The tense silence was amounting to the drive to her school. She can see the whites on her father's knuckles from gripping the steering wheel and every so often glancing at her to ensure that she is still there. Inko gave a small, shy smile that she hopes would calm her father, but it only seemed to add to the tension. Upon stopping in front of her school, the two sat there in silence – unsure how-to part. Her father took a deep breath and look over at her.
"Be safe, sweety." Her father said. Inko knew that he would blame himself if she ever got hurt at school without being there to protect her against the insanity of the faculty and another superpowered child. There were very few times Inko has ever seen her father afraid. But this shook her core as the strongest person she has ever known is displaying weakness but is trying to stay strong to ensure that she wouldn't worry.
"I'll try, daddy," that she got out of the vehicle, closing the door behind her, and waited until her father drove off – trusting her to be safe. Turning towards the front doors – gripping the hello kitty straps, she marches forward to face whatever horrors may be thrown at her. As she travels to her class, she can see the many girls pointing at her and whispering loudly and being incapable of subtly. The handful of boys grouped together and gave her weary, inquisitive looks as if to gauge that she is friend or foe. Inko lets out a slow breath through her nose as she enters her class to see few other students at their seats, approaches hers, and sits down. Looking up at the clock to see class won't start for another ten minutes. She decides to take a barbie notebook and open it to a page with a few sentences written on it about her superpowers.
There, she wrote a few questions about her powers and their capabilities and weaknesses that she should test out. She was entranced by her observations that she didn't notice someone approaching her until they cleared their throat, causing her to jump and quickly shutting the notebook. Looking at the individual, she took in the ashen girl with orange-red eyes and shoulder-length brunette hair.
"Ah, Yaketsuku." Inko started as she stares at the girl. Yaketsuku Kazuya was one of the few girls that didn't have any physically altering superpowers. In fact, she was one of the first girls in her class that developed her abilities and accidentally set their homeroom on fire. As Inko recalls, Yaketsuku is ashamed of her mother and refuses to be associated with the madwoman she calls mother – especially when her mother tries to get her to put those 'disgusting males' in their place.
"Shigiraki…I heard you developed your abilities." Despite controlling fire, the girl has a calm demeanor and is entirely silent despite her mother's hotheaded temperament. In fact, if Inko believes the rumors, the reason behind this shift in personality is because she witnessed her mother physically abuse her father and eventually had him killed by others that shared her beliefs. Why didn't she divorce him? Due to the prenups, he made her sign in case she divorced him – her mother would get nothing.
"Yes, I did develop my powers yesterday." She didn't bother to hide anything by acknowledging the rumor mill and instead braced herself for criticism. Instead, she was surprised by the question imposed on her.
"Can you take it?"
"T-take it?" Inko stuttered out, and her fingers twitched. Yaketsuku nodded and lifted her hands, and stared at them.
"Every day is becoming even more unbearable. My mother has been trying to force me to use these flames and even gone as far as to drag me to the hangouts of where the males are to force me to use it on them as to 'show them their place' and every time I refuse…well…." That's when Inko notices the very long and baggy shirt Yaketsuku is wearing, and she felt her eyes mist. They have been told about domestic violence, but the teacher usually stated only males are the monsters behind these cases, considering females can never be blamed for beating their husbands. Inko swallows and slowly takes her classmate's hand and stares into the other eyes.
"Okay, but please…be careful and tell someone to help you." For the first time in Inko short life, she saw those intense eyes sparkle and brighten with tears collecting in them. Her once stoic expressions shift into one full of emotion but cannot truly convey their complex emotions. Inko gave a kind smile as she found that light within Yaketsuku and took it within her hands as carefully and gently as possible. Her classmate stepped away and looked at her own hands, and flexed them. She stares at them for a moment and snaps her fingers, only for nothing to happen. Tears finally fell from her eyes, and she bows before Inko causing her to freeze.
"Thank you!" her classmate sobs, upon recovering, she wipes her eyes and hiccups. "T-thank you so much! I-I promise *hic* I-I'll fi-find some way *hic* to repay you!" For a moment, clarity hits Inko as she stares agape at her classmate at the tender age of eight. Despite the weary looks and poorly contained whispers, she now knows what she'll fight for in the incoming years. She'll fight on the males' side, especially the abused, tormented girls that have no say or way out under the oppression of the insanity of those that believe in the propaganda.
Despite this rush of clarity, she doesn't see the figure that moved away from the door into the hallway – nor the new rumor that spreads rampantly in the halls of the once-innocent elementary school that her reputation began building.
When the class began, Inko ignored her eyes and focused on writing don notes that the teacher writes on the board. Her teacher is a kind elderly man that enjoys giving random facts throughout the class – he has been teaching at the institution for nearly twenty years. It breaks Inko's heart at the heartless things her teacher experiences by the other girls who love to disrupt the class by throwing their quirks at him and laughing. Despite the many times he has sent them to the principal, they always return, telling the school body and faculty what side the principal is on. Inko heard something lifting, and when she turned, she saw one of the bullies levitating a text with an evil grin and flings it at the teacher. Quickly lifting her hand up, she sees the book catch on fire, causing everyone to scream out loud.
Her teacher quickly turns around to see the book burn into ash and leaving the ash in its place. Inko felt her heart thunder in her chest that as the class began to talk all at once, she sees Yaketsuku smiling towards her in approval from the corner of her eye. Still, the one that flung the textbook at their teacher snarled at Inko and look so close as to start spitting insults at her much like a snake.
Her teacher took a while to calm everyone down and looks at Inko and the girl who no doubt flung the textbook at him before breathing out a sigh.
"As many of you know, the government has created a law that prevents any of you from using your meta-abilities. As much as I must send you two the Principle, I know nothing will come from it."
"WHAT?!" the bully shouted and slams her hands on her desk. "That little thief preventing me from putting you in your place! She has to be sent to the Principle to be punished!" there were few in the class that agreed with her, and the three males in the room gave her a wary look.
"In all accounts, she saved my life from your actions. If that book collided with my head, it will no doubt cause a concussion or potentially killed me, and have you gone on trial for murder." This caused the girl to pause and look at him with wide, unblinking eyes. "Before you say they wouldn't trail a little girl for murder – let me remind you the youngest age a child was trailed for a crime is ten. Your age and gender won't save you from the law." The class went silent, and Inko looks down at her desk, her fingers twitching and the tinkling feeling at the back of her head thirsts to take that telekinesis power. After all, someone like that doesn't deserve to have it.
"Also, Shigiraki." Inko jumps up and looks at her teacher "thank you for intercepting." Inko matches his bright smile and nods towards him, and the class resumes back to him lecturing and writing on the chalkboard. Inko grips her pencil and considers those that glares at her – they will become a problem later.
