Eight Thirty in the Morning...
"This is where the Former Pro Hero, Raiden, lives?" Hitoshi asked, showing some surprise from his tired gaze on standing before the giant door.
"Yeah, your Uncle reacted the same way when Midoriya's mother brought us here to find her son and Ra Ra." Shōta explained, tapping his knuckles against the door with his right-hand, as his left held on to a bag that contained some of his daughter's clothes.
He heard footsteps coming from the other-side and when the doors opened, he found himself being greeted by the forty-six year-old Leader of the Horiuchi Clan.
"Shōta! You came," he greeted. "A bit sooner than I'd expect you to, but nevertheless, I'm happy to welcome you back to my humble abode. -Noticing the Eraser Hero isn't alone and saw it being the one to fight Izuku in the first match in the Sports Festival, Raiden beamed down at the purple-haired teen.- Ah! You must be Hitoshi Shinsō. -He extended a hand towards the boy.- Thank you, for giving it your all, against my godson, at the Sports Festival."
Very much surprised that somebody is thanking him for fighting with their family member, Hitoshi slowly reached out and shook hands with the Platinum-haired adult.
"Clearly, I'm not physically capable at fighting head on, like Midoriya and my little cousin." He replied.
Raiden nodded at his words, agreeing with him.
"Clearly, you didn't think about having to perform combat, should your opponent gets past your Brainwashing Quirk. So, if you want, I can help train you. Though, you may prefer having Izu and Ra Ra assist you, before coming to me."
Hitoshi needed to think about it, but gave him an agreeable nod.
In irritation, feeling as if he was purposely keeping them back, Shōta stepped up.
"Can we see Sierra, now?" He demanded. "We're in a bit of a hurry to get home, and we didn't came here to have small talks with you."
Slightly pouting to the thirty-one year-old, Raiden gestured the two to follow him into his household.
"Her fever went down, but is a bit lethargic and can only communicate through Sign Language. You do know how to at least read Sign Language, right Shōta?"
The Eraser Hero shrugged his shoulders a bit.
"Not as well as Hizashi does, but I do know just enough of it." He answered.
Hitoshi was confused to the news.
"Why is she signing? Is there something wrong with her voice?"
Shōta turned to his nephew.
"Over exposion towards fire, when she fought Bakugō, left her voice damaged. Recovery Girl was able to heal most of her injuries, but because her stamina was slow, it wasn't enough to heal her voice. So, she can't talk for a few days."
Hitoshi held a whole new grudge towards the asshole that acted like a big shot in Class 1-A, now wanting to go teach him a lesson for hurting his little cousin.
He jabbed a finger to hope uncle's right-shoulder.
"Think you or at least Uncle Hizashi can teach me how to sign?"
Shōta raised an eyebrow at his nephew's request.
"If we have time, we'll teach you."
"If you ever do come by and train with us, we can, also, help you with signing, as well." Raiden offered, before stopping in front of a door of a room. "Izu and Ra Ra can, also, help you to understand Sign Language, once she has her voice back."
When the door slide open, both Shōta and Hitoshi both stared at a smaller, female-version of Raiden. She nodded her head in greetings to her father, giving him a calm, blank look. But, when she turned and saw the thirty-one year-old male, wearing a long-sleeve black shirt and black jeans, she sent him a warning glare.
From the way her gaze judge him, he can guess she already knew who he is and, very much, doesn't approve of him over what is very important to her... He can guess what it was that's so important to her, that she wouldn't allow any of them to enter her room.
So, he held up a bag.
"I got her some clothes," he stated. "And since you clearly won't let any of us in to see her, here. Just don't irritate her back, or anythi-"
"I know about my god-sister's history, which includes the scars and wounds she bares." The twenty year-old woman muttered, grabbing the bag from his grasp. "I shall bring her out, as soon as she's able to gather her footing and not collapse. -She sent Shōta another warning glare.- It would be best if she eats something, first, before she leaves. But, seeing that you want to have her back into your possession, Karasu and I shall finish our task, as quickly as we're able to."
With another nod to her father, she closed the shōji door. From the other-side of the door, small pattering of feet can be heard walking across the tatami mat.
Raiden turned to Shōta.
"While I do apologize for my daughter's behavior, she is right to allow Ra Ra to have food, before you leave." He suggested. "She slept most the night away, so she didn't get the chance to eat anything. And because she's still getting over the fever from the rain, some food might help her on getting better."
The thirty-one year-old father did want to get his daughter to eat, as soon as possible, and didn't want any possibility of her collapsing, while heading home. So, for the girl's sake, he nodded his head in agreement.
"We can't stay for very long," he said. "And it'll have to be light food, so it doesn't upset her stomach."
Raiden smiled at his request, and guided the two Aizawa Family to the dojo.
"While we wait for them to join us, you can finally meet my son, Raijin."
When they reach the door to the dojo and the Assassin Hero pulled the shōji door apart... All three of the males had to pull back when a member of the Horiuchi Clan, wearing the full-black shozoku, shot straight passed them and landed in a pond.
Hitoshi was completely taken back at what he just saw, while Shōta raised an eyebrow at Raiden, who was smirking with pride.
"Guess he decided to release some pent up energy, by training with some of our men. -He turned to the two Aizawa.- Perhaps, this will be a great opportunity for your nephew to witness what training Izu, and Ra Ra had taken up under our tutelage."
Fifteen Minutes Later...
"How the hell are they still standing, after that?!" Hitoshi cried out, wincing when Raijin dislocated one of his opponent's shoulder and pulled himself away from the fight, having a limp in his step from Raijin's earlier attacks that'll leave bruises in his bones for weeks.
While flipping his second opponent over his back to land roughly to the ground, Raijin twisted their wrist. His victim screamed, but still tried to fight by sweeping his leg to trip the stronger-man... He ended up getting his Tibia and knee damaged, when Raijin dodged the sweep and, pinning the leg down with his own foot, delivered a strong punch to his knee.
Raijin rose as the victor of the match.
"And I thought this was suppose to be training; he's hurting them!"
"Because, with injuries, it makes a warrior wiser to not fall in the same pattern that left them with that specific wound. Wounds, even life-threatening injuries, can I become teachers when our lives are hanging in the balance between near death and defeat." Raiden explained, nodding his head in approval to his son, while the younger Lord of the household help his second opponent to his feet. "Besides, we have a healer of our own who would take care of those injuries. And believe me, this isn't the first time they received those injuries."
Hitoshi gave him a slightly nervous look.
"If that's how your son fights in battle, I shudder to think on how you engage combat... Though, I have a pretty good idea on how you fight and after watching how your men fought, I can easily see that you all fight as ruthlessly as my uncle does, when out as Eraser Head."
To his left, Shōta smirked at his words.
"...And now, I'm very much horrified on even thinking up a single thought on how you trained Midoriya and my little cousin."
That time, Raiden let out a heartfelt laugh. His laugh was joined by his own son, who also heard the concern teen's words, after handing off his second opponent over to the first opponent to get treated by their healer.
Their laughter caught both the Aizawa by surprise.
"Our fighting styles may seem ruthless and I have been trained to be deadly, but believe it or not, my father is a big softy on those two." Raijin replied. "In fact, after joining our dojo for almost two months, Dad told them, out of nowhere, to call him 'Uncle Rai'. Since then, he tried to coddle them for years. Even to go as far as to get them to like sweets as much as he does. Luckily, neither gained his sweet tooth."
Raiden sent a warning glare to his son.
"They just don't have good taste yet," he said. "But I swear, one of these days, they will find their love for it. They just don't know it's for their own good."
Raijin glared back at his dad.
"And it's because of your childish antics, they refused to call you their uncle and still call you their master."
...Immediately, Raiden curled up in a ball and started sulking on the floor.
Both Shōta and Hitoshi sweat dropped at the feud before them.
Raijin gave them a smile of reassurance.
"He never had siblings of his own, yet he always dreamed about being an uncle." He told the two. "So, when Izu and Ra Ra came into our lives, eventually leading Inko to enter our household, in just a month, he already viewed her as his own sister. And when he told her how he felt about her, which she confirmed to view him as a brother she longed to gain, my father basically adopted her into the family and, after some discussion and going to court to solidify their decision, was appointed as Izuku and Sierra's godfather."
"Father certainly became the happiest man alive when they became part of our family, other than our own births." A female voice replied, startling Hitoshi to his feet, even surprising Shōta when she entered the dojo.
...Coming to Yuki's right, with her head held low, a fully dressed Sierra came in. In her left-hand, being shoved into her dark-blue pants' pocket, was her phone.
Immediately, Shōta got to his feet, as Hitoshi already came before the drowsy, quiet girl.
The fifteen year-old was very much happy to finally meet his long-lost cousin, relieved that she isn't harmed in any way and not baring any physical marks that Bakugō implanted from that fight yesterday.
...However, he was very much puzzled and worried when she refuses to look at him and kept her head down.
He raised a hand to place on her shoulder.
"...Cuz?"
Sierra's body flinched from the choice of name Hitoshi called her by, slightly pulling back when his hand landed on her left-shoulder for barely a second.
At first, Hitoshi didn't know what was going on, but when he recalled what his uncle told him last night, of those very rare moments when she and her siblings would go see some of their relatives from their mother's side of the family, his anger spiked from realizing she's behaving and reacting has she would from the treatment she gained from her 'other' cousins.
It made him sick to his stomach that his cousin, one of the few people who cheered him on and told him that his Brainwashing Quirk can be a Hero's Quirk, was treated as an outcast and shunned because of one family member who didn't care about her since learning about her existence.
'It's no wonder she got nervous around me the moment I revealed myself as Uncle Shōta's nephew to her, and her classmates. She probably was fearing that I wouldn't react very well of her being Uncle Shōta's daughter, and would look down on her like her mother's family had down... Once Grandma and Mom hears about this, they'll be out for blood.'
He went to place his hand underneath her chin this time, wanting her to see that he truly was happy to have her as kin... Only for Yuki to gently push his hand away, slowly shaking her head.
"She's still very tired, so any noises nearby her drowsy state will cause her to flinch and gets very jumpy if somebody makes contact with her body when her gaze is averted." She explained, her voice in a near whispering tone. "If you wish to make contact with her, have her see your hand by slowly moving it to her gaze, without forcing her to look up."
Still keeping contact with the fifteen year-old, she slowly pulled his hand forward to where he was just about to move it to grasp her chin. She held his palm out to Sierra's gaze for a few seconds, before slowly pulling the hand back to the shoulder it just rested on.
This time, the fourteen year-old didn't pull away.
Hitoshi was surprised.
Yuki smiled at the teenager, giving him a wink when he stared at her, gratitude can be seen in his purple-eyes.
"Since you both -She sent a siding glance at Shōta, who stared back at her.- clearly wish to get to know our Ra Ra, which I hope includes the rest of your Clan, you'll have to know what to do and what not to do, in order to get her to become comfortable around you guys."
Doing the same thing that she did with Hitoshi's hand, she held her own right-hand to be seen within Sierra's sight for a few seconds, then gently rested it on her right-shoulder and, with Hitoshi in tow, guided the two teenagers to the two cushions that had small-trays of breakfast food in front of them.
Shōta watches where he stands, observing the twenty year-old woman softly and calmly instructing his nephew on how to interact with his cousin, as they both helped her sit in her spot, while grabbing on to each of their hands to keep her anchored as she folded her legs.
He let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit more relaxed... Then, he turned to the presence that now appeared to his left-side, it being Raiden.
"She's still having an adjustment period, from the thought of you being our Ra Ra's father." He whispered, watching his children, with Raijin taking a seat to the left-side of Hitoshi, and Hitoshi all partaking in enjoying breakfast with each other. "Yuki has certain trust issues around adult-males that are involved in Sierra's life and, though she doesn't trust you for all these reasons, she's willing to give you a chance to prove to her that you can be the father Ra Ra deserves to have... Though, I am curious. -He turned to the thirty-one year-old, a serious look can be seen in his Platinum eye.- You claim that you are in a hurry... Where are you taking her?"
Shōta turned back to the scene of the two Horiuchi Siblings eating with his nephew and daughter, who seemed to finally be getting out of her drowsy state when she got a few food into her belly and was finally making some eye contact with her older-cousin.
Hitoshi showed to be very happy, even to go as far as to laugh when Sierra told him about cupcakes she and her god-brother made... Only for those cupcakes to end up being splattered on their faces when Izuku lost his footing and the momentum caused the treats to fly in the air.
He didn't know what cause their conversation to talk about cupcakes, but the Eraser Hero had a hunch it was somewhat important to his daughter and his Problem Child/pseudo-nephew.
Raiden wait patiently for his question to be answered, and when he finally did receive that answer... He gaped, as if a horse just kicked him in the chest and made his heart stopped.
"...We're taking her to see the rest of my family... They wish to finally meet the granddaughter, niece and cousin they never knew existed."
Two Hours Later...
The train ride was anything, but pleasant. Because of her current state on healing from... A new fit she gained from the dangerous improving effects of the poison, she can't morph into a bird to follow the train to their destination.
And so, after an hour and nine minutes of riding the train, she lost her breakfast and deposited the digested food into a bag. It was a good thing that the train was fully equipped with garbage cans, and bags. Clearly, they prepared themselves for those who get motion sickness.
Hitoshi sat to her right, gently running his fingers through her long-wavy/curly dark-brown hair, as Shōta had her lay her head against his chest, keeping an arm wrapped around her shoulder.
She slightly shivered, showing signs of being cold, despite wearing a black turtleneck and a black sweater jacket, with the bolded letters "Scorpions" written across the front of the sweater and an image of a Heterometrus Scorpion coiling it's tail around the word.
Hitoshi looked up at his uncle, able to see his unease on not being able to help Sierra in her desperate time of need. He let out a tiring sigh, as he continued to stroke his fingers through her hair.
In a way, it made him feel as if he was petting a cat. And while he was hoping it would help her feel better, it made him feel as if she was helping him to stay calm, for both his and Shōta's sakes, by allowing him to pet her hair.
Whatever the case, she did appear a bit less stressed out and was lightly dosing off, taking comfort of both their warmth encircling her weakened body and focusing on listening to the sound of her father's heart. Another tip Raiden and his family offered to them, before they left for the train station.
"As you know, she gets motion sickness when riding in a vehicle or any form of transportation for too long. So, should the trip be a long one, it is very likely that she'll end up throwing up what she'd eaten, even if it's small. So, should that happen, have her lay her head against your chest. Animal Quirk Users take comfort on having to listen to the beating of a loved one's heart, especially in stressful situations."
Hitoshi gently smiled down at his cousin's calm expression, finding it rather cute to see her far more innocent appearance when appearing to be asleep and letting her guard down. Even if it were to just be a moment.
"She got to you, too." Shōta whispered, smirking at his nephew's happiness on watching over his daughter.
The purple-haired teen lightly chuckled at his uncle's words.
"Apparently, so." He replied, pushing some of Sierra's hair behind the fold of her right-ear.
...There, with part of her neck exposed, his smile went away when he saw a few scars and fingerprints that looked years old. He knew, immediately, that those are one of the many burdens she has to carry with her, that his uncle told him about... When she was being abused from villains, and the murderous bastard that killed her mother... His would-be Aunt Cici, if his uncle had continued to search for her and didn't fell for the grievous news from his former neighbors.
He shivered from recalling Sierra's sudden collapsing, after the Cavalry Challenge had finished. Watching Midnight and Midoriya helping her to her feet, taking her to Recovery Girl... Seeing blood seeping from Midoriya's right-shoulder through his P.E. Uniform, caused by her taking it out on the boy from biting.
It made his insides tie in knots.
"...How?" He whispered.
Shōta raised an eyebrow to his question, not saying anything, as he waited for his nephew to be specific to his question.
"After what she's been through, going through severe abuse that no child should ever go through and dealing with a poison that causes her pain for years... How is it that she's still herself...? How is it that she's still sane?"
The Million Dollar Question... A great enigma many believe to see through, but always has a dark secret none can quite figure out. Even he, the Eraser Hero, couldn't find the answer to the question, no matter how much he racks his brain.
He let out a tiring, staring up at the ceiling of the train, looking at the dark line between the shadow and the light.
"...Beats me," he answered. "We all have to deal with our own challenges, and not all of them help us relate to another's challenge with the Devil, himself. Because of that, we can't answer the question, Hitoshi... Because, we never went through what Honey had to endure. -He stared down at his child, who can easily convince anyone to be sleeping. He removed his hand from her shoulder, laying it on the top of her head.- Even if we're to ask her, it won't bring us anywhere near to understand her experience from her childhood."
Hitoshi stared down at his cousin. He didn't like the answer his uncle gave him, but knew he was right.
He slightly leaned forward, laying his right-hand over Sierra's forehead.
She barely lifted her head to his hand touching her, but didn't make any other movement to pull away from him. Even when drowsy, she already imprinted his lavender-tea scent into her mind and, already recognizing his touch when he laid his hand on her shoulder, knew that she can trust him.
His eyebrows knitted together, feeling the slight abnormal heat coming off her skin.
"She still has a fever. Is it really a good idea to bring her to the family? They wouldn't mind to call it off, when she isn't feeling well."
Shōta shook his head.
"Best to get it over with. Plus, -The train stopped the moment he started his second sentence, resulting him to pull his daughter against him and putting his left-arm underneath her knees, carrying her bridal-style. It was time for them to get off the train.- if we did cancel the arrangement and hear that she's sick, your grandmother will try to find ways to come to my house and stay over to bond over Ra Ra, while she's recovering. Even to go as far as to bring the whole family with her, when my home isn't big enough to support fifteen people and a cat."
Hitoshi followed his uncle off the train... They found themselves in Hinohara Village.
Once a small-village, still remains a small-village. Though, the village had recently allowed railways to come to their town and a few delivery cars to come and go for the usual tradeoffs they make with the nearby cities. But again, the village remains small and still in-tune with nature.
Nowadays, most who live in Hinohara Village are people who desire to get away from the city life, active and/or retired Pro Heroes, generational families that owned parts of the land and small-business people. Everyone else, are mostly visitors, travelers and/or even tourists.
While it was still very cloudy and sprinkling rain at Tokyo Prefecture, in Hinohara Village... The sun is out, with clouds passing over them.
When the sun's light hit her face, Sierra opened her eyes. Her clouded mind, wanting to lure her to sleep, despite it being impossible when it's daytime, now wanted her to get up. She went to sit up, but Shōta pulled her back down to remain laying in his arms.
"Easy, Honey." He whispered to her. "You need to conserve your energy, before we meet the family. Just rest up some more. We're almost there."
With the sun out, it's basically impossible for her to go asleep. Not unless, she were to be sedated, or knocks her out hard enough to render her unconscious. Yet, she couldn't refuse an order her father gave her. And with her weakened state, she can't argue or do anything to convince him to let her walk with him and Hitoshi.
So, she laid her head on his right-shoulder. She closed her eyes to rest them, knowing sleep won't take her.
Hitoshi, pulling out his phone and sending a quick text to his mother, gave Shōta a timid look.
"Speaking of family... Aren't you worried?"
His question made the butterfly in his uncle's stomach to start fluttering, not wanting to think what will happen the moment they get there.
"The only thing I'm worried at this point, is your grandma and mother kidnapping her and preventing me from ever getting us back home."
Hitoshi chuckled at his uncle's words... But, a frown came on his face.
"Gonna have to expect that; you kept the secret on being a father for over fourteen years, after all... Though, I wasn't referring about being worried about what our family will do."
Shōta gave him a tired, annoyed look... Wanting him to cut to the chase and explain what he was trying to ask.
Hitoshi sent a quick look down at his cousin, who slowly cracked her eyes open to stare back at him when sensing somebody staring at her... She can sense the unease in his gaze, which told her he was going to ask about something that's possibly personal to her.
...She sent him a slight nod, giving him permission to ask away, whether she knew what he was going to ask about or not.
...Hitoshi turned back to his uncle.
"...You told Mom and the others that they aren't involved in her life, anymore. Especially, after their last Christmas Gathering Ra Ra and her siblings went to, when attempting to talk to their great-aunt, great-uncle and their mother's sister... What I meant was: Aren't you worried that they'll try to come back into her life?"
He expected his uncle to snap. To yell. Maybe even a clear sign of worry, or an attempt to avert the topic to something else.
...
...What he didn't expect, was for Shōta to give him the Aizawa Family Smile.
"Not at all."
Hitoshi lifted a questioning eyebrow raise.
"...Really?" He replied, finding it very odd. "You do know that they, no doubt, seen the Sports Festival and watched how she won first place with that asshole, Katsuki Bakugō."
"I do. -His smile remained on his face... Which was getting a bit creepier for the fifteen year-old.- And if you use your Quirk on me, I'll suffocate you in one of my extra sleeping bags and toss you into the school's pool."
Hearing the threat, Sierra cracked her eyes open, glaring up at her dad.
She can't growl or snarl to get his attention, so she decided to raise her head up and grab some of his hair and pulled at the few strands... With her teeth.
Hitoshi chuckled at his younger-cousin's actions, as his uncle gently glared back at the girl... Before it went away, recovering the smile back on his face.
"Don't worry, Ra Ra." The teen said. "He can be threatening, when he wants to. However, he won't dare try and hurt me, unless he's brave enough to take on our Battle-Axe grandmother."
Her glare went away, replace with a confused expression on her face, as she release the hair from her mouth.
"You not going to always rely on your mother and grandma to get you out of punishment, Nephew."
"I know... That's why I'm going to use it, as often as possible."
Finding them getting off topic, Sierra tapped her father's shoulder and, lifted both of her hands, signed up to him.
Why aren't you explaining to Hito* about your non-concern of my mother's family may try to come into my life?
He didn't know what she was saying in Sign Language, but he had a gut feeling it had something to do with his topic about her family and why his uncle isn't concerned about them.
Shōta let out a tiring sigh, but didn't look annoyed or irritated to her question.
"Because, Honey, he doesn't have any reason to be concern on what that family do in their lives. And should any of them try to get themselves involved in your life, let them... After all, they screwed themselves over, for following the orders of that Bitch of a woman."
...Again, Sierra caught a few strands of his hair with her teeth, and pulled at them.
After a few tugging, which did earned her slightly narrowed, tired eyes from her father, she let his hair go and signed to him.
...She is a terrible woman; even the animals, and many of the people who lived nearby her home know her true colors and witnessed her cruelty towards those who she view to challenge her social status... However, even if she had rejected me and turned her back on me, which involved having the rest of the pack to turn away from me... Like it or not, with or without a bond... She's still my grandmother... And, my mother's Mom.
...
...That, he wasn't in any agreement to her claim...
...
...
...But, because she's an Animal Quirk User, she has to show somewhat respect towards the very woman who didn't want her own grandchild to be born and wanted her own child to abort the baby.
It made Shōta sick to his stomach that the coldhearted woman would even tell his fiancée, her own daughter, to kill their unborn baby, all because she wanted her to go back to that cheated horn dog that made her have sex with him, by threatening her to use his own Quirk on her. And he had hoped that Ayano would've, somehow, change, since she's a specialized nursed that took care of other people's children, babies included.
He tightened his hold on her, slightly snarling in anger at the memories when Cindy told him why she was kicked out of her own house... He didn't want to ever know what his life would've been like, if she had, for some unexplainable reason, listened to Ayano and had killed off an innocent life.
...
...
...
...
...
...So, when Inko, Izuku and the Mūa Siblings told him what their ungrateful grandmother did... On the day of Cindy's funeral... He was more than prepared to face the dreaded Harpy.
'...And that's why, I'm hoping she'll try and do just that.' He thought. '...I want her to come over and even try to take you away from me, after she realizes on how she basically fucked herself for disowning a family member she didn't wanted to exist... That, and I know that Mom will very much like to get in a Cat Fight with her and knock her down more than just a peg, when she hears that she wanted Cici to abort her only granddaughter.'
Hitoshi remained quiet, as he watch Sierra wincing from the sudden tightening of her father's grip on her, but wrapped her arms around his neck and silently gave him a hug.
...
...
...
...
...
...He didn't like that she was comforting her father, when she should be the one that should be comforted and focus on getting better from her illness.
"Animal Quirk Users view their friends and Pack as their greatest treasure, their entire world, and their source for strength. And it's because for their great love and devotion for their friends and family, that they put their well-being before themselves and do whatever they can help to make them happy... And it's because of their desire to take care of their loved ones that, unfortunately, lead them to not think for themselves. Which is very dangerous, if it effects their health."
He wanted to say something... But, seeing her calm and happy when Shōta slightly loosened his grip and no longer angry, he held off.
'Yuki wasn't kidding, when she said Ra Ra truly views us as her top priority and would put our need over her own... She definitely has the same behavior and quality, as Grandpa Hiro* displays and uses when we come over and see him.'
...
...
...
...Forty-seven minutes later on waiting, and a dark-green Jeep Cherokee pulled up... To the girl, it looked almost like her sister's car, except it being a boxy-version of the car model and having a darker-green color than Kyla's car.
When the driver's door opened and a person came out... Sierra was very much taken back when she sees a smiling, twenty-eight year-old woman coming for them.
With shoulder-length Russian-violet hair, Tyrian-Purple eyes and medium-white skin, lean and slightly muscular body and six foot tall... She looked like a different, colored version of Shōta Aizawa.
"Hey, you guys!" The woman called out, heading for Hitoshi and pulling him in for a hug. "And how is my champion of a son? You didn't suffer too badly from spending time with your Uncle Shō? Although, -She stared down at the girl her brother held in his arms... Her smile grew soft at meeting the niece she hoped to meet, since Hizashi spilled the beans at the Sports Festival.- you probably didn't suffer too much, when you have your cousin to turn him into a big softy."
By the confirm of the woman claiming Hitoshi as her child... Did realization hit Sierra that this woman is, indeed, her aunt. And, if not for her scent being picked up, the fourteen year-old would've believed her to being some random, friendly stranger that seems to love hugging teenagers.
...
...
...
...She immediately tapped her father on the shoulder, and signed for him to put her down.
At first, he was confused by her immediate desire to be put down... Then, he saw the flash of fear in her eyes.
Shōta narrowed his eyes, as he kneeled to let her sit on the ground.
...
...
...When he saw her starting to morph into an animal, he activated his Quirk and stopped her from transforming.
Unable to transform, Sierra slightly hunched herself slightly, staring down at the ground and her hand. Her body slightly quivered, with the few twitching in the process.
Aizawa didn't like the sudden change in his daughter's behavior, which immediately took another step back from calm and friendly when his sister came over to see what was wrong and the fourteen year-old's quivering turned into trembling and slightly turned away from the woman.
"Shō? what's wrong?" She asked, reaching out to lay a hand on the girl and having it immediately pulled away from her when Sierra shrugged it off and scooted a bit farther from her.
Neither of the Aizawa Sibling knew why she was acting all scared, but Hitoshi, standing behind his mother and saw the expression on the girl's face, immediately recognized the reading and behavior.
Coming over and kneeling in front of his cousin, he used the method Yuki instructed him and his uncle to do. He held his hand out to be seen in her line of vision, held it there for a few seconds, then gently and slowly reached out and laid it underneath her chin, lifting her head up to meet his gaze.
...
...
...
...She tried to pull away from his touch and look away, but Hitoshi wasn't going to have any of that. This time, he moved his right-hand to her left-cheek when she tried to turn away from him, as he moved his left to rest on her right-shoulder.
Again, she seems to try and tap in to her Quirk to transform, but her father kept his Quirk active, still keeping his eyes on her... It made her anxiety rise even more, starting to breathe a bit faster and heavily.
"...Ra Ra." He whispered, forcing himself to stay calm. "...It's okay, Cuz. You're okay. Nothing bad is going to happen to you, but you need to calm down."
...
...
...
...
...A small whimper barely left her throat, before it put her into a hoarse coughing fit.
In response, Hitoshi leaned in and pulled her towards him to rest her head against his chest, moving his left-arm to rest over her back.
"You're okay. You're going to be okay," he continued. "There's no reason for you to be afraid... You have nothing to be nervous or afraid of, at all."
Her body started to calm down, as she lifted her arms and wrapped them around him, hugging him.
He laid his right-hand on top of her head, resting in chin on top of the hand, relieved that she's trusting him to help her.
He turned to his uncle.
"You can stop now, Uncle. She won't turn."
To his nephew's request, Shōta stopped using his Quirk, but didn't look away from his daughter.
His sister, still very much confused and slightly scared at what happened, looked up to her son.
"You know what was wrong with her, Hitoshi?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know precisely that made her scared and wanting to transform... But, when I saw the hurt in her eyes, I somewhat knew that she was enduring painful memories that resulted her to react onto those feelings. -He turned to both his uncle and mother... His purple-eyes flashing a similar look that made their stomachs dropped.- ...I, basically, went through similar situations she went through, from all the other students labeling me as a 'villain'. I was able to hide it from them, which became my defense, but I couldn't keep it up and it left me to, subconsciously, turn it on wherever I go. Even at home."
Concern on how she would react when meeting the rest of the family, the twenty-eight year-old woman turned to her older-brother.
"If she isn't ready to meet the rest of the family, Shō, then you can bring her at another time." She gently suggested.
Shōta shook his head.
"Best get it over with now, instead of later, Hitomi* (Pupil of the eye)." He replied. "Even if I wanted to postpone the family gathering and would rather have her meet everyone when she's in better health, Mom will probably break into my house and spirit away Sierra in the dead of night. Remember how Mother basically tried to take as many advantage to have him Yami (Dark) over at the house, before Hitoshi came along and tried to take over the role as mother for you?"
The woman, Hitomi, winced from remembering how their mother would be thinking about her oldest grandchild all the time and would try to plan get togethers with her daughter-in-law to spend time with Yami... Which lead her to get all more possessive, when Hitoshi came along, a year later. And, with each grandchild that came into their family, the dubbed 'Battle Axe' of the family would go through hell or high water to keep her grandchildren over their home, as much as possible.
Within nearly sixteen years of her five children's life, since her eldest son was eighteen years old, their mother is now a proud, loving, fifty-three year-old grandmother to eight grandsons... No granddaughter, which she and her fifty-four year-old husband had prayed to have for nine years.
...Until the day at the Sports Festival and Shōta had to tell them, through his phone, on speaker, that Sierra is his daughter.
Hitomi, who was over at her parents' house with her big brothers, her husband, their wives and her nephew at that time, knew that Shōta was as good as dead for keeping such information from their parents... Then, he told them about the unfortunate fate of his fiancée and when his former neighbors gave him false claims that Cindy, her older-children and Sierra died, during the Eruption Incident... Thus, revealing to his sudden darker mood and distancing from the family, since August Seventh in 83 AP.
He still ended up getting an earful from their mother, for keeping such information from them about a grandchild they should've known existed... But, their father was able to calm her down and convince Shōta to bring her over the next day.
Wanting to figure out what made her newfound niece to be scared of her, Hitomi slowly reached a hand out for the girl's shoulder... Only for her brother to stop her, pulling her hand away.
"...Another time, if needed." He whispered.
Agreeing to what he said, Hitomi got to her feet.
"Well, we better get going." She happily announced. "Everyone's at home, and are dying to finally meet our little winner."
To be called as such, Sierra blushed in embarrassment.
Softly chuckling at her embarrassed state, Hitoshi gently helped her to her feet and, with an arm over her shoulder, guided her to the car.
Following the teenagers from behind, Shōta turned to his sister.
"...How's the old man doing?" He whispered.
She gave him a serious look... Which, immediately, turned into a full-blown smile.
"Dad had to hug him, in order to completely cancel out his Quirk and stop him from coming here and stealing her."
TBC
Sorry it took so long... Work had been CHAOTIC...! ALL BECAUSE THE CUSTOMERS ARE BEING OVERDRAMATIC ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS!
...Seriously, people... Toilet paper! Instead of thinking about getting cold/flu medication... LARGE AMOUNT OF TOILET PAPER! And this is before, BEFORE, they even bother getting checked if they have the virus or not...! Literally DAYS, A WEEK before Quarantine had been suggested!
It's ridiculous.
Just remember, what health department instructs you to do: Stay hydrated, wash your hands and, should you have symptoms of getting sick, take cold/flu medication, to help fight off the illness.
...AND STOP PANICKING/GETTING SCARED OVER SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE A HIGH RATE ON SURVIVING AGAINST, WHEN WE'RE GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO GET THROUGH IT!
Or, as Popo from TFS would say: DRAMA QUEEN~! DRAMA QUEEN~!
...And, in other news... I turned twenty-five, thirteen days ago... At least I was able to celebrate it...
*: Hito, in different Kanjis, mean: Gentle, Warrior; Samurai, or (in the BNHA wiki for the meaning of Hitoshi's name, and the Kanji they use for it) Person.
*: Like Hito, Hiro has multiple meaning in different Kanjis: Abundant, Generous, Tolerant and Prosperous.
*: By the Kanji they go by for the name, Hitomi, Hito means: History, and Mi means: Beautiful.
R&R
