FINGER

Eri wiped tears out of her eyes as she ran through the alleyway. She slipped, scraped her elbows on the pavement, and scrambled back to her feet.

She ran as hard and fast as her tiny legs could carry her once the bad-man watching her watched the TV instead. She ran until her hands shook. She ran until her feet blistered. She ran until her body felt as though it would all fall apart, that the glue the bird-mask-man used to put her back together vanished, and there'd be nothing left of her but cold and dark and a pile of dust.

Eri ran until she hit a metal wall.

She fell, rubbed her nose, and looked up. Green eyes stared down at her, and in a flash, Eri knew who she was looking at. Some bad-men watched heroes fighting, until bird-mask-man made them stop.

"Are you okay?" the hero asked. "People are not normally okay when they collide with me. Do you require medical assistance for the cancerous tumor on your forehead?"

The other hero elbowed him in the ribs and winced from the impact. "Deku, you're scaring her. Let me try." He knelt and gave Eri a brilliant smile. "Hi there, I'm Lemillion! Are you lost? We can help you find your parents."

Her father was gone, and her mother gave her to the bird-mask-man. Fighting back tears, Eri said, "I know where I'm going."

"Then why don't we help you get there? You can tell your parents that you got to meet some heroes today."

Eri started backing away and froze when she heard footsteps behind her. A chill ran down her spine when he heard Overhaul say, "There you are."

Lemillion flinched slightly. With a strained voice, he asked, "Is she your daughter?"

Overhaul gave him a frosty glare. "Yes. She's being… difficult right now."

Deku looked between the two. "You are her parent? There are numerous phenotypical differences that indicate a lack of blood relations."

Overhaul tensed. "She is adopted."

Lemillion, with a forced chuckle, said, "Very kind of you to adopt, good sir. Now, if you'll excuse my partner-"

"Adopted? Japanese laws prevent individuals with criminal records from adopting."

Overhaul took off his glove. Eri quivered and tried not to scream.

"Not very bright, are you kid? Your partner had the right idea."

"Do you intend to fight?" Deku asked.

"I intend to kill you."

"With your Quirk, Overhaul, correct?"

Overhaul's eyes narrowed. "You know too much."

"You are Chisaki Kai. My instructions are to not fight you. So, you may go ahead."

With an incredulous and wary expression, Overhaul reached out for the hero. With a single touch, Deku was dust.

Overhaul wiped his hand and said to the ashen-faced Lemillion, "Let that be a lesson."

But for once, Eri wasn't focused on Overhaul. Instead, she picked up the metal finger that had rolled to her feet.

She held it close as the Shie Hassaikai dragged her back to her cell.

498

Excuse me, where is the funny I ordered?