Four hours. Four long, tedious, annoying and tiring hours of basic tests run by the hospital. Just like Oshima had said, it was nothing too invasive. It was leagues better than being strapped to a metal table and being dissected or forcibly having samples taken from his body between morphs. In fact, when he protested about having more blood drawn they listened. They got their vials of blood in the end, but only after explaining why they needed them. Even so, just the fact that they heard Danny say 'no' and stopped was so alien to him.
Most of the tests were things like x-rays, sensory tests, recordings of his vitals and one thing where they had him run on a treadmill while wires were hooked up to him. All tests, of course, had to be done twice. Once in his living, human form and then again in his ghost form. He was as surprised as everyone else when the x-ray of his ghost form came back as an overexposed, white blob on the screen. Seeing that they were being respectful of his space and comfort level he willingly opened up a bit more and explained to them what he knew of how his body functioned. However, he quickly realized he didn't actually know that much about his ghost form, at least not in a scientific way. Like how, he knew he didn't have a heartbeat or need to breathe or eat in his ghost form, but he'd never really thought about why that was. At least not beyond the 'I'm dead' answer. The doctor theorized that in his ghost form he had no organs at all and was almost entirely made up of ectoplasm and his own unique brand of energy. They'd seen something similar in an electricity based quirk before. With a little effort and toning back the radiation on the x-ray, they were eventually able to get a vague look at his ghostly skeleton. Or at least, the structure that kept him more or less humanoid in his ghost form. Ectoplasm seemed to become semi-solid in places where bones should have been, but with little more than a thought from Danny, could easily become gaseous along with the rest of whatever body part he didn't want to deal with at the time.
A lot of the information they learned there was interesting, but for the most part Danny was just tired. After the revelations about his skeletal structure he began to lose focus and wasn't really paying attention. Thankfully, after the treadmill sprint, Aizawa stepped up and said that he needed to get Danny packed up before it got too late. Not that Danny had a lot to pack up, but he was grateful that the poking and prodding was over. When he finally got back to his secure, windowless room though, he was surprised to find a shopping bag on the bed. He looked over his shoulder at Aizawa, who merely shrugged.
"Figured you'd want something besides night clothes to go walking around in while you're here." he said.
"Yeah, actually." Danny grinned. "Thanks."
"Come on out when you're done." Aizawa said, before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind him.
Danny opened the bag and found a plain, red t-shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans and some white shoes that looked like they'd been worn a few times before. Not an ideal wardrobe, to say the least, but it was better than running around barefoot. If nothing else, the clothes seemed to fit pretty well. The shirt was a bit loose, but that didn't bother him as much. The best part was that the pants weren't too tight. Once he was dressed, he stuffed his pajamas into the shopping bag, ran a hand through his hair and stepped into the hall.
"Fits well?" Aizawa asked.
"Yeah actually. Seriously, thanks. You didn't have to do that for me."
"Don't worry about it, kid. Come on, it's late and I still have to take care of a few things." He turned and started walking down the hall with Danny following close behind. They wove through halls and corridors until they came to a large elevator. A ding sounded and the doors slid open. It was only when they stepped in that Danny realized how far down they were. Not that ten floors underground would be much for him to get through, but then again, this kind of security wasn't made to keep him in.
"Where is this place?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual as they rose up towards the surface.
"It's a just a hospital." Aizawa said with a shrug. Danny waited for him to continue. He sighed. "Because it's the closest one to the police station, the bottom levels were dug out and added to be a secure site to tend to sick or injured criminals. Down here, the security levels match that of some of the top rated high security prisons. Not just anyone gets to walk out of here without restraints or a swarm of armed guards." Aizawa glanced over his shoulder at the boy.
Danny paled. "That's… interesting?"
Aizawa turned his attention back to the elevator doors. "You were brought here because we knew nothing about you and perceived you as a potential threat. Though you seem relatively harmless for now, I want you to know that you are under observation. You're not off the hook yet and if you step one toe out of line, getting back to your home will be the least of your worries." The elevator dinged and opened onto the ground floor. "I suggest you behave and do as you're told." he said, stepping out into the hall.
Danny followed. The halls here were wider and more colorful, sporting framed artwork on the walls and considerably more people everywhere. They came to a lobby area and stopped at a desk. Aizawa gestured for Danny to wait and began talking to one of the staff.
"Shit." Aizawa sighed. "Ok then. Guess we're leaving from the back." He nodded to the woman behind the counter, who got up and disappeared into a back room.
"What's going on?" Danny asked.
"The press have been waiting out front since yesterday. Apparently, word of your fight with Kamui and Jeanist has been getting around and the media vultures are eager to get photos. Thankfully, your hair color should throw them off long enough for us to get past the crowd." The woman re-appeared from another door and waved them along. "We're going out a staff exit to try and avoid the majority of them. Keep up."
"Sorry for the trouble." Danny said, walking briskly behind the two adults.
"Not your fault that the media can't keep their overgrown noses out of our business." Aizawa said.
The woman led them through the halls, into a section of the hospital that had code-locked doors. The smell of antiseptic chemicals was strong in this part of the hospital. Eventually they made it through a final door that led to the outside. They emerged into a dark parking garage, lit by the occasional, flickering light overhead. Aizawa shook the woman's hand and thanked her, then brusquely wove his way through the parked cars and onto the sidewalk. Danny was struggling to keep up, but made sure not to fall behind. No paparazzi so far. They walked in silence for a few blocks before Aizawa finally slowed.
"We should be fine from here." He said, looking over his shoulder and noticing Danny breathing heavy. "You alright?"
"It's just been a long day." he huffed. "I'll be fine."
"Good. The apartment's not far." Aizawa said.
"I take it you're not the biggest fan of the media, huh?" Danny asked.
"I'm not fond of how they exploit the lives and goings on of heroes, just to selfishly further their own careers. Reporting on incidents and keeping the masses informed of important information is one thing, but dogging heroes for trivial matters and invading their personal lives is something I try to avoid."
"I can appreciate that." Danny said, looking around at the buildings as they passed. This part of town seemed much less busy and bustling than the part of the city he'd first appeared in. The evening hour likely kept most people indoors as well, he thought. It was nice though, walking through the neighborhood and breathing the fresh air. The scent of freshly cut grass was quickly overshadowing the peroxide smell, much to his relief.
The eventually came to a three story complex on the corner of the block. It wasn't fancy or high class by any means, but it wasn't trashy or run-down ether. Just a plain, cream colored building with warm, welcoming lights above every door. There was a considerable lack of trash and litter on the ground and even in the dark of night all the plant life in the little courtyard looked green and full. Aizawa led Danny up a flight of stairs and into one of the last apartments on the floor. Danny stepped inside, Aizawa locking the door behind them.
"Only one bedroom, but the couch is a fold-out." Aizawa explained, pointing out the rooms as he walked further into the space. "Bathroom's around the corner there. Kitchen's over here. You're welcome to anything you find in the pantry. Fair warning though, I haven't been to the store in a while, so there's not much to find." He ambled into the kitchen and pulled a couple of cans out of the pantry. He continued to speak as he scooped some kind of pinkish mush out of the cans and onto a plate, meticulously separating it into tiny piles. The odor of fish wafted through the air. Danny silently prayed that he wasn't going to be expected to eat that. "I'll show you how to use the laundry machines tomorrow and then we'll go get you some more clothes, so you don't have to wear the same thing every day. For now though, let's just get your bed setup and we'll figure out the rest in the morning."
He tossed the empty cans into a garbage bin under the sink and trudged towards a wall with a large curtain covering it. Behind the curtain was a sliding glass door that led out to a tiny patio. On the patio, to Danny's surprise, was no less than ten cats, who all perked up and began mewing the instant Aizawa opened the door. "You're not allergic are you?" He asked over his shoulder as he set the plate of food on the patio floor. Within seconds all the cats were swarmed around the plate, taking their designated places and eating peacefully next to one another.
"Uh… no. Not allergic." He sneered. "Just not a fan of cats, if I'm being honest."
Aizawa glared up at Danny out of the corner of his eye, still petting one of the cats and looking a bit like a very bedraggled James Bond villain. "People who say they don't like cats rarely have good reasons. Usually they have either never interacted with one properly, or they likely have animosity for something associated with cats." she shrugged. "Or a phobia, though I doubt that's the issue in your case."
Danny shrugged. "Bad association then." He didn't bother elaborating.
Aizawa hummed in response. "None of the cats are allowed indoors anyways. The apartment doesn't allow pets."
"Wait… so you just leave them out on your balcony all day?"
"They come and go as they please."
Danny blinked. "We're on the second floor though. How do they-" Before he could finish, an excited, repeating mew came from a nearby tree. Danny watched as a young and thin-looking orange cat came running across one of the branches, stumbling in its excitement, and hopped effortlessly onto the edge of the balcony. Aizawa stood and greeted the kitten with a scratch behind the ears before pulling a tiny handful of dry cratfood out of his pocket. The orange tabby immediately began eating from his hand as if it hadn't seen food in days. Danny watched as the slightest of smiles graced the older man's face.
"Alright then, Cat Whisperer." Danny quipped, turning on his heel and making his way to the couch in the living area. "Everyone needs a hobby I guess."
The living room was mostly bare, say for the old pull-out couch, a side table on either side and a tv on the opposite wall. The kitchen was separated by a raised countertop behind the sink and a few tall barstools. Not very spacious or welcoming, but from the looks of it, Aizawa wasn't the type to be home much or have guests over very often, if ever. It was a far cry from Danny's home back in Amity. Even if they had a ghost lab in the basement, mom at least knew how to decorate and make the rest of the house look nice and normal.
A wave of longing washed over him and he realized he hadn't thought much about his family since he'd gotten here. He'd already been here for two days now. If he was lucky, Sam and Tucker were trying to cover for him, but that wouldn't last another day. Jazz was probably freaking out, like she always did. It wouldn't take long before his parents would realize something was wrong. How long would it take for Jazz and his friends to spill the beans? And what then? Would they all go searching the Ghost Zone for him? Would they stop looking? Would they even care?
He shook his head. No, of course they'd care. They were his family. He'd seen a reality where his parents found out his secret and they still supported and cared about him. They accepted him then, so why wouldn't they if they found out now? A spec of doubt writhed in the corner of his mind, reminding him of all the times they'd threatened him in his ghost form and bragged about the dissections and tortures and devices they were working on in the lab. They had no love for ghosts, only a desire to find out more about them. At their core they were scientists, hungry to see how this little part of the world worked, not caring if they broke or ruined it in the process. Would they really change their thought process, their way of life, for a kid who wasn't entirely alive anymore? A shudder ran up his spine.
None of this would have to matter if he was able to get back soon. He needed to focus on leaving this place, not getting lost in 'what if's. Aizawa had said they'd be going out to get him some more clothes tomorrow. Maybe he could convince the man to take him by the police station. He wouldn't need to set up a heist or act right then, but knowing where it was would be vital.
A yawn rose up in his throat and he set his mostly empty bag down by the couch. He could figure out the rest of the plan tomorrow. For now, he was exhausted. His muscles were still throbbing and he could feel his thoughts gently pulling him towards sleep.
"I'll show you how to make up the bed." Aizawa said, coming in from the patio and closing the door behind him. "But first, I have a few ground rules that you will need to follow while you're staying here. Number one; You do not leave this apartment without my permission. You're under house arrest, for now."
"Yeah I kinda figured that." Danny said.
"Number two; Avoid making contact with neighbors and other civilians. Even if the news only got shots of your white haired form, bringing attention to yourself will only increase the likelihood of you getting recognised and starting a fuss."
"No leaving the building and no talking to anyone. Got it."
"There's one more thing. Less of a rule and more of a request." Aizawa said. "I'm keeping you here, because the alternative would be a prison cell. Judging by how my abilities affected you, police chose not to try and cuff you with quirk suppressing restraints when you were in the hospital. Such precautions would be unavoidable if you were kept in police custody. From where I stand, you're a confused kid who's out of your element. That shouldn't be a reason for treating you like a criminal. However, I am taking a considerable risk by keeping you in my home. If something happens or you decide to do something stupid, the blame falls on my head as well. I do not give opportunities like this lightly and I am even less likely to give second chances. I have to trust that you'll do as I say. So, do me a favor, and don't give me reason to rescind that trust."
A heavy weight pulled at Danny's stomach, though he made an effort not to let it show. "Ok. I'll keep that in mind, then." He said, scratching the back of his head. "And, thanks."
Aizawa shrugged. "Don't mention it. Now come over here and give me a hand."
A grand total of thirty minutes later and the bed had been made, lights were out and Danny was snoring lightly in the nearly silent apartment. Aizawa watched from his bedroom door, making sure the kid was deep asleep before retiring to his own bed. He knew when he accepted this task that he wasn't likely to get much sleep, but at least the kid wasn't spending the night in jail. He set his alarm for 7:00 am, curled up under a mountain of blankets and settled into a light sleep.
The sound of glass shattering on the tile floor in the kitchen, wrenched Aizawa from his dreamless slumber. Light was flooding in through the curtains and next to the bed on the nightstand his alarm read 6:50. He cursed at the few, precious minutes of lost sleep, shuffled out of his bed and peered around the corner of his doorway. Danny was already up and dressed and hastily attempting to clean up whatever it was he had dropped.
"The broom is in the closet by the door." he said.
Danny jumped and looked up at Aizawa. He stood there, like a deer in the headlights for a moment before speaking, in english.
"Uh… sorry I didn't catch that." he said.
It took a moment, in his half-awake state for Aizawa's brain to translate and he realized he'd initially spoken in his native tongue. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes. This was going to be annoying.
"Broom. Closet by the door." he said, pointing this time. Danny nodded and went to clean up the mess, while Aizawa went back to his room to get dressed. When he reemerged and made his way into the kitchen he found Danny staring into the pantry, hand on his chin, likely trying to make sense of the few cans labeled with japanese kanji.
"Don't bother, kid. Nothing much to eat in there, trust me." he said.
"Oh…" Danny said, closing the door to the pantry.
"What were you trying to make earlier?"
"I wasn't- I just took out the jar of bean-looking things to look at what was behind them and it sort of… slipped." He hesitated on the last word, as if trying to hide something. Aizawa looked down, noticing a few of the 'beans' Danny had missed.
"Well, first off," he said, picking one up off the ground, "these are lentils, not beans. Try to be more careful next time, okay?"
Danny nodded, a hand going to the back of his head. A nervous tell, Aizawa had noticed. "Yeah. Sorry."
"Well, no time like the present. Let's head out. We can grab breakfast at a cafe nearby." he said, making his way to the front door.
Danny followed. "So, what do you guys usually have for breakfast around here?"
Aizawa shrugged. "Rice. Salmon. Soup. Basic stuff, but it's filling. You'll see." He locked the door after Danny stepped out, then looked over his shoulder at the teen. "You're not a picky one are you?"
"So long as it doesn't have mushrooms and isn't still alive, I'll try just about anything once." he said with a shrug.
Aizawa grumbled, shoved his hands into his pockets and started trudging towards the stairs. The sun was already casting morning shadows across the city and the sound of morning commuters could be heard from two blocks away. Even though spring was ending, the weather remained blissfully temperate. He knew it wouldn't last though. Give it a week, maybe two and the summer heat would start to show its face soon enough. And then the camp would be starting as well.
Now that his class' finals were complete, the students were eager to take a break. However, recent events meant that such a luxury was implausible. Aizawa had been making calls and planning the camping trip for a few days now. The Pussy Cats had already confirmed and were saving space for them and 1-B's teacher, Vlad King was determined to get his students up to 1-A's standard and join them at the camp. Aizawa doubted they would rise to the challenge, but he wasn't their teacher and he didn't know how determined the students of 1-B would be.
Of course all of this had ground to a halt when a portal resembling those used by the League of Villains had been seen downtown and a teenager came tumbling through it. He'd been on his way to the school when he saw the kid fly off after clashing with Kamui and Jeanist. If he'd known then the mess that this would turn into, he would have kept walking. But, now he was involved and he had to babysit this kid until the authorities could figure out what to do with him. No telling how long that would take.
The sound of quiet footsteps patted along steadily behind him. At least the kid wasn't wandering off or trying to run away. Then again, if his story was true, he would have no place to go. The absurdity of this teen's story was only outshined by the number of abilities he had exhibited and the ease with which he had escaped two capable pro-heroes. And yet, here he was, following along like a lost puppy and looking like any other, normal teen. A normal teen who was currently staring at individuals who had rather obvious mutations and making no effort to hide his shock.
"Stop staring." Aizawa hissed. "You're being blatantly rude."
Danny seemed to shrink back a bit, gluing his eyes to the sidewalk as they continued on their way. "Sorry." he mumbled.
"No need to apologize to me. Just be more conscious of what you're doing, got it?" They rounded a corner and a little cafe came into view. "We're here."
Aizawa walked in and took his usual seat at a booth by the window. The room was small, hosting only five tables and about as many seats at the bar-top counter. Only a couple other customers were there, quietly conversing or eating their meals in silence. As Danny sat across from him a voice rang out from behind the main counter. Aizawa looked up and caught sight of a bouncing wad of curly, gray hair coming out from behind the counter.
"You're an hour early, Aizawa." Said a little old lady, whos squinting eyes were magnified by a pair of thick glasses. "And you brought a friend? And it's not that blonde one, for once." She looked Danny up and down then looked back to Aizawa. "Your usual?"
"Two, please, Tanaka." Aizawa said, holding up two fingers.
"I assumed as much, dearie." she said with a dismissive wave as she turned and walked back into the kitchen. "You're lucky I always save you a couple slices of salmon. That blue haired one up the street came in here earlier and just about cleaned me out. He had some sort of party, though he didn't say who it was for, I think it's-"
Aizawa stopped listening, having grown used to the old lady's ramblings years ago. He turned his attention back to Danny, who had been quietly watching from his side of the booth.
"Should she really be working the kitchen?" he asked. "She looks like she might keel over any minute."
"Miss Tanaka has been running this place for well over fifty years. If she knew what you just said, she'd probably beat you with a spoon."
Danny shrunk back in his seat a bit. "That was rude again, wasn't it?"
"Not necessarily." Aizawa admitted. "A blunt observation of an individual, yes, but that's not why she'd be upset. She, like many from her generation, is proud of her work and she would not give up the opportunity to continue cooking for anything. She'll likely keep working behind that counter until she does pass and she will be glad to have been healthy enough to keep this all up for that long."
"So, she really loves cooking then." Danny stated.
Aizawa shrugged. "Possibly. She is a great cook. Although I think it's more to do with the work and the time spent well, rather than the task itself."
Danny looked confused and was about to say something when a young woman walked up to their table and placed the food Aizawa had ordered in front of them. She gave a slight bow and walked back to the kitchen without a word.
"Dig in." Aizawa said, already reaching for his chopsticks.
He was pleasantly surprised to see the kid could eat with chopsticks, even if he wasn't holding them quite right. Still, he wasn't making a mess or a fool of himself, so he didn't bother to correct him. Danny took his time trying everything on his plate at first, but at some point his hunger clearly got to him and he was soon wolfing it all down.
"This is really good." he mumbled between bites.
"Just a basic breakfast." Aizawa said. "After this I need to run by my office at work and check a few things. By then the stores will be open and we can get you some more clothes. Then it's back to the apartment for the rest of the day."
Danny nodded and took a swig of miso. "So, um…"
Aizawa looked up and waited. He'd been teaching for far too long to not recognize that tone. This was ether going to be a request or some sort of unorthodox question.
"Is there any chance we could, maybe go by the police station? Just to see how they're coming on the portal gun. Maybe get a date for when they think they'll be done with it? I mean it's not even put together or anything. Basically just a pile of junk that-"
"No."
Danny blinked. "I jus-"
"The detective said he would call when his people found out anything. We will wait for him to call." Aizawa stated.
Danny glared. "Come on, it's just stopping by and asking a question. It's not like the police could be all that busy with super heroes handling all the crime around here."
Aizawa set down his chopsticks and looked Danny in the eye. "That's not how our justice system works, kid. Heroes capture and take down dangerous criminals, yes, but it's the police who handle all the legal affairs that go along with any official arrest. With crime on the rise lately, heroes and police both have been kept quite busy trying to keep the public safe and ensure that panic is kept to a minimum." He paused, letting his words sink in. "You came here at a bad time. Things are beginning to change around here and your sudden appearance has a lot of us on edge. The last thing you want to do, is look too trigger happy in front of officers who already don't agree with letting you walk around freely. Your existence is suspicious enough. I suggest you don't add to their concerns by asking too many questions."
Danny stared down at his food. He was upset, clearly, but was likely having trouble thinking of a good enough argument to get what he wanted. A part of Aizawa thought of offering the kid something else to distract him, but he didn't have the energy to make any other promises today. Instead he finished his meal in silence and watched the kid, sulk in the booth across from him. Aizawa thanked the owner for the meal and escorted the teen out onto the street once more. They walked for a few blocks in silence, nether very eager to start up conversation. The city bustled around them, people rushing to get to work on time and stores prepping to open for the day. More of the usual routine.
"So, we're going to your school next?" Danny asked.
"Yes. The students just started their summer break, so it'll be fairly empty." He sighed. "There's a few things I can't handle over the phone, but it shouldn't take long. Don't wander off and try not to make a scene."
"Stay on the leash and don't 'go ghost', got it." he grumbled.
Aizawa sneered at the attitude. He was about to chastise the kid, when they came around the corner and his focus shifted entirely. "Shit."
A few blocks ahead was the gates of UA High and in front of the gates were a few determined looking people with microphones and news cameras. None of the teachers were out trying to shoo them away, likely because the heightened security meant they were no real threat to anyone inside. Getting past them however was going to be a different story.
"We'll have to circle around back and take one of the side entrances." Aizawa grumbled.
"And how long is that going to take?" Danny asked.
"About two kilometers down the road. Why, do you have somewhere to be?"
"No, but there's an easier way to get passed them." Danny stated, crossing his arms over his chest. "Or through them, in my case."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed. "You are by no means permitted to use your powers in public. I would have thought I made that clear."
"It wasn't in the rules you listed."
"I didn't think it needed stating." Aizawa seethed. "Start walking."
"Just hear me out, for once, ok?" Danny said. "I go invisible and keep a hand on your arm at all times, so you know I didn't run off somewhere. We get up to the group, you squeeze your way though, I'll phase through them and by the time they realize the sudden chill in the air we'll already be inside. 'Kay?"
"And what's there to ensure you don't actually run off?"
Danny shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to trust me." he held out a hand. Aizawa didn't move. "It's not like I have anywhere I can go." Danny added, rolling his eyes. "Come on, it's easier. It's faster. No one's gonna get hurt and I promise I'm not going anywhere. Deal?"
Aizawa waited. It was a good plan, he had to admit. Letting him willingly drop out of his line of sight however, was a risk. He'd let the kid sleep without supervision, only because he knew Danny had been exhausted the night before. Even if he didn't have his eyes on him all day, he'd been keenly aware of where Danny was at any given moment since the scene on the roof. Allowing him to slip out of that awareness, even for a few seconds, was a bad idea.
And yet… the side entrance was tragically far away…
"If you make one wrong move, you're done. Do I make myself clear?"
Danny nodded. "I'll be right next to you the whole time."
Aizawa sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Fine. Let's go." He shoved his hands into his pockets and started walking. Once they were about a block away, Danny put his hand on Aizawa's arm and vanished from sight. He could still feel the kid's hand, but he knew his quirk couldn't work if he couldn't see the kid.
It took only one reporter noticing Aizawa to set the whole flock into a frenzy. They crowded around him, but he made no move to slow down. He saw one camera man step into the space where Danny should have been, but nothing happened. He didn't bump into anything or look around like he'd seen something. Intangibility was quite useful indeed. Aizawa continued to weave his way through the small crowd, always aware of the slight pressure on his arm. They were almost to the gate when a woman stepped in their path, shoving a microphone in Aizawa's face.
"Eraserhead! People are eager to know. How did you subdue that villain? What really happened on that rooftop? And where is the delinquent now?"
It took him a moment to realize they were talking about Danny. He hardly thought of the kid as a villain, but he wasn't stupid enough to try and correct them ether. Give 'em an inch and they'd take a mile.
"Get out of my way or I will be calling the police." He warned.
"Do you think this has anything to do with the League of Villains? Was this one of their members?" she continued.
Aizawa didn't answer and tried to step around her. She cut him off. "There was an escort to the hospital after the fight but none to the jail or prison after. I have a source that says the villain is no longer in that hospital, so where did he go? Why haven't we been given any answers? The public needs to know-"
She froze. A glazed look came over her eyes and Aizawa realized that the pressure on his arm was gone.
No. Not gone, but lessened. Like the kid was just barely touching him with a finger.
A chill ran up his spine and Aizawa watched as the woman stepped out of his way and began methodically flicking her microphone on and off again with one hand, the other hung limply at her side. The cameraman next to her asked if she was alright, but she didn't respond. Suddenly, all attention was on her and the odd behavior. Everyone stared, wondering what she was doing and why she looked so… out of thought.
Then, as suddenly as she had began, she stopped. She swayed where she stood, but was quick to catch herself and straighten up. The pressure returned to Aizawa's arm and he felt a distinct shove. He moved passed the dazed reporter and walked through the gate with ease. The reporter could be heard talking with her cameraman, asking what happened and why hadn't anyone else stopped Aizawa from passing through. They knew better than to try and follow him into the school's yard.
Once they got inside and the door shut behind them, Aizawa whirled and Danny came into view, holding his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, I know that was a little off script, but I kept my word and no one's hurt and we're inside the school."
"What the hell did you do to her?" he asked, not taking his eyes off Danny.
"It's called overshadowing. It works better if I can use all of me, but I promised not to let go of you, so… that's the best I could come up with."
"You were controlling her?"
Danny moved his hands like he was comparing the weight of something. "Sort of. Yeah. Not something I do a lot, but it got her out of the way at least. And, like I said, I kept my word."
Aizawa sighed. "So it would seem."
Danny smiled.
"Come on." Aizawa said, turning on his heel. "Hopefully we won't run into too many people while we're here."