Top-Down

In light of yesterday's shocking event, the following morning was eerily quiet. There was still occasional chatter amongst the more social students, but each conversation died down within a minute, like awkward attempts on a first date. This void was further exacerbated by much of the class being glued to their phones, watching for any new information being provided to the public. Suffice to say, the situation wasn't getting any more contained.

With the phenomenon seemingly targeting quirks exclusively, areas that had similar restrictions to Japan were relatively unaffected, save for the sudden population of pro heroes who no longer had a profession to provide for themselves. Law enforcement, having already been deployed in mass to respond to panic and additional disturbances, had experienced an influx of villain arrests, finding now powerless criminals desperate to escape the evened playing field. Regions with looser bylaws had a marginal shakeup in their economies and production assets, the loss of enhanced performance individuals slowing a multitude of services.

There was chaos regardless of the demographic, but it was a bizarre, warped cacophony of questions and concerns, none of which were being answered. In the midst of this confusion, there was a distinct lack of violence. The world's power level was being rescaled, in a way that no one could truly take advantage of during the age of superpowers, its defining trait now being stripped away, country by country.

Numerous combinations of these events spun in the heads of each student as their classes for the day ran their course. The calmness and normality displayed by their pro hero teachers was at first unsettling, but eventually it was concluded they were either trying to not distract from their education or perhaps themselves were looking for a way to keep the global event out of mind. No matter the case, occasional slips in their demeanor were still caught by several, reminding them that this was, in fact, all real.

The end of the day finally arrived, but where Aizawa would usually give some reminder to study and complete their homework (along with a subtle threat to anyone who got up to shenanigans) the man instead stood straight behind his desk, eyeing the class over with a look far more shades serious than his general cross expression. Silence preluded his initial words.

"As I'm sure many of you have heard, we're facing a major upset in world power." His intro was met with deathly silence. "Normally, even in times of crisis, I would advocate for continuing studies regardless of outside threat, but this goes beyond anything we've seen before." His eyes glazed over his students. "As of now, your lessons are put on indefinite hold."

A few gasps were heard around the classroom, but none dared speak as it was clear Aizawa had more to say. "Much of the faculty, including myself, will be tasked with additional duties as the investigation on this phenomenon proceeds, as Japan is logically a target as well. During this time, you will all be free to remain on campus at your dorms, or, if you so choose, return to your families. In either case, I ask that you spend your time wisely, keep honing your skills and minds for when the storm passes and we inevitably resume your training." He paused, taking another look around his class.

"If you have any questions, visit Nezu's office, he can provide details. Dismissed." The initial reaction was slow, but the group of twenty gradually got to their feet and made for the exit, a few clusters chatting nervously about what their teacher had just leveled with them. Izuku found himself staring at the floor as he maneuvered for the exit, himself not entirely grounded after last night's revelation.

"Midoriya, a word?" The greenette stopped, looking up, seeing he'd just passed in front of Aizawa, who eyed him warily. As the One For All holder diverted to give the pro his attention, Uraraka and Iida stopped at the door, letting everyone else pass as they watched their friend acknowledge the teacher.

"Yes, sir?" Eraserhead leaned against his desk, letting out a tired moan as he rubbed the side of his head, a habit that a few of his students recognized as him feeling himself in a bind. Aizawa settled on folding his arms, eyes settled on his student, but not entirely focused.

"In light of recent events, you could say my hopes for Togata are trivial at best." Izuku gulped, feeling some of the sting in that truth. "However, that doesn't change the fact that Eri would still be better off learning how to control that power of hers. I hit a dead end with Monoma, so I figured it's worth asking you, especially since I'll be in the field extensively for the foreseeable future. Do you have any ideas on how to proceed with her?" Izuku would say he was surprised by the inquiry, but he was equally surprised that he had a reply. The young hero-in-training made a hard expression, knowing what he was suggesting would be difficult.

"I do. I've been thinking about it a lot, actually." Aizawa's face didn't shift at all as he listened. "With the idea that her quirk has a similar accumulative nature to mine, I think it's best to keep that method rolling and break down the mechanics piece by piece. The best way to do that, in my opinion, is examining what we've seen directly." At this, Shota's eyes visibly narrowed, but he allowed his student to continue. "If she's okay with it, I'd like to go with her to the site of the hideout raid."

Tenya could practically feel Ochaco stiffen beside him at that last line. This was reinforced as silence once again claimed the room, with Izuku nervously awaiting his teacher's response. Aizawa's facial features revealed nothing, still watching his problem child carefully, the poor boy feeling his integrity slipping. Finally, after what felt like forever, he allowed a soft grunt to pass his throat.

"Very well." Izuku's eyes went wide, from a mix of released tension and shock. "However, if you're bringing her there, you're not going alone. I'd prefer someone else who was on the raid team." His eyes darted over Izuku's shoulders. "Uraraka."

"Eep!" The gravity girl jumped, stunned at being called out. Izuku turned to her, surprised to see her and Iida still in the room. "Y-yes, sir?" Aizawa stood back up straight, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Since you found the need to stay behind and listen in, you can accompany Midoriya and Eri on their information gathering." Ochaco seemed at a loss for words, until her sights landed on her friend, who, upon realizing what their teacher was asking, shot her a hopeful smile that provided the response for her.

"Of course!" She fired back her own smile to the ninth wielder. "You can count on me, Deku," she emphasized by holding up and flexing her right arm, showing no visible pain at the act. Izuku was practically beaming at this, until Aizawa cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"That being said, I'll be sending someone to shadow you three during the outing. I ask that you refrain from diverting from the task as much as possible." His students nodded firmly, agreeing to his terms. "Good. Now follow me, Midoriya. Eri's with Togata; hopefully he'll help convince her to go along with this plan of yours." Izuku agreed, waving to his two friends as the four of them exited the room and split in opposite directions of the hallway. As they watched their friend and instructor leave, Tenya set his closed hands on his hip, face laden with pride.

"As I would expect from Midoriya; immediately taking advantage of our time from classes to care for someone in a precarious situation." He glanced over at Ochaco, raising one arm to firmly chop at the air. "And I expect you to assist him in any capacity necessary, Uraraka." The brunette nodded vehemently. Of course she would, she could do no less for someone in need. At the same time, she was excited for the trip itself. Surely they could have some fun mixed into their research.

"So it's like a date?"

This outburst from Mina was immediately followed by the sound of juice being ejected from someone's mouth with the force of a fire hydrant. The victim of said event then had her eyes bulge to maximum diameter and her face swell with the collective blood of what could potentially be her entire body.

"WHAAAAAAA!?" Ochaco's hands waved away with the intensity of a turbine as she faced the rest of her female classmates. "O-Of course not! We'll have Eri with us!" Ashido casually rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, as if a cute little girl could be a third wheel. If anything, she'll make you two look more adorable."

"And there's gonna be someone watching out for us close by!"

"Out of sight, out of mind~."

"Mina!" Ochaco exclaimed desperately. Toru and Kyoka were snickering nearby, enjoying the utterly vulnerable Uraraka as she struggled to not scrunch herself into the couch fold. Mercifully, the two voices of reason stepped in before the gravity girl imploded.

"Come on, you three, she and Midoriya are trying to help Eri with this trip," Momo insisted, her tone firm and commanding. Tsuyu stepped over and placed a comforting hand on her struggling friend.

"Let's not make her uncomfortable before she's even out the door; it could affect their objective." Ochaco managed a smile from beneath her embarrassment, happy that their class had a relative balance of mature females. In the meantime, the other three girls calmed down from their giddiness, surrendering to the logic of it all. On the other side of the room, within earshot of the whole performance, Mineta was cursing Izuku's unfair use of the "cute little sister" factor.

Conversation shifted to the primary issue at hand, on who, if anyone, would be leaving for their homes. While the initial considerations were floating about, Kirishima looked over to the solitary Katsuki.

"What about you, Bakugo? You gonna head out to be with your folks?" The blonde in question didn't even bother turning to answer.

"Of course not," he grumbled. A bit surprised, Kirishima suddenly grew a massive smile.

"Whoa, so you'd rather stick with us? I knew you cared!" he finished with a toothy grin. Unfortunately, Bakugo instantly swung around to face the redhead with a scowl.

"Hell no, you idiot! I don't want to have to walk all the way here every day to use the damn training gym!" While Kirishima would likely feel a bit deflated at the response, he instead focused on the implication given.

"Oh yeah! Since we've got no classes we should take Mr. Aizawa's advice and keep at it. Pretty smart, dude," he finished, giving his friend a thumbs up. Bakugo simply rolled his eyes, returning to what he was doing. The chatter amongst the students shifted at this pleasant realization, with many now discussing how best to schedule their regiments and who best to go with. This lighthearted topic was ground to a halt when Kaminari chose to speak up.

"But, is there any point to training if we're just gonna lose our quirks anyway?"

An uncomfortable silence struck the common room. Denki immediately regretted opening his mouth, seeing the stunned and/or crestfallen expressions directed at him. As he sat there on the couch, awkwardly fidgeting under the weight of his statement, he received a firm smack to the back of the head, courtesy of Jirou, who threw him down a glare. Cringing, Kaminari turned away, looking hard at the floor.

"S-sorry."

The awful mood of the room lay permeating for another minute, until the entrance doors were heard opening, directing all attention to the front. Izuku came unknowingly to the rescue, strolling into the common room with a genuine grin on his face. Ochaco found the opportunity to escape the dire silence.

"Hey, Deku, how'd it go?" She walked over to meet her friend halfway, her eyes expectant. The ninth wielder's smile intensified upon her inquiry.

"She said she'd go with us. We'll head out tomorrow, around noon." Uraraka allowed herself to jump for joy, excited to be taking Eri out, an activity she had thus far been unable to participate in. The rest of the students, happy for the little girl, allowed the news to wash away the previous conversation's bitterness, which thankfully Izuku hadn't noticed. With that, everyone headed off to bed.

A dozen searchlights bathed the sky-piercing structure and its 154 floors in light, acting as a makeshift beacon to the entirely of the surrounding city. A pair of helicopters added in their own flashes in an attempt to gather more information. Unfortunately, as one approached too close to the building, a flurry of projectiles crashed through a nearby window, sending glass raining below as the hostile objects managed to strike the tail of the aircraft. The pilot desperately tried to keep the bird steady as he retreated away from the skyscraper, a spiral of smoke accompanying him.

Within the room from where the attack had emerged, a man growled, leaning just outside the now broken window to scan the ground far below. A dizzying array of police lights flickered at the base of the structure, along with a chaotic din of news outlets and enforcement squads. Satisfied with the view, the attacker backed off from the opening in the building and rejoined the rest of his insurgents. He stopped before his leader.

"Boss, I don't see how we're getting out of this. Eventually they'll find a pro that can deal with us." The one being addressed made no move to reply, continuing to gaze lazily at the whimpering batch of hostages seated in the corner of the room they occupied. The rest of his underlings glanced between themselves nervously, hoping they weren't finished.

"I doubt that very much," the leader finally said. He turned to eye his lookout. "The world's hero population is drastically falling. With everything else going on, there's little chance of enough organization to deconstruct our ranks. We have the resources to hold out for another several days if necessary. These civilians, on the other hand, won't last that long." A few of the hostages began crying anew at the horrid prospect. While most of the men snickered vilely to themselves, one furrowed his brow in concern.

"But… what about those 'demons' from the news? The ones that show up whenever villains try to prey on a vulnerable country?" Everyone went silent, looking to the man. Their leader eyed him dangerously, making the outspoken grunt gulp. Before her could move a finger, his superior intensified his glare, eyes glowing a sickening green. The realization on his subordinate's face was quickly overpowered by a scream of agony, as he clawed at his skull and fell to his knees. Some of the other villains looked away, up until their compatriot fell to the ground, unmoving, with white smoke wafting from his ears, nose, and mouth.

The hostages' fear multiplied, cowering, the occasional vomiting, or even fainting as a result of the display. The leader displayed no emotion as he called for another underling to collect the body and toss it out the window. A hulking villain, clearly possessing a transformation quirk, stomped over to the exposed wall, through which a strong wind had been continuously blowing, and prepared to finish the job.

It was to his shock then when a reverberating hum and accompanying blast of air pushed him back a few feet. The entire gang went on alert, eyes trained on the gap as a vehicle they hadn't seen circling the building was suddenly hovering just outside the tower. It was clearly a helicopter, but the design was close to alien.

"Wh-what the hell? How did we not hear that thing coming?!" one of the villains cried in fury. Before anyone could act further, the chopper swung around to its side, an opening in the machine depositing two figures onto the floor, their long jackets billowing in the combination of winds generated by both the altitude and the rotors. As their ride backed away from the building, details of the new arrivals became clear.

The one in front was a girl, mid-teens, long blonde hair tied in a braid across her left shoulder. Her face was stoic as she stared directly at the leader of the villains, not in the least intimidated. Slightly behind her and to the right, stood a young man that was clearly older than her, yet seemed to defer to her position, his posture suggesting he was ready to either provide cover or take it, but not advance on his own. What caught the most attention however, and what had the criminals freeze where they stood, was the insignia etched into their coats.

"I-it's them!" one of the thugs stuttered, pointing a shaky finger at the red cliff clearly visible on their intruders' attire. The men readied their quirks, emitters supporting the mutation users up front, the rest mixing among them for support. Their leader remained at the head, unamused by the intrusion. The girl before them continued to eye him down, even as she spoke to her companion.

"Ian, have you finished your scan?" Her voice, heavily accented, was immensely soothing to the hostages still trapped behind the villains' heavy presence, despite their predicament. The man beside her, who had been glancing at each individual villain since they'd arrived, nodded.

"Yes, miss Marie. All fall within applicable range of engagement." His partner nodded back.

"Very well. Please stay back," she finished, gently holding out her hand defensively. Ian carefully stepped further behind her, keeping his stance in case of trouble. As Marie took a deep breath, the criminal's leader finally cracked a grin.

"French, huh? Suppose I should've known you'd be European-based." Marie made no move to speak, causing his brow to twitch. "A reply would be nice, brat. What did you think you'd accomplish here anyway?" Still, Marie remained silent, causing the man to bare his teeth. "Tch, whatever. Just die." His eyes flared green, glaring menacingly at the blonde before him. His men waited for the inevitable agony she'd experience, feeling a ray of hope for escaping the supposed 'villain hunters'.

Nothing happened.

The leader's eyes returned to normal, wide with shock as his mouth hung open. His subordinates mirrored his expression. He began taking in air to speak and demand an explanation, only to find he couldn't. He choked, taking another try at filling his lungs. Again, it failed. He suddenly became aware his eyes were drying out, his focus was loosening. The man stumbled, trying desperately to breath, to stay on his feet. A thud brought some of his attention to his men, seeing them all drop to the floor one by one, clutching at their throats and chests.

He finally looked back at Marie, seeing the girl holding out her hand to the lot of them. One last attempt to act, to rush at her for a direct attack, ended in failure, as he fell to his knees before finally landing on his side, his brain unable to retain consciousness without oxygen. With his the final thump against the ground, Marie lowered her hand, her posture relaxing. Just then however, her hand shot to her chest, her calm exterior cracking slightly in struggle. Ian was quick to react, placing an arm around her shoulders and moving her further from the exposed window.

As Marie continued to try catching her breath, her companion reached to his belt and produced an inhaler, which he quickly passed to her. She wasted no time in taking a breath from the device, calmness returning moments later. Ian remained beside her for comfort, until she nodded to signal she was alright. "Thank you," she said gently. Her partner sighed with concern.

"I told you another team should have handled this one. The altitude was dangerous for you." Marie gazed sadly downward for a spell, before shaking her head.

"We were the closest. This duty goes beyond our individual health." She nodded towards the back of the room. "Go check on the hostages." Ian acknowledged, rushing to the huddled group of flabbergasted bystanders. Marie held a hand up to her ear. "Immune 3, upper level threats have been neutralized."

"Solid copy. Ground floor had been cleared as well. Thermal shows no other pockets. Building is secure."

Marie allowed herself a smile, glancing over at Ian as he asked around for any injuries among the civilians. "Excellent. As soon as the hostages have been deemed stable we'll proceed for extraction."

"Negative. The Burj Khalifa has been deemed primary choice for housing the amplifier. Its height can allow the broadcast to net the entire Middle East in one shot."

"Understood. We'll restrain the villains for delivery to the authorities."

"Immune 4 will drop off the techs and equipment shortly, along with the vessel."

Marie's hands clenched anxiously. "Who has volunteered for this site?" The channel remained quiet for a few seconds.

"Yunus."

The blonde found a sad smile on her face. "I see. He'll get to rejoin his family then." She paused. "Marie out." As the connection was cut, the young lady made her way over to the fallen mob of villains, beginning to clasp retractable quirk cuffs on each one.

Ochaco threw her scarf around her neck, making sure it was tucked in and would effectively shield her from the winter air. She hummed lightly as she examined herself in the mirror, satisfied with her attire for the day ahead. Grabbing her bag, the gravity girl rushed out of her dorm room and made her way to the elevator, a wide grin plastered on her face. She couldn't wait to head out into town with Izuku and Eri. At the same time, she reminded herself that it would be a challenging experience for the girl if they weren't careful.

Upon arriving at the bottom floor, Ochaco was greeted to the sound of the television in the common room immediately after the doors opened. What few of her classmates were around had gathered nearby, vigilantly staring at the screen. Uraraka's mood teetered, afraid that it was yet another report. She cautiously joined her friends, seeing an international broadcast.

"Another event?" she asked. Momo, who was among those watching, looked to the brunette, nodding.

"Yes. This time the Middle East was wiped of quirks. Investigators did however, catch a break." Intrigued, Ochaco moved around to the front of their couch and sat down beside Tsuyu. "Last night, villains attacked and seized control of the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai, taking hostages. No one could get through for over five hours, until an unknown aircraft entered the scene and appeared to drop off someone right where the villains were camped. Less than a half hour later that same craft dropped the now unconscious gang right at the police's feet, along with the unharmed hostages. Even with the threat gone, these new individuals and their helicopters kept anyone from getting near the building, up until a massive pulse of energy was witnessed being released from the topmost spire."

Ochaco had her hand tighten just above her chest. "You mean…" Yaoyorozu nodded.

"That same pulse that deprived people of their quirks. After the fact, the mysterious group just left, leaving behind no evidence of what they did there." Ochaco turned back to the news report, glad that more details were being unveiled, but at the same time terrified by what these people were capable of. She was grateful when her phone went off, signaling a text. She brightened upon seeing who it was from, standing up and addressing her classmates.

"Well, I'm meeting Deku and Eri by the gates. See you guys." Ochaco exited with a wave, which much of the room replied with, the rest wishing her a fun day. The gravity heroine made haste for the edge of UA's campus, eventually seeing two figures waiting by the front gate. Izuku noticed her coming, smiling as his friend approached. Eri was right beside him, offering up a small smile of her own as she stood bundled up in her coat.

"Ready to go, Uraraka?" Izuku asked as she joined them.

"You bet!" She then looked to their companion. "You're really brave for going through with this, Eri." The little girl held up her balled fists.

"Thank you. I need to try hard to understand my power." Uraraka could just barely detect some uncertainty beneath the girl's determination, but knew she'd do everything to make Eri feel safe, a sentiment she knew Izuku shared. Suddenly, Ochaco remembered one little detail, shooting her friend a curious look.

"By the way, Deku, who's going to be shadowing us?"

"Me," a dejected voice answered before the One For All holder could even open his mouth. Uraraka jumped as she spun around to face the source, startled to see a recognizable face standing under a tree nearby.

"Oh! Amajiki! I didn't even notice you." The most reserved of the Big 3 made a grunting noise beneath his scarf, which covered the entire bottom of his face.

"That's the idea. I'm supposed to stay out of sight and blend in with the crowd. Perfect job for me, except for the crowd part. But if it's for Eri's sake, I'll help out." Izuku nodded in agreement to Tamaki's assessment.

"Mr. Aizawa thought about having Hado accompany us instead, but, um, well…" Izuku trailed off, at which point Ochaco chuckled awkwardly.

"R-right," she replied, easily understanding why her other upperclassman wasn't the best suited for this task.

With the introductions done, the four headed out, Tamaki trailing behind at a safe distance. Their group progressed through the streets as well as the trains without issue, the only discomfort being the constant news articles in their faces whenever they happened to be near a screen. Izuku and Ochaco did their best to ignore these, keeping their young companion priority.

At last, after several hours of travel, the trio (Amajiki still hanging back) were within a block's distance of their target. The two heroes-in-training felt a slight unease as they closed in, memories of that fateful day resurfacing. Ochaco recognized the street where she and the rest of Ryukyu's team had to deal with the Eight Expendables' Rikiya, while Izuku scanned the nearby buildings that were damaged by the fused form of Overhaul.

The ninth holder suddenly felt a little hand grab his scarred right. Looking down, he found Eri clinging to him, perhaps absentmindedly. The girl's lips were noticeably pursed, her crimson eyes darting from one section of the area to another. Understanding, Izuku reassuringly squeezed her hand back, gaining her attention in the process. He flashed her a smile, which, with difficulty, she managed to return at least partially.

At last, the three stopped at a corner, overlooking the intersection where the final battle had taken place. They took a moment to really let it sink in. The location had been fully repaired, not a hint of damage remaining, the only tell being a mess of 'restricted area' tape covering every entry point of what used to be the Eight Precepts of Death hideout.

"Wow. It's so peaceful here now," Ochaco commented, taking in the rather quiet neighborhood. Some snow had built up on most surfaces in the area, leaving it in a state of whited silence. The trio walked around a bit more, really getting their minds set on recalling any details from the raid, Eri never letting go of Izuku's hand. They eventually stopped right where they began, with the One For All holder finally letting go of the young girl to reach into his coat pocket and produced his notebook.

"Alright, let's start with what we know." Eri and Uraraka huddled in close, with the greenette kneeling down so their youngest could see. "Eri's Rewind let's her revert a person to a previous state, apparently either physically or genetically. It functions using some form of accumulated energy, the amount of which is likely indicated by the size of her horn." Eri briefly touched the object on her forehead at its mention. "At the moment, she can't stop the effect once it begins, growing in intensity until cut off by an outside source." Uraraka noticed the girl frown at this, reaching over behind Izuku to pat her back and reassure her.

The boy nodded, motioning to stand back up. "Alright, that's the basics. Let's see what we can learn from the scene." The three of them crossed the road and stopped in front of the hideout, the young man among them looking down at his feet. "It was below here, where Eri's power first activated. Chisaki lost his grip on her as he was forcefully unfused with his subordinate." He turned to their youngest, making sure to speak softly. "Eri, what do you think caused it to activate?"

The girl grabbed the sides of her coat, glancing down at the same spot Izuku had, eyes trembling slightly at the memory. "I… I didn't want you all getting hurt, to save me. What Mr. Lemillion did, and when you went after me, it wasn't fair that you would die for me." She looked straight at Izuku. "I wanted to be saved so that I could save you all." The ninth wielder stood in awe at the declaration, but quickly found an admiring smile form on his lips. He knelt down to place a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"That's amazing, Eri. You really did save us." Ochaco leaned in, her face matching his.

"You were really our hero that day." Although the red-eyed child seemed overwhelmed by the words, her lips did twitch upwards and a pink tinge was seen on her cheeks, showing her happiness at their declarations. Izuku resumed writing notes as they moved again.

"Rewind responded to a new emotional state; not the most uncommon thing for quirks. Mineta once told me the effectiveness of his balls depended on his mood." He looked over at the center of the road. "Before it began going berserk, Rewind didn't seem to be straining Eri from use. She continuously rewound my quirk's self-destructive power throughout the fight with Overhaul." He frowned. "But." This got the girls' attention. "Not once during the fight, when I was in direct contact with him, did Rewind defuse him." Ochaco brightened, seeing a chance to add her own contribution.

"Deku, when you two were on the ground struggling, Chisaki tried one last time to crush you with a giant hand he created. Just before it came down on you, he reverted back to himself and Rikiya." Izuku glowed at this new information, furiously scribbling in the notebook.

"Eri's power was out of control at that point, so it could be that in that state she was no longer able to isolate the effects of her quirk to just me, affecting anyone who got close. In that case, it saved us." He glanced at his friend. "Uraraka, can you remember the distance?" Ochaco furrowed her brow, looking over the area, trying to recall exactly where Deku and Overhaul were laying along the destroyed street. She pointed it out a minute later, triggering another flurry of notes.

"It could be that the more intense the quirk is while active, the greater its general area of effect becomes. Still…" He closed his notebook, grinning at their topic of discussion. "Eri, you were able to contain the power during that fight. It might not be much to go off of, but it proves that you can have control of it." The girl's eyes widened significantly at this, holding up her hands, considering the power held within them.

"I can control it, someday." Her reverie was interrupted when Izuku suddenly stood straight and bowed to her, surprising both her and Ochaco.

"That being said, I'm sorry, Eri! If I didn't ask you to lend me that strength, you might have never lost control like you did." The recipient of his apology just stared at him for a time, leaving him uncertain how she'd react. Soon enough though, her quiet voice broke through the silence.

"It's okay, Deku. You beat Ch-Chisaki." No sooner had she said this that a hand rested gently on her head, her large eyes blinking in wonder at a smiling Izuku.

"Eri, we beat Chisaki." Ochaco really thought the little girl would faint at that one, but she stayed on her feet, lips trembling in an attempt to properly react to such praise. She eventually settled for a quick nod. The three of them spent another hour or so on the block, trying to gleam any more shreds of information from their encounter months ago. When it was decided they'd left no stone unturned, the trio gathered by the street from where they'd first emerged.

"Any sign of Amajiki?" Izuku asked. Ochaco scanned the different paths with him, brightening as she pointed to a far-off portion of fencing.

"Oh, there he is!" Upon noticing he'd been spotted, Tamaki suddenly turned away and planted his forehead against the fence, causing his underclassmen to sweatdrop. Once he acknowledged them again, they signaled they were ready to head back, to which the Manifest user nodded and slunk into the shadows.

Halfway to the station, the group was interrupted by a growling coming from Ochaco's stomach, causing her to blush as several people nearby glanced at her. As it was difficult to find their fellow student in the more populous areas of town, Izuku settled on shooting Tamaki a quick text that they'd be stopping by a food stand. He and Ochaco ended up grabbing a few bowls of ramen, which they shared with an equally hungry Eri. In the aftermath, Izuku surprised her with an apple he'd purchased nearby, earning him a delighted smile and shining eyes.

She quickly munched the fruit down while they were on the train home, and as they made the final strides to UA's campus, the girl had become noticeably more active than when they first left. She asked numerous questions about the buildings they passed, requested that they stop through a park and admire the greenery, along with play in the abundance of snow covering the area's ground, having a light snowball fight in the midst of it all. Eventually, she ended up between her two escorts, each one holding a hand of hers as they resumed their walk home.

It was hard to ignore the looks they were receiving in this formation, with nearly every person they passed having some reaction to how adorable they looked with Eri in the middle, either making a face, or whispering something to their companion. Most of it was indecipherable to the trio, but just past the next block, a pair of ladies 'awwed' at them, followed by the one on the right posing a question to her friend as they passed by. This was heard clearly by all three of them, with Eri blinking in confusion at the sudden stiffness from the students' hands, as well as the bright blushes on their faces and the fact that they neglected to look at each other for the rest of the walk.

At UA's front gate once again, the three of them gave Amajiki their gratitude for watching over them, which he accepted hastily before scurrying off. The remaining trio made their way to Heights Alliance, not saying a word the whole way. As per usual, a handful of their classmates were hanging around downstairs, greeting them upon entry and excitedly asking how their day went.

"It was really enjoyable," Izuku explained. "We got some good research in, stopped for ramen, and Eri had fun taking in all the sights. Right, Eri?" The little girl nodded firmly, still wearing a gentle smile. The ninth wielder then seemed to realize something. "Oh, is Mr. Aizawa here? I should show him our findings." Kirishima jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

"Yeah, teach is in the back, wrapping up some reports, he said." Thanking his friend, Izuku went on his way. Once the boy was out of sight, Eijiro frowned with concern. "Midoriya looked a bit red in the face. Hope the guy didn't catch something while he was out." This observation triggered another, with Tsuyu placing a finger to her mouth.

"Ochaco, you look red too. Is everything alright, ribbit?" The gravity girl seemed to be having difficulty answering. Unfortunately for her, Eri was under the impression that clarifying in this situation would be helpful.

"They both got like that after a lady we passed whispered about whether I was the boyfriend or the girlfriend's little sister."

ERIIIIII!

Ochaco's pale, frozen figure had the nearby Mina and Toru cracking up, until the brunette allowed herself to collapse onto the arm of the nearby couch, a dark cloud hanging over her head. "Why couldn't they just say we were all siblings?" she moaned. Finishing up her laughter, Ashido scooted over to her dejected friend and held up a finger matter-of-factly.

"Sorry, girl, but aside from being cinnamon rolls, you three have nothing in common, the appearances just don't add up." She hopped up from the couch, back flipped behind it, and surprised Kirishima by grabbing him in a headlock. "Now if it were me, Kiri here, and Eri, then there's no question we'd pass as brother and sisters." Everyone blinked in confusion at her declaration, causing the Acid user to roll her eyes. "Oh come on!" She reached over and snatched Eri in a hold as well, who seemed much too lost to even react. "Are you seeing it now?"

A few people scratched their heads. "You don't just mean the horns, right?" Ojiro asked from his spot at the nearby table. Mina seemed to get more frustrated, grinding her teeth.

"No! Not just the horns! The energetic big sis, the cool yet protective brother, and the shy and adorable youngest." She repeatedly chopped a hand into her open palm. "There's a balance in family dynamics, people! Plus, our color schemes are on point!" She pointed to Kirishima's head, then hers, then Eri's. "Red, pink, white. See how well our spectrum works?"

"Um, Mina, Eri's hair isn't exactly white…"

"Close enough!" the pinkette cut Ochaco off. Her eyes suddenly widened. "Oh! Midori!" Everyone suddenly noticed Izuku had returned, and was surprised Mina noticed him right away.

"Huh, what's up?"

"You've got a page for Eri in that notebook of yours now, right?" The boy was a bit slow on the reply, overpowered by Mina's energy, but replied all the same.

"Um, yeah." Ashido reached out her hands.

"Gimme, gimme, gimme!" Although unsure what her intent was, Izuku nonetheless flipped to the correct page and handed the book to her, which she quickly scanned over with her golden irises. "Aww, you even scribbled in a little hero name for her!" Izuku immediately grew flustered, looking away as his cheeks reddened.

"I-I mean, there was a lot of time to w-write things down and I kinda started going off on a tangent and added more details with the findings we had and how she might use her abilities for defensive purposes and the ideas just multiplied from there and I got ahead of myself it's nothing that should be really taken too seriously after all she never said she'd want to-"

"This works perfectly!" Mina interrupted, her dominant volume level cutting off the One For All holder's embarrassed muttering. He never noticed Eri had begun staring at him with shining eyes. Ashido grabbed a pen off the table and quickly jotted down her addition. "Just gotta add the color here and… done!" She tossed the notebook back to Izuku, who fumbled with it at the unexpected return. The excitable pinkette then grabbed her two horn buddies again and gave a massive grin.

"Red Riot," she began, tightening her hold on Kirishima's neck, causing the boy to gag briefly. "Pinky," she shook herself. "And Pristine White," she finished, playfully rubbing her cheek against Eri's. While some sighed with amusement at Mina's antics, Tsuyu remained stoic.

"You really shouldn't be editing Midoriya's notes like that, Mina." Izuku waved a hand as his other rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, it's okay, really. Like I said, I was just spit-balling at the time and-"

"I like it."

All eyes turned to their petite guest, who was giving Izuku a shy smile. Despite the warm feeling spreading through everyone at her sudden comment, the boy himself could only stutter bashfully, muttering a quick appreciation as the rest of the class laughed. Among them, Ochaco watched the young man with admiration, seeing how even subconsciously he always put effort for others. It had felt so natural walking around with him and Eri, truly enjoying their day out despite the conditions under which it had been planned.

And yet, she couldn't shake this feeling that had been growing in her mind. She'd talked extensively with Izuku the past few days, learning everything she could about him. Somehow, she could tell there was still a part of him she was unaware of, a portion of his identity that he skirted away from during their talks. The more he did so, the greater her longing became. Ochaco had given herself the chance to be a little selfish, to get closer to him, and now there was no turning back. Not that she regretted it one bit, if her heart was anything to go by.

Amidst the day's events, Izuku had failed to realize just how much energy he'd expelled, until he finally made his way to his room that evening. Laying down in bed, stripped of his heavy winter garb, he took the time to relax and give his notebook one last skim, the intense moonlight outside being just strong enough to provide a view of his scribblings. Specifically, he went over his notes on Eri again.

They'd accomplished a great deal, even Aizawa seemed pleased, yet there was still the matter of figuring out the source of accumulated energy Rewind needed to be activated. Izuku had left a side note in the corner to consider examining One For All again for clues. He only wished he could do so in collaboration. All Might seemed as busy as the rest of the pros now, dealing with the de-quirking event, so finding the time to discuss the crystalized power grew shorter by the day. And Kacchan was… well, Kacchan. He was willing to bet his best friends would have something to add, if only they knew of One For All to begin with.

The ninth holder sighed, absentmindedly scanning Eri's page. He drifted across the top-left, smiling at the words heading the little girl's entry.

"The Reversal Hero: Pristine White"

Whether or not she ever showed interest in the profession, Eri could undoubtedly do a great deal of good for the world. Revert injuries, undo unfortunate transformations, perhaps even unwind villains so that their quirks are nullified, rendering them powerless without having to even fight. He'd stocked up on notes for such activity, his inner fanboy leaking out. A fact that got a chuckle out of him as he lay there on his back.

However, he suddenly found himself frowning.

What if the people behind the world crisis knew about Eri? About what she could do with the proper training; reverse everything they'd done, even if it was a little at a time. Would they consider her a threat? Would they go after her? She'd already been a target far longer than any child should, had only just begun living like a normal young girl. No, no one would ever take her back to such status. Izuku put down his notebook and stared hard at the ceiling.

It didn't matter if the world was going insane, he'd protect those he cared about to the death.

Sorry for the wait, everyone, I had to deal with some other things. Hopefully the length is a good make up to you all. Honestly I would like to break out of the 3k range for each update, feels like I could add more.

HankFlamion18: Intensity, good. Long wait, bad.

patrickthenobleman: I do take my premises very cautiously, can't have a million plot holes or boring sequencing. Glad to see I'm providing on every front.

Pen Name Noyb: Again, thanks so much for the reminder!

Sentienel07: I do love my character interactions, one of the main reasons I love this fandom.

The Keeper of Worlds: Haha, well I'm getting the scale right, that's good.

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!

next chapter: Solidarity