Firework | A Tragic Tale of Two Siblings

25 | Anxious

When Sachi went to back to U.A. High on Monday morning, she had requested a meeting with Principal Nezu that'll be held later during the day, so that she could explain her situation to the teachers she trusted the most. An hour before school ended, Present Mic, Recovery Girl, and Principal Nezu attended to Sachi's requested meeting. All Might had joined when the young medic finished explaining and when Mic blew up in anger.

"NOW WHO THE FUCK'S BEEN STALKIN' GIRLY?!"

"Present Mic! You will calm yourself before you're removed from this room!" Principal Nezu demanded from his desk, his paws curled into fists. Mic, red-faced and pissed, reluctantly held his tongue and sat down next to Sachi, throwing an arm around the young medic's shoulders in a protective embrace. "The news of Miss Bakugou being targeted by villains is unexpected," Nezu continued. "Especially from the way the villain named 'King' has gone about it."

The memories of being held captive in a scaly bind and discovering that her window was purposely left open flashed through her memory. Sachi remained stoic, tense, straightening her back and rolled her shoulders. She rubbed the thick fabric of her skirt between the pads of her fingers, finding solitude in the white garment.

"All Might?" Principal Nezu turned his attention towards the scrawny form of the strong hero. He sat next to Recovery Girl, directly in front of Sachi. "Have you any information about the assault team that attacked Miss Bakugou Thursday afternoon?"

All Might nodded, clearing his throat. "The team's ringleader is named 'Gouku Kurosawa', and he's been an underground fugitive and criminal for many years. He's a stubborn man, and it was a shock when he quickly admitted that he and his crew have been receiving demands for Miss Bakugou's capture for the past four weeks." —Sachi sucked in a sharp breath while All Might kept talking— "When we asked him if there was anything else, he panicked and said that he was 'unable to say anymore due to King's conditions', and Mr. Kurosawa hasn't spoken since."

The room swiftly fell into a stiff silence. Mic's gloved hand on Sachi's shoulder tightened and the young girl leaned into his embrace, finding comfort in Mic's embrace. Principal Nezu hummed lowly, thinking, tapping his paws together in thought. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

"I've made a decision," he announced, "Cherry Bomb will have a bodyguard at all times during school hours and will be personally driven home once the day is over. This will be taken seriously and will be enforced until King has been captured."

Sachi was taken aback by the decision. She was about to protest the absurdity of the new arrangement, but the adults in the room nodded without hesitation. Principal Nezu looked to All Might, "You will be in charge of Cherry Bomb's safety until the next month. This meeting is adjourned."

Later, after school had ended, Sachi strode next to All Might towards U.A.'s underground parking lot. All Might, now big and muscled, glanced every which way. His gait was tense, and compared to Mic, he was more on edge.

Sachi felt anxious, too. Her mind was occupied and she occasionally scraped the tip of her shoes. There was a cold, hollow feeling in her stomach that churned with every clack of her heels, and she suddenly felt sick. Never in her life had she thought of being the center of a villain's attention, not since the Octopus Villain she faced many weeks ago. She clenched the sides of her skirt and bit her lip, and she wondered what her brother would do if he was in her situation.

"Don't worry, Miss Bakugou," All Might said tightly, but his voice was laced with parental concern. Sachi hadn't noticed that the tall hero had poofed backed into his skinny form. "I won't let anything come near you. You have my word."

Sachi merely nodded, keeping her eyes focused on the asphalt of U.A.'s garage. She had changed out of her costume before they entered the parking structure, but she had a strong feeling that she should've kept the uniform on; she felt exposed without it. She gulped down her anxiety and glanced up at the car All Might owned. With the strong hero displaying his chivalry, Sachi slid into the passenger's side, then the hero got into the driver's seat, sliding the keys into the ignition.

"To be honest," Sachi started after a long while, once All Might had driven past the security gate and through the concrete tunnel. "I thought you used One for All to travel to places. I didn't expect you to drive to U.A., or anywhere else, really."

All Might chuckled, thumbing the leather steering wheel and glanced at her. "I do, but I like the feeling of being behind the wheel once in a while." —He led the car out of the tunnel and onto the main road a few minutes later— "And, before you ask, I don't mind taking you home, Miss Bakugou. As a hero, it is my duty to protect others, especially you and Young Midoriya. I care immensely about your safety, and after learning of King's intentions, I'm terrified of losing you to the evil that corrupts this world."

Sachi felt touched, smiling warmly for the first time since the cinemas. Hearing All Might's statement chased away part of the dread in her stomach, albeit a small bit. "Thank you, All Might. That means a lot." —Sachi fiddled with her jacket's sleeves out of habit— "I'm terrified, too. I've never given any thought of being a villain's objective, and I might have some trauma after Thursday night . . ."

All Might reached over and softly grabbed Sachi's wrist, the car slowed down as they reached a red light at a busy intersection. He had a soft smile on his face and gave her wrist a small squeeze; his hand was rough and calloused from many decades of fighting. "That's normal for victims. I'm sure your brother may have some after the Sludge Villain."

Sachi laughed at that. Her brother? Please. He grew from that unlucky encounter, and, as solid proof, there was no falter in his stride towards heroism after his near-death experience.

However, the look on his face the night when Sachi panicked unearthed terrible memories. She never saw that amount of fear in her brother's eyes in years, ever since she puked up blood on that one summer morning. It was like watching the impenetrable wall her brother had built, crack, and shatter, within the blink of an eye.

The horizon was glowing yellow and bright amber, giving golden outlines to the many civilians crossing the intersection. They were all mismatched, but a head of blond hair caught her eye, and she noticed somebody who looked oddly mundane. Having a sharp jawline, broad shoulders, and amber eyes, the man walked towards the other side of the road dressed in a black hoody and tight jeans. His lean body type stood out, even from under the loose-fit jacket, and was casually watching something on his phone with a pair of wireless earbuds.

"Young Midoriya and I are always here for you, Miss Bakugou," All Might reassured, and started the car forward once the stoplight finally turned green. He almost sounded like a father. "But don't be afraid to call Young Midoriya whenever you feel insecure at home. I'm sure he'll take you in without question."

Sachi nodded slowly, listening to All Might's comforting words while trying to piece together why that stranger looked so familiar.