Chapter 5: Is this happiness?
Aizawa's Residential Building
One Hour After Leaving the Hospital
Aizawa put the car into park before turning to the vulpine form of Marlya, who was sitting in his passenger seat gazing out the window. She had been extremely tense since leaving the hospital, she had a few people stop her…
Marlya was walking just behind Aizawa, half hiding herself as best she could. She could feel people's eyes on her and hear the whispers.
That was when a smaller child walked up to her, obviously having an animal based quirk.
"Excuse me nee-chan?" The boy asked in a quiet voice,
Marlya had stilled completely, unsure of what to do. Aizawa had turned to look but saw that she was a deer in headlights with the child approaching her. She looked at him with the question 'what do I do?' In her eyes. He just nodded with his head towards the child.
She didn't know what to do, but that would have to wait. She couldn't just ignore this pup now.
"Yes, Little Pup?" She turned her vulpine head down to the boy, crouching on her digitigrade legs, her tails settled down around them on the ground,
The little boys eyes sparkled as he watched her lower down, "Are… you..um.. Inari…?"
Aizawa was curious, he had heard of the name Inari before, in passing. Especially after Marlya had disappeared. The animal quirk society was distraught, but their leader, he told them this was meant to happen. A part of the prophecy.
"Are you okay Marlya?" Aizawa ventured gently,
Her head turned slowly, eyes glistening slightly, "It's just that…." She sniffed, "I didn't think anyone remembered me…"
The boys voice got quieter as he asked, his eyes dropped from hers down to the ground.
Marlya had frozen just a little, it had been years since she had been recognised. It ignited a fire in her gut, one that had been smothered and choked by the shadows. Her mind flittered back to the prophecy, how the white orb had been tainted and shrouded in darkness.
The light in her aged eyes were ablaze, it wasn't scary to look at, nor was there a negative feeling. No, she exuded confidence.
"Yes Little Pup," her voice was gentle yet firm, "I am Inari."
A smile so bright broke out on the small boys face, the whispers grew ten fold as multiple people started coming forth. All wishing her a warm welcome, that Adahya reassured everyone that she would return some day and wondering if she would be joining the next gathering.
Marlya fell into the role immediately and easily, it was scary to Aizawa that she was scared and timid about people seeing her scars. He could see that she, as Inari, was a natural born leader.
She had rested her sleek vulpine forehead against many of the people that gathered, a form of greetings between the animal quirk users.
"Marlya." Aizawa called, multiple heads turned at his voice, "We need to head home."
Said girl had straightened, her eyes locked with his, the barest inclination of her head indicted she would do as he said. She apologised to those around her, thanking them for their welcome and praises, promising she would try and attend the next Midnight Hunt.
The whispers and praises following them out, this who did not have a quirk just watched in awe. They didn't know who Inari was at all but it was uplifting to see a community come together for one of their own.
As soon as Marlya exited the hospital following Aizawa, the smiling expression on her vulpine face retracted, her eyes dimmed from the joy of the encounter. Replaced with a cold calculating gaze, eyes flicking and watching everyone that passed them. She hadn't been active in the sun for a long long time, so the crowds are a new thing to her. A foreign thing. A potentially dangerous thing.
"This way." Aizawa indicated with his head towards a parking building next to the hospital,
Marlya merely grunted, letting him know that she was following. She didn't move her head in her observations, the noises of the city assaulting her sensitive ears but she kept them on a swivel, listening for anything that may indicate a threat. Her eyes scanning each face quickly as she passed them by, looking for signs of a possible attacker.
The animal quirk users on the street that saw her were enamoured, Marlya could here their hushed praise and whispers. (Inari has returned!)
Soon enough they reached a sleek black car that Aizawa unlocked and climbed in with a tired sigh, Marlya walked around to the passenger side and climbed in as well. The scent within the car was overwhelmingly Aizawa, the main smell that dominated was coffee followed by a earthy tone of a muted cologne.
She didn't talk the entire drive nor did Aizawa offer conversation. It was companionable silence.
Aizawa's heart broke a little more at her remark, of course people would remember her. He went to give her a reassuring pat but she had already moved to get out of the car. He sighed and followed suit.
"We're on the fourth floor." He told her as he shut the door,
"Okay." Her cold face back on, eyes flicking around. She shut the door and started following him.
Marlya looked at the buildings around this one, it was the taller out of the bunch. Her eyes scanned ways and means anyone could infiltrate it, too many ways and an awful a lot of means.
They passed no one on the walk up the stairs, there was an elevator but Aizawa elected not to use it because it had a tendency to get stuck for no reason although he didn't tell Marlya the reason.
Four flights up and three doors down, was his abode. A two bedroom apartment, more than enough for him, now cozy for them. Marlya's inspection of the building hadn't ceased the entire walk up, her ears flicking this way and that until they reached his door.
"I'll get a key cut for you when you're allowed to go out by yourself. Until then I'll be the one escorting you places." Aizawa informed, getting his set of keys ready.
Unlocking the door, they were greeted by the dark hallway and the mewls of one hungry cat. One that had a swollen tummy full of kittens who was due any day now.
"Shoes…" Aizawa sighed,
"Aizawa-san I'm not wearing shoes." Marlya said matter of factly,
The man stopped, eyebrows scrunching together. How could he have forgotten that she wasn't wearing shoes? He was so used to saying to Hizashi to take off his shoes.
"Wipe your paws then.." he indicated to the mat in the middle of the genken.
Marlya did just that, but she heard a creak further into the house. She hadn't been actively scenting the air since she came inside. The scents of the cat were present, Aizawa's overwhelmingly so but there were others, ones she couldn't identify.
Marlya's muscles tensed in case of an intruder, her tails still behind her. Aizawa's body language didn't change at all, either he was unaware of someone here or it's just normal for his home. He stepped up into the hall, putting his keys and wallet in the bowl on a cupboard.
She stepped up into the hallway behind Aizawa, following him down the darkened passage. At the end he reached his arm around the wall to get the light, as soon as he flicked it the intruder..intruders moved!
Marlya's deep growl reverberated in her chest, the cat was sitting on the cupboard watching with mirth, as if she was entertained at what will happen.
Marlya was pulling Aizawa back as the shouts started.
"SURPRISE!" A masculine and feminine voice shouted,
Marlya's mouth opened and let her full growl out, shaking the room. Killing intent flooded the apartment. (Aizawa's neighbours thought someone was playing loud music somewhere in the complex) One of her tails curled around Aizawa's waist keeping him behind her, the other two raised in anger, poised to whip out and defend at a moments notice.
Her glowing eyes settled on the forms of a blonde man with a tiny moustache and a raven haired woman with glasses, who are surprised with how the "surprise" turned out.
"Yamada….. Kayama…." Aizawa sighed heavily, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel Marlya's growl, with how deep she was growling.
Her growl lowered in volume slightly, her ear pricking towards the man in her tail.
"You know them?" Her mouth did not move whilst maintaining the growl, but her voice invaded his mind.
"Yes." Another exasperated sigh, "These idiots are two of your Godparents."
At this he felt the tail loosen from his midsection, the growl lowering to just a rumble in her chest. Marlya straightened her posture, reigning in her killing intent, the vicious snarl fell off her vulpine face as the stony one took over as she devoured the new information given to her.
Yamada and Nemuri on the other hand, were busy trying to get over the fright of their lives. Their forms shaking ever so slightly, maybe they shouldn't of planned the surprise welcome party, that thought ran through their head.
Marlya's head turned to look behind her, "You should've told me they were here." Her voice accused,
"I didn't know they would still be here." Aizawa replied,
"No not you!" Her eyes snapped to him, "Mira."
Aizawa was confused. Beyond confused, he had no idea who Mira was. Marlya could see the visible confusion it brought him, how could he not know the name of his cat?
As she went to explain, said cat, Mira yowled loudly.
'I thought it would be entertaining my Inari.' Mira purred from the cupboard, Marlya sighed, 'But I see that hard times have befallen you Inari. I do apologise for not warning you.' Mira lowered her feline head in apologies.
Marlya ignored the people for the cat now, padding over to her and scratching her chin. "You are forgiven blessed mother." She said softly, lowering her head to Mira and resting her forehead against the cats.
"Who's Mira?" Aizawa was still confused, so much has happened in such a short moment, he does not understand.
"Your cat." Marlya said in a tone to imply that he was an idiot,
"She doesn't have a name, I just call her cat." Aizawa deadpanned, a hand raising to scratch his stubble.
Marlya just looked at him like he was a moron. Then it hit her like a tonne of bricks. He doesn't understand animals like she does.
"Well," she started as she walked back next to him, "Her name is Mira and she's a blessed mother because she is pregnant." She would inform him and play translator instead.
Yamada and Kayama had finally gotten a hand on their now frayed nerves from Marlya's display and slowly approached the duo that were standing in the hall. Aizawa first turned, a reprimanding look in his eyes as he pinned his two best friends with a glare. Marlya's tails flicked in agitation as they approached.
"What possessed you two, to not only stay beyond what I asked, but then decide a surprise party would be beneficial for a child who has been kidnapped for nearly ten fucking years?" Aizawa lectured them, Marlya just standing beside him subtly nodding.
"Marlya could of legitimately fucking killed you guys, how do you think that would make her feel?!" The berating continued, the two adults in front of them getting more and more dejected.
"Although I would've resurrected you if I did kill you." Marlya just stated, Aizawa's head snapped to Marlya and she just cocked her head at him, like it was the most obvious answer.
"You could do that?" He asked,
"I can create life Aizawa-san." Marlya clipped, "Of course I could bring someone back from the dead. As long as I have their body and it's not too-ooo old." She flourished her hands explaining it.
Mira was lazily weaving between Marlya's legs, enjoying the contact with her fur. Her head turned down to the pregnant cat, her tail curling with Mira's. She bent down picking the cat up gently and cradling her against her chest.
"You're hungry aren't you blessed mother?" Marlya cooed to the bulging cat, nuzzling her snout into said cats belly, the purrs from Mira a cacophony in the silence of the room.
"Aizawa-san?" Marlya flicked her eyes up to him, "I'm gonna feed Mira. She needs the nutrients."
Before he could even answer her she was scenting the room, honing in on the food that was for Mira, opening cupboards gathering what she needed. Filling the bowl that was on the floor in the kitchen and placing said cat down so she could eat. Marlya ended up lowered down near her, watching the cat with love in her eyes.
'Thank you Inari' Mira purred,
"You are most welcome." She rumbled back before straightening up and turning back to the room full of adults that were watching her.
This is when she truly observed what the adults looked like. There was the blonde, who's hair was pulled up into a half up half down look. He had a narrow pair of glasses perched on his nose, as well as a tiny moustache adorning his upper lip. The clothes he wore looked stylish in Marlya's opinion, a grey jacket with a plain black polo underneath. He was also wearing black slacks with some white socks on his feet. All in all he looked stylish, especially compared to Aizawa.
Next her eyes landed on the raven haired woman and she just about froze at her inspection of her. Now she really looked, everything that she picked out on her. Just reminded Marlya of her mother, the jagged raven hair, sharp eyes. But instead of the crimson red her mother had, woman had a crisp blue. Tears pricked Marlya's eyes at the last clear memory she had, her form melted away as the tears overflowed. Nothing else mattered in that moment besides her getting closer to the raven haired woman.
Hizashi and Nemuri watched the vulpine form fall away from Marlya, replaced by the scarred child of their dead best friend. It hurt their hearts to see her so broken yet so alive, the tears pouring from her glistening mauve eyes made their eyes water.
Marlya slowly walked over to Nemuri, laying her head on the woman's midsection and nuzzling. Nemuri slowly reached up and holding the child to her.
"Hello Marlya.." Nemuri's voice wobbled, "It's been a long time pup." Her manicured nails dug slightly into Marlya, "I'm your Aunty Kayama."
Marlya looked up from her nuzzling, smiling a toothy grin, tears still flowing down her face.
"You look like my Mother… Aunty.." She wept, "It hurts…but it's a good hurt.." her face turned back into Nemuri's midsection. Hiding her reddened face.
Hizashi shuffled over, placing his hand on top of Marlya's head between her lowered ears. Her singular tail twitched at the contact, shifting her head again looking towards the man who was now patting her.
"I'm your Uncle Yamada, Mar-chan." He flashed a brilliant watery smile to her, "I'm so happy you're back." He lowered himself down and rest his head upon hers, it had been a long time since he had been this close to her.
Aizawa was watching Marlya closely, just in case she had a break in her psyche from all the contact. He had walked up to the trio, Nemuri smiled at him, Hizashi had looked up from his nuzzling and just looked so happy at the tiny revelation that was Marlya.
"Did you two finish what I asked for your help with?" Aizawa broke the silence, his hand replacing Hizashi's hand upon Marlya's head once the man stood up,
"Of course we did Sho!" Hizashi's excitedly told him,
"Even all the little tidbits," Nemuri added with a wave of her hand, "It was truly no trouble at all, especially for our returned pup."
Marlya then looked up in confusion as to what they were saying, she saw Aizawa nod his head at the two before he broke away from the group, heading down the hall that was further to the first door.
"Come along Marlya," Nemuri pulled the small girl away from her gently by her upper arms, "Let's show you your new room." A smile graced the woman's face as Marlya's eyes widened a little, the small girl grasping the older woman's hand. Nemuri lead the girl forward slowly. Hizashi already gone ahead to stand with Aizawa by the door.
They reached the door and Marlya peered through the entrance.
She was greeted with a soft purple room, the walls were an off white colour but it had voile fabric decorating the walls, cascading down. On the far wall from the door, the back corner furthest from her was a bunk bed, but it didn't have a bed on the bottom, there were curtains that were pulled back to reveal a little den with a small desk and a bookshelf plus a squishy looking cushion chair. Her eyes travelled to the top of the bunk, where royal purple bedsheets could be seen as well as many many pillows. Marlya slowly padded in, not looking at anything else yet. She hadn't had a bed to herself in a long time (the hospital obviously did not count in her mind), she clambered up the little ladder awkwardly. Hearing the frame groan as her weight hit it, made her mind turn to how she could reenforce it. Climbing back down she went underneath the bed, inspecting the joints. She could put some metal brackets there and have some metal bars across the bottom of the bed instead of wooden planks.
Her limbus rings ignited as she changed these things, Aizawa watched as she changed the bed slightly, intrigued with how her quirk worked. He knew she was using it due to her limbus rings being displayed.
Marlya came back out from underneath the bed and climbed back up, no groan came from the bed frame this time as she flopped into the silky softness that engulfed her. This had to be a dream, she swore to herself that things this nice did not exist in the slightest. If this was a dream, she was content to stay asleep forever.
Marlya's eyes turned to the window that was on the wall her bed laid against, she never had a window in her room, well the room she was made to stay in. They were always underground. But this time she was on the fourth floor of an apartment complex. She peered out into the afternoon light that was filtered through the light curtains.
Could be a way for someone to break in, but she could not care less, being able to view the surrounding area without flying made her happy.
Turning away from the window she looked over the railing at the rest of the room finally. On the wall across from the bed, next to the door was a set of drawers in a darker wood. She decidedly tumbled over the edge of the bed, landing on her feet after one somersault. The adults at the door lurched, concerned for her safety, but Marlya just chuckled. (She may be a child, but she has been forced to grow.)
She padded across the rug on the floor to the drawers, atop the drawers were photographs. Ones of people she had not seen in a long, long time. The first on she looked at closely was of a teen in a blue tracksuit with white lines that delicates UA. The teens raven hair, black wolf ears and tail, told Marlya that this was a photo of her mother. She was holding a gold medal, standing beside a blonde with a very bunnylike fringe. He had ice blue eyes and a larger than life grin. Her mother's crimson eyes glinting with happiness and a grin to match the boys grin next her.
Marlya's eyes travelled to the next photo, one of another teen with straight black hair, cool blue eyes and glasses. He had a shaky smile and blush covering his checks, her mother was currently on the boys back with her face nuzzling into the top of his head.
Marlya picked up the photo, sinking to the ground slowly.
"Father…" she wept quietly, holding the photo to her chest.
Marlya was beside herself, she couldn't remember what her father looked like and now she had a photo of him when he was a teen still in school. She heard a set of footsteps making their short way over to her. She felt a hand on her back and at that her head snapped up to see that Nemuri had sat by her, clearly wanting to console the child. A question held in the woman's eyes. Are you okay?
"I…I couldn't remember what he looked like at all…" she pulled the photo from her chest, looking down at the photo, memorising his young face, picking out what she had inherited from the man. Marlya was the perfect combination of the both of them. The bottom of her black hair was straight, but she had the ragged tufts out from below her white fox ears. Eyes the combination of his cool blue sapphires and her mother's crimson rubies. "I wish I could remember." Marlya shifted slowly to lay into Nemuri whilst committing the photo to memory. Wishing for something to jog her own memory of her Father.
Nemuri looked over to Aizawa and Hizashi, Aizawa's face betrayed nothing of what he was feeling even though he was heartbroken and Hizashi wore his heart on his sleeve, openly crying at the fact that Marlya had stated.
Nemuri herself was heartbroken, Mariko was like a sister to Nemuri, they often played on their similar looks to mess with their group of friends. The antics the two got up to, she would have to tell Marlya those stories some time.
"You should look at the rest of the photos Pup." Nemuri cooed gently, still rubbing circles on the small girls back.
Marlya got up from Nemuri, walking over to her bed, placing the photograph on one of the many pillows. Turning back to the drawers, her eyes went to the next photo. It was of teens again, her mother, father, the blonde with the bunny fringe, a young Aizawa, Hizashi and a boy with white hair. They looked to be sitting at a picnic table, everyone bar her mother and father were in costumes. Her father looked to be fussing over Hizashi's gear, Aizawa had humour in his eyes watching her father and Hizashi. Her mother on the other hand, was in the middle of saying something to the bunny blonde, whilst Nemuri was laughing heartily at something. The white haired one was busy looking content with the situation entirely.
"That photo is the only one we have of all of us alive." Nemuri voices catches slightly, melancholy coming off of her in waves, "We were getting ready for our work studies, Hiroshi made sure all our equipment would be in perfect working condition. Mariko would help get our minds off of our nerves."
The group of friends in the photo, were the most unlikely friends but they seemed to be perfect for each other.
Marlya looked to the next photo and it was obviously a wedding photo. Both her Mother and Father were standing, hand in hand at the end of the aisle, exchanging their vows. More tears sprung to her eyes, her Mother looked absolutely radiant and her Father was very handsome.
The photo showed how little people were actually invited. It was their group of friends, some family and the officiant. To her Mother's side was the bunny blonde and Nemuri, to her fathers side was Aizawa and Hizashi. All dressed to the nines for the wedding.
The next photo was that of a newborn Marlya, in the arms of a very tired but extremely happy Mariko with her Father looking lovingly down at his wife and new daughter.
The photo next to that one was of a overwhelmed Aizawa, looking all sorts of awkward holding Marlya. You could see her eyes were wide and staring at Aizawa, his eyes equally as wide at the marvel of creation he was holding.
After that was a photo of Nemuri and Hizashi, cooing over baby Marlya. Both visibly excited and beyond happy at the newest addition to the family.
That was all the photos that were on the drawers, Marlya's eyes turned around the room further. A bookshelf on the wall to the left of the drawers, with books and more photos of the friends throughout the years.
On the wall opposite another bookshelf just filled with books ranging from books about physics, chemistry and biology to that of children's fiction and non-fiction.
Marlya turned back to the now standing Nemuri, "Is all of this mine?" She asked in a quiet voice,
"Yes it is." Aizawa was the one who answered, "Even all the clothes these two bought you today as well. Which you should get changed into after a shower."
Marlya smiled at first, but then looked affronted, "I've bathed recently." She stated, fury mutely burning in her eyes.
"Besides a tongue bath?" He questioned,
Her nose scrunched up, "It was raining the night I found you."
A hand reached up and rubbed his eyes, a sigh then followed, "That does not count. You need to have a shower, with soap."
Marlya's limbus rings lit up as her form melted down into that of a panther, "No." her voice called as she sat down purposefully, tongue outstretched to start bathing herself.
Aizawa's eyes flared red as she was beginning to lick her chest fur. The panthers form replaced by a child with a feral snarl plastered on her face. "Yes you will shower." Aizawa grit his teeth in annoyance, "Don't be a brat."
Her glare levelled on him, then her eyes darted to the side, muttering under her breath.
"What was that?" Aizawa all but growled,
"Asshole." Marlya's glare snapped back to him, you could almost see the electricity between their glares.
At that both Nemuri and Hizashi had to cover their chuckles at how brash Marlya could be. Seemingly reminding them all of how bad Mariko could be.
"Give me strength.." Aizawa muttered under his breath, his eyes were burning he knew he had to blink sooner or later.
Marlya knew it too, she knew how long it would take for him to blink and she was ready with her rebuttal of him erasing her quirk. Again.
But Nemuri spoke, distracting her ever so as Aizawa blinked, "Is there a reason you're so against a shower?" The question burned in the adults mind.
Marlya's eyes widened, then dashed away from any of the adults. Her hands unconsciously going to her throat, vivid memories dancing behind her hidden eyes. Filthyfilthyfilthyfilthyfilthy. She could feel the ghosts of highly pressurised water hosing her down.
"To me a shower is when I'm bleeding. Where the water strips the flesh from my bones." Her voice grated, "Once I gained the forms that were capable of adequate self grooming. The only water that cascaded on my body would be from the heavens. At my own discretion." Unbeknownst to her, the growl had been building in her chest. She could taste blood in her mouth.
Marlya didn't know the amount of killing intent that was flowing off of her body at her memory.
'Inari.' Mira was sitting at the doorway, tail twitching beside Aizawa's foot.
It was enough to bring from the depths, her eyes went to the Cat, then to the adults. Who had broken out in a sweat from the pressure.
"I apologise.." Marlya whispered, her voice was rough, "I tend to lose myself sometimes.." her hand dropped from her throat, the pressure in the room immediately relieved.
The adults took a breath they didn't realise they were all holding, eyes still on the girl who froze them in fear.
"Maa maa." Nemuri waved her hand, "We will just have to change those memories, right Marlya?"
Marlya's eyes lifted to Nemuri, tears prickling at the woman's kindness. She wanted to smile, but it felt false and these people didn't deserve the mask she put on. Looking back down, Marlya nodded her head.
She could feel the scratching at the back of her head, filthyfilthy….. She shook her head to quieten his voice.
Nemuri moved closer to the girl, reaching forward to grab a hand but as soon as she got too close Marlya's hand snatched hers with an iron grip. As if it was second nature.
The fury in Marlya's eyes told a whole story, to Nemuri she could tell that too often someone's hand meant pain especially when she doesn't see it coming. As it clicked in Marlya's head that it wasn't his hand, her face relaxed and turned to worry. Her grip let up.
"Sorry Nemuri-oba..." she breathed, "I didn't hurt you did it?" Marlya pulled the woman's hand gently down to inspect it, seeing a bruise already blooming across the surface of the woman's skin. "Fuck." Marlya bit out,
"It's okay Marlya!" Nemuri went to pull her hand back, but the girls hand didn't let go.
"No. It isn't, you didn't deserve to be hurt." Marlya's limbus rings ignited, "Let me heal it up for you."
Before Nemuri could protest about Marlya using her quirk like that, she felt an odd sensation in her wrist, it was warm yet cold. She could feel Marlya's quirk working into her system, it was unlike Shuzenji's where it accelerates your healing. Marlya's worked on a more intimate level, going in and repairing the damage rather than promoting self healing, using her own energy.
As it was finished, Marlya inspected the wrist, letting it go so Nemuri could see it. "Wow." Nemuri gushed, "It's like brand new! My wrist isn't sore at all!" Her eyes widened, not only did Marlya heal the damage she had done, but also the building stiffness she had from using a computer for so long. She started rotating her wrist, no longer feeling the pops and crackles she would normally feel.
"Can you do my other wrist too? Please Mar-chan?" She asked quickly.
Marlya merely nodded and offered her hand out for Nemuri to put her other hand in. As the woman did, Marlya took this time to explain a few things to her. "My quirk has a unique healing signature, as the Doctor and Master explained it. Once it's interfered once with a certain injury, it won't be able to heal it again unless it was fully healed in the first go." Her voice was small.
Hizashi and Aizawa just observed what was unfolding in front of them, ever more curious as to how Marlya's quirk works.
As Marlya finished healing the other wrist Nemuri was quick this time in pulling Marlya up off the floor and into a side hug, "Come along Marlya! It's time for you to have a shower."
Before she could even say no, Marlya was pulled from her room past the other two adults and into the door next to hers. Which was the bathroom.
"I'll go grab some clothes and towels for you." Nemuri said as she started the water in the shower.
Marlya just stood stock still, watching the water. Nemuri passed her going back to her room. She didn't even catch what the woman said.
She stood there, looking around the room. It had been too long since she had been in a bathroom like this, especially for the purpose of showering. Marlya started listing the things in the room, trying to distract her thoughts from what is going to happen.
'Inari.' Mira's kind voice called from by her feet, 'It will be okay, you know that right?' her purrs soothed Marlya somewhat. 'This water doesn't hurt.'
Marlya then looked down at the cat, eyes widened. "Seriously?"
'I wouldn't lie to you Inari. It's like rain.' The pregnant cat informed her,
"Like rain.." Marlya hummed, she did like the feeling of rain on her fur.
Padding away from the she-cat, she looked at what she presumed to be the shower. It was sparse, one shampoo and conditioner, some body wash and a cloth.
There was a singular tap on the wall, not a twisty one but like a paddle.
'Just lift it up. It's what the Scruffy man does.' Mira informed her from the edge of the sink.
Marlya looked from the cat back to the paddle, lifting it gently her arm was then assaulted by cold water. Gasping loudly she launched herself back, crouching beside Mira, the she-cat was shaking her head laughing.
'Its okay Inari.' Mira chuckled, her tail flicked lightly in amusement, 'Go touch the water.'
Marlya's ears were pinned back in apprehension, her tail stock still, twitching minutely.
From her crouched position, she slowly made her way to the shower again, reaching out her hand she felt the warm water cascade onto it.
Her tail started swishing quickly, ears pricking and twitching in excitement, stars in her eyes. She stood up and went straight into the water.
The warmth permeated through her entire being. Saturating her shifter garments.
It was divine.
Her own purr built in her throat, it was an entirely different experience to the ones in her memory. Instead of the water biting into her skin, it was exactly like rain as Mira had described it.
She stood there, head turned towards the roof, letting it shower on her face. A contented smile on her face.
It was then Nemuri came back in, seeing that Marlya was standing in the shower still in her Shifting garments.
"Silly girl," she laughed, "Come on Marlya!" She closed the door behind her, "Let's get you out of those clothes, so we can clean everything."
Marlya stepped out the shower, dripping water everywhere. Nodding with a smile plastered on her face.
Freshly showered, Marlya couldn't stop scenting herself. Completely baffled her how much her scent could change, she had been so used to only her sweat smell. She never knew she could could smell….this soft.
She was currently sitting on the couch, in between Nemuri and Aizawa, Hizashi had taken up a position in the floor with a beanbag.
Marlya was dressed in her now clean shifter garments and a cloth nighty over the top. She had her legs tucked up beside her with her tail resting over them, cuddled into Nemuri's side. The woman's arm was draped across Marlya's back and fingers were curled into the incredibly silky fur of the girls tail.
They had started talking in the shower, how she got certain scars, the absolute disgust at how she was branded and seeing the brand itself. Nemuri had also brushed Marlya's hair and plaited the long hair.
The evening had come as they started talking more, with tv on in the background casting a soft glow over them all.
Marlya could talk about her trauma easily it seemed, they could see the emotions flash through her eyes and feel the anger it sometimes brought. But she was being more active in making sure she wasn't flooring them with her killing intent.
Some things she flat out didn't want to talk about, they respected that. Other things she would give the bare minimum information, very few of the scars she explained fully.
Lots of looks were exchanged between Nemuri and Aizawa. Seemingly both agreeing that it would be better for her to get regular therapy about it all, especially since she thought that most of these were her own fault, for disobeying or being in the way.
They knew it will take a long time to break through that behavioural response, even more so with certain touches and gestures. They are painfully aware it won't be fixed over night, but they will do their best.
"You know what Marlya?" Nemuri said, looking down to the girl who was cuddled right up against her, purple eyes shifted from the tv looking up to her, "I think you should meet Hound Dog."
"Hound Dog?" Marlya asked, followed by a small yawn,
"Yeah. He's our schools councillor." She answered gently, "He also has an animal quirk. He could, potentially, be your escort for the Midnight Hunts."
Marlya covered her mouth as a yawn escaped, "That would be nice." She nuzzled further into Nemuri, feeling her form slowly shift into her quadrupedal fox form. Her smaller form swam in the nighty she was wearing, backing out of it, it now just laid on the couch.
Lifting herself up with her eyes closed, circling once, twice, three times before settling down again. Head on Aizawa's lap, her three tails over Nemuri's lap. She was beyond tired. Marlya swore to herself she'll only rest for a moment.
Aizawa was now just getting into bed. After Marlya had fallen asleep on the couch he and his best friends had talked at length on what they should do. He then carried her passed out form and put her into her bed, she was out cold.
All of them agreed on taking Marlya to UA to see Recovery Girl, for a general checkup, Hound Dog so he could start the possible therapy and Power Loader, to make her new cuffs or at least to get started on new cuffs.
It would be good for her either way to have some more interactions with good people.
Then he felt the shakes of the apartment. It was slight at first, but grew into violent shakes. He could hear things clattering onto the ground throughout the apartment.
The the screams started, Marlya's scream echoed through the apartment, setting him on edge immediately.
Rushing to her room, slamming the door open, flaring his eyes as he saw her arch off the bed in the corner of the room. The shakes stopped, but the screaming continued.
She must be having a nightmare, he thought quickly.
Climbing up the ladder, he reached over to her, as his hand got into her proximity. Marlya's hand snapped out, clutching his in a iron grip. Grunting slightly from the painful hold, her nails started digging into his forearm.
"Wake up Marlya!" He yelled at her.
Eyes flying open, sitting up and head turning this way and that, scanning the room. Not recognising where she was waking up, when her eyes landed on Aizawa leaning over from the ladder up to her bed. His eyes narrowed in pain, did she then realise her death grip on his wrist. Tears filled her eyes, as she remembered her nightmare.
He was trying to wake me up… she thought morosely to herself.
Gently releasing her grip on him, she saw the blood on her nails from where her claws dug in.
"Aizawa…" her voice was small, "You can stop erasing my quirk now… let me heal what I did to you…" she hiccuped, tears flowing down her cheeks. She felt extremely bad at what she had done.
He nodded, blinking his eyes to break the connection, "It will be okay Marlya, I should known you may have reacted that way, it's not your fault." He tried to comfort her, but now she was focused on pushing her quirk into him, healing the wounds she had dealt.
He was disgruntled at the feeling of her warm energy sliding into his skin, then her felt the cold tang of pain come from the forced healing, her regenerating the skin on his arm and the bone that she could have possible fractured beneath.
No wonder she was kidnapped, Aizawa thought to himself, even though the didn't know this property of her quirk. It would've been extremely exploitable.
He looked back up at the child, who had just had a nightmare, the one that accidentally hurt him and how she was now healing him. Taking in the visible scars across her body as he had most of the day, some of the stories were just so morbid, as was her straight face explaining them.
"What was your nightmare about Marlya?" He asked bluntly, his eyes watching how her body tensed, ears twitching. The way her lips curled slightly in a silent snarl, her eyes narrowing a fraction. Then as quickly as it all appeared it slid away behind a mask of indifference, the only tell that it was affecting her was the twitch from the tip of her tail under the covers.
"I don't remember it." Her small sad voice was stoned and cold.
In truth she remembered it, the nightmares that plagued her, the memories of the two hundred something quirks in her body. Replaying their last terrified moments before their deaths, the happiest memories, asking if their families are okay. In truth she hasn't had a good nights rest in nearly a decade.
The one that effects her the most, was the memory of her Mother's. Seeing All For One holding the scalpel to her face, the blind rage her mother felt. The thing was, her mother's 'spirit' wasn't with her like all the others, never showed. Just the memories that her quirk held, the fear, the anguish and the love in her final moments.
That is what tonight's nightmare was about. Stirred by seeing her old friends, seeing how much they've changed and grown from the memories that Mariko's quirk played.
As Marlya was working on Aizawa's wounds, she had started crying. He silently lifted his other hand, moving slowly reaching out, brushing the tears away.
Her eyes came back to the present, slowly moving up to his hand that was now retracting from her face.
"I'm here for you Marlya." Aizawa said gently, "You don't have to talk, but we can just sit on the couch and watch some tv if it will help."
A small watery smile covered her face, she was still being saved. "Thank you Sho-oji.." her eyes glittered with us she'd tears as she stared at the man.
—tBtbaH—
UA
6am – The next day
"This is a school?" Marlya was in awe, they had just arrived at the faculty parking on the UA campus. Her eyes glittered looking up at the massive buildings.
"Yes." His gruff voice answered back, followed by a sigh. She was acting more childlike today, not a scarred veteran. Which could be one of two things, he thought to himself, One she is relaxed enough to start acting like the child she never was. Or two and the more likely option, she's masking. Suppressing her true emotions to placate the ones around her.
He turned to her, she was unbuckled, kneeling on her seat with her face pressed against the window. Her tail wagging slightly and ears twitching. As far as Aizawa was concerned, this was a true emotion.
"Come on Marlya." Aizawa turned the engine off, "Let's go meet the Principal."
Marlya was quick to comply, opening the door swiftly and getting out of the car even more so. She met Aizawa at the front of the car, walking beside him into the facility. Her tail curled lightly around his leg, not tight enough to hinder him, but it was a way for her to know where he was going and not to lose him. As her head turned around on a swivel continuously, looking at everything on the walk through the building. The way the sunrise was streaming through the windows lit the walls in a soft pinky orange hue. No one was here besides a few faculty members.
"We're here Marlya." She heard Aizawa's voice call to her, her head turned to see the door they were standing in front of.
Her tail wrapped slightly tighter around his leg then released, dropping back down behind her.
Aizawa moved forward, opening the door with his arm on Marlya's back ushering her over the threshold. Her eyes flicked to the windows first, then around the room inspecting everything in the seconds that she entered the room. Ways to escape, things she could use against assailants, the layout of the room. Then her eyes landed on a small white creature that was seated on the couches in the centre of the room.
"Ahhhh Aizawa-kun, a pleasure!" The creature popped up from the couch, with a wide smile, it's eyes landed on Marlya. "Oh? Who is this?"
"Principal Nezu, this is Shiikage Marlya." Aizawa introduced her. But she wasn't truly paying attention.
"Shiikage? Hiroshi and Mariko's child?" The Principal asked, a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, "Well Marlya I am-"
"What the fuck creature are you?" Marlya interrupted, her own eyes glittering slightly, she had never seen a creature much like what was in front of her, "I've been and seen a lot of animals. But not one quite like you. It's driving me insane trying figure out what you are.
"Are you a dog? A cat? A rat? A koala?!" As she was speaking she got closer and closer, her nose twitching, trying to catch a scent of a specific animal. Her eyes widened at the scents implications, with bated breath she whispered, "Are you a chimera?"
Nezu froze slightly, "Well well well, Mariko's aggressiveness and Hiroshi's brain. You are definitely their child." He was excited, "To answer you…" he stuck a pose, "I'm Nezu! The one who could be a dog or a mouse or a bear, and also apparently a koala! But more importantly… I'm the Principal!"
"You are a chimera…" Marlya breathed, then her stance shifted walking towards Nezu, picking the Principal up and inspecting his scar closer, "Did they make you? The ones who gave you that scar?" Her voice had hardened.
"They've been dealt with according Young Marlya." Marlya placed Nezu back on the couch and sat beside him, "You need not worry yourself with them. I assure you." He shifted himself into a comfortable position next to her, noticing how her tail curled behind him. "Would you both like some tea? It is very early and I find tea awakens the body well."
Marlya simply nodded and Aizawa sat on the couch across from them, "Tea sounds nice." He sighed tiredly, he had gotten minimal sleep the night before after Marlya's nightmare. He had dozed on the couch after though, gaining a few hours.
"What kind of tea is it?" Marlya asked, scenting the air, "Is it Oolong?"
"Why yes of course it is!" Nezu replied with a grin, "The keratin in it makes.."
"Your fur so soft and shiny!" Marlya finished, "Yes.. Kurogiri would bring me this tea sometimes.." her face saddened, but as quickly as it appeared her mask went back up.
"Yes that is correct Marlya-chan!" Nezu cheered, "Who is this Kurogiri?" Nezu was curious, as was Aizawa. He had heard her mention him before but never truly pursued the knowledge.
"He was mine and To-kuns caretaker." Her smile hardened, thinking back to when she was freshly taken. How To-kun was like a big brother to her in the first few years, but as he trained more and more with their Master, he slipped further and further away from her. "Back in the beginning.. he made sure I had food and somewhere warm to sleep. As I got more and more quirks Master wanted me to stay in my forms longer and longer, I needed my human form less and less.
"When we figured out I could eat raw meat easily in my carnivorous forms, I started eating once a week. But Kurogiri kept bringing me some treats now and then. He kept me… somewhat sane."
Whilst she was talking Nezu had handed her a cup of tea. Her face was stony, not portraying her feelings about the matter. Although her voice was saddened and not matching her expression.
"Very well." Nezu stated, ending the conversation about that there, "Now Aizawa-kun, why have you brought Marlya to our wonderful school? I highly doubt she's old enough to attend, besides the entrance exams have already happened for this year." Nezu sipped his tea, a glitter in his eye.
"To have her discharged from the hospital, I said that Recovery Girl could handle Marlya's aftercare." Aizawa sipped his own tea before returning it to the table between them. "Plus both Nemuri and Hizashi agree that she would benefit from seeing Hound Dog as well. Also seeing Power Loader to make her custom Quirk Nullifying cuffs, whilst she has great control. She tends to outburst with her quirks when she becomes too emotional.
"Last night she had a nightmare and just the power from her distress caused the apartment building to shake like there was an earthquake. That leads to why I've brought her home with me, my own quirk is able to erase hers. I'd also like to think that Hiroshi and Mariko would prefer to have her with one of her godparents rather than go into the system. Especially with her quirks, seeing as Marlya has said she has over two hundred quirks housed in her body now."
As Aizawa explained the situation, Marlya felt herself getting smaller and smaller in the seat beside Nezu. He's doing so much for me.. she thought to herself, she felt like she was burdening him.
Aizawa had caught the shift in her demeanour, how she had shrunk in on herself more. He shifted to seating up more on the couch, she then had a full body flinch away from him. Just from the small movement.
Surprising Nezu who was beside her, it was then the Principal looked up at the child, her eyes opened from having them scrunched closed. He was watching her eyes closely, how her limbus rings ignited and the white smoke cascading down her body.
Marlya shifted into her mother's wolf quadrupedal wolf form.
"Please don't force me back…" Marlya's small voice projected in their minds.
"Marlya." Aizawa's stern voice filled the air, "Do you realise I would do this even if you weren't my best friends daughter?" Marlya's tail tucked around her paws, snout turned down and away from him, "You are not burdening me."
—tBtbaH—
UA – Nurses Office
7am
After spending some time in the Principals office, covering the things that Marlya would be doing whilst she was in Aizawa's care. Especially whilst she would be spending most days on the school campus, either being in the teachers lounge doing worksheets or following Aizawa or spending time with Hound Dog.
Their next stop was the nurses office, where Recovery Girl would be waiting.
At this point in time, some of the older students had started arriving to school. Getting in early to hand in anything they needed to before heading off to work studies and what not. At some point on the walk Aizawa convinced Marlya to shift out of her wolf form, but she argued they would stare more at a scarred little girl than a white wolf. He couldn't help but acquiesce to that point, it did help keep her mood stable enough.
There weren't many students but some did ask what was going on, Aizawa simply stated it didn't concern them right now.
As they reached the office, Aizawa told Marlya that she would have to shift so Recovery Girl can do what she needed to do.
"If I have to.." Marlya sighed, lifting her body onto her back paws as her fur receded back to her scarred skin. She shifted uncomfortably beside Aizawa in just her shifter garments, Marlya's never felt embarrassed or self conscious about her scarred body before today. Being around kids that were only a couple of years older than her, she knew she was already different.
As Aizawa slid the door open, Marlya followed closely. The hairs on the back of her neck pickled, she could feel someone's eyes on her, discreetly peering out the corners of her eyes she tried to spy her spy. Her ears twitched atop her head, trying to pin any sounds. But with more and more students arriving to school it was hard to sort out what was closer to her or not. Scenting the air was useless as well, many students scents clouded her nose.
She shrugged as Aizawa slid the door behind them closed.
Being greeted by a Elderly woman of short stature, surprised Marlya. She wasn't expecting the woman who was standing in front of her and Aizawa.
"Ahh Aizawa." Her voice was soothing to Marlya, it was gentle and safe. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Marlya could feel the elders eyes on her, taking in the amount of scars on her body.
"Recovery Girl." Aizawa nodded, "This is Shiikage Marlya. The hospital she was in agreed to release her to me as long as you'll be able to handle her checkups and after care." His hand dropped on top of Marlya's head giving her hair a ruffle between her ears.
"Our wayward lamb has returned home." Recovery Girls soft smile greeted Marlya's unsure one, "Yes I've heard through the grapevine that you were rescued." Looking back up to Aizawa she said, "Ill handle the hospital side of things, you should head off to homeroom Aizawa. You can leave her with me until you're done there."
He sighed heavily, "Thank you. I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned to leave but Marlya's hand grabbed his, looking down he raised an eyebrow at her as if to ask, what is it?
"You trust her right?" Marlya asked in a small voice, her eyes searching his, watching for any tells.
"Of course." He answered by sternly, "I wouldn't leave you here otherwise."
Marlya's hand loosened and dropped by her side. She hummed and walked towards Recovery Girl. After getting there she heard the door slide close again.
"Now Marlya." Recovery Girl turned to her, "Would you sit up on this bed for me?"
Authors Note:
Sorry about the delay everyone! I've been hyper fixated on an animation of a future scene within this fic haha. If anyone wants to see what I've been working on, look up viribus_art on TikTok c: