WUJU! After so much waiting, it's finally the first of the month!
AND WE HAVE A NEW CHAPTER!
*Imaginary cheer* *Engraved applause* *More imaginary cheers* *More imaginary cheers*
Yes, yes, I'm excited too, but first I'd like to make a small announcement:
As you all may have noticed, English is not my native language. And while I use a pretty good translator, it's clearly not perfect. Many, many, many thanks to all the people who pointed out errors in spelling or grammar that I had no idea there were in the translation. I really appreciate that you took the time to read my story, and don't worry, that's why the following is coming:
I am officially looking for a "Beta Reader". That is, a person to whom I can pass the translated document before uploading it to the net and can clean and/or correct any grammatical or spelling errors that may be present. The Beta package comes with multiple benefits: you will be able to read the chapters before anyone else. You'll be mentioned in the author's notes with a huge thank you. And if you call within the next fifteen minutes you will receive a nice sleeve on the occasion of your OTP n_n (hahaha sorry, I couldn't resist).
But yes, guys and girls, I want to bring you a quality story that everyone can really enjoy and for that I need the help of someone who really masters the language. And since the updates are every month, and I have the fic way ahead of schedule in Spanish, there really wouldn't be any need to worry about time. So... PLEASE! HELP! I NEED A BETA!
(And while we're at it, also one for French, Portuguese and Italian... Hehehehe... What? I'm ambitious n_n)
Now, with that ready, let's go to the next chapter!
Chapter 2:
"New Room - Does Coexistence Begin?"
Of course lunch was uncomfortable.
Between Todoroki's bitter expression; Togata's lack of shirt and pants; and the strange device the pink haired girl had next to her plate, which the other two kept watching from time to time; it was almost enough to make Izuku miss the seminary. On the other hand, the food was really delicious, she couldn't remember the last time she ate breaded shrimp:
-Sorry to interrupt this pleasant, tense silence..." He suddenly let go after finishing his soup; his comment seemed to amuse the naked boy. Todoroki just snorted and the machine beeped.
-Serve yourself whatever you like- -It was Todoroki's stoic response as he uncovered the rice hole.
-A few moments before going to the dining room Todoroki had gathered the three of them in the room to introduce him to the others, and vice versa:
-The oldest is Mirio Togata, fifteen years old. Todoroki was standing next to Izuku, pointing at the blond man who was wearing only simple black boxers, making it difficult to ignore his good physical condition. Then he pointed to the girl next to him, whose hair was a peculiar shade of pink, who was wearing shorts and a sports shirt that was quite large, and who was also stained with grease and some burns. One with me - Hatsume did not even pay attention to them, being very concentrated on whatever she was building with her hands at that moment.
-You can tell that the program works- It was the sardonic response of Izuku. After all, an exhibitionist and an asocial were the best ways to describe the inmates already in Todoroki's custody.
-The funny one is Midoriya, Midoriya Izuku-I present Endeavor, pretending I haven't heard Izuku-Twelve years, from today he will be with us.
No doubt the man could well have brought a puppy or an extra large pizza and even that couldn't make everyone look more excited about it. Izuku had only been there a couple of minutes and I was already sure that I would have to invent a new category to fill in that line under "Dysfunctional Family". Well, maybe just "Dysfunctional".
After they finished lunch, Hatsume went ahead and was the first to leave, taking all the leftover food with her; Togata just thanked her for the food before getting up and going through the wall God knows where:
-I don't need to see that again," said Izuku, still sitting, as he saw that Togata's boxers didn't go through the wall with the rest of them-but it's an impressive quirk. Intangibility?" inquired Todoroki, who was still sitting at the table with him.
-Permeability.
-How much do you pay him for not escaping?
-It's either this or jail-it was disturbing how easily Endeavor responded to his questions. Usually no one ever wanted to say anything to Izuku, and Todoroki looked exactly like the kind of guy who didn't give away information easily-what about you?
-I only spent a couple of nights in jail.
-I was referring to your peculiarity. And that was a direct hook to the liver.
Welcome to the tense silence. Again.
Flash Back:
It had all happened just a couple of nights ago.
He was leaning back in his comfortable leather chair in the office admiring the fantastic night view of the city. It had been a long day in earnest, they had had a big job in Tokyo which involved lots of paperwork that, no matter how efficient his secretary was at organizing and running it, was still a kick in the ass. For this time, instead of strenuous exercise, he preferred to relax and let go of the stress with a glass of cognac and some ice.
-He wondered aloud as he sipped one last drink before returning home. Only just as he returned to his seat the phone on the right started ringing. That was strange, few people had their direct phone. And his plan to let it ring went into the toilet when the answering machine fell:
-Todoroki I know you're there, raise your horn.
-Shota-Greeting as soon as I put the speaker on -Doing overtime as usual?
-Not all of us can relax with fancy liquor- Aizawa's voice sounded as apathetic as usual, but no less confident.
-What do you want? -It was straight to the point as usual.
-I want you to take someone else into your temporary custody.
-Don't bother me-It was his immediate response. -The two I have are already a headache: the boy is still with his gang and the girl barely reacts when I talk to her. If they start outdoing me three to one I'm going to end up killing them-Threatening, while leaving their drink on the table. Without realizing it I had already melted all the ice.
-The man on the other side of the line was silent.
-You're going to extort me, aren't you? Even though I was on the phone I could almost see that obnoxious, underpaid social worker smile.
-I'll send you his file in the morning." And there it was, that irritating tone that tried to mask that satisfaction of being one of the few people who could screw up like that.
-He gave in in a last attempt to maintain his pride, but we were even!
-According to my accounts you still owe me two more -
End of Flash Back
Indeed. The next morning, along with a complaint from Mandalay for burning the phone again, he received in his mail a thick paper envelope with a state label. He could understand why Shota had asked him to take it into his care, but he checked twice and nowhere was it mentioned, or even alluded to, the Quirk of Midoriya:
-I have no particularity-a direct, mechanical response. A lie.
But there was no point in pushing him for the truth. So he just nodded his head and put his hands on the table before getting up:
-I will show you your room so you can settle in.
Izuku simply followed him quietly with his hands in his pockets. Todoroki only turned for a moment to look at him sideways and received a half smile as a greeting, then frowned and looked back to the front. When they reached the end of the corridor, the door had a small plaque hanging on it that said the name "Izuku" perfectly:
-He asked the green eye standing in front of it. Todoroki ignored his comment and entered first, followed by the youngest. The room was not particularly large or luxurious; like the rest of the house it had a traditional Japanese style with the tatami floor and wooden ceiling. The walls were painted in vinotinto and cream, the former covering two thirds of the bottom and the latter extending upwards through the ceiling, from which a series of lamps were distributed in the center and near the corners illuminated the place. The cupboards were on the right wall, open to prevent the air from getting polluted. To one side there was an open door that showed a simple bathroom. With respect to the furniture it was quite neat, a bed next to the closet, it had a bare mattress and a couple of pillows without a cover, on the opposite side they had placed a fairly large desk but without exaggerating. Otherwise he was surprised to see his luggage next to the bed, even if it was only a small suitcase and a box. Otherwise there was nothing, no televisions, no air conditioning, not even a miserable fan-what is your policy on complaints?
-Take a shower, you've got the rest of the afternoon off-it's all Endeavor responds to by turning around to leave the room.
-What? Does tomorrow's corrective training start? -Answer sarcastically. But just before Todoroki closes the door, he can glare a little curve on his lips. Aizawa son of a bitch, where did I come from?
But leaving aside that horrible feeling I had, I take a second look at his new room. Well, it wasn't exactly luxurious but it had plenty of room for him, and the tatami was cool which helped to mitigate the summer heat a bit. He got up leaving his backpack on the bed and headed for the only window he had, hidden behind a couple of red curtains. It was wide, with a wooden frame with square wooden patterns all over it. He slid the right side and could feel the cool afternoon wind hitting his face:
-Okay, maybe he's not such a son of a bitch..." he said to himself as he rested his head on his arms crossed on the frame to look at the large backyard of the house. With the fresh air circulating in his Izuku room, he opted to start settling in. Which, given her few belongings, was pretty quick: just put her clothes in the closet, leave her personal items like toothbrush and deodorant in the bathroom cabinet. That left her suitcase free for storage under the bed. He finally took the box and carried it to his new desk; he took a few seconds to consider what to do first, take a bath or organize its contents? In the end she decided on the former, it never hurts to freshen up.
Fifteen minutes later, with wet hair, a cotton flannel and only his underwear, he was sitting at the desk with the box open at the side organizing its contents, some study books, a pencil case and some books that were in the background:
-That can't be worth much-I'm listening all of a sudden. But he didn't react at all, he just looked up to find the other guy peeking out of the wall-He, it's the first time someone doesn't scream.
-It's easy when you know the trick," said Izuku, returning and rearranging his old books.
-Aren't you too casual for your elders," the blond man scowled.
-I'm sorry," sempai replied Izuku, quickly moving his hand to prevent the intruder from taking the book from his hands.
-Well, what do you do? -Togata asked, pushing his arms through the wall and resting his weight on them on the desk.
-He hit the green eye, looking at it in disgust. Luckily the other guy just stuck out his tongue and disappeared from the wall. Well, at least he could finish organizing himself in peace. Although he couldn't help but see the book cover in his hands: that was the first gift he ever received. He would never let anyone in the world take it away from him.
But leaving aside his existentialist musings, a part of his head couldn't stop spinning about Todoroki's strange message. What could he have planned? It was summer, so it's not like he was going to send it to school. And, considering the attitudes of the other two inmates, he doubted that it was anything too hard. But I also had to consider that not for nothing this guy was where he was, he must have an ace up his sleeve.
Gosh how I hated that feeling of uncertainty. In cases like that all I could do was be optimistic and think positive. After all, he had the government on him so he couldn't do anything strange. With that in mind, what was the worst thing I could do to him?
-I never saw this coming -not at dinner, not at night, not at breakfast. It was simply something so vile that the mere sight of it made the pores on the back of his neck bristle.
-You're too skinny- Endeavor spit next to him, both standing in the entrance to the gym where I had taken him.
-I agree that the exercise would be good for me." Izuku agreed, setting up his backpack, but I'm pretty sure I saw a room full of weights in the house. So I'll take a cab and-
-Exercise is only half of the equation - I'm holding Todoroki's arm and starting to walk - you'll learn to socialize with kids your own age.
-Woohhooh-It was Midoriya's sarcastic response as she let herself be dragged along, literally-There's no way that can go wrong...
To be continued...
Discover it next month, in this same channel and in the same profile!
Anyway, my dear loves, I'm sorry to have to pass you another chapter in "raw". Don't worry, as soon as I get a Beta I'll make sure to update these chapters so you can enjoy them as they should be. For now, just be a little more patient, okay?
In the meantime don't forget that reviews are part of a balanced diet to keep your author healthy and updating diligently n_n