Consciousness seeped into him reluctantly, as through a column of water. Sonic slowly came to his senses, and every glimmer of clarity was pierced by a sense of deep unease. Something was categorically wrong.
One- Muscles were aching as if after hard work.
Two- Only a sharp flash of white light was all that the past moment had left.
What came after that, he had no idea. Memory was silent, as if it had been forcibly compelled.
He remembered the battle with the Time Eater, the explosion, and the way the white light surrounded him, but now...
He didn't realize where he was. His eyes, used to the bright light, are slowly adjusting to the new surroundings
His emerald eyes snapped open with difficulty, as if they were taped shut from the inside. The world around him appeared blurred like an old mirror. His gaze flickered, but he couldn't focus. The thought of simply sinking back into oblivion flashed through his mind, but that attempt was immediately cut short by realization.
This wasn't just any room.
A room that seemed strangely familiar, but at the same time frighteningly foreign. Gray walls with a smooth, featureless surface, nothing superfluous, everything minimalistic, as if it were specifically for torture. And in the very center of this sterile emptiness stood a table. An ordinary desk, but in this setting it seemed to mock him.
And then his gaze fell on his own hands. Handcuffs were on them, roughly restraining his wrists, the cold metal cutting into his skin.
"What the hell... is... this?" - Sonic wheezed, his voice sounding muffled and squashed. He was trapped.
He was alone in this sterile, featureless room, handcuffed.
Suddenly, the silence that had seemed so heavy before was broken. Sonic heard a click, and then a creak as the door opened. It wasn't loud, but in that dead silence, it sounded like the rolling of thunder. Sonic tensed, his ears perked up and his muscles tensed despite his weakness.
A man appeared in the doorway. Sonic had never seen him before.
He was short in stature, with a neat short cut of dark hair. He wore strict, dark clothes that looked like he was always ready for a business meeting. His face was serious and a little tired.
His gaze was calm, even a little pensive.
Sonic couldn't figure out what exactly he saw in them - whether it was interest, or curiosity, or maybe just impassive appraisal.
The man, without saying a word, stepped closer. Sonic felt his tension rising. Who is this guy?
The man stopped right in front of Sonic, only a few feet separating them. His dark, penetrating eyes looked directly into Sonic the hedgehog's eyes, as if trying to look into his soul. Silence hung in the air, and only the annoying ringing in Sonic's ears and his own confused breathing broke the ominous silence. Finally, the man spoke, his voice calm and steady.
"I want to ask you some questions, hedgehog. It would be best for everyone if you offered no resistance."
His words sounded calm, even polite, but there wasn't an ounce of doubt in them. Sonic tensed, preparing for action, for escape, for anything, but something in this man's calmness, in his steadfastness, made him stop.
The man pulled a small tool from his pocket, something like a miniature lock pick. A few light movements, and the handcuffs restraining Sonic's wrists opened. The click of metal echoed through the room.
"Sit at the table," the man pointed to the table in the center of the room.
"It'll be faster for both of us."
Sonic looked around, as if searching for some escape route, but his thoughts were confused.
Slowly, shifting his heavy, lead-laden legs, Sonic walked over to the table and sat down. The man watched him, his expression unchanged.
As soon as Sonic took a seat, the man silently pulled a new set of handcuffs from his pocket. They looked the same as the previous ones, but Sonic felt even more oppressive, as if he was not just shackled, but put in a cage with no way out.
The man snapped the handcuffs on the hedgehog's wrists with the same dexterity. Sonic felt the cold metal against his skin, and then the man's dispassionate gaze. This time the stranger's calmness was like a sentence.
"Now let's begin," the man sat down across from him and his dark eyes settled back into the hedgehog's eyes.
The man settled himself across from Sonic, his gaze remaining as calm and penetrating as if he could read the hedgehog's thoughts. The silence in the room seemed even more pressurized when he began to speak, his voice sounding steady and calm:
"Let's start simple. Name?"
Sonic looked at him, frowning even more in bewilderment. Did this man really not know who he was?
"Sonic."
The man tilted his head slightly, as if registering the information, and continued:
"Age?"
Sonic thought for a moment, remembering that he had tried to calculate his age some time ago.
"Fifteen," he replied, trying to sound confident.
"Place of residence?" - The man asked next, without changing his facial expression.
Sonic frowned, not knowing what to answer to that. He never stayed in one place for long:
"Well... I'm a nomad. Here and there..." - He said, trying to avoid a straight answer.
The man looked at Sonic carefully, his gaze sliding over the hedgehog's face as if he was studying him. After a brief silence, he spoke up:
"Nomad... Aren't you a little young for this lifestyle? One..."
He paused, allowing Sonic to answer.
Sonic shrugged.
"I... I don't remember my parents. Not since I was a kid." - The memory of his parents was a blank spot for him, a white spot in his life.
The man nodded, as if he was satisfied with that answer, and continued:
"A quirk?"
Sonic froze. The word was unfamiliar to him. He didn't understand what the man meant.
"Quirk? What kind of quirk are you talking about?" - He asked, slight bewilderment in his voice.
The man abruptly stopped writing and raised his eyebrows in surprise. He seemed to be more surprised than ever.
" you... don't know what a quirk is?" - His voice was a little higher than usual. It seemed that this was something unimaginable to him.
Sonic, perplexed, shook his head.
The man frowned, as if pondering something important. Then he leaned forward slightly and said:
"Quirks are... abilities."
This interrogation seemed increasingly strange and incomprehensible.
After his explanation about quirks, Sonic seemed to start to understand something. He thought for a moment, and then, with confidence in his voice, stated:
"Superspeed. My quirk is super speed."
He said it with such confidence, as if it were a matter of course. There was not a shadow of doubt in his voice, only firmness and pride in his unique ability.
The man seemed surprised. His eyebrows rose upward, and a look of amazement flashed across his face. He leaned back as if trying to digest what he had heard. After a few seconds of silence, he uttered:
"Interesting... I expected your quirk to be related to your... mutation. I mean, you're a hedgehog. You know? I expected your quirk to be specifically about your build. Something like strength, claws, or... the ability to curl up into a ball."
The man was silent for a moment, as if giving Sonic a chance to consider his words. Then he looked at the hedgehog again.
"But super speed... that's also quite unusual."
The man was silent for a moment, pondering Sonic's words, then his gaze became sharp and penetrating again, as if he was calculating something. He shifted his eyebrows, and the tone of his voice became serious again.
"Okay, superspeed, that's quite interesting... But now, tell me, do you remember exactly how you ended up here? What was the last thing you remember?"
Sonic frowned, remembering the last moments before he found himself in this strange room. He didn't want to mention the Time Eater, he didn't know how the man would react to him.
"I... remember some... black and purple monster doing something... and then I ended up here," Sonic replied, trying not to go into too much detail. His words were vague, but he hoped it was enough.
The man listened to Sonic carefully without interrupting. When the hedgehog finished speaking, he nodded as if confirming something to himself. He picked up the pen and pad again and wrote something down quickly, but this time he looked more thoughtful than before.
When he finished writing, he put the notepad aside, and looked at Sonic with the same quiet politeness he had at the beginning.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Sonic. It's been very helpful. I will endeavor to find out how you ended up here, and do my best to get you back... back to... where you came from. As soon as possible," he paused, as if trying to find the right words.
He looked at Sonic again, and this time his gaze was a little more sympathetic than before.
The door behind Tsukauchi closed silently, cutting off the sterile silence of the room from the hallway. Turning around, he saw Neza, the principal of Yuei Academy, and the pro-hero Midnight waiting for him. The tension was readable on their faces.
Tsukauchi shifted his gaze from one to the other, and there was a silence that seemed even deeper than the silence in the interrogation room. Nezu broke it, his voice, usually cheerful and optimistic, sounded serious:
"This is all very strange, Detective. Why would the League of Villains, on their escape, need to throw this boy out of the warp portal? It doesn't make any sense."
He shook his head, contemplating the situation. Nezu had always been prone to logical analysis, and the illogic of this situation clearly bothered him.
Tsukauchi was silent for a bit, gathering his thoughts. He had just questioned a strange hedgehog who claimed to have super speed and was also unaware of the quirks, and now an even more complex analysis of the situation awaited him.
"And now, the most important question of all. What do we do with this boy? He doesn't have a home. He said he doesn't remember his parents, and apparently he was a prisoner of war. He was probably abused by the bad guys. When we found him, he was... not in very good condition. Thanks to Healing Girl, she managed to get him some help in time."
Tsukauchi paused, looking at them again as if searching for an answer in their eyes. It was clear to him that the situation with this mysterious boy who had appeared out of nowhere was not a simple one.
Nezu scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"You're right, Detective," he said, "We can't just throw him out on the street. "
Midnight, who had been silent until that moment, shifted her eyebrows, her face expressing sympathy:
"We must help him. We can't leave the child in this condition. He must be protected. "
Midnight pressed her lips together, her voice a bit harsh but full of determination.
Nezu had yet to fully formulate his plan when suddenly a loud, deafening noise pierced the silence of the corridor. It came from the interrogation room, as if something was exploding inside. Nezu, Tsukauchi, and Midnight froze for a moment, a look of concern on their faces. Their gazes met - they were all thinking the same thing: what is happening to this boy?
The noise increased with every second, it seemed as if the walls of the room were about to collapse. Then, just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped, leaving behind only a tense silence.
Tsukauchi instinctively clenched his fists and was about to run to the door to check what had happened, when suddenly the door flew off its hinges with a deafening crack, making an impressive dent in the wall. And from the opening of the interrogation room a blue blur flew out with incredible speed.
The dust slowly settled, and in the center of this chaos they saw Sonic rising from the ruins.
Slowly, as if through force, he got to his feet, rubbing the back of his head. His blue fur was slightly ruffled and his expression was disgruntled.
"Damn, that hurt," he muttered, his voice quiet but clear, as if he was talking to himself.
Then, as if remembering that he wasn't alone, Sonic shifted his gaze to Neza, Midnight, and Tsukauchi. His expression changed, a sly grin appearing on his face.
"Oh, hey," he said, as if nothing much had happened. - Don't worry, I just... opened the door. You know, it was locked and I had to fix it."
He winked like it was a great joke, and a smug smile played on his lips.
Midnight, sensing that the situation might get out of hand, reacted instantly. She was ready to use her quirk, the soporific scent, to put the hedgehog to sleep and stop him. She raised her hands, ready to release the soporific pollen.
But before she could do anything, Sonic disappeared.
Nezu, Tsukauchi, and Midnight only blinked, and all that was left where Sonic had just stood was a light swirl of air and a sense of incredible speed. He ran away so fast that none of them had time to even blink, let alone react.
All three of them froze for a moment, trying to realize what had happened.
Nezu, Tsukauchi, and Midnight looked at each other, extreme surprise on their faces.
Tsukauchi was the first to come to his senses. His professional stamina overcame his surprise, and he instantly realized the need to act. He snatched the walkie-talkie from his belt and, pressing the button, said loudly and clearly:
"Attention all units! I declare an alarm! Immediate capture of the suspect is required! I repeat, immediate capture of the suspect is required!"
Tsukauchi paused to make sure everyone heard him, then continued, describing Sonic and his abilities:
"Suspect is a boy, fifteen years old, looks like a blue-colored anthropomorphic hedgehog. Has emerald eyes. Main note - possesses a quirk of super speed. Moves with incredible speed, be extremely careful! He is not to be underestimated. At the moment, his location is unknown."
He fell silent, listening to the responses that began to come into the radio. The voices of other police officers and heroes could be heard interjecting and confirming receipt of information. Tsukauchi quickly released the button and looked at Neza and Midnight, frowning.
"I've sent a message to all nearby heroes and police units. It's up to them now. But we shouldn't sit idle," he said, addressing Director Yuei and the pro-hero.
Sonic, leaving only a light swirl of air behind him, carried on through the corridors, his feet flickering at such a speed that he was almost impossible to see. He still didn't feel very good, his body was aching and his head was buzzing. But his instinct for self-preservation drove him forward, urging him to run as fast as he could while he had the chance.
As he kicked the damn door open, he saw the very man he'd been talking to, next to a... pet? A rat, sort of, though it looked like a mix of rat, bear, and who the hell knows what else. And then there was a woman. A woman... who clearly underestimated modesty. Is it really that hard to put on more clothes, Sonic pondered...
He decided it wasn't his problem. He needed to get out of here, and as soon as possible. These people were strange, and he wanted nothing to do with them. He continued to rush forward, not paying attention to where his path was leading. His main goal was to simply run as far as he could without looking back.
Sonic raced through the endless maze of corridors, his legs working like turbines, until he finally saw a light ahead - an exit.
Officers stood there, their silhouettes seemed blurred against the bright light, but they spotted him. They shouted something, but Sonic was too fast. He slipped past them like lightning, leaving them no chance, and flew out into the street.
Sonic froze, as if he had hit an invisible wall. His eyes opened wide, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Before him stretched a city full of... something unimaginable. This wasn't his world, it was a completely different place. People. But not just people, but all sorts of completely impossible creatures.
A crocodile man, with rough skin and snake eyes, walked down the sidewalk, paying no attention to passersby. Next to him walked someone with extra arms that stretched out in all directions like the roots of a tree. At the other end of the street was a guy with burning hair that left a trail of sparks behind him. And then there was a man with the head of a shark, walking leisurely and looking at everyone as if from the abyss.
There were many of them, all sorts of creatures, each one unique. They walked, drove, socialized, mingled with ordinary people who looked... ordinary. The mixture seemed utterly impossible, unnatural. It was like he was in some kind of crazy dream.
Sonic's mind flashed back to the word that man had said during the interrogation - 'quirk'. That's what he called them. Sonic suddenly realized that all these people, these impossible creatures around him, were manifestations of those very quirks.
A wave of worry swept over him. Had the Time Eater transported him into the future? Or worse... to another universe?
This was not his world, and that realization, like a lightning strike, pierced through him.
Sonic, immersed in his thoughts, didn't immediately notice how his gaze on his surroundings became mutual. People, with and without quirks, began to whisper and, in turn, scrutinize him. He felt the tension building, as if all eyes were converging on him, and things became dramatically awkward.
Suddenly, loud voices were heard from the crowd, ordering him to stop.
"Stop! In the name of the law!" - sounded one, rumbling as if from a tree trunk. Sonic saw a guy approaching him, whose arms and legs were indeed like the branches of a tree, and whose face was covered in bumps like bark.
"You are detained!" - Shouted the woman, her voice loud and harsh. Sonic noticed it was a blonde woman.
"Don't move!" - said a third voice, more muffled and threatening. Sonic saw a guy approaching, whose fists were unnaturally large, like blocks of stone built up.
The people around him began to whisper, their voices full of admiration
"These are heroes!" - whispered someone.
"Look, it's Kamui Woods!" - said another.
Sonic realized that he seemed to be in trouble. These people weren't just anyone.
"Heroes," Sonic said to himself, frowning. He didn't know what that meant, but he realized that they were representatives of power in this strange world. And right now, they were clearly targeting him.
Sonic took a step back, raised his hands, feigning innocence, and smiled.
"Hey, hey, easy, guys," he said, trying to keep his voice casual.
"I didn't do anything like that. Just... taking in the sights. Your town is very... unusual, you know."
He shrugged, smiling again, as if the whole thing was just some ridiculous mistake.
"And by the way," he continued, looking at the tree guy, "it's very funny how your arms are like branches. You wouldn't happen to be from the forest club, would you?"
Sonic tried to laugh, as if to show that he wasn't dangerous at all. He was expecting his joke to stop them, or at least make them think twice. But judging by the way they froze without changing their expressions, his attempt to defuse the situation had failed. On the contrary, it only seemed to anger them more.
The guy with the woody limbs, who people said was named Kamui Woods, took a step forward, his face remaining serious and impenetrable. He didn't respond to Sonic's joke, or even smile back.
"We've been alerted to an escaped boy who decided to evade the law," Kamui Woods said, his voice was rumbling and calm, but at the same time there was a firmness in it. - You clearly fit that description. So I suggest you turn yourself in now. You're in enough trouble already, I don't want to add to it by resisting the law."
He paused, as if expecting Sonic to comply immediately.
"We don't have time for games, boy," the blonde added with great force. - So, I suggest you don't make life difficult for yourself."
The boy with the huge fists only clenched them harder, not uttering a word, as if.
Sonic glanced around at the trio, who seemed to have no intention of backing down. He shrugged, his smile disappearing, giving way to a hardness in his gaze.
"You know," he said, his voice becoming more serious, "I'd love to go back to that dark, ominous room where they kept me. It was certainly a lot of fun there, but... no. I have other plans today."
Kamui Woods, hearing this, realized that the conversation had reached a dead end. He furrowed his eyebrows, and his tree branch-like hands tensed.
"The talks are over," Kamui Woods pronounced, his voice becoming sharper. - We tried to act amicably. Now..."
Kamui Woods made a sudden movement, and his tree arms shot forward like living snakes, trying to grab Sonic. They moved quickly and nimbly, like tentacles trying to entangle him in their nets. A huge blonde with mighty strength rushed forward, trying to block his possible escape routes, while a guy with stone fists prepared to deliver a crushing blow.
All three worked cohesively like a well-oiled machine, figuring that Sonic wouldn't be able to avoid their simultaneous attack. Kamui Woods was sure that his tree vines would grab the hedgehog like a fly in a spider's web. But he didn't know who he was dealing with.
Whoosh! The vines flew forward, entangling the space, and for a moment it seemed to all three that Sonic had fallen into their trap. They were about to brace themselves for victory, but then a surprised and enthusiastic voice came from behind them:
"Wow! This is awesome! You actually make branches with your hands? This is so cool!"
The three heroes were stunned. They turned around abruptly and saw Sonic standing behind them with eyes full of admiration. His expression was full of surprise and delight, as if he was watching some incredible magic trick. He didn't look scared at all, on the contrary, he was clearly impressed with Kamui Woods' abilities.
It was confusing to them. How was he able to evade their attack so quickly, and even get behind them?
The enormous blonde woman who, frowned, her face contorted in annoyance.
She took a deep breath and her body began to change. The muscles in her arms and legs bulged, her height began to increase as if she was inflating like a balloon. In a matter of seconds, she grew to gigantic proportions, transforming into a huge, fearsome giantess.
Sonic, who had previously marveled at Kamui Woods' quirk, watched the Mountain Lady's transformation with interest. His eyes, like emeralds, widened in surprise.
Then she took a huge step forward, intending to cover Sonic with her giant body like a giant net, leaving him no chance of escape. She was sure that this time he wouldn't have a chance to dodge.
Boom! Sonic, like lightning, disappeared from where he was standing and suddenly appeared on her shoulder. He sat there, as if nothing had happened, with his legs overhanging, and looked up at her with genuine curiosity.
"Wow!" he exclaimed, his eyes full of admiration. - Is this your fancy too? You can just pick yourself up and become this huge? That's so cool! But... how do you do it? How does it feel? Doesn't it hurt?"
He began to ask her questions one by one, as if they were old friends instead of enemies.
The Mountain Lady, taken aback by Sonic's insolence, tried to shake him off her shoulder. She jerked sharply, twisting in place, trying to throw him off, but Sonic held firmly, as if glued. He watched her attempts with interest, giggling as if it was a fun game.
At that moment, the Mountain Lady felt her legs and arms being wrapped around the sturdy vines. She turned sharply and saw Kamui Woods looking at her with a guilty expression on his face.
"What the hell are you doing, Woods!" - she roared, her voice shaking.
Kamui Woods didn't seem to hear her, he looked around confused. His eyes widened, and he pointed somewhere to the side.
" He... he's over there!"
He just stood there and... laughed. Laughing heartily, throwing his head back and holding his stomach like it was the funniest joke in the world.
"Hehehe, that was hilarious! - Shouted Sonic through his laughter, his eyes glittering with mirth. - You guys work so cool together! You were so quick and clever trying to catch me! Hehehe... Now that's teamwork!"
He was laughing as if he didn't realize the seriousness of the situation. The heroes, looking at him, felt silly and a bit awkward. They were ready for the chase, for the battle, and here he is laughing at them.
Suddenly, Sonic stopped laughing abruptly. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes darted around, and he looked around in surprise. He stopped giggling and began to frown.
"Hey... what's that? - he muttered, his voice becoming quiet and a note of worry slipped in. - What's that weird... pink mist?"
It was only now, looking around, that Sonic noticed the light pink haze slowly thickening, enveloping them like a gentle cloud. He hadn't noticed how this mist had appeared, but now it was everywhere.
Sonic took a step back, his emerald eyes widening as he tried to realize what was happening. Suddenly a wave of overwhelming sleepiness came over him, his eyelids grew heavy and his whole body went limp. He felt the world around him float away.
"I... I want to sleep so badly..." - he muttered, his voice becoming low and weak before his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground like a doll with its strings cut.
At that moment, several policemen appeared from around the corner. They quickly assessed the situation and, seeing the hedgehog lying on the ground as well as the three heroes, nodded to each other.
He bowed his head slightly, looking at the sleeping Sonic, and made a slight gesture with his hand.
One of the police officers stepped forward and addressed Midnight gratefully.
"Thank you very much, pro-hero Midnight," he said, bowing. - You have helped us apprehend this criminal."
Midnight, frowning, answered nothing. She looked at the sleeping Sonic with an incomprehensible expression on her face.
The police officers surrounding the sleeping Sonic acted quickly and coherently. Two of them gently lifted him up while the third took out special handcuffs designed to restrict the use of fads from his pocket. These handcuffs were made of a special alloy capable of suppressing quirk activity, and they were used to apprehend dangerous criminals with unusual abilities.
The last time they had interrogated Sonic, they had not put these handcuffs on him because from his appearance, they had assumed that he possessed a quirk like mutation. They thought that handcuffs designed to suppress quirks like Radiation or Transformation would simply not work on him. But now, after seeing his incredible speed and ability to dodge attacks, they realized that was a mistake.
One of the police officers carefully placed the handcuffs on Sonic's wrists, making sure they were securely fastened. Then they placed him on a stretcher, ready to transport him back to the police station.
Nezu, standing behind the dark glass like an observer in the shadows, studied the sleeping Sonic. The boy, strapped to the couch, seemed so vulnerable and defenseless. The handcuffs securely fastened around his wrists glistened in the dim light, like a reminder of his current predicament. The peaceful expression on the boy's face contrasted with the danger he posed.
Principal Yuei stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the hedgehog as if he was trying to read its thoughts. His usually cheerful eyes, were now full of thought and worry.
The boy clearly had tremendous strength, his speed was incredible, and it couldn't go unnoticed.
Sonic's speed... It was incredible, bordering on impossible. Nezu was impressed by his ability to move with such lightning fast speed, he couldn't understand how it was possible unless it was teleportation. He knew that such power could be either a great boon or a deadly danger. Nezu realized that Sonic wasn't just fast, he was something more.
Plus, from Tsukauchi's reports, this boy seemed to have suffered abuse.
Nezu couldn't help but sympathize with him, but at the same time he couldn't rule out that this suffering might have hardened him and made him even more unpredictable.
And then there's this possible connection to the League of Villains... Nezu couldn't rule out that they might use this boy for their own dirty purposes.
To add to this string of oddities, there was also the illegal use of a quirk, and this incomprehensible display of 'exhibitionism'... Nezu frowned his eyebrows, trying to put all the facts together. This young man was a real mystery, and the more he thought about him, the more questions arose.
"Too many variables," Nezu muttered to himself, "Too many questions, and too few answers. What are we going to do with you, boy?"
Nezu, without taking his eyes off the sleeping Sonic, slowly turned to Midnight, who stood beside him, arms crossed over her chest. Her face still expressed thoughtfulness and slight concern.
"Midnight," Nezu turned to her, his voice quiet but full of thought, "do you think this boy could be a hero if channeled? His quirk...it clearly has great potential."
Midnight looked at Neza, then shifted her gaze back to Sonic. A slight sadness flashed across her face.
"With such an incredible quirk, he would have a bright future," she replied, her voice quiet and thoughtful, "would have if it weren't for all these circumstances. I feel sorry for him, he clearly doesn't deserve what he's been through."
Nezu looked at Sonic again, his eyes full of concern.
"Exactly," he agreed, "but we can't just leave him. The League of Villains could show up right in his cell and take him away. They could make a real villain out of him if we don't intervene. We need to make sure he's not dangerous, and protect him from them at the same time."
He paused, stroking his chin, and looked at Midnight, his eyes lighting up with determination.
"So I'm thinking of settling all his issues with the law. Find a way to nullify all the charges that have been brought against him. And then," he smiled slightly, "enroll him in a hero course. We can teach him how to control his power and use it for good, as well as protect him from villains who want to take advantage of his power. It would be the most sensible thing to do."
Midnight looked at the sleeping Sonic carefully, and then shifted her gaze to Nezu, her eyebrows shifting slightly.
"Nezu, do you have any idea what we're getting into? - She asked, her voice full of doubt. - Aizawa will just be furious when he finds out about this. He doesn't like having 'unexpected' students, does he?"
She shook her head, her face expressing concern.
"And that's not all, Nezu. The boy has absolutely no identification. Where did he even come from? How are we going to legally enroll him in Yuei? I mean, we'll have to concoct a whole story to get him through all the checks and clearances. We'll have to work hard to convince everyone that he can actually study here. It's going to be really, really hard, even for you."
She sighed, realizing the extent of the difficulties that awaited them.
"And then there's the Yuei Sports Festival coming up," she reminded herself. - We've got enough to do, and then there's this. And by the way," she looked at Sonic again, "how are we going to deal with his clothes? Where will he live?"
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Nezu carefully, waiting for an answer.
Nezu, having listened to all of Midnight's concerns, did not let them cloud his resolve. He smiled at her, his eyes shining with confidence.
"Midnight, I am well aware of all the difficulties we will face," he said, his voice calm and reassuring, "I do not deny that the path will be thorny. But, if all our efforts, all our labors, help this boy, shall we regret it?"
He paused, and his gaze became more serious, as if he was about to get to the most important thing.
"Aizawa... yes," Nezu admitted, his ears drooping slightly, "I realize he won't be thrilled with the idea. He doesn't like being put on the spot, and he certainly doesn't like 'unexpected' students. But I'm sure I can get through to him, I'll find the words to convince him that this boy is worthy of a second chance. And I'm not worried about the paperwork either, I'll deal with it as I always do, I have my resources and I'll find a way to handle that issue as well. It will take time, effort, and a little luck, but I think we can do it."
Nezu smiled at Midnight again, his eyes full of hope, as if he was placing much of the responsibility on her.
"That's why I'm going to ask you, Midnight, to become his guardian," he said, his voice softer and more convincing, "you have all the skills he needs. Your quirk will allow you to restrain him if he misbehaves, or if he tries to stage an escape. You'll be able to calm him down. I'd love to trust Aizawa with this, but he's still in critical condition and we need to act quickly. I know you can do it. You're the best person for this."
"And honestly, Midnight," he continued, his voice full of conviction, "you'd be a much better fit for Sonic than Aizawa. Think about it, he's an energetic teenager, he's obviously going to need to go shopping, picking out new clothes, shoes, buying the various supplies he'll need. You can help him with all that, with your taste, I'm sure he'll be dressed from the needle."
"And Aizawa..." he chuckled slightly, "he'll probably be too much of a nerd for an energetic guy like Sonic, won't he? He'd be constantly lecturing him, he'd be constantly nagging him, his behavior wouldn't be the best, and he certainly wouldn't be helping him pick out clothes. He doesn't need that kind of pressure, Sonic needs kindness, caring and understanding, and that's what I think you can give him."
Midnight, hearing Nezu's reasoning, frowned slightly, as if she was still in doubt. She shifted her gaze to the peacefully sleeping Sonic, whose face seemed so innocent and serene in his sleep. She noticed him sniffling softly, his chest rising and falling smoothly like a small animal.
She remembered how full of wonder and admiration he had been, how he had genuinely delighted in other people's quirks, like a small child being shown a new toy.
Her heart suddenly softened, and she felt a strange desire to protect this boy. Perhaps Nezu was right, and he really does need someone who can not only control him, but also take care of him. Perhaps he did deserve a better life.
She sighed, taking her gaze away from Sonic and looking at Nezu again. A slight smile flashed in her eyes now.
I was inspired by the works: Two Sonics vs Superpowered World and Footwork, the stories are very interesting, the first is still coming out and the second has unfortunately stopped, I'm going to take some moments from both works but don't think it's just copying.