AN: Thanks for reading! If you're enjoying the story, feel free to leave a review!
As he stepped out of the rift into the shadowy darkness, Izuku found himself enveloped by unnatural coldness.
"D-do you feel that?" Izuku asked as he shivered and wrapped his arms around himself.
"I do," Ochako whispered. "It is uncomfortable, but should not be a problem for me." She glanced back at Izuku. "Can you see?"
Izuku looked around and took in his surroundings. The darkness that blanketed the alleyway felt almost tangible, like a thick fog. Worse, it seemed to suffocate any source of light. The lamp that hung above a doorway shone dimly as if something was trying to smother it. Based on her question, he can only assume Ochako didn't have the same problems he did and shook his head. "No, it's too dark."
"Very well then," Ochako closed her eyes and a moment later her skin began to glow with a faint white light. "I will provide illumination."
"Won't that give you away?"
"While this darkness is unnatural, it does not inhibit my vision at all. I doubt whomever is responsible is affected either. In which case it does not matter if I am assisting you or not."
"That makes sense," Izuku nodded. "Alright, I'm ready."
Turning her attention back to the alleyway, Ochako silently walked to where it opened out onto the street. Pressing herself against the wall, she poked her head out and quickly found her target - a large, well-built man dressed in reds and blacks. As she examined him more closely, she realized that the black she saw wasn't part of his clothes - they were tangible shadows, looking much like the void of space she herself wields.
She was so focused on him that she almost missed the street's other occupants. While he was striding slowly and with purpose, two gray-skinned creatures were running haphazardly away from him. They looked human and wore ill-fitting clothing, but there was something distinctly wrong about them. They felt different from the man that chased after them, but she couldn't quite place it. Both sensations were new and different from anything she had experienced before.
"What do you see?" Izuku whispered from behind her.
"I might not be the only one interested in Mustafu," Ochako replied.
Izuku was about to cry out but clamped his mouth shut, biting his tongue in the process. Wincing from pain, he hammered his fist against his side before he felt coherent enough to speak again. "Wait, really?"
Ochako glanced back at him. "There is another here, and he appears to be hunting something," she said quietly. She saw Izuku's eyes go wide in acknowledgment before she turned her attention back to the man.
Despite giving off the appearance of going for a casual stroll, the man rapidly closed the distance between himself and the creatures. He raised his arm, and two of the thick tendrils shot forward. As they flew through the air they split apart, forming a cage-like structure as they struck the ground around their targets. With nowhere to go the creatures turned toward the man and began to speak. Unfortunately, at this distance she couldn't hear what they were saying, but they clearly didn't like whatever they heard as they recoiled.
Sensing something was about to happen Ochako stepped out, the glow surrounding her intensifying as she called upon her tendrils. But it was already too late. As she watched, the cage was filled with spikes, impaling the two gray creatures several times over.
Instincts taking over, Ochako broke out into a silent run, thankful for being barefoot after their time on the beach. She was hopeful that with her advantage, she would be able to overpower the man and get answers.
She was halfway there when the attack came. Raising her right arm, the tendril wrapped around itself and reformed into a shield moments before a spear of inky blackness collided with it. Lowering her arm she watched as the spear hung in the air before it retracted slightly and reformed into a shadowy monster.
"Who's there?" The man asked, turning around and coming face to face with Ochako. She looked into his blood-red eyes as he appraised her. "I see. My quarrel isn't with you." He turned around and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Ochako shouted before she was forced to deflect another blow from the shadow creature. Twisting her body, she threw her left arm out. Her weapon shot out and impaled the creature, causing it to dissolve into inky blackness.
She turned and began to chase the man. As she watched, a black tendril unwound itself from his leg and lifted a manhole cover into the air. The shadows that had formed around him expanded, completely engulfing him to form an inky black mass of shadow. The mass moved much like she expected a liquid to as it surged toward the open entrance, dropping into the sewer. She reached out her hand and a tendril shot forward, but the last bit of shadow seemed to disintegrate in her grasp, dropping the manhole cover. It fell onto her tendril before bouncing off, landing next to the sewer entrance.
Moments later the unnatural shadow that covered the area faded, light and heat returning to the area. Not wanting to draw attention to herself, Ochako dismissed her weapons as well as the glow surrounding her.
"Are you alright?" Izuku asked as he jogged up to his girlfriend. "What happened?"
"The man was prepared for a surprise attack," Ochako admitted, her face betraying her frustration. "He had a bodyguard to negate my advantage. It gave him enough time to escape underground. After he attacked those two creatures." She gestured on the ground to where the bodies were.
"You don't know what they were?" Izuku asked in surprise.
"No," Ochako replied. "I do not know. It is likely that they are native to your planet."
"So what are you going to do?" Izuku asked.
"I am going to pursue that man," Ochako said as she began walking toward the sewer. "He will have the answers we seek. Wait here."
"Isn't that a bad idea?" Izuku asked nervously. "If he can control shadows like that… well the sewers are really dark."
"Do not worry about me," Ochako said forcefully. "If you wish to assist, see what you can find out about those creatures."
"I- alright," Izuku said, feeling a pit of worry form in his stomach as he watched as Ochako took off. As powerful as she was, she didn't know what she was up against, and she was going to be at a disadvantage. He watched helplessly as new tendrils wrapped around her arms, emitting faint starlight as they wrapped around the manhole cover and threw it aside with more force than necessary. Giving Izuku one last glance, Ochako stepped over the hole and disappeared into the sewer.
With a sigh, he shook his head. She normally didn't get this upset - he was used to her infinite patience. Was this a side-effect of her human emotions?
He'd talk to her about it later. For now, he had more important matters to attend to - checking these two bodies before someone else found them. With a resigned sigh he walked over to where the fallen corpses lay on the ground.
He could tell something was wrong even as he approached them. Their limbs were too thin. When he saw their faces, he gasped. These weren't fresh corpses. Flaky skin clung to skeletons, like a corpse that had been dead for far too long. Certainly longer than the few minutes since they were attacked. As Izuku stood there and watched, entropy continued its relentless work, turning skin and bone into little more than dust before his eyes.
"What happened…" Izuku muttered curiously to himself. Kneeling, he searched through the clothes. All he found was a single book of matches with a stylized bat logo on them and a matching pair of medallions that they presumably would have worn around their neck. The iron material felt ancient and weathered, with a strange symbol on each side.
Deciding to solve two problems, Izuku pocketed the matches and wrapped the medallions in the torn clothes - after all, it wouldn't do well to leave any evidence behind. Picking up the bundle, he walked back to the alley that they originally emerged from. He knew Ochako would be able to find him, and he'd rather stay out of sight in case anyone else got curious.
He didn't have to wait long. Hearing the telltale sound of glass shattering, he turned around to see Ochako. Seeing the frustration radiating off of her, he couldn't help but take a step back. "Y-you didn't find him?"
"No," Ochako huffed out. "I could not track him underground. It was as if he disappeared into thin air."
"If he moves through the sewers, that would explain why you never noticed him before," Izuku speculated.
"That is the most likely answer," Ochako crossed her arms. "What about you? What happened to those two creatures that he struck down?"
Izuku held out the ball of clothes sheepishly. "Well, you were right that they weren't human. They turned to dust in a matter of minutes. It's almost like they've been dead for a while and time just… caught up with them."
Ochako's brows furrowed together as she tried to put the pieces together. "I do not understand. This does not line up with any creature I know of."
"I also found a clue!" Izuku offered helpfully. "They both had medallions they were wearing."
"Show me," Ochako said a little too forcefully.
"Maybe not here…" Izuku said cautiously.
"You are right," Ochako conceded as a rift opened behind her. "Let us return home."
As they entered the apartment, Ochako silently dropped her bag onto the ground before collapsing on the couch. She then turned toward Izuku. "Show me?"
Nodding silently, Izuku slowly unwrapped the bundle of clothes to reveal the medallions before offering them to Ochako. "They both look the same. There was also a book of matches but I'm not sure those will be very helpful?"
"I agree," Ochako said as she picked up one of the medallions, her brows furrowing as she examined them. "There are traces of power left behind, but it is unlike any I have seen before. I do not recognize these sigils either."
"So it might be something from this planet?"
"That is the most likely answer," Ochako said with a weary sigh. "The material they are made out of is local to your planet."
"So do you think that guy might have been like you?"
"What do you mean like me?"
"You said it yourself, anything that's happened on this planet's usually taken care of by humans. Do you think he, well… takes care of trouble? To keep people safe from…" Izuku gestured toward the medallions. "Whatever those creatures were?"
"Then why would he run away?"
"Because you're an eldritch being wrapped in a body that you crafted out of stardust?" Izuku asked.
Ochako opened her mouth to reply and promptly closed it. "I did not consider that."
Izuku sat down next to his girlfriend and felt a pang of disappointment as she didn't automatically lean into him. "Ochako. What's wrong?" He asked softly. "You've been off ever since you came back empty-handed."
Ochako turned away from him, her gaze drifting out the window. The medallion slipped through her fingers, landing back on the pile of clothing. "I am sorry about tonight."
"You're… sorry?" Izuku asked in confusion.
Ochako finally turned to look at Izuku. "Yes. I ruined our first date."
"Ocha- you didn't ruin anything!"
"You do not have to lie to me, Izuku," Ochako replied softly. "You had a nice evening planned for us, and then I took us away on a mission. Worse, I have failed in my duties. I was unable to secure that man."
"Don't say that!" Izuku insisted. "We learned a lot! We know there's someone else in Mustafu! And we've got these medallions to research! And-" digging through his pockets, he slapped the matchbook on the table. "-whatever that symbol is! And now you know what to keep an eye out for! I'd say that's pretty successful."
"I appreciate the attempt to comfort me Izuku," Ochako broke her eyes away from him to look down at her hands. "But I still do not like these feelings that I am experiencing right now."
"It's okay, really," Izuku said. Slowly, gently, he placed his hand on her cheek. Following the guidance of his touch, she lifted her head until she was facing him again. "It's like you always say - there's always going to be tomorrow."
"Are you really okay with me ruining our date?" Ochako asked hesitantly.
"Mhm," Izuku gave her an encouraging smile. "I knew what I was getting into. What your mission is. It's important! And so I maybe kind of expected this to happen eventually?"
"That does not make me feel better," Ochako grumbled as she felt a new and different emotion that she didn't like.
Izuku laughed nervously. "It just means that things can only get better from here! Since tonight didn't work out, we'll just have our real first date tomorrow instead! It's my day off, so we can look into whatever those medallions are, and then we can go on our date!"
Ochako looked at him in confusion. "Are you sure about this?"
"Absolutely," Izuku said. As he stared into her gaze, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, he made a decision. "In fact, there's something from our date that I'd still like to do tonight… if you're up for it."
"What's that?"
"I um," Izuku swallowed nervously. "I wanted to kiss you. I've been wanting to for a while, actually."
"Oh," Ochako's expression softened. "Even after-"
"Especially after tonight," Izuku said, slowly sliding his hand along Ochako's neck to bury it in her soft hair. "I want you to know how much you mean to me - that your mission won't change that."
"I think I would like that assurance," Ochako admitted.
Izuku's eyes darted down to her lips as he tilted her head back. Slowly, carefully, he leaned forward and closed his eyes, his lips pressing a chaste kiss on hers.
They tasted like raspberries.
Pulling back slightly, Izuku opened his eyes and Ochako followed. "So what did you think?"
"I think… I would like you to assure me again," Ochako said.
Nodding his head slightly, Izuku went in for another kiss. It felt strange at first, feeling Ochako's soft lips on his own as she simply sat there with her eyes closed. But on the third kiss, Ochako began to respond and kissed back. Izuku felt a jolt of electricity as she wrapped her arms around his chest, and wondered if this was another ability she hadn't told him about.
"I see your body is responding the same way mine is," Ochako said, the breath of her voice dancing against Izuku's lips as she spoke.
Izuku responded by giving her another kiss, and she replied immediately. Izuku's hands shifted to Ochako's shoulders, feeling the tension draining out of her as they continued to trade quick, chaste kisses back and forth. Likewise, Izuku found himself relaxing as Ochako's responses grew more confident. Even though the pair were from different worlds, in that moment they had discovered a new way to express how they felt toward each other.
And they reveled in it.
After a few minutes, Izuku felt Ochako pull back slightly, letting out a content sigh before she leaned forward, melting into him. Opening his eyes, he looked down at her face. "So what do you think?"
"I think," Ochako said quietly as she lifted her head and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I am going to enjoy exploring kissing with you." Returning her head to Izuku's shoulder, she let out another sigh. "Thank you, Izuku. That helped to banish those negative emotions."
Izuku shifted his grip to hold Ochako properly, a smile on his face. Sure, dating Ochako was going to be a challenge, but he wouldn't give it up for anything.
When they awoke the next morning, Izuku was delighted to see that Ochako was in a better mood. She had regained her energy and her seemingly infinite patience. And of course, the most obvious indicator was Ochako being her usual excitable self toward breakfast.
Once they ate and cleaned up, Ochako proposed that they begin the investigation properly. As has become her ritual she ventured out to the library, this time with Izuku in tow. Today's goal was to search for information on the medallions - and the strange glyph inscribed on them.
"You're back so soon," the elderly librarian greeted Ochako as she walked into the door. "Did you finish those books already?"
"I did not read them all," Ochako admitted as she opened her bag and began to remove a stack of books. "But they served their purpose, and-" She looked at Izuku, a smile crossing her lips. "-I solved the problem I was having."
"I'm glad," The woman smiled as she took the stack and began processing them. "Is there anything I can help you find today?"
"No thank you," Ochako smiled at the woman before she returned her attention to Izuku. "We already have an idea of what we are looking for today."
"I see," the woman gave the young couple a knowing smile. "Well, don't let me keep you then."
"Thanks," Izuku replied to the woman, his face heating up at the gaze she was giving them.
"Follow me," Ochako said as she began to lead Izuku through the library. Through her many visits, she had memorized the layout of the building and she swiftly led Izuku to the section on the occult. "Here we are."
"Are there any books you want to check in particular?" Izuku asked as he looked at the shelf in front of him.
"The symbol did not inspire familiarity," Ochako admitted. "So I believe it is safe to eliminate books that I have already read. However, that still leaves quite a few books for us to investigate."
While Ochako studied the shelf methodically, weighing the possibilities of success in her mind, Izuku reached out and grabbed a book on rituals. It seemed the most likely option, given what she told him about the purpose of the object. Opening the book, he began flipping through its pages in search of the symbol. Next to him, he heard Ochako removing a book from the shelf and following his example.
The two lost track of the time as they slowly worked through each book, undisturbed by the other patrons of the library, until Izuku finally found something.
"Ochako," Izuku whispered excitedly as he offered the book to his girlfriend. "Look at this!"
"What did you find?" Ochako asked softly as she took the book and began reading.
The entry was for a creature called a 'Ghoul,' accompanied by a sketch of what looked like an emaciated, gray-skinned human. The two creatures she saw yesterday both looked healthier than the one in the drawing, but she was used to human understanding not lining up with the actual truth.
She began reading.
"...these creatures are former humans who have given up their humanity by stealing the life force of other humans, using it to extend their own. Sometimes this is done by literally eating the flesh of another, in other cases it is done by magical ritual…" Ochako mumbled. Her fingers then stopped at the symbol shown on the page and she looked up at her boyfriend. "This symbol."
"I know it's not exact, but it looks close, right?"
"You are right," Ochako agreed. Closing the book, she placed it on the ground. "Now we have a name to look for."
The two continued for a while longer, pulling out several other books detailing the creepy creatures. Many of the books didn't appear to be particularly detailed. But for the pair, any information was invaluable.
Once Ochako was satisfied, she gathered the four books they had chosen and looked at Izuku. "So what about the man?"
"I actually remembered reading a legend out of Europe," Izuku said as he held up his phone.
"Vlad Tepes?"
"He was a prince of Wallachia almost six hundred years ago," Izuku explained. "And his methods were brutal - to the point that people based the legends of vampires around him. But he's not the one I'm interested in." Fiddling with his phone, he brought up another website.
"His grandson? What does he have to do with it?"
"Well," Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "Much like his father and grandfather, there were stories surrounding him. People claimed it was just an excuse to tell more stories about vampires, but his whole gimmick was that he could command shadows, much like his grandfather could command animals."
"I see," Ochako said, nodding her head thoughtfully. "It is worth looking into. Do you have any books in mind?"
"Not really," Izuku said sheepishly. "The library doesn't have much in the way of European history. But maybe we can look in the mythology section and see if they have anything on the origins of vampires?"
Ochako's brows furrowed as she thought about it before she bobbed her head. "That sounds like a start, lead the way."
"Umm, I was kind of hoping you'd show me where those books were?"
"Oh, of course," Ochako smiled at him. "Follow me."
Leading Izuku to the mythology section, the duo was able to find a pair of books detailing the origin stories of the European vampire. Satisfied with their starting point, they checked out the books and departed the library.
"Thank you for coming with me," Ochako said as they exited the building.
"Does this make you feel any better about last night?"
Ochako examined her satchel, and if Izuku didn't know better he swore she was using her enhanced sight to look inside it. Turning her head back toward Izuku, she gave him a small smile. "Not entirely. But it is a start."
"I'm glad," Izuku smiled back. "Where do you want to go to read these?"
Ochako looked up at the sky with a thoughtful expression. "While I would normally suggest our usual park, there appears to be a crowd there today. How about the park near the temple?"
"Sure," Izuku said, offering her his hand. "You read, I take notes?"
"That is an acceptable plan," Ochako said as she took the offered hand.
The two made their way to the park and found a quiet bench that offered them solitude. Ochako sat down and leaned into Izuku as she opened her bag, passing him a pen and notebook before she retrieved the first book. Opening the book, she found the entry on ghouls and began reading.
Their second attempt at a first date was much less ambitious. A walk through a park at sunset before a nice hibachi dinner. While Ochako was hesitant about the benefits of watching a chef prepare their food in front of them, she ultimately discovered that the experience was oddly entrancing.
"I will admit, I did not expect to enjoy that as much as I did," Ochako said as they walked home.
"I thought you might enjoy that," Izuku said as he gently squeezed his girlfriend's hand. "After all, you watch me make food all the time."
"You are different though," Ochako said as she turned to him. "You are my favorite human, after all."
Izuku paused, stunned for a moment. "Ochako… was that- are you trying to flirt with me?"
Ochako smiled at her boyfriend. "I was researching things couples do. Did it work?"
"Ehehe," Izuku looked at her nervously. "It's very… you."
Ochako's frown turned into a pout. "In that case, I must try better," She said as she resumed walking.
"Hey," Izuku said, "it's-"
Ochako suddenly froze for a brief moment, pausing mid-step. Izuku felt her briefly squeezing his hand before she continued walking. "Something is wrong."
"What is it?" Izuku asked in a hushed tone.
"I cannot explain it in words," Ochako's lips formed a thin line. "But I think it best if we take a rift home."
"Okay," Izuku nodded. "I trust you."
Ochako tightened her grip on her boyfriend's hand. "Thank you."
Izuku followed her lead as she turned down an alleyway.
Barely twenty meters behind them, a middle-aged salaryman keenly watched as the couple walked into an alleyway. Speeding up ever so slightly, he quickly approached the entrance, hoping to see where they had gone-
-only to stop in his tracks when he saw it was a dead end, and they were nowhere to be found.
"Grr…" His hand clenched into a fist as he let out a growl, only for his stomach to remind him how hungry he was.
"I guess it's birds again," the man let out a sigh. "They smelled sooo good… I bet their blood is delicious!"
Turning around, he began walking toward a park. As he passed through a large crowd of people the illusion disappeared, revealing her true appearance - a deathly pale woman with pale blonde hair. She was dressed to kill - literally! - in her best (and, sadly, only) crimson dress, paired with black gloves, leggings, and boots.
Moving to a new city was harder than she thought! Sure the freedom was great, but sometimes she wished she didn't have to hunt animals in a park to survive. Even if it was going to be a hassle, that couple tonight would have been a perfect meal!
Oh well, she had their scent now. The smell of the woman's blood was overwhelming. It was like nothing she's ever smelled before - dangerous and alluring. The man's was mostly normal, but it had an underlying tinge of that foreign smell.
She was sure she'd find them again.