Just as Shigaraki left the room, the door opened. Dabi stepped in with a bag of cough drops and a box of tea bags. "There." He threw the stuff towards Satoko. "This better help. I almost got electrocuted for some tea and cough drops."
Satoko caught them. "Thanks." She made a snarky comment with her raspy voice. "And how do you expect me to boil the tea?" She took a cough drop to suck on. But it wasn't doing anything yet.
Dabi's expression didn't change. "I don't know. Find a way. Not like we can pay for an electric bill."
He didn't understand how she was acting so normal. Usually when they kidnapped someone (which he often forgot had only happened once before) said person would be furious with the situation. They would have to be restrained somehow.
Not Satoko. She was fitting right in almost immediately. Well, after being tossed back and forth a few times.
"Guess I'll just keep having a sore throat then." Satoko rolled her eyes. "You have fire to heat up water. I don't."
Dabi finally smiled. "You got me there. There should be cups or something in the kitchen."
He led the way to the kitchen, which was actually a small and messy room. He managed to find a cup to use for the tea, heated up some water, and handed the cup to her for her tea bag.
"Thanks." Finishing her cough drop, she put her tea bag in and blew on it to cool. After a few sips, her throat was starting to get back to normal.
As she kept drinking, she wasn't too fond of working with villains. She doesn't want to hurt anyone. Ironic, but she never was one to attack first.
Whenever she hurt someone, it was out of defense. Not offense. She stared at the tea a bit. (What can I possibly do? How can I make a difference?)
This world is so corrupt. She had always said heroes aren't different than villains are. They both have huge flaws that harm others. She can't decipher what is worse....
Then the thought of her parents came to mind. Her dad, calling her useless. Him bad mouthing his own wife. Her mother, pulling hairs out of her head as a way to take her frustrations out on Satoko.
One time, she made Satoko kneel onto a bunch of thumbtacks. She would have to stay that way for hours. It was so surreal. They didn't treat her badly until they found out she was quirkless. Or so they thought.
She was just a disappointment and a waste of time. They never loved her. It was all fake. They kept trying to trigger her powers awakening by abuse.
They wished she was never born. A waste of money. They retracted her from going to preschool because she was an embarrassment.
Nothing. She was nothing.
The worst scar she received is on her back. Her tattoo now covers it. Her dad struck her back with a hammer. Over and over. But he had to stop. Otherwise, she would have been dead.
Once her mom got pregnant, they stopped feeding Satoko. She would be starving and locked her away in a room. They'd feed her dog food like she was some kind of pet.
Why were they doing this?
Why?
And that day she went abandoned. The fact that she was crying on the streets.
No one cared. It was a terrible area to live in anyways. Heroes hardly came around. It would be rare, but they didn't care either. It was as if she was treated like nothing.
A mere child. Why were poor people treated like dirt?
But...
(They were wrong about me...)
Making it seem like she was useless. They didn't even give her a chance or see she has a quirk.
Bitterness welled up inside her. "I can't believe all this time...I thought I made it this far relying on my own strength." She bitterly laughed as if it was a cruel joke. "I know I should be happy, but I dunno how to really feel."
Dabi thought for a moment. "It was your own strength. That quirk is impressive. Anyone can see that. The fact that you aren't dead by this point is surprising given the fact that you didn't even know about your quirk until now."
"Huh." She raised an eyebrow towards him. She was surprised at him giving her compliments. This felt weird to her. She was expecting a meaner remark from him.
To be honest, deep down.... she resents herself for living this long. Just for existing. Words like that are just hard to believe.
Surely, she always tried to make it seem like she had a lot of pride. That she was really tough. Her resilient exterior was just a front, masking how she really feels. For so long, she has forced herself to be strong.
"Are you trying to butter me up?" She asked. "It's hard to believe, coming for you."
Dabi chuckled at that. "Dunno. Am I?"
He meant what he said; however, he didn't want to allow that feeling that he felt to persist. He loved whatever it was, but at the same time he couldn't really appreciate it. His mind was subconsciously trying to block those feelings away because they were new. New feelings that he didn't recognize automatically had to be his enemy.
Satoko thought that this was abnormal. This was the guy who used brute force to take her with him? But the fact that he was actually... being less threatening?
It didn't make her completely relax though. It's odd that she was just laughing at Shigaraki's sense of humor earlier. The way he even opened up to her about his own story, she didn't know what to feel.
The fact he was even groomed to be thinking the way he does now, making him out to be the worse person. Is Dabi the same?
(Is there something making him this way too? I have my own inner turmoil that I project on the outside as well...)
"I was thinking," She spoke up. "We all probably have our own stories of being rejected and casted out from society." She shook her head. "But I was talking to Shigaraki... I didn't think he would be kind of easy to talk to? Not only that, being treated lesser than a person is cruel. I would know." Her expression changed softer when she was talking about Shigaraki. It was like... compassion? It was rather unusual since she's always aggressive and moody.
She looked up towards Dabi. "I don't wish to live in a world where everyone is tossed aside or have this constant battle of power. I think it needs to change. That everyone is worth saving. Including villains. I thought about after hearing his own story."
Dabi kept his cool composure, but he seemed slightly more annoyed at her statement. "I don't care about him, and neither should you. He tried to kill you anyway, so why would you want to help him? He's selfish and only cares about himself. I won't say that I won't kill anyone else, but you can be sure that I won't kill you. You can't trust Shigaraki on that much."
Dabi walked around her as he spoke. The way he moved was just like what you would expect from a villain delivering some sort of speech in a cheesy musical. "I'm just using him. We all are. No doubt he's just using us too."
"That's terrible." She glared at him, but it was more of a sad expression. "It's sad no one cares about him. But I'm not that kind of person. As for wanting to help him, who else will? If he's disposable, I might as well be too. I can't trust you or anyone, but it doesn't mean I'm the same way with using or not caring for people."
Dabi stopped walking. He turned towards her, his face close to hers as he smiled. It was same eerie smile as before. The type of smile that was obviously keeping something locked away deep inside. "Disposable? Hah. You're the only other one here that really matters."
Satoko stayed silent. She was honestly speechless. His expression was hard to even read. She placed her finished cup of tea down. "You're just saying that to me. I don't think I actually matter to anyone."
She's used to people lying to her. They may seem genuine, but she'd be backstabbed in return. It's hard to having a caring heart like this. That is her biggest weakness that she has tucked away. Her response would try to keep pushing people away from her.
(I hate feeling this way. I hate that I bother with my own ignorance.)
"Haven't I made it clear enough that I don't care what you think?" He asked. His face turned more serious again. He eyed the tea on the dirty countertop. "You're going to clean that yourself."
"Uh, duh." She grumbled. "I literally just finished drinking it. Sheesh."
She complained some more and cleaned it up. She doesn't know how to properly clean anything so she just rinsed it under a leaky faucet. She dried it with her shirt and put it away. "There."
So sanitary.
Not like she knew any better anyway.
"I'm pretty beat." She yawned. "I need some rest ALONE since I'm all bleedin' and stuff."
"You don't have to emphasize it like that." Dabi gave an amused snort. "I may be a villain, but even I'm not that low. I think there's a room you can stay in. I'll show you."
Satoko wasn't used to that. She was rather surprised. Dabi led her to a room. It was messy, but it was much better than the ground. There was an actual bed there and a small desk in the corner. "Here it is. Have fun."
"I'm surprised you got your hands on a bed." Satoko commented. "Hope it doesn't have bed bugs."
"I can't promise anything," he commented bluntly. He waved his hand as he walked out of the door. "Good night."
Satoko closed the door. Due to her protective nature towards others, she used something to keep the door locked. There was a chair that she put it against the handle.
(What am I doing...?)
She felt a bit stupid doing that, knowing what their quirks are.
(Period makes me lose brain cells sometimes.)
She went to lay down. When was the last time she laid on an actual mattress? Sure, it was dusty. Mildew scented.
But it was a bed.
She sighed, looking up at the cracks of the ceiling that the moonlight touched upon.
Closing her eyes, surprisingly, she fell asleep.
...
Jolting awake from a nightmare she couldn't recall, she couldn't remember where she was. The sunrise was just happening outside.
It is hard for her to have a full rest since sometimes, she wakes up often due to her anxiety. A weight on her chest would make her feel like she can't breathe. A cold sweat soaked her back.
In a daze, she started thinking about everything that had occurred.
All For One.
Shigaraki's past.
The villains.
All Might.
That all ties together with how Shigaraki's being used. Although, it doesn't tie in with heroes status.
Or does it?
Corruption can have a domino effect.
(All Might may know some information.)
She doubts Dabi would be helpful with that. Technically, she didn't really agree to be a part of the League of Villains. She doesn't want to label herself as such.
Approaching All Might by herself is better. But how would she find him? (I need to learn about All For One's past more. To know what more about his person.)
Hawks.
Ugh. She can imagine the teasing remarks from him again.
Strangely enough, she doesn't see that as a bad thing.
(What's wrong with me...?)
He's just an annoying flirt. A hero even. But what choice does she have anyways? All Might has fought All For One anyway. She also knows where he lives too.
Sneaking out shouldn't be too hard. It's not like she won't come back.
(Wait a second...)
Last time, she snuck away, they didn't notice her. Is that another part of her power?
Testing it out with concentration, she put her foot onto the ground. There wasn't any sound made. To test it further, she stomped.
No sound.
Siren's Song sounds like a good name for her voice quirk.
This requires sound too. It's strange that a quirk can have flexibility depending on the power.
(Stealth step.)
That sounds like another good name.
Rushing out the window without a hint of sound, she left.
(I'll be back later. Hopefully not too long for them to notice.)
...
Hawks was readying himself to leave for the day. Opening the window, he heard a knock at the door.
"Hm?" He looked at the door in question. (Now, who could that be?)
As he opened the door, his eyebrows raised in surprise. That fierce looking woman was right there. The way the lighting hit her hair made it look like it was shining.
"Well, well." Hawks smirked. "What brings you here?"
"Uh..." Satoko paused. She actually didn't know how to ask. She looked away. "Where can I find All Might? I need to talk to him."
"And why must you speak with him?" Hawks folded his arms in a teasing way. "I see you're not with the League."
"I got away." She replied. "I have reasons."
"Being secretive? Are you working with the villains?" He asked.
"Like you aren't?" She retorted. "Besides, I work solo. I'm not a 'hero' or a villain."
"Touché." Hawks sighed. "I have my own reasons with that too." He walked towards her a little bit. Nudging his wings onto her back, towards him in a teasing way.
"H-hey!" She growled, but looked towards him. His yellow eyes really stood out staring at her. It made her feel strange, that she pushed away from him.
"I have good judgment to trust you." He stated. "I don't see you as the type to not be trustworthy."
"Well, it's hard for me to have faith in anyone." She said. "It's even hard for me to come here."
His eyes grew a little serious, but not in a way of being reprimanding. Was it actual concern? "But you came to me. If that's not trust, then what is it, Takahashi?"
Satoko grew silent from that. No words came from her mouth. Subtly noticeable, her hand was shaking a little bit.
It was like she was trying to hide that fact. Were heroes that bad to her?
Hawks put on a smile on his face and patted the top of her head. "I'll take you to him, don't worry. You can tell me on the way why you'd want to know."
It would be good source of information on his part.
Instead of pushing him off right away, she had a little scowl on her lightly pink face. "Fine." She moved his hand off. "Stop that, chicken."
(I won't tell him everything.) She would feel guilty lending out someone else's past just like that.
"Still not calling me, Keigo, huh?" Hawks smirked at her face. There's no way this woman would be like those villains are. If she were someone else, he would have declined her right then and there.
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