This Thing A Quiet Madness Made

Chapter 37

"Really?" she asked, a wide grin overtaking her features.

"Sure, go ahead."

A tiny, delighted gasp escaped from the girl as she quickly took a step forward, one arm still holding the plush while the other squeezed tightly around Unknown, a string of excited "thank you"s spilling from her. Unknown hesitated for a moment, glancing down in surprise before slowly moving to pat her on the back, her other hand gently removing the girl's arm from around her and taking half a step back.

"It was nice seeing you again Eri," she smiled faintly. "You should go back to your room now. I'll... see you around?"

Eri nodded enthusiastically, both arms wrapped around her new plush as she looked up at Aizawa.

"Go ahead. Wait for me by the door," he patted her on the head, sending her off with an encouraging nod. The girl smiled once more and obediently slipped past him, waving back at Unknown and bidding her goodbye before cheerfully running off down the hallway.

"That was nice of you," Aizawa mused as he watched the little girl slip into the elevator, returning her wave just before the doors closed in front of her.

"I never liked stuffed animals. The Manager always gave them to us as rewards," she shrugged. "Besides, I'm not using it anyways."

"Did anything happen while she was here?"

"No. She's perfectly alive, as you can see."

"That's not what I mean. Do you know what her quirk is?"

"I heard a few things while I was with Shie Hassaikai. As you can see, I'm alive too, un-rewinded and everything."

"You're taking all this quite well."

"Thank you."

"I'm being serious. You seem to have adjusted quickly."

"Well, it's definitely nice to be out of that place. Oh, and... I forgot to thank you, for everything you did."

"No need, I was just doing my job."

"...right. Well anyway, you should probably be getting back to that class of yours, don't you think? Your lunch break is almost over," she mused, glancing down at the time on her phone.

"Right, I'll be going then. Take care of yourself, Unknown."

"Jeez, no need to sound so formal, Eraser. I'll see you around."

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The days continued on in Heights Alliance much as they always had; the chatter was lively, filled with banter and games and the scent of cooking at mealtimes. Schoolwork was rigorous and hero work even more so, the class of twenty continuing towards their dreams of becoming pro-heroes while also enjoying the journey to its full. It was hard, rewarding work, and Heights Alliance was their refuge from the stress and worry of such a demanding schedule. The only difference now was the presence of a specter in their midst.

Their newest housemate was like a ghost: silent, elusive, and seen by few. Haunting the second-floor girls' hall, Unknown had only been glimpsed a handful of times slipping in and out of her room, retreating from sight a mere moment later. The only people who had the interest, or bravery, as some thought of it, to interact with her were Uraraka, Midoriya, and Eri. Midoriya had dropped by twice to ask if she was alright and if there was anything he could do for her, to which she of course denied, thanking him for his thoughtfulness. Eri came by to play quite often, mostly during the evenings or weekends when Aizawa was there to supervise, but sometimes she came alone as well, making Unknown promise not to tell the hero before cheerfully pulling her into playing some game or another. The older girl didn't always know how the games worked, such as "cat's cradle" or "marbles," but Eri was always eager to teach her as best she could. Unknown wasn't particularly good with children, but she liked her enough to make an effort.