AN: Thanks for the interest and reviews everyone!
The next morning, Izuku crawled out of bed and quietly padded into the living room to discover Himiko still sprawled out on the couch, fast asleep. Smiling at his sister, he grabbed the fallen blanket from the floor and gently laid it back on her.
"Morning Izu," Himiko mumbled out.
"How'd you know it's me?"
Himiko sat up and stretched. "You and mom put the blanket on differently." Blinking to clear her eyes, she checked the clock and groaned. "Too early."
"When did you get to bed?"
"Not early enough," Himiko complained. "Maybe around 2 AM?"
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be,"—Himiko looked at her brother—"this is my life now. I just–" She let out a loud groan. "This is your fault!"
"What's my fault?"
"You! Just- being you!" Himiko picked up a pillow and threw it at Izuku. "Nagant. I can't help thinking about her and… I want to know more about her. What happened that night that she attacked two heroes? Why did she do it? And what's she doing now?"
"I'm sure she'll be back." Izuku sat down beside his sister. "I get the feeling that we'll see her again."
"Just like you kept running into me?" Himiko asked with a fanged grin.
Izuku felt his cheeks heating up. "Y-yeah. Villains like her– they have a tendency to keep coming back."
"I want to talk to her," Himiko admitted. "Is that bad?"
"You're wondering if she can be saved?"
"It worked for me, didn't it?" Himiko asked hopefully.
"Mhm." Izuku reached out and touched his sister's arm. "For what it's worth, I don't think this is a dumb idea."
"Izu, when we first met, you decided letting me bite you so Kayama could gas both of us was a good idea."
"H-hey! It worked!"
"It did," Himiko sighed. "I just don't want to end up on the wrong side of Nagant's quirk."
"Himi, if you think she's a good person, then I'm sure she won't shoot you."
Himiko looked into Izuku's eyes, seeing the same absolute determination she found that fateful evening when she attacked him. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around her brother, pulling him into a hug. "Thanks, Izu."
Ochako stared at her phone and sighed as she stood at the park entrance. It appeared that Aika had overslept; so, she and Kyoka missed their train and would be almost half an hour late.
"That's just like her," Ochako remarked, shaking her head in exasperation. Not that she could blame either of them. Yesterday had been a big day for their friends, with what was supposed to be a simple observation mission turning into so much more.
Without anything better to do, Ochako entered the park and walked along the path until she found an empty clearing. Smiling at the peacefulness, she found a tree and sat underneath it, adjusting herself until she was comfortable.
Pulling out her phone, she sent a message to Kyoka telling the other girl roughly where she was, trusting that her friends will be able to do the rest. Satisfied, Ochako set her phone on the ground and leaned back, staring up at the leaves of the tree shading her from the morning sunlight.
She found it hard to imagine that last night she was staring down a hero killer and a wanted villain, desperately worried that she would use her quirk to shoot Izuku.
Ochako closed her eyes and sighed. She thought she was finally over her sense of loss - that she had convinced herself that Izuku would always be there for her. Hell, they managed to face down Overhaul together! Sure they didn't win, but they held their own and escaped without casualties this time!
But all of that shattered on the rooftop last night.
She didn't want to admit it, but seeing Izuku standing there on the rooftop, rifle quirk aimed squarely at him - it scared her.
Relief filled her when they left the rooftop. Izuku's safety filled her with comfort as they reunited with All Might and later sat in a department store enjoying food like a normal group of teenagers. By the time they got home, she almost convinced herself that she was worrying for nothing. That Izuku wouldn't suddenly be taken away from her.
That false relief was shattered once Izuku joined her in the vestige realm and told her the truth about who they were fighting - a former hero called Lady Nagant, who was on the run for killing two heroes in a disagreement.
Once she found out, Ochako held onto Izuku and refused to let go for hours. She needed the reminder that he was safe. That he wasn't literal heartbeats away from death. From leaving her the same way All Might left her.
Ochako knew she had grown complacent around Izuku. He was a constant presence in her life - both awake and in her dreams, and she had grown comfortable with that fact. And in doing so, she had begun to make the same mistake she had with Analyst.
Opening her eyes, she once again looked skyward and vowed to tell Izuku how she felt about him.
He deserved to know how she felt. And he deserved to know how scared she was last night - how important he was to her.
How scared she was of him dying, leaving her all alone.
Just like she was back then.
The weeks after All Might's death at Kamino were a living hell to her. It felt like everything had gone wrong - like everything was falling apart. It felt as if the very foundation of Japan had been damaged by his death, and it felt like everyone was looking to her to fix the damage.
Damage made worse by Stendhal.
Ochako balled her fist and slammed it into the ground, feeling the dirt crack under the force of her blow. They - All Might in particular - had worked so hard to track down the Hero Killer and remove him from the picture, only for the timeline to frustrate both of them with the sudden appearance of Lady Nagant.
Someone with enough knowledge and resources to be extremely dangerous, seeing as how she had information that both the heroes and the Hero Killer had completely overlooked.
They needed to stop her - to prevent her from becoming the next Hero Killer.
But how?
Ochako was torn on the answer. A part of her wanted to lock Nagant up and throw away the key, to keep her from ever having the chance to follow in Stendhal's footsteps. But something about their conversation resonated with her. This Lady Nagant - she was someone who had seen her share of horrors. Ochako could see it in her pose and hear it in her voice.
She wanted to make a difference, but she was going about it in entirely the wrong way. Just like the Hero Killer.
Ochako closed her eyes and took another breath.
It felt like a lifetime ago, but this was exactly the kind of person she would want to help. To reach out to.
For a time, she had forgotten that.
Ochako opened her eyes and looked at the cracked earth under her fist. Lifting her hand, she watched the dust particles fall to earth as she slowly unclenched her fist and examined it.
Heroes are supposed to save others. Even those people who don't want saving.
Nagant showed her last night that she wasn't too far gone. That she could be talked to - reasoned with. She must have a reason for why she's fighting. Just like Himiko.
Was it possible that Nagant was the same? Just waiting for someone to reach out and take her hand?
Ochako nodded to herself as she came to a decision.
She was going to stop Nagant.
She was going to save her.
"Yo Uraraka!" Jiro called out with a small wave.
"Hey!" Ochako called back as she pushed herself to her feet.
"Why are you so happy?" Aika asked.
"I just figured some things out," Ochako replied. "Did Izu tell you what he found out about our mystery woman?"
"Nope!"
"Nah, he said you'd tell us in person." Jiro crossed her arms. "One of those things that's too important to talk about over text."
"How'd you two even have time to talk this morning?" Aika asked.
"Some of us woke up early," Jiro said, poking her friend in the shoulder with her ear jack.
"We jog every morning together, remember?" Ochako pointed out, omitting the important detail that, in reality, they spend their nights together in the vestige realm. Their friends didn't need to know that part.
"How though?! I was drained when I got home!"
"We're just used to it," Ochako said with a shrug. "I should be the one asking you two how you're doing."
"I'm… better," Jiro said as she uncrossed her arms. "When I got home I sat down with a guitar and just played for about an hour to unwind before bed. Slept better than I thought I would."
"I barely slept at all," Aika admitted. "I kept dreaming about the rooftop. Except she… used her quirk."
"I'm sorry," Ochako apologized.
"It's ok!" Aika closed her eyes and gave Ochako a bright smile.
"Dude, you don't have to put on a false front. It's just Uraraka," Jiro said.
"You're right." Aika opened her eyes and sighed. "I just feel like my image of what heroes do is wrong after last night." She began to toe the ground with her shoe, carving a hole in the dirt. "I- even knowing what happened to you! It's always so dramatic on television! Where the heroes beat up the bad guys and save the day!"
Nodding in understanding, Ochako closed the gap and pulled her into a hug, Aika letting out a surprised squeak. "It's just the way things are. They don't want to put any ugly fights on television, where you see the heroes getting hurt or civilian casualties."
"Or scary encounters with mysterious ladies on rooftops," Jiro added.
"Those too," Ochako agreed. "Let's sit down and we can talk about it."
"Okay," Aika said with uncharacteristic quietness.
Ochako guided the two back to the tree she had been relaxing under and reclaimed her spot at the base of it, while the other two girls sat across from her.
"Does it get easier?" Aika asked.
"Yeah," Ochako said softly. "Our first fight - the one I told you about last night? That was the hardest. My internship was pretty rough, having to deal with a Nomu attack in Tokyo-"
"I'm sorry, but it's hard to imagine you having a hard time fighting villains," Jiro interrupted.
Ochako snorted. "That's what I'm saying! I- we told you we had a rough year. And look at us now." She got a faraway look on her face. "Whether we like it or not, you get used to it."
"I'm not sure I want to get used to it," Aika said softly.
Jiro's eyes went wide. "Don't tell me you're thinking of quitting?"
"That's not what I mean!" Aika waved her hands in front of her defensively. "I still want to be a hero! I just-" She let out a frustrated sigh as she ran her hands through her hair. "-Is it a good thing that Uraraka is so calm after what happened?"
"Who said I was calm?" Ochako demanded.
"I mean–" Aika deflated. "-just look at you."
To everyone's surprise, Ochako threw her head back and laughed. "I was terrified last night," she confessed. "And I'm still kind of nervous, especially now! But the first lesson All Might ever taught me was that it's ok to be scared. Even he is scared when he goes up against dangerous villains!"
"But he's always smiling! And he always looks so badass! Like he's invincible! How could he be scared?"
"Dude, don't you remember his injury?" Kyoka glared at her friend. "He spent years fighting despite that, and we didn't notice the difference."
"Exactly!" Ochako bobbed her head vigorously. "Being a hero isn't just about saving lives. You have to save hearts too." Ochako looked down at her own hands. "Just like I'm doing right now."
Aika blinked, her brain slowly processing the words she just heard. "Wait, you…"
"Mhm." Ochako smiled at the girl. "I'm terrified of what I learned from Izu. But you know what? I'm not going to let that stop me." She made a fist and punched her palm. "Because right now I need to be strong for you."
"Woah," Jiro exclaimed. "So all that fighting - it just taught you how to hide your fear better?"
"Yep!" Ochako smiled brightly. "Of course, it helped that I grew more confident in my quirk and myself; normal villains don't scare me as much anymore. But I won't let anyone tell the difference! Because when you do that-" She turned to Aika. "-the people who need help lose faith in heroes, and society starts to fall apart."
"That's heavy," Jiro whispered.
"Sorry about that," Ochako rubbed the back of her head. "It's an important lesson for Izu and I because well– you know."
"It's important for us too!" Aika jumped to her feet. "Just because we don't have On- just because our quirks aren't as cool as yours, doesn't mean we can't become symbols ourselves! Yagi told us that! He already told me I can become a symbol through my music!" She turned toward Jiro. "Right?"
Jiro laughed at her friend. "That was quick, even for you."
"Ehehe." Aika rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry, but that's what I'm supposed to do right?" Aika turned to look at Ochako sitting on the ground. "I'm supposed to pretend everything's ok no matter what?"
Ochako giggled. "Yes, just like that. But you don't have to do it all the time! It's ok to lower your guard around friends and let them know how you feel." She looked down at her phone to see the All Might Netsuke hanging off of it. "Having people to support you is also important."
"Like Kyoka!" Aika dive-tackled her very surprised friend, causing the two to roll away. "We'll help each other, right?"
"At this rate you're gonna be on your own," Kyoka insisted as she jabbed her friend with her earjacks while she tried to crawl out from under her.
Ochako laughed as she pushed herself up. Shouldering her bag, she walked over to where the other two girls were picking themselves up off the ground. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me too!" Aika said.
"Thanks for the help," Jiro said. "She was absolutely miserable this morning."
"How about you?" Ochako asked, turning toward Jiro.
"I'll be ok," Jiro assured, looking at her friend. "Besides, Aika's been a good distraction. She's been helping me keep my mind off of things."
"That's what friends are for!"
Jiro rolled her eyes playfully. "Sure, we'll go with that." She turned back to Ochako. "So now that that's done, what did Mido find out about our mystery lady?"
"You're not gonna like this," Ochako sourly said with an awkward smile on her face as she began explaining what she knew to her friends.
"Izuku!"
Izuku didn't even have time to fully orient himself inside the vestige realm before he was tackled by his grandmother, the two crashing into the ground in a pile of limbs.
"H-hi grandma!"
"I tried to stop her," Ochako called out from the doorway deeper into the observatory.
"I saw you two last night!" Nana responded. "You two were a mess."
"We got better!" Ochako insisted.
"That still won't stop me from worrying," Nana said as she used her quirk to float off of Izuku, giving him a chance to stand up. "I want to know how everyone's holding up!"
"Better," Izuku replied as he looked over at his partner. "Mom was worried sick, and Toshinori spent most of dinner apologizing to her for putting me and Himi in danger."
"Good on him!" Nana said.
"Himi's doing better today. I think Stain having a blood-based quirk really got to her - she was off most of yesterday. But something about Nagant felt personal for her - she wants to meet her again."
Ochako gasped. "She does?"
"Mhm." Izuku looked at his partner. "Something about the way that the media portrayed her, where she just snapped and killed? It felt uncomfortably close to Himiko's own situation."
"Oh," Ochako said softly.
"What's wrong?"
"I wanted to talk to her too," Ochako admitted. "I kept thinking about what happened on the roof and I… feel the same way. We need to stop her! But if we can do it without fighting…"
"Then you should do it!" Nana chimed in.
Ochako smiled at the seventh holder of One For All. "Yeah! I guess I just… was expecting to have to do it myself?"
"Ocha-" Izuku stepped forward. "You know that's not true! I would have helped you."
"Of course you would've." Ochako gave Izuku a serene smile. "And you'd probably find a way to break your bones in the process."
Nana broke out in laughter as Izuku's face turned bright red, and Ochako couldn't help but laugh.
"Not fair!"
"I'm kidding!" Ochako said as she pressed a hand to her chest and regained her breath.
"Will you be ok - working with Himi, I mean?"
Ochako took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. I think so."
"Well that's two down, what about the rest of you?" Nana asked, looking at Izuku.
"Ocha actually spent the day with Jiro and Shizu," Izuku said while gesturing to the gravity girl.
"They're both feeling better," Ochako explained. "They were a little freaked out by the information on Nagant, but they learned a lot. They'll be back to their normal selves by the time school starts next week."
"I'm glad," Izuku said.
"Izu, you're avoiding the question," Nana cut in, an annoyed tone in her voice. "You keep missing someone important."
Izuku felt his face heating up. "I um…"
"Come on." Ochako grabbed the green-haired boy by the arm. "Let's go to a conference room. I'd like to at least be comfortable before you yell at your grandson."
"Ocha!" Izuku whined as he was dragged further into the observatory by the girl.
AN: Retrieving her ticket from the machine, Kaina Tsutsumi tugged on the cap she was wearing, ensuring that it was snug. She didn't particularly want it to go flying off and reveal her distinctive hairstyle, after all.
Shouldering her bag, Kaina scanned her ticket and entered the station, walking down to the platform her train was set to arrive at. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long, and minutes later she watched the train pull into the station.
Kaina sat patiently, allowing everyone to exit the train before she finally stood up and walked to the train. With a smile and nod she flashed her ticket to the collector, before boarding the train, entering a mostly-empty cart. Picking a quiet corner of the train, she sat down, placing her bag on the seat next to her.
Now that the Hero Killer turned out to be a dead end, Tipoca didn't have anything else to offer her.
It was time to get to work.