Inko hummed softly as she sat outside. The king had given her some time off, at least according to Hizashi. It was nice, though she felt like she was kind of taking advantage, it was strange to be given any kind of time off. Though she was nothing more than the slave for the king and only him. So that gave her less things to do during the day and he just seemed to disappear.
It was strange, she had only been here for maybe a couple weeks but it already feels like forever. The king hadn't abused anyone and for that she was thankful. Yet, she couldn't help but frown in thought as she pictured the king in her mind. His eyes, still ever so sad but for no reason at all. It made her curious as to why that was.
Looking up at the sky, the young woman frowned as she tilted her head a little in confusion. Why would the king, of all people be sad? Did he go through something to have such a thing happen to him? To make him want to hide away his emotions to the point that no one ever knew if he was happy or sad? It had her confused, concerned even.
Closing her eyes, the young woman pictured the king, but with a smile on his face. A king that could show his emotions rather than just hide them away with a mask.
Opening her eyes, the young woman curled up under the tree as she started to draw. That was something that she would like to see on the king. A simple smile, nothing more.
Drawing his jawline was simple enough, but at the same time she felt like she couldn't see him doing anything other than just blankly stare at her. His eyes, the only thing on him that seemed to express anything to her but… a smile, that was going to be hard for her to draw as she had yet to see such an expression on his face.
It had her a little concerned for the man but knew that she had to do something to get the king to smile. Even once… but what could she do?
Not like she could really make the king smile, that would be impossible and she knew that better than anyone. Closing her eyes once again, the young woman groaned a little as she tried to think on what more she could do. Maybe she should go and help Mitsuki in the kitchen or even help people with their cleaning.
"What are you doing out here?" asked a familiar voice.
Inko whipped her head upward and blinked as she saw Captain All Might looking down at her with a big smile on his face. "Captain All Might!" Inko said in shock.
"Just All Might is fine." He said with a chuckle before pointing to the seat next to her. "May I join you for a moment?" He asked with a smile.
"Sure. I don't mind." Inko said with a soft smile.
All Might sat down next to her, a soft sigh escaping his lips. "Training is tiring, my men need a good way to heal quickly or at least someone to treat their wounds." He said with a sigh, leaning back with his palms on the grass. Inko blinked as she looked at the captain, he seemed so relaxed and content. IT was odd to see that a man his size could relax. Giving him a small smile, Inko went back to her drawing. "So, what are you drawing? How did you get the paper?" asked the captain.
"Um… please don't tell the king this but… I uh… kind of stole it from his study. I love drawing, it's the one thing that keeps me happy in this." Inko whispered as she held the drawing closer to her chest.
"I won't tell him, but I'm sure if you just asked him to draw, that he won't mind. He's not a terrible man once you know him." All Might said with a chuckle.
"How well do you know him?" asked Inko with a frown.
"All my life."
Oh, then maybe he'd know why the king was sad. This could be a chance to ask him such a thing, though there was also the chance that he wouldn't tell her anything since she was still new here. "All Might, I've noticed something odd about the king."
"Is it because he doesn't show his emotions? It isn't surprising, he is called 'The Emotionless King' for a reason." All Might said with a sad laugh.
"No, he isn't emotionless."
"Huh?"
"I can see it in his eyes. I can read him for some reason, I know it has nothing to do with my quirk since I can only attract small things to me but… his eyes, they look so sad and lonely." Inko whispered.
"Understandable, he has been through a lot in his life." All Might said while scratching the back of his head and sighed softly.
"What did he go through to have made him like this?" asked Inko.
"I'm sorry, but that is a tale that I cannot tell you. It isn't my story to share, sorry." All Might said with a sad smile on his face. Well, that was to be expected she guessed. Though maybe someday she'll learn the truth, though she just hoped that she could learn something about the man but knew that someday, there was nothing that she could do about his story for now. Closing her eyes, Inko shook her head at the guard and gave him a faint of a smile.
"I'm not mad, you're right. It isn't your story to share with me, I shouldn't have put you through that."
"Wish I could be more help to you." All Might said with a soft sigh before he looked up at the sky and frowned a little at that. "Have you ever wondered why there are more people without quirks than with?" asked All Might.
"I have, but I just assumed it was because quirks just haven't worked its way to other people yet." Inko said with a frown.
"Lots of people would guess that." All Might said with a soft sigh before pushing himself up and dusted his pants off before looking over at Inko with a smile on his face. "Would you like to watch how I train the guards? I think they may do better with a beautiful woman watching."
Inko blushed darkly before giving him a faint smile. "I'm not sure if I'd be of any help."
"I think you could be. My men need some kind of motivation. I know it's wrong to ask you of this but will you let me use you as a demo-straighten? Please?"
How could she say no to that face? It would break her heart to see the man show any kind of sadness in his smile. Though, his eyes betrayed him for the most part. His blue orbs showed a pleading to them, along with loneliness and sadness. The last two being the most dominate in his gaze. How was it that she could read him along with the king of all people? It just didn't make sense, she couldn't read anyone as well as these two.
"Inko?" His voice snapped her out of her trance, causing her to blink her green eyes as she stared at the man. "You alright?"
"Sorry, I was thinking. I'll come, maybe if you need me to I'll treat their injuries." Inko said with a giggle.
"Why do you have a healing quirk?" asked All Might.
"No, I can only attract small objects to me. But I did learn how to treat injuries should the need ever arise." Inko said with a smile on her face.
"Interesting skills you have, that is true." The captain said with a chuckle before he started to walk on ahead. Inko of course, needing to run a little to keep up with the man. Sometimes, it was hard being short.
"Alright men, today we're going to try something a little different here." All Might said, causing all the men to look at him in confusion. "I know compared to the past, we have only trained in trying to bring up your skills. But, now you must learn to fight on the spot. For example, Inko please come here." Inko frowned a little as she walked out from behind the giant man, hands folded in front of her while she shifted from side to side.
"As many of you know, Inko here is the king's personal maid. We are to keep her safe at all times." Inko whipped her head up and stared at the man with shock in her eyes. Why would she need to be protected? Just because she was the king's personal maid or was it something more? "So, we are going to use her as a motivation of sorts. You'll need to try to steal her away from Shouta and Hizashi as a means protection and guarding her should the king not be around."
What did that mean? The king was always around right? There was no way that the king would be alone, after all he was well protected himself right?
"Men, are you paying attention?" called the captain.
Inko blinked as she looked up and saw that all the men were staring at her. It made her a little uncomfortable, causing her to hide behind the captain a little, using his cape as a means to hide herself from everyone's gaze. "Men, pay attention!" Shouted All Might, causing all the men to straighten themselves. Inko giggled a little, he could be serious when he wanted to be after all.
"Sorry sir!" shouted the men.
"Good, now… the task will start…"
"Ah!"
"Now."
Inko hadn't expected for something to wrap around her waist and pulled her waist and pull her up off of the ground. Soon, she found herself in the arms of Shouta, his tired gaze told her that he would still want to be in bed instead of this. But he had to instead help with the training of the guards. "Just relax. I won't drop you." Inko couldn't help but panic as they were rather high up, on the wall that surrounded the castle grounds.
"What was that that you grabbed me with?!" Inko all but shouted.
"It's my capture weapon. I'm not one for fighting so to speak with weapons. I use this as a means to fight but using their own movements against them." Shouta explained before looking down at the wall. Inko looked down as she saw Hizashi standing below them. Most likely to make sure the men didn't try to get to her or Shouta for that matter. Hizashi would let out a scream, which made the guards cover their ears.
"Are they even going to be able to get up here?" asked Inko with a frown on her face.
"Not really. All Might wanted to make sure that the men learned the value of a life. Should they fail, they don't just fail themselves but the lives of those who they tried to save. It gives them more purpose to fight. A reason to keep living and to fight for others and not just themselves. That is what he is trying to teach them." Shouta calmly explained, causing Inko to look up at him with a frown on her face.
"Why?"
"I shouldn't be telling you this, but… years ago, the captain failed to protect someone dear to him. His teacher really, she was also someone who taught the king how to use a sword. The loss was a heavy burden on him." Inko wondered if that was why All Might looked so sad, or at least his eyes gave it away. Though there had to be more to it than that. Shaking her head, the young woman looked up at Shouta as she calmly said "I won't tell him that you said anything. Promise."
"Good, because I would deny everything." Shouta mumbled.
Inko just laughed, she thinks that she could get along with this man. He was rather funny when he could be. Or at the very least when she found it rather entertaining.
Looking back down at the ground below, Inko saw that the men were still trying to get by Hizashi and they would be blasted away by his quirk. Others had started to give their quirks a try and it made her a little curious as to where the men make their mark. The only way for them to get by Hizashi was if they could become invisible or, somehow get around the man to get a good hit on him. Though, that would be easier said than done for the most part.
Though, what had surprised her was one guard that seemed to rush forward. His arms held out behind him as he rushed forward. Hizashi let out a scream, only for the guard to dodge to the left in what appeared to be a blur. He rushed forward, only to jump into the air and flip around before slamming his leg into the ground. The earth itself started to shake from the movement, causing Shouta and Inko to shake from the top of the wall.
Inko yelped out as she fumbled on the top of the castle wall. "Ah!" The green haired woman stumbled as she fell over the wall. "Ah!"
"Inko!" Shouted Shouta as he tried to use his capture gear to save the falling green haired woman.
'I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!' Inko thought with tears spilling at the corners of her eyes while the ground came closer and closer.
"Inko!" shouted the captain as he tried to reach her in time.
"Hold on!" Shouted someone, a voice that she didn't know at all. Inko looked down as she watched the man rushing to the wall, his body seemed to spark for a brief moment before he jumped into the air with incredible force. She couldn't help but stare in shock before the one guard managed to grab onto her midair and held her tightly in his arms and held out his hand. Holding back his middle finger against his thumb before shooting flicking his finger forward in what one would assume to be some kind of air pressure though it had slowed down their fall.
Once they were on the ground, All Might rushed to her as he asked "Oh god Inko are you okay?!" Inko looked up at All Might with wide eyes, not sure what had just happened. It had seemed like it was nothing more than a blur. Turning back to the guard, she saw that he was just staring at her, at least that's what she figured, and it was rather hard to tell with him wearing a helmet that covered the upper half of his face.
"I… I'm okay, thanks to him." Inko whispered.
"No, you were in trouble because of me. I'm sorry." The man said with a small bow before he looked up at All Might. "Captain, if you so with I will take any punishment you will give me. I put her in danger even though it was by accident I will still take full responsibility."
"No, you saved her. That is enough to show that you are still responsible Zuko." All Might said with a soft sigh. Inko just blinked as she stared at the mystery man.
Zuko bowed again before he looked over at Inko and gave her a strange expression. His lips twisted in what she could assume to be one of pain before he bowed to both her and All Might and ran off to join the other guards for drills.
"Don't be so upset with him Inko. He's only been here for a year but he is a tough fighter. Even though he is rather mysterious."
"No, he just surprised me is all. And, what do you mean he's mysterious?" Inko said with a frown.
"Well, he just seemed to have appeared. No family, no friends, nothing but the clothes on his back and that damn helmet of his. He never takes it off around others. Even when he isn't dressed up as a guard, he still wears something that hides his face. Though, he was rather odd when he showed up here, was kind of being a bit of a fan boy."
"Hm… he seems kinda… sad to me from what I could see."
"What do you mean?" asked All Might.
"I don't really know. But, I feel like he was more upset than he should be with putting my life in danger, as if seeing me in danger hurt him more than it should. I don't know." Inko said with a shake of her head, looking up at All Might with a small smile. "I think… I'll go inside for now. I'm rather exhausted over this."
"Alright, I'd rather you be inside than outside of the walls anyway."
Huh? "Why?" Inko said with a frown.
"It's too dangerous out there. It is better that you stay in here and stay safe within the castle walls." All Might said with a small smile on his face. Inko just frowned a little at that before she nodded and started to walk inside the castle.
Though as she walked, the young woman couldn't help but be curious as to what had just happened. To think, her day just started out like it usually did then she was given some time off to draw until All Might decide to join her and asked if she could help him with his training. Only to be used as 'motivation' and was put in danger by accident. That man, the one with the helmet on… he was mysterious, that was for sure though she knew that she had to do something to stop this.
Though, maybe for now she shouldn't overthink this and just get some rest.
