The Reluctant Heroes | ʙɴʜᴀ ⓧ ᴄʀᴇᴇᴘʏᴘᴀsᴛᴀ ᴄʀᴏssᴏᴠᴇʀ |

Chapter 8: Safe

''This brings back memories, doesn't it?''

After Jane found out it was safe to stay at their old place, she travelled back to the waiting trio, telling them the news, before taking them into her shadow and back to the builing.

''You can say that again; though whoever was looking around here for clues could've at least cleaned up...'' Scarlet sighed, picking up the frame of a shattered mirror, which was by the front door. The corners of her lips rose when she remembered the time they first saw their boss scan over the features the ring gave him. It was in this exact mirror that he studied them, while they chuckled in the backround.

While she reminisced, Jane scanned the place for the electrical panel and somewhere she could turn on the water - at least for a few days so this place would be livable, especially for the kids; Sally and Eri right behind her, studying their surroundings.

The building was not gonna be their temporary solution, but for now, it's gonna be enough.

The windows were blocked by wooden panels so no one can see in. True that they didn't know how the top floor looked, but if the ground floor held any clues, it would be just messy. Really messy.

'It couldn't have been just the police looking around...' Jane wondered, remembering the police tape. It was on the door, but someone tore it off - the authorities wouldn't do that. Were the villains trying to find them?

That idea made the woman silently chuckle - looks like they made a great impression since the ''Big Bad '' of this world - The League of Villains - was; and possibly still is after them.

They were the only ones they encountered after all.

As she made her way from the back of the house towards the small front hall where Scarlet stood, she heard a crack. It was a piece of glass, from the mirror. Looking down, lifting her leg up from the shard, a pair of small feet appeared in her periferal. Bare feet. The tiny pieces of shattered glass were spread through the hall everywhere, giving the woman an idea.

Though that idea turned to not be so good...

''Eri''

The girl quickly looked up, eyebrows furrowed as she tilted her head in question. The woman crouched to her eye level.

''Would you mind if I picked you up?''

Jane spread out her arms, but didn't move any further as she saw the hesitation in Eris eyes. At first, the girl seemed fine with the idea, taking a step forward as she understood why Jane asked.

However, she abruptly stopped.

The adult pulled her arms away, but stayed crouched, eyebrows furrowing when she noticed Eris sudden change in mood.

Her fists clenched ever so slightly around her dirty dress as her head slowly went down, one foot taking a step back from the woman.

"Um...I..." She mumbled. The voices in her head started to race - as they often did.

'What if I hurt her'

'My quirk....' her eyes widened.

'....what if she disappears'

'What if they all disappear'

Her breathing quickened as she remembered the words her captor drilled into her mind so many times. Back and forth, the voice resonated in her head, reminding her of what she was...

'Do you want to hurt them?'

No...

'They'll disappear if you leave this place, you know that, right?'