Chapter 19
Morte_Perpetua
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Chapter 19
Muted sounds assaulted her ears even as she struggled to blink away the glaring light above her eyes. Everything felt sluggish and her body seemed to have been filled with lead judging by how she was only able to move a few fingers at a snail's pace.
"-waking up-!"
"Quick, put her under-"
The tiniest pinprick of pain flared on the skin of her less numb arm and Tanya was forced back into a dreamless slumber. One she would not be released from for the next eighteen hours.
Administrator Moujin's fingers still hurt from all the reports he was required to type up last night. He looked miserable even with the medical facemask that hid his bitten lips and the sunglasses that concealed his bloodshot eyes from the nurses and visitors of the Musutafu General Hospital. While he would gladly curse the two foolish girls who had illicitly gotten themselves in trouble if he had the energy, his downtrodden and slightly dishevelled appearance made him fit right in with the aura of misery that was prevalent throughout the hospital.
Why did both his subjects have to get critically injured in public of all things? Especially on one of his rare free days, forcing him to abandon halfway through the session with the very enjoyable (and even more expensive) courtesan he rented for the evening. A week's salary down the drain... At least overtime pay would partly recoup that disaster.
He glanced at his watch, impatiently waiting for the stupid doctor to clear that miserable Argent for conversation. Unfortunately he needed that notice on paper for the file, so he couldn't just rush past the security checkpoint and get this over with. Oh, what a mess...
"Mr. Moujin, you can see her now. Please avoid hectic movements, loud noises or topics that could be stressful. The patient needs her rest."
Wordlessly nodding to the man in white who surprised him by appearing from his blind spot, the administrator rose from his uncomfortable plastic seat and flashed his badge to the armoured guards standing watch before the door. Those were from the Police which would make keeping them quiet all the more difficult in case they learned something they shouldn't.
Ugh, furthermore the quota of excusable 'accidents' for this year was already filled over the recommended amount. His life was truly a challenge unlike any other.
A fact which was further compounded by the annoying unresponsiveness of his charge. Instead of her typical greeting, she merely gazed towards the barred window. Honestly, if one punch was enough to turn her into a liability then maybe she wasn't worth the Commission's effort after all.
"Argent, can you hear me? It's me, your administrator! Pay attention, Argent!" he whisper-shouted in the ear of the blankly staring agent.
Moujin dared not to raise his voice any higher to avoid attracting the attention of hospital staff outside.
Slowly her eyes rolled around and fixated him more or less clearly. Good enough.
"Blink twice if you can understand me."
Luckily she was able to do that at least. Hammering every bit of info into her skull like a baby would have been terribly bothersome.
"Yesterday you were ambushed by the known criminal and leader of the League of Villains organisation, Shigaraki. With the help of a specifically developed bio weapon he hoped to take revenge on you. This plan partly succeeded as you were gravely injured and captured. The girl who accompanied you was secretly a villain in disguise who plotted to kill you herself which prompted Shigaraki to murder her as well. However in a fit of heroic passion you found the strength to overcome your captor and save the girl, regardless of her villain status. That is the official version of the story."
Normally he would trust in her intellect to piece the rest together, but today he couldn't leave things up too chance because he was being too subtle. Those above would have his hide if his tool messed up again.
"Do you understand, Argent? I hope I don't have to explain to you why this is a catastrophe. You will deny all connection to Agent Carmilla if asked. If word gets out that you were... frolicking with a girl who is legally dead and who was a member of the League then even we could not shield you from the backlash. Carmilla was unmasked in public, so it's not like she will remain your partner much longer. We will find other uses for her."
Something must have slipped into Argent's windpipe because she loudly gasped. Best to console her with the usual propaganda that she seemed to eat up since childhood.
"The higher-ups approved the nation's best healers to work on you. A few broken bones and ruptured organs shouldn't be a problem for them. The only thing that seems to cause complications is the infection from that sludge... eh, Nomu. Well, anyways, get better soon. The Commission needs you. Don't disappoint us now."
Finishing his motivational speech with a light clap to her bandaged shoulder, he turned and left to finish the rest of his paperwork before he keeled over from exhaustion. If he wasn't on the right side of the law then he would call his employers criminal for how much work they squeezed out of him! Some may even call it slavery!
Moujin nearly wished that he could switch places with Argent. Lying down on a soft mattress sounded like heaven at the moment.
Nedzu's computer alarmed him that the ambient volume in Ms. Degurechaff's room had risen by four hundred percent, indicating the presence of another person. After the impersonation of his dearest Aizawa, he was not willing to take risks when it came to the care of his employees. Perhaps it was paranoid to hack into the hospital security network, but one could never be too careful when there were villains out there who could teleport or act under the guise of legality.
UA's youngest and newest teacher captured his interest frequently in the last weeks, and due to the number of concerning events which involved her person transpiring in such quick succession, he was under no illusions that Tanya's life would get boring anytime soon. Keeping an eye on her subsequently to the awful attack by the League was only common sense and apparently his quick thinking got rewarded.
The panic button next to every hospital bed was equipped with a microphone to let the patients express their desires or emergency calls to the nurses. Contrary to what an inexperienced mind might believe the receptive membrane inside the device was not turned off when nobody was listening. Instead the signal simply was simply not being transmitted to the offices in the floor below.
Altering the coding in such a way as to intercept the signal was child's play for an intellect of Nedzu's calibre.
So, temporarily putting his organisational business on hold he began to listen to the scratchy audio...
A truly... enlightening monologue graced his sensitive ears and instantly filled his mind with a cascading flood of equally satisfying and dreadful conclusions.
In the end, his suspicions were proven correct. Tanya was being manipulated and exploited by the HPSC for nefarious gains. Furthermore, they had either infiltrated the League or, more unlikely, they were directly working with them. Of course his face recognition software had sifted through the video footage of the attack and identified dozens of possible matches. Most of these were being tossed out due to dissimilar quirks or solid alibis, but with the new information that his mystery shapeshifter was 'legally dead'...
'Toga Himiko' was the name that appeared on his screen. Two clicks of his specially designed computer mouse later and he was confronted with the smiling face of a blonde, fifteen year old schoolgirl on the wanted-poster of the Musutafu Police Department. Her quirk? 'Transform'.
Bingo.
Withholding the girl from her parents was definitely a crime that the HPSC would not be able to cover up. Kidnapping, human trafficking and similar charges could be levelled against them. A wonderful entry in his growing pile of evidence.
Now he needed to secure this witness before the Commission could find a way to make her disappear. If he had to guess then she was being held in police custody at the moment on charges for vigilantism and assault with a deadly weapon. Young Himiko had attempted to carve up Shigaraki after all.
Hmmm...
Nedzu would need to call in a few favours to make this possible, but it was going to be worth it. The shapeshifter served as both leverage against the HPSC and as an emotional motivator for Tanya. He saw the first seconds of the livestream which proved that Argent was close to the girl. In case either the shadowy organisation or Ms. Degurechaff got out of control he could hopefully use Himiko to rein them in.
Only how could he secure the girl of unknown danger level and allegiance?
Well, the plan was risky and would speed the investigation process up by a lot...
Oh, this was an exciting challenge! Yes, he would accept! How satisfyingly nerve-wracking!
By the time he finished his phone calls his tea had regrettably gone cold. The good news was that the Witness Protection Program would indeed be gaining a new member and that the tender for an extra janitor which Power Loader just posted got approved.
Everything was going swimmingly in spite of what the world threw at him. As demanding as it was, keeping these silly humans from annihilating themselves was a fulfilling job.
Uncertainty.
Relief?
Many intense feelings jumbled together in Tanya's brain. Her thoughts felt hazy yet clear as polished glass simultaneously. There were so many decisions to make, so many paths for her to walk that it became overwhelming. Her whole life rested at a tipping point of innumerable possibilities and for the first time in a very long time she asked herself:
"What do I do?"
She was supposed to be 'heroic', yet how did one accomplish such a thing? When was it enough? What would she sacrifice? Who could she trust?
Complex problems sometimes required simple solutions. Breaking down a dilemma into its individual components often helped.
Taking care of Himiko was obviously her priority. That was the entire reason for her bargain with Being X to begin with. But could she do that when her life was about to become a lot more complicated?
Simply leaving the HPSC to no longer associate herself with their crimes was not nearly enough to qualify as 'heroic'. Tanya had to dismantle that rotten institution and purge its corruption regardless if it secured the stable status quo of Japan or not. Anything less would be selfish cowardice which was certainly not allowed by her contract. Not to mention that it was necessary to protect her friend from their greedy claws.
However, this was also going to be insanely dangerous. If any of her superiors caught wind of this intent then she would be disposed of immediately. Assassins and other heroes would hunt her down across the globe to silence her.
Most pro heroes dabbled at least a tiny bit in questionably legal affairs such as dragging out fights for the spectacle, using their quirks off duty, patrolling less profitable neighbourhoods ineffectively or using their celebrity status to demand unfair advantages over their fellow citizens.
There was barely any hero whom the Commission could not blackmail into obeying their orders. That was by design. Strict rules all but forced the people to break the law, making digging up dirt on them a straightforward process. In a society which demonized its criminals as 'evil-doers' nobody wanted to be declared a villain. Humans were by nature herd animals, born with an instinctive dislike of standing against the crowd. Attempting a political coup on this scale was impossible without allies, but none who profited from the current system were reliable candidates. They all could be pressured into turning on her or might do so for even pettier reasons.
The Police perhaps?
No, those were likely to have been infiltrated first next to politicians.
All Might?
He was independent and seemingly untainted by the Commission's influence. Being X only knew how many times her handlers complained about his unwillingness to submit to their authority. Indeed, he was powerful, highly influential and skilled at hero work. Holding his spot as the number one hero for decades was proof of his competency in that field.
Yet, in her humble opinion, he also appeared like an oaf. Anything not directly related to heroism turned to failure in his hands. Subtlety and nuance were lost on him. Such was the problem with experts who specialized too much, neglecting skills with broader applications.
What about... Nedzu?
Unbelievably intelligent, hardworking and meticulous, with a multitude of connections around the world and commanding over a dozen pro heroes in his school... Most importantly, he already stood in direct conflict with the HPSC! The sentient animal had a vested interest in weakening the Commission to stay in control of his school. His autonomy and power threatened their iron grip on Japan's internal politics, dooming both parties to be rivals as long as they did not submit to the other.
If he had not already figured out who was behind the sports festival attack then she could inform him and establish herself as a helpful, sympathetic presence. Yes, that could work...
Planning a revolution against a government built on lies was heroic enough, right? She could be a proper hero while continuing her normal life as a disguise to fool her administrators!
Or was that actually the easy, egocentric, craven way?
So many decisions...
It made her head spin just by thinking about it.
Then her already strained nerves frayed further as her blasted handler showed up, babbling about the usual nonsense of secrecy and-
WHAT?!
What was this scum setting up for Himiko? Tanya wanted to move, to scream, to rage how stupid these idiots were being! How could they forget all the things Himiko had done for them?! Were they going to squander her potential just because they could not be bothered to clean up the mess that they caused in the first place?! These brainless, spineless bureaucrats!
Nonetheless, despite the bottomless disgust burning brightly in her heart she kept quiet and pretended to be calm.
Emotions would not control her in this state.
Not while she was drugged and wounded.
Not while she schemed her revenge.
Koji wrung his hands in silent distress. The one time he tried to socialize with his classmates and make a light-hearted joke like his parents told him to, had backfired spectacularly. Normally he just stayed silent, preferring to listen to the loud world of humans, but for some inexplicable reason today that changed.
Wanting to lift his somber mood after they received the news that their Ms. Argent would not be returning to teach for the rest of the week he suggested bribing a crow to keep tabs on her in the hospital. To his absolute surprise the others were excited about this idea! With the exception of Iida everybody thought it was a splendid plan to 'make sure that she was well and protected' in the words of Uraraka.
[Koda, come on! It would be just a little effort!] wrote Mina followed by a string of differing emojis which should probably represent a pleading face.
But why did she have to include a heart at the end? Koji involuntarily blushed.
[Yeah and it's completely legal too!] added Kaminari.
Technically he wouldn't be using his quirk in public because he only spoke with the bird in his own garden... And merely asking an animal to fly around somewhere and keep an eye out was also not culpable... No! Why was he even entertaining this ridiculous proposition!
Izuku was quick to join in: [Please Koda. I know it's a lot to ask, but I think we all could sleep better tonight if you checked. It's going to be fine! We already missed our chance with Mr. Aizawa.]
Oh, that was right. They should have visited him! Although Eraserhead was their teacher for only a few days they should have made him feel better. Now Koji felt bad. His furred and feathered friends would be sad if he didn't check up on them regularly... How would Mr. Aizawa feel?
[Oui! This idea is très bien!]
Tentatively his thick fingers reached out to the screen of his extra large smartphone and typed a simple "Ok".
[Most excellent. The shadowy wings of thine herald shall soon reveal the dark truth.]
[No need to be so pessimistic about it, Tokoyami. Geez.] commented Kirishima.
Putting his phone down Koji slowly stepped outside his house and called for anybody who was hungry, a pre-prepared bag of corn and breadcrumbs in his hand. A squirrel lolloped across the lawn and two cats strolled through the small opening under the hedge. All of them approached him fearlessly as they were already used to the strange human who could talk with them.
"Thank you. I only have bread and corn with me though. Sorry about that."
One of the cats immediately turned tail and strutted away; clearly not interested by the 'inferior food' he had to offer. The other one looked curious however.
"Alright, you two. I need you to look for a crow. Would you be willing to help me and bring one here? I promise I'll bring you more yummy stuff later."
In a startlingly human gesture both the squirrel and the feline nodded their tiny heads.
He grinned as he reached out to scratch them.
"Thank you so much. You are the best!"
"Naturally." declared the cat with palpable smugness lacing her voice.
Five minutes later a group of crows landed on his fence, some snapping their beaks hungrily. It took the rest of his treats until the biggest of them consented to carry out the errand. With a majestic beat of his wings 'Stormwind-Sharpclaw' swung himself into the air and disappeared in the urban thicket of Musutafu's skyscrapers.
The crow would have loved to pick at the woman's face, expressing his displeasure at being challenged.
Tanya wanted to skewer the animal to eliminate a potential spy. Using the form of a bird to gather intel could be an effective strategy in the right hands.
None of them moved, weighing their options and preparing for the worst.
Until...
"Knock Knock Knock... Routine Check!"
Whatever spell hung over them broke and the aura of tension receded from the combatants.
As the nurse controlled the machinery beside her bed, Tanya simply glared out of the window, sending the silent message: "If I ever see you again, you are going to regret it."
Similarly aggressive, the crow stared at her for another few seconds before croaking something back and vanishing in a flurry of angry black feathers.
Muted sounds assaulted her ears even as she struggled to blink away the glaring light above her eyes. Everything felt sluggish and her body seemed to have been filled with lead judging by how she was only able to move a few fingers at a snail's pace.
"-waking up-!"
"Quick, put her under-"
The tiniest pinprick of pain flared on the skin of her less numb arm and Tanya was forced back into a dreamless slumber. One she would not be released from for the next eighteen hours.
~[#҈#]~
Administrator Moujin's fingers still hurt from all the reports he was required to type up last night. He looked miserable even with the medical facemask that hid his bitten lips and the sunglasses that concealed his bloodshot eyes from the nurses and visitors of the Musutafu General Hospital. While he would gladly curse the two foolish girls who had illicitly gotten themselves in trouble if he had the energy, his downtrodden and slightly dishevelled appearance made him fit right in with the aura of misery that was prevalent throughout the hospital.
Why did both his subjects have to get critically injured in public of all things? Especially on one of his rare free days, forcing him to abandon halfway through the session with the very enjoyable (and even more expensive) courtesan he rented for the evening. A week's salary down the drain... At least overtime pay would partly recoup that disaster.
He glanced at his watch, impatiently waiting for the stupid doctor to clear that miserable Argent for conversation. Unfortunately he needed that notice on paper for the file, so he couldn't just rush past the security checkpoint and get this over with. Oh, what a mess...
"Mr. Moujin, you can see her now. Please avoid hectic movements, loud noises or topics that could be stressful. The patient needs her rest."
Wordlessly nodding to the man in white who surprised him by appearing from his blind spot, the administrator rose from his uncomfortable plastic seat and flashed his badge to the armoured guards standing watch before the door. Those were from the Police which would make keeping them quiet all the more difficult in case they learned something they shouldn't.
Ugh, furthermore the quota of excusable 'accidents' for this year was already filled over the recommended amount. His life was truly a challenge unlike any other.
A fact which was further compounded by the annoying unresponsiveness of his charge. Instead of her typical greeting, she merely gazed towards the barred window. Honestly, if one punch was enough to turn her into a liability then maybe she wasn't worth the Commission's effort after all.
"Argent, can you hear me? It's me, your administrator! Pay attention, Argent!" he whisper-shouted in the ear of the blankly staring agent.
Moujin dared not to raise his voice any higher to avoid attracting the attention of hospital staff outside.
Slowly her eyes rolled around and fixated him more or less clearly. Good enough.
"Blink twice if you can understand me."
Luckily she was able to do that at least. Hammering every bit of info into her skull like a baby would have been terribly bothersome.
"Yesterday you were ambushed by the known criminal and leader of the League of Villains organisation, Shigaraki. With the help of a specifically developed bio weapon he hoped to take revenge on you. This plan partly succeeded as you were gravely injured and captured. The girl who accompanied you was secretly a villain in disguise who plotted to kill you herself which prompted Shigaraki to murder her as well. However in a fit of heroic passion you found the strength to overcome your captor and save the girl, regardless of her villain status. That is the official version of the story."
Normally he would trust in her intellect to piece the rest together, but today he couldn't leave things up too chance because he was being too subtle. Those above would have his hide if his tool messed up again.
"Do you understand, Argent? I hope I don't have to explain to you why this is a catastrophe. You will deny all connection to Agent Carmilla if asked. If word gets out that you were... frolicking with a girl who is legally dead and who was a member of the League then even we could not shield you from the backlash. Carmilla was unmasked in public, so it's not like she will remain your partner much longer. We will find other uses for her."
Something must have slipped into Argent's windpipe because she loudly gasped. Best to console her with the usual propaganda that she seemed to eat up since childhood.
"The higher-ups approved the nation's best healers to work on you. A few broken bones and ruptured organs shouldn't be a problem for them. The only thing that seems to cause complications is the infection from that sludge... eh, Nomu. Well, anyways, get better soon. The Commission needs you. Don't disappoint us now."
Finishing his motivational speech with a light clap to her bandaged shoulder, he turned and left to finish the rest of his paperwork before he keeled over from exhaustion. If he wasn't on the right side of the law then he would call his employers criminal for how much work they squeezed out of him! Some may even call it slavery!
Moujin nearly wished that he could switch places with Argent. Lying down on a soft mattress sounded like heaven at the moment.
~[#҈#]~
Nedzu's computer alarmed him that the ambient volume in Ms. Degurechaff's room had risen by four hundred percent, indicating the presence of another person. After the impersonation of his dearest Aizawa, he was not willing to take risks when it came to the care of his employees. Perhaps it was paranoid to hack into the hospital security network, but one could never be too careful when there were villains out there who could teleport or act under the guise of legality.
UA's youngest and newest teacher captured his interest frequently in the last weeks, and due to the number of concerning events which involved her person transpiring in such quick succession, he was under no illusions that Tanya's life would get boring anytime soon. Keeping an eye on her subsequently to the awful attack by the League was only common sense and apparently his quick thinking got rewarded.
The panic button next to every hospital bed was equipped with a microphone to let the patients express their desires or emergency calls to the nurses. Contrary to what an inexperienced mind might believe the receptive membrane inside the device was not turned off when nobody was listening. Instead the signal simply was simply not being transmitted to the offices in the floor below.
Altering the coding in such a way as to intercept the signal was child's play for an intellect of Nedzu's calibre.
So, temporarily putting his organisational business on hold he began to listen to the scratchy audio...
A truly... enlightening monologue graced his sensitive ears and instantly filled his mind with a cascading flood of equally satisfying and dreadful conclusions.
In the end, his suspicions were proven correct. Tanya was being manipulated and exploited by the HPSC for nefarious gains. Furthermore, they had either infiltrated the League or, more unlikely, they were directly working with them. Of course his face recognition software had sifted through the video footage of the attack and identified dozens of possible matches. Most of these were being tossed out due to dissimilar quirks or solid alibis, but with the new information that his mystery shapeshifter was 'legally dead'...
'Toga Himiko' was the name that appeared on his screen. Two clicks of his specially designed computer mouse later and he was confronted with the smiling face of a blonde, fifteen year old schoolgirl on the wanted-poster of the Musutafu Police Department. Her quirk? 'Transform'.
Bingo.
Withholding the girl from her parents was definitely a crime that the HPSC would not be able to cover up. Kidnapping, human trafficking and similar charges could be levelled against them. A wonderful entry in his growing pile of evidence.
Now he needed to secure this witness before the Commission could find a way to make her disappear. If he had to guess then she was being held in police custody at the moment on charges for vigilantism and assault with a deadly weapon. Young Himiko had attempted to carve up Shigaraki after all.
Hmmm...
Nedzu would need to call in a few favours to make this possible, but it was going to be worth it. The shapeshifter served as both leverage against the HPSC and as an emotional motivator for Tanya. He saw the first seconds of the livestream which proved that Argent was close to the girl. In case either the shadowy organisation or Ms. Degurechaff got out of control he could hopefully use Himiko to rein them in.
Only how could he secure the girl of unknown danger level and allegiance?
Well, the plan was risky and would speed the investigation process up by a lot...
Oh, this was an exciting challenge! Yes, he would accept! How satisfyingly nerve-wracking!
By the time he finished his phone calls his tea had regrettably gone cold. The good news was that the Witness Protection Program would indeed be gaining a new member and that the tender for an extra janitor which Power Loader just posted got approved.
Everything was going swimmingly in spite of what the world threw at him. As demanding as it was, keeping these silly humans from annihilating themselves was a fulfilling job.
~[#҈#]~
Fear.
Uncertainty.
Relief?
Many intense feelings jumbled together in Tanya's brain. Her thoughts felt hazy yet clear as polished glass simultaneously. There were so many decisions to make, so many paths for her to walk that it became overwhelming. Her whole life rested at a tipping point of innumerable possibilities and for the first time in a very long time she asked herself:
"What do I do?"
She was supposed to be 'heroic', yet how did one accomplish such a thing? When was it enough? What would she sacrifice? Who could she trust?
Complex problems sometimes required simple solutions. Breaking down a dilemma into its individual components often helped.
Taking care of Himiko was obviously her priority. That was the entire reason for her bargain with Being X to begin with. But could she do that when her life was about to become a lot more complicated?
Simply leaving the HPSC to no longer associate herself with their crimes was not nearly enough to qualify as 'heroic'. Tanya had to dismantle that rotten institution and purge its corruption regardless if it secured the stable status quo of Japan or not. Anything less would be selfish cowardice which was certainly not allowed by her contract. Not to mention that it was necessary to protect her friend from their greedy claws.
However, this was also going to be insanely dangerous. If any of her superiors caught wind of this intent then she would be disposed of immediately. Assassins and other heroes would hunt her down across the globe to silence her.
Most pro heroes dabbled at least a tiny bit in questionably legal affairs such as dragging out fights for the spectacle, using their quirks off duty, patrolling less profitable neighbourhoods ineffectively or using their celebrity status to demand unfair advantages over their fellow citizens.
There was barely any hero whom the Commission could not blackmail into obeying their orders. That was by design. Strict rules all but forced the people to break the law, making digging up dirt on them a straightforward process. In a society which demonized its criminals as 'evil-doers' nobody wanted to be declared a villain. Humans were by nature herd animals, born with an instinctive dislike of standing against the crowd. Attempting a political coup on this scale was impossible without allies, but none who profited from the current system were reliable candidates. They all could be pressured into turning on her or might do so for even pettier reasons.
The Police perhaps?
No, those were likely to have been infiltrated first next to politicians.
All Might?
He was independent and seemingly untainted by the Commission's influence. Being X only knew how many times her handlers complained about his unwillingness to submit to their authority. Indeed, he was powerful, highly influential and skilled at hero work. Holding his spot as the number one hero for decades was proof of his competency in that field.
Yet, in her humble opinion, he also appeared like an oaf. Anything not directly related to heroism turned to failure in his hands. Subtlety and nuance were lost on him. Such was the problem with experts who specialized too much, neglecting skills with broader applications.
What about... Nedzu?
Unbelievably intelligent, hardworking and meticulous, with a multitude of connections around the world and commanding over a dozen pro heroes in his school... Most importantly, he already stood in direct conflict with the HPSC! The sentient animal had a vested interest in weakening the Commission to stay in control of his school. His autonomy and power threatened their iron grip on Japan's internal politics, dooming both parties to be rivals as long as they did not submit to the other.
If he had not already figured out who was behind the sports festival attack then she could inform him and establish herself as a helpful, sympathetic presence. Yes, that could work...
Planning a revolution against a government built on lies was heroic enough, right? She could be a proper hero while continuing her normal life as a disguise to fool her administrators!
Or was that actually the easy, egocentric, craven way?
So many decisions...
It made her head spin just by thinking about it.
Then her already strained nerves frayed further as her blasted handler showed up, babbling about the usual nonsense of secrecy and-
WHAT?!
What was this scum setting up for Himiko? Tanya wanted to move, to scream, to rage how stupid these idiots were being! How could they forget all the things Himiko had done for them?! Were they going to squander her potential just because they could not be bothered to clean up the mess that they caused in the first place?! These brainless, spineless bureaucrats!
Nonetheless, despite the bottomless disgust burning brightly in her heart she kept quiet and pretended to be calm.
Emotions would not control her in this state.
Not while she was drugged and wounded.
Not while she schemed her revenge.
~[#҈#]~
Koji wrung his hands in silent distress. The one time he tried to socialize with his classmates and make a light-hearted joke like his parents told him to, had backfired spectacularly. Normally he just stayed silent, preferring to listen to the loud world of humans, but for some inexplicable reason today that changed.
Wanting to lift his somber mood after they received the news that their Ms. Argent would not be returning to teach for the rest of the week he suggested bribing a crow to keep tabs on her in the hospital. To his absolute surprise the others were excited about this idea! With the exception of Iida everybody thought it was a splendid plan to 'make sure that she was well and protected' in the words of Uraraka.
[Koda, come on! It would be just a little effort!] wrote Mina followed by a string of differing emojis which should probably represent a pleading face.
But why did she have to include a heart at the end? Koji involuntarily blushed.
[Yeah and it's completely legal too!] added Kaminari.
Technically he wouldn't be using his quirk in public because he only spoke with the bird in his own garden... And merely asking an animal to fly around somewhere and keep an eye out was also not culpable... No! Why was he even entertaining this ridiculous proposition!
Izuku was quick to join in: [Please Koda. I know it's a lot to ask, but I think we all could sleep better tonight if you checked. It's going to be fine! We already missed our chance with Mr. Aizawa.]
Oh, that was right. They should have visited him! Although Eraserhead was their teacher for only a few days they should have made him feel better. Now Koji felt bad. His furred and feathered friends would be sad if he didn't check up on them regularly... How would Mr. Aizawa feel?
[Oui! This idea is très bien!]
Tentatively his thick fingers reached out to the screen of his extra large smartphone and typed a simple "Ok".
[Most excellent. The shadowy wings of thine herald shall soon reveal the dark truth.]
[No need to be so pessimistic about it, Tokoyami. Geez.] commented Kirishima.
Putting his phone down Koji slowly stepped outside his house and called for anybody who was hungry, a pre-prepared bag of corn and breadcrumbs in his hand. A squirrel lolloped across the lawn and two cats strolled through the small opening under the hedge. All of them approached him fearlessly as they were already used to the strange human who could talk with them.
"Thank you. I only have bread and corn with me though. Sorry about that."
One of the cats immediately turned tail and strutted away; clearly not interested by the 'inferior food' he had to offer. The other one looked curious however.
"Alright, you two. I need you to look for a crow. Would you be willing to help me and bring one here? I promise I'll bring you more yummy stuff later."
In a startlingly human gesture both the squirrel and the feline nodded their tiny heads.
He grinned as he reached out to scratch them.
"Thank you so much. You are the best!"
"Naturally." declared the cat with palpable smugness lacing her voice.
Five minutes later a group of crows landed on his fence, some snapping their beaks hungrily. It took the rest of his treats until the biggest of them consented to carry out the errand. With a majestic beat of his wings 'Stormwind-Sharpclaw' swung himself into the air and disappeared in the urban thicket of Musutafu's skyscrapers.
~[#҈#]~
That evening Tanya von Degurechaff was locked in an epic staring contest with a bird on her windowsill. Neither she nor the avian creature let their opponent escape as they fought to discern the other's intentions. Who was hiding what?
The crow would have loved to pick at the woman's face, expressing his displeasure at being challenged.
Tanya wanted to skewer the animal to eliminate a potential spy. Using the form of a bird to gather intel could be an effective strategy in the right hands.
None of them moved, weighing their options and preparing for the worst.
Until...
"Knock Knock Knock... Routine Check!"
Whatever spell hung over them broke and the aura of tension receded from the combatants.
As the nurse controlled the machinery beside her bed, Tanya simply glared out of the window, sending the silent message: "If I ever see you again, you are going to regret it."
Similarly aggressive, the crow stared at her for another few seconds before croaking something back and vanishing in a flurry of angry black feathers.
