The Couples of Class 1-A

LCO | Ch. 40.5: A Darkness Internalized

*DISCLAIMER: This chapter contains MINOR SPOILERS for MHA season 6, episode 11.

*WARNING: implied domestic/child abuse, trauma, implied death, panic attacks, briefly mentioned suicide, non-graphic description of vomiting

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long! 22,000 words is a new record for me, and this chapter literally spans two years' worth of flashback content. It's a bit out of the norm for my typical chapters, which is why it's chapter "40.5", but this is by no means a "bonus snippet". Also it's a very dark chapter, so if you're uncomfortable with the aforementioned subject material, don't feel obligated to read this one. (Though I did my best to handle the topic with tact.)

Anyway, sorry for the interruption. Please enjoy the chapter!

-     -     -

-Twelve Years Ago; Mid November-

"Young Mistress Yaoyorozu, it's nearly time. Please sit upright so I can return your shoes."

Momo blinked slowly and groggily, sniffing once in discomfort. A tingling sensation tickled her nose—the air didn't quite feel right to her, even though she was inside of the car. She yawned, straightening up as directed by the maid seated beside her, and didn't flinch when the woman bent down to re-buckle her Mary Janes. She'd kicked them off maybe fifteen minutes ago because they were making her feet hurt, but she didn't complain as the woman slid the shoes back on. She was too sleepy for that.

When the straps were tightly pulled, Momo started to move away, paused, and then turned back around to bow to the maid.

"Thank you very much," Momo emphasized, and the woman beamed—proud that the child had remembered her manners without needing a reminder.

"You're welcome, Young Mistress."

A surge of proudness flitted through Momo—which was improper, but she couldn't help it sometimes. It felt good to please others, and she especially loved being praised for it. It made her sit a little straighter than usual in her leather seat, making sure to keep her back flat and her shoulders relaxed as she gazed primly out the window. She felt a rustle on the top of her head, and realized that the woman had found her boater hat also. Momo made sure to smile again and thank her a second time, trailing a hand admiringly behind her head to feel the black ribbon that trailed off of the back.

Then, she watched the scenery as it whizzed by.

Momo didn't mind travelling like this. There was a unique joy in it that she couldn't explain—something special and exciting about seeing new places, and meeting new people. Her parents had the luxury of doing it every day; zipping around all of Japan in their private jet for work. She didn't know what they did, or why they did it, but that was precisely why Momo had begged to come on this particular trip. She wanted to know everything.

"Are we getting close, Nana?" Momo peeped excitedly, bouncing her legs as the scenery continued to change, passing groves of trees, shops, and highways as they neared the entrance to the city. What was the name again? Her Mom had mentioned something earlier about "perfect-tures", but she'd forgotten the definition. What was the difference between that and a city? And why was this place so far that they'd had to fly?

"We're about ten minutes away, Young Mistress," the woman said calmly, voice silky as ever. She placed a gentle hand on Momo's bouncing legs, and she stopped kicking them.

"Where is it?"

"It is in the city Musutafu, in the Shizuoka prefecture." she replied directly, "We are visiting the Todoroki residence to conduct business with Todoroki Enji; the famous pro hero 'Endeavor'."