Izuku secured the final bag for his trip. This was exciting, especially since this would be his first ski trip. Eri couldn't stop texting him every other hour to make sure that he was twice as excited as she was. Earlier this morning, Ms. Joke phoned him to let him know that Aizawa-sensei was going to meet him after school so that they could ride together. Even she was giddy as she was happy that Eri had a big brother to look up to. That must be one of the perks of being an only child, something that Izuku knew all too well.

There was a knock at the door. At first, he didn't think anything of it. Probably Denki to see if he could copy yesterday's homework or Kacchan with his usual "witty bantering."

"It's open!" He said as he was looking for his backpack.

Upon opening, he turned and saw that it was Ochako. Unlike her usual sunny demeanor, the paleness of her skin and the shakiness in her body said otherwise.

He arched an eyebrow, showing concern. "Morning, Ochako. Is everything alright?"

Ochako pushed the door shut, closing it. She didn't stop there. She rushed over to his desk and pushed it against the door, blocking any means of escape — not unless jumping out of the window.

"Izuku. I highly reconsider you going on this ski trip." She said with urgency in her voice.

A bit confused, he slowly approached his friend. "What do you mean?"

"Remember the other day I was saying that there have been some shadyness around here?"

"Yeah you did."

"Yeah…and I think I know where it's coming from."

The brunette walked around the room as if she was looking for something. Eyeing the radio, she approached it and turned on the volume as high as she could.

"Uraraka, the neighbors!" Izuku told her.

"Excuse me for this, Izuku, but screw them. The way this is going, you may not have neighbors," she interjected. "Especially when there is a certain somebody after you."

"Izuku, don't take this the wrong way but have you noticed Eri's attachment to you?"

"Granted the girl has hands of human strength. I remember this one time, she was trying to show me that she latched onto me upside down. A crazy little spider monkey!"

"Maybe this is a hunch. Have you noticed things have been strange since her arrival to the school?"

Izuku appeared puzzled. She wouldn't be talking about Eri, would she?

"Ochako…is this…is this about Eri?"

The expression on her face confirmed what he had feared. She dropped her head and then sat on his bed. "Izuku, you're in danger. Last night when I was heading to the corner store to get Tsuyu some of her favorite treats, I was followed."

"Followed? What do you mean?"

"As in, stalked. As in, being watched. As in, that little snowball was the one trailing me," she retorted. "When I left the store and cut through the park, she made her presence known to me."

The night before….

'It will be wise if you don't speak to my Icchan again.'

'Eri…what's going on with you?'

'Spare the questions, Eyebrows. You're smart enough to know the score. Back off my Icchan or else you'll be floating in a place where there is no space and time.'

'Eri-chan. I won't be threatened and I am not afraid.'

'You're sure? Your knees say otherwise. Why not learn from your friends and just back off.'

'Izuku is free to make his own decisions. Who are you to tell him that?'

'You're right. He is free…but to me only. And if you continue to pester him, you'll be pestering me. And if you're pestering, then I might need to control the pest.'

'No! I won't back down. No! You won't hurt him. No! If I have to tell him, then you know what will happen.'

'You get this warning only, Eyebrows. Watch yourself. By the way, how's your dad's business? Think the old knees can handle any further struggle?'

Back to the present….

"I told Dad not to work today and I even told that if he saw anyone that looked suspicious to call the police," said Ochako. She covered her face. "I just didn't have the heart to tell him that he was being threatened by a six year old."

"Not Eri, Ochako." Izuku's mind was beginning to fool like a swimming pool. He knew that his little Eri-chan was overly protective. In her defense, she was the product of Overhaul's creation. Her life was rough and knowing how to interact with people would have been difficult. Nevertheless, Ochako was his friend.

"Strange things have happened, Izuku," said Ochako. "Tooru, Pony, Tsuyu…even Momo. And you can't tell me that you haven't noticed these things since she has been here?"

"Ok," he retorted, affirming loudly through his nose. "I must admit that since Eri's arrival, crazy things have happened. And yes, I have been a bit naive." He cleared his throat. "Maybe I just thought that Eri was blowing off steam."

"Blowing off steam is different than trying blowing up friends," retorted Ochako. "Momo's family might be in the red after that stunt Eri pulled. Tsuyu, Tooru, Pony…can they recover from that?"

"Okay, okay. Let's be solution-oriented." Izuku took a seat beside Ochako. He reached for her hand and rubbed it affectionately. "Let's say everything that has been occurring is true. Let's say Eri is after me and after anyone who dares show affection. Something needs to be done." He fidgeted his pockets for his cell phone.

Ochako grew concerned when seeing the phone in hand. "What are you doing?"

"If Eri is a greater threat as everyone says she is, then we need to speak to the source."

"Izuku please, don't do this!"

"No, we've got to. Running and hiding won't solve anything and plus, she loves me. She wouldn't harm her Icchan." The latter end of the sentence resulted in a chuckle.

He told her to be silent as he put the phone on speaker. As the line trilled, the person on the other end answered. "Hi, Icchan!"

"Hey, Eri sweetness," he said in a cheerful manner. "Got some time to talk?"

"For you, never an interruption. Are you ready for today's trip?"

"I certainly am," he responded. Ochako bit her lip in panic, grabbing hold of Izuku's hand. "However, I have a question if you don't mind me asking."

"Sure, Icchan!"

"And just to be sure, Eri sweetness, you wouldn't lie to big brother, would you?"

"Of course. I love my big brother."

"And I love my little sister." He cleared his throat. "Over the last few days, I have noticed some things with certain friends of mine."

The line went quiet for a minute. Sweat began pouring down Ochako's underarms. After the pregnant silence, Eri responded. "Huh-uh."

"And Eri, no matter what, I'll always love you but I just need you to understand when I say this." Izuku cleared his throat again. "It seems to me in the last couple of days, any girls that I have interacted with, something bad has happened to them."

"Huh-uh!"

"Any girls that were around us."

Ochako found that smooth. Instead of singling out Eri, he put himself in it as well. "What a guy!"

"Huh-uh!" Eri responded.

"Now, Eri-chan, did you happen to play some kind of role in this?"

"No!" Eri blurted.

"Now, Eri-chan. Did I say that you won't to your big brother?"

"I didn't do anything, Icchan!" He could hear the anguish in her voice. Her voice was rattling on the other end. It was just like a child that knew that they were facing the inevitable punishment. "I promise."

He sighed heavily. "Oh, sweetness. That's lie number one. Please, I promise that I won't get mad."

"Yes you will," she blurted. "I can hear it in your voice. You're gonna get mad at me."

"No, I won't!"

"Yes, you will! You're gonna hate me and discard me."

"No I will not," he said in a firm voice. "Get that out of your head. I love you no matter what but I. DO. NOT. LIKE. LIARS!"

Eri's sniffling continued. Izuku allowed her time to regain her composure. He cleared his throat once again. "Now, Eri-chan. If and only if you can provide me with a reason why you did these things to the girls, I won't be too harsh on you. I have to because I love you and disciplining you is something I need to do so you won't do that again."

Ochako's mouth went agape. That was something she wished she didn't do.

"She's there, isn't she?"

"What are you talking about?" Izuku said, feigning ignorance.

"She's there, isn't she? She is! She is!" Eri's voice began to crescendo. "She is making you say these mean things to Eri-chan, isn't she? That fucking bitch! That lying whore! You lied! You lied! You forced him to say those things, Uraraka-chan!"

It was then Ochako took the phone. "I didn't force him to do anything, Eri. It was out of his own free will."

"Nothing is free in this world," interjected Eri, followed by a sound of a chuckle. "I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! They control! They control!" She began chuckling some more. "I told her. I told Mommy that they would do this to him. So, that is two things to worry about, Ochako Uraraka! I'm coming for you, Uraraka. You're dead! You hear me?! You're fucking dead!"

The line disconnected.

The brunette teen dropped the phone and tears began falling down her eyes. Izuku's mouth was agape — shocked at the words that came from his little Eri-chan.

"Why did you do this?" Ochako said as she grabbed his shoulders, proceeding to rock him. "I've told you that she was a danger."

"Ochako, calm down." Izuku said, trying to calm her down. "She got caught in the moment. Anyone can say things—"

It was met with a slap by her.

"Holy Esdeath, Izuku. I knew you were dense but not stupid," she said. "You've heard her and what she is planning to do to me…and to you!" She took hold of his cheeks. "You don't think a girl like her wouldn't place harm onto a lover? Yuno Gasai and Kotonoha say otherwise. Wake up, Deku!"

"Alright!" Izuku said, still rubbing the cheek where Ochako slapped him. "First things first, you need to lay low."

"What about you?"

"Eri wants me but she's cutting anyone that is tied to me," he said. "Do you think you are safe with your parents?"

"My dad's big enough to handle himself. And I do have some moves," she said. "I do have a Quirk, just didn't want to use it on a kid."

He took deep breaths as he stood up and moved the desk back to its proper place. "I'll escort you home. Then, I will go to see Eri."

"You're going to surrender yourself to her?"

"Look! What's running going to do? I have spent over five years and over 100 chapters of running away," responded Izuku. "Not this time. I'm going to take you to the train station and you're going to go home. When you're there, I need you to call Principal Nezu and leave him with this message." He showcased his phone, showing that the conversation was recorded.

"Do what you can to help the others. I know Aizawa-sensei isn't going to like this." He said, showing disappointment in his voice. "My little Eri-chan!" He beat this chest, trying not to display any sadness, especially when looking at the packed bags for their ski trip.

He looked at his All Might novelty clock on the wall. "Let's go."

"Izuku, I'm scared."

"Me too but staying here isn't safe. If she is at home, then we have a window. As soon as we hit the ground floor, we're running."

"Okay," she said as she grabbed his hand.

Ten minutes later….

True to their word, as soon as they hit the ground floor of the Alliance Heights dorm, they ran.

Unbeknownst to the running duo, they were being watched.

Emi had her eyes glued to Ochako as she watched her and Izuku holding hands as they were heading to the train station. She knew her pitiful future son-in-law had his doubts. She wasn't too upset and she will be the one to discipline him when she gets him. She knew he didn't mean it and she will definitely remind him of that when she corners him.

Eri lied in the backseat, still sulking in the tears as she held onto the All Might novelty toy that her big brother got her.

"Don't worry, Eri," said Emi as she tried her best not to get angry. "Icchan didn't mean it. He was just brainwashed. And I will be sure to rid that parasite."

She looked at the passenger side of the front seat — a taser, piano wire, and a bag that can accommodate a human was there. She put that car in drive.

A trip was happening but for a certain someone, it would be a one-way only.

To be continued….