Chapter 3 - Remembrance

Standing in the hallway of UA High, Emiko winced. Emotions ran rampant here, each student chattered and laughed and clustered together in groups. Hundreds of different feelings mixed together and molded into one unbearable cacophony that rang in her ears. She stumbled through the hallways, passing by excited students chattering wildly.

Please, quiet. Shh.

She struggled to maintain her grip on her emotions, and on her quirk. Pain blossomed behind her eyes and she could feel her own control slowly slipping. She bolted towards a large door in the hall that had been left slightly ajar. She slipped through it and rested her back against the solid wood, heaving a deep sigh as she was finally freed from the overbearing emotions of those in the hall.

"Can I help you?" a male voice called, startling Emiko as she swung her weary gaze up. Standing above her was a purple haired male with tired eyes.

"No, sorry." She mumbled, standing up with some difficulty. "I just needed to get away for a minute." She moved her hand towards the door handle, making to leave the room she now realized was a classroom. Luckily, it was empty, save for the wild haired boy and herself.

"Are you okay?" He asked, stepping out of her personal space as if he could sense her anxiety. She could only nod as tears formed in her eyes.

"I'm fine."

He scoffed, "Don't look fine."

"I said I'm fine." She scowled, folding her arms irritatedly over her chest.

"Whatever you say…" he trailed off, waiting for her to introduce herself.

"Emiko. Names Emiko Komatsu." She grinned, reaching her palm out to the purple haired boy.

"Hitoshi Shinso. Nice to meet you."

Emiko grinned brightly and stepped towards an empty desk.

"Is it okay if I stay here for a moment? I still need to decompress from all of the chaos out there." She grinned sheepishly, settling herself into the wooden seat.

"Sure, it doesn't matter to me. Do you want company?"

Emiko could think fondly back to the first time she'd ever met Shinso, sitting in that room so completely full of panic she thought she may lose control right there in the middle of the school. Since that very first day, he'd been there. Despite his seemingly constant irritation with her and his no nonsense attitude, Shinso had stood by her side. He'd trained with her, showing her first hand how his Brainwashing quirk worked.

He'd helped guide her out of panic attacks and complete meltdowns. He'd held her close as she sobbed while telling the story of her fathers disappearance. Shinso hadn't even flinched as Emiko showed him the scars that littered her body. He'd only sighed and looked at her with a worried gaze, squeezing her hand slightly.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, Emiko. You didn't deserve to be hurt this way." He'd sighed, crinkling his brow as she sniffled.

"You're a truly good person and you deserve only the best."

In short, Shinso had quickly grown to be one of the most important people in Emiko's life. He was one of the only people who knew her completely - the only person she'd ever told the story of her father. He'd been the first person she'd called after the USJ attack, though she'd had to hold details back from him.

"There are things you aren't telling me, Miko. I know it."

Though he didn't like being left out of her life, Shinso understood that there were things that she couldn't share, and he never made her feel bad for that fact. He never held it against her, never made her feel like a bad friend for having to keep pieces of her life separate from their friendship.

He was the first person she'd ever let her aunt meet, though she'd regretted it almost immediately. Sakura had spent the entire evening sharing baby pictures of Emiko to her friend. He'd laughed loudly as Sakura told stories of a young Emiko training, accompanied by videos of her throwing high kicks at 10.

"You really were a cute kid, Miko. What happened?"

He'd teased her mercilessly for that for days in their sparring sessions. He seemingly couldn't get enough of how flustered she got as he taunted her for her most embarrassing childhood stories.

She'd grown attached to him in a short period of time, grown accustomed to his silent and unwavering support. He never questioned her loyalties, nor did he ever concern himself with jealousy over her budding friendships with her classmates.

All in all, Emiko considered herself incredibly lucky to be his friend. She knew that he had a difficult time making them, due to his quirk. He was quiet and introverted and shy, essentially the exact opposite of her loud and boisterous nature.

That was why, after waking up in the middle of the night with a scream bursting out of her chest, she found herself reaching for her phone and dialing his number.

"'Lo?" he mumbled into the phone, voice still thick with sleep. "Whad'ya need, Miko?"

"Shins?" She whispered into the phone, her voice shaking. "Sorry to call you so late. I mean. Early? I don't know. Either way, sorry for calling."

Another grumble into the speaker made Emiko giggle a little under her breath. "Why're you apologizing?"

"Because it's…" she paused, rolling over and checking the time. "2 am."

"Hm."

"So I'm-"

"Shut up, Miko. Why'd you call?"

"Do you want me to shut up or do you want me to tell you why I called?"

He answered by hanging up the phone.

Jerk.

A moment later her phone rang again and she answered it.

"You're an idiot."

"That is very true, but besides the point."

He laughed softly from the other end of the phone, sounding more awake with each passing moment.

"Why'd you call, Miko?"

"I had a nightmare. A really bad one." She sighed, sitting up in her bed and tucking the pillows back and behind her bare shoulders.

"Alright. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Can I?"

Silence met her on the other end of the line.

Of course you can, idiot.

"Right. Okay, so…" she paused, gathering her courage to say the words out loud. "I heard that fucking voice again, and they just kept torturing me. I was electrocuted and drowned and branded and burned and-"

A strangled sob escaped her lips at the memory, the feeling of her flesh burning still so fresh a memory.

"I don't know why they keep happening. I've never heard that voice other than in my dreams and…" She sighed, rolling onto her side and pressing the phone tighter to her ear.

"I'm sorry, Miko." Shinso sighed, and she heard the rustling of blankets as he shifted in his bed. I wish I knew why this was happening to you. I wish I knew how to help."

"You could-"

"If you say that I could kill you, I'm actually going to kill you."

A loud laugh burst from her chest at that, relieving some of the tension sitting heavy on her chest.

"You know me so well, Shins. Thanks for picking up the phone."

"Whenever and wherever, Miko. You know that. Get some sleep, k?"

She smiled, breathing deeply and clicking the button to end the call. She adjusted herself and tucked her hair back and behind her ear, thankful once again for her friend.

He'd saved her more time than she could count in a short period, and it brought her peace knowing he'd have her back no matter what.

Scraping metal woke her. Clanging chains and creaking doors echoed around the room she was in, though she couldn't see anything.

"Tch"

The sound of breath to her left sent a chill over her exposed arms, the cool air in the room not lending itself to a comfortable environment. She tried to move, to fight against her restraints, but couldn't. Thick, rough string dug into her wrists and her ankles, holding her tightly down.

A pounding in her head was the first sign that something was wrong. She couldn't remember the last time she had a headache, and this felt as though she hadn't drunk water in weeks.

Pain radiated through her body, setting deep in her chest as each breath burned it's way out of her lungs. It felt as though she had inhaled smoke and brimstone the way her lungs ached.

"It seems you haven't learned your lesson, yet."

The voice from the shadows called out, an impossibly smooth baritone. A voice that spoke with such confidence that she was sure it's owner controlled everyone who heard it. She tried to speak, but couldn't force the words to come out of her mouth. It felt as though she was underwater, heavy liquid pressing onto her chest.

Her breath came in heavy, deep puffs. Each breath sent a shockwave to her ribs, white hot and blinding. She tried to struggle again, remembering quickly that she was held in place. The cool metal pinched her skin and left it raw, and she winced as she felt the uncomfortable feeling of her skin splitting.

"You really should hold still." The voice cooed, taunting her. "It'll be so much easier this way."

What will be easier?

Her mind raced as she tried to process what he was saying, not quite understanding what he meant. Her eyes swung around wildly, like a caged animal trapped in a corner. She tried to make out any features but couldn't - plain white walls and a fluorescent light sat overhead.

What's happening?

Why?

Why does he want me?

I don't understand.

I'm scared.

I'm scared.

I'm so scared, please.

Don't.

Don't hurt me - I can't take it.

Despite her begging, despite her crying out in fear and panic with each breath she took, another onslaught came. It always came. Electricity jolted through her veins, tightening her muscles to the point she was sure they would snap. She felt it arc over her skin, leaving lightning shaped scars across her arms and legs as she thrashed. The metal holding her down burnt into her, the smell of burning flesh acrid and sour in her lungs.

Please! Please stop it, please. I can't do this anymore.

Kill me. Kill me. Kill me.

Please, anything to make it stop.

"Anything?"

The tick in pleasure from the voice surprised her, velvet dancing over her skin as it cooed sweet words into her ears.

"I can make this stop. I really can - I just need you to work with me, just a little bit."