Chapter Text
Himiko Toga was a troubled child. That’s what her parents always said. Himiko knew it was true. She knew it was true when she drank the blood of that bird, and the way her parents slapped it away from her. It wasn’t her fault though. That was what she did to the things and people she loved. She didn’t know any other way to love people.
She thought that no one would ever understand her. And no one did, not until Ochako Uraraka. It had been a nice sunny day when she first met her. Her parents had sent her to the park, she’d gotten in trouble for smiling yet again.
Ochako immediately went up to her. Maybe it was because the only other child at the park left early. Maybe it was because Ochako couldn’t stand to see her alone, but whatever it had been the two had become inseparable.
She had complimented her smile. Ochako had complimented her smile when they’d been young, she’d been the only one to say it was beautiful. Ochako even let her drink her blood, something no one else did. The only one to say that she was a kind girl, when everyone else in her life thought she was a monster. And it stuck with her.
The two never went to the same schools but they always met up after school. They would always talk. Their bond was something that no one could truly understand. Not even they themselves could explain what exactly they had.
Once they hit middle school, it had been a struggle for Himiko to realize what she wanted to do with her life. The stress of it had gotten to the point where she’d been forced to repeat her first year of middle school.
It was frustrating because Ochako had decided as a young girl to be a hero, but it was different for Himiko. She could’ve never been a hero, not with the quirk she had. That was what she’d always thought.
It wasn’t until she’d gotten caught between a fight when she was twelve. She’d been crushed under parts of a building. She’d been saved by a hero. A hero who had a destructive quirk, one that could decay anything he touched.
She remembered her conversation with him after. She remembered asking how he became a hero with a quirk like that. He had told her that anyone with any kind of quirk could become a hero.
Which led her to today. Currently she was in front of UA she was going to become a hero. Despite what her parents said, despite what her siblings said, despite what everyone said. She was going to be a hero.
“Himiko?”
Himiko jumped and turned to see Ochako standing behind her.
“Whoops! Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you. Are you okay?”
Himiko nodded, “Yeah, I guess I’m a little nervous is all.”
Ochako smiled, “You’re gonna do great. We’ll both become heroes.”
Himiko smiled, “I hope so.”
As the two girls walked, it was then that a boy with green hair tripped and fell.
Ochako touched him, causing him to float, before putting him back on the ground.
“You okay?”
The green haired boy nodded, his face extremely red.
“Yep! Jeez I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to trip and fall like that!”
He kept muttering and speaking, which Himiko couldn’t help but find adorable.
Ochako grinned, “Hey don’t worry about it! Let’s do our best on the exams alright?”
The green haired boy nodded, “Yep, see you!”
Ochako grinned, “Wasn’t that boy kind of cute?”
Himiko smiled, “Sure but not as cute as you!”
Ochako laughed, “Himiko, stop teasing me!”
Himiko’s smile grew, no matter how many times she’d heard it Ochako’s laugh was always lovely.
•••
“What’s up UA candidates! Thanks for tuning in to me, your school DJ. Come on and let me hear ya!”
Himiko covered her ears as she heard the man with the bright yellow hair scream out to the crowd. And it seemed she wasn’t the only one who wasn’t too pleased because no one responded to him.
The man looked disappointed with that, “Keeping it mellow huh? Well fine, we’ll skip to the main part of the show.”
He paused before yelling into the mic again, “Let’s talk about how this practical exam is gonna go down! Are you ready?”
There was a loud yeah that came from the crowd. Meanwhile Himiko was confused about who this man exactly was. She didn’t pay attention to many heroes, except for two.
“That’s Present Mic, he’s known as the Voice Hero,” Ochako whispered to her.
Himiko paid close attention to what Present Mic was saying. A ten minute mock battle with three different types of robots, that acted as villains. This wasn’t great for Himiko at all. Her quirk wouldn’t be able to do something to get rid of all the robots in the arena.
She’d have to rely on the acrobatics and climbing classes she’d taken as a child. Maybe she’d be able to get up to where the wires were and cut them. Making them shut down. She began to bite her wrist, a stress reliever for her.
“Excuse me sir! I have a question.”
Himiko and Ochako looked down to see a boy with blue hair stand up.
The Voice Hero grinned, “Hit me!”
The blue haired boy spoke in a serious tone, “On the printout, you've listed four types of villains. Not three. With all respect, if this is an error on official UA materials, it is shameful. We are exemplary students. We expect the best from Japan's most notable school. A mistake such as this won't do.”
Himiko exchanged a look with Ochako. The both of them seemed to think the same thing. The guy speaking was annoying.
He turned around and pointed at someone, “And you with the unkempt hair! You’ve been muttering this entire time. Stop it, if you aren’t gonna take this seriously then leave. You’re distracting everyone else here.”
There was loud laughter amongst everyone in the room. Himiko could only role her eyes, no way in hell would she ever drink that guy’s blood, she knew he had a stick up his ass.
Present Mic spoke again, “Alright, settle down. Examinee number uh… 7-1-1-1 thanks for calling in with your request. The fourth type of villain doesn’t give you any points. That’s just an obstacle for the other bots. There’s one in every battle area. Think of it as a hurdle to avoid. It’s not like it can’t be defeated, but there’s really no point in it. Listeners I recommend ignoring it. Anyways that’s all I got for you today! Good luck!”
•••
Himiko and Ochako stood waiting for the gates to open.
Himiko bit her wrist, “This is so nerve wracking.”
Ochako placed a hand on her shoulder, “Himiko, do you need some blood?”
Himiko shook her head, “I’ll be fine.”
Ochako frowned, “Okay, be careful. I’m gonna go ahead a bit, okay?”
Himiko nodded, “Yeah, okay…”
Himiko thought of what her parents said to her about becoming a hero.
“A hero? With your quirk? Himiko, that's just not possible. Not with a quirk like yours. The only life you could possibly live is a normal one.”
She took a deep breath biting down on her wrist again, “I’ll prove them wrong. I know I will.”
The buzzer went off and everyone ran forward.
Himiko ran ahead into the arena, there were plenty of robots around. She jumped on one of their legs and began to climb it. She eventually got to the top, and busted open it’s panel, and began to pull at the wires.
She didn’t get a warning when the thing collapsed, it just began to fall.
“Oh shit.”
She quickly jumped off of it once it was close enough to the ground, and rolled a few times. She got up, ignoring her injuries.
She immediately went on to the next bot. She went from bot to bot.
“Come on, come on. I gotta prove them wrong.”
One of the other bots she was on fell and she was thrown off, unexpectedly. She sat up, rubbing her head.
“Oh, god, that hurts.”
She got up, while biting her wrist, only for a tiny vile to fall from her pocket. She caught it just in time.
She squinted, staring at the tiny vile. A deep crimson liquid was in it.
“What the hell?”
She dug in her pocket to feel a piece of paper.
Himiko here’s some blood to help with the stress. Please stop biting your wrist for the exam and use this to help.
-Ochako
Himiko stared down at it, “She must’ve slipped it in my pocket before the exam started.”
She held the vial to her chest, “She’s so caring. Thank you Ochako.”
She opened it and drank the tiny amount of blood. It was sweet, just like Ochako.
She stood back up, “I gotta finish this. I have to pass. Not just to prove them wrong, but so I can become a hero with Ochako.”
•••
Himiko was walking home with Ochako.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Ochako let out a sigh, “Himiko, I promise I’m okay. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for that boy, I would’ve been hurt pretty bad.”
Himiko kicked the rocks on the ground, “Ochako, are you sure you don’t regret giving that boy some of your points?”
Ochako turned, “Oh, I didn’t give him any.”
Himiko stared at her for a few moments, “Wait what? But I thought you wanted to give him some of your points.”
Ochako nodded, “I did, but he passed.”
Himiko grinned, “Really?! That’s great! Did they tell you if you passed?”
Ochako shook her head, “Nah, I still have to wait for my letter.”
Himiko scoffed, “Ugh, boring. They should’ve just told you then and there.”
Ochako smiled, “Aw, Himiko it’s fine, besides waiting is all part of the surprise.”
Himiko shrugged, “Whatever you say. Oh, and thanks for the blood today.”
Ochako took her hand, “Of course Himiko, what are friends for?”
Himiko squeezed her hand, “Yeah, you really are amazing Ochako.”
Ochako laughed, “Oh stop Himiko you’re gonna make me blush! Oh, well looks like we have to split here. See you tomorrow!”
Himiko waved, “Yeah, see you!”
When Himiko opened the door to her home, she found her mother and father sitting on the couch.
Her father turned to her, “Himiko, how did that little exam go? I assume you failed. That’s what you do most of the time.”
Himiko gritted her teeth, “I did fine, father. I am unsure if I have passed or not though, I won’t know until the letter comes in.”
Her father turned away from her, “Hmph, don’t get your hopes up Himiko. With a quirk like yours there’s no way you’ll become a hero.”
Himiko didn’t say anything instead running upstairs to her room. She shut the door behind her and collapsed on her bed. She hated him. She hated her parents, she hated her siblings, she hated the world. Why did it give her a power like this? Why did the world insist on giving her something that everyone around her considered a curse?
She looked up to see a picture of her and Ochako standing together, they were both making a heart in the picture. She sat up and grabbed it. She looked down at it.
“No, not everyone. Not you, you don’t consider me as a monster or demon. You’re the only one who truly understands and sees me as human, Ochako.”
She placed the picture back down on the nightstand and laid back down on her bed. That night she dreamed of a world where not only Ochako accepted her, but the entire world.
•••
“Himiko, here’s your letter from UA and stop smiling like that. God all we wanted was a normal first born. Is that so much to ask?”
Himiko took the letter from her father, sticking her tongue out at him as he turned his back on her.
She shut the door, and jumped on her bed, she ripped the letter open, and a recording of All Might began to play.
Her eyes lit up, “All Might?”
All Might was one of her favorite heroes. He was her second favorite.
“Himiko Toga! I am here to congratulate you on passing both exams for UA meaning you are officially a part of the hero academia. Congratulations young Toga, I’m sure you will grow to be a great hero!”
The recording ended, and she sat there in silence, before smiling.
She jumped up, her smile big, “I’m gonna be a hero!”