Izumi
Something was wrong.
Ever since leaving the teacher's office, Akane had been quiet. It wasn't her usual kind though.
The air around her felt heavier, as if an invisible weight pressed down on her. There was a darkness to her eyes I'd never seen before too.
Every instinct in me screamed that something was wrong, that I needed to pay attention and fix whatever it was.
I'd never felt this kind of urgency before and the more minutes that dragged by, the worse it got.
Just as I worked up the courage to speak, the door opened and in strode her mother.
She swept a harsh look over the room before landing on Akane. Her eyes flashed violet and Akane flinched in response, her hands curling around her knees in a pose I knew all too well.
Did she just use her quirk on Akane?!
Ferocious anger ripped to the surface, but before I could speak, she beat me to it while glaring down her nose at Akane.
"This is unacceptable behavior and you will hear about it once you're home. Don't expect me to pick you up from school either. I'm going to have to work later to cover the time I missed being here."
Akane nodded and disappeared through the office door. Once we were alone, I took her hand and begged. "Please tell someone about this. She's going to hurt you, she just did! You don't deserve this, Akane!"
She shook her head and looked away, the faintest tremor working through her frame telling me that the woman's power was still active.
"Who's going to listen, Izumi? Usually you tell teachers about stuff like this but obviously that's not an option. Your Mom is amazing, but she can't get me out of this."
The cloud around her doubled down and the screaming need to get rid of it dug into my chest like hooks.
"Akane-!" I tried to reach her again, but she pulled her hand away and stood.
"I only have to put up with it for a few more years."
A tiny shudder rolled down her spine at the thought, but she shook it off and continued. "Just…a few more years."
Before I could try to convince her further, she walked away, her stride uneven and halting. The desperation rose to a fever pitch.
Something I couldn't see was going on here and I needed to stop it.
Mr. Funai and walked out of the office, pulling my focus back to the present as the former raised a brow.
"Where did go?"
Her mother squinted, temper building rapidly, and I answered while hoping it would be enough to get Akane out of some trouble.
"She didn't want to miss anymore of class."
He nodded in approval and, after a long beat of silence, her mother grunted.
"Remind her later that she doesn't have a ride home. Brat has the worst memory I've ever seen."
Because you abuse her to the point she's constantly tired!
I didn't say that but oh did I want to.
It wouldn't help though, so I bit my tongue and waited until she was gone to face the principal.
"Can I go back to class too? My mom works late so she probably won't be able to come."
He waved, "That's fine. I'll leave a message and we can set a day to discuss this."
I didn't give him a chance to take it back. Jumping out of my seat, I hustled outside only instead of heading to class, I went toward the yard.
Izumi would have wanted air and, and…
And I had no idea what to do from here. The bad feeling screamed with urgency but what was it I needed to do!?
I needed an adult, anyone who would actually help instead of making things worse.
Mom was working and she was the only person trustworthy enough to tell Akane's secret, even part of it.
Something slapped into my head, blacking out the school around me, and I ripped it off with a scowl.
Litter was everywhere but did it have to literally hit me in the head now?
When I read the poster though, hope flashed to life.
'Put Your Hands Up Radio' was advertising their new phone line for questions and at the bottom was small print.
This will be a private and secure line, any topic my young listeners need to discuss can be talked about with the knowledge it won't leave the room.
Present Mic was a pro-hero, if I could trust anyone with this it would be him!
Scrambling to dial the number with shaking hands, I waited impatiently through the rings as I kept looking for Akane.
Just as I was going to give up on the call, someone picked up.
"Yo, yo, yo! You've got the ear of Present Mic. What question do you have for me today, listener?"
I slowed to a stop and sighed in relief. I wasn't going to be doing this alone after all.
"Present Mic, sir. It's about a friend of mine. She doesn't have…the best home life and today our school blamed her for using her quirk against a bully. She's always been quiet, but something was different. She was scary quiet and I have a bad feeling, like if I don't do something now it'll be too late and-."
I choked on tears I hadn't even noticed forming, the word vomit stumbling to a stop as I fought to just breathe.
I hadn't wanted to put words to the fear because it'd make it too real, but now I knew why I needed to find Akane.
Because if I didn't, something told me she wouldn't be here tomorrow.
My lungs pinched painfully and air refused to come as that thought fully sank in. My friend, who'd been with me nearly from the start, may try to end it all.
"Easy there listener! I got what you're saying but I need you to breathe with me, alright? A deep breath in, another one out."
Present Mic's voice cut through the fear like a knife and I followed the instructions until the wild panic eased into something more manageable.
When I wasn't actively hyperventilating, he continued. "Alright, good job, now do you know where your friend is?"
I looked around again and shook my head despite him not being able to see it. "No, I followed her as fast as I could, but-."
Then I caught a flash of dark hair and the sentence cut off.
Akane was…on the roof.
Suddenly, Kacchan's words from earlier came back to me and a choked noise, almost like a dying animal, dragged up from my throat.
"Listener, I need you to tell me what's going on. I tracked your call and a friend of mine is on route to your location, but what's happening?"
Staring up at Akane, I managed to unlock my lungs enough to wheeze out one sentence.
"I found my friend; she's- she's on the roof."
He sucked in a breath that ended on a curse before muttering something a bit further away…to the guy he said was coming?
God, I hoped he made it in time.
Please, let him make it in time.
"Listen to me, can you get her attention at all? Eraserhead is almost there now, you just need to keep her distracted for two minutes, tops."
A distant part of me whispered that having Eraserhead near Akane was a bad idea, but I squashed it down ruthlessly.
If he found out, so be it. Maybe he'd actually do something if he saw her about to walk off a roof.
Looking up at Akane, I knew the second she noticed me. She hesitated and I used that to my advantage. Pulling in as much air as I could, I screamed.
"Don't you dare take one more step, do you-." The words choked off on a sob and I swallowed it down. "DO YOU HEAR ME, AKANE?! NOT ONE MORE STEP."
She froze, like I hoped she would. Would it be enough though?
Thankfully, yes it was.
Not even a full minute after I said that, something white wrapped tight around her and ripped her back from the edge.
She was safe. She wasn't going to step off that roof, at least not with a pro hero there to stop her.
One sob turned into many until I could barely breathe through them all. Sliding to sit, I pressed my head into my knees and fought to just breathe.
Through it all, Present Mic's voice floated into my ears.
"Good job, listener. You put quite a bit of volume in that shout, your resident Voice Hero approves."
A hysterical laugh bubbled out of me and I let it, too tired to care how insane I sounded. Thankfully, he didn't bat an eyelash.
"Just let it all out. You did a heroic thing today, but now it's time to focus on you."
Heroic?
The word stuck out and I managed to stop laughing to respond. "I'm not heroic. I was just trying to stop her from leaving me. I'm-. I'm quirkless."
It shouldn't make a difference, but to most people it did. I braced to hear him take the words back…only he didn't do that.
"Kid, you've got the heart of a hero. Quirk or no quirk, as long as you have that, you can be a hero."
The words hit with all the force of a truck and I stared ahead, trying to absorb them.
Present Mic, a Pro-Hero, thought I could be one?
Not even Mom believed that, though I could tell she felt guilty about it. Only Akane thought I could do it and now… so did he.
Another round of tears hit and I let them, too busy soaking in the swelling happiness of finally hearing those words.
"You…really think that?" I asked and he hummed, a warm and approving noise.
"Course I do, listener! You'll have to work harder than most, but you can do this!" I could practically see his thumbs up now and I swiped at the tears still making paths down my cheeks.
"Thanks, no one but my friend believes that. It's-. It's nice to hear from a real hero."
Honestly, the only thing that'd make it better would be if All Might himself were to say it.
Present Mic's tone all but oozed encouragement now. "Don't listen to any of the haters, ya hear me? Work hard, train hard, and do your best! Remember UA's motto? Plus Ultra! I believe in you, listener!"
New determination burned to the surface and I reveled in it.
"I'm going to be a hero, one who lifts people's spirits just like you and All Might. I'll work hard until I manage that goal!"
He laughed but not the usual mocking one I heard all the time. This one was approving and I soaked it up like a sponge.
"Go get them, listener! Feel free to call in again if you need to talk."
I mumbled an agreement, still riding high off adrenaline and the excitement of finally hearing the words I burned for as a kid in that doctor's office. Glancing up at the roof, I decided.
Kacch-. No, Katsuki's behavior was unacceptable. He'd almost had a hand in Akane's suicide and while I didn't know what to do on that front, what I did know?
He wasn't the boy I'd been friends with years ago. The burn on my cheek was proof of that and this…this was too.
I don't know who the boy wearing his face was, but it wasn't my job to fix him.
From now on, I would stand up for myself. I would train until everything ached.
I would be a hero, just like Present Mic and All Might.
He wasn't going to stop me, no one would.
Before I could dive into planning out an exercise routine to get a start on that though, there was a talk that needed to be had and Akane was not getting out of it.
Alright, another week done and I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter. This one was heavier, but at least we're about to finally have the meeting, right? Next week, tune in for Aizawa and Akane's talk. Until then, have a nice one!