Mockingbirds Don't Sing Lullabies

Chapter Four:Ka-Chan

    Ash let out a breath the second her foot touched the ground outside UA High. She closed her eyes and took in what felt like her first full breath all day. 

"The first day that bad?" She jumped at the sound of Deku's voice. She opened her eyes to see him standing a few yards down the road. He had his hands in his pockets and a mischievous grin on his face. 

"No just...You never told me Bakugo was so..."She spun her hand in the air to indicate her searching for the right word. 

"Extra?" Deku offered closing the distance between them and grabbing her bag. 

"Exactly! He got angry and defensive before I even took my seat. And you were right." 

He tilted his head in her direction as they began to walk. "About what?" 

"How calling him Ka-Chan threw him off a bit. He wasn't expecting me to know his name, much less his childhood nickname."

He was quiet for a second,"So what did you do today?"

Her wicked grin returned,"Combat Training. One on one battles. I fought Bakugo." 

Deku almost missed a step,"Let me guess. You wiped the floor with him?"

"You bet! It was amazing! I don't think I've had that much of a thrill in a long time!" 

He smiled at her enthusiasm. She kept telling him about every detail about the fight and the look on their faces when she dragged him through the dirt. They were so caught up in their conversation they didn't notice the person who had noticed them. 

Bakugo watched in astonishment as Izuku Midoriya laughed with Mountain Harunei. His anger started to boil as realization set in. Before he could stop himself he was moving. 

"BASTARD!" His fist soared toward Deku's head but never made contact. He was trying to remove his fist from Izuku's hand when he turned his head to look at Bakugo. 

"Hello, Ka-Chan." His eyes glowed a steady red as he glared at him. His hand began to let off wisps of purple smoke, at the same time Bakugo's hand began to burn. "Ceader will you help me." 

"Of course. "She disappeared from his field of vision seconds before the world went black.

Deku Groaned and dropped Bakugo's fist revealing burn marks in the shape of fingers on his hand," What are we going to do with him?"

"I'll erase his memory and return him to the school yard. There is nothing I can do about those burn marks you gave him though." Ash looked up with slight concern in her eyes,"I might be able to make him think it happened during the fight. I'll have to alter the rest of the class tomorrow along with Recovery Girl but it is manageable. We need to be more careful from now on." She kept her eyes on Bakugo as she altered his memory.  

He loved watching her work. It was mesmerizing to watch the gold wisps circle a person's mind. She finished quickly and together they dragged him back to the front gate to be found later. 

She sighed, frustrated with their situation. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along silently. She didn't resist as they rerouted their walk through the back alleyways. They finally made it back to her apartment with no more complications. She unlocked the door and flipped on the lights. "I thought you two would never show up."

Ash grabbed her backpack from Deku and threw it at the intruder. "Get out
Shigaraki!" 

He swatted it away with ease. He no longer had that stupid hand on his face, leaving his wicked grin in full view. 

"Now, now Mockingbird that's not how you treat a house guest. Besides I only came to check up on my favorite UA student." He stood and started walking around "admiring" all her things. "I can see you have put little into your decorating."

Ash glared at him. The last time Shigaraki visited her he had blown a hole in her ceiling. "What do you want?" She didn't want him here any longer than he need to be.  

"Oh hush. I'm here on my own terms. I have a request for my little bird and her pet." He smirked over his shoulder at Deku and Ash. 

"He is not a pet." she said matter of factly. She noticed Deku's hand clench and release. 

"Will you just here me out!?" Shigaraki was getting defensive and angry. Ash kept her mouth shut."Good. Now. There is something I need from Katsuki Bakugo and only you can get it for me."He held his hand up to silence her," Don't worry you get something out of this."

"And what would that be?" Ash watched as he made his way to her. 

He leaned down so only she could hear him," A new pet. A real pet." Her eyes widened with joy and dark anticipation. Her wicked grin from combat training was back, in full force.  

"Tell me your plan."