UA - AU (MHA/BNHA)

2

The room was loud, it echoed every last sound and made it hard for the man in the hallway to decipher how many were really there.

He could hear the voices of those who came for the meeting as well as the news on the TV displayed loudly.

He sighed, straightening his collar before opening the door.

The room immediately quieted down and the TV was muted as he made his way to the podium, his tattered black boots scraping against the wood floor.

He wore a pair of baggy black pants and a black shirt that was once long sleeved, but now had the arms ripped off, with the bottom of the shirt tucked into his belt. He could feel a hole in his pants over his right knee, he'll have to fix that later

He rubbed his chin, feeling his short scruffy beard.

He kept his black, bloodshot eyes forward as he stepped onto the lift.

He grabbed the edge of the wooden podium and made his way around it.

He moved the microphone closer to the level of his mouth.

"Thank you everyone for coming," He said into the microphone while signing fluently.

"There's literally only four people here," A young man spat. He raked his hands through his spiky crimson hair and shook his head.

"There's more than one person in the crowd right?" The man responded flatly, pushing a strand of black hair behind his ear that he missed when he tied his hair into a low bun.

The red head glanced at the other three attendees and muttered a yes to the man at the podium.

"Then thank you everyone for coming," The man said, emphasizing his response.

"As we all know," He said gesturing to the TV displaying a debate between two politicians. "The Mayoral Election run has recently started."

"Yeah, for the Regs," The young man said, cutting off the speaker again.

"Stop interrupting him, Dabi!" A woman across the room snapped at the young man.

She had long brown hair and dark green eyes. Her right arm was in a sling and she looked utterly annoyed.

"Oh lighten up, Emi," Dabi used his own fingers to push the corners of his lips up. "Use that special mutation of yours to make yourself laugh a little."

"At least my mutation is controllable," Emi scoffed, turning her head.

"What did you just say you counterfeit brunette?" Dabi spat, jumping to his feet.

"Don't fight!" A young man with light blue hair in the back of the room screeched. "Don't fight! You're causing my anxiety to flare!"

"Tenko," The man at the podium snapped as the blue haired man began scratching his neck. "Stop scratching or I will tell Sorahiko to tape oven mitts on you."

"I'm trying!" Tenko whined, though he was scratching his neck raw.

"Shut up you sack of lesions," Dabi growled. "I don't even get why you're here!"

"Sit down, Dabi, and shut up, all of you!" The man at the podium shouted, finally fed up.

Dabi dropped into his chair immediately, looking at the man, who's hair was standing straight up off his head and his black eyes were now glowing red as he glared at the group.

The three causing the commotion quickly quieted down.

The blonde man in the corner seemed oblivious to the situation, staring at the TV, reading the subtitles as they appeared.

"The mutants have run rampid for too long!"

He read while one of the politicians was speaking.

Dabi stretched his leg over the chair next to him and kicked the blonde on the end of the row.

The man turned to Dabi.

Pay attention Hizashi, Dabi signed with his hands. He wasn't fluent in sign language, but he knew a good amount from when he knew a deaf girl in school.

Hizashi brought his attention to the podium.

"Now, as I was saying," The man said. "The City's Mayoral Election run has recently started. This means our scouts have to be extra careful out there. They'll have Mutant Catchers everywhere."

Dabi crossed his arms as he slouched back in his chair.

"Dabi, Hizashi," The man said. "You two need to be extra careful with using your aliases while in the city."

"I'm the only one that can talk intelligibly and I already call him Tone-deaf out of habit," Dabi said.

"At least it's a better name than Dabi," Tenko snickered.

"I will light you on fire, Shimmy," Dabi threatened, sparking a blue flame on his finger as he glared at Tenko.

The flame extinguished itself and Dabi quickly turned around, seeing the man's hair flying and his eyes glowing again.

"Since I'm sure everyone is on edge, which is causing this behavior," The man said sternly. "And seeing nothing else intended to be covered is very important for tonight. I will end the meeting here."

"Yes!" Dabi jumped to his feet. "Sweet freedom of the big city!"

The man rolled his eyes, turning his head to Emi as she stood up.

"Emi I would appreciate it if you walked Tenko home tonight and tell Sorahiko about the incident."

Emi nodded, "Sure thing, Shota."

Emi and Tenko left the building.

Shota stepped off the lift and led Hizashi and Dabi to the exit.

The three walked out of the building onto an empty street.

They walked to the woods in the distance.

Shota kept his eyes on the ground, stopping after a certain distance.

Hizashi grabbed the grass and quickly lifted, causing a square of false dirt to lift up, uncovering a trapdoor.

Dabi lifted the hatch and jumped into the hole.

"Be careful you two," Shota said as Hizashi stepped down onto the ladder.

"Will do Dead Eyes!" Dabi called from the tunnel.

Hizashi patted Shota's calf as he dropped into the hole, closing the trapdoor.

Shota flipped the patch of dirt back over the hatch and walked back to the town, closing his eyes as dread filled his chest.