Her Forgotten ~Tomura Shigaraki x OC AU~

Chapter 12: The Official Debut of Alter

Illika

The crowd is unfathomable.

People. There are people everywhere. Walking up and down the sidewalks. Crossing the streets. Entering and exiting buildings and shops. People talking to one another. People silently scrolling through their phones. People of various shapes and sizes and appearances. There are just so many people.

I adjust my sunglasses.

As to be expected with the location, I suppose. We are stationed near the heart of Musutafu. Not quite the center of this humming city, but close enough. That said, due to the high density of the location, I have taken notice of the number of heroes. They're the few that still remain, trying to patrol and protect the civilians, but I've noted the glares people have shot them.

Most of the people appear uninterested and appalled that any hero would still show their face. To be honest, I find it almost admirable that there are any heroes left at all. That in the face of all this rejection and chaos, some still remain, trying to help and aid the people. However, I know that some of these heroes that patrol this city are the double agents I see in the halls of the PLF. So, at the end of the day, isn't the public in the right to be wary?

The soles of my shoes scuff the pavement as I walk. Blend in. If the double-agent heroes are still playing their roles, despite the hatred and anger, then I can play mine. The simple civilian. The tourist. An innocent woman with no suspicions tied to her. But I am none of those things.

I am so much more.

I make my way through the crowd, adjusting my glasses, occasionally making eye contact with a person or two. They're oblivious. They don't know, but my quirk is already activated, clawing through their minds. In the end, I am searching for anything that can be used to aid us in corrupting the public's trust. It could be anything from finding a memory of a hero simply smiling at the person, to the person being rescued.

Recent and relevant memories, of course. Anything too far back is too solidified and, to be honest, pointless. I don't need to go far back. I have no reason to. The more recent the event, the better because it can match the current events.

I find any memories that match the criteria and delete them swiftly. The memories are often far enough back that it doesn't leave the person confused or dazed. Now, if I was to delete myself, then they'd be lost because it would be too recent, and that would leave a noticeable shift in them. That, in turn, could possibly alert any heroes not in connection with the PLF, which could land me in a bit of a pickle, really.

So, I pick and choose carefully, only deleting the memories of every other two people. Keep it sporadic and random. Keep some people hopeful and destroy the hopes of others. Shift it so that if events turn, the people can turn on each other. Plant the seeds of a backup plan.

That is my job today. To sow the seeds of future chaos. To water and nourish the already existing sprouts of distrust. To encourage the deep roots of hate. To shed light on the tipped world.

And while I play Gardener of Mayhem, the rest of the League is off making their own preparations. Toga is – as I've gathered – collecting new specimens of blood with Twice and Compress's aid. I'm assuming I'll have to erase the memories of her victims, but then again, they might not want that. Attacks resulting with no help may further deepen the public's distrust of heroes.

When it comes to Spinner and Dabi, I'm not sure what they're up to. I can't see Spinner acting on his own accord, as that could betray Tomura, and I can't picture him wanting to do that. So, I like to imagine he's looking for a new blade somewhere. As for Dabi, though, I wouldn't put it past him to be plotting and scheming something that the others aren't aware of. Based on what I heard Tomura say, it wouldn't be the first or only time Dabi would do something like that.