An eerie, midst-like haze overtook vision completely.
Ochako could barely differentiate the air from the ground.
It was almost as if she were using her quirk, while being stationary at the same time.

Her legs were definitely on the ground, but her body had no weight.
She was so caught up in the stimulating feeling it provided, that she'd completely disregarded her surroundings.

The pitch blackness began to twist and shift, until there was a noticeable change in atmosphere.

It was looking more and more like a night sky than an endless abyss.

A cloudless, starless night sky.

Before Ochako had even realised, buildings and cities began to materialize.

Civilization was at her fingertips the entire time.
If that was the case...Then what was this feeling?

Then the buildings started to look familiar. They were the same ones in Musutafu; the same as...

Then it hit her.

She needed to get out of there...
But her legs wouldn't move.

An invisible weight cemented itself at her limbs, preventing her from moving any part of her body from the neck down.

She couldn't be there--she knew exactly what was about to take place, and that she was unfortunately going to be at the very center of it.

Then she heard the first horrified shriek.
Audible crashing, car alarms, screaming drowned put the prior city buzz from just moments ago.

The buildings were beginning to flicker to an orange-reddish blaze, cinders falling close enough to sting.

If Ochako squinted, she could mistake the buildings circling her for great pines and oaks, as if the several damaged and burning buildings could've just been a hellish forest fire.

At least if it were a forest fire, she'd be dying alone.

But now, cities, civilians of families and loved ones were involved.

But she couldn't do anything.

Without even looking around for it, she could see several persons in more dire positions then her.

A business woman under a telephone pole, a construction worker screaming for his child; it was all becoming too much.

"Look, it's Deku!"
Someone yelled with buckets of relief.

Ochako felt her ears begin to burn...

Deku, the name she'd called this boy from adolescence.
Well, he wasn't a boy anymore.

She'd loved him for a while now, but her feelings were never quite reciprocated.

What was with that?

He seemed to care about her... But as nothing more than a best friend? A sister?

But instead, he fell for the one thing Ochako couldn't surpass, nor understand.

Katsuki may have known Deku since childhood, but what else did he have on her? She was an optimist, constantly acting with Izuku's best interest at heart, and always keeping him within arms length.

But that's what she couldn't understand.

How could he--no, how dare he--fall for someone who was selfish and a bully?

Katsuki never once had Izuku's best interest at heart, and always pushed him away.

But apparently that was the most admirable thing he could've done, since he never accepted the fact that he was the best he could ever be--for neither Izuku, nor himself.

He wanted to be a hero that Izuku deserved, someone he could look up to with a purpose.

But Ochako already was that.
Ochako already proved herself to be worthy of Izuku's love many times, yet he chose his childhood bully.

It just didn't make sense.

Was Izuku really going to spend his entire adult life waiting? Waiting for something that'll never come?

Waiting for what was already gone to change for him?

A flash of green lightening felt almost blinding to the brunette, as she squeezed her eyes closed; unable to shield them from the nearby white light.

The light disappeared almost as soon as it had appeared, and when Ochako reopened her eyes, the civilians were gone.

She felt herself grow somewhat relieved.

Such is the capabilities of the number one pro hero, she'd presumed.

Then, he came into view.

Curly, deep-sea green locks that blew in the heavy, toxic winds.
His hero costume--an international symbol of absolute good triumphing over evil--was almost in shreds.

Only one of his gloves were intact, while the titanium soles of his shoes had definitely seen better days.

His back was towards her, but she could almost see his pure, peaceful smile, the smile she and everyone else who'd known him personally will always take for granted.
His eyes weren't in view, but Ochako was sure that they were beaming with that brilliant, emerald gleam.

If only they could look at her with the same glow as when they look at him...

Izuku had taken the people to safety, and was now regrouping with the other pros in the area.

Among them, of course, was his partner, Katsuki.

They were recently engaged, and Ochako couldn't help but loathe how well they complemented each other.

They were talking, likely exchanging information about what areas they'd covered.

A couple of the pros left completely, including Izuku, whilst Katsuki and a handful of the others had stayed behind.

They'd began spreading out in pairs, as if they were preparing for something.

Just then, as though there were some sort of last minute change, Izuku ran back towards the now dispersing group of pros.

The others simply seemed to shrug off his change of heart.

Izuku and Katsuki stood at the foot of a building, while the rest had spread out to different points all over the the block.

They were getting into some sort of formation.

Ochako was getting progressively uneasy with every passing second.

There was something very wrong with the current picture--and it had to do with Izuku.

Something about him...Was off.
Then she saw it.

His clothes...
Were clean.

Spotless, not a single fray or tear in sight; even the titanium soles on his feet were somehow completely restored.

'How did he–'

Before Ochako could even fully process it, a powerful ray of nothing but pure white light broke through the building.

If she believed in God, she would've definitely assumed it was the gates of heaven itself, shining brilliantly as it claimed the lives of many.

Her heart caught in her throat when she saw Katsuki shove Izuku out of the path of the blinding light as he himself was drawn into the line of impact.

The light stopped as soon as it came, and in a flash, everything was dark again.

'What...Just happened?'

Ochako on looked at the group of heroes who were there with Izuku, their obvious concern plastered across unfamiliar faces as they approached him.

She was confused as to how he was handling the situation.

Katsuki was just taken?
By a ray of light?
And Izuku was just just...Sitting there?

None of this was making any sense; the memory wasn't playing out as she'd remembered.

She was further confused...
When she saw Izuku's reaction.

Ochako couldn't hear it, but from the shaking of his shoulders, to the satisfied look on his face;
Izuku...Was laughing.