G H O S T [Shota Aizawa x OC]

F I F T E E N

"Eri is asking for the "nice ghost lady." Any clue who that could be?" Sumire received the text the next day while she was working to solidify the legal safety for U.A.'s school festival. There was much more pressure this year compared to previous years to assure the student's safety, so that meant more work for the woman.

But the message made her smile, practically hearing the sarcasm dripping from Shota's voice in the tiny electronic lettering.

By what he told her, Eri immediately asked for Deku and Lemillion when she woke up. Upon recovering a bit more and remembering her rescue and the strange days around it, she recalled the translucent woman that she saw but no one else took notice of. She also knew her face when she was caught by the Shie Hassaikai and dragged into an isolated room.

The little girl had no idea if the silver-haired woman was even alive anymore, but she knew she was with the heroes, coming just a few days sooner and giving her hope. If she could know anything about her, the heroes would have the information to give her.

So Sumire visited the hospital that evening, carrying a bento box full of fresh cookies to treat the girl who had probably never been given such a thing. She was excited to see her, safe in the hands of heroes and with the potential to smile and be a happy six-year-old.

She knocked on the open door before entering Eri's hospital room, murmuring a quiet "hello" so she didn't startle anyone with her arrival. When the child looked at her, her cautious red eyes widened in delight.

Shota was there along with a nurse looking after the girl. He stepped aside so that the heroine could approach the bed, and she did, opening the lid of her box to allow the smell of warm cookies to waft through the small space.

"Hi, Eri." Sumire smiled. "I'm glad to see you're safe."

The nurse left the room and her dreary-looking neighbor stepped back, giving her space to talk more freely to the little girl.

But Eri erupted into tears. "I'm so sorry!" She cried out, helplessly wiping the salty droplets from her eyes. "I got you caught and it's my fault they hurt you! I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, hey, hey..." The older woman cooed and took a seat on the edge of the hospital bed. "None of this is your fault. I got caught because I went by myself. I shouldn't have done that, but I do not regret for a single moment coming to find you and trying to help the heroes rescue you." She tried to encourage her with a gentle grin, but it was hard to see the innocent little girl completely blame herself.

"But if it weren't for me you wouldn't have gotten in trouble and gotten hurt!"

Sumire placed a hand on Eri's shaking shoulder and rubbed it rhythmically and soothingly. She glanced back at Shota, wondering if the white-haired child knew about what had happened to her quirk and wanting to scold the person who may have told her.

He simply shrugged and leaned back against the wall, folding his arms over his chest and watching the two interact. So, she turned back to Eri and offered another reassuring smile. "As a hero, it is our greatest pleasure to help you. It is our joy and passion to come for people like you and rescue you, and we are made happy when we see you safe and happy. I will throw myself into danger any day if it means that you are not in pain."