"Oh sweetie. I'm glad you are not hurt." Inko said bearhugging izumi.
"Wasn't I keep saying the same thing?" Izumi replied not brothered by the crushing hug. She's used to it.
"No, you said, you're fine. Which is clearly not." Inko replied breaking the hug and cupped Izumi' cheeks with both hands. "Look at you, all skinny and pale. I'm guessing that the cafeteria is your least favourite of this place." Inko mumbled concerned making Izumi sigh.
"I'm fine." Izumi said.
"Nope. Not until you have some nutrition back in your system. Which is why I'm here." Inko replied with warm smile.
"Nutrition back in system? Who speaks like that? It's way too dramatic, you know mom?" Izumi pointed out.
Inko shrugged. "I've picked couple of things watching movies you know. It sounds cool saying big punch lines." She said with a goofy smile.
Izumi shook her head chuckling. "You're the same, mom. I think I missed you more than I expected." Izumi mumbled enough for inko to hear.
"Aw, I missed you too, honey. Maybe the dormitory idea was way too much in my opinion. But i can't risk your safety by letting you travel all by yourself everyday." Inko said hugging Izumi again.
"I know, mom. But I love it here as much as I'm with you. It's all part of being a hero, you know. Don't worry okay? I promise I'll call you everyday." Izumi promised.
"Momma' happy to hear that." Inko said.
They eventually let go and Inko' eyes traveled towards another way and a surprised and happy glint appeared in her eyes. Izumi followed her gaze, which landed on Eri, who stood there watching them. "Aw, who do we have here?" Inko said and slowly moved closer to Eri.
Inko crouched next to her and smiled. "Hello there sweetie. What's your name?" Inko asked sweetly.
Eri'eyes widened when she asked her that. Maybe she wasn't expecting this woman to be nice as well. Eri looks up at Izumi, who chuckled and nodded. Eri took that as a assurance and nodded. "I'm Eri." She replied with a small smile. She at least knows that, this woman is very special for Izumi. What's a true mother is, she forgot.
Inko chuckled by her cuteness and playfully pinched her cheek. "Nice to meet you, Eri." She said.
"She's been staying with us. Been a while. I think I forgot to mention her." Izumi apologetically said.
"You haven't called for a while. So it explains why I'm not aware of this child." Inko replied with a pout looking at Izumi.
"Oh, come on. I told you. I'll call you from now on." Izumi defended herself.
"Sure you will." Inko shrugged.
"I mean it." Izumi said again.
"I know you mean it. But I think you should prove it. Call me every day around 7, then I'll believe you. And not buts." Inko playfully ordered.
"Ummm... How about 8. I'll probably downstairs around 7." Izumi started but immediately shut up when realising that Inko was only seems interested in talking with Eri, who also seems happy about it. It' a rare sight of seeing Eri all happy. Ever since the camp, her dear Mr Izu almost stopped visiting. If only she saw the carnage he left behind. Even though he saved them, his way was too much of a chaos. The aftermath of the massacre still sends shivers down their spine. But the reality is also that, a serial killer vigilante saved them. It' way too chaotic to think about.
Half an hour later, everyone was at the living room. Parents talked with one another and even the students were talking. Izumi sat there bored at sometimes faced an equally irritated Bakugo. Everyone was there except for Uraraka and Todoroki. Todoroki is visiting his old man. And about Uraraka, nobody saw her since the morning. Even her parents aren't there. Izumi didn't tried to be so pushy, so she didn't try to find Ura. She's probably wanting some time. But the reason for her behaviour still haven't been clear. But izumi trusts her. Ura told her that she will talk to her.
But suddenly Mina came down the stairs and rushed towards the TV. "They found it." She shouted and turned on the TV.
MEANWHILE...
Her brown eyes traveled around the crowded mall. She knows his presence. He's here. Out of all the tries she's willing to find him, he's right in front of her in the first try. If it's not luck, then what it is?
Her eyes searched everyone passed around her, but none of them was familiar. However the sense of his presence is still lingered. He's here somewhere. Uraraka took some deep breath and moved forward. She tried to remember the last time she saw him and where she bumped into him. But that was just a random spot. It could be anywhere near the ice cream shop.
Uraraka wasn't sure how is she feeling now. The boy she thought was... attractive and normal, turns out to be the one who's behind all those gruesome murders. Ever since that fire pillar up in the sky, the world first encountered the Ghost Rider or Greenflame at that time. The last description she has in mind for the Ghost Rider is, him being a teenager and have a breathtaking appearance. She expected a grown up or a creature or monster. He doesn't look like any of them.
Shaking off the wandering thoughts, Uraraka proceed forward, but there was a moment where she realised that she found him. There in a side bench, he sat staring at her with an intense glare. It's almost as if, he's waiting. Uraraka' heart skipped a beat. Not because of his attractiveness, but instead of a feeling uneasiness. He seem incredibly calm, yet threatening. His eyes almost glowed with those unreadable emotion in them. Overall, this time, he seem different. Differs than the boy she saw sometime ago. There's no longer he has that smile on him. Safe to say he generated an aura just like the Ghost Rider. The mysterious vigilante, finally have his cover blown.
But there's this fear in her. Fear of seeing a dead man. If he's the same person she think he is, then how come he got resurrected? He's dead, right? If only Izumi would have been lying all this time about his death. Maybe he never died. It's not possible for a died person to sit on a bench in middle of the mall, who seem way too real and people can see him.
Is the reason why his name is Ghost Rider, anything to do with him being an actual ghost? If so she didn't know that it's possible to touch a ghost. Uraraka stood there and didn't even move. She watched him and little did she expected him to vanish, just like an actual ghost would. But that never happened. Instead he slowly stood up, making her a bit uneasy. The revelation of who he is really messing with her brain now. She did somehow expected him to throw a ball of fire at her. Doesn't know why though. But she did.
But he didn't do anything except took some steps forward. It felt like her heart sinking in a deep fear. She doesn't show the fear though. Why is she's afraid? Well, she doesn't know. It doesn't make sense. Just like this boy walking right now. It's like the 'dead man walking' phrase come to reality.
She stopped herself from taking few steps back when the aura around him radiated a powerful intensity. And he's not even close to her yet. By that feeling, she do know what kind of a threat he is. If she was fighting him, she would've think twice before standing her ground. She can picture all those possibilities, when she gets on his bad side. She witnessed his carnage. This boy or the Ghost Rider, is a villain that doesn't make sense. A murderer who' also sometimes a saviour. But he only known for who he actually is. A monster. Even though the incidents happened with him saving them times, their view on him never changed. It's because of the news. There's always a news about the notorious and mysterious vigilante. There's no way one could figure out what he really is. If only there'something really wrong with his brain. Why save and kill at the same time? No answers. But she does have a feeling that she'll know soon enough. At least she will question him, even if it's the last thing she'll do.
The boy moved closer and closer and some of the passerby' bumped into him didn't bother to stop and complain, because they felt that aura too. They doesn't know him, yet they figured it out that he's the wrong guy to mess with. His concentration stayed on her until he's right in front of her and towering her. This time no hood hid his face like he always did when he was going all savior act on them. Nobody will expect this young boy in that dark leather hood and green fire. His fire probably would engulf his hair whenever he use his strange quirk. That's probably enough reasons for hiding his head. Well that's just a guess. But this time, she have feeling telling that, the reality is way extreme than any theories or guesses. He's the 'living' proof of that. Well undead in his case. One expected a monster, turns out a boy hiding in plain sight. He's just seem an expert at it. After all, he fooled her. She doubt his words now. She no longer have that trust in him.
He looks down at her like she's looking up at him. The only difference is that, only one of them seem unaffected. He's still while she's troubled. But her inner struggles to stay calm is also not well hidden. She took some breath and sighed.
"After all, out of all the people, only one managed to go through everything and find out who really I am, huh?" He said in a low voice. It surprised her though. She had a feeling that he knows what she knows. But it still surprised her. Little bit she thought, he will deny. Turns out he already accepted everything. But there's a bunch of questions in her mind.
"Out of all the possibilities, turns out you are the one everyone's after. Hiding where everyone will see, but won't recognise." She replied.
Deku' face changed it's emotions suddenly. He only chuckled amused and shook his head. Uraraka raised a brow in confusion. Did she said something funny? He immediately stopped chuckling and looks at her again. "Hiding? Why I would do that?" He questioned.
"Isn't that obvious? To hide your true identity or intentions or whatever." Uraraka pointed out the obvious. He
"And yet, here am I in middle of a huge crowd, having a conversation with a UA student about who I really am. I wouldn't have done that if i was trying trying to hide." He said with smirk. It send shivers down her spine.
"What?" She could only say that much.
"I'm not hiding. You know why...?" He started leaning down to face her, making her step back a little. She could only see seriousness in those green eyes. She held her breath as if that will help in the situation any way. "Because I don't care." He said straightforward and moved his face away from hers.
She blinked a few times to process everything and realised what he said. "I don't care. If I was hiding, nobody would've known about my existence. If i wanted to hide, I've destroyed every evidences that led you to me. I'm not a fool to give anyone information that I don't want them to know. You wouldn't standing here, if i put any effort in laying low." He said the truth. She cannot spot any lies. He's real honest.
He's straightforward with every replies. She wasn't expecting this to go without any drama. And that's why she's struggling to keep her composure. She was only prepared for a negative retaliation. But, now he doesn't even care that someone knows him. That pushed her into the unknown territory and half of the questions she wants to ask just escaped her mind.
"But I'm here now. The only mistake I did is to keep the secret with me. I should've informed my teachers beforehand I came here. That way, they'll know why I never came back." Uraraka said.
Deku didn't even showed any emotions. "But I thought 'true' heroes won't let the innocents die. If you die out here even after you told them the whole thing, they won't be the heroes you think they are. Been searching for me for a while, but I never seen any genuine efforts by their side." He countered. Half of it didn't quite reached her understanding. But she caught the part where he called the heroes false ones.
"What do you know about sacrifices? If a scenario happens that way, then it's because I'm willing to die if you are brought to the justice." She said big words. It wasn't something wanted to say out loud, but she didn't care. What matters is the answers she seeks.
Deku' eyes went cold and Uraraka saw something she never saw, but wanted to see. Those eyes now matched with the same portrait in Izumi'room. Her dead brother. She almost forgot that in the tension of the moment. Uraraka knew that she said something wrong and it hit him mentally. Izumi told about who he was. Even though the Ghost Rider is a counter opposite of the Izuku Midoriya in Izumi' stories, Uraraka did believe her. And she slowly recalled about everything Izumi said. Maybe her words came out harsh, and if he's that same boy, then it must have hurted him.
"I had to suffer. Until I was dead." He said in a low, and slow voice. Those words hit her soul. It was scary and also... saddened. The pain in those words almost got hidden by his usual intimidating tone. But she heard it. She almost missed it, but heard it faintly.
Uraraka sighed and looks up at him and she forced herself from feeling guilty. He's not that same boy anymore. "But that doesn't give you the rights, Deku. It's way too extreme. And you found the wrong bunch to take your anger out on. I'm sure none of you murdered, had a role in bullying you." She said.
"If that's the only thing you can come up with, it's not even close to the reality. Sometimes things are possible which doesn't make sense." Deku replied and walked away towards the bench he was sitting.
Uraraka watched him go and sighed. She needs information. Throwing accusations ain't a good approach. So she decided to behave with the situation. She nodded to herself and moved closer to him. She took a seat next to him and looks at him in a different perspective. Until now she treated him as the rider, but how about see the boy who turned into this monster.
"How is it possible? I do believe Izumi and I've seen your grave. How is it possible unless you faked your death?" She started with that topic.
He didn't spoke anything. So she decided to continue. "I do believe her. She told me how much she missed your presence. How everything changed since you're gone. And how she'll never see you again. But then I'm seeing you here, alive or undead or whatever.. going on out there, massacred those people and calling yourself the Ghost Rider. How a boy like you turned into this? How are you even alive?" She asked some of the questions she wanted to ask.
He looks at her. "I never survived. I'm dead and i was that boy you know. But I changed. Everyone will if they realise the truth. You too." He said but before she could ask more, a crowd gathered around a big screen on the wall. The news are out.
Deku pointed at that direction. "I guess it's only the matter of seconds now."
MEANWHILE...
"... the massacre left the civilians horrified and led them to a point where they demanded answers. This time, no heroes or Villains perished. The bodies belongs to the local citizens and the police promised another promise of expanding their reach on the case.
At first the promise caused another riot, this morning the higher ups said that, they've finally have a lead.
The day pro hero Endeavour and Mirko was attacked, Mirko had the target on sight. She claimed that she seen his face and they've recreated his face by drawing. Few minutes ago the drawn picture was published to the public. This is the monstrous vigilante looks like..." A picture of the drawing appeared on the screen. "Contact for help immediately if seen this individual. And do not engage in any form conflict."
That's only thing they've heard. Everyone stared at the picture and only the some of them had their eyes widened in shock and horror. Katsuki, his mother, inko and Izumi was those people.
Even though the picture wasn't a hundred percent accurate, it is identical. One of the officers who can see the bits and pieces into someone's mind created that.
Even with some minor changes, everything else seems accurate. And that's why it shocked them. That face never left their hearts and now it appeared somewhere it shouldn't be.
Inko almost screamed, but no sounds came out. The shock was way too overwhelming.