AN: Sorry for the delay. This chapter gave me a lot of trouble. Comments always welcome.
11: Illusion of Control
Ochako smiled as Toru flitted around the grounds of her cottage, admiring both everything that had changed, and everything that was the same. Izuku followed behind them both, carrying the basket of foraged mushrooms.
The moment the cottage door opened, Toru barreled in, seeking out the cats so that she could pet them. Izuku watched her with wide eyes for the briefest of moments before disappearing outside to fetch a bucket of water. As the sprite cooed over Dragon napping on Izuku's bed, Ochako walked to the corner of her cottage near her bed where a small table was tucked in the corner next to her wardrobe. An old wooden box sat atop of it, unimpressive in appearance. Quietly, the witch removed the lid and picked up a delicate comb of untarnished silver. The base was encrusted in a number of rubies, although many were missing.
Humming softly to herself, she waved her hand, her magic plucking one of the gems from the ornament. In an instant, Toru was in front of her wiggling in place. "For me?"
Ochako smiled, turning her palm up and letting the stone float above it. "A trade. A gem for you if you deliver a message for me."
Toru spun in place, and her glee could be felt in the way the wind spiraled out from around her. "I accept!"
Ochako floated the small stone to Toru, who eagerly grasped it with her two tiny hands and held it to her chest like it was the most precious thing she'd ever seen. Of course, she had done this with every other stone in the past, so the effect was lost on Ochako. The witch let the sprite fawn over the stone for a few seconds before she waved her hand, calling upon an image of her recipient for Toru to see. "I need you to deliver a message to Katsuki of House Bakugou. The magic tells me you should find him at Heights Alliance Port, so I ask that you be discreet."
Toru frowned. "He looks grumpy. I bet he would smile more if he had a shiny!"
Ochako smiled patiently. "Toru. Can you be discreet?"
"Yeah!"
XX
Izuku put down the ladle, wiping the water from his mouth as Toru blitzed past him and out into the forest, sending the windchimes in the open windows knocking in her wake. He watched her go before looking back towards Ochako standing in her room. Seeing something unusual in her hand, he approached curiously to get a better look. "What's that?"
Ochako blinked out of her thoughts and looked down at the comb. "Ah…this is part of my secret stash of valuables that I use to bribe sprites for favors," She said with some amusement. To elaborate, she held up the silver piece, showing the missing gems. "Toru is very partial to anything that shines, and fortunately, high quality gemstones from the royal family shine quite nicely."
"Oh," Izuku said softly, brow furrowing. "Is… that from…?"
Ochako nodded, unbothered by his question and held up the comb. "The wedding, yes. It's part of a set. I had long hair then, because they made me grow it out, and it was pinned up that day with these. You're welcome to look at it, if you want. It has no sentimental value to me."
"I've never seen anything like this in person," Izuku admitted quietly, holding out his hand as Ochako passed the comb over to him. However, the moment the silver made contact with his fingers, a rush of images invaded his thoughts. Bright colors and detailed movements flashed across his mind, coupled with echoing voices intermingling with chimes and distorted sounds. Emotions he wasn't sure were his felt ready to burst out of his chest, and everything was too much to process. Distantly, he felt something slip out of his hand, and the moment the comb hit the floor, everything stopped.
The cottage was back, although it swam in front of him. Ochako was holding him by the arms, but her touch felt distant, as if layers of clothes separated her fingers from his skin. She called his name, but he barely heard it, like something was drowning it out.
Izuku. Focus.
He sucked in a sharp breath at Requiem's calming guidance, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to reign in the overwhelming sensations.
"Izuku!"
Ochako's voice was loud and clear, and he opened his eyes, letting them focus on her. She stared back at him in concern, and shaking away the last of his confusion, he nodded shakily. "S-sorry, I'm okay now, I think…"
"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure you went into a trance. Were you seeing something? Was it Requiem?" She fired off questions so fast that Izuku almost went cross-eyed, blinking several times.
"I…" He paused, staring off to the side as he thought. "I think I saw… memories?"
Ochako frowned. "Whose? Mine?"
He inhaled deeply, trying to sift through what he'd seen. "Not… quite. They were of you, but… I could see you. In every direction. I think… I think it was a memory of the magic used that day."
"That day…?" Ochako echoed, brow furrowing.
Izuku nodded nervously. "Y-your wedding day. I saw it. I felt like I was there, and–and it was so real, but… it wasn't a human's memories. I think it was the ecosystem's.
"That's…" Ochako paused, raking her mind for details about psychic magic. After a moment, she shook her head and let go of him, bending down to pick up the fallen comb. "Well, I suppose it's a form of divination. You must have unlocked a new core. Though… Most diviners who can read memories only read memories from people, and those memories are usually tied to something of strong emotional value. So I don't know why this…" She gestured to the comb. "...Triggered a memory from the ecosystem."
Izuku's eyes fell to the comb. "Maybe you can ask it? Or I can ask Requiem later when I sleep?"
"I don't think it's the most important thing, but it would be good to know," Ochako agreed, turning to place the comb back into the box.
He watched, before he quietly said, "You were beautiful that day."
She paused, hands hovering over the lid of the box before she frowned and looked back at Izuku. Her expression was carefully neutral. "...That's kind of you, but I much prefer how I dress now–"
"No," Izuku interrupted softly, meeting her gaze when she looked up at him. "Not your clothes. They didn't suit you. I…" He paused, trying to think of what he wanted to say. Words were so hard… "Every time I watch you use magic, it's beautiful to me. No one else can do it like you because you're an Echo. It's full of life." He swallowed, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "But… that day was different. Your magic was… full of emotions. You were angry and scared, but also strong and proud. I… I could feel it in those memories. I could feel how your heart was in your magic, and I could feel how proud the magic was of its Echo…"
He paused once more, doing his best to keep eye contact because he felt it was important. "And… that was the first time I saw you use magic for yourself. Not to save someone else, but… to save yourself. It was beautiful to me."
He offered her a shy smile before looking down at the floor. "And… It made me happy."
She was silent for a moment, and Izuku didn't dare look up at her, because he was worried he said the wrong things. However, he snapped his head up when she closed the short distance between them and stepped in, wrapping her arms around him. He froze, forgetting how to breathe as Ochako hugged him close, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Thank you, Izuku."
With all the uncertainty of the world, he awkwardly returned the embrace, his arms wrapping around her shoulders and holding her close. He sighed softly, slowly relaxing into a contact almost foreign to him.
He had forgotten what it was like to just be held.
XX
On the outside, the Dragon of Yuuei met Kyouka of House Jiro with an arched brow and mildly disinterested face. On the inside, he was spewing profanities and cursing every ancestor he had. Magic like hers meant she could have heard anything, and he had way too many secrets he was trying to keep to want anything to do with her. Unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury of choice in the matter.
It wasn't that he thought Kyouka had malicious intent. No, if anything, she was on their side. Ochako's recount of their encounter indicated Kyouka had seen Izuku "transform" and she had pushed for Tenya to turn a blind eye. Hell, she may have been the reason Tenya didn't mention Ochako in his report. However, her magic meant his control on the situation could spiral at any given moment, and that was bad. The more people who knew about Ochako and Deku, the more they were at risk. And until they had proof of the veil and cores, they couldn't take more risks.
He jutted his chin to the woman in some vague manner of greeting. "Cutting straight to the point, Kyouka. Appreciated."
"You're not a man known for pleasantries. Or tact. And I'm a pragmatic woman," Kyouka replied with a smirk. "So let's talk."
Katsuki leaned back in his seat, using his pinky nail to pick something out between his teeth. "I'm listening, Dragoirian."
"So caustic," She replied airily. "Honestly, I think you should visit my homeland, Captain Bakugou. We're quite different from Yuuei, you know. And not just because we are a matriarchal society. We embrace all sorts of things that Yuuei finds… taboo. I think you'd find it fascinating, really."
Katsuki stopped breathing for a moment, staring at her. She kept eye contact, a tiny, knowing, infuriating smile on her lips.
"What do you want, Kyouka," He hissed, and he couldn't quite suppress the nervous twitch of his fingers resting on the table.
He knew she noticed, but she graciously said nothing. Tenya, fortunately, was oblivious as ever, looking at both of them with the shrewdness of a river trout.
The smile melted away, dark eyes leveling him with an intensity he would respect if it were any other situation. "Information is what I want, Katsuki. There are a lot of things happening that make no sense, and yet, I think they're all related. And… I have very strong suspicions that you know how they're all related."
"You're gonna have to clarify," Katsuki replied, even though he felt a cold wash spread across his skin.
Kyouka nodded in agreement. "As you know, I hear things. It's what I do. Some curious whispers pulled me to investigate the border wall between Yuuei and the cursed ruins, and the things I heard got stranger and stranger. I'm unsure how they're all related, but I suspect they are."
Katsuki shook his head, giving her a dubious look. "You heard things, and you just think I have the answers?"
"You tell me," Kyouka replied as she pulled out a clay cup from a bag. It was unimpressive in its appearance, hand molded and without glaze. Placing it on the table she cupped her hands around it, concentrating. "As a reminder to you both, no one can hear anything at this table except us three."
With that she channeled her magic into the cup, calling the echoes to life. Katsuki pursed his lips, staring down at the small pottery as hushed winds and rustling leaves erupted. It was soon followed by voices.
"The Nomu didn't last long, did it? Did you learn anything?"
"Potentially. A Relic holder showed up. A witch that the Guard Captain and the Prince knew."
"Couldn't tell what kind?"
"Used powerful magic, but had a staff. So can't say. But the Protector came to her rescue."
"Yuuei's 'Monster' always kills Nomu. That means nothing."
"Yes, but I watched it take off with her. It's protecting her."
"Hmm…"
The voices faded, but Kyouka held up a finger, indicating she wasn't done, which was exactly not what Katsuki wanted to see. He was already reeling from the fact someone had been watching from the shadows as Ochako showed up that night and Deku came in to save her. He'd been so focused on making sure his men didn't see her that he never considered someone in the shadows. Not that he'd had the full picture of what they were dealing with at the time, but it was still such a stupid mistake.
He swallowed, watching as the sound mage sifted through other points in time. Faint whistling winds overlapped low thunder, and she nodded, indicating she had found the next piece of the puzzle.
"We've found the strongest Hollow yet."
"Stronger than the others?"
"Yeah."
"Then I guess the opening act is over and we can finally take the stage."
"Sure, whatever. Not like we're doing this because we want to…"
"No, but it's better than sitting around in agony. Hell, I'll personally go keep Yuuei's Dragon busy if it means a distraction from this insatiable hunger…"
"That won't be needed, but I understand…"
Kyouka sat up, pulling her hands away from the cup. Katsuki stared down at the cup, ignoring how both Tenya and Kyouka were watching him carefully. So the Blackened Core's holder had people working for him. No surprise. But that first conversation…they knew the Monster of Yuuei was Deku. Or at least, they knew it was the person who held Deku's core. And it sounded like they weren't quite sure which core Ochako had, so that was at least something. But the second conversation… strongest Hollow? Did they mean Deku? That made no sense, though… But it must have meant they were planning something.
Knowing he had a decision to make, Katsuki closed his eyes and weighed his options. He could lie about everything, but Kyouka wouldn't be fooled. He could give partial truths, but that would only cause her to poke around more, potentially getting herself killed, or even accidentally giving away information to the wrong person. Telling the truth, well… there was plenty that could go wrong there. But honestly, when he thought about it…
They already knew Deku was the Monster of Yuuei. They had seen Ochako come and protect him. What else was there to protect by hiding the truth?
Sighing, Katsuki opened his eyes and lifted them, looking between the two. "What I have to say stays right here in this fucking bubble, or I will find a reason to lock you both up. Do you hear me?"
"Crystal clear," Kyouka replied as Tenya nodded gravely.
With a scowl to hide his anxiety, Katsuki leaned forward and started from the top.
XX
The inside of the farmhouse was a little worn down, but it had a lived-in feeling that Shouto felt the castle always lacked. Drying clothes hung near the hearth and by the open windows. A rickety bookshelf stood against the wall, its boards bowing in the center from the weight of the books it held. Several cuts of mutton hung from hooks on the wall, and herbs were air drying from a beam overhead. In a way, it reminded him of Ochako's cottage, although a little more barren.
Movement caught his eye and he turned to see a man sitting at a table, a knife in his hands as he peeled apples. His dirty blond hair was pulled back at the base of his head, and his face was narrow and angular. A heavy scarf draped around his shoulders, loosely framing his chin. He lifted a brow as Shouto and Eijiro walked in, looking at Shouta of House Aizawa in confusion. "What's royalty doin' here?"
"They apparently have interest in my daughter," Shouta replied neutrally, stopping briefly to tend to the hearth.
The other man reared back in alarm. "The fuck do they want with Eri?! She's too young–"
"Not like that," Shouta interrupted, his words terse. "Care to explain, your Highness?"
Shouto gave a stiff nod, knowing this was going to be a difficult conversation. He needed to carefully balance giving enough information to explain the gravity of the situation, while not giving so much information that it caused a panic. Of course, if the spell reversal actually worked, he had to be prepared for whatever might happen, as well. All in all, this entire thing was incredibly risky with no guarantee of success. Part of him wished Katsuki was here, because he always drew support from the other man's unyielding confidence. The rest of him was exceptionally glad Katsuki was not here for reasons he was going to get yelled at for later.
Taking a deep breath, he began. "Thank you for allowing me and my guard entry. As I stated a moment ago… I am here on a personal quest, and not on behalf of the Royal family." The blond man gave him a sharp look, and Shouto met his gaze briefly before looking back to Shouta. "I've learned your daughter is capable of undoing spells that have already been cast. I am hoping she is willing and able to use her magic to undo a veil."
"A veil," the blond man echoed, putting down his knife and twisting on his stool to face the others standing by the hearth. "What kind of veil?"
Shouto pursed his lips, glancing between the men. "A… very powerful one. One that has touched almost everyone in some way, altering memories and knowledge. One that has been in place for forty years. One that stripped information from texts, like this."
Reaching into the satchel he brought with him, Shouto pulled out a heavy leather book bound by golden clasps with delicate etchings and white stones. The blond man whistled and Shouta's brows shot up under his messy bangs. "Is that…"
"Yes. One of the Empty Books," Shouto replied softly, eyes falling to the humming tome in his hand.
"So you seriously think the books aren't cursed, but it's just a veil? Why do you thi–"
"Hizashi," Shouta interrupted, giving him a sideways glance. "Let him continue."
Hizashi coughed, rubbing the back of his head and offering an awkward smile. "Sorry. I, uh, it's been a while since we had to entertain guests. Forgot my manners."
Shouto shook his head. "It's fine. I'm used to much worse." He ignored the look Eijiro was giving him and continued. "No curse mage has ever been able to identify the magic around these books, and I think it's because it's not a curse. It's just a very powerful, but intricate spell. I want to undo it. As to why, I think what's hidden behind these books is important, and that people may get hurt if it continues to stay hidden. I don't expect you to trust me, but I also can't explain a lot of my theories without solid proof. And, because I know I am asking for something incredibly difficult and potentially risky, I am willing to adequately compensate your family, and I will act as a shield to your daughter in the event I'm wrong, and the book is cursed."
"You what–" Eijiro's voice was an octave too high, however, Shouto held up a hand, effectively silencing whatever else he might say. This was why most of him was glad Katsuki wasn't here. Quietly, Shouto reached into the bag once again, this time pulling out a pair of golden bracelets, delicate in appearance, but humming softly on his fingertips.
Shouta's eyes fell to the jewelry and he exhaled slowly. "I've only ever seen pictures of those in books."
"What are they?" Hizashi asked, leaning forward to get a better look.
"The Links of Misdirection. Two people wear them, and whatever magic is applied to one gets redirected to the other" Shouta replied somewhat hollowly. "You mean to tell me you're willing to risk your life to find out what's in those books?"
"Yes," Shouto replied evenly. "I hav–"
He stopped, noticing movement near the back of the house. A young girl, of maybe ten or eleven, stood by the open back door. Her silver hair was tied back in a loose braid, and she wore a dress of pale yellow with blue trim. Red eyes moved from person to person, before they finally landed on her father. "Papa…?"
"Eri," Shouta replied, a resigned sigh wrapping around her name. "Come in, please. There's someone here who wants to speak with you."
XX
"So… the Monster of Yuuei is actually the All Mighty Mage's successor and somehow inherited his magic," Tenya said slowly, carefully. "And… Lady Ura…" He paused, sighing, "Ochako found him injured and has been taking care of him and teaching him to use his magic."
Katsuki nodded slowly, crimson eyes looking between the two. Tenya seemed to be in disbelief, but Kyouka's expression was unreadable. She picked up after Tenya paused. "And the Nomu are being created by someone with equally powerful magic because he's after Ochako and our Not-Monster?"
"More or less, yeah. This guy can steal others' magic. So he's accumulated a lot over the years, probably. I mean, powerful enough to erase memories from everyone, somehow. Shouto's investigating a way to maybe undo it, but it's a shot in the dark."
"The prince knows about this?" Tenya asked.
Katsuki leveled him with a weary look. "Yes. Not the King or the rest of the royal family. None of the advisors, and none of my men. Only him and me. And now you two. Consider yourselves fuckin' lucky."
"And if he steals Ochako's magic… he can steal this… what did you say his name was?"
"De–" Katsuki cut himself off, swallowing the word before he growled out, "Izuku. And yes. If he steals Izuku's magic, we're fuckin' dead. This is why we need proof, and it's also why I ain't keen on telling people much right now. I also don't know who to trust, because clearly, this asshole has people working for him. Where the hell did those conversations come from, anyway?"
Kyouka pursed her lips, and Katsuki didn't like the fleeting look of unease that passed across her features. "The wall at the eastern ruins. Someone's passing through there, and I don't know how."
He froze, eyes flitting between the two, and even Tenya looked alarmed. "The fuck? It's cursed land. Nothing living can set foot on the territory without starting to wither. There's no way people are passing through there!"
"I'd be inclined to agree, except these cups were placed all along the border, and the angle at which the voices came in were from the other side of the wall. I would bet my family's reputation on it."
"I…" The Dragon of Yuuei paused, at a loss for words, which was a feat. No one ever directly talked about the fallen kingdom. No one said its name, and no one spoke of its past. It was safer not to. The curses that encased the entire region were powerful and volatile, killing anything that passed into its territory, and crippling anyone who dared evoke its memory too strongly. "The ruins of the east" was the safest allusion ever since the kingdom fell almost a century ago.
As if reading his mind, Kyouka shook her head. "No one can hear us, but it doesn't mean the magic cannot feel the words if they're uttered."
"I ain't gonna say shit," Katsuki growled, tapping his fingers to the table. "But I don't know how people could be passing through there. We all know what happened to the party that tried to investigate the Nomu attacks while we were still in the academy. That's the last time anyone tried to enter those lands that I know of. My men have strict orders to not get closer than two meters to the walls, and we've never seen evidence of anyone passing through."
He sighed. "But… the Nomu come from the east, so… clearly there's a fuckin' connection. I just don't know what."
"Suppose it was too optimistic to believe you had all the answers," Kyouka agreed, and Katsuki scowled at her.
"Sorry for not being fuckin' omniponent, Dragoirian." His brow twitched as she flashed her teeth at him in a brief grin.
"So," Tenya interrupted softly. "What can we do to help?"
Katsuki blinked, looking over at the mage. He thought for a moment about Tenya's abilities, when a realization crystalized. "Ah, fuck. So… you know how I mentioned there were three special kinds of magic cores?"
Tenya nodded. "Yes. I realized as you told us. I am a 'Creator', aren't I?"
Kyouka blinked rapidly, looking over at him, and Katsuki sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "Yeah, which means it's possible they might target you. We don't know the details, but it seems while Ochako's their grand prize, anyone with a Relic is still a target."
The other man nodded, brow furrowing. "I will remain cautious. However, I think I can do more than that. How do you feel about upgrading your swords?"
Katsuki paused, giving him a sharp look. "What?"
Tenya nodded. "Your swords have the standard enchantments for the guard, correct? They don't dull and they've got increased durability. However, those are enchantments. Why not let me try to bind magic to them? I've gotten pretty good…" He patted the satchel where he kept his spellbook.
The captain paused, considering. "How long will it take? I have to be back in Ultra by sundown."
"An hour at most," Tenya replied, before looking at Kyouka. "Is there anything else we can do?"
Katsuki grunted, shaking his head. "Once I meet with Shouto to find out how things are going with his research, maybe. Right now, though, you both need to play it safe." He pinned Kyouka with a look. "We're dealing with someone with a magic that killed the All Mighty Mage, altered the minds of everyone in the world, and somehow may be hiding in the eastern ruins and living to tell the tale. If they catch on that you're snooping around, you'll be dead before you know it."
Kyouka pursed her lips. "I can't promise I'll sit pretty, but I'll be far more guarded in what I do. Should I find anything else out, I'll find a way to make contact with you."
The Dragon of Yuuei scowled, but instead of replying, shook his head and muttered under his breath about everyone being reckless. Waving a hand at Tenya, he nodded. "All right. If we got nothing else to talk about, then let's upgrade my swords."
Both men stood and Kyouka smiled at them politely. "Thank you for your honesty, Katsuki."
"Don't make me regret it," Was his reply as he grabbed his helmet. He paused, giving her a scrutinizing look. "Keep safe, and tell the idiot you married that I'm still disappointed he didn't join the guard."
"He misses you, too," Kyouka replied with amusement.
He said nothing, storming off with Tenya in tow.
Kyouka watched them go, eyes lingering on them before she turned her attention back to the top on the table, still spinning in its perfect balance. Exhaling softly, she reached into her bag and pulled out a perfect crystal sphere, small enough to fit in her hand. Rubbing her palms over the smooth stone, she waited for it to burst into a soft starry glow.
"My little Kyouka. Have you something to report?"
"Yes, Milady. I found the magus who wields multiple magics."
XX
Eri played with the tip of her braid as she listened to the prince explain to her that he needed her help. Her father stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder, and she found herself looking up at him frequently to see his face. He looked worried, but he didn't seem upset.
"So… you just need me to try to fix the book?" It sounded simple, but seeing the book in his hands, she knew it wasn't. She couldn't see the magic, but she could sense it. It was like the book was wrapped in so many layers of fabric and strings, winding around it over and over again until it was drowning. Whatever had been done to that book, it was big.
"Yes, if you're willing," Shouto said carefully. "It doesn't come without risk. I don't know what's in this book for certain, and it's possible there are traps in place if someone tampers with it. I will be acting as your shield though. You should be safe, but I admittedly cannot promise that completely. And I can't promise what happens won't be scary. I think you should know that before I ask you to do something dangerous."
Although he couldn't see Shouta from where he was crouched in front of the girl, he could see Hizashi sitting in the distance, and the man had a peculiar look on his face. If Shouto had to describe it, he would say it was disbelief. He wondered if his family's reputation made people think he would be willing to sacrifice others for his own gain. He hoped not, but he had other things to worry about.
The girl hummed, looking down at her feet. "I… I want to try. You promise you'll help me?"
"You have my word as the crown prince, and as someone who can't stand the idea of people getting hurt for him," Shouto said carefully, a tiny smile on his face. "If I had any other way to do this myself, I would never ask you."
"Can I… go to school as a reward?"
Shouto blinked, tilting his head. "Is that what you want? A chance to go to school?"
Eri nodded shyly, not quite making eye contact. In a way, it reminded him of Izuku. "Papa says… there are schools that teach you how to read and write and even do more with your magic. I'd… I'd like that."
"I think I can do that," Shouto replied, giving her a smile, glancing up at her father. Shouta had an unreadable look in his eyes, but he nodded in a way that Shouto expected was a quiet thanks.
"What do you need me to do?"
Shouto looked back down to the girl, finding her staring at the book he had tucked under his arm. "Ah, before you touch it, I need you to put this bracelet on."
Her eyes fell to the delicate links and her mouth formed a tiny 'o'. She held out her wrist and Shouto carefully slid the bracelet on. "It's pretty… Can I keep it?"
He chuckled, a genuine smile on his lips as he slid the companion piece onto his wrist. She was a cute kid. "Unfortunately, no. Its magic is unsafe except for specific circumstances. I'm sorry."
She nodded shyly, accepting his response. Red eyes lifted up to look at him and Shouto felt compelled to ask once again, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
She nodded again, biting on her lip. He frowned. "Can you… say it? I don't want you to feel forced to do this, Lady Eri."
The formality made her jump, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. It took her a moment before she gave him a nervous smile and nodded. "I want to help. People… like Papa helped me. I want to help someone, too."
"I admire that," Shouto replied earnestly. "You have a big heart. Just like the most powerful mage I know." If she saw Izuku, she probably wouldn't think it was a compliment, given his appearance, but, well… She didn't need to know.
Knowing he was stalling, he sighed and pulled the book out from under his arm, grasping it firmly with both hands. Holding it in front of her, he nodded.
"Wait, your Highness. Let me–"
"Eijiro," Shouto looked up at him over his shoulder. "I ask you to trust me. Please."
The lieutenant sighed anxiously, running a hand through his hair. "You know he's gonna kill me when he finds out I let you do this."
"Let me handle Katsuki. He's my problem," Shouto replied. "Now. Please be quiet and let Lady Eri concentrate."
He was proud of how steady his voice sounded, despite knowing he very well might die if he'd gotten this wrong. Mismatched eyes watched the little girl put her hands on the book, before falling closed.
He thought of crimson irises and ash blond hair as her hands began to glow.
XX
"That should do it," Tenya said, wiping at his brow with his sleeve. The act of binding magic always made him work up a sweat, and now he understood it was probably because he was binding sentient magic. It sounded so strange, and yet… it made so much sense. He definitely needed to take time to process this later, once the Captain was gone and he was left alone to his own devices.
The Guard Captain hummed, taking the first sword and holding it, testing to see if it felt different. "That's…" He paused, brows lifting as he felt the thrum of energy singing through the blade. "Huh."
"It's never precise work, but I can try to aim for magic of a certain type. Since you told me the most effective attacks on Nomu are fire, lightning, and piercing, those are what I tried to bind. This sword now has some kind of fire magic bound to it, though you'll have to test to understand its extent, unfortunately... The other…" He paused, looking at the blade. "I suspect it has all the energy of a summer storm."
Katsuki nodded, sheathing the first blade. "I'll test them out on the next batch of fuckers that try to attack." He paused, fingers hovering over the other sword's handle. "Thanks, Tenya. For this, and…" He hesitated. He sucked at this shit. "And for protecting Ochako."
The taller man offered a faint smile. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to make up for doubting her motives."
Katsuki grunted, but before he could reply, there was a burst of wind, knocking the windows open in Tenya's workshop. Both men whirled in alarm, but the winds that came in carried echoing giggles, like children at play in a summer field.
Before either could summon magic, the wind took the form of a small sprite, spinning in place with utmost glee. Both men stared as she manifested before them, laughing playfully. "Katsuki of House Bakugou, I come with a message for thee! Also, you should smile, you look so grumpy!"
He stared at the little bundle of magic, his face twitching at the terrible rhyme, and his expression a mixture of comical confusion and utter bewilderment. "The fuck…? What are you?"
"A messenger! I have a message for you that I traded for a shiny!" Toru replied enthusiastically, before turning to Tenya. "You, human with the core that binds! Go stand over there! I must deliver this message discreetly."
The Creator mage stared, but when Toru pushed him with a warm gust of wind, he stumbled back against the wall. It didn't put him out of hearing range, but apparently that was enough for the sprite, who turned back to Katsuki. "A secret human who will not be named requests you visit her because she has important things to tell you! I think maybe also dinner, if you like mushrooms! But this is a secret, and I am being discreet, so it's up to you to figure out which human I'm talking about!"
Katsuki took a deep breath, reigning in the urge to set fire to the wind. Ochako needed real fucking human friends.
XX
Izuku stood in the middle of the glade, bare feet pressed into the mossy floor. His knees were bent, and he stood tensed, ready to strike. Across the small brook, Ochako stood in a much more relaxed pose, hands extended and her eyes glowing softly. All around them, several small objects floated, ranging from balls of moss to pinecones, all lightweight and utterly harmless.
With a flick of her fingers, several pine cones shot towards Izuku, and he channeled his magic into his limbs, quickly darting out of the way of the incoming projectiles. They followed him, keeping him on his toes as he continued to duck and dodge. Slowly, one by one, Ochako added more objects to the mix, and Izuku had to find more ways to avoid getting hit. Tendrils of black magic shot out, swiping away many of the moss balls and floating pinecones, all the while he practiced dodging the others that got past his first line of defense.
It had been her idea to practice this way, and it had turned into an entire afternoon-long event. Izuku had relaxed to the idea only when he realized how little magic she needed to use to "attack" him. It was adequate practice, teaching him to switch between his types of magic without the risk of actual harm.
A ball of moss hit him between the eyes, and he pouted when she broke out into giggles. Waving her hand apologetically, she offered, "Do you want to stop?"
He shook his head, wiping the traces of dirt and sweat from his forehead. "Not yet."
She appreciated his dedication and obliged him, pulling up all the pinecones they had gathered and sending them at him. His eyes widened, and with a twist of his body, he whipped up the wind around him, sending them all shooting into the sky with a gale burst. She grinned, turning her palm up as her magic caught them in mid-air before sending them raining down at him once again. He ducked and dove to avoid them, using the tendrils of black magic to aid him, coupled with small bursts of wind from his weather magic. It was incredible to watch him improve right before her eyes, going from only being able to use one magic at a time to alternating rapidly between different cores, to even the beginnings of being able to combine them at will.
She kept pressing, eyes narrowing slightly as she increased the speed and onslaught of her attacks. He was panting and probably close to his limit, but he hadn't requested her to stop. So she pressed on.
With a mighty sweep of her arms, she sent everything rushing at him at once, waiting until he'd just finished sending out a burst of wind, leaving him vulnerable. His eyes widened, and with a shout, he thrust his hands out, and every projectile came to a stop in mid air. He stared in shock at what he'd done, eyes looking down at his bare hands that glowed a faint violet. The shock broke his concentration, and every pinecone and moss ball fell to the ground at once.
Ochako exhaled, lowering her hands, the pink in her eyes fading. "Seems like telekinetic magic. You must have tapped into another core."
Izuku mutely looked at her, before looking back down at his hands. After a moment, he flexed his fingers and wiped his palms on his trousers. "Y-yeah…I think so."
She smiled slightly, glancing up at the sky to gauge the time. "Why don't we take a break. You could use some water and maybe a bit of food to replace what you've burned through."
He nodded, looking thoughtful, before he lifted his head and gave her a shy smile. "...Okay."
XX
Shouto had opened his eyes just a fraction, watching Eri work. Her brow was dipped in concentration, and her tiny hands glowed a soft yellow as her fingers moved like she was pulling apart strings tangled in a large knot. It had been several minutes, and beads of sweat were gathering on her forehead. Her father and the other man, Hizashi, watched with concern, but neither looked nearly as troubled as Eijiro, far too upset by the idea that Shouto could end up cursed from this ordeal.
The prince himself had chosen to put his faith in the idea that the veil had been so draining in its construction that the previous Blackened Core holder didn't have the ability or time to place an underlying curse.
He wasn't sure how long it took exactly, but finally her eyes widened, and with a firm tug on something invisible, he felt something in the air give. There was a burst of energy, and Shouto went flying back, crashing into the wall in a boneless heap as Eri collapsed.
Eijiro shouted, dashing to the prince's side while Shouta called Eri's name. The girl smiled up at her father, giving him a tiny wave. "Just… sleepy."
Both Hizashi and Shouta breathed sighs of relief before they looked up to the prince. Eijiro had his arms around him, helping him up, "Your Highness," He said, fear lacing his words.
Shouto shook his head, shakily grasping Eijiro's arm as he tried to find his balance. "It's fine… I think it was just an… energy release. I feel fine." He paused, taking a wheezing breath. "The book?"
Hizashi stepped forward since Shouta was still holding his daughter, and crouched down, flipping open the book that lay on the floor. His eyes widened as ink began to bleed onto the pages, taking the form of words in calligraphic text. Brow furrowing, he tilted his head, watching as the table of contents came into view.
"'An Overview of Magical Cores?' 'The Magical Realm?' 'The Symbiotic Relationship of Cores and Man…?' What the hell is this?"
Shouto's eyes went wide, his grip on Eijiro's arm tightening almost painfully as a ghost of a smile crossed his lips. And as everyone looked at him to see his reaction, it was clear to see that whatever was sprawling across the pages was exactly what Shouto expected. He closed his eyes, feeling like he might cry, knowing without even seeing what was in the books that this completely changed everything.
It finally felt like they were gaining control over the situation.
Finally.
