Tired emerald eyes fought desperately to stay open as Izuku drowsily listened to the tired voice of his homeroom teacher drone sluggishly throughout the classroom, the usually sleep-deprived nighttime hero seeming even more out of it than usual, Aizawa having trouble even keeping a hold of the book in his hand. Izuku's whole body shook as an immense yawn escaped him, tears of boredom pooling in the corner of his eyes, the young hero fanatic wishing for the first time that school would end as quickly as possible.
Aizawa was not the only one who seemed out of it that day, all of their teachers appearing strangely sluggish and dazed. From Midnight forgetting what day it was, to Present Mic not yelling even a single time, the whole day had an air of lethargy that managed to spread to the students, where even the most diligent of them, Iida, was left a nervous wreck as he tried to keep the lessons on track. Even Izuku couldn't find the energy to care, the green-haired boy spending most of the day doodling in his hero notebook, briefly exchanging written messages with Toga during Ectoplasm's fourth time repeating the same math formula, but even that proved unfulfilling after running out of hero's to write about.
Tearing his gaze away from the nonsensical display of words covering the blackboard, Aizawa's head hitting the wall for the fifth time that day as he briefly nodded off, Izuku instead focused on the blonde girl sitting in front of him, her head resting comfortably in her arms as she slept soundly through the nighttime heroes lecture. Toga, drool dripping like a leaky faucet from the corner of her mouth, had been asleep for the last three classes, only briefly waking up to stare bleary-eyed at him before smacking headfirst back onto her desk, soft snores drifting from her mouth within seconds.
It was as if she was checking to make sure he was still there.
Smiling fondly at the sleeping god, a small murmur passing her lips as she snuggled deeper into her arms, Izuku jumped with fright at the sudden loud klaxon echoing through the school, the whole class sitting blot upright as the final bell, signaling the end of the school day, finally rang. Grumbling cutely, or at least Izuku thought so, Toga's lifted her head out of her arms, golden eyes fluttering open slowly as she sleepily glared at whatever had dared wake her from her slumber.
Placing his unused textbooks into his bag, Izuku quietly contemplated what he was going to do today, his earlier plan of training his newly created air compression move with All Might before dance practice having seemingly fallen through. During their Heroics class, All Might could barely remain standing let alone be able to train someone, his gaunt face appearing much more weathered as he swayed dangerously in place. To say they didn't learn much that day was an understatement.
"Izu-kun!" Smashing her hands loudly down onto his desk, voice brimming with barely restrained excitement, Izuku calmly lifted his head to look into the grinning face of the godly blonde, a small blush coloring his freckled cheeks a light pink at how close Toga was, his mind recalling the revelation he came to just the day before during their date.
"Do you need help with practicing that new move of yours?! The one where you go, bam bam!, and these little balls of air go flying from your hand!? I can help you! We can even make plans of what we want to do during the festival! Ah! We should ask Eri what she wants to do too!"
"That would be great! Thanks, Toga-chan! Let's go!" Nodding enthusiastically to the godly blonde's suggestions, a bright smile curling on his lips as he slung his oversized backpack over his shoulder, Izuku began laughing cheerfully as Toga leapt joyfully into the air before grasping his wrist tightly.
"Mina! Jiro!" Toga called out to the two girls as she pulled the wielder of One For All out of the classroom, pink phone gripped tightly in her fist as she waved at them, the blonde schoolgirl practically skipping out of the door. "We'll be back later for practice!"
Deep, brown eyes watched the pair leave with growing concern, worry gnawing painfully at their chest at the brilliant smiles adorning their faces, brows furrowed in a deep frown as they caught the glint of a charm dangling from the edge of Toga's phone.
Ochaco felt her heart ache painfully in her chest at the sight, the gravity user instinctually knowing exactly where it came from, the memory of the pair leaving to hang out the day before playing mockingly in her mind. It was a gift. A gift from Izuku.
They were growing closer, way too close for Ochaco's comfort. The usually shy and fidgety Deku she once knew, a boy who could barely string together two words unless it was about quirks, was now laughing and smiling with Toga without a single stutter or stumble of his sentence. She was happy for him, glad to finally see her friend open up and be more confident in himself, even if it was because of someone else.
It was that someone else that was the problem.
Ochaco had nothing against Toga, not initially anyway. When school first started, the hyperactive blonde seemed a little odd, ok very odd if not downright weird, but she was nice enough, always quick with a smile and buoyant laughter that helped lighten everyone's spirits. She was standoffish and clearly suffered from some kind of mental affliction brought on from her quirk's addiction to blood, her fascination with knives surely a contributing factor to her remaining isolated from the rest of class, but no one considered her any less part of the class.
It was Toga's attachment to him that first drew her attention to her though.
The second the pair met, Toga had acted as if she had known him for ages, speaking to him with a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if she knew everything about him before they even had a chance to speak. Ochaco had played it off as Toga just being overly friendly and open, the blonde never seeming to shy away from saying what was on her mind, a playful extrovert just like Mina.
Now…now she wasn't so sure. There was something…off…about her blonde classmate and she wasn't the only one to have noticed. There was an air of foreboding around her, her golden eyes hiding some dark secret, glinting with hate and malicious intent at anyone that dared challenge her. Ochaco had witnessed it first hand, had that glare pointed directly at her, saw the evil that lurks within, a cosmic darkness looming just beneath the golden surface of her eyes.
It shook her to the very core.
Shaking her head, Ochaco patiently waited for the last of her classmates to leave the room, listening to their fading footsteps as they headed back to the dorms, before getting out of her seat and making her way over to Aizawa's desk. She had promised him and All Might that she would stay out of this, the pair imploring her to remain quiet, to let the faculty handle it for her own safety. But, she had to know, had to warn them of the growing relationship between Toga and Izuku.
She had to help Deku.
"Sensei." Walking to her teacher's side, the nighttime hero slowly turning to look at Ochaco with a distant stare, Aizawa fighting desperately to keep his eyes open as the Gravity user nervously wrung her hands. "I'm worried about Toga. I…I have a feeling that things are getting worse with her."
"Uraraka." Grumbling lowly in his chest, punctuating her name with an all-encompassing yawn, Aizawa pushed himself to his feet with great effort, elbows buckling slightly as they fought desperately to support his weight. "Toga may be an annoying student, but I don't think she's not so bad that she's making things worse for you all. Class seems to still be going on as normal."
"W-what?" Staring up at her teacher with wide, horrified eyes, Ochaco felt her heartbeat stop dead in her tracks at her homeroom teacher's words, a cold feeling of dread rolling down her spine. "But…but what about everything we've talked about before?! About all the weird and strange things going on with her!"
"I don't know what you're talking about Uraraka." Aizawa grunted with annoyance as he scratched the back of his neck, a look of tired exasperation crossing his face as he let out another long yawn, his whole body aching for some much-needed rest. "If you have a problem with Toga, I believe it would be best if you tried talking to her first and try to resolve your issues yourselves."
Ochaco could only watch in mute disbelief as Aizawa bent down to retrieve his trusty sleeping back, the tall, lanky hero stumbling slightly as he sluggishly dragged his feet toward the exit, her mouth hanging open as if to call out to him, to demand what was going on, but she was struck silent by his words.
"If you still have issues after that, if they are still that bad, we can schedule a meeting to try and work things out. But, right now, I'm tired and I just want to go to sleep."
And with those parting words, the Eraser hero quietly ambled out of the classroom, leaving the brown-haired girl standing alone within its confines, a look of abject horror and disbelief marring her cute features.
'What…what happened? What the hell happened to them?!' Ochaco mentally screamed as she looked around herself, trying to figure just what the hell happened to Aizawa. He was the one who confirmed her suspicions when she confided in them. He was the one who told her they had a plan. He was the one who told her to keep herself safe. He was the one who said they were going to deal with Toga.
Then why the hell couldn't he remember anything?! It was as if the nighttime hero had completely forgotten everything they had talked about. There was no hint of recollection in his dark eyes, dead and vacant, just a cloudy haze that her words failed to pierce. Who could have done this? No one just forgets something like that, especially not something the entire faculty of the most prestigious hero schools, who were some of the world's greatest heroes, considered a real threat.
Did this happen to all of them? Was that why they were so out of it today? But, who could have done something like that?
Eyes growing wide, a cold chill gripped Ochaco's heart, her face growing pale as she figured out just what had happened. She knew. She knew exactly who could have done this. The very person they had their eyes on this whole time.
Toga.
Ochaco didn't know what Toga did to them, or exactly how she managed to wipe their memories, but she knew. She knew it was Toga's doing. Ochaco already knew there was more to her blonde classmate than meets the eye, all the strange occurrences and seemingly impossible happenings around the cat-eyed girl speaking of some untold power that her Transformation quirk did not explain.
Her ability to wield quirks that were not her own, the horrible visions that had assailed her while at the beach, her unexplained disappearance during the raid of Overhaul's compound, and his unexplained death afterward. Toga was the focal point of them all, a swirling whirlpool of mystery that pulled everyone in, to drown them all beneath her waves.
'I need to do something.' Clenching her fists tightly, determination shining brightly within her chocolate-colored orbs, Ochaco decided right then and there that she needed to intervene, to somehow stop Toga herself. To save Izuku.
'Before her hold on him becomes too strong to break.'
"C'mon, Izu-kun! Hit me!"
Toga's jeering taunt's echoed through the U.A. campus's sprawling forest as she expertly bounced from tree to tree, an invisible force splintering the wood to millions of little pieces, the godlike girl mockingly sticking her tongue out at the stationary boy standing at the center of the clearing. With a tired groan, a large chunk torn out of its trunk, the tree collapsed with an echoing thud, shaking the ground beneath the green-haired boy's feet.
"You need to move more! Standing still will get you nowhere~" Toga shouted between mirthful giggles as she hung upside down from a tree branch, holding her skirt demurely in place, lest she give the poor boy a much too tantalizing display, the godlike girl sporting a tooth-filled grin while lazily swinging back and forth.
'Easy for her to say when you can move faster than Iida during a 400-meter sprint.' Izuku internally groused as he sucked in a lungful of oxygen, his limbs stinging slightly as he fired off another round of his newly created Delaware Smash Air Force, Full Cowling crackling noisily in his ear as he shot off several rapid-fire bursts of compressed air towards his elusive target. Despite what his inner voice might be saying, Izuku couldn't help the amused grin from curling on his lips, the young hero greatly enjoying their little game, even if his chances of winning against the godlike schoolgirl were slim at best.
With his mentor's help, All Might not Toga, Izuku had come up with a new special move that will allow him a greater range of options in battle, his choice in long-range maneuvers having been fairly limited up until then. By concentrating the power of One For All into a single spot, and with the help of some new gloves created by resident madwoman Mei Hatsume, Izuku was now able to shoot compressed pockets of air from his fingers.
While his technique was improving, the young hero able to pull off the move with regular frequency now, his aim still needed some work. That's where Toga comes in. With her infinite powers and naturally gifted agility, the blonde schoolgirl made the perfect target, being both elusive enough to demand perfect aim, but her indestructible durability keeping her safe should the green-haired boy manage to land a hit. Because of this, Izuku was able to experiment with varying levels of strength for his blasts, some as thin as a pinprick while others were able to blast a towering tree to splinters.
And yet, his attempts so far to hit Toga had been futile.
Sighing heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead, Izuku fell exhausted onto his back, his chest heaving as he sucked in lungfuls of air, his forearms throbbing slightly as they rested by his sides in the cool grass. Staring up into the midday sun, beaming softly between the canopy of leaves, Izuku wondered how long they've been doing this. From the painful ache in his limbs, a stark reminder of One For All's toll on his body, Izuku had to guess at least an hour.
As the clouds gently rolled by in the bright blue sky above, a soft breeze rustling the leaves in the trees, the serene scenery was suddenly replaced by the beaming face of his blonde schoolmate, a bright grin adorning her face as she leaned over his prone form, shining rays of sunlight bathing her in a gorgeous halo.
'From one beautiful sight to another.' Blushing madly at the thought that had just passed through his brain, Izuku briefly averted his gaze to regain his composure, the freckle-faced boy unable to hold out long though as he turned back to stare into the glinting gold of her eyes, that were staring at him with loving devotion.
"Hound Dog is going to be really mad at you, you know?" Toga snickered as she lazily plopped herself next to the exhausted boy, arms and legs splayed out wide as she let out a content sigh. "So many wonderful trees to pee on and you destroyed them."
"I'll make sure to avoid him for a while then." Chuckling softly, the pair shared a brief bout of laughter before falling into a companionable silence, watching the clouds roll by with content smiles on both their faces.
'This was the best way to use my powers ever!' Toga internally cheered as she happily squirmed, legs playfully kicking in the soft grass, arms wrapping themselves around her torso as she tried to hold in her squeals of elation. With her powers, with the universe in the palm of her hand, to do with whatever she wanted, choosing to insert herself into Izuku's life was easily the best thing she could have come up with.
World domination, torrential rainfalls of blood, restructuring every living thing's internal organs to be inside out, all seemed like the fantasies of a naive child now, her life having never felt as joyous and fulfilled as when she entered his. She had a purpose, she had friends, and, most importantly, she had someone that she loved more than anything she could ever hope to create in this world.
And it was because of him. Her sweet, courageous, adorable, inspiring Izu-kun!
Turning her head to stare at the boy who had captured her heart so irrevocably, warmth and adoration burning within her chest as she admired his handsome silhouette, a loving smile pulled at the corner of her lips. Adorably freckled cheeks, fierce yet kind eyes, soft curly green hair, and a strong, robust body. But, beneath the handsome surface, was a beautiful heart and soul, a boy who made her heart thunder in her chest, calling out to him at all times.
His kindness had shown her there was more to her than just a villain, more than a monster her parents believed her to be. He saw in her a light she never knew could shine, left rotting and doused in the mud of her soul, only to be found, to be cleaned off by his caring and loving hands, a chance to burn bright once more. Izuku gave her a new meaning in life, he gave her friends that she will cherish for the rest of her life, he gave her a young soul to help protect from the evils the world tried to bury her in.
One fateful day had changed everything, given her more power than she could ever imagine wielding, a freedom afforded only to her, but he was the one who had made her life perfect. In a world of her making, he was the focal point, one she will always want to return to.
'I never want to be apart from him.'
Feeling a strange pull at the back of his mind, as if someone was watching him, Izuku slowly turned his head to the side, emerald meeting gold in a questioning stare, Toga's grin merely growing wider, eyes glowing with ethereal beauty beneath the shade of the surrounding trees.
'How have things changed so much in such a short time?' Izuku wondered as the pair remained locked in their loving stare, neither wishing to turn away, to break this moment. Several months ago, the young hero would have never considered he would find himself here, lying side by side next to Toga Himiko, a member of the League of Villains. Well, former member and wielder of the greatest power in existence.
Such a thought used to terrify the future number 1 hero, her crazed infatuation and sadistic nature having left him with too many close calls to be comfortable with, many of their encounters leaving him a flustered and terrified mess. They were two people on the opposite sides of a war, hero and villain, good and evil. It was only once Toga became the undisputed goddess of the universe, rearranging time and space to place herself squarely into his timeline, that things began to change.
And, looking at her now, staring into those molten pools of gold, seeing that adorable smile lit up by the soft, pink blush on her cheeks, Izuku could honestly say all of these changes were for the better. All those moments of terror at the beginning, all the reality-bending shenanigans, all the teasing that left him a stammering and flustered mess, all were a journey he would gladly experience once more.
Because they let him get to know the girl he loved.
"Aaaaaah~" Breaking the magnetic spell that had been cast over the pair with an exaggerated sigh, Toga hopped back to her feet in one graceful motion, arms stretched high into the air as she turned to regard the still prone boy. "That was nice! You ready for round 2, Izu-kun?"
Mockingly punching the air, fists flying at light speed as she bounced playfully from foot to foot, Toga giggled mirthfully as she continued her little pantomime. Chuckling in amusement at the godlike girl's antics, Izuku quickly rolled back onto his feet, the young hero rolling the kinks from his neck as he fired up Full Cowling.
"Let's try something new." Grinning confidently, lightning arcing across his body as he upped his output limit to 30%, the wielder of One For All placed himself into a battle stance, determination and delight dancing in his glowing emerald eyes.
"Do your best, Izu-kun!" Grinning back at him, the godly blonde casually placed her hands behind her back, the picture of silent confidence, an innocent smile plastered on her face as she awaited his first move.
Digging his feet into the soft ground, Izuku charged at Toga, the earth cracking beneath his feet as he launched himself toward the patiently waiting blonde, leg reared back as he prepared for his clash with the godlike schoolgirl.
"Whoo, that was fun! Wasn't it, Izu-kun!?"
Kicking the front doors of the Class 1-A dorm open with a resounding crash, a proud grin plastered on her face, Toga happily marched into the strangely empty living room, one usually overflowing with their roaring classmates, Izuku's exhausted body slung lazily over her shoulder as she carried him toward the nearby couch. Haphazardly plopping the young boy onto the cushioned sofa, Izuku groaning slightly from the godlike girl's rough handling of his aching body, Toga burst out in a fit of amused giggles, golden eyes twinkling with delight at the sight of the future number 1 hero lying face down and unmoving.
"I'm going to go take a quick shower before practice!" Poking the boy's freckled cheek with a mirthful giggle, Toga playfully skipped toward the elevator, the godly blonde turning to shout toward the fatigued hero with a suggestive lilt in her voice as the doors slowly slid shut. "Hope you're ready for more hard work, Izu-kun~"
All Izuku could manage was a pathetic thumbs up in response before passing out, soft snores filling the now empty living room as the exhaustion of Toga's training session finally took its toll on the young hero.
Watching the numbers count up with rising excitement bubbling in her chest, the blonde schoolgirl impatiently bounc3e on her heels as she thought about how close the school festival was, Toga imagining just how wonderful and amazing it will be when her and Izuku finally get to have their dance together. They will be able to show off all their hard work and proudly display their love in front of everyone, all eyes locked on them as they shine like the brightest stars in the sky, to live amongst them as the true testament of their undying passion.
At least, that's what Toga was expecting to happen. The stars part will definitely happen.
With the final ding signaling the arrival on her floor ringing like a playful chime in her ear, Toga gracefully twirled out of the elevator, the godlike girl's impromptu dance coming to a sudden stop, a dark glare covering her features when she spotted a familiar round-cheeked brunette standing at the end of the hall, effectively blocking her path back to her room.
"Ochaco-chan!" Quickly placing her happy facade back on, her angry glare replaced with a bright, beaming grin, sharp canines gleaming brilliantly beneath the artificial lighting of the hallway, Toga gave her 'friend' an exuberant wave as she started skipping toward her. "What's up?!
"What are you up to Toga?" Stopping dead in her tracks, grin falling from her face, her lips drawn into a thin line, Toga stared emotionlessly into the glaring face of the Gravity user, the usually bright and upbeat Ochaco standing tall and defiant, fists clenched tightly at her sides. How annoying.
"What do you mean, Ochaco-chan?" Cocking her head quizzically to the side, mockingly tapping her chin as she pretended to think, Toga gave the Gravity quirk user her most saccharine smile as she continued to play innocent. "I'm pretty sure I haven't done anything re-"
"STOP PLAYING DUMB!" A brief twitch of her eye was all the reaction Toga showed, but her annoyance toward the Gravity user was starting to grow rapidly, the godlike girl staring coolly into Ochaco's blazing brown eyes, keeping her true emotions hidden behind a veil of indifference after getting so rudely interrupted. Why now? Why couldn't she have taken the hint and left this all alone? Didn't she know what was good for her?
"I know you are up to something! There is something very wrong about you and I want to know what it is!" Ochaco yelled furiously, teeth clenched tightly as she pointed an accusing finger toward the blonde, the round-cheeked girl trying to hold on to this courage, to keep pushing forward. She had to learn the truth. She had to keep everyone safe. She had to save Izuku.
"Ochaco-chan." Placing her hands upon her cheeks, fake tears pooling in the corner of her eyes, Toga mustered the most pathetic and sorrowful voice possible, a look of utter despair etching her face as she played out her make-believe heartache. "Why are you being so mean? I thought we were friends."
"WE ARE NOT FRIENDS!"
Ochaco's voice echoed loudly off of the walls, padded walls keeping the rest of the floor's occupants ignorant of their classmates outburst, burning hate and disgust burning in her chocolate gaze as she glared at the blonde schoolgirl, her frustration at Toga's little game rising to a boiling point. She wasn't going to let her get away! She wasn't going to just turn a blind eye while some horrific evil remains hidden amongst her classmates, her friends!
She wasn't going to let Toga have her way anymore!
"You've been doing….something! Something horrific, with some unknown quirk or power! And I know you've somehow dragged Deku-kun into this! I don't want any more lies! I don't want any more of your bullshit! I know it's your doing that the teachers can't remember anything about you! I know it was you who dragged me underwater and are at fault for all the horrific images I've seen! TELL WHAT YOU'VE DONE! WHAT ARE YOU?!"
Panting heavily, her throat feeling scratchy, every intake of air burning painfully, Ochaco felt her whole body shake with adrenaline as she continued to glare at the stoic blonde, seemingly unphased by the Gravity user's outburst. The two girls remained locked in a silent stalemate, Ochaco's heated glare being matched by Toga's impassive stare, a deafening silence hovering over the pair as the seconds slowly ticked by without a sound.
"I guess there's no reason to play dumb anymore." Shrugging her shoulders with an exaggerated sigh, arms flopping lazily at her side, Toga's nonchalant expression suddenly morphed into a fearsome glare as she slowly began floating off of the ground. If she truly wanted to know, to see it all with her own eyes, then Toga would happily oblige her.
A lightning trail of foreboding terror shot down Ochaco's spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end as her body warned her to flee, fear gripping her chest as she watched in mute horror as Toga floated ominously in place, the blonde schoolgirl not moving an inch, remaining suspended in the air like a marionette. A sickeningly sour smell suddenly wafted up to the Gravity user's nose, causing Ochaco to take a step back in disgust at the rancid stench, her footstep making a wet, squelching noise as it made contact with something soft and pliable.
Snapping her head around herself, Ochaco felt a wave of nausea and terror well up in her chest, her stomach churning painfully as she took in her altered surroundings. The hallway, once pristine and brightly lit, was now covered in a writhing mass of flesh and gore, pulsating rhythmically as if it were a living, breathing organism. Dark shadows covered its fleshy exterior, some strange, black fluid belching out of various exposed orifices in time with its rhythmic pulsing, covering the hall in a dark, viscous layer of filth.
Looking about in mute horror, Ochaco could only stare at the horrific sight before her in terrified disbelief, her mind unwilling to accept what it was seeing. Gripping her chest tightly, her heart hamming wildly in her chest. Ochaco's eyes slowly followed the amalgamation of guts and entrails to their source, the Gravity user's whole body shaking in fear as she stared at the blonde girl floating at the center of the hallway, malicious, unspeakable power radiating off of her in waves.
What…what was she?
In the blink of an eye, the grotesque vision of horror disappeared without a trace, the round-cheeked girl looking about in terror as she now found herself in a very familiar place, cold fear gripping her heart as she stared into two familiar brown eyes. Her eyes. But, something was wrong. This was her apartment, the day after her failed attempt to win at the U.A. Sports Festival, the day her parents gave her a surprise visit to cheer her up.
But…they were nowhere to be found. All she could see was a perfect copy of herself, staring back at her with blank, expressionless eyes, a thin smile curling ever so slightly on the corner of its lips. Lifting its hand, a dark, red liquid dripping off the edges of her fingers, her silent Doppelganger pointed to something behind her, the smile on its face starting to grow wider and wider, a spark of sadistic glee shining in its dead eyes.
She didn't want to look. She knew what she was going to see once she turned around. It was something she never ever wanted to see. But, like an invisible force piloting her body, Ochaco slowly turned around, chocolate-brown eyes widening in horror, a silent scream tearing from her throat as she looked at the mutilated remains of her parents.
"hahahaha…" Tearing her gaze away from the horrific sight, tears running down her cheeks, Ochaco glared hatefully at her monstrous copy as it tauntingly laughed at her, cracks and tears crisscrossing over its face as it slowly peeled away to reveal a pair of golden eyes. "hahaHaHaHaHAHAHA!"
"STOP! PLEASE!"
Ochaco screamed, placing her head in her hands as she fell to her knees, the mocking laughter fading away as the world around her slowly returned to normal, her apartment being replaced with the familiar hallway of Class 1-A's dorm. Tentatively lifting her head, brown eyes wide with overwhelming panic and fear, Ochaco felt her heart stop as she stared at the blonde girl, Toga standing silently where she had been before, calm and collected as if nothing had happened.
"Satisfied now?"
Toga's voice was heavy with exhaustion as she lazily stretched her arms over her head, the godlike girl tilting her slightly to the side, her angry glare from earlier replaced with a disinterested stare. The godly blonde hoped that minuscule display of her power was enough to dissuade the round-cheeked girl from pushing the issue further and, hopefully, scare her off for good. She would hate to have to erase her memory too.
But, sadly, Ochaco was a true hero through and through, the brunette slowly pushing herself back onto shaky legs, her whole body quaking as she stood in defiance of the godlike girl. It was admirable in a way, the Gravity user's courage in the face of such an overwhelming opponent reminding her of her beloved Izu-kun on the first day of her ascension to godhood. They had the same heroic gleam in their eye, the same unwavering spirit when confronted with adversity, the same drive to save the people they cared about.
It was truly tragic.
"Oh, Ochaco-chan." Sighing sadly, hand gently cupping her own cheek, Toga silently lamented the state of this timeline, wondering what could have been had things just gone a little differently between them. "I used to love you so much. You are so adorable and an absolutely amazing hero. I would have loved nothing more than to share my world with you."
Running her fingers through her hair in exasperation, her golden orbs glowing fiercely as she stared at her brown-haired classmate, Ochaco flinching back at the emotionless look in Toga's eyes. It was as if Toga had just decided her fate.
"But I'm tired of dealing with you."
Ochaco's whole body went numb at Toga's cold declaration, her voice icy and without a sherd emotion, the blonde girl regarding her with soulless, dead eyes. It was as if Ochaco did not exist to her anymore, the godlike girl beginning to turn her back on the brunette, prepared to cut off her ties with her forever.
She couldn't let it end like this! She hasn't done anything! She hasn't been able to help anyone! She has to stop her! She has to save Izuku!
"S-s-" Pulling at the last vestiges of courage still resting in her heart, the Gravity user forcing her body to move forward, Ochaco fought against her fear with all her might. She had to stop her! "Stop this! Stop manipulating Deku-kun!"
Stopping dead in her tracks, her body partially turned to head to her room, Toga's hands slowly clenched into fists before slowly turning her head to glare at the Gravity user, a vicious snarl ripping through her throat as her golden eyes flickered with unbridled rage.
Waking up with a start, a startled gasp passing his lips as he pulled his head out of the cushion he had been sleeping, the green-haired boy sat bolt upright from his cozy resting spot on the couch, Izuku knowing right away that something was wrong. There was a strange pull at the back of his mind, Izuku nervously flittering his emerald gaze around the barren living room, the young hero sensing that something was horribly amiss.
'Where is Toga-chan?' Pulling himself to his feet, his body protesting as his limbs ached from lack of proper rest, the curly-haired boy making his way toward the dorm's elevators, feeling like he best check in with Toga. Stepping into the waiting elevator, the doors sliding shut in front of him, Izuku couldn't help the rising feeling of apprehension that was sitting heavily in his chest.
"How dare you!"
Toga's cry of furious anger shook the Gravity user to the core, her face growing pale as the monstrous blonde stalked over to her, her whole body shaking with barely restrained rage. Looming darkness began rising up behind the advancing blonde, casting the enraged girl's facial features in demonic shadows, her eyes and razor-sharp fangs glinting menacingly from within the veil of seething hate enveloping her.
"I have done nothing but love and care for Izuku!" Toga spat with righteous fury, spit flying from her elongated fangs as she snarled ferociously at the brown-haired hero, Ochaco taking a step back in fear to try and put as much distance between her and the approaching blonde. "I would never, ever!, think of doing anything to him! I love him more than anything! He is everything to me!"
Watching the numbers slowly tick up, Izuku's ears perked up as he started hearing a strange commotion coming from above, the sound growing louder the closer he got to Toga's floor. Was someone having an argument?
"I love Izuku with all of my heart! I would tear it out right now and show it to you just to prove how much I love him! You don't know how much we've been through, how much he's suffered! I was there for him! I was there to hold him, to pick him up when he was sad! I was there for him when things were bad and I have carried him when he couldn't stand on his own! Never! NEVER, question my love for him ever again!"
Coming face to face with the frightened brunette, Ochaco staring in wide-eyed fear at the ranting monstrosity in front of her, Toga's fearsome glare began to soften slightly as she spoke, catching the Gravity user off guard. Ochaco felt a strange stirring in her chest as she looked into the blonde girl's eyes and saw the naked sincerity shining within their golden depths.
Could she possibly be telling the truth?
"He is the only one who truly understands me, understands who I am. He has accepted me for me." The monstrous features covering her face slowly began to return to normal, the fierce glare falling away as a gentle softness started glowing behind her eyes, the faintest hint of a smile starting to form on Toga's lips. "How could I ever change someone so amazing? He's already perfect."
"He said I could be a hero." Placing her hand over her heart, a soft, almost serene smile curling at the corner of her lips, Ochaco felt a painful lump form in her throat as she looked at Toga's beaming face. She was telling the truth. Everything she had said were her honest and true feelings. She truly loved him.
Toga loved Izuku with every fiber of her being.
"And I believe him."
Ochaco wanted to deny it, wanted to scream out that she was lying, that it couldn't be true. She had seen what she could do, how sadistic she could be, how purely demented she was. Everything about her screamed villain! Then why? Why couldn't she help but be swayed by Toga's passionate declaration of her love? Why did she believe that her love for Izuku was true?
"That can't be true!" Shaking her head violently, the round-cheeked girl tried to shake these thoughts from her mind, Ochaco's voice growing desperate as she clenched her fists tightly at her side, fear and denial shining like beacons within her chocolate gaze. "That can't be possible! You had to have done something to him! You had to!"
Smile falling from her face, Toga shot a pointed glare toward the deviant Gravity user, shadows rising like looming tendrils around her body, slowly slithering their way down the hall and toward the frightened brunette. In her anger, entirely focused on the insolent girl before her, Toga failed to notice a familiar presence approaching them, the soft ding of the elevator arriving at its destination lost within the raging storm within her head.
"I love Izuku more than anything and I've come to care deeply for my classmates." Toga whispered in a soft tone, sending a shiver of pure terror down the brown-haired girl's spine, the godlike girl closing the short distance between them in an instant, shadowy tendrils licking dangerously upon Ochaco's cheeks. "Which includes you."
Stepping back slightly, the shadows slowly ensnaring her face pulling away with their owner's movement, leaving a cold, numbing pain where they had been mere moments ago, Ochaco could only stare in quiet disbelief at the blonde schoolgirl, her voice stuck painfully in her throat.
"Because of that, I will leave you be."
Staring into those cold, emotionless eyes, Toga's words shook the Gravity user to the core, her heart stopping dead in her chest as a sense of relief flooded her veins as the darkness surrounding the blonde girl slowly retreated back from whence she had summoned them. She was letting her go? Did she actually care about them?
Stepping out of the elevator, confusion and worry sparkled in the young hero's emerald eyes as the sounds of conflict he heard earlier seemed strangely absent, Izuku turning his head to stare down the long hallway toward Toga's room. Stopping dead in his tracks, Izuku felt a painful, cold sensation drop into his stomach, his emerald eyes widening in horror when he spotted his two classmates, Toga angrily glaring at his cowering friend, the last wisps of the godlike girl's powers vanishing without a trace.
'No. Please no.'
"But I'm warning you one last time." Toga growled, her tone leaving little room for argument, her voice dark and threatening as she shot a threatening glare toward her brown-haired classmate. "Leave. Us. Alone."
A silent gasp caught in Izuku's throat, his heart throbbing painfully, burning like a thousand, hot knives stabbing it all at once, his whole body going numb as he watched Toga, the woman he loved, the one he believed had changed, threaten his best friend. Why? Why was she doing this? It didn't make sense!
Grasping the front of his shirt tightly, cold fingers shaking as they tangled within the rough fabric of his gym uniform, desperately searching for any lifeline to hold on to, Izuku felt as if the whole world was going to swallow him up. Sadness, disbelief, despair all pooled painfully in his stomach, his whole body lurching forward as he tried to keep the waves of nausea from overwhelming him, his freckled cheeks growing pale.
He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it! She was getting better! She…she was becoming a hero! Why? Why was she acting like this?! Why was she threatening Ochaco!? He thought they were friends! He thought Toga enjoyed being with her classmates! Toga was always so happy when she was hanging out with everyone! He thought she loved them!
He thought…he thought she loved him…
Slowly, like a roaring fire melting the snow, Izuku's sadness gave way to blinding anger, his fist clenching tightly as he grasped his shirt tighter, his knuckles turning white as he lifted his head to glare at the blonde god, emerald eyes alight with hateful betrayal. He had trusted her. He had believed every word she said, believed she was a good person at heart, believed her when she said she loved him!
Lies! They had been all lies, right from the start! And he was an idiot for ever believing her! This whole time, her playful teasing, her sweet words, her loving caresses, she had been simply pulling the wool over his eyes, a wolf in sheep's clothing, free to devour whatever she saw fit. All while he watched on with an oblivious smile on his face, gladly following the wolf to slaughter, naive and trusting of a known killer.
He had been a fucking fool.
Rushing forward at blinding speed, Full Cowling briefly lighting up his legs, Izuku quickly sprinted down the hallway, his teeth grit in an angry snarl as he slid between Toga and Ochaco, arms held out wide to shield the brown-haired girl from harm. To protect her from this monster he let invade his life. From the mistake he had made.
"Leave Ochaco alone!"
Gasping in surprise at Izuku's sudden appearance, neither having noticed his presence up until now, both of them were taken aback by the anger in the usually calm boy's voice, Toga staring at the wielder of One For All in disbelief as his emerald eyes glowed with hateful anger. And it was directed squarely at her. Toga had only ever seen that look in his eyes once before, seen such malice spring forth from his gentle soul, and it was when they had finally confronted Overhaul for what he had done to Eri.
So why? Why was her Izu-kun looking at her like that?
"Izu-kun." Reaching her hand out to the incensed boy, to try and calm him down, to try to explain to him what happened, Toga let out a small gasp of shock when the glare in his eyes only grew sharper, the godlike girl quickly pulling her hand away as if she were burned. Why? Why was this happening? She had to explain what happened! She didn't want him to look at her like that anymore!
"Please. I-I can explain. I-"
"SHUT UP!"
Reeling back in shock, raw pain flashing across her face, Toga's words got forcefully lodged in her throat as a horrible pain pierced her heart, leaving her completely speechless. Clasping her hand over her heart, the edges of her vision began to swim as tears pricked painfully at the corner of her eyes, the godlike girl unable to look away from the raging fire in the young hero's gaze, no matter how much it hurt.
She was paralyzed.
"I should have known." Pulling on the green-haired boy's sleeve to try to grab his attention, Ochaco wanted to explain that this was all a mistake, but he simply shrugged her off, Izuku shaking his head as he grit his teeth tightly. He wasn't going to let this go on any longer. He wasn't going to be tricked anymore.
"Of course…of course, you weren't any different."
Shaking her head wildly, the stray strands of hair sticking out from her bun whipping about in a frenzy, Toga wanted to make it stop, wanted to stop him before he could say anything more, before he could break her heart. She didn't want this! She didn't want to hear this! She didn't want to lose this life! She wanted to stay here! She wanted to be happy!
"You were always a villain."
It was like a rock smashing through glass, her heart falling like small shards of diamond dust to the cold ground below, to lay irreparably broke in a pool of misery at her feet. The flickering light in her eyes, lovingly cared for by the green-haired boy, nurtured and grown to burn bright once more, was now snuffed out by his own hand. She wanted to scream. She wanted to rip and tear the universe asunder in her anguish, to put it back correctly, to undo this horrible event, to bring her back to how things were before.
But all she did was stand there, head lowered, her hair hiding her features behind heavy shadows.
"I was a fool." Clenching his fist tightly, all of his shame and anger burning painfully in his throat as the young hero let out all of his frustrations and anguish, unable to hold back the flood of emotions rising in his chest. "I was a fool for ever trusting you!"
'What am I doing?' As the greenette continued his tirade, Ochaco desperately pulling on his arm, Toga's eyes cast downward, Izuku's mind screamed at him, the words spilling forth from his mouth at odds with his heart. 'What am I saying?'
"Every moment we had together, all the feelings we've shared, the pain we've endured! It was all a goddamn LIE!" Izuku spat venomously, a crazed expression of hateful despair contorting his once soft and caring features, the boy violently ripping his arm free from the Gravity user's grip.
'No. This isn't how I feel.'
"I never should have trusted you! How could I have been so stupid!? How could I ever trust someone like you!?" Stepping forward, his voice ringing painfully in his ears as roughly ran his hands through his hair, small, emerald strands curling around his fingers as they got ripped out by their roots, Izuku glared sharply at the silent blonde.
'STOP!'
"I was an idiot for ever thinking you could be a hero." The young hero cried, his voice reverberating off of the walls in a despairing echo, before everything fell silent, only Izuku's ragged breaths filling the empty hallway with sound. The trio simply stood there, all three of them rooted to the spot by some unseen force, the fallout from Izuku's words hanging like storm clouds above their heads.
'He's right.' A mocking voice silently whispered into the godlike girl's ear, one that sounded disturbingly like her own, its poisonous words slowly seeping into Toga's soul, the shattered remains of her heart turning a sickening black from its venomous touch. 'That's all you'll ever be. A villain. A sadistic, violent, unlovable villain! The world doesn't want you! Your little friends don't want you!'
'Even your precious Izu-kun doesn't want you.'
'They were right. They were all right. They were always right! You were a stupid fucking idiot for ever thinking you were something more, that there was something good in you, something worth loving! You believed it was the world who was wrong, that society failed you, that all you wanted was to be free! But look at him, look in his eyes. You truly thought he was the one, the one to finally see you for who you are, who you believed yourself to be. But now he sees you for what you truly are.'
Slowly, as the voice in her head continued to taunt her, reminding her of all the pain she had to go through, all the abuse she had to endure, all the years she had to be silent and listen, Toga's sorrow began to morph into bitter anger, her hands clenching into fists of rage.
'You are a villain.'
Snapping her head upwards, Toga's golden eyes shone like boiling lava from beneath the heavy shadows cast over her features as she glared angrily at the green-haired boy, tears of hate and sadness running like rivers down her cheeks. A soft gasp passed the green-haired boy's lips, his heart aching painfully in his chest, all the anger coursing through his body fading away by the broken and sad look on Toga's face.
'I don't have to take this.' Toga's mind raged, her powers rising with her anger as the world around her began to distort from her fluctuating emotions, ripping and tearing at the fabric of reality as her thoughts became more erratic. 'I don't have to listen to this shit anymore. I don't have to just sit idly by while I get hurt again. No. Not anymore. I don't have to stand for any of this! They can't do this to me! Not again! I have all the power now! This world is mine!'
'I can do whatever I want!'
Rapidly whipping his head about in a panic, green eyes wide with rising terror, Izuku felt the same fear well up within him from back when he first confronted Toga about her powers. But this was different. It was more primal, more unhinged. It was as if she had let go of all inhibitions, nothing left to hold her back, free to do as she pleased.
"If that is what you truly believe, Izu-kun. If you really think I'm a villain."
Snapping his gaze back to the raging god, Izuku's whole body went cold when he stared into Toga's golden eyes, the raw pain reflecting within them making his heart throb painfully in his chest. There was an emotional detachment within their molten depths, as if she had fully removed herself from humanity, her powers rising to a violent crescendo as she fully embraced her despair.
"Then that's what I'll be."
And with those words, Toga disappeared without a trace, the oppressive atmosphere filling the hallway lifting like a fleeting rain cloud. Placing his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath, Izuku couldn't shake the look in Toga's eyes from his brain. She looked…broken.
"Deku-kun." Lifting his head, cool sweat pooling on his forehead, Izuku turned to regard his round-cheeked friend, Ochaco wringing her hands nervously, her brown eyes burning with shameful guilt. "Toga never lied to you."
It was like a punch to his stomach by All Might, his friend's words pushing the air from his lungs, Izuku's heart hammering loudly in his chest. What? What did she say?
"I…I'm the one who confronted her." Ochaco admitted as she momentarily cast her gaze to her feet, guilt radiating off of her in waves as Izuku merely stood rooted to the spot in quiet disbelief, his heart sinking to his stomach in dread. "I kept pushing her. I was afraid she was using you, that she had…manipulated you somehow. But…yes, she was scary…but she never hurt me! I…believe she actually…cared about us. About you."
"She truly loves you."
Sick. Izuku felt sick to his stomach, his ears ringing painfully as his eyes widened in horror, despair curling around his heart as what he had done fully registered in his mind. He had messed up. He had hurt her, the one he loved, beyond repair. Why? Why couldn't he have listened? He had seen her, seen how far she came, seen the steps she took toward being a hero. He saw how gently she cared for Eri, how radiating her smile was while practicing with the rest of the class, how passionate her voice was when she told him he was the greatest hero, how carefully she would hold him when he felt at his lowest. How brightly her eyes shone when she looked at him.
She…loved him. She loved all of them.
And he tore it all down, all because of a stupid misunderstanding.
"HUMANITY! LISTEN!"
Toga's voice suddenly rumbled in their brains, the pair grabbing their heads tightly in pain, Izuku's emerald eyes desperately searching for the godlike girl, but found no trace of her in the hallway. A loud scrambling sound echoed throughout the dorm as the rest of the class rushed out of their rooms, dressed in their practice uniforms, all of them grabbing their heads in agony, confusion and bewilderment etched on their faces as they looked to each other for answers.
Izuku immediately knew what was happening, a feeling of dread starting to gnaw at his chest, the implications of such an action making a cold sweat break out on his brow. Toga was using her powers to telepathically communicate with, what Izuku presumed, was the whole world.
She was done hiding.
"Can you hear that too?!" Mina cried loudly, both hands covering her ears, the pinkette wincing from the aftereffects of Toga's booming declaration, the pair nodding their head in confirmation as Momo and Tooru came rushing down from the floor above.
"Is that…Toga-chan?!" The young heiress asked, a small bit of blood dripping from her ear as she looked at Izuku, a look of confused worry marring her regal features. Before the young hero had a chance to respond, Toga's voice appeared in their heads once more, cold fear gripping their hearts as she made her grand declaration.
"I AM TOGA HIMIKO!" In a booming voice, one that spread to every living being on the face of the planet, Toga announced her rightful place in the universe. "AND I RULE OVER YOU ALL!"
A/N: Bow.
This is it. The big turning point in the story. What will become of the pair? What will become of the world now that Toga has nothing holding her back? Can all this be fixed? Or this it for them?
Next chapter: Unstoppable.
Sorry for the delay, but, as you can see, this one was on the bigger side and one of the biggest moments in the story. All the build up has led to this moment and I'm grateful you've all joined me on this journey. But we still have a bit to go.
Thank you all for your continued support! I've started getting back into a writing mood recently so hopefully, things will flow much better and we will get the next chapter out as soon as possible! Have a fantastic day and I love you all!
