•Eraser Tales•(Aizawa)

Ronin-evening (34)

Yagi and Aizawa walk into the officer’s bar about ten minutes after eight p.m.  There are some other scragging in  officers.  The sound of the piano keys is tinkling lightly.  The start of a song begins with a simple but sad tone to it.  A woman’s voice starts to sing slowly with a hint of gruffness that is sexy.

“Autumn leaves are dead...
like a fire I will burn at the best.”

“Autumn rise is gone...
as a child I would wash in red,
don’t stop my head from falling.”

“All of my friends I’ve lost,
has the grave won again?
I will hear again, I will hear again.”
           
I can be what you lost...
Black Parade...
I give in Will hang from within.”
(black parade by Gin Wigmore)

All Might looks at the woman playing the piano.  “There’s Veronica.  She is always early to everything.”

Eraser raises his eyebrow over the eye with the scar.  “That actually isn’t too much of a surprise.  I am coming to the conclusion she is quite the tactician.”

Yagi chuckles, “She is.  You and I both know some women in history have made the most deadly tacticians.  Snipers too, she started out as a ranger with sniper.”

Aizawa nods his head.  None of what Toshinori could tell him about Veronica would surprise him so much.  The underground hero has spent his afternoon looking into the North American tribal called the Assiniboine (Nakota).  The tribe has a reason to be proud and recognized as such.  Veronica has a reason to show her pride in her people she descended from.

“All the friends I’ve lost….
Has the grave won again?
All my friends I forgot.”

" I will be heard again...I can be lost what you lost...Black Parade.”

   “I give in Will hang from within.”

Shouta strolls over to the piano then rests his arm on it.  He stays silent and waits for Veronica to finish the song.  The raven haired woman goes a couple more lines of the lyrics then stops.  “Evening Mr. Aizawa…”

“Evening and call me Shouta…” Aizawa gives her a small tired smile.

“Thank you Shouta and of course you can call me Ronica.  Toshi and now you are the only ones I allow to,”  Ronin stands up from the piano.

Eraser had thought it was going to be tough staying awake.  Then he sees what Veronica chose to wear.  She is (note: NOT traditionally or contemporary correct clothing) wearing a doeskin leather top with beading and a pipe bead choker.  The black skirt is short and her feet have mountain goat skin, black tall moccasins that have leather ties just over her knees.  The attire shows her legs off and her back.  The choker is like a collar but the collar of a wild cat.  Ronin looks sexy but very much full of attitude and wild at heart.  There are three black feathers in a leather tie that appear to raven.

“Ronin can I get you something to drink?”  Shouta asks.

“A cherry coke is all…”

“Nothing harder?”  he now inquires..

“I have taken an oath of sobriety.  Alcoholism is a terrible problem for tribal people.  I don’t drink to support their battle with it,” Veronica smiles with pride.

“Make that two cherry cokes…”  he tells the drink server.

Veronica sits down.  “You can drink.  It wouldn’t bother me.”

Shouta shakes his head and sits down next to her.  “No, I want to show my support tonight, too.”

Then Toshinori joins the two at the table.  Shouta notices he isn’t drinking alcohol either.  Aizawa knew he had done the right thing.  Yagi really cares for this young woman.  Eraser wonders how he met her other than most likely in America.  He decides to ask All Might but Colonel Bowen enters to interrupt everything and everyone.

“Evening! Being a Colonel, always something needs taken care of!  Now, let's get the drinks flowing and the cards shuffled!”

Eraser hears a frustrated growl,  barely at a volume of a whisper.  “I’ll run interference with that one.  You just try to relax a little.”

“Thanks Shouta…” Ronin smiles.

Several hands of Texas hold’em later and Ronin is on top with chips.  She has already figured out the tells on the others except Shouta.  Veronica likes that.  He gives her a challenge and she knows he is studying her tells.  Toshi was third since he knew Veronica fairly well.  Colonel Bowen decides he needs a break and to use the restroom.

“Ronin, I just saw your tattoo of the red hand,”  Shouta says.  “What is the symbolism to it?’

“Oh well, it's a statement about all the missing and murdered Indigeous women in the United States and Canada…”  Veronica starts to explain.  Unfortunately she is cut off by the Colonel's return.

“Ronin, this is an evening of relaxation not bringing up depressing issues in the world.  Have a drink!”  the Colonel loudly says.

“Of course, what was I thinking….” Veronica quietly mumbles.

It hits midnight and Veronica is tired physically and mentally exhausted.  She has lost count on how many times she had almost insulted her superior or actually nearly gotten up to physically assault him.  Aizawa has even started placing his hand on her knee and squeezing it to distract Ronin.  She has to remove his hand before she can stand. 

She knows most officers and superiors are not like Colonel Bowen but there were still just like him.  They come from wealth and privilege with an Ivy league degree.  The two would never see eye to eye.  Ronin decides it is time to take the winnings she has and cut her losses socially.

"So heading home boys...contrary to what all men think they know, the naughtiest, dirty talking 'slut' is a scared good little girl who learned long ago there was no one at night, going to save her...keep her safe from the monsters.  So she learned to play tough and that men want a dirty mouthed slut that plays rough and talks smack even if she doesn't put out.  Scared little girls might remind you that somewhere you failed as a man to protect an innocent girl in your past.  Regret is such a bitch...then there's remorse…" Veronica pauses next to Toshinori, "well except you Toshi, my good friend."

"Good night Ronin and I have never seen you other than a beautiful woman that perhaps another life and time we could have been more.". All Might is staring at Colonel Bowen with his piercing blues.  The Colonel looks down and clears his throat.  He knows Yagi is going to mention his behavior to his superior.

Ronin squeezes his neck like a small and intimate hug, "Me too...All Might."

The once cocky adrenaline junkie walked to her sports car.  Just as the car alarm beeps to signal disarmed and doors are unlocked a man approaches.

"Eraser…" Ronin acknowledges him but gets in the driver's seat.

"Who failed you?  Obviously not All Might…"

"A long list, that seems to always start, a girl's dad…" Ronin let's a long breath.

"Need to talk?" he asks.

Ronin shakes her head 'No'.

"I'm just coming down from like subspace...top drop but no one to give me aftercare is all...I'll be fine by tomorrow most likely."

Shouta takes his turn shaking his head 'No'.

"That's a long time to be in this state.  Even though I just met you and we don't know each other, I like to think I'm a good Dom.  I could give you some aftercare…?"

Ronin laughs…"My gut was right about you.  How much of one?"

"You're a smart woman all the way down to nothing sexual...there are nonsexual relationships."

The woman closes her eyes and nibbles on her bottom lip. She opens them and looks up a Shouta, "Okay but let's start with you driving."

"Good girl…"