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[pursestrings]

why didn't i have one of these

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action; 4/2

[thriftea]

[When Ochako says she'll do something for a friend, she always follows through. That's why the day after her silly conversation with Okuyasu, she's knocking on the front door of his house with a blue marker in one hand and her precious picture in the other. Well, she... thinks it's his house, anyway? It's the building he was lazily lounging in front of a few days before, so she's just going to hope that he's the one who comes to the door.]

[pursestrings]

[Okuyasu is pretty pumped about his supposed marker, to be honest, but he's not waiting-by-the-phone (metaphorically) kind of pumped. Just normal pumped! Such that it takes him a moment to get to the door when she knocks, in that he's not home but he'll be coming back right on time.

So hi, he's here, standing right behind her. This is the gag. Hello.]

Hey?

[thriftea]

[Look, Ochako is too focused on the darn door to notice him walking up. As soon as she hears a voice from behind her, though, she's whirling right around, eyes wide, ready to lay this person out if she needs to.

But—oh, it's just him. That's convenient.]

Y-You shouldn't sneak up on people like that! [She doesn't look too angry about it, though; she does, in fact, look rather sheepish. Way to make her look like a jumpy idiot, Okuyasu.] Why are you out here, anyway? I thought you sat inside all day.

[pursestrings]

[He makes a face like he's about to laugh, but he resists! Instead he just holds up his hands, placating, and maybe just in case she decides to float him away on the breeze for coming up behind her like that.]

It's not sneaking if I live here! And I get bored sitting inside all day. Going on walks isn't illegal.

[Allow him to lean to the side here and open the door.] C'mon.

[thriftea]

[...Those are some fair points he's made. Hmph. Thoroughly chastened, she decides the best thing to do is relax and just... silently follow him inside...

Except it's impossible for Ochako to do anything "silently." She's back to her normal, peppy self as soon as she crosses through the doorway, too excited by the new scenery to remember feeling embarrassed only seconds before.]

Whoa! It's so different from the place Momo and I are staying in! Is it only you and John here?

[pursestrings]

It's just a house... [It is cleaner than before, at least, and one of the steps has a brand new plank covering it after yourself truly put a foot through it on the first day, but it's just a house!! Okuyasu kicks the door shut with his heel, watching her pep around. Ochako...]

Nah, though, there's a big dork with glasses staying here too. I think he scrubbed the place clean with his tears after a skeleton fell on 'im.

[It's fine, Okuyasu loves and respects his roommates. They are... definitely okay dorks.]

[thriftea]

[There's only one big dork with glasses in this place! Her eyes light up as she turns back to Okuyasu, temporarily putting her house examination on hold.]

Iida! He does this a lot, right? [Look at those stiff, robot-like arm motions she's making here. The resemblance is uncanny.] We go to school together! Oh, I wish I could have seen his face...

[She bites down on the inside of her cheek, trying—and failing— to suppress a quiet giggle. It's mean to laugh at her close friend, especially when he's not around to defend himself, but a) she's exercising her bff privilege and b) he's always so serious...]

He was okay, wasn't he? And no one made fun of him?

[pursestrings]

[Oh, yeah, those are the arm movements! That's definitely the same big dork!! Okuyasu perks up, nodding.]

Yeah, that's him! He was doing that thing the whole time! [Now here's Okuyasu's version of the arm movements, not nearly as precise or... good, but he's doing them. There was an incident with a skull that earned him a lot of gesturing.]

He screamed and I spiked a skull into the floor, so I guess I saved the day, actually.

[This is one interpretation of events.]

[thriftea]

[Oh, that impression. A real laugh is bubbling its way up her throat, but she slaps a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop it. Don't do this to her! Iida is her pal!!]

I'm g-glad you were there to help him! I'm sure he appreciated it.

[That's it. That's all she can say until she gets her shaking shoulders back under control, so save her, Okuyasu... save her...]

[pursestrings]

[It's too late!! He's a master of comedy! Her laughter just makes him grin, totally pleased with himself for this great performance. Look, he's not trying to give Iida shit or anything, this is just the best he can do and Iida is a little weird.]

Right? [He does... the arm thing again, even goofier than a second ago.] So he's got a hero power too?

[thriftea]

[There's a very noticeable pfft as she tries desperately to avoid spewing with laughter. The hand is doing nothing to help! Shifting her eyes away from him, she stares at the bland grey wall, hoping it will help keep her amusement in check.]

Engine! [Thinking about Iida's quirk makes not laughing so much easier. She sucks in a shaky breath, focusing very intently.] He has engines in his legs, so he can run super fast. Haven't you seen them? They're so bulky.

[pursestrings]

[No, look at it. He'll do it again but faster if she looks back, otherwise he'll give up--]

Haha, what the hell? [Engines where? He tries to like, picture his legs, which is weird, hmm.] He's not the biggest dude I've ever seen, so I guess I didn't notice.

[.....okay] Like, car engines?

[thriftea]

[Does he want her to spit all over him? That's what's going to happen if he keeps being silly. For now, though, she only looks back over at him once she's absolutely sure she isn't going to lose it.]

Kind of? He does have exhaust pipes sticking out right here. [Kicking a leg up behind her, she gives her calf a light tap.] If you really want to know, though, you should probably ask him. I only know how my quirk works.

[pursestrings]

[EXHAUST...PIPES. Okuyasu gives her a look like he suddenly can't remember where he's been for the last several, uh, weeks? How did he not see this?? Iida still isn't as Huge as, say, his best friend's adult man nephew, so that has to be why...

But holy shit.]

Do a lot of you guys have... like, parts? Like that? I know a chick whose Stand is in her hair, but that's just one.

[thriftea]

[Ochako reaches up to rub the back of her neck, trying to think of the best way to explain this. Living in a world where almost everyone has a quirk means that strange attributes are the norm? She doesn't even notice them half the time.]

It depends on your quirk! Some people have little things, like my fingers, but other people have big things. One of the boys in my class has elbows that are almost like tape dispensers. [Don't ask.] But what do you mean it's in her hair? Isn't a Stand super big, like yours?

[pursestrings]

[Elbows like?? What???? Okuyasu's friends are just kinda weird, not popping tape out of their elbows.]

Nah, not all the time. Mine is, and so's Josuke's and Mr. Jotaro's... my bro's was a whole bunch of little guys instead of one big guy, and this elementary school kid we met had one like that, too!

[Conclusion: Stands have so many rules and also no rules.]

[thriftea]

[They can be something other than a giant metal humanoid? Or does "bunch of little guys" just mean "bunch of little metal humanoids?" This is rocking the foundations of her Stand knowledge, and it shows in her very puzzled expression.]

I don't get it. Why are some Stands alike, but others aren't? And you didn't explain the hair thing at all!

[Ochako is decently clever, but understanding strange abilities is not her thing. That's what Deku is for.]

[pursestrings]

[They are little army men actually. Little toy soldiers. Anyway, Okuyasu is the least informed about Stand stuff, so he just shrugs.]

Dunno, I guess they're like people? My bro had a guess about only some people being strong enough to get Stands in the first place- [because he shot them but that's not important--] -so... yeah. Your friend's got engines in his legs, c'mon!

[Jeez!! Anyway,] And I meant her hair's... She can move it and make it grow fast and stuff. It's creepy.

[thriftea]

[Her eyes narrow the slightest bit, because look, Okuyasu, she's trying. It's just hard for her to picture complicated Stand concepts when her base knowledge is so shaky? But, like? Whose fault is that???

Thankfully, though, that quick explanation provides a way for her to begin to bridge the gap!]

Oh! [She proudly perks right back up, clapping her hands together. Eureka.] I've seen someone with a quirk like that before. He's from a different school, but he can make his hair do the same thing. It is kind of creepy.

[So Stands = weird quirks. Except not really? It's something she can puzzle over on a rainy day; for now, she'll just shoot him a warm smile and hope that explanation time is... over...]

Honestly, it's hard for me to understand everything you say about Stands, but it's probably hard for you to understand everything I say about quirks, right? So I guess we're even!

[pursestrings]

[It's everyone else's fault for not explaining anything to Okuyasu, not that he'd retain too much, but still. Big brother Keicho's explanations always ended in a dismissal, but he's trying!!

At least there's someone else with a creepy hair quirk - not, like, because it's great (it's creepy) but because it makes his weak explanation easier. Thanks... stranger.]

Yeah, if you tell me any more today I bet my head'll explode. [engine legs....although hang on, because this is important,] There's a guy in town whose Stand helps him cook the best food anyone has ever made. I'd kill for a good restaurant around here, y'know?

[he is distraught]

[thriftea]

[Of all the things to wish for in this greyscale hellhole, he picks a restaurant. Hmm.]

I don't think a restaurant would work in this place. How we would pay for everything? Fish bucks? [She says that teasingly, because yes, she remembers his stupid joke from the forum. It was so stupid that it made her laugh, okay.] Tastier food would be nice, though! Has he tried to cook anything here?

[pursestrings]

Hey, don't knock fish bucks yet. You could bring your own food to the restaurant, probably...

[He's so deep in this Food Fantasy it takes him a moment, oh-] And nah, I mean in town at home. If there's a guy around here who can turn this gray shit into real food, he'd be way more popular by now.

[thriftea]

[Thanks for getting her hopes up! She looks visibly disappointed, because while free food is amazing, free food that tastes like dirt is simply unfortunate.]

I was so excited, too. [A SIGH.] I'd pay a lot of fish bucks to eat something that tastes good. I might even pay real money for something from that restaurant of yours!

[A pause as she considers this, and then:]

Actually, never mind. It would probably be too expensive.

[All restaurants are too expensive when you're #poor.]

[pursestrings]

[Now they're both sad about the lack of a restaurant... terrible.]

Tonio—that's the guy—Tonio's not bad, but he's gonna stop giving me freebies eventually, probably... so yeah.

[When you're a local thug who is actually a soft boy, you get free food all the time! From people trying to test how their mysterious food power Stand works, anyway.]

John told me to try eating the grass. [friends]

[thriftea]

[Um, where is her friendly local restaurateur? That sounds totally amazing, and she's just about to tell him as much when he drops that last line. Great, Okuyasu. Now she is sad AND concerned.]

It probably tastes worse than everything else. But you've been eating plenty of real food, right? Like fish?