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"All right students," Aizawa said. He was balled up in his sleeping bag on the grass in front of U.A's dormitory. Uraraka was surprised he would let his treasured sleeping bag get dirty. It must've been a hard day. "Drills. You know them, I love them, because it means I don't have to babysit you chaotic kids for a few hours."
Groans were heard from the group of students on the dorm's stairs. The entire class had been gathered outside at this unholy hour of 3:00 AM.
"I didn't ask for this, so don't blame me. Nezu wants busy work, here it is. One by one, you'll go on patrol routes through the city. It's the same course every time. You'll each be given an impromptu weapon outside of your comfort zone to patrol with. This will help with your.. openness to new things? Maybe dexterity? Or weapons training? I didn't have time to plan this."
Iida stuck his hand up sharply. "Aizawa-sensei?"
"Yes?"
"Are we going one at a time without our weapons of choice to simulate an ambush?"
"..Yes, that's what I meant to say," Aizawa said.
"Excellect!" Iida chopped through the air with his hand. "I volunteer to go first after my final question."
"Okay."
"Is that an okay to my request to go first or my question?"
"Question."
Iida nodded. "Are there going to be heroes waiting along the course to simulate a fight?"
"Yes, they've agreed to spend their entire day, the next twenty hours, tormenting you. I'm one of them. I've printed out the order in which you're to go. Next one leaves when the last one arrives." Aizawa yanked his hand free from the sleeping bag, a stack of papers clutched in it. "Pass them around."
"Okay!" Midoriya ran forward and accepted the papers. He began passing them out to the sleepy students. Aizawa wouldn't be surprised if none of them remembered this conversation in a few hour's time. Bakugo was yet to cuss or start a single argument as he stood there, eyes closed. Was he asleep?
"Problem Child Number 1.5!"
"Yeah?" Midoriya asked. At the same time, Bakugo was opening his eyes and glaring at the teacher.
"Me or Deku?" He shouted. "You can't give us the same damn name!"
"Glad you're awake. You're listed from most problematic to least. You two are tied for first," Aizawa said. He fought back a yawn. Perhaps there was some coffee at his waiting point. "Everyone see their papers? It starts at four. Problem Child Number 3, you're up first."
Todoroki nodded. "I've seen the paper. I understand."
"And Problem Child 16, you're last!"
"Oh, okay!" Uraraka said. She felt surprisingly chipper this very early morning. Guess Bakugo was right about going to bed early. It really did help. Well, maybe not help him, but Uraraka wasn't exactly surprised by that. Or perhaps she just hadn't seen a sleep-deprived Bakugo yet.
Aizawa ditched his sleeping bag with a sigh. "Oh, and the route is on the bulletin board inside. Not completing your route will be seen as a failing grade. Maybe I'll expel you, maybe I won't. Haven't decided yet. Use your time wisely."
Before Aizawa could even turn around and begin heading to U.A's main gate, most of the class was already back inside.
- - - - -
Most of the students took one look at the simple route and left to go back to their rooms. Todoroki and Asui stayed out in the lounge, having the first two slots.
"I should go now," Todoroki said. He stood up and headed for the gate. Uraraka, having the most time, figured a nap could come later.
"Hey Tsu!" she said.
"Hey, kero," Tsu greeted. "Not going back to bed?"
"I'll keep you company until you leave. I've got all day," Uraraka said.
"Yeah, you get to go last! Lucky!" Tsu bit back a yawn. "It's still cold outside too.."
"Bring a jacket?"
"I was going to bring one. And a thermos too.."
Uraraka smiled. "Probably for the best. It'll be pitch black when I finally get my turn. I'll have to bring a flashlight."
"I might have to bring one too. The sun doesn't start coming up till 5 this time of the year," Tsu said.
An hour passed and Todoroki returned to the dormitory, a long piece of steel piping clutched in his hand.
"Asui, it's your turn," He said.
"Alright, kero. Wish me luck, Ochako," Tsu said with a smile.
"You'll do fine without it. It's just practice."
Once Asui left, Uraraka decided a nap on the couch was in order so she could monitor everyone's progress. A bleary-eyed Tokoyami startled her as he wandered in and plopped onto the couch at 4:45.
"Sorry," came his raspy voice. He cleared it. "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's fine. I hadn't even fallen asleep yet." Uraraka waved her hand dismissively. "I wanted to see how everyone was doing anyway! You know the route?"
He scratched the back of his head. "Maybe? I'll take another look now. Thanks."
Asui walked in at 4:58 with a sledgehammer in hand. "Tokoyami?"
"Here," he said. Dark Shadow was waiting beside him, bobbing around with excitement. "Let's go."
"How'd it go Tsu?" Uraraka asked.
"Walked, fought, won, sleep time now," She said as she trotted past Uraraka and down the hall to her room. Were they allowed to keep the weapons? Todoroki and Asui did at least.
Jiro stumbled down the hall grumbling, her eyes still closed, at 5:50.
"Hey Kyoka," Uraraka said. She sat up and stretched on the couch. Falling back asleep wasn't going well. Uraraka doubted she'd get a nap today. Maybe it was nerves?
"Hey."
"Tired?"
"Wide awake," Jiro mumbled.
"You're about to walk into a wall," Uraraka said. She laughed when Jiro opened her eyes long enough to avoid it before closing them again. "Do you know the route?"
"Yes, mother," Jiro hissed.
"Okay, okay, easy sleepy-head," Uraraka said. "Good luc-" She stopped when Tokoyami walked in. Dark Shadow had a broadsword clutched between its jaws.
"Jiro," Tokoyami said blankly.
"Dope," she said. "Can we keep the cool stuff?"
Tokoyami nodded. "Aizawa-sensei said we could. They're apparently all from the Lost and Found."
When Jiro came back armed with a single shuriken, she wasn't as excited anymore.
Bakugo with nunchucks was a.. choice.
Midoriya coming back with a claymore mine seemed to indicate the variety. He looked terrified of it. Uraraka wondered how many he'd started with.
Shinso dropped a spiked bat by the door when he came back in, seeming not to want it. Jiro claimed it as a consolation prize.
Momo was surprisingly good at weaponizing the trumpet she returned with. Uraraka only blinked.
Kirishima having a giant shield was thematically fitting. So was him talking about how manly it felt to smack people with it.
Mina had been given a thin metal wire, apparently used to strangle people. She said she couldn't make use of it in the fight, but that she suddenly wished Mineta hadn't been expelled. Interesting.
Sero had tape wrapped around his hands, and Uraraka was unsure if it was the product of his own quirk or not. He showed her the brass knuckles in his pocket, explained that they were hurting his hands so he was swinging them on the ends of his tape.
Iida was next to walk through the door, sporting a mace. Uraraka was thoroughly amused by the idea of him running around like Sonic with a mace.
Hagakure walked in with an armful of grenades, though she was quick to elaborate that they were only flashbangs.
Aoyama coming back with only a half-empty container of glitter said two things about him: One, his ability to weaponize glitter and win. Two, his ability to get none on his clothes, save for his already glittered cape.
Ojiro looked distressed as he ran back inside, a horseshoe in his hand.
Shoji, on the other hand, was perfectly comfortable with the tear-gas he was given. Uraraka wondered how he kept it from hurting his own eyes, especially with so many of them.
Koda carried a club back into the dormitory, looking far more confident (and intimidating) while doing so.
Whoever armed Sato with a whisk was simultaneously a genius and the downfall of the teachers. He sure knew how to use that thing. He seemed happy with adding it to his collection afterwards though.
"Where's Denki?" Uraraka asked as the clock hit 11:00. "Shouldn't he be back now?"
"The fight must be taking longer. They give you the weapon at the gate, but that doesn't mean you're used to it by the time the fight starts," Tsu said. "Don't worry about it."
It wasn't until 11:45 that Denki came staggering through the door, boxing gloves on his hands. "Sorry, Ochako, I.." He blinked once. Twice. "Used my quirk a little extra. Whoops."
"It's alright," Uraraka said. "I'm going now."
"Wait." Kaminari turned to her. He squinted. "They told me to tell you something.. I think it was to hurry up and go before it's time?"
"Time for what?" Uraraka asked.
"Maybe for them to leave? I remember the hurry up and go part cause they kept telling that to me while I was getting my brain back in gear. You should probably go!"
"Yeah!" Uraraka said, running off. "Thanks, Denki!"
When Uraraka got to the gate, continuing to jog in place, she noticed Recovery Girl at the weapons stand.
"Uraraka," she said. "You're a bit late because of that electric boy, aren't you?"
"Yeah! They told him to tell me to hurry up and get out there," Uraraka said.
"Alright, I'll get you set up with a little something here. Hmm.." She ducked down under the desk and rifled through a box of weapons. Uraraka saw a rubber chicken in there and hoped she'd get something good. Or at least a weapon. She'd take anything that did more physical than emotional harm, honestly. "Ah-ha! Perfect."
Recovery Girl dropped a kitchen knife on the table. A sheath that could clip onto her waist was sat beside it.
"Thanks!" Uraraka said as she snatched the two items. She clipped it on and sheathed the knife as she ran. It looked oddly familiar.
After taking the entire time spent waiting for Kaminari to arrive to study the route, Uraraka was confident in her ability to run it. Fifteen minutes into her not-very-leisurely excursion, she was surprised to not encounter any heroes yet.
The heroes back at the dorms were a bit surprised not to see her either.
"Problem Child Number 6, didn't I tell you to tell her to stay here?" Aizawa asked Kaminari.
"You said hurry up and go!"
"I was telling you to hurry up and get back here, so you could tell Uraraka to stay here."
"Oh, well, uh," Kaminari said. "I told her to leave like fifteen minutes ago."
"Well, she'll be back when she completes the route. It'll only be an hour. Maybe more if she thinks we're still there and plays it cautiously," Aizawa said. "I'll stay up and make sure she gets back safely. If she isn't back by 2:00, I'll head out. The rest of you, go to sleep. It's been a long day."
- - - - -
"Where'd they go?" Uraraka asked herself as she walked through the alley. She should be about half-way through the route by now. Were they all hidden at the end, or was something wrong? Peering down the alley, Uraraka noticed a shadow move in front of her. The person casting it, however, had to be behind her. Guess there wasn't anything wrong, just a sneak attack!
"Hey 'Chako!"
Uraraka spun around quickly, glaring in the lamplight from the street. The light came from behind.. her.. blotting out her vision more than the darkness alone would.
"What did you do?"
"What? I've just been watching your silly games all day! The heroes all went back already! I was so sad that I wouldn't get to see you, but it seems like you came out here for me!" Toga cheered.
"I didn't. I thought they were still out here," Uraraka admitted. Damn it, Denki.
"Nope! They left a little bit ago," Toga said. She gasped. "We could fight! I saw them all fighting! I could help!" Uraraka could hear her grin.
"No way, just," Uraraka paused, trying to remember the classes about talking down villains. "I'd rather talk?"
"Oh, okay! Yeah! We can do that!" Toga drew closer. Uraraka backed up.
"Sorry, I need to go right now. I meant later!"
Uraraka couldn't make out the expression Toga wore in the dim light. She hoped it was a good one though.
"If you don't have time to stay and talk, why shouldn't I just keep you here with a fight?" Toga asked after a moment. Before Uraraka could think up an answer, Toga charged at her, knife swinging wildly. Uraraka pulled her own from her belt, albeit clumsily, and was able to block a single swing before it was dislodged from her hand.
"What was that?" Toga asked. It seemed like she couldn't see all too well in the dark of the alleyway either. Uraraka didn't answer, instead ducking another swing and diving over towards where the knife flew. It was probably better to be armed in this situation, and maybe if Toga didn't know what she had, she'd back off some.
Uraraka scooped up the knife, held it tightly, and stood at the ready. When Toga came back around, slashing dangerously close to her vital organs, Uraraka was ready. As ready as one inexperienced fighter could be. Luckily, Gunhead Martial Arts were like second nature to her, and she knew how to disarm better than attack with a knife.
She grabbed Toga's wrist with her free hand, used her own momentum to spin her arm behind her back and make her drop the knife.
"Ow!" Toga hissed. "That's mean! I was only playing around!"
She kicked backwards at Uraraka, landing a blow to the shin hard enough to make Uraraka wince. Her grip loosened the slightest bit and Toga sprung free, scampering for her knife. Before she could get it, Uraraka tackled her down, knife still in hand, and successfully pinned her.
"Gotcha!" Uraraka said. She had a knee planted on either side of Toga's waist, her free hand pushing the blonde's shoulder down. Uraraka let the knife in her hand rest at Toga's throat as she removed her hand from her shoulder. "Don't move."
What was she supposed to do now? Did she remember to bring her phone? No.. No radio either. Would they come on patrol if they were waiting for her at the dorm? Was Toga even telling the truth about-
Her train of thought was derailed by Toga.
"Wait, is that a knife?" Toga asked. Uraraka was close enough to see the smirk on her face. "Are you flirting with me, 'Chako?"
"Uh, what?" Uraraka could feel the blush crawling up her face. "No way! I mean, not like you're not pretty, but-"
"You think I'm pretty?" Toga asked. She put her hand on Uraraka's, guided the knife backwards as she sat up. "I think you're really cute! And you're such a good fighter! I didn't even think you'd be out here tonight, but now you're out here just to flirt with me!"
"I, uh." Uraraka was hyper aware of how close they were now, though she was off-put by the way she didn't exactly mind. "Hey, no getting out of this!" She pushed Toga back down, held the knife close to her throat again.
"Pushy, okay," Toga shrugged it off. After a moment, Toga reached up, adjusted Uraraka's hand on the knife. "It's better to hold it like this. Gives you more mobility with your swings!"
Uraraka blinked. "Thanks?"
"You're welcome!"
"..I don't know how long it's going to be until the pros get here and take you away, but I'm not letting you leave until then," Uraraka said.
"Awww, that's cute," Toga reached up to brush her thumb under Uraraka's eye. "I like you too!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Uraraka asked. Her brow was furrowed, and she was actively pretending she was a functioning hero who was not very close to helping the villain underneath her up and asking her to dinner sometime.
"Huh? It means I like you! You know, like I love you! I think you're really pretty and funny and a good fighter! I already said most of that stuff!"
"Why are you still trying to talk your way out of this? I'm not letting you go!"
Toga blinked. "I'm letting you keep me here. I don't need to talk my way out of anything. I was just being honest because you were flirting with me!"
Uraraka's blood ran cold. "What do you mea-"
Toga grabbed her hand, bent her wrist in a way that made Uraraka hiss in pain and draw it back towards her. Toga now clutched the knife. She held it up to the moonlight and examined the edge. "Could be sharper. Looks like no one cares about this one. That's not very cute!"
She pushed herself up again, so they were sitting face to face. Uraraka wasn't sure if she should be backing up and running away, or staying there and hoping she was still in Toga's good graces. Whether she was or not, the lap of one of Japan's most wanted criminals was not where she expected her night to take her.
Toga handed the knife back with a smile. "See? And you could've done more too! Like knock me out or use those funny little grapply things in your hero suit to tie me up, but you didn't! So you don't wanna fight, right?" Toga asked.
Uraraka wasn't sure what to say to her, so she planned on saying nothing. Her mouth seemed to have other plans. "Uh, no. I guess not. You ran at me though! I was just walking through!"
"I was bored," Toga said.
"And that's why you accused me of flirting with you too?"
"No, I did that because you were!"
"I had a knife to your throat? We were fighting!"
"And what's more romantic than that?" Toga asked. "Besides, if fighting and flirting were really different, they'd be spelled really different, 'Chako!"
"That's not at all how it works!"
"I think it is! Would you rather be fighting or flirting?"
"Or," Uraraka tried, because she didn't trust herself to make the proper decision there.
Toga giggled. "Nope! Flirt, Fight! If you think they're different then you get to pick one or the other!"
"Y'know the pros will be here soon."
"That's okay! I'll take a hostage!" Toga smiled at her.
Uraraka paled. "Wouldn't you prefer not having to deal with them?"
"Yeah, I guess that'd be nice. It's up to you to decide!"
Uraraka very, very briefly weighed her options before dropping the knife to her side and leaning in to rest her chin on Toga's shoulder. "I've been awake since 3:00 AM," Uraraka said. "Not in the best fighting shape."
"Why's that?" Toga wrapped her arms around Uraraka, letting the latter cuddle into her.
"Training. I would've been back at the dorms by now if it were a normal training day, but Denki got his wires crossed and told me to run the course when I wasn't supposed to, apparently."
Toga hummed. "I saw most of it! I showed up around noon. It started at three?"
"Four. But Aizawa-sensei woke us up at three," Uraraka yawned.
"Adrenaline wearing off or something?"
"You're comfy," Uraraka admitted after a moment. Toga hugged her tighter.
"Then sleep!"
Uraraka pulled away. "I gotta get back."
"After you rest some so you don't pass out on the way back! It's getting cold and you'd get sick being out here for too long!" Toga said.
"You will too."
"Nope! I'm warm! Can't you tell?"
Uraraka sighed. "Yeah, I can tell." She swallowed hard, slowly moved to wrap her arms around Toga. She felt her eyes get heavy, and thought that maybe she could close them for a moment.
- - - - -
"Uraraka?"
A loud series of pouding knocks on her door.
"Uraraka?"
"Yeah?" She called.
"Ugh, thank the gods above," Aizawa sighed. He slurped a long sip of coffee. "You're Problem Child Number 1 for now. At least the others didn't have me searching all night for them! Open the door!"
Uraraka pulled herself from the covers, tossed open the door.
"What time did you get back and why didn't you tell anyone?" Aizawa asked.
Uraraka blinked. "I got back.. around 1:30 and I was really tired so I just came and laid down. I thought someone would've seen me come through?"
Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course you come back when I'm on my coffee break and no one tells me. As long as you're safe I guess it doesn't matter. But damn if it wasn't terrible. Goodnight."
"Goodnight?"
Uraraka promptly shut the door and turned around. How the hell did she get back here again? She walked past her mirror, turned and stopped.
Was she.. Was that.. Uraraka blinked. Why did she have Toga's jacket on?
Uraraka yanked it off, thought about asking Todoroki to burn it, then neatly folded it and put it in her dresser. It'd be a waste of a jacket, really! She silently swore to never wear it around anyone who could recognize the design, and was incredibly glad that Aizawa was too tired to put two and two together. Now, wearing it while she slept in the comfort of her own dorm? That was still on the table.
Speaking of table... Uraraka furrowed her brow. There was a note placed on her desk, right towards the edge where she could see it. The knife she'd been using was placed beside it along with its case and some kind of rock. She hadn't noticed that the sheath had been missing from her waist at this point, and wondered if it had fallen off. Or rather, if Toga had something to do with that too.
She picked up the note, read through it.
Dear Ochako!
You were sleeping and it was soooo cute! I didn't wanna wake you up so I carried you back to U.A. and snuck in so no one would know! You were cold though so I left my jacket when I dropped you off! I hope you like it! It's my favorite! Oh and I brought your knife too! And I took the sheath off your belt so it didn't get dented or make you uncomfy! Oh and I was bored and didn't wanna leave so I sharpened your knife for you! I left the wetstone on the desk with the steps on the back of the paper!
Hope you sleep well, Ochako!
Love, Himiko <3
Well, that was something to wake up to. Uraraka picked up the rock in her free hand, turned over the paper. She was pretty sure it was called whetstone, but whatever, the rest seemed accurate. As far as she knew, at least. Down at the bottom of the instructions page was a phone number, underneath it said:
"Dinner? Or lunch. Or a movie! I just wanna go on a date with you!
Oh.
Oh, uhm.
Uraraka might've ran across her room to grab her phone and type in the number. She might've maybe instantly texted Toga, thanking her for bringing her home. She might've maybe also panicked and said yes when Toga asked her if they could talk on the phone.
And maybe she wasn't as freaked out as she should've been when a few minutes into their conversation, she happened to pace in front of her mirror and notice a red mark on the side of her neck. One with two very distinct fang marks.
"Toga."
"Himiko!" Toga's voice came through the phone.
"Okay, Himiko, was there anything else you might've forgotten to put in your letter?" Uraraka ran a finger over the mark. She was surprised to find that it hardly hurt.
"Hmmm.. Oh! I meant to say goodnight!" Uraraka could hear the mischief in her tone as it seeped through the speaker.
"Seriously, I'm not mad or anything," Uraraka said. "Though I should probably be."
"It was only a little!" Toga said. "I was hungry!"
"I figured," Uraraka said. "Uhm, so, about that date you suggested in your note.."