Chapter 12: It's Dark Now and I am Very Tired
Chapter Text
His vision sways and Izuku feels dizzy. His hold on One for All slips more and more and he struggles to hold it together. Eri clings tightly to his chest, Izuku cradling her close as he vaults across the cityscape. He's too exhausted, too drained to properly care for Eri or hide her. Overhaul should have been alerted to her escape by now and although they won't find much of a trail, Izuku would rather not pass out when people are out looking for them.
Where should he go though? Where could he take Eri where she could be safe? The police were compromised and Izuku's home wasn't well equipped to defend her. A pro-hero is the best bet, but who? No matter who Izuku appears in front of, they'd ask too many questions. Questions he couldn't answer. But, Eri wouldn't go with a pro hero if Izuku didn't act as a medium between them. She is too scared to approach someone else unless Izuku is there with her. Abandoning her would leave a sour taste in his mouth anyway. But where? To whom? Think, Izuku! Think!
Without warning, he slams into a wall not so gently. Eri whimpers in his hold and Izuku staggers from the impact. He's being too careless, his mind too muddled to think properly and control his quirk in his current state. The rain doesn't help at all, it's likely what made him slip. He needs to rest. He needs to rest, but he can't because he has to keep Eri safe. He can rest after. As long as she's safe. Yeah, once she's safe. Just like she was at UA in the future.
A lightbulb goes off. UA! They could take good care of her and provide protection as well! But, it was the middle of the night, no one would be there. And as confident as Izuku is in his newly acquired hacking skills, he doubts he can infiltrate UA without being noticed. That would look terrible too. The faculty would think they were villains or not trust them soon enough for Eri to get to safety. He could even be suspected of being a kidnapper. That would completely destroy any chance of Izuku getting into UA.
But UA isn't too far off the mark...what about Aizawa-sensei? He was one of the pro-heroes involved in Eri's recovery while she stayed at UA. She seemed to trust him in the future, and of course Izuku trusts him. But...It would still be suspicious if he dropped by out of nowhere. How could he even explain himself? And if he ends up in the same class in UA, Aizawa-sensei would never let him live it down.
Showing up disguised won't work either. That's even more suspicious. He can't just drop off Eri either...damn.
Izuku slips once more as he sprints and rolls right off the roof he was about to jump over. One for All falls away as panic spikes through him. He has little enough time to reactivate One For All and cover Eri more securely before his back lands squarely on the railing of a fire escape. The hit winds him, but he isn't through falling. He proceeds to hit the wall and then slam into a trash can before rolling onto the grimy wet ground of an alleyway. One for All fizzles out. Eri is crying again, clutching him tightly, but when Izuku looks her over, she's thankfully unscathed.
"I'm sorry Mr. Deku." She whimpers through tears, her eyes closed tightly. "This is all my f-fault. B-because I have a bad quirk. I'm so so sorry."
It's true Izuku's body is still shaking, and his breathing is labored with fatigue and the effort of staying awake. But, none of it is Eri's fault. He once again curses Overhaul and his twisted mind.
"Hey." Izuku calls gently. He runs a hand through her hair and rubs her back with the other. She must be cold, being drenched in all this rain. "Everything is okay. You see? I'm alright." He stands up again and it takes everything in him not to wobble. Eri opens her eyes to watch him skeptically, her face still covered with tears, or rain.
"You're quirk is so gentle Eri." He tells her, trying to recall the words he told her last time. The words that still hold true. "It's such a kind quirk. I was able to use my power without being harmed because your quirk saved me."
Eri clutches him tighter and shakes her head that she buries in his chest. "B-but! I can't, I can't c-control it!" She wails, her voice still oddly quiet and hoarse. As if even now she's afraid of raising her voice too loudly and being punished.
Izuku shushes her and lets her cry. He feels like collapsing and crying himself, but Eri is more important. He has to be strong. For her. "That's fine." He assures her and keeps his tone soft and soothing. "I'll be there to help, just like last time. I can help you control it, if that's what you want. There's someone who can help us too."
Eri looks up at him, a little hopeful, a little scared. "Someone who can help?" She sniffles.
He smiles at her and nods. "He's a hero like me. And he has an amazing quirk that can turn off other quirks."
Her eyes widen. "He can...turn off my quirk?" She asks in a whisper, one of her hands raising to unconsciously brush over her horn. Izuku nods. His heart may have broken a little.
"Is he nice?" She wonders next. Izuku nods again. The rain picks up and streams down his face.
"I'll introduce you." He promises. "So you won't be scared. I'll be right there with you. He can help us."
Eri studies his face and Izuku hopes he can convince her. He can't protect her like a pro can and he wants her to be safe more than anything.
"...okay." Eri agrees and he internally sags in relief. He readjusts his hold of her and fishes his phone out of his pocket. He doesn't actually know where Aizawa-sensei lives, but he'll find out right now.
After a little digging and some not-so-legal hacking, Izuku has the address without his phone being completely ruined. Blessedly, it's not too far, and Izuku hopes he can hold on long enough for them to make it. The shakes are getting worse and his eyelids are heavier than they've ever been before. Staying in the rain for too long isn't good either, though the water is helping to keep him awake.
"Don't worry," He says to the precious girl in his arms, not quite sure who he's trying to convince, "I'll keep you safe."
When Izuku lands outside Aizawa-sensei's home, it feels more like a crash. He releases Eri gently and his knees buckle. Everything is incredibly blurry, from rain or the haze in his head, he can't tell. He probably won't be able to call upon One for All again even if his life depended on it. He's lucky they didn't run into any trouble on the way here. He is so, so tired, yet he still can't sleep. Eri watches him worriedly and Izuku wishes he could be the hero she needs him to be. If only he were better or faster or stronger, she'd have nothing to fear.
The only thing he can do for her as he is, is grab her hand and offer her a shaky smile as he stands up. He staggers toward the door, tripping over the first step and rings the doorbell before resting against the frame. He gives Eri's hand a squeeze.
Izuku is almost surprised when the door swings open a few seconds later. But, he's forgotten who he's dealing with. Aizawa-sensei never sleeps, or never sleeps when he's supposed to. It isn't that shocking he'd still be awake at this hour in the morning. Or maybe he's just really good about answering his door. Unfortunately, either way leaves little time for Izuku to think of a good cover story. Not that his brain would have come up with anything decent in its current state.
So when Aizawa-sensei opens the door and pins them under a glare that Izuku is all too used to, he flounders even as an overwhelming wave of relief washes over him.
"What...is this?" His teacher asks and Eri flinches a little while she hides behind Izuku. A hysterical laugh bubbles out of his throat and he must look crazy. But he's so damn tired and wet and he has no idea what to say or do. It's Aizawa-sensei though, and Izuku feels safer already just standing in his presence.
His eyes blur even worse and Izuku rubs them only to find that his hand comes away wet. Is that rain? Or? Is he crying? Oh god, he is. What will Aizawa-sensei think? What will Eri think? He glances at his teacher after he scrubs his face. The man looks the same as Izuku remembers him and his expression is somewhat...conflicted. Izuku doesn't blame him. Even now, when Eri's safety is almost assured, his tongue has tied up and he has no idea how to get Aizawa-sensei to help them.
"Is this your friend?" Eri's voice cuts through the awkward silence and both hero's eyes swivel to her. She no longer seems as afraid as before, likely because she's seen scarier, but Izuku is glad. Maybe this can go well after all.
He takes a deep breath and smiles at Eri as she looks at him. "Yeah," he agrees, glancing at a wary Aizawa-sensei, "He can help you. He's a hero, remember? His name is Eraserhead." His teacher tenses at the info and his eyes narrow at Izuku.
Eri looks the man over herself. "Okay." She says finally.
Izuku huffs a little laugh and sways once more. He meets his teacher's eyes and focuses on calming his nerves. Aizawa-sensei is still just as scary as before.
"Can you help us?" Izuku asks, "Please?" He tacks on, the desperation he feels leaking into his tone. He can only hope the pro hero will trust them enough to help them out. Or at least Eri. As long as Eri is safe…
"Come inside." Aizawa-sensei says, moving to let them pass. "Quickly." He urges when neither of them move. Izuku stumbles past and bumps into a dresser, knocking off a vase and a tray for keys. They break and clatter respectively and Izuku curses his current state once more. This is his teacher's house, he needs to be more careful. Damn, he's such a mess. Won't Aizawa-sensei be mad?
"Deku…?" Eri looks at him worriedly with wide red eyes, her hand still in his.
"I'm fine." Izuku assures her immediately, a smile plastered on his face.
"Obviously you aren't." His teacher breathes from behind them, still at the entryway. He glances at the broken vase and then back at Izuku, his eyes roving over his whole body.
Izuku looks down at himself and it finally clicks that he must look terrible. He's still wearing all black, smudges of dirt and grime barely visible on the drenched fabric. Eri is also in a tattered dress dripping with rainwater and has loose bandages covering her arms with wet, greasy, unkempt hair. No wonder Aizawa-sensei is so on guard.
"So what's wrong?" He asks as he moves around them. He opens up a hall closet and pulls out a broom and dustpan. "Why have two children appeared on my doorstep, dirty and injured?"
Izuku's nervousness bubbles up, but mostly he feels guilty for breaking his teacher's vase. He walks forward to take the broom out of his hands.
"Let me. It was my fault-"
"It's fine." Aizawa-sensei cuts off with a sigh. "Go sit down. You're obviously out of sorts."
Izuku isn't satisfied with that though. The guilt claws at him. "But I-"
"Please sit." He demands again, firm and gentle all at once. Izuku decides to listen to him, if only because he doesn't think he can physically stand for much longer.
"I'm sorry." He says once again, sinking into the couch and wrapping an arm around Eri beside him. He fiddles with his gloves and finds his hands are still shaking.
He hears his teacher sigh again, among the sounds of sweeping glass. "Kid. I said it's fine. I just want to know what's going on. Is someone after you?" He stands and dumps the contents of the dustpan into the trash before joining them in the living room. He's brought towels, which he hands to Izuku. Without wasting time, Izuku wraps one carefully around Eri who seems to marvel at the texture of it. Aizawa-sensei watches their every move cautiously and joins them by taking a seat in a chair adjacent to the couch.
Izuku swallows loudly. His throat is too dry and his breaths have yet to even out. "Ummm. Yes." He confirms, pulling Eri closer to him and squeezing one of her hands. He's not sure where to start, but maybe he should see how much his teacher knows at this point in time?
"Have you heard of the Eight Precepts of Death?"
Aizawa-sensei tenses at the name and Eri burrows deeper into her towel bundle. It seems as if the pro is familiar with them after all. They have been around for a while and Eraserhead is an underground hero. He would be more familiar with the lesser known or more secretive organizations.
"So you have. That makes things easier." Izuku nods. "This is Eri. She was being held hostage by them and had experiments performed on her because of her quirk." He rubs her back through the towel as she starts to tremble. "They're going to come after her, so she needs to be protected."
"I see." Aizawa-sensei responds. "The Eight Precepts have been inactive for a while but they are a gang of ill repute. I had no idea they would use a child for something so inhumane as human experimentation." He's got an edge of anger barely perceptible to his voice that makes Izuku shiver even as he knows it's directed elsewhere. "What is her quirk?" He asks.
"It's a rewind quirk, capable of rewinding things to a prior version of themselves. Overhaul intended to use it to make a serum that erases quirks permanently." Izuku explains as his teacher's face hardens. "Unfortunately, Eri can't control her quirk well and so I thought you might be uniquely suited to help her when it gets out of control."
"I'm sorry Deku-san," She says again, barely more than a whisper. "I didn't mean to use my quirk on you."
Izuku yawns unconsciously and shakes his head. "No, Eri. I know you didn't mean it. Besides, I'm alright." He reminds her firmly. Aizawa-sensei studies him, an unreadable expression on his face.
"She used her quirk on you?"
Izuku isn't sure why that's important exactly. Surely he's not blaming Eri?
"Yeah, but she couldn't control it. It's not her fault." He insists.
Aizawa-sensei sighs. "I'm not blaming anyone here. I just want to make sure her quirk hasn't harmed you. It's clear there is something wrong with you."
Eri whimpers and Izuku feels unreasonably angry. It wasn't Eri's fault that Izuku wasn't strong enough to fend off her quirk. He's to blame for any injury, not her.
"Eri didn't harm me at all." Izuku hisses out, harsher than he'd intended. "Her quirk healed me."
His teacher raises an eyebrow and frowns, but perhaps he senses that it's a touchy subject.
The talk breaks with a silence that is unbearable, especially for Izuku as his head keeps falling and his eyelids droop closed without his consent. He needs to stay awake. He needs to let Aizawa-sensei know about the Eight Precepts. He needs to make sure Eri will be alright. He saved her faster this time for sure, but they haven't taken care of the threat yet and she could be whisked away again if they aren't careful. Izuku will have to hand out those folders he put together too, his teacher obviously needs one-
"Deku." Eri's worried voice cuts through his thoughts. She's waving a tiny hand in front of his face and Izuku can see the loose bandages, soaking wet, hanging from her thin arms.
"Do you have any bandages?" He asks, turning to Aizawa-sensei. His teacher is staring at him strangely, as is Eri. Almost like he's missed out on a conversation. Did he?
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" He wonders, his mind too scattered and sleepy to pay enough attention. This is bad. He still has to go home after this.
The pro hero sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, and Izuku thinks he might be annoying the man. "No. It's fine. I'll get the bandages. You, in the meantime, need to get some rest."
Izuku sputters and almost makes to stand, but stays seated because Eri is leaning against him. "Wait! But I have more information to give! Not to mention I have to go..." He trails off, not too sure he wants to finish that sentence.
"Deku...is leaving?" Eri asks in between a yawn. It seems he isn't the only one who is tired. His heart clenches at her words and his mind scrambles for a way to explain it to her without making it seem like he's abandoning her.
"You aren't going anywhere." Aizawa-sensei walks back in with a first aid kit and a heap of blankets and pillows. He drops the blankets on the chair he was sitting in earlier and walks towards the kitchen. A bad feeling settles in Izuku's gut. Aizawa-sensei picks up the phone.
"What are you doing?" Izuku asks, trying not to sound panicked. But, he's pretty damn panicked so it's kind of hard.
"I'm calling the police." The pro hero says simply and the bad feeling in Izuku's gut clenches.
"You can't!" Izuku cries out before he can stop himself. He tries to stand, but decides he shouldn't or risk making himself look like a fool. Eri stares at him fearfully. He gulps and takes a deep breath. He can't lose himself.
"I mean," Izuku starts much calmer, "The Eight Precepts of Death has its hooks in everywhere, including the police station. We can't trust that whoever comes will be safe. They'll be on the lookout for calls like that."
Aizawa-sensei narrows his eyes at Izuku. He is not convinced, Izuku can tell.
"As an underground hero, I have personal connections within the police and with other pro heroes. I can alert them and have them be discreet about it. They are all people I trust."
A valid point. But Izuku can't have that. "But Eri isn't used to being around new people even if you trust them. And even if you trust these people, neither Eri or I trust them, so you won't get any information out of us. We're minors anyways."
His teacher sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He glares at Izuku. "I'm not trying to interrogate you, I'm trying to help you."
"Then don't call the police. Or any heroes." Izuku pleads. "You don't need them anyway. As a pro hero, you function in all the same capacities as a law enforcement officer. You are legally allowed to provide protection for us as well as question us where necessary."
Aizawa-sensei lets out a noise of frustration. "While that is true, I have to keep in mind who is the most qualified. Besides, you both need medical attention-" Izuku starts to protest, but he's silenced with a glare again, "-from a professional. "
Izuku slumps in his seat, his insides twisting dangerously. "I'm fine." He protests stubbornly. Medical care would be good for Eri, but she had a long night. Surely it could wait until tomorrow?
His teacher scoffs at his words. He sets the phone down though, for now, and joins them back at the couch with a first aid kit in his hand.
"You know, I don't think I've caught your name yet. Was it Deku?" He says it casually, but Izuku can tell he's probing, a tactic to get information.
Izuku freezes. This is a slippery slope. If he was more awake, he would've realized it sooner. Nothing is more important to him than Eri's safety, not even his secrets, but he would like to keep them if he could. What would Aizawa-sensei do, if he knew that Izuku was basically a vigilante? Or that he was from the future where the man was his teacher? How would this affect his attendance at UA? Would his mom find out from this? And what would she do? It was going to quickly spiral into a situation he couldn't control.
Before he has noticed it, his breath quickens. He needs to get out. He needs to leave before he ruins the future. He's still shaking and he grips the armrest so he can stand-
"Here." His teacher's voice calls, a little echoey, and a first aid kit is plopped in his hand. Izuku comes back to himself and stares at the kit and then at who handed it to him.
Aizawa-sensei stares back at him, his eyes narrowed and oh god, he knows. He knows that Izuku is trying to leave. He should've guessed, his teacher has always been extraordinarily perceptive.
"Hold it while I take a look." Aizawa-sensei says, and it takes Izuku a second to place what they're talking about. He kneels down beside Eri and Izuku thinks that she might not trust him enough for him to touch her yet, however well-intentioned, but the girl is fast asleep within her makeshift blanket. Her head rests against Izuku's side and he blinks. When did that happen?
His teacher unwraps the bandages with a gentle and steady hand that betrays years of experience. He scowls at the marks and scars that are revealed. There are less than before, Izuku thinks, but the sight of them still brings him close to tears. He watches intently as his teacher cleans and disinfects the wounds before rewrapping her small arms. Eri barely stirs.
"Alright. Your turn." His teacher says and Izuku startles. The man looks at him and Izuku is a little confused. He's not injured? Or at least not anything Aizawa-sensei can fix. He's just really tired.
"You've been hit on the head." Aizawa-sensei informs, likely sensing his confusion. He reaches his hand forward and Izuku flinches back on instinct. He misses the look that flashes over his teacher's face as he reaches up to feel his head.
It hurts a little when he presses his fingers to a certain spot, and on his gloves is a residue that could be dried blood. Is that from when he hit the wall too hard? Or any of the other times he fell? He didn't even notice. His whole body aches after all, but Izuku just thought it was the result of him breaking it over and over again to combat Eri's quirk. And then the resulting exhaustion.
Izuku removes his glove and swipes his hand over the spot again. This time, he can see and feel the gooey semi-dried liquid as it comes away on his fingers. He stares at it, still trying to process how he knocked his head and yet didn't feel it. When the blood ran down, he must have thought it was just the rain.
He looks up at his teacher a little sheepishly. But, Aizawa-sensei has his eyes on the blood on Izuku's hand. Or maybe he's wondering why Izuku's wearing gloves? Oh no, that'd be hard to explain. Hopefully he won't ask any questions.
But Aizawa-sensei doesn't interrogate him. "Lean forward." He says instead. Izuku's heart picks up again.
He stares up at the pro hero defiantly. "If I let you treat my head, will you not call anybody?"
His teacher glares at him. "Are we back on this again brat? I don't know how many injuries you have. Or how serious they are. I am not a medical professional."
"But you can do first aid." Izuku argues, trying not to crumble under his teacher's gaze. "And I'm fi--"
"Fine. Yes. You've said. " Aizawa-sensei hisses. Izuku flinches. The pro hero takes a step back and sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Look. You seem to know a lot about heroes. So you should know, it is my job to get you to the proper help you need when I can not adequately provide it. Be rational about this, kid."
Izuku is being rational. And rationally a temporary vigilante time-traveling teenager should not be in the house of a pro hero who asks too many questions. Not in his current state of mind. Not when he could ruin everything.
"Okay." Izuku agrees with his own sigh. "You can call someone or even take us to the hospital- but! Do it tomorrow. Eri's already asleep and I'm too tired to do anything right now."
The pro hero raises an unimpressed eyebrow. "I can't do that. You've got a head injury. That's serious if left untreated. I'll reiterate. I do not know the extent of your injuries, some of which could be life threatening. This cannot wait. I won't have a child die in front of me because of stubbornness."
Izuku can feel his heart beating quicker, his breaths coming faster. "I'm not going to die. " He counters weakly. "It's just a bump."
"Let me see it then." Aizawa-sensei says tiredly.
"Only if you leave everything else till tomorrow." Izuku insists.
"Brat-" The pro starts in warning, but Izuku cuts him off quickly.
"If it is serious, then I'll go along with what you want." He says. "But if it's just a bump, then can you please let me sleep until tomorrow?"
Aizawa-sensei eyes him, as if trying to decide if it was really worth it to argue with him. Izuku will bet that his teacher probably wants to sleep too, just as much as he does. But he really needs to convince him and soon, or else there won't be much of a choice in Izuku falling asleep. And he can't do that. He needs to leave.
"What about your other injuries? And don't try to tell me that's your only one."
Izuku mentally catalogues himself. Yep, he still feels like shit all over.
"Nothing life threatening." He assures the hero.
His teacher does not look convinced. "No lacerations or anything that is actively bleeding?"
"No." Izuku answers. He didn't check, but it doesn't feel that way, so he's not about to create problems for himself.
"No broken bones?"
Izuku's mouth quirks into a smile at that. "No." Not anymore. He doesn't mention how a few ribs might be broken. If anyone were to ask, Izuku will just pretend he thought they were bruised. It's not lying, because they very well could be just bruised.
Aizawa-sensei sighs. He does that quite a lot. "Alright." He finally concedes, weary. "Now let me see your head."
Izuku listens obediently this time and leans forward so his teacher can get better access to his head.
The hero is gentle, not that Izuku expected him not to be, but he wonders why he thought for even one moment that Aizawa-sensei wouldn't help them, even if he didn't ask. It's his teacher after all, someone he trusts with his life. Although he can be scary, Izuku has found that he's more reassuring than anything. Even with all of Izuku's negotiating, Aizawa-sensei continues to do what he thinks is best for them. It probably never crossed his mind to refuse them.
As his head is wrapped, with no signs of a concussion or other trauma, Izuku feels consciousness drift away from him. He feels so safe now, so secure, he can't help it. Panic flashes briefly through the exhaustion, that he can't fall asleep here, but it's a losing battle, and Izuku's out a second later.
Shouta has seen a lot of weird things as a pro hero. Wet, dirty kids on his doorstep is a new one, but not something he is unequipped to handle. It is odd, he notes, that they know who he is and where he lives as well. He can hardly fathom how they got that information. But, Shouta has always been a good judge of character, and these kids just looked like they needed help, nothing more.
He spends most of the time observing them. It is important for him as a pro hero, to have all the facts. The older one has blood on his face, and there seems to be something wrong with him. Almost like he's drunk? And also like he'll pass out any second. Shouta wants to convince the child to go to the hospital, but the brat's as stubborn as any foolhardy youth who thinks they are immortal. He's not used to making compromises, but he can sense they won't get anywhere if he presses the matter. Sleep is good for recovery anyways, and despite the kid tripping over himself, he didn't act as if he were about to die. They likely had the time to leave it till tomorrow.
There's something else about him that just feels off, though Shouta can't place it. It could be that he's dressed in all black, gloves included, but Shouta thinks it's something more to do with the kid's attitude. He has this fake smile on his face and insists he's fine, and Shouta just knows he's a problem child without needing to see anything more.
And then when he removes his gloves, Shouta can see scars. It's already heartbreaking enough to see them on the little girl's arms, but at least he knows why. For some reason, he feels like he doesn't have the whole story, and it unsettles him.
Unfortunately, when he treats the older brat, he falls asleep on him. Which is fine, since Shouta didn't deal with him well. Besides, the kid really looks like he needs it. Upon closer inspection, the kid has dark circles that can rival Shouta's own and a sickly pallor to his skin. Hopefully he hasn't caught a cold being out in the rain for so long.
Shouta will have to get some real answers later, but there is some advantage to the kids falling asleep. Stealthily, he rifles through the clothing of the older child. It's a precaution, for weapons, but he mainly does it to find a wallet or a phone or something. He does find a phone, but it has a lock on it. Shouta's not too good with hacking- he can manage- but the situation isn't so dire as to warrant it. They can deal with that tomorrow. Surprisingly, there's no ID.
Shouta frowns. It's not completely suspicious to not carry a wallet on you, especially if you're a minor, but now he can't contact the boy's parents. If the boy even has parents. Shouta doesn't even have a complete name either, just "Deku", but it seems like such an odd name, it might be fake.
He sighs. Guess he'll just have to wait til morning. Which- he glances at the clock- is only in a couple hours. Great. He walks into the kitchen and rubs his tired eyes. He glances at his phone and wonders if he should call the proper authorities regardless of what the kid said. He doesn't even know if he can trust them after all. What kind of child gets involved with the Eight Precepts? Or knows about underground heroes and their homes?
Shouta shakes his head and glances at the two bundled up on his couch. He wrapped some blankets around them and they both appear to be sleeping soundly. So young and peaceful. Damn. Shouta's always had a soft spot for kids. He picks up the phone and returns it to its home on the wall.
He'll put on a pot of coffee and start reviewing everything he knows of the Eight Precepts. He'll need to call a few people tomorrow too, a few heroes and Nedzu probably. Or maybe visit them in person. It's not like he was doing anything besides grading assignments before the interruption anyways.