Smile for Me

Chapter 62: Run

"We played these on repeat in her head until she probably had them memorized."

"You bastards..." he growled sadly. He could hear Emi's breath quicken as she began to get light headed from fear.

"Now...Toga, if you and Twice would hook them up to the machine?"

"Sure thing- Anything for you, boss!" Twice said, grabbing Emi's helmet and Toga following.

"No! NO! I WON'T GO BACK, YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! PLEASE LET ME GO!!" Emi screamed as she and Aizawa were strapped into their helmets.

"Don't worry, we're not going to turn you evil again, Ms.Joke. We're just going to play with you two for a bit before we kill you!" They heard Toga say from under the helmets. "But first..."

Emi heard a switch flipped, electricity whir, and Aizawa scream out.

"Let him go! Just let him go!" She cried, tears falling from the mask of the helmet.

After a few seconds, it stopped, and she could hear Aizawa panting for air.

"Now, then. We have all we need, so lets get started. Dabi?"

Aizawa heard Dabi chuckle. "With pleasure."

Another switch was heard, and he expected another shock, but instead memories flashed in his head.

Back off, Joke.

As usual, you're impossible, Joke.

"A mutual love bloomed!" No, it didn't.

What is it now?

Images of times he had with Ms.Joke flashed through his mind as he felt guilt wash over him all over again.

Finally, the helmet was ripped from his head as he tried to catch his breath. Aizawa looked over and saw Emi hyperventilating. Images flashed through her head seemingly at light speed.

////////memory/////////

"Well well well! look what the cat dragged in!" Emi laughed at her "clever" cat pun.

*Ha ha! Maybe he'll like that pun! It is about cats after all..*

"Ugh, can it wait Joke? I need to get home."

*Dang. Foiled again. Wait! Not yet. It's his birthday, Emi. Convince him to stay!*

"What, so you can spend your birthday alone again? I don't think so."

He turned to her in surprise.

*Oh! A reaction! At least it's something..*

"Wait, how did you know that?" Her tall dark and handsome crush asked her.

"Hizashi told me!" She beamed, blushing as she did so.

"Ugh, of coarse he did." He turned around to walk home.

*********

"That's it... He doesn't love you.  Hell, he doesn't even like you in general."

"Why did even think he might..."

The Smile Hero's eyes fill with tears threatening to cascade down her face.