Memories

Chess-Theodora Flint

I don't know how long we had been in the car, hours maybe. No radio, no talking. The only noise came from the squeaking of leather seats and the soft hum of the car. I was lost in the lights. I had never seen Tokyo at night before. People were smiling and laughing on the streets, half drunk or tipsy. Signs and billboards were glowing neon colors and sometimes, there was no glow at all, simply neon that would grab out at you.

Rika was glaring at the road, the radio, the clock. He was just pissed off. He had been white knuckling the steering wheel so fiercely I wondered if he felt his hands any more. I knew his pulse must've either been too calm or too fast. Neither were good in this situation.
I was seated away from him, my face and front-body facing the window. My knees to my chest, hands around them. I only saw his reflection through the glass of the window, his red cheeks and his purple eyes. He had brown hair, always swooping left-I noticed. He looked like a ordinary person, I didn't even know if he had a super power.

Finally, after a great deal of effort on my part, I asked, "where are we going?"

Rika jumped, like he forgot I was there, but his glare seemed to be softened by my voice. "To a friend I used to work for. You might know him, he worked in the USA for a little. His name is Tenya Iida or Ingenium-which is his hero name."
"Oh, yeah... few kids at school liked him...When did he come back to Japan?"
"Last year, near November. He came back to help his grandfather. Grandpa Iida is a lonely guy, Ingenium is keeping him company in Tokyo," Rika told me. He relaxed suddenly, like I had taken him away from the problem.
"Why him, if I c-can ask?" It was odd. Bringing me to someone that knew none of my existence.
"Bakugou went to high school with Iida, he knows that I'm going to bring you there for he is the only person I trust bringing you to," Rika explained, as if he was my very own father.
"How long will we stay?" I knew this wasn't going to be a small trip.
"Until American-Bitch is gone."

Grandpa Iida's house hold was nothing like Bakugou's. An old, more mansion like building. Brick walls, painted white, and a blue roof. The house had these towers and those towers had windows. At the top of the middle tower, there was a big flag that had the words, 'UA' on it. I had no idea what it meant.

We had to get past a ivy covered gate to get in, then Rika parked and got out. I had opened my door but Rika lifted me up, the same way he had earlier. I was going to question why, but it was answered once I realized I had no shoes and the ground was muddy and gross. Rika was trying to make sure I'm not dirty or in worse condition than earlier.

My legs were wrapped around his waist loosely and my arms around his neck. I could smell his cologne. A musty, library smell. The door was opened when we got a few feet near it. In the door way, there was a very tall, box-shaped man. Square glasses and blue hair, in a uppercut. He wore a sweater and sweatpants, like he was trying to hide the fact he was probably awake when Rika called.

"There you are. You called hours ago," the man huffed.
"Sorry, Iida. I was a little too mad, need to calm down for a second."

Rika climbed up the steps to the door, carrying me like I weighted nothing. We got inside and he put me down, gently, and turned to kick his shoes off at the door.

This is when the man had really gotten to look at me. My messy blonde hair, cracked glasses. A green sweater much too big for me, jeans with scuffs and ripps. I felt nervous. This was obviously a place you needed to make a good impression and I felt as if I failed.

"My god...You're the spitting image of him," the blue-haired man crossed his arms.
"Bakugou's hair is spiky but, yes, she is," Rika corrected politely. "Theo, this is Tenya Iida. Tenya, this is Theodora Flint, Ground Zero's daughter."
"How old are you?" Iida asked.
"Thirteen, sir."
"Part American?"
"Yes, sir. My mother's side." I don't know why I said that. He knew Bakugou, he knew that the American couldn't come from him.

Iida nodded. He turned and told us both with a, "come, come!" to follow him into the living room. It was the first room next to the stairs. The furniture was all antiques, dark oak. A lovely couch with a red cushions and pillows, same with the arm chairs. The coffee table was glass and had a game of chess, untouched. Next to the window-which had black curtains-was a lamp on a table with a set of roses next to it. There was also a lamp in the other four corners of the room. The walls had framed photographs and mirror above the unlit fireplace.

Rika crashed on one arm chair, Iida sitting on the couch in front of the chess game. I sat on the floor in front of the coffee table on the other side of the game.

Iida moved his white knight. I moved a pawn.

"I will leave the questions until tomorrow morning," he said in the middle of our game. "You both may borrow some of my clothes and there are two bedrooms-one left, the other right-upstairs." He moved his queen, making it less vulnerable to my rook.
"Alright," Rika groaned, half asleep in his chair. "Theo, go to bed soon, please." He tripped out of the room and up the stairs, choosing the left bedroom.
"Yes, sir."

He might've saved his queen from my rook, but my knight killed her quick. I had beaten him. I expected more of a, 'good game!' or 'Damn it...' reaction.

Instead, Tenya Iida smiled widely, as if he was planning something.