Chapter 97: Frustrations
Summary: Izumi has her own mild breakdown, and Momo dresses in a sexy maid outfit...
Warning! Chapters 96 & 97 were posted back-to-back! Make sure you don't miss chapter 96!
Chapter 97: Frustrations
Izumi scowled at the steel locker that had warped around her fist like so much silly putty. The punch and impact hadn't even been particularly satisfying, her base strength now far too great for the impulsive act of temper to have been meaningful. A gentle hand came to rest on her shoulder, even as fleshy cords that could only be Jirou's jacks tentatively wrapped around her arm and tugged. Izumi let them guide her hand, providing the strength to pull her undamaged arm out of the locker with a groan. Her eyes closed, trying to perform a breathing exercise she'd been taught long ago by their therapist to force herself to calm down.
It didn't work.
Momo's body pressing into her back helped more, as did Jirou wrapping her own body around the freed arm and gently kissing the knuckles of the hand she'd used on the locker. Slowly, the completely uncharacteristic burst of anger bled out of Izumi, leaving her simply tired instead of filled with spikes of incandescent rage. She didn't even know where it all came from, the entire ball of temper boiling to the surface a horrible jumble of a thousand things she thought she'd dealt with.
She certainly knew what the trigger had been, at least.
They had all just come from the debrief following the Jaku raid and the results had been pyrrhic, at best. Yes, they had captured a single villain, who was now in the ungentle hands of the WHA telepaths, having everything he'd ever known and done ripped from his mind. Yes, they had destroyed a major Nomu creation lab and killed what they assumed was likely the bulk of all existing Nomu. Yes, they had recovered Jaku city in its entirety. Heavily damaged, but mostly intact, aside from the hospital and a few areas that had seen major battles between the Nomu and the Empire of Zurrick forces.
But they hadn't captured Shigaraki. Hadn't even seen him or the other villains they knew were being cloned. Jaku City might be theirs now, but it was nothing but a liability. The entire area was so bloated with QE that it was basically begging Rifts to be opened there. The density was so high that it would likely be an active conflict zone with the Empire for decades, even if they actively tried to siphon QE away from it. There was no chance of it being anything but a combat zone again until the Empire was defeated for good. By which point it would likely be a wasteland of destruction from thousands of fights.
Worst of all…not everyone had made it. Amajiki was dead. Two of Fat Gum’s other sidekicks had died with him. Sato was in critical condition, his power armor having been ripped apart with him still in it. He would probably live, but he was missing more organs than All Might, along with both legs below the thigh and one arm for good measure. Dasher hadn't made it, leaving Flasher to mourn and try to pick up the ruins of his boss's agency. Present Mic had lost an eye, Gunhead a hand, Bakugo had shattered nearly every bone in the left side of his body and would be out of commission for at least a week, even if he was expected to recover fully. Of all the teams, only the two Alpha Strike squads, supposedly the most at risk, had come out entirely intact. Even there, Miruko had almost lost an ear, only the fact her ears were mostly muscle and cartilage that could be rebuilt with the right Quirks having saved it, and Moondancer of Alpha Strike Two was going to be out of commission for at least three weeks due to her own injuries.
Technically, given the sheer weight of numbers they'd been up against, the rate of exchange was hideously in the Heroes' favor. Even discounting the clones. But it sure as hell didn't feel like it. Particularly not after seeing the ever-cheerful Hado curled over Amajiki's bloody remains, Ryukyu holding her but looking helpless to do anything but let her protégé cry it out. They may have pulled off a near-miracle, given the odds…but given the escape of nearly the entire League, Izumi couldn't see it as a win. Nor, she thought, could anyone else, given the grim aura that had filled the room during the debrief.
It was too much. Too much. One last straw that had everything else bubbling to the surface. Izumi barely heard 2B acknowledging Momo's order to cold stop anyone trying to contact them, even the various research teams, as she fell apart in both of her girlfriends' arms.
... ...
Izumi hadn't woken, even after they'd gotten her all the way back to the safehouse, and Momo could admit she was worried. Even more than her own blank-faced, numb fugue state after coming back from the other side of the Bristol Gate, Izumi's outright breakdown was…not good. What Momo understood, that few others did, was that Izumi was something of a special psychological case. Not only was her mind intertwined with another in 2B, offering a bulwark against shock, but the very nature of Izumi's Qurik granted her natural emotional control that she rarely even realized she was leaning on.
Even Izumi's issue with crowds and being social was more the result of a compounding trait. An introverted nature that was shared between Izumi and 2B, each of them reinforcing the other to the point it was a miracle either of them functioned as well as they did on a social level. That miracle's name was Inko, of course, the woman somehow having juggled two daughters with a tendency toward anti-social introversion so well that they could actually function socially. Something which was all the more remarkable from a woman that was, herself, an introvert. Inko had, somehow, played the two of them against each other. She'd convinced both of them that they needed to help the other one be more social. Something Momo was extremely grateful for on a personal level, as one of 2B's first efforts to get Izumi to be more social had involved befriending Momo's much younger self. A life altering shift that she couldn't imagine doing without.
Unfortunately, the ability for Izumi to 'control' her own emotional 'sliders' much like an Android technically could, allowed her to push too far. It allowed her to simply ignore emotions in a way that normal humans couldn't. Until, at least, they became so great that the whole thing exploded. Something that normally didn't happen, as 2B was aware of the issue and more than willing to call Izumi on it when she started using the control as a crutch. Learning not to lean on that unconscious ability to ignore emotions had been a major reason Izumi had needed a therapist in the first place…and 2B had needed convincing of the same thing even more.
Unfortunately, another shared characteristic between Izumi and 2B was a tendency towards extremely selflessness and a self-sacrificing nature. It was a good trait, normally. But Momo was guiltily kicking herself for not realizing that 2B was struggling with so much of her own guilt about 'not having prepared enough' that she hadn't been in any position to pull Izumi back from her own bad habits. In retrospect, it was obvious that Izumi had been pushing too much and too hard. The research teams she could have handled, despite literally the entire world being on the line if she didn't get it right. The combat was something Izumi was legitimately able to handle well, and would have been fine on its own despite the stakes. The losses of friends would have always shaken her, but in isolation could have been handled.
None of those had been alone. All of them had piled on top of each other, viciously compounded by the fact Izumi had been forced into the spotlight where she was least comfortable. All of the high-level meetings and briefings she'd had to attend, alone save for 2B, had likely put more stress on her girlfriend than even front-line combat or juggling world-saving research projects had managed combined. It had been a long-standing tradition between them that Izumi wouldn't have to deal with those sorts of social-political things without Momo as a moderating influence. But Momo's own assignments had denied Izumi that means of balance.
Izumi was normally Momo's emotional rock, able to step back to logically balance and prioritize. But Momo, in turn, was Izumi's social buffer, taking the brunt of the social and political maneuvering they'd needed to engage in since first launching the HSN. Together, they were a pillar that could hold up the world. Separated, they both had Achillies heels that fate and enemies alike could nip at. And Momo had been so lost in her own slow breakdown that she hadn't realized Izumi was starting to lose the bubble on juggling all the balls the world begged and demanded she keep up in the air for them.
Well. Fuck them.
This time, it was Momo who had put her foot down and forced the world to stop coming to call and beg favors of either Izumi or 2B. The latter had been much harder than the former. 2B had been perfectly happy to protect Izumi by cutting even Nedzu off from contacting her. Getting 2B, whose massive efforts worldwide were adding an unconscious stressor to Izumi's system, to do the same? That had required Inko's intervention. But, three hours after Izumi passed out, they'd finally convinced 2B to leave her VI selves in control and go into hibernation.
Strictly speaking, 2B didn't need to sleep. But she did need to spend a certain amount of time on self-maintenance. Defragmentation of memory storage, cleanup of loose code fragments, proper assimilation and indexing of new experiences. It only needed a few hours a week, but 2B admitted she hadn't done it at all in the months since the Invasion started, and errors had inevitably begun to creep in. She would be back online and in a healthy state far faster than Izumi. But even 2B would likely be out of it for a few days, given the sheer amount of new data she'd taken in since then.
The world would just have to look after itself without them. Because neither Momo nor Kyoka were going to let anyone bother Izumi. Not even if the world was ending. That, after all, was now an ongoing state of affairs…
... ...
The biggest difficulty with getting Izumi to take a break and let her mental health recover was obvious to anyone that truly knew her. Momo's girlfriend…or first girlfriend at least, now that they had another in their relationship…had a Hero Complex of Doom. Yes, the 'of Doom' was absolutely justified. If 2B wasn't busy defragging, she'd have agreed and played the Hero Complex of Doom sound effect that they'd agree on years ago. Momo herself had a Hero Complex. But hers was just a normal Hero Complex. Izumi's was of Doom, because it put Plus Ultra to shame.
Izumi had been the driving force behind their early certification as First Responders. Izumi was the mind behind the HSN. Even if Momo had taken it and run with it to make a new corporation, it had been Izumi who had first envisioned everything the HSN could mean for the Hero Industry. Izumi regularly, compulsively, sent offers of equipment improvements out to dozens of Heroes. Momo had spun those into PR stunts for Aegis, just to make sure Izumi didn't undervalue herself, but Izumi usually had the things already made after a wild fit of inventing after getting an idea to help someone. Fifteen separate charities existed purely because Izumi had seen something in the news and found a way to fix or at least address a problem.
A normal person with a Hero Complex acted up and a cat was rescued from a tree.
A Pro Hero with a Hero Complex took a bullet to save a civilian. Marking them down as the real deal.
Izumi's Hero Complex of Doom acted up, and the world shook.
That last statement once would have been slightly overdramatic to most people. Given the number of world-saving inventions Izumi had pulled out of her glorious ass since the invasion, people other than Momo were slowly becoming aware that it wasn't overdramatic. Never mind that 2B and Momo alike often got infected by Izumi's Hero Complex of Doom and amplified the effect. Even Momo's parents had gotten roped in from time to time, ending up dazed and confused but with amazing PR for the Yaoyorozu Group that they couldn't be angry about.
Suffice it to say, that getting Izumi to stop for a bit, when there were so many dire problems that needed fixing? That was a challenge way harder than punching a few extra-durable Nomu. Thankfully, Momo had an Ultimate Weapon to achieve this seemingly impossible feat with. An Ultimate Weapon that had recently gotten an update! Upgrade? Addition? Eh, the metaphor was breaking down on her there. Regardless, she had a super-secret route to success!
Izumi was a pervert.
Oh, not in the creepy sense. Momo was more of a voyeur than Izumi was, so it wasn't like Izumi was going to perv on their classmates every time they were in the shared showers of the UA locker room. No, Izumi enjoyed looking, but she wasn't that sort of pervert. Instead, what Momo knew that no one else did, was that she was actually by far the more widely adventurous between the two of them in the sex and kinks department. Momo had discovered her enjoyment of exhibitionism on her own. But virtually all of the other kinky things that Momo now knew she liked had been the result of Izumi wanting to experiment.
Perhaps it was because Izumi technically had the internet plugged into her head much of the time? The internet was for porn, after all, before and above anything else. A truism that had survived even the second Dark Age and the Quirk Wars. Whatever the cause was, the fact that it was true was simply true. Izumi was the driving force in their experimental adventures. Momo had been corrupted to a certain extent and embraced it, but Izumi was the source. Just as she'd been the source of Kyoka joining them, in her quest for 'Infinite Jirou Headpats.' Not that Momo minded. Infinite Jirou Headpats was a wonderful addition to her life. It was, of course, also the upgrade to her make-Izumi-take-a-break-super-weapon that they needed!
-Lime? Sort of?-
Since the attack on Jaku had been a night operation, Izumi's collapse had happened in mid-morning. That had given Momo ideas when she'd decided on the need to prepare a distraction for Izumi. Which is how Izumi stumbled into the living/dining room of the safehouse to the scene of a unique dinner prepared for her. Kyoka, blushing scarlet, was tied to the low table they used for meals. She was thoroughly on display, with her legs spread and tied to the stubby table legs, her arms raised above her and tied to a bar that had been secured in place carefully. There wasn't a single stich of clothing on her, aside from a collar…but she was wearing something.
Specifically, she was wearing Izumi's dinner. Sometimes, even Momo had to consider that her own country might be the center of all perversion, since this was technically an ancient artform called nyotaimori. She had looked it up, and done her best to replicate it, making an intricate arrangement of sushi and sashimi that covered much of Kyoka's body…in a vague sort of way. It was admittedly pretty obvious she was nude under it all, and the way Izumi's eyes widened hugely at the sight had Momo grinning proudly.
Momo herself was dressed in parts of a Sexy Maid cosplay. As in, her breasts were on display because she was only wearing the open-bust corset and not the shirt that was supposed to be worn with it. To say that did amazing things to her already amazing boobs was an understatement, and Izumi seemed to be torn where to stare most avidly, eyes flicking between Momo's boobs and Kyoka's display. Beaming at Izumi, Momo bowed deeply.
"Mistress! You're awake! I have dinner prepared for you, of course. Including the sake for afterward. To be taken in the proper style, of course."
Meaning Momo had a wedge she fully intended to put under Kyoka's hips so Izumi could drink the sake straight from Jirou's pubic region, as had been the original source of this style of ancient kink!
"Afterward, of course, you'll have your choice between your server and hostess for an after-dinner snack! Personally, as we are having a special today, I recommend both! Followed by a delightful bath and a visit from your favorite pets!"
Momo cheered internally as Izumi was so surprised that she was able to suck her entirely into going along with things, drawing her into a seat right at eye-level with Kyoka's food-covered body. There would still be a lot of talking they needed to do, to get Izumi's head back on straight. But it would certainly help if they bled off some of her frustration with a night of incredible orgasms first! It was all for Izumi's mental health! The fact that Momo had been curious about food play for a while was only a bonus!
"Might I recommend the nipple nori rolls as a starter? This new girl's squeaks make them extra tasty, I'm told! Even if we'll have to train that out of her, of course…"
Kyoka blushed even more deeply. Izumi drooled, completely distracted. Momo beamed. She did so love it when a plan came together!
-End of Lime? Sort of-
... ... ... ... ... ...
Author's Note 1: I am not a fan of writing angst. Which is why this chapter ended on a highish note. That said, it was also something that needed to be shown. Izumi isn't an untouchable Mary Sue and I've made it a point as I went along since the invasion to subtly point out how thin she was stretching herself. Even when Momo crashed, Izumi didn't take the break she was supposed to be having, instead keeping in touch with the Harvest Stone research team remotely. This is, I think, very in keeping with characteristics I kept from the original Izuku, where she's heroic to the point of self-destruction. Eventually, she had to hit a wall...and now she has. What will happen now is something we'll have to wait and see :-p. Thankfully, she's got Momo and Jirou there to help her get through it...
Author's Note 2: No actual lemon this time, sorry folks! In this case, the reason for that is actually pretty simple...I know next to nothing about food play and didn't think I could write it convincingly as a result. Sure, I've seen hentai images of what I described here, but I mostly just passed them by, as my personal reaction is usually 'ew, that's seriously not sanitary.' I tend to have the same reaction to, say, mud wrestling women as well. No matter how hot they are. I know intellectually that other people find it hot, but its off-putting enough for me personally that I wasn't about to try writing it.
Autor's Note 3: I only put this out there once per update...but this fic (and my others) does have Early Access chapters over on my Page. ALL fanfiction content is eventually released here and elsewhere as well, just at a delay. Currently, chapters 98-102 are available over on , adding another 15,000ish words to the fic! Right alongside those chapters are 45,000+ words of other Early Access content for my other fics!