"Without power, can one become a hero? No, I should think not"
"It's been nearly fifty years now and I can still remember clear as day the first time I saw him"
"We're weaker, less durable, and more killable than them, regardless of your quirks or lack thereof. But still we fight! With our wits, our tools, and our skills, we defeat the undefeatable! One day when the beast rises from the abyss, we will kill it. Welcome to the AMF."
Izuku opened his eyes, the pitter patter of the rain a soothing contrast to the carnage he was preparing to jump into.
He gave one last check to his instruments. They were all ready to go. He glanced at Ochako in the driver's seat. She was staring intently out the viewing port, taking deep breaths. Izuku took a few himself. They both waited.
A distant explosion went off. And another. And another. It was getting closer. Good. Closer to them was further from town. Izuku turned the turret in a long spin, examining the surrounding valley. Through the pouring rain, he could see plenty of trees that might hide them, some hills to duck behind, maybe there was some cover by some if the cliffs. He hoped it'd be enough. If it wasn't…
Tough luck.
"Hey Ochako," he said.
She turned to him, her eyebrow raised, "Yeah Midori?"
"Why do you suppose this always seems to happen in the rain or at night?" he said. "It ruins the views. I mean, if we're going to visit tropical islands we might as well enjoy it."
She cracked a smile, "One, that's an exaggeration and you know it. Two, looking at the views is kinda pointless if we die by atomic fire."
He smiled. "That's true. I guess we should thank him for choosing to come ashore in terrible weather.
"Before or after you shoot him in the eye? Again."
"I don't only shoot him there!"
"You're right. Sometimes you hit the groin too."
"I don- That's no- Oh my gosh you're right. Maybe that's why he seems to hate me!"
Ochako giggled.
Through the explosions, another sound became audible. One lower, and more rhythmic. Like a massive drum being slowly beaten. Footsteps. Izuku's heart beat a little louder. It was almost time.
"Second group pull back! He's following you! Rocket squad, distract him!"
"Got him. He's turning sligh-Never mind. he's still moving in the same general direction."
"Third group get read- WAIT WAIT! IT'S A-"
Another sound echoed across the island. This one a sounding like an electrified waterfall, followed by the sound of a massive explosion. Izuku could see the hilltops lit by a blue light. A thunderous roar soon followed. Izuku felt himself tense a little. He took a deep breath. Now was not the time to lose focus. He had a job to do.
"Shit! He's turning! Third group, try to divert him back onto his original path!"
"We've been cut off by a landslide! Midoriya, Uraraka! He's heading towards you! You know what to do!"
"Copy that!" Izuku said, "Ochako!" Their engine roared and Izuku felt a slight jolt as the tank began racing forward. Izuku moved his turret to where their quarry would soon be. Another massive explosion went off. They passed the edge of a large hill.
"Target lock. Firing," Izuku said. Twin beams of blue energy shot out of his tank's turrets. "Huh. Right in the eye, just like you said Ochako."
"Well, you got his attention! Shit!" Izuku felt the tank bounce and tilt, as Ochako drove it over rough terrain. She pulled into a hard turn, throwing Izuku against his straps. He looked through his scope again.
"He's moving in this general direction, no sign he's spotted us."
"Good. Hopefully it'll stay that way."
The tank slowed down. It was still moving, they always had to keep moving, but no longer racing. Izuku kept his turret trained on the target, still walking where they wanted him to. Away from the towns and neighborhoods, away from the civilians. Then…
"He's turning again!" Izuku said into the radio. "Moving to engage!"
"Good luck. Back up should be there soon."
They were racing again. Izuku fired the tank again. Direct hit. They moved toward some thick tree banks.
"He's looking for us, but he's still not following!" Ochako said, looking back.
Izuku nodded. "Firing again."
She nodded. They sped out from their hiding place. Izuku looked at the massive silhouette of their enemy, the one they had fought so many times before. Despite, or maybe because of how outmatched he was in raw power, Izuku felt a twinge of excitement. He let loose another volley.
This time he hit the groin. The silhouette began charging forward, footsteps thundering across the valley.
Ooh boy he's mad.
"We've got his attention now!" Izuku said.
"Ok!"
Izuku saw the blue glow shining from behind the target, and inside its throat.
"He's preparing to fire!" Izuku said.
"Taking cover!" Ochako swerved to the left into a ditch behind a small hill. A blinding blue light filled the area, accompanied by a massive explosion. Luckily both had known to turn away from the light. Once it was over Izuku looked around. The area to both sides was blasted and scorched. The hill they had hidden behind was blown apart. Luckily it had shielded them when it mattered.
Their opponent was-uh oh.
He was coming straight for them.
Izuku heard the engine whine, but they didn't move. "Shit! We're stuck!" Ochako said. She took off her glove and pressed all five fingers against the wall of their tank. Izuku felt the tank become weightless. Ochako hit the ignition just as the tank was beginning to float. It pushed itself off the ground, floating forward. Ochako pressed her fingers together. The tank fell back to the ground with a heavy bounce. Ochako gunned the engines and drovet hem at top speed.
As they neared the base of a small cliff, a massive hand raked across it. Boulders cascaded down at them. Ochako swerved to avoid the falling rocks. As she did, Izuku saw the massive feet stepping toward them, each one closer than the last. Izuku heard a pulsing sound. He's getting ready to fire again.
A thin ray energy hit their enemy in the chest, along with several rockets.
"Reinforcements have arrived. You guys find cover. Good job."
"Ochako!"
"On it!"
Ochako ducked them into nearby a cave just before the tail swept away where they'd been driving. The explosions and footsteps moved away.
They waited. Soon the radio came alive again. "Target has entered the water. I repeat, Godzilla has entered the water. Good work everyone."
The two relaxed, letting out sighs of relief. Ochako chuckled.
"That was a close one," Izuku said with a relieved smile.
Ochako smiled back. "Yep. But we did it. One last ride." She held out her fist.
Izuku bumped it with his own. "Yep. One last ride."
At base
Ochako checked the last of her bags before doing one last sweep of her area. She had everything. She could go.
She turned to Midori. They'd been doing this together for four years. One in the mainland, three in the Pacific against Godzilla. They had fought (and nearly died) side by side for so long. And now, for her at least, it was over.
"Midori?" Ochako said. "Thanks. I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for you."
Midori smiled, clearly trying to hold back tears. "You could have done it on your own Ochako. I mean, look at what else you've done. You're the best tank driver I've ever met, you completed the AMF's exam to use your quirk in the field, and got your hero license. You're incredible."
"But if it wasn't for your encouragement I wouldn't have tried to become a hero again."
"But Ochako-"
"Just shut up and take the compliment for once."
His head sagged. "Ok."
She smiled before a thought came to mind. One that had been kicking in her head for a while. "Hey, Izuku?" she said.
He looked at her, confused. "Yeah?"
"What are your plans after this?"
"After what?"
"You know, AMF? G-Force? Do you really plan on fighting Godzilla forever?"
"I don't really have any plans," he said. "But there's no hurry! I can do it for a while. After all," Midori pointed to his poster of Ota Murakami, one of the AMF's founding members, "he fought Godzilla into his seventies."
"He was taken off combat duty over twenty years before his final battle. Which he died in."
He shuffled his feet, "Well yeah, but I don't need to think of another career just yet. I have plenty of time." He looked back at her with curious eyes, "Why are you asking me this?"
Ochako let out a deep breath and said, "Do you still want to be a hero?"
He looked away, "That was a long time ago…"
"But do you?"
"W-we both know I can't-"
She pointed at his shirt and said, "Bullshit. Said shirt read "Quirkless G-Force member: Fighting villains was 'too dangerous'. Instead I fight Godzilla!"
Midori looked at his favorite shirt with the expression of a child caught stealing from the cookie jar.
"I also seem to remember you doing pretty well when during sparring with the other guys. And that's not even talking about those analyses you make with Kenji in your spare time. I think if you wanted to, you could make it."
He gave her a sad smile. "Thanks Ochako, I appreciate it. I really do. But even if I did want to, all the hero exams require you to have a quirk unless you're coming from an approved training program. All of those, including the night schools, require quirks. The exceptions are all high schools. High school was my only chance, and I missed it."
She frowned. "You bothered to look that up. You still want it, don't you?"
"I considered briefly. But I can't and that's ok. I'm perfectly happy here, fighting kaiju."
Ochako sighed. "Fine, but just know that I'll do everything in my power to make it so you can take the Hero exam without a quirk, and help anyone with weak or no quirks who's willing and able to become heroes!"
"Even if I'm happy here, I'll be glad to see it," said Izuku.
"Good," Ochako said. "And if you ever get tired of this, I'll be there. Until then, stay alive. Remember, he" she pointed at Murakami again, "Did some of his greatest exploits in his fifties and seventies. So don't you die before then!"
Midori gave her a tearful smile. "I won't. Thanks Ochako." He pulled her into a hug.
She returned it. "I'll miss you too."
She picked up her bags. "Take care of yourself. And you better stay in touch Midori!" she said.
"I will! Take care of yourself too Ochako!
And with that, the two partners parted ways. This was the end of one chapter of their lives, and the beginning of another.
