The Difference Between Strength & Power ( MHA x Maki Zenin Reader)

The Paranoid

Maki gulped down the last of the water from her bottle, her weapons bag slipping off her shoulder when she leaned back far enough.  She licked her lips, happy to have the cool, refreshing taste travel down her throat as she crinkled the bottle before tossing it into the recycling bin on the other side of the room. It hit with deadly accuracy, landing among the other plastic bottles. It had been a long day. When they'd patrolled the whole city, nothing happened for the majority of the time, until they got a call there was a Villain on the loose. They'd followed him to an old factory in a desolate stretch of town. It looked like it had been abandoned for years. Half of the building had collapsed, leaving a few battered slate walls shining with mildew in the sunlight. The Villain had the ability to control mannequins and could transform said mannequins into the likeness of anyone who had touched it, so it was difficult to determine who was who. Luckily, Maki and Tokoyami noticed that the mannequins couldn't copy their quirks or their skill. So, eventually, they were able to destroy them all and capture the Villain.

Sighing, Maki turned on her phone, opening the messaging app, scrolling down to send some quick text to her classmates about her day, that she was safe, and that she hoped they were having a good time during their own Work Studies. She also told them briefly about the case she was dealing with, keeping the details vague so as to not breach police investigation confidentiality. Frowning, Maki turned off her phone after a quick glance at the time — only half past five — and pocketed it. With another quick word to Clear Blade and Tokoyami, she began to make her way towards the female changing room, only to be stopped at the sight of Kawakami waiting in the hallway.
"Kawakami? What's happened? Has there been another murder?" She asked.
The police officer shook his head. "No, no. There's no new murders yet. I'm here to ask you when you are free today. The superintendent wants to see you and Hirabayashi."
"I've just come back from patrol," Maki replied. "I'll head on over right now."
"Good," Kawakami nodded.  "Then I'll be heading over to Nishinippon Shimbun.  I need to inquire about an ad that ran in their newspaper yesterday.  And I'll also ask if Hirabayashi's free today."

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When Maki arrived at the police station, she was met with the sight of Superintendent Hino walking out the double doors with Kishi and two other police officers.  The stood a few feet away from her, talking quietly.  The superintendent broke off mid-conversation at the sound of her footsteps, her cold grey eyes fixed upon Maki.
"Maki, give me moment," she said, holding up her index finger as an indication to wait.
Maki nodded, turning a her back to the group of police officers to let them continue their meeting.  It seemed to drag on quite a while and Maki began to tap her foot on the stone steps impatiently.  Eventually, the two other police officers left and Superintendent Hino turned back to Maki.
"You can wait in my office," she said.  "Make yourself at home.  Have a drink."
She then turned her back on Maki and strode off with Kishi down the stone steps, talking in low voices.  Maki didn't make her way for the woman's office until they'd disappeared around the corner.  The lift arrived; it was empty, Maki pushed the button for floor where the superintendent's office was located and the doors clanged shut.  When she reached the seventh floor, the doors slid open and she walked through the almost deserted corridors until she reached the office.
"Hopefully I won't be waiting too long..." Maki said to herself as she looked around the office, not finding anything resembling a proper 'drink', apartment from a pitcher balanced precariously on top of a stack of files.  However, there was no glass in sight.  Maki eventually found one after fishing through the cabinets, wondering, as she poured herself a glass of water, how Superintendent Hino got any work done given how messy the office was.