the mechanic book 3 the trial arc

chapter 22

Melissa: So, yeah, that's how we found it...

Eri looked down, her hands bawling in to her fist, holding her dress tightly.

Tsuyu: After that, we called the rest of the family since we needed help and wanted you to feel safe. Kero

Momo: Hence, your grandparents on my side of the family aren't here.

*Momo said in a poor excuse to lighten the mood, but it did not work as Momo looked back down. Izuku coughed to get the conversation back on him.*

Izuku: Like I said we're not mad; we just want to know why.

Eri:.....

Izuku: You know you really are more like me than anybody else, which is good, but it has its downsides, like thinking keeping the pain to yourself is the correct choice because everyone else has it worse.

*Izuku saw Eri's body start to shake as he rubbed her back.*

Izuku: When it's really the opposite, you're a daughter, a stepdaughter, or a granddaughter. You are a child that has so many people looking after her; please tell us why. You needed it.

Eri: It helped me. It made me feel calmer after a bad day.

Eri mumbled softly. Momo had to fight not to let a heartbreaking noise come out of her throat.

Tsuyu, but what gave you those bad days? Kero

Eri:.....

*Izuku saw it; it was a flash in Eri's eyes, but he saw the disgust in Eri's eye when Tsuyu talked.*

Izuku: Does it have something to do with Tsuyu's siblings?

Eri flinched, giving everyone the response they needed. Tsuyu hugged herself to calm her anger.

Tsuyu:Of course they're involved, Kero."

Eri:Sa... Satsuki doesn't like you...

Izuku: I'm not too fond of her either. If my suspicions are correct, I'm going to actively hate her after tonight.

Tsuyu: That makes two of us Kero

Everyone looked at Eri as she scoffed at the very notion of Tsuyu's words. Eri looked at Tsuyu with nothing but hatred; it wasn't directed at her, but all Eri could see when she looked at Tsuyu was her little sister, Satsuki.

Eri: Like, I'm going to believe that; you probably told her to bully me!

Momo;eri!

*Tsuyu raised her hand to stop Momo; she looked at Eri with nothing but patience.*

Tsuyu, and why do you think that? Kero

Eri, because she's your sister!

Tsuyu: So because we share blood, we are the same? You share blood with overhaul; does that mean you'll be the same as him when you grow up? Kero

Eri flinched and looked back down. Tsuyu's bluntness is like always cutting right through the bullshit. Tsuyu got up and kneeled in front of Eri. She gently put her hands on top of Eri's bawled-up fists, giving her a gentler smile.

Tsuyu:blood doesn't mean anything; yes, she's my sister, but I don't control what she does, Kero. I control what I do and what I believe in Kero; do you know what I believe? I believe you're a scared little girl who has the world on her shoulders. I believe that you cling to the past because you're terrified of making the same mistake in the future. I see a girl trapped so much by the guilt of her mistakes that she believes she deserves the pain she gets because it's somehow retribution for not believing Izuku's innocence. Kero