Villainous

Chapter Six - Murder

"Hey! Where are you?" Toga called out once they reached the end of the alley. Ochako jumped slightly, startled by the sudden noise.

It was obvious that someone was living in the area, upon closer inspection. Drying clothes hung from a line between two windows, held in place by rocks. Ochako noticed a dim light flicker out when Toga called for the perpetrator, but the blonde didn't seem to.

Was this a test? Maybe.

It was better to be safe.

Ochako tapped Toga on the shoulder, and pointed towards the boarded up door the light had shown through. Speaking of light, Ochako wondered how Toga could see well enough to navigate them through the alley with such little light. The gravity hero had been squinting to make out shapes by the moon's steady glow. Maybe she was right able her previous guess; Toga had eyes similar to a cat's.

"I saw a light go out over there." Ochako elaborated quietly, still pointing towards the pitch black doorway.

"Good job." Toga whispered back, making her way over to the door. She didn't make a sound as she walked, shifting through pools of moonlight with predator-like movements. The blonde was reminding Ochako more and more of a cat the longer she was around. The hero-in-training hadn't moved from her spot, scared to make a noise and blow her partner's cover. Wait, were they partners?

Ochako watched Toga slip into a broken window, glass shards faintly rattling remained the only sound for a short while. A shrill scream came from inside, and Ochako bolted towards the door on reflex, only to almost be knocked down by Toga. The hero quickly backed up, and examined the blonde for any visible wounds. Toga seemed to notice this, and smiled. "That wasn't me."

She stepped further out the door, making the thing she was dragging behind her visible in the dim light. It was a person, an older woman with salt and peppered hair. Toga held her by the back of her leather jacket, and although her hands weren't restricted, the woman seemed too afraid to do anything. "She screamed when I grabbed her." Toga giggled, smiling like a child who just successfully told a joke.

"Oh." Ochako wasn't sure how to take the slightly morbid statement. She looked towards the cowering woman, who watched Toga with a fearful gaze.

"Okay! I did the hard part, and dragged her out here. I'll get the money, you take care of her." Toga said, lightly pushing the woman towards Ochako. The light shove wasn't out of regard to the woman, but so she wouldn't knock Ochako down, and grant the woman a chance to escape.

"What does that mean?" Ochako gulped. She knew, but she hoped it was some alternate, peaceful solution.

"Kill her. Slit her throat, stab her through the heart, bash her head in. What ever you think is the fun way." Toga said before spinning around and heading back inside. "Just make it quick, we still have to get the money back to Twice and Dabi tonight."

"Uhm, any chance I can go find the cash?" Ochako hesitantly asked, gripping the collar of the woman's jacket tightly. Her heart pounded with anxiety, stomach knotting and turning itself inside out as she waited for the blonde's answer.

"Huh?" Toga appeared back in the window, confusion etched on her face. "Why?"

"I just.. I don't want to kill someone.." Ochako said. She was scared to meet Toga's eyes, but did so anyways. She regarded the hero with a look of mild enjoyment, like a lion would look to it's dinner.

"Why not?" The blonde hopped back through the window, approaching the pair. She seemed more curious than malicious as she stopped beside Ochako, still awaiting an answer.

"I.. I just don't want to e-end someone's life." The hero managed to choke out, terrified of what was going to happen to the woman. The blood rushed past her ears with what felt like enough force to burst her eardrums as she waited. And waited.