Chapter 38
Thursday was a busy day. First thing in the morning, Emily wanted to show me her newest trick. We were standing in front of my closet where my uniforms hung neatly.
I am going to make the attempt. Do not be startled, she said. The sudden feeling of being drained told me she had left the body. Then one of my uniform jackets started to pull itself off the hanger. It fell to the floor, then started pulling itself along the ground by its sleeves. The garment filled out, almost like there was a female torso in it. When it reached the computer chair, it climbed up until it was apparently seated and poised to type on the computer.
Then the jacket collapsed, and I felt Emily return to our shared body. I did it! She was so excited, but at the same time was so exhausted that I could feel it. Must sleep…
I retrieved the jacket and hung it back in the closet, shaking my head the whole time. Emily was making progress. I wondered if there would be a point at which she could reach true independence, and if so, would she choose to leave her old body permanently. As I traveled to the mansion for the study session, I spent time picturing a small army of body sheaths, mannequins, and powered armors which she could possess to offer a variety of capabilities both in combat and out.
While I wanted the best for her, some small part of me worried what my purpose would be if Emily became her own person. If my only connection to Yanagi Reiko was her body, who was I? These considerations kept me occupied for most of the morning. Emily rejoined me as I arrived at the mansion, but she sensed my reflections and permitted me the privacy to think things through. The others must have just assumed I was in one of my occasional quiet moods. They included me in the academic discussions and exercises, but allowed me my solitude during the breaks. It was sweet that Shoda, Kodai, and Bondo all sat near me in quiet companionship.
As the morning went on, my thoughts turned from Emily to my lunch appointment with Endeavor. Learning about the Eighty-Eight yesterday had disturbed me. I couldn't shake the notion that the head of the Todoroki family might have some interest in acquiring me as a match for his son. I would have assumed the Yanagi's Burakumin background would have made such a pairing unlikely, but did not know enough about the social mores to be sure. I almost asked Kodai or Shoda, him having the most inside knowledge of the neo-nobility and their marriage customs but realized that would be cruel to him.
This meant I was something of an emotional wreck arriving at the Cutlet House. My sensor cloud noticed three things. First was that the building showed none of the damage done by Inoue's earth powers and the fight with Mirko. It had been repaired to the point of looking brand new – concrete spotless and metal gleaming. Second, I noticed a small badge on the wall next to the door. It read Ishiyama Reconstruction. That was Cementoss' family name if I recalled Emily's lecture on the Eighty-Eight. If all his family had construction-related quirks and ran a building company, I could see how they would be both rich and influential. The third thing I noticed drove all the others out of my head. Endeavor was seated at the same table as Inoue had been.
Unlike my last meeting at the Cutlet House, I was walking in with no back up. Still I tried to convince myself I had no reason to distrust the hero. No reason to trust him either. But I had agreed to the meeting. I wasn't worried about him as a physical threat. I would be much less nervous if this meeting was a battle. Instead this was social interaction with an unknown goal, which always made me more uncomfortable. I squared my shoulders and mentally shook myself.
When I entered the restaurant, he spotted me and waved me over. As I arrived at the table, he gestured for me to take a seat. He didn't stand.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me," Endeavor said. He was in his flaming blue and orange costume. His control of his flames was so good that the wooden chair in which he sat wasn't even smoldering.
I took my seat and looked at him. There were a lot of different fire spirits circling him, obviously drawn to his quirk. There was no evidence he was aware of them. Part of my space case reputation was the fact that my eye was occasionally attracted to the movement of a spirit no one else could see. This naturally led to distraction. Monoma had it worse for a week or two, but was getting better. No one could see Manga's eyes so there was telling what he was watching.
Endeavor was staring straight at me.
"Thank you for inviting me. How can I help you?" I wanted to get to the heart of the discussion early rather than waiting for him to slowly come to the point.
He smiled. "You're direct. And while you're naturally nervous, you push forward, demanding to know what I want. That is the attitude that interested me in you. That and your abilities."
"Interested in what?" I pressed ignoring his compliments.
"Two things. But first a question. How much fire can you control?"
"Fire control isn't my main quirk," I started.
"I realize that, but I have seen you use it before. Can you demonstrate?"
"Here and now?" I asked. My sensor cloud showed me the restaurant was busy, but our immediate area was almost empty.
"You are not likely to burn the concrete and metal. Just avoid the chairs." He smiled. "I take responsibility for the public quirk usage."
"Very well." I gathered the fire spirits around him, as well as my normal wisps and shadows and ordered them to all burn visibly and to dance in a complex pattern that surrounded the two of us and our table in a hemisphere of individual multicolored motes of flame. Each spirit seemed to spring from my hands as I moved them to orchestrate the dance of the spirits. I kept the last shadow spirits to crawl along my arms, chest, and hair not-quite mirroring his costume's flames in dark shades of black and grey. My eyepatch was up and a hitodama burned red in the socket.
All sound in the place stopped as customers and staff alike stared at us. From the hero's tight smirk, I gathered he liked the attention.
"Impressive." He gestured, flexing his quirk. The fire spirits were ripped from my control and flew towards him. I commanded the whips and shadows to move to follow them, changing color to be invisible as they moved. I did not want him to know I could control types of fire he couldn't. Wisps and shadows were not true fire anyway. They could not burn. In seconds he had a great ball of fire surrounding his right hand. He closed his fist, quenching the flame.
The spirits were still there. They were simply not burning on this plane anymore. He wasn't controlling the spirits but the fire itself. I wasn't sure I wanted to try to test which of us the spirits would obey if we were in direct conflict. At least not unless I was ready for it to turn into a real battle.
The waiter came and took our orders. After he was gone Endeavor gazed at me for a minute or more. Finally, he began to explain his interest.
"You and I share similar quirks and similar attitudes towards combat. We neither of us shy from hard decisions. In Hosu City, two of the Nomu were slain. You killed one. I, the other. I know you did not make that choice easily. Nor was it your first response. Many others will decry your decision to resort to lethal force. But it was necessary. We both have the courage to recognize when it is, and the wisdom to know when it is not."
"I have studied the video of your fight with Volcano. While he was but a pale imitation of me, he was powerful enough that very few heroes could have him taken down without resorting to desperate measures. You tried an escalating series of attacks, all with no effect. So, you made the right choice to use your ultimate attack. And you chose correctly again when you aimed it at his shoulder rather than his head. He owes his life to your clear thinking."
I nodded to acknowledge his points but said nothing.
"You're young and powerful and need mentoring. All Might has all but made his protégé known. My son has chosen a different path. Given that, I would choose to mentor you." Endeavor said as if he had handed me a winning lottery ticket. Which might not be far off in this world.
"That is a most generous offer. I am honored. But what does that look like in practice?" I asked.
"You will have other internships and work experience opportunities going forward. I would like you to spend those working with me and my agency. I would also like to announce to the press that I am taking you under my wing. That will limit some of the ongoing criticism. If you're associated with me in the public mind, their expectations for your behavior will be shaped by my reputation."
He paused and speared me with a glare. "As my reputation will also be linked to your behavior, I expect it to be exemplary. I am not a martinet, but power demands discipline. Do you understand?"
"I know what I mean by discipline and proper behavior. Your definitions may differ," I pointed out – reasonably, I thought. "That is something we'll need to discuss, should I accept your offer. To help me understand, can you critique my behavior in dealing with Stain or in the park riot and attack of last weekend?"
"An interesting question." Endeavor sat back and stroked his flaming moustache. "I have seen some reports of the events of Saturday. I'll need some time to look more closely before I can offer a worthwhile critique. At the most basic, you moved the non-combatants to relative safety and defeated the sneak attack. The fact that the villains were defeated and detained with a minimum of injury to you or the bystanders means your actions were effective. For me that's usually the ultimate judgement."
The man took a moment to taste his cutlet. He scowled at the waiter and sent a fork of flame to char the meat. I thought mine was one of the best I had tasted. I just wished they had curry to put on top. I liked katsu kare much better than plain tonkatsu.
"As for your capture of Stain, it barely counts as a feat in terms of actual combat. He was already near-crippled and was standing by will alone." He waved his and as if dismissing the action. "Your take down of the winged Nomu, which I remind you I had already wounded, was more impressive. You showed good judgement in prioritizing the Nomu as the greater threat and acted accordingly. In terms of public opinion, your handling of the Hero Killer – humiliating him and rendering him the butt of countless jokes – was much more devastating than his physical defeat. The media love you. And you've shown a rare skill in driving that attention to support your cause. I would like to help you refine that."
"So, no complaints?" I was surprised.
"Your flight from the original battlefield, and more importantly back to it from the Stain capture site, were clear violations of the quirk laws that cannot be excused as self-defense or actions under the supervision of a hero. If the authorities had been so inclined, they could have legitimately punished you for those actions." He offered with a gimlet eye that was much more effective when surrounded by fire.
"I agree. I was caught up in the moment. That's not an excuse. I knew better than to do it, but I did it anyway."
He smiled. "I will admit that it was seeing you fly that cemented my initial interest in you."
"What do you mean?" I asked, suddenly suspicious.
"Even with the plethora of quirks appearing in the population, flight is still rare. While I can concentrate my flames to create a pseudo-jet, I can only sustain limited flight for a short period. No one in my family can truly fly. You also have a greater range with your attacks and effects than those we can achieve. These abilities, combined with your pinpoint pyrokinesis, would be valuable additions to the capabilities of the next generation of the Todoroki lineage."
"Surely you're not suggesting …"
"I am suggesting nothing. Not at this time. But forthrightness is a characteristic we both share. I will admit I was initially interested in you as a match for my son. As he is separating himself from the family, I will shelve that idea. Should the situation change in the future, we can revisit the possibilities."
"Your offer to mentor me is not tied to any matchmaking?" The skepticism in my voice was obvious.
"No." His curt response added to its credibility.
"Alright," I said. "I would like some time to think about this, discuss it with my family, and a few others before I can make a decision."
"I understand. Would you like me to speak with your parents? I will have to meet with them if you agree to my sponsorship."
"Not just yet, though they may wish to speak to you. Regardless of the outcome I want you to know I am deeply appreciative of the honor you do me with this offer."
"Indeed."
The rest of the meal was taken up with what was effectively small talk, mostly about my background and schoolwork. He didn't ask about how I'd gained my skills and experience. I got the impression he considered himself a self-made man and expected others to reach some level of excellence on their own as well.
At the end of the meal he beamed me his full contact details. "I expect you to use those if you have any questions, or just feel the need to talk. Or if the school should give you any trouble over recent events." He looked at me to express the seriousness of his offer.
"Thank you," I said, making no commitment. I had a lot to think about.
I felt the need to talk with someone about this. I knew Jin had opened an office for his Guardians at the Community Center in Ferusia Koen. That afternoon I decided to pay him a visit.
This was the first time I had been back to the park since the riot. What surprised me most was that there were actually people in the park – kids playing and adults strolling or resting on benches. I didn't see any gang tags spray painted anywhere, or garbage littering the ground. It was pretty, and a complete turnaround from what had been there before.
There was a Sunflower Foundation sign outside the community center. I had no idea who they were, but I had suggested that Chikuchi look for outside funding. I assumed she had found some. When I went into the building, I saw Rin talking with two older men in suits.
"Once again, I offer the City's thanks," one of the men said. He was the younger of the two, chubby and red-faced, with thick glasses. "I hope you will consider our proposal." He bowed again, somehow looking like he was bowing to both the older man and to Rin. Both bowed back, less deeply than the red-faced man had.
"We will certainly give your proposal all due consideration," Rin said. The older man – tall and slim, with a military posture – just nodded a fraction of an inch. Obviously hoping for more, the chubby man waited several seconds then turned and walked away. As he walked past me, I noticed he wore a pin on his lapel. It had the symbol of the Mosuaizuri district on it. I had seen the symbol on various billboards and posted notices from the local government. I assumed he was from City Hall – Mosuaizuri's, not Tokyo's.
"Yanagi-san!" Rin hurried over to me. "I haven't seen you since the attack. I hope you're alright." I was dressed in my jacket again, so my bandages were covered.
"I'm fine," I said. "What was that about?" I pointed vaguely over my shoulder towards the man who could still be seen walking in the park.
"Ahh, yes." He seemed a little embarrassed. "Let me explain. This is Xi. He is an old family retainer who also acts as the coordinator for the Lin Family's charitable foundation."
The older man bow deeply towards me. I bowed in return.
"The young master has decided that the Sunflower Foundation should support the maintenance and operational costs of the park and community center until such time and the local government can undertake the task." Xi's voice was dry, like brown leaves scraping against each other in the autumn wind. "Konami-san is a representative from the local authority. He was just thanking us for the grant."
"And wondering how much more he could get out of us," Rin said, sounding disgusted with the idea. I had known Rin had money. This foundation hinted at a much higher level of wealth than I had suspected.
"Sir ..." Xi chided, looking around at the surprising number of people in the lobby. Most were talking to the receptionist or checking the notice board. The center would offer classes and free access to computers, a small library, several meeting rooms, a small gym, and other amenities.
"Why don't you come to the Guardian's office," Rin said, leading the way further into the building. "Zerox is out but Spinner is there, and a few other who would be happy to see you."
"Sounds good," I said. "He's really taking this thing seriously, isn't he?"
"Jin?" Rin asked.
"Yeah."
"He is," Rin replied. "And I think it's good. Probably more effective at making large changes in the community than any three vigilantes."
"Hmm…" We came to a glass-enclosed office. There were several desks with computers and phones set up and a wooden door with a medieval shield with wings logo on it. Agoyamato, Chikuchi, & Rikishi were at the desks. They were all wearing white t-shirts and red berets with the winged shield logo on them.
"Hey!" Agoyamato said when he looked up. "How are you?"
The other two stood and came to me. "Are you part of this thing now?" I asked.
"They won't let us patrol, because they say we're too young, but we can work the office," complained Mr. Pompadour.
"I'd rather not patrol," Rikishi said. "But someone has to organize things."
"Hey! I can organize …" Spinner was joking as he came through the wood door. When he saw me, he stopped.
I think I need to talk to this guy, I thought to Emily.
Be gentle with him. He is already intimidated enough by you, she replied.
"Spinner," I said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's good to see you. This is some set up. How did it happen?"
"It … it … it was Rin-kun that managed to convince his Foundation to help fund us." Spinner pointed to the Chinese student.
"And what are you doing with the funding, other than building a nice office? " I asked, keeping my tone friendly.
"We're patrolling the park and the city center, deterring crime and keeping people safe." He sounded like he was quoting some ad or something.
"That's great. Just you and Zerox?" I asked.
"No, we have several adult volunteers working with us. Usually Zerox or I lead the patrol, but there are four or five others."
"Very impressive, for such a short time." Rin said. "That is why I was saying they have the potential to make a real difference. The more people that get involved, the greater the long-term impact. I understand the notorious vigilante Nightwing has been seen wearing a red beret."
"He has asked to join, but there are questions about his prior activities. We'd hate for the police to arrest him for vigilantism because he is patrolling with the Guardians," Chikuchi said. "He's pretty popular in the neighborhood, at least if you aren't in the gangs. I understand the Foundation is hiring a lawyer to advise us on these sorts of issues."
"That's great. I have a media contact who I might be able to convince this would be an interesting story. Would you like me to talk to him?" I offered.
"Really?" Chikuchi's excited voice echoed in the office. "That'd be great! We could get more volunteers that way."
I looked at Spinner. He reluctantly nodded. Rin also agreed. "I'll send him a message."
"Come on," Agoyamato said. "Let's show you around. Things are changing fast. I heard that Slidn' Go is thinking about offering quirk lessons here. Sort of an informal quirk dojo. Wouldn't that be great?"
I thought about it for a few seconds. I didn't have any proof the pro hero was crooked, but I had seen him standing and watching when trouble was happening too often to trust him. "That'd be interesting. I'll have to come, if it happens." I replied.
On the way out, Rin pulled me aside. "I want to invite Shoda-kun and Yaoyorozu-san to come see what is going on here. Both of their families have related charities that might offer support. They might even bring a parent, or at least talk to them about it, as the adults are the ones that make the decisions. You are in the study group with them. Do you think you might be able to hint to them that such a visit is worth their while?"
"Yeah, I think I can do that. It'd be good for them to see the park is safe and being used like it's supposed to be after the problems last weekend."
"Thank you."
On the way back to my apartment, I was thinking about Endeavor's offer and Best Jeanist' PR discussion. Both of the top heroes were hinting that I had the potential to reach the top myself someday.
If both agree, then you must take their opinions seriously. I ask you to recall our earlier conversations about your goals. Is becoming a top hero what you wish to do in this life? Emily's tone was gentle rather than demanding.
I keep saying it's not. The thought has some serious attraction though. I never got much good publicity in my old world. Even when I was making a positive difference, even when I was saving the word, a lot of people still treated me like a scary super-villain. It might be nice to see what being a popular hero would be like.
I let my mind wander. What would I like to be doing in five years? Ten? In my old life, I never did much long-term planning because there was no guarantee the world would still be there in ten years. Once I became a cape, it was a day-to-day existence. While there were problems in this world, there were no Endbringers or Entities. No sign of a world-spanning conspiracy like Cauldron. Here the heroes seemed to be able to win, not just the occasional fight, but to bring the world out of darkness.
I don't know. Maybe being a hero wouldn't be so bad?
~ The End - For Now ~
A/N: Author's Afterwards
I think I am going to declare the last chapter to be the end of Season One of Slouching Towards Nirvana.
Taylor has come to the realization that she may want to pursue a heroic career in her new world. She has many possible mentors and future pathways. She has become more comfortable interacting with her classmates and other peers. She has let go of some of her guilt and distrust from her previous, life – though certainly not all of it.
Emily has started on the road to independence and shown a willingness to involve herself in conflicts when necessary. She still has a lot of growth ahead of her as well. What the ultimate end state between her and Taylor will be is still to be determined.
I have plans to return with the next season starting with the Final Exams then focusing on the conflict with the League of Villains and All for One as well as expanding her activities outside of school. I just do not feel the inspiration to write more at this point.
Thank you