Chapter 27
"So! What're your hero names?" Tensei asked, his grin wide. The three students and one pro were sitting on the train in a single line, luckily during a not so busy part of the day so the train wasn't crowded and they had some space to stretch out. Sitting was a bit of a misnomer though, as Himiko had decided to half curl up into Ochako's shoulder, her legs pulled up and over Izuku's lap as she decided the sunlight coming through the train windows was comfy enough to make her want to snuggle her best friends.
Ochako scratched the back of Himiko's ears absently as she looked at Tensei with wide, confused eyes…and once the pro noticed Izuku giving the same deer in the headlights look, he just deadpanned "Shouta didn't talk to you three about that, did he?"
"Um…no?" Izuku replied nervously.
Tensei sighed. "I guess it makes sense, that normally happens after the Sports Festival. Still, he could have told you about it. Well…any chance you have ideas?"
Ochako squirmed for a moment, before nodding. "Well…um, I made it as a kid, but I always liked Uravity."
"That's clever, I like it! Mixing your name with your Quirk, very handy," Tensei replied with a big grin.
"I like Changeling," Himiko murmured, eyes half-lidded as she swayed with the train's movement.
"Right, right, your Quirk lets you change your form. Makes sense. What about you Midoriya?"
Ochako's eyes turned to look at them, Himiko also giving a half a glance back. As kids, Izuku had had a ton of names based on All Might, but they never did see what Izuku had come up with since. In fact, Ochako was now realizing Izuku hadn't even mentioned a possible name, even though they had her and Himiko's childhood names listed on their notebooks. She could feel the strange fusion of embarrassment and anticipation in Izuku's chest, and watched as they gave a nervous half-smile before speaking.
"Well, um…I didn't really have a good idea before, but in the last couple of weeks I came up with something. It's um…it's because of these two I got here. And we're connected, as far as we know with no way to undo it, so I wanted to lean into that I guess. So I thought about it, thought about us, how we're a team now, and um…you can call me Trinity."
"Trinity, huh?" Ochako asked as she stepped out of the bathroom in her sleeping shorts and tank top. After getting back to the Idaten agency, the trio had gone through a whirlwind with their new mentor…Tensei had quickly shown them around the multi-story building, showing the multiple offices dedicated to each of his sidekicks, the training hall, the meeting rooms, and even the small barracks they'd be staying in.
He'd run over procedures and the basic internship plans…patrols every day with both himself and his sidekicks, swapping out from all three of them together to single patrols with others (they'd be close enough the bond wouldn't cause issues), as well as a good portion of time spent on how to do paperwork, something it was clear he himself wasn't a big fan of by the scrunched up expression on his face when discussing it.
Generally speaking, Idaten did not assume the staff would stay the night, but just in case they had a long case or needed a nap, they had a small barracks room with a half dozen beds in it. So as to not leave them alone for the night, Tensei said he was bedding down in his office (he kept a cot there for that reason), but other than that, the office at night was fairly quiet, just the few nighttime security guards at the front desk.
Izuku shrugged at Ochako's question, absentmindedly brushing their tail (they were getting rather annoyed at fur maintenance, it took so much time to make sure nothing got stuck in their fur). "I just…" they sighed, dropping their head to their chest and not meeting Ochako or Himiko's gaze. "I only made it this far because of our promise, and then Toshinori gave me a chance. But even with that…I don't think I could have done this without you two. When I think of the future, I think of the three of us working together, saving people and being heroes and…I guess I just want my name to show that belief. In us, you know?"
Izuku let out an oof as the air was forced from their lungs when Himiko dive tackled them into the bed, nuzzling her cheek against Izuku's. "Aww Izu, that was so cute!"
"Ouch, oww, c'mon Himi, knock it off," Izuku said, giggling as they tried to shove the blonde off them to little success, Himiko just wrapping her arms and legs about them and clinging tightly in protest.
Ochako snickered. For all of Izuku's complaints, the feelings across the bond were nothing but affection and joy, making her feel lighter. Izuku's comments had sent her cheeks burning, blood rushing to her face for some reason she wasn't entirely sure. She felt…embarrassed? No, not embarrassed, more like…flattered, she guessed, knowing Izuku thought so highly of her and the promise the trio had made, that they wanted to make their hero name, their identity, be a representative of the bond they shared.
She felt the overwhelming urge to either join Himiko in dive tackling Izuku into the bed or to slam her hands over her cheeks and cover her face. The contrasting feelings, some of which she could tell were from Himiko herself, kept her frozen, unable to decide…but Himiko's joy spiked louder, and the blonde grabbing her hand made her decision for her. She was yanked onto the bed with the other two, her own laughter joining theirs, and found herself sprawled out with her face buried in Himiko's shoulder, her legs entwined with Izuku's, and in the weirdest twisted tangle of limbs she could remember…and she couldn't be happier.
Ochako's first day of internships could have started better, in her mind. She'd had an episode at breakfast before the day began, her finger's shaking, stomach roiling, and she had to flee from the table once again, leaving Himiko to chase after her and Izuku to plaster on their perfect little doll smile and reassure it was just a Quirk thing that happened, that Ochako just had to settle her stomach and she'd be back once more right as rain. Gods Ochako hated that fucking smile. Her Izuku shouldn't look like that. It wasn't right, especially not when she was the cause.
And she didn't even get why?! She hadn't had an episode in a week! It was working! She still struggled to eat properly but she didn't freak out like some weakling anymore; not till today. She was getting better, she knew she was, Inui told her she was! Miss Kayama told her she was! Why was she having this issue when she finally was about to have her first day of internships?!
The only saving grace, she supposed, was the fact Izuku convinced their mentor she would be fine. She was able to calm down in the bathroom, Himiko gently encouraging her, able to feel Izuku in the distance sending love and support to her. It had left her shaken and she still wasn't ready to process it, but for now…she could get her costume on and go. Himiko had convinced her to eat a couple protein bars, but that was the extent of what she could stomach. Still…she was out and about, finally.
The plan was a very simple, long-ranging patrol with Ingenium. He'd explained to them he didn't expect much excitement today…the UA Sports Festival was starting, which meant the Entrance Ceremony would be taking up most of the day and people would be paying attention to that. Villains tended to be less active during the festival…even they needed entertainment, or so Ingenium said with a grin.
Of course, fate decided to say fuck you to Ingenium's commentary. As the trio were walking down a residential street full of apartments and a few small konbini's, the sound of faint screams and loud crashes reached Ochako's ears, and she could tell the same from Izuku and Himiko. It was a bit funny to watch her friends' ears perk up and turn, their bodies following a second later unerringly as she found herself mirroring the movement.
Ingenium turned to look in the direction they were, moving into a stance akin to someone ready to bolt off quickly. "Did you notice something?" he asked, his helmet moving back and forth as he scanned the area.
"We can hear…screams? And crashes?" Himiko offered, her ears flicking slightly as she narrowed her eyes in the direction.
"Good hearing, let's move! If there is a villain, leave them to me. Avoid fighting, work on evacuating any civilians in the area, got it?" Ingenium didn't wait for a reply, bolting off in the direction they had heard the sounds. With clenched fists and a hum of energy beneath her skin, Ochako's Galactic Shroud roared to life in her veins, following as quickly as she could, the golden-red strands of Himiko's Sanguine Cloak and emerald lightning of Izuku's Full Cowl just behind her.
They found the disturbance in no time, a tall, lanky (disturbingly so) man running about on all fours, leaping through the air with hands that were far, far larger than should fit. He had a large bag slung over his shoulder, visibly stuffed full as he ran away from a hero Ochako didn't recognize, but was having trouble keeping up because the man occasionally slammed his palms to the ground and the ground beneath them vanished, leaving massive sinkholes that the other hero had to dodge around.
"Evacuate as best you can!" Ingenium orders, before bolting off after the villain. Ochako, Himiko, and Izuku shared a glance and a single nod. They hadn't had much training on the matter, but they were in flashy costumes and were trying to get people to move to safety, and luckily most people were used to listening to people in costumes telling them to move.
Everything was going fine…which should have been the indicator to her that everything was about to go to hell. First, a small buzz in the back of her mind. Then, confusion tinged with worry over the bond from Izuku across the street. Then a rumbling, a groaning, the buzz in the back of her head now shrieking, as she found herself turning around, eyes wide, bearing witness to the ground beneath the five story apartment building across the street crumbling away…and the apartment building going with it.
She didn't remember moving, black spots and white stars sparkling behind her as she ran, a pink blur crossing the street in but a second. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the green and gold following, but had no time to speak, to react, as she slammed her hands into the side of the crumbling building, willing her power to take hold of the entire building.
Red rings appeared about her arms and legs, the bands snapping into place around her neck and abdomen, Galactic Shroud's aura erupting into pink and white sparkles as she willed Zero Gravity to hold it all…and it did. The building froze in place, even the broken rubble now held as she felt the sudden weight of everything pressing down on her, pain roaring through her body and her stomach roiled, bile creeping up her throat. She felt sick, sicker than she ever had before, but she was holding.
"'Chako!" Izuku shouted, skidding to a halt next to her, Himiko a split second behind them. She grunted in reply, not sure if she could speak, her hands trembling as she felt her bones creak. She didn't know what to do next, what they could do, but she needed to do something!
"...right," Izuku whispered, understanding flooding across the bond at her frustration and fear. They swallowed, and she could practically see the calculations running in their mind as they tried to figure out what to do. "The building isn't structurally sound enough to let the people inside come out on their own, the entire basement has vanished thanks to that Quirk. But going inside we could destabilize Chako's hold if we're not careful-".
"Let me do it," Himiko interrupted, making Izuku turn to look at her. "I can do the blink thing, grab a couple people and bring them out!"
"That won't work for the higher floors, it's too far out of your range to jump from the ground up there and back, and you can't do consecutive jumps with people," Izuku replied.
"...then I don't. You catch them. I blink out into the air and you catch them with the telekinesis thing," Himiko said in a whisper.
"Whatever you do, do it fucking quick," Ochako managed to mutter, nearly losing her grip on her meager breakfast just from saying that.
Izuku swallowed. "It's a risk, but…I can't think of anything better." Izuku looked up, gaze scanning as they pointed at a spot right near the corner of the third floor. "Blink out there, I'll be ready."
"Okay! We got this, hold on just a little longer 'Chako!" Himiko exclaimed. She could feel that Himiko wanted to hug her, to give her that encouragement, but knew it'd distract her. Instead, she felt that surge of faith and confidence, a warm glow in her chest that made the pain that was roaring in her veins lessen ever so slightly, and vanished in a golden flash.
"I'll be right here 'Chako," Izuku whispered, their eyes flaring green as the same emotions from Izuku swept over her. They planted their feet, concentrating…and just in time, as Himiko appeared in a flash of gold above them, two young girls in her arms that she dropped. The girls had no time to panic, as Izuku's telekinesis caught them within a second and brought them down gently. Izuku turned to them with a bright smile, one that was for one genuine, as they spoke firmly but with kindness. "Please make your way across the street to safety, we're going to get you all out!" With grateful nods, the two girls scrambled away just as Himiko appeared once more, an older man in her arms that once again was caught in Izuku's mental net.
On and on, one by one and two by two, however many Himiko could feasibly grab at once were coming out into midair. Most of the older ones seemed less fearful, Ochako having to assume Himiko was warning them ahead of time, but even then no one likes just appearing midair and she had to suffer a lot of loud, distracting cries.
Time lost all meaning to her, sound beginning to soften and dampen as she had to fall deeper and deeper into her Quirk. Her world became focused on her center, on her power, all sounds muffled and broken, sweat pouring from her face as she gasped for air. She was losing feeling in her limbs, the awful numbness somehow more painful than the sharp, stabbing pain before, as she felt herself and her grip wavering.
She had to hold, had to keep hold, had to keep going, she had to keep it up, people were in danger, she was going to save people. That's why she was here, she was going to rescue others, she wanted to make people happy and smile and live. Couldn't let go, couldn't release her grip, she had to keep this going. Izuku and Himiko were counting on her, trusting her, she was the bedrock, the foundation. She was Atlas, holding the world on his shoulders for all time if need be.
Sound was filtering into her, panic and worry screaming over the bond nearly making her stumble and let go. Her ears flickered, slight noises increasing, until she could hear it, a soft voice calling for her attention, one she knew."...ch…ko…och…Ochako!" the voice kept rising in volume, finally making her lift her head from where it had been bowed. She glanced up with bleary eyes, vision blurred by tears and sweat and unable to truly focus on the golden figure before her…Himiko.
"'Chako, it's okay, it's okay, you can let go, we've got everyone out. The heroes say it's okay, it's safe, let it go sweetie, it's okay," Himiko reassured, her voice cajoling as her hands hovered just barely above Ochako's.
Ochako swallowed, feeling like she was going to collapse at any moment, but she had to check. "W-wha about tha 'ther buildin's?" she slurred, her voice raspy.
"Izu's gonna keep it from falling sideways, okay? You just let go and I'm gonna take you out of here. Just let go, 'Chako, it's okay," she whispered, one hand ever so gently landing on her shoulder.
Like a switch was flipped, Ochako felt everything in her vanish…Zero Gravity, One For All, both of them just collapsed (like a singularity) within her, cut off in an instant. The red rings disappeared, her body fell backwards, her head screaming and bile trickling from her lips. The roar of the building's collapse was there for a moment, darkness overhead, but then in one flash of golden light, the sun suddenly beamed into her eyes as she vanished from the shadow of the apartment building and found herself across the street, in Himiko's arms.
Himiko collapsed against a wall, Ochako landing in her lap, unable to really focus. Tired, dazed eyes looked over to see Izuku, green lightning wrapped about them, their eyes bloodshot and blood trickling from their nose as they struggled to keep the collapse damage minimal. She rolled her head sideways, looking up at Himiko's face, the blonde's expression twisted in pain, her skin even paler than normal, the pain within Himiko bleeding over the bond. She couldn't even begin to wonder what she looked like, with how she felt. Her thoughts were sluggish, confused, but a loud thud made her look over once more, seeing Izuku collapse to their knees and then fall backwards onto the pavement.
She swallowed, one shaking hand reaching out, wanting to get up and check on Izuku, but the strength faded from her arms and limbs fell down once more. She could feel Himiko's own frustration mounting, needing Izuku with them too…but the sound of an engine interrupted her thoughts as a lightly gasping Ingenium appeared before them.
"...shit," he cursed, his voice echoing through his helmet. "The dispatcher said it was bad but didn't realize how bad. Dumb question, but are you injured?" he asked, kneeling down beside the two girls as he removed his helmet.
Himiko answered for Ochako, her voice raspy. "Quirk…drawbacks. Check Izu, please, we're okay, check on Izu." Ochako nodded vaguely, taking comfort in Himiko's hold but needing to be sure Izuku was okay too.
Ingenium sighed, running one hand through his hair. "Alright. EMS is on the way, as well as a few of my sidekicks. Just sit tight kids." He quickly walked over to Izuku, kneeling down next to the viridian haired teen and speaking softly. Ochako felt a surge of happiness inside her as she saw Izuku hold up a thumb, and with Ingenium's help was slowly pulled to their feet. One arm over the hero's shoulder, they were brought over to the two girls where Ochako managed to finally get one arm up enough to make a grabbing motion at them, Izuku unceremoniously collapsing into her arms, Himiko's arms wrapping about the both of them as she buried her head in their hair, her body shivering.
Ingenium took a moment to glance around, his eyes seeking out the few civilians still around, most of whom were looking at the trio with worry in their eyes. He sighed, taking a knee next to them and speaking softly. "Kids?" Ochako let out an affirmative hum, Himiko's ears perking up and Izuku blinking up at him. "Just want you to know…you did good. You saved lives today. You did good. I'm going to go make sure all the civilians are okay. You just hold here for a bit longer, we'll make sure you're taken care of." With that, he stood up, his helmet placed back upon his head, and began to stride out, his voice carrying as he started to reassure the locals.
Ochako managed a smile at that, her eyes fluttering closed as she dozed off a bit, the sound of sirens now audible in the distance. They saved people…and that was worth all of this.
Chapter 28
Luckily for the trio, they didn't have to go to the hospital, because if they had Izuku was pretty sure Aizawa was going to leave the Sports Festival and come personally lecture them for the next ten hours. Unluckily, it turns out that Tensei was one of their Sensei's friends from back when they went to UA, and he could lecture nearly as well.
He wasn't mad at them for saving people, albeit he apparently took a bit of a hit with the HPSC as his instructions of 'evacuate the civilians' was unclear enough that the three would get away with using their powers as they did…but it was still a close call. With their sensitive ears, they could hear the snarled words from the HPSC representative over the phone to Tensei. Not that he took it without argument, defending their actions as best he could, but still, it was a bit uncomfortable.
Granted, they already were uncomfortable physically. Quirk Exhaustion really had hit them and all three of them were floored. Ochako most of all. She held up a five story apartment building by herself. A feat that few, very few, heroes could even pretend they could do. And an eighteen year old first year student had done it, for twelve minutes. She spent twelve minutes holding tons upon tons of weight…and it had all been captured on film.
Izuku had forgotten that in the current day of heroes, that many onlookers (maybe even they had done this a time or two…) would record events with their phone cameras if they themselves were out of danger, and that is exactly what happened. Multiple civilian angles had been sent into various news networks, and all the news was ablaze with the day's events of first year hero students, who were nottaking part in the Sports Festival, on their very first internship, saving over 100 people without any major injuries. And of course, no one failed to notice the matching cat features…or the exhausted, pained cuddle pile they had fallen into once it was over.
Izuku hadn't even bothered paying attention to the news after they noticed the first articles. They had simply dove into the bed they'd slept in the night before, shoving a pillow over their head and deciding to pretend the world didn't exist. Especially the 1A group chat because it had not shut up since the news broke. Himiko was busy replying to everyone in it, apparently not as overwhelmed as Izuku was, but they could tell she still was having her own issues, especially with how numb her hands still were.
Ochako was out cold, curled up in a ball, the exhaustion having hit her far worse than Izuku or Himiko. Izuku and Himiko had made sure she ate something before she passed out (a few protein bars…it wasn't much, but it was something at least), and then tucked her in to rest. Izuku was not looking forward to trying to explain to her the fact that all their attempts to not draw attention at the Sports Festival were now utterly gone, since their rescue had gone viral.
"Well, I managed to explain it to the class," Himiko said softly, keeping her voice low to avoid disturbing the sleeping Ochako.
"How'd they take it?" Izuku replied, their voice muffled by the pillow still over their head.
"Mostly a lot of compliments and a few 'holy shit!' stuff. Kirishima just kept saying it was manly, whatever that actually means."
"Any word from Sensei? Is he gonna come murder us in our sleep?"
Izuku couldn't see it, but they could practically sense the shrug from Himiko. "He's said nothing besides sighing loudly and chugging a pot of coffee."
Izuku groaned. "Anything else?"
Izuku didn't expect much of a response, but the sudden surge of trepidation, mixed with exasperation and humor, made their ears perk up as Himiko shimmied in place, the sounds of her movement audible to Izuku. "Well, uh…so you know how the news got ahold of it?"
"Yeah?"
"People kinda noticed the whole cat thing, and started talking about us, and uh…"
Izuku finally lifted the pillow up just enough to make one slitted eye visible, narrowed glare looking at her. "What?"
Himiko offered a nervous smile to Izuku. "The internet has a nickname for us?" Izuku stared at her in consternation. They knew what that meant. It could only be one of three possibilities: A terrible joke, a genuinely awful name, or something uncomfortably horny, and they didn't know which of the three they dreaded most. Nevermind, it was the third one, definitely the third one. She giggled, the sensations Izuku got from her making them feel even more worried, as she turned the phone around to show a highlighted article.
UA Students save the day! Are the 'Three Meowsketeers' ones to keep an eye on?
Izuku blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Staring at the name with a blank expression, they did the only thing they felt they could do in this scenario…slammed the pillow back over their face and whined.
"Well. Today could have gone…differently," Tensei said to the trio as they sat down for dinner. The agency was much more bustling this evening, a decent number of sidekicks working a later shift and so the trio had met a few of them, albeit most were a bit too busy to stay and chat. It didn't help that they were all still tired, especially Ochako, but Tensei had insisted they sit down and eat together…mostly so he could keep an eye on them, with how listless they seemed.
"Sorry," Izuku muttered, abashed.
"Don't apologize, Midoriya. I said you kids did good. It's just…" Tensei sighed, rubbing his chin. "How to put this. Well, you'll find out as you continue your education, but to be blunt, the HPSC is a bit…strict."
"Strict is a word for it," one of his sidekicks muttered, a short, pigtailed woman who was passing by, carrying a stack of papers.
Tensei snorted, playfully waving at her to move on. "Don't corrupt the kids yet!"
"No promises boss!" she replied as she left the room.
Tensei just chuckled, turning back to the trio and waving his chopsticks at them. "Anyways, just wanted to make it clear. You're in the clear, and you did a good thing, just…be warned that the HPSC is gonna have their eye on you now."
"Seems like a lot of people do," Himiko sighed, slumping in her chair, her tail flicking with agitation.
Ochako poked at her food, for once her hesitation less about her fears and more about her lack of appetite due to how tired she was. "I can't believe they called us the 'Meowsketeers'! That's just…ugh!"
"It's not the worst name," Himiko offered, but she couldn't contain her snickers at the thought.
Tensei shrugged. "The internet's a crazy place, and well…three cat mutants who apparently can teleport, do telekinesis, and hold up an entire apartment story as first years were bound to get attention. But really, it was my fault you were put in that situation to begin with. I should have paid more attention to where the villain was activating his Quirk on. Then I would have known the building was coming down." He held up his hand to forestall the immediate protests. "As your mentor, it is my duty to be certain you are kept safe and in the best learning environment. I can't predict everything, but the responsibility was still on my shoulders, not yours. Don't argue with me or I'll call Nem to lecture you for me."
"Nem?" Himiko asked, confused.
"Nemuri, or I guess you'd know her as Midnight."
"Oh, yeah, Miss Kayama is great," Ochako replied, a tired smile crossing her face. Izuku let their own smile appear as they felt the warmth in Ochako's chest at the thought of the helpful teacher who was supporting Ochako through her issues.
"You say that now. Wait till you get on her bad side," Tensei replied with a haunted look in his eyes. "You use one of her spare whips one time for a simple prank and she never lets you live it down."
Himiko snorted in laughter, covering her mouth as if to avoid letting her laughter echo throughout the break room. Tensei arched an eyebrow at her, his face carefully blank but mouth twitching as if to hold back a grin. "Something funny, Himiko?"
"N-no sir," Himiko stuttered, still trying to hold in giggles.
"Uh-huh. Really, it wasn't as bad as it sounds. We were just trying to mess with Shouta. Of course, she probably was more mad that Hizashi stole her costume and modeled in it…what made her the most mad was Hizashi was able to pull it off," Tensei finished his statement with a wink, making Himiko lose herself to her giggles, and the resulting mix of joy and humor within triggering a snorted, choked laugh from Izuku and bubbling giggles from Ochako.
After a few moments, Tensei gestured vaguely with his chopsticks. "Anyways, we're gonna take it a bit easier tomorrow. We'll mostly go over paperwork and procedures during the day, then I'll take you out on patrol later in the afternoon. Should be a quiet one. After dinner, you three get some rest, and be sure to sleep! Quirk exhaustion sucks, but it's in the name, it's exhaustion, and the best thing you can do for it is to rest and recuperate."
Himiko rolled her shoulders, wincing slightly as she got ready for bed. She still was aching from the overuse of her Quirk, and she wished she knew how to make it go away easier. Not to mention Ochako was also radiating pain and tiredness. Izuku was the one who seemed the least in pain, but she knew that was less that they were hurting as much as her, and more that their pain tolerance was superhuman due to how they grew up. They'd figured out a long time ago that the bond transferred some physical pain, or rather, the emotional echoes of that physical pain, but due to Izuku being able to mentally dismiss the pain so well, their pain never quite made it across as much.
"Um…Himi?" Izuku asked softly, making her turn to them with a questioning look. They seemed a bit flustered, their face tinged red and eyes averted, but the feelings across the bond were a weird mix of embarrassment, affection, and determination, so she really had no idea what Izuku planned. With a sigh, they nodded firmly, as if steeling themselves before meeting Himiko's eyes. "Do you want a backrub?" they asked, making Himiko blink at them in confusion, her feelings mirrored by the now more awake Ochako.
Izuku waved their hands vaguely, as if unsure what to do with them as they continued. "I um, used to look up massage techniques and stuff because um, my hands would hurt a lot from writing my notes, and um, I know it can help with aches and pains and I figured I'd offer. It's open to you too, 'Chako, I just thought I'd start with Himi, i-if you want that is, it's fine if not of course."
Himiko felt a bit flustered by the thought of it, it felt…oddly intimate, but they already shared a bed anyways, and could feel each other's thoughts, and pet each other's ears and nuzzled each other and…wow, the more she thought about it the less embarrassed she was. They were very touchy feely anyways, and it was exacerbated by the cat mutation, so like…what was the harm? She shrugged, turning around and plopping herself on the edge of the bed in front of Izuku, leaving some space between them for Izuku to get into the right spot.
She could tell Izuku understood her silent acceptance, because they shuffled into place, gently pulling Himiko back slightly so she was right in front of them. She was so focused on the ache in her bones and her own contemplations, she almost didn't notice when Izuku's hands landed on her lower back, but she nearly fell over backwards as she felt the sudden feeling of almost painful release in her lower back, Izuku's hands pressing into the knots in her back and fixing them like magic.
She let out a groan and fell backwards into Izuku, the green-haired teen almost flailing to catch her. She could feel Izuku's consternation, fond bemusement, and slight annoyance at her action, but didn't bother with words because it was pretty easy she wanted Izuku to continue. Even the single press on her back was more than enough to get her interested in more, and Izuku did not disappoint. They were meticulous in finding the knots in her back beneath her sleep tank top, followed by some gentle rubs on her shoulders and arms that loosened the tension beneath her skin and sent warmth into her muscles.
She was half-asleep in their arms, a thousand times more comfortable than before, the cold ache in her bones a distant memory now as she found herself purring quietly. Izuku gently scratched her ears. "'Chako, do you want a backrub too?" Izuku asked, turning to look at the brunette.
Himiko opened one eye enough to look at Ochako, the brunette slightly flushed yet clearly interested considering how relaxed Himiko felt. With a groan, Himiko lifted herself off Izuku's rather solid front and half-scooted, half-rolled across the bed to where Ochako was. She flopped herself in Ochako's lap, hugging her around the waist loosely as she nuzzled into her abdomen. "You totally should try it, 'Chako. Izu's good at this."
"...well, I mean…okay, but um, kinda hard when you're like-" Ochako began, but Izuku cut her off with a snort as they got up and walked around the edge of the bed.
"It's okay, I'll just go here," they offered, sliding onto the bed behind Ochako. Ochako didn't get much of a chance to react, between Himiko purring in her lap and Izuku just getting into it, but she didn't really care once Izuku began to rub her back. She didn't have the same muscle aches that Himiko did, but it wasn't like she lacked her own knots, and she realized very quickly that Himiko was absolutely right, Izuku knew what they were doing.
Ochako found herself leaning back into Izuku's grasp, one arm loosely wrapped about the Himiko in her lap and the other running her fingers through Himiko's hair, her own eyes closed as she hummed in contentment. She let out a hiss, the feeling of relief almost painful as Izuku managed to untangle a really bad knot in the center of her back. With an almost amused start, she realized she'd started purring just like Himiko was, and yet she couldn't find it in herself to be embarrassed by it, even if she still didn't get how she could purr. It felt…comforting. Not only to hear Himiko, but to be doing it herself, as Izuku's warm hands continued to rub at her back and shoulders and even around her neck, nimble, strong fingers gently pressing and pushing and oooh she was going to fall asleep in no time like this.
She let out a whine when Izuku finally stopped, turning her head slightly to give them a pouting glare. Izuku, cheeky little brat they were, just snickered at her, reaching up to rub her ears and make her eyes flutter shut once more. "Cheater, Izu," she muttered, pressing her head into Izuku's as she tried to make them rub in just the right spot.
"If I knew I could calm both of you down this easily, I'd have done it weeks ago," Izuku replied, amusement in their tone.
"Not fair," Himiko whined, her voice slurred slightly. "I don't know how to do that to you…don't you hurt too?" she rolled over in Ochako's lap, glancing up at Izuku.
Izuku shrugged. "Not really…wait, no. Okay, no," they said, almost to themselves. Both Himiko and Ochako now turned to look at them in confusion, Izuku looking down at the bedspread for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Y-you're right, my back hurts too. And I wouldn't mind if you wanted t-to give me one later, but for now, you're both tired and neither of you knows how. Maybe um…maybe after internships I can show you guys?"
"...Izuku…did…did you just not dismiss your own pain and actually admit to wanting something from us?" Ochako asked, eyes wide. Izuku shrugged sheepishly, not meeting Ochako's eyes. The brunette looked down at Himiko, the blonde teenager's eyes as wide as her own, as they shared a single thought through a glance.
Izuku had no time to react, playfulness, joy, and mischievous coming across the bond as the other two cat teens leapt at them, tackling them into the bed with a loud, confused yelp escaping Izuku's mouth. They had no time to pull the two off of them, as they both immediately reached up and began to scratch their eyes, sending them straight into bliss as they relaxed into the bed.
"I'm so proud of you," Himiko murmured, laying her head into the crook of Izuku's neck and nuzzling at their shoulder.
"Me too, Izu. And thanks for the backrub," Ochako added, snuggling into their side.
Izuku wanted to reply, but found it difficult to make a sensible word other than various noises of acknowledgement so gave up. They could tell the girls had no intention of stopping the scritches anytime soon, and honestly, that was perfectly fine with their hazy brain. But this whole thing was still missing something…ah, right. Blanket. But that required getting up…nope, telekinesis! With a thought, the blanket lifted up, unfolded itself, and proceeded to fall down atop the trio, the most effort Izuku could put in considering how blissful the scritches felt…atop of the warm and fuzzy and relaxed feelings from the other two. This…this worked. Izuku felt a yawn escape them, Himiko throwing one leg over theirs, Ochako's other hand stretching across their chest to latch onto Himiko's, and once more, they fell into sleep, ready to face the next day.
Chapter 29
Patrolling after accidentally becoming viral internet sensations was…an experience, Himiko mused. It didn't help that they were apparently very recognizable, considering…the cat features. Which had led to some very weird questions about them being triplets. The internet was abuzz with a lot of theories apparently. Triplets was the most common one, although a genetic experiment was another one she'd stumbled upon. Also at least a few people believed they were cat-folk aliens coming to enslave the human race or something…yeah, she wasn't gonna touch that one at all.
But getting stopped in the street for questions was a bit…off-putting. None of them had had PR training and Izuku had a tendency to freeze when confronted with strangers, so it was quickly becoming hell on her nerves, especially since it was hell on all their nerves which meant they were sharing it again. This whole emotion sharing thing really had a lot of downsides.
But there was something rather wholesome about the kids. Kids stopping them on the street, looking at the three of them with wide eyes, guileless smiles, and adorable giggles. She didn't even really mind when they wanted to pet her ears, even though they sometimes weren't as gentle as she hoped. But still, seeing the smiles and wonderment on their faces, it made something well up in her chest that made her want to cry tears of joy. Izuku wasn't doing as good about it as she was, the green-haired teenager having to keep excusing themselves to wipe their eyes, but that was just something else rather sweet about the day to her.
They had started a late afternoon patrol with Ingenium, the hero deciding it was best to keep the trio with him for the foreseeable future considering how much people would want to speak to them. It helped that he himself was an incredibly popular hero, which also pulled some of the pressure off the trio onto himself, and his genial attitude and cheerful disposition helped them feel more comfortable. Especially as he knew where the line was, when to gently urge them onward, with cheery comments about how they had to keep their patrol going to keep everyone safe and such.
So as the night began to fall and the streets got darker, the nightlife of the city of Hosu began to awaken, Himiko…felt something. A familiar twinge, one that she had started to associate with Danger Sense. It didn't feel like a directdanger to them right now, but more like…something dangerous was near. She could see the same stiffening of the spine in Izuku and Ochako, all three of them unerringly turning to look down a nearby alleyway.
Ingenium turned his head to look at them. "...what is it?"
"Something's…off, down there," Himiko replied, pointing down the alleyway. "Something dangerous."
"How can you tell?"
Izuku scratched the back of their head. "It's hard to explain, but um, one of the shared things we have is a sense for danger? It's weird, it's not like…we're not in danger, but there is something dangerous that way. If that makes sense?"
Ingenium looked pensive for a moment, his expression hidden behind his helmet but still obvious. "Hmm. Well, it's on our route. Alright. I'm calling in my sidekicks to come for backup, for now, we'll check it out together. Stay behind me and we'll take a look." The trio nodded, following behind Ingenium as he carefully picked his way down the alley, the gloom of the night seeping further in as the streetlights got further and further away.
Himiko shuddered, her skin feeling prickly and chilled for some reason. Danger Sense was still whining, steadily growing louder in the back of her mind, the fur on her tail puffed out as it entwined about her ankles. Her ears were swiveling back and forth, seeking a noise that didn't belong. She scrunched up her nose a moment later, a scent she recognized but not quite able to place…tangy, metallic…blood.
The realization hit her at the same moment it did the other two, all three of their spines snapping upright in unison as Danger Sense roared in their head, their ears picking up the tiniest sound of whistling, of something…falling.
Izuku reacted quicker than either Himiko or Ochako, the pain from Danger Sense not as debilitating to them with their high pain tolerance. They thrust one hand up, focusing on their Telekinesis, and with a sudden, short jerk, the ragged figure covered in black and red was stopped, frozen in midair, sword held in a downward grip as if to stab into whoever was below it.
All five individuals froze…the trio staring up at the dangling figure, Ingenium shoving them behind him and taking a defensive stance, and the now floating figure just dangling there in silent consternation. Ingenium narrowed his eyes, scanning over the person before him. "...who…who areyou?"
The figure hissed, a deep, grating voice audible. "I am Stain, cleanser of the corruption of this society and the downfall of false heroes! You are to be the next to fall to my blade, Ingenium! It's obvious you are a fake hero who uses his position to advance his own career at the cost of others!"
"...but…how? He's just a good hero?" Izuku asked, confused.
"What would children like you know of good heroes? You are nothing but showboating students trying to show off! I saw that little rescue of yours! Pitiful attempts to market your brand before you even have begun to tarnish the name of heroism even further!" Stain snarled.
"Wait…are you sayin' we shoulda let those people die?" Ochako replied, jaw dropped. "The hells wrong with ye?!"
"You wouldn't understand, you're indoctrinated into this fake hero world! All fakes will die by my hand, and Ingenium is no different!"
Himiko arched an eyebrow, putting her hand on her hip as she looked up at him. "Um…I think you're gonna have a difficult time with that, considering…" she gestured to his current position of being frozen midair.
Ingenium interrupted any further conversation by turning to Izuku. "Trinity, how long can you hold this?"
"Um…not much longer?" Izuku replied, sweat beading on their forehead. "But it's okay, 'Chako can take over if I get him on the ground."
Ingenium turned to Ochako, tilting his head to the side as she nodded. "Yeah, I can just do my increased gravity thing, I can hold that for over an hour now!"
"...very well, do so." With a nod, Izuku focused, carefully lowering the man to the ground, forcing him to splay out spread eagle as he did. Ochako moved closer, but not so close as to be within the range of his weapon, and reached down to her waist where she kept a spool of wire. She focused, pink lightning flickering around the wire as she whipped it forward, the end tapping onto Stain's side and instantly slamming him into the concrete, the ground cracking slightly.
Ochako winced. "Oh. Oops. That was a bit more than I wanted to use…but he'll be okay!" Stain just growled angrily at her, glaring up at her as he tried in vain to move. She pulled the wire back, whistling to herself as she coiled it up and attached it to her belt once more.
Ingenium stared for a brief moment, before turning to the trio once more. "He can't move, right?"
"Nope! Not unless he's stronger than my gravity, and not even Izu can get out of it!" Ochako replied cheerfully.
"Very well. Stay back as I search him then." Ingenium carefully knelt besides Stain, patting him down and removing a truly absurd number of knives and blades from him. It was during this process that two of Ingenium's sidekicks arrived, both appearing in the alleyway at a great speed, before skidding to a halt and staring in confusion. Ingenium sighed. "It's…a long story."
RipleysNemesis: so, midori, chako, himi, got an explanation for the class?
CatsAreBetterThanPeople: ashido, i dont think it can be much more clear than the news said
GottaGoFast: They defeated the Hero Killer at my brother's side! Truly, they are examples of what we should all strive for!
RipleysNemesis: okay but, seriously, stop and think about what you just said ida. Like…wtf.
ClassGoddess: I admit to being rather curious about how the situation even occurred in the first place…
Nyanbinary: Look, it was mostly an accident!
SpaceCadet:...izu, i dont think that helps much
CountessKarnstein: okay, the tldr is our weird danger thingy turned on, we pointed it out, bossman said lets check it out, and then the jerk tried to ambush ingenium but uh, danger thingy meant izu caught him midair with his telekinesis thing and well, yeah. turns out he cant do much without getting in your face or throwing knives at you
Nyanbinary: And then 'Chako pushed him to the ground with her gravity and held him there till he could be disarmed and captured!
SpaceCadet: youre the one who caught him though!
CountessKarnstein: ugh, see what ive been dealing with? theyre both too busy hyping the other up to admit what they did
OnePunchWoman: I mean, it could be worse I suppose?
Nyanbinary: Okay, not to change the subject, but like…am I ever gonna escape this name?
ClassGoddess: No. It amuses me.
PunkNeverDies: momo on her dictator arc
ClassGoddess: I don't know what you are talking about.
OnePunchWoman: Don't listen to her, she knows exactlywhat she's doing.
CountessKarnstein: aaannnyyways, what about the festival? didn't it finish? who won?
CatsAreBetterThanPeople: yaoyorozu. probably why she's on her dictator arc
ClassGoddess: I am not a dictator!
VanishingAct: you shoulda seen it! it was super cool! momo and shoto duked it out in the finals, it got messy and was super close!
Shoto: I am still not used to using my fire properly, so I had to be judicious in its usage. Not to decry Yaoyorozu's skills, of course. She had me on the defensive early with the flamethrower and flashbangs.
ClassGoddess: Well, I had to be careful!
WebCrawler: whole tournament was pretty crazy. had a support girl get into the 1v1 rounds and turn ida into an advertisement
GottaGoFast: Speak not of that devil!
DoctorSweets: sorry ida, but it was pretty funny
RipleysNemesis: oh, and that bakugo jerk? didn't even make it past the first 1v1 round, he couldn't shut up vs Shinso!
Nyanbinary:...oh. Well…I…suppose that makes sense. He wouldn't know how the Quirk worked, after all.
CatsAreBetterThanPeople: yeah, but I got Yaoyorozu next round and she kicked my ass lol
ClassGoddess: Do not discount your efforts! You have put a lot of work into your hand to hand and it showed!
CatsAreBetterThanPeople: Yaoyorozu, take the compliment. you did great through the whole tournament
PunkNeverDies: seeing Momo turn into a cherry is funny af
CountessKarnstein: oh, is it as funny as when 'Chako turns into a balloon?
PunkNeverDies: pretty close, might be funnier
ClassGoddess: I do not believe we need to compare.
SpaceCadet: what Yaoyorozu said!
Nyanbinary: I don't know, it could be important information…
SpaceCadet: i will remind you you are within strangling distance! you and Himi!
CountessKarnstein: don't threaten us with a good time
VanishingAct: okay. I'm just gonna say it, that is 100% flirting, isn't it?
RipleysNemesis: totally flirting
CallMeTsu: yep, ribbit
SpaceCadet: IT IS NOT!
CountessKarnstein: what, no it isn't!
Nyanbinary: I think that's really stretching it, we just like to tease each other, like friends do!
PunkNeverDies: 'friends'...right
WebCrawler: uh-huh
DoctorSweets: yeah im with them on this
IDoNotLikePoe: Tis a darkness from whence one cannot escape
BoulderBro: okay, what does that even mean Tokobro?
IDoNotLikePoe: If you have to ask, you shall never know
SpaceCadet:...we've gotta go, Ingenium is calling!
RipleysNemesis: uh-huh, sure. have fun kit-kats!
Ochako shut her phone, her face pink tinged as she refused to look at her friends. It wasn't the first time Mina or Toru had made a comment like that, and the rest of the class joined in, and every time it was so awkward. And it was made worse by all three of them feeling various levels of awkwardness from it. Himiko took it the best…she was okay with the teasing and such, but Izuku would get really flustered by it, and Ochako…well, it always made her blush too.
Yes, she and her best friends had an extremely close relationship. Hard not to, with the linked emotions and Quirk thing, plus their shared childhood together. And yes, the way she felt about Himiko and Izuku was…different, than how she felt about her other friends. Sure, they were (beautiful) attractive, maybe not necessarily in the conventional sense but she could appreciate how they looked. Aesthetically, of course, entirely from a neutral, aesthetic standpoint.
She could also admit she truly, deeply, genuinely admired the two of them in a powerful way. Izuku was…sweet. Kind. Smart. And whenever they got into 'hero mode' as she and Himiko liked to call it…sometimes it took her breath away, the sheer focus and determination that would flood through them.
Himiko was so bright sometimes, it was hard to look at her. She struggled so hard with her self-loathing and doubts and fears that her parents shoved into her for years, but sometimes, when she was in a good mood, she outshone the sun and Ochako didn't know how to deal with the warmth in Himiko's smile.
So yeah, okay. Ochako got why people sometimes misunderstood her relationship with Izuku and Himiko. From an outsider's perspective it looked weird, sure, but so what? So what if they were weird? The world was weird, and Quirks were bullshit, and, and, and so what if she had two super hot, funny, cute, sweet friends who made her feel like she could fight the world a dozen times over and win every time. But it wasn't like that! It never could be like that, even if she wanted it to be, which she didn't, but even if she did, it wouldn't be. Not with her. Not with all her issues and weakness and-
"'Chako?" Himiko's voice interrupted her thoughts, making her jolt as she turned to look at the blonde. Himiko's eyes were seeking, visibly worrying at her lip as she tilted her head to the side to look Ochako over. Behind her, Ochako could see Izuku, a similarly concerned expression on their face. "You okay? You're feeling all…whoosh," Himiko made a vague gesture with her hands.
Ochako cleared her throat, shoving her feelings down once more. Now was not the time to get lost in thought. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just thinkin', that's all."
"Thinking about what?" Izuku asked softly, holding out Ochako's gloves for her hero costume, reminding Ochako she was in the process of affixing her costume once more for the next thing Ingenium was going to have them do. She quickly grabbed them and pulled them on, smiling absently as she did so.
"Nothin' important," she reassured. She had a feeling neither of them believed her, but it seemed like they were willing to drop it for now. "Anyways, let's get goin'!...Hopefully without anymore weird incidents!"
Himiko groaned. "You just jinxed us."
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Izuku tried to reassure the blonde, Himiko turned and glaring at Izuku without heat.
"And you just double jinxed us."
"We can't have three issues back to back, Himi. I refuse to believe it," Ochako replied.
Himiko stared her down, turning her flat gaze to stare at Izuku as well. "...when I'm right, I expect both of you to admit it."
"Alright, alright. C'mon, let's not keep Ingenium waiting," Izuku said with an indulgent smile. "One more patrol before we focus on paperwork!" Himiko just grumbled, leaving the room with Izuku following behind, Ochako shrugging and falling in line. They'd already stopped a building collapse and caught the Hero Killer, what more could they have to deal with?
"I want to hear you fucking say it!" Himiko shouted, blinking out of existence and reappearing atop one of those monstrous Nomu creatures, her daggers slamming into its shoulders as she tried to forcibly steer it away from the running civilians.
"Now is not the time, Changeling!" Izuku shouted back, eyes alight with green flame as Blackwhip swirled and snapped at a pair of Nomu, trying to force them back as Izuku tried to reach a young couple trapped in a car.
"Less talkin', more savin'!" Ochako interjected, slamming her hands onto a knocked over lamp post. With its gravity removed, she snatched it up and spun about, using it as a makeshift club to slam into another Nomu, sending it careening down the street with a loud screech.
"I fucking told you not to jinx it, and what do you two do? 'Oh, it'll be fine, oh, nothing bad'll happen', well fuck that! I am never letting either of you live this down!" Himiko screamed, flipping up and over the Nomu she was on, slamming the back of her foot into its face with a snarl as she ramped Sanguine Cloak up to her max of 30%.
"I swear Hi-err, Changeling, we can talk about it later!" Ochako snarled back. She turned about and launched her lamp post turned club like a javelin at another Nomu, the metal object slamming into it and sending it flying backwards once more.
The trio had, unfortunately, found a street filled with a ton of civilians who were trying to escape, but the half dozen Nomu creatures had closed in from both sides of the road and were not making it easy to help them escape. They'd gotten separated from their mentor early on, intending on trying to help people evacuate, but once Danger Sense had triggered, well…they had to do something, right?
"Oh sure, later, just say you don't wanna admit it!" Himiko scoffed.
"Now is not the time!" Izuku screamed, clenching their fists with a loud roar. The black tendrils of Blackwhip finally got a grip around the two Nomu and with a jerk, Izuku slammedthem into the pavement, cracking it beneath their bodies with a sickening crunch. They let out a sigh, turning their glowing eyes towards the half-crushed car. They strode over to it, the Nomu writhing within the whips as Izuku reached out with one hand, gripping onto the broken metal of the door. With a grunt, the lightning around them roaring to life, they ripped the door out of the frame, revealing two wide-eyed young women staring at Izuku. Izuku immediately twisted their expression into a reassuring grin. "Are you two uninjured?" they asked, modulating their tone to a softer one.
"Um…yeah?" the taller woman offered, seeming unsure.
"Alright, well, if you could make your way that way to a safe zone, it would be much appreciated! We'll keep you safe, don't you worry!" Izuku said, keeping their smile plastered on their face.
"Y-yeah, okay. Thank you so much!" the shorter woman said, shimmying out of the vehicle behind her friend. They quickly began to run down the street, through the path Izuku had cleared by taking control over the two Nomu. Others were rushing down it now as well, being directed by Ochako with one hand as her other hand casually tossed a chunk of wall into the face of a sallow-skinned Nomu, sending it careening into another broken wall with a wail.
Himiko blinked next to Izuku, sweat beading on her forehead as she quickly looked around. "Do we have any clue what's going on?"
Izuku shook their head. "I can't really make heads or tails of the comms, it's just a jumbled mess."
Himiko sighed. "Shit, I was afraid of that."
Ochako jogged over. "Last Nomu is stuck under some rubble. I don't think they are as strong as the one at the USJ."
"Yeah…doesn't seem so," Izuku mused, glancing around. They shook their head. "Not much we can do about it right now. I think…I think we should like, tie them up or something and just work on more evacuations for now?"
"Yeah but where?" Himiko asked, looking around. The area around them was now deserted, all the civilians having fled once the path was clear.
Ochako pursed her lips, looking up with a calculating glance. "...gimme one of your blackwhip thingies, Izu. I got an idea." Izuku blinked, but did as she asked, extending a tendril towards her. She wrapped it around her belt, Izuku following along as they understood Ochako's intent, and then tapped herself to remove her gravity. With a Galactic Shroud assisted push, she launched herself up into the air, Izuku extending Blackwhip as far as they could as she went. She got above the buildings nearby, spinning about in place to peer as best she could. She started after a moment, looking down at the two below her and tugging on the whip, which Izuku took as a sign to reel her in.
She tapped her fingers together as she got close enough to the ground, landing with a gentle thud as her gravity returned. "A couple blocks to the east, one of the buildings is on fire and I saw some people running. We can probably help over there!"
"Sounds like a plan. Let's get these things tied up and move."
Himiko crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "I'm still waiting for my 'you were right' moment."
Izuku rolled their eyes, reaching up and scratching Himiko's ears, making her loosen her stance as a smile unwillingly crept onto her face, her eyes narrowing to slits. "Yes, yes, we'll get there once this city attack is over."
Himiko shook her head after a moment, batting Izuku's hand away as she glared at them. "Fine…but I'm not gonna forget!"
Ochako snorted, already moving to tie up the stuck Nomu nearby. "Never change, Himi. Never change."