Chapter Nine: Reigen III

Getting in a car with a stranger to follow them to an unknown destination is normally a bad idea. This time is no exception. As expected, Reigen following a stranger to an unknown destination ended up being a horrible decision.

Reigen can see his reflection from the side of the blade.

Reigen's Special Move: Fast Chop!

Fast chop is Reigen's special move where he chops food very, very quickly.

"Eek!" Until there's danger of cutting himself in which scenario he slows down to average speed.

Reigen picks up the cutting board and uses the knife to scrape the vegetables into the hot pan.

"Ow." A splash of hot oil jumped out of the pan and hit the backside of his hand.

He wants to know why it's always him. Why can't it be someone else for once?

He was fed and they gave him a new suit, but the place was creepy and dangerous. Inochi, the man who brought him here, saying that his friend is temporarily in jail so they needed someone to replace him and the boss should like his anti-quirk attitude. Sure, Reigen talked down to some kids but that was because of their bullying, not because they have superpowers. Though, apparently a fair few of the members were picked off the street. Even the current boss, so maybe that was the real reason. No where else to go and join under pressure.

More importantly, as a newbie they don't allow you to leave. Not that he has anywhere else to stay, but bunking with a bunch of other men in what's essentially his own prison isn't reassuring. Also, he swears one of them had blood all over him. This place is definitely shady and is involved in illegal practices. He needs to get out.

It doesn't help that the space was large.

Reigen dropped off the food he made to one room and took the opportunity to try and find the exit. Instead he runs into a young girl with a horn with bandaged arms that has dots of blood seeping though. The way she freezes and stares at him with wide eyes makes him think she's scared of him.

What's a kid even doing here?

Reigen puts his hands up. "Don't worry about me. I'm currently just a chef." Well more of a busy body. He does what people tell him to do. Cook. Clean. Maintenance. Maybe he shouldn't have said currently when the people here are shady. "But I'll let you in on a secret. I know magic." She flinches but relaxes when he only takes a 100 yen coin out of his blazer. It's just a few party tricks but a soft light sparks in her eyes. "Tada!"

She reaches for the coin.

Wait. He barely has any money. Every yen counts.

"Hey, Reigen. Where are you going?"

His skin prickles as he panics. "Just dropped off lunch. I was heading back but I must have taken a wrong turn. This place might as well be a castle."

"I'll walk back with you. I have a stash of chocolate in the kitchen and I'm craving some."

"Of course!"

Reigen regretfully leaves his coin behind.

Slightly less regretful as Inochi gossips over chocolate. They're using the girl in an attempt to make a quirk destroying drug.

These people are crazy. Now not only does he need to get out, but he needs to get out and tell the police. It's hard enough to get out himself. Even harder with a kid in mind.

It takes a few more days before Reigen finds the best way out. He yawns loudly as he pretends to sleep and gets up after the others follow suit. He's got to be careful because he knows there's a few people working night security.

Reigan is half way when he stops before an open door. He can hear someone inside. He can do this. They're probably distracted. Just one giant step across and whoever is inside won't notice. He peeks only to realize it was the same girl from the other day, but this certainly wasn't part of the building he found her in last time.

He should leave. He has his chance. The police can come save her. That's what they do. Yet the bloodstains are worse than last time. But walking around with her is like a giant sign that something is off.

Crap.

He presses a finger against his lips. "Shh."

She doesn't make a sound.

"Let's get out of here."

"Out?"

Does she not even understand that there's a world outside? "Yeah, away from here."

She backs away before he can grab her. "I can't."

If there's one thing Reigen is good at, it's his ability to read people. She hates touching people.

He takes off his suit jacket and throws it over her so that it drapes over her head follow by taking the chocolate out of his pocket that he stole from Inochi's stash. It had been for later but kids like treats. He hands it out to her. "You can have the chocolate, and the best I can offer is not touching you directly, but I need you to stay quiet so we can get out of here."

She doesn't say anything but she looks at the chocolate and tentatively takes it.

Great.

One thing taken care of but he really needs to hurry. The longer he lingers the more time someone figures out what he's doing.

In one big sweep, he picks her up and starts running. At this point if someone sees him he's screwed anyway. Might as well run. But, ah. He heaves. He's not built for this.

Reigen makes it outside. He's so glad but he can't stop now.

"Hey! Wait!" Someone caught him, so he pushed himself harder.

He runs around the corner to see someone stepping through a black portal. Is that the thing that brought him here? No time to question it. He isn't going to outrun the man chasing them and the portal is closing. "I need you to keep running towards that thing. Go!" She just stares frightened as she sees the man caught up to them.

Last line of defense.

Salt Splash: Special Edition

Reigen throws salt into the man's eyes. The salt he also 'borrowed' from the kitchen. Borrowed. Not steal. He isn't a thief.

Bullseye!

Reigen picks Eri back up and runs. His finger touches the portal even while it was only the size of a golf ball when he reaches it. They get sucked in just like before.

Instantaneously they appear in a bar. "That's not like last time."

The young man stops his rant to ask, "Kurogiri, who are they?"

Judging that the Kurogiri guy's head is black mist, Reigen assumes that he isn't back home and that the portal they touched was this guy's quirk.

"You see. About that…" He frantically searches for the words to say.

What does one say in a situation like this?