From the Ground Up: Kacchako

Chapter 33: Risk it

Ochako_
She pulled at her suit as she stood atop indeed the tallest building she could see within reasonable distance.

It was a massive skyscraper, it's sides covered in a reflective glass.
Upon approaching the building, she spied a very large size advertisement for the top heroes. The number 1 hero, to her gleeful surprise, was Deku, advertised with a large smile and casual fighting stance. She made a note to go and visit him soon.
The second was- not really to her surprise- was Ground Zero, though he was advertised with crossed arms and a wicked grin that more suited a villain. She shook her head to herself and made a mental note to wack him over the head for posing for a photo like that.

With where she now stood atop the building, her hair tucked securely under her helmet, the wind was a cool pressure against her back. A reminder of what she was here for.
With the technology built into her helmet, she could spy Mina on the ground, Reiji strapped to her chest. She held up her phone, as if she was recording the whole thing.
Ochako licked her lips and braced one foot behind her.
I can do this. I can do this. I have done this.
She repeated the words to herself over and over again as she built up her confidence. She was certain this was the only way to scare her quirk into action again. She would not fail her husband, or her friends, or most importantly, herself. She was about to make the leap when a melodic robotic voice sounded in her ear.
- Ground Zero Spotted within distance -
- Red Riot spotted within distance -

Ochako looked around frantically. There was no way they could be here. No way. There was no crime in this area during the day.
But there is a police precinct...
A voice whispered to her, and she shot her eyes straight towards the businesses and establishments lining the bottoms of the buildings.
And there, a little ways to her left, on the ground, she saw the two familiar heroes walking just down the street from the precincts front door.
And if my gear can spot them, theirs sure as hell can spot me too.
She shook herself roughly and jumped on the spot, readying herself.
It's gotta be now. Right now. I won't die. I won't die.

Besides, if her quirk wasn't jump-scared into action, one of the two would save her.
She laughed nervously to herself and peered over the edge. Mina waved. Ha!
Ochako laughed again and backed up a few steps.
When she turned again, she gave herself one last shake, and sprinted for the edge. Her heart was a raging drum in her chest. Beating hard and fast against her bones.
Not just from the fear of the fall, but from the adrenaline and excitement and nostalgia.
The sprint made old memories rush into her head, temporarily distracting her. She could again see herself running along similar rooftops with Katsuki, sprinting through the night on missions and sometimes just for fun. From the sheer joy of this freedom, this adrenaline, this euphoria.
But her vision once again cleared as her feet found the edge of the building, and then found their grip and launched into the air out of habit.

Her body went straight and stiff, and she angled herself so that the wind wouldn't tear her out of form.
She pressed the tips of her fingers together and divided her attention. Half to awakening her quirk, half on the cement ground making a steady approach to her face.

Katsuki_
Katsuki had just endured an incredibly useless meeting with the police captain about finding the criminals in question. It was a steady tennis match of arguments between him and the donut loving absolute moron with a plastic badge.

Kirishima had a hand on his shoulder when a voice sounded in his ear.
- Uravity spotted, approximately 1,563 ft up, and 478 ft to the left from current location -
He stopped dead. So did Kirishima. They locked eyes.
"Did you-"
Kirishima started, Katsuki cut him off.
"Yeah. Just heard it."
His voice was so stiff and infuriated a view civilians walking past took a few more steps away from him.
He looked in the general direction of the instructions given to him by his new gear.

He saw her immediately. And she saw him.
Fucking-
He shook out the tension in his shoulders.
No way. No way she'd be so stupid as to-
She jumped.
Actually, leaped was a better word for what she did. She got a run-up, brace her foot on the ledge, and fucking yeeted herself into open fucking air.
Panic mixed with fury mixed with worry raged through him.
Without thinking he shot into a sprint for the base of the building, his lungs and legs pumping at full speed to get him there in time.
Kirishima followed.
Once they reached the bottom, he was about to shoot himself up and catch her, but Kirishima gripped his arm.

Katsuki snapped his head to him with a snarl.
"Wait,"
Kirishima said, and pointed to the crowd gathering. Right around the middle was a head of pink hair, and an upraised phone. Mina. She was filming this.
"They must have something planned."
The red hero said, and visibly relaxed. Katsuki didn't, though.
It was half in his mind to still go up there and catch her. How the hell she thought she'd weasel out of this one, he couldn't wait to see. If she didn't splatter on the ground and make him and the waiting crowd see her innards become her outs. He gritted his teeth and attempted to calm the screaming in his head as he watched her get closer and closer to the ground.

Mina_
Mina could barely keep still as she held her phone up, recording the whole stunt. She should've argued against this.
Should've stopped her friend from practically jumping to her death.
Should never have agreed to this.
What if it didn't work?
She used to jump off buildings all the time! What if this wasn't enough to scare her and she ka-splatted herself all over the ground?!

Even Reiji, her usually fussing son, was quiet and still as he watched the crazy woman hurtle for the cement. He cooed and kicked his legs more the closer she got.
Mina could see the details of Ochako's suit now.
She was about to drop her phone altogether and do what she could to save her when she suddenly slowed.
Slowed and stopped, spinning softly in the air. Her legs brought close to her chest and her hands clenched tightly together. She was so close to the ground that if she tried, she could stretch out a leg and touch it.
After a second, Mina laughed and swayed slightly, her vision fading. She had the vague sense of the world tilting before she lost herself in darkness.

Ochako_
She opened her eyes at last, sensing that she wind at stopped tearing at her.
Her quirk it...it worked-
She spied Mina in the crowd, saw her laugh and fall backwards, fainting. Kirishima was there in an instant, catching her before she could even come close to hitting the ground.

Ochako was about to disengage her quirk when a alarmingly strong hand gripped her ankle and yanked her downwards.
She came face to face with a black mask, burning red eyes, and blonde hair. She was glad she had her helmet on. Glad that the dark glass hid the fear that now undoubtedly shone in her eyes.
"Umm...Surprise?"
She said.