Requiem of Revolution

Chapter 3: Ikoraizā

The two emerged from the series of alleyways back onto the streets, but not the one they had been walking down initially. It took them a minute or two to figure out where they were, but before long they were on their way back home.

The crowds were starting to thin as the sun slowly set over the city. People on their way home for the night, or else out drinking with co-workers. After a few minutes of walking, Izuku cleared his throat and glanced at Ochako.

"So... what happened in the restaurant?" Izuku asked carefully, keeping an eye on her, gauging her reaction. "Did someone recognize you?"

"No. No one recognized me. I just... heard some people talking at a nearby table." She said, eyes fixed on the ground as they walked.

"I've isolated myself from the media since... the incident, I knew it wouldn't be kind. So I never knew what rumors were spreading about me; about us," she said quietly.

Izuku squeezed her hand. "No matter what they might say or think, just remember that you have people who love you, who know you, and will never abandon you. Besides, rumors like that come and go, and happen to everyone who's in the public eye long enough. It'll all fade into obscurity eventually." Izuku said earnestly.

Ochako couldn't help but smile, it was a true blessing that Izuku could still be so optimistic, despite everything that happened in the world. His constant optimism always proved to be a source of great comfort to her. Ochako meanwhile struggled not to get dragged down by the hellscape that was public opinion and reality. She knew such thoughts were often cyclical, making it difficult to break from such thoughts on one's own. Yet, Izuku's presence and that almost childlike optimism he possessed; that things would work out one way or another, acted like a light in the darkness. At times it was blinding to her, and she often wondered how she had survived up to now without Izuku.

"Do you think All Might had problems like this?" she asked suddenly.

"I don't know. Naomasa spoke about him a few times, but never about his personal life in much detail. I remember he told me once, that he admired All Might, but that he had to remind himself that All Might was still just a man in the end, that he wasn't perfect. He said that it helped put things into perspective for him, and helped him become a better cop. If he kept comparing himself to the "idea" of All Might rather than the man, then he would always come up short." Izuku said, his mind drifting to the past.

"If I had to guess though, I think he faced a lot of hardships that few knew about. He wasn't born great, no one is. So, even if he had great power, it also meant he needed to overcome greater challenges, both public and private." Izuku said.

Ochako's thoughts went back to when All Might explained about One For All, about how it had taken eight generations of the quirk before All For One was finally defeated. She couldn't even begin to fathom the weight that must have rested atop All Might's shoulders. She didn't know if she could have withstood it, and she didn't know how All Might had managed it.

"He was the greatest hero ever to live." She said after a few minutes of quiet walking.

"I dunno," Izuku started to say.

She looked up at him and saw he was looking at sidelong.

"You think there's someone else?" She asked, surprised and curious who he thought could match, let alone be better than All Might.

Izuku just smiled at her. "Well... I think if he were here right now. He'd have some stiff competition." He said, his eyes never leaving hers.

She felt herself start to go red and hastily looked down.

"I'm nowhere near that great..." she mumbled.

Izuku suddenly stopped and she almost walked into him. She looked up and opened her mouth to ask why he'd stopped, only to have Izuku kiss her suddenly.