Last chapter of the year!
…okay, sort of a lie. We have a Christmas chapter under our wings. That should be coming…I dunno, on Christmas Eve? Oh! And another chapter filled with Discord released side stories.
Gonna be real; this first half of the chapter doesn't exactly hit in this format. The School Fest arc works better in animation that the manga / writing medium. I realized that halfway through. This chapter has only technically been completed recently. But still…I'm putting it out. I know a lot of people were sorta disappointed by the Overhaul arc, but let me cook a little longer.
Following this month, all Carry On chapters will be released on the weekend due to my new job. I'm trying to be very efficient with the process.
Anyways, please enjoy this chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young prince lived in a shining castle. Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind.
But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold. Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away, but she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress.
The prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart, and as punishment, she transformed him into a hideous beast, and placed a powerful spell on the castle, and all who lived there. Ashamed of his monstrous form, the beast concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world.
The rose she had offered was truly an enchanted rose, which would bloom until his 21st year. If he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. If not, he would be doomed to remain a beast for all time.
As the years passed, he fell into despair, and lost all hope.
For who could ever learn to love a beast?
Camie blew her smoke, as did Medaka on the other end. Instantly, the simple looking set transformed into a rustic, beautiful looking little village in the French countryside. Eri's eyes widened, as Ochako took a deep breath.
Show time.
"Okay, Ochako...that's your cue." Present Mic whispered into his mic. "Knock em dead!"
Ochako nodded, as she eyed Jirou. She gave her a thumbs up, as if to say 'you got this.' Ochako opened the door, and began to lip sync...
Ochako: Little town, it's a quiet village.
Every day, like the one before.
Little town, full of little people
Waking up to say…
Townsfolk 1: Bonjour!
Townsfolk 2: Bonjour!
Townsfolk 3: Bonjour!
Townsfolk 4: Bonjour!
Townsfolk 5: Bonjour!
Ochako: There goes the baker with his tray like always
The same old bread and rolls to sell.
Every morning just the same
Since the morning that we came
To this poor provincial town.
Baker: Good morning, Belle!
(Ochako jumps over to the bakery)
Ochako: Morning, monsieur!
Baker: Where are you off to?
Ochako: The bookshop. I just finished the most wonderful story, about a beanstalk and an ogre and…
Baker: (Ignoring her) That's nice…Marie, the baguettes! Hurry up!
(Ochako shrugs and goes on with her day)
Townsfolk: Look there she goes, that girl is strange, no question
Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?
Woman 1: Never part of any crowd
'Barber: Cause her head's up on some cloud
Townsfolk: No denying she's a funny girl, that Belle!
(Ochako jumps on the back of the wagon and rides through town)
Driver: Bonjour!
Woman 2: Good day!
Driver: How is your family?
Woman 3: Bonjour!
Merchant: Good day!
Woman 3: How is your wife?
Woman 4: I need six eggs!
Man 1: That's too expensive!
Ochako: There must be more than this provincial life!
(Belle enters the bookshop)
Bookseller: Ah, Belle!
Ochako: Good morning. I've come to return the book I borrowed.
Bookseller: (Putting the book back on the shelf) Finished already?
Ochako: Oh, I couldn't put it down! Have you got anything new?
Bookseller: (laughing) Not since yesterday.
Ochako: (on ladder of bookshelf) That's all right. I'll borrow… this one.
Bookseller: That one? But you've read it twice!
Ochako: Well, it's my favorite! (Ochako swings off side of ladder, rolling down it's track) Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!
Bookseller: (handing her the book) Well, if you like it all that much, it's yours!
Ochako: But sir!
Bookseller: I insist!
Ochako: Well thank you. Thank you very much! (leaves bookshop)
Men: (looking in window, then turning to watch her) Look there she goes, That girl is so peculiar!
I wonder if she's feeling well
Women: With a dreamy, far-off look
Men: And her nose stuck in a book
All: What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle!
(Ochako sits on the edge of a fountain, singing to the sheep and the washing woman in the background, who leaves)
Ochako: Oh, Isn't this amazing?
It's my favorite part because, you'll see!
Here's where she meets Prince Charming
But she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter 3!
Woman 5: Now it's no wonder that her name means 'beauty'
Her looks have got no parallel!
Merchant: But behind that fair facade,
I'm afraid she's rather odd.
Very different from the rest of us…
All: She's nothing like the rest of us.
Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle !
(Geese flying overhead, one is shot and plummets to the ground. Shoda runs over, holds out the bag, and misses catching the prize. He returns to Monoma)
Shoda: Wow! You didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!
Monoma: I know.
Shoda: Huh. No beast alive stands a chance against you…and no girl, for that matter.
Monoma: It's true, Lefou, and I've got my sights set on that one! (pointing to Ochako)
Shoda: The inventor's daughter?
Monoma: She's the one! The lucky girl I'm going to marry.
Shoda: But she's-
Monoma: The most beautiful girl in town.
Shoda: I know-
Monoma: And that makes her the best. And don't I deserve the best?
Shoda: Well of course, I mean you do, but I mean…
Monoma: Right from the moment when I met her, saw her,
I said she's gorgeous and I fell.
Here in town, there's only she
Who is beautiful as me,
So I'm making plans to woo and marry Belle.
Setsuna, Komori and Reiko: Look, there he goes, isn't he dreamy?
Monsieur Gaston, oh he's so cute!
Be still my heart, I'm hardly breathing!
He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!
(Ochako walks easily through the crowd of people in the town, Monoma struggles to catch up to her)
Man 1: Bonjour!
Monoma: Pardon!
Man 2: Good day!
Man 3: Mais oui!
Woman 1: You call this bacon?
Woman 2: What lovely grapes!
Man 4: Some cheese!
Woman 3: Ten yards!
Man 5: One pound
Monoma: 'Scuse me!
Man 6: I'll get the knife!
Monoma: Please let me through!
Woman 4: This bread!
Man 7: Those fish!
Woman 5: It's stale!
Man 8: They smell!
Man 9: Madame's mistaken!
All: Well maybe so…
Ochako: There must be more than this provincial life!
Monoma: Just watch, I'm going to make Belle my wife!
(Townsfolk gather around Monoma, and eventually surround him)
All: Look there she goes, that girl is strange but special!
A most peculiar mademoiselle!
It's a pity and a sin
She doesn't quite fit in
Group 1: Cause' she really is a funny girl.
Group 2: A beauty but a funny girl.
All: She really is a funny girl!
That Belle!
Let's jump ahead to the musical performance…
Tokoyami: I work and I slave all day, and for what. A culinary banquet of madness, gone to waste...
Tsu: Oh, stop your grousing. It's been a long night for all of us.
Iida: Well, if you ask me, she was just being stubborn. After all, he did say 'please.'
Tsu: But if the master doesn't learn to control that temper, he'll never break the-
(Ochako enters, and Iida cuts off Tsu before she can say 'spell.')
Iida: (interrupting) Splendid to see you out and about, mademoiselle. (Alan came running in.) I am Cogsworth, head of the household. (He leans over to kiss her hand, but Alan butts in front of him.) This is Lumiere.
Alan: En chante, cherie.
Iida: (trying to talk around Alan who is still kissing Ochako's hand) If there's…stop that…anything that we…please (finally shoving him out of the way)…can do to make your stay more comfortable. (Alan burns the hand of Iida) Ow!
Ochako: I am a little hungry.
Tsu: (excited, to the other tea pots) You are? Hear that? She's hungry! Stoke the fire, break out the silver, wake the china.
(The fire on the stove roars to life, and drawers open to reveal silverware standing at attention.)
Iida: (secretively) Remember what the master said.
Tsu: Oh, pish tosh. I'm not going to let the poor child go hungry.
Iida: (thinking he is giving in to the ultimate demand) Oh, all right, fine. Glass of water, crust of bread, and then-
Alan: Iida, I am surprised at you. She's not our prisoner. She's our guest! We must make her feel welcome here. (to Ochako) Right this way, mademoiselle.
Iida: Well keep it down. If the master finds out about this, it will be our necks!
Alan: Of course, of course. But what is dinner without a little music?
(Alan has started out the swinging door. He lets it close, and the door hits Iida and sends him across the room to land in a pan filled with (what looks like) pancake batter. He screams his line as he is in flight.)
Iida: MUSIC?!
(The scenery shifts to the dining room, where Ochako is seated at the end of a long table. Alan is on the table and a spotlight shines on him.)
Alan: Ma chere, mademoiselle. It is with deepest pleasure and greatest pride that I welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents…your dinner...and a show.
[The light shines on Jirou's band- everyone is dressed up French coats and vests, with a punk rock twist.]
Ochako: Who...are they?
Alan: Oh, we hired a rock band on the day...this all happened.
Bakugou: AND WE'RE PRETTY UPSET ABOUT IT! WE HAD A GIG IN THE NEXT TOWN OVER!
Jirou took a deep breath. *This could either be a hit, or a massive miss.*
I'm hoping the first one.* She looked back to Momo, who gave her a big thumbs up.
[AN: Okay, so...this is gonna be a little awkward. I mean, a music number? In a fanfic? That's down right gotta be a nightmare to transcribe.
...it is, but, keep in mind, this is also gonna be a punk rock version. My only frame of ref I can give is Elsie Lovelock's cover, and Stellar Kart's cover. Note: I am writing this like a year after we wrote this properly. I have been putting this off MAJORLY.]
Be...
Our...
Guest, be our guest
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
And we provide the rest
(The chair has wrapped a napkin around Ochako's neck, who takes it off and places it on her lap. The chair's arms put it's hands on it's 'waist' as if it were mad.)
Jirou: Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres
Why, we only live to serve!
Try the grey stuff, it's delicious!
Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!
(Alan offers Ochako a plate of hors d'oeuvres. She dips her finger in one, and tastes it.)
Jirou: They can sing, they can dance!
After all, miss, this is France!
And a dinner here is never second best!
Go on, unfold your menu
Take a glance and then you'll be our guest
Oui, our guest
Be our guest!
(A cabinet at the end of the table opens to reveal a large china collection, which rolls out and begins to perform. Alan hands Ochako a menu, which she begins to read.)
Jirou: Beef ragout, cheese souffle
Pie and pudding en flambe!
We'll prepare and serve with flair
A culinary cabaret!
(Plates of food go dancing by, with Iida in the pudding. Alan sets his torch to it, and it explodes, turning Iida's face black with soot.)
Jirou: You're alone and you're scared,
But the banquet's all prepared!
No one's gloomy or complaining
While the flatware's entertaining !
(The flatware enters a 'Busby Berlkley-esque' swimming scene.)
Jirou: We tell jokes, I do tricks
With my fellow bandmates... (standing on a plate, is elevated and begins to juggle his candles.)
Bandmates: (entering the shot) "Und" it's all in perfect taste that you can bet! (They begin a gymnastics routine, hopping over one another and passing a beverage from one to the next)
All: Come on and lift your glass
You've won your own free pass to be our guest!
All: Our command is your request!
It's been years since we had anybody here
And we're obsessed!
With your meal, with your ease
Yes indeed, we aim to please!
While the candlelight's still glowing,
Let us help you, we'll keep...going-
Eri's eyes lit up watching up this whole scene.
(The china and candlesticks perform an elaborately choreographed dance sequence, ending in a close up of Jirou.)
All (with Jirou): Course... by... course
One by one
'Til you shout,
"Enough, I'm done!"
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest!
Tonight, you'll prop your feet up
But for now, let's eat up!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Be our guest!
Please Beeeee oooooour
Gueeeeeeeeeeeeest!
(A fantastic ending comes of the song, with silverware flying through the air, plates and featherdusters dancing, and Iida the focus of attention.)
Ochako: Bravo! That was wonderful!
Iida: Thank you, thank you, mademoiselle. Yes, good show, wasn't it? Everyone! (Looking at his own face) Oh, my goodness, look at the time. Now, it's off to bed, off to bed…
Monoma: (angrily) Come on out and fight! Were you in love with her, beast? Did you honestly think she'd want you when she had someone like me?! (Growling, Shishida has been provoked enough. He emerges and they fight again.) It's over, Beast! BELLE IS MINE! (This time, however, the enraged Shishida overpowers Gaston, picks him up by the neck and holds him out over the edge of the roof, preparing to kill him. He pleads with him.) Let me go. Let me go! Please, don't hurt me! I'll do anything! Anything!
(Shishida's anger slowly melts off his face, and the look of compassion returns. He pulls Gaston back onto the roof and brings him close to his face.)
Shishida: Get out! (He shoves Gaston to the ground. Above, Ochako comes out on a balcony.)
Ochako: Beast!
Shishida: Belle!
(Shishida begins to climb the tower (very much like King Kong) until he reaches the balcony. He hangs over the side.)
Shishida: Belle... You came back!
(Shishida and Ochako stare passionately at each other, but the moment is interrupted when Monoma about to sneak up on them. He pulls the knife out and swings back for another shot...
But something strange happens. His body starts to grow fur all over, and he starts to snarl.)
Monoma: N-no! What on Earth is happening to me!?
?: The curse has passed on.
[Lights flash onto the woman from earlier; the old crone who cursed the Beast, played by Ibara.]
Shishida: Y-you...!
[His body starts to slowly fade back to being normal- his main body is played by Izuku.]
Izuku: M-my body! It's back to normal!?
Ibara: It seems I was wrong to assume...a beast can truly change...but the same cannot be said for him.
[Gaston finishes his mutation; he growls and snarls, looking down at his body.]
Monoma: WHAT...HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?
Ibara: His curse is now yours.
Monoma: No... no! This can't be happening! I'm not a beast! I'M NOT A BEAST!
Ibara: You've earned this fate through your actions. Your arrogance, your cruelty, your inability to see the value in others... The curse reflects who you are inside.
Monoma: I'm... better than him! Better than all of you! This isn't FAIR!
Ochako: Oh, be QUIET!
[Belle uses her quirk to pick up a piece of the fallen castle. She lifts it up, and batters Monoma away, off the building...as soon as a thud is heard, the crone turns to face the two. She nods at them, before she disappears from sight. The two lovers are left alone now.]
Izuku: You...You came back.
Ochako: Of course I came back...I couldn't let them… [she stops to stare at the Beast's true form] This...is who you were?
Izuku: Indeed...
Ochako: I knew there was something more to you. I could see it... feel it.
Izuku: I didn't think anyone ever could. You saved me, Ochako.
Ochako blinked back tears.
That felt more real than Izuku was thinking.
Ochako: No, you saved yourself. You just needed someone to remind you who you really were...
[The castle around them begins to shift and glow, the remnants of the curse fading away. Walls rebuild themselves, broken pieces of stone lift back into place, and the dark, eerie atmosphere is replaced with warmth and light.]
Izuku: The kingdom is returning back to normal...
Ochako: Y-yes, it is...
Izuku: I...may need a queen, you know... Someone strong enough to keep up with me, for sure.
[Izuku hesitates for a moment, glancing at Ochako, his face flushing slightly. Ochako meets his gaze, her own cheeks turning pink. The two step closer, the world around them seeming to fade away as the castle continues to restore itself.]
Ochako: ...I would be honored to.
[Their hands find each other, trembling slightly. Izuku gently pulls Ochako closer.]
The script called for a hug.
...both of them were too caught up in character to remember that.
[Instead of the expected hug, he leans in. Ochako meets him halfway, and their lips touch in a tender, heartfelt kiss. Time seems to stop as the castle's transformation reaches its peak, glowing in a golden light.]
They kissed.
They kissed.
After the play, the students had to clean up. All their hard work was a success- a lot of people were leaving with happy faces and were humming the catchy tunes of Beauty and the Beast.
"There we have it," Monoma grinned as he carried one of the thrones off stage- his expression wasn't full of the usual 'haughty' energy. This was a rare expression of actual joy. "We won."
"Won?" Kendo asked. "Won what?"
"The hearts of the audience, of course," Monoma replied with a theatrical flourish.
Kendo rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile at her friend's enthusiasm. "You weren't a big jerk about this...I'm shocked."
"...there's only one way we're going to be at the forefront of a story, you know." Monoma said, eyes looking over at Ochako and Izuku. They were seeing people out, still acting in character. "We need to create our own story. One that will capture the hearts of everyone and be remembered for generations to come- Nighteye said that we'd have a glorious one before he..."
Monoma trailed off.
Kendo stared at him for a moment. "...Monoma?"
"Hm?" Monoma asked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Sorry about that, what were you saying?"
Kendo shook her head. "Nothing important." She said, carrying away some more props. Monoma returned his gaze back to Izuku and Ochako, watching as they continued to charm the crowd.
Nighteye, He thought, a hint of sadness tugging at his heart. Nighteye's belief in him had given Monoma a newfound confidence and determination, and the thought of continuing his hero journey without Nighteye's guidance was...daunting, to say the least.
Yet, Monoma knew that he had to carry on, honoring Nighteye's memory by fulfilling the potential he had seen within him.
Nighteye...this performance was for you. Monoma thought, as he walked off the stage.
Even though the author didn't show it fully.
Sorry, Monoma. I spent all your cool points on the chainsaw fight.
Down by the exit, All Might approached the duo with some flowers in hand. "Great job, you two!" He extended the bouquet of belle flowers towards Izuku and Ochako, a smile gracing his face. "You two were putting your all into that."
"I mean, it wasn't all of us doing the heavy lifting." Ochako said, taking the flowers. "Everyone did their part."
All Might chuckled warmly, his eyes brimming with pride. "True heroes always recognize the contributions of their comrades," he said. "You both showed great acting potential...maybe we should start working on your undercover skills."
"I mean, I just said a few lines..." Izuku said, trying to remain humble.
"I dunno- that kiss scene made it feel like you two were really in love." All Might grinned. The two turned beet red, and All Might laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."
He wasn't- he was just trolling. It's what Ben would have done, trust me.
"On a more serious note..." All Might said. "What took you guys so long? We were concerned, y'know."
"Sorry," Ochako said. "Omnitrix was updating, thought it'd be a quick flash there and back."
"I didn't bring my phone because of it." Izuku admitted. "Sorry about that."
"It's fine, it's fine. Just...next time, at least take your phone with you." All Might said. "...and I'm not sure I 'buy' that parkour excuse either, some of those scrapes looked like you were in a fight."
Izuku and Ochako held their breath.
"...but, I'm assuming there might have been a good reason for it," All Might said, looking over- Albedo, Neo, Mirio and Eri were approaching, and Eri was smiling. "I'll leave you two to it. If you wanna tell me the truth later, go for it. But for now...have some fun with the festival, okay?"
Izuku and Ochako breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that All Might didn't press further. "Thank you, All Might," Ochako said, her smile returning.
All Might walked off, and Eri ran up to the two.
"Eri!" Ochako exclaimed, crouching down to Eri's level and embracing her in a gentle hug. "Did you enjoy the play?"
Eri beamed and nodded eagerly. "It was amazing! I loved seeing you and Deku and everyone else on stage!" Her eyes were so bright when she was happy.
"Seriously, 10/10 from me." Mirio grinned. "In my first year, we just did a karaoke booth. This is 10x better than that.
"Excellent job," Albedo said. "I've read the Villeneuve version, the Beaumont version and the Lang version...but this has to be one of my all time favorites."
You kids were like a little Hollywood up there. Ever consider the film industry?* Neo joked.
"Eh, once or twice," Ochako quipped, rolling with the joke.
Oh no, my quips are rubbing off on her! Neo smirked.
"Comparing it to the greats and this is your favorite?" Mirio asked, "That's saying something coming from you, huh?"
"High praise, yes, but well earned," Albedo nodded.
"At first, the story was really nice, but then that big guy showed up and it was scary- and Ochako was scared, so I was scared- but then that big scary monster turned out to be nice and kind, and- oh! The songs! The songs were so great!" Eri looked super excited to be recounting the thing to Izuku and Ochako. "I didn't know you were a princess!"
Ochako got all teary eyed as Eri's smile outshined the sun. "I...I sure am." She smiled.
"I'm so glad you liked it!" Izuku said, with similar teary eyes.
Albedo couldn't help but smile as well. As if it wasn't obvious from her reactions during the show itself, the last remnants of Overhaul's hold on this little girl had been now and truly destroyed. She'd found it, what Chisaki had always denied her. She'd found true joy here. And these two heroes to be had helped. He looked over to Mirio, right as the former Permeation hero wiped away a tear of his own.
A miracle like this- It was a testament to the healing power of friendship and the impact that heroes like Izuku and Ochako could have on people's lives.
Two students nervously approached Izuku and Ochako, looking nervous and oddly disappointed. Ochako gave them a weird glance.
"Uh...hi?" Izuku asked, as the two students started getting red and sweaty. Ochako instinctively brought Eri closer to her.
"SORRY, OKAY!?" The girl student yelled.
"We were just hoping you'd fail!" The boy yelled, as they both ran off. Albedo raised an eyebrow.
"...what on earth was that about?"
From the stage, Bakugou grinned- this was his vindication. "Hell yeah." He muttered.
Jirou and Kaminari saw that too and wordlessly shared a little fist bump.
"Come oooooooon!" Tooru begged, hurrying with some props to the back. "I wanna get to the fair grounds! We got a whole festival to explore, y'know!"
"Oh! Wow, I almost forgot about that!" Mina gasped. "I dunno what's what!"
"Well, I heard the Support course has two different attractions," Jirou mentioned, "I might take a crack at the shooting range."
"A musician and a sharpshooter? Such a diverse set of skills!" Momo praised.
"U-uh, thanks," the musically gifted student stammered a bit, "Uh maybe you'd like to...come with?"
"Oh, of course!"
"Ahhhhh ah ah ah ah!" Tooru interjected, "Shooting Range is fun and all buuuut I actually something on the way iiiiin! Even though it wasn't us, someone still got the idea for a haunted house off the grouuuuuund!~"
"Well have fun with that-" Jirou began before the invisible girl grabbed her and Momo.
"Oh, we will!"
"Eh, sure, why not" Setsuna shrugged, "Let's see if they can give a good scare."
"I'll help judge that," Reiko added.
"I wanna see more princesses..." Eri said to Ochako, tugging on her dress.
"More princesses, huh? What about the beauty pageant? I think Nejire's on in a few!" Mirio grinned.
"Nejire? Who's that?" Eri asked.
"Oh! She was another one of the heroes who helped take on the Hassaikai!" Mirio explained.
"So many people helped..."
"Yeah! And they wanna see that smile of yours!" Mirio said, hoising Eri up onto his shoulders.
"Then...then let's go!" Eri beamed.
The pageant was a popularity contest, where female students from different grades competed to be crowned as the most beautiful girl in the school. The contestants were judged by a panel of judges, which included teachers and students alike...and unfortunately, one of them was Mineta.
The pageant had already been going for awhile now, though not too many girls had actually entered. Many thought they couldn't hold a candle to Bibimi, not because of physical beauty, but because of the bribes. Others were a bit more brave, thinking that this year would end in their victory, before the Support Course's "star" could add another win under her belt.
The current contestant, a girl by the name of Tsugi Tonbo, was showing off her grace and skill by flying through various hoops that a member of the support course helped set up. She made sure to make each move as gracceful and flashy as possible, as if she was performing an aerial dance with her dragonfly wings, her Quirk. When she landed and took a courtesy, quite a few in the audience applauded. Even some of the judges gave polite applause. Mineta simply nodded and wrote some things down on a notepad.
Never a good sign.
As Tsugi exited the stage, the next contestant, Mawata Fuwa, made her entrance. Her Quirk allowed her to manipulate silk threads, which she had used to create a stunning gown for the occasion. However, as she began her performance, she wowed the crowd by seamlessly changing her dress multiple times, each one more beautiful than the last.
The audience gasped in amazement as Mawata transformed her silk dress into a flowing skirt, then into a cocktail dress, and finally into a dramatic ballgown. Her movements were fluid and elegant, making it seem as though the dresses had magically appeared on her body without any effort at all.
"Woah," Izuku said, mumbling from the crowd. "That's an impressive ability- I wonder how versatile in combat it is...I bet she could learn a thing or two from Best Jeanist..."
"What's he talking about?" Eri asked, staring over at the mumbling Izuku.
"Ohhhh, he does that sometimes. Don't worry about it." Mirio joked.
The performance was once again met with applause from judges and audience members alike, again save for Mineta. It was concerning him, seeing him take his usual gimmick and making it seem more analytical. Ochako shuddered at what was actually written down on that notepad.
Before she could even begin to imagine the nightmare scenarios, she and the rest of the audience were taken by surprirse when the ground started shaking and the sounds of a heavy engine echoed out from the behind the runway's curtains. Before someone could even ask what the hell was going on, the answer rolled out on stage. Bibimi, clad in a pink kimono-sleeved dress, with colorful and festive patterns on the sleeves, and a cotton trim around the neck, a pearl necklace, topped off with a Taisho-era style hairpin, stood atop a giant golden tank in the shape of her own head.
"How dull!" Bibimi announced from the top of her tank, "My so-called rivals could not hope to measure up to me! My splendiferous gorgeousness is the PINNACLE of beauty!"
"Uh...what...what was this show about, again?" Eri asked.
"Ya know I thought I had it all figured out...buuuut then this happened and now I am completely lost!" Mirio admitted.
"Are...are we sure that's allowed?" Ochako asked, "I mean yeah show off a bit but that's a tank."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Albedo quoted. "And beauty is everywhere. From the stand point of the technical eye, that machine is a marvel. No openings, no weak points, and it satisfies the golden ratio via the facial design."
"You cannot find that beautiful." Izuku frowned.
"Only from a factual standpoint. It's very tacky." Albedo confessed.
How much you think that's worth? Neo signed, Even if its not real gold, that thing would be worth...couple hundred thousand?
"Neo. I thought we agreed to keep the thief jokes to a minimum."
First one in -how- many months?
"...fair point."
Second year Aiko Tanaka walked gracefully onto the stage, radiating confidence and beauty. She wore a traditional Japanese outfit, complete with a vibrant red kimono and an elegant obi tied around her waist. Her dark hair was styled in an intricate bun, with delicate flowers woven into the strands.
As the music began to play, Aiko closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She reached into a small bag at her side and pulled out a steaming bowl of rice. She lifted the bowl to her lips and began to eat, her movements slow and deliberate.
As she consumed the rice, Aiko's body began to glow with a bright golden light. Her muscles bulged and her veins pulsed as her Quirk, Rice Power, activated. With a burst of energy, Aiko leaped into the air, executing a perfect backflip.
The crowd gasped in awe as Aiko continued to dance, her movements fluid and graceful. Her enhanced physical abilities allowed her to perform impressive feats, such as a series of dizzying spins. Izuku blinked.
"It's kinda like Satou's quirk...but with rice." Izuku noted.
"...it IS healthier." Ochako muttered.
"Impressive," Mirio said.
Most of the audience seemed to agree, but oddly, Mineta wasn't that impressed apparently.
Ochako wondered if Mineta was just being 'judgy'- Aiko was on the heavy side. Pig, She thought, as Aiko's performance ended with a bunch of backflips and the splits.
Aiko quickly got off the stage, and now...it was time for the real star. Nejire waltzed onto the stage, her head held high. Her long light blue hair cascaded down her back in loose waves. She wore a stunning floor-length gown that shimmered under the stage lights, the sparkling sequins and crystals catching the eye. Her figure was slim, but curvy in all the right places...
Of course, she had her fans in the audience already. Even when she just walked out, people whistled and cheered for one of U.A's Big Three. Mineta was scribbling something down hurriedly as soon as Nejire walked out. She tried to remember Amajiki's and her own advice on how to bring home the win this year. From her friend, she remembered not to be too intimidated by all the people watching. Being more of a scoail butterfly than him, that was the easy part. But her own plan was a bit more complex.
Last year, she thought to herself as energy spiraled around her feet, lifting her up into the air, I lost because I tried to match Bibimi's flashiness. That's her specialty. Me? I got other things going for me.
As the music started, Nejire's use of her Quirk left the entire crowd in absolute awe. She danced elegantly and gracefully in the sky, her movements fluid and effortless as she soared high above the audience. The way she moved was so breathtaking that many in the crowd were left speechless.
"She's like a pure and innocent fairy..." Ochako gasped, eyes wide.
"So prettyyyyyyyyyyy!" Eri gasped. Everyone in the audience was genuinely in awe as Nejire's energy flowed off in her waves, each portion coming in line perfectly. A pattern was starting to form in the air above, shining and golden. Even some of the other contestants were "ooh"ing and "ah"ing at the spectacle. Bibimi wasn't, of course; she was too prideful to admit that this really was a beautiful scene.
When all was said and done, Nejire posed gracefully in the middle of a sparkling, golden, energy rose. She descended back to the stage, her energy fading. With a smile, she took a curtsy and the crowd errupted in cheers. Even Mineta. Izuku and Ochako may have agreed that the performance was great, but Mineta still deserved a smack upside the head.
"Alriiiiiiight!" Present Mic said, apparently doubling as the announcer for the event, "With such a plethora of performances, I don't envy everyone who's gonna vote! But to those who are, cast 'em now and the results'll be shared at the finale later this evening!"
"Ohhhh who to vote forrrrrr!" Mina lamented, looking over her own vote card, having managed to catch the show.
"They've got an obstacle course. Maybe we can try that out!" Kirishima suggested.
"Hey, isn't there a candy apple stall?" Mirio asked.
"Candy apples?" Eri asked.
"There is," Izuku gasped, seeing where this was going, "That's perfect!"
Eri began shaking Mirio's head. "Come ooooon! Let's go!" The group then made their way to the candy apple stand, with Eri bouncing up and down in excitement.
It's so weird to see Eri acting like a kid... Ochako giggled. It feels like she's a totally different person now!
"Well, look who it is!" a familiar voice called out from behind the stand.
"Sato?!" Izuku and Ochako asked simultaneously.
"The one and only!" Sato smirked.
"Hey!" Izuku grinned. "How's the general course treating you?"
"Pretty good. Got more time to bake stuff- y'know, if you've been eating at Lunch Rush's recently, I've been his cooking assistant." Sato beamed.
"Woooooah! Congrats," Ochako said.
"Nice dress, by the way! I saw the play. You guys did awesome." Sato grinned.
"Hehe, thanks," Ochako blushed a bit.
"So, in light of that," Sato smirked and picked up three candy apples and handed them over to his former classmates, "On the house. Third one's for your friend over there."
Eri's eyes lit up. "A candy apple..."
"It's her first one." Izuku explained. "I trust that this will be tasty?"
"Very! I added some great ingredients." Sato said with an emphatic thumbs up.
"Well? Go on Eri, give it a try!" Mirio encouraged.
The girl happily took a bite of this sweeter version of her favorite fruit and her eyes lit up even brighter than before.
"It's...it's so good," Eri whispered in delight before she took more bites, "So sweet!"
Mirio beamed at her, clearly pleased with her reaction. "I'm glad you like it, Eri!"
"I want moooore." Eri drooled.
"Well, finish the one you're eating right now!" Izuku laughed.
"O-okay!" Eri said, happily eating up her treat. When Ochako and Izuku tried their own apples, their reaction was pretty much the same.
"Sato, what did you add to these? Cause this isn't just some extra cinnamon," Ochako asked.
Sato grinned proudly. "I actually added a secret ingredient, some brown sugar and nutmeg. It gives the apples a richer flavor!"
"Nutmeg, huh? Tastes pretty great." Mirio said.
"You seem like you've been flourishing," Ochako smiled. "I'm happy to see that."
"There was that weird adjustment period, you know what I mean, but after that, things started going really well," Sato nodded.
"Nutmeg?" Eri asked, "What's nutmeg?"
"It's a type of spice," Satou explained. "It gives the apples a warm and sweet taste. It's used in a lot of different recipes, not just for apples."
"...what's a spice?" Eri asked next.
"What's a spi-?" Sato repeated, raising a brow. He looked to Ochako and Izuku for an explanation on that one.
"It's...a very long story," Izuku said sheepishly.
"A few news sites have the details too," Ochako added, "but, basically we saved her life."
"Ahhhh. Makes sense." Satou said, deciding not to question anything. "If that's the case...then the apples are on the house."
"Wait, isn't this a free booth?" Mirio asked.
Satou paused.
"...I totally forgot for a moment."
Ochako couldn't help but laugh a little at the exchange, having missed little moments of levity like this.
"Hey, Ochako, Izuku," Shinsou greeted with a less than enthusiastic wave(but that was just him instead of actual reluctance), "You guys got any other plans today?"
"Not really. Kinda just in a 'let's look around for something fun' mode," Ochako said.
"Well...in that case. Your class and 1-B did the show...but now its time for my former class to show off their hard work. Class 1-C's Haunted House. Interested?"
"Huh...think this is the first time you've actually invited any of us for something," Izuku noted.
"Its the school festival. Everyone's in a lighter mood, even me."
"Huh. Guess the school festival is a time for miracles..." Satou hummed. Shinsou took note of him.
"How're my old buddies treating you?" Shinsou asked sincerely.
"We're getting along! So, that's something." Satou shrugged.
"Good," Shinsou nodded. Nice to hear that his class was still as welcoming as ever, "So?"
"Hmmm...Haunted House...that's where Tooru was taking Jirou and Momo too, wasn't it?" Izuku asked.
"Yeah. And Reiko and Setsuna too," Ochako answered.
"Haunted house?" Eri tilted her head.
"It's like...a house. That has a bunch of spooky stuff in it. Like ghosts and zombies and what not." Mirio explained.
"...I wanna go in it." Eri declared, much to the shock of everyone.
"You're sure?" Izuku asked.
"Yes!"
Oh look at her. Not only is she getting happier by the second, but braver too, Neo smirked.
The group walked over to the haunted house, with Shinsou occasionally looking back. He took a deep breath. Aizawa wanted me to just check in on the kid, make sure everything was okay...she seems fine. Hard to believe she was held hostage, to be honest. She's got the kindest smile I've ever seen.
Eri bounced excitedly on Mirio's shoulders, ready to bear the scares of this haunted house. It sounded fun!
The haunted house in question was entirely hand-made; foundations to the ceilings were made from scratch. On the outside, it resembled an old, feudal style home, complete with long winding hallways and warning tags plastered on the doorway and walls.
"This doesn't look too scary," Reiko said, "Classic setup but still."
"Ehhhh 7/10? Just because we can't give him anything else until we go in?" Setsuna asked.
"Agreed. Nothing wrong with classics."
"Woahhh, your old class was busy." Ochako said. "How'd they even build all this in no time flat-"
Medaka popped up next to Ochako. "There's a slight possibility I assisted..."
"G-gah! God, the scares started and I'm not even in the house yet..." Ochako said.
"Oh! Apologies. I promised the others I wouldn't steal their thunder. Somehow. I never had any intention-" Medaka began.
"Hi there," Eri waved hello to the newcomer.
"Oh! Hello there!"
"...Ochako, who's child is this?"
"It's...complicated." Ochako chuckled. "But she's with us for now."
Well, technically ours. We're her guardians, Neo explained.
"...wait, what?" Ochako asked.
"Oh, right. We...adopted Eri." Albedo said.
Izuku and Ochako blinked. "HUH!?"
Surprise! Neo smirked.
"Adopted?" Eri asked.
"In other words, Eri," Albedo said with a smile, "We're your legal guardians. We'll be taking care of you, giving you a place to stay."
"You...will?"
"Mhm."
Neo, in a rare moment, takes out her phone and types up something to show to Eri. The text read: "And I'll be teaching you sign. It's the little language I've been using with all my hand signs."
"You can't talk?" Eri asked.
"Nope," Neo texted, "but I can still get my thoughts across through sign language."
"Which is what you'll teach me?"
"Mhm," Neo's next readed.
"Neat!" Eri smiled.
Ochako hummed. "...say, you didn't agree to this purely because Ben and Ruby had a kid recently, right?"
Albedo looked away- so, that probably meant no. But yes, that was the truth- the second Albedo held that bundle of joy, the thoughts of having a family with Neo were creeping into his mind...
And those intrusive thoughts won.
"Well in that case," Mirio said, "Either of you wanna take her?"
"Miss Neo!" Eri beamed, making the mute woman's heart melt upon seeing it. She happily agreed to take her. Mirio moved the small girl over and she happily rode atop Neo's shoulders.
Please, help. I think I'm going to die from adorableness, Neo signed.
"You'll be fine." Albedo chuckled, as the line started to move.
"First haunted house, right?" Tooru asked, looking up at Eri.
"Mhm. Is it gonna be fun?" the innocent girl asked.
"Uh, yeah!" Tooru's expression, if it was visible would be on that just screamed "obviously!" "Shocks might be unexpected, but that's par for the course. The atmosphere is really what gets you on edge! The darkness, the music, or as Mr. Mic would say, the vibe!"
"Oooooh."
"And don't worry, none of the monsters inside are real. Just students dressed up to give people a fun scare," Momo reassured.
"I'm not scared!" Eri pouted.
No, she's not. And if even if they WERE real, they wouldn't lay a claw on her. They'd have to go through me and Albedo first. Imagine trying to get at Ben and Ruby's kid, but with people who're totally fine with fighting a bit dirty from time to time, Neo promised.
"Huh...remind me to look up your story," Jirou said.
The line kept on moving until, finally, it was their group's turn.
"Alright," Reiko said, "Here we go."
With that, the group all made their way inside. The interior of the haunted house was almost maze like, with winding corridors made up of traditional Japanese paper walls, or shoji, and various dark wooden walls. All over the place were small slips of paper with kanji written on them, translating to various warnings about ghosts and the restless dead. At first, it was just darkness and some shadows moving around behind the shoji, courtesy of some expert puppetry from stage hands.
And then an intercom came on.
"Here we go. So...I won't lie, they have a story to this place," Shinso admitted.
"They wrote up lore for the haunted house?" Setsuna asked, "Alright. Credit where credit's due."
"Yeah, it's pretty impressive," Shinso said. "So, the story goes that this house was once owned by a wealthy family. However, tragedy struck when their daughter, a beautiful but vain girl, passed away. Her spirit now haunts the house, seeking revenge on those who she feels wronged her in life."
"Pretty standard." Izuku hummed.
"Yeah, but her family kinda killed her for no reason."
"Ooooh, plot twist."
Funny enough, that was the exact story being told over the intercom and by the shadow puppets. Eri had tuned out Shinso and paid more attention to the story being woven, with all the drama and suspense. At the end, came the first real scare. A flash of the murdered girl's bloody ghost appeared, reaching out to the "intruders" in her home. She wore what was once no doubt a beautiful white kimono, now stained with splotches of blood. A veil hid her face, but it led her squirrel ears poke out from her rusty red hair.
"Another little plot twist," Shinso said, "Those who wrong her or trespass in the house, upon death, are trapped within its halls, suffering the same torment she does."
"Ok, ok...classic murder house type deal. Like the Grudge," Setsuna said.
"You can thank Makoto for the story. Good writer and the ghost herself."
"But...why does she want revenge on people she never met?" Eri asked.
"Well, legend says that she was a vain and selfish person in life. She only cared about her looks and status, so when she died, she couldn't accept it and sought revenge on anyone she felt wronged her in any way. It's a cautionary tale, to not let your vanity and pride consume you, or you may suffer a fate worse than death," Shinso explained.
"Then I'll never be pretty!" Eri frowned, pretty determined to keep that creed of hers.
Neo couldn't help but smirk and shake her head a bit at that. They all continued deeper, the once only spooky atmosphere turning scary very quickly. Some of the shoji were ripped, blood surrounding the tears. They even came across one person, a student actor, being "choked" by a pair of fake ghostly hands. At first, they thought he was "dead," until he jolted awake and reached out to them. The surprise did make Ochako and Izuku jump a bit, but Eri wasn't really affected.
"H-help me!" he asked faux-weakly.
They continued on when the "ghost hands'' finished with their "victim." There were other scares like that. A body dropping from the ceiling, covered in blood and cuts, several close encounters with the ghostly Makoto, typical ghost-themed scares given a new edge by some of 1-C's help from Medaka and the Support Course. Holograms were a great way to sell Makoto walking through walls.
While the others were getting increasingly unnerved by the scares, Eri showed a surprising set of nerves of steel. She walked through the dark hallways with a determined look on her face, not flinching or jumping at any of the sudden surprises. She even let out a little giggle when a fake spider ran across Tooru's foot, causing the others to jump.
Setsuna, who had been clinging onto Shinso's arm for most of the experience, looked over at Eri with awe. "How are you not scared?" she asked.
"I've...seen worse," Eri admitted, "This is the fun kind of scary! I love it!"
That's my girl. Neo grinned, giving Eri a pat on the back.
Finally, they made it to the end of the haunted house, where they found Makoto's ghostly form waiting for them. She gave them a chilling warning before disappearing into the shadows, and then the group was guided out, the intercoms and shadow puppets turning off as they left.
Shinsou hummed. "Man, they did a good job..."
"...9 out of 10," Reiko said, "Pretty good."
"How come you didn't get scared?" Mirio asked.
"Horror's my thing. My Quirk's called Poltergeist, my hero name is Emily and that's a horror movie reference..."
"Fair point!"
Shinso smirked at Eri. "Kid took it like a champ. You got guts, kid." He offered her a little fist bump. Eri stared at it curiously.
"Just tap his knuckles with yours." Mirio explained.
"Like...this?" Eri made a little fist and tapped it against Shinso's.
"Just like that, yep!"
Shinso chuckled. "Weird kid- but she's alright in my book."
"So, where to next, Eri?" Izuku asked.
"Hmmm...is there a pool?" Eri asked.
"Oh! They set up a scoop battle over at the pool. See, what you're gonna do is, they'll give you a net and there's gonna be a bunch of balls in the pool. You gotta scoop up one of 'em and you can turn it in for a prize! Quirks are against the rules though," Mirio said, "So no zero-g floating to make things easier."
"Mirio. I'm hurt that you'd think I'd cheat like that!" Ochako said, over-dramatically.
You're just proving my point about the theater industry kid, Neo silently chuckled.
Eri grinned. "Sounds like fun! Let's go!"
They made their way to the pool, which was decorated with colorful lights and streamers. The water was illuminated with underwater lights, making it look ethereal. Dozens of students were crowded around the edges of the pool, holding nets and waiting for their turn.
Eri eagerly joined the line, laughing and chatting with the others. When it was her turn, she grabbed her net and dove into the pool, frantically scooping up the balls. She popped up several times, giggling and shouting when she caught one.
"It's amazing," Mirio sighed. "It's like...the trauma all vanished. I know it shouldn't work that way, but..."
"It may not be," Albedo said, "But...this is a big first step for her. Overhaul controlled her, treated her more as an asset than a person. He may have been beaten, but his influence still lingered. That play erased the last bits of those shackles."
After all she's been through...she deserves it, Neo agreed.
Eventually, Eri collected enough balls to turn in for a prize, a small plush toy of one of the Omnitrix aliens- Diamondhead. She beamed with pride and showed it off to the others, who all congratulated her.
"His name is Terry," Eri presented. "And he punches bad guys like really hard!"
"...Terry?" Ochako chuckled.
"Mhm!"
"Why Terry?" Izuku asked.
"I dunno. Seems like a nice name." Eri shrugged.
Neo brought out her phone and showed the resulting text to Eri.
"Perfect name," Neo agreed.
"See? Miss Neo likes it!"
"Heh, can't really argue then I guess," Izuku conceded.
From there, the rest of Class 1-A and 1-B enjoyed the rest of the festival. Jirou and Momo tried their hands at the shooting gallery with the former actually winning a rather large Kirby plushie. And by "rather large," Jirou actually had to hold it with both arms. She didn't keep it though, gifting the giant pink puffball to Momo with a small blush on her face. Momo loved the gift and hugged it tightly, a small blush of her own forming on her cheeks. Kirishima, Bakugou, and Todoroki were trying out the obstacle, the former two having made a small bet about who could clear it the fastest. Todoroki won first place, though, so technically he won. Kaminari and Tsu were attending the cosplay contest, watching Mina win with a killer Xenomorph cosplay, having beaten out a pretty good Vash and a nice XJ9.
"Thanks everyone!" Mina cheered as she got the first place ribbon, "Maybe next year, guys!"
The day seemed to pass by incredibly quickly, so that when the Beauty Pageant winner announcement came, it felt like practically no time had passed.
"Alright! The votes are in, counted and re-counted just to make sure!" Mic announced, "First off, give one last round of applause to all those who particpated! Nice going, all of ya!"
The assembled crowd applauded all of them. Nejire and the others took the applause with humility, while Bibimi basked in the applause, waving and laughing in triumph.
"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!" Mic said, pulling out an envelope, "The winner of this year's School Festival Beauty Pageant...IS!"
He flipped open the envelope.
"Nejire Hado!"
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as Nejire stepped forward, a wide smile on her face. She was presented with a crown and sash by Mic, and she gave a small speech thanking everyone for their support. The rest of Class 1-A and 1-B congratulated her, with the other two members of the Big Three and Eri giving her a big hug.
But, sadly, after that...the festival was over.
"So, Eri, how was the festival?" Albedo asked.
"It was awesome!" Eri cheered, hugging her Diamondhead plushie, Terry, tightly.
Izuku knelt down, and presented her with one last gift- another candy apple. "Managed to snag the last one. One last snack won't help, right?"
"I don't see the issue with it," Albedo said, as Eri happily took the treat.
"Thank you, Mr. Albedo!" Eri beamed before happily taking a bite out of the candy apple. But then her joyful expression fell for a minute.
"Hm? Something wrong?" Izuku asked.
"Will...I be able to see you all again?"
"Yeah! Of course." Ochako said. "You'll probably see us soon. Like, a lot sooner than you think!"
Eri's eyes lit up. "Awesome..."
Albedo smiled and walked up to Eri, ruffling her hair a bit.
"Alright. Time to head home," Albedo said softly.
"Okay," Eri said before waving to everyone as she walked off, "Byyyyyye!"
"See you again soon, Eri!" Izuku said.
"We can call up Sato next time! Have him teach us how to make those!" Ochako suggested.
Eri's gasp of surprise and joy could be heard even as she returned home with her new guardians.
Albedo waved them goodbye as they got in the car, which promptly took off. Izuku and Ochako watched it drive off, leaving the two standing there for a few seconds.
"...I am so tired," Ochako announced, fatigue setting in.
"Saaaaaame," Izuku sighed, "Can't wait to just get back to the dorms and get some rest."
"Yeah that's gonna be-" and then Ochako's eyes went wide as she remembered, "Oh no."
"Oh no? Oh no, what?"
"Weeeee might not be able to sleep in the dorms...just yet," Ochako sheepishly explained.
"...whyyyyyy?" Izuku asked.
"Two words. Karaoke. Afterparty. Kaminari's idea."
"...oh, dear." Izuku said. "That kinda ruins something..."
"What?" Ochako asked, tilting her head.
"N-nothing." Izuku said. "Let's get out of these costumes- I need to wear a normal T-shirt, ASAP..."
Ochako couldn't help but wonder what that "something" was though as the two of them made their way back to change out of the costumes.
Gentle laid on their apartment's couch, ice bags covering some bruises on his body. Today didn't go as plan, did it? Those UA kids really kicked him across town, didn't they? He lay there, contemplating his failures, he couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.
I was really about to ruin something so magical, wasn't I?
"Gentle?" La Brava came in, laptop in hand, "How are you feeling?"
"Better than before, I suppose," the gentlemanly thief said, "Did you find anything?"
"I did, actually. A few videos were posted a couple hours ago. They were taken on phones so not the best quality."
"And...about them?"
"That's...where you might wanna buckle up," La Brava flipped open her laptop and opened one of several tabs she had open. It was a news article simply called "The Fall of the Shie Hassaikai."
"The...the Hassaikai?" Gentle asked, leaning up. "One of the most brutal yakuza groups still around?"
"Formerly. They got taken out a couple weeks ago by a massive team-up raid," La Brava, "First off," she scrolled to the list of Heroes that participated.
"'The raid was conducted with several agencies from across Japan, including the Omniworks, Nighteye, Fatgum, Ryukyu agencies. Aiding the team were several work-study students from U.A. including Eijiro Kirishima, Nejire Hado, Ochako Uraraka and Izuku Midoriya,'" Gentle read aloud, "They...they took on the Hassaikai? And won?"
"Keep reading."
"'The main goal of the heroes was two-fold, stop the production of a dangerous Quirk-deletion drug-' WHAT?!"
"It somehow gets worse!" La Brava said.
"'-and rescue the source of the drug. A...young girl...named Eri...' I...they saved a girl...from that nightmare and she was the girl who they wanted to make smile," Gentle said, "...and I almost stole that..."
"Gentle, don't blame yourself," La Brava said, noticing the look of guilt on his face.
"But I should," he replied, "I allowed my desperation to cloud my judgment, to lead me down a path that would have had terrible consequences. I almost became a despicable villain..."
La Brava placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "But you didn't."
"Yes, after being given quite the thrashing by proper heroes," Gentle sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"...we need to rebrand."
"...huh?"
"Obviously, people aren't gonna watch a villain! They'd watch…something closer to a hero. But still…catchy enough."
La Brava blinked, then slowly a smile crept onto her face. "You're serious?"
Gentle sat up straighter, ice packs sliding off his lap. "Why not? Our actions need to be more than just spectacle. We need to bring something meaningful to the world, to make it... more elegant. We are still performers at heart, but now, instead of chasing fame through mischief and mayhem, we can pursue something greater..."
Gentle looked up. "...I say we start trying to make a real difference."
"Well, we can't be called Villain Ventures anymore."
A small smile curled up on Gentle's lips.
"What about...Vigilante Ventures?"
The afterparty was something fierce! A bunch of students and teachers were crowded into the 1-A heights building, with lots of sweets and drinks. And of course…
Karaoke.
The final frontier.
"Arigatou to gomen wo kurikaesu mama!
Fumidashita….ZERO ICHI!
Maido saikou na
Mirai wo dou ka kitaishiteiru
Aragau mama ikiru fukou wo
Ukeireru naraba jiyuu woOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Kirishima couldn't sing. But he had the spirit.
Ochako looked down from Kirishima's terrible singing and towards her phone. There was a text from Izuku. Weird- he was in the room with her, if he needed something they could walk over and talk to her, right?
But then she saw the message.
"Can we talk outside for a moment?"
All of a sudden, Ochako felt nervous. It couldn't be explained- these few words had her heart beating faster. She quickly excused herself from Kirishima's singing and walked toward the door. As she opened it, she saw Izuku waiting for her outside.
"Is everything okay?" Ochako asked with concern in her voice.
"Yeah, everything's...everything's great." Izuku said, looking around. "...do you mind if we take this away from Heights?"
Ochako looked at the building, and then back to Izuku. "Um...sure."
Izuku took a deep breath, before the two started walking away. As they walked, Ochako couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Izuku was usually so...open. What was he going to tell her?
Finally, they stopped at a quiet park, far away from any prying eyes or ears. Izuku sat down at a park bench, and patted the seat next to him. Ochako hesitantly sat down. The two sat in silence for a few moments, before Izuku broke the silence.
"I...I'm sorry if the kiss was so weird." Izuku apologized. "I know the script called for a hug, but...I just got really into the character."
Ochako felt her face turn red. She couldn't believe they were talking about this, oh my god-
"I-It's okay," she stammered. "I didn't mind it."
"Like, I'm shocked I didn't faint during the play-" Izuku admitted. "It was just some improv, but it made the scene work even more, right?" Izuku was nervously chuckling.
Ochako nodded, trying to hide her own nerves. "Yeah, it did."
The two sat in silence again.
"...why did you ask me to come all the way out here?" Ochako asked.
Izuku took a deep breath. "I just...I wanted to apologize. I didn't want you to think I overstepped any boundaries or anything like that."
Ochako looked at him with confusion in her eyes. "What do you mean? We're friends."
"I know, I know," Izuku said. "But I don't want you to feel uncomfortable about that. I should have given you a heads up or something."
Ochako shook her head. "I'm not uncomfortable, Izuku. It was just a kiss in a play, it's...it's not a big deal."
The two sat in silence for another moment.
"...was that your first kiss?" Ochako asked.
"...was that yours?" Izuku asked back.
Ochako nodded. "I...I really don't know if it was good or not." She admitted. "L-like, you were fine! I...I'd probably do it again."
"Huh?" Izuku turned even more red.
"I-I mean, not like that!" Ochako quickly clarified. "I just mean...in a play, or something. If we did an encore."
Izuku chuckled nervously. "O-oh, yeah. Of course."
They sat in silence once again, but this time it was a comfortable silence. Ochako couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that there wasn't more to their conversation. Her heart had been racing this entire time for what? A simple apology?
But then she felt Izuku's hand on hers. "Thank you for understanding, Ochako."
Ochako's heart fluttered at the touch. "...I...I think I actually need to say something too."
Izuku paused. "...what's that?" He asked, nervous.
Ochako took a sharp inhale, and closed her eyes. Ochako's heart was pounding in her chest, and her stomach was tied up in knots. She felt nervous and vulnerable, unsure of how Izuku would react to what she was about to say. But she had to get this off her chest no matter what-
"...I think I love you."
The words spilled out of Ochako's mouth before she could even fully process them. She quickly opened her eyes and looked at Izuku, who had a stunned expression on his face.
"What?" Izuku asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His brain was malfunctioning right now- he looked adorably bewildered.
"I know it's early. I know we've only been friends for a couple of months. I know we don't have the experience of Ben and Ruby, but...I like that we bring the best out in each other. I just feel...like myself when I'm with you." Ochako said.
Izuku was still processing everything, but he couldn't deny the warmth he felt inside. He looked into Ochako's eyes and saw sincerity, vulnerability, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"I...I don't know what to say," Izuku said honestly.
"Does anyone really know what to say after that?" Ochako asked. "I don't want to constantly wrestle with this feeling anymore, especially after all we've been through. I just needed to tell you, Izuku."
Izuku looked at Ochako, and there was a moment where he felt like the entire world had stopped. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, unsure if it was from the confession or the fact that he might be feeling the same way.
"I...I care about you a lot, Ochako." Izuku said, finally finding his voice. "You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met. And...I think I feel the same way."
Ochako's eyes widened.
"Say it." Ochako said, putting her hand on top of his. "Please."
"I love you too, Ochako." Izuku said softly, looking at her with a gentle smile.
The two smiled at each other for a few seconds, taking in this change.
"...d-do we kiss now?" Ochako gasped.
"I-I dunno. Maybe?" Izuku said, scratching his head. "I mean, I'd be fine-"
Without any hesitation, Ochako leaned in and kissed Izuku. It was soft and gentle, but filled with the intensity of their emotions. They broke apart, looking at each other with wide eyes and goofy smiles on their faces.
"So...a-are we a couple now?" Ochako asked, still feeling a rush of adrenaline.
"I...I think so," Izuku said, grinning.
"...wow!"
"Y-yeah."
"Wow."
The two sat in silence for another moment. Unsure of what to really do. But then, they both burst out laughing.
"God, we suck at this." Ochako admitted.
"We can figure everything out as we go," Izuku said, intertwining his fingers with Ochako's. "But for right now, let's just enjoy this moment...okay?"
Ochako smiled, feeling the warmth of Izuku's hand in hers.
"Let's just try to keep this under wraps for now." Ochako said. "I have a feeling Mina's gonna freak when she finds out."
Izuku chuckled. "I'm fine with that."
The two sat there in the quiet park for a while longer, just enjoying each other's company. Izuku and Ochako didn't have any answers, but for the first time in a long time, they didn't seem to need them. They were content just being in this moment with each other.
As they walked back to Heights, hand in hand, Ochako couldn't help but feel excited for what the future held for the two of them. And maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't mind another kiss before bed...and in the morning...and GOD she was just so happy.
But for now, Ochako was happy to just be walking with Izuku and sharing this moment with him.
And from this point on...
This was the story about Izuku and Ochako became the world's next best power couple.