Justice Across Space and Time: Year 2
Chapter 26
Not sure if anyone is really enjoying this story, but I intend to keep on with what I've started. And a big factor for that is the consequences of what has happened thus far, and other matters. Not to mention dealing with certain traumas…. While also adding new ones! Fun! So, on with the show.
(Justice POV)
I called Sahiraah after things started quieting down to see if she could give us some help. "An Erchitu, an army of werehyenas, various mystic artifacts that can turn people into werebeasts, and who knows how many heteromorphic or similar quirked people with axes to grind. Well you certainly didn't expect this when you went on that modeling job for Uwabami, eh~?"
"Not helping. Though not inaccurate. But you really can't back us up? Can't you entrust what's happening in Honnei to your students? Or heck bring them here! With me as I am, and the others out of their depth when it comes to magic, we need the help." I plead with some fear.
And those fears increase and Sahiraah just noted that she was dealing with an equally alarming problem in the city she was in. Namely, some sort of mystic underground being operated by a guy they were just calling the Okurinushi. That's an unsettling name. Especially since I thought I put that guy in the ground.
I can almost feel Sahiraah shake her head from the other side of the call. "No it's not him. This is someone else. Someone who is…. Dealing in a mix of things. Magical tools, artifacts and the like are only part of it. Seems like whoever this is, he's dealing in Trigger as well. Possibly even some of the stuff Itsuka interrupted."
Great. So we've got a weapons dealer and a drug peddler in Honnei City. Yeah, I'm seeing the problem. "Okay, yeah you're right. Your situation is heavy enough that you should stay. I guess we'll figure it out in time. Somehow." I say with a frustrated breath. Before finally catching Izuku and the other's scent. They were with a few other heroes near…. Oh, that's not good. I smell blood. And a lot of it.
I can also sense Izuku and the others there too. No Ochaco though. Wait no, there she goes. Guess she got hit by something pretty hard. "Izuku. What's going on? What happened? Where's Ochaco?" I asked with some fear.
Oh crap I can almost feel the anger wafting off of Izuku. Let alone sensing him tightening his fist. Until he lets out a breath and a few tears fall. Itsuka is looking down as well and I just noticed that Melissa is crying too.
"Oh god. That…. That blood. It's not…. Ochaco's is it?" I ask horrified. Izuku shakes his head and says, "somewhat fortunately no. She's…. alive but pretty hurt. She can't even move. And that included not being able to stop what happened here."
Itsuka sniffles a little before dropping the bomb. Saying, "Uwabami's dead. She was killed right in front of Ochaco and she couldn't do a thing to stop it." The tears really start falling for Itsuka and I can even feel a few building up in my eyes as well.
I may not have liked the whole dressing us up and everything, but she was a good person. And from what Sahiraah has told me, she was a decent mentor to Momo and Itsuka during their internships. Even if it was more focused on the figurehead side of things.
That's not the reason for the tears though. It's as much frustration at myself. I'm probably one of the strongest beings on the planet right now. And I couldn't save her because I'm trapped in a weaker state. "It's not your fault."
I looked up and towards Izuku who was saying that. "You didn't speak aloud, but I know what you're thinking. Because I'm thinking about it too. But there was something All Might, and to a little extent you, taught me. We can't save everyone. So, we save who we can within our reach."
"Even as powerful as you are, you can't be everywhere. If anything, that is one of the perks of our hero system." Itsuka says while wiping her eyes. My eyes widen slightly before sighing and agreeing. I've only looked at the negative side when it comes to quirks really. Learning the root of OFA didn't help.
But they're both right. They have more allies to call on. Which might explain some of the other odd scents I'm picking up. Maybe I need to give Toshi or Kate a call. They could expedite the process pretty quickly.
I nod before saying, "okay. Moving that aside, we need to know more of who we're dealing with. Not to mention more of motives for these attacks." Izuku agreed and noted that he had fought with a villain who was part of a well-known group. And that a few of their motivations were about not being restrained or similar because of their quirks or appearances.
"The Wild Villains huh? Guess that would make sense on why a few heteromorphs would side with them but not.…. Does anyone else smell that?" I asked while finally picking out the scent of something important. At getting a negative from everyone, I focus on my sense of smell again and try and track it down.
That was when I sensed a large amount of the scent near some smashed trash cans. "That was where he tossed Ochaco. We're not sure on what kind of paralytic they used, but she couldn't move." Melissa explained and that filled in the gaps.
"Sonuvabitch. They have actual sorcerers in their ranks. And I think I can help Ochaco to be able to move again." I say with a groan and shake of my head. This is not good. If they have actual magic users, not just people using magic artifacts then we've got way more problems. Hopefully, Ochaco is able to talk after all of this.
(No POV)
The group headed for Manna Hospital to check in on Ochaco and so Justice could possibly remove the affliction the girl was under. All the while, he and the others saw and heard the pain many of the civilians were feeling thanks to the attacks of the Wild Villains and their allies. "This is awful." Melissa said while looking at some who were on their way to have limbs removed thanks to the injuries the werehyenas inflicted. Or others who were bleeding out because healing quirks couldn't stop the curses and rushed surgeries were needed instead.
"I gotta wonder if they were betting on this. Especially if they've got some serious power like an Erchitu and a weretiger sorcerer." John said while hearing some of the cries in the building. And sensing various others take their last breaths.
His fist tightened before letting out a strained breath. Itsuka looked at him and wondered about what he could be thinking about. 'He…. He might be able to save so many people… if he did what he did to me. But… I'm sure he's wondering if he has the right to do it,' she thinks while looking down slightly.
But the two's thoughts were pushed aside when they reached the room where Ochaco was being treated. "I don't understand. We're not finding any traces of poisons and no evidence of some sort of paralysis quirk. Even then, it should have worn off already," a doctor said while looking the girl over.
Said girl seemed almost dead inside while lying in the bed. Her eyes hollow as the doctors milled about examining her. Izuku and Melissa wanted to go to her side, but John stopped them. "I'm going to be getting a bit rough here, so it's better you don't get caught up in it."
They all give him a funny look before he just waltzes right in to get to the girl. "Hey you can't be here! Whoa!" one doctor says before being pushed aside by the bigger hero. A pair of nurses try to restrain John too, but he easily tosses them aside. And does it once more just in time for Ochaco's parents to arrive and the doctors to start calling security.
"What the Hell!? Who is…. Wait aren't those Ochaco's classmates?" the girl's father says before noticing Izuku and the others. His wife meanwhile went over to try and pull Justice away. Especially as he'd just turned her over to examine her back. "Yeah, I was right. *whistle* this is some impressive craftsmanship. They even incorporated a few ways to spread the paralysis if it was done wrong."
Izuku has been facepalming much of his time while Melissa is looking around in panicked confusion. Itsuka meanwhile sighs before saying she'd intercept security. "But I won't hold them long. How long do you think you'll need?"
"Uh, five minutes. I should be able to absorb and unravel the spell in that time….. probably." John says with a wave and implied thank you. Ochaco's parents look around in confusion before recognizing John. "What is Jotaro-kun doing to my little girl?" Ochaco's mom asked while trying to cover the girl's modesty.
He just gives her a look before saying, "ma'am, please. I need to sense her back clearly. That's where the magic is." The doctors and Uraraka's looked at him in surprise upon hearing this. "Are you serious young man? Magic? And what do you mean sense it?" a doctor with a bushy moustache and round nose said while standing up.
John nods before saying, "I suspected it when we were attacked by a small army of werebeasts. And no, I don't mean people with quirks that make them into animals. I'm talking about the real deal of werewolves and the like. That's the only reason I got hurt."
He then shows the bandages and clear marks that showed he'd been injured, which was something most of them thought near impossible due to his showing almost a year ago. John just gave them a smile before saying, "don't worry. I can at least release what's keeping her frozen. Maybe then, we can get to the bigger job of stopping these maniacs."
The large hero seemed to be analyzing the scratch marks in Ochaco's back before holding his hands above the point. And moving his fingers in specific ways. "What are you doooo….." the mustachioed doctor started before seeing the lights of magic appear over Ochaco's back.
"There we go. That's the combination. Okay, seriously don't interrupt me. I need to do this right or we could be looking at some major trouble." John says while absorbing the magic and unraveling the traps left in the magic.
Ochaco's mother is still confused but she knew enough about John to know he would try to help her little girl. So she went outside to stop security for the moment. As well as reassuring her husband that Ochaco would be alright. Izuku meanwhile looked at his friend and mentor with a mix of emotions as he sat outside of Ochaco's room.
"Don't you think it's time you forgave him? Especially after all of this." Melissa said while taking a seat next to Izuku. Who gave her a light look before glaring slightly at the floor. "I… I don't know. Maybe, I could at least talk to him about things. But we have bigger problems to worry about," he says somewhat sullenly.
Melissa sighs before thinking, 'I guess that's the best we can get for now.' It took almost a half hour, but John could say that he'd removed all of the magic that was restraining Ochaco. "Are you sure?" her father asked before the girl started to stir somewhat from hearing the man's voice.
A touch of light came back to her eyes and it grew as the others came in. Only for her eyes to burst into tears and she started crying violently. As well as throwing up over the side of her bed. "Get it out! Get it out of me!" she screamed before reaching to try and make herself throw up even more.
All of the girl's loved ones had to rush to grab her and hold her arms back and down while also comforting her. The girl's parents hugging her with tears in their eyes, trying to reassure her and help ease her panic. Izuku and Melissa meanwhile grab her legs to keep her from thrashing about and possibly hurting anyone.
She eventually stopped thrashing (mostly because she'd exhausted herself during the panic attack) but still looked like she wanted to throw up. 'What did whoever it was do to you?' John thinks before excusing himself to talk with a few heroes and police. At least until Itsuka caught his attention.
"Look uh…. Any chance we can talk for a while?" she said while looking sheepish. John nods before suggesting that they maybe go to a shrine or something in the hospital. Finally finding a place after a few minutes looking.
The pair let out their own sighs before having a chuckle at them being in sync. "So do you want to start? Or should I?" John says with a sad look directed Itsuka's way. The martial artist thinks on the matter for a minute before gesturing to the big hero. Who nods slightly before first apologizing.
"I know…. I've said it a few times, not to mention wrote it. But I really am sorry I left the way I did. I felt it was necessary and it kind of was. The big thing though…. I should have talked to you and Sahiraah about it. Not just run off after uh….. that. Not the best look. I was avoiding the matter because…. I knew you'd want to come along. Sahiraah too. And while I don't really doubt your skills, I wasn't sure….. No. That's not true. I just wanted to fight without having to worry about protecting anyone. Just fighting for myself and-"
John was interrupted by Itsuka putting her finger on his lips. She was looking down while doing it before resting her head a little on his chest. "I know you're sorry. And to be honest, Sahiraah and I are both ready to forgive you. But we thought you should think about what you did to us. What's more, you were right to leave. And you weren't wrong about thinking we'd want to come along. And you're right that it probably would have been harder or more dangerous if I or maybe both of us tagged along. The attempted attack on UA that you stopped was proof of that."
"Then?" John says as her finger was let down from his lips. And then he could smell a few tears coming from Itsuka's eyes. "But you just ran off! Do you have any idea how worried I was!? How scared I was that you might not make it back?! You didn't have your powers! You're stuck as a teenager! And if you got your powers, what about the chances you'd lose your mind due to them!?" she vents while gently hitting his chest.
Itsuka cries for a few minutes before saying, "I know you needed to go. And you needed to do it by yourself. But why didn't you at least get in touch with us. Even just letters would have been fine. Instead, we quietly worried about you for months and then you just show up with the number one hero from America?"
John grunted at that before saying, "uh, yeah I see your point. I probably should have gotten in contact with you two sooner. Minus the little gifts I sent for Christmas. I just…. I never got a new phone after mine was destroyed, and I was so wrapped up in trying to find my energies again that I didn't even use a computer. I don't really have an excuse other than that. I…"
Before he could finish Itsuka got on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I know. Just…. Please talk to me next time. As especially talk to Sahiraah. She's your freaking wife for god's sake. Though, I'm not sure where that'll leave me."
"Right with us," the brickhouse says before gently hugging Itsuka. He takes a breath before saying, "I don't think I'll be able to apologize enough. But I am sorry. And I guess, you're still willing to see where this goes for all three of us?" The girl lets a few more tears fall before nodding into his embrace.
With the matter done, the pair start back to Ochaco's room hand in hand. "Was the other reason you wanted to talk because you're a bit afraid of what could happen? With this enemy we're up against?" John asked with some worry.
Itsuka gripped his hand tighter before nodding. "Uwabami's dead, Ochaco's so traumatized I don't know what to think, and we're up against an enemy that can actually hurt you even when you've got a lot of power," she says with a bit of fear. While also admitting that she had been okay against most villains because they underestimated her and let their guard down. But this time, they were up against creatures that might not think, or they couldn't use reason against.
While she's saying some of this, John starts thinking about a few of the things the officers had mentioned. 'A number of people have disappeared, and there are a fair amount of people injured. But we still locked around fifty of the werebeasts away. So what's the next step?' he thinks before feeling something from inside the hospital. A surge of magical energy.
As John and Itsuka were hashing out their issues, Izuku, Melissa, and Ochaco's parents had gotten Ochaco to calm down somewhat. She still looked like she wanted to throw up, but she'd at least stopped fighting them to do it. They gave her a few minutes before the two young heroes, the Magic Hero: Majestic and the police started to ask a few questions.
The older hero among them though was shaking his head. "I kinda wonder if I should change my name now that real magic is becoming prevalent in our world." Majestic said as Ochaco was gently asked about the one who attacked her. She shivered but kept it together enough to note what her attacker had been wearing.
"A sarong? And it was a guy wearing one. There are some traditionalists from the Philippines who wear similar. Though none of them have tiger quirks." Melissa said while doing a search with her teched out glasses. Izuku meanwhile was thinking about it in a different way. "He's not a person with a quirk. He's a weretiger, like John said. Which means, he could possibly even change back to keep us from finding him. Maybe you should do a search on what some of the conditions or rituals are." Izuku says while cupping his chin.
While they are saying that Ochaco feels a pain in her stomach. Gripping it tight as she feels it roiling and steadily spreading. Her parents hurry to her side and call for the doctors. "You need to get away," she says while in pain. She tries to gently push her parents back, but her father is sent flying because of what's happening to her. Even Izuku feels a stronger impact than he knows she can put out.
She rolls out of the bed, groaning and looking ready to be sick before looking up at Izuku and Melissa. And what shocks them is that her eyes were no longer her usual shade of brown. Instead, she had eyes that were glowing golden yellow, and they seemed to be growing.
Actually, all of her was growing. She was getting bigger and tearing out of the gown the doctors had put her in. As she grew, hair grew as well to cover her body. The orange, black, and white stripes of a tiger. Her hands and feet gaining claws, a pair of tiger ears from the top of her head, and a tail sprouting from her backside.
"Izuku….. Help me," she barely managed to rumble out before the transformation was complete. The boy was shocked but tried to at least stop Ochaco from running. Using his tendrils and black whips to restrain her as best he could. Once Melissa shook out of her shock, she tried the same with some of her devices.
But none of this would stop the now transformed young hero. She broke free of the restraints and swatted all of the heroes, police, and orderlies away. Izuku had been knocked through the wall of her room and was trying to heal from the pain of the impacts. When suddenly Tiger Ochaco was all but on top of him. Her clawed right hand buried in the tile next to his head.
Izuku wouldn't deny it was a frightening sight above him, with the now large cat version of his girlfriend. But he didn't recoil in fear. Instead, he tried to reach up and talk to her. To get her to calm down. "Izuku!" John shouts before sliding into the hall. Preparing to fight the beast before him and clearly threatening the green teen.
"No John WAIT!" Izuku calls out before Ochaco roars in Justice's direction. Who narrows his eyes before rushing forward and tackling the weretiger. She responds in kind by digging her claws into his back and causing him to cry out before letting her go. But not before taking a shockwave punch that sends her flying.
The weretigress careens through a window before righting herself and landing on her feet. She then takes off while roaring and snarling at anyone who would get close to her. "Shit. Did they have one hidden here to attack us? Everyone ok-ack!" John says while nursing the pains in his back. Before getting the best of a new move Izuku had worked out.
"MONTANA SMASH!" he shouts before punching John hard in the face with a right hook uppercut. Outside and at full power it could (theoretically) clear a storm system. Leaving a big clear sky. In this case however, it just sent John all the way to the roof of the hospital. With a bit of the sky peeking through the hole he made.
Izuku was crackling with energy as he looked up to where he sent Justice flying. "Izuku!" Melissa and Itsuka shouted while looking at him with some fear. He just glared back at them before leaping up and to attack Justice again.
Who was shaking his head before saying "ah what the Hell? What was that about – oh shit!" He then rolls out of the way as Izuku comes down with a Manchester Smash and then a few more kicks to give to his old friend and mentor.
Who just dodges and blocks what he can while trying to give him a few solid blows of his own. As well as trying to talk some sense into Izuku. "What's gotten into you?!" Justice says while blocking a St. Louis Smash. Before getting his leg grabbed by a tendril and then tossed around the roof. "Alright enough!" the big hero says before arresting his momentum and then flying up into the air.
Izuku is yanked along at first but then he flies up with a number of tricks. 'I think it's time I practice with a bit of this!' he thinks in anger before bringing his left hand on his right. Then he shifts it like in a car. Before Justice can fully react, Izuku has caught up to him by using another of the quirks within OFA: Gearshift.
"Gah! Okay, this is not helping anyone!" Justice says while taking a hit to the solar plexus. But his gives almost as good with a fast backhand punch that Izuku can't avoid. Before getting a double hammerfist blow to send him towards the hospital again. "Shit! I can't let him hit the building!" Justice says while realizing his mistake.
He flies as fast as he can before catching Izuku from behind and putting him in a sleeper hold. But that won't stop Izuku from struggling. He was even willing to use his Rapid City Smash to impact Justice's face. And while not breaking them, Izuku had hit with enough force to crack John's glasses.
"Izuku! John!" the girls shout as they arrive on the roof. Izuku is still snarling while John was trying to knock him out of calm him down. "Izuku stop! You might hit Melissa and Itsuka!" he shouts while restraining the boy.
Who finally calms down from his anger as Melissa shows up and he can see the fear in her eyes. Itsuka was scared as well, but she hid it better before asking him to calm down as well. Izuku finally ceases struggling thanks to John's sleeper hold and Melissa calling out to him.
The bigger teen drops him and lets the boy catch his breath while taking a seat on an air conditioning unit. "What the Hell were you thinking? And what was that even for?!" John asks while feeling the pain in his jaw. Its then he smells Izuku crying, but for what reason he doesn't know.
Until Itsuka filled him in on what Melissa had told her. "Wait…. Ochaco was that werebeast? How?" he asked with some unease. Melissa sighs before saying, "I think it has to do with why Uwabami was killed next to her. One of the rituals for turning a person into a weretiger is…. *gulp* it's to take the entrails of a recently dead person and mix them into a broth before consuming it."
The girl looks ready to vomit from just mentioning how the process works. And her two friends weren't far behind her. "She…. She was turning back. Or at least she was calming down for a moment. I had reached her. But." Izuku says with a cough.
John looks down before saying, "but then I rushed in because I felt a magical presence and could tell you were in danger. Shit. I… look I'm sor-" Before John could finish the sentence Izuku holds up his fist and hits him in the face with a Deleware Air Force Smash.
"Don't say you're sorry! Alright, I've been hearing nothing but that for a while. And it doesn't change so many things!" Izuku rages before feeling some of the recoil from using a few of his attacks and Gearshift. He takes a knee before getting ready to lay into John again.
That is until he feels a rough metal gauntlet on his shoulder. He turns back to Melissa who isn't looking scared anymore. Or rather, she now has a hologram of her helmet on and her gadget gauntlet holding Izuku's shoulder. Trying to put on something of an intimidating visage.
It sort of works even as her voice wavers while she's telling Izuku off and telling him to calm down. "I know… you're mad. Given what Ochaco's going through and what we may have to do, I understand that as well as you do. But look at him! He's not your enemy or your opponent! He's trying to save everyone too." Melissa says with a few trembles in her voice.
Izuku crackles with a bit of energy before really looking at John again. And even with the sunglasses, he can see what she means. His face conveyed how worried he was and that he was only trying to help. A feeling he knows so well because it's what has always driven him forward.
"FUCCCKKKK!" Izuku screams out before punching the roof and letting some tears fall. Melissa drops her guise before taking Izuku into a hug. John meanwhile hangs his head with a sigh. "Can uh, you girls give us some privacy. You don't have to go far but….. I think we need to talk a while," he says with sadness. The two quirkless heroes nod before giving their partners a touch of affection.
They went to the stairwell and just waited there while the boys worked a few things out. "Hopefully, that doesn't involve us punching each other out again." John thinks aloud before taking some energy and forming it into a shape. Namely it looks like a cigarette to Izuku. Even holding it close to his mouth and face like anything for smoking.
"Since when do you smoke?" Izuku snarks with a raised eyebrow. John looks at him funny before looking down at the object he formed. "Oh right. I never mentioned this. Uh it's not a cigarette. It's just some energy I formed into that shape. A bunch of us energy manipulators in my old world figured out how to do this and used it as a way to practice and calm down at times."
Izuku drops his jaw at this before lightly raging again. "And you never told me about this, why? It would have saved me a lot of almost mind-numbing practice trying to replicate Blackwhip!" Izuku says before scratching his head constantly. Justice just shrugs and says, "honestly I just forgot I could do it."
When Izuku gives him a flat look with a deadpan "really?" To accentuate how much he doesn't buy it. "Hey I'm old, okay. I'm entitled to a few memory lapses. At least I haven't gone senile. I don't think you want to clean up that mess." John snarks back while holding the energy in his mouth.
The pair glare at each other slightly before a mutual damn bursts and they start laughing. "Dangit. Now you've got me wanting to ask and practice doing that with my kinetic energy. And we've got way too many things to worry about." Izuku says before sitting opposite his friend.
"That's a little of why I'm doing this. You'd be surprised on what it can do for your state of mind to just focus on making a small thing with your energy." John says before holding the energy up and trying to reformat it again. Only for it to pop like a firecracker. Izuku has a light laugh before leaning back to try something similar. But it keeps being connected to his body instead.
John lets out a breath before saying, "you might as well keep practicing. We need time and patience to figure out whatever these Wild Villains are up to. Not to mention, dealing with Ochaco. And just blindly rushing would get me in a shit spot again. Or you."
"Yeah. But…. I'm still scared and worried for her. I just don't know how we're going to save her." Izuku says while looking out over the horizon. In the direction of his gaze, Ochaco has begun to slow slightly as she had rushed clean out of town and into the countryside. While she had been running, she had clawed and bitten a handful of people and heroes. All while trying to process what she was now. Letting out a roar of pain as she went into a bamboo thicket.
Hoo boy this has taken me way too long to write. I'd hoped to have it up for my birthday last week but I kept hitting snags. Anway, yeah Ochaco is going to be dealing with this. As will the others in time. But I've got something bigger planned for this. Also, yes I'm setting some of this up as Izuku's way of letting Justice back in after that whole mess. While also getting a serious punch out on his friend while his emotions were rampaging. Please review!