Oh, you guys are going to be mad at me for this...

Ochako Uraraka lay on the dirt, dry blood caking her body, her breath growing still. Blood oozed from the stab wound in her side, creating a small pool under the sixteen-year-old Hero. She could barely talk, let alone move. She was dying. Over her stood Himiko Toga, the girl she'd been trying to save. The girl who'd stabbed her.

Yet, despite the seemingly impossible odds, she had somehow succeeded in reaching the monster's heart. Himiko Toga saw the futility of her hatred, her spite. She now saw the truth about Ochako Uraraka. She'd been the one girl who'd truly wanted to help her to see beyond blood and death. The only one who was able to see Himiko Toga as cute, in a world where she'd always been nothing but a freak. Himiko saw it all too late.

"The League would make an easier world for me to live in, but that would be a world without you. I don't like that." Himiko Toga said, before taking a drink of Ochako's blood. Her quirk's mud-like sludge flowed over her, forming a pristine replica of Ochako's Hero costume, untainted by the blood staining the actual one. Slowly, it also morphed her features until one half of her face was Ochako's, while the other half was still hers. Soon she'd be a complete replica of Ochako.

"All of my blood is now yours to have."

Since she could use Ochako's quirk, it meant she also had Ochako's blood. And if she had Ochako's blood, that means she could replenish Ochako.

Ochako let out a wet cough. "No…Don't…"

Alas, Himiko Toga would not be denied. She wished to save Ochako, even at the expense of her own life. It was either this, spending the next few years in prison before being executed, or living in a world where Ochako was dead. The choice was obvious. So, she took her villain gear, placed one needle into her own flesh, then another into Ochako's. The blood flowed from her to Ochako.

"Were you really planning to visit me in prison and make those blood donations until I die?" Himiko said.

Ochako nodded.

Himiko Toga knelt down next to Ochako, holding her as the blood flowed. She'd taken blood many times, but this time she was giving it. This was how her life ended. A normal girl with the cutest smile in the world.

It was the last time the world would see her, or her smile, ever again.

"What do you think Ochako?" Mina said.

Ochako snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh?"

"What do you think about officially being upperclassmen?"

"Oh," Ochako said, scratching her head. "It's really weird. Now we're the ones everyone's looking up to. I guess we'll have to do our best to be good examples!"

"Yeah, tell me about it," said Jiro. "Everything's different now."

"Is your family doing alright?" said Mina.

Ochako felt a stab of pain. "Yeah, they're fine. They're working on the rebuilding, so business is booming."

"Now that times are better, do you still want to help them with your quirk once you get your license?" said Toru.

Ochako blinked. "Sure, that'd be nice. Why are you wondering?"

"You mentioned doing that before summer camp."

"Oh, did I? I forgot," said Ochako. "The final battle changed so much…sometimes I barely remember my life before."

"I feel the same way," said Tsu. "It sometimes feels like I'm barely the same person."

Mina fixed Ochako with a sly smile, "I'll bet you're the same in one way." She pointed at a nearby Izuku, who was writing in his notebook. "Have you spoken to Midoriya since the war?"

"Yeah, me and Deku have talked. Why?"

"Well, I've heard that he might be getting popular with the first year girls. If you're not quick, one of them might-

"I'm fine," Ochako said. "It's not like that. Deku and I are just friends and we're staying that way."

Mina looked disappointed. "Are you sure-"

"She is," Tsu said. "Ochako understands how she feels and has thought this through. If she decides otherwise, you'll be the first to know."

Mina looked disappointed, but accepted that answer and went to talk to Jiro about her feelings for Kaminari, which she furiously denied (despite said feelings being incredibly obvious). Meanwhile, Ochako and Tsu exchanged a meaningful look. Ochako was grateful while Tsu…Tsu was Tsu.

As they walked out of class, Ochako went to a corner, somewhere she could be alone. Then, the tears fell, remembering that day. Of epiphanies made too late, of futile efforts to communicate, and the death of a girl who deserved so much better. Once she was able to collect herself she rejoined the rest of her class with a bright smile.

After the school day ended, most of them went back to the dorms. Ochako spent an hour at the training gym honing her skills, with Tsu helping. They then went back to Ochako's room to study. Tsu was helpful, but rather cold to Ochako. Still, Ochako was grateful for all the help the Hero in Training was giving her. Besides, it made sense Tsu wasn't particularly friendly with her.

After all, she wasn't the real Ochako Uraraka. She was the monster who murdered her.

Himiko felt the blood leaving her. Her limbs grew cold, her body weak, and her head fuzzy. Was this what it felt like for all of them? No matter. She was going to die so that Ochako could live. There was no future for her in this world, she had done too much. But maybe there could be one for Ochako. It was nice to imagine…to see all the wonderful things Ochako would do with this sacrifice. It made it all worth-

Ochako pulled the syringe from Himiko's side. Himiko opened her eyes, and realized to her horror that Ochako had removed the one from her own as well. With the last of her strength, Ochako then placed Himiko's into herself and hers into Himiko, causing the blood to flow the other way.

"Ochako!"

"No use," Ochako said. "Too cold. All the blood's just coming back out. Take some back…"

"Ochako no! You'll die!"

"Nothing…can stop that…" Ochako's eyes were half closed, while her mouth barely moved. The dying teenager lay flat on her back, her only movement being the rise and fall of her chest.

"Ochako stop!" Himiko said. With the last of her strength, she ripped the syringes out from both her and Ochako, stopping the flow. Ochako's blood now flowed through her veins. Enough maybe to keep Himiko alive. But not enough had gone the other way. Himiko looked at Ochako's side, where blood flowed from the wound.

Ochako was right. The blood was just flowing back out. They hadn't had anything to seal the wound and…

Something broke within Himiko. "No…"

It was too late. Nothing could be done to save Ochako Uraraka.

"Ochako…" Himiko said, sobbing. She was still in Ochako's form. "Please…don't die."

"Don't…want to…"

That made Himiko sob harder. She tried to get up, but she collapsed next to Ochako. She'd lost too much blood to do much else.

Ochako's head slightly tilted toward her. "Himiko…please…live. If I have to die…don't want you to…too."

"Ochako…you don't have to die."

"I do." A tear crept down Ochako's blood stained cheek. "How much time…do you have left…as me?"

"I…I should have changed back already," Himiko said, looking down. "I feel like…I usually can feel how long I have. I can't right now. I almost feel like I can just…stay like this."

"Good…When they come…say you're me. Then they'll save you."

Himiko nodded.

Tsu walked up, tears streaming down her own cheeks. "Ochako…don't leave."

"Tsu…help her. She'll pretend to be me. Say I'm her. They'll give her blood." Ochako shuddered. "I just wanted to save her…"

"But Ochako-"

"Promise me Tsu." Ochako whimpered. "Please."

Tsu swallowed. "Ribbit. Fine Ochako. I promise."

"You did save me," Himiko said. "You were right. I wish I hadn't killed the people I love. Then you wouldn't be dying. It's like you said…I do have to live with the consequences for living as I pleased and killing people. Don't I?" And said consequence was watching Ochako die in her place. The world truly was cruel.

"I wish you could stay as me," Ochako said. "Then you could use my quirk…support my family, save people, spread smiles. Like I would have…At least now, you might avoid getting caught…sent to death row."

Himiko nodded.

Ochako then said, "You were right too."

Himiko looked at the dying girl, who stared upwards. "I wish…I'd told Deku…that I…"

Tsu stumbled, drawing Himiko's gaze. Himiko waited for Ochako to finish her sentence. When she didn't, Himiko looked back. Her eyes widened with horror.

Ochako's expression was frozen where it had been, with half open eyes and lips parted, as if about to finish her statement. But she never would. All movement had ceased. HEven her wound had stopped bleeding. Ochako Uraraka was dead.

Himiko held the corpse and cried. Eventually they pulled her off the body, and placed her into a helicopter, giving her the help that the real Ochako should have had.

After that, Himiko managed to let the Hero costume ooze away when the doctors were distracted. With all the commotion, none of them noticed. She still hadn't changed back. The doctors meanwhile continued to treat her like a wounded Hero until she lost consciousness. She woke to see Tsu waiting by her bed.

Tsu stared at her with an unreadable expression. "You still haven't changed back?"

Himiko shook her head. "It's like…Ochako's quirk had an awakening when she was placed in a near death situation. Mine had a similar one that let me use her quirk. I think…as I was dying I had another one. This one lets me stay as her indefinitely."

"I see."

Himiko then said, "Where's Ochako?"

"Gone. They took her body, thinking it was you. I told them "you" didn't change back after dying. You were unconscious for several days. I kept coming by to to see how you were. And to help you break out if your disguise vanished."

Himiko blinked. "Why?"

"Because Ochako asked me to. And because for whatever reason…I believed you in that field. That you didn't want her to die. That you regretted it all. Since Ochako's last wish was to save you, and she'd partly succeeded…How could I deny her?"

Himiko looked down. "It should have been me."

"Yes. It should have."

"Where's Ochako now?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Himiko nodded. "Yes!" She looked down. "Ochako said she wanted to be a Hero for her family. If I run away, and leave a message revealing who I really was… Do you think they'd get her back?"

Tsu's expression somehow became graver. "It's too late for that."

"What do you mean?"

"Ochako's body has been destroyed. They cremated it and dropped the ashes in the ocean. They wanted to make sure "you" couldn't have your remains or resting place used by extremists to rally behind."

"What-what about her costume? The metal parts like her gauntlet! My quirk may replicate those, but it'd be obvious they weren't replicas when they didn't burn!"

"Those would have given it away at one time. But remember, we now live in an age where some people are made of stone and metal. When they cremate you, they also grind up the parts that didn't burn. Since the hardware is made for people who turn some incredibly hard materials, Ochako's equipment…"

It was destroyed with her. They never even knew it was there. Ochako Uraraka's body had been incinerated, ground up, and dumped in the ocean. She would never rest with the family she so loved.

Himiko felt the tears falling again. "I'm sorry…"

"Save it. The one to apologize to is dead. She's not coming back. And for whatever reason she already forgave you."

Himiko looked at Tsu. "Then why are you here?"

"Because her last moments were spent making me promise to help. So I am." Tsu sighed. "What are you going to do now?"

Himiko stared at her now round fingers. "She told me…she'd have loved for me to take her place, be the Hero she wanted me to be. I want to do the good she would have done. For her."

Tsu's face was expressionless. "Fine." She turned and stalked out.

Since Ochako's death, Himiko had taken her place. At school, at home, with her friends. It was easier than it should have been, helped by the shared trauma from the war. Whenever she acted odd, or disconnected, all of them chalked it up to that. Only Izuku-Deku seemed even remotely curious about her change.

It happened when she'd mentioned Himiko Toga, referring to the serial killer as a monster. Deku then gave her a look so strange that Ochako immediately backtracked, saying she'd been a tragic monster, but a monster nonetheless.

And it was true. Himiko Toga had been a monster. Himiko Toga deserved to die. And Ochako Uraraka deserved to live. And as far as everyone was concerned, they had. Maybe that was why it was so unbearable.

"Mom! Dad!" she said, running into their arms. They both embraced her, smiling with more warmth and affection in this moment than Himiko Toga's parents had shown in fourteen years.

"I did it," she said. "I helped stop the Villains and make the country safe for you."

"We're so proud of you," Mr. Uraraka-Dad, said. "But what about you? You were really badly injured. Are you alright? You're doing Hero work so soon…"

"I'm fine, they healed me," she said. "Besides, there's plenty of work to be done."

"But are you sure you're ready for that?" Mom said. "It's not wrong to take a little break. You've been through a hard experience. You can wait a while." There was concern in the woman's eyes.

She smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'm fine. Really."

"Alright," Mom said. "You've always been a hard worker." The two then hugged her.

"We love you, Ochako."

It was the sort of warmth and love she'd craved as a child. The sort she once would have drunk up like a man dying of thirst would a desert spring. But now it made her want to hurl. This affection, this love, was nothing but ash on her tongue. It belonged to another, and because of her, she'd never feel it again.

Ochako looked at herself in the mirror. She tried to smile, but it wavered. She took several deep breaths and tried again.

Perfect. The smile of a noble Hero student meeting her good friends. The cute smile of Ochako Uraraka. Because those were what she had to be. For the original Ochako.

Yet, as she left her room, Ochako couldn't bear to hold it for the night. It happened sometimes. Like before, she told everyone she was going home, then turned off her phone. She went out to a spot near the dorms that let her overlook Mustafu. She needed to be alone. She needed to mourn.

As she watched the city below, she grabbed the spot where she'd stabbed Ochako and let the tears fall. Ochako should have lived, not her. She should have died in that field, giving Ochako her blood. It was the one selfless thing she'd ever done. But instead, she'd been given another chance.

That was her reward, and punishment. She took Ochako's life, in more ways than one. She received a life she didn't deserve, love she didn't deserve, and the only price was a world where Ochako Uraraka was dead.

If you're going to live as you please and threaten people, then you also have to live with the consequences!

Ochako had been right. To the outside observer, Himiko had gotten away with everything. She was alive, free and had gotten to become someone she loved permanently. But the truth was, she hadn't. This was just as much, if not more, a punishment. To live a life constantly trying to make up for her biggest mistake, and to be reminded of the price of her sins every time she looked in the mirror.

That was the price for becoming Ochako Uraraka, and it was one she'd have to live with every day for the rest of her life.

This was based on the theory I saw floating around that the Ochako we saw after the war wasn't Ochako but Himiko disguised as her.

I thought it'd be interesting to explore how the series might get to that situation and this was the result.

Hope you enjoyed, reviews are always welcome!