TARTARUS
Shota and Yamada go to Tartarus to help with the Kurogiri investigation.
“Today’s class we’ll be giving status reports. We will share what we learned, accomplished and experienced over winter break… so, everyone, please suit up and report to Ground Alpha!” class rep Iida said to class 1-A after winter break was over. “All right, wrap it up-” Aizawa-sensei said, upon entering the classroom to check on their status. He received various new year’s greetings as his students passed him. “I have informed the class of today’s agenda! Just as you informed me this morning,” Iida told Aizawa.
“Aizawa-sensei, please report to the staff room,” Aizawa heard over the loudspeaker amid the 1-A chaos. *I wonder what that’s all about* Aizawa thought to himself as he went down the hall towards the staff room… the opposite direction from where he was supposed to be going for class. Upon arriving at the staff room, he found Yamada sitting in one of the chairs opposite of Principal Nezu. “Have a seat,” Nezu said, motioning to one of the open chairs. “Why do I feel like we are students in trouble?” Yamada commented as Aizawa followed orders and took a seat.
“What is this about, principal? I have a class starting in a few minutes,” Aizawa said. “Don’t worry, I have both of your classes covered for the remainder of the day,” Nezu said. “This is all in regard to the villain known as Kurogiri,” he continued. “Kurogiri? That’s one of the ones that showed up at the USJ, right?” Yamada asked. “I thought he was locked up?” Aizawa then asked. “You’re both correct. He’s one of the members in the league of villains… the one with the warp quirk. He’s spent the last several weeks in Tartarus, where they have been doing some research and interrogating him. Detective Tsukauchi and the others have reason to believe that there is some kind of connection between him and one of your old schoolmates, Oboro Shirakumo,” Nezu explained.
“Shirakumo?” Aizawa said, almost as if thinking out loud. “We know that All for One has the ability to transfer quirks, and there’s evidence to show that Shirakumo’s quirk is a core factor to Kurogiri’s warp quirk…” Nezu said, pausing for a moment as if deciding how to word the next part. “And… there’s also evidence that his body was used as well,” he said. “WHAT? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? HIS BODY WAS CREMATED!” Yamada said, wide-eyed. “Again, this is all speculation right now, but that’s why Detective Tsukauchi reached out to me to get in touch with people who knew him and get them down to Tartarus,” Nezu continued.
“Have you… told Mei?” Aizawa asked, still trying to process what they were being told. “No, I thought it might be better for her to hear it from you,” he answered. “Good, I don’t want to upset her with just speculations,” Aizawa replied, standing up. “Let’s get this over with, then,” he added, walking towards the staff room exit. “I’ll drive,” Yamada said, getting up also and following his friend.
During their meeting with the principal, Aizawa could feel his phone buzzing, but didn’t pull his phone out in respect for the meeting… He pulled his phone out now as they began their drive to Tartarus. As he guessed, it was from his wife. *I heard you being summoned over the intercom… is everything ok?* she had asked. He thought for a moment, then typed back, *Principal Nezu needed me to go to Tartarus with Mic for something, I’ll see you tonight.* He put his phone on his lap and crossed his arms, until he felt a buzz and checked her reply. *Be safe* was all it said.
~LATER THAT EVENING~
Mei sat in their dorm apartment reading a winter break report written by one of her students. She knew Shota said that he’d be back this evening, but she wasn’t sure what time, so she decided to go ahead and eat her supper without him. Besides, food always made grading a little bit more bearable. Just as she was lifting another bite of rice to her mouth, the door to their quarters opened, and in walked Shota. Mei put down her chopsticks and looked up at him. “Hey Shota-” she began, then seeing the look on his face.
She could immediately tell something was amiss… something about the way his eyes looked even more red and baggier than normal (even after extended use of his quirk), and the way his shoulders were slumped down. “What happened?” she asked as he slipped off his boots and took off his goggles and capture weapon from around his neck. He didn’t give an answer yet but went straight to their couch and sprawled out on it, with his head resting on one of the couch arms. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment, then rested his forearm over his closed eyes.
Mei watched him from her seat at the kitchen table for a moment, then stood up and walked over towards him. This isn’t the first time her husband came home like this… it was often after days that were especially stressful or physically taxing on him. She didn’t say anything else about it, but sat down on the floor, parallel to the couch. She looked up at him. “Tea? Or coffee?” she offered. “Tea…” he said, still not lifting his forearm off his face, as if still resting his eyes. Mei got up and walked back over to the kitchen and fixed him one of his favorite sleepytime tea blends.
“Here,” she said as she came back with his favorite mug full of hot tea. He finally sat up, swinging his legs around so that she could sit down next to him. She handed him his tea and sat down right beside him as she watched him take a sip of tea. He set the cup down on the end table next to him and slouched forward (he didn’t exactly have the best posture). Mei looked sadly at him, wanting to help carry whatever burden he was carrying, but not wanting to force it out of him before he was ready…
The two of them were the same in that regard… sometimes it was just too hard to put feelings into words- it often helped to let it sit for a while before trying to. Mei reached over and put her hand on his shoulder, rubbing gently with her thumb as she rested it there. Shota sighed deeply and switched positions so that he could put his arm around her waist. Neither of them said anything for a while… Shota thinking about their old friend and how to tell his wife about what happened to him.
Mei just sat in silence with him, comforting him the best she could with an occasional kiss on his head and the stroking of his hair, trying to untangle it as she did so. They sat like this for, who knows how long, and when Shota gave a long, heavy sigh, he sat up and turned to face her better. “Detective Tsukauchi called Principal Nezu for us to come to Tartarus to help with an investigation on the villain known as Kurogiri,” Shota began. “The warp villain? What kind of investigation?” Mei asked, curiously, all the uncertainty being lifted slowly.
“We have reason to believe that Kurogiri is actually a high-functioning nomu… and at his core… is…” Shota explained, careful with his wording, but also just not wanting to tell Mei. “Is…the body of Shirakumo,” he said, looking her in the eye, sadly. Mei watched him as he spoke, then broke eye contact, looking down. “…Obo?” she asked, trying to swallow the information she was told. “His cloud is a core factor to the warp quirk… it was somehow bioengineered to create a whole new quirk. And… when we spoke to him… it was almost like he recognized Yamada and I,” Shota continued, thinking back to earlier that evening.
“He said our names… and I felt like, for just a brief moment, I could see his face through the fog,” he said, studying Mei’s face as he spoke. He knew her better than anyone and could read the initial sadness that she felt and how it turned into anger, which she tried to bury down. “They used his body and turned him into a villain? He was supposed to save lives, not take them,” she said, still trying to keep a cool exterior. “Mei,” he said, reaching over and putting his hand on her shoulder. “Shirakumo isn’t the one responsible for the deaths caused by the League… he was a victim,” he explained.
She took a deep breath, as if trying to ground herself, causing Shota to move his hand to her hand, taking it and holding it tight. “I didn’t want to tell you…” he said, sadly, knowing the pain it’s caused her. “But I’m glad you did,” she said, looking over at him, showing that there was a tear that was rolling down her cheek. He wiped it off her face with his thumb and leaned in. She closed the gap and kissed him… a grounding kiss that reminded them of all the grief that they had faced together before.
As they pulled apart, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and he wrapped his around her shoulders, pulling her in tightly. The feeling of his strong arms around her caused her feelings to overwhelm her. She cried in his arms… wishing Obo was here with them, sad that his corpse was turned into a villain, sad that Shota had to feel like he needed to be strong for her sake, and most of all, happy that he was here to empathize with her and ground her in a way that no one else could.