaking way too rapidly.

"They got her! They took her somehow!"

"Took who, Trinity?!"

"The little girl I was bringing to safety! Some sort of black sludge erupted from her and she vanished from my arms!"

"What little girl?" Ryukyu asked over the comms, her voice muffled as they could clearly hear her slamming into something.

"Was a little girl that ran up to us fer help!" Ochako interjected, her accent slipping slightly. "We didn' get her name, but she told us monsters were chasin' her, then the Nomu showed up!"

"So something took her out of your arms? How does that even happen?" Fat Gum asked.

"I don't know!" Izuku cried out, clearly on edge. Himiko was struggling not to react to their sudden panic and guilt across the bond, but from the way Shouta was eyeing her she didn't think she was hiding it well.

"The how is unimportant. Fine. I was going to send you three back but for now, your priority is finding the girl and rescuing her. Only fight if absolutely necessary. Otherwise, stick to the shadows and find her." Aizawa ordered, locking eyes with Himiko as he did so.

"Lemillion, Nejire-chan, Suneater. Back them up. Do what you can to clear the way and keep the remaining civilians safe," Nighteye added.

Himiko took in a deep breath, nodding as she felt the agreement across the bond. She made sure to clearly state her agreement over the comms (that had been drilled into her head by Aizawa), waiting for the confirmation from Izuku and Ochako too. As soon as they had audibly confirmed, she ramped up Sanguine Cloak to her maximum and bolted in the direction Izuku was headed, able to sense Ochako on the way to intercept as well. Izuku had a vague idea of where she was, and that was more than what she or Ochako had. They had a little girl to save…and some Nomu to kill.

"Stupid fuckin' Nomu bastards!" Ochako swore as she flew, eyes focused on the ground for some hint of where the child had gone. Himiko was parkouring across the rooftops to the south, her fly speed not as quick as Ochako's, and Izuku was running across the ground in case Ochako missed something from her vantage point. They were marking Nomu as they went, for their upperclassman to swoop in and take out, focusing solely on rescue efforts. A lot of times they had to pause for a brief second to pull a civilian out of the way, lift some rubble, disable a Nomu long enough for one of the Big Three to come finish it off, but they remained focused on finding the girl.

The problem was it had already been a couple minutes, and with how terrified Izuku was across the bond, Ochako was nearly hyperventilating herself from their shared fear. She hated it, really…they'd been so happy earlier, and now Izuku was consumed with guilt and worry for something completely outside of their control. Who the hell could predict some black goop teleporting Quirk?! Even that portal one from the USJ was very obvious and it didn't just automatically take people! No one could have predicted it, much less what do you do when they can be yanked from your arms?

That was why she was also keeping an eye out for any more indicators of that Quirk. If it was a Nomu using it, they'd need to take it out. If it wasn't, well…they couldn't be as aggressive with whoever was doing it, but they were all uniquely suited to disabling people now that they had a sort of handle on Nemuri's power. It worked. Not as effectively or swiftly as hers did, but then again, none of the trio were as 'showy' as their teacher, and she had explained that it worked better on people who were attracted to her.

It worked really well on each other though, which apparently Nemuri found so funny that she'd told the class one day. Which meant Mina and Toru had been teasing them something fierce. Ochako shook her head. Now was not the time to focus on that. She needed to find the child.

It was like they were a single, well-oiled machine, the way their ears perked up as they heard the cry from near where Himiko was. Ochako was already turning to follow, Izuku's green sparks trailing as Himiko began blinking forward, trying to reach the area they'd heard it faster. They could see it up ahead…an entire residential district in flames; broken, shattered streets, pipes spewing water everywhere, a massive hole in the ground where the sounds of battle were audible.

The scene was confusing on the surface though…the Nomu were fighting heroes, but there were also a bunch of people fighting some of the heroes there. She didn't recognize them, but they all wore bird masks for some reason, and there! She could see the hint of silver hair in the arms of another, a taller man with a hood, carrying what looked like the girl as he ran away from the fighting. He was paced by another man, in a green jacket with a weird purple feathery collar. The man in the green jacket was almost…casual, in his movement, looking for all the world like he was unbothered by the fighting around him.

Unfortunately, Ochako found out why a moment later, when what looked like a hero came rushing towards the two men, his fist cocked for a strike…only for the man in green to brush one finger on the heroes arm and it explode into a shower of blood, the hero's eyes going wide in shock and pain as he fell to the ground.

Ochako nearly threw up at the sight, stopping midair with a start. She…what? What was that? It was so…so visceral, so wrong! She knew she'd see bad things as a hero, but that was just so…abrupt! And he had the little girl with him! She was in danger!

She could feel Himiko and Izuku's worry for her streaming across the bond. From their vantage point, she didn't think they saw what she did, but god it was so awful she was still having trouble keeping it together. She quickly tapped on her earpiece, already having set it to match just to Izuku, Himiko, and their Big Three mentors so as not to interfere with the other heroes.

"...a man in white with a hood, and a man in a green jacket have the girl. The man in green has some sort of touch Quirk, it…it blew up some guy's arm with one touch. Don't let him get you."

"That's Overhaul! Trinity, Uravity, Changeling, forget the rest of the mission, stay away from him!" Mirio ordered, panic in his voice.

"But what about-" Izuku began, before they were cut off.

"No! Sir has been investigating him for months! He's a Yakuza leader, his Quirk is Overhaul, it lets him disassemble and reassemble matter at the molecular level with a single touch. It's far too dangerous to get close!"

"...I don't need to touch him to win," Ochako pointed out.

"Me either," Izuku muttered, their voice low and steady.

"Plus we can all use Erasure!" Himiko chimed in. "That's Emitter, not Mutation, right? So we can stop it!"

"No, we can't allow you to just go in on that! It's far too dangerous!" Mirio insisted.

Ochako noticed Izuku quickly scaling the side of the building Himiko was on, and decided to drop down next to her partners, all three of them peering down the street at the free for all brawl before them. Ochako shared a single glance with Izuku and Himiko, already knowing how they felt before she reached up to her ear and pulled the earpiece out. Himiko clicked hers off, dropping it into her pocket as Ochako mirrored her. Izuku let out a deep sigh, tapping the microphone one last time.

"Sorry, Togata," was all they said, flipping the power off and pulling it out before Mirio could reply.

"The plan, Izu?" Ochako asked softly, her eyes staring at the slowly walking away man, an entire army of Nomu between the trio and him.

"...save the girl and kick his ass?" Izuku replied, their voice lowered to a growl.

Ochako would be surprised by their behavior, if it wasn't at least partly her fault. The horror she felt from seeing what Overhaul had done had twisted and festered into anger…especially as she saw him do it again, passing by a hero and just…Well, that was enough for her.

As one, the trio bolted forward. Rushing past the fighting Nomu and heroes, they flickered on Erasure as they went, making the Nomu stumble briefly at the sudden loss of whatever Quirk they were trying to use. Izuku let tendrils of Blackwhip flicker out to trip and knock away the Nomu, as Ochako tossed pieces of rubble to either send them flying or smash them into the ground as they passed by. Himiko didn't bother…her control over Blackwhip and Zero Gravity was worse than the other two, instead choosing to focus on clearing the direct path to their target.

They were maybe a dozen meters away at most, when Overhaul noticed them. His head turned, eyes wide at the sight of the three glowing figures coming towards him at inhuman speeds. Ochako smirked internally…no way he could react in time, not with how fast they were mov-

They were blindsided, Danger Sense rearing up just in time to let Ochako bring up her Gravity Well barrier, barely able to hold off the sudden explosive impact against it, sending her careening into Himiko and Izuku. Izuku's Blackwhip stabilized them, Himiko blinking out and back in next to Izuku, as Ochako skidded to a stop next to them, all three of their eyes now locked on the Nomu that had come out of nowhere. It looked…different, from the others, two glowing yellow eyes, lanky, stretched out arms, and a strange hood of skin covering its skull.

As the trio readied themselves to kick that Nomu out of their way, its jaw cracked wide open, and it spoke. "Are…are you…s-strong?"

Chapter Text

"Himi, grab the girl. If I'm right about how teleportation Quirks interact with each other, if you Blink when they try to teleport her away, it'll interfere with it," Izuku said softly. "'Chako, take out Overhaul and his friend. I'll handle this Nomu."

"...Izuku," Ochako began, a warning tone in her voice, before being cut off by Izuku.

"You're the best at range, 'Chako, better than me. And you have area of effect capability, along with Erasure. And only Himi can stop that teleportation Quirk, if I'm right about how they work."

"And if you're not?" Himiko shot back, narrowing her eyes at the Nomu before them that was still studying them intently.

"Then come back and help me or 'Chako, whichever one needs it more. But getting the girl to safety is our number one priority."

Himiko pursed her lips, sharing a glance with Ochako, but…she knew Izuku had a point. Leaving her loved ones behind to face monsters was not something she liked, but…that little girl needed to be safe, and she was the best for it. Silently, she vowed she'd figure out who had that stupid fucking teleportation Quirk and take them out as soon as possible, but for now… "Okay. You two promise me you'll be careful though," she said quietly, already looking past the Nomu towards the swiftly retreating Overhaul.

"I'll be safe. But soon as I put those two down, I'm coming back Izu," Ochako replied as quietly as Himiko did, red bands of power snapping into place around her as her eyes glowed.

"I know. I'll be okay," Izuku reassured, still holding steady, staring down the Nomu that was strangely silent the entire time…but not for long, it seemed.

Its mouth opened once more, its deep, rumbling voice echoing slightly. "A-are you d-done? I w-want to fight the s-strongest. Are you the strongest?"

Izuku smirked. "Your fight is with me, big guy. I'm more than strong enough for you." Izuku was able to fake it pretty well, but Ochako and Himiko could still sense the consternation within them at acting so cocky. Himiko and Ochako both edged slightly sideways, watching the Nomu for any response, but it seemed content to stare down Izuku.

"W-what is your n-name?" it asked, tilting its head to the side.

"Trinity. Yours?" Izuku was fine keeping it distracted with conversation, Danger Sense still ringing heavily in their head at its very presence.

"D-doctor called me H-Hood. He s-said I can fight the strongest h-here. I wish to fight. I w-wish to see who is stronger!"

Ochako wasn't bothering to wait anymore, the bastard was getting too far away, so she decided to risk it. She bolted to the left, taking a wide curve around Hood, as Himiko, following her lead, Blinked away instantly. Hood watched them go, but didn't follow, fine with staring Izuku down.

Izuku decided to risk more conversation, hoping for some information they could use. "What's the Doctor even want? Why did he send all of you here?"

"I wished to fight, so he let me. I-I think. The others d-do not think. The o-others are a trade. To the birdman. D-Doctor wants something from him."

"Any chance you know what he wants?" Izuku tried.

"I d-do not care. I want to fight. We must fight. Fight!" It seemed Hood's patience was expended, as Danger Sense blared in Izuku's head. Hood's two arms shot forward like cannons, Izuku having to launch themselves up into the air as quickly as possible, eyes going wide as they noticed the two arms impale a half dozen Nomu that were well over ten meters away, nearly striking some of the heroes fighting them and only narrowly avoiding killing people. Izuku realized, then and there, that they had to get Hood away from everyone else…which it seemed like it might be easier than they thought, since Hood's back split open, white light spilling out from it as Hood launched itself into the sky towards Izuku.

Izuku kicked off the air as fast as they could, activating Float and trying to speed away from Hood, pulling it further away from the main fighting. Unfortunately, they had to change course immediately, as Hood was apparently faster, one of its massive arms swinging out in a wide sweep. Izuku barely managed to duck beneath it, the hand smashing into a nearby office building and taking off its top floor. Thankfully Izuku's sensitive hearing didn't hear anyone in the building, making them feel slightly better about it, but dammit, they needed to move this fight away. With a deep breath, they sent Blackwhip back towards Hood, eyes narrowed, as they tried to interfere with its movements as best they could. They hoped 'Chako finished quickly, because it did seem like they would need help sooner rather than later.

Because this damned creature was making them angry.

Himiko hated how smart her partner was sometimes, because it left her with the job she wanted the least. Snatching the girl out of Overhaul's hands was surprisingly easy, especially when Ochako suddenly kicked him in the face…a very satisfying sight, if she was being honest. But Izuku had called it…seconds after she'd yanked the girl out of Overhaul's arms, the black goop began to spill from her mouth, and so Himiko Blinked.

And it fucking hurt! Her training had mitigated the numbness that would spill into her muscles from use of Blink, but this was a brand new pain. It was like her entire body felt torn and ripped apart for a brief second, the two teleportation Quirks vying for control before hers took effect, and from the cut off cry and quake from the girl in her arms, she had to assume she felt the same pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it'll be okay, just hold on," she muttered to her, curling around her as much as she could while relying on her enhanced hearing and smell to navigate her through the battlefield. If she couldn't find the teleporter, she had to get out of its range somehow, or at least, she hoped it had a max range. Unfortunately, that wasn't working well, the black goop continuing to ooze from the girl periodically, forcing her to cancel it with Blink.

There did seem to be a cooldown period, as far as she could tell, because there were gaps between attempts at using the Quirk. About twenty seconds at her very quick count, but…was that because the Quirk had a cooldown, or something else? God her partner was rubbing off on her, here she was trying to puzzle out the mechanics while fleeing for a little girls life. Time to test.

At seventeen seconds, she activated Blink, just a short hop that wouldn't use much stamina or cause too much numbness, and counted the last three, and…nothing. She bit her lip, focusing forward, the girl now much quieter since her normal Blink wasn't causing harm. So she counted again…at sixteen, she Blinked. Eighteen. Seventeen again. And not once did the ooze appear. She was starting to get it…it wasn't that it had a cooldown, it was that her Blink was interfering with whatever 'lock' they were using, and that meant as long as she Blinked before they could lock on, they couldn't get the girl!

It wasn't sustainable though, that much she knew. Even short Blink's still burned her stamina, and the numb pain was still seeping in. Izuku's theory had been that Himiko was discorporating herself when she did it, and the numbness was the slight delay of her blood flow when she did it, or something. She hadn't quite understood the full mumbled explanation, but she got the gist.

She'd always been prone to anemia, she knew that much. Her Quirk requiring consumption of blood was the cause, because her body would cannibalize its own blood stores to make up for the loss (not that she knew that until the staff at UA had told her, once her tests came back). So of course the backlash of her special little power from One For All would cause her anemia to worsen. Although now she wondered…

One hand to her pouch at her waist, she flicked open one of the vials of blood she kept to recharge herself just in case. Pretty sure it was Ochako's, she mused, as she downed it as quickly as possible, and yes! The numbness faded slightly a scant few seconds later! Okay, so long as she rationed what blood she had, and kept to not fighting, she could keep this up!...for maybe another five minutes. Internally, she prayed that her partners would finish this quickly, and get to safety…she didn't want to play keep away forever while they were in danger. 'Please be safe,' she begged silently, hitting count sixteen and Blinking once more.

…but something about that damned Overhaul bastard seemed so familiar, and between that and the stupid Nomu attack and the warping Quirk…she was getting angry..

Getting the white-hooded one out of the way was pretty easy, Ochako mused to herself. It was kinda funny how the dumbest things could be used for her Quirk. Case in point, the chapstick she kept in her pocket, a quick tap of her Quirk on it and flinging it at Overhaul's minion and wham, one bad guy smashed into the ground unable to move. He tried to use his Quirk, or at least, she assumed the weird hair arrow that came out of him was his Quirk, but not only did Danger Sense make dodging it easy, she'd been practicing flicking her Time Dilation on for brief instants, giving herself more time to plan before she moved, and that was more than enough.

Which left the big bad Overhaul and…okay, she kinda saw Togata's point. She couldn't get fucking close to the bastard! The only thing keeping her safe at the moment was the fact she could fly and he couldn't, but unfortunately for her, he had no problems targeting innocent civilians and running indoors, which took away her ability to navigate in three dimensions. She'd managed to keep every nearby civilian safe, but she'd been forced to pursue him underground, following through a dizzying number of tunnels and holes he was boring through walls with his Quirk.

He tried to slow her down by closing them behind him, but while she couldn't use as much of One For All as Izuku, she still had access to thirty percent of the stockpile, and that was more than enough to smash through every pitiful wall he put before her. Not that she enjoyed doing it…without the nice gloves that were part of her new costume, her fists were getting pretty bruised up, but still, she didn't trust that they could leave him to his own devices. That little girl would be in danger if he escaped!

But for some reason, he stopped, in a large underground warehouse of some kind. It was massive for something as deep underground as it was, with tanks and tubes and all sorts of machinery she couldn't possibly figure out scattered about. Most of it was broken, the glass shattered, the various remains of desks and tables broken and crushed, but it clearly had been some type of lab. Her eyes zeroed in on a strangely small chair…it looked like the sort doctors had in their office, but this one was very small, and had…metal cuffs on the arms and legs?

She narrowed her eyes. Scattered pieces of old, discarded bandages were strewn about the floor, speckles of rust-red covering them, the color of old, dried blood. Her senses were much more attuned than before her transformation, able to smell the iron tang of old blood. Her eyes, adjusted to the low light, narrowed to slits, able to spot white-silver hair dotting the chair, and her blood ran cold as she realized why the chair was so small.

Overhaul didn't even look phased at the baleful look she gave him, his eyes simply meeting hers as he stood tall, one hand placed upon a twisted slab of metal she saw was once some sort of safe, which he'd clearly remodeled to give him access to what was inside. It looked like…small, red darts, and what looked like a modified dart gun in his hand. Not hard to figure out he'd loaded it with whatever those darts were, but if he thought he could land a shot on her, with her powers? He was an idiot.

"Do you realize how much you've set us back today?" he asked, his tone almost casual as he stared at Ochako.

Her tail fluffed behind her, ears flat, she hissed, her teeth bared and visible. "Sorry if I don' like seein' little girls get hurt by some assholes!"

"You heroes, always unwilling to understand the progress of science," he sighed. "You have no idea what value Eri has, what she can do, what she's worth. And now you interfered with my deal with the Doctor. This is such a mess."

"What deal are you talkin' about, huh? You his little errand boy, makin' those Nomu critters for him?"

"We've gone in on a…joint business venture, you could say," Overhaul replied, shrugging casually. "You know, perhaps you'll be more amenable if you understand what we're after. Then again, you seem unusually heavily infected, so perhaps not."

She tilted her head, confused. "Infected? With what?"

Overhaul had the audacity to roll his eyes. "Quirks are a disease! Haven't you heard of the Quirk Singularity Theory? You yourself are a prime example! Quirks are growing out of control, ruining the world, ruining humanity's progress! We need to return to the world of natural humanity, to a world where one's uniqueness is solely derived from what you do, not from what you're born with! You can't possibly see that as bad, can you?"

Izuku had spoken of the theory before, when discussing how ridiculous One For All was, especially fused with Transform. On one level, she could kinda see it. One For All was absolutely insane, and it was hard to control. And she couldn't deny that the world they lived in had issues, considering what Himiko and Izuku had gone through. But…

"You say that like there weren' jackasses and prejudiced jerks back before Quirks. Some people always been assholes to others, Quirks ain't got nothing to do with it," she replied, taking a careful step forward.

He shrugged. "True, prejudice and hate are a constant in human history. But our division now is more extreme, and with the infection spreading as much as it has, it's gotten far, far too overgrown to be handled. Eventually, Quirks will kill us all; I'm just returning us to balance."

She rolled her eyes. "That theory ain't proven."

"And you'd stake the world on the off chance it's wrong? I've run the numbers myself, it is very clear we will soon lose control."

She pursed her lips. "So, your solution is to get rid of Quirks? And how you gonna do that, huh?"

He spread his hands wide, eyes crinkling in such a way she knew he was smiling beneath the mask. "Why, that's where Eri comes in! You see, these little darts contain a drug that attacks the very Quirk factor! This version is still unfinished, so it's only temporary, but with Eri, I can finish my research and create a serum that permanently destroys Quirks!"

"And how do you use Eri to do that?" she asked quietly, taking another step forward.

Overhaul waved dismissively. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices in the name of science. Eri understands that. Her Quirk is essential to the drug, you see. I simply needed to extract samples from her, and once she was exhausted, we just did a little reset is all." His hand tapped the safe he'd pulled the darts from, and she watched as the twisted slab of metal reformed itself back into a simple, perfectly pristine safe, and knew. She knew.

He was just like that Doctor. Toshi had kept them abreast of the investigations into the Nomu, the reveal they were once people, either twisted or resurrected from the dead to make mindless, broken puppets stuffed full of Quirks, bioweapons made in a sick lab. And now he confirmed what he'd been doing to that little girl…he'd been using her, hurting her, and somehow, someway, Ochako could even see it, see the tiny child, this Eri, frozen in fear and crying while strapped to that damned chair next to Overhaul.

She felt angry.

Himiko's anger was rising, bubbling and boiling, and the snippets, the visions that were flitting into her mind across the bond weren't helping. She'd never seen this before, never felt it, but somehow, someway, she knew this was true. This little girl (Eri, her mind whispered), what she'd gone through, what she'd felt, what she'd suffered…in her arms, Eri quaked, her voice a squeak as tears soaked Himiko's shirt. For the first time, she didn't just feel Ochako and Izuku's emotions, she could feel, faintly and distantly, Eri's fear, her pain, her despair and hopelessness, even wrapped in Himiko's arms she didn't think they could win.

Distant other feelings were noticed…a general panic from civilians nearby, mindless, zombified rage in the Nomu, determination and fierce protectiveness in the heroes. She could see the battlefield, see what Izuku and Ochako saw, and all this death, all this destruction…she wanted to kill those responsible, rip and tear until they were beaten and bloody…

With a roar of rage, Izuku threw off Hood's arms once more, Full Cowling sparked up to as high as they could take it, every punch and sweeping kick creating shockwaves that shattered glass and sent the air screaming from them. All they could feel was anger, frustration, terror, as they needed to stop this monster so they could help Himiko and Ochako, so they could help all the innocent people fleeing, so they could bring down all the other monsters, but Hood was just too damned quick to regenerate! Nothing they did was working!

They were matched in strength and speed, but Izuku couldn't regenerate their wounds. Blackwhip was countered by Hood's ability to twist and contort its body in such ways that Izuku couldn't get a firm grip on them, and Telekinesis wasn't strong enough yet. Danger Sense meant they were able to dodge most blows, but it was just a stalemate, one in which their girlfriends were in danger, the innocent people were in danger, everyone was in danger danger danger, and this stupid fucking monster needed to go down!

Ochako could feel it. She felt every ounce of emotion from her partners, and through them, she could feel all of the swirling emotions up above. Even in front of her, sick and twisted, a disgusting taste in the back of her throat, Overhaul's calm barely hiding a veneer of gleeful desire for knowledge and his own personal disgust, all a vile mass of hatred that she instinctively refuted.

She felt Himiko's bloodlust and rage in her chest. Izuku's righteous fury and fierce desire to protect. Swirling, boiling, twisting within her breast, entwining with her own burning anger at the bastard before her, this monster, this twisted aberration upon humankind. Her thoughts and emotions mixed together with theirs, a single, solitary strand of rope braided by their rage and determination, protectiveness and love for one another…all snapped taut, three threads now one, their thoughts and feelings now one and the same resonating together as one.

She lifted her right hand (feeling Izuku and Himiko lifting theirs with hers), the air wavering around her, the world itself slowing around her as she growled, her accent slipping. "You think you're some sort of god, demandin' others sacrifice themselves for you, twisting and hurtin' a little girl who did nothin' wrong, decidin' you get to decide what's right for everyone! Actin' like yer some sort of divine bein', making the rules as you see fit." As she focused, her power filled her veins, the ground quaking beneath her feet, a fundamental force of the very universe itself bowing at her feet, coming to her call. "Let me show you what a god really looks like…" She clenched her fist, her Quirk taking hold, the pressure increasing on him a thousandfold, dragging him down as her eyes flared with light, her voice rising to a roar as she screamed "KNEEL!"

Shouta Aizawa was not a man who was often surprised. Even in the most chaotic moments on the battlefield, he went out of his way to focus and push down his emotions, to control himself so he could fight at his best. This attack was stretching his ability to remain calm, even with the now dozens of heroes arriving to try and contain this outbreak of what felt like a hundred Nomu, they were still having so much trouble.

Most of the Nomu weren't actually that dangerous, it seemed. Ryukyu was easily dropping them left and right, he could disable a lot of them with ease, and even most lower ranked heroes were able to double or triple team a single one and take it out. It helped that they didn't have to worry about holding back, since the HPSC had designated them all as pure bioweapons and from what Shouta knew, killing them was more merciful than anything else at this point.

But the problem wasn't the Nomu themselves…it was keeping people safe from them. The creatures were going out of their way to not only attack civilians, but to destabilize buildings and streets, sending them crashing into one another, or setting them aflame, the fires spreading. It was like Hosu, only worse since there were even more!

Not to mention his missing students, a plague upon the three of them. He cursed internally when Lemillion had reported what the Problem Children had done, and they'd be lucky if all they got was detention from this stunt! He steadfastly refused to consider any possibility but them making it out safely, no matter where his mind kept going when he heard about what Overhaul could do, he would not believe it. They were going to be fine, and he was going to spend an hour lecturing them, and then turn them over to Yagi for a lecture, and then make sure their parents were contacted and-

His thoughts were cut off by a sudden strange thrumming in the air. A pressure, a strange presence, he couldn't really word it but he noticed it…and so did everyone around him. Every hero, every civilian, even the Nomu paused for one brief, single second in time, and then time itself paused.

He didn't know what happened. One second, he was in the middle of a fight, and the second, a scream echoed across the battlefield, a single word…Kneel. And kneel…everyone did. He didn't remember when it happened, but suddenly, he was on the ground, pressed to it, unable to move beyond breathing and looking about, wide-eyed.

Every hero, every civilian, every single person around him, all frozen in space and time, no Quirks, no nothing, silent as a tomb. Even the buildings that had been collapsing were stopped, just a snapshot in time, the flames now just splashes of paint upon the air, no movement, no sound, no…wait, no.

A gentle footstep sounded to his left, his eyes twisting, able to see Himiko walking towards him, her eyes golden as the sun. No white, no black, no nothing but sheer, shining gold, her body wreathed in energy. On one arm, the girl he'd heard of was curled up, shaking, quivering, clutching her chest as Himiko walked calmly through the frozen tableau. She stepped up next to Shouta and looked down at him, and the pressure was immense, his breath stolen from the intensity of her gaze.

She knelt down, gently touching her hand to his shoulder, and he felt all the pressure lift. He could shakily get to his feet, able to move, wanting to speak to her, but she'd already begun to walk off, reaching the prone form of a hero he vaguely knew but couldn't place. She mirrored what she'd done to him, gently touching the other hero, letting him stand, continuing on as if she'd never stopped.

A flare of green in the distance was noticeable, and he couldn't help it, he began to move towards it, past fallen Nomu and people, only to finally see Izuku, the green-haired teenager now also on the ground, Blackwhip arching off their back as they went. Strands of it were snapping into Nomu, one by one, twisting their necks with silent cracks, as their hands gently helped lift other heroes and civilians to their feet. With a flat smile, they gently ushered people on, no words spoken, just a gentle shove to safety, eyes as empty green as Himiko's.

The building to the south didn't collapse so much as vanish, utterly gone as if it had never existed, Ochako slowly floating up, her eyes glowing black pits. One hand dragged Overhaul behind her, the man unconscious and floating behind her, trapped in wires, the other glowing pink and resting at her side.

Shouta…wasn't sure what to do, if he was being honest. Something in him, some instinct, told him not to interrupt them, the three of them moving slowly, methodically, unspeaking, not even looking at one another yet somehow seeming to know exactly where the others were. Ochako simply…dropped Overhaul at Shouta's feet, not meeting his eyes as she walked on absently, lifting others up as Izuku had been, the same pattern of helping civilians to move on.

Himiko walked past, still holding the girl, towards one of the collapsing buildings that was somehow not collapsing, and began to clamber into it one handed. He watched as one by one, trapped people began to flee, startled and confused, and yet…it was now he realized all sound was still gone. He couldn't speak, no one could, no sound could be made or heard, the only sound the crackling of energy from the trio and their footsteps on the broken concrete beneath them.

Izuku walked by, Blackwhip carrying an injured woman, setting her down gently near Fat Gum, the large hero staring blankly for a moment before jumping into action, pulling out his first aid kit and moving down to help her. It was…disturbing, and none of the heroes really knew how to react. A few took some initiative, tying up the people who had been fighting them, or quickly trying to end the Nomu (albeit many of them seemed squeamish about doing it while they were stuck unmoving), but the majority of people just watched silently, lost and confused, as Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko methodically rescued every civilian, released every hero from the frozen effect, and killed every Nomu they passed by.

As one, the three of them met in the middle of the street, standing there in silence for a brief moment before turning around. Izuku lifted their hands, green lightning flickering about their hands, a thrum in the air, as dust and dirt coalesced above the various fires, large clouds of it. They brought their hands down, smothering the flames beneath it with a simple gesture. Ochako spun about and lifted her hands, the collapsing buildings finally moving, slowly settling down into heaps of stable rubble. Himiko spun to the final direction, her eyes flaring as she flickered in place. A split second in time, a single flash, and Shouta barely saw it, but he would never forget it…Himiko seemed to appear in a hundred places at once, all in the same motion, a knife in hand driving down into whatever Nomu remained, cleanly severing the spine and then vanished, faded into the wind. A single flickering image appeared before him, and suddenly his arms were full of an unconscious child, her breaths rapid and halting, the image before him gone as quickly as it came. The trio turned back around to look at one another, blank faces, glowing pits for eyes…and collapsed.

Sound came rushing back, a million noises at once making Shouta wince in pain, the sounds of emergency vehicles rushing to them, the heroes suddenly shouting in shock, the civilians now screaming or crying or just confused, and as the chaos erupted around him, Shouta could only look at the three teenagers, now unconscious on the ground, and go "...what?"

Chapter Text

"You talk to them."

"Hell no, you do it!"

"I'm not that stupid. What about you? You're the nice one!"

"Me? I'm not the nice one, that's En!"

"Wait, when did I become the nice one?"

"Well I got nothing else! Someone's gotta talk to them!"

"...and now you're ignoring me. I'm about to be the not nice one at this rate."

Ochako wasn't quite sure what was going on, except some very annoying people were talking very loudly and it was not helping her migraine. Then again, the migraine was less important in her mind than the sheer pain rushing through her veins! It felt like every goddamned cell in her body was on fire, like she was being burned from the inside out.

"For fucks sake shut up already!" Himiko's voice groaned, Ochako managing to blink one eye open and tilt her head enough to see her girlfriend, laid out upon what looked like…grass? She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her wavering vision, able to see Himiko clearly, the blonde slowly trying (and failing) to sit up, her eyes half-lidded and body twitching.

"Ah, our apologies," a soft voice said, one Ochako somehow knew…Yoichi? He chuckled. "Yes, Ochako, it's us. You're in the vestige realm again."

"...how come there's grass?" she groaned, tilting her head to the other side and seeing what she expected, Izuku, their face twisted in a rictus of pain as they seemed to be slowly waking up as she was.

"That's…what we need to talk to you three about, kiddos," Nana's soft voice said, the older woman kneeling next to Ochako. "But first, you need to calm down and relax a bit. The pain will fade soon, you just need to let it go. We're in your mind, the pain is purely in your head right now. Let go of it and you'll feel much better while you're in here."

"T-that implies it'll come back when we wake up," Izuku managed to mutter, rolling over onto their side with a great effort.

"Unfortunately that does seem likely," Hikage said, kneeling next to Izuku and offering his arm for them to try and pull themselves up with.

"Here, lean on me Himiko, you'll be alright," En said softly, helping Himiko sit upright.

"What the hell happened?" Ochako asked, one hand on her head. Nana wasn't lying, the pain was fading as she focused on it, but she still felt disoriented and woozy, even with Nana helping her sit up and giving her a grounding arm to lean against.

"Let's table that for a minute as you fully wake up, it'll be easier to explain if you're clearheaded," Yoichi said.

"For now why dontcha take your seats, eh?" Daigoro said with a booming chuckle that was doing Ochako's headache no favors. She did chuckle internally as she saw Bruce elbow the bald man for being so loud, Daigoro bending over with a loud 'oof!' as he was struck.

"Seats?" Izuku muttered, shaking their head.

Kudo silently pointed behind the trio, showing that their vestiges now had their own thrones, but they'd vacated the seats to stand behind them, gesturing for them to take a seat. It was at this point Ochako noticed the other changes…the sky above was…twilight? No longer pure darkness with streaks of light, the sky above had become a soft purple, stars peeking out of the firmament and lighting up the area around them. Instead of a simple black platform, they now were in some type of grassy field, the soft green beneath them almost soothing to the touch, everything visible just a green plain that felt oddly relaxing. She also noticed that the seats no longer were in a half circle, but now in a full, enclosed circle, all ten evenly spaced apart.

Ochako blinked rapidly, sighing deeply after a moment. "...yeah okay, this might as well happen." With effort, she managed to get to her feet, being gently ushered into her chair by Nana and the star-speckled shape of her pink vestige, seeing Izuku and Himiko having similar moments with their own doppelgangers.

Yoichi waited until the trio were seated, clasping his hands together in his lap as he sat in his throne across from Izuku's seat. He smiled, hoping to reduce the tension, but while the pain was fading, the trio were still clearly disgruntled. He didn't seem to take it to heart, waiting quietly.

Izuku sighed, breaking the silence. "Alright. Let's get this over with," they said, exhaustion coloring their tone.

"Well, first things first…how much do you remember?" Yoichi asked.

Himiko shrugged. "Not a lot, for me. I was just trying to keep the girl safe and then…it was like everything went white."

"Same here," Izuku said, Ochako nodding along.

"Well, luckily, we can show you with ease, so…movie time!" Daigoro said with glee, gesturing to the center of the circle of thrones. As the trio watched, confused, a screen seemed to…appear in the center, yet it wasn't a two dimensional image. No matter what angle they viewed it from, it showed them a perfect image, the perspective of, well…them. Izuku got up, ignoring the aching in their bones, tilting their head from side to side as they stalked around it, looking for a change in the field of view, yet nothing changed. It was just…there.

"That is so cool," they managed to whisper, clearly fascinated by it…so much so, they missed the hand suddenly snapping out, grabbing their wrist, and pulling them back into their seat with a yelp, Himiko's hand clasped around their wrist.

"Nerd out later, Izu," she said, but the warmth in her tone took away any sting from her words, making Izuku flush slightly as they offered their girlfriend a sheepish smile. Ochako let the warm fluttery feeling in her chest fill her, pushing more of the pain away as she witnessed her two loves flirt, and felt it even moreso when Izuku's hand slid into Himiko's, then reached out and took her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. She squeezed back, before their attention was drawn back to the screen which flickered to life…showing them what they had seen and done.

The scenes they saw at first weren't really surprising. Himiko's side was seen first, which had both Ochako and Izuku starting to feel guilty at how much pain she was in. She waved it off though; it was an extreme situation and she still figured something cool out about her Quirk, so she was okay with it.

Izuku's fight against Hood had both her and Ochako terrified at first, because their partner was getting ragdolled around at first before they managed to get on stable footing, and hearing Izuku's thoughts and worries made the anxiety they'd been feeling across the bond during the fight way worse.

But when it got to Ochako, Himiko kept having this weird feeling about Overhaul. He just seemed so familiar…and then Ochako hit him across the face and his mask vanished. The sudden extreme shock that pulsed through Himiko shook the entire vestige realm, every vestige turning to look at her as she leapt to her feet.

"Son of a bitch!" she shouted, staring at the unmasked face of the man she'd once been forced to call 'Uncle'.

"Himi?" Ochako asked, already out of her seat and at Himiko's side. She hadn't even noticed her partner's move, now flanking her, the sudden sheer shock combined with a rising rage sending them both right into 'comfort first, ask later' mode…but she was more than willing to talk about this.

"That's the guy my parents forced me to call uncle when I was little! My father used to drag him into the office and chat him up every month or so!" she exclaimed, still pointing at the visage of Overhaul on the strange screen. As she spoke, her memories wrested control over the screen, showing a fuzzy, child's memory of the first visit she could recall…a much younger, lankier Overhaul, a plain white hospital mask over his face rather than the intricate gold and purple bird one he'd had on during the attack. No sound followed, Himiko's memories of that time too unclear for the words said, but she saw her father speaking quietly to him, before the two of them striding off towards her father's office and locking themselves inside, as her mother ushered her to her room.

The memory faded, leaving everyone silent for a moment before Himiko just slumped backwards into her chair with a long groan. "Fucking hell, can we just get a break?!" she swore, staring up at the twilight skies above.

"Himi? Are you okay?" Izuku asked softly, still hovering protectively over their partner.

She waved them off, giving Ochako the same treatment. "I'm fine, I'm fine. I just can't fucking believe it. Of course my shit heels of parents would be involved with the Yakuza, why not? Why wouldn't they be? Makes perfect fucking sense!" The way her voice rose up into a screech of rage as she slammed one fist down onto the stone throne she sat upon, snapping the stone off (though it reformed a moment later) made it clear she was not nearly as fine as she was claiming.

"Himi," Ochako began quietly, but she cut her girlfriend off.

"Just…let's keep watching," she muttered. "I'm gonna have to talk to Toshi and Sensei about that later, but I wanna know what happened."

Yoichi nodded, waiting until Ochako and Izuku retook their seats. "Very well, let's continue. We're about to get to the part you don't recall."

Silence filled the vestige realm once more, as Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko stared blankly at the screen as it went dark, revealing the moment they'd just…well…the only word Izuku could think of was 'ascended'. Especially after Ochako's declaration right before they triggered…whatever that was.

Himiko cleared her throat. "...okay, well, I didn't expect that."

"To avoid a long discussion or confusion, let us explain what we noticed," Hikage said, jumping in before Izuku could word vomit the ten million questions percolating within their mind. They nodded rapidly, hoping for some clarity.

Yoichi held his hands out as he spoke. "The power of One For All grows with every new wielder, and while it's split amongst you three, it appears to have done something new. Well, a few things. One is the 'growth' factor, as it were, seems to treat each of you separately rather than one fused Quirk, so it is growing at three times the rate it did within any of our hands."

"Then you add in the whole new Quirks thing, where you copy them, and that seems to make an impact too," En said softly.

"So when you three resonated, you went far beyond what Toshinori was able to do," Nana mentioned.

Yoichi nodded. "This empowered you and your Quirks to an entirely unknown level. But that's probably not the most concerning thing."

Ochako blinked, still trying to come to terms with what they were telling her. "...what is?"

The vestiges shared a glance, their nerves visible on their faces, as Kudo let out a deep sigh. He stood up, crossed the room to stand before the trio, and met each of their eyes in turn…before turning his steely gaze directly towards Izuku. "Do not panic or freak out when we tell you this, okay? Hear us out before you go all apeshit, got it?"

Izuku…wasn't sure what he was getting at, but after a quick shared glance with their girlfriends, holding their hands tightly, they nodded slowly.

Kudo took a deep breath. "Somehow…Ochako stole Overhaul's Quirk. You have Overhaul now and he no longer does. Not a copy, the actual Quirk."

Izuku's eyes went wide as the memory of the tale of All For One rocketed through their mind, the sudden panic percolating across the bond. They had no time to lose it though, as Kudo slammed his fists together, the loud crack distracting them for a moment. "Hey!" he barked. "Told you not to freak out!"

"Izuku, this is not your fault. If anything, it's mine," Yoichi said softly, drawing the confused gaze of the trio towards the white-haired vestige. Yoichi let out a helpless chuckle. "It never made sense to me…My brother's Quirk let him take and give Quirks, yet mine can only give? I only had half of his Quirk? But as time went on, as I saw how One For All changed under Himiko's Transform, it occurred to me that her Quirk simply cannot do all of that by itself. It's a powerful Quirk, no doubt, and Zero Gravity is about breaking the rules of physics to begin with, but even then, there had to be a reason One For All was now acting like All For One, in some aspects."

He stood up, slowly crossing the room as he spoke, looking off into the distance. "I grew up believing I was weak and Quirkless, and somehow…I think for much of my life, I was. You see, I don't actually believe that my brother could originally give Quirks…the more I think about it, I think when we were still children, maybe even when we were together in the womb, I think he took my Quirk, and only when he tried to force Stockpile on me did it return…yet by that point, his Quirk had subsumed the ability to give Quirks into itself. In essence…I think that our Quirk was two halves to a whole, and were almost meant to do both. It was only the combination of reaching Singularity along with the changes that occurred thanks to Transform that had my original Quirk gain the ability to take, and now I suspect, to give freely as my brother once could."

Izuku stared at Yoichi, unable to really process the words spoke. They could feel the same helpless confusion from their partners, and the firm grip on their hands spoke to how they all were taking it.

"It's a lot, we know," Bruce remarked. "Lot to process, and can't say I like the idea of having any similarities to that monster. But as Yoichi said, it's most likely something inherent to One For All to begin with, so it ain't on you."

"And to be honest…it's a good thing Overhaul is out of the hands of that monster. Taking it meant you absorbed his vestige, but don't worry, we already locked it away, you'll never have to deal with him," Daigoro remarked.

"But it meant we got to see what he did to that child, and…yeah. You should know we all fully support you taking his power from him," Nana said softly.

Izuku cleared their throat. "So…we have Overhaul? The Quirk? Not just a copy, the actual, true, Quirk?"

"Yes. I imagine it upsets you, but please, as I said, this is more on me-" Yoichi began, but Izuku cut him off with a raised hand.

"I'm…not actually…that upset?" they asked, almost as if they were unsure. "I feel like I would normally be more upset, but like…this kinda feels like it might as well happen? And that little girl, she was so scared, and if you all think he deserved to lose his Quirk, well…I can believe that."

Ochako's face twisted as she recalled what she'd figured out. "That jackass was drainin' little Eri of all her blood and then when she was nearly dead he'd break her and put her back together! He totally fucking deserved it!"

Himiko's face twisted with rage, the reminder of how she'd felt once she'd seen Ochako's perspective, bringing her back to the sheer hate she felt directed at that man. It was mirrored by Ochako, but Izuku's anger had changed. She risked a glance at her partner, seeing them with a blank, flat expression…but she could feel their anger, a cold, contemplative rage that was just waiting for a moment to be utilized…but for now, she could tell Izuku was setting their anger aside.

Izuku sighed, their expression softening slightly. "Now's not the time," they muttered, more to themselves than to anyone else. They squared their shoulders. "As I said, I am not that upset about taking it. But I think we're going to need to talk to the others a lot to figure out what to do with this knowledge going forward."

Nana blinked. "You are taking this…remarkably well, considering um…"

"Times when I freaked out in the past?" Izuku said with a deadpan expression.

"Yes, that."

Izuku shrugged, able to feel that Ochako and Himiko were also a bit confused by how they weren't freaking out. "Like I said, it kinda feels like it may as well just happen. Also," they looked a bit sheepish as they glanced at the yellow vestige of All Might to their right, "I was thinking with Overhaul, maybe we could, I dunno…help Toshi feel better?"

"Not without months of study, kid," Bruce interjected, drawing all attention to him. He rubbed his forehead. "Overhaul only worked so well in that bastard's hands cause he spent years studying biology and biochemistry. While you won't need his level of expertise to do some things, fixing someone as badly damaged as Toshinori will take time and effort and study. Lots of it."

Daigoro blinked at his fellow vestige. "How do you know that?"

"I was a doctor before joining the resistance. Surgery wasn't my field, I was family medicine, but I know the bare minimum, and that's basically what we're talking about. The body is a fucked up series of weirdly functional half-assed concepts and Toshinori fucked that up even more. I'm not saying it can't be done, just saying they'll have to spend a lot of time studying before trying it. And honestly, it's probably best to wait until he retires and the embers burn out, they could exacerbate the issue."

"But we could, with Overhaul?" Izuku asked, latching onto that.

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes you could…but again, you'll need to study hard, and make sure you fucking consult with the experts around you before even considering it."

Izuku nodded rapidly, but barely seemed to be paying attention, shimmying in their seat with the first smile the gathered had seen on their face since they'd woken up in the vestige realm.

Himiko couldn't help but smile herself, Izuku's enthusiasm and joy at the thought of repaying their mentor back infectious. She shared an indulgent grin with Ochako across from her, but it wasn't like she disagreed with Izuku's desire…Toshinori had helped her more than anyone, so anything she could do to help him out she'd be more than willing to do.

Yoichi glanced up, a thrum passing through the vestige realm as he sighed. "Well, once more, I think our visit is being cut short. You three should awaken soon."

"Once you're up and feeling better, I think you should visit that little girl Eri. Somehow, some of her memories and feelings passed on through Himiko, and she could definitely use some comfort," Nana said, smiling at the trio.

Himiko nodded, still seeing the injured innocence on that little girl's face reflected in her mind. She knew something of fear, of being trapped and unable to escape…and she was going to make sure Eri knew safety. She didn't need to see the faces of her loved ones to know they felt the same, and that they had a lot to talk about once they woke up…with their mentors, their friends, with little Eri…and with one another. And for once, these were talks she was looking forward to.

Chapter Text

Waking up reminded Izuku that the vestiges had warned them the pain would follow them into the waking world, and by the gods they were right . Quirk revelations aside somehow that felt normal now, they really could have done without the agony of feeling like their entire body was melting from the inside out.

It didn’t help that Ochako and Himiko were waking at the same time, and the pain they felt was echoing across the bond. Waking up in pain was not an experience Izuku was really enjoying. Nor was waking up in a hospital bed, which they were fairly confident in assuming they were, considering the white ceiling, crinkly bedsheet, and slight twinge in their arm which they recognized as an IV. Sadly, this was becoming the norm for them, and that alone was a sobering thought.

With an annoyed huff, they blinked their eyes open, expecting to be blinded, but luckily the lights were dim enough it didn’t hurt, just required a lot of blinking to adjust to the light level. However, they didn’t get much chance to contemplate the situation, because their vision was filled by…green? Oh…Mom.

“Izuku Midoriya, I swear to every god available I am going to ground you for the next thirty years!” she said through her tears, her voice quavering.

Izuku tried to give a reassuring smile, but they felt their face twitch from the pain and decided against it. “I’m not gonna say sorry for helping Eri, but I’m sorry for worrying you,” they managed to get out. Inko sniffled, very gently wrapping her arms around Izuku and hugging them tightly, Izuku slowly returning the grasp with aching fingers.

From the corner of their eye, they saw Miu and Katashi at Ochako’s bedside, Katashi gently stroking her hair as Miu held her hand. And with a soft smile, Toshinori was beside Himiko, gently patting her shoulder, making Izuku sigh softly, glad someone was there for her too.

“Not to interrupt this touching family moment, but we do have an important thing to deal with,” Nezu’s voice called from near the door, Izuku blinking as they managed to sit up with a hiss of pain, able to see Nezu, Aizawa, and Detective Tsukauchi at the doorway. Izuku’s confusion was mirrored across the bond, but they had a sneaking suspicion this had something to do with the fight against Overhaul and his forces.

Izuku sighed deeply, one hand pressing to their forehead as they spoke quietly. “Lemme guess, this is about the fight?”

“It is. Do you recall what happened?” Tsukauchi asked in the same quiet tone.

Izuku nodded, the girls nodding along silently. “Yeah, the vestiges showed us the whole thing. We…don’t really remember what happened after, um…after the power up, but the vestiges showed us.”

“Right. Then this’ll be easy enough. I need to get your statement, and while I’d much prefer to wait, we’re in a time crunch. This attack has gone viral. More than viral. It was played on international media too. Because no one has ever seen time actually stop, and that is exactly what it looked like. Cameras within the area stopped recording, but anyone outside of your time ‘bubble’ kept rolling, and there were plenty who watched what happened,” Tsukauchi explained, pulling out his notebook and a pen.

“We want to get ahead of any speculation, and come up with the right story,” Nezu remarked. “And the HPSC is getting much, much more involved…Truth be told, it’s clear they are worried about how powerful you three are, and they are not the only ones out there feeling that way.”

“We don’t mean to overwhelm you right after waking, which is why we’re pushing for this. If we have your statement and have our stories lined up, we can keep you safe from being pestered about this for now until you’ve recovered. Especially as your parents have made it clear they will not permit any questioning about this for now. They still hold medical decision making for you, so we can keep the reporters and HPSC reps out, and I can mollify them with your statement,” Tsukauchi explained.

Izuku felt the worry skitter through their chest, their eyes snapping over to Himiko at the same time Ochako’s did, the blonde curling in on herself. She swallowed, her voice quiet and worried “But…what about me? My parents-”

“Aren’t involved and won’t be,” Toshinori interrupted smoothly, making all three of the trio’s eyes snap to him. “As it stands, due to the fact they have been arrested and you are over eighteen, they have no say in your treatment. Instead, we’ve set up a medical proxy for you.”

“Who?” she asked, blinking in confusion as Toshinori chuckled nervously.

“Well…me,” he said softly. He cleared his throat. “UA has default medical proxy when the parents are not around, but we wanted to cover all of our bases once you landed in the hospital. I am sorry we didn’t ask your permission first, but we were worried that the HPSC would try to run around the school, so-”

“N-no, i-it’s okay,” she stuttered, her eyes wide. Izuku bit their lip, trying not to react to the sudden surge of emotions that were swirling about Himiko right now, a torrent of confused feelings of happiness, guilt, embarrassment, affection, and a dozen others that they couldn’t even begin to name. They shared a look with Ochako, both of them trying to keep a tight lid on their own feelings to let Himiko process it herself, but the exasperated look she offered them both a moment later made it clear they weren’t doing as well as they hoped.

Izuku offered a shrug, Ochako a sheepish smile…it had been no secret that Toshinori had been protective over Himiko ever since he’d found her outside the UA gates when she’d ran away from home. Every time she’d needed someone, he had been there for her. It wasn’t like Izuku or Ochako could hide the fact they noticed that, or that the tentative hope that had been growing within Himiko every time Toshinori had stepped up had been missed. No one wanted to be presumptuous enough to ask him about it though, so they’d just let it slide, but…well, this was a very clear sign of how far he was willing to go, and neither Izuku nor Ochako was unhappy about the idea.

“L-let’s just finish with the detective,” Himiko said, clearly uncomfortable with the attention she was getting.

Tsukauchi nodded, walking closer and taking a seat at the chair Toshinori pulled out for him. Bracing his notebook on his leg, he scribbled something down. “Alright. Let’s get started. Tell me everything you remember.”

Once they finished with their full discussion they’d had with the vestiges, the room was silent for a moment. Nezu clapped his hands to draw attention. “Well, that was enlightening. Very well, we’ll simply stick to the previous explanation: the combined Quirk stockpiling factor continues to expand your capabilities!”

“...you think that’ll actually fly?” Aizawa asked bluntly.

Nezu shrugged. “Not really, but it will be enough of a delay for us to come up with a plan. Especially if you continue to amass new powers, either from copying or utilizing your ability to take.”

“We’re not taking anyone’s Quirks!” Izuku protested, glad that the pain had faded finally so they could concentrate. “I can deal with the copy thing now, but I’m not a thief!”

Nezu waved them off. “I meant if offered, of course. I know a few people, retired heroes and such, who would be happy to offer their now no longer useful Quirk to up and coming heroes after all.”

Izuku slumped. “Can we just…not do this right now?”

“Yes, yes, now is not the time for such discussions. You are right. We’ll move on from here. You should be cleared to leave shortly, we can think on this matter as time goes. No rush for that. Although, the third user, Bruce? He was correct.” Nezu’s expression went flat, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the three students before him. “Recovery Girl will not allow anyone to try anything on Toshinori without training and understanding the full power of Overhaul. That said, if you are determined to try, we will happily find some time for you to do some work with her to decipher what you can and cannot do.”

“I think they should ask me what I think first,” Toshinori offered, a wry smile on his face taking the sting out of his words. Izuku flushed, rubbing the back of their neck sheepishly. Ochako let out an indelicate snort. “But that is a discussion for another time, yes. We should get you three discharged.”

Himiko tugged on Toshinori’s sleeve, drawing his attention. She kept her gaze down on her bedspread, speaking very quietly. “Can…can I talk to you privately?”

Toshinori blinked at her in confusion, clearing his throat. “Yes, certainly young Himiko. Once we have you discharged, we can talk back at campus.” She nodded absently, releasing his sleeve. Nezu let out a jaunty bow as he left the room, Aizawa and Tsukauchi following, presumably to get the discharge in place.

Nyanbinary: Okay. I know you guys have a lot of questions…

ClassGoddess: That is an understatement!

RipleysNemesis: yea uh…wtf did you three do?!

SpaceCatdet: its kinda a long story

SpaceCatdet: wait…who changed my name?!

ClassGoddess: After much deliberation the class determined that you and Himiko should follow Izuku’s example.

PunkNeverDies: it was all momo’s idea, we just didn’t stop her

ClassGoddess: I am being betrayed left and right by those around me.

CatessKarnstein: im almost afraid of what mine is

CatessKarnstein: …nevermind, wish i didn’t know

OnePunchWoman: if you really dislike it, we can change it back

SpaceCatdet:...nah, it’s okay. its kinda cute. and I do like matching Izu.

VanishingAct: omg thats so sweet!

Nyanbinary: Someday, you’ll find someone and stop living vicariously through Ocha, Himi, and me.

RipleysNemesis: oh, we didn’t mention?

CatessKarnstein: mention wha?

VanishingAct: me and Mina are going out now!

Nyanbinary: Oh geez, congrats!

SpaceCatdet: when did that happen?!

RipleysNemesis: three hours and ten minutes ago

VanishingAct: …you…actually are counting?

ForkInASocket: uh…isn’t that a bit-

VanishingAct: THATS SO CUTE! OMG MINA!

CatsAreBetterThanPeople: not the reaction I expected…but meh, more power to them.

CatessKarnstein: wait, did you guys know?

GottaGoFast: Oh yes, they were quite effusive in their celebrations once they began their relationship. It almost distracted us from worrying about you three.

ForkInASocket: or being afraid!

Nyanbinary: You’re…afraid of us?

ForkInASocket: wait, what? oh, oh no! not what I meant, sorry Mido! i meant like, afraid for you!

SpaceCatdet: oh good

BoulderBro: speaking of that, um…what’d you guys do?!

Nyanbinary: Right, yeah. That’s…a fair question. Um, it’s a bit of a long story?

Shoto: We would still like to know, if you are willing to tell us.

Nyanbinary: Okay, so…

Telling the class about One For All hadn’t been a spur of the moment decision. The trio had discussed it before leaving the hospital, and had decided it was worth explaining, considering all the teachers already knew and the sheer visibility now on them, and because of that, the visibility on their class. Telling them over chat hadn’t been the plan, but with Izuku and Ochako being so exhausted they planned to head straight to bed and wait for her, and Himiko needing to talk to Toshinori, they chose to do it there.

Himiko was pretty sure the class would still have more questions once they came back to the dorms, but for now, they took it…pretty well. Better than she’d expected, honestly, but then again, the three of them kept showing off new world-changing powers so…maybe it was becoming a bit routine. Either way, she needed to have this talk, because Toshinori was getting her hopes up and she couldn’t handle it if it kept going the way it was. She had to know where they stood.

She’d taken a seat on the couch in the lounge Toshinori had directed her to, the taller blonde taking the seat opposite her. He carefully poured out a cup of tea for her, his steady hands scooping a single spoonful of sugar into hers, another reminder that he paid attention as she felt her chest tighten.

She swallowed. “Toshi, um…about you putting yourself down as my m-medical proxy…”

“If it bothers you, we can reverse it. I’m sorry for doing it without speaking to you, but we wanted to cover all of our-” he began, but she cut him off.

“No! That’s not the issue!” she said forcefully, making him blink in confusion.

“Well then, what is the issue?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet and calm.

She struggled for a moment to figure out how to say the words in her. It was…weird, lately. Especially after what happened just earlier with Overhaul. Life felt like she’d just lived an entire lifetime of events within the past couple of months, and it was so weird to try to speak her feelings anymore. Izuku and Ochako just understood her, she didn’t need to say things anymore, and in some ways she knows that’s making it more difficult for her to interact with others. But still…she needed to say this, because he kept giving her hope , and she couldn’t afford to lose any more of that.

“...Toshi, you keep like… being there for me. When Inko’s with Izu, when Miu and Katashi are with ‘Chako, you’re with me , and, a-and, and I don’t know! I don’t know what that means! I don’t know what you’re doing! You’re my medical proxy? You were there when I woke up in the hospital? You were there after the USJ? I don’t get it! What are you doing? Izu’s your successor, so why are you watching out for me?!” She practically shouted, leaping to her feet as she felt everything in her twisting and twining, felt her voice just spill and bubble and erupt as she tried to put into words how this was making her feel, because…

“Because what, Himiko?” Toshinori asked, his voice quiet, his blue eyes meeting amber, Himiko belatedly realizing she’d kept going after she thought she’d stopped.

She clenched her fists tightly. “Because I don’t want to get my hopes up! I don’t get what you’re doing and it’s confusing me!”

“Is it so hard to believe I care about you and want someone to be there for you? As you said, Izuku has Inko, and Ochako has her parents. I don’t want you to be alone,” he offered quietly.

“B-but, that doesn’t make sense!” she sputtered. “Izu’s your successor, not me!”

“As I said before, you all are. But him being my original chosen successor does not change that I care about you.”

“But you can’t!” she shouted, losing her control over her voice as she closed her eyes tight. The feeling of Ochako and Izuku’s worry was seeping into her, clutching around her heart like a comforting blanket, but she couldn’t take it, not now, not yet. Toshinori couldn’t do this to her!

“And why can’t I?”

“Because I’m not allowed to have, have…have that!” she shrieked, amber threads of energy wrapping about her for a brief moment before fading as she stumbled back and away from him, nearly falling back onto the couch behind her.

“And what is ‘that’, exactly?”

She gestured helplessly towards him. “S-someone l-like, like you’re being! Like your acting! Like-”

“A parent?” he interjected quietly, still keeping his eyes locked onto hers. She froze, having been unwilling to say the words the entire time, afraid that if she said it, it’d come out and she’d look like even more of an idiot than she already did. She opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out, unable to actually reply to him as he let out a soft sigh, his lips twisting into a rueful grin. “I suppose I should have spoken to you about all of this earlier. Well, I am not the sort to bandy about words, Himiko, so I won’t.”

He stood up and slowly, cautiously, walked over to where she was, his tall, slender form nearly dwarfing her much shorter one. He very gently placed his hand on her shoulder, waiting to see if she flinched away, and when she didn’t, he pulled her close, wrapping an around around her shoulder and giving her a gentle hug.

“I’m sorry for not speaking up earlier and confusing you. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, really…Don’t misunderstand. Izuku and Ochako are very important to me, but…ever since you three began this whole adventure with One For All, it’s been clear you’ve felt on the outside. I could see it, every time you saw Inko comfort Izuku, or saw Miu and Katashi with Ochako, that look on your face, that struggle not to be angry, to be jealous, because they had what you didn’t. And the guilt, because you did feel jealous and were upset with yourself for it, although I’m quite certain neither of them ever held it against you.”

He didn’t look down, but the feeling of her fingers gripping the back of his shirt as she nodded into his chest ever so slightly was enough confirmation for him. “It was presumptuous of me to do anything without discussing it with you first, but I just…I wanted someone to be there for you, Himiko. You deserve better. You’ve always deserved better. And as I’ve come to know you, to learn of your strength and your struggles, of your hopes and dreams, well…I cannot say I do not view you as my family, because I do . I’ve no experience with being a father, and I have no children of my own, but if you would let me, I would do my best to be there for you, in whatever form you would ask. Whatever you need from me, Himiko, I will give as best I can.”

Himiko…didn’t know what to do. This…this couldn’t be happening, this couldn’t be what he meant, he couldn’t possibly be saying what she thought he was. If she was alone in her head and heart, she wasn’t sure she could find the courage to accept what he was saying, to trust him, but…even from this distance, she could feel them, like they were standing next to her, holding her just as Toshi was, offering her their support, their strength, and their hope…So, though it took every ounce of strength she had, she managed to lift her head from his chest, her teary gaze meeting his softly smiling one, as she asked the one question she needed to hear.

“A-are…are you sure?” she said, stuttering slightly.

“Yes. I am here, Himiko, and I will continue to be here, so long as you would ask me to be,” he reassured.

“...okay,” she sobbed, dropping her head back into his chest, taking comfort in the warmth of his grasp. They hadn’t defined it yet, she couldn’t say the words, but for now…she had hope that she wasn’t afraid to feel, and that…that felt good enough.

Chapter Text

“Explain this to me,” the commanding voice of the President of the HPSC sounded out in the silent meeting room filled with her most trusted associates, a still image of Izuku, Ochako, and Himiko standing together amidst an area of stopped time.

One of the cabinet members cleared his throat. “Honestly, Madam President? We can’t figure out how they did it.”

She sighed, rubbing her temples. “Nezu won’t tell us anything?”

“Nothing more than what’s in the report.”

She pursed her lips, turning away to look out of the large office window panes, gazing out over the city. “Mera, you met with them. What was your judgement?”

Mera blinked sleepily at being called out, but opened his notebook to the relevant page and began to re-review what he’d written. After a few moments of reading over it, he nodded, looking back up at the President. “Truthfully, they seemed like normal, if nervous, teenagers. They were fairly protective of one another, especially Uraraka, but nothing out of the ordinary, considering the situation. They seemed to expect some backlash for their heroic actions in stopping that building’s fall (and the subsequent arrest of the Hero Killer), but otherwise did hear me out. Admittedly they got a little confrontational about the legality of what they did, but by the end, I believe they understood.”

The President sighed deeply. “Well, I suppose that’s better than nothing.”

The room was silent for a moment, before one of the other cabinet members spoke up timidly. “Is it really that bad, what they did?”

“Not bad, no, of course not,” the President quickly dismissed. “What we found from Overhaul’s research was awful, what he did to that poor girl was atrocious, and the sudden attack of more of those Nomu creatures could have been utterly devastating without them. No, that’s not my concern. My concern is how the world is going to react. Which I imagine is Nezu’s concern as well.”

“You mean you think other countries might try to poach them,” a third member pointed out, grimacing as the President nodded grimly.

“That, or some more nefarious types try to kidnap them and try to decipher how they did that. Many Quirks are powerful. None of them come close to this level. Even All Might. He is incredibly strong, but that’s it, it’s pure strength. It’s understandable, if extreme. Overhaul’s Quirk was incredibly powerful and terrifying, and yet still it followed some logic. But these three keep gaining new powers, and I have never in my life heard of a Quirk that could effectively stop time…much less do it on a case by case basis.”

“Should we make our offer once more?” Mera asked.

The President shook her head no. “No, they are already leery of us, and it wouldn’t actually do anything to help with this situation.” She sighed, turning around to stare out of the window once more. After a moment of quiet contemplation, she decided to switch gears. “...and what about the message we received? Have we tracked the origin yet?”

“Unfortunately, no. We can’t seem to nail down where this ‘Doctor’ is working from. The teleportation Quirk he has access to makes it nigh impossible,” one of the cabinet members said.

“Damn it,” the President swore. “Make certain we send the message to Nezu. He’ll need to adjust for the warning in it. But have Nagant take it; I want no chances of anyone intercepting the message. Let her deliver the physical copy. In fact…” she hummed to herself for a moment, before quickly scribbling down a message on a page in her notepad. After she finished, she folded it up and passed it down the table. “Have Nagant give that to Nezu as well. He’ll understand what it means.”

“And the media?”

She drummed her fingers on the table, thinking. “Standard press release. We’ll let UA run point on this, just give our generic thanks to the brave students and such. They have licenses now, so we’ll slip that into the discussion to be sure we don’t get any of those news stories designed to stir up drama about vigilantism. All of the blame gets put at the feet of that Yakuza sect. We keep any discussion about their powers to a minimum. I imagine Nezu already has a plan in place.”

The cabinet members nodded, understanding her final words for the dismissal they were. They didn’t need to know the full details to do what was asked. She dismissed them all, the various members filing out of the office as she slumped in her chair. “Meowsketeers, huh?” she mused to herself.

Ochako thought the worst was over, once she’d gotten back to the dorms. She thought she was safe. But oh, what a fool she was, how she completely missed the evil lurking in their midst. And she should have seen it coming, seen the disaster that would occur, and yet…no, she’d missed it, and now Himiko and her were paying the ultimate price.

“Are you still doing that weird poetic internal monologue?” Himiko asked, arching an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

Ochako huffed, wanting to cross her arms but finding it difficult. “It’s a valid response to what’s going on!”

“Eh, I’m sure they’ll let us go eventually. Besides, it’s comfy here.”

Ochako rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point! They coulda done it anywhere but the common room! Mina won’t stop gigglin’!”

Himiko returned the eye roll, before closing her eyes with a sigh and snuggling closer to Ochako, at least, as much as she could while trapped. Ochako stared up at the ceiling. How did she get into this position? How was she captured and trapped so easily?

Well, unfortunately, it turns out that after a massive fight to free a small abused child from a monster of a villain while also fighting bio-weapons made by a different villain leads to extreme anxiety for her partner Izuku, and they don’t sleep for four days straight. When you compound the anxiety with sleeplessness, you get…this.

A very clingy, very sleepy, very muffled Izuku Midoriya. And apparently, a possessive one. The days of sleeplessness led to Izuku practically collapsing onto the common room couch, and some part of their brain decided this was not okay without their girlfriends…and thusly, Blackwhip was unleashed, yanking both of the girls atop of their partner and trapping them in Izuku’s grip. Along with a hissed series of muffled declarations about how Himiko and Ochako were ‘MINE!’, leaving the two of them wrapped up in their partner’s arms, stuck on the couch, with the entire class laughing quietly as Izuku napped.

Yes, she was comfortable, she wasn’t going to claim she wasn’t, but still! It’s the principle of the matter! And she couldn’t even actually be mad, because all of Izuku’s half-asleep feelings were warm and soft and why was her partner so goddamned cute?!?!?! Himiko’s smugness didn’t help either, her catpire girlfriend was too busy enjoying the way she was wrapped up in Izuku’s warm arms…well, and hers, she supposed. If she was going to be stuck here, she was going to hug her partners too!

“Comfortable?” Mina asked, a wide grin on her face as she leered over the entangled trio.

Ochako glared up at her with slitted eyes and hissed, refusing to dignify her statement with a response. Mina didn’t flinch, giggling as she skipped away, leaving Ochako to her current cuddly fate. Ochako sighed internally, but didn’t complain as Himiko buried her face in her neck and nipped, sending shivers down her spine. Izuku’s soft breath washing over her cheek, their face slack from sleep, small, rumbling purrs escaping their chest.

Maybe she hadn’t expected this, and maybe it was a bit embarrassing to be out on the common room couch all entangled with her loves, but…she couldn’t deny the warmth, both physical and emotional, wafting off Izuku and Himiko. Maybe it wasn’t so bad to just have a nice, relaxing day once in a while, she mused to herself, as she felt her eyes grow heavy. She let out a yawn, twisting herself slightly so she could better wrap her arms around Himiko’s waist and Izuku’s neck, letting herself be taken by the siren song of the sandman.

“Lady Nagant, what an unexpected surprise,” Nezu said as the door to his office slid open, revealing the woman known as the human sniper rifle. She offered a curt nod, her eyes quickly scanning the room as she stepped into the room, the door sliding shut behind her.

“Nezu,” she replied. She crossed the room, setting the small lockbox down on the desk in front of Nezu, taking a step back and continuing her seeking gaze around the office.

Nezu’s eyes narrowed at the box. “Hmm. I imagine I am not going to like what this box contains, if Madam President felt she had to send you to personally deliver it.”

Tsutsumi shrugged. “I don’t know what’s in it, but she was pretty insistent I be careful and make sure none but you saw it. Also said I am supposed to do whatever you say once you’ve seen the contents.”

Nezu arched an eyebrow, the expression rather disconcerting on his non-human face. “Hmm. That’s interesting. And concerning.”

“Should I leave the room?” Tsutsumi offered.

Nezu pondered for a moment, before shaking his head. “No. This likely will impact you, if I have to guess. Let me see what it contains.” He slid open the section in the front, revealing the keypad that was beneath the protective cover. Only four people in the entire world knew the code to one of these, so he felt reasonably confident this was a very big deal if the President was using one of these. He quickly tapped in the twenty three digit code, watching as the indicator flashed green and hearing the subtle sound of the latch unlocking.

He lifted the lid, revealing two objects; a single small note, with his name scrawled on it, and a recording device. He stared at the two objects for a moment, before grabbing the note and quickly scanning over it. His eyes went wide at what was written on it, and he gave a startled glance up at Kaina, the hero looking back at him in confusion. After a moment, he shook his head and set the note back down, picking up the recording device. He slapped a button on his desk, both heroes watching as the windows were covered by metallic shutters, the door latching in place, and a subtle hum audible that would scramble any sound escaping the room. Without further delay, he hit play on the recording device.

As the recording clicked off, the room fell silent. Kaina…wasn’t sure how to react. She’d seen the news reports, knew of the kids from how much water cooler talk there was at a the HPSC, but this was rather extreme, even considering what they’d done. She shook her head and looked over at Nezu, the chimera sitting with his head in his paws.

“Of course he would do such a thing,” Nezu murmured. “Devoted follower of the demon lord, of course, of course. I knew this was a possibility, but I had estimated it at only a likelihood of seven percent. I only have twenty-four contingency plans for this. A pitiful amount.”

“Uh…you doing alright there?” Kaina asked, a bit worried about how he was taking this. She’d rarely interacted with him, but from what Madam President had told her, Nezu was almost never caught off guard…then again, she didn’t really think twenty-four contingency plans counted as ‘caught off guard’, but she supposed in his lexicon it was.

He looked up at her and took a deep breath, schooling his expression. “I am merely displeased. This is unfortunate, and if the children learn of this they shall be very upset.”

“So…you’re not going to tell them?”

“I’m still unsure. There is a reason your employer kept this so secretive, after all. She’s clearly leaving the decision in my hands.”

Kaina wasn’t sure if it was her place to say anything, especially as she didn’t know the kids in question, but still… “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you should.”

Nezu blinked up at her, folding his paws in front of him. “And why do you think so?”

She shrugged. “A number of reasons. One, it’s easier to keep someone protected when they know the reason why. Protectees often get antsy if they don’t get why. Second, you don’t want them to get blindsided if this Doctor manages to get a chance. And third, no way he won’t just blurt this out in public if his demands aren’t met, so they’d find out anyway, and if you lose their trust it’s going to be that much harder.” She paused, thinking, before narrowing her eyes at Nezu. “Of course, all this is assuming you don’t plan on obeying that madman’s demands.”

Nezu waved her off dismissively. “Of course not. Even if I set aside the moral or ethical concerns, practically speaking it’s an idiotic tactic, he’d simply use that for expansion on his bioweapons. They are troublesome enough as is.”

Kaina nodded slowly. “Then you should tell them.”

“You…are correct,” Nezu sighed.

“Why are you so against it?” Kaina asked, curious.

Nezu gestured vaguely towards the dorms. “Because they just returned from another world-shattering revelation about their abilities while facing off against a monster of a villain to save a small abused child, which even though she hasn’t said it, it clearly affected Himiko, and I just want them to not have to deal with this insanity.”

Kaina pursed her lips. “You do give a damn about your students, huh?”

“Of course I do. I may not fully understand human morals or feelings, but these are my students. I protect them from what I can. Yes, the Heroics students are going into a dangerous, life-threatening field, but that doesn’t mean their entire school experience should be constant fighting and suffering.”

Kaina shrugged, not sure she could say anything else. Even with the breakneck pace of her work for the Commission, Nezu wasn’t wrong, she did get to take breaks and vacations and such. She made sure to take time for herself. Still, she was too far removed to really have an opinion beyond what she’d expressed.

Nezu sighed once more, shaking his head. “Regardless, we’ll need to deal with this. I must plan my next steps…”

“Well, if that’s all, then I’ll just need whatever your order is and then I’ll head back,” Kaina remarked.

Nezu blinked, looking up at her. “...she didn’t tell you what you were to do?”

“She just told me to do whatever you said next,” Kaina shrugged.

“Oh. Well…in that case, I suppose I’ll break the news to you. You’re All Might’s new Teaching Assistant!”

Kaina stared at Nezu, wide-eyed. “...what?!”

The second she was out of Nezu’s office, she’d immediately rushed to the most private location she could find, outside the gates of UA and into an alleyway, pulling her phone out and practically cracking the screen from how hard she tapped on it.

“Yes, Nagant?” the voice of the HPSC President sounded in her ear.

“Permissions to speak freely, Ma’am?” Kaina asked, clenching her teeth.

“Permission granted.”

“What the fuck!?” came her reply, only finding her anger stoked higher by the muffled chuckle the President gave.

“I suppose Nezu told you of your new assignment, then?”

“Why?!” She seethed. “It makes no sense! I have no idea how to teach!”

“Neither does All Might,” the President pointed out.

Kaina rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point! He’s good with people, and friendly and all that crap. I have to fake most of that! I’m not like my brother!”

“Now now, Hawks has to practice that too, you know that,” the president replied. She cleared her throat. “But that’s not the point. I trust Nezu to protect UA, and the teachers there are powerful and skilled. But you are still the one best suited to noticing any incursion on campus and being able to deal with it swiftly and secretly. We cannot risk the Doctor getting ahold of the students. And we also cannot risk them running off to deal with him themselves the moment they find out he’s trying to blackmail us into giving them up.”

“But Nezu has an entire security system and teachers who have bonds with the kids! I know nothing about them! And being frank, ma’am, I doubt I can stop them if they are determined to go.”

“We don’t need that from you. The reason you are there is to find and kill any Nomu the Doctor sends. We know he’ll start sending them out to wreak havoc until he gets the kids. And he knows they attend UA. So Nezu and I both agree he’s likely to begin letting them loose in Musutafu. We’re already preparing an alert for all heroes in the area, but you can shoot most of them from UA itself. Nezu already agreed to prepare an overwatch tower for you to work from.”

Kaina blinked, before shaking her head. “Okay, fine, I get the deployment, but why make me a TA too?!”

The president sighed. “We can’t have a panic occur by alerting the civilian population of the possibility. Especially if they find out that the Doctor wants the students. So we need a reason why you’re stationed at UA. Besides, you should branch out, get some different life experiences.”

“Ma’am-” Kaina began, before being interrupted.

“Tsutsumi,” the President replied, her voice oddly soft. “You’ve been working non-stop for the past several years. You only use your vacation time when we force you to. And there is no one besides you and your brother I would trust with a mission of this import, and he’s being assigned to hunt down the Doctor. Just do what you can the best you can, alright?”

Kaina sighed. “...fine. I’ll keep an eye on the brats.”

“Thank you. And hey, maybe you can teach them something new!”

She snorted. “I doubt it. I’ll come by for my bags shortly.”

“Excellent. Good luck, Nagant. Stay safe.”

“Yes ma’am.” Kaina saluted as the line went dead, even knowing the president couldn’t see the gesture. She had a new mission and for all her misgivings, she would accomplish it to the best of her ability. Now for the worst part of a mission like this…moving.