During the next week, I had a lot more on my plate than just school and band practice.
I had my check-ups with Recovery Girl. Mr Aizawa basically interviewing me everyday to see if I remembered anything else. Present Mic constantly checking up on me. I had a few meetings with Boss as well. He did his own kind of check-ups on me.
I had told Doc about seeing Gentle Criminal online.
"Yes, I've seen him too. A different video to the one you described. They keep getting taken down and then uploaded again. It seems he wants to make a name for himself."
"Hm." I sighed. "Of course he does."
Tojo leaned over the back of the couch and pressed his forehead to my ear. "Well, if he's really keen, he'd try for UA."
I blinked and turned on him. "What? What makes you say that?"
He stood up straight, pressed a finger to his lip and closed his eyes. "Well, think about it. UA has had a lot of problems with villains from the start, right? USJ, the mall, The League, that huge fight between All For One and All Might, the Shie Hassaikai, the work studies. UA will be locked up tight, but now with this festival..." He opened his eyes and nodded, serious. "Yea, that's what I think he'll do. He'll try and get in during the festival. I mean, that's what I would do." He shrugged and walked off to the kitchen.
Doc and I looked at each other. "I hate it when he's right."
Doc nodded and made a noise that sounded like he was in pain. "So do I. That little brat can be useful at times."
"Hey! I heard that! Jerk!"
"So. What do you think, Doc? What should we do?"
He sat back, crossed his arms and closed his eyes. He thought for a moment, then adjusted his glasses before looking back at me.
"I think we need to have a little chat with this 'Gentle Criminal'."
"Midoriya. You're fired from the dance team."
I shook my head and looked up from my desk at Ashido. "What's with the suit and glasses, Dodo? You steal it from Men in Black headquarters or something?"
"I said fired, but strictly speaking the effects team scouted you!"
"Annnd she's not listening..."
"They said they need more people!"
"Ugh, I'm going before I get dragged into something."
"Where are you going?"
I waved my hand as I past Shouji. "Relax. I can't leave the school grounds, remember? I just wanna check out everyone else's preparations." I walked out quickly before anyone could come up with some kind of excuse. I walked towards the exit, stepping around boxes and props and whatever else happened to be in my way. I nearly bumped into the creepy copycat, Monoma, but I ignored him and kept walking.
"Hey."
"What?"
"I, uh, haven't seen you for a while."
I stopped and turned, causing Monoma to nearly crash into me. "What do you want, Monoma?"
"Oh, I didn't realize you actually knew my name. But then, of course you did. I mean-"
I sighed and pressed my fingers to my forehead.
"Hey. Is this guy bothering you?"
"N-no!"
"Actually, he's irritating the fuck out of me..." Wait a minute...I know that voice...
"I-I'm going!"
Before I could say anything else, Monoma spun and ran away in a cloud of dust.
I coughed a few times, then looked up. "Thanks, Shinso."
He shifted his dark blue eyes to me. "It's nothing. Shouldn't you be with your band, practicing?"
I looked away. "Yea. Probably."
He turned fully to me. "Something's different about you. You're not as sure of yourself anymore."
"Huh? Uh, just tired. That's all." I smiled and held out my arms to him. "Speaking of different...You've tanked up a lot! You've been training, huh?"
He nodded. "Yea. My quirk isn't as flashy as a lot of peoples. Can't rely on it all the time."
I nodded. "Yea, I get it. I try not to rely on mine either, so learnt how to fight." I lifted my fists.
I swear I saw a small smile, but it flittered away as quick as it came.
"Go on. Your class will be wondering where you are."
He went to walk off.
"Uh, Shinso?"
"Hm?" He stopped.
I scratched my arm. "Oh. Nothing. Never-mind."
He studied me for a second, then nodded. "Go practice." He hesitated, then spoke as he walked away. "I'm not coming if you don't give it your all."
I blinked. "Shinso..." But he was already gone. I frowned. What is with that boy? I shook my head and sighed. I suppose I better do as he says and go practice.
I sat, leaning back on the couch in the dorm. Practice was hectic as they wanted me to try different pitches. Failed miserably.
Deku was sitting next to me, frantically looking for something.
"What's he doing?"
I opened my eyes and looked up at Ochako. "Looking for something All Might related. No idea what."
"Oh. Momo's making tea, if you want some."
I nodded. "Yea. I should." I went to get up.
"Gentle Video."
"Shoot, I-"
I sat back down quickly. "Don't change it!"
"What? Why?"
I waved my hands. "Just...Shh..."
"Dear listeners, what kind of tea do you drink at what times? Before and after a job, I always choose the brand based on the size of the job. And this one is called Royal Flush. Do you know what that means?"
"That you're a dick?"
"What?"
I looked up at Ochako and Deku. "Oh. Nothing."
"That you're cool because you have discriminating taste?"
"In the next video I put out, an alarm will sound, not just to my dear listeners, but to all of society. Please wait with caution!"
"That was a short video."
I nodded.
"Is he famous? People don't seem to like him much, though."
"That's because he's nothing but a peacock. All fluff and show."
"Yea. I only kind of know who he is, but he's a villain who's kind of famous in certain circles for causing trouble."
I grunted and got up. "I'm going to get that tea now." I walked towards the kitchen, and left Ochako and Deku alone. I heard Deku as I walked away.
"I wonder what he's planning next..."
My face went dark as I kept walking. "Yes. What indeed..."
That night, I went back to the warehouse.
"He put up another video. Doc?" I looked around, but couldn't find him.
"Oh, he's in his office."
"Oh. Thanks, Tojo!" I trotted off to Doc's office. He had organized the warehouse so he and Tojo had their own rooms and so he had an office.
I knocked on the door. "Doc?" I opened the door slowly and he beckoned me in. He was on the phone to someone, so I stayed quiet.
"Yes. Are you sure? You weren't seen? Good. I'll let her know. Yes, yes. Goodbye."
I sat on the edge of the desk. "Who was that?"
Doc sighed. "You're not so secret admirer."
"Oh, Hara. What'd he want?"
He leaned forward, elbows on the desk. "I sent him on a little errand. He found Gentle Criminal's 'hideout'."
I frowned. "Oh yea? That was quick."
"Yes. It seems that Mr Kaiji is still on good terms with his old contacts. So, you know what that means."
I sighed. "Yea, yea. I got a mission tonight, huh?"
Doc closed his eyes and leaned on his hands. "You know I wouldn't send you, but seeing as you're the only one with the ability to sneak in and out..."
I waved my hand. "I'm not complaining. I don't want him anywhere near the school, so it has to be done." I put my hand down and looked at Doc. "What happens if he doesn't listen?"
He opened his eyes, his face dark. "Then we'll just have to make him listen."
I appeared, vamped, inside Gentle Criminal's house, in one of the rooms, and quickly stepped into the shadows. I was wearing the black cloak Boss had made for me, so I was hard to spot.
Gentle Criminal was sitting at a table. A small red haired girl came in as he spoke.
"In short, they don't seem to realize the crisis they're in."
I scoffed quietly. Yea sure, mate. Whatever you reckon.
"This is apparent in how they are putting on a school festival even in these times."
"But, Gentle, I don't know how I feel about you getting children with a bright future involved."
Ah, so Tojo was right. They are going to go after UA...
Gentle laughed. "La Brava, this is just a warning."
I went to step forward, but a pain in my stomach stopped me. Now? Why now? I doubled over and held my stomach, silently cursing. It lasted a minute or so, then stopped.
"-let us go over the route we'll take to get in, La Brava. Open the Criminal folder."
He clicked the mouse for the computer a few times but nothing happened.
"It won't open..."
"Sorry, I locked it. Right-click there..."
I couldn't see the screen properly, so I shifted around until I had a decent view.
"This main road has the fewest number of hero agencies and the least traffic. On the day at 5am, we will enter a side road here and continue on toward UA."
"You won't use your quirk then?"
"No, because there are heroes who patrol the skies. After a while, we will reach a large nature park. Once we get through that, we'll be almost there. If we go carefully without making any sound, it should take 60 to 65 minutes. And then, after that...Can you see it?"
I craned my neck and saw a picture of a small supermarket. Work-Son.
"There's an old house standing in the shadow of a hardware store."
"Yes."
"This house is a cafe."
"You will not be enjoying your cup outside, as usual? That's risky!"
"The owner is past 70 and just barely getting by. In the first place, no one notices that it's a place of business, and there are only 5 or 6 regulars. But, La Brava, I must drink it there. Because this cafe carries the elusive tea, Gold Tips Imperial!"
I frowned. I know that name...
"Don't you think it's fitting for the big job we're doing this time?"
"Wonderful..."
"And because of the owner's advanced age, it opens early at 7am. We can have a 90-minute teatime if we get there right when they open!"
"This is more research than you usually do..."
"After that, we go back to the side street and past the construction site where a slightly elevated mountain surrounded by forest will appear. Once we climb that...We will arrive at UA."
I cleared my throat. "Sorry, but you won't be doing any of that."
They jumped and turned around.
"Who are you?!"
I smiled, not that they could see my face. "I'm sure you've heard of me through gossip."
"Gentle! She's that girl that everyone's been talking about!"
"The child villain. Yes, I've heard of you. You don't have a name. You are nameless, faceless." He stood up. "What do you want?"
"It's what I don't want. Don't go near UA."
"I-I'm sorry?"
"You heard me. Don't. Go. Near. UA."
"And what if we do?"
I looked down at La Brava. "If you do, we will have a problem." I looked back up at Gentle. "Have I made myself clear?"
Gentle put his arm in front of La Brava. "I cannot just abandon this."
I studied them for a minute. I believed Gentle Criminal when he said he wouldn't abandon the idea. "Hm. Then we're at an impasse, it seems." I slowly took a step forward. "I wonder how we can compromise?"
La Brava grabbed Gentles tailcoat and they both stepped back.
"I'm not going to bring harm to any of the children."
I lifted a finger and wagged it. "Tsk, tsk. If I thought you were going to harm anyone, we wouldn't be talking. Well, you two wouldn't be talking anyway." I took one more step forward. "I don't want you anywhere near UA. If I find out you were in UA..." I moved my head so my eyes shone through the blackness of my hood. "I hope I've made myself clear."
Gentle Criminal and I stared at each other for a moment.
"Perfectly." Gentle said slowly.
I grinned. "Oh, good." I turned and started to walk away. I felt something move, so I stopped. "Oh, by the way. Your quirks don't work me." I glanced over my shoulder. "So, don't bother trying."
"W-who are you?"
I smirked. "We."
"Huh?"
"We. We are the Shadow Legion."
La Brava and Gentle Criminal stared at me with wide, shaky eyes.
Still smirking, I vamped out of the house.
"Ah, Kitia. My favourite patient!"
I followed Dox into a brightly lit room.
"Hm. Quite a bit brighter than your last office. Cleaner too."
Boss stood at a table covered in tools. He was dressed in a white lab coat. "Yes. The last place was, unfortunately, necessary. Lost a lot of my specimens too." He sighed heavily. "A lot of regrets." He brightened up and clapped his hands. "But, I have you! You are quite the specimen yourself, you know?"
I grunted. "Don't remind me. I still haven't fully processed that information yet."
"Yes, yes. I understand. Anywho, please lie down on the bed there. Good girl. Now, all I want to do today is check the heartbeat and all that necessary stuff."
I positioned myself so I was comfortable enough. Dox sat on a chair next to me and held my hand, smiling.
"Oh, have you told your brother yet?"
I scoffed. "No. Could you imagine what he would do if he found out? Besides, he's currently busy." I shifted slightly. "I also don't think he's taking Kurogiri's capture too well."
Boss lifted my shirt gingerly and put some kind of cold gel on my stomach. He switched on a monitor and picked up a small, handheld x-ray thing. He pat my free hand.
"Now, don't you worry. This won't hurt. I'm just doing an ultrasound. Did your nurse...What was her name?"
"Recovery Girl."
"Yes. Did she do one yet?"
I shook my head.
"Good. I'll be able to rig it if I need to."
"Uh, rig it?"
Boss grinned, showing his sharp, needley teeth. "In circumstances like these, it's not hard to imagine how your body can react. Also, there's the fact of your multiple quirks, the quirks you haven't discovered yet. And then there's the f-"
"Alright! I get it ok? You can have her ultrasound show something different to yours."
He looked at me with sympathy and pat my hand again. "I apologize if I upset you. Now." He grinned again. "Let's see how our little bundle is doing!"
He pressed the hand-held to my stomach and moved it around. I looked at the monitor and watched, fascinated, as it showed black and white static. It showed a black mass, outlined with whiteish grey.
"That." Boss said to me gently. "Is your baby."
"My...My baby?"
I felt Dox squeeze my hand, but I didn't look at her. I couldn't stop staring at the screen. This...thing. This...Tiny life.
"It's yours."
I blinked. Boss said it as though he could read my mind.
"Yours and ours. No one else's. This child is going to have a lot of love."
I squeezed Dox's hand, but kept my eyes on the screen.
"Ah. Well."
I blinked again and looked at Boss. "What? What is it?"
He face was expressionless as he moved the hand-held thing around a bit more.
"Boss?"
He stopped for a moment and studied the screen. "Hm, well it seems that there might be..."
I waited for him to finish the sentence, but he didn't.
"Might be what?"
"Huh? Oh, yes." He turned back to me, removed the hand-held and cleaned the gel off with a clean towel. "There's not one, but two babies in there."
"Wait, what?!" I sat up quickly.
Boss nodded and pointed to the screen. "See this?" He traced his finger over the silver outline.
I nodded.
"Well, that's one." He shifted his finger to another shaped and traced. "And this is two. You're having twins, my girl."
I sat, staring at the screen.
Twins?
What?
