A Quirkless Fairy Tale

by InuKagomeLuver4Eva

Deku and Ochaco get sucked into a cursed book left in the U.A. High library that sends them into a whole new world. The book stipulates that two hearts enter, one shall leave to break the curse. Both heroes must survive in worlds that try to kill them every step of the way without the usage of their quirks, but some familiar faces help, and hurt, them on the way. Gore and blood. M

1. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

The class of 1-A scattered themselves throughout the expansive library of U.A. in order to study hard for the upcoming half-term exams of their final year. It was rumored to be harder than any test in their prior years and the lower ranking students were panicking. Especially Kaminari, Mina, Sero, and Aoyama who were just barely scraping by on each test. Yaoyorozu maintained diligence with them to get them caught up and a few others even crowded around the highest ranking student in the class. At another table sat the tight trio of Uraraka, Midoriya, and Iida who were going over the study guide passed out at the beginning of the year. Even Deku was getting a bit stumped on some of the math equations, the green haired teen scratching at his head with the end of his pen while muttering out the intricate steps to solve it. Uraraka was about brain fried from trying to process it all while Iida merely quietly set to work about double-checking his work before setting it down with a triumphant smile.

"There, that should cover everything for the upcoming test. How are you two holding up?"

"Are you serious? I haven't been able to get past number twenty-three! It doesn't matter how many times I go over it, I get stuck in the same spot with no correct answer. I followed the steps like in class but it still doesn't come out right. There's no way X=127 when it can't divide that low. Man, I'm really missing the first year classes right about now," Ochaco gave in and plunked her head down on the table in defeat. Iida took the opportunity to slide her paper over and found the issue after a short glance.

"Here, X=127 isn't correct because you forgot a step right after multiplying A against C. Then you can start working the problem down into a simpler equation which will give you the correct answer. You were very close, Uraraka, don't give up now. I can check over the other answers for you if you'd like." Iida suggested though the brunette merely shook her locks out over her papers.

"My brain is too fried for this right now. Can we take a break? It's already the afternoon, Iida. The test isn't for a few more weeks."

"Nonsense! We should all do our best to—!"

"I've got it!" Deku suddenly announced before furiously scribbling down his answer, a grin on his face. He set his pen down before scrolling over everything. A final nod approved of the work so he set it back down before looking over at his classmates. "Oh, are you okay Uraraka? Did you need help with a problem? I take it you're done already, Iida. This mock test is pretty hard!"

"I shouldn't be surprised with how fast you work Midoriya, though it makes sense why you're ranked number four overall in the class. You've definitely improved over the years." Deku flushed at the compliment.

"Thanks, Iida. The past few years have been a rush and it's crazy to think this is our last year as U.A. students. Even the battles of the past seem like nothing more than a dream."

"The world seems so peaceful now that All for One, Shigaraki, and the League of Villains are gone. There's even a lot less crime than when All Might was still active so there's an abundance of heroes floating around. It almost seems like a dream but we all know the hidden truth," Uraraka replied quietly while shifting her arms underneath her head, tilting her gaze upwards to look at her classmates. They both nodded solemnly. Everything that had happened the past two years was chaotic to say the least. And all of the hero lives lost in the war, even those close to them…sometimes it was too unbearable to think about. It was a dark period of time for all of Japan, but for those actually fighting in that war, it was a never ending nightmare.

"Let's try not to reminisce on the past! Why don't I go get us some drinks to rejuvenate the studying? Orange juice okay?" Iida asked with a quick stand, a hand directing between them waiting for a drink approval. Both teens nodded and the class rep made a beeline out of the library in search of the closest vending machine. Uraraka took the chance to stand up and stretch while Deku organized his study papers into a neat pile on the desk before leaning back in his chair.

"How are you doing on the questions, Uraraka? I had trouble with a few of them on the second page since they dealt with equations we learned last semester."

"Not as well as I should be. Iida just explained number twenty-three and apparently I missed a step. Though to be honest, I kind of lost focus about an hour ago," Uraraka admitted with a laugh. Deku nodded in understanding. It was hard to stay focused on such a grueling mock test when the real one was probably even harder. Not to mention they'd been going all day on a Saturday just trying to get everything down.

Things were easier in their first year as students looking back on it. Well, currently things were calmer since before the war ended but all of Japan and the world seemed to have shifted drastically afterwards. The younger generations knew of the infamous war between heroes and villains but most of the information was locked away in order to move on from the trauma. Documentaries played on the tv often of the great war though Izuku often turned off the device. He didn't need any more help remembering the events. There were nights the terrors had him lurching out of bed and for the toilet as the gruesome memories felt too real to handle.

"I understand. This test is definitely going to be harder than before. Hound Dog certainly doesn't go easy on us and it gets a bit hard to understand what he's saying when mad." Uraraka eagerly nodded her head in agreement. A soft buzzing in her pocket pulled her away from the casual conversation and she flipped open her phone to look at it. It was a picture of her expertly pinning a villain to the ground after they'd just thoroughly cleared out a bank, fierce expression focused on the surrounding area. It was from her former mentor Ryukyu with a small message underneath. Congrats on the big takedown, glad to see your Gunhead training is still in play. Reach out if you ever need anything. Ryukyu.

"Deku look, Ryukyu sent me a picture from when I took down that bank robber during my internship with Nejire-chan! It's such a cool picture! I'm going to save it as my phone background," Uraraka happily showed her friend the picture after saving it to her phones storage. Deku studied the image with interest. Gunhead martial arts had definitely shaped Uraraka's career, the combination of strength and rescue made for perfect mission endings. He would never say it aloud but he often kept the pictures of Uravity in action to his desktop computer, hidden within a folder that said Hero Notes 22. Not that he totally felt head over heels for the bubbly brunette since the end of year one or anything. Nope. Nothing like that at all. Just a friend supporting another friend. Right?

"Wow, it's an amazing picture, Uraraka! This was the robbery that happened during your live interview, right? I saw it on the news the other night. It's incredible how fast you reacted to the crime and nabbed the villain before he could get away." Deku praised much to Ochaco's embarrassment, a hand instantly ruffling through chestnut locks.

"It was nothing, really, just the right time and place to be I guess. We were almost late going on patrol because Nejire wanted Tsu and I to look over a joint mission request from Gunhead himself. Turns out, there's an investigation going on where some villains are illegally shipping guns out of an abandoned mine deep in the mountains. It's going to be a huge gathering of heroes to ambush them and stop the weapons from being transported out by sea. I'm sure Lemillion's agency will get in on it too so we can do another joint mission!"

"That'd be awesome to team up again," Deku beamed with slightly tinted cheeks. She was so cute when excited.

"Right? Since it's going to be a few minutes before Iida returns, I'm going to start putting back my borrowed books. Do you want me to take yours while I'm at it, Deku?" Uraraka asked while gathering up said books. Deku jumped to his feet after collecting them up in a tall stack. His were definitely heavier than hers, plus he had about three times the amount, and he didn't want to force the extra work upon her already hefty stack.

"Thank you for the offer Uraraka but why don't we put them back together? Iida may want to continue using his for a bit so I'll leave them there. If we work together then we should be able to get done before he comes back. Maybe there'll be enough time to grab some food afterwards with the rest of the class."

"You had me at food, Deku!"

Uraraka and Deku split ways to return the books, quickly weaving through the towering aisles to restock the shelves for other students. The library was fairly deserted, apart from most of their class, so reaching the appropriate locations was easy. A few books were just out of reach of the brunette so a quick activation of her quirk had the book resting back in its spot. She dropped back down and turned to put the last two away when something whacked her in the side of the head before thumping to the ground. Auburn eyes jerked upwards towards the shelf then trailed down to the thick book now resting on the floor beside her shoe.

"I wasn't expecting a book to hit me in the head," Ochaco winced with a gentle rub of the tender spot. The book had fallen from the top shelf despite her never being anywhere near it. She reached down to pick it up but stopped shy. The front was covered in strange symbols with a large, gnarled tree adorning the center. A thick layer of dirt on top caused the raised symbol to look nearly alive with deeper shadowing between the branches. She'd never seen a book like it before, especially in the U.A. library, and ran a padded finger over it. With her pinky fingers extended out Ochaco picked up the hefty book and held it with both hands. It was a thick leather book, maybe a couple hundred pages long with a spine covered in golden symbols. It was the strangest thing she'd ever seen.

"Uraraka, are you alright? What happened?" Deku asked in a panic from a few aisles over, footsteps quickly approaching her location. She was just sitting there with a hand lightly against her head, gaze locked onto the thick book residing in the other hand. "Do you need medical attention at all?"

"I'm alright, I must've hit the shelf when I put another book back and this one fell. I don't think I've ever seen these symbols before, Deku. It doesn't seem like a normal book that would be in the U.A. library or even on campus. Almost seems like it belongs in one of those back alleyway witchcraft shops." Ochaco said as Deku crouched down beside her to look at it. He gave her a concerned look then averted his gaze down to the hefty book. "This may sound weird but I almost feel drawn to this book. Maybe we should have a teacher come look at it just in case."

"You're right, it's best to turn this into a teacher. I don't want to just leave it here for another student to find but I'm not sure which teacher we should take it to. Should we just take it to Mr. Aizawa or Principal Nezu?"

"Mr. Aizawa should be in the teachers' lounge right now preparing for his next class or taking his usual nap in the classroom. I'm not sure if Principal Nezu is on campus or not, he's been having a lot of meetings with the police lately. Would the librarian know what it is? It's got a thick layer of dust on meaning it hasn't been touched in a long time. I don't recognize the symbols on it either…" Ochaco pondered while flipping the book over to check for clues on the back. No words or markings on the backside so she did the only plausible thing left to do. Carefully, she lifted the edge of the lid open to peek at its contents.

"Maybe it's just an old book that wound its way here,"

"Huh. The first few pages are blank. Maybe it is just an old book that someone left here and we're being overcautious for no reason. Hey, would Tokoyami know what kind of book this is? It feels like his area of expertise." Ochaco asked but Deku shook his head slowly.

"He had something else to do today so he's not on school grounds. There isn't anyone else I can think of that meddles with darkness like he does."

"Wait, I think I see some writing on the inside here." Ochaco flipped through the empty pages before stopping on the first page with lettering. Written on the page were the words ANCIENT FAIRY TALES in bold, heavily styled words. No author name nor other letters adorned the page. Deku leaned closer to the book with a hand against his face as he studied it.

"A fairy tale book? What's this doing at U.A.? Especially since there aren't any young children here, this is odd."

"There's something stuck between the pages," Ochaco spotted a slip of paper just barely sticking out between the pages and without thinking reached for it. Her fingers just barely tugged on the sheet when an invisible shudder rippled through the air. She tried to pull back but found herself frozen in place. All senses were still working though no matter how hard she tried, nothing would move like she wanted it to.

"What's wrong?" Deku asked when he noticed the odd expression on his friends face, her body rigid in place on the ground. Panic rose in his throat when she didn't respond. Gently placing a hand against her arm, he tried lightly pulling her hand away from the slip of paper only to have his body lock in place after a ripple of air washed over him. One for All instinctively powered up and Deku felt his fingers twitching but they wouldn't bend more than a few degrees. Not even at one hundred percent could he move more than the slightest bit. It shouldn't have been possible yet there he sat immobile on the ground even at full power, fingers trembling from the effort of moving.

The paper finally slipped from between the pages and the two snapped from their stupors with alarm, looking at each other before looking back down at the book. Deku switched off his quirk with a fast exhale. That could've ended up causing a lot of damage to the library if he hadn't been able to control it in time. The piece of paper grasped in Ochaco's hand had one sentence scrawled across it in golden cursive handwriting.

Two hearts shall start the curse, one will be the key to breaking it.

Light exploded as the pages flipped rapidly, a strong wind picking up from the force. Books began flying off the shelves, pelting them left and right as they flew out of control. Deku shielded Uraraka with his body as a strong pull began tugging on them violently, dragging them across the tiled floor towards the now levitating book. A few tendrils of black whip lashed out to attach to the heavy steel bookshelves which barely slowed down the vacuum rate. More tendrils shot out to brace the two between shelves though it proved fruitless as the vacuum force increased to painful and deafening levels. He had to let go otherwise they were going to be torn apart, his arms shaking from the effort of trying to hold on.

"Don't let go of me, Uraraka! I'm going to release black whip!"

"Deku—!"

Blinding light covered the area and with a flash, pop, and fizzle the two were gone.

---

Thundering clouds brewed above the sparse, tangled forest with blinding flashes of lightning dancing dangerously close to decayed trees. Howling winds pierced through the too-thin clothes of a figure trekking down the dirt pathway. Rain soon started spitting down over the lands, turning into pelting bullets that chilled down to the bone. Deku faltered in his steps to look at his surroundings with a hand shielding his eyes. There was nothing around that indicated human life for hundreds of yards. He'd woken up on the ground in a panic, frantically searching around for his friend who was nowhere to be seen. One moment they were in the U.A. library and the next they were some unknown place, separated. Over and over he called for Uraraka yet no response rang out through the empty forest. While waiting in the off chance that someone would stumble by, the teen couldn't just stand there and do nothing. If he followed the path then sooner or later he'd run into someone, right?

"Uraraka! Can you hear me?" Izuku called out loudly with bated breath for a response. Only the howling wind responded to the hero and he lowered his hands. Okay. Calling out to her wasn't working and as far as he could see she wasn't in any of the trees unconscious. He could rule out the possibility that she was in the near vicinity. The next step was to find a local city or town and recruit some heroes to assist in looking. The rain began pelting down harder and he began hurrying down the path in search of shelter. A storm wasn't helping in the search efforts but there was nothing he could do about it for the time being.

After being thoroughly soaked in the rain for who knows how long, the sun still hadn't peeked through the storm clouds so there was no telling what time it was or how long he'd been travelling. A rough estimate would be at least two hours going by the amount of rain filling up the ditches on either side of the dirt path. Deku shook his hair out with a sigh. It wasn't much of a shelter but it was better than anything. A short distance from the road he'd spotted a large pile of rocks with one overhanging the others. It got him off the ground and out of the direct downpour. Warmth was the next step yet in this weather everything was soaked and useless for kindling. A scarred hand swiped the excess moisture from his face. He hoped Uraraka was somewhere safe. Somehow during the freefall they'd gotten separated from the intense vacuum pull. Her scream of terror was barely heard over the deafening noise before everything turned dark.

"Keep forward! The storm shall pass soon enough, we must make haste to the village!" A booming voice reached Deku's ears through the pounding rain and he crawled forward towards the edge of the rocks. A hallucination? A quick pinching of his numbed face told him he was current in reality. He squinted through the curtains of water in search of the source and after a few moments of looking, a large, dark object grew larger in his vision. Oxen trampled through the swampy roads pulling a large four wheeled carriage, four armored guards following close behind on their own steeds.

"An oxen drawn carriage? When was the last time one of those were seen in Japan? They were mainly used during the ancient and medieval ages if I'm remembering right." Deku muttered to himself before shaking his head. There wasn't time to think about that, he needed to stop them and ask for directions to civilization. The teen sprinted out into the rain again and made a beeline for the muddy road, one hand shielding his eyes as the other flagged down the travelers. The oxen trampled closer and for a fleeting moment Deku assumed they noticed him standing there in the middle of the road. But the closer they got the sooner he realized they weren't slowing down for him and with a few seconds to spare he jumped out of the way as the creatures stomped onward. His foot slipped on the slick mud and he stumbled backwards into a frigid puddle with an oof. They were going to get away if he didn't stop them somehow. "Wait! I'm a lost traveler and I need directions! Please stop!"

"Are you unharmed, boy?"

One of the rear guards slowed his horse to an antsy pace just feet from Deku. An armored face looked down upon him with a hand resting on the hilt of a sheathed katana. Izuku quickly stood up sopping wet while trying his best to wipe the mud from his hands. The man waited patiently with occasional glances towards the slowing carriage a short distance ahead. "Thank you for stopping, I've gotten lost and I need to know where the closest town is. Can you give me directions?"

"You are a distance from civilization. What brings you out to the Forbidden Woods?" The man asked gruffly. He seemed on guard as the grasp on his sword tightened the slightest bit. Deku took notice but feigned ignorance. The guard was wary of him. He needed to stay calm and not react in any defensive manner to stay on this guy's good side or that sword would slice through him faster than he could dodge. Were they some sort of reenactors of ancient times? Not too many modern Japanese really had the time to go all out for a reenactment but maybe he just hadn't heard of it. He knew it was popular in the United States since All Might had witnessed it one time when studying abroad with David Shield. That was certainly an interesting story of how his predecessor joined in on a mock battle and nearly destroyed a couple dozen acres in the process.

"The Forbidden Woods? Why are they called that? Are they dangerous?"

"Aye. Many have perished in the darkness of the woods with very few returning. Those who returned were nothing more than a soulless sack of flesh. You best be avoiding it as darkness falls soon. Where were you headed?"

"I'm…not sure. My friend and I got separated but she doesn't seem to be in the area. What's the closest town so we can call a hero?" The guard gave him a funny look. Was it something he said?

"Hero? You must be talking of a samurai, yes? There are a handful of them ahead in the village of Sanuki if you follow. The path is perilous so you may ride upon my steed, stranger. What birth name are you called by?"

"De—Izuku Midoriya. Thank you so much for your hospitality!" Deku bowed deeply as the man extend a thick arm to help him up. The man merely chuckled lowly before yanking him up onto the back of his steed with ease. Deku was impressed because he was no longer a scrawny teenager in his third year of school. Years of training and conditioning had him nearly surpassing Mirio in terms of muscle mass and height. Kaachan and Todoroki were up there in the same categories though the former would never admit to being a few centimeters behind the green haired teen. A quick slap of the reigns had the horse galloping to return to the carriage and other awaiting guards. He felt a bit bad that the horse had to carry such a large amount of weight on its back but it didn't seem to mind too much.

"Midoriya Izuku is a fine name. I go by Takaji Nakata though you may call me Nakata. Those fabrics you wear, I have never seen them before. What are they made of?" Nakata asked over the thundering hooves of his steed and the rattling of his iron armor.

"Uh…mostly cotton I think. I usually get them on sale at the department store. Your armor is impressive! Is it actually made from solid iron and leathers? I can't imagine it's easy to wear in the summers though it looks nearly impenetrable from attacks." Deku examined the back of the armor with excitement, his fingers barely grazing the iron scales jingling with every trot of the horse. If only he had his notebook to jot down a description of it. He had to give the man props, the set was incredibly well made and seemed fitting for the ancient eras of Japan. If he had to guess it was between the Heian era and Kamakura era, hundreds of years ago though it was just an approximate period seeing as samurai armor was around for a long time. Some people were really dedicated to their hobbies and keeping ancient culture alive.

"Midoriya Izuku, you certainly speak in tongues. Has a bump on the head twisted your tongue? As for the armor, no. A warrior trains his whole life to be able to wear a fine suit of irons with pride. Only those worthy can wear such honorable craftmanship. Are you a warrior?"

"Yeah…something along those lines."

"You will enjoy sparring with the other warriors of Sanuki then. In fact, tomorrow brings a fierce battle for the hand of the daughter of the reigning Lord Yoshimochi. Rumors of her divine beauty and grace have spread far across the lands. Many a suitors have tried and failed to take her hand, the princess turning away every single man who tries. Lord Yoshimochi has decided upon a battle in order to find an heir for his name. I shall find you a spare set of armor as well."

"Where exactly is Sanuki located, Nakata? I don't believe I've heard of that village before." Deku could feel the stares of the other guards as they fell back into formation. He tried his best to keep his gaze forward and to the left. They didn't seem to be friendly like Nakata was or they were just wary of a strange looking person.

"It resides in the Yamato Province to the west of our location. We shall arrive soon enough. I will find you a warm meal and dry clothing upon arrival and you shall quarter with me for the evening. For now conserve your strength." Nakata spoke with his head turned towards Deku, dark eyes locking into awed virescent. The teen nodded and the guard faced forward once more.

Yamato Province? Sanuki village was unknown to him but so was the province? Nothing in his memory was jumping out at him though there were so many cities and provinces in Japan that it was hard to keep up with it all. Add onto the fact that it was a village meant this guy was really into his roleplaying or he'd ended up farther from civilization than he thought. He glanced back through the rain at where he was sheltered. The rocks had disappeared in a haze of water. There was no telling how far he'd walked since first waking up and now that he was on horseback it was even more difficult to track his distance. The only thing he could do was wait until morning then head back this direction to search for Uraraka.

Please be safe, Uraraka.

_B_

Uraraka stared at the people hovering around her like they had three heads and twelve eyeballs, the silky covers pulled up to her mouth in surprise. One minute she was being sucked into a creepy book in the U.A. library with Deku and the next she was being awoken by a bunch of strangers in a room far too luxurious for her blood. Of course there was the obligatory scream of surprise that had more strangers rushing into the room she was apparently occupying, which just added stress to the situation. They were even dressed weird too, plain kimonos with white belts and long locks tied back with a ribbon. The room stank heavily of incense and perfumes, the scents giving Ochaco a throbbing headache early in the morning. Nearly a dozen women dressed the same stood around the bed muttering with scared expressions, some even looking on the verge of tears.

"Princess, are you ill? Shall we call for a physician? How is your head?" One timid woman asked with careful steps towards Ochaco, trembling hand reaching out to her.

"Princess? What're you talking about? My name is Ochaco Uraraka and I'm certainly not a princess. I don't even know what I'm doing here! I was in the U.A. library with Deku and there was this book that sucked us in after touching it then—"

"Kami, she is even speaking tongues! Quickly, fetch some cold water and the court physicians! Hurry, hurry!" Another woman ordered two younger attendants with a firm voice, the two quickly leaving through an intricately carved set of doors. Ochaco lowered the sheets slowly. What in the world was going on? Was she in some sort of hidden tv show? Glancing around the brunette took notice of the rather lavish items filling the large room. Thick, golden laced curtains surrounded her plush mattress sitting atop fine tatami mats with black lacquer support beams on every corner, a private bathing area against the wall that was easily the size of her dorm room, expansive shoji doors lining the wall to her right with small windows for ventilation. This felt more like Yaomomo's taste not hers, but the staff were really out of place with their golden colored kimonos. If they were servants then why were they wearing such outdated clothing? And why were they acting so frightened?

"Wait, wait, wait. I don't need a doctor I just want to know what's going on. Let's start with where I am. Whose room is this and why am I in it?" Ochaco felt uneasy when the staff all went wide eyed before glancing around at one another. That wasn't a good sign. Did that book cause a concussion on its way down?

"Princess, you are in your room. We bade goodnight like we do every night yet this morning you are…confused? You have lived here ever since you were young. Perhaps the incense are too strong for your liking? Some fresh morning air might do you some good," One servant cautiously replied after bowing respectfully, giving commands via eye movements for the rest of the staff to start moving. It was like a flurry of activity that Ochaco could barely keep up with. The multiple layers of shoji doors were carefully pushed apart to reveal the morning light glistening over a private garden and a fresh, low breeze of air into the room. The scent of incense diminished as women rushed them out of the room to clear the air.

"Thank you, maybe now my mind will clear up a bit. So we've established that this is my room, even though it really isn't, so next would be who you think I am."

"Highness…you are Princess Kaguya…" Ochaco stared at her incredulously. Say what now?

"Eh?"

"Princess Kaguya…is your name…"

"Eh?"

"Kaguyahime…unparalleled for your beauty and grace, born in a glowing shoot of bamboo. Many a suitors flock for your hand in marriage. Lord Yoshimochi is the simple bamboo farmer who found you resting in a bamboo shoot as a youngling and raised you into the beautiful young woman you are now."

"….eh?!"

Ochaco placed her hands on either side of her head trying to comprehend what was going on. Princess Kaguya was said to be an ancient deity from the moon and she certainly was not a deity nor from the moon. She was a hero from U.A. training to save those in need, not sit in a palace all day waiting for a suitor to take her hand. A thought popped into her mind and she threw the covers off before scrambling to her feet much to the terror of the servants. "Where's Deku? About one hundred and eighty-three centimeters tall, messy dark green hair and bright green eyes, really muscular. Always helping anyone in need and super kind and cu…a-aha, sorry that was probably too much information."

"Deku? I am afraid I do not know a person named such. I will look into it Princess, but for now we should prepare you for the daily festivities since you are well enough to leap from bed." An older woman whom Ochaco assumed was the head servant judging by the greying hair, stepped forward with a slight hand motion. More chaos ensued as the alarmed teen was gently pushed towards a separated bathroom as other servants cleared up the bedding until nighttime. The brunette could barely get a word of protest in as they stripped the clothes from her body, eased her into a steaming bath with oils and perfumes, washed and scrubbed her hair thoroughly along with every inch of her skin. And she meant every inch of her skin which resulted in a rather violent reaction that ended up soaking half of the servants in bath water and leaving Ochaco beet red in the face, tears brimming in the brunette's eyes from mortification. After that was done they dried her off before whisking her back into the other room where servants waited with layers upon layers of cloth.

Ochaco tried her best to stand as still as possible while they bore her naked body to the world before slipping on a layer of undergarments which was more of a sheer linen than anything. Layer upon layer was slid on before being secured with belts until the brunette felt her body start to dip a bit from the amount of weight resting on her shoulders. She'd seen itsutsuginu-karaginu-mo in history museums before though she never expected to be wearing one as a freaking moon princess going out to deal with suitors clamoring for her hand. She wasn't sure which was worse; dealing with Mineta on a daily basis by himself or dealing with a crowd of Mineta's surely looking to woo a moon princess.

"All set, Princess. We are going to leave your locks down though an ornament will rest above your forehead to signify your purity status to suitors. Lord Yoshimochi is holding a competition today to narrow down the search for partners. I do hope you find someone soon for your own happiness, Princess." A servant smiled before handing Ochaco a small ornate mirror. The teen startled a little as she looked at her murky and slightly warbled reflection. White powder turned her skin the palest she'd ever seen with a stark contrast of red tinting the lips. Black eyeliner traced her upper lid with a blushing of red for eyeshadow that trailed underneath her eye to meet with the liner. Red tinted her eyebrows to a new shade. A stiff, black shaped wig fit snugly against her head with a large golden ornament resting center, the trailing silken locks resting perfectly against the top layer of dress with a flat edge. She moved her head experimentally and found it was difficult to even make such a small movement thanks to the layers of collars keeping her neck straight and the rock hard wig. The only thing that looked normal was her wide auburn eyes staring right back at her. It was all starting to get a little too freaky.

"I uh…thank you for assisting me. May I ask where we are going next?" Ochaco swallowed a bit of fear building up in her throat. Could she even move in this thing? Hands clenched firmly into the fabric and for a moment Ochaco expected the layers of the dress to start floating up but a quick glance down told her otherwise. All five finger pads touched the dress yet nothing was moving. Did her quirk not work? This was bad. This was really bad. She wasn't entirely powerless but being in a strange place without a quirk was asking for trouble.

"Breakfast in the main hall then you will join his Lordship for the samurai battle for the duration of the day. Your studies have been moved to tomorrow in the hopes you will find a suitor to take your hand. Best of luck, Princess Kaguya." The servants all bowed and Ochaco took that as her cue to stand. It took a moment of finding her balance before she moved a few steps ahead. The shoes were extremely uncomfortable but there wasn't much she could do about it now. The possibility of ditching them later on was rather high.

"This way, Princess," The head servant gestured with a bow through the open doors. Ochaco swallowed hard before slowly following suit, tightly clutching her fidgeting hands against herself. Thankfully the longer sleeves covered the nervous gesture as she gradually made her way down the spacious palace halls. It was almost like walking through history but a lot more nerve-wracking and intimidating. How was she even supposed to act? What would happen if she seriously messed up? There was only a small bit of information retained in her memory of the history museum and even that didn't go into detail on how to act like a princess of the moon.

Everyone they passed bowed and greeted her as if it was just another day. Ochaco did her best to act regally with head bows and smiles though it was a bit painfully obvious judging from the looks of the other servants. The way they glanced at one another curiously or in confusion, some even going so far as to do a double take at the gesture she made. Was she acting that out of ordinary? The remainder of the walk was a silent one with the fake princess choosing to keep her gaze straight ahead with a neutral expression. Apparently princesses didn't acknowledge lower servants which didn't settle well with Ochaco.

"Princess Kaguya, good morning."

Ochaco slowed to a stop at the greeting and slightly turned her body to look at the newcomer. Her jaw nearly fell to the floor when she recognized the familiar dark locks and facial features of her classmate, a quick thinking gesture of using the long sleeves covered the surprise reaction. Tenya Iida stood with a hand over his samurai armor and head bowed low. There was no mistaking it, he looked exactly like her best friend who was currently buying orange juice from the vending machines back at U.A.. Hope fluttered in her chest and she made to reach out to him with a shaky breath of relief when he stood back up, a feeling of confusion and bewilderment replacing the hope. He appeared older, taller, even with a matching beard and mustache. Scars littered across his face and she felt a pang of sadness for him. His armor was littered with gashes, broken chains, and if her eyes weren't playing her, even the faint crimson stain of blood. It was almost dizzying with how crazy things were just this morning but at least there was a somewhat familiar face to look at.

"G-good morning, Iida. How are you faring today?" Ochaco couldn't quite keep the stutter from quivering her voice but cleared her throat to try and cover it up. Iida shot his eyebrows up before correcting himself with another deep bow.

"Please do not force yourself to call me by birth name, Princess! Commander is just fine lest you wish to use the birth name then by all means feel free to do so! You seem rather cheerful this morning. I was afraid since last night you were not feeling the greatest. Perhaps a good night of sleep did you some good." There was the Iida she knew and cared about. Always worried about ones health over everything. Still, there were stark differences that made her think deep down he wasn't the one she knew, but that didn't cross out the possibility that they weren't alike enough to garner what information he held.

"Yes, a good night of sleep seemed to be beneficial though I woke up a bit confused this morning. I believe the incense may have messed with my head during my slumber. Some breakfast should alleviate the remaining fog. Will you be joining us?" Ochaco seriously felt like she was partaking in a failing Kabuki play. Mannerisms had to be close enough to the original to be believable but drama and theatre were never her strong points. Iida almost seemed surprised though a gracious smile illuminated his face.

"Of course, Princess! I would be more than happy to partake in a feast with your highness. It is an honor just to be in your presence let alone dine with you. I will ensure the feast hall is properly secured before joining in."

"Princess Kaguya," The head servant murmured lowly in her ear. "males other than your Lordship are banned from sitting beside you in the dining hall lest there is concern for your safety. While your father may approve since he is the Commander, I do not believe it is best to—"

"Commander Iida is a close friend of mine whom I trust with my life. He is more than welcome to join me in the dining hall. If father disagrees then I will not be partaking in the morning meal. I do not wish to argue this matter further," Ochaco replied firmly with a softening expression. Regardless of what their palace rules were, Iida was always welcome to share a meal with her. They were equals, not one looking down on the either. Well, save for his height even though she'd sprouted another few inches. The servant hastily apologized and bowed deeply, hands clasped at the front expertly. The princess accepted the apology with a nod of her head before continuing the procession towards the dining hall, Iida stepping in line at her right. Tears were welling behind her eyes at the comfort his presence brought. She wasn't sure where she was or what was actually happening, but at least she had a familiar face to help guide her through the experience.

More servants, where they popped out of Ochaco wasn't sure, greeted her at the entrance to the dining hall with deep bows prior to sliding open the large shoji doors. With her head held high the princess floated into the room as gracefully as she could with Iida by her side. Another extravagant room was laid out before her with multiple black lacquered trays residing towards the back of the space and two rows of smaller sets of the same trays lined up along the sides. It looked more like a full on dinner party rather than a simple breakfast like she preferred. Resting on the left head spot was a black haired man she didn't recognize who promptly rose upon her arrival then bowed. He donned a fine hakama that glistened in the flame light like a gently flowing river. Silver, blue and white patterns glimmered as he stood, arms thrown wide in warm welcoming. Ochaco stopped, dipped her head, and bowed as much as she could given the constricting fabrics. "Good morning."

"Blessed morning to you my child. How are you feeling? I heard you had an unpleasant awakening this morning." A deep calming voice soothed the fraying nerves of the hero who straightened back up before carefully making her way down the aisle of trays. From a glance he didn't seem to be a bad person but Ochaco knew nothing of the world she was in and opted to play it safe. His face was aged yet radiated kindness beneath the outer appearance. Oddly enough, he didn't seem the type to be a bamboo farmer but at this point she wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

"Better, thank you. The incense seemed to have overwhelmed me during my slumber which created an unpleasant awakening. It has been taken care of so I should be well enough for the event later today."

"Excellent! Settle in then we shall begin the morning meal. Oh, was there something you needed Commander Iida?" The man noticed the higher ranking officer standing off the side at attention. Ochaco looked over in his direction once getting settled on the floor, layers and layers of fabric flowing all over the tatami mats. Even sitting was a difficult task with this outfit. Was this how they used to dress daily? The shoes were beginning to pinch worse so with discrete movements she wedged them off and shuffled them to a different section of the dress.

"I asked him to join us this morning for the meal. He is a trusted friend of mine and I would be most pleased if he were to join. Is that acceptable?" Ochaco asked shyly with a glance to the man next to her, anxiously awaiting the answer she sought. If this was her father, Kaguya's father, then certainly he would allow such a simple request to be fulfilled. Answers were needed and samurai Iida would have them. Her father rubbed at his chin for a moment in serious thought, glancing between the two with a sharp gaze. Iida remained at attention without wavering and just as Ochaco opened her mouth to interject the tense atmosphere, the Lord let out a deep bellowing laugh that filled the room.

"Of course, of course! Daughter, you and Commander Iida have been close since youth! Did those incense truly mess with your head? How could you forget such a thing?"

Heat burned Ochaco's cheeks underneath the pasty paint covering her face. How in the world was she supposed to know that?! Everything since waking up this morning was a gamble on whether or not it was appropriate as a princess but apparently she'd just made a complete fool of herself. A few servants snickered quietly behind their hands though they promptly silenced themselves after a piercing look from Ochaco. Now that breakfast was a complete and utter bust, hopefully the competition later on would distract the staff from the blunder. Iida chuckled a bit before bowing to his Lordship and taking his appropriate place at the first tray set to her left. Thankfully he didn't comment further on the issue as more and more people began filing into the room for food. They all gave their greetings before finding their appropriate spots on the floor. Servants entered the room each with a tray that was assigned to each person. Ochaco and Kaguya's father had theirs served first as was customary. Grilled fish, plentiful serving of rice, dishes of different vegetables and meats, a bowl of soup along with a cup of steaming tea. Ochaco nearly drooled at the sight.

"Before we feast I must make an important announcement," The Lord began with a sweeping gaze over the room, his warm brown eyes stopping on his daughter who gave a small smile before looking at his officials. "Today is the battle that will determine the hand asking for Princess Kaguya. Many have tried to plea, demand, bribe, and even cheat their way in order to achieve the title of Lord of Sanuki once the throne is passed down. I have worked tirelessly in order to prevent such atrocious men from entering castle grounds though no defense is perfect. Thanks to Commander Iida and his men, seven men have been captured and confined for conspiracies against Sanuki and Princess Kaguya just this morning. Rest assured that the rest of my men are checking every carriage and person that enters the village. I take the safety of my citizens to heart. The tournament will continue as planned with an increase of samurai from neighboring villages."

"Rest assured Lord Yoshimochi, I have personally made sure that the arena is secured and my men have been instructed to apprehend any suspicious men." Iida affirmed the Lord's words though a few guests seemed to have doubts as a man dressed in a silken dark blue, crane printed kimono stood from his cushion with hands thrown up.

"Do you not believe this has all gone a little too far, Lord Yoshimochi? Many suitors both fake and authentic are yearning for Princess Kaguya and her hand in marriage yet there are many snakes slithering inside of Sanuki through the cracks for deceitful reasons! How are your men supposed to protect the lower ranking citizens when the samurai are too busy offering their swords so your daughter can marry and produce heirs? I believe this nonsense has gone on long enough. If you wish to find a suitable warrior for Princess Kaguya then I suggest you ask her how she wishes to proceed. Losing strong warriors over a woman is shameful and—"

"Lord Takayama, please refrain from raising your voice at his Lordship. We should all be supportive of his decision that is best for his daughter. A meeting of the council can be arranged at a better time." Iida interrupted with an abrupt stand. All eyes went to the towering samurai with his distinctive rustic red and tan armor. He certainly held an impressive air over the lower ranking officials who averted their gazes downward. Lord Takayama jolted at the challenge but stood his ground, nonetheless.

"There is no time to arrange a meeting to discuss these issues, the tournament begins when the sun is nearly high. How are we supposed to protect the poverty ridden people who have no means of defense apart from a sickle or dull cooking blade? I along with others feel this is nothing more than a boasting competition to see how far one man can go by slaying other warriors. Blood for the sake of a woman who was supposedly birthed in a bamboo shoot and sent from the Heavens?" Lord Takayama shot back with a bite to his words. Ochaco kept the eyebrow raising to just a few notches to avoid attention. Apparently there were those who failed to believe Kaguya was birthed in the bamboo shoot, a rather tall tale if she'd say so herself, but considering she was actually portraying the deity…

"Lord Takayama, did you honestly believe that this tournament was to the death?" Lord Yoshimochi asked incredulously with barely concealed anger adorning his worn face. Lord Takayama made to open his mouth again when the Lordship put up a palm to stop him as he stood tall. His towering frame overcast the warm glowing flames of the candles as he stepped down in between the rows of trays with purposeful steps. Ochaco felt a shiver run up her spine as the scene unfolded. Lord Yoshimochi radiated a silent rage that had every other guest bowing deeply when he passed by, including Iida who sent her a silent gaze of concern along with a small shake of his head. She needed to stop this otherwise the outspoken Lord could be killed but her legs wouldn't move, instead just quivering beneath her and the endless layers of fabric. The temptation to outburst her protest nearly outweighed the crippling wave of fear washing over the brunette. With his status and impressive stature there was no way she could physically stop him, especially without the help of her quirk. Was she just supposed to sit there and watch that man be killed?

"Lord Yoshimochi, please understand that there is no disrespect here…" Lord Takayama began uneasily though he trembled beneath the presence of the castle Lord. His hands twisted uneasily against his kimono as he tried to remain strong but the overwhelming intimidation radiating from Lord Yoshimochi had him taking a step back.

"No disrespect? Not only have you shown disrespect for me and my courts, including my Commander who has shown more loyalty than you currently possess in your entire being, but you have also shown blatant disrespect and plain ignorance against Princess Kaguya. You are free to believe what you wish but you shall not speak of disrespect to my daughter or I will have you permanently removed from the lower court then have you banned from the castle grounds as well. And since you show great concern for those lesser fortunate citizens of Sanuki, I am hereby placing you and your personal guard in charge of patrolling the streets to catch those snakes slipping through the cracks. Pray to Kami that you are leaving this room with all of your limbs intact Lord Takayama, next time you may not be so lucky."

The Lord quickly bowed in submission then scuttled out through the shoji doors without another word. A few of his underlings quietly excused themselves as well, the disgrace evident on their faces before servants silently shut the doors. Lord Yoshimochi stood there for another moment, either contemplating his next words or actions, Ochaco wasn't sure of but without another thought she pushed to her feet. Iida offered a hand which she gratefully took while navigating the few steps to floor level. The decorative layers of silk brushed over the hardwood floors with each barefoot tapping. A servant snapped from their stunned stupor to grab the dragging fabric and shift it from getting too close to burning flames and trays. Ochaco stopped near her father, waited until Iida and the servant backed away, then tentatively placed a hand against his arm.

"Father?"

"Kaguya…my daughter…" Yoshimochi heavily paused between the words as if struggling to come down from the rage. He used his free hand to swipe at his face then turned to the concerned princess with a tired and apologetic smile. Both hands clasped her extended one gently. "Forgive me, Kaguya. I lost control of my feelings and let them get the best of me. I have ruined your breakfast. I beg for your forgiveness."

"I understand your reasonings of retaliation. As Lord of Sanuki you have a deep responsibility to not only your subjects but to your family as well. I too have felt the conflict of emotions when trying to protect both and the anger of failing to succeed. Lord Takayama was wrong to try and give his opinion so directly without consulting you, but every person is entitled to speak their thoughts. I may not fully understand the workings of the court systems here, yet I understand the frustrations of a person who feels those in power live with ignorance and bliss. Equality between royalty and normal citizens is an extremely difficult balance to achieve. I am not saying he was right or that you were wrong to express your feelings, but there is an amicable ending to this argument that suits both parties. Redirect some of the samurai to help patrol the poor areas of the village after reorganizing the remaining ones to cover enough of the area without sacrificing security. All is forgiven if you are willing to understand Lord Takayama and his personal frustrations with holding this battle for a hand in marriage, father." Ochaco replied smartly after a quick analysis of the feud between the two. The heat of the moment was a downside of an argument though it could sometimes be salvaged in order to prevent further damage. She could thank Deku and his critical thinking skills for the mediation tactic.

"Not only are you beautiful, my daughter, but you have the great mind of a leader who will bring peace between the lower and upper rankings one day. I am incredibly proud to call you my kin." Lord Yoshimochi spoke softly with a proud gleam in his eyes. Ochaco couldn't help but return with a warm smile, her padded fingers squeezing the hard, calloused hand of the warrior. He acted like her own father back in the real world and a twinge of sadness pulsed with each heartbeat.

"Thank you. I for one am looking forward to eating the well prepared meal if you are willing to join me."

"I will always join you for a meal, Kaguya."

---

Deku woke up to something nudging him in the shoulder rather hard, the motion having him jolting straight up with his hands up ready to attack. Nakata merely cocked an eyebrow at him before motioning towards the open door showing the first rays of light filtering in. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as the samurai continued about his morning without pause. Sleep didn't come easily to the hero as his mind was plagued with worry over Uraraka. He wanted to get back out to the forest to retrace his steps to where he awoke but making his way through the village and back in the correct direction would be a challenge. He'd gotten so distracted with the realistic replicas of ancient Sanuki that he forgot to trace the way out in the dying light.

"You were fitful in slumber, Midoriya Izuku." Nakata remarked casually while tossing clean clothes at the tired teenager in his passing, the worn material lightly scratching at Deku's sweaty skin.

"I'm just worried about my friend. I'm not sure how we got separated in the forest but even though I know she can handle herself, it doesn't mean I won't worry about her. What's the fastest way to get back to the forest, Nakata?" Deku yanked his borrowed shirt off his body and made to set it down when the samurai stuck a broad hand out to collect it. He was just going to put the new shirt on but the man stopped him with a hand and pointed to the pants as well. As soon as the dirty clothes were handed over Nakata dropped a bucket with a small scrap of fabric in it onto the floor beside the mat.

"There is no time to return to the woods for the battle begins right as the sun is high. If you are going to partake then you need to be fitted for armor. I know of a spare set at the local blacksmiths but for now, cleanse yourself before the first meal. After the rankings are done then I will assist in your search, Midoriya Izuku. Many of us have travelled countless suns to prove our worth and win the hand of Princess Kaguya. I myself am here only for the safety of the villagers against those who seek to deceive his Lordship."

"Nakata, please. I need to find Uraraka to make sure she's safe and unharmed. Even if you have to just point in the direction then—"

"You told me you were a warrior, correct?" Nakata interrupted, agitation clear in his rough voice. The man looked even scarier without the armor on. Heavy scars over his face and body, scraggly black locks that were barely constrained by a piece of fabric and hardened black eyes that bore heavily into surprised virescent. Deku hesitantly nodded with tight lips. Was he really going to ignore a lost and potentially injured person for a battle? "A warrior does not back down from a challenge regardless of another worry plaguing them. Do not think there is no concern or sympathy for your friend, but let me ask this; can your friend survive on her own? Does she have the skillset to fight when the unforeseen strikes?"

"Yeah, I mean she's very capable and resourceful when it comes to fighting—" Deku started explaining but the raggedy man silence him again with a palm.

"Then there is no worry to be had. The scars littering your body, what were they from?"

"Prior battles I've fought…my body couldn't handle the power I was given for the longest time and these were the results. They're also from protecting my friends and those who were in need of a hero. What does that have to do with Uraraka being missing?"

"This Uraraka, does she wear the same battle scars as you?"

"She has some battle wounds that left a lot of deep scars. She even nearly sacrificed her life to protect a child from a collapsing building. Nakata, I understand where you're coming from, but how can I focus on a fight when Uraraka could be out there captured or injured? If your friend was lost and in need what would you do?" Deku challenged back with building irritation. This roleplaying game was starting to get a bit stale and he needed to find his friend. Nakata leaned against the opposite wall of their small, shared hut with arms crossed, criticizing eyes looking him up and down. The teen stood as soon as his pants were changed and stretched to his full height. It was still a bit of a size difference with the man being taller and stockier than him but he wouldn't back down from this.

"I would put my full faith in them and Kami above to survive their perils. You may feel the need to protect and care for your friend, but if you speak the truth of her victorious battles then there is no need to worry. Your feelings will get in the way of your fighting, Midoriya Izuku. A clouded mind creates a weak warrior. I will assist you with armor and training but it is up to you if you wish to fight for the top. I have heard rumors that those top three who win shall have a request granted by Princess Kaguya, though that may merely be whispers in the wind. Cleanse yourself down the road, the meal will be ready soon."

Deku grabbed the wash bucket to head for the public bath with turmoiled thoughts. Uraraka was strong, that he knew with every fiber of his being, and she could easily handle herself in an intense villain battle with little trouble. But wherever they were wasn't the Japan they knew and grew up in. The lack of electricity, modern technology, samurai literally everywhere he looked, even the slums seemed way too realistic to be a reenactment. A Lord controlled the village instead of an Emperor ruling over all of Japan like they currently had, though it could be compared to a mayoral position on the same level. Nothing was adding up when it came to the surroundings and people. Even their dialect was more of a play on words with heavier accents and no abbreviations like modern language. And the violence…it was a brief scuffle he saw that ended with a man being pierced through with a katana, no mercy given to the accused thief attempting to escape with his goods. Nakata had forced his attention away from the scene as the screams echoed into the filthy alleyways. After that it didn't take too long for the hero to figure out that after he and Uraraka were sucked into the storybook. They were transported into a new world full of dangerous people with no direct exit sign showing the way back to U.A..

What Nakata mentioned, about the runner up winner being able to request something of the princess. If he could place even in the top three then there was a chance of asking the princess if she knew of Uraraka's whereabouts. But there was a slight problem. He didn't know the first thing about sword fighting. Hand to hand combat was the obvious method of fighting, but he'd never had to use even a wooden sword, let alone a real one that could slice a man in half. It wouldn't take him long to learn and if he had to his quirk would come in as a backup option. Deku entered the bathhouse and went to find an open stool to begin the process of taking a bath. Last night there weren't many people as it was growing dark and raining but apparently the morning time was a popular time to go. A small line of men waited just inside of the rickety old building that housed the baths, most of them waiting patiently with their buckets and rags. A few men were complaining every so often about the long line but there was one man just two people ahead of Deku who didn't seem to be able to hold his tongue anymore. He slammed his bucket against the ground hard enough to splinter the wooden sides. Everyone in line turned around to look at the noise and the man flipped his lid entirely.

"I am freezing my privates off waiting here for a spot! How many people do you think are going to be competing today and want a bath before the hot water is gone? If you are an outsider then go wash up in a waterfall or something so us villagers can use our public bath in peace! All of you brawny bastards are here just for a look from the princess who probably does not care who you are! You want to do something about that stick between your legs? Go find a whore sittin around in the slums! A lot of you do not care for our princess other than for her status and beauty! Leave the bath house for those who live here!"

"Eh? You got a problem with samurai entering your shitty, rundown village? Maybe we are here for the battle or maybe we are here to rampage and murder all of you low-life slum dwellers to take over Sanuki village. I tell ya what, once I win this little battle of yours I shall give the princess a personal message with this stick of mine!" An arrogant samurai cackled with a thrusting of his hips, tongue sticking out in a lewd manner. The villager looked appalled and disgusted as he stood there unsure of what to do next. Deku grimaced but tried to keep his head down. Getting too involved in this world could drastically alter the outcome of the future, if that was even a stipulation of the storybook. Hell, he wasn't even sure their presence there would affect the outcome of the story.

"H-how dare you! Vile creature! You dare to speak so crudely of our beloved Princess Kaguya? Where are the guards? You should be thrown out on you behind for such a sharp tongue!"

What happened next had Deku moving without a second thought. The vulgar samurai unsheathed his blade in a flash and swung it without care towards the villager, a sadistic grin twisting his features in conjunction with a hysterical laugh. Before the blade made contact Deku slid in front of the petrified man and punched his left arm out in a feint then once the samurai was thrown off from the sudden shield and lost the swings momentum by lifting upwards, he followed up with an uppercut with his right hand while simultaneously knocking the blade out of reach. The two tumbled into the mud outside and using a move that was famous for being used by Uravity, Deku pinned the samurai to the ground by the back of the neck and wrist. He kept firm pressure against the man's back and legs in case he tried to get up and keep fighting. The fighter attempted to struggle but quickly found himself out matched and gave up with a pained grunt.

"You're going to seriously injure or kill a man just because you couldn't keep your mouth shut and short temper in check? If you call yourself a samurai then you should be ashamed to wield that blade and armor. In fact, I suggest packing your things and leaving before you make things worse for yourself. I can't guarantee your safety the next time you decide to run your mouth. Be grateful I intervened and not someone with a blade." Deku hissed lowly into his ear before releasing the hold and standing. The disgraced fighter quickly scrambled away without a second glance backwards. Men stared at him speechless and Deku ignored it to pick up his hastily discarded wash bucket and rag. Now his clean clothes were covered in mud and reeked of the concoction of standing water and who knows what else. Going back to Nakata to ask for a fresh pair seemed ungrateful so he would just have to deal with what he had for the time being.

"Boy, are you a warrior?" An older man asked from the front of the line, leaning around the other men to look at him. Deku nodded silently. After a few seconds the old man waved him forward to the front of the line, motioning for him to stand in his place.

"You really don't have to, I can wait in the back of the line."

"Nonsense! You just showed that snake not to mess with Sanuki and its people. You have done more for us in that moment than those lazy guards have in weeks. Oi, let this young warrior in for a wash! He just defended Senkai against a ruffian!"

"Good job, kid, you have more guts than anyone else here. Ever since the festival was announced more and more troublemakers have been sneaking in to steal and cause mayhem. Glad to see someone still has a sense of justice in this pit." Another man clapped him on the shoulder with a wide grin. Deku laughed a bit as another hand ruffled his locks. A few bathers exited the wash area then the old man pushed him forward into the room. All throughout his bath the teen was praised for his heroic action which made him feel a bit more at ease given the situation, all of the townsfolk and visiting samurai welcoming. Apparently warriors had been filtering in for weeks ever since the announcement was released so trouble started brewing once the samurai became overwhelmed. Lord Yoshimochi sent couriers to every nearby village asking for assistance and even a few couriers requesting aid from the Shogun. Deku absorbed as much information as he could until his time was up. The bathhouse attendant gave him an old pair of clothes to change into until his own borrowed fabrics could be washed, something he was extremely grateful for. He already felt bad for dirtying a borrowed set of clothes in less than twelve hours from a stranger who rescued him off the road.

The hut was in view so he hurried to get back before training started. The pathway had grown crowded during his bath and now he was nearly packed against other people as they shuffled about their daily tasks. Kids sprinted in between legs with sticks and makeshift toys, ignorant of the busy traffic. Deku smiled brightly at one who stopped to stare in awe, wide little eyes blinking a few times before a toothy smile was returned. If you looked past the rougher parts of Sanuki, it was actually a nice little village full of hardworking people. Even the air was noticeably clearer compared to the current Japan. The crowds loosened up and Deku walked full speed towards the hut until something smacked hard into shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards into a large water barrel.

"Watch where in the world you are walking, peasant."

Deku froze as a familiar, grating voice reached his ears and disbelief flooded his mind. There was no way. As far as he knew, it was only he and Uraraka sucked into the book unless others came to check out the noise and got caught up in the vacuum. Wide virescent eyes slowly looked up from the ground towards the source of the voice. His heart was pounding, hands trembling the slightest bit. Before him stood a samurai wearing blood red irons with black chains and leathers, sharp spikes protruding from his shoulders, and a heavily spiked helmet paired with an oni mask that only added to the sheer intimidation factor. The warrior latched onto his helmet then pushed it up with ease. Pointed blond locks sprung free from the constricting device, the man shaking them loose from the pressed mold they became. Piercing red eyes glared down at the dumbfounded green haired man with a clear immediate hatred. Deku wiped a hand down his face to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Then pinched his arm as hard as he could. Nope. The samurai was still there and looking down on him with disgust.

"Kaachan?!"

"What in Kami above did you just call me, peasant?" The blond snatched Deku up by the front of his clothes and pulled him in close, eyes narrowed in on the bastard who dared to insult him. Deku tried to activate his quirk defensively yet it wouldn't manifest. Realization slowly dawned on him in that moment as he relaxed his hands back to his side. This was a world without quirks so it made sense that his wouldn't work. Horrible timing seeing as he was about to get his ass handed to him by a predecessor of Bakugo. Ironic.

"S-sorry, you remind me of someone. I just instinctively said it out loud…"

"There is no other like Bakugo Katsuki, greatest samurai alive in Japan. Are you samurai?" Bakugo released him with a hard shove backwards. Deku stumbled but caught himself quickly, patting off the dust from his clothes.

"I'm not a samurai but I am a fighter."

"Try entering that festival, worm, and I will destroy you faster than you can pray to Kami above. I will be the one winning the festival and I shall ascend to Lord of Sanuki. A weak fighter like you cannot possibly—"

"You're wrong, Kaachan." Deku interrupted loudly. People had gathered around to see what the commotion was about, Nakata even stepping outside with his blade at the ready. Bakugo's face contorted into a variety of emotions before settling on murderous, his hand twitching over the katana resting against his hip. Deku no longer tolerated verbal abuse from his childhood friend in reality and he wouldn't tolerate it in this world either. "You can't knock me down anymore. Whatever strength you possess, I will push harder to surpass you. I don't care if you're the strongest in this world because I will always be stronger than you. I'll be entering that tournament just to prove to you that I'm not weak. We'll settle things there, Katsuki Bakugo."

Deku turned without another word and slipped past Nakata to enter the hut. Everyone around Bakugo quickly began to mutter but dispersed once a murderous gaze was shot their way. The samurai let out a heavy breath before turning on his heel and pushing his way through the crowd, angrily barking at people to get out of his way. Nakata let out an amused huff while entering the hut. Deku was sitting there on the tatami mat with hands pressed together against his worried face.

"I'm dead. He's going to beat the crap out of me. That was the stupidest thing to do and now he's going to chop me in half then beat the crap out of me. Or the other way around, I'm not sure which is worse honestly. Kaachan can get pretty scary when he's mad and I don't know how this version fights, but I can try to guess from what I know on him already. I should've just kept my mouth shut."

"You are brave and stupid to pick a fight with the Crimson Dragon of the West, Midoriya Izuku. He has yet to lose a battle in his life. If you are going to challenge him then we need to hurry and get you trained on sword basics." Nakata spoke while grabbing two bowls of rice and porridge, offering one to Deku before sitting down beside him on the worn tatami mat.

"I'm realizing now it was stupid of me to retaliate but I won't allow him to look down on others like that. I forgot to ask, does the competition involve real swords? Do people get severely injured or die during these battles?" Nakata heartily laughed and slapped Deku on the back, the latter nearly dropping his bowl in the process.

"Lord Yoshimochi hates to see good samurai injured during the festival so all participants are required to be in full armor with bokken. They are never sharp enough to cut through armor but may cause minor wounds. The set I have in mind for you is one that got me through many fights and saved my life more often than not. Fighting with a bokken is required though sometimes men are forced to fist fight to reach the next round. Judging by your takedown of that ruffian by the bathhouse, I see you are fine in that area."

"I wasn't really planning on getting in a fight outside of the bathhouse but he was going to kill a villager over nothing. What exactly are the rules of the game? How do you advance to the next round?"

"There is a ring that fighters must remain inside of in order to not be counted out. The goal is to either get your opponent out or downed by surrender. Men will use dirty tactics to win like kicking up dirt or sand to blind and take down an opponent. Watch your legs as they go for an easy down right away. The first round is an elimination process to get rid of the weak, it involves jujitsu to down an opponent. Once you hit the ground you are out. Around twenty or so advance to the next round which turns into one on one matches until a victor emerges."

"So by getting rid of the weaker fighters first it narrows down the chances for stronger men to break through the rankings and reach the top. Are you wearing armor the first round? And how about the overall winners? Or how is the final winner decided?" Deku asked now fully intrigued with the fighting system. A free for all sounded like a good idea but doing so while wearing armor didn't seem all that great, especially because he'd never worn armor before and knew it was going to be heavy.

"Armor is optional in the first round though normally only the strongest keep them on, it depends on the fighter and how much energy they wish to use up. The three top ranking fighters will stand before Princess Kaguya who will give them each a difficult task. If they cannot complete the task, then they are disqualified. The past three years no one has come close to earning her hand in marriage. Many have tried to cheat their way but…" Nakata trailed off while slicing a thumb across his neck, indicating that cheaters were executed. Deku nearly choked on his meal but quickly tossed some tea back to clear the blockage. Executed? For cheating?

"That seems a little excessive, doesn't it? Killing any cheaters? Why not just ban them from the village and forbid them from every competing again?"

"Because they disrespected Princess Kaguya and her family. Lying and being deceitful just to rule a throne means a person will not abide by boundaries, creating havoc on a village that cannot be upheld by a disciplined Lord. Disrespecting royalty means you are not only ignoring their laws and way of life, but that the Shogun is shown as having failed in keeping the peace. Better to thin out those who do what they wish to harm others. This world is harsh but it is better to obey and abide than to die. Something you should know as a warrior, Midoriya Izuku. Finish your meal and we shall procure my armor from the blacksmith."

Breakfast didn't take long to finish seeing as it wasn't much more than porridge over rice and a good sized piece of fish, so without further delay the two left the hut to head for the blacksmith. Instead of heading towards the bathhouse, they turned left and weaved their way out of the borderline slum area into the nicer part of the village. Larger houses, men and women wearing finer kimono, goods being sold in nice shops instead of out on the dirty streets. Deku tried to absorb as much information as he could during the walk, fascinated with ancient Japanese life. Surviving in times like these was literal life and death. Diseases were rampant, death was prominent in slums, and if you weren't royalty or even higher ranking in any sort of way then your lifespan was drastically cut down. Speaking of royalty, Deku had yet to see any form of high ranking society in Sanuki. Nakata had escorted a neighboring Lord into the village but he diverted away as other samurai took over the remainder of the way. So far he knew there was a Lord Yoshimochi and Princess Kaguya but no word on other types of leadership. The castle stood high above the rest of the village so he could see how expansive the property was but getting close didn't seem easy.

"Nakata, how long has Lord Yoshimochi occupied the castle of Sanuki?"

"Only for about four years now, ever since Princess Kaguya was found nestled within a shoot of bamboo. He used to be just a bamboo farmer until he found her, believe it or not. Rumor has she grew into a beautiful young woman within three months and that gold overflowed from the very stalk she was birthed in as gratitude from the gods for his kindness. My Lord used that wealth to rebuild Sanuki castle after it had been destroyed by a prior war. What remained of the village began to flourish once more and more people traveled here for a new life. He has done more for this village than most and for that I am thankful for his generosity. Princess Kaguya has also played a role in the flourish. She has devoted countless hours to teaching the young and aiding the old. The slums are still a work in progress yet I believe everyone will soon become equal under her reign."

"It's great that they're so willing to help others. Have you met them personally?" Nakata gave a short nod in his direction.

"Aye. It was two winters ago when I ventured into Sanuki after losing my home to raiders. They gave me food, shelter, and training. I surely would have died without their help. Lord Yoshimochi is a wise and kind leader who came from a humble background. I have seen him shed his outer layers for a cold villager in the dead of winter. Princess Kaguya is warm, kind, and radiates like a deity from above. Never have I seen her scorn or ignore a person in need. The one who takes her hand will be the luckiest man in all the lands. Perhaps you can claim victory and a new woman."

Deku scratched at the back of his neck with a light laugh. The battle he was fine with winning but taking the hand of a princess in a world he didn't belong in seemed a bit too much. Besides, he had a more important person in mind a few years down the road. "I've actually already got someone…well, not yet technically but I'm hoping to ask her out soon it's just that we've been so busy with school and hero work that there hasn't actually been any time to talk about it…"

"She must be this Uraraka, correct?" Nakata let out a bellowing laugh when Deku flushed bright red, the teen nodding shyly with an avoiding gaze. The samurai stepped back to lock an arm around his broad shoulders and tug him close. "Aye she is! Your face tells all, boy. Tell me, what is she like?"

"Kind, caring, strong, reliable, her hair really suits her, she's always risking to sacrifice for the sake of others, her quirk is really awesome and combined with her martial arts she can take down villains quickly and safely. Uraraka's also been there for me from the beginning, ever since the entrance exams when she saved me from falling. And again during the battle portion. She's been the one pushing me forward, encouraging me to go above and beyond when I lost hope from ever becoming strong. She's the reason I have the hero name Deku, a word I once considered to be an insult and the end of my path." Deku replied instantly much to Nakata's increased amusement. He released the teen but not without a large hand ruffling his already messy locks.

"You take care of that one, you hear? Fondness like that does not come round often."

"Yes, sir."

The sound of metal hitting metal rang out in the hot and humid air as an elderly man slammed a hammer down on a blade over and over, twisting and elongating the glowing shape to roughly form a blade. Coals roared hotter with each puffing of air into the oven by a pedal device. The blacksmith paused to dunk the blade into a large, charred barrel of water, intense steam filling most of the workshop with an angry hissing. Nakata and Deku entered through the storefront where an apprentice showed them the way back to the workshop before scurrying back up front to assist another customer. Deku stared in awe at all of the katana hanging from hooks against the wall. They were black lacquered sheaths with the hilt wrapped in leather with golden thread, some even sporting various colors that Deku had never seen before. The exposed blades gleamed menacingly in the glow of the forge as he reached up a hand to lightly touch one. A few of them even had intricate tampered golden patterns overlaying the lacquer, a skillset that required decades of experience and delicate hands. The mesmerizing color combination combined with the hand carved patterns had Deku locked on with intense fascination.

"Best be keeping your hand to yourself lest you lose it completely," The blacksmith called out over the raging forge and Deku quickly slapped his hand down with a bow of apology. Nakata merely waved off the threat before grabbing one down, sheathing it completely, then handing it to an unsure Deku without batting an eye.

"Here, this is a kurourusi tachi. Be wary of the blades sharpness, you will lose a finger or two if you are careless. Totosai, always a grumpy pleasure to see. Busy lately?" Totosai looked over at his name. The thin, elderly man wiped his dirtied face with the sleeve on his arm before setting his current piece down atop a smoldering coal pile. He hobbled over to Nakata, looked him up and down for a minute, then burst into a hearty laugh before grabbing his hand and shaking it vigorously.

"Nakata! Good to see you! Who is the pup behind you touching my prized swords? You promised to visit many suns ago yet you just now show up? Never mind that, if you are here then it only means one thing. You want that armor, yes? You know, it has not been moved since its storage all those years ago. I repaired it though it is not as attractive as before—"

"Glad to see you, old friend. I am relieved to know you are still alive and pursuing your passions. This pup is Midoriya Izuku, I rescued him from the side of the Forbidden Woods road. For now he seeks to enter the festival in the hopes of asking Princess Kaguya for the whereabouts of his friend. Have you heard of a young woman named Uraraka?" Totosai scratched his face in thought. It took him a moment to gather his findings but the old man finally felt the light bulb flicker on and pointed a crooked, dirty finger at Nakata with a gasp. Deku snapped his attention from the sword to the old man in an instant.

"Never heard of that name! So, are we pulling out the armor? You are going to need a new bokken, yours became a little…splintered during the last festival. You were always too rough during your matches. I hope you are not planning on having this pup take your place! You need to stop trying to pass your will onto others, Nakata, my age will catch up to me sooner rather than later." Deku deflated at the false hope and went back to studying the katana with less enthusiasm than before. For a brief second his hopes were up that the old man knew where Uraraka was but he'd known since yesterday that it was going to be harder than he thought. The best option at this point was to win the tournament and get his question from the princess.

"Aye, go ahead and pull that armor. I suppose a new bokken as well, Totosai. Is it still in pieces?" Nakata motioned for the old man to grab the mention armor.

"Tis indeed. I repaired it the best I could though some sections had to be completely replaced with what spare materials I had. The ribs have been reinforced with steel since you seem to be hit there the most but I will need to refit it for the pup there. Not too much of a stature difference, more mass on you but I can make it work for the festival."

Totosai turned and shoved the cooling stick of metal back into the forge out of direct flame before continuing through another door at the back of the room. Nakata waited patiently as the old man rummaged through his things with self-talks about where he'd placed the old armor. A few things crashed and clunked causing Deku to move towards the storage room but the old samurai held up an arm to stop him. Totosai was like this every time he stopped by. The man was the greatest blacksmith in the area but sometimes his memory played tricks on him when it came to remembering where he stored customer items. Often it was buried under crates of new material hence the crashing and spilling of crates. Trying to help him just got things thrown at him so he stopped trying after the first three visits.

"Shouldn't we help him? What if a heavy object fell on him?" Deku asked nervously with concern growing on his face.

"Nay. Totosai is a stubborn old man who takes help from no one. Took me three tries to learn that. Got a few scars from it too. He knows how to navigate better than any villager so best to leave him be. Have you felt the weight of the blade enough to be able to swing one?"

Deku pursed his lips a bit but decided not to argue it. He turned his attention to the katana resting in his hands. It weighed barely anything, in fact it was light enough to lift without much thinking. "It's really light, probably easy to swing as well though I'm too afraid to damage it by actually moving it around. What Totosai was mentioning, a bokken? That's a wooden practice sword, right? What's the weight difference of that one and a katana?"

"About the same. Material is the main difference along with shape and hold. Here, give me that one."

Nakata held out his hands for the katana, the blade easily resting within his palms. He carefully slipped the sheath under his hakama belt before sliding into a practiced stance, one leg back with the other bending and positioning his weight forward. Deku took a few steps back to prevent his face from getting sliced off but Nakata stopped him and motioned for him to step forward once and to the left two times. Once he was sure the teen was positioned correctly, the samurai held the top of the sheath while grasping the handle loosely. He steadied his breath and closed his eyes for a few moments. With a snap of his eyes open he fluidly removed the katana while simultaneously lunging forward. Deku's breath hitched the slightest bit as the edge of the blade came to rest just barely above the side of his neck, right where his jugular ran. Wide virescent eyes darted to stare at the shocked expression reflecting back at him from the blade. He was fast. In the span of just a few seconds he'd subdued him with deadly precision. Nakata exhaled before straightening up and slowly sheathing the blade.

"Good weight, handle is a nice length, easy to swing. Sharper than a splinter of bamboo. A trained samurai can slice through a neck with ease but an incorrectly taught one can make a man suffer a night of agony prior to death. Remember that if you ever find yourself against another warrior, Midoriya Izuku."

"Y-yes, I'll make sure to remember that. That uh…that blade was a little close for comfort, Nakata." The samurai merely laughed then clapped a hand on Deku's shoulder without a worry. Another loud clanging had the two instantly looking at the storage room door as Totosai came stumbling out with a large, linen wrapped package. The blacksmith hobbled over to a table and set down the package with a grunt, a wrinkled hand swiping at the forehead sweat that built up.

"This thing got heavier since the last time it was out! Maybe I made it too heavy with the new steel plates." Totosai wheezed out as he took a few minutes to compose himself. Nakata took that as his cue to grab a wooden stand nestled away in the corner of the shop and plant it dead center in the room. He then carefully removed the ties keeping the package bundled together, unwrapping layer upon layer of coarse fabric until a full set of armor glistened in the forges glow. Nakata separated the helmet, shoulder pieces, and leg braces from the chest plate before lifting the heavy armor from the table and settling it onto the armor stand. Piece by piece he connected the suit of armor until it was held together by the hidden straps. Deku watched with fascination as Nakata finished the suit assembly by placing the menacing helmet back on top.

It was a well-worn emerald piece that had obvious patches of black replacement steel pieces lining the sides with random sections filled in. The bottom of the piece flared out as protective barriers that reminded Deku of how a woman's skirt flares out. Chains hung low from the shoulder pads to provide extra arm protection, the scales scratched up and lacking in youthful luster. A worn down golden rope wrapped around the waist of the armor multiple times, similar ones holding the shoulder plates to the chest piece. The leg plates were like the arm chains save for the pieces of wood and steel providing a stronger backing. But the most impressive part was the helmet. Two large, golden rabbit ears stood up on either side with a curved, golden flame symbol nestled between the two. There were even intricate details on the edges such as hand pressed letters depicting prayers and a crimson gem nestled at the center of the flame emblem. Deku had only seen pieces such as this in history museums yet here he was seeing it in the flesh in a whole new world.

"This is…it's amazing! I've never seen such armor in person before, only what they have in museums and even those are pretty beat up from centuries of decay. How long does it take for you to make a full set? What do they normally weigh and are all of the materials the same for every piece? What's the durability of the armor? How many hits can it take before the material breaks down? Can I touch it?"

"You picked a mouthy one, Nakata, are ye sure about this?" Totosai asked quietly to his friend with a doubtful notch in his wispy, white brows.

"Positive. He stood up to the Crimson Dragon of the West and even challenged him to fight in the festival."

"Yeesh. Best to start looking for a new replacement, Nakata. May have to scrape him up afterwards."

"Aye, that it be."

---

After breakfast, and a quiet scolding from the head servant for ditching her pinching shoes, Uraraka casually made her way towards the observation stand to watch the samurai fight. Honestly she'd rather be looking for Deku but seeing as she was currently portraying Princess Kaguya, she didn't have much say or will in altering from the day's events. On the bright side, she had ancient Japan Iida to keep her company for the time. He was almost exactly like the one back at U.A., strict and all, though this one seemed to be a little more relaxed when they chatted. Apparently the Iida family had served the Yoshimochi family ever since they came to power four years ago. His brother was originally the princess' guard but due to an ambush by thieves, he was severely injured and had to retire early from his duty. That was when Tenya took over to carry on the Iida family tradition. As Commander of the Lord of Sanuki, Iida had to split his time between guiding the other samurai and soldiers while also attending meetings, patrolling the castle grounds, and even escorting the princess to her daily events. After dropping her off at the viewing spot, he had to go back down to ensure his men had the area properly secured.

"Iida, can I ask a rather odd question?" Uraraka spoke softly as they traversed the grand halls of the castle once more. Servants scurried all around them in order to clean, do laundry, prepare for the next meal, and generally just keep things running. They all stopped mid-task to bow to the princess before continuing their tasks without pause. It was uncomfortable for Uraraka to have them wait on her hand and foot but after this morning they were still a bit wary of her health. Even a doctor had come to do an exam after breakfast though she quickly waved him off once he asked her to strip down to nothing more than two thin layers of fabric. Her original clothes didn't manifest with her when she arrived so she was stuck with this eras rather heavy articles of clothing. At least she and the princess were roughly the same size.

"Of course, Princess Kaguya. There are no strange questions to be asked of me." Iida responded immediately and Ochaco muffled a laugh. Straight to the point like always.

"What period of time are we in? I mean, what era are we currently living?"

"The Heian Period of course, Princess. Though there is rumor that a new Shogun will be born soon so we will all traverse into a new era. Exciting, is it not?"

"Indeed. Another question if I may. After the winners are announced, what happens next? Am I to…to take their hand in marriage without knowing one another? Is there no other way?" Iida slowed to a stop and turned to Uraraka with a sympathetic expression. She'd known royal marriages back in the day were not by choice but did she really have to go through with it? Marry some man she didn't know in a time period that she didn't belong in? It could be a stipulation of the book but…it didn't feel right to marry someone she didn't care about.

"I understand your fears, Princess. Betrothing a warrior you have never met is a daunting task indeed, especially since no man has ever met your requirements. The tasks you assigned were never fulfilled due to their deceitful tactics. Many have tried and failed to complete your tasks though in the end I feel it was for the best. I personally believe that they were unfit to take your hand, Princess Kaguya, but I have a good feeling about this festival."

"I thank you for the comforting words, Iida. It eases my heart just a bit. Thank you for being my friend as well. One is blessed to be in your presence." Uraraka beamed at her otherworldly friend with sincerity lacing every word. He almost seemed surprised at the compliment but soon quivered with emotion as he nearly bowed himself in half.

"T-thank you for the honor of having me as your personal guard, Princess Kaguya! Your kindness and generosity shall live on in the Iida family name. This is such an honor!" Iida sniffled loudly and Uraraka felt herself tearing up a bit. He was such a kind person and she was so grateful to have him in her life, the engine hero always ready to lend a willing hand to his friends in need. When Deku went rogue after trying to protect them from All for One, Iida was the one who brought him back to the rest of the class. It was his words that saved Deku from self-destruction and gave him hope to return to U.A..

"You're gonna make me cry, Iida," Ochaco broke dialog a bit while trying to tap away the tears as to not smear the heavy coat of questionable white makeup. A servant promptly handed over a silken handkerchief and the princess dabbed at her eyes with care. A hand fanned at them to clear up any excess moisture just in case. "Come on, we should go before we miss out on the festivities. We can talk about it later, okay?"

"Of course, Princess Kaguya."

"Please, just call me Kaguya."

"Yes…Kaguya."

_B_

Deku moved his arms experimentally in the weighty armor to judge the range of motion he had. He couldn't lift his arms straight up due to the shoulder pads but he had about eighty percent normal motion to work with. Nakata had to rush the sword training seeing as the window to enter was about to close. They'd just barely made it in time, the official closing the line after Deku got signed up. Now he just stood around with the rest of the fighters awaiting the start of the first round. Most of them stood around talking but a few like himself were stretching and practicing their takedown techniques. Nakata and Totosai said they would watch from the sideline in direct view of him so they could observe and direct on how to attack. There were no rules on whether or not bystanders could shout out battle plans so he would try his best to hear them. Deku fiddled with his bokken after finishing his stretching. He was so used to hand to hand combat that suddenly carrying a weapon felt odd. Not like he could really feel it through the steel and leather covering most of his body, but still.

"That armor…where have I seen it before, boy?" A man gruffly asked suddenly from a few feet over. His face had heavy scars all over and though it was brief, Deku was sure he was blind in the opposite eye by the flashing of white before the eye closed. His set was a light green and brown combination that had seen better days. Heavy slash marks tore up the front of the armor with frays of leather sticking out from the cracks. The shoulder pads looked like they were about to fall off, barely held up by the frayed and worn ropes. Even the helmet was damaged with dents and broken ornaments.

"I'm borrowing it from Nakata, a samurai who helped me find my way to Sanuki. He said it was an old set he had lying around. Do you know him?" Deku replied though the samurai's scowling face told him that wasn't a good answer. The man spat on the dirt before rocking himself to his feet and slowly walking over. Voices in the room died out and all eyes turned to see what was happening. A certain pair of red eyes sharply locked onto the green haired fighter with a narrow.

"Nakata? You jest. That bastard would rather burn his armor than give it to some newcomer. What has he bribed you with? Has he sent you to defeat me once and for all? Tch, how far he has fallen. Did he tell you what happened to him? Why he no longer fights for his country?"

"It's none of my business. He helped me when I was lost and sheltered me, fed me, gave me clean clothes to wear. Whatever his past is, it doesn't matter to me." Deku replied calmly as the man got in his face. The smell of rotted teeth permeated every pore on his face but he endured it the best he could. Apparently dental hygiene hadn't been invented yet. Two rough hands grabbed the front of his armor and Deku found himself shoved up against the temporary shelter corner post. A few men shifted forward in preparation of stopping the fight, their hands raised to separate them.

"Do you not understand what that armor means? Where it came from? The moment he was attacked in these steels was the moment he lost his title as samurai. Why? Because he disgraced his country by throwing down his weapon and surrendering to raiders. Any man who does that is a failure to his country and the Shogun! All he has done now is passed the disgrace onto you, a mere child who is playing pretend. If you know what is good for you, then leave this village and forget that man exists—"

"No," Deku replied firmly and the samurai leaned back at the response, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. The teen latched onto the battle worn hands and squeezed hard enough for them to release his armor. "I don't care what his past is, it's not my business and you shouldn't judge others for their choices. Maybe he wanted to survive instead of dying in a losing battle. If you were up against a hundred men and you were the only one left, would you seriously run straight forward knowing you would be struck down immediately? Even though you're samurai, you're still human. You're allowed to be afraid of dying, it's human nature, but shaming someone for a natural reaction is uncalled for. If that's how you think then maybe you need to put down the sword and give up your title."

"Why you—!"

"Shut your mouth, old man. Anything else you say will get you into deeper trouble so just walk away and quit causing problems."

The crowd parted as Katsuki Bakugo strolled over to the two with an annoyed face. Deku took the chance of stepping aside when the samurai turned to face the newcomer. An odd expression flashed across the old man's face as Bakugo unlatched one side of his oni face mask and even Deku couldn't stop the horrified feeling wash over him. A deep scar ran up from the bottom of his jawline, over his nose, and stopped just before the bottom of his eye. A battle wound that serious meant he was a legitimate warrior who barely escaped the claws of death. A hand clasped over Deku's mouth as his eyes locked onto the scar. He had his own share of injuries but that one…Bakugo was lucky to survive that without having his throat cut or losing an eye.

"You…Crimson Dragon of the West. I have heard stories of you but seeing you here means you wish for conquest of Sanuki though I doubt for the hand of Princess Kaguya. Have you not conquered enough?"

"Says the one wearing armor from a dead man," Bakugo retorted easily causing the tension to build up in the tent. A few opted to leave before things got ugly and Deku wanted to leave but was too entranced by the interaction going on. The old samurai sputtered indignantly before regaining his senses and reaching for his bokken. All swords had been checked in at registration to prevent a situation like this. Bakugo remained calm as the blunt wooden end stopped right in front of his throat.

"Watch your tongue! I fought for this suit of armor with years of training and dedication to serving the Shogun! What are you, just some punk who decided to play samurai like this one here?"

"You stole that suit of armor from a slain samurai back in the village of Uchiko many moons ago. The village was burned to the ground after raiders slayed every man, woman, and child. You just so happened to find a decent set still mostly in one piece during the fighting. Those heavy slash marks? Fatal wounds inflicted on the samurai. No true samurai would continue to walk around in dilapidated armor while proclaiming to be battle strong. You are nothing more than an imposter who seeks to claim the title Lord of Sanuki and the most beautiful woman in the lands. I will warn you once to cease your mockery of the Shogun and Japan or I will dispose of you myself." Bakugo warned as he yanked the bokken from the fake samurai in a flash before snapping it over his knee. The man paled at the display of strength before quickly deciding it was best to leave. Two armored men caught him on the way out and dragged him off to strip the armor from his body, screams of protest ringing out in the air. Deku let the hand fall from his face once he finally managed to raise up his dropped jaw. He knew he was a fake this whole time? Was that the reason for him intervening?

"Thanks, Kaach—Bakugo. I could've handled it though…" Deku trailed off when the piercing red eyes swung from the tent doorway to him. A little voice in his mind told him what was about to happen so he braced for a verbal berating and potentially a scuffle before the match even began. Just before the fuming blond could throttle the teen, a loud gong rang through the air to signal the beginning of the festival. The fighters began heading out to start the festival.

"All bets are off in that ring, worm." Bakugo sneered with a twist of his heel as he strode out to win the battle. A breath of relief left Deku as he reached down to grab his helmet. Well, that was over for the time being. Of course he was going to get his ass handed to him in the finals by Bakugo but he could worry about that later. Getting through the first round was the main focus right now. He wouldn't be able to move around fluidly like he normally did in his hero costume so taking down the weaker fighters first was key to winning. All he had to do was get them out of the ring. Easy.

A massive crowd had formed around the fighting arena, their cheers nearly deafening as Deku followed the others into the opening. It was fairly overcast so everything was visible as far as he could see, the sun's glare one less thing to worry about during the fight. He spotted Nakata and Totosai cheering from the sidelines and waved to get their attention. Totosai noticed first and elbowed his friend in the ribs before pointing over at Deku.

"Good luck, pup! Do that armor proud!" Nakata boomed out with a fist in the air. Deku returned the gesture, a familiar one that All Might often sported, and turned his attention back to the crowd before him. Strategizing now to knock out the weakest was the most plausible plan he could come up with. If he knew who to take down first then clearing the rest of them should be easy.

"Warriors, I welcome you to the fourth annual fighting festival!" A loud voice called out to the warriors so Deku looked for the source. Dead ahead was a raised platform where a man in elegant apparel stood with his arms spread out as he addressed the crowd. His clothes consisted of a copper colored sokutai with exaggerated sleeves, the hands peeking out from between the thick material barely visible from where he stood. White pants were mostly covered by the tunic though his copper colored shoes could be seen easily. A black cap covered his head and for a moment Deku thought he was seeing things as a long stick protruded from the cap. "The village of Sanuki welcomes you with open arms! I wish for all to have a fair and enjoyable fight today. For those of you who are returning warriors, welcome back for another chance. Those of you who are new, I wish you all the luck in battle. I would like to go over a few rules for today. There will be no katana in the ring, I do not wish for any serious injuries to occur. You are all capable warriors and I wish for you all to continue on your path to serving our great Shogun. Bokken and your bare hands are all that may be used for this battle. The first round will consist of elimination, meaning if you are pushed or thrown out of the ring then you will not proceed to the next round. Those who proceed will be matched for a one-on-one fight to determine the top three winners. Afterwards, Princess Kaguya will give the three winners tasks to complete and the final winner will be given her hand in marriage."

So it's the top three to win. A quick headcount showed at least fifty head so the chances of successfully moving on were a bit slim. Deku chewed on the inside of his cheek in thought. There was no doubt Bakugo would be shooting straight to the top so he had to go all out to secure one of the other two spots. Nakata had warned him about people playing dirty which was another thing to watch out for. Maybe he could just knock them out then drag them out of bounds? Bakugo would surely go straight for him so he needed to keep an eye out for the relentless samurai.

"—present, Princess Kaguya."

Ochaco made her way to just shy of the balcony's edge with hands twisting nervously beneath the thick sleeves. Iida had left to continue his duties so that left the princess and his Lordship who was currently motioning for her to speak. There were dozens of people down there wearing armor and awaiting her word. As soon as she stopped, every single fighter snapped to attention then bowed deeply in respect. A straggler in the back didn't seem to realize what was happening until another fighter shoved his head down to bow. She just assumed he was nervous and not paying attention to his surroundings. Once they all stood back up, Ochaco opened her mouth after a quick glance at the Lord.

"I thank you all for being here today. This marks another momentous occasion of skilled fighters coming together to showcase their talents. Many of you have travelled far and I am sure you are weary from the journey. I hope the citizens of Sanuki have welcomed you all with wide arms. Although Lord Yoshimochi has just explained the rules and process of this event, I would like to add a change for the final three winners." The Lord looked over at her in bewilderment but she just nodded that everything was alright. Even if she wasn't from this world, she was going to do things her way. "My Lord has announced that there will be tasks for the remaining three winners. I would like to add a correction to the prize. Instead of individual tasks for the warriors to partake in, I will be meeting separately with each person to get better acquainted. I believe it is important to understand a person by more than their skillset and physical strength. After meeting with each individual then I will decide who has passed the festival. Is that acceptable, father?"

"I-I suppose it is, Kaguya. I trust your judgement on the matter. Princess Kaguya has passed her orders! Let the first round, begin!"

Ochaco let out a breath while sitting back down on the large pillow overseeing the arena. Getting up and down in the endless layers of fabric was starting to wear her down. With a quick glance to see if the head servant was watching, the hero in disguise shifted the pinching shoes off once more. They were way too tight to even walk normally and the blisters were already beginning to form on her toes. A tray with a tea set was placed in front of her followed by a servant pouring a cup of steaming green tea. It wasn't the stuff she was used to, the leaves in this time period were a lot more bitter and bland, but she wouldn't complain about free tea. Ochaco turned her gaze to the arena while the tea cooled a bit. The fighters had spread out a bit in preparation for the fight to begin. A few officials stood by the large gong that signaled the beginning and end of each round, their heads close together as they talked. Lord Yoshimochi had confirmed that there wouldn't be a lot of bloodshed as fighting to the death was a waste of good fighters but some of the men had intimidating armor on. One that stood out was a crimson red and black set that she could see even from a good distance. Even the golden ornaments on his helmet stood above the rest. For some reason the colors reminded her of Bakugo but she quickly brushed the thought away with a chuckle. What were the chances of there being two versions of her classmates in ancient Japan?

The gong rang loudly in the air and the chaos began. Deku immediately went for the closest fighter and latched onto him by the back of the neck before using his arm to swing him out of bounds. It sounded a bit painful when he landed but that was as gentle as he could toss him. Someone latched onto his wrist and the hero slid into a defensive position before twisting his arm over the man's and flipping him up and over. He winced when the fighter let out a pained grunt but he could apologize later, there were others targeting him. A few tried to tag team in order to take down the newcomer but Deku was an expert in taking down multiple foes at once. One by one they flew out of bounds until the crowd had thinned down by nearly half. He swiped the sweat from his eyes before targeting the next person. The helmet dropped his peripheral visibility so as he was mid body toss, something collided with his back and sent him tumbling into the dirt. Just as he was about to spring back up a foot stomped him back into the dirt causing his helmet to bounce away from the impact. Katsuki Bakugo stood above him with a dangerous gleam in his eye. Of course he would find him out of all the fighters.

"Think you can defeat more contestants than me, worm? You were warned all bets are off and now that more than half of the fighters are out, it is time to teach you a lesson."

"There's one thing you seem to be forgetting, Kaachan," Deku wheezed a bit as the pressure on his chest increased, pressing the uncomfortable steel plate deeper into his ribs. Bakugo looked at him oddly and before he could even process what was happening, Deku planted his hands in the dirt and kicked his legs up as hard as he could. The samurai's eyes widened as he was sent sprawling into the dirt face first, giving Deku the chance to stand back up. He turned to look at the eerily similar man with a fist clenched at his front. "I know your fighting style so I can easily counter any attack you throw at me. You can't defeat me."

"You bastard—"

The gong rang loudly once more to signal the end of the first round, taking both fighters by surprise. Apparently the round had gone faster than anticipated meaning it was now onto the paired fighting. Deku gave Bakugo one more look before grabbing his helmet and shaking off the dirt. Without another word he walked away to find Nakata and Totosai as the officials lined up the fighting pairs. He could feel the holes being burned into the back of his head though chose to ignore it. They'd get their turn to throw fists soon enough.

"I knew you could do it, pup! That throw was incredible!" Nakata beamed as Deku drew near, the samurai beating on his chest proudly. Totosai remained silent but gave a nod of agreement at the praise. The teen rubbed the back of his head at the compliment with a nervous laugh.

"I think I've just made Bakugo angrier by telling him there was no way he could defeat me. He's targeting me specifically because of our run-in earlier this morning. The tenacity and drive he has to win is certainly like Kaachan,"

"Feh! That blond brat needs to be put in his place! He goes around challenging every samurai to a fight then once he claims victory, forces them to strip off their armor in shame. By now the Shogun is aware of his deeds though he is not doing anything dishonorably apart from humiliation," Totosai piped in with a heavy lean against the makeshift arena fence. Nakata murmured his agreement though it didn't seem to settle right with him. "Did you know that he only lost one challenge? You saw what was under that oni mask, did you not?"

"Totosai…" Nakata warned but the old man flapped a wrinkled hand in his direction.

"Yeah…the massive scar running from underneath his jaw and to his eye. That was from a challenge he lost?" Deku asked quietly. Both men nodded and leaned in a little to avoid others hearing.

"The challenger was no other than the Arctic Dragon of the East. Both challenged one another time after time until the Crimson Dragon slipped up and nearly lost his eye in the process. He is lucky to survive an attack such as that, most die from infection within days. He disappeared for a good time then came out of hiding to start challenging once more. Ever since then he has yet to lose another battle. If my eyes are seeing correctly, that is the Arctic Dragon over there. I should not be surprised to see him here with all of the other strongest samurai. You see that white and blue armor?"

Deku turned to where Nakata was pointing and searched until a flash of white and blue caught his eye. The samurai was off by himself on the other side of the arena just leaning against the barrier with his head down. A chill ran down Deku's spine when the warrior felt himself being watched and lifted his gaze to stare at the source. Cold blue eyes bored into wary virescent and for just a brief moment, it felt like the hero would freeze in place. What was odd was the fact that only one of his eyes was visible, the other concealed by a custom piece of his helmet. Deku narrowed his eyes as familiarity grew in his mind. Hard, cold gaze, one visible eye, blue and white armor…If Bakugo was alive in this time period then maybe so were some of his other friends. The chances of it being him were slim but if he was here then there was only one way to find out.

"I'm going to talk to him." Deku declared and strode off without another word, the warnings of Nakata and Totosai falling on deaf ears. He pushed past the remaining fighters just standing around waiting for the pairings to reach the mysterious samurai. Bakugo in this time period wasn't much help but maybe Todoroki would offer a better solution than beating the crap out of him. Deku cupped his hands against his mouth when he noticed the man shift to walk away. "Todoroki! Shoto Todoroki!"

The samurai jolted to a stop and turned around with a wide eye, hand slipping from the bokken nestled against his side. The reaction alone confirmed what Deku suspected so he pushed past the last patch of fighters to stand a few feet from him. Those surrounding them quickly scattered in fear of a massive brawl and even the officials looked over to see what the commotion was. Surprise slipped into cold indifference and the samurai turned on his heel to face the newcomer with a scowl.

"How do you know that name?"

Deku faltered at the harsh question. He sounded exactly the same at the school festival battle, even looking the part of his father and his renowned hatred burning within. "I…you remind me of a friend I know. But that's who you are, right? You're Shoto Todoroki? I've already run into Katsuki Bakugo—"

"What a coincidence you bastards found each other. Now I can beat you both to death and strip you of your shoddy armor." Bakugo barked out with a laugh as he joined in on the already tense situation. Deku had to release his growing frustration with a slow breath. Now was not the time to have Bakugo butt in on a conversation that had nothing to do with him, especially since he and Todoroki were apparently sworn enemies. Tensions skyrocketed between the polar opposites so Deku intervened with a hand out in each of their faces.

"Deal with your personal squabble later, there are bigger issues at hand," Deku tried to keep the peace but it was obvious the two would shove him aside in a second flat to get at each other's throats. Todoroki backed off first, much to Bakugo's amusement, but turned his burning hatred towards the fighter who started this whole mess.

"And who are you to intrude upon others? Were you not the one who hunted me down through the crowd just to make a personal comparison to someone you know? If your business is concluded then I shall make my leave." Todoroki replied lowly with a daggering gaze at Bakugo, the blond sneering right back.

"I didn't mean to intrude but you see…it's a bit complicated to explain I guess. You both look exactly like people I know so I figured I could ask for help but I get the feeling you won't know what I'm talking about."

"How does that burn of yours feel, Arctic Dragon? Was that water hot enough for you?" Bakugo suddenly lunged forward past Deku's hand to grab Todoroki by the front of his armor, both men taken by surprise. Todoroki merely shoved Deku aside and latched onto the hands grabbing him to regain control of the situation. The officials began scrambling to break up the skirmish before it escalated into a full brawl between fighters. Deku was pretty sure he could hear Nakata yelling at him to get out of there.

"You tell me, you were lucky enough to make it out with both eyes though I am sure that scar will always be a reminder of how close to death you were."

Deku glanced between the two in a weird DeJa'Vu trance as he readjusted his arm brace back to its original position. They were really trying to kill each other just like at the sports festival. But things weren't as deadly as they were in the moment. Real blades meant real damage. Not that quirks couldn't be used as deadly force, it was just more controlled by the government and under the supervision of teachers and pro heroes . Only local governments seemed to have any say apart from the Shogun though that didn't seem to be a fast acting method of control. "Can you two just…"

"I will kill you with my first decree as Lord of Sanuki and have your head hanging from my wall as a trophy. You will not win this festival and I shall make sure of that!" Bakugo grunted as Todoroki began putting his full weight into shoving him back. He dug his heels into the dirt to brace himself for a counterattack. The two grappled for a minute until officials forced them apart while Deku watched with deflating hope. Apparently it was pointless to try and ask for help in getting back to his own timeline so it would be for the best if he continued on his way. Until a hand latched onto the back of his armor and dragged him back into the fray with incoherent yelling filtering in through his helmet.

Ochaco watched with raised eyebrows as a group of three men seemingly began to fight with officials trying to separate them. It reminded her of the sports festival when Bakugo, Todoroki, and Deku went all out in order to win. The fighters must've had a lot of energy to expend because others began getting involved to break up the fight or even join in. She lifted the cup of tea to her lips as her father sighed in exasperation beside her. He was explaining the strongest fighters mixed amongst the newcomers with such excitement until the squabble broke out, then he was wiping a hand down his face and muttering annoyances to himself. "Father, there is no point in getting upset over a small fight. It tends to happen with competing fighters. It is best to let the officials handle the fight."

"Of course, of course. I just expected them to behave a little better in your presence, is all. Are you cold? Do you need a covering?" Lord Yoshimochi quickly redirected the conversation back onto her with a warm expression. Ochaco shook her head lightly.

"I am fine, thank you for the concern. These layers are enough to keep me warm for the time alongside the steaming tea. Though just between you and me, I have forsaken those pinching shoes once more." Lord Yoshimochi let out a deep laugh that even had Ochaco giggling along. He reminded her so much of her own father. A few servants glanced curiously at them but quickly returned to their normal duties. It was nice to have some sort of familiarity around.

"You never did like those shoes. I too would discard my footwear if they were uncomfortable. What are your thoughts on the battle? Do you believe there will be new champions this year? I do believe both the Crimson and Arctic Dragons have appeared this year as indicated by the fighting currently going on. Those two try over and over to defeat one another yet always fall short each time."

"So the one wearing black and red armor is the Crimson Dragon and the one with white and blue is the Arctic Dragon? Why do they hate each other so much?"

"Many years ago, before I came to be Lord of Sanuki, there was a mass calling of warriors to aid the Shogun in battle against Chinese invaders. Amongst hundreds of abled men, those two appeared out of nowhere to join the battle as newly appointed samurai by their villages. I do not recall all of the details but I know a competition began to see who could vanquish more foes. When the fighting ended and the Shogun declared victory ours, a deep competitive nature took control of both and since then they have been clashing with every chance available. During their last big skirmish luck was not on either side as both samurai suffered nearly grave injuries. The Arctic Dragon lost vision of his left eye and the Crimson Dragon wears an oni mask to cover the large scar across his face. Both were lucky to survive."

Ochaco turned her attention back to the scuffle below with a frown. What was the point of trying to fight to the death? For honor? Glory? Being a hero meant risking everything to save others but to intentionally attack each other…it seemed barbarian, especially for a hand in marriage and a title of Lord. Officials finally seemed to have the two instigators calm down and separated so the festival could continue. Auburn eyes trailed over the three distinguished fighters in the distance. Green, red, and white armor. All sets were impressive in structure alone but the ornaments adorning their helmets made them seem more daunting. Funny enough, they reminded her of Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki in both appearance and actions. Those three still squabbled even in their third year of U.A.. A thought crossed her mind and her eyes widened a fraction. What if…there was no way, right? But she'd already seen Iida in this time period so maybe—

"Look Kaguya, they are about to start the first paired matching. I have a good feeling that those three fighters will make their way to the top rankings. It looks like that newcomer in green is going first. I believe he is even wearing the armor Nakata used to don!" Lord Yoshimochi pointed out excitedly to which Ochaco glanced at him before locking in on the fighter. The crowd had exited the arena leaving only the two fighters in the ring. Both stood awaiting the gong to begin with one hand at their side and the other grasping the bokken shaft. The green armored samurai seemed to be intensely focused on the other one in front of him, carefully adjusting his stance in preparation for the fight. An official swung the hammer against the gong and the battle was on.

Deku made the first move right away while the other fighter was still trying to unsheathe his bokken. A swift upswing knocked the stick flying into the air while his foot swept across the ground to force him off balance. The fighter stumbled backwards in an attempt to catch himself but ultimately hit the ground as his full weight plus the armor dragged him down. The tip of a bokken hovered just above his neck and he looked up at his opponent with surprise then dropped his head, raising a hand high into the air in instant defeat. The gong sounded again over the cheering crowd. Deku stood up and sheathed the bokken. His plan had worked only thanks to the slower reaction speed of the samurai but there were still plenty of strong fighters waiting to get their chance. He offered a hand to the downed warrior who merely scowled, stood up, spat at the ground, then walked out of the arena in shame. A frown adorned his covered face as he dropped his hand back to his side. For him the battle was meant as a way to get clues about where Uraraka was, but to others it meant their honor was on the line.

Ochaco leaned forward a bit more to try and get a better look at the fighter in green. He moved so fast that the other samurai wasn't able to draw his bokken quick enough to block it. And the swift takedown was something she'd only seen doing hero work. Obviously there was no telling who the fighter was but she was putting all her faith in it being a familiar person, especially since the ornaments sticking up from the helmet reminded her of Deku's costume ears. Lord Yoshimochi was excitedly talking about the incredibly fast takedown though Ochaco paid him no attention as she watched the fighter exit the arena. He seemed to be drawn to some spectators on the side, an elderly man and a brawny villager. She kept her eyes on them even as the next match continued on, a growing sensation that there was something familiar about that samurai. When the brawny man looked up at the gaze directed their way he gave a head bow of respect before elbowing the samurai and gesturing with his head towards her. The samurai turned to look up at her then promptly removed his helmet before bowing deeply. Ochaco saw a flash of green locks that had her moving closer to the edge of the platform, hands tightly gripping the painted railing tightly.

That hair was unmistakable! But without getting a closer look it was impossible to tell if it was her friend or just an ancient version so she turned to her father who looked a little alarmed at the sudden lunge forward. "Father, I wish to meet the fighter in the green armor. How much longer will the tournament take?"

"W-well, we should be done within the hour. Normally the strongest of fighters reaches the top quickly so if everything goes well, it should be done soon. Why the sudden urgency, daughter? Is something the matter?"

"He looks like a friend I know which is why I got excited so suddenly. Forgive me for startling you." Ochaco apologized with a quick bow before returning to her seat with nerves tingling. What if it was her Deku? That would mean they could regroup and find a way out of this world and get back to reality with their friends. The festival couldn't end fast enough.

Deku looked up towards the observation stand after straightening up to see the princess staring directly at him. She had moved from her seat to grasp onto the railing for what he assumed was a closer look, though the raised stand was barely twenty feet from the far edge of the arena. His Lordship spoke and her attention swiveled to him, the princess moving away from the banister to return to her seat. Her beauty was supposedly renowned in Japan and despite the thick white makeup covering her skin, the teen could tell she was one of the most attractive women he'd ever seen just by seeing her eyes. Nakata had noticed the stare first and nudged him to address her so as not to be disrespectful. He'd felt someone staring for a few minutes but the fight had him distracted, especially when Nakata and Totosai called him over after the gong rang. All he had to do was win the festival and get his question from the princess, plain and simple.

"Did ye see what I saw, Nakata? A strong gaze from our princess? Seems someone has an admirer," Totosai said loudly, Nakata eagerly nodding his head in agreement as Deku was too distracted planning out the next fight. Both men shared a glance then burst out laughing which jolted the teen from his muttering to look over. Heat flushed his face and he quickly yanked the helmet back on his head to hide it.

"Aye, that I did. Popular one, this pup. Been here less than a day and already causing the princess to swoon. Best be going all out to win the festival, Midoriya Izuku."

"O-of course."

Ochaco's anxiousness grew with each round to the point the servants thought she was trembling from the frigid open air. One by one they offered blankets until the princess finally accepted one just to get them to go away. They certainly were persistent when it came to waiting on her hand and foot. She was beginning to get tired of the constant attention and wanted to know if the fighter down below was Deku or a distant relative of his. The hero didn't know how many hours had passed since both teens were vortexed into the book so honestly he could be anywhere by now. She was lucky enough to land in a castle with food, shelter, and somewhat fluid clothing though beneath the endless layers she was beginning to get a bit uncomfortable. Iida was the only familiar person but despite the similarities, they were two completely different people and it didn't help the situation at hand. A sneaking suspicion grew by the minute that a few of the fighters below were more distant relatives to their current day predecessors yet unless they won the festival, Ochaco wouldn't be able to tell. Sneaking out of the castle at night was a good option, her stealth skills drastically increasing over the years of hero training, but she'd need looser and more flexible clothing like a yukata.

"Kaguya, do you grow nervous? Five matches remain before the three reigning champions sit before you for judgement. My feelings remain optimistic about this festival." Lord Yoshimochi interrupted her thoughts of escaping with barely contained excitement lacing every word. Ochaco stretched feet beneath her as they began to tingle. Sitting like this for a long time was uncomfortable and how they did this for hours, who knew.

"Yes. I am anxiously awaiting the three victors who strive for my…hand in marriage and title of Lord of Sanuki. I am thoroughly impressed with both Dragon samurai as well as the newcomer, the one who is wearing the armor from Nakata? Has he ever attended the festival before?" Yoshimochi shook his head and Ochaco made a mental notch that made the fighter further stand out. Unknown fighter, gifted armor, new to the festival, strong combat tactics, strikingly similar features. They were all pointing in the direction she'd hoped for.

"No, he has never even been seen fighting before. Honestly, I am in shock that Nakata has lent him that armor. I have known him for years and we are somewhat close. That armor was last worn by him many years ago during a skirmish with invaders. While I do not know the truth of that battle, Nakata is said to have surrendered for the sake of his life. He abandoned that armor to cut ties with the Lord it served under out of shame and wandered to find a new home. After he joined Sanuki, I took him under my wing to train him into a strong samurai sworn to protect the village at all costs. I know he will never go back on his sworn word and honor, for that I am thankful to have such a strong ally."

"I see. So why has he given the armor to a newcomer? Does he believe he is honorable enough to wear such a sullied set?"

"That I do not know. Kento, please bring my trusted friend Nakata to me for a chat. You remember him, yes? He would often guard you during your walks about the village to help those in need. It has been a short while since you two have talked." A samurai standing nearby quickly bowed then slipped down a set of stairs in search of the man.

"Of course, Father. I would enjoy a chat with Nakata while we wait for the battle to conclude."

It was the perfect opportunity to ask about the new fighter and see if it actually was Deku. Things seemed to be falling into place rather quickly though there always ended up being a catch when things went too smoothly. As if the heavens above were listening to her thoughts, rain began trickling down from the overcast sky and onto the fighters. A small sprinkling at first, nothing serious enough to stop the fight for a few rounds, until lightning began flashing with thunder booming not too long after. The skies opened up and all fighters ran for cover from the storm. Ochaco placed her fingertips against her mouth in silent frustration. Well, that was one way to end the festival. Things would take even longer now with the delay.

"Oh dear, this seems to complicate things now. Surely the storm will go on for hours. I suppose the festival will have to be postponed until the skies clear—"

"Father, are there any large spaces that would be acceptable as a temporary arena?" Ochaco suddenly interrupted and the Lord looked at her in a stunned stupor before closing his mouth and nodding a bit. She wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away from her again. If there was a practice room or anything similar that could hold the remaining fighters then the festival could quickly finish up. Plus it gave her a closer look at the top three.

"There is an old courtyard that is covered from the skies behind the castle but opened to the air. Are you implying to hold the remaining battles within the castle grounds, Kaguya?"

"Yes. I do not wish for the fighters to have to wait much longer to claim their victory due to a little storm. As soon as Nakata arrives I wish to have him escort me to the courtyard while it is prepared. Is that acceptable?" Ochaco could tell he was a bit hesitant on the idea but ultimately gave in as he started commanding servants to clear the old courtyard and prepare it for battle. Life threw her a curveball yet she hit it back onto the correct path with ease. A small sigh escaped her lips as she sipped on the warm tea. Her heart was pounding. Normally the only time she was that authoritative was when she had to direct evacuations, but even then she acted more composed than in this moment. Panic had taken over at the thought of losing a lead on reuniting with her friend so she blurted out a fast plan.

"Y-yes, of course! Whatever you wish Kaguya, this festival can be altered any way you desire. Ah! Nakata, my friend! How good to see you once more! Forgive me for the lack of contact, things have been rather busy." The Lord agreed with his daughter before quickly turning to greet the newcomer sitting on the ground a few feet away in a deep bow. He was a well-built older man with jet black locks tied back into a small ponytail and matching dark eyes. Heavy scars littered his face and visible skin, marks of his fighting times. But deep within those eyes was a kindness Ochaco could sense.

"Lord Yoshimochi, Princess Kaguya, it is an honor to be seated before you." Nakata spoke in a rough voice as he carefully sat back up. His clothes were slightly damp from the sudden onslaught of rain and Ochaco quietly motioned for a dry cloth. She promptly offered the cloth to Nakata who took it graciously and bowed once more. "Thank you for your consideration of me, Princess Kaguya."

"There is no need for formalities, friend. I have called you here for a simple reunion. And to ask how you have finally given away that old armor of yours. I thought for sure it had been retired to its final resting place." His Lordship gave a light laugh as the samurai rested his hands on his lap, the fabric neatly folded underneath after he quickly dried off.

"Of course Lord Yoshimochi, though I still remain your loyal samurai and will act as such in your presence. I apologize for my unruly appearance, we were all a little thrown off by the heavens opening. A shame about the festival, many were looking forward to seeing the winners of this year. You have a sharp eye to notice that old set of armor, My Lord. Totosai has been storing it for me and even had time to repair it. I shall no longer wear it but it suits the pup just fine."

"Ah, that newcomer? I was surprised to see you give your armor away so easily for the festival. Did you not wish to partake this year?"

"I did not. I am growing too old to be going around putting arrogant fighters in their place, My Lord. Though the pup is a rather strange fellow, found him wandering around lost in the Forbidden Woods down the road. He was speaking our tongue but it sounded as if his words were twisted. Strange clothing as well. He was looking for a friend I believe. I sheltered him for the night and took him to fit the armor just this morning."

"Really! Interesting choice, Nakata. What does this pup go by and who is he looking for? I will absolutely do my best to aid in his quest," Lord Yoshimochi immediately agreed to help his friend no matter what. Ochaco sat very still with eyes locked onto the samurai. The air had left her lungs the moment he mentioned the details of the fighter. It had to be Deku! Her Deku who should be showing up soon in the castle to compete in the battle. She needed to get there before the fighting continued so they could get out of here and figure out what to do.

"Midoriya Izuku. I believe the friend he is looking for goes by the name of—"

"My Lord! We have prepared the courtyard as asked though three of the fighters are quarreling! Anyone who tries to stop them just gets shoved aside! It is both Dragons and a third fighter!" A frantic servant came stumbling around the corner, hastily dropping to her knees in a deep bow before looking up at Lord Yoshimochi with fearful eyes. He immediately stood and motioned for Nakata to join. Ochaco made to get up but her father gently pushed her back down with a smile.

"Please do not stress yourself over this matter, Kaguya. We will return momentarily. Move Kaguya to a safer location within the castle until this issue is resolved." All samurai quickly bowed before one offered a hand to help her up.

"Father—"

"Princess Kaguya, please allow me to guide you to a safer location."

Ochaco watched as the men ran off with the help of some guards while samurai formed a protective bubble around her. No, no, no! The chance was slipping away once more! As soon as she was upright the brunette lifted up some of the layers and began hurrying after them despite the protests of servants and samurai. The stupid dress was hard to move around in and she had to catch herself multiple times as it caught under her socks, the shoes long forgotten on the pillow. She needed to find Deku before they kicked him out of the castle and he was out of her grasp once more.

"Stop this fighting! I understand you are all excited about the festival but this behavior is inappropriate!" The closer she got to the courtyard, the louder the voices became as her father commanded them to split up while Nakata yelled at Deku to stand down.

"This worm started it!"

"Knock it off! You are in the presence of his Lord!"

"Get off of me already, Bakugo!"

Ochaco grasped the edge of the doorway with heaving breaths, the brunette worn from trying to carry the heavy layers. She'd never complain about her quirk again once they returned, her entire body protesting at the lack of natural anti-gravity. Auburn eyes finally lifted up to survey the chaos. Nakata was dragging the newcomer away from the two Dragons who were latched onto each other in a menacing lock. Lord Yoshimochi stood there raising his voice at them to be respectful and stop immediately. Samurai were grabbing onto their armor in an attempt to separate them to no avail. With a closer look at them all, there was no doubt they were related to her classmates. Normally Mr. Aizawa would separate Deku and Bakugo with his scarf but she'd have to do it in his place. With a deep breath in, Ochaco released her voice upon the group.

"Enough of this!"

The room ground to a halt at the intimidating female voice, all eyes turning to the flustered princess in a second. Both Dragons quickly released one another to drop to the ground in a deep bow, their helmets smacking hard against the marbled floors that made her internally wince at the sound. The remaining fighting samurai quickly did the same as Lord Yoshimochi regained control of the situation, sending back the guards as the room calmed. Nakata pushed Deku down before launching himself downwards, forehead pressed against the floor. Ochaco released the layers of fabric while strutting into the frigid room with hands interlaced at the front. Apparently all it took was a yelling woman to calm a room full of wound up men. If only it worked this well in modern times.

"What is going on here? I suggested for the festival to continue inside yet you are fighting like children. If you wish to make a good impression on me then you are failing terribly. Are you not adults? Can you not control your personal squabbles inside or out of the fighting ring? You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I have half a mind to send you all back to your villages filled with disgrace and shame. Crimson Dragon, Arctic Dragon, I understand your past and why you fight, but how dare you come into Sanuki Castle and begin a fight before the matches have even finished. You two are to be separated for the time being and you both best pray that I do not disqualify you immediately. Go repent in opposite corners, now. As for the remaining fighters, I will speak with you in just a moment. Understood?"

"Yes, Princess Kaguya!"

Ochaco huffed as she made her way over to her father, samurai flanking either side. Lord Yoshimochi ran a hand down his face in exhaustion then turned to her. "Kaguya—"

"I will be personally taking over the remaining battles, Father. It seems they need to be reminded of some manners. How about you and Nakata go sit for a spell? I can handle things here. I shall let you know of my final decision after the rounds have completed." Ochaco stated firmly without another glance. The Lord hesitantly agreed then hurried over to Nakata and helped him from the floor. Without looking back they left the room with a few samurai trailing behind. Ochaco waited until they were gone before going over to Deku and gently sitting on the floor in front of him. He remained in a bow and she resisted the urge to flat out launch herself at him with the amount of relief flowing through her body. "Warrior, you may rise. The Dragons remain separated for the time being. There is no need to keep your head down."

Deku slowly shifted back upwards from the bow to find the princess sitting right in front of him. His eyes widened and he was thankful for the helmet partially covering his face because heat flushed his skin at the closeness of such a beautiful woman. From afar he couldn't get a great look but now that she was close enough to touch, she radiated as if from the heavens above. Layer upon layer of silken fabric adorned her body in vibrant shades and patterns, the material expertly resting over each other. It was an outfit he'd only seen in museums so to see it in person was breathtaking. Moving upwards from the dress was her face covered in white paint tinted with red on her lips, eyes, and eyebrows. Slicked black hair adorned with a golden headpiece rested delicately atop her head to bring a look that was both radiant and elegant. The princess looked at him with an endearing smile and kind eyes and for a brief second, it reminded him of Uraraka.

"Forgive me, Princess Kaguya, I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. I'm here to look for my friend, we were separated yesterday and I haven't seen her. I wanted to win the festival in order to ask a question of you, to see if you had heard or seen her whereabouts. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused." Deku apologized profusely with his hands resting against his lap. Ochaco let out a small laugh much to his confusion but she shook her head to dismiss it. Typical Deku.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of, warrior. In fact, I have a favor to ask of you if I may."

"O-of course, Princess Kaguya! I'll do anything you ask of me." Deku agreed immediately so Ochaco held out her hands for his. He looked a little thrown off but slowly offered them up regardless. She had to make sure the scar was there from his surgery to be one hundred percent sure it was him. He wasn't wearing a wrist plate so as soon she tilted his right hand around a little, there was the massive scar that had made the appendage crooked. Checking the other side showed the other half of the scar created by Recovery Girl during the sports festival.

"May I ask how you got these scars?"

"Oh, uh…I was in a sports festival and unfortunately I went a little overboard against my opponent. My hand became permanently damaged and the crookedness is a result of that. But it was worth it in the end to see how my friend unleashed his full potential."

"Yeah, you did go a little overboard when fighting Todoroki. The teachers were not happy with you, especially Recovery Girl." Ochaco mused lightly which confused the teen even more. Even in her heart she knew it was her Deku so she decided to end the roleplaying of Princess Kaguya. "But that's to be expected from you Deku, always going all out to protect your friends."

"Wait, how did you know…?"

"I'm glad I finally found you safe and sound." Ochaco beamed as she clasped his hands tighter, eyes wavering with unshed tears. Deku stared at her with a slack jaw and wide eyes before gently removing one of their entangled hands to remove his helmet. Emerald locks sprung from the helmet while virescent stared into the warm auburn eyes of the princess.

"Uraraka, is that you? Wait, did you turn into the princess? How did this happen? You're not hurt, right? Oh man, this is all getting more and more confusing. How come your hair is different? Did you wake up here? Do you know what's going on?" Deku unleashed a million questions a minute and the brunette could barely keep up with the onslaught. He was rambling and she tried to get him to refocus on the task at hand but he was muttering away into his hand.

"Deku, you've got to calm down. There are still people watching right now," Ochaco spoke lowly with a gentle tug of his hand. All eyes were on the two, especially the piercing gazes of the Dragons, and she was pretty sure everyone was becoming suspicious of the up close interaction between the princess and a strange warrior. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but I think for now it's best to play along with the festival. I haven't gathered enough information to pin down exactly what happened so we need to look into this more. I should be able to get you a room to stay in tonight and we can meet up later tonight when everyone else is asleep. For now you should finish the battle and win so it's less suspicious."

"Ah, yeah that's a good plan. We'll figure this out later, Uraraka. I have to say though, Bakugo of this time is a lot scarier than Kaachan. If he had his katana on him then I'm pretty sure I'd be minced meat by now." Deku laughed nervously as Ochaco released his hand to refold them against her lap. It surprised him a bit that she was carrying herself so well as Princess Kaguya, everything from the way she walked to talked had him believing she was a real historical princess. And of course it made her that much more beautiful in his eyes.

"Wait, so it is Bakugo? I had my suspicions because of the color of his armor and the way he fought but I couldn't tell for sure. Don't tell me that the Arctic Dragon…"

"It's Todoroki. Not the Bakugo or Todoroki we know, these must be ancient relatives of them because they're both bent on killing each other and have tried numerous times prior. Neither are that friendly so we have to be careful around them. Never mind all that though are you sure you're fine, Uraraka? You're not injured or anything?"

"No, no, though there was an embarrassing moment this morning when the servants tried to help me with the bath," Ochaco laughed uneasily with a sideways glance. Deku seemed to relax a bit but his brows were still furrowed the slightest bit at the statement. "Are you injured, Deku? The fight looked pretty intense from where I was sitting."

"I'm fine, Nakata found me on the road last night and gave me food and shelter for the night as he headed back to town. I'm just glad you're alright, Uraraka."

"That's a relief. Okay, let's get his show back on the road now. I abandoned my shoes a while ago and these floors are freezing!" Ochaco let out a sigh before preparing to lift herself up once more from the floor. Her legs had gotten cold in the process so they wobbled a bit once weight was put on them. Deku immediately grabbed her hands to steady his friend as she stood back up, the dress slowly straightening back out with gravity. "Thank you, Deku. Go give it your all in the fight and win!"

"Yeah!" Deku beamed as their hands slipped away so he could replace his helmet back on, making minor adjustments to see a bit better. With an encouraging nod Ochaco started making her way back to the front of the room to address the remaining fighters. Samurai immediately flanked her though she barely noticed their presence anymore. With a slow turn she faced the remaining fighters with fingers interlaced at her front. They were all sitting on the floor waiting patiently for her command, bokken beside them to show respect. Deku kept his strong gaze on her which flushed her cheeks beneath the slightly flaking paint.

"The festival will continue on as planned but bear in mind this. Any more squabbling between fighters will result in immediate disqualification from the round and you will be escorted from the castle grounds. I am sure you are all fine warriors, but personal grudges are not allowed within this castle especially if you are vining for my hand in marriage and title of Lord of Sanuki. If you understand that simple rule then the matches may continue. I will leave the lineup to the officials. Good luck to all fighters."

Deku jolted at the mention of marriage even though Nakata had told him beforehand that Princess Kaguya would choose a husband of her liking. Were they seriously fighting for her hand in marriage and the title of Lord? What kind of festival's did these people hold? He only entered to ask his question about Uraraka but apparently she'd been the princess all along, so it made everything a bit easier. His eyes quickly darted over the other fighters to judge their reactions. Bakugo and Todoroki remained stoic with unreadable expressions yet a grimace graced his lips as he looked at the remaining challengers. They had lecherous expressions beneath their helmets, a few of them even sharing a devious glance. It sickened him to the core that they were thinking that way about Uraraka and pulling a move infamous of Kaachan, he sent them both a murderous look in warning. They both slowly turned to look at Deku before quickly averting their gazes elsewhere out of fear.

That'll teach them to look at Uraraka like that.

---

Deku had certainly been right about Bakugo and Todoroki of this time period. All three of them had, unsurprisingly, won the festival so they each got to talk privately with the princess afterwards. It took everything in her just to keep silent as Bakugo bragged about his skills, how many enemies he'd slain, and literally everything about his past starting from toddlerhood when he first picked up a katana. Supposedly. Honestly, seeing him like this made her miss the more rational version back at U.A.. Todoroki wasn't much better considering his words were limited and monotoned, a clear indication that he didn't really want to be there. His left eye remained covered under a patch but the edges of a burn were just barely noticeable. Briefly her eyes darted to it and somehow it prompted him to tell him the story of how he and Bakugo had gotten into an intense fight months ago. Bakugo managed to grab a kettle resting on an open flame and throw it at him which caused his blades projected path to skew across the other samurai's face. Ochaco bit the inside of her cheek and quickly waved down his offer of showing the damaged eye. Bakugo had removed his oni mask before speaking so she'd seen the nasty scar but a burnt eye wasn't something she needed to see on top of it. Both dragons had been dismissed until further notice and the princess let out a heavy breath while waiting for Deku to enter.

"Princess Kaguya, is this the samurai you were getting close with earlier? He is such an intense fighter though with eyes of kindness. Is that what drew you to him? All of the servants are swooning over him," A servant serving tea gossiped excitedly from beside Ochaco. Fayumi was her name and while she was a sweet girl, often she got distracted by the more attractive samurai inside and out of the castle.

"Yes. He is…something of an old friend of mine. His fighting strength is nearly unparalleled but he is the kindest person I know. I was not expecting him to show up today so it was a surprise." Ochaco replied warmly as she grasped the tea lightly. It was no surprise the servants were fawning over him, Deku was considerably more attractive than their first year at U.A.. His physique had become larger and leaned out while his boyish charms had matured just as well. Though he was still his dorky and adorable self when not saving people left and right.

"Princess Kaguya, introducing Midoriya Izuku for an audience. You may enter, samurai." A samurai posted at the door announced before turning and opening the ornately decorated shoji. Deku quicky bowed to him before slowly walking into the room to take his place upon the single pillow centered before the princess. As soon as the door was shut Ochaco quickly dismissed the servants and the guards from the room, the latter giving the hero a wary glance but another look from Kaguya had him bowing then exiting the room. Once she was sure all staff members were gone, Ochaco let out a heavy sigh and set down her cup.

"This is exhausting, Deku! I'm not sure how much longer I can keep up the charade," Ochaco told her best friend with a quick stretch of her arms above her head. The many layers of fabric prevented too much of a motion so she shifted to stretching each limb over her chest and behind her back.

"You're doing great at it, Uraraka! Wearing the Jyu-ni Hitoe is an honor, especially since the only ones left are preserved in museums, and it really suits you though I feel the makeup is a bit odd and covers up your natural beauty. Honestly, if you hadn't mentioned my fight with Todoroki then I wouldn't have known it was you. After Nakata found me in the forest, he brought up the festival when I said I was looking for you. He mentioned if I win I could ask the princess a question to try and find you. Turns out I didn't need the question after all." Deku replied earnestly which had the princess flushing beneath the paint. For years she'd tried to push down the overwhelming feelings she had for him but as time passed, it was becoming harder to deny the truth. And the fact that he had just pretty much said she was beautiful, well it made her heart start beating just a bit faster.

"Deku, I need to ask you a serious question. Have you noticed anything odd with your quirk?"

Deku solemnly nodded. His quirk most likely hadn't been working since waking up in the forest and he had a hunch about where she was going with this. He knew what it was like to be quirkless but she never had despite knowing his inheritance of One for All. "Yeah, my quirk isn't working right now. Is yours?"

"No. I figured out early this morning that despite what I touch nothing will float anymore. Everything's felt so…heavy and it's harder to move around. I'm not as fast as I usually am but that's also thanks to this heavy dress. I lost count of the layers they put on me after the traumatizing wake up." Ochaco joked lightly though the usual cheerful expression slipped into an unsettled one.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Uraraka. I understand what it's like to be quirkless but it must be hard for you to process right now. We'll work together to get them back and make it back to U.A., I promise you." Deku said positively and Ochaco gave a smile then nodded. She knew he would keep his promise so she wouldn't worry about that right now.

"Thank you, Deku. So now we need to figure out how to get out of here. From what I gathered we're still in Japan during the Heian Period, roughly a thousand plus years in the past. There's a new Shogun being born soon so I think the next period is Kamakura? I don't know for sure but I can ask Iida when he comes back."

"Wait, Iida is here? Our Iida?" Deku asked in surprise and started to sit up taller but a quick shake of Uraraka's head had him adjusting back down on the pillow in disappointment.

"I was surprised too when I saw him but he's not our Iida. The Iida lineage has been protecting the Yoshimochi family for years now and he took over after his brother Tensei got injured in the line of duty. He acts like our Iida; same mannerisms and constant bowing but a bit older and more battle worn. Deku, the things I've seen already…I've read the history books but witnessing it in real life is horrifying. Have you seen the wound on Bakugo?" Ochaco whispered the last part after glancing at all of the doors. No doubt a few servants were listening in on the conversation and the gruesome details didn't need to be overheard.

"You're talking about the scar across his face. Yeah, I saw it down in the tent before the matches began. If it had been any lower then it would've been fatal. Todoroki has his eye covered up so I can imagine that wound is bad too."

"He offered to show it to me but I rejected the offer after seeing Bakugo take his mask off. Just thinking about the pain they went through makes me a little queasy. I'm glad you made it out of the arena relatively unharmed, Deku."

"Apparently the Lord declared no katana allowed so we used bokken and luckily the armor took most of the damage, especially when Bakugo decided to target me. It's intricately pieced together to provide perfect coverage and although I don't have full range of motion, there's still enough room to move around. It does have some weight to it with it being leather and iron but it also looks really cool. Totosai promised to show me how he repairs them later on—"

Ochaco stopped him with a finger to her lips before pointing at the shoji to her right, the other hand already lifting the layers of her dress to move. Through the paper illuminated by flame shadows she could see an outline of someone crouched there but it looked too big to be one of the servants. They'd been sitting there for at least a few minutes now though she assumed it was a guard. Deku looked over and watched with focused eyes as it cracked open the slightest. The princess motioned for him to cover the other side as she hastily stood to get out of sight. In the process of moving towards the door, the hem of her dress caught on the corner of the tea tray and sent the ceramicware crashing to the floor. Ochaco snapped her head back just as the door was flung open and an unknown samurai came sprinting in towards the source. Every other door opened as well to reveal more assailants that targeted Deku immediately. The man she spotted was headed straight towards her with a small blade in hand. She stooped down and grabbed the remaining intact cup before hiding it within her large sleeves. She may be quirkless but she wasn't a damsel in distress.

"You are a traitorous princess! How dare you look down on clan Yakimaro! I have strived for your hand for years now yet you only choose the strongest of fighters? Blasphemous wench, return to the depths of hell from whence you came!"

Ochaco instinctively tried to dodge to the side but her occasional clumsiness and hindering layers caused the brunette to trip on the dress at the most inconvenient time. The samurai corrected his path as she was falling and raised the blade above his head. She threw the cup with every ounce of strength she had, the small cup landing smack dab in his covered face with a crash. The man yelled in pain but continued with his assassination attempt albeit blinded from the impact. Trying to grab his arm as she was falling would cause more problems than trying to dodge it completely. Gunhead Martial Arts didn't work without a steady stance and the right opening. Just before the blade drew too close for liking to puncture her flesh, Deku landed a kick to his face and sent him flying back through the shoji with a thunderous crash. His arm caught Ochaco before she could hit the ground and he gently crouched down to support her body.

"I won't let you lay a hand on her! Are you hurt at all?" Deku frantically asked as dozens of footsteps roared closer to the room. Ochaco shook her head as she sat back up in a bit of shock, a hand to her fake locks as she tried to process what had just happened. An assassination attempt was not something she expected and the murderous intent in the man's face sent a shiver down her spine.

"I'm alright Deku. I felt someone out there but I didn't think it was one of the festival participants. It almost looked like he was wearing a Yoshimochi clan set of armor but there wasn't enough time to process." Deku nodded then turned his attention to the destroyed tea set leaking onto the tatami mats. The contents were soaking into the floor as he crouched down to investigate it. There wasn't enough liquid in the pot for more than one person, barely even a tea cup's worth to begin with, but what caught his attention was the discoloration and smell. He assumed it was green tea as that was the most common back in ancient times though this appeared to be different.

"Uraraka, did you drink any of this tea?"

"I didn't have the chance to take a sip since you showed up shortly after Fayumi poured it. I've had a lot of tea today already so I mostly used it to warm my hands. Are you thinking it was poisoned?"

"I'm not sure but the color and smell are off plus there was only enough in the pot for one serving. It's darker than normal green tea and has an almost sweet smell to it. Did you drink any earlier that seemed different?"

"It tasted like green tea but more bitter and kind of bland compared to what we have in current times. The last tea I had was watching you fight down there before the storm. It was a different servant girl who brought it to me. Yuka maybe? Do you think the samurai and servant are related, Deku? It would explain how they were able to easily gain access to this room after I sent the guards away. Fayumi was the one who poured it this time though I think she mainly does the laundry and stays out of the kitchen." Ochaco shifted to a stand as shouting filled the area. The whole castle would soon be filling the room and being on the floor looking disheveled didn't look good on Deku.

"Princess Kaguya! What has happened here? Why is there a guard unconscious in the hallway with a bloodied face and more in here? Did that fighter attack them?" Lord Yoshimochi sprinted straight for his daughter and grabbed her shoulders to look her over for injuries.

"Father, that man in the hallway tried to have me assassinated by knife after a servant served me poisoned tea. If De—this warrior had not been here, the outcome would have been much worse. The man in the hallway said he belonged to the Yakimaro clan though I believe those are our clans armor he is wearing. He expressed grievances of my overlooking his fighting skills for more trained warriors. This was a coordinated attack on my life."

"Are you unharmed, pup?" Nakata shouted as he pushed past the samurai to reach Deku, the old fighter panicked and armed with a katana at the ready.

"I'm fine, really. It was an assassination attempt on the princess' life but he was quickly subdued. We think he was working in conjunction with another person, a servant by the name of Fayumi. The tea poured for Princess Kaguya was darker and smelled sweet, most likely a poison of sorts."

"I had my doubts about that woman from the beginning! I gave her a job within the castle due to my daughter having pled for me to save her from death and this is how she repays me? By attempting to kill her? Guards! I want her brought to me for swift justice! Search every room if you have to and call upon the other two champions for assistance! She will not get away with this." Lord Yoshimochi ordered and most samurai quickly sprinted from the room in search of the woman. Before Ochaco could say a word, two guards were escorting her from the room amidst the chaos of the manhunt by the arms.

"Release me! I will not be locked away in safety over a small problem! I request Deku be my personal guard! Ow, you're hurting my arms!" Ochaco struggled to break free of their firm grasps to no avail. They were stronger than her despite the intensive training and toning she'd done to be a hero. "Father, I demand to be released! The threat has been taken care of so there is no need to act rashly like this!"

"Forgive me, Kaguya, there is no other option," Lord Yoshimochi turned to her with a resolute expression. His eyes were hardened and lips were pressed into a thin line. Ochaco felt realization dawn on her and auburn orbs widened. He was going to lock her away from any danger, ever again. If she was captured like this then there would be no escaping the castle grounds with Deku.

"You can't do this! Locking me away solves nothing! You may think you're protecting your daughter but you aren't!"

"Let Uraraka go!" Deku shouted as the guards pulled her struggling body towards the doors. Nakata locked him in an underarm hold from behind, locking his torso in place to stop him. He turned his angered gaze towards the man who saved him from the forest. "I don't want to hurt you, Nakata. That's Uraraka! She's the one I've been looking for! Haven't you noticed she speaks like I do? You have to let me go, I can't lose her again!"

"Calm yourself boy, I know where she is being taken. I can gain you access to the holding cell before dawn rises. For now you need to trust in Lord Yoshimochi, he knows best for his daughter." Nakata muttered in his ear as soon as Princess Kaguya had disappeared around a corner, her protests echoing back into the room. Deku growled under his breath but soon gave in with a drop of his shoulders. He trusted the samurai's word despite every cell in his body telling him to go after Uraraka. His Lordship wouldn't put his daughter in harm's way. At least, he hoped he wouldn't. Dawn couldn't come fast enough.

---

Ochaco paced anxiously back and forth in the bamboo cell hidden in the back of the castle. There was only a small window for light which had already diminished for the day so the only light and warmth was from the torches glowing on the walls. She'd yelled and banged on the gate with tied hands to no avail for nearly an hour. After that she gave up and sat down on the thin layer of tatami mat provided for her. A samurai offered to bring more comfortable pillows for her though she refused. Royal comforts were of no use to her now and at least the many layers of dress protected her from the deeper chill. A rumbling in her stomach had the teen pressing her palms against her abdomen. How long had she been in the cell? At one point she fell asleep for a bit but it was still dark out so that didn't help with what time it was. She was starting to get pretty hungry…

Voices were heard from the other side of the room door and Ochaco pressed herself against the bamboo bars, hands wrapped around a bar tightly. They were muffled despite her best efforts to listen in so she focused on trying to get their attention discreetly. No doubt guards would be standing outside so it was best not to make too much noise. There wasn't anything else in her cell apart from the tatami mats so she looked around for something on the outside. Torches were too far away for her to reach. Nothing else in the space apart from what looked like a private area in the corner but that was on the other side of the room. A memory of one of Mr. Aizawa's lesson popped to the forefront of her mind and she began knocking on the bamboo. It was more of a brief explanation of how soldiers used to communicate back in World War II, but it was enough for a simple message to be remembered by the brunette. Dot-dot-dot-dash-dash-dash-dot-dot-dot. The international symbol for SOS. The voices stopped as Ochaco kept knocking. After a few more signals she stopped and waited with bated breath. Not even a moment later the door burst open to reveal Deku and Nakata, both fully armored with katana at their sides.

"Deku!"

"Uraraka, are you alright? You're not injured?" Deku asked with relief washing over his body. She seemed unharmed for the most part though he couldn't be sure without asking. It'd been since last night after his Lordship ordered her to be imprisoned in the cell and he'd been on edge the entire time despite both Nakata and Totosai telling him to calm down. Uraraka quickly shook her head and reached her fingers out for his hands. He quickly sheathed his blade and grasped the outstretched fingers firmly. Nakata made a knowing face but quickly turned away to examine the rest of the room with mild interest, a smile on his weathered face.

"I'm alright Deku, just a bit hungry. How did you get past the guards? Won't Lord Yoshimochi find out?" Ochaco squeezed his digits tighter to stop the quivering of her own. Emotionally she was just barely keeping it together and it never failed for Deku to notice the subtle details as he squeezed back.

"That would be my doing. Earlier I stated my sword belonged to Lord Yoshimochi for years now. As such, I am well aware of the switching of the guard. I have higher ranking than most that guard this castle so it was not hard to persuade them to look away for a moment." Nakata filled in for Uraraka while turning to her. Without another word he motioned for her to step back from the gate with an unsheathing of his blade. Deku quickly got out of range after seeing his display earlier this morning. With a swing faster than either could see, the blade sliced through the bamboo and crumbled it to pieces on the floor. Without waiting for him to move Ochaco darted out of the cage and flung herself at Deku with everything she had. Strong arms wrapped around her quivering form gently, a hand to the back of her head and the other her back.

"You must have been scared, Uraraka. I'm sorry for not finding you sooner, we had to wait until it was dark to sneak around. Can you still move? We have to leave before Lord Yoshimochi finds out." Deku spoke quietly as he waited for Uraraka to compose herself. She nodded against his armor and took a few steadying breaths before pulling back. The red makeup underneath her eyes had smeared from the tears and she went to wipe it off with her knuckles until Nakata stopped her with an outstretched handkerchief. Deku quickly worked on removing the binds around her wrists then examined the skin for wounds. Satisfied there were none, he handed over the handkerchief so she could dab her eyes.

"Here, use that bucket of water over there to cleanse yourself of paint. It would be easier to move through the castle if you did not resemble the princess. You will also need to shed those fine silks in favor of this set of clothing. Your head will need to be covered to prevent peeping eyes. If we do this quickly enough then we should be in the clear to get you both out of here."

"Thank you for helping us, Nakata. Aren't you worried about being caught and punished?" Ochaco quietly thanked Deku for the handkerchief before heading to the wash bucket in the corner.

"Aye. There will be punishments though truth be told, Princess Kaguya has long since vanished from these lands." Nakata replied lowly and Deku looked at him strangely as Uraraka slipped behind the changing screen.

"What are you talking about? Why would Uraraka be portraying her if she's been gone for years?" Deku asked curiously as he leaned against the wall while waiting for his friend to clean up and change behind a folding screen. Nakata motioned for them to talk more privately on the other side of the room, his face darkened with turmoil.

"Listen to me, pup. I have known Princess Kaguya for years now and she is no longer of this earth. After being punished by the heavens above she was sent to earth to serve time. As her sentence drew near, she wallowed in tears to have to leave such a beautiful place. It became enough to have pity shone upon her and she was sent back to the moon where she belongs. A deity is not destined to live amongst humans for so long, though this was nothing more than punishment by the gods. She became weak and hid away from sight for days on end near the end. Lord Yoshimochi had to make the choice to release his blessed child back to the stars with a heavy heart. It is why he is locking your friend away, to prevent her from being taken back to the moon once more. He knows the truth which is why Uraraka has been brought in to replace his child. Things will not end well if both of ye do not escape before first light."

Deku chewed on his bottom lip while he processed the information. He'd read the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter at the beginning of middle school but what Nakata was saying didn't make much sense. Then again, he and Uraraka weren't from this timeline so it was possible the story had been interpreted wrong over the years. If Princess Kaguya had gone back to the moon already then why was Lord Yoshimochi still acting as if she were alive? Not to mention the entire village as well. Things were starting to get weirder than before.

"I think I'm ready now but truth be told, I kind of already miss the silken dress. Pretty sure it was the most expensive dress I've ever worn," Ochaco announced with a final twirl around of her new outfit. The shirt was definitely meant for a man as the edges on the front didn't close enough for her liking due to her chest size. She'd kept on three thin layers of underclothes as precaution but if someone looked close enough then they'd realize she was female. The dark grey flower pattern on top hid some of her curves so that was some comfort to the brunette. The hem along the bottom was a bit too long so she adjusted the hakama higher to prevent another tripping incident with the bamboo sandals. A slightly worn straw hat covered her chestnut locks though she took a spare piece of fabric to tie them up underneath just in case. She wasn't given a blade like Deku and Nakata but her martial arts skills were enough to take anyone down.

"A bit big though it will work for now. You can fight, yes?" Nakata asked and grunted in response when Uraraka nodded confidently. "Then let us go. Surely Lord Yoshimochi will be upon us shortly. We will exit through an old portion of the grounds and I will take you to the edge of the village. From there you head towards the mountains to reach the Forbidden Woods."

"That's where I woke up. Nakata, is there something beyond the Forbidden Woods?" Deku asked as he motioned for them to move. He kept Uraraka close to him, a hand on the katana at all times. Using it to kill someone was against his code as a hero but using it to disarm an opponent wasn't. That and if he ran into Bakugo he'd surely lose an arm without it.

"Aye. I have travelled there many times as a guard and each time is dangerous. Bandits, thieves, dead bodies, burned carriages. I have seen it all in those decayed trees. What lies beyond are mountains that tower over the lands. Beyond that…I do not know. There are a few villages in between Sanuki and the mountains so it would be best to travel to the next one. Do not stop in the Forbidden Woods during the darkness."

"There aren't any guards around," Ochaco spoke lowly as they weaved their way through the castle floors, sneaking around corners and stairwells to remain hidden. Though two samurai wearing full sets of armor stuck out like a sore thumb so sneaking felt a little useless. "I know you mentioned having seniority over the samurai in the castle, but did you send them away, Nakata?"

"Nay, something about this does not settle well. I believe Lord Yoshimochi is on to our plan. Prepare yourselves for a battle. Do your best to avoid lethal strikes, pup. The power behind your swings could split a man in half before you blink." Nakata quickly unsheathed his katana and held it down at his side in a practiced stance as they picked up the pace. Deku kept in stride with the samurai, blade sheathed to prevent any fatalities. He would use the sheath as a blunt weapon instead and if that failed, hand to hand combat would be the next option.

Ochaco kept right on their heels with eyes checking every corner and doorway as they passed. It was too quiet within the castle. The hair on the back of her neck tingled and her fast reaction time had the brunette dodging a surprise attack from the rear, a blade entering her peripheral. As soon as she saw the hand holding that blade come into sight, Ochaco latched onto the wrist with a fast stance adjustment before slamming the enemy down hard on the floor in front of her. All hell broke loose as shoji were ripped and thrown open, samurai pouring from the rooms to surround the three. Deku shifted to be back to back with Ochaco as he held his sheath out in a protective position. There were at least a dozen men fully surrounding them leaving no exit available to the fighters. Nakata took a deep breath then slowly released. Then his skillset was shown to the heroes. With swift, calculated movements, Nakata tore through the samurai with precision and speed. Blood sprayed into the air and all over the walls as the men were taken down one by one with little time to resist. When the last man fell to the floor with a pained grunt, Nakata stood straight up and flicked the blood from his blade before swiping it against a cloth on the inner crease of his arm.

"That was incredible! You missed all vital points while keeping damage to a minimum yet incapacitating the enemy in the process. It would take decades of skill to master that level of sword work. Why did you ever lay down your blade and armor, Nakata?" Deku gushed once the immediate area was cleared of enemies, the only sounds were the downed samurai being treated by him and Uraraka. They made fast work of the wounds by ripping shreds of fabric from the samurai's sleeves to stop the bleeding though without proper antibiotics, the wounds would heal much slower with a greater risk of infection.

"It's because you surrendered when outnumbered by the enemy, right? Lord Yoshimochi told me that instead of fighting at a heavy disadvantage, you laid down your sword in defeat. You must have felt disgraced to go against the samurai code, Nakata, but there is nothing wrong with wanting to live. We fight for the sake of others daily and even though it means we may lose our lives in the process, we do it so others can live on. That's what it means to be a hero." Ochaco replied with a final bandage tightening then looked up at the samurai studying her carefully. She stood and walked over to him with empathy adorning her face, gently holding out her hands for his. After a few moments of hesitation he placed his heavily worn and callous ones in hers.

"He has told you much then. Aye, I gave in to my fear of death. I had been fighting for days on end with no rest and little food. The heavens above ignored the death and destruction, the gods turning their backs to the pleas of many. We humans may be strong on the outside, yet we are weak and fragile on the inside. Now, we must hurry onward before other samurai appear. Do not forget that the two other champions of the festival are now under the order of Lord Yoshimochi."

"Of course. Lead the way, Nakata." Ochaco squeezed his hands quickly before letting them settle back against her side. As Nakata was turning away, she could've sworn there was a deep sadness settled within his eyes.

"He's been through a lot, Uraraka," Deku comforted his friend with a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him with understanding though that didn't erase the slight crease of worry between her brows. "His village, his honor, everything he stood for before coming to Sanuki. That's why he doesn't wear this armor anymore. Totosai had been keeping it safe in his shop after repairing it. I'm still not entirely sure why he chose me as the one to wear it but…I think it's part of him letting go of the past in order to move forward."

"Is it that or is he trying to atone for his sins before he dies, Deku?"

"Hurry up lest you be left behind!" Nakata called from further down the hallway so the two scurried after him spewing apologies.

_B_

They somehow made it through the castle and into the rear courtyard with little resistance though Lord Yoshimochi seemed to have planned ahead with samurai planted around the grounds. This time the number of samurai had nearly tripled and Nakata growled beneath his helmet. This many fighters meant Lord Yoshimochi planned for them to die where they stood. All of the contestants from the festival were mixed in with the fighters, even the ones who didn't make it past the first round. Deku and Ochaco scanned over the fighters with unease as morning light filtered over the landscape. There was no way to make it past all of them, not with an older samurai and two heroes from a different world without quirks. Nakata slowly lifted his blade out to the side, many fighters anticipating for the fighter to launch an attack, yet the tip of his katana entered its sheath until it clicked softly into place. Both heroes looked at him in surprise, the confidence of winning the fight dwindling like an extinguishing flame.

"A wise choice, old friend. Even you cannot take on a small platoon of the finest warriors in the land. I am disappointed in you, Nakata. You were my closest friend yet you chose to go against my word to break my daughter from her quarters? Do tell me, what have you done with Princess Kaguya? All that remains is her robes folded neatly on the floor and a dirtied rag of facial paint." Lord Yoshimochi bellowed from a balcony above overlooking the once pristinely maintained sand gardens. To either side stood Bakugo and Todoroki awaiting orders to attack, their presence meaning to intimidate the trio down below. Bakugo sent a heavy sneer directed at Deku who responded with an even expression.

"You know the truth, My Lord. You know she is not your true daughter, Princess Kaguya, who returned to the moon many years ago. It was a blessing to have her as a child but her presence on this earth was nothing more than punishment from the heavens above. Humans and gods can never live together. I wish for you to come to your senses and end this pointless battle. Blood does not need to be spilled so let them leave Sanuki in peace." Nakata turned to address his Lord with a strained voice as he tore off his helmet to clearly relay his intentions with a hardened expression. Lord Yoshimochi lifted his nose at the gesture yet it faltered and he sighed with a sad shake of his head.

"Nakata, when you came to me all those years ago did I not provide you with food, shelter, and training? To have one of my own betray me is a deep disgrace to the Sanuki name. Even if you were to leave the village, who is to say I would not send my men after you? If they cannot defeat you then the Forbidden Woods will take care of the rest. You have done me great service over the years, that I shall commend you for, but as Lord of Sanuki I simply cannot let you leave without punishment. So please friend, for my sake. Please surrender yourself so we may—"

"I am done surrendering, Lord Yoshimochi!" Nakata bellowed over the Lord with an arm thrown out in anger. "I may have cowered in my past, thrown away armor that carried the sins of a thousand battles and seas of blood, and even submitted myself to defeat rather than accept a needless death but I will not surrender myself for another time! A wise warrior once told me that it is okay to be afraid of death as we are all human on the inside. A hero must be willing to sacrifice themselves to save those in need, even at the cost of their own life. So that is what I am willing to do in this moment, sacrifice my life for the sake of these two so they can continue to save lives."

"Nakata, what are you saying? We can get out of this if we strategize," Deku pleaded yet the old samurai held up a hand to stop him. Ochaco hung her head with an aching chest. There would be no changing his mind and both heroes knew it yet the denial hung over them heavily.

"This old samurai is tired of running from his problems, Midoriya Izuku. I have seen the way both of you fight and it is something beyond our time. You both do not belong here whilst I am forever a part of this world. Take your friend and head straight towards that tree line. Once you make it through the trees then circle your way back through the village towards the entrance. You remember the way, correct?"

"Yes I remember it but we can all get out of this, Nakata! You still have a full life ahead of you so why not escape with us?" Deku argued desperately but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Before you leave the village, stop by Totosai and pick up a package I prepared for you both. He is expecting your arrival so make haste before the samurai surround you. I believe in you two as you have believed in me. May the gods watch over you for this is our farewell." Nakata turned and gave them both a comforting shoulder clasp then turned to face Lord Yoshimochi. Slowly he replaced his helmet before drawing his katana once more, the blade glistening as the rising sun cleared to mountaintops to shine down upon them.

"Dragons, stop those two from leaving the garden! The rest of you bring Nakata to his knees!" Lord Yoshimochi demanded and both samurai sprang into action, leaping from the balcony to the sand below.

"Run, Uraraka!" Deku snatched her hand and took off in the direction Nakata pointed. The brunette glanced back as dozens of samurai closed in on the man who'd helped them escape from the castle. Tears stung her eyes as she forced herself to look away when the sound of swords colliding reached her ears. They had to focus on escaping now, grieving would be saved for later.

"Deku…"

"I know! He's sacrificing himself so we can escape but we can't dwell on it now! I know how you feel Uraraka, and we just have to believe that this is the right thing to do. We can grieve later, I promise. We need to reach Totosai and get the package, from there it should be pretty easy to make it out of the village. I don't know what's beyond the Forbidden Woods but we'll deal with it when we get there."

Deku looked over his shoulder every now and then to check on the distance between them and the Dragons. The two were slowly but surely catching up to them. Fighting both was a death wish according to the information Uraraka gave him. Bakugo he could handle but not Todoroki on top of it with his limited experience wielding a katana and only he could take them on. Damnit, things would be easier with a quirk right now but he wasn't a quitter. He'd find a way to get them both out of there safely.

"Deku, I don't think those are Bakugo and Todoroki. The colors of their armor are wrong and they wouldn't be running together." Ochaco panted out as they sprinted through the forest dodging roots and rocks protruding from the ground. She'd been looking back every thirty seconds to track their positioning and what gave it away was the fact that they were right next to each other despite their strong hatred. Deku slowed to a stop to verify. She was right, the colors were wrong and they were moving too close together to be renowned rival samurai of Japan. High ranking samurai wouldn't openly show themselves if they were on the hunt. Damnit, they'd underestimated those two.

"We're almost to the village. If we can run through the thicker parts of the trees then we should have a better chance—"

"Found you."

Deku pulled Ochaco out of the way as a blade sliced towards them with lightning speed yet it still grazed against the skin of her arm like a hot knife through butter while catching the side of his face and helmet, sending blood and the head protector flying. The blade changed direction for a second strike yet metal clanged as it was deflected at the last moment. Todoroki gave a noise of annoyance as Deku flung his blade backwards with a powerful counter that sent the samurai stumbling back a few steps. He was crouched in front of an unknown man wearing a dark hakama who was tightly holding onto their wounded arm. The samurai in green was glaring dangerously at him as he stood tall and shifted into another stance.

"Impressive, you managed to mostly dodge the first attack and counter the second. You may be an unknown warrior yet word of your reputation spreads quickly. Your friend there has impressive intuition as well." Todoroki readied his blade once more as the samurai before him tracked every movement he made. Interesting. Only a handful of times had there been an opponent who focused on every minute shift he made. This was going to be an exciting fight.

"Uraraka, how bad is your injury?" Deku ignored Todoroki to check in on his friend who was crouched behind him.

"It's fine, I'll try my best to slow the bleeding for now. Don't worry about me Deku, we have to keep running. Bakugo can't be too far away if Todoroki is already here." Ochaco replied while using her free hand to remove the fabric strip holding up chestnut locks. With one end clenched between her teeth she quickly wrapped it around the wound as tight as possible and tied it off. Folding up the edge of her sleeve, the brunette gave it a sharp tug to split it up the seam and used that to cover the small strip as a thicker, more secure bandage. Blood bloomed through the fabric yet there was nothing more she could do. "If we separate then I can try to find Totosai in the village—"

"No. We're not separating when Bakugo is probably out there waiting to ambush us. I'll finish this quickly so for now just stay close to me, Uraraka." Deku swiped the blood from his eyes for better vision to fight Todoroki. It wasn't going to be an easy fight and he needed to be able to fully focus his attention on his opponent. That gleaming blade of his was dangerous. He hadn't even felt the blade slice through his skin and his moves…he was fast. One wrong move would have his throat slit.

"That bastard Bakugo will not take my prey before me. He may have taken my eye yet he will not take my glory of battle!" Todoroki hissed before launching himself at Deku with blade swinging forward. The blades clashed violently as the power struggle between fighters increased. Todoroki tried to push forward yet Deku stood firm while matching every blow handed to him. A few times the counter or block was messy resulting in knicks and slashes across the chain covered armor.

"You don't have to do this, Shoto! This isn't like you, you don't attack your own friends!" Ochaco plead as the two continued to fight in the dense forest. Her arm was throbbing like mad as she anxiously scanned over the area for Bakugo's surprise attack. An aerial attack was his specialty so any moment she expected him to rain his fury down on them. He may be rash sometimes but Bakugo was calculating and always planned out his attacks.

"How do you know my first name? I have never told you this information," Todoroki jumped back to avoid a dangerously fast swing from Deku and turned his cold gaze to Uraraka.

"Because we have a friend exactly like you where we're from. He's one of the strongest heroes in Japan and always risks his life for his friends and those who need him. In the beginning, like how you are now, he was cold and distant to everyone after living in his father's shadow for all of his life. His father forced him to undergo rigorous training day and night in order to become the strongest hero in the land. That training kept him from the rest of his family and made everyone around him run in fear of the anger burning inside." Deku explained his friend's backstory with a slight adjustment of his blade. He glanced back to see Uraraka scanning the treetops for a surprise attack from Bakugo. The blood from her wound was soaking into her sleeve and dripping to the ground in a steady flow from her fingertips. It could get highly infected without proper treatment. There was no telling how dirty the blade was and without modern antibiotics, wounds like that could be fatal. He was beginning to feel a bit light headed from the actively bleeding wound on his head, the crimson constantly getting into his vision as he fought.

"You think this friend of yours is exactly like me? Do not make me laugh—"

"I don't think you're exactly like him, I know you're the same. Even down to the eye injury. It may be a time alteration of over a thousand years and you both have differences in appearance and personality, but you're the same. How you choose to go from here is solely your choice. As soon as Bakugo joins the fight, I can promise you that it's going to get ugly. He only cares about winning and even though we're the main targets, he would have no problem taking you down too. We're in a secluded forest so how long can you keep this up? There are dozens of hiding spots and for all we know Bakugo could be hiding in the treetops right now waiting for his moment to strike." Deku continued to try and persuade the samurai to drop his blade. There was conflict in Todoroki's eye that shone through the cold gaze but he wasn't sure it was enough to change his mind.

"Above!" Ochaco called out as a glinting between the branches alerted her to the concealed samurai. Both fighters looked up as Bakugo launched himself towards them with a flaming katana. Deku dove out of the way at the last second while Todoroki braced for the heavy impact and the fight was on between both samurai.

"Let's go, Uraraka!" Deku pulled her by the good arm through the thicker gathering of trees as blades clashed loudly and both samurai gave their battle cries. Knowing exactly how Bakugo fought made it easier to lure him to where Todoroki stood since their rivalry ran deep. If given the chance then the Crimson Dragon would take an opening against the Arctic Dragon over fighting him.

"Deku, your head is bleeding! Was that from the helmet getting knocked off or the blade?" Ochaco asked worriedly as she noticed the excessive amount of blood running down his face. He didn't seem to mind it too much as he focused on getting them out of there safely but she always worried with his injuries. A lot of the time he went overboard fighting villains and failed to realize the extent of his injuries until he was hitting the ground immobilized.

"Yeah, the edge of the blade probably scratched me after Todoroki knocked the helmet off. It's nothing. It won't take us long to get to Totosai's shop but before we leave, I want to get your arm properly taken care of. If we don't get it cleaned up then the risk of infection is high especially in a time without antibiotics. How deep did the cut go?"

"I can't tell through the throbbing right now but judging by the amount of blood, it's probably a heavy cut. I barely felt the blade cutting though that's not surprising with how sharp katana are if they're made right. It just needs to be cleaned and bandaged then I'll be fine. You should really get that head wound look at, Deku."

"I'm sorry for not protecting you in time, Uraraka. I underestimated how fast Todoroki was with his sword, I should've moved faster." Deku apologized as they weaved through the gnarled trunks and branches that hindered their path. It wouldn't take much longer to get back to the village but their head start was nothing more than that. Both Dragons would surely catch up soon enough.

"You worry too much, Deku. You've had worse injuries than this and you healed well enough. A scratch won't kill me." Ochaco mused with a huff. He was always worrying about her even over the slightest of scrapes and bruises. One mission in the very beginning of their third year at U.A. ended up with her in the hospital for two weeks with fractures, deep lacerations, and even a good concussion thanks to a villain ambush. Every day Deku showed up to spend time with her and talk, just as she did for him throughout the first year. And the second. And the third. Honestly, the hero spent a little too much time in the hospital to the point that while Recovery Girl was training Eri to take over when she retired, she made a little plaque with his name on it for the bed.

"But it's different when it's you, Uraraka. I don't know what I'd do if you were gravely injured…or worse." Deku spoke softly with an averted gaze.

Ochaco flushed beneath the straw hat that thankfully covered a good portion of her face. Did she hear that right? It was different when it was her? What did he mean by that? He didn't mean…no. There was no way, right? Mina and the others aways hinted that lately Deku seemed more attentive of everything she did but there was no chance of it being true. Because she'd buried those feelings deep inside after the licensing exam under lock and key. They were both busy students and heroes so when would there be time for dating? A quick glance up at him showed that he was keeping his head tilted away from her so it was hard to gauge his reaction so she just turned her attention back to the path with a pounding heart.

It only took a short while for them to reach the edge of the village and the general population. Deku started weaving between houses and sheds checking over his shoulder constantly while dodging people and carts. He didn't know the layout of the village like Bakugo and Todoroki probably did so if they'd caught up by now, then a surprise attack wasn't far behind. Totosai's shop was just a few streets over and all he had to do was get them there, pick up the supplies, treat Uraraka's wound, then head for the village entrance. Easier said than done. "Totosai isn't far from here, Uraraka. Are you holding up?"

"I'm getting pretty lightheaded, Deku. I think…I think I've lost more blood than I thought..." Ochaco replied wearily and he immediately stopped then whirled around in a panic. As soon as he lifted the straw hat up, his face changed from focused to extremely concerned. She knew what that look meant but didn't have the energy to protest about what happened next.

"Your face is really pale. It's possible you're going into shock from the severity of the wound and blood loss. I'm going to carry you and I'm sorry if this hurts a bit." Deku promptly picked her up bridal style with the wound facing away from his body to prevent further damage before sprinting through the streets. Many villagers gave strange looks but he didn't have time to care. Uraraka was getting weaker by the minute and he could already feel the blood dripping down his hand. Thick, black smoke came into view so he veered straight for the village blacksmith. "Totosai!"

The old man must've been waiting for them since he appeared in the doorway almost immediately with a large bundle of supplies. The moment he saw the blood everywhere though, he quickly waved them inside and tossed the sack aside. "What happened? Who caused such a grave wound?"

"The Arctic Dragon attacked us in the forest outside of Sanuki castle. Lord Yoshimochi ordered for us to be captured and Nakata…" As soon as the name was said Totosai exhaled deeply with a slow shake of his head. There was no need to explain what happened.

"His plan was to distract his Lordship while you escaped with your friend. Nakata knew the risks of going against the Lord yet for some reason he is fond of you. Consider his sacrifice an honor, pup. Now, set your friend on the table by the fire. I will do what I can to fix him up quickly but then you need to leave. Samurai are running through the village in search of you." Totosai hobbled to the storage room as Deku placed Uraraka on the table as gently as he could before removing the straw hat.

"I'm fine, Deku. I just need to rest a bit…" Ochaco protested weakly though her friend quickly shook his head in disagreement.

"You have a large cut on your arm and have lost a substantial amount of blood. If we don't get it fixed up then your chances of infection increase drastically and you could go septic from it. We have a few minutes to spare to clean and dress the wound then we'll leave Sanuki."

"I have some supplies—a woman? I thought you were a man! What in the world are you doing dressed as a man?" Totosai sputtered as both heroes looked over at him in confusion.

"This is the friend I was looking for, her name is Ochaco Uraraka and she was portraying Princess Kaguya until Nakata revealed the real princess died years ago. Lord Yoshimochi must've been kidnapping women to fill her spot. Can we please ask questions later?" Deku quickly filled in anxiously as the old man just stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"R-right, apologies. I just never expected—"

"Totosai, please!" The hero begged which caused Ochaco to tilt her head to look at him in surprise. He was truly panicked, something she hadn't seen in a long time so she reached out her good arm to clasp his hand. Immediately he held it tightly without taking eyes off of Totosai.

"Alright, alright, calm yourself. This should only take a few minutes at most. Take this cloth and put it in your mouth, girl. If the wound is severe then I will need to seal it closed with an iron. Pup, tear off the sleeve just above the wound then grab some fresh water out back." The blacksmith ordered so Deku got to work immediately ripping the fabric off. Though as soon as he peeled the saturated fabric from Uraraka's arm, he saw the extent of the damage done by the katana and it made his stomach churn. It didn't seem to be terribly deep yet it started a few inches past the edge of her elbow and ran nearly all the way to her armpit. A diagonal cut across her bicep with clean edges meant it was easier to heal but there was no telling where Todoroki's blade had been. It was hard to tell with all of the blood but he was sure there was some visible muscle.

"That's gross to look at," Ochaco muttered before grimacing and looking away.

"Aye, tis not pretty though not fatal. I will give you some medicinal herbs for pain after the pup gathers water for cleansing. This is not my first nor last sword wound to treat." Totosai said while examining the wound closer with knobby hands. Deku scurried off in search of water so the blacksmith hobbled around gathering what supplies he needed.

"Totosai, did you know…about the princess?" Ochaco asked quietly once Deku was out of earshot. The blacksmith remained quiet for a minute before solemnly nodding as he mixed up an unknown paste.

"Aye. Nakata told me. Swore me to secrecy until the grave. Very few know the truth about Princess Kaguya but Nakata was told by his Lord. Anyone who opposed quickly disappeared so we remained quiet. Your friend is the only reason you escaped alive. Lord Yoshimochi hunts down those who try to escape to prevent it from getting out that his daughter died many years ago."

"I can sympathize with losing a loved one but that's going too far to kidnap women and make them portray the princess. He genuinely seems like a nice man."

"Grief turns men to monsters, I have seen it dozens of times. Alright, go ahead and hold your arm out so I can cleanse the wound."

Ochaco extended her arm slowly as Deku returned with a bucket of water. Totosai got straight to work and first took handfuls of water and splashed it over her arm just to clear the fresh blood off. It stung a bit but she managed it until he dunked a rag into the water and slapped it over the cut with a little more force than necessary and began scrubbing. "Ouch! Do you have to hit it so hard?"

"I warned ye to bite down on the cloth. You will not like it when I have to shove the medicine in there. You might want to hold her down, pup."

"If that's alright with you, Uraraka. Whatever you're comfortable with," Deku asked for permission and gently held onto her shoulders when she nodded. She popped the folded cloth in her mouth and practiced breathing techniques as the old man scooped up a big glob of paste. Without warning he slapped it directly on the cut and began massaging it into the wound, his fingers pushing up and under the edges of the flesh to get deeper. Ochaco's breath hitched as her body tensed up to try and distract the pain receptors. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, breathe…breathe.

"Take a breath, Uraraka. It's going to hurt more if you hold it in. I know it's painful but you're doing great and he's almost done." Deku encouraged softly as the brunette flinched with every shifting of paste into the wound.

"—search every house if you must, Lord Yoshimochi wants them captured! I will talk to the blacksmith first."

All three froze in place as the voices of samurai filtered in through the windows and doors, causing Totosai's shop assistant to hurry out from the front motioning frantically that they were getting closer. Deku debated fighting them off but the old blacksmith threw a wet rag at his face to extinguish the idea. "You try fighting them and they will all come running. Clean the blood from your face with that rag. Hojo, take them to the cellar so I can deal with these traitors. Finish bandaging up the wound, kid, take these cloth and tie them tightly. There is a hatch that leads to the back of the shop, there ye will find a horse ready for travel. Take it and go. Do not stop for anything, understand?"

"Right. Thank you for everything, Totosai." Deku gave a fast bow before tying off the wound with deft fingers. Then he carefully helped her off the table and towards the hatch Hojo was lifting up with some issue. Just before the hatch sent them into the nearly dark abyss, the old blacksmith stopped and looked back at the heroes with a toothy grin.

"You wear that armor proudly, Midoriya Izuku. Do not forget where ye have come from and ye will be the finest warrior. Now go and do not look back."

"I will, Totosai. Thank you for everything."

The heroes descended into darkness with Hojo leading the way with a small candle. It was a cramped space that had the three of them nearly crawling on hands and knees just to avoid hitting their heads on the beams above. Hojo shakily held the light out in front of him as he made for the exit but jolted to a stop when heavy footsteps shook the floor above him. He nervously looked back at the heroes and Deku put a finger to his lips before motioning for him to stay still. Uraraka slumped against one of the pillars, a hand to her bandaged arm as she tracked the movements above. Though muffled, Deku could hear as a person made their way into the shop with heavy steps.

"Oh? What a surprise visit, Yoshinoya. I have not seen you in a long time." Totosai greeted the samurai with a flap of his hand as he rotated a glowing iron within the forge. The fact that one of the higher ranking samurai showed up didn't surprise him in the least yet the persistence of the man before him would be difficult to handle. "What brings ye here? Surely not another sharpening. You know, that would make the third time this month—"

"Cut the act, Totosai. We know you are harboring fugitives here so just tell me where they are and you can go about making swords until the day you die." Yoshinoya interrupted rather harshly which caused the blacksmith to pause in his work with a frown.

"Who? What are ye going on about now?"

"Are you really going to stand there ignorant of the blood trail leading into your shop?" The samurai pointed out the obvious trail leading to the table behind Totosai.

"Ye know I treat wounds daily. Another scrapper came in with a large slice to his arm so I fixed it up and sent him away. Honestly, I should start charging for it and retire. I grow weary of these reckless samurai swinging their swords around like ball sacks, trying to be dominant over another. Come to think of it, ye seemed to do that years ago—"

"Enough. Tell me where they are, Totosai, or I shall tear apart this shambling shack of yours in search of them. You would not want to shame the fresh corpse of Nakata, would you? He himself announced he was harboring those two fugitives and is involved of the disappearance of Princess Kaguya." Yoshinoya hastily dodged a blade flying past his head with deadly precision, the sword letting out a thunk as it sunk into the front wall of the shop. Totosai grabbed the burning iron from the fire and pressed it against the samurai's chest plate. Steam billowed as the hot metal chewed away at the chains and leathers protecting his flesh below. The old man pushed him backwards until he was cornered in the shop, fury twisting his wrinkled face.

"Ye will not disrespect a samurai who has actually given the Shogun pride, unlike ye who likes to sit high on his throne in the castle pretending to do something other than boss others around. Nakata will always be remembered as a hero. You will be remembered as the samurai who died with a smoldering iron through his chest. If ye are done flapping your lips like a slum whore on a busy night, then I suggest ye turn around and continue your search elsewhere."

"Kami, are you trying to kill me? Get that hot iron away before my innards are scorched!" Yoshinoya screeched as his skin began heating to an unbearable level. Totosai gave it one last twist before yanking it and a piece of armor away in one swoop. Satisfied the harassing samurai wouldn't be trying anything else, the old man tossed the iron back into the fire with its new material to melt it down. "Fine, you can continue with your damned work but just know that we will be keeping a close eye on you."

"Do not forget to come back for armor repairs! Might accidentally get stabbed with that gaping hole in your chest!" The blacksmith called out cheerily as the scorned samurai hightailed it from the shop with a few choice words. Once he was sure the man wasn't coming back, he shuffled over to the trap door and tapped on it three times before moving to clean up the blood. "Hojo, you need to help me clean this mess up. Hurry up."

"That's our cue to move." Deku breathed as the skittish man leading the way nearly shot through the ceiling at the sudden noise. With a hasty nod he kept leading the way to the back entrance, the candle quivering faster than before.

"Deku, you don't think Nakata…" Ochaco started uneasily as she followed behind her friend with altered movements.

"I don't think so, it sounded more like a bluff to get Totosai to spill that we're still here. He won't go down that easily so don't worry. I believe in him."

Within a minute they were emerging from the crawlspace of the shop and back into the open air. A tall, black horse was saddled and waiting in a makeshift stall with a rather bored expression as it ate, the creature briefly looking up at them before shifting to grab another mouthful without a care. The satchel dropped earlier had been attached to the saddle already so as the assistant untied the reins, Deku took the chance to check on Uraraka. She was still alert and talking, which was a good sign but he'd need to keep an eye out for signs of shock. The bandage and salve seemed to be doing its job as he didn't see any blood showing through. Now they just had to get out of the village in one piece.

"H-here, Totosai instructed you to take the horse beyond the village entrance and towards the mountains. Do not stop in the Forbidden Woods. I have to go back inside but good luck on your journey." Hojo held out the rope to Deku once the horse was pulled from the stall. "His name is Kage. There is extra food in the satchel for him as well. He is…did…belong to Nakata so please take good care of him. He can be stubborn at times but knows how to avoid danger since he is a trained samurai horse."

"Thank you, Hojo. We'll take care of Kage, I promise." Ochaco smiled at him before reaching up for the saddle horn and yanking herself up with ease. Deku shook Hojo's hand then quickly followed suit, settling in behind his friend. "Give Totosai our thanks as well."

"Uraraka, do you know how to ride a horse?" Deku asked curiously as Hojo bowed then hurried back into the shop as the blacksmith called for him once more. Horse riding lessons weren't super common in modern Japan so it was a little surprising that she seemed to know what she was doing. She just turned to look at him with a confident smile.

"Nope! But I've seen it on tv plenty of times. It can't be that hard, right? Uh…what do they say to go? Move? Mush? Run?"

"I think you can just kick your heels into their side and they'll start walking. Use the reins to have him face the other way while giving him a slight kick." Deku suggested with a shrug. Not like he knew much about horses either. They weren't exactly used like cars in modern times.

"Here goes…" Ochaco carefully tugged on the reins to turn the horse around but it seemed to not want to move despite her best efforts. A little kick did nothing so she gave the horse a pat on the neck when it shook its head in refusal. "I'm really sorry but we need to leave the village now. Can you work with me a little bit? I'm sorry if we're too heavy for you. I know Nakata isn't here right now but he entrusted you to us so please get us out of here."

The horses ears perked up at the name and it looked back at Ochaco with an acknowledging snort. As if that was the magic word, Kage allowed the reins to be pulled to the left and he began trotting towards the main street with a snort. Deku held onto the back of the saddle with one hand as the other remained on the katana. He'd have to provide protection while Uraraka managed Kage. Well, that and he didn't want to hold onto her waist without her consent to make sure neither fell off. At this point it'd be a miracle if they got out of Sanuki in one piece. Kage trotted out into the eerily empty main street and without warning, reared up with his front legs kicking into the air. Deku quickly shot his hand around the brunette to grab onto the saddle horn. The other hand quickly latched onto her waist to prevent his friend from flying off. The horse hit the ground with a jolt and before either could process what spooked him, Kage took off at full speed through the dirt roads as his passengers held on for dear life.

"Whoa! He's going kind of fast!" Ochaco called out over the thundering of hooves pummeling the dirt below, the brunette tightly holding onto the reins to maintain control. It was a bit difficult to focus when she was practically pinned against Deku with his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. They'd had their share of closeness during battles when one or the other got injured, but this felt different. Yes, they were running for their lives from sword wielding maniacs and it shouldn't be any different than a villain battle, but the comments from her friends slowly surfaced to the forefront of her brain with each pummeling hoof.

Midoriya is totally paying more attention to you! He hasn't stopped staring since you put your hair up, Ochaco.

Hey, hey, girlie! Midoriya asked me to deliver these when I ran into you. Someone is starting to give little gifts of affection! It's been long enough, we're already in our third year! Just date already! I've got a bet running with the guys so don't let me lose!

Kaminari told me that Midoriya's been doing research on popular areas to spend the day. You think it's for little Ocha here?

I wholeheartedly support you two as a couple, Ochaco! I even have a lovely tea set for once you two finally get together. Oh, your wedding will be so wonderful!

Ochaco, you should just go up and ask Midoriya out. He's too shy to approach you but I can tell there's something on his mind he wants to talk to you about. Ribbit.

Ochaco shook her head quickly to purge the burning thoughts. Now wasn't the time to think about romantic feelings. For years her feelings were locked away in a tightly chained box, they could last a little longer. Kage quickly wound his way through the village with terrifying speed that sent people diving out of the way to avoid being trampled. The horse seemed to know exactly where to go so the hero kept only a firm grip on the loose reins.

"We're in the homestretch, Uraraka! It's only a short distance to the village entrance and then it's a straight shot to the Forbidden Woods!" Deku called out as he scanned the surrounding area for samurai. They wouldn't let them leave easily so an ambush was expected, but the question was where were they hiding. He removed his katana and kept it out and downward to deflect any incoming attack.

"Deku, there's someone blocking the village entrance. It's just one person…" Ochaco pointed out as she squinted to try and get a better view of the person. "Wait a minute…it's Iida! The tan and red armor is his!"

"I don't think he's waiting there for a friendly conversation," Deku replied warily as the samurai unsheathed his blade slowly before pointing it at the heroes. Kage skidded to a halt as Ochaco pulled the reins back ten feet from the awaiting samurai, the horse snorting and prancing anxiously in place.

"You two are wanted by Lord Yoshimochi of Sanuki village for the crimes against Princess Kaguya and the people of Sanuki. Come peacefully or be forced from your mount." Iida declared loudly.

"Iida, what are you talking about? We haven't committed any crimes against Sanuki. Don't you remember we just had breakfast this morning with Lord Yoshimochi?" Ochaco asked while trying to keep control of Kage. The horse was adamant on trying to keep moving but she needed to confront the samurai so she kept a hand against his neck for reassurance. Iida looked at her with confusion before diverting his gaze to Deku on the back.

"You are the one Nakata entered into the festival, one of the final three champions. I will only ask you once to sheathe your blade lest I strike your hand from your body, Midoriya Izuku."

"I won't. You want me disarmed so you can launch your ambush and strike us both down. Both Dragons have been taken care of, you have no reason to fight me. Let us go and we'll leave Sanuki forever." Deku replied with a hand tightening on his katana. Would this Iida be like Bakugo and Todoroki? Was he really willing to fight to the death over false accusations?

"Blasphemous words that spew from your mouth! No one has yet to defeat the Crimson and Arctic Dragons! I will not tolerate your lies!" Iida snapped as he slid into a stance to attack, Deku responding by sliding to the ground to counter.

"Wait," Ochaco interjected before carefully dismounting from the steed and walking in between the samurai with both arms out to placate the samurai.

"Uraraka, get behind me. It's not safe to be that close to him." Deku plead as he shifted forward to cover her but she shook her head and lowered her arms.

"I can prove to you that I was in the castle today, Iida. You told me about how your family has been serving the Yoshimochi family for years and before you took over protecting Princess Kaguya, your brother Tensei was the one to guard her. He fell in the line of duty after being attacked by bandits in the forest so it was up to you to continue the family tradition. You even helped me in the dining room by offering your arm so I could stop father from attacking Lord Takayama. And in the hallway with the servants, I insisted you join the meal because you're my trusted friend. I know it's a lot to take in, but I'm Princess Kaguya. Or at least, I was portraying her earlier."

Iida processed everything for a minute before slowly letting his blade drop lower along with his guard. He studied the woman before him with caution yet nonetheless straightened back up to reassess the situation. "Only Lord Yoshimochi and Princess Kaguya are aware of the Iida family history yet you have recounted it seamlessly. You…are Princess Kaguya? That does not make any sense, the princess is…she was…"

"…sent back to the moon years ago and ever since, Lord Yoshimochi has been having women portray his daughter. I found out not too long ago myself which is why his Lordship is having us hunted down. Please, Iida, step aside so we can leave before more blood is shed." The brunette stopped in front of the samurai with pleading eyes that searched his wary ones. His eyes darted down to look at the bandage winding up her arm. Ochaco glanced down at it before anxiously clasping her hands against her stomach. It was hard to read his expression though it seemed he was mulling the facts over before making a final decision.

"What happened to your arm?"

"The Arctic Dragon managed to cut me in the forest behind the castle garden. He even got Deku across the face. Todoroki didn't even try to hold back, he wanted to kill us both. Bakugo wasn't far behind and attacked him when there was an opening so we escaped. Totosai helped clean the wound up before giving us supplies and Nakata's horse. I don't want to fight you, Iida."

Deku glanced between Uraraka and Iida with a pounding heart. They'd already met two of their classmates and nearly lost their heads in the process, so would this version be the same? The samurai was mulling it over but it was difficult to decipher underneath the helmet. This wasn't his battle to fight so he instead turned his attention to scanning the surroundings for hidden enemies. No villagers dared to go into the streets and he didn't blame them one bit. Getting involved in a samurai fight was asking to be casualty of the skirmish. A few straw blinds shifted slightly in the house to his right, an indicator that there was someone waiting for the signal to attack, so Deku casually shifted positions to be facing away from the village gates to widen his line of view. They were so close to leaving the village and all they had to do was get past Iida without incident.

"Forgive me…but I have a duty to the village of Sanuki and Lord Yoshimochi to hand down punishments. I cannot go against my Lord and his word despite your words of truth." Iida finally settled on his answer which had Uraraka taking a few steps back in fear as the blade rose to chest level. Deku immediately launched himself at the samurai with his katana swinging upwards to knock the weapon away from his friend. The blades screeched in collision before Iida's was sent spiraling through the air, the samurai quickly reaching for a shorter blade to retaliate but a heavy punch to the face had him hitting the dirt instead.

"Uraraka, take Kage and go! I'll handle things here so you can escape!" Deku ordered while sheathing his blade to continue the fight hand-to-hand as the samurai scrambled back to his feet sans damaged helmet. It startled him a bit to see a more rugged version of the class rep and engine hero but a swinging fist had him focused back on the fight. Iida was a good fighter, that he wouldn't deny, as his punches were fast and targeted. The hero dodged a close punch to the face then retaliated by swinging his leg out to catch the samurai off guard, only to have the move predicted and dodged with a fast jump. Even this version of his friend was observant as ever. The only time he used that move was during the elimination rounds.

"Deku, I can't just leave you here! What if you get outnumbered?" Ochaco fretted as she grabbed Kage's reins to control the prancing horse. A swift jump had her riding upon his back once more and the horse anxiously tugged at the reins to start moving. Her injured arm made it difficult to fight but not impossible. A one on one fight was easier to handle but if other samurai were planning to ambush Deku, then he wouldn't be able to survive. He could handle himself, that she'd known for years, but leaving a friend behind wasn't something she would do.

"This is nothing compared to fighting the League of Villains and I don't want them following you out. Look for shelter in the woods and I'll find you by the time it gets dark, I promise."

"Surround the horse, do not let it get away!" Iida barked as an arm block shoved him back a few feet, the slick mud coating the ground making it difficult to stay standing. Samurai began pouring out of the run down houses to block off any path of escape for the heroes. Kage reared up and began kicking at any nearby samurai with precision, the sound of heavy impacts and pained grunts filling the air. Ochaco held onto the reins as the horse kicked and bit at any nearby limbs.

"Kage, calm down!" The hero yanked on the reins to stop the samurai horse but a heavy head jerk had the leathers pulled from her grasp and out of reach, leaving her to hang on for dear life with the saddle horn.

Deku watched in horror as the horse bucked Uraraka around in circles after sending the panting Iida back into the slurry with a heavy kick. The horse was out of control and being surrounded by a small army left them very few options. It was safest to be out of reach of the hooves but how long could she hold on? As heroes they always stuck together, never leaving each other alone in the midst of battle yet this wasn't their normal fighting environment. There were no villains, no quirks, no back up to call. It was literal life or death when it came to the samurai way and judging by the amount of men pouring out from the houses, they weren't about to let them leave unscathed. Iida wiped the blood from his nose with a burning gaze on the foreigner.

"You are either brave or stupid for going against such a large army," Tenya spat with a rasp. The samurai before him was no ordinary fighter. He could counter faster than his own reactions and seemed to be three steps ahead at all times. He was barely winded as the samurai struggled to regain his breath from the last kick to the stomach. "Though I commend your strength and resilience in battle, this fight is coming to an end. You cannot fend off this many warriors before you lose your strength and falter."

"It doesn't matter how many samurai you send at us, Tenya," Ochaco announced once she finally got Kage to stop thrashing around, the hero expertly holding onto the saddle horn with one hand while directing him with a tap of her heels. Deku stood his ground as the horse pranced to a stop next to him, the creature a good deal taller than him and far more menacing. A few of the samurai stepped back uneasily and even Iida began having doubts sowed in his mind. "We won't falter or waver in the face of danger, so throw whatever you have to at us. We're leaving Sanuki with or without fighting you. The choice is yours. Move or be forced down."

Commander Tenya Iida stared down his opponents with growing frustration. She was right, he couldn't take them down at this rate with how easily his attacks were countered. If they'd truly taken down the Dragons…the warrior grit his teeth for a long minute before slowly raising his hands in defeat. Losing men over two suspected criminals would leave Sanuki defenseless against an enemy attack, especially since there were still a large number of festival contestants hanging around to cause trouble. Lord Yoshimochi would have his head but it was better than leaving the village defenseless with such a cesspool of scum floating around. Dishonor from his ancestors would haunt him the rest of his mortal days. "You win. I will not sacrifice my men for this when I have Sanuki to protect. His Lordship may take my head in exchange for your release, strangers. Let them through the gates."

"Commander Iida? Are you certain?" The closest samurai to the higher ranking officer asked quietly.

"This is one battle we cannot win, Yoshii. Sanuki comes first. Now clear the gates."

Deku hopped back up on the horse as the samurai moved away slowly, sharing unsure glances amongst each other in the process. As soon as the pathway was cleared Kage began strutting forward eagerly. Iida stood just outside of the gates with a hardened gaze sweeping over the two, a hand residing on his katana. Ochaco pulled the reins to stop Kage and looked down at the familiar face with a warm smile.

"Thank you, Iida. You're a great friend to me both in the past and future. Take care of yourself. Go, Kage!"

Kage reared up then took off at full speed towards the Forbidden Forest with both riders hanging on for dear life. Iida let out a frustrated sigh before turning around to enter Sanuki once more, lips set into a tight line. He'd sworn his life to Lord Sanuki and his family yet here he was disobeying a direct order. Traitors were not tolerated within the village, the memories of those slain by higher ranking samurai always on his mind. His head would be next, that he had no doubt about. But…the woman had called him a friend. He never really had any growing up and if she truly had been Princess Kaguya, did that mean her words were honest? As he motioned for the gates to be closed, a ruckus further down the road caught his attention. There was shouting for people to move or be struck down so the Commander grabbed a few men to quickly shut the door as he moved for the disturbance. Samurai were surrounding two men who were trying to force their way through the village with katana drawn. As soon as Iida laid eyes on their distinctive armors, they widened in disbelief. He'd been had!

"How are both Dragons still standing? Were you not slain by the third champion?" Iida demanded as he pushed through his men to reach the irate Dragons. Both looked at him oddly before Bakugo took the lead and reached out to grab the samurai by the front of the armor with a heavy sneer.

"Do you really think I can be slain by such a weak warrior? He gave us the slip back in the forest and we know he remains in the village. Where is he? There should be a man in a dark hakama travelling with him."

Anger roiled in the core of the Commander as he slapped the hand from his armor. Regardless of his status as one of the most renowned samurai in Japan, no one was allowed to grab him like that. "How dare you grab me like that! I am Commander Iida Tenya of Sanuki village, loyal protector of Lord Yoshimochi. You, Crimson Dragon Bakugo Katsuki, are a guest in this village who has now overstepped his boundaries. As such, you are now placed under custody of his Lordship to be tried and sentenced for your crimes. Grab both Dragons and do not let them leave Sanuki!"

"You will move one way or another," Bakugo hissed. Moments later Iida let out a small cough that spewed flecks of crimson against the Dragon's face. The small blade retracted and the Commander stumbled backwards with a hand over his abdomen, face twisting into a combination of disbelief and pain.

"You…what have you done?" The samurai whispered moments before he fell to his knees as blood flowed over his hand. Iida's men rushed forward to assist but Todoroki blocked them with a flurry of blows that had them sprawled in the mud.

"Taken care of an obstacle in my way. You will not stop us in our pursuit of those criminals regardless of your status to Lord Yoshimochi. If it is any consolation, Iida Tenya, your brother put up more of a fight than you are giving me now. Your ancestors should be ashamed of your weakness." Bakugo's twisted grin grew as realization washed over the injured samurai kneeling before him.

"W-what are you talking about…Tensei was ambushed by bandits, not a samurai. How dare you speak these lies!"

"Lies? I value my code as a samurai which include always honoring the truth and dignity as a servant of the Shogun. I may be many things but a liar is not one of those things. I would suggest asking him about it but you may bleed out before that ever happens. He was nothing more than a casualty of Shogun business. Unless you want your men to die painful deaths like his fellow samurai, open the gates."

"So a traitor to the Shogun can continue to rampage through the lands of Japan slaying whomever he pleases? I would rather die in these muds than allow that to happen!" Iida growled as he shakily returned to his feet with a free hand clasping the tsuka of his katana. "Even if I were to fall, another samurai would take my place to protect Sanuki and his Lordship. Men! This is a direct order! Slay the Dragons for the sake of the Shogun and the safety of Japan! Strike down these traitors and do not let them leave Sanuki alive!"

"Sir!"

"I will protect my friends, Crimson Dragon. Even if it costs me my life."

"Your funeral, Commander Iida."

---

Rain dumped over the two heroes as Kage sprinted down the muddy road through the Forbidden Woods in search of shelter. As soon as they'd hit the edge of the forest, the rain appeared out of nowhere and quickly saturated all three travelers. Deku didn't notice it as much as Ochaco did, the brunette quivering from the frigid weather. A little water wouldn't hurt her and after all the running around they'd done, a refreshing bath wasn't a bad idea yet frigid rains weren't her favorite. A rumble vibrated her stomach. She was starving too. When was the last meal she ate? Yesterday morning?

"There should be some shelter not too far off from here. How are you holding up?" Deku asked over the pelting rains and thundering hooves. If he remembered correctly, they weren't too far from the rock formation he found a few days ago. It wasn't the greatest of shelters but it was out of view from the main road in heavy rains such as this.

"I'm getting pretty chilled. I think my hat got lost when Kage was thrashing around at the soldiers. I wish umbrellas were a thing in this time period," Ochaco half-joked back with chattering teeth. Her hands were frozen to the saddle horn since the reins were still dangling freely thanks to Kage's thrashing around. A quick flexing of the fingers eased the stiffness if only temporarily.

"I'm sorry, I don't think there's anything I can use to shelter you from the rain. I'll start a fire as soon as we're settled."

"Pfft, you apologize too much Deku! You act like everything's your fault when it isn't. It's just rain, I'll survive!"

"R-right, sorry."

"We never figured out what was going on, did we? Everything I learned was from Iida in the castle and Nakata, but it's difficult to tell where we are exactly without any sort of map." Ochaco tilted her head back so Deku could hear her better only to find he was closer than she expected, their lips mere centimeters from touching. She quickly straightened her gaze with burning cheeks after a few seconds of locking eyes. Apparently he'd leaned forward in order to hear her better and in doing so put their lips within dangerously close touching distance. Frigid fingers pressed against her lips nervously. That was close. A little too close.

But…it wasn't like she hadn't yearned of doing that, it was just never the right situation to try. Well, maybe try was the wrong word. It was more like…the little chest that contained years of repressed feelings was still locked under chain and key. And despite what the girls said about Deku paying more attention, there was a part of her that felt like she didn't deserve his attention like that. He was already ranked within the top ten heroes of Japan despite being in his third year of U.A.. Whenever there was trouble, Deku would be there. Fighting to save those in need even with great bodily injury to himself. Ochaco knew that his life's mission was to become a hero people could always rely on. There was never time for personal relationships.

"I uh…d-didn't really learn much from Nakata," Deku stuttered out while looking anywhere besides the brunette in front of him. He'd leaned in a little to hear her better through the helmet yet they almost kissed when she turned her head back to talk. There were a few seconds of strong eye contact before both heroes suddenly diverted gazes away. Deku was sure his face was on fire from the intensity of blood rushing his cheeks. He hadn't meant to get that close but with the combination of the rain, Kage running, and his helmet that blocked most noise out, he misjudged the distance. Not that he really minded being that close, it was just the fact that he wasn't sure she felt the same way he did.

Years of feelings developed into full blown love for the heroine yet doubts loomed on the forefront of his mind. What if she didn't feel the same way? How would she react if he asked her to go somewhere one weekend? They were both busy with school and hero work but did she have someone else? Someone outside of U.A.? His body was covered in scars, did she find that repulsive? Granted she was also covered in scars, some severe like his, but was it different with women? There were too many what-if's and it made his head spin. At one point he vaguely asked his mom for advice which prompted her to start crying that her one and only child had finally found a girlfriend. It took over an hour just to calm her down and by then the question had been long forgotten. Asking his classmates would draw way too much attention and drama to the situation so he never bothered to ask directly. Asking for things to do with his mom on the weekends avoided suspicions though he was pretty sure the girls were onto him judging by their knowing smirks. Jiro's jacks were responsible for snooping.

"Have Kage turn left into that open space over there, there's a large rock formation that I used as shelter last time." Deku instructed once he finally snapped out of his own spiraling thoughts. Uraraka obliged without a word and kicked her left heel into the horse to guide him from the main path. Kage snorted but did as instructed regardless, the samurai horse slowing down to trot down a small hill. Mud splashed up at the heroes though neither cared in the moment. The rain would wash it off soon enough. "There. Those rocks have enough coverage for both of us and it'll get us out of the wind and rain. The large, overhanging rock should be enough shelter for Kage."

Kage slowed to a stop in front of the rocks to allow his passengers to disembark before shaking the rain from his coat. Deku jumped down first and offered a hand to Uraraka who shyly took it. Just as she made to release his grasp, he gave a small tug to stop her from walking off. "Is something bothering you, Uraraka? You got a bit quiet. Does your arm hurt?"

"I'm just tired and hungry, Deku. It's been a long day. We should get settled in until the storm stops and then we can get going for the next village. I'll take the supplies in, okay?" Ochaco gave him a reassuring smile and he gave a hesitant nod then slowly released her hand. She pulled the supply satchel from the saddle before climbing up the rocks to settle in for a few hours. It didn't settle right with him how she was suddenly acting, the hero making a mental note to keep track of her behavior for a while.

"I'll get you some food, Kage. Sorry to put you through all of this. I know Nakata is proud of you for helping us." Izuku spoke softly with a gentle stroke of his face. Kage nudged into the welcomed touch with a soft grunt.

Ochaco sat down in the shelter with the supply bag resting before her. It didn't take long to undo the knot so the next step was to organize everything. Food went to her right while clothing and medical supplies to her left. There were a few extra pairs of clothing so they could change out of their soaking wet ones and for that she was grateful. Deku at least had his armor to keep him somewhat dry while her hakama and all four upper layers were drenched through every stitch. A few pieces of kindling were set dead center along with two rocks to strike a fire. There was even a torch wrapped in soaked linen ready to light. Nakata had really thought of everything when it came to surviving on the run. Glancing around in the dim surroundings, Ochaco searched for a place to set the torch down and eventually settled on a crack in the wall. A few strikes of the rocks had the linen catching fire to fill the shelter with light.

"Kage has been fed and there's enough overhang of the rock to cover him from direct rain. It's not ideal but we really can't do anything else right now. Oh, is that everything Nakata and Totosai packed? They really thought of everything," Deku said as he walked over to his friend, virescent eyes scanning over the supplies.

"Mm. There's even spare sets of clothing so it's probably best to get rid of these soaked ones. You can change first, Deku. I'm going to get a fire started so we can warm up." Ochaco began piling the kindle together in the center of the space until a set of clothes were held out to her.

"You're soaked to the bone Uraraka, go ahead and change while I start the fire. It'll be harder for you to heal if you're freezing." It took a few moments of debating but the brunette finally agreed and took the clothes.

"Promise you won't peek?"

"I would never! Here, I'll even turn around and close my eyes if it makes you feel better or I can go outside and wait." Izuku immediately turned around with both hands covering his eyes just to be sure. Ochaco muffled a laugh before venturing further into the shelter to change. She knew he would never be disrespectful like that but it didn't hurt to tease him about it. Even though a small part of her wanted him to take a peek…

"How are you supposed to start the fire with your eyes closed, Deku? I was just joking, I know you won't do that. At least Mineta isn't around to perve so that's a bit of solace."

"Y-yeah, I guess you're right. I respect your boundaries and wanted to make sure my presence didn't make you uncomfortable, Uraraka."

"You could never make me uncomfortable, Deku."

Ochaco carefully peeled the top open and untucked it from the hakama. Shivers ran across her skin as the open air hit the thinner layers of fabric. She kept her pants on just for some decency and was about to remove the last layer when she froze. Removing the last layer would mean being completely topless in front of Deku. She quickly looked back to see him kindling the small fire, his attention entirely in front of him. She trusted him entirely but the self-consciousness bubbled to the surface with a crossing of her arms over the voluptuous chest. "D-Deku?"

"What's wrong?" He made to turn around but froze when he remembered she was changing so he stood but kept facing away. Just for good measure he slapped a hand over his eyes too.

"N-nothing! Just…please don't turn around right now."

"Of course, Uraraka! Do you want me to step outside for a minute?"

"…I'm sorry, could you? It's just that…I've never actually changed with a guy in the same area…" Ochaco explained with embarrassment flooding her body. Now that she'd said it out loud, it sounded so much worse and she wrapped her arms tighter around.

"I'll go outside, just let me know when you're done." Izuku quickly stepped around the fire and hurried from the cave to give his friend privacy. He stopped under the overhang and just to the left to be out of sight. "I'm just to the left of the entrance if you need me, Uraraka. Preferably after you get dressed but if there's an emergency then I'll run in and help with my eyes closed!"

"T-thank you, Deku. I'm sorry to be a pain," Ochaco glanced back to make sure he was fully out of sight before quickly shedding the last layer and tossing it aside. She double checked again before bending down to grab the dry linens. Too many Mineta incidences had her always looking over her back for any peeping eyes. As soon as she donned the under layer, the hakama pants fell to the floor with a wet plop. The brunette was expecting another set of men's clothing yet as it unfurled, it quickly became apparent that it was a kimono. It was varying shades of pink with flowers and koi intricately swimming around. While it was breathtaking, it didn't exactly scream practical. Regardless, the brunette put it on but made sure to leave it a little looser on the bottom so she could get on Kage. She would need to find a way to adjust the belt and seeing as she was more dressed now, Deku could come back in. "I'm dressed now so you can come back in, but Nakata sent a kimono instead of another set of men's clothing."

"It's a really nice Kimono," Izuku commented shyly as he cautiously stepped back into the cave. Immediately his eyes went to the kimono. It was a beautifully designed kimono that surely took weeks to create but what made it even more radiant was the fact that the woman he loved was wearing it. Her hair was still pretty soaked from the rain but her eyes were shining in the fire's glow. Glistening skin that made her look like a goddess herself had the heroes heart skipping a few beats.

"I just wish I could've thanked Nakata for it…" Ochaco trailed off softly as she took a dry spot by the fire to warm up. Deku snapped out of his awestruck state to reach where his clothes were resting, his armor clinking softly with each move.

"He's helped us so much and even sacrificed his life to help us escape. Every fiber in my body wants to go back and find him but we both understand what he sacrificed for our safety. The only thing we can do is move forward to fulfill his wishes. It's painful to wonder what happened after we left the castle,"

"I don't want to think about it right now, Deku," Ochaco mumbled quietly. A few tears escaped yet she let them roll down her face without interruption. Watery auburn eyes remained trained on the fire in a daze as Izuku quietly moved around.

"I'm going to change now and then we can eat. It's been a long day for both of us," Izuku replied gently. He moved to the farthest edge of the cavern and began removing each piece of armor carefully. It pained him to see her cry like that, like a hot knife tearing through his heart. Of course he felt saddened by the loss of life just so they could both survive. His oath as a hero was to save as many people as possible, even in a world not their own. Yet he also respected the ways of the samurai that Nakata lived by. In a way they weren't too different but in reality, their worlds were complete opposites. As soon as he finished changing into a fresh yukata and setting the armor up against the wall to dry, Izuku took his place opposite Uraraka with a worried glance. She'd curled herself up into a ball, arms wrapping around her legs and pulling them tight.

Deciding it was best to leave her be for the moment, Izuku began sorting through the food and dividing the other supplies. There were two sets of pre made meals so he set his portion aside and opened one of Uraraka's for her. There was rice, fish, a variety of pickled vegetables, and even what appeared to be a few pieces of mochi stuffed in there. She still hadn't moved an inch so he carefully shifted the small bowls to rest a little ways to her left. He had to watch her for a good minute to make sure she was breathing, the most noticeable movement was the occasional hitching of her chest. Silent crying.

"Uraraka?" He waited patiently for her to respond yet she remained curled up with an audible sniffle every now and then. It hurt to watch her in pain so he shifted to her other side and kneeled down. With a hand over her arm softly, he gave her all the time she needed to respond. A few minutes passed by before the brunette loosened herself up and lifted her head. Thick tears overflowed from bloodshot auburn orbs leaving visible trails on rubescent cheeks.

"It pains me to think about Nakata fighting alone in the garden while we escaped. I wish…I wish we could've done something for him. I know the samurai code is a powerful word to live by but I didn't want things to end like this. We could've found a way to save him, could've stayed and fought by his side. He's done so much for us and we ran away like cowards. How can I say I'm a hero who saves others when I can't even save one person?"

"I would've gladly stayed and fought alongside Nakata but that isn't what he wanted. He knew it was a losing battle and his last moment of life was protecting two strangers. A few hours before we came to rescue you, Nakata told me that he planned on standing his ground with Lord Yoshimochi. He knew what going against his Lordship meant but after being sworn to secrecy for so many years, the truth needed to come out about Princess Kaguya. So many women have been kidnapped to portray the princess yet none of them survived once they figured out what was happening or tried to run away. Nakata didn't want the same fate for you, Uraraka. He knew you would be the one to break the chain of kidnappings because he saw how strong of a fighter you are. It wasn't in vain, his sacrifice, and he told me everything about his life and how he became a samurai so I can keep his memory alive in the future. There were regrets. Fears. Brushes with death. But also memories that brought solace to him and those close. You were right about one thing, passing his armor onto me was a way of cleansing his past sins from this world before his death. Takaji Nakata won't be forgotten, I'll make sure of that."

"Deku…"

Without another word, Izuku opened his arms for her and the brunette accepted it without a second thought. Ochaco wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend, sobbing against his chest as the weight of the past two days finally broke her down. They held one another close as the storm outside raged on, distant clashes of thunder steadily growing louder. Everything they'd gone through, both physically and mentally, wore them down to the point that before the fire could even smolder to ashes, both heroes were fast asleep against the cavern wall.

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Thanks for reading! These will be long chapters with each one being a story itself so they take a lot longer to type out. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for the support! I will do my best to work on the other stories but I have a one track mind sometimes and focus on one for a while. Plus I work 12 hour overnights and that makes it harder too.