The hero commission
Estelle woke from her slumber with a groan of pain. Turning slightly, she hissed when discomfort flared up through her side. After giving herself a few minutes to collect herself, Estelle forced her body into a sitting position. She looked around the room and realised that she was in a hospital bed.
Reviewing the battle that took place in her mind, Estelle slumped at the fact that the truth of her identity from another world had become known. She was certainly in a pickle. There wasn't much Estelle could do about it besides keeping her freedom. She worried about what the government would decide.
Estelle was going to have to play this smart.
She took the time of solitude to develop her plan of action; her thoughts were interrupted when the hospital door opened. A man strode into the room with a black suit and shades. He looked down at Estelle with a sneer before speaking.
"Good. You're awake. You are currently resting in The Hero Commission headquarters. As much as we would like to give you the rest you need. The world is questioning the change that you have brought us. That means we need a resolution, quickly."
"I understand."
"Good. Are you well enough to talk to us now?"
"I would appreciate a change of clothes first."
"Granted."
Estelle was wheeled into a conference room that held a table that seated around fifteen people. The seats were filled with men and women, which quietened when she arrived. Estelle kept her posture upright to hide her current weakness. She knew how these people worked, and they would use every opportunity to tear down any vulnerable spots that she revealed.
"I'm glad you agreed to see us so quickly. Thank you. I am the president of the Hero Commission; it is nice to make your acquaintance," The woman at the far end of the desk introduced.
Estelle tilted her head briefly in acknowledgement and muttered, "Likewise."
"Then we will begin. Estelle, the battle of Kamino word had arisen questions on your identity. The man you had fought had declared to the world that you two were are not even from this planet."
"That is correct."
"How that is even possible?"
"Your world was granted the ability to use quirks. Are you saying that you've never thought of the possibility that there were other worlds? Other alternate realities? Extra-terrestrials?" Estelle prodded.
"Of course, these concepts have been brought up in theory. There had never been any concrete evidence to suggest otherwise. Forgive me, but I'm sure you can understand our reluctance to believe this?"
"Of course, I do. But it is the truth."
"From what we gathered from your enemy. You were hailed as a hero in your previous world. You were also forced into this one out of your own volition. Is that right?"
"Correct. The enemy name was Ryah. He was the son of a powerful being I fought in a war against. He had a grudge."
"We can see that, yes. Could we expect more of your kind to follow?"
"When Ryah forced me here. He created a bridge between both worlds. He refused to give the location before he died. Now that the bridge is lost somewhere in Japan, it is unmanned without him. There are likely to be cases of spirits coming through. Most of them will not be good."
"And what do you think we need to do to stop this?"
"You'll need to let me find and close it. I am the best person to handle these creatures since I've fought them for most of my life."
"Right. Fortunately, public perception of you is good since you took down a powerful villain that failed to be stopped by the heroes. That is most likely going to decrease when civilian lives are affected by beings from your own world."
"That's why we need to be as quick as possible."
"I hope you understand that we can't let you go lightly. You are a student of UA who used your abilities without permission. You are also from an unknown world; there is a risk here—a substantial one. You could be a massive threat, even if you did help us. How do you expect us just to let you roam free to find this so-called bridge?"
Estelle could tell by the tone of her voice that this wasn't going to be easy. Her shoulders tensed at the realisation. They were going to try their hardest to ensure she didn't succeed at getting out of this. At the very least, the look in her eyes told her everything she needed to know.
The president wanted control.
Like hell, she was going to give it to them. She had been controlled enough.
"If we are looking at laws, my abilities don't fall under quirks since I am not from here. That makes it null and void. Secondly, I understand your point. I do. It is a great risk that you would be taking. But I am the best person for the job. No offence, but you have no idea where to begin when it comes to the bridge and the spirits from my world. You need me. Lastly, I have a few ideas."
"You did your research."
"Of course, I was in some alien world. I had to understand what I was dealing with. I would have withered and died otherwise."
"You are smart. I think we should let you rest a little more before digging any further. You have only been awake for a while, and it would be cruel for us to keep you right now."
Estelle could tell that they weren't expecting her to know the wording of the law. They were going back to the drawing board.
"Of course, it was a pleasure."
"Likewise."
Estelle lay in her hospital bed and attempted to use her water bending to heal herself. The process was slow, but she was making progress. When the doctor attended to her, Estelle was informed of the severity of her injury. She had lost a lot of blood in the fight with Ryah. If Estelle had been brought to the doctors any later, she would have been dead.
The medic placed an outdated phone onto the bed with a wink. He walked out of the door whilst he gave his parting words.
"You have allies in UA. Don't give up."
Estelle gazed at her phone in disbelief. Her heart warmed at the fact they had slipped a phone to her. With all the scrutiny she was under, she expected UA to stay as far away as possible. From the brief glimpse she had of the news, the world was going wild in their theories.
Opening the device, Estelle found that there were two numbers already saved. Examining them further, Estelle recognised that one number belonged to Nona. Her heart clenched at the thoughtfulness of whoever assigned the phone.
Estelle decided to communicate with Nona first. Clicking the green call button, Estelle raised the device to her ear.
"Hello?" Nona's voice rung out in question. Estelle breath stopped. She never thought she would get to hear her voice again.
"If this is the reporters again, I repeat. I am not taking interviews about my daughter. So, leave me be," Nona continued in the silence.
Estelle laughed to let out all the affection and relief she was feeling. "Nona, it's me. Estelle. I appreciate you keeping my privacy."
"Oh! Estelle! My dear! It's so great to hear from you; I was so worried! I tried to get some information on what happened, but they wouldn't tell me. I was furious. Then your teacher came and asked for my number. He told me that you were alive! I was so relieved!" Nona rambled. Estelle quietly listened as her heart grew lighter from the evident concern.
"Don't worry, Nona. I'll figure everything out and come back. Just like I promised. I'm just happy to hear your voice."
"Oh, my dear. I watched the fight, and I am so proud of you. I'm cheering you on, okay? Get some rest and keep me updated. I love you, dear."
"I will. I... love you too."
The line clicked shut as a tear fell from Estelle's eye. It was the first time she had heard the words uttered to her. It was the first time she had ever said it. Estelle gripped her bedsheet as the new emotions washed over her. She believed it; she really loved that old woman. Estelle took a deep breath to calm herself and called the second number.
"Estelle", Aizawa's voice rang out through the receiver.
"Hey, Aizawa."
"How are you holding up?"
"As good as can be. Thank you for getting Nona's number. I needed that."
"I'm glad. I told you that UA looks out for their students. I wish you had spoken to us, and it never got to this point, but I understand why you didn't. It must have been a heavy burden that you had to carry."
Estelle's throat tightened at his words. What was it with people showing her so much kindness?
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Enough of that. Tell me, how is the Hero Commission treating you?"
"They are treating me fine."
"Don't lie."
"I'm not, but I can tell that there's something else going on. The Commission is looking for a way to keep me here."
"That sounds like them. You need to play this smart. Don't agree to anything but your own terms. Read your contracts thoroughly. I'm sure you knew this already, but I wanted to be certain. They can only hold you for so long."
"Yeah, I understand. But why are you helping me? I could be deceiving you all."
"The fact that you asked me just shows you aren't lying, Estelle. Plus, we knew from the start that something didn't add up. Who else would fight for others safety if not a villain? The public has the same opinion."
"Right. Thank you."
"I'll leave you be. Call if you need help or advice, even if it's urgent. UA is here for you. I am here for you."
"Thank you, Aizawa. Goodnight."
The class minus Estelle stood outside the UA dorms when Mr Aizawa arrived with a cup of coffee in hand.
"Welcome to the UA Dorms; before we begin, listen up as this is important", He started.
"Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, Todoroki, Iida and Midoriya went to save Bakugo that night. I would've expelled everyone except Bakugo, Jiro and Hagakure since the rest of you knew what they were about to do but did not stop them. You all betrayed our trust, no matter what the reason. I would be grateful if you follow the proper procedure and follow the rules to regain that trust."
Aizawa turned as the downtrodden class looked on. "That is all; let's head in."
"Mr Aizawa", Izuku piped up to gain his attention. He trembled slightly as the class watched the interaction. "Where is Estelle?"
"Ah yes, she is currently being held at the Commission."
"But why? She helped save everyone from that weird guy," Kirishima queried, confused.
"As I am sure you are all aware - Estelle is a conundrum. There are a lot of questions that surrounded the girl when she first arrived at UA. The event at Kamino Ward only increased them."
"Can we see her? I would like to know how my friend is doing," Shoto probed.
"I have spoken to her. She is doing just fine. That is all. Now move along."
"Yes, sir!"
The majority of the class sat around the living room when they decided to visit everyone's dorms to find the best one. They had finished the boy's rooms and headed to the girl's dorms to even the odds. As they visited each dorm, most of the class walked past Estelle's room with a frown.
"Can you believe it? Watching that fight with Estelle and the crazy glowing guy was so weird. It was like I was watching a movie," Kirishima pondered while he scratched his head.
Izuku perked up. "Yeah! It was also like watching someone leave their shell in a sense! That power was incredible. I can't help but wonder why she never showed that type of strength in class. Then again, she was always distant to us, and she would have her rare moments when she would open up. It was like she fought like that a million times before! There was also a lot she never told us a-"
Izuku whined as he was brought out of his rambling with a bonk on the head. It was from Hagakure, who giggled at him, "You sound like a boy with a crush!"
Midoriya turned tomato red as he shook his head back and forth, muttering, "No, no! No crush! I'm just curious! I can be curious without having a crush!"
Shoto interrupted the conversation seriously whilst Midoriya took the time to catch his breath. "I just hope she is okay; I worry about what they could be doing to her. She was secretive, we knew that, and we didn't care - because she was our classmate. We just have to remember that."
The rest of the class looked at the boy in surprise before they nodded in agreement and smiled softly.
"You are right; she helped me once! I hope to be there for her and repay that debt!" Iida shouted as he chopped his hands in the air.
Yaoyorozu spoke up with uncertainty, "But what if we don't know her?"
"The villain literally called her a hero from her old world; I doubt it would be anything else", Tokoyami answered calmly.
"We will get our answers soon. We just have to keep an open mind and make our judgments after finding out what's going on with Estelle. No point worrying about the worst for now" Jiro stepped in, sounding equally unsure.
The class nodded in agreement and proceeded along—all thinking of the possibilities that lay within Estelle.
It was the next day when Estelle rolled back into the conference room in her wheelchair. Estelle's resolve had grown with the conversations she had with Nona and Aizawa. She observed whilst the president of the Hero commission stood up for introductions.
"It's nice to see you again, Estelle. I see your injuries are beginning to heal up well."
"You too. And of course, I have been using my healing abilities to speed up the process."
"It is truly fascinating how much you can achieve with your capabilities."
"Thank you."
The president took her seat once again, and Estelle prepared herself for a verbal brawl. She felt like she was partaking in politics. The people who sat around the conference room nodded in greeting, but Estelle could see the uncertainty in their eyes. Her resolve only increased.
"Estelle. We need you to disclose everything you know about your world."
"Why I would need to do that?"
"So, we are prepared for the fights ahead. Fights against beings from your own world, young girl," The president replied sharply. Estelle felt indignation from the backhanded insult.
"I have fought in battlefields on my own and won. I have fought a war and came out undefeated. I am sure that I would handle the stragglers that have found their way through the breach. There is no need if I am here to handle it."
The president scowled in response before standing in frustration. "You think we can trust your word?"
"You think you can trust the information I could give you? These two questions go hand in hand. You can't trust one and not the other."
Silence.
She got them.
Estelle held in her smirk.
"If you are unwilling to provide us with the information, then I'm afraid we may have to result to non-hero like tactics", The president warned coldly, knowing she had lost her edge.
"I'm afraid that won't work but sure by all means. Break me."
"How can you be so confident?"
"Because there is nothing you can do that I haven't already experienced. It. Won't. Work. You can test the theory out, of course, but you don't have enough time. From what I researched, you can only hold me for five days? It's already been three. You're bluffing."
The president sighed and looked down at her paperwork as if it had betrayed her. In a sense, it had. Her plan of action wasn't successful, and the last resort of threatening Estelle had failed miserably.
"What do you suggest?"
"A contract."
"Go on."
"A contract stating the agreement for my full freedom. In return, I will show you my memories from my world. I will handle the threats from my world. I will also close the breach."
Every member of the Commission stood up, arguing over each other as they discussed Estelle's terms. The president was silent as she gazed at Estelle.
"You would be under my command for this?"
"No, I will be under UA's. I am already a student there. They can give you the reports. Hell, they can even join me in the hunt."
"You would be out of your jurisdiction as a student. We can grant you a Hero license, but that means you wouldn't be with UA anymore."
"I think the more agreeable terms would be to have a Hero License whilst being a student. There are still things I need to learn. I am still a teenager after all."
Silence.
Huh, they seemed to have forgotten that fact.
Guess showing power made them forget.
The president sighed, knowing that this was the best she was going to get. Information about her world would be great in the name of science. The girl wasn't going to budge; she could see it in her eyes. She had gained her most significant asset, her freedom. The president couldn't deny that the teenager sitting in front of her was a genius. She ruined their attempts through simple research.
The president nodded.
Estelle's heart rumbled with victory.
"We will build your contract and drop it off at your room to review. We will meet again tomorrow to discuss any tweaks that need to be made. It was certainly interesting doing business with you."
"Likewise, President."
Estelle received her copy of the contract and reviewed the papers. She had Aizawa and Principle Nezu on the receiver to ask questions about anything she was unsure about. Estelle was thankful to have their support.
"It sounds like they have fulfilled their promises. I see no deception in the contract," Principle Nezu confirmed.
"It's quite a feat, Estelle. Truly. You did well to ensure your safety and freedom," Aizawa added. Estelle's heart warmed at his tone. Did he seem... proud?
"Thank you; I appreciate both of your help."
"We do what we can for our students. Including ones that aren't from this world. How fascinating! I can't wait to know more," Principle Nezu exclaimed.
"Don't scare the student off; she will tell us in her own time", Aizawa responded in a warning.
"Speaking of that, do you want to be there for the viewing?"
"Do you want us there?"
"Not really, not yet, at least."
"That's fine. We'll stay on need-to-know. Whenever you decide you want to talk. We - alongside Class 1A - Will be there."
"Thank you. Mr Aizawa."
"Hmpt, it's no problem."
Estelle signed the contract with a hint of a smile. She was anxious to see Nona tomorrow and resume life as usual. With a few changes, of course.
"Great, now that this has been resolved. The next thing we must do is review your memories. How will we do this?"
"My abilities have something called spirit bending, by allowing you to see my spirit. My soul. The memories will come with it. Prepare yourselves. This will not be easy."
"How? You said this will be painless."
"It is, but what you will see... My life was not easy; rather, it was downright terrible. By consenting to go in, you are accepting that you as individuals were agreeable."
"Of course, we all have accepted."
"Good, let's begin."