Izuku was on his way down to The Crowley when he saw Ochaco already waiting for him.
She wore a casual but stylish white jacket with blue stripes running vertically down the front and arms, accentuated with red details on the shoulders. The jacket fit snugly, highlighting her athletic build. She paired it with well-fitted blue jeans that complemented her figure.
She walked to him with a wide smile. "Good morning, My Heart. I thought we might take a walk together."
"Always a pleasure. What do you think Yaoyorozu wants to discuss?" He replied, as they walked down to the basement.
"She is likely trying to understand how her visions of debauchery with you align with your relationship with me."
"How do you feel about that?" he asked, trying to gauge her reaction.
"Resisting your destiny serves neither of us. Its power overshadows us. I know your heart belongs to me...that is enough," she said as they both went through the Portal.
"Have I ever told you that you're the best?"
"Not enough," she said, a smile forming on her lips.
"Well, you are. And I love you."
She balanced on the balls of her feet, lifting herself to kiss him while wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you too, Izuku. Always."
He couldn't help but smile. They are faced with things he can barely wrap his head around, but if she's with him, he knows they can overcome anything. He knew he would do anything for her. He loves her more than anyone else in the world. And he's sure she's the same.
"Now, let us not keep Yaomomo waiting. By the way, you have not spoken with Mina about your date, have you?"
"No, not yet. How did you know?"
"I checked with her myself, of course. I am familiar with your sometimes forgetful, if not oblivious, tendencies."
He nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry. It's just...I feel guilty about arranging things with her behind your back." Sure, she's not the only one he's with, but his relationship with Mina is different from the other girls. He didn't realize it at first, but he's realizing how special he's viewing Mina these days, even among those closest to him. His feelings for Ochaco, of course, still trumps everything, but still...
"If that was what you were thinking, do not. It is hardly cheating if I gave you permission, My Love. And your Chosen deserves you at your best," she said as she gave a reassuring squeeze on his arm.
"I...okay. I'll call her once we're finished with Yaoyorozu."
To his surprise, Ochaco shook her head. "No need. I have reserved an Italian restaurant for the two of you on Friday."
"You did what?"
"I certainly was not going to book the Chojiya. That was ours, and ours alone."
"Since when did you become my pimp?" he joked. He didn't expect her expression to turn serious from that.
"If, like Mina, the payment is saving your life, I would gladly do so, My Heart. You will need all the allies you can find, and if it will help you survive, I would not begrudge them some time alone with you." Sure, she would have preferred it if he'll only be hers, but this beats having him dead. She's determined to grow old with him, however many centuries that may take.
"Or together with each other, I assume?" He grins.
Releasing the tension, this made Ochaco laugh as they made their way towards the Gate, "Greedy man. What you do with other girls is something I will ignore. But when it is just the two of us, I want you for myself."
"I can accept that," he nodded and turned to the construct. "Open up, Gate."
The ground rumbles as the large door opened, "Welcome, Promised One. Your Companion waits by the Lake."
"Wait, why is someone waiting for me inside?"
"Because she is your Companion."
"So anyone claiming to be my Companion can enter freely?"
"No, Promised One."
He sighed. "I've seen better security at a candy store."
"Stay calm, My Love. The Gate is a construct. It can only follow its instructions."
"True. But who gave those instructions? That's the question that bothers me. My dad? Merlin? Arthur? The hundreds of other gods or Powers that could be involved? Care to answer, Gate?" It returned only silence. "I thought not." He looked at Ochaco as he calls his cards. "What would happen if I simply destroyed it?"
"Please do not. The Gate is a Keystone of the Glade...I'm unsure if you could destroy it, but if you did, the Glade itself would likely cease to exist."
"Thought as much," he let another sigh before dismissing the spell he's holding. "Guess the Gate's safe, for now."
"Thank you, Promised One."
"You're welcome. Let's go find Yaoyorozu-san."
They walked through the Gate, greeted by the familiar beautiful lake, mountains, and forest. And, of course, the eternal Summer Sun.
"Can you see them?" she asked as they surveyed the area. The place is too vast for her magical detection to scan entirely.
"Yes, both of them," he pointed to the area near the beach. Momo was there, unusually wearing a white crop top that had short, puffy sleeves with delicate frills at the edges, paired with a small red ribbon at the collar. The top revealed a hint of midriff above high-waisted red shorts, which were trimmed with a similar frilly detail.
Beside her was her demon fox bodyguard, ready to draw her sword at the first sign of danger.
"Greetings, Mi...no, Izuku-dono. Princess. Thank you for agreeing to meet me."
"Of course. You are one of my Companions now. How can we assist you?" Izuku asked.
"Kitsune-san, could you wait by the Gate, please?" Momo said to her bodyguard.
"See you later, Foxy," Izuku said, unable to resist making a remark.
Hakone no Kitsune looked offended at the idea of leaving her with him. "Leave you alone? With the Mongrel?! I...I must object, Hime-sama. I cannot report back to your father, or Grandfather, and say that I left you with...with that thing," she said as she rudely pointed at Izuku.
"Good help is so hard to find these days," he commented.
Irritated, Momo admonished her bodyguard, "Obey your orders, Hakone no Kitsune! And stop your foolishness. He is not your Liege's son, regardless of his father's Mantle."
"Yes, that's something we need to discuss," Izuku said.
"Indeed, Izuku-dono. Now go, Kitsune. This is personal, and I am as safe with Izuku-dono as I am at my Father's side."
"I really should work on my bad boy image," he said. "Maybe I could ask Kacchan for advice?"
Ochaco gave him a look that conveyed her disapproval and said, "No."
He shrugged and said, "I guess not. He's never been popular with the ladies either."
After a few seconds of hesitation, she said, "As you command, Hime-sama. Though I deeply regret this. I will wait at the Gate. Call me, and I will come." She obeyed, grinding her teeth and giving Izuku a death glare, which he remained unfazed by.
"That fox really does not like me," Izuku commented.
Momo let out a sigh and said, "It is frustrating. You are not Hoori's son, regardless of what she believes."
"You said that before. But who is my father?"
"You mean you don't know?"
"No. Not for sure, at least. The coward abandoned my mom, pregnant, on some farm and fled back to Elsewhere," he said, bitterness evident in his voice. His father could have stayed or made her Chosen to be with him, but instead, she bore the responsibility of raising a magical child alone. It wasn't that Inko lacked friends, but the lonely expression on her face whenever the topic of his father came up was heartbreaking for Izuku.
"You must be careful what you say about him, Izuku. He is..."
"...a hard God, and a vengeful one? Yes, Thor told me that. After he tried to kill me."
Upon hearing it, Momo let out a frustrated groan. "You are infuriating. Why are you so difficult to Scry? What are all these events happening to you? Why do my visions..."
"...show us together, making love?" Izuku finished.
"Rutting. Like animals in heat. This is absurd. You and the princess blend together in my visions, whenever you appear, and yet I also saw myself in your bed. And I seemed...happy. Happier than I've ever been. Why?"
"I believe it's part of my father's legacy. Midnight-sensei mentioned it had aspects of sexuality and fertility."
Momo shook her head after hearing this, "It doesn't work that way. The Mantle of a parent doesn't carry into their offspring, unless the child eventually assumes The Mantle. The child of a fertility God wouldn't be a sex magnet..."
"...any more than the son of the Horned Lord is born with antlers?"
Momo nodded. "In your case, yes."
"So that's really who my father is?"
"Yes. It was clear enough to see, once I could Scry you. The Oldest is a difficult God to conceal, though the link to you is deeply buried."
Curious at finally having confirmation about his origin, Izuku asked, "What do you know about him?"
"The Hunter and The Mother were the two first Gods. Back before the first human tribe is born. Before humans spread across Africa. And while the Mother has passed beyond, The Hunter remains. And evidently still interfering in Mortal affairs, though I thought he had ceased that."
"So, if it's not my father's Mantle, what explains all the beautiful girls? Not that I object, of course."
To this, Ochaco gave her answer, "Perhaps you are simply that attractive, My Heart? Though I admit I may be biased in that opinion. But you are, at least, bound by destiny, a Geas. Something is driving us all forward with the power of compulsion."
"In what way?"
Momo answered, "It...it could be. But it would be a Geas of unimaginable power. Gods resist the pull of Fate, and Seers largely stand apart from it. It would be humbling to be swept along its path."
"And that geas is drawing you into my arms."
"And trying to draw me into your bed. I can't do that to the Princess, it would be betrayal. Regardless of what I might feel about you, the two of you are Destined for each other."
"You'd be surprised. But there's no rush. I have enough girls in my life without adding another."
Momo looked at Ochaco. "And...Pendragon-san...you are okay with this?"
"This Geas is greater than any of us. If we try to resist it, we will be destroyed. So you learn to choose which battles you can win, and which ones should be gracefully conceded," she explains then looked at Izuku with a heartwarming smile, "It helps that I know he loves me; all other things flow more easily from there."
"Indeed. Though I wish there was some way to make this easier for you."
She wrapped his arms around her and leaned at his side. "Another date would be welcome. Perhaps a nice massage, and a leisurely morning waking up together?"
"It's a deal. How about Frida...Wait, no. Mina."
"The next Friday is mine, then. I expect you to make it memorable for me."
"I will, I promise."
Momo could only look at the scene with a perplexed expression. She didn't understand how they could act so casually about this. The idea of Izuku being with other women, even if it was their own choice, didn't sit well with her. She knew he was in love with Ochaco, and she with him. But she couldn't shake the irrational feeling of wanting to be with him as well.
"I...I don't understand."
Izuku let out a chuckle at that. "Welcome to my life. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have the best girlfriend a man could ask for, amazing friends, and decent career progression options. Assuming I stay alive, of course."
Ochaco lightly pulled his arms, catching his attention. She has a scowl on her beautiful face, "You had better, Izuku. I intend to grow old with you."
Izuku gave her a kiss and a smile, "Me too, if I get the choice," he then turned to Momo. "Anyway, Yaoyorozu. You can stop tormenting yourself over this. If it's destined to happen, it will happen. Destiny doesn't seem to care much for our opinions about this."
"I will...I will try. I apologize. It's all quite...strange. I'm used to being in control, to see what is to come. But with you, I can barely see the future, if at all. And what I do see is cryptic, and all too often...well. It's frustrating," she explains.
"It's okay," Izuku reassured her. "By the way, I imagine your fox companion is getting restless, Yaoyorozu."
Momo let out a sigh before saying, "I really can't understand why the two of you don't get along. Normally, she's the perfect bodyguard."
Izuku shrugged. "Why don't you ask her? I certainly have no intention of asking."
"I tried, but she doesn't make sense. 'Mongrel' is at least more polite than 'Abomination,' which is what she calls you if I press her."
"Strange. Though I'm sure I'll eventually find out."
Dropping the subject, she bowed, "Thank you. For coming. And for listening, even though I might sound irrational. I apologize for burdening you with my problems."
"It's what friends do, Yaoyorozu."
Hearing this, Momo let out a small whisper, "Friends..."
Ochaco said, "Indeed. You are a Companion. You can always come to us if you ever need anything, Yaomomo. Or we can just sit down as two girls together if you have things you'd prefer to say without my beloved pervert overhearing," she slipped a teasing remark.
"Hey!"
Though Momo only observed the exchange, taking in the subtle gestures. There is no question about the love the couple have for each other. "Looking at the two of you now, I can almost imagine you holding Court, dealing with problems of your courtiers. But then you were raised for this, it's easy to forget that, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt."
"Whatever she wears, she's always my princess," Izuku said with a smile.
"I shall take my leave, then. Call us if you're going to train in Elsewhere," she said as she walks to the Gate, meeting up with Kitsune.
"And I shall leave now, as well," Ochaco said.
"I thought the two of us could, you know...relax at the beach for a while?"
"I still have unfinished projects from my Enchanter Lessons, My Love. I would prefer not to miss the deadline."
"Do you want my help?"
"Unless I want to turn the dorms into a crater a quarter of a mile deep, no. I heard what happened at the training grounds. You will have to control your ever-growing power."
"Right. And Duty is ever a burden. But it does remind me. I've got Evoker lectures again this Thursday. I should probably ask for tips about control."
"Indeed. Perhaps you finally found a normal teacher. As normal as a magical one can be, at least."
"Normal may be stretching it. But he hasn't tried to kill me or blackmail me yet. So that's an improvement."
"Well, you have only just begun. Time will tell. The other two took almost two months to show their true colours."
"Yes, I'm not getting my hopes up. And I'm certainly not turning my back to him."
"You are growing wiser in that, at least. But now, I must go," she said as they give each other a long and passionate kiss. After breaking it off, "Farewell, My Heart. I shall see you later at the classroom."
"Goodbye, Ochaco."
Thanks for reading this chapter!
We finally got confirmation about Izuku's father. It's not the most exciting reveal since I think most of you saw that coming, considering how many times he was brought up before this. But it's nice that we finally established that fact. His father will be referred by many different names, The Oldest, The Horned God, Cernunnos, The Green Man, The Hunter, and of course, The Opener and Closer of Doors. Though Izuku would likely just call him Horney.
Inko believes he died in a hunting accident.
As Momo (and previously Ochaco during the Planetarium Date) said, aspects of the Father's Mantle doesn't carry onto the child unless they assumed the same Mantle. Though Izuku surprisingly mirrors his, to an extent.
So Izuku's going on a date with Mina on Friday, right after the Final exams. Then they'll get to go to I-Island before going to the training camp.
As always, if you have questions or feedback, don't hesitate to let me know. :)
Next up: Thaumometer