Silence Destroyed (MHA)

Chapter 40- The Beginning of the End

You know, when you're fighting with someone close to you, it's important to know when you're good to die on a hill in the argument, and when you really should just abandon the train of thought... and the apartment if needed.

That second point had been reached not long ago as the two were arguing over the 20th thing that day. They had been at each other's throats when Aizawa and All Might dropped by, and they were practically rabid now, only three days later. Thankfully, Hasame was going back to work the next day- a lifesaver for both of them- but when Naoko came around the corner, a retort fresh off her tongue and saw Hasame holding a knife, murderous look in her eyes and slaughtered carrots in front of her, well, there might as well have Naoko shaped hole in the door.

There wasn't much to do out in the city, the police had warned her to keep her head down until news died down a bit, so here she was, sitting in a park with a ratty baseball cap that she pulled out of a dumpster and an oversized t-shirt she never bothered to change out of that morning.

It wasn't the best of disguises, but so far no one had looked at her twice, and she was able to throw rocks into the pond in peace.

There were so many things she wanted to do, people she wanted to piss off- heavens knows she had ideas for days... But that was about it. Right now there was very little she had the ability to accomplish. Her quirk still wasn't reacting to her the same way it'd been before Kamino, it seemed more volatile like something had been torn away and now it was lashing out. The thought itself was terrifying, and it was the main reason she still had the quirk suppressing bracelets on. She was scared to see what would happen if her quirk took control.

After her parents died, she'd been a menace to society, she didn't want to return to that.

"Plop"

The ripples on the pond were soothing to watch as Naoko let the rest of the world fade away. All Might warned her about All for One's quirk after the fact, he'd been concerned about the statement she gave and wanted to give her a heads up just in case being... taken into that man warped her quirk or... Something else.

Everyone was so worried about it, and the smallest, cynical part of Naoko understood. She barely trusted her quirk on the best of days.

Why would she trust it now?

That didn't change the fact that she needed to bite the bullet at some point and test it. If not for her own benefit, then for any chance she had at being a semi-functioning human, let alone a vigilante.

... And that was an issue in and of itself. Where did she even start?

"Plop"

She was so full of false confidence at the best of days, but now she was lost. She could do some kind of grand gesture... Her face and name were fairly well known right now after all, but that sounded both exhausting and dangerous. She didn't want to keep placing Hasame in danger. No wonder Stain and most other villains went by pseudonyms.

No, there were more than enough problems, she had to focus on one at a time. She tossed the final rock into the pond, staring at the ripples as they echoed across the water. Her fingers traced the bracelets and she bit her lip. One problem at a time, huh? The only question was, Which one?

Thanks to the fact that her quirk was supressed, Naoko jumped hard as a hand landed on her shoulder, almost falling off of the bench as she tried to jerk away. Instead, she was forced back into place as two people dropped themselves on either side of her. For a moment, panic blinded her as she reached out to undo the bracelets.

Whoever this was had done screwed them... selves?

A large hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her attempts, which only led to her panic increasing exponentually. Naoko could feel her quirk twisting in her stomach, the pressure asserted by the bracelets beginning to cause physical pain the more her quirk struggled to get free.