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─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─
You stood at the corner of a sidewalk with a small piece of paper in your hand, a street name and some numbers scribbled into it. From your knowledge, you were down the street from Chisaki's underground warehouse where he was awaiting your arrival.
The abandoned-looking building was coated in cheap, bright neon colors of spray paint, emphasizing the extreme to which the caretaker lacked any respect or responsibility. You carefully watched as a grown man examined his surroundings before entering the building through a large metal door. You assumed he was apart of Chisaki's group given it was the same building you were supposed to enter.
You followed his exact steps, opening the door and walking in in a swift motion. The door's loud BANG behind you alerted everyone in the building of your presence. Most members gasped seeing you in a hero's costume. They thought they were being busted, the thugs started to become rowdy talking amongst themselves about what they should do to you. Some said to beat you, others said to turn you in to Chisaki, while majority wanted to kill you.
You were speechless, surrounded by an assortment of criminals who ranged from thieves and arsonists to murderers who scavenge for the next victim. Each one had a weapon in their grasp, threatening you with it. You didn't exactly know what to do in this situation—you couldn't convince them, they wouldn't believe that.
When the first person attacked, you dodged, allowing his body to make contact with the wall. Another flung themselves at you, using a glistening dagger to create a small gash in your tricep. You hissed, covering the bleeding scratch. You were about to tap the button on your ring, but you were interrupted.
"Enough!" A loud voice boomed, sending echoes off the walls of the warehouse. You noticed the crowd start to die down after that, a path had been created down the center to you. Chisaki walked with his head held high as he spoke to his subordinates, "This is no way to treat a guest."
"She's on our side." The same white cloaked figure from days before followed behind Chisaki. He even examined your arm through his bird-beaked mask once the duo reached you.
Chisaki hit his cane against the ground, gathering everyone's attention if he didn't already have it. "(Y/N) is here to help us. She came seeking my help away from the heroes—to join our cause and what we stand for here. Of course, I accepted her with open arms. She's someone of great value."
Chisaki looked at you—he wasn't much taller than you, but it felt like he was a skyscraper that looked down upon you. You felt small compared to his authority. It made you sick seeing all these people—half who probably didn't know what they were supporting.
The crowd dispersed after Chisaki's speech, leaving you and the boss to discuss business. As he guided you through the crowds you glanced at your arm, realizing it was wrapped in gauze. Your eyes instantly went to the cloaked figure, you managed to speak through the rowdiness of the crowd, "Thank you."
A nod was returned to your gratefulness. Chisaki stopped to hold a door open for you, holding a hand out, gesturing for you to venture down the ragged old stairs. Cracks formed in the cement and chunks were threatening to fall off by the minute. It was a sketchy situation. It wasn't the smartest move but you obliged, looking back to be sure he followed you. It was then once you made it to the bottom of the stairs and into the empty hall that he spoke.
"As you may know, my organization is working with others to provide necessary substances in order to stun and rid of Quirks." Chisaki now walked beside you, guiding you to the very end of the hall. You weren't aware of the extra rooms in the warehouse. From the outside, you couldn't tell, maybe you went underground or you just didn't see the entirety of the building. "I'm delighted you accepted my offer, seeing as Eri could use a girl friend to play with."
Did that mean he was taking you to see her? Was she finally going to be within your reach? Was it even possible to save her today? Your heart raced with each question that popped up in your mind. You listened to Chisaki explain Eri and how crucial she is to the organization he was trying to build. You couldn't focus; the way he spoke about the little girl made your skin want to turn inside out.
Once you reached the end of the hallway, Chisaki opened the door, pushing you inside. It was dark in the room before he quickly flicked the light switch. Unopened boxes of toys were scattered across the checkered floor: dolls, teddy bears, a makeup set—it was practically every young girl's dream to possess all these things. Just behind the bed frame was old wallpaper coated in colorful art. But for Eri it was a nightmare. The artificial sunshine constantly reminded her of the solitude she had become accustomed to. You could see the outline of a small body coddled in the bed ahead of you.
"Play nice, Eri. (Y/N) is here to be your friend. It's rude not to greet someone so willing to hang out with you." When Eri didn't respond, Chisaki slammed his cane against the ground, making her jump into a sitting position. The bright-eyed girl looked at you with a frightful expression.
"H-Hello." She stuttered. Your heart throbbed for her, the quiver in her voice made you want to grab her and go, assuring her everything will be okay.
"Great." Chisaki smiled underneath his mask. He turned toward you, "I'll be back shortly. You girls have fun."
With that, the door closed with a large clap. Eri's frail and shaking body flinched at the loud sound. You watched her, eye contact didn't seem to be her strong suit; she avoided looking into your eyes at any cost. You observed her timid state. A horn grew out of the right side of her head, though her matted hair made it almost impossible to tell. She wore a pink nightgown, which wasn't enough to distract any one from the bandages that ran all down her arms and legs.
You looked in the corners of the room, seeing that there were cameras set up in all four. You realized it wasn't going to be easy relaying messages to the child regarding her safety and the Pros' plan.
"I'm not going to hurt you." You softly spoke. The sound of your calming voice made her feel more at ease in your presence. You inched closer, mindful of each step you took.
Her head tilted to the side as she observed you. Eri looked you up and down in your hero costume, "You're not like the others."
You took a seat next to her on the bed. The bed frame creaked as you sat on the blue comforter. Eri scooted closer to you, testing the waters to see if you were safe. You looked down at her, "Are you locked in here all day?"
She hesitated before answering your question, the quiver in her voice made your heart shatter, "No. Sometimes they take me to a different room with machines."
"What room?" You questioned.
"Down the hall." She pointed at the door, her arm gave out and fell to her side. Eri looked down at her lap, observing the lines scattered across her hands. She whispered her next words, afraid to speak too loud in front of the cameras. "He scares me."
"Who does?" You got on the ground in front of her to see her face. Your knees touched the cold, cracked squares made from cement, making you shiver. You could see the tears start to swell on her eyes. She refused to look at you as she spoke.
"The man with the mask."
Tears streamed down her pale cheeks. You slowly moved your hand to her face, using your thumb to wipe away any salty tears.
"You're going to be okay." You told her. Eri looked at you with her wide eyes. Her red irises almost reminded you of fire. You whispered, "I'm going to save you."
