Chapter Text
Finally, All Might and Mizuki reached a rooftop. Mizuki landed on her knees, taking a deep breath after the terrifying experience of flying. “Thank goodness we’re on solid ground…”
“That wasn’t a very smart decision,” All Might scolded her after a few seconds, getting her attention. “Call them. They’ll let you in. I have to go. See you on the other side,” he said, waving his hand.
Mizuki gasped and jumped to her feet.
“Wait, not yet. Just a second,” she said, running toward the hero.
“No! I don’t have time,” All Might told her.
“I have to know!” the green-haired girl shouted desperately before stopping abruptly, remembering everything she’d been told.
“You should give up, little girl.”
“I’m sorry, Mizuki. I wish things were different,”
“Deku. This school is already a mess. Do you really want to embarrass it even more by failing so spectacularly?”
Little by little, she pushed aside everything that had been going through her mind since she received that unfortunate news. Mizuki remained silent. “Sometimes I feel like a failure, as if there’s no hope for me. But even so, I won’t give up. Never.”
She began to tremble before asking the question she’d been longing to ask: “Is it possible for me to become a heroine, even without a Quirk?”
All Might froze upon hearing that question. But he didn’t answer.
“I’m just a Quirkless girl. Could I ever aspire to be like you?”
A long, deep silence enveloped them as the camera began to slowly pull away.
"Without a Quirk...?" All Might wondered, and then shuddered. Suddenly, he felt everything spinning and shaking. Smoke poured out of his body as he tried to hold it in. "Oh, no! Not now, damn it! Not here!"
Mizuki didn’t realize she was still talking. “People think I don’t stand a chance, and that not having powers makes me a weakling,” she said, looking away bitterly, thinking of Bakugo. “But there are others who support me.” She smiled as she thought of Ochao. “That’s why I want to go to UA.” She gave him a shy smile. “Anyway, ever since I was little, I’ve always thought that saving people is the best thing you can do.” A huge cloud of smoke was spreading out in front of her, and they still hadn’t noticed it. Then she gave a slight smile. “I want people to see my brave smile and feel safe. Just like you!”
Finally, she looked up… and saw a very thin, blond man with wavy hair, baggy clothes, and black eyes with blue irises. Mizuki trembled with surprise, unable to utter a word.
...
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...
...
...
"HUH?!?!?!" Mizuki screamed upon seeing him.
All Might stood tall, bathed in the light of several spotlights, one by one, until the giant surrounded him from the front. It was as if he reveled in the light, his hands on his hips.
(Shizukesa ga shimikomu you de iki wo tometa gozen goji)
Mizuki stared at him, her eyes wide and her head bowed. She was still wearing her school uniform until she stood up. They continued to look at All Might, who was standing in front of them.
(Hijou Kaidan by Tsume)
Mizuki slowly reached out her hand, and flashes of light flew around her, drawn to All Might’s presence.
(Wo kamu Asu wa dotchi da?)
She kept trying to reach him, her hand still outstretched.
(THE DAY HAS COME)
All Might looked back as his hands continued to reach out toward him, a wide smile on his face. Plus Ultra then flashed, with Ochao Uraraka, Tenya Iida, Katsuki Bakugo, Tsuyu Asui, Eijiro Kirishima, and Minoru Mineta appearing, their names displayed behind them. Then My Hero Academia flashed, changing color. Momo Yaoyorozu, Denki Kaminari, Kyoka Jiro, Hanta Sero, Fumikage Tokoyami, and Jurota Shishidaappeared with their names behind them. Finally, Academia flashed, showing Mashirao Ojiro, Mina Ashido, Kashiko Sekigai, Mezo Shoji, Yui Kodai, Toru Hagakure, and Shoto Todoroki.
MY HERO ACADEMIA
THE GREEN HEROINE
In the city, it was raining and traffic filled the streets.
(Furi tuzukete yamanai ame mo)
Mizuki gazed up at the rainy sky, her soaked backpack slung over her shoulders.
Mizuki frowned when she realized she wasn't getting wet, and turned around to see Ochaooffering her his umbrella as the two of them walked away from the colorful posters.
(Sukoshi mo hen de wa nai no)
As the two continued walking, all of Mizuki’snotebooks appeared around her. She frowned and looked down, while Ochao looked at her with pity.
(Madoromi ni ashi wo torareteru)
Then, the thirteen notebooks disappeared, and the two kept walking.
(I’m not trying to corner you, you know)
They slowly came to a stop, revealing their sneakers. All of Mizuki’s notebooks fell to the ground.
(Hitori kuusou ni asobu)
In a split screen, a younger Mizuki watched a younger, more arrogant Bakugo in the forest. Then, they switched roles, now in their Mizukihigh school uniforms, in their teenage years. Mizuki looked annoyed, while Bakugo turned his back on her. Cherry blossoms filled the background.
(Soko de omoi egaita koto made)
As the camera zoomed in, they both wore their UA High School uniforms. Everyone tensed up.
(Haijru no kai?)
The two clashed in their hero costumes. Mizukistruck Bakugo, and the clash of their attacks created flashes of light. Shigaraki reached through the sparks. All Might then clenched his fist in midair and lunged forward to deliver a punch.
(Karami au meikyuu meikyuu)
Villains and Nomu appeared, and All Mightimmediately engaged them in battle.
(Doesn't that hurt a lot?)
All Might delivered countless blows to the Nomu, who struck back at the hero. Kurogirithen emerged from the hiding place he shared with Shigaraki, his yellow eyes glowing.
(Chiisaki tabibito ga kanaderu hajimari no kane no ne)
Eraser Head nfurled his capture weapon and joined the fight as well. He threw some villains aside and kicked others, stopping one. Mizukiran forward in her UA uniform, framed by a blue sky.
(Yuku atemo I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW)
Ochao clasped his fingers together and leaped into the sky. Lida appeared behind him, his leg swinging with incredible speed.
(¿Hontou wa kowain ja nai no?)
Mineta was grabbed by Tsuyu’s tongue, and the two launched forward. Todoroki skated across ice. Kirishima rotated his arm, showing off his hardening.
(Fumidasu sono ippo ippo ga)
Bakugo’s hand glowed as he let out a maniacal laugh.
(kaete yukeru sa)
Mizuki ran forward, dressed in her hero costume. She pulled back her fist and shouted:
(THE DAY HAS COME)
Mizuki thrust her fist forward, her arm alternating between her own and All Might’s.
Tokoyami spread his cape while Kaminariopened his, electricity surging from it. Yaoyorozu wielded a staff, Jirou crouched to prepare her Quirk. Sero and Kodai struck poses. Ojiro and Shoji got ready. Ashido and Hagakure equipped themselves. Sekigai was wielding a bo staff and Shishida the two stood back to back, all the students appearing with the UA symbol behind them. Then, the entire Class 1-A struck a pose, the twins standing at the front. All Might pointed forward as everyone stood before UA.
Ochao kept running through the streets as he watched All Might and Mizuki still flying through the air, a worried look on his face, before seeing All Might land on the roof of a nearby building much to the relief of the Chestnut Boy, who stopped running.
“Thank God,” Ochao murmured as he knelt down to catch his breath, not realizing how tired he’d become from running so much. “At least now I can rest easy knowing that she…”
“HUH?!?!?!”
Ochao’s relief gave way to tension upon hearing that all-too-familiar scream, and immediately regardless of how exhausted he was he began running toward the building.
“Please let her be okay, please let her be okay, please let her be okay,” he repeated to himself anxiously as he entered the building and began climbing the stairs.
EPISODE 3
THE ORIGIN OF HÉROES
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A HÉROES
Mizuki stood on the rooftop, in shock, still trying to process what they were seeing.
She took half a step back. “W-who W-what?” She looked around. “Who are you? Where’s All Might?”
Toshinori sighed, interrupting her. “Calm down, I assure you I’m All Mi…” Then, a stream of blood spurted from his mouth, startling Mizuki. But seeing Toshinori’s condition still frightened but concerned she took a few steps closer.
“H-hello, are you okay?” she asked, holding out her hand.
Toshinori raised a hand as his coughing subsided. “I-I’m fine,” he gasped. He coughed a little to clear his throat and sat up, leaning his back against the rooftop railing. He looked at her. “Like I said, I’m All Might,” he stated.
“B-but… that’s not possible! You… He… All Might is practically all muscle!” she replied, surprised. “He overcomes every obstacle and triumphs with a fearless smile.”
Toshinori sighed and looked away. “There’s a lot of fear behind that smile,” he said, looking back at the green-haired girl. “I’m counting on them to shut you up.” Don’t talk about this online or tell your friends,” he warned them.
Mizuki put her hands over her mouth in shock, trembling with fear and concern, and shuddered when she saw a huge scar covering the left side of his body. It was as if someone had punched him so hard that it couldn’t heal.
Mizuki stepped closer and knelt in front of Toshinori, touching the wound with an expression of concern and fear, wondering what had happened to cause it.
“It’s disgusting, isn’t it? I got infected in a really bad fight five years ago. My respiratory system was practically destroyed. I lost my entire stomach. All the surgeries have left me exhausted. And there’s no cure. Right now, I can only do hero work for about three hours a day. The rest of the time, this is what I look like.”
Mizuki stopped touching the wound and looked at Toshinori, who was trying to piece things together. “B-but five years ago… Does that mean it was during the fight with Toxic Chainsaw?” the green-haired girl asked curiously.
“Wow, you’re really well-informed!” remarked the older blond man, somewhat impressed. “But no. That thug might have landed a few blows on me, but he couldn’t knock me down. Almost no one knows about this fight. I did everything I could to keep it a secret.” He looked away briefly before turning his gaze back to the green-haired girl. “I’m supposed to be the one who’s always smiling, right? I’m the Symbol of Peace. Everyone has to believe that I’m never afraid.
Mizuki looked at him sadly. To be able to endure all that and still never show his true feelings…
“But, honestly, I smile to hide the fear I feel,” Toshinori looked at his hand and clenched it into a fist. “It’s just a facade of bravery I put on when the pressure’s high. This job isn’t easy.” Mizuki let out a small gasp upon hearing that from the greatest hero of all time. Then he looked her straight in the eyes. “Professional heroes always have to risk their lives. Some villains simply can’t be defeated without powers. So, can she be a heroine? Not without a Quirk...”
Mizuki felt her world crumbling. The words she didn’t want to hear from her hero… were now a reality in her mind.
“I see…” she murmured, trying not to cry from the pain that answer caused her before closing her eyes and turning toward him. “B-but I’m t-taking u-your t-time.”
Toshinori stared at her before letting out a sigh and standing up. “If you want to help people, there are plenty of other ways to do it. You could be a police officer. They get criticized because heroes capture most of the villains,” he said, stepping aside. “But it’s a good profession.” He opened the door and paused. “It’s not bad to have a dream, young lady. Just make sure your dream is achievable. Realistic. Understood?” He didn’t wait for an answer and closed the door behind him; the loud slam echoed so loudly that she stood there, paralyzed.
“He was too hard on her.” That’s what Toshinori thought as he walked down the stairs, coughing before letting out a sigh. “Now… Whoa!” He couldn’t finish what he was saying because he jerked aside to avoid falling as Ochao rushed up the stairs, only to stop when he realized he’d almost bumped into a man.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He apologized quickly before continuing up the stairs, watched by the older blond man who immediately recognized him.
“It’s the same young man who was with the young lady I suppose he was worried,” he said to himself before letting out a sigh. “Anyway, let’s head to the station.” He felt his pocket and then gasped when he saw it was empty. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed until now.
He emptied both pockets, but neither contained the mud villain’s bottle. He searched for it quickly and then heard a noise right outside. He looked out the window and saw a huge column of smoke in the distance.
“Don’t tell me…” He clenched his teeth.
2 minutes ago
Mizuki was still paralyzed by the response she’d received, her face beginning to darken as her world crumbled with a single reply from the hero she’d admired so much.
“I guess… it made sense…” she began to murmur calmly, letting out a small laugh devoid of any trace of joy. “It was obvious… wasn’t it?” She began to press her lips together. “It was obvious! How could I not have seen it before?!” She began to retort more loudly as her calm voice started to crack and her hands began to tremble. “A Quirkless girl… wanting to be a heroine! It’s ridiculous! All this time… I was dreaming of something impossible!”
Mizuki began to break down as tears welled up in her eyes and silently rolled down her cheeks; her legs began to give way before she finally collapsed, kneeling face-down and using her arms to support herself, finally letting out sobs.
“I just wanted… to help!” she exclaimed, her voice breaking as tears fell like rain onto the rooftop. “I just wanted to be useful!”
She continued crying, oblivious to her surroundings, hearing neither the massive explosion in the distance nor the loud thud of the rooftop door.
“Dekiru!”
Mizuki sat up slightly and saw Ochao at the rooftop door, looking at her with weariness from running and climbing the stairs, but also with relief. Before Mizuki could say anything, Ochao rushed toward her and hugged her tightly.
“Thank goodness you’re okay!” he exclaimed, relieved, without looking at her. “Don’t ever do something like that again! What if you’d fallen and hurt yourself or worse?!” Mizuki could only look at him guiltily for having made him worry about her.
“I’m sorry, Occhan…” Mizuki apologized to Ochao as she returned his hug. “I wasn’t fair to you…”
Ochao sensed that something was wrong when he heard the green-haired girl’s hoarse voice, so he loosened his embrace slightly to look at her and that’s when he saw the tears streaking down her cheeks.
“What happened?” was all Ochao could ask as Mizuki opened her mouth but couldn’t utter a single word which began to worry him, and he could only think of one possible reason. “Did All Might scold you harshly?”
Mizuki just sighed and finally managed to speak. “I asked All Might if I could be a heroine even without a Quirk...”
“What did he say?” Ochao asked, fearing what the hero’s answer might be.
“He said I couldn’t be a hero without a Quirk,” she revealed, causing tears to well up again.
Ochao’s mouth fell open slightly upon hearing this from Mizuki, knowing how much she admired All Might and hearing that from him had left her heartbroken.
Ochao placed his hand on her cheek to wipe away her tears. “Don’t listen to him. I don’t care if he says you can’t I believe you can!” he said, trying to cheer her up.
“Occhan…” Mizuki gently pushed him away before grabbing the hem of her skirt and clutching it tightly. “I have to be realistic… I have to face reality… I have to start thinking seriously about my future… that’s what everyone in my life has told me, even the best ones…”
Ochao tried to speak, only to see tears begin to roll down Mizuki’s cheek.
“Deep down, I always knew it… that’s why I tried so hard… because I knew it…” she said, sobbing.
“But…” Ochao tried again, but was interrupted.
“Occhan, please… stop now… I can’t take it anymore…” she exclaimed, silencing Ochao as she lowered her gaze. “I just… want to go home…”
The two fell silent as Ochao placed his hands on Mizuki’s cheeks again to wipe away her tears and broke the silence.
“Can I walk you home and stay with you to keep you company?” Ochao asked.
Mizuki nodded, and Ochao took her hand to help her stand up. As he lifted her, Mizuki suddenly clung to Ochao’s arm without warning. He was taken aback, and a slight blush appeared on his face before he let her hold on to him, knowing she needed him. Together, they made their way toward the rooftop door.
Toshinori gasped as he ran at full speed. But his condition prevented him from running very fast.
He finally reached the source of the smoke, as people descended into chaos. Suddenly, smoke and fire shattered windows. People fled in terror as the shopping district burned and debris rained down.
"It's a monster!"
Several heroes approached, panting as they restrained citizens and some police officers.
They looked ahead, seeing the sludge villain behind it all. He was surrounded by flames, but they were stunned to see Bakugo also caught in his clutches, trying to throw him off.
14 minutes ago
In the commercial district of Tatooin, people were strolling around looking for what they needed. But in a dark alley, the bottle in which the mud villain had been trapped lay on the ground. Slowly, he forced his eyes open and looked around, confused. “Where am I? What happened?”
“Texas... Smash!” he shouted as he plowed through the villain, sending him flying. The villain groaned in pain as he felt the wind become too strong for him.
“I can’t… hold myself back…!” He exploded into pieces, freeing Mizuki.
“Ah, right. That bastard. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve already left town,” the mud villain complained bitterly. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching.
“Weren’t you and Midoriya really good friends before?” one of them remarked, as it turned out to be Bakugo and his two followers walking by. The blond boy, drunk off a can of beer, was leading the way. “You’ve been a real jerk to her.” Bakugo said nothing.
“You two used to be inseparable Midoriya always followed Bakugo around like an obsessive fan, right?” the other one pointed out. “Well, although now he hangs out with Uraraka.”
The blond boy looked at the ground, clenching his teeth. “Hmph. It’s that stupid nerd’s fault for getting in my way plus, Watermelon Face is wasting his time with her,” he grumbled, then kicked the bottle containing the mud villain. This caused the villain to fall to the ground as the bottle burst open, without the boys noticing.
“You shouldn’t waste your time on her. Besides,” said one of them, raising an eyebrow, “why are you so mad at her? Well, yeah, she’s a Quirkless, but she’s also a girl.”
Bakugo stopped and clenched his teeth even tighter. “I don’t give a damn who she is. Someone’s got to teach that weakling how the real world works.” His hand clenched as his can burst into flames. “I hate it when she talks about heroes!”
His two friends exchanged nervous laughs. While they teased her for not having a Quirk and for not being very attractive because she was so flat (according to their tastes), Bakugo went further and treated her rudely though Ochao always protected her. It was after they were separated into different classes in their second year that Bakugo started treating her even more harshly. But no one did anything because they were afraid of Bakugo and because they weren’t going to waste their time on someone without a Quirk, and the administration didn’t want its star student to have a bad record.
“Hey, I have an idea,” one of them said. “We should go to the gallery. To clear our heads, you know?
“I hate it when you talk about heroes!” Bakugo stared at him for a few seconds, unsure if it would work. But at least that kept him from overthinking the matter. “Fine…” he said, defeated.
“Or we could sneak into the station bar,” suggested the other. The mud began to move slowly next to the burnt can on the ground. “It’s bringing a girl.”
“Idiots!” Bakugo growled. “If we get caught, UA won’t let me in.”
Both of them shuddered when they saw something behind him. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing fearfully. The blond turned and saw the mud villain come to life right in front of them.
“Perfect. I like a leather outfit with a touch of fire.” He opened his mouth, baring his teeth. Bakugo slowly opened his eyes, trembling.
Present
"They've taken someone hostage!" Death Arms exclaimed, vaguely catching sight of the boy. He clenched his fists and charged furiously. "How dare you attack a child!" he shouted as he leaped up. He raised his fist and, as he fell toward them, threw a punch, but it had little impact on the sludge villain and sank into the villain's body, surprising him.
"What the hell is this? Some kind of gooey stuff!" he stammered, backing away in fear as he tried to pull his arm out, but he couldn't.
The sludge villain took advantage of this distraction to slam him hard against the wall.
"Are you okay, Death Arms?" Two pro heroes rushed to his side.
"Watch out!" one warned as he backed away. The other ducked his head to avoid an attack from the sludge villain.
"Ha! Back off or I'll break your neck!" He grinned maliciously at the heroes, withdrawing his arm.
He looked at Bakugo, who was struggling and raised his head with a yell. He pulled with all his might to free himself, but it was useless.
"You picked the wrong guy!" He growled as he lowered his head to try to remove the sludge. "I'll send you back to the sewer you crawled out of!" He tried to activate his Quirk. "LET GO!" he yelled at the top of his lungs as an explosion surrounded them.
Death Arms had to shield himself from the power Bakugo was unleashing, as did the other two pro heroes.
"You have so much power," the sludge villain mocked, but he was also impressed. "I hit the jackpot! With a Quirk like yours under my control, I can take down All Might with one punch!"
Then he expelled a mass of sludge, almost like a cage, and one of the pro heroes gasped in amazement.
"Wow! Is that some kind of special move? What's going on?" asked one of the passersby from the entrance.
"This guy is a real supervillain!" One of the women gasped at the sight. "It's her!" she exclaimed, pointing at Mt. Lady, who was running toward them. "That new hero, Mt. Lady, will stop him!"
Mt. Lady gasped, shuddering as she stopped. She looked down at her foot. "My only weakness!" “I need at least a two-lane road if I want to get through here.”
He tried to figure out where to go, but since the lanes were too narrow, there was no way through. There were also too many people around, so he couldn't do anything. Bakugo's two followers stared at the fire in fear. Suddenly, a wooden arm from Kamui grabbed them both, pulling them out. He ran through the flames while also carrying two other people he rescued.
“Fire and wood don't exactly make a good combination!” he shouted, as his wood slowly turned to kindling. “I'll let someone else stop this guy!” Then he leaped into the sky.
“Don't look at me,” Backdraft said as he put out fires with his hands and a hose on his back. “My hands are full.” "Where are those fire trucks?" He looked around to see if any other heroes could prevent the chaos. "Can they get to him?"
"I can't control his strange body," Death Arms replied. "Besides, that kid's Quirk is causing explosions left and right." Bakugo was constantly throwing up explosions as he tried unsuccessfully to free himself, proving he wasn't one to stay calm and rational in situations like this.
"This is a walk in the park," said a hero in a baseball jersey as they looked at the sludge villain. "We need to regroup and knock him out of the park somehow."
The villain chuckled as he held Bakugo's mouth shut. The boy groaned as he continued to struggle inside the sludge. Death Arms gritted his teeth, and then the villain saw the pro heroes.
"Go ahead!" He and Death Arms fled as the villain threw them with his sludge, which fell to the ground behind them.
"It's no use! None of us have... The Gifts needed to stop a villain like this!" he shouted as the other heroes fled.
"We'll do damage control until someone with the right powers shows up!" one of them yelled, only for another explosion to erupt.
"There are still many people to save," Backdraft informed them as he continued putting out fires.
"Don't worry," Kamui shouted from a rooftop, having left the rescued citizens there. "I bet all the heroes of the city is coming!" He placed the last person safe and sound on the rooftop, where they had been watching the fight.
Death Arms shook his fist helplessly, unable to help Bakugo. "Sorry, kid. You'll just have to hang on a little longer."
"DAMN IT!" he yelled, frustrated by the whole situation. "If I had more power, I could finish this guy off!"
"This looks bad," a citizen commented as Toshinori finally approached from behind.
"Maybe we should run?" He grabbed onto a lamppost next to him, as no one was paying attention. "Come on, heroes, you've got it made!"
Toshinori panted, exhausted, looking up. From his position, beyond all the people, he could barely see the sludge villain in the distance. He gasped in astonishment, stepping back as he realized how it had happened. "He must have dropped him." Remembering Mizuki clinging to him as he tried to shake them off. "I was distracted, worried about my limit of... Time. I can't believe I made such a rookie mistake, and after lecturing that girl about what it takes to be a heroine!”
He clutched his wound for a moment; powerless for having let the villain escape, for not being able to do anything in this way, and for having shattered the dreams of a little girl who looked up to him so much and left her alone on the rooftop. “I'm pathetic.”
Mizuki and Ochao were walking down the street together; Mizuki was still clinging to Occhan’s arm, her gaze lost in thought.
“She’ll never be a heroine. I suppose it’s better to realise that now than later.”
“It’s time to start thinking seriously about her future.”
“Make sure your dream is achievable.”
Mizuki let out a sad sigh after that last thought, leaning more heavily on Ochao’s arm, clinging to the only person who had faith in her and fearing that one day he might lose that faith and walk away.
Ochao looked at her with concern, furrowing his brow deeply, not knowing what to do, as what he’d done before to cheer her up was no longer helping at that moment, and right now he felt helpless at not being able to help his friend.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the shopping area, forcing them to stop. Ochao turned round, whilst Mizuki looked up, moving slightly away from Ochao, and saw smoke near the entrance.
“What’s going on?” asked Mizuki as she observed the scene.
“Now that I think of it, there was an explosion near where we were,” said Ochao, recalling the explosion that had occurred but which he hadn’t paid any attention to, as his focus had been on Mizuki. “I suppose this is where it happened.”
Ochao felt Mizuki let go of his arm and watched her head towards the scene; he followed her, and the two of them stopped behind the crowd.
“Stop. It won’t make any sense now,” Mizuki told herself, but she still tried to see through the commotion with Ochao by her side.
Then Mizuki let out a trembling gasp, causing Ochao to grow concerned and look ahead as well; he, too, gasped when he saw the villain, who was none other than the mud villain they’d encountered in that tunnel, and who was now causing all that chaos.
“That’s…” Ochao began.
“The bloke who attacked us!” Mizuki exclaimed in horror, covering her mouth in disbelief.
“But how on earth did he escape?! I thought All Might had caught him?!” exclaimed Ochao, surprised and horrified, remembering when All Might had told them this whilst showing them the bottle in which the Mud Villain was trapped.
Upon hearing this, Mizuki remembered that when All Might revealed his true form, he didn’t have the bottle in his trousers.
“But the bottle… if it fell out…” She remembered how she’d clung to All Might’s legs whilst he was flying, and then she understood. “That means… it’s my fault,” she murmured, terrified by what she’d caused, whilst Ochao looked at her after hearing her say that.
“What are you on about?!” Ochao said, as Mizuki turned her gaze towards him with a terrified expression.
“When I grabbed All Might… I should have made him let go…” Mizuki explained, terrified and full of guilt.
“Don’t worry,” said Ochao, placing his hand on Mizuki’s shoulder to reassure her. “All Might probably realised; he’ll be here any moment now…”
“No, he won’t make it!” Mizuki interrupted, leaving Ochao in shock. “No, he can’t! I pushed him to his limits today! It’s my fault All Might can’t do anything!”
“What are you on about?” asked Ochao, somewhat bewildered, causing Mizuki to realise she’d just broken her promise not to tell anyone about All Might’s secret. Before she could make amends, a passer-by spoke up.
“Why aren’t the heroes doing anything?” one man asked another passer-by.
“It looks like they’ve met their match,” he said, turning to the first man. “What’s more, the villain has kidnapped a child. Things aren’t looking good for him.”
Mizuki and Ochao heard this and shuddered, whilst Mizuki grew even more alarmed as she realised the gravity of the situation.
“He’s taken someone hostage? I wonder how long he’s been in there. How can he survive suffocating like that? I thought he’d die after just a few seconds of struggling! Oh my God!” murmured Mizuki in utter terror.
“Hold on, I’m confused. Isn’t that the villain All Might was chasing today?” said a man, and everyone gaped in astonishment as they looked up.
“What? All Might?! He can’t have lost. Where is he?”
Mizuki began to look around, alarmed by the murmur. She realised it was getting worse with every passing minute.
Toshinori was standing on the other side of the green-haired girl, unable to see her.
“Well, could someone call him or something?”
The slim man gasped as he looked up. “Seriously! Why hasn’t he come to help the heroes?”
The blond man let out a groan of pain, clutching his chest. He realised there was no escape. “I’m useless.”
The professional heroes gritted their teeth, even more frustrated with themselves for not having been able to do much.
Toshinori pressed harder on his wound whilst gritting his teeth in frustration. “How pathetic… How shameful… I’m not a real hero!”
The mud villain growled and laughed with glee, finally able to carry on with what he wanted. Bakugo had stopped struggling, realising he was trapped and couldn’t escape, no matter how hard he tried.
Mizuki looked up and froze the moment Bakugo opened his eyes and realised who was trapped, causing her to gasp.
“Wait, is that Bakugo?!” exclaimed Ochao, seeing who the hostage was.
PAF!
Ochao heard a soft thud on the floor and looked down to see that it was Mizuki’s book lying there; her then looked up and was alarmed to see Mizuki suddenly lunge forward, taking Ochao and everyone watching by surprise especially Toshinori, who recognised her.
“No, girl!” exclaimed Death Arms, reaching out to try and stop them. “Stop! They’ll kill you!”
“Dekiru?!!!” shouted Ochao at her friend’s actions. He tried to follow her and stop her, but the huge crowd wouldn’t let him.
"It's Girl again," the mud villain recognized them.
"Deku?" Bakugo murmured, opening his eyes. Mizuki continued running through the flames, without even getting hurt.
“What am I doing? Why am I running? Why can't I stop?” Mizuki thought, scared, but she still didn't stop.
"She's fried, kid!" the mud villain announced as he was about to attack them.
“What do I do? What would a hero do right now?” Then she remembered something from her notebook about Kamui Wood's Lacquered Chain Prison. “Page 25! Correct!”
The mud villain shuddered. The green hair girl took off her backpacks. "Take this!" Mizuki announced as she threw it directly at the villain, hitting him with several of his things. He let out a grunt as he released Bakugo’s, allowing him to breathe. He let out a sharp gasp and coughed.
"KACCHAN!" Mizuki shouted as soon as she reached him. The green hair girl girl clawed at the He shoveled mud with all his might. However, it didn't do much good.
"What the hell? Why are they here?" Bakugo wondered.
"I don't know," Mizuki exclaimed, panicking, but she didn't stop for a second. "My legs... they just started... moving!" Bakugo grunted as he squeezed her tighter. The green hair girl continued scratching him, but it was no use. Still, she kept at it, wondering why she was trying to get Bakugo out of there.
“Sorry, child... It's my fault.”
“Do you really think they'd let someone like you...”
“He's the coolest in the universe!”
“KACCHAN!”
“I always wanted to be a heroine...”
“Honestly, I don't think you can become a heroine...”
“There's always a smile on his face.”
"Maybe it was his expression." Mizuki shuddered slightly as tears welled up in her eyes, a scared smile on her face. "Kacchan...! I couldn't just stand there and watch you die!" She admitted, taking Ochao and Toshinori by surprise, whilst the latter grunted, his eyes wide at that statement.
There was something about that girl that ignited a burning flame within her that he hadn't felt in a long time, despite her injury. Her arm began to grow.
“Í have to do something! No matter what! He continued clutching the wound as it grew and strengthened.
Meanwhile, on the other side, where Ochao was standing, his hands began to glow at the hilt of his sword, causing his whole body to start floating.
“Just a little longer,” said the mud villain before shooting a hateful glance at the green-haired girl. “STOP BUTTING IN, LITTLE GIRL!” he shouted, raising his arm to attack her.
“GET AWAY FROM MY FRIEND!” shouted Ochao, who had floated into the crowd and then lunged forward, lifting a trash can off the ground and hurling it at the mud villain to distract him all under the stunned gaze of everyone, especially the green haired girl, as Ochao reached her side and began tearing into him as well.
“Melon face,” Bakugo growled upon seeing him.
“Occhan?! What are you…?!?” Mizuki asked, perplexed, before being interrupted.
“You say you can’t be a heroine without a Quirk, but now you’re performing the riskiest and most heroic act of all…” Ochao told her, his words also heard by the older blond as smoke continued to billow from him while he slowly returned to his muscular form.
Ochao turned to Mizuki with a big smile. “The two times I was almost in danger, I couldn’t do much,” he said, referring to the first time the mud villain attacked them and when she flew over to grab All Might’s arms. “But this time, I won’t let you face this alone, Mizuki.”
Mizuki was surprised by that response and also that Ochao had called her by name without hesitation before they heard a growl. The two looked up to see the mud villain recovering from the blow from the trash can before glaring at the two of them with intense fury.
“I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU TWO DIEEEEE!” the mud villain screamed, raising his arm again this time with even greater fury as the other heroes rushed toward them.
“Save those kids! This thing is going to kill them!” Death Arms held out a hand, while Ochao, without a second thought, lunged toward Mizuki, shielding her with his arms.
There was a movement as the mud villain lowered his arm, and then a massive explosion occurred. Afterward, silence reigned, as no one could see anything through the smoke. The two kids had their eyes closed while Ochao continued to shield Mizuki in his arms, waiting for the impact… which never came.
“I’m truly pathetic,” said a familiar voice, and the two looked up, surprised to see All Might standing right in front of them. He was the mud villain who had attacked them, with an arm strong enough to hold him back.
“All…” Ochao began, surprised.
“Might…” Mizuki finished, equally surprised.
"I told you about the qualities of a great champion... but now I see he didn't live up to my ideal!" He raised his arm to free himself and looked at him in astonishment.
Bakugo's eyes narrowed as he looked at the hero he, too, had admired as a child. The hero then grabbed Bakugo’s arm, his mouth full of blood. “Professionals always risk their lives! That’s the true test of a hero!”
“Damn you, All Might!” The mud villain raised a hand toward them.
“Detroit… Smash!” He thrust his fist forward as he pulled out Bakugo’s sword, sending the mud villain flying through the air.
His punch also extinguished the fire due to the strong winds emanating from it. Mt. Lady shielded the people with her arms from her position, while the heroes clung to whatever they could. The crowd looked up and saw a massive cyclone in the sky, the result of the attack.
Soon, it stopped spinning, and the mud villain vanished. All Might gasped as smoke billowed from his fist. Everyone stared at him wide-eyed as silence fell once more. Then it began to pour, and someone looked up at the sky.
Mizuki, Ochao, and Bakugo were on the ground, trying to recover from what had happened. Mizuki looked up and saw Ochao standing over her, still holding her in his arms to protect her.
“Are you okay?” Ochao asked worriedly.
“Y-yes,” Mizuki stammered, blushing.
Ochao sighed in relief, and in that moment he realized the awkward position they were in. Blushing, he quickly got up off her and then helped her to her feet, leaving them both on their knees.
“Don’t tell me all that wind was…”
“Look at the clouds! They’re moving!”
The clouds drifted across the sky as All Might smiled broadly. A trickle of blood flowed from his mouth. “My God!” Death Arms whispered to All Might, not even knowing that the number one hero was capable of such a thing. “The weather’s changed…”
All Might wiped the blood from his hand and slowly stood up as the rain continued to fall.
“Did that really happen?” someone asked as everyone stared in astonishment. Then, everyone applauded the hero’s victory.
“He changed the weather with a single punch just like that! All Might saved us again it’s incredible!”
All Might stumbled a little, but luckily no one noticed. However, that attack left him exhausted… he raised his fist so no one would see. He had to hold back as best he could so no one would know the truth. He glanced over his shoulder, watching Mizuki and Ochao, who was with her.
The police were putting away all the bags of mud the heroes had collected, while the heroes waved to two police officers.
All Might stood tall and proud in front of the press as people took photos of him.
Ochao and Bakugo were being examined by two heroes who were also praising them.
“You’re tough, kid!” one of the heroes said to Bakugo. “And that Quirk is amazing! Whenever you’re ready to turn pro, come to my agency first! I’d love to have you as my partner while I train!”
“You’re not half bad yourself, kid,” the other hero remarked to Ochao. “That Quirk is amazing for long-range attacks.”
But neither Bakugo nor Ochao was paying any attention; Bakugo had his head down with a bitter expression, while Ochao was looking away, his attention focused on something more important than listening to compliments.
Mizuki looked at her nervously, sitting across from Kamui Woods and Death Arms, who didn’t seem very pleased with her.
“You recklessly put your life at risk, young lady!” Kamui Woods began.
“Did you think about what would have happened if you’d died?” Death Arms shouted at them.
“Enough already!”
Before the two heroes could continue scolding her, they were surprised by Ochao, who had moved from his spot without the hero being able to stop him, and immediately wrapped his protective arms around Mizuki, stepping between her and the two heroes to their surprise and to the green-haired girl’s as well.
"At least she did something, unlike you two, who did nothing! You just stood there waiting for someone else to do the work for you! And you’re supposed to be professional heroes," Ochao exclaimed angrily.
Mizuki blinked, looking at Ochao with a surprised expression; she already knew that he often got upset when defending her from the school bullies, but she never imagined he’d be capable of scolding two professional heroes without any trouble.
Both Kamui Woods and Death Arms were also surprised until the latter frowned and was about to scold the chestnut boy, but Kamui Woods placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting him, while, raising an eyebrow, he gestured toward the reporters as a discreet way of telling them: let’s not make things worse.
Mizuki could only watch as both heroes walked away while she looked at Ochao, who had his gaze fixed on the two heroes. Seeing that he wasn’t coming back, he let go of her and helped her to her feet. Mizuki was about to say something, but Ochao did something she didn’t expect something that almost made her jump when he took her hand.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ochao said without looking at her, unaware of his own action, and they began to walk away from the spot not before picking up the notebook Mizuki had dropped and left without realizing that four eyes were watching them, one of which was glaring at him angrily.
The sun was beginning to set, and the chaos from the earlier incident had subsided. However, it was still being broadcast on TV and featured in the newspapers. Mizuki was still blushing as she and Ochao made their way to her house; Ochao was still holding her hand without even realizing it, and he still had that bitter look on his face the same one he’d had when he’d scolded the two heroes and reprimanded Mizuki.
“U-uh, O-Occhan,” Mizuki stammered, only to let out a gasp when Ochao turned to look at her with that bitter expression.
Ochao realized his mistake, took a deep breath, and his expression returned to normal. “Sorry, Dekiru, I didn’t mean to scare you. What’s going on?”
“U-uh, w-well, I-I think w-we’ve g-gotten f-far e-enough a-away f-from t-the p-press, and w-well, I-I think y-you c-can l-let go of m-me now.” She stammered, still nervous and blushing.
Ochao looked at her, not understanding what she meant, then looked down and finally realized he was holding her hand, causing him to blush and quickly let go.
“Dekiru, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable!” Ochao apologized, embarrassed by his action.
“I-it’s o-okay, y-you d-didn’t m-make me u-uncomfortable, r-really.” She continued to stutter as she made a gesture with her hands to indicate: It’s no big deal.
Both of them looked away, blushing, while Ochao was confused by her reaction since they were always so close, and Mizuki had always wanted to feel his touch, but it had only ever been a brush of shoulders or a grip on the arm; holding hands, however, felt very different.
Mizuki, on the other hand, had the same thought, but she also felt a sense of melancholy about everything that had happened today and above all else.
Mizuki looked back at Ochao with a regretful expression. “O-Occhan…”
“Deku! Melon face!”
An annoyed shout interrupted her, and they both turned around. They saw Bakugo walking straight toward them.
“Kacchan?” Mizuki murmured, confused, while Ochao stepped in front of her protectively.
The blond boy gasped as he came to a stop. “You didn’t help me. You didn’t do anything to help me. I was fine on my own! Especially you, damn Deku! You’re just a Quirkless loser who’ll never amount to anything! Got it? I don’t owe you anything!” Then he turned around and stomped off in the opposite direction.
Both Mizuki and Ochao felt a bead of sweat form on the back of their necks when they realized he’d run all that way just to say that.
“YOU SAY THANK YOU!” Ochao shouted angrily before crossing his arms with a growl. “Ungrateful.”
Ochao turned toward Mizuki, only to see the green-haired girl with her head bowed and a melancholy expression on her face. Before he could say anything, she spoke first.
“I’m sorry, Occhan…” she apologized, leaving the boy confused. “For making you worry so much about me today… it wasn’t fair to you… leaving you behind twice in a row… and putting you in danger because of my recklessness.”
“You don’t have to apologize for that, Dekiru. I just wanted to help you,” Ochao replied quickly, and was about to say something else when Mizuki interrupted him.
“That’s the problem…” she exclaimed, adding to Ochao’s confusion. “You’re always there for me, and I can never return the favor. And today I realized that… I can’t save or protect anyone from the Villains without a Quirk,” she said as tears streamed down her face and fell like rain onto the ground. “I understood it when the professional heroes scolded me for what I did, and after what All Might told me now I see things realistically. You’ll be able to be a great hero with your Quirk, but I won’t be able to stand by your side… Because my dream of becoming a heroine is impossible,” she finished, choking back a sob.
Ochao could only watch as his friend broke down in front of him after what had happened. Ochao shook his head and approached Mizuki; with both hands, he gently cupped the green-haired girl’s face and lifted it, looking at the sea of tears streaming down her cheeks. She blushed at his touch and turned her gaze away.
“De… Mizuki, look at me,” he asked her. She was surprised again that he called her by name but complied as Ochao wiped the tears from her face. “I’m not going to lie to you I was really scared when you ran straight into danger after I almost lost you in the sewers, and when you flew out to grab onto All Might’s feet,” he said sincerely. Before Mizuki could apologize again, he continued. “But you shouldn’t apologize for doing it even though it was reckless, it was the most heroic thing you’ve ever done, regardless of the fact that you’re a Quirkless,” he said with a smile before adding something else. “Besides, don’t say you’ve never returned the favor, since you’ve been doing so ever since you protected me that year in the park and also when you helped me at my lowest point the day I first came to your house.”
Mizuki was taken aback after hearing that last part, remembering what had happened and how she’d helped him feel better.
“I-I s-saw you looking bad that d-day, and it seemed like you needed help,” Mizuki stammered, making Ochao smile.
“And that proves my point even though you’re Quirkless, your heart is the most heroic of all,” Ochao finished.
Mizuki, moved by what she heard which caused new tears to replace the ones she was already shedding rushed toward Ochao, hugged him tightly, and clung to him.
“Thank you, Occha… Ochao,” she said, taking Ochao by surprise, since it was the first time she’d called him by his name. “For always being by my side, even though you’re Quirkless, and for making my world not so lonely.”
“You’re welcome. I’ve told you this many times, and I’ll say it again: I don’t care whether you have a Quirk or not. You’re still Mizuki, and I’ll always care about you,” Ochao said as he stroked her hair.
They stood there as the pleasant afternoon breeze blew, embracing each other and enjoying each other’s company before parting and looking at one another, both with a blush on their faces.
“So, what are you going to do? Aren’t you going to try to get into UA?” Ochao asked curiously.
“I have to be realistic I can’t be a Heroine in my condition as a Quirkless…” Mizuki explained, this time with a calm smile. “I can go study at UA, but it’ll be in a different program while I figure out what I’ll do in the future.”
“I understand… No matter which path you take, I’ll be by your side and support you through it all,” Ochao assured her, making Mizuki smile at him.
The two continued on their way to Mizuki’s house, but were interrupted by All Might, who suddenly appeared, gliding right in front of them. “I’m here!” the two kids shouted in surprise.
“All Might!” Ochao asked, surprised.
“What are you doing here?” Mizuki asked, looking around. “How did you get rid of all those reporters?”
“HAHAHAHA!” All Might simply laughed in response. “Getting away from them was a piece of cake! Why…?!” He then flexed his massive muscles. “Because I’m All Mi…” He returned to his slender form, spitting blood from his mouth, causing Mizuki to let out a choked scream.
Toshinori coughed a couple of times to compose himself. Then he wiped his mouth, looking at the green-haired girl who was still horrified which he didn’t understand because just before that, he had turned around and spat blood from the shock of seeing Ochao standing there, his expression stunned by what he’d witnessed.
“Oops, I forgot he was there,” Toshinori blurted out, nervous about his mistake.
“W-what? WHAT?!” Ochao finally exclaimed, stunned.
“WAIT, LET ME EXPLAIN!” Mizuki exclaimed, waving her hands nervously as she stepped in front of Toshinori.
Ochao let out a long sigh. “That’s a lot to take in,” he remarked, running a hand through his hair.
Both Mizuki and Toshinori explained the situation to them, whilst Toshinori lifted his shirt to show his wound, which sent a shiver down Ochao’s spine. He began to tell him the whole story and also recounted what he’d said to Mizuki on the rooftop to which Mizuki immediately replied that he already knew whilst Toshinori paused to look at Ochao, who was staring at him in exactly the same way as he looked at the two heroes who had told the green-haired girl off.
“Sorry for lying to you, Occhan,” Mizuki apologised to Ochao, who turned to look at her.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, shaking his head with a smile. “I don’t mind that you kept it from me, and I understand why you did it, since she asked you not to tell them.”
Toshinori stared at the two of them; to be honest, he’d been hoping the green-haired girl would be alone so he could speak to her after witnessing what she’d done and make a proposal, but he’d never imagined she’d be with the boy. To be honest, ever since he’d seen the boy, he’d found him somewhat familiar, as if his face reminded him of someone he’d been told about before. But at the same time, it caught his attention when he saw him step in to help the green-haired girl and defend her from Kamui Woods and Death Arms’ scolding, even though he could get himself into trouble.
As he continued to watch them, his mind began to wander, and instead of seeing the green-haired girl nervously apologising over and over, he began to see a muscular woman with dark, straight hair. Whilst, instead of seeing the chestnut boy reassuring the green-haired girl who kept apologising, he began to see a muscular man with light grey hair.
“Perhaps,” thought Toshinori before clearing his throat loudly enough to catch the attention of the two youngsters. “Right, now that I’ve got everyone’s attention, the reason I came here is to thank the young lady, er…
“Oh,” exclaimed Mizuki, remembering that she’d never told the fair-haired lad her name. “Mizuki, Mizuki Midoriya.
“To young Midoriya, and also to answer your question from earlier,” he said, causing Mizuki to blink, surprised and confused.
“If they hadn’t told me about your life… if I hadn’t dragged you into that fight…” he said before turning to Ochao, who was still eyeing him suspiciously. “I should thank you too, young man…”
“Ochao Uraraka,” replied Ochao
“Young Ochao, if I hadn’t used your Quirk against that villain, I would have been a useless bystander watching from the crowd. So thank you both.”
“Oh, no,” Mizuki shuddered, alarmed. “It was my fault for being there. I got in the way of your hard work. I wasted your energy. And… Occhan was just trying to stop me, and I didn’t listen to him…”
“The truth is, I was also partly to blame for this,” said Ochao, stepping in. “If I’d protected you on that rooftop with my Quirk at that moment, perhaps that problem could have been avoided.” He finished by recalling when the mud villain first attacked them and he’d been unable to save Mizuki with his Quirk; she might have died if All Might hadn’t arrived.
Mizuki was about to say something, but Toshinori cleared his throat, interrupting them.
“I’m not finished,” he said, capturing both their attention. “You told me you didn’t have any powers. So when I saw this shy, Quirkless girl trying to save a life and a boy using his powers to come to her aid… it inspired me to act, too.”
Mizuki gasped as she continued to stare at him, while Ochao’s heart skipped a beat he realized that the same thing had happened to him when he saw Mizuki rush into danger to rescue Bakugo.
“There are stories about every hero. About how they became great. Most of them have something in common.”
Mizuki ran toward Bakugo, and Ochao used his Quirk to protect Mizuki and help her as well.
“Their bodies moved before they could even think. Almost on their own.”
Mizuki gasped softly, her eyes shining. Cherry blossom petals began to fall around her. The girl’s eyes sparkled as she lowered her head, breathing in the scent.
“And that’s what happened, young Midoriya,” said Toshinori before turning to Ochao. “And you, young Uraraka. Despite the danger, you rushed to help and even faced off against two professional heroes for your friend without a moment’s hesitation, which makes you just as heroic for one very simple reason: heroes don’t just protect people they also look out for one another.”
Ochao turned to him with a look of astonishment. The two guys were speechless at what was happening now.
For some reason, I remembered my mother’s words from back then.
“I’m sorry, Mizuki. I wish things were different.”
She pressed her hand to her heart as she cried, but this time they were tears of joy as Ochao embraced her to comfort her.
"That's why, even if you say you can't be a Quirkless heroine, I can tell both of you with pride..."
Mizuki’s tears began to fall as she closed her eyes tightly and trembled as she sank to the ground.
You never told me that, Mom. Back then… what I wanted you to tell me… the words I needed to hear.
She knelt on the ground while Ochao knelt in front of her; the wind whipped through Toshinori’s hair as he stared intently at her.
"You, too, can be heroes."
Mizuki continued to clutch her chest. With a soft moan, she burst into tears of joy at the first acknowledgment she had ever received. Ochao leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, causing Mizuki to cling to him as she cried on his shoulder. Ochao looked at her with a smile, a few tears of happiness welling up in his own eyes as he watched his friend finally be recognized as a heroine. Toshinori stood there, letting her let it all out.
Dreams can come true. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that this is the story of how Ochao and I became the greatest heroes in the world.