24 The End and The Beginning

In the popular coffeehouse Stellarbucks, Musutafu Branch. 

"What's the downcast face, Ochako-chan?" 

While sipping her tea, Makima questioned with a smile. Her golden and hypnotic eyes gazed upon the bubbly girl who seemed dispirited. 

Beside the Devil were her lovely puppies, Lady Nagant and Thirteen. On the other side with Ochako was the humanoid polar bear, Konrad. 

Hearing the words of her Master, Ochako's eyes turned toward Makima as she sighed in defeat. It has been a couple of hours since the end of the battle tournament.

And she, Uraraka Ochako, was in the tournament's second place. 

"I-I got defeated..."

Ochako's response to her Master's question was a silent mumble. But it was clearly heard by everyone on the table.

"I see... Your defeat is bothering you."

"You did well against that kid, Ochako-chan. And the results of the tournament aren't embedded in place. You can grow even stronger if you wish to reclaim your victory."

Makima's words made sense. It made the disheartened Ochako regain a bit of her confidence. Besides, she hasn't been training long with her Teacher and Master.

How much could she grow if Ochako continued her training for several months?

Ochako wanted to answer this question, but Makima's further words astounded the bubbly girl. 

"However, if the boy still bothered you. I can help you make him disappear from the face of Japan."

"Even if he's the son of Endeavor, no one should bother my puppy."

Makima's eyes became sharp and cold as if she were about to go ahead with her words. Ochako swiftly waved her hands and tried to stop her Master from committing a crime.

"I-I'm not really bothered by my defeat. And I can still work hard to become strong, Master." 

She smiled while presenting her tone muscles, which she had gained from training with her Teacher. 

Makima looked at the bubbly girl for a second and stopped talking about making a boy disappear from the land of the rising sun.

Ochako calmed down and began to draw circles on the table. She gazed downwards and asked in a silent mutter. 

"Were you actually trying to do that, Master?"

Makima raised an eyebrow and smirked at her cute puppy. It was good that she was becoming somewhat selfish. After all, someone too naive would be worrying as a puppy.

"As I said before, Ochako-chan. My puppies are more important than the rest." 

"Do you want to spend time with your Master, Ochako-chan?"

*Cough!* *Cough!* 

Lady Nagant and Thirteen coughed upon Makima's last words, trying to stop their Master from devouring the bubbly girl.

Makima tilted her head in confusion after she had heard their coughs and looked at them. She squinted her eyes and asked.

"Do the two of you want to join?" 

*Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*

Lady Nagant, who was drinking coffee, began uncontrollably coughing, while the same could be said with Thirteen. 

Makima furrowed her eyebrows with their extreme reactions since it was somewhat familiar. It was then she remembered Lady Nagant's reactions during the tournament.

"The two of you are not thinking of something lewd, correct?"

Lady Nagant and Thirteen froze when they heard the question of their Master. They glanced at one another and knew they had to be honest.

The two could only nod, which made Makima give them a scary smile.

"My, my... It looks like Thirteen will join our punishment session, Lady Nagant." 

Ochako looked around the Stellarbucks as if not hearing the words of her Master. While Konrad continued drinking his hot chocolate and reading some newspaper. 

While the group continued to mind their business, they attracted some attention from the surrounding crowd. 

Having a group of black-suited civil servants who looked interesting brought attention. They weren't inescapable in the eyes of the masses. 

It made others wonder what kind of civil servants they were, especially when they looked incredibly professional.

"I saw them cool-looking civil servants again."

"Who do you think they are?"

"Perhaps they come from a special law-enforcement agency."

"Hey, isn't that the second-placer of the sports festival?"

When one of the crowd spoke of Ochako, many others became interested. After all, the bubbly girl was an underdog in the eyes of the public.

"Hello, Miss. May I ask a question?"

Amongst the crowd, a young one was brave enough to step forward towards the group of civil servants. His gaze was pointed at the bubbly girl.

"Are you Uraraka Ochako of the U.A. High School?"

At first, Ochako looked at him in confusion before realizing what he was trying to do. She couldn't help but rub her head in confusion while awkwardly smiling.

"Well... Yes, I am. How may I help you?"

"Ah, I'm a fan of yours. Can I get your autograph? You were an underdog in the sports festival, especially when you beat those with destructive quirks."

The young one began yapping about why he was a fan. Ochako could only maintain her awkward smile while writing her cute signature onto the fan's notebook.

Others were about to approach the bubbly girl before they were met with Makima's golden and hypnotic eyes. 

They soon entered a trance and continued their business as if they had forgotten what they had heard.

"Since you received your precious autograph, why don't you return to where you came from?"

Makima said with a smile, and the young one promptly nodded. He returned to the crowd as though he lost his previous excitement when meeting Ocahko.

The Devil hated others invading her peace the most. If not for Ochako in front of her, they would have exploded in bloody mist for bothering her.

'I'm becoming unhinged with time.'

Makima quietly thought to herself and saw the still awkwardly smiling Ochako. She looked at the bubbly girl with interest and remarked.

"First time dealing with a fan?"

Ochako's awkward smile disappeared after hearing the words of her Master. Lady Nagant and Thirteen were also curious about Ochako's reaction to fame. 

"I thought I didn't have fans, so it's a first." 

"Must be very intruding, huh?"

Lady Nagant commented, earning the stare of Thirteen and Konrad. Makima already guessed what the fallen hero was trying to say.

"Perhaps, yes." 

"I'm not used to strangers asking for my name and autograph."

"I also didn't think my boundaries would be so breakable."

Ochako stated her honest feelings regarding the subject. And in simpler terms, she didn't feel good from the interaction. 

"That's the price of fame. And as a hero, it's natural to be famous."

"So, there's no avoiding it. Though, you could also become an underground hero."

"They tend to hide their identities and are not-so-famous compared to the usual pro-heroes."

Lady Nagant knew the intricacies of heroes as she was influenced by society's dark and light sides. Her view of the matter was as neutral as it possibly could be. 

"I want my name to be known and keep my privacy. But I guess the two are too much to ask for."

Ochako sighed with a saddened expression. Wanting her name to be known while maintaining privacy was difficult. 

The only way to do so was to become isolated from society.

"It's not too much to ask for, Ochako-chan. Your Master is here to entertain you. Do you want your wish to come true?"

Makima smirked at the bubbly girl as the Devil had the means to fulfill any wishes. Ochako felt embarrassed for bothering her Master and wanted to decline.

But before she could do so, Makima's expression became serious. Her eyes turned sharp as her gaze became cold. 

"It looks like their preparations are complete. Faster than I previously expected."

Makima's eyes peered through the world and saw scenes from various parts of Japan. She thought the war would be delayed for several months.

But it looks like she overestimated the patience of the Symbol of Evil.