Tuesday
There was a student waiting for him.
In the entirety of the school year, Aizawa couldn't recall a time where he'd ever conversed with the girl outside of her frequent answering of class drills- often the first hand raised and with an accuracy of nearly one hundred percent. She was astute, quick to observe change and irregularities in situations. A favorite of a certain Ethics instructor.
It was no real surprise, then, seeing Momo Yaoyarozu waiting for him outside the school.
There was a likeness to her that reminded him of Chiyo; the careful way she spoke, exchanging pleasantries with a guarded disposition. As if she stood behind a curtain, unsure whether to reveal more than her silhouette. Collected. Evaluating.
"Is there something I can help you with, Yaoyarozu?"
Calculating.
"I was wondering if Tsutomi-Sensei was available," She replied. Aizawa gave a lazy, very normal sigh.
"I'm afraid Ms. Tsutomi isn't in today. Caught a nasty stomach bug."
The girl's shoulders relaxed.
The unblinking way she was watching him, however, didn't.
"Is there something else I can help you with?"
"Oh, no. Thank you, Mr. Aizawa. Sorry to bother you." Yaoyorozu bowed before turning on her heel, not even bothering to enter the school.
She'd sought him out personally, then.
"Hey- Good morning, Yaoyorozu! Your work study is going well, I hope?" All Might's booming voice disrupted the tranquility of the morning, lifting three volumes upon noticing the student passing him. It could just be in comparison to Midoriya, but the young student seemed under-enthused by his greeting, face blanketed with stillness. All Might prattled on, making a beeline for the dark figure brooding near the faculty entrance just as soon as the student left earshot.
Aizawa always looked halfway exhausted; today he'd skipped the half altogether. Dark circles rimmed the skirts of his eyes, though they seemed sharper than usual, assessing which version of Toshinori was drawing closer and how guarded he, in turn, should act.
"There aren't any records of Kishi Otani filed with Japan's Department of Labor," Toshinori brushed past Aizawa, quickly pinning in his access code. "Otani isn't a very common surname- maybe a little under 100,000 people in the country as a whole, with less than a thousand in the Musutafu prefecture. Are you coming?"
Aizawa startled, stunned beyond movement as All Might turned to him with a serious brow, holding the door open for his companion. The last time they'd spoken Toshinori had been a faltering wind chime, caught between two fronts and leaning towards the more radical.
Now he stared at Aizawa as if he were the one wasting time.
"I eliminated those without children and residencies dating later than five decades ago, which brought the list down to four hundred."
Four hundred. Too many to individually scout in person, but more promising than they could've hoped for. "You did all this last night?"
In the safety of the school All Might reverted to his thinned self, hair flopping with the shift. "I thought about what you said, and you're right." Aizawa paused with him, peering up without much emotion. "We- Chiyo's life is here. With us. Rather, it is the life she chose. She didn't choose this."
"I agree." Aizawa said simply.
The most Toshinori could expect in ways of forgiveness. He accepted willingly.
Principal Nezu didn't need much in order for him to be on board; he gave them free reign of all resources with a word of encouragement, relinquishing them of faculty duties until their companion was found.
Aizawa led the way towards the admin's office with Toshinori hot on his heels. The computer hummed to life, booting up at an unhurried pace. Toshinori flicked its side in annoyance, resulting in no effect. Aizawa let out a low snort.
The screen yawned and chewed on their request, leaving the two in silence before the clattering of the door jolted them both. What's with this faculty and entering a room like a normal person?
Two idiots stood in the doorway, looking pissed.
"Well well well, if it isn't the school-skippers," Kayama purred menacingly. Yamada set his yellowed gaze on them over her spandexed shoulder. "Snuck back in for an afternoon delight, did you?"
"It's morning." Aizawa said flatly. The seductress glanced out the window as if this were surprising news. She then pointed an accusing finger.
"Don't change the subject! We've got a bone to pick with you!"
"Yeah, pick it!" Yamada whisper-rooted, egging on the stupidity further.
The computer beeped and drew their attention away.
Manami Seto
0-5-2-1245 Menimeiru
Musustafu-to, TOKYO 150-2345
"What's going on?" Kayama's voice had dropped the act upon seeing the somberness of their faces. The two were already rising to their feet, hounds with a scent.
"Chiyo Tsutomi was taken by her mother Sunday night- against her will, we believe."
"She was abducted?"
"Yes." There was no point in rephrasing; even if the police disagreed, Aizawa knew she hadn't left of her own accord. All the normal joviality drained from Yamada's face as he viewed the state of his friend.
"What do you need us to do?"
"Excuse me- sir?"
They all turned. Principal Nezu's secretary hovered just outside the room, looking uncomfortable so far away from his desk. "There's a visitor waiting for you in the student lobby."
"Thank you," Aizawa and Toshinori answered together. Before either could ask the secretary which of them he'd been addressing the man disappeared, hurrying back to the safety of his office. The duo followed quickly after, tailed by Kayama and Yamada.
"Have the police-"
"The police don't believe there's cause for an investigation. There were no signs of forced entry and her possessions were taken."
"We believe Hannei Tsutomi used a mental quirk to convince Chiyo to leave."
"She wouldn't have left willingly," Kayama agreed. Aizawa felt a sudden appreciation for the usually-wanton heroine as she shot him a serious look. "Chiyo was happy here. She'd never abandon her students."
All four slowed as the lobby came into view. Through the glass a figure stood, skin papery and hair like liquid fire. She turned at the sound of the door, caught them with keen, slanted eyes.
It was no wonder she appeared in Chiyo's dreams as a fox.
"Shota?" She asked, meeting them halfway. The others looked between the two as if viewing a a surprising sitcom development. Aizawa nodded while his brain tried to catch up. She knew him?
Worry ate away at the woman's features but she seemed unbothered by his reaction, as if she expected no less.
"I'm Manami Seto. I recognize you from Chiyo's description." She gave a frantic bow, as if remembering herself. "Forgive my informality."
"Don't worry about it," His heart jumped without consent, pleasantly surprised Chiyo had spent enough time discussing him to imprint an image. "Have you heard from her recently? When was the last time you saw her?"
Manami straightened and again it was as if they were the only two in a room, the way her green eyes pierced straight through him. "That's why I came. Chiyo and I incorporated a system of communication; if she didn't contact me at least twice a day, I was to find you. It's nice to meet you, by the way." She at last noticed their audience. A nervous smile twitched her lips. "I've heard a lot about all of you. Toshinori. Miss Kayama. Present Mic."
No, Toshinori realized.
Chiyo wasn't nearly as naive as he'd taken her for.
"When was Chiyo's last contact?" Kayama stepped closer to draw Manami's attention. Manami raised a phone to her chest, the features of worry returning.
"I spent most of Friday night on the phone with her, and she texted me several times throughout Saturday. I was caught up at work Sunday and missed her phone call, but she left me a voicemail- she sounded fine." A quick, indisputable glance towards the only dark-haired male in the room. "More than fine, actually."
"But nothing yesterday?"
Manami shook her head.
"What did she say in the voicemail?"
Aizawa could see how the two could've been mistaken for twins as a blush crawled across her cheeks and her bottom lip disappeared, looking reluctant to respond. Toshinori moved closer this time, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Please. If it could help us track her whereabouts, give any indication of her motives, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you shared it with us."
Manami Seto didn't answer; instead she turned to Aizawa, looking for direction. A cool stone fell into his stomach.
"You said you set up a system?" He asked instead. Manami nodded, moved to sit on a nearby chair. The others followed suit, leaving the closest space for an stolid Aizawa. He moved with an automated stiffness, back razor straight and hands laced together, as if they didn't trust one another to be alone.
"Ever since the USJ attack, Chiyo's taken notes and recordings of herself. In case her mom ever tried to...convince her again," She fiddled with the phone, eyes lost under the glare of her glasses. "Her words, not mine. We knew there were certain actions that triggered Hannei more than others- namely, any mention of her quirk- and were afraid she would figure out what Chiyo was up to."
"Training, you mean," Toshinori clarified. Manami gave another nod without looking up.
"If she knew her mom was brainwashing her, why not go to the police?" Yamada had been uncannily quiet until now. The redhead still didn't glance away from her phone.
"Because Chiyo loves her. She felt Hannei was doing what she thought was best. We were trying to figure out why, but everything kept leading to dead ends."
Of course it did. Aizawa and Toshinori exchanged a look that went unnoticed as Manami lifted the screen to face them.
Chiyo Tsutomi grinned back, looking nervous but game, as if about to sing karaoke.
"Is it on? Are you ready? Okay. My name is Chiyo Tsutomi. I live in Musutafu, Japan, and am currently a teacher at UA High School," Even through the small screen they could see the rose tint filter into her cheeks. "Over the last few weeks, I've experienced the re-emergence of memories that had been seemingly blocked or altered. I believe my mother, Hannei Tsutomi, had something to do with this."
"When was this taken?"
Manami paused the video, looking even more reluctant than before.
"Last month. Two days after we met for the first time."
"I have no concrete evidence- how could I? This documentation will stand as proof should something happen to me."
"This isn't- she-" Toshinori demonstrated exactly what Aizawa felt in the moment, caught in a mixture of shock and panic. Manami's fox face pulled tight on the edges. She opened another video.
"My name is Chiyo Tsutomi. It's Wednesday, and today I'm going to discuss my friends in detail, starting with Toshinori Yagi."
The videos continued; two a week, describing everything from Kayama's overt sexuality to theories on what caused her mother's actions.
"I believe the essential tremors are side effects of whatever mental quirk she's implemented on me. Maybe a strand of neurological damage of some sort."
The chair Shota Aizawa vacated flew across the room; he'd kicked it with such force a window shattered, shining like starlight as it collapsed into a million fractured pieces.
Because she knew.
She'd known for months.
His heartbeat was a freight train, blocking out everything and beating the words into his skull.
She knew. She knew.
"How could she?"
The room sat frozen, unsure if there was any response in existence to answer him with.
Manami finally took a breath.
"When you told Chiyo about Hannei's absence in the systems, she knew she could never bring her in- not without either Hannei being arrested or erasing Chiyo's memory again. At the end of the day she loves her mom; she couldn't bear the idea of her suffering in a jail cell. And then you two-" Manami drifted off, looking embarrassed. He was struck again by their similarities, like two sides of the same coin.
Manami lifted the phone again.
"Do I- er, is this really necessary?"
"Chi-Chi, this is an important aspect of your life. Woman up and do it!"
"My name is Chiyo Tsutomi. I recently went on my first official date with Shota Aizawa and by Midnight's brazen breasts, am I in trouble."
She hid behind her hands, ruby all the way up to her hairline.
"Manami I don't think I can-"
"Chiyo!"
Her hands fell and she took a deep breath, eyes slow to reopen.
"Again, these are in the event something happens to me, so fingers crossed no one ever has to view my stupidly-infatuated, moronic self oozing over a single date like this, but it's important." She paused, as if finishing a silent debate with herself. "When he looks at me, he doesn't see my weaknesses or nervousness or question why I'm so absurdly awkward. He just...sees me."
"Stop." The freight train was speeding towards a wall of obsidian; either into darkness or to be obliterated against stone. Aizawa breathed out again. "Please, turn it off."
"And? Was it good?"
"Was what good?"
Off screen, the camera woman snickered. Chiyo ignited, flying from the chair.
"Manami, urrugh! Why are you so weird-"
"Did Chiyo tell you anything about how to find her, if she was taken?" Aizawa remained distant as Kayama gently voiced the question. Dew glistened in Manami's green eyes. She swiped it away quickly.
"Every time Chiyo tried to recall her mother's address she'd get a headache, even after Recovery Girl's treatment. Some things seemed more ingrained than others. There's a video on those theories as well. We don't think Hannei would even necessarily move again- no one has ever found her in the entirety of Chiyo's life. Even after Chiyo changed schools, I don't think she changed addresses."
"Then you know where she is?"
"No. We...I believe Hannei erased it from my memory," She touched her head as if to feel for it. "I spent weeks roaming the neighborhoods, but every time I came to a landmark I thought I recognized, I would forget what I was even looking for and have to start over."
"Do you remember any of those landmarks?" Toshinori moved in, caught by the idea even as Manami gave him a disconcerted frown.
"This was nearly fifteen years ago. I doubt a child's memory and the features of a neighborhood wouldn't have aged over so much time."
"Anything could help. A sign, a strange tree, the type of houses you remember," Yamada rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a pen. He snatched a notepad from the dejected service desk and handed both to Manami. "Take your time- there's no need to try and think of everything right this second. Go home, try to visualize the memory as if you were reliving it all over. Find a quiet space and just think."
They so often forgot Hizashi Yamada was an elite; under all that persona was a well-trained professional, rounded in power and particularly adept in stressful situations. His voice was soft enough to be comforting but carried direction, leadership. Manami felt the electricity in her fingertips die down at his tone.
"As soon as I have anything, I'll contact the school," She promised quietly. Yamada gave her an encouraging smile.
"We'll...Go find someone about the window," Kayama nudged Yamada as she stood, looking pointedly at the man still turned from the group. Yamada gave a slight bow before following her out of the room. Toshinori still sat two seats down from Manami. The room fell into a tangible silence.
If Chiyo had known, had even an inkling on what her mother was doing to her, how could she stay? How could she risk so much?
She loves her mom, Manami had said.
What her mother was doing wasn't out of love.
It was psychotic fear.
"Chiyo thought, in the instance of memory erasure, Hannei will probably try and find her a job she's done before, something familiar. She worked at a rental store; I think we should check every one in a twenty mile radius, to start."
"What about teaching?"
Manami shook her head. "UA was her first teaching job, and it's nearly the end of the semester. That would be too dangerous, raise too many questions."
"You've thought this through."
"We thought this through, all as a precaution." Her eyes seemed even greener when she removed her glasses, rubbing a palm over her face. "It's important you understand this was all a just in case measure. Chiyo truly believed it wouldn't come to this. It's also important to understand that she needs you both."
The way she said it implied something- something that made her gaze drop when Aizawa at last turned to her.
The secretary who had alerted them never did say who Manami Seto was here to see.
"Every quirk has limitations. There is no power without consequences. Stipulations." Her glasses smudged with her fidgeting, dirtied the lens. "You can erase quirks so long as you maintain eye contact. Chiyo can only control small amounts of water, or sense people within a certain range. We believe Hannei can only erase memories- people- she's aware of. Someone she's seen."
Manami Seto had not come seeking him out.
Rather, Chiyo had laid all her chips, her life, on someone else.
Toshinori Yagi drew back with a breath.
"Without fully knowing Hannei's quirk, we can't understand it's limitations, or how it can be undone," Manami moved fluidly; much smoother than her friend ever had, as she concentrated on Aizawa, unblinking eyes watching him until she was inches away. "Recovery Girl changed something in her, but I believe you had some sort of influence, too. There's a good chance Chiyo will recognize Toshinori, even if she can't place him into context, but you are the one who can save her."
A dozen memories spoke against the notion. From the first time she'd sent a flicker of craving down his spine and he'd called her a damsel, to the time she'd made him promise never to risk his life for her again.
She watched his face, read his thoughts like a book tucked in one of her shelves.
Manami pulled the phone out one final time, selecting the voicemail she'd spent the last two days playing on repeat, beating herself up over not having answered.
"Manami! Hi. Hello. I have received your voicemail, I see. Er, well, I don't see-see, you see- Well, that doesn't make sense either. I'm sorry, I'm kind of freaking out. I feel like someone's reached in and rearranged all my fucking organs. I sound like a lunatic. I just- I'm so stupidly happy I feel like I'm going to throw up. Can you call me back ASAP? Because I think- I think I love him, Manami. And I have no idea what to do. That's crazy, right? I mean, obviously. We've barely been together a month, but- Call me back, okay? Because I think I'm in love with Shota Aizawa, and I need to tell someone before I burst into flames."
He had no idea why Manami Seto was crying.
He was the one whose heart lay bleeding out on the floor, lost without Chiyo's ribs to hold it in place.
Author's Note: I have to get my wisdom teeth out tomorrow and I am freaking out. I was hoping publishing another chapter might calm me down, heh.
On another side note, the Japanese addressing system is super confusing to an ignorant American such as myself, and I spent a healthy amount of time studying samples to create Manami's. Me ni meiru translates to devoted. Manami has always been devoted to the wonders of reading, sharing that love with others, and of course, her friendship with Chiyo.
I appreciate all follows, favorites, and reviews! Please leave a note of positivity if you enjoyed this chapter- that way I'll have something to feel joy over after the wise extractions tomorrow morning! (Was that a pun? I mean, kind of. I tried.)
Next time: Yaoyorozu has scented out deceit. Will our lovable, strong-willed students sit idly by and accept the facade? We shall see! I'm both excited and terrified.
