So, recently, I got a message from the Inksters, concerning how their Ochako characterization in Huntsman Academia influenced my Ochako writing. Here's that message:
Howdy! Got pointed to your story by a fan who read it and saw me mentioned! I appreciate your point about how underrepresented Uraraka can be, I actually like her a lot too, so I thought I could send in a bit of an explanation about why that was the case and you could do with it what you would, because it is interesting.
So when designing the story of My Huntsman my primary concern for the characters was doing my best to blend the two settings together and then try to logic out where characters would likely land given their goals and motivations. Some were obviously going to end up being Huntsmen and Huntresses, others weren't. Uraraka was one of the cases where it wasn't exclusion because I had nothing to do with her or wanted nothing to with her, but because based on her backstory and the elements RWBY would add to the world, it made more sense that things would work out that Uraraka would actually be given the chance to do what she wanted in the first place and work with her parents, since in a world like RWBY I imagined construction was a far more pressing need and one with a lot more activity going on in it (i.e., that her parents weren't going to be struggling so much)
That being said, I very much wanted Uraraka's involvement, so I made her a potential discoverable encounter on Exploration Rolls in Vale (most folks tend to forget that My Huntsman started, and still is, a play-by-post GURPs Quest on SB, where the entirety of the work is gathered) so that people who really wanted Ochaco and who wanted to potentially try to make her the main ship could go find her. Sadly, Exploring never really caught on among my player base for My Huntsman so she ended up more on the sideline, which is a shame because IzuUra is my favorite ship in My Hero and I do love Ochaco, despite the bumps and the bad writing Horikoshi has slammed down on them for a while now.
Hope this proves at least interesting and, hey, do with this information what you will! Thanks for giving my work a shoutout at least, I really am flattered, even if it was to be somewhat confounded by it!
I should clarify by revealing what I wrote in the response:
I feel like I heard that My Huntsman worked on a GURPs sort of system, so I don't really fault your fanbase / player group on making the choice to focus on the other personalities involved. I should have been a bit more clear about that- what really sort of made me start writing this fic called "Heroes Never Die It's Hero Time". It was the lackluster story telling, over reliance on Ben 10's themes as opposed to MHA's stuff, and some of the decisions made that made me consider it. Then a second really, really edgy fic that I cannot recall the name of had Ochako be controlled by some sort of 'rage inducing chip' by a villainous Deku and then pretty much kill a bunch of people before she died that pushed me over the edge. Huntsman Ochako is more faithful to the character than any of those interpretations.
I respect the idea to remix a story, especially since you took time in deciding who'd be where and what they'd be doing. I guess that's sort of the divide between 'rule of cool' and 'staying in character'. As much as I wanna see Ochako lug around something akin to Record of Ragnarok's depiction of Mjolnir and pancake Grimms left and right, that would 1) tread on Nora's toes and 2) not really make sense since, yes. She would have more opportunities to assist in construction. It is a shame that Ochako never got some attention on SB- I'm curious how the community would have developed her story.
So, for anyone that was sort of put off by that comment, I apologize.
Anyways- the Summer Camp arc was written between November and January of 2022-2023. This is by far the busiest arc. I have a few huge things planned, a new cover done by a fantastic artist named zebraknight1 coming in and a poster of the Vanguard Action Squad done by xxcodex47xx. I think this arc lit the biggest spark in my mind- it's the direct course of what you can expect in future arcs.
The theme of this arc is "Like Flames" by Mindaryn, a song about pushing forward despite the challenges in life. The lyrics speak about repeating fate and the need to believe in oneself. The singer encourages the listener to stand up and be strong, not to be swayed by obstacles. The chorus expresses the desire to shout out like flames and not give up, even if they might lose control. The song emphasizes the importance of not returning to past pains and moving forward towards a brighter future, shining like flames.
I seriously hope this first chapter is a bit more engaging than I-Island. That arc really only served to introduce Melissa- which, in retrospect, I probably could have done that better in a Japan based story or something. I dunno.
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
With the fun summer vacation at I-Island now behind her, Ochako and her friends found themselves back at UA, to pick up a guide about what they'll need for the camp.
The pamphlet they received was a few pages thick. It detailed everything about the camp in vivid detail.
"Looks like we'll be at the camp for a full week," Iida said, looking through the guide.
"I need a bigger suitcase, then." Ojiro hummed.
"Yeah, I don't even have a bathing suit." Kaminari added. "I guess I need to buy some stuff."
"I need night vision goggles..." Mineta muttered.
"Shut it, flight risk." Bakugou huffed, pushing him out of his way. He didn't wanna see these people at all. Ochako watched him walk away.
"Welllll, since we all probably need to get something, how about we all take a trip to the shopping mall?" Tooru asked.
"That sounds like fun," Ochako nodded. "We have been doing a lot of stuff together recently, so why not?"
"Will you be going, Bakugou?" Kirishima asked, before Bakugou left.
"I can't think of anything more annoying." Bakugou frowned, before walking out.
"As much as I'd like to join you all, I can't. I want to visit my mother." Todoroki said.
"Understandable!" Aoyoma said. "But we can still have some fun with all 18 of us."
"We'll meet up at Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall tomorrow, okay?" Tooru said.
"Sounds like a plan." Izuku nodded.
And just like that, Ochako had plans for tomorrow.
The mall they decided upon was massive. 180 shops, including 60 restaurants and cafes. All of them were super cool and hip, too. The stores sold items that are designed for different body types and Quirks, all sponsored by the Detnerat company.
"I've never been here before," Ochako said, looking around. So many people!
"Really? I went here all the time when I was in middle school." Mina said. "I know Kirishima did too."
Kirishima smirked. "Hell yeah I did! Me and my friends did beatboxing down here."
Ochako tilted her head. "You...beat box?"
"Everyone has a phase in middle school." Kirishima said.
Ochako nodded. She had a horse girl phase and a Sumo Slammers phase. That would stay buried forever.
Everyone was scattered out already. Ojiro, Shoji and Iida were looking at clothes for their specific body types (Iida always had to get special order pants due to his calves). Izuku was muttering under his breath about some of the hero merch, and Tokoyami was scolding him ("You're going to scare the children.") Momo had dragged Jirou to a food court because she'd never been to one. Kaminari and Mineta were standing outside a Victoria's Secret because they didn't have the balls to go inside. Mina and Kirishima were looking for outdoor gear.
And I dunno where everyone else is. This is a huge mall. But what I do know is that Ochako was with Tokoyami, Tsu and Izuku.
"So..." Tsu said. "Beyond the terrorist attack, how was I-Island?"
"It was pretty fun!" Ochako said. "I wish you could've come."
"Ah, I had to watch my siblings all vacation. Thankfully my parents are gonna be around more, so that's one thing I have to not worry about." Tsu said.
"Fighting against those villains with the others was an interesting experience. The battle Midoryia and I had against the sword villainess True Edge...legendary." Tokoyami said.
"Didn't you fight some spider villain with Sero and Iida, Ochako?" Tsu asked.
"Y-yeah. That was a really, really tough battle. But I pulled through." Ochako said.
"How, though?" Tsu asked.
Ochako paused. Tsu didn't know about the watch yet.
"Uh, teamwork."
"Oh! Okay." Tsu said. Ochako wiped some sweat off her brow.
"I haven't heard from Mr. Tennyson since, though. He was really urging us to get back home at the end of the trip." Ochako added.
"Really? Any reason why?" Tokoyami asked.
Ochako shrugged. "Beats me. He did mention Ruby was having a…thing, so maybe that went awry."
While the three were talking, Izuku looked around the place. For some reason, he had a weird headache. It felt like the one he had on I-Island, but this one was smaller.
"You okay, Deku?" Ochako asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Just a minor headache." Izuku admitted. "Maybe all this walking around is making me thirsty."
"You should go get a drink of water." Tsu said. "We are out in the sun."
"Maybe I should...I'll meet up with you guys in a bit." Izuku said, breaking off from the group.
"Just text us when you're done!" Ochako yelled out, watching Izuku disappear into the crowd.
That was where the fun outing took a turn.
But let's worry about Midoriya later. It's time for some class shenanigans.
Tenya carefully examined the price tag of the pants he was debating to buy. "30$, and for pants of this size..." Iida looked down at the calves again and rubbed his chin. "Dare I make such a decision?"
Iida suffered from what was known as an 'indecisive shopper'. You know, the type of person who considers all brands instead of sticking with usual order. For example- Iida would spend minutes considering which sort of bread brand to buy and what sort of bread type, too. Shopping trips took forever.
Ojiro and Shoji were watching Iida like a nature documentary. They were fascinated by the boy.
"He's been looking at that pair of pants for ten whole minutes." Ojiro said, holding a shirt that could allow his tail to be 'flexible' (it just had a bigger hem).
"It's pants. You shouldn't have to be that picky about them." Shoji said. "I barely buy stuff, and I don't struggle with this. If it fits, I'll wear it."
Iida looked at another pair of pants- these ones were beige, clashing with the blue pair of pants he was considering. Same sort of breathing room for the calves, but that beige color did mesh with his primarily blue wardrobe.
Iida was now caught between both. Dark blue pants. Beige pants. Dark blue pants. Beige pants. Dark blue pants. Beige pants. Da-
"S-shouldn't he just buy both?" Shoji asked.
"Shhh. Shh. He's learning." Ojiro said.
They were in that store for another half hour.
Like we mentioned earlier, Momo had dragged Jirou to the food court. She'd never been to a place like this (geez, she was SHELTERED) and this was a good opportunity to see one.
"Wow..." Momo said, looking around. She'd never heard of any of these food places before.
She must be used to five star places and fancy feasts cooked by Michelin star chefs. Jirou thought, watching Momo look from place to place.
Where Momo saw a new formative experience, all Jirou could focus on was how dirty some of the tables were. Clean up your messes, people. Damn.
"Jirou," Momo said, looking around. "What place would you recommend around here?"
"Huh? Oh, uh..." Jirou looked around. She was kind of hungry after the drive, and she had a light lunch. She needed something fast and inexpensive.
"Well, I know a good hamburger place around here." Jirou said.
"I've never had any. Are they good?" Momo asked.
Jirou blinked. "I dunno if your taste buds could handle the place, then."
"Rest assured, my taste buds are refined. I can surely enjoy whatever restaurant you want to go to." Momo said.
"Yeah, and that's the problem." Jirou admitted. "I'm not sure if it's gonna be held up to the standard of...Lobsters and truffles and oyesters."
Momo laughed. "You really think my family eats like that?"
"Kind of." Jirou smiled sheepishly.
"Jirou, I don't always have to be in 'rich girl' mode. I wanna do normal stuff that any girl my age would do." Momo said.
"So you're sure you'd be fine with the place I wanna go." Jirou said.
"I trust your word." Momo nodded.
Jirou smiled. "Alright."
Jirou took Momo to McDonalds, and she loved it.
"Come on man. You try it." Kaminari said.
"N-no, I couldn't you gotta." Mineta insisted.
"I could NEVER say it with a straight face. I would crack under pressure more than a full sized Mt. Lady on ice." Kaminari frowned.
"That's hot." Mineta drooled. "Girls in peril..."
"You're into weird stuff, man." Kaminari shuddered.
Kaminari and Mineta didn't need much gear for the trip. Kaminari's swimsuits were a quick purchase. They honestly came here to pick up chicks.
So this was going to suck.
Their target was a bunch of girls in a group, clearly out of their leagues. They were from Shiketsu, given the Shiketsu school logo on one of their purses. So that ADDED to being out of their league. But stupid boy hormones in their brains were shouting "you TOTALLY have a shot!" Kaminari and Mineta were staring at them from afar.
"Look at that one, with the blue hair and huge boobs." Mineta drooled. "She's totally a woman in charge. You can see it in her walk."
"Her friends are pretty cute too..." Kaminari said. The whole pack of girls were a bunch of hotties. Kaminari had his sights set on the girl with white hair. She seemed most approachable.
Okay, Denki. You got this, He hyped himself up. Just do what Melissa said. Rely on your confidence!
Do it for the Vine, Mineta said. Not like the actual app.
You don't wanna know what he meant by 'Vine'. You'd gag if I told you, but I did just imply it.
"...thanks for taking us out again." Saki said. "I don't think the helicopter was necessary, though."
"Nonsense. I think it was necessary." Medaka insisted. "Go big or go home, as they say."
"I'm not complaining." Mogana said.
"That's because you're broke and would rather hitch hike than take the bus." Saki frowned.
"And you see an issue with that?" Mogana snapped back. "I'm shocked you came."
"Sometimes I need a break from Kumagawa. Especially before a long trip with him." Saki frowned. "How long are we supposed to be on that island?"
"A few weeks- we will come back a few days before the Provisional License Exam." Medaka clarified. "Shiketsu's not gonna let up on us, that's for sur-"
"Hellloooo, ladies." Kaminari said, leaning up against the wall. "Are you lost?"
"We know the mall like the back of my hand~" Mineta said, showing it off. "And yes, it's VERY smooth."
Except for Medaka, the girls all had a puzzled expression. Kaminari could now have a better look at her...wow. She was a knockout. His cool face melted away as he realized her beauty was unlike any other woman he'd ever seen. Fashion models and movie stars were always so distant and far away, but seeing a girl like this in the flesh was so different. So many crazy emotions happening throughout his body…
He was so starstruck by her beauty, that she didn't even register what the girl said next. Nor the fact that whatever Mineta said next made them VERY upset.
As soon as they walked off, Kaminari snapped back to reality.
"H-huh? What happened?" Kaminari said, looking around. He looked down at Mineta, who appeared very, very drained.
"I said the pick up line." Mineta muttered.
"...and?"
"She chewed me out like a wad of gum and then picked me apart verbally."
Kaminari made a face. "Oh, yikes. Sorry, the blue hair lady caught me off guard-"
"That was the hottest thing I'll ever go through." Mineta said, profusely bleeding from his nose.
Kaminari made a face. I should've gone with Kirishima and Mina and ditched Mineta.
Medaka gave Kaminari one last look, and hummed.
"Something wrong, Medaka?" Hana asked. "Don't tell me you were seriously considering that midget!"
"Those students were from UA…I remember them from the Sports Festival." Medaka recalled.
"Oh, yeah! He was that dope that got totally destroyed by that plant haired gal." Saki said.
"Must be going on the rebound. I don't imagine getting humiliated on live air gets you many girls." Mogana snickered.
"Maybe, maybe…" Medaka hummed.
A near miss, but she'd meet Class 1-A someday.
Mina scratched her chin as she looked at the camping equipment she needed. "I've never had to pitch a tent before...sounds kinda hard."
"It's not that bad," Kirishima said. "Probably."
"Probably?" Mina asked.
"I'm more of a hiking guy. Not a camper." Kirishima said, as he picked out some boots. "Oooh, I like the feel of these bad boys."
Mina and Kirishima were still looking for equipment. The hardest part about getting gear was not being an expert in the field. Someone could easily try to swindle you out of your money in cases like this.
And to the store manager, he just saw these kids as a way to make a few extra bucks. This man was illegally using his quirk to assist in his business. His quirk allowed him to persuade rather unintelligent people into buying extravagant things. It was called 'Gullibility'.
"Finding everything okay?" The manager asked.
"Hardly. I barely know what's what in here." Mina said. "What's the best tent you have? I think I'll be sharing it with a few people."
"Ooooh, excellent question." The manager grinned. "Follow me?" He led Mina over to a large display of a tent. It looked pretty big. "This here is our Co-op Thunderland Y Tent. Storm-worthy tunnel architecture withstands strong winds, silicone treatment enhances Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish and durability, and a plethora of configurations for views and venting."
All of that was bullshit. This tent sucked.
"I think this one is a bit too nice," Mina said, stepping inside of it.
"We are getting a storm through the area soon!" The manager said, eyes lighting up. His powers worked when he was staring at the person. "I wouldn't want a customer waking up soaked."
"He's right," Kirishima said. "I did hear something about that on the news."
"But is it WORTH the price tag?" Mina said, looking at the 1000$ price. The manager frowned.
"Ma'am, I can assure you! This tent is pure perfection! I have used a tent of this kind for years, and it's worked WONDERS for me. I feel as if I slept in a 5-star hotel when I woke up at sunrise to hunt and fish!" The manager said. Another horrid lie. He hated camping. "Would I lie to you if it has been nothing but a blessing onto me? I regret buying my own house, because I could be living in this!"
"Well, with a sales pitch like that," Mina hummed. "I'll-"
"Hold it!"
Kirishima and Mina were snapped out of their gullible states, to see Bakugou, storming over. "Are you actually serious!? You're gonna recommend this piece of shit?"
The man took a few steps back. Crap, an actual expert!
"This tent SUCKS! It takes forever to set up, and half the shit is missing from the tent itself! And you really, REALLY have to squeeze to fit multiple people in there! Hell, it's a goddamn hassle to fit one person in there!" Bakugou yelled, getting in the man's face.
"Where'd he come from!?" Mina yelled.
"Dunno, but I think he just saved your butt from making a purchase like this." Kirishima pointed out.
"YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF TRYING TO MARKET THIS TENT AS 'OKAY' OR EVEN 'PASSABLE'! YOU'RE WASTING YOUR LIFE IN A DEAD END JOB AND ONLY GET BY SCAMMING IDIOTS!" Bakugou yelled.
The manager was on the floor now, and shaking like crazy. Bakugou spun around, murder in his eyes.
"Get out of the store." Bakugou frowned. "It's not worth it."
"R-right!" Mina said, as she and Kirishima followed Bakugou out of the store.
"I thought you weren't coming today, man." Kirishima said, scratching his head.
"I wanted to come, but not with any of you damn dorks." Bakugou said through gritted teeth. "I'll just give you idiots some of my old gear that still works."
"R-really?" Mina said.
"Better than getting scammed."
"Thaaank yooou~!" Mina said, tackling Bakugou with a hug. Bakugou began to furiously try and shake her off.
"HEY! GET OFF OF ME, YOU PINK IDIOT!" The angry boy yelled.
"It's too late! I'm like a leech!" Mina grinned.
"WHY ARE YOU SAYING THAT LIKE IT'S A GOOD THING?!" Bakugou yelled, as Kirishima began to record the scene. "HEY! SPIKY HAIR! *I'M GONNA BLOW UP YOUR PHONE!*"
Eventually Bakugou and Mina were escorted out for making a scene.
Izuku twisted the cap off of his water bottle, and took a big swig from it. His headache didn't hurt as much now, but he probably should've brought some ibuprofen.
Do I just have chronic headaches now? Is that a new drawback of One for All? Izuku wondered, as he looked around him. The first time this happened was at I-Island, before the villains attacked. That headache was twice as worse than this one. Maybe there's a connection.
Izuku looked up at the sky. Maybe All Might knows something about this. Actually, no- he probably doesn't. This could be a new thing for him. He didn't know about those ghostly figures...who's to say he doesn't know about this?
Izuku shook his head, and was about to pull out his phone to find Ochako and the others, when someone called out to him…and the pain returned.
"Oh, it's someone from UA!" A voice said. Izuku looked over to see a dude in a black hoodie (in this heat?) approaching him. "I want an autograph."
Izuku barely processed what was going on. Before he realized it, the man had his arm around Izuku's shoulder. All he could do was nervously laugh.
"You're the one who got beat to hell at the sports festival, right?" The man laughed.
"Ah, yeah." Izuku nervously laughed. He couldn't believe how many people watched the matches and still remembered them.
"Aren't you also one of the heroes that ran into the Hero Killer in Hosu?" The man asked.
"Y-yeah. You sure do know a lot." Izuku said. The man's voice...sounded familiar.
"What can I say?" The man grinned. "I'm just a big fan of yours. I can't believe I'm running into you again..."
Izuku's eyes widened. His headache was throbbing right now. It felt like his brain was going to explode at any second.
"It makes me think it might not be a coincidence." The man's voice got low. His hand moved up to Izuku's neck, and wrapped four of his fingers around the boys neck. "Oh, right...from your point of view...we haven't met since the attack on UA."
Izuku got a good look at the man's face, and the look confirmed his worst nightmare. Tomura Shigaraki...had him in his clutches. The villain looked horrifying- his red eyes drilled into Izuku's very soul.
"Why don't we spend some time catching up, Midoryia?" He grinned. "Act natural. Don't make a scene. I'm just an oooold friend that ran into you at the mall. Wipe that look off your face, too."
Izuku gulped.
"Let's just talk. If you try to run or fight?" Shigaraki wiggled his free finger. "Well, it'll be fast."
"If you do that...a hero will stop you." Izuku said, trying to stay calm.
Shigaraki sighed. "I don't doubt that a hero could stop me. But just look at these sheep! Anyone of these dolts could use their quirks and could start a massacre. And yet, they're here, thinking laws and rules will protect them because they assume EVERYONE has their same morals. They're convinced 'nothing bad could happen to me'. These people could start dropping like flies in an instant...if I just let go."
Izuku took a deep breath.
"I see I've made my point clear to you. Good." Tomura said, as he led Izuku over to some benches. Izuku's eyes nervously darted around. He and Tomura sat down.
"Look at this place." Tomura said, looking out into the crowd. "Look at these idiots. These people think they're safe, like nothing can harm them. I don't know if they're naive or just ignorant..."
Izuku was sweating bullets- he and Tomura had taken a seat on a bench. Tomura was going on some stupid monologue about heroes and society.
"People are getting killed right now. But these people keep SMILING. Like they don't have a care in the world." Shigaraki said. "They could be walking past someone in need of help, but they'll ignore that. Helping people is for the heroes they worship."
Izuku frowned. He wanted to disagree, but he felt that speaking against Shigaraki could end in his demise.
"It's a weird paradox, the cult following behind heroes and villains. I had a bunch of oafs join my league, recently. All inspired by Stain. Sympathizers." Shigaraki said. "They could care less about his ideals. And yet they still follow him. What's up with that? Aren't we doing the same thing? We both destroy things we hate...just like I do."
"I hate everything. But the Hero Killer pisses me off the most right now," Tomura said.
"Isn't he affiliated with you?" Izuku asked.
"Not technically." Shigaraki said. "And that's my problem. Everyone's obsessed with Stain like they were with Dahmer. He upstaged everything I'VE done to destroy hero society...no one's giving me a second thought. Even my attack on the Quadrian's got no attention."
Izuku's pupils shrank. He killed 3 of the 4 Quadrians? He only heard about it in passing, but knowing it was him who did it made this situation even more tense.
"Despite what he claims to be, he only tried to get rid of what he didn't like." Shigaraki continued. "Just like me- he just excused himself with the motive of 'weeding out the true heroes'."
Shigaraki smiled, as his eyes followed a kid running by. "Answer me this, Midoryia. Why do you think Stain has a bigger following than me? What's the difference?"
"The...difference?" Izuku repeated.
"Yeah. Out with it, junior." Shigaraki snapped.
"I don't understand you, your goals, and whatever you do. I don't agree with the Hero killer either, but I can understand him. At least...I sort of can." Izuku said. "We...both were inspired by All Might, in some way. He even saved me from the flying Nomu...he doesn't destroy things because it sounds fun. And when things were looking bad for him, he didn't abandon the mission like you did."
Izuku was gritting his teeth now. "Even if the way he acted was wrong, he held true to his beliefs-" Izuku's eyes darted over to Shigaraki, who was gazing into his soul.
"...The darkness has been lifted." Shigaraki said. "I see now, the error of my ways. That's why he makes me so damn angry. That's why you irritate me so much. The puzzle pieces are fitting together..." Shigaraki's face gained a horrific smile. "All Might. He's the problem..."
Shigaraki laughed. "You really helped me out, kid. I feel like we're closer after this social link. So, I wanna share some secrets with you..." Shigaraki grinned.
What Shigaraki said next made Izuku's blood run cold.
"I know about One for All."
Izuku turned to face Shigaraki.
"I know about that Omnitrix Girl."
Izuku's pupils were small and filled with fear.
"And I know where your summer camp is." Shigaraki grinned. "How do I know all this, you're wondering? I have my sources..."
Izuku felt like Shigaraki's finger was getting closer to his neck. "Funny how life works out, isn't it? I'm just like you and Ochako...I'm a successor too."
What? Izuku thought. All for One has a successor? All for One is still alive?! From the way All Might worded it, it sounded like…
"I guess we all have the world on our backs...sitting underneath a sky on the verge of collapse. Knowing we're meant for something greater." Shigaraki sighed. "Stressful, isn't it? It keeps me up at night."
Shigaraki's smile got even bigger when he saw someone walking over.
"Hey, there you are!" Ochako called out. Izuku's eyes couldn't get wider. Her walk slowed down as she got closer and closer.
The scene before her was weird- some weirdo had an arm wrapped around Izuku. Who was this?
"Miss Ochako...I'm pleased you could join us. We were just talking about you." Shigaraki grinned. "Congrats on getting the Omnitrix."
Ochako's blood turned to ice. She knew that voice-!
"Now, sit down." Shigaraki said, as he motioned his head towards Izuku. "Or he gets it."
Izuku looked at Ochako, eyes full of fear. Ochako had never seen such an emotion on Izuku's face before. She was shaking when she sat down next to Shigaraki. He put his other arm around her.
"Look at us. Just a couple of friends on a bench. Isn't this fun? Don't we just have a time?" Shigaraki said. "We all have big boots to fill, don't we? It's nice to know people who have that same horrible responsibility."
Ochako was shaking like crazy.
"I've been talking Midoryia's ear off, so let's have some one on one." Shigaraki said, looking at Ochako. "I believe this is the first time we've met. I only learned your name after my source told me you had an Omnitrix."
Shigaraki looked around. "I don't fully understand what Tennyson saw in you. If I remember, you weren't on the front lines at the USJ. I don't even think you were involved in the Hero Killer fight in full. You strike me as a real 'nobody'. Someone that's phased out from the party to make way from the big hitters."
Ochako wanted to get mad, but that could cost Midoryia his life.
"You've got some fan favorites on that overblown Apple watch. Heatblast, Echo Echo, XLR8…you could just ditch your Zero Gravity powers for them." Shigaraki said. "But I'm guessing you're too afraid to cross that line. You're better than ALL of your friends in terms of power, but you're scared to show that. Your humbleness is noted."
"My biggest question is…why you? What did Ben see in you, truly? Do you even know?" Shigaraki asked.
"H-he saw himself in me."
"He chose some random teen from a school of people more capable than you at your best? Give me a break. Surely he sees something else in you." Shigaraki said. "Midoryia here rushed into a situation with no powers, and tried to save that brat Bakugou. That's how he got his powers. And what did you do?"
"He…he watched me at the Sports Festival."
"What, he decided you were worth it because of a lame race, a cavalry battle and a first round knockout? Give me a break. I'd choose MY successor from the winners." Shigaraki said. "But that's probably because I'm impatient."
Ochako grit her teeth in annoyance. Shigaraki was purposely doing this, because he knew that she couldn't fight back.
"Tennyson is a God amongst men, but yet he remains with us. There's trouble in space, but he chooses our affairs. He knows he's superior to us, and that we'll worship someone who can do what others can' 's enough rambling about Tennyson. Let's talk about you." Shigaraki said. "How's your mom and dad?"
That comment alone almost made Ochako turn into Heatblast and scorch Shigaraki alive.
"Keep them out of this," Ochako said with grit teeth.
"I've crossed a line- but I get it. Being so far away from them must be nerve wracking. Did they know YOU got to treat yourself to a vacation on I-Island? They worked hard. They deserved a place like that. Your parents should envy this life that you have. It's so…easy." Shigaraki booped Ochako on the nose. "Having everything handed to you on a plate."
"You know nothing about my parents." Ochako said.
"I know plenty about Yua and Hirohito Ochako." Shigaraki grinned. "Their construction business is failing. They have a Subaru Legacy, license plate 8NM464. They took out a mortgage on their place to help you get an apartment. And they're currently working themselves to death to help you."
Ochako fell silent. Her hand unconsciously went towards the Omnitrix.
She was about to kill Shigaraki. Sadly, her attempt was stopped by an outside force.
"Ochako!" Mina's voice yelled. "HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!"
Ochako's head jerked up, to see Mina and Bakugou being dragged away by security. Mina was about to yell again, when she quickly noticed something was off. Mina began to tug on the arm of the security guard.
"Hey, Paul Blart!" Mina yelled. "Something's going on over there!"
Shigaraki grit his teeth. "Great. Looks like my time's been cut short." He grumbled. "I'm glad we had this chat, you two." Shigaraki brought them closer to his body, wrapping them in a hug. "I feel better. I can't thank you enough...I don't need to change my ways."
Shigaraki lifted his hands off of Midoriya. "I didn't know you were here with friends, so I'll let you get back to that. I bet they're all so worried about you." Shigaraki picked up Izuku's water bottle. "And I'm taking this. My throat's dry as shit. Thanks, you two."
Izuku was coughing and choking after Shigaraki got up. He felt like throwing up, crying and punching Shigaraki in the damn throat for saying all that to Ochako.
But it didn't stop him from this. "Shigaraki..." Izuku said, voice loud enough to turn some heads. "What is All for One after?"
Shigaraki turned his head back to face Izuku for a moment. He shrugged. "Who knows, really. But here's a little word of advice, friend. Be careful. The next time we meet...I'll probably have to kill you."
Shigaraki held up his hand, and waved. "Ciao."
And just like that, he disappeared into the crowd.
Ochako heard nothing but white noise after that.
The next few hours sort of blurred together. Ochako didn't remember much, but when she regained focus, she was in a police station. She got the details later.
Mina apparently got free of the guard, and ran over to the two. After she got the details and reported the incident, the shopping mall was closed. The heroes and police in the area conducted a massive sweep, but no one found Shigaraki.
Ochako just heard nothing but a long, single droning noise the entire time. It felt like she'd been stabbed in the ear and throat. She couldn't look anyone in the eye. Was...that really true? Did her parents sacrifice their own health for her? No. No, they said they had enough to spare for UA and their own home. She...she never knew that.
Ochako shook her head and rubbed her face with her hands. She looked around the police station. Izuku was talking with someone- Ochako recognized him, he was at the USJ. One of the officers that came to arrest the villains that had been incapacitated.
Ochako looked down at her wrist, and cursed herself. Why didn't I go hero and beat Shigaraki to a pulp? If he didn't have Deku in his grasp, I would've gladly gone Shock Rock and exploded his stupid itchy face. But...no. My first instinct as a hero was not to act in self defense, but to rush to Izuku's aid.
...why was she getting mad at herself for helping a friend?
Ochako soon found herself in an interview with the police officer. His name was Naomasa Tsukauchi.
"From what Izuku told me, it's not a monolithic organization." Tsukachi said, looking through his notes. "And the desire to take down All Might hasn't changed a bit."
"Yeah." Ochako said. "He did say that."
"Now...what did Shigaraki say to you?" Tsukachi said. "If you can recall, that is."
Ochako looked down at her hands for a moment, and back up to the police officer. She looked around the closed room they were in.
"You're...a friend of All Might, right? Izuku mentioned he had a friend on the force." Ochako said.
"Pretty close." Tsukachi said.
"...how close?" Ochako asked.
"Very. I know the happenings of the past few months," Tsukachi said. "Don't worry. I know about you and Ben 10k's team up."
"...good." Ochako said. "He just questioned me on what Ben 10k saw in me and..."
Ochako felt like she was going to cry again.
"He...he threatened my parents," She said. "Said their names, where they worked, the car they drive...he said things I didn't even know."
Tsukachi looked at Ochako.
"I...I wanted to kill him for saying that," Ochako said. "Or detain him or something. My parents don't need to be tangled up in my life! They shouldn't be working this goddamn hard for me and my stupid life."
Ochako looked down at the Omnitrix. "I had the power to stop him! And I couldn't! And I'll hate myself for that forever!" Ochako was throwing herself into a dark place right now.
"Izuku mentioned that," Tsukachi said. "And thankfully, we have confirmation that your parents are safe. Someone went all the way down to talk to them. They're in safe hands now.
"...who?"
The door opened. Ochako wasn't shocked to see Ben 10k and Ruby walking in.
"I did." Ben 10k sounded hoarse, like he was yelling in anger earlier. He looked sullen. "I'm sorry I got you tangled up in this, I-"
Ochako flung herself into Ben 10k and Ruby's arms. And she started bawling. She couldn't bear to hear Ben even blame himself for a minute. This was HER fault, not his.
Ben 10k and Ruby just held her tightly, and let her cry.
Shigaraki returned to the bar, and took down his hood. The villains inside were talking or drinking or petting one of the cats that Nyancy had brought. He'd gotten weirdly accustomed to the guests. He unconsciously reached over to pet a random calico cat that was on one of the tables.
"Welcome back," Cass said, looking over her shoulder. "Did you have a nice day out?"
"Absolutely. Nothing like a good talk amongst friends." Shigaraki said, putting his signature hand back on his face.
"That's good." Cass said. "Now, tell me the good stuff. How'd the wonder child react to my findings?"
"She was gonna kill me." Shigaraki said. "I bet you she's crying her eyes out right now and blaming herself for everything I said."
"Psychological warfare is fun," Mercury laughed.
"That's not ALL I found out," Cass said. "But I'll save that for later."
"Be honest, Cass. Why do you think Ben chose someone so plain?" Toga asked, looking at one of the photos they had of Ochako.
"Ben's got this stupid mindset." Cass frowned. "Absolutely influenced by his wife and some other idiot he followed around. 'Victory is in a simple soul'."
"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Twice asked.
"A simple soul refers to a person who believes that things will be good at the end, no matter what, and they'll keep going." Cass explained. "Someone so blindly and stupidly optimistic. It's like tunnel vision. Nobody truly understands a soul. Especially not Tennyson."
"Agreed." Sunny said, gripping her drink a bit harder.
"Well, it worked." Shigaraki said. "Thank you for that."
"No problem." Cass said. "But, what's our next plan of action?"
"Well, my source told me that UA is reconsidering what to do about the Summer Camp…but it doesn't matter." Shigaraki grinned. "We'll find out where UA is hiding."