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Random Moments from the To Be A Hero Universe
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Jessylane318
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A/N: Since I reached over 50 chapters and 100 reviews, I wanted to post something extra for the To Be A Hero story. It's not much, but a few thoughts on what the other characters were thinking/saying with everything was going on. This chapter includes Present Mic (Y) and Eraserhead (A) discussing Hoki's internship from the 4th arc. It spans several chapters. Please be aware there are spoilers here if you aren't up to date with the story.
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Y: What am I getting myself into? Your little quiet girl came to see me, and I thought she was going to barf. Kid looked terrified.
A: Possible victim of bullying, trust issues, and low self-esteem. Parents were quirkless, removed at a young age, they used her quirk to rob gas stations. She seems to think it was her fault, so some past trauma. Can't get much out of her though. Tried the patient approach with no success and a soft interrogation was even less effective. The caretaker was crass, vague, and unhelpful.
Y: Well… that's intimidating. You know I can be loud, you sure this is a good idea?
A: Yes.
Y: Alright then. I'll set up her room tonight, we'll just go with 'bullied girl with low self-esteem' MO and see where that takes us.
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Y: Something is not right with this one.
A: I'm aware. Did you get anything out of her?
Y: No, but I'm trying not to push. She cried when she saw her room. Really Shouta, it's just the basics and asked if it was actually hers. Like who else would it be for? I dunno. I had her take a nap, kid looked completely overwhelmed. She was out like a light, hardly got an argument.
A: Interesting
Y: That's one word for it. She seems a little younger than her age, not physically, but emotionally? I dunno what you were thinking trying to interrogate her.
A: She skipped class to hide in a bathroom covered in tobacco and fucking penises and tried to tell me nothing was wrong. This went on for weeks. She lost control of her quirk in the sports festival and could have very easily killed her classmates and all I got out of it was she was mad someone wasn't watching. Of course, I interrogated her.
Y: I got it! Yikes! When you put it that way... Did you pick her up a phone?
A: Yes. I had Shinsou charge and test it. I plugged in the numbers already. Pick it up before your patrol.
Y: Sounds good.
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A: Why are there bruises on her face?
Y: She says she got in a fight. They don't look too new, but it explains the makeup. She won't tell me much. It's like pulling teeth to get much of anything. Asked if she got it at the home and she clammed up. Was the last incident physical as well?
A: No. The caretaker said there had been pranks in the past, but nothing beyond that.
Y: I'll try and talk to her about it tomorrow. Her stamina's rather pitiful. The kid fell asleep on the roof.
A: She's another that over-relies on their quirk.
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Y: Were you aware she knows only *two* of her peers' names?
A: You're joking…
Y: Want to guess which two she knows?
A: …
Y: Mineta and Kaminari. She's got little nicknames for all of them. Glasses, Explosive, how did you not catch this?
A: She rarely talks. I thought she was shy, not apathetic.
Y: You saw how she acted at lunch. Not sure its apathy so much as a defense mechanism. There's something more going on here than bullying. Didn't you talk to the caretaker about talking out feelings?
A: Yes. But the woman was cagey and hung up quickly at the end.
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Y: She's been abused and I'm almost positive it's going on in that house.
A: She talked to you?
Y: A little, but not enough to say anything damning. Those shadows she pulls, you know how you thought they were emotions? Well, you're right. The fire is anger and the creepy tentacle things? Those are fear. Shouta, those shadows put a crack in the warehouse cement. How can a kid that quiet have this much fear? I don't even know what she's afraid of.
A: Damn.
Y: But that's not all, we worked on throws today. I grabbed her shirt and she completely lost it, threw herself backward, and started crying "sorry." It's too conditioned for it to be an accident. She flinched the entire practice.
A: Talk to her again and see if you can get something more. That's enough for an investigation, but not removal.
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A: Did you get anything?
Y: Nothing substantial. This shit pisses me off. She thinks she's a villain. Damn near cried herself to sleep. Is there really no way to remove her?
A: I completed the traumatic children's upgrade after the vandalism incident just in case. I could keep her a few days after the internship ends, but without anything concrete to justify it? Not really. She'd have to go back. Then there's the matter of where we'd be removing her to. Nezu said he'd look into the homes and there might be one still within decent transportation of the school.
Y: Fuck. Alright, well I'm going to give her some space and try again later. Maybe with some more bonding, I can pull it from her soon.
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Y: I just want to fucking break something.
A: What happened now?
Y: Nothing new, I'm just venting. Why would someone hurt a child? How could they let this happen? Shouta, she's sweet and kind and damn it all, what am I sending her back to?
A: What's bringing this on?
Y: It's everything. She told me today, nobody hurts her anymore. That it stopped when she moved rooms. And I finally feel like I'm getting somewhere and she fucking clams up! She won't talk because that damn caretaker might get in trouble. So, I get her into the booth. I expected her to freeze up, you know how she is. But she didn't. She just randomly lets loose. And I want to break something. Because the caller asked what the best part of the internship was. And you know what she said?
A: Obviously not. The good food?
Y: Ha Ha. She told them it was me. Shouta, she said *I* was the best part because I hugged her and taught her things. That nobody else does. That I'm the nicest person she's ever met.
Y: Damn it Shouta, why won't she tell me.
A: We have until Friday. Keep trying.
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A: She had a panic attack.
Y: Why? Is she okay?
A: Terrified she was going to hurt someone. She bloodied Shinsou's nose and melted down. Actually had the balls to yell at me too. It'd have been impressive if she didn't start hyperventilating right after. This is a much larger problem, Hizashi. She's not made to be purely defensive. I thought it was a preference, this is an ingrained response. She doesn't have the body or the quirk for it.
Y: What do you suggest?
A: Send her back tomorrow. We'll work through it and I'll take her on patrol.
Y: Alright
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Y: Just a warning, she's in a foul mood.
A: Good. She tends to talk more that way.
Y: See, that's why she likes me better.
A: I don't care if she likes me or not. I care that she survives.
Y: It was a joke. :(
A: So?
Y: Nevermind, you all suck.
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A: SOS – Nomu in the city
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A: The kids aren't answering their phones. Where are you?
Y: Busy. Somebody sent a bomb.
A: Fuck
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A: Found the kids. Get here now.
A:[Address]
A: Hoki's been assaulted and kidnapped, headwound and traumatized. Shinsou found her, also traumatized but without injury. I'm at the scene now. Caretaker and two kids dead. Multiple children injured. Ambulance and police just arrived. Villain unaccounted for, codename Asp.
Y: Fuck
Y: I'm on my way