Chapter Text
Toshinori winces as Izuku is barely able to duck in time to dodge Ochako’s attack, rolling away on his back and straightening just as the brunette begins her next barrage of attacks. Her blue saber spins and cuts through the air with ferocity, but each time, it’s met by a well-calculated block from Izuku’s dark green blade, darker than any other green saber in use.
“I didn’t think it would be possible,” Toshinori chuckles. “But your padawan is somehow even more aggressive than the last time I saw her. And she seems to be heavily leaning into form four. Not something I would expect from a student of yours.”
Ryuko shakes her head, smiling a little as the two older Jedi watch their teen students spar across one of the many training rooms in the Jedi temple. “You would be correct. And if I am not mistaken, your student is favoring form three?” Toshinori nods. “As expected. As for Ochako, her aggression comes from her determination. She still hopes to one day return home and assist her parents.”
“Not many of the children who come to the temple remember their parents.” Toshinori cringes a bit when, after blocking a series of strikes, Izuku decides to grin cheekily at Ochako, only to receive an elbow to the face in response. “So it is impressive she has managed to keep that resolve all these years.”
“Impressive? Yes,” Ryuko concedes, watching Ochako carefully. “Or perhaps an attachment she refuses to let go of?”
“I would lean toward the former.” Toshinori tilts his head toward the woman, keeping his eyes on the kids. “Unless you are trying to bait me into another lively discussion about the Jedi’s rules on forming attachments.”
Ryuko laughs softly. “There will be no need for that. Your master and you have made your stances on the subject quite clear.” Toshinori gains a wistful look as memories of Nana flood him. “Still, I wish it did not prevent you from joining the council.”
“A sentiment you all share?” Toshinori asks knowingly.
Rolling her eyes, Ryuko fires an amused look at him. “Despite how he seems on the outside, you and I both know Aizawa just wants what’s best for all the kids here.”
“What she isn’t telling you,” both Jedi look up when Master Kit Fisto walks in, grinning, “is that Aizawa even tends to treat many adults as children.”
“Well, perhaps if you stopped stealing his snacks.” Ryuko raises an eyebrow just as Kit is about to pour an entire bag of candy into his mouth. He stops for a moment, before looking her in the eye and slowly emptying the bag’s contents into his mouth.
“Yes,” Ryuko nods. “Acting childish is certainly a way to inspire Aizawa to stop treating you as such.”
“It’s not so much about acting as a child, but more, adding levity to a dark time.” Kit walks beside the other adults, watching the children continue to exchange blows with their lightsabers. “One that I hope will begin brightening very soon.”
Ochako attempts to spin around Izuku’s defense, but a swift kick from the green-haired boy sends her sprawling onto the ground a couple of meters away. “Good trick,” he says, grinning down at her. She glares back up at her friend, nostrils flaring. “Not good enough.” Izuku yelps and leaps away when Ochako jumps at him.
Kit laughs. “My, he’s certainly a lot more cheekish than I remember.”
“It’s as you said,” Toshinori replies. “We have all had to develop our own ways to cope with the war.” He thinks for a moment. “That, and I may have let him join Skywalker on one too many missions.”
“No more explanation needed.” Kit raises his hand. “He has that effect on others.” The three watch in silence as it seems the duel will be coming to an end soon. Kit hums, stroking his chin. “It seems as if Uraraka will be ending this shortly.”
“Her progress has been improving wonderfully,” Ryuko says. Both men can easily hear how proud she is of her padawan. “It would not surprise me if she is ready for her trials within the next couple of years.”
“I am hopeful for the same with Izuku. However…” Toshinori watches the fight closely. “I wouldn’t count my boy out of this fight just yet.”
Izuku and Ochako clash, their lightsabers grinding against each other, starting to produce a high-pitched scratching noise. “C’mon Izuku…” Ochako pants. “You can’t win by only defending. You have to- you have to strike back eventually.”
“No, I don’t…” Izuku grinds his teeth to keep his blade up. “I just have to wait for you to tire yourself out.” He throws her off of him, and Ochako moves back to attack again, but she’s more tired than she realizes, stumbling and losing her footing. In that moment, Izuku quickly blocks her strike, and with a twirl of his blade, disarms Ochako, her lightsaber extinguishing when it clunks onto the ground.
Feeling the satisfaction radiate off of him, Izuku raises his lightsaber to Ochako, while the brunette’s eyes dart around the room. “That puts me two wins ahead now, doesn’t it? Give?”
Ochako’s eyes widen slightly before she turns back to her opponent. “Never.” Reaching out, she uses the force to hurl a large and very heavy crate at Izuku. When it comes to the force, Ochako is a natural at using it to lift objects many times heavier than even experienced Jedi knights could handle, so Izuku has no choice but to pivot and use his lightsaber to cut the box in half, saving himself.
But just as he thinks he’s safe, he feels a hand grab his wrist. The greenette doesn’t have a chance to even feel any dread before Ochako twists his wrists, causing Izuku to shout in pain, dropping his lightsaber. All Ochako gives him is a smirk.
“Oh no.”
Ochako whirls around, throwing Izuku over her shoulder so he lands with a hard thud! on the training room floor. By the time his senses come back, Ochako is on top of him, holding his arms above his head by the wrists and victoriously grinning down at him. “I think that makes us even now, doesn’t it? Give?”
Kit breaks out laughing before holding his hand out to Toshinori, who grumbles while dropping credits into the other Jedi’s palm. Ryuko looks between them. “Did- did you have a bet about who would win between them?”
“Not exactly.” Kit counts his money. “I made an observation some time ago that every time the pair spars, one of them always ends up on top of the other. Toshinori made a bet with me that at least one of their next three bouts wouldn't end that way.” He gives the blond man finger guns. “And he just lost.”
“Gloating isn’t exactly the Jedi way,” Toshinori chides with not much heat.
“I’d like to think of it more as celebrating.”
“No wonder you and Hizashi get along so well.”
Izuku struggles under Ochako’s hold for a few seconds before going limp. She prompts him with a look, which causes Izuku to respond with his most annoyed look, but when he still can’t escape, he concedes. “Fine…give.”
Toshinori hums. “Now that I think about it, Fisto may be correct about their training sessions. I wonder why that is?” Ochako hops up, pulling Izuku back onto his feet easily as the two chat about the fight they just had, using the force to pull their respective lightsabers back to one another.
“I have…a theory.” Ryuko chews her lip. “But I sincerely hope it’s not true, as it could damage their training as Jedi.”
“That will have to wait a moment.” The adults straighten at the seriousness in Kit’s voice, all of his usual carefree energy gone. He lowers his communicator. “That was Master Windu. Ryuko, he needs us now.”
“Yes, of course.” She beckons Ochako to her, with both teens jogging up to their masters. “Did he explain what for?”
Kit shakes his head. “No. Just that it is urgent.”
“I’ll keep an eye on Uraraka,” Toshinori assures Ryuko.
The blonde woman nods gratefully before turning to look down at her padawan. “It seems I have urgent council business to attend to. Behave for Toshinori, and I will fetch you when I’m done.”
“Can’t I come with you?” Ochako whines. “I promise I’ll be good! And quiet, I’ll be so quiet you won’t even know I was there!”
“Unless she falls asleep…” Izuku mumbles.
“Don’t you dare…”
“She snores, you know-“ Izuku is cut off by the chokehold he suddenly finds himself in, courtesy of Ochako.
Using her free hand to wave at her master, Ochako beams. “I’ll be good! Go handle your probably boring senate meeting.”
“I will.” Ryuko begins to walk away with Kit. “And not to worry, I will give you a full detailed breakdown of my meeting when I return. Because, as you said,” Ryuko offers her apprentice her own tiny smirk, “you are just so anxious to go.”
Ochako makes a face at the Jedi master before she leaves, ignoring strained protests by the boy in her arms. Toshinori sighs, watching the two adults leave. “I suppose we’ll have to find a way to entertain ourselves for the rest of the evening then. Uraraka?”
“Yes, Master Yagi?”
“If you’d be so kind as to stop choking my apprentice, I would greatly appreciate it. Besides, you cannot take the lead in your competition if he isn’t around.”
Sighing, Ochako releases Izuku, who after falling to the ground briefly, hops back up gasping for air. “H-hey! I couldn’t breathe!”
“That’s such Bantha Fodder, Izuku. I gave you plenty of room to-“
Toshinori clears his throat, snickering a bit when the pair jumps to attention. He doesn’t miss the little bump Izuku gives the girl in retaliation or the look she gives back, promising pain in his future. Kids will be kids he supposes.
“Master Yagi, where are we going?” Izuku asks curiously. His mentor had taken them through a mess of winding halls that, no matter how much time he spent in the temple, it doesn’t seem like he can memorize. The only comfort is the temple guards, who stand silently off to the side. Izuku had been embarrassed to ask them for directions in the past.
“Why, more training of course!”
Izuku groans in unison with Ochako.
“Master, could I be excused from training tonight, since I so thoroughly kicked Izuku’s butt earlier?” Ochako questions sweetly.
“Really? Like all that butt you kicked when we were on Florrum?” Ochako glares, just daring him to continue. But Izuku does indeed dare. “Remember? How easy those Weequay pirates captured you and I had to be the one to rescue you-“
“Yeah, and you got yourself captured too, you drydak!” Ochako counters.
“But who was smart enough to have a tracker active on him when he went?” Izuku taps his head. “Therefore, point to me, you still need training.” For good measure, as any mature and humble winner of an argument would do, he sticks his tongue out at her.
“Why you-“
“How about we just all agree that you could both use some training. Afterall, no matter your age, there’s always something to learn.” Toshinori doesn’t let the kids see him sag in relief, happy to stop another argument from devolving into a wrestling match. He shakes his head at the memories of Ryuko and him having to save their overzealous padawans from getting themselves captured…again.
“Master?” The way Izuku calls out to him is hesitant. It reminds the old Jedi of what the boy was like when they first met so long ago. Timid, insecure, unsure of himself. Stuttering every other word and so frail, it looked as if the wind could blow him away. It had been a long road to get where they were.
And Izuku practically sprinted down said road. Even though the boy was one of the oldest kids to be brought to the temple, only barely younger than Skywalker had been, he had worked hard to get to where he is today. His confidence had leaped in improvement, although it can still wane at times, and spending time around a great many of his peers during his Jedi academy certainly helped as well.
Being caught up in a three year civil war that encompasses the entire galaxy also tends to expedite training, he supposes.
“Yes, young Izuku?” Toshinori answers.
The boy looks unsettled, and what’s even more telling, is how doubtful Ochako herself seems. “It’s just…” Izuku starts hesitantly. “There have been…whispers around the temple.” Ochako nods, supporting what Izuku is saying. “Is the war really practically over?”
Toshinori is cautious. Even though he isn’t on the council, there are plenty of members who tell him the goings-on for advice or just to keep him in the loop. Such as when they secretly supported a rebel group on Onderon, or when they decided to expel Padawan Tano from the order. The latter of which, he still staunchly disagrees with.
So yes, he knows a bit more than others. He is aware of Count Dooku’s recent death. He knows of Master Kenobi going to bring an end to General Grievous, and the current Siege of Mandalore occurring. All events that could very much signal the end of the war.
So why did he still feel so uneasy?
Not wanting to exactly lie, Toshinori responds to Izuku with, “To be honest my boy, if you were to ask me, I would not say the war is practically over.” He continues quickly as he can already see both the teens developing disheartened faces. “However, I would say that a light is beginning to shine on the horizon, and soon, hopefully sooner than we expect, it will shine on all of us.”
It fills him with joy at renewed looks of relief on Izuku and Ochako’s faces. No, he does not think the war is practically over. But he hopes, for these kid’s sake, it is sooner than they all expect.
“I gotta know, are Jedi masters required to take a class on speaking in proverbs? Because I swear, you all do it.” Toshinori chuckles, turning around as a pair of temple guards walk towards them. The taller person removes her helmet to reveal indigo-colored hair with several pink streaks and sharp purple eyes. “Or, does that come naturally to all Jedi who complete their training?” Kaina Tsutsumi asks with a chuckle, holding her helmet under her arm.
“It comes naturally,” Toshinori plays along. “It’s lovely seeing you Nagant-“ Toshinori covers his mouth in embarrassment. “Apologies for using your codename on stealth missions, old habits die hard, I’m sure you understand.”
“I do,” Nagant replies, amused by Toshinori’s social fopaux. “At least some of our code names were subtle, unlike others I know. Wouldn’t you agree, All Might?”
“Fine, yes, yes.” Toshinori laughs, waving her off. “I guess I deserved that. What brings you here?”
“Just doing my rounds…and after seeing you, someone wanted to say hello.”
Before either of them could stop her, the shorter temple guard bursts past Toshinori, pulling both Izuku and Ochako into a bone-crushing hug. “How are you both?! I missed you so much since you’ve been off-world!” Himiko Toga rips off her mask to get a proper look at the padawans. “Have you both grown?! Oh my gosh you have! How do you keep getting cuter!-“
“Himi…” Kaina warns, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the smile on her face.
Toshinori smiles sadly. Himiko always seemed like a nice girl, if not excessive at times, even if she is only a year older than the teens she’s hugging. But her emotions gave her a deep connection with the force, and her skill with a lightsaber isn’t to be questioned. Unfortunately, her inability to let go of her attachments is ultimately what led to her training to be a temple guard instead of a Jedi knight.
Much the same with Kaina. Members of the council never did reveal to him the kind of missions they had her go on, but whatever it was led to her becoming disillusioned with the order as well. Thankfully for both girls, Chancellor Palpatine had spoken up for both of them when they had considered leaving the order, and while the council wouldn’t allow either to continue training as a Jedi, they did allow them to continue as temple guards. Kaina rose quickly through the ranks to become the lead guard.
“Come Himiko, we have security matters to attend to. And I need to test you once again on raising and lowering ray shields.”
Quickly ducking behind Izuku and Ochako, Himiko shoved them together at the side. “Quick, save me! Pretend I’m not even here!”
“Izuku, did you hear something?” Ochako asks.
“Can’t say that I did.” He looks around them. “No one here besides us. Well, we better get to that training!” He begins to walk away, Ochako still attached to his hip with Himiko hidden behind them.
“That’s right!” The brown-haired girl next to him agrees. “Because we are disciplined and always excited to learn!”
“Is that why the three of you skipped lessons that one time to go race speeder bikes down at level 1313?” Kaina places her hands on her hips, giving the kids a pointed look. Toshinori sighs, that had been a day to remember for sure.
“In our defense, it wasn’t just us!” Izuku defends. “Denki, Mina, Ahsoka, Caleb, and Toru were all there too-“
“And that makes what you did okay?” Toshinori crosses his arms.
“At least we won?” Ochako tries.
It doesn’t work.
Both adults let out a tired exhale. “Just please return my student…” Kaina asks, exhaustion evident in her voice. Toshinori can’t help but snort. Yeah, try dealing with these two on a near daily basis. He sometimes considered letting Master Torino have a go at teaching the kids, but not even Toshinori is that cruel.
“Fiiiine, I’ll go,” Himiko says in defeat, straightening.
“It was great seeing you, Himiko. Maybe we can catch up tonight after training?” Izuku looks at Ochako who nods in agreement.
“I’d love that!” Himiko squeals. “You’d have to tell me all about your latest adventures! Who you met, whose butt you kicked…” she says the next part very quickly. “If you figured out yet that you two should leave the order so you can finally be together-“
“WHAT?!” Both Izuku and Ochako’s faces explode into blushes as they wave their hands frantically in front of them. “What are you talking about?!-“
“Yeah, we don’t have thoughts like that-“
“Don’t be crazy-“
Himiko leans in close to the both of them, a wide grin on her face. “Says the pair who uses any spar as a chance to touch each other- ow!”
“That’s enough out of you!” Kaina begins to drag Himiko away by the ear.
“Let go of me you old hag! You know when it comes to love, I know what I’m talking about! The order just isn’t ready to listen!”
“Now is not the time!”
“Fine! Then I’ll come in the next time you’re feeding the sarlacc!”
“Don’t you dare try to speak to me while I’m on the toilet!”
Toshinori shakes his head fondly at the commotion before turning back to the kids. “Shall we press on?” At the sight of them trying to cool down their faces and making every effort to not look at one another, Toshinori finishes with, “uh, when you’re ready?”
“Master Yagi…you have to give us some warning when you’re taking us to do this kind of exercise!” Izuku complains. He tries to rub some of the sweat on his palms using his robes. He stands back to back with Ochako, both in ready position with their unignited lightsabers in their hands.
“As a teacher, I have to make sure my students are ready for anything, and being spontaneous is an excellent way of doing so.” The man doesn’t sound sorry in the slightest. Izuku doesn’t know how, but he’ll find some way to make him pay for this. “Besides, you have asked in the past for me to implement some of Master Skywalker’s teaching methods.”
“Not this one!” Izuku and Ochako yell together. They stand in one of the temple's outdoor areas, surrounded in a circle by almost a dozen clones, with their blasters all trained on them. Ahsoka had told them the horrors of this exercise when they were younger and thankfully, Toshinori and Ryuko hadn’t made them attempt it nearly as many times as the other padawan, but each time they did is certainly burned into their memories.
“Are all of your men’s blasters set to stun?” Toshinori asks the clone next to him.
“Yes, General Yagi,” Captain Howzer responds.
“Very well, begin!”
The firing doesn’t begin immediately, and Izuku always hated that. The anticipation. The anxiety of trying to anticipate where the first shot will- there’s a shot! Letting the force guide him, Izuku spins to the right, blocking the circular blue stun bolt. Ochako also blocks the first attempt at her behind him.
Neither know how long the exercise goes on for. Slowly but surely, the clones begin to pick up the pace in firing, the blue rings coming at them faster and faster. They’re blocking so many now. Too many to count. Izuku’s mind doesn’t even bother trying to keep up. He lets the force and his instincts take over until-
Ochako yells behind him, going down after being stunned. His concentration slips for a moment in worry and that’s all it takes. A blue ring hits him and everything goes black.
“You make us prouder each day.”
Izuku sits up fast, too fast. He grabs his head in pain, trying not to lose the image of the woman in his head he had seen talking to him. It isn’t the first time he’s seen her, nor does he doubt it’ll be the last. Izuku looks down at his lightsaber.
Ever since Master Yagi had passed down his Kyber Crystal to him, making him the ninth to wield it, Izuku had been experiencing a weird phenomenon. Seeing people who aren’t there sometimes, getting advice on his forms and technique from voices. He still doesn’t understand what’s going on, just that it has something to do with his master’s- he means, his crystal.
Around him, clones check on him and Ochako, offering them water. “Sorry about that, Commander Midoriya,” one of the clones apologizes while helping him slowly rise.
“You’re fine.” Izuku rubs his head some more, already feeling the haziness start to lift. “And I know you enjoy that on some level,” he snarks. “Who won the betting pool this time?”
The clone sighs. “Knot won tonight’s pool.”
A clone in the distance waves at him. “Sorry, Commander!”
“You’re getting better, kid.” Captain Howzer walks over, removing his helmet, light-colored skin, slicked back blond hair, and gray-blue eyes stare back at Izuku with a smirk. “Next time, I might even join the boys for a crack at ya. I’ll try not to knock you too quick.”
Izuku meets the man’s challenge head on. He often wonders if the clone's donor, Jin Bubaigawara, was anything like Howzer. But he’ll probably never know since Master Takami killed the bounty hunter during the first battle of Geonosis. Although, the Jedi was always very tight-lipped about what happened during that interaction, refusing to ever actually say he killed the man. Something Izuku always found strange.
Looking up at the clone, Izuku chirps back, “you know, that’s a lot of sass for your superior officer.”
“Heh, grow a couple of inches Commander and we’ll talk about that.”
Izuku puffs out his cheeks before feeling Ochako tug him back, pulling him away from the clones while they talk to Toshinori about the results of the training.
“Nice work today, kid.” The clone Blyze gives him a high-five, which Izuku returns enthusiastically, along with a fist bump to Ark, who messes with his hair while following his brothers back into formation. Izuku waves back at the clones, with Havoc shooting him some finger guns before laughing.
“What do you think will happen to them?” Izuku turns to Ochako, who had been watching the clones as well. At his questioning gaze, she elaborates. “After the war, what do you think will happen to them? I know it’s what they were made for, but the Republic isn’t just gonna throw them away, are they?”
“They can’t!” Izuku vehemently disagrees. The pair lean against a Temple railing, the view behind them overlooking the constantly alive Coruscant and nearly set sun. “They’ve done so much for us! I’ve talked to Anakin, and he says Chancellor Palpatine is a really nice guy, so I bet they’ll let most of them keep their jobs or give them homes once the war is over.”
“I hope so.” Ochako looks down, biting her lip. It’s clear she has more to say, but Izuku doesn’t rush her. “Do you ever think about the things Himiko says?”
Feeling his face heat up and looking away, while forcing his thoughts to not dwell on any of those emotions, Izuku responds, his voice a few octaves higher than normal. “What things exactly?”
“How it’s okay to have attachments, even though the order says that as Jedi, we can’t.” Ochako lets her full weight rest against the railing, looking up at the dark sky. “How we shouldn’t be ashamed for loving others.”
Izuku sobers up almost instantly, realizing what Ochako is talking about. Chastising himself for letting his teenage hormones so easily dictate him, he peers back at his best friend. “You’re talking about your parents.”
Ochako nods. “Yeah. And I’ve tried, Izuku, I’ve tried so hard. I’ve gotten lectures from Master Ryuko and Master Yoda about how I should ‘let go of everything I fear to lose,’ but how can I do that when it’s that worry for my parents that’s driving me to train harder, to study more, to be the best Jedi I can be! Even better than you! And you’re amazing!” He coughs; it doesn’t seem like Ochako registers what she just said.
“I can’t just live the high life here at the temple,” she gestures to the tall structure next to them, “and be comfortable while knowing that halfway across the galaxy, the Techno Union has practically made my parents into slaves for them. I love them, and I know Master Ryuko and all of them probably mean the best but-“
She stops to take a breath when she feels Izuku lightly bump into her, giving her a small smile while sticking close. Ochako sighs. “I’m sorry for just dumping all of this on you; just seeing Himiko earlier brought a lot of these feelings back, and as bad as it sounds, the battles were always good for distracting me from them. But with the war ending soon…it all just came rushing back…” she looks down, ashamed.
“I don’t think it’s weird.” Ochako looks up, stunned momentarily. Izuku is in the same position she was previously in, staring up at the sky as night progressed. “I can still remember my mom pretty clearly. And I might be worse than you but…” he scratches his cheek. “I never even tried to let her go.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Izuku confirms, shifting a bit as the air got chilly. “Master Yagi is a bit…different than most Jedi masters. He never discouraged me from letting go of my attachments. He more… he more taught me to not let those negative emotions control me. Guilt and fear? I could still feel them, but I shouldn’t base my decisions off of them.”
“Wait…” Ochako’s eyes widen. “So we don’t have to let go? We can just do that? I can still love my parents…yeah, it’s so simple! It makes so much sense! How come none of the other masters are teaching that?!”
Izuku rubs the back of his head, embarrassed. “I don’t know? But I’m glad I could help?”
“Yeah!” Ochako gives him a thumbs up. “You don’t understand, this has been bothering me for so long, but if Master Yagi says it’s possible, it has to be! We can become Jedi who both help people in trouble and form attachments with-“ she turns back to Izuku and stops. Bright green eyes peeking from under soft untamed hair watch her reaction with a mixture of joy and relief. His soft smile lifts her spirits even more, causing her stomach to somersault inside her.
Ochako turns her head away quickly, her face heating up as she curses her stupid teenage hormones. “Anyone,” she finishes in a whisper. “We could form attachments with anyone…”
“I guess we could.” Izuku cups his chin, oblivious. “But we’d probably still have to convince some of the other masters. I’m sure your master would work with us, but what about the others? I nominate you to talk to Master Aizawa.”
“Hey!” Ochako whirls around, not all the red gone from her face. “No fair! If I get him, then you have to do Master Windu!”
“Oh, c’mon!”
“You heard me!”
Izuku laughs, which causes Ochako to do the same, the two moving closer together unconsciously to keep warm in the chilly air. “Speaking of Master Windu,” Ochako wonders. “I haven’t heard from my master in a while, I hope everything’s going okay?”
“They’re probably at the senate building for some boring meeting about budgets.”
Ryuko strides confidently down the hall, her robes billowing behind her. Several master Jedi walk beside her, including Kit Fisto and Vlad King, as he liked to be known. And in front of them leading the way, Mace Windu is a man on a mission.
The doors open to the spacious office of Chancellor Palpatine, with the man himself shutting down a report in front of him and turning around in his chair to greet them. “Master Windu, I take it General Grievous has been destroyed.” He pauses. “I must say, you’re here sooner than expected.”
“In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic,” Windu reaches into his robes, and Ryuko does the same. “You’re under arrest, Chancellor.” They all ignite their lightsabers at the same time, standing at the ready.
“Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?”
“The Senate will decide your fate.”
“I am the Senate.”
“Are you cold?” Ochako asks, moving even closer to Izuku than usual.
“A little.” He looks down at her worried. “Are you okay?”
Ochako looks down at her hand. It’s shivering. “I’m not sure? I feel… off I guess? But I’m not sure why. All I know is something doesn’t feel right.” Before Izuku can prod her further, there’s a strange gasp of pain over by the clones.
Forgetting themselves, Izuku and Ochako run into the middle of the group of clones to find Toshinori grabbing his head in pain, all of the clones looking at each other, confused. “Master!” Izuku is immediately at his side, helping him stay on his feet, while Ochako does the same from the opposite end. “Are you alright?”
“I…” Toshinori starts to regain his footing. “I’m not…”
There’s the sound of a communicator clicking. Amongst the crowd of clones surrounding them, Captain Howzer removes his from his belt and clicks it on, a robed figure flickering to life.
That’s when it hits Izuku. The cold. It’s as if all warmth and comfort leave him instantly, but not just leave him, it feels like he can never feel them again. It’s as if happiness had ceased to exist, leaving only fear, anger, and hate in its place.
The robed figure speaks. “Captain Howzer, it is time.”
The cold reaches around Izuku’s throat, suffocating him.
“Execute Order 66.”