Eraserhead and Scribe III

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"So what happens now, though, Scribe?" Kaidi smiled a little. "I have no intentions of letting you go. You were responsible for my son's death, nearly as much as Tomura Shigaraki."

Scribe tore her gaze away from the Dabi puppet, trying not to remember the night Shigaraki and Dabi had come to the store. She turned to Kaidi. "I don't know. This isn't my plan, remember?"

"It's not mine either. Not anymore, anyway." He sighed, rubbing the palm of one hand over his bald head. He reached into his pocket and produced a gun. "Good thing I had more than one trick up my sleeve, huh? I had hoped to kill you as Tomura Shigaraki, but you foiled that with your little trick with the quirk. What is that, anyway?"

Scribe fought to focus on him, still trying to figure out how to handle this. Aizawa would be there soon, but she needed to stall until then. She decided the best option was one of honesty. "I don't know." At his disbelieving look, she shrugged. "I truly don't. I...encountered Tomura Shigaraki for the first time less than a year ago. He was an enemy and we faced off as such. But something changed. I think it had to do with my quirk which allows me some control over those in my story. Somehow our stories got twisted up together. Part of the result of that is that he cannot harm me with his quirk."

"And part of it is that he's in love with you?" Kaidi's face reddened with anger. "Enough to kill for you?"

Scribe lowered her eyes. "I am very sorry for your son's death. I..." She trailed off. What else was there to say? I wish I could have stopped Tomura? I never meant for it to happen? I couldn't do anything? None of it mattered. Instead she bowed her head. "I accept responsibility for my part in your son's death. But...how did you know?"

He chuckled. "You and Shigaraki were so sure you weren't seen, weren't you? But maybe there was someone else nearby. Just like there is now."

Scribe shot a look at the grinning puppet guarding the stairs. Dabi saw us? It didn't matter, but it did explain a few things. But why would Dabi betray Shigaraki? "What is your quirk, exactly, Kaidi?"

"Simply put, copy. I can copy the appearance and quirk of anyone if I have a small sample of their DNA. And I can also produce my little puppets using DNA. But like I said, they don't last long. For instance, my Dabi there, he'd probably expire after one good hit from Eraser, but he'd get at least one fireball off first. And that would probably be enough, don't you think?"

Dabi, well, he's been wondering how Eraser survived that last fireball. He figures another one would do it, though.

Scribe jerked herself out of the past. "Please don't hurt Shota." She knew she was just buying time and Aizawa wasn't even upstairs anymore, but the words were sincere. She swallowed hard. "He's been hurt enough by this."

Kaidi scratched his chin. "You know, when he was a boy, my son was a big fan of Eraserhead. We're from his old neighborhood, you know. Where he worked right after he graduated. He's still a legend, even though he's been gone for years. I always figured..." He trailed off, his eyes unfocused. Scribe realized he was thinking of his hopes and dreams for his son.

Hopes and dreams that are no longer possible because of Shigaraki's actions. And mine. If I hadn't stopped him, hadn't asked him why he helped us, he would have been gone before the boy came along. I couldn't have stopped Tomura, but I could have let him go.

"All that said," Kaidi raised the gun, pointing it at Scribe, "I really need to take care of business here. I figure I kill you, Shigaraki will come after me, saving me the trouble of going looking for him. I understand he's a bit difficult to find now."