Small hands tugged at her shirt ever so lightly. Sharp claws tucked so as to not accidentally catch or tear her clothing. Inko glanced down, and met her daughter's concerned eyes.
"Yes dear?"
She lifted her hand and gently tousled her daughter's fluffy, short green hair. Izuku scrunched up her nose and moved away a step. Inko chuckled. Her daughter had been awfully clingy and inquisitive today.
"What were you thinking about?"
"Ah! I was wondering what we might eat for dinner. I didn't really write a grocery list before coming shopping today."
Tapping her chin lightly, she offered her other hand to Izuku and it was quickly taken. She smiled and lightly swung their arms back and forth as they walked.
Izuku suddenly glanced up and a small voice reached Inkos ears. It sounded hopeful.
"Can we… have katsudon? Please?"
Inko inwardly exclaimed at the adorable look her child was giving her. She put on a show of having to really think about it for a moment. In reality she had no problems at all with it.
"Well I guess that will work. It has been a while hasn't it? I'm surprised you went this long without asking for it truthfully."
Inko laughed as Izuku grinned brightly and did a small excited hop. A small yip left Izuku, and Inko jerked in surprise. Izuku giggled as her mother nearly dropped something.
"Sorry momma!"
Inko shook her head in exasperation. She would never get used to that. Her daughter would randomly make different animal noises sometimes. But that had been startlingly loud.
As they shopped, Inko was slightly distracted; she had felt moderately uneasy as the day went on. And Izuku was clingy today as well. Which had her wondering if she was okay.
Inko looked down and smiled as Izuku excitedly shoved a cut of meat in her face. Her sharp teeth glinted from the store's fluorescent lights. She may have a thing for sweets, but meat ruled her heart.
They managed to quickly wrap up the rest of their shopping and headed home. Izuku did not lose an ounce of energy as she helped her mother carry groceries home.
Yet again worry began to bubble as the sun dipped far lower than Inko had been hoping for as they headed home. Izuku seemed to be glued to her side and picked up on her wariness.
It took Inko a moment to realize Izuku had stopped suddenly. When she turned around, Izuku had set the groceries down at her feet and had her nose high in the air with her eyes shut.
"Is everything okay Izuku?"
Izuku's eyes opened slightly and she leaned her head against her mothers hand before pulling away. Izuku's form shrunk and morphed. Her body turned into a haze to anyone's eye. Black wisps of smoke covered her form before seemingly a large dog-like creature took her place.
It wasn't a wolf. Nor a fox. But an adult coyote. Though Inko knew she was an adult coyote, her size was like a medium sized dog.
Brownish-tan fur had hackles raised and a long narrow snout had teeth bared. Inko sharply inhales as she takes a step back. A man slowly inches out from the alleyway behind them. With a quick glance around them, no one seemed to be out and about.
"Awww look at the little doggie. What a nice quirk you have."
A snarl ripped through the coyote and Izuku took a step forward. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade.
"Why don't you two little bitches come with me? I could make use of you both easily."
Izuku seemed to howl and started to launch herself, before she witnessed the man crumple. Her form still pinched on the man and her jaws wrapped around his throat ready to bite down, but her mother whistled loudly causing her to flinch.
"Young lady get your mouth off of that dirty man before I wash it with soap!"
Izuku stared at her mother and contemplated the bad taste in her mouth, yet a threat, and her mothers stern gaze. A sharp glint caught her eye and there was a metal can of food slightly rolling left and right a tiny ways away.
Izuku bit down ever so slightly, drawing just a bit of blood, before pulling away and hunkering as she approached her mother. Her bushy tail was dropped as her mother patted her head lightly.
Inko already had a phone in her hand dialing the police as she collected her daughter's clothes, folding them neatly. Izuku kept her eyes trained on the man, watching for any signs of movement. There was none, but she had the pleasure of witnessing a huge red bump swell on his forehead where the can had hit.
Inko didn't wait for the police, before ushering her daughter away, easily maneuvering her share of groceries. Izuku form had black haze covering her again and Inko panicked for a moment thinking she was about to have a naked child on the sidewalk, but instead a much larger form took her place.
The large gray wolf whined and every so gently maneuvers some of the groceries from her mother, to carry in her mouth. Her mother nearly stumbled as Izuku leaned into her as they walked. Inko kept one hand on her daughter as they walked. Knowing she couldn't hold her hand in this form, but still wanting to keep her safe.
Once they arrived home, Inko had to chase her nude child around the house struggling to get her into some clothes. After nearly half an hour she was finally successful, yet winded. Izuku was all grins and giggles. A little spitfire with never ending energy is what she was. However after getting her to calm somewhat, she seemed to have a slight tiredness come over her small body.
After finally settling down somewhat they began unpacking the groceries together.
"Chocolate chips! I already forgot!"
Inko laughed at Izuku happily hopping up and down. Previous tiredness forgotten.
"How about we bake some cookies after dinner?"
"Yes! I can help right?"
"Of course."
The evening passed quickly as Inko cooked dinner for her and her child. Though the entire time inko stayed glued to her side. Always right next to her. It didn't bother her one bit, but she did notice her daughter's gaze trailing through the windows to the treeline much more often as well. She had to push doesn the unease building again.
Izuku stood on a stool next to her mother in the kitchen. Inko was perfectly clean, with her apron not having a speck of flour on it.
Izuku however, had flour and stray clumps of cookie dough stuck to her skin. They had a mixing mishap, when Izuku's clumsy hands slipped and she had dropped the bowl and panicked and several ingredients got knocked over.
Inko had spent several moments laughing with Izuku and taking a few sneaky pictures, before helping her clean up the floor and countertops. The bowl of dough had not been compromised, luckily. So they continued more carefully.
Inko slowly guided Izuku through the steps, Izuku paying full attention. She had been asking for sweets all week and her mother finally caved. She had tried to sneak the chocolate chips in the basket but that had failed, with her daughters keen nose
Inko couldn't help but shake her head at the high pitched squeal of happiness that left Izuku when she saw the ingredients.
After finally getting the dough on the pan and in the oven, Inko rounded on her daughter.
"Alright little missy, you need to get all this mess off of you. Let's go rinse you off and get you in the bath hmm?"
Inko caught the look in Izuku's eye and turned fully and started to chase her. Izuku squealed as she ran, leaving a trail of flour behind her.
"I don't want a bath!"
"Izuku you're getting flour everywhere! Oh my gosh!"
Inko laughed as she grappled her child. Izuku whined as she was pulled into the bathroom.
Inko had just managed to get the worst off of Izuku, before it was time for the cookies. So she quickly ran some warm water before she went and pulled them from the oven before returning to her.
"I know we had an exciting day today honey. Thank you for protecting mommy earlier, but you should know, it should be the other way around. See I managed to walk him good huh?"
They giggled and Izuku played with some of the bubbles.
"It's okay mommy. We're a pack. We protect each other."
Izuku rolled her eyes and booed her child on the nose, causing Izuku's face to scrunch up.
Inko slowly rubbed the shampoo into her daughter's hair. She paused when she heard Izuku humming a song. It was unfamiliar. Yet awfully pretty.
"Is that another song from the forest dear?"
Izuku's eyes were closed as she leaned into her mothers hands. She paused her humming to respond while shaking her head slightly. "Mhm. It's a song from the trees."
"Well it's a very pretty tune dear. You ought to teach it to me sometime."
Izuku readily agreed and they continued humming together as they wrapped up her bath.
A large fluffy towel wrapped Izuku completely as she was shuffled to her room. After a small back and forth moment over which pajamas she would be wearing, she was quickly tucked in by her mother.
Inko leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Goodnight dear."
She went to stand, before a small hand caught hers. Emerald eyes shined at her. Was she crying? Inko panicked and lowered herself to the bed and pulled Izuku to her chest. "What's wrong Izuku? Are you okay?"
Izuku hiccups and leans into her mother's embrace.
"I love you mom."
Inko pulled back and her hands cupped Izuku's small face. Izuku couldn't help but lean into the warm hands. Her eyes fluttered closed for a second. A tiny tear rolled down her face. A gentle finger quickly wiped it away as she was pulled into her mother again.
"Honey I love you too. What's going on? Why are we crying?"
Izuku inhaled deeply before a shuddering breath left her. She seemed to steady herself and a wobbly smile met Inko.
"I love you. You are a good mother. I think I might have to leave soon. But I want you to wait for me. I won't be gone long. You wont leave me right?"
Inko felt a deep rooted fear blossom in her chest. She inhaled sharply.
"Why would you say that? You never have to leave me honey. I'm your mother Izuku. I will always be here for you. Even if one day I'm not physically here, I will always be here. You are my everything baby girl. You never forget that, okay?"
She placed a gentle kiss on her damp fluffy hair. Izuku seemed to relax and a small smile grew on her face.
"I'm glad. I really like it here. But I don't think I have a choice in the matter. I'll always be here for you too 'kay? Like, if I ever leave, I need you to know I'll always come back. You're the best momma. We are a pack. We are family. And I will always find you too."
Izuku clasped her mothers hand one last time tightly before closing her eyes and pulling the covers over her as she played down. Inko stayed frozen for a moment before robotically moving toward the door. She turned the lights off to her daughter's room and closed the door.
As she cleaned the previous mess in the kitchen and picked up the rest of the house, she felt manic. Izuku couldn't leave. She couldn't lose her. For what reason would the forest take her in the first place? Would the forest one day take what it had given? Her breath caught at the thought.
She locked up the house and quietly opened Izuku's door. She hovered over her daughter for a moment before slowly crawling beside her daughter and pulling her close. Izuku stayed asleep though she curled into her mothers embrace.
Inko felt tears in her eyes as she listened to her daughter's breaths. She couldn't be alone again. She couldn't lose her daughter again.
When Inko woke, she was alone. She looked over the edge of the bed wondering if Izuku may have rolled off. but there was no one. Last night's worries and fears came rushing back and she quickly got up.
She checked the bathroom and her room. She went downstairs and stood silent as her house was. No tv was on. No shows playing in the background. No noise in the kitchen of her getting into something she shouldn't be.
"Izuku?"
Her voice was quiet and soft. There was no response.
Inko turned and looked out the window at the treeline. Where was her daughter?
"Izuku!?"
She ran back upstairs and double checked her bedroom.
"Izuku, where are you!?"
Under the bed, in the closet, in the guest bedroom even.
"Izuku honey, I don't want to play hide and seek! Where are you?"
She paused and stopped. She stood still in her bedroom. She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Inko wiped her tears and stormed downstairs. She slammed open her back door and began to run toward the forest.
As soon as she entered the treeline she began to call for her daughter again.
"Izuku!"
She yelled and ran and called for her daughter. There was no response. The forest was silent. It did not respond to her pleas.
After hours of searching she dropped to her knees. Her daughter was smart. She would not run away. But she would go to the forest. She was here. Somewhere. But the forest was big. Much much too large.
She bent forward and dug her fingers into the earth and screamed. Why was this happening? She hadn't done anything wrong.
"GIVE HER BACK!"
"GIVE MY DAUGHTER BACK! Please! Please don't take her from me!"
She choked on her tears and screamed until she couldn't no longer.
Eventually a broken whisper left her.
"Please...just give her back."
There was no response. No bird call. No rustle if leaves. Nothing.
She stumbled her way back to her home. The forest seemingly did not want her there as she seemed to only walk for a minute before she saw her house through the trees.
She stumbled into her home and dialed the police. If she couldn't find her, maybe the police could. Maybe the forest would give her back if suddenly there were multiple people searching. It could fool her and mislead her, but maybe it wouldn't to others.
It had been weeks. Inko held a bottle in her hands loosely as she sat on her back porch glaring at the forest line. Hundreds of people had come together. A community search. Nothing. They had Heros with the best tracking quirks. Nothing. Many states they could see Izuku's tracks into the forest but then nothing. There was nothing past the treeline.
She hated the forest.
She hated it. The forest could burn. Izuku was just a child. As old as her spirit may be, this was her daughter. She was supposed to protect her. But she couldn't. Who knows what the forest wanted with her.
Would she ever come back?
tell me how it was!