Irrational Problem Child

Irrationally Outplanned

7/2/22 I finally got around to transcribing this chapter after my computer died and I lost my word docs! Here you go!

Your point of view

It was fun- learning from Mic how to crossfade from one deck to another.

But as more and more people packed themselves into the huge crowd, you started to feel nervous.

Finally, as the room grew even more packed and full of energy, Mic's voice boomed out:

"YOU ALL CAME HERE TO DANCE, RIGHT!? ARE YOU REEEADYYY!???"

The room roared back at him, thousands of arms pumping into the air.

"ALLRIIIIGHT!!! LET'S PARTYYYYY!!!!"

Mic matched their energy, pointing skywards with both hands as the laser lights spun around him. The crowd screamed in ecstasy, a mass of people jumping up and down. You covered your cat ears, overwhelmed. This was all too much. You found yourself backing into the corner.

Mic noted your behavior, but didn't think too much of it.

"Hey kid, I'll take over the DJ-ing now. You can borrow some muffling headphones if it's too loud, kay?"

You nodded weakly. As Mic began jamming out, you kept your hands clamped over your sensitive ears. You sunk down into the corner of the stage, knees curled to your chest, squeezing your eyes shut. You remembered Aizawa's face breaking through the times you'd gotten scared. "Deep breaths, Eiko. Slow in, slow out. Like this." You breathed deeply. It helped. You focused on that.

"Hello, kid."

The voice spoke from right next to you. Your eyes snapped open, breath catching in surprise. Blue-ish purple eyes gazed back calmly from a man's face as he crouched next to you. He wore a dark gray hoodie.

Aizawa's Point of view

Taro Teshima was giving the law enforcement the chase of the year.

Aizawa still hadn't gotten a visual on him. A visual was all he would need to stop Teshima in his tracks. But Teshima seemed to have anticipated that Tsukauchi might call for Aizawa's help, and was avoiding him. The brand new pro Enginium had succeeded the most so far. He couldn't match Teshima's speed, but he still moved fast enough to keep cutting off escape routes, with the help of his sidekicks.

Well, Aizawa thought, if Teshima wanted to avoid him, then he'd go where Teshima didn't expect him. He'd leave Tsukauchi's forces and position himself along where the criminal would run from Enginium. It didn't take long to get into position, using his capture scarf to swing between buildings. He rolled and landed in a crouch on a lower roof. The shouts of Enginiums sidekicks drifted from down the block.

There.

A blur of speed and dust shot down the street. Like a rooftop sniper, Aizawa's eyes flashed red. The man materialized from the blur, stumbling. He had an unkept, stubbly face, and wore his green prison jumpsuit. He whirled, trying to spot Aizawa's location. His eyes widened as Aizawa crashed into him feetfirst.

The double-footed kick sent him flying into the wall on the side of the alley. Before he could do more than attempt to sit up, Aizawa was there, lifting him and smashing his knee into his stomach, giving him no time to breathe before slamming him into the wall by his neck. His other fist smashed directly into Teshima's face. Teshima grunted in pain.

Aizawa's fingers tightened around his throat.

Aizawa hadn't been allowed to cause injury to Teshima during the police investigation, but for the next minute, Teshima was all his. Teshima glared back at him with fear and hatred. It was a mutual hatred. This was the man who'd hurt Eiko. The very thought made him see red.