Ch. 11: Uraraka Ochako, the Witch
Golden Demon flew towards Rias alarmingly fast, swinging the blade as it made its charge. Barely managing to avoid the slash, Rias decided to fire point-blank at the Port Mafia Executive's avatar. Bolts of Power of Destruction swarmed around her. "Take this!" Shooting the bolts at the avatar, Rias managed to force it back.
However, its master appeared behind her, blade drawn. Rias barely had the time to react, forming a defensive barrier to protect herself as Kouyou brought her katana down.
"Leave my friend alone!" Sona's scream got the executive's attention. When she turned around, her eyes widened in shock as she was greeted by a giant serpent made entirely out of water that hit her straight on, swallowing her in its mouth.
Immediately, the serpent began shaking, and a large bump formed in its stomach area, growing quickly with each passing second. Small holes formed in the water, golden lights erupting from them. Like a plastic balloon that was filled with far too much air, the serpent exploded, water scattering everywhere. As the violent sudden rain subdued, a lone figure was sitting where the serpent was, soaking wet, her hair was now down and messy, and an annoyed expression was present on her face.
Behind her stood Golden Demon sheathing its blade. "Trying to drown me? Had it been anyone else it may have worked." The sound of thunder then caught Kouyou's attention.
In the sky, clouds began to darken, thunder roaring across the heavens as Kudelia smiled. "Storm manipulation." Lightning, wind, and water surged through Kudelia's hands as she sent the elements coursing down toward Kouyou. Golden Demon did its best to block the attack, but some of it still managed to reach Kouyou. She grunted in pain as Kudelia twirled around and swept her up in a vortex before slapping her palms together, launching Kouyou back the way he came, sending her tumbling along the ground. Golden Demon had wrapped itself around Kouyou, who only received some torn clothes and a few bloody scratches.
The older woman smirked as if she was enjoying the fight. Spreading her wings, Kudelia and the other pure-bloods took to the air, sparks of electricity appearing in Kudelia's hands. Kouyou's eyes widened, realizing what they were up to. "Unholy Thunderbolt!" Kudelia shouted. A powerful bolt of black lightning fired from her hands.
Kouyou made no effort to dodge the attack, however. Instead, Golden Demon appeared before Kouyou, taking the direct hit of the blast. The lightning struck the avatar, black electricity sparking all over the rooftop of the battle due to the water. Kouyou had managed to jump onto the Demon's back, the avatar acting as a makeshift insulator.
Once Kudelia's attack ended, the Demon vanished, and Kouyou fell to the ground as the devils landed. "Had enough?" Kudelia asked.
"As much as I would like to continue this little ballad, I'm afraid we don't have the time." Kouyou turned, and the sound of the police force's patrol cars and whistles came closer. It seems like they received a report on the fighting. "Be warned girls: you may be heiresses to influential devil clans, but neither that nor the heroes will save you if you cross the Port Mafia again."
Kouyou turned and began to walk away, rain beginning to fall. Rias and the others watched the women leave with contempt. "That was harder than I expected," Kudelia huffed.
"The Port Mafia…" Sona said. "I've heard about them, and it looks like they're no different from what the rumors… No, they're more than the rumors made them to be."
"Indeed," Rias nodded. "Let's get going. Izu-kun and the others might be in trouble."
The knight leaped into the air, swinging his sword of light downward. Yuuto disappeared from sight, appearing behind the knight. Creating a demon sword, Yuuto charged at the knight, only for its shield to block his hit. "Holy Eraser!" The dark blade immediately began to weaken the knight's shield. But the knight simply delivered a kick to Yuuto's gut.
Yuuto gagged, dropping to the ground. "The ability to create any sword you can imagine? Interesting…" the knight noted.
"You forget about us, tin can?" Saji smiled confidently, a small black gauntlet that resembled a chameleon with a deformed face manifesting on his left hand. Pointing the gauntlet at the knight, the chameleon's mouth launched a blue line. The knight didn't have enough time to react as the line wrapped around its leg and latched on tightly.
"And now, Absorption Line!" At Saji's command, the line glowed.
The knight's armor began beeping as the shield began to flicker, warning its wearer that the power was being drained. Strangely, the knight seemed calm. "Intriguing…"
"This is your chance guys, get him!"
Looking up, the knight saw Koneko falling towards him, looking ready to deliver a hard kick.
Nearby, Alexandra fought against Brandon, her rapier clashing with his gun blade. Suddenly, Brandon's gun began dismantling itself, pieces either retracting or extending to form and link together. Soon it took the form of a full-length sword, the blade's edge glowing orange. The glowing blade easily sliced through Alexandra's rapier, having melted the metal. "Pretty hot, huh?" Brandon said to her.
Brandon Black, Quirk: Heatwave. He can superheat anything he touches.
"Ugh. 'Pretty bad', you mean." Alexandra's body glowed a light green, and three spectral figures appeared next to her, each resembling a French musketeer. "And this is far from over. Men, take him!"
"Yes, ma'am!" The specters all said.
Alexandra Dumas, Sacred Gear: Trios Musketeer. She can summon three avatars to fight alongside her. Their names are Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.
The knight hacked at the line connecting Saji to his leg, cutting it and jumping out of the way just as Koneko was about to hit. Koneko's kick caused a large part of the rooftop to crack. "You're far stronger than you look. I'm impressed."
"…Thanks," Koneko deadpanned. Saji stood behind the knight, readying his Sacred Gear again, while Yuuto stood to the side, two demonic swords in hand.
"Three against one? I suppose it's no surprise for devils to fight dirty."
'He knows who we are?' Yuuto thought to himself. 'He's clearly not an ordinary human. Just who is he?'
"I'm afraid our time has come to an end," the knight turned to Brandon, who was fighting against the three specters. "Brandon, it's time for us to leave."
"Huh?! You can't be serious! It's just getting good!" Brandon complained.
"Just listen, boy."
Sure enough, the unmistakable sound of police sirens was approaching.
"Aw, man! The police are almost here."
The knight then turned to Koneko and Yuuto. "Be sure to keep proper care of the Red Dragon Emperor. He may become an important player soon." Before the two could ask what he meant, the knight ran to Brandon, grabbed him, and jumped off the building.
"HEY! Get back here!" Alexandra yelled, but it was too late. The two were gone.
"We should get out of here," said Yuuto.
"We need to check on Buchou and the others," Koneko added.
Chuuya charged at them again, aiming for the girls. But when he reached them, they vanished. "What the…?!"
All around him, multiple copies of the girls appeared. Chuuya tries to punch the nearest one, but his fist goes right through it.
"Fakes?!" Chuuya continued to attack each of the illusions, unaware that the three real girls were a good distance away.
"That should keep him busy for now," Milia kept her focus on Chuuya, ensuring that he wouldn't hear or see the real them.
"Nice one, Takamaki-san," said Ochako.
"Izuku-san, are you okay?" Ibara called through the hole in the roof.
"I'm fine," Izuku responded. "I still can't move, though."
"I might be able to help."
Ochako leaped down, using her Quirk to slow her descent. Squatting next to Izuku, she placed her hand on him.
Instantly he felt himself back to his original weight. Grunting, he stood back up. "…That actually worked?" Ochako asked, more to herself than anyone else.
"That Chuuya guy's power must be similar to yours, only he can freely alter someone's gravity," Izuku noted, stretching his wings. "He increased gravity's effect on me, then you removed gravity's effect. So both of your powers canceled the other."
"Are you okay, Izuku-san?" Ibara asked him as she and Milia floated down before retracting their devil wings.
"I'll be fine. What about Chuuya?"
BOOM!
The roof behind them gave way, and a very angry Chuuya clade in a dark red aura descended down with the remains of the roof.
"Oh. Never mind."
"Gah, ow… What hit me?" Mizu groaned as she stood up. Whatever hit her, it had the force of a freight train. Pushing aside some debris, Mizu checked herself over. Aside from her torn clothing, what felt to be blood running down the side of her face, a slight concussion, and what was most likely a shattered arm, she was okay.
She felt the Yukinoha rubbing against her, asking if she was okay. "I'll manage for now." She told it. "I just hope Chako and the others are doing okay."
Chuuya immediately went after Milia, who barely had time to register the sudden kick against her gut. The blue-haired devil was sent flying, crashing into the others with enough force to knock them against the wall. "Play time's over, kiddies," Chuuya floated into the air and charged at them. Ochako, acting on instinct, created a bubble around them that blocked Chuuya's attack.
*BAM!*BAM!*BAM!*
The Port Mafia Executive just punched relentlessly against the shield Ochako had made. "How long do you think this little bubble can protect you?" Chuuya mockingly asked.
"How long will it last?" Ibara asked as she tended to Milia.
"I'm not sure. This is really the first time I'm doing something like this." The bubble then began to crack. "Okay, not long!"
Chuuya smiled when he noticed that the bubble was beginning to break. "I was expecting more from the Red Dragon Emperor and his friends. Guess you don't live up to the hype-"
A bright ball of plasma suddenly hit Chuuya, exploding. The explosion pushed the gravity man away from the kids.
"You guys okay?"
"Mizu-oneechan!" Ochako called out as the older woman ran into the warehouse.
"You kids get out of here," Mizu ordered. "I'll deal with him."
Izuku then noticed how hurt Mizu was and her limped arm. "Wait, you're hurt! You can't take him on by yourself like that!"
Ice covered Mizu's damaged arm, creating a makeshift cast. "I'll be fine," plasma gathered in her left hand. "Plasma Strike!" A beam of plasma shot at Chuuya, which created another explosion upon reaching the Executive.
Chuuya, however, walked out of the fireball. Aside from being singed a little, he was mostly fine. "Now that's interesting," Chuuya smirked. "I think I heard about you. You're the Kaika Hero, Ryūtō, right? You have a Quirk that lets you control plasma."
"What can I say? Mess with Ryūtō, and you'll get burned!"
Mizushima Akari AKA Ryūtō. Quirk: Plasma Cast. She can generate and control red-orange plasma, which she can use to create anything from small balls of explosives to shields.
"And that's not the only thing I can do now!" She grabbed her sword, and with a swing of the blade, the entire warehouse was engulfed by a gigantic amount of ice.
The kids had managed to avoid the attack, having been lucky enough to be behind Mizu. "Holy hell!" Milia exclaimed.
Mizu stood there eyeing the ice she had created. Soon the ice began to glow red. It soon began to crack, imploding on itself. Chuuya then shot out and landed several feet in front of Mizu, the ground beneath him indenting. "An attack like that would've killed almost anyone else. And your arm must've shattered after I attacked you earlier yet you're still going," Chuuya smiled. "Guess the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj aren't all talk."
"And I'm impressed you withstood Yukinoha's attack," Mizu, despite herself, smiled as well. "I've never heard of a gravity-manipulating Sacred Gear before. What's it called?"
"'For The Tainted Sorrow'," Chuuya answered.
"Hm, poetic."
"Like it? I came up with it myself," Chuuya beamed with pride. "Anyway, why don't you stop stalling? Talking isn't going to get us anywhere fast."
"I disagree…" Mizu shot red beams of magic at Chuuya. The gravity manipulator was quickly ensured by the bands, which anchored themselves to the ground.
"The hell is this?" The Port Mafia Executive growled as he tried to wrestle free. A red aura practically steamed off Chuuya's body as he struggled. Mizu smirked, expecting little to come of it… But that smirk soon disappeared when the bands began to break.
With a roar, Chuuya quite literally broke free from the crimson bonds. Mizu jumped back several feet, shocked. "Not many can break those chains so easily." Mizu began to sweat. "That's not a normal Sacred Gear, is it?"
Chuuya smirked. "Yep. If I had to guess, it's probably a Longinus."
Nakahara Chuuya, Sacred Gear: For The Tainted Sorrow. The fourteenth Longinus that allows Chuuya to control the gravity of anything he's touched, including his own.
"A Longinus?!" Izuku gasped, he and the girls watching from behind a still-standing wall.
"That can't be right," said Milia. "There are only thirteen Longinus gears in existence, and none of them allow you to control gravity!"
"It's actually more likely than you'd expect," Mizu said to them. "God wasn't able to perfect His system, so there are plenty of bugs. The Longinus Gears can be considered part of that. Depending on what type of Sacred Gear it is, how it was created, and how it works, entirely new Sacred Gears can be born with the potential to evolve into Longinus Gears." She looked at Chuuya and asked. "Did something like that happen to you?"
"Not quite, but I'm not in the mood to discuss something so personal."
"We gotta do something!" Izuku hissed as Mizu and Chuuya continued to fight. The only reason Mizu was ignoring the pain from her shattered limb as long as she had was because of adrenaline. Once that ran out, she wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight.
"I got an idea." Ochako focused, remembering what Mizu told her the previous night.
"Okay, so where do we start?"
"Well, first we need to figure out what kind of magic suits you best," a book with stars and moons on the cover appeared in Mizu's hand. "Witches and wizards like you tend to use magic that's best suited to your personality and taste. Your mother, for example, is an expert at spacial magic, and since you share plenty of similarities with her we'll start there."
"How?"
Mizu looked around the apartment, her eyes falling upon a paper cup near the TV. "See that cup there? I want you to imagine a ball surrounding it. Then imagine that ball taking the cup to the center of the table here."
"Uh, okay?" Ochako eyed the cup in question. She focused, imagining a ball surrounding the cup. But after a minute of focusing, the cup stayed near the TV. "Ugh! I can't do it!"
"I'm sure you can. But it looks like you weren't focusing properly. Is something wrong?" Mizu asked.
"I don't know," Ochako huffed. "I can imagine the bubble, but that's it. I'm not sure why, but lately, I haven't been able to focus on anything for some reason."
"Hmm… Seems like you're distracted or otherwise bothered by something." Mizu stated. "It's not that uncommon of an occurrence among mages like us."
"Di-distracted? By what?" Ochako stuttered.
"Oh, I don't know," Mizu said, feigning ignorance and then giving Ochako a cunning grin, "Maybe something to do with a green-haired boy."
"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" Ochako exclaimed.
"Those blushing cheeks tell a different tale."
"I am not-" Ochako began to protest only for Mizu to shove a mirror in her face. Ochako had pinker cheeks than sakura blossoms. She just growled and avoided eye contact.
"Talk to me, Chako. I can help."
"W-well…" Ochako trailed off. "Fine. I… I think I might like Midoriya-kun."
"You think or you know?"
"I don't know," Ochako said. She was trying her best to remain calm, but Mizu could tell she was flustered over this.
The older woman then began to interrogate Ochako. "So, when Midoriya-kun is around, does your heart rate increase?"
"I… I think so."
"Does your head feel fuzzy at all when he's around?"
"Yeah."
"Have you tried to avoid being alone with him?"
"I'm not sure. We never had much of a chance to hang out, and when we do Shiozaki is usually with him."
"All right, then earlier when you came here with him and Shiozaki, did you hope it would've been just him? That Shiozaki didn't come with?"
"…Y-yes," Ochako admitted.
Mizu nodded. "It's official. You have a crush on him."
Ochako turned red. "O-oh… I see…" She swallowed. Ochako was now very nervous. She had a crush. Her head was starting to feel funny again. "Mizu," she asked as her face turned as red as an apple. "Am I really… in love?"
Much to Ochako's shock, she saw Mizu shake her head and affirm the motion with a calm, "No." Ochako tilted her head in confusion. "Right now what you have is a crush, which may soon bloom into love. And love takes time for all those involved. Just because you may love him now doesn't mean Midoriya loves you back… at least not yet."
Ochako nodded. "So, what do I do? Confess?"
"That would be the easiest option, but that can cause problems if done too early or too late. Just take it at your own pace for now. Now then, try teleporting that cup again."
"…Right after that talk?"
"Yep."
Sighing, Ochako looked at the cup again and focused. She imagined the bubble around the cup, and this time a see-through, light pink bubble surrounded the cup. In an instant, the cup disappeared, reappearing on the table. Ochako gasped in shock before she gave a big smile. "I did it!"
"Good work, Chako!" Mizu said, smiling. "You're officially a witch now."
'Imagine the pink bubble around that guy,' Ochako's hands began to glow a light pink.
A pink bubble of energy surrounded Chuuya. "What in-!"
Chuuya's body contorted and warped into a spiral with an audible 'whoosh' before he disappeared completely. Ochako let out a sigh of relief. "I can't believe that worked…"
She would've collapsed right there, but Izuku managed to catch her. "You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she huffed, laying her head against his chest, a light blush on her face. 'I wouldn't mind staying like this for a while.'
The moment didn't last, though. From the corner of his eye, Izuku saw a flash of light. Recognizing it right away, he picked up Ochako just in time to avoid a spear of light.
"Looks like you managed to actually improve," the all too familiar voice of Raynare said from above.
"You again!?" Milia exclaimed.
"I don't know what you did to Mister Chuuya, but I'm not letting any of you leave alive!" Raynare held out a hand, conjuring a large spear of light from above. "Die!"
Raynare threw the spear at the teens. But it didn't hit its target. Instead, Golden Demon appeared and, using its sword, sliced the spear in half.
"That's enough, Raynare!" Kouyou called out. "Don't waste any more time on these pests."
"But, Big Sis Kouyou…" Raynare pleaded.
"The police and heroes will be here soon," Kouyou continued. "There's no longer any reason to remain here."
Raynare growled at her human superior, "Fine…" she reluctantly complied. She then looked toward Izuku and the others. "This is far from over." She flew off, Kouyou disappearing as well.
"We need to leave, too," said Mizu. "It'll be bad if the police see us here."
A little while later, all three Peerages had regrouped in the ORC room. Mizu was currently being tended to by Ibara, her Twilight Healing restoring Mizu's arm. "I should be done soon, but you should still rest for a while."
"Thank you."
Ochako walked up to them. "How are you doing?"
"Other than still not having any feeling in my arm, I'm doing great," Mizu replied. "How's everyone else?"
"They're all fine," Rias answered, Sona and Kudelia beside her.
"Still, Raynare going such a dangerous group is rather unprecedented," Sona said. "It may be best to inform the Satans about this right away."
"I already made a report to the Four Satans about Raynare's new allegiance."
"As did I," said Mizu. "The doc will be meeting with Azazel, the Governor-General of the Fallen Angels, about it."
"Wait, who are the Satans?" Izuku wondered.
"The Four Great Satans are the rulers of the Underworld who were selected after the death of the original Satans during the Great War," Mizu explained, "The current four were given the titles of the original four; Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub, and Asmodeus. Rias' older brother is the current Lucifer, while Sona's older sister is the current Leviathan."
"The great war dragged on for several years and forced several other factions and races to get involved, the human race being one of them. It really caused all three factions to take major hits, and because of that, it's one of the reasons why we're at a standstill at the moment," Rias continued. "There were originally 72 high-class devil families in existence, but after the war, the number dwindled to 33. At the moment, only half of the devil race remains and our people are quite desperate to repopulate, usually through… traditional means." Izuku almost didn't catch it, but he could hear the tone of Rias' voice suddenly turn bitter.
"Just a little longer and it'll be good for tonight," Ibara interrupted before Izuku could question it. "It still hasn't fully healed, so I'll continue tomorrow."
As the members of the three Peerage gradually left, Momo approached Izuku, Ibara, and Ochako as they were about to leave. "I heard you guys ran into Raynare again," she said. "Are you all okay?"
"We're all fine," Izuku reassured.
"She… didn't say anything, did she?" Momo tentatively asked.
"Uh, no. I don't think so," Ochako answered.
Momo breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good…"
"How come?" Ibara asked.
"Um, hey?" another voice interrupted before Momo could answer. It was Milia. She was standing by them with a light blush on her face and rubbing the back of her head, "I wanted to ask you: Can we hang out sometime Midoriya-san if you want? I mean, we're both devils so we don't have to hide anything anymore."
"Uh… yeah, sure," Izuku nodded, not seeing the jealous looks from Ochako and Ibara, or from his senior.
"Huh?" Rias blinked, looking over at Milia, "Hey, Kudelia. What's up with your Bishop?"
"Who, Milia?" Kudelia asked, a smile on her face, "She's had a crush on Midoriya for a while now." Seeing her friend flinch at her words made her raise her eyebrows. "Oh~? You jealous of my Bishop, Rias?"
"Of course not!" Rias stated though the light blush on her face told Kudelia differently.
"Right~. So, are you planning to add Ochako to your Peerage?" Kudelia asked nonchalantly. "I mean, she's both a witch and an apprentice to a sorcerer from Kamar-Taj, she'd be a real catch. I'm just disappointed that I won't have the chance. But you better hurry before Sona takes her."
"I'm not gonna let that happen," Rias stated. "I had a feeling something was different about her compared to normal humans. Now that I know she's a witch, she can become a very versatile Rook."
"Plotting behind backs, are we?" Rias froze up. She glared at Kudelia, who was smiling, before turning around to see Mizu standing over them. "What's this I hear about wanting Chako to become a Rook?"
"Uh, well…"
Mizu patted Rias on the head. "It's okay. If Chako wants to become your servant, that's up to her."
Rias, though somewhat surprised, smiled and nodded.
"By the way, Chako," Mizu spoke up. "Where did you send Chuuya too?"
Ochako blinked a couple of times, taking a moment to remember. Mizu had told her that teleportation spells like that work best when the caster is familiar with the destination. She thought back, trying to recall what came to her mind. The first place that she could think of was-
Her eyes soon grew wide, a look of horror on her face.
Ochako gaped in shock, Mizu and the Gremory devils right behind her. A good part of her apartment was gone, replaced by rubble. "Damn…" said Mizu.
"…That sucks," Koneko deadpanned.
"What am I gonna do now?"
"Well…" Mizu slowly looked at Izuku, along with Rias.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"A big part of her apartment was destroyed. Some of her things survived, but she doesn't have anywhere else to go." Ochako, Izuku, and Ibara watched from their seats at the table as Mizu gave Inko her explanation. "She could head back to her parents' home, but that's at least a 4-hour train ride. Not that convenient for attending U.A. Allowing her to stay here won't be of any hindrance, will it?"
Inko, with a sympathetic look, answered, "Of course not. The poor dear… Losing her home like that."
"I'm sorry for being an inconvenience," Ochako spoke up, hanging her head low.
"It isn't, Ochako-chan," Inko said. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like."
"Yeah," Izuku added. "I hope you like it here." Ibara watched on quietly, grumbling something about 'rivals' and being 'out of reach'.
Inko then began to ask questions about Ochako. It was quite a shock when she learned that Inko had a similar Quirk to her own.
When the topic of why she wanted to be a hero was brought up, Ochako told them about her past and parents, and even the reason why she wanted to be a hero, much to her embarrassment, but thankfully, Izuku, Ibara, and Inko looked to be supportive and understanding regarding her reasoning.
"Ochako, dear, there is nothing wrong about being a hero for profit, especially if it's to support your family. My husband is the same way."
"And I can honestly say that what you are well on your way to becoming a wonderful hero that your parents can be proud of, Chako. I know I am," Mizu added.
Ochako couldn't help but feel flustered at the praise, but the feeling of elation she was getting from their support had put a massive, slightly teary smile on her face. She managed to get off a soft word of thanks, before changing the subject so she wouldn't get too overwhelmed.
After a long while of nothing but pleasant talk and a quick visit to Ibara's room (which Ochako will be sharing with now) and Izuku's room, which was full of All Might memorabilia to Ochako's amusement and Izuku's embarrassment, they began to unpack Ochako's things. It went by relatively quickly, due to the limited amount of things she actually had.
The only real obstacle was the box of clothes, which Izuku had the (un)fortunate luck of opening, laying his eyes on a bra and panties before an embarrassed Ochako closed it. It took about a half-hour for Izuku to calm down after seeing it.
Once they had finished unpacking, the three had sat down in the living room while Mizu and Inko continued to chat. "Do you think you'll like it here, Uraraka-san?" Izuku asked.
"I think I will."
Ibara silently glared at Ochako.
"By the way, what did Rias want to talk to you about?"
"Oh… She asked if I was willing to join her peerage now."
Both Izuku and Ibara blinked. "Really?"
Ochako nodded. "She made a really good argument about it, including how I'll get funding for my parents."
"Wait, does that mean you accepted her offer?"
"…I did," Ochako answered. "But I want to wait a little bit before the whole reincarnation happens, wait until I'm conformable with the idea."
"Why did you accept?" Izuku asked.
"…To be honest, to be closer to you, I guess," she admitted, her face as red as a tomato, which caused Izuku's face to turn red as well.
Ibara continued to glare at Ochako.
"Anyway, where's your dad?" Ochako asked, hoping to change the subject.
"Oh, he works overseas," Izuku answered. "I don't really see him that often. I think the last time he was home was for Christmas last year. He barely has enough time to actually come home due to his job, so it's just me and Mom here before Ibara-san moved in. Mom's all I needed, though. She's amazing for raising me practically on her own and was super happy for me when I… finally got my power," Izuku explained, looking slightly nervous and even a little melancholic towards the end.
Ibara and Ochako noticed his change in tone and couldn't help but frown. Izuku had told them and the others a while ago about how everyone, particularly Bakugo, treated him after they discovered he was Quirkless. While Izuku said he was okay, it still pained the girls to know that the boy they admired went through a lot of torment in the past.
Ochako, in particular, wanted to make the pain in his heart go away… To bring his smile back to his face where it belonged. Resolved, she grabbed his shoulders and made him turn to her, much to his surprise, and proceeded to pull him into a warm, loving embrace, causing him to turn red in embarrassment.
"Ura-Ura-Uraraka-san! Wh-What's this f-for!?" He exclaimed as she felt his arms flailing, as if unsure of where they should go.
"…Ochako," she said, her face just as flushed as his. "If we're gonna be living together from now on, I want you to at least call me by my name, Izu-kun."
Izuku audibly gulped, not expecting her to use the nickname Rias gave him.
He then suddenly felt someone grab his arm. Turning, he saw Ibara had wrapped her arms around his, looking jealous for some reason. "Uraraka-san, can you please let Izuku-san go now?"
"No," the little witch soon to be turned devil responded, a sly smile on her face.
Izuku watched in worry as what looked like sparks flew as the two girls glared at each other.
In the kitchen, Mizu watched with an amused expression. "Well, it looks like they'll get along just fine," she said, an amused smile on her face.
Inko simply watched the spectacle with a look of awe before shaking her head with a small smile on her face. "Teenagers," she sighed to herself.
"Midoriya and the others ran into Raynare?" Kyoka asked.
"Yes," Momo was finishing telling her what happened that night, the two in their room at the Jiro residence. "She has apparently joined the Port Mafia." Momo undid her ponytail, letting her hair down.
"Damn… Did she tell them about-"
"I asked Midoriya-san and the others. She never mentioned me or him…" she hissed the last bit, her hands beginning to shake.
Seeing this, Kyoka took hold of Momo's hands. "You do realize you can't run from it forever, right? Rias and the others will learn about it eventually. It'll be better for you to tell them instead of someone like your cousin."
Momo hung her head. "I know, but… What if they don't accept me… Midoriya-san and Shiozaki-san were both tormented by fallen angels, so what if they-"
Kyoka stopped Momo by giving her a quick peck on the lips. "You don't know that," Kyoka told her. "Besides, Rias and Midoriya are both pretty smart. They might've figured it out or at least know you didn't tell them everything. It would be better for you to be honest with them."
"…Not yet," Momo answered. "Not now. I'm not… ready. If I try now, I don't know what I'll say or do. It could lead to something we'll regret."
Kyoka nodded. "I don't wanna rush you, but if you're gonna talk to them, how long do you need?"
"I don't know. I just need time. I doubt it'll be anytime soon."
"Well, whatever you decide to do, I know of a way to cheer you up."
"Hmm?" Momo didn't have time to register when she suddenly felt Kyoka's hands begin foddering her breasts. "Ah!" Momo's face erupted into a blush. She retaliated by passing Kyoka down into the bed.
"Kyoka! Sneak attacks aren't fair!" She playfully said, leaning her face near Kyoka's. "And I'm always the one to dominate you."
"I thought I'd mix things up a little tonight," Kyoka replied, earning a giggle from Momo.
"As fun as that sounds, it'll have to wait."
The two shared a kiss to start a night of 'fun'.
On the top floor of the Mori Corporation's central tower, the tallest building of Yokohama was a large office. It had a beautiful view of the city due to its position. There were countless books lining the shelves on the walls, a wooden desk sat at the end. There was a checkerboard marble floor and a handcrafted red carpet.
But this wasn't the office of some corporation. This was the home of the Boss of the infamous Port Mafia, Mori Ougai. He was sitting at the desk, wearing a white button-up, a black pinstriped suit jacket, black shoes, and black trousers. The shirt has a purple and white striped tie. Over this, he has a black trench coat and a long, almost knee-length maroon scarf he leaves hanging over his shoulders untied. He's also wearing white gloves.
Next to him on the floor was a young girl, humming as she drew on the floor. She was young, having pale skin and bright blue eyes. She has long, blonde hair, styled with straight, blunt bangs across her forehead and long, thick ringlets that curled past her waist. She wore a large red bow on the right side of her head. She wears a red dress with short, puffy sleeves and a frilled, white hem at the bottom. Around the waist is a thin white band. Her collar is white and buttoned, fastened by a pink ribbon. Below, she wears black and grey stockings with red Mary Janes.
Before Mori were three people: Chuuya, Kouyou, and Raynare. "That concludes our report." Kouyou had finished recapping what happened that night.
Mori nodded. "I see. Chuuya," he addressed the gravity user. "Take what little relics we've managed to acquire and store them in our main vault. We'll contact Kamar-Taj afterward and negotiate their return."
"Yes, sir."
"And Raynare," the fallen angel visibly flinched. "I must congratulate you for finally obeying orders for once, however brief it was."
"Thank you, sir," Raynare looked up at him. "But I recommend that-"
"No, we will not eliminate the Red Dragon Emperor nor his friends," Mori quickly countered. "Doing so would risk the wrath of the Devil King. If that were to happen, this organization may not survive."
Raynare gritted her teeth. "…I understand."
"Good. You may leave now."
"Boss," Kouyou spoke up. "May I have a word?"
"Very well."
Raynare cast Kouyou a slight glare as she stood up, following Chuuya out of the boss's office. Once they had left, Kouyou turned to the Boss. "Why did you bring that brat into this organization? Not only is she immature, but she's also incredibly petty. She's bound to cost the Port Mafia more than she'll earn it."
"It was a request from an old friend," Mori answered. "He asked me to look after her. He'll eventually come retrieve her, but until then she'll have to take orders from you and Chuuya."
Kouyou sneered. "Just who exactly is this 'old friend'?"
In a large room of an expansive mansion, a young girl entered a room pushing a trolley filled with sweets and a tea kettle. Her hair was tied in twin ponytails with large, drill-like curls, blue ribbons keeping them in place. The front of her hair had several bangs hanging over her forehead, with a V-shaped fringe hanging over the bridge of her nose. She wore a long, pink dress with white frills and a magenta bow in the front. She wore matching pink shoes and light pink stockings. In short, she had the appearance of a teenage princess. "Riser, I've prepared lunch," she said to the other occupant in the room, an older man in a sharp suit.
"Oh? Thank you, Ravel," the man said. He was sitting on a chair by a wall, preoccupied with the picture in his hands. Ravel didn't seem to mind as she poured tea into a teacup.
"Are the preparations for the ceremony going well?" Ravel asked him.
"Humph," he smirked, "Like they'll be any problems."
In his hand, he held a photo of a 14-year-old Rias Gremory in a white dress.
Ch. 12: Working As a Devil
"Midoriya-san, how is your training going along?" Milia asked. Classes had ended a few minutes earlier and most of their classmates had already gone home.
"Oh, it's going great… I've managed to increase my limit by a couple of minutes," Izuku's voice trailed off as he held his chin, eyes focused on the ground in front of him. "But there's still a lot about my Sacred Gear I don't know about. Buchou told me that I might be able to transfer the stored-up power to someone or something else now. That has plenty of uses, but there's still so much about the Boosted Gear I don't know. Like whose voice I heard when fighting Chuuya. Still, if I can transfer the power to someone like Ibara-san, then her Twilight Healing can heal wounds more easily. Maybe I should train with her today, but… no, no, I should hold off on that until after I can use the transfer without fail. One thing at a time after all. Buchou keeps insisting for me to not overwhelm myself whenever I train…"
"There he goes again…" Milia sighed in amusement as she watched Izuku mumble. It was now mid-December. About a month had passed since the fight with the Port Mafia, and only about two months were left before the U.A. Entrance Exam. She hadn't seen him or Ibara around the school as often as she used to. They were likely training whenever they could before they did their duties as Rias's servants. Speaking of…
"By the way, how's Uraraka-san doing?"
"Oh, uh, she's doing great. Buchou reincarnated her last week. She's still getting used to her new strength, though." Izuku chuckled, recalling how Ochako accidentally crushed a doorknob not long after reincarnating. "It takes a little while to get used to being a devil, huh?" He said, recalling how he felt after Rias reincarnated him.
"I suppose so, but I would never know. I was born a devil."
Izuku did a double-take. "You were always a devil?!"
Milia rubbed her head, "I guess I never told you. See, my dad's Japanese, but my mom's a devil. She was a succubus, a sub-race of all-female devils, which technically means so am I."
"Succubus?" When he realized what that meant, Izuku's pupils shrank, his face suddenly becoming red.
"N-No! No! I-I'm not like that!" Milia exclaimed, blushing herself. "Though I do understand why you would think that…"
"It's… okay…" Izuku garbled out a response as he cooled down. Then something else that Milia said caught his attention. "Wait… Your mother 'was' a succubus?"
Milia's head began to hang low. "…She and my dad were killed about a year ago."
Izuku gasped, flashbacks to when he met Freed coming to his mind. The two continued to walk in silence toward the school gate. Ibara and Yuuto were already there, waiting for Izuku. "I need to get going now," Izuku said to Milia. "I'm sorry about your parents, Takamaki-san. If there's anything I can do to help, I-"
Milia smiled at him. "You already did more than enough, Midoriya-san," Izuku wondered what she meant by that. "I need to get going myself. See you tomorrow."
"Right. See you tomorrow, Takamaki-san."
Milia watched as Izuku met up with Yuuto and Ibara. A small amount of jealousy boiled within her when she saw how close Ibara was to Izuku as they walked, but she also felt determination. 'I won't lose to any of them,' she mentally reassured herself, mostly referring to Ochako and Ibara. 'If they're going to U.A. with Midoriya-san, then I'll do the same!'
Later, the Occult Research Club, otherwise known as the Gremory group, was all gathered as usual. The school day was already over and the devils were now preparing to do their 'devil work'.
Koneko had already left and Kiba was preparing to leave. Momo was serving Rias some tea and Ibara had just come back. "I'm kinda nervous," Ochako admitted. "My debut as a devil. I don't even know if I can do this."
"I'm sure you'll do great, Ochako-san," Izuku reassured. "If you want I can come with you."
Ochako blushed. "Uh, sure. I'd like that."
They failed to notice the slight glare Ibara gave.
Ochako then asked Izuku. "What was your first job like?"
"…I'd rather not talk about it."
Rias then taught Ochako how to use a magic circle to transport her to where the client was. Ochako, accompanied by Izuku, stepped into the circle. They were enveloped by the light of the teleportation circle, disappearing a moment later.
When the light dimmed down, they opened their eyes, revealing themselves to the environment. It looked like the courtyard of an old shrine, one with a view that overlooked the city. It looked like it had been abandoned for a while, otherwise, the two of them wouldn't have been able to enter. Yet there were boxes and crates surrounding the entrance. It looked like someone was in the middle of moving into the shrine. But who?
"Where are we?" Ochako asked.
"My place."
The two turned, seeing a familiar face that the familiar voice belonged to.
"Mizu-oneechan!"
Ochako ran to the older woman and hugged her.
"Ow! Be careful, Chako! My arm still hurts!"
"Ah! Sorry!" Ochako let go in an instant. "But why are you still here? I thought you went back to Kathmandu?"
"Good question," Mizu smiled. "See, not long after the Port Mafia returned the relics, it was decided to create a new Sanctum here in Japan, with me as the master."
"So this is… all yours?" Izuku asked, looking over the shrine.
"Yep. This place was abandoned by its god several years ago. After some negotiations, Kamar-Taj now owns this shrine, our new Sanctum." Mizu then looked over the tons of boxes and crates. "Course I need help setting it all up, so I figured I'd ask my devil apprentice to help."
Ochako looked over the many boxes. This was going to take a few hours at least. "Any chance this is part of my training?"
"Nope. This isn't Karate Kid."
Sure enough, it took at least two and a half hours to get all the boxes and crates inside. Once that was done, their contents were to be removed and placed throughout the shrine. Overall this part wasn't as bad. Mizu had already set up several display cases, hooks, and empty bookshelves throughout the shrine. All they had to do was place the relics where they would work.
Izuku brought one of the smaller boxes into a room Mizu was going to use as a study. There he noticed that something was already there. It was a coffin made of silver. Chains of various sizes were wrapped around it, some of which were bolted to the floor. On the lid was an upside-down cross. Below the cross was an inscription written in English.
The Bird of Hermes is my name
Eating my wings to make me tame
"Izu-kun, you in here?" Ochako asked as she entered. "I just finished with the first room. How are things… What is that?"
"I don't know. I just found it." Izuku took a second glance at the coffin. He didn't know why, but something about this coffin seriously unnerved him. "Let's go find Mizu-san."
Several hours after helping with the move-in, Ochako and Izuku returned to the clubroom. "We're back!" Ochako called out. Though the only one there was Rias, sitting at her desk doing paperwork. Everyone else must still be out on jobs.
"Welcome back," Rias replied. "How was your first job?"
"It went pretty great!" Ochako beamed. "It was great to see Mizu-oneechan again. She even gave me this." Ochako showed her master a wooden staff. It was the same height as Ochako and had a red gem surrounded by wood at the tip.
"A witch's staff? That is certainly a rare artifact. There aren't many of those left in the world."
"She said that it was both my payment and a gift. Apparently, it's a Kamar-Taj tradition that the person who recruits a new member is responsible for their well-being, so they often hand down belongings to symbolize that. That was how she got the Yukinoha. And why didn't you tell me she was the one who sent that request?"
"She wanted it to be a surprise," Rias answered. "No complaints, either. I say you'll do fine as a devil, Ochako-chan."
Ochako blushed lightly at Rias' compliment. "It's no big deal? But I gotta ask: Are all devil jobs that easy?"
"They usually are," Rias smirked. "Unless you're Izu-kun. The entire time he's been with us he's only completed a handful of contracts."
"Buchou!"
"Really? …Wait, really?!" Ochako looked at Izuku. "How come?"
Izuku laughed nervously. "Well, it's not like the jobs I get are hard… it's just that most of my clients are… kinda weird. With impossible requests. Like Morisawa-san. He's one of Koneko-chan's clients, but he sometimes requests me to talk about manga and the like. Then there's Mil-tan, who wants to become a magical girl-"
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"He's also a male bodybuilder who likes to cosplay as a magical girl."
"…I take it back."
"Then how about we come along?" Rias suggested. "I just received a request from a new client. It's a good way to end the day, don't you think?"
From the looks of it, it was a room in an apartment. When Izuku looked around the room, he noticed the abundance of objects related to Sengoku. There was a sword in a sheath mounted on the wall and many posters of Japanese castles. There was also a scroll that said "Fuurin-Kazan". There was even a helm of the "bushi" from the Sengoku Era on the shelf. The room was dark, but there were lights on the lamps.
"Wow… this is really cool," Izuku muttered.
"Wah!"
Ochako let out a sudden voice and almost fell back. She was apparently spooked by the armor sitting right in front of them. It looked ominous because of how dark it was in the room. Looking around, there didn't seem to be anyone else in the room besides them. That is… until the armor moved.
"Uwaah!"
"Um….ummmm… Ar…are you people devils…?"
The armor was talking. No, rather, a person was speaking from inside of it. And from the sound of the voice, it was a woman.
"Yes, we are." Rias calmly answered.
"I'm really shocked… Devils do exist… My name is Susan. Just like you can see, my hobby is to collect things related to the Sengoku Era… I'm sorry for dressing up like this… It's dangerous at night, so I protect myself like this by wearing this armor…"
'I'm not sure you have much to worry about dressed like that.' Izuku mentally said.
Rias stepped in front of the group, taking the foremost position. She started with a nod. "My name is Rias Gremory. This here is Midoriya Izuku, the Devil you summoned. Me and Ochako are just here to see how well he does."
"I see… I'm glad that the ones who came out were kind looking devil-san. If it was a scary devil-san, I would have drawn out this katana, Kijin-marukuni-shige…"
Susan said that while holding a Japanese sword in a sheath in her hand. Due to the blatant ridiculousness of the situation, Izuku's and Ochako's faces somehow ended up getting stuck with deadpan expressions.
"…Are your clients normally like this, Izu-kun?" Ochako whispered.
"…Pretty much," Izuku whispered back. Clearing his thought, he stepped forward. "So, Susan-san, what was the reason you summoned me? You called us because you wanted us to fulfill your wish right?"
When Izuku asked, the armored foreign woman began to cry.
"…Sob…Sob… Please come with me to the University I am attending as an exchange student… the University at night is really scary…"
Upon hearing that request, Izuku and Ochako sweat-dropped. "Eh?"
"You're joking, right?" Ochako asked.
"B-But, but…! I left my notebook there… The university at night is too scary, I can't go alone… Uuu…"
Izuku sighed, having gotten used to these odd requests. "Where is the university?"
About a half-hour later, the three devils and armored woman returned to her apartment, notebook in hand. It was… rather odd. Susan was a total scaredy-cat, swinging her katana around at the slightest sign of something scary. Although, Izuku silently admitted that the university did look creepy at night.
Izuku had already received his payment. It wasn't a big wish so he didn't mind doing it for free, but she insisted she would pay a price. The payment he received was a small-scale Japanese castle. For some reason, Rias took a deep interest in it and decided that they would keep it in the clubroom.
Rias had started to cast the magic equation connected to the magic circle in the clubroom, made for returning to the clubroom after confirming the job was completed.
"Okay. We will be going back now."
"Um… excuse me…" Susan walked up to Izuku shyly. "…It might be a bit rude… If it isn't rude, there is one more wish I want to be fulfilled…"
"Uh…" Izuku looked to his master. "Is this okay?"
Rias nodded. "I don't see why not."
"To tell you the truth… I'm thinking of going forward to someone… who goes to the same University as me… and tell him about my feelings."
"Feelings?" Ochako immediately realized what she meant. "You're planning to confess to someone?!"
Susan started shaking like a maiden when Ochako said that. "Umm… umm, there is a man that I like… I'm slow at these things, but I want to tell him my feelings…"
Rias gained a smile after hearing that and nodded. "It's a wonderful wish. Okay. I will listen to your wish."
"You will? I'm glad! Devil-san are good people!" Susan began to do a step dance after hearing Rias's answer.
"So what do you want us to do?" Izuku asked. "I'm not that great at these sorts of things, so I'm not sure I'll be of much help."
"If it's possible, I want to go out with him by telling my feelings… But it's my first time doing something like this… I'm not sure where to start." Susan admitted. In other words, she wanted to win a man's heart by natural means, but since she doesn't know much about it, she's asking for assistance from the devils.
"It would be the quickest if you confess your feelings directly."
Susan shook her head violently at Rias's suggestion. "It's impossible for me! I'm too embarrassed!" Being the scaredy cat she is, it did seem implausible for someone like Susan to confess so directly. Especially if she was gonna end up doing it inside that armor.
"Then… how about you write him a letter?" Ochako suggested.
Rias nodded at Ochako's suggestion. "Yes, I think a love letter is also good. I think it's wonderful to show your feelings in a letter as well."
"I understand! I will write it!"
Susan went into a corner of the room and started to search for something. She then took out a calligraphy set. She got a blank page for the calligraphy and put it down. She then dipped the brush in the ink, preparing to write something on the paper. But then she stopped.
"…"
And her body started shaking.
"…Uuu, I don't know what to write…" She sounded like she wanted to start crying again.
Gently, Rias placed a hand on Susan's armored shoulder. "Just write what you feel."
"…W-What I feel?"
As Rias and Susan discussed what to write, Ochako began to think. 'Maybe I should take my own advice,' she looked to Izuku, who was once again admiring Susan's Sengoku Era collection.
"Something on your mind?"
Ochako squeaked in surprise at Rias's voice, which drew Izuku's attention. "No! Nothing! Everything's fine!"
"If you say so," Rias chuckled as she sat down next to them.
"How's the letter coming along?" Izuku asked.
"It honestly sounds like an official address," Ochako noted, overhearing Susan as she read aloud what she wrote.
"It's alright," Rias said. "It's the feeling that matters, not the form. Not the form…"
For a moment, Izuku saw a somber look on Rias's face when she said that. She looked almost… sad. "Buchou…?"
"I'm done!"
Looking up, the devils saw that Susan was done. And she had apparently grabbed a bow and arrow, folded the letter to the arrow, and was beginning to fire.
'THAT'S HOW SHE'S SENDING THE LETTER?!'
After a few days, Izuku, Ochako, and Rias reunited with Susan in a random park. And Susan had… gone all out. In front of them was a base, various flags with a certain symbol on it everywhere. And at the center of it, the armored Musha sat on a chair.
With the help of Rias a few days ago, she finished writing her love letter safely and safely delivered it to the person she likes. Well, as safely as an arrow can take it without injuring anyone. What mattered was that she successfully delivered her letter. And now the man she was crushing on will be coming to the park today to give Susan a reply to her confession.
Izuku, Rias, and Ochako stood on the sidelines while Susan, on the other hand, was shaking a bit in her armor. She seemed nervous, but it honestly looked creepy. A bizarre sight for any bystanders witness to it.
"Looks like he's here."
When the group looked in the same direction as Rias, there was a figure in the distance, gradually getting closer… Wearing Western armor. A knight's armor. He held a cone-shaped lance in his right hand and a shield on the left. His head is covered with a helmet that also covers his whole face so his face cannot be seen.
Just like with Susan, he seemed to be another culturally fanatical person.
"Aaah, it's amazing. It's a collaboration between a Musha and a Knight."
Rias said it with some sort of wonderment in her eyes. If one were to look carefully, an arrow could be seen piercing the helm of the knight.
"…I hope he wasn't wearing that helmet when Susan-san sent her letter…" Izuku muttered nervously.
Then, finally, the knight drew closer to Susan. He came into Susan's base while making sounds of metal colliding. No matter how you look at it, it looks like a battle is about to start.
The Knight stood in front of Susan. Susan also stood from her place. There was an abnormal atmosphere around them. The knight then pierced the ground with his lance violently and brought something out. It was Susan's letter.
"…This letter. I have read it…"
"Yes…"
Susan's body was shaking nervously.
"…It was a wonderful arrow-letter. For me to let my guard down and get shot… It was a good arrow-letter…"
"I… I was just thinking about shooting the bow… Horii-kun."
"If it's me, I would be glad to go out with you…"
Luckily for Susan, she ended up receiving the answer she was hoping for.
"Ho…Horii-kun…Sob…I'm glad…sob…"
Susan had a tearful voice. It was difficult to tell because she was wearing a helmet, but it certainly sounded like she was crying.
"Susan…"
The western knight, Horii, hugs Susan gently. They hugged each other while wearing armor so the sound of metal colliding was present. It was an especially bizarre scene, as innocent as it really was.
"Let's talk about The Book of Five Rings you wrote about in this letter."
"Yes. I wanted to talk about Miyamato Musashi's Niten Ichi-ryuu with you Horii-kun…"
The Musha and the Knight then took each other's hand and walked away.
"Thank you very much!"
Susan waves her hand at the young devils. The three responded with smiles and applause. In the end, it was considered a "happy ending of sorts".
"Is that how your jobs normally end, Izuku-san?" Ibara asked. Not long after Ochako, Rias, and Izuku returned to the clubroom, Izuku received a text. A picture from Susan of her and Horii. Wearing their armor at a restaurant. This was bound to be on the news soon.
"To be honest, it was a little different in the end," Izuku admitted. As the three walked home, talking about how their jobs went, a thought occurred to Izuku. When she saw the picture of Susan and Horii, he noticed that she looked sad, almost longing. "By the way, did Buchou look… sad to you?"
"Sad?"
"What do you mean?"
Ibara and Ochako asked.
"I'm not sure. During the job, she seemed… off." As Izuku thought about it, a strange feeling gripped him. He didn't know why, but he didn't like seeing Rias so sad.