All For Them Ch. 45 (MHA/Dispatch) (Patreon)

(Every character depicted in the story below is a consenting legal adult over the age of 18)

A/N: Everything goes according to plan… but who’s plan?

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Ochaco wakes up slowly… which is confusing to her at first because she really doesn’t remember going to sleep. In fact, the last thing she remembers was talking to Himiko about betraying Shroud and joining up with the Phoenix- oh shit!

Her eyes snap wide open and Ochaco tries to jolt up to her feet while shouting out at the same time. Neither of which actually does anything given that she’s been tied up and gagged. Instead, all that happens is she flops like a fish and makes a muffled shout.

“MMMPH!”

When she finally stops struggling and actually tries to get ahold of her surroundings however… Ochaco freezes up because the first thing she realizes is that she’s not alone. Of course she’s not, after all… someone had knocked her out.

Looming over her, staring down at her with wide eyes and an otherwise expressionless face… is Himiko Toga. She’s holding a knife in her hand and standing almost as still as a statue as Ochaco looks up at her.

… Ochaco had been so eager to convert Himiko over to the Phoenix Program. They’d spent much of the past decade together after all. No matter how many villain organizations they’d joined, they’d always wound up with it being just the two of them again. Everyone else was unreliable. Everyone else had failed them.

That’s why she’d thought… well, she’d believed Himiko would choose her over Shroud and the Red Ring. After all, Himiko had always chosen Ochaco before. But that was… well, that was different. Ochaco could see that now, given her current position. It was one thing to have each other’s backs when things went to shit in their newest organization. It was another thing entirely to ask Himiko to betray her latest employer on the word of some heroes.

Shit, she knew how Himiko felt about heroes. She knew that Himiko didn’t trust any of them, that the other woman thought she would get shipped to Tartarus the moment they captured her. Ochaco had known all of that… and she’d tried to convince the other woman to throw her lot in with the Phoenix Program anyways.

What an idiot she’d been. Sure, she’d thought it would take a bit of time to convince Himiko, but the more she’d spoken and the quieter Himiko had gotten, she’d honestly thought the other woman was coming around. But no… no, she was just waiting for her moment to strike.

Was this… was this how things ended between them? Was this how Ochaco died?

Suddenly, Himiko leans down and Ochaco tenses up, her eyes widening further and her pupils no doubt shrinking in fear. The knife comes down… and cuts through Ochaco’s bonds, freeing her arms and legs in just a few swift slices. Then, Himiko yanks the gag out of her mouth for good measure, leaving it dangling around Ochaco’s neck as the blonde huffs at her.

“You’re going to get us killed. I hope you know that.”

Ochaco stays frozen for a moment longer… and then realization dawns on her as to what’s just happened. Himiko had knocked her out and brought her here, probably because she’d initially wanted to turn her over to Shroud. But then, somewhere along the way, the blonde had clearly thought better of that decision… she’d changed her mind.

Of course, even as Ochaco figures this all out, Himiko has stepped back and is pacing angrily, growling and gnashing her teeth. Ochaco quickly hurries to her feet just in case the other woman changes her mind again… but she doesn’t think that’s going to happen. That said…

“So… you’re willing to give it a shot? You could be a hero… just like me, Himiko.”

Whirling on her, Himiko scoffs and crosses her arms over her chest.

“Do you seriously believe that? That someone like me can become a hero? There’s no way.”

Ochaco furrows her brow and bites her lower lip.

“But then… why haven’t you turned me over to Shroud?”

Something flickers across Himiko’s face, giving away the fact that she’d obviously heavily considered it. After a long moment, the blonde just averts her gaze entirely, looking off to the side and scowling.

“You’re too important for that.”

Ochaco blushes and Himiko rushes to change the subject and get away from the heartfelt moment, turning back to pin her with an angry glare.

“Be real for a moment though. You want me to turn on Shroud and the Red Ring… you want me to betray this new cushy gig I’ve got going to help you take down the best boss I… that we’ve had in years. Do you really believe that those so-called heroes over in the Phoenix Program aren’t just trying to trick me into a trap so they can capture me and ship me off to Tartarus?”

That… they wouldn’t. Definitely not. Even though Himiko’s questioning does give Ochaco a bit of pause, she quickly swallows down any doubts and shakes her head vehemently.

“No, they wouldn’t do that. You’re forgetting that they’re all former villains too, Himiko.”

“Hmph. All of them except for Blonde Blazer.”

“Yes but Blonde Blazer wouldn’t engage in that sort of thing either! She’s not like that!”

“… You’re literally asking me to spy on the Red Ring on her behalf, Ochaco.”

Desperately grasping for some sort of lifeline, Ochaco finally finds it after a moment.

“Okay but you know I’m not like that, right? I would never betray you like that, Himiko. I won’t let them ship you off to Tartarus, no matter the circumstances.”

Finally, Himiko’s face softens. She slowly nods.

“… I don’t think you would. That’s why I’m not turning you over to Shroud in the first place. That’s why I’ve decided… to give things a chance.”

Yes! Ochaco doesn’t fist pump in exultation or anything like that, but it’s a damn near thing. Even if she’d very nearly been turned over to Japan’s latest criminal mastermind for betraying him, even if Himiko had literally knocked her out and tied her up and brought her to this dingy, dirty abandoned warehouse… Ochaco almost skips forward as she wraps her arms around the other woman, pulling her into a big hug.

“I promise you won’t regret this, Himiko! This is going to work out, I know it will!”

Himiko tenses at the hug for a moment before sighing and leaning forward to rest her chin on Ochaco’s shoulder. It’s the only thing she can do, given Ochaco is hugging her over her arms and trapping them against her body.

“I sure hope it does. For both our sakes, Ochaco.”

She sounds tired, which to be fair, Ochaco understands perfectly. Today had been exhausting in more ways than one. Midoriya had started things off by rearranging their teams and then before Ochaco had known it, she was spilling the beans to Invisigal and Malevola only to find out that they were also spying for Shroud. Except they’d already betrayed him to the Phoenix Program and they wanted her to do the same.

Ochaco would have been fine betraying Shroud if it was just herself, but the problem was Himiko… she couldn’t just leave the other woman behind. That was when Invisigal and Malevola had come up with their convoluted plan of seducing Izuku into a foursome and loosening him up so Ochaco could reveal her duplicity and ask for clemency for Himiko once all was said and done.

Obviously that hadn’t worked out one bit… Midoriya had seen right through their little scheme and called them out on it directly. Ochaco still didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed by that. Izuku Midoriya was pretty damn handsome and both Invisigal and Malevola had sung his praises pretty heavily…

All in all, Ochaco could admit that she might have jumped the gun multiple times today. But in the end, everything was going to be alright. Everything was working out in her and Himiko’s favor. They just needed to make this new situation work for the both of them.

With that in mind, Ochaco pulls back and gives Himiko a big wide smile.

“I’ll get things set up with the Phoenix Program. I’m sure they’ll want to meet with you… in secret, of course. With your help we can turn things around on Shroud. He seems intent on having all of us spy on the Phoenix Program for him… so now we’ll be spying on him for the Phoenix Program!”

Himiko just huffs.

“Yeah, I figured as much. Not like we can dress me up in a costume and have me start patrolling the streets without Shroud coming down on both of us like a pile of bricks. I hope you’re ready to walk this tightrope with me, Ochaco… it’s going to be our most dangerous gambit ever.”

Ochaco nods, determination filling every fiber of her being.

“It won’t be easy… but nothing worth doing ever is.”

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In the end, despite Himiko being fully on board, it still takes a few days to arrange a clandestine meeting between her and members of the Phoenix Program. Ochaco takes it to Invisigal immediately of course and she seems excited by the prospect. However, rather than taking it to Blazer, Invisigal takes it to Midoriya directly.

Apparently, he’s the real power behind the Phoenix Program. Ochaco had sort of gotten that impression from Malevola and Invisigal to begin with, but this pretty much confirmed it. Even Blonde Blazer seemed to take her marching orders from the Phoenix Program’s Dispatcher, as strange as that might seem.

Regardless, when they do finally get to meet up one night… it's Ochaco and Himiko meeting with Invisigal and Midoriya. The four of them actually wind up using the same abandoned warehouse that Himiko had brought her to all those days ago.

As they come together, Himiko is definitely tightly coiled like a spring, scowling and with her arms crossed over her chest as she purses her lips a bit. Ochaco wishes she could have relaxed the other woman somehow, but nothing she’d said had convinced Himiko that there was no chance of this being a trap. Sure, she believed Ochaco would have nothing to do with such a thing… but she also thought they were using Ochaco to get to her.

Fortunately tonight should show Himiko otherwise. After all, if they really wanted to capture the infamous villainess, they would have had to bring at least Blonde Blazer to do so. That she’d stayed away made it clear there was no trap here!

“Seriously? You two are all that have come here? What if I was secretly still working for Shroud? I could capture all three of you for him without breaking a sweat.”

Ochaco pouts at Himiko’s caustic tone and what could only really be labeled ‘fighting words’. Invisigal bristles, scowling at Himiko and puffing out her chest.

“Yeah Toga? I’d like to see you try. I’m not the same asthmatic girl as when we last tangled, just so you know. And I’ve been getting training.”

Oh god, now Himiko is grinning and leaning forward.

“That so, Invisibitch?”

Invisigal bristles but Himiko just licks her lips.

“Heh, don’t get my blood pumping now… you know I can’t control myself once I’m aching for a fight~”

“Enough.”

Ochaco jolts along with Himiko and Invisigal at Midoriya’s soft yet steely tone. He cuts in like he isn’t the Quirkless among them, his voice brooking no argument and his stance displaying utter confidence. It’s kind of baffling given his distinct lack of any sort of power or ability that would help him if a fight started between all of them. It’s also kind of hot.

Himiko, meanwhile, stares at Midoriya for a moment, her eyes widen and her pupils shrunk. Then, she smirks.

“Well now. You’re a confident one, aren’t you? Hehe, I see why they let you be in charge. But you should know I’m not like all of those weak willed bitches in your stupid little program.”

H-Hey!

“I want assurances if I’m going to betray Shroud for you all. Especially since from where I’m standing, he’s winning.”

Midoriya tilts his head to the side at that.

“Oh? And what does winning look like? Shroud is operating outside of the law, Toga. There is no winning for someone like him… but there can be redemption for someone like you.”

The smirk drops immediately, replaced by a scowl.

“And what if I don’t want redemption, huh? What if I’m perfectly happy the way I am?”

Ochaco bites her lower lip, wanting nothing more than to interject. Himiko can’t be saying things like that in front of Midoriya… even if she probably means them. Yeah, Ochaco isn’t dumb… she realizes that Himiko is mostly doing this for her. Still, that doesn’t mean telling on herself like this!

But far from rising to the bait, Midoriya just hums.

“… There’s nothing wrong with the way you are, Toga. That was the mistake the Hero Commission and your parents and doctors all made. Trying to change you. Trying to make you ‘fit in’. In doing so… they broke you. But only you can put yourself back together. Only you can want to do so. The Hero Commission is going down one way or another… and once they’re gone, those that they hurt, such as you… deserve to live free and happy.”

Himiko’s eyes are wide in a completely different way by the time Izuku is done talking. Ochaco hasn’t seen her partner look this thoroughly disarmed in… well, ever really.

“I thought… I thought you wanted me to help you take down Shroud.”

Midoriya shrugs.

“Yes, eventually. After we realized how many spies Shroud had inserted into the program for whatever reason, a Shroud Task Force was established to begin combatting his influence. But frankly, for all that Shroud and the Red Ring do need to be taken down… they aren’t our chief priority.”

Brow furrowing, Himiko frowns.

“What? Then what the hell is?”

“Simple. Survival. The Phoenix Program is too new to be stretching ourselves thin trying to save the world or anything as ridiculous as that. Our main purpose right now is getting our feet under ourselves, protecting as many innocents as possible… and showing the Hero Commission what real heroes, no matter where they come from, look like. Shroud and the Red Ring obviously play a part in all of that, but the only reason they’re any more important than any other villains is because Shroud seems to be so invested in spying on our program. Which is where you come in as our counterspy.”

Ochaco watches Himiko mull over Izuku’s words… and she can tell that the other woman is convinced. She resists the urge to beam as the blonde slowly, reluctantly nods.

“Alright… alright, fine. Maybe… maybe you’re telling the truth.”

Midoriya just snorts in amusement, eyes twinkling a bit.

“I suppose only time will tell, won’t it?”

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A/N: Remember to Vote, leave a Like, and let me know what you think!

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Google Doc Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13GaxennqnF8NE1emdQZXDC0H3NZTGqVYOmCJhGGiEg8/edit?tab=t.0