maskormenace | 003 - [Voice/Video; Forward Dated to 12/24]

Entry tags:

ochako uraraka | uravity

003 - [Voice/Video; Forward Dated to 12/24]

[Today has been a pretty lucrative day, for Ochako! After waking up and having breakfast, she actually skipped her morning workout and training on the beach for entirely different. Much like a smaller, much cuter version of ye olde Kris Kringle himself, Ochako is out delivering gifts to her friends and teachers. Carrying a big bundle of goodies is no issue with her quirk, either. Tucking each wrapped gift into as large a travel bag as she could find, Ochako give it a little tap with one hand and it becomes light as a feather.

She out for nearly the entire day, if only because so many of her precious U.A. family are in other Gate cities, and even foot traffic during the final day before Christmas is an absolute nightmare, but Ochako finishes just before tea time (about 3pm) and looks tired...but happy. Time to curl up for the rest of the day with some hot tea, a few of her favorite Christmas hymns and carols, and relax a bit.

In fact, she pulls out her communicator as she gets close to her house in Heropa, shedding some of the thicker garments for those colder states she had to visit on her outing, and flicks on the camera to address the network.]

Hello, everyone!! Merry Christmas! Did you all get what you wanted? Ehehe... Anyway, what are some of your favorite caro--...eh?

[Please excuse her, there's something...at her doorstep. It's a large cloth bag that's, hrm...addressed to her? Ochako blinks, looking around curiously as her hair whips about, then goes to pick up the bag--] Ah! Heavy...okay, here we go--up!

[Another quick activation of her quirk, and she's tugging the bag easily along behind her, fumbling with her keys and her communicator.] Sorry...someone left me something. Um...th-thank you to whoever it was, if you're viewing this! That was very kind of you, though there isn't any name or anything...um. Just a minute, I'll open it now...

[Doot doot, she sets everything down then unzips the large clothe bag, turning the note over with a thoughtful hum and furrowed brows. Thanks? Who in the world--] Oh, these are cu--

[The rest of that sentence is cut short by the tearing of gift paper and a very audible gasp. There's silence a good long, long moment after before sudden movement, a box popping open, a squeak of surprise and a barely muffled sob.]

O-Oh my gosh...oh my GOSH!!! I-IT'S SO...IT'S... I CAN'T-- [Ochako flicks on the video, to show off a large box with a picture of a gorgeous telescope on the back, which is open at the top.] WH-WHO...WHO GOT ME THIS?! I-I'M SO...I'M--

[Is she crying? Yes. Ochako has wanted a telescope since she was seven - a few years after her Zero Gravity quirk manifested and she learned to really and truly love space and astronomy. Of course she never got one, because they're expensive, and she's never had that sort of money to spend, but...who in the world? Did she ever even tell anyone about this? She can't remember, Ochako is too fucking emotional right now. She may also be hyperventilating. This is like a dream come true.]

Th-This is...I'm s-so...! I-I...ah...hahaHAHAHA...haaah. [And, like that, she just. Cackles. Having lost her absolute mind before falling over backwards.

K.O.]

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I promise I will be fine, Kaneki-kun. I'll tell my teachers if anything really weird or bad happens after it. Promise. [Ochako makes a heart shape with her hands to the camera, smiling gently. Honestly, all she has to do is tell Aizawa or All Might, and they'd probably do a patrol or something. Hell, any one of her teachers would scare off any weird stalker, probably.]

But it is a great present, s-so I am very thankful...I don't want to sound like I'm not, especially if it's from someone I know, that can look at this. I can't wait to use it!! I've always wanted one and--oh!! Did you happen to get anything nice, Kaneki-kun? Ehehe, it's a bit sad everyone is so far away, I would have liked to see the things people got...

If they know you like space, then at least they have spoken to you, right? [ unless she mentioned it to a fan or something ]

Eh? Yeah- well. A couple of things. I'm not used to getting gifts so this is very new. [ at all. he just doesn't really get any, so this year was a big surprise ]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, though I've only told one person about how much I wanted a telescope... [Her space theme isn't hard to guess at, given her quirk, hero name, and even her outfit is very spacey (Ochako designed the look based on her favorite Rescue Hero, Thirteen), but still...there's a ton of other things that are space themed that aren't nearly as expensive as a goddamn telescope. It has to be someone she knows - but WHO?!] Maybe one of my teachers...or a joint thing between them, but...

[Man, it's hard to believe they would. A-Anyway!!]

Eh, really? Did you not get Christmas gifts from your friends or family back home, Kaneki-kun?

Ah- yeah, that could it. [ hopefully it will be it! ]

And not really - I've never celebrated Christmas. In my world and country, it's more of a romantic thing than an actual holiday.

Mm, yeah, you said you're from Japan, right? Like me. [Ochako hums thoughtfully. He...didn't really answer her questions - or skirted around them - and Ochako's coming to find this particular habit of Kaneki's very frustrating. So much so that she actually furrows her brows and frowns.] I'm aware it's mostly a romantic holiday, yes, shared by couples...but western influence is still pretty prevalent in the country since they like to smear their everything on everybody else...

[AHEM.]

I still get gifts from my friends, though. Yours really don't get you anything? That's hard to believe.

[ he isn't sure what to say about that. He didn't have family to celebrate it with and he only had one friend and mostly they just went out for dinner during Kaneki's birthday and New Year's but not really Christmas. ]

Er- well, I don't really have many friends. [ he has said that before ] I guess Hide gave me gifts on my birthday...? [ it was close enough to Christmas, he supposes ] Or we went out together for food, there was a restaurant we liked a lot. [ kaneki used to like and then he became a ghoul ]

[That's the thing though, Kaneki has told Ochako almost nothing about this - she still knows barely anything about his life back home, where he's coming to learn more and more about hers, and her world. So color her a bit confused, since she's...probably assuming he's lived more or less the same life as anyone else she knows.]

Eh...d-did you not go to school? Or, um...w-were you moving a lot, maybe? Hide-kun can't have been your only friend, r-right? [That's so sad. Maybe he was bullied? He seems like the type to be, actually.] What about your mama, and papa? Did they not get you anything, either?

[ Kaneki was bullied. And he was never good at connecting with others and making friends due to how difficult it was for him to open up with others, specially after his mother passed away. But it was thanks to Hide that it never got bad; Hide was Kaneki's voice and the one that saved him. All the time.

Kaneki has said that as well. ]

Uhm- [ he smiles a little, touching his own chin] My parents passed away when I was young. And even when my mother was alive, we didn't have a lot of money. [ they were poor. Kaneki's mother worked several jobs at the same time, overworked herself, and she still had to take care of her sister and then take care of Kaneki who often was too selfish and she couldn't take it. Therefor, Kaneki never asked for gifts. He'd receive them on his birthday (books, usually!) or when she could buy them, but Christmas truly was never something they celebrated. ]

And I did go to school. I always had a hard time making friends though, but Hide was always there for me. [ he is fine with only having one friend, too ]

... I don't think getting gifts during Christmas is that important. [ he doesn't quite understand why Ochako is so worried about that, really ]

[He has said that, but never truly went into the reasons as to why. Kaneki was, Ochako was learning...very secretive. She half wonders why that is - perhaps because of what he is, maybe? - but listens quietly as he explains. Ah, so now it's coming together, slowly but surely. There's quiet for a moment longer, before Ochako puts a secure lock on this, because it's starting to get a bit personal.]

I'm sorry, Kaneki-kun...I didn't mean to make you relive anything that'd bring you sadness, especially today. But it wasn't the gifts that I was asking. [It was mostly because she was a little surprised he didn't have many friends, or people who would do kind things like that for him. Kaneki always seemed like a very giving person, so she expected him to be pretty well liked. But now...heh. He really is a lot like Deku. No wonder Katsuki likes him - Kaneki must remind the blond so much of his own childhood friend.]

We're friends, Kaneki-kun. But even so, I still feel like you're...a-a stranger to me, in a lot of ways. You know so much about me, my friends, even my home...but I barely know anything about you, and yours. And any time I ask, you give me just a few little bits and pieces, then always divert things back to me. I don't like that.

I ask because I like you, Kaneki-kun. I want to know about you. Cool things, boring things, scary things, sad things, happy things... How can I call you my friend if I don't even know you, really? You put your trust in me to keep your secret, and I will, so...

Trust in me a little more, okay?

Eh? No, it happened long ago, I don't mind. [ he does mind. Not about his father, but his mother. Kaneki never got over his mother passing away, no matter what he tells others and himself. ]

Uhm- I don't want to bring up such depressing topics with other people. It's not really fair to bring them up like that. [ most wouldn't even know what to say. And that's fine, really, Kaneki doesn't want to put this sort of burden on other people because he knows it can be awkward and sad. ] It's not that I don't trust you, it's just- [ he was taught not to burden others. be kind. be gentle. ]

I don't want to make the conversations awkward. [ kaneki wants to make the people he cares about happy. And he doesn't want them to feel like talking to him is depressing ]

... I'm extremely gloomy. [ he smiles, a little apologetic ]

[Ochako hums thoughtfully, simply nodding a bit. She's not quite sure she believes that entirely - loss is hard, and it will always sting in some ways, just a little less over time. But, she will say nothing. It's not her place to, given that she doesn't know the specifics, and doesn't want to dig on that topic right now.]

Kaneki-kun. [Her smile grows, but it's tired, worn, and not really all that happy at all.] ...Do you think I don't have depressing topics myself? Out of most people, I think...I think m-my friends and I have a lot of depressing topics we lock away in our hearts. I know people don't like to bring it up, but it's better to talk about those sad things with people who care about you. So you can lean on each other and support each other. Besides, I'm asking you to.

Not now though, if you're not ready. [Ochako breathes in, then out again, slowly. Yeah, she sort of put him on the spot there a moment, but she just needs Kaneki to understand that she wants to know who he is. She doesn't want their friendship to have secrets...especially when he's closest to another of her friends, and someone she loves very much as well.] Ehehe, it's fine. No one's supposed to be happy and smiling all the time, you know?

I've gotten pretty gloomy myself recently. [She laughs a bit.] But that's why I have you and everyone else to pick me up after!

[ He doesn't know about that. he was taught not to; he was taught to put others first because that's kind and gentle, that's all a kind person needs. He has learned he should not demand attention and he should not make things about himself.

This is not a mindset he can easily get out of. And even with Katsuki, he still has the tendency to hold back even though the other always calls out Kaneki on it and demands for him to speak up. But it's still very difficult for Kaneki to do this. The balance between what his mother taught him and what others are requesting of him, is hard to keep. Not as hard as the whole "being a ghoul" thing, but... ]

... I'm not sure how to talk about myself, though. Or how to even start. [ he chuckles softly, shaking his head ]

Ah-well. I mean, you can ask me things. [ he supposes ] If you really want to. I will try to answer properly.

[Putting others before yourself is the duty of a hero - Ochako has been taught this credo, it's practically ingrained into her society as a whole. But...she's also seen what being self-sacrificing can do to someone. How it can, sometimes literally, tear them apart. She, too, has felt the anguish of putting others before herself, and coming out feeling like she lost pieces of herself in the aftermath. It's a lesson that she's also learning - be kind to others, but also be kind to yourself. She doesn't want Kaneki to sacrifice himself for the sake of others, and end up hurting himself...or those who are closest to him, by worrying them sick.

And, much like Katsuki, Ochako pushes. She challenges his status quo and will not allow Kaneki to hold back. Because, like Katsuki, she expects no one to hold back against her. It's disrespectful, and infuriating, and perhaps why she was frustrated a bit before. In that way, Ochako and Katsuki are very similar...and it's why they can respect one another, and get along while also pushing the other harder and further forward. But, unlike her fiery classmate, she can at least understand that challenging something like that, pushing beyond what is seen as one's "normal" is not easy, and it doesn't happen right away. So, she doesn't push as hard or as fast this time around.]

Well...if you're alright to, tell me about your mama and papa. You know a little about mine, after all, I'd like to know a little about yours, if it doesn't hurt to talk about. But like I said, Kaneki-kun, you don't have to right now. It's Christmas Eve, and I don't want to ruin this day for you.

We can always talk, you know. You're always welcome to reach out to me when I'm not in school, or on patrol.

Ah- it's fine. I really did mean it when I said Christmas was not a thing back home. [ he really did not celebrate it ]

[ he leans back a little. So, about his parents. He will talk about his father, because he is easier to talk about ] I don't remember my father and my mother never talked about him because it hurt her a lot. He died when I was four and I only have the vague memory of being handed his ashes... I know it was sad because my mother was crying.

But he read a lot. [ the reason why Kaneki loves books so much ] He had so many books in his room - all of them had labels, red line marks, all worn out... It could be because I was lonely, but part of it was because I wanted to find out what kind of person my father was, so I read them all, too. [ kaneki smiles winder, thinking about it ]

That's how I started liking books so much! I'm not as obsessive as he was and I don't redline my books, though! [ he laughs a little ] Plus, he wasn't all that into horror like I am.

[Oh, that...that sounds terrible. Losing a parent so young sounds so sad. Ochako's not sure she could have bared it, even when she was small, she was so, so incredibly close to her mother and father. It's a bit odd, though, that even at four...Kaneki didn't know his father much. Maybe he traveled? She won't press - it's not like he'd know anyway. She nods sadly, muttering a quick apology and gives him her condolences. Even if Kaneki says it's alright, it still hurts thinking about a lost loved one.

Still, it seems like Kaneki connected with him in his own way, and that makes Ochako smile a bit, the warmth reaching deep into her eyes. Heh, it's nice...how his father's love of books sort of got passed down to Kaneki that way - sort of like passing the torch or something. It's a sweet sentiment to think about.]

That sounds wonderful, Kaneki-kun... Ehehe, it seems you really did take over a part of him in that you both love to read, and must be very, very smart!! You probably don't know if he was maybe a professor, or a researcher, maybe? What sorts of books did he have?

[ Kaneki simple doesn't remember him. After he passed away, his mother became his life and his focus was solely on her.

Kaneki touches his own chin, a bit embarrassed ] I don't know about smart... but he loved classical books. Like Hermann Hesse, Osamu Dazai, Shakespeare. I love them too, of course, but he focused on the older novels more.

I read them all when I was a kid, and I guess that made me weird. The other children couldn't understand the books I read nor why I liked them. I ended up becoming a bit of a loner because of that.

[And here it's Ochako's turn to sort of balk a little bit. She knows only perhaps two of those authors, and they are difficult writers to parse. Their works and literary pieces aren't easy to digest even for some adults, let alone a child. So Kaneki not thinking he's smart for being able to get into them is a little outrageous, and Ochako's certainly not the type to hold back.]

Eeh?! Kaneki-kun, those sorts of stories are really difficult to read - especially Shakespeare!! English alone isn't easy for you and I, but old English is even worse. We're reading an exerpt from Shakespeare in my Literature class in high school now and the majority of the students can barely get out a sentence! And these are Americans who really know the tales well! The fact that you could read and understand them as a kid is incredible!!

Don't say you and your papa aren't smart! It's not true at all!!

[She huffs a little bit, puffing up her cheeks as her small eyebrows furrow together. Honestly, she doesn't get why Kaneki isn't...isn't proud of his accomplishments. Sure it's nice to be humble, but there's a line between being humble and putting oneself down. He doesn't deserve that, even from himself.]

Oi. [Oh yeah, she's breaking out the Kansai accent.] Children tend to lash out at things and people they don't understand...or that scare them. They bully others who don't 'fit in' with what they view as right and wrong.

[There's a long, long pause. Ochako closes her eyes. Right...that's like those two. Bakugou and Deku. Ochako only made a guess as to why Bakugou was like that to Deku so long ago, but...she can't help but feel she was right. Katsuki was...is scared of Deku. How different he is from himself. So he pushed him away, despite being childhood friends.] But that doesn't mean you're weird, or should have been alone. I'm glad you met Hide-san, but...but you also should have tried to connect with others yourself, Kaneki-kun. 'Do your best', yeah?

I know it's a hero's job to save people, but...as a hero myself, I also know that there are times where I have to save myself. Because if I don't, other people will suffer. I can't reach out to them if I'm not strong.

[ WELLP Kaneki... isn't sure what to say. He never thought of it as being smart, simply as... well, being lonely. Because that's why he started reading them, after all. He was always alone in his house while his mother was working hard, and Kaneki found himself occupying his time by reading the old books his father had. ] is... that so? I mean- [ he doesn't really need praise, it's a bit awkward to hear it like that.

But his cheeks turn a bit pink, too. Ochako really seems impressed, even if Kaneki never thought it was a big deal. ]

A-ah, I know. I don't blame them or anything. Plus it was long ago. [ they were just kids being kids. Kaneki isn't bothered by that anymore. Plus, he had Hide and that is enough ] But I guess I'm a bit too much of an introvert. Hide was usually the one who got me to talk to others.

[ he smiles a little ] You are very strong, Uraraka-chan. And very easy to talk to, even if I don't have Hide here to give me a push, I can still talk to you easily.

[Loneliness may have been the catalyst for picking them up, but being able to read and understand difficult text is born from passion and intellect, and a desire to learn. Kaneki is smart, and really...a lot like Izuku, now that Ochako is paying closer attention, and learning more about him. No wonder Katsuki likes him!! Ken must practically be like a mirror image of the freckle-faced boy they lost a few months ago, and Katsuki probably...clung onto that. That memory. That familiarity.

He'll never admit it, but Katsuki loved Deku - and probably still does as well. Ochako has seen it, noticed how devastated the blond was when Izuku left, and how Katsuki picked up things at FanPort that reminded him of his childhood friend... They both did.

But, Kaneki also has Izuku's bad qualities, too, hence why Ochako is trying to forcibly yank him out of his shell. Or bash it in and drag him out kicking and screaming. She and katsuki both aren't the types to really allow anyone to not put in 100%, or put themselves down.]

Mm, you're a lot smarter, and cooler, than you give yourself credit for, Kaneki-kun, so stop putting yourself down!! [And man up a little bit, too, man...sheesh. At least her chiding is now a little softer, and more like teasing than actual scolding. Ochako just...wants Kaneki to believe in himself a bit more. Because so many expect her to be her best, and don't allow her to slack off, she now expects the same of others. It may be a bit pushy, but it's for the sake of progressing past your weaknesses and insecurities. Never back down. Never quit. Never give in. She's grown because she had the support of others, sometimes kicking her in the ass along the way, so it's a bit of her giving that same treatment.] Kaneki-kun....I don't mean this to sound rude, but. You can't rely on others all the time to do things like that for you. Hide-kun isn't here, and you know that this world is fickle... I've been supported by my friends and teachers, of course, but the things I do, the challenges I meet, and the goals I want to achieve... I want to do all that myself. If I don't, I feel like I haven't really earned it.

It's the same for you, right? People grow by taking that first step themselves. Someone may lift them up, get them to that point, but...the first step is and should always be taken by you.

B-Bu-But thank you!! I'm, um, glad you think so, s-since.... [She rubs her neck a little bit, looking rather sheepish.] I really haven't felt like that in a bit. I need to get stronger. A-And um, s-sorry for being kinda pushy...

I'm pleased with the relationships I currently have. [ And he built all of them on his own, too. kaneki had them back in his world too, with ghouls. And he has them here, with imPorts. It's not like Kaneki is trying to collect friends, he never was, but he was able to make more friends here and as a ghoul, on his own.

So he isn't entirely sure what she is trying to say, exactly, but he will listen to her advice without really arguing. ]

You aren't pushy, Uraraka-chan. I don't think so.

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003 - [Voice/Video; Forward Dated to 12/24]

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