The dorm commons were dead silent as class 1-A processed what they had just heard. Uraraka kept her hands tightly clenched in her lap anxiously awaiting a word from someone, anyone as the minutes ticked by. Tsu was to one side of her while Jiro took the other, both offering silent support. Deku had his head tilted downward so it was hard to read his expression but Ochaco knew it was painful for him as well to hear the story again. It'd taken her a while to fully go over everything, the teen stopping periodically to calm the swirl of emotions storming inside. She didn't like exposing herself like this, normally waiting until she was alone to vent her frustrations. It wasn't fair to put all of this on them, to drag her into her problems, but the longer she thought about it the more she realized something. Deku was the same way. He never showed how troubled and hurt he was down deep, always plastering a smile on his face like All Might once did. Maybe that's why she was so drawn to him, because they were so alike in the oddest of ways.
"So," Sero started uneasily and everyone jerked their gazes to him in a flash. He cleared his throat from the sudden attention and looked to Uraraka with a concerned expression. "It's…gone…"
"I think we've established that, idiot," Bakugo snorted from behind the couch with his back turned to them all. Funny enough, he was the quietest of them all, which was out of character for the explosive tempered hero. If Deku had lost his quirk, the blond would be all over him with snide remarks and taunts yet he wouldn't even face the brunette in this situation. Maybe out of respect for the seriousness of the situation or because he didn't have anything rude to say.
"Bakugo, can't you just say something nice for once in your life?" Mineta snapped back with annoyance lacing his tone, whirling around with a finger jabbing his direction. Kaminari grabbed his arm to calm him down but the small hero ripped it back to continue pointing out Bakugo's lack of empathy. "This is a serious situation and you're—"
"That's rich coming from the pervert who stares at the girls' bodies all the time. How about you fix your own flaws before pointing out others'?" The pyromaniac shot back with a sneer, further angering the small purple hero who tried to lunge for him.
"Why you—!"
"Knock it off you two, this is a delicate situation! Think about how Uraraka feels! Yelling about something completely irrelevant is considered extremely rude!" Ida butted in loudly as he stepped between his two classmates to defuse the escalating argument.
"This isn't the issue at hand," Kirishima sighed as he dragged a hand down his face tiredly. Kaminari and Sato nodded their heads in agreement.
"Please, let's all calm down for a minute!" Yaoyorozu plead as she stood from the couch with hands up in an attempt to quell the fighting.
Uraraka felt her emotions beginning to unravel as the whole room erupted into a slurry of arguments, the noise rattling her head painfully. She had expected them to be shocked and they were, but the fighting amongst themselves was something she couldn't have predicted. It was hard enough telling them all her quirk was gone and now they were arguing over something completely irrelevant. Her head dropped to her hands as tears blurred her vision. She was so tired of dealing with this. Tsu wrapped her arm over around Uraraka's shoulders while Jiro growled under her breath before shooting to her feet, fists clenched.
"Enough!" Jiro shouted and the room fell silent, all eyes on the teen. "Yes, it's gone, Sero, and there's no telling if it will ever come back. Instead of bickering about something stupid, how about you focus on what we do next? Ochaco is suffering beyond what we can comprehend right now and you're all bickering about Bakugo being an ass! We know he's an ass, drop it!"
"But…what can we do?" Koda asked meekly with a raised hand.
"A puzzling question indeed." Tokoyami added with a nod of his head.
"Midoriya, is there anything else you can think of that pertains to the loss of Uraraka's quirk? Anything at all you can think of?" Todoroki asked his unusually quiet friend.
Izuku shook his head. Hours upon hours he'd searched for any clues regarding the paralytic, but if not even the best healer in the world knew how to heal Uraraka then all hope was lost. All Might had been sending him updates regarding the investigations yet nothing had come up so far further frustrating the teenager. Mr. Aizawa was keeping any other information under lock and key so there was no point in asking him directly. His mentor wasn't even supposed to be sending him that information to begin with, a risky move for the fresh teacher and former pro. "No, Uraraka already explained everything during the incident and hospitalization though I accidentally overheard about her quirk not returning. There's no research on this type of paralytic yet. It's different than the one Mirio got hit with."
"What do the teachers say? There's got to be something they know about the gas." Toru piped in from beside the oddly silent pinkette. Normally Mina would be instantly defending Ochaco but for some reason she chose to remain silent during the argument.
"Mr. Aizawa has only given us the barest amount of information to be respectful of Uraraka's privacy, therefore it's none of our business snooping around for answers. If they find anything they will alert Uraraka first who will decided whether or not to inform the rest of us." Ida added in with an adjustment of his glasses once he'd separated Mineta from Bakugo. Sero had Mineta wrapped up in a cocoon while Kirishima and Kaminari kept a loose barrier between the two.
"So we just sit around, wait, and hope her quirk comes back? We don't know how long that will take! Even if it were a miniscule amount of exposure, surely the teachers and principle would have some idea of how it works after the fight with Overhaul." Aoyama exclaimed from beside Izuku, the normally flamboyant hero serious for once.
"No, we don't, but we're going to do everything we can to ensure Ochaco has all of the support and love she needs in this dark time. Whatever she needs, whenever she needs us we'll be there. We're all like a family here so when one of us goes down, then it's our responsibility to step up to provide support and lift them back up." Yaoyorozu crouched down in front of Uraraka and gently grabbed the girls hands from her face, smiling tenderly up at the teary-eyed brunette. "No matter what you need from us, Ochaco, don't hesitate in asking any one of us even in the dead of night. We're here for you. Always and forever."
"We may be a dysfunctional family but we're still family," Kirishima grinned as he threw an arm around Bakugo's neck, pulling him in for a one-armed headlock/hug. The blonde sent him a glare with a curled lip yet remained silent.
"I still have those mochi squares in my room, Ochaco, I can bring them by whenever you want them." Tsu offered lightly, earning a nod from the brunette.
"Mina and Jiro can put more music on your phone so when you have alone time you can listen to something to help cheer you up." Toru added with a gloved finger up. "Right, Mina?"
"Sure." Mina replied quietly with an averted gaze.
Toru lowered her hand before leaning forward to look at her friend. "What's wrong? You're never this quiet."
"If I hadn't released the rope then Ochaco wouldn't have lost her quirk…" Mina clenched her hands tightly in her lap.
"It wasn't your fault, Mina, I still would've taken the risk regardless of the outcome. I don't blame you for any of it. Being a hero comes with the risk of serious injuries or even death and I would do it again the exact same way if it meant I saved everyone." Uraraka spoke gently as Mina looked up at her with shimmering eyes. The pinkette stood up before launching herself at the brunette and wrapping her arms around her neck tightly.
"You're too pure for us, Ochaco!"
Laughter filled the room as the heavy air finally began to dissipate. Izuku felt a fraction of worry leave his body as Uraraka's spirits lifted. With everyone fully supporting he could worry less about leaving her alone and focus more on searching for the source of the paralytic. The teachers would only release a limited amount of information given the status of the investigation was still ongoing, but there had to be something he could do. The sound of the dorms doors opening caught his attention so he looked over curiously. All Might gave a brief wave to come over while keeping a finger against his lips. Izuku excused himself from the gathering, closing the door quietly behind him as he faced his teacher in the cool air.
"How's Uraraka doing?" All Might asked quietly as they shifted away from the doors, walking down the pathway towards the main road.
"She seems to be doing better now that everyone else is here to support her. I think it still bothers her to feel so useless without her quirk, but we'll all try to keep her mind off of it. Did you find something else out?" Izuku turned to the former hero with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
"Yeah. Hawks texted me a little while ago that they were going off a lead about the paralytic a good ways away in the mountains. I'm still waiting on the latest update but I figured you would want to know as soon as I got anything. I'm glad she's got all of you to support her now, you and I both know what it's like to feel powerless all the time but it's a whole different world when you have a quirk then completely lose it out of nowhere. As long as you all continue to stand behind her in support then I have no worries she'll recover. I was actually coming here to check on her to make sure she wasn't overexerting herself, but I see now it wasn't necessary." Toshinori said.
"What are you two being secretive about now?"
Izuku jumped while All Might turned to look at the newcomer with his usual calmness. "Oh, young Bakugo, a pleasure to see you again."
"Save the formalities, All Might, just tell me what you were talking about with Deku." Bakugo shoved his hands deep into his pants as he glared at Deku before turning bored eyes to his teacher. "It has to do with that paralytic, doesn't it?"
"There's no hiding anything from you is there? Yeah, it was. Hawks is on a mission right now and they're going off of a lead about a possible warehouse holding large quantities of it. That's all I know for now though. I don't want you two stressing yourselves over this so just leave it to the pros, okay? And make sure this stays between us, Aizawa would kill me if he knew I was sharing private information with students."
"Yeah, yeah, your secrets are safe with me. Cheeks headed off to bed but she asked to pass a message along if I saw your stupid face." Izuku looked at him questioningly and the pyromaniac nearly blasted the irritating look from his face. Damned nerd. "If you see her other stupid crutch let her know, apparently she threw the damn thing earlier."
"Thanks, Kaachan, I'll let her know if I find it."
"Shut it, nerd!"
"All I said was thank you?"
"I don't give a shit about your thanks! It's not like I was doing you a favor!"
"Can you please calm down, people are going to bed soon…"
"Die!"
"Die?!"
All Might sighed and shook his head at the two bickering with a smile. They'd truly come a long way since the beginning and beneath that hard, fiery exterior of a skin he knew Bakugo cared about his childhood friend more than he let on. With a wave he was off to the school, the smile dropping from his face. Principal Nezu sent him on a quick errand to check on Uraraka and the others but told him to hurry right back. The information he'd passed onto Midoriya and Bakugo would stay confidential between the three of them, but if his hunch turned out to be correct then they were in for another period of trouble. The blocker shots used when Overhaul held Eri captive were one thing, yet a paralytic spray that could essentially kill a quirk permanently was a dangerous problem. Recovery Girl still had no clue if or when Uraraka's powers could return so now it was matter of waiting while keeping a close eye on her. He just prayed they weren't too late.
"Is it really necessary to go shopping right now? What about practice?" Uraraka asked with a hinting of dread as she and her classmates arrived outside of the mall. She'd been forced into the bus by her friends, cane in hand, and denied any information regarding their destination. Even Deku didn't know as he was gracefully kidnapped then thrown in as well during his walk to the gym.
"You've been stuck in the dorms for a week on top of the infirmary stay so yes, you need to get out into somewhere fresh and new!" Mina clapped her hands together excitedly from the other side of the bus. "Besides, Mr. Aizawa was called to some important meeting or something so he released us of practice!"
"We could all use a bit of a break after the incident." Toru agreed with a sweatered arm thrown over the pinkette.
"There's some new instruments I'd like to check out as well." Jiro pulled her headphones down to rest around her neck as the vehicle screeched to a stop against the curb. "Midoriya, you're in charge of Uraraka for the duration of the trip, don't take your eyes from her for a second."
"W-what? Why am I in charge of Uraraka? N-not that I mind or anything I'm just trying to understand why I've been placed in charge, shouldn't she make that choice for herself?" Izuku stuttered out with his hands shaking back and forth as Uraraka gave him an amused look. Adorable as usual. She caught a quick glance between Mina and Jiro. They were totally in on it. Ever since Deku had been visiting her constantly to aid in her recovery, Mina had stepped up the love matcher game to a whole new level. Any chance she had to get them alone together, she would. Some of the guys in the class didn't understand it but she just shooed them away to prevent the mood from being ruined.
"I'll be fine on my own, it's not like I can get far with this thing, right?" Ochaco stamped the cane against the metal floor before pushing herself up with ease. After the first few days had passed, she'd grown accustomed to the torture device and often found herself throwing it in the air whenever she really missed the sensation of her quirk. Recovery Girl had done another healing session and ever so slowly she was able to put more weight on the leg, though sometimes a support was needed hence the graffitied walking stick, courtesy of class 1-A. She swiftly made her way to the stairs before carefully shifting herself down the three steps, making sure to use her good leg as a balancer until she was on solid ground again. Recovery Girl had given her exercises to ensure she rebuilt the muscles that had shrunken over the weeks and now it was possible to stand on the leg for longer periods of time. Of course, if she pushed herself too far then the pain came back and the cane was relied on heavily.
"Meet back in an hour, have fun you two! Call us if anything happens!" Yaoyorozu called out with a wave as she and the rest of the class immersed themselves into the crowded shopping center.
Uraraka sighed while shaking her head. It was obvious what they were doing though Deku didn't seem to notice as he stood beside her with a hand ruffling his messy locks unsurely. Readjusting her grip on the cane handle, the brunette motioned for him to follow through a less crowded area. "Is there anything you need while we're here, Deku?"
"Not that I can think of. Did you need anything, Uraraka?" She shook her head slowly. Not like she had the funds to buy anything lately anyways…or really ever for that fact. Money had always been tight for her growing up and there wasn't anything of need at the moment so why waste the money?
"Nope. I understand why I was dragged out here but honestly I don't want to deal with the crowds with this thing. You're free to go join the others if you want to."
"That's alright, I don't mind spending time with you, Uraraka. I really enjoy hanging out with you." Izuku blinked a few times before flushing and turning his gaze away as he rubbed the back of his neck. Uraraka felt her heart skip a beat while her eyes widened a fraction. There was no way. Was she seeing things? He often got nervous around women but lately he'd been acting bolder by trying to comfort her with covering her hands. It had to be just because he was concerned about her, the guilt of him not protecting her in time always lurking above his head. There was no way it was anything more than that…right?
"Whoa, isn't that the hero Deku? He's so cool! Who's that girl next to him?" A teenage girl whispered to her friend as they passed, eyes briefly glancing at Uraraka before latching onto Deku who was oblivious as he looked around the shopping area for something to do. "Should we go say hi?"
"Doesn't it look like he's on a date with that girl? Who would want to date a cripple like her anyways, she's probably not even a hero." The other girl whispered loud enough for them to both hear. Uraraka felt her elated mood deflate like a popped balloon as more and more fangirls began gathering around them, excited to see an up and coming hero in the flesh. Add on the fact that they were both in the school festival so everyone knew their faces and abilities.
"Hey, Deku, why don't we—" Ochaco started but the crowd around them suddenly grew which cut off their escape route.
"Wait, isn't that…that is! It's Uravity! She's so cool! I wish I could fly like her!"
"Can we get your autographs?"
"Are you two dating? How long have you kept this a secret?"
"Woah, did your leg get injured in that villain attack?"
"Can you show us your quirks?"
Uraraka stiffened as her gaze turned stony and downcast. The turmoil within her roared loud enough to deafen the voices of the girls, even her own heartbeat drowned out. Every day she lived with the knowledge that her quirk was gone yet what she wasn't prepared for was the fact that others still considered her to be a powerful quirk wielder. The girls turned their attention to Deku as Uraraka took the chance to slip through the throng of hormones to the outer edge without them noticing. The close confines made it difficult to use the cane effectively and she needed to get away and find a place to breathe, the stick dropping from her fingers without her notice. The teens seemed to fade from her thoughts as Ochaco made for a bench a good distance from it all. A heavy pounding in her head made her nauseous as she sat so she dropped her head down against her legs to quell it. Pretending to be fine with it all created a deeper cavern in her chest that filled with dark thoughts, threatening to grab and pull her under. The thoughts were growing more and more overwhelming to the point where one night she had started packing her things to leave the school, the bag still sitting full and untouched by her closet.
Her friends were there, that she knew with her entire being, but none of them understood the aching loss of essentially her entire purpose of being at U.A.. Miro lost his quirk during the fight with Overhaul yet he remained optimistic about the situation. Her own weakness were bared in the light except she didn't know how to overcome them. She needed to be strong, like Deku was, but the first thing she had to overcome was the fear holding her back from moving forward. Doubt overshadowed the optimism all waking hours of her days and she let out a muffled huff. Everything was always easier said than done. But she had to at least start somewhere, right?
These feelings will never go away, will they?
A shifting noise caught her attention and the brunette felt a hand on her shoulder. No one else in the world had such a kind, warm touch so Uraraka lifted her head to stare at a mildly concerned Deku. He was always so caring…but that's how friends were, right?
"Uraraka, are you okay? I'm sorry for what those girls said," Deku apologized softly while giving her all the time she needed to process the surroundings. He'd grabbed the forgotten cane on his way over and kept it firmly within his grasp. The fact that he instantly came over to check on her despite the adoring fans warmed her chest. Deku always put his friends first and she was thankful for that despite the gnawing sensation of guilt.
"It's to be expected," Ochaco mumbled under her breath before putting on a reassuring face to soothe his worries. She wanted so desperately to soothe away the stress mark on his forehead with a swipe of her thumb though the urge quickly died out. He would never truly feel the same way she did. "Don't worry about it, Deku, girls can be mean sometimes. What do you say we skip the mall and find something else to do for an hour? Aren't there a few gardens nearby?"
"Oh, actually there is and they should be holding an annual final bloom display before winter fully hits. It's not too far if you can make there on foot. Here, you dropped this on the way accidentally."
"I didn't notice I had dropped it, thank you. You know what, why don't you hang onto that and I'll race you over there?" Uraraka grinned before taking off at a modified jog, leaving Deku behind with the cane still in his palm. Izuku watched as she put some distance between them with sheer will power to beat him. His heart skipped a beat when she looked back with a genuine smile, chestnut locks swaying gently to reveal those warm auburn orbs that radiated kindness and fierce determination. Whenever he looked at Uraraka she always seemed to draw him in with just a smile and it sent a warmth humming through his body. He would never get tired of seeing that side of her, so happy and upbeat and he vowed to always make sure she was smiling. It was a bit puzzling as to why he always felt so flustered when others were around yet when it was just the two of them…it seemed so right.
"Deku, you aren't even trying! You're going to owe me a lot of mochi if you don't beat me to that bus stop!" Uraraka called out and Izuku snapped from his daydream to see her waving her hand in the air to get his attention.
"S-Sorry!"
"Excellent work, all three of you. We've now successfully recaptured a villain who was released from prison and put a stop to the distribution of more paralytic barrels. It was a fine team effort." Principal Nezu praised as he addressed the three pros sitting across from him with a raise of his teacup. "Though now we are faced with a greater threat of a global distribution and it will have to be stopped before it gets out of control. Aizawa, you went and spoke with the villains captured on the mountainside, correct?"
"Yes, sir. They claimed the truck they stole it from came out of the Southern region unmarked and manned with only a few hired guns. With some persuading I was able to get a description of the marking on the transport crates though I've never seen it before. There's nothing in the police database about it either, Detective Tsukauchi checked."
Aizawa slipped a piece of paper across the desk and Nezu pulled it closer to examine it. It took only a moment for him to know who was behind the attacks and his usual smile slipped into a frown. "Well, well, I haven't seen this mark for quite some time now. I thought the police had rounded them all up after that failed public bombing but it seems a few had escaped. It's quite interesting to know that they're still functioning within the shadows."
"You know who they are?" Midnight asked from beside Aizawa, the pro leaning forward in her chair in disbelief.
"Of course. I have dealt with a few of them myself in the past when I was actively working with the police force to disintegrate underground gangs forming. They called themselves the Quantum Council and they were a relatively small, but intelligent group of villains who transported deadly materials all across Japan to hero dense areas. Though they had all their bombs set up and ready to detonate, the heroes had been tracking them for a good while and put an end to their actions before any lives were lost. I'm amazed they're still hanging around seeing as this all happened at least fifteen years ago. What also piques my interest is the fact that Yu Hojo was recently bailed out of jail for his crimes of serving under Overhaul. My guess is the Quantum Council bailed him out to use him for security while producing the paralytics then hiring men to transport them to specific areas. My, this certainly has my fur standing on end with excitement!"
"What reason would they have coming back after so many years?" Aizawa leaned back in his chair as he crossed his arms over his chest, digesting as much information as he could. "What was their goal the first time around? They can't be doing this just to wipe out the quirks of heroes, can they?"
"From my understanding of their workings is that they are trying to create a world where everyone is equal. Almost ironic thinking about it because there would be no peace or equality if quirks were to disappear, in fact everything and everyone would fall into a deep chaos that could last decades if not longer due to the abrupt upheaval in societies rules and guidelines. The world as we know it would suddenly turn into a massive fight club that would see thousands of innocents combating in the streets. With the heroes and villains gone, humans would resort back to an archaic age of survival of the fittest in which no one could stop. Humans sure are entertaining once they revert back to primal instincts." Nezu tittered sadistically as his teacup trembled wildly, spilling the amber contents all over the table. Midnight handed him a handkerchief once he settled down, the principal quickly swiping up the mess before smoothing down some of his fur.
"So if their goal is to erase the quirks of heroes then those machines must be part of their plan to cause widespread destruction before releasing the paralytic. I'll snoop around and see what I can find. Endeavor is already digging for any information that he can at the moment, so I'll update him with what we've learned. If you'll excuse me." Hawks gave a short bow before exiting the room with Nezu's permission.
"I have some contacts I can reach out to for more information as well so I'll be departing if nothing else is needed, sir." Midnight waited for a nod of approval before following after Hawks, her chains clinking softly with each movement.
"Now that we have a bit more privacy, Shota, I'd like to discuss the matter of your student Ochaco Uraraka." Nezu set his cup down on the plate and looked at the teacher with his usual smile. Aizawa uncrossed his arms to rest them on the table with fingers interlocked. He'd been waiting for the update a few days now since the investigation into the attack was still ongoing. Nezu had barely left his office since so many people were coming and going, from the police to pro heroes working closely with the school. For now it was up to him and All Might to keep an eye on her.
"There's no indication of her quirk returning but physically she is healing. Her classmates were made aware of the situation and are doing their best to support Uraraka at this time, but I don't feel she's revealing everything on her mind. It would be best for her to be monitored closer in case any darker thoughts begin to manifest." Shota had been perturbed ever since the conversation he'd heard at the warehouse. If what they said was true then if Uraraka's quirk rapidly returned after adjusting to life without, then it could potentially overload her emotions and send her into a spiraling psychotic break. Late at night when he couldn't sleep, he'd scour the internet looking for cases of similar occurrences. The few he found didn't have happy endings for this type of paralytic. Mirio's they knew was due to a quirk blocker, something that could only ever be undone by potentially rewinding his life force. But that was forcing Eri to experiment on a student. It was too much to ask a small child who was still trying to control her powers to do.
"You're talking about the conversation you overheard at the warehouse. Yes, that would seem to be a problem if she were to suddenly have her quirk returned to her and she was unprepared. I looked into the person who died from having his quirk suddenly returned and he appeared to have the ability to generate mild electrical sparks that emitted from his fingertips. It seems he suffered a mental breakdown once it returned and as he had forgotten how to control it properly, ended up electrocuting himself while showering. Terrible fate that we must avoid with Uraraka as she could begin floating and lose control mid-flight. Do you know where she is currently?"
"The class took her out but didn't mention where they were going. Iida informed me the class was headed to the shopping center not too far from the school. She's not completely healed up yet so she couldn't have gotten too far." Aizawa rested his palms against the tabletop as he stared at the principal with a fixed gaze. "I understand the need to keep an eye on her, but if she's constantly under lock and key that may also have a negative effect on her mental health. I'll see if Recovery Girl can help her out a bit once she returns but I should go check in with the class rep to make sure everything is under control. If need be I can make it there in no time."
"Readjusting to society won't be easy for her to do so as long as her classmates are with her, I won't worry as much. I'll contact Detective Tsukauchi and see if he has any more information regarding the Quantum Council then get back to you. You're dismissed, Aizawa."
"Ahh, I'm going to miss all of the pretty flowers. I hope spring gets here soon," Uraraka spoke cheerfully as she and Deku left the gardens after an eventful flower display, the teen leaning a little heavily on her cane. All of the running around had agitated her leg even more so and now the walking stick was her best friend. Plus it gave them both faster access through the event since she had a disability. Not that she liked all of the eyes glancing between her cane and face, the obvious youthfulness earning a few disgruntled looks from the older folks. Despite her protests to accept the short pathways through the indoor gardens, the staff insisted in order to prevent further injury. It was a bit embarrassing to be shown through hidden entrances to shorten the walking distance.
"It was interesting to see how detailed the descriptions of each flower were. I'll have to write them down in my notebook when we get back to campus." Deku responded with a nod, his fingers against his mouth and Uraraka shook her head with a laugh.
"Of course that's what you were doing, Deku."
"I-I mean the flowers were pretty but their scientific names and origins were pretty interesting too." Deku replied quickly with a hand to the side of his neck rubbing embarrassingly. "Sorry, the nerdy side tends to come out without me noticing."
"It's alright, it just makes you, you. It would be a bit weird if you weren't nerdy and into that sorta stuff," Uraraka grinned at him as they approached a crosswalk, the signal red. A few people whispered about her behind their hands but she turned a blind eye to them. All that matter right now was Deku, not the gossiping citizens. "Can you imagine yourself as a jock or a band kid? It's too funny to think about!"
"Ah, yeah, now that you mention it, that does seem a little weird." Izuku agreed with a laugh as the crosswalk signal turned green.
"What do you say to some drinks? My treat since you played babysitter today and there's a conbini right over there just past that café." Uraraka pointed with her free hand while they crossed along with the other pedestrians. A few cast odd glances to her yet she kept her focus on the boy beside her. Their judgmental stares immediately tracked to the cane supporting her, some elderly women even clicking their tongues with a head shake.
"I wouldn't want you to worry about that, Uraraka, really you don't have to."
"Too late, already doing it. C'mon, Deku, let's get some drinks for your hard work today!"
"I-I…thank you."
Deku insisted she take a break on a bench outside of the store while he took the money to get the drinks, practically forcing the brunette to listen as the store was crowded from the citizens getting off work. Ochaco settled heavily onto the wooden seat with a heavy breath out. Her leg was throbbing painfully from the amount of exercise they'd done walking around the large gardens and the often uneven terrain didn't help much either. Callouses were forming on her palm from gripping the cane and she lightly traced over them. Padded fingertips tilted upward before curling tightly together. Weeks had passed yet there was still no progress on her quirk returning even as the school fervently hunted down the villains connected to the machinery and paralytic. This was going to be the last outing before finals and while Ochaco was currently exempt from them, it just made her feel that much more alone. They offered all the support in the world for her any time of the day but between her and finals, the latter was far more important than the secretly depressed brunette. Going home for even a bit was an option seeing as winter break would be right after the finals and it would give Ochaco some space to think about everything. Maybe her decision would be finalized by then…
"What's a pretty lady like you doing out here by yourself? Here, I've gotten you a drink since you look a bit parched."
Ochaco glanced up to see a group of three teens hovering around her, a tall blonde one holding out an already opened drink for her to have. Ill intentions radiated from their beings and auburn eyes hardened. Deku was still in the store and she was quirkless against them, their physical power would overwhelm her in a second as well. No doubt they had slipped something into the drink considering it was already opened. Despite her injury, she could use martial arts on them but her full strength was still in the process of returning. "I'm with a friend, thanks."
"Come now we're all friends here aren't we? Say, you look really familiar like I've seen you somewhere before." The black haired teen pointed out as he studied her face closer, hand cradling his chin. His breath stank of alcohol and Ochaco pursed her lips before leaning back. This was going to turn bad in a second and she had no way of retreating. Her martial arts skills weren't as useful with only one good leg to pivot on so the cane residing by her side was going to be her main weapon.
"Ain't you the one that got attacked on a trip or somethin' with a school? What school was it again?" The third teen asked while scratching his fiery red locks. Ochaco could tell right away he wasn't the brains of the group, most likely just the brawns.
"U.A. High School, where the future heroes of Japan train to protect the citizens in need. Ain't that right, Uravity?" The blonde sneered with a cold look filling his blue eyes. A chill ran up her spine. Why had he suddenly done a one-eighty? Did he know her for a specific reason? "Seems even they can't train heroes correctly nowadays if they can't even fend off a few low ranking villains. Say, why don't you show us that quirk of yours and maybe we'll leave you alone? Seems only fair after encouraging a bunch of low level villains to start fighting back and endangering us weak civilians. That and for getting my brother arrested a few weeks ago when you were working with that pro. Ryuko Agency, wasn't it?"
"I have nothing to prove to you so if you'll excuse me now." Uraraka grit her jaw as she stood, hand clenched tightly around the cane. This wasn't good. It was obvious this wasn't a friendly visit but now he was clearly seeking revenge for his brother being locked away. A tight grip yanked her arm away from the walking stick and it fell with a clatter. There went her last method of defense. Screaming was another option though it would also cause a massive scene for the people around them. She would have to fight them off in order to escape but they could obviously see she wasn't at one hundred percent. The risk of getting further injured was high. The other problem was them dragging innocent people into the fray.
"You've got us now, Ochaco Uraraka, so we'll be leaving that useless stick behind. Come on, boys, we've got a fun night ahead of us." The three teens laughed as the blonde yanked the brunette along roughly, shielding her body from passerby who barely glanced their way. They made it no more than two feet when an object went soaring through the air to collide with the blondes head, stopping him instantly in his tracks as a now leaking can clattered loudly to the ground. "The fuck?"
"Let her go, now."
Deku stood a few feet away with a store bag in one hand and the cane in the other. Narrowed emerald eyes locked onto the ring leaders own surprised blue with a silent burning anger. Uraraka tried to pull away only to be shoved into the arms of the redhead, strong arms locking around hers in a tight pin. She braced on her bad leg to slam her foot into his knee cap. A howl of pain emitted from his mouth and his grip loosened enough for her to slip her arms free then slam the side of her palm against his neck. He dropped to the ground knocked out while the other two glanced nervously between her and the newcomer.
"Listen pal, I don't know who you think you are but this lovely lady was just coming with us for a good time. So I suggest you scram before this gets ugly." The black haired teen growled while shifting a knife from his jacket pocket to point towards Uraraka menacingly. The brunette lifted her arms to a defensive pose while shifting back a little. It'd be a sloppy retaliation though that was better than nothing.
"She's with me." Deku said firmly with a subtle shift of the cane to his other hand. "This doesn't have to get violent so just let her go and we can end this calmly. There are over a dozen heroes nearby that will come running if you start a fight. It won't end well if you don't back down."
"Don't think so, pal. The Rough Raiders don't back down so easily," The blond lashed his arm out towards Uraraka who quickly dodged a concealed dagger with lightning instincts. The tip of the blade just grazed across her cheek before taking a few strands of hair with it. She latched onto his wrist, pivoted, and slammed him down on the sidewalk with little difficulty as Deku launched black whip out to subdue the other attackers. The Rough Raiders were quickly restrained by black whip and Uraraka who knelt on the back of the leader who failed in his attack.
"Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you, Uraraka?" Deku asked urgently with sharp eyes locked onto the squirming thugs. Police whistles sounded in the distance and with each passing second they grew louder. A bystander must have alerted local authorities about the situation. No doubt their classmates would be rushing to the scene to offer their support.
"I'm fine, it's nothing I couldn't handle, Deku." Ochaco let out a quick puff of air as the adrenaline coursed through her body. She thanked Gunhead Martial Arts for the fast reaction with minimal damage done. Despite not being back at full strength, it was reassuring to know she could still take down an enemy with little trouble. The blond began squirming beneath her and she quickly snatched the knife away then tossed it aside. He couldn't break free from Deku's quirk but she didn't want to risk the chance of him having another weapon.
"Your face," Deku gasped in alarm after shifting towards her. She tilted her face towards him a bit and his brows furrowed. "It got cut by the blade but it doesn't seem too deep. Ah, there's a pharmacy nearby that would have supplies though I think it will be fine until we get back to the school. How's your leg? Did you injure it further?"
"You worry too much, Deku. I don't think the cut is that bad." Ochaco swiped at her stinging cheek with two fingers over the wound and held them in front of her eyes. Blood streaked across the raised padded tips and a heavy thump struck across her heart. Flashes of a deep pool of crimson swallowing her whole began plaguing her mind, the fingers trembling uncontrollably in her vision. Her breathing hitched and auburn eyes widened in fear, memories of the blood pouring from her hand blurring with reality. A loud ringing filled her ears as the world began weighing heavily upon frail shoulders. Ochaco gripped the sides of her head tightly to quell the intruding thoughts as she stumbled backwards from the attacker and curled herself tightly inward, forehead pressed against her thighs. The deep crimson of the blood flowing from her fingertips to swallow her whole, it's scalding embrace wiggling its tentacles up quivering legs with excitement.
"Uraraka? What's wrong? Is your head hurting?" Deku asked frantically when the brunette suddenly curled herself into a ball, fingers digging into her hair as if to silence something in her mind. He dropped to his knees in front of her then carefully grasped her trembling arms, the brunette failing to respond. "I'm here, Uraraka, it's okay now. Whatever's after you can't get you here."
"The…the blood…so much blood…" Uraraka whispered nearly inaudibly causing green eyes going wide with alarm. What was she talking about? The only blood was from the cut on her face and even that was miniscule. Even with her injury there wasn't any, so what was she talking about?
"Blood? What blood?"
"Midoriya, what happened here?"
Eraser crouched beside his students with scarcely concealed trepidation. Luckily he'd tracked down the rest of the class at the mall, but they mentioned the duo weren't anywhere to be found within the property so he set about searching the area after telling them to stay put. The police sirens and crowd gave away their location so he rushed over as fast as he could. Uraraka was trembling and appeared out of it as Midoriya tried to console her. Judging from the two tied up teens and the third unconscious one, his students had a bit of a struggle against the bottom of the barrel scum.
"Those three men tried to walk away with Uraraka and when I confronted them they became aggressive. She took out the one with red hair but the blonde struck her with a blade. She subdued him pretty quick until I bound him. After she looked at the blood on her fingers, Uraraka began trembling with fear but I'm not sure why the sight of it would cause her to panic. There aren't any other wounds or blood nearby." Deku sat on his haunches beside his friend as Aizawa motioned him back, giving the teacher room to examine the wound actively bleeding. It was fairly shallow though a few fresh beads bubbled up across the slice. He noticed the smear mark coating her skin and knew immediately what triggered it. The pro placed his hands on her shoulders and held them firmly. He himself was no stranger to mental trauma and there were countless times his friends had pulled him from the strangling depths. After what she'd been through…he was surprised it'd taken this long for it to happen. He had a hunch it had to do with the night terror.
"Uraraka, there's nothing here to harm you anymore so I need you to open your eyes for me. Whatever you're seeing right now isn't real, it never was to begin with. Your mind is replaying the trauma you went through and making you believe it's real when it isn't. Midoriya and I are here so use our presence as a means to ground yourself back to reality. Start by slowing your breathing down then try to focus on our voices."
Uraraka cracked her eyes open to stare hazily straight ahead of her, the quivering slowly subsiding with each calming breath she released. A few slow blinks had the brunette glancing between the teacher before her and to Deku beside her who carefully caught her left hand as it slid from her scalp. Confusion flickered across her face as she watched the police carry off three hooligans to their vehicles. A crowd of people still hovered around though a local pro quickly began pushing them back to provide space. "Mr. Aizawa? What are you doing here? What happened?"
"You had a PTSD flashback from your injury that was triggered by looking at the blood on your hand. Those three tried to kidnap you but Midoriya stopped them. Is your leg injured?" Aizawa released his grip on her shoulders as she shifted to a more relaxed position on the ground. There was still confusion lurking in her eyes but at least she was more alert than before. It would take a while before it fully cleared up.
"Uh…my face stings a bit but other than that I'm fine." Ochaco said slowly, carefully trying to recall what just happened with a tired voice. "Deku went in to get drinks then they showed up and offered me an opened container which I denied. The blond man seemed to change his mood completely when he realized I was Uravity. He mentioned something about me being the reason his brother got arrested when I was working under Ryukyu."
"They called themselves the Rough Raiders if that helps at all." Deku added hopefully as Shota rocked himself up into a stand, hands shoved deep into his pockets. Of all the days he let his students out for some free time. Principal Nezu wasn't going to be happy about this. A campus lockdown was going to be the next step in order to protect the students.
"What were you two doing away from the mall? Weren't you supposed to stay there with the rest of the class? Iida already told me you two wandered off without alerting them."
"Well," Deku started uneasily, glancing at Uraraka who averted her gaze downward. He could see the embarrassment flourishing on her cheeks. "It was getting really crowded so we decided to find something else nearby to do. We just came from the garden across the street to get drinks when this all happened. We were going to head back to the mall within the timeframe given. I apologize, I should've alerted the others where we were going but things didn't go as planned."
"I see. Get her to Recovery Girl when you all get back, no more running off on your own anymore, got it? I'll stay here and clean up this mess left behind. The school will be alerted of your arrival back to campus."
"Of course! Uraraka, is it alright if I carry you? If it's easier I can put you on my back. Your leg must be hurting pretty bad right now."
Ochaco nodded and accepted the help to stand, taking a moment to regain her balance before Deku crouched down in front of her. It was a bit awkward at first trying to get settled on his back but she soon found herself adjusted well once he stood. Her arms wrapped loosely around his neck while they began making their way back towards the mall. The memories of the blood had faded from her mind and Ochaco grimaced into the back of Deku's hair. It was difficult to recall what just happened, everything seemingly a dizzying blur, and it bothered her deeply. Was it that traumatic to the point she couldn't even recall what happened? Did it happen due to her leg being broken violently? Even the memories after the explosion hadn't come back even after all of these weeks and the frustration was beginning to overflow within.
"I'm sorry for leaving you alone out there, I didn't think anyone would mess with you." Izuku said lowly, just barely loud enough for her to catch the words. It took her a moment to realize what he said and she frowned. It wasn't his fault. No one could've predicted a scorned citizen would approach and attempt to kidnap her.
"Deku, don't worry about it there wasn't anything you could do. I guess I had zoned out so they took the opportunity to approach. If they hadn't knocked my cane away then maybe I could've taken them all on." Ochaco mumbled into his hair tiredly, shaking her head briefly. The adrenaline was starting to die down and exhaustion washed over her.
If I still had my quirk then I would've been able to handle them on my own…without Deku always having to save me.
"Uraraka—"
"I don't want to talk about it anymore, please, Deku." The brunette sighed while closing her eyes tightly to stop the tears from escaping. She was exhausted and so worn out from fighting just to try and live normally that it didn't seem worth it anymore. Was it even beneficial to continue trying to stay with them while only being a quirkless hinderance?
"I understand." Deku replied quietly, the walk back to the mall now suddenly filled with an uneasy tension. The pain and exhaustion was ringing clear in his ear but no matter how many times he tried to coax his friend into trusting him with the turmoiled emotions plaguing her, she always shut down and pretended to be okay. He wanted to help her so badly yet Uraraka refused to open herself up, only causing the pit swallowing her up to drop down deeper and further out of reach of the hand willing to save her. What worried him the most was what she whispered during the panic attack. Blood…when he'd found her after the villain attack there were a few cuts and scrapes though the way she said it seemed like it was an extensive amount, enough to distort the perspective of reality into a living nightmare. The quirk residing within his body was powerful, a strong force to be reckoned with when facing against villains…yet Izuku Midoriya felt completely powerless and weak when faced with the one person he couldn't save no matter how hard he tried.
The rest of class ran to them in a frenzy once they returned to mall grounds, their cries of worry and relief overwhelming them both. Uraraka tried her best to calm the girls down though soon enough fell quiet to let them fawn over her while the boys demanded Izuku to spill what happened after Aizawa told them to stay put. It took a minute of explaining everything before the rest of class 1-A understood the situation better yet the unease settled heavy on their minds.
"Man, I didn't realize how traumatized Uraraka was from the attack. I feel like there's more we should be doing than just trying to keep her cheered up all the time." Sero rubbed his nape guiltily, the others solemnly agreeing. "But how exactly do we try and bring this up with her? If you can't even get through to her, Midoriya, what hope do the rest of us have?"
"Trauma can affect people differently, perhaps there's a different approach than trying to coax her out of it." Tokoyami suggested.
"Okay, so what do you have in mind then?" Kaminari asked expectantly, all eyes on the Dark Shadow holder. He took a moment to think it over before lifting his head to his classmates who were waiting with bated breaths.
"Honestly, I have no idea." The men let out a collective groan of frustration as Tokoyami shrugged helplessly. It wasn't exactly his area of expertise.
"Perhaps it would be best to just let Uraraka come to us when she's ready to talk instead of forcing the unpleasant memories to resurface so soon. Everyone handles traumatic situations better once they themselves have come to terms with the event." Iida explained with an open palm, his normally stern gaze softening. "I understand we're all upset about what happened, but all we can do for now is continue to support our classmate in her time of healing. I've been instructed by Mr. Aizawa not to push Uraraka regarding the matter so let's give her time so she can sort things out at her pace. We should board the bus to return to the school, we do have finals coming up in a just over a week and various study groups have been planned out for each day before the test. Uraraka will need to be escorted to Recovery Girl as well."
"Ugh, I hate tests but I hate study groups even more!" Kaminari whined as he and a few others began trudging towards the waiting bus, a few grumbles of agreement filling the air. Izuku stayed rooted to the ground along with Iida, Todoroki, and Sero.
"I don't think she wants us to know how bothered she is with losing her quirk." Midoriya spoke after a good minute of silence, causing the other three to look at him. As much as he wanted to tell her he understood completely what it was like to be quirkless, he couldn't. Anyone who knew the secret of One for All's power instantly became a target for All for One. All Might had warned the consequences of letting those close know the secret. He confided in him one day that not even his best friend, David Shield, knew his secret and the two had been friends for decades.
"What do you mean, Midoriya?" Todoroki asked.
"We're her friends, right? Shouldn't she be able to tell us anything that's on her mind?" Sero asked while crossing his arms. "It's not like we're going to criticize Uraraka for everything that's happened lately. None of us figured out ahead of time villains were going to attack the bus. We had our doubts about another camping experience but there was assurance that everything would be fine."
"Uraraka…doesn't believe she can be a hero anymore," Izuku started slowly, recalling the words spoken to him a little over a week ago. "Her confidence has disappeared and even if her quirk were to return she's afraid of returning to the field and being attacked again. I think she's even considered leaving the school because of it."
"Leaving? Isn't there still a chance for her quirk to return though? The school's gotta be doing something to find a cure." Sero threw his hands up almost pleadingly.
"The school and the pros are still investigating the incident but they've started tracking down villains according to my brother's agency," Iida supplied with a hand to his chin. He'd been withholding the information until the investigation was further along, but it was to the point that the rest of his classmates needed to know. Especially since Uraraka already confided in them about what happened. "They still don't know much but there's been rumors of a mass production of the paralytic that drivers were distributing to docks in order for them to be sent overseas. If something like that were to get out, then all of the heroes in the world would just become normal citizens giving the villains an easy advantage to overpower them. Tensei will update me with what he knows, but I suspect the school is trying to keep all of the information under lock and key."
"I can ask Endeavor if he knows anything else." Todoroki added in.
"I've been looking into any news articles regarding quirk blockers but I've only found one public record that dates back to a few years ago. It…" Izuku hesitated to finish the rest of the sentence, his throat already clenching tightly. The thought of it happening to Uraraka filled his gut with dread just thinking about it.
"Well? What happened?" All three teens asked anxiously, closing in on the green haired teen for an answer.
"The man who lost his quirk…regained it after a few months."
"That's great news then! That means it can come back at any time for Uraraka!" Sero let out a relieved breath and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. "So there was nothing to worry about after all."
"He wasn't done speaking, Sero," Todoroki said quietly and the tape user dropped his arm slowly before turning back to a distressed Midoriya with furrowed brows.
"His quirk returned but he'd forgotten how to control it so…he accidentally electrocuted himself while in the shower, killing him instantly." Izuku finished quickly with a grimace at how brutal it came out. The others flinched.
"If…her quirk returns suddenly then it could potentially cause her to float away uncontrollably? Isn't there something we can do to prevent that? I mean, we can't watch her all hours of the night in case she abruptly starts floating again—"
"Get on the damn bus, you fucking idiots! We're waiting on you!" Bakugo screeched from the bus steps, interrupting Sero violently. "We've all got shit to do! Deku, you fucking nerd, shut your mouth and hurry up!"
"Ah, we should go before Bakugo decides to blow the entire bus up. We can discuss this later tonight and maybe sit Uraraka down as well." Todoroki spoke calmly before turning and heading towards the barking blonde. Iida began yelling at Bakugo to be respectful of the other people around them while Sero and Izuku quickly followed suit.
The bus hummed with low conversation as it rumbled back towards the school in the late afternoon. Uraraka kept her gaze locked out of the window as the other girls chatted quietly from all around her, mind a thousand miles away from her pained body. They were surrounding her in a protective barrier, from whom she didn't know or care, as they headed back towards the school. Recovery Girl was going to chew her ear off that she had no doubt about but all she wanted to do was sleep. Every night was a fitful and more often than not fruitless attempt at the elusive slumber. The bags beneath her auburn eyes were growing darker by the day to the point that not even the concealer Mina let her borrow could hide them any longer.
Finals were coming up in about a week so everyone would be busy studying while she sat around nursing her aching wounds. Once the testing finished, then it was time for winter break and the rest of her class would be going back to their homes for nearly two weeks to recuperate from the semester. Ochaco's parents offered to bring her home before that so she could recover in a more peaceful setting though the brunette denied it, claiming her friends were supporting her and keeping her company and she didn't want her parents spending what little money they had on bringing her home early. She appreciated what they did, truly, though she was so fatigued because of the constant attention from her classmates that often Ochaco excused herself early from conversations or activities just to have some peace and quiet.
Then there was Deku. Sweet, kindhearted, innocent Deku who was so persistent in trying to help her that it only made her heart ache tightly. He was always there to support her; staying by her side in the infirmary, guiding her through the toughest obstacles constantly knocking her down, escorting her from the infirmary after she acquired the two metal tripping hazards, rushing to comfort her when she finally broke down in frustration. Even going so far as to take her to a garden after the mall had overwhelmed her, the questions brought up by the citizens too much for Ochaco to handle. Every little gesture only stirred up the guilt residing within her battered body. She knew it was because he was concerned about her wellbeing, not to mention he still had some guilt lurking within him from the accident, but it was diverting his full attention away from becoming the number one hero in Japan. When he was carrying her back to the mall she'd gotten a little frustrated with him blaming himself for the attack yet it was completely out of eithers control. She hadn't meant to snap, albeit Ochaco was sick of all of the pity, all of the concerned looks, the quiet conversations aimed at her. The only time she had peace and quiet was either in the infirmary or locked away in her safe space of a room.
"Ochaco, we've made it back to the school. We can walk with you to the infirmary if you'd like." Tsu's voice dragged Ochaco from her thoughts and she blearily looked over to see her friend lightly grasping the cane in her hands.
"That's alright, Tsu, I can make it there myself. Thank you for the offer." Uraraka said softly while scooting to the edge of the seat before grabbing the wretched cane. Only a few students remained on the bus to wait for the brunette and already the irritation was rising. She didn't want their pity nor their concern. They had other things to deal with than a crippled, traumatized classmate. She let the frustration go with a silent breath. It wasn't their fault and she shouldn't blame them. They were concerned for her wellbeing. Once she got away from Recovery Girl and back into the dorms, she would apologize.
"Are you sure—" Jiro started while standing until Tsu stopped her with a hand grasping her arm, shaking her head slowly. Jiro reluctantly lowered her arm and pursed her lips in worry. Mina laid a gentle hand on her friends shoulder and the three silently watched Uraraka limp her way off the bus and towards the infirmary alone.
"Ochaco doesn't want us to worry over her, it doesn't do either of us any good to constantly be draining ourselves emotionally and mentally. This is something she needs to handle herself so we should back off. She has to learn how to handle her grief to overcome the trauma she's experienced. All we're doing now is just pushing her further away from us. Isn't that the gist of it, Midoriya?" Tsu turned to her green haired classmate with a finger to her lips. She'd picked up the hints throughout the weeks and today finally proved her theory right. Midoriya nodded solemnly from a few seats up as he stood.
"Yeah. We're doing more harm than good right now by constantly hovering around her trying to be supportive. Uraraka has to be the one to sort out her emotions first and then willingly come to use for help. I've tried to get through to her every chance I could, but she's falling deeper into herself and if we push any harder…I'm afraid she may try to leave U.A. completely."
"Leave? She can't just leave after coming so far! There's still a chance her quirk will return, right? Ochaco's come too far to just give up now, especially after encouraging the rest of us to keep a positive attitude even through the toughest of times." Mina gripped her hair tightly as the tears welled in her eyes. "I can't imagine my life without Ochaco now but what can we do to help? Leaving means she's giving up completely and I'm not okay with that!"
"We'll figure something out, Mina," Jiro soothed as the pinkette started bawling. Tsu readjusted her bag on her shoulders before heading towards the stairs with purposeful strides, the teen on a mission. Midoriya and Jiro shared a glance before following suit, a bawling Mina towing behind. All they could do now was wait for Uraraka to come to them for help.
"Barely a week later and you've gone and injured yourself, Ochaco, really now. I gave you simple instructions and you couldn't even follow those. Why on earth did you risk delaying your healing to fighting off some thugs? Were you trying to use kickboxing on them or something? Good grief, I'm never going to retire at this rate. You should've waited for someone to help instead of risking further injury to yourself. You're lucky your actions didn't result in more than a cut on your face." Recovery Girl laid into Ochaco as she whizzed around the room for supplies and medicine, the brunette sitting solemnly on the infirmary bed with her head down. "I can heal you up but it's going to drain you pretty good so I may as well have you stay overnight for observations. Any more slip ups and I'm going to keep you in here until you're completely healed, understand?"
"Yes," Ochaco said quietly and the old nurse let out a sigh. She was already punishing herself enough, but she needed to understand the severity of the situation. The more damage she took on while attempting to heal from a traumatic injury reduced the odds of a normal recovery time and success rate. Sure, she could fully heal the girl physically but mentally and emotionally were two completely different monsters to try and tame. From the looks of it she was suffering more from those two than any actual physical pain.
"You're being awfully quiet Ochaco, something on your mind?" Chiyo asked while plopping down on the stool resting beside the bed then handing the girl a set of infirmary clothes to change into. She barely glanced at them before setting them beside her. "Aizawa already sent a message ahead of your arrival explaining what happened on your outing. Do you remember anything from your panic attack?"
"I don't." Ochaco shook her head lightly, keeping her gaze averted to the tiled floor. She felt so bad for burdening everyone around her. It wasn't for the lack of trying to overcome the fears, the teen was trying daily, it was the fact that as soon as she took one step forward, she'd fall three back.
"I see. You had Midoriya pretty worried there," Not so much as even a flinch from the girl before her and Chiyo felt an alarm going off, the old pro straightening in her seat. This wasn't like her at all. Normally she would show some emotion just hearing the name yet she remained as still as a statue. The guilt must be eating at her.
"I know."
"Has your leg been giving you any trouble lately?"
"No."
"Have your friends been supporting you through this difficult time?"
"Yes."
Recovery Girl chewed on her lip thoughtfully as she studied the student before her. Monotoned, lack of emotion, averted gaze, shortest possible answers, darkening bags beneath her eyes. Just over a week ago Uraraka was livelier since waking up and leaving the infirmary but something seemed to shift within her in such a short amount of time. Aizawa had expressed his thoughts about the possibility of a psychotic break if her quirk returned suddenly, yet there still weren't enough answers to fully validate the concern. The villains were currently being tracked through the chains and without any better information, it had become a waiting game for the staff of U.A..
"You have thoughts of leaving the school." Uraraka finally flinched minutely yet it was enough for the nurse to latch on and slowly start reeling her back in. "You believe your place here is no longer warranted due to the fact your quirk is no longer active. There are other options besides leaving so why take the most drastic path? Your friends are all here, standing behind you and supporting you through your trauma yet you want to abandon them?"
"I have no place here." Uraraka mumbled out and the nurse leaned forward to hear her better.
"Why do you believe that?"
"My quirk is gone, I'm nothing more than a burden to them. They can continue on their path to becoming heroes and all I do is hold them back."
"What is one of the first things a student at U.A. is taught?" Ochaco looked up at her slowly, dulled expression shifting to one of uncertainty. "Teamwork. In the classroom, outside of the school, in the practice fields, internships, during battles. You learn to trust one another to build a stronger relationship so that you can rely on those closest to you. If every hero went solo and ran around arrogantly thinking they could take on a strong opponent without help, then we'd have no heroes left in this world. Teamwork doesn't just pertain to school life, it grows you closer to your friends who offer support whenever you need it. Heroes aren't invincible, we're still normal human beings beneath that flashy costume. Even heroes need help from other heroes sometimes, though not just in the physical sense. I suggest you take the rest of the evening to figure out what you're doing wrong if you feel the need to push those who are standing behind you and supporting you the most away. Fighting this battle yourself is only going to end with you losing, Ochaco."
Ochaco gaped at the nurse for a minute before shutting her mouth with a nod. Satisfied the message got across, Chiyo stretched her lips to press against her temple to heal her leg. If she actually followed her instructions this time then everything should be healed within another day or so, in time for the end of finals and winter break to start. The school was hesitant in letting the students leave the premises since the attack, but one by one the villains were being rounded up and thrown in jail. The trail was growing hotter with each new person captured and Chiyo felt there would be very little risk in letting them off of the property for at least a few days. Afterall, they were constantly stuck on campus especially after any major villain attack so no doubt they were becoming restless. She bid her goodnight to the student before leaving the infirmary for the evening, a satisfied huff escaping between her wrinkled lips. Coddling Uraraka would do nothing to break the depression weighing heavily over her so the next best thing was a dose of harsh reality. Though her friends were trying to be gentle and soothing with their words, all it did was undoubtedly frustrate Uraraka to no ends, their attempts doing nothing more than pushing them away. They were a smart bunch and the former pro had little uncertainty that the others had already figured it out.
