Salem pov
It was Monday at St. Terrassa school and the primary side was just enjoying their break time. As usual I was on top of his tree listening to an electric theory video. I was on this tree so much that students and even the teachers basically said that he marked it as his territory.
I spotted something peculiar though he saw Matthew acting very weird. The guy seemed to be waiting for something in particular and went off to the other side of the school. I already knew what he was up to. Matthew was bouncing or sneaking out of school.
It wasn't the first time he's done this, as he has been doing this for a while now. Now for students to do this was pretty normal all things considered but it was just pretty difficult with all the cameras and teachers around. You had to pick the right spot and be perfect with your timing.
But for someone like Matthew who was basically a good boy archetype who wanted and wanted to be a just hero it was a strange change of character. The first time I saw him was some weeks ago and I did wonder what was going on but I shrugged it off.
But at the end of school he wouldn't see him at all or see him with bruises and cuts. That pretty much lines up with what his mom said. Yesterday his dad showed up at my place saying that he was here to pick up Matthew as he again said he was coming over here for training or something.
'Alright let's see what you're up to.' I thought as he jumped off the tree to follow Matthew.
"Hey Chicky!" I paused and sighed and saw Suiw walking up to him.
"Man, what. Wait weren't just with your groupies?" He asked looking around and saw people who wanted to go near the girl but were hesitant.
"They backed off when I was coming over to you." She giggled.
Now people normally did mess with me around here and it was not because of some delinquent or bad boy persona or something. In a school no matter where there are always those bigger students who are major bullies to ever one and if they had a good quirk, it was even worse. We have one here and his name was Tiwonge Mitombiri and he was a big fat prick with a quirk. He was the resident bully and when he tried his shtick on me it didn't work out so I got a lot of street cred.
Though we were called to the principal's office with our parents or auntie in my case got called too. Tiwonge's parents demanded I should be expelled and arrested and put in juvie, I guess. But I came prepared as I used one of the cameras as evidence to Tiwonge starting that fight so I was let off the hook and Tiwonge was suspended. Auntie's reaction after this was confusing, she seemed proud but still gave me an earful.
"Wait where Jenny and Praise are." I looked around for her two best friends.
"Oh, they got caught skipping class and now they're in trouble." She shrugged. "But where are you going?"
"I gotta use it." I lied. Truth be told I didn't want Suwi following on this as she's really popular around here especially after that video so bouncing would be a little harder due people now constantly shadowing her.
"Dumb excess Chicky. The bathrooms are another way" Suwi rolled her eyes and giggled amused. "Now where are you going?" She asked.
"Fuck." I swore. "Look, just go do something else." I told but she did the opposite.
"You saying that just makes me more curious~." She sang and I just sighed
A little while later
The two of us were now in town silently following Matthew from a safe distance.
"Chicky why didn't you tell me you had a cheat code for bouncing." Suiw pouted at me and I just smacked his lips. "Don't give me that and why are we following Matthew."
I used my quirk to fuck up the area we snuck out from, Since either some cameras don't work or sometimes act up it wasn't going to be that suspicious.
"Because he's been acting off and I just want to get to the bottom of things." I explained
.
"Wow Chicky I never took you as the meddling type~." She giggled.
"This boy has been using me as an excuse so yeah I am a little." I answered.
"Well shouldn't we change our clothes if we want to be sneakier." She said a little excitedly.
"You just want to go shopping for something new." I said with a deadpan expression.
"Um no it's for disguises and that stuff." She tried to play it cool. "Pwease I'll buy them." She cutely begged and I looked at Matthew from a distance.
"Fine I'll keep track of Matthew and you find the clothes. Once you're done call me and I'll tell you where I am. But make it fast though." I gave in.
"Yes." She silently cheered.
Sometime later after Suiw ended her shopping faster than I thought and she came back with the clothes and I was just glad she didn't run into any problems. I was now wearing blue jeans, black green shirt and white baseball cap. Suiw was wearing blown short shorts, white flower designed shirt and a pair of sunglasses.
Matthew had stopped his movement when he reached a spot where there were buildings which were abandoned in the middle of construction. When we followed him inside, I used my radio radar to sense who many people were in the building to be on the more careful side and good thing there were only four minus Matthew all in the same room.
I spelled up do not speak to Suiw on the ground and she nodded. We don't know if there was a person with a mega super hearing quirk hear so it's best not to risk anything. But at least us being in here and not having anyone approach us for our sneaking confirms there is no sensory type quirk here. At least I hoped
.
We got to the third floor and the only room with a built door had the people in it. Suiw looked at me with a what should we do face and I had no idea. I didn't have x-ray vision to look inside. I just listened in through the door. Maybe I could work my way around that.
"Alright everyone, time to get dressed and go." I heard a male voice say.
"Gerald, are you sure that the kid is ready for this?" I heard another voice ask.
"He'll be fine after all his been with us for a few weeks now." I heard the voice of Matthew's brother Peter.
Then I sensed them coming out and I grabbed Suiw and led her to the other room where we hid. I saw the group of five come out and they were all dressed in hero costumes and Matthew also had one but with a large helmet. I saw Suiw's face morph into shock.
"Oh, wait, I forgot to take mine." One of them who had a long spike coming out of his elbow stopped the rest and he took out an inhaler and breathed in. I saw his elbow get even spikey.
"Alright team let's go!" The one who I assumed was the leader said and they all left and went downstairs. I used my microwave radar to sense when they left the building and when they did, I gestured to Suiw so that we could talk now.
"I can't believe it. Matthew is part of a vigilante group." She said in shock.
"Wait what?" I asked her.
"There were a small vigilante group I saw once on social media. They stop or try some small crimes and villains and upload their work." She explained to me.
"Great clout chasers, but that explains what his brother said to me." I mumbled.
"What did he say?"
"He said Matthew found his true friends." I answered and I saw Suiw flinch. "What's the matter?" I asked her.
"Well, do you think we were bad friends in Matthew?" She asked and I just raised an eyebrow. "Well, we really didn't hang out with him much anymore, especially me. Heck I never once went to his house."
"What happened?" I asked as I went to the look holding the hook, used my electromagnetism to unlock the hook and open the door and went into the room. It just looked like a small hang out place and place and smelled a little like pot and alcohol.
"Okay one wow and two this place is really dirty and smells weird and three he." She gagged a little at the smell. "And three he told me he liked me." She continued and I was caught off guard.
"The fuck. When was this?" I asked her.
"About a month ago. It was lunch time he came straight at me while I was with Praise and Jenny by the basketball court talking. He looked really confident then gave me some chocolate and said he likes me and wants us to be boyfriend and girlfriend."
"How did you answer?" I looked around till I found an inhaler.
"I said 'Ew no way'. After that he ran away crying." She scratched a cheek. "After that all he did was avoid me nowadays."
"Huh, that explains a lot." Honestly it could have gotten much worse. I've seen some pretty savage rejections in primary school both in my old life and this life. "Come on, I got what I wanted, now let's go. It's almost lunchtime so we can sneak into P.E when we get back." I told her.
"Okay but why are you taking that inhaler?" She asked a little confused.
"Hm, I need to ask someone about it now, let's go already." We left the room and I relocked the door using the hook and lock leaving the building and hurrying off to school. But I had to make a quick call.
"Hello." Uncle J answered his phone.
"Hey uncle J are you at your place right now?" I asked him.
"I just got back, why are you asking?"
"I want to come over. I need to talk to you about something serious."
"Sure, kid why not."
"Thanks, see you in a minute byeii." I cut the phone and call.
After school
I was just in town walking to uncle J's apartment. We had gotten back just around lunch time and so yeah, we missed two hours' worth of school. I called auntie and told her I was going to take the mini bus home which she was okay with but gave me a 5:00pm limit and if I wasn't home by that time, she would literally track me down.
I got to uncle J's apartment and knocked on the door. He didn't take long to open the door and I noticed the bandage around his right arm.
"Why you still outside Chimzey get in here." He told me and I got in and sat by his couch and he went to his fridge and grabbed two canned sprites. "Hey, so what brings you to my crib? Come to ask for some girl advice?" He asked me to hand him the sprite.
"No Uncle J but you've seen illegal activity right like you know drugs?" I asked opening my sprite.
"Yeah, I've seen a lot of it. Wait man don't tell me you are a part of that life now." Uncle J asked looking a little panicked.
"No, I wanted to ask you about this." I showed him the inhaler and he choked on his sprite. "So, I guess you know what this is then?"
He regained his bearings and snatched the inhaler from me and inspected it searching for something and nodded to himself. "Chimwemwe where did you get this?" He asked seriously.
"My friend who is involved in a vigilante group had that on him and when I saw one of them using it, I saw that it seemed to have enhanced his quirk." I explained it to him.
"Fuck even kids are taking this thing." He cursed. "Listen Chimwemwe this is a really dangerous drug called Msaada and yes it does enhance a quirk but it's really addictive and has horrible side effects."
"So there like steroids than?"
"Yes, but the side effects are much much worse. Look I know school kids have and use illegal substances but it's usually weed, vape, alcohol and some others but why is your friend involved with vigilantes who use this stuff?"
"Well, he always wanted to be a hero but the quirk to be honest was not really hero made and even if he did it wasn't going to get him to the top. So, I guess he joined the vigilantes and took the drug to fulfil his dream in some way." I explained and uncle J nodded. "But what I don't know is how this drug will help boost his quirk though since it's a simple mutation quirk?"
"Well, Msaada is a very weird drug Chimzey not only does it enhance your body but it also but sometimes it gives your quirk and body extra features but according to the what your quirk does." He explained. "Look kid, you1 better warn your friend to get away from those guys while he has the chance and what's the name of this vigilante group anyway."
"I don't know I'll look more into it and thanks uncle J you can keep that I have to go back home before auntie hunts me down byeii~." I finished my sprite, got my back and prepared to leave.
"Ha! I have memories and thanks for the extra clue kid see ya." He waved as I left.
As I walked to the elevator, I just wondered how the Nguzu brothers got themselves involved with this.