The first day of internships begin! Although seems someone forgot to tell the trio about an important thing you do before internships...luckily, the trio were prepared for this! Izuku says something sweet. Ochako has a small issue. And they find an apartment building that's going down in value.
"So! What're your hero names?" Tensei asked, his grin wide. The three students and one pro were sitting on the train in a single line, luckily during a not so busy part of the day so the train wasn't crowded and they had some space to stretch out. Sitting was a bit of a misnomer though, as Himiko had decided to half curl up into Ochako's shoulder, her legs pulled up and over Izuku's lap as she decided the sunlight coming through the train windows was comfy enough to make her want to snuggle her best friends.
Ochako scratched the back of Himiko's ears absently as she looked at Tensei with wide, confused eyes…and once the pro noticed Izuku giving the same deer in the headlights look, he just deadpanned "Shouta didn't talk to you three about that, did he?"
"Um…no?" Izuku replied nervously.
Tensei sighed. "I guess it makes sense, that normally happens after the Sports Festival. Still, he could have told you about it. Well…any chance you have ideas?"
Ochako squirmed for a moment, before nodding. "Well…um, I made it as a kid, but I always liked Uravity."
"That's clever, I like it! Mixing your name with your Quirk, very handy," Tensei replied with a big grin.
"I like Changeling," Himiko murmured, eyes half-lidded as she swayed with the train's movement.
"Right, right, your Quirk lets you change your form. Makes sense. What about you Midoriya?"
Ochako's eyes turned to look at them, Himiko also giving a half a glance back. As kids, Izuku had had a ton of names based on All Might, but they never did see what Izuku had come up with since. In fact, Ochako was now realizing Izuku hadn't even mentioned a possible name, even though they had her and Himiko's childhood names listed on their notebooks. She could feel the strange fusion of embarrassment and anticipation in Izuku's chest, and watched as they gave a nervous half-smile before speaking.
"Well, um…I didn't really have a good idea before, but in the last couple of weeks I came up with something. It's um…it's because of these two I got here. And we're connected, as far as we know with no way to undo it, so I wanted to lean into that I guess. So I thought about it, thought about us, how we're a team now, and um…you can call me Trinity."
"Trinity, huh?" Ochako asked as she stepped out of the bathroom in her sleeping shorts and tank top. After getting back to the Idaten agency, the trio had gone through a whirlwind with their new mentor…Tensei had quickly shown them around the multi-story building, showing the multiple offices dedicated to each of his sidekicks, the training hall, the meeting rooms, and even the small barracks they'd be staying in.
He'd run over procedures and the basic internship plans…patrols every day with both himself and his sidekicks, swapping out from all three of them together to single patrols with others (they'd be close enough the bond wouldn't cause issues), as well as a good portion of time spent on how to do paperwork, something it was clear he himself wasn't a big fan of by the scrunched up expression on his face when discussing it.
Generally speaking, Idaten did not assume the staff would stay the night, but just in case they had a long case or needed a nap, they had a small barracks room with a half dozen beds in it. So as to not leave them alone for the night, Tensei said he was bedding down in his office (he kept a cot there for that reason), but other than that, the office at night was fairly quiet, just the few nighttime security guards at the front desk.
Izuku shrugged at Ochako's question, absentmindedly brushing their tail (they were getting rather annoyed at fur maintenance, it took so much time to make sure nothing got stuck in their fur). "I just…" they sighed, dropping their head to their chest and not meeting Ochako or Himiko's gaze. "I only made it this far because of our promise, and then Toshinori gave me a chance. But even with that…I don't think I could have done this without you two. When I think of the future, I think of the three of us working together, saving people and being heroes and…I guess I just want my name to show that belief. In us, you know?"
Izuku let out an oof as the air was forced from their lungs when Himiko dive tackled them into the bed, nuzzling her cheek against Izuku's. "Aww Izu, that was so cute!"
"Ouch, oww, c'mon Himi, knock it off," Izuku said, giggling as they tried to shove the blonde off them to little success, Himiko just wrapping her arms and legs about them and clinging tightly in protest.
Ochako snickered. For all of Izuku's complaints, the feelings across the bond were nothing but affection and joy, making her feel lighter. Izuku's comments had sent her cheeks burning, blood rushing to her face for some reason she wasn't entirely sure. She felt…embarrassed? No, not embarrassed, more like…flattered, she guessed, knowing Izuku thought so highly of her and the promise the trio had made, that they wanted to make their hero name, their identity, be a representative of the bond they shared.
She felt the overwhelming urge to either join Himiko in dive tackling Izuku into the bed or to slam her hands over her cheeks and cover her face. The contrasting feelings, some of which she could tell were from Himiko herself, kept her frozen, unable to decide…but Himiko's joy spiked louder, and the blonde grabbing her hand made her decision for her. She was yanked onto the bed with the other two, her own laughter joining theirs, and found herself sprawled out with her face buried in Himiko's shoulder, her legs entwined with Izuku's, and in the weirdest twisted tangle of limbs she could remember…and she couldn't be happier.
Ochako's first day of internships could have started better, in her mind. She'd had an episode at breakfast before the day began, her finger's shaking, stomach roiling, and she had to flee from the table once again, leaving Himiko to chase after her and Izuku to plaster on their perfect little doll smile and reassure it was just a Quirk thing that happened, that Ochako just had to settle her stomach and she'd be back once more right as rain. Gods Ochako hated that fucking smile. Her Izuku shouldn't look like that. It wasn't right, especially not when she was the cause.
And she didn't even get why?! She hadn't had an episode in a week! It was working! She still struggled to eat properly but she didn't freak out like some weakling anymore; not till today. She was getting better, she knew she was, Inui told her she was! Miss Kayama told her she was! Why was she having this issue when she finally was about to have her first day of internships?!
The only saving grace, she supposed, was the fact Izuku convinced their mentor she would be fine. She was able to calm down in the bathroom, Himiko gently encouraging her, able to feel Izuku in the distance sending love and support to her. It had left her shaken and she still wasn't ready to process it, but for now…she could get her costume on and go. Himiko had convinced her to eat a couple protein bars, but that was the extent of what she could stomach. Still…she was out and about, finally.
The plan was a very simple, long-ranging patrol with Ingenium. He'd explained to them he didn't expect much excitement today…the UA Sports Festival was starting, which meant the Entrance Ceremony would be taking up most of the day and people would be paying attention to that. Villains tended to be less active during the festival…even they needed entertainment, or so Ingenium said with a grin.
Of course, fate decided to say fuck you to Ingenium's commentary. As the trio were walking down a residential street full of apartments and a few small konbini's, the sound of faint screams and loud crashes reached Ochako's ears, and she could tell the same from Izuku and Himiko. It was a bit funny to watch her friends' ears perk up and turn, their bodies following a second later unerringly as she found herself mirroring the movement.
Ingenium turned to look in the direction they were, moving into a stance akin to someone ready to bolt off quickly. "Did you notice something?" he asked, his helmet moving back and forth as he scanned the area.
"We can hear…screams? And crashes?" Himiko offered, her ears flicking slightly as she narrowed her eyes in the direction.
"Good hearing, let's move! If there is a villain, leave them to me. Avoid fighting, work on evacuating any civilians in the area, got it?" Ingenium didn't wait for a reply, bolting off in the direction they had heard the sounds. With clenched fists and a hum of energy beneath her skin, Ochako's Galactic Shroud roared to life in her veins, following as quickly as she could, the golden-red strands of Himiko's Sanguine Cloak and emerald lightning of Izuku's Full Cowl just behind her.
They found the disturbance in no time, a tall, lanky (disturbingly so) man running about on all fours, leaping through the air with hands that were far, far larger than should fit. He had a large bag slung over his shoulder, visibly stuffed full as he ran away from a hero Ochako didn't recognize, but was having trouble keeping up because the man occasionally slammed his palms to the ground and the ground beneath them vanished, leaving massive sinkholes that the other hero had to dodge around.
"Evacuate as best you can!" Ingenium orders, before bolting off after the villain. Ochako, Himiko, and Izuku shared a glance and a single nod. They hadn't had much training on the matter, but they were in flashy costumes and were trying to get people to move to safety, and luckily most people were used to listening to people in costumes telling them to move.
Everything was going fine…which should have been the indicator to her that everything was about to go to hell. First, a small buzz in the back of her mind. Then, confusion tinged with worry over the bond from Izuku across the street. Then a rumbling, a groaning, the buzz in the back of her head now shrieking, as she found herself turning around, eyes wide, bearing witness to the ground beneath the five story apartment building across the street crumbling away…and the apartment building going with it.
She didn't remember moving, black spots and white stars sparkling behind her as she ran, a pink blur crossing the street in but a second. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the green and gold following, but had no time to speak, to react, as she slammed her hands into the side of the crumbling building, willing her power to take hold of the entire building.
Red rings appeared about her arms and legs, the bands snapping into place around her neck and abdomen, Galactic Shroud's aura erupting into pink and white sparkles as she willed Zero Gravity to hold it all…and it did. The building froze in place, even the broken rubble now held as she felt the sudden weight of everything pressing down on her, pain roaring through her body and her stomach roiled, bile creeping up her throat. She felt sick, sicker than she ever had before, but she was holding.
"'Chako!" Izuku shouted, skidding to a halt next to her, Himiko a split second behind them. She grunted in reply, not sure if she could speak, her hands trembling as she felt her bones creak. She didn't know what to do next, what they could do, but she needed to do something!
"...right," Izuku whispered, understanding flooding across the bond at her frustration and fear. They swallowed, and she could practically see the calculations running in their mind as they tried to figure out what to do. "The building isn't structurally sound enough to let the people inside come out on their own, the entire basement has vanished thanks to that Quirk. But going inside we could destabilize Chako's hold if we're not careful-".
"Let me do it," Himiko interrupted, making Izuku turn to look at her. "I can do the blink thing, grab a couple people and bring them out!"
"That won't work for the higher floors, it's too far out of your range to jump from the ground up there and back, and you can't do consecutive jumps with people," Izuku replied.
"...then I don't. You catch them. I blink out into the air and you catch them with the telekinesis thing," Himiko said in a whisper.
"Whatever you do, do it fucking quick," Ochako managed to mutter, nearly losing her grip on her meager breakfast just from saying that.
Izuku swallowed. "It's a risk, but…I can't think of anything better." Izuku looked up, gaze scanning as they pointed at a spot right near the corner of the third floor. "Blink out there, I'll be ready."
"Okay! We got this, hold on just a little longer 'Chako!" Himiko exclaimed. She could feel that Himiko wanted to hug her, to give her that encouragement, but knew it'd distract her. Instead, she felt that surge of faith and confidence, a warm glow in her chest that made the pain that was roaring in her veins lessen ever so slightly, and vanished in a golden flash.
"I'll be right here 'Chako," Izuku whispered, their eyes flaring green as the same emotions from Izuku swept over her. They planted their feet, concentrating…and just in time, as Himiko appeared in a flash of gold above them, two young girls in her arms that she dropped. The girls had no time to panic, as Izuku's telekinesis caught them within a second and brought them down gently. Izuku turned to them with a bright smile, one that was for one genuine, as they spoke firmly but with kindness. "Please make your way across the street to safety, we're going to get you all out!" With grateful nods, the two girls scrambled away just as Himiko appeared once more, an older man in her arms that once again was caught in Izuku's mental net.
On and on, one by one and two by two, however many Himiko could feasibly grab at once were coming out into midair. Most of the older ones seemed less fearful, Ochako having to assume Himiko was warning them ahead of time, but even then no one likes just appearing midair and she had to suffer a lot of loud, distracting cries.
Time lost all meaning to her, sound beginning to soften and dampen as she had to fall deeper and deeper into her Quirk. Her world became focused on her center, on her power, all sounds muffled and broken, sweat pouring from her face as she gasped for air. She was losing feeling in her limbs, the awful numbness somehow more painful than the sharp, stabbing pain before, as she felt herself and her grip wavering.
She had to hold, had to keep hold, had to keep going, she had to keep it up, people were in danger, she was going to save people. That's why she was here, she was going to rescue others, she wanted to make people happy and smile and live. Couldn't let go, couldn't release her grip, she had to keep this going. Izuku and Himiko were counting on her, trusting her, she was the bedrock, the foundation. She was Atlas, holding the world on his shoulders for all time if need be.
Sound was filtering into her, panic and worry screaming over the bond nearly making her stumble and let go. Her ears flickered, slight noises increasing, until she could hear it, a soft voice calling for her attention, one she knew."...ch…ko…och…Ochako!" the voice kept rising in volume, finally making her lift her head from where it had been bowed. She glanced up with bleary eyes, vision blurred by tears and sweat and unable to truly focus on the golden figure before her…Himiko.
"'Chako, it's okay, it's okay, you can let go, we've got everyone out. The heroes say it's okay, it's safe, let it go sweetie, it's okay," Himiko reassured, her voice cajoling as her hands hovered just barely above Ochako's.
Ochako swallowed, feeling like she was going to collapse at any moment, but she had to check. "W-wha about tha 'ther buildin's?" she slurred, her voice raspy.
"Izu's gonna keep it from falling sideways, okay? You just let go and I'm gonna take you out of here. Just let go, 'Chako, it's okay," she whispered, one hand ever so gently landing on her shoulder.
Like a switch was flipped, Ochako felt everything in her vanish…Zero Gravity, One For All, both of them just collapsed (like a singularity) within her, cut off in an instant. The red rings disappeared, her body fell backwards, her head screaming and bile trickling from her lips. The roar of the building's collapse was there for a moment, darkness overhead, but then in one flash of golden light, the sun suddenly beamed into her eyes as she vanished from the shadow of the apartment building and found herself across the street, in Himiko's arms.
Himiko collapsed against a wall, Ochako landing in her lap, unable to really focus. Tired, dazed eyes looked over to see Izuku, green lightning wrapped about them, their eyes bloodshot and blood trickling from their nose as they struggled to keep the collapse damage minimal. She rolled her head sideways, looking up at Himiko's face, the blonde's expression twisted in pain, her skin even paler than normal, the pain within Himiko bleeding over the bond. She couldn't even begin to wonder what she looked like, with how she felt. Her thoughts were sluggish, confused, but a loud thud made her look over once more, seeing Izuku collapse to their knees and then fall backwards onto the pavement.
She swallowed, one shaking hand reaching out, wanting to get up and check on Izuku, but the strength faded from her arms and limbs fell down once more. She could feel Himiko's own frustration mounting, needing Izuku with them too…but the sound of an engine interrupted her thoughts as a lightly gasping Ingenium appeared before them.
"...shit," he cursed, his voice echoing through his helmet. "The dispatcher said it was bad but didn't realize how bad. Dumb question, but are you injured?" he asked, kneeling down beside the two girls as he removed his helmet.
Himiko answered for Ochako, her voice raspy. "Quirk…drawbacks. Check Izu, please, we're okay, check on Izu." Ochako nodded vaguely, taking comfort in Himiko's hold but needing to be sure Izuku was okay too.
Ingenium sighed, running one hand through his hair. "Alright. EMS is on the way, as well as a few of my sidekicks. Just sit tight kids." He quickly walked over to Izuku, kneeling down next to the viridian haired teen and speaking softly. Ochako felt a surge of happiness inside her as she saw Izuku hold up a thumb, and with Ingenium's help was slowly pulled to their feet. One arm over the hero's shoulder, they were brought over to the two girls where Ochako managed to finally get one arm up enough to make a grabbing motion at them, Izuku unceremoniously collapsing into her arms, Himiko's arms wrapping about the both of them as she buried her head in their hair, her body shivering.
Ingenium took a moment to glance around, his eyes seeking out the few civilians still around, most of whom were looking at the trio with worry in their eyes. He sighed, taking a knee next to them and speaking softly. "Kids?" Ochako let out an affirmative hum, Himiko's ears perking up and Izuku blinking up at him. "Just want you to know…you did good. You saved lives today. You did good. I'm going to go make sure all the civilians are okay. You just hold here for a bit longer, we'll make sure you're taken care of." With that, he stood up, his helmet placed back upon his head, and began to stride out, his voice carrying as he started to reassure the locals.
Ochako managed a smile at that, her eyes fluttering closed as she dozed off a bit, the sound of sirens now audible in the distance. They saved people…and that was worth all of this.
No, before someone asks, I did NOT have Izuku's hero name planned, I totally blanked on that being important until I started writing this chapter lol. So I had to come up with something. Oops. xD But tbh, I like it, and it leads to some fun moments of the trio understanding each other more.
Also it occurred to me that this story is like, the slowest burn story I've ever written and I'm not even TRYING to make it slow burn, it just...they need time to understand themselves first before even realizing how bloody close they are lol