WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SENSITIVE SITUATIONS.

SPOILER WARNING: POTENTIALLY ACCURATE DEPICTIONS OF MANGA/SERIES EVENTS. THESE ARE SPECULATIONS THAT MAY HAVE SOME TRUTH TO THEM IF YOU ARE NOT CAUGHT UP.

Izuku began stirring after a particularly loud whooshing noise, the hero groggily looking around at this surroundings until his mind caught up. It was sunny outside yet enough light filtered in through the cavern opening for him to make out what was around. It took a few blinks before the hero became more alert, his body lurching forward instinctively until realization washed over something was weighing him down. Ochaco was sleeping soundly against his chest with one of her hands loosely grasping his shirt. She barely stirred at the sudden movement and instead nestled closer to him with an inaudible mutter. Heat rushed his whole body as he stiffened up, afraid to move another inch. When did she get there?! The last thing he remembered was getting set up in the cavern for the night, but he didn't remember her practically crawling into his lap! What was he supposed to do? He didn't want to disturb her after everything she'd gone through, yet at the same time he wanted to check the area to make sure they were still safe. A quick glance told him the rain had ceased for the time being. The perfect time to get moving.

"U-Uraraka, it's time to get up. We need to keep moving," Izuku spoke barely above a whisper to avoid startling the brunette though she didn't seem to hear him. Her lips moved a little like she was responding but that was it. He tried again with a gentle shaking of her shoulder. "T-the rain stopped so we should start moving towards the next village. Should probably find food as well—"

"Mmmfood?" Ochaco stirred and pushed herself up into a sitting position with a heavy yawn. Chestnut locks stuck out oddly in every direction thanks to the wet hair that never properly dried and Izuku couldn't help but smile a little. Sleepy Uraraka was adorable. "Oh, mornin' Deku. Where are we?"

"Still in the Forbidden Woods. You were pretty tired after everything happened and didn't eat before bed. Why don't I get breakfast ready while you finish waking up?"

"Mm? Sure, I'll be there in a minute…" Ochaco flapped a hand in agreement before settling back in against Izuku with a sigh of content. Heat rushed his whole body once more. Did she not realize that her pillow was him? As much as he didn't mind it in the moment, he didn't want to take any advantage of the situation to be close to her.

"Um…U-Uraraka…"

"Mm?"

"…you're kind of using me as a pillow…"

"Mm."

"…I-I can't get up…because you're lying on me…n-not that I mind, I know you didn't mean to! It's just that I should probably make sure no one followed us out of Sanuki and check on Kage while I'm out there…"

Ochaco felt her eyes snap wide open moments before she gracefully tumbled away from him in a panic. Her heart drummed a million miles an hour once she rolled into a sprawled position on the other side of the cavern. Embarrassment flooded every cell in her body with heat that burned like a thousand suns. "I-I-I'm so sorry! I didn't realize! This is mortifying! I-I'm just gonna go…over there…right now…far away…"

Before Deku could stop her, Ochaco hurried out of the cavern faster than he could react. He let out a huff of a laugh that was a mix between amusement and nervousness. That wasn't the reaction he was expecting. Still, now he could get up and start checking out the area to make sure no one followed them through the forest. After his heart rate dropped of course. He barely made it three feet when a shriek of surprise had him quickly sprinting to the cavern entrance, a loud splash hitting his ears the moment his foot hit the ledge. Nearly thirty feet below was a rippling lake of water that produced a coughing and sputtering Uraraka. There wasn't a lake yesterday so where did this one come from? "Uraraka, what happened? Don't move, I'll be down in a minute!"

Ochaco looked back up with bewildered eyes. One minute she was running out of the cavern filled with the burning heat of embarrassment and the next she was falling over the edge of a cliffside and straight into a freezing cold lake. Just as she began paddling towards the shores edge, a thunderous splash resonated behind her which caused a ripple of water to smack into the back of the hero and sent her floundering for a few seconds. Deku emerged with a gasp before following suit towards shore. The two teens dragged themselves onto the grassy edge with heaving breaths and shivering bodies.

"That wasn't there yesterday," Ochaco puffed as she rolled onto her back in the green earth. It was certainly a wakeup call that she didn't need or want. The rain was bad but this was a freezing shock that went straight to her bones. "Does that mean we're not in the Forbidden Woods anymore?"

"Oof, that's freezing," Izuku shivered as he fell backwards on the ground with an exhale. A scarred hand brushed away the soggy emerald locks covering virescent and slicked them back up top.

"Wait, does that mean Kage is gone too?" Ochaco looked around for the familiar samurai horse yet he was nowhere to be seen.

"Seems like it. I'm still not entirely sure how everything works here. So if the last story was most likely The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, then we need to figure out what this one is. A lake doesn't exactly give too much information so we'll have to try and find a local village or town. You're okay though?" Deku asked.

"Yeah, just got a little thrown off by the high fall and lake. I'm kind of surprised you jumped right down, Deku. It's a pretty high fall without a quirk. Guess jumping around all the time as a hero makes it easy to do stuff like that," The brunette teased with a smile before a sneeze interrupted the moment. A shiver followed so she sat up and rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm up. The motion had Deku standing and surveying the area for suitable survival resources much to Ochaco's confusion.

"We should start a fire to warm up now that our fresh clothes are thoroughly soaked again. It's safe to assume that any supplies we had are now gone. So no armor, no weapons, no food, no extra clothing, no transportation, and now no sense of direction. We'll have to find some dry clothes from somewhere. How's your arm?"

Ochaco pulled her sleeve up only to find the bandages and wound were gone, the skin smooth and scar free. She touched it just to make sure the cold shock hadn't short circuited her brain. Even rubbing the skin harder didn't make the gash appear. "It's gone! Deku, the injury is completely gone! That's insane! Wait, I didn't hallucinate the wound did I?"

"No, I saw the blade cut you and even the open wound…does that mean any injuries sustained in the prior environment disappears once we cross over into the next? There could be certain stipulations of the book that make it so no fatal injuries happen. But that didn't stop that man from getting killed the other night so that means it probably only applies to us who don't belong here in the first place. Interesting. Then at what point does it stop? Just before becoming a fatality or a certain degree of injury?" Deku began going on a rant while Ochaco stood and tried to wipe the dirt from her clothing. The brunette stopped and blinked a few times before checking all around her. Even their clothes were different!

"Deku, our clothes changed. I'm not sure what you're wearing but I went from a kimono to a yukata? It seems like it's in pretty rough shape," The intricately designed pink kimono had been replaced with a simple light blue and white streaked yukata that was worn down and had holes, a frayed belt barely keeping the front securely in place. Nearly flimsy straw sandals were dangling from her toes as they became waterlogged from the sudden swim. She pulled them off to shake some water out.

"Huh? You're right. You don't have the kimono on anymore. I guess this is…traveler's attire? I'm not entirely sure to be honest but they seem like travel clothes to me." Izuku looked down at the questionable clothing. He had on a long, black robe that rested just barely at his ankles with an under layer that stopped an inch or so below the other hem. Sturdy straw sandals were secured behind his heel with thick straw that had a small piece of fabric meant to ease discomfort. Pretty much he was covered up save for his feet, hands, and head. He pulled at his collar to loosen it from his skin and found a thick necklace strung with large, red beads that had symbols on them in black.

"Wait, I've seen outfits like this before in history books from middle school. I think you're a monk, Deku. Like one of those wandering ones or something." Ochaco exclaimed with a fist hitting an open palm, the memory of the historical outfit popping into the forefront of her mind. "You probably go around and purify demons and stuff! So cool!"

"A monk? That's a rather random occupation but I guess it means we're in a chapter that has one. Okay. Not everything makes sense yet, that we'll have to figure out once we dry off. Let's start with firewood, food, and figuring out our location. I'll go ahead and look for food if you can gather some good, dry wood and a few rocks, Uraraka. We'll need them to strike a spark."

"Leave it to me!"

It took them a little bit of time to find everything, but once they did a large fire was started up to dry off and warm up. Izuku found some fish in the lake so they had a reliable food source nearby and there were small pockets of fresh water nestled on the cliffside from a small waterfall. Shelter would normally be another tick off the list though the goal was to leave the area to search for a village or passing people. Ochaco happily stuck her hair by the fire to dry it off while Izuku cleaned and gutted the fish.

"You know, this is almost like camping in a way. Apart from the lack of supplies and everything trying to kill us, of course. Reminds me of when we had that training camp in the woods during our first year." Ochaco commented while ruffling her locks out to ensure they were fully dried. The sun was out in full blast so it would at least help keep them warm on the journey for a village. Surprisingly, there wasn't too much humidity. Maybe they were up towards the mountains.

"Before the League attacked," Izuku added and his friend nodded.

"Funny how things have changed over the years. The League is gone, there aren't that many villains rampaging anymore, All for One and Shigaraki, Dabi, Toga…" Ochaco quietly thanked him for the offered food before just staring at the strip of fish on a stick in thought. "It's hard to imagine that the reason they became villains in the first place was because of heroes, either directly or not. When I confronted Toga in the war, she just looked so sad and lost like she didn't know what to do anymore. Jin was the one she truly loved like family…I wonder how she's doing now."

"She's still alive thanks to you, Uraraka," Ochaco darted her eyes up to meet his. He was casually chewing on some of his lake fish but met her gaze once he swallowed. "If you hadn't saved Toga in the war then there was a good chance a hero would've killed her. You gave her a second chance in life to do right. Your kindness and compassion saved a person in desperate need."

"The same goes for you, Deku. You risked everything to save the small child crying wistfully within Shigaraki. The war would have ended in their favor if you hadn't fought so hard to be the helping hand for him. That's why you're in the top five for the Japan Junior Hero Charts and not even out of high school yet," Ochaco beamed at him before digging into the now cooled fish. It tasted bland but food was food, something she wouldn't complain about. Deku rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I've still got a long ways to go to be Japan's number one. There's a lot of competition now with Mirio reaching number two hero this week. I'm at number one in the Junior Division, Kaachan and Todoroki are tied for second, Kirishima in third, Iida just switching to fourth from sixth and Yaoyorozu just moved up to number five. Number one overall is still Endeavor with not much competition apart from Mirio. I heard from Todoroki that Endeavor wants to retire soon to spend more time with his family. That'll bring a whole new level of competition to be number one."

"Really? That's amazing, Deku! You're number one! I'm still stuck down at fifteen, but I'm hoping to catch up to you guys!" Ochaco pumped a fist into the air excitedly. She was going to strive for the top ten no matter what. Though in all honesty, it was going to be a challenge to catch up to the top three heroes at U.A..

"I'll be rooting for you—"

A heavy rustling in the nearby trees had the two on their feet and ready to fight in a flash. Indistinct shouting was filtering through the dense trees indicating a chase was on. For something or someone, they didn't know. Deku grabbed a nearby broken off tree branch to use while Ochaco slid into a martial arts stance. Weapons or not, they fought and survived in the last chapter and they'd do the same in this one. The rustling grew louder so both teens prepared themselves. A small white blur shot out from between two trees and darted past the two bewildered heroes without a second glance before hiding behind Ochaco.

"What is that…a white fox? I've never seen one in person before, though I've read they're actually called albino because an animals body doesn't produce melanin for coloring due to a genetic mutation. It's pretty rare to see it in nature." Deku watched curiously as his friend crouched down to comfort the trembling creature. It was a snow white fox with shining, rubescent orbs that nervously glanced between the heroes and the approaching voices in the forest. It seemed wary of them both yet soon succumbed into Ochaco's tender touch.

"Poor thing, it's probably running from whoever's chasing it. Are some bad people chasing you?" Ochaco asked the fox gently with light pets. It was such a beautiful creature that people were hunting down, most likely to sell it off or harvest the rare colored fur. As if understanding her completely, the creature lifted and lowered its nose once. Without a second thought it hopped up onto her lap then bounced up to stand on her shoulders, eyes and ears watching the forest with intense attention. The brunette stood up as snapping branches and voices grew louder, the first person eventually stumbling through armed with a sickle.

"Where is that—you! Girl! Hand over that fox this instance!" The out of breath man demanded with a pudgy finger pointing angrily at Ochaco. Izuku shifted into his line of sight with an arm out, ready to intervene if needed.

"Why are you hunting this poor creature? Surely it hasn't done anything deserving torture or death at your hands." Ochaco replied calmly as the fox puffed itself up and began growling lowly. The man looked almost taken aback at its behavior change yet stumbled forward a few more feet with a grip tightening on the weapon.

"Because it is a demon! Look at the abnormal coloring and those eyes! The marking of a demon! If we do not kill it, it shall haunt the village for eternity! The Gods demand a sacrifice in exchange for protection!"

"So, the Gods have decreed an animal sacrifice in exchange for protection?" Izuku interjected and it seemed like the man finally noticed him standing there as the remaining village men piled out of the trees. He took a double take then stepped his feet together before bowing. Both heroes looked at one another confused. In what world did animal sacrifice justifying killing an animal in the hopes it would provide protection?

"Forgive me, monk! I did not intend any disrespect to you. I was unaware you were here. In fact, if I may, would you do the honors of vanquishing the demon back to the pits of Hell from whence it came?"

Izuku and Ochaco stared at the man for nearly a minute straight trying to comprehend what was going on before looking at one another in absolute perplexity, unsure of how to even respond to that. The man started looking uncomfortable while flexing his fingers and shifting back and forth in his spot waiting for an answer. The fox residing on the gravity manipulator growled louder and began baring its fangs to the man. A few of the other men stepped forward to provide support for the confused man, weapons raised and ready to maim.

"H-hold on just a minute," Izuku finally managed to spit out as his senses returned, both hands up in appeasement to the aggressive men. They expected him to purify an albino fox to prevent calamity from falling over the village? He didn't even know howto purify a rock, let alone an animal. Things were getting off to a weird start in this chapter. At least no one was trying to kill them yet. "Can't we just agree to let it go? It was probably just hungry and looking for food, I doubt it meant any harm. Besides, I'm not a real mo—"

"Ever since that creature came into the village, it has taken the lives of five women and children! It serves the Dark Lord in his earthly whims! Why should we just let it go and hope more villagers are miraculously saved?" Another man piped up with others rallying behind him.

"Wait, you think this fox is responsible for killing the women and children of your village? That doesn't make any sense, foxes don't generally attack people let alone kill them and this one still seems fairly young. The only exception may be if its rabid though its clearly not." Ochaco stepped forward and all of the men pointed their weapons at her instantly. The heroine raised her hands up a bit as the fox put its front paws on her head, leaning forward in defense. Auburn eyes glanced up to see the creature snarling loudly at the men, not an ounce of fear for the protective fox. "See? Right now it's defending me instead of ripping out my throat. What difference is there between your villagers and me?"

"You shall be cursed with the mark of the fox demon when the moon rises high in the night sky. All who have perished were bitten on the neck and given two bloody marks to signify their end is coming. As soon as dawn breaks, you shall be found dead within your room with the life drained from your body. Nearly all were found partially saturated as well, as if a spirit had tried to pull the soul from its vessel." An elderly man hobbled his way to the front with his knobby knuckles tightly grasping the wooden cane that supported his fragile weight. He had an old wound trailing over his right eye and down over his mouth, the skin heavily scarred and uneven. One eye stared stark white at nothingness while the remaining brown one glared deeply. "Come to the village if ye do not believe the myth, prove to us that the creature snarling and snapping atop your head is truly innocent. If ye are found dead in the morning, we will kill the creature. Food and shelter shall be provided. Come."

"Wait, you didn't mention what would happen if I survived the night," Ochaco called out as the elder turned to head back through the woods, the village men falling in line behind though not before sending the two heroes dirty looks.

"That is because ye will not survive the night."

Izuku let out a low sigh with a hand ruffling through his hair. Were they that paranoid the white fox was going to kill them? Demons shouldn't be roaming around regardless of the time period considering most of it was speculated as ancient tales and plays. One certainly wouldn't show itself so openly, right? But then the other issue became of the women and children killed. A small creature like that couldn't possibly hunt and kill a person, so something else must be getting at them. The only option they had would be to follow them back to the village, at least eliminating the need for food and shelter. He turned back to his classmate to find the fox practically wrapped around her shoulders purring and nuzzling her face. His face softened. What harm could that cute little creature do? "Uraraka, I think you've found yourself a new pet."

"I've always wanted one but my parents never had the funds to help take care of it. She's so soft and warm," Ochaco gleefully rubbed her face against the foxes, earning a small headbutt in return. Her hands rubbed all along the pup excitedly, relishing in the silken fur adorning her body. "Deku, come pet her! It's like petting silk! I could cuddle you for hours!"

"Alright, alright. May I pet you?" Izuku asked carefully after watching the defensive display against the village men. A wild animal bite was something he didn't want right off the bat. After three small sniffs of his extended hand, she relented and showed the top of her head in acceptance. A scarred hand ran lightly down her body. "She is soft! I didn't think foxes had such soft fur like this. You're such an interesting little creature, aren't you?"

"Hurry up lest ye be left behind!" One of the men shouted, startling the two from their cooing and fawning over the fox.

"R-right! Sorry!"

The journey through the darkened, dense forest was silent save for the jingling of Izuku's monk staff, the villagers staying quiet yet throwing occasional glares back at the heroes. It was pretty awkward as neither knew what to say without earning more looks so they focused on their surroundings instead. Trees spanned as far as the eye could see with no end in sight, their trunks stretching high into the sky to cluster in a dark abyss. When they were by the waters edge, a faint breeze rustled over them but the depths of the woods was almost a stagnant air. No wind, no movement, no sounds. It was pretty eerie and Ochaco stepped just a little bit closer to Deku. The fox gave her a small reassuring lick before curling up some more to nap.

"This is really creepy, Deku," Ochaco finally whispered once the trees slowly began to thin out and the landscape became more flourished with wild flowers and animal calls.

"Yeah. There's something about this whole situation that doesn't settle well with me. They're offering food and shelter for the night so let's take them up on it before leaving early in the morning. I don't think a fox could do that much damage, let alone one this small. We'll keep an eye on the village men tonight in case they try anything. It's best to try and stay together." Izuku agreed as a hand raised to shield the sun shining through the trees.

After a small climb up a hill, the two reached a small village nestled on a plain with a river flowing directly through it. Tall palisades surrounded every curve and corner of the community with guards watching over the main gate. There couldn't have been more than fifty buildings total, yet the security was abnormally high. That struck the first red flag for the heroes. Even as they were walking up to the village both could feel the glaring and manic eyes boring into them with distrust. The fox lifted its head to stare at the guards standing tall above the gate with interested eyes before swiveling its head to look around. A few children waiting to enter pointed out the creature though their mothers quickly shunned the action before averting their eyes.

"Why is everyone so afraid of a small fox? She can't be capable of killing people, Deku," Ochaco spoke lowly behind her hand as they waited uneasily to be granted access inside. Izuku nodded while keeping his eyes on the man who first encountered them. While he wasn't looking directly back at them, he could feel the anger and distrust aimed in their direction. Virescent eyes narrowed. He'd keep a close eye on him for the evening.

"Your quarters will be separated on opposite sides of the village. All of the women and children are kept to the left, men to the right per our ancient customs. Ayami will lead ye to your quarters with that…thing. Monk, I shall show ye the shrine if ye so wish to pray to Buddha and cleanse your spirit of that demons touch." The elderly man pointed at Ochaco before clasping his hands together gently and bowing respectfully to the 'monk'.

"Wait, you're separating us? What happens if more women and children are attacked during the night? How are you supposed to come to their rescue?" Ochaco protested but a dangerous glare had her lips pursing. It didn't seem like they were going to budge one bit on the matter, not with at least a dozen village men backing up the elder. With a sigh she relented. She'd make do with their customs for now but would keep a sharper eye on them herself. What kind of village just left the women and children to defend themselves when a killer was running around?

"She's right, what happens when another person is attacked? What are you going to do about it?" Izuku asked firmly. It almost seemed like they shunned the women of the village by keeping them far away. If it was due to ancient customs, did that mean the women and children were left defenseless on purpose?

"They have their ways. Woman, go with your guide lest you wish to sleep in the forest tonight. You will do as they say, when they say. Disregard their rules and you will be punished severely." The man who found them originally snapped angrily, causing Izuku to once again step in though with growing irritation.

"Woman? I have a name! It's Ura—"

"You will hold your tongue, wench—"

"You will not talk to Uraraka like that! If you're going to be disrespectful and treat her without respect, then we'll both gladly stay in the woods. We're willing to help the village with whatever's attacking, but if you continue to talk like that then we'llleave so you can figure it out yourselves. Are we clear?"

"Y-you impudent—"

"Are we clear or not?" Izuku emphasized sternly, staring down the shorter man with overwhelming intimidation. It took only a few seconds before he caved and quickly bowed, walking into the village and out of sight beyond the fence. He huffed. The hero didn't like where this was going. "Uraraka, are you alright?"

"That was awesome, Deku!" Ochaco whispered in awe, her face suddenly a lot closer to his. He instinctively flushed a bit and rubbed at the back of his neck. She was so adorable when her face lit up with excitement. "I don't think I've ever seen you that cool and collected! A-plus hero work!"

"It was nothing, really, he shouldn't be talking to you like that. You don't deserve to be treated like that by anyone. If they bother you, come find me and I'll handle it. Your safety is priority." Izuku replied genuinely with a shake of his head, virescent boring into auburn tenderly.

Ochaco blinked a few times until a flush crept up her neck and she quickly stepped away, hands placed against her flaming cheeks. The way he said it was just so…so…endearing that it had her heart racing in record time. She nearly had to fan herself to calm down as he stared with a bit of confusion because of the reaction. Thankfully the fox wrapped around her shoulders blocked most of her face from view, giving her the needed time to calm down.

"One with the demon fox, follow now. There is much work to be done before the sun sets." A younger woman, who looked barely older than sixteen, called out to Ochaco while readjusting a carrying pack on her back. She had three children running circles around vining for her direct attention.

"Keep an eye out for anything weird going on, I'll find out where you're staying and sneak over when the coast is clear. Good luck and be safe, Uraraka." Izuku spoke softly as his friend glanced between the woman and him.

"I've got Eri with me, I'll be alright. Try not to purify any demons without me." Ochaco smiled. The woman called for her again so she quickly waved goodbye before hurrying over with Eri bouncing along on her shoulders. Children swarmed the brunette instantly as they asked about the fox.

"I guess Eri is a pretty fitting name for a white fox." Izuku mused lightly as he watched Uraraka greet the woman before heading inside the gate. Now he needed to do his own research on what was going on in the heavily secured village. The elder motioned for him to follow as soon as he turned around, so the hero and grouping of men headed the opposite direction of Uraraka.

It was hard to see anything over the makeshift rock and woven bamboo wall separating the two sides of town, but just over the top he could see a little white head popping up to stare at him while it moved deeper into town. For now they were both moving in the same direction, the men leading him to what he assumed was a temple while Uraraka was dragged to the unknown. It was unnerving to think they wanted the men and women completely separated. Add on the fact they were both treated with such distain had Izuku's blood simmering. The elder was prattling on about how their long tradition of separating the men and women had brought prosperity and wealth to them, their need for supporting the women and children nearly non-existent thanks to how the two systems worked. While the men flourished and enjoyed their luxurious lifestyles, the women fed and taught the children, cleaned on both sides, cooked, traded goods. Typical household chores with one big exception.

"When we feel the need to release some pent up stress, all we need to do is ring a bell and a woman is brought over from the other side. We have free choice in doing whatever we please with them and when we are finished, they go back to the other side to continue their work," One of the men snickered with an elbow nudging Izuku lightly. The hero tried to maintain his saintly attitude but the sickening look on his face had him only tightly nodding. "If she becomes with child, it is the duty of the women to take care of them while we continue to relax. If they work enough to live comfortably then they will be fine. Otherwise off to the poor house where the mothers support one another and raised the children together. This easy life is truly a blessing from the Gods, praise be!"

"Praise be!" The other men chorused and Izuku jerked to a halt.

"You use the women and then toss them aside just like that? Without a damn care in the world? What's wrong with you? You need to treat them with respect and kindness, not like they're you're slaves. It's your responsibility to help raise the child you helped create." The hero clenched his staff so tightly he was sure it would snap soon with how it was creaking. He'd known men who were slimeballs to women while out on hero duty, but to be fully immersed in a world that belittled and abused them? That was his breaking point.

"Idiot, why would you bring that up to a monk! Forgive him, Isobe tends to run his mouth to new guests. It is not often we get them, especially a travelling monk. Kaneko, take him elsewhere until he learns to shut his mouth." Another man in the group forcefully grabbed Isobe before shoving him towards Kaneko, turning to him and abruptly bowing. Izuku watched as the blabbermouth was dragged away and out of sight into a building and behind a shoji. He could faintly hear them talking though it faded as he was redirected away. Red flag plus warning bells.

"Where is the temple located? I'd like to pray before resting in my quarters for a while. Travelling has made me a bit weary." Izuku asked tightly while looking around. The buildings were well built with elaborate roof caps and clean, bright paint lining pillars of the taller ones. Everything was spotless and it didn't seem like there was even a speck of dirt on anything. As they passed by a busy restaurant nestled between two other shops, a figure darting through the alleyway caught his attention so he stopped to look. From the back it looked like a woman clutching something to her chest as she quickly walked, constantly looking around before bolting behind another building. A thief or someone just trying to survive?

"Of course, of course, right this way. We shall have an excellent feast prepared for you! I can take you to a private area of the temple to pray in peace. I surely hope you enjoy the arrangements we have for you as well. If there is anything you need at all, please do not hesitate to ask. My name is Chiba."

"Thank you, Chiba. I appreciate the hospitality." Izuku bowed. It probably wasn't possible to roam around the village without someone spotting him, so he would have to wait until they went to bed then sneak out.

Things were certainly strange around here, not just from the fact that the women and children lived completely separate lives, but that they were expected to do everything for the entire village. Were they not able to be in communication with the men? Isobe mentioned how they were called over for…services, so did that mean they had hidden access to this side? The woman he saw running, had she used that route to sneak in or was she someone working? The more he thought about it, the more he realized he hadn't seen a single woman in sight. Not in the restaurant, or the shops, nor even walking down the street. Izuku searched every alleyway as he passed yet they were deserted. If they were expected to maintain every aspect of these men's lives, where were they?

"We have arrived at the temple, monk. The main prayer room is directly ahead though your private room shall reside just behind. Some of the men have gone ahead to prepare it for you. Enjoy your prayer." Chiba grandly swept a hand at the sacred temple and Izuku raised his gaze. It was a rather small one yet it stretched nearly three stories into the sky. Weathered wood covered nearly every square inch of the temple, its walls seemingly bowing from the tremendous strain of holding the glistening golden dragon wrapped around the spire. A few of the shoji were in need of repair as the paper had finally worn through in sections. If he hadn't been paying attention, Izuku would've thought it was abandoned eons ago.

Chiba ushered him to the private prayer room and in the process, they passed by the main foyer. A handful of men prayed silently on tatami mats with bowls of incense slowly billowing above. Centered against the wall was a large Buddha posing with the right hand raised up, palm open and facing outward, and the left was resting against his lap palm up with the index and pinky fingers extended. The pose was meant to instill protection from fears and delusions, but the statue was soon out of his sight as the curtains was quickly shut by a parishioner. Izuku made a mental note to inspect the statue closer, the sudden shift of behavior raising another red flag. Maybe he was hallucinating a bit because it seemed like the eyes of the Buddha followed him until the eye contact was lost. A scarred hand pulled against the collar of his robes uneasily.

Once Chiba showed him the room, the man left him in peace to pray and 'cleanse his soul of demon influence'. Izuku scoffed quietly at that. Not sure he understood what a genetic alteration in an animal meant, though it wasn't worth it to try and explain. Modern terminology and social justices meant nothing to them. The teen wandered around the fairly dim room inspecting every inch to try and find clues. It was mostly bare save for bowls of incense by the door, lit candles lining the walls, and one medium sized window opened at the back of the room. A smaller version of the Buddha statue was nestled against the wall yet it was posed differently. Instead of the pose for protection, it menacingly stood tall with a weapon in the right hand and a heavy-ended rope in the left. The Buddha's face was twisted with anger as it glowered down at Izuku. Golden ornaments hung down from his neck with intricate designs depicting different prayers. Golden bands fit snugly against his muscular arms as he readied for battle. He'd only seen pictures of the statue in history books, so to see it in person was a bit…unnerving.

"Why would there be a protection Buddha on one side and a defensive on the other? Shouldn't it be in a peaceful pose for private prayers?" Izuku mumbled to himself as he examined the statue closer. There was the finest layer of dirt on it meaning it hadn't been used in some time, so was it merely being stored? Why would they specifically have him pray and cleanse his soul to his pose? Deciding it wouldn't hurt to say a quick prayer regardless, the hero finished before turning his attention to the other shoji in the room. If it led to a hallway then he could spy on the men praying and maybe get some answers.

Stealthily as he could, Izuku tugged on the door only to find it was a storage closet filled with spare candles and festival decorations. Despite the disappointment, he wouldn't give up. Strolling over to the window the hero peeked outside to see where it led. It looked like it opened up to another storage area, just a small shed surrounded by a bamboo fence as far as he could see. Making sure no one was coming to interrupt his master escape, Izuku carefully set the staff against the wall before heaving himself up and through the gap. It was a bit snug just from his sheer size so it took a bit of wiggling to fully fit through and drop to the ground. He brushed his robes off as he stood up. Step one complete. It looked like it was an enclosed area with a fence so he shuffled over to it to see where it led. A flourishing garden was the first thing to catch his attention just before a woman undid the latch and opened the gate.

They locked eyes for a few seconds before the woman opened her mouth to scream in terror. Izuku quickly placed a hand over her mouth and guided her into the enclosed area, silently shutting and blocking the gate behind him. The woman trembling in his arms darted her eyes wildly between his face and the shed, immediately fearing the worst outcome. As soon as she was carefully sat down, the hero motioned for her to stay quiet and motioned he was going to remove his hand gently. She nodded with teary eyes and clenched her mouth shut.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! I'm not here to harm you, I promise, I just have some questions to ask and I didn't want anyone to overhear." Izuku soothed softly as he sat a few feet away to show he meant no harm, both hands up to show the sincerity. Wide eyes darted over his face and apparel, trying to determine how much of a threat he was.

"W-who are you? H-h-how did you g-get in here?" The woman asked breathily with a quivering voice, hands clenched tightly against her chest.

"You can call me Deku. I'm sorry for startling you, I wasn't expecting someone to open the gate so suddenly. Are you okay? What's your name?" Izuku switched to hero mode as he tried to soothe her frazzled nerves.

"F-Furuya. Are you a traveling monk?" Furuya asked quietly after determining the stranger before her wasn't a high threat. That didn't change the wariness still lingering in her chest. He honestly looked too young to be a monk, his expression youthful and kind. Most of the monks that came through were older, already wrinkled and bald.

"It's nice to meet you, Furuya. I guess you could say that, I'm still fairly new to the monk lifestyle," Izuku gave a small nervous laugh. It wasn't technically a lie despite his appearance. Furuya seemed to believe it and visibly loosened her posture. "Can I ask what you do for the temple? Do you work strictly in the gardens or do you clean as well?"

"I-it is my job to ensure the grounds are maintained, that is only one of my tasks. I also have to clean, gather and burn incense, offer meals to those who pray. I work from before the sun rises until after it sets. Never a day off." Izuku frowned at that.

"They make you do everything? Do you get breaks?"

"Only on slow days. I try to eat as much as I can before arriving. Once I pass through the gate dividing the village, I am banned from eating food meant for the men. The…the hottest days are the worst, I feel faint a lot of the time."

"I'm sorry to hear about that. It's cruel to think this is happening to you."

"What is your purpose for being here, monk? Are you passing through or have they called you for the ceremony?" Furuya asked while glancing back at the gate. They would notice her missing soon and after the last punishment, she didn't want to take the risk.

"Ceremony? What ceremony?" Izuku asked curiously. "Are you talking about a festival of sorts?"

"No, only the men celebrate while the women continue to work. The ceremony is to have any new women who have joined the village be…um…checked for purity. It happens once a month and is organized by the elder and council. It will be held tonight at dusk. Forgive me, monk, I must return to my duties before I am caught again. The punishment will be more severe." Furuya admitted sheepishly before hurrying to her feet, patting the dirt from her faded yukata.

"I understand. Thank you for your time. If you need anything at all, let me know. I'm here to help, Furuya." Izuku stood as well before smiling and bowing at the young woman. She bowed quickly before grabbing what she needed from the shed and hurrying from the area. The smile slipped from his face the moment the gate shut, a scowl of disgust replacing it. Purity checks? What in the hell was going on here? "Looks like I'll be investigating that ceremony to see what they're really doing. For now though, I need to find a way to spy on the main prayer hall. Maybe if I can jump from the shed to the roof overhang, I can pull myself up and find an open window."

After tying up the bottom part of his robes for more flexibility, Izuku clambered on top of the shed and made the short jump to the roof with ease. He made sure to stick close against the walls to avoid detection while scooting around the building. Getting caught now would likely result in him being kicked out of the village and he couldn't risk it with Uraraka residing on the far side of the enclosed community. He looked over towards the wall and scanned the other side. From up here he could see practically all of the buildings that were closely knit together, most of them dilapidated and falling apart while the men enjoyed sturdy, luxurious houses. Most likely they were living in their own squalor, unable to fix things up without supplies and money. Did they even use currency here? Not once had he seen money exchange between two hands. Where did they get the supplies to keep everything running?

Voices reached his ear so Izuku hurried to follow them, carefully walking along the worn and loosened tiles to reach a barred window. He crouched down next to it and carefully peeked through. Chiba was standing beside the elder just underneath the window, away from those still praying.

"Should we still go through the ceremony tonight? The monk being here complicates the matter since he will be against it. We cannot distract him for long, he seems to be very alert to his surroundings and is asking a lot of questions. Right now he is locked in the spare room with the old Buddha statue." Chiba expressed his concerns to the elder nervously, his hands twisting around themselves as he glanced at the other men.

"Fear not, his presence will not affect our plans. Once he has retired to his quarters for the evening, then we will continue as planned. Our biggest concern is what to do with that girl and the demon fox. It will surely draw the other demons to the village and seek for food once the moon rises." The elder replied calmly.

"So, what do we do?"

"Have the guards bring her to the purity ceremony. We will have the demon purged from her body then she can join the remaining women in the slum. The fox demon will be taken care of as soon as they are separated. I am willing to risk half of the village burning down to do so."

"Of course, Elder Kawada. I will go alert the guards of the change then check on the monk."

Izuku leaned back onto his heels. They didn't care about the lives of the women, they were just using them for their sick fantasies. He had no doubt the purity ceremony wasn't just for checking the status of their virginity. Despite their despicable deeds, it didn't explain why the women were being attacked. The plan was to try and get to the other side of the village, but now the ceremony complicated things. They were going to force Uraraka to be a part of it meaning he had to stop it one way or another. He needed time to think of a way to reach her. For now, he'd return to the room and wait for Chiba to come back. He could easily break the lock but it would blow his cover as a peaceful monk. As soon as he was shown to his quarters for the evening, Izuku would sneak out and find his way to the other side. The hero quickly made his way back down to the shed then stuffed himself back through the window and quickly composed. A grab of his staff and the monk was sitting on the floor in front of the Buddha statue praying.

It only took a few minutes before Chiba returned, discreetly unlocking the door as he knocked on the wall to announce himself and offered to escort the monk to his quarters. By the time they passed the main foyer, all of the parishioners were gone and a woman was cleaning up the mess with quick movements. She glanced up at the passerby and Izuku noticed it was Furuya, her eyes going wide in bewilderment before she averted her head back to the floor. He focused on the man in front of him. If they knew he'd pulled her aside to talk, it wouldn't end well for her. Once back outside, Chiba explained what each building was and its history despite Izuku not paying an ounce of attention to him. He was too busy looking for a way to get to the other side of the village. Not that he couldn't easily scale the wall, quirk or not, he wanted a way to help the other women escape once things on this side were finished. Virescent searched for the familiar white head of Eri but she was nowhere to be seen.

They both must be further in the village. I hope they're doing alright.

Ochaco scrubbed the floors as hard and fast as she could, zooming back and forth across the living space while the other cleaners watched in awe from the doorway. Ayami, the woman she'd met up with outside the village, had put her to work right away. First it was laundry, then was sweeping, trash collection, and now cleaning the floors of the head woman's house. Honestly, it wasn't even difficult to do all of the chores. She quite enjoyed them. Eri played with the children just outside, their laughter filling the air. It took a bit of convincing, but the women and children were soon clamoring over the creature with petting and treats. The fox immediately took to the affection and hadn't left their sides since.

"And done! Okay, what's next?" Ochaco asked once she reached the last side of the room, wiping the light sheen of sweat on her forehead. It was a good workout cleaning floors and she was supposed to go to the gym after the library study session. Obviously that didn't work so this was the next best thing.

"Uh…do we even have anything left to do?" One of the women asked Ayami who shook her head no.

"There is no cleaning left to do…she has done all of the tasks for the day and then some. I have never seen any woman work hard as she does." Ayami breathed out in awe as Ochaco cleaned up the rag and water bowl. Whoever this stranger was, her arrival was a true blessing in disguise.

"Uraraka, I believe you have finished all of the chores. There is nothing left for us to do," Another woman piped up and the hero immediately apologized, much to their amusement. She flapped a hand at the brunette with a laugh. "No, no, it means we can actually take a break for once! You work so hard and make it look easy. How do you do it?"

"Well," Ochaco started with a finger against her cheek. Telling them what she did as a profession would just confuse them so she needed an excuse they would believe. "I usually just work out every day and do some training. I practice self-defense as well. They all add up so I'm pretty strong from it."

"Self…defense?" Another woman asked with her head tilted.

"Yeah, it's a form of…well, defending yourself. Here, I'll show you. I need a volunteer though." The hero waited for someone to raise their hand before motioning them to come over. She got the timid woman into position and turned back to the others ready to explain. "So, Shiro here is going to be my attacker. For this example, she's going to be carrying a pretend knife in her hand. The first thing you want to do is position yourself out of the direct path of the weapon by pivoting on one foot. What this does is gives you an advantage to dodge an attack while also opening an opportunity to counter. Go ahead, Shiro, lunge at me like you're going to stab me."

"O-okay," Shiro stuttered before walking towards her with a shaky hand extended and aimed at the hero. A few women snickered but Ochaco merely smiled and stopped her.

"So, what you're doing right now is just walking towards me, right? Attackers are going to run full force at you to knock you over and get the most amount of damage they can. Go ahead and restart, but this time I want you to run at me with your pretend knife. Try again."

Shiro shuffled back to restart the lesson, taking in a deep breath before readying herself once more. This time she ran as fast as she could at Ochaco with her knife out. As soon as she was in range, the hero pivoted and dodged the attack before grabbing her wrist. The other hand latched onto the neck to take control and she threw the bewildered woman off balance and towards the floor with lightning reflexes. She stopped mere inches from the freshly washed wood before being gently let down.

"Wow! You moved so fast I could barely see that!" Ayami awed as the women all clapped excitedly, drawing the attention of the children who stuck their heads in the doorway.

"Where did you learn that?"

"You must be an expert fighter!"

"Very impressive!"

"Can you teach the rest of us?"

"Of course! Self-defense for any woman is a good thing to know. Since Shiro was the attacker, let's have someone else attack while she defends. We'll take this step by step, okay? For now get into groups and I'll walk through to correct your postures." Ochaco beamed as the women began organizing into pairs. This was a good first step into getting them prepared for any attacker.

The next hour was spent training and correcting the women on self-defense, starting with the basic knife attack and moving onto assaults from behind then finishing with simple punching techniques. By the time they were done, all of the women were on the floor exhausted while Ochaco watched over them proudly with Eri on her shoulders. Even the children tried to get involved, yet their mothers shooed them away claiming they were too young to learn this. While Ochaco didn't entirely agree with that statement, her training was meant more for adults who could handle themselves better. Eri purred against her face and she scratched at her lightly. She'd taken to the children quite quickly, almost never leaving their side until they were distracted by something else. In a way, the brunette felt like she had a human soul in an animal body.

"Everyone good?" The hero called out as she sat down in the doorway, one leg swinging outside above the grass. The day was actually pretty nice with a gentle breeze that flicked chestnut locks gently. She wondered how Deku was doing. It'd only been a few hours so maybe he was exploring around.

"I believe so. I have never been this sore before," Leiko called out from the middle of the room, arm waving tiredly in the air before flopping back down to push herself up.

"This was more strenuous than pulling a cart full of goods to the other side." Uzumaki added on and a murmur of agreement rippled through the room.

"Wait, you had to pull a cart of goods to the other side? Why would you do that? Don't the men help over here?" Ochaco asked, genuinely curious as she turned around to face them.

"No way! They do not even bother tending to their children, why would they bother helping when they are too busy doing purity checks on the new women and being glutenous pigs." A fireball named Risa exclaimed with a face of annoyance. She reminded the brunette of Mina and her outgoing personality.

"What do you mean by purity check?"

"Whenever we get a new woman into the village, Elder Kawada and the council do something called a purity check. They check to see if they have laid with another man and if not…"

Ochaco didn't like the sound of where this was going. "If not…?"

"Then she is taken by force amongst the men. They claim it is tradition in welcoming a woman into the village, but we know it is to satiate their desires. Sometimes the woman does not return from the ceremony." Ara, the youngest woman out of all of them, answered softly with arms wrapped around herself.

"They assault you?" Ochaco cried out in disbelief, startling the women at the outburst. She swung her leg in and promptly stood, looking at the group with horror etching her face. "Why isn't anyone trying to stop it? Can't you just not go? They can't do this to you, it's inhumane!"

"We are severely beaten if we try to decline. The men in this village are very cruel and only care about themselves." Ayami replied with a heavy sigh, a hand resting on the quivering shoulder of Ara.

"I refused the first time and I was beaten within an inch of my life. Once I healed, I was forced to go through it again." Risa added in with a sour face. "They do not care about anyone except themselves. If we try to leave, the guards will strike us down and drag us back. If we survive. A handful have lost their lives trying."

Ochaco stared at the women with tears welling up. They were being treated so horribly yet they couldn't even leave if they wanted to. She swiped at her face and sniffled before hardening her resolve. She started to believe they stumbled upon this village for a reason because of Eri, the little fox currently dancing around her ankles. "When is the next purity ceremony?"

"Tonight, just before it gets dark. What will you do, Uraraka?" Ayami asked fearfully.

"I'm going to put an end to it. Tonight. There won't be another ceremony ever again, I promise you that. Is there anyone new to the village that would be attending?"

The women remained silent with uneasy looks amongst themselves, whispering lowly and comforting one another. Ochaco had a sinking suspicion about what Ayami was going to say as she stood with hands against her front.

"You, Uraraka. You are the only one who has recently entered the village. The last woman to join…she passed a week ago during childbirth. The guards will come for you once you are dressed in the appropriate garments. There is little time remaining before the ceremony starts."

"Then let's get started on a plan."

_B_

Izuku waited in his quarters until just before dusk, constantly watching and listening to the villagers that passed by. Chiba had escorted him to the small house a stones throw from the temple and informed him a meal would be along shortly. When asked if he was free to wander the village, the teen was quickly shot down saying it would be easy to get disoriented with all of the similar buildings. The hero didn't buy that for a second yet nonetheless abided by the lockdown until it was time to move. A skittish young girl had delivered his meal and before he could even ask her name, she was sprinting out of the house with the door shutting behind. She acted just like Furuya did. Always looking over her shoulder, listening to every sound, watching every person that walked by, constantly flinching at unexpected things. There was abuse going on within the shadows and behind the happy façade.

Checking one more time to make sure the patrol was out of sight, Izuku slipped from his room and quickly walked towards the temple. A gathering of men dressed in golden hakama was growing outside of the building, confirming his suspicions about the purity ceremony about to begin. Thankfully he'd be given a different set of clothing so it was harder to correlate him to the monk, a grey hakama set with black patterns placed sporadically on it. Seeing as it was steadily growing dark, it made the perfect stealth outfit. Plus it was easier to move in than the layers of robe. He slipped in between a row of houses as a guard slowly walked by, more interested in the growing gaggle of people than anyone sneaking around.

Izuku weaved his way around the houses with quiet speed, glancing through the side streets to make sure no one was patrolling the area. For the most part it seemed like they weren't too worried about unwanted guests, but he knew Chiba warned them about his nosey actions. When he reached the fence surrounding the temple shed, the hero scaled it without pause before climbing up the path he took hours earlier. It gave him the perfect hiding spot since flashlights hadn't been invented yet and the candle lanterns were only hung on the far roof corners. Izuku crouched down and waited on the side of the temple to avoid detection until it was darker, the lowering sun still a bit too bright to rest against the front without notice. From where he was sitting, he could see both ends of the village and every part of the women's section with ease. The only thing he couldn't see was the gate that allowed access between the sides. But that's where the purity ceremony came into play. As soon as it started, the women would walk through the gate and it would become known to him.

"Where are they going to take the women? Not where I was earlier, it's too small for the entire council and used more as a storage room. Is there another room I missed on the other side or is there space on the second floor I didn't see?" Izuku mumbled to himself as he planned out the best method of attack. Taking down that many men with ease wasn't the issue, he just needed to calculate an angle of attack that was efficient and swift.

Lights began filling up the other half of the village causing Izuku to snap to attention, body leaning forward in anticipation. Somewhere below him music began playing, soft and enchanting at first but gradually growing louder as more paper lanterns were lit. It looked like there was a trail that led through the gate and directly into the temple making it easier to track. A figure emerged from between some of the houses and began walking down the main pathway with practiced steps. They were covered head to toe in white, symbolizing purity, and it became difficult for him to see who it was. A wide hood covered most of her face and he figured he wouldn't be able to see them until right before they entered the temple. Elder Kawada mentioned forcing Uraraka to be a part of it and while it was possible, it was a stupid mistake on their end. She'd have them knocked out cold before they could move an inch towards her. Beyond them followed the women lined up in two rows behind, carrying baskets close to their bodies.

"I cannot wait to see what that newcomer looks like. Her appearance was muddled by that damn fox demon earlier and it was hard to get a proper look. Surely she will be better than that wench Risa. Took a few beatings for her to finally submit." One of the men joked below and Izuku resisted the urge to rip up a ceramic tile and throw it on his head. These men were sick in more than one way.

"She did come in with that monk, surely he has not…?" Someone else trailed off.

"A monk takes the vow of celibacy once he commits his life to Kami. I have heard of some unsavory monks who failed to follow that vow," Another piped in.

"They do seem to be close…is it possible?"

"Enough." Elder Kawada interrupted and silenced the incessant chatter. Izuku watched as he strode through the crowd with hands folded together, awaiting the arrival of the woman to begin the ceremony. He was slightly thankful for the interruption only because his face was burning red from the strange men questioning about the potential, yet non-existent sex life between him and Uraraka. "We will test her with the purity ceremony if that is the case. If she is found pure, the ceremony will continue. If she is found to be defiled, then a cleansing will commence before she is tested again. There is nothing to worry about."

"There's plenty to be worried about, Elder Kawada." Izuku muttered under his breath with a sour taste in his mouth. He thought the samurai in the last chapter were bad with their ruthless attacks. This chapter was already ranking worse on his list and there were countless more to go.

It took a few minutes for the woman in white to make it through the gate, one nestled in the very corner of the wall and outer fence, and she slowly made her way to the temple. What caught his attention was the fact that all of the women following her had suddenly disappeared. They hadn't gone back towards the houses or even into his line of sight. It hit Izuku and he grinned. It was Uraraka's plan. The women were going to fight back once the window of opportunity opened up. If that was her idea, then he'd go with that. Most likely she was being used as the bait, originating with what Elder Kawada decided, to take out the men from the inside. It was easy to figure out each other's plans after three years of fighting together.

"Tonight we welcome another young woman into our midst, to the humble village of Yahashina. Maiden, please come this way so we may begin our celebration." Elder Kawada announced once the last instrument died off, leaving just silence in the air. Izuku adjusted his positioning to be centered over the doorway.

The woman slowly walked to where Elder Kawada was standing with an arm directed towards the temple, keeping her face down and hidden from sight. As the men began lining up on either side to make way, she lifted her head as if to gaze at the towering structure. A single finger pulled the edge of the hood back to reveal an auburn eye staring knowingly at the shadowed Izuku. He locked eyes and nodded once before shifting to make his way to the back side of the temple. Ochaco let the hood fall back into place before gracefully sweeping up the temple stairs with a small smile. Deku would know what to do.

"We will be escorting you to the main prayer hall before journeying to the gardens, maiden. We ask that you remain silent to keep the sanctity of the temple." Chiba explained warmly as he opened the temple doors for her, motioning for her to go first.

Ochaco nodded and followed his instructions. She took in as much of her surroundings as she could to get a better grasp of her surroundings. Deku probably knew the area better than her considering they saw him as a monk, his presence always welcome in holy buildings. It appeared to be a normal temple with a Buddha statue up against the wall and incense slowly burning throughout the room. A single tatami mat was placed center in the room indicating she was the only one having to pray. Her suspicions were confirmed as the men lined up along the sides and back while she carefully sat down. They were going to be watching her every single move so she'd have to wait for the right timing.

Giving the fastest prayer ever, the brunette made to get up until a man motioned for her to stay sitting down. Four of the parishioners grabbed swinging incense burners before lighting them and beginning to chant. Slowly, they wound their way around the tatami flooring in an ever closing circle with face coverings on. Smoke began filling the room so Ochaco discreetly looked up to the second floor. Deku had slipped through the open window and was watching her from behind a pillar. The plan was to wait until they tried to take her into the purity chamber at the edge of the garden before apprehending the elder. From what the women said, there was a vague remembrance of the events after leaving the chamber. Risa remembered the event due to failing the first time so the hero planned to use her knowledge to avoid their trickery. The first step was to burn a certain herb that caused fatigue if inhaled for too long, generally disguised in the incense burners. So with a small cough to cover up her hand movement, the hero pulled bundled layers of fabric up over her nose and mouth then closed her eyes. With the oversized hood it made it easier to shield the movements.

A small gong rang and the men returned the burners to their holders while ceasing the chant. The next step was to take a sip of sake to cleanse the soul and mind. Ochaco opened her eyes and waited until a young girl shakily set a tray down, keeping her eyes on the trembling bottle of sake. As she made to grab the cup, her fingers slipped and the liquid spilled everywhere.

"Clumsy girl! Look what you have done!" Chiba shouted as he stood over her menacingly, a fist tightened up and shaking.

"F-forgive me! It s-slipped from my grasp…" The girl replied while scrambling to clean it up. The rags flew from her hands and she lunged to reach them.

"You shall be punished!" Chiba snarled as he cocked his arm back.

The moment he began swinging his arm forward, Ochaco pulled the girl out of the way before ducking under the appendage and latching onto his wrist. With a tight grasp on the back of his neck, she slammed him to the floor as hard as she could. The lacquer tray and dishes shattered violently underneath his weight. Every man in that room stared in silent horror as the hero dusted her hands off before stepping on top of the knocked out man and offering a hand to the terrified girl.

"Are you alright?" Ochaco asked tenderly as she helped the girl up, holding onto her hand firmly. She nodded quickly and looked around the room in fear. "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here. Just listen to what I say and you'll be alright."

"W-what is the meaning of this?! How dare ye sully the purity ceremony!" Elder Kawada angrily spit as he hobbled forward to confront Ochaco. She pushed the girl behind her and stood her ground, chin up. "Do you understand what ye have done?"

"I just saved another girl from being one of your victims. You have no right to be hurting children over a simple mistake. The only reason she spilled the drink was because you've instilled fear into her. But no more. After today, you won't be setting a single toe into this village. I'll guarantee it." Ochaco replied while ripping the hood from her head, staring at the elder calmly as she threw it down and stomped it into the spilt sake. Kawada's entire body shook as he began spitting out incoherencies before pointing a finger at her. The men shook from their stupors and began descending upon the two females, hands extended to grab.

"Don't forget Uraraka's not alone in this fight!" Izuku jumped from the second story to land directly in front of Uraraka, an arm outstretched to protect them both. A few faltered unsurely though the rest continued surging forward. "Get her out of here, I'll handle them."

"Let's go," Ochaco told the girl as Deku launched himself into the fray. She guided her by the shoulders to the storage room just down the hall. Ayami had cleaned the room before and informed the brunette there was a window that led to the shed. From there it was only a short climb over and off temple grounds. A few of the women would be waiting there already so she wasted no time in throwing open the door and locking it behind her. She grabbed a candle holder and jammed it up against the door. It wouldn't hold up against much force but it was better than nothing. "I'm going to help you through the window then climb out after you. The other women are waiting on the other side of the fence and they'll take you to safety."

The girl nodded and accepted the short boost to reach the sill, cautiously swinging her leg up and over before dropping to the other side. Ochaco waited a few seconds before jumping up and pulling herself through. It was hard to see anything as the sun set beyond the village walls, but they managed to navigate the short distance to the shed. Another boost had the child sitting on the roof with quiet voices urging her to drop down through the fence.

"Uraraka, we have her. We shall take her to safety on the other side of the village." Uzumaki spoke lowly through the bamboo slots after the child was secured.

"Take her to Deku's—where the monk was housed. They'll probably start searching through the women's side in search of you all. Right now it's safer to stay somewhere they won't expect to look. Once we take care of things here, then we'll come find you. Make sure to keep your heads down." Ochaco instructed. She waited until the footsteps trailed off before beginning her move. The plan had changed so now they needed to apprehend Elder Kawada.

The brunette pulled herself up and over the fence to the garden then began making her way to the temple doors. On the off chance he got away, she wanted to block any exit he'd take. The sounds of fighting reached her ears but by the time she got close, they stopped. Izuku crossed his arms as he looked down at the trembling Kawada, intimidating the man with everything he had. There was so much he wanted to say, to scold him for using religion to justify his dirty crimes, but he was pretty sure he'd croak of a heart attack if he said anything. So he settled for a Kaachan level intimidation stare.

"That was fast, Deku," Ochaco commented while stepping over the knocked out parishioners. It'd been not quite two minutes since she and the girl escaped. Probably only took Deku about fifteen seconds to knock everyone out despite being quirkless.

"It wasn't much of a fight on this end. I knocked them out good just in case they tried anything. You good?"

"Mhmm. The other women took the girl to safety. So, what do we do with him?" Ochaco pointed down at the trembling man with a casual finger.

"Well, we can't just take him to a police station. He's probably got the guards on his side so they won't be much help. Leaving him here is a bad idea…toss them out of the village and into the lake?" Izuku suggested with a shrug. They had no authority over anyone, but leaving the women to suffer under a tyrant and his following was the worst thing they could do.

"Nah, they could make their way back to the village in the morning. Are there any other villages with samurai around?"

"That's a good idea. Have them hauled away and charged for their crimes—"

"W-wait! We shall leave," Kawada finally spoke up, submitting to their various methods of punishment. "T-tonight, all of the men in the village shall leave for good. I ask that ye allow us to take supplies, in the very least—"

"Nope." Both heroes replied instantly.

"These women deserve every single item in this village. You made them your servants, took advantage of them, physically used them, and you expect to take your spoils with you? The only things I'm willing to let you leave with are the clothes on your backs and torches. Nothing more. If you can't agree to that, then the other option is to allow the women to get payback tenfold." Ochaco laid out while kneeling down in front of the old man, hands folded against her lap. He refused to meet her gaze which was fine, surely he could feel the calm anger radiating from her presence alone. "While you were busy getting ready for the ceremony, I spent the time training the women how to defend themselves against you and your men. They were scared of you before because you'd beat and belittled them into thinking they had no worth. Now…now they're going to fight back. No matter what you say, what you do, they won't tolerate a thing from another man in this village."

"All of the guards affiliated with you are to leave as well. They can be your personal escorts if something decides to attack you in the dark. In all honesty, I should beat you senseless for what you've done," Izuku threatened lowly as he crouched down beside Uraraka, a hand supporting his chin while staring down at the ever shriveling leader.

"I-I will accept whatever punishment ye decide, monk." Kawada quivered out weakly with his head practically digging into the floor.

"Deku…" Ochaco placed a hand on his arm. He looked over and winked while smiling. The brunette picked up on what he was doing and started playing along. "Let me have a turn afterwards. Actually, I should call all of the women in here to take a few whacks. Make it fair to everyone."

"That's a good idea, why don't you call them in?"

"I-I will gather the men to leave! Immediately!" Kawada finally raised his head. Tears and snot ran down his face in rivers, the old man looking pathetic and feeble.

"And you'll apologize to every single woman, including the children whom you failed to take care of." Izuku added on.

"O-of course."

"I should go check on them. Why don't you make sure everyone is rounded up and waiting by the main gate while there's still a bit of light?" Ochaco suggested while straightening out the borrowed purity kimono. It really was beautiful, just not when it was being used for a sinister purpose. Deku stood when some of the men began stirring.

"I'll have them out there as soon as they're up but I'm going to find some rope to make sure they don't run. Elder Kawada, I suggest you tell the guards to convene at the gate without a fuss or I'll make sure of that promise to knock you senseless. Understand?"

"Y-yes!"

"See you in a bit, Deku," Ochaco gave him a quick pat on the back before hurrying out of the temple through the main doors.

"S-so…" Elder Kawada began shakily, causing Izuku to turn his attention back to him. The teen was a bit miffed because he wanted to keep admiring the kimono she wore, in a perfectly innocent manner. Everything she wore in this world suited her perfectly. "We were correct in thinking…the two of you have been inti—"

"It's not like that, we're just friends!"

Ochaco stepped outside and began hurrying back towards the outer fence. She wanted to make sure they were all safe and sound. But the closer she got to the fence, the quicker shouting reached her ears. A woman was suddenly tossed into the main road from one of the houses, her body rolling a few feet before stopping. Screams began filling the air as smoke billowed fast and thick into the growing darkness. "Are you okay?!"

"Fine, the child…she is trapped inside…" Risa coughed while sitting up with the help of Ochaco.

"I'll get her out, have everyone start throwing water on the house! Be ready to defend yourselves against the guards!" Ochaco ordered while stripping off the top layer of kimono. It would just get in the way of trying to maneuver through a burning house and weigh her down. She dropped the material and sprinted towards the growing flames.

"This is what happens when you disobey the elder!" A guard shouted as he shoved some of the women away from the house, refusing to let them into the burning building. "That child will pay for your sins!"

"Not on my watch!"

A swift whack to the side of the neck had the man dropping like rocks into the dirt. Ochaco ignored the cries of protest and launched herself through a cloud of smoke to find the child. It was faint over the roaring flames yet she could hear the panicked cries coming from within. She coughed while shifting to move underneath the layer of smoke to gain some visibility. Not knowing the layout of the space was difficult but all she had to do was follow the cries and they would reunite.

"I want you to get as low as possible on the floor and start crawling towards my voice! Keep your eyes closed and just follow the sound!" The hero called out while pushing herself forward with her knees and elbows. Something hard hit her arm and she swatted around trying to figure out what it was. It moved with a jingle. The staff that Deku had gained was sitting in her pathway. Her hand latched onto it and began shaking it as hard as she could. "Follow the jingling! If you feel the ring of the staff, grab onto it and I'll pull."

"O-okay!"

A tense minute passed before something hit the staff and tugged against it. Ochaco yanked it towards her until her hand connected with the girls head. The roof above cracked loudly sending hot ash over the both of them. The house was seconds from collapsing so she yanked the girl up by the arm and ran towards the door she came through. Moments after they both tumbled into the dirt road, the roof caved in and leveled the building with a thunderous crash. Frigid water sloshed over them both immediately, quenching any burning ashes that latched on. Ochaco let out a sharp breath as she released the child and pushed herself up. Apart from some singed hair and soot, the girl seemed to be alright.

"Uraraka! Aneka! Are you unharmed?" Ayami cried out while dropping to her knees to check on them both. She grabbed each of their faces to inspect for injuries with fret then locked both of them into a tight hug. "Kami above, you have scared the years from my life! What you did was reckless, Uraraka! Why would you run straight into a fire without thought?"

"Because that's what heroes do, Ayami," Ochaco replied confidently with a smile once the woman released the headlock. The villager seemed stunned before bursting out laughing with both hands clasping the heroes face.

"You are one strange woman yet I thank Kami by the minute for your presence here. Thank you, Ochaco Uraraka."

"There's no need to thank me, Ayami, I did what any other person would. If everyone is okay, let's try to put out the fire before it spreads to the other houses. Deku is handling the men in the temple right now."

"What is going to happen now?" Leiko asked unsurely while helping Aneka to her feet before handing her off to her mother. The others began filling whatever buckets they could find to smother the angry flames, the fire hissing with each splash of water. Thankfully the houses were far enough apart to at least delay their inevitable ignition, but it only took a few rogue sparks to light the aged wood.

"You're going to have your village back. Elder Kawada has agreed to take the men and leave tonight. Deku is going to personally walk them to the gate and make sure they never come back. You'll have your freedom." Ochaco announced while swiping her damp locks back.

"But will they truly stay away? Will they not sneak back in under the cover of darkness?" Uzumaki asked nervously with a twisting of her hands. Ochaco understood their fear, the men having controlled their lives for years. Everything they did was under their direct orders. They had to relearn how to be independent once more and the first step was learning to adapt to sudden changes.

"We'll make sure they never come back. Deku and I will stay here for a few days to make sure the village is secured and you all have the means to survive. I think you already have most of the supplies to grow crops within the walls so there wouldn't be any need to leave except for meat. It can totally work!" The hero exclaimed excitedly while grabbing her hands.

"Uraraka, what happened? Is everyone alright?" Izuku called out as he sprinted towards the women with his heart pounding in his throat. He'd heard the screams in the middle of tying up the parishioners so he hurried up with that and tied Elder Kawada tightly to a post before heading out. Flames were twisting within heavy black smoke as they tried to contain the fire, his temporary quarters now destroyed along with his monk apparel. Uraraka was soaking wet and had lost the top layer of her kimono leaving her vulnerable to the oncoming night chills but seemed alright apart from that.

"Everyone's fine, Deku. One of the guards tried to burn the house down with Aneka inside but I got her out in time. It's thanks to your staff that I could get her to crawl towards me in time. Did you get everyone tied up?"

"That's a relief to hear. Yeah, they're all tied up and not going anywhere—l-let me help with filling the buckets, ma'am!" Izuku quickly turned his attention to a woman struggling to lift a full bucket of water and the brunette tilted her head questioningly at the sudden diversion. A few of the women giggled behind their hands which just confused her even more. Was there something on her face or hair?

"What's that about?" Ochaco said to herself before shifting to grab a bucket. A hand on her arm stopped her as Ayami motioned for her to lean closer, the young woman shifting to block the front of her body.

"The water has soaked through the undergarments, Uraraka. You are a bit exposed…"

Ochaco blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Then looked down with growing trepidation. Wide eyes darted back up to look at the woman who merely chuckled behind her hand. Her head whipped around to look at Izuku who was keeping his attention strictly anywhere but in her direction, face beet red in the dying light. Heat burned from toes to follicles as she slapped an arm over her chest and used the other hand to cover below the belt. The worst part was she couldn't even cover the embarrassment flooding her face.

"Surely the monk got a good show," Risa teased before sidling up next to the frozen brunette with an arm around her shoulders. Both women began guiding her back towards the other side of the barrier, providing frontal coverage by angling their bodies inward. "Come, we shall get you cleaned up and changed into something less revealing. A hot bath will be started while I prepare your meals, as thanks for saving our village."

"Monk," Ayami called out and Izuku looked over expectantly after dumping another bucket onto the smoldering fire. "We shall be leaving the rest of the work to you. When you are done, feel free to come to the large house on the other side. A celebration will be had for your hard work."

"Of course! Thank you!"

Ochaco smacked her hands against her face as soon as they were cleared of any people. This chapter was already off to a horrible start and she wasn't sure it could get much worse.

Izuku watched as every single man in the village paraded through the front gate with heads hung low, their eyes averted from the tall, intimidating man. It was easy getting the tied up men out as they'd lost the will to try and fight, but the guards were a bit more difficult. They ended up putting in a short struggle and ultimately ran with their tails between their legs after getting beaten instantly. He'd cleared every house and possible hiding spot to make sure no one was hiding in the village waiting for them to leave. Some of the women collecting supplies to take back to the other side verified everyone was accounted for before telling them good riddance and heading home for the evening. They wanted nothing to do with them or their apologies and a few spit at their feet in disgust. The thought that they'd just do the same thing again in another village crossed his mind, but he watched as their torches began splitting up in different directions. For now they weren't a problem to anyone. With the immediate threat gone, Izuku closed the gate and made sure it was secured for the night. A torch illuminated the way as he did an internal perimeter check for holes or hidden gates, finding two latches that opened externally and one covered up trench entrance. A couple of large rocks rolled into their way quickly solved that problem, the hero wiping the sweat from his forehead. They were a lot heavier without the use of his quirk.

Tomorrow he'd start tearing down the wall that divided the village so the women could have full access again to start plowing fields for crops. The way it was set up was to divide the natural stream but it looked like the majority of it was on the men's side. Their selfishness had the hero shaking his head. Heading through the dividing gate, Izuku made for the largest house where Ayami said to meet. All of the lanterns were lit up in the houses and along the pathways, creating a warm glow that chased away the darkness. The area was actually very beautiful and tranquil, something he often missed being a modern day student and top ranking hero. There were days he'd go and go until he made it back to the dorms in time to collapse on his bed only to get up and go at it again. He rolled his shoulders until they popped, the built up tension releasing.

"Monk, monk! Come play!" A small boy ran up to him and grabbed his fingers, tugging him to join the other children who were playing with Eri. Izuku smiled while allowing the child to guide him. They seemed to be playing tag with the white fox, running full speed to catch her and win the game, but she was crafty at dodging their hands the last second.

"The first one to gets the demon fox wins!" An older girl, maybe ten or so, announced once the newcomer arrived.

"What do you win?" Izuku asked while crouching down to be more at their level. The boy who dragged him over latched onto his back and squirreled his way up to latch his arms around the heroes neck. He didn't mind in the least as he made sure his legs were supported by his arms. The child giggled into his ear. None of the children had father figures now, something he knew too well, and if it gave them some comfort so be it.

"Um…bragging rights and a rice ball!"

"Bragging rights and a rice ball? Alright, I'll bite. I'll give you kids a head start since I'm bigger, deal?" Izuku accepted the terms much to their delight.

"Ready…go!"

The children began racing after Eri full speed, tripping and tumbling in an attempt to catch the fox. Izuku stood and took long, slow deliberate steps to catch up, sometimes moving faster and sometimes not at all. The boy on his back acted as his lookout and pointed where the fox ran, taking command of the hero with ease. Ayami watched the scene with a warm smile from within the main house, leaning against the open doorway with the youngest of the village on her lap. It was often difficult to give them much attention since the men never did anything other than call them for services and the rest of their daylight was spent cleaning, cooking, laundry, sewing. For the first time in a long time, the women of Yahashina village could rest easy.

"He does well with children," Risa commented lightly while setting down a blanket for the nearly sleeping infant. Ayami carefully handed her over to be put to bed, fingers trailing over the tuft of hair gently.

"It would seem so. A rare quality in men. I have never seen Tensei connect so quickly to a stranger, though the monk radiates a kindness I have not seen in a long time." Ayami agreed with a hum.

"The same for Uraraka. She threw herself into a burning building for the sake of a child. Had one of us gone in there, both would have perished. I thank Kami for sending them to Yahashina. Perhaps they will also be able to solve the mystery of the full moon attacks. I fear for the darkness about to consume all."

"Though part of our troubles may be gone, there is still a lot of work to do in order to make this place a home once more. We will reclaim what we built so long ago. I will bring it up to them both but for now, we celebrate their fortuitous arrival."

Ochaco sighed into the steaming water with closed eyes, relishing in the heat. The villagers let her use the private bath in the head lady's house as thanks for rescuing Aneka. She had yet to see the woman though she planned on thanking her for days. A hot bath, full meal prepared, nice fresh clothes. Their generosity was endless and the brunette was eternally thankful. After waking up in the cave, Ochaco wasn't sure how they'd survive with no supplies or shelter. It wouldn't have been an impossible task, seeing as they were heroes taught to survive, but not knowing the lay of the land made it a harder. So far they'd been lucky enough to run into helping people, but that luck would dissipate sooner or later.

Laughter filtered in through the barred window as Ochaco stood to get out and curious, she peeked outside to find the source. Deku was running around with kids clinging to him in an attempt to bring him down, the hero dramatically fighting them off with little pokes and tickles. One of the bigger children grabbed him by the leg, weighing him down, so he tripped and casually fell to lie on a patch of grass. The children swarmed him and he waved a hand up for help with a laugh. She chuckled. Deku was always so good with children and the village kids certainly needed someone like him right now. It was going to be a hard adjustment losing half of the population in Yahashina, but the women seemed strong enough to guide them through it.

Grabbing up the yukata given to her, Ochaco slipped it on and ensured it was tied tightly. She hadn't even thought of the fact that her under garments would show anything, but the water thrown on her must've made them just translucent enough. She slapped her hands over her face in embarrassment. How much had Deku seen? From her point of view, it didn't seem to be that bad. But he was standing off to the side of her. The brunette quickly shook her head to dissipate the heat. He wasn't like that, he always respected women and never once thought of staring inappropriately. Deciding it was best to forget and move on, Ochaco made her way back to the main area of the house. An enticing smell drifted her way and her stomach rumbled greedily. When was the last time she ate?

Ayami was sitting up against the open doorway watching the children wrestle Deku with all their might, seemingly content after the nights chaos when she heard footsteps approaching. She waited until Uraraka sat beside her before looking over. "How was your bath?"

"Amazing, thank you. I haven't felt this relaxed in a while. How are you holding up with everything that's happened?" Ochaco asked while watching Deku attempt to fend off the children. They really weren't going easy on him as one kid rubbed his elbow before taking aim and dropping down. She could hear the oomph from her friend and cringed a bit.

"I am glad to hear. Surely the river water chilled you. I wish to personally thank you for rescuing Aneka. More than one life would have been lost had it not been for your bravery. You have my thanks, Ochaco." Ayami shifted to look at the brunette with a bow of her head. Ochaco quickly shook her hands.

"There's no need to thank me! It's my purpose in life to help those in need. I've dealt with far worse before, so don't worry. How's she doing? I don't see her running around with the other children."

"She is resting currently. The fire was too much excitement for her so she has chosen to skip the celebration. She sends her thanks, as do we all." Ayami turned her attention back to the children with a gentle smile.

"It's a relief to hear she's alright. How are you holding up though? You seem to be rather calm about this whole situation." Ochaco asked. In an honesty, she hadn't really seen any of the adults freak out, though back in the temple Aneka looked like she was seizing with how bad the fear was.

"I will survive as I have. Now we will focus on rebuilding the village the way it should be. No longer will the men force us to do their deeds and treat us like dirt. We will truly make this a safe haven for women. But we shall talk about it tomorrow. For now we celebrate. Risa?"

"Yes?" Risa replied while sticking her head through one of the shoji. Her hair was tied up and out of her face as she manned the fires, eyes glancing back to make sure nothing was burning.

"How is the meal coming along?"

"Nearly there. If the monk wishes to bathe then he may do so now before the water cools. Uraraka, may I ask of your assistance for a moment?"

"Of course! Whatever you need help with!" Ochaco replied immediately, standing up and hurrying over to help the woman.

"Monk," Ayami called out lightly. He was still buried underneath the children but sat up at the call, causing the children to roll off with laughter. "If you wish to bathe then now is the time to do so. Dinner will be ready soon. I shall show you the way."

"Yes. Sorry kids, I'm all sweaty and could use a bath." Izuku apologized as he began picking off the children one by one, setting them upright before jumping to his feet. They whined in protest until a throat clear from Ayami had them scrambling back to their mothers. The hero was impressed. "I don't think I've ever seen such obedient kids. What's your secret?"

"That is because as Head Lady, they know that word is final. Also for the fact that three of them are mine. The one Risa put to bed is too young to understand the meaning though she too will learn." Ayami chuckled as he walked over. She swung her legs up to stand when he extended a hand to her. Confused eyes swung up to see Izuku's friendly smile.

"It'd be rude not to help a lady up."

"My, good with children and polite. Such a rare commodity in this era." Ayami graciously accepted the hand and stood tall, releasing his hand after patting the back of it gently. She began leading the way to the bath while pointing out the different parts of the house. "If you ever need anything, please do not hesitate to take it. My home is open to all. I do hope you are fine with sharing the bath, it was a struggle just getting this one. There is a separate wash area for you to use."

"I can't thank you enough for the hospitality you're showing Uraraka and I. You took in two complete strangers without a second thought. You're very kind hearted." Izuku mentioned and the Head Lady merely shook her head in amusement.

"Neither you nor Uraraka are strangers. You are family. Both of you risked your lives to free us from the men. Kami has blessed us with your presence, despite it starting off in the most unpleasant of ways. Here, take your time and join us when you are ready. There are a few sets of clothing in case one does not fit. Enjoy, monk." Ayami gestured and bowed while opening the door to the steamy room. Izuku bowed before stepping through the threshold.

His dirty and soaked clothes were peeled off then folded neatly to the side. There was a stool with a bucket of warm water beside it so he got to work cleaning himself off. He did the best that he could with just his hands and water, the modern luxury of soap sorely missed. A few refills of now cold water cleansed any remaining dirt before the teen headed over to the steaming tub. It was a bit of a tight fit but he managed to get the water up to chest level. A heavy sigh slipped out. It was the first time relaxing in two days and it felt amazing. They'd both been on the run for two days now fighting through the storybook in search of an exit. The first chapter was a fight for their lives and now this one seemed nothing more than helping out a village. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter was identified as the first chapter, so what was this one?

Nothing struck him as obvious right off the bat except the fox. Any albino animal was rare in itself, but to run into one right away? Any story he thought of didn't contain foxes, even snow white ones. Maybe it was too early in the chapter to even begin putting the pieces of the puzzle together. For now, it was best to just keep progressing through the land and gather whatever information he could. Izuku rested his arms on the edge of the tub with his head tilted back. So far two days had passed since entering the book. Had anyone noticed they were gone? His classmates would start looking around for them and even the pros would get involved. But something struck odd about that. It didn't seem like anyone noticed the violent vortex throwing the shelves into disarray or their yelling. Did the book create its own pocket of space after the rippling?

A hand ran through damp locks. He wasn't going to get anywhere trying to decipher how they arrived in the first place. Information gathering was key. After they helped the village women out, he and Uraraka would need to head out into the world to progress the story. It was unknown what triggered the chapter switches so he'd keep an eye out for inconspicuous places. Speaking of Uraraka, she didn't seem to be injured after running into the burning house so that was a relief. The child she'd saved from Chiba in the temple was hiding in there when the guards decided to burn it. It just so happened to be where he was staying. Did they intend to burn it down regardless of knowing a child was in there? Were the guards instructed to burn it down with him? His status as a monk seemed to have them nervous about the purity ceremony and for good reasons. The trouble they'd be in if a Shogun found out would be catastrophic.

Deciding he'd been soaking long enough in the now cooling waters, Izuku hopped out and rummaged through the clothes to find what fit. It took a few minutes of trying them on before deciding on a green and grey hakama set that fit the best. This would be the third time changing in less than twelve hours. The monk apparel was lost in the fire and his hakama was dirtied from clearing the village. He felt bad for wasting the precious clothing when there were many who could use them. Voices reached him as he opened the door and he walked back into the main room to see a flurry of activity. The women were rushing back and forth from what he assumed was the kitchen in order to prepare for the evening meal. He made to go help set trays when Ayami motioned for him to approach.

"How was your bath? Hopefully the water was warm enough for you."

"It was perfect, thank you. I really appreciate you helping us by providing food and shelter." The teen replied as he sat down next to her in the open doorway.

"I am glad to hear that. You and Uraraka have freed us from our captors, so it is the least we could do for you. I have Uzumaki preparing your quarters for the evening." Ayami kept her gaze to the children as they ran around carefree and happy for the first time in years. The weightlessness of freedom washed over them all.

"I really appreciate it. If there's anything you need me to do, just ask. I was actually planning on tearing down the dividing wall tomorrow so you can sow a crop without having to really leave the village for a main food source. If that's alright with you, of course. I don't want to start tearing things apart without permission."

"No. That wall should be destroyed. It has divided us long enough and it will signify our fresh start in Yahashina. Actually, there is something I would like to discuss with both you and Uraraka before the meal."

"Of course, whatever you need us to do."

"Uraraka?" Ayami turned her head to call out for the brunette. It only took a few seconds before she stuck her head out of the kitchen.

"Yes, Ayami?"

"Would you mind joining us for a moment?"

"Of course. Risa, I'll be right back to help bring everything out." Ochaco told the cook who merely flapped a hand at her while concentrating on a stew. The hero made her way to the small deck where Ayami motioned for her to sit beside Deku. The heroes shared a look as the Head Lady dropped the short distance to the ground before walking a few steps and turning around, hands pressed against her front.

"You both have done so much for Yahashina already. That I personally thank you for. I regret to ask for yet another favor." Ayami stated calmly as she waited for the two to react in some way. They were staring intently at her in anticipation of the request and she let out a small huff. These two were certainly something special. "I wish for you both to help slay the demon attacking on the night of the full moon. It has evaded us for months and taken too many lives. I understand if you wish to decline—"

"We'll do it." Both heroes replied in sync, taking Ayami by surprise.

"Whatever you need us to do, Ayami, we'll be more than happy to do so. We're here to help so don't be afraid to rely on us, okay?" Ochaco beamed at her while Izuku nodded.

"We won't leave until we know you're all completely safe, I promise. Just let us know what we need to do." Izuku replied earnestly.

The Head Lady stared at the two before relaxing. She worried over nothing. "I appreciate your kind gestures, truly. We will discuss everything after the meal and once the children have gone to bed. I do not wish for them to overhear."

"Right." The teens agreed once more.

Ochaco slid down to the ground before offering her hands to Ayami, gently taking them in her own with a knowing look. She'd known for a while now that the young woman wasn't feeling the best. The years of medical knowledge told the hero everything she needed to know. "How are you feeling? Are you still nauseous? Can I get you some tea?"

"…you continue to impress me, Ochaco. So you knew?" Ayami laughed loudly while shaking her head in disbelief. Never had she met someone so perceptive to the smallest signs of illness. The children all swarmed around them demanding attention, pulling at their clothes with small whines.

"Of course. I noticed you kept sitting in the doorway because the smells were bothering you. You're also lethargic and maybe a bit anemic from lack of nutrients. I've asked Risa to make your meal with a bit more meat and vegetables to help get your iron levels back up. It may take a day or so but try to incorporate key foods into your diet. You'll find yourself feeling better." Ochaco instructed while picking up the smallest child, a young girl no more than two or three who was grabbing at her leg with tiny fingers. The child latched her arms around her neck and snuggled in close. She began rocking back and forth gently with a hand running up and down the child's back.

"You are blessed from Kami, child," Ayami whispered before placing a delicate kiss against her forehead. Her hands cupped Ochaco's face with the tenderness of a mother and she found herself leaning a bit into it. She hadn't seen her own mother in a while, the comforting embrace missed. "I will do as you instruct. For both my sake and this unborn child."

"Get those kids washed for supper! I do not want dirty fingers or toes in here!" Risa called out to them while beginning to set the place mats along the floor.

"Of course. Go wash up, children. We do not want Risa to chase you around with the broom again." Ayami instructed with a gentle push of the oldest. They all scurried off without complaint.

"Do you want to eat outside so the smells don't bother you?" Ochaco asked quietly to avoid disturbing the drowsy child. Poor thing was tired from running around. Ayami shook her head before fixing the child's messy locks.

"I shall be fine. Perhaps the lack of food has made me ill. Shall I take Kino?"

"I can hold onto her for a bit, Ayami. Just take it easy for tonight, it's been a stressful day."

"You sound like a mother already, Ochaco. Surely one day you will be a great one." Ayami smiled tiredly with a squeeze of her shoulder before heading back into the house to prepare for the meal.

A mother. It wasn't something she thought about often mainly because hero work and school took up every spare thought. But every now and then, when she was just getting lost in her thoughts, Ochaco Uraraka wondered what it would be like. She loved children and they always seemed to be drawn to her, the feeling natural and elating. The problem was her line of work. Being a hero meant jumping into dangerous situations that sometimes turned into a life or death struggle. Bringing a child into that kind of world was a risk that always shoved the thought to the back corner of her mind. Uravity would have to be pulled from the field which put more of a strain on hero society, especially since the junior rankings had her slowly creeping up over time. People were relying on heroes like herself to save them, so could she really walk away from them for so long? Was it selfish to consider putting her wants first?

Things had settled down considerably since the League of Villains had disappeared in the great war, but there were still many people out in the world causing chaos and havoc. There would always be a need for heroes. Ochaco felt her heart flutter when the child sleepily muttered mama against her neck. She slowly turned around to avoid waking the child, a hand coming to rest against the back of her head. While she wanted to go back in to help, Kino was sleeping against her chest. She deserved to have a peaceful rest. The children seemed happier now that the men were gone, their forced imprisonment finally over and they were free to do what they wanted. The hero couldn't begin to imagine what it felt like being confined to one side of the village, banned from entering the other side except to work or be forced by the men. Innocent children forced to grow up so quickly in a cruel world had Ochaco closing her eyes as the tears overflowed. No one deserved to suffer as they had.

A hand came to rest against her upper back, warm and comforting. Ochaco didn't even have to open her eyes to know who it was. He was always there for her in the most vulnerable moments, a gesture she appreciated more than he knew. "This world is so cruel, Deku. How could anyone do such a thing?"

"People will always have a darkness within that lashes out at others. I believe all are born good, but the world around them alters their path in life. These kids may have had a rough start to life, but now they have the chance to make it the life they choose. They won't understand at first what happened today, or maybe even for a while, but I know Ayami will guide them through the process of moving forward to a better future." Izuku spoke softly. He felt the same as she did, the overwhelming emotions threatening to pull him under any minute. The anger building up in his body as the men so casually discussed violating the women nearly had him down there throttling the villagers.

It wasn't in his hero code to attack at will, regardless of their sick and twisted fantasies. They weren't much better than modern villains who stole and destroyed for pleasure. Karma would catch up to them at some point in their lives. But this wasn't their world. This was a world from the past that they couldn't change in any way shape or form. All they could do was continue moving forward in search of an exit, helping those along the way. Historical periods were known for being ruthless and full of blood, something rarely seen in modern times. While humanity had evolved to be more peaceful, there were those lurking in the shadows that would keep the darkness spreading across the lands with twisted tendrils. That's where they stepped in as heroes, to quell the swelling tide of crime. To preserve a future that's safe for all.

"I just pray they can move on past their trauma. Especially the older children who are able to remember everything," Ochaco finally opened her eyes to stare up at Deku. He was always the helping hand when she felt weak, pulling her from the wallows and guiding her back to the path they were both meant to walk. It was funny, in the beginning she was the one lifting him up, encouraging him to continue his path as a hero after straying. Now he was here by her side repaying the years of support. It just added to the list of why she loved him more than life itself.

"Children can heal from trauma easier than adults do. I believe they'll be just fine with the support of the village behind them. Just like we have the support of our fellow classmates and teachers, they have the village."

"Thank you, Deku. For always being there for me and cheering me up. Now come on, I'm starving and I don't want to miss a good meal." Ochaco smiled before wiping away the tears. He nodded and squeezed her shoulder before letting go.

"Call on me whenever you need, Uraraka. I'll always be here for you."

"I know you will be. I'm always here for you too, Deku."

Ochaco headed into the house first with the child slumped over her shoulder dead asleep while Izuku remained rooted in the spot just watching them. The feelings stirring up within him were puzzling to say the least. From the moment of her interaction with Ayami, a sort of buzzing warmth radiated through his body. It was different than the normal feelings fluttering his heart. He loved her, that much was for sure, but this felt…unique. Like it was more than love. The sensation made him feel elated, focused, yet with a hint of nervousness. As soon as he saw her holding that child so lovingly, it became tenfold. Uraraka looked so natural holding a child to her chest, like she was meant to be a mother. And what Ayami said…that she would be a great one someday. He agreed wholeheartedly.

Izuku placed a scarred hand over the heart threatening to burst from its cage. The vision of Uraraka being a mother appeared so easily in his mind and for the briefest of moments, the child in her arms had the physical characteristics of them both. Heat rushed his face. He shouldn't be thinking like this when they weren't even dating. Imagining a life together and their own child was just wishful thinking that had no place front and center of his mind. It wasn't like he didn't want it, they were just young and caught up in hero work. A dangerous line of work that could endanger the life of both mother and child. He'd saved pregnant women before and their first instinct was to save their child and not themselves. They were willing to give everything to save their unborn baby. Even if somehow he and Uraraka someday got married and she wound up pregnant, he would vehemently protest her working in the field.

The hero swiped a hand down his face trying to calm himself. His thoughts were beginning to spiral into the unknown and right now they had a mission to prepare for. Pushing the thoughts into the back of his mind, Izuku composed himself and made his way into the house once more. Uraraka was sitting beside Ayami, Kino still latched on, and the two were talking while the other women began setting trays down.

"Monk, you may sit beside your companion." Risa instructed while pointing to the pillow beside Uraraka before setting down a tray filled with dishes. She scurried off to set down other trays as the women took their places on the floor.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Izuku asked to which the women immediately shook their heads.

"I've already tried, Deku. They don't want us lifting a finger right now." Ochaco leaned over to inform her slightly disappointed friend.

"I feel like there's something I can do…"

"You can enjoy the meal before you without complaint." Uzumaki called out jokingly causing the teen immediately bowing his head in apology as the room burst into laughter. Ochaco chuckled quietly. She shouldn't laugh but the women meant no harm and it was just Deku being Deku.

"Alright, alright, calm yourselves. No need to embarrass the boy. Tonight is a celebration of their heroic efforts in freeing Yahashina from the men. Thanks to them, we are free to live our lives how we want!"

"Aye!"

After the children cleaned themselves up and arrived, Aneka included, everyone dug in heartily with a hum of content filling the room. Izuku dug in after giving his thanks, making sure to savor each and every bite of hard cooked food. Risa put a lot of effort into her meal as the flavors emerged with each chew. They weren't like anything from modern times, just simple herbs and spices collected from the wilds. As soon as he was done, Izuku set his chopsticks on top and let out a satisfied sigh. Best meal he'd had in days. Looking over, he noticed Uraraka's tray was untouched. She was still holding onto Kino with both hands, lightly bouncing her up and down while looking around.

"Uraraka, aren't you going to eat?"

"Every time I try to move she fusses. She's got me locked in a pretty tight hold around my neck," The brunette laughed lightly. Kino stirred a bit and the hero immediately stopped, continuing to rub up and down her back. "Not even Ayami can get her to let go. I'll wait until she's knocked out before eating, it's no big deal."

"Can I try?" Izuku asked with his hands held out. Ochaco nodded and he tried to carefully dislodge the child from her neck. Kino held on tightly as soon as she realized someone was trying to move her. A high pitched whine filled the air and they both gave in with a wince and ringing ears.

"Looks like I'll have to tough it out. Thanks for trying, Deku."

"I shall assist. I cannot remove Kino but I can feed you, if you desire. As thanks for saving me earlier." Aneka offered as she sat in front Ochaco quietly.

"It's really not a big deal, Aneka, I can wait until she's fully asleep to lay her down." Ochaco politely refused. It was awkward to have someone feed her despite having a few hospitalizations that resulted in the girls taking care of the task.

"She will not let go, Uraraka. You…you resemble her late mother, Anki, who passed not long ago from the attacks. That is why she latched on so tightly, to prevent losing her again." Furuya interjected quietly from across the now silent room. Izuku looked over. She'd gotten away from the men after they'd met. Her posture was more relaxed though still stiff and wary.

"Her mother passed?" Ochaco whispered while looking down at the child. She was so young, barely into life. She moved her hand to rest against the back of her head, stroking it lightly. Kino responded with an inaudible mumble.

"That's terrible. She must feel so lonely." Izuku replied softly.

"There are nights she cries out for her yet there is nothing we can do. We try our best to comfort her. No one can take the place of Anki. The fact that she has taken to you right away means she trusts you a lot, Uraraka." Risa added in as she too sat in front of the brunette, a hand resting on Aneka's shoulder. The young child nodded before returning to her seat silently. Ochaco waited until Risa was settled directly in front of her before accepting to be fed. She wouldn't argue it anymore. Even Deku had gone silent, his gaze staying on Kino's face.

"We do not wish to sadden you with such news," Ayami started once Risa took a break in feeding the hero. "This is just our way of life. When someone passes, we all grieve. Children take it the hardest as they do not understand what happened. Most will be accepted by another mother but Kino is proving to be difficult. Even I cannot get through to her some days. She is too young to understand."

"So her mother passed during the attacks? Where was Kino when it happened?" Izuku asked. Gathering as much information as possible was key before they could plan out an attack, regardless of the saddening news.

"We shall discuss it later. For now, enjoy your meals. Uzumaki," Ayami motioned for the woman to come over. Uzumaki quickly hurried over and helped the Head Lady up, an arm around her waist as support. They left the room without an explanation yet no one seemed to bat an eye at it. Ochaco gave Risa a questioning gaze but the woman tightly shook her head before continuing to feed.

"It is best not to question it right now." Risa replied firmly, indicating not to push the matter further.

The rest of dinner went by with some awkwardness hanging in the air yet by the time everyone was done, the children were hyped up and running around once more with shouts of excitement. Eri finally made her appearance beside Ochaco once the children ran outside to play again. The fox carefully sniffed at the child in her arms before settling on the brunettes lap with a huff. Her posture remained on alert as she checked the air every now and then, ears pivoting back and forth to capture sounds. One by one, the women bid their goodnights while gathering up their children, eventually only leaving Ochaco, Izuku, Kino and Eri. Risa had disappeared into the room where Uzumaki and Ayami went into without coming back.

"I wonder if everything's alright, they haven't come back out for a good amount of time now." Ochaco whispered to Deku. It felt weird to try and talk out loud in a bare room.

"Yeah. Should we go check? I know Risa said to leave it alone, but they've been gone for too long now. The rest of the women have gone to bed." Izuku nodded in agreement while looking around. The exterior door had been shut so they were stuck waiting in the empty main hall of the house. Even though shoji were thin there wasn't any evidence of talking going on. A bad feeling was beginning to settle in his stomach.

"Maybe Ayami isn't feeling well. I'm going to go check on her real fast. Can you hold Kino for me? She's completely asleep and shouldn't fuss." Ochaco carefully removed the child and handed it to her friend, making sure she didn't stir the slightest bit before standing up and moving towards the door. Eri bounded towards the door but stopped a foot away, hair standing on end as she growled lowly. The brunette stopped short of knocking on the wall next to the door, a chill running down her spine. Hair on the back of her neck stood straight up as instinct told her it was dangerous beyond the threshold. Something was wrong, really wrong. A scraping sound eased across the wooden floors, moving steadily before stopping. It restarted closer to the door and Ochaco felt fear gripping her mind. There was something right behind the door, waiting for a single movement to strike.

"Uraraka?" Izuku started while standing up. His friend was standing as still as a statue with a hand barely raised to knock. He couldn't hear anything from where he was, but she certainly seemed to sense something behind the door. Uraraka's hand flashed into a fist, indicating he needed to stop moving and now. Was it the creature killing off the villagers?

"Run." Ochaco spoke barely above a whisper as her body trembled. They needed to get away and fast. Whatever was behind that door wasn't friendly. She wasn't sure if the women were even still alive at this point but she couldn't check without getting rid of the creature lurking in the darkness. The priority now was to get Kino outside and far away.

"Move—"

"RUN, DEKU!"

The moment she stepped back to turn and run was when the creature shot through the doorway with a thunderous crash. An enormous snake with its jaws wide open lunged for the hero with incredible speed and strength. It clamped down on her thigh tightly and she let out a guttural scream before the two thrashed around on the floor. They tumbled around destroying everything from doors to lanterns until finally crashing through the wall, landing in a tangled mess outside. Izuku shielded Kino while running to the nearest house, Eri straight on his heels. He couldn't go all out with a child in his arms. Without even bothering to knock, he flung the door open to reveal Furuya jolting up from her futon in fear.

"Take Kino, the village is under attack! Don't come out no matter what, Furuya!" Izuku ordered as she quickly took the toddler in her arms before scrambling further into the house with her own kin.

Without a second glance he sprinted back outside to find Uraraka still struggling with the snake in the grass. Snakes were strong creatures that could squeeze the life from someone in a matter of minutes and judging by the abnormal size of this one, it'd take less than that. He could barely see her lower body beneath the massive coils of muscle squirming around in an attempt to crush its victim. With each passing second, more coils wrapped around her upper body to ensure a full hold. Its tail flickered against the ground so Izuku grabbed it and began pulling as hard as he could. Disrupting its mind from attacking should loosen it up but he'd have to also uncoil it and break the constriction. It would probably wind up being killed before he could get it off.

"I can't get it off!" Ochaco strained out while trying to fight the overpowered reptile vicing her body. Its skin was slick from some type of pungent secretion making it hard to grasp the scales. She never told Deku or anyone else this, but snakes petrified her to the point of freezing up at even the sound of one moving. Going to the park once during her childhood was enough to turn the brunette off from ever being near one again after a boy tripped and she got a face full of wiggling reptile. Having one attacking, constricting, and ready to eat her about pushed her to fainting. And the heavy coils of muscle crushing her lower half didn't help either.

"Don't give up yet, Uraraka, I'm going to save you! Shield your neck and face with yours arms!" Izuku shouted as he began unwinding the snake coil by coil. It seemed to throw the reptile off and the muscles began loosening. Something tickled his leg and he looked down to see the tail beginning to wrap around him. The hero snapped his leg out of the hold before slamming a foot down as hard as he could on it. A crack filled the air when the vertebrae shattered. Every foot of body he removed, he would smash it as hard as possible to paralyze the snake and get it to let go.

After another coil unwrapping and more spine stomping, the snake seemed to go limp with its head detaching from its victim and flailing around in pain. The move had the brunette flipping onto her side with a small grunt. Taking the opportunity, Izuku grabbed on with both hands and pulled it off of Uraraka. Once it was far enough away, he flipped the reptile over and slammed it against his knee right behind the head. A loud snap killed the snake once and for all. He picked up the largest nearby rock and crushed its skull in to make sure it wouldn't attack again. The teen tossed in aside before turning his attention to his motionless friend with panicked pants. She was bleeding from the bite wounds that punctured deep into her leg and remained unresponsive as he rolled her over. Izuku placed two fingers against her neck to check for a pulse, his other hand checking her wrist. A few seconds passed with an erratic pulse. He hovered his ear above her mouth. Even breath sounds. Cardiac events were a strong possibility when it came to constrictions, but it seemed like she'd fainted from the sudden lack of blood flow.

"Uraraka, can you hear me? I need you to say something." Izuku breathed out shakily as grasped her face and tilted it up. She couldn't die like this, not here, not now. Not when there were so many things he had to tell her, so many things he wanted to do together. He didn't see the snake wrap all the way around her chest but such a sudden blood flow restriction could cause the heart to stop. Uraraka's eyes fluttered open after a few tense seconds, the brunette taking a shaky breath in while blinking slowly. He kept two fingers against her neck to ensure her pulse was strong before sitting back on his heels heavily. He'd never felt so relieved in his life.

"Deku…" Ochaco breathed out as she looked around slowly. Her memory of the last few minutes was a bit blurry. Most of her body hurt like crazy and it caused a wince followed by a sharp breath in. "What happened?"

"Take it easy and don't try to sit up yet. You have a leg wound that needs treated. I already took care of the snake." Izuku soothed. She still looked a bit out of it but that was to be expected. Nearly losing your life did that. Snakes had incredible constriction force that could kill prey quickly by tightening with every exhale.

"Snakes scare the hell out of me…" Ochaco mumbled suddenly and it threw Izuku off. His face flickered between concern, relief, and finally settled on surprise. He shook as the laughter took over, uncontrollable to the point he was doubled over with arms covering his stomach. The brunette carefully sat up in confusion, a hand supported against the ground. That was…unexpected. Normally he was more composed than this. "Deku…? You alright…?"

"The first thing you say…after nearly dying…is that snakes scare the hell out of you…" Izuku choked out between laughs. It was uncontrollable despite his best efforts to stop. His vision wavered until the tears completely blurred his surroundings, the laughter turning into body-wracking sobs. Both hands hit the ground as he steadied himself. The fear gripping his body nearly had him crumbling to pieces, the reality of what just happened hitting hard. Uraraka almost died. Right in front of him, she almost took her last breaths on earth. If he hadn't gotten the snake off when he did…

Ochaco shifted to kneel in front of him, ignoring the stabbing sensation running through her leg. Hands delicately lifted his face up to hers. The anguished expression nearly had the brunette losing her composure but she held strong. No words would calm him down, so she slid her arms around his neck and held on as tight as she could. Shaking arms latched on, his head nestled in the crook of her neck. She ran a hand through his hair lightly in an attempt to soothe. It was rare to see him break down completely like this but with the mention of nearly dying, Ochaco knew it shook him to the core. It'd be a lie to say she wasn't scared as the snake constricted harder and harder, thoughts of her life ending overwhelming before the darkness took over. Commotion began stirring up around them as the women exited their huts to see what was happening. Some were armed with large knives while others carried torches.

"What happened? Are you two unharmed?" Leiko called out as she hurried towards them with a harvesting scythe.

"A large snake was behind the killings. We didn't get the chance to check on Risa, Uzumaki, and Ayami. The snake came out of their room but we don't know if they were attacked or not. We'll check right now." Ochaco told them quickly to avoid embarrassing Deku. It wouldn't help if the women got involved in the moment, not when he was so vulnerable. He'd always been a bit of a crybaby, but this time was different. He seemed completely terrified.

"I don't want them going in there, there could be more of them." Izuku finally spoke up after a few seconds, the teen leaning back with his hands swiping at his face furiously. He didn't want her looking at him like this, completely broken down and crying. Heroes were supposed to be strong physically and emotionally, symbols of hope for those in need. And right now, he felt like the weakest person in the world.

"Are you okay though?" Ochaco asked quietly with a hand grasping his arm. Despite him quickly nodding, she knew he wasn't. He'd reacted in a way that was common with severe trauma, something she'd seen only in the midst of battles. Deku was the strongest person she knew and for something like this to affect him meant it really got to him. When they were alone later on she'd bring it up again. Their priority now was the ensure the rest of the women were safe.

"You're safe, that's what matters right now. You shouldn't get up in case you get lightheaded, Uraraka. I'll go check on the other women then we'll get your wounds cleaned up."

Before she could protest, Izuku was already up and moving towards the damaged house with purpose. The tightness in his chest had alleviated only a fraction. Even though she came to rather quickly, if he'd been even a few seconds longer it could've been fatal. That was twice he'd failed to protect her in this world. Twice he'd been too slow to react. Twice he'd almost lost his best friend. It was shameful to even call himself a hero when he couldn't even protect the person he cared about the most. Uraraka had the right to hate him, to blame him for not living up to his hero standards. If he couldn't even protect her two chapters in, could they make it through the book alive?

As soon as he peered through the torn shoji, he could tell there was a trail of destruction. Bedding upturned, a teapot spilled all over the floor, the stench of oils in the air, lanterns overturned and extinguished. While it wasn't dark enough to miss another hiding snake, he still took his time checking around corners and places where one could hide. It was a head scratcher on how it got into the house in the first place. The main door had been opened but there were people going in and out who would've noticed. Maybe from the window? No, it looked completely sealed up with bars too narrow for it to fit through. Izuku opened a closet door to inspect but had to instantly dodge a knife slash aimed for his chest. He grabbed onto the wrist, smacked the knife away, pulled the person out then pinned them to the ground in one fluid movement.

"Monk?" Came an incredulous voice of a woman from the closet and the hero immediately released his attacker.

"Wait, you three were hiding in the closet this whole time? Are any of you injured? How did you avoid the snake?" Izuku asked while helping Risa up from the floor, the disgruntled woman muttering her thanks before trying to stretch her shoulder. He'd grabbed onto her at full strength so he immediately bowed and apologized much to her annoyance. She sufficed his apology with a firm whack on the back of his head before rustling green locks roughly.

"We were treating Ayami for illness when it emerged from the rafters. I splashed some tea on its face and it momentarily went back outside giving Ayami and Uzumaki enough time to hide. I am aware they do not like heavy scents which is why I poured medicinal oils all over before joining them. It destroyed the room looking for a way out and must have gone through the shoji." Uzumaki explained while helping Ayami out, the Head Lady looking pale and shaky.

"Where has it gone, monk? Has it been destroyed?" Risa asked while peering through the now destroyed door, eyes widening as she realized the extent of the damage literally went through the house. "What happened to the house?! Why is there a giant hole in the wall?"

"Well, Uraraka came to check on you and it must've sensed she was there so it attacked. The combined force sent them both through the wall and outside where I killed it." Izuku explained quickly. He wasn't about to get into the fact that it nearly squeezed Uraraka to death.

"Is she unharmed?" Ayami asked shakily with a hand over her heart, wide eyes looking over the damage. Faintness briefly washed over her, Uzumaki noticing and catching her before she fell. "Where is Ochaco now?"

"I'm right here, don't worry. Stress isn't good for you right now, Ayami, so try to calm down." Ochaco interjected as she limped into the room, quickly glancing at Deku before turning her full attention to Ayami. The young woman quickly gathered the brunette in her arms, whispering thanks to Kami above.

"You are bleeding," Risa pointed out once the two separated. "All over the floors you just cleaned, I might add. Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry, I'll clean it up when we're done. We're going to secure this half of the village to make sure there aren't any more. Is there another house you can stay in for the night? We'll work on repairs once it's light out." Ochaco placed a hand over her aching abdomen. There was no telling how deep the leg wound went until she stripped down for a closer look. The big concern was infection. Who knows how nasty those teeth were. She shivered just thinking about it.

"Leiko has the second largest house, we should be able to stay the night with the children. Will you two be joining us?" Uzumaki asked though Ochaco shook her head no before Deku could reply.

"If there are more then we'll need to draw them out of the village for good. If you spread some scented oil around the houses then it should deter them from entering. We're going to do a thorough sweep to take out any nests. Ayami, let me help you over there. Risa, can you bring some tea and herbs? Something to calm her down." Ochaco asked the spitfire woman who immediately headed to the kitchen while she shifted to lift Ayami's right side. It hurt like hell to lift weight but she kept a calm expression as they moved to change houses. She could feel Deku's eyes on her yet she chose to focus on the women. He was going to make her get the wound treated before he even thought about clearing out snakes.

"I'll go with in case there's another one outside. It's a good idea to keep a torch nearby to defend yourselves. Kino was given to Furuya since she was the closest." Izuku added in when Ayami looked ready to ask where the child was.

The house shuffle went without a hitch as Leiko quickly took them in, fretting over Ayami who looked about ready to pass out. Risa made tea with Ochaco's herb suggestions and served it up with a bit of rice for stomach settling. Slumbering children were dragged from their futons to swap houses, some completely unaware of the situation while a few of the older ones asked endless questions before being hushed. Eri seemed torn between staying with the heroes or children, though Ochaco told her to watch over them carefully. Once everyone was accounted for and the perimeter was soaked in scented oil, the teens exited the house to begin the extermination hunt. Until a hand stopped Ochaco by the arm.

"We need to look at that wound, Uraraka. It'll get infected without treatment." Izuku spoke softly as she looked up at him with slightly knitted brows. He could see the pain she was in despite putting on a brave face for the women in there. She paused momentarily before nodding and averting her gaze.

"Yeah. If we can find some sake to cleanse then wrap it, I should be fine. There might be something left in Ayami's house so let's check there first." Ochaco replied quietly. Every time she looked at him, all she could see was the crippling fear on his face as he broke down. It tore at her heart to cause a reaction like that.

"You're going to lay down while I find the supplies. Moving around will only aggravate the wound more." Izuku said firmly. "Please."

"Since you asked so nicely," Ochaco replied light-heartedly while walking back across the pathway with exaggerated steps, the small amount of self-amusement meant to lighten the mood. The wound didn't hurt terribly bad though the teeth went further than skin deep. Deku didn't respond so the effort quickly died off. Things became a bit awkward as she made her way back into the house before settling against the door right inside of the entrance. He hadn't been this serious since the war two years ago.

Izuku searched through the house for supplies, trying to distract himself. Things were tense as he focused on treating her wounds. He hadn't meant to be so forceful but watching her nearly die in front of him…it was something he never wanted to witness. She seemed to be more nonchalant about it, though the false cheerfulness was easy to see through after so many years of friendship. Maybe he was being too harsh. He'd reacted rather irrationally through fear. Seeing her on the ground trying to escape the reptile sent him into overdrive, his body reacting faster than his mind could. Moments later and Uraraka could've been dead. The teen stopped searching for a minute to stare at his hands with a racing mind.

He never should've let her check first knowing there was a predator on the loose. The first warning flag was right there when the women didn't come back out. Obviously they did the smart thing by distracting the snake then hiding, that he was commending, but he'd become too complacent and relaxed. He let his guard down when it needed to be on high alert. Now Uraraka had puncture wounds in her leg that would most likely get infected. There were no antibiotics in this Era, people would just suffer then die. Not even herbs could stave off a bad infection from a bite.

After a bit of rummaging around Izuku found what he needed and returned to his classmates side. Uraraka was just sitting there quietly with her good leg swinging over the edge of the porch. She'd already torn away the fabric from her leg and made a makeshift tourniquet to stop further bleeding. Blood trailed all the way down to her bare feet and slowly dripped into the patchy grass below. Setting the supplies aside, the teen went to grab some water to help get her cleaned up.

"Deku," Ochaco started before he took a step away. She wanted to comfort him, tell him it was okay to react the way he did. It was traumatizing to be the victim, yet more so from his point of view. She hadn't seen him react that way since the near fatal skirmish with villains when the heroine suffered life threatening injuries that kept her in the hospital for two weeks. The words formed in her mind yet failed to manifest on the tongue so floundering lips clamped shut.

"Yes?"

"…never mind, it's nothing."

"Alright. I'm going to get some water to wash the blood off, just yell if you need something."

Ochaco waited until Deku was out of sight before pulling her good leg to her chest and resting a numbed head against it. It'd never been this hard to talk to him before so why was it different now? They were always so open with each other and rarely kept secrets, even then they eventually came out during a deep conversation. Things would calm down in a bit but the green haired teen wouldn't forget what happened so easily. He'd blame himself for failing to always protect her from harm. She knew every aspect of his life, from a childhood without a father figure present to the darkest night terrors keeping him up at night. And that was vice versa. Deku knew how she grew up in a household strained by financial woes. How she felt during the war with Shigaraki, her thoughts on villains being misunderstood. There were times they didn't even have to speak yet both knew what the other meant. Best friends were supposed to be there for each other, right? So right now she needed to be there for him, to comfort him and tell him it was okay to feel the way he did even if she wasn't okay.

The attack was terrifying to begin with and add onto that, it tried to strangle then eat her. It was nothing more than nature, that she knew, but to die such a horrible way had the hero mourning the women and children lost to the creature. She'd gone against serial killers, robbers, the League of Villains, got wrapped into the war between All for One and One for All, but the scariest thing was the unrelenting force of nature. Something soft brushed against her leg and Ochaco lifted her head to see Eri staring at her with a steady gaze. A hand pet the fox softly. "At least you're not a scary part of nature, Eri."

"Nature can be beautiful yet deadly in the same instance." The fox spoke firmly.

"That's the truth," Ochaco sighed heavily into the air. After a few seconds something in her mind clicked and an alarmed gaze shot to the fox patiently sitting there watching. Her body stiffened up. Foxes weren't supposed to talk. The brunette scrambled backwards until her back hit the exterior of the house, hands pressed against the aged wood in panic. "Y-you can talk?! Are you…a demon?"

"How presumptuous to assume a talking fox is a demon. I can do many things apart from speaking," Eri jumped down to the ground with a delicate leap, tail swishing back and forth like a tree billowing in the wind. Light began to glow around the fox as she sat down to face the stunned hero. Small orbs began floating from the snow white tail before aligning themselves into a vertical halo that luminated brightly in the darkness. They slowly circled around the fox before expanding to their limits and exploding softly, small particles of light drifting to kiss the evening grass. "Can a demon do that?"

"A magical fox? Deity? Witch?" Ochaco asked incredulously to which Eri merely huffed in amusement.

"You shall soon find out. I wish to speak to both you and your companion by the lake when the moon is high. I will come for you then."

"Uraraka? What are you doing way over there?" Izuku asked as he came around the corner to find his friend pressed up against the wall with her eyes locked onto the little white fox who jumped back up onto the porch. She was almost acting spooked from the sprawled posturing. "Is everything alright?"

"D-Deku, Eri can talk." Ochaco stuttered with wide eyes turning to him. He gave her a concerned look but she swiftly stood with the fox held out to him in her hands. Eri looked at him calmly, gently swishing her tail. "She can talk."

"Are…are you okay? Did you hit your head on the ground? Are you starting to get a fever?" Izuku asked worriedly as he set the bucket down to approach. Ochaco quickly shook her head. It sounded insane and she wasn't surprised he didn't believe the statement. Talking animals weren't exactly a norm.

"I'm serious, Deku. Eri said we need to meet by the lake when the moon is high. You'll explain everything then, right?" Ochaco asked the fox who nodded once before leaping down and disappearing into the darkness. Izuku watched the fox until she was gone from sight before turning back to his friend. Something about the way Eri nodded at her question made the hero think the wild animal was more than just that.

"Uraraka—"

"It's the truth, Deku. I promise."

"No, no, I believe you as strange as this all seems. I was going to ask you to lie down so I can treat the wound." Izuku pointed down to her leg to which she blinked before looking down, a slight smile twitching at his mouth when Uraraka flushed in embarrassment and rubbed the back of her head with a laugh.

"Whoops, forgot about that for a minute. I guess I got distracted by the fact that a fox started talking to me. Reminds me of our Eri back at U.A.. I don't know about you, but this place is getting weirder and weirder. Let's just hope we don't run into someone from the League or villains in this world." Ochaco commented while stretching back out on the porch to receive first aid treatment. Another set of clothing was ruined within hours of arriving to the village and it guilted the teen. She didn't want to tear it but the bleeding wouldn't stop, so it had to be done. Since the women were already in bed with the children, she'd just have to look around Ayami's house for another set.

"Let's hope not. Kaachan and Todoroki were enough for me to handle in the last chapter. I wonder how Iida managed after we left." He wondered what happened to the people after they left, whether or not their lives returned to normal or just stopped existing in a book. Izuku carefully poured some water over the leg wound to clear the area better before taking a piece of fabric and wiping away the watery blood.

"Honestly, I was surprised he tried to fight you. Just from talking to him earlier it seemed like he wasn't that different from our own. His loyalty to the village head affected his decision but he relented in the end. I don't think these versions of our friends are that different, Deku. I mean, Bakugo isn't any different. Todoroki acted like he did when we first met him. Iida was a stricter version of the one we know. Maybe any others will be the same." Ochaco shrugged while watching her friend prep the area for treatment. He took a moment to inspect the wound closer, carefully grazing a finger around the area. After a minute Izuku grabbed the small bottle of sake.

"Let's just hope so. Brace yourself, this is probably going to hurt a lot." Izuku warned quietly with the bottle hovering above Uraraka's leg. He waited until she gave affirmation before lowering it closer to the wound. Very carefully he poured it over the puncture marks in an attempt to kill any bacteria. Ochaco winced as the strong alcohol burned the vulnerable flesh and clenched the leg muscles tightly. "Sorry, I wish there were other options than this, but there's no modern medicine here. I could try to stitch it closed though it probably won't heal fast."

"It's better to just wrap it up afterwards to prevent debris from getting in. I'll see if Ayami has any medicinal herbs in the morning." Ochaco let out a small breath as the sake bottle was quickly swapped for a couple of splashes of water. There was residual burning though it would go away soon enough. After the wound was rinsed one more time, Izuku dried it off the best he could before taking longer strips of fabric and wrapping them tightly around the area.

"You'd think my medical skills would be better than this after years of fighting," Izuku joked once he tied off the bandage. He gathered the supplies and set them up against the exterior of the house just in case. They still had to search this half of the village for remaining threats. Any other snakes lurking nearby would be taken out before she could spot them. He thought about leaving her with the other women while he searched for any nests, but he doubted she'd want to. She probably wasn't even going to sleep very much tonight. "Do you need to look for a new set of clothes? Those are pretty torn up and covered in blood."

"There's nothing wrong with your medical skills, you're just more suited for full on hospital stays than anything. Yeah, I don't want to keep walking around with half torn clothes on. I feel bad for ruining another set of clothing, but it can't be helped. I think there should be a few sets in the closet." Ochaco accepted the hand to help her up before limping into the house. She hesitated in the broken doorway of the room before turning to Deku with furrowed brows. "There…there aren't any more snakes in here right, Deku?"

"I cleared the room myself but I'll go first if it makes you feel more comfortable." Izuku offered to which the brunette quickly nodded her head in acceptance. He led the way into the room with Uraraka right on his heels. Once the room opened up more, Ochaco latched onto the back of his sleeve firmly. "Don't worry, I won't let anything else get close to you."

"I-I know. I just don't want to risk something sneaking up on me again," Ochaco spoke lowly while constantly glancing around with growing trepidation. It didn't help that the room was darker without lit lanterns chasing away the shadows. Deku stopped in front of the closet and the brunette nearly smacked into him but caught herself at the last second. He glanced back to check but she just shook her head.

"There should be some clothes in here you can wear. I'm just going to grab a few sets and you can decide which to choose."

"Okay."

It took a minute of scrambling around in near darkness until Izuku grabbed about four sets of clothes and handed them over to the skittish brunette. Ochaco took them but hesitated while looking around for a place to change. She couldn't very well strip down in front of Deku, yet at the same time she didn't want to be left alone in case another creature of the night decided to attack. Izuku seemed to notice the dilemma and scratched the back of his head in thought. An idea came to mind so he gently guided his friend out of the room and towards the bathing room. There was a partial wall separating the wash down area and the soaking tub that he could sit behind, or if she was uncomfortable with that he'd wait outside of the room by the door. He didn't blame her in the least for not wanting to be alone with more snakes potentially hiding outside.

"The bathing room?" Ochaco asked once they passed through the door.

"I figured this would be a more secured room than the rest of the house. I'll check every corner just to make sure and then you can change. It's completely up to you, Uraraka, but if you need me to stay with you then I can go sit by the wash station behind the wall or I can sit outside. I figured you wouldn't want to be alone after what just happened, but I'll respect your choice entirely." Izuku explained with a hand rubbing at the back of his neck as heat blossomed on a sheepish expression. He'd be lying if he denied the nervousness about being in the same room as Uraraka while she changed. The rock formation was a different story where he could just step outside, though the threat of more predators had him on edge about moving too far away from her.

"…p-please stay." Ochaco muttered with an averted gaze after a minute, cheeks rubescent and burning hot. It was mortifying to ask him to stay when in the last chapter he'd stepped outside of the cave until she was done. The attack had shaken her up bad enough that she was willing to risk him accidentally catching another peek rather than being too far to stop another strike. She knew with every fiber of her body he wouldn't dare look, but it didn't entirely soothe the frazzled nerves.

"I-I'll stay. I'm going to check the room out really quick then go sit behind the wall. Just…wait here for a minute." Izuku replied quickly without looking at her before moving to clear the room out. Uraraka sounded so vulnerable and ashamed to even have to ask him to stay. He felt like looking at her would make the air more awkward than it already was which is why he didn't. That and the flush filling his face would give away his own feelings on the matter.

Ochaco pressed herself against the wall with the stack of clothes held tightly against her chest. Most of her glances were kept darting between the door, Deku sweeping through the room and the rest diverted down. The heart pounding against her chest was beating like a festival drum, strong and fast. She was alert, nervous, appreciative, and even felt a bit scared. Crossing her comfort threshold wasn't something she did often, but right now she was doing something only lovers or married couples should do. There were other options to choose like having him wait outside of the room, but she didn't have the strength in her to be left alone. They only had each other in this world so having to do something like this was strictly for survival. All she had to do was quickly change and then they could clear the rest of the village before going to bed. Easy.

"Everything looks clear. I'm going to go wait over here, Uraraka." Izuku explained quickly before moving to sit behind the wall and out of sight.

"O-okay. Thanks." Ochaco replied before stiffly moving to the furthest corner by the soaking tub. She could see the slightest tufts of green sticking up over the wall but for the most part he was hidden. With trembling hands, the teen set down the clothes before picking out a set that seemed to be the right size. The air was thick with strain and silence as she grabbed a yellow and white yukata. She shakily reached down to untie the belt with constant glances to Deku. He wasn't making a single sound or move yet the nerves still got the better of her and the brunette froze up.

Izuku sat there with both palms pressed against his face tightly, focusing anywhere but on the sounds of moving cloth. The heat burning his body nearly had him sweating. Neither would say aloud it was uncomfortable yet they didn't need to, the air was saturated with it. He'd never peek at a woman undressing and Uraraka understood that, but it was a bit of an odd predicament for them both to be in. There could still be more snakes hiding around and now knowing his friend was petrified of them, Izuku didn't want to take the risk of her being attacked again. If one figured out how to get in then others could easily do so as well. It could very well just be a freak incident that occurred every month when the snake needed to eat, but nests weren't uncommon in darker areas.

The other issue needing addressed was the fact that Uraraka mentioned Eri wanted to meet them at the lake beneath the full moon. He wasn't doubting his friends words, it was just unnerving that a fox had actually talked. It shouldn't be surprising considering they were physically inside of a fairy tale book, but usually talking animals weren't part of the stories. There was a possibility of the fox being a demon in disguise or even a deity like Kaguya. His hands shifted down a little so he could stare at the opposite wall in thought. What stories involved talking foxes? Vaguely he knew foxes were the symbol of messengers from the Gods, so maybe Eri was one?

"H-hey, Deku," Ochaco suddenly spoke up as she slowly released the grasp on the only thing keeping her yukata together. Her hands clasped together tightly against her chest while she tried to think of the best way to ask him. The request was an odd one but it was better than suffering in silence.

"Y-yes?" Deku responded immediately.

"C-can you…talk about something?"

"S-sure, what about?"

Ochaco chewed on the inside of her lip. What did she want him to talk about? Obviously not the snake thing, too fresh. There wasn't much about Eri either. Honestly, she just didn't want to talk about anything related to this world since it was becoming more and more depressing as they progressed. "How about your plans after school? You've never gone in depth about what you want to do besides become the number one hero."

"Oh, sure. I guess I haven't thought that much about it. Well," Izuku faltered off as he thought about it. He really hadn't thought about the life he wanted apart from becoming the number one hero in Japan. Sure, there were things like making time to catch up with his friends and do leisurely activities like viewing the cherry blossoms. Apart from that, he hadn't put much thought into the life he wanted. Earlier the thought of having a family, with Uraraka, popped up but he wasn't about to confess everything to her. "I'm not sure how to answer that, Uraraka. I've been so focused on becoming the best hero I can in order to save everyone. I'd like to have time to hang out with our friends and do normal things like go to gardens, cherry blossom viewings, maybe even travel. I kind of want to go to America to see the school All Might went to when he was an exchange student. Maybe even go back to I-island to see how Melissa is doing with her support studies and to catch up with David Shield. I've heard he's been doing some breakthrough work on quirk blockers and how to reverse the effects."

"Sounds like you've already got a list, Deku." Ochaco replied lightly. Frazzled nerves were already calming a bit so she grabbed for her belt once more. The silence was just too much to bear which was why she asked him to talk. That and his voice had a calming effect on the brunette.

"I guess I do. What about you, Uraraka? What do you have planned?"

"Mm. I've thought about opening a martial arts studio to teach others about self-defense tactics, but I wouldn't have the time with hero work. Nejire has offered Tsu and I a spot when she joins up with Lemillion's agency after we graduate. I think the plans are being finalized within a month or so once Ryukyu finds a replacement hero. Sun Eater should be joining as well since they were the Big Three at U.A.. Other than that, maybe travelling around a bit after I help my parents out. Their company is doing better since the war though there's sometimes a lull in new customers due to being so backed up. Dad tells me every week how many people come to him because Uravity is his daughter. People want to support my family and I'm grateful for that."

"That's amazing to hear. Mom's told me how many people stop her in the streets wanting to know how I'm doing. She's become a bit of a celebrity as of late," Izuku mused with a huff. His mother never really went out as he grew older, generally opting to stay in instead of socializing. Ever since the war ended, she and Mitsuki Bakugo would get together at least once a week to catch up. It was nice she had someone to talk with now with him being at school. "Where would you want to travel? Japan or elsewhere in the world?"

"Actually, I'd like to go back to France. Remember when we were split up during the Humarise attacks? I was sent to Paris with Ryukyu's agency along with Tsu and Nejire. All of the treats in the shop windows looked so good! I wanted to eat them all," Ochaco replied while happily envisioning all of the crepes and macarons. The old yukata slipped to the floor and the teen hurriedly opened up the new one. It was a bit bigger than the old one but it would still hold up for now. Auburn eyes glanced over to make sure Deku was still sitting down.

"I've heard Paris is actually called the City of Lights due to being one of the first European countries to use gas lanterns in the streets back in the eighteen hundreds."

"Don't you mean City of Love?" Ochaco asked while adjusting the fold over her chest. It took some adjusting since it was too big but she eventually got it settled in an acceptable spot. She wrapped the tie around her waist and tied it snugly.

"There's actually multiple nicknames for Paris. City of Light, City of Love, The Fashion Capital. It depends on how you view the city, really. Fun fact, Paris is famous for being a romantic destination due to the foods, wine, and architectural designs throughout the city. Mom knows someone who went there for two weeks and said they didn't want to leave because of the euphoria." Izuku slapped a hand over his mouth when he realized what was coming out. Here he was rambling on and on about a city of love in front of Uraraka who was currently changing on the other side of a wall. Unbeknownst to her, he'd actually looked into each city his friends were dispensed to but ultimately spent more research into Paris. After Flect Turn was defeated and arrested, they'd all returned back home and talked about where they went. Uraraka was gushing over the sweets in Paris so he figured it wouldn't hurt to look into some more.

"You seem to know a lot about other countries, Deku."

"O-of course! I wanted to learn more about the areas everyone was being sent to. It also helped me map out where the Humarise bases were located according to local geography." Nice save, Midoriya.

"I'll never stop being amazed at how attentive you are with friends." Ochaco mused under her breath before moving towards the wall. It was a good time to confront him about his reaction earlier. She quietly sat down with her knees to her chest and arms outstretched over them, fingers loosely interlocked. "You can open your eyes, Deku, I'm done."

Izuku slightly lowered his hands and glanced over before dropping them entirely. He heard her shift next to him so it wasn't a surprise to see her sitting right there with her usual cheerful face on. She'd chosen the yellow and white yukata adorned with tiny flowers stitched all over. It suited her particularly well. "It looks nice on you. Good to go?"

"Thanks. I will be in a minute, there's something I want to talk to you about," Ochaco started while looking down at the nervously twisting fingers.

"Earlier, right?" Izuku replied quietly. Uraraka wanted to check in with him about the attack. For the most part he was fine. The guilt would take a bit to go away but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "I'm fine, Uraraka. I promise."

"But you're not. I know you better than that, Deku. The last time I saw you break down like that was when I was attacked by those villains and hospitalized for two weeks. I can understand you feeling terrified. In all honesty, I thought I was going to die. Just before everything went black, all I could think of was how frantic you sounded." Ochaco called his bluff immediately and relayed her own feelings. She tightened her fingers together as they began trembling. It shouldn't be this hard, just talk.

"Uraraka…"

"I never told anyone about my fear of snakes because it seemed irrelevant until today. Ever since I was a child, they've just terrified me with the way they move and look. What solidified the fear was being on a playground where some boy found a little one and began chasing girls around with it. He made his way over to me but tripped halfway over and I got smacked in the face with a snake. Out of fear, the snake bit me on the cheek and it went downhill from there. We would avoid the reptile house at the zoo because I'd just freeze up and my dad had to carry me away from there. I can fight all sorts of villains no problem, but snakes? I'd rather fight the League again blindfolded." Ochaco stretched and tightened her fingers in an attempt to ease the nerves. It was stupid to be fretting over talking to him like this, their friendship stronger than most of the high school relationships. Deku was the most understanding person in the world, telling him a secret like this shouldn't affect anything.

"I never realized you were afraid of something like that," Izuku responded softly.

"It's a bit embarrassing to have to admit it. During the sports festival, I think I was more afraid of Bakugo than snakes."

"Kaachan gives everyone a reason to be afraid of him…"

"That's the truth!" Ochaco laughed before resting her head against her knees then looked up at Deku. There was still a bit of strain in his face but for the most part he seemed more relaxed. "I understand your worry, Deku, but we've been through worse. I'm going to be sore for a few days and I'll keep a close eye on the wound. If any injury heals once the chapter resets then all we have to do is find the next one tomorrow. My arm returned to normal without so much as a scratch, so that's an encouraging sign. We'll get through this together."

"Yeah, thanks. I'm sorry for overreacting a bit…" Izuku apologized while scratching at his face, cheeks tinted pink. To say he overreacted was a major understatement. Been a while since he lost control like that.

"No worries! It's good to worry about your friends! It means you care," Ochaco gave him a few pats on the shoulder before carefully standing back up, using the wall as a support when the muscles in her right leg spasmed violently. Instinctively the appendage curled inward to stave off the pain, but a few calming breaths had weight returning to the leg. Adrenaline was wearing off so the hero could definitely feel the puncture marks depth. It was going to be hurting worse in the morning, that was for sure.

"Maybe you should go lie down for a bit," Izuku jumped up with his hands out cautiously.

"Probably a good idea. Are you going to be alright searching the village?"

"Don't worry about me, I can handle things while you rest. There might be some room in Leiko's house if you want to stay with them." Ochaco merely shook her head lightly. The children would be falling asleep again and she didn't want to wake them.

"I can probably just camp out in a corner for a few hours. We'll need to go to the lake around midnight to see what Eri wants. Still weird to think that a fox can talk, but at least she confirmed she isn't a demon. I think. Not entirely sure what demons can or can't do."

"I don't think it's a good idea to wait in the main area due to the hole in the wall. Furuya's house is right there but it'd be rude to intrude like that without permission. Oh wait, there's another room here that should work. Ayami gave me a tour earlier. I'll bet there's extra bedding in the closet too. Can you walk or should I carry you?" Izuku asked as he watched her take a few steps with most weight bearing on the left. A frown tugged his lips down. The pain was starting to kick in now and it wouldn't be long before signs of infection flared up.

"Arm support?"

"Roger."

Izuku carefully slid his arm under Uraraka's and braced some of her weight. Despite the height difference, he helped his classmate navigate through the house with ease. Countless times on the battlefield together had them often working in sync due to extensive injuries, more so on Deku's end rather than Uravity's, but it was efficient teamwork that guaranteed faster medical treatment. He opened the door to the room and guided Uraraka in while checking every visible corner he could to ensure no snakes were hiding out. Ochaco nodded once she was leaning against the corner wall indicating he was free to clear the room. Some lanterns were already lit so it made it easier to dig through the closet for some bedding which were promptly tossed down onto the tatami floor.

"Do you need any help getting to the floor, Uraraka?" Izuku asked once he got the bedding squared away. He didn't like the idea of leaving her alone in the house where the attack happened, yet he couldn't force her to stay with the other women. Uraraka could handle herself, he just needed to stop worrying so much.

"I'll be fine, Deku. If you worry so much you're going to get forehead wrinkles!" Ochaco gave him a gentle poke in the center of his forehead before methodically holding her bad leg up and crouching down with the other one. She shifted her foot to be sitting on the mattress then lowered her other leg. Adaptability was key in surviving. Thirteen taught her that during their first lesson together.

"I guess all that extra training paid off," Izuku complimented before crouching down beside Uraraka with fingers interlocked. "It shouldn't take me too long to clear the rest of the village out but call for me if you need anything. I'll be able to hear it through the windows. I'm going to check for any more snakes out then block places they could be getting in."

"Don't forget that Eri will grab us when the time is right." Ochaco reminded him while readjusting her leg to ease the stabbing pain. Izuku nodded.

"I'll keep an eye out for her. Try to get some rest while you can, it's probably going to be a long night for us both."

"Nothing we can't handle, Deku."

_B_

Ochaco awoke to a growing weight on her stomach, light at first before gradually increasing by the second until the brunette couldn't ignore it anymore. Auburn eyes blearily looked for the source only to find a white, furry snout inches from her own. Instincts kicked in and the hero swung her arm out to knock it away. When all that was hit was air, Ochaco pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked around the room with a pounding heart. Since nothing stood out, she made to get up until a sharp radiating pain in her thigh made her call out in pain and double over. Both hands grasped either side of the leg as she attempted to even quickened breathing. It felt like fire was burning through her veins at a rapid rate, scorching every cell in its path. Yanking up the fabric, Ochaco undid the wrappings to see what was the source of pain. Yet when the skin was finally exposed, the brunette shot her hands to her chest in fear as a large snake head gleamed up at her. Its fangs were sunk deep into her flesh with a powerful bite, yellow eyes watching every panicked move she made with interest. Yet there was no body, merely just a head latched onto her leg.

The fear gripping her heart prevented any removal of the reptilian attacker so all she could do was freeze up and stare back into the slitted eyes. Blood was trailing onto the floor in steady streams, staining the golden tatami crimson. It bit down even harder, fangs sinking deeper into Ochaco's leg. Tears stung her eyes so she bit down hard on her lip to prevent from crying out again. She could feel the tip of the teeth scratching at her bone, something that unnerved her to no end.

"Uraraka…"

Ochaco jolted at the voice, swinging her head around to find the source though there was no one apart from her and the snake. The room had no windows or doors, no wooden slats showing the outside world she yearned for. Not even a closet lined the wall. Hallucination? A few hard blinks didn't return the room to normal. For a moment, the hero could've sworn the walls were even closer than before.

"Uraraka…"

"Who's there?" Ochaco cried out. The snake began shaking its head violently, eliciting an agonized scream from the brunette. Shaking hands clenched a few times before slamming down on the snake head, gripping it tightly. Slimy and slick scales coated her fingers yet she persisted. A hand on either side of the snake's mouth and Ochaco began pushing down on one side while pulling up on the other. Warm saliva trailed down the back of her hand that sent a shiver of disgust racing along her spine.

"Wake up…you need to wake up…"

The walls were pressing tightly against her shoulders now, forcing her arms in at an odd angle while she wrangled with the snake. Its teeth were slowly lifting out of flesh, bringing an ungodly amount of blood with it. Viscous crimson was quickly filling the shrinking room and Ochaco clenched her jaw tighter. She'd drown in her own blood if the snake wasn't removed faster. The hero shifted her torso sideways to alleviate the pressure on her shoulders before pulling as hard as possible on the head. Blood sprayed onto her face and she spit out a mouthful of the tangy substance. It'd be a matter of seconds before she was pinned between the walls then drowned. With a scream of effort, the snake head popped free from her leg then dissolved into nothingness. Ochaco let out a few breaths of relief as the room began spinning wildly.

"Wake up, Uraraka!"

_B_

Ochaco startled awake with near hyperventilating breaths, one hand over her thrumming heart and the other shoving the sweat covered body upright. Wild eyes darted around the room. Window bars, closet doors, lit lanterns, clean bedding and tatami mats. There wasn't a trace of blood around her yet the pain in her leg was nearly blinding. Trembling hands yanked the fabric up to reveal fabric strips wrapped tightly around her thigh, the lighter colored pieces hueing red. Without a care the brunette began ripping them off in a frenzy, tossing them aside until the fear was confirmed. Down to the last layer and her hand stopped, quivering just about the small knot holding it in place. A heavy swallow followed. Would it be under there? It looked flat but looks could be deceiving. Fingers slowly undid the last knot. Angry, red puncture marks stared back up at her. The surrounding skin was bright pink and swollen like a summer water balloon ready to burst.

Padded fingertips ever so slightly traced over the skin. Searing pain shot through her leg in both directions and the hero let out a grunt of pain before pulling back. It looked real alright. Felt real, too. A trail of blood trickled out from the puncture marks, slowly making its way down to the bedding below. Ochaco took a bandage scrap and wiped it up before it stained the fabric. There was no doubt the wound was on its way to getting infected judging by the pain and swelling. Another concern was if the snake was venomous. If that was the case…

The brunette quickly rewrapped the wound before shoving the yukata down over her legs. Sleep wasn't going to come back to her so she may as well get up and find a way to cool down. Her skin was sticky with sweat and clammy, a hand resting against her forehead. Hot. A fever was growing. Yahashina probably didn't have the supplies to fight against snake venom, they'd have to find a bigger village with a doctor. If there was even one nearby. It was difficult to get up with the swelling going on but somehow she managed to do it. Putting any weight on it nearly had Ochaco losing consciousness so she just hopped around on one foot. As soon as she made it to the outside porch, the brunette plopped down on the edge with a heavy breath.

The air was a bit better than inside but not by much. It was still humid without the sun bearing down on them. Ochaco tilted her head back to gaze at the night sky. Auburn eyes widened in awe. Vibrant stars and far away galaxies shimmered bigger and brighter than she'd ever thought possible, their gentle twinkling like little flashing lights. In modern times it was nearly impossible to see such vibrancy with all of the light pollution going on, but hundreds of years in the past had nothing to stop their shining. A few of the constellations she recognized but others were new to her, forming better and brighter shapes. Not even a telescope could compare to the detail she was witnessing.

"It's amazing…"

"Uraraka, you're awake. How're you feeling?"

Izuku had come back to check on his friend, for the umpteenth time, and found her sitting on the porch staring up at the skies. Last he checked, she wasn't looking well with a sheen of sweat coating her skin. He'd gone to get more water when he stumbled upon her sitting outside looking upwards. Uraraka blinked a few times before looking over at him. Auburn studied him for a bit before diverting back to the skies, an almost faraway expression on.

"I didn't sleep too well so I decided to come out for some fresh air."

"Everything alright? You seem a bit out of it…"

"I'm in a good amount of pain, but I'll manage." Ochaco felt a pounding headache beginning to form. She waited until he was sitting on the porch before letting out a silent, shaky sigh. It wasn't a conversation she wanted to have, but they both knew deep down it was a possibility. A wound like hers was fatal more often than not in ancient times. No antibiotics, no anti-venom, nothing that could possibly heal her up within a day. Considering she hadn't succumbed to the bite fully, there was the chance there wasn't any venom released. That didn't mean there weren't thousands of bacteria swirling around in her leg right now.

"You're freaking me out a bit, Uraraka," Izuku replied uneasily with furrowed brows. Even in the light of the stars and moon she didn't look well. Cheeks were flushed, eyes a bit glazed over. No doubt an infection was setting in from the bite.

"I want you to promise me something, Deku," Ochaco started before dropping her gaze to him, carefully studying his strained expression. He seemed to already have an inkling of what she was going to say once he gave a tight nod. Padded fingers grazed over the top of his scarred hand before resting on top gently. "I want you to…if something were to happen to me…I want you to keep moving forward. You need to progress through the book to escape. Leave me behind and save yourself. I don't know what happens if we die here, but promise me you won't look back, Deku."

"I would never leave you behind, Uraraka. We'll find a way to heal your leg, I promise you that. If we find a bigger village tomorrow, then we can get you to a doctor—"

"Promise me, Deku." Ochaco gently interrupted.

Izuku bit his lip to stop the surge of emotions toiling within. The probability of the infection taking over and potentially killing her…he wouldn't think about it. What she was asking went beyond his morals as a hero, friend, and human being. Medicine was limited in this era, what little there was probably cost a fortune, and not nearly efficient like modern days. Realistically, they both knew it was a possibility for an early demise. But a promise like this? "I can't do that, I won't do that. We're in this together, no matter what."

"We both know what's going to happen once the infection gets out of control. The wound is severely swollen and painful to the touch after just a few hours, it's seeping infection through the bandages. None of my medical training covered snake bites, but even then we don't have modern medicine or supplies. I can't travel in this condition, Deku. It'd be best to leave me here with Ayami to try and recover for a few days. You'll have to go meet Eri alone, I'm sorry." Ochaco shook her head before diverting tired eyes to the hidden grass below. They'd both be stuck in Yahashina for an extended period of time thanks to her, causing a major inconvenience to the women who just gained their freedom. She couldn't hinder their loosened shoulders for that.

"Forgive the intrusion upon your conversation, foxes have impeccable hearing. That and we tend to be incredibly nosey." Eri appeared out of nowhere, throwing the two heroes off their guard, and merely stared up at the two with a gentle flopping of her tail.

"S-she can talk!" Izuku wheezed as he quickly glanced between Uraraka and Eri, eyes wide in disbelief. Albino animals were rare enough, but talking ones? Physically impossible! If only he had his notebook to take down information.

"How observant," Eri drawled with a roll of rubied eyes. "Your friend here already told you that much. There is not much time left so we need to move quickly. Bring a lantern as the forest floor is treacherous in the darkness."

"Wait, Uraraka can't walk. Why do we have to go to the lake? Can't you just talk to us here?" Izuku shoved aside his curiosities momentarily to address the fox.

"I'll be fine here, Deku, Eri must have a reason for going to the lake." Ochaco waved off his concerns with a little hand flap. She already knew he was formulating it was too dangerous to carry her that distance, through the dark, while carrying a torch. It would be hard to defend her if anything were to attack.

"I forget how fragile you mortals are. Reveal your wound," Eri ordered with a barely audible sigh, jumping onto the porch to stand beside the brunette who promptly obliged. Her patience was wearing thin with their tactics of delay.

"I didn't realize it'd gotten that bad, Uraraka," Izuku grimaced as the weeping, bandaged wound came into sight. Even through the fabric he could tell it'd swollen to at least twice in size in the duration of a few hours. Fresh blood dripped down onto the weather worn wooden planks as the wound was shifted from its bindings and exposed to fresh air. The flesh around was nearly a vibrant red in the glow of the lanterns. "Even pouring sake on it didn't cleanse it well enough. I wish there was something stronger here."

"Without it the leg would have festered, died, and fallen off by the end of one full moon cycle. The sake spared it by another few sun positions or so. Consider yourself lucky."

"One day?! My leg would've fallen off in one day?" Ochaco balked.

"All of that from just a snake bite? That's insane! Even if it was a non-venomous snake, the bacteria alone would cause decay that quickly?" Izuku asked in a panic. That sounded like such a tormented way to die, slowly and in constant agony as bacteria pumped through your veins. Snakes were quickly going on his avoidance list. Now the problem was finding a way to heal the injury before Uraraka went septic.

"Enough. There is no time. I require both of you to assist me and idle chatter is wearing my patience. Consider this a favor of gratitude for your rescue earlier." Eri lowered her nose to Uraraka's leg, carefully smelling it then sticking a tongue out and slowly licking over the wound. Both heroes watched in awe as a heavenly glow enveloped the skin for a few seconds before dying off to reveal an injury-free leg. Izuku leaned in closer with wide eyes and mouth agape as Ochaco stared at Eri starstruck. The fox leaned back with a lick of her lips.

"It's gone…the wound is gone…" Both teens breathed in awe while examining the smooth flesh.

"Grab a torch and follow me to the lake." Eri replied tartly with an agitated swish of her tail. She didn't have time for this, there were more important matters to attend to. Once both heroes were done ogling the wound free leg, they both grabbed torches before silently making their way to the edge of Yahashina.

Ochaco stretched her leg out in relief as Izuku opened the gate just enough for them to slip through. It was as if she'd never been bitten in the first place, not even a trace of blood left anywhere. The headache was gone as well, leaving her feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world. Whatever Eri did, it was like a miracle cure. All three slipped through the gate, sealed up the village once more, and began the trek towards the dark forest. It felt eerie walking into the stillness with no moonlight shining through the treetops, branches crunching loudly beneath their sandaled feet. Any sound made echoed for no less than five seconds before silencing in the darkness.

"Deku, there's something really weird about this forest. It feels like it's excluded from the rest of the world." Ochaco spoke lowly to her comrade while glancing around the trees. A dark shadow seemingly darted between two trunks and the hair on the back of her neck shot up. Something was out there, watching, waiting.

"Yeah, the Forbidden Forest had an odd feeling about it too. Maybe they're linked?" Izuku kept glancing back in the direction of the shadow that was not so discreetly following them. Was it one of the men or a creature of the trees? It was moving too fast to be an older man, but that didn't mean it wasn't a younger one looking for easy targets to rob. They'd have to keep their guards up. "Uraraka."

"I've noticed. Let's just move faster."

Eri popped back into the opening by the lake first, easily pouncing after something for a few moments until the teens caught up. With a small mouse clamped between her jaws she turned to them before nodding at the waters. Unsure of what was going to happen next, the heroes waited at the shores edge as the fox promptly ate her meal then stepped onto the water. A single white paw at first reached out and stopped just shy of sinking into the liquid then another followed, both pressing firmly against an invisible solid. All four paws and she had yet to sink into the waters.

"What you are about to witness is something that very few humans have witnessed in history. In doing so, you will be sworn to an eternity of secrecy that will result in death if it were to be broken. In swearing your secrecy, you will also be entering a binding contract, that until completed, binds you into serving me until my goal is met or you are no longer needed. Do we have an agreement?" Eri spoke after reaching the center of the lake, turning around to face the two heroes with glowing eyes. Even though she was far away, her voice resonated clearly in the lagoon. Moonlight shone directly over the elegantly standing fox in an ethereal glow.

"What exactly is your goal? What do you need us to do?" Izuku asked with a step forward, hands up as he tried to comprehend the contract they were potentially about to enter. They'd known the fox for barely a day and now here she was offering a contract in the middle of a lake. It wasn't something they could accept lightly.

"I cannot reveal that for the time, know that I will ensure no harm befalls you. I merely require assistance getting to where I need to go. Do so and I shall fulfill a request of yours. I must know that both of you will swear to secrecy before revealing my true form."

"Deku, let's agree to it." Ochaco stated firmly after locking eyes with glimmering rubescent, turning her gaze to the flabbergasted hero.

"Are you sure? This could be a trap, Uraraka. We saved her this morning, a fox, and now she wants to form a binding contract before revealing a true form? What if she's a demon? Even if this is a fairytale, there's no telling if demons truly exist in this world or not. We have to be careful about this." Izuku rebutted quietly, slightly turning away from the waiting fox. Not like it really did any good, she already told them about the impeccable hearing she possessed. At least the fox was gracious enough to give them time to talk it over.

Ochaco chewed on the corner of her lip. He had a point. Trusting so blindly in a world unknown could end in disaster, but what other option was there? They couldn't just sit around waiting for the chapter portal to appear. Yahashina had been saved from the men yet there was a ton of work to be done before she wanted to even think about leaving. They weren't ready to be left on their own yet. "Maybe…maybe we can agree on a condition. I don't want to leave the women without making sure they're fully prepared to be on their own. If we can have another day to get the village up and running, then I'll agree to the terms. It may not be ideal, Deku, but it's probably our only option at this point."

"You're right. As much as I don't like it, we don't have a lot of choice. Did you hear that, Eri? We'll accept on that one condition." Izuku agreed begrudgingly while calling out to the fox.

"Perfectly. This will be a blood seal. Uraraka has completed her portion already. Three drops into the water will suffice."

Izuku brought his thumb up to his mouth and quickly bit down. Blood beaded up so the teen held it out over the water before squeezing. One. Two. Three. The waters illuminated softly once the third droplet of blood hit. Eri flicked her tail sharply then abruptly shot down into the waters below without a sound. Ochaco waited with bated breath, hands clenched tightly together against her chest. The glow in the water vortexed into the center of the lake where Eri disappeared, showing just how deep the lake actually went. Minutes passed without any progressed and the brunette stepped closer to the water with worry. A soft wind began to pick up, rustling even the closest stoic forest trees into a gentle sway.

Ochaco managed to brush a few stray hairs from her face when the lake water suddenly exploded over them in a tidal wave, sending both heroes crashing against the banks in the blink of an eye. Both emerged coughing and disoriented, trying to gather their bearings from the impact. The water was oddly warm and when the teen made to swipe her hair back, she found it to be completely dried to the touch.

"Uraraka, you alright?" Izuku coughed while swaying to his feet, looking around in bewilderment. Large explosions could cause tidal waves like that yet this one happened without a sound. He noticed his classmate still sprawled out on the ground and jogged over to assist. Uraraka looked a little dazed but unharmed. In fact, she didn't even look wet.

"I'm fine, just a little stunned. I don't think it was a normal tidal wave. Look, my hair isn't even wet," Ochaco pointed out while taking the hand extended out to her. Deku didn't even seem to have a drop of water on him either.

"What you were hit with was merely a sliver of my power,"

Eri stood in the center of the lake, no longer in fox form. A young, beautiful woman with twisted up raven hair and porcelain skin took the creatures place. Crimson silken fabric adorned with delicate white floral patterns draped over slender shoulders before trailing down over nearly exposed, supple breasts. A golden obi kept the kimono sides together until the fabric split apart over the right knee, adding to the already seductive appearance. A matching wagasa twirled easily over her shoulder as she studied them, rubescent eyes dancing with mirth. Two snow white ears atop the raven locks swiveled around at nearby noises before settling forward on the two teens. Each ear was adorned with long, dangling ornaments that tinkled like a hundred soft bells with each swing. A multitude of hair pins and ornaments kept the dark locks pinned up, each one having a matching bell dangling from the end. Nine white tails fanned out behind her, each one moving independently and gently.

Ochaco rubbed at her eyes and blinked hard. There was no way that cute little fox they'd saved earlier had turned into this…this…seductive goddess. Never in her life had she'd seen someone so beautiful and unreal. Technically she wasn't real, but regardless. The brunette eventually lifted her jaw from the gravel and looked over to Deku only to find him completely entranced in a stupor. His eyes had widened in surprised, mouth gaped open, and even a blush was spreading across his face. A pang flittered across the brunette's heart. Yes, she was absolutely gorgeous, but to see Deku react like this to another woman…

"Deku, snap out of it." Ochaco hoarsely called out only to get no response, the hero oblivious to her words. She shook his shoulder a bit but he was built like a tank thanks to years of training and muscle honing. Even pinching didn't work. After a bit more shoving and poking, even waving a hand in front of his unblinking eyes, Ochaco did the only thing she could think of that would work. "I'm sorry to have to do this Deku, please don't be mad!"

With a mighty swing of her hand, Ochaco Uraraka slapped Izuku Midoriya across the face for the third time in her life. The sound echoed in the lagoon and even the hero winced at how loud it was. It wasn't her intention to slap him that hard, she just needed to get him out of the trance he was in. Shaking the stinging, throbbing hand, Ochaco looked back up to see Deku looking around in bewilderment with a palm against his cheek. After a few moments of trying to figure out what was going on, the teen noticed his friend holding her hand and immediately went into first aid mode.

"What happened to your hand? Did you injure it? Here, let me see it."

"No, no, it's fine, it's fine. Are you…back to normal?" Ochaco waved off his franticness by grabbing his wrists and looking at his face. She could barely see the red mark beginning to show on his skin and a grimace tugged at her lips. That was going to leave a nasty mark.

"Eh? Normal? What're you talking about, Uraraka?"

"I'm going to take that as a yes. I'm so sorry for slapping you, Deku. I didn't know what else to do. You were stuck in some sort of trance and I couldn't get you out of it. I hope your face doesn't hurt too bad,"

"Slap? Trance? Why would I be in a trance and is that why my face is stinging?" Izuku asked, thoroughly confused.

"Men who lay their gaze upon this form for the first time shall become entranced. When you become as powerful as I am, it tends to happen quite often." Eri remarked casually from beside the two. She had perched upon a boulder behind them without a sound, a Cheshire grin donning perfectly plumped pink lips. The deity was stretched out over the rock as if it were the most comfortable lounge in the realm, legs trailing over the ragged edges with arms stretching to the heavens above. Ochaco slapped a hand over Izuku's eyes once she noticed the kimono was slipping dangerously close to revealing Eri's intimate area. The fox demon merely huffed in amusement as a tail reached out and wrapped itself around Ochaco's waist.

"We've made your agreement, now what's your goal?" Ochaco asked while trying to keep her friends eyes shielded from the seductress, using her free hand to try and push away the tail inching further up her chest. The fur was so soft and warm, easing the brunette into a sense of security that was much yearned. A second tail appeared from over her shoulder, intertwining with the first one, and the two began a gentle caress over Ochaco's exposed skin.

"You shall find out soon enough, Ochaco. No need to rush a thing, everything shall fall into place as guided by the heavens above. Though there is something…interesting…about you. Something that smells alluring yet just out of reach. Hmm. I wonder…" Eri purred into Ochaco's ear, fangs grazing ever so slightly over the earlobe. Ochaco felt her breath hitch when warm air blew across the side of her face, auburn eyes darting to the side to see the deity too close for liking. Crimson orbs gleamed with mischief beneath hooded feline eyes.

"W-what are you talking about…" The brunette breathed barely above a whisper, afraid to speak louder as the women fluidly danced to her front. In that swift movement, she removed the hand covering Izuku's eyes while using a tail to pin it behind her back with the other arm and danced them both a short distance onto the lake.

"My naive kitsune, you yearn for that which you cannot have. Though it is within grasp, something is holding you back from grabbing it. Fear? Anxiety? Or is it…envy?" A feathery caressing of the brunettes face had the girl entranced and fully beneath her control in the powerful moonlight. Eri pulled the hero to her bosom, ensuring the silent green haired teen was watching intently. A single finger tilted Ochaco's face upward the slightest bit, an owlish expression blooming on her face with the heat of a thousand suns.

"What are you doing with Uraraka? Eri, let her go!" Izuku shouted from the shoreline.

"My, my. It appears that you hold a special place for this young, supple creature. What would you do for her? Take an arrow? Sacrifice yourself? Or…" Eri chuckled behind a delicate hand then jerked Ochaco's head upward to line with hers. Their lips came dangerously close to touching, merely a few centimeters apart, when the deity slowly looked over at the fuming lover. It was obvious they were smitten with one another, their scents of yearning and repressed frustrations permeating the air. Why not have a little fun with it? The smell was intoxicating to the fox. "…would you give up something you so desperately wish for? Something special that you cannot get back once taken."

Izuku flushed though not out of embarrassment. With a quick stoop he picked up a few rocks and began hurling them at the demon, body boiling with emotion. The damned fox was playing with emotions that should be cherished, not mocked or toyed with so casually! Uraraka didn't seem to be in a straight mindset and doing an act like that without consent sent him over the edge. While it wasn't his choice at the end of the day who his friend loved, he'd still do everything in his power to protect her from nefarious demons. "That isn't your choice to make! You can't force yourself on another just for the thrill of it! Don't you care about her feelings? Don't you care maybe that's not what she wants? She doesn't even seem to be aware of what's happening, yet you'll take advantage of the moment? What kind of sick, twisted dem—"

"Demon? Is that what you were going to call me? What you are looking at is a being far, far, older than your human mind can comprehend, boy. You should realize by now that your life is nothing more than an ant beneath my slipper, easily crushable and not worth missing. I can instantly pierce her internal organs faster than you can blink, or even rip off a head like swatting away a bug. While it would be such a pity to lose such a fine male like yourself, there are others in this world that can take your place." Eri warned lowly with a few sharp nails resting against Ochaco's neck, the hero seemingly unaware of the danger as she watched the fox with dazed eyes. Izuku grit his teeth and stepped forward, refusing to back down. While he didn't have his quirk readily available, years of training weren't for nothing.

Eri's ears pinned back with a baring of fangs, a low growl rumbling in her throat. The binding contract between them forbade harm against either one yet that didn't mean she couldn't give him a warning. Izuku grit his jaw. He didn't know what powers the demon had, but the priority was getting Uraraka out of the way and to a safe area. Yahashina was the safest bet though that wouldn't stop Eri from following them right in. Deep virescent eyes narrowed. There wasn't any murderous intent radiating from the fox right now so the chance it was all a bluff rose sharply. She stated herself that no harm would befall them, meaning not even from herself until the contract binding was over with. Uraraka was still looking at Eri though her gaze would slowly wander back to him for a few seconds every now and then. An idea struck him.

"Uraraka, Ayami let me know where she left some mochi for you."

"Mochi? Seriously? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Ochaco exclaimed excitedly while looking in Izuku's direction, instantly moving towards him only to find herself locked in place. Auburn looked up to see crimson staring at her in surprise. "Eri? What are you doing? Why are we in the middle of the lake?"

"You…managed to break through my trance. No mortal has done that before…"

"You haven't met a mortal with a stronger love of mochi than Ochaco Uraraka." Izuku proclaimed proudly with hands on his hips and a wide grin.

The deity released the woman with a slightly slackened jaw. Hundreds of years, thousands of men and women, none had yet to break the trance in such a simple manner. Was it a trick? Had dormancy as a fox weakened her powers to such a pitiful level that she could no longer hold the wills of mortals? No. The man fell for the lure instantly, only coming to once Ochaco intervened. This would require further research but for now, the threat lurking within the forest was about to rear its ugly head. It was no secret that they'd been followed; the moment she left the protective barrier placed upon Yahashina, the darkness swooped in at the radiating power. With grace, Eri glided across the waters with the brunette towed by the arm and had barely stepped onto the shore when the forest rumbled violently.

Large trees began snapping like twigs as a thunderous roar echoed the lands. Eri pinned her ears back with a guttural snarl. It wasn't a small one as sensed earlier. What was thrashing through the forest was no ordinary creature of darkness; it was an ogre demon and an angry one at that. The two humans preparing to fight beside her would stand no chance against an ancient creature like that. To ogres, humans were nothing more than a light snack. Palms together, Eri began to chant beneath her breath with lidded eyes. Power began flowing from pressed fingertips, weaving and twisting through glowing cells while the ground began to shake. Being out of human form for so long meant the natural flow of her energy was a little slow to build, leaving them all open for attack.

"Deku," Ochaco started worriedly as she stepped back another foot to regain her balance after another thunderous rumbling. Even the air was beginning to reverberate from the force of whatever was charging at them. No human could produce that amount of impact, even in ancient times. Eri wasn't focused on them in the slightest bit, the deity chanting beneath her breath.

"Just stay behind me. We'll have to do what we can without our quirks," Izuku replied confidently, body positioned offensively. As much as he tried to deny the truth, fear was welling up within. What had been lurking in the forest was minor compared to the large, rumbling force making its way towards them. He glanced behind him. The road looped around the forest and should lead back to Yahashina in the event of escape. "If we have to run, head for the main road then loop around back to Yahashina. Make sure the women are safe."

"You can't fight whatever that thing is, Deku! It's probably bigger than Gigantomachia!"

"If we don't stop it here and now then it'll go after the village. What other choice do we have?"

"I will handle this. Return to the village." A bright light encased both heroes before they could respond, trapping them within a glowing orb that promptly shot into the starry night. With the two nuisances out of the way, the deity focused on the threat seconds from breaking through the tree line. Eri cracked her neck. The form she was about to take on rarely emerged, its power often overwhelming and destructive in nature. It would be dawn by the time she could revert once the beast inside calmed.

A large, brutish green ogre burst through the trees with a deafening crash, sending thick trunks flying like tiny twigs in every direction. Large, yellowed canines jutted from its lower jaw, coated in oozing saliva that hit the ground in wet squelches. Wild, glowing orange eyes darted around wildly in search of its prey while heavy, rattling breaths filled the air. It had thick arms bigger than half a dozen trees strapped together and legs to match. It unleashed a deep roar once it spotted the glowing deity standing on the shoreline, stumbling forward with gnarled hands outstretched. Swamp ogre. Outside of its normal territory wandering up in the mountains. Not entirely unusual, though a large one this size normally remained dormant for long periods of time. Apparently the release of a few decades worth of power stirred it enough to investigate.

A fox demon with powers like yours…once I devour your flesh and bones, I shall become the most powerful ogre in the realm!

"Just try to get even a breath on me, ogre!"

Rustling noises filtered into Ochaco's ears causing the brunette to mumble inaudibly before rolling over to escape them. Minutes passed by yet the noise continued, the pitter-patter of feet now added onto the hustle and bustle. A low groan slipped between her lips as she tried to pull the blanket above her head. Only it wouldn't budge more than an inch no matter how hard she tried, something seemingly weighing it down on one side. Finally giving in, the disgruntled teen cracked an eye open to see what was interfering with her sleep. At first it looked like a rolled up futon or pile of bedding until she gave a few hard blinks to clear the morning haze. Deku was sound asleep beside her, less than a foot away, and it appeared to be his arm pinning down the rest of her blanket. That they were both under. So close together.

Heat rushed Ochaco's entire body as she froze in place, terrified to move even a hair. How in the world did they end up on the same futon together? And under the same blanket no less? Through the panic she tried to recall the prior nights events. The men were kicked out of Yahashina, a big feast was held, the snake attacked, Eri led them to the lake…Eri! Vague memories of the fox transforming surfaced yet soon turned into a piercing headache that had the brunette wincing. The memories seemed to blur into darkness after that. Sitting up as quietly as she could, Ochaco placed a hand against her head to ease the pain. If she didn't remember anything, did that mean Deku didn't either?

"Ochaco, are you awake? May I enter?" Ayami called out softly after knocking on the doorframe. Said woman nearly jumped out of her skin when Izuku stirred a bit. Scrambling up to stop the slowly opening door, Ochaco caught it in time to crack it open to see a surprised yet smiling Head Lady.

"G-good morning, Ayami. I was just finishing up changing and then I'll be out to help you. Are you feeling any better today?"

"A good night of rest was needed along with some herbal tea. Some of the women have already begun to grab supplies from the other side of the village. I wish to meet with you and the monk on how to proceed with tearing down the dividing wall. Have you seen him?"

Ochaco paled with a skyrocketing heartrate. He totally wasn't on her bed just three feet behind the door. "N-no, I haven't seen D-Deku since last night. Maybe he's checking the perimeter of the village again? I'll let you know if I find him, Ayami. Give me just a few minutes to tidy up and I will find you."

Once Ayami left, Ochaco quietly closed the door and let out a silent breath. Too close. She did not need the village women seeing her sharing a room with Deku. They'd never let it go. Making sure her classmate was still asleep, she swiftly fixed up the blanket to make him believe it was just him in it before making a fast exit. Women were scurrying back and forth between the kitchen and bedroom, cleaning and preparing for another day. As soon as the brunette made it into the main hall, she had to do a double take. The wall previously damaged was good as new, as if it'd never been damaged in its life. Not even a spec of wood littered the suspiciously clean floors. Rubbing her eyes to make sure it wasn't all just a hallucination, Ochaco took in all of the surroundings at least twice to confirm her suspicions. Even the bedroom door looked brand new.

"You look like you have seen a ghost, Ochaco," Risa commented loudly while walking by, quickly pulling the confused brunette from her muddled thoughts.

"A-ah, for some reason I thought…never mind. Is there anything I can help with?"

"Can you help watch the children before breakfast? They have boundless energy this morning that we cannot keep up with doing chores. Uzumaki has Kino if you wish to grab her. She should be in the main chambers changing her."

"I'll go check on them, thanks."

Diverting back to the room that began the attack, Ochaco hesitantly knocked on the doorframe and waited for an answer. Shuffling could be heard through the shoji and instinctively the hero stiffened. The haunting slithering sounds echoed in her mind growing louder with each second until all surrounding noises were cancelled out. It had to have been a dream, right? Nothing else was out of place. The house wasn't damaged. There was no infected wound threatening to kill her. No one acting out of sorts. Had she truly been dreaming of it all?

"Ochaco, good morning. I was not expecting to see you yet. Kino has been changed and is ready to go outside with the other children. Oh dear, you do not look well. Are you feeling ill?" Uzumaki's gentle smile quickly turned into a frown of worry as the brunette stared almost lifelessly a little off to the side. She placed a hand against her forehead then pulled it away after a few moments. "You do not feel warm though you look pale."

"N-no, no, I'm fine. Really. Just…a bad dream is all. Here, I'll take Kino so you can get back to what you were doing. Are the other children outside already? Do they need anything right now?" Ochaco shook her head quickly while extending her arms for the sleepy Kino. She needed to focus on the present right now. Once Deku woke up, she'd ask what he remembered from last night. Once the sleepy child was acquired and Uzumaki gave instruction, the teen made her way to find the other children.

Ochaco was swarmed as soon as she stepped foot into the grass, the young ones clamoring to play all sorts of games. Shifting Kino to sit a little better on her hip, she led the children towards the other half of the village. It would do them some good to have more space to run around and play in the river water, something they probably never had the chance to do. The gate that separated the town was propped open as the women scurried back and forth with supplies; new clothes, food, utensils, bedding. Anything they could grab to temporarily make their lives the slightest bit more comfortable. She was sure after the wall was destroyed the women would move into the better built houses on the other side. It would still take some time for them to adjust back to a normal sense of living.

"Ocha, Ocha! Look! Look!" One of the little boys, Tensei, called out to her with a motioning hand. Following his eager commands, Ochaco crouched down to see what he was pointing at in the lazily flowing river. Among the few riverbed weeds sat some pebbles, varying in shapes and sizes, that rocked gently in the flow. A small finger jabbed into the water and wiggled around. He kept pulling his finger out, examined it, then promptly shoved it back in there for a while longer. The hero tilted her head at the gesture.

"What are you trying to show me?"

"I'm fishin'!" Tensei proclaimed proudly with a toothy grin. Ochaco giggled before sticking her free hand in the frigid water as well, mimicking his motions.

"Since you're an expert, Tensei, I guess I'll have to learn from the best. What kind of fish are we looking for?"

"Um…big ones! And shiny!"

"Big, shiny fish? Do you think you can handle such a fish by yourself?"

"Yeah! I gotta since mommy needs my help now. She said the men had to go away so now I need to do more chores. Chores are boring," Tensei grimaced with his tongue sticking out.

"Did she say where they were going?" Ochaco inquired lightly though the child shook his head. At least the older children were aware. Still, it wasn't an easy situation to be put in. "What kind of chores does she want you to do?"

"Like…watching the other kids and stuff. Help fetch some water. Still some little stuff."

"Yeah? How do you feel about the whole thing?"

Tensei retracted his finger from the water before wrapping tiny arms around his legs. She didn't need to prompt to know he was bothered by it. Ayami probably didn't go in depth on where they went, but children were very observant. They could pick up on even the most subtle change in daily life and emotion. Kino blearily looked around as Ochaco shifted to sit fully on the dirt, the toddler now resting back against her lap with arms encasing the small frame.

"Mama did not say much, just that they were going away. I climbed the wall last night and saw the monk kicking them out. He played with me yesterday and it was a lot of fun. But is the monk a bad person? Is he the reason for everyone leaving?" Tensei finally responded with a small sniffle, eyes glued to the river.

"No, sweetheart, not at all. It's a bit hard to explain what really happened…but some of the men did some not nice things. When people do not-nice things, it can hurt other people very badly. What the monk did was make sure they wouldn't harm another woman or child in Yahashina. I know it's hard to understand right now, Tensei, though I promise you some day it will make sense. Just put your trust in Deku that the right thing was done. Everything will be alright, I promise." Ochaco carefully lifted his face up, gently using her thumb to swipe at the fat tears overflowing. The hero soon had two children in her lap, one latched against her chest crying and the other sitting there looking between the two in confusion.

"Oc…" Kino sputtered with lips pursed out. Ochaco turned her gaze to the small child making odd faces. "Oc…a…"

"What's wrong, Kino? Are you trying to say Ocha?"

"I think she is trying to talk," Tensei supplied while wiping his face off. "Kino stopped after her mama died. Not even my mama could get her to talk."

"Cha…mmma…ma…"

"Can you say Ocha? O-cha?"

"Mmm…mama!" Kino blurted out suddenly, taking both Ochaco and Tensei by surprise. Tiny little hands reached up for the stunned brunette. "Mama, mama!"

"Kino thinks you are her mama, Ocha…" The young boy supplied quietly.

Ochaco bit the corner of her lip as the toddler continued to reach up for her, tiny little fingers grasping at her yukata and hair. It was so adorable yet incredibly sad simultaneously. Tears welled up in auburn eyes and the hero swiftly scooped both children up in a tight hug while trying to hide the heartbroken expression. Kino latched on while Tensei muffled his complaints against her shoulder.

"Ocha, Tensei! We found something weird over here," One of the older girls, Miyuka, called out from in front of the temple steps. A few of the other children were with the barely ten year old as well.

"Alright, let's put on our exploring hats and go see what they've found." The hero said after putting on a cheerful expression. Right now they needed a distraction from their reality while she was living a fantasy. With ease she stood with a child in either arm and jogged and twirled them over to the other children. Miyuka helped Tensei down to the ground while Ochaco kept Kino against her hip. "What did you find over here?"

"We were looking for some trinkets to bring back for our mothers when we found a secret door. The bigger kids tried to open it but we are not strong enough to lift it. Can you open it for us?"

"A trap door? How did you already find a trap door in the temple?" Ochaco asked as the posse of children led the way into the now abandoned holy landmark. Even without the men inhabiting it, the air felt thick and unsettling. It didn't seem like any of the women had tried clearing it yet so anything destroyed yesterday remained exactly the same, including the smashed sake cup set that Aneka had carried. They diverted around the main prayer area then turned right down a hallway the hero hadn't seen before. She knew of the other side of the temple having escaped that way, but this area was uncharted territory. "How did you guys even find the door?"

"I tripped on the corner of it," Miyuka readily admitted with a bright grin. At least the child was carefree about it.

"Only boys are allowed in the temple to pray once they turn ten," Tensei loudly whispered as they entered the room with the hidden door. "Though the girls can come in and clean."

"Have any of the boys been in here before?" Ochaco asked though none of them nodded or raised a hand. Odd. A quick scan over them revealed that there weren't any boys that looked over that age or even above five for that matter. Girls comprised the majority of the village children. It was possible with the limited supplies given to the women that a high mortality rate amongst infants became common. "Miyuka, can you hold Kino for me? I want you guys to stand back just in case."

Once the children were back against the wall, Ochaco took to examining the trap door resting nearly flush in the floorboards. A rumpled rug partially covered the handle part so she rolled it out of the way to examine it better. As soon as the floor was uncovered, a sensation of dread washed over. Blood splattered the weathered wood and it didn't appear to be that old either. It trailed down beyond the opening, down into the unknown depths beneath the temple. She slapped the rug back over before grabbing Kino and promptly ushering the children out into the main hall. Deku would need to be made aware of what was going on.

"Can you guys do me a huge favor? Why don't you go play outside in the gardens while I take a closer look at the door? You did the right thing by alerting me. I'm going to take Kino back to Ayami, but promise me something," Ochaco waited until all eyes were on her before lifting a finger up with a stern expression. "Whatever you do, do not go back into the room. Am I understood?"

"Yes!"

"Good. Go play while I handle this."

The kids scurried out the back door and as soon as they shut the door behind them, Ochaco let out a heavy breath. It was one thing after another. The women spoke of those who never returned after the purity ritual…hopefully she didn't just find where their bodies were being stored. On the path back to the other side of the village, she ran into Aneka who was carrying a basket of linens. She looked up to see Ochaco and Kino, promptly setting aside the laundry on the ground before flinging herself at the two.

"Thank you for rescuing me from the fire. I never got to thank you properly," Aneka muffled against Ochaco's chest, the young woman latched on with a surprisingly strong grip. The hero quickly composed herself then placed a tender hand on the slightly singed black locks.

"You're welcome. You were very brave throughout the whole thing, you should be proud of yourself. Take pride knowing you're a strong and brave young woman, Aneka."

"R-really?"

"Mhmm. You did your best to remain calm in an emergency situation and followed instructions perfectly."

"T-thank you!" Aneka's eyes glimmered as she promptly stepped back to bow deeply, eliciting an amused chuckle from Ochaco. "May I ask where you are going with Kino? Does she need changing or feeding?"

"No, no, she's alright for now. Something has come up and I need someone to watch the children while I grab Deku. They found something in the temple that we need to investigate. I was going to see if Ayami knew who could take her back for a bit," Aneka nodded in understanding as she picked the basket back up, propping it on her hip while shifting out of the way of other women.

"I am going to the gardens to do laundry so I will keep an eye on the children while I am there. Uzumaki may be able to watch Kino once more, though she tends to care for Ayami when she is feeling ill. Good luck, Uraraka."

"Thanks, Aneka."

Ochaco quickly made her way back to the main house after saying her goodbyes. Kino was playing with whatever hair she could reach, tugging on it, chewing it, even slapping the soggy strands back into the brunettes face. When the toddler wasn't expecting it, the teen lightly munched on the tiny fingers terrorizing chestnut strands. Tiny, happy screeches filled the air every time the little fingers were attacked. Honestly, she didn't mind it in the least. She was enjoying the welcome distraction from the undoubtedly gruesome scene about to be unveiled in the temple. Voices caught her attention just before rounding the corner to Ayami's house so she slowed down a bit.

"Where on Earth did you come from, monk?" Risa's voice filled the air, causing Ochaco to instantly stop walking. They'd noticed. It was a matter of time before someone did, it was just really bad timing seeing as she was coming back around to grab him. Her heart felt like it was about to burst through the ribs barely containing the drumming.

"From that bedroom. Is something wrong?" Izuku replied, thoroughly confused at the reaction. He'd just woken up from a very strange dream to find every woman in the house staring at him oddly. The first thing he checked was being fully clothed, which he was, followed by doing a quick body check for any weird markings or injuries.

"Yes. Do you mean to tell me that you and Ochaco shared chambers last night?" Risa accused coyly with a cooking utensil pointed at the alarmed teenager. Ayami, sitting nearby and enjoying the scene, could barely contain her laughter behind a sleeve. A few other women gossiped amongst themselves with uncontrollable giggles.

"Eh?" Came the smart reply from Izuku as he stared at Risa with wide eyes and a slackened jaw.

"I did not stutter. Ochaco left that room earlier, in a rather flustered state I might add, stating she did not know where you were. Now you come strolling out with your disheveled hair and clothing? We all know you have feelings for her, seems the show she gave last night finally drew you in. You cannot fool these eyes," Risa grinned as soon as Izuku flushed bright red, his spluttering explanations only fueling the roaring laughter filling the house.

Ochaco slapped a hand against her face as it burned hot. There was an urgent situation that needed his attention, just not when all of the women were there accusing him of inappropriate deeds. Fanning her face as fast as she could to ease the heat, she took a breath and continued forward. They could gossip all they wanted later on, right now she needed her classmate's help with an investigation. Kino cooed happily once the open doorway came into sight, the toddler twisting around to see who was around. Once she saw Izuku standing there profusely defending himself, her eyes widened and her little brain said the first thing it thought of.

"Dada!"

The laughter quickly died out as all eyes swung to the mortified Ochaco standing there with a toddler blubbering dada in between grabbing at her face and saying mama. Even Izuku looked over only to find his classmate frozen with a deer in headlights look and a face redder than his own. Ayami gasped softly while scooting closer to the doorway.

"What did you say, Kino?"

"Mama," Kino giggled while patting Ochaco's face. Then she twisted back around to reach out towards Izuku with grabby hands. "Dada!"

"My goodness, this is the first time she has spoken in a while." Uzumaki gasped tearfully while sweeping down the stairs to embrace the child. Ochaco got wrapped up in the hug as well but she was too mortified to even look away from the equally frozen Izuku. All of the women swept outside to swoon over the bubbly child, quickly forgetting about tormenting the teens.

"How did this happen?" Ayami asked while accepting the needy grasp of Kino, gently pulling her into a hug. "She has not opened up to anyone for so long, Ochaco. How did you do it?"

"I uh…I took the children to the other side of the village and Tensei was playing in the river. I joined him and she started by trying to say Ocha but ended up saying…mama." The brunette finished quicky after finally breaking the intense gaze with Deku. The warmth was returning to her face for an entirely different reason now.

"Incredible. You are a miracle worker," Risa commended proudly with a hearty slap on the back, quickly rubbing the area to ease the sting. "Just like how you worked one over on our dear monk last night—"

"N-nothing happened last night! We came back from patrolling and must've fallen asleep after taking turns on shift. It's nothing like that, honest! We're just friends!" Ochaco protested while backing away, frantically waving her hands to fend off the invisible attacking comments. Some shared doubtful looks while others like Ayami and Uzumaki seemed to nod in understanding. Risa, on the other hand, remained doubtful with arms crossed and an eyebrow notched.

"Oh, really? Monk, come here."

"Y-yes?" Izuku squeaked out nervously while scurrying down the porch stairs to stand where the intimidating woman was pointing.

"Prove to us your pure intentions. Declare your feelings or deny them. Right now." Both teenagers balked. There was no way she was being serious. Putting them both on the spot in front of the entire village was humiliating after having a toddler call them mama and papa.

"Risa, leave them be. You are going to scare them away," Ayami chuckled lightly.

"What? I am just helping them along. See? They have both turned the same shade as the temple posts,"

"The temple! Deku, we need to investigate a room the children found. There's a hidden door that leads underneath the temple. Aneka is watching the rest of the children, don't worry," Ochaco quickly filled in. She didn't want them thinking the children were just left on their own over there.

"Alright. Let's go," Izuku agreed, instantly in hero mode.

"Do be careful! Come, Kino, your mama and papa will return soon enough." Uzumaki cooed at the child before leading Ayami back into the house while sharing a laugh with the other women. Ochaco was pretty sure her head was billowing steam from how hot it was. She couldn't even look at Deku while leading the way back to the temple a few steps ahead.

"So…what did you find in the temple, Uraraka?" Izuku started off awkwardly, averting his gaze to anywhere but on her.

"A trapdoor that leads deeper underneath the temple but I have a bad feeling about what's under there," The brunette replied quickly. Her hands twisted anxiously at her front as they passed through the gate. Focus needed to be on the blood soaked floors, not the feelings for her classmate bubbling to the surface. "I've been told that some of the women who participated in the purity ceremony never returned. I think I may have just found where they went. There's blood soaking the floorboards and it's not that old, maybe a day or so at the most. I'm not sure if anyone is actively missing."

"It's possible they tried to get rid of any evidence when I was confined to my quarters. They had every exit covered with multiple guards patrolling around. Whatever they were hiding, it wasn't something to be found easily." Izuku replied. With everything going on he didn't have the chance to look further into the purity chamber located at the back of the garden. It'd make sense to have a secondary exit to dispose of any bodies. Upon entering the temple, they found Aneka frantically searching for something as the other children watched from just outside.

"Aneka? What happened?" Ochaco jogged over to the women just as she began tossing ceremonial supplies all over the floor, desperately muttering to herself. "Hey, calm down for a second and tell me what's going on. Did something happen to the children?"

"Tensei has gone missing! I was washing the bedding in the tubs when Miyuka ran over to tell me he has disappeared. They think he went back into the room after being told not to enter the temple. He…he mentioned something about seeing his father…that cannot be true, right? There should not be any men left in the village!" Aneka sobbed against the brunette desperately, both sagging to the floor in a heap. A shared looked between heroes had Deku immediately going to check on the children outside, doing a head count and checking for injuries. What was a simple investigation was now turning into a life or death situation.

"Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of this. I need you to pull yourself together right now and take the children back to the other side. Let Ayami know that we have things handled, but that they need to stay over there for now. No more supply runs until we clear the village. I know you're scared, Aneka, but remember how brave you were last night. You can do this. Take a deep breath in and let it out. Focus on what needs to be done." Ochaco soothed while lifting the woman up, wiping her face with the sleeve of her yukata. It took a moment of hitched breaths and sniffling, but Aneka gathered herself before moving towards the children.

"I made sure the perimeter was cleared, no one should've been able to get back into the village," Izuku muttered to his classmate as she watched the children be ushered away before the doors were quietly shut and locked. Concerned auburn turned to matching emerald.

"Do you remember anything from last night, Deku?"

"Last night? Not really, no. I had a strange dream…"

"I vaguely remember being at the lake with Eri, yet every time I try to push further I get a sharp pain in my head. Something happened but there's no memory of it. We can't verify if the gates weren't fully shut or not, right? They should've been once we left to go to the lake. So what happened when we returned, Deku?" Ochaco could see the gears trying to turn in his head though when a slight wince filtered across his face, her fear was confirmed. He couldn't remember anything either.

"I-I don't know, Uraraka. When I try to remember, there's just a sharp pain like you had. It's like something is blocking the memories from returning. I'm pretty sure I shut the gate on the way out,"

"Yet neither of us can remember what happened on the way in. Come on, if one of the men managed to find their way in and open that door then we need to stop him. It's this way,"

Ochaco led the way into the room with Izuku right on her heels. The rug had been thrown halfway across the room and the trapdoor was resting open against the floor. Tensei wasn't strong enough to open it by himself so someone had to have snuck in after she left the temple. Dropping to her knees, she stuck her head into the opening in hopes of finding a shallow hole. Instead, there were torches illuminating a tunnel system that seemed to curve away from the temple grounds. Without even waiting, the hero flipped down into the tunnel and hit the ground with a soft oomph. It was deeper than she could see so the drop jarred her bones a bit from the impact. Izuku dropped down shortly afterwards by using the makeshift ladder as a guide.

"Tensei, are you down here?" Izuku called out softly while grabbing one of the torches from the wall. Despite the tunnel being lit up, there was still plenty of darkness surrounding them.

"Deku, there's a trail of blood going down the middle of the pathway." Ochaco whispered in the process of dodging the inconsistent trail of liquid leading deeper into the unknown. The air was beginning to smell musty with a tinge of decay. A sleeve lifted to cover her face. A sinking feeling began pulling at her stomach.

"Marks coincide with a body being dragged through here. Slimmer margins, not entirely adult size. Fairly consistent blood staining with sections of pooling. Whoever was dragging them had to keep stopping about every twenty to thirty feet. Most likely a young adult or someone on the smaller side. Keep your guard up." Izuku stood after examining the dirt, his grip tightening on the torch. Something sketchy was going on here and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

They traversed the tunnel for a short while longer, occasionally stopping to study the tracks and listen for other signs of life, before reaching a small, illuminated cavern. Both heroes crouched behind a bundle of large barrels to discreetly survey the scene. A figure was moving around, throwing things, muttering incoherently, growing more and more frustrated as time went on. The frustration reached a boiling point when their foot swung out and struck a large vase, obliterating it with a sharp crash then sending fragments everywhere.

"Damn them! Where is it? Elder Kamada said to sneak back in to retrieve the dagger yet it is nowhere in sight! Have those wenches found it already? No. No, there is no way. The door is too heavy for them to move and the only other access is through the purity chamber. Maybe that monk found the opening…" The man grumbled aloud with frantic pacing, a hand to his face in thought. Izuku peered around the barrel to squint at the man. From a distance it was difficult to discern who it was, yet that voice…

"That's Isobe, one of the men I met right from the beginning. They ushered him away when he began slipping about what they did with the women." Izuku whispered to Ochaco, the brunette merely nodding at the information without taking her eyes off of something across the room. The hero took notice, following her gaze to see something shifting behind a stack of tatami mats. "Is that…Tensei? What is he doing down here?"

"I don't know but he's in danger. Cover me, I'm going to move around and grab him before Isobe notices."

"Roger."

Ochaco slipped under her classmates arm once the frustrated man was distracted by something else, stealthily slinking around stacks of hidden supplies. The men must've been hoarding everything from the women when wandering merchants came through judging by the sheer amount. It had to be at least a few years' worth of household goods and luxuries. Isobe turned in her direction so the brunette went prone and stilled, slowing down her breathing to the bare minimum. Everything sounded louder in the cavernous space so it was taking every ounce of training to remain undetected. Footsteps drew near, causing Ochaco to hold her breath as crates above her were rifled through. Dust puffed into the air from the motion.

Silently slapping both hands over her face, Ochaco squeezed her eyes shut as the particles rained over her. Sneezing would instantly give away her positioning then they'd have to restrain Isobe by force. Right now, Tensei's safety was priority. Fighting was the last thing she wanted to do with a child in the line of fire.

"Where is it…oh, wait. It should be with the last sacrifice. Now, where did Chiba drag that wench? Ah. Over there." Isobe stepped away from Ochaco's hiding spot giving the hero the chance to fan away the dust and scoot forward.

Taking the chance of him moving away, she popped her head up only to see him shifting towards Tensei. A fast glance back towards Deku showed him realizing the same thing. Ochaco crawled faster around the curve of the cavern towards the child in hopes of reaching him before Isobe did. He was in sight but didn't seem to notice the hero flagging him down silently, his eyes instead focused on the man approaching his hiding spot. Something caught on her sandal, halting her progress and causing her to hit the dirt. In the process of falling, an appendage thumped into one of the crates and rattled some bottles inside.

"Is someone there? Show yourself!" Isobe demanded while whirling around to find the noise. A few tense seconds revealed nothing so he slowly crept closer to the general area while pulling a sickle from the back of his belt. "Make this easier on yourself. Come out now and I may consider mercy. Continue to hide and you will be slaughtered where you stand."

The brunette kept one hand over her mouth while trying to dislodge the stuck sandal simultaneously, the shoe firmly stuck on something in the darkness. If she couldn't get free within seconds then it was going to become a fight. Deku would have the chance to grab Tensei and get him to safety, meaning her skirmish needed to last just long enough for that to happen. Nimble fingers managed to undo the sandal strap and free the hero but not before she got a glimpse of what had caused the snag. A hand. Bloodied and frozen in an agonized state sticking out from underneath a flimsy bamboo mat. The more she stared, the more she realized it was an entire body stashed callously in the dirt like trash.

Decomposition had already begun with muscle, fat, and internal organs eroding away which in turn caused a buildup of methane gas, bloating the body to an unrecognizable state. What skin remained had turned a putrid black and grey from death. Glazed, bulging eyes peeked out from underneath matted black locks and stared into horrified auburn emotionlessly. It couldn't have been more than a week old yet it seemed like it was ready to burst with the slightest movement. Ochaco couldn't stop the churning contents of her stomach and promptly crawled a feet few away before losing what little there was. Tears overflowed as she gagged over and over, barely able to get a breath in between each heave.

"Seems you have found part of the latest stash, newcomer. Pity, she was beautiful at one time." Isobe snickered while looming over the downed hero, sickle raising above his head. He had a hunch it was the monk and his meddling friend, turned out his intuition was correct. No matter, she would rot down here with the rest of the impure women. "Tell her hello from the depths of Hell."

Izuku latched onto Isobe's wrist hard enough to snap it then threw the weapon far out of range. The man screamed in agony then the teen swept his feet out from underneath him before pinning him to the ground. "Stay down, Isobe. Try anything else and I'm going to break your entire arm."

"D-damn you, monk! I should have known you were involved. You need to learn to keep your nose to the ground!"

"Shut up. Tensei, are you okay?"

"W-what is that…O-Ocha…i-is t-that…" Tensei stammered out as he staggered towards her, hands latched tightly around a bejeweled dagger. A petrified gaze darted between the heroes, Isobe, and the mostly concealed form beneath the mat.

"Don't come near…" Ochaco rasped. Even if her body wanted to keep vomiting, there wasn't anything left to upheave so she forced herself up. Sans prompting, Tensei was safely tucked into her arms with his head buried. She'd seen horrendous battlefield casualties, injuries on friends, at one point even her own gaping insides yet nothing was more jarring than a body that was beyond dead. A hard throat clearing quelled the next round of gagging, at least temporarily. "Let's get you out of here."

"I'll meet you back upstairs, Uraraka. I have some questions for Isobe." Izuku called out with barely contained emotion. He waited until she was at least two minutes into the tunnel before slamming a foot down on Isobe's back, eliciting a piercing scream that resonated loudly in the cavern. When the man tried to get up, he slammed a foot into his side and had him curled against the ground without a care. "You don't get to decide when this is over. You're going to tell me what I want to know, Isobe. I can finish this quickly or prolong it until you're screaming for mercy."

"W-why should I tell you anything? You are going to end me regardless! All you are doing is delaying the inevitable, monk!"

"Fine. The hard way it is."

Ochaco pushed Tensei up through the trapdoor then followed suit, doing her best to ignore the faint echoing of screams following them. Deku was going to get the answers they needed through harsher tactics, one that normally she wouldn't condone, yet it seemed more than deserved with what she just uncovered down there. The poor child was trembling like a leaf with the weapon still clenched in his grasp. He refused to loosen his death grip on it so the hero didn't fight it. Seeing the body traumatized him enough for one lifetime.

"Ocha…where did the monk go? Why is he still down there?" Tensei spoke barely above a whisper, as if afraid someone would punish him for being louder.

"Deku will come back in a few minutes, Tensei. Are you hurt at all?" The brunette diverted away from the question but the child's constant glances between her and the door meant he wouldn't let it go yet.

"I saw…I saw someone go into the room after you told us not to so I followed him. I thought…maybe…it was my daddy. By the time I got in here, he was already down there and I went after him. I got scared when he started throwing stuff everywhere so I found this blade and hid." Tensei explained softly after Ochaco sat down next to him, offering a spot on her lap with a gentle patting. He quickly clambered up.

"Why didn't you tell Aneka? It was dangerous to go down there without telling someone. You could've been seriously injured, Tensei. It was very reckless to follow a stranger into a dark tunnel." Ochaco couldn't help but chastise him. What he did was reckless and about cost him his life if Isobe had found him. He could've disappeared from the village without a trace and none would've been the wiser.

"I just thought…maybe the monk was wrong about the men…maybe they were not all bad. But then he tried to hurt you and I…I-I was wrong. Forgive me, Ocha, I did not mean to do it!" Tensei finally dropped the blade aside before turning around and latching onto the brunette's chest.

"I know, I know. It's alright. You're safe now, that's all that matters."

The two sat against the wall for what seemed like an eternity in silence. Ochaco stared at the opposite wall lost in thought as Tensei dozed off with the rise and fall of rhythmic breathing. Over and over the image of the body flashed through her mind; the glazed unseeing eyes, eternally screaming expression, bloated and discolored skin, the gnarled hand reaching for someone to help. Yet no one came. No one helped. They probably hurled slurs, abused for disobedience, pinned arms and legs down, used for their sick pleasures until done before tossing her aside. Dragged her tainted and broken body to a place no one would find it ever again. Not even a proper gravesite nor headstone. It was as if she were nothing more than an object instead of a human being.

They were right to kick the men out of Yahashina, to banish them into the cold, harsh world with nothing more than the clothes washed and dried by the women. Women who had their whole lives controlled, every waking moment directed by one man's whim. Driven to obey by fear of abuse, physical or verbal, without warning. Warmth trailed over numbed cheeks albeit it was barely noticed. Had she not been the highly trained hero she was raised to be…it could've been her body down there. Another body for them to defile. Another object for the corrupt men of Yahashina to toy and destroy. How many women had they killed? A handful? A dozen? A few dozen? Regardless of the exact number, their heinous acts had been going on long before they ever arrived. No amount of praying would ever save their souls for the afterlife, that much Ochaco was sure of.

Izuku quietly sat down next to his friend feeling the same slurry of emotions. He'd lost track of how long he was in the tunnel but there were some things he needed to wrap up. Isobe caved pretty fast and let it slip that he was ordered to come back for the jeweled dagger for pawn. Apparently, the group that remained in the area had become too accustomed to the finer things in life and therefore were struggling to even sleep in a rickety old shack. They wanted the funds to be able to board in the next village before heading for Kyoto. Originally, the man was going to take another entrance into the cavern but ended up using the temple one due to nearly being spotted by one of the women. He coughed up how he got in, by removing rocks where the river met the fence, before begging for his life. The hero forced him to reveal where the other secret holes were then threatened Isobe with a fate worse than a broken wrist and bruised ribs if ever ventured near the village again. Isobe eagerly agreed before showing the other way out.

While he couldn't fit through the holes himself, Izuku knew someone skinnier could after watching Isobe weasel through the makeshift ports. After thoroughly plugging each and every gap without compromising the rivers flow, the hero returned to the cavern to deal with the other issue at hand. Numerous bodies that had been discarded carelessly, all in various stages of decomposition. Apparently some of the men had gotten lazy in properly disposing of the women who didn't survive the purity ceremony and just dumped them in the cavern. At first, he couldn't understand what had caused Uraraka to suddenly lose control of her stomach. Then he found it. Not even his body was strong enough to resist the urge and he spent a good few minutes throwing up and clutching his stomach. It was grotesque. And he'd seen battlefields with people literally crushed beneath buildings or spliced in half by a villain's quirk.

Trying to move the body now would've ended up with rotten juices spewing all over, so the hero did the best he could by placing a few layers of fresh linens on top and saying a fast prayer. She wasn't the only one he found down there. At least four others in varying stages of decomposition littered throughout the room either tucked away in a corner or shoved into makeshift coffins. The teen had a sinking suspicion the barrels he and Uraraka hid behind earlier weren't full of food either, the faint aroma of decay seeping through the wooden slats and stench of sake. Originally, he was going to bury them in a mass grave but there weren't any tools to be found. So he settled on trying to cover them with a clean sheet, saying a fast prayer, then moving onto the next one.

He was going to get with Ayami on the whole situation, though he was at the point of accidentally letting the whole temple go up in flames just to bury it all. Besides, it no longer counted as a holy place with the amount of blood and death resting beneath its foundation. Who knows how much sin was soaked into the walls as well. Izuku dropped his head back against the wall with a sigh. With every step forward it seemed to be three steps back. They needed to tear down the wall, ensure the women could self-sustain, he had to recheck the entire perimeter on both sides…then there was the Eri problem. He'd yet to see the white fox after their midnight meeting at the lake and even that seemed like a distorted dream. Every move she made, Izuku Midoriya would be watching like a hawk.

"Is it done?" Ochaco asked softly.

"Yeah." Izuku responded delicately.

"Okay,"

"You gonna be alright?"

"I don't know yet, Deku. I just…don't know."

"How's Tensei?"

Ochaco blinked slowly before looking down at the child passed out against her chest. His face was smushed up from the angle he was sleeping at, exaggerating the childlike plump cheeks. He looked so peaceful despite nearly being killed by a deranged man. Padded fingertips gently brushed a few strands of hair that had fallen over his eyes. "Traumatized. He saw you escorting the men from the village last night and held resentment against you for it. When he saw Isobe, he wanted to prove you wrong that all of the men were bad. Tensei knew what he did was wrong and was just scared. They're all scared of the change coming to Yahashina."

"It's a lot of change happening at once and it won't be easy to adjust to. After you brought him back up, I found more bodies down there. More than I want to acknowledge. This hasn't been going on for a short while, Uraraka, it's been happening for probably years at this point. To them it's a way of life, to us it's criminal and deserves punishment. But the reality is that this world doesn't belong to us because it's a book. This isn't our world to pass down judgement so easily," Izuku closed his eyes as the dreaded realization washed over him. While they were heroes in their own world, trying to be ones in this one was probably doing more harm than good. Yes, they'd stopped a malicious cult of rapists and murderers, but the repercussions could be catastrophic in the long run. Who's to say a band of raiders won't pass through after they leave and wipe out the entire village? Or a fire burns it down to the ground overnight?

"You're saying we need to stop trying to save everyone?" Ochaco asked incredulously while looking at Deku. Coming from the soon-to-be number one hero in all of Japan, he was saying to stop saving people?

"All Might would've freaked out hearing me admit it," Izuku mumbled to himself while cracking an eye open to look at Uraraka. The normally vibrant auburn eyes were swirling with turmoil and unease. He hated it when she lost her normal bubbly personality that she was loved for. With an exhale he shifted to fully face his friend with the most understanding expression he could muster. "I didn't mean it in that sense, Uraraka, but you've noticed it too. No matter what we do, no matter how many people we take out or times we throw ourselves into the path of danger here, we can't save everyone. This world doesn't exist anymore. While these people may have existed at one point in time, they don't in our reality. I don't like admitting this either, believe me when I say it about makes me physically sick to deny people help. But at what point do we start doing more harm than good?"

"…I know you're right, Deku, I really do but I just…they're children. Women and children left to defend themselves against anything and everything. They've started opening up to me and maybe it's just my soft spot for them," Ochaco bit down on the inside of her lip when the emotions threatened to overflow. She'd grown to love the women and children of Yahashina like a second family so the thought of abandoning them didn't sit well with her.

"I love spending time with everyone too and I feel like there's so much more to do before trying to leave, but we shouldn't be doing everything for them. In order to survive, the villagers of Yahashina will have to learn to fend for themselves. I've already secured the perimeter of the village for them and they have access to a direct water source, so it's a good step forward. I think the rest should be up to them."

"So, what now? Do we just leave without saying goodbye?" Ochaco asked softly with one hand resting against Tensei's head, the other pulling him just a smidge closer.

"It wouldn't feel right leaving like that. We should probably talk to Ayami first before making any rash decisions. Then there's the issue of Eri," Izuku rubbed the back of his neck to ease some of the building tension. They couldn't leave and wander aimlessly considering the missing fox needed them for her own desires.

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her anywhere. I don't think she's in the village just from what I've seen. Normally she hangs out with the kids every chance she gets. Do you think something happened to her at the lake? After we returned?" The brunette was now getting worried about the deity, despite the hazy memories after leaving the village the prior night. Even if she had nefarious tactics to force them to help, a bond had been formed between them.

"We can go check once we get with Ayami. They're probably worried about Tensei as well. Can you stand?" Izuku rocked to his feet then turned to offer both hands out to help his friend.

"I think so, I just don't want to wake Tensei…"

"Not a problem, rescue mission it is. Hold on tight—"

"I-I can handle it!"

After some careful maneuvering to avoid jostling him awake, Ochaco led the way back to the other side of the wall with a burning face. Having Deku carry her had the heroes heart racing a million miles an hour. It wasn't that she minded being next to him all the time, it was the fact that just earlier the women were tormenting them both about sharing a room. What would they say about him carrying her bridal style into the main house? Tensei was still dead asleep against her chest and she was thankful he was a heavy sleeper. He didn't need to be exposed to romantic gestures like that for another ten years or so. Plus, if they were truly about to leave the village, it gave the brunette just a few more minutes to bond with him.

The remaining children were running around carefree in the grass, rolling around, tackling one another, playing tag, until the two heroes came around the corner. As soon as one spotted them, they all stopped what they were doing to rush them with a million questions a minute. Miyuka flung herself at Ochaco with warbled words as a few of the younger boys tried to start wrestling with Izuku. It caused enough of a commotion that Uzumaki peered her head out from the main house to see what was going on.

"You two are back? Is Tensei unharmed? What happened?"

"He's fine, just a bit worn out. We need to sit down and talk with Ayami, it's urgent." Izuku cut the conversation short firmly. If one of the women started asking questions then they'd all come out and start prodding for answers. They needed to bring up urgent issues with the Head Lady and no one else.

"Of course. Bring him this way, Ochaco, I will take him from here." Uzumaki opened her arms for the young boy as Ochaco neared, yet when the brunette made to shift her arms she found a heavy resistance to do so. He was sleeping so peacefully that it caused a heartache to disturb him the slightest bit. Auburn orbs were locked onto the gentle, boyish face resting against her chest in a near trance. Without thinking, she placed a gentle kiss against his temple before resting her head lightly against his with closed eyes.

"Uraraka?" Izuku placed a hand against her upper arm after she didn't move for nearly a minute. He could understand completely the bond that had formed with the villagers in such a short time and especially the ones formed between the women. It was still a mystery to him, yet somehow women always had a stronger connection between one another and children.

"S-sorry. Just got a bit lost in thought for a minute," Ochaco jolted from the daze once Uzumaki closed in. The young woman smiled in understanding before expertly taking Tensei and motioning for them to enter the house while she moved towards her own. After a few seconds of watching them depart, the brunette blinked hard and turned away with a hand swiping across her eyes.

"You really love these children," Izuku commented without taking his gaze from Uraraka. The tender expression adorning her face sent flurries of emotion tumbling around in the pit of his stomach with a racing heartbeat to match. He'd never seen his friend like this, in such a state of vulnerability and raw emotion. They'd had their shares of emotional moments but this…

"I suppose I do. Let's go—" Ochaco was cut off by something warm enveloping her in a strong yet gentle grasp. Surprise rippled throughout the brunette as her mind took a few seconds to comprehend what was happening. "D-Deku?"

"It's okay, Uraraka, I am here." Izuku whispered with a wavering voice. Not even his own wall could hold up anymore as the tears welled up before hitting the ground sporadically. Scarred hands pressed her a little closer as his breathing became shuddered with quiet sobs. After a few seconds she reciprocated with arms wrapping around his torso firmly, fingers digging into the back of his yukata. Already he could feel the hot tears soaking into his clothes as Uraraka's walls finally crumbled.

"Deku," Ochaco warbled before her legs gave out, both heroes sinking to the ground in a crying, messy heap.

"Poor things," Risa murmured from the doorway with a sleeve dabbing at her own shimmering eyes.

"They have truly become part of our family," Ayami replied with a slow nod of her head. "But their place is not here. It is time for them to move on so as to not become intertwined with this life. Risa, will you please pack them both bags for the road? They have a long journey ahead of them."

"Yes, Ayami."

Ayami silently shut the door then turned around to face the person waiting opposite of her. Their interactions in the past had always been brief, rarely more than cordial, so seeing them sitting there relaxed with a steaming cup of tea had her nerves on edge. Over and over this dance had cycled with the same result. Sensing the growing apprehension in the room, the person set their tea back down on the plate with the smallest clink.

"I have not seen you this on edge in a long time, Ayami. Why the nervousness?" Eri purred with both hands cupping delicate, porcelain cheeks.

Things were progressing rather nicely though with the smallest hiccup; Ochaco was beginning to form strong bonds with the children. During a few incidences in the endless loop of time, the deity had seen the same result though it never ended well. Those who could not escape Yahashina in time succumbed to the wrath of the village men returning to slaughter all. In a matter of days, all living women and children in the vicinity of the village would be lying in discarded heaps of blood and dirt. No matter how they begged, pleaded, cried for someone to help; there was no escaping a fate that had been sealed for over a thousand years.

"I do not wish to continue discussing this matter. We have played this game many times, I grow weary of it." Ayami replied tartly, clenching trembling hands tightly together against her lap. Once before, many times ago, she had invoked the wrath of the deity sitting casually across with a slap in the face. That was the first and last night she died from a force other than the village men.

"I shall admit, after a few centuries it does tire. Though I have yet to see someone resist so immensely to the sway of power as Izuku Midoriya does. He has full awareness that this is not reality, his reality. Perhaps he will be the one to undo the curse upon us all, or it shall overwhelm his mind and throw him into the purge of despair."

"They both have shown great strength and resilience although I worry for Ochaco. Her heart has become softened for the children, as happens often, though never like this. I believe it would be best for their memories of Yahashina to be erased upon your departure. What lies ahead will be no small task that requires the utmost mental strength and determination. The monk will surely see to it that the correct path is walked." Ayami reached for the bags Risa held out and carefully set them at her front then dug a small pouch out from around her neck. She yanked it hard enough to break the twine and with an almost careless toss it became snatched up by the deity. "Your payment for their safe passage."

"They will arrive unharmed, you have my word and the bond of my seal. We will depart at nightfall when the roads are more perilous to humans. I will come for them then." Eri stood with an elegant stretch and in the blink of an eye, reverted back to fox form with the bribery secured firmly in her teeth. Risa hurried over to a window and released the white fox back into the village. The frame shut quietly.

"What shall we do about those two?" Risa asked lowly while shifting to sit across from the Head Lady ready to organize the travel bags. They needed a few more things such as food but those would be made shortly before their departure. Food, medicinal herbs, spare clothes and shoes, basically the bare minimum to survive for their lengthy journey ahead.

"Leave them be for now. I do not wish to ruin the moment. They have both been through enough." Ayami whispered. Risa nodded without breaking from her organizing.

It was going to be a long day.

_B_

It'd taken a bit of back and forth, but the Head Lady finally relented in allowing the temple to be burned to the ground once she was made aware of the corpses residing below. Although temples were revered as holy places that allowed communications between Heaven and Earth, this one had its connection severed long ago. Izuku held the torch tightly in one hand while clenching the other at his side. After this they would be done interfering with Yahashina. Life would have to continue on without their helping hands, no matter how much they disliked it. Uraraka had retreated to the main house after breaking down earlier and had yet to emerge hours later. He wouldn't be able to handle her reaction to leaving the children for good.

"Are all preparations done?" The hero asked Risa as she solemnly returned to his side. He gave them the opportunity to clear out what they wanted before it became lost to the flames. A simple nod of her head gave him the all clear so he strode forward to ignite the jar of oil resting in front of the steps. With how aged the wood was, it wouldn't take long for the entire thing to collapse in one go.

Grabbing the jar with his other hand, Izuku threw the door open and tossed it inside. It crashed against the prayer area, coating the mats and statue with highly flammable oil. A fast prayer of forgiveness then the torch followed suit before the door shut behind it. He'd need to watch until it burned out to ensure the other houses wouldn't catch fire, though a few of the women had been saturating the buildings with water over the last half an hour or so to prevent that. Less than twenty steps away had wood crackling in the air as flames spread like wildfire. Black smoke billowed out through the worn windows in the steeple, filling the clear skies with a haze. Risa muttered a prayer under her breath and shook her head sadly.

"Monk, you have done us all a great deed with your efforts. I wish to personally thank you for your actions in Yahashina," Izuku turned to see Risa bowing deeply, tied back raven locks shifting over her shoulder from the gesture. She stood before he could properly respond and held out a sheathed blade. The hero graciously took the offer but when he made to open the sheath, a delicate hand stopped him. "It would be a bad omen to open this next to a burning temple. Please, only open it after your departure."

"Of course, thank you. Both Uraraka and I appreciate the hospitality received from everyone in the village. If there's anything else you need feel free to ask." Izuku bowed back only to receive a whack to the back of the head and a hair tousling. Risa beamed at him yet the smile wavered until her lips were pursed together. Without another word she turned on her heel and walked off leaving the hero slightly confused at the odd reaction.

Ever since sitting down to talk with Ayami, the women seemed to be acting a bit different. They were still friendly and talkative yet their cheerfulness seemed to quickly die off to morph into an almost dejected expression. If he asked what was wrong, they'd wave it off as being tired or the sun was in their eyes. Little lies to cover up the truth on what was really happening. Ayami knew they needed to leave for their own reasons so did it get relayed to the others? Not that he minded them being told, it was just making things awkward within the village.

As he suspected, the temple came crashing down relatively fast after ignition. Within an hour it was completely demolished. Izuku used a long stick to poke at any glowing embers, encouraging them to seek more fuel. He wanted the entire thing burned to the ground. A precaution he took, one that not even Ayami knew about, was the sealing of the trap door with the angry Buddha statue. Once the wood burned through it would send it plummeting down to seal the tunnel. There would always be the other entrance but there was no longer a reason to search for it. It was now an underground mass gravesite. The frown on his face twitched deeper. Maybe he should've burned everything in there too.

"Are we doing the right thing, Deku?"

Izuku turned at the voice yet no one was there. He scanned the entire area with no sign of his friend. A hand swiped over his eyes. Hallucination? The voice sounded like it was right behind him and clear as day. After a minute of debating with himself on the status of mental sanity, the hero turned back around to continue prodding the smoldering wood. Wind kicked up the smoke a bit so he shielded stinging emerald orbs. Once it cleared to a tolerable level, his arm lowered.

The smoldering ruins of the temple had been traded in for the cliffside view looking over the destroyed city just outside of U.A.'s stronghold Troy. It was still a horrific sight even after two years and for the briefest moment, the hero felt paralyzed from fear. Whirling around he found their temporary quarters standing tall in the midday sunny skies, the sun reflecting brightly from the windows. Wide eyes shot down. He was still wearing the yukata from Yahashina yet everything seemed to be the from a past perspective. Both hands locked onto a very confused mess of green tendrils. Was this another part of the book?

"Uraraka!"

"Oh, Deku!"

Izuku whipped his head around so fast it nearly snapped off. There he was, a younger version anyways, running shoeless towards an equally younger Uraraka standing by the edge of the cliff. He hadn't even noticed them appear. Instinctively his body moved towards them both, standing a few feet behind himself to watch curiously. It felt odd to stare at his younger self but neither seemed to notice.

"Have you finished unpacking already?"

"Mm. It's not like I had much anyways."

"Same. I only brought an extra set of clothes."

The next words were already forming on his tongue yet the moment passed with silence. In fact, more than a few moments passed with neither saying a single thing to one another. Izuku scooted closer to get a better look at the scene. He remembered every single word spoken in this conversation yet both were staring out over the sea of destruction in thickening silence. This wasn't how he remembered it, not even close. The more he studied the young heroes, the more he realized there were stark differences. Uraraka was wearing her hero costume but was holding her helmet in both hands. The button up shirt she had on top was tattered with shorts on in place of the anti-nausea belt. Large, impact absorbing boots were replaced with plain tennis shoes that he'd seen during weekend outings.

Then there was her expression. It was haunting, like looking into a lifeless shell. Dark circles beneath dulled auburn orbs gave her once roundish face a gaunt fit that showed cheekbones beginning to protrude. The beautiful thick chestnut hair fell flat in brittle strands that were pulled back into a low, messy bun. Dirt filled abrasions covered nearly every inch of exposed skin with some more severe wounds peeking through the torn costume and clothing. Izuku stepped closer with a hand raised.

"How did you get to this point, Uraraka? What happened to you?" He whispered brokenly. His fingers made to brush against her cheek yet the younger hero suddenly disappeared from sight. Looking back to find his other version, Izuku's gaze hardened. It was like looking at a monster.

Torn, tattered, and covered in everything imaginable stood the hero Deku. He was slumped over in a haggard stance with black whip sporadically twitching all around him. Eerie virescent eyes leered up at him from through the frayed hood that symbolized All Might's strength and resilience. Now it was nothing more than a dark shadow that once resembled the bright and shining hero he was meant to be. Fear and darkness had wedged into his heart, forcing all others away while driving him forward to target those working closest to All for One.

"I'm fine…"

"Liar." Izuku replied lowly, turning to face the prior shadow of himself. The dark form didn't move though his power surged a bit at the remark.

"I don't need…anyone's help…"

"Stop lying to yourself. You knew you needed the help, you were just too afraid to let All for One get close to anyone. Look at the damage you've done to yourself."

"Stop it…"

"How did you expect to keep going in that condition? You couldn't even stand straight anymore. It's pathetic. You're no hero in that form, Izuku Midoriya."

"STOP IT!"

The attack happened fast but Izuku was faster. A smash meant for his face was easily caught and diverted to the side, throwing the dark form off. He fell to his knees with the towering hero standing over him donning a stony face. All of the fear, rejection, sleepless nights fighting the escaped Tartarus villains…it was a miracle he didn't die in the field. Crouching down, Izuku slowly released the trembling fist before ripping back the tattered hood. The form transformed once again though this time into the small, crying child that was rejected and ridiculed constantly. Fat tears streamed down his face as little hands clenched tightly against his shorts.

"Can I still be a hero like All Might?"

Izuku let out a silent sigh. There were so many things he could say to ease his juvenile heart, to assure him everything would be fine. But it wouldn't be in the beginning. Not for many years until his chance encounter with All Might. Before he could even get a chance to console the child, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. A heavy rain began falling over the area quickly saturating the hero in an odd warmth. Standing, Izuku shifted to face the demolished city once more yet it had morphed into a scene he longed to forget. It was the scene of a battle that raged for hours, heroes versus villains, in a skirmish to regain control of the area. Ryukyu's agency had been put in charge of the mission with Sir Nighteye's as a backup response team. Dread washed over him as explosions racked the area left and right followed by the screams of innocent people getting caught up in the crossfire. He'd gotten held up on the opposite side of the battlefield and only made it back at the tail-end of things. That hangup turned out to be the biggest regret of his life.

Walking over the debris, Izuku surveyed the damage. If he recalled correctly the casualties were high in this battle, including a few heroes who couldn't escape from the intensive fighting . A few villains were from Tartarus and had gone radio silent for a year after the prison collapsed, so damage was on an astronomical level once discovered. An explosion blasted near him though it didn't bother him in the least as the heat couldn't even scorch his skin. His mind was set on one area of the battlefield alone. The one spot where he'd found his friend on death's door with minutes to spare. Shouting caught his attention causing the hero to turn in that direction.

"Relocate any injured civilians to the secondary evacuation point! The buildings are becoming unstable, we need to move!" Ryukyu barked orders in dragon form while keeping the two recaptured villains beneath her feet. Even she hadn't escaped from serious injuries. Fractured ribs, internal bleeding, countless lacerations, and even a concussion during one last skirmish with the villains before Mirio knocked them out.

"The timing's not right, she wasn't there yet," Izuku muttered to himself before continuing to his designation. It would still be a few minutes before he arrived on scene to assist, but he knew exactly where to find her.

"There are still people trapped in this building! We're going to need help extracting them!" Gunhead. Izuku vaguely remembered seeing his name in the final report but never saw him in the field. He must've been evacuating the civilians with the other heroes.

"How far down are they? That whole thing is going to collapse any second!" Tsu—Asu—Froppy. She was the one who directed him to the collapsed building once he arrived on scene. The franticness in her voice had even him on edge.

"I've moved away the last of the victims from the apartment complex. Are there more people stuck in this building?"

Izuku watched as Uraraka ran up to the two heroes with heavy breaths. Already he could tell her quirk had been overused, the brunette looking pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. While her skills had truly grown over the years, there was still a limitation to how much weight she could alter and for how long. Apart from a few scratches here and there, Uravity didn't seem to be too injured.

"Bottom level, another resident said a few kids got separated and made for the basement. This whole building is going to collapse any second. If we don't secure it first then it's a death sentence to go in there. Is there anyone left to help stabilize the foundation?" Froppy asked while looking around to no avail.

"We don't have time, Froppy. Let's go!" Uraraka declared before running towards Izuku to head into the building. Instinctively he shot out an arm to stop her but her body morphed right through it. He couldn't stop her. This world of memories was uncontrollable to him. What she was about to run into was nothing more than a trap set by the villains in order to take down as many heroes as they could.

"Uraraka, stop! It's a trap! There aren't any children down there! Please!" Izuku begged while following the heroine into the quickly crumbling apartment complex. His words fell of deaf ears as she jumped over the stair railings to reach the basement faster, Froppy following close behind. Quirk or no, Izuku jumped as well.

"If anyone's down here, it's okay. We're heroes. It's dangerous to stay in the building so please come with us to the surface." Uraraka called out as she swiftly searched for hiding children. Froppy took to checking the other side of the room as soon as Izuku landed. It was dark save for their flashlights so the hero stuck close to his friend with growing trepidation. Images of that day started flashing back to him the deeper they went and he placed a hand against his head when it throbbed.

"Uravity, there's something over here but I'm not seeing any children." Froppy called out, causing both heroes to head in her direction. Izuku spotted what her flashlight was aimed on first. A small, flashing box taped against the wall with the words Game Over Heroes printed on the front.

"That's a bomb, it's how they collapsed the entire building on top of her." Izuku breathed against his hand, turning to look at Uraraka. He could see the realization hit her in the second before the light on the box turned green.

"GET OUT OF HERE, TSU!" Uraraka screamed while grabbing Froppy by the arm and flinging her towards the stairs. The frog quirk user wasted no time in readjusting to kick off through the upper levels, affected by Uravity's quirk, and had just shot her tongue out mid-jump to grab her friend when the explosion happened.

Izuku grabbed onto Uraraka to shield her from the blast only to have her shoot away from him faster than he could blink. A gurgled scream was all he could hear before the building collapsed entirely onto the basement, immediately plunging the area into complete darkness. Since he wasn't directly affected by the collapse, the teen scrambled around the still settling debris to find his friend. It would still be a hot minute before his past self could get to her but maybe there was something he could do now, anything. Dust completely settled over the area in a thick fog that would make it difficult for a normal person to navigate. The sounds of settling eased off once he cleared a high wall of debris, one that his past self would soon clear, and sprinted to where Uraraka was.

"Oh God, Uraraka…" Izuku whimpered once he found her slumped against the wall. The flashlight attached to her costume had broken off in the explosion but pointed directly at the immobilized hero from between two chunks of concrete. By the time they'd found Uravity, she was barely conscious and close to never waking up again. To find her directly after the explosion…

A large, crooked piece of rebar had punctured through Uraraka's back and was protruding from the lower right side of her abdomen. Blood was steadily leaking from both ends of the wound onto the dust coated floor. Her left arm was bent at an odd angle, indicating it was most likely broken from the impact of trying to stop herself. A head wound was seeping down an agonized face that rasped out with uneven, gurgling breaths. Most of her gear had absorbed the impact but it wasn't enough to stop the life-threatening injuries. A small cough elicited a strangled scream from the brunette as Izuku dropped to his knees beside her.

"Don't move, I'll be here soon. The paramedics will save you in time so don't worry, Uraraka. My God…you were probably still conscious waiting for someone to arrive. It'll be okay," Izuku tried to adjust her bangs aside only to have his fingers sift through them like a cloud of smoke. Frustration welled up and the hero let out an animalistic scream as he punched at the wall. His hands just went right through like it was nothing. He couldn't touch anything in this world that didn't correlate to him and right now, he was probably upstairs just arriving on scene to find Gunhead pulling Froppy out of the top layer of debris. Grabbing onto his head with both hands, Izuku cursed at the heavens.

"D-De…" Uraraka wheezed between spasmed gurgles, blood spewing from her lips and landing on the floor. Tears were streaking through the blood creating a watery concoction that stained her bare skin. She tried to sit up but hacked up a large volume of blood in the process. The rebar was keeping her body in place but the awkward angle made it hard to stay still. Her good arm lifted up and over her torso but faltered when it caused shifting against the metal.

"Don't move! Please! I'm begging you, Uraraka! With these injuries you'll die!" Izuku cried out, desperately attempting to grab for her lifeless hand resting against the cold, hard ground. Each time the appendage would spread out like a smoke filled bubble then return to its normal shape.

"De…ku…" Uraraka's breath hitched and for a moment she seemed to still, sending Izuku into full blown panic mode. An eternity passed before a short breath released and the ragged breathing continued. The hero could barely see through his tears though kept trying to comfort his friend while searching for a way to stop the bleeding.

"I'm here, I'm here. I know it hurts but keep your breathing as even as possible and don't move. Where the hell am I at? Hey! She's severely wounded down here, call the paramedics!" Izuku shouted above at the top of his voice. None of them would hear it except maybe…

"I've got confirmation of Uravity's location, Ryukyu. She's severely injured, we're going to need paramedics on scene ASAP. Send in a pair of rebar cutters as well." Mirio appeared from behind Izuku without warning, the pro hero emerging from the floor. He blinked furiously. Was Mirio there? Now that he thought about it, the permeation quirk holder disappeared for a bit but didn't indicate where he was going. Had he really not noticed him down here? "Uravity, can you open your eyes for me? We're going to get you out of here in one piece, I promise. We've got people digging out the debris upstairs so hold on just a little longer. I'm not going to leave your side, okay?"

"Wh…M-Mirio…" Uraraka choked out but the hero shook his head with a finger against his lips.

"Save your energy right now. Do your best to stay awake, you can't fall asleep until your injuries are assessed. I'm going to bind your broken arm to your chest to prevent further damage. It may hurt a lot and I'm sorry if it does. I'll go as fast as I can."

The pro hero ripped his cape off without a care before carefully weaving it behind her back, over the opposite shoulder, then delicately shifted Uraraka's arm into the sling. Izuku intently watched each step while constantly keeping an eye on her status. Every wince, hitched rasp, sporadic body movement. In the distance he could hear the shifting of rubble mixed with in muffled shouting. Mirio was doing his best to treat the wounds with what little supplies he had; their costumes weren't equipped with medical supplies like some of the other heroes. Uraraka's legs shifted down when the rest of her body began slumping forward. Both Izuku and Mirio shot forward to gently push her back up against the wall.

"I need you to stay awake, Uravity, you can't fall asleep right now. They're almost here," Mirio promised while glancing up at the soon to be demolished section of debris. It was where Izuku would pull the last large section away with black whip and open the path to the medical teams.

"I'm going to move that last piece of debris, stand back!"

A loud groan filled the confined space and within seconds light filtered into the near darkness moments before a flurry of people rushed in. Izuku watched as he shot down the stairs and straight to Uraraka's side, oblivious to the fact that Mirio was sitting opposite. He was begging, pleading for her to wake up and say something but at that point the heroes body was beginning to go into shock. The best he could do was cradle her head up as the emergency crews began extracting the rebar. Slowly shifting to a stand, Izuku closed his eyes and turned away from the scene. The memories after this only got worse. He didn't want to relive them again. As soon as his foot hit the base of the stairs, chaotic flurrying turned to nothingness.

"What's the point of being shown these memories? I don't understand the meaning of them. I should be back in the village…" Izuku wandered a few aimless steps then stopped. Turbulent virescent stared down at the trembling hands out before him. Nothing was making sense right now. One minute he was poking down the burning embers of the tainted temple in Yahashina and now he was… "This…is a test, isn't it. The book is testing our mental strength on top of survival skills. That has to be it. Whatever game you're playing it isn't funny anymore. Return me to Yahashina."

Perceptive one you are.

Izuku looked around in the vast whiteness half expecting a visualization of the voice but was sorely disappointed when he was the only being. "What do you want with us? Why trap us in here?"

Your fate has been decided.

"Fate? What right do you have to control our fate? If we didn't take fate into our own hands from the very beginning, train hard to be the best heroes, both of us could've died in the first chapter. But that's against the rules, isn't it? We can't actually perish in this world because we don't belong here. I don't know what you're playing at, whether you're a villain from our reality or another, but this needs to end. Now." Izuku warned with an underlying threat laced into the tone. All was silent for what seemed like an eternity until a strong wind kicked up, forcing him to shield his face. As soon as he lowered his arm, he realized he'd been returned to Yahashina.

He was standing in the same position as before, stick in hand poking at the ashes of what remained of the temple. Izuku abruptly threw the stick away before abandoning the smoldering ruins. They needed to leave. Despite not having his quirk, instinct was telling him to get away as soon as possible. He'd need time to decipher the visions later tonight when they were safe. His gait switched to fast walking while he attempted to calm down. The book was more sentient than he'd ever imagined and the unease was twisting his stomach. A few of the children were running around back and forth between the barrier without much of a care, completely oblivious to the teens growing trepidation. Once Ayami's house came into sight, Izuku beelined for the open door and entered.

"That was fast," Uzumaki called out while pausing in the floor cleaning she was partaking in. The young woman took the break to sit on the wooden planks with a sigh. "If Ochaco would like to clean the floors for us again, that would be great! She makes it look so easy. Or maybe I am just getting too old for this."

"It didn't take long for the wood to catch fire since it was old and rotten. All that's left are some smolders that should burn out soon enough. Has she left the room at all?" Izuku asked quietly with a glance at the bedroom door. Uzumaki's slow head shake was his answer.

"We have tried multiple times and even Ayami has entered the room to speak with her. She wishes to be alone to gather her thoughts. If you are able to monk, please. We are worried about her."

"I'll give it my best shot." Izuku carefully walked over to the room and raised his hand to knock when it suddenly flung open. The hero didn't have any time to react when a hand reached out, grabbed him, yanked him into the room, then silently shut the door behind in the span of two seconds. Uraraka instantly released him with a small breath out before stepping back.

"Sorry, Deku. I didn't mean to scare you like that. You're not hurt, are you?" Ochaco asked quietly while wrapping her arms around herself. Every nerve in her body was twitching like crazy and survival instinct was taking over. She started walking back and forth in the small room trying to ease the sensation threatening to drown her.

"N-no, I'm good. Are…are you okay? You seem really on edge right now, Uraraka," Izuku asked worriedly, watching his friend pace back and forth while trying to figure out where to place her arms. He'd never seen her so uneasy and on alert and it was starting to freak him out. Well, even more freaked out than he already was.

"I'll be fine, probably. Just a really weird thing happened when I woke up from a nap." Ochaco stopped by the window to focus on something outside of the confined space. She chewed on the tip of one of her thumbs anxiously before letting out a deep breath and pinning the appendage underneath her crossed arm.

"What happened?"

"…I overheard Ayami talking with someone that sounded exactly like Eri,"

"Has she come back to the village already?" Izuku asked though his stomach dropped heavily once his friend turned around wearing a genuinely panicked expression.

"Deku…I think they're going to poison us when we try to leave the village." Ochaco couldn't hide the quiver in her voice any longer. Everything they'd done, the bonds they created with the villagers…and now they were planning to poison them so easily. The veil had been pulled down far over their eyes from the very beginning. "Eri said to brew some kind of special tea that was given to Ayami, serve it to us right after, and then it would handle the rest. Ayami tried to bring me some tea a little while after that but I had to pretend I was asleep so I wouldn't have to drink it. I could hear the disappointment in her voice, Deku. She muttered that the fox had been getting on her nerves for too many years. We've only been here a day. It's not a coincidence."

"Years? How could they have known each other for years? Unless…unless they've been working together this entire time, for the length of the books existence. When I was clearing the ashes of the temple, something strange happened. I was thrown into past memories, our past memories, but they were different. Interaction was limited but I could see, hear, and somewhat feel the environment. They weren't pleasant ones either," Izuku pursed his lips. It all made sense now. The chance encounters they had with people in this world were designed to happen. While it guided them down the correct path through the chapter, what would happen if they went askew? Was the book warning them with the visions?

"You're talking about the memories where the gravest injuries were received," Ochaco answered softly and Izuku's eyes widened. So the book showed them both. For what purpose? "I thought it was a normal night terror that I sometimes get but when I saw myself standing there, I knew it was different. Then a voice warned that a faltering decision would spell demise. It's been freaking me out since I woke up. We need to find a way to leave the village immediately, Deku."

"Okay, let's just take a minute to figure out a plan. You look like you're about to faint, Uraraka." Izuku carefully guided his friend to sit against the wall with one hand on her arm in case of a last minute fall. All of the information trying to process in his mind was jumbling around in one giant tumbleweed and it wasn't going to do either of them any good until it got straightened out. Uraraka pulled her legs tight to her chest as he sat beside.

"What are we going to do?" Ochaco sighed out heavily, more so to herself than Deku.

"Honestly, I don't know yet. At least a few of the women are in on what's going on and so is Eri. If their plan is to poison us then we can't risk staying, but if we try to leave and they notice then it blows the whole plan. We have to progress through the book regardless, right? What if we just expose them on the spot?"

"Just like that? What if they become hostile? I can't fight them, Deku, not after everything."

"Neither can I. I believe they're fully aware of the situation by now so the worst they could do is kick us out faster. We don't have any other options right now, Uraraka. If they are truly trying to poison us then we need to call it out and maybe nip it in the bud." Izuku hung his head with a heavy sigh before running a hand through his unruly locks. The last chapter was less mentally exhausting than this one was, though that could've been the plan all along. Maybe each chapter was designed to push them a certain way in order to test their strengths.

"Alright," Ochaco decided with a loud slapping of her face. "We don't have time to be sitting here moping around, Deku. We've got a book to get through so we can get back to our friends. Let's start with confronting them and see what happens."

Izuku smiled confidently while accepting the outstretched hands. They could get through this. Together. "Right."

Ayami stared slack jawed at the two teens sitting stoically across from her, unable to get a single word past her lips. As soon as they'd both exited the same room, they'd demanded to speak separately with her and speak they did. The Head Lady couldn't even get one word out before they interrupted and began interrogating her about the overall plan from the very beginning. Considering she was never any good at lying, the young woman's mind went blank and she just stared as they went over everything. The coincidental meeting of Eri by the lake, stopping the men and purity ceremonies, the snake attack; even the fact that she reacted so calmly to the men leaving the village for good, something most people would be hysteric over or show even the slightest bit of emotion at. It didn't add up and the two finally figured it all out.

"Ayami, you need to know something. I overheard the conversation between you and Eri earlier," Ochaco started up again after a few minutes of stunned silence. Ayami blinked owlishly a few times before slowly nodding. "She wanted you to give us a special tea that would take care of things. What exactly did she mean by that?"

"I-I uh…" Ayami finally sputtered out before clamping her lips shut tightly and slapping a hand over them. She frantically shook her head with a fearful expression.

"You need to tell us. Were you planning to poison us before we left the village?" Ochaco tried pushing further yet the woman adamantly refused by shaking her head again and closing her eyes. Pushing herself up from the tatami mats, the brunette slowly closed the distance between them then settled less than a foot from the frantic Ayami. As much as she wanted to comfort her, say everything was going to be okay, she couldn't. Breaking now would just send them back to square one and there wasn't time for that. "Ayami. Tell me."

"If she were to tell you, Ochaco, her tongue would fester and boil inside that pretty little mouth before it rotted then fell out. A swift death would follow after that."

Eri appeared behind the immobilized Head Lady with a tail wrapped firmly around her neck, a normally seductive and playful expression turned dark. Narrowed feline eyes darted to something behind Ochaco so the hero held up a hand to stop Deku. It was becoming a dangerous, unplanned situation that needed to resolve fast. Once Deku sat back down, Eri looked back to the brunette with an almost coldness swirling within crimson.

"Let me guess. That's a stipulation of the book." Izuku piped up from his seat. His entire body became tensed the moment Eri appeared wrapped around Ayami with a radiating coldness. Add on to the fact that Uraraka was in the firing line and the hero was already calculating an attack path.

"I suggest the both of you cease your pestering of this matter lest you wish to doom us all. Diverting from the path laid out does not bode well." Eri warned lowly with a fang baring in his direction.

"Save it. We've already figured out the rules of this book which means you two have known each other for a very long time. Considering you need us to help you get to Kyoto, on top of vowing no harm will come to us, did you really think you could try to poison us with tea? I overheard your earlier conversation then pretended to be asleep when Ayami brought me a cup." Ochaco interjected without faltering, even when a tail began wrapping itself snugly against her torso.

"Poison? If I have made a blood pact swearing no harm will fall upon either of you, what makes you think I would kill you?"

"If it's not to kill us, then what's it for?" Izuku was nearly taken aback when the fox deity let out a tinkling laugh, like soft bells, before settling amused eyes on him.

"That is a secret that cannot be revealed. Though your illogical guesses are most amusing, all that is set in motion must remain aligned. Get them their bags, Ayami, then I shall be out of your hair until next time." Eri released the young woman then swiftly shifted over to the brunette prior to draping down her front like a cat. Long, slender arms locked behind Ochaco's head with fingers gently twirling chestnut locks. The deity rested her head on the heroes shoulder to stare at Izuku with a mirthful grin. "Silly boy, you are both too amusing to get rid of so easily. At least, until I accomplish my goal. Perhaps I will keep you around for my own…personal…amusement afterwards—"

Ochaco locked onto the deity with both legs and arms before rolling away and slamming her against the mats. With more than half of her body pinned down, Eri stared at the woman in total stunned silence. Never had a mortal taken her down so easily and without warning. Heightened senses over hundreds of years made it impossible for anyone to sneak up on her yet even she couldn't predict this. The brunette lowered her head down closer to her ear but the fox was still stunned from the aggressive tackle to respond properly, so she just followed with wary eyes.

"If you ever talk about Deku in an appropriate way again, I will not hold myself back next time. Are we understood, Eri?" Ochaco breathed out in warning before releasing the hold entirely and shifting to a stand with ease.

"Perfectly."

"I don't think I want to know," Izuku said with a nervous laugh as his classmate dusted off her hands before walking over to him. Uraraka merely gave him a smile then casually clasped her hands behind her back.

"Just a friendly word of advice."

Friendly my tails! Eri thought sourly while hastily brushing her kimono off, readjusting the fabric to where it needed to be. That woman was more dangerous than she thought. Perhaps it would be best to get rid of her first once their contract was abolished.

Ayami quickly returned with the packed bags, handing each teen their own, before dropping to her knees and bowing against the floor. "Have a safe journey. May Kami guide both of you safely to your destination."

"Ayami…" Ochaco replied softly while handing her bag to Deku and crouching in front of the rigid woman. Gentle hands eased the Head Lady back up to a sitting position then warmly cusped her face with foreheads touching. "Thank you. For everything. I know things may seem out of your control, but just know your fate is always in your hands. Please take care of yourself and the rest of Yahashina."

"Ochaco," Ayami whispered moments before the walls came crumbling down, sending the tears and grief overflowing. Despite her fragile frame, she wrapped her arms around the teen as tight as she could. The hero returned the gesture with a hand running over Ayami's hair softly.

"We must not delay—" Eri started but a quiet shushing interrupted the deity. She turned to indignantly chew out the voice yet the anger fizzled to nothingness. Izuku stood there with a solemn look on his face though his eyes radiated such a sadness that it threw the fox off momentarily. Eri studied him for a few seconds more before huffing and turning her head the other way. Damn humans.

"Take care of the children for me, okay? And keep up with your self defense trainings daily. Make sure Risa is adding extra nutrients to each of your meals so you can recover from the anemia." The brunette began listing off instructions while slowly pulling back. "Rest is important, especially if you feel any unusual pressure or pain. On days you feel good go take short walks because they'll help—"

"Yes, yes. You are mothering the mother, Ochaco. Please, do not keep the deity any longer. Promise me one thing before you leave," Ayami let out a choked laugh and latched onto the heroes hands tightly, bringing them to her lips for a loving kiss.

"Anything,"

"Take care of yourself and Izuku Midoriya. Stay together no matter what happens. I do not know what lies beyond the village gates, yet it will be a difficult journey."

"I'll do my best, Ayami. Promise." Ochaco sniffled lightly to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. The Head Lady nodded quicky then pulled her hands back to rest against her lap.

"They are yours now, Fox."

"We shall be travelling by carriage. It is waiting just outside." Eri led the way to the front door without a second thought.

Ochaco knew it was best not to look back so she held her chin up while stepping through the shoji. Izuku quietly shut it behind them a few seconds later. Taking a moment to compose, the brunette closed her eyes and took a deep breath in then let it out slowly. The line between reality and fantasy was beginning to smudge so keeping a level head was needed from here on out. As soon as auburn eyes opened, they took in the environment before widening to their limits. Before them stood an elegant golden carriage that certainly wasn't there minutes ago. Every inch of it screamed money and Ochaco nearly had to grab onto her classmate for physical support.

"Isn't this an oxen driven cart? It's incredible but uh…where's the ox?" Izuku casually pointed out the missing driving purpose of the cart. While it was a beautifully decorated transportation vessel, the size of a large garden shed, it didn't serve much use without a driver. If he was being honest, touching it would feel like he was committing a crime with how luxurious it looked.

"Do you really think a deity would have use for such a disgusting creature? I need nothing more than my own natural abilities to pilot the vessel. Now, get in so we can reach Kyoto within two days. Travelling during the days exhausts my power more so than at nighttime. We will be reaching a resting point until the sun sets." Eri scoffed at his ridiculous remark with an agitated flickering of tails.

"R-right. We totally knew that…" Both teens replied.

Deciding not to test the impatient fox any longer, Ochaco took the lead and placed both hands on the back doors. With a bit of effort they smoothly swung open to reveal the inner workings of the magical golden cart. That's what the thought was yet it was nothing more than five pillows and some curtains to cover the barred windows. It was…very plain considering the obnoxious exterior. She was expecting a matching interior to suit Eri's high-end tastes. A quick push up on the single metal step protruding from underneath the cart had both heroes inside and sitting rather uncomfortably. Crossed legs would only work for so long and when they needed stretching, it was either tangle them with each other or continue to suffer in silence.

"This is…comfortable," Ochaco treaded lightly with her words as the fox deity leapt gracefully into the carriage and strode between them without a care, promptly plopping down onto the extra plush pillow resting at the front.

"There is more to the eye than what you see, Ochaco. My magic has the ability to alter the world to my whims."

Eri gave a sharp snap of her fingers and the plain, cramped interior of the celestial golden goshoguruma transformed into an unrealistically expansive room the size of a large house. Both teens gawked as several fox maidens scurried out with trays of food and drink, setting them directly at the deity's dainty feet. Just as soon as they appeared, the maidens slipped back behind the plush curtains concealing other mysterious portions of the palace. Ochaco steadied herself with both hands at the endless riches being casually flaunted.

"I don't think I can take anymore of this expensive flaunting, Deku. It's worse than Momo and Todoroki combined,"

"It's certainly very excessive wealth for this time period, yet not entirely surprising with how Eri is. I guess for now we just sit here and wait."

"Will you just sit there all night and mope? Explore on your own once you have been shown your room for the duration of our trip. Once we reach our resting point then you are free to leave the carriage for short durations. It is dangerous to travel outside under the darkness. Many unknowns lurk under the moonlight." Eri lazily waved a hand in the direction of the nearest curtain. It magically retracted and two fox maidens emerged. They scurried over to the teens, bowed, then began guiding them both away from the fox deity.

"Please, come with us to your quarters for the evening." One of the maidens spoke delicately. This one wore a fox mask painted with red and black markings elegantly across a white base. A simple red hakama and white kosode gave the appearance of shrine priestesses, save for the red tail and ears protruding from the young kitsune.

"We hope you enjoy what has been prepared for you both." The other replied in the same soft tone. Her mask was designed with red and gold markings in a similar, yet uniquely different pattern. She too wore a priestess outfit but had a black tail and ears atop a head of matching locks.

"This is kind of weird," Izuku whispered behind his hand to Uraraka, the brunette easily nodding in response.

"I think we're kind of beyond the weird point, Deku. I'm not sure anything else can surprise me."

After a short walk down a continuously extravagant hallway adorned with ancient artifacts and paintings, the two maidens stopped outside of a set of double doors with golden handles. A synchronous bow to the heroes followed by a seamless opening of the room. It was a grand bedroom with a large, plush bed framed by tall red pillars centered in their sight. Partially sheer curtains were tied back on all four posts with silken, shimmering ribbon. Warm glowing candles filled the room to clear the darkness that the large windows could not reach. In the corner was a large armoire undoubtedly filled to the brim with fancy fabrics. A short distance from that resided a powdering station with various unlabeled containers and slow burning incense sticks. Ochaco had a flashback to the Sanuki Castle, in Princess Kaguya's chambers, yet this rivaled that by miles.

"Wow, Uraraka, your room is incredible! Eri really went all out to make sure you were comfortable," Izuku couldn't help but let out an impressed whistle while strolling around the room for a closer look. "There's even a courtyard out back! Oh, and a building. I'm guessing that's the bathhouse?"

"Lady Eri has ensured that you shall both enjoy your private time to the fullest extent. There is a pathway in the courtyard that leads to a private bath. Please do not hesitate to ask us for anything. We hope you enjoy—"

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold up a minute. You said both enjoy the room. You don't mean…" Ochaco trailed off with her heart pounding so loud it nearly drowned out what the maidens said next.

"Of course. Lady Eri specifically requested for you both to share accommodations as lovers. Our Lady is never wrong when it comes to intuition. If you'll excuse us now." The kitsune bowed then made a swift exit from the room, leaving both teens to stand uncomfortably in silence.

Izuku slapped a hand over his mouth and promptly turned away from his classmate, face ablaze. This was not happening. Eri had fun with her games on the lake but now she was trying to set them up together in the same room? How long did she intend to torture them for? Obviously, he was going to give Uraraka the room and find somewhere else to sleep for the duration of the trip. He hadn't told her, and wasn't planning to, but he was kind of awake in the room back at Ayami's house. As soon as he'd noticed the situation, he rolled over and did his best to not move or make a sound. Things just continued to grow more and more awkward by the day and the teen wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Ochaco pressed her hands hard against her cheeks as tears welled up out of frustration. She was going to strangle that damn fox when she got the chance! Hadn't they gone through enough embarrassing situations already? Was she really going to keep pushing them until something happened? There was no way she was ready to confess, let alone share the same bed and room as Deku for a few nights! The growing bubble of anxiety and frustration finally reached the surface as the heroine shook her head quickly.

"Damn you, Eri!"

Somewhere in the distance, a tinkling laughter could be heard in response.