Before Ever after

Trauma bound

Eri was completely sworn in to silence. So she couldn't speak to anyone about what she saw. She couldn't even mourn in front of anyone. She of course did try and go to Kota but he brushed her off quickly. She was sitting in class with her head down. "Mrs. Eri? You're wanted in the office" the teacher says, eri sighs and stands up. Lauren giggles thinking eri was in trouble, Kota was too busy talking to Lauren to pay attention to Eri.

Eri makes eri way to the office and was brought to a conference room. "Oh my sweet child.." the commission leader says hugging eri. "You did a noble thing last week, all of Japan truly appreciates all you have done" the commission leader says, she lifts eri's face so eri would look at her. "You truly are a gift to us heroes and all civilians" the commission leader says, "but you've been through a lot so if you wanna back out and make Yoki's sacrifices in vain you ca-" "I wanna be a hero...please...I can handle it...all of it just please...let me continue to protect people and make sure no one else has to feel my pain!" Eri pleaded, she didn't realize it at the time but the commission was slowly manipulating her and traumatizing her and making her rely on them so she would be undoubtedly loyal to them and extremely trauma bound to them.

"Hm...I'm not sure...you seem like a wreck and you haven't taken the oath-" "I'm fine. I promise, and I'll take the oath right now! Just please....please" eri begs and the leader smiles. "okay my child, if you ever need to talk about what happened that day you are allowed to come to us or pro hero hawks...that's the only people who may know okay?" The commission leader says, eri just nods.

It went on like this for a whole year, they would put eri through a bunch of traumatic situations. Every time she tried to refuse they would guilt trip, scold, beat, and sometimes use her trauma against her. Yet the moment she gave in and apologized or even so much as went without a fight, she was praised and treated so well. Soon, she became extremely dependent on the commission. She's been through so much at this point, that the trauma was just an old friend and if she wasn't fighting for her life or to protect others she was lost.

One day she was asked to befriend one of Lauren's friends. They suspected her of being a villain so they wanted eri to find out and report to them. Eri nods, "of course I'll do my best" she bows. The commission truly did have eri in the palm of their hands. Much like Kota she didn't realize it. She just wanted to pay back the people who helped her and promised her eternal happiness.

Once she was dismissed, she instantly got started on her new mission. Soon enough, she actually did befriend the girl. "Sup girl!" Eri's target, amber, says "OMG your outfit it's totally fabulous!" Amber says squealing. "Of course it does you picked it out! Honestly, I don't think I would've ever thought of this outfit without your help!" Eri says, she and amber held hands as they spoke. Lauren rolls her eyes, she looks at Kota wanting eri to leave. "Eri can you please just leave-" Kota starts, "omg can you just shut up? Not everything is about you and Lauren. She came to hang with ME not you so you can shove it jackass" amber growls. Just like that Lauren switched up on Kota, "yea you really need to learn to respect my friends, honestly what's gotten into you babe?" Lauren says, Kota seemed confused and a little annoyed. "Right sorry..." Kota sighs, "apologize to eri not her! You were totally out of-" amber starts, "amber it's fine really" eri says in a calm kind tone.

"But he shouldn't-" "amber it's okay really, Lauren did look a little uncomfortable with me being here so I can see where he was coming from" eri says, unfortunately Lauren couldn't lie her way out of that. People always believed the commission kids over anyone else because they're always so fucking observant. "Lauren what's your deal?!" Amber starts, eri gave amber an annoyed, unimpressed look. Kota noticed it, of course he never saw eri look at someone with such a look, yet the moment amber turned back to eri she put back on her kind, patient, and caring look. "Come now, it's not her fault" eri says, amber instantly calmed down and looked at eri. And sighs, "you're right...I'm sorry for exploding like that..." "It's fine darling, now come on it's time to eat! Perhaps getting some food in your system will help" eri says and with that amber and her went off ahead.

"Eri you should totally come eat with us!" Amber says, "I would if I could dearie, but the commission made it clear that me and some other kids were to go report to them everyday at lunch for some training or mission statements" eri says, Lauren looks at Kota pouting. She was so jealous of eri, she honestly did kinda wanna be friends with her after all she was already well known across all Japan. "What is it cupcake?" Kota asks, eri could tell how mentally exhausted he was already. But he was still so madly in love with Lauren.

"Well it's just I kinda wanna get to know eri more since she's your friend but she doesn't seem to like me" Lauren says, "that's not true cupcake...eri doesn't have it in her to dislike anyone...maybe I can see if she can come over this weekend and we can all hang out?" Kota offers, Lauren thinks and nods. "okay" she smiles, maybe befriending eri would make her just as popular...granted she didn't realize that eri's priority fell on pleasing the commission, if she could she wouldn't have anything to do with Lauren. Eri, did actually dislike the girl after all.

As promised, Kota went to meet up with eri after school. He told Lauren he was gonna walk eri back home and talk to her on the way and he'll let her know what she said later. Eri was at her locker grabbing and putting things away. "Yo eri, you ready?" Kota calls out as he walks up to eri. Eri jumps and suddenly hold her ear in pain. She had her ear piece in and was actually giving a report, as well as listening to what the commission and other people who were spying on Amber wanted to share. "GAH! FUCK!" eri yelps, her sudden movements causing her ear piece to make a loud screeching noise right in her ear.

"You okay?" Kota asks worried, "yeah..." Eri sighs and changes into her normal shoes. She went to tie them but Kota beat her to it. Eri blinks, she forgot he tends to do that. For a moment she wasn't sure how to act, she then smiles "oh thank you Kota-kun!" Eri says, she then grabs her jacket and pocket knife. "What's that?" Kota asks, seeing her grab a knife. "Oh, I carry it just in case anything happens while I'm walking home" eri explained, "aren't you gonna miss the bus?" Eri asks, she didn't mean to but her voice did have some annoyance in it. "Woah- I mean I was gonna walk with you...you okay you seem upset" eri then realized she let her emotions show. "Sorry, just a little stressed!" Eri says in her normal soft tone. "Wanna talk about it?" Kota asks helping eri with her backpack. "Oh I can carry that" eri says, Kota shook his head no and put her bag on his back. "C'mon let's get ya home okay?" Kota says, eri was unsure she quickly hides it and goes with kota.