Chapter 16: Second Mistake
Ochako
The screeching of cars and sirens blare in her ears first. Pounding.
Closing in.
And then come the screams of all the guests, of them witnessing this grisly sight staining what was meant to be a relaxing evening out.
"What did that boy just do?"
"Oh my God, did he just kill him? What type of quirk was that?"
Their voices divulge into a stream of shouting, cursing, and directions tossed about, a crowd slowly forming nearly covering her and Deku completely until she reaches a hand out and inadvertently pushes them all back.
"Give us space!" She orders, shocked at how loud her voice manages to carry out into the rising horde without cracking.
A few of the regular civilian give her the room she wants thankfully and she places her free hand on Deku's back jolting him out of his thoughts.
"Come on, I'll float Iida over to the emergency personnel and we can discuss with all the Heroes and Police what happened in our own words!" She emphasizes in a hurried whisper.
Izuku doesn't immediately answer making her heartbeat quicken, stomach about to coil in on itself despite how little she has ate or done tonight of her weight limit.
"...You're right, they're most likely not going to believe us, but we still need to give them the facts on what happened." Deku finally says and Ochako feels herself beam at the confidence of his words despite how bad things currently look until they hear a familiar voice call out to them.
All Might.
His expression is torn between concern and anger, from the way Izuku's emerald orbs avoid his to seeing the aptly dubbed Hero Killer lying still, hunched against the wall just behind them as a thin trail of scarlet blooms out across the pavement. It is his presence however that brings all these noises surrounding them to a hush and Ochako releases a sigh at finally hearing herself properly to think.
'Don't be mad at Deku, he was trying to stop him from killing Iida!' Ochako knows, about to spit this all out when Gran Torino leaps down beside All Might, holding up a hand.
"We're clearing this area first before anyone says anything." He commands.
His voice too booms with an authority similar to that of All Might, the crowd thinning out as groups of Hero and Policeman alike escort the guests back inside. Each guest's eyes glare and practically tear into them though, equal parts curious and afraid or perhaps just totally afraid going by a majority of the terrorized looks...
This will be leaked to some gossip column, some 24-hour news service in a matter of minutes.
And really she should be used to this by now, but at the back of her mind a thought niggles in that this entire night will add fuel to Papa and Mama's worries over her goals of being a Hero.
Of why she continues to associate with Izuku.
The next hour is a whirlwind of properly closing off the scene to both Iida and the Hero Killer who has now been identified as Chizome Akaguro being wheeled away by ambulance. Her hands feel numb going through the tasks of clearing away shattered glass to securing areas where droplets of blood have been found, as if these fingers should belong to someone else.
'They both need to make it.' She swallows.
Iida because she knows there is too much fight and energy in him for this to stop him, and Akaguro...
No matter how much pain he just received at the hands of Deku it doesn't replace the judgement he still deserves and she's sure he has information about the League if the Police and Heroes can somehow get him to talk.
The moon slips behind a patch of clouds, leaving only the orange-yellow of the streetlights to keep them all visible to each other. Goosebumps shoot up her skin despite this being a relatively warm night, nerves on high alert.
"I'm sorry. I dragged you into this; into my problems. Again." Deku mutters by her side and she shakes her head, tacking on a weak grin. All Might gestures to them silently to follow him and she sucks in a long breath.
She intertwines their hands as a show of support, ignoring the heat the pools at her face and the tangle of knots in the pit of her stomach.
"Stop apologizing for things you don't need to be sorry over!" Ochako hisses back, pleased that even the darkness she can see a bit of red to his own cheeks as well.
Because she came into this event with him knowing the risks, knowing what could happen once he used Infliction.
And so they'll be interrogated together.
-X-
Izuku
"You lied to me. Again." Inko sighs.
Her tears have long since dried, only evidence of them the slight puffiness to her eyes; red-rimmed and glassy.
It's 1:43 AM now, the latest he's ever been out perhaps.
Inko uncrosses her arms after a long minute allowing him to slide into her arms for a proper hug, her body trembles as a sudden cry erupts from her throat and it's then she squeezes at him so close as if he'll disappear.
"Mom, I-" Izuku begins.
"No! I...I just give me a moment." Inko whispers into his neck, voice dryer and hoarser than he expected.
Too far and away from the sunny and lively presence his Mom usually has for greeting him.
'I keep putting her through so much pain.' Izuku clenches his teeth, migraine pulsing tenfold as punishment for his actions.
The dizziness and aching hasn't stopped, a pressure worse than all the past times he's used Infliction. The bit of cold water and medication he managed to slide down at All Might's request feel like mini fires now, burning him from the inside.
"You can't keep doing this; damaging your body this way with One For All or using Infliction to the point...to the point you make so many people afraid of you." Inko begins, forcing Izuku to look at her.
Her little boy isn't so little anymore.
It isn't just in how much Deku has grown over these past weeks in terms of strength, it is these new scars that line him from head to toe, what weary verdant orbs have seen of humanity on both sides of good and evil that alarms her...
"I know you want to be a Hero sweetie and I won't stand in the way of your dreams especially knowing the good you've done for so many. Being quirkless for so many years and now having two quirks at your disposable has brought about a confidence and joy in you I haven't seen in years." Inko exclaims.
There is guilt then that simmers in her eyes Izuku notes, of in his darkest moments where they both thought he wouldn't ever reach to where he is now.
At U.A.
Having a quirk...
He kept his bullying days from her, but it's impossible that his Mom didn't know on some level and just was unsure what to do. This world is still discriminatory to quirkless individuals and he isn't sure where he would be if Infliction hadn't manifested when it did.
'There's a 'but' coming.' Izuku realizes, steeling himself.
And once Inko gathers her voice she is calm and resolute, there is no room left for arguing.
"You're going to have to work to regain my trust Izuku. This means no more night training and definitely no more use of your phone after 5:00 pm." Inko begins.
Izuku simply nods, he can live without his phone during the night or trying to squeeze out the last hours of the day practicing.
"I want you to as well limit using Infliction to only once or maybe twice per week max. You keep putting yourself into situations that leave me so scared for you...so afraid this is going to be the call from the police or hospital telling me you're in critical condition or worse. U.A. is supposed to be teaching you how to be a proper Hero, to handle these stressful scenarios and frankly, I'm not seeing it as of late." Inko breathes out all at once.
Izuku feels his chest lurch, the implications hanging in the air.
"I...I understand." Izuku finally says when feels his voice return.
The wall clock of the kitchen ticks in sync with his heartbeat, steady and loud despite the sensation of coils from his stomach to his chest weighing him down.
She squeezes at his hands again before his thoughts become muddled, blinking back another slew of tears. "Taking you out of U.A. would be a last resort dear! You've grown so much under All Might's tutelage along with the rest of the faculty. However, as your mother I won't stand by and continue to watch you end up in these dangerous situations, ones that could be prevented."
'Being a Hero means making sacrifices, but you're still a student Young Midoriya and our job as faculty is to protect you first and foremost!' All Might had once told him.
He thinks then of Aizawa-sensei's latest update regarding U.A. and he perks up just slightly that maybe hearing the teacher's newest plans could help put his Mom at ease.
"They're going to be building dorms on campus for all students to live in, would you be okay with that?" He blurts out.
Inko pauses, untwisting her fingers from the hem of her nightgown. She pushes on a tired smile, if there's one thing about her son it's his stubbornness to not give up when it comes to topics like this.
"Let me sleep on it sweetie; you need to get some rest as well."
Izuku nods, watching her let escape a yawn she'd clearly been trying to hold in, sleep tugs back at her and he swallows down the urge to debate more on this.
Moonlight falls against the edge of his bed as he slides his door open, against the sheets are the same medical and body training textbooks Mom must've stacked and lined back up neatly for him.
'There's still tomorrow.' He reminds himself, perhaps he could get All Might to vouch for him as well by putting him on speaker.
Granted, he wasn't too pleased with his latest actions either...
Still, he had to try!
If he had to leave U.A. it would mean leaving behind all the friends he's made in class 1.A, All Might, Kacchan, Uraraka...
'Ah, I got Uraraka in so much trouble as well!' He frowns.
She wasn't mad he hoped, though he couldn't keep dragging her into scenarios like tonight either.
But then a tiny grin etches at his lips, recalling this fiasco of a night. If they hadn't gone Iida would surely be dead and the Hero Killer would still be at large. Uraraka had had no qualms about the lengths they would need to go to in order for the night to be considered a success.
He balls up his hands, reminded of the warmth of her touch.
Some things were worth taking risks for.
-X-
Ochako
"I was being serious about meeting him." Papa reiterates, tone laced with a sharpness that makes her stiffen despite his presence being miles away from here.
'I know! Don't remind me!" Ochako wants to huff back.
She's working on limited time, with only a week left until his and Mama's arrival into Musutafu to meet the Midoriya household. It's probably been years since they've been traveled into a big city, preferring the slow pace of the countryside and grasslands to the 'hustle and bustle' of metropolitans where everyone just seemed to be constantly on the go.
It helped that rural areas too didn't see even half the attacks of villains or criminals that seemed to be a daily influx on the news now.
Shifting in her chair nearly makes her wince, glad neither of her parents can see this bruise forming on the side of her knee. In the morning light now there is clear evidence of the wound, of the splotchy violet-blue mix staining her skin.
'It could've been worse.'
The very thought brings up flashes of Iida, that right now he is still in intensive care undergoing surgery while she and Deku can do nothing but wait for news. Their peers multiple questions for them regarding how they even got into the event were far easier to answer than the ones from the faculty questioning their decisions, to make an example out of them they were both given extra assignments, longer projects on the effects of disobeying orders.
"I'm disappointed in you both, this night could've gone far differently if not for us tracking you down in time." All Might reprimands.
Bile singes at her tongue, after his lecture he had given her and Deku both tight hugs, sliding them through the interrogation with an ease that would've been impossible without him.
"These are U.A. students!" All Might announces proudly.
The officer's gaze remains fixed on them though, seemingly ignoring him as steely blue eyes wait for one of them to break.
"As much as we respect you All Might, you are aware that this isn't these two first time causing disruption to an area whether a villain was involved or not, right?" The man begins, badge gleaming with the name Kondo under the flickering lights.
His eyes remind her of the officer with eyes the shape of targets who first interviewed her over Deku's involvement in the train, library, and slime villain incidents back in Musutafu, his name escaping her. Do all officers in the force have these piercing quirks that can suck the air out of the room?
Or maybe this is just her fear talking...
Because this silence sits over them then like a fog, strangling.
And luckily All Might coughs, continuing on despite the bitterness of his tone.
"Yes, this isn't there first dabbling into a crime scene, though as you can see they were effective in preventing the situation from getting any worse so-"
Ochako squeezes her eyes shut, pushing the rest of the memory down.
Not even the Number 1 Hero could say much to defend their case this time. They aren't to go any patrols unless supervised and even then, their hours are limited to daylight.
'It could've been worse punishments.' Ochako reminds herself.
"Are you still there Ochi? Gamma didn't give us a full update on how you're doing." Mama cuts in, shaking her out of her thoughts.
"I'm alright! I only feel sorry that I keep worrying you both so much." She repeats once more, sighing.
Surely their fears though will be assuaged once they meet Deku once and for all.
Papa coughs, squeezing himself back into the conversation. "I took the liberty of doing a bit of research on this Deku fellow. His name is actually Izuku Midoriya, correct? Didn't recently have any notable quirk until recently."
Anger flares to life before she can help it, now her Father is sounding far too much like Bakugo, like people who consistently bullied Deku or didn't even give him the light of day simply because he didn't have a flashy quirk or what that could be seen as doing good.
"You're not being fair Papa! You haven't even met Deku and you're already picking him a part and jumping to conclusions! Yes, he jumped into situations without getting approval and caused further paperwork to be done for the police and Heroes, but he did it for the purpose of saving others and stopping each scenario from getting worse!" Ochako gripes.
Her Mom's chuckle stops her from going into a tirade and her cheeks grow hot, nothing about this is funny!
"Looks like you woke a sleeping bear with that comment Pa!" She laughs and she hears her Father's long sigh before his voice returns.
"...Your first mistake was getting so closely involved with this boy, I'll thank him for helping save you and the other civilians during that train incident, but I'm reserving judgment still until I get a better read on him in person for everything else." He starts.
Ochako swallows, curling at her toes as she swerves her chair in the direction of the window. A warm yellow-fuschia glow slides through the slits in her blinds. If she doesn't get ready in the next 10 minutes or so, she'll be late for school...
The last thing she needs is Aizawa-sensei adding morning laps to her laundry list of punishments.
'First mistake?'
"What's my second mistake?" She questions without thinking about it.
She hears a shift of papers on the other end, of her parent's murmuring.
"I think you already know the answer to that sweetie; go ahead and get ready for school." Mama's voice comes in, giving their train details for next week before clicking off.
And just like that their conversation is over.
-X-
Elsewhere-League Of Villains
"Seems the Hero Killer is in police custody now, granted he had minimal connections to us so I don't believe there is any reason to worry about him giving details of any of us away." Kurogiri begins, wiping at a glass.
Shigaraki snorts, flicking the channel off the news as his hands dig into the sides of his neck and arms. "We didn't need him anyways and he was too weak if he went and got himself captured."
The one they really need is Midoriya with what he's seen of his quirk, the person who even though the police aren't naming him is surely the cause behind the Hero Killer's injuries and abrupt departure from the limelight.
With each passing day is another missed opportunity and he's sure just about the only way they're going to get Izuku Midoriya's attention once more is if they go after someone truly close to him.
Hurting, no killing his loved ones would be the perfect reminder of how dark this world of theirs truly is (especially in knowing how so many people already view his quirk as evil) but there are too many variables in place now that keep them from getting close as they did before.
Even going after Katsuki Bakugo proved a failure when Endeavor had stepped in at the last moment.
Toga slips into the chair beside, humming to herself making Shigaraki's glare shift from the screen to her.
Despite Shigaraki's glare her cheeks remain pink with excitement, golden eyes beaming. "What? Don't look at me like that! All hope isn't lost on us seeing Izuku and even Ochako again! At least, it isn't for me! Just the thought of how close I was to having their blood on my lips, how fast it was moving through them matching the pounding of their hearts gets me excited all over again!"
Kurogiri pauses, setting down the last of the silverware remained to be cleaned. "What do you mean?"
Toga holds up a tiny glass vial then, letting it simmer in amber lights above. Upon closer inspection a swirl of scarlet is visible within the container, sliding back and forth with each movement.
Blood.
"It's lucky Atsuhiro at least nicked that blonde boy before Endeavor got in the way, he wasn't able to avoid all that fallen debris and spliced wood as best as he thought!" Toga purrs.
"Do you even have that boy's personality down well enough to play the part of him?" Kurogiri questions.
Toga merely shrugs, patting the vial back to her chest. "I only need to look like him temporarily! Besides from what I've seen all he mostly does is yell and curse, not that hard to replicate and act!"
And really what she wants is to get close to Ochako and Izuku again, to this time truly indulge in the taste of their blood as it mixed with her own.
-X-
Izuku & Ochako
"I can finish up this section Uraraka, there's no reason for us both to have to stay so late!" Izuku mentions at seeing Ochako try to rub away sleep for perhaps the fourth time in the last hour.
Ochako quickly shakes her head, slapping her cheeks in an effort to keep herself awake. "No way! This is just as much my punishment as yours! Besides, we're almost done here."
To emphasis her point she sweeps up the last of the grime that seems stuck to the last desk in the corner, gathering it up into a ball and tossing it into the nearest bin.
She turns her attention back to Deku, watching his intent focus at cleaning at the last windows of 1-B, once they were spotless they would finally be done. This soreness in her arms is nothing, especially not when her mind inevitably drifts back to Iida.
"Hey, have you gotten any updates from the hospital?" She asks.
Izuku shakes his head, expression becoming contemplative. "No, and I haven't seen any updates from social media or any of the news outlets either."
'Nobody really knows how Iida's currently doing then, I doubt any of the nurses are doctors are going to give us any information when we're just friends and not family.' Ochako considers, clicking her tongue.
"We shouldn't worry too much on it Uraraka, I know we got to Iida in time, enough that the extent of his injuries shouldn't be as severe as the Hero Killer's other victims." Izuku relates.
Ochako smiles then, giving him a playful nudge. "You and I make a pretty good duo; don't we? At least that's what the latest gossip columns seem to be saying of us!"
'Ah, why am I even bringing that up?!' She scolds herself.
Deku flusters too from her having gotten into his personal space like this, evening sun highlighting the hint of red that burns at his cheeks, however he doesn't move away, same assured grin that reminded her why she saw him so much as an up and coming Hero in comparison to herself.
"We are a good team, maybe we should come up with a name so people stop asking us!" Izuku agrees lightheartedly. Granted, he wasn't even sure Ochako would ever want to create a Hero team with him once they were older and graduated.
'Wait, is this even a serious conversation or just a joke?' Izuku wonders, eyeing Uraraka carefully.
Ochako for her part nearly looks about ready to float off, mumbling she'd brainstorm ideas later. It won't happen later of course her thoughts remind her and it's then her Father's words sear back to mind.
"Your first mistake was getting close to that boy, even if he helped save you during that train incident."
"Then what was my second mistake?"
"You already know the answer to that sweetie; we'll see you next week."
Her Mother is right, she already knows the answer.
"My parents want to meet you and your mom, they're paying a visit to Musutafu next week." Ochako blurts out suddenly, brown eyes meeting green once more.
Izuku simply blinks before nodding, the way Uraraka described her parents from various stories didn't make them sound that bad.
Right?
"Sure, I'll let my Mom know. They can stop by for dinner one day out of the week or we can go to one of the nearby restaurants." Izuku relates, counting and thinking of the best eateries by his house.
Ochako simply nods along, clenching her teeth at this knowing.
'The second mistake was gaining these feelings for Deku I still haven't managed to fully control.'
Feelings that she's sure as her Father expects will only cause problems down the line.
-x-
Writer's block delayed me from posting, that and exhaustion from work I kept falling asleep when I meant to write! I do plan to cover all the major arcs of canon as some of you have asked, just out of order I hope that's okay with most everyone. I see most stories go in order of the arcs and I fear I'm just copying others if I do the same pattern, Infliction will be shown in action in different ways mixed with canon and my own ideas! Let me know your thoughts/suggestions as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!