Detective Tsukauchi rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs.
Aizawa, beside him, is definitely feeling it as well. Jaw tight and eyes narrowed, both of them frown at the small pile of students and Nomu, trying to decide where to start. The Nomu doesn't help. Circling the children in tight rings, its own barely concealed fury is just as concerning. It reminds the detective of a guard dog, especially with the way it leans over and sniffs, taking a deep whiff of Midoriya's neck, before growling and resuming an angry pace.
He would not want to be that villain when this monster catches its scent.
"Ah… Eraserhead-sensei?"
They glance towards the purple-haired boy (Shinsou Hitoshi) that had, honestly, been the real hero of the day. From what the detective had gathered, the entire class had been on an outing when the League of Villains (Shigaraki) had shown up randomly. The villain had targeted Midoriya, apparently searching for information on his rogue Nomu, when Shinsou had backtracked and noticed.
"Am… Am I in trouble?"
The hero beside him shifts, arms crossing against his chest to pin the boy with a dark look.
It's understandable.
"You used your quirk outside of the law," Aizawa lectures flatly, and Tsukauchi doesn't miss the way the monster's head jerks towards them sharply. Beady eyes narrowing, recessed into an open brain and massive maw. He can almost imagine the veins popping against the slick purple skin. "Without a hero license or even a provisional one, what you did was illegal. Normally you would face a fine, as well as additional consequences such as suspension or expulsion."
The purple-haired boy pales, and the detective is completely unsurprised when the classmates all rally immediately behind him.
"But-"
"That's not-"
"Sir!"
"-was going to kill-"
Aizawa raises his hand for silence and the space quiets immediately.
"In this case," the Tsukauchi cuts in, grimacing as all eyes turn to him. "Since we are aware of the danger and Shigarkai's history, we should be able to write this all off as a warning."
"It will still mean a mark against your record."
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.
.
I forgot.
I so worry think of sparkle-glitter trouble, forgot many-hands! Now Green-bean have bruise on neck! And police lose many-hands! And Hero punish Sleepy-boy!
So angry.
Angry at Hero, angry at Mouse-king, angry at many-hands, angry at I.
Want old brain! Want old me!
Villain attack not right! Not supposed ask about me. Supposed ask about names or mission or I don't know! Everything wrong! I change this?
What I do? What if change more? What if attack babies more? What if woods attack different? What if babies hurt?
Hero try comfort, but I not care. He not understand!
He pass keyboard, but not enough!
Push away. He pass again, voice firm, strong.
"Explain it."
It not fair!
Wish tears. All trapped. I trapped.
Ytheuy wanbt mne, I type furiously, not care extra letters or hard read. Hiurty brecxauisw nme
Hero stares, lost. Just make more mad. Wrong.
All wrong. I not suppose be here. Nomu die USJ.
Wrong.
Want home. Want human.
Shove away keyboard. Leave.
.
.
.
Aizawa can feel the sigh reverberating in his chest as he follows the GPS into the dense thicket of woods towards the Eastern side of campus. The Nomu had fled that way an hour prior, and he'd tried to give her space, hoping she'd resolve whatever feelings she'd been struggling with and return.
Only she hadn't.
And, unfortunately, with Shigaraki still active and that warp-gate, Kurogiri, only too capable of capturing her again, he could only give her so much space.
So he's quietly relieved to find her by a tree. No longer shaking with agitation or pacing with pent-up emotions, but instead still and quiet and staring up past where several tree branches had been torn away to reveal a quickly darkening sky. The clouds, aglow and burning white, billow across a wash of orange and purple pastels.
He takes a moment to stare, heart clenching at the sight of the clouds.
Shirakumo.
A wound far too old to be so painful aches, and he turns away through sheer will, examining the woman forced into a monster's skin. The detective had gotten back to him regarding the results from the other Nomu. They were all made of multiple DNA types. The scientists hadn't known what to make of it, the level of complexity well beyond what they were used to.
Which implied experimentation.
It left only more questions and even fewer answers.
Just who were you before?
How strong was your kindness that when they tried to turn you into a monster, you'd rather break your skull than hurt a child.
He stuffs his hands into his pockets and sighs.
"Hey," he says, catching her attention with a nod. "It's getting dark."
The look she offers is strangely knowing—reminding him of her strange awareness. Like how she knew he liked cats, despite him having never mentioned it, or how she knew about Midoriya's middle school experience, even his late-blooming quirk despite the fact that she shouldn't. She knew about Hosu a week before it happened, but not her own arrest and then the prediction of the Sport's Festival race.
He frowns.
"What?"
She shrugs and he hates that damnable action. Trust. He still hadn't earned her trust.
This would be so much easier if she were a student.
"Feeling better?" he asks gruffly, shuffling to the side and dropping boneless to the ground beside her. She snorts, the sound entirely derisive, and he doesn't bother hiding a wry smile. "Yeah. I figured."
Rolling his shoulders, he leans back against the same tree as well. They had time, at least for this. Tired, he allows his eyes to slip closed.
"It wasn't your fault."
Whether she believes it… Well, he can only offer the truth.
.
.
.
Decisions. Decisions.
I spend many days thinking. Remembering.
Hard. Brain not good for think, not good remember. Need brain cover, maybe better then. Maybe ask pink-explosion baby? Pink-explosion baby like make things. Maybe make hair? Maybe help brain not so slow?
Decision now though.
Tell heroes? Not tell? Wait?
Already change so much. Sleepy boy bad mark now, maybe not hero. Ugh. All Might not lose much time, more active. Many-hands-crusty-hair want me. Not right… What if change more? What if mess up?
But wait no good. Grr! Hero and Mouse-king know I know. Ask many questions. Mad if not tell. But how explain? Say you story? You not real? That not work! Think brain really stupid then!
Babies in danger woods, soon.
I not like.
Not like no school. Not like not see babies. Not like at all!
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.
.
Babies visit.
Make chest calm. Not feel hugs, but still hurt go away. Green bean come, ask use pool, zip-zap and hair-balls with. Sneaky zip-zap. Sneaky hair-balls. Need talk, no be naughty!
Make both sit, point finger and wag at.
They know. Shuffle. Head down.
Use stupid type machine. Type Do better. Take forever.
Purple hair-balls translate. Good. Pat head and take sticky ball for later. Like sticky balls lots, fun play with. Like stick and break. Nuzzle both. Nuzzle Green-bean when return too.
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.
.
Summer slow.
Drag by. Decide tell Hero some.
Wait for bed then type for hours. Slow, so slow, make words, make sentences, make paragraph. Hero wake in morning find, leave on table, then pretend sleep. Hear Hero read. Pretend wake, make he wait. Face pinch, he not like wait. I no care, go change. Wear new dress. Move word cards to new dress. Pee.
Hero drink coffee, glower.
I sit beside. He give look, like he know I avoid talk.
"There's going to be another attack?"
Nod. That what I type. I not type that long not truth! Spend long time on!
"Do the villains know you know this?"
Shake head. Good question, not think that.
He open mouth, look like want ask more, but stop. Look back words, sigh. Look back me.
I not expect bow.
"Thank you."
Chest warm, heart beat fast. If old body, might blush. Not expect thanks. Hero kind. Bow feel strange.
"Thank you for trusting me."
Oh Hero. He not know? I always trust. Wait, and when straighten, nuzzle cheek.
Wish feel more.
Hero pink, push back.
.
.
.
Good thoughts about Hero dry up.
He leaving.
He leaving to danger wood and I not go!
Why? I type, shoving in face. Why I not come?
Hero, get better at translating, or maybe know better. Barely look then sigh.
"They're after you," he say, as if try be nice. Not nice. Not nice at all! "Shigaraki's obsession with you and All Might is a serious problem. He targeted the students looking for information on you, and were it not for Shinsou, the situation could have easily been much worse. If you're not with us, there's less of a chance that we'll be targeted. I know that's not what you want to hear, but your presence puts the children in danger."
I growl.
Hero not back down, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.
"This isn't up for debate."
Good thoughts bout Hero gone.
.
.
.
Hero and Mouse-king not listen.
Fine. They not listen, I not listen either!
Leave school, big jump.
Hear collar beep warning, not care. Know irritate Hero. Too bad. This isn't up for debate either.
Make many jumps, slow. Noise outside loud. Like school noise but more. More smells, more sounds, more everything. Like walk outside from dark room, hurt.
Not sure why not hurt earlier.
Maybe busy? Maybe focus?
Worry babies hurt mean more than hurt.
Shrug.
Look around, see far.
Then, notice, see pink.
.
.
.
Ashido Mina beams.
Perched on Miss Nomu's shoulder, the pink-skinned dancer can't help but giggle, phone angled above them and posing before snapping a picture. Miss Nomu throws up a peace sign, and she's so freaking adorable! Especially in that adorable, roman-style empire dress.
She posts the picture immediately, unsurprised when it blows up the chat.
Where are you?
What! I wanna hang out with Miss Nomu!
Oh, seriously? So jealous!
Mina laughs, slides off the bigger woman's shoulder, and proudly presents their dozen likes.
"Look Miss Nomu! They love us!"
Curious, the purple-skinned bird-woman leans forward, her recessed eyes glinting and exposed brain catching the light. Mina remembers being absolutely terrified of her—of all that. The dark hulking figure in the back of the class, the creepy monster villain from 1A's hellish training class.
Regret twists in her stomach.
"Hey Miss Nomu, wanna go shopping?"
Looking surprised, Mina smiles as the larger woman's bird-like head tilts sideways. Like usual when words are needed, a thick spiral of cards appears.
Us
The card in question is decorated with two people standing together. Mina laughs, understanding the thought at once.
"It'll be my treat! Is there anything you want? Maybe new shoes or a new dress?"
The exposed beak widens, razor sharp teeth bared in probably the creepiest vision of a smile Mina has ever had the misfortune of witnessing.
Guess that's a yes then!
Grinning back, Mina reaches for the massive, melon-sized hand and tugs.
"Oh, well perfect! The mall's this way!"
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.
.
Hero find in hour.
Long enough take many photos. Strangers like photos too, want signature. Want talk. Pink, happy-dancer baby sweet though. Shoo and pull along and find store. Stay long enough find hair.
Not like old, but still good! Find blonde-bun-hair first, make think of moon. Like curly peppermint hair, self, but baby shake head and no. Come back with silver bluish color. Short, soft, easy wear. Happy-dancer baby put on. Fingers flicking, cover brain.
Brain cover already feel smarter.
"You have got to be kidding."
I huff, still mad, and Happy-dancer baby, turns, frowns, and then throws her arms up in surprise.
Such a baby…
"Aizawa-sensei!?"
Hero, looking less impressed, fold his arms and stare back. Kinda understand. Baby didn't notice and he walked in many minutes ago.
"Hello Ashido. Maybe you can help me understand, the Nomu is supposed to be on campus."
Pink, happy-dancing baby eyes widen.
Mouth for O. Look to me, then Hero.
Second later attach to side like baby she is. Big eyes wide, hands pull at dress. I pat carefully. Strong arms dangerous.
"Don't be mad, please! She's been stuck at the school for months, and nothing happened while we were out. In fact, we had so much fun! Everybody loves Miss Nomu! I had to fight them off with a stick just to get them to leave her alone and-"
"Ashido," Hero sighs, interrupting vomit words easily. Nearly laugh. Fight with stick… "I'm not upset. We're leaving now though, so go home."
I give Hero sour look he ignores.
Pink, happy-dancer baby lets go with sigh.
Sweet girl.
"Okay… Bye Miss Nomu… It was fun, we'll come by and see you soon!"
.
.
.
Hero give me long look at home.
Push me keyboard.
"You want to explain yourself? I tell you villains are targeting my students to get information about you, and so you go and immediately publicly hang out with said students?"
Eyes widen.
I stare.
Brain… processing.
"I know you're not happy about the summer situation," Hero says. "But the rules are there for more than just an annoyance. They're there for everyone's protection. Running off without telling anyone as some sort of revenge is childish. If you want to leave the campus, all you have to do is say so."
.
.
.
Write Hero apology.
Well… Write hero apology and complaint.
Hero reads it with coffee. Sit on table chair, tablet sometimes use to translate.
He finish, scratch throat, and sigh.
"You're upset I said the training trip wasn't up for debate."
Nod.
Watch as Hero leans back, chair balance on two feet.
"It's not."
I toss hands in the air.
Then, leaning forward, snatch back keyboard.
Danger. Woods. League.
Hero reads it and sighs.
"We've taken that into consideration. I can't discuss it further."
Frustration leek out in growl.
Hero raise brow, frown.
"On a different note, I've been thinking about what Ashido said. You have been stuck here since the beginning of term with little physical exercise besides that trip to Hoku and what running around the edges of campus allows. How would you feel about a spar?"
Look at Hero like crazy.
Spar?
Last time fight, nearly break arms.
Hero laughs. Sound nice…
"Not me, All Might."
Perk up.
Shiny Hair?
