Chapter 8: The Steps they Take

Sophie was up and running about for Endeavor at the crack of dawn the next day. Shoto had lost all of his pocket change to her which she promised he could try to win back tomorrow. Endeavor probably would have blown a fuse if he knew his son spent most of the night with a girl alone. The stick in the mud. Sophie told Todoroki a lot about her people and it actually seemed like he was interested, his questions led to more and more questions. She didn't remember what happened after she laid back while telling a rather amusing story but she woke up this morning with a blanket over her and a note from Shoto saying he went to bed. She shook her head, he probably didn't even try to take a peek, not that he needed to after the view she gave him yesterday.

After breakfast, it was back to the rounds and she was out making notes from the citizens for later review. She received a lot of feedback by lunch but only some of it was decent, a lot of people didn't really like Endeavor though they did feel safer with him around. Sophie had a feeling that this would be the reaction anywhere Endeavor went.

"Well, I better head back and get my shower done before Todoroki returns. Heaven forbid he see me nude again." She chuckled to herself. "Maybe I will even have mercy on him and not cheat this time." He hadn't been able to tell last night.

A massive explosion split the air and people started running and screaming. Sophie turned quickly, that was not the Hero Killer Stain. He worked in dark alleyways where not a lot of people were around, he didn't like heavy crowds. This was a different attack and where there was an attack this large there were certain to be multiple heroes. Sophie rushed towards the danger; an officer tried to stop her. This was a good chance to get a view of many heroes working together and maybe plan some similar activities for the hero classes.

"Miss, it's not safe!" He called out to her.

"Don't worry. I only plan to watch." She leaped up into a low building to get a better angle. "Disgusting, they look like lab rejects. Someone is breaking some laws." She pulled out her cell phone and turned on the record. This was going to be one hell of a fight.

She moved around the destruction careful not to run into those creatures, the last thing she wanted was to get into a fight while she recorded. Destruction ran rampant as the heroes tried to fight these creatures and evacuate all the civilians in the area. Sophie was recording what she hoped was a famous hero zipping about, she wasn't sure about the quality at his speed but it looked like a hero she had researched before.

"Mommy!" A child's cry strung out from beneath Sophie. She looked down to see a small child probably only four or five standing below.

"Shit!" She tapped stop on her phone and jumped down. "Kid come here! It's dangerous!" She rushed towards the child, arms out. Right when things were getting good too.

"I want mommy!" The boy turned away from her, running towards danger.

"No!" She ran out to snatch him up as a flaming car came barreling towards them, being flung by one of these things. She wrapped her body around the child, collapsing to her knees. Darkness exploded around her shielding them.

There was no impact and she looked up quickly to see that her darkness had stopped the flames, she stood and ran off, the creature paid her no heed and she wondered if perhaps it had other plans on its mind as it rushed after heroes. Sophie held the child close to her body and leaped onto abandoned vehicles to get out of the crowd. The child cried pitifully in her arms until she could locate an officer. Many of them were directing people to run with whistles and flashlights. She landed next to one who nearly jumped out of his skin before realizing she was not a monster.

"Here! He lost his mother; I have to head back." She put the child down.

"Wait! Miss, you can't go back there!" The officer yelled.

"Don't worry! I'm with Hero Academy!" She called back. Not the hero course but it wasn't like he was going to fact check her right now.

Sophie saw the large flames and two massive Nomu creatures surrounded by heroes. She wanted to get them but she saw Midoriya and her thoughts went to his friend Iida who was here in Hosu too, this would be the perfect time for Stain to try to take some heroes out. Sophie saw the moment Deku the Hero realized what this meant. She was on his tail instantly, she wondered greatly at Midoriya's powers, so similar to All Might, he even said smash like him. She liked the idea of an up and coming hero just like All Might, someone who could carry on the legacy of the greatest hero the world has known. It looked like Midoriya had found his way into her good graces, she would sponsor him too. A few more heroes and she would have an agency.

Sophie stayed out of his sight, when Midoriya saw Iida on the ground his powers kicked into full gear and she was witness to something she had only seen from one other person. That was some power he had if only he would stop breaking his own body, did he not realize his legs would be better here? She would love to train with him, maybe help him fill in the gaps. Bakugo would be pissed if he knew this, and it thrilled her to no end that she could push both of these heroes to their fullest with the right words and look. Midoriya already had a stance on being a hero, he was dedicated, selfless and his instincts were top notch. Deku was an unfortunate choice for his hero name but she could work with that. Better than Lord Explosion Murder, she snickered to herself, something a little better would suit; maybe Firework, Ground Zero… Infinite Bang. No, that last one sounded more like a porn star. She would think about it.

Stain was going full out and Sophie whipped out her phone to record this. She spotted the Hero Stain had targeted and she frowned, that was Native, wasn't it? Sophie gripped her phone until it snapped the screen and she started cursing as she tried to get it to turn back on. Todoroki suddenly appeared to help Deku and Sophie was going to regret not having any evidence here. She would simply watch then. She stepped into the shadows and reappeared high above them.

"Hm, I didn't think he would come, but I guess it's to be expected." She crossed her ankles and placed her hands on each side of the ledge to brace herself as she leaned forward. "Guess I'll just see how long they last, then take care of him myself." She sighed.

After a few seconds, her eyes shifted to Iida who laid on the ground still weak and unable to stand up. Native needed medical attention but from what she saw the wound was not bleeding much. Iida was angry, the villain he was supposed to fight to avenge his brother was mere feet from him, and still, he could not stop him. Midoriya and Todoroki fought hard to defend their injured comrades and Iida still didn't get it. She understood his pain. Sophie's hand came up to clench over her heart, shaking with emotion she watched him sadly.

Sophie closed her eyes. "I know, it hurts to watch the ones we love to lay in that bed, watching them struggle to live, watching each shallow breath, and knowing that there is nothing you can do but you have to. You have to do something, it's wrong! It's all wrong!" She bit back the rage that coursed through her. Her two-toned eyes looked to Stain as he fought.

Stain threw his blade and for a moment, when his eyes went up, they met hers. She shook her head a small fraction. He did not respond to that action, kept on fighting but she knew he saw her and knew what she meant. Her hand stilled finally and she returned it to her side, the battle was getting to a great start. Todoroki and Midoriya were much stronger than they were before, fueled by their desire to defend more than avenge. That was what a hero did, nothing was ever for themselves it was always for others. Always a hero was supposed to stand for justice, honor, and the people. Fame, money, and status were nothing to a true hero. Someone like All Might who stood above them all like a shining beacon of hope.

That was why something like revenge would only leave a person empty. Sophie knew she would only be gaining a false sense of justice. Still, she was no hero and she fully expected to pay for her actions, the ones that would have her killing a man she hated, a man who destroyed a beautiful woman. But Iida was better than she was, he was a better person, growing up loved and cherished by those around him. He didn't belong on this path.

"Iida, you are better than this," Sophie whispered encouragement.

There was more back and forth, Midoriya was down, Todoroki was holding Stain back quite skillfully. Suddenly Stain launched himself at Todoroki, slipping passed his ice and swinging his blade almost into Todoroki. Sophie leaned forward quickly sucking in a breath, Iida shot forward from the ground and slammed into Stain breaking his weapon and sending him flying. Sophie sat back, blowing out the air, and realized her right hand had come up on its own and her darkness had started to come out. She closed her hand and set it down on the rock beside her. Had she planned to interfere? She was going to stay out of it if she could, her only interest was in collecting Stain when this was all over. Todoroki was not her concern, at least, he shouldn't be. She would definitely save them all last minute; Stain was able to take on flames and ice but then, Todoroki wasn't trying to kill him.

"Very good, Iida, I might come to like you." She tilted her head and watched them all now.

The passion and the drive behind each hit! She was leaning forward now to get a closer look, the battle was coming to a climax, Stain was making mistakes in his drive to kill Iida and Native. He was going insane. Iida had Todoroki freeze his boosters as Midoriya looked like he was ready for another attack himself. She watched, eyes wide to not miss a beat, breath held to not miss a word, and every muscle straining to keep her in her seat as she tried to get closer. She felt the hair on her neck rise, someone was watching her. Her whole body snapped around to see who but there was no one, she quickly returned to the fight just in time.

"Yes!" She let out an excited cry for joy when they won. They were still on guard at the end but she was proud of them. They did it, they defeated Stain the Hero Killer, their enemy was down.

They were wise to remove his weapons and bind him, he was a skilled fighter and could win against them barehanded. However, she was certain that they missed a weapon and that was going to be interesting. She followed them above them as they walked. Native looked better now that he could move and she almost smiled as he thanked Midoriya for saving him. The heroes were quite humble with each other, it was nice. They exited the alley and she prepared to jump down to join them till she saw across the street was Grand Torino. Quickly she started to phish through her bag that she had forgotten existed. Her hands pulled out a pad and pen right as a creature came screaming around a corner.

Sophie turned towards the group seeing its direction.

"Midoriya!" She yelled with everyone else. You will not have him!

Sophie clutched the pen and pad, dropping down as everyone freaked out, her hand converged with darkness and strands rushed through the sky. Stain moved quickly, by the time she landed on the ground he had leaped across space with such speed and captured not only the Nomu but Midoriya as they fell. She sighed in relief letting go of the darkness, Grand Torino surely would have saved him, but he had hesitated too long it would have taken time Midoriya did not have. Of course, she had planned to save him herself, nothing escaped her. She started to approach; they would need to capture him again but at least Midoriya was safe.

Endeavor appeared and even Sophie felt anger at his presence, so it didn't surprise her that Stain hated Endeavor as well. His desire to be better than All Might and his desire for status were disgusting even to her. When Stain started to talk Sophie felt a jolt go through her, a painful one that struck her heart and caused her chest to go cold and heavy. Without realizing it she stepped forward, pushing passed the Heroes at first then receded to the back, Shoto would probably freak if he saw her now. Everyone was floored by the force of his blood lust but she stood there, looking at him and knowing how he felt. Sophie covered her mouth with her hand and dropped her notebook. When he stopped moving, frozen in place she could almost hear his heart slowing, while everyone stood there unable to move from their position, she was the only one who turned and ran away, no one knew she was there. No-one stopped her as she walked into the darkness of the alley. Only when she had passed the battle zone from before and was completely shrouded in unseen darkness did she drop to her knees and cover her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Her shoulders shook as she doubled over slowly, elbows coming to rest down on her knees.

She hated this. Hated all of it.

Clawed hands pressed down on her shoulders, rubbing gently as she tried to fight the emotions that welled up inside her. It was a long moment before she was slipping into the darkness behind her, cradled in its familiarity, comforted by its presence.