[He probably should've contacted her yesterday, after it happened.
But...
Even Minato needs some time after things like that. It was gruesome, in its own almost clinical way, the way that the shadow had simply swallowed Izuku up as if he'd never been there, disappearing into nothingness after. Absolutely... nothing. There was absolutely nothing they could do.
But. He knows that Ochako and Izuku are close. They're classmates, friends--whatever else they may be, she deserves to know. Even though he hates having to bring her this sort of pain.]
[As desperate as Ochako is to find her missing friends, she makes sure to swing by her house every few hours. Not to sleep, of course; there's no time to sleep. It's just that... well, Momo could already be there, or there could be a message waiting for her in her inbox. A good message! A message letting her know that her classmates are safe and sound.
But this message is... worrying, somehow. Even the even-keeled Minato would say more than this if there was good news to be shared, and so, after taking a second to prepare herself, she types out a hurried reply.]
of course! is everything okay, minato-kun?
[And who knows? Maybe her gut feeling is wrong in this case. She is, as always, trying so hard to stay positive while she waits for his response.]
[How...does one even say something like this? How does he even...begin?]
I'm coming over after this. I want to make sure you're okay. But...
I'm sorry. I don't know if you know what happens when someone gets too overwhelmed by their shadow. Midoriya-kun was swallowed up by his shadow. I don't know where he went. I haven't been able to find him.
[Ochako is tired. So, so tired. She rubs her eyes and re-reads the message, but it continues to make zero sense? Shadows can't just eat people? Her has been rude, yes, and she's seen others' shadows draw blood, but causing someone to disappear... causing Deku to disappear...
Time to type out another very quick response:]
i don't understand. maybe you saw something else? deku-kun has been missing, but that
it can't be what happened to him.
you SHOULD come over, though. just so we can talk about what you saw. we can figure this out together.
[...Yeah. That... he can't blame her for that sort of reaction. This is a thing better discussed in person, but he couldn't leave her hanging, either, with dread over her head.
Not that this is much better. He drags in a slow breath, and the only proper response she gets on the laptop is:]
I'm on my way. Stay there, okay?
[He's going to head there as quickly as he can; Ochako really shouldn't be left alone at a time like this, even if he knows he doesn't have any good news to make this any better for her.]
[That doesn't require a response, and so Ochako doesn't bother typing one out; instead, she closes her laptop—a bit more forcefully than she'd intended—and heads for the front steps of her house. That's where Minato will spot her sitting, although she pops right up as soon as she notices him walking her way.]
Minato-kun!
[She tries to give him a normal-looking smile, but... well. It's definitely a bit strained, and that, along the way she's nervously twisting her hands together, should tell him all that he needs to know about her current state. Is she doing well? Oh, not at all.]
[That strain is pretty plain on her face--not that he can blame her. This entire week has been so, so terrible, and now here he is to make her life even harder. It's awful, isn't it...?
But even so, he'll be looking her over carefully, trying to make sure that her color is properly in place, at least enough that he doesn't have to fear that she'll be swallowed up too.
(Just in case, his hand hovers near to his Evoker. Not again. He won't let someone else be swallowed up, no matter what it takes.)]
... Ochako-san. [...Really, what else can he do but bow he head, almost too sincerely.]
I'm...sorry. I wasn't able to do anything to stop it from happening. [Even though he'd been right there--Izuku had slipped through his fingers.]
Midoriya-kun... I don't know what happens to people when they're swallowed up by their shadows, but I haven't been able to find him again. Not... not yet. [He has to be somewhere, right? He has to. He's absolutely, completely not dead. He can't be.]
[Ochako is much too busy studying his face to notice where his hand is positioned. He looks so... serious? Which—yes, he always looks rather stoic, but there's something different about his expression here. Something sad. And while she's still having trouble believing that Deku was swallowed by his own shadow, she is absolutely certain that Minato believes it.
That's... worrying.
She hesitates for a moment, still unsure about everything, before she finally takes a step toward him and places a hand on his arm. He doesn't strike her as a touchy-feely kind of person, but... it's the most reassuring thing that she has to offer right now.]
Whatever happened wasn't your fault, Minato-kun. I know that's true, and wherever Deku-kun is, I'm sure that he feels the same way. [She says this softly, yet firmly, because any possible objections are preemptively overruled.] Why don't you come inside? You can tell me everything, and we can work together to... find him.
[... Even after all of that, she's still...worried about him. Honestly, of all of the heroes-in-training here he's met, Ochako is the one who constantly somehow manages to go above and beyond what he's expecting. Izuku is someone precious to her, he knows that.
Even now, though, after that, she's still trying to take care of him.
Minato breathes out a rueful breath, but he won't argue or shake her off. In truth, even though he is a personal space sort of guy, it's comforting, too. At the very least, it's a plain reminder that she is here, and solid. She won't meet the same fate as Izuku and Dave. Absolutely not.]
... Okay. [Quietly, he nods, taking another slow breath in to try to steady himself further. He, too, can't be overwrought right now. He has to stay steady too, because this situation is far from over.]
[Whatever happened to Deku—whatever he saw—clearly affected him greatly. Ochako wishes that she knew exactly what to say, but she settles for giving his arm one last pat as she musters up a small smile. It's not much, she knows, but surely every little bit helps.]
It's fine. You can take your time.
[Pulling back her hand, she turns and gestures for him to follow her inside the house. But where should they go? She slows as she crosses through the doorway, wondering if she should lead him to her room, but... instead, she finds herself walking straight toward their neat little kitchen. There's a small table sitting beside a window, and she pats it as she walks by, giving him a quick look to let him know that this is where he should sit. She, however, continues over to the counter, clinking things about before she soon returns with two glasses of water.]
Here. [Setting one in front of him, she holds onto hers as she sinks into the nearest chair.] If you're ready to talk, then I'm ready to listen.
[Alright. Obediently, he'll sit where she directs, hands slowly tucking themselves into his pockets. Right now, he should be the one taking care of her, and yet... Ochako is kind of a force to be reckoned with.
So for now, he'll just obey.
He'll sit quietly, and when Ochako sets the water in front of him, he nods with a quiet:]
Thank you.
[...Really, it's not at all a good situation. He's seen this happen twice now, and twice he hasn't been able to figure out where they went. Swallowed up by their shadow... where does one go after that? Are they even okay--
(No, they have to be. He can't entertain otherwise.)]
First... I need you to definitely be sure to take care of yourself, Ochako-san. [He starts with that, meeting her eyes seriously.] That's...what our shadows were doing. They were wearing us down, until they could swallow us up. So no matter what, if you're feeling tired or upset... make sure someone is with you, okay?
[Because now that he's seen it happen right before his eyes twice, he's sure of it. They were getting paler and paler...and then they were swallowed up whole.]
[Does that mean that was Deku upset before whatever happened to him actually happened? She blinks at him for a moment, pressing her lips together as she tries to push that thought from her mind. It's a terrible thing to imagine, and she needs to stay composed for Minato's sake... as well as her own.]
I will. I've been with my friends most of the time, so my shadow hasn't been... too bad. [Should she mention her calming touch? Probably, but she decides that can come after she learns more about Deku. And, of course, after she makes sure that Minato is perfectly fine, which is why she tilts her head a bit as she watches him.] You're following your own advice, aren't you? I still don't understand everything, but if it's as bad as you say, then I hope that someone's looking out for you, too.
[Who looks after the ones who look after everyone else? In truth, he's been lucky. Guren asked after him. Kyrie was concerned for him, in his Kyrie way. Ochako, here, is trying to make sure he's okay.
So he's definitely fine.
That's more than enough for him. Especially when he's already so worried about the people who are even more affected by this--like Uraraka.]
I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me too much. [He says it softly, but manages to muster up a very small, hopefully reassuring smile for her.]
Sorry, I don't think I've been very clear. Let me try to help clear things up. About...what happened.
[Whatever Ochako's still confused about, he'll try to help clarify. He can barely remember what he's already said about the situation at this point.]
[Hmm. When a person doesn't want someone to worry about them, they probably need someone to worry about them... but she decides to let it go with a small nod. It's time to get down to the nitty-gritty of Deku's disappearance, and she takes in a deep breath as she tries to think of the best place to start.]
Can you... tell me what you saw? You said that Deku-kun was swallowed by his shadow, but I don't—I mean, how did it happen? He just disappeared? All of him?
[Man, but it's like all of her training has just gone flying out of the window. Asking people clear, concise questions after an emergency is key, she knows, and yet it's so hard to do when the emergency is centered around someone she cares for.]
[How did it happen? What did he see? Of course that's what she's most concerned with. It makes sense. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he'd doubt too.
Instead, softly, he just nods.]
Yes... He'd seemed so worried and stressed about the situation. We were talking, and his shadow began to throw things, and then suddenly... it just started to swallow him up.
[It's said dully, his voice soft.]
We couldn't get there in time. Once he was completely swallowed up by his shadow, it just...disappeared too. Until there was nothing left.
[She swiftly drops her hands into her lap, hoping that the table will hide the fact that her fingers are nervously knitting themselves together. It's worse than she'd hoped? And Minato's voice is so...
Keep it together, keep it together. There's a pause as she takes yet another deep breath, as she tries to rapidly process this information. Nothing is ever hopeless, and Deku always pulls through in the end; she just needs to think.]
There was someone else there with you? And they saw the same thing? [Someone else that she needs to question, then. And check up on. Hmm.] It almost sounds like... a teleportation quirk. I-I know that it's not a quirk, but Deku-kun could have just been sent somewhere else.
[Like the forest, maybe? That's a scary thought, but it's better than... disappearing forever. Ochako, the eternal optimist, is clinging to this small ray of hope.]
[Someone else but Minato's kind of reluctant to talk about that so he's skipping it. More importantly--]
It could be.
[He'd rather hold onto faith and optimism too, as much as he can, even if he's honestly pretty worn out from looking for Dave and Izuku both (and watching that happen to them in general). But they both... need to hold their heads up high and do their best, and that's what he's going to do.
He's always been able to do that--lift his chin and keep on going--and Ochako needs the support much more than he does.]
We should probably check the town first. And if he's not here then... [...The forest, yeah.]
[Ochako looks down at her hands, pressing her lips together so tightly they lose a bit of their color. Her thoughts, unfortunately, are much too scattered to even register that Minato is skipping over something important, and even though she's trying to pull them all back together, it's hard. How does Deku always manage to think things through so quickly? She's trying to be like him, to handle this the way she believes that he would, but it's... almost impossible.
One thing at a time, though.]
That's a good idea, Minato-kun. I can ask Iida-kun and Todoroki-kun to help, too. Each person can search a different area.
[She looks back up at him, wanting to say something hopeful—"We'll find him," or, "Leave it to us!"—but a question pops right out before she can bite it back.]
Did... Did Deku-kun say anything? Right before he...
[It's funny—after everything he's said, this little detail is the thing that finally hurts. She feels that familiar prickling sensation in her eyes, but she refuses to let it go any further than that; she just forces herself to blink, and while Minato can probably—definitely—see that she's blinking a little faster than normal, she manages to keep the tears at bay. ...For now.]
...That sounds like him.
[Ugh, but she sounds so quiet! Far quieter than she'd like, anyway, and so she forces herself to her feet, forces herself to pick up her full glass and take it over to the counter. It's selfish, she knows, but she keeps her back to him as she pours the water back into the pitcher. It feels... comfortable; so comfortable, in fact, that when she speaks again, she's able to make it sound a bit more normal.]
I'll go find the others, okay? You should probably rest for a while.
[He can't say he blames her. Really, the composure she's shown thus far has been impressive, all things considered--
Of course she's fighting back tears now. He almost wishes she would let herself cry, but... on the other hand, he has no idea what sets off the shadows, and of course she doesn't want to while they need to look for Izuku.
But.]
No.
[Oh... he shakes his head, voice quiet and firm.]
I'll go with you. We shouldn't...be alone at a time like this. [not when their shadows could strike at any moment.]
I'll let you go once we find the others, but... [He doesn't want to leave her alone.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
#3630FF ; 4/24
But...
Even Minato needs some time after things like that. It was gruesome, in its own almost clinical way, the way that the shadow had simply swallowed Izuku up as if he'd never been there, disappearing into nothingness after. Absolutely... nothing. There was absolutely nothing they could do.
But. He knows that Ochako and Izuku are close. They're classmates, friends--whatever else they may be, she deserves to know. Even though he hates having to bring her this sort of pain.]
Ochako-san, do you have a moment?
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But this message is... worrying, somehow. Even the even-keeled Minato would say more than this if there was good news to be shared, and so, after taking a second to prepare herself, she types out a hurried reply.]
of course! is everything okay, minato-kun?
[And who knows? Maybe her gut feeling is wrong in this case. She is, as always, trying so hard to stay positive while she waits for his response.]
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And then he breathes out a soft sigh, and types out a quick return message.]
First, are you okay? No injuries or anything?
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i'm fine. not even a scratch.
do you need my help with something?
[Others > herself. Always. Never mind that fact that she's running off a solid two hours of sleep right now...]
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I'm coming over after this. I want to make sure you're okay. But...
I'm sorry. I don't know if you know what happens when someone gets too overwhelmed by their shadow. Midoriya-kun was swallowed up by his shadow. I don't know where he went. I haven't been able to find him.
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Time to type out another very quick response:]
i don't understand. maybe you saw something else? deku-kun has been missing, but that
it can't be what happened to him.
you SHOULD come over, though. just so we can talk about what you saw. we can figure this out together.
[Because Deku is definitely fine.]
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Not that this is much better. He drags in a slow breath, and the only proper response she gets on the laptop is:]
I'm on my way. Stay there, okay?
[He's going to head there as quickly as he can; Ochako really shouldn't be left alone at a time like this, even if he knows he doesn't have any good news to make this any better for her.]
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Minato-kun!
[She tries to give him a normal-looking smile, but... well. It's definitely a bit strained, and that, along the way she's nervously twisting her hands together, should tell him all that he needs to know about her current state. Is she doing well? Oh, not at all.]
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But even so, he'll be looking her over carefully, trying to make sure that her color is properly in place, at least enough that he doesn't have to fear that she'll be swallowed up too.
(Just in case, his hand hovers near to his Evoker. Not again. He won't let someone else be swallowed up, no matter what it takes.)]
... Ochako-san. [...Really, what else can he do but bow he head, almost too sincerely.]
I'm...sorry. I wasn't able to do anything to stop it from happening. [Even though he'd been right there--Izuku had slipped through his fingers.]
Midoriya-kun... I don't know what happens to people when they're swallowed up by their shadows, but I haven't been able to find him again. Not... not yet. [He has to be somewhere, right? He has to. He's absolutely, completely not dead. He can't be.]
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That's... worrying.
She hesitates for a moment, still unsure about everything, before she finally takes a step toward him and places a hand on his arm. He doesn't strike her as a touchy-feely kind of person, but... it's the most reassuring thing that she has to offer right now.]
Whatever happened wasn't your fault, Minato-kun. I know that's true, and wherever Deku-kun is, I'm sure that he feels the same way. [She says this softly, yet firmly, because any possible objections are preemptively overruled.] Why don't you come inside? You can tell me everything, and we can work together to... find him.
[He's definitely out there somewhere!!!]
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Even now, though, after that, she's still trying to take care of him.
Minato breathes out a rueful breath, but he won't argue or shake her off. In truth, even though he is a personal space sort of guy, it's comforting, too. At the very least, it's a plain reminder that she is here, and solid. She won't meet the same fate as Izuku and Dave. Absolutely not.]
... Okay. [Quietly, he nods, taking another slow breath in to try to steady himself further. He, too, can't be overwrought right now. He has to stay steady too, because this situation is far from over.]
I'll explain everything as best I can.
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It's fine. You can take your time.
[Pulling back her hand, she turns and gestures for him to follow her inside the house. But where should they go? She slows as she crosses through the doorway, wondering if she should lead him to her room, but... instead, she finds herself walking straight toward their neat little kitchen. There's a small table sitting beside a window, and she pats it as she walks by, giving him a quick look to let him know that this is where he should sit. She, however, continues over to the counter, clinking things about before she soon returns with two glasses of water.]
Here. [Setting one in front of him, she holds onto hers as she sinks into the nearest chair.] If you're ready to talk, then I'm ready to listen.
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So for now, he'll just obey.
He'll sit quietly, and when Ochako sets the water in front of him, he nods with a quiet:]
Thank you.
[...Really, it's not at all a good situation. He's seen this happen twice now, and twice he hasn't been able to figure out where they went. Swallowed up by their shadow... where does one go after that? Are they even okay--
(No, they have to be. He can't entertain otherwise.)]
First... I need you to definitely be sure to take care of yourself, Ochako-san. [He starts with that, meeting her eyes seriously.] That's...what our shadows were doing. They were wearing us down, until they could swallow us up. So no matter what, if you're feeling tired or upset... make sure someone is with you, okay?
[Because now that he's seen it happen right before his eyes twice, he's sure of it. They were getting paler and paler...and then they were swallowed up whole.]
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I will. I've been with my friends most of the time, so my shadow hasn't been... too bad. [Should she mention her calming touch? Probably, but she decides that can come after she learns more about Deku. And, of course, after she makes sure that Minato is perfectly fine, which is why she tilts her head a bit as she watches him.] You're following your own advice, aren't you? I still don't understand everything, but if it's as bad as you say, then I hope that someone's looking out for you, too.
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So he's definitely fine.
That's more than enough for him. Especially when he's already so worried about the people who are even more affected by this--like Uraraka.]
I'm okay. You don't have to worry about me too much. [He says it softly, but manages to muster up a very small, hopefully reassuring smile for her.]
Sorry, I don't think I've been very clear. Let me try to help clear things up. About...what happened.
[Whatever Ochako's still confused about, he'll try to help clarify. He can barely remember what he's already said about the situation at this point.]
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Can you... tell me what you saw? You said that Deku-kun was swallowed by his shadow, but I don't—I mean, how did it happen? He just disappeared? All of him?
[Man, but it's like all of her training has just gone flying out of the window. Asking people clear, concise questions after an emergency is key, she knows, and yet it's so hard to do when the emergency is centered around someone she cares for.]
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Instead, softly, he just nods.]
Yes... He'd seemed so worried and stressed about the situation. We were talking, and his shadow began to throw things, and then suddenly... it just started to swallow him up.
[It's said dully, his voice soft.]
We couldn't get there in time. Once he was completely swallowed up by his shadow, it just...disappeared too. Until there was nothing left.
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Keep it together, keep it together. There's a pause as she takes yet another deep breath, as she tries to rapidly process this information. Nothing is ever hopeless, and Deku always pulls through in the end; she just needs to think.]
There was someone else there with you? And they saw the same thing? [Someone else that she needs to question, then. And check up on. Hmm.] It almost sounds like... a teleportation quirk. I-I know that it's not a quirk, but Deku-kun could have just been sent somewhere else.
[Like the forest, maybe? That's a scary thought, but it's better than... disappearing forever. Ochako, the eternal optimist, is clinging to this small ray of hope.]
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It could be.
[He'd rather hold onto faith and optimism too, as much as he can, even if he's honestly pretty worn out from looking for Dave and Izuku both (and watching that happen to them in general). But they both... need to hold their heads up high and do their best, and that's what he's going to do.
He's always been able to do that--lift his chin and keep on going--and Ochako needs the support much more than he does.]
We should probably check the town first. And if he's not here then... [...The forest, yeah.]
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One thing at a time, though.]
That's a good idea, Minato-kun. I can ask Iida-kun and Todoroki-kun to help, too. Each person can search a different area.
[She looks back up at him, wanting to say something hopeful—"We'll find him," or, "Leave it to us!"—but a question pops right out before she can bite it back.]
Did... Did Deku-kun say anything? Right before he...
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[Because of course he did. Of course Izuku did, when Izuku is just like this, when Izuku never stops being so Izuku--
Because he's self-sacrificial, and needs to not be so giving when it comes to himself, and--
Minato drags in a slow breath and:]
He told us to make sure the shadows didn't get us too.
[Right to the end, before he disappeared... Izuku had been worried about them.]
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...That sounds like him.
[Ugh, but she sounds so quiet! Far quieter than she'd like, anyway, and so she forces herself to her feet, forces herself to pick up her full glass and take it over to the counter. It's selfish, she knows, but she keeps her back to him as she pours the water back into the pitcher. It feels... comfortable; so comfortable, in fact, that when she speaks again, she's able to make it sound a bit more normal.]
I'll go find the others, okay? You should probably rest for a while.
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Of course she's fighting back tears now. He almost wishes she would let herself cry, but... on the other hand, he has no idea what sets off the shadows, and of course she doesn't want to while they need to look for Izuku.
But.]
No.
[Oh... he shakes his head, voice quiet and firm.]
I'll go with you. We shouldn't...be alone at a time like this. [not when their shadows could strike at any moment.]
I'll let you go once we find the others, but... [He doesn't want to leave her alone.]