Here we go. Some DRAMA.
Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5
After crying for a good while, Ochako found herself sitting with Izuku, All Might, Ben and Ruby at a table. All Might had dropped by the station to check in on the two.
"What a relief you're both okay," All Might said. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to protect you and the others."
"It's fine," Izuku said.
Ochako stared at All Might, Ben and Ruby. "Can I ask you guys a question?"
The triad of heroes nodded. "We'll answer anything you need." Ruby said, putting her hand on top of Ochako's own.
"Was there ever a time where...you couldn't save everybody?" Ochako asked. The table went silent. Ben looked sad upon being asked that question.
"...yeah." Ben said. "And often."
"More often than you think." All Might frowned. "Someone could be injured anywhere in the world right now, and could be calling out my name. I would never know about it. I know it's frustrating but we're all human."
"There's always going to be someone out of reach, someone that we can't protect." Ruby said. "That's...one of the worst things we're gonna have to accept."
Ochako went quiet.
"It's why the world needs a symbol of Peace. The world follows the man on top." All Might said. "A lot of heroes have been inspired by me. Great heroes who could be the prayer those people need right now."
Ochako noticed how quiet Ben was. It was so strange- even in the face of danger, Ben was usually confident and joyful. This somber side to him was...new.
"Mr. Midoryia?" Tsukachi said, walking into the room. "Your mother is here to escort you home."
"Oh! Okay." Izuku said, looking at the group and then to Ochako. He...didn't know what to do at the moment. So, he put his hand atop hers.
"Text me when you get back home safe...okay?" Izuku said.
Ochako looked at Deku, trying her hardest not to burst into tears. He almost died a few hours ago, and here he was, being worried for her. He was always selfless like this...
Ochako took a deep breath. "I will."
Izuku gave a small smile, and walked out of the room. The room went silent for a few more moments.
"...Ochako, are you fine with me staying with you for a few days?" Ruby asked. "I know how much this must be to deal with."
Ochako nodded. "Yeah. I'd be fine with that."
"Yeah," All Might agreed. "I think that's for the best right now. You need someone else around."
"Then we should probably get you home as well. I think you need a good night's rest after everything you went through today." Ben said, standing up. He offered Ochako his hand, and she hesitantly took it.
"I'll cook dinner for all of us. How does that sound?" Ruby asked.
"...that would be nice."
Momo had left her mattress behind in Ochako's apartment, so sleeping was no issue for Ruby. Ben had dropped off some clothes for Ruby, and swore he'd visit every night to check in and fill the two in on the situation with Ochako's parents.
On that note, Ochako's parents were horrified to hear of the incident. They were unaware that they were being watched. They were staying in a discreet yet secure location since Ben had given them witness protection status. Ben was being oddly mysterious about everything, but Ochako understood why. Maybe he was beating himself up as much as she was about Shigaraki.
UA had postponed the camp by a week, and classes were canceled while the rest of the teachers were deciding what to do. Ochako was fine with that. She had enough on her mind right now. Her phone was also blowing up with love and support from her classmates. It did make Ochako feel better.
But only a bit.
The next two days were spent in her apartment, occasionally stepping outside on her balcony to see the city for a few moments. Ruby was understanding, and gave her some space. They would have some small talk here and there, and that was the extent of how that went. Ship was also very clingy. He knew what happened, and wanted his master to not be so sad. Occasionally, Ruby would disappear for an hour or two, and then come back with groceries.
It was the start of the third day when Ochako and Ruby really started to talk about the situation more.
"How are you feeling today?" Ruby asked at breakfast.
"I'm doing better." Ochako said. "I think I'm ready to step outside for a bit longer than a few minutes."
"We can go on a walk in a bit, if you want." Ruby said. "I'll be by your side."
"That sounds nice." Ochako nodded.
For Ochako, Ruby was like the big sister she never had. The lady knew how to deal with Ochako's issues like a pro. She never got to interact with Ruby, mainly due to her schedule and Ruby's pregnancy. The fact Ruby was going out of her way to help the hero in training…
Ochako didn't know how to feel, but she somehow felt like a burden.
And Ruby knew she wasn't.
Ochako's pain- the pain of not being able to help at that moment, she knew it too well. When Ochako was crying her eyes out into her and Ben's arms, she understood everything. And she also knew what Ochako was thinking to herself these past few days.
The pain in Ochako's heart was the same in Ruby's heart when she was younger. And the same as Ben's, too.
I had the power to stop him. I'll hate myself for that forever. Words she'd said when she was young.
Was there ever a time where...you couldn't save everybody? A question she'd asked when younger.
Ruby knew that Ochako was going through a lot. And it was too much for just one kid to handle, let alone a whole group. A nice group therapy session sounded nice, but that would open up the floors to more and more sorts of worries Ochako would have to distract herself with before she even addressed her own issues. Those younger days she looked back on so fondly were very often sullied by the fact that Ruby was holding all of her emotions back.
Ruby didn't want that to happen to Ochako.
Ochako and Ruby were walking down the street again when Ruby initiated the conversation.
"How've your friends been holding up?" Ruby asked.
"They're doing okay. The people that didn't go freaked out the most about it." Ochako said. "They've been flooding me and Deku's inboxes, though."
"That's a weird nickname for him. Deku." Ruby said.
"I always kinda thought it screamed 'do your best'." Ochako shrugged.
"Oh, there's a second meaning to it?" Ruby said. "I thought it was referring to some video game enemy. Sorry. I don't really speak Japanese."
"But you're speaking it right now." Ochako said.
"Oh! Well, to YOU, yes." Ruby said, pulling out her Scroll. "Ben used Upgrade to install this 'active translator' feature onto my scroll. So, if I turn it off…" Ruby pushed a button. "Boom. Lost in translation."
Ochako blinked.
"You're still speaking Japanese."
Ruby blinked. "You're speaking American."
"...I forgot my Omnitrix had a translator too." Ochako said.
"Anyways," Ruby said. "It's good to know that you're doing better today. I'll admit, I was going a little stir crazy in your apartment."
"I was just so…worried that Shigaraki was gonna kill me and my parents. I was paranoid that if I stepped foot outside, he'd jump me and…poof." Ochako explained.
"That's the trick with one trick ponies like him." Ruby said. "They always have over confidence in their abilities. Just slice off one of his fingers and you'll be safe."
Ochako gave her a look. "You're so…casually violent."
"I get that a lot." Ruby said.
"Did…you have a Shigaraki? Did someone ever threaten Ben?" Ochako asked.
Ruby got quiet.
"She's long dead, but yeah." Ruby said, looking down. "I'm glad she is. Because I know she'd pull something like-"
Ruby paused.
"Everything okay?"
"Hm?" Ruby said, shaking her head. "Yeah, sorry. Bad flashback. Anyways…yeah, I've seen Ben threatened before me. Unlike Midoriya, he didn't come out unscathed. He's got a nasty chest wound."
Ochako made a face. "Ouch."
"Don't worry. Ben was able to shock out her eye, and I lobbed off her hand." Ruby said.
"No wonder you're so comfortable with cutting off fingers." Ochako joked.
"That was years ago. I used to wonder back then about how long I'd be fighting someone like her. I was so used to cartoons and 'monster of the week' anime that I assume she'd be a one and done deal. But she just kept coming back." Ruby said. "And each time I saw her again, she looked less and less human. I thought 'surely, I will never see something so horrific again'."
"But you did." Ochako frowned.
"Yeah. And…for a little bit after this…one tragedy…" Ruby cleared her throat. "I had this…thing, in the back of my mind. These… 'cruel jabs' that would pick me apart. It was like venom had taken over my mind- I hated everything, I hated myself, I lashed out at people…it was…a lot."
Ruby looked at Ochako. "Please tell me you don't have your own 'cruel jabs'."
Ochako looked away. "...no. Not really."
"It's just upsetting how many people are just willing to throw away their humanity." Ruby sighed. "All for the pursuit of power- what really is power, honestly? It's a very flexible term. Anyone can say 'I have a power no one else has', and there's some truth to it. But, let me tell you the greatest power someone can have."
Ruby looked up to the sky. "The power to change."
"Huh?"
"I don't mean just with an Omnitrix. I mean the power to change the world, the people in your life, your surroundings. If you really believe you can make a big difference, then go for it. It's something you don't have to do alone, too. You can share that power with your friends and…" Ruby trailed off. "Yeah. Sorry, I got way overboard there."
"It's fine." Ochako smiled. "I got the idea."
"Another thing I can share is…my mantra, I guess." Ruby said. Ochako tilted her head.
"Are you familiar with the phrase 'Keep moving forward'?" Ruby asked.
"I've heard it a few times. Why's that one so important to you, if I may ask?" Ochako said.
"It's just three simple words. I try not to look back at what happened before, and try not to beat myself up as bad as I used to." Ruby said. "I don't really have a reason to keep everything bottled up, especially now with Ben and Yang and…everyone else on my side. I just…keep moving forward."
Ochako went quiet.
"Look at yourself." Ruby said. "You're doing your best to deal with your feelings about everything. But at the same time, you're hoping it'll just fade away. But I can tell you firsthand how dangerous that is."
Ochako looked at Ruby.
"You know how easy it is to run away from them, or lash out on someone else." Ruby continued. "But the way it twists your insides just makes you want to scream and cry."
Ruby put a hand on her shoulder. "But...I just wanna tell you. You're valid. And if you need someone to talk to, I'm always here."
Ochako felt more 'active' after the walk. She concentrated on the minor details, such as making supper with Ruby and flying over the region as Big Chill. It was good to recover some control over herself and not be completely consumed by terror.
Ben joined them for supper (miso soup and shogayaki) and appeared exhausted. Ochako did not hesitate to serve him a generous portion of food. He needed it more than her.
"So, good news." Ben started, after inhaling a big part of the meal. "Your parents are safe."
"Well, yeah. I knew that." Ochako said. "They were in your care, after all."
"And they're gonna stay like that. I was able to do a thorough search of the town, and was able to set up a small impromptu group of heroes to keep watch down there. These people aren't the type to immediately get 'worfed', so don't worry about that." Ben said.
"Thank God Marrow agreed." Ruby sighed.
"I think he was getting tired of New Mantle. City life is exhausting." Ben shrugged. "That's why we live in the suburbs."
"You don't live in a mansion?" Ochako asked.
"No! They're costly." Ben said. "And a pain to clean."
"Thank you again for doing this, Ben." Ochako said. "I'd probably drop out of the hero course to watch after my parents if it wasn't for you."
"It's the least I could do, Ochako." Ben said, rubbing his eyes. "I've also done the liberty of adding a top of the line security system, getting the local police to watch over them for a few months, and-"
Ochako listened to Ben list off everything he'd done- it was an insane level of precaution. It was a long shot, but it was worth asking.
"Did…something like this happen to you?"
Ochako's question put Ben's dialogue to a stop. Ben took a deep breath. "...yeah. Something similar happened to me when I was your age."
"Are you fine talking about it?" Ochako asked.
Ben and Ruby shared a look. Ruby gave a small smile, as Ben took a deep breath.
"When I was 16, my parents were attacked by the villain known as Zombozo." Ben explained. "It was…a lot."
"Oh." Ochako said. The overprotection clicked in a second. Ochako had read about Zombozo on the internet a few times. Due to the odd nature of his quirk, he is one of America's worst villains. He was imprisoned in a specialized jail for the most heinous of crimes, alongside about 9 other choice members.
"I was still in the hero course at the time,." Ben continued. "I was still a dumb, cocky kid. Like, you would've hated my snark."
"You weren't as bad as that Bakugou kid, though." Ruby said.
Ochako blinked. How bad was your ego back then?
"I had thought myself invincible at that point. I'd started to get my classic aliens- you know, guys like Humungousaur, Swampfire, Rath, Echo Echo, Ultraviolent... My skills were unparalleled. I had no weaknesses." Ben smiled. "...but, I learned that just because I was strong, others weren't."
"Around this time, Zombozo was a 'recurring' villain for me. Someone breaking out of jail constantly, and I'd always throw him back in. It was a lame game of cat and mouse. Then, one day…he changed up his act. He went from 'sideshow freak' to 'unnerving murder clown' on the turn of a dime." Ben said. "Something in him just snapped."
"The first time I actually took him as a threat was when he started to feed on the souls of people. His crimes before that were hypnosis or theft based. Pretty lame- stealing souls was a whole different level of criminal activity." Ben said. "And they just got worse from there."
"I only fought the guy twice- the first time we fought, he was stealing brains and other body parts from science labs around Bellwood. Lord knows what he was going to do with them." Ruby said. "And the second time…" Ruby closed her eyes. "God."
"Zombozo put a hit out on my family. Everyone was fair game. My parents, my cousins, my aunts and uncles- all clear targets. It was hell." Ben said.
"Are they…okay?" Ochako asked.
Ben's eyes went dark for a moment. For a brief moment, Ben's face didn't show any sort of emotion. It kind of freaked Ochako out.
"...they're alive, but they're not unscathed." Ben finally said after a brief pause. "Zombozo kidnapped my parents. Trapped my dad in a flooding tank suspended upside down, and had my mom on a burning tightrope. I thought I had time to save both, but…"
Ben took a deep breath.
"My mom ended up paralyzed from the waist down. And, I got angry about it." Ben said.
Ochako looked at Ben. "What happened after?"
Ben just saw flames and fury for a second.
"...I don't want to think about that again." Ruby said. "That was the first time I saw Ben's anger. I'd see it a few more times throughout the years, but…none of them were as emotionally charged as this."
Ben shook his head. "After that, I put my parents into some heavy protective care. My mom has to use a wheelchair now, and I had to fight tooth and nail to try and make Bellwood more accessible to the disabled- like, it's actually maddening how screwed over some people are-"
"Getting off topic, hun." Ruby said.
"Sorry, sorry- just thought about Harangue's online campaign against me. Glad he's lost some credibility." Ben said. "Anyways, after that, I realized my biggest weakness wasn't something like Heatblast getting splashed by water or Blitzwolfer getting affected by sonic waves- it was the people who couldn't defend themselves like I could."
Ochako shivered. "And Tomura figured the same."
Ben looked briefly uncomfortable. "...yeah. Tomura did that."
Ruby gave him a look- she knew who really told Tomura. She figured it out after connecting some dots. Ruby held her belly for a second and took a deep breath.
"If you'd like, you can have some time with your parents tomorrow in my office." Ben said.
"I'll take it. I need to hug them both right now." Ochako said.
"I can sympathize." Ben said.
After he returned to America, Ben would take his parents out to lunch and tell them how much he loved them.
Ochako felt like there were butterflies in her stomach as she walked to one of the office's conference rooms. She was talking with her parents for Christsake, not meeting the president. Why was she so anxious all of a sudden?
Ochako found the room guarded by Manny and Pierce. Pierce gave Ochako a nice, knowing smile. Manny just looked away. He had all two sets of hands behind his back. Clearly he didn't want to show off his prosthetic just yet.
"Thank you," Ochako said, before Pierce could open his mouth.
Pierce nodded. "It's no issue. Your parents have been nothing but polite since they've been in our care."
"How are they?" Ochako asked anxiously.
"They were a little shell shocked by the threats, but they've adjusted." Pierce said. "That, and they can't complain about the free service here."
Ochako smiled a bit. Good old mom and dad. Those butterflies started to fade. Pierce and Manny let Ochako inside. Her parents were in the room, looking just as nervous as she did. Ochako's first instinct was to walk towards them without a word, and wrap them into the biggest hug her body could muster.
Her parents returned the hug- the two were so relieved to see their daughter after what felt like an eternity. Ochako pulled away, just to see their faces.
"Thank God you're okay!" Ochako blurted out. "I'm sorry-! It's just that he-"
"Don't worry, Ochako." Yua said. "We've been safe this entire time."
Hirohito nodded. "We've been more pampered, to be honest. It's honestly like a vacation."
Ochako blinked. "Really?"
"Of course. We've been given a rundown of what's happened- I can't believe that manchild in the League of Villains would go as far as to do that." Her mom said.
"So…you know everything, then." Ochako said.
"It was a bit of a shock to learn that our daughter was the next wielder of the Omnitrix," Ochako's father said. "It took us a while to get that in our minds, but clearly, you've adapted."
"Ben chose you for a reason, and while we have our concerns, he told us about some of your escapades, especially the recent one. You've clearly learned a lot at UA." Yua beamed.
Ochako stared at them.
She didn't like this, for some reason. She wanted to feel some sense of relief that her mom and dad were in front of her, alive. But…
"Listen, I just need you to confirm something."
Her parents shared a look of concern.
"Shigaraki told me that you guys took out a mortgage to take care of my apartment." Ochako said. "And that you've been working even harder than usual to pay it off. Is that true?"
Yua stared at her for a moment. "...so, he told you."
That confirmed the worst.
Ochako sat down in a chair, and began rubbing her forehead. "I didn't want to do this to you..."
"Honey, it's fine! It's just some extra work." Hirohito said.
"...why are you guys not holding this against me?" Ochako asked.
Her parents gave her a strange look. "Huh?" Her mom asked.
"I put you guys in danger because I took up this role- I'd expect some pushback or something, like a 'you need to stop this' right now or-" Ochako shook her head. "Why are you not blaming me for ANYTHING that happened?! If Shigaraki was just a bit more cruel, he could've sent someone to kill you, or kill you himself- it's my fault!"
Ochako was on the verge of tears as she said all this. Her mind wasn't in the best headspace, and she didn't even know what she said was making sense. But, one thing could just cure everything.
Yua wrapped her daughter in a hug. "Honey- why would we blame you?"
Ochako opened her eyes.
"We're proud of you, honey." Hirohito said, joining in the hug. "Yes. It's true. We took a mortgage out of the house to help support your dream. UA didn't offer any boarding options, and we didn't want to crush your dreams, right after you'd been working so hard...so, we had to make a sacrifice."
"But, Shigaraki didn't tell you everything." Yua said. "It wasn't just us that sent you to UA. Everyone in town donated to a small fund."
Ochako blinked back the tears. "What?"
"They knew how hard you were working, and word travels fast in town. We were always planning on keeping it underwraps, but..." Ochako's mom tightened the hug. "I feel like you need to hear those words right now. This isn't your fault."
"And business has been booming. Mr. Tennyson paid us for some projects- something about a small hero office nearby our house." Hirohito added. "And some other jobs around the area."
"He wants to build a smoothie shop. Can you believe that? Such a silly thing to add." Yua joked.
Ochako wiped away the tears. "S-so, you guys are fine with everything?"
"A bit scared, but...knowing who our kid is in leagues with, I feel safe." Hirohito smiled. "We'll never stop believing in you, Ochako."
Ochako gave a small smile.
"But, enough of the mopey, sad business." Yua said. "Tell us about UA- who's this Izuku boy?"
Ochako's face suddenly turned red.
Ochako watched her parents get into the truck. Despite its odd appearance, it was 'normal' enough to not get attention. I mean, who'd expect a plumbing truck?
"No need to worry about the truck being in any harm's way. I got one of my best friends driving it." Ben eased Ochako. "Coincidentally, he's also the safest driver out of all of us."
"Well, you need to remind yourself- I did crash one of these into an Incursean ship." A voice from behind said. Ochako turned to see the friend- a catlike alien that was tall, with periwinkle-blue colored fur, black markings on his face, and pointed ears. He was wearing something Iida would be wearing- collared shirt, loafers and black pants. Ochako felt she could trust this man.
"Don't say that near the kid- she's on high alert, you know." Ben frowned.
"My apologies. That was a joke." The man said.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm…less on edge now." Ochako said, rubbing the back of her head.
"This is Rook Blonko," Ben remarked as he wrapped his arm around the alien. "Original Outcasts member, sharpshooter extraordinaire, and Magister of the Plumbers."
"Since you're a "Magister," you must be a senior official, right?" Ochako asked.
"Correct. In the Plumbers, I am technically Ben's supervisor." Rook elaborated.
Ochako cast a glance towards Ben. "You said that you WERE a magister."
"I said that I was. I didn't say I stayed one." Ben stated.
"Well, if Ben trusts you, I trust you. Can I just…have another moment with my parents real quick?" Ochako asked.
"Oh, of course." Rook said. "Take as long as you would like."
Ochako nodded, before she walked over to the truck. Her parents were in the back, trying to figure out where the seatbelts were.
"Are you guys gonna be okay with going back home?" Ochako asked.
"We'll be fine, sweetie. Like Mr. Tennyson said. He set up a lot to keep us and everyone else in town protected." Hirohito said. "Plus, we have some projects to start up."
"And if ANYONE tries to threaten us, we have the new hero agency in town to help us." Yua said.
"That's good, that's good." Ochako sighed. "...it's still so weird."
"What is?"
"I dunno. Just…everything, these past few months. I thought the attack at the USJ was going to be the worst of it. But, the hero killer, the incident at I-Island, everything from a few days ago…I feel like getting an Omnitrix was just something caught up in the butterfly effect." Ochako said. "After what happened with you guys, I'm scared for what comes next."
Hirohito inhaled deeply. "Your mother and I have never had to deal with anything difficult, but that also means we're not the best people to sit down and chat with you about this." Her father elaborated. "However, we have seen you fight on television. And, according to Mr. Tennyson, he is happy to have such a terrific successor. Whatever happens, your mother and I know you'll fight with all you've got to save everyone."
Ochako felt a lump form in her throat. "Thanks, Dad."
Yua leaned forward and placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. "And we'll always be proud of you, no matter what. You have a good heart, Ochako, and that's what truly matters. Remember that."
"I will." Ochako promised.
They shared a group hug before her parents got into the truck and drove off with Rook. Ochako watched them until the truck disappeared from view before turning to Ben and Ruby.
"How do you feel…now?" Ruby asked.
Ochako looked down at her hands and clenched them tightly. "Ready." She said, with a small smile.
There was a meeting at UA a few days after Ben and Ruby left, held within the auditorium. Everyone from Class 1-A to Class 1-B had to attend. Security was tight, and everyone was required to present ID.
People were swarming around Ochako and Izuku, expressing worries and hugging them tightly. It was awkward for Midoryia (hello, teen boy not used to physical contact except outside of his parents) and cathartic for Ochako. It was nice to have this big 'network' around her.
Aizawa and Nedzu were the ones to address the murmuring crowd. Aizawa cleared his throat, and began.
"Thank you for all coming here today. I know what happened at the Wookies Mall was a terrifying ordeal, but I'm happy to see you're all safe." Aizawa said. Ochako noted he looked 'shaggier' than usual- his hair was more unkempt, and the bags under his eyes were more prominent. "Given what happened, we're on the lookout for these villains."
"Yeah, no duh." Mineta muttered.
"As for the trip, which I know you've all been wondering about, we've had to cancel our usual accommodations at the last minute." Aizawa went on.
"We won't reveal our actual destination until the day we depart." Aizawa said.
"I already told my parents where we were going beforehand- is that a problem?" Sero asked.
"The school can't control who learns what or how. I think you'll be fine." Momo said.
"Any gear you purchased on the shopping trip is still necessary. The same rules still apply. No technology or game consoles outside of a phone. Contact with anyone outside of the camp is not allowed." Aizawa said. "Apologies if that sounds authoritarian, but it's what we need right now."
Ochako made a face. Strict as they were, these rules were right. Ben had expressed worry about a mole in the school, a thought that never crossed Ochako's mind. If so, who was the mole...?
Aoyoma hummed. "Well, I suppose it's better than canceling the trip altogether~"
"Hm? Oh, yeah." Ochako said, snapped out of her thoughts. "By the way, thanks for the texts."
[Flashback]
"Hey, Ochako. You got another text from one of your classmates." Ben said, as he looked down at her phone she left on the counter.
Ochako was focused on washing dishes. "What does it say?"
Ben picked up her phone and squinted.
The text bubble was glittery and in fancy font. À cœur vaillant rien d'impossible, it read. Hope you're doing okay. Attached was also a photo of Aoyoma holding a black dahlia and looking melancholy but determined.
"...who the hell uses a sparkly text bubble?" Ben asked aloud.
Ochako immediately knew who sent it.
[End Flashback]
"I know how to truly communicate~" Yuga beamed.
"Yeah, if that's what you wanna call it." Ochako said, looking away.
"That's pretty much the gist of it. Sorry for gathering you for such a short meeting. We're not taking chances with an announcement online." Aizawa said, climbing back into his sleeping bag. "You're all dismissed."
Everyone stared at Aizawa, falling asleep right on stage.
"Your teacher is bizarre." Kendo said, turning to Momo.
"In a weird charming way, yeah." Momo smiled.
"...and I told my parents, so they know about that. Ben's keeping the under heavy watch, just in case." Ochako explained to her friends as they walked down the hall. "I think he moved them into a safer house?"
"That's good to hear. Threatening family is too far, even for someone like that." Iida shuddered.
"I wouldn't have been able to keep my temper if I went through that," The most blank faced Todoroki said. "Especially if he threatened my mom."
"What about your dad?" Iida asked.
Todoroki paused.
"Eh."
"My mom was pretty much latching onto me the entire time. I can't blame her, she was pretty spooked to learn that I was threatened by someone like Shigaraki. My dad even came home." Izuku said.
Ochako and Iida shared a glance. "You barely see him, right?"
"Yeah! It was crazy. We just caught up, destressed, built a Lego together…typical father son bonding." Izuku explained. "Dad went back to work yesterday, and said he'll be home around Christmas. I feel bad, making him worry about me like that."
"It's a parent's job to worry about their kid." Iida said. "My mother thinks about my siblings constantly, especially my sister."
"You have a sister?" Todoroki asked.
"Yes, but that's not the point," Iida said. "Parenting is the biggest sacrifice one can make. It's putting your life on hold to fulfill the promise of your children's tomorrow. They have every right to worry...especially in a field like this."
Ochako had Ben briefly pop into her mind. The group eventually got outside of UA.
"Hey."
Ochako and Izuku turned to see Bakugou, leaning against a pillar. He was scowling as usual.
"...hey." Ochako said. Bakugou striking up a conversation? Impossible.
"Good to see you made it, Bakugou. Part of me was worried you skipped out on this." Iida said.
"Whatever," Bakugou scoffed, before looking at the two. "A few weeks ago, I saw you bust apart that metal faced freak like it was nothing. What the hell stopped you from taking down Shigaraki?"
Ochako suddenly felt her stress spike. The world became quieter when he said that.
"You obviously didn't read the email about the incident." Todoroki frowned.
"Oh, I did." Bakugou said. "Ochako here can make giant constructs of herself with Shock Rock, and Deku can throw punches so hard it can disrupt air pressure. They have no excuse for not stopping him."
"U-using quirks in a public place is illegal!" Izuku spat out nervously.
"Do I care? Just break those freaking bones and take him down." Bakugou frowned.
"So, you're saying you wouldn't have reacted the same way if you were face to face with him." Ochako said.
Bakugou sneered. "Nope."
"Didn't you go through something similar last year?"
Bakugou's sneer disappeared.
"...whatever." Bakugou frowned, before walking off.
Ochako watched him walk off, and cursed herself. Bakugou had a similar situation to she and Midoryia's own, why was he being so dismissive?
...that wasn't projection, was it?
And so, the curtain closed on the first action packed semester of Class 1-A. Now it was time for the first day of training camp, and Ochako was pumped. Everyone was gathered at the bus stops for the trip, and were chatting and talking about what their hopes were-
Save for ONE passionate soul.
"WHAT!? Some kids from Class A are getting extra lessons? Did that mean that some of you failed!?" Monoma laughed. "Everyone knows Class A is totally superior to Class B, but now this!? WOW!"
Kaminari, Mina and Satou were unfazed by Monoma's words. Mineta was seething.
"S-SHUT UP YOU FREAKIN' COPYCAT LOSER!" Mineta cursed. Iida had to turn Mineta away before this erupted into a physical bout. Kendo had no regrets knocking out Monoma.
"There. That should keep him quiet on the bus." Kendo said, hoisting Monoma over her shoulders.
"Just to be clear..." Tokage, one of the girls from Class B said. "We don't resent you for any of the stuff that happened at the festival."
"Yeah! We're pumped to be working and training with you, Class A!" Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu said. slamming his fists together.
Ochako beamed at that. She hadn't really gotten to know any of the students from Class B, so maybe this trip would change that.
Mineta recovered quickly from his little 'temper tantrum'. He was now drooling at the sight of Class 1-B's line up of babes. "A bountiful babe buffet~" He fantasized.
I will not share said fantasies. Mainly because they're minors.
You're a fucking sick freak, Mineta.
"You're starting to cross the line," Kirishima said, as the kids started to line up on the bus.
There was a specific seating arrangement for the bus, made by Iida. Although she was disappointed that she wouldn't be sitting next to Tsu or Mina, she was fine with sitting next to Aoyoma.
At least, till they left the school grounds. Aoyoma looked queasy.
"Oh, no..." Ochako said. "Don't tell me you get car sick."
"N-no, nothing like that." Aoyoma said, face remaining quite 'fabulous' despite his distress. "I'm...I'm just nervous."
Ochako gave Aoyoma a strange look. "Nervous?"
"About the training. That's all." Aoyoma said, slumping over to rest his head against the window. "I nearly flunked the exam, and I didn't do much in the practical- I'm just worried about what sort of training will befall me, and that I might...flunk out."
Ochako had been in a similar position, a month ago. The feeling of 'flunking' was something awful. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Aoyoma. You got all of us to help you, don't you?"
Aoyoma gave her an unsure look, and closed his eyes. "Yes. I suppose I do."
Ochako didn't know what that meant. At least for the moment.
"Hey, Uraraka." Izuku poked his head out from the row across. "What did you do about...the blorpy?"
Ochako blinked. "Well, since he didn't stay with the sidekicks the last time..." Ochako held up her phone. "He's with me."
Iida raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's safe?"
"Oh, yeah. All he does is play the apps on my phone." Ochako said. "He's especially fond of Pokemon Go." Ochako's phone buzzed in agreement.
"Fair, fair." Izuku nodded.
"He'll just be in the cabin for most of the day, I don't have to take him out for any outdoor business, so...he'll be fine."
"If you say so," Iida said, looking around. "Looks like our seating arrangements are working out. Everyone's pretty comfortable. And just as I thought...my dark horse move worked."
"Dark horse move?" Ochako said.
"He means who he paired Bakugou with." Izuku pointed to the back of the bus. Mineta looked absolutely terrified next to Bakugou. There would be no conversation between the two, and if Mineta even dared speak, Bakugou was gonna treat him as a chew toy.
Ochako nodded. "Good choice. So, who's with who?"
"I've got Kaminari and Kirishima, Tokoyami and Sero, Todoroki and Satou-" Iida listed off.
"You put Todoroki with Satou? That's an odd choice." Izuku said.
"Surprisingly they get along." Iida said.
It was true, actually. Todoroki looked like a tough guy to get close to, but Satou had a natural knack to get along with anyone. "So, I made some cheese tarts for the trip." Satou said, showing off the treats to Todoroki. Todoroki eyed them carefully, analyzing them.
"Can I have one?" Todoroki asked.
"Oh, sure." Satou said. Todoroki reached in to grab one, and snacked upon the treat. He went quiet for a few seconds. Satou was on the edge of his seat.
"Satou." Todoroki said.
"Yeah?"
"I want another."
Satou beamed.
"...wow," Ochako blinked in surprise. She was not expecting that at all.
"I believe that's everyone's reaction," Iida nodded.
"And I decided to sit with my best friends. Because I knew it'd work out." Iida smiled.
Izuku looked actually touched by that.
"Midoriya, are you okay? You look a bit misty eyed." Iida said, pulling out his handkerchief (yes, he carried one). "I know how intense your 'waterworks' can be."
"A-ah, I'm fine!" Izuku said, wiping away his tears. "Sorry, just...felt really nice to hear that."
Iida closed his eyes and chuckled. "And it...felt rather nice to say that, to be honest."
The group shared a nice laugh, unaware that Bakugou was watching the scene from his own seat. He growled, before looking away. Mineta gave him a strange look, but one quick glare shot the boy down.
One hour later, the group had gotten to their rest stop. Everyone got out, and noticed something...strange.
There was no typical roadside reststop- Ochako found that suspicious. Sure, there was a beautiful view of the forest from where they were standing but it was still strange.
"What kind of a rest stop is this?" Sero muttered.
"And where's Class B?" Kirishima asked.
Mineta was awkwardly shuffling around, and looking around frantically. "I...I gotta go...where's the bathroom?"
"Plenty of trees down there." Bakugou scoffed.
"Haha. Very FUNNY, Kacchan." Mineta frowned. Bakugou shot him the death look. All of that rage in his eyes looked ready to concentrate and shoot out as a powerful laser beam. Mineta went pale. "I-I, I mean, if Midoryia's not doing it-"
Bakugou grabbed Mineta's head, and walked over to the side of the mountain. "Bakugou, don't-!" Momo yelled.
Aizawa grabbed Bakugou's shoulder. "Are you trying to get yourself expelled?" Bakugou exhaled fiercely, and dropped Mineta and on the ground.
"Man, someone pissed in Bakugou's cheerios today." Kaminari said pointedly. "I've seen him fume, but this is something totally different."
"I'd expect at least one outburst by now." Shoji frowned. "Not throwing someone over a cliff."
"He's...probably just tired." Izuku said, trying to save Bakugou's reputation. "He was always like this when we had sleepovers when we were kids."
"You two have a more complicated relationship than Captain Skyline and his ex-wives." Mina quipped.
Ochako did think Mineta had overstepped something with that 'Kacchan' joke, but she'd never seen Bakugou threaten someone physically. Given his recent behavior (citing back to the exams), Bakugou had been...off his game, per say.
And she was seriously believing that 'projection' theory she had earlier.
Aizawa stood before the class, getting everyone's attention. "We stopped here for a reason." Aizawa said, looking at the road. A car was pulling up, and parked itself next to Aizawa. Aizawa took a deep breath, and rubbed his face.
"Heya, Eraser!" A woman said, getting out of the car. "Sorry we're a bit late."
Izuku's eyes went wide as soon as he heard that voice. "No way..."
"What? What's the matter?" Ochako asked.
"Are we really training with-!"
"Rock on with these sparkling gazes!" Another woman's voice said.
"Stingingly cute and catlike!" The first woman said.
"We're the Wild, Wild Pussycats!" The two women exclaimed. The two women were quite beautiful- the leader, Mandalay, was a young woman with brown eyes and red hair styled into three bangs going across her face. Her partner, Pixie-Bob, was a woman with blue eyes, and long blonde hair that was mostly combed back save for her bangs. They had differing costumes, but similar designs. Mandalay's outfit was a red full body suit with fur around the collar. Pixie-Bob's costume was more like a workout get up, that exposed her midriff, arms and legs to the world. Both their costumes had a bell, a large a tail, an orange belt with pockets, a silver buckle resembling a cat paw with blue pads, large white cat gloves with retractable claws, boots with vertical stripes lined with white fur, and communication devices shaped like cat ears.
Ochako didn't know who they were, but their cat aesthetic was great.
"I'm not familiar with their work." Todoroki said. His head turned to face Izuku.
Izuku blinked. "Uh?"
"...Oh, sorry. I thought you'd have something to say since...you're the hero buff." Todoroki said.
"O-oh! Well, the Pussycats are a four member hero team who all work under a single agency. They're really talented at mountain rescue operations." Izuku said, smacking his fist into his palm. "Should've known we'd be working with them! Especially with this mountainous area..."
Ochako listened to Izuku info dump, before she felt this weird, angry glare on her. Ochako looked around, before she locked eyes with...him. The kid in the back of the Pussycat's car. He was in a booster seat, looked angry to be here and was glaring daggers at the students.
Weird, but at least it wasn't some villain spying on them.
"You see him too, don't you?" Aoyoma asked. "The little monsieur in the back."
"Yeah. Kinda wondering what his deal is." Ochako muttered.
"Probably the child of one of the two. They have been in the business for 12 years-" Aoyoma never finished his sentence. Pixie-Bob grabbed his face.
"We're eighteen at heart." The woman said, deathly serious.
"Wow. Maybe she should mentor Bakugou." Tooru said. "Especially with a temper like th-OOMPH!"
Pixie-Bob also grabbed her face.
"A-anyways..." Mandalay awkwardly smiled, as she pointed to the mountains. "This whole area is our territory, thanks to an agreement with the government. Your lodging and our headquarters are...at the foot of that mountain, over there."
A feeling of unease befell the crowd.
"Why'd we stop halfway, then?" Tsu asked.
Sero was the first to piece it together. "...Get back to the bus. Now."
"What?" Ochako asked, as he began to shuffle his way back.
"It's 9:30 AM right now." Mandalay said, looking at her adorable kitty cat watch. "You could make it there by...noon at the earliest.
Ochako suddenly realized what was up.
"Oh, crap!" Ochako said, making her way back to the bus.
"BACK TO THE BUS!" Kirishima roared.
"GANG WAY!" Mineta yelled, shoving people aside.
Aizawa sighed, as Pixie-Bob put her hands to the ground. The earth beneath their feet suddenly started to shake, before it exploded. The entire class was engulfed in the earth, sending them flying over the edge.
So they started their summer camp with a real…bang.