absolution.

wretched dystopia.

//caps HEY!!! REALLY QUICK, CHECK BEFORE THE ENDING IIDA CALL OF LAST CHAPTER—I FORGOT TO ADD A FIGHT AND I AM SO,,,,,,,, MAD AT MYSELF,,,,,,,,, SORRY (it's todoroki v. ashido,,,, it aint much BUT STILL HOW DID I FORGET,,,,,,,,, ITS IN MY N O T E S)

anyway enjoy this,,,,,, monstrosity of a chapter. sorry the end's rushed; i've been working on this in all the free time i have and because i do monthly updates usually, my mind is Fried

===

From the second Shoda Nirengeki had shown his last attacks to the moment he was knocked out, Ochako knew that she's maybe, kind of, probably screwed. She might've not ever had a chance in the first place considering that her opponent if Shoda lost—and he had—would soon be Bakugo. And, well... Bakugo, of all people, wouldn't want to lose now.

But it's still terrifying, this sudden hopelessness that dawns on her. (How can she even be a hero—how could a hero choose her—if she can't even improvise off of this?)

She... well. Ochako can't exactly come up with a plan against Bakugo. She wouldn't have the energy to match Bakugo's strength or stamina, so she can't outlast him. And if she used her Quirk on him, that'd just give him an aerial advantage, right? After all, Bakugo could just propel himself with his explosions, and Ochako would be stuck on the ground. With the plan she originally had, to slam down debris like Shoda did...

It could've worked, but that wouldn't look good to the heroes—or anyone, really—as they would just call her a copycat or something and won't look at her. Also, he's already probably thought of a defense mechanism against an attack like Shoda's for someone else with a similar Quirk or move...

Ochako sighs miserably in the small break room, opening her eyes that had closed as she simply thought. If Iida were here, he'd tell her to not worry or something, to think logically. He's gone due to some emergency, though, which she can respect. And Midoriya would tell her a plan, maybe. He'd ramble about Bakugo's weaknesses to her, but he's still with the rest of the class, respecting her decision to think alone about this stuff.

A moment later, she scoots her chair back, internally wincing at the screech of its legs against the floor. She takes a breath, looks up at the ceiling for a second, and then gets up in search of Shoda.

She won't change her plan. It's the best one she's got, the one with the highest chance to win—the one that'll hopefully make her goal of helping her parents out closer. She'll just... go and see if it's alright with Shoda first.*

===

Though Ochako had to get through Monoma's antics to even talk to Shoda, she did eventually manage to do so. His approval of her inspiring an attack after him sits in her mind, comforting. She takes a breath, looking at Bakugo's red eyes from across the stage, and feels a wave of fear threaten to lock her limbs in place.

...It's fine. Recovery Girl's here, and no matter the outcome of the battle, Ochako will be noticed. She'll do her best here, and it'll be enough.

And then, she charges in, hoping that she and Shoda were right.

===

Once Ochako explains her situation as well as her original plan to him, the first thing that Shoda told her was: "I think you're worrying about this too much." Ochaco blinks at him, surprise scrawled all over her face. Shoda cracks a nervous smile to her.

"Is that confusing?" He asks. "Sorry, I'm... not too good with words. But, um—you remember the original purpose of the Sports Festival, right?"