Her Forgotten ~Tomura Shigaraki x OC AU~

Chapter 2: Knowing Nothing

Illika

"Oops. Did we not tell you?"

Toga's sweet voice rings through my ears like a chiming bell as she speaks. Her bright golden eyes are focused on me as she dabs her pale blonde locks with a towel. She is dressed in her loungewear – a pair of comfortable-looking pink sweats and a formfitting white spaghetti strap tank top.

She comes closer, her bare feet padding against the lush carpet of her bedroom. She climbs up on her mattress, joining me as I sit. On the floor, Jin is seated, sitting with his legs crossed as he still sports his usual uniform of black and gray.

"Sorry, Illie," she says. "I thought I had mentioned it, but I was so excited that it must have slipped my mind." She glances at Twice. "What about you, Jin? Did you not say anything about the mission to her?"

"I said something." His voice is confident and sure but quickly swings to confusion and uncertainty. "Unless I didn't. Oh, crap. Did I? Didn't I? Did who?"

"I'll just take that as a no," she says. She brings her focus back to me. "Sorry again, Illie. We didn't mean to not tell you."

I smile. "It's okay. I was just confused when I saw you all on TV."

Saying I was confused is an understatement. I was a great mix of emotions when I saw the people I now call my comrades on television, causing utter chaos without having ever uttered a word about it to me. I was irritated, annoyed, confused, and – though I wouldn't admit it openly – hurt. All the progress I had made with them suddenly felt like it was fake, just standing on a dirt foundation that was muddy and murky.

But being here now, talking to Toga and Twice, it makes more sense. Based on the way their minds and personalities are, I'm not completely surprised they forgot to tell me. Which, I get it. They were excited and too wrapped up in all the fun of it all. If I'm being honest, I'm sure even I would have forgotten too. Then again, maybe not. I'm not them, so I can't be sure.

"Speaking of which, did you know you were all going to be on TV?" I ask, glimpsing between the two.

Twice shakes his head as Toga replies, "No, but I'm not too surprised. I mean, it's not like we plan on being on the news, but when things got rolling, I had a feeling the news crew might show up."

"Live footage," Jin interjects. "Keep the public aware!"

"Oh, they're aware." I snort. "This whole time I thought the plan was to lay low, but according to Tomura now everyone is growing wary of heroes."

"And the police." Twice adds.

"Anyone of authority," I say.

And that's true. Even though I haven't seen Japan's superhuman society at its peak, I can tell there is distrust teetering in the air, hanging by a mere tether. It is a fragile thread that could snap at any moment if stressed enough, thus unraveling this society's entire foundation. It could crumble.

But if it collapsed, from the rubble and ashes would rise a new system. Just like a phoenix being reborn, so would this society. One that would allow people to live freely and wholly as themselves, using their quirks openly and as they please.

It sounds chaotic – maybe even mad, but it is the closest to freedom these people will ever be. And as for heroes, they may even become obsolete. After all, if people can use their quirks openly, they can learn to defend themselves against anyone who threatens them. As a whole, this society can become stronger by us doing this. They just have to bear and grin through the uncomfortable phase of us tearing all this down.

Toga's eyes bounce between Twice and I before settling on me. Her voice is smooth and sweet as she speaks. "That was the original plan. We were laying low. We were doing the bare minimum. Just enough to remind people that we're here, but not enough to cause too much of a stir, but Shigaraki is right. There is a shift. Few trust heroes right now. Which is going to drive a whole lot of 'em to give up."