Controlee

91. Black and White; Red and Blue

Rule 109: Sometimes, you don't actually want their forgiveness.

The day the 1-A students involved in the Shie Hassaikai case got a text message, Aizawa spoke to them privately. His gaze was sharp and severe, burning into each of them.

Midoriya Izuku. Uraraka Ochaco. Asui Tsuyu. Kirishima Eijirou. Otsuka Emiko.

Midoriya in particular, who'd taken it hard when he discovered the little girl— Eri— who he'd run into while on street patrol was being abused, got the full force of Aizawa's attention. Midoriya, a kid who regularly got himself in trouble, who was and likely always would be a trouble magnet. Aizawa told that boy to stay close, that Aizawa was going to be watching him.

Aizawa asked Otsuka to stay behind after that.

***

"Sit down and let the paramedics check you over."

"I'm not injured," Otsuka argued, looking up at the very obvious head wound painting blood across Aizawa's whole face. Head wounds had a habit of bleeding heavily even when they weren't too serious, she'd learned that in heroics lessons and she'd learned that patching up TT after he got in stupid fights with their schoolmates.

"Sit down," Aizawa ordered again, teeth gritted, "and let the paramedics check you over."

***

"We have reason to believe your work studies mentor will be there," Aizawa told her. Otsuka would've though that was good news, wonderful even. They could rescue the little girl and AG at the same time. "Some information has come to light recently though that she may not be as trustworthy as we first thought."

And that had put a weight in Otsuka stomach, hadn't it? Another authority figure she should've been able to trust. "What do you mean?"

"We're not entirely sure yet. But, if you see her, you have to be wary around her. You should be with a pro at all times, but if you're separated for some reason and you run into her, don't let your guard down. Do you understand?"

AG had been kind. AG had talked to Otsuka about the experiences that had defined what AG considered a true monster— and Otsuka didn't come close. AG hadn't blinked an eye at Otsuka being an ex-controlee. AG had been patient with Otsuka's stuttering. AG had apologised the moment she felt she'd done something wrong and worked to fix her mistake. And now there was a chance that AG had lied to her. "Yes."

***

"I know you're mad, you don't have to pretend you're not," Otsuka said as a paramedic poked and prodded. Heart rate. Pupil reactions. The basics. They even gave her some wipes for the blood painting her hand down to the elbow; they asked if the blood was hers and didn't ask her to name who it belonged to when she said it wasn't.

"There's no pretending, I am very angry, and we are going to talk about why exactly later."

"You may as well just get it over with now, waiting isn't going to change anything."

While another paramedic finally came over to clean Aizawa's head, Aizawa glared at the child under his charge. "It just might."

***

The last time Otsuka was in a villain base she'd been a victim of kidnapping. Her heart hadn't been beating when she'd first arrived and TT had broken bone while giving her CPR.

The last time Otsuka was in a villain base, one of the 'villains' had been her friend and brother, who'd done everything he could to protect her. Together, they made a plan to get out, taking Bakugou (another victim of kidnapping) with them.