AN: Thank you for reading! If you're enjoying it, feel free to leave a review!
Despite returning to the safety of Izuku's apartment, Izuku noticed Ochako had yet to relax. Gently circling her so they stood face to face, he saw the concern on her face.
"What happened?"
"I am not certain," Ochako's brow was furrowed in concentration, her gaze elsewhere. "But I believe we were being watched."
"That's not good… normally you're the one doing the watching," Izuku said thoughtfully. "Do you have any idea who it was?"
"No," Ochako admitted. "It felt - I felt an aura similar to the man from yesterday."
It was Izuku's turn to frown. "I see… it could just be a coincidence, but…"
"You understand my concern," Ochako said, a hint of relief creeping into her voice.
"Yeah," Izuku smiled at her as he gently touched her arm. "Thank you for looking out for me."
"Of course," Ochako replied with a smile. "You mean a lot to me."
"So if someone is following us, what do you want to do?"
"If it is alright with you," Ochako began, her cheeks heating up. "I would like to finish our evening. I was enjoying our date, and was not done."
Izuku's smile widened. "As long as you are ok with that."
"Yes, I am," Ochako admitted. "It may be selfish of me, but I doubt whoever is following us will give up after one failure."
"Well then, what do you want to do?"
Ochako smiled as she closed the distance between her and Izuku, her face inches from him. "If it is alright with you, I would like you to teach me more about kissing."
Izuku smiled awkwardly as he leaned forward, placing a quick peck on her lips. "I-I don't actually know much more than you. Are you ok if we learn together?"
"Yes," Ochako said quietly. "Let us learn together then."
Without another word, Izuku wrapped his arm around his girlfriend and guided her to the couch where they sat down. Their new problem would still be there tomorrow, but for tonight, their thoughts were only for each other.
"Are you going to be alright?" Ochako asked as they walked toward Izuku's office.
"Of course," Izuku assured her. "It's not like anyone can get into the building without you finding out anyway. Besides, you would be the one they are interested in - he saw your face, after all."
"That is true," Ochako mused. And then there was her suspicion that what they were facing was, in fact, something based on the legend of the vampire.
After all, they spent most of the evening out, so why didn't she notice anything until after sunset?
After a few moments of silence, Ochako turned to Izuku. "If you think you will be safe, then I will trust you."
"And what about you?" Izuku asked. "How can I trust that you'll be safe?"
"Do you really think something can stop me?" Ochako asked. "The worst that could happen is I need more calories and sleep while this body recovers."
"But you've said it yourself. Humans have won in the past. We already know he has some special power. I just- don't want to see you get hurt somehow."
"Izuku," Ochako said, stopping suddenly. "If they somehow banish this vessel. I will return to fulfill my duty. I would have to rebuild this body, but that is a small inconvenience. One way or another, they will not stop me."
Izuku turned to his girlfriend and saw the determination on her face. If she trusted him to be safe, he should do the same to her. "I guess we're just both worried about each other, aren't we?"
"That is how a relationship works, is it not?" Ochako asked, her head tilted in curiosity.
"You're right," Izuku laughed. "I guess you're figuring this out just fine."
"I have a wonderful partner who is patient enough to teach me," Ochako replied.
Izuku smiled at Ochako as he closed the distance between them to give her a quick kiss. "I'll see you for lunch then?"
"Yes," Ochako said. "It is my turn to pick the restaurant."
"I remember," Izuku smiled. "Good luck with your search."
"Thank you, do not let your job bore you too much."
Ochako stood there and watched as Izuku continued onward to his office. Once he disappeared out of her line of sight, she finally turned toward the commercial district. It was time to test her theory - at least part of it. She didn't have any particular need to be here - Izuku was more than accommodating to her whenever she wanted to go shopping or simply wanted to explore different stores. However, she wanted to give her mysterious stalker a chance to catch her.
And if they didn't show up, well… she'd have to come back after sundown and test the vampire theory.
Arriving before most stores were even open, she found a nearby park and found a comfortable-looking bench. Sitting down, she pulled out one of the books on vampires she had borrowed and began reading. Meanwhile, she cast her gaze skyward, watching the whole district… while also keeping an eye on Izuku's office building.
Izuku made his way to the park, only to see Ochako was already standing there ready to go. As she turned to look at him, her lips curved upward.
"Did you have a good morning?" Ochako asked.
"Yeah," Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "Rody actually came by like he promised he would."
Ochako frowned and crossed her arms. "Did he try to coerce you into his airplane?"
"Ehehe, me and my whole department," Izuku said. "Rody is really excited about getting his pilot's license."
"I see," Ochako relented slightly. "Perhaps his intentions are less insidious than his actions indicated."
"That's just how he is," Izuku sighed. "Trust me, if I could avoid him I would too."
"I do trust you," Ochako said softly. "It is him that I do not trust. If you would like to avoid him, you know I can help with that."
"I- nevermind," Izuku said, not wanting to make things more complicated. "Where do you want to go to lunch?"
"I would like some Okonomiyaki for lunch," Ochako said. "Could we go to that one food stall?"
"Sure," Izuku held out his hand. "And how was your morning?"
"Productive, but unsuccessful," Ochako said as she took her boyfriend's hand, savoring the warmth of contact. "I would like to go out tonight."
"You think we'll find our friend at night?"
"That is my theory," Ochako explained. "I spent the entire morning in the commercial district and did not sense anything was off."
"Alright," Izuku said. "Do you have a plan if we run into him again?"
"I do," Ochako confirmed. "I would like to speak to him and ascertain his role in this city."
"Well… let's hope the fact that's tracking you means he's more willing to talk."
"I agree," Ochako confirmed. "But since we cannot do anything until then, I will resume reading through the books we have. After lunch."
After a boring afternoon and a quick stop at their apartment, Ochako opened a rift, depositing them in a nearby park. Even though the sun hasn't fully set, she had argued that it would be best to travel this way to keep the location of their apartment safe.
"We've still got a little time," Izuku said as he looked up at the pink and orange sky. "Is there anything you'd like to do?"
Ochako closed her eyes in concentration and let her gaze sweep over the area. Nothing was out of the ordinary, and she had already been diligent for the day. With nothing else to occupy them until the mysterious man showed up, she was free to relax with Izuk- no, with her boyfriend. Thinking about what couples normally do, she finally opened her eyes.
"I would like to see one of these arcades."
"An arcade, huh?" Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "I haven't actually been to one in years - not since high school."
"Was it another activity you did with your friends?," Ochako tilted her head curiously.
"My cousin actually," Izuku explained. "When we were younger, Melissa would always drag me to the arcade to play games with her whenever we visited. She was always disappointed that there wasn't a place near her in America, and made it her goal to get the high score on as many machines as she could."
"That sounds like an enjoyable bonding activity," Ochako replied, thinking about what the articles she read had to say. "Is that part of the reason you are still close with her?"
"I guess it was part of it…" Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "We would spend the day there, wasting hours going to every machine. And then at the end, we'd get desserts to celebrate reclaiming the high scores!"
"I see," Ochako looked at Izuku. "Are you alright sharing this experience with me?"
Izuku smiled at his girlfriend. "Of course! As long as you don't mind if I get a little nostalgic."
"Do not worry, I like it," Ochako said, enjoying the sensation she felt as she saw Izuku's cheeks heating up. "I feel like I am learning more about you every day."
"I-is that a good thing?" Izuku asked nervously.
"Yes," Ochako said. As if to emphasize her point, she leaned upward and pressed her lips against his cheeks. They were warmer than usual - she enjoyed the sensation. She'd have to remember that for the future - find some way to make Izuku's internal temperature rise, and then kiss him.
"Would you mind if I… asked about your past as well?" Izuku asked.
"My past?"
"From… before you arrived on Earth?"
"I understand what you meant, but why would you be interested in that?"
"I guess… I'd like to know more about how you came to be well… you."
"I do not know if it will make much sense translated into Japanese," Ochako explained. As she spoke, she felt her heart rate increasing. An unexpected reaction, but one she recognized as a good thing. "But I will do my best."
"Once we get home, of course!" Izuku said quickly as they arrived at the arcade.
"That makes sense," Ochako agreed as she looked in the building, her eyes and ears assaulted by the bright lights and sounds. "In the meantime, I will follow your lead."
Scanning the room for games, Izuku quickly came up with a plan of attack. Nodding to himself, he gently tugged on Ochako's hand as he led her inside.
The couple lost track of the time playing the different machines, and by the time they had finally emerged it was dark out.
"I didn't expect you to be so competitive," Izuku said as they exited the building.
"Is that not the point?" Ochako tilted her head curiously. "To give it your all in friendly competition?"
"I guess you're right," Izuku exhaled in defeat. "How did you get so good so fast though?"
"You forget my reaction time is measured in human nanoseconds and I have precise control over my body," Ochako smiled. "Manipulating a simple joystick and pressing buttons in response to your actions is a simple task."
"Remind me to never play you again. Maybe we can try a co-op game next time."
"I would like that," Ochako said. "There were many games we did not get to play, and I would like to continue exploring them."
"It's a date then," Izuku smiled at his girlfriend as his hand found hers.
"I would like that," Ochako's smile brightened as she squeezed Izuku's hand.
"So now what?" Izuku asked.
"I believe it would be best if we simply roamed around and acted like we were shopping. I will be able to sense if he is nearby again."
"Sounds like a plan," Izuku said softly. "Let's go."
The girl in red was walking through the streets of Mustafu when she caught that scent again.
Could she be so lucky? They're back already!
Quickly wrapping herself in an illusion, she now resembled a middle schooler, dressed in a seifuku with an oversized beige cardigan thrown over top to protect her from the cold. A perfectly disarming disguise.
Hurrying through the streets she followed the scent, looking for her targets. Whipping around the corner, she saw them. The cute couple - despite their strangely mismatched attire. The man wore a dress shirt with a disheveled tie and dress pants, while the woman was much more her speed. Dressed in a sleeveless black tank top with fishnet arm stockings and torn black jeans, she looked like she belonged at a club rather than next to a salaryman.
And the smell she was giving off - it was so strange and wonderful. It made her want to sink her fangs into the woman so badly!
Grin splitting her face, she finished admiring the couple before she took a step toward them…
…only to freeze in her tracks as the woman turned and stared directly at her.
No way!
Letting out a startled gasp, she quickly ducked back around the corner.
How did she know?
Quickly, she changed her illusion, assuming the form of an elderly man. Peeking out from around the corner, she saw the woman still examining the area, on high alert but showing signs of confusion.
Sighing, she turned around and walked to the other side of the building, ducking into the alleyway. If she wanted to get close to the woman, she'd have to figure out another way.
"Who was it?" Izuku asked as Ochako furiously scanned the area.
"I do not know. Not the man. Instead, it was a young girl. But she felt the same as the man did," Ochako explained.
"Was that why things felt slightly different?"
"Perhaps he is an associate of hers - after all, I know his face, just as he knows mine."
"You must have scared her off, just looking at her directly like that."
"I was simply hoping to acknowledge her," Ochako said. "Perhaps I was too direct?"
"Maybe? Is she still in the area?"
"Yes, although I cannot see her. She must have ducked into a building or underground to hide. A smart move on her part."
"I wonder why she hasn't fled then."
"As long as she is here, we may as well continue," Ochako turned back toward Izuku, "perhaps if we appear to lower our guard she will make another appearance."
"If you think that's safe…"
"Of course it is safe," Ochako slipped her hand back into Izuku's and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I will not let anything happen to you."
Reassured by Ochako's cool touch and the conviction in her eyes, Izuku bobbed his head. "Alright, let's keep going for a few more hours."
The couple wandered through the commercial district until most of the businesses began to close, and even went as far as a nearby night market to pick up dinner and treats for the evening. But the mysterious woman never came after them again.
"Are you sure she's still around?" Izuku asked.
"With absolute certainty," Ochako confirmed, sweeping her gaze around the area. "I do not know what she is doing to conceal herself from me, but her presence has followed us like a shadow. Unless she has been following us underground the entire time, which seems unlikely."
"Yeah," Izuku agreed. "So what do you want to do?"
"Even though tonight was a failure for our mission, I still enjoyed our time together. I…" She paused, almost hesitant to continue. "...do not wish to be frustrated by my failure again. I would much rather focus on the pleasant time we had instead." She then held up the bag in her hand as her demeanor brightened. "And we have new food to try for dinner, I do not want to let this wait for too long."
Izuku smiled at his girlfriend. In many ways, he envied how excited she was able to get over simple things. Still, he found her excitement infectious and loved how she wanted to share all of it with him. "Alright, are you going to open up a rift?"
"Yes, let us find an empty alleyway."
Just like the night before, the scent she followed suddenly vanished. Frowning, the woman threw caution to the wind and hopped across the rooftop to the next building before dropping down into the alley.
They were just here - she could smell their scent lingering in the air.
But where did they go?
She let out a frustrated huff as she kicked an empty bottle, watching as it shattered into a million pieces as it hit the wall.
At least she wasn't hungry tonight. She had time before she needed to feed again. But that was beside the point!
Once again shifting her disguise, she left the alley to return to her shelter. She'd change outfits again before she continued her other search.
She just wished she could get that other woman's scent out of her mind.
"You want to what!?" Izuku exclaimed.
"I would like to try again, this time splitting up," Ochako explained calmly. "After all, if that woman is intimidated by me, perhaps you would have better luck."
"But if she was able to stay out of your vision…" Izuku said nervously.
"I will never take my gaze off of you," Ochako promised him. "I promise if this woman finds you, I will come to your aid."
Izuku looked at his girlfriend, calmly talking about laying a trap as if talking about the weather. He couldn't help but be reminded of her true nature.
But…
She was right. While she slowed down her passage through rifts as a courtesy to him, he already knows how fast she can transport herself if she chose to. All he had to do was stay under the open sky so she could follow him…
Sighing, Izuku resigned himself to this plan. "Alright. I trust you."
"Thank you Izuku," Ochako smiled at him before leaning in to kiss his cheek. "It means a lot, having you help me with my investigation."
As Izuku rubbed the back of his head and tried to control his blush, Izuku tried his hardest to deny the thrill of excitement he felt about this mission. And he couldn't help but wonder if he was some sort of thrillseeker in another life.
As Izuku felt a chilly breeze sweep down the street, he took comfort in the sensation that he was being watched. When he first felt this sensation all those weeks ago he admittedly had no idea what the cause was. But now he knew - and feeling Ochako's gaze brought him comfort instead of uncertainty.
Unfortunately, he was so focused on the feeling of Ochako watching him, he missed the fact that someone else was also watching him.
"On one hand, his blood doesn't smell nearly as exotic," A portly middle-aged woman observed from under an awning. "But I still get a hint of that smell. I wonder if it's because they're together?" Detaching herself from the wall, she began following Izuku. "Oh well, he'll do nicely."
She followed him down the street until the crowds began to thin. Unfortunately, she ran away from her old master before her powers of stealth were fully developed, and she could only affect a few people at a time. In truth, she should probably wait until crowds were even thinner, but patience wasn't her strong suit and she wanted to sink her fangs into him. Deciding it was time to strike, she cloaked herself from as many prying eyes as she could and hurried her pace toward her target.
Izuku practically jumped when he felt a cold hand clamp down on his arm. "Excuse me, young man. I'd like to speak to you. Alone."
He suspected the voice was supposed to sound kind and homely, but he could detect the threat that laced every word. Turning his head, he saw what most people would see as an unassuming woman.
But the grip on his arm told him the truth.
"Who are you?"
"I'm just a poor woman trying to get by," the woman said, and for a moment he saw a flash of gold behind her dark brown eyes. "And I'd like your help."
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Izuku looked skyward, silently hoping that Ochako was paying attention right now. Looking back down at the woman, he tried to buy time. "I don't have a choice, do I?"
"Nope!" The woman chirped before a too-wide grin spread across her face. "If you come along nicely I promise it won't hurt."
Izuku gave her a nervous grin and bobbed his head. "L-lead the way."
"Good choice," The woman returned his expression with a satisfied smile.
He felt her guiding him down a nearby alley before he felt her let go of his arm. Whipping around, he saw the middle-aged woman was gone. Instead was a deathly pale girl - her skin was almost transparent with how pale it was, wrapped in a crimson dress that stood out in stark contrast to her skin. Her pale blonde hair flowed down past her shoulders, and she stared at him with golden yellow eyes, the catlike irises almost unnerving as a predatory smile split her face to reveal the fangs.
"W-what are you?" Izuku asked nervously as he backed up a step.
"I'm sure you're smart. I'll let you guess," The woman said, before adopting a thoughtful look. "Although… if you guess correctly I'll have to kill you, instead of leaving enough blood that you'd survive."
"V-vampire-" Izuku said, almost involuntarily.
The woman's face fell. "Well, so much for that offer. What a pity, you're too cute to die." She took a menacing step forward.
"W-why me? Why have you been following me these last few nights?"
"You noticed that huh? Or did your girlfriend tell you?" She gave him a playful look. "She - her blood smells amazing! Otherworldly!" She clenched her fists together in an excited look. "After spending so long eating birds and mice - I can't stand it anymore! I want to taste it!" The woman seemed to shudder almost involuntarily. "But she's scary! Fortunately!" She grinned and darted forward, her voice whispering in Izuku's ear. "Some of that smell's gotten on you."
Izuku stumbled back until he was pressed against a wall. "What do you mean it's gotten on me?"
Himiko giggled and stepped forward, slamming a hand against the wall next to Izuku's head. "Some of your girlfriend's scent lingers in your blood. I bet it makes it extra tasty!" She giggled. "Time to find out!"
There was a sinister gleam in her eyes as she opened her mouth unnaturally wide, ready to sink her fangs into Izuku.
Only to feel a dull cold sensation wrap around her limbs. Looking dumbly at her arm, she saw what appeared to be a slice of the night sky wrapped around her arm, before she was flung into a wall. She cried out with a pained yelp as she hit the concrete. She tried her best to brace for impact but she ultimately lost the battle with the wall and felt two of her limbs shatter from the force of impact. Whatever threw her was freakishly strong!
"You will not hurt Izuku!" Ochako yelled, venom laced in her words as the tendrils wrapped around her arm waved menacingly.
"Thanks for the save, Ochako," Izuku said, feeling his legs giving out. Not wanting to collapse, he propped himself up against the wall.
"I had hoped to speak with you civilly, but then you threatened my boyfriend," Ochako took a menacing step toward the woman on the ground. "Now you will answer my questions."
"Oww," The woman whimpered as she pushed herself to a sitting position. "If you're going to kill me just get it over with."
"I did not intend to kill you," Ochako said, calming down. "However, I promised Izuku that I would protect him no matter what, and you threatened him."
"You'd be doing me a favor," Himiko said as she poked at her arm, thankful for her ability to dull her senses. "I'm not sure I have enough in me to heal all of this and find food."
"Enough in you?"
"Blood," Izuku said definitively. "Ocha- you were right. She's a vampire. She needs blood to survive," He turned toward her and gave her a pitying look. "And more, from the sounds of it."
"I was going to be fine," the woman huffed. She tried crossing her arms but the result looked more sad than anything with one limb hanging uselessly at her side.
"What will happen to you now?"
"If I'm lucky," The woman said, giving up and using her free hand to straighten out her broken leg, "I remain coherent long enough to nab another human and drink enough blood to let me flee town."
"And if you aren't?" Izuku asked.
"I'm a dead woman. Either from starvation or getting cut down by the other vampires in the city," the woman let out a bitter laugh. "At least I'd get to meet 'em that way."
"Get to meet them?" Ochako tilted her head curiously. "You do not know the tall man in red who can control shadows?"
"Figures you'd run into someone before me," The woman grumbled. "I've been here a week and haven't been able to find anyone yet."
"You do not know the others of your kind?"
"Not here," Himiko explained. "I've been trying to meet up with anyone and find out if it's safe, but we don't exactly like being found."
"I see," Ochako bobbed her head. "Very well, if you wish me to end your existence-" She raised her arms, her tentacles expanding. "I promise I will make it quick."
"Ocha- wait!" Izuku said, his legs carrying him between the two women as he held his hands up defensively. "She didn't really mean what she said!"
Ochako looked at Izuku in shock, her tendrils dissolving into nothingness. "She attacked you. Why are you defending her?"
"I-" Izuku turned and saw the look of terror on the woman's face. Stepping aside, he swept his hands to make sure Ochako saw it as well. "Look at her. She's not a threat anymore."
"But you heard what she said. She will attempt to harm another human if we leave her here."
"I-" Izuku let resolve fill his face as he turned toward the woman. "How much blood do you need?"
"Huh?" The woman asked in shock.
"Izuku, what are you doing?"
"You said you don't have enough blood to survive. I- if I can give you enough to let you escape town- will you promise not to harm anyone?"
"You'd do that… for me?" The woman asked in awe.
"Yes," Izuku said definitively as he turned toward Ochako. "She's not like the others we've fought. She can be reasoned with. And-" he turned toward the woman "-you said you've fed off of birds and mice, right? If I give you time- you could eat them instead of attacking someone else, right?"
The woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she evaluated herself. "Even if I took the minimum I need, I'd still send you to the hospital for blood loss."
Ochako closed her eyes and organized her thoughts. She was letting her anger toward the woman get the better of her. Taking a moment to recenter herself, she opened them to stare at her boyfriend. "Izuku, I will not let you do this," Ochako said definitively.
"But Ocha-"
Ochako raised her hand to cut him off. "I will give her my blood instead."
"What?!" The two exclaimed.
Ochako looked at Izuku. "You are right. And while she cannot survive without harming a human, we both know I am not human. I will be fine if she takes most of the blood from this body. However-" She turned toward the woman on the ground. "In exchange, I want your help."
"W-what kind of help?" The woman stammered out, still in disbelief over what she was hearing.
"I am seeking a meeting with more of your kind. For now, this means our objectives align. I propose a temporary partnership while we seek them out."
"You'd help me get in touch with them?" The woman asked lamely.
"Yes. I wish to speak with them about a matter concerning your entire planet, so having additional help would be invaluable. My other condition is you promise not to attack other humans."
"But that could take weeks!" The woman insisted. "What if I need more blood?"
"You said you could feed off of animals, correct?" Ochako asked. "And I will be able to periodically supply you with additional blood, as long as our partnership remains."
"I- yes!" The woman practically yelled. "I'll do it!"
Ochako turned toward Izuku. "Do you trust her at her word?"
"Yeah," Izuku smiled at his girlfriend, "and I know you'll keep me safe." He turned his head toward the woman on the ground. "What's your name?"
"Himiko," The woman replied. "Himiko Toga."
"Very well Himiko," Ochako knelt in front of the vampire and extended her arm. "Take what you need."
Himiko felt like she could cry as she quickly healed her arm. This was more than she could have ever dreamt of! Once her arm was healed she took the other woman's arm with both her hands, cradling it reverently. The skin felt cooler than a normal human's, but there, underneath her skin, she could smell that intoxicating scent. Opening her mouth, she sank her fangs into the woman's arm.
Her vision exploded as she swallowed the first mouthful of blood. It was like she was floating in the night sky as stars danced in front of her vision. She found herself lost in the vision until she felt something wet splash on her wrists.
Were those… tears? She felt liquid running down her face. She remembered the feeling like some half-forgotten dream, but it had been years since she last cried. So why now…?
"Is something wrong?" Ochako asked curiously.
Himiko blinked in surprise, banishing the vision of stars before she looked at the other woman. "You- I wasn't expecting… this."
"Will it be a problem?"
"No," Himiko shook her head vigorously. "Quite the opposite."
"Then I suggest you continue," Ochako urged her. "We do not wish to linger here for too long."
"R-right," Himiko said, not knowing how to process the idea that someone wanted her to drink blood faster. Looking down at the woman's wrist, she once again sunk her fangs into the soft skin.
From his position on the sidelines, Izuku watched as the color drained out of Ochako. Once again, she returned to her monochrome state as Himiko drank her fill. Finally satiated, Himiko let Ochako go, examining the other woman as she mended her leg.
"You're like me!" She gave a delirious smile as she saw took in Ochako's gray skin and white hair.
"No, I am not," Ochako said as she stood up, giving no indication of being hindered by the loss of blood. "Do you have someplace to stay?"
"You want me to take you to my safe house?" Himiko asked skeptically.
"It will be convenient," Ochako confirmed, "for finding you in the future."
"She can teleport," Izuku explained. "But she needs to see it to know where to go."
Himiko frowned as she weighed her options. "That explains how you two kept disappearing." She let out a long-suffering sigh as she decided to tie her fate with this couple. Pushing herself to her feet, she gestured toward the end of the alley. "Follow me."