Chapter Text
Your perspective:
The foliage above was too thick to let through any sun ray but the ground was leopard spotted with flecks of light. A stick broke somewhere nearby – you spun around, trying to see the perpetrator.
“Hey!” you called out but no response came. Either he had wandered out of earshot – or, more likely, had put it in his head to give you a good scare. “If you don’t come out right now I’ll go home!” but it was an empty threat, as you both knew well you were relying on your older companion to find your way back – as so often you had been far too caught up in your game to pay much attention to the path you took.
Something rustled nearby in the bushes. No way would you give him the satisfaction of scaring you – despite the fear rising in your chest you forced yourself to make another step towards the bush.
“I know you’re in there!”
“Who are you talking to –“ to your surprise the voice came from behind. You were just about to turn around when something on the ground moved – a high pitched noise escaped you as you stumbled backwards.
“Careful!” But he did not need to scream that at you, you were well aware of the danger. An unwinding reptilian body, black eyes –
A flash and a small explosion, not much more than a fire cracker might do – but it was enough to scare off the snake. Within a moment it was gone and before you could react much Kacchan had already grabbed your hand and was dragging you with him.
The path that you had followed in the morning now seemed to stretch out endlessly, before the street finally was in sight. Only when you had safely arrived in Kacchans backyard your heart stopped racing and the tears that shock and fear had held back began flowing freely. Mrs. Bakugou was shocked to see you so upset and even took you up on her lap and when Kacchan had told the whole story to her it of course had to be told again to her husband.
Mr. Bakugou was a quiet man who liked to read and together with his son he looked up what kind of reptile it had been that the two of you stumbled upon. The revelation that this particular species was entirely harmless did not calm you one bit, the adults however seemed satisfied and congratulated you both on reacting so responsibly either way.
When it was time to go home you were so scared to go outside that Mrs. Bakugou took pity on you and not only brought you but also allowed you to hold on to her hand all the way. Of course the whole adventure was talked over during dinner and before going to bed you had already decided on a more favourable perspective.
In the coming months your bedroom walls became plastered with mildly embellished stick figure drawings of the incident, in which the snake had grown a pair of furious fangs or even wings and a noble warrior was saving a pretty princess from the beast. Kacchan only caught a glimpse and announced that you were a silly, stupid girl, but that did little to lessen your enthusiasm.
You opened your eyes, woken by a speaker announcement. The plane was about to begin the landing flight. Having dozed off in the last half hour, despite planning to watch the ocean of lights underneath when the plane came near the capitol. Luckily you were not too late to catch an impression. Raindrops clung to the small plane window, disfiguring the shapes and reflecting the light in strange flares. It felt strangely nostalgic and an unusual excitement made your chest swell, spanning it and making you feel as if you could not sit still for even another minute. What had it been that you had thought of in your half dreaming state?
Once you had left the gate it was a rather melancholic arrival, bittersweet as you returned to japan, breathed familiar air when you left the airport and realised how similar all cities sound, especially in the rain, when the people scurry by under their umbrellas and their speech is drowned out until it is only a slight mumble, the language indistinguishable… But even if it was not the sounds, the surroundings told you with a certainty that you had returned home. For a moment you stood next to the airport exit, taking in the fresh air, closing your eyes for just a second, you could swear that even the scent was different – a few meters away a father was welcomed by his wife and daughter, asking him how his business trip went… Now you turned away, pulling an umbrella out of your purse and walking down the street, your trolley spraying the elegant black leather boots with puddle water.
Of course you had known there would be nobody to welcome her, but it still felt odd, returning after such a long time without anyone waiting at the gate with flowers and a hug.
I can buy my own flowers. And to celebrate my return I will have the room service bring me a bottle of champagne. The steps on the wet asphalt sped up, angry strides. It was stupid to get sentimental at nonsense like this. You had come for a job, discretion was of the utmost importance. As if you would have had a welcome home committee otherwise, a cruel voice from the back of your head whispered. I will drown you in champagne that I don’t need to share with anyone, you hissed back at the unwelcome voice.
The hangover was earned, that much was clear. Despite all better knowledge you had indeed tried to drown your feelings regarding the return to japan in first rate booze last night – a way of dealing with uncomfortable feelings that often enough had paid off in head-splitting migraines for you to really should have been able to anticipate the result. And yet…here you stood, searching the drugstore shelf for medicine as if your life depended on it. The humming around you seemed to intensify, a bustling sound that tore on every nerve… When someone began to shout you startled as if you had been hit.
“Everybody on your knees, this is a robbery!”
Oh no, not today. If possible your mood would have sunken further, but the way things were it just remained utterly the worst as you knelt down on the tiles, feeling the dirt and rainwater people had carried in with their shoes soak through the knees of your jeans. Of course, of course you had to get caught up in some nonsense right upon returning – silently you cursed yourself for ever leaving the hotel room.
“Open the register, we want the money, now!” the middle aged man behind the counter hurried to follow the command, but with his nervous fingers it still took quite a while. Panic was written on his face – a stabbing pain went through your head, feeling as if it was about to split open. Oh god, Aiko and the little ones – what will they do if I die. The thoughts were not your own, though it felt like they were, you were experiencing his fear, the longing to see his family again as if they were your own. Instinctively your hand shot up to your head.
“What’s that, bitch?!” another of the armed robbers stepped closer, alarmed by your movement. You could feel the nervous energy he emitted, the adrenaline rushing through his body. Grabbing for your arm to check for a phone he closed in, but soon lost interest when there was nothing to see.
The doors slid open again and everyone in the store turned to see the newcomer – he could not be older than 13, a boy with a flushed, red face. Oh no kid, you can’t be serious. You read his intention right away and what you caught up of his thoughts only proved your suspicions. The robbers were not as fast on picking up.
“Get on your knees and into the store, kid, now! Nobody needs to get hurt-“ he stopped when the teenager charged.
You knew you could interfere, now – but that would blow your cover, get you on the police radar and all that for what? To stop a drugstore robbery? You hadn’t asked the kid to start trouble. The robber drew a weapon – stungun, as you saw right away – a loud buzz, then the kid fell to the ground, motionless. You swallowed hard. These things were enough to knock out an adult hero… The robber had turned back to the register, filling up his bag.
“Is that everything?!” When the store owner nodded they turned to the exit – too late. Something bright, white swept through the room and all of a sudden you found yourself shivering, with a wall of ice parting the shop. The cavalry had arrived. Knowing that the two attackers would be occupied you crawled over to the kid. You felt for a pulse – there was nothing.
Cursing you assumed position over the kid, beginning pressure on the chest. Ha, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive, hah, hah, hah, ha… You knew the rhythm, this was no first time, guards often wore similar Taser guns and for those with a weak heart… it had not been your first time, you did not let the feeling of bendy rips stop your intensity – better a broken rip than dead. Breathing life into the kid in intervals you pressed on, when someone shoved you aside, taking over. A hero was bend over the kid now, taking your role – you were grateful, it was hard work and a lack of power could easily kill the patient here. Less than a minute later the place was rushed by police and paramedics, the boy taken into an ambulance.
When a policewoman came to you to take your witness information you almost panicked, but your instinct kicked in. If you did not want them to talk to you, all you had to do was make them not want to talk to you just as badly. Your plan was simple, you put on a wide smile and began to speak quickly:
“Channel 4 here, this robbery is not the first in the area. Does the police think they can stop the string of attacks? Now that a child has been the victim, will the police commissioner finally agree to double the hero patrols-“
“You better get out of my crime scene, right now, or I might forget myself! You vultures are ready to turn any story into a politicized tragedy if it’s just gonna make the evening news!” and the female officer ushered you behind the police line they were just now setting up. Without a look back you disappeared in the crowd. Lucky that you had thought of a cover story quick enough. The murmuring around was beginning to turn into a storm of voices.
Back at the hotel you bribed the room service to get you painkillers, then ordered takeout. Your head by now felt as if it was about to split, the presence of any human being around made it unbearable. Running yourself a hot bath you locked yourself in the bathroom. It had been too much, just utterly too much. How should you start working in the next days while your quirk was turning your brain into a single mass of accumulated pain?
The following two days were a vague mess, you spent the time exclusively in your hotel room, recovering from your episode in the outside world and everything that was connected to that. The Parisian airport, the flight, the sad arrival and your own idiocy to wreck your mental defenses by a lonely night unpacking all your things in the company of a bottle Ruinard blanc de blanc, you would almost have admitted to deserving this, if admitting such a thing would not be going against your personal credo. Returning to japan had been careless, stupid, exhausting – and if the offered pay had been even a little worse you would surely never have considered such a thing. But the pay was what it was, and you had even cleared a second, smaller job while you were here. When you would leave japan again it would be with riches – and in an entirely new class of contract worker than before. Never again flying to Kairo just to be scammed out of your share of the ancient treasure by a gang of third rate grave robbers after three months of footwork to scout out the location and get access to the site, no. You would have your proper broker who would check your contractors, and a nice little flat in Paris or Milan, with a few paintings on the wall and crystal glasses and shoes from Italian brands that sounded like the names of expensive cheeses. All you would have to do would be this job, then it would all be in reach – and á propos, it was time to get ready.
A black silken jumpsuit was elegant enough to fit any high class restaurant and yet not stand out in anything less classy, matching black shoes, oxford flats, together with big sunglasses to hide behind completed the outfit. You were satisfied with your business casual, until you got into the area of the meetup. At first you were sure you had made a mistake – but upon discovering the named bar there was no deceiving yourself anymore. Shoving the door open by slightly leaning against it – no way would you touch anything here- you entered, sliding into the surprisingly inviting interior. Taking off the sunglasses you took a moment to orient yourself.
“That can’t be him!” “Hush, don’t spill anything!” “If you two idiots don’t shut up I will shut you up!”
From the same corner as the previous commotion a man appeared, middle aged and with grey hair, he stepped forward in an ill-fitting suit. “Miss, can I help you? You must have lost your way.” He smiled politely, but there was not a shred of doubt in your mind that this man was a villain.
“Oh yes, maybe you can help me, I planned to meet some friends to discuss a business idea, but I am not entirely sure I got the place right – you wouldn’t happen to know Okuta Kagerō?” At the sound of his real name the man startled, then gesturing you over with an upset gesture.
You had made it a habit to assure you knew the true identity of all your employers – a neatly placed envelope with their name and details in the right hand could be a real lifesaver. Literally.
“I should kill you just for the insolence –“ you heard him mutter under his breath as you followed to a table in the back.
“But sir, you must forgive me. I am no fighter – my trait is information. You cannot assume me, who cannot defend herself as you might, to come unprepared into the lions den.”
The view of the company waiting at the table silenced you quickly. Three villains sat there, a grim blonde man with a fearsome scar on his forehead and an even more fearsome glare, a petite gold-blonde school girl who was happily slurping the rest of a milkshake and a viciously scarred scarecrow of a man, dressed like a punk and leaning back on his chair with crossed arms, inspecting you with a visible sneer.
“I thought we would be talking alone.” Was all you said.
“Little precaution. I thought about it and with that quirk of yours I thought I rather bring a little assistance – don’t take it personal, missy, but I rather keep my secrets to myself.”
“Well, don’t take it personal, but I rather don’t make business with people who prove untrustworthy so quickly – and I feel a little uncomfortable being so outnumbered.” With an apologetic smile you turned away. If five years had taught you anything, then it was abort a contract if your partner seemed untrustworthy, broke an agreement or brought you into any unplanned situations. This business was too dangerous to tolerate recklessness – five years made you a true veteran in the field and you had not stayed alive and free for this long by going along with such stuff.
You had not seen the signal, but the blonde girl had jumped past you and barred the door, together with the grim man who had gotten up, glaring at you even more intimidatingly now.
“You would not possibly fight me for refusing a job offer, would you?” your voice was just slightly raised, while you activated your quirk. You could get a good glimpse of Girans intentions before – a sharp pain in your head brought you to your knees and a scream escaped you. Hell had broken lose in your mind as you opened it to your surroundings, the world blurred before your eyes.
“And that, ladies and gentleman, is how you knock out a telepath. Good job, Twice.” Ironic bemusement spoke out of this voice and you instinctively knew it was the punk.
“I did nothing.”
“Can it really be that bad?” the girl sounded closer.
You were holding your head, still on your knees – with panicked fingers you scrambled through your purse until you found a small metal box, opened it and put the pill under your tongue.
Patiently waiting Giran offered you a hand when you were ready to get up. “Ready to talk?”
“I would prefer to leave. I am no friend of such surprises.” You tried to hold on to any dignity you could save while stumbling to get up from the sticky floor. The broker pulled you to your feet and sat you on one of the chairs.
“So she can really read our minds? How spooky – hey telepath girl, do you know what I’m thinking of now?” everyone ignored the girls excited babbling.
“I am very sorry to have surprised and inconvenienced you like this” the broker began. You gave him a vicious glare, earning you a chuckle from the scarecrow. “But I think it is better for everyone involved if you only know what you need to know.”
“Why not warn me beforehand then?” you massaged your temples, cursing brokers, low class villains, cursing the whole damn idea to come back.
“I was sure you would not come then. Not that I could blame you for that…But we needed someone with your expertise… This specific mission requires a little more…finesse, than our usual work. There is a lot riding on the outcome.”
You waited for him to continue, not giving any indication of agreement but nothing else either. Indeed he went on.
“Gathering information, infiltration and getting certain target objects – my boss is relying on your assistance in this matter and he is a man nobody likes to disappoint.”
“They usually are.” You respond grimly, still cursing the old bastard for dragging you into his mess.
“The job is very much within your field of expertise, my European contact assured me.” He continued, ignoring your snippy remark. And then, under the eyes of his three freaks, Giran explained the plan to you.