Eri holds my uniform as if her life depended on it and I'm facing the person responsible who did this to the child who is Overhaul, the man I hate most in the history of Boku no Hero.
- Are you her father? - I ask Overhaul.
- Yes, she is. I was just taking a walk with her, when suddenly my daughter started running aimlessly, I had to go after her. - Overhaul replied in a causal tone that only made me angrier inside.
💭Doesn't explode, doesn't explode! If that happens, Eri and the people around me will die! I can't be mad now!
(A/N:For those who don't remember, or I was stupid in not explaining. Saito's telekinesis powers are directly connected to his feelings, that is, if he gets too angry, an entire city suffers the consequences. A perfect example is the protagonist of Mob Psycho 100.)
- Then why is she shaking with fear? - I ask the villain holding Eri firmly at the same time and I notice the slight change in Overhaul's gaze, it seems like he didn't like my insistence.
- Because she just got scolded. - said Overhaul, sounding a little more serious.
Overhaul and I can't stop looking at each other and it's like there's a mental war between me and him, to know who wins this conversation and Eri who is in the middle of the crossfire.
-Does her scolding have anything to do with the fact that she has bandages on her arms? - I ask Overhaul is having difficulty maintaining the false mask of a father.
- No! Of course not. It's because she falls a lot, so I have to help her wounds. - replied Overhaul.
- It's true that children get hurt easily if you don't keep an eye on them, but what I'm seeing is not a simple trip on the floor, that's not normal. - I say this by doing my best to keep my temper under control.
- Please, don't impose your "normal" on other people's families. - Overhaul replied, being 100% serious.
- I'm sorry about that. Since that is so, then I will be completely frank with you. You're not this girl's "father", are you? - I say this in a friendly tone and letting some of my anger out a little, but I'm sure Overhaul noticed the meaning behind these words.
There was silence between us for a few seconds until Overhaul broke the silence.
- Wow, superheroes are too sensitive to people's most subtle signals. Very good. It's a shame to talk about it. People are watching, why don't you come with me? - said Overhaul entering the dark alley.
I release Eri from my arms and hold her hand and to my surprise she lets me do it, even though she seems to be calm.
- Actually, recently, I had a lot of problems with Eri. She keeps challenging me no matter what I say. - Said Overhaul.
- This is normal with children. Sometimes they are really difficult. - I respond in a neutral tone.
- Yes, children are really complicated. They feel like they can and will become someone....-said Overhaul who touched her glove and looked at me, but more precisely at Eri.
I felt Overhaul's threatening aura and Eri immediately tried to run towards Overhaul, but she couldn't because I was holding her hand.
Overhaul is surprised to see that his attempt to call Eri didn't work and he even saw me getting on my knees in front of Eri, completely taking away his vision of Overhaul.
- Well Eri-chan, this is where I say goodbye to you now, but I'm absolutely sure that we'll see each other again. - I respond with a friendly smile on my face and Eri looks at me with an expression of surprise and fear at the same time.
- Eri.... - Overhaul said in a tone that seemed to make him lose patience.
The moment he tries to approach me, I immediately look into his eyes with my expression of pure fury and let my threatening aura go towards Overhaul who was immediately paralyzed. There's no need for words in what this expression of mine means, but for those of you who are curious, Overhaul understood the following words when he looked at me: "Try to take one more step closer to me. You'll die the moment you do that!!! "
With Overhaul temporarily paralyzed, I look at Eri again and pat his head.
- Take care Eri...- I answer that in a gentle tone and I let her go towards Overhaul who is looking at me with an angry expression, but he managed to control himself.
💭 It looks like my plan didn't work, I'm going to have to go to plan B.
The moment I see that Overhaul and Eri are gone, I end up letting my anger out a little and the alley starts to calm down a little.
- You can be sure Overhaul, I'm going to make you suffer for everything you did to her! - I say this by punching the wall, but I haven't destroyed anything yet.
I let out a big sigh and notice that it's already raining. Knowing that I have nothing else to do, I report everything that happened to Nighteye.
He thanks me for the information that could be useful in the investigations, however he advises me not to face Overhaul in a public area, I already knew that so I held back, but it was very difficult.
Fortunately, there was a good side to all of this. I managed to make a telepathic connection with Eri.
Unfortunately it's not the same connection that I have with Toga, her case tells me her location and we can talk mentally if I want and we both know what we're feeling, but Eri's case isn't one of the best. Due to the psychological trauma that Overhaul caused to the girl, her mind will not support the process of a deep connection, adding the fact that she is a child. In other words, my only option is to make a simple mental connection that I made with Izuku so as not to put her head at risk.
************
Saito's room. Bedtime.
💭 Eri-chan can you hear me?
Eri:Who are you? Why am I hearing a voice in my head?
💭Don't worry Eri. I'm the hero you bumped into on the street. The reason I'm talking to you is because of my quirk that allows me to talk to people mentally.
Eri: You are the hero who made Mr. Overhaul afraid.
💭Hehehehee... Yes, that was me. And you Eri, how are you?
Eri:....
💭Eri? Are you well?
Eri:He tortured me again. He took out all his anger by making the pain as painful as possible so that I wouldn't run away anymore...
💭This will end....
Eri: What?
💭What you're going through will end. As I told you we will meet again. When that happens I will defeat Overhaul and free you.
Eri: It's impossible...
💭Nothing is impossible for me Eri! If there is a possibility then I will make that possibility happen. I am the One Punch Man Hero, meaning no villain is a match for me! It could be a god or a demon, they will feel my terrible power!
Eri:Do you really think this is possible?
💭It's not about thinking, it's about being sure and having faith that it will happen! I promise you Eri that I will save you. A hero never goes back on his promises!
Eri: Why are you going so far for me?
💭Why? Because I'm a hero and it's my duty to save and help people no matter who they are! I'll be your guardian Eri, just have courage and hang in there..
Eri:Ok....
After that conversation Eri didn't say anything back and I knew that she is suffering in her room right now, I wanted to do something to help her, but I can't. My only hope is to wait.
***********
Following day
Tatsumaki's vision
I'm flying around the city doing a quick night patrol. Since there is no association of heroes in this world, I have to do things alone.
- It's in those moments that I miss their instructions. They may be annoying, but at least they know how to identify the problem that needs my attention. - I say this while watching the city.
💭Saito said that he is planning to rescue a child named Eri. He didn't give me many details, but he said that this girl has the power to take away other people's powers.
-A child with this power is really dangerous. If she was older and in my world she would definitely be an A or S rank hero depending on her performance. - I say this waiting for something to happen.
💭It's taking too long...
As if something heard my complaints I see a fight between two giants in the city.
💭If it were an open area this would be resolved in no time, but unfortunately that is not the case.
I fly to the villains' location and notice that there are already heroes dealing with the bad guys.
I see 3 young girls, one I don't recognize and the other two I saw in my son's class. The trio manages to fight the two villains, leaving them unconscious.
- Um, you really have good teamwork as expected from my son's class. - I say this revealing my presence to the girls and I notice a Heroine among them.
- Saito-sensei's mother! - said the girl who controls gravity with her fingers.
- Were you watching us? - asked the frog girl.
- Yes. I would deal with these two, but it seems like you arrived first. - I answer and the blue-haired girl approaches me with several questions.
- Are you Saito-sensei's mother? What can you do? Why are you small? That's weird. - said the Girl.
I hold back my anger when this girl said my size.
- It seems that you haven't learned to respect your superiors. Do you want me to educate you? - I say this, approaching the girl, but my son's two students are in front of me.
- Please Mrs. Tatsumaki, don't hurt Hado-san! It was unintentional, she didn't mean to offend you! - said the gravity girl.
- Yes! You don't need to educate her! Kero! - said the frog girl. I let out a sigh and calmed down.
- You really got away from that girl. - I say, moving away a little.
- So you are Tatsumaki. - said the heroine to.
- Yes. You're talking to me. Some problem? Heroine number 9, Ryukyu. - I answer.
I don't have any problem. I just ask that you don't treat students this way, they are not soldiers. - she responds and I look at her with an expression that I don't care about her opinion.
- They are students, so it is up to us to teach them, especially about respect for people who are superior to them. - I answer.
- I don't remember knowing that you became their superior Tatsumaki. - said Kyukyu.
- And I'll call you about what you think. Let me inform you about where I came from "girl". In the world where I, my husband and my son live, there is no such thing as a children's school where children learn how to be heroes, people already become "heroes" whenever they want, anyone can be a hero where I come from . We don't need a stupid certificate to prove that we are a hero or not. After all, our world suffers attacks from monsters, aliens that can destroy the planet in seconds. We didn't have time to teach young people how to evolve. Either you become strong enough to defend yourself or you die to the monsters. So "Heroine number 9" don't judge a person without knowing the full story. - I say this and only receive silence.
- Indeed. You didn't finish your opponents properly. - I respond, leaving everyone surprised when they saw the two villains getting up.
- Not this one! - Kyukyu said, going to transform, but she saw the two bandits hitting each other's heads and then they fell and she saw me with my arm extended to the villains.
- Did you know.... - she said that.
- Oh? Oh! Yes! I knew they would wake up, I just wanted to know if you would notice or not, but it seems like the answer is "no". A lesson I give to you "children" when defeating a resistant villain, make sure they are erased and use more effective methods. Just throwing pebbles won't change anything. - I say that and start to fly away.
💭This U.A really needs a lot of help. They are very comfortable with this "peace" there will be a moment when this will end. Then I want to see how the "heroes" will act in the midst of chaos.
**********
Saito's vision. Days later
My conversations with Eri don't improve much, she's a little more comfortable talking to me, but it's very difficult to talk to her after Overhaul tortures her.
Luckily I can make her perk up a little when I tell her stories. An example of this are the children's stories about princesses being rescued by a prince that I read when I was a child and I didn't know about anime at that time, the story that she showed that she liked a lot and the stories of Rapunzel, Princess and the Frog and Mulan. There are also superhero stories that she also liked, which are Big Hero 6, Incredibles and Megamind.
Eri enjoyed hearing these stories and I hope it helped her not feel too alone and not lose hope.
*************
Nighteye called a good amount of heroes to her agency to discuss the Overhaul situation, me, Mirio, Izuku, Kirishima, Tsuyu and Ochako were called to participate in the meeting.
The meeting itself was no different from the original story. Nighteye discussing Overhaul's influence and what he can do with his quirk, etc.
The only difference is that Izuku and Mirio never meet Eri, meaning they both aren't too shaken when I reveal that Eri is not Overhaul's daughter and about the torture she goes through. Obviously Izuku and Mirio were outraged by this news, but they didn't blame themselves for not having done anything to help Eri.
Nighteye was surprised to know that I made a telepathic connection with Eri and I also told him about Eri's mental condition.
This only made the atmosphere in the room worse than in the original story, which caused some heroes to want to rescue Eri at that very moment.
However, Nighteye said that we don't know Eri's location at the moment and that we have to proceed with caution.
Nighteye said that we need to investigate the points where Overhaul's family has influence and that this can help us locate Eri.
At the end of the meeting I'm leaving the building when I meet Aizawa who is standing in the way.
- Ereaserhead? Do you need something? - I say that to him.
- I do not need anything. I'm just curious to know why you decided to make that connection with the girl. - Aizawa said.
-... At first I wanted to use this connection to know her location, then it would be easier to end Overhaul, but that was not possible. So out of a desire to help her in some way I decided to do that. - I answer.
- For what reason? - said Aizawa.
- She is a child who has suffered too much and she only has little hope of rescue, I want to rekindle that flame of hope within her, I want to show her that there is someone she can at least feel good about. - I respond with a sad expression and Aizawa was silent for a few seconds.
- So that was why. You are truly a unique hero. Besides acting like one you are looking like a big brother to her. - Aizawa said and I let out a small laugh.
- Well, I was Izuku's brother for a long time, so you could say that I have certain habits that don't go away. But I promised her that I will save her and a hero never goes back on her promises. - I answer that with a smile.
End of the ep